Red & Black Week, Day 3: Red Dress, Black Cardi

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First off, I wanted to extend a warm welcome to my newest followers.  Seems I've gained a few as a result of this week's big event.  Thank you all so much for taking part, whether you are contributing blog posts of your own or just enjoying those of others.  Hope everyone is having fun with it!

Today, Red & Black Week continues with Day 3 of 6, and another work outfit.

Questions about this theme? Visit the Red & Black Week Rules and FAQs or e-mail me.

This dress is a twin of the purple dress I wore during my first interview for the new job.  I grabbed them both at Ross on the same day a couple months ago, because I loved everything about the cut.  The ruched bodice is super-flattering, and the a-line skirt is perfect for work!

Today's tattoo-concealing shrug is a modification of an old, unflattering cardi.  I cut off the front button part, cut the whole thing shorter and hemmed it all the way around.  Now it is just the right length to not hide my figure or my dress.

I ditched the shrug when Mr. Kitty picked me up from work so we could go out for a nice dinner.  Did I mention that Mr. Kitty and I are commuting together now that I have this new job?  He's been commuting for several years, and now my new employer happens to be right on his way to his office.  So we get to keep each other company for the first half of his drive, and we save on gas!  Sometimes it's nice to stop for dinner halfway home to unwind a bit and break up the drive.

I spontaneously wore a side ponytail as a variation on my usual side bun.  Everyone at work was shocked to see how long my hair is.  I always love revealing that little secret to a new group of people when they've only ever seen me with my hair up.  :) 

The necklace and bead earrings are self-made. This bracelet is just a set of beaded stretch bracelets I bought in a random accessory shop on Melrose, with a sparkly butterfly brooch attached.  Another spontaneous decision, because I was dying to incorporate that little guy into my Red & Black posts this year but didn't have any outfits planned that called for a brooch.  I had to be very careful not to smash him all over my desk throughout the day...  It seems he survived without injury!

Want to participate in Red & Black Week? Here's how:

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All images and text © Sophistique Noir Gothic Fashion Blog. Do not use any photos or text from this blog without providing a credit to me and a link back to the original post.

Red & Black Week, Day 2: Black Turtleneck, Red Cardi, Wide Belt

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We had a great turnout for Day One of Red & Black Week! Thank you all so much for the great kick-off. Now, it's on to Day Two. Today, I'm bringing you one of my New Job Outfits.

Questions about this theme? Visit the Red & Black Week Rules and FAQs or e-mail me.

I was so happy to find a couple of ways to incorporate the color scheme of the week into my new job wardrobe!   I bought this red cardigan at Ross during my "OMG I need more long sleeves" panic shopping.  Coverups like this are a perfect way to utilize many of my current short-sleeve pieces without revealing any tattoos, so I've accumulated several different colors over the past month.

As you've probably noticed, I'm not a fan of loose, drapey things that hide a woman's figure...  Adding an elastic belt from random mall store gave this outfit a lovely shape, plus that shiny buckle added some drama without going over the top with accessories (which I usually do, but haven't built up the courage for at the new job).

I kept the rest of the outfit simple with a sleeveless mock turtleneck shell and stretchy black pencil skirt.  This skirt is currently a bit too snug in the ... backside... to wear to work without a coverup, so this cardi is serving multiple purposes!!  I still need to shape up a bit after gaining 10 pounds during my "old job drama."  My mental health has improved dramatically, so I am no longer living on a diet of red wine and chocolate, but I still haven't gotten back in the habit of exercising. I sure miss the energy I had when I was in better shape! And that handful of my favorite skirts that are currently obscenely tight and unwearable because when I put on weight, it all goes directly to my behind!  :/

Want to participate in Red & Black Week? Here's how:

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All images and text © Sophistique Noir Gothic Fashion Blog. Do not use any photos or text from this blog without providing a credit to me and a link back to the original post.

Red & Black Week, Day 1: Vintage Polka Dots

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Happy Second Annual Red & Black Week! I've been looking forward to this ever since last year's inaugural event.  I'll be waiting up till after midnight tonight, like a kid waiting for Santa, to see who's the first to post in the Linky.  ;-D

Questions about this theme? Visit the Red & Black Week Rules and FAQs or e-mail me.

I scored this polka dot wiggle dress at Macy's last month on sale for 50% off. Technically, I was shopping for new work clothes, but this was 50% off. Admit it; you would have done the same thing. ;) So, to justify it as a work-related purchase, I wore this outfit to a little New Job Celebration with a couple of friends. One of our friends was having some work drama of her own, which was resolved just about the same time as I got my offer, so champagne was definitely in order!

A vintage look like this just screams for flesh-tone fishnets, doesn't it?  Of course, in the photos you can't tell they are fishnets. Trust me, they are; and they looked fabulous in person!

In my opinion, nothing goes better with black and white polka dots than red accessories. I think this is the first time I've worn the "other pair" of red shoes I bought on my birthday last year.  I tied the shoes in with a red hair flower adorning my ponytail, and matching lipstick.

I can't wait to see what my fellow Goth bloggers are wearing this week to honor this much-celebrated color scheme. Let the linking begin!


Want to participate in Red & Black Week? Here's how:

1. Add the Red & Black Week icon to your blog post (copy the code below and paste into your post using the Edit HTML feature):
   
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2. Paste the URL to your post using the Mister Linky box below. 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 tell them how great their Red & Black posts are so we all have fun!

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All images and text © Sophistique Noir Gothic Fashion Blog. Do not use any photos or text from this blog without providing a credit to me and a link back to the original post.

Red & Black Week Starts TOMORROW!

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Just a reminder, Sophistique Noir's Second Annual Red & Black Week starts tomorrow, June 3. We'll be featuring six days of posts honoring this sacred Gothic color combination June 3-8, followed by a wrap-up featuring everyone who participates in the event.

Get all the details.

I'm so excited to be hosting this event for the second year, and can't wait to see what everyone contributes.

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All images and text © Sophistique Noir Gothic Fashion Blog. Do not use any photos or text from this blog without providing a credit to me and a link back to the original post.

First Day on the New Job

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Last Monday was my first day at my new dream job. Yes, this outfit is a week old because I just didn't find the time (or energy) to prepare this post during my first week. It was a crazy-hectic week! It had been so long since I started a new job, I had forgotten how awkward it can feel to have to learn your way around a whole new building, a new computer network, a new set of procedures and a new group of people. Just learning the names of all 200+ people in the building is going to take months!! :) It's funny how even a person who is incredibly skilled and experienced can suddenly feel completely incompetent in a new environment. I think it's good for me, though. I certainly can't see myself having any issues with complacency any time in the near future! ;-D

After much debate with myself regarding what to wear, I ended up going with this purple satin blouse from Victoria's Secret and a plain black pencil skirt. I know my readers were leaning toward a dress/blaser combo, then removing the blazer later in the day, but I didn't have any long-sleeve dresses that would look right with my blazers... And in order to remove the blazer, I would've definitely needed long sleeves underneath until I could ascertain whether visible tattoos would be acceptable. As it was, one feisty older administrative assistant promptly informed me, in good humor, that I was overdressed, so it's probably best that I kept the jackets at home.

I did take my readers' advice in terms of makeup! I went with a dark shimmery silver in the crease, a soft pink on the lower lid and my usual pearly light pink below the brow bone. I stuck with the dark brown brow powder to keep my eyebrows from getting too dramatic, and used black shadow on a damp angled brush to create a soft eyeliner on the upper lid. I finished with a single coat of mascara, soft blush and the same mild lip gloss I wore for the interviews.

I think this version of my subtle, work-appropriate eye makeup is far superior to the terra cotta shade I attempted for the interview look. What do you think?

New Shoes for a New Job!

Don't forget that my annual Red & Black Week is coming up June 3-9. That's less than a week away! I hope you are all thinking about post ideas for the big event. ;)

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All images and text © Sophistique Noir Gothic Fashion Blog. Do not use any photos or text from this blog without providing a credit to me and a link back to the original post.

Red & Black Week Starts in ONE WEEK!

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Just a reminder, Sophistique Noir's Second Annual Red & Black Week starts one week from today. Get your posts ready for a full week of celebrating the most important of all Goth color schemes, June 3-8.

Get all the details.

Remember that you can plan your posts ahead of time if you won't have time to do blogging during the week. Just create your posts and schedule them to launch on the appropriate day, then pop over to my blog and add your post using Mr. Linky. Adding your link takes just a few seconds and will help your blog get new fans!

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All images and text © Sophistique Noir Gothic Fashion Blog. Do not use any photos or text from this blog without providing a credit to me and a link back to the original post.

Monthly Homework Assignment: Prized Possessions

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I'm chronically late with my Monthly Homework Assignments for Le Professeur Gothique! I'm really hoping I have become teacher's pet so I can get away with it. Or maybe I'm just testing her to see exactly how late I can be before I get demerits. ;)

May's assignment was Prized Possessions. There are so many things that I could include in this list... Pets and photos, of course, go without saying. I chose to keep my choices fashion-related so they are relevant to my blog and to narrow down my choices a bit. :) At the same time, fashion really isn't the first thing I would worry about if my house was on fire and I could only save whatever I could carry, but I do have a few jewelry pieces that I treasure beyond just what they are as material possessions.

 
The first and most important is this brooch. It's my only true vintage jewelry piece, and it belonged to Mr. Kitty's mother. His parents were quite a bit older, and sadly had both passed away before I met him, so I never had a chance to know them. I've seen his treasured photos from when his mother was a young woman in the 1940s and I've always admired how classy she was. I was so deeply honored when he was going through a box of her accessories, came across this brooch and asked me if I would like to have it. I've worn it several times on my blog, and it was my good luck charm in Interview #2 for my new job.

The next item that I would do just about anything to save in a fire has virtually no monetary value. It's just a silver ring from one of those “random mass-produced inexpensive silver ring stores.” The value in this ring, as I mentioned in my Monthly Theme for February (which happened to be Rings), is that it was the very first thing that Mr. Kitty ever bought me, other than food and wine. ;)

Last but not least, I truly treasure this Alchemy Gothic locket Mr. Kitty got for me last Christmas. Not only is it one of the most stunningly beautiful things I own, as well as a gift from my soulmate, but it contains photos of my most treasured non-material possessions:

Prometheus and Perseus!

Sure, I'd save the cats before this locket if there was a fire, but this thing has traveled close to my heart any time I've had to leave them for more than I day ever since I got the locket, so I've grown very attached to it. It is a symbol of comfort to me whenever I can't be with them. I find when I am wearing it, even if one of them is currently laying in my lap, I like to open it and look at those tiny photos and remember how much joy those images bring me in the absence of their actual presence.

What material possessions would you be sure to save if everything you owned was about to go up in flames? What makes those things most important to you?

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All images and text © Sophistique Noir Gothic Fashion Blog. Do not use any photos or text from this blog without providing a credit to me and a link back to the original post.