Inspiring Your Ensembles: A Spiral Into Nonsense

My best outfits always have a theme. Not my normal, day-to-day t-shirt and boots outfit; those indeed are effortless.

For themed outfit, the inspiration is usually, but not limited to being,

• A song
• A character
• A picture
• A single item

Songs

Today's demonstration song will be 'Lullaby' by The Cure (On a side note, The Cure is my favorite Gothy band). First, let's take a look at the band.

Okay, what about the band is noticeable? What would people recognize about the band? Bob (heehee) Smith, of course, would be the most memorable as the lead vocalist. He is known for his smeared lipstick and eyeliner and his bird's nest hair.
Well, I would personally use that if I was deciding to be 'Lullaby'.

Now for song-specific accessory and clothing choices.
The first line of the entire song is 'on candystripe legs the spiderman comes'.
 Well, of course you would need candystripe stockings. That's a given.

' and there is nothing i can do
when i realize with fright
that the spiderman is having me for dinner tonight!'
 This line to me would symbolize that Bob (heehee) is paralyzed with fear because this spiderman guy is terrifying af. He can't move. You know what keeps things from moving? BUCKLES, OF COURSE. Add in some buckley pants and spider earrings.

Inspiration can come from the music video as well, of course, because the meaning behind a song is often revealed there.

Bob (heehee) is wearing a black and white striped collared nightshirt! Let's wear that.

So, the end result for this outfit is:
Teased bird's nest hair
Smeared red lipstick and black eye makeup
Spider earrings
A black and white striped, collared shirt
Buckled pants
(Shoes are really expensive, so I'd just throw on some slim black shoes, possibly with buckles)

Pros of Wearing Song Inspired Clothing

• People who know the song could recognize it
• You can pretend it's a costume and skulk around in your imitation of a spiderman
• The style is completely up to interpretation
• TUMBLR WILL GET IT
• It can be applied not only to songs, but to bands, movies, or books, etc!

Cons of Wearing Song Inspired Clothing

•  You will most likely be the only one who recognizes it immediately
• To make it special or completely accurate, you'll most likely need to shop

Character

Okay, we're going to use two different pictures as examples because this is easier.

. This is Esmeralda from the Disney film The Hunchback of Notre Dame. She is of the Romani people. They are widely known as 'gypsies' but that as a racial slur. But the inspiration for this outfit is indeed the stereotypical gypsy.

• Reproduce what you see. Long skirts, unruly hair, flat shoes, blouse, scarves, LAYERS, and, though Esmeralda isn't wearing any, bangles.
• This outfit is going to be: a long black skirt, black ballet flats, a white peasant blouse, layers of bracelets and necklaces, scarves in jewel tones, and messy-type hair, possibly with things dangling in it like Johnny Depp in Pirates of the Caribbean.

 Now, instead of using a Disney character to skirt around potential racism, we're actually going to do casual cosplay type things with Enid, from the movie Ghost World!

Enid is on the right, duckies.
This is much, much more open to interpretation than Goth!Esmeralda. Just think....what would Enid wear? Hell, wear heavy framed glasses and a plaid skirt and you're there.

Pictures

Here, I really meant pictures. Not pictures of people, clothes, Yorkshire terriers, or anything. Just general images.

This skull? Yes, well this is the skull of Oberon, king of the fairies. His wife, Tatiana, mad with grief, brought him back from the dead to rein again. Yes, I was inspired by this story to wear a silly sparkly crown and a cape, yes. Capes are quite Shakespeare.

GIVE IT A STORY AND WORK IT

One Item

How many times have you said to yourself "I really want to wear this but I can't because______?"
That's really only half relevant to this section.
You want to wear your red and white striped tights?

Showcase those motherfuckers

Wear shorts or a skirt, low shoes, a coordinating top or arm-device-thing..
Yeah.
I'm getting stuck here.







I'm actually very proud of this post, but I'm also very tired of it.
I'm leaving.
And I'm taking my toys with me.

-Love