October Favorites
Someone on Twitter said “October doing 95 in a 50” and I felt that.
The seasons are changing right outside my window, my professors are already introducing our final projects, the election is basically here, and these past few months have felt like a big messy blur that I’m still trying to process. I’m working on writing a life update to fill you all in on the changes and why I’ve been gone, but before that I wanted to share a quick favorites post. October was when I finally felt like I found my stride with school and developed a routine that made sense for me. This freed me up to finally enjoy a lot of the things I had put on the back burner like fashion, beauty, and art.
TV
Lovecraft Country
It’s hard to explain the series (see Issa Rae’s SNL sketch), but all I’m gonna say is that there’s Black history, family drama, witches, demons, magic, and a whole lot of adventure. It was so fun to watch the series during October and live tweet about it with my schoolmates and professors who have been incorporating the show into their classes. As someone who has a very low tolerance for horror, I gotta say the story was worth all the frights and I’ve already started rewatching. Get into Lovecraft Country, period. And while you’re at it, can we talk about Jonathan Majors too?
Podcasts
Lovecraft Country Podcast
After each Sunday night episode I tuned in to the series podcast without fail on Monday. With a show like Lovecraft Country that discusses race, sexuality, gender, abuse, and generational trauma against the backdrop of Jim Crow America, having a way to unpack it feels necessary. Over the course of the season, listening to hosts Ashley C. Ford and Shannon Houston’s takes felt like getting together to talk about the show with friends.
Modern Love
If you’re into the Modern Love column in the New York Times or the Amazon Prime series based on some of its essays, this podcast is for you. Each week, a new celebrity picks an essay to read and the author returns at the end to update us on their life since writing the piece. The essays are all so touching and describe love in all its forms. If I had to pick a favorite episode, it would either be “Why Can’t Men Say ‘I Love You’ To Each Other?” with Ncuti Gutwa or “When Cupid Is A Prying Journalist” with Susan Kelechi Watson.
Music
KIRBY Sis. EP
During this time of year I usually revert back to my more nostalgic fall playlists, but this month I added a new addition to the mix. KIRBY’s Sis. EP was an instant favorite from the moment I heard the first track. It’s hard to describe her sound because it really is so unique, but KIRBY’s music makes me feel like I’m living in a daydream. It’s warm and soft and I can’t get enough. My top favorite songs off the EP are “Leon” and “Velvet”.
Jordan Rakei “Tawo”
Spotify recommended this song to me at the beginning of the month and I literally couldn’t stop listening. It got to the point where I had to consciously stop myself from playing it on repeat for fear of wearing it out. “Tawo” is such a great track and really introduced me to Jordan Rakei. Since then I’ve fallen in love with a few other songs by him and highly recommend his NPR Tiny Desk Concert if you want to get a feel for his music.
Beauty
Bentonite Clay
My skin was so clear over the summer, but once school started it all fell apart. Stress, not eating as well as I used to, and having less time to go on long evening walks really took its toll. This past month I put more effort into treating my skin and one aspect of that was incorporating bentonite clay masks into my skincare routine at least once a week. Combined with better food and some more exercise, I think it’s been helping.
EO Lavender Deodorant Spray
Natural deodorants are pretty hit or miss, but this one right here is the truth! I appreciate that the only ingredients are water, alcohol, and lavender essential oil so I know that my skin isn’t absorbing anything harmful, and the lavender scent is great. Also, white residue where?
Glossier
I am very late to the Glossier train, but I’m slowly getting into some of the Lidstar and Skywash shades I bought in the spring but never opened. I love how quick and effortless the liquid eyeshadows are once you get used to applying them. My top shade right now is the Lidstar color Herb. It’s a beautiful earthy green with some flecks of gold in it. According to my seasonal color palette, it suits me.
Fashion
Chanel Inspired Slingbacks
Not much to say here. These shoes are just so pretty!
Statement Earrings
I spend a lot of time indoors, sitting in front of my laptop with notes piled around me and my hair pulled back into a low claw clip bun. Basically, I don’t really need to worry about how I look for Zoom University. However, putting in the extra effort to look nice for myself always puts me in a better mood. On Tuesdays—my most difficult day of the week with four classes back to back—I’ve made a habit of wearing my boldest statement earrings to class. Whether they be the big abstract earrings I wore to prom or my intricate night sky pair, taking a few seconds to accessorize always makes me feel better about myself and my day.
