May 2012
1 post
8 tags
Everything's Coming Up Roses
The past month has been awash with colour. From multicoloured Wee Dottles, to orange eyeshadows, to yellow hair, all mixed up with pink blossoms and green pines.
I’m coming to an exciting point in my life where I’m about to go full time in technicolour. I finish up my administration job at the end of May, and then do a month solidly of creative work, followed by a year of travelling around the...
April 2012
2 posts
h--oney asked: You're blog is wonderful! I was wondering if you could help me out with a simple every day style similar to Sarah Ruba (I couldn't attatch a link to a photo of her but if you google 'Sarah Ruba Calvin Klein'!...) I've had a go at many of your tutorials and they're all so great! I'm having trouble with front shaping though, any tips or could you break it down...
8 tags
A Sweater, A Sarong and a Peekaboo Bang
A notable absence from blogging signals both my ever increasing busyness, and my easily distractable mind.
In fairness after a long Jabruary, a horrible period lacking in opportunities for businesses, I did some more house moving, the painful memories and difficulties of my last move seemed a distant memory and I have had about 2 months of blissful living.
March signified a change in the air and...
January 2012
8 posts
lelbetch asked: i love your blog! its great!! I love doing vintage hairstyles, the one problem i have is finding the balance of dampness while doping my wet set. How wet is your hair when you set it? and what kind of setting lotion do you use? thank yoU!!
Anonymous asked: Would you consider starting a youtube channel?
9 tags
We Need to Talk About Audrey
It’s no secret that I’m more than slightly obsessed with the character Audrey Horne, from Twin Peaks. I’ve mentioned her on my blog many times, and half my wardrobe is based on her 1950s style. It’s not just the character to be fair, Sherilyn Fenn, the actress formally known as Audrey and hardly seen since, had the classic 50s sex kitten look down.
There’s no one...
Anonymous asked: Hi Kay, I've really enjoyed reading your blog. I have a question regarding brushing out curls. My curls may looked soft and polished right after brushing out but after half a day of moving around in the office, they tend to have a frizzed out look. I've noticed in photgraphs of everyday women from the 40s that frizzy curls were not that all uncommon, however I would still like to be...
11 tags
Glamour -Getter
My mum’s first choice of name for me was Rita.
Now don’t get me wrong Kay is alright, there’s Kay Francis…
Kay Kendall…
and the lovely Kay Starr…
…but, everytime I see Rita I curse my mother’s decision.
To be fair to my beautiful mother, who is one of my favourite hair models, Rita would sound horrible in most Scottish accents, maybe she...
3 tags
“the supposed influence of a charm upon the eyes, making them see things as...”
– Chambers Twentieth Century Dictionary, definition of glamour
9 tags
Any Place I Hang My Hat is Home
It’s 2012 now, happy new year, and I resolve to get back on top of my blog.
After Japan, it went a bit festive, and moving house is never the best time to try and get anything done.
I’m now finished my Christmas holidays, a lot more chirpy than I started them. Spending time with my nearest and dearest, getting dressed up, getting clients dressed up and playing with my new camera,...
7 tags
December 2011
3 posts
caycejanebrain asked: Do you have any suggestions for hairstyling books that I should buy? I do what I can with my hair now but I would love to learn and do more before I start going to hair school. Thank you! -Cayce
caycejanebrain asked: I just had a quick questions about your post "Last night my kisses were banked in black hair." It mentions a pin curl set that you disguise as a hairstyle for all day wear. Did you finger wave the front of your hair? Its difficult for me to see from your pictures. It looks like the top of the front/side section of your hair is finger waved while the bottom/side section is tucked into a...
Japanese History Lesson Part 1
Last weekend I arrived back from my “holiday of a lifetime”.
Since I was in primary school Japan has been my dream destination, and after over a decade and a half of dreaming, I finally made it there.
I’m not going to waffle on about the sushi, the zen gardens, the maple leaves, the temples, the lucky cats… but I am going to waffle on about the hair, or to be more...
October 2011
2 posts
liamspivey asked: You are actually amazing i love your work, im a hairdresser too, and really influenced by the whole 1950's rockabilly scene, i came across you and your work is really amazing
8 tags
Her Eyes Like Light Reflect The Aura of Her Hair
The weather is turning here, it’s wintery cold and it’s not something I dislike, the excuse to wear Fair Isles and cashmere cardis makes the season entirely enjoyable. I had in-mind in the summer that it was ,generally, my 1940s season, and if that’s the case the 50s is a definite for the winter.
All this positive winter talk is slightly marred by the runny nose and cough that I am, and everyone...
September 2011
1 post
9 tags
Last Night My Kisses Were Banked In Black Hair
My first day off in 3 weeks on Sunday, so I spent it getting needles in my leg, don’t you just love being wrapped in clingfilm..?!
Aside from being a few more shades of neon, I’ve been contending with a passing hurricane and more brides-to-be, not sure which makes me less likely to want to leave the house.
The concept of “wedding season” passes me by, people don’t...
August 2011
3 posts
Anonymous asked: WHAT PRODUCTS DID THEY USE TO MAKE LANA TURNER BLONDE IN THE 1935
10 tags
The Only Good Fight There Is
I know a lot of talented people, not all of them are successful, I think this month I noticed the distinction. If you put your energy into demeaning, or attempting to cause problems for others, it’s likely you’ll have no energy or self-worth left to fulfill your own ambitions. Basically stop worrying about what he/she/they are doing, and keep your eye on your own shit.
I’m a...
11 tags
Lying There Like You're Tame
I arrived back on Monday afternoon, slightly spaced out from a weekend of highs and lows at the Vintage 2011 Festival, at the Southbank in London.
My intimidating day 1 first job was to style a TV presenter for the news.. I got through it looking very nervous, but reasonably happy with the style I did in the 5 minutes I had to do it. I went on to style the public for the next 3 days, for free,...
July 2011
2 posts
13 tags
Curls on Film
After a mad, but fantastically rewarding, couple weeks of wedding styling, I’ve had the confirmation this week that I’ll be working down in London at Vintage 2011 at the Southbank Centre. This is mostly exciting, although the thought that people might be asking me for 80s hairdos does send a shiver up my spine, since when was the 80s vintage? This makes me feel old, and I’m...
Anonymous asked: Hello! I wondered if you are available for bookings and also if you do lessons at all?! xx
June 2011
5 posts
8 tags
Getting Warmer
After my little obsession with Lana Turner it feels only fitting to be wearing something well fitting. What I mean is that I’ve gone in to a 1950s frenzy, not only am I obsessing over mid century furniture, I’m wearing my warmest sweaters and tartan skirts, and it is supposed to be summer.
In thinking about 50s hair, you really want it to match your sweater, in that you want it to be...
thesesecretsareforyoudear asked: Just spent ages going through your blog! Love it. I was wondering, if you have any tips on setting hair when it's dry... :3 xxxx Shell
tasha-ann-mcdonnell asked: Your blog is wonderful! I have wedding guest hair to plan for my self for next week so excited to chose a style! haha xxx
tannisrooot asked: Your Blog is amazing! I look a lot on Youtube a lot to find vintage hairstyles, but they are never quite the authentic style I am looking after. Here I have found exact looks I am trawled the internet for!
11 tags
Bike Parts
For me, this week has been all about being practical with my hair.
I’ve been painting my living room this past week, choosing not to get paint in my hair, I’ve taken to wearing a headscarf, which is acceptable on occasions such as this, I even hid my set under it on sunday in preparation for going out on Sunday evening, incredibly practical stuff!
This week, I am so excited to say,...
May 2011
5 posts
10 tags
And Even Lana Turner's Smile
The wind in Edinburgh recently has been unbelievably annoying, frustrating, soul-destroying, hair-destroying, basically devastating for me; this style was perfect, it was as if the spirit of Lana was guiding me to a better way of coping, so despite the challenge of trying to look like Lana, this style had to be replicated in some form.
I started off getting some curl with heated rollers all...
8 tags
Kindness and Curlers
After a bit of a dry spell I’ve been bombarded by inspiration. I thought I’d start with my obsession since before my last post.
After seeing this Honky Tonk promo pic in one of my photography books, I’ve been dying over Lana Turner.
It’s not the first time the sweater girl has caught my eye, but I really think she deserves a post all of her own.
One of my customers was...
6 tags
How to get the Most out of the Depression
For the past few weeks I’ve been getting very impressed with the 1930s. Yesterday, Isabella Rossellini’s wig in The Saddest Music in the World sealed the deal for me.
There’s a really interesting development in hair in this period and it slots perfectly between 1920s and 1940s, the flatness of the 20s is making way for the volume of the 40s, the oomph (technical term) through...
14 tags
13 tags
With a Nervous Toss of Her Hair
With the next Miss Dixiebelle Styling Evening fast approaching (this Friday), I thought it a good time to start thinking about the subject matter. We’re racing through the decades now, and we’re up to the 1960s.
I love the 60s look, particularly at the moment, as it’s spring and I have a hankering to wear my Ben Sherman houndstooth cape and cycle about on a retro looking bike,...
April 2011
3 posts
Classical Hair
Last week I did a little bit of learning.
I picked up some great hair piece tips from Laurie Russell, the fantastic MUA and hairstylist from Scottish Opera. I generally get the fear when clients want to use hair extensions, and I’ll still maintain you are better off without them is at all possible, but getting a bit of background on how the wig experts work was enlightening stuff.
I...
6 tags
There Is No Colour Here
Thanks for the kind words of feedback to my last post, it meant a lot to me.
After the past few weeks I was about done with upset, but yesterday I got possibly the biggest upset of my life. I thought about stopping doing anything for a bit as I believed I would have no motivation left, but apparently keeping going is keeping me going. I feel I should make a brief mention to mothers suffering...
Pretty Problems.
You might have noticed my substantial absence from blogging over the past few weeks.
I had the huge build up to the Scottish Tattoo Convention, which was amazing, and hopefully I’ll be shown styling in some tattoo mags next month. Then I had about the worst week of my life.
Everything that I’ve known for the past 9 years has been turned on it’s head, and I’ve taken the...
March 2011
3 posts
dominicecstatic asked: Holyyyyy crap. I ADORE your blog. I'm a 16 year old high school student and my plan is to go cosmetology school after school and then do further train to become a good hair stylist and maybe some day move onto photo shoots, runways, TV, ect. And your blog is AMAZING, perfect little tutorials I can learn from. Keep it up
6 tags
Quick As A Flash.
I’ve been pulling my wheelie suitcase, which I keep my styling gear in, all over the place this week, it’s non-stop at the moment, and only 10 days until the Scottish Tattoo Convention! I still have a skirt to make for it, as I told Slybacon, I have nothing to wear, so making a completely new outfit from scratch was necessary, and I don’t think I’m busy enough already.
I...
9 tags
Action!
So I’ve been busy, my blogging has suffered from my extreme lifestyle this past week.
I’m also slightly lacking in usable inspiration, I’ve been coming up with strange ideas all over the place for other people’s hair, and run out of imagination for my own hair. I had a holding-my-breath inspiration moment the other week, but I had got my cinema dates confused, so...
February 2011
13 posts
9 tags
Beautiful Little Do
Inpired by The Great Gatsby I set about doing some pretty 20s inspired dos this week.
Finger waving your whole head is a nightmare, not worth it. Get your shaping at the front and set in a large ridge, that’s all you really need to create a more wearable look than a full on 20s flapper ridge all over.
Start your shaping by combing the front section of hair backwards and hold in place with...
psychoticme asked: Hello,I've been admiring your blog a lot.
And I have been wondering what type of clips do you use for your pin curls. Because I have used Bobbypins and they leave crimps in my hair. As well it's hard for me to do certain hairstyles since I have my bangs cut in a Betty page style. If you can help me out that will be great.
Your pictures are wonderful, have such a classic...
And I have been wondering what type of clips do you use for your pin curls. Because I have used Bobbypins and they leave crimps in my hair. As well it's hard for me to do certain hairstyles since I have my bangs cut in a Betty page style. If you can help me out that will be great.
Your pictures are wonderful, have such a classic...
10 tags
Golden Hair
I had a roaring weekend, hairstyling until 2am on Saturday night/Sunday morning, at a hot sweaty club full of bright young things dancing like maniacs.
Admittedly I have a self-indulgent lifestyle, though I’m not rich, I do as I please, often buy myself treats, and spend copious hours doing my hair, hardly life at the mill. But I feel somewhat better about myself when I look at the 1920s,...
8 tags
Simply NYC
Two things about this week, one: I’m tired, two: I’m a bit obsessed with Christina Hendricks in Carolina Herrera. Basically it all about things that work well together.
I loved the simplicity and prettiness of this look, it’s not vintage entirely, just classic, and I’ve been inspired by it all week, all I’ve done is tried to keep things simple and pretty.
Using...
9 tags
Turn on, Tune in, Brush Out
So I started off yesterday with a view to being sexy 60s Bardot/Ann Margret/Dolce Vita. I put in my heated rollers, and tried to prepare myself for being dishevelled.
I find messy and effortless looking really difficult, I don’t know why, I think I’m a control freak and I can’t relax enough to wear this kind of style. And unsurprisingly I found I wasn’t loving the look I...
14 tags
Hot Hair Baby
I watched A Single Man last night, great stuff, liked it more than I liked the book always a good sign, and I was struck by the sexiness of the big 60’s hair.
With Valentines Coming up it’s a good time to get in the big rollers for some loose curls and mondo volume. This is exactly the type of hair you don’t mind getting messed up, so perfect for this weekend.
Inspiration for...
10 tags
Stand-Up Gal
I’ve got a cat and black hair, I’m no Jayne mansfield, but I did fancy having a bit more volume on top, cue some stand-up pincurls…
The bigger you want it the bigger you set these, and you’ll get it higher with a shorter fringe and with back combing if you want, I didn’t back comb this time.
Rest of the hair: some forward rolling pincurls, very low set at the...
8 tags
Bend It
Remember the lovely Gipsy Markoff from my Gypsy moment?
Well I decided to play around with some bendy rollers at the weekend to get a similar look, if you’re in the UK you can buy these bendys from Poundland for £1 (of course) a pack at the moment, I bought 3 packs to do my hair.
I did a centre part, but you could do a side part if you fancy. 2 sharp wave shapings at the top.
I split...
17 tags
Far Eastern Romance
Happy Year of the Rabbit!
Everything’s been going very Eastern of late, I already have an Asian obsession, if I could be Japanese I would be Japanese, but recently there’s been an even stronger taste of the Orient.
Obviously it’s Chinese New Year, and there’s been lots of rabbits been cropping up all over my feeds, I booked in for yet another Asian flavoured tattoo at Red...
9 tags
January February Tutorial
After my Dita distraction I got back to February business: January.
I did another really simple set to get January Jones’ SAG Awards look.
I didn’t follow the guidance of the hairstylist and just did a wet set. The basic premise of this was just to make it look like the finished style, which is about as simple as you can get, 5 minutes to set and 10 minutes to put up in the morning.
...
mkatsi asked: I'm so glad I follow your blog, your tutorials are fantastic and you are both beautiful and an inspiration, so thanks!
Anonymous asked: do you know of a pincurl patern to achieve a Dita Von Teese look? Could you post one if you do. Or at least explain how It could be done?