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Drybar-A Blow dry Bar
Drybar is not only a blow-dry salon, but an experience that is hard not to fall in love with. I had the pleasure to try the salon that Shannon Williams opened in February. Located in the Shops of Highland Park (across from Al Biernets), the idea is simple yet brilliant. They only do blowouts; no haircuts or haircolor. And guess what? At a $35 price point, which is less than any other salon, they do it better than anyone else.
From the moment you walk in, youre warmly greeted and offered white wine or a beverage. How nice is that? Very nice! Snacks are also available. The energy is relaxed and fun. The staff offers warm smiles to every client and you instantly feel like an invited guest in their home!
After my drink was served in the chicest glass, I perused the most hip menu of blowout selections: Straight Up (simple and straight), Manhattan (sleek and straight), Southern Comfort (big hair with volume), Cosmopolitan (lots of loose curls), Mai Tai (messy and beachy) and Shirley Temple (pre-teen blowout). The add-on services include updos and 10-minute head massage. Ahhhh!!! If you prefer your hair done in the privacy of your home, please note that Drybar makes house calls!
The salon is very clean, crisp and feminine. An adorable chandelier made of numerous yellow blow-dryers adorns the foyer. The tables, walls, and floor are pristine white and spotless. Black-and-white photographs of classic Hollywood beauties, Grace Kelly, Sophia Loren and the like tastefully adorn the walls. Chick flicks play on a large flat screen for the clients viewing while hair is transformed into a Drybar masterpiece.
My long hair is normally worn in a low ponytail or braid. Occasionally, I blow-dry it straight. The bottom line is that my hair doesnt see a lot of action. The stylist, who was the sweetest girl thats ever touched my hair, suggested a grouping of the Cosmopolitan (lots of loose curls) and Mai Tai (messy and beachy). It was the perfect amendment for my hair; fun, chic, polished and sexy. She was a true artist. My hair has never looked better. I didnt realize the hair on my head could be transformed into the incredible look that she, like a sculptor, molded it into. Drybar stylists crank out blowouts with the same precision that the Swiss manufacture watches.
A celebrity roster that reads such names as Cindy Crawford, Emma Roberts and the Hilton sisters are frequent blowout attendees of the esteemed salon. Stay-at-home mothers, socialites, students and every female that has hair frequents the salon. Everyone that came in for a blowout while I was there walked out with stunning, supermodel hair and a confident smile.
Drybar is the perfect place for birthday parties (any age), bridal shower parties or any time you and your girlfriends get together! They have the greatest gift cards that look like drink coasters and available in different denominations. Drybar gift cards are the perfect gift for holidays, birthdays, new mothers, weddings, and any other gift-giving occasion.
In addition to Dallas, Drybar has locations in the Los Angeles area: Brentwood, West Hollywood, Studio City, Pacific Palisades and Newport Beach. The Scottsdale location is opening in April, with New York and Atlanta following.
I left feeling like I was at my very best and that I had discovered a new gem. I cant wait to go back to Drybar and perhaps try another poison.
Call Drybar at 877-DRYBAR-9 for an appointment at any of their locations. The hours of operation are very accommodating. Visit them on the web at thedrybar.com. Let me know what you think after youve had the Drybar experience. I know that youll LOVE it!!!
How To Organize Your Closet
Organizing a closet is often a task that is viewed with the same enthusiasm as getting a cavity filled. But with a little focus, organization and willingness to keep it in order, you will find your closet to be user-friendly and a serene place. You will most likely discover pieces that you forgot you owned and you may see new outfit opportunities. Below are the steps to do so. This is the process that I have practiced numerous times over the last decade. Its tried-and-true!
Step 1. Start with 5 different large garbage bags or 5 different areas to place clothing in the 5 different categories: keep, donate, not sure, mend/tailor, trash/file 13.
Step 2. Begin with clothing in the season youre currently in. That way its easier to filter through clothing you are currently wearing. Carefully examine and think about each piece. You automatically know to keep something in the keep section if you just wore it last week, for example. If has a hole or needs a tailors attention, place it in the mend/tailor section. Many things can have new life breathed into them after a simple, inexpensive alteration is made. You may want to make a long-sleeve shirt a short-sleeve shirt, for example as a new twist on an old piece. I have my local shoe repair store mend and shine my shoes, handbags and belts every season. If its something you still love and feel great in, then its worth it. If you dont like it or its beyond repair, it may be possible to place it in the donate section. Use common sense and consideration with the donate section. If someone gave you the piece and you felt insulted when they gave it to you, then use this same judgement. The idea of donation is to make everyone involved feel positive and empowered. If it has stains, large holes, is threadbare, etc.; then please place it in file 13. If youre unsure about a piece, place it in unsure and well get back to later.
Step 3. Move on to clothing that is worn in another season than the season youre currently in. Once again, go through the same, analytical process that you did with the clothing in current season. It may be refreshing, to take everything out of the closet and go through it all in another room. Youre less likely to feel overwhelmed by the process. Its okay to take a week or so doing this and to stop-and-start. Keep in mind, that your clothing is something youve invested in and your closets contents greatly impact your personal image.
Step 4. After you have successfully sorted through everything, its time to address the mend/tailor items. The best way to find a good tailor is word of mouth. There are great tailors out there, and there are some that make clothing look like a 7th grader made it in Home Ec. (Am I showing my age??) If you like the way someones clothes fit, ask them if they use a tailor and whom they use. You can also ask clothing stores that you frequently shop in. Allow ample time for your items to be repaired and/or tailored.
Step 5. Kindly donate the donate items. Dress for Success is a wonderful organization that empowers individuals entering the work force. Youre not giving an outfit to them, youre giving them pride. What a great gift to give someone the confidence that a new outfit gives all of us. It just may be the snap that person needs to land a job and new future!
Step 6. This step is highly recommended, and one that has made me fall in love with my own closet. Make a trip to Container Store or a closet-organization store and purchase hangers, sweater bins, shoe-trees, and any other items that appeal to you. Pick up white typing paper and very large Ziploc bags (Ill explain later). I insist on using pant hangers with clips for my pants, skirts and shorts. Its easier to find these items. All the shirt hangers and pant hangers should be identical. Choose wood or clear plastic. Youll feel like your closet is a clothing store after you do this!
Step 7. Replace all the clothing youre keeping on your new hangers. Then group it together with other like items. Sleeveless shirts, short-sleeve shirts, long-sleeve shirts, shorts, skirts, pants, jeans, dresses and jackets should all be placed categorically. Map out your closet to make it as easy as possible to get dressed in the morning. Then hang all the shirts together ranging by sleeve length. Move on to shorts, then skirts, pants, and dresses. This is an individual process and one that you should consider your lifestyle and closet lay-out. For example, if you wear dresses most of the time, then place them at the most accessible area of your closet. If you have a shelf above your dresses, then that may be a great place for pumps or other shoes that you normally wear with dresses. Continue with the other items. If you like to wear boots with your jeans, then place them above or below your jeans, wherever space permits. Find an area for folded sweaters and accessories. Place scarves and belts in separate bins. Fold clean sweaters with a piece of typing paper inside the sweater and place individually in the Ziploc bags you purchased. This is a great, esthetic way to store them and it keeps a sweaters greatest enemy-MOTHS away! Place shoes in shoe-trees and in some container. I like plastic boxes that have a photo of the shoes glued to the box. Keep the shoes near items that you wear the shoes with.
Step 8. Tackle the not sure items. If youre having trouble going through this stack, ask a stylish friend to play Anna Wintour (Vogue Editor) and come over for a personal style show. Try on each item and have them weigh in on its keep potential.
Step 9. Maintain! Make an effort to keep your closet tidy. If you get something back from the cleaners, dont cram it in your closet in those toxic, plastic bags with the We Love Our Customers hangers. Take the time to put it on a nice hanger and place it in its proper place. If you keep everything organized by like items, getting dressed in the morning will take less than 10 minutes!
This entire process may seem tedious and time-consuming. The pay-off of organization, easy dressing, found clothing and clothing that has been altered are well worth it! If you do organize your closet this way, please let me know about it. Happy dressing to you!
Finding the Perfect Bra
Theres a lot of buzz lately about the importance of a proper bra fitting. Ive been hearing it a lot and just thought it was another pet project for women and another way to sell us something new! They say that almost all women wear the wrong size bra and that none of us has ever had a proper, professional bra-fitting. I chose to ignore the advice I was reading in what seemed to be every fashion magazine and went on with my life.
Recently, I was noticing that my clothes just didnt fit well anymore. My shirts and sweaters made me feel frumpy and I felt like my waist looked bloated. I exercised more and still had the same pitiful look. Then, I decided to entertain the thought of new bras. Being the online-shopping expert I am, I thought that measuring myself would suffice. I stood in my bathroom with my yellow tape measure and awkwardly wrapped the tape around my ribcage under my bust and then once again over my bust. I wrote down the measurements and then logged onto Nordstrom.com. According to their chart, I was in need of a bra in a size other than what I was currently wearing. I placed an order for a new bra according to the measurements I took. The bra arrived a week later and I excitedly tried it on. Much to my dismay, my shirts looked the same; and the frumpy, bloated look was still unfortunately a part of me.
I decided to take the advice I was reading so I headed out to find a bra-fitter. Awkwardly standing in a lingerie department, I didnt really know where to begin or how to ask for that kind of assistance. With a sudden rush of confidence, I then confided to the lingerie bra-fitter that I thought I was wearing the wrong size bra. She said, Well lets measure you and find out. Within a short minute, she measured my ribcage and bust over my white t-shirt. She announced my bra size and I was surprised (not really) to be informed that my cup size and band size were both different from the bra I ordered from Nordstrom.
The sweet bra-fitter and I looked through the displays of amazing bras and she suggested some styles to try. I was escorted to a fitting room and she said she could check the bras to insure the proper fit and size. I normally avoid fitting rooms. They make me feel uncomfortable and exposed. Not this one, I got over that feeling. I was determined to complete my bra mission. The bra-fitter looked at each bra I tried and said it was indeed the correct fit and told me to put my t-shirt on. I was astonished by how much better I looked! I suddenly had a waist and the bloated, tired look that my waist had been sporting had disappeared. My bust looked better and I no longer slouched to hide spillage. I tried several on and the bra-fitter (the patience of Job) checked the fit of each bra.
That was several months ago. Since Ive been wearing my new bras several people have asked if Ive lost weight (not an ounce) and many people have commented that something seems different. I just smile coyly. Truth be told, my girls and I are happier now than we ever were before. My posture is more erect and my back feels better now that Im not slouching. Most importantly, I just feel better about myself and my clothes fit much, much better. I would have never guessed that having a professional do a fitting would make that huge of a difference in my world; but it did!!
Jan Hill- Dallas, TX. Acupuncturist
Were all seeking the holy grail of healing and relaxation, arent we? I found that experience when I first visited Jan Hill for acupuncture two years ago. I had unfortunately experienced some health ailments that left me feeling overwhelmed, exhausted and just not the best version of me. I avoided my doctor because I feared that I would be rushed through a sterile appointment and leaving with one or more prescriptions (that have side effects ranging from dry mouth to massive stroke). The thought of acupuncture crossed my mind and I thought, what do I have to lose? I had heard of the wonders of the ancient Chinese medicine and had been intrigued for a long time
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Vitamin D, the sunshine vitamin is a vitamin that most Americans are deficient in. With the buzz and news about skin cancer and sunblock, this is a clear-cut case of too much of a good thing can be bad.
We get most of our vitamin D through the sun and not much through our diet, contrary to popular belief. Sunblock prevents our bodies from absorbing this vitamin, which actually acts more like a hormone than a vitamin. Rickets was originally thought to be a thing of the past, like polio. However, there has been a recent increase of rickets in British children. Anyone that lives in New York City, or a latitude north of there, is definitely deficient in vitamin D due to lack of sunlight. People in these areas should make an effort to take vitamin D3 drops, which the body will respond to quickly
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