Alive Again ~ Back from Hiatus

Hello again darklings! It has been quite a while since I've revisited this blog (several years in fact, oops), but it seems like I'm still getting visitors and I'm finally in a place again where I have time and motivation to blog. I won't go too much into detail about my personal life, but the past few years have been full of chaos and honestly quite a bit of unpleasantness, but I'm more and more confident each day that the dark times are behind me. A few small updates about what I have going on and how that will affect the blog.

Firstly, I moved back to Chicago after my year in Los Angeles at the beginning of 2014, and I intend to stay in the Chicago area indefinitely. I am still an active member of the Chicago Gothic Lolita community, and I still intend to include coverage of local events and meetups here on the blog. Related to this, one of the most exciting developments is that I have launched a jewelry and accessories line, Atelier Excentrique, which is currently available through the Lolita Collective and through my Storenvy. I will include a widget on the sidebar to direct you to more information about Atelier Excentrique soon! Last but not least, I am getting married! My partner and I have set our date for the summer of 2018, so we have a while, but I might do some posts about alternative wedding planning here on the blog as a part of an effort to include more lifestyle and domestic content. I am looking into promoting posts on Pinterest as well, and may even set up a corresponding Instagram!

Model: Lady Saltina ~ Photographer: Sam Dickey samdoesphotos.tumblr.com

Thank you dear readers for continuing to read this blog and promoting the witchy lifestyle!


Best,
Lady Salt

5 Songs for Dark Mori Girls

CocoRosie - Beautiful Boyz

Cocorosie's gossamer crooning is the perfect accompaniment for any dark mori girl. All of the sisters' oeuvre fits the strega aesthetic wonderfully, but this is one of my favorite Cocorosie songs. The video is stunning as well! The Bearded Lady is a favorite character of mine (I have been known to show up to Carnivale parties with a well-groomed fu-manchu), and I love her inclusion in this video!

O'Death - Down to Rest

O'Death is a Brooklyn-based folk band I would describe as falling into the Gothic Americana genre, with heavy bluegrass and folk punk influences. Most of their music is reminiscent of fiddle ditties to be played at a wake in the old west, which I for one adore. "Down to Rest" is probably their most popular single, and for good reason. I can't get enough of this song! It's upbeat (for O'Death, that is), and even danceable, but still flavored with a strong dose of the macabre. The video is awesome too, although not very dark mori. Skeletons, astronauts, gambling?! Do yourself a favor and watch it.

16 Horsepower - Sinnerman

16 Horsepower could also fall into the Gothic Americana genre, but what makes them unique is that this band, and their still-active side project Woven Hand, identify as a christian band. What makes them unique as a religious band is their preoccupation with the darker side of christianity, writing lyrics about death, guilt, perdition, redemption, how man is sinful... ect, ect. Frontman David Eugene Edwards has likened himself and his vision of Christianity to that of Northern Renaissance painter Hieronymus Bosch. Religion aside, 16 Horsepower's sounds are completely enjoyable and relevant to the dark mori aesthetic. No video for this one, sorry!

Siouxie and the Banshees - Strange Fruit

Okay, it's probably predictable but I LOVE Siouxie Sioux. In addition to just good old gothy admiration, I think she's an incredibly versatile musician and can creatively touch just about any genre. This cover of the classic song "Strange Fruit" captures the tragic nature of the original as well as incorporating delicious jazz notes that hint to the song's origins. I think its absolutely perfect for a dark mori girl!

Rasputina - Why Don't You Do Right?

Rasputina is another musical match made in heaven for dark mori kei. This trio sings deliciously gothic folk songs accompanied by the velvety sounds of the cello. I had trouble picking a single song for this list, but their first album "Thanks for the Ether", off which this song is taken, is my favorite.

Enjoy!

Building your Dark Mori Wardrobe

So you've decided you identify with the dark mori aesthetic, and you're ready to take the plunge and start building your wardrobe. As with starting out in any style, building your wardrobe from scratch can seem quite daunting. This post is intended as a guide to help you in your journey to create magical strega style coordinates.

First: Identify your influences

From Left: 1. Source unknown 2. Ovate f/w12 3. Les Chiffons de Pucerones 4. Rowan City Knits by Amy Butler

What styles of dark mori kei inspire you most? Are you more drawn to historically influenced coordinates, or are you smitten with the Nazgul-esque silhouettes of gothic minimalism? Choose if you want your look to be more boho, more modern, more retro, more dolly-kei influenced, more ghost like, more witchy, more hipster.... whatever you fancy. Of course its okay to be in love with more than one of these styles, but narrowing down which looks you are more interested in will help you build your wardrobe. Personally, I am drawn to things that represent the witch archetype, and focus on purchasing a mixture of long flowy things, and more modern, minimal things I can wear casually that still fit within the aesthetic. For my personal style, I generally feel that things that are too bohemian, or too "fairyish", dont really fit in with the rest of my wardrobe, so I try to avoid pieces with that feel.

Second: Hit the thrift stores

A smattering of things from my Polyvore account. Similar things can be easily thrifted.

One of the great things about mori kei in general is that it is very easily achieved just through finding workable pieces at thrift stores, garage sales, charity shops, ect. When you are shopping, pay close attention to the silhouette, details and quality of garments. Make sure to consider how well they will layer, and coordinate with other pieces in your wardrobe. Be on the lookout for things with asymmetrical hems, made of materials like linen or silk, and have interesting details that will play well off of other things in your collection. I will go into more detail about thrifting for dark mori clothes in another post!

Third: Accessorize

From Left: 1. Satchel bag by Henry Baguelin 2. A covetable Ebay cameo lot 3. Antler hair pick by JCMCairn 4. Squirrel Paw earrings available locally at Necromance, LA

Accessories really make a dark mori outfit. In many cases, your accessories will be the only thing denoting you as a witchy mori girl rather than your lighter-hearted brethren.  Printed tights and leggings, available on Etsy, Ebay, and many other online retailers, are great for casual outfits with a baggy t-shirt, or to add texture to your legs underneath a dress or skirt. For baubles, consider bone jewelry, antiques, rosaries, occult symbols, runes..... Making your own accessories is definitely encouraged! Scarves, mittens, and chunky socks will help keep you warm in winter and add texture to your coordinate. Great shoes and a great bag will help ground your outfit and complete the look. For shoes, retro heels and victorian boots are great for more feminine looks, but a great pair of leather lace-up boots or Doc Martins are perfect with any outfit.

Wardrobe Essentials for the Dark Mori Girl (or Boy)

:: A long, full, black maxi skirt (or two or three) ::

 ::A few great chunky sweaters::

 ::An asymmetrical hem cardigan or vest or both ::

 :: A drapey black tshirt ::

:: Printed leggings ::

:: Long sleeved black shirts (jersey or thermal) :: 

:: Fancy blouses ::

:: Doc Martin style boots ::

:: A leather satchel ::

I hope this guide is helpful for those interested in getting into the style! What wardrobe essentials could you not live without? What tips would you give those just starting out in the style? For more information on wardrobe building, please check out this post: Refining Your Style: Wardrobe Wrangling for the Alternative-style Schizophrenic