Belle Meets World

BEAUTY MUST-HAVES

WHAT TO WEAR TO A FORMAL WEDDING
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WHAT TO WEAR TO A FORMAL WEDDING

This past weekend I had the privilege of attending my dear friend’s wedding in NYC. It was an extraordinary event – so beautiful and tasteful and full of love – with a formal wedding attire requirement. My most favorite part of attending any wedding is the dress code! When I saw ‘formal’ on the invite, I was so intrigued and ran straight for my sister’s Emily Post etiquette books to learn more. Would Evan need to wear a tux? Did this mean I needed a gown (yes, please I hope it meant a gown!!)? What about hair, makeup, shoes?! Oh boy – this was going to be fun.

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WARDROBE CLASSICS EVERY WOMAN NEEDS
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WARDROBE CLASSICS EVERY WOMAN NEEDS

I’ve been so diligent about posting since my blog’s relaunch in August that I’ve found myself a little burnt out and a lot uninspired. When I told Evan I didn’t know what to post today (in fact I missed my Monday morning deadline!), he told me to be honest with my readers and asked if there was a quick outfit I had that we could shoot so that I could maintain my consistent posting schedule. I went to the closet and found myself reaching for this look almost without thinking about it. Which made me realize that there are some wardrobe classics that each woman’s closet should have – the oldies but goodies that you can wear all together or wear in separate looks that are timeless and always on point.

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DAY TO NIGHT IN THREE EASY STEPS
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DAY TO NIGHT IN THREE EASY STEPS

This post may offer you the simplest suggestion you’ve ever heard in your life, but perhaps it’s one of those things that is so easy no one ever says it aloud and therefore no one understands that the girl who effortlessly takes a fabulous work dress from day to night really is doing it, well, effortlessly. Having now lived in 3 major cities where my commute to and from work is a huge portion of my day, I simply can’t (and won’t) waste my time traveling home to change for a date or an event after work. It’s not worth my time on the train or in the car just to look fabulous. Because I can look fabulous in two steps. No car, no train necessary.

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LEATHER AND LACE (AND BANGS)
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LEATHER AND LACE (AND BANGS)

Is this post an ode to a Fleetwood Mac song? No. But would it really be that horrible if it was? No! What this actually is, is a post dedicated to a more sophisticated and modern way to wear lace. Feminine lacy details are everywhere these days with the seemingly endless 90’s resurgence, and almost every woman has a lace dress or top in her wardrobe from some point in her life. Don’t be afraid to pull those items back out! 

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DATE NIGHT STYLE: LITTLE BLACK DRESS
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DATE NIGHT STYLE: LITTLE BLACK DRESS

When it came time to choose the dress I’d wear out for my birthday this year, I had a vision of a sexy LBD (Little Black Dress) that would perfectly suit my 34 years in age – meaning a dress that would flatter my curves, provide appropriate coverage, AND show a little skin all at the same time. That’s a tall order, I know. BUT given how many LBDs there are out there in this world, I knew I could find what I was looking for as long as I had the right criteria in mind.

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CREATIVE STYLE: MIXING AND MATCHING
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CREATIVE STYLE: MIXING AND MATCHING

My style is not for everyone – I tend to push the limits a bit beyond what most people are comfortable with – but I do like to provide some advice to those of you who want to take some risks in your own way. One of my favorite fashion risks to take is to mix and match patterns. It’s a fun way to be creative and coordinated, to mix high-end and low-end items, and to be a little different than everyone else around you. Read on for my tips to pull of pattern mixing and matching!

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