Fair-Haired

I'm blond!





orange tunic dress - Tucker for Target
olive green tights - UO
tan wedges - DSW

It took 3 hours to get it the right shade, but I couldn't be happier with how it turned out. I love it. My eyes and lips really pop now and it's the perfect shade for Spring and Summer. I'm excited to see how it looks with all my vintage summer dresses, I'm used to seeing them worn with my long, red hair. Can you believe how much my hair has changed in the past year? I wonder what that means... Regardless, I plan on sticking with the blond for a while.

New Headbands and a Sale

New Tindra sparkly leaf headbands in the shop! I love these, and hope to make more in more colours soon. Just click on a photo to go to its listing. I also have the Adiel headbands in three more colours:







I added a few new pairs of earrings and necklaces to Branchbound, too, and I have even more coming.

I also reached my 100th sale! To celebrate, take 10% off your purchase (excluding custom orders) with code 100SALES. Thanks to everyone who has made one of these 100 purchases, I really appreciate your support. Here's to a 100 more!

Pixie

asymmetrical blouse - thrifted
AA skirt - thrifted
crocheted tights - can't remember...Filene's Basement maybe?
BC "Anchors Aweigh" oxfords - Endless.com



Fresh from the salon, here's my new pixie cut! I'm wearing it "curly" here, I'll probably wear it straight most of the time cos it'll be a lot faster, but I couldn't be happier with it. I had a pixie before, about 4 years ago, but it looks so different red! As my stylist was cutting it, before she texturized it, I said "I look like a red Hailey Mills!" And then afterward, "last time I looked like Mandy Slade, and now I look like Brian Slade!" I already got a Carey Mulligan reference (for the record, so flattered). What do you think?

Chop Chop!

Outfit deets:

checked dress - Wet Seal
black leather flats - Target

Sorry these pictures aren't that great, took them with the fading sunlight. Wanted to show you all a.s.a.p.! It was so funny when I pulled out the photos when Anne asked what I was doing that day and she stopped dead in her tracks, and said that before I came she was telling everyone "I know she'd going to cut it all off." My head feels so much lighter, and I'm nervous it will take me a while to get into the swing of styling it. Also I am pleased to realize I have Mandy Slade circa NYE 1969 hair:



And the winner of the Rust Belt Threads giveaway is...

Shannon!

Thanks to all who entered!

The Long and Short Of It

I love my love hair. I really, really do. But, all of a sudden, I feel the need to change my hair. I've always been jealous of girls who can rock the angled bob, my hair isn't sleek enough, unfortunately. But then I think, I've always said when I cut my hair in the (far off, I thought) future I'd go for an asymmetrical bob. I know what you are thinking, and no it wouldn't be as vulgar as that may sound. Taking a cue from fellow redheads I'm thinking something more like...





Pros:

• A hairstyle like this may classify as "edgy" which would be a refreshing contrast from my borderline twee clothing (let's not kid ourselves here, folks, I may swear like a sailor and drink like one too, but I dress like a cupcake)
• I am in my mid-20s and I don't know how much longer I can rock an "edgy" hairstyle without looking super weird
• Change is the essence of life, n'est pas?
• Short hair is (questionably) easier to take care of
• Would round out my somewhat angular facial features
• I can show off my neckline better (and make my neck look longer? Is this true?)

Cons:

• I won't have long, romantic hair anymore
• Limited hair style options
• Would have to get it cut more often to maintain shape
• Would potentially look awful
• Might have to surrender the Bettie Bangs if they clash with the angled hair.

Lovely Ladies in Lace and Giveaway Winner

I'm so happy to have such pretty, stylish ladies wearing my Branchbound wares! Sadie Rose is wearing the Darcy Earrings, Karen is wearing the Madelief headband, and Rachel is wearing the Darcy Necklace. Rachel was also kind enough to have Branchbound as the Designer Spotlight on her blog. You can read my interview here!

Without further ado...the winner of my Happy 100s Giveaway is Beatrice! And soon she will be featured here since she used her Branchbound store credit immediately on these. She will look amazing in them, I know it. Thanks to everyone who entered, and fret not if you did not win; I'll be having TWO giveaways in August!

Do What I Say: Heat-Busting Edition

Ah, we are finally in the thick of summer here in Chicago. I love the heat! Can't complain (other than about the humidity) but you do need to keep cool, especially when you are in the sun for long periods of time. Hopefully you can find some of my tried and true wisdom helpful!

• Drink A Lot Of Water - This should go unsaid, but many forget! Rule of thumb for how much you should drink a day, take your weight in numbers, divide by 2 and that's how many ounces you should drink a day, plus x2 however many ounces of coffee or soda you drink.

• Wear All-Natural Fibers - Sure that rayon dress FEELS like cotton, and that polyester shirt SEEMS airy, but synthetic fibers do not breathe. Stick (or un-stick, rather) to cotton, silk, and linen.



• Protect Your Hair Colour - Dyed hair needs sunscreen, too, especially if you have a bright colour like red (trust me, I know). Get a UV protective spray, like L'oreal's Ever Pure UV Spray, or get a hairspray with UV blockers like John Frieda's Anti-Frizz Hairspray.

• Take A Powder - Body powder, that is! As you get dressed after moisturizing, sunscreen-ing, and deodorizing seal it in and smooth yourself with baby powder or any corn starch-based powder. My fave is Silky Underwear by Lush; it smells heavenly of jasmine and has cocoa butter in it so I can ditch the lotion most days.



• Prime - If you wear makeup, especially liquid or cream makeup, make sure you put a primer down before you apply it. It will keep your makeup on your skin longer and will keep the makeup from clogging your pores. You should do this year round, but on hot days I notice my makeup breaks down faster in hot weather.

• Corn Starch Is a Miracle - If your hair is too frizzy to wash every day when the temperature and humidity rise just work some corn starch into your scalp. It's the active ingredient in most dry shampoos and only costs pennies. The only caveat is that you MUST work it in well or you will look like a judge of yore. Another great use for corn starch? Rub some on your bare feet before putting your shoes on- it will help wick the moisture, preventing discomfort and blisters. Seriously, for pretty much $1 for a decent sized can this is epically useful and will last a long time. I keep it in the bathroom.



• Carry Baby Wipes - This one I got from my friend Alma. On days you are really sweating, keep these in your bag for a quick touch-up throughout the day. It will cool you down; rub on back of your neck, knees, arms, underarms. If your deodorant isn't doing its job anymore use one of these to wipe it off and reapply; deodorant sticks best to clean, dry, recent shaved skin.

First two images found on Google, other two were found on Google image search.

Oh! And just a reminder! Tomorrow is the last day to enter my Happy 100s Giveaway!

Good (Shop) News, Everyone!

Now that I have the internet back I can finally share all my good shop news with you! Firstly, I have at long last added my new headbands to Branchbound! Take a look:



Avye, Adiel



Madelief (Sold!), Braith

Madelief was sold to no other than Karen of Small Earth Vintage! I'm so excited to see pictures of her in it! Not to worry, though, I plan to make some similar styles of headbands with those circles. Any colours you'd like to see? Also, the Adeil headband is made of white lace I have a lot of so I can dye it almost any colour. It's perfectly customizable!

I have also reached 100 sales in my vintage shop! This calls for a celebration...stay tuned! ;)

And, last but certainly not least, I have some great news...

Slubird Vintage will be selling at Vintage Heaven in Chicago on July 3rd!

Vintage Heaven is an event where different vintage vendors set up shop in a gallery space in Wicker Park. I know a few people who have done it and loved it, and the people who run it are super nice. It's Saturday, July 3rd from 12-6. If you are around I would love it if you stopped by and said hello!

Wardrobe Remix for 04.05.10

new haircut - courtesy of Anne at Black Hearts Hair House
grey dress - H&M
gold obi belt - custom made via eBay
purple stockings - UO
tan sandals - secret lake on Etsy

Catching up on blogs, I feel bad that I didn't have a cute, Springy Easter outfit. I spent yesterday wandering around with my roommate looking for phone numbers for apartments, didn't have any social activities to be made. But I do have for your consideration my new bangs! I got them cut Saturday and I am surprised how much of a change they are for me. I've never had my bangs this style before.



When Anne first styled them she used a flat iron so they looked super pointy, but they are a lot softer and shorter today since I let them curl up my usual style. I like them! They look good when my hair is up and they should be nice with a hat. I'm still getting used to them, though. It really is a noticeable difference...





Oh! And don't forget to enter the Branchbound giveaway!

Very Proud, Like Peacocks

Last night while trolling Etsy, and I am wont to do, oh, all the time, I decided to browse for a pair of red feather earrings to replace the pair I lost. In my search I found these beauts:



Not exactly what I was looking for, but I loved the dye over the peacock feather! So I looked around her shop, 10 Kiaat Street and I spotted THESE:



Oh my god, aren't they beautiful? I love the bleached look so much. It has a dusty rose/ivory feel to it, and they remind me of one of my favourite birds, albino peacocks!



My dream is to have a bunch of albino peacocks and peahens strolling around in my vast yard...but I digress. As I looked around Etsy, now obsessed with the notion of owning these, I found some other great pieces and supplies of dyed and bleached peacock feathers (and vegan faux feathers as well). Take a look-see:



from here



from here



from here

And if you are feeling particularly crafty, some sellers just have the bleached or dyed feathers for sale as supplies.



from here



from here

What do you think? Do you like the different colours or prefer to stick to the classic peacock feather? I personally love both styles - the classic peacock feather look can be so bold and bright it's hard to match at times with your wardrobe. Also I find myself a sucker for ivory, white, and pale pale pink things as of late.

Do What I Say: Hair Edition

image from weheartit.com

I'm starting a new feature here at Tzipporit Industries, "Do What I Say." It is comprised of lists of tips of a relating theme from good ideas and tried-and-true methods I've gathered from a variety of sources that help me in my everyday life that hopefully will do the same for you!

Lately I've had a few friends who have asked for advice relating to haircare and I found myself repeating a few things. It also got me thinking about all the tips and tricks I've gathered over the years. I have done everything to my hair but bleach it, get dreadlocks, or shave it. I've had it from waist-length to pixie cut and I've been dying it for years. Lately, having long, dyed hair forces me to take good care of it, which is why I have all this to share. I'm sure some of these things you have heard before but I figured I'd just share...

• If you trim your own bangs do it not just when they are dry but also when they have been recently cleaned. That way they will be at their highest, keeping you from cutting too much.
• When you wash your hair, use shampoo at the roots to about midlength, skimming down from midlength to roots with just a light amount, and condition mid-length to roots to keep your roots from getting greasy.
• My hair is about six inches past my shoulders and I shampoo and condition every other day. I shampoo but not condition my bangs every day. When I don't wash it I wear a shower cap to keep the rest from getting wet in the shower.
• When my hair was shorter than shoulder length and I wore it curly I would shampoo my hair every other day and condition and rinse every day. That kept my hair from being over clean but the conditioner kept the curls moisturized and restructure what curls had grown limp after the first day.
• Why spend a lot of money on dry shampoo? The active ingredient in most is corn starch, and a giant container of it is 5% of the price of fancy stuff and absorbs a lot of grease (so use sparingly!). Baby powder is a less-absorbent alternative for hair that is just starting to get oily. Rub it into the scalp and work out lightly, just like when you shampoo. Brush your hair as needed, especially if you need to distribute it further.
• If your hair is dyed, the main thing that fades hair colour is not rampant shampooing, but UV rays! Make sure you use a UV protector spray, like L'Oreal EverPure UV Protect Spray from their new sulfate-free, vegan, not tested on animals line. It smells amazing, too.
• When I dye my hair red the box always suggests I leave it in for 25 minutes. I always leave it in for at least 40 minutes. It's a darker red for the first week, and then fades into the colour on the box! It doesn't over-process my hair, especially if I make sure to condition thoroughly when rinsing out the dye.
• I blow dry my hair every day so I absolutely have to use a protecting product aside from my styling lotion- and you should, too! I use Tresemme's Heat Tamer Protective Spray. It's cheap and isn't tested on animals!
• Another way to prevent split ends is to put my hair up every time I leave the house. I rarely do my hair in an updo, but I pull my hair into a low chignon before I leave the house (and if it's cold, top it off with a cozy beret). When I get to work or wherever I just undo my hair and viola- no tangles, my hair hasn't poofed up if it's humid, and my hair is nice and soft.
• I also pull my hair back when I sleep into a loose plait. It keeps the hair from getting tangled in my sleep and from my hair's oils irritating my face. I also pin back my bangs for the latter reason.
• When I rinse out my hair in the shower, no matter how painful, I always do a very very cold rinse. It keeps my hair from getting frizzy and ups the shine. It also blocks my follicles from getting nastified by whatever products I put in it- think of it as primer for your locks.
• If you end up getting too much gunk in your hair and it feels limp and gross, do an apple cider vinegar rinse in lieu of your regular shampoo. I dilute 1/2 cup vinegar with 1 1/2 cups filtered warm water and follow by conditioning/cold rinsing as usual. I've never had a problem with it affecting my hair colour, either.

Phew! I hope this list proved helpful. Does anyone have any tricks they would add to my list?

Things I Love Thursday - 08.27.09

• mochas - This cold weather has me craving these bad. I suppose since it's basically a hot chocolate with more caffeine, and god is it perfect with soy milk and no whip. Makes me tempted to get an espresso machine.

• erica-knit's chunky knit cowl - Pattern available here. What an easy knit, and fun to be using giant needles (pattern calls for 17s but I am using 15s) and thick and quick in a nice Chartreuse.

• getting a haircut - Oh man, I need one so badly. Especially cos your hair grows faster in the summer. Where do you look for ideas on cuts to bring to the stylist?



• modern beehive - Speaking of hair, shown above are persephassa and hannah karina from flickr, sporting their modern beehives. It's not as cartoony as a 60s one (or Amy Winehouse) but adds a nice lift to the crown. I tried it myself last night; do I look stupid or can I pull it off?



• weekends off - What to do, what to do! I never know what to do with myself when I have two days in a row off work. I'm such a busy bee I feel I should make the most of it.