Pink or blue hair is no longer considered unusual. I walked around with my girls this weekend at a local festival and we saw hair color in every shade. I’ve even seen many women 60+ with purple or pink hair. Honestly, I love it! I think it’s fantastic that people feel comfortable enough to make a statement in this world.

A few months ago I dyed my hair pink (rose) with some at-home color. I had done the same at the salon over a year ago but wanted to test the waters at home. Since playing around, I fell in love with the Joico Color Butter. It’s easy to use and not permanent. The color builds on itself as well. I read the directions many times!

My girls are 5, 7, and 9. The middle one is more eccentric than the others. I already know she’ll be my wild child. She has so much to express and certainly loves to dress her own way. When I told the kids I would color their hair for summer she was SO excited. They are not allowed to have colored hair at school. I had the pink/magenta on hand and the second color we opted for was blue. Blue hair for summer, why not? Off to Ulta we went.

We started easy with doing the tips of their hair. The instructions say apply (with gloves) to wet or dry hair. In my experience the dry hair took color better than the wet. You leave the color on for 5 minutes but I left it on for 10-15 minutes. It’s super conditioning so their hair feels silky after using the product. Of course the color will take blonde hair differently than it will do brown hair. Both girls have more brown-ish hair than blonde so the color isn’t super intense. It washes out over time as well.

 

So here are the girls with pink and blue tipped hair. They are happy, I’m happy– it’s a win-win. Warning for those who swim a lot. We tried the color and swam the next day in the pool. The color just about totally came out. I’m not sure if this is normal or not but to save money on color, wait until you don’t plan on swimming a lot. Their hair is so fresh and not chemically treated so I don’t think the color stays as long as it does in my hair.

Have fun experimenting this summer!

I remember the first year I watched our town 4th of July parade. It was 100 degrees and I had two little kids. We sat at a friend’s house at the end of the parade and it was SO long. Our little town has a 3-hour parade! Families put chairs out the day before and we have rules about when you can leave your seat unattended. It’s so big that the 3rd has turned into a party just waiting for the 4th to arrive.

When I was a kid we visited my Uncle’s house for the West Allis July 4th Parade. I always got a baton to twirl on the sidewalk. Later on we would head to a friend’s lake and my dad would shoot fireworks off the dock over the lake. It was a huge party and we were always a part of it.

The last two years our school has had a float in the town parade. My girls have dressed up in red, white, and blue and helped to cheer to all the parade watchers. They really had a blast and were thrilled to ride the float instead of walk. They smile. I smile. I have a few drinks. It’s a fun day! I can’t imagine not taking part in some festive activities. It’s been such a big summer memory my entire life. But each year I think about what red, white, and blue clothes I have on had to wear. If it’s super hot, I end up with an outfit change or two.

Here are my season picks for festive outfits. Stores don’t always have a section curated, but if you search for the colors you may find something you are looking for. Have a Happy 4th of July and always remember to pay it forward and be a little kinder.

 

1. Red Star Tank from Evereve (one of my favorite stores to shop at).
2. Roxy Trucker Hat, decked out in red, white, and blue– just like our flag.
3. Striped Embroidered Tank from Escapada. Resort wear at its finest!
4. Braeve Embroidered Dress found at Evereve (of course). Off the shoulder too.
5. Scout cooler, must keep your beverages cold! Online or at Amazon.
6. Cherry Red Slip-ons from Ugg “Sammy”. Comfortable, breathable, fashionable.