upDON'Ts!

Updos. We have a love hate relationship, we do. When Darren Le gives mizu boston manager Angie Hernandez a fabulous updo for an event or party - it's LOVE. When I see something like one of the looks above going by - it's HATE. Ladies!!! Why oh why does it seem like a good idea to get a circa 1980's prom style for that black tie event that you have!?! It's not, I promise!

When it comes to updo's think sleek. simple. elegant. or think, loose, unkept, not fussy. Shellac-ing your hair back and pin curling whatever sticks out, then pulling out random pieces of hair is suicide people. Now I am all flustered about updo's! I've used words like hate and suicide!

Okay, for the record, it's not that serious. But please, before you sit down in your stylists chair, do your research or at the very least TRUST their JUDGEMENT. Check out trends in bridal - trends in celebrity up-styles - not trends at a middle school dance in Hoboken.

I think i've said enough now. Carry on.

Go Ann! Go Billy! Go Ann! Go Billy!

Check out that girl! As Martin would say, DAAAAAAAMN GINA!!
Color by Ann Sousa and Cut and Style by Billy Boney, this girl is IT.
And, the best news of all, you can be! Check out the deal on Gilt City Boston, get in on the action and you too can be a head turning bombshell like she is.

MIZU LOVE.

Traffic Stoppers!

I have to say I know a few head turning, traffic stopping, red heads who's fiesty locks are ON FIRE. mizu front desk manager Christine and stylist Anna, along with my very own cousin Andrea and Janie from seaofshoes.com showcase a few of my favorite heads of red. Red isn't just a hair color people, it's a way of life. These ladies rock their locks on top of their exuberant personalities and they are that complete red headed package you wanna write about. Truth be told, I can't see a single one of them in any other color. Rock on with your red headed selves girls!

Say Cheese!

There I am in all my glory. I haven't always had fabulous hair. Out with a friend tonight I reminisced on my days of mullet. Those pivotal years of life where our parents can still intervene and make or break our social status on the playground. Love ya mom and dad but what were you thinking!?! Before I processed, straightened, cut and abolished the curls from my head - I had hair like Shirley Temple. Beautiful blonde curls my nana used to threaten to clip off while I sleeping and keep for herself (she's a riot). In my elementary school years the color darkened and my parents gifted me with one of the worst hair cuts and styles ever to grace this earth. Don't get me wrong my parents loved me. Maybe it was just poor taste or misguidance but as if being a chubby, gap toothed fifth grader in a dress with a DOILY on it wasn't bad enough - would you please look at that hair!!!! Now, in case you were wondering, we've cleared up any mystery as to why I invest time, effort and money into my look and even this blog... a hair nightmare or two in my past but the future is bright!

balayaged babes!

Want a new look for fall but can't make the commitment to drastic change? Balayage might be just the thing or you. Color specialist at mizu Boston Ashley Mason says balayage is great for clients who don't like the consistency of a foil and who want a more "natural, sun kissed look that sparkles." Balayage is a highlighting technique where color is "painted on" allowing for a more subtle look as the color get progressively lighter towards the ends. It's GORGEOUS and BONUS requires less maintenance and is typically more affordable then traditional highlights! aw yeah! Most importantly it a beautiful alternative to a full head of foils and the perfect way to bring your look into fall! Balayage on babes!

keep it neat!

i love getting my hair done. Something about a salon blowdry by a talented stylist that can not be duplicated at home. The closest thing to that in salon perfection is a nice, clean cut that can be styled by even the most novice of amateurs. Yesterday my dear friend Donna gave me a copy of the New York Times Fall Fashion magazine (FALL! FASHION!) - inside, closely cropped, perfectly styled, short Sassoon-ish cuts galore. YES! Now, granted, there are probably about a pound of product in each of those looks and certainly a "team" behind every one of them - but rest assure this does not mean we can not achieve this look on our own. Ladies and gentlemen, unite! In the best season for all things fashion related, and with the summer humidity fading away, it's overdue time to tame those flyaways. Get those bangs you've been talking about for weeks (months even, you know who you are)! Androgynous looks rule the runway. Take Miss Donna herself, a perfect example from the photos above of how polished a delicious new cut can be. HAIR GROWS PEOPLE - so do yourself a favor in an effort to keep it neat and CUT IT ALL OFF.

give it, give it, give it to mama!

When it comes to a hair makeover I say GREEN LIGHT! Seeing someone take their look from boring to bananas brings me a pleasure like few other things can. At mizu makeovers are happening on a daily basis - some more dramatic than others - but all of them press worthy. Just because you don't want to lose a ton length doesn't mean you too can't experience that spring in your step after a spruce up. Ladies and Gent's just go for it!! Put in that extra effort, or take the plunge like the ladies above... before and after bliss! Give it, give it, give it to mama!

I Love You Kate.

Kate who?

No, not you Kate Moss. Not you Kate Middleton. Not you Kate, your ex husband John or your eight little monsters.

YOU. KATE LANPHEAR.

Your style. Your styling. Your hair, your hair, your hair.

Imitation is the highest form of flattery and therefore, dear Kate, considered yourself absolutely FLATTERED.

Hats Off to Fall.

There are few things that please me more than a Fall fashion magazine hot off the press. Nothing helps me beat the summer heat, in the midst of a humid hair nightmared August than seeing my favorite magazines arrive on the doorstep. One of the first delights to be received... Italian Vogue's Fashion Shows issue. The clothes! The hair! The HATS! Yes you heard me - hats were all over the runways in designers fall collections. Burberry Prorsum, Commes De Garcons, DVF, Armani, John Galliano, Junya Wantanabe, and some standouts from the master hatters at Dior, Louis Vuitton, and two personal favorites of mine Rochas and Lanvin.

Now sure, it can be hard to translate runway to ready to wear - but thats the point - lets take the runway to the streets! My grandmother was an avid collector of hats in her day, she had the perfect accompaniment to each and every outfit and the woman had STYLE. Even my mother, who's picture is included in this post and who's hat head i've blogged about previously worked her headwear hard. Fall is one of the greatest times for fashion. Take a page out of your favorite fashion mag and as you pile on the layers, top off your look with a gorgeous hat and take it to the streets. Hats off to fall!

I know what I said but.......

BACK TO BLONDE!

Thanks to Iris Moore and Joelina Pereira at Mizu Boston. I LOVE IT!

NA-HAAAAAAAAAA!

North American Hairstyling Awards. Like the Grammy's are to music and the Academy Awards are to film - NAHA is to hair. In categories from "Master Stylist" to "Editorial Stylist," "Avant Garde" to "Haircolor" --- these awards take the best of the best and set them apart from the rest. THEN they say out of that elite group, who reigns supreme in each category. I was absolutely THRILLED to see Dimitrios Tsioumas (Editorial Stylist/Creative Color Director/Master Colorist at mizu New York) win in TWO categories - Editorial Stylist and Haircolor! AMAAAAAAZING! His collections were UNREAL!!! Not only is he ridiculously talented - as evidenced by these photos I stole from his facebook page - but he is one of the most genuine, fun people I've ever met. Dimitrios - rock on with your bad self and come visit us in Boston!! Congrats to all NAHA winners!

hey babe, take a walk on the wild side.

The hair above speaks for itself - what a mess! But a good one. The kind of mess I can absolutely approve of. The magic here is that these ladies may have the limpest, flattest hair in the world but their locks have been teased, mangled and whipped into a literal hot mess! Now usually when we say "hot mess" we're talking about Lindsay, Paris, Britney, or that girl crouched down outside the club crying... ("honey, you didn't lose your cell phone you're actually ON it") Anyway, those ladies are hot messes so I guess in this case these are examples of one hell of a SEXY MESS. If I could insert a roar here I would. Anyway ladies, sometimes over the top, disheveled hair can look GOOD. Reinventing girls gone wild here folks so do as I say and take a walk on the wild side.

Sienna Style.

I. love. Sienna. Miller. Her style is effortless, chic, and the girl is always polished - on and off the red carpet. That being said, we all know that hours of prep go into those red carpet looks - so the deal breaker for me, what elevates this stylish specimen of female above the others is her every day "ready to wear" ways. Topping off her fabulous style is hair that compliments her features like a match made in heaven. She has rocked every length and style imaginable and she sticks with what works. While her color doesn't often change - her looks consistently DOES. She somehow achieves that perfect medium of looking completely put together and fresh without appearing like she labored over her appearance for hours. TRUE. LOVE.