It’s been a long time coming. Some of you might have sensed the shift. I started this venture on IG and my blog with the intention of sharing fashion as well as promoting clothing that I make. So for the first year or so I did that. I found the looks for less, I shopped sales to show the best deals. I shared pictures of myself showing my styling preferences. 

Then along the way my focus started to shift. As I started to explore captions and what I wanted to say, I realized I had a lot of things to say. I avoided writing in any serious capacity for years. My dad is a successful writer/producer predominantly in TV and film and without realizing it I didn’t want to attempt to live up to what he was already succeeding at. So I did other things. 

I’m naturally curious about almost everything. This has led me down the path to working in costuming, doing advertising for the Anaheim Angels, becoming a Physician Assistant, learning to play the guitar and songwriting, being an exercise instructor, teaching myself to sew and selling skirts on etsy. The list goes on. But in all these things one thing has remained true, I’ve continued to write. When I was in graduate school, becoming a PA, I would email my parents with funny accounts of the extreme stress I was under. Finding the story in every moment. When I started playing guitar I was overcome with the power of songwriting. And when I dipped my toes into blogging about fashion, I couldn’t stop from saying how I really felt about whatever was on my mind. 

So, with this continued growth on my part, I invite you to stay on the journey with me. Freckles are Fashion is now becoming Freckles and Fortitude. I’ve known I wanted to switch my name for a while but really struggled with how to capture all the facets of me. A friend encouraged me to keep the freckles component as it is memorable, is a great descriptor of me and has a sense of whimsy which I like to think also is appropriate to my personality. 

The word fortitude took me a bit longer. But once I found it, I couldn’t stop thinking about it. The definition for fortitude is “strength of mind that enables a person to encounter danger or bear pain or adversity with courage”. At first I thought it might be a bit dramatic, but then I pushed back. While I have had many comforts in my life I have also had my share of pain and adversity. Each time I bounce back. I am determined to survive and survive well. I am resilient. With that Freckles and Fortitude was born. 

While not much may seem to change, there will still be pictures of me doing what I love to do and wearing clothes I love to style, there will also be more of my heart and words. There will be exploration of all the things I love or am curious about, which if you haven’t caught on by now, is quite a lot. I hope you stick with me and enjoy all that’s ahead for us.