Reintroduction and Refresh of Midwest In Style

Oh hey, friends.

After a much needed hiatus, I’m reviving Midwest In Style. But things will look a little different so it’s worth taking a moment to reintroduce what this blog will look and feel like going forward. Content will be shifting to better reflect how I’m shopping and styling things in my everyday life.

So let’s get into the updates and what you can expect going forward. I’m so excited for what’s to come and I think you will be too.

Why the Blogging Break?:

I launched Midwest In Style back in 2015 with the sole focus of being a resource for women and families. I wanted to build a place to share the sources of my outfits, home decor and organization hacks while sprinkling in some family travel ideas. I was also craving a creative outlet and hobby that wouldn’t take me away from my young family.

A bonus to all of it: I’ve gained invaluable hands-on experience along the way that’s made me a better marketer. Because of Midwest In Style, I learned how to build a personal brand, how to build a converting website, how to leverage affiliate and email marketing, how to leverage social media to drive results and build community, and so much more. All of this experience led to the launch of M Studios Marketing back in 2022 which is where I’ve been putting a significant amount of energy over the last eight months.

Starting Midwest In Style continues to be one of the most rewarding things I’ve ever done.

Throughout much of 2023, I found myself feeling less excited about creating content. It started to feel like a burden or an obligation; something I “had to do” rather than something I “wanted to do.” It was very different from the feelings I used to get from keeping up with blog, social and email posts. I realized the pressure I created around it was coming from one sole contributor.

Me.

I was the only one putting pressure on myself to show up. I was the one agreeing to on-going contracts that had monthly expectations tied to them. I was the one putting an obligation on myself to share large try-on sessions and sale must-have lists. I was responsible for where it had gone and what it had become. Something had to change.

So I took a pause. I wanted to re-evaluate everything. What was working? What wasn’t? What needed to change? What should stay the same? And should I just be done and close this chapter?

There will still be a day when I sunset Midwest In Style. It could be this year. It could be five years from now. What I know today is that I’m excited to shift how I approach managing it in the short term. I have a newfound energy and excitement about what’s to come.

So what’s changing?

The focus will be on daily outfit inspiration. Try-on sessions will be few and far between or become nonexistent. When I stepped away at the end of last year, I felt that the posts had become too hyper-consumerism driven. It was a lot of “here’s what’s new!” and “let’s buy this next!”

I want to thoughtfully shift to inspiration-driven posts and guidance on how to style classic pieces over and over again. I buy so much less than I used to and find that I’m investing in pieces that I wear a million different ways. I want to share fresh outfit ideas utilizing a core foundational closet rather than a fast-fashion/buy-new-all-the-time approach.

I’m still working through how often I’ll be putting together long-form blog content. I used to be committed to a weekly post but I’m considering a bi-weekly or even monthly cadence with a balance of “what I’ve been wearing lately,” closet capsules, seasonal shopping lists, and home decor content. I’m paying attention to how it all feels and not how it looks.

What else is new?

I’m in a new home! And I am loving the fresh space. It feels so much different from the last house in a really lovely way.

We were so proud of the home we built. It was light, bright and airy with so much natural light and functional space. The couple that purchased the house told me on closing day that it would be their forever home. Knowing how excited they were brought me so much joy. If I could add another role to my life without losing my mind 😉 I would absolutely love to design homes for families. It felt so good to hand over the keys of the last project to a family who felt so confident about spending their lives there.

My new place: it’s giving ‘folklore’ vibes. My fellow Swifties will get this. It’s so cozy, warm and inviting. And I love it so so much.

I can’t wait to share more about it but in the meantime I shared a little glimpse inside on Instagram. I have a few projects already in the works (hint: there will be wallpaper… ) and there’s a basement to finish so… here we go again!

So what’s staying the same?

I want to return to the origin of Midwest In Style. I want to be a resource for women and families. I want to connect with a community looking to feel confident about what they’re wearing and shopping their own closets. I want to provide inspiration and ideas for styling your homes; to give you tools to bring a vision to life.

But this isn’t a new life. It’s a continuation and an evolution of what’s come before. I’ve learned so much and I haven’t always gotten it right but I continue to pay close attention to how life feels rather than how it looks. I’m so excited for this new season and the way it all feels.

I’m genuinely so grateful that you’re here. Thank you – xo – M