Adjusted Reality

“Reality can be beaten with enough imagination.” – Mark Twain

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Fluffy Fashion – Or The Post In Which I Offend Your Clothing Taste

So the weight verdict?  159.2.  Yeah.  So not cool at all.  I am back to tracking my calories in and out as such and weighing daily until I reach under 155.  I haven’t decided how many days I’m going to make myself weigh under 155 before I go back to normal life, but at least a few.  Honestly, I feel like my calorie allotments are WAY too high but I know the math makes sense for the training I’m doing.  Which is why I stopped tracking in the first place – 2000 calories feels like a fail/splurge but damned if my body doesn’t need it days I’m running hard.  I actually underate yesterday @ 1800 calories since it was a running day.

So we shall see.  I’ll report in soon and let you all know how my little experiment is going.  However, it’s almost hump day, so I think it’s time for a little fluff up in here, yeah?

And by fluff, I’m talking about fashion.  First, a PSA and a plea to everyone out there who has lost some weight or doesn’t have anything that fits them properly: GO SHOPPING.  This weekend.  Or right now.  There is nothing that makes you feel more fabulous than a few properly fitting outfits.  Get thee to a thrift store.  Over the last 3 years, I’ve had to pretty much get a whole new wardrobe each season, and I was able to do so for about 100 bucks by hitting up Savers, which gives you 20% off your purchase if you bring a donation.  Thrift store clothes on a discount.  This makes me a happy girl.

If that’s still out of your price range, at least pick up a few pairs of jeans that are the proper size and fit, a few shirts that make you feel fabulous, and a dress/skirt/dress outfit that befits a night out on the town.  If you have a dress code at work (I’m lucky as our only rule is really show up with your naughty bits covered), pick up a few work-appropriate outfits as well.  If you’re sad that no one has noticed your progress thus far, it’s probably because you’re wearing clothes that make you look bigger… they will after this!

So, you have no idea WHAT to purchase?  Well, let me help you with my opinions.  I may be getting old, but there is a lot of CRAP out there fashion-wise lately.  Here is my completely judgmental, skewed, and biased view of some of the things we call fashion today.

Things I LOVE:

1.  The sweater/knee skirt/tights/boots look.

This is seriously one of my favorite new fashions in a while.  I’ve seen it on curvy girls, skinny girls, topheavy girls, bottom heavy girls, and it just looks fantastic.  Polished, sophisticated, put together, but also fun and spunky.  Which leads to the next…

2.  Colored tights/patterned tights

Seriously so much fun.  I haven’t gotten into this as much as I’d like to as I have lots of patterned skirts and not that many plain (minus two minis that are not really office appropriate), and just don’t quite have the hang of pattern mixing.  But I have a great pair of zebra stripey ones that go well with my black dress(es) and the green and white stripey ones were fun for x-mas.  I have argyle ones and silver sparklies too but I haven’t worn them in a while.  DO WANT a nice pair of red, blue, and brown to go with my nude and black ones – but haven’t obtained yet.

Things I am learning to like:

1.  Skinny jeans (mostly as a vehicle for boots/heels)

Now, for the longest time I poo poo’d these, saying I wore them once, and I won’t wear them again and bought the biggest bellbottoms I could.  However, I’ve come to terms that treated properly, skinny jeans can be HAWT.  Like throw a pair of boots on top.  I tried to do this with a pair of my almost not-boot cut jeans and it didn’t work.  I need the real deal.  I’m thinking they could totally be amazing with heels too (which I have and don’t wear because I don’t have any pants that don’t eat them).  So, I ask the ladies out there – have you tried on these?  Did I just have x-mas bloat or do they run about 2 sizes smaller than normal jeans?

2.  Long sweaters:

Now, I also knocked these for the longest time, and then Zliten actually picked one up for me when he was out shopping.  I love it.  Somehow, it fits perfectly (which is a miracle) and is great for those days where I want something just super comfy and would rather be at home in my blanket, but don’t want to look like a complete ragamuffin in a sweatshirt.  It actually looks fairly cute and put together with a pair of not-super-wide leg jeans, boots, and a patterned scarf and you can almost pretend you’re in PJs!

Things I still hate:

1.  Non-maternity pregnant lady shirts

You would think that this might hide a little extra belly, right?  In most cases, OH SO WRONG.  The ONLY time I ever see these actually look good one people are fairly skinny gals with a little pooch.  If you have big shoulders and/or boobs, this will just make you look bigger.  If you have more than a little belly, this will NOT hide it.  If you are toned in the middle then HOLY GOD WHY ARE YOU WEARING A PSEUDO MATERNITY SHIRT? *deepbreath*

2.  Super long shirts

This is pretty much a dress I wore dancing in 1997 – oh, you mean it’s a shirt?  But it pretty much covers my ass!  I don’t know what is up with the whole shirt dress thing but I hate it.  Me = short torso.  Any shirts that go much beyond my hip bones look horrible with jeans.  I mean perhaps it’s because I’m not wearing super low rise jeans (see below), but I much prefer the actual dress-over-jeans look (and I’m not a fan, honestly) than fake-dress-over-jeans.   Maaaaaybe this is that one exception where leggings might work, but still, again, not a fan.

I think this may be my worst fashion pet peeve.  I can’t order t-shirts online because you never know how long they are going to be. and I can rarely find flattering ones even in stores (thank you, thrift stores….).

3.  Shirts that poof out on your stomach and then get tight on your hips:

I’ve been caught by these before.  This one isn’t particularly cute, but I’ve tried on some that are.  I like the gypsy sleeves and the hippie dippie look, and from the front it’s cute, right?  Well turn sideways and even if you don’t have a pooch, this shirt gives it to you.  And really, in what world is shirt-stretched-over-jeans-tightly cute and flattering for anyone?

4.  Super low rise jeans

Again, these look great on really skinny chicks with no belly fat.  On the rest of us NOT prominently displaying our hipbones, that natural little bit of bump below our belly button gets squished in the middle and looks ackward.  And honestly, no matter how cute you are, no one wants to see your ass crack.  Paired with the super long t-shirt you get rid of the risk of exposing yourself, but your belly just gets shoved out and even fairly small/fit girls look like they’re rockin’ the beer gut.

5.  Leggings

I wore them once (actually I LIVED in them in the 80s), I don’t plan to wear them again.  Whereas I can get on the skinny jeans train, I just don’t like them with heels.  It’s like wearing a super fancy skirt  and heels with an ironic t-shirt.  Sorry, try again.  I can see maaaaaybe wearing them with the long sweater with boots on top, but it’s almost a little too “pajama” for me.

6.  80’s sunglasses

Kayne, Im’a let you finish, but I think…well, wait, no YOU have the worst sunglasses of all time.  Go ahead, continue on.

That being said – don’t get offended.  I have a girlfriend that rocks the long shirts and they look GREAT on her.  Another one that almost exclusively wears leggings for a night out on the town and is tres fashionable.   It’s all about making it work for you.  But seriously, get thee out shopping.  Unless your closet is as full as mine, and if you can get away, go shopping anyway.  Zliten, you totally did NOT hear that. ::grin::

10 Things That Make Me Happy

Mrs. Fatass tagged me so I must oblige, and it should make for a nice, light, Friday post.   She tagged me last week but at the time I was in major back pain and nothing was making me happy.  So, in no particular order…

1.  Technology!  I love that I have a computer that sits on my lap on the couch.  My phone allows me to stay in constant communication if I chose to pay attention to it (which I often don’t but… whatevs).  My car works off a battery until it needs more power, and only then it uses gas.  When I watch TV in my living room, it might as well be a movie.

2.  Social Networking/Blogging/Internet Communication in general.  On twitter and facebook I can keep in touch VERY easily with everyone from former coworkers to my best friends from junior high school.  I’ve met some damn cool people blogging and reading blogs.  The internet in general makes the world just shrink down to nothing and puts like-minded people together.  How cool is that?

3.  Video Games.  I do believe I rekindled my affection for games this vacation.  I forgot the awesome thrill of solving a puzzle that Zliten and I had been working on over and over in Final Fantasy Crystal Defenders.  Or accidentally taking over the controller playing Brutal Legend and beating the game on the first try.  Or playing Peggle for hours.  I think I’m into slightly different games than I was a few years ago, but I need to remember to make time to play.  It is, after all, job research.

4.  Our house.  I’ve never felt so at home somewhere.  It is so us.  The kitchen is bright green and has a crayon green fairy drawing on the wall.  We have an awesome two-propellor huge silver fan that looks like it should be on an airship.  The workout room is bright orange and yellow and blue.  The light comes in the bedroom and wakes me up gently most mornings.  We have plenty of room – maybe too much, but we’re used to it now so there is no going back.  Some of my favorite days are just spent sitting outside enjoying my back patio.

5.  Austin.  I’ve loved both the places I’ve chosen to live as an adult (Reno being by default, I’m not counting it), but I think I feel more at home here in the ATX rather than San Diego.  The weather is pretty damn nice (this winter is pushing it though…), I can afford to live in a metropolitan area where I can walk to dinner and a movie, or the community pool, or the grocery store, or a place to go dancing, or clothes shopping…and the list can go on.  The amount of places I can hit on my bike?  Tenfold.

5.  My friends and family.  It’s really nice to have a group of friends locally that I hang out with on a weekly basis.  I need the reminders to just relax and have fun, and have fun we do!   And it’s nice to have my parents close enough to see on a regular basis.  Sometimes I forget I need people and it’s really super nice to never really have the chance to withdraw that often anymore.

6.  Running.  I love to have finally found something workout-wise that engages my competitive side and took me from fitness as a mechanism to lose weight to something I enjoy for it’s own sake.  Something I can do all by myself or with a big group.  Outside or inside.  Something that’s as easy as putting one foot in front of each other but can be as complicated and self-testing as I want it to be.  Something that I am incredibly proud that I can associate myself as (a runner).

7.  My own personal slice of fashion.  When I’ve got something on that makes me feel like I look damn good, I feel awesome all day.  Whether I was pushing 250 or 150, there is something to be said about clothing that makes you feel good wearing.  And I’m not talking about what you put on to putter around the house or sleep in.  I mean, the clothes you put on, look in the mirror, and want to make out with yourself.  A cute skirt, some tights, a sweater, and my new pirate boots, and I’m making eyes at myself all day in the mirror.  I’d do more fashion posts but…damn, I am lazy and forget to get pictures of myself when I look particularly nice.

8.  My Zliten – I seriously never though that it was possible to have such an awesome relationship and share such an amazing love with someone.  I seriously used to stay up at night and wish on the stars for someone like him.

9.  Writing.  Really digging in my head and finding the words to tell a story, or convey how I’m feeling.  People reading my writing is even cooler!

10.  I agree with Mrs. Fatass – me.  Even though I still have a lot to settle in my head, I am constantly amazed at things I can do.   I’ve come really far and accomplished a lot in many different aspects of my life, and I know it’s just getting started.  I used to think life was just going to go downhill at 30, and now, I know it’s so not the case.

Woohoo, there we go.  I am going to  just tag anyone reading this, because I love to learn new things about everyone!  If you do it, leave me a comment with a link to it.  Or, just leave a comment with one random thing about you, because that’s just about as fun, right?  Hope you all have a lovely weekend!

EDIT: Just realized I had 5 twice.  So I guess I have 11 things to be happy about!

EDIT 2: Also remember that I hit publish before finishing my sentences for 6/7.  It must be almost Friday! *blushes*

Pick Myself Up, Dust Myself Off

What is it about weekends?  You are a perfect little saint all week, and then Friday hits and BAM! it’s on like donkey kong.  It was like the sin trifecta – Staying up too late, eating and drinking too much, and not exercising come together to form the voltron of not sticking to my plan of awesome.

Thursday, there were a few drinks (but I totally budgeted for them so it barely counts).  Friday, we stayed up until 5am playing Uncharted 2 and watching How I Met Your Mother season 4 and about 2am started mowing down on pistachios and jerky because I was HUNGRY (to be fair, it HAD been about 6 hours since I ate dinner so it made sense).  Saturday was a WAY OVERBOARD drinking night and I think I might had tripped and fell face first into a handful or 2 of chips.  Sunday, we went out to Italian and let’s just say I didn’t order the pasta with red sauce.

There were some successes this weekend though.  Each choice, I actually evaluated in my head.  Is it worth eating/drinking this if it might possibly negate some of the work I put in this week?  Each instance, it was yes.  Pistachios and jerky might have sent me a little over 1500 calories that day, but they were actually a pretty healthy snack.  Saturday was a freaking blast and we found a great new hangout, and though I may have had a few chips, I turned down the 2am fast food run even though I was in the car and stayed up ’til almost sunrise again.  Sunday, I hadn’t had Italian in a loooooong time and I split the meal between lunch and half of dinner.  Spinach and chicken cannelloni in white sauce may not have been the best choice, but it was actually a pretty small portion.   Also, I may not have formally worked out, but we spent most of the weekend shopping, so I was up and about.

So, nothing to do but move forward.  No guilt, no regret.  I had fun this weekend, and I’m starting the week at 157.4, which is better than last week.  Onward and downward.

Today, I start the Shred.  After thinking about it, I think I’m going to try and do it daily (perhaps give myself one day off per week if I need).   I’m looking forward to it – I desperately need to try something different and ass kicking.  I’m going to take measurements and photos tonight too since a lot of people lose inches doing that and not lbs.  The full week plan is:

Monday: under 1400 calories, Shred Lvl 1, 30 mins DDR

Tuesday: under 1400 calories, Shred Lvl 1, 5k run

Wednesday: under 1400 calories, Shred Level 1, 30 mins DDR

Thursday: under 1400 calories, Shred Level 1, 5 mile run (need to start getting used to medium distances again if I’m going to run it on Thanksgiving)

Friday: under 1500 calories, Shred Level 1

Saturday: healthy eating until the Halloween party, Shred Level 1

Sunday: under 1500 calories, rest

If shredding proves to be enough of an ass-kicking, I may omit some of the DDR, but I need to get at least 2 runs in.   Saturday night is a huge Halloween party which will have lots of yummy food and drink, so I’m going to just try to eat healthy up until then and be reasonable there.  I think as long as I can follow the rest of my plan this week some indulgence there won’t kill me.  I’ll let you know how it’s going next Monday (I think writing the wrap up on Friday made me feel somehow DONE with the week and then the weekend kinda went off into the weeds).

Shopping:

Sooo, I am loveloveloving the boots/tights/skirt or dress look this fall.  Like this.  I would so steal that entire outfit, I’m a sucker for plaid.  So, I went out in search of some new things to apply to the bottom half of my body (I do need to get some new cold weather tops too, but I also need to clean out my closet and see what is too big first).  I picked up two really cute dresses that are office appropriate and a good handful of skirts that are the same.  I’m pretty set on basic tights now and I have some fun patterned ones, but if that’s really going to be my fall/winter “look”, I’m going to need some fun colors – a red and a blue at least would provide me some non-nude/black options if patterned tights aren’t an option.

As for the boots – I have a great pair of brown ones that should last this season, but my three pairs of black boots aren’t really cutting it.  One I just need to throw out as the sole is split (but they are just so damn cute I haven’t yet), one are falling apart and need some shoe glue love (and I’m not sure if that will even save them), and my third pair is totally cute and WAY comfortable, but they are lace ups and take way too long to put on in the morning.  So, to that end, I ended up traipsing through a bunch of different stores and after trying on all sorts, I ended up with something like this, except mine has a fold over at the top and was only 25 bucks *grin*.

After I purge the shoe closet soon, I think I’d like to pick up a more casual black boot (unless these end up being super comfy after breaking in), and a pair of non-boot black semi-dressy shoes.  Something like maybe this or this.  That should probably get me through.  Now on the must have cold weather list is a black super warm jacket and I think I’m pretty set.  I am honestly kind of OVER shopping right now since I spent all weekend doing it and STILL have to pick up a halloween costume.  And eventually pick up some cold weather running gear.  It’s a hard life.

So, what’s up in your world?  Starting anything new and exciting like the shred today?  What is your must have clothing items this fall?  What are you going to be for Halloween?  Anyone want to tell me I *should* feel guilty for this weekend?  Ciao, lovelies, and I’ll see you mon-ya-nah.

Oh, and the pics are some pretty scary looking costumes from Costume Shopper.

Thingity Things of This Week

I don’t have that much to say but figured since Friday is a normal posty day, I should at least ramble about things and goings onses.

Running:

5k tomorrow!  I’m excited and a little nervous to see if I can get my 26 flat time or better, but I think I’m more excited as it’s Zliten’s first race!  Woohoo!  Never did I think I was going to get him to run with me but now he seems to quite like it.  Endorphins FTW!  I feel good and prepared – yesterday I went for a nice, easy run to keep my legs loose and I kept wanting to go fast.  That means the legs are rested.  Check.  This morning, I did a nice long yoga, and the plan tonight is relaxing, and more relaxing.  Checkity check.  Good race prep.

After the race, we are going to see my parents for a belated birthday lunch of BBQ.  Alliterations FTW!  Then, some shopping to procure makeup/hair/other stuff… it’s gonna be a busy and long day.  I may demand a nap!

Day 1 of project: unfluffy bride:

Well, my plan was to hit the top of my range today and that I did (going over by 10 calories).  My lunch was bigger than I would have liked, but I had a pretty light dinner to compensate and only ate my 2 pieces of fruit for snax rather than digging into the nuts or seeds or whatnot.

I’m seeing 2 problem areas.  One I rocked last night, one I didn’t.  My first “shoving things in my cakehole when I shouldn’t” time was right after I got home from work.  To put things in perspective – I had a 200 calorie breakfast, about a 650 calorie lunch, and about 100 calories in snacks, so I wasn’t starving in the least.  I then realized it had become a habit to eat out of the pantry when I got home.  I had the same issue after the run and before dinner.  The conversation with myself went something like:

Munchy self: “Mmm, I’m a bit peckish.  Let’s have a snack.  These baked cheese doodles look rather tasty.”

Self that wants to be unfluffy: “No!  Dinner is coming soon.  You just had fruit.  You are not going to faint dead if you don’t stuff your face.”

MS:  “But how about some veggies and hummus *cough*andpitachips*cough*.  That’s heatlhy, right?”

STWTBU: “NOT ON THE CALORIE PLAN!  STOP IT!”

MS: “Ok, then fine.  How about we go for the stir fry veggies leftover.   It’s veggies.  You can’t say no to veggies, right?”

STWTBU: “NO!  It’s the principal of things.  Today it’s veggies, tomorrow I’m back to the cheese doodles dipped in cheese spread (yes, I did it, and I won’t apologize, it was FUCKING YUMMY).”

MS: “We can eats it with our fingerses!  If you don’t use plates and utensils it has no calories…”

STWTBU: (almost believes it and has the tupperware open and then slams it shut) “Wait, NO!  That isn’t right.  I’m leaving the kitchen now…”

MS: *grumblegrumble* “Fine, we’ll discuss this later.”

I won the first round but lost the second.  We had a good friend over, and we happened to have his birthday cheesecake sitting in our fridge from another friend.  After a lovely, light, and healthy dinner, I cut them big slices and me a little slice.  Then it just looked too sad and little so I added another sliver (but it was still about half their size).  My Zliten went ahead and left half his cheesecake and when I took it in, MS won as I mowed down the rest of it.  Le sigh.

Regardless, I’m back on it and ready to fight another battle today.  The stats from yesterday:

1560 calories.  Only “notsogood” things eaten were a few tortilla chips at lunch and the cheesecake incident.  Everything else was totally on plan.

Did a slightly less than 3 mile run and full body weights.  My guesstimate is about 600 calories burnt.

Weighing in at 156.4 this morning.  Not great, but closer to being under my freak out weight than yesterday.

Hair and Makeup Adventures:

Well, I took the night off.  My face was feeling kinda dry and my hair kinda dirty and frizzy, and figure it wasn’t worth it.  I was going to try to do a look with more browns/coppers, but I actually don’t have a lipstick that goes with those tones, and while eyeshadow under chapstick works in a pinch, it wasn’t worth it.  I’m going to try again after I get my list o new stuff to play with.  I’m pretty confident with my makeup after this week, and I have two weeks to figure out the hair stuff and I’ve had LOTS of great advice!  Thanks so much!

I’m going out tomorrow with the intent of picking up the Got2B Smooth Operator Smoothing Luster Lotion, some bare minerals foundation/powder/concealer, and maybe some other fun and exciting stuff like mousse/gel/etc for volume.  Anyone have any opinions on diffusers vs just using a low setting on my dryer and cupping the hair in my hands?  I hate to spend the money on it because I rarely do my hair curly, but if it’s the one and only thing that’s going to make this work, I’ll spring for it.

Have a great weekend!  Wish me luck at the race and then with figuring out the ‘do.  Honestly, more nervous about the ‘do as there will be other races, but only ONE WEDDING.  Geez, I sound like such a girly girl there.  Ah, well.  I’ll be back Monday with results on both.  If you’d like to know more immediately, follow me on twitter or friend me on facebook (name is Leah Ruben, and I’m the one with the vintage gymnastics profile pic).

And I just have to end it on this…

Putting A Stake In The Ground…

I was going to wait until Friday to post, but I have THINGS TO SAY.  So today it is.

After looking down at 157 point something for the second day in a row, I have had enough.  I am fed up.  This whole eating more intuitive bullshit is not working for me.  I don’t get mad at myself very often but I was fuming on the way to work (it also didn’t help that I had done weights this morning which always make me feel – ROAR).  I was hoping that I had just been starving myself and somehow magically eating more was going to heal me and make me finally lose the weight.  Apparently, this is NOT the case.  I’ve given it time, it’s just time to face that it’s not working.

Let’s check the cold, hard facts.  I have been trying this more eating for about 2 months now.  I did about 1 week at reduced calorie-ness, and before that I was training.  Let’s look at the weight trend.  April was my low month, maintaining around 150-152.  Half training took me up a little, but that was ok.  I was around 152-154.  After, I could never quite shake the weight and was more like 153-155, but the 155s are rare.  Now, since NOLA vacation, my weeks are a rare 154 and more like 155-157.  I HAVE GAINED 5 LBS SINCE APRIL.  I can’t even lie to myself and say it’s because I fluctuate, my range has gone up and now I’m barely ever weighing in UNDER my “oh shit” weight of 155.  Not cool man, not cool.

So today, I put a stake in the ground.  I may have gone from my goals of under 140 by the wedding, to my goal of under 150 by the wedding, to now, please dear fluffy lord let me get back to where I was during half training.  However, I know what it’s gonna take.  Maybe other people can eat more, but obviously I can’t.   I knew success at a lower calorie intake, so at least for the next two weeks (because yeah, I get on a plane to Vegas 2 weeks from today), I’m back to doing what I know works even if the numbers don’t make sense.  And hey, if it sucks, it’s only for 2 weeks.

I’d like to put it off, but my red alarms are flashing.  Way back in stay puft marshmallow days, I enacted a disaster scenario and recovery plan in my head.  Maintenance would end at any time when I was regularly weighing in over whatever my “oh shit” weight happened to be (and right now, that’s 155).  I would begin immediately tracking my food, weighing every day, and reducing my calories.  Once I returned to comfortably under that, I would resume happy fun times.

So, the plan.  I am going to go back to tracking.  Today.  I just have to.  I know there is a point in my life where I will not track, but this is not now.   Spark says I can still burn 3000 calories per week and eat 1200-1550 calories per day, so that is what I will do.  Up until the race Saturday I’m going to err on the side of 1550, but as of Sunday, I’m attempting to stay as close to 1200 as possible.   I know there are days when I’ll be pushing it to stay under 1550 even, but if I can balance those out with some 1200 days, I can do it.

Exercise – I’m going to be a little more intuitive here.  Spark says I should be able to keep burning my 400+ per day and be ok.  I’m also pretty sure I could drop down to minimal exericse (for me, that looks like 3 cardio sessions per week of about 30-45 mins, 2 strength sessions of about 30-35 mins, and some yoga) and still lose.  I almost think that I might have more success with a little less cardio.  I need to accept that anything beyond moderate exercise is MY indulgence and not really going to make me lose weight.  So I’ll make a plan, and if I’m just dead tired, I’ll modify it.

The problem behind it is – I feel fluffy.  I do.  It’s taken the full 5 lb gain to really feel it but I do today.  And I don’t want to feel fluffy on my wedding day.  Even if no one else in the world notices that I lost 4 lbs between now and then, I will know.  I also will have 3 days in Vegas before I get married – I’m going to try to be as good as possible, but I’m not going to lie – there is going to be some booze and food and I’m not going to deny myself completely.  So, for the next two weeks, fat cells, you’re on notice.  And if I come off as a irrational raving bitch/lunatic/whiny person in my future posts, you’ve got an inkling why.  I don’t like when my food gets taken away.

Hair and Makeup, Day #2

I didn’t have much time, so I did a quick trial.  I liked how I was wearing my hair that day so I just did some modifications to it – however, it looked pretty crazy when I took it down.  I figure I’ll get the main shape of what I like, and then perhaps

Talk about feeling fluffy...

Talk about feeling fluffy...

work some braids into it if I decide to get all fancy-like.  Working with it the next day after washing was WAY easier (as we all suspected) but it didn’t magically un-friz like I was secretly hoping.

I’m going to give it one more try with some product after the next time I wash it, but I’m thinking the best idea might be, as Charlotte said in the comments, to dry it straight and then use a curling iron to do the curls.  Seems like a shame because I do have natural waves/curls, but they may just be too damn frizzy to work for what I want.  I think I’ve decided on little flowers all over vs one big flower, but we’ll see what I end up with.

As for makeup, I went ahead and left the foundation off, which I actually didn’t mind.  I don’t think I’m going to skip it all together, but it did reinforce the fact that I probably don’t need face cake, and as Divinari suggested, I should probably go for something very light, like bare minerals.

For shits and giggles, I decided to go with pinks and figured it would be good and humorous.  Oddly enough, it didn’t look that bad at all.  I actually kinda liked it.  I’ve never used brown eyeliner and think now it might work well for a daytime look.  I figured the pinks would turn me into barbie but they don’t.  It’s weird, but I don’t hate it.  I think I need the darker lipstick to balance out my brows (thanks Div for pointing that out, I always wondered why I trended towards darker stuff, its because of my prominent brows), but I didn’t mind either look.  I need to study how to do blush better – I think it just didn’t work quite right.

Pictorial below – first, closeup of the makeups.  First left, pink and not hating it, then right, the brighter lipstick and blush.

Pink and not hating it.

Next, hair pictures from each angle.

Sorta out of order but I don’t feel like futzing with pictures more.  You get the idea.  Yeah, it’s pretty messy but I think at least I like a) the basic hairstyle and b) the little flowers.  So a win there.  I am resisting the urge to give myself layers in front of my face because DAMN I think that would make it look super nice with that do.  Please talk me out of modifying my hair 2 weeks before I hop the plane…

Anyhoo, I think I’ll give one more go tonight with what I have, and then it’s time to go shopping for hair product and foundation stuff because I’m reaching the limit of what I can do with what I have.

As always, advice/scoldings/comment welcomed and most appreciated.

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