off the beaten path

The most endearing thing about New York is that you can walk down a street a hundred times but if you turn left instead of turning right you can stumble into a whole new world. My friend and I came across this little brick house which is perfectly tucked away in a northern corner of Central Park and it basically required a photo shoot. It's the perfect location for a mid-summer pose session. But of course, leave it to me to wear jeans and a leather jacket at this time of year. I'm clearly already in my fall dressing mentality while simultaneously wishing summer would last forever. Determined to have my cake and eat it too? Of course I am. 

Photos by Artoun

Outfit Details: Destroyed Tee: Free People, Jeans: Free People, Leather Jacket: H&M (similar), Armband: Gypsy Warrior, Bag: Free People, Shoes: Topshop (in black)

yours,

Austen

new shoes

Best feeling in the world (maybe next to getting into college or not burning toast): you're coveting a pair of shoes you found online and are slowly but surely getting swept away by the lure of online shopping. Mostly the lure of not having to leave bed/Netflix. So anyway there I was mid-covet, and I fell asleep. The next day I went to follow up on some fawning and the shoes were GONE. I looked under every category: shoes, boots, booties- I could feel the panic settle in when I made the most incredible discovery. They had gone on SALE!!!! (cue angels singing) So with no hesitation I plugged in some magical digits and in 5-7 business days I fell in love with these amazing shoes by Nasty Gal. And an added bonus? A #GIRLBOSS sticker came with the shoes! If you haven't read #GIRLBOSS yet and you're a human person, you must check it out. And that (that being this post) will probably be the opening paragraph of my What I Did On My Summer Vacation essay.

Photos by Emma with help from Brian

Outfit Details: Dress: Brandy Melville, Plaid shirt: thrifted (similar), Necklace: Brandy Melville, Armband: Gypsy Warrior (similar), Shoes: Nasty Gal Shoe Cult

yours,

Austen

i still remember

I'm not entirely sure when I last found myself wearing a pair of good old blue jeans. Probably sometime in the seventh grade, and they were probably from Abercrombie or Hollister. And even though now I walk past the stores and wonder how I managed to shop in either without a flashlight (for the darkness) and a face mask (for the perfume/cologne overload) I definitely recall them being a big part of my early adolescence. Maybe this is why I've resisted them so strongly for the past few years- but denim has grown up, and so have I. 

Photos by Lynne

"Blue jeans, white shirt

Walked into the room you know you made my eyes burn

It was like James Dean, for sure

You so fresh to death & sick as ca-cancer

You were sorta punk rock, I grew up on hip hop

But you fit me better than my favorite sweater and I know

That love is mean and love hurts

But I still remember that day we met in December"

-Blue Jeans by Lana Del Rey

Outfit Details: Top: Free People, Jeans: Free People (similar), Coat: H&M, Scarf: can't remember (similar) Socks: Free People, Boots: Forever 21 (similar)

yours,

Austen