Riverside Reflections Exhibit at the Mattatuck MuseumI love to make meetings for my EGL fashion community, and secretly, my favorite meetings to make are ones with a gothic theme. There is nothing like spending an hour putting on dramatic eye makeup and dressing in prints, colorways and cuts of fabric that evoke a gothic style. Wearing gothic fashion by yourself may be more difficult, as the general public can be a little alarmed by it all; but wearing gothic fashion with a group is empowering and fun. The Mattatuck Museum in Waterbury had a photography exhibit called Riverside Reflections in February. It was actually a photo contest between the local Riverside Cemetery (which is also a National Historic Site) and the Mattatuck Museum in which locals of all ages and experiences were encouraged to submit photographs of the cemetery in all seasons of the year. Some photographs focused on wildlife at the cemetery, while others focused on an interactive aspect with the architecture and grounds. I really loved the triptych by Lulu Roche, specifically the angel holding the babies, which is behind us in the photo of Barbara, Pahl, and I, above. To view the exhibition in better detail, see the online version here. Gothic themed meetings need not be only reserved for Halloween. I put out a call to anyone in my community who was interested in closing out the Riverside Reflections Exhibition (on the last day of viewing). In my statement, I implored them to dress as if they were in mourning (because the exhibit was closing), and to wear prints or colors that evoked symbols seen in a cemetery. Now was the time to unveil my recently acquired piece, Transilvania Moonlight by Krad Lanrete. (Please note, the link refers to JSK style 1 and my piece is JSK style 2). Who is Krad Lanrete? It's actually Eternal Dark spelled backwards, and is a Chinese Indie brand focusing on Classic style. The concept of the brand is the coexistence of light and darkness in the form of reincarnation, and a longing for time. Absolute perfection paired with the theme of this exhibit. I wore the black Long Sleeve Halter Neckline Chiffon Blouse with a black half bonnet (which I added black bows and black roses to), black over the knee socks with silver print, black tea parties (mary janes), a black choker that looks like fake rosary beads, several silver rings (a bat, a cat, a rat, and a dark blue jewel), and my Book of Spells and charms cross body purse. I have two wonderful gothic backpacks that would have worked, but most museums will not allow them in the galleries. Cross body bags are just better suited for the location. Pahl and Danielle, professional mourners at your service. Pahl wore his great coat over an elaborate amount of layers (a red tail coat, a black waistcoat, white shirt, red cravat) with a short top hat, spectacles, and rings that evoke serpent, skull, and eye imagery. Photo credit to Pixie Rosa Del Rio The actual Riverside Reflections exhibit didn't take too long to peruse, as only just so many framed photographs could fit in the gallery. Several of the ones you can view in the online exhibition remained in a virtual only format. So we took ourselves out of the gallery and into...an 80th birthday party?! Yes, across the hallway from the exhibit, a friend of Barbara's was hosting an 80th birthday party for her mother in a former small Masonic temple now owned by the museum and used for events. The birthday girl was delighted to take a group photo with us despite our morbid choices of dress and makeup. After that little side quest, we went into the permanent collections on the second and first floor. There we were able to take some fun photographs with the paintings and sculptures housed within. Honestly we had such a fun time with this meeting. Pixie took so many amazing photos, and we all had fun posing and pretending with guidance from her photographic eye. Truly, I love finding art exhibits that speak to my EGL fashion choices. It's where art meets life, or death, you know?
0 Comments
Gothic Masquerade with Edgar Allen PoeOne of the wonderful events we had the pleasure of attending together in February was the Gothic Romance Masquerade with Edgar Allan Poe put on by Grymm Studios. It was a very unique event in that it had a small cast of immersive actors who were in character for the entire evening. There was a butler, a headmistress type character, Prince Prospero (who had supposedly invited everyone who purchased a ticket), and Edgar Allan Poe. This event had everything I ever wanted at a Masquerade--interactive theater, delicious bites to eat, fun goth steampunk style dance music, costumes, and recitation of famous Edgar Allan Poe pieces by ThePoeActor . The event was held at The Wadsworth Mansion in Middletown, CT (which is a large venue often used for weddings or other special events). As soon as you walked in the door, you could borrow a mask if you didn't have one- as it was integral to the Masquerade theme. Two large side rooms for eating or drinking flanked a large dancing area where a portable stage was erected at the center. Guests were allowed to freely mingle about each area, but a gong would ring when an important event was about to happen to bring people around the stage. Often Prince Prospero would be announcing something or introducing Edgar Allen Poe to recite from his assorted works. I don't think I had ever had the pleasure of listening to another person recite Poe's work live, nor one so fine as someone who had actually deeply studied the poems and had practiced telling them. It was like music to my ears and I finally understood some of the humor in them, despite the obviously gothic themes. While the stage acting was going on, members of the catering team (who also were wearing Masquerade masks) dispersed into the crowd to offer delicious appetizers. These DID NOT last long, and even though I ate dinner prior to the event, I felt it was my due diligence to try every piece of food offered, so sadly I was often taken away by the quest for food over the recitation of other works by Poe. In between the quest for food and the stage acting, there also was fun music to dance to on the dance floor and interaction with the actors off stage. We actually didn't know anyone else who bought a ticket to this event, so we were also on a mission to make new friends! The stunning photograph above was taken by Kit Catlett. She is a photographer and artist who makes cool steampunk accessories. Mission accomplished! We also met some folks from another steampunk organization called Steamposh. We haven't had a chance to attend any of their events yet as they have always conflicted with something else we already had tickets for, but they are basically another fashion group that likes to get dressed up and be photographed in historical places in different types of Steampunk outfits (which is a fashion style I'm still learning about). Here's how I styled myself for the event. First, I selected my Gothic Lolita OP that comes with the matching waist belt as my main piece. Because I knew it was black and red with some silver mixed in with the black, I used these colors again in my accessories. I had been dying to wear this duel horned rose headdress that I purchased at the Midsummer Fantasy Renaissance Festival last year with this dress, and it finally had its moment! I also paired it with dark key earrings (part of the Sailor Moon collection a few years ago from Hot Topic), and a bird skull choker I had purchased on Amazon. The mask is a fabric mask that I also purchased from Amazon, that amazingly enough fit right over my glasses. I had solved the vision vs fashion problem without having to learn how to put in contact lenses or be indeterminately blind for four hours! I wore simple black sweater tights and my Strangecvlt Coven boots on the bottom. I still put dark grey makeup on my eyelids and dark red/black lipstick on my lips to heighten the gothic theme just in case my mask or glasses didn't work out.
Pahl kept colors even more simple with his outfit, where he was wearing almost all black. (Black pants, boots, tailcoat with silver buttons, waistcoat, and cravat), except for a white shirt and a very curious theatrical mask that he made when he was in graduate school. It definitely changed the shape of his face so much that he was nearly unrecognizable with it on! In fact, one of the actors I found out later was someone I actually knew...but they didn't recognize me with my mask and headdress on either! Overall we had a lot of fun and enjoyed everything going on. I especially loved the comedic retelling of the Red Death at the end...very clever! It was so fun to finally wear this outfit I had been dreaming about and being in the company of so many other people who took their costuming seriously!! Tea & Tarot "After Dark" Galentines Day EventNow for the second weekend of February. I couldn't pass up an opportunity for a Galentine's Day Event. I was intrigued by the nature of a local business called Tea and Tarot in Madison, Connecticut. I knew from my friend Ave that they sell witchy and metaphysical supplies as well as offering a variety of intuitive based readings from select readers on staff. Normally this shop is only open Friday-Sunday afternoons, so to get the opportunity to visit it in the evening worked much better with all of our schedules. The Tea and Tarot After Dark event promised us "an evening of saucy sensuality, honoring the Divine Feminine at its finest, complimentary tea-inspired mocktails, spicy Tarot & Palm readings, and all things Magickal!" Honestly I wasn't sure what to expect. The event required pre-registration, and I wasn't sure if you had to be there the whole time. The actual shop is located on the second floor of the Abigail Meigs House (1794) in downtown Madison. Every inch of the space has intentional design and is carefully curated. Fresh cream walls stand out from a variety of plants, decor, and small bottles of homemade tinctures as soon as you ascend the stairs. To the left of the stairwell you will find all varieties of objects for sale like books, bags, incense, tea, stones, jewelry...but there's a lot of intention about it. All of the teas for sale were blended in house, as were all of the tinctures and other incense and salt blends. Behind the shopping area is a little kitchen and area for small private classes. We were able to sample two different tea blends while we shopped during the event, and they were both delicious. We were served, "A Queens Confidence", (White Chocolate Raspberry with Green Rooibos and edible gold Glitter) in the fluted glasses you see pictured above. Of course I was going to purchase some of their tea blends, and a few other things. We didn't end up getting any readings because at this point in my life, I'm more content to buy $55 worth of consumable stuff than get a reading. (I've also been reading tarot myself for more than 10 years. I used to do readings for strangers. But nowadays I only do it for myself or my friends. Reading tarot for someone can be intense because you'll suddenly become privy to someone's life. It could be a wonderful exchange of energy or a sudden cathartic exchange on the person being read.) It sounded like the readers of this particular event were prepared to be saucy and sensual, if we had only chosen knowledge over objects! My outfit this time was what I would consider a casual sweet lolita outfit. I took my outfit from last year (a strawberry button long sleeve blouse, strawberry and bow pink petticoat skirt, and pink and white heart cropped cardigan) and went with different accessories. At first I was going to wear the pink head bow with the white and pink bow ribbon over the knee socks and white platform shoes...but my legs just were not having the socks that day. (They were brand new, and I forgot to pre-stretch them by wearing them for a few hours the day before). Plus I was going to the hospital to visit a family member in this outfit that morning. I needed to be able to walk and stand around for awhile, so I actually wore a white beret, snag bunny tights that are violet and white, and grey and black sneakers. I absolutely had to have the pill over the shoulder purse for both occasions. And lastly I wore my holographic wing harness to Tea and Tarot (but not the hospital). Even wearing a casual sweet outfit to a hospital feels like community service when your family member is tucked away in a depressing limited access ward because there are aren't enough beds in a more generalized area. One of the nurses on call said that I looked like a doll. Nailed it!
Honestly it was so refreshing to get out with friends and to try out this outfit in two different types of places. I'm always much more confident in Classic or Gothic styles, but sometimes Sweet style is the best choice. Frost Moon Feast Dinner Theater EventAh finally February 2024! Every weekend in February, I went to some amazing event in a special outfit. The first Saturday of February, Pahl and I dressed in our Renaissance best for the Frost Moon Feast. The Frost Moon Feast is an event that my friend Colleen had found out about, and when she saw the beautiful dress that Pahl had purchased for me at the Connecticut Renaissance Faire last fall, she insisted that I must wear it to this event. The Frost Moon Feast was located at the Hollow Bridge House, which is a rustic tavern in the middle of a campground in northeastern Connecticut. The event included a three course banquet, vendors, actors that interacted with guests, as well as some live fencing entertainment. It was funny to me because where I live, the snow from the week before had already melted, but there really was frost and ice covering the grounds and driveway to the place, so they really weren't kidding about the frost. The Moon and stars were very visible from this location, I honestly had never experienced them so bright. And the Feast was excellent. They had catered the feast and it included several delicious options and you could go back for more if you were still hungry. The acting was interesting. They had both humans and Fae who interacted with guests. One of the human actors asked me my name right away and I was immediately known as Lady Schmitt, and Pahl, never even got to name himself...he was just known as my consort. The Fae actors really never broke character. They were very friendly, but if you asked them for help taking a group photo, they would ask things like, does this device also capture your soul? After the main feast, the human actors handed us several riddles and they would give you a special coin (that apparently was only currency in the Fae realm) if you could solve the riddle. I did not exactly solve a riddle, but my answer was somehow better than the actual answer to a riddle, and I earned a coin anyway. It was really cool to have something to do with the people at your table after eating and before the fencing entertainment, but it was a little random and the fact that you couldn't exchange the coins for anything was a bit lackluster. But, from the little I knew about the event and its prior incarnations, they had had it at venue people use for weddings in the past and the Hollow Bridge House was definitely a camp building that's probably not normally used or open in the winter time, and I think that aspect alone required a lot more labor and work to execute. That being said, it was overall an excellent and fun time and I feel I got my money's worth, especially with the frost, the moon and the feast. What We Wore at the Frost Moon FeastThe event said to wear Renaissance Faire type costumes, so of course Pahl had to be the Knight. This is very similar to his last Knight incarnation, except now he also has some kind of warm vest that protects his arms and torso under his real chain mail, and his leg armor. I'm sorry I don't know all the names for the parts of a Knight outfit. But his outfit has gotten increasingly complex and is physically heavy. I am glad that he wore all these layers of metal, leather, and fabric, as without him I had a lot of difficulty walking around on all the ice in the parking lot and up to the venue entrance, and as a result of all the weight, he was very sure-footed and steady. What a perfect Knight!! I was wearing a full length Renaissance gown that is primarily green, gold, beige, and brown. I wore a long sleeve green t-shirt under it as it was very cold and I needed an extra layer. Several people asked me where I got my wonderful head dress. I got it from 42 Lolita of course---it is the Foxcherry-Palace Retro Gorgeous Lolita Headdress. For about $32, I got the beige headdress and the matching beige veil (with gold celestial stamping pattern on it). I thought it was going to be difficult to put on, but it is very easy. It fits like a KC (head bow) and is extremely lightweight and comfortable and perfectly holds the veil in place. I never would have thought to wear it with an EGL outfit, but it really helps drive home the regal Queen aspect I was going for in my Renaissance look. Since the head dress has white flowers, pearls, and lots of celestial charms, I also wore it with a white choker I got from 42 Lolita, the Sakuya Lolita-Whisper of Stars Sweet Lolita Choker. I initially purchased the choker for a completely different outfit, but I noticed it went along with this one, and nicely added a little bling to my neck. Lastly I wanted to be the kind of Queen that was intimidating, and a little bit scary, so I ordered a half set of delicately formed gold finger armor from an independent artist on Etsy. I had so much fun doing my makeup for this event as well. Moss green and brown eyeshadow blended together with a gold overlay (like the gold on my dress). I also used a warmer coral blush and lipstick, which is a refreshingly lighter look than the dramatic gothic makeup I seem to do for most other events.
I am excited to wear all these pieces again in warmer weather, as even though it looked great at the feast, I'm sure it will look even better worn in actual sunlight without a heavy coat over everything. Mattatuck Museum-Our First VisitOne fine Sunday at the end of January, I decided that we should visit the Mattatuck Museum in Waterbury, Connecticut because my former Alternative Process Photography professor Jessica Somers had artwork in the (RE)WORK IT! WOMEN ARTISTS ON WOMEN'S LABOR current exhibition. I had never been to the Mattatuck Museum before, even though I had heard of it. The Mattatuck Museum is an art and regional history museum on the Green in downtown Waterbury. The museum collects and exhibits American Art and cultural history with a focus on the Naugatuck valley and Connecticut artists. Their galleries display the work of American Masters associated with Connecticut including Anni Albers, Alexander Calder, and Frederic Church. They present more than 12 changing exhibitions every year, AND are regionally known for a button gallery displaying more than 10,000 miniature works of art donated by the Waterbury Button Company in 1999. The Sunday that I chose to visit the museum, happened to co-inside with the opening of the Mixmaster exhibition, which is a juried members show. Basically if you are a Member of the museum, and an artist, you can submit your work to their annual call for entries. This particular visit was very exciting because I not only got to see my professor's work, but I also got to talk to other local artists in an adjacent gallery that happened to be at the museum for the opening. I had no idea that the day I went to the museum was such a big deal, but I dressed to impress. An oil painting themed jsk in the style of the Old Masters at an Art Museum seemed like the best thing to wear. This set is from the Chinese indie brand, YingLuoFu and is called Cloria, Classic Oil Painting Print Lolita JSK. It includes the jsk, the matching blouse, a choker along with a matching printed headbow KC. However, it was January and the bow was just not warm enough, so I swapped it for a classic wool beret in the light tan color. I wore red lace printed tights under my knee high leather boots that you can't see. Alas. Again the weather was very cold, and I needed to be properly outfitted if it started snowing (which it did). The YingLuoFu set is very comfortable, in fact the XL is roomy on me. Many people asked me about my outfit and it was much admired. I love being the intersection where art and artists mingle. Pahl also dressed like an artist, wearing a double breasted paisley corduroy coat, black jeans, a black fisherman's cap, and his Stacy Adams brogues. I'm sure he was also wearing rings, we just can't see them. He honestly could have gone with gray-blue, red, or cream accents to match my dress as well, but hey it's a real versatile piece--I'll wear it again sometime and we can try for a different look!
The museum has a pretty strict no photo policy in the current exhibitions, so you can only take photos in the permanent collections. This phone booth is part of the Orton P. Camp Jr History Exhibition on the first floor. It's a very engaging historical gallery that shares the transitional moments in Waterbury's past. Overall, my visit to the museum was a really fun time. I scoped out the Upcoming Exhibitions to plan a trip with my fashion club to try to dress up around the theme of one of them. Stay tuned for our second visit to the Mattatuck Museum... EGL Swap Meet with my Local CommunityPeriodically my local EGL community will host a swap meeting to sell gently used clothing pieces such as jsk, blouses, skirts, dresses and accessories to each other from known brands as well as indie brands in the EGL category. Community members looking to sell their pieces will sign up ahead of time if they want to sell items and how many tables they might need or a rack and decide how it is best to pay them. The rest of the community members come ready to shop with all of their PayPal, Venmo, and cash ducks in a row. It was my second time attending a swap meeting (my first time was way back in April 2022 when all I owned was a Bodyline JSK I purchased from the shop owner the meet was held at). The room was filled with many jumper skirts to blouses and all kinds of accessories (like headpieces, purses, jewelry, socks, some shoes, and some sellers even had old Gothic Lolita bibles as well as Lucky Packs that they made because the meeting was held in January! (A lucky pack is kind of like a mystery bag...the amount of the item you receive is usually much better than the cost you put in). A $15 lucky pack may include some accessories. A $60 lucky pack might include a blouse and an accessory. A $100 lucky pack may include a special outfit that is only available to purchase in a lucky pack. These prices really vary by brand, with the Chinese Indie brands kind of plateauing at $65 but the Japanese brands capping around $150~200. My friend Clover was the one who organized the swap, and I told her that "I am only coming out of hibernation to come to this meeting", so I dressed like a bear. Even thought the jsk is brown and cream which are considered more Classic colors, this entire outfit is definitely sweet EGL. The jsk is relatively simple with its two different colored browns, but it falls just above the knee (very common for sweet) and has soft bear head pockets. I paired it with a cream colored cutsew, winter white tights, cream and brown suede booties, a brown beret with a bear and bow headpiece in front of it, and a cream and brown teddy bear bag. I didn't bother with makeup---I just woke up from my winter sleep for a mere afternoon--I didn't want to bother putting it on or taking it off. I wasn't even sure if I needed anything at the swap. When I looked around the first time, it was mostly pieces that complimented sweet pastel looks (which I admire, but don't own that much of). However, a second go around I did find a few things that I decided to try on. Firstly, I tried on a cream cherry print shirred dress from Baby the Stars Shine Bright. I wasn't sure if it was going to fit me (I assumed basically all Japanese brands except for Metamorphose were not made large enough for my bust), but it DID fit. The seller was selling it for about $125, which was a lot less than it is listed on Lace Market. There was nothing wrong with it--it was just not their style. What a steal! But I also tried on a Lady Sloth dress called "Where's the Bat?" which is light gray with very well articulated graphics of several sphinx cats and a few bats with silver and black accents that FIT ME PERFECTLY. Getting both was not in my budget, so I went with the Lady Sloth piece. (You could easily spend $200 or more at a swap meet if you're picking up genuine Japanese brand pieces or accessories, depending on the condition). It can be expensive...so if you know your community has a meet coming up, you want to save your coins because most people are not going to take credit cards as a form of payment, (as they want to avoid the fee), so it is usually friends/family PayPal, Venmo, or CASH. When I arrived home, I noticed that the holly tree was in bloom. (Last year the holly tree had berries that came and went in NOVEMBER, so I could not miss this opportunity in January!) I am modeling the Unideer Casual Lolita Wool Winter Coat that I purchased from 42 lolita. I had wanted to purchase it originally in the navy color, but that was already out of stock back in November, so I settled with the Storm Blue. This color is so versatile and in the right lighting, perfectly matches my eyes. It's really an exquisite piece. Not only is it wool, but there's also down between the layers, detachable deer colored fur cuffs and neck piece, functional pockets and SNAPS, you heard that snaps, which become completely invisible when you close the coat. The thought that went into the design of this coat is impressive. It's so warm, comfortable, and easy to get on and off, I've even worn it to work at the office a few times. The XL does fit me, as long a I don't wear a thick sweater underneath--but who needs that when the coat is so warm on its own!!
I liked going to the swap meeting and seeing what everyone had to offer and socializing. I also really like being able to try on the pieces that are being sold. I think that is my favorite part--being able to see myself in a mirror and check if something fits my body and my style. Rockabilly Style and a Witchy Cocktail BarMy dear friend Melissa happened to be in town for one more day before heading back to the west coast and gathered a handful of old friends together for a Saturday afternoon to catch up. We needed to go somewhere that had tea, but after 2pm when one of us got out of work. Now most bakery/tea shops around here tend to close at about 3pm on a Saturday...that was not going to do. We could meet at a restaurant, but sometimes it can be loud and hard to hear each other. I did a google search of tea shops in the area, and found a place that piqued my interests---a witchy themed speakeasy in the middle of a strip mall in Wallingford that was open between 12-7pm. Everyone agreed it was very interesting and wanted to give it a shot. Pahl and I were the first to arrive at Bones & Botanicals. I checked the website quickly to acquire the door code. I punched it into the box near the door and was immediately amazed by the dim light and glow-in-the-dark decor. There were about 2 open seats at the bar, and a bench that could maybe fit 4 people and the rest of the 6 chairs were already occupied. Knowing that there would be 5 of us total, I grabbed the bench quickly and some cocktail menus. We talked a little bit with some other visitors who were facing the bench on the comfy chairs. Between us was a low glass topped table which held a glittering sarcophagus inside with glow in the dark sides and bottom. To the left of the bench were stacks of books and games that patrons could utilize and herbs in glass jars on a shelf above our heads. To the left was a curious assortment of decorations of an occult nature on a shelf along with two digital portraits whose expressions would periodically change. Straight back there were floating candles hanging from the ceiling with glass pentagrams hanging over the bar. What I really liked about Bones & Botanicals is the atmosphere, decor, and the vibe. They have cocktails, mocktails, and regular tea, so there's something for everyone to try, even if they aren't imbibing. They also have some small bar snacks that you can purchase along with your drinks. Pahl and I ordered the "adult lunchable" that basically had mixed nuts, chocolate and pita chips in it. I honestly never thought I was into the "bar scene" or cocktails, but apparently if you serve them to me in a dark witchy themed secret access only speakeasy, I can be persuaded. Pahl and I decided the day before that we would dress up in Rockabilly style outfits to meet everyone with. Rockabilly fashion is a style of dress that takes its inspiration from 1950's American Rock and Roll culture. It is often characterized by bright colors, bold prints, and a mix of vintage and modern elements. Rockabilly music (which inspired the fashion) is a mixture of rock and roll music (think Johnny Cash and Elvis), hillbilly and country western aesthetics, and 1950's fashion with a little bit of punk thrown in. Pahl has got the faux vintage western shirt, black denim inside real motorcycle boots, with a vintage motorcycle leather jacket, and round sunglasses. He's basically James Dean from Rebel Without a Cause, minus the pompadour. Now my elements are a bit tricker to compare as it was January and still far too cold for pigtails, half sleeves, or open toed shoes. However, I did opt for a low cut black shirt tucked into a leopard print mini skirt with punk elements (see the straps hanging down). To go extra bold, I wore tights that have imagery of magenta lips tucked into over the knee suede boots with chunky heels. The boots and the beret are a bit more modern looking, but I just really wanted to wear them with the outfit. I was also hardly wearing any makeup-except for a bold red lipstick. It was so nice to catch up with Nell, Jess, and Melissa. I hadn't seen Nell and Jess for over a year in person, and well Melissa we actually did see her a few times in August, but it's always a fun time. We had many engaging conversations about topics ranging from how our families are doing to artificial intelligence and how advanced it is already. It could have been the angle of the light coming through the window, or it could have been the fact that we are both Scorpio risings. The Scorpio Ascendent is a placement that is known for being mysterious, otherworldly, spiritual, and even attracted to taboo and occult topics. How fitting it was to capture this image at a cocktail bar that has all of these elements!
Christmas 2023 Recap: Alt Outfits & GiftsI shall now recap my final fashion adventures of December 2023. I had oh so many other adventures I had to cancel on from a Holiday party with the Steampunks to a tea party with my own EGL fashion group because I got sick. So for the rest of December I didn't go much of anywhere, except to go out to eat a few times and to do the holidays with our families. Christmas this year ended up on a Monday, so I got a wonderful three-day weekend with Pahl that I wouldn't normally have. On Saturday night we went out to eat at one of my favorite local restaurants, Home, in downtown Branford. Home serves comfort food (which can be made gluten free) in a relaxed dining atmosphere. The front of the restaurant is set up like someone's living room with comfy leather chairs and small low tables. This part cannot be reserved, and it can be a little awkward to eat like this...but I prefer it because the section is walled off a bit from the rest of the restaurant and its a lot quieter. I chose to sit on the couch while Pahl chose to sit on the leather chair. It is better to sit across from one another for talking to one another (as well as taking pictures of each other's outfit). I am wearing an outfit that I purchased from Killstar a few years ago. The red blouse which is a stand collar (that laces with velour lacing at the top), extends into long bell sleeves to the wrist. The velvet repeats at the bodice downwards. The matching mini skirt (which is hidden by the sleeves while sitting) is tiered red lace at the front with a red interior lining. Red, white, and grey on black plaid tights from Snag Tights match the black beret with the red plaid accent at the top. I am also wearing a quartz and silver ring to tie in the gray neutrals. We didn't plan this at all, but complementary to my mostly red outfit, Pahl is wearing mostly green. He paired a navy and dark yellow floral motif button up shirt with a dark cotton waistcoat and green pants. He's also wearing his green striped Italian race car driver hat, which may be initially mistaken for a beret, but it is not. The front flap can be put down to act as something like goggles or sunglasses for the driver. It is a rare occasion though when Pahl is not wearing any of his rings! Dinner was so fantastic we actually went back to Home the following week to celebrate Pahl's birthday (and I ordered the same exact thing...the bone in porkchop meal is splendid!) On Christmas Eve, I decided to wear EGL fashion. My parents did not have the pleasure of witnessing the Christmas Bear Sweet Lolita dress last year, so I wanted to wear it again. It's a pretty great design from the sailor collar to the very cute bear print and the interior lining. I wore the pink waist belt and gold shoes with it again this year, but I changed up some of my other accessories. I moved the bow that came with up to the space between the two collar sides, and I repeated the bow pattern by wearing a red velvet KC (headbow) from the chinese indie brand Infanta. Instead of pink diamond tights, I wore winter white sweater tights. I also wore a gold star/celestial necklace and gold rings. Lastly, I added the Brown Bear Christmas Bag that 42 lolita had sent me as a gift for being an excellent customer. 42Lolita always sends free gifts with every order (including some of the soft ornaments hanging behind me), but this was a special gift package that came separately. Some of Pahl's family also got to witness the Christmas Dress. It is such a delightful piece of clothing, it always brings smiles and warmth to everyone it encounters. It seems as if it is my fate to wear it every year in some capacity, until my nieces can both fit into it so I can pass it along to them. Christmas Gifts We ExchangedThe Miss Point Point Manor High Waisted Skirt, Stand collar blouse, matching hat, and chain belt I asked Pahl to get me for Christmas. As far as Christmas Gifts, we were definitely feeling green. We basically both picked out the big pieces that we wanted each other to buy. Pahl chose this green waistcoat from the Historical Emporium as he did not have a double breasted one quite like this in his collection. All of the buttons are functional, and it does take some effort to put on for sure, but he looks great in it. I also got him a special box of Victorian themed socks from FootClothes (that had 5 different pairs of socks and some other things like a candle, a brooch, and a little jar of teeth).
My outfit that I selected is actually the skirt and blouse version of the Miss Point Point Manor OP dress that I already own in the yellow striped colorway. You know you love a piece when you buy it in a second color way. I asked 42lolita to help me acquire it (so Pahl could buy it for me of course). I wish I could link it to you, but it looks like it's just not available anymore. It was available made to order from Sept 2021-Dec 2022. Pahl also got me a variety of other things like a lightswitch, a silver rat ring, a really cool looking steampunk bag, and a very nice pair of earrings from Crunchy Diva Designs that I said I liked at an indoor holiday market we attended. I can't wait till summer to wear the earrings--they will really shine when I put my hair up out of the way! Victorian Miniatures Lecture at the New Haven MuseumNemia-Rose, Pahl, and I in front of the rotunda at the New Haven Museum (Nemia-Rose and I are wearing sweet style) One of my favorite things to do to dress up to match the theme of events offered at various museums. The New Haven Museum is a museum dedicated to the history of the city of New Haven, CT from its colony founding as puritan village, through it's growth into a major industrial center, and now a thriving metropolitan area. The museum was founded in 1862 as the New Haven Colony Historical Society, whose goals have always been to collect, preserve, and make available research materials which document the history of the greater New Haven area. The current building on Whitney Avenue was built by J. Frederick Kelly, a notable colonial revival architect, in 1929. It's absolutely gorgeous inside the building, even on a rainy dreary overcast day! The lecture that we attended in the Auditorium/Ballroom was called "Delight in the Diminutive: A History of the Victorian Doll House", by guest lecturer Eliza de Sola Mendes who is an independent decorative arts scholar from New York City. This particular lecture included a special tour of the New Haven Museum's own Victorian Doll House (located on the first floor), and a tea reception after the lecture as part of their "Free First Sunday" events. The lecture covered the history of antique doll houses and miniatures from the early Victorian period to the beginning of the Edwardian era. Eliza de Sola Mendes led us through various parts of a doll's house and how the miniatures reflected exactly what people living in the Victorian era would have put in their own real homes, just in the miniature. Early doll house furniture and furnishings did not spare any expense. The crystal is real. The silk is real. I had no idea the level of detail and attention to miniatures, nor realizing that the perfect image of Victorian life was to be found in depictions of doll houses---not photographs of the era!!! Now I only subconsciously knew that my dress was the perfect choice for this lecture. I learned that many dollhouses included portraits just like the ones in the dress design. See, I've been doing a little research about elegant lolita fashion, and yes it IS influenced by the Rococo, Victorian, and Edwardian eras, but an elegant combination of its own making. The Victorian aspect is closely akin to what maybe Victorian children wore, which can also be seen in dolls and dollhouses of that time! Myself and Eleanor modeling the same dress in different colorways Now you shall know the story of how I ended up with this dress. Basically last time I saw Eleanor, she wore this dress to the tea party in July. My boyfriend thought I would look especially smashing in it, and wanted to know where Eleanor got it. It's called Portrait of A Little Lady from the Chinese Indie Brand Infanta. Eleanor assured us that they already sold out of the colorway she had, so we just picked a different one. Mine is more of a blue-gray with rose gold accents, while Eleanor's is more of a green-gray with burnished gold accents. Now what's great is you can see how to style this dress in December vs July, which are two very different climates in Connecticut. For December (which is cold, rainy, overcast, and might be snowing), I paired mine with an apricot colored long sleeve stand collar blouse from Metamorphose, printed bow tights in pink grey from Red Maria, gold mary janes, and the head bow that matches the dress design. For July (which is humid, hot, sunny, maybe a little sticky), Eleanor paired it with a cotton short sleeve blouse with a peter pan collar. She is wearing over the knee socks in a crossing ribbon pattern (often seen on Victorian dolls), classic brown shoes, and a clever head piece that was literally a cup of tea with flowers and some ribbons. The hand fan was absolutely essential as well. Not just a prop. Overall I had a wonderful time making all the connections between historical Victorian and modern Japanese street wear fashion. I also got tea twice in one day! I drank hot tea after the lecture, and bubble tea at The Whale Tea, which is a very good bubble tea shop also located on Whitney Ave (just on the other side and up the road a bit from the New Haven Museum).
Christmas by Candlelight at Old Sturbridge VillageOne of the winter programs I had the pleasure of attending this past December was Christmas By Candlelight at Old Sturbridge Village. Old Sturbridge Village totes itself as a living museum of a recreated 1830's town in rural New England. Within its 200+ acres and 40 historical buildings, attendees can freely walk around and enter buildings and spaces and interact with costumed historians as they work the tasks of the past including pottery, woodworking, smithing, general store, preaching, bank, etc. What makes Christmas By Candlelight particularly special is that the entire town is ready for Christmas. Decorations are up on the inside and outside of every building. You can attend the tree lighting and are invited to sing yuletide carols. Many of the buildings are offering fresh baked or brewed samples of hot apple cider, sweet breads, and cookies that were made for Christmas specifically in the early 19th century. Old Sturbridge Village is a lot bigger than I remember it being since the first time I went back in or around 30 years ago on a school trip. I have faint memories of entering the general store and the gift shop, but I don't remember the extended bridge around the pond next to the Qunebaug River, or any of the extended houses and fields beyond that. I was able to go on this wonderful trip because my friend Barbara and her husband Jake are members of the museum and they won 6 free tickets to Christmas By Candlelight at a members only gathering! Barbara said they had expanded a lot since the last time I attended, so my suspicions that it was bigger were confirmed. The area around the pond and river were beautifully lit up at night by lights that reflected off the water. There was a large covered bridge over the river which housed many evergreens that you could attach a holiday wish to. A smithery and grain area lays further beyond that as well as fields a plenty for livestock (which were safely put to bed in their pens for the night time event). Every time there's a meeting at a museum, Pahl and I love to try to match the time period, the activity, and or the lecture being offered. This time we went for simple (for us), nearly puritanical looking pieces that highlighted classic black and white. I decided that it was the perfect time to bring out my Elegant Solid Color Skirt in Black from the brand Yuan Su. What I love about this skirt is that it is quite long and elegant and that the slightly nordic design above the bottom hem is actually embroidered into the material. For such a lovely piece, it also includes contrasting ribbons that you can lace up on the sides and back of the skirt, as well as functional pockets. It's definitely a good piece to have if you identify mainly as a Classic EGL enthusiast. I paired it with a Time Memory long sleeve cotton blouse which I had purchased somewhat randomly back in May of 2022 when I first began my EGL fashion journey. It is quite perfect for classic or maybe even old school looks, but it didn't lay well under the jumper skirts I had at the time, so that's why it took so long to make its debut. And of course, my big black bonnet, which basically goes with everything---Classic, Regency, and over the top Gothic. I didn't bother with makeup, (I bet people in the 1830's in rural New England were also skipping that part) but I was wearing several layers including thermals top and bottom, fleece lined socks, and lined knee high boots. The last fashion meeting at Elizabeth Park prepared me for dressing for colder temperatures. You can't really see the intricacies of Pahl's outfit outside of the white collar of his shirt with the red paisley and black puff tie and "Sherlock Holmes" great coat. He was wearing suspenders and a beautiful red waistcoat under the coat, but again, function over fashion dictates on outside excursions when the temperature is cool. Everyone else in our group either went full on cozy Christmas vibe with red and green throughout or classically cut wool coats and sneakers. Barbara also applied very festive and vibrant makeup as part of her look. The Christmas by Candlelight program was so fun!!! I would love to do it again sometime. I definitely prefer historical living museums when it is too cold for all manner of insects to be buzzing around.
|
DanielleI love EGL and alternative fashion and modeling. I am taking two of my favorite hobbies and making them into a story for you to read about. Archives
April 2024
Categories |