Side-Braid Tutorial for Short Hair

I love having short hair. There’s never a moment I’m not grateful that I chopped off 10 inches 6 months ago. NOT A MOMENT.

However, I do find myself lacking for short hairstyle inspiration. I kind of have my go-to style (loose wand curls), but lately I’ve been wanting to mix it up! And I really want to share some fun styles with you because I honestly feel like there aren't enough short hair tutorials out there - we can’t all have Amber Fillerup locks!

So here’s a style I’ve been adapting into my routine lately - a side braid! This look is simple to do but adds a ton of interest. Here’s the how-to:

First, wash hair (duh!)
I used this color-safe shampoo and conditioner combo from CIBU, a new line of products by Hair Cuttery. I’m very picky with shampoos so I was thrilled with how my hair felt using both of these products. Plus they smell very salon-like, always a plus. It has an antioxidant-rich blend of Uji green, toni leaf, and silver needle tea extracts (and is sulfate and paraben free!)

Then I brush through my tangles with a Wet Brush - I used to use hard brushes and this has been such a revelation to me. They’re super cheap, under $15, do yourself a favor and order one!

Next, I put volumizing mouse on my roots and underneath my hair. My hair always end up falling flat when I blow dry au natural, so this is a game changer for me.

Finally, before I bust out my hair dryer, I spray some blowdry excelerator spray (also from CIBU) all over my hair. Luckily, my hair doesn’t take long to dry as-is, but I still felt like this sped up the process even more. It took me under 2 minutes to dry.

Then blow dry hair.

After it’s completely dry, I take a 3-5 inch section of my hair and braid it towards the back of my head.

Once braid is finished, start to tug at individual pieces in your braid. I usually start at the bottom of my braid and work up to the crown of my head. You’ll start to notice the braid starting to look thicker. Thin-haired girls rejoice!

Secure with bobby pins and spray with finishing spray! Viola! The cutest side braid for short hair!

This post was done in partnership with Hair Cuttery. All opinions are my own.

Coffee Time

Mondays and coffee…goes together like cookies and milk. After a hectic weekend, I’m downing all the caffeine in sight.

ALL. THE. CAFFEINE.

These photos are from my trip to New York a few months back - in which we also drank all the coffee in sight. From Blue Bottle to Whoops Bakery, we indulged in all the over-$5-a-pop lattes Brooklyn had to offer. And it was worth every penny.

I’ve been on a big turtleneck kick for the past few months. But I’m not just into any - only the supersoft ones that I want to live in. To me, I’d rather spend copious amounts on one amazing top that I wear time and time again than a quarter of that on something I only wear when everything else is dirty.

On a current note: It’s been a stressful past few days as we’ve been getting ready for our annual trip to Florida! I’ve been packing, shopping (whoops) and trying to prepare my body for all the food that will inevitably be eaten in large quantities.

For the most part, it’ll be quiet around these parts until we return, but in the meantime, be sure to follow along with our adventures on Instagram and Snapchat!

Here’s to all the coffee, friends. Happy Monday!

Wearing black turtleneck (stolen from mom, whoops), thrifted suede skirt (similar and love this one), vintage silk scarf (similar), Sophie Blake bracelet, Veja sneakers via Anthom, Melt Your Makeup lipstick (in Serrano) c/o.
Photos by Cheralee

Lou & Grey Sweater

I don’t know about you, but this week is going by SO SLOWLY for me! Maybe it’s the rainy days or the cold weather…but I’m not letting it rain on my parade. In one week, I’ll be on a plane heading for sunny Florida! I’ll be trading in my turtleneck for t-shirts and my scarves for a swimsuit. GOOD RIDDANCE.

But until I do, I had to share this shoot from my trip to New York. For a morning of trekking around SoHo (in search of the cutest cafes and the cobble stoniest streets) I wore my snuggliest sweater from Lou & Grey. They just opened a store in Tysons and it’ll give you ALL THE COZY FEELS, friends. I paired it with light-wash denim and my favorite tennies from Anthom.

I won’t bore you with how dreamy it was in New York (you can read that here), but I will let the photos do the talking. Can we talk about the light for a moment? It was like mid-morning (we got a late start because CHOOSING WHAT TO WEAR IS HARD, PEOPLE) and the light shone through the buildings as if it were sunrise. It had me feeling some kinda way.

Wearing Lou & Grey sweater (similar and LOVE this one!), denim, Veja sneakers from Anthom, Sophie Blake cuff and earrings (similar.)

Featured: Made in the District

Happy Monday, friends!! It's been cold and rainy here lately in DC, but there's no raining on my parade today! I'm SO super excited to share that I was featured in Made in the District in collaboration with Street Meet DC! I got to work with Brittany Cummings Photography, who was not only wildly talented, but such a sweetheart too! If you're ever looking to do a fun street style shoot, give Brittany a call!

Anyway - check out a few of my favorite shots below and see the feature and interview here to find out who my first style icon was and my favorite fashion trend of all time!

Wearing Alice + Olivia pants, Lemon sweater, Erika Schrieber vest, Sophie Blake necklace and bracelet, Maison Martin Margiella boots (similar.)

Something about New York

Another fashion week season has come and gone…and while I spent most of the insanity-ridden hoopla comfortable in my PJs, I loved keeping up with all the shows through streaming and of course, Snapchat.

While all my friends were in the thick of it all, I was switching screens between watching the Tory Burch show online and on Kayak.com, planning an exit strategy from this unsightly weather we've been having.

But while I certainly didn’t miss running around in sub-zero temps in my very highest heels, I was bummed not to be there in person. Because to me, there’s nothing like New York.

A few months ago I had visited New York to see one of my favorite people in the world, Cheralee! While we were there, we ran around the city like madwomen, snapping photos, shopping and eating ALL. THE. FOOD. Not to be cheesy, but it was kind of this magical experience - I was inspired by every street we walked down, by the incredible flavors in each of the dishes we devoured, and by getting to work my creative side by taking photos all day long.

I wore a plethora of outfits during my trip, but I wore this Just Female dress to dinner at a delightful farm-to-table restaurant in West Village called Westville. I snagged it before my trip at Lynn Louisa, one of my very favorite shops in Georgetown. I paired it with this pretty plaid jacket from Lou & Grey at their new Tysons location (another one of my go-to’s for all the cozy goodies.) And because we’d be taking the subway and walking just about everywhere, I donned my favorite shoewear trend, sneakers!

There's just something about New York. I can't WAIT until my next trip...but due to unforseen allergic reactions to the cold, it may just have to wait. ;)

Wearing Just Female dress and K/LLER earrings from Lynn Louisa (my favorite little Georgetown boutique!) c/o, Lou & Grey jacket c/o (sold out, more cute jackets here!), Veja sneakers via Anthom, Vaska bag via Estiletta c/o, Sophie Blake ring and Ray Ban sunnies in black matte. Photos by Cheralee