Angie's Blog

New palette for me that's working with the new honey blonde hair. Enjoying it and having fun :)

              Peached Toffee + Blush + Citron + White 

Went out shopping with a casual client for most of the day. I wore smart casual: 

• New bush pants. GORGEOUS FABRIC and quality. 
• Old Citron Sweater - hasn't pilled!
• Peached Toffee Pleather Moto - NAS last year.
• White WEATHERPROOF golf shoes (dressier than sneakers and super comfy. Bought on deep discount last year).
• Old white Furla and citron strap.
• Pearls.

Also, the perfect oatmeal trench coat found me at J.Crew! On my shopping list for a while. Beautifully made, detachable hood, (a must for Seattle when you're on foot like me), versatile longer length, tortoiseshell buttons, modern classic, great for layering, and dressy. It worked well over this outfit! Sorry - no pic of that. Next time....

REVELATION: my new hair colour allows me to wear beige well! (I've amassed quite a few solid beige items over the last six months). It's not soul-sucking with my complexion ;)  Especially with my sour brights, blues, and whites. First item on my Fall/Winter shopping list is a MAXI wool oatmeal coat. I have worn my shorter wool oatmeal coat to death. It's my new essential. 

https://www.jcrew.com/p/BF456?.....bb5020e317

I continue to wear white, ivory, and cream with joy. Now I can add beige!!! It's UNEXPECTED.

Thanks for looking! xo

Bought hair clips on a whim at Anthropologie a few months ago. Gold and white pearls. Fab sartorial match ;)

I used to wear my hair clipped back like this about 20 to 25 years ago. When I didn't wear my clip, people would ask me - where is your clip! I've come full circle, I guess.....

Now that my hair is finally longer, I've added the clips back in, now and then. Really embracing CHANGE - (my word for the year, and following through like gangbusters). 

A little '60s. A little Downton Abbey. Modern Retro. Just for fun! And keeps the fringe out of my face when I'm annoyed with it. 

Pics with varying hair clip styles. Thanks for looking. xo

For those who are interested.....

This was a SLOG of a grow-out when your hair is slow growing like mine!

I do not recommend growing out your hair from a super short pixie with no fringe, to shoulder length hair with long fringe - unless you are very motivated!! Which I was, and still am. I have four more inches to go! Then I will have reached my goal, and I'll be super satisfied. Still have odd layers and a fringe to grow out.

Completely natural colour! I'm a dark blonde, or honey blonde now. Have not dyed it in a year. It's much lighter when the sun shines on it (#3). If I lived in a sunny place, my hair would be naturally sun-kissed like it was when I lived in Cape Town.

I prefer my light blue specs with my darker hair! (#4 and #5)

My goal is to keep it soft, simple, natural, polished, and in excellent condition. Sometimes straight and sometimes wavy. I'm wearing fun pearl clips and barettes too! Pics at some point. 

This is blow dried straight. Not quite long enough to look fab behind one ear, but getting there.

LOVE the infrequent visits to the salon, the very short time in the salon chair, and the much cheaper service.

This is the last day of our end of year break and we are relaxing very casually at home. This is as casual as I go. I'm about to do some cooking and take the doggies for a walk. 

I'm on a mission to make quite big changes in my life - and this has been one change. A goal accomplished :) 

It's getting there! Had some layers put in to give it some shape 6 weeks ago. Now it can grow! Have 4 inches to go. (#3 is the inspiration style). 

100% my natural colour. No grey. Love the healthy condition! Getting use to the dark honey blonde. Hubs Greg loves it. Never wants me to colour my hair again.

Wearing it straight and wavy. This is straight. Gryffin, Tanya  and Helena will be proud :) 

And a pic in really bad light of WIW yesterday running errands in oldies. 8 year old gilet - waving at Suz! 5 year old jumper, 7 year old jeans, 6 year old boots, 3 year old bag. Broken toe still on the mend......

Thanks for looking. Off to work with a client all day. xo

Followed videos this morning, and tried "flat iron waves" for the first time. That means gently waving my hair with a flat iron for what I call "flat volume".  I'm not good at the technique yet, but I will practice and get better! It's different to my classic round waves, and I like to change things up.

Shout out to Sal, Gryffin, LJP, Tanya, Brooklyn, Bijou and Merwoman,  who might like to do the same. You never know! 

Happy to provide the videos I followed if anyone is interested. All in good fun! Have a lovely weekend :)

Needed two pairs for tricky corrections:

1. Single Vision Distance - LIGHT BLUE

2. Occupational Progressives for my work stations - PINK

Both are from labels that make exact copies of 1960s eyewear. (Victory and Fabulous Fanny's). That's my thing, and so is wearing non-neutral statement eyewear. 

Hubs Greg has chosen almost all my eyewear, and these are his choices this time round. I am THRILLED with them! Still getting use to the progressive lenses but love the frames....

Here they are worn this week - out, and at home with and without make -up in one of the pics ...... and with hair that is growing out to a new style! A side of Sam and Jo too :)

VERY wet and windy in Seattle. Thanks for looking, and have a lovely weekend. xo

I'm not a jewellery person, but like to layer the few necklaces that I have. I have 4 and that's it! I don't wear earrings but wear specs. I like to keep my jewellery dainty because it works well with my small frame, colour palettes, and more maximal style. 

Here are two Winter versions, and exactly one year apart:

#1. On a plane to see my Dad a year ago, back when we travelled.....

#2. Today and now!

The second photo is my new skin. I have had a heck of a time with facial skin rashes this year. Good grief. My skin doesn't usually give me trouble - my feet do! - but this year has been hectic. One thing after the next and on it went..... 

The most recent skin irritation was a recurring bad reaction to the steroid cream I was using to treat something else. The steroid cream treated the initial problem really well, but caused  others :( 

As a result, I've had to stop using EVERYTHING on my skin apart from  pimecrolimus cream. The last few weeks I was able to add Vani moisturizer and Vani cleanser (new products that are working). Hopefully I'll be able to add a sunscreen of sorts next year. Thank goodness for grey and rainy Seattle right now. 

All this to say that I haven't been using tinted moisturizer for 6 weeks. I would use it daily to even out my skin tone because I thought it made my skin look better. But actually - and I'm much surprised - going without looks much better to Greg (and I see it too). My skin feels healthier, dewier, and fresher -  although the skin tone is visually less even. Onward we go without tinted moisturizer, and HOPEFULLY no more skin irritations. 

I chopped more hair off. Had it done yesterday, very deliberately. I've had 5.5 inches chopped off my fringe this year. (4 months of lockdown hair growth!)

Last week was wet, windy, and cool in Seattle. I'm on foot and outside in the city many times a day because I walk everywhere. Mask, rain, specs, hood, fogged up eyewear, Sam in tow, carrying groceries, doing errands..... and long fringe with longer hair around my ears driving me bananas.

I need hair that looks good after hoods, rain, wind, and beanies. And is mask- friendly too. 

PROBLEM SOLVED! I'm back to a short classic pixie that I can wear multiple ways, and looks polished after it's fought with the weather, masks, hats and hoods. 

#1 - after the salon with a fringe so blow dried

#2 to #5 - air dried at home with product so wavy fringe

#6 to #8 - air dried at home so wavy but pushed back. 

#9 - no specs, which is how I type, work, read, Zoom, and cook at home

My hair is almost zero effort day to day, and a shorter visit to the salon to boot. Much better for these times!

Post COVID and mask-wearing, I'll grow out my fringe and sides again....

I'm happy with the practical and fuss-free change. I once again feel polished :)

'70s shag hairstyle project is out the window, and here's why:

Looked good but kept on feeling off.

Too much hair. Not enough structure. Too much hair all over the place in my windy and rainy on foot  lifestyle. Especially when I wear hoods and beanies. Felt unpolished. 

And it's how you FEEL in a look that counts!

This tough, tough 2020 year is about making the most of what you have, as well as keeping things comforting, familiar, and easy. On that note, I am lucky to be able to wear very short hair that air-dries with a wave to look reasonably good, current, and polished. No fuss. I'm milking it! 

So I'm back to a pixie, but it's SOFT. Longer around the ears, no sharp edges, gently tousled, no razor cuts, and lots of movement - as far as pixies go, anyway ;) 

I had it cut yesterday. This is air-dried with a bit of product. I can also flat iron it straight for a more sleek and 2015 look. Or throw in some curl for a 1920's look. It's versatile.

Greg saw the new 'do and said, " THIS is you!"

He loves it. I love it. Sam approves. And that is that :)

My wardrobe is AS rich in neutrals as it is in colour - although I do count my reds as neutrals......

I dress 100% according to my mood when I pick an outfit in the morning and/or evening. Nothing is ever planned . I LOVE the creative adrenaline that flows through my veins at this time, which puts me on a high! (Like I keep on saying - my wardrobe and style are the un-stressful and fun part of my life). As I put my morning or evening outfit together, I take into account the weather and the needs of my feet. 

#OOTD: I'm in the mood for neutrals today! NAS NAVY peplum with Scotch & Soda black & cream tuxedo pants, old cream booties, and cream Furla. Mild and sunny today. No need for topper. 

Changing into sneakers later, OF COURSE! 

NEW "A" Necklace :)

WIW to the Ballet: (Excuse bad night time blurry pics). I went to opening night at the PN Ballet last Saturday, and wore my Scotch & Soda suit. It's SOOOO handy to pull out for dressy occasions because it's warm, will not date, and unique. I have worn it so much more than I thought. I highly recommend getting a fun suit to dress up and down. Mega practical and versatile. I might get another. I wore my party shoes for glitz, but wear the suit with sneakers too. 

Exact wardrobe items in Finds. Vintage Yorkie brooch came out to play with the suit. It causes many a conversation with doggie people! 

Off to work...

ETA: I had both pairs of Scotch & Soda pants altered at the waist and on the hips to fit perfectly.