Style Inspiration: The Craft

What better way to kick off this Halloween than with some witchy style inspiration from the nineties? It's no secret that nineties styles of celebrities like Winona Ryder and Drew Barrymore and cult movies such as Clueless, Reality Bites, and Pulp Fiction have taken over the runways and racks at Urban Outfitters. Dresses and shoes that were once found in thrift stores for fifty cents are now being sold on Etsy for eighty bucks. (vintage means more than twenty years old, right?!)

While "soft grunge" isn't usually my thing, I can appreciate a lot of nineties looks, namely the "90s does 70s" era of Dazed & Confused and Boogie Nights. I love the revival of slouchy silhouettes, clogs, biker jackets, Birkenstocks, and combat boots. 

P.S. The Craft played at the Alabama Theatre this week. Did y'all go see it?

My friends and I did!

Bathroom selfie in my witchy ensemble:

Panama hat: Urban Outfitters

"Stevie" fringe kimono shawl: Urban Outfitters

Copper Galloon Lace Halter Bra: Free People (not pictured)

Heathered black t-shirt: Free People

Arrowstack Necklace: Madewell

Rings: Old Navy, rue21, Birchbox, Urban Outfitters

Black Boy Shorts: Madewell (not pictured)

Black wooden platform clogs/mules: Woodies by Jeffrey Campbell (not pictured)

And even though I was wearing pretty normal clothes for me, I won second place in the witch costume contest, and got this lovely screen-printed canvas tote bag from Yellowhammer Creative!

#TheSupreme

Let's continue...

A few things I love about the women of The Craft's styles are their gravitation toward black-on-black and their ample amount of jewelry.

Long black dresses and leather biker jackets are a must

Plaid pleated skirts, menswear collared shirts and ties, suspenders, Mary Janes, thigh-highs and blazers were a nineties staple of "alternative" school-girl punk.

Accessories include long crucifix rosaries, combat boots, spiked chokers, and leather mini backpacks

 

Dark eyeliner and vampy lips set this look off.

You obviously can't perform incantations with your witchy sisters without mixing patterns and textures in your outfits first.

Black sweaters, long skirts, sheer tops, and chunky heels

Lots of mixtures between masculine and feminine styles here as well

Black lace is essential for a complete goth look.

Breakout star, Fairuza Balk as Nancy Downs, inspired a generation of girls with her vinyl trench, wild hair, and rose-colored shades

The Dalai Lama in Birmingham!

Hunter and I had the amazing opportunity to hear the 14th Dalai Lama speak in Birmingham, at Regions Field for "An Afternoon with His Holiness" during Human Rights Week.

Here, he is seen with Mayor William Bell.

It was a wonderfully enlightening and moving speech on celebrating oneness, peace, and all the ways that we, as humans, are similar, instead of feuding over our differences.

It was so refreshing to hear the Dalai Lama laugh and joke around throughout his presentation, and it was a day that I'll never forget.

The Birmingham monks creating a beautiful mandala in honor of the Dalai Lama's visit

The "Jolly" Lama outside of Good People Brewing Company

The Dalai Lama also spoke at the University of Alabama at Birmingham (as seen above with his UAB visor, haha), the Alabama Theatre, and 16th Street Baptist Church (pictured below) during his visit.

I'm sorry, please forgive me, but I couldn't resist.

Mayor Bell with Dalai Lama, Mayor Bell with actual llama.

Plus, I find it extremely amusing that the bottom photo is on Mayor Bell's Wikipedia page.

Sidewalk Film Festival Highlights

(Shot of the sublimely gorgeous Alabama Theatre at night)

This past weekend, Hunter and I attended one of my favorite Birmingham events of the year, The Sidewalk Film Festival.

We saw so many great movies such as Mood Indigo, Fort Tilden, Coherence and a handful of insightful documentaries. I am so glad that Birmingham can get the community together for a fantastic event such as this.

On Friday, before the premiere of the hilarious documentary, All American High, at the Alabama Theatre, I attended an American Advertising Federation (AAF Birmingham) luncheon with my coworkers at HealthSouth at Social Venture (the REV Birmingham office) in Woodlawn to hear some filmmakers speak. It got me very excited for the whole weekend

http://aafbirmingham.com/

http://www.revbirmingham.org/catalytic-development/social-venture/

Some brief food highlights of the festival:

From Huntsville, AL, Piper & Leaf Artisan Tea Co. was a featured pop-up shop on 3rd Avenue South. I bought a reusable jar of their "Front Porch Special," a delicious (and thankfully caffeinated) "blend of black teas with bergamot (Earl Grey), jasmine and spearmint" (from their website). It was so refreshing for such a hot weekend. http://www.piperandleaf.com/

Hunter and I walked over to 5th Avenue and enjoyed dinner, macarons and wine from the Continental Bakery Downtown, the newest extension of my beloved Chez Lulu, located in the English Village. It was delish.

http://www.chezlulu.us/bakeryabout2.php

I finally got to eat at two places I've been dying to try:

Yeh Man Caribbean Cuisine and Trattoria Centrale for brunch.

Both were divine. Hunter and I both got jerk chicken with rice and cabbage at Yeh Man and I got a caper-lox cream cheese bagel with fruit, salad and a mimosa at Trattoria. 

I can't wait to go back!