Kelsey Tucker, freshman in public relations, has taken her love of fashion to new heights with her Instagram account and blog formerly known as “Monogram Prep,” which showcases her outfits and inspirations of the day.
What came with the blog was mostly support from her fans, but also hurtful criticism from the anonymity of social media, prompting Tucker to change her brand from “Monogram Prep” to simply using her name, “Kelsey Tucker.”
More than 13,000 followers scroll through her Instagram account for fashion advice according to what she’s wearing.
It all started when she decided to post a body shot of her outfit using the hashtag “Outfit of the Day” (#OOTD), and soon enough, the account gained recognition.
But her blogging doesn’t stop there. Recently, Tucker said she has gone through a number of life mishaps and isn’t afraid to open up to her fans.
“About a year ago, I had written a whole post on my depression, so that went completely off topic, but it inspired people and that kind of helped me,” Tucker said. “I didn’t want to be someone that you just look at for fashion. I want to be able to help people with my struggles.”
Sara-Kate Bradfield, senior in apparel design and production, grew close to Tucker through their work at an independent fashion magazine. Bradfield said critics usually commented on how her clothes weren’t always sporting a monogram.
“She’s not appealing to the younger people anymore,” Bradfield said. “A lot of people don’t realize that she stops her day and she reads every single comment.”
A fellow fashion blogger and inspiration to Tucker is Bess Pearson, who runs BellesInBows.com. Pearson hasn’t experienced as much judgment from her followers, but said she knows where Tucker is coming from.
“That happens to a lot of people that try to put themselves out there,” Pearson said. “It’s kind of this weird dynamic that social media creates that (fashion bloggers) aren’t (people), they kind of disregard that.”
Bradfield also said clothing lines will send Tucker free merchandise for her to promote, although Tucker wants to keep her blog about her personal fashion preferences, making sure not to turn it into a business market.
“Kelsey looks at it like, ‘OK, would I actually wear this?’” Bradfield said. “She’s definitely declined people before.”
Switching her blog name brought in a more personal aspect for her followers, who now could keep up with Tucker as a person, not just a fashion icon, according to Tucker.
“I want to be myself,” Tucker said. “I don’t want to come off as stuck-up or someone who just wants followers for the fun of it. I want to inspire people.”
Tucker said she used the adversity she experienced to do a little self-exploration and realized that her passion was in both law and fashion.
Last summer, Tucker worked for a small jewelry company in New York City as a public relations intern, learning how people interact with each other in such a competitive market.
“She had a new angle on things,” Bradfield said. “She saw a bunch of ins and outs of the industry.”
On top of her experience in New York, Tucker faced some personal experience with depression, solidifying her choice to study pre-law and public relations.
Tucker credits a lot of her strength in overcoming her battles to her faith and the friends who led her to it.
Tucker’s friend Nicole Firing, junior in marine biology, said religion is an important part of Tucker’s life.
“Her faith is a big part of who she is,” Firing said. “By her knowing that, nothing can be taken from her. She can stay firm and steady without the negative things coming from the outside.”
Tucker is currently taking a semester off at Auburn to get away from distractions and to do some self-reflection before returning next fall. Until then, she spends a large amount of her time blogging and updating her account.
“She’s very determined,” Bradfield said. “I love how she is very persistent about it. I can’t wait to see what she does next.”
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