Lately I have been all about promoting these amazing fashion/lifestyle/travel bloggers because they're doing what they love and spreading happiness and I think that's a great thing, especially nowadays!

This week I am focusing on Katie Gibbons, creator of The Kalon Blog. She is a 4-8th Grade English and Social Studies Education Major at Texas A&M University.

When Katie isn't blogging she is doing one of three things – 1. Eating 2. Studying 3. Sleeping! "I have such a big sweet tooth," Katie said, "and lately I have been loving making banana ice cream! (Lookout for a blog post soon on my homemade recipe!)."

Katie has always had an interest in writing, photography, and fashion so creating TheKalonBlog was the perfect creative outlet for her to express her passions!

TheKalonBlog launched on January 4, 2017 so she is still very new to the whole blogging world! "I have a lot to learn but have been loving every minute of it," Katie said.

Her reasoning behind her Blog name is absolutely adorable! "I knew I wanted to choose something that was meaningful to me and would be a good representation of my blog. I have always been interested in language and specifically find Greek words really beautiful. The word “kalon” was a word used by Greek philosophers and translates to “beauty that is more than skin-deep.” I wanted my blog to be a place where I could show my passions while also encouraging women empowerment and positivity. Everyone should feel confident in their own skin," Katie said.

I asked Katie who are some of her biggest fashion icons? "My style is always changing, and I love taking inspiration from celebrities like Bella Hadid and Blake Lively," Katie said, "some days I want to dress more boho while others I want to throw on a leather jacket for an edgier look! Fashion is something that is always evolving, and I love that it is one thing that has no rules," Katie said.

Another fashion icon she really looks up to is Emma Watson. She loves that she wears recycled and repurposed fabrics, and truly uses her platform as a way to raise awareness and inspire others!

Her biggest motivator for creating and writing her blog was herself! "It’s something I always had in the back of my mind that I wanted to do, and I finally decided to just go for it! The only one stopping me from my goals was me, and that’s something I knew needed to change," Katie said.

"I really admire is Olivia, founder of livvyland.com I feel like it is a misconception that you have to be well-off to start a blog, but Olivia opens up about her blogging journey and working two jobs to be able to support her blog! I find her hard work and determination so motivating," Katie said, "I also really love Ellen Fisher, I have been following her through her website and youtube for years now and am so inspired by her lifestyle in Maui! She promotes so much radiance and positivity in everything she does and I admire that."

Olivia: Livvy Land

Ellen Fisher

I asked her if she prefers to write about lifestyle, fashion, beauty or travel? "Oh, that’s a tough choice! I think travel is my favorite. I have such an irresistible wanderlust and am so captivated by the beauty of our world. I always have so much fun writing about my experiences," Katie said.

Katie's favorite post she's written so far was her Belize Travel Guide. She said it was so much fun to write and looking at the pictures again made her feel like she was reliving it!

Her favorite look she's posted about so far is her Pinstripe Bardot Romper! She loves this post because it describes her style so perfectly – an off the shoulder romper, over the knee boots, and a fun pair of sunglasses.

Katie's advice for anyone starting their own blog, "Don’t be afraid be unapologetically you! Readers will be able to tell if you are writing about things you are truly passionate about, so always stay true to yourself and don’t feel tempted to write about things simply because it’s the status quo. Progress takes time, but hard work is worth it. I would rather only post once a week but it be content that I am really proud of, rather than post every day and it be something I just threw together," Katie said.

"I have learned that by creating a blog I am putting myself out there and that makes me vulnerable in a way I haven’t experienced before. I am always looking for ways to improve, so constructive criticism is always welcome on my site! I have learned to be open-minded towards others because the world of blogging is filled with so many different platforms and ideologies, and I love that about it," Katie said.

Katie said, "the hardest thing for me has definitely been finding the right balance between school and blogging. Time management has been a huge thing. Before starting TheKalonBlog I didn’t realize just how much goes into making a website and writing posts. I have learned a lot already and know I have so much more room for growth and improvement!"

The most fun part since starting this journey for her was the connecting with other bloggers online. Katie said it is so important to find a support group, and it's been a lot of fun for her connecting with other bloggers and supporting each other throughout their blogging journeys!

When Katie isn't blogging she's usually having a girls night out. And she also loves
all things outdoors and loves taking spontaneous day trips to go hiking or to the lake whenever she can!

"As of now, this is simply a hobby and creative outlet for me. If I could one day make a career out of this, I certainly wouldn’t complain! It would definitely be my dream job," Katie said.

Katie's future career goals and hopes for this blog are very inspiring. "I think the blogging community is such an amazing thing, and I would love to collaborate with other bloggers in the near future! When I started TheKalonBlog – I didn’t know if anyone would read my blog, but I was okay with that. My hope is that I can inspire even just one person to follow their dreams and take that leap of faith, whether it be starting a blog or just going out of their comfort zone. Blogging can lead to endless opportunities. For now, I am just taking things day by day, but I am excited to see where this journey takes me," Katie said!

I hope you enjoyed reading about Katie and her blog as much as I have! I love Katie's style and thinks she's adorable and super spunky! Check out more about her and her style on her blog: http://thekalonblog.com/
And follow her on Instagram and Facebook!