Up & Down

I got my bi-yearly traumatic haircut today.  The end result of the haircut is totally fine, I just really hate getting my haircut.  The problem with me is that since I have so much hair--literally enough for 3 people--that hairstylists feel like they can cut and cut and cut at my hair and then you turn around and I have no hair.  It happens all the time and I hate it.  So I just sit there during any haircut staring desperately into the mirror and monitoring every strand of hair that gets cut off and freaking out.  My hairstylist probably thinks I'm a sociopath.  


On the plus side though, she totally made my day by saying (literally) that I have "commercial hair that she would make into wigs for models to wear in shampoo commercials."  Um, AWESOME.  Except I like my hair too much to make it into a wig.  But still.


Anyways, right now I'm sitting on the couch watching Top Chef Masters and whitening my teeth.  Watching Top Chef always makes me hungry, so wearing white strips is a great solution because I can't eat while wearing them!  Haha.  I use Crest White Strips, which are currently $16.20 at amazon.com.  I've used these once before, in high school about 2 years ago, and since I drink a ridiculous amount of tea and coffee it was time for another round.  I think these are great.  They're affordable, and easy to use.  In this pack you get 10 sets of upper and lower strips.  You leave the strips on for half an hour each, so you put on one top and one bottom strip and leave them on while you watch the Office.  You can double up and do two sets in one day if you want faster results.  I find that the strips stay on pretty well and the overall result is noticeably brighter teeth that last a will.  You won't get blindingly white teeth, but they will be nice and bright.  I don't have particularly sensitive teeth, so I haven't had any issues with these, but I have heard that with sensitive teeth these can sting a bit.

On an unrelated note, I popped into J. Crew the other day to get a (blindingly) neon pink v-neck, and I saw these two adorable dresses.  Oleander Lace Shift Dress, $295 at jcrew.com, Eyelet Derby Dress, $158 at jcrew.com.  Aren't they both gorgeous?  I love the simplicity of the shape of this black sheath dress against the Old World opulence of the black lace.  It's textured and layered and intricate, but still wearable and easy to style.  Plus the shape is crazy flattering, with the defined waist and a-line skirt.  Y'all know I love me a sundress, and this eyelet one is so fresh and springy and fun.  The fitted bodice keeps the voluminous skirt from being overwhelming, and the eyelet detail gives such a sweetness to the minimalist white.

Jenna's Cardigan, $70 at jcrew.com, Notched Skinny Belt, $32.50 at jcrew.com: Now, the funny thing about these dresses is that I was thinking about how I would style them, and I would totally style them the same way.  This plum, fitted cardigan works with the black sheath because the jewel tone adds some richness to the black, and the retro, cropped shape works perfectly with the old school feel of the dress.  It works with the white sundress because the plum warms up the white, and the cropped waist would hit right at the waist of the dress, whereas a longer cardigan would get pushed out by the full skirt and hide your waist.  I'd do this menswear style belt with the black dress because it adds a fun, His Girl Friday twist to the lady-like sheath.  I'm all about contrast, and doing a casual belt with the cocktail dress dresses it down a bit while adding a little sass.  The same belt adds a much needed masculine element to the very girly white dress, and a little bit of visual weight as well.  It's just proof that investing in versatile wardrobe staples, like cardigans and belts, is a great idea because they can work with so many different pieces.

Images via jcrew.com, amazon.com.