The Story Behind Fashionably Kate & Co.

When I started Fashionably Kate & Co. it was originally just Fashionably Kate and I couldn’t get a .com, it was a .net! That was in 2013 and the only reason why I was starting a blog is because I love to write. It is a bit ironic though because at the time I was working as a TV journalist so writing was already my job. 

But for me, FashionablyKate.net was an outlet for anything and everything I wanted to share with the universe. And I mean everything. I posted every once and a while about random things but as I climbed the ladder at my station to producer, substitute news anchor and host, I had less time to focus on my other writing endeavors. 

Then I nailed what I thought was my dream job as a producer at a major station and I gave up the blog completely. But this exciting new position soon lost it’s allure and after a particularly terrible day (after six months of particularly terrible days, including the 2016 presidential election, need I say more?) I decided to give up TV news for good. 

I transitioned to PR in July 2017 and was determined not to look back. But this particular kind of PR wasn’t just soul sucking for me, let’s just say that my boss had no boundaries. Though I knew I needed to put my time in before moving on to my next endeavor, I also had this feeling that it was not going to be your typical 9 to 5. 

In November 2017 FashionablyKate.net was reborn as Fashionably Kate & Co. and it served as an outlet for me to release my creativity while serving as therapy for my soul when I would come home from work. But it wasn’t until 2020, a full year after I had left my PR job to be a stay-at-home mom to Arielle, that I figured out what Fashionably Kate & Co. was meant to be. 

Fashionably Kate & Co. is about doing what you love most while looking amazing and staying on budget.

I love to travel. I love being fashionable. And I live on a budget. But just because I have a budget, doesn’t mean that I can’t travel and be fashionable. Over the years I’ve gotten very good at learning where to splurge and where to save. Because in my mind …

… Luxury is an Attitude.

Which is how the mission of Fashionably Kate & Co. came about. Luxury is all about attitude. That’s how I get away with pairing my Chanel flap bag with my $15 Target dress, or my Louboutins with a pair of $25 black jeans and a tee shirt my mom gave me from her youth that says, “I Helped a Plumber Today.” That’s why I’ll book an inexpensive Airbnb and then nab reservations for a five course meal at the top of the Eiffel Tower. While I don’t love the word “balance,” if you are able to find a balance between your budget and the budget-busting experiences or items, life can be very interesting. 

I’ve become particularly attuned to this philosophy since becoming a mother because everything is about saving money in some areas, like pajamas, while splurging in others, like matching Mommy and Me outfits and, of course, Arielle’s education. And as I grow, as Arielle grows and once we can actually get back on the road and really travel, Fashionably Kate & Co. will continue to evolve. 

And while the content will be staying mostly the same with lots of travel guides, travel and fashion tips and some life updates on how I’m dealing with motherhood, you’ll be seeing some updates on my About Me page as well as my Podcast page and other static pages this month to reflect this renewed and streamlined sense of purpose. After all, I’ve always felt September to be a month of new beginnings and routines.

I love sharing pieces of my life with you and I hope that my experiences and tips are helpful and inspirational. 

Thank you so much for reading. And as always …