Halloween Greetings from the Cemetary

Happy Halloween closet historians! I decided to jaunt over to the nearby Littleton cemetery for some spooky Halloween themed photos. This cemetery is one of the older ones around this area, with graves dating back to the 1860's. Thanks to its age, the cemetery also has beautiful old mature trees. Though this isn't a very creepy cemetery overall, I still wouldn't want to live in the houses that were right across the street! A pretty gothic view to wake up to every day, a reminder of ones mortality perhaps?

Top: h&m
Skirt: MCQ for Target (I added the lace)
Tights: Target
Belt: Vintage
Earrings: Made by me
Shoes: Modcloth

I love these shoes! I bought them ages ago from Modcloth but I don't get to wear them very often because velvet shoes are definitely fall/winter, but also cant be worn in any rain or snow! We moved on from the graveyard to an old Victorian house in old town Littleton. It was,until recently, a tea shop but is now for sale and empty (and creepy). Part of me wishes very much I could buy this place, fix it up cute and have a boutique on the ground floor and live above. A girl can dream.

I hope you all have a wonderful and spooky Halloween!

Halloween Manicure and MoYou London Review

I was so excited to receive my MoYou London stamping plates yesterday! They got here in just 7 days even though they came all the way from London! Beware readers, this is an intense nail art post, so if you don't care about pretty manicures look away now! 

I ordered five stamping plates from MoYou London, considered one of the best stamping plate manufactures around, and for good reason! Their plates have unique and beautiful designs, are perfectly etched for a perfect crisp image every time, and even their packaging is top notch!

I ordered a plate from each of MoYou's Bridal, Time Traveler, Gothic, Sci-fi, and Fashionista lines. MoYou offers dozens of plates on different themes and I definitely have my eye on some of their Sailor and Tropical collection plates for next summer. Each plate comes in a themed thick paper sleeve and with the metal covered in the ubiquitous thin blue protective film (which I have removed in these photos). MoYou plates are rectangular and quite a bit larger than the circular Pueen and Bundle Monster plates that I have. They also come with the metal plate affixed to a firm plastic backing so you don't have to worry about sharp metal edges with these plates.

The first plate here is Bridal Collection number 06, which consists of delicate and beautiful lace patterns. I love these designs! The laces are all so unique and pretty and could be used for very different looks. Some look more just like pretty baroque designs and others more like lace fabric. The delicate lines had me worried, but these images all stamped really well and clear.

On the opposite side of the spectrum from delicate lace we have Sci-Fi Collection plate 06, which consists of awesome circuit board and digital looking designs! I am super excited to use this plate for some awesome sci-fi/cyberpunk looking nail art. As you are all aware, I am a girly history lover, but I also am a big fan of Blade Runner and Star Wars, so I am excited about this plate!

Then there is Time Traveler plate Back to the 20's 01! I mean, how was I supposed to resist this flapper worthy stamping plate? Cloche hats, flapper ladies, art deco designs, headbands and even an old car! I can't wait to do some 1920's inspired nail designs with this plate!

This is one of MoYou's newer plates, from their relatively new Gothic Collection. This is plate number 09 and wow! This is the style of plate that MoYou London is known for, large full designs that allow you to choose any part of the continuous image for your manicure. The other Gothic plates were a little less goth and a bit too cutesy for my liking, but then they came out with a few full image plates like this one with "Gothic" (as in actually Gothic, like the architecture) patterns and stained glass and I fell in love! Sadly, unlike the other plates, this one came in a generic sleeve not a themed one. I wonder why that is? Perhaps they ran out of the Gothic Collection sleeves already? I can't wait to try and do a stained glass look manicure with this gorgeous plate!

The last plate I got was Fashionista Collection 08, a plate full of damask/wallpaper style designs. Again, I just had to have this plate as damask prints are my jam. I am excited to use the smaller repeating designs as backgrounds and the larger motifs on top of other designs. 

So MoYou London offers two sizes of images on their plates, the standard and then the XL. I opted to go for the standard size because there are three rows of designs instead of the XL's only two. I'm not exactly regretting this decision but I will say the images are quite small, even on my nubby little nails. I think I will be investing in the XL versions of my Bridal and Fashionista plates for sure, and possibly the Sci-Fi plate as well. I really like the designs but though they pass as the right size for my regular nails, they are way too small for my thumb nail so...yeah. That was the only let down of these plates, otherwise they are practically perfect.

For my Halloween inspired manicure I started out with a white to orange gradient using China Glaze White on White and Stoked to be Soaked, and Sally Hansen Triple Shine Play Koi. I added a layer of topcoat to blend the gradient before I stamped on my designs.

Hair Comb History Highlight #9 : Mourning Combs

French Jet and black Celluloid Mourning combs, 1880-1900

Today we interrupt your normally scheduled Closet Histories programming to bring you a Halloween appropriate Hair Comb Histories! As most are aware, the Victorians had a certain obsession with mourning. Though the trend for elaborate and long lasting mourning traditions had begun before queen Victoria, she is often credited with expanding the tradition after the death of her husband Albert in 1861. After a death, the family would go into a period of mourning. This effected their chosen aactivities(less fun was to be had) and how they would dress. The majority of mourning, clothing wise, was subjected to women it was expected were to have long periods of mourning wearing all black. First mourning required gowns of black matte crepe and bombazine silk, it was only in second mourning when other flashier black fabrics were allowed. Afterwards in half morning  mauve, grey, white and lavender were allowed. Sparkling jet combs like those above would not be proper until after both full and second mourning.

Each different role within a family would be mourned differently. A wife would be in full mourning for her husband for a year and one month, then this would be followed with six months of each second mourning and then half mourning for a total of around two years of widows weeds. A daughter would mourn one of her parents with six months of full mourning, four months of second mourning and finally two months of half-mourning. The rules went on for each relation and entire enterprises were set up to sell mourning fabrics and goods in a death obsessed age.

Two materials in particular define mourning combs, jet (or french jet which is glass not mineral) and vulcanite. Vulcanite (or Ebonite) was a hard vucanized rubber material, dark brown or black in color. Though Vulcanite could be polished to a certain level of sheen, it was no where near as shining as sparkling jet and was therefore more appropriate for first and second mourning. Other materials such as horn dyed black or celluloid were also used to make combs especially for mourning. Now lets look at some examples!

French Jet, 1870-1900

French jet, 1880-1900

Black celluloid and French jet comb, 1890-1910

A Sewing Update

You know when you have a bunch of sewing projects to do, but you can't even bother to finish the dress you are already halfway through making? Maybe it's just me, but sometimes I just lose my sewing mojo and just can't be bothered for a few days/weeks. It really is a bummer when you have so many nice projects lined up but have misplaced your motivation!

Thankfully, yesterday I finally got some sewing done. I started out small by making a silk sash to match the last 20's dress I made. I can now wear it and will be showing it to you all soon. Then I should have picked up where I left off before, making a lightweight grey and teal plaid sheath dress, but I really didn't want to. Matching plaids gives me anxiety! Instead I started work on a super deco black moire 20's dress. I need something to wear to the VIP showing of the art museum's Cartier exhibit next month. By the way, I got invited to the VIP Cartier showing next month! Ahhhhh! So awesome :)

Anyways, I started with my usual base 20's pattern and was going to be adding an additional flowy skirt but I'v decided to leave it simple and straight. I did do some exciting deco detailing for the sheer back though, so that will be different and fun! I will be sewing on a few hundred sequins to the back as well. The dress is far from done, but I tried it on after today's progress and I am already a bit in love with it!

Another distraction is this piece of exquisite black chantilly lace. I think after I finish the moire dress I will delay my other renaissance/50's dresses once more and move onto a perfectly Downton Abbey worthy lace 20's dress. The lace will become and overdress of sorts and then I can make several different colored slips to go underneath it. I am already thinking a dark red silk slip and another in a medium slate blue (oh and one in peacock teal, and an ivory one...) you get the idea! I will be nervous using such a beautiful (and expensive) piece of fabric, especially as it was a gift from my favorite college professor. I'll have to send her a picture of the dress once it is finished so she can see where her lace ended up!

As if two new 1920's little black dresses weren't enough, I am also planning on turning my last piece of swirl embossed black velvet into a 1920's tabard dress. I love the 20's guys! Someone invite me to fancy speakeasies and the theater so I will have places to wear all of these things! 

As always, so much sewing to do, so little time to do it, but at least as of today my sewing mojo is back and I can get to it!

Black and Gold Italienne Dress

I finished the first of my Renaissance inspired dresses ages ago but hadn't been able to wear it/get photos until this weekend! Inspired by the Borgia's TV program and its beautiful costuming, I decided to try making Italian Renaissance sleeves on a regular sheath dress! These sleeves are my favorite thing ever, but you will notice most of these photos are from the waist up. That's because the epic sleeves are a little overpowering and I should have worn black tights with this outfit to balance everything out. I think with tights to ground the look, it will be less top heavy looking. Anyway, this dress is a bit crazy, I mean even for me this is a bit too over the top. It certainly is fun though!

Dress: Made by me
Shoes: Target
Necklace: Made by me
Earrings: souvenir from Florence
Headband: Made by me
Snood: Etsy (here)

Fall at the Denver Zoo

Some of you may remember from last year how I enjoy a good visit to the Denver Zoo! I finally made it down there again this past week, before it starts to get really cold here! We're supposed to drop down into frigid temperatures tomorrow, so for now I shall admire the sunshine and beautiful animals I managed to capture in these photographs while the chill rolls in.

DIY Mable Nails

I know I mentioned my new nails specific tumblr earlier, but I still have another nail related post for you all this week! I decided to give carrara marble style nails a try, and I actually really like the result! These are super easy to do and very hard to mess up using this technique.

Materials:

-White and Grey nail polish (I used China Glaze White on White and Maybelline Audacious Asphalt)
-Black and White striping polishes (or a very thin paintbrush and regular nail polishes)
-Ziploc or equivalent bag
-Gold nail polish (optional)
-Clear top coat

Start by painting your nails white, though I suppose this same technique could be used to create any color marble (like black or green etc.).

I added a chevron of black to my accent nail just for fun!

Take the Ziploc bag and crumple it up to use as a sort of sponge.

Halloween Party Tips

Back in the day, you know ages ago when I was in high school (5ish years ago), I used to have pretty awesome Halloween parties every year. Might I add that I wasn't cool or rebellious so these were non-alcoholic parties. I didn't host those kind of parties, I hosted themed parties, two a year for Halloween and again for my birthday in the summer. I love planning and hosting events, though I never get to do so anymore since my friends are fewer in number and rather spread out. I long for the day when I get to host ridiculous costume parties once more!

So, seeing as I can't host my own Halloween bash this year, I thought I would pass some of my best Halloween party ideas onto all of you! Here are my top 5 ideas for taking your Halloween shindig to the next level...

1- Lighting, Lighting, Lighting!

Anyone can buy one strobe light at the party store, but not everyone buys several! Strobe lights can actually be pretty cheap, pick up a few each year when they go on sale to use for next years set up. But strobe lights are not your best weapon for Halloween lighting, that honor falls to the blacklight in my opinion. Some of us (*cough*) may have an old stand alone blacklight in the back of the closet gathering dust. Again, one blacklight is not enough! I would buy blacklight light bulbs in bulk and switch out every bulb in the party room/space. I would also recommended mixing in a few green or red light bulbs into this mix as well. The more dramatic and different you can make the lighting in the space, the more transporting it will be!

 2- Fog Machines

Invest in a fog machine, they create instant atmosphere and the haze they create makes the space all the more ethereal! Classic dry ice is also a good option, though a more fleeting one. I recommend using both for optimum awesome potential. Fill some cheap tall glass cylinder vases with different colored water (food coloring) and drop in pieces of dry ice for a bubbling mad scientist feel.

3- Music

I always found that a good custom mix is the best way to go, start with some Halloween soundscape tracks like those found on cheesy haunted house cds at the party store, then start mixing in more music as the night really begins and people have all arrived. When people first get to a costume party everyone wants to chat and show off their costume when they arrive so quieter spooky sounds are a good mellow opener. As for the actual music portion of the party I usually go for great 80's songs like Dead Mans Party and Tainted Love but it depends on the nature of your event and personal tastes really.

 4- Expand your decorations

Having the party room well and truly decorated is good. Having the powder room, patio/yard, or any room open to guests also decorated is even better! Don't stop spreading your faux spider webs at the door, keep going! It is really easy to buy inexpensive scary window clings at the the party store for the powder room mirror, giving it the look of broken glass or bloodstains. For the yard, it can get expensive buying fake foam tombstones for your graveyard, so its best to supplement those with some you can make. Making extra headstones is easy, just buy some thick foamcore board at the craft store, cut out the shapes with a box cutter and then paint them the desired shade of grey. Use paint pens or a steady hand to write R.I.P or more in depth sentiments on the foam headstone. Place these thinner gravestones farther away, flood with fog from the smoke machine and presto! a haunted graveyard for your guests to wander by.

5- Doesn't have to be expensive

If you are thinking buying a bunch of ligh bulbs and a fog machine sounds expensive, I don't blame you! I never minded investing in my Halloween party box of tricks, but there are some decorations you can do on a very small budget. Any large local craft or school supply store should have super wide colored craft paper on a roll for purchase for pennies a foot. Schools usually have paper like this too, for covering bulletin boards etc., so if you have a connection at a school asking them for paper never hurts. What are you doing with this paper? Buy it in black and first cut out rectangles of equal shape to all of the framed photos or artwork in the party space. Use double sided tape to cover each and every photo or art piece with black paper. Your family photos from the cruise eight years ago are not very Halloween after all! You can also be extra industrious and paint/stencil/trace spooky imagery onto the frame inserts as well for extra Halloween flair.

The other great use for black paper on a roll like this is to create large silhouettes to tape up onto your walls. Create looming trees, headstones, a gothic iron fence, or hunched over zombies in silhouette with the black craft paper. Instantly create more Halloween atmosphere for much less cash than shelling out for the specially printed decorations that the store. The key to a really great Halloween party space is time not money!

So I hope I may have given you a few new ideas for your future Halloween parties, of course I dream of just renting out a historic ballroom and throwing the most goth masquerade ball of all time, a girl can dream right?

Closet Histories #3 : The Baroque

When Elizabeth I died in 1603, she had left no heir of her own to take up the crown. Instead our old friend Mary Queen of Scot's son, then King James XI of Scotland, ascended to the English throne as James I. James' rule is known as the Jacobean era of English history, and his relatively stable reign lasted until his death in 1625. Though it seems James was liked well enough by his subjects, he often fell out with parliament. James' son, Charles I, had even more trouble with parliament, trouble that lead to the English Civil War. The tensions between the king and parliament soon became a battle between royalists and parliamentarians that ended with Charles' execution and soon after the short reign of Oliver Cromwell. As far as fashion is concerned, both the puritan movement and Oliver Cromwell were a super downer but we will talk about them separately. Luckily, when Charles II was welcomed back to England to take the throne in 1660, he brought back with him a taste for french extravagance!

Today we will be looking at English fashion in the first half of the baroque from around 1600 to the 1660's. I will be covering continental fashion and the rest of the century at a later date.

The foundation of a ladies ensemble had not significantly changed in hundreds of years and still consisted of a linen chemise. To achieve the bodice silhouette, like the gowns of the Renaissance many decades before, some gowns had the stiffening (carboard, resin, boning) directly built into the bodice; others were made to be worn over a stiff under-bodice or stays. Lets start by looking at some wonderful full length portraits from the 1615's-1620's.

Fig. 1                                                       Fig. 2                                                              Fig. 3

Our lovely English ladies are all wearing ensembles that still show the influence of Elizabethan fashion. Ruffs were still in style, though their form began to change and settle into lace collars. The higher waistline is the most significant difference from the fashion just a decade before, though the trend was a bit short lived. Rich fabrics like velvet, brocade and embroidered silks were still favored, as was expensive lace. Two of the ladies above have ostrich feather hand fans hanging at their waists and all three have large lace cuffs at the end of their sleeves. Fig. 3 shows the addition of large hanging over-sleeves, another trend hanging on from Elizabeth's reign.

Fig. 4                                                          Fig. 5                                                            Fig. 6

 This next set of portraits date from the 1630's during Charles I's reign. Notice the complete change in style! The gowns are of a plain, but still luxurious silk satin fabric in a rich solid color. The neck lines have widened more still and the ruff has finally disappeared, transforming into only white linen or lace collars. The waistlines are still raised and the sleeves have become much fuller. The baroque style has certainly arrived and pushed out all of what we would have called Elizabethan in style. Larger ringlet curled hairstyles and a looser general attitude have replaced the more formal and ridged styles from the previous century.

Fig. 7                                               Fig. 8                                                                   Fig. 9

 Further into the century in the 1640's the waist finally began to lower back down, even as styles remained somewhat looser. The luxurious silk satin remains, as does the fashion for wide lace collars and lower and wider necklines. The billowy loose sleeves become even fuller and hair is worn longer and looser. Bodices begin to assume a more conical shape again as the waist lowers back towards the natural waistline.