Posts Tagged ‘Fetish’

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.

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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?

[Show as slideshow]

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

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!

[Show as slideshow]

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

My girlfriend has been dropping hints that she wants us to get kinkier. I keep finding bookmarks to S&M and bondage sites on my computer and she’s even been teasing me about dominating her. It’s kinda embarrassing, but I don’t know what to do or where to start. ~ Kinkonfused

Can I just start by saying, “Dude, you are one lucky son of a bitch!” Most guys who try anything beside plain old vanilla sex get nothing but the stink-eye and blue balls. So rejoice and revel in your freaky good fortune!

Kinky Fun Fact #1: Women who read bodice-ripping pulp novels aren’t in it for the literary value.

Okay, here’s how it starts. You get to find out just how nasty of a bad girl your girlfriend really is and that is some down and dirty fun! There’s a whole lot of kink out there and so many levels it could make your fucking head spin. Find hers.

Kinky Fun Fact #2: Great sex, especially the kinky kind, is all in your head.

She wants you to be the boss, so kick it off right by making her tell you her fantasies. And don’t be fucking coy about it, this is an opportunity for smoking hot foreplay that gets in her head and juicy imagination. Her brain is what’s going to get her off, so tease her turn-on by introducing her to the you that’s ready, willing, and able to give her all her most heated desires.

Now you know what she’s been imagining in the dirtiest parts of her mind. What the hell do you do with it?

Kinky Fun Fact #3: Your mileage will ALWAYS vary. Find out yours before you get behind the wheel.

Don’t take every fantasy at face value or compare yourselves to anything or anyone else, especially fiction and internet role-players. Ask about what she’s done before. This is no time to get squeamish about her past sex life; it’s important shit and you need to know as much as possible.

Even if her tastes are more intense and she’s been there before, don’t just assume you can leap in without knowing what you’re doing and whether you can both handle what you’re about to get into. Trust me, people get hurt … seriously hurt … that way. Relationships and trust get massively fucked up and it ain’t pretty. Your sex life together is not a race so don’t treat it like one. This is one of the best rides you’re ever going to have, so why not enjoy the hell out of every bit of the way?

While we’re on more intense kink play and patience …

Kinky Fun Fact #4: When it’s about kinky sex, education is hot and ignorance is dangerous.

Okay, here’s the part about responsibility. (Yeah, I know … but it’s really fucking important.) You’ve found out your girlfriend is a pain slut. But do you know how to give her the sensation she wants without risking harm? Maybe she wants to be tied up and ravaged. Do you know what positions might cause injury to joints and nerves or constrict blood flow or breathing and how to get her out in an emergency? Perhaps she’s suggesting some intense domination. Do you know how far is too far and kink has become abuse?

You need to know this shit. Get yourself some learning and have fun practicing all your new knowledge. Enjoy getting some new toys and learning about what exquisite new feelings they can give. And, believe me, we girls LOVE new toys and new sensations!

Kinky Fun Fact #5: A lot of what you read and hear about kink is bullshit.

Know who you’re learning from and whether they know what the fuck they’re doing before trusting anything they have to say. There are a lot of self-important assholes out there in kink-land. It’s not a bad thing to be wary of self-professed “experts”; it could save you a lot of pain.

Kinky Fun Fact #6: Last but definitely not least … for chrissakes, you need to play safely!

The kink community has embraced the motto, “Safe, Sane, and Consensual” for quite a while for a reason. Kink done wrong can seriously fuck people up, physically and mentally.

Here are a few pieces of advice to help you on your way:
NEVER EVER FUCKING EVER play at anything without a safeword. Decide on two words beforehand, one to slow things down and one for emergencies to stop everything altogether.
NEVER EVER assume consent. It is not unconditional.
Discuss limits before getting to the fun parts.
When in doubt, save it for the next time.
Talk often and don’t hold anything back.
Respect the consent of others … privacy goes two ways. Exhibitionism may be a turn-on for you, but it’s not very nice for the people who didn’t consent to watch.

Most importantly, have fun with your bad self!
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The WebMistress will be back with more Lip SerVICES on Wednesday, August 19. If you have a question you’d like answered, please email the Webzine.

Mich, the WebMistress, has been the Novice and Education Director of a 501(c)3 non-profit BDSM/Kink organization, a sexual freedom activist, and Pantheon of Leather community service award nominee and continues to be a fabulously naughty person.

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

So you ‘ve entertained the idea of being a subservient synthetic humanoid whose existence possibly sets back the women’s movement a gazillion years due to playing into unrealistic expectations of perfection that can never be attained by any living female…

And you’ve decided that it’s a most excellent idea indeed…

I mean why would the eyes of your other half ever wander again if they’ve already got a Stepford Wife at home…?

It’s probably not realistic idea to want to be a full time Betty Homemaker Sex Droid Extraordinaire. I mean I like the idea of saying fuck you to my office to pursue my dream of being a bizarre hybrid of June Cleaver and Morticia Addams , but since I am not married to an Arab oil heir…nor would I want to be(Coming Soon to Lethal Love: “Creative Ways To Slut Up a Hijab Without Getting Stoned in Public”), my significant other and I both have to work. Unless you’re living the sweet goth Paris Hilton trust fund life(and if you are please go gay and marry me now), you’re probably in a similar situation, so I will be the last person to advise you to quit your job in order to cook steaks and give blow jobs for a living. Thus some creative usage of your time management skills will be in order.

(For the sake of making my life easier I will assume all relationships to be heterosexual, but feel free to tweak my advice to fit your current arrangement. The 2004 remake of “The Stepford Wives” was updated to reflect the dating attitudes of the current times and featured a gay couple. )

Stepford Program Initiated…

Where?

A Stepford Wife’s home is her castle, that’s all there is to it. The irresistibly hot housewife scenario will probably lack authenticity if you attempt to execute it outside the parameters of your dwelling. You’ll definitely need to utilize your living space for this one. If you live with your parents(or his parents for that matter) you’ll most likely want to stop reading right about here. If you pull off the Stepford Wife act correctly, the remains of your dinner are likely to become airborne and scatter in all directions as you get busy on the kitchen table. You probably don’t want your parents walking in to witness any of that. I don’t want to be held personally responsible for you not being to look your Dad in the eye until the day you move out.

When?

Choose a day when you’re both off work, due to the fact despite your best efforts you are still a human girl after all. You’re not actually becoming a real life replica of the ultimate robot woman; you’re making believe that you are one for a day. I for one cannot expect you to make your house shine from top to bottom, cook a gourmet meal and then have the energy to be a fuck goddess after dealing with douchebags at work all day. Scheduling your transformation into the ideal synthetic spouse without clueing your other half in will require some time spent on prep work, so make sure to send him on an adventure while you get your Stepford on. Unless your job makes you work all sorts of wonky hours, a Saturday or Sunday would be optimal. How the hell do you get him out of the house, you ask? For starters, don’t send him to run any bogus errands, because chances are that it will actually make him more reluctant to leave. It’s his day off; the last thing on his mind is more work. Nudge him in the general direction of something fun. Didn’t he entertain the idea of recording an industrial version of Michael Jackson’s “Thriller”? Ship him off to his friend’s basement recording studio for a day filled with butchering godawful 80’s pop hits. He’ll have so much fun babbling “You know its thriller thriller night/
You’re fighting for your life inside of killer thriller tonight” into a vocoder for 6 hours straight that he’ll probably forget to come home. Which should give you plenty of time to play with.

Now What?

Time to turn your place of residence into a postcard perfect 1950’s happy home. This means cleaning it. Don’t look at me like that. You can’t possibly fool anyone into thinking that you’re the epitome of domestic goddess excellence when you have rats and roaches living the high life in your kitchen and your bathroom makes the can at the bar down the street look like the powder room at the Four Seasons. So get down on your knees(not for anything fun this time) and start scrubbing. At the very least vaccum, take out the trash, do the dishes that have been piling up in your sink for a solid week now and remove any visible stains. An aesthetically pleasing habitat compliments an aesthetically pleasing woman.

Devour the delights

I once saw a T-shirt that read “The way to a man’s heart is through his rib cage”. The T-shirt which was most likely of Hot Topic origin was an obvious gothic cheesification of the old “The way to a man’s heart is through his stomach” cliché. There’s truth to be found in that banality. The Stepfordesque android princess is the mistress of her culinary domain and should surprise her clueless other half(who in his time of absence managed to work his way through a 6 pack of something alcoholic and has decided to syncretize the rivet stomp with the moonwalk)with something delicious upon his return. Especially if she’s not known for her love of cooking on a day to day basis. If that’s the case then something as simple as making one of those instant “just add milk and eggs” cakes out of a box is guaranteed to make his jaw hit the floor. If you’re NOT the Peggy Bundy type and don’t use your oven as a storage space for your winter clothes and actually utilize it for it’s intended purpose, y’know…cooking, try going the extra mile by preparing a meal that you’d typically only fix for his birthday or your anniversary. Naturally, he’s not going to be gone forever, so you probably will not have the time to make crown rack of lamb and a seven layer chocolate torte from scratch. In other words, don’t kill yourself over it. Effort is always appreciated, death from exhaustion isn’t. In case you forgot what I said earlier: You are not a real robot!

If you are to chefs what Kevorkian is to doctors and fear that your kitchen experiments will be nothing more than a series of epic failures, spare yourself the embarrassment and your lover the imminent stomach doom by ordering out. For Christ’s sake, stay away from pizza and lo mein though. Just because you managed to survive on that stuff through all 4 years of college, doesn’t mean that it’s acceptable to serve it to someone who you’re planning to seduce. A Stepford Wife should know better than that! Keep it classy in the kitchen, save the trashiness for the bedroom.

Now that your kitchen is chock full of yummy smells, it’s time to make YOU look as tasty as the delicious morsel s that you just finished slaving over(or paid someone else to).

It would be unfair if the food got all the action.

;)

Hold onto your cleavage baring sweetheart necklines, ladies.

Next week we get our slut on, Stepford style.

I’d tell you now, but I’m a tease. My boyfriend says I’m easy, but the truth is that I don’t like to give it up all in one shot. So spend the week practicing sweeping that floor in 3 inch heels with a 100 megawatt smile on your face. If I was feeling extra sadistic I’d tell you to wear a corset while you’re at it. If being the world’s most fuckable automaton was easy everyone would be doing it.

<3

Vanity Kills

I will open this week’s installment of “Lethal Love” with a simple question: Who wouldn’t want to have carnal knowledge of a robot?

Just so we’re on the same page, I definitely have anthropomorphic automatons on the mind, so we will not be discussing creative uses of Roomba vacuums today. Let’s stick to pleasure models and love droids with distinct homosapiens like features. Although I did have a friend who professed his die hard preference for toasters over flesh and blood women. Maybe he was onto something there, but I digress.

What’s not to yearn for?

The quintessential fantasy machine is fashioned to be the epitome of perfection. Desirable physical qualities, factory manufactured without the flaws that taint us as humans. Robots do not nag. Robots don’t get jealous when their boyfriends ogle Suicide Girls. Robots don’t gut the contents of their closet 2 hours before their favorite old school goth band’s once in a lifetime reunion show, try on every outfit in every possible combination just to decide that they resemble a water buffalo in everything they own and decide to stay home in the end forsaking a $50 ticket in the process.

If robots weren’t perceived as objects of desire by males and females alike:

-Chicks wouldn’t attempt to emulate Daryl Hannah’s signature raccoon mask Pris makeup.

-Purveyors of cybergoth clothing would go out of business.

-Names like “Droid Dolly 2000”, “xFetishBotx”, “Erotique Robotique” or any combination of the words “robot/bot”, “android/droid”, “doll”, “girl”, “toy”, “slave”, etc. wouldn’t be yet another ubiquitous subcultural MySpace cliché.

-Fritz Lang’s “Metropolis” posters wouldn’t be a staple in every rivet boy’s apartment.

Pris of “Blade Runner” and Maria of” Metropolis” fame are popular icons within the subcultural realm. This does not make them the only eroticized gynoids in town. The vastly underrated Stepford Wives deserve a place in the fetish world due to their naturally submissive qualities and the constant desire to please.

Why the Stepford wife?

At the present time the goth/industrial scenes are intertwined within the realm of fetish more than ever. It is not uncommon to see more and more fetish entertainers being invited to perform alongside popular industrial/goth acts. Due to the overlapping of the scenes, audiences who usually wouldn’t seek out amusements of the fleshly and decadent variety are being given involuntary crash courses in the arts of the perverse, the peculiar and the taboo. Conversely this leads to oversaturation of traditional fetish imagery. Girls in slave collars and full body latex catsuits being spanked onstage by corseted scarlet lipped dommes are becoming as commonplace as people drunkenly bumping and grinding to “This Shit Will Fuck You Up” at the end of the night. Thanks to the mingling of the scenes goth nights are almost expected to have some element of S&M injected into the atmosphere. This usually manifests itself by constant exposure to “The Usual Suspects of Fetish”. You know the TYPICAL scenarios: the latex nun beating the horny lesbian schoolgirl on the butt with a ruler, the evil nurse in a short PVC dress abusing an unruly patient and let’s not forget my personal favorite, Ilsa Club Slut of the SS. Classics are fine by me, but it can be pretty fun to stay ahead of the clichés. Overexposure to repetitive themes leads to gradual loss of interest in the subject matter. Chances are that replaying the same interrogation scene for the 10^th time probably won’t be as exciting as the first, despite the fact that your custom made latex KGB agent outfit is the hottest thing in the Western Hemisphere. Seeing it worn for the umpteenth time will make its’ charm wear off eventually. Perhaps it’s time to take the art of submission back to something simpler and dare I say more seemingly innocent.

I am not a believer in “Less is more”, but I am a believer in “Keep them guessing” which is exactly the point of temporarily shelving the collars and leather bras in favor of feminine simplicity. Sometimes what the eyes can’t see holds more mystique than putting it all out there. Once again allow me to reiterate that I am indeed a fan of scarlet woman approved adornments, alas, strategic concealing of some of your naughtier bits and not making them readily available 100% of the time is guaranteed to spice things up. It will bring out the natural conqueror instinct in even the most jaded of males and something tells me that you’ll like the results :) Especially if he’s used to you all tarted up in dresses so short and tight that you’re the only one that is actually hip to the fact that you’re indeed wearing a dress. The unexpected illusion of innocence will only entice your significant other to throw you down on a bed and violate you. After all you’re not programmed to say no J Your manufacturer didn’t code the “NO” command into your brain. If this is starting to read like a typical male fantasy then perhaps the gears have started turning in that pretty Stepford head of yours…

Whether you like or hate Anton Lavey, “The Satanic Witch”, penned by the Black Pope himself and originally published in 1971, made an excellent point. The book gave an example of a young couple visiting a gentlemen’s club. The stage is filled to the brim with women in various states of undress. The wife half of the above mentioned couple is quietly watching the dancers on stage, while herself being dressed in a fairly modest fashion. Suddenly one of her garters comes unfastened. A stocking slips off her thigh and slides down her leg. She bends over to fix it thus drawing attention to the fact that it slipped in the first place. The attention of the other men present in the establishment shifts from the ladies peeling off their garments to the inconspicuously dressed girl who accidentally let them peek at that what was meant to be hidden from view. A quick glance at the forbidden fruit, camouflaged by faux demureness provided a stark contrast to the suggestive dancing and nudity of women who displayed their flesh on parade. The sexiness came from a strange and unexpected place, that’s what made it so damn appealing.

Definitely not advocating modesty or conformity, more like playful retro campiness . The Stepford Wife angle is meant to add a fun robotic twist to the ye olde virgin/whore dichotomy.

She wears thigh highs under a sundress topped off apron with scalloped edges…

She bakes better cakes than Marta Stewart(or is a smart bitch that orders one and then conveniently takes the credit for it) and fucks better than Jenna Jameson.

Your man ain’t gonna look a gift horse in the mouth and ask where the sudden change came from nor sit there and ponder if it will ever last. He’ll just enjoy the moment.

You my friend, will need a convenient excuse for work, because after the Stepford treatment you’ll be walking like a cowboy for a solid week J

Coming next week: Your one stop guide to becoming Betty Homemaker Sex Droid Extraordinaire.

<3

Vanity Kills