Wrapped Up

Mmmmmm...Bánh mì.....

A/T wrap cardigan, Amber Sakai skirt, Vintage boots, Lucky Jeans belt, Moni Moni bag, Vintage rings

Apologies for the lack of Frizz Free Friday up in here, but it has been a CRAZY week in the world of Claire, lemme tell ya

My boyfriend Joe and our good friend Moishe came down this week to look at apartments for their big move, and not only did they find one, they SIGNED for it! What was expected to take months happened in just 2 days! It all happened so fast I wasn't even able to get any shots of us hanging out this week, there was so much to do! I can barely even begin to get at how excited I am, Joe and I have been together for about a year and a half. He's the first boyfriend I ever had and we've always been slightly apart since I'm here in NYC for school and he had to stay upstate with his school. This is a big change for all of us and I've just been reeling in the crazy excitement!

But yes, after all of that died down, Natalie and I grabbed our usual dinner-date/catch-up extravaganza over Vietnamese food and Israeli Coffee. I wore this crazy awesome wrap cardigan that basically has its own scarf, I love it! Total fall staple forever basically.

On My Toes

Photos by Natalie

French Connection UKS jacket, Joie silk top, Forver 21 skirt, Rebecca Minkoff Boy-Toy bag, Qupid flats, sungalsses from Beacon's Closet

Fall weather is officially upon us here in NYC, so seeing these photos from Lincoln Center this past week when it was up in the 80's is making me cringe with jealousy at my former self.

I was really excited to unveil my new bag from Rebeca Minkoff, which I've been wearing a lot to classes since when it's not folded over like I have it here, it fits a laptop, books and all the necessities. Plus, I tend to be monochrome in school and reach for mostly black ensembles, so the pop of turquoise is really nifty.

I've been really in love with backless tops lately. Like, a lot. I guess it's my way of conforming to the fading warmth from summer. This piece from Joie is actually pretty nifty in that it has closures on the back so if you don't want to be crazy like me and expose where the sun don't usually shine, you can snap the back together for a lovely arrangement of layered folds instead. Also on replay are my Qupid flats, which I wore like crazy all throughout Fashion Week to save my feet from all the walking, or in this case, dancing in public.

Reason to

 

Outfit shots by Dylana

Amber Sakai ruffle skirt, Double Zero cape blouse, Schutz boots, UO jacket

What can I say? I love these girls!
After a minimal day of shows, Natalile, Dylana & I lounged and enjoyed the visual stylings of the Von Vonni Spring gown collection at the astoundingly beautiful Norwood Club in Chelsea. The next couple of days are going to be a bit more insane, so the wine-sipping and taking in the scene was totally necessary.

Noting on the importance of the 10-year anniversary of the 9/11 attacks, I was going to write a more sombre post reflecting on the city and what it means to be a New Yorker; however I realized that out of everything, it was too difficult to look past the joy and laughter that has filled these past couple of days. Everyone got an extra hug, everyone remembered, and carried our collective memories of that day, making the rituals of heading to the shows all that much more meaningful in that they exist even after something so monstrously horrific occurred just moments away from the tents.

I was 9 when the attacks happened, and at that moment, there was New York before 9/11, and after 9/11. 10 years later, as a New Yorker, I take so much pride in this city and what we, not only as a city but as a nation, are able to achieve beautiful things despite heartache and loss. I am so proud to be even considered to participate a little bit in this industry and just be able to witness a community of artisans of all sorts.

We keep the memory of everyone lost alive by continuing to take note in the joy that is out there to be had. I am so grateful for every experience I have gotten, and I am even more grateful to share it with you.

Altamira Encounters

First photo credit goes to Craig of Altamira

Forever 21 blouse and bib chain necklace, H&M pants, Fairy Tales are True flats, BDG satchel, LAS skull ring with various other vintage rings, Giles and Brother bangle

I had the most wonderful happenstance of running into the fabulous Craig Arend, who is the brains and lens behind Altamira: Models Off Duty, one of the most inspirational and addicting street style blogs ever.

It was an impromptu shoot to say the least when I stumbled upon him in the middle of a shoot with another AMAZING street style supereye: Guerre, but Craig is really wonderful to shoot with, he's lively, thoughtful and tooootally keeps things fun. We had actually shot together when we first met back in 2009 during the Weardrobe bloggers' Conference (omg memories!!) and since then it's always been fun when we run into each other at events and such. He's a cool dude.

But anywhos, the outfit came about for a boy's day out with my best friend Dan who I've known since Buffalo, he took the last two shots under Craig's. We spent the afternoon discussing our first week back in college and shopping around a bit. The pants are an H&M throwback, but I love the tie detail and color! I decided to throw something together that was a tinge inspired by 60's androgyny. And you know me and my rings, I loves me a great piece that looks like it's straight out of a ritual or family member's jewelry box. 

An End, A Beginning

Jacket c/o Astars, Upson Downes blouse, Forever 21 shorts, Thrifted belt, Zara boots, bag c/o Rebeca Minkoff

Irene has come and gone! The city suffers with scattered fallen trees and some train lines still down, but other than that, there is barely a sign that a hurricane came through here. Today was absolutely gorgeous, a perfect day to return to normalcy.

My very first day back in NYC, I came back to my apartment, ready to start the new school year with all my luggage and belongings. I walked into my unfinished bedroom to find the most amazing array of generosity had come in the mail, and these two pieces from Astars Womens and Rebecca Minkoff were staring at me, making me weak in the knees.

I need a second to focus on the bag. If there's a brand that is 100% worth any price paid for its pieces, it's Rebecca Minkoff. The QUALITY is so fabulous: the design shape, the attention to detail, the quality of the leather... everything is perfect. This bag is kind of magic as well, it hangs flat, but even when you have it stuffed with large items such as, I don't know, an SLR camera, it always appears to be flat and far from bulky. The vintage inspiration of the design is like the chicer sister of what you would inherit from your grandma's closet, absolutely wonderful with the right amount of edge with the studs.

I was happy to throw on the cardigan as it cooled down, it provided the right amount of movement and ventilation for the summer weather, yet was heavy enough to make for the perfect cover-up as dinnertime approached.

Tomorrow is the serious start of classes and I have to say, this summer went by quickly. Tomorrow is the start of a new chapter, and I'm totally gearing for new experiences.

The Calm Before

Forever 21 shirt, Vintage bells & bag, Cooperative sandals (although ya can't see them), thrifted belt, Warby Parker sunglasses, Acessorize Tigereye ring, Jo wrap ring

Nuts. Absolutely nuts. Yesterday was OBSCENELY gorgeous. It was warm, sunny, not too hot, not windy at all...the epitome of the calm before the storm. 

Now the city is bracing itself for something none of us are 100% prepared for. I live on the 8th floor of my apartment building, so we should be safe from flooding and all that fun stuff.

But anyway, I pushed those thoughts out of my head for a day and wore some cheery, bright lipstick from Sephora with my favorite thrift find ever; my studded bellbottoms. This lipstick ("LoveTest 11") is amazing by the way, in these photos, I had been wearing it for 4 hours and didn't need to reapply! The bellbottoms are particularly close to my heart, despite the fact that I pretty much haven't showcased them on my blog yet. I had found them in a thrift store in Buffalo back when I was a Sophomore in high school, and, simultaneously, my best friend Elanna had found the same exact pair at Beacon's closet here in NYC in her size too! 

The bag is a fave too, I picked this weird guy up at my favorite vintage store here in the village and it's a really funky piece to add to something shapeless and loose or, in this case, 70's-inspired. I was apprehensive at first about wearing so much blue, but the basket bag fits my essentials and it was my only unpacked, un-hardware'd bag, so there. I plan to wear it next with a shift dress and loafers when there's not not, y'know, a hurricane outside.

The Cold Shoulder

Thanks again for being awesome Kim!

F21 shirt, Silence & Noise jeans, Coach Men's belt, Restricted boots, Jcrew bag, Eye ring from Etsy

I can barely begin to tell y'all how long I was looking for a cold shoulder shirt! Unsurprisingly, Forever 21 was in supply and it has become one of those no-brainer pieces that I can just throw over a more constructed piece to make it more down to earth, or just wear to make something less boring, which is kind of the approach I took here. Another fantastique afternoon was spent with Natalie & Kim, you really can't have a bad afternoon if it's full of Vietnamese food, friends and laughs!