Sophistique Noir's Monthly Theme : Vintage

I was so excited when Ms Kitty announced April's theme as vintage, I was a little stumped in terms of an outfit to put together, something I haven't featured already. Then I remembered my amazing 40s inspired Stop Staring! dress that I wore to my friend Beth's wedding in 2011.

The waist tie criss-crossed in the front and was

tied in the back.

I love this photo, Derek looks like a crooner.

The dress was a gorgeous emerald green and black, trumpet style shape to the bottom and flutter sleeves. I looked high and low for low-heeled shoes to wear for dancing and those shoes are perfect, I love the decorative cut outs! I adorned myself with rhinestones; earrings, necklace, bracelet and vintage shoe clips. I kept the rhinestones small and delicate as I didn't want to overpower the elegance of the dress.

Unfortunately I didn't get any really good photos of my hair, but they were slightly brushed out finger waves. I think we clean up pretty good. *Wink*

With the beautiful bride :)

I love vintage inspired looks for special occasions as it really makes me feel glamorous and like a lady. You can see what I wore to my brother's wedding last year right here.

Thank you for reading!

XOXO-Meagan Kyla

Sophistique Noir's Monthly Theme : Purple!

When Miss Kitty of Sophistique Noir announced that March's theme was purple, I said "Oh darn", as I had already used my lovely purple dress in Professor Z's homework assignment. I don't own a lot of purple clothing, but I have a cute purple bat hair clip, purple nail polish, and I usually wear a dark shade of purple lipstick when going out. Hrmmmmm......

Eureka! Photos of Derek and I from December 2009 in our old apartment, heading out to (now defunct bar) Diablo. Here's some purple!

Derek and I even had matching hair, haha! The top, vest and stockings are long gone, but I have to say I like this outfit. Perhaps I'll bust out the stripey stockings with those velvety gaucho's again.

How do you feel about purple? Own any purple clothing or accessories?

Thank you for reading! I always appreciate it!

XOXO-Meagan Kyla

Sophistique Noir's Monthly Theme : Someone(s) Special

When Miss VictorianKitty of Sophistique Noir announced September's monthly theme was 'Someone Special' of course my husband Derek comes to mind, yet I have some very special ladies in my life and it's hard to just talk about one! Please bare with me while I gush over some of my amazing friends who put up with my crazy antics and jabbering on and on and on and on...okay I'll stop, hehe!

Miss Danielle and I have been friends since I was about 16/17, we met at my boyfriend-at-the-time's apartment and we glared at each other in 90s goth-girl vs. Mansonite death match. (for the record SHE was wearing the Manson t-shirt, hahahaa!). Not only is she one of my oldest and dearest friends, she's an amazing person who is starting a new life chapter and journey in life, I'm proud of her and all that she has accomplished. We have the type of friendship that we can truly be *ahem* not lady like, we let it ALL hang out. Hahahaha! We're both sorta tough girl's who don't take shit from no one, yet we're sensitive and very caring. Danielle and I can laugh for hours and hours at just about anything and if there is booze involved, we'll most likely get you drunk too.

 More recent photo of Danielle and myself

Melanie and I met through a mutual ex-boyfriend (weird I know) when I was 19. I remember sitting in the University at Buffalo's dining hall anticipating meeting her, I had had bad experiences with mean 'goth girls', so I was nervous. Needless to say the experience was a life changing one and thus I forged a long-lasting and meaningful friendship with an amazing person. Melanie has been with me through thick and thin. She's seen me yell, cry, freak out, be crushed, heart broken, happy, drunk and half-naked, she's helped me work through life's problems and has shared in my many happy moments. She's an amazing person who many be quiet around those who doesn't know her too well, but trust me, she remembers and sees EVERYTHING.She's like a sister and a member of my tight-knit group of people who I hold true to my heart.

We love tacos, what can I say.

Miss Beth and I met at Hot Topic when she worked there, I believe she was 18 and I was 19 when I frequented the store. She was a cute girl with a great smile and a bubbly personality. Though we lost touch for a few years, we got reacquainted and started to see each other at more and more at social events and thus started to get together for dinners, hangouts, etc. We have become very close over the past few years and she's one of my bestest friends in the world. Miss Beth is such a caring, sweet, loving and funny gal who sees the world in a good light. She is always an ear when I'm feeling low and brighten's my day with her inquires as to how I'm doing via email or a text message. I like to think that we can tell each other anything without judgement or fear, it's a pretty awesome thing! If there were more Miss Beth's in this world it would be an amazing place!

Beth's wedding day!

Terri!!!!! I met Terri through Danielle many, many moons ago at our now defunct goth club the Continental. Terri was a party animal and I always thought of her as 'Danielle's crazy fun friend'--in a good way of course! Terri would always appear out of no where at the club and dance the night away while encouraging everyone to "drink more!". We always had a blast when Terri was around and she's always up for an adventure. I went through a really difficult time in my life and Terri and her husband Jim opened up their home to me, though I really didn't know them all that well. Living with them was touching and awesome, I got to become closer to the two of them and really felt safe and like part of the family. Terri and Jim were both part of Derek proposing to me and thus helping shape my life that I have now. I don't know where I would have been if Terri hadn't been such a caring, self-less and amazing person that she is, parish the thought! They really broke the mold when they made Terri. *Wink*

Terri threw me a bridal shower AND she's feeding me, see how awesome she is!

I really could go on and on talking about all the lovely ladies in my life, but that could take a really long time and I don't want to gush too much! I'm REALLY luck to have so many amazing gals (and guys) in my life, I am forever grateful. <3

XOXO-Meagan Kyla

Sophistique Noir's Monthly Theme : Bows

I was having a little issue trying to get everything to link back to Miss Sophistique Noir's Monthly Theme, so I'm a little late! I like to think "fashionably late", hehe! This month's theme is bows and I sure do love bows! The outfit pictures below is from Christmas Eve 2011 and I'm wearing a black and white bow patterned skirt by Switchblade Stiletto.

These photos sorta suck. Blech.

This skirt is currently up for sale on my ebay as I'm not in love with the way it looks on me and I'm doing a closet purge and this lovely item is getting the boot. Why don't I love it on me? In order for me to wear it I have to wear a long line shaper to smooth out all the lumps and bumps. I'm not scared of support garments, I'm just getting tired of wear layers upon layers under pencil skirts in order for them to look good on me. I'm not a perfectionist, I just know when something doesn't really suit my shape and I know this skirt emphasizes things I want to minimize. *Wink*

I enjoy incorporating bows into my outfits through accessories. The piece all the way to the left is my trusty western style ribbon tie which I add to button-up collared blouses for a  little more fun! You can get ribbon ties in a variety of colors, I have a vintage silver/red rose patterned ribbon tie that I just reminded myself I have.....somewhere. 

I might as well incorporate my Shoes! OMG! post as I found a pair of shoes that fits the theme! Check out the De Blossom Cailie Shoe.

The peek-a-boo lace sides really made me love these shoes. Along with the unique bow detail and elegant overall look of the shoes makes me want to pair them with a romantic 1920s inspired drop waist dress. I see the 1920s influence creeping into the trendy store's with romantic and flowing fabrics. If there is black lace, I will be there to "ohhhh and ahhhhhhh". 

Thanks for reading!

XOXO-Meagan Kyla

Sorry I'm Late! Sophistique Noir's Monthly Theme : Flowers

I had a hard time with this one until I light bulb went off, "I have flowers tattooed on me!". Wow, talk about a "duh" moment! So, I'm late to the game and double blogging today. *Wink*

On my right leg, pretty hibiscus flowers and a sugar skull, one of my husbands specialities.

A little blurry, but my blue rose for my mother on my right inner forearm. My mother loves flowers and the color blue.

A little collection of some of my cherry blossoms on my left arm ditch. The blue lady bug for my best friend Melanie, the skull with the pompadour is my husband. The lips are also my Cure tattoo which is album art from the vinyl LP cover of"Jumping Someone Else's Train". Not floral, I just love the lips. Hehehe!

I apologize about my poor attempts at watermarking the photos, my husband did all the tattoos and not only do I guard his work, I also guard my tattoo artwork. I don't like to post my tattoo's all over the place as people do not understand the proper tattoo etiquette and mainly not stealing or directly copying people's tattoo's from the Internet.

Thanks for reading!

XOXO-Meagan Kyla

All The Bats Are Grey

Well, it's really 'all the CATS are grey' as in the title of a Cure song off 'Faith'. But I digress, whether you spell it grey or gray, the theme for Sophistique Noir's monthly post is calling all the goths (or dark clad creatures-of-the-night) to show us your grey!

Since I already had my hair done up (in my previous outfit blog) which was still rockin' the height even after sleeping on it, so I put on one of my favorite dresses that happens to be grey AND covered in bats. Oh yes, I'm a wee bit batty. I am a sucker for anything kitschy and fun, especially a cotton, flirty and easy to wear dress. Even though I choose to wear a 'loud' print, I like to tone down everything else with solid black and add some details here and there, like with the buckles on my boots to break up the leg line and give some visual interest. The dress becomes the focus and everything else is a compliment, as when it comes to alternative styling I truly believe that you should see YOU in the clothing, not just the clothing.

I know. I know. It's that same white wall again. Unfortunately our apartment is small and pretty busy with all our home decor, that my outfits get lost when I pose anywhere but in front of this wall in my bedroom. I'm using natural lighting which is my favorite as I hate when I have to use the dreaded flash. Thanks for bearing with me while I slowly improve and some day I'll steal the better camera away from my husband. Hehe!

I wanted to show the sweet heart strapless bust on the dress, as this is a very flattering neckline for any women, yet I'm just not very comfortable in strapless. It could be the feeling of falling out (I don't have much to 'hold' a strapless dress up) or just feeling very exposed, that's why I wear a little sweater or load up on jewelry to give me a false sense of being covered up. I'm actually a pretty modest dresser, I've always been, perhaps that's why I go crazy with my hair. *Wink* I also wanted to show that I'm wearing an elastic waist belt as it's hiding the wide black band of the dress, as I wanted to emphasize my waist being that the dress is a smidge too big on me. 

What I'm wearing:

Bat Attack Dress: Sourpuss Clothing

Lace back sweater: Kohl's

Leggings: Target

Buckle booties: amazon.com ($12!)

Elastic waist belt: Forever 21

Chain necklace: ????

Rhinestone cross earrings: Forever 21

Spike and pyramid stud bracelets: newest purchase from Forever 21

What are your tips and tricks for making something you wear more 'in' your comfort zone?

Thanks for reading!

XOXO-Meagan Kyla