The Return of Shallow Fashion Details, the Summer Version

[cupcake_goth]

This time, with bonus DIY notes at the end!

• Black and pink striped ballet flats.


• Black just-below knee-length bloomers, with black lace trim.


• Pink knee-length petticoat.


• Black rayon sundress that has a full, knee-length skirt, pink satin piping, and black lace ruffles.


• Black stretchy lace waist-length cardigan, that buttons with tiny pink buttons, and has pink and black bows on the ruffles at the end of the elbow-length sleeves.


• Jewelry: An antique miniature pocket watch necklace, a choker made from pink and black glass pearls that ties in the back with a black satin bow, matching pink and black glass pearl earrings, and all my usual rings.
  
• Hair pulled up in a bun, and tucked under an antique top hat that is trimmed with pink & black feathers, a pink silk rose, and a pink & black striped satin rose.


• Makeup: YSL Touch Éclat, translucent powder, shimmery white eyeshadow with pink (from a MAC Barbie blush) in the crease, black liquid liner, black mascara, and MAC "Verushka" lipstick.


• For when I have to go outside: an antique parasol that I made a new canopy for: plain black on the outside, lined with pink & black striped satin, and tiny pink bows on the end of each point.

DIY notes. I'm including them because, well, I thought I would give people an example of the regular level of customization I do to things I wear. There is very little that I buy "off-the-rack" that does not get customized in some way, whether it be changing the buttons, adding trim, or (in some cases) being turned into an entirely different item of clothing.

• The shoes were originally black & white striped. I spent an evening coloring them pink with waterproof art markers.


• The bloomers were made from a pair of women's blousy, wide-legged rayon trousers. I cut them off at knee-length, turned up the edges of each leg to make a casing for elastic, and then added lace trim.


• The sundress is one of the Dharma Trading Co. Black Rayon Short Ribbon Strap Dresses. I added grommet tape to the back two seams so I could add laces and make the dress more fitted. I also added the pink satin piping and the lace trim. These dresses are my default summer dresses; they're lightweight, washable, and cheap enough that buying multiples of them to customize isn't completely crazy.


• The cardigan used to be a stretchy lace blouse with a ruffled scooped neckline. I cut it open down the front middle, and then added black elastic loop trim down one side, and the appropriate number of teeny pink buttons on the other. There were already black ribbons on the sleeve ruffles; I just added extra pink ribbons.


• Yep, all the decor on the hat was added by me, too. The pink & black satin rose is another example of coloring things with art markers.


• However, the pink & black striped satin lining of the parasol was from experimenting with acetate satin and a dyebath full of pink rit. I don't think it would be a good way to achieve pink & black striped fabric for clothing, as the printed-on black stripes ended up looking a bit weathered and distressed, but that made for an interesting antiqued effect for the parasol lining.

Comments

[sirriamnis.livejournal.com]

Hey, would you like that pink scarf I was knitting on during the BBQ? If so, what color fringe would you like on it? Pink or black?

[cupcake-goth.livejournal.com]

Oooh, yes please! Black fringe, if that wouldn't be a problem.

[sirriamnis.livejournal.com]

Black fringe is no problem. I bought a skein of black just for that reason.

[madamekat.livejournal.com]

I want pictures of the parasol!!

The cardigan ...what a great idea!!! You are brilliant!

[icprncs.livejournal.com]

The cardigan is brilliant. I've been thinking a lot about modifying and customizing lately, since I can't bring myself to just give away all the stuff in the get-rid-of boxes that I can't seem to sell; I'd mostly been thinking about trims and adjusting shapes, but now I can consider turning things into entirely new pieces of clothing.

What kind of grommet tape do you use, and where do you get it?

[cupcake-goth.livejournal.com]

The grommet tape I use is made of black twill, is about 1/2" wide, and has silver grommets at 1" spaces along it. I bought mine at Hancock fabrics (before they vanished from my neighborhood), but I know that I've seen it recently at Display & Costume.

If you're thinking about getting into modifying and customizing, I highly recommend taking a trip to Tukwilla and going to Fabrics For Less. The last time I was there, they had D-ring tape (where the D-rings were small plastic ones, and were secured to the twill with rhinestones), hook & eye tape, and a wide selection of elastic trimmed with tiny ruffles.

[thalionar.livejournal.com]

I'm not sure if these would be up to your standards of fashion, but they're terribly cute (I have a pair in blue) and they're for a good cause. I'm sure the proprietress might be willing to do other black canvas shoes if you have something other than sneakers.

If you do end up contacting her, tell her Magpie sent you. :)

http://fairysteppers.com/

[riani1.livejournal.com]

Dearest cupcake goth and inspiration to the even slightly artsy inclined--do you ever get the temptation to just throw on an old comfy t-shirt and a pair of shorts? Do you even own such things? Do you ever wake up and contemplate your morning toilette and think "Don't wanna!"

My incurably slatternly self is hoping for a yes.

[cupcake-goth.livejournal.com]

I own fitted t-shirts and bloomers, is that close?

And yes, there are days when I don't put on makeup or fluffy skirts. Those are days when I don't leave the house, and am doing chores and such. If I am going to leave the house I Dress. Because I like to. :)

[riani1.livejournal.com]

I am reassured. If you got up and went for looking marvelous every day, I'd think the Adorable One had created an animatronic Jilli.

[spitecandy.livejournal.com]

Ya know, for somebody with an icon of you taking a picture, there are never photos of your spiffy cupcakey outfits. Do you keep them on your web site somewhere?

[cupcake-goth.livejournal.com]

I don't take photos of my outfits very often. Part of it is I'm already rushed for time in the mornings. Part of it is that almost every time I hand the camera over to The Husband to take a photo, I stand awkwardly or hold my head at a funny angle, and I'm never happy with the photos.

Also, I'm an old alt.gothic.fashion-ista from Back In The Day, so my default is to do text descriptions, not photos. ;-)

[spitecandy.livejournal.com]

aw. oh well, Ill just have to hope your friends take pictures and post them. words aint cute enough!

[ashbet]

You impress me to no end, m'dear!

-- A :D

[silverhawthorn.livejournal.com]

I'm in awe at your DIY-ness and dedication to your personal fashion sense! Reading this makes me want to go rummage in my closet -- I absolve you of any horrors that might result (as specified under the Muse Exemption Act of 1738).

[seven-veils.livejournal.com]

I do a lot of customization myself. I'm also a HUGE thrift store and (gothy) yard sale junkie. The combination of both means I get to have a lot of fun for a lot less money than buying some pretty bauble from one of the gorgeous online retail sites. I can never bring myself to pay those sort of prices for what most of the time, I can do myself with a little effort. I was talking to Pete (DJ Coldheart) and his GF recently about this. We determined that for a lot of us, it comes from growing up in an era and areas with out access to much of any clothing or accessories that we liked or fit our styles at all. As they say, necessity being the mother of invention, we all became very clever in achieving our desired looks. Oh! Some of the DIY depths I've sunk to in the past in order to achieve a certain look on a garment or my hair or whatever. I think that may be why I feel a bit guilty buying pretty things pre-made. It feels a bit like cheating. Silly of me isn't it?

[ex-pennydrea364.livejournal.com]

I want to see more pics of these amazing outfits!!!!!!!!!

[staxxy.livejournal.com]

looks like you and I need to spend some time with my camera and your closet in the near future, judging by the pleas on this post. ;)

I really need to do more hand sewing.