Hilarious nostalgic blog alert! “What Claudia Wore” discusses in great detail the fashion choices of Claudia Kishi, as depicted on the covers of one of my favorite young adult book series of all time, The Babysitters Club. Kim, the blogger behind “What Claudia Wore,” is totally obsessed with Claudia’s style, as I think all of us book nerds were during the ‘80s. Claudia, who was Japanese, artsy, and addicted to candy, had some of the most fashion forward outfits of all time, which Kim discusses both via the descriptions in the books as well as the book cover illustrations. She also critiques the other babysitters’ outfits, from Kristy’s affinity for sweaters over turtlenecks, Dawn’s love of the “Texas Tuxedo” (that’s denim-on-denim, y’all), NYC gal Stacy’s pre-“Gossip Girl” attempts at prep, and all of the various looks that would totally be sold at Urban Outfitters in 2009. Some of the more hilarious commentary, after the jump…

During my junior high/early high school years, I consumed young adult series like my life depended on it. Maybe in a way, it did. I read obsessively about my favorite characters and their packed weekend social schedules of dances, pool parties, tropical vacations, exciting dates, beach parties….trouble was that I was spending my weekend nights reading about these events. The conundrum is that the girls reading these books were the bookish, indoor type—not the ones out and living this life.

My books were my only clues to how to meet and talk to boys. In my endless pawing over my glossy-covered series, my impressionable mind sensed some distinct themes.