Possibly the best thing I have EVER seen... EVER!
Thursday, October 6, 2011
Sunday, October 2, 2011
Creatures of the Night
An entry on alternative and dark fashion is well overdue in this blog. I know that so far I've focused on my tastes that range from ultra girly vintage repro dresses to pin-up lingerie and modern urban wear but I also have a weakness for the dramatic. And nothing is more dramatic than Victorian and Goth inspired fashion.
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| http://www.yourfashion.com.au/ writer Lisa Rodrigues (blog on alternative and dark fashions) |
A good friend of mine (the lovely Lisa, above) recently ran a fashion show/night as part of Perth's Outskirts Festival 2011. She called upon some Perth locals who loved this style to submit outfits with a dark, alternative edge. From these submissions 6 were chosen to parade and be voted on at the show. The show was to be appositely entitled 'Vespertine';
ves·per·tine
adjective /ˈvespərˌtīn/ /-ˌtēn/
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| My legs! Channeling a Vaudeville theme for my outfit (Cage skirt, stockings and bustle all from The Powder Room - http://www.enterthepowderroom.com/ with dance shoes by Aris Allen) |
The six finalists were elaborate and diverse, but at a show that celebrates the street fashion and self styling of a sub culture, I was far more interested in what the attendees would be wearing. As my business was one of the event's sponsors, I thought it only fitting to create my outfit from The Powder Room's stock. I called in one of my fellow partners in crime to be my lady-date for the evening.
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Janey (r) and I (l) at Vespertine - I am standing on a step...  |
Once we had styled her amazingly long dreadlocks into a beehive (making her about 7 foot tall in total) and I had navigated around the issues of driving in my get up (ahem, a corset and a cage skirt are NOT built for practicality) we settled in at Geisha bar and I set about people-watching.
The crowd was dressed similarly to a Loft night (the event usually held at the venue on this night) but there were a few people who had seemingly stumbled in either from the festival or out of curiosity. It was interesting to see mainstream dressing being marginalised in this environment, where "alternative" is the norm. It was like a couple of seagulls who have only ever experienced seaside life with fellow seagulls and a pelican or two accidentally wandering into the amazon and coming face to face with a Toucan for the first time.
That said there was a range of attire. Fashion, while largely all alternative, varied from more understated to more traditionally 'goth'. Both ends of the spectrum were done incredibly well with the attendees committing to their choices. These were creatures of the night in their natural fashion habitat; no-one looked uncomfortable, even outfits that in some circles may be considered to be more like 'costumes' were here accepted, and worn effortlessly as fashion.
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| 'Understated' Victorian inspired wear and styling. Black and minimalist right down to the tattoo. |
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| More traditional goth, with fishnet undershirt, coloured hair and alt hair style. I love the theatrics and prep that have gone into this - I wish more people cared enough to express themselves articulately through their dress. |
Now I love alternative fashion for myself and fellow ladies, however I think dark alt fashion most shines where it comes to the men. Particularly as men knowing (and more accurately, caring) about fashion and their presentation seems to be a dwindling occurrence (epic sad face). This is not true in this scene. The men are immaculately put together, their clothing is tailored to fit them perfectly and (gasp) they actually know how to accessorise.
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| Ignore my poking him in the face, Jon Madd once again proves that a gent in a three piece is three times as delicious. |
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| From Steampunk Victorian to Gothic Gentleman, Skot and Frank bring a little male elegance back into modern fashion |
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| I've said this before and I'm sure I'll say it again - Leon is probably the best dressed man in Perth. While this image doesn't capture his outfit it makes my point about accessories - men of Perth pay attention! Go and get yourselves a silver top cane. Now. |
Fashion is one of the primary ways that subcultures identify one another. It's a visual cue before any verbal exchange that you may have something in common with another person. Like punk, or ska-kids or any other subculture, fashion and music are the key initial identifiers. Many of the Vespertine attendees included fashion students, fashion photographers and alternative fashion retail store owners; all people who love the fashion of this sub culture so much that they have to varying extents, devoted some of their life to it. It's a passion that is evident in how they construct themselves.
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| The blue beauty Adele, owner of alt fashion store Beyond The Trapdoor, in Subiaco. |
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| Guests and models at Vespertine. |
So that's the word on the guests. But of course the night was set up to feature six alt fashion devotees, modeling creations that they had either put together or made themselves. Here they are -
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| Casey channeled a mix of cyber punk, goth and japanese fashion |
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| Fashion Student (Luke?) constructed these angel wings by hand and was my personal favourite of the nigth (he came 2nd) |
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| Tom worked goth androgyny in his man-skirt and black lips |
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| Skot did what he does best - Steampunk Victorian Gent |
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| Marijke mixed Victorian, gothic and Manson influences to create a dark, subversive creature of the night that exuded twisted elegance (not pictured here, her claw hand that added to the twisted imagery). She made the design herself. |
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| Neo-Victorian inspired fashion with a dark burlesque twist. |
While the plague prevented me from staying for the announcement (coughing your lungs up on people is NEVER attractive, no matter how you dress it up) I was later advised that Marijke and Luke (Angel wings) came first and second. As my top two picks, this made me pretty happy, although the creations were so diverse that a comparison between them all is a hard task.
While I did have to leave to release my poor lungs from the corset encasing them, I did have time for a dance or three, something that I'm very happy that this subculture is never afraid to be seen doing.
Thanks again to Lisa, for having us and putting on a great show. Hopefully more events promoting alternative fashion will start to work their way into Perth's fashion social calender. To read more about Lisa's adventures in alternative fashion, check out her blog - http://www.yourfashion.com.au/
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| Lisa and her own distinct alt fashion can be followed at http://www.yourfashion.com.au/ |
All photos by Shaun Takes Photos (Shaun Ferraloro)
Friday, September 23, 2011
Monday, August 8, 2011
What Lies Beneath
Lately I have become a little obsessed with lingerie. Vintage lingerie to be precise. I've always loved it and gazed longingly at it's finery, but lately I've got a bit OTT and purchased enough to suit-up a lace armoury.
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| One of my new purchases - second hand |
Why? Well thank you for asking, allow me to explain. It is my dears, simply because lingerie from the bygone eras was BETTER. It lasted longer, it was made with more attention to detail and it was made to serve a purpose. Modern bras and panties/knickers/underthings (whatever your preferential term for them is) may be pretty now, but they're effectively just breast/nether region coverings with a clasp and some elastic here and there. Lingerie used to be about shaping you, about sucking in and holding and tucking and perfecting so that with our clothing on, it looked all so naturally perfect.
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| Karenelmquistvintage on Etsy |
"Faking it" has become such a large part of our fashion culture - even with the exception of the more drastic option of plastic surgery we have fake tan, fake nails, fake hair, fake eyelashes - why did we steer away from faking, or rather 'assisting', our shape (without going under the knife)?
Vs.
A further thing about this lingerie - it's sexier. It's sexier because it takes longer to take off. Every time you, or someone else undresses you - it can be a strip tease. In modern underwear it's a strip tease that takes 2.6 seconds and would have an audience demanding their nickel back (fist shake optional). But in vintage lingerie, there's stockings to be unhooked from garters and rolled down, clasps to be unfastened, slips to slide out of...
There are modern remakes of vintage lingerie styles that are just as beautiful and can be purchased rather than dug out from thrift stores, op shops and by scouring the internet. Kiss Me Quick http://www.kissmequick.net.au/ have some gorgeous girdles and shapewear, as do DarkLadiesWear on Etsy.
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| Kiss Me Quick - Don't be cross girdle |
Vintage lingerie is a luxury. In our modern, fast paced world where women don't have three hours a day to dress, set their hair and do their makeup it's easy to forget the benefit of such old fashions.
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| ValentinesArmoire on Etsy |
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| StyleForLife on Etsy |
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| JunkSisters911 on Etsy |
Ultimately they may not be for every day wear, but for once in awhile when you want to feel like an old Hollywood goddess (Hello, Ava Gardner) then slipping on a slip, and fastening yourself into a girdle can be just what you need. Or at least, concerning my recent purchases - that's my story and I'm sticking to it!
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| Ava Gardner knew how to work her shape - but I'm sure she had some help under that dress ;) |
Monday, July 4, 2011
Fashionably Narcissistic
Forgive me interwebs for I have sinned, it has been one month since my last blog entry...
I am working on a blog post that I've wanted to write for some time but it's not quite done percolating just yet. So in this time of blog-void I shall turn to that which never fails in the great wide world wide web. Narcissism. Seeing as blogs are all about the thoughts and opinions of the blogger, I suppose it's time to play "Getting to Know You" - or at least, my personal fashion.
So what follows are some snippets of outfits I have styled for myself, ON myself. My camera is currently on a hiatus an so I am relying on my iphone (and a heinously dirty mirror) to capture some of these looks. Terribly sorry for the lack of quality. I'll include some pretty sourced pictures of my finds and current favourite trends too, so that you don't go cross-eyed.
Things about my fashion, Lesson one - I'm stockings/tights/sock obsessed -
And generally the crazier/more abstract the better.
I am particularly loving the knee-high socks OVER stockings thing at the moment. Australian winter is pretty much the perfect climate for it too.
My new favourite things in life (only a mild exaggeration) are my white polka dot tights. I know have white and black, but am yet to access grey.
Lesson 2 - I'm a Mad Hatter
Yes I'm also obsessed with hats. This is for several reasons that include their being awesome, my having a tiny head and unruly hair and the fact that now I'm blonde again, regrowth maintenance is a pain in the arse, happily (albeit temporarily) solved by hats!
As above; I love berets and below; floppy brim hats (and the stocking trend continues).
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| Must find beret in this colour! |
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| Adore this look by Versace. The drama of the cut-away little black dress with the nonchalance of the beret? Awesome |
Lesson Three - Red Red Wine Lips
I love the blood red lips look, but have never thought myself capable of pulling it off. I despise (well maybe just envy) people who can just slick it on and look amazing. I however, have to find the PERFECT red before it looks ok, and anything orange based looks terrible on me. Well ladies and gentlemen, I am pleased to say that after many years of fruitless searching; I've found it. Mac Ruby-Woo is the perfect red lipstick (for me at least). Blue based but not too pink, with a totally matte finish. Perfection.
Lesson Four: My Perfect Silhouette
This lesson I have actually just learned myself while writing this post. I've sensed a theme emerging in my favourite outfits. Loose fitting top, tight short skirt, legs-legs-legs and then boots. I think this has something to do with the fact that due to my, erm, assets up top - fitted shirts never sit the way I want them to. I either look deceptively larger or somewhat tarty. I guess we all emphasise what we most like about ourselves - and I like my legs (and hate my stomach). What do you like the most about yourself?
I think this is why I'm presently on the cape/poncho/kimono/chiffon top loving trend. As with this poncho above, that I think is beautiful (also as I'm rather partial to Autumn colours like brown).
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| Image from Chictopia.com |
To leave you with a final image.... I'm pretty much in love with the outfit above. I'm not sure I could pull it off, and the shoes aren't quite me but I did recently purchase a giant black hairbow from Dangerfield. I'd also need to (finally) learn how to go about the whole GHD curls thing (but they're STRAIGHTeners, how do they curl!?). Well that concludes this outing in narcissism. Now if you don't mind, I'm off to purchase a red sequin mini skirt ... and possibly a matching beret.
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