Is it super cliche of me to say this year flew by? Because it feels like it went by SO QUICKLY. And yet at the same time, when I look back at some of these posts (like the one below for example) it seems like that was an eternity ago. So much has changed over the past year in my life and with this business. I was lucky enough to bring on Caylin who has been an amazing contributor and I can’t wait to see more of what she does in 2017. Craig officially came on full time as photographer and videographer this year and we made some changes to our photography and editing process (happy to share more details about that if it’s of interest). We secured some amazing collaborations and brand partnerships this year and I can’t wait for more exciting opportunities in the New Year. As I mentioned yesterday, there will be some big changes coming in early 2017 and I am beyond excited to share. Email will be a big focus for us in 2017 with exclusive content only available to subscribers. If you’re not on the list, make sure you subscribe. My email subscribers will be the first ones to hear about my big announcement in the New Year. I’m also planning to share some more personal and career focused content and I’ll be posting my goals for next year soon along with some tips on how to set and achieve your own goals. As always, I’d love to hear your thoughts and feedback on what type of content you’d like to see here. So without further ado, here are the most popular posts (by month) of 2016. I shared a few behind the scenes tidbits from each shoot too, just for fun.
January: Hi-Low Midi Skirt – I loved this post too so I’m glad you guys liked it as well (it doesn’t always work out that way). This was one of those lucky moments, it was a super last minute shoot and this skirt was a bit overwhelming for me to style. I’m not one to get dressed up often but Jennie had just done my hair and makeup and it snowed the night before. For whatever reason Craig and I thought of this spot at Castle Hill, so we decided to drive over and see how it looked. We were pretty pleased with what we found.
February: Barbour Jacket and Jeans – We had just recently moved into our new place so we were really excited about exploring new spots. I WAY underestimated how cold it was this morning so when we got to the reservoir it was windy and absolutely freezing. I was not happy but Craig convinced me to suck it up and shoot photos because he loved how the light was reflecting off the ice. When we got home and looked at the photos I was so glad he did.
March: Bathing Suits for Every Budget – There’s no time I’m happier than when I’m somewhere warm with my bathing suit on about to go for a swim. I think swimwear has come such a long way and I continue to find really great options. I continuously update this post with styles that are available.
April: How to Wear Rose Quartz – We basically waited all spring until this tree was in full bloom to shoot in front of it. I didn’t know what I was going to wear, but since the blooms have the most subtle pinkish hue I thought styling blush would be so pretty. This outfit is very me, ripped jeans, tee, blazer and heels, definitely a go-to look.
May: Bedroom Reveal – I loved sharing how our bedroom came out. Let’s just say, it doesn’t look like that right now. This photo is inspiring me to spend a day re-organizing.
June: Striped Shirt and Suede Pants – This was another happy accident. We didn’t plan this shoot ahead of time and so we were driving around trying to figure out what would work. When we drove by this navy storefront Craig immediately stopped the truck and pulled over. This was one of my favorite shoots of the year.
July: Boyfriend Jeans and Metallic Sweater – Craig had the vision for this one (then again he has the vision for almost all of them, haha). We were on our way to dinner and I wasn’t planning on shooting this outfit. My hair was wet and thrown up into a bun and I just wasn’t feeling it. We stopped at this spot and it was during golden hour so the light was really pretty. Fun fact, when I sat on this boat my butt got completely covered in black stuff which I didn’t realize until after we got home from dinner, cute.
August: How I Quit My 9-5 – I’m really glad this post resonated with so many of you. I’ve just come up on the 3 year anniversary of this blog and I want to start sharing more lessons learned and tips that could be helpful to any of you looking to start something on your own or just make a career change. Also, the shot above, Nora looks like she’s smiling but she’s actually super stressed out. She’s neurotic about certain things, loud noises being one of them, so she hates our old Ford because it’s really loud. But she sucks it up for me, haha.
September: Chunky Knits – This was another one that I was not planning on shooting. We were taking Nora for a walk so I just threw on a bunch of layers because I am always cold. I really love the New Balance sneakers I wore in this post, they’re still one of my faves.
October: How to Wear Earth Tones – I’m seeing a recurring theme here. I don’t know who likes denim more, me or you guys, haha? Denim posts seems to do really well. I’m such a jeans and tee/sweater kind of girl, it’s just a fail proof outfit.
November: Charleston Outfits – I had such a great time exploring Charleston for a few days with Julia and Pam. This was a bit of a last minute girls trip and I’m so glad we did it. I get super nervous when I shoot with other photographers but Clay was so awesome. He was so nice and fun, and he knew all the good spots in Charleston.
December: Faux Shearling Jackets – I love how the color of the coat matches the house here. Craig wanted to shoot at this house and I wasn’t feeling it because I thought it looked so boring, but he tends to prove me wrong…
1. Love your style ❤️ 2. Can never have enough denim posts. 3. Really fun to hear some behind the shoot stories!
You are so sweet Donna! Thank you so much. I really appreciate your support and readership.
love all these looks 🙂
Mel x
mediamarmalade.com
Thanks Mel! xx
So many amazing posts! Have a wonderful finish to 2016, lady!
Thanks girl. Same to you. xx
Love your style and photography as well, some of the pictures look like they are from a magazine. Keep up the great work!!! xo, Emily
http://bailylamb.com
That is so nice of you to say! Thank you so much. xx
What a great recap, I love your style
Happy Holidays
xo
http://www.laurajaneatelier.com
Thank you so much Laura. Always appreciate your readership and support. xx
Fun to see the top posts. And yes, Craig is always right…
Haha.
it’s so very clear that you and Craig make such a great team- your content & photos are amazing. I look forward to what is in store for you both in 2017!!!
You’re so sweet. We are starting to find our groove, haha. Thank you so much for your continued readership and support. xx
I am a big fan of your style – Jess, you nail it every time in my books! – and Craig’s photography is something I aspire to…so big thumbs up to you both for your inspiration! Keep it up! Big hugs from London, Julie
http://www.jafinthebox.wordpress.com
Thank you so much Julie. You are so sweet. I really appreciate your readership and support. My best to you in the New Year! xx
Would LOVE if you would share some details of your photography and editing process!! That’s one thing that always blows me away about your site and social channels is your incredible imagery.
It would be awesome if Craig could contribute some posts to share his knowledge, since I believe he’s self-taught (? forgive me if I’m wrong!)
Can’t wait to see what you come up with in the new year, I’ve signed up for the weekly email and am really looking forward to it!
I’m sharing a post tomorrow with a lot of tips and advice about blogging including some info about our photography. To be honest I don’t know a ton about taking photos, Craig is really the mastermind there and he is self taught so I’ll see if I can get him to do a post about his best advice and how he goes about shooting photos. I know he does share some little bits here and there about the equipment he uses on his blog so feel free to check that out too craigstephenmackay.com. Thank you so much for all of your support and for following along! xx Jess