October — the month full of festive fashion, music and treats. The foliage is finally full-fledged and Halloween is just a few weeks away. People across campus and social media seem to have already gotten into the spooky spirit, as Halloween has reemerged as a common favorite holiday over the last few years.
Although I have not touched on food in previous issues, fall treats have particularly caught my eye in the last two weeks. As always, pumpkin and apple flavored items are incredibly popular. The Pumpkin Spice Latte has proven to not be going anywhere but is coupled this season with pecan inspired items as well.
Starbucks introduced the Pecan Oatmilk Cortado this season and similarly, I have seen stores, like Bath and Body Works selling pumpkin-pecan scented soaps, lotions and candles (though these are obviously not edible). As for apple flavors, classic cider is an option, but at our very own Dairy Bar, there is an apple cider float on the menu which I am very intrigued by.
What stood out to me most, however, was a themed cookie I have seen all over social media recently — “Coraline” button cookies.
For those of you who may have never seen it, “Coraline” is a 2009 Tim Burton movie about a girl who wanders into a mysterious world of people who have buttons for eyes. The film is a cult classic and as of last year, with its 15th anniversary showing in select theaters, the film is always extremely relevant in October.
Creators online are making button inspired cookies of all colors and flavors as a fall activity with friends, significant others, family or even by themselves as “Coraline” plays in the background. If you are looking for a specific recipe, cooking blog “Elizabeth’s Kitchen Diary” has an Oreo take on the trend and blogger “Bakerella” provides a peanut-butter recipe.
Delving into fashion, boots are everywhere. The footwear may be an obvious staple of fall, but I am noticing some patterns. On the more masculine side of the spectrum, work boots and combat boots seem incredibly popular — from Timberlands to classic Doc Martens. These boots can be for anyone, though. I see all different kinds of people wearing some sort of platform combat boots on a daily basis. These boots feel very ‘90s grunge to me and are typically black but can really come in any color.
A more ‘70s free spirit boot is also popular with the classic “riding boot,” specifically in brown being worn recently. These boots are again worn by everyone regardless of gender expression and are commonly paired with flair jeans, skirts or dresses. The vintage Frye boot is a popular item that can easily (but expensively) be purchased on thrifting sites, such as Depop, ThredUp or Poshmark. Consider checking out brands such as vintage Clarks or Madden Girl for cheaper alternatives.
While I am going to do a deeper dive into Halloween costume trends in the next issue, I will share a few observations I have made for this year’s most popular looks… Makeup, makeup and more makeup! My “For You” pages have become flooded with people creating amazing costumes based around makeup looks.
The best looks I have seen were people painting their faces to look like different animals, such as leopards and rabbits, cosplaying horror anime characters and transforming into Monster High Dolls. These looks are cute but do require a little more effort than simply drawing on a nose and whiskers — people seem to be taking more risks with their looks this year and going for more transformative looks. Simple is out and over the top is in this Halloween.
Diverting to the music scene, Taylor Swift’s new album, “The Life of a Showgirl” came out on Oct. 3 and is receiving major attention, and not surprisingly, criticism. Swift is not new to backlash, but this time, the comments seem to be coming from ‘Swifties’ themselves and also Charli xcx fans. The track “Actually Romantic” is allegedly a diss track to Charli xcx in response to the song “Sympathy is a knife.” Feuds, memes and fans of both begging them to “work it out on the remix” as Charli xcx and Lorde once had in the song “Girl, so confusing,” are circulating on social media.
Similar beef between artists is a common trend this year. Just months earlier, artists Lana Del Rey and Ethel Cain entered an internet battle with the release of Del Rey’s snippet of “All About Ethel,” a rumored track on her upcoming album, “Stove.” The feud also prompted fans of both to spam endless social media comments wishing for them to “work it out on the remix.”
From desserts to Halloween to Taylor Swift, October has already been extremely eventful and we are about just a week in. Tune in next time to get the latest as Halloween gets closer and closer!