I’ll never forget the first time I heard of Instagram. Z was home for his two weeks of R&R and I was 38 weeks pregnant. He had left when I was 8 weeks pregnant so technically, this was the first time he was seeing my belly in person. Well I was the size of a house and my sister-in-law took a picture of us cuddling. I begged her not to put it anywhere on social media and she was like “oh it’s just Instagram, it’s a new app where people post just pictures”. Little did I know that it would become all the craze a few years later…
I waited awhile before I jumped on the Instagram train and I didn’t start using one for my blog until October 2012. Crazy to think I’ve been blogging and posting that long but it’s even crazier to look at how much has changed over the past few years. My Instagram has always been a place for sharing; sharing my personal style, sharing our family adventures, sharing my favorite finds, and sharing whatever was going on in our life. It’s a creative outlet for me and it’s almost like making art. And like a modern time capsule if you will.
But in addition to sharing, I also love looking for inspiration. I look finding new mamas to follow and being able to relate to their struggles. I love seeing how other women style the same pieces I have. I love white desks with coffee mugs and pink confetti. I like flat lays, #ootd pictures and Christmas light bokeh. Call me basic but those things make me happy and I enjoy seeing them as I scroll through my feed.
But we all love Instagram for different reasons and that’s the beauty of it. We can share whatever we want and whatever makes us happy. And if people like what we’re sharing, they’ll follow along in our journey. And if we like what other people are sharing, we’ll follow along in their journey too.
One of the ways people connect on Instagram is hashtags. By using hashtags, we’re allowing other people to search for us and follow us based on similar interests. Instagram is a great place to share photos and find inspiration but even more than that, it’s a community. We can have a conversation with someone through comments, faster than email or even leaving a comment on their blog. And as weird as it is to admit this, I’ve made great friends through Instagram. I’ve met people I can turn to in the middle of the night when I can’t sleep or when I’m having a bad day. That care about my family and I care about theirs. Nuts, right?
I wanted to start using a hashtag and I encourage all of you to use it too. #PrettyLittleShow is to remind us that our lives are beautiful. Even when they’re messy, it’s a part of our story and it’s important to see that. Use it on things that inspire you in hopes it may inspire someone else. Use it on a new recipe or an old favorite. Anything you want to show and share with others, use it
So to kick off #PrettyLittleShow, I’m sharing this adorable plaid tunic from The Loft. There’s nothing I love more than plaid in the fall and had my heart set on this tunic the minute I saw it. I mentioned the other day that I haven’t been into leggings this year as much as I was last year, but I do have to say these leggings from The Loft are awfully comfortable. I paired the casual shirt with a fancy necklace to give it a little character. Perfect for a night out with girls and even better for a transition from day to night.
So now it’s your turn! What do you want to show us?! Come find me on Instagram and be sure to say hello so I can come say hello too. I’d love to meet and connect with you. And don’t forget to start using #PrettyLittleShow so everyone else can find you too!
What are some of your favorite hashtags? Who do you love to follow on Instagram and why?