'tis the season....

It's no secret that a salon's busiest time of year is the holiday season. As we gear up to strap in and make everyone feel extra shiny and bright for all of their seasonal events, we have to remember to keep calm in the hustle and bustle as well as find time to get all of OUR holiday shopping and styling done! We've compiled a list of things we live by every year to keep November and December as low stress as possible and wanted to share with you!

1. AVOID BLACK FRIDAY. 

Don't. Do. It. Just don't do Black Friday. The additional 30% you may save for waiting in line to get into Best Buy at 6pm on Thanksgiving night just isn't worth the time you could be spending with your family. So what to do instead when you're buying on a budget? Go for Cyber Monday! The Monday after Thanksgiving is the day when all the online retailers deeply discount their goods so save yourself standing IN line and order ONline!

2. Book your appointments in advance!

This may be easier said than done with your busy work schedules but make sure to book as many of your beauty and maintenance appointments in advance so you don't end up with roots or undone locks for that holiday party you've been looking forward to all year. Make sure to take time for yourself. It's hard to make other people feel good during the holidays if YOU don't feel good.

3. Pick off-times to fly if traveling.

We've all had to do it, the dreaded holiday airport travel. Standing in line for hours at security only to find out your flight is oversold or delayed, losing baggage, getting stuck in some random airport in the midwest. Traveling any time from December 20th-23rd or the 26th to the 30th can just be horrid! So our suggestion? Pick an off time to go! Many people want to be with their families by a specific date but if your schedule allows you to be flexible, take a flight on Christmas eve, Christmas day, New Years Eve or New Years Day! Not only are flights cheaper on those dates but the airports are usually pretty slow. Trust us- we speak from experience.

4. Take a second to remember what it's all about.

The holiday season is a time to be around those you love and to share in making memories. The perfect present isn't always a material item and the real memories are created by coming together with the ones you love. Try not to stress if you didn't find little Susie and Timmy the perfect stocking stuffer because chances are they are going to remember YOU being there for the holidays, not a Ninja Turtles Pez dispenser. 

Muse Monday: "Women of the Rolling Stones"

It's no question that the Rolling Stones have played a huge role in fashion and hair since forming in 1962. While we get a little dreamy hearts in our eyes when looking at old picture of Mick, Keith and the boys we are even more inspired by the beautiful women that were made famous by hanging on the arm of one of these lads.

Anita Pallenberg
Although Anita began her love affair with the late Brian Jones in the 60's, she ultimately ended up with guitarist Keith Richards. While Anita's love interest(s) in the Rolling Stones may have been her introduction to fame, she cultivated a 40 year long career for herself in which she played in over a dozen films as well as being a fashion icon that has stood the test of time. Anita's hair isn't the only thing we swoon over, though. Her ability to make a t shirt and jeans with a tousled bob look high fashion was something executed so perfectly during the height of her popularity.

 

Marianne Faithful

Marianne began her career in 1964 singing in coffee houses. Soon after she became acquainted with the Rolling Stones by attending a release party for the band that very year. She had a short lived marriage with artist John Dunbar, lasting less than 7 months. After having their son, Nicholas, Marianne left Dunbar for Rolling Stones frontman Mick Jagger. Faithful's involvement with Jagger had a large impact on his songwriting, resulting in a plethora of Stones songs that have been rumored to be about her. While her 5 year relationship with Jagger was a big part of Marianne's notoriety she did, in fact, create quite the name and career for herself and continues to perform today. Our favorite era of Marianne was during her time with Jagger. However tumultuous the relationship between the two was, the images from that era continue to inspire us almost 50 years later. Whether she was in a shoulder skimming bob or a long cut with heavy fringe, Faithful always looked flawless from head to toe. 

 

Uschi Obermaier

While Uschi's involvement with the Rolling Stones mostly consisted of "affairs" with Mick and Keith during a 1975 tour she accompanied the band on, we couldn't leave her out. Uschi's dark "always undone" locks are the perfect example of the "less is more" approach to hair. While Obermaier's influence on the Stones may have been a blip on the radar, her biography titled "High Times"did make it to the best seller list. In 2007 the book was adapted for film and renamed "Eight Miles High" (or Das Wilde Leben; the original German title).

 

Linda Keith

Girlfriend to Keith Richards in the early 1960's, Linda Keith is rumored to be the inspiration for "Ruby Tuesday". Richards claimed the song was about a random groupie during a 1971 interview but later remained to say it was, in fact, about Linda Keith who had left him for Jimi Hendrix. While Linda doesn't seem to have been nearly as big of a player in the Rolling Stones career as Marianne or Anita, she definitely had an influence on the band. Her style definitely had an impact on us, proving that she could look good in a 60's pixie or classic Jackie-O style bob.

 

So there you have them, our favorite Rolling Stones Girlfriends and some of the women who have had the best fringe to date! 

Ch-ch-ch-changes

It's that time of year again, Autumn, when a lot of our clients come in looking to shift from their summer looks. While we love change at Wanderlust Salon, here are some tips for tweaking your look without having that post-hair appointment freakout.

1. Get inspired!
First and foremost, be sure that you have done your research when looking for a big change! A lot of clients feel silly bringing in pictures but rest assured we LOVE drawing inspiration not only from current trends but also from classic and vintage trends. We can always use a picture as a springboard into a style that is uniquely curated to fit your individual needs.

2. Don't fear the maintenance!
If you're looking for a style that requires a little more attention in the morning, make sure you ask your stylist how labor intensive the look is going to be. Sometimes a good product and 5-10 minutes of styling can make a world of difference when recreating the in-salon look at home.

3. Be prepared to commit to the style!
We always say "it's easier to take more off later" because we unfortunately haven't figured out a way to put it back once it's been cut. If you aren't ready for a drastically shorter style we are always happy to offer suggestions for something in the middle that won't freak you out!

4. Ask questions!
Make sure you ask your stylist how to maintain your new cut or color before taking the plunge. Chopping your ultra long locks into a super cute pixie will be easier to style but you'll have to remember you may need cuts more often. It's good to know what you're getting into before you jump right in.

5. Don't make rash decisions!
We all have those days where we freak out and want to chop all our hair off but please, think about it before you do! As hairstylists we are notoriously fickle and most of us make changes often but speaking from personal experience, it's better to think a new style through rather than booking a same day appointment for a big change.

...and on that note...

6. Don't be scared!
I know we said to think about it before you do it, but don't be scared of change! Hair is such a wonderful way to express your personal style. We are here to help you cultivate that so you never tire of your look!



Some of our favorite looks for this season, to get you inspired!

The not-so-perfect bob:

Pretty pixies:

The long bang:

Warm browns, rich reds and honey blondes:

 

 

Peek-a-boo panels (vibrant OR natural):

Iconic Era: 90's Grunge

It's no surprise that the 90's have made a resurgence in fashion and with this comes an opportunity to take a plunge back into a generation that had both tragic and AMAZING hairstyles. We aren't here to focus on bad style of the 90's we want to share a few of the ladies who not only inspired us as young adults but continue to inspire us in present-day.

Dolores O'Riordan is undeniably one of our favorite women from the grunge era. Her ever changing hairstyles were consistently cute but our favorite of all  was the platinum blonde pixie cut she donned on the cover of  The Cranberries "No Need to Argue".

Dark or light, short or long, Dolores cooed her way through the 90's (and beyond) always looking top notch in the hair and fashion department.

Our second focus is an obvious one. Gwen Stefani of No Doubt emerged to the mainstream with 1995's hit single "Just a Girl" in which she sported the most perfect platinum locks and a bindi, sending girls everywhere to the mall for jewels and to the salon for bleach and tones. Gwen's style has evolved so much since the beginning of her media fame that we could dedicate multiple blog posts to her but we are instead focusing on two of our favorite earlier looks she showed us; the classic vintage blonde bombshell and the punky pink princess.

Okay, so it's no secret that Courtney Love has had her fair share of the good, the bad and the ugly when it comes to her career but in the 1990's she was front woman for the now defunct Hole. Before getting her "hollywood cleanup" makeover in the early 2000's, Courtney really pushed the envelope with not only her hairstyles but her fashion, stage show and all around rock'n'roll lifestyle. Some may call her time with the band a train wreck but it sure made for some incredible inspiration for us to look back on!

The list of females from the 90's with awesome hair goes on and on but we haven't forgotten about the men! Some of our favorites include Kurt Cobain of Nirvana and his many shades and lengths and Dave Grohl of Nirvana and the Foo fighters with his perfectly shaggy hair Lastly, we admire all of the styles Flea from The Red Hot Chili Peppers dawned but his aqua-marine hair sticks in our brains as one of the best blue hues ever. These trendsetters of grunge proved it was an anything-goes time for music, fashion and hair.

This blog post was inspired by our recent trip to San Diego, where we entertained ourselves in the rental car by re-buying some of our favorite albums of the 90's at a parking lot $1 CD sale. Proof positive that no matter where you end up wandering to there is always something to spark creativity!