On My Mind: Rib Turtlenecks and Lobster Claws

When I first jumped into collaging, I just whipped out my old sketchbook and a tiny box cutter I had lying around. This set is much more efficient. The board is a bit small for my larger cutouts, but it’s still a saving grace for my glass desk.

Lots of my Pinterest boards focused on ’70s fashion, so I’ve been hunting for vintage Black culture magazines featuring oversize collars, tailored suits, and elements of disco (and lots of powdery eye shadow). It’s also nice to incorporate quotes around the page from the articles to enhance the mood.

Villains always outdress the heroes. Therefore, they’re the most fun to dress up as. HIM’s most prominent features are the lobster claws, so I’ll be clutching beverages and adjusting mypink-feather boawith these crustacean gloves all night long on Friday.

I achieved one of my best deal hunts to date while curating this costume: a minidress for 84 percent off. And I’ll just say that $9 is the exact price this dress deserves.

I also grabbed a pair of boots that will work with my costume and with plenty of outfits after Halloween. These are under $100 but very well made. The heel is sturdy, my feet don’t get crunched by the pointed toe, and thefauxleather has a nice sheen, not a tacky glare.

I sift through sales every day, so I’ve been capitalizing on lots offall fashion deals. My favorite buy this fall is this pair of cropped wool trousers, purchased during Cos’s Friends and Family sale. I’m already wearing them nonstop with knee-high boots and turtlenecks galore. They were 30 percent off, but they’re definitely worth their full price — especially if, like me, you’re not too keen on long skirts but yearn for loose and flowy comfort.

As to not succumb to the “Gen-Z Uniform” (light-wash denim and a leather jacket), I also picked up these black jeans for 40 percent off. They’re sturdy but insanely soft and hang nicely on the hips.

My fall turtleneck of choice. I bought three different colors at Everlane’s fall sale.

People hyperfixate on black and white shoes, but I’m team brown through and through. My new favorite fall shoe — last year I rocked theseSpongeBob-y shoesuntil the lug soles started coming off — is the Nike Tech Hera. The dark-cocoa suede goes with everything, and the fun wavy midsole is so comfortable. They’re compliment magnets.

And finally, I fell off my reading goal this summer, so I picked up this book that I knew would get me back into the habit. It’s so easy to get immersed in Audre Lorde’s introspective prose.