EXCLUSIVE At least 30% of adults turn to dating websites to find love these days. The largest platforms — like Match, Bumble, and Hinge — cater to a general audience. Others, like ChristianMingle and JDate, cater to specific ones. Then, there’s White Date. “Ive never joined a dating site before, so I dont know what […]
Tag: Love Texas
Posted inCulture
Having a Boyfriend Really Doesn’t Have to Be Embarrassing. I Promise.
By the time you’re reading this, I could be married. Last month, my boyfriend proposed to me before the Bears vs. Packers game. On February 14 — this coming Saturday — the bar where we had our third date will have ministers on hand to wed couples with valid marriage licenses. And my mother has […]
Posted inCulture
Judging by TikTok, I’m Doing Wedding Planning Wrong. And I Love It.
In Mrs. Johnson’s fourth grade math class, my fellow students dreamed of big wedding dresses with extended trains, just like the one Selena Gomez wore last fall. At recess in Sherman, Texas, I heard them talk about big, fancy wedding parties. In my barrettes and ponytails, I rehearsed for a different future. I’d peer out […]
Posted inCulture
How Houston Traffic Made My Marriage Stronger
This story contains descriptions of mental illness and suicidal ideation and may be triggering for some readers. If you or anyone you know is struggling, please contact the the 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline. Like any true Houstonian, I’m obsessed with our traffic. Since we’re the home of six out of 10 of the most […]
Posted inArts
A Dripping Springs Artist Talks Serendipity, Love of the Craft, and the ‘Fire in Her Belly’
On a recent Friday morning, I drove my daughter and four of her classmates from their school in central Austin to Dripping Springs for a seventh grade field trip. Three rows of girls yell-sang Olivia Rodrigo as I contemplated my life choices. Fridays are supposed to be my writing day. Two years ago, I quit […]
Posted inTV & Film
15 of the Best Love Stories Made by Texans
With the help of some of the state’s film buffs, critics, and cinephiles, The Barbed Wire has rounded up a list of love stories as big as Texas. Whether they were filmed here, set here, or brought to life by some Texas-raised talent, we’ve curated a selection of essential, unexpected, and heartwarming romances that showcase […]
Posted inCulture
In an Era of Fake Alpha Males, Cowboys Are Sexier Than Ever
Last year, Bella Hadid was snapped grinning from ear to ear at the rodeo in Arlington, her wide-brimmed cowboy hat casting a shadow over eyes fixed on her boyfriend, cutting horse champ Adan Banuelos. That night, her leather pants, silver rings, and meticulously beaded top were the last whispers of her high-fashion roots — her […]
Posted inCulture
She Went Viral Challenging ‘Professional’ Hair Standards. Now, She’s Teaching Fellow Femmes to Be Loud.
It’s been nearly five years, but Tashara Parker still remembers the October morning well: She woke up at 1:45 a.m., went to the Downtown Dallas WFAA TV studios where she worked as a morning anchor, sat in on the daily editorial meeting, did her makeup, put on her microphone, and did her news show. Little […]
Posted inCulture
My First Kiss, 18 Months Postpartum
Five minutes after my first date with Alex, my phone lit up. He was a tall Massachusetts transplant with blue-green eyes and a mop of brown Lyle Lovett curls, and he wanted a second date. Our IRL date banter had lived up to our hilarious texting courtship. Unfortunately, I wasn’t able to respond to this […]
Posted inCulture
She Lost Her Job, Then Her Husband Cheated and Left. ‘Chasing Camilla’ Saved Her.
In 2009, 27-year-old Melissa Rojas left Texas. She moved from Dallas to California to pursue a dream career in fashion. At first, she worked as an unpaid intern, then she landed jobs as a stylist for Gina Rodriguez and a personal assistant for Lindsey Lohan. One year later, she was employed by fashion house Thomas […]