Once a year, the alumni of Princeton descend upon the town in a flamboyant wave of orange and black. I've seen tiger-themed outfits of every sort, ranging from simple t-shirts to classy orange sundresses to all out nutsy striped get-ups.
This year, it was my turn to join in the tradition of orange madness. For my first reunion, I went all out- orange dress, tiger necklace, and, of course, orange nails. But not just any orange nails- I asked the manicurist to give me an orange-and-black French manicure!
Reunions was two weeks ago, and as of earlier today, my nails had yet to chip, which is miraculous considering how un-careful I am with them!
As you may have noticed, braids are having a bit of a moment! And this week, I decided to jump wholeheartedly on the bandwagon with a week's worth of braids-based styles:
1. The Braid Headband
So I've seen a lot of headbands made out of fake braids, and personally I find them a little creepy (and they never look natural). Why use a fake braid headband when making a real one with your own hair looks so much better, and is easy at that?
All I did was take a half inch or so strand of hair from behind my left ear, pull it upwards, braid it, bring it across, and pin it behind my right ear. Then, for symmetry, I did the same with the other side. Easy as cake!
2. Prairie Girl
So wrapping braids around one's head is a pretty common style, reminiscent of the olden days and simpler times, that has been used by everyone from farmgirls to alien princesses (see Leia's hair in Empire Strikes Back). My version is essentially an add-on to the braid headband.
Starting with the braid headband, I then took the rest of my hair and split it down the middle. Then, I pulled the left side up, braided it, brought it across, and pinned it behind my right ear. I did the same with the right side, and so by the end I had four braids across my head. The fact that they were all different sizes and a little messy was a plus, in my opinion. Braids shouldn't be taken too seriously! I finished it off with a flower clip for some extra spring prettiness... and...uh... to hide the splayed ends on that side that I could not for the life of me get to stay pinned down.
3. Pinned-Up Pigtails
This style looks really, really little-girl like when you begin. First, take half your hair, pull it up as high as possible (I got it to about three inches above my ear), braid, and secure with a thin elastic. Then, do the same to the other side. You'll have two super-high and cutesy pigtails that make you look like you're 6 and mommy did your hair this morning hehehe...
And if that's your thing, great! But I was going into the office, so I opted for something a little more grown-up. To that end, I brought the left braid down across the back of my head and pinned it so that the elastic was tucked up underneath my right braid. Then, I crossed my right braid over it, and pinned it so that the elastic was tucked up underneath my left braid. Et voila!
4. Braided Laurels
This hairstyle is similar in concept to the one above, in that it's two braids wrapped around the back, but is significantly more head-hugging. And although it was inspired by Princess Leia's hairstyle in Empire Strikes Back, I thought it ended up looking a little like laurels :-)
Like with the last style, I started with two braids, except this time, I started each one as close to the nape of the neck as possible. Then, I crossed the left one over to the right side and pinned it along the edge of my hairline. I did the same with the right, and there you have it!
5. The Braid Bun
And finally, the intentionally-messy casual lazy-day bun. This one's great for those days when you ant to put your hair up but don't want a boring bun, and also don't have much time for anything fancier.
First, I took a small section of hair from the front, braided it, and clipped it out of the way. Then, I took the rest of my hair, divided it into two sections, and braided each section. I twisted the two sections around each other and pinned it into place, allowing the ends to splay out as they pleased. Finally, I took the small braid and wrapped it around the bun, crossing it over the middle. Then I tucked it in, pinned it in place, and that was that!
So there you have it- a full week's worth of braided hairstyles! And the best bit- none of the involve too much time or fancy products!
Remember how I posted about Star Wars-inspired hair a while ago? Well, I'm back with more sci-fi hair, this time inspired by the big-headed aliens from Indiana Jones 4. What do you think? All I did was gather some hair from the crown, as if making a thin partial ponytail, then clip it out of the way while I made a high bun with the rest of my hair (make a high ponytail, twist it around into a bun, pin with all pins facing in). Next, I took that top piece and pulled it down over the bun, securing it on top of the bun with a pin. I then looped the remaining hair around the bun, securing it in place with more pins (and the usual gallon of hairspray). And voila! Katy Perry's not the only E.T. out there.
So I got sent to a conference in Hong Kong at the last minute last week, and what did I do in my spare time? SHOPPING. They say that Hong Kong is a shopper's paradise, and that's certainly true if you're into luxury goods. Most of the luxury stores were brimming with Chinese tourists, since the goods cost half in Hong Kong what they do in China (because of taxes). There was actually a long line outside the Chanel store. Can you imagine? People standing outside for an hour or more to spend $4000 on a handbag.
People in Hong Kong, like people in China, are very much into luxury brands, although it's more because of status than quality or style. I saw some EGREGIOUS examples of luxury abuse. People who walked around, for example, wearing a Burberry printed dress with an LV belt carrying a giant Gucci bag, all emblazoned with brand logos. They looked like neon advertisements.
I steered clear of the full-priced luxury stores and instead took the trek out to Citygate Outlets, where I promptly found the Burberry outlet. Originally, I planned to get a classic khaki trench, but after wandering and hemming and hawing for ages, I found that my heart was set on a white one instead. What can I say. I'm a rebel.
I also went to the Chanel cosmetics counter and stocked up on make-up. I find that Chanel eyeshadow really stands out from other brands, even other luxury brands. The powder just glistens more and blends better. Especially when used with the flesh-toned base, which adds some extra sparkle and makes the shadow last longer. In addition, I picked up some eyeliner, blush, and mascara. And just to complete the set, I got a lipstick from the Rouge Coco selection. I'm sure you've already heard amazing things about Rouge Coco- how smooth it is, how it actually stays on, how rich the colors are. It's all true. To the left, you can see the damage from my first day in Hong Kong.
I had already spent about a month's rent on the first day's purchases, so I was determined not to buy any more. However, my trip to the airport was so hellish and upsetting that I ended up engaging in a little retail therapy at one of the luxury perfume stores....
The lady who cuts my family's hair is always delighted to see me and Angelfish... she loves to go on about how awesome it is that our hair is so different. Mine is sleek and stick-straight; hers is voluminous and curly. Well, today I decided to see what it's like to have HER hair for a change! That's right. I copied my little sister's hair.
All I had to do was divide my wet hair into 4 sections, twist each until it curled up onto itself, secure it into place, and sleep on it. The next morning, I let them out and then used a big brush to tease them out. And there ya go! The Angelfish.
Today's hairstyle was an accidental discovery. I was attempting a classic French Twist, except my super-straight and considerably long hair wasn't cooperating. No matter which way I twisted and twirled and otherwise entwined my hair, it would always end up crooked with pieces splaying out all over the place. FAIL.
Finally, in frustration, I pulled all my hair to one side above the ear, as if I was about to make a ridiculously high side pony like the one that girl in Napoleon Dynamite wore. I twisted it all the way down the back of my head diagonally and down to my neck, then stuck it in place with the usual 92372 pins, almost as a joke. I actually liked the result! From the front, it looks like a short side ponytail, and from the back it looks like a crooked French Twist. For a final touch, I curled the tips and, of course, dumped a gallon of hairspray on. It was surprisingly stable, remaining intact in spite of me smashing it up against the back of my office chair this afternoon as I effectively napped with my eyes open...
"I refuse to wear anything in my size or appropriate for my age." -Angie Jordan, 30 Rock
I could say something very similar about my makeup choices- I refuse to wear anything for my skin tone or appropriate for my line of work (office drone). Some may scold me for wearing bright colors when my skin tone is an odd mix of goldish-yellow and pink. Oh well.
Today, I chose to combine two of my favorite colors: emerald green and coral pink. For the eyeshadow, I used a classic smoky eye technique- highlight brow, surround eyes with smudgy color, line with eyeliner. Except instead of using classic gray or silver, I used a rich emerald green. I then contrasted it with coral blush and lipstick. I actually really liked the result! A bit on the flamboyant side, but as anyone who knows me will tell you, that's to be expected ;-). Besides, someone needs to brighten up the office!
So I skipped the gym this morning out of sheer laziness and thus had some extra time to play dress-up before work.
As you may know, orange is something of a trend right now- orange and navy nautical outfits, loud citrus-hued sundresses, orangey-red lipstick on the red carpet, etc. etc. etc. Of course this would be the big trend the year AFTER I've left my Orange Bubble. Well, today I decided to try something that hasn't been featured as much on the interwebs: medium orange lipstick. I actually tried it on as a joke, and ended up getting it because it actually turned out well! The color ended up melting into my skintone and looking more neutral than one may expect.
I also decided to try something that has been my eye-makeup nemesis for some time now: winged eyeliner. Don't get me wrong- I think it looks great on most people. It's just that whenever I try it, it ends up making me look evil. Well, more evil than usual. This time, however, I came up with a compromise that worked: instead of flicking the eyeliner directly up to create tilty cat eyes, I left it more horizontal. The result made me look a lot friendlier than previous attempts...
And finally, I ended up messing with my hair. What started out as a '90s Topsy Tail (remember those?) ended up a barrel roll of sorts. After making my low ponytail, I parted the hair behind the elastic (the part closer to my scalp), creating a hole, and instead of flipping the ponytail up and tucking it down into the hole, I flipped it under. And then I flipped it again. And again. And again, until the whole thing was all rolled up over the elastic. Then, as usual, I put about 10,000 pins in it and smothered it in hairspray. As a final springy touch, I added a flower hairpin.
Maybe not as productive as going to the gym, but far more fun hehe...
PSYCH!!! I've actually wanted to get pageboy-type bob for a while now, but I'm too attached to my long hair to actually go through with it. So I came up with this fake-bob solution: I just pulled my hair back, tied it about 3 inches from the bottom, folded it up until it was at a length I liked, then folded the end and pinned the hair elastic to the back of my head. Here's a view of the back:
It's a very swingy and loose style, which I find is a nice break from my usual tight twists and turns. I actually opted not to spray the crap out of it like I do with most of my hairstyles, which meant that it moved a lot during the day- but I kinda liked it!
<- Remember her? The Gibson Girl? She was the personification of the feminine ideal in the US during the early 20th century. She was also, arguably, the first national standard of beauty, a standard that has been subsequently replaced by a variety of looks ranging from the bombshells of Victoria's Secret to the waifs on the runway.
Today, on a whim, I decided to do a modern take on her voluminous updo. Basically, I put my hair into the highest ponytail possible at the crown of my head, then pulled back the elastic a bit to create a little more volume at the bottom. My hair is naturally extremely flat, so that little bump may not look like much, but was a triumph for me! I then twisted the ponytail into a loose bun, securing it with bobby pins. It's a long way from that popular illustration above, but the idea's the same... minus the poofy front!
Recently, I've had a strange penchant for pink. I blame Black Swan Ballerina syndrome, in addition to Spring Overcompensation Disorder. And with these two afflictions, I went to my local MAC counter and bought myself a pink eyeshadow.
I actually really like how it surrounds the eyes with just a little bit of color while remaining largely neutral- perfect for a sunny spring day!
I will not lie- I have been a Star Wars geek for quite some time now, and one of my favorite bits has always been the costumes and hair. I know that in order to recreate Padme Amidala's twisty, geometric hair, you'd probably need an army of stylists, but here's a relatively easy style that's inspired by her battle hair from Episode 2.
All I did was divide my hair into three sections, like I was going to make a braid. Then, I took the left one, twisted it like crazy, and pinned it to my head in every which way, allowing the twists to dictate where it ended up. Then, I did the same with the right. And finally, I did the same with the middle, guiding it in such a way as to fill in any gaps left by the other two. Afterwards, I sprayed the bejeezus out of it to keep it in place. I must warn you, though, it takes about 15 bobby pins at least...
Have I just lost all credibility for posting about Star Wars hair? Ah well... I'm not gonna deny it. I am a geek and proud of it :-)
Have you been keeping up with the fashion weeks? Well, one trend that's been noted over and over is purposely mussed, wavy hairstyles. The result is a laid-back look that's really easy to work with (in fact, the less you work with it, the better!). Here's my take on it:
What do you think? I know you can't really see the back because of the lighting, but basically I ended up with a crimped style. It's really easy- after you shower at night, braid your hair country girl style (one on each side). When you wake up, just untie them and shake them out! My hair is stubbornly straight (curling iron waves straighten out in about an hour), so I also sprayed the braids with hairspray before undoing them.
I also pinned my hair in the back- I just took an inch of hair above my left ear and pinned it slightly off-center (closer to my right ear), then took an inch of hair above my right ear, crossed it over the first lock, and pinned it slightly off-center (closer to my left ear). And that's all!
~mode mare
P.S. First post from Foodie Fish will becoming soon!
Once a year, the alumni of Princeton descend upon the town in a flamboyant wave of orange and black. I've seen tiger-themed outfits of every sort, ranging from simple t-shirts to classy orange sundresses to all out nutsy striped get-ups.
