Changing My Stripes

As Stripe-Tember progresses, I want to move on to some of the Goth-iest of all stripes: black and white. This is a simple, elegant, and striking combo, and hard to find, especially in vertical or wider combinations. I like the latter because they're so pretty and elegant; they're also a recurring motif in the films of one of my favorite directors, Tim Burton. His costume designer, Colleen Atwood, who has designed every single one of his films, is a master of utilizing them in a way that is truly elegant and memorable.

This iconic dress from Sleepy Hollow actually only appears very briefly at the end of the film, but it is so gorgeous and striking that you can buy replicas of it and anyone who has seen the movie tends to associate the dress (and pattern!) with it. My first day of b/w stripes is not so dramatic; think of it as a small transition from the subtle stripes to the bold.

Black and white striped blouse-Arc

Back net skirt-Salvation Army

Red tights-Target

Black Mary Janes-Wal-Mart

I love the b-w-r combo, and I bought this top in no small part because of how much I loved the contrast of the red trim and buttons against the black and white stripes. I felt very girly and swirly today, and I loved it! The skirt has little gems on the netting, and they catch the light just enough to add some great sparkle to what's otherwise a pretty simple little skirt. Altogether just fun!

Striptember: Subtle Stripes Twofer, And World Hijab Day

Hi, all! So, a couple days ago I said I would be doing something a little different for the 5th. It turned out the 4th of September was actually World Hijab Day, but because I am a bit of a dodo, I thought it was yesterday. Oops! But even after realizing my mistake, I figured I would wear a headscarf to show my support nonetheless. World Hijab Day is important because it shows solidarity for Muslim women in places like France who must fight against laws that seek to bar them from wearing hijab as an expression of their faith. As someone who is very much in favor of people being able to wear what they want, and observe their religions (or lack thereof) how they choose to with no governmental interference, I'm very much in support of this.
World Hijab Day also gives women who have never worn hijab the chance to share the experience of Muslim women in wearing the hijab every day. From pins to slippage to funny looks and comments, it is a choice of attire that sets you apart from the mainstream-and I think that we in subcultures that express ourselves through clothing choice can certainly relate to all the attendant costs and benefits that come with it!
Because I am not Muslim myself I didn't feel comfortable donning full hijab (as it is a personal choice strongly linked with expression of Muslim faith) but I thought that a headscarf similar to those that more conservative Orthodox Christians wear would be an acceptable substitute. And of course, being the anal-retentive color matching person that I am, I had to coordinate it to my outfit!

Green dragon print scarf-Arc

Black cami-Ross

Black lace blouse-Arc

Multi-colored gypsy wrap skirt-Hippie store
Black cloth Mary Janes-Ross

See! The skirt has stripes in it. I AM SO CLEVER. I wish I could remember the store where I got it, but honestly all I remember was that they had bongs in the front for sale, and because I was in 10th grade and very naive, I thought they were just pretty blown glass and asked my mom if she could get me one. She almost died laughing.
And on-topic, wearing the scarf definitely gave me just a tiny bit of perspective into the difficulties of wearing hijab. It was very heavy and kept sliding off my hair, despite being put in place with hairpins. I was fiddling with and resetting it all day! I am in awe of the many women I see on my campus every day wearing hijab who look flawless and completely put together. If anyone's interested in reading more about hijab, my friend Larissa has an amazing blog called The Adventures of A Hijabi Waitress where she discusses it in a far more eloquent and informed manner than I could. And on a shallow note, her hijab coordinates are amazing. :) 

 And now for today's outfit, which was just subtle and stripey and not really religious or political at all. BUT FUN, I hope!

Black lace shrug-Love Culture
Black cami-Wal-Mart

Black pinstriped underbust corset-Punk69

Red miniskirt-Arc

Black leggings-Cosmic

Black ballet flats-Recycle Boutique

This was a fun outfit. The skirt actually has stripes too, though you can't see them in the picture that well because they're tone-on-tone. It's a cute skirt but I don't wear it that often on account of EXTREME SHORTNESS. But the leggings solved that problem-yay for butt coverage! One more day of subtle stripes, then it's on to...well, not necessarily BETTER, but definitely BRIGHTER things. ARE YOU EXCITED OR WHAT? 

Stripe-tember: A Subtle Beginning

So, I mentioned this briefly and rather opaquely a few posts back, but over the next three months, I'm going to be doing something a little different with my blog and outfits. If you're a longtime reader, you may have noticed that last year, I would do theme weeks around a specific color or idea. This time, I'm going a little more ambitious: I'm doing theme months. I'm starting today with Stripe-tember, which is based around the premise that every outfit that I wear this month is going to incorporate some kind of stripe. Sounds simple, right? Stripes are a staple of the Goth wardrobe, especially notable in the the design of Tim Burton movies and not a few of Edward Gorey's drawings. From subtle pinstripes to bold inch-wide black-and-whites to a rainbow of striped socks, I have TONS of stripes in my wardrobe-but how to incorporate them into different kinds of outfits? How to wear them day after day without getting repetitive in my looks? Therein lies the challenge!

If anyone's interested in joining me (for a day, though you can try for the whole month if you're ambitious!) I'm going to have a multi-blog event in the line of Sophistique Noir's Monthly Theme Day, or The Dancing Maenad's Monthly Homework Assignment, on the 20th of the month. Bring out your stripiest finery and show me what you've got! More details forthcoming as I make them up...er, as the event comes closer. And now for today's outfit:

Black and silver pinstriped blouse-Arc

Black ruffled vest-Recycle Boutique

Black lacy skirt-Goodwill

Black tights-God knows where

Black heels-Wal-Mart

This is indeed a very subtle beginning; but I promise, there are silver pinstripes on the blouse. Look, here:

I had a good reason for keeping it more subtle today, as I was attending the memorial service of a close friend of the family. He was 89 years old and a dear, fantastic man who brought light to everyone around him. He played five instruments and offered me support and guidance when I was just a scared, lonely, weird teenager. He always gave me compliments on my outfits; once, when I was wearing my Iron Fist vampire heels he told me "Those are the neatest shoes I've ever seen-if they came in my size, I'd like a pair." I dressed it down and demure for his funeral because I am a firm believer in old-fashioned ettiquette and dressing appropriately for the occasion, but secretly, I think, if I'd have worn something very bright and fabulous, he would have enjoyed it. My outfits have often drawn scorn from some older people in my hometown's community, so it was unspeakably wonderful to have someone who appreciated them-and me-exactly as I am. R.I.P., Homer. Me and my shoes will  miss you, your brilliant sense of humor, and your wonderful and heartfelt compliments and support. 

Pin-up, Von Teese Style

Like a lot of Goth girls, I love (and look up to!) the lovely Dita Von Teese. She has such a lovely, feminine style with a large dash of dark modern whimsy, and I just adore it. In particular, I really admire this toile dress of hers.

I think it's just gorgeous; I love toile prints (more on that later this week) and the print on top of the fifties-inspired dress cut is just fantastic. So when I saw this great Shrine dress at Buffalo Exchange that reminded me strongly of this dress, I of course had to get it: 

Lace Shrug-Love Culture

Shrine print dress-Buffalo Exchange

Black underbust-Punk69

Black tights-Wal-Mart

Chunky black shoes-Repeat Boutique

This is one of Shrine's ballerina dresses, which retail for around $140 according to my research. So not too bad to get such an amazing piece for almost 90% off! There are two small stains on the skirt, but...oh well. :) I love the flirtiness of the cut and the boldness of the fabric. Like Dita's sexy toile dress, it just radiates contrast in the best possible way, which I love. So on Day 2 of my pin-up week, I pay homage to one of the coolest pin-up girls around. Thanks, Dita! 

The Gallery Serpentine Grand Return!

Hello, my duckies! Sorry for the long absence, but I was busy packing, going to Australia, flying home, and recovering from jet lag and sewing and doing many fabulous-yet-sad things as I said goodbye to NZ. BUT, I have a treat for you, based on my treat for myself. Since I knew I was going to be in Australia, I decided in early June to order a corset from Gallery Serpentine as a memento of my Study Abroad and a gift to myself. I picked it up on the 6th of July when I was in Sydney, and at $260 it is the most expensive piece of clothing I've ever owned-but so comfortable and flattering and beautiful that I find it worth every penny! It's a good thing I was already full up on luggage and limited on money, or I quite possibly would have bought the entire stock of the store, it was that beautiful! If you are ever in Sydney, you simply MUST go there. It's like Willy Wonka's factory for Goths and fans of beautiful clothing alike.

Black jersey dress-Ross

Ruby Dead Tech underbust-Gallery Serpentine

Fishnets-K-mart

Chunky black shoes-Repeat Boutique

Something great about this corset is that it's unique and distinctive, but also easy to dress up or down. I can't wait to put it into a full steampunk ensemble complete with ruffled blouse, top hat, and layers and layers of skirts-but it works just as well here as the centerpiece of an otherwise simple outfit. And this isn't the only exciting corset-based thing I have in the offing-coming soon, my how-to on how to make a new corset out of an old one that's too big. I'm glad to be back, lovelies, and can't wait to be blogging regularly again!

Lacy Last Days of Summer

It's fall here in Wellington, but it doesn't always feel that way. Some days, if I close my eyes, it feels just like Colorado in May-warm sunshine with a hint of chill in the air, but in a bracing way. Funny, the crossover between fall and spring! Today was one of those days; warm enough that I felt like I should take advantage of the weather while I could to wear some of my lighter clothes before it officially winterizes over here.

Beaded choker-Salvation Army

Black and white lace tank-Paper Bag Princess

Black ruffled vest-Recycle Boutique

Layered chiffon skirt-Salvation Army

Black tights-The Warehouse

Black wedges with silver flowers-Recycle Boutique

I wish the photo showed more detail on the skirt-it's totally gorgeous, black chiffon in three layers, and I love the way it moves when I walk. I may have to post a video of it someday, that's how gorgeous it is! I felt very elegant and sophisticated in this outfit-so of course I'll have to wear something fun and flippy tomorrow, because I don't want to turn entirely into a grown-up! At least not yet... :) 

A Steamy Return!

No, not that way! Apologies for my absence, best beloved readers, but I've spent the last 12 days traipsing around the South Island of New Zealand on my spring break, living out of a suitcase and a van and having limited access to both showers and the Internet-not exactly conditions highly conducive to blogging! But I'm back, and in honor of AnomalyCon back home (which I couldn't go to for obvious reasons, being 8,000 miles away and all) I decided to go with a steampunk-influenced theme for this week's outfits. Apologies for the cockeyed picture-my tripod broke just as I was setting up to take the picture and I need to get another one, so bear with me!

Heart necklace-Arc

Sheer black blouse-NZ Clothing Company

Black lace cami-Arc

Fingerless gloves-Claire's

Purple satin skirt-Fiji flea market

Black chiffon skirt-Salvation Army

Black buckled boots-Ross

You can't really see it in the pic, but this skirt is a lovely deep plum color. I came to NZ with only black, white, red and a bit of grey in my wardrobe, and told myself that I'd live with that, but darned if I don't keep finding pretty items of other colors that I just can't resist! And really, a Goth girl can never have enough purple in her wardrobe, so...

Anyway, that's today's outfit. Stay tuned for more steamy and Victorian-influenced goodness as the week progresses-I'm glad to be back! 

April Flowers!

Hi, all! Sorry for being largely absent since my 100th post, but I've had a class project that is now thankfully done. I simply couldn't miss Sophistique Noir's Monthly Theme Day, though. When I first saw the theme, I wasn't sure how I'd incorporate it-but then I had a "duh" moment and realized that though I don't exactly have a lot of "floral" stuff in the Laura Ashley sense, I'm certainly not lacking in flower-y things!

Black dotted lace shirt-Savers

Black ruffle-collared vest-Recycle Boutique

Black velvet skirt-Savers

Black patterned tights-TJ Maxx

Black slip-on wedges-Recycle Boutique

Here's a close-up of all my lovely flower pins-I brought so many pins with me to NZ, and I keep forgetting to wear them! So I decided to go a little hog-wild with their flowery awesomeness.

 The purple and silver rose pins were gifts from my best friend. The silver and green flower was inherited from my grandma. The gold and pink roses were both thrifted. The red rose was stolen off a doll-it matched my outfits more than it matched hers, after all!

I also had flowers on my shoes and in my tights:

Sorry the tights picture is hard to see, but these tights are really fantastic-they have a lovely combination floral-paisely print that is subtle but cool all the same. 

And, as long as we're on flowers, I must admit to being a huge lover of real-life ones. My personal favorites are lillies and roses; stereotypical, I know, but there ya go! Here are some lovely fall flowers I've found around Wellington:

I don't know what kind of flowers any of these are; they're all pretty and all smell good, though, so that's enough for me! Next weekend, if the weather is good, I want to take a trip to Wellington Botanic Gardens, which isn't that far from my university, and get some more pretty flower pics. Brightest spring blessings to any of you whose seasons are turning for the warmer, and to anyone else in the southern hemisphere, stay warm and enjoy the lovely weather we have left! 

STRIPES Week, Day 1-Red and Black

I miss doing my theme weeks, I really do. I mean, I can still do color ones, but I kinda like the more exotic, imaginative ones better-like my fictional characters-inspired week, or my Goth-themed symbols. But with a more limited (by my admittedly exaggerated standards) wardrobe here in Wellington, I just haven't felt like I have enough play. But by gum, I want to make it work! So I'm trying to work with what I have to make interesting themes, and I thought this week I would fall back on the ol' standard of my best-beloved stripes. Today, I was feeling very red and black-ish about the whole thing:

Black heart necklace-Savers

Black shrug-Paper Bag Princess

Skull dress-Hot Topic

Leggings-Forever21

Striped handwarmers-Claire's

Striped socks-London street stall

Silver-embellished slides-Wellington thrift store

It was really windy today, so let's just say I was quite glad I wore leggings with this light, ruffly little chiffon-skirted dress! I don;t normally mix patterns, but something about this dress just makes me want to pair it with stripes; last time I wore it, I wore it with stripey tights as well! Wow, I've actually gotten good about linking back to my previous posts...I'm coming up on 100 posts soon, so keep all of your eyes peeled for that one, because I've got some special stuff planned. :)

Feelin' Kinda Grey

It's that time again-for Sophistique Noir's Monthly Theme Post! When I saw the theme was grey, I was quite pleased-I love grey, and I wear a lot about it. Plus, grey suited the rainy weather here in Wellington, so I was able to put two outfits together that matched the theme well. Here's the first:

Black lace blouse-DAV thrift

Grey jersey vest-Valu Mart

Butterfly pin-Goodwill

Black glass beaded bracelet-Fijian store

Grey print chiffon skirt-Goodwill

Fleur-di-lis tights-TJ Maxx

Silver buckle boots-Ross

I love this skirt-it's so flowy, flirty, and flittery, and feels so sophisticated and elegant. I liked the contrast of the silk chiffon with the jersey of the vest. (Which, BTW, was missing a button when I bought it-whaddya expect for $3?-so I stuck the butterfly pin on and no one was the wiser.)

Here's a close-up of the print on the skirt-it's actually a jewelry theme, with pearls, rings, and chains. It just adds to the elegant uniqueness of the skirt, and I love it!

Here's the second outfit:

Owl necklace-Inherited

Black sheer blouse-Paper Bag Princess

Black cami (under blouse)-Goodwill

Silver corset-Punk69

Silver and black crinkle skirt-Eva's Closet

Pointy-toed boots-Target

The first is a little more modern, the second more Victorian-but I like 'em both! I may also be cheating a bit with the latter, because it's more silver than grey, but oh well. The skirt in the latter is a lot of fun too-both it and the blouse were purchased in Wellington, so I'm starting to build a NZ wardrobe! Since most of the clothes I brought with me are black, white, red, or grey, this theme fit perfectly with my wardrobe. Grey is one of my favorite colors, and I love how it works nearly as well as black as a neutral without being, well, black! I love black, but sometimes you need a little change-and grey is always my go-to when I do. 

Monthly Homework Assignment: "I Forgot I Own This!"

So, in January I missed Le Professor Gothique's Monthly Homework Assignment, but this month I actually remembered to check, and I'm glad I did! The challenge was to wear something you haven't worn in quite a while, and I knew I had just the thing:

Cream-colored lace overblouse-Inherited

Black taffeta vintage dress-Buffalo Exchange

Black lace armwarmers-Icing

Black tights-Wal-Mart

Black stompy boots-DAV Thrift

With this dress, it's not so much "I forgot I have this" as it is "I love this, but I haven't worn it in forever because it's vintage and sort of falling apart and I haven't had a chance to do repairs. You can actually see the spot in the dress where the center front seam is coming out and a little bit of my bellybutton is showing through-hence the "I haven't worn this in ages!" that qualified this dress for my homework this month!

Fally-apart or not, though-I do love this dress. First, I have a wide ribcage and big hips, so it's really rare for me to find vintage that fits. Second, it has a bustle detail in the back, done with lace. I love it so much, I actually squeed when I lifted it up in the store and saw the sweep of the bustle. The lace is a bit full of holes, too-but I just pretend it's intentional so I can achieve an air of decadent decay, and no one has questioned it yet! This dress is going back in the closet for a while, until I get back from New Zealand and have time to do proper repairs, but I was glad to be able to give it one last outing before I left, thanks to this fun homework assignment. :)

Shades of Grey

Who says that grey has to be dreary and dull? Certainly not me! This outfit is, granted, a bit understated by my standards, but it was fun to wear, so I may have to try this "Dressing Like A Grown-Up (Ish)" thing more often. You will still have to pry my neon-colored striped socks from my cold, dead fingers, but today I learned that simple heather-grey tights can work too.

Black 3/4 sleeve sweater: Arc

Underbust vest-style corset-Fusion Federation

Grey/pink tweed skirt-Repeat Boutique

Heather-grey tights-Wal-Mart

Two-strap Mary Janes-Hot Topic

I love this skirt and I think the only reason I don't wear it more often is it's hard to match because of the pink. But I love the asymmetrical cut and jagged hem-that with the pink gives the tweed fabric a punky aspect that's really fun to wear. Tweed is good, but can sometimes run a bit on the staid-ish side, and grey is similar-so I like this skirt because it gives an edge to both. Do any of the rest of you like to wear traditional fabrics in unusual cuts and colors? 

Cry, Cry Baby Or Goth (Stereo)Types Day 2, Gothabilly

For Day 2 of Goth (Stereo)Types week, there was really no question of what I wanted to do: Gothabilly (as she calls it), or rockabilly, as I call it. I do have a certain affinity for 1950s style clothes-it's probably my second favorite clothing era after Victorian, and the shillouettes are fun, sexy, and suit my figure quite well. In fact, before I officially started calling myself a Goth, I used to tell people I dressed like the lovechild of Tim Burton and June Cleaver on her way to the Ren Faire. This outfit is a lot closer to the example pic than the one yesterday!

Image copyright Megan Balanck

And here's my version of a Gothabilly outfit:

Pearl necklace-Inherited

Polka dot blouse-Goodwill

Polka dot skirt-Goodwill

Wine colored underbust corset-Canal Boat Trading

Fleur-de-lis tights-TJ Maxx

High heeled Mary Janes-Hot Topic

I actually wasn't planning on wearing a corset today, but when I put the blouse and skirt on, it fairly screamed POLKA DOTS-which, while not a BAD thing, per se, also wasn't what I was going for. So I tossed on the corset to break up the pattern and add a pop of color, and presto! I like the touch of red, and I think the dark wine color is a little more unusual paired with black/white than a bright scarlet. Watch me branching out my color combos like a boss. :P And I am truly sorry you can't see the pattern on the tights better, and I couldn't get a picture of them to turn out, because they. are. Fabulous. Covered in fleur-de-lis and subtly sexy, they make me so happy! And what is the point of living if your legwear doesn't make you happy? Not much, says I!

Green and Black Day 2

Hello! Sorry to have missed yesterday, but I have an outfit picture to share! I am prepping to shoot my film for Production, so I will still try to post, but they might be on the brief-ish side-not as much unrelated rambling...er, witty discourse as usual. Also, I wanted to make this a double post, but internet failure is not letting me upload the second picture, so I will do the double post tomorrow instead. So without further ado, here is yesterday's outfit:

Black lace blouse-Arc

Green cami-Arc

Buckled underbust corset-The Crypt

Black pleated skirt-Goodwill

Green tights-Target

Black Mary Janes-Ross

It's simple, but I like to think it worked! Hmm, not much else to say about this outfit, except that I always feel rather Peter Pan when wearing green tights. And that's fun! These are more teal then true green, TBH, but when you haunt the discount bins at Target to feed your tights addiction, you take what you can get. :)

By the Pricking of my Thumbs...Or Halloween Week, Day 3

I went witchy today, and no, that's not a nice way of saying I acted like a bitch:

Mirror necklace-Local arts faire

Black velvet Lip Service dress-Buffalo Exchange

Combat boots-DAV thrift

Pardon the crappy photoshopping in the bottom left corner, but I didn't realize my trash basket was in the picture until I'd already changed out of the outfit. That said, how fabulous is this dress? I bought it late last spring and never got the opportunity to wear it because it's very warm-but today it was about 28 degrees Farenheit and snowing, so no worries about overheating! And yes, I know we are all supposed to sniff haughtily at crushed velvet panne solids, but for this dress, I feel like it works and doesn't look cheap or tacky like it can, because the cut is so regal and elegany. I got it for $14 from Buffalo Exchange, and considering it's Lip Service it was probably about $150 originally, so I'm rather proud of the bargain! It is definitely fun to wear, and I felt quite witchy indeed-though it was a struggle not to drag my sleeves in the gravy at dinner! This is another fun piece that I might not wear every day, but it was certainly fun (and kept me nice and snuggly warm) for today-I kept threatening to curse people if they made me mad! :) 

Pretty Pretty Princess, or Halloween Week, Day 2

Hello, my dearest darlingest readers! Today, I made an endeavor to put my regular clothes together in a pseudo-costume, just to have a little fun pre-Halloween. Not that I don't sometimes skirt the edges of costume in my everyday clothing anyway, but this time it's deliberate. :) So, today I wanted to be a princess-because outside of the forced marriages, the constant maintenance of a perfect public facade, and the endless state dinners with endlessly boring people, what's not to love? I kid, I kid-mostly. The two teenage daughters of the Prime Minister of Spain, who are pseudo-princesses, are both rad and Goth-y, and Duchess Middleton seems quite a lovely lady. And we all know how bad-ass Elizabeth I was! I, of course, wanted to be an elegant, sweeping-skirted, pseudo Gothy princess-if they made a Disney princess of me, I would sing Emilie Autumn-esque songs and bats, rats, and black cats would come out to help me make my fabulous corsetted ballgown.

Silver chain necklace-Inherited

Black lace blouse-DA thrift

Black tank-Goodwill

Silver and black underbust corset-Punk69

Silver silk dupioni skirt-Arc

Black heeled boots-Ross

Here's a closeup of the lovely silver pin-I didn't realize until I was looking at the pictures that it and my corset were off-center to each other, but oh well!

So that's my first "costume"-Goth princess! I did get a couple more compliments than usual, and even some people who know me well (and thus know how "formally" I dress every day relative to most people my age) asked me what I was all dressed up for. I took great pleasure in telling them I was dressed up to celebrate the fantasticness of life! The ankle length light-colored silk formal skirt was a little tricky to work around, even for me, so I would only dress like this every day if I actually was a princess who lived in a palace with no dirty floors or staircases, and had servants who could give me large napkins to prevent food stains and follow me around with a steamer to get the wrinkles out. But it sure is fun for once-in-a-while! (BTW, the skirt is one of my favorite thrift finds-real silk and I got it for $2.50 on a 1/2 off Saturday sale at Arc!) If you were a princess, what wildly impractical item of clothing would you wear on an everyday basis?

Pretty Pretty Princess, or Halloween Week Day 2

Hello, my dearest darlingest readers! Today, I made an endeavor to put my regular clothes together in a pseudo-costume, just to have a little fun pre-Halloween. Not that I don't sometimes skirt the edges of costume in my everyday clothing anyway, but this time it's deliberate. :) So, today I wanted to be a princess-because outside of the forced marriages, the constant maintenance of a perfect public facade, and the endless state dinners with endlessly boring people, what's not to love? I kid, I kid-mostly. The two teenage daughters of the Prime Minister of Spain, who are pseudo-princesses, are both rad and Goth-y, and Duchess Middleton seems quite a lovely lady. And we all know how bad-ass Elizabeth I was! I, of course, wanted to be an elegant, sweeping-skirted, pseudo Gothy princess-if they made a Disney princess of me, I would sing Emilie Autumn-esque songs and bats, rats, and black cats would come out to help me make my fabulous corsetted ballgown.

Silver chain necklace-Inherited

Black lace blouse-DA thrift

Black tank-Goodwill

Silver and black underbust corset-Punk69

Silver silk dupioni skirt-Arc

Black heeled boots-Ross

Here's a closeup of the lovely silver pin-I didn't realize until I was looking at the pictures that it and my corset were off-center to each other, but oh well!

So that's my first "costume"-Goth princess! I did get a couple more compliments than usual, and even some people who know me well (and thus know how "formally" I dress every day relative to most people my age) asked me what I was all dressed up for. I took great pleasure in telling them I was dressed up to celebrate the fantasticness of life! The ankle length light-colored silk formal skirt was a little tricky to work around, even for me, so I would only dress like this every day if I actually was a princess who lived in a palace with no dirty floors or staircases, and had servants who could give me large napkins to prevent food stains and follow me around with a steamer to get the wrinkles out. But it sure is fun for once-in-a-while! (BTW, the skirt is one of my favorite thrift finds-real silk and I got it for $2.50 on a 1/2 off Saturday sale at Arc!) If you were a princess, what wildly impractical item of clothing would you wear on an everyday basis?

Black And Orange, or Halloween Week Day 1

Well, the title kinda says it all! I'm going to be doing faux-costumes for the res of the week, but I figured the inaugural day really ought to be those two gorgeous and highly under-utilized colors, black and orange!

Black lace front button-down-Goodwill

Orange cami-Fusion Federation

Black Tripp skirt-Buffalo Exchange

Orange striped tights-Wal-Mart

Chunky black sneakers-Arc

Though I do love this color combo, I recognize that it can be a bit overwhelming, especially in the florescent shade I wore today-hence the employment of the black button down to give just a hint of the orange cami underneath. I love, love love this button-down and have no idea why I don't wear it more often-maybe because it wrinkles and I am lazy and don't want to iron a lot of stuff! Until tomorrow (Day 2 of the week, Day 1 of my faux-costumes), darkly yours, Jamie!

Feelin' Batty, or Gothy Symbols Week Day 3

Full disclosure: I love bats-vampires, Batman, Stellaluna- there are so many great associations! Plus, flying rodents or not, they are soooo cute, and make for great Goth-y prints. I actually have a half-sewn bat-print fabric skirt somewhere at home, but seeing as I don't have it with me, I decided to improvise with a quite cool bat article I found purely by chance:

 

Black lace blouse-Goodwill

Gargoyle necklace-Repeat Boutique 

Black cami (under blouse)-Wal-Mart

Bat print cummerbund-Buffalo Exchange

Tiered chiffon skirt-Savers

Buckled boots-Ross

It's a cummerbund! Isn't that just too, too much fun?  I love the idea of incorporating fun, unusual pieces like that into my wardrobe-it makes for a great pop of color, and it's definitely adding a unique touch to an otherwise ordinary (well, ordinary to me) outfit. I'm debating between my other "bat" piece or vampire fangs for tomorrow, so you'll just have to look and see what I choose-either way, it'll be awesome.  

Spooktober Week 2: Spiders!

Continuing my month of spooky and Goth-y patterns, we're moving from skulls to spiders this week. Day 1 brings us the unlikely combination of spiderwebs in technicolor, rainbow, what-have-you. Aren't you interested to see now what I'm blathering on about?

 

Lace dress-Savers

Black jersey dress (underneath)-Arc

Spiderweb Corsetlet-eBay

Leggings-Forever 21

Striped Socks-Street market in London

Doc-Marten-Alikes-Wal-Mart 

Here's a close-up of the corsetlet print-isn't it fab? This isn't an actual steel-boned corset, just plastic boned (sure sign of a lingerie corset rather than a real one-it's sold by small, medium, large rather than waist size), but it's so pretty and fun I don't even mind. I think it might be a bit weird even by Goth standards that I have enough spider-web print clothing for a week, but I fully intend to make the most of it! Stay tuned for various spider-things throughout the week.