my new cut and color. help.

Fashion & Beauty

My New Cut and Color. Help.

Drescription

In my 20’s I dressed like a hipster clown, and generally the reaction was ‘only you could pull that off.’ But I really think that I did. Were my parents mortified when, at my brothers college graduation, I mixed a red sequin tube top with an oversized camo shirt (tied in a cute knot) and a knee length, home-made, preppy blue and white polka dot skirt? YES. Years later they copped to being embarrassed. And maybe that one was too far, but generally I took risks, was super on-trend, and gave zero effs because I had no money. I couldn’t experiment too much artistically in my tiny apartment, so I put all that creative expression onto my body.

My story isn’t unique – you are more creative and risky when you don’t need to look very professional. The higher up you get in a career the more you want to be taken seriously, which means dressing less ‘totally unhinged’ and more controlled. Don’t get me wrong, I like ‘my style’ but I’m going through a bit of a mid-blog crisis, and after years of playing it kinda safe with hair/makeup/fashion I’m ready to be more creative. For a while there was a voice in the back of my mind that said ‘sure, thats awesome, but YOU can’t pull that off anymore‘ both in beauty and fashion… But you guys, I SHUT THAT LADY UP. If you are confident enough you can do anything, right? RIGHT???

But today is not about my style revolution in general – it’s focused solely on my blonde locks. It’s very important.

I’ve been too long with the same ‘do and it’s time for a change. My New York hair and makeup artist Agata Helena first told me it was time.

I’m collaborating with Kristin Ess to help design her studio, while she re-designs my hair. Because if there is anyone in the world I would trust to do the whole shebang (the cut, and color, and style of my hair) it’s her. I don’t think that she is necessarily taking clients (girlfriend is busy with red carpets and product lines at Target) so this was an OPPORTUNITY I was not going to say ‘no’ to, but more importantly not one on which I was going to waste getting a good version of what I’ve kinda had FOREVER. She could give me something new. Cutting Edge. Forward.

No pressure, Kristin.

Here’s where I started being photographed regularly, but long-ish blonde hair has been on my head since college.

Emily Henderson Hair Cut Before Grid 1

Over the years I’ve gone blonder and learned how to put on makeup properly (excuse me while I fire Sara for putting that 2012 photo in that collage, despite my approval) but generally I’ve done the SJP in SITC meets LA with sometimes a little too RHOOC. So many letters, not enough change.

If you really want to know, my hair is naturally curly, and it’s fine (as in, not full) but with good texture (so I’m told). It’s naturally very blonde, but if I don’t highlight regularly it looks dull. I have fair skin and zero eyebrows or lashes – before spray tanning existed I was mistaken for an albino quite often in middle and high school. I’m that fair.

So the blonde hair has just gotten blonder while spray tans keep me from becoming all one pale color, and generally I’ve felt that it’s a good thing.

Emily Henderson Hair Cut Before Grid 2

Above is where we are right now – well, actually it’s shorter than that. I like it. I’m not saying that in a narcissistic way – she is just a nice looking blonde lady. But lately I’ve been so inspired by both young and older women taking more risks and the voice in my head is now saying ‘GO FOR IT.’

Emily Henderson Rue

Remember when I did this shoot above for Rue? I LOVED it then and still do now, and you know why? Because it’s more editorial. It took some risks, but I still looked like me. Then I thought to myself, my job is editorial – I tell visual stories for a living, so why shouldn’t my hair follow suit? I know you might be thinking what Brian also suggested, which is ‘why not experiment with hairstyles and not cuts and colors?’ Indeed.

But it’s mostly because the ends of my hair are thin and I just need a haircut to keep it healthy, and while long hair will never be ‘out’ I do think this mid-length hair is very happening, and as an all-of-a-sudden-super-edgy-lady I obviously need to be in on that action. Plus… bangs.

My hair appointment is Monday. Kristin is VERY opinionated and she sent through lots of styles she thinks will look good one me.

First up? The shaggy with curtain bangs:

Emily Henderson Hair Cut Shaggy With Bangs2

Now it’s hard not to love that look. Also because they are all such stunning models. I definitely want bangs, that is one thing that I don’t need your help on. But is the rest of the hair wavy, or curly, or is it blunt or layered? I know that Kristin has opinions and I’m personally loving the blunt look, but I’m not convinced it will work on my fine hair.

The below gets my heart pounding in both excitement and FEAR:

Emily Henderson Hair Cut Short Lob With Bangs

Those girls are so cool. That hair is so beautiful, feminine, French, and forward. The key to that for me is keeping the texture super messy and even frizzy (I recently have been using Kristin’s texture spray, and it really does give it this effortless frizz that looks modern and less real housewives). It’s neither straight nor curly. I mean, it’s prefect.

But let me tell you a story:

One of my best friends, 7 years ago when she was 33, impulsively went from a long ‘Zoey Deschanel with bangs’ style to a cut similar to the bottom right (above). Now it could be because it wasn’t trendy at the time, or maybe it was an off cut, but she admittedly looked 10 years older INSTANTLY. Her commercial agent who reps ‘edgier’ actors told her that she had to get extensions ASAP or he wasn’t going to be able to book her. He said she instantly looked like a Texan soccer mom (obviously no offense to Texan soccer moms, but she wasn’t a mom yet … although she is from Texas). Her husband agreed. She agreed. Even I agreed. She got extensions, went back to looking 26, but it was a terrifying lesson. Does long hair always make you look younger? I’m currently in the ‘I don’t think so’ camp, but for years I felt that way.

As a blonde with larger boobs and two kids, I’m super scared that I will look more suburban when my goal here is to look more fashion forward. I will say that I’m willing to put in more time on my makeup and fashion, which some of these hairstyles require. As if now is the time in my life when I need to spend more time on my looks (because as a mom of two small children I have SO much leisure time).

The following is the riskiest of all, and the one that most people are pushing me towards – based on fashion and my particular texture.

Emily Henderson Hair Cut Curly With Bangs1

Curly with bangs is a thing right now that I’m seeing amongst the hippest of folks. Pretty sure that last sentence disqualifies me from joining this group. That top left photo is what I want, I LOVE it, I’m just terrified that I’ll look like this:

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Yes. that is me photoshopped into Meg Ryan’s hair in Harry Met Sally, and if you are terrified imagine how scared I am. WAIT, imagine how scared BRIAN IS. That dude would be effing terrified if he read this post. Will medium length curly hair with curly bangs make me look like an 80s mom???

Follow up – is 80s mom a cool look right now? I mean there was ‘norm-core’ and now ‘meno-core’ with mom-jeans and oversized button-ups flowing from the runways, so maybe ‘early 80s mom’ (you know, with a 70s bent) is exactly what I want to be.

Then we have a question of color. Do I keep the same natural blonde look or go blonder? I mean, when in Rome … Or should I say Norway …

Emily Henderson Hair Cut Blonder

I don’t think I can go platinum, but I could amp it up a bit – although that would take more maintenance, but if it looked THAT much better then maybe I should?

Or I could do the opposite, something I’ve never considered ’til right now – the BRONDE.

Emily Henderson Hair Cut Bronde

Typically this means brunette with blonder highlights, and it’s probably the #1 request in LA right now. Justin Anderson, who I recently went to for color (who I LOVE and is good friend’s with Kristin), said it’s the only request he gets, even with extremely brunette women. They all want to look sunkissed. For me that would be Kristin putting in darker undertones so that my highlights could stand out. I will always be blonde around my face, but I wouldn’t mind some deeper tones too…

So Sara, upon my request, which I realize now was a masochistic one, photoshopped my face onto some of these hairstyles. Enjoy:

2x2 Square Grid 2500 Pixels

With all that is happening in the world, I sure am grateful/ashamed that this is what is properly occupying the ‘worry’ portion of my brain.

Head to insta-story to see my hair right now and what it looks like with extensions (which I’ve currently been rocking), as well as what it would look like if I cut it.

Obviously the question is WHAT DO I DO?

Bangs? Lobb? Darker?

None of the above truly show what it would look like on me, but if you had to pick one or a couple for me what might you suggest? Monday is the day – and while it’s just hair, now that I’m writing this post it’s all of a sudden too soon. I don’t want to be safe, but I also really don’t want to regret it.

Dear world,

Help.

Your consistently normal blonde, with fine but textured hair, who wants to look fashion forward but is afraid of looking dated and older,

Emily Henderson

Ryann Got A Perm (!!) Wanna See The 2022 Version?? Let’s Just Say She May Never Go Back

Here’s the thing I know will be true. Some of you with naturally curly hair will want to shake me and scream why would you want to change your perfectly straight hair?? Those with straight hair will be super intrigued and eager to see how this turns out. We all want we can’t have. When I showed family my new perm my aunt with gorgeous naturally curly hair was like, “It looks good! But I want straight hair!” It’s just the way it goes. All of us straight-haired gals dream about curly hair at one time or another. Because I have always had straight hair, I have always envied people with bouncy, exciting curls. I am talking Carrie Bradshaw in Sex and the City or Julia Roberts in Pretty Woman vibes. So a couple of years ago when I heard perms are back, I immediately hopped on board. My mom grew up in the eighties so I have heard perm horror stories but I wouldn’t let that deter me. But then a pandemic happened and lots of things became more pressing than getting a perm. But as fate would have it, a few months ago the opportunity to get a perm landed in my lap. Just as all hero journeys go, the stars aligned and I was chosen for the quest. This is me and my naturally straight hair. And I love my hair, I really do. I am very lucky to have healthy, thick, long hair, but the look you see here is the one thing my hair does. What I mean is, I am not capable of any type of hairstyling so hair down is the only hair “look” I have in my arsenal. I was beyond ready to switch it up and try something very new. Enter Curl Cult founded by Emily’s friend and hairstylist Janine. Janine spent four years in Italy creating this new perm technology so I felt extremely safe and comfortable in her hands. I am famously super trusting with hairstylists so I was ready for her to give me the most intense, voluminous curls possible. You know what they say. When in Rome. Emily was pretty nervous for me and volunteered to be my mom/hair advocate. But I am fairly gutsy when it comes to my hair. I have chopped off all my hair multiple times including getting a pixie cut when I was 16. I guess I have never had a haircut bad enough to make me fearful. *KNOCKS ON WOOD* I think the above photo depicts Emily, a curly-haired gal explaining to me, a straight-haired gal, that I will have CURLS by the end of this. HA. I think we both would like to swap hair (hence Emily’s blowout and my eagerness to get a perm) so she was trying her best to prep me for curly hair life. Her biggest fear was that I wouldn’t like it. My biggest fear was that my hair would be a few inches shorter. But other than that I was ready and excited. I showed Janine the level of curl I wanted, while Emily held all the nerves for me. I knew I wanted a layered, voluminous look and was willing to go extremely curly. I really wanted a brand new look, so the curlier the better. HERE WE GO! First, Lauren gave me a trim and layered my hair so the curls wouldn’t be too uniform. If I wasn’t getting married this year, I would have done a full 70s shag perm with bangs. But I had to keep it tame for the wedding, and getting bangs is always a risk. This is the last photo of me with straight hair. Now the party’s about to begin. Once my hair was washed and conditioned, Janine got to work rolling individual, approximately 1 inch sized strands of my hair. I am no mathematician but I think she had to put in around 100 rolls in my hair. This process probably took the longest and by the time this step was complete, it felt like my head weighed an extra 15 pounds from all the rollers. The next step is putting a liberal amount of perm solution on each strand. If you ever have gotten a perm, you might remember the smell. It’s not pleasant and the sulfur stink would linger in your hair for days. I didn’t know this but luckily I didn’t have to experience it. Janine spent 4 years working with a chemist in Italy to remove the stinky smells of perms. Her perm reduced the caustic odor adding a fresh berry scent and it WORKED. So this isn’t a smelly American perm, it’s a refined berry-infused ~Italian perm~ Once the solution was applied, I sat in a chair under a heat lamp and waited for about 30 minutes. Once the perm goddesses (Janine and Lauren) declared the solution was set, they applied a neutralizer. This is another way Janine eliminated steps in the perm process. Their neutralizer is applied over their perm solution, so there is no more messy rinsing and blotting at the bowl. Seriously, Janine’s process is magic. Once the rollers were removed we rinsed and conditioned my hair once more. You know the famous Legally Blonde quote? “Isn’t it the first cardinal rule of perm maintenance that you are forbidden to wet your hair for at least 24 hours after getting a perm at the risk of deactivating the ammonium thioglycolate” Well more accurately, you are forbidden to shampoo your hair for 48 hours. If you do, it will reverse the perm so if you have full regret, it’s an option. But luckily that was not my experience at all. The next step feels the longest because you just want to see what the result is. But you must wait for it to air dry so the curls can fully activate. My hair is very thick so this took about an hour (with the help of a heat lamp). As I was letting it air dry I could see the curls were forming and becoming more alive by the minute as I was anxiously awaiting the final reveal. SHE HAS CURLS. Honestly, we were all shocked at how good it looked. You really never know what a hairstyle change will do to your face and your whole look but luckily I was immediately in love. I think I said “I feel like Julia Roberts ala Pretty Woman” far too many times. You can almost tell through photos how soft and touchable this perm is. Perms back in the day were crunchy but this perm feels and looks natural. People have assumed that I’ve always had curly hair and that I am just now starting to wear it naturally. *flips hair* No big deal. The texture is so gorgeous and soft. I couldn’t stop flipping my hair back and forth – it was so fun. That day was windy so you can really see the frizz but as someone with straight hair, I found the big frizzy hair extremely charming. You can come for me in the comments if you want, but I feel powerful having voluminous hair that can not be tamed. So this concludes my hero’s journey. It was the best experience and I would 100% do it all over again. Next time, I might even go shoulder-length and even curlier. I am all in. If you want this perm (and you should) I have great news. You do not need to be based in LA to get it. Your stylist can be Curl Cult Certified and join the movement in just 45 minutes. Just have them start here. You can also find a Curl Cult Certified stylist near you here. And there’s us – just 3 curly-haired gals out on the town! Thank you, thank you, thank you, Janine for giving me the curls I have always wanted. It’s so fun being a curly-haired gal and I think everyone should try it. Here is a video of the whole process if you are interested (just wait for the add to play): And in case you are curious, here is what it looks like now, one month after the perm: This is another difference between the Curl Cult perm and the perms of the past. The grow-out process is much easier because the perm softens over time. My perm has already softened so I get effortless, beach curls with no heat or styling tools. I just use the Curl Cult Shampoo and Conditioner, Magic Spell (this stuff is bottled GOLD), and Curl Cream and let it air dry (you can get the whole kit here). I am famously very lazy with my hair so it’s incredible I get this look with the tiniest bit of effort. Again, THANK YOU JANINE. I could not have enjoyed this experience or the results more. If you have any questions, fire them down below.

27 Fun Road Trip Games for Adults That Make Car Travel More Enjoyable

Road trips are fun—at least, in theory. But after a couple of hours of music, podcasts, and "I'm just going to take a quick nap while you drive," things can quickly turn boring. Sometimes you can adapt party games for the car, but they don't always translate to sitting in a moving metal box. That's where these road trip games come in. "I Spy" may have kept your attention when you were young—impressive, given that you had the attention span of a goldfish—but this list of car ride games up the ante a bit. Pick a few adult-worthy road trip games for your next long ride. 01 of 27 Spin a Story From the Past Think of this as "Who can lie better?" One player begins by telling a story about their past, and players have to guess whether they're telling the truth or spinning a tale. Each guesser gets two follow-up questions, and then it's time for an answer. Every correct answer is two points, and the first player to 10 wins. (The loser has to reveal a super-embarrassing story.) 02 of 27 Riff Off This competition involves finding a license plate with random letters and creating a word with those letters. For example, if the license plate is YMT23, the answer could be "Yosemite". Think of it as Road Trip Scrabble, but instead of taking turns, just yell when you see one and come up with a word. Other players can challenge by creating a longer word with those same letters. To up the stakes, stipulate that the letters must be in the exact order to make the word and can't be scrambled. Award two points for each winning answer and two extra points for anyone who spots a vanity plate. The winner is the first to reach 10 points. 03 of 27 Explain a Movie Plot Badly This party game also works when you're trapped in a car. One player thinks of a movie and explains its plot in a way that is factual and terrible, and the other players have to guess. The first player to guess correctly gets a point. If no one guesses correctly, the plot explainer gets a point. Our favorite: "Girl can't commit. Loses cat." (Yep, Breakfast at Tiffany's!) 04 of 27 Essentially the Same Movie In another film-related game, a player starts by naming a movie. The next player has to name another movie that has the same basic plot. For example, Pretty in Pink and Some Kind of Wonderful, or No Strings Attached and Friends with Benefits. Players continue to take turns naming flicks with essentially the same narrative until someone gets stumped—the last person to come up with a film that fits wins. Start with your favorite kid movies if you're having trouble thinking of movie plots. 05 of 27 Radio Roulette This is essentially a road trip game of Name That Tune. Flip among radio stations until you hear a song (presets work best), and let it play for 15 seconds. Players are challenged to name that song and its artist, earning one point for each, with an extra point for naming its album. The first one to reach 15 points wins. 06 of 27 Mad Libs You know Mad Libs, that hilarious word game that solicits nouns, adjectives, and verbs from players to create an imaginative narrative. If you plan ahead, you can access a free printable Funny Mad Libs For Adults to take with you on the road. (Don't forget to bring a pen!) If you're not a fan of pre-technology, whip out a smartphone and play WordLibs online for free, with no app or downloads required. You can even create your own stories! 07 of 27 Fortunately, Unfortunately To start this storytelling game, one player makes a declarative statement that begins with "Fortunately..." For example, "Fortunately, on this highway, we will soon pass a cool roadside attraction." The next player must follow up with an "unfortunately" statement such as "Unfortunately, the attraction is a giant booger." The subsequent player must give a "fortunately" statement, and so on as you go from player to player. Switch from "fortunately" to "unfortunately" statements until everyone runs out of steam. 08 of 27 Snack the Rainbow Along your road trip route, plan to stop at seven gas stations. At each station, find a snack that's a specific color of the rainbow. (Remember, it's ROYGBIV!) You can only get one snack item per gas station. 09 of 27 Famous Names For this road trip game, someone starts by saying the first and last names of a famous person. The next player must name another famous person whose first name starts with the first letter of the previous celebrity's last name. For example, Justin Bieber leads to Billy Crystal. Billy Crystal leads to Catherine O'Hara. Catherine O'Hara leads to Owen Wilson, and so on. If a player is stumped, they're out, and the group moves on to the next player. 10 of 27 Road Sign Alphabet Game Each player must find a word on a road sign that starts with the letter A, then a word that starts with B, and so on through the alphabet. Once a player has claimed a word, the other players can't use that word. Whoever gets to the end of the alphabet first wins. 11 of 27 Road Trip Trivia For each city you pass through on your trip, designate one person to be the "expert" about that city's population, industry, dining establishments, and anything it might be known for. The expert can use their smartphone, but guessers cannot. As you pass through each city, the expert asks trivia questions that other players guess the answers to. Examples are, "How many people live in Scranton?" and "Which fast food restaurant does Cedar Key have five of?" 12 of 27 Road Trip Bingo Road trip bingo is always a crowd-pleaser. Before you leave, you can create your own paper bingo cards or print road trip Bingo cards for free to distribute to each player. If you make your own, consider a theme of fast food restaurants (McDonald's, Chick-Fil-A, KFC), gas stations (BP, Shell, Texaco), or types of cars (Honda Civic, Subaru Outback, Toyota Tacoma). Whichever you choose, make sure there are enough markers or stickers for everyone to mark their cards. 13 of 27 Guess the Time Look up which cities you'll be passing through on the way to your final destination, and have everyone in the car guess the exact time you'll arrive at each one. (The use of map apps are prohibited.) For example, what time does your car pass the sign that says "Entering Sacramento"? The player whose guess is the closest wins that round. 14 of 27 Categories Someone chooses a category, such as movies, sweet treats, or flowers. The first player must name something in that category that starts with the letter A. The second player has the letter B, and so on. For example, if the category is flowers, the first player might say "amaryllis." The second person might say "begonia." The third person might say "carnation," and so on. Be sure to choose the categories based on the players' knowledge base. (If no one in the car is interested in gardening, flowers might not be the best category.) 15 of 27 The Price is Right Based on the TV game show, each player guesses the price for regular unleaded gas at the next gas station you see. Whoever gets the price to the nearest tenth gets a point. When it's time to stop for gas, the player with the least number of points buys snacks for everyone. 16 of 27 Guess the Song For Guess the Song, one player sings or says lyrics to a song, and the other players must name the title of that song. Stating the lyrics in a monotone makes the game harder. For example, someone says, "And he's long gone when he's next to me. And I realize the blame is on me." The winner is whoever correctly names the song's title, Taylor Swift's "I Knew You Were Trouble." Players must name the exact title. So, if a player says, "I Knew You Were Trouble When You Walked In," that answer is wrong, and someone else gets a chance to name the exact title. 17 of 27 Guess the Quote One player looks up a famous quote on their smartphone and reads it to the other the players, who must name the person (or fictional character) who uttered it. The quote could be from a famous speech, like "Give me liberty or give me death!" (Patrick Henry) or a movie, like "There's no place like home," (Judy Garland as Dorothy in The Wizard of Oz). 18 of 27 While You Were Sleeping This is a group game to play when one or two passengers are taking a nap. While they're sleeping, the rest of the passengers work together to create a story about something the sleepers missed. For example, you all spotted a famous person who was stopped by the side of the road with a flat tire. The celebrity lets you hold their dog, eat some of their delicious snacks, and so on. Storytellers collectively agree on the specific, weird details for optimal believability. Too bad you didn't take any photos! 19 of 27 Who's Most Likely to...? For this fun road trip game, someone starts by asking the question, "Who in this car is most likely to...?" The other players have 3 seconds to name the person that fits the statement best. Players take turns asking a new question. Here are some possibilities: Who is most likely to answer the phone at 3 am? Who is most likely to throw their friend a surprise party? Who is most likely to give you a nickname? If you have trouble thinking up questions, visit teambuilding.com for a list of dozens of them that'll keep you asking and answering for miles. 20 of 27 Triple Threat In Triple Threat, someone starts in the role of the judge by saying three random words, and each player has to tell a story using those three words. The player who thought up the best story, according to the judge, wins. The winner becomes the judge for the next round, offering the next trio of random words, and the game continues. 21 of 27 20 Questions This classic guessing game easily adapts to a road trip. It starts with a player thinking of a person, place, or thing. The other players take turns asking yes-or-no questions to determine what they're thinking about. Whoever guesses correctly gets a point, but if no one guesses after 20 questions, the originator gets a point. Make sure someone is keeping track of the number of questions. 22 of 27 Spot the Car This road trip game is similar to I Spy and keeps everyone's eyes on the road. One player names a particular type of vehicle—like a double tractor-trailer, RV, or a Ram pickup—and players compete to be the first to see one and score a point. For a variation, consider non-vehicle items like signs or landscape items. 23 of 27 Scavenger Hunt This activity works as well in a car as it does out of one and demands much less legwork. If you're a planner, create your own list ahead of time based on what you expect to see along your drive. If not, print out a generic list for free. Either way, make a copy for each player, and whoever has seen (checked off) the most list items wins. 24 of 27 License Plate Checklist If you're taking a long trip on the interstates, this game is the perfect way to kill time. Just make a list on your phone or a notepad of all fifty states and check them off when you see a license plate from that state. Try and find all fifty states before your trip ends. 25 of 27 They're a 10, But... Find out how far your car riders would go for their dream partner with this silly game. To start, one person will say "your partner is 10, but..." and follow up with something funny or just plain outrageous. You could say, "he's a 10, but he has lobster claws instead of hands." Or "she's a 10, but she always has to rhyme when she speaks." How much are you willing to compromise for the perfect companion? 26 of 27 Count to 20 See if you and your fellow road trippers can get on the same wavelength with this simple yet challenging game. This game requires at least three people. Everyone in the group is trying to count up to 20 without saying the same number at the same time. If two or more people say the same number simultaneous, the game resets back to one. Sound easy? You might be surprised. 27 of 27 Battle of the Songs Test your skills as a DJ with this fun and musical game. A judge will pick a category for a type of song—this could be "80s power ballads," "90s alternative rock songs," or any genre of music your heart desires. Both people or teams will select a song in that category and play them. Whichever one the judge prefers is the winner and that team gets a point.

Our Very Cute Last Minute Nordstrom Anniversary Sale Picks

One of the best sales of the year is coming to an end: The Nordstrom Anniversary Sale. Emily wrote about her picks here when it started! I, on the other hand, tend to be a bit disorganized about sale shopping, so if you also fall into that category, this post is for you. I went through and found 16 truly great pieces that can be worn through the rest of the year (and beyond, of course:)) If you’re in need of either a few more summer pieces or new clothing for the fall, I highly recommend you check out this sale before it’s gone. Ready to “last-minute” shop this Nordstrom Anniversary sale picks with me? Cozy Sweaters In the clothing category, few things are dreamier than a slightly oversized sweater. Both of these are from Free People, which makes sense because all of my favorite knit sweaters are from them. They just have “the slouch” down perfectly. And both of these are well under $100 and come in more colors. Also, should we do a belt roundup? The are EXTREMELY back. If you prefer a more tailored (but still cozy) look, this Madewell sweater is perfect. It’s great to throw on for a cool summer evening or be the perfect pop of pattern under your fall/winter coat. It also comes in blue with white stripes. Cool Jeans If you are someone who maybe wants to try a pair of expensive jeans, a sale like this is such a great way to do that without paying full price. Both of these jeans are by MOTHER, a beloved but not inexpensive brand. I love each of these styles for different reasons. Who doesn’t love a little flare? They just know how to show off those curves. The other wide-leg jeans are simply cool. It gives you that chic, effortless vibe I know I’m always trying to go for:) Easy Blouses Naturally, I had to find some pretty blouses since we are VERY pro flow-y blouse at EHD. If you like some pattern, then look no further than Farm Rio (where the blouse on the left is from). This top, in particular, is the perfect colorway and pattern for all seasons. It’s vibrant without being too over the top. We are big fans. Then that solid blue top is simple, but the detailing in the cuffs and neckline are so pretty. Versatile but special! A Chic, Structured Top But if you want a top that is a little more structured, that can also easily transition to a cooler season (just throw on a thin little long sleeved top under), this vest is ideal for that. It’s from Rails, which Em is a big fan of, and I love that it’s a little longer. A great find…if I do say so myself:) Fun Tees Time to get a little more casual. I’ve recently been leaning more into fun tees. I still love a simple, plain white t-shirt, but sometimes you just want something a little more, amirite? Both of these have that ideal amount of “fun” without being too loud. That’s my ideal mix. A Trendy Lounge Pant Continuing our cool and casual journey, I’m in love with these track pants. How cute is the paper bag waist, or the curved detail on the bottom, or those cool stripes? A great pant for you to run around town and feel put together and comfortable. Transitional Dresses One thing most women love is an easy dress. But especially an easy dress we can wear in that transitional time between seasons. I think both of these dresses fit that bill perfectly! They can be worn with or without stockings and/or boots, and style-wise are appropriate for any season. A Multi Seasonal Skirt Looking for a sweet skirt? How good is this one?! It’s great for any season, has enough detailing to be interesting but not so much that it’s not simple, and it has the cutest matching top. A classic staple for your closet Cute Coats Since fall is approaching, those of you who are on top of things know that it’s smart to buy things like coats and jackets now…if you need any. So if you do, we love a barn jacket. It’s cool, utilitarian, and easy to throw on with most outfits! This one also comes in blue and green. And finally, who can resist a powder blue bouclé coat? It’s such a great pop of soft color that is fun but still feels neutral enough. When I see coats like this, it makes me sad that I don’t live in a place that has a true fall or winter. But if you do, maybe you could be this cool person! Here ends our talk of last-minute Nordstrom Anniversary sale picks. Hope you enjoyed the finds, and if you’re like me, needing a little reminder it was ending, happy shopping.

The Best Gardening Tip I Ever Got Was From My Neighbor, and My Harvests Grow More Every Year

Twenty years ago, when I announced to our neighbor—a spirited Pennsylvania Dutch farmer and World War II veteran—that I was going to start a garden, the first thing he told me was not to plant my tomatoes before Memorial Day. Given that tomatoes start to appear at local nurseries as early as late April—around the time when the last spring frost occurs in our area—that seemed a bit late, but I followed Ethelbert’s advice and never veered from it. Thanks to his advice, I've been harvesting a bountiful crop every year for more than two decades. The Best Gardening Tip I Ever Got As I learned more about the growing conditions of crops, I understood that just because there is no more frost does not mean the weather is conducive to growing tomatoes yet. Tomatoes thrive in warm temperatures between 65°F and 85°F during the day, and 60°F to 70°F at night. In northeast Pennsylvania, where I live, it is not unusual for temperatures to drop below 50°F in May. Cool weather does not often kill the plants, but even one night of cold stunts their growth. I usually buy my tomato plants just before Mother’s Day and keep them in a small portable greenhouse. On warm days, I open the greenhouse all the way, and during the nights, I close it. On especially cold nights, I cover the entire greenhouse with a couple of old sheets. As a result, I am spared what folks who planted earlier go through—they anxiously watch the weather forecast and scramble to cover their tomatoes in the garden on chilly nights. After Memorial Day, the tomatoes are out of the woods temperature-wise. Want more gardening tips? Sign up for our free gardening newsletter for our best growing tips, troubleshooting hacks, and more! How to Control the Growth of Tomato Plants Tomatoes that are planted when the weather is warm start visibly growing after a few days to a week (in less-than-ideal conditions, it takes longer). Once that happens, it’s key to check on them at least every other day because the plants grow at an astounding pace and indeterminate tomato plants turn into a messy jungle and if you don’t support and prune them. I am not a big fan of tomato cages because I find that they constrict the airflow within the plant too much, which encourages the spread of diseases. Instead, I drive a 6-foot steel fence post into the ground for each tomato plant and then tie the main branches to it individually. It’s more work but it pays off, also with easy harvesting. The other element of tomato care is regular pruning. It is not optional—it's an absolute must. In years when I was too busy to keep up with removing the suckers, I paid the price later when I struggled to tame an overgrown plant with excessive foliage and few tomatoes. 4 Tips I Wish I Had Been Given as an Amateur Gardener Since I am indebted to Ethelbert for his great advice, I've compiled a list of four tips I wish I had been given at the start of my gardening journey to pass onto others. Mulch Your Vegetable Garden Hardwood chip mulch does an excellent job at keeping soil moisture in and suppressing weeds, around ornamental and edible crops. I only started it a few years ago when I was able to get free arborist chips from a local tree removal company that was happy to find a place to drop them. Unlike commercial mulch that you purchase at a nursery or garden center, fresh arborist chips are less processed and packed with nutrients, and stay open enough to let in rain, but pack tightly enough to block weeds. Keep Watering New Plants As a new gardener, I followed the standard recommendation of watering immediately after planting, but would let a few days pass before watering again for a days after that. Now, when there is no substantial rain, I water new perennials and annuals every day for about a week, and longer in hot weather. Since I have been more diligent with watering, I have had fewer losses. Focus on Natives In my early days of gardening, I planted just about anything I found attractive that fit our hardiness zone. Looking back, I wish I had been aware of native plants earlier. Today, I am only planting native plants. They are much better adapted to our local climate, have fewer disease and pest issues, have tremendous wildlife value, serve as homes to hundreds of insects important to our food chain, and they are just as beautiful as any introduced species. Wait Out Seasonal Pests Every spring, the wild arugula I was so looking forward to had hundreds of tiny holes chewed by flea beetles that it became inedible. Then I realized that the pest is less active in the fall, and voila! If I plant arugula for a fall harvest, there are almost no flea beetles around. Similarly, I spent lots of time plucking Japanese beetles off my raspberry plants in mid-summer, not knowing that the beetles are gone by the time large and juicy fall-bearing raspberries ripen, so I can save myself that effort.