York holiday outfits.

Cardigan - H&M.
Top - band t-shirt unknown source.
Bloomers - Etsy.
Necklace - Decarabia.

Sunglasses - vintage.
Circle skirt - K Lady Loves.
Velvet top - unknown source.
Hair bow - Etsy.

Dress - vintage.
Hair scarf - vintage.
Glasses - Red or Dead at Specsavers.
Necklace - gift from Italy.

Sadly lost one of my favourite rings in the B&B room! And that guy defs isn't my boyfriend *rolls eyes*

Lack of posting ahoy!

Tumblr source.

Busy week or two ahead of myself, starting my burlesque lessons on Friday followed by my hair appointment. I'll officially be a redhead next time you see me. Of course I'll be working most of the weekend until my grandmother's 70th on Sunday, we're going out to dinner to celebrate. I'll be on holiday next week in York, it should be wonderful and I can't wait to show you the photos (woah you might actually see my face). And finally *phew* I'll get to meet my dear friend Kerry's baby girl Evie, I can't wait to coo at her and tickle her feet.


You won't be able to contact me over the internet, I've used all the mb on my phone so I can't even check facebook. My bad.

Blogging tips.

Found via Tumblr, original source.

• My best tips on up setting up a successful blog.
• How to deal with negative comments.
• Tips on running a successful blog.
• Five things I'll do on my blog.
• Three things I need to see on a blog before I follow.
• How to be a successful blogger.

More vintage reproduction shops online.

Click here to see the previous post on reproduction shops.

Mariella Coat in Long style.

Collectif.
A large range of clothing and accessories, search by type or pattern. At reasonable prices and something to suit everyone!

Cherry cardigan in navy.

Dolly Dagger.
Stocking a range of vintage reproduction brands such as Bettie Page alongside their own designs and  mainstream brands like Irregular Choice that cater to the alternative. Features a interesting range of shoes, including Miss L Fire, and quirky t-shirts. Recently opened up a new Boutique shop in Brighton so worth a visit if you're near.

Swing Jeans made in the UK.

20th Century Foxy.
A large range of accessories, clothing and gifts. Features brands such as Stop Staring and What Katie Did, a lot of their products are made in the UK with love. If you ever need any vintage style basics or a gift for the vintage inclined I recommend this website.

1940s tea dress.

Electric Gypsy.
Used to sell vintage clothing but they're mainly now a vintage reproduction shop, their designs spread from the 1920s to the 1980s. They're available in a range of fabric and pattern choices, perfect for a unique touch. And it's free shipping!

How to reinvent your wardrobe: A Fresh Start.

Elle Decor, found via Tumblr.

One of the first steps towards a new wardrobe is getting rid of your old wardrobe, having a clean out would be the obvious solution. I've already posted about organizing but I'm aware sometimes it's more complicated than that.

• Room Clean.

Your room will become messy very quickly so clean your room first, put away things and make sure everything is dirt free. 

• Positive mind.

Put some music on and reward yourself afterwards, no matter how big your wardrobe is it shouldn't take more than one day. After you've gotten the hang of it you'll be throwing old tops into bin bags without a thought.

• Commitment.

Seriously commit yourself to starting a new wardrobe, don't just clean half your wardrobe and kick the rest underneath your bed. Starting a new wardrobe does take a long time but the weight lifted off your shoulders is worth it, I always feel better after cleaning.

• Forget the past.

Ignore all associations and memories, if it reminds you of that dickhead ex boyfriend get rid of it! I think you should keep some things in a separate box for memories sake like a wedding dress or your first baby shoes.

• Change your bad habits.

Store your wardrobe properly and organize it! It'll be much easier to get changed and co-ord outfits, avoid throwing jackets into the wardrobe (like me) and create specific areas for specific items.

Recommended reading:

- Caring for your clothes.

- How to organize your wardrobe in ten steps.

- Clothes Purging: how to let go.

My collection of Goth Tips.

Gif was found via Tumblr.

Goth fashion can be rather impractical and can cause problems on a daily basis but here's some tips to resolve them.

Disability problems.
You may of noticed if you wear a petticoat or poofy skirt the wind will pick up the skirt more and flash everybody, instead of using your purse to weight it down wear bloomers and use double sided tape on your skirt and petticoat/tights/bare legs/etc.
Long or bell style sleeves can dip into food and if you're a wheelchair user they may get caught in the wheels. Use sleeve garters to avoid this or you could make your own wrist cuffs.

Petticoat problems.
Rotate your petticoat around and puff it up whenever you can to prevent a flat petticoat.
If your clothes knock things over or get caught on things, just make a joke and say sorry. Also try holding all of your clothing in front of you as you may trip over on your trailings.
Use starch spray and turn your petticoat inside out and store it inside out.

Seasonal problems.
Salt stains may appear at the bottom of your skirt or trousers if you live in a snowy area, chuck your skirt straight in the wash before it can dry.
Avoid flashing people in windy weather by wearing Bloomers.
When you're climbing into a car or if the wind blows while you're wearing a skirt, gather all the material to one side and hold it with one hand. 

Pet problems.
Buy a lent brush to brush away pet hair and general fluff off your clothes, you may not even notice any lint under you're under UV light and it looks like you have major dandruff.
Remove pet fur before cleaning, it clumps and becomes harder to get rid of after cleaning.
Store clothing away at all times and don't leave dirty clothes on the floor. Close your wardrobe door and keep things in containers with lids so they can't get in.

Shoe problems.
Walk up the stairs on a slight side so you can fit your pointy boots on the stairs.
Put your shoes on after putting on your skirt and before you lace yourself in a corset.
Regularly get your boots treated to prevent damages.

General tips.
Finding your keys in your black mass of a bag is a real nightmare, so I sewed in a mini pocket inside my bag so I could find it easily. Or you could tie a bright ribbon around your keys.
Keep a plastic bag in your purse to place a wet umbrella in so your bag doesn't get soaked with rain.
Socks or other accessories such as leg warmers can roll down a lot, I solved this by using sock glue. You could try elasticised sock-toppers and deco them yourself, perhaps even garters could work with your outfit.
When your blacks fade but your clothing is still wearable chuck all your blacks in a dye bath so they all match.

The Goth Challenge: Day 30 – Make a list of blogs you regularly read and link to them.

Stripy tights and dark delights.
The first Goth blog I ever read, we both had a piczo site until we moved here. She posts regularly with a variety of topics, she's definitely a favourite. Amy is lovely :)

Tuppence Ha'penny.
Everything you could want in a vintage blog! She posts outfits, tutorials, events, vintage photo scans, etc. Plus I love her vintage shop on etsy, just needs more stock hint hint.

Sophistique Noir.
Her daily outfits she wears to work and she just started a new job, it's nice to see Goth looking office friendly and she has the fluffiest cats.

F Yeah Lolita.
My favourite Lolita blog, it's easy to read and well researched. It's one of the few Lolita blogs that doesn't gush about ponies and fluff! I recommend all her guides.