Short Cuts and Red Lips

Surprise: I cut my hair short again!

My hair is curly and thick, and, in the summer, often feels like I've wrapped my head in a mohair throw. I couldn't take it any longer. I showed up at the salon for a trim, threw my eight pounds of hair over my shoulder, and eyed the scissors longingly. My stylist (Julien Farel, if you're wondering) promised me he could cut a bob that, despite my hair's texture, would be wash-and-go.

I'm not dumb. I've had bobs before, and I've devoted hundreds of hours to disciplining them all with straightening irons because, left to its own accord, my short hair ends up resembling a yield sign. But I decided to take a leap of faith: A) Julien has done magical things with my hair; B) The combination of heat and humidity was starting to give me impromptu dreadlocks; and C) Dreadlocks can work on some people...but are mostly gross.

So I got this cut, below:

It actually almost kind of looks like the style in the photo, so long as I apply a healthy handful of Fekkai Glossing Cream to it every three hours. It also helps if you, like I, are legally blind in one eye. Nevertheless, success! I just have to keep hair products in my purse and maintain a 10' berth around all hoses and sprinklers and, um, rain. But give me credit: I'm not showing up to work with a topknot. (Don't even get me started on topknots. Nubby little topknots are the sweatpants of the hair world.)

However, I was nervous that, besides a triangular head of hair, a bob would put me in the "matronly" zone. (I'm turning 23 on Friday. Therefore, this is a legitimate fear.) Long hair is more feminine—so feminine, in fact, that my grandmother once said I looked like a "sexy hussy," which she meant as an well-intended insult. Insult or not, I was afraid I'd lose that along with the six inches of split ends. The fix? I took a cue from the same photo above and am now married to a dark red lip; my favorite, for both color and wear, is Chanel Rouge Allure Luminous Intense Lip Color in Inimitable. I layer it with balm to dilute the intensity and take the Gaga look down a notch. Note: Don't use lipliner unless you do like the matronly vibe.

Next up: Growing in my eyebrows. Also, posing. And the possibility of rompers. (All inspired by the above photo.)

Photo credit: UFOs Over Baghdad

Dress Up

True confession: I showed up to a spring break trip in Puerto Rico with a suitcase full of pretty sundresses...none of which were suitable for a spring break club scene. I actually don't own anything that qualifies as a party dress, save an American Apparel number-turned-Jigglypuff costume. If you weren't aware, a Pokemon-themed outfit is less welcome at a club than a full-length muumuu.

My birthday is in a week and, in my frenzy to find something besides a drop-waist dress that I've worn for three previous birthdays (...I'm a girl of habit), I've come across the perfect style for Girls Who Only Rage on Rare Occasions—a party dress, not too short and not at all tight, that can nevertheless hold its own on a dance floor. Do you know what's sexier than an up-to-there hemline? An exposed back. Proof:

Is this not the most clever way to get a cheeky look without having to wriggle your dress down every five steps? (Seeing as we're on the topic of cheeky, anyway). An open-back dress is unexpected, and the sexy factor doesn't hit you over the head so much as whisper in your ear. It's gamine, not garish; think Audrey, not Marilyn (modern day translation: Marion Cotillard, not Kim Kardashian). I could go all day with this. The electric-blue hue of the Free People dress ($118; freepeople.com), bottom right, keeps the lace from looking too saccharine.

In this case, less is not more, but just enough.

Photo credits: Blair Edie/Atlantic-Pacific and La Lune

Classic Twist on Colorblock

There's Eastern Standard Time and then there's the little-known Magazine Standard Time, which is four months plus whatever the hell time it is in New York. This means that lately, I've been swilling peppermint drinks and celebrating fake New Year's Eve countdowns and listening to Bing Crosby.

Naturally, I've been going through my drawers to look at my neatly-stacked jeans and weep as I sweat in the sticky, relentless heat. I can't even LOOK at my sweaters (but only because the last time I did, I found a cockroach hanging on one. Is that gross? Sorry. New York and stuff). But whatever, I'm going to start early. My thoughts are halfway through November, and if Boy Scouts can prepare, why can't I?

Colorblock is big. Bright colors, try pairing hot pink and red like Sarah Jessica Parker did that one time (you know which outfit I'm talking about), blah blah blah yawn sneeze yawn. While splashes of fuchsia and coral and Kelly green will fly in the summer, fall is a different story. You just don't want to wrap yourself up in a cozy neon-orange sweater. (Trust me.) The fix? Take a note from Stella McCartney's Fall 2012 RTW show and try colorblock with a twist: neutrals.

Black and white. Camel. Maybe navy, if you really feel like pushing the envelope. I love how a simpler palette emphasizes the geometric foundation of colorblock; instead of focusing on the colors and how they work together, these pieces show off the shapes and illusions that can be so flattering. I'd wear the Rag & Bone blouse (top, click to buy) with skinny jeans and boots (boots!), or tuck it into a pleated skirt for an unexpected pairing. The Trina Turk dress (bottom, click to buy) would be perfect for the office and for happy hour afterwards. Plus, when the weather gets chilly, a cropped leather jacket would give it a little kick.

Neutral colorblock? Wear it now. Wear it later. Scout's honor, it'll work.

Hi There

I accidentally took a month-long hiatus from blogging. In between working and baking countless loaves of zucchini bread and attempting to revive my social life, my reasons for blogging slipped through the cracks. I only realized this last week; an intern asked me about the edit test I took for my job at More. I explained that I'd felt overwhelmed when I first received the test, and then realized that it wasn't entirely different from the writing I did every day (okay, every few days) here on the blog. Then I remembered that I had a semi-defunct blog.

I've been struggling to find a balance. I love to write, clearly, but I don't have the time for a long-form sort of blog that goes on for pages and pages; plus, as reader, I find that that's a lot of text to wade through when I only have a few minutes here and there to spare. This is my long-winded way of saying that I'll be trying to figure out a good, satisfying routine in the new few weeks, one that gives fair effort to each bit of my life, from my social interactions to my job to vacuuming my apartment. Maybe I'll even post Instagram photos of my baking endeavors on here!

Just kidding. This isn't going to turn into a baking-slash-feelings-slash-photos-of-myself blog. I'm just going to write about shoes and how much I like polka dots and why I can't wait for peplum to get off the racks and out of my life.

Good talk? Good talk.

Photo courtesy of: Leslie M K

Confessions On Chambray

After much thought and deliberation, I've decided that I hate chambray.

It reminds me of denim, and though I love my Rag & Bone jeans as much as the next girl, there is no way that I'll ever be on board with denim shirts and jackets. I understand that chambray isn't denim, but the color and texture are enough of a reminder to keep me far, far away. I can sum it up like this: I dislike chambray as much as I dislike gingham.

But not polka-dot chambray.

If you ever need to convert me to something, just pop some polka dots on it and call it a day. The polka dots and playful jewelry add some whimsy and femininity to chambray, which, depending on styling, can seem a little utilitarian and stiff. This J.Crew blouse ($78; jcrew.com) is the perfect shape, too: fitted at the waist, but just slouchy enough to layer.

Don't worry, though. The day a jean jacket appears on this blog is the day you know girlfriend has been hacked.

Photos courtesy of: Gitman Brothers via Have Less Be More and J.Crew.

Summer Sweater

 Guys, the temperatures in New York are supposed to reach 90 degrees this week.

That is SWELTERING, sticky, sweat-down-your-back status, and about the moment that I desperately wish for fall: crunchy leaves underfoot, creamy lattes topped with cinnamon, and most importantly, sweater weather. Seeing as how much I like to wear jeans and indulge in my lazy-casual style, sweaters  are an obvious staple in my closet.

An oversized, cozy sweater just won't do in this heat (unless I want to shrivel up somewhere between my apartment and the 59th St bridge), but I've discovered the next best thing: sheer knit sweaters, also know as The Summer Sweater. See here:

The loose weave keeps it lightweight, breathable, and a touch see-through (come on, live a little!). Plus, the bright colorblock makes it season-appropriate—there's a right time and place for charcoal and navy, and mid-July is just not it. I love the punchy coral hue of the Knitted Kid top ($179; etsy.com) on the left. For a nicer price, scoop up J. Crew's fitted version ($80; jcrew.com). Pair it with denim shorts (or, for the brave at heart, a contrasting color like cobalt blue). Wear everywhere. Rinse, wash, repeat all summer long.

Top photo courtesy of: Sluchevskaya.

All About Ombré

The other day, I went ombré.

See! Look! I did it!

I also spent two days trying to decide how I feel about it. I'd never gotten highlights or done anything besides dump a box of red hair dye on my head in college, so it was a bit of a shock. The wonderful Aura Friedman at the Serge Normant at John Frieda salon started the color higher up (just about even with my eye line) to accentuate the layers I hadn't previously appreciated or even really noticed. I love that the effect is really subtle, as we went with a chocolate-toned caramel color. Good to know: if you have dark hair and eyes as well as a warm skin tone, it's a safe rule of thumb to avoid going any lighter than the color of your eyes. Who knew?

What do you think? Would you go ombré? I'm just EXTREMELY relieved that it did not turn out looking like Miley Cyrus's dip-dye job..