A Thrifting We Will Go

I like clothes. I like clothes a whole, whole lot. Last summer, I pledged to stop buying clothes and sew myself one outfit a week in order to revamp my wardrobe. Well, nursing school came along and put a stop to that. I ended up shopping for basics and a few things I felt like I needed in order to feel human in lectures and at work. Purchasing scrubs does not constitute shopping, let me assure you of that.

With summer in my rear view mirror and lectures and clinical rotations up ahead, I spent a day thrifting with the boyfriend, and it was a blast! We hit up spots in the beach communities looking for nothing in particular. I tend to be a difficult person to thrift with because I will spend HOURS in the book section. That's right, baby. I love books! I picked up a few that day (not nearly as many as I get when we're at the dollar bookstore, though -- that's another post for another day), but I got way more clothes and accessories than books.

I picked up this dress at a Goodwill. It's so summertime that I couldn't resist putting on my flower headband along with it.

Here's a shot of that hair up close, just in case you were wondering how much I was feeling myself that day. My hair is actually in my new favorite hairstyle in this pic. I did my twists as usual (part flat twist, part two-strand twist) then I curled the ends up in bantu knots. The coils that resulted were oh so springy. I love love love this look. It gives me short and fun without an actual cut. Yay!

The blazer and sandals are mine, but those jeans and that pretty, soft pink tank came from my thrifting expedition. I think the boyfriend tried to veto this shirt, but my power of persuasion kicked in.

Another jeans/jacket/tank combo (and yes, I am in the bathroom at work). Jeans, jacket and shoes are mine. That tank came from a Goodwill. It has an applique detail along one side of the neck and I wanted it as soon as I walked in the door. It was hanging on a nearby mannequin, and the boyfriend promptly snatched it off. Needless to say he likes it too.

This tank says "When injustice becomes law, resistance becomes duty." The boyfriend picked this out for himself. It was a t-shirt, and when we got back to my place he cut the sleeves off and intended to make it a gym shirt. It ended up fitting him "more snugly" than he liked, so it is now mine. Power to the people.

This little gem sparked quite the debate in the racks. I was convinced this was a dress, and the boyfriend insisted it was a "long shirt." Apparently men don't use words like "tunic." Anyhow, we got home and I did the whole "if you can bend over in it without showing everybody your goods" test then threw on these leggings and now I've got an outfit. Everybody wins!

My thrifting adventure was so much fun. I got a bunch of other stuff I haven't yet been photographed in (like a gorgeous peach tulip dress, a cute brown and white striped jacket with puff sleeves, a cool knit purse and various dangly earrings), and I cannot WAIT to go again. Not sure if the boyfriend feels the same way. Hahaha.

I Took My Braids Out

You like?! The title of this blog post is pretty misleading. Don't be fooled. The photo I posted was taken a day or so after I took my braids out -- about two and a half weeks ago. I know. I should be ashamed of myself.

I had all these plans to take out my diva braids and install some new, shorter braids to start my semester with. That was an admirable plan! I even bought the new hair (which I love, by the way) and started putting the new braids in! Somewhere along the line, though, I missed my kinky curls, and here we are today.

That photo isn't from today. Actually, it's from a day that will be discussed in further detail in my very next blog post: the day I went thrifting with my boyfriend! Hooray! That's his oversized "I go to the gym all the time, bro" tank top I'm wearing in the picture. Anyway, this photo is featured here to illustrate the fact that it was a good great idea for me to take my braids out and set my hair FREE! I retained a crazy amount of length thanks to those braids, but this photo also bears the evidence of a cautionary tale.

In another post I talked about how I had been using products containing mineral oil and my hair was happy and had no problems. Well, I wouldn't say I spoke too soon. Let's just say everything in life is wonderful in moderation. In the photo above, I used a Softee hair grease to set the twists for my twist out. Not a totally disappointing look. As a matter of fact, I rocked that 'fro all in and through countless thrift shops that day. Couldn't tell me nothin'.

This is another twist out. Bigger. Slightly more vibrant. I didn't use the Softee grease on this one.

After noticing a dull heaviness to my hair, I started to consider maybe I'd overdone it. We all know I can be a little heavy-handed when applying my products, and I think the mineral oil in my deep conditioner (which I love and will have to do an entirely separate post about because I keep finding new and exciting things to try at the Dollar Tree) plus that in my hair grease and in a couple of my other products have become too much for my strands. Sidenote: I've recently learned my hair is actually quite fine. There just happens to be LOTS of strands on my head. Go figure! And all this time I thought my hair was thick (but couldn't figure out why my two strand twists always seemed small and thin no matter how big I made my sections). The more ya know!

I went to Target and got some of this and used it along with my Shea Moisture style milk to make a twist out.  Went to school looking like a superstar that day!

The verdict: I am not giving up on my mineral oil or Dollar Tree products, but I am starting to explore different natural products I didn't give a shot before. I  know now to use my mineral oil products in moderation. I will continue to use (with reckless abandon) the Lusti Organics Hair Sheen (awesome as a spritz) and their detangler. I'm also still committed to the numerous Lusti Organics deep conditioners I've stockpiled. I've added a little something(s) to the war chest, though.

On a recent trip to Dollar Tree (I think I was there looking for little rewards for my son), I found that little gem. It is spectaculariffic! I got the softest, most deliciously plush locs after I deep conditioned with that! I used this stuff before I embarked on my protective style of last week.

Yes. My hair has been out of braids long enough for me to go one week with it out, a week with it protected, and another week with it out. I'm not ashamed!

Next up: My new favorite style, an experiment in the making, and some changes to the regimen