accidental epitaph

(dress: H&M, pants: Kohls, wedges & necklace: Target)

I don't know what I was doing with my hair in these pictures.

Actually, that's not true. I started out with some majorly teased bangs and was going to wear my hair pulled back into a messy bun with poofed up front.

But my hair plans never work and I couldn't get my bun to look right.

(Am I the only one who has a horrible time making a messy bun look messy? You'd think it be easy for goodness sake.)

So then I tried to pull half my hair up and it kept making me look like I was twelve.

By this point, I'm officially late to work again so I pull the top half into a messy bun that obviously didn't make it through the day in one piece. Now, it's actually kind of snake-like if you look closely.

So these pictures of my hair, taken at 5:00 on a Friday afternoon, could sum up my day well: good intentions, glad I made it through, but what a mess.

Actually, let's just go ahead and plan for those words to be on my headstone, they are more than fitting.

Linking up with The Pleated Poppy and Transatlantic Blonde.

ten go-to hairstyles for lazy, no-skilled people

I'm really sorry if so many pictures of my face just sent you into shock. Just think about how I feel every morning.

As we learned on my first hair post, I don't know much about hair. I use drugstore products and have no patience or skill when it comes to managing this mess.

When my first child was born (four years ago), I let it grow, but for ten years before that, I had short hair (minus growing it out for my wedding). I always thought I looked best with short hair. My husband still likes me with short hair. One day, I'll chop it off, but until then, here's my favorite (read: not fancy) and most-worn hairstyles.

On average, I wash my hair every three days (more on that here). The majority of the time, I let my natural wave/curl take over. With it down and curly, I'll part it on the left side and be done with it. Recently, because I'm letting my bangs grow, I pin back part of the front to keep it out of my face.

Second day hair is normally brushed out (to give it a little wave) and then parted down the middle (and pinned back) or straightened and worn with a side part or half pulled back. Some times, to mix things up, I'll do a braid or two in the front. Braiding normally involves a co-worker doing my hair during our prep period at school. Obviously, I'm changing lives as a teacher.

I have a pattern to how I wear my hair and if anyone paid close enough attention, they'd be able to tell how long it's been since I washed my hair by my hairstyle. Not that anyone cares that much, but there is a rhythm to it. Also, I'm a classic type A personality so this hair routine thing shouldn't shock anyone.

Third day styles always consist of my hair being pulled back. The laziest easiest option is the messy bun. Occasionally, I'll mix it up with a classic ponytail with bangs down, bangs twisted (like braiding with just two sections instead of three), or I'll wear a side braid, but that can feel juvenile and creepy depending on the outfit. So be careful in choosing the side braid.

If I had to describe my hairstyle in one word, it would be random. I don't really do that much to it and even if I had the skills to do better hairstyles, I'm not sure I would. The majority of the time, I can't be bothered to think about my hair and whatever happens is an afterthought. It's the last thing that gets done before I walk out the door so it becomes unimportant when I realize I'm late again.

I've tried styles I've seen on Pinterest. I have a board dedicated to pins described as "easy" or "things anyone can do!" I even tried those no-heat curls once.  But nothing seems to stick. I am a creature of habit.

What do you think? What's your go-to hairstyle? Anything super easy I should try?

trusty chucks hair

In sixth grade, my friend Jessica and her mom used to go on and on about how great my hair was.  And as a tomboy to the core, wearing my mesh shorts and baskeball camp t-shirt, I thought they were just trying to be nice and make me feel better about myself.  I was more concerned with athletics than appearance and I thought they were just trying to encourage me to not look like such a boy all the time.  (Because I did look like a boy all the time.  Maybe one day I'll share pictures...it will shock you.)

Fast-forward almost twenty years later and Jessica is still complimenting me on my hair.  These days I pay her to compliment and then contain this mass of hair.  Because, guys, I have a ton of hair.  And I would say now, at 31, I'm just starting to understand it.  

It shocks me every time someone compliments me on my hair.  Because inside I'm still that tomboy and I don't find my hair that great.  But apparently, my hair, in all its chaos, appeals to people.  And I'm always asked what I use in my hair.  Which makes me laugh because I still shop like that sixth grade tomboy: walking down the aisle and grabbing whatever looks good in the quickest amount of time.  There is no brand loyalty.  There is no brand snobbery.  There is whatever is cheap and shiny.  And then it's in my cart and I'm on to the dog food aisle.

Conair Styling Essentials Detangling Comb, Style & DetangleThis comb is designed for detangling curly hair.  Which is nice since I have curly hair and it's always tangled.  Some of the teeth are raised and it seems to not pull as much curl out as other combs do.

Clairol Herbal Essences Body Envy Volumizing Mousse 6.8 ozI wash my hair every three days and the first day is always a curly-hair day.  So after I've combed my hair out, I scrunch in this mousse.  There is a fine line between the right amount and like you live in 1986.  I occassionally cross that line and spend the day feeling like Sixx from Blossom (yes, I know that's from the 90's, I'm not old enough to confuse my decades yet).  I find the trick to making it three days before washing my hair again is putting product on it the first day.  I know that seems counterproductive, but the more product I put on my hair upfront, the longer I can go without washing it.  Weird, but true.

After I put justtherightamount of mousse on my wet hair, I blow it dry, but only about 75%.  Because my hair is so thick, it would take about 20-30 minutes to get my hair completely dry.  I'm just too lazy, too rushed, and too lazy to ever do that.  Literally, I think five times a year I dry my hair completely.  And most of those times are when I'm sitting in Jessica's chair at the salon so I'm really not doing any of the work.

Pantene Curly Hair Curl Enhancing Spray Gel, 5.7 ozIf I am loyal to any product, it's this one.  I've tried other curl enhancers, but they make my hair too crispy.  This one looks and feels natural.  After I style my hair, I'll spray this on and head out the door.  It has a good enough hold that if I want to wear my hair curly for the next day, it lets me.  I shower every morning, but if I'm not washing my hair, I put it up in a super-high bun and let it get a little wet around the edges.  I think it takes some of that messy bedhead look away.  After I shower, I flip my head upside down and blow it dry for about one minute.  It dries the edges and gives my second-day-hair a little more life.  A quick style and then I'm good to go.  

Tresemme Shampoo Fresh Start Dry 5.7 oz.I jumped on the dry shampoo bandwagon about a year ago and haven't looked back.  This is the magic stuff that makes the third day possible.  I do the shower-wet-edges thing as above, blow dry, and then spray this stuff on.  Next I brush my hair out and put it up.  I love this stuff.  I'm not brand loyal, but this is the best stuff I've used of the ones I've tried.  Some brands have dry shampoo for different hair colors so it blends in better and if you have darker hair, that would probably be your best bet.  My hair is just light enough that the spray (which comes out white), when brushed through, blends in.  But that might not work for everyone.

Garnier Fructis Flexible Control Anti-Humidity Hairspray Strong -- 8.25 ozIf my hair is up, this is covering it.  I hate that stiff feeling some hairspray gives you and can be heavy-handed with this and it won't make my hair look plastered down.  Plus, I hate smelling hairspray and this isn't overpowering or headache-inducing at all.

bobby pins and hair ties  I don't have any fancy hair accessories, I use bobby pins that match my hair (I highly recommend buying them to match your hair color, they blend right in) and hair bands in light brown.  If I can't do a hair style with those two things, I don't do it.  Some say lazy, I say practical.  You decide. 

Washing my hair every three days has really changed my hair life.  Dramatic? Yes, but true.  I was spending an insane amount of time on my hair every morning.  And I don't even do much with it, just washing and drying was taking forever.  So skipping a lot of that most morning has made a difference.  What has also made a difference is having some standby hair styles so I don't have to feel like I'm doing the same thing everyday and I still feel fresh even if I didn't wash my hair.  I'll be sharing those ideas soon.

So what do you think?  Do you have brand loyalties?  Any favorites to share?  I'm swayed easily so tell me what you love.  Also, how often do you wash your hair?  I know a couple girls that go longer than three days and I'm not sure I could do that long...what about you? 

    

what I'm wearing these days

Simple sandals. I bought these a couple weeks ago and have been wearing them non-stop ever since.  The seem to go with everything.  Mine are tan, not nude like in the picture, but I might need them in this color also.  Very tempting. 

Maxi skirts.  How I love thee.  I finally found a benefit of being tall, I can pull these bad boys off with a vengence.  I've been sporting them way too much recently.  To work, to church, to the park, to the backyard while laying out.  I have not found a situation to not wear one.

(I just found the one below online and will probably be buying it soon.  I lovelovelove the stripes.)

 

Chambray button down.  After I got over the initial shock of the jean shirt coming back, I tried one on and bought it immedaitely.  It's true, they're awesome.



Workout gear.  You know what keeps me motivated to go to the gym?  New workout clothes.  And so I get a little somethin' somethin' every couple of weeks to keep the juices flowing.  And this weekend I got some comfy new pants that made getting to the gym Monday a little easier.  You know what else makes getting to the gym easier?  Not having to go to work.  And that, my friends, will be in exactly 14 weekdays.  Not that I'm counting or anything.

And the blogger bun.  Code name for "hair really high on top of your head."  I like this tutorial a lot [and Sydney, in general, really], even though I don't do it like she does.  A coworker refers to me as Marge Simpson when I wear my hair like this.  And yesterday I think I made it too tight because by the end of the day I had a massive headache and felt like my eyeballs might fall out.  Still worth it though.  (Also, wanting to try this look, but I never seem to have enough time.  I'll let you know if that ever changes...)

(via lustaday.com)

Actually, looking back at those pictures, if you put that top, maxi skirt, and those sandals together with that bun, that would be my new every day look.  I wore it twice [in different combos] this weekend.  Try it, I promise you'll love it and it's beyond comfortable.  Just don't call it a "jean shirt."  Oh, the shame.  

we got married

A couple years ago, a co-worker told me that she couldn't imagine me in a wedding dress.  It was implied that because I was such a lazy dresser that the idea I picked out a pretty dress, had someone do my hair, and then got married sounded far-fetched.  This was not insulting.  It was very true.

Times have changed.  I mostly take showers before work.  And I use a hair dryer.  It's almost like I'm a supermodel. Almost.

Anyway, I did get married one time.  About five and a half years ago. And I wore a dress.

Proof:

Siblings.

My first husband. Just kidding.

Our wedding party.  Specifically shared so that Jeremy could be on Trusty Chucks like requested.  Apparently, I take requests.

Our reception at the amazing, historical Stutz Building downtown Indianapolis.

These girls. Only in high school when I got married.  Now grown ups.  What beautiful women they're turning into.  Just don't tell them I said that.  It would ruin my rep.

So there, I did it. Got married. Wore a dress. Got my hair did.  Although, I didn't wear shoes. I decided early on that I would be walking down the aisle barefoot.  I felt most wedding shoes were ugly (I still think they are), so I got married sans shoes.  I would do it again if given the chance.

That dress was number two, actually.  I bought one, had it altered, and then decided it wasn't for me and bought another one.  I sold the original one about a year later on eBay, so it wasn't a total loss.  So not only did I buy one fancy dress for my wedding, I bought two. 

This random wedding day post is for What I Wore Wedding Edition with Absolute Mommy.  Check out other wedding day stories at her website.

warrior curls

I'm all about lazy hair. 

It's like my thing. 

So when my friend/hairdresser Jessica raved about these amazing curls you can get from sleeping in a headband with damp hair, I was willing to try because it sounded easy.  She and her sister (who is currently living for a year in an RV with her family and documenting their cool adventure--make sure you check it out) started doing them recently and were hooked.

Here's the tutorial I watched to learn the scoop:

It seemed easy enough. 

I grabbed a thicker knit headband than they recommended and went to rolling.  (Yes, I'm purposefully cropping my face out--it was like 11:00 at night after a shower and things were not at their best.) 

The next morning it looked like this:

Obviously, I sleep on my right side.  I'm a pretty violent active sleeper (just ask my husband) and surprised it looked this good after a night's sleep.

Once unrolled from the headband, it was pretty curly.

 The right side less curlier than the left because of all that fell out while I was sleeping.

I was worried at first about how to do my hair with all these curls.  I felt like a cross between a Toddlers and Tiara kid and a Hee Haw performer (did I just show my age with that second reference? No, okay, cool). I didn't really know what to do with it at first so there was a lot of standing in front of the mirror and staring.  I eventually decided to pull it half up to calm down the fluff and make it less big.  I brushed out some of the curl and pinned it back.

(wearing this yellow/green dress again but without the sweater and different jewelry.)

The Verdict:

-I need a tighter headband to hold my hair in (I have a lot of hair).

-The rolling was really easy. While watching the video, I doubted my rolling abilities, but it really was not hard at all (this coming from someone with no hair styling abilities).

-I need to be more consistent with the amount of hair I grabbed to roll.  It made a big difference in the curl size and was kind of all over the place because I was just grabbing sections haphazardly.

-I blew dry my hair and left it just slightly damp before rolling it.  Jessica lets hers air dry and the video just says spritz it with water but that wouldn't have been enough for my thick hair.

-I'll do this again.  Success!  It wasn't time consuming, wasn't hard, and made me look like I did my hair like a fancy person.  And for this lazy-hair person, that is major.

What do you think? Have you tried this before?  Did it work?  I'd love to hear your thoughts.