Ooh, I love your haircut! So fab. And all your purchases are lovely, but I'm really liking the jeans/tee outfit a lot.

Your hair looks amazing. The items you purchased are just awesome...I can't wait to see how you tie them into outfits.

I'll pop in again later, but just have to say KILLER do. I absolutely LOVE it! My goodness! So fab.

Chopping off your hair can be risky but this was definitely a success!

and great finds! I think my favorite is the microcheck pants and I love the blazer. Where is it from?!

Your hair looks amazing and all of your outfits are amazing too. The sandals fit the shape of your feet perfectly! I love that.

Ele, don't you look smashing?! That haircut suits you to the T. And goes superbly with all your new fab acquisitions.

Your haircut is awesome! Totally suits your face and I love how it looks with your glasses frames. Great buys, too! Love the microchecks on you.

So good! The haircut is gorgeous and all your purchases seem like perfect NYC souveniors.

Ele, I'm going to steal Angie's words: I'm in orbit about your awesome haircut!!! You look incredible!!!

Congrats on your purchases, too. I especially like how the long tops look with skinnies.

FABULOUS haircut! I'm telling all my curly-headed friends about this place.

Love the purchases too! I'm jealous of the MC pants. I want to join the club but I do not qualify yet. I flatter myself to assume we are around the same size--if you don't mind my asking, what size did you get the Club Monaco pants in? I hear they run small and I am getting more and more tempted to make the pilgrimage out there and look for them.

From one curly girl to another - FAB! Is it hard to style? Did they recommend particular products? (I think mine is a bit frizzier and maybe has a tighter curl than yours, but I'm always looking for great products for curly hair.)

Ladies, thank you all SO much for your kind words about my haircut. I'm really happy with it, myself, but reading your comments is a great validation all the same.

Laura- The jacket is from Topshop, I think I got it last October. It was made by my old company so I got it at cost ;) It's one of those cropped in the back, shaped in the front, buttonless numbers. I do love the fit of it but am never sure how to wear it, as the lack of closure always makes me feel so "boxy". Glad to know that it doesn't look like that.

San-Thanks for the comment about my gladiators! They were probably the thing I was the least sure about (very edgy for me), so it's good to know that I can pull them off. It's funny that you say they work on my feet; I was going to take a real close-up but decided to spare you ladies that heinous sight ;)

Maya, I just missed your comment. I got the microchecks in a 2: originally they didn't have any in that size on the sale rack, so I grabbed a 0 and a 4 to try on. The 0 were perfect on the waist but really tight over my thighs- I could get them on easily due to the gorgeous, soft fabric, but I looked like a bit of a hooch ;) The 4 were, predictably, huge on the waist. I was really disappointed but the sales guy went downstairs for me and came back with a 2, and he said they had loads more sizes in the stockroom. This was the SoHo location right on Broadway, so it's probably worth you checking it out!

Tara, thanks! Yes, Devachan pushes its own brand of products, called Devacurl. I didn't buy any as they were a little pricey for me, and by the time my haircut was done I was running a bit late anyway. The cut is really easy to style, though. Have you read the Curly Girl book by Lorraine Massey? She is the woman who started Devachan and has a lot of theories about how to care for curly hair. I started using her routine about 2 years ago, and since then my hair has been much softer and far less frizzy.

Here's the book:
http://www.amazon.com/Curly-Gi.....#38;sr=8-1

You look amazing in all of your new things. I hope you feel as great as you look. You should have loads of confidence. The gladiators are not at all to edgey for you. You wear all of these things so well. You have great taste.

Wow thanks for that bit of inside info Ele. I think I'm sold :) I'll try to get out there this weekend.

I’m back and had a squizz at your goodies. SO FAB! Love them all and you look wonderful! We are MC pants twins – with many, many YLF siblings. Which was your favourite purchase?

I don't mean to hijack the thread but...why did you leave the fashion industry? It sounds like you had a coveted job in a field that seems difficult to break into? Did something else draw you away? I'm curious!

Well done...the hair looks great and everything you bought looks wonderful. How fun to go shopping like that!!

Your haircut is absolutely amazing. Love it, love it, love it! You look awesome in skinny jeans too. Overall, as far as I can see, you look awesome in everything. :)

San- I just wanted to thank you for your comments, they really made my day yesterday. I probably spend far too much time comparing myself to others, being nervous about trying things that I should maybe just go for. That's what I love about this place- it's such a self-esteem booster.

Angie- Yay, pant twins! I think my favourite purchases are the microchecks and the gladiators, because both of those are something new and different for me. Both jeans are nice to have, but really they're just filling wardrobe holes, and replacing very similar items that I'd worn out. Necessary, but not very exciting. The top I really like too, and I'm realizing that the gathered shape is becoming a new favourite of mine- this is the third one like it to enter my wardrobe this year!

LauraN-Wow, that is a doozie of a question. I'll try to answer it without breaking into a rant;) Basically, I left the fashion industry because my last role was not very creative (I was working on the production side in my last company, though I've worked on the design side before), and as a result I was getting very depressed.

Of course I could have just stayed on until I found something new, but the fashion industry in London is very stagnant right now. As you said, very hard to break into, but equally hard to move around in once you're in. There are fewer jobs every year, and every year more universities add fashion programs to their curriculums, meaning more qualified applicants. An entry-level design job in this city can have literally hundreds of applicants in a single day. I was looking for a better job for a year before I quit my old one. In the end, I realised that, as a foreigner who went to an unknown (here) school, who worked for companies that most recruiters had never heard of, I was out of my depth. I know it wasn't my work/portfolio that let me down, so I'm not ashamed, but it just wasn't happening.

There were other reasons, too. By nature I am very entrepreneurial-minded, and I confess that I don't actually love working 9 to 5 for "the man", if you will. I think that actually made leaving the industry easier, as I know it's not permanent- I'll be back someday, but on my own terms. One day (when I move home to Canada) I plan to either start my own line, or open a shop. Also, while I wasn't being creative in my job, I developed other creative hobbies. I'm a huge foodie and now write three food blogs, and my boyfriend and I have been talking about starting up a small print collective, too.

Well, look that that- I've ranted! Ooops :)

well that makes sense. I understand being in a situation where you are working in an interesting field but the specific job isn't so fulfilling. I admire your "risk" taking! I think most people are scared to go for what they want and would be surprised at the real possibilities out there...very cool!!

Wow Ele. LOVE your haircut and LOVE all your new clothes. Simply cannot pic a favourite!!! Wish I had checked out that salon when I was in NYC - next time maybe :)

All you lovely lasses are now giving me CM microcheck remorse. I wish I had gotten them too now! I might have to start hoping some appear on ebay!!! Any potential CM eBay entrepreneurs here? :)

I already checked myself Tam! Couldn't find them :( I'm also keeping an eye out for those Anthropologie ones!

Doh Maya!!!! If in your search you happen to see a pair of size 10 CM ones I would be more than happy to take them off your hands though!!! :)

Killer haircut. I just got mine cut yesterday too and I am loving short hair and all the creative fun you can have with it. I love your jeans and MC's. Way to go!

I love your new haircut! Great new purchases, enjoy!

Ele - thanks for reminding about that book! I had forgotten about the whole "paper towel" thing. I tried it today, and I also tried lifting the top in front with clips - and I really like how it turned out. The thing that makes a huge difference for me is letting it dry and NOT TOUCHING IT. AT ALL. Wow. It really makes the curls defined and not frizzy.

I'm actually letting mine grow out a little bit, after having it short for a while. I like it better on me when it's around chin length.a I might try to find a salon here in Los Angeles that specializes in curly hair. I think there are two are supposed to be good. (I just wish they weren't so expensive.)

All your purchases are absolutely fab and you look great in them! Love your new cut too! I really like the way you are wearing the microcheck pants with what looks like a heel, they look awesome! You look wonderful! Thanks for sharing your trip details with us. :)

Tara what is the paper towel trick??