birthday gifts

I turned twenty last month (check out my thoughts on being banished from teenagerdom HERE), so I thought I'd share some of the gifts I received from my friends and family. No one actually asked me what I wanted for my birthday, which is a first, so I was pleasantly surprised by the thoughtful gifts I received! Case in point: this, er, exceedingly affectionate card from my friend Beverly.

My mom and I went shopping on my birthday and found this gem at Nordstrom. I'm not a sneakers person at all -- I can't even remember the last time I wore them outside a workout session -- but I fell in love with this Cole Haan pair at first sight (well, they're technically oxfords, but honestly, sneakers/oxfords/other masculine or ugly-chic shoes are the same to me in terms of appeal). Made with suede from Charles F Stead's renowned tannery, the oxfords also "feature Cole Haan's new ZerøGrand cushioning along with their innovative Grand.OS operating system," according to Nordstrom.com. Grandiose marketing terms aside, they're actually incredibly lightweight and comfortable, almost like I'm not wearing any shoes at all. They run true to size, and I'd recommend going with your normal size even if they're a bit tight initially, as the suede will stretch.

I was a bit hesitant about dropping $200 on a pair of sneakers, but my mom begged me to wear "normal student shoes" and said that she was so happy I liked a pair of said normal shoes, she could buy me these in every color if I so wished. Naturally, I had no choice to let her spoil me, right (she also got me these lace-up Topshop beauties which I accidentally shipped to my dorm and are in returns processing limbo)??? We only got this red pair for me, but liked them so much we got a navy pair for my sister.

I hadn't had pastries during the entirety of my time being vegan, so I treasured each morsel of the vegan cupcakes Beverly baked for me. However, my little brother/bane of my life decided to carelessly gorge himself on not one, but two cupcakes -- without so much as asking me -- so I only had one to photograph.

In return, he gave me a bag of matcha Kit Kats. They are indeed my favorite, and I was glad to not have to drive twenty minutes and spend $7 on a 4.91 oz bag, (literally) half of which is filled with air. But...1) they're not vegan, so I therefore wouldn't have gone through the aforementioned hassle, and 2) he is fifteen and in possession of a credit card, which he regularly uses to purchase clothing for himself, all of which he insists needs my approval on. I'm also gracious enough to buy clothes for him although my credit limit is barely above zero (just kidding, but it is actually kind of low), and I've purchased a Michael Kors watch for his upcoming birthday. He didn't write me a card, either. Teenage boys...

Beverly also got me a one-line-a-day diary, which I'd mentioned I wanted after the above quote happened...hahaha. Max is a mutual friend of ours, who, out of the blue, told Beverly that I have impeccable style. And I was over the moon when she told me. If you're cackling, ask yourself: Has that been said about you by someone without any sort of reason? A guy who is neither gay nor has a visible interest in fashion. Impeccable. We're also only quasi-friends--I took him to a date party and we always say hi when we see each other, but that's about it. Anyway, Beverly had the sense to include it in the diary (although she got the date wrong; it was October/November 2014) and to also buy me a Dolce & Gabbana lip gloss in the sort of shade I can never seem to have enough of, although it makes up for the majority of my collection (swatches and review coming soon--will update with link HERE). She said she thought it was "such a Christina color" when she saw it. She's a fellow VIB Rouge at Sephora, which obviously means we have some sort of spiritual connection.

Minji, the other friend I spent my birthday "celebrations" with, also got me this gorgeous Free People necklace which, coincidentally, coordinated perfectly with my outfit (will update with the link HERE when the post is up!). On the Free People website, reviewers have said it falls apart easily, but I haven't had any problems in the three weeks I've worn it.

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Cole Haan 'ZerøGrand' Perforated Oxford / One Line a Day Diary / Dolce & Gabbana Intense Colour Gloss (in 73 Delicious) / Free People Double Layer Rosary (in Silver Crescent)