In Abandoned Places

Wednesday, November 11th, 2009 by Vanity Kills

Tags: Fetish, Old Hollywood Style, Patent Vinyl and Vegi Leather Classics, post apocalyptic fashion, Torture Gown, vanity kills
Posted in Lethal Style |

My ambitions were always bigger than what the shitty upstate New York town I was born and raised in could hold.

At the tender age of five, I decided that I wanted to take over Hollywood. Nothing and no one would stop me. Not even the end of the fucking world. I was spoon-fed horror stories about how Tinseltown eats aspiring starlets alive, but I didn’t let it deter me. Not in the slightest. Matter of factly, the more naysayers seemed to come out of the woodwork, the more I was determined to make it big. Saying “FUCK YOU” to hordes of “well meaning” disbelievers so eager to write me off me as just another self absorbed, delusional, naïve teenager with pie-in-the-sky fantasies of stardom would make victory so much sweeter in the end.

I took my craft as an actor seriously: conscientiously fine tuning my method acting and reciting monologues; holed-up within the depths of an old subterranean bunker, conveniently located in the seedy underbelly of Albany’s generally vacated, boarded up ghetto.  Most dared not to come here, so I was free to indulge in perfecting my thespian techniques, completely uninterrupted. In silence and solitude I relentlessly pursued my dreams.  Often taking refuge in my underground chamber for days on end(maybe even weeks, but who’s counting), I’d eat, sleep and breathe my art, blissfully unaware of the outside world.

Alas, resurfacing for the purpose of obtaining food was in order from time to time.

Reluctantly, I opted to rejoin the drab society which scuttled-about above.

My best laid plans quickly went awry as I discovered that the world I seemingly re-entered was nothing more than some cruelly ironic Twilight Zone -esque joke.  I wandered the streets littered with partially charred corpses, crumbled remains of once-majestic concrete structures and crushed, overturned automobiles. Except this wasn’t a rerun aired on the SCI-FI channel’s annual Fourth of July marathon of a mid-century television series…this was my life! Welcome to Earth: Population- ME!

Befuddled, I attempted to piece my shattered sense of reality together. What could’ve caused such destruction and loss of lives on a global scale?

Nuclear holocaust?

Surely the radiation would’ve roasted my skin by now.

Mutant strain of the fierce and dreaded llama flu?

That didn’t explain the human BBQ which surrounded me.

Godzilla?

Actually, that made the most sense.

As I sought solace to hone the skills that would propel me to fame, fortune and a luxurious lifestyle fit for a queen, the world came to a crashing halt.  “Be careful what you wish for”, forewarned a cautionary tale we were all told as children. Here amongst cadavers, dust and ashes I was the most important woman on Earth.

I didn’t need Hollywood anymore, as my aspirations had surpassed it as well.

All the world was my stage.

It’s been said that limitations cause creativity to prosper.

And luckily, corpses are a forgiving public. I have my eye on a particular semi-smoldered gentleman who resembles Brad Pitt, from the still partially intact left side of his face when the light hits it the right way. I might just ask him to be my date to the Academy Awards. He’s a little stiff, but I’m really hoping that he’ll warm up to me once he lays his eye on the red vinyl dress I plan on making my Oscar acceptance speech in. Being under-dressed is the worst feeling, so I’d rather overdo it. Even if the legions of my adoring fans have been in various stages of decomposition for quite some time.

My mission was to lead a camera-ready Hollywood existence. I’d say I accomplished it with ease. I was Vivien Leigh today, Joan Crawford tomorrow and Milla Jovovich whenever I fucking pleased. Always in my party dress, my status as the eternal “It Girl” has officially been solidified. It’s truly good to be queen. It might be lonely on top but it sure as hell feels glorious to look at everyone else at the bottom.

Here in these abandoned places, amongst ruins and decay I have found my way home.

Mix modern fabrics and silhouettes with vintage screen siren glamour from the golden age of Hollywood for a scene stealing look that rolls out the red carpet for the Apocalypse.

“In Tinseltown, aspiring starlets were a dime a dozen and this city chewed them up and spat them out”

Stand out from the pack of wannabes with Patent Vinyl and Vegi Leather Classics’ Torture Gown in the candy apple red colorway. If you rock a complicated frock, keep the jewelry minimal; you want to avoid looking as if you piled on every accessory you own, which tends to make the wearer look juvenile.

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A black veiled pillbox hat adds a hint of vintage chic to this “Fetish meets Old Hollywood” ensemble.

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Chunky platforms rise to the occasion and prevent your crazed mob of fanboys from stomping on your Sunday’s best. Naturally, a hot bodyguard helps as well.

Optional:

A black, fur-trimmed cardigan keeps the revealing cleavage in check.

Sleeve Savvy:

Did you know that the Torture Gown’s sleeves are removable and could be worn separately as gloves?

Try them with these currently in stock styles for a new twist on a classic favorite.

#38-576 (Hardcore Racer Back Cami Top from Patent Vinyl and Vegi Leather Classics)

#38-559 (Fainting Room Corset from Patent Vinyl and Vegi Leather Classics)

#38-86 (Lippy’s classic best selling Sleeping Beauty Corset from Patent Vinyl and Vegi Leather Classics)

#69-10 (Buckled Cincher ) paired with #38-180(Add Two Cups of Sugar Bra) both from the Patent Vinyl and Vegi Leather Classics line.

#38-575 (Side Strap Dress) from the Passion Killer PVC line.

Making waves:

1. Prep your slightly dampened tresses with a quarter sized dab of gel.
2. Blow dry as usual.
3. Wind two–inch chunks of hair around a curling iron.
4. Hold for five seconds each.
5. Gently brush out the curls using your fingers.
6. Finish off by adding a quick misting of a glossing spray.

Red She Said
Remix retro lips by pairing them with muted brick eyeshadow instead of the usual “liquid eyeliner cat eye and crimson lipstick” routine.

General Prep Work
You will need:
Moisturizer ,Primer, Concealer, Matte liquid Foundation, Foundation Brush, Translucent Powder, Powder brush, Eyeshadow primer

1. Wash your face with a cleanser formulated especially for your skin type. Rinse thoroughly and pat dry with a soft cloth. Prep your skin with moisturizer before applying concealer in order to ensure a smoother, flake free application.
2. Before proceeding any further allow your skin to properly absorb the moisturizer. This should take about 10 minutes.
3. Since foundation worn alone often has a nasty habit of settling in the fine lines around your mouth, near your eyes and on your forehead, I highly recommend using a primer after you’ve moisturized your face. Utilizing a small amount of primer helps to fill in unflattering expression lines, pores and scars, thus allowing foundation to actually do its job!
4. Nix blemishes and skin discoloration by gently patting concealer over the trouble area. Follow by blending with your ring finger.
5. Apply a matte liquid foundation that best matches your skin tone to your face and neck with a foundation brush (A full dome shaped brush works beautifully). Start by applying small dots in the center of your face and then moving outward].
6. Set everything in place by finishing off with a thin coat of translucent powder. Use a full, round shaped powder brush for optimal results.
7. Prep your lids with eyeshadow primer, whose job is to neutralize the colour of your lids which in turn makes for brighter more vibrant shadow. It also prevents said shadow from creasing.

Eyes:
You will need:
Eyeshadow Primer ,Eyeliner that matches your hair color if you draw your eyebrows in, Makeup sealer (optional), Black eyeliner, Cream beige eyeshadow, Reddish brick pressed eyeshadow, Frosty champagne eyeshadow, Eyeshadow brush with a round/tapered edge, Blending brush, Fluffy eyeshadow brush, Eyelash curler, Black Mascara

1. Prep your brows by filling them in with a pencil and softening the lines with a small brush or drawing them in if you don’t have them. Eyebrowless ladies like myself should make sure to use a pencil that matches their hair color. After you’re satisfied with the shape of your brows, feel free to seal them with a single coat of a makeup sealer. Last but not least, lightly coat your entire eyelid area with an eyeshadow primer, to build a smooth base for your shadows, pigments and liners.
2. Using a brush with a round/tapered edge apply cream beige eyeshadow across your entire eyelid from lashline to crease.
3. With the help of blending brush add some reddish brick eyeshadow to the outer crease of your eye and bring it down to your lashline on the outer corner of your eyelid. This is also known as the “outer V”.
4. Sweep some frosty champagne shadow directly under your eyebrows.
5. Line your bottom lid starting from the outer corner of your eye, slowly making your way toward the inner corner with your favorite brand of black kohl eyeliner. Most of the color should be concentrated in the outer corner. I find that it’s easiest to put on eyeliner after eyeshadow and before mascara.
6. Curl your eyelashes with an eyelash curler and top off with 2 coats of black mascara.

Cheeks:
You will need:
Blush brush ,Peachy pink blush, Bronzer

1. Get cheeky with gorgeously sculpted cheekbones! Swipe some pressed bronzer onto your blush brush .
2. Starting mid-cheek, going towards your ear apply the bronzer into the hollows of your cheeks using short, up-and-down vertical strokes.Darker shades will give the illusion of the hollows of your cheeks receding.
3. Now using the same technique add a peachy pink blush to the apples of your cheeks, which will cause them to protrude. Use translucent powder to blend between the two colors in order to avoid obvious lines.

Tip: To attain the much sought after illusion of having a statuesquely chiseled face, dust bronzer along your jawline and hairline.

Lips:
You will need:
Red toned lip liner, Red lipstick, Small tapered lip brush

1. Filling in your entire lip area prevents your lip color from fading, blurring and feathering throughout the course of the day/evening/night. Use a red lip liner to fill in your lips starting at the center of your natural lip line and moving toward the outer corners.
2. Reds can be tricky. For a softer, more precise look apply the color to the center of your lip and then proceed to distribute it over the entire lip area with a small tapered lip brush.

Credits
Photography: Danielle McGraw Photography
Model: Vanity Kills
Location: Port of Albany, Albany, NY