Introducing Valentine Everly

My blog has been a creative, magical extension of my life for seven years now. I’ve seen it grow from an idea - all scribbles on stationery paper to setting up my first blog template. It’s gone from Yankee Belle (the adventures of a Northerner in the South) to Heart of a Flower (a personal page for my writings) to Betty Juliet Diaries (where I decided to hone in on my love for vintage style and pepper it with personal posts. ) I keep my art open and let it take its course and it seemed it was time for a change, a sweet, exciting change.

This year I’ve already faced some personal shifts in my life and found my blog to be another source of time consumption when I either wanted to do or needed to do other things in my life. I found myself neglecting it over and and over and each time I came back I’d tell myself I’d dedicate more time to it but I wouldn’t. I was losing my passion and my creative well was running dry. On Instagram it’s hard to compete with daily posts of perfect pin up glamour or unique and gorgeous flatlays full of thrifted finds and vintage clothes. I know the goal is to post daily, but I was having a hard time keeping up. My photo-shoots with Mark Johnson inspired me, but when I used enough photos I was back to square one. I needed more content, more photo shoots of playing dress up and thinking of poses and new ideas. i used to love doing that - I felt like i was running my own magazine - but I started to resent the whole process i was putting myself through. I love collaborating with creative people like Mark or my friend and fellow blogger Andrea, but i didn’t feel I was putting my heart into my blog anymore.

I love vintage fashion and style and will keep writing and posting about it. I also love tiny little coastal shops with really good croissants and window seats overlooking the cold coast on a Saturday morning. I love peonies and old Vogue magazines and fuzzy sucks and underground bookstores. I don’t want to just limit myself to vintage fashion. I don’t wear vintage fashion nearly enough nor do I have the tips and tricks to do victory rolls and pin curls every day. I want my blog and Instagram to reflect a more natural look at my life but with a vintage, old Hollywood glam twist. When I thought of making this blog more lifestyle than fashion, I started feeling excited. I don’t want to feel limited and Betty Juliet Diaries started feeling clunky to me, it wasn’t evolving with me. It’s important to me that my blog best reflects my life, my art, my mind, my heart and my passions.

I’m excited to introduce Valentine Everly to you. Part Vintage, Part Modern, All Heart. In the next days and weeks i’ll continue working on re-branding and rejuvenating my blog to best suit my life now. I’m excited for new sections, new posts and the evolution of my blog. I’m excited and in love with the process of art and i’m truly thankful for each and every one of you for following along.

Here’s one of my mood boards for Valentine Everly and a visual idea of the direction and aesthetic I’m going for. Please continue to check on my site as I rebuild!