I really like my hair. It’s red and and curly, which is nice. But it’s completely unmanageable. It’s super thick and really frizzy. No matter how long I grow it out, it just looks like an afro. I tried putting gel in it, but I ended up using too much, and my hair just looked crunchy. Do you have any advice for products I could use to make it less frizzy?

HALLOW YOUR HAIR SOUNDS AMAZING! My first instinct is to tell you to destroy all of your hair-related inhibitions and let that shit fly free like the bad-assest of ladies, Grace Coddington. OK, maybe that doesn’t help you, but I’m just really into WILD, BIG HAIR!

Clockwise from top left: Grace Coddington, Rihanna, Marisa Ribisi, Natasha Lyonne

First of all, toss the gel. You can’t use Pauly D’s tube of L.A. Looks for your unique locks. We need SPECIAL PRODUCTS for a SPECIAL LADY. Secondly, how often do you wash your hair? Daily washing can increase DA FRIZZ, so try washing it every few days. Get a good dry shampoo to deal with the in-between, like this one from Batiste. When you do wash it, use products that are specially made for your ’do. A curly-haired friend of mine says Miss Jessie’s Crème De La Curl conditioning wash is the jam. The Be Curly Kit by Aveda might also be good to try out at some point. In the meantime, I would start off with their Be Curly Curl Enhancer, which is good for keeping your curls locked in whilst taming the frizz. When it comes to drying, a regular towel can be too harsh, so use an old T-shirt instead. Here, you can even borrow mine. Gently scrunch your hair with the shirt while squeezing out any excess water. This is when you will want to apply a product that will help smooth out the frizz while making it shiny at the same time, such as Organix Moroccan Argan Oil. If you want to blow-dry your hair a little, make sure to use a diffuser to help shape your curls and prevent frizz.
xo
Marie

I’m always looking for cute style inspiration on places like Tumblr or Blogger, but most of the outfits I see there include skirts or dresses. I’m a jeans girl and that’s all I really wear, so if you have any cute ideas, I would appreciate it! —Claudia, Michigan

I’m so glad you asked this question because I, too, have noticed the tyranny of dresses and skirts in the fashion blogging community! Girls brag about not having worn jeans in nine million years, as if there’s something inherently less stylish about the almighty denim. Well, I am here to proclaim that the adorableness of jeans is AT LEAST on par with that of dresses and skirts, and I, for one, plan to live in them all summer. My favorite denim look right now is “dumb T-shirt with mom jeans.” Here, I took a photo to show you how awesome it is:

Image via Born in Flames

Everything I’m wearing here is vintage, from my hand-drawn Shakespeare tee to my navel-grazing high-waisted flares. Thrift stores everywhere are stuffed to the brim with high-waisted jeans and awesome dumb T-shirts, or you can grab a Sharpie and draw your own design on a plain white tee, perhaps using Daniel Johnston (the drawing on Kurt’s shirt is his) or Patti Smith as inspiration. This look is about comfort, so don’t overthink the shoes: I usually just throw on my white high-top Chucks or my Bass saddle shoes and am on my way.

Another great jeans look is wearing a tucked-in or tied-up little blouse with a dark skinny jean. One of my favorite bloggers, Nadia Aboulhosn, does this look SO GOOD:

Skinny jeans are a little harder to thrift, so I recommend Forever 21’s Classic Skinnies, which last about a million times longer than an $11 pair of jeans should. Also, American Apparel’s Easy Jeans look amazing and go up to size 2XL. Throw on your favorite gauzy blouse or denim shirt, a little heel or wedge, and dare someone to tell you you ain’t as cute as a girl in a dress! —Leeann

I have the thinnest hair on the planet! Do you have any tips on how I could make it thicker without resorting to a “hair transplant”? Are there any products that I could use? Is there a certain haircut or hair color that I should stick to? —Kitty, the Philippines

Kitty! You are not alone when it comes to having thin hair. Fortunately, in this day and age, there are plenty of products and options for thin-haired folks to try out. Sometimes a vitamin deficiency can be the root of the problem, so I would suggest talking to a doctor first to make sure you are OK in that department. When it comes to a hairstyle, getting a layered cut that is above shoulder-length may help since long, same-length hair can look heavy and might exaggerate the thinning. You should also use an organic, sulfate-free shampoo like Burt’s Bees Very Volumizing Pomegranate & Soy Shampoo, since the ingredients in normal shampoos might be too hard on your hair. Then there is Nioxin, which is a product designed for people with thin hair. They have a whole system dedicated to it. As you would expect, it is more expensive than regular shampoos, but it has pretty good reviews. Dry shampoo is a good thing to have since oily hair looks thinner. Bumble and Bumble makes a great one that can help add volume. Apply directly to your roots and tease with a comb. The powders also come in different colors, so if you have any thin spots, finding one to match your hair color can help hide them. Good luck!
xo
Marie

I go to an all-girls school with a really strict uniform code (no makeup, no jewelry, and skirts must be no shorter than eight centimeters above the knee), so people don’t get to see my true style. This is seriously getting on my nerves because I like to wear graphic T-shirts, skinny jeans, Hollister, and Jack Wills just like anyone else, but no one knows that. So, my question is, how can I show my (casual) style without breaking the school rules? —Lili, UK

Hi Lili! Since I don’t know the exact rules of your school’s dress code, I won’t be able to do a THOROUGH LIST, but I will definitely do my best to give you some ideas. The optimal thing to do to break up the monotony of a dress code is to accessorize! If there aren’t any rules concerning your backpack or book bag, have fun decorating it with patches and pins, or get this Jack Wills backpack! Since you are more of a casual dresser, I won’t suggest anything too crazy, but you can definitely show off a bit of your personal style with textured tights like these net tights from Wolford or these from ASOS, as well as hair clips or headbands. Footwear is another way to mix things up: if you can wear Converse, boots, or even these Jack Wills brogues, switch out the shoelaces to something more fun. Get a few pairs of cute flats, like these from Jeffrey Campbell or these peep-toes from Topshop. If the dress code is flexible with jackets and coats, find something comfortable that fits you well. Here’s a Hollister blazer that looks like it would obey the rules! Hope that helps!
xo
Marie

If you have a style/beauty question for Marie and her dream team, please send it to [email protected].