Today we’d like to introduce you to Casey Kidwell.
Hi Casey, thanks for sharing your story with us. To start, maybe you can tell our readers some of your backstory.
I was born and raised in Sacramento, CA by the most amazing mom. It’s funny because when I look back on this tremendous childhood I was gifted, the most vivid memories I have are of those watching my mom get ready for work in the morning – putting on her makeup, picking out her outfits for work – and as such those memories crafted the narrative of who I dreamed of becoming one day and subsequently the things I now love and cherish in my own life. Needless to say, I dreamed of pursuing a career in the fashion industry and as such pursued internships in college that would help me get my foot in the door. I always felt like my classmates looked at me funny in my various business seminars when I’d proudly announce that I wanted to be a Celebrity Stylist but at the time that was my goal. That or being an editor at a major fashion magazine. I wanted to be Stanley Tucci in The Devil Wears Prada what can I say.
While that goal didn’t pan out into a career, I was able to pursue a career in marketing in the athletic apparel industry and combine my love of fashion, fitness, wellness and storytelling. Now, about seven years out of college, I’m very much still navigating my career path and determining what I want to pursue and who I want to be in this world.
Shortly after I graduated college I started a blog, AlmostFabulousMe.com. I was inspired by conversations with friends at the time who shared similar feelings of uncertainty and hardship in this newfound freedom and life after decades of schooling. Unfortunately, in the very digital landscape that we all occupy, it can be easy to assume that everyone is happy, everyone is living their best lives based on their highlight reel promoted on Instagram. As we all know, most of the time, that simply isn’t the case. I started Almost Fabulous Me as a way to create community amongst my peers and remind others that they’re not alone when confronting the trials and tribulations of ‘adulting.’ Since I started my blog back in 2015 it has since expanded to a lifestyle blog where I focus on all things fashion, fitness and fun! Again, leaning into those opportunities to combine a multitude of the things I love. My current focus is on expanding Almost Fabulous Me and monetizing my blog and brand to develop my wonderful, little AlmostFabMe community even further.
I’m sure you wouldn’t say it’s been obstacle free, but so far would you say the journey have been a fairly smooth road?
While I’m only 28, I’ve definitely been through my fair share of trials and tribulations in my life. My parents divorced when I was very young and at the time I was the only child in my Kindergarten class to have parents who weren’t together. I remember feeling like such an outcast and so different from my friends which was especially challenging during those formidable years when you’re doing everything in your power to fit in. However, I will say that that experience was the driving force for a lot of the purposes in my own life today. Not only do my coworkers know how important inclusivity is to me, but my blog and community, Almost Fabulous Me, was created on a platform of inclusivity and to be honest I’m not sure that that would be as central to whom I am today and the work I pursue if not for having gone through that experience of feeling like being on the outside looking in from a very young age.
Within the last few years, I also dealt with my mom being diagnosed with cancer and going through chemo and radiation while I was living and working in Los Angeles. My mom’s diagnosis hit me at a time when I was extremely miserable in my job and that misery spilled over into my life outside of work as well. I was unhappy each and every day and I had turned into someone I wasn’t proud of nor someone I would even want to be friends with. As much as that diagnosis was a wake-up call for my mom, it was equally a wake-up call for me. In that moment I was reminded of how precious life truly is and how all the little things that I was putting so much weight and energy into in my professional life didn’t really matter in the grand scheme of things. That moment was the ignition point for my mom’s new life as she’s now healthier than ever and has been in remission for three years, but it was also an ignition point for my new life and a completely new outlook on life.
As you know, we’re big fans of you and your work. For our readers who might not be as familiar what can you tell them about what you do?
For my ‘day job’ as I like to call it, I work in marketing in the athletic apparel industry. I’m grateful to have been able to cultivate a career that combines so many things I love in this world – sport, health, fitness, fashion and storytelling.
However, like your typical ‘Multi-Hyphenate Millenial,’ sticking to that ‘day job’ simply wasn’t an option for me so I’m also a lifestyle blogger focused on topics ranging from Fashion to Fitness, Travel and Wellness as well as journalistic style writing that can be found in the ‘Let’s Talk’ section on my blog. I’m a passionate creative and storyteller who’s equally passionate about helping you live your most ‘fabulous’ life.
As I mentioned earlier, Almost Fabulous Me was built with the idea of establishing an inclusive community for my fellow ‘young adults’ but over the years I’ve seen my community expand to all age ranges and demographics to include people across the country who are just looking for a little inspiration and help in their lives whether that be by way of a holiday gift guide or a new journaling technique I’m using.
I love trying new things and I would say my community most often comes to me for travel advice, recommendations when visiting a new city, vintage fashion finds, and overall inspiration. As I’m a firm believer in goal setting, I’ve recently expanded Almost Fabulous Me to include physical products as well. This is my second year offering ‘Dream Kits’ which essentially is everything you need to build your annual vision board as well as ‘Dream Journals’ which are custom journals that act as a usable, portable vision board for my community to stay on top of their journaling and overall goals for the year.
I have lots of plans for Almost Fabulous Me and I can’t wait to see what’s to come this year and beyond!
In terms of your work and the industry, what are some of the changes you are expecting to see over the next five to ten years?
As a lifestyle blogger, I see more and more people finding their voice in the industry and becoming their own brands. It’s amazing to see some of these ‘influencers’ or ‘bloggers’ who have been in the game for years now expanding to have their own podcasts, their own clothing brands, product lines, etc. To see how they’ve been able to constantly iterate to stay fresh and still connect with their audiences is inspiring and something I hope to do with my own brand.
Pricing:
- Dream Kits – $30 each
- Dream Journals – $15 each or 2 for $25
Contact Info:
- Email: Caseyk@almostfabulousme.com
- Website: www.AlmostFabulousMe.com
- Instagram: @almostfabme
