I Love Lucie Hair - an insight into how I have my hair done.

So it's definitely been a while huh? I apologise for that. At the beginning of the year, I swore I would get back on this blogging game well and truly again but for whatever reason, it just never happened. I've posted the odd bit here and there but I fell out of routine. I'm really trying to fix it! I honestly think if you're not feeling something, you should step away from it for a while which is what I've done with the blog. I had to take some much needed time away to think about what I wanted to do here and just separate myself entirely so I could figure out if I missed it or not. 

I do honestly miss blogging - especially vintage/repro style blogging. I've definitely felt out of the loop when other blogger friends have asked me where I've been and I feel guilty! I also stopped reading blogs for ages too and staying up with social media on the blogging side. I'm not sure if I'll be posting as regularly as I used to but I will try.

So this post is all about hair! I've not done a hair post in a very very long time and it's something I'm surprised I haven't mentioned more often.  I thought I'd show you a before and after picture of what my hair looks like when the ginger had almost all faded out and my hair started getting long again. I then went to see Lucie and she transformed me! In the top picture, this was taken right after she finished my hair. This picture just above was taken when I was on my way to work the next day - hence the uniform. 

The one person who always dyes my hair the perfect ginger is Lucie Luella who is based in Manchester and visits London every month or so with a guest spot in Hula Nails.  She is literal hair perfection and whether you live in London or up north, I utterly recommend you get an appointment with her as she will totally transform your hair.

I've been this shade of ginger/red for well over a year now and I truly cannot imagine ever going back. Lucie is literally the best hairdresser I've ever been to, period. She's lovely, down to earth and friendly, very funny and very talented. It's always an absolute pleasure having my hair done by hair.

My hair is so much easier to style now that it is a lot shorter. I do feel for anyone styling my hair though as it is so thick.

Although the red does fade very fast with washes (I try to only wash my hair once a week now as it's healthier) I also top up in between with the Crazy Colour semi permanent dye in Orange. This keeps the colour going for a bit longer between appointments. I'm hoping at some point to visit her own salon in Manchester / Stockport as it looks beautiful and I'm so pleased for her she's doing her own thing. She's wonderful and you should check out her Facebook page for incredible vintage styling and cut/colours.

*This post was not sponsored in anyway; written all by myself, off my own idea. Nothing was sent to me in return for this.

Then vs Now.

The reason I started this blog in the summer of last year, was because I wanted to document my progress from being this sort of 'average' looking girl who just wore a lot of jeans and t-shirts, sometimes dresses, but normally quite tom-boyish clothes to this woman who wears lots and lots of pretty dresses, skirts and outfits similar to the style of the 194-s/50s and sometimes a little 60s. I've always been in love with the whole 'pin up' and 'vintage' world; I've implemented bits and bobs from it into my wardrobe and make-up over the past few years, from red lipstick to polka dot dresses, but I've never actually had the guts to transform my look completely. 

If you've read any of my blog in the past, you may have seen me going from my normal veeeery long hairstyle, to settling for a shorter do with a mini fringe. This was one of the first big steps I took to embrace more of the pin-up look. I hadn't cut my hair in so long so last year I thought what a better way to embrace more of a vintage look than with a shorter hair-do.

This is how long my hair used to be, it got really hard to manage to be honest. My hair is so unbelievably thick, it took over an hour to straighten it! I knew I had to lighten the load and cut it off.

So after I got it cut off I started wearing more vintage reproduction clothes and curling my hair. 

It wasn't long until I decided to dye it ginger. 

I started getting better at dressing and styling myself!

Soooooo that's kinda my transformation over the past year! I'm so pleased and proud of where I am now, and my confidence has shot up so much. My hair styling has gotten so much better, as you can see in the last photo. 

Maybe this time next year I'll have to do another post and see if I change much between now and then. 

Sarah

xo

1940s wavy hair.

I made my first attempt yesterday at doing a 1940s classic wave hairstyle. 

This isn't really a tutorial, I'm still learning how to do it but I was impressed with the outcome, I thought I'd blog my process. Maybe it's not that good - maybe I just have low standards! haha

For this I washed my hair, towel dried it and ran setting lotion throughout my hair. I picked up the setting lotion from Superdrug. 

I divided my hair into sections and used bendy rollers, which I picked up from Poundland. There is literally no point spending any more money on this as the Poundland ones are perfect. 

(Note: the picture below I've taken tonight with my hair dry as I've re-set my hair, I forgot to take a picture when I wet set my hair)

As you can see I've used LOADS of bendy rollers - this is because I have extremely thick hair. I think I've used about 3 packets on my hair alone. 

Sadly, I don't look classy AT ALL with my bandana on. I have so many rollers in, it struggles to protect them all. Nevertheless, the bandana is essential for me in protecting my rollers all night. I've found I've woken up and all rolls are still perfectly intact - as silly as I might look.

Next morning - result

When I took the rollers out the next day - this was the result! As you can see, the rollers create really tight curls. 

I brushed out these curls, until they became waves. The setting lotion I put in the night before really helped to style my hair so it fell in place. When you first brush out the curls, it goes into this big FRIZZY MESS. That's normal. Just keep brushing and styling with your hands until it eventually falls into waves/ 

So TA-DA! that's my attempt at creating old-hollywood style style waves. 

Clearly not perfect but I'm SO CHUFFED for my first attempt. 

Guys, YouTube is incredible. I got this tutorial from Alice In Retrospect who does fantastic YouTube videos. 

Hair make-over!

I haven't dyed my hair for about 5 years now. The last time I did was in 2010 where I meant to dye my hair brown for my mum's wedding but it went a dark black. I wasn't really into having black hair at the time so I was quite upset. So since then, I let the black fade out to brown and it all grew out! I'm not sure how I had the patience to grow out solid black hair but I did and my hair came out so so healthy from it.

After having my hair chopped off last year, my hair has been all natural as you can see above. As it's been so long since I last dyed it, I've been very wary about what colour to go for next. I knew I didn't want to stay my natural mousey blonde as I find it too boring. 

I find redheaded women such as Christina Hendricks, Isla Fisher so inspiring in their style and their hair. They are both such pin up dreams. 

Ugh just look at them both!

So I finally took the plunge and booked in with Lucie Luella, who specialises in vintage hairstyling. I'd already seen many of her pictures of her clients through instagram and I honestly couldn't wait to book an appointment. 

This is the end result!! How fantastic is it? It's such a change and still a little shocking to get used to since I haven't dyed my hair in such a long time but It's everything I want. I love having Bettie Bangs!

I would totally recommend booking in with Lucie, she works out of Hula Nails (who do INCREDIBLE NAILS) which is just near Old Street station. It's a fantastic experience. It's the little touches like the sweet tea whilst you're being styled and the super cute pin up girl/tiki decor which also makes the experience great.