From her early days experimenting with sewing and styling outfits for friends to launching multiple sold-out clothing collections with a major retailer, Kathleen Post has built a career as a fashion content creator by prioritizing genuine connections with her audience over fleeting viral moments.

“I always say the night before my launch feels like Christmas Eve,” Kathleen explains, describing the excitement surrounding her third Abercrombie collection release. The anticipation is well-founded as some items from her latest collection sold out before 7 a.m. on launch day, marking her fastest-selling collection to date.

Turning Creative Passion into Professional Reality

Kathleen ventured into content creation with a lifelong passion for fashion. Growing up, she was the go-to person among friends for styling advice and hair help before school dances. “I’ve always been passionate about fashion, hair, makeup, and beauty,” she shares. “I even took sewing classes, and I’d buy old shirts at thrift stores and sew them into skirts just because I liked the fabric.”

This natural interest led her to pursue a degree in marketing and a minor in apparel merchandising in college, anticipating a career on the business side of fashion. However, living in Indiana presented a geographical challenge. “There aren’t many brands or marketing agencies in Indiana,” Kathleen says.

After college, she found herself working first as a hospital project manager and then in software sales, roles that failed to fulfill her creative ambitions. In 2015, seeking a creative outlet while working full-time, Kathleen started a fashion blog. 

“I decided to do that on the side to fuel the creative energy I wasn’t getting from my job,” she explains. She devoted every spare moment to her blog, working on it “before work, on my lunch break, after work, on weekends, any time I could.”

The Risk That Paid Off

After three years of consistently creating content alongside her full-time job, Kathleen reached a crossroads. She was receiving opportunities through her blog that she couldn’t pursue due to her work schedule.

“I put pen to paper and came up with a number in my head. If I quit my job and made that in three to four months, giving my blog my full effort, then I’d know there was something there,” Kathleen recalls.

It was a calculated risk, but one that ultimately paid off. With her newfound focus, her content creation business “exploded because I was able to pour all my energy into it.”

“I knew I’d always wonder, what if? If I didn’t try, I’d carry that forever,” she remembers thinking. “So I went for it, and I’m so glad I did.”

Finding Her Voice Through Growth

Kathleen’s content approach has changed significantly over her decade-long career. She laughs when reflecting on her early style choices: “I always say if you’re not embarrassed by what you wore a couple years ago, you’re not evolving.”

Today, she describes her style as “casual elevated” or “casual chic,” approachable yet fashion-forward. “I want it to be something you can throw on and feel comfortable, but also like you’re trying a new trend or pushing the boundaries a little,” she explains. “I’m not the type of influencer where you look at my page and think it’s so out there it’s unapproachable. I want someone to feel like, oh, I could try that.”

The format of her content has also transformed. While she began with written blog posts and still photography in 2015, her breakthrough came when she started using Instagram Stories to directly engage with her audience about her outfits.

“My audience loved it when I’d stand in front of a mirror and talk about my outfit. At the time, that wasn’t popular. Stories had just come out, and most Instagram posts were one silent photo. Then I started chatting more, and that’s when things really took off,” Kathleen says.

The approach resonated deeply with her followers. “It’s a genuine way to connect with your audience because it feels like chatting face to face,” she says. “I felt like a real person behind the screen, not just a photo.”

The Shift to Video Content

About a year ago, Kathleen made another strategic shift toward video content, particularly embracing Instagram Reels. “I shifted my content to lean heavily into videos, not just on Stories, but posting in my feed,” she says. “When I did that, I saw another huge change in my business and reached a whole new audience.”

This transition didn’t come easily. “The switch from photo to video was a learning curve,” Kathleen admits. “Blogging and posting photos is completely different from uploading videos and tracking analytics.”

She had to push herself beyond her comfort zone. “Instead of taking a photo, I’d prop up my phone on a busy New York street and talk about my outfit, even if I felt embarrassed,” she says. One such video became one of her most-viewed posts.

Kathleen has also noticed emerging content formats that perform particularly well. “A style I’ve seen is a walking, talking video where someone records you while you talk through your outfit,” she explains. “The trend has shifted toward less produced content. Now people just want something that feels natural.”

The Abercrombie Partnership Growth

Kathleen’s relationship with Abercrombie has grown into one of her most successful brand partnerships. “I’ve been working with Abercrombie since 2019 in a more formal capacity,” she explains. “It’s evolved over time and has been a really fun partnership I look forward to.”

What began as standard brand collaborations has developed into full clothing collections, with her most recent launch being her third September collection with the brand. “Each year our collections get better,” Kathleen says. “Abercrombie is approachable on price and very size-inclusive, so it feels like a brand so many people can wear and feel amazing in.”

The design process for each collection is deeply collaborative. “We take a full day back in February for September launches, going through every detail,” Kathleen explains. “These are completely new designs, and I actually see them sketch them right in front of me.”

Her collections are informed by both her personal taste and audience feedback. “Last year, a knit sweater pant sold really well, but it only came in one length,” she recalls. “This year, I said we need more lengths, and we did three. They quickly became bestsellers.”

Building Trust Through Audience Engagement

Kathleen’s approach to audience engagement goes beyond simply posting content. “Every week I put up a box asking my audience what events or activities they need outfits for,” she explains. “I call it ‘what to wear’ and they drop requests.”

She then creates content specifically addressing these requests. “The following Sunday, I share outfit ideas for those activities, from a mountain chic wedding to meeting my boyfriend’s parents or working from home,” she says.

When she notices patterns, she creates content around them. “I recently saw lots of requests for casual, cute outfits,” she shares. “So I made a video of easy outfits you can throw on and run out the door, and it performed so well because I was listening to my audience.”

Selective Partnerships to Preserve Trust

When evaluating potential brand partnerships, Kathleen maintains high standards. “You can’t put a price on your audience’s trust,” she says.

“I have to love the brand and be excited to post about it, or it’s not worth it,” she explains. “If you follow me, you’ll see I don’t work with many brands compared to most influencers. My list is very small: only brands I use, love, and would recommend to a friend.”

She credits this selectivity as a key factor in her long-term success. “I say no more than I say, yes, but it’s been a long-term strategy that’s worked for me,” Kathleen says. “New influencers often take quick deals, but lots of brands will pay you to post.”

Her unwavering commitment to being genuine has helped maintain audience trust. “I treat them like family,” Kathleen says. “If I wouldn’t recommend it to a family member or friend, I won’t recommend it to my audience.”

Learning From Early Business Mistakes

Kathleen’s career hasn’t been without missteps. One lesson came early when she signed away rights to her images without fully understanding the implications.

“I wish I had known sooner never to give away image rights,” she reveals. “I did a shoot, signed off rights, and thought that was normal. I had no idea, no direction.”

The consequences became clear when she saw her images used in unexpected places. “I started seeing them in hair salons promoting products unrelated to the shoot,” she recalls. “When I reached out, I realized I had sold them the rights.”

Kathleen now advises emerging creators to be vigilant about the contracts they sign. “That’s a mistake I’ll never make again,” she says. “Now I have an attorney, a manager, and someone double-checking everything. Those images could end up on a billboard or Super Bowl commercial.”

Industry Changes

With her extensive experience, Kathleen has witnessed multiple shifts in the creator economy. She identifies TikTok as transformative. “TikTok has really changed this industry. It’s shown people that anyone can be an influencer, which is amazing,” she says.

However, she’s also observed a growing recognition that viral success doesn’t always equal trust. “Brands now see that going viral overnight doesn’t always mean a loyal audience,” Kathleen notes.

Rather than chasing viral moments, she has “tried to put my blinders on and stay in my own lane.” She sees the industry splitting into paths: “You have viral, entertaining content, and you have people who are more of a resource. There’s overlap, but I know who I am and who I’m not.”

Despite the constant changes, Kathleen remains confident. “I’ve been doing this long enough to know apps and trends come and go, and it can seem alarming. But there will always be demand for this kind of marketing,” she reflects.

“I think the influencer industry is here to stay,” Kathleen concludes. “I think it’s really just getting started and stronger than ever.”

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