VAIN Blog

This Saturday, as part of VAIN’s “Love Heroes” weekend, VAIN Ballard will feature the textural metalwork of Chuck Domitrovich of “Down to the Wire Designs” from 6-9pm as part of the Ballard Art Walk.

Domitrovich has been working in metal and making jewelry since 1988 when he was a student at University of Washington.

As Domitrovich says, his “patterned metal jewelry is meant to evoke the work of the Weiner Werkstatte (Vienna Workshops). This group was a contemporary of the Arts and Crafts movement and it sought to make art that was simple, practical, and accessible.”

Join us this Saturday from 6-9pm for art, drinks, food, and make your own valentine station – 5401 Ballard Ave NW.

Ok, so maybe it’s not quite as dramatic as the MTV series. But before I met VAIN, the thought of backcombing terrified me. And backcombing the FRONT of my bangs? Not even something that occurred to me.

Last weekend I went to Vegas with a group of uber stylish ladies - we’re talking Dior shoes, Bebe dresses, Louboutin, Louis Vuitton, the whole nine. They have great taste + amazing style. I can’t match their budget, but I gotta say that thanks to a trusty pink VAIN comb I held my own. I failed to schedule a bang trim before I left town, but rather than accepting my sideswept disaster, I loaded up on hairspray and went for a faux pompadour that made me feel like a million bucks.

Naturally my favorite photo from the day cuts off the top of my head.

You’ll just have to trust me on how awesome the bangs were. You can see my other budget-saving VAIN accents here though, with a pair of $8 sunglasses that have all the glamour of ones that run for 10x that amount. The dress was just a simple Old Navy thing that cost all of $20, but combined with an investment piece by Mayapple [the gorgeous feather/gold necklace seen above, similar pieces available at VAIN Ballard] it was a capital-O-Outfit.

Proof you can look and feel good on a budget. It is worth overcoming the anxiety about ratting one’s own hair to have a sophisticated look this summer.

xo,

Sarah Jo

Are you afraid of hairspray? Many of our stylists offer amazing updos + style appointments. Call our front desk to schedule with someone who can walk you through the fear and into fashion.

VAIN is a proud sponsor of this weekend’s HonkFest West. The event, continuing at multiple venues over the course of three days, is a celebration of radical marching bands. They’ll even be playing in the streets!

One of our favorite quotes for the how + why of this festival:

“…they honk their horns because it’s the best way they know to protest a world of violence and oppression. Many of these bands are less than a decade old, and many were born in reaction to the fatalism and indifference that has gripped the advanced industrialized democracies. In response, honkers have been providing a heartfelt musical antidote, a soundtrack for anti-war rallies, political mobilizations, pride parades and joyous reclamations of public space. Every one of these bands has a unique sense of humor to complement their sound, as they mock and discredit the roots of hatred and injustice through the whimsical act of making music together. The result is a spectacle that is radical and subversive without being militant or sanctimonious.”

The What Cheer Brigade, pictured above, played at HonkFest East - while they won’t be here for the West, it’s a great example of how awesome the event will be!

Check out their schedule to see the full lineup - we’ll see you there!

xo,

VAIN

DIY dye: good on your hair, not so good splattered on your stuff.

We have a lot of clients get their DIY hair supplies + advice at VAIN, so we wanted to share the love online with you, our loyal VAIN Blog readers. A client we’ll call “Pink Tips” wrote in with a common DIY complaint from home hairstylists: when your hair isn’t the only thing that gets dye on it. Let’s hear it directly from PT:

“Ok, so I re-pink my hair at home. I have gloves. I have the special black button up shirt. I have the tinfoil. I am always very careful … but EVERY SINGLE TIME it seems like I get a tiny splat of pink on the bathroom wall or floor or a towel hanging 8 feet away. Any tips for using veggie dyes at home without turning your entire house the color of your hair?

Great question, P.Tips. We went to VAIN Ballard stylist + DIY specialist Rachel for answers, and here’s what she had to say:

“Squirt the veggie dye slowly and carefully onto a regular comb and comb into your bleached parts. Foil and such makes it more difficult. If you get pink where your hair isn’t bleached don’t worry, it will not stick. Still wear your gloves and shirt though.”

So there you have it- a comb’s the key. Thanks for asking, Pink Tips! Hope this helps keep the splats contained.

Do you need DIY hair advice? Send your question to vain(at)vain(dot)com and we’ll do our best to get an answer posted.