For years I wanted to colour my hair blonde. I'd always tried darker shades but, being so fair skinned, would end up looking dull. It was a logical decision - my father and sister are both naturally dark blonde - but I just couldn't get myself to take the risk, and I think it was because I'd seen and heard so many horror stories. Now, having been there and done that, I'm going to let you in on my do's and don'ts for going blonde.
DON'T do it yourself. Seriously, unless you're a hairdresser put the bleach down and step away. I have seen too many brassy monstrosities in my lifetime and let me tell you, not many people can pull off yellow. Don't get me wrong, I've coloured my own hair before and sometimes it works out great but if it requires bleaching, take your tresses to the professionals.
DO start saving. Maintaining coloured hair is expensive, especially blonde, and there's no way of avoiding it. Although there are a few ways you can save your pennies. Firstly, don't bother getting it completely coloured every six weeks, maintaining your roots and only doing an all over colour every third or fourth session not only saves you money, it saves your hair. The less colouring it has to go through the better. Worried about going brassy? Don't be - just invest in a good toning shampoo and conditioner (will probably set you back around $30 a bottle) and use it around once or twice a week. This will prevent your hair from going yellow, I'm currently using Delorenzo.
DON'T get highlights with the intention of gradually going completely blonde. Trust me, I did this thinking I'd save my hair from damage and all I did was waste hundreds of dollars only to result in doing a full colour anyway. Double the damage and double the price. I don't care what the hairdressers say, it never goes completely blonde! Instead your stuck in a constant battle to get your hair the one colour. Don't be fooled, if you want to go completely blonde, do just that and leave the highlights.
DO condition religiously. This step is so important for bleached hair because, yes, it will get damaged and there's not all that much you can do to prevent it. However, you can restore the condition of your hair to some extent. Leave in treatments will be your new best friend and, on top of this, you'll need to deep condition at least once a week to keep your hair happy. Ideally, you'll get a leave in treatment that works as a heat protectant as well. Having some sort of guard against the harsh heat of flat irons, curlers and the like is essential for both natural and coloured hair. Some of the best leave in conditioners I've used are from Delorenzo, Wella and Toni & Guy, but it's hard to recommend particular products because it totally depends on your hair type!
So hopefully if you were on the fence about going blonde, these inside tips have pushed you one way or another. They do say, though, that change is as good as a holiday!
Sunday 13 April 2014
Wednesday 9 April 2014
{Five Fashion Finds Under $50}
Keeping up with the latest trends is essential for the fashion lover however, for most of us, changing wardrobes with the seasons can really strain the budget. Covering three current fashion trends, I've put in the hard graft to find you five hot pieces that won't burn a hole in your pocket.
Bold and Bright
Aussie fashionistas have been spotted in eye-catching bright ensembles on the Sydney streets for MBFWA, either pairing with bold prints or going completely monochrome. If, like myself, you find bright shades to be overwhelming for your skin tone, or if it's just an area you don't dare tread, you could adapt the trend to a more comfortable outfit by working in some bright accessories.
Mismatched Prints
A somewhat out there but fun trend that, when done right, looks amazing. Admittedly I'm yet to give this one a try but the intention is there! Hopefully these cheap yet chic pieces will spark some motivation.
All white everything
It's no secret that white on white is still a thing (suss the Sydney street style at MBFW), and I am certainly not complaining. I love the crisp, clean look of an all-white ensemble and generally the pieces on their own never go to waste in your wardrobe because white is always classic.
Bold and Bright
Aussie fashionistas have been spotted in eye-catching bright ensembles on the Sydney streets for MBFWA, either pairing with bold prints or going completely monochrome. If, like myself, you find bright shades to be overwhelming for your skin tone, or if it's just an area you don't dare tread, you could adapt the trend to a more comfortable outfit by working in some bright accessories.
 |
| Collette Hayman Peta Quilt Plate Crossbody $16.95 |
Mismatched Prints
A somewhat out there but fun trend that, when done right, looks amazing. Admittedly I'm yet to give this one a try but the intention is there! Hopefully these cheap yet chic pieces will spark some motivation.
 |
| Bardot Geo Pant $40.00 |
 |
| Temt Artistic Painting Cami $24.95 |
All white everything
It's no secret that white on white is still a thing (suss the Sydney street style at MBFW), and I am certainly not complaining. I love the crisp, clean look of an all-white ensemble and generally the pieces on their own never go to waste in your wardrobe because white is always classic.
 |
| Forever New April Clutch $19.99 |
 |
| Bardot Cape Blouse $50.00
|
Tuesday 8 April 2014
{Tuesday Trend: Make Me Blush}
A wave of femininity is hitting our shores this season with trending colour, blush. This gorgeous shade is complementary to virtually all skin tones and has been featured in collections by Balmain, Elie Saab, and closer to home, Zimmerman. Pair with floral prints for a feminine look or use the hue to soften an edgy ensemble. True to my love of all things girly, I'll definitely be following this trend. Check out some of my lust-worthy blush finds below:
 |
| Zimmerman Carousel Flocked Dot Shirt $275 |
 |
| Forever New Allie Day Bag $69.95 |
 |
| Sportsgirl Knot Front Top $69.95 |
Saturday 5 April 2014
{Shopping On A Student Budget}
The downside to being a fashion-conscious student is rarely being able to afford to practice what you preach. If your outfits scream strapped-for-cash student instead of fabulous fashionista, you need to keep reading as I spill my tried and true tips for shopping smarter and looking stylish on a student budget.
Don't be seduced by sales
I used to go completely sales crazy, often buying a stack of items just because they were going at low prices. It didn't matter that the top I picked up was baby-vomit green and wouldn't go with one thing in my wardrobe because it was designer, and 70% off the recommended retail price! Can't argue with that, right? Wrong. That top, among many others, would sit untouched in my wardrobe for months. Untouched because it was hideous, but kept its place because I just couldn't bring myself to throw out something I hadn't even worn once. Add the cost of all those awful sale items together and I could have bought myself a handful of great quality, timeless basic pieces that go with everything.
I'm not telling you to stay away from sales completely - I've also picked up a lot of worthwhile finds - but question all your choices and ensure they make the cut before you buy. Is the piece my style? Can I think of at least three items in my wardrobe that this piece will go with? Would I still consider this piece if it was full price? If you answered yes to all three, it's a pretty safe purchase. If not, put those disastrous threads down, girl!
Quality over quantity
I started to touch on this idea in the first shopping tip; rather than buying ten cheap items for a particular season, buy one good quality, timeless piece that could be the staple for a number of outfits. Typical wardrobe essentials include black pants, a pair of jeans, a white shirt, a neutral coloured coat, a little black dress and a blazer. These basics can be worn with anything, through any trend in any season. Once you've accumulated a bunch of great staples, you can get away with buying a couple of chain store items each season to incorporate the current trend into your timeless look. If you get the foundations right, you'll add style and class to any outfit.
Sell your old wardrobe to fund your new one
So you've scanned your wardrobe after reading my first two shopping tips and realised you have more unwanted items than your local rubbish dump: countless mid-year sale monstrosities, skirts that were so two seasons ago and jeans you kept as a memento of when you were two sizes smaller. Now you want to clear out and start fresh, and can make some moolah while you're at it! Contact your local markets and find out the cost of holding your own stall for a day. It's normally only a small fee, but you could reduce the cost even further by getting your friends in on the action and encouraging them to do the same. Take all your unwanted clothes, shoes, bags and accessories and price them between $2-$15 dollars (depending on the item) for a quick sale.
If the items are unworn or designer, it might be better to sell them online to really get what they're worth; eBay is great for this, or you can even put some stuff up on your Facebook and Instagram account. Alternatively, hold a garage sale and attract buyers by making road signs or flyers on the noticeboard at your local supermarket. This way you won't need to outlay any costs on setting up a stall, but can still attract a large number of buyers. Depending on how much things you're selling, you should be able to get enough to fund the first piece of your smarter wardrobe. Of course, you should donate anything that doesn't sell to your local second hand store. You can continue to do this once or twice every year with your season-specific chain store purchases to keep your wardrobe current and uncluttered.
Hopefully these tips will help all you ladies on a budget to shop smarter and look more stylish than you ever have. Do you have any advice on getting more out of your hard earned cash? Let me know in the comment section!
XO Dani
Don't be seduced by sales
I used to go completely sales crazy, often buying a stack of items just because they were going at low prices. It didn't matter that the top I picked up was baby-vomit green and wouldn't go with one thing in my wardrobe because it was designer, and 70% off the recommended retail price! Can't argue with that, right? Wrong. That top, among many others, would sit untouched in my wardrobe for months. Untouched because it was hideous, but kept its place because I just couldn't bring myself to throw out something I hadn't even worn once. Add the cost of all those awful sale items together and I could have bought myself a handful of great quality, timeless basic pieces that go with everything.
I'm not telling you to stay away from sales completely - I've also picked up a lot of worthwhile finds - but question all your choices and ensure they make the cut before you buy. Is the piece my style? Can I think of at least three items in my wardrobe that this piece will go with? Would I still consider this piece if it was full price? If you answered yes to all three, it's a pretty safe purchase. If not, put those disastrous threads down, girl!
Quality over quantity
I started to touch on this idea in the first shopping tip; rather than buying ten cheap items for a particular season, buy one good quality, timeless piece that could be the staple for a number of outfits. Typical wardrobe essentials include black pants, a pair of jeans, a white shirt, a neutral coloured coat, a little black dress and a blazer. These basics can be worn with anything, through any trend in any season. Once you've accumulated a bunch of great staples, you can get away with buying a couple of chain store items each season to incorporate the current trend into your timeless look. If you get the foundations right, you'll add style and class to any outfit.
Sell your old wardrobe to fund your new one
So you've scanned your wardrobe after reading my first two shopping tips and realised you have more unwanted items than your local rubbish dump: countless mid-year sale monstrosities, skirts that were so two seasons ago and jeans you kept as a memento of when you were two sizes smaller. Now you want to clear out and start fresh, and can make some moolah while you're at it! Contact your local markets and find out the cost of holding your own stall for a day. It's normally only a small fee, but you could reduce the cost even further by getting your friends in on the action and encouraging them to do the same. Take all your unwanted clothes, shoes, bags and accessories and price them between $2-$15 dollars (depending on the item) for a quick sale.
If the items are unworn or designer, it might be better to sell them online to really get what they're worth; eBay is great for this, or you can even put some stuff up on your Facebook and Instagram account. Alternatively, hold a garage sale and attract buyers by making road signs or flyers on the noticeboard at your local supermarket. This way you won't need to outlay any costs on setting up a stall, but can still attract a large number of buyers. Depending on how much things you're selling, you should be able to get enough to fund the first piece of your smarter wardrobe. Of course, you should donate anything that doesn't sell to your local second hand store. You can continue to do this once or twice every year with your season-specific chain store purchases to keep your wardrobe current and uncluttered.
Hopefully these tips will help all you ladies on a budget to shop smarter and look more stylish than you ever have. Do you have any advice on getting more out of your hard earned cash? Let me know in the comment section!
XO Dani
Tuesday 18 March 2014
{Elie Saab Haute Couture // SS 2014}
One of my major aspirations in life is to wear an Elie Saab gown... not kidding. That man is a God and his designs are something other-worldly. Needless to say, the SS 2014 collection didn't disappoint. The intricate detail, flowing, feminine cuts and whimsical colours were, as always, breathtakingly gorgeous. I particularly fell in love with the first gown to grace the runway in a beautiful soft pink hue, but the best was definitely saved for last, a gorgeous couture bridal gown embellished with perfectly placed flowers and a hint of sparkle.
Will most certainly be dressed in this amazing designer on my wedding day, or when I reach celebrity status... whichever comes sooner.
Swoon over my favourites from the collection below:
Which one was your favourite? Let me know in the comment section!
XO Dani
Images: Getty
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