Hey everyone -
I've been taking pictures everyday this week, since I bought a ton of new clothes with my mom for my birthday last weekend. I'm not quite ready to post them yet, but I wanted to do a real quick update.
Why you ask? Well, truth be told, I'm a bit frustrated. But it's not your fault. Its years and years of pent up frustration. So let me preface the next few paragraphs by saying that I'm not mad at all of you, nor am I not INCREDIBLY appreciative of all your help. I just want to get across what I want to get across, and maybe then you'll be able to help me more, and I won't feel so stuck.
Sound good?
Okay.
So, lots of you have commented on my hair and make up. There are several things that I'd like to say in that regard
1) please keep in mind that most of these pictures are taken somewhere around 8pm, because I have to wait until my husband gets home to take the pictures. So while I try to smooth my hair and such, it's still after an entire day, with no make up touch ups. Since this blog isn't ABOUT hair and make up specifically (not that I mind the comments, they just aren't the focus of the pics), I don't really feel a strong desire to reapply my make up for the pics.
2) IDK why, but for some reason the make up I do wear doesn't seem to show up. In the picture from the admitted students reception, I'm wearing the same black eyeliner in the same way as I was in my wedding pictures, but you can't see it in the pics here. I have no idea why. I don't know what to tell you, because we have a pretty expensive camera. Maybe it's the lighting, which I've already said there's very little I can do to fix? I have no idea.
3) Someone mentioned my eyebrows. I haven't found a place in my area that will do threading, and I'm allergic to eyebrow wax. I had to go in about 2 weeks before my wedding so that the little itchy bumps would have time to go away. I assure you that I'm aware of the problem. I know they look like crap, I'm just not willing to sit and tweeze them, nor am I anywhere close to confident that I'll be able to do a decent job if it isn't just a clean up.
4) As for my hair - listen, I'm just as frustrated with my hair as you people. It's hit or miss, especially now that my perm has grown out a bit. But here's the thing. NO ONE WILL HELP ME. This is partially my own fault, because I can't do much to my hair. I get dizzy if my arms are up for more than a few minutes, and I'm pretty much incompetent with my hair even besides that. Seriously, I can barely put my hair in a damn ponytail. So anything that requires much daily maintenance is just out. I just can't do it, guys. So what exactly am I supposed to do to fix my hair?!? Every time I've gone into a salon and told them "Just do something", they cut it this same way. So believe me, I'll be happy to take any suggestions.
Hopefully that didn't make me sound like too much of a bitch, as that wasn't the point!!! I don't want you to think I don't appreciate it, or I'm mad at you for the comments! I'm just frustrated, that's all.
Anyway, lots of awesome new clothes over the weekend or early next week.
As I get ready to start life in the big city and start law school, I want to start looking the part. I have finally gotten to the point where I have a good handle on my make up and am beginning to understand my hair. Most importantly, I've realized that I'm the only one who sees the size tag on my clothes, and I'm learning to pick the best items for me. Help me get a new wardrobe and get rid of the worst things from the old!
10 comments:
Take a deep breath.
You cannot go into a salon and ask a stylist to "just do something." That is your mistake for doing so.
You need to tell you stylist everything that you just wrote. You need to tell your stylist that you won't even blow-dry your hair, if that's the case. You need to tell your stylist that you don't plan to do a goddamn thing expect wash and go.
Armed with this knowledge, your stylist will be able to give you a cut and style that will enable you to simply wash and wear and still look great.
No stylist can read your mind as to what you want or need. They can "just do something" without knowing exactly what you want your hair to do.
As for waiting for your husband to take pictures, why not just take pictures of yourself in front of the mirror at the beginning of the day? Then we can see you at your best.
expect = except
Ugh.
Maybe I didn't explain that well. I tell the stylists that I have no idea what would look good and that I am not really good at doing anything with it, and they end up just doing the same thing. And yeah, I can definitely understand/admit that it's partially my fault, because I don't have any idea what would look good, and I'm not very brave. I've never had the opportunity to turn down any drastic suggestions from stylists, but I haven't suggested any either. And I can look through pictures all day, but I have NO idea what would look right. I can't "dress" my hair for my face any better than I can dress my body!
I asked on the Nest and there wasn't a whole lot of response.
And for the picture thing - I've tried to take pictures in the mirror, but I haven't found a place to put the camera. You either can't see my face, or you can't see my clothes, etc.
Sorry, I'm sounding like a big pile of negative. I'll stop and breathe, I promise! :-P
You do NOT need to know what looks good. That is your stylist's job.
My point is that you need to inform your stylist that you plan to do NOTHING with your hair. Then your stylist can give you a cut that is care-free.
I take pictures of myself in the mirror all the time. The only part of your body or face or whatever that will be blocked is that little rectangle where your camera is. It's not that hard.
See?
http://tinyurl.com/35tkmg
http://tinyurl.com/2vjtug
http://tinyurl.com/2qttkl
http://tinyurl.com/2omve2
And that was with an iPhone, no less. Your real camera will yield better results, of course.
A salon can tweeze your brows for you if you tell them you're allergic to the wax.
as far as your hair, just keep trying. no two stylists are alike, and everyone has a different vision. also, something to think about, when you're styling your hair, remember to breathe. it's easier than you think to hold your breath while you're doing something. give it a try.
concerning the pictures, see if your camera has a timer feature, that way you can take the pics yourself. Have your hubby help you to set up the camera in the right place, so all you have to do is push the button and then go stand in the right place.
I can't help much with makeup, since I am a total mess in that department, but maybe you aren't being heavy handed enough and that's why it isn't showing up in the pics?
About the hair: The cut itself doesn't seem too bad. However, I think you should start parting it on the side. Down the middle is too harsh and widens your face. A side part will help soften your face a bit.
Do you really want to do NOTHING to it? Are you willing to use some product? I think if you washed it and then put some curl-enhancing gloss on it, it would help the define the curls and look more put together. Usually you can put that on wet hair and go.
Eyebrows can make or break your face. Yours are overshadowing your eyes, and it is entirely possible that that is why your makeup doesn't seem to show up. Find somewhere that does threading. I'm sure there is a salon in your town or a surrounding one that does it. Once you do it once, you can maintain by spending a minute or less a day in your car (for the natural light) with tweezers. It will make a world of differenct.
No, I never said nothing, just very little! :-P I usually scrunch it with a spray gel. In the picture from the Admitted Students Reception, I used mousse and blow dried it with a diffuser upside down. It just doesn't seem to make much of a difference.
Rumor has it there is a threading place in my mom's town, so I am going to have to look into it when I visit next. Sucks to not be from a major metro area!!
There is a website called Taaz.com where you can upload a picture of yourself in high resolution and try on different makeup (they even give you brandnames so you can go purchase them in stores) and try on different hair styles. Its free, its fun, and its helpful. When you get a look you like, you can print it out and take it to a stylist and/or the makeup counter!
Personally, I would recommend going to either a MAC, NARS, Bobbi Brown or Benefit counter at your local department store or even a Sephora.
You need to ask for advice and tips on how to apply makeup to suit your coloring and they are usually more than happy to show you what colors look best and application techniques. That is their job, and you should take advantage of it.
Do you have a medical condition that makes you dizzy when you put your arms up in the air for a few minutes? or is it just something that happens?
There are hair dryer attachments that you can drill into your bathroom wall that hold your hairdryer for you at whatever height you install it at and that way you can style your hair without the dizzy-ness or having your arms up for too long.
good luck with everything. I think a lot of people have given great advice already. I am a firm believer that looking good makes you feel good about yourself so I am all of doing anything and everything to make that happen!
My hair is very similar to yours. I don't have the arms/dizzy problem (which does not sound fun! you have my sympathy) but I definitely share the "no stylist can make my hair look good" issue. People with straight hair just don't get it and never will.
Several things you can do:
1. upgrade your shampoo/conditioner to ones specifically for permed/color-treated/whatever hair. You said you have a perm, but I can't tell how much is perm and how much is natural curl. In any case, for me, switching from Pantene/Garnier to a better quality product made a big difference.
2. part your hair to the side. Definitely agree with that. You can do it quickly or even with your hair upside down to cut down on potential dizziness.
3. Can you put half your hair up? Is that easier than a ponytail? That could be a little different style for you with hopefully no pain.
4. Makeup. I struggle with this too. If I put enough on for it to show up, I felt like I had too much on. A trip to Sephora was really helpful (just b/c your consultant might look like a freak show, if you stress that you want "natural" they know what to do)--if there's one in your mom's town, give it a try, and no pressure to buy! Small steps.
And finally, you don't sound bitter or mad. You are to be commended for opening yourself up for such personal criticism, and I for one am definitely rooting for you!
Post a Comment