When we heard Blow+Bar would open a second Beijing location in Shunyi we could not hide our excitement. Beijingkids felt the need to pamper a Shunyi mother. We traveled on a blue sky clean air day to the new salon and met with Jess Qualls, a full-time mother of two. We got excited that she took her baby for the day, and we’re honored with many baby cuddles while mom got her hair done. Qualls never had her hair colored so it was a bit of a change for her, but we kept her locks safe. She got a hip balayage blond and a sharp cut with bags while keeping her hair long. We went over the top with makeup as it’s the season, and it felt like a perfect fit for the vintage pieces Krista McGowan brought along.
McGowan owns Vintage in Beijing, Vintage in Beijing is a highly-curated vintage pop-up boutique. McGowan focuses on timeless fashion from the 1950s and 1960s and finds beauty in pieces that were once loved by another. She brought along two amazing skirts that suited Qualls perfect, as a mother Qualls does not twirl a lot, but these skirts made her do just that.
We dressed up this vintage fashion with some jewelry designed by Friends that Rhyme. We found this new brand on one of the many markets Beijing has to offer. Their necklaces and clutches caught our eyes and we had to add them to our dress up party.
These two ladies are trailing spouses and this little rhyme they provide you with when you purchase something explains it all:
“ Fate has a funny way of bringing people together. Such was the case with us: Sabine and Nadine. Following our smart, charming, and self-admittedly balding husbands into expat life, we pressed pause on our careers and seized the opportunity to chase adventure in China. Rooted in survival and fertilized by commonalities, our friendship grew.”
We won’t spoil the ending of the rhyme, you will just have to buy one of their pieces. But we can tell you it ends well.
So did the day of pampering in Beijing: a great new salon in Shunyi, harbored four trailing spouses, one photographer, and a great assistant for a sunny day. One mother came out looking like a princess.
Get This Look
– Jewels by Friends that Rhyme (WeChat: 13717509202)
– Vintage Clothing by Vintage in Beijing (WeChat: kmcgowan77)
– Hair: Blow+Bar Shunyi
Photos: Uni You
This article appeared on p14-15 of beijingkids December 2017 issue.
