"Did I leave the toaster on?....."
I need your help!!!
I've mentioned a few times on the blog lately that I'll be traveling up to San Francisco next week (!!!!!!) to take part in my best friends wedding (the ceremony/reception will be at the San Francisco Zoo!). I'll be doing what I do best...and that's being a bridesmaid. I should have a business card for that.
Anyways, my best friend is no Bridezilla, and she's been totally chill with everything so far (I'll hold that statement when it comes to the actual wedding day). When I asked her how she wanted our hair done, she said whatever. Makeup? Whatever. Shoes? Whatever. She told me she wanted us to look fabulous, but whatever made us comfortable and still look like "us" and not some bridesmaid robot.What does this mean? This means I'm on my own when it comes to hair and makeup. Why do I need your help? 1) Because the possibilities are endless when it comes to makeup combinations and it's frankly making my head spin. 2) I can't "do" my hair if my life depended on it. Now, this isn't the first time I've done my own makeup for a wedding. That's no biggie. But hair...I've always gone to a salon or a hired stylist did all the bridesmaids hair. It's different this time as I can't just pop into my usual home-town salon. I have three things I need help/inspiration/guidance on. Do you accept the challenge?
Challenge #1 - The Dress Rehearsal & Dinner
The dress rehearsal is, of course, the day before the wedding on Saturday. The dinner will be afterwards and we'll be going to The Franciscan Crab. Yippie! I got the reservation card in the mail (note to self: r.s.v.p. today!!!!) and notes that attire will be casual. I've already had a dress picked out, and I think it's casual enough but still dressy without being too dressy. Make sense?
The dress is from Target (of course).
Except it's in this color...or something very very close to it.
Where I need your help is...what kind of accessories should I pair with it (esp. shoes)? I want to stay away from black, so what else should I do? Gimmie gimmie ideas!
Challenge #2 - The Makeup
So here is what our dresses look like, courtesy of David's Bridal:
It's really pretty!! Why do I love it so much? Because I picked it ;) It's totally flattering and it's something I could use again, should the occasion arise that I need a formal dress. The good thing about this dress is that it's black, so I could do anything in terms of makeup. The bad thing? It's black and I can do anything in terms of makeup. See what I mean? The bride doesn't have anything specific that she does or doesn't want us to do (I mean, other than have common sense. I won't be showing up with green false eyelashes and black lipstick). The possibilities are endless!! Should I go with a neutral eye? Add a little color? Smudgy liner? Lips are just as bad....should I go with something neutral? A tint of red? Berry? Give me any and all ideas that you may have to go with this little black dress!
Challenge #3 - The Hair, JC Penney vs. Ulta
I guess my biggest challange is what to do with my hair. Right now the length is skimming my shoulders. I definitely just can't leave it down, but I can't put it up into a fancy 'do if my life was on the line. I was going to figure out something easy to do on my own, when the idea clicked to look for any shopping centers around my hotel.
Just my luck, there's a great mall about a mile and a half from where my hotel is in South San Francisco. In this mall, there's both a JC Penney and an Ulta. Both stores have salons. So the question is: Which is better? I've never had any experience when it comes to the salons in either store. I am very excited about Ulta, though!! Ulta's are pretty scarce (they're all either up north or down south- nothing in the middle where I am!) and the last one I went to was about 2 years ago. Does anyone have any suggestions or stories for either store? What I want to do to my hair isn't very complicated or fancy. I have yet to call the stores, do I need to make an appointment? Ah!!!!!!! Meltdown!!!!
