Ivory and Black Lace

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I've been trying not to buy much clothing lately, but I had an Amazon reward card and there really wasn't anything I was dying to use it on... Then I found that Spiegel was offering this tiered lace skirt on Amazon, so this was the perfect use for my card! I'm a bit disappointed in the quality of the lace. It's a very lightweight stretch lace, which means the little elastic threads in it will start to fray in no time... Good thing I got this skirt practically for free! It will be a lovely and romantic (albeit short-term) part of my wardrobe while it lasts.

I adore this top, but can't remember where I got it. Usually I have a pretty photographic memory for such things, but sometimes I forget. And I have to cut the tags out of almost everything I buy, as they usually irritate my skin. Anyway, wherever it came from, I think this top pairs beautifully with the skirt to create a perfect Romanti-Corp-Goth look for work.

Determined to Avoid Bra Strap Tan Lines This Summer!

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I'm bringing out all the strapless and halter tops I own for the weekends this summer. Every year I end up with bra strap tan lines even if I'm wearing tops with covered shoulders. I guess a little sun still seeps through the fabric, but not the straps underneath. Yuck! Hopefully this year will turn out better if I avoid “standard” straps altogether. We won't go into my hatred of strapless bras here, but I will try to find some creative solutions!

Adding the shrug and sleeves, as shown below, makes this outfit more elegant for evening but also provides a bit more sun protection for daytime errands.

Skirt Hem Before Ruching Alteration

I made this skirt myself years ago from some stretchy burn-out velvet fabric I bought at a fabric outlet for practically nothing. The skirt was simple – I just measured the widest part of my lower body and cut two straight panels slightly wider than that measurement and long enough to go from waist to ankle. Sewed the two panels together down the long sides, sewed elastic in the waistband, and zig-zagged the bottom so it wouldn't fray. I really loved the end result, except the length. Being so narrow, it didn't look proportional being so long. So half-way through this photo shoot I ruched the bottom 8 inches or so on both side seams. You can see the “Before” in the photo above, and the “After” in the photo below.

Skirt Hem After Ruching Alteration

The strapless top is from random mall store. The choker and beaded necklace were made by me, and the cross pendant is a relic from my earliest Goth days in high school!  As a special treat today, I deviated from my normal daytime weekend make-up style and went with solid eyeliner all the way around, no eyeshadow and red lipstick.  I love it as a classic, almost vintage change of pace.

The elastic in this strapless top is too tight! 
I might have to find a way to alter it, or get rid of it.  :(

Summer Sleeveless, Office-Goth Style

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I've been moved into a different office at work, in an area where I'm the coolest-blooded person around. So this summer I will be accessorizing my sleeveless tops with sweaters, I guess! This outfit is from last week, back when I was enjoying my temperate and quiet old office...

And above is a cute sweater that I would wear with this top for cold summer office days. :)

I paired this outfit with the vintage brooch that used to belong to my husband's mother, and some glass pearl bracelets. Someone must have messed up at Forever 21, because I got the lighter pearls there and they are actually glass, not plastic. And they were a whole $1.50 for the set of three. Sadly, the matching necklace was plastic, so I didn't buy it. :( I made the darker pearl bracelets myself from Swarovski glass pearls: I just strung them on some elastic line.

Mauve Top – Keep or Toss?

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Last time we played Keep It or Toss It, you guys voted to Keep It. I have another one for you. This stretchy lace top is comfy, but it’s very cheap and the color is a bit fussy for me. I tried adding a black cami, shrug and wide belt to break up the mauviness, but I’m still not sure about it. I think it strips every bit of Goth out of my look; even too much so for a work day! The only thing I think I like about it (other than the fact that it’s lace) is the length. It could help conceal a skirt or pants that would otherwise be a bit snug for work…

Purple satin skirt from Bebe is definitely a keeper. I love the four big buttons on the kick pleat. This skirt wrinkles terribly after an hour or so of sitting at my desk, but it’s worth it. I thought maybe a fabulous skirt would make me like the top more, but I don’t think it worked.

The Swarovski heart necklace is a gift from my husband. I made the semi-matching bracelet using Swarovski components from the craft store.


So, what are your thoughts on the mauve top? Should I get rid of it, or does it work?

Velvet, Lace and Roses

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This fabulous skirt was a hand-me-down from my sister *. The body of the skirt is made from a matte-finish stretch lace, and the ruffle at the bottom is simply gorgeous shimmery lace. As if that's not enough lace, there's a delicate lace trim in between the two!

I have no idea where the velvet tank top came from. :)

Necklace came from a little shop on Melrose Blvd that is loaded with sparkly things at great prices. Hard to believe for Melrose... The prices are so great that I bought a purple one just like this one.

Black roses came from eBay, and I made them into hair ornaments with my trusty hot glue and a couple of alligator clips.

* I should clarify that my sister is actually my brother's wife, but I love her too much to always insist on the clarification of "in-law." She's probably better than a real sister anyway, as we've never had any reason to argue or have petty rivalries. :)

What was your latest crafty project?

July One-Day Theme: Beads!

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I found this gorgeous beaded jacket at Burlington Coat Factory for next to nothing. I’m not crazy about the fit, but the design and shimmer of the beads is irresistible to me. Our local Burlington is quite a dump so I am not likely to shop there again, but I am glad to have found one nice thing there. I couldn’t think of a better way to celebrate my bead theme than with this jacket.

I made the five-strand bead choker from Swarovski glass pearls. I’ve used these beads in various shades for many projects, so you will surely be seeing a lot of them on this blog. They are inexpensive (depending on where you buy them), elegant, and very high quality. This makes them the perfect jewelry-crafting component for me.

Tonight’s hairstyle was created using a braided chignon hairpiece with my two real braids wrapped around the top of the chignon. Two fairly large flowers and some tendrils hanging in the front complete the look. I just invented this style tonight, and finally have found a center-part evening look that I actually like!


But today’s post isn’t about hair; it’s about beads. So now it’s your turn: show me what you’ve got! :-D

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Lip Service Win!

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First, a quick reminder that tomorrow (July 1) is my first Monthly Theme day. The theme is Beads! Get more information here. The link-up will start at 12 am tomorrow (midnight, Pacific Time) and be open for approx. 24 hours. My local time is now displayed in the left-hand column, to make it easier for non-local people to determine the start/end time. Hope you can participate!

As you might have noticed, I'm not a huge fan of “brand” pieces in my wardrobe. I am more of a Build-Your-Own-Goth kind of girl... But sometimes the brands come up with something totally lovely, well-made and not over-the-top “Look at me I'm OOOH so Gothy.” Lip Service succeeded with this tailored, slightly Neo-Victorian blouse from their Blacklist line. I still doubt I would have bought it full price, but I got a good deal on eBay. Sweet!

The top has slightly puffy shoulders and a cool seam around the middle of the upper arm. Ruffles abound, and the front and cuffs button down with abundant closely-spaced snaps, which eliminate the risk of boob gap. :-D This blouse is actually quite snug in the chest, so I don't really recommend it if you are very well endowed. I could just barely pull it off – no gap, but you could tell that the fabric was pulled just a bit tight, and this cotton blend doesn't stretch much at all despite the 3% spandex.

Oh, and it has the cutest bow that ties in the back! Happy day!!!

What is your favorite brand when you do want to go with a Goth brand?