Stylish Hermione, On and Off Screen

Look at our head girl, all grown up.

Hermione Granger has come a long way from the tangle-haired Hogwarts freshman we once knew. The same goes for pretty Emma Watson, who plays Hermione in the Harry Potter movies, and who started out as a wide-eyed newcomer to the world of acting when she was first cast.

Both Hermione and Emma have blossomed into beautiful young ladies in the decade since Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone first hit theaters. Now that the fantasy saga is drawing to an end with Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows 2, let’s have a quick glance at some of the most important turning points of Hermione’s life, and ask: How do we get the look?

Hermione at the Yule Ball

In Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire, Hermione finally sheds her baggy wizarding robes and slips on an elegant floral gown to celebrate the Yule Ball. This was the moment that our book-smart heroine transformed into a true princess – at least for a night! Her regal hairstyle perfectly complemented the classy silhouette of her lilac gown, and she wore the entire ensemble with a magnificent sense of grace, despite the best efforts of a certain Mr. Ron Weasley!

Get the Hair: Perfect for high school formals and dances, you can easily replicate this look. Make a bun and fasten it with elegant, classy accessories such as the Grace flower or Charlotte velvet clip (pictured above). Then curl a few strands with a styling iron to form a waterfall of soft curls that cascade down the shoulder.

Hermione in Wizard Mode

When she’s not channeling her inner Cinderella, Hermione works hard to become the absolute best student in her year. She also spends time adventuring with her best friends Harry and Ron, from the dark chambers of Hogwarts castle to twisted vines of the forbidden forest. Through it all, she manages to keep her wavy locks in perfect shape.

Get the Hair: If you have thick, wavy hair like Hermione’s, the secret to keeping your locks neat are firm, but gentle hair clips. Secure your bangs with non-slip stripe print clipettes™ or Argyle clipette™ (pictured above).

Emma in Her Pixie Phase

Outside her movie character, Emma Watson is a strong young woman in her own right. She might not be battling evil wizards, but she makes bold decisions like adopting a cute pixie cut last year. It helps that she has a flawless face, and her use of hair accessories perfectly accents her choice.

Get the Hair: You ca spruce up that pixie hairdo with delicate hair accessories like the Jillian flower (pictured above), or even sparkly ornaments like the Paisley glitter bow.

There are tons more magical choices in the No Slippy Hair Clippy® store, so have a good look around, find something pretty and enjoy the Harry Potter finale!

What to Pack for Summer Camp?

Your daughter is off to summer camp, but is her hair ready for a month in the wilderness? The elements can weigh down her locks, so pack these hair boosters to keep them looking lovely and tangle-free. 

1. Soft round brush and wide-toothed comb

Start with two tools that drive frizz away. First, give her a soft round brush that can straighten the kinks that form after a sun-drenched afternoon. Then remind her to use a wide-toothed comb before showering to prevent tangles from forming.

2. The right conditioner

Most camps stock up on shampoo, but conditioner? It’s going to be every girl for herself. If she’s got drier-than-normal hair, throw a moisturizing conditioner into her overnight bag. If she’s just had her first highlights done, then a color-boosting conditioner might be a better option.

3. Smooth silk or satin pillow cover

Camp accommodations are clean and safe, but comfort isn’t always high on the list of priorities. It may seem like a small thing, but when she settles down to bed after a long, exciting day, she’ll be glad to have a little piece of home with her.

               

4. Outdoor hair accessories.

Summer camp is about having fun outdoors. Your daughter will play tag, roll on the grass, and generally take part in all sorts of physical activities that are likely to mess up her hair… that is, unless she goes to camp prepared! With the right No Slippy Hair Clippy® hair accessory, you can keep her locks neat and tidy all day long:

 

French clips like the Valerie bow (available in leopard print or zebra print) won’t shake loose even during the most demanding physical exertions, the safari-themed designs are a lot of fun, and most importantly, they’re comfy!

For a more colorful look, go for the Whitney Princess* bow in bubblegum pink. The bright pink looks great on any hair color, and the soft grosgrain ribbon won’t snag on her hair.

The delicate-as-a-daisy Belinda flower clip in white is a summer camp favorite. But if you’re looking for more colorful varieties, we carry the clip in wildflower colors like lavender, orange, and turquoise. You can even get them all so she can wear a different one each day of the week! 

Who doesn’t love sparkly things in summer? The Felicia flower clip is a bejeweled treasure she’ll want to show off to everyone at camp. It’s best worn on a side part to help hold her bangs in place.

Now that you’re all packed, don’t forget a loving peck and encourage her to have a truly happy time at summer camp!

Frizz-Free Hairstyles

Hello hot weather, hello frizzy hair!

Summer means lots of wonderful outdoor activities for you and your daughter, but it’s also definitely the frizziest time of the year, and if you don’t care for her hair, the dreaded frizz can set in, in no time! What causes hair frizz? Three things: Heat, humidity and constant hair touching!

For the first two, a simple shower and shampoo combo is often the best solution, but constant hair touching is a little trickier to solve. You’ll have to choose hairstyles that keep her locks in place all day, so she won’t have to run her hands through her hair to move stray hairs out of the way.

To get you started, I picked out three cute and effortless styles that can help reduce self-inflicted frizz to a minimum.

Side-Clipped Bangs

There’s no stopping your daughter from playing a little hopscotch with the neighborhood kids, but you can keep her hair in perfect place with a pair of Dannielynn bow clips, making sure she won’t need to fix her bangs with every skip and jump. These beautiful polka dot bows come in three colored pairings, including purple on pink, red on lavender and shocking pink on sea foam.

The Classic Headband Look

Perfect for a windy day on a fairground carousel, hold her hair firmly in place with the bubblegum cute Cory headband, made in white organdy fabric.

Pulled Back Bow

With the right styling, difficult to control longer hair can be far easier to manage than you might imagine. A simple pulled back look using our Fiona clipette™ bow, for example, reins in those pesky loose locks and looks more casual and elegant than a low ponytail.

If all goes well, these easy tips will help keep the summer frizz at bay. Be sure to visit the No Slippy Hair Clippy® store for more hair accessories!

Flowers Fit for Clipping

With peak blooming season occurring right around this time of the year, May is often called the Flower Month. Look around – gardens and fields are bursting with spring colors as buds mature into full-fledged blossoms.

Who says there’s no time to stop and smell the roses? Perhaps even pop a flower in your daughter’s hair to act as a highlight!

Well, maybe not… real flowers attract bees and other stinging insects, are hard to keep in place, and wilt in no time! Fear not, we’ve got just the answer!

The Lindsey flower radiates all the natural beauty of a magnolia, but adds just a bit more glitz and glamour. This radiant two-inch flower shows off a sprinkling of sequins, and each petal is shaded in dual-color tones. The design sits securely on a no-slip pinch clip easily attached or removed, with absolutely no need for fiddly readjustment during the day.

Looking for something more artsy for the little one? Then you might want to go with a hair clip like the Nahla polka dot flower. Beautiful stitching replicates the look of a handmade crafts project, with its splotches of candy-colored dots and a cute sewn-on button.

For the girl who loves her sparkles, the Alexis mod flower never disappoints. Two flowers in complementing shades make up its body, with a bright pink five-petal beauty sitting atop a deeper purple base. The Alexis style offers three more color options including the lovely shade of lavender seen above.

It won’t be long before springtime comes to a close, but with these No Slippy Hair Clippy® flowers in your daughter’s wardrobe, she can sport a spring powered look all year long!

Making Mother-and-Me Memories

Continuing our week-long celebration of Mother’s Day!

All moms know that as much as you might wish it, you just can’t stop your baby girl from growing up quickly!

Soon, it’ll be Justin Bieber and Miley Cyrus ruling her fashion sense, but for now you still get to choose what she wears, from head to toe, so let’s make the most of it!

Coordinating accessories is one of the cutest ways you can show to the world that you and your daughter share a special bond, just remember that you don’t always have to wear matching outfits and accessories to look adorable together.

For inspiration, just have a look at a couple of wonderful pairings to be had when you mix and match No Slippy Hair Clippy® hair accessories.

Choosing the right accessories for mom and baby is all about finding the right tone. In this beautiful picture, flowers are abloom with our doting mom wearing the lively Kaia flower, a multi-petaled lily filled with sparkly gemstones at the center. Meanwhile, her daughter sports the Grace headband in soft pink bloom and pearl. The double ruffle organza material wraps comfortably on the little one and beautifully compliments the floral print sundress and her mom’s accessory of choice.

This second mother-daughter picture should be familiar to those of you who visit our website regularly, it’s casual clip fun with our young mom flaunting the intricately designed Michelle flower, trimmed with sequins and studded with a brilliant central jewel. Her daughter boasts a shiny clip of her own – the Felicia butterfly clip available in chromatic shades of shocking pink (seen above), lime, and navy. The colors contrast beautifully and really bring the picture alive, don’t you agree?

Hundreds of other picture-perfect themes await you at the No Slippy Hair Clippy® store. Check them out and start making your own timeless, mother-and-me memories.

Colorful Choices for Cinco de Mayo

Cinco de Mayo ranks among the liveliest and most colorful holidays in the United States. Banners in bold hues line the streets, while festival performers dress up in ruffled dresses and ponchos as they dance to live mariachi music.

If you and your daughter plan to celebrate Cinco de Mayo, you’ll need equally festive hair accessories to match the spirit of the holiday. Here are some No Slippy Hair Clippy choices in striking colors and floral designs, but still chic enough for everyday use.

Bulky sombreros might look dashing on the boys, but for your daughter how about some beautiful sequined flowers? The Layla flower is a two-toned marvel with an acrylic gemstone center and adorned felt petals. It will surely look dazzling when worn with a traditional Mexican dress or a simple embroidered blouse.

Hair clips are also a great choice for Cinco de Mayo, especially if your daughter likes to dance. The Sage clip has a no-slip design that keeps hair in place at all times.The sunflower shape is made from long, soft petals and has a beaded center – definitely a showstopper fit for your stylish girl.

There are dozens of other choices available at the No Slippy Hair Clippy store, so take your pick and go loco with color this Cinco de Mayo!

Elegant Hair Accessories for Prom Night

The senior prom will be one of the most memorable nights in your daughter’s life.  Surely she’ll look beautiful and elegant, just like a movie star!

Picking the perfect gown is never easy, but in between custom fittings and arranging limo rides, don’t overlook choosing the right hair accessory to complement her gorgeous evening attire.

Don’t panic! We scoured red carpets far and wide for the trendy looks sported by today’s young stars, and matched them with No Slippy Hair Clippy® accessories that will look hip and keep things classy!

Want to mimic Taylor Swift’s wavy coif? Why not go with the Ryan flower, a dainty silk organza flower that looks great on wavy hair and comes in five rich colors, from soft pink to dark brown (in picture right).

Does your daughter have long dark hair like Nina Dobrev of Vampire Diaries fame (in picture left)? Hold it in place with the lovely Tonya headband (in picture right), an organic cotton headwrap topped off with a silk flower design.

All-American girl Diana Agron (in picture left), who plays Quinn Fabray in Glee, sports a princess-like updo that frames her beautiful face. Achieve the same soft look for your daughter with the Parker bow (in picture right), available in lavender and light blue.

 

For the fashion rebel who wants to make a statement like music siren Lady Gaga (in picture left), the Fiona clipette bow is a flexible choice that can be attached on back, top, or side of any hairstyle. The white color version (in picture right) gives off a girly and feminine vibe, but the volume can be pumped up by choosing more vibrant hues, such as shocking pink.

If you're looking for even more prom hair accessory ideas, I recently wrote this post that helped a mom choose a matching hair accessory for her prom-going daughter. Feel free to browse the No Slippy Hair Clippy store as well to get even more inspiration.

Good luck, and happy prom night!

Breaking the Silence

I recently read this blog entry in Chicago Moms Club. It hit a nerve within me and I just felt so compelled to share this with you. Especially all of you mothers who have lovely little girls who will one day set out into the world on their own. Sadly, it's not such a bright and friendly world out there anymore.

Rape is never a topic that people are willing to openly discuss. Just the thought of it stirs up feelings of fear, shame, rage. So in the end, we all would rather keep mum about it. But it's a sad, unfortunate reality that is lurking out there. And we must remember that out there is where your precious girls will one day be in. Instead of being in denial, for the sake of your girls, you must be actively aware of these dangers. And they themselves have to be aware.




It's a prickly topic, but I urge you to read on. It's an insightful entry written by a mother who herself has been through it and is now fighting to stay strong:

I WILL SPEAK

"I stood in my kitchen this morning, grilling cheese sandwiches. We have entered the demographic of Looking At Colleges. Earlier in the week, there was a story about guns on campus. I have yet to find a database where I can select a Gun Free school. Guess we'll have to look at schools abroad, in countries that don't have gun cultures. Or conceal carry laws. If someone's packing, I want to know.

Then a story came on the radio that stated one in five girls is raped at college.

Of all the glossy brochures we get in the mail and the flood of emails, not one mentioned that Oh by the Way, we will keep your daughter safe. I didn't think to ask.

And as they begin to describe the way that campuses handle rapes, I began to cry into the grilled cheese.

Because many many years ago, I was raped. By men, boys really, that I knew, sort of. And there was alcohol involved. And it took me over a decade to tell anyone, because back then, everyone would know it was my fault. And no one would have helped me--rape victims tend to be victimized all over again in the prosecution of the perpetrators. I blocked it out and kept going. And I became very, very careful.

All these years later, I still bear the scars of surviving that assault. It never goes away, and you learn to live with it. I don't talk about it, and I have not made it one of my regular causes because to do so would bring back the shame, and my own sense of failure. I stay silent because I don't really have the words.

And I thought it would go away. And I certainly thought it was something my girls would never have to deal with.

But today I am an enraged mother tiger that the world has not changed for my daughters. This is something they have a one in five chance of having to deal with. Not if I can help it."

To read the rest of the article, go here.

PONDER, PONDER, PONDER...
What do you think? For you, when is the right age to be discussing topics like this with your daughter? What measures do you take to ensure your children's safety? Do you think there is not enough awareness about such crimes?

Cheerios!
Rach

Image from sxc.hu.

Mom, Do I Look Fat?

There’s no business like show business. Indeed.

Much has already been said about the power and influence that celebrities have over society. Especially these days. Suddenly, it’s not “hot” to be healthy, otherwise you might be called—gasp!—FAT.

Unless you have been sleeping in a cryogenic chamber for the past decade, you would know that not having a 21-inch waist makes you, like, eeeew obese, since “fat” is the new dreaded F word. Now being skin-and-bones is the new “sexy,” promiscuity is trendy and stupidity is cute.

It’s foolish to put all the blame on “the stars above,” of course. To be fair, they’re only humans too and did not wield magical powers to make us involuntarily imitate or tolerate their actions. And there are those who are at the opposite side of the spectrum—who can actually act, for one, and who don’t involve themselves in situations that would compromise their values. The thing is, we don’t see them too often, do we? Because all the cameras love something a lot more juicy.

Sadly, it’s not just us who have been taking notice—kids too. Girls, particularly, who are beginning to take a little longer staring at the mirror, and in their tender ages, wondering “Do I look fat?”


A friend of mine recently told me of one unforgettable day when her lovely, perfectly healthy eight-year-old daughter came up to her and asked earnestly, “Mom, am I fat?” My friend said she started noticing a change in her exuberant, bubbly daughter one summer, when she absolutely refused to get into the pool with her friends as she was too embarrassed to put her swim suit on. Later she would shy away from school activities and would socialize with other kids less and less. The one thing that would cheer her up is whenever my friend would dress her up nicely, with matching cute hair accessories.

As a mother, your child will always be beautiful in your eyes. When she begins looking down on herself, of course, your first impulse is to find out who or what has been breeding such negative feelings in your child. But let’s not forget that children mirror what they see. We have to be very careful. It could be the images of skinny socialites she sees on TV, but it could also be mommy, whom she often hears ranting about flabby arms and bulging waistlines.

Confidence breeds freedom in our children. And they benefit when their parents take steps in helping them develop positive feelings of self-worth. Here are some simple steps that you can try:

* Be there. Make your child feel appreciated. Set aside time that you will devote solely to her. Do things that she excels in or activities that she loves to do. A favorite activity will always be dress-up. Play pretend with her and dress her up like a princess. Put on some dainty hair accessories on her head. There’s plenty to choose from: pretty little hair bows or cute little hair clips. You can even start a fun collection together!

* Be fair. Do not compare siblings. Or better yet, do not compare them to anyone at all. Each child has a unique set of strengths and it will boost her self-esteem if you highlight these strengths. This will not only make them feel that you do notice, but also motivate them to develop their gifts even more.

* Be realistic. I know, I know, we all want our children to maybe someday rule the world. But sometimes, although our motivations for them to succeed may be sincere, these may also become crushing weight on their shoulders.

* Be emphatic. Avoid judgmental comments. Instead, use more positive terms. Children tend to be less defensive when the problem is cast as a strategy that must be changed rather than as something caused by a deficiency in them. Instead of saying “Try harder,” something positive and emphatic like “Let’s try doing this differently” will motivate them more.

* Be expressive. Hug your child, tell her you love her, make her feel that you are proud of her, be supportive of her. Sometimes, rewarding her for an achievement helps, too. Is she an animal-lover? Maybe she’ll like a pet, or if she’s not ready yet, start small with a cute hair clip with her favorite animal designs.

* Be a positive role model. Okay, so maybe you’re not a hot momma like Angelina Jolie. So are the rest of us mere mortals! What’s worse is rubbing off low self-worth on your perfectly adorable child. Don’t belittle yourself or be unrealistic about your own talents. Make an effort to focus on the good things about you and your child will be encouraged to do the same. Be careful, too, of the images she sees around her. Try to make her understand that she is special the way she is.

These all remind of a recent movie I thoroughly enjoyed with my kids: Kung Fu Panda. It’s a barrel of laughs, for sure, but more importantly, it sends out a message that its young audience badly needs to hear. There is a scene where the panda Po talks to his noodle-making father Mr. Ping. By a fateful string of events, Po ends up being declared the “dragon warrior” and is now his village’s only hope against a feared villain. Being a fluffy panda that has no experience in battle, he has constantly doubted himself. Before the fight, Mr. Ping reveals to him the secret ingredient to his famous “Secret Ingredient Soup.” Mr. Ping says “The secret ingredient is… nothing!” And adds, “To make something special, you just have to believe it’s special.”

We already know our children are special. It’s time to let them see just how special they really are! Much love to your girls :)