the perfect bun

I've gotten a few requests lately for a tutorial on how I do my near-daily bun; long-time readers may remember a bun-tutorial video I posted some months ago (you can find it at the bottom of this post), but as I've picked up some new readers since then (yay! welcome!) and I've substantially changed my bun technique, I thought it would be worthwhile to just make a new tutorial. Enjoy!



The sock-bun technique works best with a sock that's the same color as your hair or a shade darker, as it will be harder to see in case you end up with any gaps. You can also rough up your ponytail a little first for a messier look, or if you want to make it extra fancy (and have longer hair) you could even wrap a small braid around the base of the bun.

stressed

necklace - Forever 21 / tote - German convention freebie / t-shirt - UO / jeans - Gap / watch - Arkanoplatz flea market, Berlin / woven flats - UO

Oh, what a difference a few days can make - I've gone from totally relaxed and luxuriating in the present to a state of high anxiety about the future. As the end of our trip looms (just over two weeks! What happened??), some major decisions have been made and I now find myself with an enormous amount of preparatory work on my plate. We'll soon be heading back to visit with family again, to pull together portfolios, and if all goes well, find jobs and an apartment in one of the most competitive (and expensive) cities in the world - and in the meantime, we have only one more day here in Berlin before it's off to a new city (and a new country!), and I am feeling the familiar pressure to make the most of our dwindling time here. I am admittedly feeling a little overwhelmed, with obligations new and old pulling my attention in every direction, but I'm trying to just focus on one manageable task at a time (and to bear in mind that I have successfully done all of these things before).

In times of stress, I definitely fall back on simple outfits with a few favorite accessories to carry me through. Jeans and a t-shirt isn't a particularly creative combination, but I think the distinctive silhouettes of these particular pieces give them a little extra polish, and I'm reasonably certain this necklace can redeem even the most ho-hum of outfits. I'd like to make a whole arsenal of bright beaded statement pieces like this one in different colors when I have ready access to craft stores and some free time again - hopefully I won't have to wait too long for the latter!