Jul 17, 2010 | From You
from formspring.me:
do you have any idea why corinne, rob, and meg stopped making videos for threadbanger?
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Jul 17, 2010 | From You
from formspring.me:
HI! I LOVE LOVE LOVE your blog! You are so amazing! I just discovered it a couple of weeks ago and passed it on to all my best friends. Do you think you could do a DIY on this dress? http://www.forever21.com/product.asp?catalog_name=FOREVER21&category_nam
Hi there and thanks for your question!
Could you post the full URL in the comments to this post? Unfortunately formspring cut it off and I’m not sure which dress you’re referring to…
Thanks!
xoxo
Carly
P.S. And thanks so much for passing on my blog to your friends, too! That was so sweet of you 🙂
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Jul 14, 2010 | Fashion, From You
from formspring.me:
How do you get used to wear high heels for long periods of time? I keep buying high heels but never wear them as they make my feet hurt.
Wearing high heels, especially the higher ones, takes lots of practice, and is an acquired skill despite what shoe manufacturers and advertising want you to think. It’s definitely something you have to work up to condition your feet to get used to the wonky position they are forced into. I may not be the best person to ask since I can rarely wear heels as a stay at home mom with no full-time job, but once upon a time I too was wearing heels all day. When I was in school in Japan I remember challenging myself with wearing a pair of 5″ platform boots all day long and not falling down: 20 minutes walking to the train station, 10 minute standing train ride in rush hour, changing trains going up and down long flights of stairs, a 15 minute standing train ride still in rush hour, and 10 minutes walking to the school, going to classes, walking around campus, and then repeating it all to go home 7 hours later. I was really careful and managed it though my feet were ready to kill me by the end of the day!
Probably the best way to go about conditioning your feet is to do lots of walking in general – and if you can, try it in shoes that are comfortable but have a low wedge (like 1/2″). Once you do all your normal walking in this shoe, change them out for a short time during the day to a higher kitten heel that you wear for an hour or so in the beginning. (Still wear your sneaks on Sunday or one day of the week; and after a long day of wearing heels-even low ones-do foot stretches and runners’ stretches so the soles of your feet don’t bunch up [i.e., you don’t get plantar fasciitis, which is really, really painful!] and you don’t get Charley horses.)
Daily increase the hours that you are wearing your kitten heels until you can comfortably walk in them. As you get used to them, your feet will naturally develop calluses wear the shoes rub; these you don’t want to pumice off or else you’ll get blisters instead. (The unfortunate side effect of wearing heels all the time is ugly feet.)
Once you’re wearing the kitten heels on an almost daily basis, then start switching them out for a few hours to a higher pair, and continue to work in this manner until you can wear your highest heels for hours without cramping or falling over. The higher you go, the more often you will have to slip them off periodically to stretch your bare feet – but don’t slip on sneakers or flats to walk around in for any long period of time in-between wearing heels since that will undo all the work you’ve done. If your feet start to hurt chronically or you feel twinges in your legs or back, stop with the heels immediately, and see a podiatrist if you can.
Ankle-strengthening exercises like those found in ballet (the releve position, for instance) or calf-lifts on a stair riser, using 5-10 lb. dumbbells, can help reduce the wobble and uncertainty of your feet and ankles when wearing high stilettos.
Always arm yourself with blister-bandaids and moleskin to stick on the inside of your shoes if they start rubbing, use Dr. Scholl’s ball-of-foot cushions or arch-support inserts to ease the ‘slam, ‘slam’ of the balls of your feet on the pavement, have a pair of lower heels to switch out to, and treat your feet at the end of the day to a rub with warming massage cream or a soak in the tub.
And have an extra pair of flats for driving purposes only, if you plan to drive a car. Wearing your heels at home (if you wear shoes in the house), running around, jumping, and dancing for practice can also help condition your feet and body to navigating the world in higher heels.
You can also check out here and here for more advice on walking in heels, and here is a former runway model’s advice on the subject below:
http://www.modelinia.com/videos/embed/181
See more videos on modelinia.com
Hope that helps and with a little perseverance and practice you’ll be trotting about in the highest heels in no time!
xoxox
Carly
imgs from coolfunpics.com, bizrate.com, badmintoncentral.com, fitsugar.com, paisonflamenca.com, and jakandjil.com
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Jul 12, 2010 | Beauty, From You
img from giftofhair.org
from formspring.me (continued from an earlier question):
I will be shaving my head in a couple of weeks for charity and as I will be pretty much bald (eek!) I was wondering if you had any ideas for cool hats or headscarves to cover me up during the hot summer. For more info on the cause visit my blog: www.susanna-d.blogspot.com
Wow! Good for you! That takes guts to do, though it’s certainly for a great cause.
If you’re looking to cover up and aren’t into purchasing a wig while waiting for your hair to grow back, either a hat or a head-scarf (or a combination of the two!) will probably be your best bet.
clockwise, from green hat:
Right now is a really great time for hats, as Target currently is stocking their Eugenia Kim for Target line of stylish, chic hats – for a fraction of the cost of what Eugenia Kim hats usually sell for. Kim, who shaved her head after suffering a bad haircut, found there was such a lack of stylish headgear on the market that she designed her own cover-up. Thus, she’s certainly no stranger to your dilemma – and I love that this wide-brimmed straw hat has its own scarf built in to it – an added plus. This green fedora is super-cute and city sassy, which would look great paired with a floaty tee and bermuda shorts. You could also try different shapes to see what works with your body type and style; military-style caps, wide sunhats, and boater hats are all on-trend options.
If you’re uncomfortable about a lack of hairline showing, then a head-scarf underneath your hat may be a good (though warm) choice. You could also, of course, wear the head-scarf on its own, tied in a chignon, bow, or donut shape. A fun print (like this monotone faces print) can look summery or sophisticated depending on how you tie it. Here is a video showing 3 variations of tying a head scarf and here is a list of links to other headscarf-tying resources. If you’re daring, you could also try a turban, though you’d have to pick and choose your coordinating outfit carefully to avoid it looking too matronly.
A cloche is always a great option since it covers your head completely, though they’re often made of felt and may be too warm for summer. A cloche-shaped straw hat, though, has a slightly retro-feminine feel to it, and looks super-sweet with any casual, breezy outfit. As the weather cools down you can also go for bucket-shaped and fuller hats made of thicker materials. Small details like ribbon trim, a flower or rhinestone clip, bows, or tiny fabric flowers elevate something that looks like you’re desperately trying to cover your head up…to a stylish accessory in your ensemble.
Excellent sources of such accoutrements (besides the obvious like department stores or boutiques) are places that specialize in headgear for people who have suffered hair loss for medical reasons, like chemotherapy, alopecia, or trichotillomania. Headcovers Unlimited and Hat, Scarves, and More are two great online places to start. (The reversible soft hats from Just In Time are super-chic too!) And since I’m suck a DIY maniac, I might try my hand at sewing up my own head-covering, choosing from the wide variety of patterns for hats and scarves from Brimming with Love.
As always, the more confidence you have, the less people will notice any lack of hair – and most people will just assume any head-covering is part of your stylichly chic ensemble anyway!
Best of luck-
xoxox
Carly
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Jul 8, 2010 | DIY, From You
from formspring.me:
Any suggestion to DIYing something like Sergio Rossi’s Powder suede and nappa silk fishnet booties with crystals? http://www.sergiorossi.com/us/en/eStore/women/women-shoes-SpringSummer2010-Collection/Boots/P-PELLE-Powder-Suede-Nappa-Silk-Fishnet-Bootie-C
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