March 18, 2010

my spring accessory.

I've been trying to infuse my wardrobe with vibrant colors lately. When organizing my closet many weeks ago I discovered that not only do I really love navy blue and kelly green as well as black and brown but that I'm way too fixated on blending in when I get dressed rather than standing out.  That's not to say that I don't own a few brightly color outfits - I did purchase two super cute tops last summer one was bright yellow and the other was bright kelly green (again). I do have a few tanks that fall into the bright color category, but for the most party I sport them under cardigans or jackets. I'm not sure where this lack of color comes from - my guess is in the matter of me gaining weight in the past few years. I've tried to hide myself in darker clothing - I don't care WHAT fashion people say, it IS slimming. Lately people keep saying on shows that bright colors will flatter any shape - I don't buy it. That being said, I do want to break out of that rut. Not just the rut of wearing dark clothing but also the rut of feeling horrible about my style, my self and my body - it's a vicious, vicious cycle. (Note: I've purchased the 30 Day Shred, and I've been kicking my elliptical trainer's ass - or it's been kicking mine, for the past week, and I've been trying to make a serious effort to eat better, baby steps people). If all this works out well - I give you my vow to not bitch about this again and if not I'm totally buying P90X!

While I work on my inside transformation to help my outside transformation, I realized I need to get a grip on my wardrobe. I can't live in my favorite black cardigan once the weather gets warmer. We have about a week of Spring and then Summer hits and it's a hot, sticky, horrible thing - cardigans are pointless and will cause heat stroke if worn in the Alabama heat.

I kept trying to think of a way to infuse more color into my wardrobe without breaking the bank. I figured a few bright signature things would help. Shoes are always my first thought - but shoes are expensive. Purses are another fun accessory - one I have a TON of and yet again... expensive. I was running out of options, until yesterday.

In true "Wanna Be Irish" tradition I got decked out in my favorite green things. I sported my worn and faded Smoky and the Bandit T-Shirt (it's kelly green, see a trend? and I don't have to dress up for work), and my favorite black cardigan, some jeans and I decided to really go for it yesterday and put on my silky, different shades of green headband. Truth be told I purchased it last year the day before St. Patty's Day and didn't wear it - some how it went perfectly with the outfit I had on so I was pleased. Sporting the headband also helped me make my rumbled hair style look polished and pulled together. Two things of which I rarely look like when I got to work each day.

You should know that I have a drawer full of hair accessories. Yes, I said drawer. Most I've never worn. Again, yes, I said most I have NEVER worn. I always tend to go with the same tried and true, simple black hair tie, or simple clip to pull my hair up, anything else always seems over kill to me. I'm not a girlie girl by any means, but I'm trying to change that - and I also don't like to look like I've tried TOO hard. That whole, less is more thing is truly how I feel most of the time. How sad is that right? I also tend to be strange about attention. I love to be told I look good, especially when I try to look good, but I also don't like to get too much attention if that makes sense. I usually worry about this more when I'm at work, vs. a night out on the town. I just don't want to be too fussy when surrounded by guys at a print shop. That being said I was a big nervous about wearing my new-ish headband yesterday. Upon getting the work day started, I got three compliments on looking cute yesterday. It made me feel good. I had truly just thrown the outfit together but I think it was the headband that gave me the extra zing to my gear.

At the end of the day I returned home, took off my cardigan and started to cook dinner. While making BBQ Chicken stuffed Baked Potatoes (ok so maybe my meals aren't THAT healthy)... M looked at me and said.. "I really like you in a headband - you should wear them more often."  Really? Me? A headband girl? I really had never thought I could pull it off. Usually I just use my sunglasses for a headband - truth be told I can't leave the house without a pair of sunglasses in my bag and a hair tie on my wrist if my hair is down. I'm THAT girl. Creature of habit and one that has odd needs to feel complete. Often times while out for a night my good friend A tends to bitch at me when she sees my hair clip attached to my purse - she gives me the "OH HELLL NO" face, rips it off my bag and shoves it inside. She doesn't get that it will be CRUSHED in there with all my other times. But she doesn't care, apparently it's a fashion foo-pah to do that. By the way yes I know its faux pas, but I like saying FOO-PAH just as it's spelled. Anyfoo, she also likes to snap the hair ties on my wrist to inflict pain for this same reason, fashion foo-pah. Did I mention she's a really great friend? You can totally tell that from the abuse right? Most of the time when she does this she also is forcing vodka shots down my throat so she probably DOES love me, she just has a strange way of showing it.

After M's compliment, his always mean so much, I started to think about all the headbands I own. I've purchased them for special occasions, to go with certain shirts, or shoes and just. never. wore them. Upon looking at my collection I realized they were about as exciting as my closet. Only a few bands had a bright color, orange here, yellow there, baby yellow, and the rest were black, brown and white. Only the green one I wore yesterday was even remotely exciting.

Then it hit me - the perfect Spring accessory that won't cost me an arm and a leg that will brighten up my look as well as my face and hair would be HEADBANDS!!! Sure I'm slow and they are probably on the way out but for now, they are in and I want to see where this takes me.

Before I forget, I have to ask, how many of you wear what I call the "bra strap" headbands? You know what I mean, the rubber band like headbands most athletic girls  and sometimes guys wear. Often you see stars sporting them with big poofy hair. I love the LOOK but I can never get those damn things to stay on my head they always pull back and fall into my bun/ponytail and leave a huge dent where they were previously sitting. I've purchased plain ones, ones with rubber on the bottom - none will stay put. It's like the back of my head is too flat and it won't grip the back side of my head. In order to have them remotely work my hair has to be A) Dirty B) nappy or C) I have to wear the damn thing so close to my forehead I might as well not wear it at all - any tips/suggestions are very much appreciated.

But for now... here are some seriously inspiring headband finds I found while searching on etsy!

Seriously how cute is this crocheted headband? Almost as cute as that kiddo!
I have a big ass head, hopefully they make these in different sizes!

I really love these flowers that are popping up all over the place in fashion.

Feathers and Buttons - Yes Please!

And last but never least - I've been swooning over Taza's creations available at her Love, Taza store, almost as much as I've been drooling over her fur baby bulldog,  Kingsley for the past many weeks!!! (Miss M aka Banana - girl you MUST check this website out if you haven't, your babies and her baby need to have a face off for most adorable bullies ever!) If you haven't read Taza's blog you should check her out at The Rockstar Diaries - She currently lives in D.C. and every time I read I feel inspired by her words and images but it also makes me miss home, but in a good way. 

The following is my favorite of all her items for sale - which was hard to choose because they are all amazing!!! Note: She models all her creations - how cute is she? Best. Bangs. EVER!

via Love, Taza - Item is currently SOLD OUT

If you're a headband girl - where do you find your favorites? If you're not - tell me what's your must have bright colored "make me feel like Spring" accessory this year?
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16 comments:

Leslie @ A Blonde Ambition said...

I own a ton of navy and black, too! And I agree, it IS slimming!

Good luck with the working out thing...I've been trying to get in shape too, so if you need anyone to complain to, I'm all ears! Haha!

Have a great day, girlie poo!

Stacy said...

I love that last one! Too bad its sold out!

Kelly @ turned UP to ELEVEN! said...

Careful what you wish for Leslie! HAHA :)

wineandroasts said...

I'm never going to wear colors other than black, grey, blue and purple. HOWEVER, I love me some brightly colored scarves. Not only do they add a punch of color, but they are worn in lieu of expensive jewelry! And, now, with lightweight cotton and linen scarves available at Target and Kohls, you can also wear them during hotter-than-the-hinges of hell Alabama summers!

Kelly @ turned UP to ELEVEN! said...

City Girl - I'm so glad you chimed in - I KNOW, YOU KNOW what I mean by hot as hell Alabama Days (and nights for that matter). ox

Anonymous said...

One of my favorite blogger's has an Etsy store with fabulous headbands.

Here's the link.

http://www.etsy.com/shop/IcingOnTheHair

Scientific Housewife said...

Floral headbands are so great!

Kelly @ turned UP to ELEVEN! said...

thank you hotpants you're my hero!

Theresa Milstein said...

You're like me. Black and gray, with a little plum and navy thrown in. In the last year, I've tried to embrace color. I bought a kelly green coat, which I may post a picture of tomorrow. And I buy headbands and sometimes hats that I NEVER wear. First it was because my hair was curly, but now that I wear it straight, I've decided they annoy me or give me a headache.

In my heart of hearts, I pull off color and fabulous accessories.

courtney said...

I love headbands but I never buy them because I wear I phone headset at work all day (lame I know) so I don't see the point. Once I quit my job I'm planning on stocking up! Those are all super cute!

Melody said...

I'm not a headband girl these days, mostly because my hair is short and only comes in one style. A headband would make me feel/look like either me back in 1998 or that judge lady from the Food Network. However, I fully support the head band and I bet you can rock the hell out of it!!

On another note, have you tried the 30 Day Shred yet? What do you think? I want to die every time I do it, but I really love it. I think it works!!

Kelly @ turned UP to ELEVEN! said...

Melody - truth be told it's still in the wrapper - I have yet to work up the nerve... but you saying you think it works combined with a few other women's opinions that I hold dear, I think I can do it! ox

p.s. your hair is always amazing!

foxy said...

I love hair accessories in general. I'm especially into big flowers right now. And it's a GREAT inexpensive way to add color to your wardrobe - you're right! I love it! But I think that you should take a photo and share it with us... :)

Allyson said...

First of all I have such a love/hate relationship with those bra strap headbands and my hair also has to be very dirty or I have to wear them so close to my forehead I look like I've flashed back into some horrible 80's trend. So, I've given up on those. What I tend to do is wrap my headband with scarves that I own and then knot them at the bottom. That works pretty well...but I'm like you...I own WAY too much blue and green. Nothing too exciting.

And I believe that head bands are hot, hot, HAWT!! So, if you feel like you're behind fashion, just know that train is pulling back into the station. I'm working on some thin silver headbands with an attached silver butterfly...but none as cute as your girl is making on her Etsy store. Those are AWESOME!!

Thirdly, my new hot spring accessory is clear crystal beads. I keep seeing that clear jewelry is the hot thing for spring/summer so I'm investing heavily. I made myself a SUPER cute black and crystal bead necklace with black ribbon in the back this morning. I can't WAIT to wear it out tonight. And it's just now getting to be spring around these parts so up until yesterday, I was not really all that inspired to think about spring.

I agree on the not looking too girly thing. I wear a LOT of ponytails and and tend to always have a ponytail holder on my wrist. I mean, I have a degree in Exercise Science. I practically lived in a sports bra for 8 years. These things happen. ;)

Kelly @ turned UP to ELEVEN! said...

I love all of your creations Allyson I can't wait to see the clear beads happening!!!!

Amanda @ It's Blogworthy said...

Those headbands are amazing! Honestly I"ve never tried headbands, but now that I have a short inverted bob, there isn't much I can do with my hair. it looks stupid pulled up because of all the tiny hairs in the back. I might have to do a little search for headbands! That's always a good "pop of color" for those brown/black outfits.

My favorite spring/summer/bright color is hot pink. I've always loved it. I have so much pink crap in my closet it's ridiculous. I like bright turquoise and even some yellow now and then. It's getting to be that time of year again (thank GOD) so that's all you're seeing in the stores (not that I go shopping much in the first place!)

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