OOTD: LINGERIE AS DAY-WEAR

 Dress: Thrifted | Kimono: Boohoo.com | Shoes: Jefferey Campbell | Necklace: Etsy

A slip dress (technically lingerie and it certainly looks like it) as a regular dress is something I’ve been wanting to try for ever. I found this little beauty at a thrift store – along with my beauuutiful vest. It’s a bit old fashion which is why I’m not quite sure if it works because it has just an overtly sexual vibe. Maybe I feel uncomfortable because I’m not used to dressing very sexually in general. But it’s perfect for super hot days where I just want to wear my pajama’s out anyway.

What do you think? Would you wear something like this?

Goth-Fiendly Takes on the Little Black Dress

Whenever I read blog posts about the ‘little black dress’ I consistently hear references to Holly Golightly’s gorgeous frock in (my favourite film, just fyi) Breakfast at Tiffany’s. But in the words of Peggy Lee is that really all there is? No, fellow black-dress lovers. That is not all there is. Here are three of my more contemporary and Goth-friendly takes on the little black dress that would give even Audrey Hepburn a run for her money.

Image from Breakfast at Tiffany’s.

I say, go bold with red velvet! Sometimes when all of your dresses are black to get a suddenly bold look (at least with the people who see your regularly) you have to turn to another colour. Red is both true to your sure-to-be Goth spirit, but also vampy. And we all know vampires are consistently fabulous dressers.

Okay, so you want to be bold but you don’t want to sacrifice your beloved black? How about black PVC. It contains all of the good elements of an automatically (tell that to the mountains of lubricant it can take to force your way into a tight PVC dress) show stopping outfit: reminiscent of vampires,

Last resort: go all out (for example floor length velvet gown). Though with genres such as Lolita and those crafty Steampunkians it’s getting harder and harder to “go-all-out.” Which begs the question, what is all-out? Is it head to toe Channel couture or a hundred percent historically acurate Victorian mourning garb?

You tell me! What is your take on the little black dress? And what do you consider to be “going-all-out” on an outfit these days?

OotD: Romantic Dress As Romantic Skirt

Looking through my absurd amount of draft posts that I never finished and so, never posted I found a completed outfit post from way back in January (AKA, summer in my part of the world). At the time I decided against posting it because I felt that every recent outfit included this dress.

Back when I had few strands of bleached hair.

Blouse: ROMWE | Dress: Missguided | Cardigan: Thrifted | Socks: Asos | Shoes: Target

Red (almost) velvet items have become a staple in my wardrobe. A staple that is used a million times more than black (almost) velvet was ever used. Red velvet is so rich in colour that it always brings interest (even to an outfit that’s essentially a cardigan and blouse) and brings back thoughts of eighteen hundred’s impeccably dressed vampires.

But these pictures were taken centuries months ago and I wish I could go back an change some things. Too many shadows, the shoes are unflattering, change from socks to stockings. But I suppose there’s no use suffering from outfit regret.
What are your thoughts: Does red velvet unravel thoughts of vampires? Do you suffer from outfit regret?

OotD: How to Layer for Lazy Days + A Totally Kinderwhore Dress

This outfit is a great example of my favourite way to layer; a system that works both for winter and cooler summer days. I would say this my kind of summery outfit; monochromatic floral print is as summery as I get. Unfortunately the wind may have murdered my soul. There’s a reason velvet is a winter fabric and cotton is for summer. (Note to self, wear tights on windy days.)

The trusty hair-band on my wrist ruining photos since ever. Also, my tattoo looks like I’ve Photoshopped it on badly.

Windy hair showing you how windy it is.

Blouse: Thrifted | Jumper: Best and Less | Belt: Boohoo | Dress: Motel | Socks: Asos | Shoes: Jeffery Campbell

This exact layout of layering has been the basis for most of my Uni outfits last semester (similar to this outfit from a while ago). A dress or skirt as the base layer, a collared blouse over the top and a jumper to finish. It’s perfect for mixing absurd patterns or for downplaying patterns that might be overwhelming on their own. For example, I’ve mixed this daisy dress with a white polka-dot blouse and it didn’t end up looking totally-insane.

This dress is my dream dress and I’m pretty annoyed it doesn’t come in all my favourite colours and fabrics (although black, tartan and red velvet would be all I need). You can get a better idea of the dress in this outfit I posted to The Walrus Room’s facebook page here. I feel like the slightly puffed princess sleeves and general cut lend it perfectly to a kinderwhore look.

Would you ever try out my layering ‘layout’? I don’t think it’s called a layout but the only other word I can think of is schedule which makes no sense at all. If you do, please let me know. I would absolutely love to see!

Outfit Post: Am I Punk Yet?

This outfit is a bit of an assortment! We have something new, some things that are old and something you’ve never seen me wear as it was intended. But with leopard, denim, velvet and my trusty bone & crystal necklace, I’m pretty sure you won’t get too bored.

That blue pole has been the bane of my existence.

Socks: Asos | Shoes: Target | Dress: Missguided | Belt: Boohoo.com | Vest: Boohoo.com | Necklace: Etsy | Cardigan: Thrifted

A denim vest like this has been something I’ve been searching for at least a year. That may sound silly, but I’m extremely picky. The only problem I have is that I thought it would be at least two sizes smaller; woe! Even though it’s still on my wishlist I don’t regret buying it. The leopard gives the vest a bit of personality, it’s broad enough to add some patches to and it’ll change up any dolly-dress I buy in the near-future (because I honestly can’t have enough).

This dress is a piece you’ve seen me wear as a skirt a few times here and here. After stortening the straps I’ve found it’s perfect to wear with pretty much anything! You’ll be seeing outfit posts including it for a long time.

What are you wearing today? As I write this I’m wearing pyjamas and shopping for lace maxi skirts (to no avail). If you stumble upon one you think I’ll like don’t forget to drop it into the comments!

Outfit Post: Unif Nevermind Replica

So, I bought a plaid maxi-dress. Do you think I can rock it? It was supposed to rain today, hence why you’ve found me wearing boots and a cardigan in direct sunlight (apologies for the iffy photos). But other than that, this dress has a little more to it than it seems in terms of copyright.

Dress: Karamaloop | Cardigan: Thrifted | Boots: Free People | Necklace: EBay

Strange pixelation is what happens when I don’t wear socks.

Yes, my nails are horrendous.

Okay, so, copyright is very limited within the fashion industry because you can’t copyright a dress style or materials. The retail world has made it’s fortune from cheaper versions of designer clothes (I don’t think there’s anything wrong with this!) But I do still feel a bit uncomfortable wearing a dress that is a blatant rip off, specifically of Unif’s Nevermind dress.

It was a bit of a trial. I’ve seen a few outfit posts including that dress but I wasn’t sure if I could pull of the long length. The original was just too expensive considering I knew it’s not something I would even wear weekly! Not to mention, I’m considering altering this one to fit a bit tighter around the waist and hips; it’s a bit too billowy for my liking. I would be far too frightened of ruining the original to alter it.

What are your thoughts? This situation reminds me a bit of Lolita replicas, but is it as serious? Those dresses cost hundreds of dollars to own and are certainly on a far different level in terms of quality than any mainstream, everyday wear. Does this sort of thing happen to typical Goth clothing brands? I don’t think I’ve ever seen anyone try to rip off Iron Fist or Lip Service before! Would you wear a replica?

Outfit Post: Voodoo & Winklepickers

I’m not quite sure how long I’ve been complaining/whining/wishing for winklepickers but that time is officially over! It’s been a while since I’ve bought a pair of shoes that I want to wear at all times and I thought they look in place with this semi-Voodoo inspired look; bones and feathers are a bit Voodoo-esque, right?

Front door pictures!

Outfit: Top: EBay | Dress: Missguided | Belt: Boohoo.com | Boots: Free People | Necklace: Etsy (Sold Out) | Earrings: Anon

These boots were half-price at just the right time. While, alas, I couldn’t afford the face melting price of four-hundred dollars for my coveted Freebird by Steven boots I’ve been drooling over since I stumbled upon them, I found these on sale. The perfect object to feed my boot rejection. The buckles especially are the key to my heart.

This little crop top has been a five dollar blessing. I’d been looking for a simple black crop top for ages but couldn’t justify fifteen to twenty dollars on one. It may be far too short to wear on it’s own and be able to lift my arms without my bra showing, but it’s rather sturdy and great for layering.

Have you guys found any EBay gems as of late? Do you think Western + Animal Bones + Feathers equal anything like Voodoo? Or is it Hoodoo!

Outfit Post: Prim & Punk

Recently, I found an adorably ugly dress with a tonne of floral print at a thrift store and have been wearing it ever since. It’s kitschy (resembling eighties patterns) print goes surprisingly well with everything! I’ve been meaning to get a nice little floral dress to punk up and this was certainly the dress.

Guess who got a new pin! I love Kiwis.

Just last night I ordered a few more pins from a lovely Etsy store that I hope to be reviewing soon. It’s a simple way to build some interest in plain outfits and show some personality!

Winged eyeliner has definitely been a go to for me lately. It’s so simple and if it’s only for say, a doctors appointment (like this outfit was – yes, I have a huge bandage under that sleeve!) it doesn’t need primer.

Beware the bitch-face. I never smile, or talk very much when Coen is away (not to say I’m not happy!). He had to leave for a few weeks for his sisters wedding. In the meantime I’ve been enjoying all the things he hates: loud music, horror movies (well, bad ones) and lots of spinach!

What little things do you like to enjoy when you have the house to yourself? I, myself, love to cook to really loud music!

That Mint Dress; Goth Styling Tips

Before I get to dresses, you should all stop by Pensuasion and vote on her Halloween Howl-Fest if you haven’t (a blogger run movie poll for the Halloween season). I loving the idea and I’ll certainly be watching a tonne of them!

Plus, this post has been submitted in ModCloth’s Uniquely Yours competition for bloggers, based around the forever adored and useful Polyvore. Don’t forget to check out ModCloth’s own Polyvore for clothes and outfits to drool over. 

Ever received a dress from a friend or relative that expected you to wear it? What if that dress was a bright mint green colour? Well, I’m here to tell you that there’s no need to fret because by the end of this blog post you’ll have a few too many tips up your sleeve for this exact situation. Beside that, it works for any dress you want to style different! Are you ready for this magical and far-too-bright ride? I certainly am not.

Click for item details at Polyvore.

If In Doubt Throw Some Skulls On It: AKA The Pastel Goth Way

If you’re working with something very colourful a simple way to Goth it up a bit is to use typical Gothy tropes, like bats, skulls, stripes or even skeletons. Don’t forget to throw a tonne of black all up in that dress to show it who’s boss.

Make It A Skirt: No, Not Literally

I’m sure any family member or friend would be a bit heartbroken if you tore into their gift with scissors. But a simple way to make a dress into a skirt is to wear a blouse over it (one that doesn’t look strange with the size of the bodice) and to fold it up to the waist. Fold towards the inside and seal with a belt to hold everything in place.

Okay, that totally wasn’t supposed to rhyme.

Shoes Define The Outfit

Above are three of my favourite Goth-able shoes (actually I’ve seen exact copies on lots of alternative people recently – unfortunately not my own feet). Besides, is there an outfit with winkle-pickers don’t look amazing with? I don’t think so. If you’re feeling brave you could even throw on a killer pair of Demonia boots.

What are your tips for styling something that just isn’t dark enough for your tastes? Have you ever been given a gift that you just couldn’t or wouldn’t wear?

Where Do I Find Kinderwhore Dresses?

It’s not as easy to find beautiful dresses suited for Kinderwhore after the nineties. It seems that our dreams for a closet full of vintage, whorable dresses was not meant to be, and that they have all been snatched up. But there are still some sources that if you search well enough, you can find that perfect fit.

Tumblr – Kinderwhore Shrine

• Vintage dresses are the way the original Kinderwhores dressed!
• You can find great old-fashioned and vintage dressed at Thrift-stores. A great thing to do to older-fashioned dresses (I wouldn’t advise cutting vintage) would be to alter them to the your favoured length and/or change-up detailing.
• Regular stores often have baby-doll dresses (okay, maybe not as many as when the Spice Girls were popular) and the classic black dress with a peter pan collar is a staple that you can find almost anywhere.
• Custom stores like: My Best Sunday Dress.
• Ebay/etsy! Etsy can be very expensive since it is mostly vintage and custom made but has gorgeous and unique pieces. I’ve had the best results while searching the key word “dolly dress”.
• Perfect patterns can be made from older children’s dress patterns! You will just have to convert the sizing. EBay is great for very cheap patterns.

New Look – Cutie – Etsy – Modcloth

What To Look Out For?

• Unique collars
• Lace detailing
• Empire waists
• Chiffon
• Delicate beading
• Floral patterns
• Child-like or feminine dresses
• Tea dresses.
• Victorian details.
•  Polka dots.
• Princess sleves
• Smock fronts or lace panels.

What are your tips to finding awesome dresses? Have you had any wow moments of finding that perfectly Kinderwhore dress for ridiculously cheap?

Interesting Sources:

Kinderwhore, Part 2: Dresses Galore!

Kinderwhore: 1990’s Fashion #1