Goth Challenge #3 - Out as Goth

#3: When did you come out the Goth closet? (If you didn't then simply discuss the topic)

(Continuing the Goth Challenge questions -- follow the tag below to see all.)  I didn't really "come out of the closet as a goth," but certainly my mom began to notice, during high school, that I was gradually dressing less in a mainstream fashion. And she wasn't particularly thrilled with it all the time.

I got the "you could be such a pretty girl without all that makeup" speech, along with "why is your hair always hanging in your face?" But she didn't restrict what I could wear or make any demands on me. That wasn't her way. Especially since I was a straight-A student; involved in various 'good-kid' extra-curricular activities like the school yearbook, newspaper, literary magazine, and drama club; plus headed to one of the country's top universities. She had no real complaints, just mild disapproval. (And she's since grown to love and encourage my unique style.)

The most "in the closet" I've been as a goth was probably my first job out of college, when I worked at a horribly conservative, old-school, electronics company as a technical writer. I hated the job, the company, and myself because I couldn't be myself. That's a big part of why I went back to grad school. And ever since, I've had a requirement that I only work at places where I can be me.

Matchy-Matchy FTW

It's a well-known fact that I love matchy outfits. I will never be one of those people who create outfits where items "go with" each other. OH NO. Items must match & tie in together purposefully, if not painfully obviously. As yesterday's historical photos show, I've always been like this.

I even do this in my costuming. A purple gown needs a purple hat and purple shoes, duh! Friends will make costumes and insist that the hat should be a different color than the gown so it's not "too matchy," and I just don't understand them. Matching is where it's at, no matter the era.

What I'm wearing:
Red knit top with tied neck, Target | Black & white stripey skirt, White House Black Market | Black tights, Calvin Klein | Red ankle boots, Aerosoles | Silver disk earrings, random accessory store| White & black beaded cuff bracelet, bought in Kauai | "Gash" lipstick, Urban Decay

Are you a matchy dresser or a go-with dresser?

Goth Challenge #2 - Flashback Pix!

#2: Share photos and experiences from your BabyBat days.

(Continuing the Goth Challenge questions -- follow the tag below to see all.)  Hard to say when I was a true BabyBat, but considering I'm in my 40s now, I think any time pre-25 is "BabyBat" territory. At least that's how I look on other people (yeah, I'm crotchety that way ;-). Here's a little wacky trip thru the time machine...

I had to really hunt for photos because Back in My Day, kids didn't have tiny cameras in their pocket (aka camera phones). The first pic is from my high school yearbook, and the second is obviously my formal prom pic (don't ask me about the guy!). In later years, if I had a camera and remembered to take photos at a party, I took them of other people (I still tend to do that).

1986, on yearbook staff, apparently filing while wearing sunglasses
(much like wearing sunglasses at night). Pink vintage Chinese coat. Big hair.

1987. Senior prom. I specifically wanted a dress like nobody else would wear.
Which I achieved.

1988. Working at a second-hand clothing store in Berkeley, during college.
Started shaving half my head & would continue thru most of college.

1988-89ish. "I'm not a mod, I'm not a rocker, I'm a mocker."
Bonus points if you can ID that quote.

1990. My college sorority's colors were pink & white, so I dyed pink streaks into my hair.
Gotta show spirit!

Funny, but looking back, some essential stylistic elements have not changed. I cannot resist wearing black + other bright color (like hot pink or a pattern such as stripes). I freakin' adore necklaces & hoop earrings. I'm, ehem, still fond of some height in my hair, & flat hair is the bane of my existence, even if I don't go to the extremes as I once did. I'm still a big fan of matchy-matchy (not shown in my prom picture: matching gold lame vintage purse & you prob. can't tell that all the rhinestone jewelry is *gold* rhinestones, down to the shoe clips & there's gold glitter in my hair). The more things change, the more they stay the same.

Bad Hair Day

Sometimes, my hair won't cooperate. Especially right now, when it's gotten to the "long as it will get" stage and thus is time for a bit of a trim. I hate getting my hair cut (remnants of my hippie upbringing) and only do it when it bugs the crap out of me, like now! I live in mortal fear of short hair because anything less than shoulder-length looks awful on me.

I also despise flat hair on me. Which is what my hair is doing right now. When it gets this long (bra-strap length, & no, it will not grow any longer), all the curl is pulled out of it. My hair starts to look flat and lanky and lifeless. I can brush it smooth, but (a) it won't stay that way very long because it will frizz up in about 3 minutes and, more importantly, (b) I can't stand the way I look with smooth, flat hair. I think I look like a pinhead. Frankly, this bun doesn't look any better -- it's pinhead-goes-to-work! -- but at least it's not pinhead-with-flyaways.

I tried a lot of things this morning. I was really aiming for that lovely, long, smooth look that Victorian Kitty has with her hair, even trying some of her hairstyles. Alas, I'm terrible at braiding, but I tried a side ponytail, thinking that might get the same affect. No dice. I tried various different buns & chignons too, which just resulted in cursing in the bathroom (good thing my husband had to get up early this morning!). With time running short and my hair becoming limper by the minute, I went with this plain ol' ballerina bun and got on with the day.

Hopefully, I can schedule a haircut to trim off 2" to 4" in the next week!

What I'm wearing:
White & black pinstripe twill jacket, Macy's
Black T-shirt, Old Navy
Black jeans, Levis
Black & white stripe scarf, H&M
Black & gold disk earrings, Forever 21
Black & white flowers on bobby pins, random accessory store
Black ankle boots, Aldo

Denim & Satin

The weather tried to be autumnal this weekend, but alas, the forecast is for more hot weather this week. Just sharing with you all my pain at how much this disturbs my wardrobe potential.

What I'm wearing:
Grey denim bell-sleeved jacket, Newport News | Black embellished T-shirt, NY & Company | Plum satin trumpet skirt, Newport News, via Lisa | Black tights, Calvin Klein
Black ribbon-tie pumps, Clarks | Black & pink vintage-style earrings, random accessory store | Rhinestone cocktail ring, Icing | Rhinestone crown brooch, random accessory store

I swear I will die if I can't wear proper fall clothing soon! So very tired of summer.

Taking the Goth Challenge #1

I realized it's about a month until I hit the one-year anniversary of starting this blog. Also, when the date actually happens, I'm going to be traveling, or at least returning from, Spain! This got me thinking and looking around online, and I decided to play with this little Goth Challenge series of questions started by Juliet's Lace. Let's see how far I get!

#1: How did you come across the subculture?

Me in high school, circa 1986.
All about the Aqua Net!

In high school, circa 1985 or '86, I started listening to indie new wave music on local college radio stations, and this encouraged me to push the boundaries with my wardrobe. More funky thrift-store and vintage clothes and more stuff I sewed or modified myself. Colorful tho, in a punky Cyndi Lauper way.  But a friend gave me cassette tapes of The Cure and The Smiths, which I absolutely madly fell in love with. That connected immediately with my dark inner self.

At school, there were two girls who were trying to look goth (which everyone called "alternative" or "mod" then; I didn't hear the word "goth" or "gothic" until college). They dyed their hair black, wore lots of black eyeliner, and wore black clothes. However, they were spoiled rich girls, and their clothes were all designer black clothes and expensive leather boots, plus they both had fancy sportscars. Our school was on the border between a very wealthy suburb and a much more average, middle-to-lower-middle-class suburb. All very "Pretty in Pink."

So my punky friends didn't want to associate with those rich bitches, and while we loved the dark music, we cultivated our brightly colored, rag-tag, vintagey styles as a contrast to their sleek, designer, all-black look.

Soon enough, tho', I went away to college (a mere hour's drive away), where I discovered a fabulous little cafe right off campus where all the town's goths and punks seemed to hang out. Real, everyday goths, not ones who bought it from a boutique. So I could wear vintage black velvet as well as vintage pink chiffon with no problems ;-)

Black & White Monday

This week is supposed to be hot. Ugh. No autumn for me!

What I'm wearing:
Black cotton dress, ModCloth | Black & white cardigan, Black House White Market | Black studded leather belt, Macy's |  Black slingback heels, Payless Shoe Source | Black & white bead necklace, made by me | Black & white stripe bead earrings, Kohls | Black & white flower hair pin, Icing

For all my weekday picture-taking, I totally forgot to bring my camera when I worked at a renfaire this weekend. But I found a couple photos from other folks that I added to the report over on my costume blog.