Ladi Like: March 2013

Friday, March 29, 2013

My Little Secrets Lace Front Wig: Initial Review

Another day, another protective style!

I recently decided to try something new and purchase my first lacefront wig. I was very nervous and hesitant to start using lace fronts...we have all seen some horrible ones on MediaTakeout and even on some celebrities and if people who have millions of dollars can't get it right, how can little old me get one without looking crazy? I bit the bullet and bought one after realizing that the price would be comparable to what I would pay for a sew-in weave (hair + paying for the install) and, even if I didn't love the wig, it could still be my "work wig" to give my natural hair a rest during the week (and give me a few extra minutes of sleep in the mornings!)

After some YouTube research, I found an affordable wig vendor that had natural looking wigs. My Little Secrets offers lace front and full lace wigs in both curly and straight styles (I'm currently lusting over their curly hair options!). Their wigs-unlike some other brands I saw--look good on the mannequins, so I had high hopes for how they would look on my head. I purchased "Diamond", a 10-12 inch 100% Human Indian Remy lace front wig in color 1B and selected their Yaki texture. Here is a pic from the website:

My Little Secrets "Diamond" (source)

My Little Secrets also offers add on services such as adding combs, coloring services, knot bleaching (which apparently makes the lace hairline and parts look more natural), and adding hair to increase the length or density of their stock wigs. I chose to get the knots semi-bleached to make the wig look as realistic as possible. Because this is technically a coloring service to the "roots" of the hair, the website does mention that this process can compromise the hair, especially if you are ordering a wig that has already been dyed.

My only issue with the ordering process for the wig is the shipping. Most wigs ship within 5-6 business days, with an addition 4-8 business days added for the add on services (knot bleaching adds 8 days). On top of that, the vendor's business week is from Wednesday to Saturday instead of the standard Monday to Friday. I ordered my wig on February 28th...and it did not ship until March 20th. Thankfully, it was shipped through priority mail so I got it 3 days after it was shipped.

Now...for some pics:

Side view

lace front portion of wig

The wig comes with combs on both sides and in the rear. There is lace from ear to ear, with about a 3inx3in area of lace at the front that allows you to create a center or a side part.

I took a few pictures of the wig fresh out of the box, with the lace still attached. My Little Secrets does have an exchange program if you are not happy with your wig, but the wig must not be altered and the lace must not be cut so I wanted to make sure it was to my liking before cutting the lace. There were no defects, the wig actually came pre-curled/styled, and I was impressed with how natural the part and hairline looked--even with the lace still attached! The hair was really soft and had a natural, low-shine look. I noticed no shedding at all with running my hands through it and combing it with a wide tooth comb.

Final product, minimal styling

After cutting the lace, I curled the hair a little just to see how it would respond to heat styling. The hair curled easily and held the curls for 4 days of continuous wear. At night, I store the wig on a styrofoam wig head and in the morning I don't have to do anything to it. As for my real hair...I twisted it back into 4 large flat twists, pinned the ends up in the back, and hid my hair under a wig cap.

So far, I am loving this wig! It feels so good to literally spend less than 1 minute styling my hair, and I cannot believe how the part looks like my own scalp! I have to mention that if there is really strong wind the sides of the wig where the lace is may lift up if you don't glue it down (I do NOT use glue), but with combs on the side of the wig it is very secure (read: will not fly off!) and if you are worried about it you can use a couple of bobby pins by your ear.

What do you all think? Have you ever tried a lace front?

Wednesday, March 27, 2013

Work It: Black and White

White Jeans: Look 1 (of 3)

White Jeans are going to be a staple for me during the Spring. I love jeans and bright colors so I'm going to swap my dark denims for a lighter hue this season. White jeans are so versatile, and just look so clean and fresh paired with anything.

Blazer: Bisou Bisou / Jeans: Bisou Bisou / Tank: Old / Heels: Fergie "Olivia" / Clutch: Steve Madden (similar)

Over the next few weeks I will be showing off three of my favorite looks featuring my newest pair of white jeans. For this look, I paired my white jeans with an on-trend floral blazer.

I'm linking up with The Fashionista Next Door's latest Style Me Friday link up. The theme was white pants!

Wednesday, March 20, 2013

Work It: Patterned Blazer + Shopping Tips

Blazer: Madison (Belk's) (similar) / Shirt: Merona (Target) / Skirt: Worthington (JCPenney) / Shoes: Michael Antonio

I found this blazer on clearance at Belk's during one of their many red dot sales. It was actually hidden within the "old lady" section of the store but I found it anyway. This was the only one I saw and I fell in love with it, despite it totally not being my size (it is a petite medium!). Luckily, it fit and was only 15 bucks!
I cannot stress how important it is to try everything on when shopping, because you will be surprised at what actually fits. Plus size divas, be sure to check out straight sizes because there are often items that are full of stretch or made in a loose, flowy style that can fit your curves despite the number on the tag. Also, branch out from your favorite spots in the store--you may find a hidden gem in an area that you wouldn't expect!

Monday, March 18, 2013

Casual Outfit & Goddess Twists

Jacket: Old Navy / Shirt: TJ Maxx / Jeans: Bisou Bisou / Boots: Steve Madden

This outfit was just something to throw on to go shopping. O~~ut of pure laziness~~ To give my hair a rest from a week of twist-outs with nightly re-twisting, I decided to style my hair in goddess braids (also known as milkmaid braids) made famous by the fabulous Tracee Ellis Ross. Then I realized I can't braid, so I settled for goddess twists. This style took all of 5 minutes, and with my big earrings and a little bit of blush, I was good to go!

Friday, March 15, 2013

What Would Solange Wear?

On the 15th of each month, I play the role of stylist and showcase celebrity-inspired outfits based on my interpretation of their style.

Solange Knowles. Once in her sister's shadow, this talented singer has stepped out and earned her rightful place as a fierce fashionista with fearless style choices. Print mixing is not for the faint of heart, but for Solange it is just part of her M.O, and she executes it with ease. Bold colors and superb tailoring ensure that Solange turns heads and continues her reign as a style icon.

What Would Solange Wear?

Shop the looks:

Do you love Solange's style as much as I do? Has she inspired any of your fashion choices?

Thursday, March 14, 2013

Curly Sew In: Bohyme Brazilian Wave

Ever since I've been natural, I have opted for curly, natural looking extensions. The first curly weave I ever tried was the Brazilian Wave texture by Bohyme. I saw so many positive reviews of this hair around the blogosphere and on YouTube I had to try it, but I was taken aback when I saw the package in my local beauty supply store and the picture looked like this:

source

Despite my concerns about the texture, I bought it anyway and was pretty happy with the results. The hair looked like the picture fresh out of the package and after blowing it out, but after wetting the hair it had a gorgeous curl pattern.

Fresh install, a wet braid out was done on my leave out hair and the hairstylist brushed out my hair and the weave to blend.

To blend my hair, I usually did small two-strand twists on my leave out hair. I loved that I was able to do braid outs and twist outs on the hair to manipulate the texture to blend better, but sometimes there was a clear texture difference between the sleek, probably 3B-C weave and my coarse, 4 A-B hair. I believe this was partly due to me being a natural hair newbie struggling to find the right products to style my leave out hair--now I know that my hair can achieve the sleek look using gels like Ecostyler and Kinky Curly Curling Custard so I'm sure I can do a better job now! I do think that this hair was a little shinier than the Halley's Curls Creole Wavy hair that I usually use now.

horrible blending day! Look at that frizz/poof at the top!

Good hair day! I was told I looked like "Joan" from Girlfriends!

As with any kinky/curly hair, you have to handle the hair like you would your own to avoid tangles and knots. I've heard of some people straightening this hair, but I never tried it. I would buy this hair again. The hair is very soft, pretty, and versatile, and a major benefit and can be purchased locally at beauty supply stores (I hate having to wait for shipping!) or online at many different vendors (comparison shop!).

Have you tried the Bohyme Brazilian Wave?

Sunday, March 10, 2013

Floral Pants & A Wash-N-Go

Today was a nice sunny day so I did something I haven't done in months...wore a wash-n-go! Usually my go-to hair style during warm weather is a wash-n-go puff, but this year I will try something different to because I do not need the single strand knots that I get from wearing this style too often.

Denim Shirt: JCP / Coral Shirt: Mossimo / Leggings: Dorothy Perkins (love these!) / Flats: Mossimo

On another note, I pulled out my floral leggings to link up with The Fashionista Next Door's latest Style Me Friday link up inspired by Jessica Alba. Sundays are always my day to run errands, so I kept my look casual and comfortable.

*PS: Kohl's has some cute patterned leggings on sale! Check these out:

New Spring Fashion Pinterest Board

Are you following me on Pinterest? If not, fix that before reading this post :)

If you are one of the cool kids, you may have noticed that I have added a new pinterest board devoted to spring fashion! The weather in NC has been playing with my emotions, teasing me with sunny, 60 degree days and then in the blink of an eye going back to cold, windy, (and sometimes rainy) 40-50 degree weather. But, we are less than 10 days away from the official First Day Of Spring (*happy dance*) so I think it's safe for me to get excited about Spring and prepare for this warm weather.

My pinterest board is full of trendy, cute (in my opinion anyway) spring clothing, shoes, and accessories that are ALL available for purchase. No repins from some dead link, or gorgeous items from some obscure street style post that makes us all go crazy when we can't find where to buy these items that we have fallen in love with...All items are linked to the original site where they can be purchased!

Check out some of my favorite pins: