I'm Not Really a Surfer.

Working with clients, I always recommend that once you find a basic that works for your style and body type, you should stick with it. It could mean finding the brand of jeans that always fit you off the rack (J Brands for me, they are all I own now), always reaching for that fit-and-flair dress silhouette if you are pear-shaped, or the perfect blouse (love Equipment, see post here) that you buy in ten different colors and patterns. This 'stick with what works for you' rule extends beyond clothes. Right now, I'm talking about hair.

Ombre hair. Balayage. Have you heard of it? This hair trend has been around since it took Hollywood by storm back in 2009. Some trends come and go and some stick around for a while. For me, this is one trend that will stick around for a while, because I can't let it go. Why? Because, I had ombre hair long before ombre hair had its name. It's something that works for me, so I'm sticking with it.

The main characteristic of the ombre effect is hair that is darker at the roots and gets lighter toward the ends. There are several versions of it, from subtle to dramatic, for blondes or brunettes. I have been highlighting my dark brown hair for ten years. While away at college or traveling, as my blonde hair grew out, my roots would be dark and the ends would be light. While living out in Los Angeles, I started seeing some of the top celebrity hair colorists in the business and this is where I learned about ombre hair. Waiting for my appointment with Negin Zand at Sally Hershberger or Lorri Goddard-Clark when she was at Neil George Salon meant dealing with roots. But these skilled artists would intentionally color my hair so that that the time in between appointments only made my hair look better. Low maintenance color they called it. I was in love.

Two years later and I am not ashamed to say that I still am in love with the effect. I don't worry about my roots and I love my dark to light hair because it works for me. I love that it never looks too perfect and that it always balances out my polished outfits. I love that people still mistake me for a California girl even though I've been back in Massachusetts for a year. Today, I will see the talented Michelle Rozopoulos at Philip Ciampa Salon in Andover, MA for my upkeep appointment. I can't wait. She always does an amazing job and is the only person I trust on the east coast with my hair. I've already followed her to three salons and must say she is worth the trip.

Here are some beautiful examples of my favorite hair.

The blondes. (Love that hot pink lipstick Lauren Conrad is wearing! See post here.)

The brunettes.

And something in between.

So, what are your thoughts about ombre hair? Be honest. Love it? Hate it? Over it?

Treat everyday like you are on the runway.