When you're tired of all your clothes

If you've ever looked at your closet and thought, "I have nothing to wear!" or if you find yourself hating how you look, that you don't have a sense of style anymore, that you lost your passion for fashion, or you just hate everything new coming out and wonder what's wrong with you, this post is for you.

I would never wear this again--I sold or donated everything

My tips for dressing for a corporate interview

Hooray! I just got hired. The past ten years I've worked at the Big 5 book publishers, which is a bit on the conservative side style-wise. There's over a hundred years of tradition at these companies and they were every stereotype of Old New York book publishing. It's not that I couldn't dress goth at my job, but I did have to be more couture than punk rock, if you know what I mean. I wrote a good post on dressing this way some time ago, if you are in a similar work situation and don't want to go full corporate (I never will): 

Online Goth Communities: Reddit (and "gatekeeping goth")

Reddit, for me, has always been the somehow even less user-friendly 4chan. It's an ugly site not conducive to sharing outfit posts and ideas, and so I've avoided it for fashion-related stuff. Today I decided to join and interact with Reddit's /goth and /gothstyle.

My first post was replying to a user's "I've been in the scene for 5 years and I've only just joined Reddit!" post with "I just joined Reddit too, and I've been in the scene for 20 years!" to which someone immediately replied with:

  

Ethical Shopping

This post was inspired by the always thoughtful and creative Sary Walrus and her post Sustainable Goth Fashion Haul. She also posts well-produced lookbooks that are always inspiring.

I'm defining "ethical shopping" as clothing and accessories that is environmentally and worker friendly, and this post isn't meant to make anyone feel bad or guilty or shame anyone who buys cheap clothing out of necessity. The free market isn't going to end slavery or the environmental problems associated with fashion--the responsibility to change begins with governments and the producers themselves. It's important to remember who the bad guys are, and it isn't the person who maybe honestly can't make the lifestyle change to be a more conscientious consumer.

Don't buy anything: This is the only way to shop ethically--by not buying anything. Think critically of anything you want--do you actually need this? Love and cherish the things you own, or alter them. At the turn of the last century, people altered clothing they own to match current styles. From collars to sleeves to waistlines, people kept what they owned for years and years--not just one season. Not everyone is as gifted with thread and needle these days, but we have YouTube now, and there are plenty of "hacks" to update your regular Ts into cold-shoulder tops and almost anything you can think of. If you loved the embroidery trend, why not watch a few videos and learn how to do it on your own? This used to be what gothic fashion was about. Altering what you already owned reflected your journey of self in a way--plus it looked a whole lot cooler.

When I stopped dressing cybergoth, I added some patches to this neon pink vest for a more wearable punk look. Also, obviously I've worn these shoes for ...almost 20 years now lol.

My shopping rules/how I minimize my wardrobe

Since I live in NYC in a teeny apartment with another person, I have to take space into consideration. As a style blogger, I already know I'm not going to take the extreme route with a minimalist capsule wardrobe of only about 30 pieces. It seems like such a seductive idea--30 articles of clothing that always look great on you and match, so you no longer have to focus on what to wear. I was this close to doing it, but decided to be real with myself--I like wearing different styles way too much. Minimalism is a bit too extreme for me, though if you want to go down that path, The Walrus Room wrote a good primer on that topic.

But experimenting with styles could make your wardrobe grow rapidly, so these are the rules I've set up for myself before I decide whether or not I should get something.

1. No words. I won't buy a shirt with words on it. I work in a corporate setting, and you can't wear clothing with words on it in a corporate setting. Also, the font used could make the shirt out-of-date quickly. Also, you may think a phrase is cool now, but in a few years you may not or be indifferent to it. So any shirt with words will be in the heap of "weekend clothing," which I'm trying to eliminate. This is the easiest rule to follow.

No more band t-shirts for me

How to goth, 2000s

http://www.geocities.ws/Tokyo/Spa/5149/TheWitchPhoe.html

WITCHes and Satanists against tyranny and sexism

Greetings from the resistance. Instead of going shopping at lunchtime, I'm out protesting with everyone. Here in secular, liberal NYC, we are losing our damn minds. From freedom of the press to women's rights to the environment to education, it seems we're losing. It's scary. 

Props to the Women's International Terrorist Conspiracy from Hell (WITCH). While dressing up in costume is a good way to not be taken seriously, I do think this is more effective than other protesting groups. It's menacing-looking, not just because the people are anonymous like anarchists, but because it's a great way to troll the conservative Christians. Normally I'd say no one would actually be scared of witches, but they believe the world is a few thousand years old, so maybe they're scared of witch magic too.

Last I spoke to my occultist friends, a few people were gauging interest for a ritual protest. They scratched their heads trying to find a way to do this magic ethically. As the atheist in the room, I say if magic is real, now would be a good time to use it. One person was going to do their ritual the day of the women's protests, to tap in to the worldwide energy behind the resistance. I hope it went well.

As an atheist, my biggest fear is the Christian theocracy we are currently heading toward, especially once Trump gets rid of the separation of church and state, as he promised to do. With all the fundamentalist oppression in women's health, we are already going there. Unfortunately, atheism isn't a religion, so we don't have the same protections that other religions have...so while Catholic hospitals have the "right" not to provide medical help to a women who is miscarrying, an atheist doesn't have the right to be free of religious tyranny.

So hail Satan, the Church of Satan fights the atheist fight using the first amendment language lawmakers understand. The only reason we were being oppressed is because we didn't have any way to fight back. So while we oppose a Christian statue outside a courthouse, no one is going to listen until we say "by law, you have to have our Satanic statue, because freedom of religion." The statue was awesome. And they won the fight.

(Though, to be honest, I don't know if Trump realizes that if he gets rid of the separation of church and state, that means the Scientologists (legally a religion) get to participate in our government as well...and they have a lot more money and influence than a bunch of evangelical sects who all hate each other. At this point, I'll take the Scientologists.)

Too early to tell, but I do wonder how the turmoil is going to affect our "subculture." Current events do affect our "scene"--whether we all go DIY because we're all unemployed, we lose our trench coats because of Columbine. Before 9/11, a bunch of us wore bullet belts...lol wouldn't wear that now. To the young people "coming of age" now, I really wonder what direction they'll evolve our scene in.

Haha we'll return to trends and pretty pictures of clothing next time, assuming I won't be in political prison lol.

Is Goth "Hipster"?

I was in Bushwick about a week ago, the new hipster neighborhood now that Williamsburg is too expensive. In my neighborhood an hour away, I'm often called a hipster, and I've just dismissed as the norms not knowing what dark fashion is or that they call "HIPSTER!!!" to anyone who doesn't walk around wearing a Yankees hat. That I'm a gentrifier "taking over" their neighborhood even though they live in new condos/historic houses and I live in tenement housing with all the immigrants.

taken at the block party

Buying Expensive Shit: Worth It?

From indie-label jewelry to big bad New Rock boots to bespoke corsets and latex, dark fashion can be expensive. Dressing this way is a labor of love, whether it's an expression of your true self or full-blown performance art. But there is a point when you have to wonder if your money is better spent elsewhere.

case in point: these $500 gloves

Poser talk

I'm taking a stand and letting you know what makes someone a goth, as per this challenge and re "world goth day" posts (and how corp goth was that sentence)

I spent a really lame (...or awesome?) saturday night watching goths call each other posers on youtube.

Dark Workout

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.

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.

Red + Black Week: Baby Bats

left, not baby bat. right, baby bat.

Dark Fashion in the Workplace

You know those news stories where a kid gets suspended because he or she colored their hair pink or whatever? It's so that kids would be "prepared" for the real world. Or those ridiculous "employee dress codes" they make you read when you get an hourly job? It's so customers won't be distracted or brand image or whatever.

Ways I fit the Cliche, Ways I don't

Read about the challenge here.

Fit the cliche:
1. I love being shocking/weird
2. Tons of black clothes
3. I love fantasy and sci-fi and other geekery
4. English major / writer
5. I have written stories about vampires, gardens, poets, dandies... and they were experimental
6. I smoked cloves
7. Prefer absinthe
8. tried to be in a band, cared more about the photo shoots
9. post pictures of myself online
10. socially awkward
11. I'm a nihilist
12. I'm uppity about posers (maybe less now)
13. I'm moody
14. I sound and look pissed off all the time (That's what my face looks like!)
15. crazy liberal
16. did witchcraft at one point and once in a while the ol' coven gets together for some magicking.
17. I managed a gallery and worked in the art industry
18. was a "troubled" teen
19. I use dark humor in very inappropriate times
20: cliche outfits:

Horror in Dark or Goth Fashion: The Uncanny

heady post today: the uncanny. Freud's uncanny, which I'd argue is the cornerstone of dark fashion. The Uncanny is also the cornerstone of Horror as a concept+theory. The definition:

an instance where something can be familiar, yet foreign at the same time, resulting in a feeling of it being uncomfortably strange or uncomfortably familiar.

Corsets do this to some degree. Yes--she looks like a woman, but something seems slightly off. Even a basic corset is uncanny. Oh, her waist is exaggerated. "Cool! I love it!" says the dark fashion fan, who enjoys the uncanny more than most. But then you get to the more extreme corsetry, which becomes a form of body modification. Beautiful? If you like the uncanny, yes. If you're terrified of something appearing human and not at the same time, then probably not. 

When we talk about how "hardcore" someone is, we could be talking about where in the Uncanny Valley this person stands....literally:

Best Places to Wear Goth/Dark Fashions

Read more about the challenge here.

All dressed up and nowhere to go? lol leave the web cam and head out to the real world. There's plenty of places to wear your dark fashions.

1. club nights and concerts. this is obvious. All goth styles are welcome...and a perfect time for peacocking.

2. but you don't like loud music, expensive drinks, or being out till 5am. you like to start your nights at 6pm-10pm, quiet, and FREE drinks. Small art galleries are your best bet. If you have a gallery district in your city, there's usually a day of the month when the galleries have an open walk. In NYC, there's 2nd Friday in Williamsburg and 1st Thursday in DUMBO. There's also special exhibits that attracts more goths: I went to a Lovecraft exhibition a few years back. The gallery crowd--especially the "regulars"--tends to wear shapeless black things. plenty of dark art and dark types. No corsets/corset tops.

10 facts about my wardrobe/current dissatisfaction

Read more about the Goth challenge here.

So, a few years ago, I moved to NYC from Chicago. I'm sure you've heard of the 3rd world living conditions here. When I first moved here, I lived in a 1-bedroom apartment with 2 other room mates. I only brought one suitcase. Even then, I had to store my shit in the roach-infested kitchen cupboards. So, needless to say, my once-fabulous wardrobe has been reduced to almost nothing. And then, I got bedbugs and had to throw out everything once again. NYC can be a terrible place.

1. Since the One Suitcase and the bedbugs, I've been slowly rebuilding. Amazingly, I don't even miss most of the stuff I've thrown out.

2. I still don't have a lot of room or a clothing-centered closet. My one closet is being used to store books and other things. I've got one shitty IKEA drawer set, which broke immediately and I can't afford to get a new one. Most of my clothes hang on a clothing rack (see pic) or are in boxes. There isn't even room in my apartment to have another one of these clothing racks.

3. Because of the space condition, I have to be REALLY careful about what I buy. I have to really think about fast fashion:

 I don't know how many times I went shopping and was like "what a nice shirt, but it's cut funny or see through. Well, I'll just wear something underneath! or over!" No way... I can't do that. i never, ever buy "layering" items. you're forced to increase your wardrobe like 3X!

4. Again, space condition: Everything is categorized by season. Every season, I store the stuff I won't wear and take out season-appropriate stuff. While most people do this in the summer and winter (or never), I do this every 3 months.

5. I've thrown out boxes of accessories. Really... they were my vice for my entire life until I moved here. Gloves, jewelry, garters, scarves, hats, hair clips, wigs/extensions, other hair stuff, cosmetics... clubbing accessory stuff like cigarette holders, cases, horns, bags, belts, harnesses. Today, I only actively buy rings (they are small) and earrings/body jewelry (also small).  I used to LOVE the cyberpunk look, but it was so wig/accessory heavy, that I sadly just can't do it ever again. No space for it.

6. Again, space issue: I have to buy clothes that will fit for both work and fun. No space for two separate wardrobes.

7. That being said, I DO end up buying some clubwear-only stuff. They take up valuable room, but lol, i live a LITTLE sometimes...

8. I don't sew anymore. sewing requires fabric...fabric requires storing.

9. Most of my current clothing is from Century 21, Beacon's Closet (both HIGHLY recommended if you ever come to NYC), and American Apparel.

10. I prefer to buy skirts and loose clothing, cause you might get a couple extra wears out of them before you need to wash them. On a similar note, the long skirt/cropped shirt look is insanely practical for me right now. Small things=easy to hand wash. Skirts=don't need to wash as often. Maybe not a big deal for people who live with a washing machine, but when you've got to climb a bunch of stairs and head down the block with a big bag of laundry... it kinda does.

#challenge 15: advice for baby bats?

Read about the challenge here

Baby bats! Lol this term makes me giggle. I know a lot of people hate it, but I think it's adorable. I never grew up with this term...when I was younger we just called those kids posers. Of course we were never new to the whole thing ;)

So, 3 things I wish I was told when I was a "baby bat"

1. Get all the piercings that you want. Really, you can always take them out. Most facial piercings (not ear) vanish to nothing when you take them out. DON'T get tattoos when you're a poser--I mean, "baby bat."

2. Don't start smoking, even when the cool kids are doing it.

3. Disposable income is nice. Spend your money and have fun with it. Unless you're saving for a pair of boots, just spend the $140 you make from your part time job while you go to school and live at home. Go to concerts, shopping, fancy coffee.