Jay Strut, Fashion Blogger, jaystrut.com

I’ll let you in on my little secret: thanks to innovations like Instagram, anyone can be a self-made, self-taught “brand” in the digital age. You don’t have to wait for anyone to say yes or no to you – there are no more gatekeepers or barriers.

So, to rewind for a second, how exactly did I, just an ordinary boy from Toronto, find my voice (and over 25,000 followers) on Instagram? It all started with the need for a place to spontaneously share my thoughts, passions and fashion obsessions. I was early to fashion blogging, my first real form of independent expression. I even taught myself how to do HTML coding around 12-13 so I could have a custom website, but once Instagram came around, that’s when I really hit my stride. I didn’t have to wait until I had computer and Wi-Fi to share my favorite snaps from a runway show or someone’s killer street style I spotted that day. Instagram enabled, well, instant touchpoints with my growing readership and fan base.

Instagram: Today’s Vision Board

Instagram has never been all about me, me, me. (Of course, I like to indulge in a selfie or two, or ten! But hey, who doesn't these days?) From day one, I saw this platform as a vision board with a social spin – a shared collection of images that inspire me and inform my evolving aesthetic tastes. Whether it’s fashion, accessories, architecture, food, people – all of these visual elements come together to reflect moods, observations and ideas that I want to share and enjoy with others.

And it’s funny – looking back, my first few posts are basically the same as today: just me going gaga over things I thought were cool. This is what I credit a lot of my “DIY fame” success to, and what I have never changed: my perspective and point-of-view. This is how I’ve differentiated myself, from the beginning of my blogging career and early Instagram days through now. While a lot of fashion bloggers write like they’re composing SAT essays, my voice is more 5th avenue housewife at a 70% off sale at Bergdorf Goodman.

Beating Back the Doubt

Of course, along the path to self-made success there are roadblocks along the way – self-doubt being the biggest of them all. I can remember many sleepless nights, asking myself where this could lead. Not knowing if this whole fashion blogger thing was something that was going to work out. Not knowing if this was worth not being in school. Not knowing if this would be better than a regular retail job. There are always going haters out there, but it’s crazy how easy it is to let self-doubt seep in. Before you know it, you’ve become your own worst enemy.

What got me through it? Ultimately it was connection. My devoted readership, all the people who encouraged me to continue sharing my world with them, were invaluable. My mentors also played a huge part, though I don’t mean “mentors” in the traditional sense. These are people I continue to watch, listen and learn from. People I don't know personally, but they inspire me by leading by example – from the way they carry themselves to the way they engage with others: self-assured, fearless, opinionated.

Sudden Fame

I knew I had finally “made it” when cool designers started reaching out to me. First, Stefano Gabanna of Dolce & Gabanna tweeted me and said that he liked my blog (I still have it favorited somewhere on my Twitter). This was a really cool; it was my first real moment of recognition from someone in the fashion industry who was at the top of the game. Then came the social media love from the Marc Jacobs team. The next thing I knew I was in their office in New York on Spring St. getting a tour and watching Marc himself style looks the day before a show! #TeenageDream

Fast forward to today: I’m jet setting all over the world to collaborate with top fashion and lifestyle brands and documenting it all on Instagram. But every time I share a new photo, it never fails to be a “pinch me” moment – I’m immediately reminded of the powerful human connection that exists on the other end of that image. I wouldn’t be where I am today without those 25,000+ people who eagerly await my next Instagram snap. I really believe that my “story” – a boy from Toronto from humble beginnings who turned a lifelong passion for fashion into a career and personal brand – wouldn’t be possible without social media.

You already have the tools at our fingertips (literally!) to share the ideas, vision and creativity that make you, YOU – so what are you waiting for? WERK IT! You never know – Marc Jacobs may be your next follower!

P.S. No post about Instagram would be complete without my top five all-time favorite Instagram moments! Take a look: