New Haircut!

After a lot of talk I finally did it. I cut my hair. And not just a trim. I cut about a foot off. It was getting really long, if you remember.

This photo of Gretchen Mol in The Notorious Betty Page was my inspiration. I knew I wanted to keep my bangs, but it was time to lose some length.

source

Here's my version.

The best part is that I have a fabulous new hairdresser. Winnipeg's premier rockabilly and vintage hairstylist Kelly O. Her and I totally clicked. I adore her. AND she made my hair look freakin awesome!! My bangs have never been better behaved. 

If you insta, follow her @hairbymisskellyo. If you want to book an appointment she's at Salon One 11. 

I thought I would, but I don't even miss my super long hair. It wouldn't hold a curl and was nothing but straight and long. Now that my hair is much shorter (in comparison!) I've been curling it every day. Plus it looks and feels so much healthier.

Leopard Print Cardigan: Joe Fresh

Black Tee: Forever21 - thrifted

Vintage Mink Brooch: Value Village

Lisa.xo

Adventures in Haircutting

I am attached to my long hair. Yes, literally, but emotionally as well.

When I was in high school I had a pixie cut which would always be changing colour or morphing into a mohawk at random and I would laugh at girls with long hair who were afraid to get it trimmed let alone cut.
I have become one of those girls.

I love my long hair! It makes me feel feminine, sexy, attractive! It's as if it's the source of all my womanly super powers. It's to my waist and I want it to be longer!!

I've had a couple bad run ins with hairdressers in the last few years. They either scolded me for dying my own hair or wanted to cut 4-5 inches off "because it would look so much healthier!". Ugh. Or, when I negotiated down to a 3 inch trim they'd take 4 inches. Not cool.

So I've been afraid to go the hairdresser. And I started cutting my own hair as a result. This seemed to be working out ok a year and a half ago, but recently my bangs and my ends were looking pretty scraggly. Nothing I did was making them look better either.

pre-haircut. photo courtesy of my instagram account

It was time to go to a hairdresser....

Thankfully, just at the right time my friend Jen had a recommendation from my salon Edward Carrier.  She told me I should go see Susan. Susan has long hair and Jen told me she'd understand my haircutting neurosis. And she was right!! I went to see Susan today and she was amazing!!!! She didn't bat an eyelash when I asked for a trim with few layers and she wasn't intimidated by my request for bettie bangs either, even though she hadn't ever cut them before. She took her time and did an incredible job cutting my hair. I am converted! AND I have a new hairdresser! Finally! After 3 long years without one. *happy dance*

photo courtesy of my instagram account

Not only do my bangs look awesome, but my hair looks and feels great! It's been far, far too long since I walked out of a salon so happy and completely satisfied with a haircut.

Susan and I were even talking about how to put a pink streak in my hair...woah Lisa...one step at a time...lol!!


Do you cut your own hair? Or do you have an amazing stylist that gets your vintage look? Please share!


Lisa.xo

Inspiration: Vintage Styled Pink Hair

I am and always have been totally obsessed with pink hair (examples of my pink hair lust here and here). If my hair was not almost black I would have pink hair.

So in lieu of dying my own hair I just gaze adoringly at lovely ladies with pink hair on Pintrest.

Here are some of the images that are inspiring me right now:

unsourced via Pintrest

source via Pintrest

unsourced via Pintrest

source via Pintrest

*Sigh* if I was younger and more foolish I would totally bleach out my hair - ruin it - and dye it pink. Now I'm waaaay too sensible...too bad..

For more Vintage Inspired Hair (not all of them pink) check out my Pintrest Board. 

Lisa.xo

Outfits: Back to Normal...

Life seems to be returning back to normal...after months of working incredibly hard and sometimes around the clock.

The show I'm working in for Shakespeare in the Ruins started school matinees yesterday - which for me, means shorter working days...and evenings free!

Last night The Boy and I went out for dinner with friends of ours. It was so lovely! It felt so normal!! lol!

Dressing up was in order...of course. I put on my favourite dress. :)

You may also notice that I am suddenly sporting bangs...I cut my hair hours after taking the photos from my last outfit post...it might have been a bit of an impulse decision...one I am not regretting...

Hair Flower: Claire's

Vintage Dress: Ragtime (in Ottawa)

Coral Bracelet: Forever 21

Patent Turquoise and Cork Peep Toe Wedges: Le Chateau

Bamboo Birdcage Purse: Thrifted, Value Village

Lisa.xo 

Outfits: Start with the Purse

I have a serious crush on this purse. It was a gift from the costume designer on Angels in America: Perestroika and she could not have done any better. I squealed with glee when I opened it. 

This is how good she is; without knowing it she bought me a purse which combines two of my favourite sartorial fetishes: wicker summer purses and nautical. So today's outfit started with the purse. 

Working so much has got me rocking pants a lot these days. Spring in Winnipeg has come late and summer isn't quite here yet, so I haven't had a chance to wear any of my summer dresses yet. :(

You also might notice how straight my hair is compared to how I normally wear it. I finally got around to buying a Chi flat iron and have been enjoying this different look for the last week. Straightening my hair makes it look soooo long!! :) 

Vintage Wooden Parrot Necklace: Vintage Glory

Red and White Striped Tee: Gap, Thrifted

Braided White Leather Belt: Thrifted

Navy Trousers: Jacob

Red Espadrilles: George

Vintage Nautical Purse: Gift from Mo

Lisa.xo

Hair Today, Gone Tomorrow...

Remember a few weeks back when I posted about my desperate need for a haircut?

Well, I did it!

Through some sort of miracle, I got into my salon the same day I called. Which was good and bad. It meant I didn't have time to chicken out and cancel my appointment, but it also meant that I didn't have any time to mentally prepare myself to say good-bye to the security blanket I've been wearing on my head.

So here's the before. One last photo of my long hair:

I look a little sad...well I was...

And the after:

I still look a little sad and stunned...I guess I was...

 I let my hairdresser cut about 3 inches from the bottom of my hair and I felt really naked and weird afterwards. He might as well have given me a pixie cut. Until about 3 days ago I was beating myself up for letting him cut so much off.

I realize I must be completely insane...my hair is still long...I just don't feel like it is anymore...

I'm feeling better now that I've washed, dried it and styled it a few times on my own. I never seem to like the way hairdressers style my hair after a cut.

I'm looking at these photos and it seems to look like my hair didn't get any shorter...I assure you it did. My hair is curled in the first photo and straight in the other two. Just to give you some perspective.

What do you think?

Lisa.xo

Fickle Head

Not even three months ago I cut my own bangs. I've trimmed them once since and once again they're in my eyes. So much so that I've been wearing them like this for the last three days:

I can't decide whether to cut them again or let them grow out...

In fact my whole head needs an overhaul. My hair is super long right now. It's all the same length and is in desperate need of a trim. Or a cut. I just can't decide what to do with it.

Here it is air dried with no styling. Looks rough, I think.

I'm actually thinking about cutting it much shorter. probably around my shoulders like this

(sorry guys, I have no sources for these photos, I've been collecting them for weeks. Let me know if you know the source or if one of these belongs to you and you'd like it removed. Thanks!)

I really love Marilyn's hair in this photo. I could totally rock this with my grown out bangs.

Or maybe chin length like this

These are kinda like my hair from a few years ago. Here's the proof:

Or maybe I'll completely chicken out and just get a trim and some layer put in

I really can't decide right now. I'm always up for something pretty drastic in my head, but I worry about regretting my decision after I get my hair cut.

I've been hating my hair, which is why I cut bangs. It was always a temporary solution. I can't afford a real haircut (and by real I mean done by a professional) until I get back to work in October so I have some time to think about it.

What do you think?

Lisa.xo

Channelling Bettie

I feel a bit like Bettie Page with my new bangs. Which is a good thing...I think Bettie was an incredibly cute, sexy and attractive woman. Which is pretty much how I'm feeling with this new do'.

I went out Friday night with my city friends for a few birthday drinks on the patio at Bistrot by Basil's in Osborne Village.

My hair was looking amazing, so I snapped a few photos of my head before we went out. 

That brown blob emerging from my stomach is a dog bed... lol!

I washed and dried my hair and trimmed them a little more on Friday night as I had actually cut them a little unevenly. All is well now and they lay really well without curling them. 

Thanks for all the kind words on my brave new haircut! 

Lisa.xo

Off with a Bang

If you stalk me or at the very least read my blog frequently, you'll know that I had bangs cut in March. Here's the photographic evidence:

I kept them through April, but let them grow out a bit so I could push them to the side under my hat for Kevin and Danielle's wedding.

I've been wanting to cut them again, but haven't had the money to go to the hairdresser. So what does any good "vintage" girl do when she can't afford something? Make do and mend! 

...ok, maybe that slogan doesn't apply to cutting one's own bangs, but it's all I've got. I've been pouring over pictures of cute rockabilly girls with bangs and desperately wanting "Bettie Bangs". That and watching a million YouTube videos on "How to Cut Your Own Bettie Bangs". I've been dreaming and working up the courage to cut my own bangs for about 3 weeks now. 

Last night I took the plunge. I jumped on the Bang Wagon (get it? "bang" wagon...I'm so lame...). So many other bloggers are sporting the Bettie Bang (or some version of a bang) these days. I just couldn't help but join in the fun. Besides. It's just hair. It'll grow out. 

So before I show you what my hair looks like now, I'll tease you a bit with what I almost chickened out and ended up with:

They're a little uneven...as I said...I was still unsure of whether to proceed or not at this point.

I started to cut and ended up with this inverted Bettie Bang. It was looking a little Bridget Bardot to me so I was considering keeping it like this instead of cutting my hair more. I sat around my house for a few hours before I cut more hair off. 

But I'm happy I did. I'm super happy with my new bangs. 

Here they are:

Here are a few of the photos that inspired my new haircut:

both photos above found here. I don't have original sources. If you know where they're from let me know!

And if you are daring to take the plunge into self-hairdresserdom (that's a word right?) these videos helped me make the first cut:

If I had to give a few pointers to someone looking to bravely cut their own bangs here's what I'd say:

• Give yourself LOTS of time. Not including humming and hawing before I actually started cutting, it took me about 2-3 hours total to cut my bangs (I spent a lot of time cutting tiny bits of hair off and then inspecting the result in the mirror). 
• Take your time. Cut a little at a time and let your hair lay as it would on your forehead, bunching it together and cutting it will result in a mess. 
• Keep your inspiration photos close at hand. I printed mine and taped them to my bathroom mirror for a visual reference while I snipped. 
• Use really sharp scissors. You could use actually haircutting shears or do what I did. Use a small pair of fabric shears. Worked like a charm!
• I put a couple plastic shopping bags in my sink to catch most of the hair so it didn't all go down the drain. 
• Watch videos! They helped so so much!

If you're thinking about taking the plunge: Good Luck! Remember, it's just hair. It'll grow out faster than you think it will. 

Have you cut your own bangs before? Any other tips or pointers? OR, do you have any questions for me? I'm certainly no expert, but I can share more of my experience if you're curious about something I haven't shared. 

Lisa.xo

Outfits: Patio Season

The summer months in Winnipeg are pretty awesome. The city comes alive and everyone heads outside to enjoy the beautiful weather while we have it. We like to call it "Patio Season". Almost every restaurant in Winnipeg has a outdoor patio. I mean really, what is better than sitting outside and enjoying an ice cold beverage?

Last night The Boy and I and another couple went out to The Forks to have a couple drinks at Muddy Waters river-side patio. It might just be my new favourite place to have a few drinks! We started with the white wine sangria which was ok, but spent the rest of the night drinking their amazing Rum Punch! OMG ! It was so freakin' good! 

This is what I wore:

I love this outfit! What's funny about it is that the only vintage item is my purse. Evidence to the fact that you can have a retro look without buying vintage clothes these days. Nothing beats vintage accessories. And you don't have to worry about fit! A purse always fits! lol! 

Oversized Polka Dot Dress: Ricki's

Navy Bow Stretch Belt: Suzy Shear (bought on sale for $2.50!!)

White Bangle: Le Chateau

Navy/White Striped Wedges: Forever 21

Vintage Straw Purse: Thrifted, Value Village

I'm done working for Shakespeare in the Ruins now. My contract ended on Saturday. My next gig starts in two weeks for a one woman show which will be in The Winnipeg Fringe Festival! So you'll be seeing much more of me in the next little while. See you soon!

Lisa.xo