Posts Tagged ‘blacklist’

Dr. Ray D. Ayshun & Eyeleen

Story by: Dan Barrett

 

That he was once a doctor of a stature which could be considered noble is arguable. If you were somehow fortunate enough to find a past colleague, they surely would deny the knowledge of acquaintanceship now. For the (perhaps we can say) ‘good’ doctor shall only be known for his madness and perseverance in the arcane. He was testing something in the evenings, when he was alone beyond the watchful eye of peers, and the thing backfired on him. Some kind of radiation attached itself to his skin and melted it from the inside out. Unfortunately the dear doctor was not lucky enough to expire during the ordeal, but instead was forced to watch himself become rather mutated and corrupted by the amorphous foulness seeping onto his flesh. After the incident he came unhinged, or perhaps simply exhibited the full breadth of an inherent lunacy. Loathing himself, he retreated to a crumbling estate on the edge of the world where he feverishly stalks the countryside.

 

 

Eyeleen

 

So disgusted was she by the foulness that had overtaken her brother, she could no longer bear to look at his abhorrent, charred countenance. But the vision was of so hideous a degree it had become absolutely etched into the very retina which bore her sight; the only lasting solution was to destroy them completely. The act achieved, covered in molten blood and filth, she fell deep into an abyss of pain and torment. The grotesque objects of disdain had been removed, but the grave reward was to be trapped in a boundless void of formless horror. She clutches at the detested eyeballs, trying to find a way to rend them from this plane and erase all the horrors they have seen.

 

Matthew 5:29 If your right eye causes you to sin, gouge it out and throw it away. It is better for you to lose one part of your body than for your whole body to be thrown into hell.

 

 

Inspiration List: Twisted Porcelain Dolls by Jessica Harrison, St. Lucy (Christian martyrdom makes Hostel look like The Little Mermaid), Bill’s desire to shoot with Michael since “he’d make an awesome psycho”, the “Lyme Disease House of Walpack” and nonmedical use of antique wheelchairs.

 

The REAL Tortured Souls of New Jersey.

 

… The house is free, but the ghosts are extra.

 

The mood is that of antique-tinged insanity as fashion and violence march hand-in-hand by the way of bandages steeped in crimson fluid, colorways cast in bloody tones and truly eye-popping accessories.

 

 

• Much like a supremely elegant funeral, the #49-237 Blacklist Ruffle Dress Shirt and the #38-532 Duchess de Sade II Danse Macabre Victorian Mourning Skirt, both seen here in the blood colorway, bestow somber overtones upon the wearer, creating tension and discomfort while remaining well within the parameters of propriety.
• Disembodied eyeballs and soiled gauze up the ante on creepy.
• A heart cameo corset bridges the gap between structured and insane.

 

 

• Playing doctor is no fun in a coat that isn’t generously punctuated by sanguine splatter.
• In this “rivet rendition of Phantom of the Opera”, the most instantly recognizable standby of industrial culture sits perched upon the putrefied physician’s shoulders. Faithfully shielding his disfigured features from prying eyes (though they sure as hell won’t be his sister’s). And yes, ladies he IS single.
• Dr. Ray D. Ayshun’s makeup was applied using the technique previously seen in Blood Harvest and Springtime Sacrifice.

 

Note: Christian martyrs make some of the goriest Halloween costumes. Just sayin’.

 

Special thanks to: LA Mike (seen here in the role of Dr. Ray D. Ayshun) for laying on the most disgusting mattress known to man and falling through a couch.

 

Credits

Photographer: Bill Tracy Photography

Models

Dr. Ray D.Ayshun: LA Mike

Eyeleen:Vanity Kills

Location:Walpack, NJ

<3

Vanity Kills

Summer 2011′s Ultimate Lippy Wardrobe Essentials

Let it be known that The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) predicts a peak heat index of 116 this upcoming Friday in the DC metro area. As we seek respite from the Helter Swelter outside and try our best to avoid spontaneously bursting into flames during daylight hours, our cherished latex kimonos, Victorian mourning gowns and those deliciously ubergoth slinky floor-length bell sleeved lace numbers are forced into mandatory hibernation until further notice. It doesn’t take a meteorologist to determine that looking hot while staying cool can pose quite a challenge when daytime highs hit (and surpass) the 100° mark. Conventional fashion “wisdom” pushes crisp, white tees and all manner of apparel classified as “Bohemian”, “hippie-chic” and “surfer girl”. None of which exactly appeal to the self-identified Fashion Freak’s spooky sensibility. Luckily, Lippy is here to help you adapt your wardrobe to the smoldering temps with their latest crop of cute, carefree summer styles suitable for all your outdoor escapades (for those adventurous times when you actually dare to brave atmospheric conditions only slightly cooler than hell).

Check out last year’s guide to summer industrial/goth clubwear here

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A day spent thoroughly abusing your body at an amusement park is practically considered to be the season’s calling card. What would summer be without consuming embarrassingly vast quantities of overpriced beer and funnelcake, promptly followed by stomach-churning thrills of steel coasters — launching your screaming self 40 stories into the air at speeds approaching 130 miles per hour? For a hands-free way to tote all your essentials (keys, credit card, phone), strap on a Millennium Moon Unisex Utility Belt

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Bypass the steel boning and sub the real thing JUST THIS ONCE for Step in Time’s Cap Sleeve Corset Screen Top in the sand colorway for an easier, breezier albeit significantly more low key way to get your steampunk fix in mid-July.

 

 

This heavy, sticky time of year time considered by many goths to be the “unavoidable prelude to the autumnal months” doesn’t exactly lend itself well to the billowing voluminosity which characterizes so many skirts typically associated with the Victorian period. The Jardin Noir Ruffle Skirt in the black/ivory colorway meets you halfway, by marrying the effortless elegance of its charming French country print with a laid back length, which minimizes heat-related distress by allowing for ample air circulation.

Millennium Moon Boob Tube’s tribal screenprint looks quite fetching peeking out of a halfway-zipped sleeveless hoodie (think Spring 09’s Cybertronic Ragdoll line).

 

 

Oppressive weather provides the ultimate excuse for baring slightly more skin on first dates without coming off too Kardashian-esque (Read: Easier than the proverbial Sunday morning). Pair a Pin Me Up Cami Top in the black/red colorway with a plain black pencil skirt and red-lacquered pumps to hybridize the best of modern take-charge chicks and sultry vintage coquettes. If you still feel too naked, throw on a Broken Promises Bolero.

Even come August, those romantic hand-in-hand nighttime walks on the beach can get mighty chilly. Never a better time to score some “good boyfriend points” with your lady friend than by loaning her some form of cover. Even better if said cover just happens to be the Autopsy Mens Y-Incision Hoodie. The only real downside being that you might not get it back.

Maxi dresses are everywhere this summer. Unfortunately, their great versatility and layering potential is too-often overshadowed by the hideous ikat print that’s, for a reason unbeknownst to me, so frequently featured in conjunction with this garment. For girls who lack desire to approximate a table runner, there’s Autopsy Cadaverous Maxi Dress. Just add wedges and some delightfully morbid taxidermy statement jewelry and you’re good to scare the shit out of small children on the boardwalk.

<3

Vanity Kills

The Birthday Girl

Another birthday had come, and with it one more party to add to the list. We were at one of my favorite bars in the city; we being myself and a close-knit circle of good friends I’ve amassed over the years, those I truly felt close to. It was a moderately satisfying, if rather uneventful, night; the bar crowd was typical and the drinks were pleasantly mediocre. We were overdressed, of course, decked out in lavish flowing gowns and enormous hair more fit for a ballroom than a barstool. But this was a celebration and absolutely no time to conceal our love for the garish!

The venue was in full swing, but the lack of exciting dialogue was causing prime time to feel more akin to mime time. Something that would take the night from a blasé 4 to a riveting 8+ was in order. As if on cue, the dubious on-and-off love interest of my old college roommate decided to grace us with his typically “too cool for school” presence. He was an odd fellow, known for both his ironic Franz Ferdinand moustache and highly acclaimed work within the field of street pharmacy. He stepped forward to reveal that he had a blotter securely tucked away in the gargantuan Native American tribal chief ceremonial headdress perched atop his head. Not ones to normally partake in such rash activities (such as conversing with hipsters), we thought ill of the notion at first, but ultimately decided to throw reason on its head and see where this new development may lead us (possibly jail). There were three of us that decided to indulge and we each ingested our respective portion. For some time there was little impact beyond elevated adrenaline levels, but suddenly the world began to grow thin and long until a blackness corroded the lens of perception.

After some time, as to the duration of which I could offer no educated guess, I became aware of myself once again. I was standing up, apparently the same as I had been at the bar but, in growing cognizant of my surroundings, I realized that I was somewhere quite apart from said city-dwelling tavern. There was simply what appeared to be a ramshackle, old dwelling floating solitarily in a void; nothing but amorphous darkness beyond the small bit of soil and several trees serving as the withering buildings’ meager estate. My options were few, and panic oddly suppressed, so I decided to see what lie within the crumbling edifice.

Not surprisingly, the interior matched the degeneration of the exterior; the walls were stripped of paint and paper, the floors were missing large sections and the ceilings were precariously cracked and splintering. There was dull light streaming in from an unforeseen angle which provided something of a conduit in navigating the inner sanctum of the structure. The bottom levels were all but uncharitable, so rather than tempt fate, I chose to ascend the staircase in the front room. Reaching the top of the stairs, I noticed that many of the upper rooms would nary accommodate a human body; however though, one particularly large empty room stood out among them as potentially habitable. With nowhere else to traverse, I ventured into this area.

Save for the bits of crumbled plaster and brick around the edges of the room, the floor was entirely bare. The walls had become uniformly blank with age, and the only things which stood out were a long abandoned fireplace and a rather dusty, ancient couch. This was strange enough, until, in a startling revelation, I noticed that some force or entity had posted a sizable HAPPY BIRTHDAY marquee along the back wall, and left a rather bulky cube-shaped present on the rustic couch. Both of these items lacked signs of age or length of stay. Normally, I would run from this uncanny scene, frightened out of my mind, but the effects of the drug and/or the blur of the dreamlike state caused in me an intense curiosity instead, and a distinct lack of fear. This was apparently to be my private astral party and I, as the guest of honor, should take care not miss it. I took my place on the dust-encrusted throne and proceeded to take the present into my lap. Across from me on the wall was a large rectangular mirror. As I stared at the reflected image of myself, I had the bizarre feeling of being watched, almost ethereally, as if the reflective glass was storing an image of me. Inquisitive, but un-phased, I resumed my duty of opening the sole present bequeathed to me by this inexplicable residence. I poised myself to grab the bow and tug it off, slowly removing the ribbon and peeling back the top of the container to peer inside…

I blinked my eyes, startled, as if abruptly awakening from a particularly gripping nightmare. I was sitting in my dimly lit living room, alone and empty handed. Unsure of what had just transpired, I resigned myself to bed and fell into a deep slumber almost immediately. Later, I would learn from my friends that I had left the bar on my own and none of them could find me and knew nothing of my whereabouts for the remainder of the evening. They speculated that I had caught a cab home straightaway and fallen asleep. That was an easy explanation, and I think that I should not tell them about the mystifying pictures I found the following day on the sofa in the room I awoke in. The pictures of me in my party dress, sitting on a strange, deeply aged couch in the middle of a barren, grimy room holding a large, pristine present in my lap…

“The highest of all holidays in the Satanic religion is the date of one’s own birth. Every man is a god if he chooses to recognize himself as one. So, the Satanist celebrates his own birthday as the most important holiday of the year. Despite the fact that some of us may not have been wanted, or at least were not particularly planned, we’re glad, even if no one else is, that we’re here! You should give yourself a pat on the back, buy yourself whatever you want, treat yourself like the king (or god) that you are, and generally celebrate your birthday with as much pomp and ceremony as possible.”- Anton LaVey

Inspiration List: Estigmas (the Z-grade Spanish post-Apocalyptic fetishistic Nazi-sploitation film by Jose Bravo & J. Luis Martinez ), finding practical use for my extravagantly fancy Salon Du Pop ballgown, Hello Kitty children’s birthday thotchke, the delicious juxtaposition of gas masks worn with party dresses, sharing past experiences of fun with hallucinogens , abandoned buildings, turning 28 on January 22nd and celebrating my favorite Satanic Holiday of the year.

Whoever said that gas masks and glamour are mutually exclusive obviously hasn’t seen the bling encrusted and Louis Vuitton-logo-emblazoned conceptual “High Fashion Protection” pieces conceived by Diddo Velema. While Velema’s bizarre designer breathing apparatus appears to be a tongue-in-cheek reaction to “our collectively insatiable culture of consumption”, my own coupling of gas masks and ballgowns is completely devoid of any underlying political innuendo. It’s merely an ode to unconventional pairings of metallic frocks that would be most at home at a Martian senior prom, post-Apocalyptic survival gear, and playful child-like accessories.

Alas, sometimes our best laid plans (such as dropping acid in a haunted house) should remain confined to the realm of a controlled environment for sanity’s sake. The “Ominous Birthday Princess” getup looks simply darling at a photoshoot or a music video, and it will easily seize the imagination of any live audience member at a stage performance. However, certain fantasy-based stylistic statements won’t translate all that well in a club environment, mostly due to the fact that gas masks tend to be face-meltingly hot, and wearing one for an extended period of time without being overcome with the distinct feeling of drowning in your own perspiration can prove to be quite challenging. Unless you’ve got an actual sudden chemical warfare emergency on your hands and preventing toxic irritants from liquefying your eyes is your new number one priority, you’ll probably want to tear the fucking thing off in under an hour. And the sweaty aftermath? If you don’t mind oozing salty fluid out of every pore, go on and live out your dream of becoming the human sauna. But when your friends suddenly flee the scene to “wash their hair” or “call their grandma” at 1:00 am on Saturday night, well – don’t say I didn’t warn you.

Silver Belle

Vanity’s take on birthday girl glam:

• Salon Du Pop 14-71 “Marquise Gown” and matching 14-70 “Flaunt and Flattery Shrug“ in the silver/black colorway shimmer with the otherworldly inapproachability of a garb fit for an entity which exists solely outside of the common man’s perception of reality. The more LSD-laced tiki drinks one consumes, the greater their chance of catching a glimpse of her on the physical plane.
• Purple and black petticoat to further amp up the volume of the lavishly decorated Salon Du Pop Marquise Gown, adding considerably more “pomp and ceremony” to the party. Trust me, LaVey would’ve wanted it this way.
• To avoid getting mistaken for your own birthday cake, balance out the proportions of the billowing lace-trimmed sleeves of the shrug and the multi-layered floor length skirt with the addition of a black waist cincher. It will take the “foofy” quotient down a notch.
• Clinical trials have proven that 10 out of 10 times gas masks looked more legit/creepy/”industrial” than the respirators , dust masks and silly so called “surgical masks” that cyber kids can’t seem to live without. (Read my extended anti-respirator-as-fashion-accessory rant here)
• Purple sparkly Hello Kitty tiara
• ”Birthday Girl” award ribbon pin. Because I’m the guest of honor, bitches. And no force in the universe will stop me from obnoxiously announcing it with my attire.

Learn how to insert falls here.

A happy birthday to me(it’s this Saturday, so you still have a chance to get me something!) and to all a good night

Credits

Photography: Bill Tracy Photography

Model:Vanity Kills

Location: Abandoned house in Montague, NJ

<3

Vanity Kills

For this fashion-crazed style blogger, 2010 was all about Giger-inspired prints, reach-for-the-sky strong shoulder accented silhouettes (Cyber Sniper, Das Bunker) and an excess of pinks (cotton candy, magenta, and neon-OH MY!)

As far as “the scene” is concerned, I believe pink became the new black sometime circa 1998, which not-so-oddly coincided with Marilyn Manson going through his Mechanical Animals phase. Outwardly ripping off David Bowie’s 70s glam-rock androgynous alien alter ego, Ziggy Stardust, seemed to produce an interesting trickledown effect. As if overnight, a new breed of “glam goth” surfaced, seemingly out of nowhere. You better believe that the very hordes of black-clad teens who’d scoff at the mere mention of pink just a month or so prior, declaring it unfit to wear for anyone who wasn’t a “prep”, started to sport fuchsia feather boas draped around their necks. The look was in no way complete without a heavy helping of good old-fashioned denial upon being questioned about the sudden change of heart (“Pink? I’ve been rocking that shit for years”). It goes without saying that just about every self professed “glam goth” would rather die than cite Marilyn Manson as a style influence. I know I’d publicly announce to anyone within earshot that “My look was heavily influenced by Switchblade Symphony” (Despite Switchblade Symphony’s signature ensembles being more “babydoll” than “glam”). Given the fact I’m turning 28 next month, it’s safe to say I am fully capable of looking back and finding endless amusement in the folly of my “gother-than-thou” youth. Oh, to be 16 again and think coupling pink with black was the ultimate fashion forefront.

“Glam Goths” came and went (it wasn’t long before the retina-hurting bright tribe of cybergoths filled the color void), Manson swelled with coke bloat, and yet the author’s love for this perky shade remained. Some things never change.

Nothing embodies the flamboyant essence of “glam goth” better than Nocturnal Rendezvous Ruffle Shrug in the black/magenta colorway. Princess-like puff sleeves, magenta PVC ruffles adorned with black lace overlay and ribbon detailing make for the most ultimate “Look-at-me-I’m-high-maintenance“ accompaniment to all those slinky New Year’s Eve Party gowns. Not exactly a garment built for comfort, but “glam goths” tend to attribute such things to those with more plebeian tastes. These vainglorious creatures are far more concerned with reeling in praise for their wardrobe choices :)

I love Space Age nostalgia. Yesterday’s tomorrow populated the collective minds of mid-century masses with visions of a high-tech utopia yet to materialize: Hover cars, colonizing the moon, traveling to far off galaxies and mating with hot space aliens. Not to mention the sex robots! Since NONE OF THIS will happen in my lifetime, I’ll have to settle for attiring myself in retro-futuristic pieces straight out of Judy Jetson’s closet, like this Cyber Sniper Skylab Zip Front Jacket in the black/neon pink colorway. Excuse me while my bubblegum hued pointy-shouldered jacket and I continue to long for “the future that never was”.

Adding a grimly dystopian touch to your casual get-ups without going full on Road Warrior is easier than you think. With their unmistakably Giger-esque flair, Erotomechanics Printed Leggings paired with a basic black or grey sweater dress make for a no-nonsense (yet still surprisingly high impact) day look.

Don’t let winter give you the cold shoulder! Stay stylishly warm indoors by layering the Erotomechanics Cropped Jacket over your favorite tank or tee. Swap your usual bulky sweatshirt for this sexy biomechanical wrapper and look just as hot watching Alien all cuddled up on the couch with your boy as you do tearing it up at the club when a good old school Hocico track comes on.

Action Shot:

My friend Lisa and I attired in our matching Erotomechanics Cropped Jackets at a Worms of the Earth show at Club Orpheus in Baltimore, MD. Since the photo is cut off at the waist, you can’t see that we wore matching Erotomechanics Printed Leggings and Oil Spill Skirts with Zip Front Garter and Pouch as well.

The Lolita Candy Snap Front Neck Collar in the black/pink colorway can really doll up an otherwise unnotable solid color button down, add a pinch of sweetness to a black lace blouse or freshen up a close-fitting spaghetti strap camisole. Or try it as a fun, fashionable alternative to a traditional scarf (though that’ll only work if your winters are more San Franciscan than Buffalonian).

Action Shot:

Photo by: Eye of Ra

I have made previous mention of indulging in mainstream fashion magazines on a rather regular basis. It’s no secret to consumers of women’s interest periodicals the content has the tendency to recycle itself fairly often. Statistically, there’s a very high probability of animal print being showcased in some form just about every year. Fishnet tends to make the rounds more infrequently, but it is known to make cyclical guest appearances every few seasons in fall fashion issues.

Let me note how much I do so love the borderline Puritan styling advice which usully accompanies either leopard print or fishnet (most glossy women’s rags hold the conviction only a lady who gets paid-by-the hour would dare to wear the two together) in the spreads featuring them. It’s always “For a classy take on this vixen staple, pair beige fishnets with long pants, leaving just a tiny flash of ‘netted ankle exposed” (thought this is fine advice for the corporate environment, but no fun for real life), “Fishnets and pumps are a surefire way to get mistaken for a streetwalker” and “To tone down the trampiness of leopard; limit the print to a sassy scarf or wild wrist candy coupled with understated separates in a neutral color palette”. I find it thoroughly hilarious.

I for one delight in the notion of taking trashy to the next level in my Lip Service Hosiery Leopard Fishnet Tights. Might even go the extra mile and don ‘em with my Trash Mini Skirt with Side Lacing and leopard print underbust corset. Rumor has it we tacky tramps have more fun ;)

I’m not going to tell you how incredibly exquisite the Blacklist Princess Tears Longsleeved Blouse is, because you can see it for yourself. What I will tell you is I spent an embarrassingly long amount of time trying to properly categorize the sleeves as either Juliet or Leg o’ Mutton. After my research left me with inconclusive data and a question still unanswered, I have determined them to be hybrid Leg o’ Juliet sleeves. Obviously coming up with a new and ridiculous classification used exclusively to identify parts of garments I don’t even own yet is the only way my brain will attain some semblance of peace, thus granting me the ability to successfully move on to other parts of this blog :)

Circuit City Zip Front Hooded Jacket in the black/neon green colorway turns synthesized glamour into an art form. The circuitry’s connotations of exposed android entrails, sexiness through artifice and strategically exposed flesh are all the things which initially attracted me to cybergoth nearly 10 years ago. Before it mutated into a hot rave mess. Personally, I’d forego the mask and goggles.

Will definitely pack this for my annual Kinetik pilgrimage.

Just because you’ve had the misfortune of spotting them on select overdramatic 14-year old Emilie Autumn fangirls (and no, I don’t get the hype around EA either), don’t be so quick to dismiss bloomers as a whole. Let it be known Lolita Candy Elastic Pants with Ribbon Trim in the black/pink colorway make for some seriously yummy sleepwear.

Sharp-peaked shoulder silhouette, epaulets and silver piping give the Das Bunker Cap Sleeve Top in the black/gun metal colorway a decidedly futuristic militant flavor. Matter of fact, I wore it out this past Saturday night and my boyfriend pointed out my shirt was reminiscent of something “space police” would wear. Space police? I’ll RSVP to THAT party :)

I think I’m gonna need a fabulous black military wedge hat with reflective piping accents to complete the outfit.

And this concludes my personal Top 10 of 2010. I don’t know about you, but I’m already itching to see what Spring, Summer, Fall, and Holiday 2011 have to offer!

<3

Vanity Kills

Tonight’s schlock-tastic creature feature was brought to you by my spiky haired co-conspirator Dan Barrett.

There is a pretty well-known legend around these parts. You’re reading this so I guess you probably want to know what it is. Well, it ain’t so much a legend as it is a happening, but we likes to call it a legend so as to not scare the tourist folk.

It all started a year ago when a few goats went missing from the Peterson farm. We thought it was nothing, some stray coyotes or what have you, but then more livestock started disappearing. Six months passed and two dozen farms had been hit by this, uh, “epidemic” as some might put it. It had the whole town befuddled until one day, when a goat’s body turned up. Six months of nothin’ and then a damn dead goat out of nowhere?

That’s pretty darn odd.

And to make things weirder, there were no signs of foul play, save for a small hole in the neck. None of us had ever seen anything like it. But slowly, more and more animal carcasses were found, and they all bore the same mark. The body was perfectly intact, except for that one tiny puncture. It was all pretty freaky-deaky until some travelers from Puerto Rico came to town some weeks later and told us about a monster they had encountered down their way: the Chupacaba.

Now, they tell me the name literally means “goat sucker” and I guess that makes sense. This thing evidently just sucked the goddamned life right out of our goats. Anywho, they also told us, according to their legends of the Chupacabra, it has two small arms with a three-fingered clawed hand on each, two strong, almost reptilian, hind legs, again with claws, and quills down its back, which it uses to fly. Its head is oval in shape, similar to one of them “grey aliens”, with terrifying protruding red eyes and an elongated jaw. They informed us the way the Chupacabra kills is with a long telescopic device protruding from its fangs, and this makes a perfectly round puncture wound in the victim…

We all agreed the killin’ part hit close to home, but I’ll be damned if that first demon-looking part didn’t sounds a little wonky. And no one in town would have believed a word of it either; that is, until old Mrs. Perkins saw the thing. Mrs. Perkins is old, go figur’, and rumored to be in the early stages of senility (No real debate there, if you ask me, but I guess you didn’t.) but she swears up and down to all things holy she saw the exact creature the tourists described, more or less. Except she declared it had the head of a woman, with blood red hair and long fangs (Uh, like I said, senile). She said it snatched one of her billy goats in its talon-like clawed feet and flew off into the trees when she chased it away with her broom. For the most part, we simple folk believed her; her not being one to lie and all.

So, the other day, we decided we wanted to catch this varmint once and for all. We did what any gun-toting, god-fearing people would do: we planned a stake-out at the ol’ Perkins farm. We herded most of the town’s collection of goats and miscellaneous four-legged creatures that produce meat to the field behind her barn and, for several nights, had groups of us waiting around the edge of the place, in different locations, with pitchforks and cages, waiting for the beast to show its telltale hell-spawned red eyes.

On the third night, the fiend finally materialized. It swooped down out of the shadows like a demonic bat from hell (you seen that Meatloaf cover? JUST LIKE THAT, and I swear it on my name), eyes of fire gazing out of its pale skull. It hungered for warm flesh, but on this night it would not have it; the trap was already set. At the sound of the whistle, we exploded from our stations, a furious mob whose goal was to seek vengeance for the dead. The creature fled in haste back through the woods, and we proceeded to give chase on foot. My two companions and I held our pitchforks to the sky as we hunted it; some of the other men had lit torches to provide light and to extend a charring welcome to the beast, should they be the first to meet it.

We remained in pursuit for perhaps a half-mile before the thing was finally cornered in an opening in the woods. The ‘cabra was fierce, and it bore its glistening fangs as we kept it at bay with our array of sharp sticks and tools. It was a terrible beast indeed, and the description given to us by the unsavory travelers was somewhat accurate. It had a dark, almost reptilian appearance, but oddly its head and face were similar to that of an eastern European woman, but with giant, rounded horns atop it. But let me tell you, those incisors and opticals were straight out of a damn Dracula novel. As bizarre as it seemed to any of us, we collectively realized that this was an honest to god, real life chupacabra and not just one of them coyotes with advanced stages of mange!

We had to catch it so we could sell it to science and get some money for beer and guns. When cornered, the thing seemed to almost be afraid of humans, and it didn’t attack us freely as it did with the sheep and goats. Maybe the smell of our hillbilly blood was too foul, or too full of moonshine. In any case, one of the boys threw a stone at the sucker and it started screechin’ and becoming violent. It picked up a fallen stick and started slashing at anything in its path. It knocked Jimmy to the wayside and clocked Roger real good; he started bleeding from a gash near his receded hairline. The creature evidently got a whiff of that, and descended upon him, tearing away the remainder of his face. The group was so taken aback we let down our guard just long enough for the monstrosity to scamper off into the abyssal shadows of the nighttime forest.

We really shouldn’t have let our defense flounder. The attacks on livestock have since diminished, but have not entirely ceased. And the worst part is now, every few days someone goes missing. It seems the creature developed a taste for human blood on that night. May god help us the next time we come face to face with THE CHUPACABRA

September’s installment of Lethal Style celebrates the three Cs: cheese, camp and cleavage! Also to a lesser extent, the curious case of the chupacabra!

The phrase of the day is tongue-in-cheek. It’s used to describe all the blood boilin’, flesh crawlin’, spine tinglin’, spooky kitsch world of horror hosts. Sitting on their Victorian velvet couches, playing with severed heads in a laboratory, and rising out of their cardboard coffins, they were as “gravely disordered” as the mid-century terror flicks they showcased. Most often starring reptiles and insects mutated to gargantuan proportions, thanks to science gone haywire, running amok in the streets. All in fiendishly good fun with a heavy emphasis on camp. Double entendres and tight fighting garments were commonplace for the female hosts, while it was bad puns and pseudo Transylvanian accents and/or mad scientist jargon for the gents.

Vampira set the standard for female horror show hosts with her post-mortem pinup flair. Soon, many would follow in her ghastly footsteps, though none would reach the same commercial success Vampira did. At least not until Elvira made her mark on the entertainment industry as “Mistress of the Dark” in the 1980’s. She’d often display her assets in a manner naysayers could easily classify as vulgar. Alas, the negative connotations related to overtly sexualized female flesh were disarmed with one liners and smart ass over-the-top black humor.

This month we embrace our corny joke crackin’, low cut dress wearin’, B-movie obsessed alter egos named Ghoulia and Kat Aver. We ain’t got shit to prove to the world, because only assholes insecure with their own chosen identity take themselves too seriously. And allow me to take this moment to offer up some of the most immature, but probably empowering, fashion advice ever: Haters gonna hate, it’s their job! So disregard the bullshit and behold the power of cheese.

Plus, those that are honest to “God” true cheeseballs are never this self aware. If you don’t have the ability to laugh at yourself, worry not, everyone else is already doing it for you.

Exhibit A

The guy who wears a claw ring on each finger, a fedora on his head and sports a skull in a jester hat tattoo on his arm. Also owns various permutations of the Three Wolf Moon shirt, not because he really loved that Internet meme and wants to be “ironic” for the sake of sharing a chuckle with his fellow Internet culture obsessed nerd friends. No, he’s an “otherkin” and possesses the soul of a wolf trapped in a human body. You’ll often see him busting his best “come hither” pelvic thrusts when Combichrist’s “This Shit Will Fuck You Up” packs the dancefloor with people that, yet again, don’t know any better. And yes, he always goes home alone. But not before he asks if you want to come over and see his knife collection, while spilling his $3 well drink down your blouse. There are at least 5 in every club.

But Exhibit A will never have the sense to be introspective enough to look inside himself and lighten the fuck up, because he’s a fucking wolf….mmmmkay. And by “wolf” I mean joke. So I guess, what I wanted to say (though apparently I am unable to in under 1,000 words) you can learn to take a joke or become a joke.

And therein lies the difference between “good cheese”(usually of the retro-nostalgia variety) and rotten stinky cheese (usually of the outside of B-movie context trans-specied wolf variety, trying to talk to you about Battlestar Galactica as you’re trying to order a goddamn vodka cranberry).

Stylin’ it up like a late night creature feature hostess ain’t about tryin’ to make tattered spiderweb lace something it’s clearly not (dainty, ladylike or in good taste); it’s about embracing the graveyard trash in you.

So are you ready for some of Lippy’s finest ghoulish garments?

Is that a resounding FUCK YES that I hear?

The 26-119 Webutane Returns Full Length Dress with its open shoulders, dramatic swallowtail sleeves and lace up sides is perfect for slinking down shadowy corridors, candelabra in hand. As a matter of-fact, it could be easily mistaken for a piece straight out of Vampira’s closet.

Your posture and your drinks should be both STIFF! If you’ve caught a glimpse of Vampira’s iconic walk in Plan 9 from Outer Space, you’ll see just what kind of an entrance a rigid stance can make. A posture collar helps to keep your chin up high and neck extended, which pretty much forces you to move like a really elegant corpse. I make it sound enticing, don’t I?

While it might be physically impossible to replicate Vampira’s inhumanly tiny waist, I always have to make a case for corsets. They’re just so “dreary ghoul” (that’s uh, “very cool” in cheesy horror host speak). Did I reach my deliciously bad pun quota yet?

Devil Doll ‘Do

When attiring thyself in a face framing, feathered neck corset, there’s only one place for hair to go. And that’s up. Victory rolls immediately sprung to mind, since this particular retro do is vaguely reminiscent of devil horns by design. And so I deemed such a hairstyle charmingly appropriate for a monster-centric tale. The instructions below are reprinted with permission from Miss Meagan Kyla, my favorite glamour ghoul, Auxiliary Magazine fashion stylist, hat-maker extraordinaire and of course dear friend. She wrote the tutorial on rolls much better than I ever could. I used to force her to do my hair at gunpoint in such a way when we lived across the street from each other in Buffalo, NY. I thought that only her words would do this edition of Lethal Style justice.

You will need:

• Hot rollers -Will give your rolls their proper height and curl. The roundness of the top curls shape the hairstyles and defines the rolls. Meagan recommends hot roller sets that have several sizes of rollers.
• Curl boosting spray- When sprayed onto dry hair, it helps to hold the curls and give them a shiny finish. This product should be lightly sprayed onto the hair before the hot rollers are used. Doing so will protect your hair and give your hairstyle hours of hold.
• Bobby pins- Choosing pins closest to your hair color is preferable. They will be used to secure the rolls on top of your hair and may be visible from certain, odd angles. “Hiding the pins will become an art form with this hairstyle”- says Meagan.
• Hair Spray- Will be used to finish the styling and help smooth fly-away hairs.
• Accessories (optional)-I opted to forego my usually beloved hair flowers, bows and clips, since I chose to wear rather busy neck décor. I might have a soft spot for selective tackiness, but I ain’t tryin’ to look like a damn Christmas tree either.

Note: To get the hair off the back of your neck, try a French Twist.

The Girl Behind the Monsters

Paying homage to great horror hosts of the past certainly doesn’t mean copying them to a T. Plus, the only person I’ve seen get away with Vampira’s super strong, super arched eyebrows was Vampira. Amen!

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 which 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 to neutralize the colour of your lids, which in turn makes for brighter more vibrant shadow. It also prevents said shadow from creasing.

Eyes

The application technique is identical to August’s Victorian mourning inspired piece Plague Widow albeit presented here in a more autumn appropriate palette of muted gold and lush cranberry.

You will need:

Rounded edge brush, frosted gold eyeshadow, eyeliner brush, chocolate brown eyeshadow, small blending brush, cranberry eyeshadow, small fluffy brush, ivory eyshadow, black eyeliner, black mascara (or falsies)

1. Using a rounded edge brush, apply a frosted gold (you want a shade reminiscent of antique gold rather than in your face BLING BLING gold) eyeshadow across your entire eyelid from lashline to crease.
2. Dab a tiny amount of chocolate brown eyeshadow onto your eyeliner brush and draw a line which follows the natural crease of your eye. Making the line as straight and precise as you can is key! Using the same brush, blend the color outward. This technique is called cutting the crease.
3. With the help of a small blending brush, blend cranberry eyeshadow up and outwards. Make sure to blend the cranberry into the chocolate brown you added to your crease in Step #2 to avoid harsh lines.
4. Highlight your browbone by sweeping some ivory shadow directly under your eyebrows with the help of a small fluffy brush.
5. Line your bottom lid, starting from the outer corner of your eye, slowly making your way toward the inner corner with black kohl eyeliner. Most of the color should be concentrated in the outer corner. I find 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. You can add falsies if you feel light paying an extra tribute to Elvira and Vampira’s “creepy peepers”. To do so: Add adhesive to the back of the eyelash strip. Grab a false eyelash with a pair of tweezers and adhere to the outermost part of your eyelids, keeping them as close to your own lashline as possible. You know that they’re in the right place when they’re sitting right on top of your natural lashes. Gently hold them down in place with your finger for about 30 seconds or so until the glue dries.

Cheeks

Vampira’s naturally razor-sharp Scandinavian cheekbones were as barren as a freshly dug grave. Contrary to her pallid predecessor, Elvira did not shy away from bold 80s reddish-fuchsia blush. And your very own ghostess with the mostest, Vanity Kills, prefers a barely there light flush. As if she hardly had any heart beat at all.

You will need:

Apricot blush, blush brush

1. Place a small amount of apricot blush on your blush brush and gently swipe blush starting at the apples of your cheeks up towards your temples. Blend, blend, blend!

Lips

Lips take a backseat as the lids, hair and neckwear hog all the glory and attention.

You will need:

Flesh-toned lipliner, Pinky-peach lipgloss

1. Use a flesh-toned lipliner to fill in your lips, starting at the center of your natural lip line and moving toward the outer corners. Otherwise your lipgloss will run like Lindsay Lohan from a drug test.
2. Finish off with a generous coat of pinky-peach lipgloss. 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. Remove any excess product by placing a finger in your mouth, closing your lips around it and then removing the aforementioned finger.

Credits :

Photography: Zach Rose

Model:”Your Ghostly Hostess”/”El Chupacabra”: Vanity Kills

Shot on location in Difficult Run, VA and my apartment in Washington, DC

<3

Vanity Kills

The Plague Widow

Story by Dan Barrett who shares my love of woodcuts, dark ambient, cathedrals and “evil stuff.

NOTE: This story is best accompanied by the music of Raison d’etre. Or something “sad and evil”.

Oro supplex et acclinis, I meekly and humbly pray,

Cor contritum quasi cinis: my heart is as crushed as the ashes:

Gere curam mei finis. perform the healing of mine end.

The somber cerulean abyss of night rose to veil the dying bouquet of oranges and reds painted in the twilight sky. The last drops of the day’s storm were lightly dancing atop dark puddles, shadowed by the massive archway overhead. The cathedral towers stretched high above, piercing the gathered clusters of fog, toward unseen heavens. In the most distant and obscured spire, the bells slowly rang out seven dissonant chimes to sullenly acknowledge the hour. The ringing was to fall on my ears alone. In withered hands I carried the remembrance wreath of violet stargazer lilies. From deep within the abandoned walls of the grand edifice I could hear, in infinite faintness, the ghost choirs on the breath of the wind. From the steps I gazed out into the vast, crumbling cemetery where my village now slept.

Three years ago, the black plague ravished my town, crippling and debilitating its denizens. After days, or even weeks, of agonizing suffering, the body would eventually expire. My children, my husband, and my acquaintances all perished that autumn. Everyone I had ever known had been obliterated in the course of a single season. Now, I was the town’s widow, eternally damned to unrequited mourning. I was left, each day, to dress the headstones of the children with memorial wreaths and utter hymns directing the wandering souls to solitude and salvation, to stroll the mausoleum of my deceased community, offering quiet prayers of bereavement. I am a specter who walks among deserted ruins and clandestine ghosts on this lost highway with no end. For I was the first victim of the plague and my desolation is that of death. And so, I am cursed in this nonexistence to never again be with the ones I loved.

Requiem æternam dona eis, Domine :
et lux perpetua luceat eis.
In memoria æterna erit iustus,
ab auditione mala non timebit.

Turning something like “The Great Pestilence” into a fashion statement is, in this humble (ahem…) blogger’s opinion, the very essence of goth. Okay, maybe not modern PC goth, where people get up in arms about everything under the fucking sun. I got into it because I like “evil stuff”. No, this is not up for discussion.

However…

We’re sort of going to skip all those super creepy plague doctor bird masks (did I mention how creepy I think those fucking things are?), smelly rags, and gangrene-inspired makeup in favor of loosely Victorian influenced styles. Because those Victorians had mourning down to a science.

Is my take on it not OG enough for you? Looking for something with a little more authentic 14th century diseased European peasant flair to it? Then by all means, please DO stop bathing, attack a potato sack with scissors and start wearing THAT everywhere you go. The debilitating illnesses will follow naturally. Oh, wait; we don’t do panhandling-by-choice “crust punk” around here. I forgot.

Inspiration list: Woodcuts, bubonic plague, dark ambient, Catholic fetishization of pain, sadness, the National Cathedral in DC, Gregorian monk chants, my sick obsession with building an outfit around that black and white skirt.

But especially dark ambient.

With that out of the way, ladies, may I have your attention please…

Ruffled shirts lend the appearance of having a more voluminous chest area.

Added benefit aside, the Blacklist Core #49-237 Long Sleeved Ruffle Dress Shirt in the blood colorway is one of the most ultimate layering staples a goth girl can have in her ever expanding closet. Pair with a black underbust to get that effortlessly put together look in literally, a cinch. Oh and it also

• Sweetens up a business suit (although you’ll want to tuck it into your pants).
• Takes the school marm/food service worker factor out of a basic black vest.
• Looks simply striking with a well tailored simple black blazer.
• Puts the FUN back in funeral.

Show your ribcage without sacrificing tasty noms for the rest of your life with a medically inspired cameo underbust. I’m 100% okay with wanting to look mortally ill. But I’m not down with keeping it real enough to actually get there.

All the X-ray corset action not giving you any sartorial mourning wood? Try this adorable lacy number from the eerily appropriately named Victorian Mourning line in the black colorway.

Creeped out by the mere thought of sportin’ some post-mortem locks attached to a jet brooch much like our Victorian friends did? In that case my squeamish comrade, it seems like a lone black silk flower pinned against your throat might just be more up your alley.

Pay penance to the fashion gods (or 80s Madonna) by accessorizing with a rosary, if you wish. I quit Christianity somewhere in the neighborhood of age 10, but can’t help but be drawn to all the trappings of Roman Catholicism (that I didn’t care about as a kid). It’s so full of anguish, misery, martyrdom and torture. And Catholics totally win at architecture. AND I FUCKING LOVE MUSIC THAT IS MOSTLY MADE UP OF LATIN REQUIEMS AND GREGORIAN MONK CHANTS!

Oh and you’re not TRULY IN THE THROES OF AGONY, until you hide behind a long black veil. It’s all about showcasing your sadness in the most flamboyant manner imaginable. Still confused? Study Robert Smith‘s every move. Only then will you posses the ability to mope with the best of them.

The time of Tim Burton being a relevant, edgy and innovative movie director may have come and gone, but those black and white vertical stripes are here to stay. Not to say that Tim Burton like, invented that shit, because clearly he did not, but I’ll be damned if I don’t call black and white vertical stripes, “Tim Burton stripes”. Long story short , this darkly romantic Victorian bustle skirt vaguely reminiscent of one of Christina Ricci’s party dresses in Sleepy Hollow adds instant sophistication to almost any get-up. Regardless of what crap old Timmy churns out next.

Conquering Coral (that’s right, kids it ain’t just for yo’ gran’ma Tilly anymore)

When I say “coral”, what’s the first thing that pops into your head? Perhaps the shade of paint one would use to spruce up the walls of a Floridian retirement home? An “edgy” hue of nail polish the 55+ set can rock on their toes while vacationing in Myrtle Beach? Makeup advice plucked directly from the pages of some yawn inducing blander-than-a-Michael Bolton-concert mainstream fashion magazine? Cause, yeah, that’s kind of what I think of. In many instances, yes, it IS the elevator music equivalent of the color world. Alas, an unexpected burst of coral offsets the tried and true smoky eye (favored by Goths AND porn stars worldwide) in a way which flatters both light and dark skin tones. It ensures that mournful “Oh the suffering…the torment……the unbearable pain” gaze you’ve been practicing in front of the mirror so diligently doesn’t go unnoticed under those layers of tulle obscuring your face. And hey, in case you do fuck up, you’re hidden behind the safety net of the mourning veil. Because, yes, smearing your eyeliner truly IS something to bemoan for all eternity.

Death and coral … TWO things we’ve reclaimed from the elderly in ONE frivolous fashion post. Next month in Lethal Style: Removing those pesky black lipstick stains from your dentures in one simple step.

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 which 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 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:

Rounded edge brush, coral pigment, eyeliner brush, black eyeshadow, small blending brush, matte mid-tone gray eyeshadow, small fluffy brush, matte white eyshadow, black eyeliner, black mascara

1. Using a dampened rounded edge brush, gently tap (DO NOT SWIPE) a coral pigment across your entire eyelid from lashline to crease.
2. Dab a tiny amount of black eyeshadow onto your eyeliner brush and draw a line which follows the natural crease crease of your eye. Making the line as straight and precise as you can is key! Using the same brush, blend the color outward. This technique is called cutting the crease.
3. With the help of a small blending brush, blend matte mid-tone gray eyeshadow up and outwards. Make sure to blend the gray into the black you added to your crease to avoid harsh lines.
4. Highlight your browbone by sweeping some matte white shadow directly under your eyebrows with the help of a small fluffy brush.
5. Line your bottom lid, starting from the outer corner of your eye, slowly making your way toward the inner corner with black kohl eyeliner. Most of the color should be concentrated in the outer corner. I find 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 can skip the blush if the phrase “healthy glow” strikes terror in your little black heart. Or “pallid plague-stricken corpse” fits more within the parameters of your usual aesthetic.

(Disclaimer: Despite owning contraband such as “pale peach blush” and “bronzer”, it is not my desire to send anyone to a spooky re-education camp. I’m just a fan of playing up all parts of my face)

You will need:

Matte bronzer, pale peach blush, blush brush

1. Swipe some matte 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, which enhances the overall definition of your cheekbones.
2. Using the same technique, add pale peach 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

As an avid reader of mainstream fashions rags, I can attest to the fact most beauty writers urge us to adhere to some rather strict makeup rules. Ladies curious about bold lip looks are told by these publications they “want to look vampy-NOT like a vampire”. And so we are advised to obey the “play up one feature at a time” rule. In other words, to keep the eyes and cheeks simple when opting for an over-the-top pout. In many cases I tend to agree, since I’ve borne witness to many a raccoon eyed, black-lipstick-on-the teeth trainwreck in my 13 years of gothing it up. So, I often favor the high impact eyes/ultra glossy nude lip look myself. Alas, sometimes it’s more than forgivable to set your makeup gun to “whore”, such as when wearing veiled hats which obscure the majority of your face. Go light on your lips and they’ll simply disappear under all the lace and netting. And so it had come to pass that your smokey eyes and plum lips came to a cease fire and became BFF again.

You will need:

Burgundy lipliner, plum lipstick

1. Use a burgundy lipliner to fill in your lips, starting at the center of your natural lip line and moving toward the outer corners. Filling in your entire lip area will not only make an excellent base for color, but will also prevent your lipstick from traveling past your actual lip line and setting up shop in the tiny fine lines around your mouth. Ever seen that shit? Fucking terrifying!
2. Follow up with plum lipstick. 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.
3. Last but not least, remember to 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. In this new era of tagged Facebook photos catching everyone by surprise, you never know where your likeness will show up. And when that unflattering inebriated photo DOES surface, the last thing you want is being remembered as a card carrying member of the aforementioned “Raccoon eyed, Dark-lipstick-on-the teeth Trainwreck club” for all eternity. ‘Cause once something is up on ‘em InternetZ, it tends to never go away. So yeah, avoid lipstick-on-the teeth situations at all costs.

Credits:

Photography: Lanya B

Model: Vanity Kills

Location: The National Cathedral is located in Northwestern Washington DC

<3

Vanity Kills

Yep, it’s that time again … time to look forward to putting away the stuff of Winter and getting ready for Spring. And we’re here to help with that. Get your new Lippy style on with fresh new wallpapers featuring hot upcoming Lip Service styles. You may have to wait just a little longer, but at least your computer can rock the hottest new Lippy gear!

To download, just select the size you want from each mini-gallery (sizes are: Left – 1280x1024px; Center – 1024x768px; Right – 800x600px), click the icon to view full size (if it is clickable), then right click to “Save As”.

Circuit City

Fallout

Lolita Candy

Blacklist

Step In Time

Ghoul School

Ghoul School Graphics

I have not succumb to cabin fever since the last thrilling installment of the Gothic Charm School tour diary. No, not in the slightest, because good heavens, the past week was busy! There was a cupcake-festooned confab with one of my photographer friends about some entertaining projects we’ve been plotting. (Muah-ha-ha!) There was a phone interview with the lovely Rachel over at Glass Of Win on BlogTalk radio, which was one of those fun conversations with someone you feel like you’ve been friends with for ages, even though you just met them. Then there was the slightly fiscally irresponsible shopping venture that resulted in the purchase of a new pair of Fluevog boots. (Only slightly fiscally irresponsible, but still. Perhaps not the wisest thing to do when one is job-hunting.) Plus there was all the catching-up-with-real-life boring stuff, like laundry and cooking and so on.

But on Saturday, it was time for The! Last! Stop! On the Gothic Charm School book tour! A signing at The Dreaming Comics and Games in Seattle, a store run by two very dear and long-time friends. They turned the signing into a tea party, with mint iced tea, cucumber sandwiches, and Russian tea cookies.

(Goth challenge: can you eat a Russian tea cookie and not scatter powdered sugar all over your black clothes? The rumors that this is one of the initiation rights for the Secret Goth Cabal (that doesn’t exist) are completely unfounded. Trust me.)

The signing was a relaxing, catching-up-with-friends sort of event, with the occasional person I didn’t know wandering by, looking through the book, and exclaiming “Oh, this is perfect for my (daughter/son/cousin)!” (I signed a couple of books that afternoon with a “To —–, you have a charming parent, and I hope you enjoy the book!”)

The catching-up with friends included seeing two of my favorite photographers and persuading them to hold still while I aimed my phone camera at them. They very kindly didn’t laugh at me, and didn’t even make any horrible faces. Another nice surprise was seeing a friend who had moved to Japan two years ago; I teased him that it was very kind of him to travel all the way from Japan just to come to my signing.

(I would love, love, LOVE to go back to Japan, and even more so if it were for something related to Gothic Charm School. Alas, so far I have not been able to make that dream a reality. Previous trips to Japan included fun things such as visiting the breathtaking Osaka Aquarium, where the largest tank holds 5,400 cubic metres of water and is home to a whale shark and manta rays! But I want to visit all the wacky theme restaurants, like the Vampire cafe and Alice In Wonderland restaurant! Someday, someday …)

I met Autumn, a very talented artist who had recently moved to Seattle from the Bay Area. Her illustration style made me think of what would happen if Alphonse Mucha had done manga, and her personal clothing style is a perfect example of that punkish, Deathrock-gypsy look that I always wish I could carry off. Yes, I’m quite serious. I’m happy with my gothy-Victorian cupcake style, but there are times when I see the fabulously fierce Deathrockers and sigh longingly. I have friends who swear they could transform me into looking like that, but I have my doubts. I suspect I am too much of a cartoon character to look that vampishly predatory.

But speaking of being a cartoon: look! A reader sent me absolutely darling fan art! She even gave me teeny-tiny fangs, which makes me look at my shelves of vampire fiction and giggle.

So what’s next for me? Oh good heavens, I don’t know. Writing. Job hunting. Finding myself in the middle of wacky hijinks, that’s a certainty.

Thank you so much, Jillian, for sharing your adventures with us! ~The WebMistress

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.

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.

+

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.

+

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.

+

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.

+

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.

+

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)

+

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

+

Black top hats make everything fine and dandy.

+

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