I want to embrace my goth/alternative side more!

Being Masc & Goth

This blog usually isn't fashion-focused, but I was thinking about alt fashion and how it's sometimes a struggle to figure out how to style things in a masc way if you're interested in darkalt fashion, but you don't want to go too casual or basic with it. So I thought I'd throw together some tips, link some DIYs, and maybe throw in a few moodboards. I want to preface this with one thing: You do NOT have to adhere to traditional gender roles. Fuck anyone who tells you that you do. If you're a guy and you want to get into alt fashion don't let anyone tell you that you can't pull off a skirt or a dress or a strappy top. Literally the whole point of being alt is Doing Whatever The Hell You Want Forever. However, not everyone feels comfortable in that (I made this post because I'm transmasc and sometimes the long gothic dresses make me dysphoric), and not everyone is safe to do that ( as much as it sucks ass, if you live in a conservative area sometimes it can be genuinely dangerous for guys to wear makeup and dresses in public, and your safety should always come first), so I thought I'd lay out some tips on how to dress alt and masc from my own experience. I'm still learning so feel free to leave your own advice in the replies or reblogs! General Styling Tips: - Jackets. Jackets, jackets, jackets. Something about a big jacket always seems to give an outfit a more masc energy, and adding a cool jacket to an outfit can be a great way to elevate it and add some extra visual interest. I like black blazers, leather jackets, and black denim jackets in particular, but vests (formal menswear ones or more casual denim or leather ones) can work well too, especially in hot weather. - Any basic black pair of jeans will look 100x more alt if you loosely attach some chains to the pockets or belt loops. Also, pants with wider legs tend to look more masc than tighter fits. not sure why. Slacks can also be a really good and underrated option. - If you want to find good headwear, cool sunglasses have never failed me. You may be able to take some inspiration from Ouji fashion as well, but that's just my personal taste. - If you have a basic piece around, you can add pins, patches, safety pins, etc for a more casual look, or if you're going for something more formal, trims and lace details and embroidery can really add interest and elegance to it. (if you can't sew, you can order iron-on embroidered patches online or find them in craft stores that'll do the trick just fine.) This can take your pair of slacks or plain black blazer and turn it into a piece of formal gothic menswear you can make a staple of your wardrobe. - Find inspiration in your favorite goth artists. There's a lot of really cool goth music out there and a lot of those bands get really innovative with their looks! Figure out what you like about their style and try incorporating a few things in, it's fun! - If you have an alt wardrobe already but it just seems like something's missing or it could use some interest, try switching up the silhouettes or adding an extra layer! Seriously, don't be scared of playing with textures and sleeve shapes! I see a lot of dudes who just wear a band tee and a pair of jeans all the time, and there's absolutely nothing wrong with that, that can be a great look! But I think a lot of dudes just genuinely think that that's their only option and that everything else just "wasn't made for them" and that makes me a little sad. shred up some shirts and layer them, wear some bell sleeves, throw some extra safety pins or studs on, have fun! No one said masc fashion couldn't be fun. Unisex/Masc DIY Videos I Found:

... And Some Inspiration!

[These are all goth music artists, I wrote the band/artist names in small text on the images that were not already watermarked for those who are curious]

The queen herself!

design notes under the cut

alright, let's get started with the outfit-

The thing is that Ravens outfit is really cool, but it is a PAIN to draw, at least for me. There are some small details that come from them having to fit doll molds that drive me crazy, like the fact that Ravens shoes don't have heels but she walks like they do

I also had gotten really, really bored of drawing skirts, so pants it is

Ravens look is majority black with purple and silver accents, but I tweaked it a bit so that purple is the primary color, just for fun

The feathers were cool, but I wanted to save them for fancier looks, so instead I went with dragon wing style clamps on her jacket. It always bugged me that she was the first character with a dragon and that she didn't have any draconic features on her

Alright, so this is my explanation for the way she dresses in this interpretation- she doesn't want to be seen as evil, but her wardrobe is literally cursed to make any and all clothes she tries on as much like her mother's as possible. So she has to try and mold it to her own style, like "ok what's the most normal thing in here" but she's going through Goth Skeletor's closet and this is what she's managed to put together. I'd say she did pretty good! Cravat is a little much though

Yes she only wears one glove, that's on purpose. It was gonna be that the gloved hand is her primary spellcasting hand, but I immediately ruined that, so now I guess that's just something Raven thinks looks cool

Ok now the more character lore stuff

That weird little skull nightmare next to her is Prince! I don't have and have never read the books, but I have spent a lot of time going over wiki pages to try and find details I can incorporate into these designs. Apparently when Raven was a little kid her dad got her a puppy which she called Prince. At some point her mom decided it was unfitting for an evil princess and transformed him into whatever the hell a bone rat is. Needless to say, traumatizing. I can't stand a single even vaguely negative thing happening to a dog, so I'm deciding that Prince is alive, kind of immortal since he's undead-ish, and maintains the same memory and personality. He lives with Raven's dad when she's at school and he's a very good boy, he's just really, really weird.

Yeah I don't know where I'm gonna fit Nevermore in, I think she's just gonna have to join the canon with the rest of them in Dragon Games, cause I like Prince way more conceptually tbh

Evil Raven cause why not. I actually have some ideas on how the queen lineage would work, especially because Raven seems to completely control every aspect of her powers after signing in Way Too Wonderland. I really like the idea that as the next queen grows they gain more magic, but because they siphon it from the previous generation. Raven had a natural affinity for basic spells her whole life, but after a certain age she started to take her mom's powers, which are the new ones she can't control. Plus, I like that angle on the whole jealousy thing. The Queen isn't just bitter that Snow White is more fair than her, it's the double whammy of knowing that no matter what she does, her power will be drained away and made pointless by both Snow and her own family. Usurping based angst

Byerly Vorrutyer Character Designs

BYERLY VORRUTYER of Lois McMaster Bujold’s Vorkosigan Saga

Tried to go for a rapidly-aging prettyboy with the gothic heavy lidded eyes (idk how to describe the eyes I’m talking about) and a face that reads as male while having something slightly feminine about it. A face that smiles often but is composed, cool. Slightly wavy black hair that is either shortish, chin length, or slightly shorter than shoulder length (I haven’t decided yet 😅)

Designing faces is not my strong suit so I am working backwards from a few references I like. Will probably simplify artstyle, slightly lengthen hair and mix with a dash of Professor Venom from OK KO (for that little bit of haggard twink energy) to creat the final design.

References:

Wardrobe:

Materials: silk, velvet, ruffles lace, detailed embroidery, military piping, sheer cloth, fur — echoes of beautiful luxurious handmade traditional artisan clothing- but all a little to gaudy and cheaply produced - the barrayaran aristocrat version of fast fashion. Androgynous and galactic styles occasionally thrown in to add to mystique

-SHIRTS: silk shirts // shirts with poofy or frilly sleeves // patterned shirts // sheer shirts // velvet shirts // shirts that are tucked in the pants but so unbuttoned the entire chest exposed

- SUITS: velvet suits that absolutely reek of cologne // sleezy yet sharp barreyaran style black suits you might smoke a cigar or play pool in // pastel suit for daytime garden parties

WARDROBE ACCENTS

- bigass fur coat - maybe even almost a midieval king robe

- several offensively knock off fast fashionmilitary style jackets

- luxuriously patterned bathrobe

- see through shawl / wrap / night robe thing

- some gaudy galactic style outfits

- a few sexy or frilly dresses to piss off the family

- a few a casual / slightly more subdued blend of komarran, barrayaran and practical galactic clothing he only really wears at home (stuff he wears when he’s not preforming for an audience). maybe some sentimental pieces. What’s hidden beneath the camouflage.

- some bling: rings and earrings. A few broaches and cuff links probably not that many necklaces

EDIT: here are some reference collages I put together! Note that these references aren’t the exact items that he would have in his closet but rather there are aspects to each piece that I would want to incorporate into his design. Maybe it’s the cut of a sleeve, the silhouette of a coat, the way a robe drapes, the embroidery pattern on some fabric, or the general partied-too-hard vibes of a particular photo of a model.

Bastardized military jackets:

Neglige options / heavier nightfrobe options:

Bigass fur coat:

Shirts (please ignore the long blue scarf in the central image like wtf is that- the rest of the suit is nice tho):

Party vibes:

A lot of these aspects would then be mixed with my own head cannon for the rules/cuts of barreyaran mens clothing (I went to a library and spent a stupid insane amount of time looking through books with midieval, 1800s and 1900s men’s fashions and France, Russia, and Greece- + additional books of traditional folk clothings and textile patterns + several other books of historic military uniforms…. The process and choices were so long that I had to give up and just stop thinking about any sort of vorkosigan related character design for a couple months cuz my head hurt. - I will probably make another post at some point with more annotated collages and possibly some of my own drawings synthesizing the concepts, but uh not right now because I need a nap just thinking about trying to organize it all.)

If you’d like to see a little more of vorkosigan universe costume imaginings here’s my Pinterest board on it (kinda) https://pin.it/2rOoHsq it’s a extremely disorganized and from early hyperfixation days so none of my fashion history research stuff is there (cuz that was all physical book stuff) but uh, you can look at it if you want.

P.S.

If you have any feedback or critiques on the design so far, or ideas for how you think By should look, let me know! I love hearing other people’s interpretations 😊.

Photos of faces you think look like By, pictures of outfits that feel Byerly-ish, or direct quotes from the books about his demeanor or appearance are also welcome!

@starfishlikestoread it’s been approximately a thousand years but I’m finally getting around to that Byerly fanart! Hope you enjoy 😅

Make Shin Suffer for 35 Minutes!

Full disclosure: I like Guide. He is a good actor, but I like him aesthetically because he is beauty and grace, and I am desperately in love with his face, so my thoughts on Bake Me Please have always been biased meaning . . .

I loved the Bake Me Please special episode!

Shin is still a Black Brooder and a jerk.

And Guy is still fine and the obvious better choice.

But Shin is very much in love with his Blue Boy Peach and has started incorporating Peach's color into his wardrobe.

However, on the day he is finally able to see Peach due to Peach's busy schedule, our Black Brooder decides to wear pink! Because he is very much in love with Peach, and Peach picked this shirt for him.

But Blue Boy Peach doesn't give one eff and tells Shin to change back into his normal black then abruptly leaves.

Shin is worried Peach no longer loves him, but Atom assures Shin that Peach is very much in love with him, so much in fact that it makes Atom sick to his stomach.

But the entire friend group does suggest that perhaps Shin's boring ass personality is to blame for Peach's distance since Shin tends to bore them to death every single damn day.

So Shin sits on that honest truth, and with some convincing from his friends, he decides to surprise Peach.

He asks Peach if he is doing something on the 17th, which happens to be Shin's birthday, and Peach replies that day is a very important day.

Now, Shin is all kinds of excited as he bakes a Torta Caprese highlighted by the blue background for his Blue Boy.

But Peach doesn't show up claiming to be somewhere else celebrating someone else since Shin said he didn't want to do anything for his birthday, so we flashback to the boys asking what Peach wants to give Shin for his birthday, and he states he wants to sleep with Shin.

The entire table is shooketh by this way-too-much-information truth!

But what Peach means is he wants to sleep with Shin every night in their bed in their home as in he wants to move in with Shin. Once Atom fully recovers from the scary thought of someone wanting to have sex with Shin, he immediately questions his friend's sanity by reminding him that Shin is, well, Shin, and who the hell would want to willingly live with Shin? (remember that his brother had a crush on Shin, so Atom is definitely holding grudges, and I love it)

Then, Atom proceeds to list all of Shin's shitty quality WITH supporting examples.

And tries one more time to help his friend see the light before he ends up married to this man with a mortgage, a kid, and a dog named Ruffles. *shudders at the thought*

But Peach is Peach and double downs on his BIG feelings for Shin, so the guys decide to help Peach be less weak for that jerk and devise a plan to make Shin suffer for reasons that I think are totally valid since they just want to see Shin in pain which who wouldn't?, but they do this under the guise of forcing Shin to see how much he wants Peach around.

But the problem is Peach is ready to cave the second Shin texts him.

The guys know how to handle this and take Peach's phone away and threaten him to stay strong so they can all reap the benefits of watching Shin possibly cry.

It's a constant battle, but the boys remain steadfast in their goal of making Shin pay for all the shit he put them (AND ME) through for six episodes.

But I do appreciate that Peach recognized how fine Shin looked in that pink!

Finally, the big day is here, and Shin is peak Sad Boy energy and probably listening to Drake's "In My Feelings" on repeat, so, of course, the fam is ecstatic and very pleased that their plan to make Shin lay on the floor in the fetal position worked in Peach's favor!

But they pull one more stunt and decide to change the writing on Peach's cake to say "I'll give you a good time tonight" instead of "I want to live together" which would have matched Shin's cake.

Basically, they are doing the Lord's work!

And everybody wins including my light x dark duo!

But especially the audience because we deserved to see Shin miserable for 35 minutes, and we also deserved to see Shin lift Peach on that counter, and . . . eff it! Just enjoy the visual.

And I'll enjoy my Oab x Guy crumb.

I needed this, and I deserved it!

Hi lovely! This is for a style reading 💗

As for general info: I am a darkskin female w/ 4c hair

Here is my chart:

I have been struggling a lot w/ my style lately, but I love your moodboards so thankyou in advance 💗

Hi! Tysm <3 I hope that this reading helps you w ur style !!

1H - Scorpio ASC: Alluring & enigmatic. You have a broody, Delphic appearance. Your best colors are blacks, greys, indigo, & dusty greens. Faded + distressed clothing. Metals. Clothing that is sexy, but leaves some to the imagination. Scorpio doesn’t like to “reveal too much”. Dark, chunky shades. Dark lipliner. Consider getting a bridge piercing &/or using makeup/lashes to draw attention to your eyes.

2H - Sagittarius (Jupiter & Pluto): The 2H is all about self esteem, so incorporating the 2H into the way we style ourselves will give us more self confidence. Sagittarius is experimental & cultivated; you can find style inspiration from all over the world (just remember to be respectful!). You may use your personal style as a means to express your own culture if you wish to, as this will give you a stronger identity + more self-confidence. Having Jupiter & Pluto in your 2H, you may experience drastic changes to your self esteem; wear rich greens, golds, royal blues, & violets on days you’d like to catch some attention. Because Sagittarius rules over the hips & thighs, you likely are confident in those things. Opt for something short &/or low-to-mid-rise when you want an extra boost of confidence.

Sun in Gemini (8H): The sun rules over self expression; we can use our sun signs as a tool for fashion, & doing so will bring forth more confidence, as well as make us feel more in tune w our charts. Your sun is in Gemini in the house of Scorpio; Gemini is fun & playful. I always recommend wearing lots of textures when Gemini is involved (it gives you the stimulation that a Mercury-placement loves). Faux fur + fringe, versatile/multifunctional wardrobe items, & bulky accessories. In the 8H, you are drawn to darker & more understated fashions. Invest in good quality items, but avoid flashy labels.

Venus in Cancer (9H): Venus rules over personal aesthetics & all things "beauty”. Your Venus is in Cancer in the house of Sagittarius; you have an appreciation for feminine beauty. Especially the “dark feminine”. Bambi eyes & glossy lips. “Glass skin” using skincare & makeup. Skirts, dresses, & cropped tops. Waist jewelry &/or an ornate belt. Two-piece sets. Hoop earrings + pearls. Wear your hair natural or straight.

I hope you like the reading !! Thank u for booking w me :)

AAAA HI MOOTIE❤️❤️ could I request a romantic Hazbin hotel match up?? (Help me I'm shy) ANYWAY

I'm bi with no real pref, I'm a Taurus and an INFJ!!

Appearance!! : 5,5 with shoulder length black hair, Blue-Green'ish eyes and Glasses! People tell me I look very Intimidating and unapproachable, I have a very vintage 1950s women's way of dressing with a hint of cottagecore into it! I'm also always wearing heels <3

A lil about me! : chronically ill ex dancer and writer, I also sing and I love to act aswell!! I love walks alot even though I can't much anymore, I have a cat his name is Morty!! I can be kinda loud and hyper, I'm usually very in your space if I know you well (and ur comfortable obviously) I also love doing things for others! Id like to say I'm a pretty skilled cook and baker, I also love card games and board games (oh and video games y'know) I always have music running in my headphones, I'm super clingy to the people I hold dear and I absolutely love showering my friends in love and appreciation; I can also be quite the hassle, I'm not all smiles and kisses which I'm trying to work on; I struggle with empathy and love, I can be very brutal and rude and sometimes borderline cruel but I try and reserve that for people that do me wrong!!

I love birds and Foxes! Oh and deer and moose those are my favorite animals I love them sm ( I'm Scandinavian don't look at me weird) I'm the kinda friend you can come to with anything, to listen or for advice or a solution I'll always be here for everyone :3

Some hobbies : dancing (on some days) playing the violin, Writing, baking and cooking

Bleh things: Alcohol (get away from me) smoking or any substances for that matter, dark coffee, bright lights, unprompted loud noises,sudden physical contact

YEAH THAT'S ME ILYSM KOKO DO THIS ON UR OWN TIME DONT FEEL PRESSURED!!

❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️

You got…Rosie!

Already, you've got the cutest height difference and aesthetic match in the world. You come to just about her shoulders and that's not counting her hat! Fortunately, since you wear heels you can inch a little closer to her—unless she's also wearing them. 

Rosie loves fashion, so you two go shopping together a lot. She's always offering her clothes to you, but when they wind up too big (as always), she will tailor them herself to suit you or bring them to a proper tailor to fix them up. You don't wear exactly the same style, but Rosie will incorporate more of your elements into her wardrobe so people know you're together. 

Oh my, and you can dance? No matter the kind, the moment you tell Rosie that she is already talking about the pep she used to carry in her step, and she wants to go out dancing with you a lot more. Rosie is an amazing dance partner because she is very good at following your lead or showing you how to do what she has going on. 

She also LOVES your kitty Morty. Oh yeah, shes going to spoil that cat to death because, isn't it just the cutest furball ever? Rosie is the type to get bit by a cat and coo about how strong a bite it has. 

Now, she isn't one for video games, but she is more than happy to learn all about the various types you play! Be it board, video, or card! Rosie is actually really bad at these games and often reveals her hand or her plan, but she still loves trying it out with you. The one game she could beat you in 99.9% of the time is chess.

One thing that really surprises her is your ability to get along with Susan. Knowing you have a habit of being cruel to those who deserve it, she expected you to hate the woman! Instead, you bonded over your hatred for a lot of things, and Susan insists on you always being the one to help her in the emporium. 

Expect a lot of listening to oldies music while she shows you her old dance moves, working in the emporium with her, and the cannibals being extremely protective of you when it comes to other demons.

Author’s Note - I'm sorry I know its OBVIOUS but when I was going it Rosie got 7/8 and Alastor was the closest with 3/8!!! I just think she really is your match made in heaven 🖤

[11-22-2023] Transcription_ I keep thinking about pants styles and what I want to look for in my wardrobe. Skinny jeans go with a lot, but can be too tight to wear all day. Most of my skinny jeans are very high waisted, which is uncomfortable to wear while sitting most of the day. I have a lot of shoes that look nice with them as well. Since I’ve been looking into more punk clothing, I want to revise my wardrobe a bit for stylish comfort. I love the idea of Frankensteining my pants and adding patches to make them tailored exactly how I want. I bought a pair of flared jeans, but that style doesn’t feel exactly right, either. I like this look of straight leg, rolled cuff, and harem pants. Something not too wide so I can tuck the cuffs into my boots. They need to be practical, but I love how expressive and custom patch pants are. I like the neutral, muted color palette of black, white, gray, and brown. Patch pants would help me to work with what’s in my closet and repair over the years to reduce waste. I like the casual slouchiness of the harem pants and could see making a pair for casual hangouts. My stretchy jersey pants are losing shape and seem to fall apart at the seams when I wash them. My calves are becoming intolerant to tight fabric, especially around my period. I’ve been wanting to incorporate more hand-dyed elements and patches of cotton for textural interest. I could make a wrap skirt with scraps as well, which would be great for changing sizes and bloat. I want to be more in tune with my wardrobe. (another digitized spread of one of my old journals, sticker and Gloomy are by @petite-gloom)

Things I didn't realize I could do despite NOT being Posh/Rich

Namely because I grew up not seeing it done in my own family so assumed I wouldn't ever be able afford to, or that was a class rule thing that I wasn't allowed to break lest I be perceived as a social climber or inadvertently saying I'm better than my peers.

Yay my Autistic black and white logic.

Since coming to these realizations, whole new levels of joy have opened up in my life.

(In no particular order)

#1 - Trimming my nails so they were all the same length on each finger and both hands

I’m honestly not sure what made me think I couldn’t trim my nails so they were all the same length. I grew up seeing adult women in my circle have uneven nails on their hands vs posh women with professionally manicured hands so maybe my mind just made the correlation. I always thought that the even nails were so elegant and wished my could be even too, but the women in my family didn’t care about manicures, and to be fair, I didn’t and still don’t like wearing nail polish, so even if I had worked up the nerve to ask for a manicure, I probably wouldn’t have enjoyed it.

But then one day when I was in my teens, I randomly, from the corner of my eye, watched a bit of some tween animated show (maybe Bratz?) and one of the girls broke a nail and then went on about how now she was going to have to trim all the other ones to match. And my mind was blown.

I realized then that having my nails all different lengths upset me. It didn’t matter if one or two of them had grown in very nicely if they didn’t match the rest. In fact, I was perfectly happy with them all being trimmed to the nubs if it meant they were all the same length.

I still have yet to get a professional manicure and I still don’t like painting my nails. I tend to keep my nails fairly short because I do martial arts and bake and gardening so having them short is practical. And having them all even makes me happier than a few of them looking elegant.

#2 - Having matching sets of themed underwear

As a teen and into my twenties, my bras never matched my underwear. Because I was raised on the kind of underwear you get in large packs. My mother openly scoffed at the pantie displays, saying pantie was such a vulgar term, and from the media it seemed wearing matching sets of underwear was reserved for “the bedroom”. Whenever I passed by a Victoria’s Secret, I’d see the piles of lace and my good Christian girl brainwashing had me roll my eyes and tell myself that I was better than the uncouth masses for not wearing such highly sensual underwear since obviously one only wore it if one was expecting to have intercourse with a man.

And then I discovered matching socks weren’t just a fashion statement limited to men.

Socks growing up had also followed the same rule as purchasing underwear - cheap and in bulk. But then I got several ballet flats and realized my normal socks were not going to go well so I got several pairs of cute floral socks to match with my outfits.

I also had been going to therapy recently and had started lifestyle changes like going to taekwondo three times a week and incorporating more healthy foods into my diet (I’m still pretty picky because most healthy foods aren’t safe foods for me, but smaller changes like using 100% whole wheat bread and drinking 2% milk have helped a lot).

Long story short, I was feeling more positive and comfortable and confident in my body and treated myself to some new clothes. Because I had also discovered Torrid - a clothing store that designs clothes specifically for women like me.

And after get a new wardrobe, the likes of which I never thought I’d get to have because all the cute clothes everywhere were too small for me, I realized I didn’t need a reason besides wanting to feel pretty to buy matching underwear sets. And to have enough to last me two weeks without repeating!

I’m such a visual person and it took me a long time to realize and embrace it. Sometimes I just open the special drawer where I keep all my pretty underwear and admire them.

#3 - Spaces beside your bedroom can be themed

By now the visual theme is well established. Stimming for neurodivergent people can take on my forms through the various senses - it’s not just limited to “flapping”. Visual stimming is my biggest stim. Nothing makes me happier than staring at beauty.

My bedroom has always been my sanctuary, especially growing up. We moved 8 times my first 18 years and my mom, being the artist that she is, tried to make the transitions easier by letting us pick a new theme for our rooms every time we moved.

The rest of the house outside my bedroom never seemed to have a theme. It was the 90s-2000s and if you don’t know the aesthetic for that time period consider yourself lucky. My parents also collected things from the places we moved and the trips we had gone on, so the rest of the house looked pretty chaotic to me (especially since in my room everything had to have a place and god forbid a single pillow was out of place).

I didn’t stay long enough in my first two apartments to put any effort into them (first one was while working as a teacher in Japan and the second was when I was in grad school). But when I got my first real job and my first real apartment, that’s when I realized I could decorate however I wanted to (because I was starting from scratch).

It took some trial and error to figure out what worked for me in each of the rooms. Obviously I couldn’t spend massive amounts of money, but with a little creativity I managed to cultivate spaces that made me happy.

My kitchen is very Japanese inspired - white base with sage green accents, bamboo blond pieces, and black or white appliances. My bathroom is white with navy colored middle eastern inspired accents. My study is white, blue, yellow, and green, the focal point being from a large Ghibli Castle in the Sky mural. And my bedroom is cottagecore fairytale with a base palette of white, green, yellow, red, and dark woods.

#4 - I can collect art from my favorite artists

For the final visual theme, ART. Growing up, my mom was a freelance artist. Our home was decorated with pieces she had made herself. From osmosis, I assumed either you were rich enough to buy original pieces, you were creative enough to make your own, or your were neither and were reduced to the cheap mass produced pieces one bought at hobby stores.

I inherited my mother’s talent for art and felt I couldn’t hang up anything on my own walls unless I had made it myself. Because why by someone else’s work when I could make my own?

But this was a problem because what I made didn’t always seem good enough for me to stare at it for hours and that would just make me grumpy.

And then I discovered that a lot of my favorite digital artists had shops. And from those shops, you could order prints.

And I realized buying prints was actually a very important thing to do, because it was supporting a freelance artist, like my mom had been. And what could be better than that? Plus I got to have beautiful pieces hanging in my place for me to stare at and visually stim to.

#5 - Just because something is a name brand and expensive doesn’t mean I can’t buy it if I can afford it

For years my mother has pointed out that I have expensive taste. For some reason I tend to gravitate towards the priciest items without even knowing how expensive they are. She also has a tendency to tell me I’m terrible with money (though living on my own without going into debt for over 10 years now should have proved to her and myself that that isn’t true).

Naturally this evolved into a strange complex of me thinking I didn’t deserve to buy name brand products.

And then I discovered Torrid (which by my upbringing is a name brand), and threw caution to the wind to buy clothes that I loved despite them not being on sale (though I still waited for sales and used discounts whenever possible).

And then I heard a rumor that Mazda wasn’t going to be making the Mazda3 model that I was in love with (because so many things about it from the color to the chassis reminded me of my favorite transformer, TFP Knockout). My old car was starting to break down and I decided I had saved enough for a new car (because it seemed getting a house where I lived would never happen anyway), and I bought my brand new dream car.

I know Mazda and Torrid probably aren’t considered high end name brands by posh people, but to me they are. Because growing up my clothes came from thrift stores or Walmart or from the sales racks at Kohls. I was never allowed to buy anything new at full price. When my family got new cars, the old ones had to be dead and the new ones were purchased for their practicality, not their looks.

My parents kept a tight leash on their finances. Both came from poorer families that had to make hard decisions and be creative to get by at times. And I appreciate the money saving tips they gave me.

But this is my life, and I need to find and make my own happiness. That doesn’t mean buying whatever I want whenever I want, but it also means not denying myself little luxuries because I don’t think I deserve them.

How do I build a capsule wardrobe for coquette, regardless of the subtype (whether it be Americana, dollette, angelic, socialite, etc)? And how do I incorporate dresses in my capsule wardrobe?

Hello!!

To create a coquette capsule wardrobe that doesn't focus on subsets, most of your attention should be on color and cut. Your primary colors and the silhouette of your clothes are gonna to be the things that make your capsule wardrobe translate into whatever subset you want so they should be as timeless, easy to wear, and universal as you can possibly make it.

For your starter tops the colors should be simple and patternless. Creams, pinks, whites, blues, and blacks go with everything! Patterned pieces and outerwear will help elevate your closet later on. The fit is also important and should translate into as many subsets as you can get them into, so a top with too many tatters would be good for mystical coquette and grunge coquette but would be hard to fit into Americana coquette or country coquette. But on the other hand a blouse too bubble gum coquette won't work for something like 50's coquette or Parisian coquette. Less is more but beautiful embellishments will read as coquette! (Out of these four simple tops with basic colors which reads more as coquette to you?)

As for incorporating dresses Into your capsule the answer is simple! Just have a preset number of items you want in your capsule wardrobe (for example maybe you want 10 tops, 8 bottoms, 5 shoes, and 3 jackets) then omit the number of tops you want and make up the difference in dresses.

Your capsule wardrobe should be your reference point for any mindful shopping you do. If you pull something off the rack and can only envision it working with one skirt you own you should probably put it back. If it will work with only half your capsule wardrobe then try it on, if the style doesn't seem coquette enough for you or is too specific to only one subset I would give it some thought, but if it goes with all your capsule and can be fashioned into multiple subsets with the right accessories and accent pieces then definitely get it!

Happy June!

🌾, 🦚, 🏳️‍🌈?

-verkja

Thank you for the ask! From this ask game.

🌾 - How queer do you think you look? Would it be obvious to someone that you were queer if they looked at you?

Not at all. Even my habit of wearing a rainbow bracelet only got one question once. Would have thought that might give it away, but alas.

🦚 - Are there any queer books/shows/etc. that you would suggest?

I don't watch any shows, and for the books the venn diagram of books of tumblr users in my rec tag and queer ones is a circle.

I'll name a few that stuck with me for personal reasons.

Damned If He Does by Marcella Burnard, about an asexual woman falling in love with an incubus who failed to seduce her, and how she tries to free him from his hellish contract. It's one of the few ones I read that were not coming-of-age or college stuff. Sorry, I'm not 19 anymore.

Once Stolen by D. N. Bryn, about naga Cacao, who makes a deal with Thais to lead her through the swamp to her mothers stash of magic crystals so he can get his hands on them. Thais is an enby using she/her pronouns and I would kill for her.

Aaand I am already running low on ideas. I did read a lot of m/m books (though most of them were German), but they're not exactly personal. Ah. I know.

Men and Dragons by Bailey Montagne, of which I actually don't remember all too much, except that it was one of the first books with an ace protagonist I read (where it was put in fantasy world appropriate phrases), and it has dragons and magic and trauma, and what more could you want?

🏳️‍🌈 - Do you enjoy the colors of your preferred flag? Do you incorporate it into your outfits, decor, etc.?

I don't even know what my preferred flag is. Depends on my mood, I guess.

The ace flag is nice, but I don't do much with it. I personally find the contrast between black and white too hard to pull off. But I have a fun set of ikea lanterns on my sideboard in those colors :D

I am starting to grow attached to the sunset one, but eh. I actually do not like orange at all, and only pastel yellows, so that's at least a no go in most wardrobes :')

I really like your ootd posts and seeing what other people wear but it also feels a little bittersweet cause I’m not there yet in my self expression. Between working a corporate office job and having to fit “the look” and having a chronic illness that causes severe bloating and makes me self-conscious about how I look in certain outfits.

I feel bad on the days I let my thoughts about my body win and just wear what’s gonna make me feel less terrible. Guess the long story short is I’ve been too scared to ask off anon how you wear/find outfits that feel like you?

okay okay okay, anon. my whole heart. my hands are on the sides of your face and i am holding you gently.

a couple things here:

-i have been there, and done that in feeling like i had to put myself together a certain way because of the work environment and wanting to be taken seriously (baby doctor grey was sooooo concerned with this. it was a lot of all black and blouses for a bit). and had to do a lot of reprogramming in my own brain about what it meant to be "serious" and why i couldn't be as i am? (hint: ableism! sexism! the patriarchy!). and stopped caring in like 2017? and just started dressing how i wanted to dress in a way that felt comfortable for me, and while i still get comments from assholes about my shoes or if i wear pink to present in, instead of "very serious navy blue" or whatever, it speaks much more about them than it does me. and i can't care. because whatever is on my body does not determine what is in my head nor my capabilities. it is simply self-expression. (but also very much recognize the immense privilege i have now of being able to have several legs to stand on in terms of my career and what i bring to a table and essentially...not having to be worried about being fired for making decisions. i supervise interns and this is always a convo i have with them too. ANYWHO).

*the rest below the cut. to avoid dash spam

-there's a lot of....nonsense fashion rules about there about like "tricking the eye" to look a certain way and "emphasize your small parts!" and "proportion!!!" and its all bullshit. throw it out the window. it means nothing. wear what makes you feel comfy. things you can live in, and do your job in (example: my trousers are high rise and typically wide leg or straight leg so i can BEND in them; so i can SIT ON THE FLOOR in them if need be. so I can MOVE and RUN if need be. not because they emphasize certain things. and HIGH RISE for the same reason because those babies arent falling down and showing my ass crack to the entire world like mid-rise or low rise do on my tall ass.).

like my philosophy is like...i could either wear something that is more "flattering" based on bullshit fashion rules, or i can wear something that makes me feel comfortable that i'm not going to be thinking about all day. clothes should not be things you have to pull at/adjust/think about all day. so if you're concerned with bloating? size up and go from there! there is no shame, none whatsoever.

-i find outfits that look/feel like me through play. i play with what is in my closet a lot. fashion should be fun (i say this knowing that some people truly don't give a damn about clothes and that is totally okay, but you, my friend, sound like you're interested in fashion being fun?). start with a color you love! start with a pattern you love! love stripes? there is no reason you can't wear a striped top with more "corporate" pants, or vise versa.

-after you get comfy with color/patterns that you love, you can start looking for cuts/or pieces that feel like YOU. (ex: LEATHER is a very me material. leather jackets, pants, tops, shoes, feel like me and i try to incorporate it into my wardrobe.)

things that make you feel comfortable (or to mirror your language "less terrible") do not have to be things that are un-fun, or un-you. these things can exist in the same sphere.

<3

send me an ask on anon that you wouldn't send me off anon

I like the mood boards/ style guide you posted ! Made me want to shop a bit. Do you have any fav online stores ? ( I can't think of any that's not fast fashion and there's not a lot of store for clothes where I'm at )

hiii thank you!

—so i think a few i can think of off the top of my head:

the real real (i think it’s best if u refine search low to high bc a lot of the stuff is excellent quality for the price of $10+, but then there’s shipping fees. i think if u search particular brands and colors, blumarine happens to be one of my favorites. also best if u search a general type of item ur looking for (ex: “mini skirt”) )

thredup (it depends on what you’re looking for, but they have dozens of brands that closed down or have old clothes from the early 2000s-2010s and many styles of jeans and dresses. this happens to be the most affordable pick. literally it’s like a way back machine to 2012 tfios charli xcx which i love. lots of low rise jeans if ur into that style too but there’s a huge variety. for example taylor momsen wore a lot of topshop in the early 2010s which is easy to find on thredup in similar styles.)

vestiare collective (kind of similar to the real real, but also has nice quality things. the accessories are quite decent for the price of what most luxury brands offer. i would say therealreal is best for tops/bottoms/dresses and vestaire is best for accessories)

ssense (it really depends here, i usually find cute things then get inspired to incorporate similar looks into my wardrobe but i’d also check on the brand being consumed to make sure u aren’t buying into one that also has business practices u don’t agree w similar to shein or something. they do have good sales as well. i also sometimes just use the site as a sort of stepping stone when i’m looking for items similar to what i might find somewhere else but wanting a general idea. for example looking at a black la perla dress, then finding a black slip dress much more affordable on another of the other previous three sites listed)

Hi! I’m submitting this for the style reading 💕 I sent payment through cash app(please tell if that worked because I have never done this before lol). Thank you!

General Info: I’m 4’11 and have dark brown(nearly black) curly hair and brown eyes. I have a smaller build(I think Alexa Demie would be a decent example of it idk). My face is like a weird combo of harsh and soft features, but overall I have been described as having an intimidating or scary face while looking young for my age.

Hii !! Yes, it worked :) Thank you for ur payment 🤍

1H - Leo ascendent + Leo Saturn & BML: Gold, bronze, & steel. Sultry & erotic; your 1H is giving me lioness vibes. Flaunt Leo’s influence on your appearance by keeping your hair long & dark, & consider going for a claw-like stiletto the next time you go for a manicure. Cat-eyes & gold shimmers. Sleek & sexy silhouettes. Show some character w an eyebrow piercing or a tooth gem on one of your canines.

2H - Leo/Virgo: The 2H is all about self esteem, so incorporating the 2H into the way we style ourselves will give us more self confidence. You’ll feel your best when you are enhancing your natural features & playing up the elements seen in your 1H. Your style should be refined & simple; Virgo does not like when things are too “busy”. Your wardrobe should consist of earthy & muted warm tones. Understated jewelry + shades of brown for your makeup. Your physical appearance should take the spotlight, not your clothes !

Sun in Scorpio (4H): The sun rules over self expression; we can use our sun signs as a tool for fashion, & doing so will bring forth more confidence, as well as make us feel more in tune w our charts. Your sun is in Scorpio in the 4H; you have a cool, reserved vibe & your style should match that. Nothing too fussy, as you are someone who prioritizes comfort. A nice leather coat, a trusty pair of jeans, some dark polarized sunglasses, + a staple black bag are some good places to start ! Low-cut or backless tops are perfect for when you want to have that sex-appeal without showing “too much”.

Venus in Capricorn (6H): Venus rules over personal aesthetics & all things "beauty”. Your Venus is in Capricorn, which means that you can appreciate subtlety. Invest in quality clothes, but be sparing when it comes to logos !! Capricorn blesses its natives w the gift of aging backwards, but if you want to look more your age: opt for timeless looks & a more mature closet.

Thanks for booking w me :)) I hope you love ur reading <3

Staying Red. (Lol) It could be about Mei and her friends, and how she kinda sees all the issues her friends have as well. She's older "Ya'll don't know how hard it is to be me!" and that's the jumping off point. Yeah being a Panda is hard, especially when growing older, but her friends also have problems. You could include the cultures of the other girls + Tyler. Maybe show how Priya handles being Goth-in spirit, and how that clashes with the more vibrant Indian culture? How does Tyler handle being himself, trying to be a tough guy, while also being not-as popular as he wanted to be? How do his parents deal with expectations for him? Abby being so loud and up and going, but maybe at home she's a lot more reserved, so all that pent-up energy comes out when she's with her friends. Are Miriam's parents really as laid back, or is there something more? It'd also be interesting to explore more coming-of age topics but also cultural. Though I guess those would be too heavy for a show, ie: The creepy belief that women are impure on their period, which is perpetuated everywhere in some form. Or how some girls are expected to cover themselves after they reach teenhood. How do culture and society influence them when growing up? What if someone wants to let go of their religious or cultural roots, but can't because of the family? How do you deal with -phobic parents when you realise you're LGBTA? Gender expression as well, Miriam is more tomboyish, how do people around her view that? What about interracial relationships? How do you deal with the racism and prejudice from people around you? Especially your friend's family. -(We only got to see how Ming was always pointing fingers at Miriam, while ignoring Abby and Priya. But we still have the other families. Also, I've seen someone note how East Asia has an older generation who dislike the other countries, Ie China against Korea and vice versa bc of the war, how would that influence the dynamic of the older generation of Mei and Abby's family?) How do you approach cultural appreciation? Being invited to festivals of another culture, or the likes? What about appropriation? What about the use of "Western name" where a person has a name that's more Western, while also having a name from their native culture? (Abby could be a stand in for that, where she reveals her Korean name?) What about losing parts of your culture, like not knowing your ancestral language for whatever reason. Or being removed from your culture. Especially if you still have family in your ancestral country, who you do not understand. I'm also still curious about the families of the girls in the movies time frame, like what about Abby and Priya, and Miriam. I know it was more of a throwaway scene, but I feel there might be more.to it. I also realise that not all of these topics really fit into the mid-late 2000's era storyline, I think a lot of awareness only really came up the beginning of the 2010's and from there to 2015 when the ball started rolling. But many of the topics themselves

So I'm going to have to put my thoughts on your ideas under a 'Read More' because the submission was a bit on the longer side. That being said

I think if 'Staying Red' was based on the main group being in high school, then covering those kinds of story-topics would be possible (that would put them at around 2006 or so?)

But, yeah, I could definitely see episodes surrounding the other main characters going along the lines of:

Priya - she's managed to convince her parents to let her have a few Goth elements (i.e.: her nails, her reading choices, and maybe by high school incorporating more black into her wardrobe), but one day her grandmother moves in and starts talking about how Priya 'dressing like a witch' will make her unmarriable.

Abby - I could see something like Abby being so wild and crazy in school and with her friends due to her being more-than-encouraged (hint-hint) to be quiet and demure at home. There could also be an episode about Abby feeling conscious about her weight and coming to terms with that.

Miriam - With Miriam, I know there is a Turning Red book that has glimpses into the other girls' families, but I never read it. As is, I imagine Miriam being the only girl in a family of rowdy, stocky boys. We see her having a more tomboyish style but there could be an episode where she has to confront her dad about only seeing her as another son rather than his daughter. i.e.: Miriam could have a very upsetting day at school but when she tries to talk to her dad about it, he goes 'Come on, Mir, man up', causing her to blow up at him 'Dad! Just because I play hockey and wrestle a-and dress like this doesn't mean I'm a guy!!'

In regards to the racism and prejudice with one's parents against one's friends, they could more formally address the whole 'Ming not liking Miriam' thing that was hinted at in the movie.

I would be very interested to see an episode about Abby having her native name. Let's say: Tyler has to go drop something off for Abby due to her being sick from school one day. However, when he tries to go to the salon that her family owns and asks for Abby, the people working there don't know who he's talking about. In addition to that, they aren't too crazy about him staying so long... Until Abby comes downstairs, says something to the people working there, and then goes outside with Tyler. He asks what the deal was and she mentions 'Oh, they only know me by my Korean name' but then Tyler veers it into 'Uh, no, I meant why were they so freaked out by me being there?'

There's so many ideas that could be done with a hypothetical Turning Red spin-off series. I would hope that Pixar would consider something like it.