Hair Tales

 

This week I got to play around with a brand new Hana titanium flat iron courtesy of the online retailer Misikko.  Misikko not only sells salon grade flat irons, but hair dryers, curling irons, AND makeup and skincare.  Hmm, sounds like trouble to me... 

The funny thing about me and flat irons is that I don't really need them.  My hair is flat.  Oh so flat.  Like, straight as straw.  I get out of the shower, blast some hot air through it, and it looks like I've spent hours laboriously straightening it.

A blessing?  Some may think so.  But you know how it goes, you always want what you don't have.  And I don't have full, luxurious, wavy hair.  So I spend most of my styling hours trying to make my hair look bigger, thicker, fuller.

So you may be wondering, what kind of roll would a flat iron play in my hair drama?  Well, I will tell you.  The above pictures you see are what my poor hair looks like after it's been scrunched with texture cream one day, worn in a low pony the next, and finally styled into a high topknot for dance class.  The end result?  Sad, frazzled hair that somewhat resembles a lion's mane.  My husband has fondly refered to me as Simba when the hair has reached this point in its many stages of being.

(Ahhhh, ok disclaimer.  And I'm guessing you maybe already figured it out based on the timeline listed above.  I don't wash my hair so much.  Gross, you may say?  Perhaps.  Or perhaps not.  I make sure I always look clean and cared for and that my head does not smell.  So there.  Take from that what you will.)

Ok, anyway.... back to the flat iron.  I decided that my head had one more good day left in it without having to succumb to the bubbly madness of a shampooing.  But how do I look acceptable while forgoing the washing, one might ask?  You've got it, the lovely shiny Hana flat iron

The one thing I noticed right away was just how lightweight this thing is, which makes it extremely easy to slip through your strands and maneuver it here and there.  I also was thankful for the multiple heat settings.  There was kinda a lot of product built up in my hair and I was rather leery of strands getting scorched due to an over-heated iron. (I mean, geesh, this thing has the potential of heating up to 450 degrees.  Great for people with super thick, curly hair.  Bad for the Stacies of the world.)  In no time at all, though, (and with very little effort) my hair went from a frizzy mess to smooth, shiny strands.

Yeah, I'm thinking there sure is a place for a flat iron in my bathroom.  And it came in such a nice, soft case for it too... 

So there you have it.  My hair tale.  Hope you enjoyed the saga.  I will be having fun playing around with my new toy in weeks to come, maybe even mastering some new techniques with it.  (waves? curls? who even knows!)

I Love Layers

H&M button up shirts.  F21 cardigan.  Pilcro cords.  Boutique 9 oxfords.

I mean, come on.  

It's the only way to stay cozy and warm and interestingly patterned all at the same time.

Silly Knits and Snowy Days

Nine West coat.  H&M sweater, menswear button-up, and knit hat.
Ann Taylor gloves.  ModCloth Kiltie as Charged boot.  Tights: Anthro.

So the snow day has turned into a snow week. (!)

No complaints here, I (thankfully) have not had to drive anywhere in it.  Yet.  

Phew.

Ha, and it was supposed to rain today.  

Sorry weatherpeople, this does not look like rain to me.  Pretty sure it's still snow.  And it hasn't stopped.  For the whole day.

Oh geez.

Snow Day!

Charlie & Robin cape.  Style&Co cream poncho sweater.
H&M turtleneck and gloves.  cheap-o rain boots. 

I know, it looks like barely anything... 

but for this Seattlite girl, any snow is a big deal. Oh man, and they say this is just the start of some giant storm rolling in.  I can't wait.

Probably one of the best sounds in the world is that soft, muted, crunch of new snow under boots.  And I plan to be making that sound a lot in the next 24 hours.

Bring it on, Winter Wonderland.

Navy on Navy

BCBGirls coat.  Moth sweater dress.  Seychelles heels.

Sometimes a simple tone-on-tone outfit is just what a girl needs.

This Was Tricksy.

Chroma Sport jacket.  Moth sweater.  Banana Republic menswear shirt.
Pilcro cords.  Ann Taylor scarf.  Miss Albright heels.  Gap bag.

I really love participating in the Everybody Everywear challenges, mostly because one day a month I get inspiration outside of myself on what to wear that day.  And let's face it, everyone needs a little help now and then.

Black and white, though.  Hmmm.  I had to think about this one for a couple of days.  I rarely wear these two contrasting colors together because, well, they just remind me of uniforms.  Throw on some black pants and a white button up shirt, and you could easily pass for any sort of caterer, barista, or anyone else in the food industry.  And I've done my share of wearing this combo just for such events.

So the challenge to myself was to create an ensemble that had nothing to do with that feeling. 

The final strategy I went with: layer up the white.  It creates interest and depth to the outfit (well, at least I find it interesting), something you wouldn't normally put on to go serve up some coffee.  Oh and I threw some other neutral colors in there too (navy, tan) for some more unexpectedness.  

Did I over-think this outfit a bit? Maybe.  But I like the outcome... 

so there.  

And strategizing about outfits is a good distraction sometimes, right?  You know you do it too.

Embellished tops and Cigarette Pants

Knitted & Knotted cardigan.  one.september top.  Pilcro cords.
Seychelles heels.