I’m absolutely thrilled to say welcome to the new 16th and Barton! It’s certainly been a while, but thank you for stopping by and joining our little community.
So where did we go?
The past year and half has been pretty tumultuous for both Bex and I. New jobs, new houses, new cities. While we tried to keep the blog going through all the ups and downs, it just got to be too much. We couldn’t dedicate the time and effort our blog baby deserved, so we took a pause to allow ourselves to take care of some other life priorities.
At the beginning of the year, we finally caught our collective breath and re-evaluated our goals for 16th and Barton. And that’s when Bex made the difficult decision to step away from the blog due to health reasons and family commitments. We had a very honest and heartfelt conversation about how moving forward, the blog would just be me, Mila.
So now what? I took the last few months to figure out my new vision for the blog. What did I want to keep? What did I want to change? Finally with all those questions answered, I dove headfirst into the rebrand, redesign, and relaunch of 16th and Barton.
New, but also kind of the same
To understand what’s next, I want to go back to the beginning. Bex and I originally started this blog hoping our ideas and insights might collectively appeal to today’s “every woman”. The type of woman who loves a luxurious moisturizer, but appreciates a great drugstore dupe; the one who preps a green juice for breakfast, but insists on a pinot noir after work; or the one who rushes to Orangetheory, but relaxes after with pizza and Netflix.
This was always super important to the ethos of 16th and Barton because we both connect with those dichotomies so deeply. And it’s with that in mind that we created this space for posts ranging from beauty to wellness to fashion and more.
So while you might notice a new look and a whole new vibe, I promise you the original intent of 16th and Barton has not changed. This lifestyle blog will continue to be an inclusive space for all women. And whether it’s a new sunscreen, a delicious bottle of wine, or a mindfulness technique, I want to share about the things that are important to me. More than anything though, I just want to inspire our community to maybe try something new.
The world we live in
But I would be remiss if I didn’t mention the current social and political climate. When I set the date for the blog relaunch, we weren’t quite yet in the middle of a pandemic and we certainly weren’t seeing this massive public outcry in response to yet another instance of police brutality against communities of color. But it’s so important that we continue the conversation about fighting systemic racism so I look forward to sharing posts about ways to stay engaged in this crucial movement.
And yet, sometimes we just need a break. So while I fully understand that writing about clothes and skincare at a time like this can seem trivial at best, 16th and Barton has always been my creative outlet – especially in times of stress or chaos. I hope that in these crazy times it might provide even a moment of laughter, happiness, or inspiration.
To that end, I’m so excited to share some of my most recent posts. I collaborated with a talented artist on a special commission, wrote about my Project Juice cleanse, created a recipe for a fantastic Honey Blossom Martini (hello happy hour!), shared tips for a fabulous at-home gel manicure, and introduced a list of 10 random things to know about me.
I hope you find something that speaks to you and I am deeply grateful you’re here.
Xoxo,
Mila
P.S. You’ll still find some of Bex’s previous posts on here as well as our most inspired collaborations with our fave photographers. Great content is great content! 🙂 Plus, it’s only right that she personally explain her situation and say goodbye, as well. Look forward to her guest post in the near future!
I also want to take this opportunity to thank Bex for the passion and creativity she poured into 16th and Barton. I am truly grateful for all the laughs, memories, and oh so many bottles of wine we shared while building this platform. Collaboration sessions were always so inspiring. I’m so glad our friendship has come out of this experience even stronger than before. Love you, babe!
No Comments