February 06, 2024

Be Mine Feat. Muse Bayleigh Barnes

Meet LJ Muse Bayleigh Barnes, aka @bayleigh_barnes – not just a member of our awesome content crew, but also our go-to guru for all things L.O.V.E! Celebrating 6 years of marriage this week, she spilled the beans on her life as a social savvy style icon, dream dates, future plans and her top tips for keeping the love alive.

Hey Bayleigh, happy Valentine’s Day!

Please tell us about yourself: Where are you from and what do you do? Give us a little sneak peek into your life before we get stuck into all the lovey stuff.

Hi, happy Valentine's Day! I am a full-time content creator currently living in Georgia with my husband and our dog. We will have been married for six years next week!

We adore your feed, so gorgeous and well curated, how did you get into content creation?

Thank you! Since I was little, I've always loved fashion, jewelry, and all things girly, but I never imagined I’d be doing this! About 5 years ago, I started posting my little outfit pictures on Instagram, kind of as a hobby, and slowly started to grow a small following. I loved putting together outfits and recreating Pinterest pictures; it was a good creative outlet for me. This was back before TikTok and reels existed, so I was only focusing on pictures, but once TikTok came out, I realized how much I loved creating video content as well!

Like and dislikes about social media and having it as a job…

I've worked multiple different jobs before doing social media, so I do have experience in the “real world," which makes me appreciate this job so much more!

There is so so much to love, working with my favorite brands, having the freedom to work from home and set my own schedule, and meeting new friends from all over! Of course, the pros outweigh the cons, but dealing with hate comments is never fun. Despite it being “social” media, there can be a lot of loneliness in having no coworkers and being your own boss.

Where do you get your fashion/hair inspo from?

I’ve always been a biggg Pinterest girl; I've been using it since it came out, like, ten years ago! I get so much inspiration from there; I have a board for EVERYTHING. I also follow lots of other creators that inspire me.

Now let’s talk V-Day: What does this holiday mean to you?

It’s a day to celebrate love! I just see it as an excuse to do something special for the people you love :)

How did you and your partner meet?

We met at a wedding! I was living in California; he was living here in Georgia, and we met right in the middle at a wedding in Texas. I approached him first; we realized we both had one extra day in town before flying home, so we made plans for the next day. Four months later, we got engaged, and I moved to Georgia!

What do you think are the secrets to a successful relationship?

I don’t know if I have the secrets but I think shared values, trust and strong communication are vital!

How do you guys deal with disagreements?

Communicate, make an effort to understand the other person's point of view, and be willing to compromise.

Any shared dreams for the future?

We plan to buy a home this year and eventually start a family, but having the freedom to set our own schedule and travel when we want to kind of feels like we are living our dream right now!

Do you have any plans this Feb 14th?

We are headed on a little beach getaway! I’m a summer girl forever, but there’s something so cozy about the beach in the winter.

Describe your dream date!

My favorite date will always be a sunset beach picnic (preferably with pizza). I don’t need anything extravagant, just a cute blanket, a speaker to play some Noah Kahan in the background, and a pretty sunset. I can’t wait to do that this week :)

We want to show some serious self love this Valentines, how do you choose to spoil yourself when it’s time for some me-time?

I love this question! Let me walk you through my little at-home “me-time” routine.

I’ll start off with a bath (really set the cozy vibes here, dim the lights, put on some music, light a candle), maybe a face mask, my skincare routine, and then full body moisturize.

Then I put on my favorite matching pajama set (this is key to feeling spoiled and like you have your life together). I’ll make myself a cup of peppermint tea, turn my red light on, and get into bed with a book, keeping my phone off or in another room to fully disconnect and de-stress.

Can you give us any recommendations on your favorite love related books or films?

Pride and Prejudice (OF COURSE)

I love all of the classic early 2000s rom coms. I rarely watch new movies because they just never compare!

The Holiday

How to Lose A Guy in Ten Days

The Proposal

She’s the Man

13 going on 30

The Wedding Planner

The Princess Diaries 2

What's your love language? (words of affirmation, acts of service, receiving gifts, quality time, and physical touch)

Quality time!

You guys look so fab in your matching Boyfriend watches, how did you choose to style them?

Thank you! We coordinated a little bit with his green pants and my top! I thrive in the spring and summer when I can just live in floral dresses and skirts. I love a super feminine style! It’s still a little bit chilly, so I threw my favorite chunky knit cardigan on top. My go-to outfit combination is a long skirt and a simple top; it's comfortable but always looks put-together.

THIS OR THAT?

Galentine’s or Valentine’s? Valentines
Eat out or cook at home? Cook at home
Dress up or keep it comfy? Keep it comfy
Romantic city break or relaxing beach holiday? Relaxing beach holiday
‘The Notebook’ or ‘Love Actually’? The notebook because I’ve never seen love actually
Movie theater or Netflix and chill? Netflix and chill
Chocolates or roses? Roses
Gold jewelry or silver jewelry? Gold jewelry

Thanks Bayleigh, have a great Valentines Day ❤️