Monday MemeDay: Makeup & Fashion Fun

01. Do you have on a lot of make-up?
Just my usual, lipstick & eyeliner.

02. How much do you put on?
I usually wear Nars black eyeliner & some kind of dark red-brown or burgundy lipstick (tho' today it's pink to match my skirt & also my hair).

03. How long does it take you to get ready?
30 minutes most workdays. I hate to get up early, so I've streamlined my process. I also tend to lay out, or at least plan, my day's wardrobe the night before.

04. Do you put on a lot of lipgloss?
Eww, no. I hate lipgloss. Feels icky. I'm a matte lippie gal.

05. Can you apply mascara without opening your mouth?
Dunno, I don't wear mascara very often. My lashes are naturally long.

06. Do you wear a lot of eyeliner?
Define "a lot." I do loves me some eyeliner.

07. Do you like to wear nail polish?
Yes, & toenail polish in summer. But I'm too sloppy to do it myself anymore.

08. How often do you get your nails done?
Maybe a couple times a year. I'm too lazy to make an appointment.

09. Do you like manicures?
Yes, LOVE them, but see above re: lazy.

10. What about pedicures?
Ditto. Love them even more than manicures! I can never clip my own toenails as nicely as someone else can.

11. Do you have a usual nail salon you go to?
No. See above.

12. Do you get your eyebrows done?
Ye gods yes. So glad a friend mentioned that this was an option for me because my brows are naturally HUGE yet I always sucked at trying to shape them myself.

13. Where do you get your hair cut?
I only get my hair cut about once a year, last time (pre-chemo) was at a salon in Campbell by a guy I went to high school with.

14. Do you dye your hair?
Yes. Hasn't been its natural color since I was 14.

15. Do you straighten your hair?
No, why would I? The damn stuff is too straight already.

16. Do you carry a purse?
Yes. I'm a cliche girl like that.

17. What color is it?
Black as my soul.

18. How many purses do you have?
About 5? Not sure. I only use one bag for long stretches at a time.

19. Do you have lots of pairs of shoes?
Um, yes. Last count was around 80.

20. What are your favorite shoes?
Currently, I love my American Duchess Stratfords most!

21. Do you wear heels everywhere?
Not everywhere. But lots of places.

22. Can you walk in heels and not fall over?
Yes. Tho' nothing over 3".

23. Do you have a pair of huge sunglasses?
Not huge ones, but my sunglasses are somewhat large.

24. How many pairs of earrings do you have?
Dozens. Not enough.

25. Do you wear hoop earrings?
Yes, of various types. Mid-sized hoops are probably my default style.

26. Do you have a lot of skirts?
Yes. I wear skirts (& dresses) about 5 days out of 7.

27. Where do you buy your clothes?
Everywhere! Macys, Target, Old Navy, the Gap, Forever 21, Hot Topic, Khols, Express, Amazon, thrift stores, eBay, Etsy, I could go on & on.

28. Do you go shopping every week?
There have been times in my life when I did. But not right now.

29. What's your favorite store?
Hard to choose just one. But Amazon is probably my most frequently shopped place.

30. Do you follow fashion trends?
I watch them a little bit. It's entertaining. Sometimes a trend will come along that coincides nicely with what looks good on me. Then I'll snap the stuff up before it goes away again.


What I'm wearing: Black & white floral-print sweater, White House Black Market | Black lace-top T-shirt, H&M | Dark pink skirt, NY & Company | Black tights, Calvin Klein | Black perforated D'Orsay flats, Target | Gunmetal skull earrings, random accessory store | Pink & grey pearl necklace, Salamanca Designs

Spring Flowers

Just a tiny touch of flowers as we march towards spring (hah). I love the '80s vibe of this floral print -- back in the day, I had a lot of cabbage rose florals in my New Romantic wardrobe. And I don't mind revisiting my slightly misspent youth.

Are there trends you loved the first time around *and* the second time around?

What I'm wearing:
Black velveteen jacket, White House Black Market | Floral print knit top, H&M | Burgundy skirt, NY & Company | Black tights, Calvin Klein | Black flats, Aerosoles | Pewter "Success" key necklace, gift from my husband | Gunmetal hoop earrings, random accessory store | Chanel "Vamp" lipstick

Colorblocking My Way

The term "colorblocking" has been quite trendy in mainstream fashion for a couple years now. I chalk it up to an 1980s revival (anyone remember these looks? I lived through them, oi).

Well, I prefer my own version of colorblocking -- simply wearing a color with black. Some fashion gurus pronounce dire fashion foibles in this style, such as the look bisects your form & distracts the eye or somesuch. But I don't care. I also think that I do this style carefully & consciously by incorporating the color throughout the outfit, usually with similarly colored shoes to the top element. And, of course, my type of colorblocking is a cornerstone of Gothic Color Theory #2.

What I'm wearing:
Pink blouson top, Chadwicks
Black crochet trumpet skirt, Coldwater Creek
Pink & black pumps, Irregular Choice, bought in London
Black beaded waterfall necklace, Torrid
Pewter key earrings, made by me
Silver & garnet poison ring, eBay

 

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?

Blogoversary Reflections

Last week was the one-year anniversary of starting this blog, specifically when I started posting outfit photos (as there were a couple test posts). Alas, I was traveling in Spain at the time, so I had auto-scheduled posts & didn't have any outfits for sharing. I do plan to write up something about my travel wardrobe later on tho'.

Today's outfit is something I probably wouldn't have worn before I started blogging. Sure, I'd have bought & worn the individual pieces (& I had some of them a year ago), but this exact combination is definitely inspired by what I've seen in the fashion blogosphere.

Pattern-mixing is still a novelty to me -- I'll only do subtle mixes like this pinstripe with a bold abstract because anything more looks like the wearer got dressed in the dark to my eye. And I think that extreme pattern-mixing in an outfit makes one less likely to be taken seriously in the workplace, even in super-casual Silicon Valley. Playing it safe with classic goth all-black is a better bet for sealing a deal, running a class, or acing an interview, I believe.

Little things like wearing a belt over a sweater is something I learned from fashion blogs too (especially the now-shuttered Academic Chic). I just wouldn't have thought of doing that before. Belting in general is something I was a bit mystified by for ages -- I'd buy belts & they'd hang forlornly in my closet. Now I have about 5 of them that I wear pretty regularly, if not all that creatively. I do love how a belt accentuates my waist, giving definition to the smallest part of me, showing off my curves elegantly, & generally providing more & better shape. Wide elastic belts are my favorite, but this skinny studded belt is a winner too.

"Statement" necklaces like this one are another thing picked up from fashion blogs. I used to wear a lot of little charms on long, skinny chains. Those are pretty & sentimental, but they get lost in an outfit. Fashion blogs taught me to see an outfit as a whole -- literally, take a picture & see myself from head to toe. Tiny little charm necklaces don't show up. Bold, chunky necklaces can give balance & symmetry (which I'm a huge fan of -- it's right up there with matchy-matchy!), and statement necklaces define the neck & help frame the face along with my hair. Particularly when you have solid black hair, a heavy necklace creates a visual frame around a pale(ish) face, which I find pleasing & also emphasizes the goth look in a new way.

What I'm wearing:
Pink print cardigan, Chadwicks
Dark grey pinstripe dress, made by Donna
Black tights, unknown brand
Black pumps with silver buckle, Kenneth Cole Reaction
Black studded belt, Macy's
Black beaded waterfall bib necklace, Torrid
Black rhinestone hoop earrings, random accessory store
Black cocktail ring, Icing
Burgundy lipstick, Sephora

I'm glad I started reading fashion blogs, & I'm very glad I started my own blog. It's been an educational & entertaining venture! I've virtually met some lovely people too, & I thank all of you for your wonderful comments, even if I don't always have time to respond. I do read them all & am very grateful.

Monday Repeat & Weekend Recap

I wore a repeat outfit today (this dress, which I adore & have worn often to work -- but this is pretty much the only way to style it in summer, just mix up the jewelry & shoes, maybe no leggings, but it looks so much the same that there's no point in re-blogging it).

However, I did take pix of Saturday's outfit that I wore to a family BBQ. And it's one I love just as much.

What I wore:
Red & black stripey maxi dress, Target | Black crochet duster, Coldwater Creek | Chunky black & silver bead necklace, Target | Gunmetal & rhinestone earrings, NY & Company | Black beaded flip-flop sandals, Mootsies Tootsies

I love that I found another maxi dress that was not overly long on me! Score. I've worn this quite a big on summer weekends, & I'm glad to finally blog it. My husband calls me his cinnamon stick when I wear it. He's sweet :-)

Incomplete Picture

After I took this picture, I changed my earrings & added a cardigan, so this is not a wholly accurate reflection of what I wore today. Still, I adore this sundress & had to show it because it's a maxi dress that actually *fits* my petite height. Love that.

What I'm wearing:
Black cotton tiered maxi sundress, Coldwater Creek | Black jeweled flip-flops, Mootsies Tootsies | Black dangly shell earrings, Target (swapped for mother-of-pearl heart-shaped dangly earrings that contrasted better against my hair) | Red Venetian glass heart on black glass bead necklace, made by me
Skull bracelet, gift from Mom | Silver & garnet poison ring, eBay | Red flower pin in hair, random accessory store

Pink & Mixy

Look at me, mixing patterns again! Crazy, no? But only a little bit, so it's not like I'm really onboard with that little trend (I still think that mixing patterns often looks like someone got dressed in the dark ;-). But when it comes to pink, more is better, imnsho.

What I'm wearing:
Pink print cardigan, Chadwicks
Black corduroy skirt, H&M
Black tights, Calvin Klein
Black & pink pumps, Irregular Choice (closeups here)
Pink & black stripey jersey scarf, Express
Black & pink Victorian-esque earrings, random accessory store
Large black vintage-esque ring, Icing

Goth Not Goth

I fully admit this outfit is not very goth, other than me wearing it. But, as we ElderGoths are fond of saying, goth is more than just black clothes or liking certain bands or books or movies -- it's a state of mind & an attitude. That's my story & I'm sticking to it.

The scarf is one of the things I picked up last weekend, & I had no idea it would coordinate so perfectly with things in my closet. It was a whim that worked out fantastically, imnsho. And this is another try at belting a scarf, which seems to work better with a more normal-sized scarf than the giganto shawl I attempted earlier.

What I'm wearing:
Purple-pink ruched-shoulder sweater, H&M
Grey corduroy skirt, Newport News
Black tights, Calvin Klein
Black boots, Clarks
Floral scarf, Old Navy
Studded belt, Macy's
Gunmetal hoops, New York & Co.
Pink pyramid ring, Icing

First Time Mixing Patterns

Maybe it's the gothic aesthetic, maybe it's that I'm a closet preppy-traditionalist, maybe I'm an old fuddy-duddy, but I've never mixed patterned garments in one outfit before. At least not on purpose or while sober / awake. I know it's very trendy among the fashion blogosphere, & Miss Vinyl Ahoy even wrote a detailed tutorial on how to mix patterns judiciously.

But most of the time, those outfits look, to me, like someone forgot to take their meds. I just don't get it. Too much going on at one time! Remember, goths have trouble wearing more than one color + black. A big floral print mixed with plaid & micro-checks or something is going to be freaky for this goth gal.

And yet, when I had the top half of today's outfit on & reached for the black skirt I'd planned to wear with it, I suddenly paused at the spiderweb-print skirt. Hmm... pinstripe top, solid vest, with spiderwebs? Would it work or would I look like a bad accident? I tried it, looked in the mirror, & didn't throw up. In fact, when I went for accessories, necklaces didn't want to go with the neckline of this vest & I remembered the new scarf I bought. With polka dots. Omg, what has happened to me???

What I'm wearing today:
Black & grey pinstripe knit top, Old Navy
Black vest, bought from a friend
Black & white spiderweb-print skirt, made by me (first worn here)
Black & white polka-dot scarf, Old Navy
Black tights, unknown brand
Black lace-up spool-heel boots, Target
Large silver filigree earrings, Target
Giant black roses ring, Icing
Silver-grey flower hair pin, Icing

Unfortunately, the stripes in the top don't show up much in these photos, but I swear it looks like there's more print going on in real life.

Have you mixed patterns in an outfit? What do you think about the idea?

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.

Yet Another Sweater + Gothing the Mainstream

I think I may wear a sweater every day this week. For the hell of it. I have drawers full of 'em, including a bunch of new ones I bought in the past few months in a fall-ramp-up (as if I didn't own enough sweaters *hangs head*).

What I'm wearing:
Burgundy boyfriend cardigan, Chadwicks
Black knit dress, Target
Wide black patent belt, Target
Black spiderweb tights, probably Hot Topic
Black patent square-toe pumps, no tags, probably thrifted
Copper & burgundy enameled pendant necklace, local artist at a craft faire
Garnet & pearl drop earrings, artist at a costume convention
Pearl stud earrings, gift from my step-father
Chanel Vamp lipstick

So this belted boyfriend cardigan is a new style I'm trying out -- what do you think? I don't often follow mainstream trends. Sure, I read about them (I like to indulge in shallow fashion magazines, especially when I travel! nothing distracts me from the horrors of being trapped in an economy-class airplane seat better than a cocktail & a huge stack of Vogue, Glamour, Marie Claire, & similar mags). But I don't do much about it more often than once in a blue moon.

When goth stuff is trendy, I'll stock up, of course. Note the Chanel Vamp. OMG, fave. lipstick! That's what got me hooked on fancy makeup years ago. Every so often, ruffles or velvets or lace will become fashionable, so my fellow goth-fashionistas & I will haunt the chain stores to buy out everything that fits our aesthetic. The fabulous Lady of the Manners has addressed this topic in her Gothic Charm School column, "Black Is This Year's Black."

But returning to my issue -- incorporating non-goth trends into a gothic wardrobe. Can it be done, if one wishes to try? Well, you're looking at it. Does it work? I'm thinking so. Obviously, the key is doing it in dark colors & pairing with traditionally goth accessories like spiderweb stockings & shiny black patent. But I'm open to pro & con opinions.  Are there current trends you are adding to your gothy wardrobe?