Halloween 2017: Coraline and The Cat

Another Halloween, another hair color to take advantage of when deciding upon a costume. I started crowdsourcing blue-haired characters and costume ideas in August. I had 2 requirements in addition to the incorporation of the blue hair color: it had to have a position for my pup and it had to be DIY-able.

People gave me all sorts of ideas: Joy from "Inside Out" (one of my favorite movies), Hades from "Hercules", outer space, the ocean, etc. I thought about going as Helena St. Tessero from "Neo Yokio" because, not only do we both have blue hair, but we're both fashion bloggers who've lost interest and faith in the fashion industry. But I chose Coraline because the costume was the easiest to make for both me and my dog.

I've been DIY-ing my costumes since I was little (well, my mom was doing all the work before my fine motor movements fully developed, but everything was still homemade). I'm on a fixed budget and never want to ruin it by spending money on something I'm only going to wear once for a photo. Plus, I don't ever go out on Halloween, so the costume would literally only be purchased for the photo.

This costume was super easy because I already owned the pointy-toed blue boots and dark-wash jeans. All I needed was a star-print sweater and a dragonfly clip. I thought about buying them, but I knew I wouldn't ever wear the sweater or the clip again, and decided I'd rather spend the money on new books.

I made the sweater by cutting out stars from a huge swath of white fabric I have that I use for embroidery and tacking them onto a fuzzy sweater I already owned. I made the clip by painting a dragonfly onto the same fabric and gluing it on a bobby pin.

And voilá! A "Coraline" Halloween! I think my pup was the happiest with this costume because it didn't require her to wear socks or a jacket like she's had to wear in previous years' costumes.

OOTD: Shades of Navy

I've worn this outfit so many times (thanks for the life inspo, Lizzie McGuire!) that one of my friends at work and I have actually matched our denim-on-denim looks TWICE in the last four months. Recently, I switched it up by doing this half-tuck thing and adding a blazer to the look. I thoroughly believe that a blazer and jeans make for the best business casual outfit.

OOTD: That's So Hannah

Black Steve Madden Chelsea booties - distressed mom jeans - black mesh top high-slit dress - black H&M cropped faux leather moto jacket - brown ribbon choker - gold leaf headband

Evelyn is in staying with me this week for her spring break, and we are seriously tearing up NYC. Yesterday we hit up the Museum of Natural History, where we paid $0.50 each for admission. She's studying biochemistry and I got my Bachelor's of Science in psychology, so there was plenty to thrill us both. I got to see a human brain, a life-size replica of a giant blue whale, and an entire display featuring my birthstone, so I was a happy camper.

This outfit was inspired by Leandra Medine of Man Repeller. She rewrote what it means to be a fashion blogger: She's all about dressing for yourself and really experimenting with fashion as a means of expression of oneself. Since becoming an avid reader of the site, I've committed to buying statement pieces that really scream, "Hannah." This shirt-dress hybrid was one of those purchases. It's such a unique piece that I couldn't quite find something similar to link to (I've provided a couple pieces with similar qualities, but nothing close). My sense of style isn't always one-of-a-kind; my favorite embroidered jeans are literally everywhere right now, but they're still so ME. I'm dedicating myself to dressing for me and me alone to express myself and make myself happy.

OOTD: Rock 'n' Roll

Pink perspex booties - high-waisted fringe jeans - black mock neck crop top - H&M black moto jacket

In case you couldn't tell by the unevenness of the fringe, I made these pants! Well, I sewed the fringe onto the bottom of a $6 pair of pants that I bought in the men's section of Goodwill. In case you haven't noticed, I love sewing black fringe onto clothing to make something basic look more interesting. It's really easy to do: the whole process took me maybe 45 minutes. You can do it with any trim: velvet, lace, pom poms, etc.

OOTD: Cold & Windy

Steve Madden black chelsea booties - Obey straight-leg dark wash jeans - White bell sleeve top - H&M grey faux fur coat - Black tattoo choker - H&M grey pom pom beanie

So, it's March; isn't it supposed to be warm by now? Clearly, New York has not gotten the message, because it was 14 F outside this weekend. I may have grown up in that kind of weather, but I haven't ever had to be out in it for long periods of time. Luckily, I have a HUGE collection of coats to keep me warm. I hardly ever wore this faux fur coat when I lived in Seattle– it was just never cold enough. Now, I wear it several times a week. I'm glad I kept it even when I didn't have very much use for it.

OOTD: Last First Day

September 21st marked a momentous day: my last first day of school! I can't believe I've been in school for 15 years, and I definitely can't believe I'm graduating in just a few short months. Do I look like someone who's ready to take on the real world? I have no idea what my future holds (to the point of minute panic), but I'm certainly not trying to give off those vibes. I'm trying to take advantage of dressing non-professionally for as long as I can; hence the crop top and extreme distressed denim.

OOTD: Big Dipper

A photo posted by Hannah Goldstein (@thehannahgold) on Aug 15, 2016 at 5:20pm PDT

Those of you who follow me on Instagram probably know that I got matching big dipper/little dipper tattoos with my little sister last month. We've wanted to get matching tattoos for as long as I can remember, and our mutual love of the stars made constellations a perfect option. We settled on the big dipper/little dipper combo because we're each others' big and little sisters. Now that I've written the official background story on the internet, I assume I'm free to tell bs stories to strangers who ask about the meaning of my tattoo in the future... Right?

I've wanted to get a wrist tattoo since I was 16. I planned on getting one several months after turning 18 to celebrate going a year without self-harming, but encountered some issues with my parents. Placing a tattoo, a permanent piece of art, on a part of my body that I used to punish when I was experiencing a particularly rough bout of depressive symptoms, seems like an appropriate way to both honor my past struggles and constantly remind myself of the hope that I have for the future. I've been free of self-harm since October 20, 2015, and I've made tremendous strides in my treatment since then. I'm proud to be able to look at this inscription on my body and be reminded of what I've been through and one of my biggest supporters and reasons to live: my sister.

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