(Edit on Oct. 14th 2019 cuz I actually made the post I wanted to be the 100th one.)
This post is a bit messy, but let's say it's a haul from stuff I got since the beginning of September.
Clothes
Forest Green Cardigan
I received this cardigan from my mom. I had tried it on during my summer holidays and it fit amazing with my An3 green check retro skirt. However, it was regularly priced at 29,99$ CAD and I wasn't fond enough to buy it. When my mom went to buy it, she expected to pay this price, but instead got it 50 % off for an unexplained reason. I guess both of us had a nice surprise. :-)
Skirt, top and belts from Mia Mix
Last week, I returned to Mia Mix and bought other cute pieces. They're practically the only shop here that carries this type of cute-retro clothes, and it's hard to resist buying when it's so accessible unlike buying online from Japan.
Houndstooth skirt
When I first visited the store, I wanted to try this skirt along with a beige plaid one I was pretty sure of purchasing. However, I decided to take things slowly and only try one skirt (the beige one which I ended up buying). Since I was satisfied with my first purchase, when I came back, I tried on this houndstooth skirt I had still been thinking about.
Zoom in on the pattern
I was pleased with the fit. The waistband is tighter than my beige skirt that I find a little bit loose. Also, the houndstooth skirt doesn't flare as much as the beige one. I like this "narrower" cut because it fits better with flats (I feel I can only wear the beige skirt with pumps; otherwise it looks too big on me.) I also like the fact that the skirt can be paired with almost anything which makes it a great day-to-day piece. I hope they'll have the same model in other patterns in the future because I love it.
Lol... a button fell off the first time I wanted to wear the skirt.
But it's okay, I sewed it back.
3/4 Sleeve Blue Top
This top was displayed in the shop window with the beige skirt I had bought on my first visit and I thought it looked nice. Moreover, I knew I could also pair it with my houndstooth skirt. I admit it's quite a plain top, and the hems (sleeves and bottom) look kind of ratchet, but I don't mind. I like its simplicity and if I ever want to wear a tank top with a frilly collar under, I think it would look lovely.
Diamond Flower Belt
I was looking for a narrow belt to pair with my houndstooth skirt and I instantly loved this one when I tried it on. Sadly, some of the diamonds are cloudy (I'm not sure why—other than because it's a little bit cheap—but most of the belts in the store have small defects or look used.) I mentioned it to the shop seller and she generously proposed to give it to me as a "gift" if I'd buy the houndstooth skirt and the blue top (which I did).
Grey Bow Belt
I had been eyeing this grey belt from time to time while trying on other belts, but since it was on a shop model, I didn't dare to ask if I could try it on. Plus, I somewhat forgot about it when I found the flower belt. I don't know whether it's because one of the shop sellers saw me looking at it or because she has a sixth sense, but when I finished trying on the belts, she removed the grey belt from the model and asked me if I wanted to try it. I did, and as I imagined, it looked charming. The only downside is that I can't sit for a long time when wearing it with my houndstooth skirt, or it feels way too tight on my waist...
Haircare
TEK Brush
Although I had heard a lot of great things about TEK brushes on the Internet, I was hesitant to get one because of the price. Moreover, I didn't feel there was an urgency in changing brushes. I had been brushing my hair for the past 10 years with a plastic one from Zellers and even though I shed a lot of hair each time, I never suspected my brush to be the major culprit.
My old brush
During my summer holidays at home, however, I noticed my hair shed a lot less. I have no idea why. This is even weirder since I also have a cheap plastic brush at home, yet there was considerably less hair fall and less hair on the brush. I came to realize my brush from Zellers may have been the reason for some severe hair shedding and breakage, or at least, may have worsened it. So I made the move and bought a TEK brush on Calia here—RIP bank account. I was originally going for the paddle brush but finally went with the oval one since Calia didn't carry the paddle brush with regular pins. Looking back, I don't regret it as the oval brush is just the right size for my head and my hair thickness.
Benefits of the brush
I find the benefits listed are not that unique from other brushes, but they probably offer more than what my plastic brush did. The "antistatic" characteristic got me pretty excited and I'm eager to see if it truly works since I always look like I just touched a plasma ball during fall and winter.
I've been using the brush for about two weeks now, and it's okay. I still shed a lot of hair with it—I'd say the same amount as before I got it. I also remarked that my hair texture feels different after being brushed, like silkier, but that sometimes makes it more prone to tangling. I'm a bit confused.
All in all, the brush is not bad nor does it do a significantly better job than my old brush. However, two weeks may be too premature to come to a conclusion. Maybe the effects will be more noticeable long-term. Anyway, here's a pic of my hand holding the brush to give you a glimpse of its size (the dimensions are also given on the brush's page):
And finally, posting here an update of my hair length as of August 9th, so a little more than a month ago:
(My apologies for the dirty shoes...)
I was quite satisfied with how much had grown since my last hair update on my blog—until I saw the last picture I had posted and didn't feel there was that much of a difference... anyway. I guess measuring my hair would give me a more precise indicator of how much it grew, but frankly, I try to not scrupulously keep track of it, or else I'm gonna become obsessed. Right now, I'd say it's not mid-thigh yet, but it's a bit past classic. It's been tempting to cut the ends as they've begun to turn fairytale, but I've been resisting...
