Partying with N1GHT.com

Hi guys! As you know, I'm currently enjoying the heat in the French Rivière as we speak, and I'm 100% in vacation mode. Bring on the beach, sun, cocktails and sultry summer evenings.

 enjoying the evening sun at our holiday home's pool in my c/o Calzedonia bikini

I don't know about you, but when summer is in full swing, there's only three things on my mind: wearing as little clothes as possible, eating equal amounts of fresh salads and greasy fried food (I have a craving for calamari right now), and making the most out of the beautiful, long summer nights. And I'm not talking about sitting in my crappy little back yard with a book, I'm talking about nightlife! Sometimes it's nice just to meet up with some friends and talk until every subject has been covered at least four times (and you don't even care because you're happy and possibly a little tipsy), but sometimes you want to put on your dancing shoes and your sexiest dress and hit the town, am I right? And nothing sucks like being all dressed up with nowhere to go.

Well, that's where this post comes in: a little while ago, I was contacted by the people behind N1GHT.com who wanted to introduce their app to me to see if I would think my readers would like to hear about it, and here we are. N1GHT.com is a smartphone party guide that's always up to date with the latest info, available right there in your back pocket making sure you're never stranded at home because you don't know what cool party you're missing that night. And best of all, the app is one hundred percent free, and very easy to use. What's not to like? Let's take a closer look.

Outfit: Off shoulder top in Biot

Hi guys, I'm currently enjoying a much needed vacation at the Côte d'Azure, but I don't want to neglect the blog so here I am, writing to you from our little terrace, with a glass of white wine in my hand and the song of cicades in the background. Life could be worse! 

Today is our first day here, and we spent it getting to know the neighborhood, checking out the pool and going grocery shopping. We shot these pics on the way to our communal pool, which is down some picturesque, flower bush lined stairs along the hill. One of the best things about holidays abroad for bloggers: so many beautiful photo backdrops! We just took a few minutes for these, so they aren't amazing or anything, but it was legit hot as balls out here so we kept it simple for my guy's sake. He's still getting used to the heat here.

Outfit: straw hat, bustier top and vintage circle skirt

Outfit: off the shoulder crop top with denim shorts

Outfit: Professional in relaxed trousers and blazer

Outfit: pink and gold wedding

Hi guys! Right now I'm nursing a hangover, but that's only because last night was so great. My guy and me were invited to a family wedding - his nephew found the girl of his dreams and obvs needed to lock that shit down. The weather was gorgeous, we were basking in the good vibrations, and I'm always excited when I get the chance to dress up and eat good food (the fruit skewers/chocolate fountain were my fav). The wedding was quite relaxed, and very pinterest-worthy. Good times were had by all!

I had initially planned to go in a floor length dress, but I decided against it last minute because yesterday was full on summer, sunny and hot. In the end, I found this hot pink, airy dress in the back of my closet, and decided to go for a disco vibe with gold accessories, smokey eyes (I replicated the gunmetal smokey eye from this blogpost) and glamorous waves in my hair. My guy wore a white suit with a blue paisley shirt. I think we looked pretty hot, but see for yourself!

Outfit: off the shoulder dress with espadrille wedges

Outfit: Maxi dress at Teva pool party

It seems like it was ages ago, but just a few weeks back, we were in the midst of a Belgian heatwave. And because I love that feeling of unadulterated summer, I pretty much pumped my fist in the air Jersey Shore style when I received a pool party invite. I had never been to a pool party! It was during an ACTUAL heatwave! I had just received a super cute bikini! The pool party was thrown by one of my two favourite sandal brands, Teva (the other being Birkenstock, natch)! I could bring a plus one! Safe to say, I whatsapped my sis, told her to put on her bikini and her Tevas (what can I say, we're real fans) and get her ass over to Antwerp to jump in the pool with me.

We met Joppe on our way there, and then we managed to take a streetcar in the opposite direction of where we were supposed to go. Yeah, not my brightest moment, but in the end we arrived where we were supposed to be and FUN WAS HAD BY ALL.

Beauty: Etam's Push Up Your Beauty collection, review and swatches

There's almost nothing I like more on the weekends than thoroughly reviewing beauty products and trying some new looks. I find it very relaxing to be creatively productive, and I can totally zone out while I'm playing with make up. Today, I'm showing you some pieces of Etam's Push Up Your Beauty collection. Etam has apparently been selling make up for a while now in France, but the Belgian market is just about to be breached. 

After trying out this collection, I'm crossing all my fingers and toes for them to open a beauty counter near me. This is not just your typical lingerie brand branching out by creating some cheap beauty products to seduce the tweens. No, Etam is totally taking beauty seriously, with fully realized lip, eye and nail product ranges. To give you an idea, the collection boasts 80 different eyeshadow monos. EIGHTY. And everything is delightfully affordable, so let's explore the range!

Puerto Rico: sunsets at Ocean Park and Luquillo

I haven't shared half the pictures we took in Puerto Rico, I feel like the experience of actually being there can't be captured in photographs anyway, so I'm reluctant to even try. I know it's silly, but it's true. We did take some beautiful pictures on two of our beach days, just before sunset, and I feel like Sunday is the perfect day to share some of those shots with you. First up, an evening at Ocean Park beach. The ocean is pretty wild there, lots of waves and wind. I wore this maxi dress I bought at Forever21 just before we left for PR, and it was definitely a favourite during our stay because of the pretty print and how comfortable and airy it was.

Outfit: Pink trench and Birkenstocks in Brussels

Just a few weeks ago, my boyfriend and I went to Brussels for a quick daytrip and to spend some quality T.I.M.E. together. I don't know Brussels very well, and my dude doesn't go there very often either, so it almost felt like we were on holiday even though we were only an hour away from home. Ever since my American relatives visited us back in April, I've been trying to look at Belgium with fresh eyes: what makes Belgium beautiful for people who come here as tourists? And while that question seems hard to answer when I'm walking around one of our smaller provincial towns, Brussels wowed me without even trying. Brussels feels like a capital (which it is), and in some parts, just about every bend in the road brings you gorgeous views of old buildings mixed with modern architecture, strewn across the sloping, slanting roads. Brussels intimidates me because it's so big, but it's also absolutely gorgeous. 

We shot some quick outfit pictures, and then I got snap-happy on our track through Bruxelles. Some of these photographs were taken when we were driving or with my smartphone, so they're not exactly gorgeous, composition-wise, but I figured it would be nice to add a touch of Brussels to my post anyway. Enjoy, and happy weekend!

Beauty: & Other Stories eyebrow cream review in Triptych Coal

If you know me, you know I take great pride in my eyebrows. I mean, they're not much on their own, but with a little bit of extra love and care, they become a real feature for my face. They are the perfect way to finish a look, or to start one: after all, summer make up doesn't need much more than eyebrows, bronzer and some lip balm.

I've been very content using my & Other Stories eyebrow powder (review + easy eyebrow tutorial here), but during one of my bi-weekly & Other Stories, I spotted their new eyebrow product: a tiny little tube of eyebrow cream. This one comes in four shades, just like their eyebrow powder. Two warm shades, and two cool shades. I instantly grabbed the darkest cool shade, since that works best for my colouring, and while I was testing the cream on my own brows, a lady walked up to me to ask me what I was using and what I would recommend. A few minutes later, we both walked out with the & Other Stories eyebrow cream in Triptych Coal! I guess I was made to work in retail, selling stuff even if I'm not working.

On to the review!

Outfit: festival style in white lace maxi dress

Beauty: favourite bright matte lipsticks

Oh my, it seems like the heatwave that hit Belgium the past week made me forget all about blogging. Sorry! My mind has been preoccupied with trying to stay professionally producI'm here to make it up to you, and I haven't exactly stopped creating content, so I have plenty of blog material for the next week or so. And today, I'd like to talk to you about my current beauty crush: bright, semi-matte lipstick!