Redheads of the world, unite!

FREE IMAGES

We redheads are a rare breed. Growing up, I never fully appreciated that. In fact, I hated it. I was always the lone ginger in a sea of blondes and brunettes, which made me stick out like a sore thumb. But, older and wiser now, I've learned to embrace that uniqueness that comes with my red-haired mop top. So you can imagine my delight when I discovered I Collect Gingers by photographer Anthea Pokroy. The South Africa-based photographer, who is a ginger herself, began the project in 2010 as a way to capture what she saw as "the beautiful, romantic colour palette of a ginger person and all that it connotes."

More than 500 gingers later, she's photographed men and women, the young and the old. She also interviews each subject in an attempt to learn more about the "ginger experience."

How cool is that? To all my fellow redheads out there: Wave your hair proudly today and every day. And thank you, Anthea! xoxo

P.S. More fun hair posts, including my (same) hairstyle over the years, some bang banter and my summer styles! :)

[Via TheFrisky]

In The Pursuit of Happiness: ELLE's editor-in-chief on makeup

FREE IMAGES

I loved reading all your comments on makeup over the last few days. Everyone had such great stories, and I enjoyed learning a thing or two. Have you seen this quote from ELLE's editor-in-chief Robbie Myers? In a recent interview with Into The Gloss, the beauty and fashion maven, who "didn't wear a lot of makeup" growing up, talked about one potential side effect of wearing makeup to work...

Here’s the problem with makeup at work, and I tell this to people in my office: if you start wearing makeup when you’re young, you’re going to be wedded to it. You get used to seeing your face that way and then you feel naked without it.

Also interesting was her comparison of younger vs. more senior members of the fashion industry...

It’s interesting -- the fashion business takes women who wear no makeup very seriously, which I think is kind of great. If you look at what you’d call the more "senior" members of the fashion class, they don’t wear a ton of makeup. So... do you have to wear makeup to be taken more seriously? No. It’s just a matter of what your look is and how you feel about it.

What do you think, friends? It's something to think about from someone "on the inside..." xoxo

[Via Huffington Post]

Love Lounge: In defense of NOT wearing makeup

FREE IMAGES

I've always hated makeup. In fact, the most "glam" I'll ever go is a small pop of color in the form of nail polish or a hint of shine in the form of lip gloss. I know that’s a bold statement, but I’m a bold girl. What can I say? I've always loved the natural look.

Why do women feel that they won’t be beautiful unless they cover their face with goop? Why on Earth should they feel the need to slather on heaps and mounds of war paint, as I call it? I’m not going in to battle. Why can’t women feel beautiful in their skin? I admit that my own journey toward self-acceptance on the body front has been a rocky one, full of ups and downs and more twists and turns than I care to count sometimes, but it's a journey that has made me a better person, I think. It's been a long road, but one I've ultimately had to take. To learn. To grow. To allow my real self to blossom, so to speak. I'm not sure I could have done that under a layer of makeup. I needed to see myself -- really see myself -- for who I was. I'm still working on it, but I'm finally, after so many years, liking what I'm seeing in the mirror.

What about you, friends? Is makeup a do or don't for you? Do you wear a lot of it? Only in certain situations? Do you think women generally wear too much or not enough makeup? Let's chat! xoxo

P.S. Lucy without makeup.

[Top photo taken a few years ago; bottom photo via We Heart It]

Must-watch: Sara Bareilles' BRAVE

FREE IMAGES

I love the message of this video, don't you? I want to see you be BRAVE, friends! xoxo

P.S. A new Open Letter is coming up this afternoon. :)

Must-see: Dove's new ad campaign

FREE IMAGES

Have you guys seen Dove's new Real Beauty Sketches ad campaign? I've always admired the beauty brand's body-positive message, and their newest approach encourages women to see themselves through the eyes of a stranger because "you are more beautiful than you think." Dove asked seven women of different ages and backgrounds to describe themselves while a sketch artist brought their descriptions to life. When these drawings were then compared to sketches of the women as they're described by a random stranger, it became crystal clear: Women were looking through a fun house mirror! Look at how different those sketches are -- of the same woman...

What do you think, friends? Isn't it inspiring? xoxo

In The Pursuit of Happiness: You are beautiful when...

FREE IMAGES

We've talked about feeling beautifulbefore, and I don't know about you, but it's so easy to forget about our beauty sometimes. Do you ever feel this way? When you think about your friends, what is it that you like about them? Is it their nonstop sense of humor or the fact that they’re always there for you or the fact that they can finish a crossword puzzle in 30 minutes flat?

 

Now think about yourself. What do you love about yourself? What makes YOU beautiful? If those answers don’t seem to come as easily, you’re not alone. It’s so easy to pick out positive traits in others, but we’re our own worst critic. BUT STOP. You’re awesome. You’re beautiful. And it’s about time you started believing what others are seeing in you every day. Yes…you! I'm all for writing down two things every day that make us beautiful. Here are two things that come to mind today...

You’re beautiful…when you’re helping other people

Nothing makes you feel as good as seeing a smile on someone’s face because of something you did. Whether it’s volunteering at the hospital or helping a middle schooler with their science project, people will be amazed by your generosity.

You’re beautiful…without makeup

Let your true self shine naturally because, guess what? That girl is pretty darn awesome. Makeup is great – and lots of fun – but the real thing is even prettier. Here’s a little secret too: Those around you might take note, and you could be the forerunner of a new makeup-free trend!

So, friends, it's your turn: What makes you feel beautiful today? Your kind heart? Your free spirit? You love for your family? Let's chat! xoxo

 

[Photos via Le Love]

Fashion Friday: Holiday nails

FREE IMAGES

We all know just how much I love the color pink -- see this post for proof. And when I got together with my friend Lexi awhile back for a little nail-painting fun, which color did I choose? Pink, naturally. But the closer we get to the holidays, the more I'm seeing bright, sparkly nails -- think glittery golds, blues and reds like those from Essie's latest collection. I find these bold, fun colors really inspiring and the perfect way to add some calm to holiday stress. So, in an effort not to be out-sparkled (Is that even a word??), here are a few of my faves...

Silver bell nails...

Bold red.

Christmas glitter...

Gold nails...

Black glitter...

Metallic nails...

Dark green nails...

Well, friends, what do you think? Are you a fan of glitter nails for the holidays? Will you be trying it this year? xoxo

P.S. In case you want to go the less-involved route, these real nail strips look great! :)