Today we’d like to introduce you to Brittany Barnes.
Brittany, can you briefly walk us through your story – how you started and how you got to where you are today.
My husband and I relocated to Dallas in 2016 from Oakland, California. While living in the Bay Area, I worked as a multimedia and freelance journalist. When we moved to Dallas, I learned quickly that the job market for my line of work was very different from what I had experienced in the Bay Area – it had a more traditional structure and not as many freelancing opportunities as I’d hoped for.
For years, I had considered starting a blog and/or youtube channel. Finally, when I was finding it difficult to find work that fit my lifestyle, my husband suggested that I turn this blog idea into reality. It made sense. Although I got my masters in video journalism, writing was my first love. I also really enjoy style, wellness, books, and beauty. And was feeling especially called and compelled to share my faith. I was fearful that all of these topics could not successfully exist in one space. But I decided to move forward in faith, and launch Cloth + Crwn. I’m now two months in! And YES! I am still getting my bearings in the whole blogger world but I’m so blessed to be doing what I love and I hope to inspire others to do the same.
Read more about my story at www.clothandcrwn.com.
Has it been a smooth road?
My biggest roadblock in starting my brand was me – my doubts and my insecurities. The blogger space is huge and it is easy to feel like you will just be another fish in a very large pond. In the world of content creation, I think a lot of creators portray an effortlessly cool and seemingly unachievable lifestyle that is really intimidating for the average consumer. So, I delayed this work for years fearing that I wouldn’t have anything to offer in this saturated and glamorized market.
I think that is where so many of us young women (and really young people in general) lose our way. Our lives can become so self-focused, that we can’t see beyond ourselves – the image we want to portray and the status we seek.
Like everyone else, I get lost in pretty pictures, trying to engage an audience, building my brand, but the goal is not to lose sight on what really matters. And for me that is sharing my faith, fulfilling my purpose, and staying authentic. Instead of trying to make my life seem impossibly glamorous, I want to be relatable, honest and real about my life – my highs and my lows. It’s definitely a work in progress but I encourage other young women to do the same in their line of work.
We’d love to hear more about Cloth + Crwn by Brittany Barnes.
I think as content creators we are often encouraged to choose a niche, which I think is great and it works wonderfully for some people. But the whole niche idea held me back from really doing what I love for so many years. Like I mentioned earlier, I never thought all the things I wanted to write about could exist together in one space. I knew that I wanted my brand to represent the whole person. I wanted people to read it and not just be like “these are some cool pictures” or “I love that bag.” I wanted people to know I love Jesus, that I’m passionate about social justice, that I truly value my health and wellness. So I think that is what I’m most proud of and what I think sets me apart – I’m using my little corner of the internet to share all the little pieces of me, niche-free.
Do you recommend any apps, books or podcasts that have been helpful to you?
I would give other young women this advice, a quote I read recently that really resonated with me:
“God always wants us to move forward, but that forward motion often happens right where we are, in the life we already have, among people we already know. Go deep. Love hard. Grow strong… right where you are.”
– Elizabeth Thompson
We often think that we have to attain all these things to “qualify” for the next phase or the next step in life. I know for me, in my early 20s, I had a whole list of things I wanted to accomplish by my 30th birthday. But we have to remember that each season in life brings us something beautiful. We have to be open and willing to receive it, for it to nurture and grow us, rather than rushing forward into what we think we know or want.
Contact Info:
- Website: www.clothandcrwn.com
- Email: clothandcrwn@gmail.com
- Instagram: @Brittanybarnes
- Twitter: @BrittanyLBarnes
Image Credit:
Morgan Chidsey-Brosnan of A Sea of Love
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