Friday, July 31, 2009

Have more fun


Confession: I am not a natural light-blonde. And my roots have now grown out to the point that it almost seems pointless to go on and I feel I am about to succumb to my true mousey color. All of this just in time for me to once again have changed cities and thus be left to hunt down a stylist before I make an appointment.

While I go searching for the next person to color my hair (the only hands that have touched my locks more than twice in the past five years are my own) here’s a solution for all you blondes at heart out there who may be starting to go a little too au naturale.

To blend brown roots into blonde hair, sprinkle a little baby powder on the offensive area and rub around with a dry washcloth. Careful to not overdo it or you’ll look more dandruffy than blondie, but this trick should hold you over until your next bleach-fix.


Image from hair-craft.co.uk

Fab-U-Less


I made it on to Fabsugar with yesterday's posted look! Thanks Teamsugar!

Check it out here or submit a look of your own with this link!

image from cheapjap.com

Thursday, July 30, 2009

Safari


My Mom is the ultimate bargain huntress. On any given day she’s styled to the nines in a look that cost a fourth of what most people would pay. Growing up, she taught me the ways of the hunt and I now know all the best spots to look for a deal.

Usually I tell my Mom to keep her bargains to herself because if it looks like a million bucks why should you tell anyone it was actually 10? But for the purposes of helping you find great sales, I’ll be sharing with you some of my bargain looks and where to find them.

This look:
Shirt, $7, Urban Outfitters (from the 50% off sale on sale last week)
Pants, $6, discovered in the clearance section at Target (seriously!)
Belt, purchased attached to a Forever 21 skirt
Wedges, Via Spiga, thrifted for just $12 at a Goodwill in NYC

Wednesday, July 29, 2009

Pop!


One of favorite parts of visiting my parents (as I am now) is having certain meals that are standards in my family. A top choice is the poppyseed salad we had for dinner tonight. It makes a great, light dish year round and the Chinese rice noodles and sliced almonds give it a perfect crunch. Try adding in strawberries in the summer for a delicious bitter-sweet dish.

Poppyseed Salad
1 medium head romaine lettuce
3 green onions
¾ cup slivered almonds
1 T sugar
1 T butter
½ cup vegetable oil
¼ cup vinegar (½ regular vinegar and ½ cider vinegar)
¼ cup sugar
1 T seasoning salt
1 ½ t poppyseeds
¼ t pepper
4 oz package Chinese rice noodles

In a large bowl, combine onion and lettuce. In a small skillet, toast almonds in 1 T butter and 1 T sugar until light brown. Set aside. In separate bowl, combine oil, vinegar, ¼ cup sugar and seasonings and mix well. Just before serving, add almonds, noodles and dressing to lettuce. Mix well!

Tuesday, July 28, 2009

Pen Pal

I’ve moved about five separate times in my life and now that I’ve graduated college I have an even broader network of friends spread across the globe. Regretfully, I’ve never been great about keeping in touch, but I promised myself after college I would send each friend at least one hand-written note a year on his or her birthday.

Now I’m going to up the ante for myself and commit to sending one “hello” through snail mail every week. It’s a easy, inexpensive gesture, but everyone knows finding something special in your real mailbox (not just your inbox) is enough to brighten an entire week!

If anything is going to help keep me faithful to my new vow, it’s a set of cute stationary. I’m thinking of picking up a couple of these adorable notes so I always have something on hand.

1. Vintage Telegram, $18 for 6, KatesPaperie.com
2. Blank notecard set, $9 for 8, CuriosityShoppeOnline.com
3. Stitchable Stationary, $14.95 for 6, CuriosityShoppeOnline.com
4. Two Elephants, $14 for 8, PaperSource.com
5. Black brocade, $12.50 for 8, PaperSource.com
6. Vera Wang laser cut notes, $33.50 for 10, KatesPaperie.com
7. Taxi in the rain, $7.50 for 8, KatesPaperie.com

Marshalls, TJ Maxx and Target are also three great shops to look for note cards and stationary that are adorable and affordable.

Monday, July 27, 2009

Head over heels

Tanner P was drooling over Jillian’s Mango Mango toes clad in some killer Badgley Mischka heels (center) at “The Men Tell All.” The fierce heels seem to be sold out in most locations and will set you back an even fiercer couple hundred dollars. Here are several pairs that pack the same skyscraper heel and t-strap punch … all at under $100.


Clockwise from 12:00 (top): $48, AldoShoes.com; $90, Steve Madden, Nordstrom.com; $55, R2, PiperLime.com; $49.90, Michael Antonio, FlyJane.net; $89, Nina, PiperLime.com; $69, Kenneth Cole Reaction, PiperLime.com; $26.99, CharlotteRusse.com; $14.99, CharlotteRusse.com; $99.98, AldoShoes.com; $89.95, Glint, Nordstrom.com; $90, AldoShoes.com; $99.95, Jeffery Campbell, Nordstrom.com

Jump in

Spotted: Jillian in a super cute jumpsuit with Kypton on a speed boat in Hawaii. Kyp just got the boot and I can’t find the exact suit but here are some cute rompers that fit the bill.

Top row from left: $55, Modcloth.com; $79, Oli.co.uk; $25, Alloy.com; Bottom row from left: $70, USA.FrenchConnection.com; L32, MissSelfridge.com; $80, JuicyCouture.com