Rachel Shoshanna

I’m going to start off this post with perhaps the most important favorite of The Blogger for this summer is YouTube - I’m finally following through with my desire to make videos, and so far I’m six for six on my goal of one video every Sunday! I’m really proud of myself, and even though the equipment I have available to me is limited, I’m having a lot of fun stretching a more technical part of my brain with the editing involved. Please go check out my most recent video and give me some views!

This consistent YouTubing also means I’m making some changes to the content on here - I’m going to make this blog solely a lifestyle blog. That means books, books, tv/movies, music, and such will be what you see here. Favorites will also probably be here as well, though I may do videos for that every once in a while. My YouTube will host exclusively beauty and fashion content, so if that’s what you’re looking for a highly recommend subscribing to stay updated! Now without further ado, here are my favorites from this past summer.

FASHION

If you watched the video, you should have figured out that chambray shirts, specifically this one from Old Navy, have been my jam this summer. I’ve also been living in these sandals from Old Navy. Maybe I should just say that Old Navy is one of my summer favorites.

I can probably count the number of times I’ve worn a real bra this summer on one hand. I’ve definitely been favoring bralettes in this hot weather, and this one from free people is by far my favorite one.

BEAUTY
I’ve been sticking with really minimal makeup this summer for the most part, so I’ve been using my bareMinerals Tinted Gel Complexion Rescue in the shade birch and the L’Oreal Lumi Glotion in the shade light religiously all summer. And when I feel like experimenting with my eye looks, I’ve pretty much exclusively used my Ace Beaute Paradise Collection palettes - I specifically have Classical Paradise and Paradise Fallen. Also, basically the only blushes I’ve used this summer are the bareMinerals Gen Nude Blush in That Peach Tho and the Burt’s Bees blush in Shy Pink.

I’ve also been loving a really bright pop of color - whether it’s in my clothing (similar to the one I have) or my lips. It elevates a look in two seconds and gives any outfit a bit of attitude.

BOOKS/TV/MOVIES

I read The Husband’s Secret, by Liane Moriarty, earlier this summer, and I loved it. The epilogue was one of the best things I’ve ever read in contemporary fiction. I also read the first book in the Darker Shade of Magic series, by V.E. Schwab, and it’s one of the coolest, most original fantasy series I’ve read in a while. It took me a second to get into it, just because it moved kind of slowly, but it picks up and the ending managed to completely surprise me.

All I’ve got to say as far as TV goes is Degrassi. I didn’t watch it back in the day when it originally aired, so I’ve been binging it for the last week and it’s honestly the best decision I’ve ever made.

A lot of great movies have come out this summer, but one of my favorites was Sorry To Bother You, the directorial debut of Boots Riley. I also had a blast at Ocean’s 8 and Mamma Mia 2: Here We Go Again.

LIFESTYLE

I started working out again this summer, and I’ve been feeling strong so that’s definitely a favorite. For days when I either don’t have the time or the energy to go to my gym, I’ve been loving the at-home, equipment-free workouts that are abundant on YouTube.

Some of my college friends and I do trivia basically every Wednesday, which is a great time and often the highlight of my week - we go to Amity Hall on the UWS, which in addition to having fun trivia nights, has great food and great drinks to enjoy with friends as well.

I’ve also been exploring New York City a lot more, and found some new neighborhoods that are really fun to walk around and find cool historical things - my favorites so far are Tribeca and the Lower East Side.

I’m going to end this favorites list here, before it gets too long. I hope you found some cool recommendations! Until next time 😁

Living in NYC, it’s imperative that you find ways to stay cool in the summer - the humidity here could knock out the strongest woman. Lightweight fabrics and as little material as possible without feeling overexposed (for me, at least - you do you!) are key for me feeling comfortable, even when I feel sticky as hell. Here’s a peek at the pieces in my wardrobe that I love for those hot summer days.

1. Rompers

Rompers are a really useful piece of clothing when you have thick thighs like me - there’s not too much tight fabric making you hot, but you’ve still got that barrier between your legs to keep them from rubbing too bad. These are all of the ones I have, and I love them all, but I’ve especially been loving the middle white one from free people this summer.

2. Chambray

Chambray is commonly mistaken for denim, which it isn’t. It’s actually usually linen or cotton, grained to look like denim, which makes it considerably more lightwight. These are three chambray shirts that I own that I’ve been loving this summer. I love it in a button down, clearly, but you can also find really nice chambray dresses, and I also love that it’s easy to make casual and dress up.

3. Flowy dresses

Despite my thick thighs, I do love wearing dresses in the summer - you just pull one thing on and you’re out the door. As long as they breathe enough, it’s probably the easiest thing you can wear during summer, minus maybe a tank and a pair of shorts. I thought I’d show my favorite (read: only) maxidress and my favorite jersey dress, just for a little variety.

4. Denim shorts/skirts

If you want to let your legs out during the summer, a good pair of jean shorts is a necessity. I actually have three pairs, all of which I love, but this one pictured has a really comfortable relaxed fit that I’ve been gravitating towards recently. A denim skirt is also a really useful thing - I love this style, with the buttons down the front, because it makes it really easy to look pulled together without looking too stuffy.

5. Crop tops

I love a good crop top. I feel like they’re flattering on pretty much everyone, and they’re also a fun way to experiment more with patterns and textiles. All of these hit me just above the belly button, which is cropped enough for me, but obviously you can go higher if you want to! I love the whimsy of the camera print one, and the lace one from Madewell is also great with a bralette underneath on super hot days.

It’s pretty obvious what colors I gravitate towards during these months. Something about blue and white, with touches of color here and there, makes me feel less weighed down, and looking at them makes me feel so chilled out - which is exactly what I need in the summer.

I hope this post gave you wardrobe ideas! Share your favorite summer pieces with me in the comments below, and don't forget to check my most recent video 😁

Picking a young man for the first in a series about fashion trendsetters might seem like an odd choice, but if you're as big of a fan of Timothèe Chalamet as I am, then you’ll know exactly why I picked him. He, in his so far short career, is already making bolder statements than most A-list male actors you see on the red carpet or in press junket interviews, from his color and fabric choices to the shoes he wears.

He is a self-professed fashion fan - in an interview he did with Frank Ocean for an upcoming issue of VMAN Magazine, he revealed that he styles himself, which is rare for an actor, and goes for designers like Raf Simons (who he wore to the SAG Awards), Hedi Slimane, and Haider Ackermann (creative director of Berluti), who are known for their always cool, always elevated, sometimes androgynous clothing. “Rock stars,” he called them, and if Chalamet keeps on making bold and cool choices, he’ll be a red carpet rock star in his own right in no time.

We’ll start off easy with his really fabulous sweater choices. All three of them are Gucci, but the middle one may be my personal fave because he’s a lamb wearing a lamb sweater. Too cute.

He also has a good eye for jackets. They’re an easy way to make a simple outfit more interesting. Here are some of my favorites:

Deep colors like burgundy, navy, and green look great on him, thanks to his dark hair and vampire-ish skin tone. My personal favorite of these jackets is that last one, by Calvin Klein, but I’ll give that first look credit as an ensemble - he looks like a Brooklynite hipster who finally learned how to wash himself. I also have to give him credit for the second to last jacket. It’s off-the-runway Berluti (another designer of whom he seems to be a superfan - thast whole first ensemble is also off-the-runway Berluti), and even though it’s definitely not something to everyone’s taste, his runway model bone structure and build allows him to pull if it off in a way not everyone could.

Now, for what we’re all really here for - the suits.

I love that he went for the checkered pattern on Fallon - it’s casual enough for a suit on a talk show, but still of enough interest that people like me aren’t like “man, why can’t male celebrities put as much effort into their clothes as the women?” He’s also a fan of all velvet suits, like me - this particular one is Berluti (which I believe he has also worn in a dark emerald green), and he also wore a forest green Gucci one to the 2017 LACMA Art + Film Gala. I also have to give major props for how he styles a typical all-black suit. Either it’ll be a thin lapel or single buttoned or with no tie, or he’ll do something like this and put a bold shirt under the jacket. I love this one in particular because it’s a turtleneck!! I love a good turtleneck. The Calvin Klein cowboy boots are also a creative choice that could have gone easily wrong, and yet somehow work. The blue Berluti suit is probably my personal favorite, though - and before people rag on me for the ‘fit problems’ please let me say that, 1) Armie Hammer is having more fit issues here (sorry buddy! You guys look cute together as always though.) and 2) I’m 100% certain that the ‘imperfect' fit is purposeful. Haider Ackermann almost always plays with proportion, and Timothée is lucky enough to have a model’s body type, which means he can pull off that slightly oversized, slightly cuffed cool guy look. The boots finish it off nicely. There’s not much to say about the last look other than he looks extremely sharp and polished in the Gucci ensemble, and is rocking the green, as per usual.

He clearly knows what looks good on him, and I’m excited to see what else he gives us. And even though he still rocks a black suit from time to time, I’m hoping he goes bolder for the Oscars. Now before I sign off on this already very long post, I’ll leave you with an honorable mention - this adorable heart button down he wore on the Late, Late Show with James Corden.

As you may or may not be able to tell from the photos, my favorite beauty trend at the moment is big lashes and a bold lip, with really fresh and natural skin. Don't get me wrong, I enjoy drama in my makeup when the situation calls for it, but most days, I let my skin breathe by just using concealer where I need it and a light dusting of powder. I like my drama to be in the eyes and lips. Clearly.

Reviews.com kindly sent me an extremely thorough guide to share with you about picking the right mascara for you to achieve a statement lash look. My favorite on the list is the Tarte Lights, Camera, Lashes 4-in-1, and, seeing as my current mascara fave is another Lancôme mascara (the Monsieur Big listed above), I’d say the Lancôme Definicils is another safe bet - Lancôme is kind of known for really taking care with their mascara formulas and wands, so everyone can find a mascara that works for them. If you’re looking for more budget friendly options, my favorite drugstore ones are the L’Oreal Lash Paradise and the L’Oreal Telescopic mascaras. The Lash Paradise is great for both lengthening and voluminizing, and the Telescopic is perfect for those of you looking for some extra length.

Moving on from the fashion/beauty side of things, I have quite a few TV favorites. Of the things that actually started streaming this fall, I would be remiss if I didn't mention Stranger Things 2. While I think that narratively, it wasn't quite as tight as the first season was, I still really enjoyed it and the new characters (minus Billy. Gag me.) (Justice for Bob!) Also, though it's not exactly a new show, the US Netflix recently added the Australian Zumbo's Just Desserts to their lineup, and it's a trippy, fun, very delicious baking competition show that's worth watching for the overdramatic cinematography alone.

I also know that I'm very late on this train, but I finally watched Big Little Lies about a month ago, and let me tell you. It was easily one of the best television shows I've ever seen in my life. I just started reading the book, too, so we'll see how the two compare.

Music I'm enjoying right now that's new, or at least new to me, is reputation, the new Taylor album, and Kacey Musgraves. I'm also having a good time listening to some old favorites, like The Lone Bellow and Fleetwood Mac.

As far as fun things to do goes, there are two truly incredible exhibits open at the Metropolitan Museum of Art right now that anyone who is in NYC should try to go see. One of them is a Michelangelo and contemporaries exhibition, and the other is a David Hockney exhibition. It would be well worth your time to go check those out. Here are a few postcards I got of my faves from the David Hockney gift shop, as well as some photos I took in the Michelangelo showing.







As a bonus, I just saw the new Thor movie and had a blast. 5/5, would see again, for sure.

I think I'll leave this post here, before it gets too long. Hopefully you found some wardrobe or beauty inspiration going into the winter, and if you haven't already seen the shows or exhibits I mentioned, then you should, uh. Get on that.

I hope everyone's fall has been treating them well! Until next time 😊