Culture of Curls

Shot from Monday Blues

I was quite astounded when I came across a short list of ways - some of which I was unaware of - to take care of curly hair. Although, I can't find the same list anymore (stumbled upon it on Pinterest), I will recreate it with my take on hair maintenance. Here are some tips to tame the mane!

1. Use less or no shampoo; if you must, look for key ingredients like Shea butter, palm oil, or avocado oil.

2. Throw out the hair bush; use a shower comb to sift through the curls in the shower.

3. Get silk pillowcases; cotton soaks up the moisture in the hair and causes hair to be more dry. I really love the simplicity of this one.

4. Always get a dry haircut; wet haircuts will give a false perception of the way hair falls and its length. Side note: a half inch off will really look like one inch off and so on.

5. Bring in the conditioner; leave-in conditioner is as necessary as regular conditioner. It's a 10 Miracle for medium-thick hair is a great product to get silky smooth texture.

6. Cut down on the heat; not only does heat distort the pattern of curls, it also causes unwanted split ends and damage that is harder to recover from than straight hair.

What are some unique tips you abide by that I missed here?

Fall Walk

H&M Coat, H&M Sweater, Aldo Boots, Tory Burch Bag, Marc Jacobs Sunglasses

As of late (maybe two days), the temperature has slowly started to reflect what fall is supposed to feel like - and taking mini walks is one way to leverage it. The key pieces I have been leaning towards in my closet are a pair of tights that I can wear with boots, a light, oversized sweater and a fall coat to throw over my shoulder in case of sudden chills. Considering that I have low cold-tolerance, I find it very beneficial having a coat at all times and a tote to stuff it in when I'm not using it.

                        

What are your fall go-to pieces?

Monday Blues

Ann Taylor Dress, H&M Cardigan, Gucci Aviators, Steve Madden Flats

The thing with the color blue is that it complements really well with darker skin tones like mine. Over this past summer, I had a tough time finding a maxi dress that did not mandate me to wear heels, but could be worn as an option to dress up. I came across this particular one from Ann Taylor and was attracted to the print instantaneously. Not only was the length perfect, it also came with a belt, which I used to tie over the cardigan as pictured here. The one, key article of clothing that is not transparent here are the leggings I have on that helps me control my goosebumps on these colder days.

Fall Desires - Satchel Bags

For the third set of Fall Desires, I wanted to showcase some of my quintessential bags for the season. Straying away from my typical color choice of black, I ventured into some fall tones that aligns perfectly with weather's mood. I was particularly allured by the size of the bags - smaller than a tote and bigger than a clutch. This is a great dimension for errands and impromptu events.

1. Top Shop faux leather handbag, $80

2. River Island quilted front satchel, $46.27

3. Burberry 'House Check' tote, $895

4. MICHAEL Michael Kors, 'Hamilton' Saffiano leather satchel, $298

5. Proenza Schouler, calfskin satchel, $1,695

6. 3.1 Phillip Lim Pashli Mini satchel, $750

(This bag is part of my fall favorites picked out for Saffluence Magazine here!)

What are your season's favorite bag?