Where Have You Been?

It's been a busy, busy fall for me and making time to blog has proved difficult!  I love to write and share my thoughts so with that in mind, this blog will be "under renovations" until the new year.  Stay tuned for a new look, new site and new content.

Until then, happy holidays to you and the best in the new year!

Love,

Miss M

Less is More

I've always been somewhat of a fashion minimalist.  I'm not into lots of embellishment or accessories because I think that you should always be what people see first not what you are wearing.  A classic overdone look in my books is Halle Berry in this fitted, black dress:

Halle Berry in Herve Leger

When I first saw this picture all I could focus on was huge earrings, spiky hair and an embellished neckine.  Then, after all that, I saw Halle Berry.  Sure the dress fits like a glove and Halle is gorgeous as always, but if you want to get noticed before your outfit does, you're better off choosing something like this:

Abbie Cornish in Rouland Mouret

Still figure flattering, still stylish but you see the girl before you see the dress.  Less is more my friends!

E-Cards with Style: Paperless Post by Kate Spade

I recently invested in my first Kate Spade bag (the Juniper hobo) and now that I'm on their official mailing list (theirs and everyone else's it seems...my inbox is so full when I look at it these days!), I hear about all sorts of great Kate Spade news.


While most of the emails go to the trash bin (sorry Kate!), one caught my eye the other day.  Paperless Post by Kate Spade is her venture into the e-card business and on first glance, the e-cards are adorable! Whimsical details like polka dots, bright colours and cute sayings galore:

Signing up for Paperless Post is free and you can earn coins to use on their site by liking them on Facebook or Twitter.

Sports Bra = "Showtime"?

About the most difficult thing about having larger boobs is find a bra that fits comfortably.  I know because I'm blessed in the boob department and spent years trying to find well fitted bras.  Turns out they are in speciality stores and made by designer labels, and often can be upwards of $100.  That being said, there is something to be said for having the girls supported without feeling pinched, stuffed or smushed into an off the rack bra from the mall or outlet.

Finding a sports bra that fits well is a whole other challenge in itself when your girls are bigger than a C-cup.  I suppose this is why Victoria's Secret is now making sports bras...but in their own special, special Victoria's Secret way.  Their sports bra is called Showtime and it claims to double your breast size!  Exactly what you want when you are sweating it out on the treadmill right??

Showtime sports bra by Victoria's Secret

I will never understand why they make "push up"bras for people larger than a C-cup, so I'm flabbergasted by basically what is a push up bra in a stretchy, sporty material. If you are that big already, do you really want to appear that you have even bigger boobs???  There is something to be said for being classy and leaving a little to the imagination.  The way you dress says something about you, every time you set foot outside your door.

So ladies, feel free to put your best foot forward, but make sure you don't lead with your boobs!

Getting in the Groove

I've been at my new job for nearly two months now and I'm finally starting to get the hang of things.  Not only that, I feel like I've established a "routine" for myself.  As lame as this sounds, I am a girl that loves things to happen in their place and time, and a routine is something I cannot live without!  Luckily, having a routine is said to reduce stress by letting you concentrate on the things that need your attention and contemplation, at least according to this article.

Now that I'm in a routine...it's time to start getting exercise and sleep back as my priorities.  It's time to revisit Project Sleep and Project Exercise to buy an iPad ...and oh yeah, Project Expand the Mind.  Oops.  I may be over extending myself a bit with all these projects...but what's a life without goals and trying to make yourself better?

Stay focused!

Bag Snob: CHLOÉ Marcie

It's my dream to have a gorgeous bag in every colour of the rainbow, for every occassion.  A big dream I know, but hey, if you don't set goals for yourself, how will you ever be successful?

The latest on my list is CHLOÉ Marcie Medium leather tote in a beautiful brick colour.  Imagine this bag with a pair of fitted dark jeans, crisp white shirt and a blazer.  A chic way to go casual, no?

CHLOÉ Marcie Medium leather tote via Net-a-Porter

Project Sleep

There are countless studies out there that talk about the benefits of having a good night's sleep...and by good night's sleep, the "experts" mean 8 hours a night.  Most people don't get enough this much sleep for lots of reasons, hence, many of us suffer from poorer health than we should.  I am one of these people.  I love my sleep, but I am almost resistant to falling asleep.  I cannot for the life of me relax enough to get to sleep these days and it is driving me crazy.

Part of my problem is that it takes me a long time to wind down and my "routine" has not a set time nor a set timeline.  Instead of fighting this, I've given into my inner sleep clock and decided to start relaxing much earlier in the evening  so that I'm ready to sleep by the time I hit the bedsheets.  I'm on day 4 of this and so far so good, though one minor hiccup yesterday when I exhausted myself from spending the day wardrobe purging.   Relaxing earlier means switching off the computer earlier, preparing for the next day much earlier (getting lunch together and outfit picked out) and eventually getting into bed much earlier.

It's hard to imagine a time where I could function fully on just four hours of sleep (ah those were the days, weren't they?), but now getting to bed a bit earlier and getting that extra bit more sleep is helping me feel much more productive throughout the day.  Fingers crossed that this is the start of a permanent, more healthy attitude towards sleep!

$23,000 Can Get You...

A new car, a decent start on a down payment for a home (I live in Vancouver people), a college education, a pretty awesome trip around the world...I could go on...

Or it could get you this purse, owned by Christina Hendricks, designed by Farbod Barsum.  Is it worth it?  You be the judge:

The Isabella from Farbod Barsum, made from American Alligator and will set you back about $23,000.

Fashion = Fun

I know I just stated the obvious with that title but waking up earlier for my new job this week and trying to get myself looking put together has been a chore.  I went to my tried and true uniform as a fallback and while it saved me the energy from trying to be creative and put on something cute, it got pretty boring pretty quickly.  Yesterday I finally realized:  I'm bored of this uniform!  I need to get away from cardigans over tops with dress pants and do something different with my work wardrobe!  Bonus: my new department is more relaxed and I'm no longer managing anyone, hence I don't need to be as "professional" as before (though of course there are boundaries to this!).

After this realization, I knew I needed to perk up my wardrobe with a few fun but functional items. so last night I headed to the mall with a friend of mine, and made some purchases.  I didn't spend a lot but it was enough to reinvigorate me and help me get back to the root of it all, which is:  fashion is fun!  So don't take it too seriously and play with it a little!

Royal blue leopard print jeans...can I pull these off?  Yes!
From Material Girl and they are only $30!

More leopard print? You bet!
From Old Navy.

Truth and Beauty

The fashion world is up in arms about designer Tom Ford's blunt comments on supermodel Gisele Bundchen becoming "too old" for the industry.  Though I don't agree that she's getting old (c'mon the girl is 32!),  I can see why he would feel that she has a tough time ahead of her as she becomes less relevant in the fashion world:

"This sounds negative, but when you're considered one of the most beautiful women in the world, it's very, very hard when that starts to slip away. It's hard to feel good about yourself when people react to you differently. And, Gisele, I hope you're not reading this, because it's going to sound so negative but I know through some of my best friends who are really famous actresses — I'm not going to mention their names — who were at one point considered to be among the most beautiful women in the world at different periods of time, and how hard it is for them emotionally. So, I hope Gisele is prepared for that, because it's so difficult."

He speaks the truth!  If everyone constantly is telling you are "x" for a signifcant portion of your life, then if you slowly lose that quality, how could you not feel less like yourself?  It is a natural part of dealing with aging to consider how you might be less attractive and want to preserve that, so imagine trying to handle that when it's your job to be beautiful and desirable all the time.  I do feel a bit sorry for Gisele...but then I remember how rich, smug and self-agrandizing she can sound and then I don't anymore!

The September Issue: Glamour Magazine

In the quest to spend less of my money frivolously, I stopped buying magazines on a regular monthly basis a while ago.  I honestly didn't miss my monthly edition of Glamour, InStyle, Self, etc, etc because I was starting to feel like there wasn't anything unique or useful in them that I couldn't find somewhere else (i.e.:  blogs, websites, Pinterest).  This month, I did make an exception and picked up Glamour magazine's September 2012 edition, guest edited by Posh Spice herself, Victoria Beckham.  Truthfully I was only interested in reading about her, because I'm a big fan but I was pleasantly surprised by the entire issue.  There are great touches of insight about fashion from Victoria (as well as some "real life" stuff like her favourite quinoa pasta recipe), as well as tons of interesting features by talented bloggers like the Man Repeller, Emily Weiss from Into The Gloss and a funny commentary on changing your man's style by the delicious Jason Sudekis from SNL.   

I've already read the issue from cover to cover twice and am now obsessed with it as my fashion bible for fall.  Pick this one up now ladies (and men)...it's definitely worth your $5.99!

Spice Up Your Life

In case you missed it, the Spice Girls performed at the London 2012 Olympic closing ceremonies tonight.  As a major, major fan of the group I think they looked amazing and rocked their performance.  As predicted by me, they got a huge ovation from the live audience...sorry One Direction, you need to bow down to the legends that these ladies are!

Don't they look fabulous?  Age has served the Spice Girls well.
I love the raspberry mini dress that Baby Spice aka Emma Bunton wore.

Not only did she get to re-live being a pop star but Victoria Beckham (aka Posh Spice) also got to show the world she's also a fashion designer during the "supermodel" segment of the closing ceremonies when Georgia May Jagger wore one of her dresses.  

Georgia May Jagger in a golden Victoria Beckham design.

To Tote or not to Tote?

I am super excited about starting a new job soon, mostly because it is a great opportunity for me to "challenge" my brain and learn lots of new, cool things about banking (yes, banking can be cool people!).  I'll be working in beautiful downtown Vancouver for my first few months, which means commuting to and from work via "Skytrain" instead of driving as I have for the last few years.  Such presents a fashion dilemma:  how do I "tote" all my stuff with me during my commute?

Luckily I love shopping and immediately have zoned in on looking for a new bag.  I have a basic black tote as well as some larger purses that I'm pretty sure will hold what I need (wallet, phone, lunch/snacks, e-Reader) but it's always fun to be on the hunt for another option to fit my new "toting" needs.  Here are some options I found via the Nordstrom website:

Kate Spade New York 'West Chelsea - Alissa' shopper

I really like the colour of this Kate Spade bag as well as the classic shape.
It looks big enough to schlep all my stuff in stylish way.

Reed Krakoff Gym Leather tote

A pricier option but I do love Reed Krakoff.
Not sure I would take this one to the gym as the name suggests...it's too nice!

Tory Burch Michelle Tote

This marigold Tory Burch is probably my favourite tote I've found so far.
The colour is to die for, not to mention the sleek bucket shape.

Kate Spade 'New York - Daycation' coated canvas bon shopper

A more reasonably priced Kate Spade "bon shopper" but that's because it is coated canvas not leather.
I do like the idea of a fun print, though it would limit the number of outfits I could wear with it as opposed to a non-printed tote

Miss M's Favourite Okanagan Wineries

If you are ever up in the beautiful Okanagan region of British Columbia, you must visit some of its amazing wineries for tastings.  After spending a week in the stunning desert town of Osoyoos, I have some favourite wineries and wine picks to share.  Osoyoos is just south of Oliver, which is known as the "Wine Capital of Canada", boasting wineries of all sizes and varieties.  I would definitely recommend staying in more picturesque Osoyoos (preferably near the lake) and making the short drive north to Oliver to visit its wineries.  We also ventured farther north to Summerland which was a bit of a longer drive but a gorgeous one at that.

Many of the wineries have restaurants or at the least a selection of breads, cheeses and meats to purchase and enjoy on their patios, so you can easily make a day (or two) of visiting some of these spots.  Generally speaking most wineries will offer you a 3 to 5 wines for tasting for free or a minimal fee that you can use towards your purchases.  My favourites wineries in no particular order are:

Dirty Laundry
I won't spoil the story for you because the staff in the tasting room tell it so well, but they do fabulous job of extending the theme of the winery to make your visit to Dirty Laundry a truly memorable experience.  I loved everything about this place - the lighting, the fun lingerie draped everywhere, the amazing patio...oh yeah and the wines were fantastic too!  My recommendations would be their "blush" wine called "Hush" (it's a blend of red and white grapes) as well as their Riesling and Port called "A Girl in Every Port".  Dirty Laundry is top of my list to go back to next time I'm in the area.

Dirty Laundry winery in Oliver, BC

Hester Creek
If you are looking for wines that you can pour down your throat with ease (haha!) both the whites and reds at Hester Creek are easy to drink even if not paired with a meal.  I adore their Late Harvest Pinot Gris for a sweeter after dinner option, as well as their Pinot Gris and Cabernet Merlot.  The tasting room is absolutely gorgeous and so is their onsite restaurant which we heard has great pizzas.  If you are looking for something smaller than a full meal, they do also offer a $10 food and wine pairing at multiple times during the day where you can learn how to pair wines with complimentary foods.

Thornhaven
There are lots of expansive and expensive wineries to visit while in the Okanagan, but I highly recommend visiting some of the charming smaller vineyards to have a more personalized tasting experience.  Our stop at Thornhaven felt more warm and welcoming than some of the larger "touristy" wineries we visited.  The tasting room is small but the wines were surprisingly good (well for a winery that I had never heard of).  I definitely recommend stopping here on your way out of Summerland after you visit Dirty Laundry.  My favourite at Thornhaven was their Pinot Gris but I know my bf enjoyed their reds quite a bit as well.

Road 13
Road 13 was the first winery we visited in the "Golden Mile" area of Oliver and it was a great start to our wine tasting adventures.  Their wines are very crisp and clean for the whites, and deep and layered for the reds.  A lot of their wines are a blend of different types of grapes, which after multiple tastings I found I really actually enjoy blends.  My top picks at Road 13 were the Stemwinder, Honest John's White and Rockpile.  The tasting room has a castle-like facade and a fake drawbridge in front of the door, which adds to the charm of their already beautiful location high on the bench above Oliver.

The Real World

Vacations are great for getting away from everything in your "real" life that causes stress...the noise of the city, annoying neighbours, troublesome co-workers, frustrating family members, etc, etc.  After being away for a week in beautiful Osoyoos, BC (seriously, you must go there it's amazing!), I was thoroughly relaxed and felt at ease.  All those stress-causing things in my life seemed to melt away.  I'm not sure if it was the company, the beautiful setting, the wine or all those things in combination, but for the first time in the longest time, I felt carefree, even though I knew that I still had real things to "worry" about back home.

In fact, it didn't take long for reality to set back in when I returned, but I found I didn't feel the same sense of longing to go back on vacation as I have after past trips.  As I've "grown up"over the last few years, I feel much better equipped now to deal with the issues that come up in life in a healthy way.  I try to take the stressful things that I can't control in stride, because at the end of the day, the only thing I can control is how I react.  Sometimes it feels like it would be easier to avoid issues and bury them away, but guess what...they always come back in some form.  It is the easy way out to find distractions and fill up time to put off dealing with reality.  No longer being on vacation, I still feel at ease, so I'm glad I've taken the time to deal with the "real world" so I can enjoy life wherever I might be.

Vacation!

After a whirlwind few weeks, I am in relaxation mode.  Why?  Well today is my first day of vacation and I have two (yes two!) whole weeks away from work.  My company has a rule that you have to take half your vacation days at once, which at first thought seems kind of annoying, but really a a few days or even a week away from work is not enough time to truly wind down and re-energize yourself.

I'm planning to spend a week at home doing nothing, but first I'm headed to the beautiful Okanagan, to Osoyoos to be exact.  Osoyoos is the only desert in Canada and also part of BC's wine country, so I am looking forward to tasting some yummy wine as well as getting some much needed time in the sun.  I'll be documenting via Instagram so follow me on Twitter (@lady_n_charge) for updates!

Osoyoos at sunset (via Travel Writers Tales)

Expanding The Mind

Sometimes it feels like in the world we live in today provides so many distractions from intelligent thought.  Turn on the tv, flip open your computer, read a newspaper...it boggles my mind how much crap is out there that you can fill your head with.  Not to say I'm above any of it (the crap).  I am a self-admitted reality tv lover (hello Real Housewives!), I've been known to pick up a trashy magazine or two for the beach or an airplane ride, and most of the time when I get home from a long day at work I don't want to be watching the news, I want to catch up on the latest celebrity gossip.

But with all those mindless distractions, my brain is turning to mush.  Add that to the fact that I'm not learning anything new at work, haven't been at school in years (a place where one traditionally is supposed to learn) and rarely find time to sit down with a good book...and it really feels like I need to challenge myself.  I guess that's one reason why I'm looking for a new job, but if that doesn't pan out soon, I will have to find another way to expand my mind.

Some ideas to keep my brain sharp are reading about something that intrigues me (religion, politics, biographies), taking a class of some sort, or learning a new skill.  I also found some interesting articles about how to save your brain from "rotting", including this one about 11 ways to expand your mind.  The top the of the list was "question everything", which got me thinking.  If you want to spend some time reading mindless gossip, catching up on reality tv or doing nothing in particular, I guess it is ok as long as you approach those activities with a mind that is going to question and process the information, and the time you spend on those activities is limited.  Sometimes you do need some time to turn your brain "off" but you need to make time to turn it "on" too.

The Woman Who Lived in Her Shoes

Looking good is always a work in progress.  Whether it's tweaking your exercise/diet, updating the wardrobe, getting a new hair colour, etc., there are so many ways that we work on trying to look our best.  Or at least I do, but maybe that's the perfectionist side of me!  Anyway, no matter skinny or chubby I feel, how tired or cranky I am, once I put on a great pair of shoes, my spirits are instantly lifted.  I am a true lover of shoes and I don't think that is going to change anytime soon!  I even have a Pinterest board called Shoe Porn dedicated to my lust for amazing shoes.

My shoe closet circa August 2011.  It's got a bit bigger since then!

One of the shoe designers whose shoes I lust after is Nicholas Kirkwood.  He is truly an artist - his designs are sculptural, colourful, embellished and beautiful.  I love the unique way his shoes have a platform in the front as well as the lace up details, arched straps and squared off heels.  I hope to one day get my hot little hands on a pair of his heels.  I am not an art aficionado, but I would consider his shoes to be the closest to art as shoes can get.

  

Product Alert: Clinique Even Better Eyes Dark Circle Corrector

Ever since I can remember, I have had dark circles under my eyes and have tried every concealer on the market to try to cover them up.  Now, I may have found a way to get rid of them forever: Clinique Even Better Eyes Dark Circle Corrector.

The name may be a mouthful, but it claims to "visibly lighten dark circles by 30 percent in 12 weeks".  I've tried other Even Better products (including my all time favourite for evening out skin tone, Even Better Clinical Dark Spot Corrector) and I've had good results, so chances are this product would work well to brighten up my undereye area.   I haven't been to the beauty counter in a while, but it is for sure available on Sephora.  Will keep you posted on the results once I try it!

Great Kate

I've been a huge admirer of Kate Walsh since she showed up on Grey's Anatomy as the scorned Mrs. Dr. McDreamy in that epic first scene of her's on the show:

There was something about the way she says "So you're the woman who's been screwing my husband." (take note - it was not a question, but a statement!) that made me think, this is not a person I want to mess with, and also this is an actress that is pretty fearless to take on the role of the "villian" in such a popular, ground breaking show.  

I've kind of followed Kate's career, from Grey's Anatomy to Private Practice, but more so followed her on the style front.  She is drop dead gorgeous with flaming red hair, a great smile and mile long legs, but also looks like the type of woman that you could actually have a real conversation with and perhaps be friends.  She's lived a pretty full life and doesn't have regrets, which makes her all the more interesting and relatable.  I admire her sense of style - she chooses figure flattering outfits, but makes sure that people see her great energy through anything she puts on.  Oh, and her ads for her "Boyfriend" and "Billionaire Boyfriend" are pretty damn hot too!

Kate Walsh in a chic casual look.
Love the navy, cream and red together. 

In a gorgeous Christian Cota mini, promoting her new Billionare Boyfriend fragrance.

Sexy and sleek in a fitted Herve Leger mini.

I adore the lace top with this red skirt.  She looks both put together and girly.

Kate Walsh's first fragrance "Boyfriend".

Super sexy for her second fragrance "Billionaire Boyfriend"

$7 Dollars, Y'all

A little update on my recent post about finding motivation to work out.  Since last week I've raised a whopping (drum roll please) $7 towards my iPad!  I worked out 3 times last week, but deducted myself a dollar for eating a piece of cake at my friends' place after we went for a walk.  This week, I have been to yoga once and about to do a mini workout in front of the tv, plus yoga planned for later this week.  

The iPad fund may not be overflowing, but the real benefit I'm seeing after more exercise is in my energy level.  To put it plainly, I have so much more freaking energy!  It is pretty amazing how a little exercise can change that.  I'm excited to continue with my "plan" but I will admit that I do have to push myself to get off my (well-padded) arse from time to time.  This cartoon about sums it up for me:

Bag Snob: Reed Krakoff Boxer

If you're looking for a structured, stylish bag that will compliment just about any outfit...well you're looking for something that may not actually exist.  What might be close, and is top of my list, is the Boxer satchel by Reed Krakoff.  The design is all clean lines and corners but the bag looks best in multicoloured leather.  I can only imagine how fabulous this might look on my arm with a great black dress, jeans & basic tee, or even a business suit...not that I ever wear one, but if I did, it would look great with this bag!

Boxer satchel by Reed Krakoff

Motivation

Sad but true fact about me:  when it comes to working out, I'm a lazy bitch.  I will do just about anything to avoid having to exercise, even if it is a something that I enjoy, like zumba.  But...working out is a necessary part of life if you want to be healthy and be fit, so I have to find new ways to motivate myself.  Usually I only get to my breaking point when I look in the mirror or step on the scale and I am totally disgusted with my body.  That usually snaps me back to reality but at that point getting back to my ideal shape is all the more difficult because I've let myself go so much.  Not good at all.

The other day while trolling through Pinterest (yes, one of the things I should stop doing so much so I have more time to work out), I found a pin about motiviation which I've decided to adopt as my motivation to work out more often.  Essentially, every time you exercise, you tip yourself.  What you decide to do after a certain amount of work outs is up to you but it seems like a simple way to not only get motivated but also reward yourself if you can keep it going for an extended period of time.

Work out motivation, from my Pinterest board Skinny Bitch

I've decided I want an iPad and I'm going to work my ass off to raise enough to cover 1/2 the cost of one.  A qualifying workout will be physical activity of at least 30 minutes, which for me includes walking (could be at work on the treadmill at lunch or after dinner around the block with a friend) a yoga class at YYoga, or a simple set of exercises at home with my new resistance bands.  I'm REALLY excited about this plan, though I do foresee some hiccups that I need to be prepared for.  

First off, I could treat this just like any other "plan" I've had to get healthy and fall off the wagon.  Second, I haven't set a time frame for what's an acceptable amount of time to get to my goal, which could be an issue.  And last, it is summer and I have numerous plans in the next few months, including 8 days wine tasting in the Okanagan, two weddings and possibly a camping trip.  This could be difficult to sustain for many reasons but I think keeping my eye on the "prize" will be great motivation to get me to my goal.  It will involve some lifestyle changes but I am up for the challenge!  Wish me luck and hopefully soon this baby (in white) will be mine:

iPad2 in white:  my motivation to work out 30 minutes a day, at least 4 times a day.
If I keep it up,  I may have one by Christmas.

Miss M Loves: Blue

Yesterday after getting to ride in the fire department's VW Bug with my fabulous friend SHR for the Canada Day parade, I decided to make a stop at Chapters on my way home.  I love book stores - I find them both calming and invigorating, if that's possible.  I could spend hours wandering through the aisles, thumbing through books that catch my eye and I'd never get bored.  So I was really looking forward to some time to expand my mind and maybe pick up a good book along the way.  This felt like a good way to spend my one hour of "me" time that I promised to give myself a few weeks back.

Well, instead of expanding my mind, I came upon a sale (my favourite 4 letter word!) and a pretty good one at that - 50% off a lot of their lifestyle, stationary and gift items.  I ended up picking up some adorable notebooks and a cute canvas nautical theme tote.  I didn't realize that everything I bought (including a book that I found about improving my diet) was in shade of blue until the cashier pointed it out.

                         

 

I guess upon further thought, I am a huge fan of blue without even realizing it.  I love blue jeans, my favourite boat neck navy & white tee for the spring, midnight blue MAC shadow and blue nail polish (She's Picture Perfect by Essie is a fav right now).   Blue is a great alternative to boring old black or grey, and happens to be a calming colour.  So no wonder I love it so much!  

What I'm not a fan of when it comes to blue?  Blue hair, blue cheese and...naming your baby Blue (hello Jay-Z and Beyonce!).  

Making Waves

Something strange is happening to my hair.  After growing it out for the last year (it's nearly at the bottom of my shoulder blades!), I was almost certain I would have trouble keeping it full of body by now.  In fact, the opposite has occured:  I have more body in my hair and stranger still, I actually have some waves going on.  Now I'm totally lost when it comes to taking care of of my hair.  I used to have stick straight fine hair that couldn't hold a curl to save my life without massive amounts of hairspray (we are talking nearly a whole can).  How does one treat medium length, fine, colour treated wavy hair?  Especially when you are notoriously lazy about styling your hair yet totally a perfectionist who can't stand a hair out of place like I am.

Since there are an overwhelming amount of products and sources for research out there, I've decided to work backwards by looking for inspiration then trying to emulate them myself.  So fair, I am really digging Minka Kelly's hair - she has the relaxed yet put together wavy hair that I am hoping to re-create for myself.

Ignoring the fact that she is freakin' stunning,
I think I can make my hair look like Minka Kelly with a few simple steps.

 

I kind of like this new challenge and truthfully being part of the wavy hair club.  My sister, little niece and lots of my friends have wavy hair, so I'm in good company!