Hi I’m Stephanie; founder of The Style Bungalow blog in West Palm Beach, Florida. In my early 20s, I moved here to pursue a career as a professional ballerina. While I did dance professionally for two years, my career unexpectedly came to an end during the 2008 recession – much like the rest of the economy the arts struggled to find their footing. Feeling discouraged, I went back to school to finish my degrees at Palm Beach Atlantic University. Here, I pursued a different career path in communications and public relations. Despite all the economic chaos and severe cutbacks in the arts, I found a silver lining and became deeply passionate for arts funding. I interned with Miami City Ballet and Career Transitions for Dancers, a New York City-based organization that enables dancers to develop new skills outside of dance. After graduating, I landed an opportunity in public relations and it was during this time that I quickly discovered the world of blogging and how much it resonated with me. Enamored by it, I launched The Style Bungalow in March 2014 as a creative outlet where I’d share stories, spill my style secrets, travel tips, inspirations and musings about life in my 20s-30s – one outfit at a time (more here). Looking at The Style Bungalow today, it may come as a surprise that I almost didn’t start blogging because I was too terrified at the thought of being completely vulnerable and judged by others, especially since I did not have a formal fashion background and lost my job as a ballerina. But this wasn’t the only fear that held me back, it’s the many hurdles of creating a new brand from scratch that seemed incredibly challenging. Nonetheless, those first few years were demanding, daunting but very rewarding. I am beyond grateful to have worked with a multitude of brands, but it’s been through gaining insight and wisdom from overcoming so many of these fears that I’ve achieved the most confidence and strength. For this reason, I hope to inspire others to do the same – do not be afraid of reinventing yourself and going after your dreams because if I can do it, you can too (more here). Since then, The Style Bungalow has become a place where I have developed a voice as a fashion blogger and solidified my work as a creative. Most importantly, it has allowed me to blend my day-to-day outfits alongside a powerful message I believe in – to reflect who you are through your personal style. What’s my style? Being Latina, I love embracing the romantic spirit of my Hispanic heritage, the sub-tropical hues of South Florida and bold yet feminine pieces that are classic and timeless. I’m so excited for what the future holds for The Style Bungalow and am thankful for all your support. I hope you find inspiration in not only my outfits, but my story… Xo, Stephanie To get in touch with The Style Bungalow, please send an email to: hello[at]thestylebungalow.com!