what I'm loving

If you know me at all, you know I love laughing and rambling about the things I love. Over the summer, I made an all time favorites post and talked about my favorite books, but I want to start sharing the things I'm obsessing over on a regular basis. Hopefully some of you guys will take my word and listen to/ watch/ read/ try my favorites. Be sure to tell me yours as well!

Halsey- Badlands has been on repeat since it came out in late August, and I was playing Room 93 all summer. Halsey is one of the best people alive; she's crazy intelligent, but she also isn't afraid to be completely vulnerable and honest about sex in her music. I highly recommend you read this essay (on page 41 of the link) she wrote for Local Wolves about her goals and what she thinks of feminism. Also, do yourself a favor and listen to "Coming Down," "Hurricane," "Young God," and the rest of her music.

This Side of Paradise by F. Scott Fitzgerald- I recently read this classic and adored it! Fitzgerald's style is enough on its own, but the story and characters were also so powerful. When I read Catcher in the Rye, I didn't relate to it the way so many people do; I think This Side of Paradise is my favorite coming-of-age via angst tale. I related to the angst and Amory's struggle to figure out who he is and what his flaws are. Please, please, please read this book!

30 Rock- I'm almost finished watching all seven seasons of Tina Fey's masterpiece for the second time. This is quite possibly the funniest show ever produced; the characters are phenomenal, the jokes vary to satisfy both my seven-year-old boy humor and my (semi) intelligent humor, and it's set in New York City. Sometimes I relate way too much to Liz Lemon, but that's okay.

Leather Jacket- I've been breaking out my moto jacket from Free People a lot recently because it makes everything I wear look five times cooler. Mainly, I've been pairing it with my various black dresses and ankle boots/ Docs, but I also love it with the simple jeans and a plain tee look.

Almost Famous- There are way too many good things about this movie. The story line is a dream; a shy teenage boy, passionate about rock music and journalism, accompanies a band on tour to write a story for Rolling Stones. In the process, he gets close to the band and falls in love with one of their groupies, a stunning young Kate Hudson. On this journey, he's also forced to acknowledge the flaws of his heroes and grows immensely. It's set in the early 70s, with the flowing fashion and growing rock scene .

Do yourself a favor and check out these wonderful things!!

love,
claire
outfitsandobservations@gmail.com

fall/ winter wishlist 2015

Lately I've been so excited about dressing and shopping for the colder months, even though I favor spring and summer weather-wise. There are so many possibilities for layering by piling on cuddly cardigans or tall boots.

This post is going to be a mini compilation of the items I hope to purchase in the near future. I'm obviously drawing a lot of influence from 70s style, autumnal colors, and boho prints.

Also, I have an exciting announcement! I'm a new contributor for Zine Club Mag, an awesome Rookie-esque site for teen girls by teen girls. Each day there are new posts-- playlists, short fiction, photo essays, DIYS, diary entries, personal essays, and more. Check it out, and soon some of my own work will be up on the site!

(this year's spring/ summer wishlist)

(all photos from store's websites and are not mine)

(skirt / sweater / dress )

Forever 21 is always a good spot for affordable basics and trendy items. I've been loving these button front skirts, but I'm not sure how much I want to invest in one. The dress is a nice looking faux-suede and is much closer to my price range than the authentic material. Also, there's never a shortage in demand for black sweaters.

(dress / cardigan)

Maude is one of my favorite local boutiques and although they carry a wide variety of styles, both items I'm in love with from their site happen to be army green. The dress would look great with black tights and my cranberry Docs, and the cardigan is so cozy I would have to wear it with everything.

( dress / skirt )

Savoir-Faire is another one of my favorite local boutiques and another place where I fell for fall-colored items. Both of these could be layered and worn all throughout the holiday season.

(floral top / pumpkin blouse / embroidered top)

There are some Topshop basics I adore, but I really appreciate the exquisite details their clothes often have. All three of these tops are so pretty that they could be worn with dark jeans and boots and be considered a complete outfit.

( NY tee / rock tee / sweater )

I couldn't do a wishlist without Brandy Melville. Their clothes are my favorite because they're incredibly soft and can be worn with anything. This cardigan from Brandy is definitely the most worn item in my closet.

What fall trends are you looking forward to participating in? Where are you buying clothes this season?

love,
claire
outfitsandobservations@gmail.com

october playlist

October is my favorite month, and it's finally here! Fall weather is wonderful, and this is when it starts to creep in. This week the temperatures have been dropping to the point where they're finally comfortable, and the first leaves are falling from the trees. Fayetteville falls are perfect because all of the leaves change to the prettiest reds, oranges, and yellows. October also means Halloween, pumpkin patches, and the excessive use of the word spooky, but those are all things I'm okay with.

Since I didn't do a playlist post in September, the pictures are a recap of both August and September.

{school is back and so is wearing uniforms on weekdays}

{the county fair}

{current favorite vinyls}

{crepes and lattes}

{cousin's wedding with my brother}

{all the way platinum}

{September First Thursday}

{lush bath bombs}

{crazy clouds}

{Polo in the Ozarks}

{honey-lavendar macaroons at Alchemy}

{nice skies}

{birthday dinner on Thursday}

{first choffee of the season}

{Andy Warhol exhibit at Crystal Bridges}

love,
claire
outfitsandobservations@gmail.com