Section: Lethal Style

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The streets are dark and decrepit. The oppressing grey haze of ashen sky looms above, and the clicking of broken biochips underneath feet permeates the alleyways below. It is the year 2053 and most, if not all, of your dystopian fantasies have come true. Humanoid robots have long since lost their appeal as a novelty item and are now firmly integrated into society. These bio-machines work alongside humans in every profession from prostitute to police officer. Of course, robots are known to specialize in many an illegal task which is oft too dangerous or terrifying for tenuous mortal tissue…

The trend wagon everyone is hopping on currently is every 1980s-sci-fi-writer’s wet dream: organ replacement. And “organ” is used in the loosest of terms. 50 years ago it might have been spectacular if you could get a new liver or lung, but now it’s quite common to purchase a new arm, torso or complete body. Any part, organic or not, can be had for the right price…or barter. Now most people would be perfectly complacent to replace their hands and arms every few years after a scaling pot of molten lead falls on you at the factory; or to peruse for a brand new face at the local chop shop after the last model was eaten off by the rock squids on SR117, but there are always those die hard thrill-seekers, or perhaps the stupidly-rich who want something more exciting. And what could be more exciting than installing a fresh new set of lungs or eyeballs? Ingesting them! The newest underground craze is to buy fresh organs, from simple detached fingers – for the thrifty spender – all the way up to still-warm human brain – for those whose near limitless credit chips are burning a hole in their carbon-fiber astro pants. But you can’t just buy them of course, that would be silly — the real pleasure is derived from eating them. The eating part is simple, but obtaining them can prove to be more difficult…

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If you happen to live in the Roppongi district of Tokyo and are itching to indulge your corporeal desires, you may be in luck. Working under the cover of laboratory researchers in the Matsutaka #1 Implant Factory are two of the best and most mysterious organ-thieves in the world. The two robots are known only as [pink] and [black], and if you were to do a root search in R.NET9 of their S-ID numbers, you wouldn’t exactly be looking at a Wikipedia article. Made with the sturdiest and most durable bio-steel framework, they’re able to seduce any man into giving up his organs, willingly or not. They would be widely feared if any of their organ donors had lived to remember their faces; instead, they are confined to the throes of mystery (although the boys do seem to love a mysterious fembot). They had been successfully carrying out organ couriering for a number of years, causing the region to be known for its high number of indiscriminate and painful-looking deaths; unfortunately they had yet to land their big score. Lungs, intestines and the intermittent heart brought in a livable salary, but they had been on the lookout for a client who had wanted more…the rarest and most valued piece of meat: the human brain.

—

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At long last, after years of waiting, the request had come… from one of the richest men in the history of the planet, no less. No name of course (that’s how it usually worked), just a request, a payment and a drop spot. Getting the brain was simple enough, seduce enough men and eventually one will be well-endowed in that area. It wasn’t difficult pulling that scientist away from his lunch break, act interested in how many millions of eV will be released by a successful bout of nuclear fission and they you’ll have them drooling all over your newest pair of emerald-alloy hoverboots. Blind them with your nuclear lexicon long enough, and the opportunity to snatch a few organs is bound to arise. A good thief can remove a brain in apx 76 seconds; 90 if a nail breaks in the process. But the problem with brains is that you have to preserve them delicately or they will get mushier than the shit that passes for “beef and broccoli” these days. Luckily, the lab had created the perfect delivery bag to solve this problem with equal amounts of professionalism and cuteness. Judging by the location, it should come as no surprise that the bag was a sleek leather/polyester blend in the shape of a Hello Kitty doll. Using custom Matsutaka air-tube technology (patent-pending), it would stream a steady supply of oxygen to the brain to keep it pink and juicy until dinner time.

The mission was going according to plan, until a malfunction in [black] robot’s programming reared its ugly 01101000011001010110000101100100. She had shown continuous disdain about accepting a share of the payment. The money had to be split between robots and the lab, but that was not good enough. She, of course, wanted more so that she could buy a new circuit-board and leg rockets. It’s neither here-nor-there, but leg rockets totally went out of style in 2033. It was inevitable that she would cause drama when the money to be made was this much. And inevitable it was…

As soon as the brain was safely sequestered in the hello kitty case, [black] robot stole it and made a dash for the drop spot! [pink] robot, luckily, had her fingers to the pulse of modern society and had bought the hottest plutonium hoverboots in Harajuku at the end of last year. Hoverboots outran leg rockets 3:1 in 99 out of 100 trials, and this was no exception. [pink] robot grappled with [black] robot and finally managed to rescue the package. [pink] robot, having acquired the goods stood over [black] robot and…

(please insert your bio-view card into your cerebral slot and select outcome)

• If you would like to see [pink] robot douse [black] robot with metal eating spores, please select choice A now
• If you would like to see [black] robot shoot a giant missile at [pink] robot, please select choice B now
• If you would like to see both robots seduce several men and then kill them, please select choice C now
• If you would like to eat a ham sandwich, please remove bio-view card at this time

Delve into the realm of Bio Threat II. Fashion forward space age separates for a look that is classy cyborg not costumey. Yes, it’s possible to resemble a futuristic femme fatale without resorting to wearing soap bubble dresses and ensembles constructed entirely out of Kermit the Frog’s spare parts like a certain attention whoring pop star that inundates us with her obnoxiousness on a daily basis.

Double your dose of biomechanical madness with a “Choose Your Own Adventure” guide to android chic for the flesh-and-bone girl.

Be in perfectly plastic in [pink] or badass in [black].

Dress

You don’t have to wait until 2053 to infuse your life with a little artificial post-human flavor. Work that synthetic sex appeal in a Bio Threat II Alert State Mini Dress(available in both solid black and black/pink colorways) as you carry on with your normal daily activities including, but not limited to: navigating the seedy world of black market organ trading, blowing your rent money on leg rocket prototypes, and cursing the fact that your club night isn’t held in a Blade Runner-esque, UV-light-and-phosphorescent-paint-bedecked “night club of the future” — but rather in a basement somewhere in the hood.

This flexible frock kicks maximum ass whether worn as a standalone piece with the conversation starting [:C≡N:] formula unapologetically advertised on its back or paired with matching Bio Threat II cincher and jacket.

High voltage pink highlights the utilitarian pocket of the Alert State Mini Dress. Handy for storing breath mints, a credit card and scalpels for on-the-go-tissue extraction.

Or

High tech cuts accented by fastenings sewn with exposed zipper tape are the perfect union of structured and raw edge.

Jacket

Up in arms about showing a little a shoulder? A cropped, fitted, long sleeved Bio Threat II Chemical Warfare Jacket (available in both solid black and black/pink colorways) makes the perfect cover for your fragile flesh. The classic cut gets an upgrade with a twill tape front closed front, mesh accents and chemical warfare screen print displayed prominently on the back.

Hot pink details give this dystopian doll ensemble a shot of color.

Or

The clever construction (fabric breast plates make it easier to stash contraband human cardiac muscle) of this jacket makes the black colorway anything but basic.

Cincher

[pink] is anything but prissy suited up in her Bio Threat II Chemical Warfare Waist Cincher* seen here in the black/pink colorway. Tough meets girlie-glam with hardened textiles spliced with Day Glo prints and piping.

*For ultimate waist reduction, wear a plain steel boned underbust corset under fashion cinchers such as this one.

Or

A sleek black PVC cincher emphasizes [black]’s shape while adding visual interest to her achromatic get up. When rockin’ head to toe solid color, change up the textures to keep your monochrome look from becoming tediously repetitious.

Stockings

If you don’t dare to go bare, opt for an always flattering and leg accentuating pair of simple black fishnets.

Afraid of looking too polished? Add a hint of sleaze with layers of artfully disheveled deconstructed fishnet and diamond net stockings held up by visible garters.

Footwear

Shoes big enough to destroy Tokyo. Always relevant.

Or

[black] fraggles up her legs with some can’t-miss’-em-if-you–tried furry legwarmers. (Note to the ever vigilant “Fur is Murder” watchdogs: No Yeti, Sasquatch or Bigfoot was harmed in the production of the aforementioned garment)

Extras

I can give you a 10,000 word dissertation about incorporating organic elements such as cartoonized skulls and blindingly bright green lilies adorned with neon pink leopard print into an otherwise synthetic wardrobe to symbolize the amalgamation of flesh and technology. Or I can tell you why I’m really wearing them. I’m wearing them because they’re “cute”.

Cyborg Cuts

Hair So Hot They’ll Think It’s Genetically Engineered

For [pink]’s pin-straight low ponytails:

1. Coat your hair with a layer of heat-protective spray, cause fried hair isn’t sexy.
2. Grab your flat iron and clamp it down on your hair as close to the roots as possible.
3. Pull flat iron through hair slowly and away from the head.
4. Part your hair down the middle from front to back.
5. Pull one of the sections behind your ear.
6. Secure with rubberband.

Optional: Incorporate “organic elements such as cartoonized skulls and flowers into an otherwise synthetic wardrobe to symbolize the amalgamation of flesh and technology”.
For [black]’s Aeon Flux inspired coif:

1. Direct your browser to Google.com
2. Enter “Aeon Flux hairstyle” into Google image search.
3. Print out a photo that suits your fancy.
4. Take the aforementioned photo to a trusted beauty professional.
5. Point to said photo while saying “I want that”.
6. Maim them if something goes horribly, horribly wrong.

Machines, mayhem and makeup!

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.

[pink]

A gaze into the future reveals a metallic charcoal gaze as cold as a mechanical heart and unapologetically bold pink lips.

Eyes:
You will need:
Eyeshadow Primer, Eyeliner that matches your hair color if you draw your eyebrows in, Makeup sealer (optional), Metallic charcoal eyeshadow, Metallic taupe eyeshadow, Frosty white-gold eyeshadow, Eyeshadow brush with a round/tapered edge, Blending 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. Everyone’s favorite flirty feline look gets a 21st century makeover! With the help of a tapered edge brush add a healthy amount of metallic charcoal eyeshadow to the outer portion of your upper eyelid. The closer you get to the outer corner of your eye, the thicker the line should become. When you get to the corner, flare the line up using a sweeping motion. This will re-create the classic cat eye shape with a modern futuristic twist.
3. Hold down your lower eyelid. Using the same brush dot the metallic charcoal shadow you applied in Step 2 directly underneath the eyelash line of your lower lid, beginning at the outer portion of the eye. Apply shadow to the outer three quarters of your eyelid, only. Otherwise you run the risk of making your eyes appear smaller than they actually are.
4. Blend a metallic taupe eyeshadow into the inner portion of your upper eyelid right up to the crease using a blending brush.
5. Clean that blending brush and highlight your brown bone with a generous helping of frosted white gold eyeshadow. So simple yet oh-so-stunning!
6. Curl your eyelashes with an eyelash curler and top off with 2 coats of black mascara.

Cheeks:
You will need:
Blush brush, Rose-red blush, Bronzer

1. 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 rose-red 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.

Lips:
You will need:
Shimmering light pink lip liner, Barbie pink lipstick, Small tapered lip brush, Iridescent pink lip gloss.

1. Filling in your entire lip area puts an end to fading, blurring and feathering lip color. Use a shimmering light pink lip liner to fill in your lips starting at the center of your natural lip line and moving toward the outer corners.
2. To get lost in the neon glow of electric pink lipstick 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.
3. Finish off with a coat of iridescent pink lipgloss.

[black]

In 2053 eyes will be full of sparkle, iridescence and electricity.

Eyes:
You will need:

Eyeshadow Primer, Eyeliner that matches your hair color to fill in your eyebrows, Makeup sealer (optional), Metallic blue-green pigment, Shimmery neon green eyeshadow, Frosty white eyeshadow, Black liquid eyeliner, Black kohl eyeliner, Eyeshadow brush with a round/tapered edge, Blending brush, Eyelash curler, Black Mascara.

1. Prep your brows by filling them in with a pencil and softening the lines with a small brush. 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. Dampen a brush with a tapered/rounded edge and dip it into the metallic blue-green pigment. Gently tap, DO NOT SWIPE, the pigment across ¾ of your outer eyelid from lashline to crease. Tapping the pigment on gives the color higher concentration. Leave the inner ¼ of your eyelid bare.
3. Using a blending brush add shimmery neon green eyeshadow into the inner ¼ of your eyelid. Blend well into the blue-green pigment that you added in Step 2.
4. To draw attention to your highlight, place a frosty white shade directly under your eyebrows with the help of a clean blending brush.
5. Starting at the inner corner of your eye, rim your upper lashline with liquid black eyeliner.
6. 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.
7. Curl your eyelashes with an eyelash curler and top off with 2 coats of black mascara.

Lips:
You will need:
Clear lip gloss

Because with lips like [black]’s all you need is a coat of clear gloss

1. Beginning in the center of your upper lip, gently press the gloss wand into the flesh of your lip and then proceed to roll it over the entire top lip area, working toward the edges. Repeat the process on your bottom lip. To ensure that your gloss sticks to your mouth and not your teeth put your index finger in your mouth, then proceed to slide it out slowly with your mouth still closed. This will remove any excess lip gunk.

Credits:
Photography: Bill Tracy Photography

Models:
[pink]
Vanity Kills

[black]
Lisa G.

Location: Montague, NJ

The Reaper

(Or “Reaper Stripper” if y’all please)

The name’s Candy. When I first entered the adult cabaret biz, I tried goin’ by Licorice and work the whole dark ‘n’ delicious angle, but my boss couldn’t spell none of ‘em big college words over five letters, so I was christened “Candy”.

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Walkin’ into my former place of employment, the Shake N’ Squeal (just a spittin’ distance from Goose Creek, Kentucky) was like fallin’ headfirst into a Jerry Springer episode after a weeklong meth bender.

Sister-on-sister chicken grease wraslin’ every last Friday of the month?

Check

Sixteen year olds in their third trimester liquored up on Wild Turkey rollin’ around on the stage?

Check

Multi-generational granny-mother-daughter triple threat “feature dancers”?

Check, check, and check.

Let’s say that my childlessness, lack of Tony the Tiger caliber stretchmarks on my rear and my unwillingness to swap spit with my blood relatives for a shiny new penny always made me the odd woman out.

I spent nearly ten years of my life entertainin’ the crème de la crème of the Bluegrass State who happily pissed away their welfare checks either in this here ole’ dump or at the racetrack. Sometimes the high rollers who just got done holdin’ up a 7-11 in town would pass through our humble gates. It would always be a glorious day for all us hard workin’ gals, since we’d actually be seein’ cash money that day. Nearly daily someone would try to pay us in WWE ticket stubs(“Come on baby…they’re good till next July”) and deer jerky. My greatest admirer even tried to gift me his dentures, before passin’ on to the great NASCAR track in the sky this past summer.

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There had to be more to life than Cletus Toothless III shouting “Hey Elvira, I’ll give you 5 dollars for a l’il extra sumfin’ sumfin’” in my general direction. And if that don’t bother you none, just imagine the local preacher stumblin’ in come Saturday night, tryin’ to give you  grief for not bein’ a frequent visitor to the house of worship on Sundays. Tryin’ to scam free lap dances, since he’s a man of God ‘n’ all. Yes, Jesus himself told him that it was his moral duty to exorcise the demons out of me in the privacy of his pickup. I was pushin’ 30 and here I spent the best years of my life grindin’ on hill jacks reekin’ of Jim Beam and failure in a peach-colored lace thong. A quarter does not a sufficient tip make, and a girl can stand hearin’ the details of Billy Bob’s latest ploy to rip off worker’s comp, by means of fictitious injury, only so many times before bein’ driven to madness. Could you shake your ass to Lynyrd Skynyrd four times a week while some inbred yokel named Bubba tossed nickels and dimes at you?

So wouldn’t ya know, one day I decided that the grass here just ain’t blue ‘nuff no more and I did what so many folks done did when their bar tab climbed too high – skipped town.  So, I had never really been too far from town before and I must admit, the country was lookin’ mighty fine to me. I had nowhere to go, so I just plain drove the ol’ ’83 pickup ‘til she couldn’t drive no more. Eventually, she conked out lazily on the side of one of them back roads (how can ya tell ‘em apart?). Seems that lady luck was smilin’ her golden smile on me that day ‘cause what-da-ya-know, there was a couple o’ nice old-lookin’ shacks, or remnants thereof, not far from the road that hadn’t been lived in for years. This seemed like as good a place as any for a retired exotic dance professional to set up shop.

They say you can take a girl out of Kentucky, but you can never take Kentucky out of a girl. Well I’d let you know how true that is, if I could ever manage to get out of here. I thought I’d be able to live the nice quiet life in my shack, alone, but you know how these parts are. All the Billy Joes and Cletuses just can’t seem to mind their own damn business.

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See, one day I’m sittin’ on the porch scrapin’ mud and spider guts off my heels when I notice a couple of good ol’ boys approachin’. These didn’t appear to be any of my dear ‘fans’ per say, but they looked as broken-down and depraved as they come. I imagine that they came out this way in search of some poachin’, or perhaps just a bit of gropin’ each other’s genitals out-of-sight to get ‘em roused up for stickin’ in one of their foul-smelling hogs later. The sight of these greasy, half-retarded bumpkins made my blood boil.

I knew that if they saw a woman their jaws would go slack, dripping saliva and god-knows-what-else as they fantasized about bending my fine ass over next ta’ one of those aforementioned piglets. Ugh. Well, shit, I don’t need ta take anymore comments nor stares from worthless sacks a’ horse dung anymore. I told you that I was staying in a shack. What I didn’t mention was that the previous resident was some kind’a butcher o’ sumthin’ ‘cause they left all these big hooks and pitchfork lookin’ things everywhere. I fig’er if it can waste a cow, it can end a braindead, moonshined-up ‘man’…

It didn’t take long, but they spotted me.  I could’ve written the whole conversation before it played out, because it was so nauseatingly typical. “Hey there hunny, whatcha doin’ out here by ya lonesum?” “Wouldn’t you like sum company? You look like a stripper or sumthin’, I bet you could show me a reeel good time”. Oh, and what a time I would show them.

I acted lady-like enough to convince them to drag themselves into the innards of the shack, nearly as dilapidated as the men entering it. After that, well you know how that rage gets ya’ acting like you ain’t even the same person no more. “Hey boys, how much do ya like hooks?” Figure I could lure ‘em in with the promise of sum’ a dat ‘kinky shit’. They were practically foaming at the mouth at that premise. Well, I led them into my ‘special room’ and let the fun began.

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I let the bigger one, I dubbed em Cletus A, sit in an old wooden chair and tied him down with grubby rope. I was even so kind as to let the other one, Cletus B, watch as I took a giant meathook to his friend’s face. It was like Hellraiser in 3D. His mottled skin peeled off like an orange peel, or like the wrapper of a condom. Blood shot out everywhere like one of them big geysers. I guess his friend was so gone from years of moonshine that he thought this was some kind of magic trick. He hooped and hollered and even gave a little clap at the demonstration.

His crooked teeth and the reek of pigshit were infuriating enough, but this last bit put me over the edge. I grabbed one of the heels I had just finished cleaning and jammed it right into one of his dead-fish-like bulging eyes. With a sudden ‘pop’ sound, the blissful hooping mutated into shrill screaming. He was on the floor sputtering jibberish and vomiting what was probably raw deer meat, while his friend was sputtering up the last bits of blood and mucus that would ever pass through his filthy body.

I was tired of this yokel crawling and grimey-ing up my floor, so I reached up and found some sort of weighted club waiting for me. It looked like something they used to bash in the heads of cows before people cared about that ‘humane death’ shit. Well, unfortunately for Cletus B, humane death didn’t live here, and so the bashing begin. Some number of minutes later I noticed that the far wall had a lot more chunks on it than usual. I was surprised to find that any living matter came out of his head. I wondered: if I left this here would a stray deer maybe wander it and eat this up? That sure would be a time saver. I had to get my shoes cleaned up.

Well, wouldn’t you know it, but the brothers Cletus weren’t the only ones dumb enough to venture out here. Fortunately, a girl can really get used to killin’, especially when everyone reminds her of past clientele.  I’ve done lost count by now, but I’ve used almost every implement in the shack. But there are still some untainted cleavers which beg to cut again.

The name’s Candy.

But you can call me “The Reaper”.

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Embark on a wave of brutal butchery…without becoming a fashion victim yourself.

Notorious Hollywood franchise villains come complete with a signature look; Michael is a fan of Shatner chic, Freddy has been rockin’ the Christmas- sweater- and – Dick Tracy- headwear combo since the year I was born while Pinhead prefers shopping for accessories at Home Depot. Even when a girl is busy converting her town’s redneck population into ground hamburger she needn’t look like she just pilfered Jason Voorhees’s wardrobe.  Lest not forget that you’re a lady first & foremost, and that “style” makes up 50% of “execution style” indeed.

Beauty meets beast in ultra feminine tops, contour-hugging pencil skirts, extreme waist reduction and footwear likely to earn the seal of approval of Vlad the Impaler himself.

Get hooked on Lady is a Tramp II One for My Baby Stretch Poplin Cap Sleeve Top in the red/black colorway. The juxtaposition of the seemingly wholesome retro- flavored “girl-next-door” cut of the shirt, paired with traditionally “adult” fabrics like PVC is a seductive mix of sweet and dirty. Who doesn’t love a good girl doing bad things?

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The addition of a perennial fetish favorite, like a black PVC underbust corset, spices up almost any outfit, instantly transforming it from so-so to supersexy.

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When it comes to the fine art of showcasing your assets without lettin’ everyone and their half-retarded cousin Bud ogle what you’re working with, don’t skirt the issue. Gangsta Pranksta Bettie Bruiser mid length skirt in the black/white colorway is right on the money, honey.

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Sleaze up the pencil skirt’s conservative silhouette with fence net stockings for that authentic “I moonlight at the gentlemen’s club to pay the bills” feel.

Stripper shoes, modded with killer spikes, guarantee that wasted fratboys will be less likely to get fresh with you, as none will be too eager to be on the receiving end of a groin kick from one of these puppies. Bonus points for being the most popular girl backstage at a Gwar show. Provided you can actually walk in them.

Maniacal Mane

Gravity defying tresses that splice Nikki Sixx with Nivek Ogre.

I confess. My hair arrived in a tan colored standard shipping envelope directly from Hong Kong. Alas, fear not. You‘re only a few steps away from rockin’ the frazzled rooster look yourself. Provided that you meet the following conditions:

-Your hair is cut into choppy layers ( No amount of teasing will make layers magically appear on top of your head).

-You’re not one of ‘em hippie granola types who worry about strippin’ the Earth of its ozone layer. Or cry about the insects that will meet an untimely end upon landing on your ‘do after you’ve shellacked it into submission.

Alright, let’s get this show on the road:

1) Despite seeming somewhat counterintuitive, straighten all of your hair using a flatiron.

2) Apply a good quality root lifting spray directly to your scalp.

3) Alright! Time to divide and conquer! Separate the back of your hair into sections. Then proceed to grab any of the sections on the top of your head, spray it with a liberal amount of hairspray and proceed to backcomb the ever-loving fuck out of it. No, this isn’t good for your hair in the slightest. Tease your hair starting at the ends all the way to the roots. Secure with freezing spray.

4) Continue upon this path of teasin ‘n’ sprayin’ until you look like a pissed off porcupine.

(You might want to leave the front alone.  Just sayin’. That way you can sweep your pin straight bangs over your eyes for that ever popular Old English Sheepdog look all the “alternative” kids are sportin’ nowadays)

DEATH BECOMES HER

The 80s gave rise to two very important cornerstones of popular culture: high-impact, boldly-colored makeup and slasher films with minimal character development, over the top kills and gratuitous nudity. Give nod to iconic camp that defined the decade of excess with technicolor eyes, maximum cheek definition and Barbie-pink lips slicked with more gloss shinier than a mirrored strip club stage.

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), Teal eyeshadow, Shimmery medium purple eyeshadow, Frosty off-white eyeshadow, Eyeshadow brush with a round/tapered edge, Blending brush, Fluffy eyeshadow brush, Eyelash curler, Black Mascara.

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.

Using a brush with a round/tapered edge apply teal eyeshadow across your entire eyelid from lashline to crease. See Figure 1.

Figure 1

1. Hold down your lower eyelid. Using the same brush dot the teal shadow you applied in Step 2 directly underneath the eyelash line of your lower lid, beginning at the outer portion of the eye. Apply shadow to the outer three quarters of your eyelid, only. Otherwise you run the risk of making your eyes appear smaller than they actually are. This defeats the purpose of puttin’ on makeup to make yourself appear prettier.
2. With the help of a blending brush add some shimmery medium purple 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”. Continue contouring the crease of the eye by blending more purple shadow up into the lower portion of your browbone and into teal eyeshadow from Step 2. See Figure 2
   

   Figure 2

3. Sweep some frosty off white shadow directly under your eyebrows [doesn’t matter if they’re drawn on or natural] with a small fluffy brush. Blend the frosty off white shadow into  the shimmery purple shadow that you contoured your crease with that Step 4.
4. Curl your eyelashes with an eyelash curler and top off with 2 coats of black mascara.

Cheeks:
You will need:
Blush brush, Rose-red blush , Bronzer

To achieve faux capillary dilation:

1. 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 rose-red 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.

Lips:

You will need:
Shimmering light pink lip liner, Most obnoxious shade of pink lipstick you can get your hands on(preferably a color favored by cock rock groupies of the 80s), Small tapered lip brush, Iridescent pink lip gloss.

1. Filling in your entire lip area puts an end to fading, blurring and feathering lip color. Use a shimmering light pink lip liner to fill in your lips starting at the center of your natural lip line and moving toward the outer corners.
2. To get lost in the neon glow of electric pink lipstick 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.
3. Finish off with a coat of iridescent pink lipgloss.

Credits

Photography:

Bill Tracy Photography

Model

Vanity Kills

Location:

Abandoned building in Otisville, NY.

<3

Vanity Kills

see full size in gallery below

My ambitions were always bigger than what the shitty suburbs of Maryland could hold. I got my first hat at age five. I don’t mean a stupid baseball cap, I mean a replica soviet-revolutionary cap. I got my first sword at age 10 – again, not a medieval broadsword as most children may have interest in, but something more akin to battle in the U.S. Civil War. I built my first podium at age 13 – to give uplifting speeches of progress to my peers. Well, not that I had any actual peers of course; a great leader has few equals.

Some years later, as the cacophony of continuous Techno Body Music smothered the airwaves, telling me who the bitch was and asking how I wanted her, I decided that the only thing a true leader could do was to start a music project of his own to fight against the stagnant monotony of contemporary club music. Suicide Commando was due for a successor and who better than myself? I had spiky hair, a long evil coat and a copy of Cubase…the choice could not be any clearer. Terror EBM would live again.

Now, I quickly realized that no normal recording studio would suit my project. Anyone can sit at their home computer and write a masterpiece, but a true leader would need something more fitting, more…grandiose. Which brought me to Pelican Island, the home of a massive abandoned bunker (or, as I had already nicknamed it, Bunker Gate 7). I decided that this place was the only fitting home for my studio. Imagine: 10 rooms of old world glory, with no purpose but to reverberate the evil and terrifying sounds of terror. And to seal the deal, any blood in these rooms was totally legit. I knew it would be difficult to set up shop here (I’d have to transport the laptop and midi controller all the way out here), but it would be well worth it.

Once the studio was finished there was pretty much no reason to leave the glory of my fortified haven. Months went by, filled with not but the synthetic sounds of digital synthesizers and the clanking of drum machines. Not a day went by that lacked harsh, pounding beats and a fistful of slamming synthlines. I even ordered a Boss SE-50 for my pitch-shifted vocals, but it seems the mailtruck can’t make it out to the bunker…so I haven’t recorded any vocals yet.

see full size in gallery below

Several more months went by and my album progressed. At last, all it needed was vocals. Apparently I would have to leave the bunker at last to find the lost mailtruck which held my precious package…the very package containing the future voice of the world’s most powerful and influential terror ebm artist! Upon exiting, however, I learned the world had suffered from a dire fate. Apparently the mail truck wasn’t the only thing that was not making deliveries on time. The smell of charred corpses in the air brought visions of a great war into my head. What was the cause of this destruction and chaos? Surely the world was be ensnared in a global conflict! Unfortunately, there was no particular evidence to prove this theory. Where was the sound of bombers flying overhead? The distant thud of tanks and mortars firing on the enemy? The screams of soldiers dying? Well, in any case something had gone wrong…on a massive scale. People were gone; buildings were broken and decaying; the air reeked with a strange putridity. What the hell was going on?

Actually, “this is fantastic” I thought to myself. It seems that in my time alone, shielded from the outside world (literally!), I had risen through the ranks to become, in fact, ultimate dictator of the world!

—

Walking through the ruins of the world, I stop to observe my territory. I climb the ruins of an old house and survey all that lies before me (aka my dominion). The world is desolate, and more than ever it needs a strong leader. I raise my hand and give an uplifting speech. We must not fold, but carry on and rebuild! With me at the helm, we will refurbish this build into the ultimate club! It will be nothing but Terror EBM, seven days a week. I could never tire of Tactical Sekt and TV screens showing Hellraiser 2.

The journey is long and the goal is vague, but I will prevail. Along the way, even the most glorious of leaders needs to eat. Unfortunately the local grocer seems to have been demolished. Fortunately, a leader must possess skills that allow him to remain stalwart even in uncertain times. I am a seasoned woodsman, and so I easily forage for delicious berries to keep me alive until I can find some mortar to patch up these ruins.

Each night I dream of progress and the future of my dominion as a sprawling sanctuary of glorious terror ebm. In my dreams, I see myself standing above the masses; beside me a cute blonde haired girl in a red vinyl dress who is beautiful and strong enough to be my right hand. What sort of omen is this? I must not give up the struggle…the wheels of progress will turn once more!

World Domination is serious business. Dress accordingly.

Pay homage to your inner megalomaniac with an updated rendition of propaganda poster fashions.

Dictatorial by design Chick’s Colonel Uniform Jacket in the red/black colorway from Lippy’s 2005 Achung Playtime line redefines power suiting for a post-Apocalyptic future. The coat’s strong shoulders and sleek cuts blur the gender line while commanding attention and power.

Note:  Our decidedly male hero is of rather slender stature (Read: I want that skinny bastard’s metabolism), thus he can get away with fetishistic militant androgyny. For your big, burly men may I suggest the Coat of Arms Long Coat from Division LS III (currently on closeouts) instead?

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The club is a battlefield! Crush the enemy (and absorb their power) to the tune of Tactical Sekt’s “Give me Violence” in buckled boots.

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A basic black stretch poplin top conceals the coat’s peek-a-boo front, thus allowing for more male friendly wear.

see full size in gallery below

Hair Victory!

The key to styling Dan’s hair lies in:

-Wetting it

-Rubbing it with a towel.

-Spraying it with a freezing spray that promises “screaming hold” and comes in an airhorn shaped container.

-Haphazardly trimming the ends that are too long to stand up on their own.

And then washing it all out in order to adhere to the business casual dress code of his government IT job.

see full size in gallery below

Real Men Wear Guyliner (and Manscara)

Drop the macho bullshit, boys and get kohled out. Alas please DO resist the urge to draw vines, inverted crosses or anything previously seen in a motion picture starring Brandon Lee on your face.

Face

You will need

Moisturizer ,Primer, Concealer, Matte liquid Foundation, Foundation Brush, Translucent Powder, Powder brush.

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.

Eyes:

You will need:

Black eyeliner

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. Smudge slightly with Q-tip for a pseudo disheveled look. You’re a man after all!

Credits:

Photography:

Umbriel Finite Images

http://www.modelmayhem.com/umbrielfinite

Model & Guest Writer:

Dan Barrett/Worms of the Earth

http://www.myspace.com/wormsoftheearth

Article:

Vanity Kills

http://www.modelmayhem.com/vanitykills

Location:

Long Pond Ironworks State Park in Hewitt, NJ

<3

Vanity Kills

click for full size

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.

click for full size

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.

Patent Vinyl and Vegi Leather Classics’ Torture Gown

“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

Exit Ritual

Kunoichi.

One part tactical genius. One part mistress of disguise. Portrayed as a nearly invulnerable killing machine in poorly dubbed camp flicks, conveniently located in the Asian imports section of your local video store. Oh, and then there are the porn spoofs.

click for full size

Not like they’re entirely inaccurate

I’ve had to take out many a mob boss by posing as the common whore. Detachment is key. Removing the obstacles that lie in the path of my family’s prosperity has always been the primary objective. The end perpetually justifies the means, and my body is an instrument of espionage and war. Yes, espionage. Along with sabotage and assassination, they were the holy trinity of women like me. Rumored descendants of the Black Dragon Fighting Society, protecting what’s ours ran deep in our blood. Adhering to a strict honor code has been an integral part of who I am since birth.

I feel no remorse for the lives I have taken, as the stinging taste of sorrow was only known to my kind upon failure to carry out our orders. Dressed as a geisha, I made fountains of crimson spray forth from arteries I slashed open using knives carefully stashed in my cherry red kimono sleeves which I’ve managed to keep hidden from view.  Well versed in the fine art of the fan dance and traditional tea ceremony, I was the quintessential cultured woman. Truly a gifted entertainer, I have danced for, conversed with and shared the bed of the elite. I also enjoyed the reputation for being highly esteemed in my ruthless efficiency and my tea making skills alike. Rightfully so, as the tea I brewed was quite often the last cup my “clients” would ever drink.

Yet, there’s one flame I will not snuff, one whose blood I cannot spill. As irony would have it, my traitor heart beats for my clan’s sworn enemy. I have come to know his flesh so well; I could pull a poison dressed needle from my hair with relative ease and see this mission to completion. No need for seduction gimmicks and false pillow talk as I had gained his trust some time ago. Disobedience has never been a part of my vocabulary. I have never been the one to question my destiny… Until now.

An honorable death is more desirable than a life in shame.

Divided between love and family, I choose to betray neither. Alas, seppuku is so feudal Japan. Not to mention messy.

I sit on the shores of the river where I once sat with the one I love. The tides here are strongest at dusk. When the Sun has completely set beneath the horizon, the waters will carry me away.

And with this last fan dance, I take my final bow.

This is my exit ritual.

The clothing worn by the kunoichi depended on the situation at hand. Planning to entertain your frienemies at a cyanide lace tea ceremony? Trying to literally charm the pants off the boyfriend of a girl you can’t stand? A fetish geisha inspired look will keep you pretty as you secretly plot their demise.

A show stopping, richly patterned, statement piece such as Looks That Kill Toyko Rose Couture Kimono in the red/black colorway takes the elegance of a timeless piece and infuses it with a modern, sexy twist. [ed note: You can also get lethal kimono styles in the new Looks That Kill and Tokyo Trix groups.]

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A bold accessory for chicks who are so over wearing their hearts on their sleeves.

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When mixing patterns (rising sun detail on the kimono’s sleeve, kanji print on obi, floral lace tights) and textures (PVC and lace) opt for solid color legwear and shoes to avoid a total clusterfuck.

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Hair-a-kiri

To prevent looking like you just raided the craft aisle of Walmart select mixed media hair pieces where synthetic dreads are used as a base. Foam and tubular crin are best used as accents. Much like the addition of spice to food, a little goes a long way. Otherwise the end result tends to be slightly overwhelming.

-  Gather your hair into a high ponytail on top of your head. This is imperative. Nothing is sadder than a limp hair fall just chillin’ near the base of your skull, because you confused  the “tie my hair back before I go to the gym” ponytail with “I need to support a pound of plastic shit on top of my head” ponytail.

- Twist hair into a bun(think Princess Leia).

-  Pin the shit out of the above mentioned bun with bobby pins. When you think you’ve pinned it enough, add 10 more pins.

-   Lean forward.

-   Grab the fall by the lace that is attached to its base and proceed to wrap said lace around the bottom of the bun.

-  Pin it down some more.

-  Throw your head back.

-  Add more pins for good measure.

- Grab a loose dread and wrap around the base of the now fall covered bun in order to hide the tell tale pins.

- Sneak in a few more covert pins to secure the dread you just wrapped around the whole contraption.

Red epitomizes love, blood and passion. Black is most commonly associated with death, secrecy and darkness. Indulge your brooding love breeds suicide-has-been-on-constant-rotation-in-my-car-since-2001 side by deckin’ out your lids in the official color combination of doomed love affairs everywhere.

General Prep Work

You will need:

Moisturizer ,Primer, Concealer, Liquid Foundation, Foundation Brush, Translucent Powder, Powder brush, Eyeshadow primer

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.  Before proceeding any further allow your skin to properly absorb the moisturizer. This should take about 10 minutes. 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! Nix blemishes and skin discoloration by gently patting concealer over the trouble area. Follow by blending with your ring finger.

Apply a 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]. Set everything in place by finishing off with a thin coat of translucent powder.  Use a full, round shaped powder brush for optimal results.

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, Ruby red pigment, Gold pearl infused black pigment, Light pink with red duochrome pigment, Frosty off white pressed eyeshadow, Eyeshadow brush with a round/tapered edge, Blending brush, Fluffy eyeshadow brush, Eyelash curler, Black Mascara

Step 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.

Step 2

Pining for precision?

Apply clear adhesive tape starting at the outer corner of your eye and extend to the end of your eyebrow. Press down gently with your finger to smooth it out.  This little trick gives your eyeshadow an extremely pronounced hard edge, which creates a clean and defined shape.

Let’s paint those eyelids a cardiac arrest inducing shade of red now! Take an eyeshadow brush with a round/tapered edge  and wet it a little. Dip your dampened brush into the ruby red pigment  and gently tap, DO NOT SWIPE, the pigment across your entire eyelid from lashline to crease.  Don’t worry if you get excess pigment on the tape. Once you’re done with your eye makeup and peel the sticky stuff off, I assure you that any messes you might have made will magically disappear.

Step 3

Using a blending brush  add some gold pearl infused black pigment  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”. Blend into the ruby red pigment from Step #2. If you shave and draw your brows on you can extend the pigment past your crease and onto the lower part of your browbone, since you obviously have more room to work with.  Once again, ignore any fallout that might have ended up on the area you previously taped off.

Step 4

Starting at the inner corner of your eye, using a small fluffy eyeshadow brush tap some light pink pigment outward toward the “V” of gold infused black you applied in Step 3. Blend into the ruby red pigment you added in Step #2. Eyebrowless girls and boys have the option to extend the pigment past the crease and onto the lower part of their browbone the same way they did in Step 3.

At this point, the outer part of your crease (and parts of your browbone if you’re brow-less) should be a metallic black shade, while the inner part should be a slightly reddish pink. Blend both shades into each other at their meeting point which should lie somewhere at the halfway point in the crease of your eye.

Step 5

Clean the fluffy eyeshadow brush you used in the previous step. Sweep some frosty off white shadow  directly under your eyebrows[doesn’t matter if they’re drawn on or natural]. Blend the frosty off white eyeshadow into the two colors that you’ve blended into your crease in Step 4, the metallic black and the reddish pink.

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. Curl your eyelashes with an eyelash curler and top off with 2 coats of black mascara.

Now would be a good time to remove the tape and admire your eyeshadow blending skills!

Cheeks:

You will need:

Blush brush ,Peachy pink blush, Bronzer

And now for some cheekbone definition! Swipe some pressed bronzer  onto your blush brush . 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. 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.  Stripes are for zebras, not for your face.

Lips:

You will need:

Flesh toned lip liner,  Shimmering peachy beige lipgloss

Step 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 flesh toned lip liner  to fill in your lips starting at the center of your natural lip line and moving toward the outer corners.

Step 2

Ultra glossy near nude lipgloss with a slightly peachy beige tint  is truly a perfect finish for your show stopping red, black and white lids! Beginning in the center of your upper lip, gently press the gloss wand into the flesh of your lip and then proceed to roll it over the entire top lip area, working toward the edges. Repeat the process on your bottom lip. Remember kids: Lipstick stained teeth are the polar opposite of sexy. To ensure that your gloss sticks to your mouth and not your teeth put your index finger in your mouth, then proceed to slide it out slowly with your mouth still closed. This will remove any excess lip color.

Who knew that suicide could be so stylish?

Credits:

Photography:

Umbriel Finite Images

http://www.modelmayhem.com/umbrielfinite

Model:

Vanity Kills

http://www.modelmayhem.com/vanitykills

Location:

Sturgeon Point in Evans, NY

<3

Vanity Kills

Mixing business with pleasure is a dangerous game. One Rachel played all too well.

Notorious for her expertise with an eyeshadow brush, she’d pretty up the faces of the local womenfolk.

And while the wives looked away, with the husbands she would play. She’d lure them into bed and their morals would fall away as quickly as their clothes.

click to view full size

Rachel’s carnal knowledge of married men quickly became the talk of the town, painting our heroine as public enemy number one. The slighted housewives wanted this homewreckin’ hussy gone at once! No big deal, this tattooed tart ran out of gentlemen a long time ago. She blew the lid off that po dunk town and headed for the highway. Thumbing her way down dusty, cheap motel -studded roads, she’d hitchhike her way to another scandal. Getting into hot water has never been so much fun!

Wherever she would roam, men seemed to slip from their wedding bonds, completely unable to resist the hypnotic power of her flesh. None seemed to exhibit enough willpower to withstand her feminine wiles. No husband too devoted to his wife; no boyfriend too enthralled by his lady not to look this slinky temptress over. All would succumb to her sexy, scheming ways (keeping many divorce lawyers busy in the process). All the while, the resident villain of our story, who was as wicked as she was beautiful, continued to unrepentantly take whatever and whomever she wanted. Damned be the repercussions! Armed with a stiletto switchblade tucked into her boot and perpetually flawless lipgloss, this danger dame knew nothing of fear. Skilled in the fine art of masterful makeup application AND kicking ass, she quickly eliminated anyone in her way who dared to try and stop her!

You wanna make somethin’ of it?

To channel your inner pulp fiction femme fatale:

A tough girl staple such as the Zip Service Chained To The Radiator Motorcycle Jacket in the black and grey leopard colorway, tricked out with D-ring epaulets, side lacing and front zips brings your “fuck with me and get shanked” demeanor to the center stage.

Infuse your own personality into the look by adding a few band buttons to the lapels. Our leading lady prefers Alien Sex Fiend and Death in June.

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Dress up a pair of black jeans and flaunt your seductive side with Eskimos on X Bi-Polar Fashion Top in the black colorway. Mixing unlikely fabrics like knit jersey, mesh and black PVC adds a touch of sexy sophistication to your otherwise bad girl chic ensemble.

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Pair with black skinny jeans you can really kick some ass in!

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Harlot heels should reign supreme in the closet of EVERY Susie Homewrecker!

As any broad highly adept in husband theft will tell you, sky high stiletto booties elongate and draw attention to your legs.  Just call them your “Man Bait” shoes, darlin’

To duplicate Rachel’s coquettish coiffure:

Flat iron hair within every inch of its life.

Then flat iron it again.

Strategically placed leopard print hair bows allow you to re-acquaint yourself with your wild side, making the kitten (or cougar) inside you purr with delight.

Steal the beauty secrets of the bitch that stole your boyfriend!

Man enticing eyes and luscious lips that have been scientifically proven to be nearly irresistible to anything with an XY chromosome.

Skin:

Step 1: Although blessed with naturally nearly perfect skin Rachel opted to nix pesky trouble areas with a concealer corrector which she applied using a concealer brush.

Step 2: She then applied a liquid foundation with a round sponge.

Step 3: She finished by adding a dusting of translucent high definition powder to set the foundation in place

Eyes:

Rachel applied a light baby blue eye shadow using a brush with a tapered edge to the outer lid.

She then proceeded to add white shimmery shadow to the inner lid also with the help of a tapered edge brush.

Rachel accentuated the crease with gray eye shadow which she applied using a crease brush.

Both top and bottom lids of the eye were lined with black eye liner.

Brows were filled in with light brown eyebrow pencil.

Cheeks:

Rachel swiped some pink blush on her cheekbones using a blush brush

Lips:

Rachel applied pearl pink lipstick to her lips using a small lip brush.

She finished off with a coat of clear lip gloss!

Wives and girlfriends, eat your motherfuckin’ heart out!

Credits:

Photography:

Luke Copping

http://www.lukecopping.com

Model & MUA:

Rachel Mazzie
http://www.modelmayhem.com/rachelmazzie

<3

Vanity Kills

Cellar Heat

I glanced into the aged, dirty bathroom mirror one last time. It reflected a pallid, blue eyed, bottle redhead and something else most people couldn’t put their hands on. They called it a “presence”, they called it “snobbery”, they called it “The Condescending Whore Syndrome”. Whatever. I called it having nothing in common with them.

Not to mention that my cold, calculated distance drew these simple creatures in like the moth to a flame. I mean, really, come to think of it, my modus operandi was nothing short of flawless.

I fabricated this unattainable persona that evoked the awe and admiration of all these losers. It was child’s play. All it really took was a tightly corseted waist, glossy hair, mile high shoes rarely seen outside of strip clubs, or other such establishments of ill repute. Walking in like you owned the fucking place. Correction: KNOWING that you did. I’d stand just barely outside the perimeter of the dance floor on a weekly basis, drink in one hand, red and black handheld fan in the other. Sneering in disdain at the masses of flesh writhing before me in an awkward, off beat fashion as I aloofly fanned myself. How badly they wished to be me. How alien yet desirable the concept of style and grace must have been to them. Oh…and how I ever exploited that very longing…

Was there anything a boy wouldn’t do to have me on his arm?

Would a girl not sell her soul to swap style secrets with me in the bathroom in-between re-applying fresh coats of lip gloss?

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This damn near deification made my job as a predator that much easier.

Starved for my attention, they’d nearly fall to their knees in reverence at the tiniest acknowledgment of their existence. I’d feign interest long enough to persuade them to follow me into the venue’s cellar. On average it usually took about 10 minutes, before they allowed themselves to be escorted into the damp, dark recesses of the dilapidated dive bar they frequented every Saturday night like clockwork. I’m not sure if they expected drugs, carnal pleasures or any combination of the above, but in the end it mattered none to me.

I did however enjoy watching the anticipation of temporal indulgence transform into fear. It lasted about a nanosecond, but I always wished that I could freeze time in order to prolong it. You could say that I got off on it. Yeah, if anything had ever come close to evoking arousal in me, it was that delightful fleeting moment where their pupils would dilate, muscles grew stiff with adrenaline and their hearts synced to the beat of the Hocico song currently being played upstairs.

And then I disposed of them.

click to view full size

The method in which I took their life varied from weekend to weekend, depending greatly on my mood, my outfit and the amount of fight that my prey had in them. I won’t get into detail, as a lady needs to keep her secrets. I don’t ask you how you play with your toys, now do I? It’s none of my business, really. I only ask that I be allowed the courtesy of keeping my private life private in return.

I will however confess to finding great joy in watching them expire to the tune of Suicide Commando’s “Bind Torture Kill”, because I love nothing more than the deliciousness of irony. It’s as if the DJ upstairs knew of my extracurricular cellar activities. Accept that he didn’t. Which made everything a tenfold more satisfying.

click to view full size

I enjoyed out- of- towners, which were a rarer but a significantly more aesthetically appealing treat the most. Cute rivet boys with their dyed black undercuts and asymmetrical lip rings. Lithe, statuesque deathrock girls with hair that seemingly defied gravity. Being entertained by these gorgeous specimens for the duration of an evening in my humble underground abode always made me feel like life is worth living. Come dawn, if they still had a face, I’d even kiss them.

A loud thudding suddenly put an end to my seemingly endless string of daydreams and musings on the fine points of separating skin from tissue (It’s so cliché and you’re totally going to laugh, but I did occasionally enjoy wearing the faces of exquisitely beautiful young ladies, much like Venetians enjoyed their silly gilded masks). The resident DJ began playing that godawful C-Drone-Defect track complete with those banal American Psycho samples and all the males felt it was their duty to battle it out on the dance floor in a pathetic display of their alleged manhood. Their lame little Testosterone Fest managed to irritate me every single time. That song should have been retired six years ago. And American Psycho samples? Are you serious? Stomping around to that garbage makes those little boys who fail in every other aspect of their life, both professional and romantic feel like such big strong men for a whole five and a half minutes.

Yet all that manly bullshit is nowhere to be found when I’m shoving their intestines down their throat.

Alas it’s time to stop lollygagging about this dusty old cellar and allow myself to be absorbed by the party atmosphere of the main floor. As usual they will all stop and stare when I walk in. Study my every movement with bated breath, wishing, hoping and waiting for their lucky day when they’re finally granted the access to my private sanctuary to arrive.

None care for their dearly departed friends.

Awaiting their turn with utmost anxiety leaves them with no time for mourning.

I applied one final coat of mascara, winked at the redhead in the mirror and seized the night.

For a crime scene chic look that kills:

You needn’t resort to played out “shock tactics” such as dousing yourself from head to toe in a gallon of Party City purchased blood to slay the heart of the cute boy at the bar. The line between “gory glam” and “gaudy” is a fine one indeed. Choose form fitting, feminine pieces that hint subtly at the macabre for an ensemble that’s wearable outside of October 31st related festivities and Psyclon Nine shows.

Nothing says “serial killer swagger” like a pre-shredded top! No, Ma’am, no more late night DIY butcher knife-meets-shirt surgery for you. Try the SlasHer Girl’s Long Sleeved Shirt, already sliced and diced for your convenience. Alas if baring an exposed midriff on a crowded subway en route to the club, puts the HO in HOmicide too much for your liking, pair with a red and black polka dot waist cincher. Now your split personalities can finally be at peace. The slutty femme fatale can enjoy the sheer black “leaves just enough to the imagination” top while the more modest yet figure enhancing aspects of the corset will appease your slightly more demure side. Figuring out how to stop your alter egos from executing unsuspecting individuals is another story though

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Peekaboo underwear which repeats the cincher’s pattern in a slightly different, yet still relevant color scheme showcases your rack as a most definite point of interest. Don’t get pissed off if some tool doesn’t know what color your eyes are, but let him buy you a ton of drinks anyway.

Visceral statement making neckwear, such as this piece inspired by a certain blood pumping cardiac muscle lets the world know that you have nice jugs AND passed 10th grade anatomy.

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Create a sweetly sadistic silhouette with Institutionalized Bondage Stretch Twill Houdini’s Assistant Hobble Skirt. The massive D-rings provide a nice alternative for chicks who always secretly wished to be cenobites, but didn’t want to deal with the whole messy process of HAVING GIANT MEAT HOOKS JUST CHILLIN’ IN THE FLESH OF THEIR THIGHS.

Slightly immodest but nonetheless related addendum: Girrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrl, the back of that skirt is a one way ticket to Free Drink City. And that is all I’m sayin’.

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Spooky stockings adorned with bones collected from your victims (serial murderers do love to keep trophies, don’t you know?) combined with glossy black vinyl “refined harlot” fetish footwear turn you into one sexy sociopath.

For a drop dead gore-geous do:

Flat iron hair within every inch of its life.
Then flat iron it again.

Skully hair accessories such as Dia De Los Muertos inspired hair flowers and “little ghoul lost” bows in a complementary crimson shade say “I’m playful, yet predatory”.

This week, renowned Buffalo, NY makeup artist Rachel Mazzie gives you the scoop on achieving truly KILLER eyes and lips.

Skin:

Step 1: Rachel applied a foundation primer all over my face in order to ensure a smooth, flake free application

Step 2: She then applied a liquid foundation with a foundation brush.

Step 3: To camouflage any discoloration of the skin, Rachel attacked trouble spots with a concealer corrector which she applied using a concealer brush.

Step 4: She finished by adding a dusting of translucent high definition powder to set the foundation in place.

Eyes:

Using a brush with a tapered edge, Rachel applied light purple pearl paint shadow to the outer lid.

She then proceeded to add some white shimmery shadow to the inner lid also with the help of a tapered edge brush .

Rachel accentuated the crease with some darker purple eye shadow which she applied using a crease brush.

Black falsies applied were applied to the lashes for an ultra dreamy gaze

Both top and bottom lids of the eye were lined with purple eye liner.

Cheeks:

Rachel swiped some pink blush on my cheekbones using a blush brush

Lips:

Rachel filled in my lips with pink lipliner. Then mixed pink lipstick with shiny sand hued lig gloss which she then applied to my lips using a small lip brush.

Q: “What do you think when you see a pretty girl walking down the street?”
A: “One side of me says, ‘I’d like to talk to her, date her’. The other side of me says, ‘I wonder how her head would look on a stick?”

–Edmund Kemper

Credits:

Photography:

Luke Copping
http://www.lukecopping.com

Model:

Vanity Kills
http://www.modelmayhem.com/vanitykills

MUA:

Rachel Mazzie
http://www.modelmayhem.com/rachelmazzie

Taken in the glorious basement of Prometheus 233 studios in Buffalo, NY.

<3

Vanity Kills

Kommandante Kyla

And so the year 2083, came to pass. A shroud of chaos, hopelessness and despair had befallen mankind. Societal paradigms shifted to the crackling tune of broken vertebrae.

You see, in 2053 a rogue military research scientist Dr. Aven carried out an ill fated clandestine operation in an underground laboratory rumored to be located somewhere under Rochester, NY. Aven obsessed with James O’Barr’s comic and subsequent 1994 movie, The Crow, sought to genetically engineer a race of humanoids born with ghostly pallor, a psychic mind link to corvids and an infinite lifespan. He experimented with unwilling participants harvested from a local nocturnal hot spot. The captive hosts were injected with a mutagenic Corvax virus.  Aven hoped that exposure to his viral creation would reconfigure the DNA of the test subjects at hand. It did. He didn’t factor in unpleasant side effects such as a rabid affinity for questionable wardrobe choices and voracity for human flesh that came as a result of altering the host’s genetic code.

Disaster struck when research specimens were accidentally released into the general populace, which slowly caused a worldwide epidemic that claimed millions of lives and decline of good taste.

Civilized society collapsed into barbarity, cities crumbled into dust and famine spread through all lands.  Hordes of cannibal mutants (Failus stylus) lurked in the bowels of derelict buildings. Recognizable by their mousy brown hair highlighted by strands of bright yellow and black caution tape which had been haphazardly tied in as well as clumps of dirty neon fur strapped to their weathered footwear of inferior quality.  Feasting upon anyone who did not exhibit likewise physical characteristics, wanton tribes of poorly outfitted man eating savages proved to be a true plague upon the continuously dwindling group of survivors.

With time small cells of Fashionista Resistance began to form. A valiant and highly esteemed resistance fighter known exclusively by her code name, Kommandante Kyla, managed to unify the dispersed local leaders and form a centralized, highly secretive organization that came to be known as Division LS. Spearheading the rebellion against bloodthirsty apparel challenged predators, this fierce and fearless warrior takes no prisoners or on off the battlefield.

She shall know no rest, no peace and no love until the last yarn hair fall has been obliterated from existence and the last flesh forager has perished.

Until that day comes she shall fight in the frontlines for fashion’s sake.

Your style mission should you choose to accept it:

Division LS I Schultz’s Stretch Poplin Long Sleeved Snap Up Top in the green/blood colorway is an essential uniform staple for battle ready beauties everywhere. Pair with a camouflage underbust corset to protect your precious innards from the teeth of hungry zombies who are always far beyond eager to snack on your intestines.

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Iron cross armband cannibalized from Achtung Playtime Chick’s Militia Shirt in the candy apple red/black colorway shows your opponents that you mean business. At least when it comes to the fine art of obsessively accessorizing your deliciously dangerous military garb.

If succumbing to loss in battle appears to be imminent it is still one’s duty to leave a sharply dressed corpse in the wake of an untimely demise. Under Kommandante Kyla’s “Death Before Fashion Dishonor Act of 2080”, female soldiers of the Fashionista Resistance must attire themselves in Division LS I Servitude Skirt in the blood/green colorway to strike the perfect balance of fetish and utilitarian chic.

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Black platform boots of epic proportions cause one to project the illusion of greater stature, which has been proven to be a successful enemy intimidation maneuver.

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For  Fall Out Shelter Chic Falls:

-  Throw out all your yarn falls. This is non negotiable.

-  Gather your hair into a high ponytail on top of your head. This is imperative. Nothing is sadder than a limp hair fall just chillin’ near the base of your skull, because you confused  the “tie my hair back before I go to the gym” ponytail with “I need to support a pound of plastic shit on top of my head” ponytail.

- Twist hair into a bun(think Princess Leia).

-  Pin the shit out of the above mentioned bun with bobby pins. When you think you’ve pinned it enough, add 10 more pins.

-   Lean forward.

-   Grab the fall by the lace that is attached to it’s base and proceed to wrap said lace around the bottom of the bun.

-  Pin it down some more.

-  Throw your head back.

-  Add more pins for good measure.

- Grab a loose dread and wrap around the base of the now fall covered bun in order to hide the tell tale pins.

- Sneak in a few more covert pins to secure the dread you just wrapped around the whole contraption.

Think your hair can withstand a night of oontz oontz?

Let’s see, shall we?

Step 1: Put on Feindflug

Step 2: Punch and kick like an idiot with all your might for the duration of the track. You can actually pretend that this makes you look cool.

If your hair is still in the same spot it was in 5 minutes ago, you’re good to go. If it migrated then you clearly didn’t listen to me and didn’t pin your fall within every inch of it’s life like I instructed you to do in the first place. DO NOT PASS GO, DO NOT COLLECT $200.

And now for a Lethal Style PSA:

CAUTION TAPE IS A STRETCHY, PORTABLE WARNING SIGN CREATED TO PREVENT ONE FROM ACCESSING AREAS THAT CAN PROVE THEMSELVES TO BE POTENTIALLY HAZARDOUS. IT IS NOT MEANT TO BE WORN IN YOUR HAIR.

Liven up the gloomiest of gloomy  post apocalyptic landscapes with daring greenish gold lids and bold burgundy lips! Matching your lipstick to your epaulets being an utmost necessity.

General Prep Work

You will need:

Moisturizer ,Primer, Concealer, Liquid Foundation, Foundation Brush, Translucent Powder, Powder brush, Eyeshadow primer

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.  Before proceeding any further allow your skin to properly absorb the moisturizer. This should take about 10 minutes. 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! Nix blemishes and skin discoloration by gently patting concealer over the trouble area. Follow by blending with your ring finger.

Apply a 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]. Set everything in place by finishing off with a thin coat of translucent powder.  Use a full, round shaped powder brush for optimal results.

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:

Shimmering emerald green eyeshdow,  Frosted gold eyeshadow, Pearly beige eyeshadow, Small fluffy eyeshadow brush, Blending brush, Eyelash curler, Black mascara

Greens look simply stunning on blondes! Using a blending brush add a generous helping of shimmering emerald green eyeshadow to the outer crease  of your eye and bring it down to the outer corner of your eyelid. Your meticulous creation should be in the shape of the letter “V”. I always say that if you shave and draw your brows on you can extend the shadow past your crease and onto the lower part of your browbone, since you obviously have more room to work with. Note: This does not work for everyone, but feel free to experiment! Clean your blending brush. Starting at the inner corner of your eyelid swipe some frosted gold eyeshadow outward toward the “outer V” where the shimmering emerald green eyeshadow sits.  See Figure 1.

Figure 1

Blend both shades into each other at their meeting point. When you’re done, the outer part of your eyelid (and some of your browbone if you’re eyebrowless) should be shimmery shade of emerald green, while the inner part should be a frosty gold color. Light shimmery shadows placed directly under the eyebrow’s arch really help to bring your whole eye makeup together. So yet again clean that blending brush and after you’ve done so, highlight your browbone with pearly beige eyeshadow, which should be placed directly under your eyebrows[regardless if they’re fake or natural]. Blend the pearly beige eyeshadow into the two colors that you’ve blended into your lid and crease.  Namely the shimmering emerald green and the frosted gold. See Figure 2.

Figure 2

For a sexy, fresh alternative to tired black eyeliner, apply the same shimmering emerald green eyeshadow you used on the outer “V” of your eye to your lower lashline using a small fluffy eyeshadow brush. Start at the outer corner of your eye, slowly making your way toward the inner corner. Curl your eyelashes with an eyelash curler and top off with 2 coats of black mascara.

Face:

You will need:

Blush brush, Pink blush, Bronzer

For hot curiously sharp cheekbone action, contouring is in order! Swipe some pressed bronzer onto your blush brush. Starting mid-cheek, going towards your ear apply the bronzer into the hollows of your cheeks using short, up-and-down vertical strokes.  As I’ve mentioned in the previous editions of Lethal Style, darker shades have the tendency to give you those coveted slightly gaunt cheekbones, since they give the illusion of the hollows of your cheeks receding. Using the same technique add pink blush to the apples of your cheeks, which will cause them to protrude. Make sure to blend it well in order to avoid harsh lines which can make your face look tacky and contrived.

Lips:

You will need:

Berry colored lip liner, Burgundy crème lipstick

Use a berry colored lip liner to fill in your lips starting at the center of your natural lip line and moving toward the outer corners. This will keep your lipstick where it should be. Burgundy lipstick that matches the cuffs and epaulets of your sleek Division LS I shirt perfectly? Yes, fucking please!  Beginning in the center of your upper lip gently press the tube into the flesh of your lip and then proceed to roll it over the entire top lip area, working toward the edges. Repeat the process on your bottom lip. See Figure 3.

Being spotted with lipstick on your teeth is considered a major beauty blunder! Prevent potential slippage by placing a finger in your mouth, closing your lips around it and then removing said finger. This will remove any excess lip junk.

Nails:

You will need:

Black nail polish (which you really ought to know how to apply lest you want thine goth card revoked)

Nails are painted an obligatory black to conceal dried mutant blood under your fingernails.

Soldier on, Kommandante Kyla, soldier on!

Credits:

Photography:

Aaron Kondziela

http://aaronkondziela.com

Model:

Meagan Kyla

http://www.modelmayhem.com/1004843

Makeup & Styling

Vanity Kills

http://www.modelmayhem.com/vanitykills

Location:

Buffalo Central Terminal

http://buffalocentralterminal.org

<3

Vanity Kills

Jardin Noir

Our heroine is no stranger to the plight of unrequited love.  You see, she’s got a penchant for falling for boys that reside exclusively in the pages of dusty old tomes. Boys she’ll never have. Between studying each note in every Nick Cave song and idealized romanticism, she found no time for the flesh and blood male. Until one found her. And wouldn’t go away. Thus she allowed him into her inner sanctum. Unsure how to proceed with such a creature, the flesh and blood boy did as all flesh and blood boys do.  He broke her heart.

At a loss, she retreated to her place of solace and plucked and single yellow lily.

He loves me…

He loves me not…

The last petal fell to the ground. She still didn’t know.

Emotion had led her astray, so she realized that rely on logic she must.

She slit his throat and buried him in a bed of flowers.

And where the blood once fell, yellow lilies grow.

Only the black garden knows all her secrets. But she prefers “Jardin Noir”. She thinks French words make her sound more sophisticated…

For an anything but “garden variety” look:

Start with a chic, versatile* blouse such as the Black Tales, White Lies What Comes Around Goes Around Long Sleeved Button Up Top in the black/white colorway for a touch of polished elegance. The circular black and white striped ruffle detail around the neckline makes the shirt stand on its own, so no need for additional accessories.  Save your gargantuan “statement necklace” for another time, s’il vous plait.

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Embrace the lace in Tomorrow’s Parties Yesterday Floor Length Skirt in a black/ivory colorway. It’s nearly impossible not to fall in lust with the lace overlay and ruffle finish. The sash ties into a decorative bow in the back, which draws attention to your posterior in a more refined way than having JUICY emblazoned across your ass.

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Ridiculously high platformed matte black Mary Janes save you from collecting various foliage in your skirt’s ruffles without distracting from the rest of your ensemble.

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The ever necessary black lace parasol shields you from carcinogenic rays AND doubles as a murder weapon. Since you’re apparently gother than thou, most people will dismiss the blood stains as mere decoration.

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PVC batwinged skull hair clips add a helping of sugary girlie gloom.

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For delicately dreamy waves:

-  Apply a small amount of volumizing mousse to slightly damp hair.

-  Blow dry with a diffuser until completely dry.

-  Separate into 1- 1 1/2 “ sections .

-  Curl with a medium barrel curling iron

-  Coil each curled section around your finger.

-  Slide the curl off your finger .

-  Insert a bobby pin to hold it in place.

-  Repeat the process until you have curled and pinned the remainder of your hair in an identical manner.

-  Spritz with hair spray to extend the life of your creation.

-  Unpin all the curls

-  Run fingers through all the curls to give them a looser, more natural appearance.

Chin length hair? Chelsea? Mohawk?

Just wig it , girls.

Alas stay clear of the Halloween section at Party City and visit a reputable wig shop in your area.

I scored this black piece at a Manhattan shop for $60. I’ve tricked it out with ultra cute gothy hair accessories for the club and kept it corporately cool in the office.

• Get more mileage out of your Blacklist favorites!

This Black Tales, White Lies What Comes Around Goes Around Long Sleeved Button Up

can also:

-Be paired with a matching black fitted blazer, a well tailored pencil skirt and round toe pumps for a sleek 9 to 5 approved corporate goth look.

-Dress up a pair of distressed denim jeans to add some “I look really hot without even having try” flair to your daily wardrobe.

Gilt Trip

Because black eyeliner was so “Fetish Aristocracy”.

Because you’ll outshine all the other girls…literally.

General Prep Work

You will need:

Moisturizer ,Primer , Concealer, Liquid Foundation, Foundation Brush, Translucent Powder, Powder brush

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.  Before proceeding any further allow your skin to properly absorb the moisturizer. This should take about 10 minutes. 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! Nix blemishes and skin discoloration by gently patting concealer over the trouble area. Follow by blending with your ring finger.

Apply a 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]. Set everything in place by finishing off with a thin coat of translucent powder.  Use a full, round shaped powder brush for optimal results.

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, Black eyeliner, Shimmering bronze crème eye shadow pencil,  Rich sparkly loose copper pigment,Frosted gold eyeshadow, Pressed pearly white eyeshadow, Eyeshadow brush with a round/tapered edge, Blending brush, Eyelash curler, Black mascara

For sexy copper toned lids, color in your entire eyelid from lashline to crease  with a shimmering bronze crème eye shadow pencil. See Figure 1.

Figure 1

Grab a brush with a tapered/rounded edge and dip it into the sparkly loose copper pigment. Gently tap, DO NOT SWIPE, the pigment across your entire eyelid from lashline to crease. Tapping the pigment on results in much higher color payoff. Cover the entire area that you’ve previously filled in with your bronze crème eye shadow pencil. See Figure 2. This will double up on the copper shade and ensure that your lids are visible across the dancefloor in a dimly lit bar. After all you never know who you’ll need to bat them from a distance ;)

Figure 2

Using a blending brush add some metallic orange based copper eyeshadow to the outer crease of your eye and bring it down to your lashline on the outer corner of your eyelid. Your creation should be in the shape of the letter “V”. If you shave and draw your brows on you can extend the shadow past your crease and onto the lower part of your browbone, since you obviously have more room to work with. Clean the orange eyeshadow off your blending brush. Starting at the inner crease of your eye swipe some frosted gold eyeshadow outward toward where the metallic orange based copper eyeshadow sits. If you’re devoid of eyebrows, feel free to extend the shadow past your crease and onto the lower part of your browbone just. When you’re done, the outer part of your crease(and some of your browbone if you’re eyebrowless) should be a bold orangey copper shade, while the inner part should be a frosty gold color. Blend both shades into each other at their meeting point which should lie somewhere at the halfway point in the crease of your eye. Then blend both shades into the rich loose copper pigment that you added in Figure 2. Yet again clan your blending brush and after you’ve done so,  highlight your browbone with a healthy dose of pearly white eyeshadow, which should be placed directly under your eyebrows[regardless if they’re fake or natural]. Blend the pearly white eyeshadow into the two colors that you’ve blended into your crease, the orangey copper and the frosted gold. Light shimmery shadows placed directly under the eyebrow’s arch really help to bring your whole eye makeup together. Line your bottom lid starting from the outer corner of your eye , slowly making your way toward the inner corner. Most of the color should be concentrated in the outer corner. Curl your eyelashes with an eyelash curler and top off with 2 coats of black mascara.

Face:

You will need:

Blush brush, Pink blush, Bronzer

Behold the power of cheekbone contouring! Swipe some pressed bronzer onto your blush brush. Starting mid-cheek, going towards your ear apply the bronzer into the hollows of your cheeks using short, up-and-down vertical strokes.  As I’ve previously explained, darker shades have the tendency to give you those coveted slightly gaunt cheekbones, since they give the illusion of the hollows of your cheeks receding. Using the same technique add pink blush to the apples of your cheeks, which will cause them to protrude. Make sure to blend it well in order to avoid harsh lines which can make you look like you got punched in the face.

Lips:

You will need:

Flesh toned lip liner, Shimmery copper lip gloss

Use a flesh toned lip liner to fill in your lips starting at the center of your natural lip line and moving toward the outer corners. This will keep migrating lipgloss at bay. Now let’s rock some shimmery copper lipgloss to continue the precious metal makeup theme. Beginning in the center of your upper lip, gently press the gloss wand into the flesh of your lip and then proceed to roll it over the entire top lip area, working toward the edges. See Figure 3.

Now go forth and execute your crimes of passion…

But never fashion.

<3

Vanity Kills

Credits:

Photography:

Fashion shots by:

Jennifer Link

http://jennifer-link.com

Makeup shots by:

Meagan Kyla

http://www.modelmayhem.com/1004843

Model:

Vanity Kills

http://www.modelmayhem.com/vanitykills

Location:

Buffalo Japanese Garden

Decadent accouterments for pleasure enthusiasts who feel that historical accuracy is best left to PBS costume dramas and hardcore reenactors. Wearing our vices on our sleeve, we shall issue no apologies for partaking in the many delights of mixing Victoriana with fetishwear. A highly evolved sense of aesthetics, an overtly self absorbed mindset and hint of ill repute are our calling card. We are the fetish aristocracy, if it’s a sin, count us in.

The Duchess

Surrounded by fineries and enveloped in splendor the duchess politely smiles as she takes her afternoon tea.  All pleasantries and proper demeanor she savors the taste of Early Grey, drank pinky up, amongst her fellow well bred ladies of polite society. In her mind’s eye she pictures the looks of horror on their collective prudish faces had they discovered that she was indeed wearing vinyl knickers under her bustled mourning skirt .Such thoughts fill her heart with much glee.

click to view full size

Channel her libertine style in:

Blacklist Core Long Sleeved Ruffle Dress Shirt in the black colorway. The sleek timeless cut makes it the cornerstone of any elegant ensemble. Pair with a black underbust corset or waist cincher to create a flattering silhouette. I opted for a medically inspired cameo corset, but the #83-164 Waist Cincher from Lippy’s Blacklist collection would look simply exquisite paired with the Long Sleeved Ruffle Dress Shirt as well.

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Indulge in the drama and dark romance of Vice’s Duchess de Sade II Victorian Mourning Skirt in the Blood colorway.  Guaranteed to garner many a jealous stare at the next gala. For added oomph layer a crinoline or a hoop skirt under this show stopping garment.*

*I highly recommend doing so due to the length of the skirt. If your tallest boots happen to be stompy 8” platforms that otherwise clash horribly with your outfit, a floor length petticoat will help to camouflage them nicely.

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If Sofia Coppola’s Marie Antoinette movie can substitute The Cure, Siouxsie and the Banshees and New Order for the usual classical and baroque compositions on its soundtrack , then you don’t need to worry about your headwear being an exact replica of a hat you spotted in a televised adaptation of a Charles Dickens novel. I’m not here to teach you history, I’m here to present you with the anatomy of a fabulous get up :)  I happen to think that black hats embellished with feathers, ribbons and fabric roses are fabulous indeed.

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Protect the skin you’re in from the sun’s harmful ultraviolet rays WHILE staying chic by toting a parasol around on all your daylight adventures about town. My preference lies in a black gothic Lolita inspired piece adorned with mini silver crosses, black lace and filigree medallions.

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To score some easy loosely wound romantic curls:

- Apply a small amount of volumizing mousse to your hair.

- Separate hair into 1”-2” sections.

-Starting at 2”-3” away from the scalp begin winding your hair around the barrel of a curling iron.

-Hold curl for 10 to 15 seconds.

-Release curling iron.

-Repeat until you have curled the rest of your hair.

-Spray with enough hair spray to make your hair an official fire hazard

-Resist touching!

The Dandyette

The dandyette wears what she pleases unrestrained by gender roles, societal norms or the opinion of envious naysayers who secretly wish they were her. Quoting Wilde and Bauldelaire in between sips of absinthe, she transforms the criticism of those with a most unfortunate fashion sense into pure poetry.  Arrogance suits her like a well tailored coat. To cross her is to commit social suicide.

Revel in the flavor of dandy candy in:

Menswear inspired elegance with a distinct feminine feel is the dandyette’s trademark look. Flirt with androgyny without the fear of looking like your Fourth Grade PE teacher by layering a Black Tales White Lies Tattle Tale Victorian Crop Jacket in the ivory/black colorway over the Dusk ‘Till Dawn Stretch Poplin Tuxedo Ruffle Top also in the ivory/black colorway. Both by Blacklist. Avoid any potential “matador” or “circus ringmaster” references by coupling with a plain black waist cincher of your choice. Yet again the #83-164 Waist Cincher from Blacklist would be most suiting.

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If the boobs weren’t a dead giveaway, combining the above mentioned top and jacket with statement making lace trimmed black PVC bloomers won’t let the boys forget that you’re still a girl under all their clothes. Not even for a second.

(Bloomers made with DIY love by my roommate Melanie)

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White socks like these would make the Dandy Highwayman himself, Adam Ant, very very proud. Simple black PVC platforms bring the whole ensemble home.

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Black top hats make everything fine and dandy.

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A sleek understated ponytail won’t upstage your fanciful attire.

The Magic is in the Makeup

General Prep Work

You will need:

Moisturizer ,Primer , Concealer, Liquid Foundation, Foundation Brush, Translucent Powder, Powder brush

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.  Before proceeding any further allow your skin to properly absorb the moisturizer. This should take about 10 minutes. 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! Nix blemishes and skin discoloration by gently patting concealer over the trouble area. Follow by blending with your ring finger.

Apply a 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]. Set everything in place by finishing off with a thin coat of translucent powder.  Use a full, round shaped powder brush for optimal results.

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.

The Duchess

Smoky eyes for a blue blood girl

Eyes:

You will need:

Eyeshadow primer, Black eyeliner, Matte black eyeshadow,  Pressed brown eyeshadow,  Pressed steel gray eyeshadow, Pressed pearly white eyeshadow, Eyeshadow brush with a round/tapered edge, Blending brush, Eyelash curler, Black mascara

Using a brush with a round/tapered edge swipe some matte black eyeshadow starting at the inner corner of your eye all the way to your outer corner. This should form a semi thick solid black line. Try to keep the line as close to your lashes as possible. It need not be super precise. We shall blend our asses off later. See Figure 1.

Figure 1

Starting directly above the line of black eye shadow that you’ve just applied, add some pressed brown shadow. Fill in the entire surface of the lid with the brown shade right up to your crease. Blend some steel gray eyeshadow to the outer crease of your eye and bring it down to on the outer corner of your eyelid. The steel gray shadow you just added should be in the shape of the letter “V”. If you shave and draw your brows on you can extend the shadow past your crease and onto the lower part of your browbone, since you obviously have more room to work with. Clean that blending brush and after you’ve done so, highlight your browbone with a healthy dose of pearly white eyeshadow.

Blend, blend, blend and blend some more!

Grab your trusty black kohl and line your bottom lid starting from the outer corner of your eye, slowly making your way toward the inner corner. Most of the color should be concentrated in the outer corner. Personally, I prefer to put on eyeliner after eyeshadow and before mascara. Curl your eyelashes with an eyelash curler and top off with 2 coats of black mascara.

Face:

You will need:

Blush brush, Peachy pink blush, Bronzer

Let’s make those cheekbones pop! Swipe some pressed bronzer  onto your blush brush. 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. 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.

Lips:

You will need:

Flesh toned lip liner, Shimmering light pink lip plumping gloss

Filling in your entire lip area prevents your lip color from fading and feathering throughout the course of your drunken debauchery filled nights. Use a flesh toned lip liner to fill in your lips starting at the center of your natural lip line and moving toward the outer corners. Shimmering light pink lips balance out the heaviness of the eyes. Beginning in the center of your upper lip, gently press the gloss wand into the flesh of your lip and then proceed to roll it over the entire top lip area, working toward the edges. See Figure 2.

Figure 2

Repeat the process on your bottom lip. To ensure that your gloss sticks to your mouth and not your teeth put your index finger in your mouth, then proceed to slide it out slowly with your mouth still closed. This will remove any excess lip color.

The Dandyette

Play up your eyes with “gender neutrals”.

Eyes:

You will need:

Espresso eyeshadow , Bronze eyeshadow, Frosty white (brow bone highlight)
Black eyeliner kohl (above lashes), Eyelash curler, Black mascara (lash), Eyeshadow brush with a round/tapered edge, Blending brush,

With the help of a black kohl eyeliner, line your entire upper lid stopping right at the outer corner. Stay as close to the lashline as you can and for the love of all things holy do not wing out said liner. You might be tempted to, but JUST DON’T DO IT! See Figure 3.

Figure 3

Fill in the entire surface of the lid with an espresso eyeshadow shade right up to your crease using an eyeshadow brush with a round/tapered edge.  Follow up with just a hint of bronze eyeshadow added to the outer crease of your eye with aid of a blending brush.  Clean your trusty blending brush. Add a small amount of a frosty white eyeshadow to your browbone.. Curl your eyelashes with an eyelash curler and top off with 2 coats of black mascara. See Figure 4.

Figure 4

Lips:

You will need:

Nude lip gloss

Too cool for lipliner, our heroine chooses a nude lip. See Figure 5

Figure 5

And so the Duchess and the Dandyette spent their days strolling about the gardens as if they owned place.

Well, they sort of did.

After the arsenic lace tea party incident anyway…

You see the Duke did not think to make her sign a prenup.

Credits:

Photography:

Aaron Kondziela

http://aaronkondziela.com

Models:

The Duchess –Vanity Kills

http://www.modelmayhem.com/vanitykills

The Dandyette-Meagan Kyla

http://www.modelmayhem.com/1004843

Location:

Buffalo and Erie County Botanical Gardens

http://www.buffalogardens.com

And to all a good night!

<3

Vanity Kills