Dec 28, 2012

DIY Clip-In Hair Extensions for Natural Hair

Happy Holidays! Instead of decorating my apartment, I decided to add some holiday cheer to my hair by making my own DIY Clip-In Hair Extensions!!!

This was something that seemed like it would be nearly impossible (despite everyone saying how easy it was), yet I knew I wanted to add some length to my straight, natural hair without busting my wallet ALL the way open.

Trust and believe me when I say that making my own clip-in hair extensions was easy, though a bit time consuming, but totally worth the effort.

What You'll Need
1 Pack of Human Hair
1 Bundle of Thread
1 Needle to Sew
A few packs of small clips (bought mine at Sally's)

To begin, I followed the advice of my amazing stylist Cori @ Justin's Salon Studio and opted for 1 pack of Outre Human Hair ($34.99/pack) in color #4, 10 inches. My goal for making clip-in hair extensions was to add a bit of length and fullness, not try and create a Rapunzel weave. 10 inches was great for me, but whatever floats your boat. Due to my hair having heavy highlights, I was at first nervous about finding something that would blend well. Let's be honest - - there's nothing worse than a weave that doesn't blend lol. The bottom portion of my hair is about a  #4, while my roots are a #2, so once I decided to get the #4 I knew the blending wouldn't be an issue. I also bought this little combo pack of thread that came with 3 different styles of needles. In hindsight, I'd actually recommend opting for a higher quality thread to make sewing easier.

1) I took my weave out of the pack and measured where I wanted to have the tracks. I ended up making 5 tracks ( I had hair left over) since I was only going for a tad bit of length and fullness. I could have just doubled the length of the track and folded it over to make a thicker track, but I ended up cutting individual tracks and sewing them together. It took a bit longer, but I didn't mind. Whichever you choose is fine.

2) Once all of your tracks are measured and cut, you can sew the tracks together at the ends.

3) Next, you'll want to decide how many clips each track needs. I average about 3 clips a track, one on each end and another in the middle. My longest track required 4 clips. Sewing the clips onto the track was pretty straight froward, but again I'd recommend getting a higher quality thread to make sewing easier. This process actually  made me appreciate folks that do sew-in hair weaves because cheap thread can make you want to off yourself.

4) Once the clips are sewn onto the track - - VOILA! You're done! Can you believe it... you have your very own clip-in hair extensions for a fraction of the price.


Hair in Naturally Curly state

Hair Blown out and Flat Ironed - No Extensions (L) & Hair with DIY Clip-In Hair Extensions Added (R)

What I've enjoyed most about my clip-in hair extensions is getting the extra length and fullness with my straight hair, but being able to take the clips out at the end of the night and switch back to my curls whenever I like. It's SO much more convenient than having a full sew-in weave, it looks more natural than using a closure, and it's non-committal... an overall winning situation. As someone with pretty fine hair, I'm happy with the fullness and body I can get with my curls, but it's always a huge downer to rock straight hair and have it feel lifeless. This has been the cure.

I hope this inspires you to try making your very own DIY Clip-In Hair Extensions. Like always, feel free to ask whatever questions you may have.



Dec 27, 2012

Ring My Bell @smashleybell

I just discovered Ashley Madekwe's blog, Ring My Bell... and I'm hooked! I must admit that while I've never seen the actress in her hit show Revenge, her style is enviable and definitely on my inspiration list.

Source
The look to the left screams my name! I'm still on the hunt to find the perfect basic tee, but this is definitely an everyday go-to look for me. I love the hair, red lip, and casual vibe. Add some cute shoes with a pop of color and you're good to go!

Which fashion bloggers are tickling your fancy as of late?



Ombre Bodycon Dress: @EKINEYO vs @Forever21

I've been completely obsessed with the ombre bodycon dress made by Ekineyo for quite some time now, but the $188 price tag kept me at bay. Imagine my shock when I saw Forever21's version of the popular dress on their site for $15.50!! Yes, Forever21 comes through for the win once again. I'm all about supporting up and coming designers, but it's hard to break the bank for something so trendy when retailers like F21 and Zara crank out decent versions for a fraction of the cost. So, let it be known that while I love Ekineyo's version, I'll be rocking the F21 version. I can put that $172.50 I'll save towards my vacation fund!

What do you think of the dress? Will Ekineyo get your $188 or will you opt for Forver21's $15.50 version?

Ekineyo Lotus Dress - $188



Forever 21 Ombre Bodycon Dress - $15.50



Dec 21, 2012

Must-See Movie: Django Unchained (starring @kerrywashington)

From the mastermind Quentin Tarantino, Django Unchained is more than just a slave story... it's an action flick aiming to shed light on the past, but with a refreshing twist only Tarantino can do! The cast for the film is stellar (Jamie Foxx, Leonardo DiCaprio, Kerry Washington, Samuel Jackson, etc...) and I can't think of any movie that has approached the horrific reality of slavery in such an entertaining way. I don't think the movie is to make light of anything, but the fact is that slavery happened, it was unimaginable, and I commend Tarantino for putting together a film that tell a story in such a different way! I'd urge everyone to go out and support this movie... and it shouldn't be a hard choice because it looks pretty freaking amazeballs! If you're looking for something to do after the gifts have been opened and your belly is stuffed full of treats, head to your nearest theater and check out Django Unchained!




Dec 12, 2012

Stacey Dash Home Tour (video)

Political affiliations aside, I still like Stacey Dash. She makes me think of Clueless, a movie that gives me warm fuzzy hints of nostalgia... and on top of that, her home is UBER luxurious. I'm a sucker for lavender walls and sparkle.



Last night she was featured on Bravo TV's Million Dollar Decorators as Interior designer Martyn Lawrence Bullard worked his magic in her home. This design aesthetic is right up my alley and I wouldn't mind trying to recreate this in my house. In the meantime, I wonder if I could do this on a MUCH smaller scale in my Chicago studio? Hmmmm.... Time to put my thinking cap on.

What do you think of the interior? Check out the home tour below.




Dec 7, 2012

Instagram that....

Because I'm completely obsessed with Instagram and sharing every mundane detail of my life via snazzy photographs with tricked out filters... And if you want to OD on all of my instagram photos... Follow me here!




Dec 3, 2012

'Tis the Season

Remember how I said my neighbors were really annoying? Like super duper next level annoying! The type of annoying people that sing and play instruments at all hours of the night. Well, just in case you thought I was being overly dramatic, exaggerating or just a smug bitch that hates noise... I have proof! lol...

Tis the season to be jolly and that includes belting out negro spirituals at the top of your lungs. I came home on Sunday and low and behold they were holding a choir practice. Of course they were - - because they sing. and play instruments. ALL.THE.FUCKING.TIME. Yes, they don't sound that bad and it was a Sunday, so the gospel music was, timely... but umm... notice how quiet the hallway is and the ONLY thing you hear is them? Yes... that's a problem.




I live downtown. In a condo. On a major street. I'm not anal about noise by any stretch... but I hate obnoxious ass people that are just ape shit about making noise all the time with no regard for others. Like, bitch... you DO have neighbors. You know that, right?

Before your panties are bunched up, know that I didn't file any complaints, stomp around, or knock on her door. I just filmed this video to prove how much sound actually comes out of her apartment and the way it carries through the hallway.

It's the holiday season and I'll count my blessing because I could live next to d-boys or worse - - RAPPERS! Oh, the horror. I'd probably kill myself if rappers lived next door.

Do you have proof of your neighbors making annoying noise?


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