Looking back on my previous blog anniversary posts, I still feel the same way about Hot On The Street. It’s my piece of the Internet that I can proudly call my own. What’s more, it’s not just a website or my Instagram handle — it’s a brand with a visual identity and a long-term investment. Today is Hot On The Street’s 8th anniversary and I’d like to take this opportunity to show you how I built my brand in the last year.
In August, I finally ordered Kylie Cosmetics! Kylie released a new Birthday Collection and I was celebrating my 1-year anniversary at Glu Mobile, so I was eager to mark the occasion.
I’ll admit that the ordering process itself felt a bit impulsive, yet easy to justify. This was something I’ve been thinking about for a long time and I split the order with a coworker, so we got free shipping. That’s pretty important for any international order.
After examining the shades of lip gloss available and doing a quick Google Images search, I selected the Like shade. Not only did it seem to suit my skin colour, but how could I say no to a product name like that when social media is all about likes? (Ok, there’s way more to it, but you know what I mean.) The name also made me think of the filler word I’m guilty of saying. Must stop doing that ASAP.
Today marks 7 years since I published my first Hot On The Street post on Tumblr. A lot has changed since then, but my interest in fashion, entertainment and marketing has stayed the same.
Earlier this month, I had a chance to meet a local writer who I’ve liked for a long time: Anne T. Donahue. Most people went to Indigo to get Gabby Sidibe’s autograph, but I went to meet a woman with a kickass Twitter account and a wicked writing style.
After exploring design options for months, I am so excited to share Hot On The Street’s new look with you. Hot On The Street’s 7th anniversary is coming up in May and I think this makeover has been long overdue. My favourite feature of my blog’s new design is the Instagram feed in the footer.
I couldn’t think of a better way to celebrate the re-launch of my blog than a meet and greet with etalk co-hosts. I have admired Liz Trinnear since watching her win the Much VJ competition from the basement of my residence at Western. She studied MIT too and she really inspired me to pursue a career in entertainment.
Last year I celebrated Hot On The Street’s 5th anniversary and that was a really big milestone. Marking Hot On The Street’s 6th anniversary is sweet too. Aside from going to school or camp, this is the longest I’ve ever done something and it feels great.
I’d like to thank all of my readers for your support. I’m also grateful for the encouragement I’ve received from friends, family, publicists and strangers. The blog has given me the opportunity to meet a lot of people and I’ve particularly enjoyed connecting with the people who I’ve interviewed.
I’m always open to hearing feedback on previous posts or suggestions for upcoming content. Please email me anytime at hotonthestreet[at]gmail[dot]com with questions, comments or ideas. Let me know if you’d like to collaborate on a future post!