"Who is that girl I see staring straight back at me?"

Entering a cafe, your eyes alight on a petite brunette standing a few feet back from the register. Her curling hair reaches just beyond her shoulders, glowing gently in the soft lighting, the color reminiscent of espresso, streaked perhaps, with caramel. Perhaps these analogies are only present because of circumstances, but whatever the case, these associations seem to fit. Tucked into her hair a pair of plastic, unbranded Jackie-O style sunglasses perch atop her head, catching the light as she turns her head. As she reaches up to tuck a stray curl behind her ear, you note small glowing pearl earrings studding her ears. She is wearing a sky blue polo shirt, collar laying flat against her shoulders, neither tight nor baggy. Like many, she is dressed for the newfound summer weather in a pale-wash jean skirt, coming to halfway between her hip and knee, definitely not qualified as long, but not fashionably short, either. You note her well-manicured nails adorned with a pale shimmering pink polish and, following the line of her pale untanned legs, you note matching polish on her toes and slightly worn brown leather sandals, not quite flipflops but not any other high-fashion style either. Overall, her appearance is on the preppy side, all of her clothes of a simple, classic style that borders on elegance - if such is possible with jeans and cotton. She could fit in almost anywhere: on campus, on the street, at the beach, in a cafe, driving with the top down.

I am a creature of comfort. While I give care to my appearance (I style my hair every day, I put on makeup, etc.) I don't get dressed every morning with the express purpose of looking good at all costs. I make sure that all of my clothes look good on me (if they don't look good I get rid of them), and I wear whatever is most comfortable knowing that I at least look decent. However, my hair, make-up and clothing are all carefully composed to look natural. My makeup is all natural tones, bronzes, browns, neutrals and transparent shades; denim is a staple of my wardrobe, and I hardly wear t-shirts, choosing instead polo shirts, though more often another type of semi-fashionable blouse or shirt. I take care, too, to always seem... put together. If my hair won't cooperate - not necessarily achieving perfection - I'll put it up. If my nail polish is starting to crack and peel, I'll either take it off or reapply instead of walking around with fragmented color, however unnoticeable or minor. My personal style, which frequently deviates from mainstream, leans towards casual, understated elegance. Pearls, jeans, polos - brands are not a necessity, but these timeless styles seem to find their way into my wardrobe.