why i haven't shampooed my hair in seven weeks.

You read that correctly. The last time I used conventional shampoo was seven weeks ago. And no, I'm not dreading my hair (although I considered it in college). I decided to give the no-shampoo method a try after reading several blog posts about the impressive results. The posts promised baby-soft hair, less frequent washing, and saying goodbye to greasy hair. How could I not give it a try? 

So, for the past seven weeks, I've washed my hair with a mixture of water and baking soda as shampoo and a mixture of water and apple cider vinegar as conditioner. You know what's crazy? It works. It really, really works. The baking soda absorbs grease and grime and the apple cider vinegar keeps your hair soft and silky. 

What I do

1. Before showering, I mix 1 Tbsp baking soda with 1 cup warm water. Then I mix 2 Tbsp apple cider vinegar with 1 1/2 cups warm water. I pour the mixture into two empty glass olive oil bottles (it's easier to use a container with a lid so you can shake the baking soda shampoo before applying to your hair to be sure its fully mixed). 
2. To wash my hair, I pour the baking soda shampoo on my scalp and roots and massage it in a circular motion, and then rinse. 
3. To condition, I pour the apple cider vinegar conditioner onto my hair, except on the scalp/roots (it can make your roots more greasy). It instantly makes your hair feel smoother and softer. Then rinse.
4. I wash my hair this way about three times per week. Don't worry, I still shower regularly, and I promise I don't smell like vinegar (at least not that I've been told). 

How it works and why it's awesome

Because conventional shampoo strips your hair of its natural oils, over time your scalp begins to create more oil to compensate. By switching to this method, your body will begin to produce less oils after a time. Which means, of course, that your hair may be a little greasy for anywhere from 2-6 weeks. Mine was fine for the first week, and then between days 9-14 it was feeling pretty gritty. Once I got over that hump, though, it's been great. It feels better, it styles better, and it doesn't get greasy nearly as quick after washing. Also, have you seen the price of baking soda and apple cider vinegar? Cheap, cheap, cheap. I know this method isn't for everyone, but I've been pleasantly surprised with the results. Let me know if you give it a try!

xoxo.

P.S. Before starting this method, I read this, this, and this post.

P.P.S. During the first couple weeks, I brushed through my hair a few times per day, which helped cut down on the greasiness. 

if i could wear the same thing every day...

It would be the most perfect shirtdress.

Landon could even wear the matching shirt.

xoxo.

a classic and simplified wardrobe: getting organized.

On to the second step of my journey to a simpler, more classic wardrobe: getting organized. I went through everything in my closet again, purging a few more items, and quite a few pairs of shoes. I also did something really silly but REALLY helpful. I labeled five hangers, one for each day of the week, and planned out my outfits for the week on Sunday afternoon. I ironed each outfit, hung it on the appropriate hanger, and then put the hangers back in my closet in day order.

 It's amazing how this simple step helped me throughout the week. I didn't have those what am I going to wear stresses each morning, and I thought about my clothes much less throughout the week. I even ended up keeping my closet/floor much cleaner throughout the week. I also decided to hang all of my scarves rather than having them folded on the floor (remember, no dressers here).

The lesson for me here is that there is magic in planning. When it comes meals, finances, or my schedule, planning definitely helps to remove distractions of junk food, excessive spending, and wasting time, so why would my clothes be any different? Planning here keeps my focus on what the day will bring rather than what I'm wearing.

Step two is complete: the closet is organized, with hanger labels to show for it.

xoxo.

a classic and simplified wardrobe: first steps.

Good news, folks. I started the journey to a simpler, more classic wardrobe. I'll be honest--I'm making this up as I go, but to start, I've made a commitment to do something every weekend in regard to my wardrobe. It may be purging, planning, organizing, or just some simple ironing for the week (all the while thinking, is this how Grandma would do it?), but I've committed to making this a weekly thing until I've created a healthy system for myself and a classic working closet, as Kendi calls it.

This may seem superficial, but I know that I grow most when things/stuff/distractions are stripped away. When we moved to Texas, having to pack up our belongings and trying to make them all fit into a Ford Taurus was embarrassingly traumatic for me (we're talking sweat, tears, shoving, cramming, and long goodbyes to my cake stands in the wee hours of the morning). Looking back, I don't want to go through that again. I don't want to be so tied to stuff that the prospect of being without a cake stand scares me. The real blessings in life are just too good that to allow myself to be sidelined by dishes, clothes, and the like would be foolish. I'll always have clothes, dishes, and the like, but I don't want them to get the best of me. This is less about what I wear, and more about what I bear.

Last weekend, my first step was to take a good look at my wardrobe and do some more purging. I filled up another large bag of items to get rid of and re-organized my workout clothes. I also moved a lot of out-of-season clothes to my closet to free up more floor space. Would you believe we've survived without a dresser for the past 15 months? It's actually much easier than you'd think. It's also much messier than you'd think. For me, a reusable bag, simple wooden box and some neatly folded piles work just as well. As I purged, I asked myself questions like, How does this fit? How many times a year do I wear it? Will I still want to wear this a year from now? These questions are essential, because I have the tendency to think, But I've had this since my sophomore year of high school, it's practically a collector's item! Or, Someday I'll put this in a shadowbox!

So, step one is complete: cut the clutter.

xoxo.

a classic (and simplified) wardrobe.

Remember the big 30 for 30 blog challenge last year? Lots of bloggers joined in to wear just 30 items from their closet for 30 days. I didn't participate, but I liked the idea of the challenge. It forced bloggers to take an honest look at the potential excess in their closets and get creative. A couple years ago, I "gave up" my wardrobe for lent. I wore white v-necks, jeans, and my trusty rainbows everyday, plus a sweatshirt on cold days and a skirt on Sundays. It was pretty humbling and also had one major side benefit: picking out my outfit each morning took .01 seconds.

I'm thinking of doing a similar, but more long term challenge with my current wardrobe. I have a lot of things that I only wear once or twice a year, which has me asking, are these really worth the space and trouble? Probably not. So, I'm going to start paring down my wardrobe, holding onto the pieces that are versatile, classic, and that I really love. The rest? Adios. I'm hoping to get down to 50 or less (which, saying it now, still sounds pretty ridiculous and first-world...) I've already filled a large bag for Goodwill and I have another full bag on "probation" (meaning that if I don't wear anything that's in the bag in the next month, it's gone). 

My inspiration for this idea came from a few different places. First, my constant drooling over the Hatch Collection (and I'm not even pregnant). Hatch only sells 18 pieces, but they're super cute and really versatile. 

Second, Ina Garten. This lady has some serious class, and a signature look. I love that her personality and passions shine more than her clothing. And her popped collar is just screaming at you as if to say, "Yes, I'm this awesome, and Jeffrey knows it too."

Third, on my trip back to Portland earlier this month, I only brought a tote-size purse with me to avoid a ridiculous $30 fee for a carry-on bag. But, I was able to fit four days worth of outfits, plus running clothes, running shoes, my laptop, a book, water bottle, toothbrush, and a quart of blueberries in my bag. The trick? My outfits consisted of different combinations of a black maxi dress, striped sweater, black tank top, collared shirt, and white shorts.

All of this has me thinking that less is more. That keeping classic pieces and letting the rest go would not only bring ease to my morning routine, but more importantly help me take a deeper look at the ways I tend to live in excess. This is just another opportunity for me to trust God's provision over my own, in an area where I'm prone to feeling like I'm constantly trying to keep up. 

via

via

xoxo.

[top photo via]

long overdue: hair + specs

I'm long overdue for a haircut, and I'm thinking I'll go short again. Here's some styles I'm loving...

1 // 2 // 3

I've also been wanting to get some new glasses, as my eyes are slowly getting worse and worse. 

I'm loving the choices at BonLook and Warby Parker...

1 // 2 // 3

Which specs and hair would you put together?

xoxo.

P.S. Happy Friday!

lacy manicure.

the little festive voice inside me that says "gee, i'd love to a christmas party and wear a gold sequined dress, red lipstick and a killer updo" really likes these lacy fingernails. tutorial by hello, mint. [which is an adorable new blog, check it out!]

do you have that little voice too?

xoxo.

sunday lovin: problem solved.

after whining about my calves, i decided to give the skinny jeans quest a final try...and alas, success! huge thanks to mary for giving me the tip about target's inexpensive and nice-and-stretchy-for-the-calf-endowed jeggings, and to renee, for always believing my calves had it in them to squeeeeeeeze.

i'm now happily boot-tucking.

xoxo. 

ps. the giveaway ends tomorrow! better get to entering! :)

pss. i forgot [the first time around] to thank my bff maryn for answering my frantic dressing room texts. you're the best, mar!

crochet love for saturday.

 my lovelies, i hope your weekend is off to a wonderful start. i had a nice night of movie-watching, laundry-folding and bon iver pandora-listening [which i highly recommend] with landon. i love relaxing weekends. and i love these crocheted beauties from silvia66 on etsy. don't you? that first photo is my favorite. how about you?

gorgeous, right?

happy saturday. xoxo.

1 | 2 | 3 | 4

sheet dress

did you see this adorable and creative wedding on once wed? the bride made her dress from a SHEET! i'm impressed.

xoxo.

handmade love.

the cobblestone cowl

i'm loving the etsy shop topher & co. they have beautiful knitted things that i'd love to have in my closet for winter!

the boho headband

the oversized ego scarf

the tangle necklace

aren't they lovely? 

they sell patterns too...in the event that someone else wanted to make them for me...

xoxo.

i adore: boots + sweaters [+ bicycles]

loving the look of anthropologie's outfits on the go. they're so feminine and cozy. 

small victories [my first inspiration board].

i was feeling rather inspired by the colors in these beautiful ceramic bowls i spotted on poppytalk handmade, hence my very first inspiration board. 

i love the mix of soft colors, they remind me of fall without being candycornish.

[click to enlarge]

clockwise[ish] from top left: purse | sweater | knobs | blouse | bedding | coat | booties | cardigan | candlestick | shorts | colander | dress | paper vases| pitcher | la cocotte pot | chair | herb pot

knitted love.

i've been asking a few people in my life who know how to knit and crochet if they'll make this for me. isn't it pretty?

i would also accept this one...

or this...

[go giants].

xoxo.

little dipper on a cup of jo.

little dipper, my dear cousin's etsy shop that i told you about on saturday is featured on joanna goddard's a cup of jo today! yay! alyson is selling adorable vintage clothing and shoes for little ones. check it out here.

pretty.

swooning over this necklace.

isn't it pretty?

sweet vintage finds for baby.

if you're interested in cute things for little ones, check out my sweet cousin alyson's newly-opened etsy shop! i don't have any tots around, but these sure are cute finds!

xoxo.

i wish i knew how to make...

pretty things like these.

wedding inspiration: the dress

i thought i'd share where i found inspiration for my wedding dress. i scoured photos online for months, tried on a few dresses, and then my mom and i came up with a design, and she made the dress! first up, dress inspiration:

[some of you readers may recognize the third photo...it's olivia of for me! she was sweet enough to let me try on her dress while we were gathering ideas!]

 sources:

carter + cook event co.

ben blood photography

olivia of for me

and here's mine:

i based my veil and fabric flower off of this picture, and mine is below:

source:

once wed

our photos: 

yasmin khajavi

xoxo.

i adore: sperry topsiders

can't get enough of sperry. huge thanks to my friend renee, who convinced me to get a pair in may. they're my favorite.

want to see more?