Friday Five: Heaven and Hell

Would you sell your soul to the devil and what for?
A job that lets me work from home two days per week and has a decent measure of creativity.

Who do you think will be the first five people you meet in heaven?
My father, my three grandparents who are no longer living, and my childhood dog (where I to believe in heaven and die today).

Is life more fair to some then others?
Yes. In some ways, both in general ways (like, the ice cream runs out right as you walk up to the truck) and in ways the create privilege (racial, gender, class).

Do you think some people are just born unhappy?
Yes, but I also believe in chemical imbalances.

If you could have a magical power, what would it be?
Smite people with lasers from my eyes.






Questions culled from The Friday Five on LiveJournal.

What I'm wearing: Black & grey stripe sweater, Target | Black trousers, Target | Black skull scarf, gift from my husband | Skull earrings, random accessory store | Black boots, Aerosoles

CorpGoth Works From Home

CorpGoth sans makeup!

My current job allows me to work from home even more than before -- tho' let's get real, I can write & edit from just about anywhere in the world, I don't need to physically be in the same office with my coworkers. Also, so often, I'm working with people who are spread out around the U.S., if not the world, so it doesn't matter where I'm sitting. That's life in the Internet Age. For years, I've had a few work-from-home days, now they're just more frequent than not.

Which creates a bit of a sartorial challenge: What do I wear when I don't have to go into an office?

I've often been lazy & worn an assortment of black yoga pants, big black T-shirts, & black hoodies or baggy black sweaters, along with flip-flops or slippers, depending on the weather. Well, I want to up my game when three or more days of the week will be spent working at home. I don't want my entire wardrobe to be *that* sloppy! Besides, I occasionally converse with coworkers over Skype, so turning on the video conferencing means I should look presentable (at least from the waist up!).

So I've been strategizing about how to dress, both incorporating what I already own & judiciously adding things that fit better into my home office routine. Here's what I've realized so far...

1. Comfort counts -- OK, I said I'm not going to work in yoga pants (or PJs) every single day, but I still want comfort because, unlike at the office, I may be throwing in a load of laundry between edits or I might have a cat in my lap while on a conference call. Structured skirts, fitted jackets, & high heels just aren't appropriate in this situation. Knit dresses, leggings, long sweaters, tunics, ponte pants, city shorts in warm weather, & layers are all great.

2. Think color & pattern, instead of accessories -- For the office, I love scarves, statement necklaces, lipstick, & other splashes of color & texture. But not at home. To make outfits more interesting, I need to incorporate more colors (all black gets mighty dull) & more prints (stripes, plaids, florals). Can also use more texture, like ruffles & pleats, as long as it's not in an overly fussy garment (see #1).

3. Re-asses my current wardrobe, weed through, add selectively -- Based on the first two points & knowing my new schedule, I realize I may not need quite as much of the structured, fitted clothes that I have owned. And frankly, my closet & dressers are jammed full! It's tempting to buy a ton of new stuff (& I have bought more leggings & tunics, heh), but first, I went through what I have. Things I don't love are gone, along with anything that didn't fit perfectly. Now I can look for wardrobe holes & fill them accurately.

4. Do my hair -- I'll never be someone who wears makeup around the house, but since Skype video conferencing is a part of my home-office mix now, I should make a point of doing something with my hair. I used to pile it up on the top of my head while at home, which I can still do, but in a tidy & smoother fashion. And especially since I trimmed my hair, I might try sleeker styles.

5. Go a little more goth, but not all punked out -- Since I don't have clients or meetings (other than from the neck up re: Skype), I can dress a little more edgy than I might at the office. Little touches, such as batty T-shirts & Halloween socks. But I still want to look like an adult & a professional writer, not a kid shopping at Hot Topic.

Examples of clothing that feels right for my home-office wardrobe:

• Downtown Topper from Soft Surroundings -- Black & grey striped swingy sweater, adds some pattern & movement to a cozy coverup.
• Empire-Waist Knitted Dress from ASOS Curve -- Comes in black, red, or navy. Nice dress to pair with leggings.
• Grey & Black Lace-Print Leggings from Torrid -- Cool pattern, would be lovely peeking out of a black tunic or dress.
• V-Neck Sweater Dress from Old Navy -- Especially cute in black & white stripe & worn with leggings.

Do you work from home? If so, what do you wear? Share in the comments!


Related Links:
Nine Ways Not to Look Like a Slob Even if You Don't Dress for the Office These Days - Lisa at Privileged has some excellent tips for looking elegant yet casual (remember, sloppy clothes cost the same as neat, so why not go for neat?).

What to Wear When Working From Home - Allie at Wardrobe Oxygen shares her buying guide (& what to avoid) for wfh wardrobe workhorses, which I pretty much agree with completely.

What Do You Wear When You Work From Home? - Interesting thread at Offbeat Home in response to the question, lots of great opinions.

Forgetful Pants

I seem to forget about wearing pants. I have two pairs of black trousers like this, plus several pairs of black jeans. They all fit well & are the correct length -- quite an achievement when you're a petite plus size gal. Yet I gravitate towards wearing skirts & dresses the vast majority of the time.

A lot of the reason is that I think skirts & dresses look more flattering to my figure. If you're a bit curvy, pants can emphasize your curves in unappealing ways (no matter how well they fit). Pants make my butt & gut look bigger, whereas skirts & dresses, especially A-lines & straight skirts, gracefully skim over those areas & draw attention to my small waist or shapely calves. Always play to your assets!

Still, pants can be comfortable & even warmer (see previous post). And they're not horribly unattractive on me, I think. Just have to remember to wear them.

What I'm wearing:
Purple & black striped cardigan, Old Navy
Black embellished T-shirt, Macy's
Black trousers, Target
Black trouser socks, Target
Purple pumps, Aldo
Gunmetal hoop earrings, random accessory store

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?

 

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

Wearing PJs in Public?

Let it be known that I am firmly in the camp with those who believe that the casualization of clothing in the U.S. in the late-20th & early-21st centuries is the first step to the downfall of our civilization & that wearing pajamas in public is a sure sign of the coming apocalypse.

I feel that people are allowed to wear PJs outside the home exactly three times in their lives: (1) once when you have the flu & need to make a trip to the drugstore for tissues & meds, (2) once when you're miserably depressed & need chocolate &/or booze between the hours of 2am and 6am, & (3) one additional time to be used judiciously, carefully, not in broad daylight or among more than a dozen people, & it can only last for no more than 10 minutes.

However, if you can wear something as comfy as PJs without looking like it, rock on with your bad self.

And the later is precisely what I attempted to do -- successfully, I hope! -- in this outfit. I wore this combo (which is a clear riff on this jeans-based outfit) to go hangout at my girlfriend's house a couple weekends ago. I ran a shopping errand first, so I was seen in public too. While the ensemble is quite casual, I feel that it qualifies as presentable, non-sleepwear clothing. What do you think?

What I'm wearing:
Black crochet duster, Coldwater Creek
Burgundy knit cowl-neck top, Forever 21
Black long-sleeve knit top, Old Navy
Wide black knit pants, Target
Embellished black flats, unknown brand
Black & gold medallion earrings, Forever 21

How casual do you go in public?

Repeat With Skulls & Bats

Yesterday was mostly a repeat outfit -- pixie-point tunic with leggings & ankle boots -- & I almost didn't photograph it at all. But I mixed it up a tiny bit by wearing both skull-print & bat-print.

What I'm wearing:
Black pixie-point tunic, made by Donna | Black bat-print leggings, Target | Black skull-print scarf, gift from my husband | Black buckle ankle boots, Aldo | Gunmetal hoop earrings, random accessory store | Silver Celtic ring, gift from Lisa

Coincidentally, next Monday is Le Professeur Gothique's Monthly Homework Assignment to wear something you haven't worn in a long time.  Given that I repeat items & outfits quite frequently & make a point of trying to wear everything in my wardrobe that fits & is seasonally appropriate (even working some things in across seasons), this is going to be a tough piece of homework!

 

 

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.

Hidden Bat Week - Leggings & Earrings

I overslept my alarm this morning, so I was scrambling for batty ideas of what to wear. Usually, I plan out the next day's outfit in my head before I go to sleep, but I only had a vague idea that I'd wear these bat-print leggings somehow, maybe with a skirt.

Having less time in the morning made me improvise, & I was really lucky to discover that, omg, yes, I can fit my tall boots over leggings! These ones are so thin, they're practically like tights. My calves are wide, & I'll never be able to tuck jeans into boots, but leggings-into-boots feels like a fashion triumph.

What I'm wearing:
Black handkerchief-hem tunic, made by Donna
Black ruffled sweater, Kohl's
Black bat-print leggings, Target
Black tall boots, Clarks
Black & white necklace with art bead medallion, made by me
Silver Gorey bat earrings, bought at the Edward Gorey House in Yarmouthport, MA

 

Pixie Points & Pointy Toes

This outfit is a little extra-goth & casual for a Monday, but I knew that our usual Monday staff meeting was canceled because the department manager was out of town this week. Thus, I'd be spending the day sitting in my cubicle with nobody seeing me. So it didn't really matter what I wore.

Also, I had an exhaustingly fun weekend and needed something comfy & casual, this fit the bill. (Speaking of my weekend, take a peek at these pix from the annual Vampire Ball and my Prom Queen From Hell costume :-)

What I'm wearing:
Black ruffled sweater, Kohl's | Black pixie-point-hem tunic, made by Donna | Purple leggings, unknown brand | Black pointy-toe, lace-up boots, bought in London ages ago | Purple & black necklace with scissors medallion, made by Lisa | Purple heart with painted bat dangly earrings, made by a local artist | Purple lipstick, Make Up Forever #14

How was your weekend? Was it hard to go back to work on Monday?

A Few Nifty Links From the Week

Just some stuff I've read recently that I liked so much, I thought I'd share!

Ruffles Not Diets has a fantastic how-to post about hair updos for work. Don't miss the video at the end of the post -- I'm pretty inept at doing braids & buns, but that vid makes it look awfully easy!

Norma Talmadge, 1920s

My BFF Sarah of Mode Historique analyzes former Ukranian prime minister Yulia Tymoshenko's awesome crown braid and recreates the look in a fabulous fashion.

Salon wonders if short-haired women are less attractive. Answer: No, duh, but isn't it interesting how women's hair length is such a culturally loaded topic...

The New York Times reports on the trend of expensive designer lipsticks, ranging from $30 to $60 per tube. Estee Lauder has long claimed that lipstick sales go up during a recession (tho' there's no proof of this). I fully admit I love fancy lipstick, but I've yet to crack $30. What's the most you'll pay for lippie?

Green Apples has a multi-part sewing plan for her fall/winter wardrobe featuring tops, jackets/coats/pants, and dresses. You don't have to sew to get some great inspiration from these lists because the patterns she chose are a lovely mix of modern & retro styling, many are things you may find in ready-to-wear or thrift stores, & all would be quite gothable.

Being High Maintenance, not Bitchy (awesome blog name, btw) has useful tips for how to care for your leather garments. Appropriate to the season & especially to goths.

The Vivienne Files has 10 Trivial Travel Thoughts that I didn't find trivial at all. I travel a lot, but I'd never thought to use safety pins to create pants-hangers (so useful!). Also, we should all know my feelings on "leggings are not pants" -- I saw a bit too much of that on my last trip.

Gertie's New Blog for Better Sewing takes on the touchy subject of what we talk about when we talk about weight in a thoughtful & positive fashion. Well worth reading.

The Daily Show's Samantha Bee has a conversation with her Spanx. Very silly.

My amazing friend Laina at Keeping Off 200 Pounds has a useful post about indoor exercise that doesn't involve the gym. I'm not a big fan of exercise, but I'm even less a fan of the gym, & these suggestions are pretty simple & good ways to keep active when the weather blows.

I never learned to ride a bike, but I'm fascinated by You Look Fab's post on stylish urban cycling. This seems so doable -- looking good while biking around town. Exercise, saving money, appearing posh... I want to try...

And finally, Advanced Style has some fantastic life & style tips from a 100-year-old lady. She knows what's what!

What have you been reading around the interwebs lately?

Fall, Please to Be Coming Soon

September is still Indian summer around here, but how I long for a proper autumn! I'm sneaking in a lot of transitional clothes more as a bit of wishful wardrobing than anything else. This works fine for the air-conditioned office, but I usually strip down to shorts & tees when I get home. Soon, soon...

What I'm wearing:
Black handkerchief-hem tunic, made by Donna | Black leggings, Newport News | Black lace-up spool-heel boots, Target | Black & grey skull-print scarf, gift from my husband | Big silver filigree earrings, random accessory store | Skull bead bracelet, gift from my mom

For those of you in the northern hemisphere, are you experiencing fall weather yet? Or does it still feel like summer?

Leggings Are Not Pants

This outfit dangerously skirts (hah) the above-stated rule. But I was taking the bus to work today, so my footwear options were limited. I didn't want to wear tights, so no skirts or dresses. I just did not feel like jeans. So that kind of left me with leggings & figuring out a suitably tunic-like top that covered my backside. This just barely made it.

What I'm wearing:
Burgundy sweater with satin insets, Anthropologie, gift from Sarah | Black lace-trimmed camisole, unknown brand | Black leggings, Newport News | Black flip-flops, Old Navy | Gold with burgundy enameled shield-shaped necklace, local artist | Black & pink dangly earrings, random accessory store

And I'm wearing flip-flops to work. Not even jeweled sandal flip-flops. Yeah, really skating thin ice here. I'm bored of dressing for summer! I want all my spring/fall clothing options back. More shoes, more tops, more layers.

August is traditionally the hottest month of summer here, & while it's still nothing as terrible as the rest of the U.S. gets, I'm done with it.

*shakes tiny fist in sky*

BoHo Hippie Goth

I was raised by hippies, & I'm proud of it. I called myself a New Wave Hippie in high school, combining my peacenik tendencies with the '80s music I had then discovered. I set my sights on U.C. Berkeley for college, & never looked back. In my work these days, I help run one of the biggest environmental websites around.

I still mix my hippie roots with a less than typically tie-dye flair. I love paisley & ethnic prints, flowing tops & dresses, & I sometimes can't help but let my hair run wild & free.

What I'm wearing:
Black, purple, & blue paisley tunic, Chadwicks
Black leggings, Newport News
Black ribbon & silver chain belt, eBay
Black embellished mules, bought from REVA RAGS 2 ROSES
Silver filigree earrings, Target
Silver skull & black bead choker, DisneyLand

Pixie Points & Different Levels Work-Appropriate Gothyness

In such a rush this morning, hoping one of these photos turns out...

What I'm wearing:
Black handkerchief-hem tunic, custom-made by Donna of Original Sin Designs
Black leggings, Newport News
Black pointy, kitten-heel boots, Baker's
Black & white stripey knit scarf, H&M
Black & white stripey ball earrings, Kohl's
Silver skull-bead necklace, Disneyland (near Pirates of the Caribbean, natch)
Black & white beaded cuff bracelet, bought in Kauai

All black & white, all very comfy, maybe a little too goth for the office (I'd totally wear this on a weekend!), but then again, I knew I wouldn't have any meetings today. Just sittin' behind the computer all Wednesday, gettin' stuff done.

I'd wear this to a meeting with people I know, like a staff meeting, but not with anyone new that I need to convince to use my work & do things the way I want them to (a situation that happens a lot in my giganto company).  For that, I'd be a bit more subdued, a skirt & top, not leggings, maybe these boots, if they were with trousers, for some examples.

Do you sometimes wear things that you think are not quite office-appropriate? When is it ok to bend your own rules (provided you're not breaking official company rules, if they exist)? When do you avoid going out on a fashion limb at work?

Stripes Week: Secret Stripes

Rain has been pouring down on NorCal, plus I had a couple hours of training sessions at work today, so I opted for a super-comfy outfit. But still, stripes down to my toes.

What I'm wearing:
Black & white stripey cardigan, Speigel
Black long-sleeve knit top, Old Navy
Black trousers, Target
Black & white stripey socks, Target
Black wedge pumps, Dockers
Black & white stripey ball earrings, Kohl's
Black waterfall bead bib necklace, Torrid
Reddish-brown lipstick, Lorac

Alas, my carpool driver for Thursday canceled this evening, so I'm working from home tomorrow & will miss my last workday of  Stripes Week! But thanks to Megan Mae for organizing it, this was a fun challenge. I'll follow up with my last outfit (already planned) next Monday. And, of course, I always wear some stripes, so there's more down the road.

TropiGoth Fashion Show, Part I

Welcome to the first of two posts that prove goths can too be seen in summer or hot-weather clothes! It's what I've been calling TropiGoth for over a decade now.

This is also an example of how I'm trying to up my game in casual wear. I made more of an effort on this trip to accessorize & wear interesting casual outfits than I usually do.

My typical travel wardrobe can be awfully dull -- I pack basic black & maybe one solid color, hardly anything else. I'm a chronic under-packer & get incredibly bored with my travel clothes. So this is all a bit new.

These pix are all from my recent birthday trip to Kauai, Hawaii, with my husband, who took all the photos. The setting for first two outfits is around the condo we rented.

What I'm wearing, outfit #1:
Black & white T-shirt, Express
Black cargo capris, Kohl's
Black leather sandals with flowers, Target
Black wood bead necklace, bought on a Jamaica trip
Black beaded earrings, Target
Red tropical flower hair pin, bought on a previous Hawaii trip
Red lipstick

The weather was a tiny bit overcast in February, but still in the 70s to low 80s & humid with occasional rains. So dressing for the climate was crucial. Lightweight, nothing fussy or clingy.

Most of our activities on this trip were rather mellow (especially compared to previous trips where we'd done a lot of hiking & more snorkeling). This was time to relax!

That meant I over-packed a little bit because we ended up loitering around the condo wearing PJs or on the beach in a swimsuit more than I planned. But when over-packing means "two more T-shirts," it's not a big deal.

On our first full day of the trip, we went to a cute little day spa for massages. I also got a pedicure, so my dull winter tootsies could be beautiful for a week of sandals! This hot pink polish perfectly matched my swimsuit.

Here's a tip if you're playing snowbird: Shop for tropical-type clothes as early as possible when you start planning the trip! If you need a new swimsuit / shorts / sandals, but you're traveling in January / February / March, you can't run down to the mall and find those things in the weeks right before you leave. You'll either need to buy stuff a year before your trip or hunt around online.

Looking through my wardrobe last fall, I realized the black shorts I wore all summer 2010 were falling apart. But summer clothes were already out of the stores! So I searched online & found these shorts from Land's End. They feel a little bit like "mom pants" (mom jeans but not in denim), but they were literally the only thing I could find in black!

What I'm wearing, outfit #2:
Grey T-shirt with bats, Target
Black twill shorts, Land's End
Black leather sandals with flowers, Target
Black wood bead tribal choker, can't remember!
Black & white shell dangly earrings, Kohl's
Red flower hair pin, Icing
Red lipstick
Black Baby Phat purse, swapped with a friend

I don't use my "normal" everyday purse when I travel -- it's too big. I pack this (or another) small purse in my carryon bag.

I also wore my hair up a lot in Kauai, due to the humidity. That makes my wavy hair go frizz-tastic, & I don't like to travel with a bag full of hair products. Easier just to bring one hair clip & some flowers.

It did rain heavily one day during the trip. So we sought out indoor diversions along the west side of the island. And I wore basic black that would dry out easily.

What I'm wearing, outfit #3:
Black jeweled T-shirt, NY & Co.
Black twill shorts, Land's End
Large silver filigree earrings, Target
Black & white beaded bracelet, bought during this trip
Black lace headband, random accessory store
Black flip-flops with rhinestones, Old Navy
Red lipstick
Black Baby Phat purse, swapped with a friend

Flip-flops were definitely better in the rain -- you're always stepping in huge puddles, so there's no way to avoid getting your feet wet & why bother getting nice shoes wet too?

I love finding pretty accessories, like this bracelet, while traveling. Then I have, not only a new addition, but something with a positive memory.

 

Want to see photos of the trip itself (including a detailed tour of the condo, just in case you're looking for a place to stay in Kauai)? Check out my photoset on Flickr!

Stripey Silk

I've been sewing clothing & stuff since I was a little kid -- taught by my mom & grandmom. But I don't like sewing modern clothes to wear everyday. Too much trouble. What I do like is to buy fabric & trims & shiny bits to use for historical / fantasy / gothic costumes or to refashion everyday clothes.

That's how I came across this fabric. Just  a couple yards, last little bit on a bolt, of black silk with pinstripes of silver. Not enough for a full gown, but omg, such awesome fabric, I had to have it. Could use it as contrast or trim on something, someday.

Then, my dear friend Donna suggested a jacket. A modern jacket, that she would make. Fantastic! She's such a dear. She had this pattern & whipped it together as a Christmas gift for me.

What I'm wearing:
Black with grey pinstripe silk jacket, custom-made by Donna of Original Sin Designs
Black T-shirt, Old Navy
Black trousers, Target
Black wedge heels, Kenneth Cole (thrifted)
Burgundy flower pin (also works as a hair pin), Forever 21
Black sparkley necklace, random accessory store
Silver cameo earrings, vintage
Large sparkley gunmetal ring, Icing
Chanel Vamp lipstick