A Kpop Gem

This song, V by Lee Jung Hyun, is supposedly about a "V"irgin on his/her wedding night, who is nervous about making love for the first time.  The video definitely has a playfully dark theme, and I like the song's carnivalesque sound.  Enjoy.

Cemetery Shots

Crows: Not just the Raven's Dejected Little Cousin

This is a great article about crows.

Goth Mecca

One place I think every goth should visit once in their life is New Orleans.  Sure, the goth scene is pretty much dead after Katrina, but New Orleans and goth are still linked in the minds of many.  At any rate, it's a great destination for anyone with an interest in cemeteries, voodoo and other 'alternative' interests.  Here are a few pictures from my recent trip there for the holidays.

The cemeteries are an attraction all their own.  Our first stop was St. Louis Cemetery No.1:

Where we saw the tomb of Voodoo priestess Marie Laveau:

Our next stop was Burbon Street, where I had my first glass of absinthe.

 And had a drink at the nation's oldest bar:

They operate by candle light.

We explored the French Quarter:

And the Marigny:

Then had an elegant dinner in a private alcove at a martini bar called the Bombay Club:

The next night, properly coiffed, we went to see a brass band play:

We made sure to stop at plenty of local coffee shops with quirky ambiance:

And we toured an old Creole plantation on the Mississippi River called Oak Alley, where Interview with a Vampire was filmed:

This is the room in which they would place deceased family members after their death for viewing before the burial.  Black cloth was draped over the mirrors in the room, to keep the spirits of the departed from seeing their reflection and becoming trapped in the mirrors.

We also visited Lafayette Cemetery:

It was a great trip, and what I've posted here just scratches the surface of the interesting things for a goth-inclined person to delve into.  There are voodoo shops, art galleries, street musicians, clubs (though I couldn't find any goth venues), and other forms of general debauchery to be had.  I highly recommend it as a destination.  Just be sure to have your pocketbook handy, as anything near the quarter is sure to be priced for the tourists.

Casual Friday

Grey jacket from Kohls, red sleeveless from Target underneath.  Dark blue stretch jeans (so comfy) from Old Navy (sweetheart cut), and black Toms.

Octopus necklace.

New skull necklace I picked up doing a bit of after school shopping.

I also stopped by Encore Shoe Dept. and was happy to see that they still have my favorites, so I picked up a backup pair. 

Now I know some of you are thinking, "I thought goths are supposed to be into DIY and thrifting."  Well, to be honest, my job is very stressful at the moment.  I spend nearly every waking hour teaching, lesson planning, or grading.  Only now is the workload starting to lighten up, so maybe I'll have more time for projects soon. I also find that you can get away with more if you mix and match clean-cut pieces from mainstream stores with a darker color palette.

NOLA

Here's a sketch I did of some houses next to our bed and breakfast in New Orleans on a recent trip.

After the Bell Rings...

When I'm not working, or when I'm out of town, I can get a bit more flamboyant.  Here's an outfit that I might wear out for the evening, without the tights if I think I might run into coworkers or parents.

Goth Sites

Here are some goth blogs I read and other websites goths might find useful:

Stripy Tights and Dark Delights

Gothic Charm School

The International Gothic Club Listing

The Dark Victorian

This is Corp Goth

Gothic Beauty Magazine

Sophistique' Noir

Courtesan Macabre

GIY: Goth It Yourself

Scary Jane

Creepy Glowbugg

Vulcan Butterfly

Still Dark at Heart

Goth Mary Poppins

Gothy Two Shoes

Milking the Rolling Cow

Mindless Indulgence

Linnea pa Landet

Style and Graphite

Gothically Yours

The Curious Professor Z

A Darker Kind of Fashion

Aristocratic Elegance


Enjoy!

Shoes.

Oh my god, shoes. (Pardon the reference.)  Here are some of my favorite shoes. 

No macabre madame is complete without a pair of black boots:

These are great because they can be worn with skirts or under pants, are comfortable when standing for prolonged periods, and are work appropriate.  I got them at Kohls on sale last fall.

Here are my old faithfuls:

From left to right:  Target, Hotcakes, Toms.  The Hotcakes are my favorite; they are probably the most comfortable shoes I have ever owned, and have some funky straps and buckles on them.  Perfect for towing the line at work.  I generally wear my Toms in the winter, because I can wear black dress socks with them to keep warm.

Here are my "occasionally" shoes: 

As you can see, I am a fan of flats.  I don't wear heals because I am standing all day at work, and because flats are just more comfortable.  I have a hard time finding shoes that don't give me blisters, because my feet are exceptionally wide. 

When Monsters Attack!