Celebrating 10 years as a lifestyle blogger and my top ten Fifty & Fab blog posts!

In February 2016 I had an idea - I wanted to start my own blog, just as a hobby, I had no clue what I was doing or what it would become.  I asked my then 18 year old son to create a website for me and teach me the basics!  I had been following lifestyle and fashion bloggers for a while - and inspired by them - thought I'd love to do more with my love of writing, sharing tips and ideas to help others and just generally chat about the ups and downs of life.  Both my children were becoming independent, I nearly had an empty nest and therefore (I thought) bit more time to spare!

​My main inspiration was that I was about to turn 50, I needed to start looking after myself again, I wanted to lose some weight, exercise properly and learn to love my style, I wanted an excuse to dress up.  I needed more confidence but to get there I needed accountability.  And at nearly 50, surely I wasn't alone, others would feel the same and maybe enjoy reading my story, and find it inspirational!?  I didn't spend much time thinking about my blog name, it just needed it to be available to buy the domain for my website and nothing too similar on Instagram either!  And Fifty & Fab met that criteria.  With my strapline simply "inspiring you to be fabulous at fifty" I was ready to start writing!

Celebrating 10 years of blogging with bubbles and a photoshoot!

My first blog post!

On the 16th February 2016, I pressed publish on my first blog post entitled 'Welcome to Fifty & Fab'.  Looking back now I cringe a little at my zero-SEO early posts and appalling photo quality. - my writing was also pretty basic!  But all the old posts are part of my story, and so where others often delete old posts, rebrand or have a complete blog redesign to something new and glossy, I have kept my blog the same.  It is simple to use, it tells my story, and it works so why change it!?  I've learnt to take better photos (better iPhone cameras help), I've learnt much more about SEO and keywords and anchor text, I've had professional photoshoots and I've collaborated with some fantastic brands.  But essentially Fifty & Fab is the same as it was back in February 2016.  Me chatting about my life.  It's real, genuine and relatable.  Instagram has evolved (not for the better in my opinion) and bloggers have come and go, but I still love my blog.  Will AI change it all again?  Who knows but for now my blog continues to thrive.

So I'm giving myself a big pat on the back and a huge congratulations!  I'm very proud of my little lifestyle blog and I still love writing it and inspiring others.

10 years of writing, learning and nurturing my blog!

Sharing my early blog posts!

My son taught me how to navigate Mailchimp so I could create a mailing list of loyal subscribers - thank you so much to you all!  And I started my Instagram account but that was an afterthought really, Instagram never was my main platform, that has always been my blog, and of course back in 2016 Facebook was still a big deal!

I remember being a bit embarrassed about promoting my blog, like most new bloggers, I thought I'd be lucky if my mum read it, but beyond that I was really quite shy about putting myself out there.  I never have completely overcome that, I still hate talking on a video for the gram!  I'd much rather write and take photos!

Fast forward 10 years and where am I now?

My first 'gifted' blog post was for a review for Vionic Shoes, and my first 'sponsored' blog post was for Pharmacy2U, the online chemist.

The Vionic review was published in April 2018 and my son took the photos, and it was the era of the flatlay.  In September I attended my first brand launch event with Vionic, I remember being so nervous about meeting 'bigger' bloggers or influencers (not sure that term had become mainstream then).  Clearly 2018 was the year my blog moved very slowly from hobby to something more, but being asked what I charge for a blog post, was terrifying.

Gradually, I realised that my blog could be a part-time job, although it was much much later that it became a small business.  I am now delighted to be able to work from home, indulge my love of learning, researching and writing and earn an income from my 'hobby' and I love all the opportunities I get - for example press invites in amazing venues - like this penthouse event - days out in London and reviewing hotels, spas and travel destinations.

I am not, and never will be a 'big influencer' but I am really comfortable with what I have achieved.  My job fits around my family and personal commitments and that suits me perfectly.  I can work at home for a few hours a day but I can drop it all if one my (adult) children needs me, or I'm meeting a friend for lunch or I need to go see my elderly parents.

Enough waffle ... what are my Top 10 Blogs?!

Cheers to my readers - and thank you for being here xx

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Here are 5 of my most read blog posts ...

HRT gel reviews | Oestrogel and Sandrena plus progesterone intolerance

​Oestrogen reviews | how I learnt that I really do need my HRT!

​Fabulous underwear for women over 50 | and what are the best knickers for over 50s!?

​My makeup lesson with Joanne Frye | tips and advice on the best foundation for mature skin and a makeup tutorial for over 50s

​The best capsule wardrobe list for women over 50!

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And these are my 5 personal favourite blog posts ...

The best 14 day road trip to France ... driving through the French countryside, visiting the Loire Valley, the Dordogne and more!

Our NC500 route and itinerary, how we completed the iconic North Coast 500 road trip in 7 days
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A selection of beautiful bikinis for women over 50 from Beach Café, an online swimwear boutique

How I am embracing body confidence in my 50s with a boudoir photoshoot by Alexandra at FYEO

​Horse and carriage ride for my 50th birthday

It was difficult to pick just 5!  I've had some wonderful opportunities over the last ten years and my blog is full of personal and happy memories like my daughters (two) graduations and my son and daughter's 21st birthday milestones.

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So many favourite blog posts, it was hard to choose just five!

How I'm celebrating my 10th blogiversary!

Well with this blog post for starters!  I also had lunch with my husband at my favourite restaurant, The Greyhound in Beaconsfield, and of course I had this wonderful photoshoot with Terry Joshi!

I'm also doing a beauty giveaway for my subscribers!  Make sure you are signed up to my blog newsletter, Being Fifty & Fab, and details will arrive in your inbox very soon.

​But otherwise my day will pass full of puppy chaos as we have a new baby called Cassie who is just 11 weeks old and joins Katy and Bonnie!

What I know now that I wish I'd known then!

Ten years on, here’s what I know for sure: blogging can absolutely make money, not necessarily overnight, but steadily and sensibly, as a genuine part-time business. Blogs still sit at the heart of how people find answers (and brands) online, which is why they remain a top format in marketing: HubSpot reports that in 2025, blog posts were one of the highest-ROI content formats for marketers, and a widely used one too. 

And despite Instagram, short-form video, and AI everywhere, long-form content hasn’t gone away — it’s often where trust is built. Research cited by Wix (via NP Digital) found readers stayed around 40% longer on pages with long-form content compared with short-form, which is exactly the kind of engagement that helps both readers and search performance. And for my audience especially, there’s evidence that older adults are spending more of their media time online than they were a few years ago including reading digital articles, which supports what I see in my own comments and emails. 

The biggest lesson, though, is ownership. A website and domain are a home you control - unlike social platforms where reach can change overnight, accounts can be restricted, and algorithms decide who sees your work. Even in the creator economy, there’s growing discussion about how most creators don’t truly “own” the platforms they build on, which is why your own site (plus an email list) is the safest long-term asset. 

I’m also glad I didn’t waste money into endless blogger courses. What actually made the difference was learning SEO, keywords, and about evergreen content - the kind of posts that keep being discovered months and years later, making them better value for both me and brands than a social post that disappears down the feed. And I still love it: the writing, the learning, the community, the chance to share great finds and the privilege of being able to say, ten years on, I’m still here doing it.

Thank you for being here!

But I couldn't have created my successful lifestyle blog without my readers and I am immensely grateful for your support.  I am proud of the fact that many of you have found me through 'organic searches' and arrived on my blog and stayed, either by hanging around and reading more or by subscribing for regular updates.  Or to those that email me with a question or just to say hello, I have made friends through my blog that I may never meet in person but I love getting your messages.

And thank you to the brands who have trusted me to write about your products or services,  your trust is me is always appreciated.

I've had the best time, yes there have been downs and doubts, some weeks or months where my creativity left the building, or when my anxiety took over and attending press events was too much, or when comparison (especially on social media) creeps in and I wonder why anyone would find anything I have to say remotely interesting.  I still consider myself a bit boring and shy!

But the ups win ... the friendships (thank you Tracey at Fighting Fifty for being my best blogger friend), and to Natasha at Being Tasha for always being so lovely when we see each other at events.  And to the lovely smaller businesses that put their trust in me, especially my local Marlow businesses - Joe Price Stylist, Queen Mee Accessories, the Marlow Living App ... and many many more!

And thank you to my family, to my son for putting up with my lack of technical understanding and for helping with videos and photos and to my daughter for always being happy to join me on outings or takes photos.

Next big excitement will be my 60th birthday in December!

Love Michelle xx


All outfit and styling details are below ...

See all the outfit details below - and these beautiful earrings kindly gifted from Queen Mee Accessories

Outfit details:
Red trousers (now in sale)
Polka dot blouse (prev season) similar here
Animal print clutch bag (very old) similar here
Gold chain belt
Snake print ankle boots
​Red drop earrings - 10% off with FAB10
​Glasses by Ahlem from CBTR Opticians, Beaconsfield
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Hair styled by Tia at Joe Price Stylist, Marlow

All photos by Terry Joshi Images

​Disclaimer: this blog post contains some affiliate links.