Ballerina Bun: Trend to Try?

To bun or not to bun… THAT is the question on my mind these days. Celebs and fellow fashion bloggers have been seen sporting the top knot trend a lot lately. Ballerinas everywhere!

These ladies look effortlessly chic, but I can’t help but wonder: is wearing your hair on the tippy top of your head a hairstyle the average gal should try? Can I pull it off or will I look like an 8-year-old girl headed to ballet class?

Welp, I went on a mission to find out (always here to serve you, my lovely ladies!). What do you think?

(The kitten is still undecided on the ballerina bun…)

I’m a big fan of any hairdo that relies on dirty hair and I was pleased to find that the ballerina bun fits in that category perfectly. Plus, it was easy to create (high ponytail + bun + hairspray!). I added a headband to pull it together and hide my fly aways :) That said, it’s def a departure from my normal low ponytail ‘do.

So I want to know what you guys think?

(Bun collage images all from Pinterest: High bun and bangs; Backwards top knot; Bun and fur; Top knot & lipstick; Headband and a bun; Top knot and sunnies)

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You might also like:
Introducing… the Spin Pin!
Hair Tutorial: Loose Waves

Speed Up Your Morning Beauty Routine

Reader Question: I’m on my second straight month of 80-90 hour work weeks and my styling routine has gone straight down the gutter. I don’t have time to pick an outfit, shower, put on makeup, and style my hair before I have to run out the door. Do you have any tips for saving time and energy in the morning while still looking professional at an office that requires business attire?

Style Me Thrifty: Oh the life of a high-powered female attorney. I’m guessing when your boss first warned you about these infamous 90-hour work weeks, you eagerly nodded your pony-tailed head and said, “No problem! I don’t mind!“

And then you swore under your breath.

And called your mom for sympathy.

Chin up, my little Ally McBeal. You are a smart, driven, career woman. If you have to work a hellish 13-hour day, you might as well look polished while doing it! Here are some ideas for a faster a.m. routine.

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Hair
Shower at night. It’s a relaxing way to end a long day and it will save you styling time in the morning. But make sure you get to know your hair. Whenever I go to bed with soaking wet hair, it dries all kinky and I look like a crazy lion when I wake up. So I either blow dry it after my shower OR put my damp hair in a bun on top of my head and take it out in the morning. Then I just work in some curing cream, pull it back into a low pony, and hairspray it so it doesn’t frizz. Love this gal’s slightly undone pony:

But don’t wear a ponytail everyday! Keep things interesting and try a loose half-up style every once and awhile. Twist, pin, and go.

Clothing
Take a weekend and organize your closet by outfits. Do you have a few tank tops that all look good with a black cardigan or blazer? Then group them all in one section. Sandwiching similar items together will make choosing an outfit in the morning a quicker and easier process. And use your nightly shower to brainstorm tomorrow’s outfit. Morning clothing crisis averted!

Makeup
I’m a big believer that I don’t need to put on my entire face just for my coworkers. Sorry guys, but it’s time consuming and a waste of my makeup! Try to cut your routine in half and just spend time on your fav features. As a gal with blonde eyelashes, I always put on mascara. Or maybe you’re a blush girl, like Kristen Bell. Mascara, blush, and lipgloss are 3 beauty products that will quickly brighten you up and help hide the sleep deprivation.

Accessories
When all else fails, accessorize. Adding colorful bangles to a basic work outfit will instantly add some glam. Plus, they take no time to put on and can be super cheap, like these Forever 21 bangles for $6.80!

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You might also like: Look Polished at Work >>

Surviving Sweaty Summer Weather

I don’t sweat, I glisten. That has always been my girly philosophy…

And then July happened.

Washington, DC has been a blazing hot oven this summer and on top of the heat, I can’t seem to escape the humidity that has come with it. I feel like I’m living in someone’s sweaty armpit!

So how is a girl supposed to beat the heat and look good while doing it? Here are Style Me Thrifty’s secrets for surviving this super sweaty summer.

Pack Your Purse with Oil Blotters
My good friend, Susanna, got married last month on hottest day of the year — it was an insane 104 degrees, gah! I kept a packet of oil blotting papers in my purse (reviewed here) and they were a life saver for soaking up the shine – which is a must if you’re taking photos. My boyfriend’s clever trick for survival was to put a handkerchief in every single pocket (no joke, he bought 13), so consider getting your man a few.

Embrace your Natural Hair
Summer is the perfect time to embrace what your momma gave you and go au natural. Humidity is your hair do’s worst enemy, so save yourself the headache of trying to tame your mane and wear your hair natural. Don’t fight humidity. Let your curls go wild or pin back limp bangs so they’re off your sweaty face.

And Keep a Ponytail Holder Handy
If you wear your hair down on a hot and humid day, it’s a nice sense of security to have a ponytail holder “on call” in case things start to fro, frizz, or otherwise rebel.

Wear a Color and Fabric that Will Conceal Sweat
This one may seem counter intuitive — black in the summer time? — but a dark color will hide any back or armpit sweat. And go with a cotton fabric so it has a better chance to breathe. Silk is the worst choice you could make! I’m mortified by the photo below, but I’m sharing it because it proves my point exactly. Black would never have shown that sweat ring after a long night of dancing! Ick.

Switch to a Non-Leather Purse
This is an odd little pet peeve of mine but I have to share: I hate standing in a crowded bar or overheated Metro with a leather purse making my side all sweaty. Stay cool and choose a fabric wrislet or straw clutch instead.

Keep Your Makeup Light
If you start to glisten, or sweat, you may feel like compensating by putting more makeup on to hide everything. Don’t do it! Keep your foundation and eye make up light so that it won’t run.

Hair Tutorial: Loose Waves

As a gal with naturally wavy hair (albeit highly unruly, erratic, and slightly frizzy), my go-to hairstyle is long, loose waves. I sometimes like to pretend my curls are completely natural but let’s face it, Gisele Bundchen’s sexy waves come from a curling iron and so do mine!

Ain’t no shame in a little heating tool game though. Which is why I’ve put together this little hair tutorial to show YOU how to achieve loose, natural looking curls. The trick is all in how you hold the curling iron (vertically). So fire yours up and let’s get on with the tutorial:

To recap, here are the tools you’ll need:

• Blow dryer and round brush
• Hairspray (I like Garnier Fructis Sleek & Shine Anti-Humidity hairspray, $4.57 at Amazon)
• 1.5” curling iron (the smaller the iron, the tighter the curl. I like this one by Conair)
• Hand-held mirror to admire the work on the back of your head
• Optional: straightening iron for flyaways at the roots

And remember, the key is how you hold the curling iron. Start with it vertically at the root and clamp in the hair, twisting as you work your way to the bottom. Good luck and make Gisele proud!

Introducing… the Spin Pin!

Did you know that the average women spends 20 minutes a day styling her hair? Here’s a tip for shortening your hair styling time: buy Goody’s Spin Pin!

I credit my hair stylist, Mary, to introducing me to the cleverly named Spin Pin. I have layered hair that is pretty darn thick, so Mary knows I’m always on the hunt for time-saving styling tools.

I like the simplicity of a bun or chignon, but the traditional method of twisting my ponytail into the shape of a delicious cinnamon bun and securing with an elastic and bobby pins has never worked for me. The bun immediately starts to droop and pieces of my layers stick out in every direction. Bleh.

Luckily, Goody has solved this problem with their Spin Pins, nicely priced at $6. The box explains how to use the pins in 3 simple steps: gather your hair at the nape of your neck, twist into a tight bun, spin one pin from the top and the other up from the base. Viola! No ponytail holders or bobby pins necessary.

The pins are surprisingly sturdy and do a great job of really grabbing a hold of the entire bun. Sure, some layers still stick out a bit, but the Spin Pins keeps the bun tightly in place. My recommendation is to do this style with day-old hair and use some hairspray before and after you twist in the pins. And don’t fuss! It’s supposed to look a little undone.

Has anyone else tried the Spin Pin? I bought mine at CVS and it looks like Target, Walmart, and Walgreens carry them, too. The pins come in blonde and brunette.

Here’s a great video tutorial on how to use the Spin Pins from one of my favorite YouTube hair gurus (she’s got a great broadcaster voice, doesn’t she?):