Really? Only positive expectations in a world that seems to be spinning completely out of control? Where pandemic, economic distress, and violence appear to be the order of our days?

Yes. Hope. Whether you define hope as the dictionary does, “the feeling that what is wanted can be had or that events will turn out for the best,” or as “Have Only Positive Expectations,” where hope is absolutely essential.

H.O.P.E. is the only thing that can lift our hearts and minds out of the despair that often spells an end to innovation and progress and to movement forward. Hope is precisely what we need to restore our world to health, be it physical, mental, or emotional.

Defining Hope

The advantage to defining hope as “Have Only Positive Expectations” is that it gives us a practical application of what can be an otherwise amorphous experience. It is, after all, easier to come up with a thought than it is to generate a feeling. You can come up with a positive expectation without having to feel it.

For example, I can have a positive expectation that my efforts to maintain good health during the Covid pandemic by wearing a mask, hand-washing, and maintaining social distance will be successful, even if my feeling about everything turning out for the best is up one moment and down the next.

Positive Expectations Keep Us Going

Think about it. What if Gwyn Haslock, Britain’s first competitive female surfing champion, had no positive expectations about her ability to become a surfer? Back in the 1960s, there was hardly a woman anywhere who surfed, much less surfed competitively.

But Gwyn had always loved the sea, and when she saw people “walking on water,” as surfers looked to be doing, she wanted to emulate them. She had a positive expectation that she could learn the sport, regardless of her gender, and that with enough practice, she could get good at it.

Given that Gwyn worked fulltime as a typist and could only surf on weekends, she was prepared for it to take her a while. Her positive expectation of success did not diminish.

Sure enough, four short years later, Gwyn made history and became a competitive surfer. Now, at 74, Gwyn is still riding the waves. Now retired, she can surf anytime she wants.

How does Gwyn’s example help us now? Positive expectations are the fuel of optimism, and optimism is what keeps us going during tough times. No matter how badly you may miss being with friends and family “live” and enjoying their hugs and spontaneous interaction, you can still entertain the positive expectation of an enjoyable FaceTime or Skype or Zoom get-together.

You can feel sad and disappointed at not being able to celebrate birthdays or anniversaries at your favorite restaurant, that place you always go to for special events, yet you can still have the positive expectation of creating a special virtual or at-home celebration.

Let Negative Emotions Take a Back Seat

It’s all about giving negative emotions less of your focus so that you can go forward into your day with thoughts that develop into pleasant or more pleasing events. The more you focus on what you can expect deliberately, with positive intent, the less you will let your unhappy emotions drag you down.

Eventually, our world will find its balance again, but in the meantime, let hope/H.O.P.E. be your guide.

Can you describe a hopeful thought that you’ve turned into a positive action? Is being hopeful challenging for you right now? In what ways? How have you turned a negative emotion into a positive experience? Please share with the community!

Heather Gay’s Pink Ombre Dress at Her Party

Real Housewives of Salt Lake City Season 1 Finale Fashion

I first recognized Heather Gay’s pink ombre dress in Vegas when her and Jen Shah were shopping because we’ve seen the brand on SO many Housewives lately whether it’s been this dress in various colors or prints or their bodysuits or tops. And if this style of dress is good enough for Heather, Erika Jayne, Ariana Madix (and more) in addition to being available for under $100 in many prints, you’d better believe it’s good enough for me too.

The Realest Housewife,

Big Blonde Hair

Click Her to Shop her AFRM Shailene Dress in Other Colors

Photos: Bravo TV, @theprettymess @ariana25252

Originally posted at: Heather Gay’s Pink Ombre Dress

The ’70s fashion hair accessory is back—with a modern update. If you often find yourself falling into a rabbit hole on Instagram watching wig videos, you’ve probably seen so-called headband wigs exploding all over your timeline. This type of unit, sometimes referred to as a headband half wig, is made with a piece of material at the wig’s base that mimics a headband.

Headband wigs offer an easy-to-wear option that requires nothing more than your natural hair being slicked back or braided down under. If you’re not a pro at applying wigs, headband wigs are a great option. Not only does it not require any combs, clips or glue, but it also tends to look more natural than lace wigs.

While headband wigs may have seemed to appear out of thin air, making it even harder to decide which type of wig is suited for your needs, it was, in fact, a response to lace production shortages during the beginning of the pandemic. Wig-wearers were having trouble finding quality lace wigs early during the pandemic. Plus, spending more time indoors is all the more reason to find lower maintenance alternatives to help you slay at home.

Headband wigs may have been a response to a temporary hiccup in the wig industry, but the ease of application has won over wig-wearers ranging from novice to expert. It’s safe to say that headband wigs aren’t going anywhere anytime soon. In case you need some help venturing off into the wonderful world, we’ve rounded up some of our favorite wig units to guide you through the process.

Our mission at STYLECASTER is to bring style to the people, and we only feature products we think you’ll love as much as we do. Please note that if you purchase something by clicking on a link within this story, we may receive a small commission of the sale.

Her Given Hair Coily Headband Wig

The company has created a few gorgeous textured headband wigs to channel your natural texture in a matter of minutes. If your wash-and-go typically requires a large chunk of time, having this headband wig at your disposal may come in handy.

UNice Body Wave Headband Human Hair Wig

The glam goddess in you deserves this full-bodied wig available in lengths from 12-28 inches.

Buy: Headband Human Hair Wig $89.20

RPG Show Brown Highlights Yaki Textured Headband Wig

This pink headband wig is just about the easiest way to get trendy highlights.

My First Wig Leo – Zodiac Collection Human Hair Ombre Curly

There’s no doubt in our minds that the Leo-themed headband wig will be a conversation starter, even if it’s just on your weekly Target run.

Clione Kinky Curly Headband Wig

Full is not even the word to describe the volume on this affordable synthetic kinky-curly afro wig. If you’re on the hunt for a statement wig, this is it.

Buy: Curly Headband Wig $25.89

Recifeya Hair Headband Wig

You may not be spending much time poolside or at the beach this year, but that doesn’t mean you wear this water wave textured headbang wig. We recommend keeping keep a spray bottle with water handy to keep this hair texture moisturized and defined.

Buy: Hair Headband Wig $69.99

Ali Pearl Headband Wig

Don’t sleep on short curly wigs. Compared to their longer counterparts, the ringlets are just as beautiful but much more manageable. This particular curly headband wig comes with three headbands and one scarf for you to switch up your look.

Buy: Headband Wig $75.48

Luvme Kinky Straight Headband Wig

If you have type 4 hair, kinky straight wigs are a must for your arsenal. The best thing about kinky straight textured wigs (besides the fact that they mimic straightened natural hair perfectly) is that they’re versatile. You can wear it in its natural kinky/crimped state, straighten it or even pump up the volume by adding curls.

Buy: Kinky Straight Headband Wig $199.90

K’ryssma Headband Wig

This affordable synthetic wig comes with multiple different headband prints so there are endless possibilities.

Buy: Headband Wig $27.77

AOC has been through it this week. The New York congresswoman took to Instagram Live on Monday to recount in harrowing detail what happened on the capitol last month. She revealed personal details about her past trauma, as well as exactly what it took to survive what amounts to be a terrorist attack. It’s worth heading over to watch it. But that’s not what this story is about. This story is about Representative Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez’s favorite vitamin C serum. Is it wrong to talk about skincare during such a difficult time? Nope. Women are multi-dimensional and can care about all these things at the same time. AOC has said so herself.

In an interview with Vogue, Ocasio-Cortez spoke about her everyday beauty routine and the power of self-confidence. “Femininity has power and in politics, there is so much criticism of how women and femme people present themselves,” she said. “Just being a woman is quite politicized here in Washington. There’s this really false idea that if you care about makeup or if your interests are in beauty or fashion, that’s somehow frivolous. I actually think these are some of the most substantive decisions we make and we make them every morning.”

We can want the senators who encouraged the insurrection to be held accountable and still need to know how AOC gets such great skin. As did journalist Lisa Guerrero, so she tweeted the congresswoman to ask “what moisturizer is she using.” Because AOC always our back, she shared a few of her favorites. The best part? They’re all pretty affordable and some of our favorites, too.

To get that glow, AOC says the CeraVe Vitamin C serum is “legit” as she “tried a fancier one before that but it turned orange too fast.”

https://twitter.com/AOC/status/1354824521983913985

Our mission at STYLECASTER is to bring style to the people, and we only feature products we think you’ll love as much as we do. Please note that if you purchase something by clicking on a link within this story, we may receive a small commission of the sale.

Buy: CeraVe Vitamin C $15.69

The congresswoman knows what she’s talking about. This serum is a great choice to help improve skin tone, texture, and hydration, as well as protect the skin with antioxidants. It’s especially stellar for dry skin types as it also has ceramides, hyaluronic acid and vitamin B5 to keep skin moisturized. It’s also fragrance-free for those sensitive to scents.

It seems AOC is a fan of CeraVe (who isn’t?) because she’s also using the brand’s Tinted Sunscreen with SPF 30 ($15.99 at Amazon). It really is one of the best tinted mineral sunscreens, especially for sensitive skin. For a little more coverage that still looks natural, Ocasio-Cortez likes our favorite Ilia Super Serum Skin Tint SPF 40 Foundation ($46 at Sephora). It’s a tinted mineral SPF serum with a dewy finish. (She adds a little powder.)

We’re ready for AOC the beauty influencer any day now—if she ever gets some free time.