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

Just a reminder that the March 1 Gray theme day is tomorrow, March 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.

Mr. Linky will close at 11:59 PM PST on March 3. However, remember that the earlier you link up, the more people will see your post! :) Also the Linky box at the bottom of my post will tell you how many hours you have left until it closes.

Get the complete details and rules.

Flowy, Drapey Silk

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Oh, how I love this uber-romantic silk skirt from Newport News. I love it so much, in fact, that you will be seeing a record number of photos today! I try never to go with more than three or four, or maybe five for a special occasion, but between the skirt and other fabulous details on this outfit, I just couldn’t choose my favorite shots.

Despite the crazy number of photos, I still failed to capture the delicate beading that flirts with the bottom edge of this skirt. Look closely – it is there, and it is fabulous.

A skirt this gorgeous deserves nothing but the best accompaniment. I paired it with a simple, ruched-sleeve sweater from Frederick’s, a lightweight crocheted scarf (a gift from my mom), and two Christmas presents from Mr. Kitty: fingerless satin gloves from Greatlookz and this stunning Orthodox Cross Locket from Alchemy Gothic. And my typical ankle-strap platform heels from Pleaser.

While we were out of town over the holidays, I was having crazy urges to put my hair “up.” The climate where we were visiting was so different for the desert I am used to that I couldn’t do a thing with it other than a tight, low bun (and a few artificial embellishments) so as soon as we got home, I went into a huge Loose Bun on Top of Head phase. You’ll be seeing that look from time to time over the next few months!

This particular evening, I adorned the bun with a feather hair clip from Forever 21, three homemade rose flower clips and a curled tendril. No, my hair doesn’t hold curls. Not with heat, gel, hairspray, setting lotion or a combination of all of the above. That’s okay, as I was happy with the slight wave I ended up with by the time I was finished taking the photos!

My nails aren’t black, but rather a very, very dark plum. Okay, basically black, but really not black! ;)

Happy Blogiversary to Me!

One year ago today, I published my first-ever blog post here on Sophistique Noir. it was just a silly bit of babbling about why I was interested in blogging, and a chance to get my feet wet using Blogger. I really thought no one would be too interested. Now, just 12 months (and nearly 225 posts) later, I have 466 followers on Google Friend Connect, 296 on Facebook, and a wonderful group of regular commenters that I look forward to interacting with on my blog as well as theirs!

I'm seriously getting weepy writing this, because this blog had become so special to me. Not only has it become a much-needed outlet for creative expression, it also puts a very personal part of me out there for the world to see and crititque. But most importantly, I've grown to love this little online community and the interaction with fellow Goth ladies of all ages and nationalities. I feel connected here in a way that I certainly don't amongst the "normal" world. So thank you, all of you who read and comment, for making the past year a rewarding one for me on a whole new level!

Theme for March 1: GRAY

The theme for March 1 is: GRAY

This month's theme is another reader request, this time by RubyAlison. Gray is the perfect way to debunk the "Goths always wear all black" myth without going overly-colorful... So now's your chance to break out your "less than black" clothes and accessories and show everyone how well we wear gray! But of course, your theme post doesn't have to be limited to clothing. share some gray-themed artwork, write poetry or showcase anything gray and Gothy that you own or wish for! Just be sure to cite your source if borrowing photos or content that are not your own original work! :)

Be sure to come back on March 1 and submit your post.

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. I will leave the Linky open until 11:59 PM PST on March 3, so everyone has three full days to post.

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!

Itchy, But Worth It!

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This sweet ivory sweater from Newport News is a wool/angora blend. Yes, it drives me absolutely crazy to wear it… I do wear a camisole underneath, and fortunately there are no sleeves to speak of, so it’s really just my chest and upper back that suffer. I can live with that.  The sweater came with the bow pin, made from black satin ribbon and white lace.  At first, I thought white lace on an ivory sweater was a strange choice, but now I rather like it.  It ties in with the white in my cameo.

I have only worn this skirt to work once (and that was on a Saturday), but when I pull the waistband up high it is the perfect length for my lace Demonia boots.  I thought a pseudo-Victorian updo would be perfect with this outfit, and added a black fabric flower (from NY&Co) and an ivory one (from Claire's).

The fabulous long, ruched knit gloves came from Claire’s. I didn’t actually wear these throughout the work day, of course. But they were the perfect solution for a chilly drive home in the evening.

Mr. Kitty’s Birthday

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Mr. Kitty turned 45! Okay, it was a while back and this post has been in my queue for a little while... Anyway, one of the ways I impressed him in our dating days was by cooking, and he always looks forward to the Annual Birthday Dinner. I’m quite a master in the kitchen when I put my mind to it, so I prepared a gourmet meal for him and we dressed for dinner.

I wore a Lolita Girl dress that my parents got me for a previous birthday, along with some cute lace-trimmed socks Mr. Kitty got me for my last birthday. I’m still playing around with the perfect socks-with-heels combo, and this one is growing on me although I initially didn’t like how dark the socks were.  It might work better with sheer black stockings, and the whole look definitely is screaming for a back seam!

I wanted to get a photo with Mr. Kitty as well (he looked handsome as always!) but I had to get back in the kitchen before he was ready. He always looks pretty much the same, anyway. ;)

And going a little off-topic, here’s the meal: Chicken Picatta, Stuffed Zucchini Boats, Twice-Baked Yukon Gold Potatoes and Sage Cornmeal Bread (all amongst Mr. Kitty's favorites from the VictorianKitty's Specialties Cookbook). There was also a Super-Dark Chocolate Mocha Pudding Cake, but we dug into it before there was a chance to photograph it.

Sheer Shimmer Top

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Today’s top is sheer black with shimmery black threads. These make the top look almost gunmetal grey with silver shimmers, so it’s a great way to get away with wearing all black without causing people to ask why I’m wearing all black.

I bought this skirt at Ross for $10. This one is very similar in style to another I have from Forever 21, but this fabric is nicer for work and it’s far more cat hair resistant! It also has four buttons sewn on the front, which you can see one of in the detail below. I thought these were a nice touch.

Today I tried a new lip gloss from Bare Minerals. The line is called Pretty Amazing. I’m not crazy about the color (it's too soft for my taste) but it was a free gift so I wanted to try the texture and staying power. It’s not at all sticky, lasts a couple of hours, and fades evenly without getting chunky. I’m looking forward to trying it in a richer shade.

I also did eyeliner all the way around, which is more than I usually do for work. Lining the bottom lid is tricky when you are starting to develop more fine lines, as the color always wants to bleed. I only recently realized (yeah, I’m an idiot) that I could use my eyelid primer along the bottom lash line… I’d say that helped about 50%, so it would probably work for an evening out with just a bit of maintenance every couple of hours.

Ooh, and I finally tried my black crackly nail polish. This is the Ulta brand, over a sparkly magenta (something by OPI; can’t remember exactly what color). I actually bought the black crackle months ago but was saving it for the end of the year, as I can’t stand wearing black polish too close to Halloween. Now that it's safely past Valentine's Day, I'll gladly rock the black nails.  ;)

Have you tried the crackle polishes? How about the magnetic ones? What do you think of them?