Theme: Military-Inspired

I'd almost forgotten about the 50 Themes Fashion Challenge. Here's one of my favorite industrial looks, which I'm throwing into the Military category. Even though the internet has kind of rewritten what the industrial look was into this superslick cybergoth look, it was pretty much a cross between metal/military/punk.

(my doorbell rang at this moment). Also that lovely moment when your bullet belt gets caught in your fishnet shirt.

100 Day Song Challenge

I've been enjoying listening to Deux Ex Machina's songs in the 100 Song Challenge, so I thought I'd join in, even though I prefer to stay on dark-fashion topics only. Though, I guess some would say that dark fashion and dark music are inclusive. For fun, I'm also including my husband's answers. He's the stereotypical eldergoth and a musician (he was on a David Bowie tribute album, sharing the same disk space as The Dresden Dolls). And a total music snob :p

What's in my closet, but I haven't worn yet

Part of this challenge.

What's in my closet that I haven't worn yet? Easy: this top. Velvet lace design/sheer/fringe/crop...you can see why I bought this. I wanted something witchy to wear in the summer when I read tarot cards at the cafe, so I thought this would be awesome.

New Arts+Crafts Earrings

Silly me, I left my camera in Florida at my mom's house. So, shitty camera photos till it comes back. Just wanted to show two earrings I bought recently. 

Recent activity

Part of this challenge. This post covers my going-ons on the interwebs.

A few of you have been posting your Instagrams, so I figure I'll post mine too. My instagram deviates from dark fashion, so no hard feelings if you don't follow. I mostly post visually interesting pictures of what I'm doing around NYC and my travels. If you are interested in NYC and my day-to-day life, feel free to follow.

Recent posts:

Crocheted Lace Parasols - Tutorial

So, in the fall, I tried my hand at crochet to make a crochet chain scarf (seen here, though I should make a dedicated outfit post!), but I also want to try scalemail (with yarn) but hadn't made much progress in that. Then I was at my mom's and saw my grandma's old doilies and then I wanted to do that. And then I saw this youtube DIY parasol, which is basically a GIANT doily on an umbrella. Not sure how useful her design is at actually blocking the sun, but with a more compact pattern, this seems like such a great idea!

Red+Black Week: Throwback Thursday post

Wearing red and black is easy when you've got red hair. I managed to maintain red hair for a while in 2005. I didn't take as many pictures then, but I did take a few pictures during a trip to NYC to visit my sister, who was living there at the time. My style at the time was transitioning from cyber/industrial to the very uniquely Chicago "cyclist punk" (punks who rode bicycles, not an official thing...an alternative person who rolls up their pant leg and carries a helmet, pretty much). My haircut was an undercut with two braided rattails (that everyone hated!).

Coney Island

Red+Black Week: Final day!

Well, it's the last day of red+black week. I'm already looking forward to next year's. Blogging daily for a week is a little crazy, but I love challenges! I found a few new blogs to follow, which is cool. And I loved all of your posts. and I'm glad the B&N edition of Edgar Allan Poe's stories made another appearance this year (sorry! don't remember who you were! I think it was the first or second day)

Today's post is an old set of pictures I found (I still got my hair!). I was planning to do an ambitious post about DIY harnesses with ribbons (not unlike the one in my profile picture) but I've moved on to other things. Still pretty cool despite the low quality photos, and y'know, red+black. Also, honestly, you can kind of figure out how to do these just by fooling around with a ribbon or rope for a bit.

Red + Black Week: Baby Bats

left, not baby bat. right, baby bat.

Red and Black Week: Jumper dress

Today's red, white, and black day, but I didn't have time to prepare one for my prescheduled posts, so that post will come later in the week. I'm actually in Florida with my mom, so I've been extremely limited. I've been reading your posts and commenting on my cell phone. My mom's computer has the strictest and most random parental controls ever...all of your sites are blocked and even my own blog. Since I'm on a mobile, all you wordpress folks will get comments when I get back! Sorry!

You guys probably wonder why I don't do a lot of outfit posts on red and black week. I don't really have too many. My count is 4 items. (three I featured last year in a pretty ambitious editorial in this post). No editorials for this year... just a mirror shot. My newest is this dress:

Red+Black Week: Tartan

Here we are, another year of red and black week. This is the second year I'm participating. Last year's intro post (here) covered the mythology of the colors--vampires, demons, fairy tales. This year's intro post is more ready-to-wear.

Red and black isn't just vampires and demons, it's also the main color of the tartan print, favorite of schoolgirls and objectified Scotsmen and a really super popular fabric this year.

The trend started of course by the Alexander McQueen brand in 2013, and the many reproductions thereafter. Also helped with the 90s grunge revival.

Though the brand revamped the living Alexander McQueen's earlier, very very personal going-back-to-his-heritage collection of 2006, basically taking a shit on his legacy. here are a few from the amazing 2006 collection: