HOW TO: EASY HOLIDAY HAIR STYLES

The Steele Maiden: How to: Easy Holiday Hair Style with Hair Accessories

A few weeks back on Instagram stories I took a poll and so many of you voted that you’d like to see more hair and beauty ideas. I consider myself pretty amateur in those departments so I was fairly surprised that you wanted advice from yours truly – but then I realized maybe that was the point. To get style tips that you felt like were actually achievable by a regular, non-expert, non-famous You Tube beauty blogger, real life lady like myself. Well ask and you shall receive.

I teamed up with my favorite hair stylist Sarah Rappolt from Wonderland Beauty Parlor to bring you 3 easy holiday hair styles. None of them took more than 5 minutes and all of them made me feel way more put together than usual. Perfect for any holiday occasion you’ve got on your agenda this season.

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The Steele Maiden: How to: Easy Holiday Hair Style with Hair Accessories

CASUAL AND CUTE: Loose Waves with a Velvet Turban Headband

Perfect for Friendsgivings, casual family get togethers and ugly sweater parties. This hair style is way cuter than your typical ponytail or hair down look but not so perfect that you’ll feel bad taking a nap on it after you’ve eaten a big meal.

1. Start with clean, dry hair and add plenty of texturizing spray for volume and to help hold shape.

2.  Use a 1″ curling iron or wand and wrap random sections horizontally, holding each section for a few seconds before releasing.

3. Apply a light coverage of hair spray then brush through and tousle.

4. Create a deep side part and set headband just behind ears, leaving 1-2 large strands of hair untucked. Swoop back and pin just behind the base of the headband. Done! 

 

The Steele Maiden: How to: Easy Holiday Hair Style with Hair Accessories

SIMPLE AND CHIC: Half Up Twist with a Velvet Hair Bow

Perfect for tree-trimming parties, meeting your new boyfriend’s family and your office holiday party. It’s sweet but not fussy and festive but not overly formal. Basically the goldilocks of holiday hair styles.

1.Begin with clean, dry hair and again – apply plenty of texture spray to get a good grip (especially if you have fine or smooth hair like I do). 

2. Brush your hair straight back to hide your part, then grab two 1″ sections of hair from along your right temple.

3. Twist the two together, adding in additional small sections to the top section until you’ve twisted to the center back of your head. Pin in place then repeat on the left side.

4. Secure the two twists together with a thin ponytail holder. Then pin in your velvet bow. Done!

The Steele Maiden: How to: Easy Holiday Hair Style with Hair AccessoriesEFFORTLESSLY ELEGANT: Undone Up-Do with Crystal Bobby Pins

Perfect for a fancy holiday dinner, winter wedding or even New Years’ Eve. This look is deceptively simple but makes such an impact. Plus, since the look isn’t pin perfect it’s fine if it loosens throughout the night. Overall it feels special and sparkly – just like the holidays.

1.Start with clean, dry hair and apply hair powder to your scalp in 3-4 places. Then finger comb through. Add extra texturizing spray if your hair easily falls flat or is naturally very straight.

2. Create random, loose waves using a 1″ curling iron then brush through. You should be left with allover waves that feel natural and not too bouncy or perfect.

3.Loosely pull all hair back to the nape of your neck and secure into a ponytail (not too tight!).

4. Separate ponytail into two equal sections and twist together then secure at ends with a small ponytail holder.

5. Twist the twisted ponytail around into a bun shape and pin the side of the bun so that they stay in place.

6. Pull hair upwards lightly at the crown and allow loose pieces to fall to frame your face. Spray allover lightly with hairspray.

7. Insert 3-5 small crystal bobby pins leading along one side of your head back into the bun. Done!

P.S. If you’re in the New York area and interested in having Sarah (my hair magician) cut or style your hair this holiday season – she’s generously offering 20% off her services with code STEELEMAIDEN20. Contact her here.

FALL FITNESS GOALS WITH prAna

The Steele Maiden: Fall Fitness with prAna sustainable activewear

If you’ve been reading lately, than you know that my new mindset has become ‘September is the new January‘. Meaning instead of waiting until the new year, I’m using the new season as a spark for setting new goals and trying new things. One of those goals is continuing to find ways to challenge my fitness routine and to help, I’m bringing along activewear from sustainable clothing brand prAna.

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LABOR DAY WEEKEND SALES

So long, Summer. We spent the first half of Labor Day weekend at the lake house where it was a rainy 50 something degrees and Summer felt a million miles away. We’re back in the city today though and hoping to soak up one last warm day before resigning to the change of seasons.

Truth be told, I love Fall. September feels more energizing to January to me in terms of ‘starting fresh’ with new habits, new routines and (naturally) new clothes. I’ve been thinking really strategically about my wardrobe going forward (more on that soon), but in the meantime – there are plenty of great sales happening today to help you pick up a few new pieces for the season ahead.

  • Anthropologie – extra 40% off sale styles – I always love picking up their housewares (like these cute mugs) when they’re on sale.
  • ASOS – 20% off sitewide with code LABORYAY – I’m picking up this dark floral dress for Fashion Week.
  • J.Crew – 30% off select styles – really into this fluttery top that comes in black and the prettiest emerald green.
  • Lands’ End – 25% off sitewide with code – I just got this trench coat and know I’m going to be wearing it on repeat all Fall
  • Sam Edelman – 20% off shoes sitewide – swooning over this pair of flats with tassels!
  • Talbots – 25% off full-priced styles – I’ve got my eye on this versatile leather belt

And while we’re holding on to summer – the below are my favorite posts from the past few months:

Enjoy the last day of Summer and I’ll see you all back here this week for lot’s of exciting new things! xx

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WEEKLY ROUND-UP 8.18

The Steele Maiden: Wardrobe Staples - Linen Shirt and High Waisted Jeans

Anyone else feeling at a loss after this week of news? It feels pretty frivolous to talk about shoes when so much of the world seems full of hate right now. But alas – I say we choose to seek the good, beautiful and light-filled parts of the world instead.

  1. If you’re in need of a good (smart) laugh – no one does it better than Tina Fey. Her appearance of on this week’s Weekend Update is one of the best clips of TV I’ve watched in ages. See it here.
  2. I’m in the midst of planning outfits for NYFW (how that’s even possible again I couldn’t tell you) and I think this affordable faux leather mini skirt will be making an appearance.
  3. A really interesting read on the effect that smartphones are having on a younger generation. I’m thankful to have grown up with nothing more than a bare bones flip phone in high school, but it’s a plague I definitely worry about if I end up having kids of my own.
  4. Summer ain’t over til it’s over – plus end of season sales make it a perfect time to pick up swimsuits to save for next year too. I’ve had my eye on this striped one since June.
  5. We’re in the midst of re-decorating our bedroom and I’m always looking for more inspiration from Pinterest – follow along here.

 

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END OF SUMMER WORKOUTS WITH OLD NAVY ACTIVE

The Steele Maiden: End of Summer Workouts with Old Navy Active

At the end of last year I switched to morning workouts and it changed my life. I used to go to the gym 2 mayyyybe 3 days a week. Exhausted from a long day at the office and anxious thinking about all the things I still needed to do when I got home that night. It just wasn’t working. But then..

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