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Red & Black Week 2012 Recap

June 9, 2012 by kitty  · 19 Comments  · 924 Views

You ladies (and a couple of gentlemen!) really pulled out all the stops for Second Annual Red & Black Week.  I simply can’t express how pleased I am with the enthusiasm this event garnered amongst our little community!

It’s such a shame that Mr. Linky died in the final hours of the event.  This was beyond my control, as Linky is a paid service I use.  They have the system back up and running now, so if you missed getting your Day 6 post linked up, please let me know.

And now, the results!

We had a total of 62 participants this year; an incredible increase over last year’s 28 participants.

Altogether, we posted 218 posts.  12 of us posted for all six days of the event.  8 people posted five out of six, and 7 people posted on four out of six days. Our biggest single day was Day Two with 41 entries.

Topics covered included fashion, jewelry, makeup, nails, crafts, flowers, books, poetry, photography, video games, home decor, music videos, nightclubs, cars, hair care products, camping gear, drawings, paintings, food, toys, pets and more!

In case you missed anything, check out all of the Red & Black Posts.

As promised, here is a list of everyone who participated throughout the week, along with links to their blogs.  These are listed in the order in which they first posted, starting with Day One.

  1. VictorianKitty of Sophistique Noir
  2. Kraven Hellbeast of Meanwhile in Pandaemonium
  3. Amy of Gothica
  4. Jean of all Trades
  5. kakuidori of o.O 
  6. Nightshade of thepurplebroom
  7. SaryWalrus of The Walrus Room
  8. Lesthi of Lesthi’s Blog
  9. Pixel Pixie of Cuz I Said Sew
  10. Lynoire of Milking the Rolling Cow
  11. Siouxsie Law
  12. Madam Noire of Makeup Madness
  13. Jess Thai of Rabbit Library
  14. VavaBeeb of VavaBeeb Through the Looking Glass
  15. Amy Asphodel of Stripy Tights and Dark Delights
  16. Smashed Doll of Thoughts of a Smashed Doll 
  17. Xanthy of My life as a fairy princess
  18. Le Professeur Gothique 
  19. Linnea-maria
  20. Mr. Kitty of Wheels are Everything
  21. Twisted Princess of Darkling Dreams
  22. Blackblood of Blood is the New Black
  23. Mindless of Mindless Indulgence
  24. Sabayon of Ruffles Not Diets
  25. Sophie of BelfryBatz
  26. Leena of Luurankoja kaapissa
  27. Electrobat of Dark Entries
  28. Bixie Willow of Goth to Goth
  29. Sophie of The Dark Functionary
  30. The Heartsless Witch
  31. Jamie of Geeky Goth Girl
  32. Gothbarbie of Military Fashion Show
  33. Lady Bethezda of Bethezda’s Preoccupations
  34. Cris of Secret Diary of a Closet Goth
  35. Countess Audronasha of Gothically Yours
  36. Meagan Kyla of Coffin Kitsch 
  37. Far Away Girl of Over the Mountains and Far Away 
  38. Sheridan of The Zombie Moshpit
  39. Cirque de Beaute
  40. Crazy Nigel of lil’ bit
  41. Katelynn of Life of a Babybat
  42. Trystan of This is CorpGoth
  43. Unlacing the Victorians
  44. Alicia of yunxheexpyong
  45. Ms. Lou of The Neo-Victorian Parlour
  46. Bane of GIY: Goth it Yourself
  47. Sal K. of Still Dark @ Heart
  48. Housecat of Domesticated
  49. Saskia of Catacomb Kitten
  50. Caitlin of Diary of a Girly Nerd
  51. Dani DeathBiscuit of Confessions of an Australian Goth 
  52. The Cemetery Dreamer
  53. The Everyday Goth
  54. Prunio
  55. Merrihel Wednesday of Style and Graphite
  56. Marmalade Marionette
  57. traicetrak of The Airstepper’s Adventure
  58. ette of Be old, be new, be different!
  59. Christopher Courtley of Courtley Manor
  60. Daughter of the Jaded Era
  61. Katelyn of The Bat Cave
  62. Mistress Mystral of Mustaa Pitsia

Please let me know if you find any errors or omissions in this list.  I’m human!  ;)

Honorary Participant Number 63:
As a little bonus, here is the youngest participant ever in Red & Black Week!  This little darling is a relative of mine who apparently really loved our theme.  Someday, I will buy her a fabulous pair of shoes to go with that dress!

Thanks for a great week, everyone!  I can’t wait for June 2013 so we can do it again.  In the meantime, stay tuned for my monthly one-day themes, which will resume July 1.

All images and text © Sophistique Noir Gothic Fashion Blog. Do not use any photos or text from this blog without providing a credit to me and a link back to the original post.


19 Comments

Red & Black Week, Day 6: A Night at the Pantages

June 8, 2012 by kitty  · 40 Comments  · 2436 Views

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This is it!  Day 6, and the conclusion of an amazing week of Red & Black Gothy Blogging!  Show us what you’ve got for the grand finale, and be sure to check back tomorrow for a recap of everyone who participated.

Questions about this theme? Visit the Red & Black Week Rules and FAQs or e-mail me.

In the interest of full disclosure, please be aware that I had to recreate this look. :) The event I actually wore it to took place on October 31, 2010, before I had even dreamed up my blog. But I kept remembering it when I was contemplating this year’s Red & Black Week…

The big event was the final night of Andrew Lloyd Webber’s production of Phantom of the Opera at the Pantages Theatre in Hollywood. I managed to turn my dad into a Phantom fan when I took him to see it at the Pantages back in 1999. When he heard in 2010 it was closing down for good, he was determined to attend one of the final performances. Dad, Mr. Kitty an I actually went twice in one week; once sitting front-row center, then again five nights later about half-way back for the final performance. It was an amazing experience. And one of the only times I’ve gone out in an evening gown and actually NOT looked out of place.

This gown is by Jessica McClintock, who I suppose you could say is my favorite designer for formal wear. The dress I wore for the first Movie Monday was also from her line (sadly, I had to retire that dress after that wearing), and I have one other that you’ll see sometime soon.

The necklace and earrings were from a random no-name accessory store in the mall, back when I lived in Burbank. My wrap was just a long piece of tulle, right off of the bolt. I suppose I could’ve at least sewed some trim on it, but who has the time?

This August, we hope to go see the “modified” version of Phantom currently running in Vegas* before it closes in September. Mom’s not into the theatre at all, so I guess she’s staying home petsitting. ;)

* Blech -I hate everything about Vegas… but what’s a fan girl to do?

Want to participate in Red & Black Week? Here’s how:

  1. Add the Red & Black Week iconto your blog post (copy the code below and paste into your post using the Edit HTML feature):<a href=”http://www.sophistiquenoir.com/category/red-and-black-week”><img src=”http://www.victoriankitty.com/blogPhotos/red-black-week-icon.jpg” border=”0″></a>
  2. Paste the URL to your post using the Mister Linky box below. Please use a direct link to your relevant post, NOT a link to your blog’s home page.
  3. Visit all of the other participants who have entered, and tell them how great their Red & Black posts are so we all have fun!

All images and text © Sophistique Noir Gothic Fashion Blog. Do not use any photos or text from this blog without providing a credit to me and a link back to the original post.


40 Comments

Red & Black Week, Day 5: Contrast

June 7, 2012 by kitty  · 36 Comments  · 2232 Views

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I must apologize for not getting to comment yet on everyone’s posts from yesterday. It was a very challenging day at work, and I just needed to rest when I finally got home. I promise tonight I will read and comment on all the posts from both yesterday and today. So keep them coming!

Questions about this theme? Visit the Red & Black Week Rules and FAQs or e-mail me.

 

I bought this corset ages ago (as in, not even this century), before I knew much (as in anything) about the importance of quality in corsetry. Naturally, the plastic boning in this thing bends and bulges in very unflattering ways and is getting worse over time. Still, it’s very durable for an inexpensive piece, and I love the drama of it, so I’ll probably hang onto it until it starts to wear out.

I think pretty much every Goth girl has a corset similar to this one, so I’m definitely not winning any points for originality today! I hope my necklace by Artwith Latex can make up for that! This was the first piece I ordered from them (I’ve since acquired a choker/bracelet set), after seeing an ad in Gothic Beauty magazine. All of their pieces are amazing, and the creation process sounds like a true art form. The only problem is the necklace tends to shift gradually as I move my head throughout the evening, so I hold the center part in place with a tiny piece of fashion tape.

Today’s makeup is inspired by the work of Madame Noire. I often wear red in the crease, but I tried blending more black into it for this look. These photos are from last weekend, and naturally this week Ms. Noire did a tutorial on a more subtle use of red shadow, which I like much better than my heavy application. I love very heavy makeup in dark clubs, but next time I want a more versatile red shadow look, I’ll be using her tips for sure!

Want to participate in Red & Black Week? Here’s how:

  1. Add the Red & Black Week icon to your blog post (copy the code below and paste into your post using the Edit HTML feature):

<a href=”http://www.sophistiquenoir.com/category/red-and-black-week”><img src=”http://www.victoriankitty.com/blogPhotos/red-black-week-icon.jpg” border=”0″></a>

  • Paste the URL to your post using the Mister Linky box below. Please use a direct link to your relevant post, NOT a link to your blog’s home page.
  • Visit all of the other participants who have entered, and tell them how great their Red & Black posts are so we all have fun!

All images and text © Sophistique Noir Gothic Fashion Blog. Do not use any photos or text from this blog without providing a credit to me and a link back to the original post.


36 Comments

Red & Black Week, Day 4: Ruching and Pleating

June 6, 2012 by kitty  · 29 Comments  · 2083 Views

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Welcome to Red & Black Week Day 4 of 6!  We’re halfway there, ladies!  :) We’ve had an astonishing number of participants so far! But I’m not going to reveal how many yet. I’ll save the surprise for my Post-Red & Black Week Wrap-Up this Saturday!

If anyone missed their chance to link up their posts from yesterday due to the brief Mr. Linky malfunction, let me know and I will be sure to add you manually. I know some of you are dedicated to participating every day of the event, and I don’t want anyone to miss out if they had something planned!

Questions about this theme? Visit the Red & Black Week Rules and FAQs or e-mail me.

Maybe I should’ve called this Ruche & Black Week.  ;)   What can I say; that’s my absolute favorite clothing detail ever.  I have tons of ruched sleeves, bodices and skirts.  This strapless satin top is interesting in the fact that I think it’s the only strapless top I’ve ever seen that buttons up the front.  It also has a cute little sash, which I prefer to just wrap around the back (using the built-in belt loops) than all the way around.  Someday I’ll try it with a black sash, which I think would look cute tied in a bow in the front.

This top is another perfect color match for my all-time favorite red and black shoes!  I recently grabbed the asymmetrical sheer pleated skirt from Ross.  Yeah, I went from being a Ross hater to a total Ross groupie.  But I can’t resist a skirt that’s longer in the back than in the front!  I’m pretty sure we Goths invented that, despite the fact that it actually seems to be extremely popular suddenly…

You might remember this cross from one of my Red & Black Week outfits in 2011. I’m wearing red rhinestone stud earrings, too, although they pretty much look black in the photos.

I was experimenting with grey makeup in preparation for my new job…  I wore it darker here than I have been to work, to make it more evening-appropriate, but I wanted to see how the color looked on me, and make sure it didn’t irritate my lids. I’ve had a lot of allergic reactions to eye shadows, which is why I usually stick with either Ben Nye or Bare Minerals. This one is by the latter, and as usual this brand was safe for me. However, I decided that it had a bit too much sparkle in it, since I wanted to pair it with a shimmery pink, so I’ll be on the hunt for a matte grey next time I’m at the one store I know of that actually sells Ben Nye (other than online, but I like to see makeup products in person before I buy them the first time, when possible).

Wow; why do my nails look pink in this photo??

Want to participate in Red & Black Week? Here’s how:

  1. Add the Red & Black Week iconto your blog post (copy the code below and paste into your post using the Edit HTML feature):<a href=”http://www.sophistiquenoir.com/category/red-and-black-week”><img src=”http://www.victoriankitty.com/blogPhotos/red-black-week-icon.jpg” border=”0″></a>
  2. Paste the URL to your post using the Mister Linky box below. Please use a direct link to your relevant post, NOT a link to your blog’s home page.
  3. Visit all of the other participants who have entered, and tell them how great their Red & Black posts are so we all have fun!

All images and text © Sophistique Noir Gothic Fashion Blog. Do not use any photos or text from this blog without providing a credit to me and a link back to the original post.


29 Comments

Red & Black Week, Day 3: Red Dress, Black Cardi

June 5, 2012 by kitty  · 29 Comments  · 1060 Views

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First off, I wanted to extend a warm welcome to my newest followers.  Seems I’ve gained a few as a result of this week’s big event.  Thank you all so much for taking part, whether you are contributing blog posts of your own or just enjoying those of others.  Hope everyone is having fun with it!

Today, Red & Black Week continues with Day 3 of 6, and another work outfit.

Questions about this theme? Visit the Red & Black Week Rules and FAQs or e-mail me.

red and black corpgoth

This dress is a twin of the purple dress I wore during my first interview for the new job.  I grabbed them both at Ross on the same day a couple months ago, because I loved everything about the cut.  The ruched bodice is super-flattering, and the a-line skirt is perfect for work!

Today’s tattoo-concealing shrug is a modification of an old, unflattering cardi.  I cut off the front button part, cut the whole thing shorter and hemmed it all the way around.  Now it is just the right length to not hide my figure or my dress.

red and black week

I ditched the shrug when Mr. Kitty picked me up from work so we could go out for a nice dinner.  Did I mention that Mr. Kitty and I are commuting together now that I have this new job?  He’s been commuting for several years, and now my new employer happens to be right on his way to his office.  So we get to keep each other company for the first half of his drive, and we save on gas!  Sometimes it’s nice to stop for dinner halfway home to unwind a bit and break up the drive.

I spontaneously wore a side ponytail as a variation on my usual side bun.  Everyone at work was shocked to see how long my hair is.  I always love revealing that little secret to a new group of people when they’ve only ever seen me with my hair up.  :)

The necklace and bead earrings are self-made. This bracelet is just a set of beaded stretch bracelets I bought in a random accessory shop on Melrose, with a sparkly butterfly brooch attached.  Another spontaneous decision, because I was dying to incorporate that little guy into my Red & Black posts this year but didn’t have any outfits planned that called for a brooch.  I had to be very careful not to smash him all over my desk throughout the day…  It seems he survived without injury!

Want to participate in Red & Black Week? Here’s how:

  1. Add the Red & Black Week iconto your blog post (copy the code below and paste into your post using the Edit HTML feature):<a href=”http://www.sophistiquenoir.com/category/red-and-black-week”><img src=”http://www.victoriankitty.com/blogPhotos/red-black-week-icon.jpg” border=”0″></a>
  2. Paste the URL to your post using the Mister Linky box below. Please use a direct link to your relevant post, NOT a link to your blog’s home page.
  3. Visit all of the other participants who have entered, and tell them how great their Red & Black posts are so we all have fun!

All images and text © Sophistique Noir Gothic Fashion Blog. Do not use any photos or text from this blog without providing a credit to me and a link back to the original post.


29 Comments

Red & Black Week, Day 2: Black Turtleneck, Red Cardi, Wide Belt

June 4, 2012 by kitty  · 29 Comments  · 1066 Views

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We had a great turnout for Day One of Red & Black Week! Thank you all so much for the great kick-off. Now, it’s on to Day Two. Today, I’m bringing you one of my New Job Outfits.

Questions about this theme? Visit the Red & Black Week Rules and FAQs or e-mail me.

I was so happy to find a couple of ways to incorporate the color scheme of the week into my new job wardrobe!   I bought this red cardigan at Ross during my “OMG I need more long sleeves” panic shopping.  Coverups like this are a perfect way to utilize many of my current short-sleeve pieces without revealing any tattoos, so I’ve accumulated several different colors over the past month.

As you’ve probably noticed, I’m not a fan of loose, drapey things that hide a woman’s figure…  Adding an elastic belt from random mall store gave this outfit a lovely shape, plus that shiny buckle added some drama without going over the top with accessories (which I usually do, but haven’t built up the courage for at the new job).

I kept the rest of the outfit simple with a sleeveless mock turtleneck shell and stretchy black pencil skirt.  This skirt is currently a bit too snug in the … backside… to wear to work without a coverup, so this cardi is serving multiple purposes!!  I still need to shape up a bit after gaining 10 pounds during my “old job drama.”  My mental health has improved dramatically, so I am no longer living on a diet of red wine and chocolate, but I still haven’t gotten back in the habit of exercising. I sure miss the energy I had when I was in better shape! And that handful of my favorite skirts that are currently obscenely tight and unwearable because when I put on weight, it all goes directly to my behind!  :/

Want to participate in Red & Black Week? Here’s how:

  1. Add the Red & Black Week iconto your blog post (copy the code below and paste into your post using the Edit HTML feature):<a href=”http://www.sophistiquenoir.com/category/red-and-black-week”><img src=”http://www.victoriankitty.com/blogPhotos/red-black-week-icon.jpg” border=”0″></a>
  2. Paste the URL to your post using the Mister Linky box below. Please use a direct link to your relevant post, NOT a link to your blog’s home page.
  3. Visit all of the other participants who have entered, and tell them how great their Red & Black posts are so we all have fun!

All images and text © Sophistique Noir Gothic Fashion Blog. Do not use any photos or text from this blog without providing a credit to me and a link back to the original post.


29 Comments

Red & Black Week, Day 1: Vintage Polka Dots

June 3, 2012 by kitty  · 33 Comments  · 1185 Views

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Happy Second Annual Red & Black Week! I’ve been looking forward to this ever since last year’s inaugural event.  I’ll be waiting up till after midnight tonight, like a kid waiting for Santa, to see who’s the first to post in the Linky.  ;-D

Questions about this theme? Visit the Red & Black Week Rules and FAQs or e-mail me.

I scored this polka dot wiggle dress at Macy’s last month on sale for 50% off. Technically, I was shopping for new work clothes, but this was 50% off. Admit it; you would have done the same thing. ;) So, to justify it as a work-related purchase, I wore this outfit to a little New Job Celebration with a couple of friends. One of our friends was having some work drama of her own, which was resolved just about the same time as I got my offer, so champagne was definitely in order!

A vintage look like this just screams for flesh-tone fishnets, doesn’t it?  Of course, in the photos you can’t tell they are fishnets. Trust me, they are; and they looked fabulous in person!

In my opinion, nothing goes better with black and white polka dots than red accessories. I think this is the first time I’ve worn the “other pair” of red shoes I bought on my birthday last year.  I tied the shoes in with a red hair flower adorning my ponytail, and matching lipstick.

I can’t wait to see what my fellow Goth bloggers are wearing this week to honor this much-celebrated color scheme. Let the linking begin!

Want to participate in Red & Black Week? Here’s how:

  1. Add the Red & Black Week iconto your blog post (copy the code below and paste into your post using the Edit HTML feature):<a href=”http://www.sophistiquenoir.com/category/red-and-black-week”><img src=”http://www.victoriankitty.com/blogPhotos/red-black-week-icon.jpg” border=”0″></a>
  2. Paste the URL to your post using the Mister Linky box below. Please use a direct link to your relevant post, NOT a link to your blog’s home page.
  3. Visit all of the other participants who have entered, and tell them how great their Red & Black posts are so we all have fun!

All images and text © Sophistique Noir Gothic Fashion Blog. Do not use any photos or text from this blog without providing a credit to me and a link back to the original post.


33 Comments

Second Annual Red & Black Week Coming Soon!

May 13, 2012 by kitty  · 12 Comments  · 702 Views

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June 3-8, 2012

Last year, I organized Red & Black week on a whim because there didn’t seem to be any Goth blogging events happening. It was such a big hit, there were some suggestions that this should become an annual event. And so it shall.

The first week each June will be Sophistique Noir’s Red & Black Week!

There will be six (6) days of posts (June 3-8). Then on June 9th I’ll do a recap featuring everyone who participated. The posts will work just like my Monthly Themes: each participant can come to my blog each day of the week and link up their post using Mr. Linky.

The big event starts three weeks from today.  Now, get busy planning your Red & Black posts!  :)

Curious to see how this event worked last year?  Check out last year’s posts and get inspired.

FAQs:

What is “Mr. Linky?”
Mr. Linky is a linking system that will be visible at the bottom of each of my posts during Red & Black Week. There will be a form where you can enter your name and blog post URL, then choose a photo from your post. Then your post will automatically be attached to my post so all of my readers can see it.

Do I have to post for all 6 days in order to participate?
No! You can post any one day of the week, or more if you wish!

Do my posts have to be outfits/fashion-related?
No!  Post any topic you like, as long as it relates to the theme of Red & Black.  Last year, we had flowers, food, art, album covers, etc.  Be creative!

Can I only use red and black?
No! :) Feel free to incorporate any additional colors, as long as each post also contains both red and black.

Does it have to be bright red, or does burgundy count?
ANY shade of red counts, from fire engine red to deep crimson, burgundy or wine! Just keep it in the red family, and don’t get too close to orange, pink or purple.

When I include the Red & Black icon in my post, does it have to be at the top?
No. You can put the icon anywhere in your post, but it has to be somewhere in your post. It’s only polite to give your hostess credit for the event. Of course, I would love it if it was up top, front and center, but that’s not necessary. Put it wherever you think it looks best for your post.

To participate in Red and Black Week:

Each day (June 3-8), I will post my Red & Black outfit as well as a sign-up form. Add the icon to your Red & Black post for that day (it can be something you posted previously, as long as you go back and add the icon to the post). Then, come back to my blog and add a link to your post (direct link to your Red & Black post, not your blog’s home page) using the Mister Linky sign-up form on my post.

Your posts don’t have to be about fashion, but they do have to be “dark” and they must incorporate a red and black theme. Non-Goth blogs are welcome to participate, as long as the posts evoke an appropriately dark and/or classy aesthetic.

You don’t have to participate every day of the event; feel free to just post once, twice or whatever you like!

Posts that are linked up without including the icon will be removed, because it’s my blog and I said so. :)

Please share this invitation with any bloggers you know who might be interested!

Questions? E-mail me using the Contact Me page.

HTML for the icon:
<a href=”http://www.sophistiquenoir.com/category/red-and-black-week”><img src=”http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-scGWe5ZFZN8/TdWmYqc5KVI/AAAAAAAAAW8/r2c5ae7wni8/s1600/red-black-week-icon.jpg” border=”0″></a>

All images and text © Sophistique Noir Gothic Fashion Blog. Do not use any photos or text from this blog without providing a credit to me and a link back to the original post.


12 Comments

Red & Black Week: Post-Event Wrap-Up

June 11, 2011 by kitty  · 17 Comments  · 622 Views

All I can say is, Wow.  I’m blown away by the amount of participation and publicity this event garnered.  I had hoped maybe eight people would be excited about the idea and maybe five would actually join in…  :-D   Instead, we had a grand total of 28 wonderful and creative participants, contributing 87 posts!!!  The Goth Blogger community is a GREAT group to be a part of.  I would like to offer a huge thank you to everyone who took part in the week, and especially those who helped spread the word and make this event what I consider a smashing success.

Here’s a list of all of the participants, in the order that they first linked up their Red & Black posts.

  1. VictorianKitty of Sophistique Noire
  2. Amy of The Ultimate Goth Guide
  3. Loupie of Loupie’s Blog
  4. Saskia of Graveyard Picnic
  5. Deb of Gothic By Design 
  6. Pandora and Orilla of Wicked Babes
  7. Corin of A Darker Kind of Fashion
  8. Tenebris in Lux of Neverending Playlist of a Psycho
  9. Leanne of Music4pumpkins
  10. Siouxsie of Siouxsie Law
  11. Jamie of Geeky Goth Girl
  12. Sada of Dressology HQ 
  13. Audronasha the Countess of Gothically Yours
  14. Mark of Wheels are Everything 
  15. Kelli of GlumPlum 
  16. Trystan of This is Corp Goth
  17. Captain Morgan of Mental Pirate
  18. Sal Kaye of Still Dark at Heart
  19. DuskRose of The Midnight Ballroom
  20. Amy Wilson of Working
  21. Zellain of The Morbid Fashion
  22. Sabayon of Ruffles Not Diets
  23. Caveat Calcei of Law and Shoes
  24. Rachel of Rachel’s Cupcake Chronicles
  25. Kitty Lovett of Bloggery of a Gothcat
  26. Sarah of The Walrus Room 
  27. Julianne of This Second’s Obsession
  28. Robin of Victorian Android

View all of the Red & Black Week posts and link-ups!

Amy of The Ultimate Goth Guide made a *brilliant* suggestion. She suggested we make this an annual event. So, the first full week in June each year will officially be Sophistique Noir’s Red & Black Week!

It will be exciting to see how the long-term bloggers evolve their takes on the theme from year to year, and even how we influence each other. Also, those who expressed a wish that they owned more red items this year can keep their eyes open for the perfect pieces, and build their red wardrobes up a bit in preparation for next year if they want.

In the meantime, I have some ideas for monthly one-day themed events. Starting in July, I will reveal the theme a week or so in advance, then do my post on it (with a Mr. Linky sign-up form) on the first day of the month. You can link up a post of your own from that day or any previous post you have done, as long as it meets the criteria for that month’s theme. We’ll have lots of variety; sometimes a color scheme, sometimes a specific style, sometimes a specific article of clothing, etc. I’ll try to make some of the themes not too fashion-specific, so you can still be creative with the topics of your posts. Also, I’ll be taking suggestions on theme ideas, and if I use your idea I will credit you on the post for that month.

Back to regularly scheduled outfit posts tomorrow!  :)


17 Comments

Red & Black Week: The Grand Finale

June 10, 2011 by kitty  · 25 Comments  · 908 Views

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I’ve truly been enjoying Red & Black Week. I really appreciate all of the wonderful contributions that have been made by my readers! I want you to know that I have read each and every post and will be sure to comment on them all. I haven’t had time to reply to all of your nice comments on my posts, but I do deeply appreciate them. Thank you all for making this a fabulous week!!

As my grand finale for the week, I present to you a club outfit featuring my very favorite necklace. Think you’ve seen it here before? Not quite. :) I actually have a black one that is identical, whereas this one is deep crimson. Both are incredibly well made from glass beads, and both were purchased at Necromance on Melrose Blvd several years ago.

You might also recognize this corset. This is a Frederick’s piece. I have to say; I don’t even consider Frederick’s corsets to be worthy of the term “corset” since they all have plastic boning. They absolutely cannot be used for waist reduction at all. When cinched, plastic boning will just bend, bulge and warp, getting worse and worse the longer it is worn. The only way I achieved this lovely silhouette was by wearing a Gallery Serpentine underbust corset beneath the Frederick’s corset.

So why do I own it if it’s not good quality? I have purchased this particular style in three colors because it is a VERY inexpensive way to add variety to one’s wardrobe. I can only buy so many high-quality steel-boned corsets at $200 apiece! Plus there are certain colors that I don’t wear often enough to warrant such an investment, but would like to have available when the urge strikes. And the lovely lace trim along the top edge is just too pretty to resist! Rest assured I wouldn’t be caught dead (although that would be SO Goth) wearing these “corsets” without a good steel corset underneath to give it structure.

The long pencil skirt is from Newport News. It has a cute v-shaped yoke in the front, but I found the rest of the skirt to be a bit boring. So I added a sheer drapey piece down the front, some embroidered trim along the yoke and a satin rose in the center. Now it makes me feel pretty.

Did everyone enjoy Red & Black Week? Now show me you grand finales!

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