Friday's Film: Milk Maid Braids

This darling pin has been floating around Pinterest and we just love the idea!

You can find the direct link to that pin here.

We've done a video on this hairstyle and we had a bit of a variation at the end because my princess has VERY long hair.

You can see that it's really easy and super fast for such a cute style!

We chose not to have our ribbon show as much as in the original instructions but that's totally up to you when you do the style.

This shows how we just bobby pinned our side up.

My princess was very excited about this hairstyle because we saw it on Pinterest and I think it turned out pretty cute!

the IT list... September 28, 2012!

• My Fancy Pants is whipping out her fur vest! Pop over to see how she pairs it with a dress and wedges for a beautiful transition to Fall!
• Miss Top Ten Image shows us how versatile dresses can be and it is all about layering! It is amazing what a belt and cardigan can do!  (find Miss Top Ten Image on Twitter!)
• The Mrs. and The Momma is sporting Fall's hottest color and pairs it with a little something unexpected! So cute! (find The Mrs. and The Momma on Twitter!)
• A Fashion Fixation holds nothing back in a pair of bright pants! Her husband isn't so sure about them but I know we all are! (find A Fashion Fixation on Twitter!)
• The Double Take Girls show us two ways to style the same top - stripes or print! Go pick your favorite! (find The Double Take Girls on Twitter!)
• Citrus Refreshing Fashion dresses up animal print leggings with a blazer and a pop of color! Head over to see this effortlessly chic look!
• My Thrifty Chic channels the first lady and her entire outfit costing her a mere $27 - so impressive! (find My Thrifty Chic on Twitter!)
• 100 Inspirations recreates Emma Watson's minimalist style for under $112 - including a blazer! Such a steal!
• Sweetest Somethings pairs polkadots and channels fashion from decades past with a hair scarf - such a fun way to dress up a casual outfit! (find Sweetest Somethings on Twitter!)
• Olivia Moone says goodbye to summer with a roundup of some of her favorite warm weather looks! Tons of eye candy here! (find Olivia Moone on Twitter!)
• Everyday with a Red Head pairs printed pants with a hint of colorful sequins for an amazingly bold look! Love!
• Lily Says Go has come up with the perfect fall strategy to make the most of her wardrobe! Don't miss the great tips she is giving - head over! (find Lily Says Go on Twitter!)
• Ash 'n' Fashn is carrying florals in to Fall by going neutral - perfect for pairing with a big cozy sweather! (find Ash 'n' Fashn on Twitter!)
• Second Street East found an amazing deal on original artwork that looks like it came straight out of the Williams Sonoma catalog! Such a great find! (find Second Street East on Twitter!)
• Sweetie Pie Style shares some cute pieces all for under $25 - you will have a hard time not jumping at all of them!  (find Sweetie Pie Style on Twitter!)

the IT list is brought to you weekly by Jill of Good Life and edited by Michelle of Second St. East.

For more information on how you can be involved - click here

Emma Watson Look For Less < $112

Does sweet Emma Watson look so grown up lately... I am loving the evolution of her style.  This minimalist black and white look is just up my alley.  I wouldn't mind emulating this young starlet's style at all!

get the look!
jeans
sweater
blazer
wedges

Kourtney Kardashian Look for Less <$110

Kourtney Kardashian is looking pretty amazing just a few months after giving birth to baby Penelope!  I am loving this high-low leopard skirt from Kardashian Kollection for Sears and a sleek blazer!

Get the Look!
Skirt
Blazer
Tank
Heels

Royal Crown

Here's a style that's fun for any day.  You will want to make sure that you have a bun mold or rolled sock handy to help create your bun.  

Begin by pulling all of the hair back into a ponytail.  You can position your ponytail high or low on the back of the head.  It would be really cute up high if you were using it as an actual crown.  Now you have a choice of breaking up your ponytail at this point and creating several small braids out of it, or moving on like we did.

  We went ahead and pulled our un-braided ponytail through the bun mold and the created our smaller braids at this point.  Either way will work.  (Tip:  You only need to plait your braids down far enough to cover your mold - the rest of the hair can be left loose.)  

Create as many small braids as you like and have them spread out around your bun mold.  We have 9 braids on ours.  Once you have spread the braids around the mold you will secure them with another elastic that goes over the braids and the mold to hold everything into place. 

 You should now have the remaining hair hanging outside your bun.  (Remember that this hair should not be braided.) Break that hair up into about three groups and plait three individual braids out of it.  Wrap those braids around the base of your bun and secure them into place with bobby pins.  This creates the bottom of your crown.  Pretty simple and cute! 

Mandy Moore Look For Less < $90

Peplum tops are still hanging in there for this fall season.  Here is a great mix as seen on Many Moore-love the gray, red and leopard!

Source: peoplestylewatch.com via Jackie on Pinterest

Get the look:

Top, Jeans, Purse, Shoes

Friday's Film: Uneven 5-Strand

This is not a new hairstyle for us but we have never posted a video on it.
  

This is our original Uneven 5-Strand Braid and you can find the link for that post here.

We also have a "pulled" version of the braid and you can find a link to that post here.

This video should help give you the idea of how we divided our strands and created the braid.

Here is the finished braid from this video.  Try it out!  It's a fun braid and really quite easy with a bit of practice!  

Gwyneth Paltrow Look for Less <$95

Loving this super sleek travel look from Gwyneth Paltrow. The red booties add a fun pop to your basic grey tee and jeans! 

Get the look!
Booties
Jeans
Tee
Bracelet
Necklace

Olivia Palermo Look for Less <$115

When I think "Ruffled skirt," I tend to think "juvenile" but not on Olivia Palermo. She turns it into a totally chic look with a sleek grey sweater and pumps. Perfect for fall! 

Get the Look!

Skirt

Sweater

Heels

Clutch

Jessica Alba Look For Less < $85

Want to pull off the monochromatic look?  Take a look at how Jessica Alba works it in all gray!

Source: katemonteith.tumblr.com via Jackie on Pinterest

Get the look:

jeans, top, scarf, purse, sunglasses

Super Chunky Knot Braid

Here is a very fast and simple hairstyle that is great when you're short on time.  It's called the Knot Braid because it's just a series of knots.

This style works best with long hair because it takes up a lot for each knot.  (My princess has hair a couple inches from her waist and you can see how much shorter it is once the braid is done.)

Begin by pulling the hair back into a ponytail.  Divide that ponytail into two equal sections and cross them over each other and pull the top section up and through the back and then pull to tighten.  *Basically you are doing the first step of tying your shoe - a half knot.  Now just repeat the step of creating a half knot over and over again until you run out of hair. 

 Secure your braid at the bottom with an elastic.  It has a very full and chunky look and it pretty cool! 

Friday's Film: 7-Strand Sennit Braid

I was on Pinterest and  cam across this cool tutorial for rope braiding and this one is called a Sennit Braid.  you can find that original pin here.   I pinned it thinking it would be awesome to make a hair accessory or jewelry but then got to thinking that it could probably be used for a hairstyle as well.  

I did a bit of re-configuring with the strand and came up with this 7-Strand Sennit Braid:

Hopefully the video was able to explain it well for you.  As always, practice makes perfect with this braid.  

Here is what it looks like totally complete.  You can see that it looks like 2 side-by-side braids.  We have a couple other versions of 7-Strand Braids as well and I've listed those below with links to their original posts.  Just click on the name and it will take you over.

7-Strand Braid

Lucky Number 7  

Olivia Palermo Look for Less < $122

It's no surprise we love Olivia Palermo's style around here... and so of course we love to see what she steps out in for Fashion Week.  This outfit has a great fall "feel" to it, while still being completely appropriate for the warmer temps we are still experiencing.  Love the leopard on leopard look!

get the look:
shorts
top
shoes
short necklace
long necklace

Kate Bosworth Look for Less <$107

I love a classic look and this one from Kate Bosworth is exactly that-classic! She puts together a simple tweed skirt, silk top and strappy sandals and it makes for a great dressy look that you can wear for so many different events. To add a little pop, try some bright pink lipstick!

Get the Look!
Skirt
Top
Heels
Clutch
Belt

Super-Sized Bun

I love experimenting with new supplies and tools so it's always fun to find a new little gadget.

I was out shopping the other day when I came across a super-sized bun mold at Claire's. 

 I bought this more specifically for myself but my princess wanted to wear it in her hair for church. 

I loved how it looked in her hair and we had several compliments on how elegant she looked.  

You definitely need hair past shoulder length for this bun mold because it requires lots of hair to cover it.  Start by simply pulling all of the hair back into a ponytail.  (The best results come from using wet hair.)  It can be a low, high or a side ponytail - it doesn't really matter.  Now slip the mold over the entire ponytail and the elastic.  Have your princess tip her head down and spread the hair evenly around the mold with a comb.

  Secure it into place by slipping another elastic over the hair and the mold.  Take the excess hair and divide it into at least 3 sections and twist or braid them.  Wrap those sections around the base of the bun mold and bobby pin them into the mold to secure them.  

You can either have your tiny little ends flare out or tuck them under to conceal them like we've done here.  Add a flower clip on the side if you like and it's finished.     

Olivia Palermo Look For Less < $95

Here is another great Olivia Palermo look...I'm loving the texture on this sweater!  I'm lucky I ran across one with a similar nubby texture, and at a great price! I switched up what was happening on the bottom a bit, to make it a bit more universally flattering.  The shorts over leggings is cute on Olivia, but she can pull off anything.

Source: oliviapalermofashion.blogspot.com via Jackie on Pinterest

Get the look:

top, sweater, ponte leggings, shoes

Friday's Film: French Knot

This is a style that we kind of came up with on the spot this morning and decided that it would be a great video to share because it's an easier way to create a French Braid type of style.  

I apologize for the messiness of some of the video, my princess has extremely long hair and sometimes it looks super tangled.

 The hairstyle itself is really beautiful and it's nice because it's one that you can do on yourself as well.  (Not too many strands to keep track of.)

This shows the top of the braid and what it looks like as it gets started.

The bottom side of the French Knot tucks under while the top side tucks over and inside.  

We did our braid on an angle so that it ended as a side ponytail but the orientation of your French Knot is totally up to you.  

We added a flower clip to conceal our elastic on the side and that finished it off nicely.   

the IT list... September 7, 2012!

Happy September!

Take some time to check out these amazing links!

• Leopard and Lillies is looking girly chic with her pup by her side. Pop over to see how cute they both look!  (find Leopard and Lillies on Twitter!) 
• Minted Glam mixes brights for a fun transitional look. She is also giving away an adorable bracelet - don't forget to enter! (find Minted Galm on Twitter!)
• Fancy Francy is loving Kim K's recent white and black look. Leather and peplum is the perfect mix and definitely one to recreate!  (find Fancy Francy on Twitter!)
• Ash n' Fashn pulls out an old favorite that does triple duty! It's great for parties, weekends and work - a must have! (find Ash n' Fashn on Twitter!)
• The Glossy Life shows us how to bring a touch of fall into our homes for the cooler temps ahead. Head over to see some of the must haves! (find The Glossy Life on Twitter!)
• Olive and an Arrow channels her schoolgirl years in a cute babydoll dress! Paired with a funky shoe, it looks amazing! (find Olive and an Arrow on Twitter!)
• Coffee Beans and Bobby Pins beats the heat and remains stylish in stripes and florals. The perfect outfit for a warm day out and about! 
• Urban Frill keeps it simple for a day at the beach. Floral dress and a floppy hat - so cute! (find Urban Frill on Twitter!)
• It's Not That Deep rocks the punk chic look in navy and leopard. Take note because this is such a great way to wear combat boots!
• For All Things Lovely is taking pastels into her Fall wardrobe and knocks it out of the park! Such a pretty look and perfect if you aren't quite ready to give summer up!
• My Fancy Pants looks gorgeous in a cashmere dress and sparkly shoes! A statement necklace tops the whole look off! Definitely check it out! 
• Miss Top Ten Image is right on-trend in polka dots and peplum. Paired with colored denim, it makes for a colorful summer look! (find Miss Tope Ten Image on Twitter!)
• The Mrs. and The Momma is incorporating her favorite fall color into her wardrobe in an unexpected way and at a amazing price! Go check it out! (find The Mrs. and The Momma on Twitter!)
• Second Street East is taking inspiration from a manly office for a fall look that is sure to please! Head over to find out where to buy the pieces! (find Second Street East on Twitter!)
• Sweetie Pie Style rounds up her top choices for a fall must-have item - the red quilted bag! There is something for every price range! (find Sweetie Pie Style on Twitter!)

the IT list is brought to you weekly by Jill of Good Life and edited by Michelle of Second St. East.

For more information on how you can be involved - click here

Carrie Underwood Look for Less < $68

Carrie Underwood has amazing style, she is totally rocking this printed shorts and blouse look... it's a perfect look for late summmer/early fall.  I absolutely LOVE the crazy gold shoes she wears here... but let's be honest, they aren't the most practical.  I recreated this Carrie Underwood look for less by swapping out some fun sandals! (and seriously, how cute is her hair!?!?)

get the look for less:
top
shorts
sandals