"That's Not A Skirt?!"

I've had some luck in adding a few thrifted pieces to my closet. I found these bottoms in the skirt section and was pleasantly surprised to find that they were cropped gaucho pants. I was drawn to the high waist, pleating, length and the 'V' style front that is similar to my favorite shirt. 

Yay, so comfortable and flowy! Looking forward to styling these pants in a variety of ways, as I believe these will become a wardrobe staple. 

Wearing; velvet beret (thrift), boatneck top (Target), studded cardigan (eBay), gaucho pants (thrift), thin studded belt (Target), moon and bat necklace (The Pumpkin Coven), boots (6pm.com)

I hope everyone is having a great Monday. I'm recovering from a very eventful Sunday night, which I will share soon. *Wink*

Thank you for reading, until next time!

Frivolous and Trendy?

Derek surprised me this 'So Goth I'm Dead' bag by Killstar Clothing months ago, because he knows my sense of humor. The bag was seen with an outfit in this blog post and I realized that I haven't included it on the blog nor chatted about it. 

A lot of Killstar fashions have shown up on Youtubers, bloggers and instagrammers and I know a lot of people have mixed feelings about this brand and/or brands like Killstar. These types of brands can be pricey and a lot of people are wearing the fashions, so is it frivolous to own trendy brands? Nahhhh, I say if you like something that could be considered trendy within a subculture and you really like it, buy it! Personally I wear whatever I like and I like a variety in my closet.....especially when it has kitsch value!

I believe the key to shopping the trends is to incorporate these "trendy" pieces into your own style, so being particular and educated when shopping (i.e-read reviews, use coupons, shop sales, etc.) can only benefit you. BUT-I always advise to not get too wrapped up in the 'must have it' mindset that trends can generate and only buy if it's something you really want, even if it seems frivolous. Gotta live a little from time to time! Hehe!

Wearing: white blouse (Bettie Page Clothing via clothing swap), cropped pants (thrift), concho belt (Target), bat flats (Iron Fist), hair scarf ($1 estate sale buy), coffin pin (gift from Derek), So Goth I'm Dead (Killstar, gift from Derek)

A little health update: After seeing one doctor and ruling out what I thought it was (pre-existing issue), I then had to wait to see a new doctor, and in the mean time I was suffering everyday. Yesterday I left work and  went to the emergency room for the health issues I've been experiencing since I just couldn't take the pain any more. (This was the outfit I wore to work, so at least I had a cute outfit for the hospital.) Happy to report that after blood work, testing and a cat scan, everything will resolve itself in time, which I am so relieved! I will still be seeing the doctor at the end of this month, to follow up and chat about some questions and other health concerns. 

It's been a crazy few months and I'm ready to have some boring down time! Hahaha!

Thank you for reading, until next time!

XOXO-Meagan Kyla

Yellow Leopard Sweater and Some Words About Summer Clothing

Hello friends! What's shakin'? My week was filled with work at the store as my bosses went on a much needed vacation and I was left in charge. Muahaha! Actually, it's not that exciting as I just bossed myself around and made sure I didn't goof off...too much. I kept my outfits pretty simple and comfy since I didn't have much time to think about myself when I wanted to make sure I got everything done for the store. 

Wearing; yellow leopard sweater (Sourpuss Clothing), old skater dress (thrift?), leggings (Target), my favorite black flats (by Aerosoles), sunglasses (AJ Morgan), necklace (??), Batcave pin (eBay), coffin dangle earrings (Sourpuss Clothing)

Oh yeah, those words about summer clothing=WTF. Hahaha!!! Help me out here, what is going on? I don't want to shop the trendy goth brands (too pricey, don't like the material, etc.), I am looking at some of the alternative brands/stores and I am not finding anything that is peaking my interest and then the 'regular' trendy stores are puzzling me......are they actually summer clothes?! Weird material, weird cuts, and everything looks like you are heading to a club or has long sleeves?!

I keep mentioning material, because rayon, unflattering stretch jersey and other varies of blended materials that show everything and I'm clueless as to what sort of underwear (or perhaps lack of) I'm supposed to wear. It's summer, it's hot, I don't want to be concerned about my under garments,  I don't like going out of the house braless!!!! This is why my summer wardrobe is boring, unless I find something new at a thrift store or via etsy, I just wear my few pieces until they are worn out! Sigh....

I don't find it hard to be a goth in the summer, I find it hard to find clothing I like and that inspires me and not be buried under lots of layers (which is very much a part of my style) or that makes me uncomfortable. Is this all too much to ask? Am I living in a fantasy world? I guess I'm sticking to my usual strategy of wearing lots of accessories and fun flats. Hahaha!!!

Where do you shop for summer clothing? Any advice for me?

Thank you for reading, until next time!

XOXO-Meagan Kyla

Wearing All Black Is Not Boring.

I read a lot of articles about fashion and style as it's relevant to my interests and it's part of my job as a stylist, but the one thing that drives me bonkers is RULES. The assumptions that fashion rules give me, is that we need to be ruled by what is 'right' by the fashion gods. We must bend to their every whim and cower by their knowledge and expertise. Pppppffffffttttt.

Some of the reoccurring subjects I do see is that; wearing all black is boring,  wearing all black is harsh, wearing all black is depressing, wearing all black automatically makes you goth. A big NOPE. There are plenty of people from the beauty industry to the arts community and beyond who enjoy wearing all black, it's not some sort of special club. 

Wearing black makes me happy. It makes me feel beautiful and elegant, edgy and playful. It's all in the way I style my all black outfits that gives it personality and substance. Adding patterns, texture, shine and accessories are some style suggestions that I will often agree with, but how I choose to wear them will always be my choice. That is what I believe is a big difference between following trends and doing your own thing: personal style. In the same respect, I don't need to follow the rules of whatever 'fashion tribe' I may relate too.

Even as a professional women of 35, I will always have the angst-ridden 16 year old me in the back of my mind. I will always say, "Wear that makes you happy and screw everyone else". I think if I had a dollar for every time I said that at work I would be rolling in John Fluevog boots. 

I love fashion, but it will never rule me enough to stop dressing how I love....

and I hope it never rules you neither.

Thank you for reading, until next time!

XOXO-Meagan Kyla

**I'm wearing cotton shirt dress (eShakti), cardigan (Le Bomb Shop), concho belt (Target), stockings (old, Lip Service), cowboy boots (ZigiNY), Lydia brooch (Jubly-Umph), tombstone necklace (borrowed from Derek) and spiked bracelets (???)

Dapper and Swag

I'm a huge fan of wearing necklaces under my collared shirts, so I got to thinking and went on a search for collar clips. I came across Dapper and Swag on etsy and was elated. So many amazing pieces to choose from, but I narrowed it down to the Silver Skull and Crossbones Collar Chain. I also have a few other goodies on my radar which I think would add some depth to the pieces in my closet.

Since I've been going through my closet in project 'wear everything', I realized that I needed to add some fun pieces into the mix and my most favorite way to do so is with accessories. 

I also wanted to say "Happy Valentine's Day!" I will be hanging out with Derek and Danielle sharing a pizza, watching TV and hiding inside from the sub-zero temperatures.

Cheers!

XOXO-Meagan Kyla

Rad Reads

Hello dear readers! Just sharing some articles that I deem "Rad Reads", I hope you enjoy!

Ashes to Ashes : A Timeline of David Bowie's Influence on Goth "Goth fashion traces itself way back past glam rock, of course, but there’s a good chance no teenagers would be walking around in Victorian funeral attire in 2015 if it wasn’t for Bowie, and his influence on the early Goth rockers — they gave us all permission to be strange in bold daylight, to re-imagine ourselves as scary monsters and super freaks."

Buried Under a Bridge in Paris: The Misfit Mausoleums of Montmarte "....many families of the 19th century Parisian elite paid top dollar for prime plots near the entrance of the cemetery where the sun would always shine on the graves of their ancestors and honour their family legacies for centuries to come."

What You Have Is More Than Enough  "Instead of constantly focusing on what to buy next, why not opt instead to think about ways in which to replenish some of the joy that constantly comparing yourself to others has robbed you of, that cost little to, ideally, nothing?"

Side note: Jessica's post (I know it's an older blog post) really struck a cord with me and have been reflecting on how being a blogger can make people feel 'less than' or not good enough, which saddens me. I was so moved by her post I even filmed a video, but was quickly deleted as no one needs to listen to me ramble on...I swear it was positive. Hehehe!

Strega Fashion 101 "The look itself is certainly not new in any way. I love how the Internet will take looks that have been around forever and rename them so they appear new and exciting."  "

My Style-Shelley Long, Forest City Fashionista "I am 54, and I generally don’t think about whether I am dressing “age appropriately” – I am more concerned about whether I am dressing “me appropriately”

Thank you for reading!

XOXO-Meagan Kyla

Oh, This Ugly Thing

I often feel bad for neglected and discarded clothing that I find while I thrift as I see the beauty and craftsmanship in clothing from bygone eras. I saw this sweater and found it to be quite pretty with all the knit details and loved how soft and warm the sweater felt, so it came home with me. 

I tried the sweater on with several things and in several combos and found it paired well with another questionable piece in my closet, this animal print dress. I have to admit collecting clothing for my closet in the 'I feel bad for it' is not the most ideal mindset, but I like to wear quirky things that make my creative style juices flow....and I like to be warm.

There have been some other interesting sweaters that have made their way into my winter wardrobe, so I'm discovering that another person's ugly sweater is my solution to staying warm. Haha!!!

XOXO-Meagan Kyla

Kitsch Picks : Skeleton Underbust Corset

The Skeleton Underbust Corset from Restyle is just too awesome! I love the anatomical skeleton details, though it's not true to scale (hehe!), makes for a wonderful statement piece!

Thank you for reading!

XOXO-Meagan Kyla

Kitsch Picks : SOVRIN

I stumbled upon SOVRIN on my one of my many (and often) etsy travels. The shop has a lot of clothing with great designs that look so comfy and easy to wear. I am loving the Witching Hour Fringe Cardigan that features the Creature Skeleton design.

Thank you for reading!

XOXO-Meagan Kyla

"Wow, You Don't Look Your Age"

Tuesday I went to get a bottle of wine at the liquor store and as per usual I get I.D'ed. As the clerk was looking at my license they say, "Wow, you don't look your age! The way you're dressed makes you look so young". In my usual polite way I brushed it off and walked out to my car when it dawned on me..Wow, that's sort of a shitty thing to say to someone.

I was dressed very similar to what I'm wearing in these photos and though I don't think the clerk meant the comments to be rude, but it got me thinking. This isn't the first time people have said things to me directly or in passing about me dressing "young", whatever the heck that means. I've even been mistaken for a teenager and asked why I wasn't in school! I dress the way I want, wear my hair the way I want and yet still am an adult. Wow, it's possible! Hehe!!

Basically, you shouldn't judge people's age by the way they dress. Though it's a common human curiosity to try and guess and/or assume people's age, it's none of your business....unless it's part of your job. Age is something that our society is obsessed with, especially when you are a woman. "Don't wear a mini-skirt after 35", "Ways to look younger", "How to Dress at X, Y and Z at your age". 

Pffffffft! My face pretty much sums up my thoughts on the above statements.

I'm not insulted per say, but I think it's just silly. There are no age tags on articles of clothing and I don't read silly magazines that are telling me the 'do's and don'ts'. The only person that can tell me that something doesn't work for me at a certain age is myself. I hope to grow old gracefully in my own way and in my own time. But, I don't think I'll ever stop being silly at any age!

Age is only a number, it doesn't completely define me. :)

Thank you for reading!

XOXO-Meagan Kyla

Kitsch Picks : Polka Dots

They seem to never go out of style, POLKA DOTS! Some people love them and some people hate them. I happen to enjoy their kitschy aspects and their ability to act like a neutral.

Thank you for reading!

XOXO-Meagan Kyla

Studded Peter Pan Collar

I love peter pan collars. I wish I could find more of them on pieces that I love....like dresses. The studded collar pullover sweater needed to be bought with it's sister cardigan even though it's exactly the same, but with buttons. I couldn't help myself. Really I just couldn't. I had seen the studded cardigan at Target in-store, but it was navy blue and I loved it so much that I contemplated purchasing even though I detest navy blue. (My mother dressed in navy blue as an infant up until I put a stop to it, lol!). Which I like to color on others, just not on me. *Wink*

I also had the clipper bug and shaved the left side of my hair, my side fuzz was quite grown out! I have no plan for my hair, yet all the sudden it's long. I know I need a good hair trim after the bleaching and then coloring it red, but luckily my hair is pretty resilient. I've been giving my hair some heavy conditioning treatments which is helping my hair to bounce back to life, but I am addicting to teasing! Big, bigger, biggest hair! 

I hope everyone is enjoying their weekend!

XOXO-Meagan Kyla

Outfit of the Day : Spiders and Stripes

It's been a crazy ending to last week and all of this week...and it's only just the beginning of the weekend! I went to a very fun wedding last Saturday, went to see some great bands on Wednesday, and I've been helping out a friend, so I feel like I haven't been able to catch my breath. I also just realized October is almost over, how the heck did that happen!? I need to get my butt moving on my Halloween costume!

I bought another hat, I have a problem. I realize this one looks exactly like my other wide brim pork pie style hat I have sported in other outfit posts, but this one is made of felt and it's more wintery and the brim is much smaller. Yes, this is how I am justifying my purchase. Haha!

I picked this hat up for $12.50 at Forever 21 when I was waiting for Derek while he was at the Apple Store (he was dealing with a laptop issue that was been on-going for 1 1/2 months, needless to say I'm happy it's fixed....properly), so I just had to take a look around the store. All I have to say is that the 90s are back....with a vengeance!

My sweater is from work and since I'm surrounded by all these wonderfully spooky cardigans, I just had to pick one up to add to the mounting pile of my black cardigan addiction. The cardigan is the Black Widow Cardigan by Sourpuss Clothing, I am wearing a small which buttons up nicely on me and I really like the material. It seems like Sourpuss is improving on their cardigans, which pleases me greatly.

What I am wearing:

-dress, random mall store

-leggings, H&M

-cardigan, Sourpuss Clothing

-white belt, H&M

-hat, Forever 21

-cowboy boots, ZiGiny

-boots straps, eBay

Thank you for reading! Have a great weekend!

XOXO-Meagan Kyla

Shoes! OMG! : Katherine Engineer Boots

Oh, sorry I'm a day late for Shoes! OMG!, but I have a good excuse seeing as I was showing out-of-town friends around Buffalo. We had a great time and it made me realize (once again) that Buffalo is pretty rad. Anywho...

The Katherine Engineer Boots caught my eye as I've been looking for a pair of engineer boots and these are leather! The price is right and I like that there are no extra bells and whistles on the boots, perfection!

Thank you for reading!

XOXO-Meagan Kyla

The Mission (UK)

On Friday September 6th, Derek, our friend Jason and I had the privilege to see The Mission perform at Lee's Palace in Toronto, Ontario. I am SO glad that we got to go to the show and not only to see the very talented musician's who make up The Mission, but to see Craig Adams (guitar) and Wayne Hussey (vocal, guitar) who were responsible for album First, Last and Always while they were in The Sisters of Mercy. Though I know the history of both bands, it dawned on me (at the show) while listening to Craig Adams guitar that is he played guitar on "Walk Away" and "Poison Door", two of my favorite Sisters songs. It was a pretty rad moment. <Big Smiles>

Derek is really excited to see The Mission. LOL!!!

I'm glad I didn't wear a jacket as it was very hot in the venue, then again wearing a faux leather vest probably wasn't the brightest idea, but a little sweat has never stopped me.

I definitely recommend you seeing The Mission if they come close to where you live, you will really enjoy the experience and the music. I left the show feeling inspired and enchanted.

What I am wearing:

-lace dress, $8 thrift store

-faux leather vest, Forever 21

-boots, Dolce Vita for Target-purchased from Amazon.com

Thank you for reading!

XOXO-Meagan Kyla

Kitsch Picks : Arthlin

+Dark Victorian Lace Collar +Intricate Lace Collar

+Bib Lace Collar +Floral Victorian Lace Choker

I stumbled upon Arthlin's etsy shop and my jaw dropped, page after page of amazing pieces that I had to share with all of you. These handmade pieces are so romantic and elegant, it's hard for me to choose which one is my favorite! 

Also, check out and "like" Arthlin on Facebook here.

Thank you for reading!

XOXO-Meagan Kyla

Nobody Puts Meagan in the Corner

Okay, I put myself in the little corner area of the bedroom to take my outfit photos. This little area is slowly getting filled with decor, which I'm sure will have more Cure items along with other nonsense. I'll never grow out of having my Cure posters on the wall, I even I have two vintage Robert Smith posters (Christmas gifts from my dear Derek) that are waiting to be framed. I also have some cute little drawings that Derek drew to be framed and hung, so I'm excited to see how my little back drop evolves. Hehe!

As I was going through my files I came across some things from long ago including; my old drivers license from when I turned 21, my senior year high school i.d, and some various writings that have long since been forgotten. It's amazing how much I have changed and yet still have stayed the same, in fact a few things that I wrote from 10+ years ago still resonates today, and I now understand those thoughts and feeling so much more clearly. I think it put an extra little pep in my step today and a big smile on my face. 

Of course Coffin Kitsch is mostly a fashion blog with my little quips and ramblings about this and that, but I will leave you with one of the last things I wrote in a notebook all those years ago.

"Love is the instinct to unite, and the act of uniting" 

I think that's really beautiful.

What I wore:

-sheer button-up top, Forever 21

-black and white slit skirt, Hot Topic

-stitch leggings, Lip Service

-boots, Doc Martens (ebay)

-multi-cross necklace, Forever 21

Thank you for reading!

XOXO-Meagan Kyla