Belle Meets World

BEAUTY MUST-HAVES

WHAT TO WEAR TO A FORMAL WEDDING
DRESS UP

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
DRESS UP

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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WHITE AFTER LABOR DAY? WHY NOT?!
CASUAL STYLE

WHITE AFTER LABOR DAY? WHY NOT?!

I am a strange paradox of a person in that I hate being told what to do, yet I love rules and parameters. When people tell me I can’t wear white after Labor Day, I immediately want to throw on every white item I own and run through the streets. At the same time, a white summer dress with white pumps and a white handbag during fall and winter simply doesn’t sit right with me. So,  what’s our happy medium, ladies? Can we wear white after Labor Day? And if so, how do we do it with class and confidence? I say – YES! Wear white after Labor Day, but choose your white items wisely and pair them with the right cooler weather pieces. 

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DAY TO NIGHT IN THREE EASY STEPS
DRESS UP

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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STYLE FAIL – WHY THIS DRESS DOESN’T WORK
STYLE

STYLE FAIL – WHY THIS DRESS DOESN’T WORK

I usually write about styles that do work, and things you should wear. But every now and then, I’ll choose something for myself that does not work and fails in an epic way. Rather than not post about it and sweep those pictures under the rug, I’m going to share the fail with you today. I had the highest of hopes for this dress when I rented it – it’s a navy sleeveless trench dress with an extra flap of fabric on the front and an asymmetrical neckline by Opening Ceremony. I thought for sure the extra details would be fashion forward, yet work appropriate AND that they’d hide and flatter my worst parts. WRONG…

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LEATHER AND LACE (AND BANGS)
DRESS UP

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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