STYLE ICON // CLAIRE BEAUCHAMP

Oooohhhhhkaaaaaayyyy yousguys. We're gonna do this. It is the time.

Here is how I know it's the time. A.) We've got some weather going on out there, B.) the fourth season of Outlander is starting up this weekend, C.) I have an entire Pinterest folder chock full of DIY replica ClaireKnitsPatterns (I'm calling them that) that I've been waiting to share for just such a time as this! (They are all. the. way. at. the. bottom. of. this. post.) and, D.) no this post isn't sponsored (I wish CALL ME, STARZ!), but yes, I would like to drop some affiliate links up in here if I can manage it, and so there. Now we are all on the same page. 

Ooh! Also. Mostly these affiliate links are brought to you almost entirely by Forever 21, because that is just the way that it is. Okay!

But first we need to talk about this show. And how I haven't read the books yet because I don't want to start them until I've read something else first, because I need to be able to say that the last book I read before reading this book wasn't a part of the Fifty Shades of Gray series. Dee ye ken? But right first we need to talk about this show. 

Because. This show.

I think that Frank is lovely, to start. I'll watch just about anything containing a bodice in the wardrobe department, to continue. And lastly, my dad referred to it once as "Pornlander" when he was flipping through the channels on his TV one Sunday afternoon, which is the entire reason I decided to watch the show later on my TV once I was back home in Idaho, to finish. 

Recently single mom. Dee ye ken. After all, you know what they say:

"Come for the pretty bodices, stay for the ripping thereof."

... aaaaaand for the Red Jamie. 

Ok let's do this! CLAIRECLOTHES. (It's a page eater; so it's after the jump.)

First we're just going to ogle, okay? The shift dress of my DREAMS. The keyhole neckline, the slight A-line skirt, what is that... silk?... the slim brown belt, the plaid wool shawl, and the hair. And do you remember the shoes she has on with this?? Brown camel leather ankle boot... brogue... things... ???  

You can only barely see them here. So obviously this is where I am starting from. 

YESS.

The Ariat Austen Optional Lace-Up. Not from Forever 21. See? You can't trust me for a second. 

But this dress! While looking around for the dress, I did find this fantastic bit of blog from 2014, wherein a woman describes making her own copy of this dress for herself. It's good and nerdy. I didn't have the best luck with this dress. Imma keep looking. In the meantime, a bunch of dream shift "inspired" dresses are coming at you right now. 

Yeah, so not a single one of these dresses is quite IT, but if you put them all together they  do sort of average out into Claire's dress. They're also all rather budget friendly. :) 

Anyway, shortly thereafter this dress gets covered in mud and Jamie, so let's move on.

One of the best scenes in the pilot episode is when Claire gets dressed for the first time in all the doodads and laces and layers of 1700s Scotland. It is so good. While trying to find a clip of it on YouTube, I found this instead:

You had me at "Warning: Cleavage" 

Which then reminded me to tell you, hey guys there are so many amazing clips on YouTube about the costumes in this show. Ho-lee sheep. Go do it.

Butt bustles and boob cups and Red Jamie aside, right off the bat this show becomes a veritable Highland woolgasm and I am SO HERE FOR IT. Tartan! Earasaid! Tonnag! Sgian-Dubh! Can you tell I did my research for this post!??!  

Actually, I really did and it was the most fun. And most of the reason this post took me so long.

Oh, hey fellow geeks:

Traditional Highland Dress? 

Early History of the Kilt? 

History of the English Wool Trade?? 

HISTORY OF CLOTH MAKING AND WAULKING??? 

Yes, yes, and yes! 

How about a list of animal breeds native to Scotland? I don't know what to tell you, guys. Exciting times at the Lovin-Holbrook house.

Some more wool porn:

Yessss.

And how 'bout that James Fraser, eh?

Yeah...

Frank too! I always feel so bad for Frank.

Plus we can't forget how great and woolly Claire's wardrobe is even before she hits those rocks. Do you know how much Forever 21 loves me right now with all their plaids and chunky knits? This much. Let's start with the plaids. (There's lots of them, keep scrolling.)

I feel like those two long plaid shirts up there just need to be wrapped and belted and they're suddenly the world's most amazing dresses ever.

Let's not forget Brianna. 

And Roger! 

Oh, Roger!

(Kinda have a little thing for Roger.)

These two are knitwear gold and so now I am going to show you a bunch of my favorite chunky knits that are of surprising quality and design for Forever 21!

Did somebody say Fair Isle?

I can't 100% vouch for these hats but YMMV.

Whew! COME ON YOU KNEW THIS PART WAS COMING. It's time for some knitting patterns. If you made it this far into this post you know it was only for the knitting patterns :)

This page has tons of them. This one as well, and this one, as well as this one.

Okay you guys I think we about done this one. Now, tog ort, ye numpties.