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I've learned a thing or two in my 52 years on the planet, but nothing really prepared me for the sheer volume of untapped knowledge that I was going to have access to once I joined TikTok. Granted, a lot of what you see on TikTok boils down to where in the algorithm you end up, which of course depends on which rabbit holes you choose to go down...then of course there are the very real national security and data concerns.... But all that aside, last week, I happened to be in the right place at the right time, I found myself in the makeup TikTok algorithm! There I came across several videos all showcasing what the kids are calling "puppy liner." Twee name notwithstanding, puppy liner is essentially a more user-friendly version of a classic winged eyeliner, that works with the natural shape of your eyes to produce a flattering result that (allegedly) works on everyone. After watching a few of these videos, I realized that it did indeed look ridiculously easy, that I needed to check it out as a matter of urgency, and that I had probably been attempting (unsuccessfully) to achieve winged eyeliner the wrong way for pretty much the entirety of my life. National security be damned, this is winged eyeliner we're talking about here! Up until that point, I had mostly moved away from the liquid and felt liners that one needs to use to create a winged eye. This is really due to their difficulty of use (for me) and harsh appearance, which I realize now speaks more to my lack of skill than to the actual product itself. Of course there's also the inconvenient fact that putting on winged eyeliner in your 50s is a little like trying to put eyeliner on a 17 year-old hairless Shar Pei. It can be particularly daunting when you get it wrong, and hoo-boy do I excel at getting it wrong. Luckily for me, turns out it's never too late! Since adopting this ridiculously simple technique, I have done some version of a winged eye just about every day since I learned this little trick, and now I find it fun. Needless to say I've also been scouring the internet for every imaginable color of liner, trying to make up for lost time! Read on for the basics on how it works. Winged Eyeliner in Your 50s: Puppy Liner Basics As the kids on the TikTok tell it, the reason that puppy liner works so well on everyone is that instead of trying to create the upward flick of a cat eye by drawing it in an upward direction, you use the natural canthal tilt of your eyes as your guide. We'll get to what that is in a minute. This technique is quite subtle, and for people with quite positive canthal tilts it may not change what you're doing all that much if you do a winged eye on the regular. However, for those of us with maturing skin, hooded eyes, who anyone else who struggles with wings (or any eyeliner potentially ending up "above the fold"), it's a life-changing adjustment, even if it does at first feel a bit counterintuitive. Besides a good name for a band, what on Earth is canthal tilt? Having witnessed the absolute flurry of anxiety on TikTok that ensued after the canthal tilt filter was introduced, I'm not going to dwell too much on canthal tilt other than to provide a brief overview. I believe that using digital trends to inform any assessment that affects your self image is a slippery slope, and quite frankly, kinda dumb. However, from an eyeliner perspective, the filter does a pretty good job of putting the line in the right place, making it as good a jumping-off point as any. For the sake of neutrality, let us now turn to our good friends at Wikipedia for a quickie definition of canthal tilt to get started. The tilt of a line drawn from the outer corner (the lateral canthus) to the inner corner (the medial canthus) of one's eyes; a lower inner corner is referred to as a positive tilt while a lower outer corner is referred to as a negative tilt. There are all sorts of scientific (and a whole lot more pseudo-scientific) theories on how a positive (upwards) or negative (downwards) canthal tilt influences whether or not we percieive someone as attractive. I am not touching any of that with a 10 foot barge pole. This article is quite simply about where to start the base of your winged eyeliner. If however you're interested in learning more about canthal tilt, This recent article written by Danielle Sinay for Glamour goes into greater detail about what canthal tilt is, how it supposedly influences our perception of attractiveness, and why it is a source of consternation for those who harbor anxiety about all things appearance-related. A word of warning however if you're on TikTok and specifically wish to scroll the canthal tilt search results; the incels have grabbed hold of this trend mightily, so if you're going to wade in there I strongly suggest you tread lightly, bring something sharp with you, and always know where your exits are. My winged liner road map So this is what I started with; this is the notorious TikTok canthal tilt filter. If the filter is to be believed (and in the context of eyeliner it can be), I have a neutral to very slightly positive canthal tilt. You can see that over my nose it makes a slight v-shaped dip then very subtly goes up towards the temples. For me, that means my perfect winged liner will have a baseline right where the little line extends from the outer corner of my eye in a very gentle slight upwards slope in the direction if my temple. This is a lot less of a steep incline than I had been attempting to draw before, and a whole heck of a lot easier! A quick word about tools When I made my first attempts at this liner, I actually found that I was more relaxed and more able to practice without angst when I was using a cheaper tool that I didn't have to worry about wasting. Really, the only requirement when you're starting out is that you're comfortable with whatever eyeliner you choose, so I'm not gonna dwell on products too much at this point. That said, you'll have an easier time if you have a nice thin brush or felt tip to work with, and plenty of product left in whatever eyeliner you decide to use. For what it's worth, I've found that felt tip liners promise convenience and ease of use but ultimately are actually more problematic than liners you use with a little brush. Felt tips can be difficult to handle because product-wise the formula gets dry and they tend to skip and pull a bit, whereas with a brush you have more control over how much product is on the bristles and you can ensure a nice glide. Whatever tool you're using, create your winged eye using the following guidance, beginning with the bottom line based on your cantal tilt. I've made the liner orange for this particular demonstration so it stands out (it does look kinda cool though - Halloween). Start small. There is nothing wrong with using multiple small strokes to get there, that's how I do it. You can continue to layer and shape as you go, and you can use a q-tip and some micellar water to walk it back if you mess-up. As you get better with practice, you'll be able to use longer, more confident strokes. Personally, once I get the liner where I like it, I often will finish mine with a layer of eyeshadow on top to smoke it out and soften the edges, giving it a less "done" appearance. What you do after you get the basic shape done is completely up to you, but the basics stay the same. Play with it, have fun, and don't be afraid of color! PRODUCTS USED (includes affiliate links)| Loreal Infallible Super Slim Liner, Brown | Loreal infallible Flash Cat Eye Liner in Black | Mayblline Tattoo Studio Liner in teal | ELF Bite Size Eyeshadow in Cream & Sugar , Hot Jalapeno

Welp, it's fall. I can't deny it any longer. I generally like fall, but equally I'm not one of those people who goes mad every year and buys a zillion pumpkins, bags full of faux autumn-hued leaves from the craft shop, and pumpkin-spice everything (because, eew). I spend a bulk of the year in Scotland, where it literally always feels like fall, so it isn't exactly a huge transition. That said, this year, I still managed somehow to feel a bit caught-out by the changing weather. This past summer I spent most of my time sweating it out in the US in the heat, so I sort of feel like I've been suddenly thrust back into the cold and have had a bit of a slow start getting up to speed. So here we go. This is me throwing it into gear with a long overdue fall outfit of the day. With the exception of the boots, everything you see here is thrifted, but the corduroy shirt was practically new when I found it at the thrift shop, and I was actually able to still find a link to it online! I've offered you some other options as well should you care to attempt to recreate the look and don't have all the parts (the actual faux sherpa vest shown here is available in my eBay shop). And yes, many of the product links I offer are affiliate links where I might make a (very) small commission, but don't let that put you off - I promise not to spend my millions all in one place. Fall Layering Looks: From T-Shirts to Fleece-Lined Jackets and Back In One Afternoon I always think of fall as "forget your jacket at work" season. It's cold, even frosty in the mornings, but it heats-up in the afternoons forcing you to take off that cashmere sweater or favorite blazer and drape it over the back of your chair, then instantly forget it's there, where it shall remain as you slowly amass a pile of similar garments over the top of it with each passing day. Don't worry, you'll take them all home in mid to late November once it's properly cold out and you've run out of sweaters and blazers. While this look isn't really "office friendly" in the traditional sense, these days that hardly means anything since a lot of us are working from home at least some of the time. This is more of what I like to think of as an overall foolproof strategy for dressing in transitional weather, and is the same strategy I employ when shuttling between the cold of Scotland and the heat of Florida. At it's core, this fall layering look is a t-shirt and a denim skirt; a base look that can work with sandals in hotter temps as well. Using a base look like this is a ridiculously easy formula that I use religiously, and it never lets me down. Oh, and I almost forgot. See that t-shirt? That's not thrifted either. I actually got that t-shirt at Express... in the 90s. I know right!? I can't believe it's still in one piece, let alone wearable! Aztec print accent corduroy shaket | thrifted Levis a line skirt, similar | Dan Post "heartbreaker" vintage distressed boots (no longer available), similar | Knox Rose faux sherpa fleece lined vest (L) | Or Paz silver and cultured pearl ring (no longer available), similar | sterling silver feather cuff bracelet (no longer available), similar | Silver long dangle star and chain earrings (no longer available), similar | Accessorise UK sunglasses (no longer available), similar | thrifted belt, similar

Attention all thrifters, vintage lovers and one-of-a-kind, small-batch treasure hunters! This weekend Etsy is running their GET5 promo code which will get you $5 off orders of $25 or more! This promo is open to shoppers in the US, UK, and Canada! What's even cooler is that there’s no limit to the number of times you can use the GET5 code between Friday and Sunday! If like me, you have approximately a metric ton of little goodies sitting in your shopping cart and/or "saved for later" list, you can bundle them up and use that code as many times as you need to in order to secure a healthy discount on all your loot! This promo is not just limited to one shop, but is good across all of Etsy. To kick things off, here are a few new 90s era additions to Highland Fashionista Vintage that you may not have seen. Click on any of the individual garment photos with titles for more information on specific items. GenX, this next part comes with a trigger warning; some of these 90s and Y2K era garments look as if I travelled back in time and raided our twenty-something closets! Yes, we're that old that the garments of our raucous 20s are considered true vintage. Eek.

Last week was awful. We had to suddenly say goodbye to our nearly 16 year-old bearded collie, Fergus. Fergus has been a central part of our lives the entire 15 years I have been in Scotland. With a (very) old dog you know that every day is a blessing, but that doesn't make losing a pet any easier. I've had the makings of a few posts sitting on my desktop for over a week now, but quite frankly, I'm just not feeling it. Eyeshadow can wait. Clothing can wait. It can all wait. It'll get done soon. In the meantime, please enjoy these photos of our beloved departed boy, and I'll be back after the massive hole in my heart has a chance to heal at least a little bit.

Ahoy there summer people. Yes, I know I should have posted this at the beginning of the summer, but these days things just sort of happen when they happen. In my quest to update the blog, I have done updates on all of my sunscreen safety posts, so if you're setting out on a late summer vacation or just hanging out in the blistering heat, I've got fresh recommendations. In the USA, the Environmental Working Group has a fantastic database of safe sunscreens (as well as other cosmetics and household products), and several years back I ordered a slew of products they recommended and trialled them on various trips. As it turns out, many of my favorites are still my favorites. There are a few that are no longer available or just really hard to get, and I've offered some alternatives to those. For those of you living in the UK, things are a bit more difficult. By and large, sunscreens available to the mass market in Europe are actually slightly better than the mass market offerings in the US, yet it's pretty hard to find an accurate ingredient comparison that gives much detail about what the ingredients are and what they do, so as the consumer you are a bit on your own to do the research. Additionally, pure mineral sunscreens are always more expensive than their drugstore counterparts, and in the UK, they are ex-pen-SIVE; some that I've found cost as much as £40 (thats about $51!), and are often meant to really only be used on the face. Thankfully, my ever-vigilant husband happened upon a pretty good option for those of you in the UK, and it costs a mere £3.50! ASDA's Protect Sensitive sunscreen is a hybrid sunscreen (that's a combo of chemical sunscreens and titanium dioxide), and I can vouch for the fact that it is not only pretty darn effective, the formula goes on really smoothly, and even after 12 straight days of heavy use I did not become sensitive to it (something that often happens to me with heavy use in a humid climate). Incidentally, if you go to the ASDA site, I strongly recommend you ignore the reviews of this sunscreen, which appear to mostly be written by people who don't understand the fundamentals of how sunscreens containing mineral components actually work. The ASDA sunscreen has no smell and is devoid of all the most common "bad" ingredients like oxybenzone, relying instead on a combo of less potent, safer chemical sunscreens, combined with the mineral ingredient titanium dioxide. I found that this sunscreen applied really smoothly for a mineral hybrid, and it did not dry my skin out, like many natural sunscreens do. I used both the SPF 50 (my go-to) and SPF 30. My only beef with this product is that the titanium dioxide is a nano particle formulation, so there is potential for uptake. You can read more about that and other common problematic ingredients at the EWG site. One last point - If you are using one of those aerosol spray sunscreens, stop now. These are the worst of the worst. Even the mineral versions of these sunscreens pose a risk of inhalation, and quite frankly, they're messy and disgusting. Most of the contents of the can gets lost to the atmosphere, and there's nothing worse than chilling in your beach chair and suddenly tasting someone else's sunscreen. A Quick-Click Reference to Safe Sunscreen Reviews Below are links to all of my updated sunscreen review posts with updated recommendations. Sunscreen Safety: What Every Outdoor Enthusiast Needs to Know Save Your Skin with More Safe Sunscreen Reviews The 2018 Safe Sunscreen Update - Get Vacation Ready!

You may have noticed a lot of new little things popping up on the blog of late. I've been slowly sifting through a lot of old content, tossing some of it out and keeping and updating the good stuff (subjective, I know). If you've seen something you like suddenly disappear, have patience friend. It will reappear. But if it doesn't, drop me a line and tell me you want it back! One of those new things that has popped-up is the newly-minted Highland Fashionista Library of Books Banned in Florida. Okay, it's not really a library, it's a collection of links and a brief description to each of the banned works, a lion's share of which have won literary accolades. As most of you know, I am a part-time Floridian (sort of like a reverse snowbird), and the recent havoc being wreaked on the educators of our state is terrifyingly (but predictably) authoritarian in nature, and quite frankly, simply un-American. So I've decided to do whatever small part I can to try and help reverse the damage being done to the young minds of Florida, all in the name of protecting the children. From books. Protecting children from books. Not gun violence, mind you. Committing a violent act with a firearm is now easier to do than it ever has been in Florida, thanks to another round of incomprehensible legislation. No, we're protecting young minds from reading and books, and I can't even with this s**t. So you'll find links on the website's menu and scattered throughout that will take you to the (ongoing and in progress, probably forever) collection of mostly young adult (but not exclusively) books that to date, have been pulled from the shelves. Why Should I be Interested in Florida Book Ban Activity, It Doesn't Affect Me Doesn't it? If I had a nickel for every time I heard that come out of the mouth of an acquintence or neighbor who may not agree with what's happening in Florida, but doesn't have the energy or foresight to realize that these kids are going to be our cardiologists some day, and will have far-reaching influence not limited to the state of Florida. However, I think the best way to sum it up is what I have written on the "library" page itself: At Highland Fashionista, the freedom for anyone to tell his or her story is sacrosanct. Recent far-right legislation signed into law in the U.S. State of Florida has started a cascade of book removals from school libraries, leaving bookshelves barren and educators feeling like they have targets on their backs. Unsurprisingly, the materials being removed largely represent stories by and about the LGBTQIA+ community and people of color. ​These bans vary by county, and often are enacted after one (yes, just one) complaint. They say knowledge is power (true), but knowledge is also compassion, joy, ecstasy, empathy, pain, fear, sorrow, anger, forgiveness, and love. Sometimes gaining new knowledge may push your buttons a bit. It's supposed to. That's how we grow. Exposure to stories about people whose life experiences may differ vastly from those of our own enhances our innate human ability to connect and learn. To put it plainly, learning to hold space for other people is essential in cultivating a society not populated by idiots. ​If you'd like to do your part in helping the up and coming generations hear the diverse and amazing stories of the diverse and amazing humans of our planet, I'm happy to help. ​This list is based on an article from the Miami New Times, 25 April 2023, is a work in progress, and will be periodically updated.

Last week I posted a pair of rhinestone star earrings (almost as an afterthought) to my post about minimalist summer dressing. After getting a few questions about them in my inbox, I decided to give them, or perhaps more accurately the trend that is behind them, a bit of attention this week. Style experts have been declaring maximalism as the look of the minute for a while now, and I'm here for it. While I don't necessarily consider myself a maximalist when it comes to accessories, equally I wouldn't describe myself as a minimalist. I fall neatly in the center, fuelled by my highly artistic and painstakingly cultivated process which basically consists of me looking at some jewelry pieces and thinking "well now this is cute" and kind of going from there. The savvy vintage seller in me also feels the need to point out that lot of the maximalist jewelry trends in circulation right now draw pretty heavily from the styles of the 80s. Styles such as button earrings, abstract "artsy-fartsy" shapes, and unconventional materials are all appearing in mainstream shops again. Really, it's sort of a free for all out there right now; the one unifying factor being that most of these pieces are full of fun. Like I always say, this is supposed to be fun, right? Here are three types of maximalist-inspired jewelry that I am really loving for summer, with some pretty fantastic offerings brought to you by my fellow Etsy sellers. Maximalist Jewelry Trend No. 1: Real Shells There's a part of me that has always been inclined to dismiss real shell jewelry as tacky tourist fodder, despite my absolute love of beachcombing. However, you can save the energy that you were about to expend on lecturing me about my own hypocrisy, because this summer's beach-inspired maximalist shell jewelry trends have completely disabused me of that notion! These pieces are at once bold and organic, luxurious yet recognizably commonplace. All I can think of when I look at these pieces is sitting in a breezy tropical climate in a maxi dress sipping an adult beverage. A person could do much, much worse. Maximalist Jewelry Trend No. 2: Fringe Jewelry Any of you who have been hanging around the blog for a while already know I love anything with fringe on it! These pieces give you a bit of a glow and have a swooshy, luxurious feel to them when you're wearing them. What's more, many of these fringe pieces are extraordinarily light to wear, so if like me you love a swingy statement chandelier earring but are starting to notice that inevitable gravitational downward trajectory of the holes in your earlobes, lightweight chain fringe pieces are an excellent choice! Maximalist Jewelry Trend No. 3: Oversized Whimsy My star earrings (the aforementioned original inspiration for this post) fall into a category of maximalism I've dubbed "oversized whimsy." This is perhaps the most 80s-derivative maximalist trend on the go, drawing wearable design inspiration straight from the more-is-more nature of the "me decade." Oversized whimsy is a broad moniker, encompassing anything and everything big, whimsical and fun: stars, hearts, lightning bolts, rainbows, unicorns, sea urchins...anything that catches your fancy can fall into this category. Even those of you who aren't fans of huge jewelry pieces can enjoy the maximalist trend. Swap-out some of the chunk and heft of a solid statement piece for the color and shine of a slightly smaller, but infinitely more colorful one. Don't like chunky pieces? Choose a layered "fringe" look made from a handful of delicate pieces. The thing I like best about this trend is how flexible it is - there is truly something for everyone.

Okay, technically it's four easy pieces if you're gonna count the earrings (which to be fair, are awesome), but however you want to count it, I love how much easier things get when the weather warms up and the sun comes out. It's easier to get dressed, it's easier to pack a suitcase for a trip and have leftover space...there are a lot fewer moving parts involved when you don't have to factor-in inclement weather and insulating layers. That said, the challenge with warm weather dressing lies in taking a lot less clothing and cultivating something interesting without all the opportunities for layering and chunky textures and heavy denim and funky tights and any other thing that even thinking about in summer makes you break into an immediate sweat. Cultivating an easy and simple summertime look is all about finding what I like to think of as a good base piece, and building from there. Once you've got your base piece sussed, add a minimal number of accessories that have character without being overly fussy, et voilà. A Sleeveless Sweatshirt Dress This little sweatshirt dress from Zara is my chosen base piece, borrowed from my eBay shop. It's a perfect casual summer piece for creating a simple summer look that is completely fuss-free. It's soft and insanely comfortable (like, pajama comfortable) but lightweight enough to wear in the warmer weather. You can dress it up or down by simply changing-out accessories and footwear. The dress has just enough shape to look intentional, but it's a soft and casual enough fabric to have a dressed-down vibe that is essentially a blank slate. A Pair of Cool Sneakers I had originally reached for a pair of heeled sandals to go with this dress, but caught myself; this was intended to be a casual, knocking-around town look, and heels are really the last thing I'm reaching for if I'm trying to achieve a casual summer vibe. Hence the Converse sneakers. An Athletics-Inspired Bag & Star Hoop Earrings to Complete Your Simple Summertime Look GenX, who amongst us would have thought that we would all be enthusiastically wearing "fanny packs" again? Certainly not me, but such is the way with the fashion boomerang; it always eventually comes back around. The hip bag pictured is vintage, but made by Herschel who make the most amazing backpacks and other chic utilitarian bags (and who are incidentally not paying me to say this but seriously, go look at their offerings- you're going to want all of their bags). You can still buy very similar hip bags on their website. The earrings (let's call them piece number 3.5) are a pair I found on a sale rack at TJ Maxx. I just had to have them. They are essentially dressed-up hoops and are part urban vibe, part glam, and they just sort of ooze fun. We should all be always looking for opportunities make things more fun, right? Find this post and others on the following blogger link-ups: Away from the Blue, Amy's Creative Pursuits

We're just coming up on two years ago that I wrote about embarking on the rather unexpected journey of uncovering my true natural hair texture. I call it an "unexpected" journey because despite having been told by every hairdresser I've ever known some permutation of "your hair has a lot of body", I had actually never really had a single hairdresser use the words "curly", "wavy" or even "textured" when referring to my hair. Even the ones that knew my family and knew that my father had a head full of very curly salt and pepper ringlets - not a one of them ever suggested to me that my hair might be wavy and that there might be a specific way for me to care for it. Consequently, as implausible as it may seem, I somehow managed to spend 50 years on this planet without really knowing that all that pouffiness and frizz that seemed to constantly manifest atop my head was not actually retribution from The Universe for having opinions or using the wrong shampoo any other kind of made-up transgression, but rather just a wavy curl pattern crying out for the right kind of care. Sure, I had my suspicions that my hair wasn't stick straight, but as a relatively low-maintenance hair gal I really did not understand just how much of a difference taking proper care of my waves really makes in how it behaves. For many, if not most of you, this post will likely fall into the "oddly specific" category, and a lot of it may not apply to your specific hair type. However, I'm giving you this detailed account of how I arrived at finding my natural hair texture because as a wavy haired person, I have one of the hardest hair types to manage - doubly so when you throw the silver hair into the mix. If all of my "time in the saddle" experimenting with techniques and products will help another wavy-headed sister on her way to finding the resources necessary to make peace with her natural texture, that's good enough for me. Styling My Wavy Hair in the Before Times I think its important to take a minute to address how I always wore my hair before fully understanding my natural texture. There are a lot of you out there with similar hidden loose curl and wave patterns and it is very likely that you may have had, or are currently having a similar experience to mine. The photo on the left is what I always looked like when I came out of the salon. I had taken to wearing my hair in really long, heavy, barely-layered style for no other reason than the weight of it would give me a fighting chance at getting it the littlest bit smooth. If I got a professional salon trim the salon would add a generous helping of some sort of leave-in conditioner or heat protectant, blow dry my hair on high heat with a big round brush, flatten it with a straightening iron, then add some type of serum or oil on top to seal it and give it sheen. Maybe they would even add some finishing spray on top of that if it was a rainy day (in Scotland, it's always a rainy day). I just figured that this kind of routine was my lot in life if I wanted to look put-together. My hair always looked and felt nice in the hours immediately after I left a salon (at least, on a dry day), but the amount of work, time and products involved in reproducing this result meant I was never willing (or even able) to reproduce it in real life. The above photo on the right is what I would look like on a good day, when left to my own devices. Generally I would wash it, let it partially air dry, then tie my hair up most of the time. When I wanted to ride horses or motorbikes, I braided it in two tight braids at the back of my head so my helmets would fit. No matter what kind of iron-clad hair tie I tried, the weight of the ponytail would shake loose during a high impact workout. It was heavy and dense and I was aware that I was constantly pulling and damaging it just to get by, but I knew of no other way to make it work. No matter how moisturizing the shampoo or how much leave-in or serum I used, my hair still would often feel brittle and would go all pouffy. Products that promised softness and smoothness, if they worked at all, would wear off the moment I waked into an environment with some humidity and wind. So I'd add more product. More frizz. Living between the UK and Florida, I was in a perpetual disaster loop of pouffiness and frizz. The moment that led me to my decision to try and better manage my hair was that most motivating of all human factors - public humiliation. I was working on a short film project in which hair had been neatly (professionally) slicked-back into a bun. We stepped outside to film the scene, and within seconds of being outside in the damp, windy weather, my neatly coiffed hair turned into a flyaway frizz bomb that would not be denied its close-up. They literally had to stop filming the scene to sort out my hair. Mortifying. Growing weary of my follicular musings? Skip ahead here: What is The Curly Girl Method & Why Does it Work? The Takeaway for Fine, Dense Type 2 Wavy Hair Show Me The Wavy Hair Products Already! What is The Curly Girl Method & Why Does it Work? The Curly Girl Method (CGM) is based on the Curly Girl book by celebrated stylist Lorraine Massey (and Michelle Bender in the more recent edition). While this brief article does not do justice to the immense amount of information in this book, the backbone of the method is comprised of a set of "rules" that if followed, will result in more moisture being directed into the hair shaft, which in turn will result in healthier, softer, more frizz-free hair with an enhanced natural curl pattern. Historically I'm not a fan of things that require the adherence to a lot of (or any) rules, and with hindsight that is probably the reason it took me the better part of 50 years to figure out that my hair was actually pretty darn wavy. But my own resistance notwithstanding, after literally halting an entire film crew with my frizz, I enthusiastically dove in to CGM, and in pretty short order realized that I had been caring for my hair all wrong for the past half century. Again, there's a lot of info in the Curly Girl book, but below are some of the rules of the road: Use a sulfate free shampoo or a co-wash. Sulfates are what make a shampoo lather-up nicely, but they effectively strip the hair of both dirt and oil. In fact, they strip the dirt and oil a little too well, and don't leave enough moisture on textured hair (which is inherently drier than straight hair). This results in dryness, frizz, and the loss of curl pattern. A co-wash is a sulfate-free conditioning cleanser (oftentimes just a straight-up conditioner is used, replacing a two-step shampoo and conditioner wash. Do not use silicone-containing products. Silicones build-up over time, weigh the hair down, and prevent moisture from entering the hair. Ultimately, the very thing that you are using to give your hair a sleeker, moisturized appearance will end up being the very thing that is drying it out. Give up heat styling. Air dry your hair or use a diffuser on the very lowest/no heat setting. No curling irons, no flat irons. No alcohol-containing products. Alcohol is drying, and CGM is all about trying to get more moisture into the hair. No terry cloth towels. Apparently traditional towelling roughs up the hair's cuticle, creating excess frizz. Instead, use a microfiber towel or an old cotton t shirt. Do a reset cleanse before you start, and clarify regularly. CGM recommends doing one "final wash" with a clarifying, sulfate-containing shampoo to remove buildup before embarking on your Curly Girl journey, then using a sulfate-free clarifying shampoo every so often to remove buildup. Condition like there's no tomorrow. Use a silicone-free conditioner, running it thoroughly through your hair as you shower. "Squish to condish" by sqishing the conditioner into your lengths and ends with plenty of water, and take your time to really get the moisture into the hair shaft. When you've rinsed the hair should feel like wet seaweed. Only brush or comb your hair when in the shower conditioning, never dry brush. CGM urges you to not dry brush your hair, saving that step for detangling in the shower with conditioner and a wide tooth comb or Tangle Teaser to prevent breakage. Don't use too much product. CGM is all about getting the moisture you need by not over-stripping the hair or over-moisturizing it. Adding tons of product in an attempt to add more moisture, definition or hold adds weight and flattens the curl pattern. This is an elusive and highly-individualized balance that everyone needs to figure out for themselves. Protect your hair while you sleep. To reduce friction (and therefore frizz) while you sleep, CGM recommends the use of a silk or satin bonnet, a scarf, and/or a silk or satin pillow case. Learn your curl type, hair density and porosity. It all can seem pretty overwhelming (and many of us may have more than one texture type on our heads), but knowing whether your hair is coarse or fine, low or high porosity, and the type of curl pattern you have will help guide your product selection. Find your curl type here Find your hair density and porosity here Need more help? Take Naturally Curly's texture quiz Get a good curly cut. Cutting some strategic layers and taking out the weight can make all the difference in how your hair behaves. My Takeaways for Fine, Dense Type 2 Wavy Hair In case the above header isn't enough of a hint, yes...I have fine, dense type 2 wavy hair that is a combination of 2b and 2c waves. This means I have a ton of very small, fine little hairs on my head (although some of the silver ones are by nature more coarse). My hair is low porosity, so it takes a long time to get wet and to dry (especially with product in it). My waves start forming s-shapes at the crown (curly bangs!). The most notable characteristic of wavy type 2-3 hair is that it frizzes easily as the hair cuticle opens and closes like a revolving door when the hair is under or over moisturized. As it turns out, type 2 to 3 waves are in fact the frizziest wave/curl types on the spectrum. Of course they are. *sighs wistfully Granted, this knowledge was not my jumping off point, but rather the culmination of a lot of what I have learned over the last two years of experimenting with CGM. As everything you read and hear on the curly internet will attest, this is a process, and you will go through a transition period while you are learning what works and what doesn't. Even after many years when you are more attuned to what your hair actually needs, you will still be learning and tweaking and trying new things. So where am I now, two years later? Do I still follow all the "rules" of CGM? ✓ Use sulfate-free shampoo & co-wash. Yes. I absolutely use both of these things. Sulfate-free shampoo doesn't lather-up the way you may be accustomed to in a shampoo, but it's a worthwhile sacrifice. Co-washes are a bit trickier, and for my fine type 2 hair most of them are too rich and weigh my hair down. That said, there are a few on the market that break the mould and that I use religiously and are my go - to hair washes. I'll link them in the next section. ✓ ❌ Give up silicone containing products. Yes. And also no. I absolutely have stopped using any non water-soluble silicones (like the ever-popular dimethocone) in any products, shampoos and conditioners. This has made a pretty big difference in my ability to get moisture into my hair on the daily and has definitely enhanced my natural wave pattern. I do however have one product (thus far) that contains a water-soluble silicone. These silicones generally start with PEG- followed by a number. While the PEG silicones are not the only water soluble silicones on the market, they are certainly some of the most widely-used. They have differing degrees of water-solubility (which corresponds to the number), but in general I will entertain these products if weather conditions are soggy and dire. Remember, I live between Florida and Scotland. It's always wet and soggy everywhere I go. Water-solubility notwithstanding, it's important to note that even water-soluble silicones can build-up, and they do end up relaxing my wave patern a bit (I don't mind that), but in extreme heat and humidity, these products can really help if I need to go somewhere and look somewhat professional. When I do use these products, I always clarify my hair on the next wash day. ❌ Give up heat styling. I never really adopted this, because I found it massively inconvenient when you're in a crunch. However, I will say that normally I rarely use a heat on my hair, so it wasn't a big change for me. I do however still continue my practice of occasionally taking a curling iron to any errant waves that may have dried a bit wonky just to finish them off if I need to go out and look presentable. When I do blow dry, I always use a diffuser, and if I do up the heat (because come on - otherwise it takes forever), I try to dry in small bursts of heat followed by a cool blast. ❌ No alcohol-containing products. Not all alcohols are created equal, and without going into the chemistry of long chain and short chain alcohols (zzzz), I do still tend to avoid alcohols like Isopropol or Ethyl. Click here for a good quickie rundown of the "good" and "bad" alcohols you often find in products. ✓ No terry cloth towels. This one was easy enough to adopt so I did. I use one of those microfiber hair turbans most of the time, or in a pinch, sometimes just an old t shirt. I use a technique called "plopping" after putting my product in my hair, and leave my hair in my microfiber plop while I do my face. Click here to learn more about plopping. ✓ Do a reset cleanse and clarify regularly. Yep. Clarifying is really important when you're wavy. After my initial sulfate cleanse at the beginning of my CGM journey, I switched to a sulfate-free clarifying shampoo (I'll link it below). I find that the more experience I get with CGM, the less product I need to use, and the less frequently I need to clarify. ❌ Condition like crazy. While I do have a few deep conditioners that I use on rotation (mostly on days I clarify), I find that the better condition my hair is in, the less I need to go crazy with the conditioner. As a fine-haired person (yes, even one with a lot of grey hair on her head), anything that potentially might weigh my hair down I treat with caution. I prefer to get my moisture from using the right cleanser that doesn't strip my hair. I go by feel, and if my hair feels soft and moisturized when I'm rinsing, I stop there. If I've been out in the sun or in the pool, I might reach for a more moisturizing conditioner. This practice is going to be pretty specific to your hair type. If you have coarse, coily hair, my way will probably not work for you. But if you have type 2 fine hair, I strongly suggest it. ❌ Never dry brush your hair. I still dry brush my hair, but only really before I shower. I went an entire year only using a wet brush in the shower while conditioning, and man did I miss brushing my hair. Unless I've been on my scooter with my loose hair hanging out the bottom of my helmet, my hair doesn't really tangle all that easily, and I am able to just brush it out without incident. When I brush, I use a gentle boar bristle brush, turn my head upside down, and give it a good once-over before I wash my hair. Brushing feels so good, stimulates the scalp, and disperses the natural oils from the scalp. So yeah, I ignore this "rule" entirely. ✓✓ Don't use too much product. This is the one aspect of CGM that I have come to feel really strongly about, and it really makes a difference to type 2 wavy hair. Most internet curly influencers that you see on YouTube or Instagram use an absolutely obscene amount of product. We're talking four or five products all layered on top of one another. Unless you have very coarse, type 4 hair, this is simply too much product for most people, doubly true if you have fine hair! If you are just starting your journey, you may think you're getting decent results because you're using so many products, and perhaps at first, you are. But all that's really happening here is you're giving your hair adequate moisture for maybe the first time, and the hair responds well to being coated in ultra-moisturizing products. At first. But if you keep up this routine, very soon the buildup will happen, and when it does, you're back into the land of limp, scraggly locks and frizz. Go on any of the many online wavy hair forums and read the comments; there are always people outlining their routines, frustrated that they are not getting good results. Inevitably these folk are almost always using far too much product. You can often even see it with influencers. Sure, they sometimes get good definition in their waves, but to me the hair often looks flat and borderline greasy - like it's not gonna last more than a day. I can get at least three days out of my fine wavy hair after a good wash day, even with workouts. The importance of being judicious with product cannot be overstated for those of us with wavy hair. I know of an entire product line (which I will not name) that advertises their heavy, multi-step product "system" with a spokesperson with very obviously fine type 2a waves, and the limp, flattened result drives me nuts. Personally, I don't mind losing a bit of definition if it means a natural, volume-infused result. Everyone is different, but I like a bit of an undone (read: feral) look, and realistically, if you have type 2 wavy hair (or any textured hair), a bit of frizz (a bit) is going to be par for the course. Embrace it...just don't let it halt a film production mid shoot. ✓ Protect your hair while you sleep. Yep. Granted, I am not a person who can wear something on her head while she sleeps. Bonnets drive me nuts, and I wake up with them floating around loose in the bed. I settled on a few inexpensive satin pillowcases to add to my rotation, and left it at that. That seems to work for me. I wake up, refresh my waves by spritzing with water to reactivate the product in my hair, and that's it. ✓ Learn your curl type, density and porosity. Check. Type 2B-C waves, high density, low porosity. My hair type enjoys a bit of protein in products and absolutely melts-down if I use too much of anything. ✓ Get a good curly cut.  Definitely. This is vital. I had gotten a curly cut early on in my journey, then got busy and was travelling when it was time for a trim so I went to a walk-in place two times (on two separate occasions), and got two subsequent terrible cuts. Completely my fault, but man...what a difference. Definitely entertain the idea of more layers than you may have been wearing before, depending on your hair type. Go to a stylist who undertands textured hair - shrinkage is real! I've since found a stylist that I absolutely love in my hometown in Wisconsin, so for the first time in ages I'm getting regular salon cuts again. It was this stylist who at my request, cut my current shag mullet. I wanted something a bit more rock and roll that would grow out nicely, and this is the easiest haircut I've had in decades. Because the cut isn't always in my face, I'm wearing my hair down more than I ever have. Show Me The Wavy Hair Products Already! The search for the perfect product is an ongoing and lifelong quest, and one that really never ends. I'm a sucker for anything that promises the holy trifecta of moisture, definition and volume. Below, I've linked some of the products in my routine that have worked for me thus far, and are (mostly) affordable and easy to get. Remember, what works for my type 2b-2c hair will not necessarily work for your unique hair type, but I've written a few lines about each product, so you can decide for yourself. My normal routine - I wash with a conditioning cleanser, run some gel through it while soaking wet, scrunch to encourage wave clumps, then put my hair in my microfiber "plop" turban for about 15 minutes. If I want a bit more hold I will scrunch in some mousse after I've taken off my microfiber towel. Most days, that's it. That's the routine. Below is some of my current lineup. Current Wavy Hair Product Lineup Umberto Giannini Curl Jelly Shampoo & Conditioner UK | USA This is a really lovely formulation that leaves my hair soft and bouncy, needing minimal product afterwards. Their Curl Jelly styling gel is also a very popular product, although I have yet to try it. The only thing I don't care for is the smell, which while not unpleasant, skews a bit perfumey for my liking. This set is a good all-rounder that would likely work for everyone Hairstory New Wash Conditioning Cleanser UK | USA This is hands-down my favorite cleanser, and one of the few co-washes that actually works for me when I use it every day. My hairdresser introduced me to this, and initially I was skeptical, but this one-step co-wash is all I need. It leaves my hair soft but doesn't weigh it down. Some people report a transition period when switching to this product, I did not find that to be true for me personally. The downside? DEAR GOD this stuff is expensive. It's worth trying if you can afford it; this product is absolutely my first choice of hair cleanser. This is all I would use if I were made of money. It comes in three formulations - deep, original, and rich. Learn more about how this product works here. Revolution Cleanse Wash Conditioning Cleanser Thank goodness for Revolution Beauty, the UK-based company that makes dupes of all of the fancy-pants products that we can ill afford in this economy. This is their version of the previously mentioned product, and it's good. You don't have the different moisture options like with the Hairstory, but it's a heck of a bargain, so I'm not complaining. Giovanni 50:50 Balancing-Clarifying Shampoo UK | USA I happened upon a giant bottle of this at TJ Maxx about a year ago, and it's been my go-to clarifying shampoo ever since. The bottle states it's gentle enough to use every day, and although it is indeed a gentle clarifying formula, I wouldn't recommend everyday use. It's also CGM-friendly, and a great precursor to your deep conditioner. Garnier Ultimate Blends Hair Food Deep Conditioner • Aloe Vera UK | USA This is a great all-around moisture treatment that will likely work on most hair types. They make several different "flavors" of this product, each with a slightly different scent and key ingredient, but the main formulation is basically the same. I often use this after clarifying to give me a moisture boost. I didn't realize until writing this piece, but this is getting harder to find in the USA. It is still widely available in the UK as a good inexpensive option for deep (or even regular) conditioning. Treluxe Hi Definition Styling Gel UK | USA I need very little of this gel for it to be effective. It is a custard-like conditioning gel with soft, non-crunch hold. It's easy to go overboard with this gel, but if I get it right my hair is well defined with very little frizz and smells glorious. Start small and build-up to find the right amount of product for your hair. This product has a bit of protein in it, which my hair loves. Ouidad Climate Control Heat & Humidity Gel UK | USA This gel is another favorite. It has a soft but effective hold, a thinner formulation (like a serum) that spreads easily and makes it easy to get a light application, and it really works to combat the frizz and floof in high humidity conditions. I always have a bottle of this on hand in Florida. Be careful if you are doing CGM and want to try the rest of the Climate Control product line - not all of them are CGM friendly (although this one is!) Curlsmith Bond Curl Rehab Salve Protein Treatment UK | USA This Bond Curl Rehab Salve is not a conditioner, or even a deep conditioner. It's a protein treatment meant to repair bonds in the hair. You use it on damp hair before you wash it, and I find that it gives my hair a nice boost if I've been swimming in the sea or out in the elements and have a bit of damage to contend with. I tend to alternate this with a deep conditioner every month or so, depending on what I need. Microfiber Hair Turban UK | USA These microfiber turban towels are easy to use, easy to wash, and allow you to plop your hair hands-free while you do something else. I also use mine to scrunch excess product out of my hair. A Word About Mousse In attempting to add my favorite current mousses to this list, I realized pretty quickly that most of them were either being discontinued, have had recent formula changes, or are always sold out. While I finish having my discontinued product panic attack, I am listing my current rotation below (old formulas), with an added caution that these products will be hard to find, and if you do find them they will likely be stupidly overpriced. I will follow-up at a later date with a fresh batch of mousse recommendations once I deplete my current supply and find a few new favorites. Herbal Essences Totally Twisted Curl Boosting Mousse (discontinued) Not Your Mothers Curl Talk Mousse (still available, just hard to find) Pantene Defined Curls Mousse (discontinued)

Attention fellow puzzle nerds! Today I'm announcing the soft opening of Puzz Factor on Etsy - the sister shop to Highland Fashionista vintage! True Vintage Jigsaw Puzzles On my last trip to the states, my sister and I spent a lot of time "getting our puzz on", and I realized how much I really enjoy doing puzzles. Puzzles are relaxing, meditative, and for those of us who prefer a visually stimulating medium over say, a crossword or Wordle or some such thing, they are oh so satisfying! Being a person who spends a majority of her free time looking at vintage clothing and accessories, vintage puzzles did not seem too big a leap from where I already spend so much of my time, so this is really just a natural progression that I decided to give it's own separate retail space. What's really great about vintage jigsaw puzzles is that many of them are rare, if not one of a kind (depending on the age), and as an item that is usually stored in a box that's then stored in a drawer or closet, they are most often in excellent secondhand shape! All of the puzzles from Puzz factor are true vintage, meaning they are at least 20 years old, and all of them will have been worked (yes, by me), so I can guarantee that all of the pieces are intact. I'm currently "puzzing" feverishly to process and add more inventory, so if you're a puzzle nerd like me, check back frequenty to see what's what. Blog readers, use the code HOTPUZZ to get 15% off of your orders! Follow Puzz Factor on Instagram!

Calling all fashion-loving readers who are feeling fed-up and tired of this cold, gloomy weather! Even if we can't get into our summer clothes just yet without dying of exposure, we can get our brains and wardrobes ready! This week, you can pimp your summer wardrobe sustainably and affordably on absolutely everything in any of my shops! For Vintage Fashion Fans HighlandFashionista Vintage Etsy • everything 15% - 20% off! sale starts at midnight May 1st, runs thorough May 7th For Modern Preloved Clothing Highland Fashionista Depop, Vinted, and Ebay shops • flexible pricing - choose your favorite platform and make an offer!

In the 90s, a denim vest layered over a sun dress or a tee and a maxi skirt was pretty much the uniform of the day. It would never have occurred to me to pack for a trip without at least a couple different denim vest options; a standard one like the above one on the left, perhaps a cropped version in the same style, maybe one with bling, one to be worn with nothing underneath....you get the point. They were a thing. At some point, vests sort of fell off the radar. Sure, they never really totally went away, and you can certainly always find them in secondhand places, yet all the same they seem to have lost their "necessary item" status. Recently however, I find myself with a renewed interest in denim vests. This is most likely a combination of my predilection for Western-inspired clothing combined with me looking at vintage clothing all day long, but that's just what the sartorial side of my brain has decided to focus on of late. Why a denim vest? Being a part time Floridian, I like the idea of being able to create layered looks that will work in a warmer climate when my daily Scotland uniform of jeans, t shirt, sweater and cowboy boots is too much. I also really like the idea of putting together double denim seventies-inspired looks like the one below from Free People. So I've decided to start playing around with adding a denim vest or two into my rotation to see how I can mix it into my very eclectic wardrobe to create more looks. One thing that is particularly nice about undertaking a denim vest experiment (should you decide to join me) is that you absolutely do not have to spend a lot of money on a denim vest. There are always denim vests and jackets on the go at your local thrift store (and of course in the shop of your favorite vintage seller), and you can easily find once that speaks to you without having to take out a second mortgage. You can even make a vest out of an old denim jacket or work shirt! Last January I found a simple but fun acid washed cropped denim vest while out hunting for thrifted treasures, and I decided in that moment to start my denim vest experiment. So I present to you the Denim Vest Experiment Case No. 1 - a head to toe denim look, which looks like it could have walked right out of the year 2010. This entire look is thrifted, although the jacket is from my shop and is still available at the time of this writing. I've linked some similar-looking products at the bottom. Overall, I really like the way the look turned out, although admittedly for real life I would probably switch out the footwear for something a little more streetwear friendly, like a pair of Converse or funky-chunky loafers.