Tress Dressed is NOW open...sorta...

I've almost got it together! My Esty store is almost up, as is the website http://www.tressdressed.com/. Since I've been getting orders and emails for items, I wanted to get something up in the meantime. Here are pictures of all of the facinators that I have for sell right now. Prices vary, but the goal is for all pieces to be less than $25.00 each (custom orders are the exception, of course). Each piece has been named after either a Diva I'm inspired by, or by the Diva who purchased the orginal piece. Names of items will change with the piece.

Because each fascinator is handmade, no two are exactly alike. Requests for duplicates can be made, however. Thanks for all the love and support!

Welcome to TRESS DRESSED!

Trice $16.50

Stacy $16.50

Senam $20.00

Monique $17.50 (SOLD)

Lauren $16.50

Elizabeth $16.50

Shalonda $16.50

Von $25.00 (SOLD)

Candra $14.50

Barbara $9.50 (SOLD)

Dricka $9.50

April Pink $7.50 (SOLD)

April Blue $7.50 (SOLD)


Jada $21.50

Ambra $16.50

Roda $16.50

Shipping and handling is an additional $5.00. I will combine multiple items into one shipment.

Email me at tressdressed@gmail.com to purchase through PayPal!

Little Mrs. Sunshine!

I love this Diva. She WORKS it...

Met her on Nappturality years ago, and found that we were "hair cousins", lol! I'd always stalk Mia's album to see what she was doing. She's the reason I dyed my hair...Her color changes every couple of years or so, and she wears it so well! I swear she's so gorgeous and shows just how beautiful natural hair can be. You look at pictures of her with her confidence and beauty and wonder WHY anyone would want to be anything BUT natural. She's truly inspirational. Thanks Mia for being showcased!

Oh and in I'm Not Lye-ing fashion, please spin "Lady Marmalade" (the ORIGINAL by the Labelles) when reading! Thank ya! ::finger snaps::

1. When did you go natural (How long have you been natural)?

I decided to stop relaxing my hair in February of 2003. I got my new growth pressed until about June, when I decided (after being convinced by a friend to just cut it all off) to call my beautician and schedule an appointment to get it all cut off. After I did, I was left with about 2 inches of hair.

2. How did you transition? Braids, weaves, straightening, nothing...

I guess I would say I didn’t even know I was transitioning when I was getting my new growth pressed. So at the time, I wouldn’t have said I was “transitioning”. But, looking back, I guess I did by straightening.

3. How long did you transition?

I transitioned for 4 months.

4. What made you want to go natural?

Well, my mom (and later my sis) cannot get relaxers or hair dye because they are highly allergic.. Several years ago, I started thinking, “hey, maybe this is going to happen to me one day, so what am I going to do?!” Well, I always had liked Aaliyah’s hair, and had long heard that she did not get relaxers. So I said, okay, I’ll give that a shot, too, and start getting it pressed. Now, I decided to go NATURAL after talking with a friend who used to go to my parent’s church. She was already natural and kept telling me, “you should just do it…cut it all off”. She told me about Nappturality, and I started staring for HOURS at a time at all of these beautiful women with their BEAUTIFUL natural hair. So, I said, okay, I’m cutting it!

5. Has going natural changed anything about you?

I think it’s given me more self confidence, really. I can’t say I was really self conscious, but prior to the time when I did go natural, I could never see myself doing something so drastic with my hair. But now I love it…and I don’t care what people think of it.

6. What is your signature style, or what is your favorite style?

Hmm…I’d have to say my signature/favorite style is wearing it out….and as LARGE AS POSSIBLE J

7. Do you have a favorite style?

I love twistouts…and puffs are always handy!

8. What products do you love?

I LOVE Aura’s Rosemary Mint Shampoo and Conditioner. I also kinda love Miss Jessie’s Baby Buttercreme (I’m not really a product junkie).

9. Any advice for the newly natural or transitioning?

LOL…see above…..DON’T GET SUCKED INTO BUYING TOO MANY PRODUCTS! It’s so not worth it! Over the years I’ve learned that less is more, and you don’t need to buy all of these different products to get your hair a certain way…isn’t that just going back to the idea of relaxing, to get the hair to BE a certain way? Just let it BE!

The colder months...

Okay...As we approach the fall, I have to change my hair routine...

It's really funny. I used to get all stressed out a certain times wondering why my hair was always sooo dry. It didn't occur to me for a long time that it was because of the weather...Duh!

I think that everyone could benefit from switching their hair routine for the cooler months. Especially if you tend to have dry hair like moi. Wearing protective styles, adding humectants, reducing the number of times I wash (co-wash or poo-wash) all help me to maintain length during the winter and keep my hair from drying out...

So starting a couple of weeks ago, I've started wearing my buns and updos. These are my protective styles. I jazz them up with hair doo-dads...For someone else, protective styles may include braids, weaves, twists, etc...Just do something to keep your hair away from the elements for awhile. And I try to comb/brush less.

As far as products are concerned, I up my hot oil treatments. My hair gets SUPA, DUPA DRY in the winter, and sucks up every bit of moisture it comes in contact with...Seriously...

The First Episode of "Trick My Bun"

Okay...

So I've said in previous posts that I can't do protective styles like braids and twists for longer than a few days...So I've stuck my foot in my mouth by saying I'm going to start tracking my growth and trying to do better with letting it grow...

So since I've been making these really cool hair fascinators, wearing my hair up has become a breeze...

I've started to make and sell hair accessories and fascinators, so if you're interested email me at imnotlyeing@yahoo.com. I'll be setting up an Etsy store shortly!!! The goal is for affordable and fly hair accessories: fascinators, headbands, etc. Stay tuned, and get ready to be supa FLY!!!

Anyway, enough of the commerical break back to our regularly scheduled programming...So wearing it up is the ticket...Ends protected against the elements. I twisted the bun and wrapped the end around the base and secured with a coupla bobby pins...No elastic or anything to stress the hair out...

What chall thank? I've been having so much 'tude everywhere I go, it's crazy...Drinking with my pinky out...'Tootin' my lips and batting my eyes...Sooo "EXTRA" with it all...This is such a great idea to dress up boring buns and "up" styles...Go ahead...Bite the style...Sista Ree doesn't care...

The Fascinating Fascinator

Boy, looka here...Can't nobody tell me NUTHIN'...Seriously...

So I made a few facinators for my hair this weekend, and let me tell you, they turned out SOOOO HOT!!! HAWT! I wore this one to church, and I stopped traffic. The colors went perfectly with my skintone, and it looked so very unique. The perfect 'fro accessory.

I'mma be making more of these...

Shealoe Butter

One of my FAVORITE butters is Shealoe...

If you're not into mixing and measuring and such, this is the stuff for you...If you ARE into mixing it's equal parts of shea butter and aloe vera gel (the real dealy-o stuff...). You can get it from the online vendor http://www.fromnaturewithlove.com/. You can get a pound of it for about $20.00+shipping, but it truly lasts a long time...

I'm not into "sexy" products. The stuff in the cute packages with the wacked out marketing pictures of some chic with everything BUT the product advertised being used on her hair, does NOTHING for me...I don't buy products because of some celebrity endorsement, or because 50/11 folks are using it. I try to buy products based on their ingredients and what they'll do for me...Okay I'm rambling here...Just needed to get that out. Now back to the subject at hand. Shealoe...

So, what it do, what. it. do? I know, I know...I hear ya...

It helps to keep my tresses moisturized. It's not as heavy as pure shea butter, so if you need a "lighter" product, this one works well for the cost. It doesn't have a scent, so if you're someone that likes scent free products, here ya go...If you do like scent, it takes nothing to add a couple of drops of a fragrance oil or essential oil to make it smell "cRute".

I've got no clue how it works with straigtening, so don't be askin' me that!!!! (neck roll and finger snaps and all the other 'tude that goes along with the statement)

If you want nice fluffy twistouts, use some shealoe with a little gel to make your twists.

Whenever I would wear a BAA (Big "A" Afro), it would always flop...It was discouraging...Shealoe helped with keeping it big. Take a little and massage it over your tresses...Make some fat braids (at least that's how I had to do it...I understand some folks can just pick their situation out and it stays...), the next morning, release and pick it out.




The product has enough "oommpphh" to keep my hair moisturized throughout the day and the fro didn't get dried out...

So there you go, lovelies...

All Hail the Queen!

When I "met" this sista on Nappturality, we had an "instant" sista girl connection...Let me tell you...She inspired me sooooo much! I would stalk her album, and was always AMAZED at her fierceness and beauty...She's been natural a little longer than I, so by the time I got "hipped" to the information out there about natural hair, SHE was the source of a lot of my learning...Nati was the Diva that I stole all the scarf and earrings with the afro ideas from...I stalked her album every day! She's such a beautiful woman, and so very postive! Nat told me to edit her responses, but I just couldn't...What she says is so powerful, I thought it would be best to let her speak...I'm sure after you read what she says you will agree...

So say hello to Natitwists...Oh, and since I've been preluding each showcase with a song lately, I'mma need yall to bust out, "She's your queen to beeeeeeeeee!!!!" From Coming to America...

1. How long have you been natural?

I've been natural for 7 years 10 months

2. How long did you transisition?

I didn't transition at all. I shaved my head after having a texturizer.

(SHAVED??? REE FAINTS...CARRY ON...)

Nat BC'd TWICE!!! This was after her second chop...I fluffy, puffy, Jell-O heart her for her confidence...

I didn't know at the time that I was going natural but I knew I couldn't deal with that crunchy, hard hair anymore, so I just shaved all my hair off. I loved my hair short. I was tired of waking up looking like Gumby. You remember how Gumby's head was sloped? Well that horrible texturizer used to make my hair so hard and crunchy that I'd wake up with lopsided, brillo pad hair.

3. How did you transition? (braids, weaves, straightening, NOTHING....)

While I didn't transition I did have to transition my mind until I felt confident enough to wear my hair in public. I remember getting braids every summer. Well as I was growing out my TWA I KEPT my hair in braids until one day I realized that i was hiding behind those braids. I had to sit down and take a serious inventory of myself. What was I afraid of? Why did I feel the need to hide behind those braids? I finally told myself that I was taking the braids out and that I'd wear my own hair from now on. The problem was that the day I decided to do this was the day before my class(at work) graduated. I took the braids out, washed my hair, moisturized it and patted my fro. Then after I got dressed I put my armor on because I just KNEW somebody was going to have something crazy to say to me about my hair. I walked into work and everybody stopped talking. My heart was beating like crazy. I was ready to cut the first person that said something out the side their neck, lol. But then, everybody was like ooooooh your hair is soooo pretty! I like your hair, etc. I felt sooo good. I knew the night before that "I" liked what I saw but I didn't know how the world would respond. Seeing all my classmates giving me positive reinforcement helped me shut down the silly notion that I had to be concerned with what others thought about my hair.

Headband+Flower+Earrings=HOTNESS

4. What made you want to go natural?

You know what made me want to go natural? I was tired of my limp, breaking, straight hair. I saw this girl at my job with the CUTEST little curly fro ever and I decided that I wanted my hair like that. My best friend informed me that since I wasn't mixed ***ROLLS EYES HARD**** that I'd need to get a texturizer. I did. Big mistake. I cut that crap out in about 3 months and went natural. I found that my hair was soft and beautiful and that I LOVED it. Additionally as my daughter grew up it became INCREASINGLY important to me that she see herself as beautiful. Well how could I expect her to love herself if her own mother didn't love every aspect of herself? You know? I wanted her to know that everything about her, from her rich skintone to the naps on her head were beautiful and worthy of love and adoration. I knew I needed to be the FIRST example, and so I decided that I would be. Knowing that I was providing my daughter with the gift of self love and self esteem helped me stay the course. I must also mention, even though I'm loathe to mention it, that part of the reason I went natural had to do with my ex boyfriend. He would always tell me that my hairstyles weren't the REAL me. That always puzzled me. How could they not be me? Was I not the one wearing them? He'd always tell me that I should go natural, but I'd always give him the fisheye and tell him that he was just mad because I was constantly getting hit on, lol. Then one day it finally hit me what he meant and I realized that he was right all along.. That is one fact that he never let me live down...

5. How does being natural make you feel about yourself? Has the decision changed anything about you?

Being natural makes me feel beautiful. Honestly it does, even when I'm not having the best hair day (which is not often) I feel my best when I am wearing my napps on display. My hair in its unadulterated state says to the world that I am confident and proud of my heritage and I LAUGH in the face of the media when they try to tell me through pictures and hair products and weave that the only way I can be beautiful is if I emulate a Eurocentric view of beauty. That view was never meant for me so I feel no need to emulate it. Being natural has made me more confident. I know that nobody else has this fluffy, cotton candy, fine, thin stuff and that makes me special. I'm not just the next chick with a wrap or a weave.

Nat...I aint foolin' with you...This is waay too HOT!

6. What do you love about being natural?

I love the self confidence that being natural invokes. I also love seeing little brown girls seeing a chocolate sistah with nappy hair doing her thang. It's all about planting seeds. I also love when people come to me about transitioning, it's a wonderful feeling to know that you've inspired someone to stop "lyeing" to themselves. :)

7. Do you have favorite products?

Yes I have favorite products. My hands down all time favorite products are Sta-so-fro moisturizing spray. I LOVE this stuff. It is the only moisturizer that works on my hair and keeps it moist for dayyyyys. My other must have product is Wen Cleansing Conditioners. I LOVE this product, especially the Fig which is formulated for fine hair. Because I am a strict no-pooer, I use conditioner to wash my hair and these conditioners impart moisture and they get your hair clean without harsh chemicals. I also MUST have VO5 Kiwi & Lime Clarifying Conditioner for buildup and for when I want a good wash. (since I don't use many products I rarely have buildup though)

8. What are your signature styles?

I think my signature styles are puffs. I love puffs because you can dress them up or down. I love wearing my own hair in puffs but lately I've been experimenting with afro textured weave in order to keep my own hair protected while rocking a natural style. My other signature style would definitely have to be yarn twists. Since I've learned to do them 2 years ago I can't go a couple months without wearing them. They are easy, light and natural looking protective style.

Nat's Yarn Twists...Hmm....These look awesome!!!

Directions in her Fotki, below...

9. What advice would you give to transitioners or newly nappy?

My adivce to transitioners and newly nappy ladies is to make sure that you are doing this for YOU. At the end of the day we must be happy with ourselves. It doesn't matter WHO doesn't like it or has something to say, you MUST feel good about yourself. Stay strong and remember that everything GOD makes is beautiful. HE made you unique from the get go, why rush out to be a copy of someone else? Surround yourself with photos of natural women in various situations, i.e.,weddings, corporate america, playing, going out. When you are surrounded by beautiful people that look like you it helps you maintain perspective. It lets you know that going natural is NOT difficult, it IS doable and you WILL get whatever job you want, ANY man you want and have a wonderful life all with a head full of napps just like your non nappy friends do.

(sigh)...I loves me some Nat!!! Thanks so much Nat, you're a doll baby! And if yall need some inspriation...Check out ya girl's Fotki... http://public.fotki.com/natitwists/ It's the truth...For real, for real...

By request!

I got a request for my 'Licious Hair butter, so here it is...

for 16 oz.

8 oz Unrefined (or Raw) Shea Butter
4 oz Sweet Almond Oil
1 oz Glycerine
1 oz Castor Oil
2 oz Rose Water (or distilled water)

Zap the Shea in the microwave for about 20 seconds just to loosen it up (may be a little longer depending on your microwave, but you want it to be soft but DEFINITELY not melted). Mix it with in a blender (or by hand if you're Super Woman), until it's fluffy...Slowly add in the oils mixing constantly (important to whip to get air incorporated into the situation), finally when everything is smooth and blended, add the rose water...TAH DAH!!!!

This hair butter is pretty light, as straight shea butter is too heavy for my hair. It will literally melt in your hands. Store in a jar for I've got no clue how long because I usually can't keep this stuff in the house...I give it to friends and family...

Tracking the growth

I've started this blog, but I've never showcased myself...Though I'm a card carrying, dues paying, yearly convention attenting Attention Skank, it never crossed my mind that I needed to show pics of what I'm doing with my 'do...In all honesty, I'm not doing much, so I don't have any supa fly shots of my hair like I did during years 3 and 4. But now that I've started to track my growth, I've pulled out my digital camera and will start documenting my progress...and taking pics of my own styles...(Seems a little bogus to have a blog with not many pictures of what I'M doing)...Anyhoo, here's where my hair is thus far....

I used to pay more attention to the growth...Took comparison shots and everything, I don't know what happened...I fell off, man...

In spite of me, it's growing well. It's still not thick, but I've learned to accept that to SOME degree. One thing that I've been doing that I may stop doing (to see what happens) is trimming. I love to snip those ends, let me tell you...The last "good" trim I got was the day of my wedding, lol...That was over 3 months ago...I'm going to pay attention to my ends to see what happens...I'm also going to go ahead and start wearing protective styles...For me that means buns and updos as I can't maintain twists and such for longer than a few days and that makes me wanna fight considering ALL of the time it takes to get those suckers in...

I usually wear my hair "out" which isn't very good if you're trying to grow your hair. Wearing it out a lot dries it out just because it's subject to the elements. It requires EXTRA moisturization and attention...

The easiest thing about having my hair relaxer free is that I can wash (co-wash or poo wash) whenever I get good and ready...In the summer time, I usually get up in the morning, wash my hair in the shower and let it air dry on my way to work...Can you imagine how many people stop me and say..."Umm...Is your hair WET?" Me: Umm, yeah...Why? LOL...It's always from other African American women. It's a shame...for real, for real...Having natural hair has become so easy over the years. I don't have to "wrap" my hair EVERY night...plug in the curling iron or flat iron...Roll my hair at night...I just tie it down at night with a satin scarf, get up in the a.m., hit it with some concoction spritz and either go or clip it up. Because it's so easy, I'll admit I've gotten a bit lazy. I get up and just go "eh"...Luckily, I LOVE my hair, so I usually just let her "do what she does"...

Although it's really easy, I do have my own hair challenges. Because it's really fine, if I'm not careful, my styles can look a little "Beetle Juice-ish" LOL...Seriously...I'm constantly "Jujshing" (word I got from Queer Eye for the Straight Guy) my hair to make volume and fullness...I bend at the waist and flip my hair over and squeeze my hair in my hands...That's the only thing that makes it as BIG and full as I want it...

I think that lengthwise, I'm happy with it...It could be longer without a doubt, but I haven't focused on length. I'm going to do that for the next 6 months or so just because I want to monitor it. Now that I've stopped coloring my hair, I've noticed that I don't have to condition as often (I was doing it twice a week) and I'm maintaining the length. I love to see hair color, but I don't forsee myself coloring as it takes waaaayyyy too much TLC for my nerves...Color treated hair takes A LOT more conditioning and moisturizing...

What am I using right now??? It's very simple. I'm washing with Curls Curlicious Curl Cleansing Cream, conditioning with Pantene Replenishing Mask, and following up with my "concoction", then adding my homemade hair butter at the end when the "concoction" is almost dry. My hair butter is 'licious...Shea Butter, Sweet Almond Oil, Olive Oil, Rose Water, Castor Oil and Glycerine...All whipped up...I Poo wash every week. If and when I need to co-wash in between, I'll use Suave Humectant.

My piece of advice to new nappies or transitioners. Learn YOUR hair...Things that work for me, may not work for you, and vice versa. Take the time to pay attention to what your hair needs. There are no "holy grail" products, methods or styles. If I had a dollar for every time somebody made suggestions for how to make my twists last longer (for example) I'd be a dog gone Dollar-aire (LOL). I've learned to accept what MY hair will do...

Okay...that's enuff...

Stay tuned for another Nappy Showcase...One of my "Nappy" relatives, from Dallas will be gracing the blog VERY soon...

Peace!