A braided crown

I'm excited to share another hair tutorial! Heidi braids, which go across the top of your head, are beautiful, but my friend Caroline wears hers in a different way: like a crown circling around her head. What a breezy summer style! She looks like a Danish princess. So I invited her over to explain how to do them, and the wonderful Jamie Beck took photographs.

Here are Caroline's steps, if you'd like to try it out...
1. First, part your hair into two sections. To make the look softer, I like to make a diagonal part in the front (starting sort of near the arch of my left eyebrow, going towards the middle of the crown) and then bring the part straight down the back.

2. Braid the two ponytails, and secure each with a small rubber band.

3. Make sure the tops of the braids are pretty loose (you don't want that part pulled too tight or you'll be able to see the part line going down the back).

4. Take the braid on the right and wrap it around the front. Wrap it low and loose near your front hairline (versus on the top of your head).

5. Pin the braid in place with bobby pins. I like to use mini ones, but if you have thick or unruly hair, bigger pins will work better.

6. Take the second braid and wrap it around the back. Again, I like to keep it low and loose so it sort of flows into the front braid.

7. Pin in place. If your hair is long enough, tuck the end of each braids behind the other braid (right where they meet) and pin to hold. Voila!
What do you think, my darlings? These pretty braids are perfect for summer bike rides and taking photos around town. (Your hair stays out of your face, but you still look adorable.) Thank you so much, Caroline and Jamie. xoxo

P.S. Three past hair tutorials, including the perfect ponytail!

(Photos by the fabulous Jamie Beck for Cup of Jo. Caroline's jewelry is from her own line Brvtvs, and her lip color is NARS lipstick in Niagara. She also used this hairspray to make her hair shiny.)

Do or don't: Boyfriend pants

Emily recently wore these adorable Gap khakis--which she found in the men's section! They're so relaxed and baggy, but I love how she rolled them up and wore heels.

What do you think? Would you wear men's pants? (Here's the women's version.)

Bike tee

How rad is this T-shirt? Will you be riding bikes at all this summer?

Three pretty things

How would you like to wear this...
read a book here...
and vacation here?

(Top photo by the Sartorialist, bottom photo by Papa Stour. Via TKOW)

Perfect pleats

I've seen so many women around New York wearing bright pleated skirts. They're so breezy and beautiful! I just found one at Zara, and this one, above, is from Topshop. Isn't it cute how she wears it with a belt?

(Photo by Lucy, via Jennifer and Jennifer)

Breezy wedding dress

Brides-to-be! Do you remember this breezy Swedish island wedding? Well, I just saw the dress over on OnceWed's boutique. Ahhh, I want to get married again and wear it.

(Photos by Mikael Olsson)

Do or don't: Maxi skirts

Maxi skirts are everywhere this spring. I'm in love with this green striped number. What do you think about this trend, my lovelies? Would you wear a maxi skirt? Thumbs up or thumbs down?

Bicycle riding pants

How amazing are these Daily Riding Pants for bicyclists? Made locally in New York, they shed rain and dirt and resist wear and tear. (Also, they're super sexy.) Thumbs up. Update: Outlier sweetly told me that they'd like to offer Cup of Jo readers 11% off their order with the code LadiesBike2. Thanks, Outlier!

Also, have you guys heard of Ride the City? The rad navigation website gives you the choice of the fastest or safest bike route to your destination. I used it this morning, and it told me the best bike paths all the way to Brooklyn!

(Via Tomboy Style)

Steven Alan for kids

Steven Alan, one of my all-time favorite New York designers, just launched a kids' collection! (How sweet are these little bloomers?!)

P.S. This is the women's outfit I want to wear to the playground:)

Three pretty things

The beautiful Susan Cernek in a blue shirt with ripped jeans and sky-high heels. She gets it right every time.
This gorgeous room makes me want to get brighter lightbulbs and more plants for our apartment.
How genius is this? I have an elevator phobia, but I'd at least press the button for this one (and then take the stairs.)

(Photo credits unknown, anyone know? Third image via The Bean and the Bear)

Tie-dye love

I'm so in love with Shabd's new tie-dyed pieces. Aren't they beautiful? They're out of my budget, but they're truly works of art.

P.S. Fun fact: Shabd taught Martha Stewart how to tie-dye!

Heidi braids with fabric

How pretty are these heidi braids from the Rachel Roy fall 2011 show? Refinery 29 just did a great tutorial. (And it would be cute with the new heart scarf from ban.do.)

P.S. More pretty hair!

(Photos by Dan McMahon for Refinery29)

What perfume do you wear?

My friend Alison came over yesterday and smelled like a field of wild roses and pink peonies. Her secret? Chloe Chloe perfume. The scent was light, romantic and just perfect. I'm going to head over to Sephora and pick up this little rollerball version today.

Which kind of perfume do you wear, my lovelies?

P.S. My favorite quirky perfumes.

Sexy tights

Yowza.

P.S. Also cute.

Thursday giveaway!

Today's giveaway is a BIG one! EmersonMade, the gorgeous fashion line from New Hampshire, is offering a $1000 shopping spree to one lucky winner! Eeks! They make beautiful clothes (including skirts and dresses and T-shirts) and accessories (like flower pins and gold coin necklaces). I'm in l-o-v-e with their jeans, and Toby wears their baby clothes! Their whole countryside life looks so dreamy and makes me want to move to a farm, wear a flower brooch and raise chickens. :)

For a chance to win, visit EmersonMade's online shop (and consider signing up for their Facebook and twitter), and leave a comment below telling us your favorite pieces. A winner will be chosen at random tomorrow. Good luck!

Update: Blogger allows a maximum of 5,000 comments -- apologies to those who wanted to enter but arrived too late! Mai from Seattle is our lucky winner. Thank you so much! xoxo

Street style cutie

Pink lipstick. Men's watch. Wide-leg jeans. Sold.

(Photo by the Daybook, via Wit + Delight)

Spring dresses

Now that spring has arrived, I'm looking for some dresses to wear to dinner or picnics. Toby and I walked over to Urban Outfitters yesterday evening, but nothing fit very well. ASOS's online shop has a really cute selection, don't you think? I love the stripes!
Where do you shop for summer clothes? Any stores you've been liking lately?
(Dresses here, here, here and here)

Braided top bun

Whenever I'm walking around downtown New York, I see tons of cute girls wearing buns on the tops of their heads. Well, what could be even better than a top bun? A braided top bun! My friend Caroline, a hair genius, came over to explain exactly how to get this easy spring look, and the fabulous Jamie Beck took photos.

Here are Caroline's easy steps...
1. This simple hairstyle is perfect for a warm spring day, when you want to keep your hair cool and off your neck. First, part your hair in a deep side part (instead of combing it back smoothly). This makes it look a little less fancy, perfect for bike rides or Sunday picnics. Then gather your hair into a ponytail on top of your head. The higher, the better.

2. Make a loose braid all the way down the tail. Don't braid it too tightly; a little messy is perfect and it will help it look less "ballerina." Secure the end with a rubber band; I recommend these clear elastic bands, since they'll blend into your hair color and won't be as visible.

3. Creating a circle on top of your head with the braid. You don't want to wrap it tightly like a bun; instead you want it loose and open in the center, kind of like a braided pillbox hat! (If your hair is really long, you may have to double up the braid, one in front of the other.) When you reach the end, tuck the bottom of the braid under the circle you've created to hide it.

4. Pin the braid in place with mini bobby pins, since they're easier to hide and won't be as noticeable.

5. A few suggestions: I like to make the look a little messier by pulling little strands of hair out at the back and sides, but if you prefer it cleaner, you don't have to do that. And if you'd like, you can pin your bangs out of the way with bobby pins.
Voila! Here's the look, beautiful and timeless. What do you think, my darlings? Thank you so much, Caroline and Jamie! xoxo

P.S. Past hair tutorials, including three twisted buns, the perfect side ponytail, a messy French bun.

(Photos by Jamie Beck for Cup of Jo. Caroline's shirt is from Cardigan, her jewelry is from her own line Brvtvs, and her blush is Tarte cheek stain in Tickled.)

Bill Cunningham documentary

Bill Cunningham is the street-style photographer for the New York Times. He's a hilarious, eccentric guy who rides his Schwinn bike around New York City (rain or shine) and captures fabulous people with his camera. Well, a documentary just came out about him. Here's the trailer. I can't wait to see it!

P.S. Movie times around the country, if you'd like to see it on the big screen.

(Film still by Richard Press)

Swimsuits

The weather has been so beautiful this week; summer suddenly feels right around the corner (finally!). What kind of swimsuits do you usually wear? The new J. Crew swimsuits are really pretty.

P.S. My British grandparents call them "bathing costumes." :)