Hello and welcome to my blog! My name is Annaliese, and I've been blogging here at Southern Belle in Training since 2012. Lifestyle blogging and content creation has changed a lot since then, but I'm so thankful to still be sharing my outfits, travels and snippets of my daily life on the internet 13+ years after starting!
I started this blog way back on my 18th birthday in 2012, thinking that it would be a fun hobby to have in college, and a way to share the outfits that I wore for classes and weekend activities. Here we are over a decade later, and now blogging isn't just a hobby anymore- it's my side hustle and creative business!
I still do enjoy blogging about affordable fashion and style, but I also enjoy sharing about a variety of other lifestyle topics. These days I'm very active on my Instagram and TikTok daily, but I do still love to write blog posts as well. I try to share new longer form posts here on my blog at least once a week.
My dream full-time career growing up was to be a radio host. I made that dream a reality after graduating college, and I worked as a radio host for pop and country radio stations for seven years (2017-2024). After getting laid off in 2024 and realizing how much the broadcasting field is shifting and consolidating, I decided to pivot my full-time career goals. I spent a year working in a temporary transitional job (guest services at a local hotel), and in Spring 2025 I started a new longterm career path in higher education. I love having a steady M-F office job, as I think it makes me a more creative blogger and influencer in my free time!
Besides for blogging and content creation, I have lots of other hobbies and interests! I love golf (I started playing in 2022 and am addicted), Jazzercise classes, reading, and baking. Some of my newer hobbies include watercolor painting and flower arranging. I love hosting friends and family at home, but also love going out and trying new restaurants and other local spots! Friendships are everything to me, and I am always the go-to girl for organizing fun plans with friends old and new.
I have lived in four states, but have been a proud resident of Virginia since 2018! I was single for the majority of my early and mid 20s, and used to blog fairly often about dating struggles and finding contentment in a season of singleness. I met my wonderful husband Ryan in 2022- it is true that when you know, you know! We got married in 2024 in Virginia Beach where we live. (More about our wedding here!)
Thanks so much for reading Southern Belle in Training! I hope that you'll stick around awhile. 😊 And please follow me on Facebook, Instagram, Pinterest and TikTok!
xoxo Annaliese
