Getting old is for…ME??

Ugh.  I found grey hair on my head.  It used to just be the one or two.  I knew where they were.  I denied their existence and continued with my youthful life until one day about a month or two ago, I found them.  No longer the 1-2 weeds.  No.  This time, there was a FOREST.  A gaggle of them.  Hiding in the depths of my mane.

SATC Grey Hair Scene

Photo: Pinterest

So, I did what any other woman in my situation would do.  I cried.  No, really, I didn’t.  But it did make me feel quite sad.  For someone who has been confused with a 15-year old most of her life due to less than average stature, having grey hair pretty much eliminates any doubt about my age.  I’m old!  Cue sobs.  Loud ones.

Thankfully, my forest of greys is rooted on the right side of my head.  So for now, I just part my hair to the other side! 🙂  Always best to see the glass half full, right??  But, I know that won’t hold them off forever; them being the greys.  In fact, even when I try to style my hair in my default hairstyle – aka topknot/bun – the greys are evident.  So, I have found some temporary solutions that I thought some of you might find useful should you be in the same predicament I find myself in.  This is what I like to call ‘Operation Hide Greys’:

1) Mascara – Not just for tinting lashes.  This magic wand also covers greys!!  Yes!  In fact, when traveling last fall, I was caught off guard and noticed the patch of greys.  So I took the mascara brush and lightly brushed over the area that contained the grey hairs.  Voila!  Greys were masked!  Temporarily of course, but it gave me some peace of mind.  I only use Diorshow Blackout, pictured below, which on my hair, worked wonderfully.  If you have blonde hair, using mascara might not be the best solution.  So, read option 2 below.

diorshow

Photo:  Nordstrom.com

2) Root concealer – If mascara is not a great option for you, perhaps root concealer is!  Mascara is great, but I want to save it for my lashes and not waste it on my hair.  So, I looked for alternate solutions.  This time, I took to Sephora and found this Rita Hazzan Root Concealer spray.

Rita Hazan Root Spray // http://chicinacademia.comSephora Haul, http://chicinacademia.com

Photos: First (Sephora.com) and second (Chic in Academia)

As you can see, I also picked up some other goodies that day.  Let me know if you want my review on any of the other products pictured above.  I’ll plan a separate post for that if there is enough interest!  Anyway, the root concealing spray comes in a variety of shades, but I settled on the ‘Dark Brown/Black’ spray.  For me, it proved to be a perfect match!  The other shades include Light Brown, Red, Dark Blonde, and Blonde.

Rita Hazan Root Spray Shades // http://chicinacademia.comI realize that it’s probably not long before I’ll have to start dying my hair – if I choose to dye it at all – but for now, I’ll stick to these temporary fixes.  I’d love to hear about what tactics you use to hide your greys.  Please share them with me!!  Nobody seems to talk about this stuff, so someone like me is faced with fear and shock and denial and incompetence!  Help a sister out for goodness sake!   Share your secrets!!  Seriously though, in light of the fact that I am now a grey-concealing ninja, I also contemplated putting together a video to show you how I use these products.  Leave me a comment below if you think you might be interested in that at all.

Otherwise, I continue to enjoy keeping up with you on Instagram, Twitter, and Pinterest!  Finally, if you happen to follow me on Pinterest, you know that I’m hosting a J Crew giveaway along with some other awesome bloggers.  Check it out!  You might just get lucky and win the pot!!

Until next time!  Stay chic!

Blogger Giveaway Loop

The Zara Sale for the Professional Woman

Well, the sales keep on comin’!  If I were told that for the rest of my life I could only shop one store with an unlimited budget, it would likely be Zara.  For the professional woman, this is the relatively affordable mecca of work-appropriate clothing that is not only chic, but also great quality.  I LOVE ZARA.  LOVE.

So when my sister called me earlier today to alert me to the fact that some major sales were going down, I immediately took to the ‘internets’ as some would say, to scour the inventory.  She was not lying.  The selection and prices are amazing.  AH-MAZE-ING.

Here are a few of my faves:

Fitted Blazer with Pleated Sleeves, $39.99.  I am ALL about an amazing shoulder on a jacket.  I love this color of this one, but it also comes in black for those of you who are averse to color. :D

Fitted Blazer with Pleated Sleeves, $39.99. I am ALL about an amazing shoulder on a jacket. I love this color of this one, but it also comes in black for those of you who are averse to color. 😀

Checked Shift Dress, $49.99.  Okay, so this dress isn't super cheap, but it's half off and just perfect in terms of tailoring!  The color combo is gorgeous, and well let's face it, it's just simply a great lookin' dress.  Not gonna lie, I bought it.  You should buy it too and be dress twinsies. ;)

Checked Shift Dress, $49.99. Okay, so this dress isn’t super cheap, but it’s half off and just perfect in terms of tailoring! The color combo is gorgeous, and well let’s face it, it’s just simply a great lookin’ dress. Not gonna lie, I bought it. You should buy it too and we should be dress twinsies. 😉

Judge me all you want, but I think these trousers are über chic!  Paired with a sweater, a silk top and a blazer, you've got a comfy, chic outfit for most office environments.  Get them now and wear them until it gets to warm to sport them!

Judge me all you want, but I think these trousers are über chic! Paired with a sweater, a silk top and a blazer, you’ve got a comfy, chic outfit for most office environments. Get them now and wear them until it gets to warm to sport them!

Skirt with side zip, $22.99.  My bestie and I loved this skirt!  A little bit of sexy without crossing the line into trashy, haha.  Pair it with a button down or even a plain white t-shirt and call it day.

Skirt with side zip, $22.99. My bestie and I loved this skirt! A little bit of sexy without crossing the line into trashy, haha. Pair it with a button down or even a plain white t-shirt and call it day.

High Heel Leather Boot, $79.99.  In case you didn't already know, now is the time to buy boots!  These in particular are $100 off.  The heel is a good height, and chunky, so they are bound to be relatively comfy to wear.

High Heel Leather Boot, $79.99. In case you didn’t already know, now is the time to buy boots! These in particular are $100 off. The heel is a good height, and chunky, so they are bound to be relatively comfy to wear.

Pleated Dress with Flared Skirt, $49.99.  If you're tall and slim, this is the dress for you.  I'm obsessed with the color, but for a short curvy woman, this is not the beesneez.  So, I pass it along to you who can rock it!

Pleated Dress with Flared Skirt, $49.99. If you’re tall and slim, this is the dress for you. I’m obsessed with the color, but for a short curvy woman, this is not the beesneez. So, I pass it along to you who can rock it!

Faux Leather Obi Belt, $12.99.  In my opinion, everyone needs a great statement belt.  This one is a good neutral one to have, and I love that the size is adjustable, without having those horrid holes telling the wold whether you've gained or lost weight recently.  Ugh!

Faux Leather Obi Belt, $12.99. In my opinion, everyone needs a great statement belt. This one is a good neutral one to have, and I love that the size is adjustable, without having those horrid holes telling the wold whether you’ve gained or lost weight recently. Ugh!

Faux Fur Jacket, $25.99.  If you've been looking for a faux fur jacket, look no further!  I love the color of this one AND the price is literally unbeatable.  Even by Forever 21's standards!  BUY.BUY.BUY!!

Faux Fur Jacket, $25.99. If you’ve been looking for a faux fur jacket, look no further! I love the color of this one AND the price is literally unbeatable. Even by Forever 21’s standards! BUY.BUY.BUY!!

Printed Top with Shirt Collar, $29.99.  I'm in love with this top.  I think it's perfect for the office, for a date night, or even for brunch outing on the weekend.  Perfection all around!

Printed Top with Shirt Collar, $29.99. I’m in love with this top. I think it’s perfect for the office, for a date night, or even for brunch outing on the weekend. Perfection all around!

Mini City Bag, $25.99.  I'm a sucker for a great statement bag.  Add this to an all black outfit, and all white outfit, or even to the checked/plaid dress above, and you have a fantastic outfit.  My laptop would likely not fit in this bag (8 x 9 x 3"), but for the price, I say it's worth buying.

Mini City Bag, $25.99. I’m a sucker for a great statement bag. Add this to an all black outfit, and all white outfit, or even to the checked/plaid dress above, and you have a fantastic outfit. My laptop would likely not fit in this bag (8 x 9 x 3″), but for the price, I say it’s worth buying.

Let me know what you end up buying!!  I will post my pics on Instagram, Twitter, and Pinterest, so make sure to follow along!

Don’t close your wallets yet! Henri Bendel is having a Sale…

Yup.  You read that correctly!  Another sale indeed!  No doubt that the incidence of store sales this increased significantly this January.  A histogram would be fun, but I will leave that for a later time. 😉

Anywho, there are some fun items that are 50% off – and also all less than $50 – that might be worth your time and money. Below are a few of my faves.  Hope you love them as much as I do!

Until next time!  Stay Chic!

Screen Shot 2015-01-07 at 2.46.24 PM

This can be worn stacked with other bracelets or alone. I love the mix of different types of bracelets, and especially love the combination of gold and black.

Screen Shot 2015-01-07 at 2.46.02 PM

Can I just say that I am IN LOVE with this bracelet?! Sigh. I want it, but for now, on my birthday wish list it goes! Anyhow, it reminds me of the Hermes turn-lock bracelet which I also covet, but cannot phathom paying the price they demand for it. This is definitely a great ‘luxe for less’ alternative.

Screen Shot 2015-01-07 at 2.45.36 PM

As an academic, I tend to carry business cards with me often when I travel. This card case is different from the traditional card case where the cards are exposed, thereby exposing the cards to possible damage to the top edges from coming into contact with other items in your bag. This one is a nice neutral color and also fully protects the cards. Perfection.

Screen Shot 2015-01-07 at 2.45.08 PM

So, this is a hair tie with a fancy chain on it. Well, to me, it seems this could easily double for a bracelet, don’t you think? That’s how I would wear it if I purchased it! Stack it with other chunky and not-so-chunky bracelets and you have quite the arm party!

Screen Shot 2015-01-07 at 2.44.42 PM

I’ll be the first to admit that I had NEVER heard of a travel candle, but it makes SO much sense to have them!! I think that in all of my travel, I have stayed in a single hotel that smelled amazing the entire time I was lodging there. Others smell mildewy or smokey… Anyhow, having a travel candle is a must from now on for me. This one is great for travel, particularly because of the non-glass casing.

Oh this clutch! What isn’t there to love about it?! Geek chic, much?? Yup. I think so. A bold, amazing hue; the functional strap to enable adequate holding of said clutch; and the fact that you can also store other items inside along with your iPad makes this a winner in my book. For anyone wondering, this TOO is on my wishlist. Buy it. Now. For me. Kthnxbye. 😀