Friend Friday: Labeling Yourself

This is my first time participating in a Friend Friday topic. I especially feel like I have something to say on this since it's indirectly why I started a new blog.

1. As a someone who writes/blogs about fashion, have you placed yourself into some sort of blogging category? I had a blog that was kind of a mish-mosh of things I'm interested in including sewing, thrifting, costumes, costume history, wardrobe posts, designers, fashionable icons and whatever else. I felt it was kind of all over the place and I didn't post much and eventually abandoned it. A few days ago I felt inspired to deal with my impending birthday in a few weeks when I'm turning 50. I have been so inspired that I have more ideas than time and have been obsessively blogging and researching for the past few days. Placing myself in the 50 and over category is actually a relief and focuses me. I enjoy blogs of younger women, but dealing with my deal feels right.

2. What keeps you from or encourages you to label yourself as a certain kind of blogger? No one can understand the physical changes that happen for women after 50 unless they go through it. It's kind of like pregnancy. I feel passionate about feeling good about myself and want to be one of the people who reinvents what 50 is supposed to look like. I believe that that passion is what's going to keep me and hopefully others interested and coming back.

3. When picking blogs to read and follow are you drawn to ones that indicate a certain group or way of thinking/being? I'm drawn to bloggers who have the same interests as me. My daughter is almost grown so I'm not as interested in little kid clothes. I do like wardrobe posts, sewing and DIY tutorials and I love beautiful pictures. Some of these blogs inspire me to become a better photographer (which won't be too hard since I am crap right now)

4. Do you think there are benefits in labeling yourself or others? Honestly I believe our brains naturally or instinctively label or judge quickly to make sense of things. A first impression is made in 4 seconds or less. I think we, as bloggers, should identify the difference between labeling and niche marketing. It may just be a difference in semantics or point-of-view. In life, I believe it is a trap to believe our own labels too strongly because each person's true essence is too big and awesome to be defined or confined by words.

5. Agree or Disagree – We’re all just people; we don’t need all the labels. Kind of disagree because it is part of our survival mechanism to quickly judge and deduce what something is and if we like it or not. But I do believe first impressions are often wrong. I also believe that labels can put unnecessary boundaries around people or things and that sometimes we believe our own labels too much e.g. I'm just a mom or I'm a teacher or I'm divorced. I don't believe we can completely get away from labeling but I think it's important to remember that labels are words to describe aspects of who we are. They are not who we are.