Lottie Loves: Finishing School H is for Hair

I have to admit, this was another one I read and my heart sank. I have an ambivalent relationship with my hair. While I would love to have long, wavy hair that looks awesome when slightly tousled and slept in/wind-swept, the reality is that I don't. I have fine hair, with next to no body and very little bounce. It is a gorgeous colour (red) although I've been hennaing it for the last 6 or 7 months to get it more auburny/chestnutty. Style-wise, though, I want something that I can wash, towel-dry and leave and it will still look fabulous. The only style I've found that works is a layered bob, with the longest layer at my chin and the shorted somewhere around my nose, plus a fringe.

I've had the same style for the last 3 years or so - before that it was very long, and I only grew it for the wedding to my (now ex)-husband at his request. So I like the style, but I've just moved cities and needed a new hairdresser.

4 times in the last week - once at home and three times in London - I've been collared by people trying to sell me a hair dressing and photoshoot day package. I'm not sure whether they think I desperately need the help or something...! Anyway, I booked one, and today I have the appointment. So far, so good. Way too much product, which means I'll have to wash it on Friday, but she seems to have done a competent job.

So that's the first bit of the challenge done. The second, do spend 5 minutes doing something other than a brief brush for a week, I'll start tomorrow. I've found a few pretty hair clips (40s style oversized flowers one each in red, green and cream) and a fake-peal hairband. I shall try to wear each at least once for the next week.

And I still need to do the Glamour morning. Urk. Wonder if Lottie will notice if I cheat and combine the two on the same day? :-)

Ahem. Apparently I'm not at all vintage in my attitudes!

-6 As a 1930s wife, I am Very Poor (Failure) Take the test!

Lottie Loves: Finishing School G is for Glamour

I read this and my heart sank. I've just moved into a backpacker hostel for 2 weeks while I'm waiting for my shiny new flat to be ready. Glamour. Right. With only half my clothes, sharing a bunk room with two guys and a girl, and one small mirror between us. I'm pretty lazy in feminine terms at the best of times, so this just fills me with horror.

However. Having less clothes available is forcing me to be inventive. So yesterday I bought some red Mary Jane shoes in patent leather with a cuban heel. Ostensibly they're to replace the apricot, flowery ballet pumps I've just worn through, but they do make me smile every time I wear them. Today I've put them with a green shirt dress, a wide red leather belt, some khaki leggings and a bolero I made myself in a red flower fabric, trimmed with red satin ribbon. It's a start.

The most inventive I get with my hair is to put clips in it to hold my fringe out of the way when I can't be bothered to wash it, or when things are truly bad, to cover it with a wide elastic alice band. I don't even blow dry it - I have a well-trained hairdresser who cuts it so that my wash-towel-go routine still makes it look fabulous.

I'm pretty good at wearing perfume, and dramatically less good at not nibbling my nails.

So my two elements of this challenge are:
1) Stop chewing my nails for a fortnight...countdown starts now, I can chew them on 7th October, if I want to;
2) On at least one morning, do something interesting with my hair for reasons other than covering the fact it needs a wash.

Lottie Loves: Finishing School F is for Fitness

I will hold myself to account for this. I will hold myself to account for this. I will hold myself to account for this.

So. 30 mins (at least) of exercise (at least walking) every day for a fortnight. Right.

Done
Day 1 - Tues 21 Sep - walked from Bloomsbury to Waterloo, and around Rotherhithe. Easily 30 mins.

Day 2 - Weds 22 Sep - walked around Rotherhithe again, from Waterloo to Bloomsbury via Aldwych, Bloomsbury to Holborn and back.

Day 3 - Thur 23 Sep - 25 mins on the cross trainer, walk from Bloomsbury to Aldwych and back. Further walking this evening to get myself to the cinema and back, possibly via a pub.

Day 4 - Fri 24 Sep - Miles of walking today, some of it in heels, some of it in more sensible shoes. Well over an hour.

Day 5 - Sat 25 Sep - Didn't get to the ceilidh, but did walk to uni and back. I probably just about managed half an hour.

Day 6 - Sun 26 Sep - Disaster on public transport! Dancing not as energetic as I'd hoped. Still, racked up just over half an hour.

Day 7 - Mon 27 Sep - I went to the gym today. 25 mins on the cross trainer, plus assorted walking. Much rushing to the flat and back probably added another 25 mins.

Day 8 - Tue 28 Sep - More walking to uni and back, and around Fresher's Fayre, including up 10 floors by stairs. And back down again.

Day 9 - Wed 29 Sep - over 4 miles today. Something about being in central London makes me thing nothing of a half-hour walk, whereas at home I'd take the car or bike every time. Possibly the amount of time it takes to get down to the Tube lines and back up again?

Planned

Day 10 - Thu 30 Sep - to uni and back. Navigate Victoria - a marathon in its own right! - and walk from coach station to friends'.

Day 11 - Fri 1 Oct - nothing specific planned. Walking into town for dinner and back, I guess.

Day 12 - Sat 2 Oct - nothing specific planned. Will find something

Day 13 - Sun 3 Oct - walking to coach station and navigating public transport to get to a friend's flat in West London. Does carrying bags count extra???

Day 14 - Mon 4 Oct - more humping of bags around on public transport. Possibly the gym too.