Living Vicariously

So. Maybe my blogging hiatus is more of a mini-break. I haven't really decided yet. All I know is that I think of myself as a free spirited kind of blogger, anyway. I am lazy when it comes to doing outfit posts or even discussing the latest and greatest fashion... kind of lame, since this is a "fashion" blog, after all. But just bear with me; I'll get there, I promise. :)

So here's a quick personal update: I'm back from my brief stay in NY (though, of course, I'm longing to go back soon) which means back to work, full-time. I'm also trying to squeeze in time for freelance writing projects and studying for grad school entrance exams. I haven't exactly decided where I'm applying yet, nor have I picked a focus of study (there are two degrees I'd like to pursue, so I may just go crazy and try both), but the fact is that I've got to at least take the entrance tests soon... otherwise, come next fall, I won't be going anywhere! Major cramming (I mean, er, tightly scheduled, highly dedicated weeks of serious study) is in my immediate future.

Still, I hope, no matter what, to always have time for some blogging, even if it's just a little something. :) I would still love to do some Fashion Week posts in the near future, even though my last-minute vacation change caused me to miss the events in person (I was invited to the IFB Evolving Influence Fashion Blogger Conference and to a few shows... so bummed I couldn't make it!). But I have been keeping up with NYFW coverage on my favorite blogs and tracking all of my favorite designers, so naturally I'll have to weigh in with my own opinions and interpretations here.

In the meantime, I'll live vicariously through all of you lucky ducks who are attending Fashion Week events... I'm not jealous! Promise. ;)

And on Monday night, I definitely lived vicariously through Gossip Girls Serena and Blair as they flounced around Paris, wearing couture and snacking on macarons. C'est la vie!

Raise your hand if you caught Gossip Girl's season four premiere? Everything, from the intricately-chosen ensembles to cinematic shots of the City of Love, was divine. I simply must visit France myself. Someday...

Bisou...

Erin

As always, images are linked to their sources.

Blake Lively blonde

It's the age-old question, Betty and Veronica... Do blondes, like, really have more fun?
Yesterday, I came across this NY Times article and was highly amused. It concerns a certain 'Gossip Girl' with long, flowing locks... Apparently, the coif and color of Blake Lively is now the most requested style in NYC salons. So is Serena van der Woodsen's hairstyle the new "Rachel"?
Women who frequent salons like Bumble and bumble are asking for shiny blonde highlights, long layers and plenty of tousle à la Lively. But, as the Times takes pains to point out, hair like Blake Lively's is awfully hard to duplicate unless, ya know, you're born with it.

"It's aspirational hair," said one salon owner. "It looks accidental, but actually it takes work." (Shocker.)

Others add that some lucky girls like Lively are simply "born with amazing hair" and that wanting her exact style "sets unrealistic expectations." One stylist even questioned if everyday women can even handle such a cut. They must figure that only screen goddesses are born with perfectly tussled tresses; the rest of us simply can't handle it!

I guess I'd like to point out that I was born with a full head of hair, too, Ms. Lively, but mine started out inky black and turned blonde by the time I was a toddler. Then what did I do with my "lucious" blonde mane?

Hi, Emily!

I brought this very picture into my stylist...And emerged a Zooey clone! Now I've got some "indie cred." Still waiting for my big "indie" break. :P

So much for Blake Lively blonde! Why, oh why, did I do it? (My stylist was practically crying.) Boredom, sheer boredom. Sometimes I do miss my long, flowing blonde waves, but I figure it's hair, we might as well do what we want with it! Especially if we have lots of it to mess with. My other major point was that nobody is born with perfect hair. Lively's stylist claims that to achieve the Serena look, all she does is apply a conditioning mask, twist the hair into a chignon and let it air dry. Yeah, right! If you've ever seen Gossip Girl, you know it takes a little more than some conditioner and a loose bun to achieve those curls. Even natural waves and curls need treatment and TLC... and heat! I used to achieve bedhead blonde "perfection" by sleeping with my hair in a topknot, shaking it out in the morning, and curling the ends under if the waves were too uneven. Add plenty of Aussie's Sprunch spray and a good curl gel and you're good to go!

Now I miss my "Zooey" cut (yeah, so I'm a copycat, too)... my hair is a boring "blah" brown right now and ready to go lighter or darker. Too bad I spent all my designated salon money on shoes! :D This season, I seem to care more about how my feet look (and feel!) than what color my hair is. I figure if I really feel like it, I can always just grab a box of dye or a highlighting kit and experiment at home. What about you guys? Any hair-raising tales to share? You know me, I always love a good "hairstory." And puns. :P