Femme Fashion

[Ginger]

Originally Posted by Gemme

Kim knows hair, so she'll be a great resource for you.

My question would be, if you are trying to straighten your hair, why you want to use a curling iron versus a flat iron?

That's a good question and I feel kind of silly! Duh! A curling iron curls! I was thinking that it straightens, LOL.

My hair, by the way, is straight by all standards. I'm blond, and it's kind of wavy if I don't blow dry it. But I like that uber-straight look. I'm going to go to Harmon's tonight and check out the appliances. (That's a personal care discount place in my area.)

[Leigh]

Originally Posted by IslandScout

Have fun with that! I started buying wrap dresses last fall, and now I have quite a few. I find they're more forgiving, now that I've gained some weight. Plus they have a kind of retro quality to them that I like.

I should keep my eye out for those kind of dresses ~ I definitely want to continue my search for more dresses and skirts in the future, may even post some pics of my eventual findings

Originally Posted by aishah

i've always tended towards dresses and skirts, but i usually wear pants underneath because i walk a lot and i hate it when my legs rub together. i only started wearing jeans again in the past couple of years - i spent several years without wearing them at all.

I haven't worn dresses or skirts in ages and buying that one has me itching to buy more lol I also haven't worn jeans in I don't know how long (mostly because they haven't fit me) but I am working on that

[aishah]

a friend of mine just shared this site with me: http://shoedazzle.com

it's free to join and most of the shoes are only $40/pair. and they're BEAUTIFUL. i can't afford them right now but i'm totally adding it to my list for this summer (i.e. when i'm more liquid...)

[thedivahrrrself]

Originally Posted by aishah

a friend of mine just shared this site with me: http://shoedazzle.com

it's free to join and most of the shoes are only $40/pair. and they're BEAUTIFUL. i can't afford them right now but i'm totally adding it to my list for this summer (i.e. when i'm more liquid...)

Careful of shoedazzle! The shoes are adorable, but cheap and made of synthetic material. In my experience, they don't fit right and are very uncomfortable. Same with JustFabulous.

For $40, you can go to TJMaxx, Marshalls, DSW, or Ross and get a pair of real leather, proper fitting, last-season Steve Maddens or Nine West or BCBG or Guess shoes, among other nicer brands.

Your feet will only last you so long in heels, as many old ladies in the doctor's office waiting rooms keep reminding me, so treat them right and get them good shoes (but at a good price)!

[aishah]

Originally Posted by thedivahrrrself

Careful of shoedazzle! The shoes are adorable, but cheap and made of synthetic material. In my experience, they don't fit right and are very uncomfortable. Same with JustFabulous.

For $40, you can go to TJMaxx, Marshalls, DSW, or Ross and get a pair of real leather, proper fitting, last-season Steve Maddens or Nine West or BCBG or Guess shoes, among other nicer brands.

Your feet will only last you so long in heels, as many old ladies in the doctor's office waiting rooms keep reminding me, so treat them right and get them good shoes (but at a good price)!

thanks! i had no idea. i appreciate the info.

unfortunately i can't buy cute shoes in stores...i wear an 11w and my feet are deformed. i'm lucky if i can find tennis shoes in an 11 (it does happen), but cute shoes are impossible. i have been eyeing zappo's a lot lately (i got my snow boots there) so i might try order heels there when i have the money.

edited add...re: hair dryness...

i LOVE coconut oil. i put some in after i get out of the shower and before i brush my hair out, and let it dry naturally (you could also blow dry). you only need a little. it also works well as a body moisturizer and lube. you can do a more intensive treatment by wetting your hair, putting it in, leaving it in for an hour or so, then washing your hair. henna is a great hair treatment, too - i use it to dye my hair and it's very good for hair. but sometimes it can cause extra dryness.

[thedivahrrrself]

Originally Posted by aishah

thanks! i had no idea. i appreciate the info.

unfortunately i can't buy cute shoes in stores...i wear an 11w and my feet are deformed. i'm lucky if i can find tennis shoes in an 11 (it does happen), but cute shoes are impossible. i have been eyeing zappo's a lot lately (i got my snow boots there) so i might try order heels there when i have the money.

Zappos is great. It's hard when you have wide feet. You definitely don't want to use ShoeDazzle then, their shoes are skinny as hell!

Steve Madden typically has a rounded toe and more room in that area, and the leather that Nine West uses is AMAZING at conforming to your feet (no one else will be able to borrow your Nine West shoes, they will literally have your toes molded into them). So if you're just a little wide, those may be good to try. Of course LB and Torrid both sell wide shoes. I haven't tried any of them, but they are priced very reasonably.

Happy shoe shopping!

[justkim]

Originally Posted by aishah

thanks! i had no idea. i appreciate the info.

unfortunately i can't buy cute shoes in stores...i wear an 11w and my feet are deformed. i'm lucky if i can find tennis shoes in an 11 (it does happen), but cute shoes are impossible. i have been eyeing zappo's a lot lately (i got my snow boots there) so i might try order heels there when i have the money.

edited add...re: hair dryness...

i LOVE coconut oil. i put some in after i get out of the shower and before i brush my hair out, and let it dry naturally (you could also blow dry). you only need a little. it also works well as a body moisturizer and lube. you can do a more intensive treatment by wetting your hair, putting it in, leaving it in for an hour or so, then washing your hair. henna is a great hair treatment, too - i use it to dye my hair and it's very good for hair. but sometimes it can cause extra dryness.

It has been my experience that henna is NOT safe for your hair as it contains metal. I have seen woman lose all of their hair from using henna. As far as using coconut oil to recondition your hair, don't shampoo it out. You are defeating the purpose, also don't put it directly on the scalp. If you feel you have applied too much use a good absorbent paper towel and gently blot your hair.
Hot tools rock and are well worth the price. The really nice thing, which has been mentioned, is that you can adjust the temp. Which I would totally recommend keeping on a medium setting. Always remember to apply a heat protectant to your hair, this helps to protect the hair from a percent of damage that can happen when using curling irons, flat irons, ect. As a licensed Cosmetologist we use hot tools in the salon and the best part is if they should have a problem you can return them, just be sure to keep your receipt.

Happy styling!

[aishah]

Originally Posted by justkim

It has been my experience that henna is NOT safe for your hair as it contains metal. I have seen woman lose all of their hair from using henna. As far as using coconut oil to recondition your hair, don't shampoo it out. You are defeating the purpose, also don't put it directly on the scalp. If you feel you have applied too much use a good absorbent paper towel and gently blot your hair.

thanks! do you know if this was body art quality henna they were using? i've used baq henna (it comes in a plain powder that you have to mix and prepare yourself, as it's just the powdered plant) on my hair and body for several years, and i know women who have used it their whole lives with no problems. in some cultures people have been using it for thousands of years with no problems. i know that the kind that comes pre-mixed in a box tends to have really dangerous chemicals in it, though, and i warn people away from that.

[Zimmeh]

Hey Leigh,

See if you have a Lane Bryant store by your house. Before I lost my weight, I would buy their tops. They also have some very cute jeans.

As for hair products, I use Tresemme or Redken's Smooth Down shampoo and conditioner. If you are looking for a good treatment to use after * flat ironing* your hair, I recommend Biosilk. It's expensive but it really hydrates your hair. My mom who is a hairstylist told me about it and I love it.

I bought my first dress back in January from New York and Company and I love it! I am wearing more flats to heels, due to a childhood back injury. To me, they are just as cute and sexy as heels

Zimmeh

Originally Posted by Leigh

I should keep my eye out for those kind of dresses ~ I definitely want to continue my search for more dresses and skirts in the future, may even post some pics of my eventual findings



I haven't worn dresses or skirts in ages and buying that one has me itching to buy more lol I also haven't worn jeans in I don't know how long (mostly because they haven't fit me) but I am working on that