Bien Aimée

Cosplay by McCall's Patterns Summer of 2018

2018-09-02T08:20:00.002-07:00

Cosplay by McCall's Patterns Summer of 2018

I took a long time to tackle this one as I've been on vacation, trying to buy a house, and fighting problems with my computer and internet.

So at the beginning of summer McCall's released two new cosplay patterns featuring a Steampunk and Dystopian aesthetic.

WESTERLANDJacket with detachable sleeves and gloves

M2121

This is a kind of samurai inspired dystopian, Mad Max, kind of costume. It's a leather jacket with detachable sleeves and fingerless biker gloves. I'm assuming it's trying to emulate the samurai shoulder armor called "sode", however, it also looks a lot like football shoulder pads, so it's really anyone's guess. It's a fairly basic design, not much to say, it looks like something out of a dystopian universe. There's a couple of rather arbitrarily placed pockets, I think with some drafting the design could be refined.

COPPER MAIDEN

Top, Bloomers and Overskirt

M2117

This is another Steampunk design, this time by Ichigo Black. It just gets a big "meh" from me, it seems to pale in comparison to Ichigo's earlier Steampunk attempts. I've seen the bloomers and overskirt done multiple times by both the McCall's in house design team and Simplicity when working with Arkivestry's designer Karen Fleisch. It feels painfully referential and not well executed. I'd rather recommend Belle Rogue, Belle Noir or even Hitched, and McCall's Vault Collection M2062, M6770, or M6911; all of which have more elegant design elements and more a sophisticated level of execution (some of which sell for cheaper than the above pattern). This is not my bag, but I've also steeped myself into the alternative fashion scene and I'm finding Steampunk isn't nearly as popular as it had been a decade ago. With that being said, you can only reinvent this style so many times before you end up rehashing old ideas, it makes me wonder if McCall's would be better off exploring new subcultures.

What are your thoughts?

New Cosplay by McCall's Patterns May 2018

2018-05-09T05:50:00.001-07:00

Costume & Accessories Patterns

We have two new patterns to look at, one costume and one accessories pattern. They're quite different from one another and neither was what I expected to see following the progression of previous releases. Let's take a look!

Frost
Bodysuit and Leg holster
M2113

I admit, I have no idea what the inspiration for this particular bodysuit is. It reminds me of Portal 2 even though I know that's not it, or maybe a bit like the suit from Neon Genesis Evangelion (?) some anime my brother used to watch it. I'm not super interested in body suits because there are already quite a few of them between McCall's and Simplicity, and it's not something many people can pull off. It looks well constructed and the contrasting band around the sides and shoulder yoke are attractive. I'm just not sure of the costume's application as it looks very distinct but could be fun to play with and adapt for other uses.

Edwardian Chapeau
Hats
M2119

I'm surprised this didn't end up in the McCall's Vault Collection which features many historical/period costumery patterns. It doesn't feel like it has applications in the world of Cosplay. Renfaire and historical fashion enthusiasts tend to be separated from the Cosplay scene, what distinguishes them from each other is up for debate. While Cosplay is often worn for fun, historical fans might dress up for role-playing purposes or out of the sheer desire to revitalize antiquated fashions. Because this pattern is Edwardian it doesn't quite fit the Steampunk genre, so I'm trying to understand who the target audience for this pattern is. Regardless, these are a fairly accurate representations of the wide brimmed, extravagant hats that women donned during that era, and I'm sure those taken with historical fashions will be interested in experimenting with the pattern's designs.

Conclusion

What are your thoughts? See anything you like?

Darling, don't you go and cut your face

2018-04-06T06:00:00.001-07:00

Plastic Surgery and Beauty Treatments Gone Awry

This is a post that I've been intending to write for some time now, it's about beauty and it's about naivete. I wanted to share it with people so that they know that nothing in the beauty industry if ever straightforward. In our fashion blogging community we see a lot about different beauty creams, techniques and procedures, and unfortunately we only really see the filtered side of things, the endorsements and the exaggerations; we don't get to see the cold hard truths.

While over for a visit the other day, my mother spent an entire hour prattling on about a 50 something year old YouTube vlogger who looks the same age as me. She told me that this woman does all these beauty treatments and that's why she looks the way she does. Yet, when I posited to my mother that the woman is probably bullshitting it all, because none of us can possibly prove otherwise, she instantly came to this person's defense, and I ask why? What for? There are beauty bloggers making money hand over fist by throwing some products on a screen and insisting that it's the reason they look so good. We can't contest any of it unless we try the products for ourselves, right? We have no proof to the contrary, we don't know if these bloggers are flat out lying to us about procedures (but knowing what I do about a lot of these treatments, I can spot the fakers pretty easily now). It's weird how much power we give other people, just because they're prettier or more popular than us. Frankly, it's fucked right side up.

I'm thirty now. I know that's a baby to some, but I've entered what has often been referred to as "the danger zone". This is an age when women are at their sexual peak, it should be fun, yet we tend to feel disempowered because it's also the time when we (allegedly) begin to rapidly lose our good looks. We're constantly reminded of how our youth is draining away and that, unless we buy products x, y, and z, we'll end up as the oldest looking woman in our group of friends.

It's sad because I think it's a time when we could be supporting one another and carrying each other through the difficult years. I mean fuck, we think the 30's and 40's are distressing, wait until menopause. I make jokes at my mom's expense all the time but in reality it's not very funny being over 50. She has conversations with me about bladder control and that her pubes are turning white and not growing anymore. Seriously.

Yet, despite my own growing awareness of how bullshit and fucky the pressure to look good is, I still fall victim to it every single day. Any time I see a wrinkle get a deeper groove, or my skin looks thicker and drier, or my hair falls out some more, I'll be on my phone googling remedies. I can't kick it. I've even gone as far as concocting my own rules for dieting and skin care regimes (and no, it's seldom worked in my favor).

Yes, I'm aware it's like body dysmorphia. As a former anorexic I admit that most days I'm playing with fire. Whenever I teeter on the brink of losing control I try to ask myself if what I'm doing is causing more harm than good. That's why when I calorie count I'm not depriving myself but making sure what I'm putting into my body is healthy, or when I'm working out I'm not doing it to the point of physically breaking. I know the boundaries, but it's never enough. Nothing is.

My own experiences

Here's where I want to share a few of my own experiences with beauty treatments, so that you can understand it's not all it's cracked up to be.

Laser Hair Removal - We all have hair in unwanted places. Whether it's the back of your knuckles, or neck, or your top lip. For me it was my vagina. I was sick of catching my pubes in zippers and doing the maintenance myself (through shaving or waxing). My techniques were only causing long term irritation, so I said fuck it, I'm getting it permanently removed. I was in school and working part time, and had no reason not to try laser hair removal. During the referral I was evaluated by the aesthetician who said I was a perfect fit. She even adjusted a payment plan so it was easier to afford on my minimum wage salary. I was told how baby smooth and perfectly hairless I would become. After a year of bi-monthly sessions and $1200 CAD I was kicked out of the shop, completely disillusioned with a patchy crotch. We had reached a point where the asethetician felt we could go no further and with no real discussion beforehand she cut me off. She said that my hair was too troublesome and that "it doesn't work for everybody". A complete change in tune from her initial claims that everything would go perfectly. It turns out that there's no such thing as permanent laser hair removal, it's referred to clinically as laser hair reduction, because it's results are so inconsistent they can't make any guarantees. It's been years and I still have to shave down there, but since the procedure I do have less to shave and therefore I almost never have to worry about ingrown hairs, but I feel ripped off and mistreated. I've never stepped into a beauty spa again since.

Braces - I had an accident as a child which left my teeth disfigured. I had an overbite, crowding and one of my teeth had damn near turned completely backwards. My parents were low income and - according to my mom - couldn't qualify for enough coverage to get me braces. I had to wait until I was an adult in my early 20's to pursue dental work. I really wish that I had had it done it as a child, when people used to wear metal braces... Unbeknownst to me, I was entering into the ever popular "Invisalign" phase of dentistry. This is where dentists with damn near zero orthodontic experience can take a mold of your teeth, send it off to California, and have braces trays made up for you to wear daily (changed bi-weekly). I wasn't given the option for traditional braces, as you will see in many dentist offices these days. It costs the same, but I guess dentists are fucking lazy and can't be bothered to do it the old fashioned way. The truth is that Invisalign is incapable of doing 50% of the work, it can shift teeth but it can't rotate them, and your dentist will probably leave it to chance and wait years before finally calling it quits and strapping on metal braces to finish the job. Thankfully my dentist has never charged me extra for their orthodontic miscalculations, but it hasn't made up for the social duress of being an adult woman with braces for six years. They're a bitch to clean and they hoard bacteria worse than my old tongue piercing, they make my breath stink. I'm happy that my teeth are straighter than before, I don't cover my mouth when I smile any longer, but the journey to get here was a fucking joke. They could've easily done this in two years on normal braces. I'm told I'll only be able to wear Invisalign retainers which I hear don't actually retain anything and will inevitably lead to the need for braces again later in life.

Rhinoplasty - It's something a lot of people forget I've had done. I underwent a septoplasty/rhinoplasty/scar revision procedure for my deviated septum. I requested that we make a few cosmetic changes, as there were flaws in my nose that I wasn't happy with and septoplasty only actually covers the realignment of your septum and not any deformities. We agreed to get rid of the hump and pick up my drooping tip (which in turn would reduce the bulbous appearance of my nose). The surgery went swimmingly, at first. I healed faster than any of his patients and we were both pleased with that. I remember my mom was freaking out saying that she didn't recognize me because the swelling made me look like some kind of freaky sub-human creature. It wasn't until a year later that I experienced the dark side of rhinoplasty, the shit you never hear about. For starters, turning the tip up revealed my nose hairs which I now have to trim, gross and a pain in the ass. Secondly, my mucous runs out of my nose at unprecedented speeds. You know when you have a runny nose and you feel it coming so you grab the tissue box? Not for me, now it just comes out and sometimes I'm not even aware of it, it'll crust up around my nostrils and I look like a slob. And that's not the worst of it.

In order to lift the drooping nose tip, he used my existing cartilage and shifted it forward, projecting just a little too far as now it's poking through my skin. On really cold days the right cartilage appears as a large bump, almost like a cyst or pimple. They call it the "shrink wrap" effect, when an implant or part of the nose has shifted or the fascia hasn't managed to cover it, the swelling goes down and the skin shrinks back around it. I told my doctor immediately and he initially dismissed it. When I returned to complain a second time he told me that it probably was happening and that it could get worse in ten years and that I should wear makeup, focus on my smile or my eyes. I don't know if he was fucking with me or what. He's hot and I like the way he talks to me but completely dismissing my concerns has eroded any confidence that I had in the man. He also shrugged off the fact that the dorsal hump, which I believe he forgot to close up properly, is showing as a dark oval in my photographs on the bridge of my nose.

I discussed my options with him, he told me he could revise but we run the chance of only making things worse. Okay...why the fuck didn't he mention that before? When he was all fucking chipper pre-surgery and said if there were any problems after a year we'd work through it together ♥. Now he's evasive and doesn't want to commit to surgery. I can tell he's scared shitless. You see he's not a plastic surgeon, he's an ENT, he's does some pretty amazing shit for people, nose jobs are just like a hobby he picked up, he generally does them for medical reasons and not cosmetic. You can find the reverse issue when you go for a surgeon who is strictly cosmetic and forgets to sustain the structure of your nose, which is why there are countless stories of men and women with severe breathing issues after a botched nose job. I forgot to mention, statistics have indicated that 1 in 20 nose jobs fail, and given the high volume of nose jobs preformed each year you can only imagine the sheer volume of crooked, collapsed and deformed noses.

Because my surgeon is nervous and reluctant to help, I'm hesitant to use him but at the same time I'm painfully aware that revision surgery elsewhere is impossible for me to afford. He offered to waive his surgical fee (this is commonplace) but I'd still have to pay $2000 for the anesthesia team and operating room. If I pursue a surgeon specializing in rhinoplasty revision I'll be paying their fee plus the operating and anesthesia fees, and as far as I can tell these specialists will cost me in the neighborhood of $10,000. My original surgery fee was $4000. I just can't afford to fix it. I might be stuck with my busted nose job forever and it will only get inevitably worse as my skin ages.

CONCLUSION:

Please hear what I'm trying to tell you, I have spent roughly $20,000 CAD on self improvement procedures and they all have had drawbacks. Nothing is as perfect as these assholes online like to make you believe. You could buy the creams, the rollers, the injections, and you'll never look sixteen again, you'll never look like Angelina Jolie or some fucked face Kardashian. You'll just end up sore, broke, and wanting more.

Always wanting more.

Simplicity Alt Fashion and Cosplay Patterns

2018-03-12T09:50:00.000-07:00

New Simplicity Patterns

I admit, I haven't been actively looking at Simplicity patterns in the last little while. I sneak a peek now and again but largely it's been vintage repro and none of it looks that good (like honestly, unless you're hurting to find something in your size, I recommend looking for cheaper authentically vintage patterns on Etsy). Not having seen anything inherently goth, lolita or cosplay in awhile I had sort of forgotten about Simplicity. I still get hundreds of search results for these kinds of patterns, I'm already into 80,000 page views total now, but how many of those numbers are people actually looking for goth, alt and cosplay sewing patterns remains unclear. I'm guessing at least 10%. If you happen to be one of those readers, you might be stoked to see these two patterns, or you might be disappointed. Let's discuss.

Simplicity 8626

Misses' Corset Belts

Another Arkivestry pattern, and because it's only corsets I guess Simplicity felt it was "safe" enough to plug in the apparel category. As I've mentioned on here before, it's clear that Karen favors the 90's, trad goth kind of aesthetic. It feels dated. Whether that's your scene or not, a corset is a very versatile garment as far as style is concerned. You're free to adapt this to any look you like. Many still consider the corset a classic alt wardrobe staple, but I've lost interest in them over the years. Mine are still sitting in a box, collecting dust, in a closet. I haven't worn any of them since I moved here two years ago and I already sold off one or two, so from my personal viewpoint I think corsets are becoming overrated. That being said, if I had to review this pattern I would tell you as far as corsets are concerned this one lacks adequate construction. You can see from the close up shots of these corsets that they lack stability. I'm uncertain as to why that is, perhaps it's the material they chose? It's very frumpy, bumpy and hangs off the model in various areas. Corsets are not held up by boning alone, fabric strength and stability is important, likewise, how the pieces are cut also influences the stability of the garment. Either they forgot or didn't care and otped in favor of "trendy" fabrics. They also apparently forgot how to lace the corset up the back in the photo below.

In any case, this is a fairly mediocre corset pattern and there are better options out there from both Simplicity and McCall's.

Simplicity 8630

Misses' Cosplay Armor

It seems only fair to mention this Jackie Craft Cosplay Amor pattern from Simplicity, and unlike Becka Noel's three piece pattern set, this has everything you need in one place. And bonus: NO THERMOPLASTIC! For those of you who had difficulty sourcing that material you can opt for this pattern which utilizes EVA foam. Yeah, it's the shit you can get at hardware stores. What I find interesting is that although this pattern is about as simplified as Becka Noel's, this looks way better for some reason. I'm not sure if it's the paint technique, or the proportions, but it's far more visually appealing. My only critique is how badly it's been photographed. Where was the photographer? On holiday? Did they shoot in the dark? Why is there so much noise? It's like someone took pictures on their cell phone. Totally confusing, but it doesn't detract too much from this fun pattern.

Conclusion

I have to say it's quiet over at the Simplicity brand, but knowing what I do about the company it's probably going to take a couple of months before things pick up. I'm hoping we see more unusual patterns from them, it seems they're going full on vintage, and considering how much the vintage scene has died off in the last five years I'm not sure if that's the best decision.

What are your thoughts? What would you like to see?

Cosplay by McCall's March 2018

2018-03-12T09:11:00.002-07:00

March 2018 Patterns

I wasn't expecting this wave of patterns to come so soon but I was giddy as fuck to see McCall's partner up with Joshua Hart again. He has such a solid design aesthetic and I'm happy to see that he's modeling his own dress in this one (I'm a bit jealous that he makes a hotter chick than I do).

Nightfell Herbalist
M2110
Jacket with mock corset and skirt with attached petticoat

I'm curious if this can be made minus the mock corset? The trick here is that the belt is not included and I'm under the impression that it's what's cinching the waist inward (complimented by the voluminous full skirt). I can't imagine it would be difficult to adapt this as an overcoat to be worn with an actual corset. There is a tulle and net petticoat built into the skirt however it's probably easier and more effective to purchase a ready made petticoat instead. My only critique for this costume is the button, I hate it, I'd rather a bow there or a gorgeous brooch, and seeing how it's not an actual closure but only a mock one it gives you ample room to play. I'd probably ditch the overlap and cut it as a singular piece. There are princess seams shaping the back of the bodice but the front is shaped using darts which can sometimes result in a looser fitting garment so fitting adjustment is probably necessary. I like this pattern a lot, it has a Lolita vibe without going too far into the genre, I'm looking forward to playing with it someday.

Calista Knight III
M2116
Bracer, Hand Armor, Wrist Armor and Shin Guards.

I'm assuming this is the last installation of the thermoplastic series. Again, it's nothing special and probably could have been worked into either Calista Knight I or II.

Conclusion

Honestly? I just want more J. Hart.

Tell me what you think? Have you sewn up any Cosplay by McCall's patterns?

New Patterns from McCall's FEB 2018

2018-02-23T10:19:00.001-08:00

FEBRUARY 2018 PATTERNS

Two new patterns from the Cosplay by McCall's brand, another armor/accessories pattern and a rather fancy looking historically inspired Elizabethan dress.

Calista Knight 2

M2115

Headpiece and Pauldron

I'm not going to go over the thermoplastic again. It's pretty straightforward, this is a continuation of the last pattern, M2114. You can read about it here in the last post I made. I really don't like the design any better, I'd say this is probably worse than the last, although when I googled the word Pauldron I saw some really cool examples of that kind of armor that you might like better than this! I don't see why these two patterns were made separately, it could've gone in with M2114, unless it was an issue of printing costs, it just seems unlikely that someone would purchase this pattern over the first one which has the breast plate. I don't know, maybe that's just me. If I said the first one was too niche than this one is practically unsaleable, I feel like very few people would actually buy it.

Stirling Regent

M2118

Detachable collar, top and skirt

Now this is pretty cool. Not as luxe as some of the historical patterns you'll find in the McCall's vault but good none the less. What I appreciate about it is that it's a complete look. You would have to purchase a petticoat and hoop skirt to get the right shape, but that's the case with all of these types of costume. I feel like the contrasting panel across the bust could be more shapely and perhaps narrower but that could be a fit issue. The level of embellishment is well balanced and aesthetically pleasing. This could be adapted to multiple different styles of costume. It looks like an intense sew but could be a lot of fun to wear!

Conclusion

If they're going to continue with the thermoplastic thing I really hope they get a better cosplay designer on board. Becka Noel looks like she's completely out of her element with this stuff, which is odd because some of her cosplay armor looks good, some of it looks like shit too, it's just plain confusing. How the hell did she go from this to what you see above? Weird.

Anyways, I hope all has been well with you dear readers. I've been sluggish in the blogging world because I've been hard at work with other things and I'm looking to move out of the city, so it's a very busy year for me. Most of you know me through other social media platforms, which I spend more time on anyways. I'll still pop in around here on occassion.

Cheers~

McCall's December 2017

2018-01-17T08:22:00.002-08:00

Two New Patterns

I'm late to writing about this, gah, I've been fighting off colds, we lost a family friend but I couldn't even attend the funeral because I felt so shite. Winter, it's always such a bitch for us, we notoriously lose someone around this time of year, but I tend to wonder how much of it has to do with old age and flu season, and now we've got some kind of Australian super flu spreading into North America. Due to my illness the pharmacist has always been hesitant to administer me the flu shot, so for my sake people GET YOUR FLU SHOT. Maybe you'll help protect folks like me!

Anyways, I did receive these patterns and have been meaning to write about them for some time. They're both similar in style, one features an underbust waist cincher and neck corset, the other has a a breastplate and circlet. Let's analyze.

CARPATHIA
M2103
Misses' Waist Cincher and Neck Corsets

I kinda want to make the wide version of the neck corset but I'm skeptical as to how comfortable it would be. I suspect depending on fabric choice it could feel like I'm being strangled. It has a deliciously gothic vibe to it, though. The shorter neck corset is not as elegant and looks a bit harsh and clunky, it definitely helps to wrap it out around the shoulders. I imagine this takes some intense alterations to get fit just right but I'd still like to try my hand at it some day. I suppose to make the pattern more worth while they threw in a waist cincher which is decent in shape and design. They have a couple of corsets in the Cosplay by McCall's collection so there's no shortage of options.

CALISTA KNIGHT 1
M2114
Breastplate and Circlet

This is another Becka Noel. I'm not impressed with it, it looks cheap, like you'd be better off buying some armor from a costume shop. However, it is introducing McCall's home sewists to a specialty material, Worbla's FineArt Thermoplastic. This is a plastic material that can be shaped and bonded to itself by using heat. It is a pretty versatile material, it can be used in a variety of projects but it certainly has its limitations. Like all plastic it can break. It becomes brittle if exposed to extreme cold, it warps if exposed to extreme heat, it'll break if you fall on it, and it's probably sweaty as fuck to wear. I thought it might be cool to use it for making jewelry and found out that they do have tutorials for mold casting, but this made me laugh:

"The Worbla products are not meant as a replacement for resin casting and we will never suggest they will give you the same result!"

At least they're honest! You basically need to accept that it's a fun, gimmicky material and not intended for long term use. In other words, it's costumery. While I'm not a fan of this pattern's design, I can acknowledge that it would be a good starting point for anyone new to using thermoplastic. You could probably play around with it and adjust it to suit your costume needs.

Here is a link to Worbla's website so you can see where to purchase it and the various prop and costume tutorials available.

CONCLUSION

I'm impressed to see a new material being utilized in McCall's pattern designs. I feel as though it'll be too niche to make substantial sales for them, but it's interesting to see it. I like the neck corset, obviously I embrace anything remotely gothic in nature. It'd be cool to see some more gothic stuff but that's just me lol.

What are your thoughts? Have you ever worked with thermoplastic before?

Cosplay by McCalls Nov. 2017

2017-11-15T08:00:00.001-08:00

New Patterns for November 2017

Looking for project ideas for this winter? Look no further, McCall's has released three new patterns for November. A Lolita pattern called "Charm School", a Fae pattern called "Pixie Sprite", and a Steampunk pattern called "Romantique." Shall we look them over?

Charm School
M2112
Jacket, Skirt with Suspenders, Necktie

I actually love this pattern. I can rarely commit that much affection to anything but I'm very impressed with this jacket and skirt combination. It's from their in house design team, and it's very well structured. I'm not noticing any glaringly obvious flaws or poor aesthetic choices, it just looks polished, like something we'd see in Lolita ready-to-wear. The only exception that I might make is that the armscye on the jacket looks like it could be very steep, and an armscye that sits too low will create tension across the back and problems when lifting the arms. It's obviously one of those fit issues that each individual will have to tailor to their specific requirements, but it is something to be aware of. This is what I want beginner sewists to take note of, when you look at a pattern be critical of how it fits the model because it can help you identify problem areas before you even start sewing.

Romantique
M2109
Bed Jacket and Cami Tops

This is an odd choice, you can see the third top here, it's apparently like sleepwear/negligees for Steampunk enthusiasts?? I'm not sure why you'd be cosplaying as a Steampunk going to bed, but someone might find this of interest. The bed jacket is nice but it has a distinctly 1920's or 30's vibe to it. If it wasn't pictured on a saloon girl I wouldn't make the connection with Steampunk at all. The other two camisole tops do have a Steampunk vibe, they're pictured with bloomers from Prelude (M2082). The tank cami isn't terribly flattering but then again I don't find bloomers flattering either, so it's clearly a personal bias. If I had to choose between the two I'd go for the vest like cami, which I imagine (minus the flat collar) could even be paired with a sheer blouse underneath for every day wear.

Pixie Sprite
M2108
Dress

This is another design from Ichigo Black. There are good parts and bad parts. The underskirt is okay, there are rather large round circular tiers (shown in white above) that don't fit with the handkerchief layering. I would omit them completely, it would look great without them. Likewise, the pleated overskirt just looks odd. I think what bothers me most about it is that I couldn't imagine a fairy wearing something as formal as a pleat. When we think of pleats we think about office attire, school girl outfits, structure, it just doesn't fit into the world of Fae. I'm not even sure what to replace it with, other than perhaps continuing the handkerchief layering into a yoke with a basque shape or an over-hip corselet, something with a hard edge to maintain a good contrast. The top is okay, I like the ruffled edge across the bust, I feel like there could have been more play with texture in the straps.

Conclusion

Overall not bad, I think I even like the Charm School jacket better than M2084 Papillion.
What are your thoughts?

New! Halloween Costumes from Cosplay by McCall's

2017-10-10T07:54:00.001-07:00

COSPLAY COSTUMES OCT. 2017

I know that my last post was a bit dreary, I had to not only vent my frustrations but put a voice out on a subject that I think is being greatly overlooked. I've been reading hundreds of articles by economists and I'm floored with how incredibly naive some of these people are. Can you believe one woman defended the minimum wage raise saying that it'll work better for the economy, prices generally won't inflate at a quicker rate - except for housing. While she acknowledged that the housing/rental market will continue to balloon she somehow, mind blowingly, failed to make the connection that these minimum wage workers would continue to find affordable housing just out of reach. If people are spending well over half their income on their housing, and the hydro rates continue to climb, exactly when is it expected to balance out? Laughable, isn't it?

But you can rest assured, we're not in such dire circumstances that we'd take up residence in the mold infested college house we just looked at (with the body hair, the stench of weed and the ceiling peeling and crumbling). We'll sit and wait and hope for a break in the storm. Until then I plan on busying myself with many a sewing project. Winter will be upon us faster than we think and I'm in need of a new wardrobe.

And what better time than now with the release of four new Cosplay by McCall's patterns? Halloween is just around the corner and I've taken up my fairy costume once again (despite not having any plans). Perhaps some of these pattern might inspire your next costume?

SHE CUT
M2107
Top, detached sleeves, skirt and belt.

Another design from Seattle Cosplay, although I'll be damned if I can tell you what it's from. Some kind of high flying Kung Fu film no doubt, but if you're into Wing Chun this might be the style for you. The costume features a top with keyhole front, frog closures and appliqués; detachable matching sleeves that also have appliqués and bias trim; and finally a belt and skirt. Overall the design is aesthetically pleasing. I like the asymmetrical cut of the top, dupioni wouldn't be my first material to choose from (more like brocade) but it's still nice.

ALA GLOW
M2104
Wings, stockings, hat

This is another accessories pattern, this time for a fairy. My first thought when I saw this was that I liked the organza skirt, however, it's not available in the pattern, bummer. I thought using a bustier for this photo shoot was an odd choice, it looks like a bra lol, like someone forgot to give the poor girl a top. The stockings are hideous. I don't get it. It's just some elastic trim carefully applied to some pantyhose, you could do this at home without needing a pattern, it truly feels like an afterthought. The pillbox hat is decent, I have seen better elsewhere, but this is the first of its kind in this series. The wings are quite nice, but I'd be tempted to refashion the way it sits on the back, the exposed wire is rather home-made and unpleasant looking. It wraps around the shoulders and back around the waist. The selected material kind of works against it, if you view it from the side like here, it loses definition. Maybe organza would have been better? Overall it's an okay pattern, you'd really be buying it for the construction of the wings.

Bouquet de Fleur
M2096
Corseted top, apron, skirt and panniers

This is a really intricate pattern from J. Hart Designs. It's rated Advanced and we can easily see why. I love the choice of materials in this pattern as well as the trim and embellishments. Lolita girls I believe would adore this ensemble, although it might be a bit short and sexy for their liking. The top is made separate from the skirt, which is cool because you could just use it on its own. The overskirt and apron are attached as one, and the panniers made separately. This outfit is well constructed, it has boning in both the top and the panniers. Perfect for a Marie Antoinette costume, Queen of Hearts, exaggerated period costumery or Lolita. Well worth the money!

Spiritquest
M2105
Vest, detachable hood and tunic

Ummm, another viking man costume? I'll assume it's inspired by Vikings, or GOT. Something I don't watch. This pattern features a vest with detachable hood and tunic. I'm surprised those boot covers didn't make their way in? They look easy enough, just some fur leg warmers wrapped and tied on, but still, easy enough to include? I guess I'm nit-picking, I tend to want an entire outfit when I buy a pattern, but I don't know the rules at McCall's, maybe that would've been slightly over budget? The vest has a lot of trim and embellishment. I'm not a fan with how open it is in the front, it doesn't have a smooth transition to the tunic and it feels bulky. It's just too wide and blocky, the small princess cap sleeves add to the weirdness of this design, and the choice of blue suede makes him look more like a gnome and not a badass viking warrior. My thoughts: ditch the damn cap sleeves, go sleeveless but keep the trim, make it in a more appealing colour, and redraft the contrast front to flow with the curve of the chest with a steeper angle as it opens outwards. The contrast also appears to cut too highly, in terms of practicality a warrior would probably want his belly protected and kept warm, I feel like it should be at least four inches longer. Overall it has potential, it just needs refining.

CONCLUSION

It's nice to see such a variety here. I know that men don't make up a huge percentage of home sewists but I'm always pleased to see men's costumery. I know I would love to make something for my husband and I can easily see myself using an amalgamation of all the Viking/fantasy warrior patterns I now have in my stash. I loved to see J. Hart Designs ensemble and I'm curious to see if they release any other collaborations with this designer in the future.

What are your thoughts?

New McCall's Cosplay Patterns for Late Summer

2017-08-05T06:42:00.000-07:00

New Cosplay Patterns!

McCall's has released three more women's costume patterns for your enjoyment; a women's harem style gypsy girl in BEDLAH BEAUTY, a sexy armored warrior in POWER BRACE, and unique headdresses for the mysterious evil villainess in HORNERY.

BEDLAH BEAUTY
M2016
Bolero, Top, Belt and Skirt

I like that this gypsy costume features a whole lot of embellishment and texture. While I'm down with a cage bra I don't think it fits this ensemble, it's a little too contemporary to make sense here. The slouching midriff cut top has a 70's boho vibe to it, and the layered skirt comes across as very successful with it's mixture of textured fabrics, however, I imagine with that much velvet has some weight to it, which might not me the most practical choice for a character that dances.

POWER BRACE
M2102
Halter Top, Overskirt, Leg and Arm Armor

This makes me think of Mortal Kombat, although I don't know how comfortable you would be fighting in a full length underbust. The underbust comes in two sizes attached to a fabric halter bikini top. The overskirt fits over purchased shorts. The arm armor consists of two bands each with snap closures. The two leg armor accessories have corseted backs which look sexy as hell but I imagine are a bitch to put on. This one is designed by Seattle Cosplay. I like the aesthetic, the execution could stand some refinement.

HORNERY
M2101
Headdresses

Now serving Power Ranger realness, if you're looking to emulate the villainess, Rita, this pattern could be right up your alley! Pattern features two different styles of headdress and one cap with organza dreads! Let's get real here, I'm not feeling Look A, it looks like a hot mess, especially from the back with the sloppy hand stitching and the tubes going every which way. I'm sure it looked good on paper but execution wise it looks like a busted robot costume. I would appreciate it more without the weird silver ram's horns and dangly earrings. It's overkill. I'm also not a fan of the unicorn dreads which look too arts and craftsy for my tastes. However, I am interested in the handcrafted vinyl horns, they have a fetish ball feel to them and if handled by an adequate craftsman they could look pretty sick.

Conclusion

Not a bad set, nothing stands out as a clear favorite of mine, maybe some of the accessories in POWER BRACE. Overall it's interesting and definitely different than what we've seen before which is always welcome.

What are your thoughts?

Simplicity Does Lolita AGAIN!

2017-07-03T07:40:00.002-07:00

Simplicity 8444 and 8443

It's true, you're not seeing things, Simplicity has yet again released two Lolita patterns. They get better every time they try Lolita, which I find very encouraging. These two patterns are adorable and well made. The fit, the finesse, when did they get so damn good? I mean, look at the preceding patterns, they've come a long way:

THEY FINALLY GOT IT RIGHT.

The model looks like a Lolita girl. Her makeup is right, her hair isn't a glaringly obvious wig, she's young and doll like. But can we get a hell yes to them using the right kind of printed fabric?! She looks like she stepped out of a Baby, The Stars Shine Bright catalog. My head is spinning!

Simplicity 8444

Lolita Costume

Let's get one thing out of the way, they made a boo boo, they refer to this as a Cosplay costume and yes, despite having placed the rather ugly Simplicity 8233 in their apparel category, they are yet again selling Lolita clothing as "costumery". That's a damn shame. This pattern features a number of items: a blouse with mandarin collar with corset fastening in back, in long sleeve or short; a ruffled underskirt; a jumper with over-skirt or a jumper with a full skirt, both with elastic shirring in the back, can be made with bows or lace and corset detailing. You get a healthy amount of quality designed pieces in this pattern, it is well worth the money. In fact, despite not being into Lolita, I'm probably going to buy this pattern at some point.

Simplicity 8443

Hair Accessories, Purses and Medallions

Like the previous pattern, this Lolita pattern also provides you with a variety of designs. Two bonnets, three head-dresses (hair bands), two purses and three medallions. They look cute, well constructed and are in keeping with the Sweet Lolita aesthetic.

Conclusion

Please gods, let this mean they're willing to try more alt fashion designs in the future, and to push themselves to the point of getting it right.

What are your thoughts?

Best,

Cosplay by McCall's BlacMagic and Mysstic

2017-07-03T07:08:00.001-07:00

Halloween in July?!

Why not? And with these fantastic costume designs you can channel your inner witchy woman! Let's have a look at what McCall's has brought out for the summer.

BlacMagic

M2100

Off the shoulder dress with lacing

This is so Morticia Addams. I thought the peekaboo cut out on the side would be nude but it has a modesty panel insert, which I think most people would appreciate. I like how it has an iridescent sheen to it. I'm not so keen on the fit of the neckline, it looks as though it's slipping down on her. Without having the instruction manual I can only guess at how it's been constructed, but if it does in fact lack adequate structure to hold it upright there's a trick that I learned from my 1960's sewing book to remedy this fit issue - you sew elastic into a catch-stitched channel at the sleeve opening. A great technique for any bateau/off the shoulder neckline. I like this piece, especially with the train, although I must caution that it's not great for parties, one misstep from your dance partner and rriiiiip!

Mysstic

M2099

Hooded coat and belt

This is an unusual shape and I like it for that reason, it's very different from any other cloak pattern I've seen from the major pattern companies. The pattern is recommended for use with crushed velvet, you can't get more Goth than that. It has almost a phantom like quality to it, especially with the looseness of the hood and the wide bell sleeves. I could certainly see this with a pair of skin tight faux leather leggings and witchy boots, or a raggedy long fishtail skirt.

Conclusion

Overall these are two rather glamorous costume patterns. They're simplistic in design yet impactful.

What are your thoughts?

Best,

Cosplay By McCall's Hand-Eye Coordination, Foot Fetish: Gilded, Becoming Émelie

2017-06-12T17:47:00.001-07:00

New Summer Releases

I've been following the Cosplay by McCall's social media accounts intermittently. One of the trends that I've noticed in their followers' comments is the demand for accessories. This is something that rarely comes up in costume pattern collections, but handcrafting accessories is quite popular within the Cosplay scene itself. Accessories can be anything from handbags, gauntlets, wings, armor and weaponry. I'm pleased to announce that the brand has released three new accessory patterns. These will likely only appeal to those with feminine aesthetics but it's still worth mentioning. I'm going to do a reading on all three patterns together as there's not much to comment on individually, they're pretty straight forward.

Hand Eye Coordination - Eye Patches, Bracers, Gloves and Claws - M2095
Foot Fetish: Gilded - Boot Covers - M2097
Becoming Émelie - Hat, Flowers, Bag, and Capelet M2098

The first pattern is Hand Eye Coordination ...I don't know who names these things but what a mouthful. The pattern contains three different eye patch designs, gloves in two lengths, two bracers and claws. The claw bracer things are freaking cool. It was a solid choice to advertise them on the cover of the envelope. Immediately I was like, "Yeah, I wanna be a lady dragon!" Rad. The other stuff? Ennnh. I like the Steampunk eye patch with the buckle ...minus the weird jewel bit. But the other ones confuse the crap out of me. They're so over-embellished and over thought, it's difficult to tell what's going on to the point that you're questioning whether or not it really is an eye patch! The one with the ruffling and the dangly bits and the embroidered eyebrow (that's what I'm assuming it is) with the blanket stitch... it critiques itself. There are no words.

The second pattern is Foot Fetish: Gilded. Spats, who doesn't love 'em? But I have to admit the cover photo leaves a little to be desired. They look like Gladiator boots? Or at least someone's attempt at Gladiator boots without a reference photo. The other two designs are far more successful, the first looks like cardboard and doesn't sit flush with the boot. I personally like look A, the dainty gold covers, they're simplistic but impactful. I think they'd look really cute with a Marie Antoinette costume. Look B features ruched material and beaded trim with a corseted back. It's not a bad pattern, it's kind of cute.

Becoming Émelie, I'm sure Loilta fans would be quick to point out any flaws with this pattern, but as usual I'm appreciative of the attempt. It's good to see this sub-style getting attention. This pattern features the classic bonnet, a capelet and handbag with instructions for fabric flower embellishments. The flower embellishments look a tad gaudy and not well made, you can find better diy tutorials online. The capelet is quite adorable and the bonnet is well made. It's a shame the lace gloves in the promo photo aren't included. I'm excited to use the purse pattern because I want to make a knock off of this Banned Apparel bag. I feel like this is a fairly successful accessories pattern

Conclusion

It'd be interesting to see them tackle some more unisex, masculine designs, especially weaponry. A basic gun or sword pattern that could be adapted for various characters might be a neat idea, and I hope that they consider it for the future. These patterns did not disappoint, it's nice to have more accessory options when creating any kind of costume, especially things like boot covers because I can never justify purchasing costume boots.

What are your thoughts?

Best,

McCall's Women's Cosplay Patterns Eventide, Red Reign and Cloak: Phantasy

2017-05-16T06:09:00.001-07:00

New Cosplay Patterns!

I think it's been awhile since we've seen a batch of three patterns released at once and I'm always excited for that because the more the merrier! Today I'm look at three new women's costume patterns from Cosplay by McCall's, Eventide, Red Reign and Cloak: Phantasy. Let's look 'em over!

Eventide

Shawl Collar Jackets

M2088

In this pattern we're presented with one long and one waist cut shawl collared jacket. They're essentially the same jacket just modified for the shorter look in version 2 (right), which also features bell sleeves. I think it's painfully obvious that version 1 is the far more successful design. I dislike the shawl collar...it's reminiscent of some weird 80's high fashion that maybe Prince would've worn, but I guess it'd be cool if you're channeling your inner Ruby Rhod. The fit is off and I think it's exacerbated by the satin bell sleeves in version 2, while it looks more natural in version 1 probably because the material has more structure. You can see in version 2 there are diagonal wrinkles extending across the torso from the underarm area toward the apex of the bust, this is a fit issue, it means there is an excessive amount of material in this region and it would have to be pinned out. Switching between versions 1 and 2 there really is no apparent difference in the construction in this area, it seems that the material is working against it in version 2. In version 1, it's possible that the length of the garment is ironing those wrinkles out by weighing it downward, I also think the tabs on the waist help disguise these fit issues. Overall, I'm tempted to try version 1 but if I do, I'll be redesigning the collar and investigating fit issues in the bust and armscye.

Red Reign

Bolero Jacket, Corset, Skirt and Hoop

M2091

So the more that I'm exposed to her work, the more I realize that I don't like it. Ichigo Black and I do not meet minds aesthetically. Her first releases with the brand (Belle Noir and Belle Rogue) were promising but now I feel like she's regurgitating the same design elements only they're coming out far worse than before. The corset is the only successful piece in this pattern. The overskirt is fine if combined with a normal skirt. We all know that I loathe the exposed hoop skirt trend, I get that it's popular but I can't see how...It's not high fashion to me, it just looks like she's wearing scaffolding. As strange as it is to admit it's not the worst element in this pattern, the bolero is. The asymmetry on this piece is not successful. The eye has difficulty following the flow from right to left. The left shoulder appears deflated, and the sleeve is costumey and not in the cool way but the "I got it at Walmart on clearance" kind of way. The collar sits a tad high and the bolero itself lacks structure, but the worst offender is that back appliqué. I had to look at the diagram to understand just what is going on here.

Firstly, there are no back darts. This piece is in desperate need of shaping and back darts would eliminate that boxy effect you're seeing in the photo on the right. It's corseted but it's not functional. I normally don't find this problematic but I'm befuddled by the fact that they chose to place a lace insert underneath the faux corset closure, it confuses the eye and takes away from the detail of the corset back, which begs the question why have it there at all? Why not place the red fabric underneath it or leave it nude to add contrast? I don't get it. And to add to that, the ensemble has a corset underneath it, so why have a corset on top of a corset? And let's get to the most excruciating part, the bat appliqué. I only saw the front of this costume when I received the promo photos and I had that meh feeling about it, but to see the back...just, wow. It's pretty hideous. It doesn't flow with the contours of the shoulders and it looks super home made. It's like if you were eleven years old and wanted to be goth but couldn't figure out where to start so you glued some half-assedly cut out bat wings on to the back of your hoodie. Don't shake your head, you've been there.

Cloak: Phantasy
Capes
M2092

It's not printed on the envelope but according to the website this is is another Ichigo Black design, thankfully it's not as atrocious as that last piece but this one lacks oomph. I'm not sure if this designer is getting burnt out or what. Her designs have always lacked adequate construction and often times the details are sloppy or confusing. It's really hit or miss. :/ In this pattern there are two capes, one asymmetrical long cape and one shorter cape with a keyhole style draped back. The shorter version, version 1, looks decent on the front with a high collar that has hook and eye closures. The back has a rhinestone detail and embroidered appliqué but it's a little underwhelming and looks slapped on there. The drape on the lower portion of the cape is alright but there's something weird about the way it sits in the capelet. I don't know if it's been tucked, picked up or ruched, the diagram implies ruching. Perhaps this wasn't the most successful technique to employ for this design. The asymmetrical cape is cut well, I can't get a good look at the collar, it's difficult to tell if it's set correctly. The epaulet with the chains could look good with some tweaking. I dislike the bib. It's weird. Not a top, a bib, like half of an apron. I think it attaches to the cape itself? It would've been best to leave it out altogether because it's doing nothing for this pattern. It's also disappointing to see that the designer has yet again resorted to using a faux corset closure. Surely she's had enough of these things? Looking at historical clothing catalogs, I can see that exposed corsets weren't as commonplace as some people assume, it was mostly in their lingerie, instead their clothing had buttons. Whatever happened to buttons? You can do some cool shit with buttons.

Conclusion

I like the jacket pattern well enough and the cape pattern has its place, clearly I hate Red Reign and I'm not about to recommend it to my friends. It's always interesting to see what the new batch of patterns will be, like a Kinder Surprise Egg, sometimes you get the cool toy and sometimes you get that thing that looks weird and you have no idea what the hell it's used for so you give it to your sibling. What will the future hold? I'm always excited to find out. What are your thoughts?

Cosplay by McCall's Abigail & Hat Madders

2017-04-18T05:39:00.003-07:00

Women's Fantasy Costumes

Another pair of patterns are emerging on Cosplay by McCall's website - unfortunately the website is currently down (?) but you can see them in all their glory once it's fully operational again. For now you'll have to settle for a sneek peak.

Abigail

Misses' Dress

M2089

This is another pattern designed in partnership with Anachronism in Action. It features a fully lined vest and decorative trim on the seam lines and skirt. The package also comes with instructions and pattern pieces for a petticoat and a bum roll (don't laugh! that's the correct terminology, it's like a bustle but smaller and looks like a sausage wrapped around your waist), it also provides tips on underlining which is often a technique used in formal wear to add structure to a garment and stabilize fussy materials. I can only read this through the eyes of a non-conformist who doesn't have cable - I can't speak to it's popular culture origins, instead I can interpret it solely as a costume. It's nice. I like the vest, the gussets are a cool touch. I wish I could see the back of it or the sketch diagram to see what details I'm missing out on as it's difficult to critique it without the nitty gritty details. The fit looks acceptable and the construction is good. Overall, it's a pretty feminine ensemble and I could see this popping up at Renaissance fairs across the country.

Hat Madders

Costume Accessories

M2093

This is difficult to do a cold read on. The description I am provided with: "Pattern includes a unique Top and Bow Tie for any fractured fairy tale or mashup you construct. Also included is a headdress for your inner unicorn and a choker and cuffs to complete any steampunk or fantasy cosplay." We're only seeing half of this pattern by the sounds of it, I'd like to know what the headdress, choker and cuffs might look like but for now all we can go off of is the bow tie and hat on the cover of the envelope. The bow tie is...what can I say? It's a bow tie. It doesn't fail to convey it's bow-y-ness. The hat. looks. busted. I am not a fan of exposed cage anything, I know that it's been a popular trend among Steampunk enthusiasts and has appeared in many specialty alt shops as a skirt with bustle. I just view it as awkward and an inconvenience, and in this case rather unfinished. The whole thing looks unfinished. Surely Ichigo Black has done better than this before but this is...not her shining moment. The brim is buckling and flopping in a weird way, likely due to the selected materials. The skeletal framework of the crown is relatively well executed but it fails to impress me as it looks like a tomato cage perched atop the models head, swaddled by a scrap of duponi, or maybe it's taffeta? Regardless, the hat band is busted. And the name of this pattern? It's as though McCall's themselves weren't even taking it seriously. This is a missed opportunity. Folks, creativity madders, and I have seen many a comment on the Cosplay by McCall's blog begging for armor and fantasy style accessories. I can only hope the other half of the accessories contained in this pattern make up for the shoddy hat design, we'll give them the benefit of the doubt for now.

UPDATE!

The headdress, choker and cuffs seen here are way nicer than the Mad Hatter cage hat, I'm not sure why they didn't make it on to the cover. You can also see in the photo above that the hat continues to look less than ideal from more than one angle. I just don't understand why the hatter accessories took center stage, I'd much rather see the unicorn. Maybe it's because it doesn't require as much sewing?? The unicorn accessories are nothing ground breaking, just some super embellished cuffs and a headband, but they look good and I can see Lolita fans wearing them.

Conclusion

I'm underwhelmed by the accessories pattern but only being able to see 50% of the contents makes this review unfairly skewed. That being said, I can't see any one buying the pattern for the bow tie alone! I know that it's a part of the branding to have a big glossy high fashion promo photo on the cover of each envelope, but when it comes to multiple looks or styles (in this case accessories) it could be beneficial to feature all of them on the cover, perhaps using two or more models interacting with each other so that all options can be viewed (the way it was done on the patterns Shapeshifter and Laced). I just feel like if I were presented with this picture in a catalog I'd skim right past it, expecting that the hat and bow tie is all that's inside the pattern.

I'm always curious to see the future of Cosplay by McCall's and I'd like to see more prop building and armor crafting in the works, but perhaps they didn't have as much success with their initial attempt, Flight.

What are your thoughts? If any of you are cosplayers, what would you like to see?

Best,

Gothic Green Thumb: Growing a Goth Garden in Containers

2017-04-04T05:54:00.001-07:00

Growing Flowers in Containers

What would apartment or condo dwellers do without potted plants? I have been successfully growing flowers in containers for a few years. Don't get me wrong, I'd love an in ground garden but right now that's not a possibility for me. There are times when an all container garden is better than an in ground one; the major benefit to a container garden is that it's easier to control the soil but the downside is that only certain flowers and plants will do well when grown in containers. Unlike a permanent in ground garden, you can move your containers around to change the look of your yard or deck. This is especially helpful if your plants haven't been getting enough sun, you can pick them up and move them into the sunlight.

Here are some of my tips for gardening in containers:

Get a good potting soil. It usually has a mixture of soil, perlite or vermiculite, and peat moss. It's formulated to allow for proper drainage and nutrient retention. Not product plugging here but I use Miracle Grow Potting Soil or a mixture of it and an all purpose soil for my larger containers. I don't recommend all purpose on its own, it's too dense and lacks the qualities of a good potting soil. When I first started gardening I made the mistake of using purely all purpose soil and it compacted, killing my plants. Potting soil should have a light and fluffy texture to it. If you have something thick and sludgy it won't work well and likely won't drain properly. Also, I have to mention that knowing the PH levels in your soil is important for growing certain plants. If you want to grow a flower that requires more acidity you will have to look for a potting soil with that quality. There are often PH testing kits available but these are generally used for in ground gardens, with container gardening you have the benefit of purchasing soil that has the components/PH levels that you already need.
You don't have to use just annuals, I grow many perennials in my planters too.
Choose plants that can live together! Some plants are prone to choking others out. I once planted some morning glories in with my petunias. Big mistake! They choked the petunias to death. Likewise, petunias are prone to getting leggy; last year I had them in my planter box and they became horrid sprawled out things that killed off my pansies.
Similar to above, don't overdo it with your planting. Flowers need room to grow and the ones you buy at the garden center are often not at their full size. Each individual flower will have different spatial requirements and these can and do change when planted in containers. Sometimes the information will be present on the flower tag, other times you will have to look it up online.
Don't plant too little, either. My flower boxes looked way too skimpy a few years ago. I suggest using a filler, or what's called "groundcover", for the empty in between spaces. I might use something small and bushy like alyssum to go in with my pansies and snap dragons.
Some flowers will require shade where others need full sun, don't mix the two together.
Don't assume that rain will give your plants enough water. Some people may believe this because they're planting in small pots and not great big gardens, but the truth is is that rainwater might not be sufficient enough. Unless you had a significant amount of rainfall, you should always check and make sure that your plants are watered enough. You also want to avoid over watering which will encourage root rot and kill the plant. All you need to do is stick your finger into the soil and if it's more than an inch dry you'll need to water your plant(s). If you find that your plants get dry too quickly they may have become root bound, this is when roots exceed the soil to root ratio and take over the pot, you would need to transplant the flower or flowers into a larger container.
Remember to fertilize; what kind of fertilizer and how much or often depends on the plant's individual needs.
If you purchase a larger container you don't need to fill it all with soil, you can insert floral foam into the bottom to reduce space (unless you need that extra space for roots for say maybe something like a small tree or shrub).

Photo from Dragonfly Garden Design & Build LTD

Selecting flowers for your garden

On your first visit to a garden center you'll likely be overwhelmed by the colorful array of flowers. You might be tempted to grab up as many "goth themed" flowers as possible but don't! If only planning your garden was that easy. As mentioned above there are different variables to factor in when choosing plants for your container garden. The most important thing is to understand the needs of each individual flower/plant. Consider the following:

What climate does it require? * Look for information about Plant Hardiness Zones, this is especially important when purchasing online. My government offers a full scale map that details what zone I'm living in and I use that as a guide for successfully choosing the appropriate flowers. I live in roughly a Zone 6 so anything above 7 is pushing my luck!
Does it thrive in full sun, partial, or shade?
How much space does it require?
How tall does it get?
Does it have any specific soil or care requirements?
Can it be planted with just about anything or does it do better with only specific plants?

Arm yourself with this knowledge and you can begin planning your container garden. Start by visiting your local garden centers. If you're lucky your garden center will group flowers by their sun requirements, full sun, partial or shade. I once visited a garden center that had created a condo friendly section where they carried potted flowers and shrubs, it was great! If your garden center isn't so organized you might want to ask a clerk for assistance. Compile a list of possible flowers and return home to research which ones can be planted together without issue, and which, if any, require special care.

Check out BHG's Plant Encyclopedia. I used this when I was trying to determine which annuals to look for and what would suit my gardening needs. The entries are very detailed and will often note what works well in containers. You can filter search results based on size, season and colour. The encyclopedia also offers detailed plans for creating cottage style gardens, gardens that could attract butterflies, red themed gardens and so much more. Have a look!

I hesitate to tell anyone to jump head first into gardening with colour as the primary focus. Colour is paramount but shape, smell and purpose can also be equally as significant within the garden. Consider height and space requirements first and foremost, then your zone, and then your colour scheme. If you want to prioritize using plants that are purposeful, like adding herbs or flowers that you can utilize, or you want to attract butterflies or birds to your garden, you might have to adjust your colour scheme accordingly. Amass a list of possible flowers and then you can choose which colours suit your taste.

Start a Book!

Notebooks may seem obsolete with today's technology but I personally find them to be quite beneficial provided that they're well organized. I try to keep my books divvied up; one for sewing notes, one for story notes, and one for housekeeping/gardening and all around home improvement notes. My home and garden book will contain information on perennials, annuals, herbs and soon to be deck measurements and planter building plans. I want to be able to pull this thing off the shelf and look up whatever I need to, like did I need a certain drill bit? Do these flowers go with those flowers? Who carried it for what price? Sure, I could record all of these details onto my phone but I find it's getting too cluttered with my writing and art inspiration notes! I don't need gardening notes all the time, it just takes up valuable phone space in my eyes, so why not fill my ordinarily skimpy looking bookshelf with books? It's sad to think that bookshelves will become obsolete someday...

So what will you put in your book? Whatever you like! But you can take some inspiration from mine. Try creating detailed entries about your favorite flowers. Ask questions like "in which seasons do they bloom? what soil type do they prefer? what are their uses or benefits?" You may choose to group flowers by colour or theme. Treat it like your own personal gardening encyclopedia! You can also use your book as a gardening journal to catalog your triumphs and failures and document gardening techniques that you found were most successful.

A few flowers to consider

(From top left to bottom right)

1. Ajuga
2. Black Pearl Ornamental Pepper
3. Plum Coleus
4. Halloween Pansies
5. Shadow Cat Dahlia
6. Black Petunias
7. Blackberry Heart Sweet Potato Vine
8. Tuberous Red Begonias
9. Joseph's Coat

What about roses?

You may know about the Black Baccara, the darkest and gothiest of roses. I would love to add it to my garden someday but not all roses are container friendly. Through my own stupidity I have purchased three climbing roses which are not meant to be grown in containers. As their title implies they are destined to climb and therefore should be planted in ground by a fence or arbor. Hence why we are forced to create a planter specifically for these roses. I think it's acceptable to start climbing roses in pots but they should make it into the ground by the following year. Now, I'm not saying that you can't grow roses in containers, it's just that many of the fancier varieties of rose will not be available to you. Miniature roses are usually the best choice. They're cheaper and easier to come across. Finding container friendly roses in your garden centers might not be easy. When I was shopping I saw few varieties. You may need to buy online. This site has a great list of roses that can be grown in containers, plus descriptions of the different colours.

Conclusion

The gardening experience can seem overwhelming but can also be a great deal of fun, don't be too intimated to try it. The great thing with container gardens is that you can start small and build your way up.

Best,

Gothic Green Thumb: Spring Garden Planning

2017-03-24T09:33:00.001-07:00

Hooray for Spring!

Spring is upon us! And as I patiently wait for flowers to break soil I'm reminded that winter can have it's last say any day now. The weather has been a roller coaster, guiding us through warm bursts of sunny spring days and then punishing us with blasts of frigid arctic air. This has been one of our mildest winters to date and I don't think anybody complained (except maybe skiing enthusiasts). It's been torturous waiting for the weather to stabilize. We're finally entering double digits, today could reach a high of 20°C! I'm definitely going to get out and enjoy it, even if I am sick. XP Our low temps are just above freezing but I'm hesitant to bring out the rose bushes just yet.

I'm in the early stages of my garden planning. Last year, I would've already had my seedlings germinating (and if you're an avid gardener you probably started germinating in February), but this year I decided against it. You might recall that I had a very difficult time raising dahlias, they all succumbed to some kind of disease. I decided that they no longer fit our garden requirements and that I wouldn't bother with planting them this year. Last year I chose to plant perennials. This kind of flower lives for maybe two years at best, if its roots can survive the winter frost, and since most flower boxes get waterlogged - including ours - I don't expect to see last year's petunias or snapdragons re-emerging in my container garden. I knew they wouldn't last which played a role in my decision to purchase them. When we moved into our condo it was winter, so we had no idea whether or not our deck would get full or partial sunlight, or none at all! It's important to know these kind of things because each plant has specific needs. Some plants are more successful in shaded gardens while others require full sunlight to thrive. I'm still not 100% of exactly how many hours of sunlight our deck receives but it's enough to sustain partial sunlight plants.

Since I used mostly perennials my deck is practically void of any vegetative life! The only thing straggling behind are the icicle pansies which can live through winter, and my chocolate mint - no, not chocolate as in yummy, chocolate as in brown! There's also the Fuji shrub and the climbing roses that I housed indoors. I'm very excited to see the Fuji in bloom and it's already sprouted leaf buds. The roses can't be brought out until we're sure that the frost has buggered off, but more importantly we've decided that this year we'll build them their own personal planter box, complete with trellis and hanging candle holders.

That is if we end up actually building the box! Unfortunately it's too early in the season to see what shops have to offer. It'll be a few more weeks before all the garden stores have their inventory out. I'm finding most of the containers/boxes available are too small and far too expensive for our needs. Raised gardens are insanely popular and they've been clogging up many a Pinterest feed for some time. There are a handful of DIY videos that explain how to build one from scratch, and it's looking like this might be the path to take. Most pre-made raised boxes have been too small and too deep for our needs. I'm working with an itsy bitsy deck and as you can see from my garden plan above it's cramped. The blue planter is the rose planter we're thinking of building. It'll be about 4 ½ feet in length. Depth is being debated but I'm thinking a little over 2 feet. We're contemplating building the trellis. Can you believe that the kind of trellis we like could cost us up to $300 pre-made?! I figure it's gotta be cheaper to do it ourselves. I don't want to buy the cheap traditional trellis most stores carry because it tends to come apart over time and it would block out the afternoon light that the roses rely on. I want the box to look more like this (on the right) only not as long and probably not as deep.

Pre-made this kind of planter box could cost anywhere from $700-$1200. That's a lot. Ours probably won't look as polished with the finials and all that shit, we want it to be basic and a lot cheaper. I'm going to paint it a beautiful turquoise colour to accent the roses, which are Climbing Joseph's Coat and Westerland roses. It'll be a tight fit so I probably won't add anything else to the box. I'd really love to be able to screw wrought iron hangers into the trellis frame and hang light weight candle holders from them. I'm torn between doing a shabby chic style with mason jars and sand, or maybe purchasing some Moroccan inspired candle holders with coloured glass. I found that I keep gravitating towards bright and fun colours which was not my original plan. I truly thought my garden would be more pastel, shabby chic Goth, with white, pink and black flowers. This year I think I'm just going to go with this instinctive need for colour and go balls to the wall tropical! We've got some funky orange outdoor fabric that I stashed and I'd like to incorporate that this year in the patio furniture linens.

My ultimate goal this year is to maximize space and minimize containers! I had so many damn containers last year I didn't know what to think. We couldn't hang anything up and unfortunately all the over-the-rail style planters didn't fit our railings. So everything just piled up on the deck - ugh! It look sloppy, for sure. In the plan you can see in the bottom right corner there's a large container with flowers. This could change to a slimmer, two tiered planter, to reduce even more space. I like symmetry, so I might purchase a duplicate to the Fuji's container and do it as the plan suggests, it's just a very big container, but if I'm putting all my flowers into it kinda has to be! I'm planning on mixing in my mint and maybe some of my herbs into this planter, but I want to be careful not to put anything acrid smelling in there; that means that the garlic and green onions should be planted elsewhere. I should note that if you ever wish to use mint as a filler it has to be planted inside its own separate container, like the one it came in, otherwise it'll spread like wildfire! It also needs to be pruned often, but it smells AWESOME!

This year I need to establish some rules for adding flowers to the garden. I'm thinking about bringing back pansies. I want to plant them around the outer rim of the container, and I do want to use snapdragons again because they're easy to grow, however, I need to put them behind the pansies. This is something I neglected to do last year and it was a huge mistake! Snapdragons and petunias should behave as "backdrops" for smaller flowers like pansies, otherwise they choke them out. I'm going to buy black pansies again and hopefully orange and hot pink snapdragons for the center of the container, then fill the remaining space with herbs and hopefully something that flowers every season. The colours need to match this year, as last year it was a bizarre hodge podge of madness! I want black, orange and hot pink. I think it will really pop with the orange and blue patio decor.

Last year's container garden madness!

It's difficult planning a garden on a small condo deck. There are so many rules, such limited space, but I don't want that to ruin the gardening experience for me. It's my hope that soon I'll have a lovely outdoor space to enjoy minus the backyard!

Do you have any gardening plans for this year?

Best,

Simplicity - New Batch of Alt Patterns

2017-03-20T06:38:00.002-07:00

Rockabilly, Boho Goth and Steampunk

I haven't been paying too much attention to Simplicity's new releases and unfortunately it allowed a few new alternative fashion patterns to slip past my radar! It appears they've added a few new Steampunk accessory patterns, a Rockabilly pattern and a Boho Goth ensemble. Let's check them out!

Simplicity 8342

Misses' Knit Tops, Cropped Pants, Skirts

This is a really neat pattern. Although I feel like the Rockabilly scene isn't as strong as it once was, this is a nice attempt at recreating some of the classic pieces. I don't think it's something I'd ever use considering I have a vintage stash of over fifty items! (I purged a lot too) >.< But I feel that this pattern would be beneficial for those who don't want to pay the hefty price tag for authentic vintage patterns. I should note that not all vintage patterns are too expensive, I bought a classic rockabilly summer dress pattern for only $10 CAD. It all depends on preference and luck I suppose. If you don't want to have to wait and search for that ideal wiggle skirt or halter pattern it is easier to buy it new.

What I appreciate most about this pattern is what it offers for plus size girls. I sell vintage patterns in my shop and plus size patterns fly off my virtual shelves like hot cakes! They are hard to find. This pattern makes up for that scarcity and allows fans of vintage to get the style and the fit they've always wanted. I like these designs but they're far from accurate. These are "vintage style" because they lack the classic construction lines of the era. Case in point, there are no waist or bust darts to give the tops the iconic cone boob look, and they rarely used knit during the 50's (yet they did in the 40's - I think cotton allowed for a more constructed appearance in the 50's). All in all, it's probably a more comfortable and accessible pattern than it's vintage style counterparts.

On a random side note, I hope I get reincarnated as a plus size girl with an arse like that!

Simplicity 8362

Misses' Lace Blouse and Skirt in Two Styles

Another one from Karen Fleisch of Arkivestry. It's weird that some of the Simplicity patterns are designed by Karen while others are labelled Arkivestry. It makes me wonder who has their hands in the design process when the Arkivestry brand is used and if Karen has dropped the label and it's been picked up by another designer?? I really wish I could tell Simplicity to buy some more versatile shoes for their promo shoots. I cannot count how many times I've looked at the pictures and thought "what were they thinking?!" Those heels with that dress? C'mon, put that bitch in sandals!

I admit I like this better than her previous designs. I got what I asked for - more lace and a chance at chiffon. However, these designs suffer from what typifies all of Karen's work: they're terribly dated. The gored skirts sit too closely to the body and come across as matronly to me. The longer skirt is not floor length and that shit drives me bonkers. I get that that style was popular in the 70's, like bell bottoms, but in these days they need to hit the ground otherwise they look like you're preparing for a flood. I'm also not a fan of how high the top is cut, my eye wants it to drape down past the hips, like a tunic. The biggest hit against these designs is that you should not, under any circumstances, create a garment in chiffon or lace that has TOO MANY SEAMS. This is couture 101. They've tried to mask them by stitching lace trim over every seam but it comes across as clumsy and poorly made. You want sheer and lace materials to speak for themselves, seams should be subtle and not detract from the delicacy of the fabric.

I like the shape of the bell sleeves and the concept as a whole, I just wish it had been kicked up a notch, to meet contemporary design standards, because these silhouettes are far too matronly. I wish it looked like this.

Simplicity 8361

Misses' Hats in Three Sizes

Look! View C is pretty much the hat that I requested in Simplicity 0666! With the exception of that icky looking bow, make that in some black felt and you've got your wide brimmed fedora. This is another Arkivestry design adding to Simplicity's ever growing appendage of Steampunk patterns. They mimic hats that I've seen on Pinterest, and while the construction of the crown leaves a little to be desired, these hats could be ramped up with the right amount of embellishment. I would like to see someone craft a fedora using this pattern but I admit that around here the thick felt required for such a project is quite costly and I'm better off buying one ready made.

Conclusion

Although I'm not blown away by much of this it is encouraging to see them continue to try navigating the world of alternative fashion. The most successful piece here is the rockabilly pattern. I'd like to see some vintage repro swimsuits come up, I know they released a vintage play-suit and bustier patterns but people felt they were too difficult to sew. Alt and goth fashion are still so unfamiliar to Simplicity. I don't think they understand the aesthetic and it's going to take some time and experimentation before they get a solid grasp of the style. Let's just hope they can see it through and not just give up entirely!

If you look through their new catalogue you can see many items that can be adapted for alt fashion uses, but things that are explicitly alt in style (like bondage clothing and body harnesses) have yet to make an appearance. What will the future hold?

As usual your thoughts are encouraged and welcomed in the comments below.

Best,

Lip Service Returns

2017-03-10T06:35:00.001-08:00

The return of Lip Service

A brand much loved by trad goths, Lip Service recently announced its return to the fashion world, and in honor of its late founder, Drew Bernstein, the store is featuring the iconic Lip Service dagger motif in its first collection. It's important to note that the bulk of the store's inventory is currently vintage. There are a handful of new printed items available featuring the dagger, but the majority of the catalog's eye-catching display are single sized vintage items. It's a small start but it's a step in the right direction and the reception has been tremendous with items being sold off in a single day.

This leaves us asking a lot of questions, like what does the future hold for Lip Service? With the obvious desirability of these vintage designs, I tend to wonder if re-releasing the classics will be their first step. I mean, I've looked at that pvc dress about a hundred times since receiving their newsletter and even though it's sold out it doesn't stop me from wanting it.

We've already seen some other brands borrowing from trends of the past but Lip Service pioneered a lot of those trends! It has such a tremendous history to pull from. That being said, because Lip Service is a brand known for trendsetting I am equally interested in seeing what new creations they can come up with. It's exciting to say the least.

What are your thoughts?

Cheers!

Cosplay by McCall's Thirst and Wayfaress

2017-03-10T06:08:00.000-08:00

McCall's Pirate & Vampire Costumes

Who doesn't love pirates or vampires? Or for that matter, vampirates! This makes me think of Halloween and anything that does that is awesome. These are your essential vampire and pirate costumes only kicked up a notch with some exquisite detail and fine construction.

Thirst
Vests and Shirt
M2090

At first I saw the cover of this pattern and thought "uhhhhh...embroidery? I don't have the machinery for that," but my concerns were put to rest when I read that the floral motifs are appliquéd on. In fact I believe this is the second McCall's pattern I've seen that utilizes the lesser known technique of couching. It's a technique I read about in couture fashion books and I've always been looking for the opportunity to give it a try (particularly on the bodice of a 1950's prom dress but we'll get into that another time).

There are two different style vests in this pattern, I prefer the longer one although the cropped vest could look quite dapper if paired with men's high waist trousers. The construction is visually appealing and I enjoy the corseting on the back. It also comes with a men's blouse - men don't wear blouses though, do they? lol! Although I feel that the appliqués used in the promo photo are a bit blocky, I'm sure that those who are fortunate enough to own an embroidery machine could come up with some more imaginative and elegant designs. Overall, I like it, I wish it had been out when my husband was interested in going as a vampire. I'm slated to go as vamp for Halloween this year so perhaps we'll do a couples costume.

Wayfaress
Pants and Overskirt
M2085

My spellcheck just crapped itself when the word "wayfaress" hit the page lol. There's no definition for that in English either so if you're a reader overseas don't fret if it doesn't translate, to wayfare is to journey. Pirate costumes have not been McCall's strong suit. In fact their nicest looking pirate costumes aren't even pirate costumes, they come from the Vault Collection which specializes in historical costumery, and even at that they tend to flop when it comes to adequate construction. This is where you develop a true appreciation for what the Cosplay by McCall's brand is accomplishing, they're taking costume design to a new level. These are higher quality designs. I wish they would carry this level of detail into their regular costume line because Simplicity is still beating the crap out of them, but perhaps it will come in time.

I'm satisfied with this pattern. I believe the blouses you see in the promo photos are from previous Cosplay by McCall's patterns Manikin and Bow & Brine. The pants come in three styles but are all fairly similar; they're all the same length but have varying contrasts or details like ruffles, corseting and piping. I prefer look A but I feel like they should be gathered into some seriously stylized pant cuffs. The overskirt is a nice idea but there are aspects of it that I feel aren't as successful as the pants. The skirt looks a little stiff and frumpy and I believe a lot of that comes from their decision to use faux suede in the skirt material. It looks like it must've slipped around a bunch when assembling the lining because there's this bulk that's present throughout the skirt that can only be the result of poor fabric choice.

The celitc braid design is really cool looking and I'd appreciate it on a sturdier velvet fabric. I think the biggest drawback to this skirt is the overall design. In the front as it approaches the waist yoke the skirt veers outward causing the flaps to point toward the crotch, which is distracting to say the least lol. More importantly though, the waist yoke looks sloppy, even when belted. I know that the idea here is to create the impression of being over-sized. Historically, pirates would steal articles of clothing from the wealthy because fine fabrics were highly desirable, but the clothing seldom fit. Picture the garments of a fat well fed aristocrat on the emaciated weather worn form of a pirate and you can understand what I mean. This is why so many depictions of pirates show them in frumpy awkwardly fitting outfits. It's really encouraging to see a designer take that history into consideration, however, in this particular instance it is not well executed and appears as though the garment is just poorly sewn and not intentionally over-sized. I would encourage anyone picking up this pattern to redraft the waist yoke and cut the flaps on an outward angle.

Conclusion

I'm very pleased to see McCall's exploring classic costume designs. Their competitors have a much broader catalog to choose from and it would be nice to see McCall's offering designs of a comparable quality and selection in the future.

What are your thoughts?

Kind regards,

Cosplay by McCall's Ribbon Candy & Victor

2017-01-26T05:09:00.000-08:00

More Patterns! Ribbon Candy and Victor

Two more cosplay patterns for your spring "to-sew" list! Victor, a men's floor length, lined, period coat, and Ribbon Candy, a ladies' bodice, tutu, detached puff sleeves and sash! Let's take a look at them. :)

Ribbon Candy
Top, Skirt, Sash and Detached Sleeves
M2086

This is apparently cosplayer Becka Noel's trademark tutu design, with puff sleeve arm bands and bodice. I've always been curious to see how these tutus are made, they're pretty crazy looking and remind me of Elizabethan collars (and I want to wear a high Elizabethan collar like you wouldn't believe lol). It's cute, not my scene, but followers of hers I'm sure will be excited to give this a try. My only beef is that the waist sash looks busted. It just doesn't sit well with me at all and it's a design flaw for sure. If you look at other dress sashes you'll notice they're typically gathered or pleated, this helps conceal figure flaws and allows it to conform to the body better. A plain sash would work well if it were a smaller width, but at this width it's terribly unflattering. If you're going to do it, slash the piece horizontally, spread it (width x 1.5 or 2) and gather it instead. I noticed that they used shantung, which works well for creating the leafy structure of the cross body sash, but it fails miserably in the waist sash, gathering the material might have softened the look of it.

Victor
Coat
M2087

Now as much as I proclaim to be interested in historical fashion, I draw a blank when it comes to historical men's fashion! I'm assuming this is a medieval coat. It looks well constructed. I like the frog closures down the front and the t-shape across the back is visually pleasing. It has nice construction lines. It's also fully lined and I imagine it's an intense project (rated intermediate) but it'd be a labor of love, I'm sure!

Conclusion

These are pretty neat looking designs, and it's nice to see a new cosplay designer added to the mix! I would be hard-pressed to name any cosplayers and their work, I don't follow this stuff personally, but it's always cool to see what people are up to. What do you think?

Best,

McCall's Hitched and Prelude

2017-01-14T18:59:00.000-08:00

Hitched and Prelude, new for Spring!

Hey, it's 2017 and the new Cosplay by McCall's releases are already here. They're kicking it off with Steampunk!

HITCHED
Skirts
M2072

I think every Goth chick has owned a skirt like this at some point. It's like the "introductory to bondage skirt" and it's become popular amongst many Steampunk fans. What I like about it is that it's very simple in design. You can make it in one tier, two tier or three tier to get that stellar hi-low effect. It's a skirt that I've seen quite a few people trying to knock off, so I'm sure admirers of the look will be happy to add this pattern to their arsenal. If I were to attack it, I'd like to push it further by embellishing the yoke and adding a bow to the back like this skirt from Retroscope Fashions.

PRELUDE
Bloomers in Three Lengths
M2082

We know how I feel about bloomers. It's no mystery, I just don't get them lol, but this pattern seems to fit the bill as far as bloomers go, offering one historically inspired interpretation and two much more simplistic variations. The one pair of bloomers reminds me of Simplicity 8154. I'm not into Steampunk personally, so perhaps I'm missing something with the bloomers fad (???) but I suppose it makes for a good pirate costume. I don't mind the pair pictured on the right, they're cute, but that pleated monster on the left looks like it clawed it's way up from the depths of HELL. I absolutely loathe knife pleating. Not just because it's a rather dated technique but because it's freaking time consuming. Also, I'm curious about the title of this one. "Prelude" pretty much means it's an introduction to something bigger or better...not sure what they're implying with that lol. Overall it's a decent looking pattern and I have no major issues with it in terms of design.

Conclusion

We're seeing a steady influx of Steampunk designs with both McCall's and Simplicity. I'm a tad jealous, actually. I wish Goths got this much attention lol. I recognize Steampunk's place though, it attracts more than just fashion goers. In fact, many of the Steampunk sewists I've met are women in their middle age who happen to love historical fashion and like that Steampunk combines that passion with a touch of fantasy. At the end of the day it's cosplay! It'll appeal to most anybody.

Best,

Brand of Choice 2016: RESTYLE

2016-12-27T09:53:00.003-08:00

My Brand of Choice for 2016

Restyle is one of those brands that I've had an interest in for some time. Most people remember them for their highly popularized cameo purses. They've dabbled in a little Lolita, a little Trad Goth, but it seems that they've found their niche in the Nu Goth scene. I have been increasingly impressed with their emerging designs. They continuously refine their aesthetic with each new collection. Their jewelry is to die for. Take a look at their latest releases and you'll be left asking, "Alchemy who?" They are easily the best name as far as Gothic jewelry goes. Killstar can't hold a candle to them. Restyle's most recent clothing designs are leaning heavily into the bondage trend which I quite fancy. While body harnesses have been done to death, I'm taken with Restyle's ability to implement bondage in subtle and sophisticated ways. It's evident that they have a keen understanding of the female form. This is what earns them my title of brand of choice for 2016. They mix materials in ways that I cannot comprehend. If someone could teach me how to knock off their leggings, please do so, because I am freaking stumped! How do they do it without affecting the stretch of the fabric?! HOW? It's almost worth forking over the $50 USD to find out...

Restyle's most recent releases are largely influenced by geometry and occult symbolism. I'm a little over the occult thing, there are a few pieces I'm drawn to but I would hesitate to sport the pentagram when I'm not walking the pagan path. What I'm most attracted to is their latest hoodies and jackets with their unique use of construction lines to compliment the figure. They have a sort of Industrial Goth feel to them but are more simplified and feminine than the 90's trends we came to associate with that scene.

Restyle is one of those brands that is rethinking Gothic style (perhaps that's how the brand chose its name?). They are pushing the limits of design through experimentation. This is very encouraging. A brand that takes risks is exactly what we need for the future of Gothic fashion.

Unfortunately, because it's a European brand, there's little hope for Canadians to afford these pieces unless our dollar improves. Not to forget, according to their size chart I'm a large (?); this is especially confusing when American sites sell Restyle products without adjusting their size chart or making note of the differences. If you're wondering, I'm not a large, in Canadian sizes I'm a size 4/5 or small. Are girls in the EU especially petite? My hope is that in time these garments and accessories will be more accessible to North American buyers.

I'm really interested to see what new products they release in 2017 and if the brand will continue to steadily improve over time.

What do you think of Restyle?

Best,

Too Different to Make Friends Part 2

2016-12-11T06:29:00.001-08:00

Finding your path out of the darkness
(or into, depending on how you look at it)

I'd like to discuss my last post where I said we should negate the effect of self defeating thoughts by using positive affirmations. I recently read a book about emotional regulation. It talked about studies that revealed simply stating affirmations like "things will get better for me," are not sufficient enough. Instead, a person should draw upon memories of positive things that have happened in their life. The author encourages that you draw upon the past because it's grounded in fact.

I liked this because it expanded upon what I was going for. In my post, positive affirmations were more about developing a plan of action to overcome a negative thought.

Example:

A: "I can never think of what to say. I'm stupid."

B: "I can listen and encourage conversation by asking questions. I can read to expand my knowledge or seek experience."

In almost every example I provided the affirmation is that you can overcome the obstacle. I want my readers to believe that improvement is within your control. You are capable! You can choose to seek knowledge and experience, you can choose to surround yourself with loving and supportive people (and get rid of those that bring negativity into your life). What I neglected to address is the emotional aspect of negative thinking.

While none of my examples were this simplified, if someone were to think "I will never find love" they might counter it with the affirmation "I'm worthy of love." ← I've actually seen this example repeatedly in my studies. I know that my kind of affirmation would look more like this: "I can find love, but first I have to determine why I think I'm so undeserving of it." Again, I guess my affirmations are largely centered around taking control and action but that's the kind of personality I have. If something is broken, I want to fix it. I seek answers. You might not be inclined to do the same. Perhaps you're stumped and you couldn't get past the "I'm worthy of love" affirmation - and considering how many self-help/health and wellness websites push that phrase, it wouldn't surprise me to learn that that's where most people get stuck.

Why are these simplified affirmations so ineffective? It's because deep down inside a depressed person doesn't believe any of it. You can go around telling people you're beautiful and hate yourself on the inside. Just because we state something doesn't make it true to us. There has to be a degree of belief involved and in many instances our emotions (like sadness) will inhibit that belief from taking hold. In the case of "I'm worthy of love" you have to find evidence that you have been loved in the past. Once you have your memory you can draw upon it in your time of need. If you've been through a bad breakup and believe "I'll never find love," you could remember a friend who loves you unconditionally and assert that if they love you then there must be more people in the world who are willing to show you that same degree of affection.

But there is a major flaw with this approach - some of us may not recall or have not experienced a positive event. I think this is why my method is a bit better because instead of dwelling on the past or the uncertainty of the future, you're just taking the bull by the horns and committing to action. I have read articles which posit that imagining positive outcomes can also be a good tool to overcoming emotional barriers, but it's a band-aid solution. While studies have shown that a positive attitude will boost your prospects, I can't help but worry that you could get your hopes up and feel twice as hurt if you failed. It's like seeing the world in rose colored glasses. Simply imagining that a guy will date you is limiting your receptiveness to the various, unknown possibilities. He might be gay or he might not see you that way. When you've been hoping it goes well (especially for a long period of time) it can be unbearable when it fails to meet your expectations. If you happen to be the kind of person who does not handle rejection well and can easily get caught up in a whirlwind fantasy, you might be emotionally dependent and I really don't believe that just "thinking positively" is an appropriate technique for you.

Read onward.

The other day, I learned that I'm emotionally dependent. I should stop for a moment and clarify, as I stated in my recent post I'm "fiercely independent, emotionally" - these are not the same things! To be emotionally dependent is to require validation and self worth from others, whereas to be emotionally independent (and not in the clinical sense, but in the context of my self image) means that I don't share my feelings with others. Now that that's out of the way... I apparently seek validation from other people. I don't have much self love...or self esteem...or much of anything. I had been struck by the realization that I get hung up on rejection very easily, like scary easily. So I decided to investigate. The concept of emotional dependency seemed to fit and once I began reading about it I saw startling similarities in the "profile" of an emotionally dependent person with my own personality. It was embarrassing to say the least.

After reading countless psychological papers, I came to the conclusion that it all stems from my childhood, living with a narcissistic mother. But I digress, we'll explore this further in depth in another post. The point I'm getting at is that I found the suggested self help treatment tips for emotionally dependent people mirrored that of those presented in the emotional regulation book, as well as the other articles that I read. You can draw upon memory to base your beliefs in fact, or you can think positively and visualize positive outcomes. However, in the emotional dependency article, it warned that people who are emotionally dependent will take positive thinking to a negative extreme. Instead, you should visualize all possible outcomes. This way you're better prepared for rejection.

We all feel hurt when we're rejected. Researchers have discovered that the brain registers rejection in the same manner as physical injury. Despite what the anti-socialist wants to believe, social support and community are integral to our survival. We were dependent upon it in our most primitive form and the instinct to connect with others is hardwired into our brains. If you feel like you could die because you're so lonely, it's not unwarranted, the reality is that we aren't meant to be alone. How do we manage rejection? I'd like to explore that in depth in the next segment, but for now the easiest way is to visualize all possible outcomes and remember that everybody has their reasons for not wanting companionship. Maybe the individual(s) you're pursuing are too caught up in work life or family, have no need for more friends, or have a different religious background than you. It's not always black and white, they might have a good reason for rejecting your companionship. Or they're an asshole, and all we can do when it comes to assholes is assert that they are the product of their environment. We take pity on them.

Apparently there is an app or game that you can play which purposely exposes you to rejection so you can develop a buffer against it? I might have to check it out.

In conclusion, the best way to defeat negative thoughts are as follows:

Step 1: Identify and analyze the problem.

Step 2. Develop the plan to rectify the problem.

Step 3. Remember a time when things went well OR visualize the possibility of a desired outcome.

For emotionally dependent people:

If you can't find a memory to assert yourself, instead focus on the plan. Don't imagine a possible desired outcome, imagine ALL possible outcomes. You will do better if you focus on taking action instead of day dreaming.

Let's apply these new techniques to a few personal examples of mine.

Example:

A: "I'm too different to make friends."

B: "I can learn to value my uniqueness and that which makes me different. I can seek out more social opportunities to afford me a greater chance of meeting someone who does accept my differences. I remember that I once had a friend who adored me because I was just like her, a weirdo! And even still, I have another friend unlike me who accepts me regardless of my eccentricities. I'm sure there are others out there like her."

A: "I will never be happy."

B: "I can commit myself to finding happiness through personal development. I can research what might be preventing me from attaining happiness, mentally or otherwise. While I have no recollection of being truly happy, I can imagine that it's possible so long as I try."

A: "I'm seeing my new 'friend' in a few weeks. I don't think he really likes me."

B: "I don't know whether or not he does like me, I can't assume what's going on inside his head. I don't want to believe he doesn't like me but I realize I need to prepare myself for that possibility. It could go either way and I need to remember that it's not a life or death situation, the thrill is always in the experience."

Conclusion

While I am expanding upon a lesson from the previous post, I think it's an important one. Our negative, self defeating thoughts pose as barriers to entering into healthy, social relationships. We have to maintain a degree of optimism, and for some being realistic is of the utmost importance. If you catch yourself daydreaming try picking up an engaging activity, like reading or something that requires manual dexterity, to draw your focus away from fantasy. If you find you're brooding and thinking negatively, I encourage you to keep a small diary in which you can jot down your negative thoughts, then revisit them when you're more calm to analyze them and create new affirmations. Search for memories that contradict your thoughts and record them in your diary as well, this way you can revisit them when you're lacking confidence or feeling blue. Don't be afraid to share your examples or experiences in the comments below.

Best,

La Virgen de Guadalupe

2016-12-10T06:23:00.001-08:00

I ♥ Jesus!

I wasn't exactly brought up in a religious household. Sure I went to church a handful of times in my childhood, made some palm crosses, sang songs, but I hardly remember any of it! Can I quote the bible? Hell no. Yet a part of me has always retained a fascination with religious iconography. Especially that of Christian iconography. Spanish Catholicism (in particular of Mexico) has yielded some of the prettiest depictions of La Virgen de Guadalupe. In high school I hoarded up altar candles with stickers of Jesus on them. What can I say? They look cool. My best friend shared in this fascination and at times we would teasingly tell people that we thought Jesus was sexy because he had a beard. She bought me a lanyard that says "I ♥ Jesus" on it, which I still own. Given this brief history of my adoration, you can imagine how blown away I was when Dolce & Gabbana released a sacred heart inspired spring collection last year. It was so religious. It was so fucking hot!

I gushed over the shoes with the secret cabinets hidden in the heel, the beautifully ornate clutches, the crowns and rose covered gowns. I have never seen anything so awesome in all my life, and I could hardly give a shit about D&G. The collection wasn't as well received as I had hoped, and only a few alternative shops began carrying designs that mimicked the style. I haven't seen any amazing knock offs of the shoes or clutches featured in the collection, and in my heart I'm hoping someone will someday endeavor to make a more affordable copy of them. At a few thousand dollars US a piece, it's just too far out of my budget. That being said, I did find a few items that could make an adequate knock off. What do you guys think?

Rock n Rose
- Jesus Vintage Cameo Ring
- Beatrice Rose Crown Headband
- Eve Vintage Cross Ring
- Cara Metal Crown
- Valentina Oversized Mosaic Cross Necklace.

Gasoline Glamor
-Baroque Cross Earrings (right)

I Still Love You NYC

-Luxe Cross Earrings (left)

Nasty Gal
-Sworn to Secrecy Embroidered Skirt & Top (right)

Dolls Kill
-Sacred Heart Top

For Love & Lemons
-Desert Rose Maxi Skirt (left)

Current Mood
-Muerte Rose Platforms (left)

Iron Fist
-Like a Virgin Boots (right)
-Like a Virgin Sweater.

Milanblocks
- Luxury Rose Evening Clutch

Best,

Bien Aimée

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La Virgen de Guadalupe

I ♥ Jesus!

Simplicity Does Lolita AGAIN!

Cosplay By McCall's Hand-Eye Coordination, Foot Fetish: Gilded, Becoming Émelie

Finding your path out of the darkness
(or into, depending on how you look at it)