That Red & Black Week Dress

This might be the first thing I bought specifically thinking of wearing for Red & Black Week. And I even had to go out of my way to get a blog picture for it (read the linked entry for deets).

Yeah, that's what this blogging can do to your brain! But I knew I'd love the dress anyway, & I've gotten good use out of. Cost-per-wear is maybe a buck at this point.

What I'm wearing: Red knit dress with high-low hem, Macy's | Black elastic belt, NY & Company | Black pothole stockings, unknown brand | Black & grey wedge heels, Anne Klein | Black skull-print scarf, gift from my husband | Black & white African bead earrings, made by me

Maximum Repeat

I thought I'd worn this outfit before, I it's almost the same as one last summer. Just different accessories. I try not to blog repeat outfits, but it *has* been a year, & besides, I really like this one!

Also, I'm stockpiling posts for when I'm not going into the office due to surgery 'n stuff -- so when you're reading this, it was something I wore to work a week ago. But still appropriate because the weather is definitely warm.

Do you repeat the exact same outfits to work? How often?

What I'm wearing:
Black jacket with piping, Speigel | Black T-shirt, Old Navy | Black & grey pinstripe knit maxi skirt, Nordstrom | Black buckled wedges, Kohl's | Black wood bead necklace, bought in Jamaica | Silver beaded hoop earrings, bought at a convention | Red flower hair pin, random accessory store

Pink for Pride and Hope

This is yesterday's outfit, which I wore thinking of today. I knew that the momentous U.S. Supreme Court decisions on my home state's Proposition 8 and the federal Defense of Marriage cases would be announced this morning, & I was hoping they would be announced in favor of equal marriage rights. And HUZZAH, they were! It's a step in the right direction, but there is much more work to be done for full justice across the nation.

Also this morning, I had an important medical test. While I won't get the results for a few days, I hope the results will be at least as positive as today's news. To inspire positivity for both issues, I wore my rockstar skirt made by a dear friend.

Do you have special items in your wardrobe that you wear for good luck?

What I'm wearing:
Black knit military-style jacket, Macy's
Black T-shirt, Target
Pink & white 'rockstar' skirt, made by Donna
Black tights, Calvin Klein
Black heeled lace-up boots, Aerosoles
Pink & gold earrings, Ruche

When All Else Fails, Stripes

Dressing for the office only once or twice a week is actually harder than dressing for the office every day (or three times a week, as I often did). I have a harder time remembering what I've repeated, plus I've weeded down my work wardrobe a little to just things that I really love (& what really fits!), & this all means I tend to want to wear the same things over & over again.

Or in this case, more stripes. It seems like all I have in the closet are solids & stripes. Not a bad selection, but it does make me wonder if I just wore this last week!

What I'm wearing:
Black & grey striped sweater, Target
Black skirt, NY & Company
Black tights, Calvin Klein
Red ankle boots, Aerosoles
Red wool scarf, thrifted
Silver filigree earrings, Target

New Look for an Old Fave

An old favorite outfit is required on rough mornings -- the days when you wake up on the bad side of the bed due to insomnia or other problems, but you have to force yourself into the office anyway. The dress I'm wearing is much loved & made for me by a dear friend.

I've blogged it before (here, here, here, & here), but I realized that this styling of the dress makes it look more like a skirt, so it feels less repeat-y.

What I'm wearing:
Black, grey, & white print dress, made by Donna | Black camisole, Old Navy | Black wool ruffled bolero, Kohl's | Black tights, Calvin Klein | Black T-strap wedges, Kenneth Cole | Silver filigree earrings, random accessory store | Black & silver skull bead choker, Disneyland | Grey flower hair pin, random accessory store

Status Report: A Dress & Cardigan Are My Work Uniform

I'll admit I'm cheating on my very first CorpGoth Mid-Month Status Report. This is a repeat photo. Because I'm working from home this week, & there's a random heat wave, I couldn't bring myself to wear anything remotely office-worthy. But looking through my archives, I confirmed what I suspected.

My go-to work outfit is a dress & a cardi. Who can blame me? It's the easiest thing to put together on a busy morning & still look chic & professional. I collect classic sheath dresses & basic knit dresses with empire waists & surplice tops, especially in black, then look for cardigans in jewel tones, stripes, & dark florals. So simple to mix & match these kind of pieces! Add some great boots or funky heels, maybe a belt or scarf or statement necklace, & I'm out the door fast.

What I'm wearing:
Grey cardigan with sequins, ModCloth
Black knit dress, Target
Black camisole, Old Navy
Black elastic belt, NY & Company
Black tights, Calvin Klein
Burgundy/fuchsia crushed-velvet ankle boots, bought from a friend
Pink rhinestone bib necklace, Forever 21
Silver Celtic cross earrings, somewhere in Berkeley

So share a link to your Status Report in the comments so everyone can see your work uniform! And watch for the next Status Report around the start of November.

Check out the reports from:

• Sophistique Noir
• Milking the Rolling Cow
• Turbulent Flow
• Professor Z's Cabinet of Curiosities
• Diary of a Girly Nerd

Oh Pink & Black, My Faves

Truly my old reliable color combo -- maybe I never let go of '80s New Wave? Don't know why, but I adore hot pink against black. It rocks my little dark world.

What I'm wearing:
Black cardigan, Macy's | Pink ruffled knit top, Chadwicks | Black trousers, Target | Pink & black striped flats, Sugar | Pink & black beaded necklace (vintage) with black rose added by me | Pink crystal & black Victorian-esque earrings, random accessory store

Is there a color combination that you love above all others? Or is everything solid black?

 

Repeat, but a New Ring

I needed majorly easy clothes & comfort today, for health reasons. So this knit dress & leggings fit the bill. I almost didn't bother blogging, but I did want to share a new purchase -- the tiny pinkie ring I bought this weekend from a friend & fantastic jeweler in the SCA. The ring is a reproduction medieval piece, one of her classic & most popular styles, which I've wanted to get for a long time. It's a happy reminder of my friends & my hobby, plus it looks really pretty next to my amethyst engagement ring.

What I'm wearing:
Purple knit dress with attached dark purple sash, Target | Black leggings, Newport News | Black ruffled bolero sweater, Kohl's | Black embellished flats, unknown brand | Black & purple necklace with scissors medallion, made by Lisa | Gunmetal hoop earrings, random accessory store | Silver & amethyst medieval ring, Acanthusleaf Designs

Unrelated to CorpGoth fashion, but perhaps of slight interest, I just started a virtual garage sale & fundraiser for a renaissance event I'm running later this year. I'm selling several Elizabethan gowns, some 16th-century purses & accessories, historical sewing tools, & costume reference books. Take a look here at the goods!

Boho Red

I've been waiting for enough time to pass since Red & Black Week that I could wear this dress again without being too repeat-y. And I've also had to wait for the weather to be not *too* warm so the three-quarter-length sleeves would feel appropriate. Today was just right.

What I'm wearing:
Red knit dress with high-low hem, Macy's | Black elastic belt, NY & Company | Black crochet duster, Coldwater Creek | Black buckled wedges, Kohl's | Painted-black cowrie shell necklace, bought in Florida | Black shell dangly earrings, random accessory store

Sew a Repeat

I don't normally blog repeat outfits, but what the heck. I do love this dress. And this necklace. Both were made by friends -- the dress was sewn for me by Donna, the necklace made for me by Lisa, two of my wonderful alt.gothic.fashion cohorts. I specifically chose these pieces because after work I planned to go buy a new sewing machine. I wanted to not only wear something comfortable for a longer day, but I wanted totems of creativity to give me luck.

What I'm wearing:
Black, grey, & white dress, made by Donna | Black camisole, Target | Black tights, Calvin Klein | Black round-toe pumps, Target | Purple & black scissors medallion necklace, made by Lisa | Silver hoop earrings, random accessory store

Take a look at my costume blog for the full story of what I used to sew with & what I finally bought today. Also, check out my new CafePress store with silly sewing-related T-shirts & more! I plan to add some CorpGoth themed items in the future.

Spiderwebs, Purple, Stripes

Not sure why, but I seem to wear spiderweb tights with these purple shoes. Maybe it's how the spiderwebs show thru the strappy tops of the shoes. I just seem to reach for these pumps when I've put on these tights. The stripes, however, were an afterthot because I figured I'd need a sweater in case of office air-conditioning.

What I'm wearing:
Black & white stripe sweater, Chadwicks | Purple knit top, NY & Company | Black cotton tiered skirt, thrift store | Black elastic belt, NY & Company | Black spiderweb tights, Leg Avenue | Purple cross-strap pumps, Aldo | Silver medallion necklace, vintage Avon via eBay | Purple bat-painted pearl-drop earrings, local artist | Black & gunmetal cocktail ring, Icing | Purple lipstick, Make Up For Ever

 

Red & Black Week Flashback

This is my last post for Red & Black Week 2012, & I don't have a new outfit because I'm working from home. So I thought I'd recap *last* year's outfits, since I tried hard this year to not repeat major elements from then. Let's see how I did!

In June 2011, I wore three red & black outfits, & this year I increased that by one. Seems about right since I tend to go into the office three or four days a week. You can see the full outfit details by clicking on the captions below.

Red pussy-bow & black pinstripes - 06/06/11

Black jeans & red boots - 06/07/11

Black & white stripes with red - 06/09/1

I managed to not repeat any of the red items this year, tho' I did consider it. I don't have the red dress from June 9 anymore -- it always felt too short for work, & I didn't get enough weekend wear out of it to justify keeping it. I think I got more creative this year, probably because I planned in advance! And buying more red items (the dress worn this June 4 & the shoes on June 6) inspired me.

How was your Red & Black Week? Did you wear new things or old faves? Did you plan outfits in advance or wing it? How did this year compare to last year? Hope you had as much fun as I did!

Repeat Policy

Worn Monday, without shirt
underneath or boots

I haven't blogged my outfits this week for a couple reasons, mostly boiling down to lack of time. In the morning, I've been waking up late due to health reasons, so I've hastily thrown on simple dresses. In the evenings, when I usually assemble blog posts, I've had a bunch of tasks to work on for upcoming costume events. So fashion blogging has been squeezed to lowest priority this week, sadly.

And when I wear repeat outfits, I just don't feel like blogging them. It's boring for me & probably for you! Sure, I repeat items & parts of combinations here, but I try not to blog the exact same outfit (& if I've done it, that's accidental). But I certainly do wear the same stuff over & over again. I'm not that sartorially creative on a daily basis, & I just don't have that much time to put into it.

Worn Thursday without belt,
with a cropped jacket & different
pumps & jewelry (but same hair)

My favorite repeats are to wear a comfy dress & cardigan, then add some favorite accessories. That's mostly what I've done this week. I have a bunch of empire-waist dresses that are easy to throw on & spiff up in a hurry. Just dresses 'n stuff.

Coming up is a three-day holiday weekend here in the states, which I'll be using to sew, sew, sew on my costumes. While the following work week will be short, I'll try to blog those couple of work outfits.

After that is Sophistique Noir's second-annual Red & Black Week, which I'm really looking forward to! Right before she announced it, I'd bought a couple new red items & was about to wear them. But I've carefully saved them to premiere during the first week in June. Hope some of you will join me in the theme!

Almost a Repeat

This outfit is a twist on this outfit from earlier in the year. Similar striped top, but instead of a sweater, I'm wearing a light knit that's more suitable for the warmer weather. Same skirt with lace details. Boots but not tall boots, again, due to the weather. Plus different accessories, & I wore my hair down for a change. What can I say, I love black & grey & stripes, I have a lot of these in my wardrobe.

What I'm wearing:
Black & grey striped knit top, Macy's | Black skirt with lace at the sides, NY & Company | Black tights, Calvin Klein | Black lace-up, spool-heel boots, Target | Black & silver chunky bead necklace, Target | Gunmetal hoop earrings, random accessory store | Silver Celtic ring, gift from Lisa

Btw, I want to give a shout-out to Sal of Already Pretty for graciously featuring me, along with two other fashion bloggers, in a post about dressing within a defined aesthetic. Not only was it a lovely treatment of my blog, I found two new blogs to read! Plus, the comments are wonderful, including one person who said that my interview "erased [her] viewpoint of goth as weird. I have appreciation for this style now." Awwwwww :-)

Daylight Saving, As If

I rather hate "spring forward" aka the start of Daylight Saving Time in the U.S. Waking up to realize it's an hour later than you thought is irritating (it's late, but I didn't actually get to sleep in!), & changing the clocks is annoying. I just feel off for a few days, rather like having jet lag, except there was no exciting trip to have recently enjoyed. Feh.

What I'm wearing:
Red turtleneck sweater, unknown brand | Black & white plaid skirt, H&M | Black studded belt, Macy's | Black tights, Calvin Klein | Red heeled ankle boots, Aerosoles | Black glass bead necklace with red Murano glass pendant, made by me | Square pewter earrings, made by a local artist | Silver & garnet poison ring, eBay | Sephora Doe-Eyed Felt-Tip black eyeliner | Sephora Artist red lipstick

Shades of Grey

This month's theme from Sophistique Noir is Grey (or gray, tho' I tend to spell it the other way). As Victorian Kitty says: "Gray is the perfect way to debunk the "Goths always wear all black" myth without going overly-colorful." Well, I'm not a color-shy goth gal, but I do love how grey looks, both with black & with other colors.

Coincidentally, today was an awfully grey day, rainy & dark this morning, so I was confined to the porch for photos. I prefer grey weather when I can stay inside! Unfortunately, I had to take the bus to work, & of course it rained hardest when I walked to & from the bus.

What I'm wearing:
Grey knit dress with black trim, bought in London | Black tights, Calvin Klein | Tall black leather boots, Clarks | Black, pearl, & crystal choker, random accessory store | Gunmetal hoop earrings, random accessory store

Here's a little round-up of some of my favorite grey CorpGoth outfits ... my grey-test hits, you might say (*groan*).

• Cute or crazy? Grey pattern-mixing.
• Lots of walking in my favorite grey-print, custom-made dress.
• All business in a grey sheath dress.
• Hidden bat week with grey pinstripe jacket.
• My boots make my outfit, but they go great with this grey sweater.
• Casual Tuesdays with black & grey stripes & bats.
• Another foggy morning in a grey & black dress.
• My 100th blogged outfit including a grey & white stripe sweater.
• Classic with an edge & layered grey.
• First time mixing patterns with grey, black, white, & spiderwebs.
• O-Dark-Thirty with black & grey stripes & a grey skirt.

If that's not enough grey for you, take a little tour of my living room, which we painted grey with glossy black trim. Thanks to Bane of Goth It Yourself for the reminder about how excellent grey is for interiors! I've lived with it so long (a decade) that I take it for granted.

 
Grey walls are really the perfect elegant background for our Victorian-esque furnishings. Anything darker would drown them out, but grey lets things like the burgundy velvet couch & oriental rug shine.

 

Weekend Boho on a Weekday

This is an outfit I wore a few weekends ago. It's a winterized version of this outfit, swapping sandals for tall boots & layering a long-sleeve shirt instead of a camisole. The ideal outfit for poking around the mall on a Saturday. Could wear this to work too, if I was feeling casual.

What I'm wearing:
Black, purple, & blue paisley tunic, Chadwicks | Black long-sleeved knit top, Old Navy | Black leggings, Newport News | Black ribbon & silver chain belt, eBay | Tall black leather boots, Clarks | Silver filigree earrings, Forever 21 | Silver skull choker, random accessory store

A Splash of Color

After yesterday's neutrals, I needed some color. Also, a little stormfront came in last night, so today was grey & overcast. This is a combo I've worn before -- making wintery use of a sundress.

What I'm wearing:
Purple, black, & white print dress, Target
Black long-sleeve knit top, Old Navy
Black tights, Calvin Klein
Tall black leather boots, Clarks
Black wool scarf, H&M, thrifted
Silver filigree earrings, Target
Silver & garnet poison ring, eBay
"Gash" lipstick, Urban Decay

Lots of Walking

Time for the Clarks boots! I took the bus to work today, so that meant walking a few blocks from the house to the bus stop. Plus, my new cubicle is in a building at the very far end of the company's campus, so that adds a few more blocks to the walk at the other end of the bus trek. And then I hiked up four flights of stairs. Gawd, I love these boots.

What I'm wearing:
Black & grey print dress, made by Donna | Black long-sleeve top, Old Navy | Black tights, Calvin Klein | Tall black boots, Clarks | Locket necklace, vintage | Silver medallion earrings, random accessory store

Got That Vintage Feeling

And yet only the shoes are vintage, & probably just 1980s 'vintage,' which doesn't really count as vintage to me because I was fully alive, functional, & fashionable then. I only consider it 'vintage' if the era was before my time, but not 50 years before my time (then it's historical, because that's how I roll).

The dress is a modern pattern but it feels retro to me with its nipped in waist & little puffed sleeves. My dear friend Donna picked out the definitely retro '60 print fabric. I wouldn't have gone for this print on my own, but she has a great eye, & I adore the resulting dress. I wore it over the summer & when I received it last winter & maybe a few times unblogged in between.

What I'm wearing:
Pink & grey print dress, made by Donna
Black puff-sleeve sweater, H&M
Black elastic belt, NY & Company
Black tights, Calvin Klein
Black two-strap pumps, Bandolino, vintage
Pink & copper shield pendant necklace, made by a local artist
Pearl & garnet earrings, bought at Costume-Con
Pearl stud earrings, gift from my step-father
Pink & black flower hair pin, Icing