Hey Girl, I Like Them Jeans...[Rec. Reading]

Just kidding, this post is for all genders, as well a people with good grammar.

First of all, let me welcome my first readers from Ireland and India! Thank you to my growing/continued readership in the United States, as well! (Even though I don't see subscriptions, I know some of you are my personal friends because you tell me you checked out my blog-- Hi!)

Once again, Refinery 29 comes out with a great little piece about fashion, jeans in particular! I had a sneaky suspicion about the subject matter because of the title: All the Differences Between $200 & $20 Ones, but reading their flow sheet from top dollar to bottom confirmed it; R29 is talking my language. In finding a good pair of classics, author Alden Wicker asks us to consider workers' wages, environmental impacts, and how to find a quality finished product.

Ironically in this case, the "Buy it to last" option (pictured below) and the "Fair Trade/Sustainable" route may be one in the same. I think it should be stated, however, that this isn't always  the case. In the United States, we don't have certain trade regulations, so someone can sell $20-quality for $500, and if you choose to pay for it, that's what makes them $500 jeans. So looking out for physical signs of high quality helps immensely, as does a little research.

As for me, I usually only own two pair at the most. (A trend I've noticed in myself since I was in the 7th grade.) My eye has been on the lookout for the boyfriend style forever and ever. Among the handy options on the flow sheet my sister shared with me was the question "Does it need to be new?"

No, it does not! They're boyfriend jeans; they'd be great even with a hole in the knee! So I scored mine from the men's section of a secondhand shop. I also got two great chambray tops. Who knows what you'll find if you give it a shot. The layers of "Win" also pile up because my local secondhand shop donates regularly to local charities.

Whichever way you choose to go about it, happy hunting, and thanks for reading!

Recommended Reading or Who's Sari Now?

Hello, my dear readers. It's been so long since I last had the chance to pop on and write. I hope you're all doing well. I must say: I'm happy to get to share the following with you all.

I per-chanced across yet another Refinery 29 article, this one about saris, one of the traditional clothing styles of India. I've always admired the look, and even had one at one time. It was purple and white with gold designs on the edge, and that was before people attacked one another for assimilation. I must say, though, to me it's always been a sign of admiration for different cultures, and it's never meant as any offense.

Even so, here are some lovely ladies wearing a lovely look, loud and proud. Some even get creative with fusion and modern details.

I hope you enjoy today's recommended reading. I know I sure did!



30 Gorgeous Sari Outfits



As always: Thanks, Refinery 29! And thank you to my readers for stopping by! :)

Recommended Reading: Sneakers and Skirts

Because of a sweepstakes for JustFab shoes, I signed up for Refinery 29. I could have deleted them when I didn't win, or when I decided I didn't want my debit card number being known by someone who openly wanted to charge me for shoes every month, but I've kept looking at the articles that come through.

Lately, I look at some of the photos and say "Great dress... let's scroll down... No, No, NO, NO! Ladies, what happened?! Why sneakers with evening wear?!!"

After more than a month saying "Why not ballet flats? Or some comfortable, 2 inch heels?" I saw this article in my inbox. It boasted showing how this sneaker street fashion thing was really done. I clicked on it saying to myself "Seriously, teach me! I don't get this concept!"

After taking a look around this pictorial, I think I'm starting to get it. I'm not sure when, if ever, you'll see this look on Something New, but at least I'm not totally closed minded to the thought of it anymore. (Isn't that a major feature of growing gracefully?)

So I putting it out there for all of you: What do you think of this fashion trend?

Thanks for reading: Happy Friday!

"I'm told it's a big deal in Korea."

Hi everyone!

I've taken a little break as things got hectic, and have been thinking a lot of this blog. Hope all my readers, past and present, are doing well!

I came across a Refinery 29 Article talking about Korea's newest lipstick sensation: Gradient lips! As so as I saw it, I thought to myself: That would be so weird here in America... I *have* to try it!

So I tried it for the first time last week... and it... did not, umm... go well. (I tried using a beige lipstick on the outer rim, instead of concealer.)

This time I got dead serious on a relaxed Wednesday morning and started with the concealer, then the lip stain, then lip liner in bright red! Next I used a lip brush to blend the red out from the center. After that I used an almost negligible amount of clear and sparkle gloss and finally put tiny bit of un-blended red right at the center. I found that it didn't look quite as nice unless the gradient sort of followed the basic shape of the lip itself.

Tickets to see 2NE1?

Sleepy or Energetic?

Kim Bap!!

Check out this excellent example from BeautifulShoes.com!



I didn't think I would like this look on me, but now I'm pretty sure I'll do it again, and soon! I think though, next time, I'll to a little more colour on the eyes, so I don't look washed out.

I don't know much about her, but I'd like to nominate Rihanna to try this look next...

Look at that perfect canvas! Mmm!

Oh wait... It doesn't work that way? I guess that's just the ice bucket challenge! Haha!

I added a little update. Since it's hard to photograph this look without direct sunlight, I decided I would try again this morning. Further, I noticed that gloss, even on the lighter part of the lip, makes the look seem less washed out and ghost-like.

Why hello!

So hard to hold my eyes open in the sunlight...!

That's how I roll!

The other day I was reading a Refinery 29 article and they gave a few suggestions of what to do with curly hair. They were all good suggestions, but the one that stands out in my mind was the Victory Roll. It has all my favorite things:

• Pinned up and out of the face (though hair in your face is nice sometimes, too).
• Features (natural) curly hair
• A possibility for huge volume (I adore big hair)
• Uses hair pins (I like the old-fashioned flair of it)

With all those things considered, this simple hair style was just the ticket. 

My friend Nathaniel--aka Ivory Sorrows on Tumblr-- and I (dress by Old Navy)

To avoid practically plagiarizing the article, I didn't include a step-by-step tutorial. But briefly, it's a section of hair just a bit wider than the arches of the eyebrows (for me at least), that goes back about 2 inches on the scalp. One can just roll this section from the ends towards the roots in the same way one might put a paper towel back on the roll. Pin it in place with bobby pins (you can hide the pins under the roll). For the hair between the center roll and the ear, you can overlap them slightly and pin them in place just under the crown of the head.

I thought it looked pretty decent. Maybe you'll see me with this hair style again, sometime. ;)