Glossy Box, Birch Box, Beauty Box

With so many beauty and skincare products out there, who knows what to try? I'm an avid user of MakeupAlley.com where people post reviews about products, but reading reviews can only go so far. Sometimes you just have to bite the bullet and try the products itself.

I've signed up for Birch Box before, where it's $10 a month per subscription. In the box is usually about 4-5 products ranging from nail polish to lipstick to skincare to haircare. Basically any beauty item. I had a subscription for several months before I just realized that I just didn't care for any of the selected items each month. It was kind of disappointing to be honest, even at a mere $10 loss. I could put that money toward food, you know?

Until last month, I wasn't ready to try any more beauty box subscriptions, but Glossybox kept enticing me with deluxe samples of products from lines I genuinely really wanted to try. So I signed up. At $21 a month, it's not as easy to drop money as it was for Birch Box, but the samples are bigger and I found that a lot of the brands were familiar.

Glossy Box shoots you an email when it's about to be shipped and provides you with a tracking number. They ship via USPS and the box came within 3-5 days for me.

In March's box were five items (there are always five):

1. Sisley Paris Black Rose Cream Mask (0.38oz, full size 2.1oz at $158)
2. nails inc. Baker Street Nail Polish (0.13oz, full size 0.34 at $9.50)
3. Alex and Ani Scent 7 Body Mist (3.4 oz at $18, full size included in box)
4. Alex and Ani Swan Charm Bangle (priced at $28)
5. Alterna Professional Haircare BAMBOO Luminous Shine Mist (full size 4oz at $24.00)
6. Jelly Pong Pong Lip Blush in Marshmallow Pink (full size $20)

I've only been able to try the body mist, the nail polish, and the lip blush; of those, I only liked the nail polish out of all of them. The mist has sort of a strong and masculine scent that's hard for me to wear since I prefer more lighter and floral scents, so I don't think one will be a keeper. The lip blush is extreme baby pink, which is a shade that is very difficult for me to wear. I tend to gravitate towards more natural lip tones or reds, but never light pinks, so that will likely be tossed as well.

The bangle is a nice gift, and itself pays for the entirety of the box if you think of it that way, but silver tones do not flatter my skin tone as much as gold does, but I'll probably keep it and wear it out from time to time.

All in all though, I think I'd probably try out one or two more months of GlossyBox before I make the decision to cease my subscription. I've seen pretty good boxes previously so I'm holding out hope.

What beauty boxes have you tried, if any?

Welcome Back, Welcome Back, Welcome Back

You guys, I think I can probably speak for all of us at WC, but it feels pretty good to come back! It's been a long hiatus thanks to Adult Life, but hopefully that's the end of that. Unfortunately, I don't get to return with an enthralling post thanks to my wisdom tooth rearing its ugly head. For the past week, I've been popping Advils upon Advils for the amount of unbearable pain I've been having with it. It's severely impacted (coming in completely sideways!) and has actually given me a few issues for the past two years so I'm finally extracting it tomorrow morning. But thanks to the pain, I haven't been doing anything worthy of a post except for reading many books while I lay in bed hating life. So begins a quick book review!

Eleanor & Park

Office Wear

I began working at a new job a little over a month ago, and instead of doing ABA therapy with children, I now basically sit at a cubicle all day. If you can believe it though, I am so much happier. It has really been a long time coming and I had a lot of reservations about leaving a profession in which I helped (and would continue to) so many children and their families, but I did it for SIX years and so I think that I've done enough good for my own individual lifetime.

In any case, I wasn't able to wear much of my "nicer" clothing because I didn't want to get it ruined by playdoh, vomit, or whathaveyou. Or I didn't want it to get ripped or torn by any accidental grabbing from my clients. Or I needed to be able to get up at a moment's notice to grab my client from running off or I needed to be comfortable. So I kept it to basic tees, jeans, and sometimes the occasional yoga pants. 

Now that I'm in an office environment, I can really wear all the things I've wanted to wear. My office is a lot more lax though (jeans and tees and sneakers), but my usual style has always been more than a tee and jeans and gravitate towards blouses, cardigans, blazers, and dressier denim, or trousers.

Here are some of my favorite staples for the office:

American Eagle skinny trousers // JBrand black denim skinnies

You really can't go wrong with the perfect trousers or denim and black is versatile for any and every outfit you could put together. I know not everyone likes skinnies or a more slimmer cut, but I think it looks "neater" and cleaner put. Though if I don't feel like it, I'll sometimes wear my one pair that's more of a slimmer bootcut.

Interview Feature: Christina Roberson

Meet Christina Roberson, a makeup artist and hair stylist located in Southern California (Orange County and Los Angeles). I'm really excited to feature her on Within Color because she is one of few who aren't afraid to step outside the box and be adventurous. I am in awe of her incredible talent and spirit and am so ecstatic that she's graced us with this fantastic interview. 

1. What made you want to be a makeup artist? What is it about makeup that you love?
As a child, I wanted to be an artist. I'm thankful that my parents saw my talents at a young age and pushed me into the arts -- I attended art hakwons growing up in Korea and my parents always provided me with tools and supplies for whatever I wanted to create. As I got into my teen years, I became obsessed with fashion magazines. I would save my lunch money to be able to buy four or five magazines at a time, keeping at least one or two in my schoolbag at all times. I was so intrigued at how these were the same models over and over again..yet they looked completely different each time. As I got older, I realized that for the everyday person, makeup could make a difference in self-esteem and confidence, which seemed to be a factor that determined acceptance or rejection in our society. So though I was originally influenced by fashion models, I wanted to be a makeup artist for the everyday person; the woman who doesn't have time for herself because she's too busy taking care of everyone and everything else, the man with skin insecurities who wishes it wasn't stigmatized for males to wear foundation, the boy who wants to dress up and feel glamorous.

Cultural Appropriation, Part Two.

X

Here on Within Color, we've had so many discussions on cultural appropriation (see two great posts from Alicia and Vivian here), but it's still an issue that is easily overlooked or forgotten by many and even some of us POC due to the bastardization of ethnic prints, styles, and patterns by large and popular corporate stores (even smaller local boutiques)! It's a slippery slope in which it leads to thinking, "Well, it must be okay! Forever 21 and Asos do it!" Except it's not. There's still so much confusion about it, so the purpose of this post is to just hopefully clear the clouds on it a little more.

I currently subscribe to Who What Wear, an online fashion and beauty magazine that sends out daily newsletters touching on beauty looks, products, celebrity outfits, street styles, trends, etc. Created by two white women, it is as you would expect, not inclusive and inconsiderate of culture, ethnicity, and race. While I enjoy WWW from time to time, it's why I love WC and why contributor Michelle created it. Not to toot our own horn here, because while we have made mistakes, we do try incredibly hard to be respectful of all cultures and ethnicities and races and to keep our own privileges in check. And in cases where we haven't, we have owned up to our misgivings and mistakes without excuses. There are so many blogs out there who put fashion as their first priority without thinking of the implications of their choices, while we strive to put inclusivity and respect as our first priority above all else, even as a fashion and beauty blog. What I like to think makes us different is that we keep conscious of race, culture, and ethnicity in mind in all of our posts.

Timeless Black + White

Hi friends! I hope you all had a wonderful and safe 4th of July! I'm not required to work on holidays, but I have to make up my sessions if I choose not to, and in the past, I chose to work because I didn't want to deal with make up hours, but recently, I realized it just wasn't worth it. Everyone's out having fun while I'm at work? No thanks. So this year, I got to "sleep in" and enjoy a much needed and relaxing day off at the beach with my SO and his family. And it was worth it.

I've been working 6 day work weeks (Monday to Saturday) for months now, so I'm more than burnt out, which is why I'm on vacation as of 4:00pm yesterday. I have never deserved a break more than I ever have right now. As soon as I was officially off work, I was literally shaking and crying.

Before I left though, I wanted to do a quick outfit post. Fellow WC contributor Michelle has this same crossover top that everyone fell in love with on a previous Instagram post and I miraculously have it as well. That's such an apt word to use because she got hers at a Forever 21 years ago! And by some magical miracle, I found the same top miles and years away in a whole other boutique. It is definitely one of my favorite tops that I'm going to be in love with for years. Linh also recently made a post here about crossover tops and where you can purchase affordable ones!

Top: Local boutique // Pants: American Eagle // Wedges: Target

Necklaces: Forever 21 and local boutique // Watch: Fossil

I'm currently streamlining my closet into more pieces I love, even if it ends up being a very small collection, and this top is definitely one of my most prized. It's such a classic and timeless piece that I'll wear for years to come, barring no accidents!

Do you have any pieces in your closet that you consider to be classic? Or pieces you've been obsessed with lately? Show us in the comments or submit an email!

Summer Skin

Wow, the weather in So Cal is kind of going bonkers lately. Last week was pretty cloudy, nothing more than mid 70s. But this week has been 85° and above. I've said countless times that 80-85° are my ideal temperatures, but that doesn't mean I'm still stylish (not that I'm ever though, to be honest) in any way. All I want to wear in hot weather are breezy dresses, short skirts, shorts, and anything without sleeves. Which means I probably show more skin than I should, oops.

During an outing with a client, I actually got the backs of my shoulders sunburnt. It's not as bad as previous sunburns I've gotten, but it's red and still pretty sensitive to anything grazing the area, so I need to stick to tanks for the next few days. Despite summer being my favorite season, I am actually really afraid of the sun. I'm a copious sunblock user, especially on my face, but only because I care more about not having wrinkles and looking like I'm 70 when I'm not even remotely close to that at all, rather than skin cancer. Which I also don't want. But having plump and supple skin is my priority.

Top & skirt: Forever 21 // Sandals (which you can't see): Zara

It's probably hard to see here, but I just recently started parting my hair in the center! It's kind of amazing, and a lot less annoying. I always had to worry about how my bangs looked-- whether or not they "fell" the right way, if they looked oily, having to trim them every few months (and in those months, having to deal with accidentally trimming them too short), etc. But now that I part in the center, I don't ever have to fix them as often as I used to and I don't need to worry about them ever. The only problem is waiting for my bangs to grow out. And one of the main reasons that I'm actually confident without bangs is thanks to the Brow Wiz. Again, I seriously cannot speak any more highly of it than I already have. I have brows that look related!

What do your summer outfits consist of? How do you beat the heat and still manage to look stylish and put together? Do you have any staple pieces you turn to?

Current Favorites

Since beauty is one of my many favorite topics, I wanted to share some of my current favorite items with you all! I love seeing "favorites" from other bloggers and seeing what they personally love from month to month so I thought it would be fun to share my own.

I limited it to five items so I could keep it short and sweet. And these are current favorites only, I'll have a future post going into more detail about my Holy Grail products. But for now, these are items that I'm just incredibly obsessed over these past few weeks.

(Source)

1. NYX Butter Lip Gloss in Peach Cobbler
I know. It's 2013. Who still wears lip gloss nowadays? This girl. Like many others, I can't stand sticky lip glosses, or especially shiny ones. But there are those rare few out there that don't cause either, and this is one of them. It also smells divine. Remember fellow contributor Michelle's post about Rimmel 109, and the amazing fruity scent it held? The same goes for this gloss; and they're all very aptly named after desserts. Staying power leaves a little room to be desired, but let us remember it is a gloss, and I actually am okay with it fading faster than expected because it tends to leave a light color stain after it fades. Their description says "melts on your lips" and that is most definitely true-- after a few seconds, it becomes less like a gloss, and more like a shiny balm. At $4.99 USD each at Ulta stores, with 12 shades, it is definitely worth it. I'm wearing Peach Cobbler in the picture below, which is a little more red than peach, but I am 100% happy.

(Reverse) Glitter Gradient Nails Tutorial

There are a lot of (reverse) gradient tutorials out there, and I'm sure a lot of you have gotten it down to an artform. But not all, and so I thought that WC should have its own tutorial as well!

This was also something I used to do a lot, but then I got really tired of that extra hassle of removing the glitter, even if it's quicker with the foil method, which I'll explain after. Regardless, it's a forever favorite and it's extremely fast and easy (literally, I did this one in about 5 minutes), and fool proof because if you happen to mess up, you can just cover your entire nail with glitter and no one would ever know your original intent.

Holy giant fingers, batman.

Countdown

Happy June! Wow, I really can't believe it. New Year's Eve feels like it was yesterday, and 2007 feels like it was just last year instead of 6 years ago. Time flies, and even more so as you get older, I feel. It actually really depresses me.

It was a pretty tough week at work, and the last two days were especially difficult. In case you haven't read my bio, I'm a behavioral therapist for children with autism, on the spectrum, or with Pervasive Developmental Disorder-Not Otherwise Specified (better known as PDD). It is not a career for me, and I don't intend to continue with it as one, so it's just a job. One I've been doing for a little over 5 years, and one that exhausts me every single day.

I love being a part of progress, and I love helping children (especially the little ones for early intervention), but despite how used to tantrums, crying, and screaming I am, it takes a huge toll on you. The last few days were especially high in the frequency and intensity of these behaviors so I'm a little low on the energy to write anything Serious. I also had a little small, but recurrent, realization that I'm just not where I had envisioned myself with regards to finance, career, and marriage at 27. It's a thought that always lingers at the back of my mind, and when I have tough weeks or days, it's quick to surface. I think it's something that I'll never be able to reconcile, a life I envisioned with what life really is now and as I get older, it's something that grows more and more impossible to do.

May Reflections

Banana Republic cardigan // American Apparel dress // Bakers boots // Forever 21 clutch and necklace

Happy Memorial Day weekend, friends! I still have to work on Sunday and Monday (seriously not happy about it, but I need the dough), but it's the first Saturday I'm not working so I'm actually gonna head out to a strawberry festival here! But first, a post!

The second I publish my post, I try to start generating ideas for my next one, but more often than not, it ends up that I'm on the computer late Friday night busting out ideas after ideas that get trashed, literally. I've been trying really hard to think of more "substantial" posts now because I don't have that many clothes to do OOTDs. I love all our other contributors' fashion posts though because I enjoy seeing others' styles and how they may pair colors, prints, and styles that I probably would never think to, but my own clothes actually bore me. I'm in the midst of revamping my wardrobe as well, so it's difficult to generate a lot of WIWTs/OOTDs when I'm unhappy with 80% of my closet items.

And I definitely am not stating that we should be more than that, we can be, but let us not forget that we are first and foremost a fashion and beauty blog! It's okay to not have serious posts (we strive to though!). And I don't always prefer a consistently serious blog anyway-- my job demands a lot of my energy, so at the end of the day, I'm exhausted, and I just want to see something pretty, as I'm sure a lot of you do too!

See you all in June, when I post next! Have an amazing and wonderful weekend! :)

Cultural Cuisines

Summer's coming, and for most of us, it might already feel like it's here. I went down to San Diego last weekend, and the high was 95 that day! Unbelievable. The latter of this week has been cool mid 70s (still below my ideal temperature though), but the beginning of this week was almost unbearable at mid 90s. I like warm, but not that warm. For some reason which is unbeknownst to me, my family loves eating Phở, bún riêu, and bánh canh cua, as well as other types of noodle soups in the summer, on the hottest days of the year. We'll all sweat furiously, but we'll do it while enjoying the hell out of our dishes.

I love many types of foods, so I am a never ending eating machine, but I love Vietnamese cuisine the best. For me, nothing compares, and nothing tops homemade Vietnamese food.

Top left: Phở; Top right: Wonton noodle soup

Bottom left: Chow mein with crispy shelled shrimp; Bottom right: Cơm tấm

Now that I no longer live at home, I crave home cooked meals everyday. I miss rice, soup before or after my meals, dishes beautifully prepared with years of knowledge and experience and no need for measuring cups/spoons.

More Polka Dots

My SO and I usually eat out one night a week, which I enjoy because it's like 1. Date Night (which doesn't really happen anymore once you start living together, at least for us) and 2. we don't have to think about what to make for dinner, which I hate because it's such a process. What protein should we eat? What sides, if any? How time consuming is it? How much energy do I have left at the end of today to actually cook?

I wish you could see the front of this clutch, but I get so flustered sometimes when he takes pictures of me because I'm so focused on looking good and perfect that I forget about the other little details. And the only reason I get flustered when he takes pictures is because no matter what, every picture he takes, I look awful. He has a knack for it, I swear.

These are also the famous wedges some of WC owns (item #10 or so that most of us owns). They're insanely comfortable and easy to walk in, true to the nature of many wedges. And since they're dual colored, they'll go with so many outfits and color pairings!

H&M dress // Free People bralette // Target wedges (see Michelle's post for alternatives) // Forever 21 clutch

While out though, I noticed a few lingering stares towards my SO and I. It could be for numerous reasons: they saw him taking photos of me; our dichotomous styles (he was in flip flops, a thermal, and ripped jeans); or these wedges ended up making us equal heights. I'm kind of reaching with that last one, but it's at the benefit of giving those people the doubt. But, I genuinely think it's because we are an interracial couple. I think about this all the time, and I reason that the looks I get when I am out with him is because we are two different races. We live in a predominately white city (2010 statistics via Wikipedia state 50.5% white), so I'm inclined to trust my own instincts.

Racialicious has a short but descriptive true life tale of that 'hate stare,' except for me, it isn't stares from other people of color, but from white people. What strangers think of me, especially white strangers, is rarely a thing I worry or think about, but sometimes I can't help it, and I wonder if they're judging us (me, mostly) for dating outside our race, assuming we think our own respective races aren't good enough, potentially having sexual fetishes ("yellow fever"), etc. I can't disregard any semblance of guilt I feel. It's something I continuously work on though because I don't feel apologetic nor should I feel that way towards these people for my relationship. It is mine and my own and none of their business.

What have your experiences been like with interracial dating, and dating as a whole? I think it would also be helpful to talk about platonic interracial relationships too.

Holy Grail

Hi friends. Unfortunately, I've been sick all week with the Worst sore throat known to mankind. I literally felt (and still feel) like I'm swallowing knives. It's a lot more bearable now, but my throat and voice still need a lot of rest. Since I was sick, I also wasn't looking my best nor did I want to take the effort to look my best for blog photos. So, here is a quick review post on one item I'm really loving these days!

Source: Sephora.com

My eyebrows have always been one of my biggest problems with myself. Thanks to over tweezing in my youth, my left eyebrow has become sparse and a complete stranger compared to my right eyebrow (which is my favorite). I felt really embarrassed by them and it honestly lowered my self esteem. For years, I had been using Smashbox Brow Tech (in Brunette), and while it had helped darken my eyebrows, it didn't do much for the shape of it. But I recently watched this video from Hey Claire, and she recommended Anastasia Beverly Hills Brow Wiz. That video, and this product, is literally a life changer. I hardly ever pinned my hair back because of how starkly different my two eyebrows were, but now that they actually look like they're sisters, I have no problems pinning my bangs back anymore and I feel a lot better about myself.

It is a dual ended mechanical pencil with an ultra-fine and retractable tip on one end and a spoolie on the other. Unlike most other spoolies, this one is actually pretty durable. I never feel like it's too delicate. The pencil transfers color soft and easily with a light hand, and a more intense color if you enable a heavier hand. Going from a powder formula and a brush to a pencil, I did have to practice a little bit, but once I got the hang of it, the price ($21) was more than worth it. I bought Brunette, but I easily could use Soft Brown as well, maybe even Medium Ash, and depending on how dark you like your brows, you could probably go for the shade matching, above, or below the color of your hair. It offers 6 shades to choose from, which is more than most others I've seen. It does tend to smear a little bit, but I carry it around with me (its shape is so purse friendly) that it won't matter and I can just reapply. It doesn't smear enough that it looks 'off' and I have napped with it on and have woken up to still intact eyebrows.

Here is an image of my brows before and my brows after. I still have a little way to go before I get my perfect brow shape and size, but I'm already so immensely happy with this product. It has really done wonders for my self esteem and I really wanted to share it with the world and you guys! This is definitely a "holy grail" product.

What are some of yours? What products can't you live without?

Petty Stripes

If you follow me on Instagram, I kind of unintentionally spoiled this post for you, but here it is in its full glory! Clearly, I'm still loving these Petty boots. The more I wear them, the more I love them! And the more they're worth the pretty penny they are. I'm still mentally putting together a bunch of outfits with them, so there might be many future outfit posts including them. But I think that's okay since we're all real people and a bunch of us tend to cycle things in phases. I also think it's refreshingly relatable to see bloggers re-wear things, don't you?

This top is actually one of my favorite Forever 21 finds. It wasn't cheap as far as tops run, although to be honest, I think anything there above $17.80 (also, what's with the weird, arbitrary cents?) is way too expensive. But then again, in their defense, my spending perspective is completely skewed. I'll spend $100 on shoes without much remorse, but feel horrible walking out the door having spent $50 on much needed groceries. That's a whole other story. Anyway, I really love how the stripes aren't perfect lines--they're a little wavy and messy, and I feel like it adds another dimension to the timeless striped tee.

Forever 21 top & belt / JBrand jeans / Sam Edelman boots / Nixon watch

Here's Mako in another cameo. I'm truly sorry about his butt. He had a procedure done a month ago and they had to remove some of his fur so it's still in the process of growing back. He's fine now though. Except he still thinks that tack is a bug.

My Wardrobe & I

Forever 21 jacket and dress / Sam Edelman boots / Urban Outfitters belt

I haven't bought many clothes lately, which I'm sure my wallet and bank account find satisfying, but it's because every time I try (which is a lot, to be quite honest), they never seem to pass my questions. Is this worth the money; would I rather keep my money or have this item? Is this a classic piece, will I love it six months from now? A year from now? Is this something that everyone needs to have in their wardrobe? Can I wear this with at least 4-5 outfits? If it is on sale/at a discount, would I pay full price for it? If it isn't a yes to all of those questions, I (try to) put it back. As I get older, I find myself needing to have a more curated closet and streamlined style, with more investment pieces. No more: (1) purchasing things just because they were on sale! and/or (2) buying because it's trendy. I've even purged my closet full of things that don't answer those questions either, which is difficult because it brings forth the realization that those items were a waste of money, but now that I'm trying to control my closet better, no longer will I have to purge half of it! Do any of you feel the same way? What do you find are necessary wardrobe items?

In an effort to stay true to my test, I just purchased these boots last weekend. I hemmed and hawed for a while, and thanks to Michelle (who also has them, as does Rae), I bit the bullet and bought them. And they definitely answer all my questions and then some.

Stepping Out

This outfit is a little bit outside of my comfort zone, or what I tend to gravitate toward usually, but lately I've been a little bored with my closet so I decided to just branch out a little and try something new. I remember buying this button up, and I had extreme buyer's remorse (per usual), but it's been such a definite "worth it" purchase. I'm definitely interested in a lot more button ups now, and have been for a while, but like all simple things, the perfect ones are either so difficult to find or will force me to eat Top Ramen for months! Feel free to direct me to any favorites (structured and unstructured) you might have in the comments below! :)

American Eagle button up / Target skirt / Lucky Brand boots / Nixon watch / Forever 21 necklace

Hello Spring!

It is officially Spring, you guys! You have no idea how happy this makes me, because it means we're closer to summer, and those last few days of spring heading into summer are some of my favorite days.

 Forever 21 top and shorts / H&M belt (from another dress) / Zara sandals / House of Harlow 1960 necklace

Another outfit that doesn't include black? Shocking. I know that it doesn't seem like it from previous posts, but much (I would say 85%) of my closet consists of black clothing. My boyfriend was even surprised I pulled out this outfit and said, "All you have is black, we need to get you more color." But this is a celebratory outfit to welcome Spring and say goodbye to Winter! Also, Mako says hello! He thought the tack for one of our picture frames was a bug and unintentionally made a cameo. I love when pets accidentally (or not) make an appearance into photos!

Summer Wishin'

It's been much warmer lately in Southern California, this weekend included (today's high is 68°, my ideal temperature is actually between 75°-85°). I personally can't stand winter, though let's be honest, us residents of SoCal don't really have real winters or even real seasons at all. All those coats and bulky sweaters, those unbearable dry and cracked hands, just irritate me to no end. I can never endure cold weather for too long without yearning for warm summer days. I'm a summer girl through and through: I prefer bare legs to tights; shorts, skirts, and dresses to pants; and sandals to boots.

Forever 21 top and skirt / Madewell wedges / Nixon watch / Nastygal necklace

Those Madewell wedges are one of my favorite shoes, and I can't believe I snatched them up at half the price. They're not too tall, as I'm 5'7", but tall enough to where I won't tower over everyone, and still completely comfortable enough to walk around for hours. As I post more in WC, you'll find that I gravitate towards black/dark clothing, but today is one of those exceptions. Sometimes I just want to step outside of my comfort zone!

Black & Leopard

LC Lauren Conrad top / J Brand jeans / LC Lauren Conrad flats / Fossil watch / House of Harlow 1960 arrow bracelet / Forever 21 bracelet

Before anyone laughs at me, that top and those shoes are the only Lauren Conrad items I own. I'm not sure what it is so off about her designs for the Kohl line though, because her Paper Crown line is generally pretty damn good, if not a bit trendy and very clearly based off her own personal style. I've gone into Kohl's often for home goods and furnishings, so I'll browse her clothes, but it usually ends up where I'll pick up a top, consider it decent, and then it's ruined by some strange lace detail or an extremely disproportionate hem line. This top actually has one but through some strange miracle, you can't notice it in these pictures.

Now that I'm done ranting, hi and welcome to Within Color! In case you haven't browsed the Contributors' page yet, I'm Jen! I'm pretty sure I can speak for the rest of us when I say we're all really excited to see where this blog will go. I'm actually also scared, but I always tell myself to do one thing that scares me everyday and this is it! I'm off to go bowling now, have a great weekend!