Let's talk hair...

...well, hair PRODUCTS, to be particular. Well, ONE hair product, to be exact. While I have been known to use up to 5 products at one time on my hair (yes, after shampoo and conditioner), there is one that I pretty much can't live without. Unless I want to look like a yeti that just woke up from hibernation.


Bumble & Bumble's Styling Lotion is absolutely my hair's wonder-drug. Spritz liberally onto damp hair, mix with a dab of B&B Grooming Creme, blow-dry and, voila! A head of hair that gets as close as I can to just stepping out of the salon.

I've been using this bad boy for over 8 years and, apparently, so have many others, because it's perfect for frequent stylers and especially fine hair. In case you're wondering, I use Herbal Essences Hello Hydration Shampoo, so I like to think the pricey styling spray is balanced out by my gallon of bargain-priced cleanser :)

One bottle of styling lotion lasts forever. Seriously, it does! So try this! Because a lady can never look truly put-together unless her hair is behaving, am I right?

Corsets...for your ankles!

 Sorry I've been AWOL lately lovelies...much to do with school and work and more school. I promise I will be more timely with my posts a month from now when the craziness slows down a bit. For now, I'll leave you with this whimsical, kinda crazy-sexy-cool yet somehow still girly accessory...

Check out the EcoCorset Ankle Cuffs in brown suede by the etsy shop greenbelts!

The designer, Shannon Ritscher, is a Seattle artist and self-described high school art class flunkie turned accessory maven who finds inspiration in recycling items into one-of-a-kind, stand-out pieces.

They come in black too, for the brave. I kind of just love these, if you've got the moxy to wear them, don't you?

Stick your neck out...

 For a gorgeous scarf.

Next in my "efforts to look effortlessly cool" series is a fashion recommendation to all ladies - you must have at least a couple of beautiful scarves in your accessories arsenal.

The history of the scarf dates back at least as far as ancient Rome, when a linen kerchief known as a sudarium (Latin for “sweat cloth”) was used by the Romans to wipe their necks and faces. The ancient Romans developed the scarf into a diverse men's fashion accessory and the style was also quickly adopted by women. Since then, the scarf has become synonymous with women’s fashion (from Content Corral).

After visiting France a few years ago, I was struck by how nonchalantly en vogue each woman looked in a scarf, an accessory that is quintessentially French. By adding a scarf to a simple outfit and tying it just so, you can take your look from lame-o to "Oh, do I look chic? I didn't know."

I am partial to brightly colored, woven, fancy ones as well as big, shawl-like ones that can easily be turned into a hood in case of a rain shower or an ex-boyfriend. Whichever scarf you choose, experiment with how you wear it and what you wear it with.

You can get 20 more outfits out of it, I swear.

For some ideas, see Wet Seal's 7 Ways to Wear a Scarf OR Elle Girl's Wrappers Delight OR, for the more traditional, Brooks Brothers Elegant Scarf Knots.

Then get yourself a cafe du creme, a little attitude and go look French!

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P.S. For those of you interested in a little more contempo culture/food for thought, read this interesting article about the pop culturization of the keffiyeh: Scarf's Cool, But What Does It Mean? by Malcolm Venable.