Earthquake Weather

As a kid, I spent a lot of time intricately tying chicken drumsticks to pieces of string attached to crab traps. The San Francisco Municipal Pier at 5am – the bane of my childhood. Some x amount of years later, I’ve since figured out my mom and her brother simply needed my sister and I to be their gateway to illegally harvesting Dungeness crab. Things were more lax then. There was minimal security and the kids at the pier almost always had their own miniature ice chests. If pier patrols were in sight, you can bet we hauled ass to the car, mini ice chest in hand. And if caught, there was that cloyingly sweet believable innocence present. Real clever, mom. To 10 year old me, San Francisco was the city of crabbing, roasted chestnuts, and that damn Palace of Fine Arts and in a way, it still embodies just those things.

Typhoon Haiyan/Yolanda: How You Can Help

Photo: Noel Cells

As many of us are aware by now, Typhoon Haiyan/Yolanda has completely ravaged and devastated the Philippines. Coastal areas of Northern Vietnam suffered losses as well, but was spared the brunt of the storm due to significant weakening by the time it hit landfall. There's been a shocking lack of reactions and news on my various social media outlets outside of those who have family in the affected countries despite the facts: an estimated 2,500 death toll, hundreds of thousands of people evacuated and displaced, the difficulty of aid reaching those in need. Photo after photo, article after article, video after video, the desperation and panic is heartbreaking.

And now the rebuilding process begins. For me, the options on which charities to donate to were a bit overwhelming. Although most of us are well-meaning, it's easy to overlook how charities allocate their funds (some more than others) or the incredible amount of inappropriate donations (ie: old clothing, toys, used medication, etc). It's easy to donate to orgs such as the Red Cross, Salvation Army, Unicef, and other well known names, but I think it's crucial to also give thought and funds to the local organizations who know the area, who know the people, who have been a part of the community from the beginning. 

I've compiled a short list below of both local and well known organizations who are accepting donations and mobilizing. If you are interested in the transparency of whichever group you are donating to, most sites have public finances page for potential donators. Please feel free to leave any additional resources in the comments section and I will promptly add them to this post!

CSFI (Community & Family Services International) - "a humanitarian organization committed to peace and social development, with a particular interest in the psychosocial dimension. The purpose of CFSI is rebuilding lives. Based in the Philippines, CFSI works internationally, primarily but not exclusively in the Asia and Pacific Region."

NAFCON (National Alliance For Filipino Concerns) - "a national multi-issue alliance of Filipino organizations and individuals in the United States serving to protect the rights and welfare of Filipinos by fighting for social, economic, and racial justice and equality / relief and support work for Filipinos facing crisis’ while in the midst of chronically impoverished situations."

MORE: Oxfam America // Asia America Initiative // World Food USA // World Vision

October

top: wafy // bottoms: cynthia rowley x tjmaxx // flats: steve madden x nordstrom rack

For me, shopping now only consists of two questions , "Is this work appropriate?" and "Will I care if this gets ruined by grease and salsa stains?" It makes for a pretty bland wardrobe, but it's nice when I find things that easily integrate into my daily style and work style. These ankle length (regular length on me) pants are from TJ Maxx and it seems like there's always a constant rotation of different styles and colors instore. I wish they were more tapered in the knee area, but for $25 bucks, I'll take it. If you need affordable work clothing and live near a TJ's, check it regularly! I've been noticing a lot of brands like James Perse, Lucky Brand, Cloth & Stone, etc recently too!

LBD's and Short Stories

dress: aritzia + babaton // flats: dolce vita 

Introducing my favorite LBD, the Babaton, "Bennett" dress - 100% silky goodness. When I lived in Vancouver, every 20 something year old girl I passed on the street seemed to be adorned in Aritzia - TNA leggings, that perfect olive jacket we all know so well, and Rachel Comey ankle boots. If I could afford it, it'd be my goto place for drapey basics and silk items too, but I'll mostly be window shopping here for like, ever.

On another note, I received Junot Diaz's "Drown" short stories yesterday for my birthday - so perfect! The short stories focus on his early life as a Dominican Republic immigrant in the suburbs of New Jersey and explore issues related to identity, community, and race. Titles include, "How to Date a Browngirl, Blackgirl, Whitegirl, or Halfie" and "Edison, New Jersey", where I lived for a year!! Ok technically it was Highland Park/New Brunswick, but whatever. Yay for central Jersey. If any of you are interested, Diaz has a bunch of appearances coming up soon (mostly East Coast - some in the PNW), more info can be found here. Contributor Carla will also be focusing on more book reviews in her future posts so be sure to check in with us for those!

Since 1851

1 // 2 // 3 // 4 // 5 // 6 // 7 

Sometime early last week, I sent Jen a text about wanting to make a semi-spontaneous Kiehl's haul, but still needed a little convincing. Two hours later, I came home with all this shit. What are friends for if they can't convince you to treat yourself once in a while? Excessive, sure, but well worth it and hell, I deserve it! I say semi-spontaneous because I've been meaning to try more Kiehl's products (outside the Ultra Facial line) and have done lots and lots of research on MakeupAlley, beauty blogs, etc to see which of their specific products would work best with my skin, but I just hadn't gotten around to actually purchasing anything because of time and money.

I've been using Mario Badescu products for years, but I'm not sure my skin was ever actually any better because of them. Still dull and uneven as ever. Along with Mario Badescu's glycolic acid products and a variety of harsh drugstore ones, I was completely stripping my skin of all the good stuff and further aggravating it. Since my skin is combination (regularly moisturizing? pfft) as well as super prone to hyperpigmentation and breakouts, I'm hoping that a more gentle skincare routine will benefit me more than an overload of benzoyl peroxide and glycolic acid.

A week isn't enough time to see major improvements of any sort, but I am loving everything above (OK so the lip balm is glorified vaseline, but it smells really, really good). I am especially loving the Midnight Recovery Concentrate! From the Kiehl's website, "A replenishing elixir of pure essential oils distilled botanicals to visibly restore the appearance of skin by morning" which includes primrose and lavender oils. It leaves my skin ridiculously soft and moisturized in the morning without being an oily mess. Another customer instore bought SIX bottles right before me! Since I work such long hours, this is going to be an essential from now on in my routine. I haven't tried any products from the Rare Earth line prior to these, but I love that Amazonian Clay is a main ingredient. The cleanser provides gentle exfoliation for days I have dry patches and am in need of something stronger than the Ultra Facial cleanser. Oh and that Calendula toner has marigold flower petals in it and smells like ICED TEA! It's also alcohol free and a step above my Mario Badescu glycolic acid toner which more often than not, burned off multiple layers of my skin.

My skin is not perfect by any means and as a South East Asian woman, I suffer more from issues such as hyperpigmentation, scarring, and unevenness. It is a constant battle to find products that work well as a woman of color with problematic skin and a shame that dermatologists aren't easily accessible. I did notice that Kiehl's had a Clearly Corrective line for discoloration and received a few samples of the serum/exfoliator so I'll see where that goes.

Have you tried any Kiehl's products? What are your skincare issues as a WOC? What is your current skincare routine?

Stripes + Polka Dots

Top & Parka: Forever 21 // Bottoms: J. Crew // Flats: Madewell // Bag: Vintage Coach

On any given day in every season but summer, you'll most likely find me in a variation of this outfit. Stripes, polka dots, neutrals, a parka - everyday essentials/all of my favorite things. The valley has been killing me lately with 100+ weather so today's overcast weather is really refreshing and makes breaking out a jacket stupidly exciting. I actually have a backup of the parka because I love it so much and found it for 50% during a start of summer sale. I always tend to buy multiples of the same piece when there are sales or if I just happen to really, really love them. 

I'll definitely be including a few of the pieces above, if not all, in Val's 30 for 30 challenge for the month of July! I've sort of been in a style rut so I think a little challenge like this will encourage me to not repeat the same outfit for 3 days in a row - oops. If you're interested in doing this remix with a few of us, please contact Val/WC at withincolor@gmail.com so we can showcase your outfits alongside us next month!

I also just started working full time and feel pretty fortunate that I have a ton of flexibility when it comes to work attire. Unlike most, I don't necessarily mind business casual environments because my style already reflects that! Drapey blouses, tapered pants, a good pair of flats - I'd gladly wear that outfit 7 days a week. What does your work dress code consist of? Is there a stark difference between your everyday and work style? 

Interview Feature: Maitri

With the continued growth of Within Color, I'm hopin' to regularly feature and interview more women of color artists, fashionistas, activists, etc so I'm ridiculously excited to kick off this newest blog feature with Maitri Mehta, a powerhouse of creative talent and witty commentary. I've been following Maitri's embroidery journey from its beginning stages and I am damn proud to see her flourish and succeed in something that brings her genuine joy. Cliche and overused, but she is surely a force to be reckoned with. I have absolutely no doubts that Big Things are comin' up for this babe. Maitri, don't forget us when you're rich n famous from your creative pursuits one day.



1. What made you want to pick up embroidery? 

Desperation honestly. Possible Personal Journal, but I was feeling really low and hadn't created anything in a long time-- I couldn't write! Apparently it's hard for me to be a prolific poet when I'm Sad. So I needed something to pour all my sadness/bad energy/nasty anxiety into and embroidery is something that was always peripherally on my radar. I draw a little bit and used to paint in the past and just wanted something new to teach myself. I was hoping the learning process would help me shut off my brain a little bit and it totally did.

2. What are your daily sources of inspiration?

Don't mean to sound like a rustic wall plaque you see at Pier 1 Imports but ~inspiration is everywhere.~ I went to the gynecologist today and picked up a little pamphlet which has some sweet, simple illustrations re: how to give yourself a breast exam and I think I want to stitch it into a series. 

3. Which embroidery project did you most enjoy working on? 

I think the slut pomegranate was my favorite because I used some needle painting and shading and I love how it turned out! I taught myself a bunch of new and different stitches for that one.

English Only!

Just this past week, I was venting to a fellow contributor about the sorts of demands my mom regularly receives as a Vietnamese nail technician, more specifically - the demand for beauty sessions to be a strict English Only zone as a means of comfort for paranoid white customers. And then a few days ago,  I learned that Whole Foods suspended two employees at a New Mexico location for speaking Spanish during work hours, which is laughable and ironic in itself considering NM has the highest percentage of Spanish speakers in the country as well as constitutional laws and regulations that protect the language. Whole Foods has since aggressively responded to the uproar on social media with the predictable justification for their actions with reasons such as, "for consistent communication, inclusion, and especially for safety and emergency situations". Shameful! In light of this situation, my mom, and the multitude of other speakers who are continuously reprimanded for the use of their native languages in professional settings, this post serves as my own personal rebuttal to the same xenophobic bullshit reasons I so often hear.

A Guide to Poshmark

This is the first chapter of more posts to come on the ways I've been attempting to declutter and simplify the amount of material goods in my life. For those unfamiliar, Poshmark is an incredibly addicting platform for selling, trading, and buying new and recycled fashion. The site/app (only available for Iphone & United States as of right now) is still up and coming and has quite a bit of kinks to work out, but it's personally been my favorite method to sell clothing items that have been sitting untouched in my closet for years. Poshmark has a comprehensive FAQ onsite, but I hope this unofficial guide serves as a useful tool to beginners and those interested!

Basic Information:

• To sell, you must have an iphone, but potential buyers can freely use the online website! 
• There is a 20% selling cost fee. (IE - you'll earn $8 dollars from a sold listing of $10)
• A prepaid shipping label up to 2 pounds is sent directly to your email when an item is sold.
• Funds will NOT be released to the seller until the buyer receives and confirms that it is as described.
• Paypal and offline transactions are not condoned because it takes Poshmark customer support out of the picture and leaves more opportunities for scammers to take advantage of users without consequences.
• Shipping is a standard $6.99, but $4.99 on orders over $25.

Getting started - Selling/Buying

• Download the free app and connect with either facebook or email!
• To sell, click "Sell", snap a photo (or two or three) and fill out all appropriate information to provide the most thorough and detailed listings possible.
• To search and potentially buy, enter key words (specific brands/sizes) using the search icon on the "Feed" page of the app and search bar onsite. You can filter according to your needs!
• If a sold item is more than the prepaid 2 pounds (such as heavy jackets or shoes), you can upgrade the shipping label by 1 lb increases straight from the app, but will have to pay for the additional shipping costs (deducted from final earnings). This will generate a new label that will be sent directly to your email.
• If a buyer wants to buy multiple listings (known as "bundling") to avoid high shipping costs, create a new listing with negotiated price as well as their username in the title. 

WOC Fashion in Film & TV

Inspired by my 20th time watching In the Mood for Love, I racked my brain and the internet in attempts to find more well dressed women of color in movies/tv that not only had ties to fashion, but who also held leadership roles as main characters instead of standard token stereotypes. When the topic of influential fashion in movies and TV comes up, it usually tends to lean three ways: one - period pieces a la Mad Men, Atonement, Downtown Abbey, two - indie (or whatever) films a la Virgin Suicides, Factory Girl, The Royal Tenenbaums, and three - old timey vintage a la Rear Window, Breakfast at Tiffany's, Bonnie and Clyde. That's a whole lotta white and disparity. Because there's such an incredible lack of inclusion of WOC in these inspirational films for fashion lovers that seem to appear time and time again on lists all over, I thought it would be a neat idea to compile our own list of movies that pertain to our individual styles. What are your personal favorites? I would love to be able to update this post with your picks!

In the Mood for Love

My personal favorite! I don't think I'll ever get over how gorgeous and mesmerizing the entirety of this movie is. All the reoccurring deep shades of red and yellow suck me in every single time. Maggie Cheung is featured in amazing floral patterned dresses with classic form fitting silhouettes scene after scene so I found it hard to limit myself to just a few stills of her wardrobe from this movie. I hear the ladies in 2046 (the sort of sequel) have a killer wardrobe too. 

Everyone Needs Pink Pants

On my way home from the Bay Area this weekend, I stopped by a little river town by the name of Locke on Highway 160 just for the hell of it. Locke is especially a little gem to me because it was built exclusively for the Chinese, by the Chinese. The original buildings from the early 1900's still stand today, including a gambling hall, boarding house, and medicinal shop. Ironically, most of its present day residents are predominately white and only a few Chinese people still reside there, but it's still one of my favorite spots (and Toni's!) in the Sacramento County.

While there, I noticed a flyer for an Asian Pacific Spring Festival happening this upcoming weekend and it brought forward some thoughts about community involvement. In my area, we have South Sac aka Little Vietnam/Little Saigon - a Viet/Chinese community filled with boba houses, banh mi shops, and more pho restaurants than you could ever imagine. My dad and I always talk about the resources Asian immigrants now have access to in Sacramento compared to those who immigrated before the 2000's. Job placement programs, free English workshops, low income legal and financial help, etc. These programs are especially dear to me as an first gen immigrant and I feel really proud to live near such a culturally rich area with such an abundance of resources.

When it comes to my own community involvement, I feel hindered because I don't read or write Vietnamese fluently, despite it being my first language. I have this irrational thought in my head that involves Viet activists judging me for somehow not being in tune enough with Viet culture and language. Completely irrational - I know, but this comes from years of backhanded compliments from white people regarding my "whitewashed" characteristics (another post for another time). If you're involved in your community, tell me about how you got started and your current projects!

top: forever 21 // bottoms: joe fresh // sandals: contributor by rachel comey  for UO // bag: vintage coach 

I've been loving the idea of loose pants for the upcoming summer months and have been looking for a black pair similar to Val's in this post, but came across this coral pink pair instead. They're definitely one of the most ridiculous items in my closet, which probably says a lot about my wardrobe (I am not a risk taker), but they are amazing and I now need/want a black pair more than ever. I wish the color of these pants translated better over the computer screen, but it was reeeeally bright out and my phone was just Not Having It when it came to photos. 

And to wrap up this post, here are some links and material goods I'm loving this week:

1) Short little article on David Tran, founder of the beloved Srirarcha hot sauce. So proud!!!
2) One of my favorite fashion bloggers, Faintly Masculine, looking flawless as usual in a leather jacket and stripes.
3) Angela Davis and Assata Shakur's (first woman on FBI's Most Wanted List) lawyers' commentary about the events surrounding this exiled activist and the sudden declaration of her as a "terrorist".
4) Journalist Kathryn Joyce dwells deeper on the trend of contagious adoption culture in the Christian Right community. This seems relevant in the blogging world, where every other blog seems to consist of young 20 something year old White Christians and their picturesque adopted children/lives.
5) Really loving these floral shorts here (only $18 bucks!) and here. 

April Reflections

I spent most of today running around in circles at an Asparagus Festival in Stockton, CA. My next endeavor is to tackle the Garlic Festival in Gilroy, CA in July - Woo! These kind of events never fail to make me contemplate spending money on the most questionable things - Laura Ingalls Wilderesque floral dresses, airbrush tattoos, scrabble tile necklaces with cats on them. You know, the usual. Instead, I settled on some deep fried goodness and a Self Defense Kitty Keychain (supposedly illegal in California & can qualify as brass knuckles), but I'll take my chances.

Dress: Forever 21  // Sandals: Zara // Bag: Marc Jacobs

I didn't want to feel weighed down by a fussy outfit in 90 degree heat so I settled on a simple dress and strappy sandals. Ugh speaking of, I'm super horrified at the thought of summer already approaching because I absolutely hate summer clothing more than anything and feel most comfortable in layers, parkas, and boots. I don't understand how so many women seem to stay beautifully composed even in humidity and heat! I am nowhere near ready to feel like an awful slob for the next few months. I wish I had the option of hibernating.

Watch: Marc Jacobs // Bracelets: Forever 21

And because it's nearing the end of April, I've been reflecting this weekend on the many aspects of Within Color I'm working towards, whether short or long term. Blogging is always on my mind and I'm constantly making lists on how to better and promote the growth of this blog. Along with welcoming a new contributor (Hi, Toni!), I'm also currently working on getting all of our social media sites up and running (please follow us elsewhere if you haven't already!). In addition to getting organized, I hope to soon reach out to more WOC bloggers, organizations, and everyday readers who want to make an occasional guest post or wish to be involved in some capacity. 

Also, it took a lot of willpower for me not to approach women of color at the festival and ask for permission to take photos of them as a sort of "street style" feature here on the blog. I only assume that they would think I'm joking, not understand what a blog is, or wonder why I don't have a proper camera. I would love to eventually have a feature like this here though. Hernandez is already working towards this idea with great posts that include WOC at DC events and I hope to soon join her with Sacramento. With time!

Do you have any suggestions for us here at Within Color? What would you like to see more of? 

Easy Peasy Flower Nail Art Tutorial

I normally tend to gravitate towards muted colors and Maximillian Strasse-her from the 2013 Essie Spring Collection was no exception. I have a few other similar colors (Mermaid Tears & Thanks A Windmillion by OPI), but this one has greyish undertones that sets it apart. I'm not the biggest Essie fan (fiercely loyal to OPI), but this is quickly becoming a spring favorite. In honor of Spring/Summer (Sacramento is 90 DEGREES tomorrow), I wanted to share a little tutorial for simple flowers that are easily customizable. And although dated and often tacky, I'm still a sucker for cutsey accent nails for those days where I just need a little something more and can't be bothered with glitter.

No Brand White Nail Polish // Essie Maximillian Strasse-her // OPI - Glitzerland // 

Nail Tek Intensive Therapy Top & Base Coat // No Brand Nail Dot Pen 

You can find the nail dotting tool shown above in most beauty supply stores, but this deal on Amazon is hard to beat at 95 cents (a set of 5 & double ended). It takes a bit of time getting used to, but I find them super helpful because they create much more precise and uniform patterns. Once you get some practice in, you'll be able to do flowers, polka dots, etc in no time at all.  Of course, you can always cleanly cut the top of a toothpick and that will work just fine as well. Oh and bobbypins, can't forget how useful bobbypins are when it comes to nail art. 

1. Start with base coat and 2 coats of nail polish in your choice of color. 

2. Dab the nail art tool (small end of the two sides) in preferred flower nail color to coat the entirety of the ball point of the tool. I usually dab the tool on the brush of the polish. I seem to get more even results/reduce waste this way. 

3. Start creating uniform flowers clockwise (5 dots!) at the center of the nail (or whichever point you'd like).

4. Repeat Step 3 as many times as needed, depending on how many flowers you'd like.

5. After wiping down the tool to prevent clumping, dab the tool in preferred color that will be the eye of the flower and dot each center accordingly. Finish off with base coat after a few minutes of drying time. 

I hope this tutorial serves as an easy approach to simple nail art! I wanted to make it as quick and painless as possible while allowing options for customization through size and colors of the flowers. If you have any questions, I'll do my best to explain further and if you've attempted this, we'd love to see your results! 

Shametucks

Apologies to those who have seen this on my Instagram feed! I was originally going to post an ootd from earlier this week, but the photos looked awful on my computer. Blogging is apparently much more challenging when you lack a significant other who just happens to dabble in photography following you around all day. Figures. The photo below is also all sorts of blurry, but I'm incompetent when it comes to photo editing/most things photoshop related so until I can afford an actual camera, this is what I have to offer! But hey, this ootd features one of my the most important people in my life - my dad! It also features some shameless & sloppy half tucking, oops. 

top: james perse // skirt: bcbg // shoes: target 

I'm always obsessively searching for the perfect pair of strappy sandals and by now, I think it's safe to say that nearly half of Within Color own these Target wedges or the original Dolce Vita version(s). I've seen different variations of these everywhere lately! So many pretty color combinations (navy, orange, teal, LEOPARD!) and even different strap variations as seen below. For those on a budget, the Target versions are an affordable option at nearly 1/3 the price. They're definitely going to be a staple in the upcoming months.

clockwise: 1 // 2 // 3 // 4

Black Everything

Earlier today, my sister and I walked past an elderly asian man with giant speckled green eyes and immediately turned to each other to say, "Man, if only we were half white..." After that moment, I felt off the rest of the day. I felt gross. I felt irrational. I felt guilt. I couldn't stop thinking about Mr. Green Eyes and the sentiment of feeling more beautiful if only I had more western features. I also felt ashamed, ashamed that my baby sister felt similarly (was this my influence?) and ashamed to be romanticizing people of mixed backgrounds. I know better.

It's especially hard on days like this when I'm reminded of my old thought process that White Is Better. Internalized racism is a prevalent issue within the Vietnamese community (and of course, many others) and also a topic I'm not used to or even like discussing due to shame and guilt. It may seem awful of me to say, but I sometimes sympathize with POC who don't seem to "get it" yet. You know, the kind of poc that like to reaffirm problematic white behavior. It took a lot of hard work to get to the point of where I am today - comfortable with who I am and damn proud to be Viet, but I cringe thinking of teenage me - a girl who let white peers get away with racist jokes and jabs, a girl who found nothing problematic with being the token POC in her social circle, a girl whose internalized racism ran so deep she didn't even realize it. And this is what I'm getting at, it continues to be an ongoing battle and a vicious cycle of self acceptance and hatred. I'm not sure if it'll ever truly get easier.

My thoughts are all over the place in this post and my outfit feels sloppy (leggings as pants? how remarkable. I AM SORRY), but I would love to hear your thoughts and experiences. I feel completely out of it because I'm running on 2 hours of sleep. On a more personal note, I anxiously waited at an Amtrak station for nearly 3 hours this morning to say hi to my partner for a whopping five minutes while his train stopped in Sacramento to let more passengers on. 5 minutes in 2 months! I'm sure some of you ladies in LDR's can commiserate.

This isn't What I Wore Today

Kiko Mizuhara

I suppose this post is somewhat of a belated intro so hello and welcome yet again! I started Within Color with little direction, limited resources, and an overwhelming group of incredible friends. Since our launch a few weeks prior, we've had an outpour of support from strangers, friends, and social media that I am so appreciative of. There's such a disheartening amount of cynicism on the Internet that sometimes I forget community and kind words also have their place. So before I ramble on, thank you all for simply reading, lingering, and contributing in all capacities.

That said, I've been thinking a lot lately about what this project personally means to me and the ways I'd like to see it evolve with time. Fashion blogging is one of those things where it can be difficult to take something so seemingly superficial and make it political. Although as a woman of color, doesn't every aspect of life become political in some way or another? 'Cause you know, the personal is political. To me, Within Color is an extension of a real group of friends, a space where style is attainable, the authors are relatable—where it's OKAY to be somewhat narcissistic, and proud of the fact that we're all beautiful, smart, and empowered women, but at the same time it's also a space that isn't afraid to be critical of these industries. I get frustrated thinking about the many problematic aspects of fashion that at times, I mindlessly support—the inevitable want and need to constantly consume, the influence of perfectly curated editorial style blogs, fueling the fire for the capitalist machine, obvious under-representation of people of color, the ethics behind the labor of fast fashion, etc. This is the space where I want to talk about it all.

While writing this post, I vaguely remembered an interview I read last year that outlined many similar feelings I have towards fashion blogging. After some deep searching, I finally found the source, Jenny Zhang of the defunct Fashion For Writers, interviewed by Helen Zou of Chictopia. Upon rereading, I found myself screaming (in my head, mostly), "YES! YES!! YES!!!" over and over again throughout the interview. If you have 10 minutes to spare or can't beat your current level of Candy Crush, READ THIS INTERVIEW. These parts especially stood out to me:

"It’s tiring and potentially annoying to think about it all the time and I get that sometimes you just want to enjoy something that you find aesthetically beautiful without having to think about race or cultural appropriation or whatever. At the same time, I don’t have a ton of sympathy for people who dismiss or belittle attempts to create dialogue about the role of race in fashion."

"As much as a fashion magazine or an ad is always trying to sell something to us, it feels more and more like big fashion blogs are also “selling” something, and it works so magnificently because it doesn't necessarily feel like we are being sold anything. And yet we are, aren't we? Aren't we being “sold” on a lifestyle that seems charmed and beautiful—one where you get to run around in exquisite clothes in the scenic locations while your hetero-male partner takes adoring, flattering photos of you?"

I want to find the balance between the superficial and political here at Within Color. I want this space to be readable, fun, relatable yet critical and sharp. And you know what? It's absolutely fine if Within Color is or becomes your own safe space to unwind from the bigotry of the industries where you can just look at a bunch of stylish babes because hell, sometimes I just want to aimlessly look at pretty shit on the Internet, too. However, I truly do encourage future discussions, critique, questions, and posts related to these matters. I encourage evaluating and challenging why, how, and who influences our purchases. I encourage supporting other POC fashion blogs wholeheartedly. Most of all, I encourage writing candidly to promote the growth of this project and, quite frankly, because it's about damn time more fashion bloggers address these topics simply and honestly. 

Rimmel Lasting Finish Lipstick by Kate Moss: 109

At a recent Walgreens trip, I picked up a Rimmel Lasting Finish by Kate Moss lipstick in shade 109. This shade and all others in the red tubes are a matte formula as opposed to the black tubes with a satin finish. My skin tone doesn't always suit the corals I'm typically attracted to, but I'm pleasantly surprised by this one because it isn't too orange or clownlike. This is my favorite part about Spring and the warmer days ahead, getting to break out bright lipstick again.

Since the formula is matte, it can be drying and more difficult to apply. For me, the dryness isn't necessarily a negative thing because it usually means it wears longer and more prone to fade into a stain throughout the day. When time is on my side, I like to prep by exfoliating well, applying a thin layer of chapstick, and using a lipliner close to my natural color to prevent bleeding. I wore this for a good couple hours and devoured lots of food in the process with minimal fading! When it did fade, my lips turned a slight orangey pink that I didn't mind. The formula lasts just as long, if not longer, than a few of my more expensive lipsticks (ahem, MAC). I did notice there was VERY slight bleeding, but that was easily fixed by applying a tiny bit of concealer around my lips. There's also a bit of graininess in the the formula that is a little off-putting, but isn't bothersome with a layer of chapstick underneath.

If you like subtle fruity scents, matte formulas, and pretty corals, it's definitely worth a try. The pigmentation alone is worth the $4.99 at most US drugstores. I've seen it for slightly cheaper at Target (a dollar difference or so), but there's less of a selection to choose from. If you have any of the other colors, let me know how you like them! I have nearly expired CVS extrabucks I'm itching to spend and looking for more pinks to add to my collection.

Monday Blues

Sweater: American Apparel // Skirt: Target // Shoes: Zara // Bag: Vintage Coach // 

Accessories: Michael Kors Watch & Urban Outfitters Earrings

I can break out sandals and drink copious amounts of iced coffee again; life is good sometimes. I regret not buying multiple pairs of the above sandals because I've worn them into the ground in the past year. That was a perk of Jersey/east coast living, Zara stores were in close proximity. Although their online web store offers free shipping, sizes are often gone before I can budget for the item! Also budget related, I'm currently obsessed with this tulip maxi skirt from Target and can't wait to pair it with strappy tanks and loose t's in the summer. It's dangerous though; I've nearly flashed many strangers while wearing it. I'm still on the lookout for a couple more maxi skirts for the warmer days ahead so if any of you have any links to affordable ones, please let me know below! 

On another note, there's been a frenzy of well deserved backlash regarding CNN's (as well as other news outlets) undeniable sympathy of the rapists in the Steubenville case. The case is being described in articles and social media as a Friday Night Lights-esque tragedy and primarily shifts attention on how the verdict effects the RAPISTS instead of the victim, a 16 year old girl taken advantage of at her most vulnerable state. Truly horrifying. The inevitable cesspool of rape apologists in the comment sections of these articles aren't comforting either. I am so tired of the fact that the well being of rape victims always seem to be some sort of afterthought. This is rape culture at it's finest. 

Maybelline Baby Lips Review

Left to right: Pink Wink, Twinkle, Yummy Plummy, Coral Crush, Melon Mania

Hi, welcome to Within Color! So glad you are here. I'm Michelle and a lip product hoarder. Drugstore products are especially my downfall due to accessibility and being relatively inexpensive most of the time. Maybelline's Baby Lips truly needs no introduction, but I didn't realize there were new flavors until recently and decided to snatch them up all at once because YOLO. Depending on location, the price varies between $2.99-$3.99 in the US. At least I received $3 CVS extrabucks? That's my justification for this frivolous purchase. I decided not to swatch this particular batch because unlike a few in the previous collection, these new colors are barely pigmented and too sheer to photograph with an Iphone.

As someone who reapplies chapstick continuously throughout the day, I can't say I mind that the staying power isn't the greatest. I bought these knowing they weren't a revolutionary product, but am pleasantly surprised at how moisturizing they actually are. In addition, they're silky smooth upon application and have SPF 20. One of my main frustrations with chapsticks and balms is feeling as if there's still a layer of wax on your lips because the formula didn't penetrate, a problem I don't have with Baby Lips. I find the consistency and texture comparable to Softlips, another personal favorite. I'm also excited that this batch isn't as tinted because I tend to apply lipstick over these balms and they're perfect as a base layer. If you want more intensity and pigmentation, stick with Cherry Me and Grapevine from the first collection.

To be honest, my favorite part about these balms are the scents! A majority of them have a fruity scent that makes me nostalgic for LipSmackers (which I always reach for at Target before realizing what I'm doing). Pink Wink smells 100% like old school bubblegum and Melon Mania (favorite of the bunch) makes you want to lick the entirety of it off your lips after application. The scents don't overwhelm or irritate me for they fade fairly quickly once applied. If you're in the market for something less fragranced, Twinkle seems to be the most subtle out of the 5. 

If you can get past the marketing for these (Gives 8 hours of moisture! Softer lips in 4 weeks!) and the fact that they're very sheer, then yes, I wholeheartedly think you too should run to the nearest drugstore and buy 1 or 2 or 3 sticks.