...Are They Just Trying to Make Me More Coinfident?!

Almost everybody gets compliments once in a while. Compliments are good. But what if somebody tells us the person is just trying to give us more self-esteem, or make us "less depressed", or anything else just because of what we look like?. It is trye there is some goth stereotype that goths are depressed amd with no self-esteem. But it is the same as saying all people from Newfoundland are idiots or all asians can't drive. Yes, there are idiot people in Newfoundland  just as in any province, and some asian people, like people from any continent, can't drive.  But mostly, they are not true. Just the same with goths. Some goth people are depressed, but there are just as many depressed non'goth people. **Also, a little secret. Don't tell anyone. Most people who are truly depressed are no longer intrested in their fashion style or appearance, so goth is usually not them.**

So, how do you tell if somebody genuinely likes something or are just trying to be nice? First, look at who the person is. If they are somebody who you can see likes alternative fashion, I strongly doubt they will thing you have no self-esteem because you wear alternative fashion. If it's someone you don't know well, they are probably just happy to see somebody else not dressed in a "mainstream" style. Then, think about what they said. If they mentioned what they like, like an item of clothing, or asked where you got it, it's probably just them liking something. If they just like how you look, it again depends on who said it. But if they say you have a nice face that would have looked better with less makeup, or that your style is "ruining you", then it is not even compliment. IT IS AN INSULT. Just walk away from that person.

Remember, this was what Marilyn Manson looked like mainstream.

HOWEVER. There is always a big HOWEVER. Like that time a lady at a store stopped me at a store to tell me what a horrible thing goth is and that I should not be dressing goth, and I said that HOWEVER I am not goth, it is called decadent movement, and she does not know what she is talk about.
So, However. If you often get told that your style does not suit you, and if it is not just that one person stuck on it like a broken CD player, then you might want to actually consider the point. Maybe if you wear whiteface every day and have dripping eyeliner, they are right in a way. It all depends.

Tips on Becoming More Coinfident

I find the most important thing for me to have coinfidence in how I look is following my one simple rule: If you're not proud of it, don't wear it and definitely don't post it. I was taught this by my good friend art teacher T.J., who said it applying to artwork, but it applies to an outfit just the same. Look in the mirror before leaving home, and think if you are proud of how you look, or at least of what you look like. For example, I have days when I'm looking like a intelligent and creative person ready to meet with their friends and have fun, and this is good. But there are also a small number of days when I feel like a Ziggy Stardust clone from the 70s, which usually means I should probably wear something else. If you know for sure you were proud of what you wore at home, you should feel more coinfident when you leave.


No offense.


As for the "don't post it" part: I'm going to be open and say that I HATE IT when people post a picture of themselves and say how ugly they are. This is called fishing for compliments, dear friends, and it gives others a bad opinion of you, as well as drives poor Kismet pretty fucking insane. If you post a picture and then say you look bad in it, the question is why you posted it. If you really did not thing yourself ugly, you would not have written that you did, and if you thought you were actually ugly, you would not have posted a picture. Agreed.

Otherwise, it may work for you that you feel more coinfident if you are with a friend wearing a similar style. Maybe it helps to just start talking to someone. I know it helps when I am taking the bus or subway somewhere to just talk  to the person next to me, about something completely unrelated to style. Talk about how good or bad the weather is, or something that you saw in the newspaper they were reading, or how dirty it is in the bus, how somebody should clean it, how people have no concience and just leave trash all over the place and how that never happens on YOUR planet. But don't freak anyone out too much or else people will stop taking buses and the ticket fares will go up.










On Negative Comments About "Mallgoths" and "Babybats"

I am aware that "mallgoth" is commonly used as a derogatory term to describe somebody who is into goth fashion but is badly dressed, but some people online have started saying that this is the style they are aiming for. Then again, "punk" was a negative word once too.

Mallgoth style usually involves wearing lots of black, spike or skull acessories, possibly white face makeup and band shirts from bands such as Evanescence or Nightwish. Most of those who dress in mallgoth style are young teenagers still living with their parents, so very often they will have no piercings or tattoos and a fairly mainstream-looking hairstyle, although they often would want to complain  about it. This is a style usually of begnners who are new to the goth or alternative subculture, and many of us have had a "mallgoth or "babybat" phase when we first saw goth.

This is not only normal, it is great. The trouble is that most people don't see it that way. Why, you ask? Well, for one thing because a style, or even the beginnings of  style, are much better then nothing at all. In my eyes, caring and not knowing what to do is ten thousand times better then not caring, and I hope you can agree. Mallgoth is not a bad end, it is a beginning. Anyone even trying to dress in a diffrent style is a person who is very creative and has courage, who with some woerk can become something great. The negative comments mallgoths abd babybats recieve for their style do nothing to help them, and by treating somebody unfairly for their style may bring a future good friend or even role model away from you, or even destroy them completely.

If you have once ever dressed like this, you should know. It is really an unfortunate that people comment on other's style in nasty ways even though they likely dressed like that themselves once. Every time I go on website I see people make fun of them, and I try to do what I can. I mark the pictures with the nasty captions as offensive, respond to comments and try to contact the people who put  the pictures to tell them to remove it. But I can't do everything alone, you must help me too. If you see a picture with an offensive caption, try to contact the people posting it. Leave a (encouraging) comment b the picture and say we are all still learning, because we are. Instead of saying the dress was pulled from the trash, say it would have looked better with less frills and a diffrent one may have suited them better. And you, M.G., S., C.F., and anybody else, help spread this message! If we want to be treated well, WE must make others terat us well!

Things I Wish I was Told As a Beginner

All of us had a time when we were just trying on the gothic fashion, and seeing what worked. It is the time when we just experimented with what looks good and feels like "us" and what does not. Here are some things I, and possibly you too, wished we were told during that time.

Not only is cheap halloween makeup look terrible, it is also a health concern. It is only meant to be worn for one night on Halloween, and if it is not it can permanently hurt you. Learned that from my own experience with black lipstick, which around my age 12-13 left my lips almost without color. I still look at my childhood photos and wonder how this happened, and although the color is slowly coming back, leaving the house without (normal) lipstick is not an option.

Although it may notr look awfully gothic, "Kiss My Face"
brand lipstickis organic and will not cause ay harm to you.
 The dark red is actually very, very dark...

The same applies to hair dye, of cource. If you want your hair to grow back blonde, don't use cheap red hair dye from some country where they don't even bother to write out the instructions in english. M.G. and S. can prove. Try temporary hair dye, if anything.

Also, you may want to know to NEVER leave on chipped nail polish, unless it is clear. Hands are one of the first things people notice about you, and you want them to look good. This also means that one should be using cutucle remover to give their nails a good shape, and that all one's nails must be the same length. Never bite your nails! Especially if you are using a nail polish color that will attract attention, or is bright or very dark .

This is very good.

Another fact: not everything with skulls is goth. Plenty of things with skulls are less goth than anything can be. Skulls ofte scream "teen angst!", which I'm sure is something you don't want to be seen as having. Yes, skulls can be worn tastefully, but this is not easy. For example, if skulls are a part of a design but not the main focus of it, and the redt of the design is sophistiated and tasteful this may work. If not sure try to keep them to a minimum. And please, no skulls with hearts!

For instance, here I am sorry to say that no, please don't, not even
 for emo style and definitely not for goth, this is too much and too tacky,
I want to say I've seen worse but I doubt I have so please just
NEVER wear anthing like this!!!

Apart from that, probably one of the most important things I've learned in a long time: Don't drown in your dreams and don't live in a box. I know, mommy tells you to dream. And not just her, but the rest of society as well. Don't wait for your dreams to come true, because without your help they never will. You can't win the lottery if you don't buy tickets. I'm not saying don't dream; dream alright. But don't want to be, be. Don't be afraid. Go ahead, get your ears pierced, get a haircut, change your name and do whatever you want! No age is too young; if it works in your eyes it will work in mine. Show this post to your mommies and friends and schoolteachers, and tell them Kismet agrees. Don't wait until you grow or lose weight or gain counfidence or anything happens! Start now, and new coinfidence will be yours. Don't say you want to do something, do it! It is yourself, and you must take the steps to become what you want to be and do it NOW!!!

Tips on Shopping With Your Parents

Many of us sometimes shop with our parents or relatives, and some rarely shop without them. While some people's parents just buy them whatever they say they want, this is rare. Here are some tips on actually getting parents to buy you what you want.

1) Before going shopping, make a list together, or at least make a list and show it to your parents. Try to be specific, and remember that no one can read your mind and you actually have to say what you want. For example:



In somebody else's mind, "boots" may look like this;



While it is hard for "black pointy-toe boots with buckles"
to look much diffrent from this.

 However, keep in mind that not everything can be easily found. For example, "black and purple  knee-high  boots with  2-inch platforms and bat-shaped buckles" is probably too specific to be actually found. Make sure what you write in your list still leaves you with a choice.

2) Don't settle for less. If you want boots, don't settle for converse. This may just leave you with no more money to spend and an item that you don't want.
However, what you can do is this: Say, you want a black miniskirt with lace, but you think your parents may not. Then, show them some lace-covered, black skull print, ridiculous monstrosity from your nearest Hot Topic and say here, I want something like that. Then, spend time looking for "something similar" and show them the skirt you actually want.  They will be more then happy to buy it for you once they've seen the first option.

3) Wear mainstream-looking clothes when shopping with parents if they don't like your style. Skip the hair and makeup too. Instead of "Buy me another crazy something", in their eyes your look will say " It's only one item, if they wear it with these normal and colorful clothes it won't look that unusual". This sounds strange, but believe me, it works. I used to own a pair of light-wash jeans an a pastel blue hoodie just for the purpose.

4) Be willing to pay for the item yourself, at least partly. That doesn't mean you'd actually pay for it. You won't. Just say the item means a lot to you and you are willing to pay for it.

Happy shopping!

Liebster Award

Goth Mary Poppins tagged me, but later had to explain what it was. This is how I understood it. If I wrote something real stupid, next time just don't tag people who walk into glass doors every other week and don't know how to use email.

The Rules:

• Each person must post 11 things about themselves.
• Answer the questions the tagger has set for you.
• Create 11 questions the tagger has set for you.
• Choose 11 people and link back to them.
• No tag backs.

11 things about me:

• I never read magazines. Still don't know why.
• I am not goth.  I don't even look like one. I only use the word so my blog appears more in the google search.
• Sometimes when I look through my clothes, I wonder how half the stuff must have jumped from David Bowie's closet to mine, and what he must think about it.
• I almost never throw clothes out. I usually give them away to friends or find a way to reuse the item.
• My favorite shoes at the moment are from the brand Converse, but they are not sneakers. They're leather boots, and they were a gift from a relative. Other than to the gym, I try to never wear sneakers.
• I never listen to goth music, almost all of it is too gloomy and gives me bad memories. I prefer things like Gogol Bordello or Vulgargrad.
• M.G. says I look like the Saddening Alien from Final Wars.
• On the topic of Saddening Aliens and Final Wars, I sometimes watch lots of VERY weird movies.
• I like talking on the phone to my friends, but almost never use texting or e-mail. I don't have Facebook , Twitter or anything like that, because I believe these sites do more harm then good by spreading regrettable photographs and rumors.
• I like trading clothed with my friends because I find it is a good way to get new clothes without actually spending your money.  Thanks to that, I sometimes don't even remember what was originally mine and what was somebody else's. Maybe that's how all the David Bowie-like stuff got there?
•  I don't believe in "idols", because for me it is more important my and my friend's life then that of some band or artist I've never even met. For that reason I never buy band merchandise and have never owned a band shirt. I like to be myself, not an advertisement for somebody else.

Questions

1. Some story, that was embarrassing when happened, but later became funny.  My "purple disease". A few months ago, I was brushing my teeth when I noticed that my whole tongue and most of the inside of my mouth were a dark blue-purple color. It did not hurt or feel like anything at all.I was so confused and worried that I asked all my relatives if they knew what it may be, but nobody did. I looked on the Internet, but no oe had anything about a blue and purple mouth. When I was panicking enough to drive to the hospital that very moment, I remembered I had eaten a purple popsicle just minutes before.

2. Any weird fact about you. I never take my sunglasses off. It could be pouring rain on midnight in the middle of winter and indoors at the same time and I'd be wearing them.

3.  What did you wanted to be when you grow up?  Wanted to be a fashion designer, but thankfully that went away.

4. Best Christmas present ever? I usually just got money. Worst present? A white and pink butterfly-print flannel turtleneck. Get that? A PINK BUTTERFLY PRINT TURTLENECK!  That didn't fit.

5.  Funny local tradition that you and/or your family follows. Don't really know, we don't have much traditions, and definitely none that we'd call weird.

6. Worst song, that you secretly like. I don't like bad songs. To me, every song that I like is good. What is the point of listening to bad music?

7. Are you a morning bird or night owl? It depends on the day.

8. Do you prefer boots or pointy heels? I would say boots, although even M.G. and S. will tell you that my last two favorite pairs of shoes were both high-heeled pointy boots. Never owned a pair of real brand boots, all too expensive.

9. What is your favourite snack? I would say strawberries, I don't snack a lot and prefer healthier things to eat.

10. Alcohol: yes or no? Not for me. I don't like the smell.

11.  What was your last dream you can remember? Dreamed that I got my report card and there was a C in biology. Then woke up and remembered that I don't go to school and never even took biology.

My Questions:

1. Is there any celebrity that people say you were influenced by or look like, who you don't even know?
2.  Do you have any item of clothing or acessory that you like to wear all the time no matter what?
3. What is the worst gift anyone has given you? What did you do with it?
4. What is the last item of clothing you bought?
5. What are some of your hobbies?
6. What would you do if you got a haircut that looked nothing at all like what you were asking for?
7. How would you describe your style?
8. What is your favorite movie?
9. What are your views on "labels"? Are they for soup cans or a good way to define a person?
10. What is the most ridiculous thing anyone said to you about your style?
11. What do you think about the decadent movement?

Choosing a Hairstyle

When choosing a new hairstyle for ourselves, especially if we want something very diffrent from what we already have. Some think too much of how a hairstyle will make them "unique" and too little of how it actually looks, often ending with something completely ridiculous. Even I, when I was eleven or twelve, did hours of research and sketches of what I wanted, and upon presenting them to my parents was told that all I was actually allowed to do was to cut my hair two inches or so shorter. We then, however, thought of a deal: If I paid for the haircut myself, I could get whatever I wanted, but if they had to pay for it, they would choose. Since no stylist would do the haircut that I initially wanted for under $80 and almost every one said it would be extremely high-maintenance and I would never have the time for that, I decided to wait with the haircut.

Also, remember this when researching hairstyles on the internet: If you find something you like on a model wo looks nothing like you, it is unlikely that it will make you look good. Models usually have hours to spend on their hair, plenty of money and a professional stylist, something you probably don't.

The Right Haircut for Your Face

Diamond Face: Narrow forehead, small pointy chin, and wide cheeks.

Haircut & Style: To create a balance shape look for styles that are narrow at the cheekbones and wider at the forehead. Add a little more fullness at the crown if required.

Heart face: Wide, short forehead, and small pointy chin.

Haircut & Style: Suited styles are like layered bob with extra volume and outward flicks at chin level. Asymmetric cuts are also flattering heart-shaped faces.

Oval face: High forehead and narrow, slightly rounded chin.

Haircut & Style: This is the most balanced face shape and almost perfect for any type of hair style.

Rectangle face: Long face with high forehead and long jaw and chin. Also known as long face shape.

Haircut & Style:Suited styles are like chin or shoulder-length cuts with a fringe that can disguises the long forehead.

Round face:Wide, short forehead, full jaw and chin.

Haircut & Style:The round shape normally makes the cheeks appear wider. Most short hair cuts works well for round face as long as there is some height at the crown area and little fullness above the ears to slim down the round face. Soft cuts with sophisticated layers coming forward onto the face look stylish and is an ideal hair style for round face shape. Soft curls will also flatter the frame of a round face. For straight hair asymmetric cuts can also be an option. Read more about hair styles for round faces.

Square face: A wide, short forehead and square jaw.

Haircut & Style: Square edges should be soften by breaking the symmetry. Graduated layers with some volume at crown and soft curls looks stylish on this type of face shape. Read more about hair styles for square faces.

Triangular face: Narrow at the temples, slightly wider at the cheeks and widest at the jaw line.

Haircut & Style: Most short hair cuts works for this type of face. Avoid styles with volume at the top.

Remember to note distinctive features like your nose, cheekbones, or jaw line. You can then decide to downplay or highlight these features with the short hair cut style you choose. The real trick is to pick hairstyles that enhance your best features while camouflaging any flaws.

Please remember that this face shape concept is only a simple hair cut guide and there are exceptions. Sometimes it's difficult to distinguish two face shapes from each other and you may not get an exact match. But usually these classifications of face shapes will help you select a better style for your face. Here are some ideas for neat and low-maintenance styles:



Remember, it could be any color.



I had short hair for a while, bit mow I'm growing it out into something like this.

For guys, simple short hair is the eaiest option.

                        
These however, are not a good idea:

It looks okay, but kep in mind that with bangs like that you won't be able to see.

Looks good on that one model in that one picture with that one outfit,
but definitely not for everyday life.

My Biggest Fashion Fears

Every one of ys has something we are afraid will happen to us. Here are some of my fashion fears, which most of you probably share:

1) Plastic nails falling off in public
    I guess I have a good reason why I'm afraid this would happen. Firstly, it hppened to me once and I must say having a six-year-old cousin pull something black out of his instant-noodles and realizing that it is your own plastic fingernail is not a pleasant experience. Now, I usually don't have fale nails, and I only use plastic to replace my nails if they break, but I still don't like finding them in somebody's food.

2) Looking "silly"
   I am sure this is a fear many of us have. Silly as in looking like I am wearing a halloween costume instead of normal clothes, or looking like I tried too hard to be "cool". Although this only happened once to me, when handing out candy on Halloween I ran out and had to go to the store to buy more but had no time to change out of my costume, I see people looking like they forgot what time of year it is and claiming to be goth almost every day.

3) Losing my nazar  ring

It is believed that wearing a ring or piece of jewelwry with a blue eye on it will protect one from the evil eye. My ring is a good-luck charm to me and I am very afraid of losing it. However, I strongly doubt this will happen anytime soon as the ring has literally grown on me, in the sense that I can no longer take it off. Even with soap. The ring is also sterling silver and a one-of-a-kind handmade design, so it is very dear to me.



Looks somewhat like this one, but with a thinner band and slightly brighter eye.





Clothes Challenge: Day 2

Outfit from yesturday, wearing black jeans from H&M ($15 on sale), black blouse with lace I got as a gift, black leather jacket which was also a gift, and a black leather bag from H&M for $10. Mu shoes were just simple black boots with a 3-inch heel and a slightly pointy toe, from Sears for $15. They weree originally around $40, but I bought them at the end of the fall season last year when they were switching to more winter footwear and they were on sale.

Outfit Idea: Challenge Day 1

In this picture, I am wearing dark red leopard-print pants from a store called Stitches that I bought for around $10, a shirt I got as a gift several yeare ago drom a friend and which I added lace to myself. I also have a scarf from the flea market for $5, a bag from Winners the price of which I forget, and a ring with a bright blue eyeball from the flea market also. My shoes, which you can;t see in this photo, are a pair of silver pointy-toe ballet flats I bought for $15 at Steps.

I decided today to wear some of the things I had in the back of my closet that I rare;y wear or look at to see if they sitll fit well and try to coordinate them somehow.

Clothes Challenge

I'm tired of buying the cheapest of the cheapest.
I'm tired of going straight to the sales rack whenever I enter a store.
I'm tired of digging through flea markets, discount stores and bags of clothes my relatives are going to throw out.
Even though I am a creative person, I'm tired of making everything myself.
I'm tired of always lookng at pictures of beautiful style for reasonable prices on he internet only to be told that I'm not supposed to have them.

For these reasons, I decided to start the "Conservative Challenge", the name of which I did NOT invent,  and I invite you to join me. The rules are simple:

1) Do not buy any new articles of clothing, shoes, or acessories for one month, excluding the absolutely neccesary.(Absolutely neccesary as in your last pair of tights got ripped and you had to throw hem out, not as in you liking something you found very much)
2) For that month, wear the things that you already have in your closet, but try not to repeat outfits.
3) Be free to make or alter things, but only with the items/materials that you already have.

Although I know I should not have pictures, I will try to take a picture of each outfit I wear during this time and make an outfit post, starting tomorrow. I, as many other people, have plenty of things in my closet that I rarely wear just because I have no time to find what to wear them with, and I hope this can help me find a use for items I already have instead of buying new things.

Goths and Body Image

Health Canada defines body image as "the picture an individual has of his or her body, what it looks like in the mirror, and what he or she thinks it looks like to others." Since the 1960’s, idealized models of beauty such as waif-like women, and muscle-bound, sporting men have been ubiquitous in movies, magazines, television, and the cosmetic and fashion industries. Girls are trying to achieve impossible beauty standards that are produced through much media trickery - photo cropping, airbrushing, composite bodies, and body doubles.

Unfortunately, this affects gioths just as much as it affects anybody else. Maybe even more, as it is harder to find gothic clothes in plus sizes then mainstream clothes, and because of the stereotypes regarding goths and weight. Althoigh this is not a problem that affects me personally, I understand how hard this may be.

When picking out clothes, for those of us who are plus-size it is especially important that what we wear fits us well. Meaning that it is not too small, but does not hang like a tent either. It can be the best design in the world, but if it doesn't fit, it will never look good. When shopping online and unsure of the sizes, buy the next size up to be safe. However, when you do so do expect the item that you order to be slightly too big and be ready to tailor it down.

For example, if something fits like this, it is okay:

And like this is not very good:

Looking closer, the first outfit is not overloaded with colors and prints, and the jacket has a defined waist.If you want to appear thinner, defining a waist is always a good idea.

However, in the second outfit the top has a small ribbon that is much too high but no defined waist, and the top is too loose and definitely too long, making her legs appear shorter and bigger. The skirt is okay in terms of fit, but the highly contrasting pattern I don't think would look good on anyone. The hairstyle also plays a part, as very few people look good with all their hair pulled back and she is unfortunately not one of them. A bigger hairstyle, maybe with curly hair, would have looked much better.

Appology

I appologise to all those whom I may have offended by my post on gothic things that I dislike. I may have been sligtly too harsh on keeping cats and other topics, but the only experience I had with any of those things was the most horrible. I am sorry if I offended anybody's personal beliefs.

A new hairstyle!

In the past few months I have been trying to grow my hair out so I could wear it long. Which unfortunately turned it into some completely unpresentable, mullet-like mess. Naturally, this means that I need to get a haircut in order to be able to appear in public without getting unpleasant stares anywhere I go.

This time, I decided to get something more age-appropriate and as ordinary as possible. The color is still  going to stay as it is, a dark red-brown. I like it, it looks natural and better with my skin color then my original dirty-blonde. I needed a hairstyle that was low-maintenance and does not stand out too much or rather at all, I'm guessing because I've watched enough of Stacy and Clinton's What Not to Wear I don't want ANYTHING out of the completely ordinary.

I can't post a picture of myself, buy it looks pretty much like this, maybe with the bangs a bit longer.



I like this kind of hairstyle because it is much more age-appropriate then most of the things people like to wear these days (undershaves, deathhawks, big teased hair and the like) and actually low-maintenance with no shaved areas or fading color to take care of. And even if it grows out a bit, it will still look fine.

My Story (Being a Beginner to Subculture)

I would hesitate to use the words "babybat" and "goth", as although my style is sometimes slightly similar to goth, I am not goth, and somebody who is not goth by definition could not be a babybat.

I started to experiment with diffrent styles of fashion at an earlier age, maybe around eleven or twelve. And, considering that I was eleven or twelve, one can assume it did not look too good. Pale foundation looked terrible on olive skin, and the tons of skull clothes, striped socks and converse were not much better. Even so, I only remember getting one somewhat-rude comment at the time, somebody yelled something about Halloween at me in the beginning of december. It did not affect me much, as even then I did not really take the fashion authority of someone wearing a TNA hoodie and trainers. And it was fine, I was still learning and so were they.

However, sixth grade came to an end soon enough, and I was left with nothing to do for the summer. I tried going to a summer camp, but after accidentally cutting my leg open on a broken fence in the park, nearly drowning several times and having to sleep on a broken bunk-bed with no matress and insects for compan for a week decided to leave. My style at summer camp was purely practical, usually shorts or cut-off jeans and a hoodie that I was not afraid to make mesy and an old pairof boots.

The next year, my style very much evolved. Even though most of the old clothes I had stlii fit me perfectly....I stopped growing at about twelve....I decided to give them away and get new ones. For at least a month my wardrobe was very small, two skirts one of which a relative has made for me and another from my grandmother and several shirts, my favorite two being again my grandmother's. They are a black and a white cotton blouses with lace, and I still wear them today. I usually wore a black skirt about knee length with a white blouse and a large blacl bow on my head. Mu shoes were a pair of black pumps with almost no heel, and mu hair was about shoulder-lengt with no bangs.

By the end of seventh grade however, I had decided to take a step which to me now is even somewhat symbolic, get bangs for the first time, my relatives were still not sure they wanted that, and I had to cut my bangs myself. It was not perfect I must say, but already ten thousand times better then it was before. About a week later I went to the salon with a picture of a model whit short hair for the first time, wad when the hairstylist finished I ws amazed. It took one look in the mirrir to realize which of my relatives I reallu did look like: I was the photograph of Grand Dutchess Anastasia, in flesh. She is somebody whom I greatly admire, so you can imagine what the sudden discovery of my resemblance to her did for my self-coinfidence. That's it! I deciden no more baggy jeans, no more black t-shirts, no more ugly pumps, enough!

My year in eigth grade was completely diffrent. My clothes were chosen much more tastefully, my hair and makeup always neat. I had black tops with lace, lolita-style skirts, and several dresses. There were elegant necklaces and rings, and my eyeball ring which, unknowingly to me when I bought it, had once belonged to Marilyn Manson. I still hardly take it off. At that time, I pretty much refused to wear any shoe with less then two inches of a heel , well, because....remember, I did stop growing at twelve.

My style has evolved quite a lot since then, and I have discovered many more good places to shop. I had learned to sew and to alter clothes, as well as fix jewelery. However, I will stop writing at this, as here what I count as my beginner years pretty much end. I hope reading this helped you see that being a  beginner is not only pefectly notmal, it is wonderful. It means that you are very creative, and are learning about yourself and the world around you.

Goth Shopping Tips

Many of us like to shop and pick out new clothes. But once you find something you like but are not sure about, do you buy it or not?

First, think about what you would wear the item with. We are all guilty of once in a while buying something that does not go with anything. If your item is a basic, such as a simple black blouse or dark jeans, think if you have something similar already, and whether you need another.

If you decide that the item will go with many things you already own, think about where else you could buy a similar item for a smaller price. For example, I found a pair of black over-knee socks with lace on Bodyline for $12. But at Ardene's, similar socks could be bought three pairs for $10. This is not all, as Claire's had them on sale for $1.25 a pair. In the end, I bought two pairs of black overknee socks from Golden Square Center for $1, and added lace I had remaining from making a skirt myself.


Lastly, see if the item is already on sale or may end up on sale soon. For example, if there are five more of the same thing in your size, you may want to wait until one or two are left and they are on the sales rack. This also depends on the store, as some stores like to put things on sale and others don't.

I hope this would help you decide, if anything. Happy shopping!

On Shopping in Mainstream Stores For Summer

Goth clothes are hard to find, and goth clothes for summer are harder still. However, this is not impossible, as I am about to prove to you.

Let's start with the shoes. The first three pairs are from the department store Sears, and all under $30. The two after them are from Ardene's, sold two pairs for $20. There are dozens of other gothable designs there, but I did not have time to photograph all of them. The last pair is from Siren's, $30, and is also availiable in black.

And now, for the clothes. The first top I liked so much I actually bought, at Siren's for $9. It was also there in purple, but they did not have my size. The second one is Sirens also, $6. The third is a mini-dress from the same store, originally priced $20 but on sale for $10. The other two are from H&M and would go with something more casual, the cherry-print mini dress $15 and the top $5. The top was also there in black, but you could not see the design of a moth with a skull on it as well. However, it is still a very good example of a more sophisticated and less rebellious teenager-like way to wear a skull.

For tights, we have a large display of lace and fishnet from $2 up at Icing by Claire's, with the ironic sign concerning true colors, and a similar thing at Ardene's, this time any three pairs for $10. 

And now, fo what in the summer especially  for what really makes an outfit, the acessories! They are all under $10, and I would have posted more, but this post is getting too big...:

Ideas for Goth Nails

Learn how to manicure at home! Here are 10 easy steps for giving a manicure--from filing to polishing--these simple hints will give you great-looking nails.

1. The first thing to is to exfoliate your hands. To do this, use a mixture of salt and hand soap or a commercial exfoliant hand lotion. Wash and dry hands. Remove any old nail polish you may have on.

2. Next, moisturize using hand cream or even a little olive oil. Let cream or oil sit for a few minutes and then wipe off excess.

3. Soak your fingers in a bowl of warm water to soak and soften the cuticles. Do not soak for too long as they will become too soft. You may also opt for simply using a cuticle softener and skip the soaking process.

4. Next, gently push back the cuticles using a cuticle stick. Do not cut them. If you have hangnails, cut them carefully with nail scissors or cutters. This is a key step, as overgrown cuticles make your fingers look shorter and your nails messy. NEVER skip this. It may hurt a little, but trust me, it's more then worth it.

5. Follow this with a shaping of the nails using a double-sided emery board, or a nail file, and shape them depending on your personal preference. I file mine into a pointy shape, as this makes my fingers look longer. Make sure you file in one direction to avoid rough edges.

6. Some people like to shine their nails with a buffer, but I find this unnecesary as it makes the nails thinner and weaker. It is your personal choice wether to do this or not.

7. Apply a thin clear base coat, try for this to use strengthening nail polish, such as Sally Hansen Nailgrowth Miracle. This will help protect the nails and allow for longer polish wear, as well as depending on your choice of base coat help them groww faster and stronger.
8. Now you can put on color nail polish. For those of us who were banned from using black, which happens, remember that dark purple, wine red and metallic colors are always an option. Here are some designs for inspiration:

These are probably acrylic, but still very nice.

World Goth Day

In two days, that is, will be world goth day. I have never done anything for goth day, mainly because I am not goth, but since this is a blog about goth fashion I figured I might as well add it. I mean, goths out there reading my blog, you should know more then me.

However, as me and my dear friend M.G.  have already noted, having a "World Whoever's Left of the Decadent Movement Day" would be very nice.

When is Too Early?

When is too early to wear corset and stilettoes? To use makeup and dye your hair? To get acrylic nails? Many of the younger goths ask themselves this, and it is a good question with an even better answer. There is no "too early"! Every age is the right age, it is not to worry.

Let's taker a simple example. You are twelve years old and in sixth grade, and you start to experiment with makeup. It may not look the best at first, but expectations for a twelve-year-old are usually relatively low, and you will have plenty of time to practice until you finally find something you like. Fast forward, you are seventeen. You already know what you want your makeup to look like, and you can make it that way, as opposed to those of us who force ourselves to wait until fifteen, seventeen or even our twenties just to start. At that age, everybody including yourself will have a higher expectations, and looking like a "babybat" or "mall-goth" could make others think badly of you, or even of the goth subculture itself. Heard "oh, all goths are immature wanabes"? By starting to look goth at an earlier age, you will not only get lots of practice and find your own style, but also be able to break that stereotype by looking better then other people your age.

C'est-a-dire, of cource, if you only discovered the subculture at an older age, this is perfectly fine too. It will simply be a bit more challenging, and you will probably need to be more careful. Don't wait anymore. Don't wait yntil you get thinner, or older, or your hair grows out, or anything, because this never helps. If you are in a stage of your life when you don't have much coinfidence, hiding who you are only mekes it worse. Knowing who you are and actually working on the parts of yourself that you want to improve is the first step to becoming more coinfident, and dressing in a style that you like is a good beginning of that.

I like to think of a subculture as a hobby, and you can think of it that way too. For example, your hobby is to collect postage stamps. The earlier you begin, the bigger your collection will be, and the more you will know about how to get the stamps that you are looking for and to organize your collection. The same thing, really, goes for goth as well.



             She may have yet to find the best style for herself, but I admire her efforts to be herself and express who she is no matter what her age. 



Ideas for Goth Shoes (for those who can't buy brand)

How many times have we seen a good outfit ruined by the wrong shoes? Dress pants and running shoes, or maybe converse with a dress?  Today this is exactly what I saw, and I figured this was the last, I am going to write about this and explain.

This summer, at least where I live,  there is a big trend for platform sandals, and you can always use that. Being someone who is very self-conscious about their feet, I almost never wear a shoe with open toes or heel. Some people it looks good on, but make sure that you do not have messy toenails or rough skin showing. Something like this, for indtance, can be bought from an inexpensive brand, or as knockoff and still look very nice.

For those of us who are still in our early teens and want to look older, shoes with a higher heel are always a good option. They may not be the most comfortable shoes to wear, and you have to be sure to choose the right ones so you don't appear to be wearing your mother's shoes, but are definitely worth it. For example:

This is a good idea:                                This will do:                        And this is definitely not a good idea:

A pointy toe is a good idea, as that way your legs will look taller and slimmer, and if your feet are still growing will leave some room so the shoes can be worn longer. Black or a neutral dark color is best because they can be worn with anything and is dirt or scratches are less visible.

And I know, yes, mommy says the heel is to high. But the Last of the Movement is not mommy! If you wear high heels to school, it won't hurt you since you're just sitting around anyway. And if she's scared you'll trip and fall? For one thing, eventually you're going to have to learn to wear high heels sooner or later and it might as well be now. I have worn stilettos at fourteen and not tripped once since. You'll be fine.

If you however know you run around a lot during the day and are not me, a flat shoe could be a good idea, and studded black ballet flats or something somilar will do perfectly. However, avoid running shoes and definitely converse, which give off a strong air of  "rebellous teen" "baby-bat" and "emo". And please, no skulls or broken hearts! I don't even understand why they would put that in a print, much less on shoes, so just don't buy them and don't find out!

Good:                                                                                                           Please do not buy: