Makeup: I'a Cthulhu!

I'm on a Lovecraft bend at the moment!

Bubbling nails
OPI's Tomorrow Never Dies, black bubble decals

Ombre nails
OPI's Yodel me on my Cell (and odd name for such a lovely mermaid teal), Pirouette my Whistle (silver glitter), and Wet n' Wild's Mystic Blue (shimmery navy)

Style: Unseelie

I have some time to breathe for the first time in a few months; I'm happy to say I'll be returning to a regular posting schedule, so stay tuned!
~
Ever since I was seven or eight, I have been fascinated by Western mythology. I would read all I could gather about the Greek pantheon, making massive flow charts to untangle the lineage of the gods and demigods. Anglo-Saxon and Germanic tales of witches, elves, and faeries- via Shakespeare, Kipling, the Brothers Grimm and Hans Christian Andersen- were no less interesting to me. I loved to pretend I was an Unseelie warrior, powerful and beautiful and deadly; or dark Carabosse, from the ballet of Sleeping Beauty. Now that I'm older, I'm searching out the dark original tales, mixing them with a reading list including Neil Gaiman and Angela Carter.
All these creatures trooping through my imagination have certainly made an impact on my style, especially in my penchant for floral adornments and extravagantly textured fabrics!

Kenneth Cole Reaction chandelier-print tee, Talbot's skirt, H&M hair flowers, my own choker, Claire's gloves, Forever 21 beaded belt.

Oh, and the unshod state of my feet... well, why would a faerie need shoes anyway? (Really, I had just cleaned my shoes and they were drying, and this was also my only window for photo-taking today.)

Style: Bride of Beetlejuice

I bought a couple skirts at Salvation Army last Saturday; I was surprised at how good this one looks on, seeing how pencil skirts don't usually fit me!

Walmart blazer, Merona camisole and shoes, thrifted skirt, Talbot's tights. Claire's earrings, my own necklace.

Red & Black Week: Day Six

Ahh, the final day, bittersweet. I've enjoyed this week so much, reading all your participating blogs was so inspirational! That Theme-within-a-Theme was awesome and I hope you keep it, Miss Kitty. :D I'm already looking forward to next year...

We were at a family friend's house a few days ago, and they mentioned they had been playing with a name generator for their business team; Raging Butterfly was one that stuck out. It immediately caught my imagination, and since one of their company's products is makeup, I offered to do a look!

Thrifted velvet dress, Charming Charlie velvet burnout scarf, Payless shoes, my own pearl-and-silk necklace.

I went a little crazy.

Red & Black Week: Day Five

A Juxtaposition; of luxurious and industrial, dark and light, hard and soft lines.
 
Claire's leather and chain choker with cameo, Talbot's lace top, Susie Rose belt, thrifted skirt and shoes.

 

Red & Black Week: Day Four

Last Saturday I attended the wedding reception of a family friend, held in our old church's Hall. They had a swing band and dancing outdoors, and the whole thing was just wonderful fun!

Coldwater Creek dress, thrifted belt, Merona wedges, Claire's chandelier earrings, my own bracelet.

And this is why my dress is totally awesome for swing dancing:

Whee!

My makeup was more dramatic than the photo is showing, with deep burgundy shadow and black winged liner.
My bracelet, made of glass beads and plated nickel.

Red & Black Week: Day Three

Everyone, everyone at work, called this the Matador, and it's all in the jacket! I found it in the sale rack at Forever 21; their sizes are cut to flatter a shorter woman than I, especially when it comes to sleeves and hemlines, so I didn't expect it to fit or flatter. Was I wrong!
It's black lace lined with scarlet, cropped and gently fitted, and it had hook-and-eye fastenings at the throat which I promptly removed. It's versatile and elegant, and folds up easily so I can take it to work in my purse during hot summer transits.

Altered Target blouse, Forever 21 jacket, thrifted Cato skirt, Talbots hose, Payless shoes.

Red & Black Week: Day Two

Continuing on in Musical Mondays...
Siouxsie and the Banshees - Spellbound

Red & Black Week: Day One

Welcome to Red & Black Week, an annual blogging event created and hosted by the wonderful Victorian Kitty at Sophistique Noir!

I've saved a few looks from last fall to use this week, as well as new ones; to start off, a simple and conservative look that would do well in a business-casual environment. The tweed skirt is something special- metallic red, with touches of pink and orange through it. A skirt on fire.

Thrifted Express blouse, thrifted belt, Coldwater Creek skirt, Talbot's tights, Merona shoes.

Style: The Girl in the White Dress

Hello, hello!
The Nikon was in for repairs- resulting in almost a month without a post- my goodness!

French Laundry tee, Walmart blazer and shoes, Talbot's skirt. Icing by Claire's black and white rose, my own necklace, Claire's pearl earrings and silvertone ring (right hand), vintage white gold ring (left hand).

It was difficult, due to the glare while shooting, to find photos in which I look passably pleasant...

...Or not.

Whatever! :)

Style: A Porcelain Doll

Several people at work- customers and coworkers alike- have described me so, which pleases me immensely. I deliberately attempt to look so- when someone gets it, it's wonderful! Angel-choirs-harmonizing-in-my-head wonderful.

Walmart blazer, Talbot's lace tank, skirt, and necklace, Claire's studded cuffs and Merona shoes.

Monthly Theme: Vintage

I found this vintage silk blouse in an antique shop last fall... I wore it several times over the winter, but never put any photos of it my blog- so April's Monthly Theme is perfect!
I found it half-hidden, hung in the back of a little cubbyhole. What first attracted me was the sleeves; dramatic, draped affairs that moved like wings when I walked and immediately reminded me of bats. The high neckline has a wide embroidered insert over sheer fabric, and the blouse buttons to the left side, with an additional zipper up the back.
The tag on the inside had been almost completely removed, but due to the embroidery style for the size (6) and shoulder pads, I believe it's from the 80's.
Needless to say I think it's just fabulous, and it was only $20!

Vintage blouse worn with thrifted skirt, shoes, Talbot's stockings.

Stye: Little Red Riding Hood

I didn't realize until I arrived home that tying my cardigan over my shoulders made me look like I was wearing a capelet- and much like that storybook character. All I'm missing now is a wolf as my Pet!

Talbot's cardigan and skirt, Target camisole, Merona shoes, self-made necklaces.

Style: Black, Grey, White

Hilariously, half my coworkers and managers have been wearing black and white, and 1940s styles this week. Could I be subconsciously influencing them?

Target camisole, sweater, and necklace (long), thrifted belt and skirt, Talbots tights, Merona shoes. Claire's studded cuffs, vintage key on a chain.

Style: Hide-and-Seek

Took me an hour on each hand! But well, well worth it.

Coldwater Creek dress, thrifted vest, Merona shoes, self made floral headband.

Please Excuse The Mess

I'm trying to change the blog format, and though I've cleared all my customizations, backgrounds, etc., the blog appears the same to me as always. I don't know if that's true for the rest of you. If it isn't, Style And Graphite must have some strange colors going on; I'm trying to figure it out and fix it as quickly as possible. Please bear with me! :)

Makeup: Playing-Card Nails

I'm sorry I haven't posted: between school, work, and my brother and my schedules hardly crossing paths I haven't been able to take any photos! However I'm back with a quick blow-by-blow of today's manicure. It is complicated, certainly.

I started with a basecaot and two coats of Crabtree & Evelyn's Snowdrop nail polish. I am so impressed with the formula: before I bought I tested it over black polish to see how opaque it was. It covered completely! Also, it has a soft cast to it as opposed to a gray cast some whites have (OPI, I'm looking at you) which is very flattering.

Then, with my Sally Hansen Nail Art pen in Silver, I made vertical lines on all nails but my ring fingers.

Dipping a very fine-tipped brush in OPI's Bastille My Heart, I drew lines on my ring fingers (I messed this hand up a little), a heart on each index and a diamond on each pinkie.

Using the same brush and OPI's Black Cherry Chutney, I drew clubs on my thumbs and spades on my middle fingers. I thought briefly of spades on my ring fingers and birds/birdcages on my middle fingers but I do have a job and a sense of decency. :-P

Everything was finished with a OPI top coat.

For my first shot at this- although last week I played with background designs- I'm quite proud!

Style: Damask Corduroy Shirt

Last Saturday I went on a thrifting haul at Salvation Army- there's one at the same strip mall as my orthodontist. Bought an Ann Taylor black-and-white floral flared knee-length skirt perfect for summer, an American Apparel black handkerchief hem skirt, a Coldwater Creek grey damask-print corduroy button front, another grey utilitarian-style blouse, a grey striped thermal shirt, and a red tunic. All for $14!!! I love thrifting!

This shirt is great right now because it's freezing cold, literally, the dew drops are freezing on our cars every night. And this is an elegant alternative to flannel for an elegantly-minded person.

The new CC cord shirt in action, with a thrifted faux button-front skirt, vintage belt, Talbot's hose, and Merona shoes.

My tights sustained a massive run in the right calf today, sadly. The silver lining is that if I'm at home, I just change them. If I'm at work, I can buy another pair for less than $5.

I'm on a diet right now where I eat a set amount of an animal protein, vegetable, and fruit every day. I feel great and my skin looks incredible, pregnant-woman glowy. I've never seen it so flawless and smooth before. I'm not even wearing concealer anymore!

Me, wearing sunblock.

Last week I got caught looking and had to apply my eyeliner at a bus stop on the way to work, without any eyeshadow. I decided to get a little four-color palette for my purse in case of future forgetfulness, and I chose Relvon's 16HR in Siren because it has a shade set closest to what I use from my 144 color palette. I'm wearing it here and quite like it.
Revlon Lipstick in Cherries in the Snow on lips.

Style: Simple for Shopping

Bloody difficult to get a proper photo today- blustery winds whipped my skirt into all manner of peculiar, unflattering shapes...

Sunglasses, Sam's Club Kenneth Cole Reaction tee, thrifted skirt, Merona tights, shoes. New Revlon lipstick- Cherries in the Snow. A bright magenta-red. It's different for me, but I like it!