The full title of this post is actually How To Wear A Beautiful But Virtually Unobtainable Chanel Vanitas Scarf That I Stumbled Upon While I Was Noodling Around Online In A Brain-Fog On A Sunday Afternoon When I Had A Really Dreadful Cold, but I guess you can see why a title so onerous and pitiful wouldn’t generate that much excitement…
Designed by Karl Lagerfeld, created in honor of The Musée Maillol‘s exhibition “C’est la vie! De Caravage à Damien Hirst” (Such is life! From Caravage to Damien Hirst), the scarf features delicately crossed femurs reminiscent of Chanel’s famous quilting, and a playfully contemplative Gabrielle Chanel gazing upon a skull, as Hamlet once did. One thousand scarves were made, and “offered as gifts to friends of Chanel and of the Musée Maillol, the project being a way for the luxury House of Chanel to participate in the humor and lessons of wisdom apparent in this unique exhibition.” (via)
Of course, I’m a bit late to the party, having just seen this beautiful piece a decade later, sold out on an auction site. Never mind! We can always dream. And as part of that, a dreamy, early spring ensemble to celebrate exquisite, unprocurable accessories and the fleeting time available to us (because they’re exclusive and we are but mortals, dying from the very moment we are born) to appreciate them.
Included in the featured ensemble: SIES MARJAN Brianna tiered maxi dress // Greta Cardigan by Ulla Johnson / / Dora Larsen Celi Bra and Knickers // Versace Quilted Leather Vanitas Satchel // Chloe Suzanna Booties // Johnstons of Elgin cashmere cable knit socks // Wwake Blue Vistas Ring // Blood Milk Jewels Morgana Rose Ritual Strand // Alexander McQueen Dragonfly Skull Ring // Blue Tiger Eye Necklace with Polki Diamond by Sara Beltran // Anapsara 18Kt Rose Gold Dragonfly Diamond Ring // OMNIA VANITAS – wax seal ring by Sue Gray Jewelry // Illamasqua Vanitas Matte Lipstick // Vanitas EDP by Profumum
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…I mean, we all have that one friend, don’t we?
Mimosa Gathered Taffeta Gown by Aje // Miu Miu Embellished suede ankle boots // Area tie-fastening Crystal Necklace // Diamanda Sunglasses by Adele Mildred // Lonely Lingerie Delilah bodysuit // Blow Me statement fan by Khu Khu // Tom Ford FUCKING FABULOUS perfume // 10.5 carat L’Amour diamond ring // Marchesa Glitter Box Clutch Bag // Achlys ring from bloodmilk jewels // Christian Louboutin ‘The Noirs’ nail colour
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Sadly I did not engage in my annual tradition of watching one horror movie a day, every day during the month of October. I didn’t have the time! I’m so sorry! If you missed them in previous years, here are the links for my 31 Days of Horror in both 2018 and 2017. I’m definitely going to go for it again next year, so stay tuned.
(Although! In the first days of the month, I did watch one beautiful giallo-style horror movie with a cast almost entirely populated by queer characters, and that I highly recommend–Knife + Heart, on Shudder right now.)
So…maybe fill the void with something else, then? I gave it some thought and realized that over the past decade of assembling little fashion collages (see my How To Wear category both on this blog and over at my other home, Haute Macabre) so many of them, at least half, probably more, are horror-inspired! How fun would it be to gather up some of my favorites, dust off the cobwebs, and present them as…How To Wear 31 Days Of Spooky Attire! Apologies in advance for the double-vision; this same post is going up at Haute Macabre tomorrow, but I thought I’d get a head start and share it here, first.
A small disclaimer: many of these sets were made using a site that no longer exists. Whereas I used to have a list for every item I included for each ensemble, sadly that is no longer the case and I cannot link to any of the items used. I know–it’s a travesty! Some of them I might remember though, so feel free to leave any questions you might have in the comments and I am happy to try and guess! If you have any questions about the art used or the films or literature referenced, I am happy to address those as well.
DAY ONE // DAGON
DAY TWO // SALEM’S LOT
DAY THREE // LURID PAPERBACKS
DAY FOUR // SATAN
DAY FIVE // CRIMSON PEAK
DAY SIX // COVEN
DAY SEVEN // MORTICIA ADDAMS
DAY EIGHT // CARMILLA
DAY NINE // VAMPIRE SQUID
DAY TEN // WITCHES
DAY ELEVEN // A MOTLEY MENAGERIE
DAY TWELVE // JUNJI ITO (TOMIE)
DAY THIRTEEN // VIRGIL FINLAY
DAY FOURTEEN // FEMALE CENOBITE
DAY SIXTEEN // SPOOKY CHATEÂU
DAY SEVENTEEN // THE HOUSE ON THE BORDERLAND
DAY EIGHTEEN // PENNY DREADFUL
DAY NINETEEN // WENDIGO
DAY TWENTY // MADAME DE LA ROUGIERRE
DAY TWENTY-ONE // AN OCCULT ENDEAVOR
DAY TWENTY-TWO // TERRIFYING TOTS
DAY TWENTY-THREE// SPIDER BABY
DAY TWENTY-FOUR // GOTHIC ROMANCE NOVELS
DAY TWENTY-FIVE // OBSESSED HORROR FAN
DAY TWENTY-SIX // PEEPHOLE
DAY TWENTY-SEVEN // TWIN PEAKS
DAY TWENTY-EIGHT // A SPOOKY SCENT
DAY TWENTY-NINE // CARNIVAL OF SOULS
DAY THIRTY // ABANDONED AMUSEMENTS
DAY THIRTY-ONE // PET SEMATARY
Featured image: George Ziel for the cover of Shorecliff by Marilyn Ross
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I don’t think I really need to explain this one, do I…? There have been feelings lately, and I am muddling through. This is a look that matches my mood. I’ve got a lot on my plate right now, and some of it should actually be exciting, but I am terrified; between this and the thing I wrote about last week, and some other work-related things, I really don’t know whether I am coming or going right now. I’m simultaneously ecstatic and and electrified with possibility. but also frustrated and angry and utterly paralyzed.
Pairing together clothes and jewelry that I’m only pretending to have seems a silly thing to do with my time, but it’s doing something, and having done one thing, it may easier to do the next, and then another. Progress will be made, I know it will, because it always is. I just have to start somewhere.
This is a look for that foggy somewhere place of vague starts and stops; where the ideas are buzzing and whirling around your head like hungry flies; you just need to reach out and snatch one of them out of the air with the tips of your fingers. It doesn’t matter which one you grab. This is where you start.
Yohji Yamamoto Asymmetric Layered Dress // Else Boomerang II Underwire Longline Bra & thong // Nutsa Modebadze NM0062 boot // Alexander Wang Roxy hobo bag // Hvnter Gvtherer Whipsnake Accessory // Hagerskans Jewelry moth ring // KimyaJoyas herkimer diamond ring // Arcana Obscura sword necklace // Stacy Hopkins Design Odontolabis Femoralis ring // Lauren Wolf Sea Urchin bangle // Valley Eyewear Gravestone sunglasses // Chantecaille Celestial Nail Sheer // Punker mascara // Moth & Rabbit Perfumes, Enter The Void
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featured book: Stiff by Mary Roach
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Don’t do it, Eleanor told the little girl; insist on your cup of stars; once they have trapped you into being like everyone else you will never see your cup of stars again.
I recall seeing Sofia Zakia’s Her Cup Of Stars necklace some time last year on Instagram and being utterly transfixed by its diminutive brilliance. A tiny, golden cup, chipped but perfect, featuring hand-engraved stars, a wee crescent moon, and a petite constellation of diamonds, “twinkling just for you.” A glimmering reminder to be wisely, bravely, true to one’s self.
Every time I call to mind this symbolic cup, its metaphorical stars, and this quote from Shirley Jackson’s The Haunting Of Hill House–which is quite often recently, considering the success of the Netflix series and the subsequent resurgence in popularity of the original novel–I reflect on the small sacrifices and surrenders I make in my everyday existence, just to make things easier on myself, or, all the instances I have had to capitulate or acquiesce to avoid the things that may be much, much worse. How, since I was a child, I’ve been giving up pieces of myself–tiny things really, so small you’d barely notice. A chip here, a chip there. My outrageous imagination, reigned. My silliness, silenced. The expansive, ever-present fantasy lands of my young daydreams are landscapes I can now barely conjure even in deepest slumber. And, of course, I know that these small slivers of self, lost, are not unique to me– you are, no doubt, cracked and splintered, as well. You’ve been trapped like we all have been–by adulthood, and expectations, and responsibility; fitting in and giving up and losing out; doing what you must to survive in this world, for as long as you have been, and for as long as you can.
And so, sometimes, we need reminders. Of who we once were. Of all we thought we could do. Of all that we thought life could be! Of our cup of stars, which we yearn to hold again and from which we dream to drink deeply. And sometimes, these reminders visit us in the form of a golden trinket or talisman, and we might pair such a reminder with all of the things which made us happy as a child before that cup of stars was wrenched from our little fingers.
How would I pair such a reminder? With lots of purples–on my dresses and lips. Lacy veils with ears! Pocketbooks with ladies’ faces on them! Fancy knickers! Which I obviously didn’t wear as a child, but I was very keen to grow up and wear them. And the most ridiculously gorgeous, iridescent footwear we can get our weird little feet into! H/t to Sonya, by the way, with regard to these shoes. I think Sonya owns, like four pair by now–that’s some cloven-hooved commitment! (I know, I know, they’re tabi boots. I’m taking some “cup of stars poetic license” here.) Not pictured below, but worth mentioning: artist Laurel Whitting also makes a lovely “cup of stars” necklace–and I believe she currently has a few in her Etsy shop! [EDIT: I believe these are sold out]
..as an FYI, playing with fancy frocks and jewelry is one of the cup of stars-iest things that I do!
LOVESHACKFANCY maxi dress // Maison Margiela Tabi Ankle Boot // Alexander McQueen “Queen and King” box clutch // Maison Michel Lace Ears Hair Band // Sofia Zakia Her Cup Of Stars pendant // Unearthen Quartz Limarens Ring // Else Lolita Bodysuit // LUSH Amalie Mae perfume // Bite Taro lipstick (this is sold out, so I’ve linked you to eBay. Or find a dupe and report back here!)
BONUS! You may not ever find your cup of stars. That’s life, I guess. At that point, what do you do? You follow your abyss, that’s what you do.
Voidmerch Follow Your Abyss T-shirt // Comme Des Garçons Girl pleated pinafore skirt // Embellished ankle boots // Bluebella Luisa bra // Bluebella Saffy brief // Versace Medusa Head clutch // Alain Mikli sunglasses // UNUM Symphonie Passion perfume // Gerbe black knee-highs // Goldengrove Toi et Moi ring // Pyrrha Carpe Noctem ring // Arcana Obscura sword earrings // Rituel de Fille Inner Glow Crème Pigment
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“How To Wear A Jumpsuit“…is never a phrase I thought I’d seriously be typing out for you, but, well, I can be wrong sometimes, and here we are.
Over at Haute Macabre right now you will find several suggestions for wearing this head-to-toe one piece wonder, and some totally realistic situations for which they may be appropriate!
This ensemble in particular I can vouch for; the jumpsuit is from Aakasha, the kimono is very inexpensive on amazon, and I own a bag very similar to this one from Baba Studio.
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A Walpurgisnacht agenda: fly east from the dying sun over spring fields to conduct unholy business under the deepest shroud of darkness. Rule the night skies with an unruly entourage of familiars, demons, and unbaptized children. Gather at Brocken’s peak for nameless rites and deeds, review and/or renew a pact with The Devil, flood surrounding forests with wild magicks, terrorize ignorant villagers. Check, check, check.
…hold up. Drop that sacrificial baby. What’s this? Are we dancing naked around this goddamn bonfire? Are we frolicking frockless? What the actual fuck, Satan? Were we not promised we’d live deliciously? Did you not specifically spell out that we were to have new dresses?
Listen, witches. Walpurgisnacht is an important event on your calendar and it just won’t do to go starkers, no matter what those antiquated copper etchings and Faustian carte-de-visites reveal. Don’t wait for Lucifer to deliver on that dress promise; that guy is the prince of lies, you know that. A witch worth their salt has got to make this shit happen for themselves–I mean, what’s witchcraft for, if not extravagant sartorial gain?
Mirror the cloak of night in your evening’s ensemble, festoon yourself in potent symbolism, swath your bod in shadowy silhouettes. Accessorize with winged creatures and woodland-inspired jewels. Leave an infernal fragrance, redolent of spices, herbs, and venom in your wake. Incorporate the sabbat’s myriad magical motifs, as seen below, into your ensemble and next year you’ll be sure to bring the Hexennacht hotness to your wicked Walpurgis revelries.
Ciao Lucia dress // Alaia laser cut sandals // Gucci dome bag // Christian Dior Aurora palette // Underprotection bralette and panties // rings: Atelier Narce, Jamie Joseph, antique cameo ring, Maiden Voyage // Jennifer Behr circlet // Jacquie Aiche necklace // Jimmy Choo sunglasses // Marissa Zappas Flaming Creature Eau de Parfum
Kiki de Montparnasse silk slip dress // Jimmy Choo Koko snakeskin lace-up heels // Fleur of England briefs // Maison Michel lace veil hat // MYKITA Eartha sunglasses // Manokhi lace-up leather gloves // Astara & Tone rings from Unearthen // Desire Inner Glow Pigment from Rituel de Fille // Prada Cahier Moon & Stars velvet crossbody bag // Polly Wales Snaggletooth skull ring // Loree Rodkin snake ring // Bloodmilk Weeping Woman mourning strand // Black Phoenix Alchemy Lab Hexennacht perfume oil
Ann Demeulemeester Short Dress $235 // Mise en Cage Ionesco High-Waist Harness Brief $148 // Mise en Cage Aldridge Soft Bra $112 // Sergio Rossi Elastic corset suede thigh high boots $1145 // Zana Bayne SS15 Mini Signature Bag $575 // FabMeJewelry 3D Printed tiara $50 // Burial Ground Pentacle pendant from $45 // Kathula blackened ring by BlueBayerDesignNYC $100 // Burial Ground Seer ring $165 // Kat Von D Everlasting Liquid Lipstick in Witches $20 // UNUM Symphonie Passion perfume Extrait de Parfum $220
Elie Saab Lace-paneled silk-blend georgette gown $3450 // Damaris Da Vinci High Waist Knicker $100 // Damaris Da Vinci Triangle Bra $140 // Fluevog Pilgrim $299 // Derercuny chain clutch $890 // Elaine Ho Brutalist pendant $90 // Ann Demeulemeester 5 Signet ring set $730 // Dolce & Gabbana Satin-twill and lace veil $966 // Urban Decay Moondust eyeshadow $21 // Serge Lutens La Religieuse $150 // HVNTER GVATHERER Sybil necklace $250 // HVNTER GVATHERER X Lycanthea cuff (limited) // Rituel de Fille Forbidden Lipstick in Shadow Self $23
BONUS ENSEMBLE (sorry for the lack of details, blame polyvore*)
(This content was originally published at Dirge in 2016. The site no longer exists.)
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[PRETEND LIKE THERE’S AN IMAGE HERE]
Oh yeah, I can’t actually create the titular outfit of this post, because the website that I used for over a decade to create these ensembles shut down with no warning, and either purged all of the accounts or sold them off to a site which either purged them or is mining them for user data.
The website I am referring to is the former Polyvore, a fashion moodboard/collage making space on which I have spent some portion of literally every day for the past 3,650 days. Its mission was to “democratize style and provide its community with a new way to discover and shop fashion, beauty and home.” The platform allowed fashion lovers to “play” designer by creating collages, or virtual mood boards, of their favorite products from retailers like Net-a-Porter, Asos, Farfetch or even amazon or eBay, as well as independent designers or Etsy sellers. (Etsy wasn’t always easy to work with on polyvore, an issue which actually led to the creation of my tumblr in 2009, but that’s a different story. Just watch, tumblr will up and close with no warning next.)
I found out about Polyvore in 2008 or so, and it sparked an immediate obsession. I loved the idea of creating outfits for all sorts of make-believe occasions, the more outrageous and nonsensical, the better. My creations on Polyvore eventually gave rise to my How To Wear collections that I have been featuring both here at Unquiet Things and, more recently, over at Haute Macabre. I loved the functionality of the Polyvore platform, how you had a “closet” where you could store all of the clothing, accessories, accoutrements that you either “liked” from other users on Polyvore, or “clipped” from various places on the internet–I always found this latter feature extraordinarily helpful when searching for unusual things like mourning jewelry or taxidermy hats or what have you; these were items that, while you and I might not actually think they’re all that unusual, you certainly couldn’t find a lot of them already on Polyvore! So with the “clipper” function you didn’t have to rely on what was already on the site–you could add it into your virtual closet from almost any website that existed. My Polyvore closet, which I have been filling for over ten years now, contained thousands and thousands of items. And sometimes I went beyond just playing around with them for pretend wardrobe purposes–I actually purchased them!
Polyvore was a grand escape for me for a very long time, especially while I was living in New Jersey, lonely and terribly unhappy. I made some lovely friends through Polyvore; in browsing the creations that other users made, you’d often find that people had similar tastes to you, and you’d strike up conversation and realize that in addition to a love of Alexander McQueen, they were hilarious and brilliant, insightful and kind. Many of these users became friends. Many of them I still speak with today! Or, rather, I did, until Polyvore sold the site and locked all of the users out of their accounts. Polyvore was a safe space for me. A community of kindred spirits. And a creative outlet for someone like me, as well as many others, I am sure–someone with creative instincts but who didn’t quite know how to harness them or what to do with them. I am not an artist. But my creations on polyvore felt, a little to me, like art. And I derived profound satisfaction from that feeling. (Also–ladywimsey, kitten, alibee, sadiesue–if you ever read this, leave a comment, or drop me a line– I don’t have any of your contact information!)
Apparently there was some warning as to the situation. The Polyvore team posted about it sometime on Thursday, April 5th, 2018. I had not seen that, though I had used the site at some point that day. On early Friday morning I was still able to access my account, but early Friday afternoon it was utterly gone. When I typed polyvore into the address bar and it redirected to ssense I was at first confused, and then when the redirect persisted, a little panicky. I did a quick google search and was utterly shocked to read, in a slew of articles, that Polyvore had been acquired by ssense. And ssense is really just an online retailer of avant-garde (read: fug) fashion. They are just a shop. Not any sort of polyvore-esque functionality, not even the slightest bit. Which is ridiculous because as far as I know, most of the hundreds of thousands of polyvore users used Polyvore because they CAN’T AFFORD the sorts of things that sites like ssense sells. So they acquire the polyvore platform and all of its user’s information and then they immediately shut the whole thing down. Which is a dick move that makes absolutely no sense to me, but you know, it’s not even ssense I am angry with. It’s Polyvore.
Polyvores users loved that community. Many of them, just like me, had been using it for a very, very long time. I am not saying that the creators of Polyvore owed us anything, but I can’t help but to feel so very hurt and betrayed. If they wanted to sell their creation and make some money, that’s great, I can’t fault them for that, but…couldn’t they have sent out an email a week or so ahead of time? Give people time to back up their creations, find (or create!) alternate options to the platform? It was just so shocking and sudden, and I know to some folks this must seem like a piddly think to be upset by, but I am upset. As angry as I am, there’s now I polyvore-shaped hole in my heart that I am not quite sure that anything else can fill–there was honestly nothing else like it. So laugh if you will (but please don’t, I am feeling really sensitive) but I’m bereft. I’m going through a bit of a mourning period.
If you were a polyvore user, they have given you the option to download your data; I have done this already. I received my link in 24 hours, and it is ….not very helpful. Your data consists of a zip folder with several folders and spreadsheets. The spreadsheets link to urls which no longer exist. The image folder contains low-res, untitled images. It seems they are chronological, earliest creations to most recent. Nowhere are there links to the items used, so if you are someone like me, for example, who puts together How To Wear sets on a blog, you can’t link to the designer or the website where the items can be purchased. If you repost to instagram, you can’t tag the designer. Wow. Thanks, polyvore.
This sounds like a bunch of whining about some seriously superficial stuff, but I’m not going to apologize! But instead of continuing in this vein, I will instead share the last two sets I ever created on polyvore. You’re out of luck if you’re curious as to where any of this stuff came from, though. Sorry guys. This isn’t the end of my How To Wears, though! I’ll find a solution. Stay tuned.
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I have written before–and with much brighter colors–on How To Wear The Vernal Equinox, but I gloomed it up a little for Haute Macabre today, for those of us who derive our powers from mass quantities of black.
My How To Wear sets are mostly wishlist type yearnings–often people say to me, “wow, everything is so expensive! I wish you’d do a budget friendly one!” Well, tough titties, folks. I don’t spend my time wishing away for budget friendly items! Make your own thrift store friendly lists or whatever–that’s not my thing. I like dreaming about posh, luxury items!
HOWEVER, I have included one set (above) that is full of things* I already own, or wear, or are very similar to things I own, or wear. And since I can’t afford those 5K frocks, this is the one concession I will make. So there!
*though all of the things in the above image are listed over at Haute Macabre today, I will tell you the moth necklace from Flannery Grace Good, the bag from Baba Studio, and the scarf from scarf shop are my very favorites!
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