Shopping-ologie

Sometimes I get bored and need to change something up. Usually, I'll go shopping but when I'm really in need of some refreshing, I'll get my hair glazed. It was a spur of the moment decision, as I called in the morning and had an appointment set for the afternoon.

The results: A darker brown with a tint of red.

The salon I go to, Bangz (no coincidence to my own) in Montclair, NJ is located near a slue of shops on Church Street, including Urban Outfitters, small jewelry and clothes boutiques, bakeries and the newest, Anthropologie. Going to the salon is just another excuse to shop since they are in close proximity to each other.

Anthropologie is all types of grand, but my three top reasons for going there:

1. It always smells good.

2. I'd live there. Whomever does their decor, I'd like to hire them to revamp my own digs. This particular store has two levels, all of which is decked out in chic housewares and of course, clothes in Anthropologie's signature aesthetic.

I never noticed the books they carry, but wishlist, here I come.

3. The sale rack

While I peruse the entire store, I never miss the sale section. I've had a lot of luck in this part of the store... everything I've ever purchased has been found there. Saturday was no exception. After shuffling through racks, I took my three potentials to the fitting room.

1. Blue cropped overcoat - $39. This color breaks my color barrier in that I don't own anything cobalt blue. The color and shape of the jacket was adorbs, and as you can see, goes well with what I wore that day. The coat's versatility factor was a plus.

2. Butterfly printed tank - $29. The print on this lightweight, cotton tank immediately caught my attention. I adore abstract prints, and being that I'm finished with buying winter clothes, this top also checked off a lot of pluses.

 3. Striped three-quarter sleeve blouse -  $39. Initially, I liked the color and the pintucked bib. But once I tried it on, not so much.

So, which one did I buy? Check back to find out which one made the cut!

Being blunt

It's no surprise that I think my bangs are my best attribute. They never separate, they're blunt (just like me) and I'm good at having them. You may be thinking, "Jen, out of everything about yourself, you take pride in your bangs?" In a way, yes. They're a huge part of my personal style, and I have my mom to thank for it.

Me, circa 1985

I departed from having "fringe" when I was around 10, and after years of trying out different styles, I found my way back to bangs about a year ago, and what you see today is probably the best description of me in a style sensibility.

However, my ultimate bang icon is Zooey Deschanel. <le sigh>

But I digress... I'm a huge fan of bangs in the overall realm of hairstyles, so when I saw Doo.Ri's Fall 2011 models sporting a heavy fringe, I was thrilled (not to mention the new collection looks amazing!).

All photos by Style.com

And while Doo.Ri is up there with one of my favorite collections, the designer who tugs at my drawstrings is Betsey Johnson. Ms. Johnson's collections speak to me the most - rocker chick with a super feminine flair. Dark mistress meets Pretty In Pink. She revealed her newest collection on Valentine's Day and it contained three things I absolutely adore - plaids, florals and animal prints! As women, we're expected to be all frilly and fem - which is great. But there's some gals out there who love the darker, tomboyish side to fashion, and I think Betsey strikes the perfect balance between the two.

All photos via Style.com

And Betsey's girl's had bangs, too. Hmm... maybe bangs will take over as the new mullet - business in the front, party in the back.