Fun, Productivity, and Relaxation

My ideal weekend is a combination of fun, productivity, and relaxation.  Fortunately, this weekend consisted of all three!

With all the time I spend at work and other activities during the week, Saturday and Sunday are my best opportunities to clean, grocery shop, etc. Not to mention that I view them as an opportunity to re-charge, clear my head, and prepare for a new week.  That downtime is so important! Therefore, I almost always manage to take a nap every weekend... even when I don't intend to! In college I was the queen of naps, so now I have to take them when I can get them!

And, of course, I'm a big believer in having fun and a great personal life beyond one's career.  So I made sure to fit in plenty of playtime this weekend.  Somehow I only managed to take one picture of these festivities, so you'll have to use your imagination!

I left work a little early on Friday and got a massage... how's THAT for relaxation?! Friday night consisted of sushi and hair curling lessons with my sweet friend Heather. She's really talented at things like cake baking, decorating, and styling hair.  I have never been good at curling my hair, so she attempted to teach me. (See above).  There may be hope for me yet!

Saturday morning I played Bingo at the nursing home, and the residents were extra feisty, perhaps because of the gloomy weather. I hope I'm that spirited when I'm an old lady!  That night the roomie and I had Tex-Mex with a big group to celebrate a friend's birthday, and I later met up with more friends for dessert--go big or go home, right? 

And Sunday consisted of church, lunch with new friends, and a lot of the "productive" part of my weekend... with some prosecco and Teen Mom 2 thrown in! : )

Here's to feeling refreshed and ready for another full week.... how was your weekend?

 

Fishtailin' It

In the 6th grade, my friend Michelle often wore her hair (and styled mine, too) in a fishtail braid, way back before they were cool.  I wish I knew where she was today so I could congratulate her on being a trendsetter 12 years ahead of the game!

You see braids everywhere these days.  My hair can be difficult to style, especially in a braid, but I finally decided to give a fishtail a try myself.  I followed this tutorial that breaks it down and makes it really easy.

Finished product!

My tips:

• Don't have a clear elastic handy?  I just used a rubber band.  You'll be cutting it out anyway!
• Keep everything very tight.  When you cut out the top elastic, the whole braid will be loose, and you want the style to stay.  In my opinion, if you actually use a clear elastic, you can just leave it in and it will look fine, plus hold better.
• When you get near the bottom and the pieces are more uneven (especially if you have layers), I recommend switching to a regular braid pattern to finish it off. 
• Hairspray.  Lots of hairspray!

I'm not brave enough to try it yet, but how cool is this braid?!  

Any other (hopefully easy) braiding styles out there that you recommend?  I'm game for a little hair experimentation!

Stripes & Statement Necklaces, + Dry Bar

I'm having a fashion love affair with stripes these days.  My new striped sweater dress will be worn many times now that it's finally staying chilly in Dallas, and I found the perfect "dual purpose" striped shirt-- great with dress pants and heels for the office, or paired with jeans and flats for the weekend.

And, of course, I spotted this necklace and had to add it to my collection.  I loved it with this top, and plan to put it with a black sweater, too... lots of options with this one!

How fun is this Kate Spade statement necklace, in navy or that pretty pinky/purple? And this striped tee is the perfect fall color, and I wish I were daring enough to pull off this combo of yellow pants and navy striped knit cowl-neck top! 

And, let's not forget one more thing- if you aren't already familiar with it, I'd like to introduce you to Dry Bar.  I heard all about it when it first opened, but had never experienced it for myself. Until yesterday.

Dry Bar is a blow dry bar.  No hair cuts, no color, just fabulous blowouts from their "look book"-- everything from straight to curly to updos. Did I mention that you can order a cocktail, too?  

I was lucky enough to join other ladies on the Advisory Boards of several young professionals' organizations, including the one that I help coordinate as part of my job, for a Dry Bar party at their new NorthPark Center location! I got a fabulous hairstyle while sipping champagne, watching a movie, and chatting with friends... every girl's dream!

The finished product!

Topknots & Curls

Girly as I am, I have never been good at styling hair.  I blame this partially on the fact that I have difficult hair, but it's probably also that I just don't have a knack for it.

My hair is pretty long these days, so I've recently been experimenting with it and trying to improve my styling skills beyond my daily 'do- straightened and parted on the right side.  And the occasional Snooki-inspired poof or classic low ponytail.

My friend Heather attempted to teach me how to do a topknot.

Her finished product was quite lovely:

The trick, she said, is making it high and tight.  

To create your own:

1. Flip your head over and gather your hair like you're doing a high, '80s style ponytail. It's okay if it's a little messy/there are bumps; you don't want to end up looking too ballerina. 

2. Wrap a hair tie nice and tight, as many times as it will go around.

3. Begin wrapping your hair around the top of your head clockwise, bobby pinning sections as you go. If you have layers, this part might be tricky. You may also need to pin underneath to keep the hair up in the bun.

4. Plenty of hairspray to keep everything in place.

Armed with Heather's lesson, I attempted my own top knot.  I had trouble getting it high enough, so I finally settled for an alternative bun.  I was pleased with the finished product-- there are many variations on this style! I haven't worn it to work yet, but maybe one of these days.

I've also been experimenting with my curling iron.  My hair is naturally straight as a stick and does not like to hold a curl.  If it's a humid day, forget it.  I'd like to achieve both the "loose, soft waves" look, as well as the tight Shirley Temple-style ringlets. I think part of the problem is my long hair weighing down the curls?  I haven't quite mastered it yet, but I'm making progress. 

Do you use a curling iron, straightener, or one of those rods to get your curls? What tips do you have for hair curling, topknot creating, or other fun hair styles? I'd love to hear them!