Tag: budget

The Classic Bride: 4 Steps to Achieving a Timeless Look for Less

Published on by Natalia RLeave a comment
Featured Image: Inslee Haynes
Growing up, my mom always told me, “it’s not what you wear; it’s how you wear it”. That humble piece of truth had an influence on the way I choose to stylize and I’ve found that the staple pieces in my closet grant the most versatility between occasions. Neutral colors, clean lines, and classic cuts and seams can earn an extended duration of wear and the personal satisfaction that your look will never go out of style.  I found that these same principles effortlessly cross over to Bridal and today, I’m sharing a few the tried and trues that helped me achieve my classic wedding day look for less.

Step 1

A Classic Dress

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Condé Nast Britain 2018 BRIDES

Find a fit that best flatters your figure and work the dress (don’t let the dress work you). For example, if you don’t wear pencil skirts to the office, it’s probably safe to say you won’t care much for a trumpet dress. Is your daily go-to holey jeans and fringed booties? Then consider steering clear from the glitzy ball gowns. Look through your current dresses and if you haven’t ever given it a thought, take a moment to consider how you feel when wear them (or the reasons why you don’t!). Familiarize yourself with the style that makes you most comfortable then decide before you walk into the boutique which style of dress best matches your shape and personality so that you can spend more time in the gowns you love and less in the ones you loathe. Your search squad will thank you for it!

Tip: All the pretties add up. The less lace, beading, jewels, and sequins, the more likely you are to land a deal on your simple beauty (that’s under budget!). Saving is winning, friend.

You can find the satin a-line ball gown I wore on my Big Day at your local David’s Bridal for under $500.00, here!

Step 2

The Statement Piece

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HoneyPieBridal

Now that you’ve found your anchor, it’s time to dress it up. And because you saved cost on your largest apparel expense (the dress), you’ll have a greater amount allotted to your statement piece. Think of this purchase as you dress’s wing woman, BFFL, ride-or-die, I-look-better-when we’re-together-friend. The dress highlights you, and this piece highlights the dress.

Whether it be a piece of your favorite designer fashion jewelry or a ceremony veil from your local luxury boutique, find something that compliments the natural structure of your dress. High neckline? Rock those statement earrings, girl. Going strapless? Dress it up with a faux fur shawl or delicately beaded shrug. Mixing romantic textures is a thing. If your dress is satin or chiffon, create your timeless contrast with a lace veil. And lacy gowns play nicely with glammy belts and trims for a polished look and delicate, leafy hair pieces for the bohemian chic bride.

Tip: Less is more (With the exception of kindness, coffee, and toilet paper).

I found my Bel Air Bridal cathedral veil at Cincinnati’s Bridal and Formal in the Reading Bridal District just three days before “I do” (Approximate MSRP: $400.00).

Step 3

Oh Those Simple Accessories

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Bridal Guide Magazine

Today is the day to showcase those special family heirlooms or the sweet somethings you’ve tucked away for all too long. Great Grandma’s vintage hair comb, Mom’s favorite strand of pearls, the diamond studs your Godfather gave you for graduation… or drop a subtle (or not so subtle) hint to your hubby-to-be that you’d love a dainty bridal set as your wedding day gift and be sure to have your MOH send him all your Pinterest screenshots so that there aren’t any day-of surprises!

Tip: These delicate touches will bring your classic dress and statement piece together with an effortless and poised finish. Show special attention to your simple bridal accessories by communicating to your photographer a week before the wedding which still shots (portraits and staged candids) you would like to have captured and they’ll be sure to snap pictures of your something old, borrowed, new, and blue when you have some downtime amidst the beautiful chaos of your “best day ever”.

My something old: My Great Grandmother’s engagement ring from the 1920’s!
My something new: Handmade bridal hair combs for a modest $15.99 found on Etsy!
My something borrowed: My Mother-In-Law’s diamond necklace (This was extra special because, the stone was from her mother’s engagement ring. Her father passed when she and her sister were young girls).
My something blue: $17.00 stitched handkerchief by Cincinnati bridal seamstress, Alterations by Toni!

Step 4

Be You

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Southern Weddings

When it comes to wedding day vanity, let’s agree that it’s best to look like “yo best self”! Is your everyday look soft and natural or are you a Maybelline beauty? However you feel most comfortable on a night out is probably a step in the right direction when showing your vanity vision to your hair and makeup stylists. If yoga pants and a ball cap are your idea of trend casual, a low, tidy bun off the neck will create a polished and recognizable look for the bride your guests love (Be inspired by street style royal, Hailey Bieber). Does your morning routine include air-dried hair, bb cream, and one layer of mascara? Consider a loose and beachy wave on wedding day. Glammy girl? Add volume and length extensions to your feminine, romantic up do!

Practice makes perfect! Budget enough time with each of your trials to share your objectives with the stylist, and then give them an opportunity to achieve the look you’ve shown and about 2 or 3 modifications to meet your specific needs. Don’t be too shy to tell them that you want the tip of your right ear covered or that you’re not used to seeing yourself in a smoky eye. They will take notes on what you like and dislike so that when it’s your day on the throne, you’ll be more concerned about the mimosa in your hand and less about what they’re beatifying with theirs!

Tip: Remove the middle man and find a self-employed professional with a portfolio that matches your personal style. Be sure to familiarize yourself with the work of your stylists before you book and if possible, have your stylist travel to you on wedding day! The cost you’ll spend on their commute will be far less than the salon’s retail profit margins and the convenience of them being onsite that morning will increase the leisure and luxury for you and your leading ladies. Cheers!

My wedding day makeup was achieved by Cleveland queen & renaissance woman, Raven Reed ($125.00).
My wedding day hairstyle was achieved by Cincinnati boss lady & entrepreneur, Kaitlyn Mounce ($85.00).

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bridalfabric.com
“I will rejoice greatly in the LORD, My soul will exult in my God; For He has clothed me with garments of salvation, He has wrapped me with a robe of righteousness, As a bridegroom decks himself with a garland, And as a bride adorns herself with her jewels.” –Isaiah 61:10

5 Cost-Friendly #HairGoals Tips for Your Everyday Glam

Published on by Natalia RLeave a comment
Featured Image: Inslee Haynes
Full disclosure, I’m no master stylist. And if I’m being completely vulnerable with you, sometimes I wish I was. But, a good friend encouraged me to write this for her and other beauts who appreciate a trick or two for better looking hair. I hope my tried and trues break a lather, rinse, repeat routine and leave you feeling more glam than ever. — xoxo Natalia

1. Create a Wash Cycle:

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Getty Images

Only you know your hair best. Be intentional with this relationship and you’ll achieve your #hairgoals sooner than you think! For about 3 weeks, study your hair patterns in combination with your daily schedule and decide what wash cycle works best for you. Purchase the travel size of professional hair care products that treat your needs and discover what works best for you. Once you find your clique, stick with it. You’re a committed and faithful woman to your hair; remember that.

Washing 1-2x per week is best for most hair types. Try washing on Saturday so that you’re fresh to death for the weekend. Then, challenge yourself to not wash again until mid-week on Wednesday. Training hard at the gym got you sweaty? A quick blow dry to your roots after a run or lift might be a game changer (and don’t worry, I’ll keep it between me and you). Not to mention, you’ll reduce an hour from your morning routine and you’ll be better prepared for your daily work grind with dry and tidy locks.

Buy a shower cap. And lock the door so your sig-nif doesn’t mistake you for the cafeteria meatloaf lady.  Bright side: your shower-head-dodging days are behind you!

When it is your day(s) to wash, section your hair into two halves and massage your shampoo at the root. Really exfoliate the scalp of dry skin and product residue. Rinse. Then, condition your ends only. Over-conditioning your root may the reason why milk, eggs, and dry shampoo are your top 3 suggested Click List subscriptions.

Looking for an affordable, voluminous, dry shampoo to use between washes without scent or residue? Meet my soul sister.

2. Be Gentle (and Patient):

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rawpixel.com/Shutterstock

When possible, air dry. If there’s one thing to take away from this post, it’s this.

Brushing or applying heat to the open follicles of wet hair causes damage and dehydration. Letting your hair dry overnight or throughout the day in a loose braid reduces stress and will overtime give you a stronger, silkier look. Oh, and ditch the bedtime ballerina bun. The harsh tug on our scalp will increase thinning if worn too tight and frequently.

An at-home leave in conditioner can truly be your next hair care miracle. My favorite product is lightweight, frizz-controlling, and full of natural ingredients, such as sunflower seed and green tea leaf extract and silk amino acids. Bring on all those hair goddess feels!

You hair’s vulnerability will lesson as you dry… and now it’s time to wet brush. Over-compulsive brushing will cause unwarranted shedding and damage especially if you’re like most gals who brush from root to end. (You can begin a new habit in eight days, ladies) So, train yourself to brush from end to root and you’ll soon realize that that hornet’s nest was likely more self-induced than you thought.

Ready to style? I suggest only styling 1-2x a week to reduce heat damage. Seriously, make Saturday your day to style, and rock those beachy waves through Monday and Tuesday. Protect your hair against thermal heat using an iron guard that helps strengthen and shield the hair from daily use of thermal tools. This product activates positively charged silk molecules that interlock into hair’s natural structure to build strength and resilience and to improve moisture and shine. For me, it’s a no brainer.

Each of the affordable at-home products linked above can be found at your local Kroger or Target.

3.Decrease Stress:

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Shutterstock.com

If you experience an increase in physical or mental stress, you may see immediate or many months of delayed shedding because, nutrition and wellness, directly impact the integumentary system (hair, skin, nails). 2015 was when I started my wellness journey and lost a total of 20 lbs and 3 pant sizes over a 6 month time frame. My physique was slimmer and more toned than I had ever been before and when I looked in the mirror, I was proud of what I had worked so hard to accomplish, but after nervously pulling gobs of hair from my head daily,  I saw a dermatologist who advised me that I was spending too many hours in the gym, not fueling my body with the required nutrients for that level of activity, and I needed to better manage my mental health and sleeping regimen. Taking a biotin supplement may surely improve your body’s keratin infrastructure, but I learned to never under estimate the the wonders of a greener, protein-packed diet and well-deserved rest.

4. Plan Ahead:

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Hair Artist: Brooke Nicole

If you truly want Model Squad hair, you’ve got to make it a personal priority. Do some IG research for a stylist in your area who has achieved the look you want. Book her. Stay loyal to her. And build it into your 12 week budget to visit regularly for foil, trims, toning (for blondes), and conditioning for lasting strength and shine. At a 5 star salon (in the Cincinnati market), you can book a shampoo, cut, and dry for $40, conditioning treatment for $15, and partial foil for $75 (full foil for $90). That’s a total of $520 a year. So, planning ahead with your big picture in mind may reduce the sticker shock of an impromptu spa day with a new stylist.

Blondes: Want to be an ice queen? Maintain your ashy tones at home with a purple shampoo. Apply 1x per week, massage the shampoo throughout full head of hair until it creates a thin, soapy foam, set for 10 minutes (brush your teeth or shave your legs to pass the time), and rinse. Did somebody say, Khaleesi?

5. Avoid these “DO NOTs”:

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Cole Saladino/Thrillist

Box Dyeing. You can screw in a light bulb, but you’re not an electrician. You can jump a car, but you’re not a mechanic. You can swim a lap, but you’re not Michael Phelps. Do you see where I’m going here?

Economy shampoo and conditioner. These typically deposit sulfates and sucrose onto the hair. Think of your salon product investment as a low-sodium, sugar-free lifestyle change for your hair health.

Dramatic changes. This isn’t purse shopping, and your hair doesn’t have to change colors with the seasons.

Stylist hopping. If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it. You like her? Keep her. Your stylist will know the product line she uses on your hair and understand what your hair does and does not care for. She will be your personal hair consultant and with time, she’ll likely cut you a deal on your visits for being a frequent flyer. 

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“She is more precious than jewels.” Proverbs 3:15