Dresses, Dresses Everywhere and Not a Penny Spent

I haven't had a post, let alone an outfit post, in awhile so I'll do one this weekend! But in the meantime, I was just looking at my 'Saved Items' online and I realized that I want to buy ALL THE THINGS (i.e. dresses). Here's all the stuff I want:

I'm noticing a trend of blues, greens, and greys, which is interesting to me mostly because those colors usually bore me. Also, my love of midi-length (mid-calf length) has not subsided. In an effort to be more money-conscious, I'm only buying stuff that's reasonably priced or on sale, so a lot of these items are out. [Insert sad face].

What stuff are you forcing yourself not to buy lately? Are you attracted to a specific color scheme as the weather gets colder?

Pre-Poo!

"Pre-poo" is probably one of my favorite natural hair terms... because I'm emotionally an 8-year-old. But seriously, pre-pooing, or pre-shampooing, is definitely unique to kinky, curly, coily hair and it's a great method to retain moisture in your hair for wash day. Pre-pooing your hair involves spraying the hair with water and sealing with a generous amount of coconut oil (or other oil of your choosing). I prefer to use coconut oil because it is one of the only oils that penetrates your strands, making them moisturized and more resilient to the drying effects that some shampoos can have.

I usually only pre-poo my hair for about an hour before shampooing, but I wanted to see what would happen if I left the coconut oil in my hair all night. Section by section, I sprayed my hair with water and applied a generous amount of coconut oil from root to tip. I removed any shed hair and twisted each section when complete. I ended up with 7 sections. You might end up with more or less depending on how long and/or dense your hair is. Once I finished my whole head, I put a plastic bag (yes, literally a plastic grocery bag) over my hair, and then covered the bag with my satin cap. Why the plastic bag? It generates heat, keeps the moisture in, and quickens the process of moisture absorption and retention. Below is what my hair looked like the next morning.

Not as shiny as I expected, but SO soft.

I did my usual shampoo routine, focusing on cleansing my scalp. One thing I noticed after I shampooed was that my hair wasn't SOAKING wet like usual, though it was still soft and very easy to work conditioner through. Here's a pic of my freshly washed hair with no product.

Super soft, freshly shampooed hair.

I deep conditioned my hair using a mix of two conditioners: a protein deep conditioner and a moisturizing deep conditioner. Afterwards, I thoroughly rinsed the conditioner out with cool water, and applied a moisturizing cream and a bit of Jamaican black castor oil. I twisted my hair in sections, pinned it across to stretch the hair, and let my hair air dry.

Talk about moisturized! My hair feels and looks amazing. I will definitely continue to do overnight pre-poos using the baggy method from now on. My hair is still pinned up, but I anticipate it will be very easy to style once I take these twists down.

Fall Must-Haves

Fall is officially here and I am so excited to bring out my fall wardrobe! This season is all about the "glam tough girl" in over-sized cardigans and jackets, leather/leather-look, and tartan/check prints. I am seeing more black and white than in previous seasons, but jackets and shoes are always a fun way to incorporate some color. Incorporate any of these looks into your wardrobe to stay on-trend this season!

Boyfriend Cardigan

Thick, cable-knit, chunky cardigans fall into the category of functional fashion. This warm number can be added to a dress shirt and slim fitting dress pants, or jeans and a tee.

Over-sized Jacket

I'm kind of obsessed with the over-sized jacket trend, and sadly have not found one in my size. I think if I get one in a US size 14, it won't give the dramatic over-sized look I would be going for. I love this look because of its nod to menswear, which plays up the "glam tough girl" look this season.

Tartan/Check

Up until recently, this look was from the distant past of the 90s, but check and tartan are an upgrade from plaid. These patterns, paired with more sophisticated tailoring make for some adorable, yet appropriate, workwear.

Playful Hipster Animal Tee

I know what you're thinking. "Is she forreal?" The answer is yes! I'm not even sure if this is a trend, but I've seen these hilarious hipster animal tees on two separate websites. I saw the cat shirt (F21+) and bought it immediately because it made me crack up. These tees are a fun addition to a weekend wardrobe for the lighthearted among us. Plus, who doesn't like animals adorned with hats and hipster glasses? Name me one person. Just one. See, you can't!

 Suede Flats

I'm wearing these babies on my feet RIGHT now. They are lovely fall shoes and will literally go with anything. Don't believe me? Match these shoes with any clothing featured in this post. For suede shoes, stick with fall colors: pea green, mustard, burnt orange, and oxblood.

Leather Look

Once again, leather is back in season. Last year, we saw leather pants, shorts, and lots of leather and leather-look jackets. This season is all about leather skirts and dresses. This trend truly embodies the "glam tough girl" theme of fall clothing this season, but it is on the trendier side, so I wouldn't put too much money into following this one. Forever21 has some on-trend leather-look pieces for cheap.

Aztec

Aztec is back in style again this season. I love the texture that is created from the patterns in these skirts. Paired with a solid-colored top, these are a fun addition to a fall wardrobe.

Mod

In my not-so-humble opinion, mod is never out of style. Like, never ever. These body hugging dresses look great any time of year, but also look excellent paired with a loose fitting jacket or cardigan, bowler hat, and a bright red lip.

What fall fashions are your favorite this year?