My Top 10 Things of 2012

10. Miley Cyrus
- Hannah Montana.. uh, er... I mean Miley has had quite the year. And by quite the year I mean she got the haircut that stopped the nation and became engaged to the finest hunk of man candy out there, Liam Hemsworth. Although her haircut has had many objections, her fiance has been protested by no one.. ever.

9. Lace
- Although lace has been out there forever, I love it more and more with age. It is so elegant, so vintage. Lace is earning more of my devotion by the second.

8. My Polaroid Camera
- I j'adore my Polaroid. No one can look ugly through her lens. It is truly a miracle. Although it can be quite pricey, costing about a dollar per picture, it is totally worth it. The unique look they provide for my room is unreplicable.

7. Cut Outs
- Not the trashy skin cutouts, the cut outs underlined with things like mesh and lace. They give the slightest little tease of skin. My favorite shirt is a simple long sleeved black t, accented with mesh underlined cutouts up from the top of the shoulder to the wrist. An unexpected hint of sass.

6. My Dad 
- I have the greatest dad in the history of great dads. He is easily one of the kindest people to grace this planet. Me and my daddy have always been very close but we particularly became closer this year, with my broken back incident, my brother leaving, and my moms illness. He truly is the best.

5. Florence + the Machine
- In late September I went to the Florence + the Machine concert in Houston. At first I was like "...what is this." but then I became totally enthralled with her. Florence's voice is stunning, her dress was stunning, and her set was stunning. It was amazing, I even ended up on someones shoulders.

4. Black
- Black has always been my color, but now I find myself wearing black on black and looking chic, not goth. If I could wear black everywhere I seriously think I would. Its my color, so I embrace it.

3. Coffee
- Coffee= life. Without coffee I would most likely have no personality.

2. Ryan Gosling
- <3 I have butterflies in my tummy just thinking about Ryan. In case The Notebook doesn't make you swoon, I would highly recommend watching Crazy Stupid Love. His abs... His face... ugh I'm dying.

1. Gossip Girl
- Caroline told me for years that I needed to watch GG so one long weekend off of school I decided to give it a shot. Two seasons were watching in a matter of three days. My life was changed. Blair has seriously changed my wardrobe perception. Serena taught me how to pick up guys (still working on that one). Chuck taught me how to fall madly, deeply in love with TV show character. The perfect evening in my definition is to take a hot bath, put on comfy pj's, make some hot tea, and lay in my comfy bed watching Gossip Girl. It's seriously my therapy.

xoxo

my brother

Well, my brother is my hero. He is the must humble and loving person I know. Recently he left to join the US Air Force. This is the first time in my seventeen years that we have been apart. As proud as I am of him, I can be very selfish and think, "Why now? Don't leave me when I need you most". Then I make myself snap out of it because he is doing something that is bigger than my selfish needs and bigger than the fact that I miss him more and more every day. He is serving our country and I do not think I could be any happier to call myself his sister. Some people are not as close to their siblings as I am to mine, but please do not take them for granted. I only get to talk to him once a week for about 3 minutes, but I look forward to his call. I can hardly wait to be reunited with him. He is my rock and one of my best friends, and it took for him to leave for me to finally realize that. Don't miss out on every opportunity you have to spend with your brothers or sisters because you will most certainly miss them the most when you can't have them.

xoxo

IM BAAAACK

Hello beauties! I know you all have suffered from severe anxiety due to the lack of posts I've been providing but no need to fret, I am back and it's for good. I had to take a minor break from providing my bows&bliss junkies their daily dose of Claire due to midterms <just typing that word makes me want to vomit a little.

So for all you people having withdrawals... I thought I would kick things off with a "What Would Claire Wear?"! The inevitable question to be answered is... What would Claire wear to a dirty santa party? So for all of you wondering, This is exactly what I would wear. In fact I DID wear it and I looked fabulous:

Top: I was having a shirt crisis that evening. So much clothes yet nothing to wear... always the problem. So I ended up borrowing this little number from Liz. Very sassy and feminine. It brightens up a relatively dark outfit.

Bottoms: I borrowed Caroline's black high waisted shorts (I'm guilty of borrowing a lot). I paired them with my FAVORITE tights. They are sheer black and have black bow accents on them. They have a few rips and holes but I think it gives them character. When doubting the choice of my bottoms and contemplated putting on my high waisted black jeans Elizabeth talked me out of it saying "jeans are common, the tights are just a little something extra". That my friends, is the truth.

Shoes: I wore some taupe ankle booties. They had just a little heel on them. Maybe 3 inches. But they really added something to the outfit.

Hair & Makeup: Confession... I cheered at a basketball game before the party and didn't even touch my hair after. But I really do think the high pony worked for this emsemble. My makeup was very me. I wore everything very subtle. I used my favorite color in the Naked 2 palette, it's called "Bootycall" (ha). I did a quick little sweep of black liquid eyeliner and then I brought in the big guns. The best lipstick I have every purchased. It is by Revlon and the color is "Plum Perfect". The shade is best for people with light skin and dark features, like myself.


I hope my outfit scheme helped someone out this holiday season!
Remember:
keep the Christ in Christmas
keep the season merry
& keep santa dirty
xoxo

Stress

You guys.. sorry I haven't posted anything in a while. I have been BEYOND stressed, like loosing my hair stressed. But over the X-mas break I will be sure to fill you guys in on my thoughts on all of the crazy things going on in the world... Kate Middletons pregnancy, my brother leaving for the Air Force, the VS fashion show! Ugh I have missed out on so much! But don't fret, I will return soon! Sorry for the lack of Claire in your life... xoxo

'Tis the Season

Merry Christmas yall!

In honor of the first day of December I'm going to list my favorite things about the holidays. I could seriously write about this for days but I have decided to save you all the boredom and just narrow it down to my top five.

5. Holiday coffees at Starbucks. The BEST flavor this season is easily the caramel brulee latte. Its amazing. Not only is it decadent and totally awesome, they put little sugars in it like the ones that are caramelized on the top of creme brulee. mmmmm. One of the best parts is the card they give you when you buy a holiday coffee. They put a sticker on it each time you buy one, once you get five stickers you get a free coffee!!!

4. Presents. Not to be spoiled or stuck up but I love receiving presents. I have always made a little Christmas list of items I want, including a URL to it and the size/color needed. My extended family makes fun of me behind my back about it (even though I can obviously hear them). But I mean come on... if your going to get me a gift at least get me something I would want. However, presents work both ways. You have to give as well. I love giving gifts, and shopping for them. Getting someone something you know they will love is probably one of the best feelings ever.

3. Dirty Santa parties are always invigorating. I really enjoy stealing a good gift, clearly dubbing me the dirtiest of them all (HA). Most of the girls in my grade have a dirty Santa every year. We get dressed really over the top and cute, then go to someones house and eat a little dinner, then unleash the dirty gals when the games begin! Always so fun and always so festive.

2. Christmas Music... some people find it annoying. But those people are the Scrooges of our generation. I find myself singing Christmas tunes in the ides of July. They are just so darn catchy. A few of my personal favorites are "Santa Baby", "O Holy Night", and "The First Noel".

1. 25 Days of Christmas on ABC Family. This is probably the greatest thing ever. Since I was a little tot my family has watched every single night of the 25 days. Im now seventeen and my brother is twenty, yet we still gather in my living room with my parents, our Christmas tree lit, and a fire roaring in the fireplace, and watch the Christmas classics. My favorites have to be Santa Claus is Coming to Town, The Grinch, and Holiday in Candcuffs.

So have a fabulous holidays dolls! Xoxo

What would Claire wear?

You have probably all asked yourselves, "What would Claire wear to ____?". But fear no longer! I will now post different outfits that I would wear to things such as a first date, a sporting event, homecoming... so on and so forth. I will kick off my first "WWCW?" with: What would Claire wear everyday?
**So I like to keep things rather casual but still fabulous at the same time. Don't get me wrong, I do wear Nike shorts and a tshirt from time to time, but I enjoying dressing nice to run errands and things like that. So we are going to break this down piece by piece...

Shirt: I love this shirt.Very versatile and it one ups a typical black shirt by adding the mesh detailing.

Pants: I wear basically everything highwaisted. High rise things are flattering for virtually any body type. These jeans would be a staple in my closet.

Shoes: These little booties in this oxblood color are adorable. They add a little pop of color to a rather dark outfit. They are very sensable for walking around in as well. (Sorry this one picture is masive.. I couldn't make it smaller for some reason)

 

 Scarf: This scarf makes the outfit totally season appropriate. I love the ombre factor of the scarf as well, it really makes the outfit for me.

Hair & Makeup: I would wear my hair in a big messy bun on the top of my head. This kind of style is a go to look for me. Its very easy and keeps my hair out of the way all day! For my makeup I would keep everything fairly simple and then do a deep red, dramatic lip.

xoxo

My Inspiration

There are many things and people that inspire me. They inspire what I say, what I wear, my make up, and basically my personality is a reflection of these people and things. Here is a little glimpse at a few of the leading ladies that influence me so heavily...

Audrey. Hepburn. The epitome of grace and elegance. I strive to follow in her footsteps. Footsteps walked in her so beautifully choosen and articulately designed shoes. There is something about her that is so charming. Not only did she have incredible genetics, she was talented as well. Breakfast at Tiffanys = Iconic. She also pulls off things that I would never think of wearing.... fishnets with innocent polkadot shorts? She's perfection.

Emma Watson is my best friend. Hypothetically speaking of coarse. I feel like I grew up with her while watching her nerdy wizard hotness totally dominate on screen. Not only is she smart, but she is a total bombshell. Practically every guys fantasy. So here's to you Emma... keep making me long to be you for many years to come!

Marilyn Monroe brings out the "curvy" girl in me. She basically said "I will never be a size 0 so f*** you society!". Well I mean she said that in so many words. She was a voluptious vixen in a sea of waif thin look-a-likes, which made every single man in America wipe the drool off of their face. Heck she even inspired an Elton John song... and he's gay! So when the feminist Claire comes parading out, just know that it is Marilyn Monroe living out her second life through me.

B & S. Blair and Serena. My main girls. Gossip Girl is one of my newest obsessions and it has pretty much changed my outlook on fashion... and life as we know it. All thanks to Blair Waldorf, I have invested in my very first trenchcoat; and what a fine investment that was. Everytime I put it on I am transported to the Upper East Side, envisioning myself eating fro-yo on the MET steps. If only...



xoxo

Viernes Negro

Black Friday.... Viernes Negro... however you say it in French. I had my first throwdown with this glorious day this year. Caroline, Liz, and I thought it would be fun. And boy were we right. It was pure chaos. We went to Target first, we were really hoping to see a fight errupt.. it never happened. But I scored an adorable forest green lace pencil skirt for $9! Who says you can't be fabulous on a budget? After we waited in line for about and hour, the people were getting restless. You would think that they would play Christmas music while your shopping or something but all you could hear was the pitter patter of peoples feet scurrying to get the best deals and the rude comments being stated under everyones breath. So we put on an impromptu performance of the Mean Girls version of "Jingle Bell Rock". Everyone was quite pleased, needless to say. Then we went over to Ulta to appease our make up desires. We waited outside until the doors opened at midnight, and when they did it was such a thrill. Running in with everyone, the smell of hair products festering in our nostrils, the colors of makeup catching our eyes left and right! It was orgasmic. After a two hour stint in Sephora on steroids, I ended up leaving with a face mask cream to reduce my pores, shampoo and conditioner to repair my hair (confession: my hair was in an abusive relationship with me), black liquid eyeliner, and a little set with various beauty needs. All of that was only $54. Considering the price of makeup now a days that is quite the bargain. I ended up going home after that because I was becoming delerious. It was totally worth the lack of sleep. I can't wait to do it again next year! xoxo

Food for Thought

I know that whole concept of "beauty is in the eye of the beholder" thing can really get annoying. Im trying to mask my awful skin here people, I don't want to hear this nonsense. But if you think about it, you realize that no one else is noticing that zit on your face that would require a high voltage electron microscope to see. I realized this while reading Lauren Conrad's book Beauty, aka the self confidence bible. If you don't own this book I would highly recommend buying it. My bestie Liz bought it for me for my birthday. If there was one person who applied the rulesof the book perfectly, it would have to be her. She is like the great LC in a sense. Very poised, a fashion sense to die for, and just beautiful all around. One thing I learned from these two people is that you really can be beautiful without looking like Angelina Jolie. Beauty is all about how you carry yourself and see yourself. If you feel beautiful with red lipstick then wear it. If you feel beautiful in little saddle oxfords on then wear them. It's all about your style and your definition of being beautiful. While everyone else is wearing super tight clothes and bearing tons of skin, I would feel more comfortable in my favorite high-waisted black jeans and a big sweater. Don't trade in who you are to meet other peoples standards of beauty because at the end of the day it all comes down to how good you feel about yourself. Don't be so hard on yourself, things you see I can almost gaurentee that no one else sees. Everyone over analyzes themselves but if you were to see your self from someone elses perspective, what would you see? Just a little food for thought. xoxo

The Princess is Here...

 

I have recently celebrated another anniversary of my coming into the world. My friends through a fabulous "surprise" party. It was at a Hibachi place and my outfit HAD to bring the drama. Since I could go even more over the top today compared to all 364 other days of the year, the fiercest items of my and my friends closets came out. After many tears, this was the outfit I decided upon. Very Carrie Bradshaw. I wore the shortest of all shift skirts, it was quite flowy and hit high waisted and exposed basically all of my leg. I tucked in a burnt orange, plain tank top for a little pop of sass. The sky high black pumps I wore really took it to the next level, I couldnt find a good picture of them though. The trenchcoat pulled everything together. It made it a November look all while being practical. The statement necklace was the finishing touch to my birthday look. I had a great birthday, with great friends and a great outfit. xoxo

Feast Your Eyes on This

It doesn't get very cold here in south Louisiana so shorts are totally acceptable on an early November afternoon. Here I was going to a birthday lunch for Liz at a festive outdoor Mexican restaurant.

2 bits, 4 bits...

I've been a cheerleader for 5 years now. No not sign up and your on cheerleading, I mean Bring It On, nationally recognized type of cheerleading. However, people just don't seem to get it. They think we just shake our pom poms and annoy the crap out of the football team standing no more than 15 feet away. So I am here to clear up a few misconceptions about cheerleading:
-No... we are not all sluts, and if you think that you can go around and bang every cheerleader you see then you are wrong my friend. W.R.O.N.G. whats that spell? your a stereotypical idiot.
-It's totally a sport. If anyone tells you otherwise than they are just jealous because we play our sport in short skirts and look great in  them. Also, I broke my back cheering. I kid you not readers, I kid you not. Yeah now I have two rods and eight screws up and down my spinal chord. If that is not extreme physical dedication then I don't know what is.
- We are all dumb. HA! I am actually very smart. Along with the rest of the squad. So when you try to talk to me like Im incompetent of hearing, I would think again.
So next time you decide you want to try to sleep your way though the cheerleading squad, remember that we have high physical capabilities and are extremly educated... therefor you'd be doomed for failure.

xoxo

Winter.

It's that time of year again.. Time to whip out my boots that are only socially acceptable in the colder monthes, steal sweaters out of my moms closet, and sit in front of the fire until my back is basically charred. This winter I decided to give everyone an overview of my must haves for the season:
1. BOOTS, really any boots; tall boots, short boots, military boots, wedge boots, black boots, brown boots, really any boots. They go with everything. From leggings and a oversized sweater (my go to look) to a cozy knit dress with a scarf. These essential winter must haves really complete any look.
2. A good coat. I love all coats, however, there is something about a trenchcoat that really gets me going. Its a classic look. When I think trenchcoat I think, Audrey Hepburn on a blistry winter morning in Manhattan.
3. Tea: a newer obsession for me. A hot cup of tea at night can really set the tone for a great evenings slumber. Instead of just getting regular earl grey tea and what not try to go for some holiday flavors, they only come around once a year so enjoy the moment! And obviously you need to purchase a festive mug to drink it out of as well.
4. A boyfriend.