Mega-Super Post of Awesomesauce

I've been a terrible blogger lately. Don't really have an excuse except that I've been busy enjoying some of my last days in New Zealand, but I've still been recording my outfits and want to share them, so I thought I would do that today with pithy comments! Nine days until I'm back in the States, I can hardly believe it. Time has really flown! And speaking of things that fly, look at these neat tights:

(See what I did there? :P)

Black sparkly sheer blouse-Paper Bag Princess

Black cami (underneath)-Arc

Black sparkly net skirt-Salvation Army

Feather print tights-Evolve

Black boots-The Warehouse

Loved this outfit, and really enjoyed wearing it. The beads on the skirt and blouse livened up the solid black, and I'm a sucker for a good feather print.  In fact, judging by my outfits (and my irregular blogging), one might say I've been a little bird-brained lately:

Black peacock-print dress-Fiji specialty shop

Black boots-The Warehouse

This dress makes me preen like a peacock. Ok, ok, I'll stop with the bad puns. (For now.) It is super-comfy and very easy to wear yet elegant, though. Like a nightgown for public consumption. But my love of wacky prints continues unabated:

Black lace shirt-Salvation Army

Japanese doll-print skirt-Salvation Army

Black tights-Wal-Mart

Flower wedges-Recycle Boutique

Here's a close-up of the print on the skirt, because it is unbelievably adorable:

If that doesn't make you want to smile, you have no soul. And speaking of soullessness, here was my attempt at a sexy, black-clad creature of the night look:

Black ruffled shrug-Love Culture

Black cami-Arc

Black-black striped underbust corset-The Crypt

Red velvet/black mesh skirt-Recycle Boutique

Black patterned fishnets-The Warehouse

Black satin heels-H&H New Zealand Clothing

Ok, this wasn't really an attempt at vampire cosplay. It just came out looking like one. Oops. Or not. I HAVE NO REGRETS! I also have no regrets about this skirt:

Black pinstripe jacket-H&H New Zealand Clothing

Gargoyle necklace-Repeat Boutique

Black tank-Forever 21

Silver underbust corset-Punk69

Black handwarmers-Forever 21

Ruffled multi-colored skirt-Paper Bag Princess

Black and green striped socks-New Zealand Sock Company

Black flower wedges-Recycle Boutique

This skirt, man. I saw it, I was drawn to it, but then I was like "It's too loud." But I kept thinking about it, so I went back and bought it. It was gloriously spinny and fun and perfect to wear swing dancing. One of my friends told me "It reminds me of when we used to do parachute in elementary school!" I think that's one of the most unique comments I've ever gotten on my clothing. It made me smile! 

Red and Black Week: The Finale

This is it, folks: The grand finale! I can't believe it's already been six days. I've been introduced to so many great blogs through this event, and gained a few new followers too. Thanks, guys! And welcome! I thought since this is the last day, I'd do a two-fer, day to night. I had this red and black "day" outfit from a couple weeks ago, when I was photographing my outfits but didn't have the chance to blog a lot of them:

Bat necklace-Asian Gifts

Black long-sleeved top-Salvation Army

Maroon underbust corset-Canal Boat Trading

Long red skirt-Recycle Boutique

Fishnet gloves-CoinMax

Black boots-The Warehouse

Pretty simple look-I like to think my boots and fishnet gloves give it a little "edge" but I like the elegant Victorian air of it!

And here we have the "night" outfit, for a friend's birthday party:

(Excuse the derpy expression on my face; I really don't know why I look like that! Also excuse my bangs; don't trim your bangs with safety scissors yourself because you got annoyed with them being in your eyes, kiddos.)

Caduceus necklace-Salvation Army

Red and black corset-Punk69

Black lace dress-Buffalo Exchange

Black and red stripe tights-Wal-Mart

Chunky Mary Janes-The Warehouse

A little less sedate and reserved, a little punk mixed with elegance. I feel like this is really "me"-a little whimsical and childlike mixed with a little elegant and sexy. Best of both worlds! Do any of the rest of you like to blend your favorite Goth looks for something that's uniquely you?

And many thanks to the amazing VictorianKitty for putting this whole thing together. We all love you and your awesome blog! 

I'm A Bit Maroon'ed...

After a couple days of punkier outfits, I was ready to return to my more elegant Victorian-Goth roots today. I decided to do it in style!

Black lace long-sleeved top-Salvation Army

Maroon underbust corset-Canal Boat Trading

Black velvet knee-length skirt-Arc

Lace tights-Random mall store

Black wedges-Recycle Boutique

I was honestly really disappointed in these tights-they were too big and kept sagging down around the ankles if I didn't pull them up every two seconds. Sadness! Lace tights and a lace top were probably not the best choice for a cold, rainy/windy day either... I may have been cold, but at least I looked good, though! I cannot get over the weirdness of having to wear warm clothes in June. My body says "June! It's time for warmies and sunshine, yay!" and then is confused when there's cold weather. At least I had my nice velvety skirt and lovely taffeta corset to keep me warm! I really like this corset-it's long-line and the color is a really dark, rich lovely red. Sometimes simplicity is best, and when you have a shimmering iridescent taffeta like the one this corset is made of, letting the fabric speak for itself works. 

Black and Red For A Rainy Day

Today the weather was rather bleah in Wellington-not entirely unexpected, as it is almost officially winter here, but not fun to go out in nonetheless. In an attempt to ward off the wet-n-windy blues, I decided to go with a more cheerful variation of black and red, and throw some white into the mix:

Skull hands necklace-Claire's

Black tank-The Warehouse

Red lace blouse-Fiji flea market

Black and white handwarmer-Claire's

Red fishnet handwarmer-CoinMax

Black and white print skirt-Arc

Black boots-The Warehouse

My biggest fear with this was that the combination of the prints in the skirt and the lace in the top would be too busy, but I think it actually ended up working pretty well. Black, white, and red is one of my favorite color combinations, and you can see why-it's graphic, bold, and clean-looking while still having that Gothic air of elegance about it. In fact, the descriptions of the clothes were part of why I loved Erin Morganstern's The Night Circus so very much-all the black, white, and red dresses sounded lovely! This is a great book, and I just have to pop in a plug for it. The prose is beautiful, the characters dynamic, and the story very well-crafted. 

And, Victorian setting? Legitimately star-crossed lovers? Ancient magics at play? Pretty clothes described in loving detail? And a largely red, white, and black themed circus that only comes out at night? This book couldn't be any more Goth if it tried! Plus the cover is pretty and fits in well with this week's theme. If you haven't read it yet, it's totally worth it. I seldom espouse or even read popular books*, not out of some annoying hipster-esque compulsion to avoid mainstream things but because books that sell well with the Oprah set rarely appeal to me (see Divine Secrets of the Ya Ya Sisterhood and The Help); however, The Night Circus is deservedly popular, with its intoxicating blend of romance, magic, and imagination. And its pretty, pretty dresses.

*Harry Potter and The Hunger Games excepted, of course. :)

Gothic Hijab

Gothic Hijab by jamiemf featuring lace up boots

Project D black evening dress
£375 - vanmildert.com

RED Valentino silk blouse
$273 - stylebop.com

Matthew Williamson sheer black blouse
£155 - josephm.com

Otis Maclain short skirt
£144 - farfetch.com

Erdem long maxi skirt
$569 - mytheresa.com

Alaïa
atelier-mayer.com

Dr. Martens lace up boots
$130 - infinityshoes.com

JustFabulous high heels
$80 - heels.com

Egyptian Mona Hijab Ties Violet
£4.99 - muslimbase.com

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... :) 

All My Cards On The Table

Or on my legs, as the case may be...I felt today was very much a black, white, and red kinda day. And this was the outfit that resulted:

Red lace blouse-Fiji flea market

Black and white polka-dot cami-Savers

Black vest corsetlet-Fusion Federation

Black ruffled skirt-Recycle Boutique

Playing card socks-Hot Topic

Black chunky Mary Janes-The Warehouse

I know I've worn this skirt a kajillion and two times in the past month, but I seriously love it more than words can express. It's subtly sexy (long in the back, but the folded-over front ruffle exposes more leg when I walk), comfortable, easy to wear, looks good, and adds an automatic steampunk/neo-Victorian touch to every outfit. When I saw it in the store I believe I ran over to it shouting "My precious! MY PRECIOUS! YOU WILL BE MINE!" Ok, nothing so dramatic, but I did snatch that puppy up pretty quick. About the only downside is that all those lovely pleated ruffles take about 20 minutes to iron every time I wear it and wash it...but I consider it time well-spent. 

Also, how fun are these socks? I would wear them a lot more often, except the Hot Topic sock designers  apparently used a drainpipe as the model for the leg, as they actually get SMALLER at the top and thus aren't terribly comfortable. Now I don't know about you, my lovelies, but my thighs are actually bigger than my calves, and thus ideally socks would be bigger at the top to accommodate that. But maybe I'm just a freak of nature, and most girls are going around with Bratz-doll toothpick legs. What do I know? :)

An Oreo-Goth Kinda Day

Yes, I compared myself to a cookie. What're you gonna do about it?

Gargoyle Necklace-Repeat Boutique

White lace overblouse-Fijian flea market

Black cami-Ross

Black striped buckle corset-The Crypt

Black lace armwarmers-DIY

Black velvet skirt-Goodwill

White tights (underneath)-Target

Lacy fishnets-Hot Topic

Pointy boots-Target

So, yeah. Black and white outfit...not really much more to say, except that I'm now vaguely obsessed with layering contrasting fishnets and solid tights because I liked the look so much here, so expect to see a lot of that! Plus, it's another way to throw variety into my limited wardrobe, so there's also that. :)

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. :)

Sew Very Goth Tutorial: Fingerless Gloves

Hello, gentle readers! Warning for those on slow interwebs, like mine: Very pic-heavy post! But totally worth the bandwidth, in my humble opinion. Since you've all been kind enough to read and comment on my posts for the past 9-ish months, I thought I should like to repay the favor by posting a how-to for one of the most Goth-y of essentials, fingerless gloves.

I love fingerless gloves. I have bought many pairs from places like Hot Topic and Claire's, but every time I put them on, I would pause and say: Why did I pay $8.50 for these? I can sew, I'm sure I can make them for much less! But it remained nothing more than an idle thought until a few days ago, when I found an old knit top that needed a bit of revamping.

After snipping and snapping it down to size (pics of the re-cut top forthcoming on a day when my hair doesn't look terrible!), I had a fair amount of excess fabric, so on impulse I decided to try and make a pair. And they came out great!

Because I was making it up as I went on those, I didn't do a tutorial with them; but naturally, having made one pair so quicky and easily, I wanted to make another, and this time I did step-by-step, took pictures, and everything! So without further ado, here's the tutorial:
Materials needed: Stretch fabric (this is a great way to use up remnants and scraps!), sewing machine or serger, fabric-marking pencil, your arm
Step one: Lay out your fabric, making sure you have two layers and it's all nice and aligned. This was part of an old tank top that started to fall apart; these are an excellent project for upcycling.

Lay out your arm on your fabric and trace around it. Sewing tip: I use charcoal white pencils on dark fabric and heavy lead pencils on light, because I find them much more precise than tailor's chalk. I wanted these to be elbow-length, so I traced to just below the elbow.

Take away your arm and add about 1/4 inch to one side for seam allowance. Since these are made of stretch fabric, you don't want a lot of extra ease or they will hang oddly! Also, trace in an indentation for your thumb, about 1/2 inch down from the top of your glove.

Cut out your first glove, flip it over, and trace it to make a second. Cut them both out and place them right sides together.

Seam all the way down the straight side of the glove (the side without the thumb indentation). I used my serger for this, but if you don't have one, you can also use the zig-zag stitch on your sewing machine.

Carefully serge or zig-zag stich along each of the thumb-holes.

Fold down the top edge and stitch it under. Then, sew together your final seams above and below the thumbhole, turn them right side out, and enjoy your fab new fingerless gloves-for much less than $8.50.

Good luck! If anyone makes some fingerless gloves using this tutorial, send me pictures-I would love to see what all you gorgeous folks can do!

Adieu, Cranes Belle-Or Skull Week, Day 5

Here's the final day of skull week...I'll miss my little jolly Roger buddies! Today was all about the accessories (I had to work, and wanted more practical clothes!), but here's a shot of the total outfit anyway, just for fun! Oh, yeah, and because outfits are basically the point of my blog. That might make a difference too. :P

 

Black blouse (under dress)-Wal-Mart

Black lace dress-Buffalo Exchange

Skull bangles-GoodGoth

Skull hairfixers-Walgreens 

Skull tights-Rite-Aid

Black buckle boots-Ross 

 Here's a close-up of the black and white bangles-aren't they too cute for words? I got them in a mystery bag from GoodGoth, and when I remember to wear them, I love them!

 Here are the tights-they were only $2 or $3 from Rite-Aid last year around Halloween, and sadly it's starting to show-they have a fair amount of runs in them, and are starting to come apart entirely. I'll have to get another pair, but it's not like I didn't get my money's worth out of these-I wore them at least 10-12 times last year!

 Here's the other bangle-I actually have a green one too, but I thought two bangles on each wrist might be just a tad excessive. :)

 And here's the hairfixer-for some reason they were real boogers to photograph, so apologies for the blurriness, but this is the best picture I could get! You can also see a detail of the lace on the dress, which is really quite pretty but which I am far too lazy to photograph on its own, so it's a twofer photo!

 That's the last of the skulls...at least for now! When I go home for Thanksgiving and Christmas break, expect to see a lot more because my sewing machine and I are going to be busy, busy, busy sewing up all my cool skull fabrics. Tune in next week for a just-as-Gothic but a bit more unusual motif-spiders and spiderwebs!

Monthly Theme Day-Lace!

Hello, all! I'm going to celebrate my triumphant return to blogging with a two-outfit post on one of VictorianKitty's theme days-this time, lace. Here's the outfit I wore to last night's premier of my university's production of Almost, Maine, which I designed a scene for:

 

Black raschel lace blouse- Arc

Green and black lace corset-Fusion Federation

Black lace skirt-Forever 21

Black lace armwarmers-Claire's

Patent-toe Mary Jane heels-Ross 

 And here's today's outfit, the official October 1st Lace Outfit!

 

Black lace shrug-LoveCulture

Black and nude lace camisole-Arc

Lavender net and lace skirt-Repeat Boutique

Black chunky Mary Janes-Arc

So I basically have enough lace stuff in my wardrobe that I could probably do an entire month's worth of outfits, just made out of various lace items. These are just a few of my favorites. Even though the corset in the first one is a fashion corset rather than a real one, it's just so pretty that I forgive it its plastic boning and cheap busk-I love that particular shade of green, and black lace is my third biggest weakness, right after corsets and striped socks. Or, really, any color of lace. I have an especial love of lined stretch lace tops-in addition to this cami, I have an olive green one, two black ones (one of which is kind of falling apart because it's been worn so much...sadface), a purple one and a red one. They are so fun, subtly sexy, and easy to wear! I definitely like stretch lace better in tops, though-the skirt I'm wearing in the first outfit is cheap stretch lace, and it's definitely showing, with all the lovely plastic-y threads hanging out and fraying around the edges. Despite my current almost-moratorium on buying new stuff, I would definitely spring for a long non-stretch black lace skirt!

Black Lace and Cabernet

Apologies for my absence, but it's been so hot here that I've lacked both spectacular outfits and the ambition to blog about them. :) I've got today and tomorrow to make up for it, though! I was definitely feeling more ele-Goth today, so I picked out some of my prettiest (but lightest and most temperature-appropriate) duds and went to town-both literally and figuratively. 

Necklace-Hobby Lobby

Black lace camisole with nude lining-Savers

Black taffeta corset-Punk69

Cabernet satin skirt with black net underlayer-Goodwill

Chunky black Mary Janes-Goodwill

This skirt is super-awesome. The black layer you can see peeking out from the bottom is actually a semi-sheer that's opaque enough that, when the skirt is reversed, it looks like a regular ankle-length black chiffon skirt. My wardrobe is so packed that any time I can get two garments for the space of one, it makes me super-happy! I also love black lace stuff with nude lining-it just feels so sexy and daring to me, without actually having to show tons of skin. I also got not one but two replacement pairs of black chunky-but-comfy Mary Janes for the ones I wore the soles off of this year, figuring if I can rotate the two pairs I won't wear through them as fast. Since those are basically my go-to shoes outside of chunky Doc Marten-style boots, I thought it was worth it to buy an extra pair!

Black and Grey for A Stormy Day

It's not really stormy here, but "vaguely cloudy and windy" just doesn't have the same punch. I was in an elegant and subdued-ish mood this morning, so that's how I dressed. I definitely didn't feel as peppy today as I do when I wear something more fun, but hey, ya have to act like a grown-up sometimes, right? (The answer to that question is actually no. But that doesn't stop me from doing it once in a while-at least clothing-wise!)
Black peasant top: Goodwill
Grey skirt with black lace trim: ARC
Black kneesocks-Target
Mary-jane flats: Shoe Carnival
Pearl necklace-God only knows, and He isn't telling

Here's a close-up of the skirt and top, for more detail on the lovely lace-work on both. I love grey- it's such an elegant and timeless color, not dull or boring at all as some people describe it.

I love these shoes. They're not exciting, but they're comfy and cute. Unfortunately, they're also nearly worn out-you can actually see the insides of the soles. I've been contemplating these:

But I don't really want to pay shipping-the one thing I don't like about GoodGoth is that their shipping rates are pretty high. I'm keeping an eye out on the various Goth sites this weekend for Memorial Day sales to see if I can snag them (or a similar pair) for pretty cheap. Flat, comfy goth-ish Mary Janes are the holy grail of shoes for me-cute without being cutesy, casual and comfortable while still being dressy, and just all around awesome. What sneakers or tennis shoes are to most people, Mary Jane flats are to me-it's no wonder these have worn through, I've worn them at least three times a week since I came up here in September, and I do a lot of walking when I'm in the city. Do any of you have a certain type of shoe you just love and can't live without?