close up: mary-kate

weekend uniform

Oh hello semi-spring weather, what are you doing here? Feel free to stay until late May, if you'd like. You can never outstay your welcome in my book. Plus we are ready to kick winter off our couch, he's been hanging around for much too long.
This weekend my in-laws came in, my husband had a photoshoot scheduled, and our best friends were in town for a birthday party. Needless to say, it was a busy weekend. Busy weekends call for one thing -- a weekend uniform. And by uniform I mean something I don't take off for 72 hours. This usually involves 1 piece of clothing that gets tossed around into many different outfits and usually includes my favorite american apparel shirt in some form or another. I switched between this yellow cardigan, my blazer and sweat pants all weekend long. Today we had time to sneak off and take pictures before we went to a birthday brunch for a friend of ours. (This was uniform #3, by the way.)
Other highlights of the weekend were buying new sunglasses (I feel very Jackie O) and stepping in an old lady's vomit. Details are much too grim to share.
I'm off to enjoy the rest of this pretty, pretty day. Happy weekend to you.

beautiful hairstyle picyures

The best styling method for naturally curly, unruly, or thick hair might just be the carefree updo. This style is almost effortless and simplistic in its basic technique of randomly pinning up long tresses of hair. The hair can be curled or twisted and pinned randomly to create a stunning look that oozes beauty.

The Tiara Alternative

If tiaras are not in your future, even for your wedding day, hair vines can be the perfect option for a stylistic look. A few crystal hair vines carefully placed in your hair can set it apart for the stunning look that you are hoping to create. Less is actually better when it comes to hair ornamentation. Don‘t overdo it.

The Loose Braid

A loose braid is an excellent way to show off long tresses that vary in coloring. This long styling technique has been around for ages, but you can create a special and unique look with the hair ornamentation that you elect to use. In fact, each loosely joined braid can be adorned with an identical snippet of finery.

The Retro Look

In order to maximize on a retro look in a wedding hairstyle, you need long tresses of hair that can be thick, fine, or anything in between these. This style utilizes the half up and half down styling trend. A portion of the hair is swept back and up so that it follows the cheekbones and shape of the face. The remaining hair is left to hang down beneath the updo portion. For a truly retro look, use a wide headband to adorn your hair.

The Modern Birdcage

For something different, brides can wear the modern version of the birdcage, a classic twenties style head ornament. The modern wedding day version is crafted from a wide band of fabric that wraps around the forehead and brow of the bride. The bride‘s hair can be long, short, or medium length. Typically, the fabric is adorned with flowers off to one side.

The Chignon

Pulling your hair back and securing it up in a chignon opens up a few possibilities for ornamentation. Allowing a few locks to hang in the front will soften the severity of this look. You can use tiny tendrils, loose curls, or soft waves. Plus, hair jewelry makes a stunning appearance on this type of hairstyle. Try a glittering tiara at the top of the chignon or even higher up on your hair.

The Twisted Bun

The classic bun is definitely a nice hairstyle for a wedding. Adding a bit of a twist to it will add a fresh touch that is appreciated and admired. Place the bun low and in the traditional center or place it asymmetrically. The twist goes on both sides of the bun and throughout for a clever look. This style works well with medium or long hair lengths as well as short hair lengths and the implementation of an extension.

The Tease

This style is perhaps best with long tresses of curly or wavy hair. Tease your hair for fuller volume, allowing it to hang down. Use gorgeous hair clips to secure your hair at strategic locations that show off your facial features.

The Sweep

The sweep maximizes on volume and sweeps the hair off to the side or back, depending on the bride‘s tastes. Long, loose curls add a soft, romantic touch to this hairstyle. Hair jewelry can be used to secure the sweeps with a bit of sparkle and dazzle.

The Short Updo

For those brides with short locks, an updo is still a viable possibility. A few hair clips, bobby pins, or barrettes can be strategically placed to lift the hair up and back from the face. It‘s best to add a bit of volume to the roots of the hair first by applying some mousse and then blow drying the hair upside down.

The Unsettled Updo

As brides clamor more and more for something unique, hairstylists have come up with a variety of less–styled updos. Each time, the created look is somewhat different than the one before it. The updo is loose, unstructured, and randomly put together.

Lift It Up

Before any hairstyle, you can add a bit of lift and volume to your hair. Simply apply a bit of your favorite mousse to your towel–dried hair. Blow dry your hair upside down once the mousse is applied to lift your hair up at the roots.

beautiful models and hair style

Celebrity Hairstyles in 2009 pictures

Hair experts and hair stylists never find it amazing when the customers come with secret catalogs of their favorite celebrity. Celebrity hairstyles provide the maximum inspiration to teens and young ones about new hairstyles. Fashion magazines frequently publish the photographs of super models and celebrity, which makes it easier for the fans to copy the latest celebrity hairstyles trends. Celebrity fashion magazines regularly come out with cover page and full center blow up page with Katie Homle’s bob, Kellie Pickler’s cool short haircut, and Carrie Ann’s long hairstyle.

Long hairstyles with blond color could be a great hairstyle for everyday glamorous look. It is simple and looks great. People always wonder about Katie Holmes and her cute bobs. However, it would come as a surprise if her most favorite bob disappears from the radar of celebrity hairstyles in 2009. Gossip columns, social parties, Internet chat rooms and websites are the best places to get current reviews on the celebrity hairstyles in 2009.

Celebrity hairstyles in 2009

Celebrity Hairstyles in 2009

Celebrity Hairstyles in 2009

Celebrity Hairstyles in 2009

Celebrity Hairstyles in 2009

celebrity hairstyles in 2009

Celebrity Hairstyles in 2009

Celebrity medium hairstyle in 2009

Bits and Pieces and Leather

Barneys New York cashmere top. Danksin Leggings. Asos beanie. Go Jane oxford flats.
Abatha in Green La Scala by Brahmin.


Forever 21 raincoat. Vintage skirt & sweater. Charlotte Russe leg-warmers. Jeffrey Campbell Charlie clogs.
Caroline in White Cinches by Brahmin.


Cotton Pancakes dress. Vintage Ralph Lauren scarf. LOFT ring cuff. Old Navy ballet flats.
Vittoria Rose in Citron Lady Anaconda by Brahmin.


Vintage dress. Nanette Lepore cardigan. We Love Colors tights. Jessica Simpson Dany platforms.
Louise Rose in White Melbourne by Brahmin.

1 girl
+ 4 bags
= 4 different ways to wear them.

All bags courtesy of Brahmin Leather Works.
Read the latest Buzz on Brahmin from Vogue, Elle and more here.


Now I'm off to get some Minestrone soup for lunch and maybe a test run of my new rollerblades in the park. Hello, 1995!


Ps.
The 4 Essie Spring 2010 polishes I picked are stamped with a heart of approval below:


[Press Play ►] White Sky | Vampire Weekend

reader request: ashley

look of the day: ashley

blue on blue

We took pictures of my outfit in record time today: 7 minutes. Oh yes. That's efficiency. But really it was because cars kept passing through the alley way where we were shooting and I was getting nervous. Like sweaty nervous. And that's never good. The last car just stopped and stared at us and I awkwardly side stepped out of frame back to our car. Maybe they were just waiting to take pictures for their outfit today, I sure hope so. Or maybe their car stalled out and they needed us to jump them. They were waving their hands and yelling help...

Anyways, back to me. I've been thinking a lot about cobalt blue and what I could do with it. (Total "Waiting for Guffman" reference -- anyone catch it?) As I was drowsily fumbling through my closet this morning I stumbled upon this top and remembered I had a pair of tights that matched perfectly. I had to go through a few versions of skirts before I got the right one. This skirt came to me by way of my mother. She has an enviable skill of finding gems on sale. I believe this skirt was $20? Outrageous. It's also a size too small. Hey -- you win some and you lose some and I never turn down free.

Speaking of blue, did you ever see that Arrested Development episode where Tobias wants to join the Blue Man Group and so he paints himself blue? Well I feel like him today.

There's got to be a better way to say that.

branded cosmetics pictures

branded cosmetics

branded cosmetics

branded cosmetics

branded cosmetics

branded cosmetics

MKA out in London

wish there were better shots of ashley's look!

day and night

Today is Wednesday otherwise known as date night for my husband and I. You naysayers may say "wow is that all you do? just go on dates?" No. We lunch together as well. Every single day. Oh and sometimes we work, but that's usually when we can fit it in between our dates and lunches.
We drove over to a little town not too far away and ate at our favorite burger joint. A nice man came in with a guitar and was the unofficial entertainment for the evening. As he drank his beer and strummed his guitar he sang the words "Who's Gonna Get Stabbed in Alaska Tonight?" I think it was his own original piece. Nothing says romance like a song about a violent eskimo murder.
Since we needed to head out pretty quickly after work for our date, I grabbed some jeans to change into after we took my outfit pictures. I ended up really liking my date night outfit. It feels very americana no? I love when an outfit can easily go from day to night when you just add jeans.


Oh and if you are wondering how is it that I can not be wearing socks -- it got up to 60 degrees here today. Yesterday it was snow, today sun. Texas weather is certifiably bi-polar.