Saturday, May 24, 2008

'Band Aid

I hate my hair. That is right, there are times that I have wished I had the guts and the self confidence to go ahead and shave my head. Okay, so that's a little of an exaggeration, but on those bad hair days when it seems like I just can't make it look anything near acceptable, I figure it would be easier if I didn't have any.

Humidity is my hair's kryptonite. If there is any hint of moisture in the air, my hair recoils in fear, and, as if under Medusa's evil stare, turns to hay. No amount of weapons can protect me, not a ceramic flat iron, not Frizz Ease, and while using Kerastase was the closest my hair got to perfection, the price tag was far from it.

In attempts to ease the frustration of getting ready on rainy mornings, I would tie my hair back in a messy bun, because a ponytail that turns from straight to coarse-like waves during my commute to work was the furthest thing from pretty. After awhile, however, I became bored with this routine, and was determined to find a way to turn my bad hair days into something along the lines of "just not as cute as usual" hair days.

One afternoon, as I was getting ready to meet my friend for a walk around Central Park, I had a hair epiphany. Okay, so like most things in my life, it was really a by-product of my laziness. See, I hadn't taken my regular evening shower, and as the walk was a last minute plan, I didn't have time in the morning to take one either. There I was, with borderline greasy hair, and no clue what to do about it.

So, I just started to braid it. Two pigtail braids. To hide the roots where the grease would soon show, I wore a headband. I had recently purchased the cotton one from American Apparel, and I slid that over my head. Sure, I kind of looked like I was going to work out, but I also thought it looked kind of cute. (The cute half was later confirmed when I tried my new look out at work, so wipe those "She's delusional" notions out of your head.)

And there began my slippery descent into the world of headbands.

For some, the headband may remind them of their childhood, wearing thick or thin bands of fabric adorned with glitter and/or bows, or the plastic ones with the teeth that left comb marks in our hair and excruciating pain behind our ears. Since then, the headband has evolved and has become more than just a way to tame the mane on humid days, but rather a fun accessory to add some color or personality to what may be an otherwise simple outfit.

Now that I have discovered their multi-purpose use, I have found many more ways to style my hair. While I have to pin many of them in (which requires wearing my hair in either a straight or side ponytail, or even a messy bun), the plastic ones look cute sitting atop my hair when it is worn down.

To get a similar look, here is my current list of head-wear favorites:

For a funky edge, I adore this plastic one by Marc by Marc Jacobs, but it's definitely a splurge. However, I found a great silver faux snakeskin one at Century 21 for less than $4!

To add a little sunshine to a rainy day, American Apparel has a few different styles in a large array of colors. Personally, I love both the shiny and the lame in bold hues such as fuchsia or turquoise.

If you are looking for function over form, in addition to the cotton one from American Apparel that first launched my obsession, Goody has "no slide" products that are great for working out or running errands.

For those that think incorporating headbands into their lifestyle may not sound very practical, exciting, or maybe it seems like too much of a hassle, just think: What would Blair Waldorf do?

I don't know about you, but I love a good Gossip Girl challenge.

2 comments:

Anonymous said...

XOXO!

Jose Montero said...

"Sure, I kind of looked like I was going to work out, but I also thought it looked kind of cute."

Um, yea if by cute you mean Richard Simmons in silver hotpants.

LOLz!!1!!