• BEAUTY MUST-HAVES

    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.

    View Post

    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!

    View Post

    PERFECTING BATH TIME

    I’ve been working really hard lately to decrease stress, and taking a bath has become one of my go-to treats for relaxation and alone time – especially now that we have our own place with TWO bathtubs! The key to perfecting bath time is the right ambience and activities, so I always take a few minutes to prepare for it. Read on to make the most of yours. You deserve it!

    View Post

    VEGAN BRUNCH + FROZEN ROSÉ RECIPES

    Chances are you have vegan and vegetarian friends. Chances are you also like brunch and cocktails. So what happens when the two intersect and you have your vegan and vegetarian friends over for brunch and cocktails? MAGIC. I’ve discovered three amazing recipes from Chef ChloeVegan Gretchen, and Real Simple that will ensure you’re a brunch pro, no matter the audience or dietary restriction! The first is a vegan version of Matzo Brei made with silken tofu and almond milk, rather than eggs – it is so good that we cook it at least twice a month. The second is a vegan coffee cake my sister brought to our brunch that was perfectly sweet and moist with a crumbly cinnamon topping, and the third is a Frosé (Frozen Rosé) – that just might make the rest of your summer delightful. You freeze the rosé and mix it with a few more goodies to make a grown-up slushie! Read on for the recipes and for some highlights from our brunch!

    View Post

    RECENT DRUGSTORE BEAUTY FINDS

    I’m an equal-opportunity beauty junkie. I’ll buy products from all over – be it Sephora or Target – and while I love the personalized department store experience the most, I prefer the price tag of the drugstore, hands down. I bet you do, too! This month I’ve found four products – one makeup, one skin, one hair and one body – under $30 each  that I am loving. All were purchased from either CVS, Target or Walgreens. Read on to learn all about them!

    View Post

    MOVING ‘BACK HOME’

    I’m trying something new on Belle Meets World. I’m going to write more often on a broader set of topics. Some of these posts will likely be shorter and take less time for me to write – which is a good thing since I pour a little too much into every post and therefore don’t get to write as often as I’d like. The idea is to exercise my writing muscle and most importantly, to learn more about what my readers want to read about. I just don’t feel like I’m hitting the mark with a broader audience. That said, I truly appreciate each and every one of my current readers and if all else fails, you’ll get to know even more about me than before. Some of this will be surface-level fun stuff, and some will be deeper personal stuff. I’ll start with a topic that’s been top of mind since arriving in Atlanta – how it feels to move ‘back home.’

    View Post