Spring weather tease

The temperatures have been relatively mild for the past few days. I know it's still January, but if I want to wear a sundress, I will. No worries, the outfit still screams 'winter' in some aspects though. Like, I'm wearing three layers on my feet. I definitely love this cardigan as a good transition piece though. Now, if only the real spring would hurry.

I also think I might have a new obsession for red lipstick. It's kind of hard to tell in these photos, but it's there. I've been using Revlon lipstick, and I'm liking it so far. I might do a post in the near future reviewing it.

What I'm wearing:
-Blue sun dress
-Beige American Eagle cardigan
-Black stockings
-White socks
-Grey knee-high socks
-Brown Charlotte Russe lace-up boots
-Grey fedora

Happy end of January!

xo A Talentless Mess

We all look like we feel

The problem with university is that time passes by too quickly. There's winter break and then BAM, it's midterm time. I came to the realization today that things are going to get a whole lot busier a whole lot faster than I expected. With all these papers to write and midterms to study for, I gotta get my nerd on. Perhaps if I look like a nerd, I'll start thinking like one?
(Oh yes, I'm writing this as I'm supposed to be memorizing for a presentation tomorrow, so I don't think it helped...)

What I'm wearing:
-Navy Jcrew blouse
-Brown Charlotte Russe work boots
-Navy striped Forever 21 Suspenders
-Black Urban Outfitters glasses

I got the title 'We all look like we feel' from the lyrics of Dashboard Confessional's Stolen. This has to be one of my favourite slow tunes. With every listen, it brings me to a sunny beach somewhere in California just watching the waves crash onto the shoreline with a heavy heart. Not that I've ever done that.

xo A Talentless Mess

It's a red carpet tradition

Now what kind of a fashion blogger would I be without my list of best and worst dressed celebs that dawned last night's Golden Globe awards? It's no doubt that these stars turned heads- for better or for worse.

Best Dressed

Nicole Kidman was looking stunning in this simple asymmetrical gown with detailing on the shoulder. The bow accentuates her figure nicely, and the glitz was toned enough to keep it fancy yet classy. Don't we all wish that we'd look that good at her age?

Mila Kunis is lovely in an asymmetrical dress by Vera Wang. The shade of green compliments her skin and her brunette up-do nicely. A bit of a more unconventional dress because of the detailing around the shoulder and waist, but not in a tacky way. If want to go for an extra kick in your dress, this is the way to do it.

Olivia Wilde pulls off the princess gown elegantly without looking like Prom Night Barbie. The sequins on the upper half of the dress are exquisite, gradually fading into the black hem. I don't normally like puffy dresses, but this is as good as it gets. It's almost as if she has the night sky reflected in her dress.

Glee's Dianna Agron takes on the minimalist style wearing this lovely creme strapless. This is made all the more beautiful by her stunning necklace. I especially like how the dress drags on the ground, yet its layering allows you to get a glimpse of her shoes. A truly ravishing clean look.

Clare Danes showed off her toned body in this backless halter dress. The pastels and pinks seemed to be quite popular, but Danes' shade compliments her blond hair perfectly. A cheerful and refreshing look paired with that good ol' Red Carpet class.

Worst Dressed

Julianne Moore didn't quite get the memo when it comes to asymmetrical dresses. She almost looks as though she's being swallowed by that one sleeve of hers. The colour has potential to be flattering, but perhaps not in such long proportions.

Heidi Klum resembled an ice cream cone with her shades of pink, tan, and brown. The dress resembles something you might wear as a beach cover-up, not at the Golden Globes.

Speaking of ice cream, Emma Stone decided to try this peach sherbert coloured gown. I've seen this one on best and worst dressed lists. For me though, this goes on my worst dressed list. The cut does not do much for her shape and the shade leaves her looking invisible.

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Sometimes, I wonder who watches awards shows for the actual awards nowadays. This time around especially, I feel like I've heard more buzz about the fashions than about the awards.

xo A Talentless Mess

It's a new year- go digital.

Looking back on my last post, I could've been a whole lot more thorough with my pictures and descriptions. So here it is, a full digital perm guide on what it is, what it looks like, and why it is for you.

Digital perms originated in Korea and its popularity has spread primarily to Japan, but is also popular in other countries as well. Digital perms are still fairly new, so prices are still relatively high. In general, they are more expensive than normal perms. Personally, my perm was for $350 CAD. I was told that the majority of costs covers the importation of the digital perm machine and the chemicals used in the hair since they are (apparently) not yet available in North America.

A digital perm does the same job as a normal perm- it curls your hair. The main difference in the process is that there are less chemicals- none of which are ammonia-based. Therefore, it is healthier for your hair. You will find that hair appears shinier, less dry, and less frizzy than with a normal perm. Another difference is the results that are achieved. Digital perms tend to offer curls that are softer and wavier. Also, instead of starting from the roots, curls begin around the ears. Unlike normal perms (aka. cold perms), digital perms (aka. hot perms) use a machine to emit heat directly to hair in curlers. If you note in the picture below, each curler is connected to a wire.

In general, the process takes longer than normal perms. My digital perm process took a total of 4 hours (including air drying and heat cooling).

Machine used in digital perming

Digital perms are very low maintenance. Air dry or blow dry- the results are easy to achieve consistently. Simply curl your hair with your fingers after washing or in the morning for instant results. Overall, digital perms last for about 6 months to a year.

Like normal perms, digital perms work best on hair that is neither thin nor coarse, but results would be seen on all hair types. Personally, I have very thin hair and long hair, so I would not be able to get large extravagant curls, but something more along the lines of gentle waves. Curls can be thin, medium, or large. You can also decide how tight you want the curls- hair type permitting.

Before

After

My hair may not be extremely curly, but at least it's noticeably more volumized. So far, it is very easy to maintain. My hair is naturally straight, but I suffer from terrible bedhead, so I would actually flat iron my hair every morning. That was definitely making my hair dry and unhealthy, so now I'm hoping to put away the flat iron and just let my hair be.

xo A Talentless Mess

Hair today...

I got myself a little Christmas gift. I got myself a digital perm.

So the difference between a normal perm and a digital perm is that a digital perm uses less chemicals and different heating techniques to curl hair. It is similar to Japanese straightening. It is still fairly new, but some salons (particularly Asian salons) do offer it in North America.

My hair is very thin, so the curls didn't end up too large or extravagant; more like gentle curls/a relaxed beach waves.

Before

After

More pictures will come in my future blogs since digital perms last for about a year.

xo A Talentless Mess