Rain & Spiderwebs

Ugh, rainy day! Meaning, the porch was dreary & grey again, so more bad photos, even tho' I *did* fuss with the camera settings. I promise that one day soon, I will either figure out the picture quality on this blog or just stop whining about it.

What I'm wearing:
Black wool ruffled bolero sweater, Kohl's
Red knit peasant top, Express
Black stretch belt with ruffled detail, NY & Co.
Black & white spiderweb-print skirt, made by me
Black tights, Calvin Klein
Red ankle boots, Aerosoles
Black beaded necklace with cameo, random accessory store
Black & white beaded earrings, random accessory store
Real pearl stud earrings, gift from my stepdad

After Halloween, I was taking the cloth off our dining room table. It was a tablecloth just like the fabric of this skirt, & I remembered that I had a second tablecloth of this type with a big burnt-out hole in the center from a candle mishap. I'd cut out the burned bits & stored the cloth in my fabric stash.

So I retrieved the old cloth & decided it was time to make something from the fabric. How about a skirt? I cut panels in such a way that I could use the old tablecloth's existing hem for the skirt's hem (saving me time). I sewed the sides up & made a casing at the top for an elastic waistband. Ta-da, a skirt!

It had long points at each side, but when I tried it on, the points dragged on the ground. Ooops. At first I thought I might wear it like that with high-heeled boots, but that still didn't work. So I put the skirt on my dressform & tacked up the points & sewed some vintage jet buttons over the join. Can't actually see those buttons today because they're covered by the red top tho'. Still, I think the folded-over sides make for an interesting detail.

Have you made any of your own clothes? How about refashioning things from the thrift store?

Cyber Black Friday Spoils, Part IV

And the last package arrived -- from NY & Company, a bunch of accessories & some more practical pieces.

Or ... semi-practical ;-) Like these leggings with a lace inset. Kinda '80s retro, but I promise I'll only wear them under skirts. The actually practical items were a black knit 3/4th-sleeve top & a black camisole, because one can never have too many layering pieces like that.

Two belts increased the potential for belted sweaters & knit dresses -- a style I find increasingly flattering. Both of these are elastic with flashy center clasps, so a nice combo of comfort & bling.

Speaking of bling, the other items were all jewelry. Two brooches, two necklaces, all shiny. Here's a sample.

O'Dark-Thirty & a Shout Out

First, welcome to everyone visiting via Gothic Charm School & thank you to the Lady of the Manners for mentioning my blog! She is a fabulous friend from way back, & I'm thrilled that she linked to me here. I look forward to feedback from all my fellow & aspiring CorpGoths.

Today, I had to get up at the crack of, no, before dawn because my carpool driver had an early meeting. Ugh. So taking these pix was more difficult than usual -- the sun had just come up, & it was shadowy on the porch. The camera's flash kept wanting to go off (which washed out my face), but no-flash didn't look great either. And before coffee, I wasn't up to fiddling with the camera controls.

What I'm wearing today:
Black & grey striped sweater, Target
Grey corduroy skirt, Newport News
Black tights, Calvin Klein
Black stretch faux-leather boots, JC Penny
Black & white stripey scarf, Forever 21
Black & gold round giganto earrings, Forever 21
Red-brown lipstick, Lorac

I can't take photos after work because the sun has already gone down (this may change next spring, of course). Inside my house is too dark at any hour, thanks to both my Gothic Martha Stewart-ness & being a lifelong migraineur. For now, it's early in the morning (the blogging bits happen in the evening tho').

My carpool usually leaves at 8 a.m., & I hustle to get dressed & take pix in an hour before that. I don't get coffee until I'm at the office (we're lucky in that we have free, barista-made espresso drinks). If I'm in a breakfasty mood, I grab oatmeal or a custom-made omelet at the office cafeteria too & eat that while checking the morning's email.

So, workers of the world, what time do you get up & go to the office?

Cyber Black Friday Spoils, Part III

Didn't intend to post twice today, but *whee* got a big box from Kohl's with goodies bought during their Black Friday/Cyber Monday sales!

Even tho' I live in the 'burbs, I don't shop at Kohl's very often. The nearest stores aren't on any of the most convenient bus lines or next to any other shops I regularly visit. But the few times I have been in one, it reminded me of the Mervyn's chain store of my youth (West Coast folks may know what I'm talking about). Basically, it's a mid-priced, smallish department store that has not too trendy clothes but decent quality, lots of classic styles, good range of sizes (e.g., good for petites & especially for plus sizes), & modest prices on everything. Not as "fast fashion" as a big-box store like Target or as specialized as mall boutiques like Forever 21, but a reliable place you can find a black pencil skirt or a pair of tall boots that won't fall apart.

But I digress. I bought more shoes (yay!), stepping a little out of my comfort zone this time (boo, bad pun!).

High-heel red ankle boots, & the fit is excellent, including with leggings, so I foresee a variety of outfits with these.

Then these buckled peep-toe wedges. OMG, the sexeh! Seriously, these are amazing shoes, & I'm very glad I bought them. Great fit as well.

I've been needing some new jackets, so how about a little color? This corduroy blazer is a lovely deep wine. I'll swap out the fake-wood buttons with some vintage black glass ones that better match my aesthetic. Otherwise, this jacket's a winner.

This little sweater bolero is adorable. Sweet ruffles. It's a bit lighter than I'd expect for something described as "boiled wool" but it's not tissue-weight, & I live in California so I don't need heavy sweaters anyway.

I think there' s just one more package yet to arrive (have to check my email). I ordered a bunch of blingy accessories from NY&Company, all half price. The biggies are all here tho'.

Planning for an Elegant Afternoon

Working from home, as usual on Fridays. But I felt like playing around with Polyvore to plan an outfit for the future.

I have this black cotton dress from ModCloth & the printed cardigan from Chadwicks (which I wore at Thanksgiving, but haven't worn to work). While I don't have shoes quite so awesome as those by Irregular Choice, I have a variety of pumps to choose from. And I have jewelry similar to that shown (again, not as awesome -- or as expensive -- as the Betsy Johnson).

And I'm going to Dickens Fair tomorrow, so I'm in a old-fashioned frame of mind. I don't wear Victorian garb to work, but a little prim & proper retro feel is perfectly fine.

Elegant Afternoon by Trystan featuring a black dress

Black Cotton Dress | ModCloth.com, $100
Printed Cardigan Sweetberry Jewel | chadwicks.com, $30
Poetice Licence Backlash, $98
Betsey Johnson - Betsey Vampire Rose Necklace (Black/Rose Pink), $111
Multi-Size Gem Drop Earrings, $5.80

Cyber Black Friday Spoils, Part II

Two packages in the mail today, again shoes & tights! The final pair from my Aldo order, which I *big puffy heart.* They're not always perfect, but they're closer to ideal than most any other brand I've found. The sizing is very consistent for my inconsistent feet, so I'm pleased. And the quality is awfully good for an average of $40 a pair (I buy them mostly on sale). A few specific styles haven't worked on me due to where a vamp hits on my foot (especially my right foot, which is the bigger, wider one), but in general, if Aldo has a 39 in stock, it'll work out fine. Except for tall boots -- alas, my calf is too wide for them as with most places, unless the boot has an elastic gusset.

I can't wait to figure this shoe into some outfits. It's adorable. It's a gothic elf shoe. I have another pair of Aldo flats with a skinny T-strap that I wear allllllll the time, they're insanely comfy, I walked all over London in them last May, I've worn them with costumes, they're the best, & yes, I was inspired to get them after seeing Sarah's & how cute they looked on her. It's a testament to shoes if they can look great on a itty size 5 or whatever minuscule wee foot she has & a big ol' honkin' wide 8 (9 European) foot too. I'm hoping these ones with the bigger buckles will be BFFs to the other Aldo flats.

The other box was full of Calvin Klein tights. A ton of plain black, plus a few textured tights in black, one in grey, & one black lacy pair. So much tights goodness that my hosiery drawer is stuffed to overflowing now!

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!