Hi guys!! It's a special Monday post, and you wanna know why??

Legally Charming Style turned two years old yesterday! TWO!!!! Can you believe it???

I can't even begin to tell you how quickly these two years have gone by, and how at the same time it feels like a hundred years ago that I posted my very first outfit. It's amazing how much the blog has changed since then, and how much I've learned.

To be honest with you, this blog was started on a whim. I'd seen a few people on Instagram doing this blogging thing and thought it would be fun. (Really.) I chose a username based on my dating profile tagline. (Again, really.) I never thought this would be something of significance or value to anyone but me. But somehow, this little whim hobby has turned into a two year endeavor that has changed my life.

So much has changed since I started Legally Charming Style. Two years ago, I was taking photos with my iPhone and a timer app, posting when I felt like it and really not thinking much of it other than as an excuse to make myself dress nicer. I had just finished my first year of law school; I was in the process of slowly and quietly coming out of the closet. I felt uncertain and uncomfortable with myself-who I was, how I looked.

What a difference two years has made.

It's not just the cosmetic stuff, like new layouts and a DSLR camera. Today, I'm much more me--the me I hoped I would become one day--than I ever imagined. I graduated from law school. I'm out and proud. I wear what I want. I'm not perfect when it comes to loving my body (especially lately with the stress weight gain), but I love dressing it. I love being real. I love being able to feel fully comfortable with expressing myself through clothing and this platform, sharing my words.

Year two has been crazy for me! A panel appearance with a renowned stylist; a feature in Baltimore Style Magazine; two features on the Le Tote blog; collaborations with insanely talented local bloggers and photographers. It's been a year I never would have expected, and there's even more to come, which is insane!

But this past year has been more than just the flashy things--I have finally felt free to share parts of me. To talk about my struggles. To share who I am as a person. To talk about the stuff that affects us all. I have felt empowered, beautiful, and loved. I have made new friends, seen the world in new ways, and developed significantly as a human being. I never thought in my life that a blog about clothes could do that. But it has, and for that I'm eternally grateful.

This isn't always easy. There have been days I've considered giving it up. But then I remember what it's done for me, and how despite its inherent difficulties, I love every second of being a blogger and sharing a piece of myself with the world. I wouldn't trade that for anything.

To my fellow bloggers, those who are now friends that I have worked with, met, and gotten to know--thank you. Thank you for showing me what this could be and helping me develop a voice.

To you--my reader, my friend--thank you. Thank you for being a part of the journey thus far. I hope you stick with me in the coming years.

Here's to two years, and to many more!

xoxo

Carisa