Wednesday Wondering: Elevator of Interest

Prompt: If you had to be stuck in an elevator for 24 hours with one TV character, who would it be and why?

My very favorite TV character is Hawkeye Pierce from "M*A*S*H*" and I bet he would be pretty darn entertaining to be stuck in an elevator with. Of course, he'd prefer to have a bottle of booze, and he'd spend a lot of that time hitting on me, since he was a notorious womanizer. But he was so smart and funny, a dedicated surgeon and an avowed pacifist, I'm sure we could figure out something to talk about too.

Questions culled from the discontinued Writer's Block feature on LiveJournal.

What I'm wearing: Brown paisley coat, custom-made | Grey plaid vest, vintage | Black ruffled knit top, Newport News | Black trumpet skirt, MetroStyle | Black tights, Calvin Klein | Black ribbon-tie pumps, Clarks | Silver filigree earrings, Target

Hawkeye as played by Alan Alda

November CorpGoth Mid-Month Status Report Subject

It's time for the next Status Report!

Subject: What do you wear to work in winter? Showcase a cold-weather office-worthy outfit, either for a chilly commute or to bundle up in a breezy workplace. Do you have a fabulous coat & scarf? Do you rock sweaters & boots? How do you fend off the rain or snow while still looking appropriate for work? Show & tell! (And if you're currently experiencing summer where you live, why not show your summer office style? Then next year, we can reverse it :)

Due Date: Thursday, November 14, through Friday, November 16.

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How to File Your Report:

1. Post to your blog on the due date(s).

2. Include the following code in your post so the This Is CorpGoth Mid-Month Status Report graphic will display:

<a href="http://corpgoth.blogspot.com/search/label/corpgoth status report"><img border="0" src="http://www.trystancraft.com/corpgoth/corpgothstatusreport.jpg" /></a>

3. Comment on my Thursday post including your blog link.

4. Read everyone else's reports via their links in the comments!

Hidden Bat Week - Trenchcoat & Bat Boots

Killing two birds with one stone here! Another bat, plus Sophistique Noir's monthly theme, which is "outerwear" for December, appropriately enough. I've worn my lovely brown paisley wool princess-seamed coat several times on this blog & just once I've shown my black suede swing coat, but those are honestly not the coats I wear most often.

My workhorse is this black trenchcoat, which I bought in 2005 when my husband & I went to Germany & central Europe in November (easily the coldest trip we've gone on, worse than Antarctica!). This coat is impervious to rain & snow, plus it's just roomy enough to layer over sweaters, so it's perfect for really bundling up.

And it seems indestructible. I can roll it up to use as a pillow on an airplane, spread it out to become a blanket, wad it up & shove it in a bag, etc. Best of all, this is a classic coat style that goes with anything, from jeans to dresses. Everyone needs a good black trenchcoat, imnsho.

And for the bats, well, I've worn these old-school boots to work before. But I had a bunch of meetings, so I really wanted them to be subtle. Just peeking out from a pair of simple black trousers.

What I'm wearing today:
Black boyfriend cardigan, Chadwicks | Black & grey pinstripe long-sleeve knit top, Old Navy | Black trousers, Target | Black bat-buckle pointy-toe boots, bought from a friend | Black & grey skull-print scarf, gift from my husband | Black studded belt, Macy's | Silver medallion earrings, random accessory store | Black & gunmetal cocktail ring, Icing | Urban Decay Gash lipstick | Black trenchcoat, Burlington Coat Factory

Fall has fallen!
The leaves from the trees in our front yard
blew down this week & collected in the driveway.

Coat Time

I have three winter coats: this long wool princess-seam coat, a black suede finger-tip-length trapeze coat, & a black trenchcoat of the classic 'London Fog' type (tho' not that brand) that is water-resistant. I rotate through them all fall & winter.

The coat I'm wearing today is more for fall as it's mid-weight, warm but not bulky, & it has the limitation of being a unique color & print.

The black suede coat is cozy & warm, plus it's loose enough that I can layer it over bulky sweaters. However, that one can't come out in the rain.

The trenchcoat is for rain & the coldest of weather because it buttons securely up the front (it's double-breasted), & I've worn in the worst of storms at home & when traveling.

What I'm wearing:
Brown paisley coat, made by Wendy
Black ruffle-front blouse, Express (thrifted)
Black crocheted trumpet skirt, Coldwater Creek
Black patent belt with silver buckle, Target
Black tights, Calvin Klein
Burgundy boots, DSW
Burgundy & gold earrings, Ruche
Burgundy flower hair pin, random accessory store
Make Up For Ever burgundy lipstick #48

What kind of winter coat do you wear?

Land of the Living

But just barely. I don't intend to talk about my personal life on this blog (I have other online outlets for that), but the last few days have been crazy, hence no posting here, not keeping up with comments, & no commenting on anyone else's blogs. Sorry!

Soon after my last post, I got a raging migraine & didn't go to work on Thursday. One of our cats had been vomiting all week, so we took him to the vet on Friday, & it looked like he'd need surgery to remove a blockage. So we cleared all our weekend plans (I was going to go out of town, my husband had hockey game tickets). Then Saturday's cat X-rays showed he was a lot better, but needed pills & special food all weekend. On Sunday night, my husband had to go to the ER, & I missed work Monday morning to help him out. Oh, & all weekend, our Internet connection at home was spotty & slow so I could barely load webpages. Ugh! Everyone is much better now, but it was a hell of a few days.

I'm back at work today, caught up on what I missed here & online. I was inspired to wear this sweater by Vanessa at Big Girl. Small Budget. Tiny Town, who wore the pink version of it last week. I've had the black version for ages & always worn it with black trousers or jeans & was never much impressed by it. But I like it a lot better with a belt & a skirt! (Just maybe not this skirt, which is a proof that knits *do* wrinkle, feh.)

What I'm wearing:
Black with white bird sweater, Old Navy
Purple knit skirt, unknown
Black studded belt, Macy's
Black tights, Calvin Klein
Black leather T-strap wedges, Kenneth Cole, thrifted
Grey headband with lace flowers, Forever 21
Silver skull choker, random accessory store
Silver hoop earrings, random accessory store
Silver skull stud earrings, random accessory store
Black suede swing coat, vintage '80s, owned since the '80s




Also while I was out, I received a Major Award from Sheila at Ephemera who said my blog shows "Goth in the Workplace Can Be Awesome." Awwwww, thanks!!!!

First Repeats

I wondered if I could make it to the end of this year without repeating anything major in an outfit, & while I certainly could have (my wardrobe could clothe a small, third-world country), I just didn't feel like it today. I wanted to wear this sparkly sweater & that inspired me to add the burgundy boots for contrast (ooo, two colors, high level on the Gothic Color Theory). And the boots went so well with this coat!

What I'm wearing:
Black silk sheath dress, Target
Grey sequined cardigan, ModCloth (also worn here)
Black tights, Calvin Klein
Burgundy faux suede boots, DSW (also worn here)
Gunmetal & pale pink beaded necklace, NY & Co.
Pewter square pendent earrings, local artisan at a craft faire
Burgundy flower hair pin, Forever 21
Cabernet lipstick, Tarte
Wool paisley coat, custom-made (also worn here)

The dress is another summer-to-winter transition -- I wore the heck out of this dress last summer, particularly with spiderweb tights or fishnets. It was a great find at Target, so simple & chic & well-made, plus comfortable. It's sleeveless & cinches in the back with a bow. The ideal gothic summer dress for the office. Not bad for winter too, at least California winter. Might need a heavier sweater or a jacket in cooler climates.

So, how often do you repeat wearing items? Are there things you wear frequently, or do you try to not repeat that much? Does it matter?

Time for a Coat

Welcome to Northern California winter, such as it is. High 30s / mid 40s in the morning, mid 60s at the top of the day. Yeah, yeah, nothing compared to the East Coast or Canada or anywhere with real seasons, but I don't do weather. That's why I live here.

Thus, I'm wearing a coat for today's pix. My "nice" winter coat, which I commissioned about 2 years ago from a costuming friend. Sure, I sew, but I am more than happy to pay other people to sew for me, especially modern clothes, so I can save up my often-limited sewing mojo. Plus, sometimes friends are looking for work, & I love to keep my business local when I can.

I chose a long, princess-seamed coat design with contrasting shawl collar & cuffs in black velvet. She found a lovely wool in a paisley with black & rich browns, burgundies, & gold. The coat is lined in black silk & is quite cozy. I don't have many coats, just a rainproof trench, & a suede swingcoat from the '80s, so this was a great addition.

What I'm wearing:
Wool paisley coat, custom-made
Grey knit dress with black trim, Next in London
Black leggings, Newport News
Black buckled ankle boots, Aldo (see closeup here)
Necklace of black & white African hand-painted tube beads & round black Moroccan jet beads, one long strand worn tripled, made by me
Large silver filigree earrings, Target
Red-brown lipstick, Lorac

Rather casual outfit under the coat. That's because I was having friends over right after work for a stitch 'n bitch, so no time to change, & I wanted an outfit that'd be comfy for sitting on the floor doing projects.

Also, it's the first night of Hanukkah, & while I'm not Jewish, I love to celebrate (I'm not Christian, but I celebrate Christmas too), & I was making latkes tonight for friends (ok, I heated up Trader Joe's frozen latkes & other treats, but still, I needed to wear something that was kitchen-friendly).

Oh & I love parentheticals!