Happy New Year!

Happy New Year! 

Another year! Life flies by. I've been enjoying reading your "looking back" on 2014 posts. Seems like an exciting year for all of you. Like last year, I randomly drew a tarot card for this year. The year 2015 is the year of "The Lovers"

the tarot card is from the Running Press deck, drawn by Julie Paschkis....one of my favorite decks. I've surrounded the card with my wedding ring, my engagement ring, and a pearl/diamond necklace that's been worn in weddings for 4 generations. The magnifying glass necklace was a wedding anniversary gift from my husband.

The Lovers card is pretty obvious. It signifies love, relationships, desire. It's a positive card. So this year, remember that there's someone who loves you. It may or may not be a family member or a significant other. Your friends also love you in their own way. Even the people you work with--after all, nothing could get done unless there's some kind of mutual respect between you and your coworkers. In business texts they call these "working relationships" since, after all, they are relationships. Your friends online also care about you--at most, they care deeply about you personally and stay up worrying. At the very least, your posts lighten up that person's day and provide some escape. They inspire.

No one exists in a vacuum, people can't unsee you or unhear what you've said. You matter and your actions tie you to other humans. So let's love one another, yes?

SORRY ABOUT THE SAPPY STUFF. I got a sappy card this year! It's gonna be a sappy year.

Does the lovers card relate to you?

Trend Predictions: 2015

Following last year's dark fashion predictions, here are my trend predictions for 2015, and with a brief note if my 2014 trend predictions came true this year! Overall I think it's going to be a more toned-down look next year.


Goth Trend: I kinda feel the stereotypical "nu-goth" look with the over-the-top satanic panic symbols and big occult stuff will kind of die down to a more old-school goth look (except with 90s hair), meaning a more hair-makeup look with normal, trendy street clothes (in black). Goth brand clothes will continue to take a hit as people stop at regular shops.

 (Last year: Said the nugoth look was going to win over pastel goth. yeah, I'd say so. In real life, I've seen way more nugoth people than pastel goth. and online as well)

Trend Recap 2014

And now the year's almost over! Flew by, right? Miss the flower crowns and crosses? Satisfy your nostalgia by heading over to my Trend Recap 2013. Here's the Trend Reap for 2014.

Favorite Trend that Probably Won't Continue in 2015: Moons

(moons are the best. I want to get more moon things before the trend goes)

Lingerie Trend: Strappy stuff that kind of looks like the harness trend
(Finally! bra straps that are aren't stupid looking and can be worn with open dresses)

Long Hair Wants/Goals

Sorry guys...a pretty intense 2 weeks at the office. I haven't been dressing too goth lately, mostly because my hair is just so lame. It's its natural color (dark brown) and is just growing out. No style at all. I wear a lot of vivid dresses with a lot of pattern to them so I don't look too boring. (I wear this dress like every day)

Braids
You have no idea how much I want to wear my hair in braids. Loose braids, french braids, waterfall braids, fishtails...all of em.

Growing out your hair (pin curls)

So, as you know, I shaved my head to about a 1/4 inch over the summer, and now it's growing back. I do this every few years, I've been through the in-between stage so often that I have a routine that I go through. I don't use any kind of styling products (since I've got a sensitive scalp). For the record, I have slightly wavy, thick hair at 3ish inches. I'll probably do this for a while, until it's long enough to clip back or blow dry.

I'm past the super easy short hair and now I've got to start styling. I use pin curls on my wet, clean hair before I go to sleep. My hair is naturally wavy, so I don't use mousse or any other product. Just wet-styling. Of course, using product will make it hold better and will give you tighter curls.

I style it pretty much like the below, with flat pincurls on the sides and high rollers on top for volume. I don't do the rollers straight back (omg so grandma), but on an angle on my natural side part, as you can see in the pic below.

Nail Stamping

So, a few weeks ago, I blogged about the new gothic nail stamps from MoYou. Here's the review.

This is my first time using this brand--most of my other stamps are Konad brand. Overall these were nice stamps. My lines weren't as clean as with the Konad designs, but these designs are pretty awesome.

Every nu-goth trend on one nail (Gothic stamp #6)

ootd--recent Harlem pants buys

Happy Tuesday, everyone. Got the elevator to myself today and snapped a picture in the mirror doors. Went for a corporate-ninja-goth look (too bad I wasn't wearing the circle scarf in this picture!). I've been wanting harem pants for forever (especially after all those ninja goth looks I've been seeing on tumblr). 

taking a package down to the mail room...

And check out these folksy Harlem pants I bought over the weekend. The pocket is the coolest. These pants reminds me of gravers and stoner wear.

Gothic Cat-calls

Part of this challenge.

Most of the responses I get are positive, but occasionally there are weirdos. I noticed that I got more harassment when I was 1) younger and 2) visited smaller towns. I spent most of my life in two of the biggest cities in the US, where dark fashion isn't too strange.

1) "It's not Halloween": Fuck em. I ignore them.

Killer Heels Exhibit: Brooklyn Museum

So, over the weekend, I checked out the Brooklyn Museum's Killer Heels Exhibit. The shoes were cool of course, though the space design sucked for cell phones. They had the lights below the shoes, messing up my camera's autoexposure, so all the photos came up a bit dark. 

Here are my highlights. I tried to frame the caption with the shoes, otherwise I'll write down the caption info under the photo, if I have it.

the 90s were a good time for shoes

Happy Halloween!

Happy Halloween! Here's my favorite spooky organ song for your Halloween playlist. 

"Toccata"  from Suite gothique, Op. 25, an organ suite composed by Léon Boëllmann in 1895. I recommend listening to the Ernie Englund version of it on Spotify, but the above was the closest I could find. A lot of organists play it too fast IMO. 

I first heard it a few weeks ago when we went for a free organ concert at one of the NYC cathedrals. I was blown away. By the way, if you are in NYC and goth and broke, check out the cathedrals. They usually have free organ concerts. And organists love playing spooky organ songs. What's the point, otherwise?

Recommend some spooky classical songs? 

Ootd, work

Posting from my new Nexus 5 phone! The camera is much better than my last phone, so maybe there will be more mobile posts, as I'm rarely at my computer these days. (My fencing classes have ended and I'm now trying out yoga... Plus my weekly gaming... plus alumni committee ... plus regular industry networking stuff... Plus I want to get back into writing for nanowrimo...not to unload or nothing... Lots on my plate!)

Here's my work outfit from Friday, hat and crop top are recent buys from f21 and I'm wearing my go-to pleated skirt from AA. Frye Oxford shoes.

Anyone else wearing crop tops to work?

Halloween Costume Wishlist

DIY costumes that I wish I would do, but probably won't:

1. Witch Doctor:

2: G-G-G-Ghost

MoYou Nail Stamping

So, you know I like my nail stamping, and I've been wanting to try out the London-based MoYou since forever and now I'm sold on their newest "gothic" collection. (no, this isn't a review because the items are sitting in my shopping cart as I write. and no, I'm not getting them for free...haha I doubt they'd want me writing about their products to begin with....YOU'LL SEE) 

Nu-Goth, Haute Goth, Rivethead

Roses and Vellum and Little Corp Goth Girl recently did a post on dark fashion "stereotypes" featuring those fun illustrations by Trellia. I thought I'd join in too.

I first got into dark fashion in a real way (beyond band t-shirts) through the whole rivethead thing. I don't really listen to too much industrial (though I was listening to Combichrist today) anymore, I still love the old look. Like the little description says, I never considered myself a goth. The clothing is pretty masculine, tough, grungy, futuristic, military--quite the opposite of the fussy, feminine, vintagelike goth fashion.

That's where I started dark fashion. I still think it's awesome, and it reminds me of Chicago of course. I've moved on though. These days I'm wearing what Trellia calls the "Haute Goth"--I watch the runways and can name many of the high-end goth designers. Also, with the benefit of living in NYC, I can get high end stuff for a sliver of the price. We still have the old-school department stores that actually sell designer stuff at a discount, unlike TJ Maxx and outlet stores that license the brand name and make it at some slave-labor factory for pennies. Oh, what a snob I am. Personally, I love how weird and creative it all is. I get too bored staring at the same old same old.

diy halloween costumes for goths

I'm still not sure what I'm going to be for halloween. My department has a halloween party and we coordinate our costumes. So I'm still waiting for the memo. I'm a DIY costumer, though they haven't been as elaborate as in the past. Here are some easy DIYs if you've already got a dark fashion wardrobe.

Devil: You pretty much just need the horns and some makeup. Red+black clothes

my costume in 2011

Witch: My costume in 2012--when nu-goths were all over the witchy look  (including me). This is also an easy-peasy look for anyone with an already-existing goth wardrobe. Just wear what you usually wear plus a witches hat.

Failed outfit shots

The stars have to be in perfect alignment for me to take an outfit shot. My apartment's got to be clean, I've got to not look stupid, it has to be during the sunniest day of the year otherwise my apartment is darker than a cave. I live in NYC so there's no private outdoor space for me to go to take an outfit shot (without nosy neighbors/tourists/etc bugging me)

Some of you have been posting old outfit posts that haven't made it up for whatever reason (didn't like the outfit, quality reasons, etc). I figured I'd share mine too.

The Goth Gym

Not far from former gutter punk hangout/current K-town annex St. Marks Place is David Barton Gym. We actually have a song we sing in our Peter Murphy voice when we walk by this place.

They just outgothed themselves and are opening a new location at an old church, the Limelight. If you aren't from NYC, you're probably wondering wtf kind of name is that for a church. This church used to be a nightclub (the Limelight), then a mall, and now it's going to be another David Barton Gym location. 

so awesome. Of course i can never afford a membership, but that would probably be the only way to get me to a gym...decor and a premium membership.

Children's clothes

Just a quick post from my phone as I'm walking down the street. Just had to share these adorable kids' outfits in the window display. Who ARE these kids? they are awesome.

Pantone Fall 2014 Colors

It's that time of year again, when I spend way too much time going through mainstream fashion's "it" colors. Here's fall 2014 (If you want to see my post on last year's fall 2013 colors, click here)... for those of you in the Southern hemisphere, you can see the newly announced spring 2015 colors here at the Pantone website.

When I first saw these, I thought Pantone was fucking with us by re-releasing spring colors, but I'm a fan after I made a few polyvore sets.

Pantone Fall 2014 hats for all my dolls so they're nice and warm

Favorite Makeup on the Web (and my signature look)

I very rarely wear any makeup. A lifetime of skin problems will do that. I also have the habit of wiping my eyes a lot, so forget about eye makeup. When I'm going out, I wear lipstick (did a blog post a while back...I only added a dark red/wine color to the collection since the post)

But I do like looking at makeup online. Here are  few of my favorites.

On instagram, I follow Dollfille. I met her at the BtSSB opening and was blown away by her makeup. They're colorful and her craft is amazing.

What's in my piercings?

Thought I'd do a quick post before I head to the eye doctor. I broke all of my glasses and now need a new ones and a new prescription. I'm pretty happy with what I'm wearing in my ears right now and wanted to share:

Left ear:

ugh my hair is growing out...

DIY: Crystal Necklace

Not too long ago, I did a post about the raw minerals trend and a few DIY ideas. I DIYed one based on some of the tutorials from the post and made things up as I went along. Lynoire from Space Unicorn also made a quartz necklace, so check hers out too!

finished

60s-70s Goth

No, not the decade...I mean goth fashion for when you're in your 60s-70s. Dark fashion is truly beautiful at any age. All photos are from Advanced Style except where noted, notably the Jean Paul Gaultier Couture Fall 2014 one. I'm loving that there are older runway models. I'm not even that old and I'm kind of tired of seeing teenagers modeling clothing that I'm supposed to wear. I recommend you check out the Advanced Style blog for style tips from women who've had an entire lifetime of looking fabulous. The looks are truly bold and unique and no doubt inspiring.

New Rock Boots for Everyday Wear

Fee, from An Honest Drug (another dark fashion blogger who I think has a lot of great modern goth/nugoth styles) recently scored some New Rock Boots at a charity shop. And she bought the same ones I have!

Spooky Totem Animals/Plants

Stepping away from dark fashion, I just want to announce a few new goth totem animals to replace the old bats/cats/crow cliche. For funsies.

Trend: Minerals

Maybe it's because I like it, but I've been seeing raw stones everywhere.

Diablo Organics

Baby, the Stars Shine Bright: NYC store opening

Sorry...instagram pictures until i get my camera from my sister

So, yesterday was the grand opening for the NYC Baby, the Stars Shine Bright store. I went with my sister and we made our teenage selves pretty happy. Lolita was pretty out of reach for us growing up. Back then it was only DIY or you had to go to Japan, so it was pretty much just for the super-rich. (not that it isn't still expensive!)

Makeup: film noir + eyebrow masking

 Just a bit of fooling around with makeup and photoshop. I decided to do a film-noir look despite not having the hair for it. What makes it noir is the super thin eyebrows of course, the dark lips, and bringing in the eyeshadow into the bridge of your nose. I used brown eyeshadow (as supposed to) but i think black would have been better. More dramatic. Used white pencil on the bottom rim. Also, wrong decade and wrong style, but I decided to make a flapper crown out of a necklace chain and brooch I had.

Trend: Crochet Trims

I don't know if it's just because I started to crochet or if this is actually a trend, but I've been seeing crochet trims (also called cluny lace) everywhere. I'm a fan. Sturdier and better looking than the cheap lace often used by clothing manufacturers. I'm trying to learn to crochet my own lace, but of course it would be easier to just buy a spool.

Crochet / Cluny trims featuring a kimono, the IT clothing item of the year. 

100 Day Music Challenge 11-20

100 day song challenge continues. I'm also including results from my husband.

Day 11: A song from an artist you are attracted to.


Gary Numan. Yeah, I'm a Numanoid

Husband says the person from Sneakerpimps. He recommends this band.

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:

Red + Black Week: Nails

Welcome back for another nail edition of Red+Black week. Last year I did a stamping set, and this year I'm going to go for a classic red almond nails paired with black rings. (check out my ring collection here)

fancy goth

modern goth

Here are a few other solid red pointed nails + black (tattoos, henna, rings, bracelets) I found on tumblr:

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