Double Trouble.

M: Ugh, we promised double cute boys and I've got nothing.

A: I KNOW. This is my fault. Let me think a second.

M: The universe needs to step up and throw some attractive men at our feet. Must we always do all the work?

A: You rang?

M: That my friend is a cop out and only one person.

A: FINE. HERE:

M: I cannot even take that seriously. I am in a Mood.

A: ?

M: THOSE HATS. STOP.

A: YOU ARE MADE OF STONE.

A: This. For you.

M: Okay, that's certainly adorable but would we call them cute? Can we even call them cute without being arrested?

A: That was just to get you out of your bad mood. They are adorable! And (I believe) legal!

M: I do appreciate their enthusiasm but they are NO HENRY CAVILL.

A: There is only one of him, though. AND WE JUST DID HIM.

M: He's ruined me, I'm afraid.

A: Understandable, but he's still only one guy.

M: FINE, HERE ARE TWO GUYS SO THERE.

A: Well...that works for me. A LOT.

M: The more the merrier, etc. and so on.

A: I had no idea there were two of him! So convenient. For us.

Marianne: New Accessories Always Fit.

Here's the thing. I am 36 weeks pregnant and running out of clothes that y'all haven't already seen a million times before. And after 9 months, I MISS SHOPPING. I miss shopping and new stuff and I'm so tired of maternity clothes and WHINE WHINE WHINE. But you know what always fits? Bags and shoes, y'all. Bags and shoes.

Sorry about the wrinkled dress, I couldn't see them.

Adrien found this Marc by Marc Jacobs straw and leather bag for such a deal I don't even want to tell you about it, because it will cause the rage. She sent it to me for my birthday and it's true love.

And these SHOES! Because I have the best friends ever, these were also a birthday gift. My girl Lili sent them to me and they are so comfortable and so much fun. The leather is super soft and floppy and they remind me of the kind of sandals you'd pick up on a summer trip to Spain that everyone would hate you for. Only $50, too.

Oof, would you look at that belly? I'm tired, y'all.

dress: Motherhood (maternity similar and super cute non-maternity polka dot dress for under $40!)
necklace: House of Harlow locket (another adorable locket on a long chain)
bag: Marc by Marc Jacobs Hayley Straw Tote (another yellow Marc Jacobs tote and this yellow straw tote is under $50)
shoes: Zara Leopard Print Sandals (check out these blue sandals and I love these leopard sandals too)

Adrien: Straight Talk (AKA My Curl Talk Rebuttal)

Marianne warned me. She said that the curly hair post was going to get a crazy response and holy crap, you guys. She wasn't kidding. I don't think we've ever gotten comments like that! I completely love it even if I don't come close to understanding. Y'all curly heads are a touch crazy, is all I'm saying.

So, as someone on the far other end of the hair spectrum, I feel I should represent. It's time to give my State of the Straight Hair Address to follow up the last post I wrote about it back in January. Yes! Straight, fine hair is no picnic and in it's own way is just as high maintenance, just as frustrating. I'm still growing mine out but I don't really know why.

The longer it gets, the harder it is to do figure out what to do with it. I mean, I still have short hair, this I know. (But I'm going to pause right here to bitch for a minute about how little help us short-hairs get. For instance, this article. Bitch PLEASE. If your hair is touching your shoulders it's not short. Call it medium length if you must, but IT IS NOT SHORT. I WILL SHOW YOU SHORT. UGH. Am I right?? Okay, sorry, I'm done.)

I've stopped attempting to get volume out of my hair because it's completely impervious to volumizing products unless I use so much that my hair becomes a tangled, sticky mess. Instead, I've been trying to work with it and go as straight as possible which is really the only style I like when I have a bob. If I don't flat iron it after blow-drying it gets weird derpy little flips and curves that are very precious and very not me. Also, I have to shampoo it every damn day because otherwise it's just lank and sad. See? Straight, fine hair is a pain in the ass.

My current routine:

I shampoo with Aveda Color Conserve, towel dry and spritz on Bumble & bumble Tonic:

Bumble and bumble Tonic Lotion 8 oz.

I comb that through and then spritz liberally with Aveda Volumizing Tonic:

Aveda volumizing tonic

It doesn't really volumize at all (seriously, not at all)  but does give some hold and it smells nice. Then I rub a tiny bit of Aveda Defining Whip Through the ends and blow dry with a round brush (as recommended to me by a commenter on my last hair post.)

Aveda 'light elements' Defining Whip

After it's completely dry I flat iron the ends and my bangs so they're totally straight. (An hour later the ends will curve in again as if they've never even heard of a flat iron. See photo below. I ask you.)

The end result is...boring, but sleek:

 If I really take my time with the flat iron I can make it look pretty good and edgy, but I rarely have the time to do it. So... I'm back to considering going short-short again:

I kind of miss having fun, short hair but I've never really let my hair get long, you know? I don't know what to do. Help me, Straight Haired Girls. What should I doooo?

Adrien: The Hills, They Are Alive.

So, I reviewed these sandals a while back and had every intention of wearing them with all my dresses. But now I think it's got to be a specific kind of dress... and maybe not the one I chose to wear for this outfit. Better with a short shift dress, or a sundress, I think. All that said, I really do like this dress eShakti sent me, especially since I was able to customize the neckline for a bit less coverage. (They also had the option to remove the pockets which I heartily endorse.)

Anyway! I think this dress would be cuter with a pair of super-high wedges, but I didn't do that and I feel a little bit like Fräulein Maria. I could do worse, I suppose. 

Leafy print!

The back is cute.

dress: c/o eShakti graphic leaf print frock (on sale!)

sandals: Sam Edelman Trina

bag: vintage LV (similar red satchel)

locket: J Crew (similar)

Marianne: Shopping for AB (After Baby)

Suddenly I find myself 35 weeks pregnant, summer is right around the corner and I know what I'm facing: dressing myself for when after the baby comes. Because here is this thing: nothing you own already works for at least 3 months after you have a baby, if not longer (especially if you're nursing). The few things that fit won't be nursing friendly, and even if you haven't gained much weight your body is completely different. And that body is always changing, so the last thing you want to do is spend a lot of money on clothing. Fun!

With my budget and nursing/postpartum needs in mind, this is my dream AB (After Baby) wardrobe for the summer.

I'm mostly all about dresses, but I'd like the option to throw on a lightweight button-down shirt and some loose shorts, for walks to the park.

Women's Lightweight Printed Shirts

Women's The Sweatheart Denim Shorts (5")

But dresses are really the answer. I love maxi dresses because they cover any swelling you might be dealing with (I don't swell when I'm pregnant but blow up like a balloon afterwards).

I love the henley neckline of this dress (perfect for nursing!) and the tomatoey color:

Henley maxi dress

This striped crossover dress is cut a little low, but I'd try layering it over a nursing tank:

Striped crossover dress

This jersey dress from Target looks like postpartum perfection, the kind of dress you'd want in every color. I'll definitely be buying this one.

Mossimo® Womens V Neck Sleeveless Maxi - Assorted Colors

Another great jersey maxi from Target, it would be so easy to slip those shoulder straps down to nurse, yet they are wide enough to wear a real bra under.

Mossimo® Women's Crossover V-neck Maxi Dress - Assorted Colors

I am super intrigued by this Target Multi Wrap convertible dress. On the one hand, it looks kind of complicated. But it could be awesome? Has anyone tried this?

Mossimo® Womens Multi Wrap Maxi Dress - Assorted Colors

In the non-maxi realm, I am quite taken with this Chambray Embroidered Pintuck Dress from the Gap. It looks like the perfect thing to wear when you are feeling soft and squishy and a bit fat.

Chambray embroidered pintuck dress

I've only just started window shopping for this next phase in my sartorial life, but I think this would be a great start. With coupon codes none of these dresses are much of an investment, and they would keep me from feeling completely schlumpy all summer. What do you think?

Magic Dog Oil.

A: Read this and then come back to discuss.

So magical

M: Every time I manage to forget about that wildly expensive oil, SOMEONE manages to remind me.

A: IT'S A BEAUTY HOLY GRAIL. APPARENTLY.

M: SHUTUP.

A: I'll bet Gwyneth Paltrow uses it for her feet or something.

M: She uses it on her dog.

A: She cooks with it.

M: Except it's probably not cleanse-approved.

A: Oh! Does it have carbs?

M: It's OIL. Surely that's not approved.

A: Duh, the food isn't for HER. She doesn't do that.

M: She doesn't "do" "food".

A: That's what I'm saying. But the dog's coat looks super shiny.

M: And youthful.

A: And smells like heaven.

Marianne: Curl Talk (DevaCurl vs. Ouidad)

If you have curly hair, I am sure you are kind of obsessed with it. Obsessed with fighting frizz, perfecting the curl pattern, and finding the best products for your specific type of curly hair. Oh yes, you straight-haired ladies. There are different curl types. Tons of them. My hair is fine, but I have a lot of it, and I'd say it's medium curly. Anyway! I've been using Ouidad products for a while, specifically the Climate Control Shampoo and Conditioner and the Heat & Humidity Gel. And I've been really pleased with it, but I can't leave well enough alone.

Ouidad Ultimate Frizz Fighting Trio

Enter Deva Curl. A friend of mine was recently a hair model at a Deva Curl salon (we don't have one here in Knoxville, dang it), and her hair looked AMAZING. Like, my dream hair. So I pestered her for an exact product list and technique tips and I ordered the DevaCurl Trial + Travel kit, which comes with the No Poo, One Condition, AnGel (now renamed Light Defining Gel), and the Set It Free Moisture Lock Spray.

Devacurl DevaCurl Trial + Travel Kit

I expected these products to be similar to their Ouidad counterparts but they are really, really not. First off, the No Poo (awful name). Even though it says on the bottle this is a non-lathering conditioning cleanser I was still surprised that it looks and feels like conditioner. You rub a generous amount all over your scalp and then rinse. I was worried my hair wouldn't feel clean, but I like this product. It feels a lot more gentle on my scalp and my hair stays clean looking just as long as with a foaming product. The accompanying conditioner is just conditioner but it feels nice.

The Light Defining Gel (AnGel) is totally different than the Ouidad Heat & Humidity Gel. The Ouidad gel is very thin and slippery, it's not a sticky "crunchy" gel at all. I use a TON of it and my hair takes it well. It has good hold without looking wet. The AnGel is super thick and has a lot of hold and a much more "product-y" feel. I probably used too much and while my hair looked okay, I hated the way it felt. The next time I used less product and my hair felt better, but the curls weren't as defined and my hair looked kind of dull. Not impressed.

I think I'm going to keep using the No Poo and One Condition for a while. My scalp is sensitive and it really has helped it feel better. Today I tried it with the Ouidad Gel and I'm waiting for it to dry so I can report back. I'm not giving up on Deva Curl yet, maybe I just haven't tried the right product. I have my eye on the Styling Cream and the B'Leave-in. And I'm fascinated by the insane hair dryer they make. Or maybe I just go back to Ouidad. My hair is looking pretty good here and why am I bothering with change?

Fellow curly girls, what are you using these days? I used to be hopelessly devoted to the Bumble+bumble Curl Conscious line, but they changed the formula and I've been on the hunt for the perfect product mix ever since. Tell me what your magic combo is.

Edited to add: I think the DevaCurl No Poo/Conditioner + Ouidad gel is a win for me so far!