Bleak to Chic

This is often how my hair looks in the morning - lovely, I know. People often tell me that if they had my hair they would let it fly free and big in its natural glory . . . well, here it is folks and it ain't no Diana Ross afro. So what's a gal to do when she doesn't have time or, frankly, doesn't want to wash her hair?







Put a scarf on it!
A friend of mine rocks this look often and I love it. I asked her to show me how to do it, to which she replied, with an eye roll, "Jenny! It's so easy. Just flip your head over, tie it, tuck in the corners so you don't look like a cat." Ok!
So here are step by step instructions for those who want to try it.

Flip your head over and tie the scarf, folded into a triangle, at the top of your head.

 Make a bow. or a double knot. or some fancy sailing knot. whatever works.

Tuck your hair into the scarf and bring the triangle tip forward to tuck under the bow.
And don't forget to tuck in the corners so you don't look like a cat!

I also put a bobby pin on each side to ensure no slippage.

a bunch of hot air

Back to obsessing about my hair . . .

As most women (I think), I feel awesome after a trip to the salon. I've been pampered and someone has spent an hour making my hair look great, which only happens when I go to the salon. My hair looks so good, in fact, that I can hardly believe it is my hair. Thus, I end every salon session begging my stylist to show me how to make my hair look like this at home, and the conversation inevitably goes like this:

me: "wow! how can I do this at home?"
stylist: "Take your diffuser - "
me: "I don't have a diffuser"
stylist: "get a diffuser"
me: "i don't even have a hair dryer. i'm not going to get a diffuser. aren't they expensive? isn't there anything else I can do?"
stylist: "you don't have a hair dryer?!"

look how great i will look upside down!

Then I forget her advice until 4-6 months later when I return to have my hair done and we have the aforementioned conversation again.

But this time was different. This time I decided I would finally cave and get a hair dryer and diffuser. SHOCKING, I know. It only took me about 15 years of refusing many stylists' recommendations and even longer of insisting that I am a 'low maintenance woman.' I still think i'm pretty low maintenance and hopefully using a hair dryer won't amp it up that much. I have yet to use it and am hoping it will up my hair confidence. I'll let you know how it goes . . .

i've been conditioned

I just learned that there are women in the world who don't use conditioner . . . and still have great hair.

As someone who cannot fathom ever leaving my hair unconditioned, I was honestly shocked by this. I know, silly thing to be shocked by. But, seriously, that's amazing. 

I knew that men didn't often use conditioner, but I always thought that was a length thing. 

Equally shocking was my discovery of the opposite last year - that lots of curly-haired peeps use conditioner and NOT shampoo. I've started doing this myself, only using shampoo half the time, but always conditioner, and my hair is way less dry. 

But seriously, aren't Shampoo and Conditioner the quintessential bathroom couple!? 

And now I learn, after all these years, that people have been breaking them up in houses all over the world.  I know it's crazy, but it's true. 

do it like a dude

Many people look in the mirror or around at their friends and compare themselves to celebrities they may resemble.

I have never been told I looked like anybody famous, but lately I've noticed that I've been rockin' some Bob Dylan-goes-electric hair. Seriously, it's uncanny.

Then today I was reading an article about internet whiz-kids and couldn't help but see a hair-semblance with Jessie Eisenberg ("The Social Network").

Is it weird that I can relate in looks most to men?
Maybe a little, but it's all good. Those boys have some styling hair!

It ain't all bad

I realize that I mostly use this blog to voice misconceptions (or straight-up whine) about my curly hair, but that's not the whole picture. There are some really great things about having curls, too, so I've made a small list:

1. Curls make people happy. People smile at me brightly when saying, "I love your hair!" It's cheesy to say, but it's really great to be able to give a small joy to someone just by standing there.

2. Babies love me. I'm not sure what it's about, but babies love to stare at me. I think it's the combination of the texture of my hair and the light reflecting in my glasses. Whatever the reason, it's awesome!

3. People always think my hair looks good. Granted, I don't go out with the worst bed head, but still, sometimes I'll think I'm having the worst hair day ever and still get compliments. I can get away with being pretty lazy and I love it!

4. I never look like anyone else. Often I see this as a negative thing, but in a world where so many people have the same clothes, bags, shoes, etc. it's actually pretty cool to have a unique look.

P.S. Do you like my pictures? We watched "Napoleon Dynamite" last week and I was inspired by Glamour Shots by Deb (who wouldn't be?!).  All I need now are some great '80s bedsheets to use as backgrounds, then I'll pretty much have a business. pretty much. . .

Cut it out!

I got my hair cut today.

I love going to see my stylist, Sally, (co-owner of Joji's Salon.) She has great energy, is always up for trying something new, and we have really interesting conversations while she chops. She's also the only hairstylist I've ever had with straight hair. How she knows what to do with curls is mystifying.

In contrast to my awesome experience with Sally, I have not always had a positive relationship with hairstylists. I've dealt with numerous bad haircuts, stylists who were too precious/possessive about my curls, and people who just had no clue what to do with my curls and decided to treat it like straight hair. Different situations which all end the same: tears.

It was fated that I find Sally, though. I was shopping on Main Street, feeling terrible about my grown-out haircut, and I stumbled upon a shopgirl with amazing curls. I, of course, think I have the right to talk to anyone with curly hair and find out all I can about how they care for it. She told me excitedly about her stylist, Sally, and the rest is history.

Go check her out for a great cut, good tea, and a heavenly head massage.

The Sheila E look

Every once in awhile i get tired of fighting my perfectly '80s hair and just go for it. I went to the pool the night before and must have slept on my right side because I woke up with my hair looking like this. So instead of fighting it I secured it with pins and went on my way. It was so fun to wear my hair differently. 

I was instantly reminded of Sheila E, who was the percussionist for Prince at the height of his career. I have no clue how I can even remember her because I would have been so young, but she must have made an impression on me. 

She has amazing beats, a style all her own, and competed in a field dominated by men at the time. Just wearing my hair like her made me feel empowered. Here's to you, Sheila E, you still kick ass!

                                                                                    

ideally . . .

Showering at night seems ideal to me. 

The hot water feels good after a day's work and I go to sleep feeling clean and relaxed. 

There's also way less chance of a water conflict with the upstairs neighbours. 

But then I wake up to this. . .

        

And I basically need to shower all over again to fix my hair. 

Ideals and reality don't always meet (sigh).

wow, did you do something to your hair?

 I've been told a few times this weekend that my hair looks "especially good," (followed by, "not that it usually looks bad, i mean . . . just today, i don't know . . . it's nice") so here are a few shots.

The only difference I can notice is that my curls are softer, but I've been using a bit of gel with my hair cream, so theoretically they should be harder. Maybe it's the change in weather? Whatever it is, people seem to be liking it.

I don't often notice the subtle differences in my hair anymore because I have long ago surrendered to the fact that my hair has a mind of its own. I cannot control it in any way, shape, or form. Sure, I can use nice hair products to guide it and hope that the curls listen, but the results are out of my hands. Like when you give a friend advice, they might take it and they might not . . . you just have to go with it.

Brushed.

People often ask me how I brush my hair. I don't. This picture demonstrates why.
Big, fluffy frizz. Like sticking your finger in an electric socket.

This question is often followed up with the person describing excitedly how they would totally wear their hair big and afro-y if they had my hair. Really?!
I find that difficult to believe.

Alberta Bound

Sorry I haven't been keeping up with the blogging. I'm in Alberta visiting with family and sitting off to the side behind a computer seems a waste of precious time that could be spent visiting with my 95 yr old Grandma, 2 yr old niece, and all other ages of family in between.

But here, I found a kitchen (why do I always take my pictures in a kitchen?!) in which to take a picture of my hair. Freshly washed with Yes to Carrots conditioner (which I bought on a whim at Shoppers because it was on sale and, though choosing hair products at random usually goes terribly wrong, I'm LOVING!) Finished off with Sebastian Potion #9 (thank you, sister, for sharing) and Aveda Be Curly. I still haven't made up my mind about Be Curly, though. I don't know that it's worth the $30 price tag. . . jury's still out.

The -15 weather in Calgary hasn't noticeably effected my hair, but I've been well distracted by a cold, making it through a weekend in close quarters with family, and a super cute 2 yr old ("Auntie Jenny want play! Laila want play!")

Lastly, no Calgary hair blogging session would be complete without including a photo of our brother-in-
law's baby beard. Yes, as his wife carries their child for 9 months, he shows solidarity by not

shaving his beard or cutting his hair. It's a choice. . . The Yeard, as it is lovingly referred to, is much further along than in this picture as our nephew is due in 5 weeks. Better start sharpening those razor blades, Jeremy . . .

Just my imagination

Today, I saw a woman who has the hair that I only think I have - dark auburn, tight, luscious curls that shimmer under the light. I then glanced in the mirror, thinking I would see something very similar to that, only to realize that my hair doesn't look anything like that.

Many people think that I have natural auburn hair (which I didn't even know existed) because I've been dying it some shade of red or caramel since I was 12. I've recently decided to stop dying my hair (at least for now, I'm not making any life commitments here), mostly because I have no idea what my natural hair colour is anymore and I think that's a little ridiculous. I've also just become frustrated with the cycle of roots and dyeing.

So now to the task of working with what I actually have and not just what I imagine I have.

That blur to the right is my mom. I was trying to take a picture of both of us but she wasn't too keen/didn't quite get it. ("I mean, I don't even know how I would get to a blog, Jenny")