Hair do's and Hair don'ts

This is my very first post, so I figured it should be about something extremely exciting. For me, nothing constitutes as "extremely exciting" more than a new hair-do. (Besides trips to New York City.) I absolutely LOVE changing it up every once and a while! (side note: the people who know me well might say that my hair changes more than every once in a while.)

This is the most recent picture I have of my hair BEFORE the new do...

and this is a crap pic (kinda blurry) of the hair AFTER the do...

Even with the crap pic you can get the idea. I'm not sure which one I like better (I'm still on the "new hair-do" high).... what do you think?

**My hair stylist Krystle did an AMAZING job lifting the red and getting the EXACT color I asked for.  She's pretty much my favorite...

The cover of a recent issue of one of my favorite guides to beauty, fashion and life (Allure magazine), featured Julia Roberts; an actresses famous for her talent AND her ever-changing, drop-dead-sexy, trend-setting-since-the-80's tresses. I relished looking back through the timeline of pictures and seeing how she pulled off each new style with class and vivacity. But also featured in this must-read issue was the usual letter from the editor (Linda Wells), in which she spoke of the same joy I spoke of above... the joy of new hair.

"There are few things in life that lift a woman's spirits as quickly, effectively, and legally as a haircut. This explains the phenomenon that perplexes some of the most renowned (and probably bald) economists."

Short, sweet and to the point. A statement I think all women can attest to.

When you get your hair done, everything seems fresh and new; your outfits feel new (thanks to the new do!), your makeup looks better, your hair cooperates, and you just can't keep that smile off your face. Of course, all of these wonderful things only occur if the new do is in fact a hair "do". I feel that because of my vast experience with hair styles, I am entitled to give some advice on how to get the best "do" you can, especially since I have probably had more hair "don'ts" than all of you combined (or so it feels that way).

A Few Hair Do's, and how to obtain them:

1. Research, research, research... before you go in to chop, trim, highlight, color or perm, make sure you know what you want. And not only what you want, but what will actually work with your hair texture, face shape and morning regime. You can't have the Jen Aniston look if you have a natural fro, and you can't (or should I say, shouldn't) cut your hair above the chin and flat to your head if you are unfortunate enough to be like me and 

have a very round face. You have to get something that works for you, and your hair.

2. Bring a picture in to your stylist. So many different hair pro's have told me that it helps to have a picture of what the client would like and list their options from there, than trying to decipher the rant clients usually spill out about what they "kinda want it to look like". (And it's been my heartbreaking realization that IF you aren't specifically clear about what you want, you get what your stylist THINKS you want... and they are never the same thing.)

3. Be realistic. Like I said before, know the kind of person you are, the kind of hair that 

works for you, the time and effort you wish to put into your do, AND what looks good!

4. That being said, TAKE SOME CHANCES! Hair grows, always remember that. What's the fun in life if you don't stir it up every once in a while!

5. Bangs. There are so many different styles to chose from: long, short, medium, frayed, layered, blunt, side bangs, front bangs, wispy bangs... I could go on and on. Bangs soften the face, hide unwelcome blemishes and are always in style.

And A Few Hair Don'ts:

1. Unnatural colors: I'm so very sorry to all of you who advocate hot pink, neon green, and royal blue... and although these colors are beautiful, they were never meant to be the hue of your locks, no matter how rebellious you think you are, or need to be.

2. Mullets: sometimes when one is growing out a shorter hair style, especially pixie cuts, the in-between stages can be even more unbearable if not properly trimmed and styled every couple of weeks (usually 4-6). These unkept manes tend to look like the hideous style known as the mullet. While the "urban-goers" of our time may think that this lo

ok is coming back for the men, it will never be acceptable (at least not in my book) for women.

3. My sister (who is at the very last stages of growing out her once-begged-for perm) wanted me to remind all of you that IF, on impulse, you decide to do something drastically different, commit yourself to it for the next couple months (at least). Perms, new colors, and drastic cuts are not do's that you can fix very easily. So DON'T do something drastic unless you are sure it's what you want, or at least can deal with for the next portion of your life.

4. Damaged/fake hair: fried, frazzled hair is never attractive, neither is an enormous beehive of rattiness or styles that defy gravity. If you can't embrace your curls, you can switch me hair, or just make sure that you use protective products while blow drying and straightening. Body is beautiful, no one wants hair that's stuck to their head, but too much ratting causes the cone head shape (bleh!), and no one will be thinking about what beautiful hair you have if all they can focus on is how your hair is staying like that. Keep it real, or at least real-looking.

I'm not trying to say that i'm the best expert of hair advice, but I have had quite a bit of experience, and according to that experience, the tips i just gave have been the most rewarding.

So go ahead, have some fun, do the do, and be a lil happier <3