Yes it is true, we have been liberated from our usual ‘Atlantean’ / underwater Winter, and ‘Seattle Spring Sunshine’ has finally arrived!
To protect your eyes from this unfamiliar giant glowing orb of fire, (hopefully lasting through the summertime) – we @ VAIN are here to help with a brand new selection of FRESH SHADES!
This amazing triple threat of functional, fashionable AND affordable can be had for the LOW-LOW price of $10 !
Get them before they are GONE!
(Our sunglasses are available at both VAIN locations)
<3 eli max blü
VAIN styledriver Victoria Gentry just returned from a buying trip in New York, and we’re full to the brim of accessories for Spring and beyond. To say there is ’something for everyone’ is not hyperbole; Victoria selected jewelry for “rocker chic and cosmopolitan girls about town alike.” Don’t take our word for it though – take a peek below + come by in person to see all the sparkling goodness.
Hope you can pick your favorites. Good day, sunshine.
xo,
VAIN
The items above were captured at VAIN Downtown, located at 2018 1st Avenue. Visit us there or find additional treats at VAIN Ballard, 5401 Ballard Avenue NW.
Photos courtesy of Sarah Jurado.
VAIN loves seeing Do-It-Yourself hairstyles in action, and local pop/rock/dance band Motrecraft delivered at their recent show in Columbia City.
VAIN client Amy H., Motrecraft’s bassist + backing vocalist, did her own hair for the show, using a party wig to create the glamhawk effect. Her inspiration? “Adam Ant + Road Warrior + Faye Dunaway as mommy dearest. But long ago, it was a VAIN stylist that showed me you can use a combination of fake hair and your own hair to get exactly what you want.”
If what you wanted was awesome, Amy H., you got it.
Brianna H. on lead vocals also went the DIY route for the show. Love the cap topping the updo.
Pretty much love the whole DIY thing. ♥
Check Motrecraft out this Saturday night at the Wild Rose- doors at 9pm. Photos by Bart Claeys.
It’s true! VAIN’s dear friend, Anna Banana, owner of Pretty Parlor, recently brought us a plethora of affordable, adorable vintage clothing from her shop. Lookit at all these fabulous frocks! Lookit!
Who wants to have a fashion show at lunch?
Yours Truly,
Julie K
Pretty Parlor isn’t just at VAIN Ballard, we’ve also got you covered at VAIN Downtown! Drop by one (or both!) of our locations:
Ballard: 5401 Ballard Ave NW, Seattle
Downtown: 2018 1st Ave, Seattle
VAIN’s #1 operations manager + super awesome lady Lisa is on her way back from Tokyo (pictured there above with our fave music blogger Kingblind + beloved former VAIN stylist Chieko), and we hear she’s got a camera full of street style + cool hair pictures to show us. Check back here for those soon- if Lisa took ‘em, we know they’re going to be good!
Are those vintage wares embraced by divine light?
Much to our giddy delight, lovely Anna, owner of Pretty Parlor, has brought in a delectable collection of vintage clothing from her beloved shop (located on Capitol Hill) to VAIN downtown. Affordable and unique style, anyone? We can barely keep our hands off these digs. Thank you, Anna Banana! We ♥ you!
Next time you come to VAIN for a fabulous style, why not drop into the gallery and pick out a fabulous frock to go with it? Visit us downtown @2018 1st Ave, Seattle.
My challenge for myself while in Spain was to take pictures of PEOPLE and STYLE, little glimpses of what we create at VAIN – but found around the globe.
[Hair + Beauty Salon]
Once there, however, I wasn’t sure how my appreciation would translate. My Spanish is rusty enough that I felt like I’d just come across as a creepy American with odd intentions. There was one girl with bright red panels underneath her long dark hair who I nearly chased after, Canon in hand, through an open air market. I couldn’t make it to her in time, however, nor would I have known what to say. But that little lady was one of only TWO vibrant colors I saw during my two week stay there.
It should be noted that we were primarily traveling in slightly smaller towns along the south of Spain; maybe the conservative tones were shaped by geography. Indeed, the only other time I saw color was not in Sevilla or Granada but as we traveled through the airport in Madrid – a Burgandy Wine bob that stood out from across the waiting area.
It seemed that the bold color statements were left to attire, and displayed there with flair. Bright green t-shirts with matching neon sneakers. Red socks, red shirt, red accents on eyewear, all at once. Floral sundresses on women of all ages, and every color in the rainbow pouring out of stores with local wares.
One of my favorite sights was a Sunday drive past a group of women on their way to church. Even in the almost 100 degrees weather they looked crisp, cool, put together. Small purses in hand, and a helmet of curls helped by uncertain amounts of hairspray. They evoked an era that is, for me + my life here in Seattle, foreign but picturesque.
The idea of those conservative ladies vs. neon green Nikes seems like a reflection of what I saw in the country itself – a lot of history but with bold statements of modern life, the old and the new balancing in a way that shouldn’t be congruent but nonetheless was. Special Effects colors can’t be far behind.
[Like the VAIN wall, a world away]
xo,
Sarah Jo
You know VAIN loves a creative use of hair, and Peaches delivers (and literally wears it) in the “Talk to Me” video off her new album. Hair everywhere!
For those of us lucky enough to see the lady herself perform live at the Showbox last week, the mega-haired, platinum Cousin Its from the video made a special appearance live onstage, AND Peaches wore a set of long, glam-chewbacca sleeves that could only be described as a hair bolero. Awesome. People kept saying, “Is that HAIR?” Yes, yes it is hair, and we like it.
What’s YOUR creative hair expression look like? We can make it happen. Call VAIN at 206.441.3441 downtown or 206.706.2707 in Ballard to book an appointment.
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.
Today we present the creations of VAIN stylists Jenny Slay, Valentine, and William.
Model: Jackie // Stylists: Jenny + Valentine // Makeup: the Lady Bob
The group utilized the strength + beauty of Native American imagery, with a touch of edginess ala Mad Max.
Model: August // Stylist: William // Makeup: the Lady Bob
To achieve August’s look William started by glueing in wafts of hair, then used the Kevin Murphy Hair Resort to give it extra oomph. He finished up with KM’s Session Spray + VOILA! Over the top, up high, beautiful hair.
Just as with Group I, we had Felicity on hand for expert volumizing, feather placing, model posing, and good-mood-creating. VAIN loves you, Felicity!
Photography by Sarah Joann Murphy
Though doing photo shoots on this grand scale aren’t an everyday event at VAIN, creating unique + inspiring looks IS. Visit us at either location for the style of your dreams.
xo,
VAIN
Our friend Laura of lauratakespictures.com celebrated our VAINiversary with us back in December, perfectly capturing our festivities with her photo magic.
Yesterday she came back to see us for this sweet cut:
Rachel did the cut – and the DIY color is by Laura herself! She’s got that gorgeous face that works with bright blonde to black and everything in between. [Ed: I think I have seen her with literally every color at least once]. The style of the cut was inspired by Marianne Faithful circa Rock ‘n Roll circus, only slightly shorter in back.
See the original cut + icon in action via youtube.
xo,
VAIN Ballard
