hair envy: lauren parsekian

 

 

Like Kate Middleton, Lauren Parsekian (well, Paul now) is a famous wife whose hair could be famous on its own. Lauren is married to Breaking Bad's Aaron Paul, and she's got the most gorgeous locks on the planet! I don't even watch that show, which makes my obsession with her mane that much weirder and more random. However, her insanely long, perfectly layered, shiny hair is just too much for me to handle! Whether parted down the middle, or with a deep side part, worn sleek and straight, or with boho waves, Lauren's hair always looks just perfect. I must know her secrets. Is it an amazing conditioner? Does she get keratin treatments? And why isn't this a bigger deal?! I mean... I'm pretty sure Lauren Paul has been blessed by the Hair Gods!

Images via Pinterest and Instagram

high bun art

When I saw these pieces of art by Elizabeth Mayville, I loved them immediately. The high bun is a recurring theme in my style. While I love the easy look, my boyfriend and mom hate it, and that makes these paintings even more perfect. They are such cute, charming, and silly pieces of art. The redhaired one speaks to me because -- duh -- I'm a redhead! I love the Breton stripe shirt, as well. This would look amazing by a vanity, coupled with my White Girl Problems print.

Images via Elizabeth Mayville on Pinterest

emma in vogue

Emma Stone looks amazing in Vogue's July issue. Her hair color and makeup are exquisite. I love the pretty colors and feminine textures. The cover shot is my favorite. I love the lingerie-inspired dress and nubby sweater. She's so beautiful (and I'm eternally jealous of her collarbone).

Images via Vogue

editorial love part three

As a redhead, I love to see Heather Marks with a tan in Paul Schmidt's Hotel California for May's Marie Claire Italia. Redheads get a bad rap for being pale and freckled, but some of us can get a glow, too! The spread wardrobe and setting are evocative of a 60's summertime wardrobe, from the desert to the ocean. I love the melancholy mood and the gorgeous colors shot with a semi-sepia filter.

Images via Fashion Gone Rogue

flowers in her hair

This is another case of a look that may be easier to pull off in an editorial than in real life. Floral crowns are so ethereal and pastoral. It makes me think of A Midsummer Night's Dream meets Woodstock. Unfortunately, there aren't that many opportunities in my life to channel a woodland fairy. However, I'll definitely be rocking this look at any summer concerts I go to. It's sort of a prettier, fresher alternative to the braided hipster headbands that everyone seems to wear at music festivals.

editorial love

How beautiful are these images of Barbara Palvin for Vogue Germany? She's channeling Lana del Rey with the thick, shiny red hair and the makeup is to die for. I love all the exaggerated eyes from the bronze and charcoal smokey eyes to the cat-eye liner to the spidery lashes. Combined with the different colored matte lips and bronze skin, it's springtime perfection. The clothes are texturally rich, in eyelet, tweed and embellished and the jewelry is loud, metallic and amazing. I'm basically obsessed with the first picture and will try to emulate it all season.

Images via WhoWhatWear

top knot

Call it a top knot, ballerina bun, sock bun, whatever. From blogs to the red carpet to magazines, messy buns are everywhere, and nobody is happier about it than me. With long, wavy, layered hair, sometimes (a lot of times), I just have to throw my hair on the top of my head and call it a day. The fact that this can now be considered in style makes my life a whole lot more convenient. Granted, a lot of these buns involve some straightening, teasing or special tools, but I'm just glad that easy hair is taking center stage.

Images via Pinterest

giveaway: new year, new you makeover

Just in time for the holidays, super stylist Christophe is offering you the gift of pretty! Five lucky winners will win makeovers at one of Christophe's salons. Those winners will be treated to a makeover in either Beverly Hills, Las Vegas or my city, D.C. The makeover includes color, cut, makeup, and manicure, along with an exclusive (surprise) gift from a Cristophe stylist. The entire prize has an estimated value of $600.

As we speak I'm getting ready to drag my booty to the gym. It's safe to say we all know what the next four weeks are going to do to our bodies, skin, hair, etc. so I'm pretty sure we'll all be needing a little TLC at the beginning of next year.

To enter:
Comment: Leave one comment below saying what a New Year, New You makeover means to you! Don’t forget to add what salon is closest to you.
Like Cristophe on Facebook
Follow Cristophe on Twitter

* Participant must be 18+
* Open to U.S. residents only
* Contest ends December 28, 2011 12am PST
* Winner will be announced January 2, 2011 11am PST
* Winner must claim prize within 24 hours or a new winner will be selected
* Any entries over 100 words will be disqualified.
* Entries without a selected salon location will be disqualified.
* Total estimated value of New Year, New You contest $600
* Winner is responsible for transportation to and from the salon when redeeming their prize, makeover.
* Prizes must be claimed by January 31st, 2012 by booking appointments that will expire on 03/31/12.
* All persons working at or related to any of the Cristophe enterprises cannot participate in the contest.

put a bow on it

Most people probably find this ridiculous, but I wore a ribbon in my hair until I was 18. We wore uniforms to our all-girls school and from the age of 4 until I was a legal adult, it was totally acceptable to wear a bow with your ponytail. There seemed to be a boundary though, when the uniform came off, so did the bow. I hilariously have one exception; I made a DVD with video of my dear friend and roommate Marie rocking a pink bow at a concert. None of us thought anything of it.

Generally though, the whole ribbon thing was associated with the blackwatch plaid kilts and polos. That's just one of the reasons I have reservations about digging into my ribbon drawer. Another reason is that I look very young, so there's a good chance if I was wearing a bow, someone might think I was in high school. Maybe even middle school.

The girls above look so sophisticated and timeless with their bows, though. Obviously, this look probably wouldn't fly at work, but I'm dreaming of weekends filled with donning a stiff bow with a voluminous, smooth ponytail, a smaller ribbon with a braid, or topping off a modern bun with a perky barrette bow. Even a half ponytail with a bow could be a sweet mix of Jane Austen and boarding school prep (you see that, right?).

I think it could look really retro and charming, but I would hate to look childish. And what I really don't want is to look sort of hipster or ironic.

What do you think? Go with the bow or is it a no no?