Posts Tagged ‘goths in the summer’

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.

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Vanity Kills

The story of Easter

By: Dan Barrett (because he has to do something with that writing degree he acquired in college. Also “poetry” is in no shape or form a forté of Vanity Kills)

One day the Easter bunny came to earth
to bequeath upon us delicious chocolate
cast into fun and cute shapes
and also EBM.

Then he set about his work
to give every angry rivethead a basket of eggs
but not the new APOP album
(because it’s emo)

Some say Easter has something to do with resurrection
like the second coming of Skinny Puppy
Because everyone knows that Cevin Key
writes a better synth-line than Jesus.

It is a time to look up to the Rose-Coloured Skies
and Praise the Fallen
to put aside our Inhumane Amusement
and listen to that Wumpscut song Rise Again.

Anyway, the Easter rabbit gave out candy and tickets to Kinetik
to all the cybergrrls/cyberbois
because they love neon colors
and high sugar foods.

The number of eggs per basket
was directly proportionate
to the number of things that are not hair
in their falls.

April got a basket of green eggs
which matched her skirt
which came from Lip Service
Oh look kids, a plug!

Sadly, her Beloved puppy,
who happened to be wearing bunny ears for some reason,
appeared from the depths of the mist
and descended upon the treats faster than Rudy R.

So, with the spoils of the holiday lost,
she crushed an egg-shaped effigy
to curse the Eevil Young Flesh
and yelled out to the bunny that she was still talking but he wasn’t listening.

Also swords

Ahhhh…Easter. A blessed day devoted to the celebration of that which is most important in life, namely chocolate and zombies. It also heralds the imminent arrival of sweltering summer months. As the ye olde nuclear furnace in the sky causes temperatures to spike, many Lippy Addicts of the goth/industrial persuasion find themselves reliving the melting flesh scene from Robocop on a daily basis. Our friend, the mighty sun, greatly limits our wardrobe options and forces many of us to forsake being fashionable in the name of keeping our cool.

I’ve read several articles which tackled the issue of beating the heat without trading in your I’m-only-wearing-black-until-they-find-something-darker ensembles for khaki shorts, pastel tank tops and those god-fucking-awful monstrosities-in-shoe form called “flip flops”. While breezy linen skirts with black lace accents and dark colored camisoles embellished with standard gothy fare, such as the ever popular skull motif, were suggested as sensible alternatives, that still didn’t really solve the issue that plagues the inquiring minds of the style conscious spooky socialites amongst us, “Just what the fuck do I wear to the club when it’s still like 90 degrees at night?”

Well, since you asked….

While I dare NOT come between a goth girl and her arsenal of tight n’shiny fetish wear, I feel like it is my duty as a fashion blogger and fellow club goer to advise you to rock your infamous “historically accurate” Marie Antoinette gown reproduced entirely in pastel PVC in more moderate weather. Mostly due to the fact that I don’t want to smell your festering BO all the way across the bar. With that said, YES YOU CAN, wear vinyl when Mercury rises. You just have to “Use Your Brain And Think About It” (Thanks for letting me rip that phrase directly off my T-shirt, Feindflug).

Without further ado, here’s how to look hot without dissolving into a big sticky puddle of grossness:

Haute Heat

The key to making perspiration producing synthetic fibers such as vinyl, rubber, and latex work in the scorching summer season is to simply wear less of them. In other words, send those sexy but impractical dresses and catsuits on a much needed vacation until October. It should go without saying that sticking to separates will not only prevent you from lookin’ a hot boiled mess, but feelin’ like one too. Opt for a top or bottom of the PVC persuasion, but avoid wearing them AT THE SAME TIME. For maximum ventilation, try a simple black vinyl zipper-front sleeveless crop top, like April’s. Oh yeah, and don’t skimp on the antiperspirant.

Create a texture contrast by pairing your second skin-esque top with a more utilitarian-chic stretch twill olive cargo skirt such as this Lip Service Hot Topic style 29 79 (ht cut 14560) mini.

Covering your hands after Memorial Day might seem like a counterproductive feat at first, but trust me you’ll be glad you shielded your mitts after being forced to shake hands with a rather damp and odiferous friend-of-a-friend you’ve just been introduced to. The one that danced to the DJ’s back-to-back- set of old school EBM for the past 45 minutes. Then you’ll catch yourself thinking “Wow…that Vanity Kills was right. Short gloves in the summer really aren’t a bad idea”.

Petrified by the thought of having your feet encased by buckles and PVC for hours on end as you punch and kick your way across a sweaty crowded dancefloor? Then get out of the scene!

Two things:

1. Gladiator sandals or other “breathable” footwear commonly associated with the season will never be seen as a suitable substitute for boots here at Lethal Style. You’ll sooner see me touting the Olsen Twins as style icons.
2. To minimize chafing and discomfort, which can occur when moist skin comes in contact with material such as vinyl, apply talcum powder onto any exposed bits of your calf or thigh that touch the inside surface of your boot.

I have written detailed descriptions of the exact method of installing hair falls here and here.

Soylent Greens

If you’ve only limited yourself to sporting this hue to your annual St. Patrick’s Day pub crawl and the all Boy George 80s throwback night, then you my dear friend, haven’t been living at all. Spring into the green in 2010 (No, not in the granola-crunching Earth Mama sort of way either).

General Prep Work

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

Eyes

1. Dab some brown eyeshadow onto a small angled brush. Tap off the excess. Starting at the widest part of the brow, near the nose, and using short strokes, apply brown eyeshadow directly to the natural hair of the eyebrow. Repeat on the other side. Make sure to use a shade that matches your hair color (in April’s case brown was used since she is a blonde). After you’re satisfied with the shape of your brows, feel free to seal them with a single coat of a makeup sealer.
2. Lightly coat your entire eyelid area with an eyeshadow primer to build a smooth base for your shadows, pigments, and liners.
3. Take an eyeshadow brush with a round/tapered edge and wet it a little. Dip your dampened brush into yellowish-green pigment and gently tap, DO NOT SWIPE, the pigment across your entire eyelid from lashline to crease.
4. With the help of a blending brush, deepen the crease of your eye with dark green shadow.
5. Using a smaller eyeshadow brush apply a layer of vivid green eyeshadow over the color you added in Step 3 to add dimension to the look.
6. Grab your blending brush again and blend the same vivid green eyeshadow you added in Step 5 into the dark green that you added to your crease in Step 4 to avoid harsh lines. Make sure to blend up and outwards.
7. Highlight your browbone with shimmery white eyeshadow applied with a small eyeshadow brush.
8. 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.
9. Last but not least, add extra depth and drama to your gaze with a pair of false eyelashes. To apply, 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

1. Swipe some mauve blush onto your blush brush.
2. Apply the mauve blush to the apples of your cheeks.
3. For added glow, blend a small amount of highlighter powder into the tops of your cheekbones. This will enhance the definition of your bone structure.

Lips

1. For a sheer wash of pretty spring time pastel color, use a mauve lip liner to fill in your lips starting at the center of your natural lip line and moving toward the outer corners.
2. Finish off with a coat of clear lipgloss.

Credits

Model, Photography and Styling: April Mayi

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Vanity Kills