When I was younger, I had a pair of ruby red, sparkle ballet flats, like Dorothy’s in The Wizard of Oz. These were shoes most people reserved for special occasions, like Halloween, but I wanted to wear them everyday. Within a few months, my feet grew and I could no longer wear the sparkled flats with ease. I didn’t mind, though, because I had traded my princess points for sneakers, and started to think that only children wore shoes with sparkles. Years later, I was celebrating my high school graduation and my godmother (yes, really) purchased an updated pair–this time in gold and from Jimmy Choo– as a gift. I wasn’t then, nor am I now, very fond of struggling in heels, so a special occasion flat was a shoe choice we could all get behind. And as I thought about it, I realized that a sparkle shoe would always be a part of my wardrobe, even as my style evolved—and in many similar ways, that is exactly the case for According to Adriana.

I began blogging just over two years ago, in May 2012, with the intentions of creating a portfolio of writing to show print publications. However, as fellow bloggers will agree, blogging and print media are very different, and the blogosphere has its own rules, ideas, and personalities. Soon thereafter, I was more focused on digital media — hi-resolution photos, video content, UMVs and advertising –than my original intentions. Throughout the past two years, I have grown tremendously as a blogger, and have used many of the skills acquired from long hours of practice in my ‘day job’ as a journalist.  However, this blog has not reflected that growth like I hoped it would. Instead, I’ve posted when I collaborated with a brand or when I felt inspired, but not for the simple tasks that affect our lives everyday. Yes, blogging is quite glamorous—during fashion week, at private parties, Sunday lunch meetings, and the occasional red carpet event. However, it is also a lot of hard work.

Six months ago, I began incorporating categories, or series posts, that I thought would be interesting for both the reader and myself. I had an idea to brand According to Adriana as a website for all women, where we could speak about women’s issues, from fashion and beauty to the reason we buy what we buy, and even how we act in relationships. I wanted to see the content I was interested in creating for print publications on the digital platform. But soon thereafter, the cookie crumbled. I am not a magazine, and despite a few one-off guest contributors, this is a one-woman show. So while my enthusiasm was high and goals were set, the outcome was not what I expected.

I considered shutting the site down, because the blog didn’t seem to hold at the same caliber as the publications I was pitching for print work. However, I’ve decided to do something different instead. Some time ago, I rebranded and re-launched. There was a new logo, new site design, and a new camera. The blog and its content reflected my enthusiasm and dedication to this craft. So, we’re doing it again, only a bit differently this time. When I rebranded the last time, it was to try and make a blog more than “just a blog.” I wanted to create an online magazine, a platform, a website without the blog misnomer. But as hard as I tried, it was still just a blog. Now I realize that being just a blog is actually okay. Frankly, I don’t have the willpower to keep up six different simultaneous series posts on a daily basis. It takes a lot of time to research, write and edit great copy, and when it is about a subject you know very little about, it takes a lot longer.

This space will probably evolve again over time, changing from what it is currently to what it will, and can, be, but I can tell you what it is not: it is not a magazine; it is not paid advertising for companies I otherwise wouldn’t use; and it is not going anywhere. Just like the Jimmy Choo gold flats, this new site is simply an updated, contemporary version of its predecessor.