Popcorn reading and Shallow Fashion Details

[cupcake_goth]

I don't know why, but I've suddenly developed an amused fondness for gothic romance novels. I can't explain it, but I find myself seeking out books with cover art featuring women in flowy white Victorian nightgowns running along a cliff, away from an ominous-looking house or castle, or an imperious and/or brooding man. The more over-the-top the cover art, the more likely I am to buy it. You know, stuff like this. (Yes, I bought this exact book this weekend. When I got home I finally looked at it closely enough to realize its a Reader's Digest collection of six 'condensed' novels. Oh well. At least I'll discover if I like any of the authors enough to go find more of their work in a non-condensed form.)

(... aaaaaaaaaand I just realized that I really want an LJ icon made out of that book cover. Anyone wanna volunteer to do that for me? Pretty please?)

Anyway. Yes. Silly gothic romances. I'd never read them before, and now they're all I want to read while lounging in the bath. stroppy_baggage thinks I've taken leave of my senses, but he also thinks that about my habit of reading trashy vampire novels. But both make me giggle a lot, and also leave me with the urge to wear lots of frilly, lace-trimmed dresses with velvet cloaks. Probably while running away from a Dark and Ominous House, during a thunderstorm, but I don't think that'll happen.

• Pointy-toe black suede ankle boots with silver buckles and silver toe-caps


• Black tights


• Black & white striped knee-length skirt worn with petticoats


• Black mandarin-collared, princess-seamed jacket with bat-wing point hem


• Black choker with large silver bat worn so the bat shows in the opening of the jacket collar


• Hair in two low pigtails, worn under my usual top hat


• The usual makeup and my glasses (because I didn't feel up to putting in my contacts on 6 hours of sleep)


• Two bracelets made of pink velvet ribbon, pink lace, and silver cone spikes

... Now if I could just find my motivation to do some work, I'd be all set.

Comments

[debg.livejournal.com]

I would think you'd be more likely to run toward the Dark and Ominous House.

As in: "Oooooooooh! Interesting occupants and broodies!"

That's what I'd do, anyway.

[oldhalloween.livejournal.com]

I was thinking the same thing...why is she running away from the pretty castle? :0 )

[fufaraw]

Maybe you want to paper a wall in your house (bathroom? sewing room?) with these covers, or color-copy enlargements. Could be interesting. Some of the older Holts and her 1970s contemporaries...which I'm memfaulting on...were full of standing stones and fluttering nighties. Not to be metaphorical or anything...

[sistawendy.livejournal.com]

Naturally, I misread that title as Gothic Sex Tales. Now that's a book I would buy.

[skellorg.livejournal.com]

just an lj stranger on a wander with a little too much time on my hands today.

here you go -- a hastily made icon of the book cover:

http://img202.echo.cx/img202/737/bookcover5uw.gif

and ... your entry made me think you may enjoy this site:

http://www.worldoflongmire.com/features/romance_novels/index.htm

just passing through; don't mind me :)

[cupcake-goth.livejournal.com]

Oh goodness, I had forgotten about the bad romance novel covers. Hee!

Thank you for the icon!

[weaselmom.livejournal.com]

Perhaps you crave an infusion of romance into your life...? ::stares pointedly at Himself:: It's easy to get bogged down in the daily slog and not take time for Escaping and Rescuing and whatnot.

Or so I've heard.

[stroppy-baggage.livejournal.com]

"Perhaps you crave an infusion of romance into your life...?"

Hey now! Them's fighting words, missy.

[cupcake-goth.livejournal.com]

... must ... not ... giggle ...

[staxxy.livejournal.com]

I shall have to read one of these gothic romances. I dunno if I will be into it or not, but I am damn curious now.

[cupcake-goth.livejournal.com]

If you type 'gothic romance' into google, a whole bunch of websites have this definition:

Seemingly modeled on Charlotte Bronte's Jane Eyre and Daphne du Maurier's Rebecca, these novels usually concern spirited young women, either governesses or new brides, who go to live in large gloomy mansions populated by peculiar servants and precocious children and presided over by darkly handsome men with mysterious pasts.

See? Silly and fun!

[staxxy.livejournal.com]

I might enjoy that indeed. :)

[ladymoira.livejournal.com]

One of my favorite firsts was Victoria Holt. I started with Moura and then moved on to the Vampire of Moura. Lots of fun. When it comes to reading romance novels the gothic ones are definitely my favorites.

[m-cobweb.livejournal.com]

I have an old fondness for Victoria Holt myself, passed down to me from my usually-sensible mom.

OOOPS!

[ladymoira.livejournal.com]

Moura and Vampire of Moura were by Virginia Coffman not Victoria Holt. My bad!

[bluejay23.livejournal.com]

Your mandarincollarprincessseamedbattypointdresses should be done by this saturday. Sorry it's taken so long, the soul sucking portion of the job has been thriving mercilessly.

[cupcake-goth.livejournal.com]

claps hands

And *no* worries about the time. I know the job has been trying to devour you.

I couldn't pass it up

[serasempre.livejournal.com]

Re: I couldn't pass it up

[cupcake-goth.livejournal.com]

*mwah*

Thank you, nice lady!