Blonde Ambition

I decided to try something a little different and go BLONDE! I didn't want to look too extreme, so I bought Havanna hair in Amber (similar to #30), Mimosa (similar to #27), and Chestnut Black (similar to #1B). If you don't know what these colors mean, see the hair chart below.

According to the website, Havanna Hair is "a soft, yet highly textured man made hair fiber that is created to blend well with a broad range of natural hair textures." I've used this hair before, and I love it. It's different than Marley hair in that it is thicker, shorter, and results in plumper twists.

I anticipated using mostly a blend of 1B and #30, but the #30 was so beautiful that I kept reaching for it when I was installing these. I used the black here and there, but mostly used #30 throughout and used #27 to frame my face. I really love the result... It's actually more of a copper, than a blonde, and I think it goes pretty well with my skin tone.

My only beef with this style is that the hair is so light and my roots are so dark, so it's very easy to tell that this is not my hair. When I would wear black Havanna twists or Marley twists, people thought it was my hair all the time. On a related note(?), I was in New York this past weekend with this hairstyle and at least three people came up to me, told me they loved my hair, then asked if I was a hair stylist.

Either way, I'm glad I tried something new and different! Would you ever go blonde? 

Fashion Trends for Spring 2014

As I've indicated before, I'm getting a little tired of peplums and skinny jeans dominating fashion. Stepping on my soapbox: Can we as a people get over skinny jeans? They made a comeback when I was in high school and have stayed for the past 10 years. Okay, stepping off now. Well imagine my delight when I saw some new trends making waves for Spring 2014. Below are my favorite runway looks and links to wear you can find them.

Wide-Leg Trousers

The first words that come to mind are comfortable and elegant. I am pretty excited that this is a trend! I will definitely be wearing a lot of these this Spring. I found similar pants at Dress Barn. They're marked as palazzo pants, and while some of them look outdated, a few are really stylish. My favorites can be found here and here.

Contrast Collars

This is a very smart look (given that your shirt is buttoned) that is best worn with more feminine items like skirts and heels. Currently, there aren't too many available at the sites I normally shop on, but I found a couple shirts in this style at SimplyBe here and at New Look here.

Structured Blazers/Jackets

These structured jackets aren't just for grandma anymore. These fashion-forward structured and collar-less jackets can up the interesting factor on a multitude of looks. The picture on the left is one I saw in an Anthropologie email a week or so ago. The picture on the right is from Fashion Week. I have a feeling the popularity of these will soar, especially juxtaposed with casual outfits, or to complete very polished looks. Whether you opt for casual or dressy, the key to pulling off this look is to add an element of youthfulness to the outfit to keep it fun. JC Penney has some good options here and here.

Metallic

Head-to-toe metallic can be a little jarring, so reserve this look for fancy evenings drinking cocktails or simplify it by adding metallic pieces accessories to your wardrobe, like shoes, jackets, etc. ASOS has some cute metallic shoes here and a more subtle dress here. 

What's your favorite Spring 2014 trend?

Hair Trends for Spring 2014

Anyone who knows me knows I can be somewhat of a sucker for trends. Spring is a'coming , so I decided to search the interwebz to find the best hair trends of Spring 2014. The beautiful thing about natural hair is how versatile it is. The following are just three of thousands of different ways to rock your natural hair this Spring.

Low Pony/Bun
Out with the top knot, in with the low ponytail! I don't usually rock a pony, but I love a good bun. Bunning is a great and super easy way to retain moisture and is a very quick style if you don't like to spend a lot of time on your hair in the morning. Compared to top knots, low buns tend to look fuller, especially if your hair is short/medium length (like mine), and put less strain on the edges of our hair.

I happen to be wearing a low bun today :)

How the low pony/bun would look on someone with slightly longer hair

Pompadour
It should be pretty obvious by now, but I loooooooove a good pompadour and  I'm excited the style has hit the Spring 2014 runways in full force! You know the saying, 'The higher the pompadour, the closer to God.'  Well, it's true.

One of my signature looks.

My pomp-spo

Big Chop/Shrinkage
Many naturalistas tend to run away from shrinkage. For those of us with super coily hair, shrinkage can be a recipe for tangled, matted hair. However, I feel as though shrinkage, though frustrating at times, is one of the beautiful things about natural hair. My hair can be 8 inches one day and 2 inches the next, all without touching a pair of scissors. The key to rocking this style is to make sure your hair is well nourished and moisturized. For days when you don't care to show your length, a quick wash-n-go may be the answer. Spruce up the look with accessories if you're feeling fancy.

Embracing my shrinkage, but clearly not feeling fancy. (No hair accessories).

If your hair is damaged, cut it! Don't be afraid to cut your hair; it will grow back!

What trends have you seen? Which hair trends are your favorite?