Merry Merry. Merry Merry.
Who is panic wrapping??? Who is panic wrapping???
If it’s going to be 80 degrees for Christmas I’m a If it’s going to be 80 degrees for Christmas I’m asking Santa for a spray tan gift card in my stocking.
As my boys have gotten older there is almost alway As my boys have gotten older there is almost always a friend eating dinner at my house or spending the night. The weekends are reserved for a driveway full of bikes and basketball. This year, in my haste to make my @shutterfly card I accidentally added a picture with one of my bonus kids in it. 🤷🏻‍♀️ #themorethemerrier
You are not shadow banned. Your content is not bei You are not shadow banned. Your content is not being hidden. Most of the time, it simply is not resonating with your audience anymore, especially if you are using the app correctly, which I will explain at the end.

People blame “shadow banning” when they see a drop in engagement, but when I look at their metrics, I can usually see small declines long before they noticed them. Social media platforms have millions of users. They are not punishing you because you took a week off.

What actually happens is this. Your audience stopped engaging with your content, and when you took a break, they filled that space with other creators. When you returned, the algorithm showed them the accounts they interacted with most, which was not you. They were not looking for your content because it was not relevant to them anymore. I see this over and over.

There is one real caveat. How you are using the app. If you upload unlicensed music, follow and unfollow in large numbers, run giveaways that break platform rules or respond to comments in negative ways, you can hurt your reach. That is not a shadow ban. That is violating the service agreement.

A case study. Someone told me they was shadow banned. When I looked at their account, a few things stood out.

1. There was no aspirational layer to the content. It was a business that relied on people physically coming in, yet nothing showcased a luxury experience, or a story people could connect with. Photos were blurry, captions were minimal and there was no searchable language to help people discover her business.

2. There was no engagement back to the audience. Not responding to comments is one of the fastest ways to lose your community. People want acknowledgment. If they do not get it from you, they will give their attention to someone else.

3. They were not using the app like a real user.  Instagram and TikTok know you are a business, but they still reward accounts that behave like humans.  Comment, watch stories and sending DMs. That signals genuine activity and community building.

Most of the time the issue is not a shadow ban. It is content, connection and consistency. And the good news is all of that can be improved.
Candy cane bow tutorial!! #chrismas #christmasbaki Candy cane bow tutorial!! #chrismas #christmasbaking #christmascake #christmastreat #holiday #holidaytreats #coquettechristmas #twee #coquetteholiday
Coffee with my favorite collaborator… Coffee with my favorite collaborator…
Shop local gift guide @shopstelladallas!! Shop local gift guide @shopstelladallas!!
Last Christmas, we took the Annual King Cookie Par Last Christmas, we took the Annual King Cookie Party in a whole new direction and it ended up being one of my favorite versions yet. I invited some of my closest friends to Kismet Cosmetics, decorated gingerbread houses, and made our own lip gloss and face glitter. It was such a fun way to reconnect with my friends during the busiest time of year. The full recap is on the blog now. Link in bio.
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Dressing Tips, Fall, Fashion, Style · September 16, 2021

5 Fashion ‘Rules’ You Should Be Breaking

Fashion Rules were meant to be broken. Wearing what you like is always going to serve you better than wearing what someone thinks is best for you…

5 fashion rules to break: Target brown and black stripe with Gwynnie Bee Horse pattern skirt.
Target brown and black stripe with Gwynnie Bee Horse pattern skirt.

What arbitrary fashion rules did you learn growing up? No white after labor day? Short women can’t wear long dresses? No socks or tights with open toe shoes? As long as I can remember I thought that black and brown was a total no no. I am unsure where these ‘rules’ come from but here we love to break them! Today I am outlining 5 fashion ‘rules’ that you need to be breaking this season!

Black and Brown

I don’t know why this ever became a thing. I think some people just love to make rules. Black and brown are both neutrals and they pair together in a really lovely and earthy way. I will save the black and navy argument for another day but they go together too.

White After Labor Day

This had to start as a fashion industry thing to encourages people to participate in seasonal buying. There is nothing that encourages people to buy more clothing than making a rule. White is beautiful and pretty in any season. White jeans, boots and accessories will stand out against your fall and winter colors. I love white sweater dresses for holiday parties and my white booties are a staple in my closet. I need to update this post but here are a few white things you need for fall.

Tiffany in a fall outfit with white boots.

Short Women Can’t Wear Long Dresses

Short women shouldn’t wear long dresses they are going to trip over but there is a tailor for that! The only thing that I would say on this is that you want to make sure it isn’t too long and you are holding it up all night or you are stepping on the hem. Get it tailored to your height or have a slit created and enjoy your elegant long dress. There is a big misconception about length making things look shorter because in reality long dresses elongate the body and make you appear taller. Just call me myth busters.

Tiffany in a long pink and red dress

Shoes and Bag or Belt Should Always Match

This is not only silly it is super limiting. Bags and shoes are accessories and there is no reason that they need to match. In fact having them not match makes an entire outfit more interesting.

Tiffany in a fall outfit

Age Appropriate

This is probably my biggest pet peeve. Listen to me. Wear What You Want. The end. There is literally nothing else to say. Wear What You Want.

Tiffany in a pink suit

XO,

Tiffany

In: Dressing Tips, Fall, Fashion, Style · Tagged: 5 fashion rules to break, back and brown for fall, black and brown, black and brown outfits, fall fashion, fall outfits, fall style tips, fashion rules, fashion rules to break, styling black and brown, white after labor day

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About Me
I'm Tiffany. Although some of my favorite people call me Tippy. My favorite color is pattern. Seriously, I've never met a pattern I didn't like. My style is as bold as my personality and you should never trust my hair color. I am all about size inclusive style on a Nordstrom Sale budget.
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Merry Merry. Merry Merry.
Who is panic wrapping??? Who is panic wrapping???
If it’s going to be 80 degrees for Christmas I’m a If it’s going to be 80 degrees for Christmas I’m asking Santa for a spray tan gift card in my stocking.
As my boys have gotten older there is almost alway As my boys have gotten older there is almost always a friend eating dinner at my house or spending the night. The weekends are reserved for a driveway full of bikes and basketball. This year, in my haste to make my @shutterfly card I accidentally added a picture with one of my bonus kids in it. 🤷🏻‍♀️ #themorethemerrier
You are not shadow banned. Your content is not bei You are not shadow banned. Your content is not being hidden. Most of the time, it simply is not resonating with your audience anymore, especially if you are using the app correctly, which I will explain at the end.

People blame “shadow banning” when they see a drop in engagement, but when I look at their metrics, I can usually see small declines long before they noticed them. Social media platforms have millions of users. They are not punishing you because you took a week off.

What actually happens is this. Your audience stopped engaging with your content, and when you took a break, they filled that space with other creators. When you returned, the algorithm showed them the accounts they interacted with most, which was not you. They were not looking for your content because it was not relevant to them anymore. I see this over and over.

There is one real caveat. How you are using the app. If you upload unlicensed music, follow and unfollow in large numbers, run giveaways that break platform rules or respond to comments in negative ways, you can hurt your reach. That is not a shadow ban. That is violating the service agreement.

A case study. Someone told me they was shadow banned. When I looked at their account, a few things stood out.

1. There was no aspirational layer to the content. It was a business that relied on people physically coming in, yet nothing showcased a luxury experience, or a story people could connect with. Photos were blurry, captions were minimal and there was no searchable language to help people discover her business.

2. There was no engagement back to the audience. Not responding to comments is one of the fastest ways to lose your community. People want acknowledgment. If they do not get it from you, they will give their attention to someone else.

3. They were not using the app like a real user.  Instagram and TikTok know you are a business, but they still reward accounts that behave like humans.  Comment, watch stories and sending DMs. That signals genuine activity and community building.

Most of the time the issue is not a shadow ban. It is content, connection and consistency. And the good news is all of that can be improved.
Candy cane bow tutorial!! #chrismas #christmasbaki Candy cane bow tutorial!! #chrismas #christmasbaking #christmascake #christmastreat #holiday #holidaytreats #coquettechristmas #twee #coquetteholiday
Coffee with my favorite collaborator… Coffee with my favorite collaborator…
Shop local gift guide @shopstelladallas!! Shop local gift guide @shopstelladallas!!
Last Christmas, we took the Annual King Cookie Par Last Christmas, we took the Annual King Cookie Party in a whole new direction and it ended up being one of my favorite versions yet. I invited some of my closest friends to Kismet Cosmetics, decorated gingerbread houses, and made our own lip gloss and face glitter. It was such a fun way to reconnect with my friends during the busiest time of year. The full recap is on the blog now. Link in bio.
I have been creating online for almost a decade, a I have been creating online for almost a decade, and the landscape has shifted in major ways. These are the changes that matter right now.

1. People don’t want to be influenced. They want to be educated. Audiences want content that improves their life, solves a problem or teaches them something useful. Value builds trust and trust builds connection.
2. Organic engagement is no longer the only metric. Paid reach is a smart tool when you know your audience and use the right placements. Sometimes your best content needs a push to reach the right people.
3. Community requires evolution. As you grow, your audience grows. Their needs change. Listening to what they save, ask for and respond to is how you stay connected.
4. Personality is the new niche. People follow people. Your voice, humor and perspective are what separate you from everyone else in your category.
5. Consistency matters, but sustainability matters more. Batching, content silos and systems help you show up without burning out.
6. Social SEO is essential. People use Instagram, TikTok and Pinterest like search engines. Keyword dense captions, clear hooks and intentional hashtags help your content get discovered long after posting.
7. Community is more important than virality. Viral moments fade. A loyal audience stays, engages and converts.
8. Creators are becoming brands and brands are becoming creators. Storytelling, personality and real time content now matter more than being perfectly polished.
9. AI isn’t replacing creators. It supports them. It frees up time so you can focus on creativity, connection and strategy.
10. Transparency matters more than perfection. And transparency isn’t the same as authenticity. Transparency means not gatekeeping and letting people into the process so they feel empowered.
11. Growth isn’t just about new followers. It’s about nurturing the audience you already have. Engagement and trust will take you farther than any number at the top of your profile.

The creator space is evolving and so are we. Staying curious, adaptable and connected to your community is how you grow long term.

#personalbranding #contentcreatortips

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