Whoa, What Happened There?

Sorry for dropping off the face of the blogosphere, folks! No ulterior motive or explanation other than Frock Flicks has eaten my free time, and I like it. If you're going to have a second, unpaid job, you could do worse than be editor-in-chief of a pop culture mega-site co-run with your two best friends. Maybe someday, we'll earn enough to pay off our massive webhosting fees and earn back what we've sunk in podcasting equipment and promo gear! A girl can dream.

I'm still working in a coal mine corporate-style office and wearing appropriately CorpGoth outfits. But I only have a few photos to share. Not sure that I'll be able to get back into that daily routine of outfit-blogging. Keeping it up for nearly 5 years has been amazing, and while I don't know that I'll go back to it, I certainly won't ditch it. For now, here's some links that might be of interest...

Still Weird Zine featured me in November 2015 as one of 10 fabulous fashion bloggers who are keeping it weird (after 40), along with the truly fab Meagan of Coffin Kitsch.

My husband found this article from the Miami New Times that properly credits me with creating the term TropiGoth, which has since entered Urban Dictionary. However, the newspaper's photos are a far cry from my original style.

The Black Rose UK sent this lovely list of the 'ultimate guide' to gothic fashion icons -- worth a look to see how you'd rank your faves and if there's any they missed!

And on my own Frock Flicks, during our recent Snark Week, I took a cheeky look at gothic historical fashion in film. Check it out and let me know what you think.



What I'm wearing: Black T-shirt, Target | Black & white knit double-breasted jacket, Marshalls | Pink skirt, NY & Company | Black tights, Calvin Klein | Black flats, Zappos | Skull necklace & skull earrings, random accessory store | Pink & black bag, gift from my mom

Sponsorship Woes and Wishes

While I currently run Google ads on this site*, I haven't done much in the way of monetization or sponsorships. But I do get contacted by companies every so often asking to do promotions of some kind. The problem I have with this is usually that they're the wrong kind of business. They just don't fit.

Mostly, businesses see the "Goth" part of "CorpGoth" and seem to think that I'd be up promoting the same old, traditional gothic-punk clothing on my blog. Clothes similar to what Hot Topic would sell.  Everything is far too tight, short, and bondage-y for any office I'd ever work in! Hello, have these businesses looked at the photos on my blog? I don't wear spandex skull-printed dresses, ever! Even in my casual weekend wear. Nope, not my thing, not even when I was a lot younger and actually went to nightclubs.

I'd be interested if some high-end, sophisticated gothic businesses selling unique accessories, jewelry, and shoes contacted me, even Etsy artists and designers making custom CorpGoth clothing. But there has to be a corporate edge, not just goth-in-a-box. People can find that anywhere, and that's not what I'm interested in. My blog and my fashion is all about making goth from the ordinary and putting a gothic touch on mainstream office style. Any sponsor has to fit within this aesthetic as well.

That's why the one sponsored post I've done so far worked well. eShakti contacted me and offered a free dress, and that was fantastic because their designs are very goth-able. I'm happy to recommend their products.

One company I really wish would contact me is White House | Black Market -- omg, that store IS CorpGoth! I've mentioned it before because several of my very favourite wardrobe pieces are from there. Everything at White House | Black Market is, as the name implies, white or black, and every season (or more often), another color is added.  Oh, and frequently used patterns include stripes and damask. So it's custom-made for goths. The clothing styles are tailored and a little bit feminine, which makes it an excellent base for going either sleek and sophisticated or extra fancy. Garments are pricey but well made -- they're lined, made of thick fabrics, and have substantial buttons and trims. My only complaint is that sizes stop at 14, and there are no plus sizes. Still, if anyone at White House | Black Market happens to read this, contact me!

(Other brands I'd be happy to sponsor include Calvin Klein for their tights, which I wear almost every freakin' day, and shoes and boots from Aldo, Aerosoles, or Clarks, because I can walk miles in them! Anyone out there listening?)

What I'm wearing: Black velveteen jacket, White House Black Market | White & black damask-print knit sleeveless top, White House Black Market | Burgundy skirt, NY & Company | Black strappy flats, Macy's | Black tights, Calvin Klein | Onyx skull earrings, local artist | Beaded bat necklace, gift from friends

*I'll probably take them down soon. The content is stupid, they don't make any money, they're ugly, it was just a random shot in the dark. But it's almost as much of a PITA to remove them as it was to put them up; that's probably why so many sites have Google ads even tho' they don't earn much.

Historical Gothic Horror on TV

It's kind of a cliche that goths watch horror movies and TV shows, but like most cliches, there's an element of truth in there. Mysteries, murders, vampires, ghosts, the supernatural, creepy crawly things -- these are as essential to the gothic aesthetic as black velvet, leather, punk music, and stompy boots. After all, "Bela Lugosi's Dead" by Bauhaus was one of the goth scene's earliest anthems, and the song makes obvious references to classic horror films of the 1930s and gothic vampire literature of the 19th century before that.

Currently, television is giving us quite a selection of horror-themed dramas to choose from, along with the more typical movies (in theaters or streaming). I'm particularly interested in several series that have been set in historical periods, since that pushes all my buttons with the potential for gothic historical costumes and ambiance, plus dark spooky stories.

Over on Frock Flicks, I reviewed Penny Dreadful, a beautiful, elegant, and very deliciously dark serial available on Showtime and Amazon.com. The second season just started. I also reviewed the TV movie Lizzie Borden Took an Ax and the subsequent TV serial The Lizzie Borden Chronicles, playing on Lifetime and also on Netflix. This movie and series stars Christina Ricci of Addams Family fame and has one more episode airing next Sunday. It's not clear if there will be a season two.

I'm planning to review Salem, a fantasy-gothic series on WGN about 17th-century witches, and Ripper Street, a police procedural set in 19th-century London following Jack the Ripper; it was on the BBC and BBC America, and now it's available from Amazon.com.

What are your favorite shows in this genre I'm missing? What shows am I missing?

What I'm wearing: Black maxi-dress, Macy's | Burgundy peplum sweater, Anthropologie | Black & burgundy striped tights, We Love Colors | Beaded bat necklace, gift from friends

Playing Catch Up

Yikes, three weeks since posting here! Sorry about that. Since returning from my husband's and my anniversary trip last month, it's been nonstop busy, and while I've been online, this blog has been last priority. Of course, the trip was fantastic -- our fourth time to Jamaica, at the same resort where we honeymooned. Perfectly relaxing! TropiGoth FTW!

My blogging activity these days has been at Frock Flicks, where we're totally wrapped up in the PBS Masterpiece / BBC series "Wolf Hall," a new take on Henry VIII and Anne Boleyn through the eyes of Thomas Cromwell. It is FANTASTIC! We've podcasted about it and have a series of articles (with more coming). I'm also watching a ton of newer series to blog about, including some gothic horror shows in Victorian settings, such as "Penny Dreadful" and "The Lizzie Borden Chronicles." Watch for reviews coming soon.

My free time has also been filled by performing with Bella Donna Historical Performers. We participated at the San Jose Fantasy Faire as pretty pretty princesses -- where I ran into the 10th Doctor and Chewbacca, which was a hoot.

This weekend, we're on stage at a brand-new event, Carnevale Fantastico, and I'm on stage as an evil queen (typecasting the goth? hah!). I have a great time with these folks, and I'm very excited about this Italian Renaissance-themed event.

I do have some CorpGoth outfits waiting to be blogged, so I'll try to get back on track. And hopefully next month, I'll have a CorpGoth Status Report theme too, if anyone's still hanging around with me!

What I'm Looking Forward To

I'm a planner, and I always need things to look forward to (yes, yes, it's all well and good to "live in the moment," but not all moments are thrilling and exciting; ya gotta have a future to live for!). Sometimes, it's big stuff, but just as important are the little things.

Here's what's on my radar right now...

• My birthday! I turn 46 in a few days. Not doing anything special since it's not a milestone year, but hey, it's still my day. Hopefully we'll get a cake (I'm Team Cake; pie can go suck it).
• The one bday celebration thing I've planned is getting a group together to volunteer and sort food at Second Harvest Food Bank in a few weeks. I figure it's time to give back.
• On March 2, RuPaul's Drag Race season 7 premieres. I'm ridiculously happy about that. Also, Carson Kressley from "Queer Eye" will be a judge, which is going to be EPIC.
• Later in spring, my husband and I are going to Jamaica to celebrate our 15th wedding anniversary. TropiGoth heaven!

So, anything you're looking forward to?


What I'm wearing: Black puff-sleeve sweater, H&M | Black & white plaid skirt, H&M | Black tights, Calvin Klein | Silver-grey wedges, Anne Klein | Skull pendant on velvet choker, local artist | Faux jet earrings, random accessory store

My Typical Net.Day

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A guy I met once said that people like us were "of the Internet." It seemed a little cheesy, but it's true. I've been very online since the early 1990s. One of the first things I do in the morning and one of the last things I do at night is check email -- or my texts or Facebook, basically, the net.

Here's a typical morning Internet check-in... Phone (for texts; almost nobody calls me, and that's how I like it), email, Facebook (this takes a big chunk of time because I admin a couple pages and check on a few groups), blogs on Feedly, Twitter, NPR.com for news I didn't hear on NPR radio as I was getting dressed, LiveJournal (yeah, that's been de-prioritized).

I check texts, email, and Facebook throughout the day. Then I do a sweep through the above list again at lunch, during my evening commute, and at least once before bed.

Sometime in between, I do some work, eat, and sleep.

Where do you go online?

What I'm wearing: Black pinstripe dress, made by Donna | Black ruffled wool shrug, Kohl's | Black tights, Calvin Klein | Burgundy faux-suede boots, DSW | Burgundy & brass shield necklace, local artisan | Onyx & silver earrings, bought in India

Big Dreams

Of the many random things that get me through my day, dreaming of living in a romantic, crumbling castle has always been one of them. It's part of why I love history, part of why I'm a goth, part of why I make costumes, part of why I travel.

So when I saw Bedlay Castle right outside of Glasgow, Scotland, come up for sale, well, the dream dies hard.

If I did a Kickstarter and opened it as a gothic-historical B&B, would anyone join in?

What I'm wearing:
Black & pink striped cardigan, Macy's | Black camisole, Old Navy | Black peasant skirt, Macy's | Black tights, Calvin Klein | Black heeled boots, Aerosoles | Black beaded bib necklace, random accessory store | Black & pink crystal dangly earrings, random accessory store

Bedlay Castle, Scotland

The Professor's Homework: Sewing Projects

My current to-do list in the sewing room.

I freakin' LOVE The Professor's latest homework assignment of On the Cutting Table. As she says:  "Show your crafting / art / sewing / knitting / crochet works in progress and the projects that you want to tackle in the next few months. What's on your cutting table? What's in your knitting basket? Did you just buy four new skeins of yarn for that shawl you've been meaning to make? Is there a canvas in the corner of your room just begging for some paint? Show us what you've been up to and what you are planning."

Except I can't tell you what I'm working on. Not the stuff right now because it's SEEKRIT!!!

But here's some hints...

The local costumer's guild is having a Game of Thrones themed event at a winery that has a perfect recreation of a 14th-century castle. A bunch of friends and I are going, obviously, and some of us are making specific characters from the TV show (or book, though admittedly, I read the first book and hated it, but I love the show). Other friends are making "inspired by" costumes.

My planned costume is of a TV show character. A main character. And I can't tell you any more because I want to show up at the event and make people say "wow!"

I can say it's a very popular character, and almost all the materials are from my fabric stash, so the costume won't be perfectly screen-accurate, but it should be recognizable.

In the meantime, take a look around my sewing room -- I totally reorganized and painted it over the summer. And I have a post on my costume blog about a longer-term project for this summer where I want to recreate a gown worn by Charlotte Bronte. I've only started the research, not the sewing for that one yet.

What creative stuff are you working on these days?

Do You Give a F*ck?

I'm not usually big on Buzzfeed stories, but damn, this one is worth reading. They retell the entire Harry Potter series with Hermione as the main character, fighting The Patriarchy. She is The Girl Who Literally Gives No F*cks. It's pretty damn brilliant.

On a slightly related tangent, equally worth reading is The Subtle Art of Not Giving a F*ck by Mark Manson.  This post is more broad (it's not a feminist rant like the Buzzfeed one), but it has practical applications in everyone's life. The essence is that you only have a limited amount of f*cks to give over your lifetime, so you must spend them with care. Don't waste them on little, unimportant crap.

What do you give a f*ck about? What have you stopped giving a f*ck about?

What I'm wearing: Burgundy corduroy jacket, Kohl's | Black & white damask knit top, Ralph Lauren | Black crochet trumpet skirt, Coldwater Creek | Black corset-style elastic belt, Torrid | Black tights, Calvin Klein | Burgundy suede pumps, Soffit | Black & rhinestone necklace, random accessory store | Rhinestone skull earrings, gift from Sarah

One thing I give a f*ck about is FrockFlicks.com, because we're having a ton of fun writing about historical costume movies. #SnarkWeek is still happening on the blog, Facebook, and Twitter! Check it out :)

Bonus Crock Pot Recipe

I hate to cook. But I need to eat. And my husband doesn't really know how to cook. So unfortunately, if I want more than (unhealthy, expensive) takeout dinners or (boring) Lean Cuisine frozen meals, sometimes I have to force myself to cook.

One thing I've found that helps, particularly with my busy schedule, is ye olde slow-cooker, aka a Crock Pot. I got a giant, oversized one free when a friend was moving, and since I'm just cooking for my hubbi and I, these slow-cooker meals make a LOT of food. I like to figure out recipes that I can tweak for a couple meals that aren't exactly the same thing over and over again with the leftovers.

Thus was born this recipe that I got published on Offbeat Home recently The Slow-Cooker Salsa Chicken That Makes Three Dinners. Take a look, try it out, and let me know what you think!

What I'm wearing:
Black knit military jacket, Macy's
Black & pink stripe top, Ralph Lauren
Black knit skirt, Target
Black tights, Calvin Klein
Black & pink flats, ShoeMetro.com
Pink filigree earrings, Etsy


Pssst: #SnarkWeek continues over on FrockFlicks.com, Facebook, and Twitter! Join me there :)

Something Different

This was a special-occasion outfit, so more gothic than average or every day. Sometimes, it's just required. I wore a mix of things I've made and purchased with a little vintage vibe.

I've been a little absent from blogging here because I've been working very hard over on FrockFlicks.com, where we're starting #SnarkWeek today. If you've ever watched a historical costume movie and wondered WTF are they wearing, come on over and check out a whole week of non-stop snarky fun! We're also on Facebook and Twitter.

What I'm wearing:
Nightmare Before Christmas themed mini top hat, bought in Disneyland | Black lace jacket, Macy's | Black T-shirt, Old Navy | Black & white spiderweb skirt, made by me | Black tights, Calvin Klein | Black heeled granny boots, Aerosoles | Black lace choker, bought at Convergence | Dangly faux-jet earrings, random accessory store | Black lipstick, Make Up For Ever

Do you enjoy costume dramas on TV or the big screen?

One Size Fits None

I can't believe there are whole stores selling "one size fits all" garments. Because, as that article rather hilariously proves, one size fits none. While they're talking about garments like shirts and skirts, which is pretty hard to believe one size could fit any kind of range, a place where "one size" has been standard for ages and doesn't look to change any time soon is hosiery.

Tights, in particular, and the more unusual the style -- like stripes, fishnets, spiderwebs, etc. -- are more likely to come in that dreaded "one size." And for a garment that is intended to be, well, TIGHT, being available in only one size is horrible. As a short woman with curves, one-size tights are my absolute nemesis. All tights are too long, so they bunch at the ankles, but one-sizers have the added problem of being uncomfortably tight at the waist. They'll sometimes ride down too. Ugh.

Which is why I love the heck out of the Calvin Klein black tights I wear most every day: They come in four sizes, as do all CK hosiery. That's more than most brands. Some only have two sizes, regular and plus, others might have three (adding a tall), but Calvin Klein actually has some diversity. It's not much, but it's just enough for me. Pity they're not in stock year-round!

Related: This is what happens when you buy cheap clothing from Singapore online. Hilarious yet sad revelation of the misleading size labels and shoddy quality of many of those super-cheap clothing retailers you see on the web. eBay and Etsy are particularly full of them, but any web search for clothes can turn up these too-good-to-be-true businesses. Yeah, not shopping there!

What I'm wearing: Black puff-sleeve sweater, H&M | Black corduroy skirt, H&M | Black tights, Calvin Klein | Burgundy faux suede boots, DSW | Burgundy pearl & cameo necklace, made by me | Silver cameo earrings, vintage

50% Less Makeup, 70% More Tweets

I've gotten really lazy about wearing makeup recently. Not that I ever wore a ton of makeup to work. My standard office-face routine used to be just eyes and lips. I'd wear black eyeliner, a touch of eyeshadow, and dark lipstick. Maybe once every couple of weeks I'd wear a light bit of foundation and powder, usually to cover up especially dark under-eye circles or an annoying blemish.

Well, since starting this job with the longer commute, I've been skipping the eye makeup more and more often. I probably wear eyeliner once a week, and eye shadow is just a shadow of a memory. That said, I'm loving the heck out of the Benefit They're Real Push-Up Eyeliner I bought a few months ago. It's cat-eye liner for dummies. It's all about the tip. The 'push-up' thing is actually a bit annoying because it doesn't always push up enough or a consistent amount of liner, but once you get it going (usually on a finger or a tissue), wow, it's great. That shaped tip draws perfect cat-eyes every time, as long, thick, and catty as you want. The stuff also has major lasting power. So much so that I had to buy Benefit's accompanying They're Real Remover to get the stuff off (my usual makeup remover required too much elbow grease, and rubbing one's eyes ain't nice).

Of course, I'm mostly wearing this on the weekends because I can't be arsed to tart up my eyes at the crack of dawn before going to work. Ah well.

What I apparently can be arsed to do is jump on Twitter. I'm slow to the bandwagon by a half-decade, I know. But it's not like I wasn't busy with every other thing online already. Are any of you on Twitter? Please follow me at ThisIsCorpGoth and chat me up! I'll still be blogging, but since December is super-freaky-busy for me, I may tweet more than blog because 140 characters is easier to fit in between stuff.

Also, due to my crazy month, there won't be another Mid-Month Status Report until January. Hey, you've all got holidays or maybe just weather to slog through too, right?

What I'm wearing: Grey sheath dress, Target | Black ruffled bolero sweater, Kohl's | Black tights, Calvin Klein | Silver grey wedge heels, Anne Klein | Black bat necklace, Walgreens | Silver & onyx earrings, bought in India

Spiderwebs and a Survey

Just a quick drive-by post for a particularly gothy outfit and a request. I received an email from Kaeli Smith, a fashion sociology student at the University of Delaware. She asked if I would fill out a survey on gothic fashion and its connection to upbringing, which she and her group will use for a case study. She also asked if I would post the survey to my blog.

In the interest of furthering study into the topic, here is the URL. The study is anonymous. I hope Kaeli will share a summary of her report with us later!

What I'm wearing: Black Victorian-style blouse, made by Donna | Black skirt, MetroStyle | Black gear-print tie, CyberOptix | Dangle faux-jet earrings, random accessory store | Black spiderweb tights, unknown brand | Black buckle-top pumps, Kenneth Cole

Nice Reads

I'm kind of late on these, but they're still worth reading -- this 11 women who are changing geek culture article profiles some fascinating ladies, not the least of which is our old friend Jillian Venters, aka the Lady of the Manners, aka the woman behind Gothic Charm School. She's definitely my kind of geek to be proud of!


Not exactly a read, but a video worth watching is this report on Amsterdam's Lolita community. The usually quite mainstream site Refinery 29 takes a thoughtful, careful look at Lolitas in Europe (as contrasted to the original Japanese subculture), how they dress, and why. I admit, I've never quite understood the appeal of Lolita or Gothic Lolita, and this video was enlightening.



What I'm wearing: Black knit dress, Newport News | Black velveteen jacket, White House Black Market | Black & white polka-dot scarf, Express | Black & white flats, Zappos | Silver & pearl earrings, vintage from my grandmother

Wow, Reports, Whoa, So Busy

This is just a quick note to thank all of you who participated in this month's status report! I was genuinely surprised and pleased by seeing so many different posts. I was a little worried that the topic of commuting would be boring or not goth-fashion enough for many of you to want to participate. But I enjoyed reading all of your stories, from short drives to complicated multi-step public transit routes! We really have a ways to go to work, don't we?

And I apologize for not commenting on each of your posts, as I prefer to do. But I'm currently up to my eyeballs in work at the office and sewing at home. I'm helping out on some outfits for a Society for Creative Anachronism investiture this weekend, and I've taken a few commissions due at 12th Night at the end of December. Add in the homemade Christmas gifts my family usually does, and, um, where'd my free time go? Eeek!

So I have a few posts auto-scheduled for the next weeks, but I may be a little quiet around here. However, I am writing about costumes and movies at Frock Flicks, and we have podcasts planned for the next month. Feel free to read our blog, and follow us on Twitter and Facebook. We're planning a big event for January too.

*smack* read the FAQ

A long, long time ago, in an Internet far, far way (oh, about 1995), I assembled & maintained a FAQ for a group called alt.gothic.fashion. It was a little community on a thing known as Usenet, a quirky part of the Internet, back before social networking, before blogs even. It probably still exists, & no, I don't want to go find the sad, sorry remains. Because whatever left is nothing like what it was Back In The Day.

The place wasn't the only thing I'm nostalgic about. It was the FAQ itself. We needed a frequently asked questions file because newbies would pop up all the time asking the same old things -- where can I buy pointy boots? what's the best black eyeliner? how do I take care of velvet? The real heart of the FAQ was the resources section, the mail-order catalogs & precious few stores selling honest-to-darkness gothic clothing & accessories.

Years before Hot Topic, before Chanel's Vamp, before eBay even. Back then, places that sold pointy boots & corsets & pale foundation were rare & unique, so we had to round up every last name & share it with our fellow dark fashionistas. We sent away (by snail mail!) for printed catalogs (yes, on paper!) showing sketches & horribly dark photos of gothic clothes & fetish gear. We had to make a lot of stuff ourselves too. There were also fewer of us back then, so when someone reviewed a store or product, we could trust their opinion because we pretty much all knew each other.

Nowadays, the clothes are the easy part. Have you heard of this thing called Google? Yeah, gothic clothing is but a click away. It's everywhere online, it's in the malls across America. Even if you live in bumf**k  nowhere, you can log onto eBay & find a billion items to fill your closet & have new clothes delivered right to your door.

It's also a hell of a lot more diverse, which actually makes finding stuff easier. We used to mostly be RomantiGoths / AntiquityGoths who wore drippy velvet garb vaguely based on historical styles. MyLittlePony & CyberGoths started to invade, which vastly expanded the possible wardrobe selection. By the time Hot Topic made it big in the U.S., gothwear wasn't limited to black clothes anymore. These days, there's Goth Lolita, Steampunk, emo, & gawd knows what other varieties people call "goth."

The last version of the FAQ kind of lives on -- it's hosted by someone I don't know, with a date of 2009, here: http://www.orchidkiss.com/agf/ As she notes, broken links abound. But there's still some gems of wisdom. The DIY sections are still pretty awesome, & tips like "how to make really big hair" are timeless.

But kids today, they don't need my old FAQ. They don't ask questions, they just google things. Feh. *waves cane*

What I'm wearing: Black & white stripe knit dress, Nordstrom | Black ruffled bolero sweater, Kohl's | Black tights, Calvin Klein | Black patent heels, unknown brand | Gunmetal skull earrings, Walgreens

CorpGoth Garage Sale

We interrupt your usual blog with a brief advertisement: I'm running a little virtual garage sale to clean out some things. You can find the listings here. I'm selling a few historical costumes and gothic outfits, a lot of vintage / gothic style jewelry, and a bunch of rare books on either historical costume or vampire themes, plus some miscellaneous goodies here and there. Take a look.

Please contact me through the email address linked on that page if you're interested in buying something. I accept PayPal and can only ship in the U.S. due to costs. Feel free to share my garage sale link with friends who may be interested. Thanks!

Bram Stoker's Dracula Podcast

Want something to listen to as you finish your Halloween preparations? Download the latest Frock Flicks podcast -- it's a critique of the 1992 movie Bram Stoker's Dracula, starring Winona Ryder and Gary Oldman. This classic gothic love story features gorgeous Victorian-esque costumes, Art Nouveau styling, blood, and baby eating, which we analyze in depth (with both academic citations and a few Pink Drinks ;-).

Check it out on our website, and download the whole series from iTunes, where we've reviewed everything from Marie Antoinette to the current Outlander TV series, and we have more movie critiques coming soon. We also blog about throwback costume dramas, upcoming films, man-candy in costume, and we're on Twitter and Facebook as well.

Frock Flicks is a project I've been doing off and on for the past seven years with my two best friends, and recently we've ramped it back up to do regular podcasts and blogging. Because we all need something different, and honestly, it's pretty fun! Listen, and you'll see why!

Wandering Around the Web

• If you're in the New York area, mark this on your calender: Death Becomes Her: A Century of Mourning Attire, October 21, 2014–February 1, 2015, at the Metropolitan Museum of Art. On October 31st, check out "Death Becomes You," a special program as part of this exhibit, featuring dramatic readings of Edgar Allen Poe, an illusionist, costumed performers, and more.
• Offbeat Home has a much-needed open letter to the fashion industry, re: plus-size representation. The comments section well worth reading too.
• I found The Everyday Goth's review of the Restyle bag she bought very helpful. I've looked at their bags and purses longingly but really wondered about the quality. I love it when people give careful, detailed product reviews like this!
• FastCompany reported on the exact amount of time you should work each day. It's not 8 hours straight -- Quick, someone tell our bosses! I will say that this article reminds me why I'm more productive when I can work from home & take more breaks away from the computer (which I can't now, foo).
• My sewing machine can do embroidery & I've used it for costume projects, but I still haven't done any everyday clothing embellishment. Well, seeing Madame Mari Mortem's first shot at using Urban Threads embroidery patterns with her machine has totally convinced me! Fabulous work.
• This NPR analysis is a brilliant read about a story written in 1957 about 1912, describing how to build cultural panic. Perfectly suitable to yesterday, today, or tomorrow, showing how nothing changes.
• Finally, do keep checking in on my Halloween for Sale 2014 Pinterest board -- I've been adding more goodies as I find them, plus stuff keeps going on sale as Halloween gets closer.