Dark soft romantic Katy Perry

Katy Perry, as usual, stunning in this Vogue editorial by Annie Leibowitz.

Very country chic, but to me it screams "dark new romantic". Deep reds, florals and sensual floaty fabrics, all on a black background. Definitely, my cup of tea and indeed very appropriate for the British "summer" (that'd mean spring/autumn, for the rest of the world...) ;).

Fashion inspiration: studded pointed shoes by Frankie Morello

One word: stunning....

Dark spring/summer fashion inspiration: black & pastels.

I get emails everynow and again with requests to do do articles about gothic fashion tips for the Summer. Well, I have decided to start a new "series" covering the subject.
This post is about black & pastels. We had a short summery phase here in North England, a sneak preview of what to expect in the following months prior to returning back to the dark days of Winter (which is fine, nothing to worry about. It still is skiing season, you know?)

I've always been an advocate for pastels (I have written posts about it before), specially if they are skintone shades or ivory/cream. They bring out the best of our skinshades and because they are so light, they are easy to combine with other shades/colours and that makes them a perfect alternative to the "common" white to use as a blank colour to start an outfit with. Some people are a bit uneasy with the black&white combo for fear of ending up with a "waitress" look.

Despite their lightness, pastels work beautifully with black, as proven by the pic below, creating a gorgeous look that not always has to be "romantic" or "sissy". You can thoughen it up with dramatic accessories or textures like velvet or leather.

I love this look:
Black blazer/jacket/coat in wool or velvet!
A romantic or sleek fitted dress in skintone/pastel shade
black shoe/boots. Love that chunky heel. Much heavier than stiletto but so much more stable and therefore comfortable to walk with.

What do you think? Would you wear pastels?

Fashion inspiration: Viktor & Rolf, Autumn/Winter 2012-13

As I am in full swing developing my Spring/Summer collection and sewing like mad I got distracted looking at the dark beauties we may expect wearing next Winter. I must say, I'm excited. Lots of Dark Dark pieces! (and I'm not talking about plain black, I'm talking about opulent velvet and decadent gothic symbols as well as distressed textures and luxurious brocades and dramatic laces). I'm drooling just thinking of it. If you add Vintage to the mix, then you have grabbed all my attention, and that's what Viktor and Rolf's next Winter collection has done: a very dark glamorous collection depicting languid femme fatales dressed in misterious black outfits, trimmed with luxurious fur and vintage-style ruffles and tassels.

Love the description given on the Fashion Telegraph's website:
"Soft, feminine, and romantic - with a little bit of mystery. Luke Leitch on Viktor & Rolf's chic moonlight-bathe, film-noirish collection."

"The models had Rita Hayworth waves, almost consumptive pallors and the dark berry lips that have all been recurring themes in the film noir-tinted styling so popular this season."

Link to the article: http://fashion.telegraph.co.uk/Article/TMG9120979/754/Paris-Fashion-Week-Viktor-and-Rolf-autumnwinter-2012.html

Big pics taken from here: http://cltreanor.blogspot.com/2012/03/viktor-rolf-fall-2012.html

Fashion inspiration: Ulyana Sergeenko

I came across this quirky/romantic/retro multi-artist via dustjacket attic. This russian lady is a fashion designer/photographer and fashion socialite too (I lost account of the amount of photos I've seen of her at big fashion shows in Paris and with key member of the fashion elite...).
Here is a link to her fall/winter 2011-12 collection. 

Bonnie Wright on Haute Muse

I found this picture on a mag ages ago and forgot to scan it, till I found it here (thanks Dustjacket attic!). I don't know who she is but here is a tip: any Harry Potter fans out there would have recognized her straight away.

Red bloody nails

I never liked this opulent over the top nails you see everyday now. BUT, look at these! Who could resist that deep red colour?, with embellishments in black!! Gorgeous. If anyone knows what brand this is, please, let me know.

Fashion inspiration: "Metropolis" by Morfium Couture

Morfium is a noteworthy fashion label expressing its creative concept of progressive design through numerous visual arts and media like photography, theatre, movies and music sources. Morfium as the name of the brand also has a rich explanation starting from the mythological Morpheas, the messenger appearing in the dreams as well as a variety of inspirations taken from Balkan traditions.
The latest collection of Morfium Couture is named after and simultaneously inspired by "Metropolis", the science fiction masterpiece about urban dystopia. The movie was a truly futuristic indicator directed by German expressionist Fritz Lang in 1927. The ad campaign captured in the lens of talented photographer Dusan Jaukovic explores explicit and cutting edge designs rendering the movie convention in high fashion mode.
(Text taken from here: http://www.fashionising.com/pictures/b--Metropolis-mythology-Morfium-Couture-6854.html) Click for more pics or check out the website.

Cute kitten shoes

Aren't they cute?
They are velvet platform shoes with a embroidered cat face on them. A came across this picture on the Fashionising.com website.
It was taken in Paris, some fashionista was wearing them in the street.
No one seems to know who is the genius who designed it. If it was a bag, I would have automatically thought LouLou Guinness, but she doesn't make shoes and I am not that clued in shoe-designers, sorry...

Insects...

I assume this must be a gothic thing, because not everyone shares the same passion for them. Although they have always been an interesting source of creative inspiration, specially in fashion.
I am talking about insects.
I find them incredibly unique, special, interesting and some of them even absolutely beautiful.

My main favourites are spiders (you should already know if you follow me ;), butterflies, ladybirds (or ladybugs as known across the Atlantic) and beetles. But, since a beautiful fluffy bee died in my house a couple of years ago, I include bees as well.



Spiders are my main passion because of their incredibly vintage inspired shape (very feminine with their tiny waist, big rounded bum and slender and incredibly long legs), because of this, I think that's why they have that characteristic very unique to them, sexy way of moving, in a very silent way, to the dark corners of my rooms. (My house is infested with them, good proof that I have a very good central heating system).







Beetles are my other favourite because of the stunning metallic shades of their shells. Incredibly shinny, the colours really gets your attention, including the black ones too.
It has always been associated with old egyptian religion, being their most important religious symbol. Every single different one represents a different thing.



Ladybirds are just cute. That shiny, vibrant scarlet red colour just pops out from the green grass like a gem, and the english name is so adorable. A lady-bird....how cute.
This very cute coloured beetles are an omen of good luck.

Bees are fantastic, I hadn't noticed them till I came to England. In spain, they are long and slender. In Britain, however, it is a different story. They are beautifully rounded, big, noisy due to those powerful big wings and so so fluffly! One fell on her back inside my house. (No idea how it came in, I usually leave the windows close to avoid flies from coming in, hate them...). I didn't touch her. The next morning I picked her up. It was like touching a piece of fur. Those bright yellow and black "hairs" were, very long, so soft and fluffy and so dry!
I should had kept it in a jar. Never mind... They are such an inspiration that I made a couple of brooches, like the spider ones, remember?
I-ll post the pictures as soon as I can.

Elizabeth Taylor, R.I.P

Style icons: Ronit Elkabetz (who?)

I came across this lady through the House of Harps blog. Her style is amazing, a perfect mix of Vintage and Dark. Her romantic hairdo is a modern reminiscent of the 1900s edwardian style up-dos.
Her make-up is subtle, understated but still dramatic (take note of the smokey eye make-up in brown and purple shadows)
I had never heard of her before, neither had you (I presume)...

Check out the link for more pics:
http://houseofharps.blogspot.com/2010/06/lady-you-look-fab-special-edition-ronit.html

Fashion inspiration: Interview mag, June-July issue

Very rarely I find inspiring editorials among the summer issues. Suddenly, everything is just pastels, pinks and bright/neon shades that could easily blind you if you are not careful!
Don't get me wrong, I like pastels and some bright but strong colours such as deep red (my favourite!), deep blues and greens but I am still fond of my black, even in the summer.
This editorial is very interesting, it has all the elements I like: gothic, a bit of fetishism (but not to the point of being pornographic and therefore, might get the ban from Blogger) and with a vintage twist.
It features an unrecognisable Megan Fox as a lady Vamp who is doing dirty tricks to her clone number #2, who is a mannequin.

I love the stylism, is quite summery - if we ignore the fur, unless you are living in Scotland or Iceland - the bob is stylish, simple but still keeps the vintage flair.
The make-up is beautiful, although I think it would only work if you are extremely pale. Otherwise, forget about achieving that soft gothic flair with a golden sun-tanned skin-tone. It just wouldn't work. But hey, if you think otherwise, comments are welcome. I do like debates...;)


Here is the link to the full editorial:
http://www.fashionising.com/pictures/p--Interview-magazine-June-July-2010-6759-101620.html