Ombré/Dip Dye Colour On Short Hair

Posted in Beauty, Daily Outfits.

I am the long-suffering owner of baby-fine, wispy hair. It’s entirely uninspiring – poker straight but dries kinky, can’t hold a wave or curl and falls flat at the first sign of inclement weather. I’ve tried everything to get it to do something, anything, but other than having it all cut off into a pixie crop, nothing worked.

I’m also cursed with a fickle personality and boredom can and will strike at any moment. So after a few years with the pixie crop and a few months growing it out, I decided I needed a change. And in my infinite wisdom, I chose this photo as my inspiration.

Now, I’m not really Alexa’s biggest fan but you can’t deny it – the girl got good hair. It’s also thick, lustrous and styled by an army of pros. So easily achievable, then! As another of my traits is stubbornness I went resolutely to the hairdressers, print-out in hand, and asked for an Alexa (cut and colour).

alexa chung ombre dip dyed

And I love it! Paul and Emma at Rebel PinUp in Leeds were amazing – as I’m naturally blonde, I had a ‘reverse dip dye’ where a dark chocolate brown was applied to the roots and left to take. After half an hour, colourist Paul worked some bleach through the ends to mix with my natural (ish… I did have dye on before but it was very faded) colour to create the dip dye/ombre effect. Then stylist Emma gave me a centre parted choppy bob with sweepy fringe bits (technical term) on each side.

I’m so happy with the end result. I’ve never seen the ombré technique on short hair before but I love the mix of colours, and the rough cut ensures it’s not too blocky. It’s also great if, like me, you’re very pale but love the drama of dark hair. I can’t pull off an all-over dark colour because it washes me out, so the lighter ends lift the whole thing and stop that ‘risen from the dead’ look.

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ombre hair short
Topshop Kristen jeans, American Apparel jumper and t-shirt, Gap blazer, Vivienne Westwood shoes and drawstring bag c/o Sarenza, H&M ring, F21 necklace, antique necklace c/o astrid & miyu

In honour of my shiny new hair, I dressed up my jeans-and-jumper outfit with my favourite shoes and some cute jewels. After taking these photos I realised it’s Valentine’s Day and I’m wearing pink and hearts which is terribly cliché, but never mind.

So what do you think of the hair – like it?

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Is This Your First Time?

Posted in Daily Outfits, Fashion.

Last week I wrote about SS12’s neon trend and wore a loud and proud neon outfit. Although many of you shared my enthusiasm for eye-blistering brights, lots said they wouldn’t wear a head-to-toe highlighter outfit. So today I went for something slightly more subtle…

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Zara lace dress, French Connection coat, ASOS belt, F21 orange neon bracelet, pink neon bracelet via eBay, ring via charity shop, beaded clutch c/o Next

If you’re new to neons, grey makes a great base for brighter colours. It’s a softer shade than black, so there’s less contrast between colours and the overall effect is much more refined. And a neutral shade will add a touch of class to even the most obnoxious shade of orange (see my belt).

So now you have no excuse – a sweet and subtle introduction to neons for those with a tendency towards the dark side. What do you think – is this look the one for you?

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Are You A Total Cliché?

Posted in Blogging.

Recently, I got talking to someone I’d never met before about fashion blogging. This person wasn’t a blogger, but a casual reader and sometime commenter. When I told her I was a fashion blogger myself, she said:

“Oh, I bet you love cupcakes and bunting and Peter Pan collars and ombre hair, don’t you?”

Ummm… yes. But am I really that easy to second guess? Am I a total fashion blogger cliché?

Dessert table for Nonpareil Magazine
Macarons, cupcakes, cake stands and peonies. All that’s missing is the bunting… 
Image from Shauna Young Dessert Tables’ Flickr

Being part of a community makes you susceptible to the likes and dislikes of others within that community. When people gather together because of a shared interest – be it fashion, music, or an appreciation for horror films from 1956-1962 – it’s inevitable they’ll have other things in common, too.

In my final year of university (many moons ago… okay, 2007), I decided to base my dissertation on fashion in subcultures and how the groups that label themselves ‘alternative’ (I focused most on goths and punks) actually follow a very strict dress code. Although a gothic look may be unique when compared to your average Joe on the street, gothic dressing in general is formulaic – the black clothes, eyeliner, lace, dark hair, studded belts all signify difference, but they’re also a uniform. The look tells an outsider that they’re not one of them, but tells other goths they are.

Following the lead of others is a natural instinct and something that happens in all areas of life. We take our cues from popular culture, the media and our peers. And when you’re part of a community, looking and dressing alike just reinforces that sense of belonging.

So yes – maybe I am a bit of a blogger cliché. I like teacups and vintage suitcases. I own a Cambridge Satchel and now want a Furla Candy bag. And I’m seriously considering ombre hair. But I’m part of a community, and I like to think that enjoying some of the stereotypes of fashion blogging is just a way of participating in the community. Is that such a bad thing?

What do you think? Are you a fashion blogger cliché, or do you strive for individuality?

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What Jen Did

Posted in Blogging, Fashion.

I’ve been doing lots of stuff recently. Here’s a snapshot of life through my Instagram lens…

SS12 fashion preview spring summer 2012 collections Next SS12 SS12 candy pastels trend

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Next SS12 press day

I always have such a great time at the Next press days and blog events. The team at Next always put in that extra effort to make bloggers feel welcome and included, which I really appreciate. It can be a little awkward when events include both journalists and bloggers, especially if the brand treat the two parties differently, so it was lovely to mingle with the pros for the SS12 preview then go off with the bloggers for afternoon tea, cocktails and chats at the Covent Garden Hotel.

Clearly I had one too many cocktails at this point because I don’t have a single photo of the afternoon tea – rest assured it was delish. As was Next’s SS12 collection – hello candy colours!

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Polaroid ‘Best Under The Sun’ press day

After Next, Winnie and I met Kristabel for the Polaroid press day. The brand is celebrating 75 years of design by re-releasing some of their classic styles, and their press day was more like a museum tour with vintage frames from as far back as the 1920s. I loved seeing the development of the brand through the years and was particularly enamoured with the 50s – gotta love those cat-eye shades!

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Cyber Candy and Liberty

I always try to cram as much as possible into my trips to London, so as well as press days and meetings I also hit up Cyber Candy and Liberty – two London landmarks (at least of the retail variety) that are always worth a visit.

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Wooden bunting c/o Next and vintage suitcases made into a bedside table

Back in Leeds, I decided to go for a slight bedroom redesign. I hung the adorable bunting that came in the Next goody bag from the beam – doesn’t it look cute? If you follow me on Pinterest you’ll know I am OBSESSED with beams, and I think adding a bit of bunting is a great way to create a feature.

The vintage-suitcases-as-bedside-tables thing has been floating around the web for ages and as I’m somewhat of a suitcase hoarder, I decided to give it a go. I love it – it’s now the main focal point of the room.

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Wearing a Diesel parka, Matalan dress and Hunter wellies for a snowy Sunday lunch at The Mustard Pot

It snowed. Great. I’m not a huge fan of snow, especially after Christmas and especially if I’m on a charity shop binge when it starts coming down and have to navigate across Leeds to get home. But once I had my Hunters and parka on (both TK Maxx bargains by the way!) I was good to go and Rob and I warmed up with a tasty Sunday roast at one of our favourite local restaurants.

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January GlossyBox (c/o) and a peek inside my makeup bag

I’ve been receiving a GlossyBox every month for a while now and think the concept is great. When it comes to beauty I know what I like (and what works) and tend to stick to it, so anything that encourages me to try new products is a winner in my book. I’m also a bit of a beauty snob so I love the high end focus.

I’ve been reading more beauty blogs recently (gh0stparties, British Beauty Blogger and ETCLLYMLRS are my favourites) and although I love them, they are TERRIBLE for my bank balance. Much more so than fashion blogs – it seems so much easier to invest in a new foundation than a new outfit. And as you can see from my abundance of products (pretty much all bought in the last few months), I’ve been investing heavily!

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My desk at Duke Studios and the BBC Yorkshire building which is right by my office

The most exciting news I have to share is my recent move into a shared studio. I’ve been running my own business since June last year and a few weeks ago I wrote about the peaks and perils of freelancing, one of which is working from home and how hard it can be. I know it sounds all fun and games – working from bed in your PJs, eating your way through the fridge, never wearing proper shoes – but after 6 months it was wearing me down.

When I heard about Duke Studios I was instantly interested and after a visit, totally smitten. It’s astounding that there’s never been anything like this in Leeds – a city packed full of creative individuals and independent agencies – before. Duke is a collaborative working space filled with likeminded people, and I rent a desk within it. I have all the freedom of being my own boss but within a creative agency environment, which has done wonders for my productivity. And the Not Bored Room is something else – more on that at another time.

So, that’s what I’ve been up to. It’s been a busy few weeks to say the least!

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SS12 Trend – Neons

Posted in Daily Outfits, Fashion.

Now before you write me off as a finicky fashion follower and slave to the establishment, let me just say – I don’t normally buy in to trends. I generally know what’s ‘in’ each season and I love to see how styles created on the catwalk filter down to the high street, but I’m not that girl dressed head-to-toe in Aztec prints (so AW11).

But from time to time, a trend will really catch my eye. For SS11 I loved colour blocking, and this year I’m all about the neons.

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Neon pink dress from charity shop, beaded bag c/o Next, F21 bracelet, ASOS belt, Bertie boots

My camera didn’t quite capture the true colour of this dress. It’s definitely more bold, bright and beautiful  than the photos show! I love to mix this shade of pink with neon orange – the gorgeous Next bag is a perfect example of how well they work together. Add in a dash of bright yellow and some simple black ankle boots and you have yourself a deal.

Which SS12 trends do you want in your wardrobe? Are you a fan of neons?

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