An important hair dilemma.

I am in my sister-in-law's wedding on Friday, and I'm wearing this dress at this venue (outdoors):

And these pumps (please cross your fingers that I don't fall and break my ankle - I don't want to be that bridesmaid who fell down the stairs because of the matching shoes):

And I have this hair, which is ridiculously thick (put your index finger on the tip of your thumb and that's my ponytail) and doesn't like to stay in an updo:

I have to decide on a hairstyle, and don't know what I should do with it.  I hate styles like this that look too perfect (no offense if this is your style, it just looks bad on me):

So, I'm thinking something similar to these options:

What do you think?  Please leave me a comment and help me decide!

Vintage Inspired Swimwear Roundup

As you may recall, I jumped on the pinup style swimsuit bandwagon last year and loved how flirty and flattering the non-skimpy styles can be.  Since it's swimsuit season once again, I decided to round up some of my favorite styles in case you're interested in trading your string bikini for a suit with a little more coverage.

1. Modcloth Bathing Beauty One-Piece - I have this suit in wine and LOVE it.  It's worth every penny and, in my opinion, suggests that you're rocking a style you love rather than trying to cover up your body.
2. Modcloth Plus Size Bathing Beauty One-Piece - It looks great on everyone, I tell you!
3. Azure Padded Underwire Top and Brief via Figleaves
4. Panache Lucille Top and Brief via Figleaves

5. Rasurel Croisette Beandeau Swimsuit
6. Aerin Rose Shirred Healter One-Piece (with hidden underwire!)
7. Kenneth Cole Skirted One-Piece
8. Jantzen Vamp One-Piece

 9. DVF Maryelle Striped Bikini
10. J. Crew Tie Front Beandeau Tank
11. Anthropologie Natalie One-Piece
12. Modcloth Beach Blanket Bingo Two-Piece

So, what kind of suit do you plan to wear this year?

My DIY Weekend Continued: The Painted Built-Ins

When I said I had a weekend of DIY, I was not kidding.  After finishing up the headboard I posted about yesterday, I decided to tackle painting the back of my living room built-ins with leftover teal paint from the dining area.

If you've been around a while, you know that my living room makes me want to throw myself off a cliff with all the beige.  The previous owner painted every wall the color of sand, and with carpet of the same shade, it's waaaaay too much of one non-color.  In the past 7 months, I've painted all but the main living area various shade of gray (my favorite neutral).  Eventually, we'll paint the living room too but it's a huge open space that goes into the dining and kitchen areas so it will be a multi-day event and we're just not up for it yet.  However, I thought the built ins would benefit from some color and it's a small enough area to do by myself over a weekend.

 Before - sorry for the dark phone pic

And two coats of Plumage by Martha Stewart later, I think my little corner looks a while lot fancier:

I still have half a gallon of paint left, so don't be surprised if you see it somewhere else soon.  I think it's my most favorite shade of all time.  And yes, I totally copied Sherry and John over at YHL.  :)

My DIY Weekend: The Upholstered Headboard

Wanting expensive things sucks, doesn't it?  While N and I could technically afford a $1400 bed or $450 headboard, we're both far too practical to get one when our house needs new carpet and tile.  However, rather than go yet another year with a mattress on a metal frame, we decided to just make an upholstered headboard ourselves and then splurge later on when we upgrade to a king size bed or move to a house where a tall headboard won't block the off-center bedroom window.

 The Future (via Z Gallerie)

We started by reading online tutorials from other bloggers who took care to document every step and measurement.  Rather than make this a tutorial, I'll just point you here and here.  N made us a basic queen size headboard from a sheet of plywood that was already in our garage, but if you'd like to skip that step you could just start with a $49.99 Ikea bed frame like Jen at Organized Design.  (We were going to do this, and then realized that Ikea does not design their bed frames for ultra thick pillow top mattresses and the headboard would not come up high enough.)

From there, I took advantage of a big sale at JoAnn's Fabric and bought two sheets of 2" high density foam and some thick, organic cotton batting that wouldn't stretch out when stapled over the foam.  I also picked up four yards of a dove gray suede-ish fabric and washed it to remove all the wrinkles.

Then, I just went nuts with our staple gun.  I covered the legs and the back of the headboard since I had plenty of fabric left over and am pretty happy with the end result.  (You'll notice I abandoned the nail head trim when I realized the potential for mistakes)

The whole project ran about $65 if you don't count what I spent on extra foam that is going to be made into a bench.  I realize it looks odd to have curtains behind a corner of the headboard, but if we move the bed to the left, there won't be room for N to get out on his side.  I want to find who designed this house back in '64 and punch him... except he's probably dead by now.

I think the curtains will get replaced eventually, but I have yet to find any I like better.  I also need to find a bed skirt and hang some art over the bed and on the other empty walls.  What are your ideas for this space?  I spend a lot of time giving advice on the internet and now I need some of my own.  Help!!

P.S. If you want a upholstered headboard like mine and want to skip the DIY part altogether, you can score some similar styles at a comparable price point here.

Under $50 Finds for Spring

I love this time of year because all of my favorite stores are chock full of new items that can be worn across seasons.  Since I live in a state where I can wear shorts for about 9 months, I get a lot of wear out of spring and summer items.  And because I am cheap, I don't like spending more than $50 for anything.  Here are some of my favorites that I wish I were wearing this year:

LOFT Ribbon Drawstring Cardigan (40% Off)

LOFT Jewel Tiered Necklace Shell (40% Off)

LOFT Luxe Jersey Drapey V-Neck Dress (40% Off)

The Limited Ruffle Front Tank

The Limited Stone Flower Studs

The Limited Floral Print Halter Dress (Ok, so it's $68 but close enough...)

Modcloth Fit to Be Teal Dress

Banana Republic Smocked Pull-On Skirt

What pieces do you plan to wear most this spring?  I really want that teal tunic dress!

H&M is online... kinda

At long last, we can browse H&M online.  But we still can't purchase anything.  I think this is more of a tease than anything. 

I want these but have no way to get them unless someone ships me that awesome printed tunic.  Sad day.  :(

Things Every Girl Needs: Confidence

Today's guest blogger for the Things Every Girl Needs series is the lovely and newly engaged Jillian from one of my favorite blogs, Cornflake Dreams.  She's here to talk about one of the most important things we all need: confidence.

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i know it seems corny but confident people (men included!) are magnetic. i tend to be attracted to stong, confident people who have a positive and optimistic outlook on life. sure we all have our off days, but it is nice to be surrounded by others who are confident and secure about themselves. so how do you become one of those confident, happy people? it comes naturally to some , and it takes a little pep-talk and some positive-thinking for everyone else. here are some tips:

1. smile....as often as you can. life's too short to be a crab cakes. 

2. concentrate on the positives in your life. make a list- mental or on a notepad if you need to, so you can bounce back to it when you're feeling down. and remember no one is perfect.

4. set goals and make plans. instead of complaining about wanting to lose weight or how your relationship with a friend isn't as strong as it used to be, do something about it. schedule gym dates and make the time to call and hang out with your friends.

5. admit to yourself that you are really good at something. we all have talents and it's more than okay to be proud of what you're capable of doing.

6. never stop learning and doing. there's lots to see, do, and learn so don't become complacent. you might find a new hobby that you love and something that you're really good at.

7. surround yourself with supportive people. it's important to have friends who love and support you and reinforce your confidence.

note: i am not advocating acting like a diva, there is a difference between confidence and cockiness. however, everyone has the right to be happy, confident and proud of who they are. so grab your signature drink, slip on that perfect little black dress and remember to smile; because the happiest girls are the prettiest girls.

for more fashion, travel and design inspiration stop by my blog, cornflake dreams, anytime and say hello!

xoxo

jillian

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Thanks so much for posting, Jillian!  I wrote "the happiest girls are the prettiest girls" on a card for my bulletin board.  Great advice!

If you'd like to submit a post for this series, send me an email and we'll schedule a date!