Everyday Outfit: Fairies and Spiderwebs

Another day, another outfit. Today I am wearing a skirt I made from spiderweb lace. I lined it with a nice light weight knit that feels good. I made the top from panne stretch velvet. I also made the infinity cowl. It has a pretty celtic dragon print. What I like about the cowls is that I can pull them up and wear them like a hood in cold weather.

And I added a new Fairy book to the collection. It has beautiful illustrations through out the book and tales of fairy lore. I purchased it at a used book store so I'm not sure if it's still in print. 

Everyday Outfit: Purple Haze

I wore this beautiful shawl by Stitch Noir out today. It never fails to get many compliments. The Ankh is handmade but I don't remember the artist's name. The Raven necklace was Thrifted. The boots are by Frye and the blouse and skirt are old. The little moth hair clips are from Curiology.

I also put up a new Faery Coat on Etsy. Size L/XL. I only have enough fabric for one more in Camel. It's also available in purple or indigo blue. 

Everyday Outfit: Opera Coat

I went out today for a hair appointment and a nice lunch with my hubby. Here is proof that I really do wear my vintage clothing all the time!

Vintage 40s? Opera Coat lined in Satin 

Tattered Sheer Dress by Black Orchid Designs

Long skirt- thrifted

Grimoire purse- Curiology

Vintage Owl necklace- vintage shop

Onyx Angel necklace- The Magick Box 

I also wanted to show off these pretty witches runes by My Wiccan Garden. 

The Runes are hand made in maple from fallen tree branches. Both the corn and the sun rune showed up in both my readings. I think that's a good sign! 

Strega Fashion 101

What is Strega? Well actually, it is the Italian word for Witch. So what is Strega Fashion then? That's an interesting question. I've been watching this fashion trend for a while now and it seems to be growing and gathering a larger following lately. It originally started with Dark Mori Girl or Dark Forest Mori, a Japanese style of fashion that is all about layering lots of separates in dark colours and natural fabrics like cotton and linen. There are some really beautiful Tumbler Blogs and Pinterest Boards to follow for more ideas on Dark Mori. And you will find a nice blog post about it on the Everyday Goth Blog by Mary Rose. 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. Basically, Strega fashion seems to take little bits of romanti-goth, Stevie Nicks (especially her 80s style), and Dark Mori Girl and mix them together in order to get a dark forest witch look. Take lots of long layers in blacks, greys, dark maroon, forest green, and plum. Mix in some tapestry bags, witchy victorian lace up boots, crystals, and chunky knitted shawls and cowls and you have the look. Everything should look a bit old and tattered like you just walked out of the forest where you live in a tiny abandoned cottage. Miss Havisham in Great Expectations or Helena Bonham Carter should be your muse.

This relatively "new" fashion trend has raised some mixed feelings from Bloggers. Why? you ask. Well, I think has to do with the term "Strega" itself. Strega or Stregheria refers to the Pagan or Old World Religion in Italy. Italy has a long and fascinating history of witchcraft that is worth researching and I actually think it should be required if you want to consider yourself  "Strega" or Pagan really. The fashion look references pagan symbols (Pentacles) and definitely has an old world witchy look to it. This is where the controversy lies. Some people might be drawn to the look because it looks Gothic, mysterious, or edgy and end up piling on the pentacles, crystals, and Ouija accessories without even knowing what they represent. You can certainly understand how wearing spiritual and religious symbols without knowing the significance of them could be insulting to those that follow the Pagan faith. I identify myself as a Pagan and as a witch. It took me many years to come out of the broom closet. I don't wear my pentacles lightly. They have great meaning to me. That being said, I can't help but think that these young girls or guys are drawn to this fashion trend for a reason. We all start somewhere. And I hope that they will do some research into the spiritualism behind the fashion trend by finding a local Metaphysical or Wicca shop and take some classes to see what Wicca has to offer. Be sure to read loads of books on the topic. And when you think you know everything there is to know on the topic, then read some more. It takes a lifetime to learn but it is a worthwhile journey that will lead you to enlightenment. My advise to the young fashionistas that want to give this trend a go is that you should be true to yourself. This goes for any fashion trend, but rings especially true for this one because it delves into religious symbolism. Are you being true to yourself? Does the symbolism resonate with you? If so, then I wholeheartedly believe you should follow your gut instinct and wear whatever you want to wear. 

This above all: to thine own self be true,
And it must follow, as the night the day,
Thou canst not then be false to any man. 

-William Shakespeare 

So back to the fashion! Although I wear Dark Mori or Strega style fashion often, I prefer not to label myself that way. In fact, I think we should throw out all these silly labels all together! Why do we feel the need to define every fashion trend in such precise detail anyway? Why must we bloggers treat every new style like its a handbook on how to look or live? Just follow your instinct and mix and match whatever looks you want to. Start your own trend. Be original!

Here is what I wore out today. I am actually wearing some colour for a change! woo-hoo! And sorry I look so angry. I promise I wasn't! 

Chunky knit scarf and fingerless gloves by Stitch Noir
Purple Faery Sweater by myself
long lacy skirt was thrifted ages ago

I've also gathered a few images from Pinterest in order to show some proper examples of Strega Fashion. I apologize if any of these pics are from personal blogs. 

I have these hair clips and Grimoire purse. They are from Curiology on Etsy. 

Helena Bonham Carter. I love her style!

And Stevie Nicks:

I'm pretty sure I had a big tapestry purse just like this in highschool. I loved it because it would hold all my books. I always had my nose in a book in highschool. 

I really need to own these boots! I love them. 

2015: The Year in Review

2015 has come and gone. And what a strange year it was for me. The last few months have flown by in a blur. In fact, this past year was far too busy for my liking. Like most women do, I took on way too much. I've come to realize it's all about the quality of life not the quantity. In my rush I missed out on quality time that I would normally spend with family and friends. I tried to spread myself too thin and ended up over scheduling every free moment I had. Sure I had some new adventures and met a lot of amazing and wonderful people this past year but the whole time I felt like a hamster on a wheel. I was running as fast as I could and still managed to get no where near my goal. By the time December came along, I thought I need to make some serious changes in 2016! 

I started to think about what I really wanted in life. What are my goals? Where am I headed in life? I had hardly taken the time to even think that through. In short, I started to do some serious shadow work through the holidays. Here are just a few things I need to change in my life this year. 

1) Make time for fun! This is the most important item on this list. I mean really...What is life really about if you're missing all the fun? If you're rushing through life not paying attention to the little things that really matter? I missed some important opportunities to spend time with my family this past year and that needs to change! I'm going to make time for fun! This includes things like take my dog for long hikes, take my son to Fan Expo, ride my mountain bike more often, spend long leisurely sundays in the Camaro, go to midnight movies downtown, dress up more often for events, travel to new places, and enjoy all that life has to offer by being more spontaneous in general. I love going places at the last minute. In fact, yesterday I went to a local Psychic Fair with a few friends and had a great time meeting new people. 

2) Learn new stuff! I've been on a spiritual journey for the past few years. I've been taking classes at my local Wicca Shop and soaking up as much information as I can. Currently I'm taking a spell casting class on Saturday mornings. It's amazing to meet new people that are interested in similar things. Finding a group of people that I am completely comfortable with and can be my true self with is priceless. I have always been an avid reader and researcher. If I find a topic interesting I will research it to death until I become an expert on that topic. Right now I am fascinated at learning all I can about the ancient Pagan Religions and Occultism. It is such a vast topic that I don't think I will ever learn all there is to know. Who could? I'm also doing some research into my family history. Hopefully I can plan a trip to North Carolina this year and see the small towns my parents grew up in. A very wise man once told me that you can not know where you are going until you know where you came from. 

3) Be Creative! I've been wanting to make some larger projects that require more time for a while now. I'd like to make at least a few of the large scale designs that have been swimming in my head for years now. I really want them to become a reality this year. I'm also moving forward with my business this year.  I want to expand into Home Decor again. I was a professional decorator/stylist for years and my love for home design needs to be satisfied again. I hope to make some more quilts and other decor items for sale very soon. In the mean time, here are a few items from my Etsy Store. :)

The wind was really picking up in that last photo. Lol. 

4) Get Organized! Speaking of home decorating, my poor house has been severely neglected the past few years. I always spend far too much time working on everything but what I actually should be doing! Maybe you've noticed I've been a little absent from my blog lately. When I get too distracted with social media (Facebook and Pinterest- I'm looking at you!) I waste too much time surfing. Well, last month I unplugged more often and finally did some cleaning and organizing around the house instead. I still have a long way to go though. There are boxes in the basement that have never been unpacked in at least 10 years. Yikes! 

5) Enjoy Nature! I've always loved wandering in the woods. This year I intend to make more time for outdoor activities like hiking or gardening. I also love mountain biking. However, I should say I'm not in it for the exercise. I just love being in the woods. Getting fit is just a nice side effect of loving the outdoors. When I was little I would spend the entire summer exploring the marshy woods by my house or walking on the rocky beaches. I'm a west coast girl at heart so that means I'm a Tree Hugger through and through. 

Basically I just want to spend this next year doing what I love to do and get back to what's truly important to me!