Don't Forget: October One-Day Theme Tomorrow!

Just a reminder that the October 1 Lace theme day is tomorrow, October 1, beginning at midnight Pacific Time. For those of you in other time zones, check the left-hand column of my blog to see the time I am going by.  Also the Linky box at the bottom of my post will tell you how many hours you have left until it closes.

I will leave the Linky open for 48 hours to give everyone more time to get their posts linked up. However, remember that the earlier you link up, the more people will see your post! :)

Get the complete details and rules.

Blog Round-Up for September

I present to you some of my favorite posts from September!

• Goth it Yourself has been keeping me constantly awed by her skills and ingenuity!  Check how she transformed an Ikea wardrobe into an elegant custom TV cabinet.
• Aristocratic Elegance got married!  You have to see the gorgeous Victorian-inspired gown she wore.  Proof that even the darkly-inclined can get married in white and look great doing so!
• Metamorphosis posted a Fall Book List with some very intriguing reading suggestions.
• Juliet's Lace inspires us to use good judgement by toning down the Gothiness for special occasions without sacrificing our sense of dark style.
• Mental Pirate posted reviews of the two best albums (IMO) to be released in a very long time: VNV Nation's Automatic and Peter Murphy's Ninth. 

I also wanted to take a moment to express my sadness at unexpected passing of CookingChinchillas.  I didn't know her personally, but she was an amazing, inspiring nail artist and a fun participant in our little community.  And her furry guys never failed to cheer me up on even the worst day.  Her chinchilla family must miss her terribly, as does the blog world!

Magenta Skirt, Take Two.

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I finally got around to re-styling the controversial magenta skirt. Some of you loved my last attempt, others clearly didn’t, but it sure did get your attention either way. :) This time, I stuck with all black for the rest of the outfit, including my accessories.

Check out my sloppiness! See how the bottom edge of the black cami is peeking out beneath my lace top? For shame, VictorianKitty! Bad fashion blogger!! I didn’t notice this until I got to work.

So, do you like this skirt better with a black top and tights, or did you prefer it with the pink tights and cami? Or do you hate it both ways? ;-D

Movie Monday: The Ghost and Mrs. Muir

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Yesterday was September's Movie Monday, hosted by Sal of Still Dark @ Heart.  I'm running late this time, but Sal is awesomely giving us three days to join in.

This time around, I'm going to do an inspirational post rather than an actual outfit. I've been sick for 10 days so not many blog-worthy outfits have been happening (yes, most of my posts lately have been from my "stash"). So I thought it would be fun to do a post showcasing the amazing Victorian styles worn by Gene Tierny in The Ghost and Mrs. Muir . This movie was filmed in 1947 but is set in 1900, so it gives us an interesting take on how late Victorian fashions were interpreted nearly 50 years afterwards.

This fabulous movie is available on Amazon.  Screen captures are by me.

I was a bit disappointed that Ms. Tierny didn't actually wear corsets underneath her ensembles (very obviously). The Victorian era officially ended in 1901 but corsets didn't go out of fashion until the 1920s. Technically, she should have been in an Edwardian corset in 1900. But she's such a lovely creature and the costumes are so beautifully designed that I was willing to overlook that fact.

The main character is in mourning for the first few scenes, so there are some great Goth-friendly Neo-Victorian looks to enjoy. This is the first we see of Mrs. Muir:

Yes! A cape and a veil:

This entire scene was set in candlelight, so really hard to capture:

Here we see Mrs. Muir coming out of mourning. Even in non-black, her styles are gorgeous in their cut and details. And easier to see in screen captures from an old, fuzzy movie. :)

Ruffle Perfection:

 

This one is gorgeous, but we didn't get to see much of it:

 

Possibly the best non-mourning outfit of the movie:

Yes, this one is white (or nearly) but I would totally wear this.

 

A less formal look:

 

These shoulders are almost *too* puffy, but lovely just the same:

Another of my non-mourning favorites:

And finally, a rare example of plaid done well:

I won't get into a review of the movie itself, as this is a fashion blog. :) Suffice to say, it's one of my absolute favorites. The Ghost and Mrs. Muir is not only visually inspiring from a fashion perspective, it's also one of the two most romantic movies ever (IMO; the other being Somewhere in Time, which is, oddly enough, also set in the early 1900s). I almost teared up even watching this on fast forward just to get the screen captures. :)

For October's Movie Monday, I plan to do my own outfit inspired by this movie.

Now go check out the other posts for Movie Monday Still Dark @ Heart. There's still time if you want to join in with a movie-themed post of your own!

Working… on a Saturday?!?

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Thankfully, it’s not often that I get called in to work on my off-time. However, just to make sure we are at the top of our game, there were lots of unexpected surprises last weekend and all hands were on deck to figure out the problem. My brother, who actually works with me, was the hero who found the solution and saved the day.

I couldn’t decide whether I should classify this as a work outfit or a weekend one, as it is kinda a hybrid. Yeah, it’s that Ross skirt again; the one you’ve already seen once this summer. You already saw the blazer, as well. The cami is new to you, although you’ve seen its mauve cousin. Flesh-tone fishnets were the finishing touch.

The necklace was a birthday gift a couple of years ago from a dear friend who also is a co-worker. It’s a bit ostentatious for work, but is one of my treasured weekend pieces. I figured this was a good opportunity to show her how much I enjoy it, since she doesn’t usually get to see me in it.

Since this was an unexpected call in to work (I was called at 11 PM Friday to be there at 7 AM Saturday) I didn’t do anything with my hair. Just took it out of its braid and straight into a ponytail, with a hair flower from Claire’s.

Do you often get called in to work unexpectedly? What do you wear if you have to work on off-days?

Pink and Black Pleaser Shoes

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These cute Pleaser shoes were featured in one of the first posts I ever did, before I even owned them. I’ve only worn them once for an actual outfit post. I ended up putting them on the shelf and sorta ignoring them because the pink detail in the shoes is a bit of a strange shade and quite difficult to match. Today I decided to force myself not to be so picky, and threw on a bright pink tank top.

I don’t think black tights are a good match for these shoes, so I finished the look off with a pair of flesh-tone fishnets. These are by Hue. I truly hope Hue never stops making these, because they are the only fishnets I’ve ever found that are so delicate in texture. They also come in black, and I just found out on the Hue Web site that they come in grey, too! I’m off to place an order as soon as this post is done.

The skirt comes from Frederick’s, and has been featured on my blog before. Velvet shrug with sequins is from random mall store. Gloves came from Greatlookz. If you love gloves, you have to check them out. They are a little pricey, but they have everything.

I added my favorite pink eye shadow, which is a bright shimmery magenta from Ben Nye’s Lumiere collection. I thought it might be cute to use a bit of the same color to line my bottom lid. Some girls look awesome with red tones underneath their eyes, but it just made me look sickly. :) It was fun to try something new, but I’ll stick to black for the bottom. The black shadow (which I wear almost daily) is also Ben Nye. Their eye shadows are the absolute best (IMO) if you want dramatic color, but sadly they are hard to find. It’s such an L.A. thing!

Oh, and here’s a rare appearance by the elusive Mr. Kitty. :) No, he's not Native American; he just has long hair in braids. He's Japanese, actually.

Look: I Match My Cats!

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Upon dressing in this outfit, it was immediately obvious that the color scheme was heavily inspired by Perseus and Prometheus. I thought this would be a perfect opportunity to not only include one of them in a post (again) but also to demonstrate just how large Maine Coon cats are.


Ridiculous, isn’t it?!

Usually, when I just tell people “Prometheus weighs 22 pounds” I get responses like “Yeah, my cat is really fat, too.” They are shocked when they see him and realize it’s not fat; it’s just CAT. Maine Coons are the largest domestic breed, with the males weighing an average of 20 pounds. Persey and Promey’s dad was a very lean 26-pound show cat. They can reach a length of up to 3 ½ feet, including tail. Prometheus is a bit over 3 feet long (kinda hard to measure). They are also quite stocky (as opposed to a lithe breed such as the Siamese) which adds to their muscular mass. Maine Coons continue to mature physically for up to FIVE years, so at 1 ¾ years old this guy might not even be full-size yet!

Note my firm stance in the above photo. There’s no point in trying to do ladylike poses when holding a cat that weighs 1/5 your own body weight. And that smile you see on my face? It’s more a grimace of agony. But it’s worth it to tote that big sweetheart around from time to time. Maine Coons are also just about the most affectionate breed, and this one insists on having lap time daily.

Not to leave Perseus out, but he’s the runt of the litter at a wimpy 18 pounds. ;-D I’ll photograph him in my arms for comparison as soon as my back recovers from holding Promey. Lol!

Oh, about the outfit… The grey top came from Forever 21, on sale for $5! I had to alter it because it was very long and had a tight band around the bottom, so I didn’t like the way it hung. The pencil skirt is from Target. You’ve seen it before. The belt was $3 from Ross, so I guess now I’ve been converted into a confirmed Ross shopper, despite my protests to the contrary. :)

Theme for October 1: Lace

The theme for October 1 is: LACE

Lace came in second on my recent poll.  I know it's a bit late in the summer in some parts of North America, but you can always use layers if it's getting cold.  Cozy crocheted items often have a lacey texture, so use your imagination!  Just be sure to keep it clean.  NO ADULT CONTENT will be allowed.

Be sure to come back on October 1 and submit your post.  It can be photos of yourself or someone else wearing lace, or any inspiring images you find, a review of a certain brand, a story, a movie review, artwork or anything (as long as it's about lace!).  Just be sure to cite your source if borrowing photos or content that are not your own original work!  :)

How It Works
On the first day of each month, I will post my theme post with the Mr. Linky sign-up form at the bottom. You can link to any post you’ve done that day or previously, as long as it matches the theme. Be sure to add the icon to your post, and link your post to mine using the Mr. Linky box at the bottom.

You can post your theme post earlier than the first of the month, or link to an old post, but you must add it to Mr. Linky on Day 1 of the month. You can’t post it after the first of the month, as I will close the Mr. Linky sign-up form on the second of each month so I don’t have to continue monitoring them for spam. :)

You don't have to participate every single month. Feel free to join in whenever you wish. Just be sure you get your post linked before the second day of the month!

Also, let’s keep the posts appropriate for all ages, in terms of both language and imagery. Thanks!! :)

Posts that are linked up without including the icon will be removed from Mr. Linky.

HTML for the icon: (The icon and the HTML will remain the same each month)

<a href="http://www.sophistiquenoir.com/search/label/Monthly%20Themes"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhYQ249TqTbcQqDIMNEFn4-i86sH_mCPygLy8joT6s5mRPOVlTNR98J9pLIzKwuhO6z5rTM-DSHBDax9ecdw0DTsO0yZR2PrUlCoOMVpQxHdOACZjKezy3z8A-S8fjktvIPftUD-6eXu4U/s1600/monthly-theme-icon.jpg" border="0"></a>

Please pass this invitation on to any bloggers you know who might be interested, and feel free to share the announcement on your blogs.  Of course, it's a good idea to follow my blog to be sure you don't miss any of the themes.  ;)

Questions? E-mail me!

Want to Suggest a Theme?
Leave a comment on any post at any time, or e-mail me. If I use your suggestion, I will credit you on my theme post for that month and in the theme announcement the week before.  No promises that I will use every suggestion, because the themes have to be things that I would be able to do a post about.

Want to participate in the Monthly Theme? Here's how:

1. Add the Monthly Theme icon to your blog post (copy the code below and paste into your post using the Edit HTML feature):
   
   <a href="http://www.sophistiquenoir.com/search/label/Monthly%20Themes"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhYQ249TqTbcQqDIMNEFn4-i86sH_mCPygLy8joT6s5mRPOVlTNR98J9pLIzKwuhO6z5rTM-DSHBDax9ecdw0DTsO0yZR2PrUlCoOMVpQxHdOACZjKezy3z8A-S8fjktvIPftUD-6eXu4U/s1600/monthly-theme-icon.jpg" border="0"></a>
2. Paste the URL to your post using the Mister Linky box at the bottom of my August 1 post.
   Please use a direct link to your relevant post, NOT a link to your blog’s home page.
3. Visit all of the other participants who have entered, and show them you appreciate their theme posts!

Strap Tan Line Avoidance: So Far, So Good.

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Summer is hopefully almost done tormenting us with >100 degree weather, but not quite yet.  Until then, I'm sticking to strapless or halter tops to continue my Spaghetti Strap Tan Line Avoidance Plan I announced at the beginning of summer.  I have no idea where this top came from, but I love it.

We didn’t have a lot going on that day, so I wore this outfit to do a little gardening and for a video Web chat with my niece and nephew (ages 2 and 4). My darling nephew still remembered the cool Iron Man helmet (with sound effects) I got him for his last birthday and he told me, “Rock on, Auntie Kitty!” I laughed so much I cried half of my eyeliner off.

I did change into gym shoes for the gardening, but I’m not about to wear those for a photo shoot. ;)  Gym shoes are not for photo shoots, and Demonias are not for gardening.