My personal blog as a 'grown-up' Goth and Romantic living in the Highlands of Scotland. I write about the places I go, the things I see and my thoughts on life as a Goth and the subculture, and things in the broader realm of the Gothic and darkly Romantic. Sometimes I write about music I like and sometimes I review things. This blog often includes architectural photography, graveyards and other images from the darker side of life.

Goth is not just about imitating each other, it is a creative movement and subculture that grew out of post-punk and is based on seeing beauty in the dark places of the world, the expression of that in Goth rock. It looks back to the various ways throughout history in which people have confronted and explored the macabre, the dark and the taboo, and as such I'm going to post about more than the just the standards of the subculture (Siouxsie, Sisters of Mercy, Bauhaus, et al) and look at things by people who might not consider themselves anything to do with the subculture, but have eyes for the dark places. The Gothic should not be limited by what is already within it; inspiration comes from all places, the key is to look with open eyes, listen carefully and think with an open mind..

Thursday 5 June 2014

Red hair, Black Dress, Green Meadow

I sadly have but the one offering for red and black week - this Gothic Lolita outfit. It's a photo from a couple of months back. 

Currently I am ill again; I have had bad luck this year with illnesses! 

I have frequent headaches from what I presume is sinus problems, and I am very congested indeed and rather under the weather. I've also developed a rather unpleasant cough. I am off to the doctor tomorrow as today is my 8th day of being ill with what started as a sore throat and then seemed to move upwards into the rest of my head. 

While I have been in to work up until this morning, I was coughing and spluttering continuously, have lost my voice and can barely concentrate with the headaches. I made sure I stayed until I had sorted all tasks so I wouldn't leave anything for others to do in my absence and requested to go home sick. The over-the counter medication is having little effect, not even the nasal spray specifically designed for sinus and mucus problems. Right now, I am tucked up in bed with hot drinks. Even though I slept badly last night and the night before (and the night before, etc.) I can't manage to sleep today, so I am alleviating the tedium of recuperation with updating my blog. I am in no position to do more than display an old photo, and have been too unwell to prepare anything in the last few days. Next year I will try and have more done in advance.



The photograph is by ::Chance Photography:: and the location is the meadow near my apartment. The weather was being typically Scottish, with a grey but surprisingly bright sky and cold, damp air. I was photographed in the same meadow a while back for a previous Red and Black Week post (::here::) wearing a different red wig - that one I eventually decided to straighten as the fibres had kinked and become damaged with frequent wear and it was easier to keep them in check on a straight wig than a curled one. The wig in this photo is a Lockshop wig and the fibres seem far more durable and the curls have remained very well. 
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As this is primarily a fashion post and not actually JUST a rant about my being ill, here is the outfit run-down:

Hair flowers: off-brand, various including H&M, Claire's and Poundland
Wig: Lockshop  Blouse: Tesco  Dress (JSK): Baby, The Stars Shine Bright
Tights: off-brand, probably Tesco  Shoes: T.U.K.

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It is certainly not the fanciest Lolita outfit, but I am quite pleased with it. I am quite tall, so the skirt of the dress comes to just above my knee rather than ending at the knee itself, but I am not really fussed that it is on the edge of breaking "the rules" as I rather like this outfit irrespective of how Lolita it is. I am more interested in feeling pretty than making sure I adhere completely to the Lolita template. 

The shoes in this photo are my first pair of "Lolita" style shoes. I have replaced the skulls with a matching set as the shoes were secondhand and the previous owner had lost some of the original skulls. The construction of these shoes does not appear to be of very high quality as I have had to re-attach all of the decorative bows at some point (none seemed sewn securely) and one of the straps snapped. I am, however, quite good at mending things so this has not been a huge bother, and while I have not owned them long, I am not sure how much the were worn by the previous owner.

My favourite thing about this outfit is how with such a dark colour-scheme for the majority of the photo, the red of the wig stands out really well even though it's actually not that vivid. I know it looks quite bright in some photographs as it tends to look quite plastic under bright flash, but this photograph is probably most representative of how it looks in real life. 

13 comments:

  1. I'm looking forward to your recovery. Get well soon, HouseCat!

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    1. I was hoping to go to the doctor's yesterday, but there were no free appointments, so I'm off to the doctor's today, instead. Trying to get well as soon as possible.

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  2. I'm so sorry to hear you've been I'll! I hope you can take some time off to take care of yourself. Thank you for taking the time to participate in Red& Black Week! This is such a great outfit, and a great shot! Those shoes are well worth occasional mending and TLC.

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    1. I have been off work today, and spent most of it asleep. I'm now awake because I'm off to the doctor's, but I'm all muddle-headed and achey. I'm going to try and spend as much of this weekend as possible either wrapped in a blanket on the couch or in bed, and drinking plenty of fluids (yay for dissolve-able cold and 'flu remedies; they're excellent with honey) and trying to get back on my feet for Monday.

      Thank-you :) Lolita fashion is often fancier than this, but I do sometimes wonder if the fancier incarnations of the fashion are starting to be a bit much for me as I get older, so I'm trying for middlingly fancy! Not too fancy, and not too simple. As for photography, all credit should go to my partner; he's a very good photographer.

      I often hear complaints that Demonia shoes don't last and that T.U.K ones are better, but I've never had to mend my Demonias and I seem to have to fix these T.U.K shoes a lot. At least it's not been anything I have to take them to a cobbler for; I have some gorgeous granny boots that are forever being re-soled, and if it wasn't for the fact that they were a rather expensive pair of boots originally, I probably wouldn't get it done.

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  3. Looking lovely! The wig is a good colour. I do like victorian and gothic lolita on others - such as you - but it verges into uncomfortably cosseted and girly on me. Enjoy the ruffles and lace for me!

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    1. I actually spend most of my time in plain black trousers, comfortable shoes and a turtle-neck in winter, or a black blouse in summer because my work would just ruin anything fancy. Small children and fancy clothes do not mix, especially if you help in a lot of messy art lessons! I have this thing where I try and wear a skirt to work once a week to break up my wardrobe a bit!

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  4. You always look fabulous no matter what you have a good eye for what works. Raven is a good photographer but a good model helps. Once you are plague free we can catch up till then i will stick to skype

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    1. Nearly plague-free now :P I'm feeling much better!

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  5. Cool outfit and great to find another UK crafty goth blogger :)

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    1. That reminds me that I really need to post more of the results of my crafting projects!

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  6. I like how your wig contrasts with the all black outfit.

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