Boho Side Braid ~ I'm a stylist...

I am sure you saw the outcome of the photo shoot that I was so privileged to be a part of about a month ago.  I had so much fun doing it the women involved are just incredible.  It is an excellent way to promote your business, specially if you are in the wedding industry.  So I thought was a better way to help my cousin get her little photography business off the ground than a styled shoot.

And I was the stylist!  I put together a vintage 1940's travel themed shoot.  I thought our model looked beautiful and it was a lot of fun to do.

I thought it was only appropriate to dress like a stylist.  So I got my torn jeans, my baggy shirt, my bangles and hippie tree necklace and I was ready to go.

And to really complete the look, I gave myself a boho side braid. 

{I am really totally kidding about dressing like a stylist. I didn't think that at all, I just happened to feel like a stylist with how I dressed and my hair and all, so I just went with it.}

By the way, my 4 year old son is my photographer.  Not bad, eh?  He might have a future here.  Anyone looking for a 7 foot photographer??  I guess he could get some different angles...

And again, I have a video!  Aren't you proud of me?  And again I apologize for quality! 

So how is my little challenge coming?  I haven't worn my hair in a regular pony tail since I started my 30x30!!  What kinds of hairstyles have you been trying?  I have some new ones up my sleeve that I saw on Pinterest today.  Can't wait to try it!

E-mail me a picture of your hair efforts!  I want to feature them!  Even if it is just a cell phone pic, who cares, it's evidence that you did it!! manouvellemode@gmail.com

Have a Happy Hair Day!!

By the way, here is a sneak peek at the shoot I styled. Isn't the makeup incredible? And I made her little veil thing and did her hair. So fun!

Fashion Week!!! Fake Short hair

Good Monday morning everyone!!

I am actually excited about this week for a number of reasons.  ONE: it's fashion week, duh.  Not only in New York but here at Ma Nouvelle Mode.  TWO: I am leaving Wednesday for Denver for the SITS Girls bloggy boot camp on Saturday.  Yep, I won a ticket.  No joke.  And THREE: something kinda cool goes down today, can't wait to tell you!

But for right now I have an outfit or two with a hair tutorial.  I don't know if my hair tutorials are all that original, I am just proud that I did them.  And actually, I did them twice.  I recorded them all and was ready to put them all on the computer and come to find out that I guess my Flip Camera is devective and I can't.  And I have no way to get the last years worth of videos off it.  BOO. {including Eli's first Christmas. Like, serious bummer}

We'll call this outfit #2 in my 30x30. I'm not keeping exact track

The outfit above I liked.  It was a bit different for me because the shirt is a bit more fancy and the shorts are casual.  So crazy, I know!!  The headband I was proud of myself for.  I am trying to do things different with my hair and style and I never thought I would wear a headband like that even though I see them all over the place.  But I did.  Go me.  (I am aware it's really thin and you can hardly see it, but it still counts!!)

In other news, I CUT MY HAIR!

Just kidding.  If you didn't get that from the post title.  This is the tutorial for the day.  Like I have said, I am trying to find different ways to wear my hair without throwing it in a pony tail.  So far - success.  This last week it was hecka hot in Cali, like I can't handle life kinda hot so instead of the pony, I gave myself short hair.  What do you think?

I made a tutorial for it.  But like I mentioned above, I didn't edit it.  I actually drop the camera at the beginning, so you know there is going to be super awesome stuff going on here.  And remember, this is the second time I did this tutorial, so the hair isn't perfect, I just wanted to get it done, haha.  Anyway, I know you'll get a good laugh, but don't make fun of me too bad.  At least to my face (or in the comments...)

I hope you like it.  Remember, stay tuned for my little surprise thing I have this afternoon!!  It has something to do with my blog button.  Just a hint for ya!

What I wore, 30x30 Day 1

I am excited because I have actually been taking pictures of my outfits!!  Wahoo, good for me! Now to edit them and get them up here, that would be great.  The pictures today were edited with the PW actions in photoshop.  Can we just say obsessed??  I am loving all the wonderful things that photoshop can do, it's incredible! And I know I haven't even scratched the surface.

I bought this dress at the outlets at the beginning of summer.  Can't remember what store.  Shoes: target.  Jewelry: forgot.  This was Sunday and I am lucky to get to church 10 minutes late let alone with jewelry on.  So I am calling this a victory.

The only problem with this beautiful dress is that I have to make sure I am keeping my tummy sucked in otherwise it looks like accident #3 would be on the way.  And Lord willing, there will be no accident #3.

I have also added another challenge in my 30x30.  It is to wear a unique )and by unique, I mean unique to me) hairstyle each day.  This means NO plain old pony tail!!  Get creative girl!  And I must say, I have been pretty proud of myself. 

Today was the side braid.  Make a deep part on the side of your choice and start the braid on the smaller end.  Braid all the way around and end right before the ear.  Braid all the way down.  Then tuck the remaining braid part up and in and curl left over sections.  Voila!  Easy, right?

Maybe I will make a video, I have been meaning too.

That white piece is my feather I had put in about a month ago. 

It was fun to wear my hair kinda funky to church.  And I like this because it is pushing me out of my comfort zone a bit with different hair.  In the past I always thought that would look cute on other people but not me, I couldn't do it.  But I am just doing it!

Any hairstyles you would like to see?  I am trying to get creative here!!

Starting 30x30... again

I am sure I am like most of you girls in that we can't just go out and buy whatever we want whenever we want it.  And if you can, well whatever.  Good for you.  You can come over here and plop down some of that extra cash for me!  Great idea!!  Okay, back to my reality...

I few days ago when I wrote about fashion inspiration I mentioned starting my 30x30.  I am tired of always wanting new things when what I have in my wardrobe is most likely perfectly fine.  So I decided to just do it.  It am a little nervous thinking 'what if I want to wear something else?'  'What if there is this shirt that I really need to buy?'  Well, I just took the leap. 

So here are the closet winners:

2 shorts, 2 longer shorts, 2 jeans, and 2 leggings

2 maxi dresses and a little dress.

5 casual-ish shirts

5 long shirts

5 nicer shirts

5 pairs of shoes, 2 not pictured because I was too lazy to go down stairs.

Oh and by the way, don't add this up, because I am not sure it is exactly 30.  I was just shooting for around there.  And I do have to buy a pair of shoes before I leave for France because they don't carry my monster shoe size over there. 

Welp, here we go then!

The un-openable door

This door is to my next door neighbor's yard.  I don't know why it is there because you can't open it, but isn't it beautiful?  I have been wanting to take pictures of it for a while, but I couldn't ask my 4 year old to take pics standing in the street all in the name of blogging, now could I?  But I could ask my mom!  And she obliged with her awesome camera.

 Oh and I discovered jeggings!  My mom brought two pair, hers of course, but being the awesome daughter that I am, I wore them.  It is a daughter's duty to glom (take over clothes that aren't yours) her mom's cute clothes.  And I do my duty well.  Verdict?  I like 'em.  They kinda fell down a bit which was a tad annoying, but super cute and you don't feel like you are just wearing spandex.

 The boots might not be the best bet here, but hey, I was going for practicality on this one, which I most usually do.



Today I am going to Lyon.  Then up to a chateau in St Albain.  I am not usually this cool, trust me.  I have visitors so I have to act like I do this stuff all the time.  Super chic french girl.  {NOT}

Bonne Journee!

Makeup Tutorial coming next week, so stay tuned!

I heart Family

Today was a good day.  Today I got to see my parents who {whom?} I haven't seen in 5 or 6 months.  I love my parents.  My mom is my best friend.  It is so good to have them here and I love that my mom brought American sweets, and tons of magazines, and stuff for crafting projects!!  So beeee sure to stay tuned for some stuff in the future, I can't stinkin' wait!

But since she just got here and I have spent the last 3 or four days cleaning and organizing my house I don't really have anything interesting at the moment.  I do, however, have this outfit.  It was perfect for running around the house, cleaning, quick trip to the park, and picking up my parents.  A serious bummer was that I had a totally cute necklace to go with it, but when I was cleaning this morning, my hand got caught on it and IT BROKE.  Ugh. Like the biggest bummer ever, had a little meltdown, a few tears, a little pouty session, almost giving up on any fashion ever, while my awesome husband sits there trying to fix it {even though he knows I am being ridiculous} and then I was back at it. 

Once again, my 3-year-old took these.  I need to upgrade because he is getting pretty tired of it all.  That is why the one above to the left is blurry on the bottom.  I had to sit it on a car and take it because he was done.

Buuuut because my mommy is in town, she has an awesome camera! Maybe I can snag some pics from that one.... hhmmm

I thought I would throw in there a pic of our little Frenchie home.  You know the house where you are like 'who lives there??'  Ya.  We live there.

And I thought I would put these pics of my makeup I did today that took me all of 10 minutes, foundation and all.  I have a crooked smile.  I am just noticing this with all these pictures of myself.  Which I need to delete from my computer.  If someone looked on my computer they would think I was sooooo vain.  But I'm not.  I swear. 

Oh, and I forgot to mention!  My favorite cousin {sssshhhh, don't tell!} is here visiting with her mom!  So I have my parents, my aunt, and my cousin!  Whoop whoop!  She is super cute and fashionable and I am thinking maybe I could snag some pics of her this weekend...

I am loving this Wednesday!

I am soooo loving today.  Here is why ~

1.  The weather is like California weather!  It is bee-u-t-iful today!  Around this time it can be, maybe usually snowing in France, and it is gorgeous.  I didn't even need a jacket today.

2. I am loving my outfit for today and my 30x30 challenge.  I am stoked for the remainder {I am aware I might not always feel that way!}.  It is forcing me to think outside the box and actually get dressed for the day.  Where before I would throw on jeans and a t-shirt and not think about being cute, instead I 'threw' on this {it was the second outfit, I am not a great planner!}

You'll have to excuse the super-white, pasty legs.  They haven't seen the sun in, like, months.

3. I super duper loved the outfit.  I also loved that because I loved it, I didn't/don't care if anyone else does!  That is a big step for this people pleaser!

And my husband was loving that I wore a skirt!  Doesn't happen often for this mom of two boys!

4. My family is coming in 2 days!!!!  Then we are going to Switzerland for a few days. I miss the fam bam and can't wait to see them. And Switzerland is always fun too!

5. And the weather again.  Isn't it interesting how the weather can have such an effect on our moods?

Once again, my son took these  pics.  They are not the greatest but he was so interested in throwing rocks off the waterfall that pictures were just not that fun.  But hey, he is my trooper, he took 'em!

Tell me what you think about this

And so it begins...

I am starting my 30x30 today. Today, folks.  I am a little nervous. I must be honest.  I had a tough time picking what I would want in the 30 because I don't know what I might feel like in three weeks or something.  But it is going to be good for me.  Because I don't mix my clothes that much, I will rewear like the same things. So this will help me think out of the box and be able to create some new outfits.

Shirt - H&M {gift from husby} pants - million years old from Gap, shoes - Nordstrom rack, belt - million years old, bracelet - H&M, scarf - gift, earrings - ??

So there it is.  My first outfit of the 30x30!! {if you don't know what that is, click on the link in the first paragraph and check it out!}  Once again, my 3-year-old was my photographer. It is kinda fun having him do it, really less intimidating.  As long as he gets my head in the pic.  But then they sometimes look more natural too. 

Oh and pre-warning ~ my outfits will not be fancy!  I threw in some skirts to make myself do it a few times, but overall, I am still a stay at home mom and sometimes skirts are impractical (is that a word?) 

Whaddya think??  Feedback is always appreciated!

Aaaaannd because I was so inspired by all the lovely bloggers out there to start my 30x30 outfit posts, I linked up with Eisy Morgan!