i'm digging the mango...

 

well, as you can see, i did it. i dyed my hair mango intense copper! and i love it.  i wasn't sure whether to go over my ombre bleached ends, or leave them... in the end i went for it.  the colour isn't completely even, as the ends were quite blonde, but i'm happy with it. i know the ends will fade out quicker, but i'm ok with that.  i just took the plunge and ordered more dye to have some spares on hand, and to dye my extensions.

 

today is a pretty gloomy day, and even with the flash, my photos are still pretty dark. i'm also not sure what i was focused on, as it clearly wasn't me... but i felt the need to post some hair pictures today, and share the new 'do.  

i had a coworker today say 'oh, another new dress?'... which threw me for a loop, since i've worn this several times to work, but obviously on days that she was off... so i said no, i've had this one for a while, and how i could practically live in it (as you all know). so she asks a good question: just how many dresses do i have. 20? 40? so i said maybe around 40, i'm not sure. her reply, 40!??! that's A LOT of dresses.  And her point is valid. that IS a lot of dresses. she peaked my curiosity. i came home, and counted my dresses. the result? 57. FIFTY-SEVEN! i mean, i knew i had a dress and shoe addiction. but really, that's an eye opener.  i think i need to slow it down (or maybe once i get to 60?? as i currently have one on the way).

      dress, shoes: modcloth
      cardigan: pseudio
      socks: melissa's
      belt: came with another dress

the one where my outfit matches my house...

not on purpose, my outfit matches my house... which is also where i chose to take today's blog photos. again, not on purpose. more because the sun was too bright anywhere else. however, i think it shows that clearly i like this colour combo (don't tell dominic, i've been pushing to paint the house a completely different colour!)

something arrived in the mail today that i've been both excited and nervous for. as you can see from my photos, my hair is in need of a colouring. the roots are showing, which is definitely more prominent when my hair is up, like today. i've been wanting to try a bright shade of copper for a while, and trying to find a shade that looks just right.  the colour i've been using for almost a year now is a copper blonde (by l'oreal preference).  after doing some online research, this mango intense copper by feria seemed very popular. and not available in canada. after some deliberation, i decided to go for it. if i do love it, i'll have to order a few boxes to keep on hand, as it's not readily available and takes about a week to get in (still fast when you consider i had to order it from the UK!!). i'm very excited to try it, but my hesitation is that next week i have a business trip, so if it does turn out super bright, i might die. or panic and redye, without getting to really see how the colour lasts/fades over time. i've considered dying my hair my usual colour now (as it NEEDS to be dyed before i go), and then waiting to try this one next time, but honestly, i'm not the waiting type of person. when something arrives, i need to use it now. if its a dress, i wear it the next day, so why should hair dye be any different??  that being said, the next time you see me, i'll be a different shade of ginger. wish me luck!

 

     dress: ruche (old)
     blouse: forever 21
     tights: modcloth
     shoes: chelsea crew

lovely locks...

 for months i've been obsessed with pastel hair. peach and lavender, specifically. in my younger, more daring hair days, i had bright pink and bright orange pieces (albeit not at the same time) in my hair. but that wasn't my whole head, just a few fun pieces.  nowadays, the most daring my hair gets is ombré... or a new shade of red. which i feel is always an adventure, because you just never can be sure how a new red will turn out.  

i wish i was still as daring as i was, but i feel that an almost-32-year-old administrative assistant with peach or lavender hair might just be a bit too much to handle.  

 that being said, marianne of esme and the laneway pulls off both of my favourite shades, all the while still looking classic and classy.  style and colour, i have a serious girl-crush on her her hair.  

i also think kelly osbourne's duo-tone lavender locks look completely classy.  what do you think? should i take the plunge?? peach or lavender? or is this just a recurring obsession as the result of an 80s child who watched lady lovely locks too much and wished for colourful hair??

a new dress and ombré hair...

This dress. I bought this dress for several reasons. 1. It's main colour is mint green (self explanatory to anyone who knows me. 2. I love this style, sleeveless shirtdress with a full skirt. 3. It reminded me of the "My Kind of Pie" dress that I stalked at modcloth for months and months, hoping it would come back in stock. So with all of these reasons to love this dress, I ordered it. And man, is it ever worth the money. The fabric is thick cotton/spandex blend, and it just happens to fit like it was made for me (maybe it was??).  As luck would have it, this dress arrived in my mailbox (from the UK) on Monday (the shipping was SO QUICK!!).  Guess what came back in stock Tuesday?? After months and months, the pie dress. I'm sure you're not surprised to find out that yes, I did order it. I mean I had to, right?

It was also hair appointment day, hence the straight hair. Just a trim... it was getting to the point that I couldn't see. Love bangs, but they grow so quickly!! Speaking of hair... I ombré-ed my hair myself. I was feeling a bit adventurous.  I normally do box colour my hair, as it's so much cheaper and I actually really like the colour... but to bleach it myself?? I never thought I'd do that.  I used the new Féria Wild Ombré by L'Oreal kit. It was so easy! I went with the lightest shade, as my hair is pretty light.  It's a bit yellowy blonde, and I debated using a toner to get some of the brassiness out... but then I found it didn't look awful, since my hair is an orangey-red.  In these photos, the blond looks all one shade, but in reality, it does get lighter as it gets closer to the ends. 

     dress: voodoo vixen (from audrey stars boutique,
     also available here and here)
     cardigan: american eagle (old, similar)
     shoes: chelsea crew (modcloth, no longer available)
     belt: forever 21
   
     hendrix's tartan collar: neckcandycollars on etsy

...in wonderland...

 yesterday, when deciding where to take blog pictures, we opted (originally) for a little trail in the woods.  i felt like i was alice in wonderland, following the little white rabbit.  i was actually following my dog, but it was a similar feeling, trying to keep up.  then i spot these red mushrooms, and it solidified that feeling. 

 this one looks quite small, and it was in comparison to the others... but some were fairly large.  it's funny how something so small and seemingly insignificant can result in a magical feeling, if only for a moment, in imagining what alice felt like.

a little bit of recent excitement (at least to me) is that i got extensions put in.  my hair is so much longer and thicker now! i absolutely love it.  granted, it takes extra time drying and styling, but now i can skip a day washing it where i couldn't before (i have very fine hair, so it required washing. every.single.morning.)

 extra excitement? finally getting to wear these wellies!  it seems like since i got them (thank you melissa) that it hasn't rained much. or at least when it was appropriate to wear my hunters.  i know, you're probably thinking, "it's sunny... how is that appropriate??" i swear, it rained almost all day. 

     dress & cardi: forever 21
     tights: modcloth
     boots: hunter (gift)

blogger thanks...

 as you can see, i read quite a few blogs.  they're such great inspiration; they teach you how to attempt new styles with your hair, and many of them have a 'shop my closet' feature where you can buy items from them at great prices.

 

i have to say, two of my favourite hair inspiration bloggers are veronika and katie.  they both have great hair, long with bangs, and are constantly trying new styles.  they're tutorials have been great for days when you just need something new for your hair.  i actually attempted one of katie's tutorials with this hairstyle.  of course, i don't have the knack for it, so mine are always a messier version of her tutorials.  

 

 i actually purchased this dress from another blogger, meg, from with a sentimental heart.  it was a vintage dress she found and added to her shop my closet.  it's even better in person than in the picture!  the fabric is heavier than i pictured, and the skirt fuller.  it's perfect for spring weather in Canada! i paired it up with a polka dot scarf, but it's great on it's own.

      dress: vintage
      scarf, earrings & shoes: ruche
      belt: came with dress from peacock plume
      tights:  we love colors

.....

even if you aren't a blogger yourself, these are some of the reasons to read & support bloggers.  i used to go to magazines for fashion and hair tips, but now i look to bloggers, and you actually get a bit of an inside glimpse into their lives, rather than just a short article on someone.  it's quite nice.

:)

maiden braids...

i love my long hair. really i do. but some days, i'm just not in the mood to deal with styling it.  or having it in my face all day.  i had one of those days last week. the great thing about braids is they hold the hair back all day, and it looks like it took a lot of time and effort to do your hair. actuality? it takes just a few short minutes.

i know, mine are pretty messy.  this is the result of a monday though.  they were much neater at the start of the day.  the tricky part to a wrap around braid is when you have to switch hands.  my tendancy is to braid backwards, which ends up unbraiding what i've already done.  i'm better at braiding from left to right, with my right hand as being the 'lead hand'.  my trick? i have a full length mirror in my closet, so i open my door and angle it so i can see my reflection from my dresser mirror.  that way i have a mirror in the front and back.  once i've braided as far as i can and it's time to switch, instead of actually switching, i just hold it with my other hand, then reach over with my original braiding hand and continue.  

     top, skirt: ruche
     cardi, shoes: melissa's
     necklace: vintage
     glasses: rayban new wayfarers

spring is in the air...

... and inspiring my outfits!

 after reorganizing my closet yesterday, i realized there's quite a few numbers i haven't worn lately, due to them being too spring/summery.  this dress is one of them.  i did wear it with a cream cardigan too work, but it was so nice out, i decided to go for some sleeveless shots!

 

i paired it with a scarf as a headband, which i've noticed a few of my favourite bloggers sporting for the spring season.  i love the 50s/60s feel of it...

however, being in a place where fashion is very cookie cutter, of course i ended up with some opinions on today's outfit...

one being that i 'look like the pancake lady'... umm, aunt jemima ties her scarf very 40s style. i didn't take the comment to heart, as i'm quite used to less-than-flattering comments on my attire, but it wsan't exactly what i'd call a compliment.  either way, i still love my head scarf.

 

     dress: trollied dolly
     shoes, scarf: ruche

    .....

happy spring.

:)

the dough nut bun...

i've noticed a lot of hype over the 'new' sock/doughnut bun hairstyle.  i have to say, i'm a huge fan.  i have long hair, but it's very fine, and layered.  normally i have to tease/back comb my hair like crazy to result in a voluminous bun on the top of my head.  the sock bun was such an easy fix to this!

you just take a sock, cut the toe off, roll it up (like a donut), put your hair in a ponytail, and roll it down.  i pinned mine in place with two bobby pins, but it was more for reassurance. i think it would've stayed in place on it's own.  for a more detailed tutorial, check this out. it's the one i used.  i tried to find a video on youtube, but was unsuccessful.  it seems all of the sock-bun videos are a different method, and i didn't like it as much.

     dress, sweater, earrings: ruche
     belt: came with dress from peacock plume
     boots: shelly's from karmaloop
     necklace: vintage, gift

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