Tory Burch Reva Ballerina Flat Review

Fall is here, and about 2 weeks ago I was in dire need of a pair of cute, durable ballet flats to accentuate my feminine Fall clothing pieces. I cant wear boots and heels everyday, so a good pair of flats were greatly needed in my wardrobe. I wanted a pair of cute, chic, & comfortable flats that I know will last me years without falling apart. I couldn't rely on cheap shoes from places like Forever 21 or Charlotte Russe because I know they wont last long, and they aren't that comfortable either. So I started to think about Designer flats. After all the research I did on style, comfort, and durability I stumbled upon the Tory Burch Reva Ballerina Flats. I had my eyes on the black pair with the gold Tory Burch logo on the toe part...so classy and cute! My style is kind of classy conservative chic, so I know these flats would fit perfectly into my wardrobe. They retailed for $195 before tax, which is a pretty reasonable price for something that will last long. It came up to $212 with free shipping! I ordered my shoes from Shopbop.com on October 6th and received them October 12th.

I love how the flat is all Black and the Gold logo just adds a very nice classy spark. They're really comfortable! I ordered them in my normal size and all my toes sat snuggled in the flat. My pinky toe wasn't rubbing against the shoe, and the bottom of my foot felt like I was walking on clouds with the soft padding they added to the soles. BUT let me warn you...the elastic part in the back that hugs your ankles can be a KILLER if you're thinking of walking around a lot. I wore my flats for the first time to school this past Monday, and everything was going well for the first few hours. Then I went to the Doctor, then to the mall, then to Staples, then to the Beauty Supply store. By the time I was walking to get inside my house, I felt like someone slit the back of my ankles open, (sorry to be so graphic). So if you're thinking of walking around a lot with these, I wish you luck! If you work in the office, bring an extra pair of shoes just in case...you've been warned! Also, be careful not to walk on rocky pavement or pointy objects because the leather of the flat is very soft and gets scratched easily. I have a small light scratch on them already :( But nothing noticeable. Overall, I love them!
Rating: 4 out of 5 stars

Interested? Get a pair at Shopbop!

Currently wanting...

I am currently loving and wanting these items!

Aldo Mignogna wedges: Originally $90 but is currently $45!
(SO cute & perfect for the Fall)


Nina Yaneli peep toe wedges: $109.95 (Sexy!)


Pink Duchess Baylee 5 buckle boot wedges: $27.90
(Cute and Cheap)

Can you tell I love wedges? lol


F21 Audrey Hepburn Graphic Top: $15.80
(She's a great classy icon)


F21 Striped Sweater: $24.80
(Will go great with one of my Taupe colored shoes & worn off the shoulder)


F21 Glimmer Laptop Case: $13.80
(My Macbook Pro needs a home!)

Question: Help! Underprocessed Hair!

Question:
My hairdresser would normally use optimum lye relaxer without basing my scalp, quickly apply the relaxer then leave it in my hair for 30 minutes, smooth the new growth then rinse with little to no problem.

I self relaxed 20th Aug after 8 weeks post relaxer with Silk elements lye relaxer in the brown container medium strength. I based my scalp with vasaline, followed the instructions. When I rinsed it out my hair it felt slighly underprocessed and when I did my first wash after a week my hair looked as though nothing was done.

What should I do?
How soon can I relax again?
Should I try super next time?
Should I return to Optimum?
After applying the relaxer should I leave it in for 30 minutes instead of 15 minutes as the instructions say?
I don't burn easily should I skip applying base?

My answer:
I'm so sorry to hear about your relaxer mishap. Self relaxing can be very tricky, especially for those doing it for the first time. You should have practiced applying a relaxer first by using conditioner instead of a real relaxer. And also timed yourself to see how fast and efficient you applied it.

It's hard for me to give you a diagnosis because I am not sure what exact cause contributed to your problem, but i did come up with 3 possible causes.

Your problem sounds like either 3 things:
1) You didn't smooth the relaxer well enough or
2) You didn't leave the relaxer in long enough for it to "take" or
3) The relaxer was not strong enough for your hair type

My solution to you is to get a corrective relaxer. A corrective relaxer fixes the problem by relaxing the new growth. I dont know too much about corrective relaxers because I never had to get one, but you can research it online to see how other ladies benefited from it. I would probably get it professionally done just in case something goes wrong again and damage occurs. I am not sure of your hair type, but im sure your stylist can tell you whether your hair needs a regular or super. I am not sure of Optimum because i have never used it. However, you can read the reviews about it online or test it out yourself. Do you remember how it made your hair look and feel? Also keep those in mind too. You should leave the relaxer in for no longer than 15 minutes. But if your hair is really coarse, maybe you should add 5 minutes. Always base your scalp. A relaxer is a caustic chemical and can irritate the skin very aggressively. Even if you dont burn easily, it's still a safety precaution because you never know.

I hope I helped you out in some way! Happy Hair Growing!

How I Will Stretch For 6-7 months.

I decided that I want to stretch my relaxer to either 6 or 7 months. I want BSL so badly. Even at the end of the stretch if I dont reach BSL, I at least want to be one inch away from it. So I am on a stretching journey till either January or February. So right now I am planning ahead of what I will do to my hair down the road to ensure it's health and well being.

Last relaxer and trim: July 23, 2010

Month 1 (August): Protective bun

Month 2-3 (Sept-Oct): Sew-in

Month 4 (Nov): Sew-in take down. Straighten hair and trim.

Month 5 (Dec): Either another sew-in or just braid outs/flexi-rod sets/buns

Month 6 or 7 (Jan or Feb): Relax and trim (if needed)

My 1st Virgin Indian Sew-In!

I am currently 6 weeks post relaxer. On Sunday September 5th, I got a sew-in done by my stylist [my lovely cousin!]. It came out so beautifully! Everybody thought that it was my real hair because the hair left out on top blends so well with the weave. I was inspired by Kim Kardashian's signature loose curl hairstyle, so that's what my cousin gave me. When it was done, it looked just like Kim's hair but more natural so it wouldn't seem like i was actually wearing a weave. I didn't have time to take pics of my hair right after the process because I had to hurry and go to work. But I did take pics once I got home from work. By that time, the curls dropped slightly, but it was still beautiful. The hair that I used was 100% Indian hair. Originally, it would have cost me $359 for only 2 packs. But I paid $170 for 2 packs because my cousin is a hairstylist and was able to get a discount for me. This hair is great because it can be colored, washed, blow dried, flat ironed, and everything...just like your real hair! It can even be used over and over for up to a year. I think investing in this weave is money well spent.

I am planning on leaving this install in for 2 months. I plan on removing it on November 5th or maybe a week later. I don't plan on relaxing anytime soon. Right now, my mind is set on relaxing in January or February 2011. After the weave comes out, I plan on getting my hair washed, blown out, trimmed, and flat ironed. Then I'll wait a few weeks to get another weave. This weave will surely help me stretch for 6-7 months, which is what I am in the process of doing right now. It seems like that's the only way I can get to BSL since it's taking sooo long!

I was inspired by this photo of Kim.

This pic is after I came home from work. The curls dropped, but I will update you all on my hair after I curl it for school soon. Hours before this pic, It looked just like Kim's.

See how my real hair blends so well? You cant even tell the difference!




If you're interested in the hair, you can order your own from www.indiquehair.com!

Fall Ready Nails!

I just came back home from getting my nails done. Summer's almost over. It's not as hot as it used to be, so right now I'm in a Fall state of mind. My first nail color for Fall is of course...purple! The brand of nail polish used is called Quirius. The color is called Eggplant in #426. I bought it at my local beauty supply store for only $1! For the price of this polish, the color came out very pretty! I only needed 1 coat, but the lady who painted my nails gave me 2 coats. I really like it. It has a nice sparkly undertone. I love it! I also got my toes painted the same color to match my hands.

[Click on photos to enlarge and see color better!]

Famous Naturals Going Back To Relaxed!

I never thought I would see the day that Lauryn Hill and Jill Scott would ever get a relaxer. Since I can remember, these 2 ladies have always have natural hair since their stardom. I was shocked to learn that they actually gave into the "crack" lol. I've even noticed a lot of natural women on the hair boards throwing the towel in and going back to relaxed too. I wont mention any names, but I've gotten emails/messages from natural women to give them advice on how to care for relaxed hair because they were getting ready to make the switch. Hmm...I guess relaxed hair is cool again! There was a point in time where i thought the whole world was going natural. I think these 2 ladies are showing their fans that at the end of the day, it's just hair. These 2 are definitely NOT their hair. Hair is just hair and will grow back eventually. If they want to go back to natural, they can easily do so.