A new website!

Hello everyone!

I have some exciting news in my little corner of the world! I have launched my own website for my handmade clothing line! The new website has a shopping cart so I am no longer tied to Etsy for sales. I will still be selling through Etsy for the time being because Etsy has been very good to me! Here are a few new dresses I've added to the new website and Etsy.

I am keeping this blog separate from the new website because it is strictly for the clothing and accessories that are for sale. I still enjoy posting my own personal outfits here on this blog. So if you have a chance please go and check out the new website and give me some honest feedback on it. I really appreciate it!

https://www.autumnmoonenchantment.com/

Death by Glitter Fashion Show

Well hello there! If I still have any followers out there! I know you probably think I fell off the face of the earth but actually I have just been extremely busy lately. And I would love to show you what I've been up to!

2016 has been a challenging year for me just like most people I know. It started out slow with building my online business on Etsy. I've have been steadily working on it though. This past November I had an opportunity to participate in an amazing Fashion Show with some very talented friends from That's My Drag . The theme was Glam Rock , David Bowie, and Velvet Goldmine. The more glitter the better!

I opted to show off some of my more advanced sewing skills by making some evening gowns that I ordinarily don't have the chance to make. I spent a lot of time and blood, sweat, and tears making these dresses!

My first model was the beautiful and talented Miss Ruby Moon. I wanted Ruby's dress to look like old Hollywood glam. The dress is made from a heavy satin with a sequin shelf bust and thigh high slit. I wanted to up the glitter quotient so I added an over skirt in sequin that Ruby can remove if she wants to. I also added a sweet little capelet in black velvet with sequin appliqué that matches the over skirt. It's a truly timeless and glamorous outfit.

My second model was the fabulous Sapphyre Poisone I went for a sexy androgenous look for Sapphyre. I made a very fitted long velvet dress with an ultra low cut neckline. I emphasized the neckline with handsewn crystals. I topped it with a 20s style cocoon coat in sparkle sequin.

My next model was the talented and gorgeous Athena McQueen. I went with a more gothic witchy look for Athena McQueen, I made a pretty dress with a hi-low hem out of a purple satin with black spiderweb lace overlay. However it was Athena's velvet coat that was the real show stopper. It was a full length coat made from crushed velvet and a corset back. I added feathered trim to the collar for a dramatic effect.

Last but certainly not least was the hostess of the show Victoria Parks in a long fitted velvet dress with a pretty romantic sequin top over it. Victoria has the most amazing taste in jewelry and accessories. And I was delighted when she did a special performance of Stevie Nick's song Stand Back!

And finally that leaves my dress. I've always wanted to make a princess dress so I did! this dress has three layers. Red Chiffon, black chiffon, and a lining in satin. I edged the sleeves in sequin trim for a bit of sparkle and then topped it off with a Stevie Nicks style shawl. You know I had to add a little bit of Stevie in there somewhere!

My make up was done professionally for the show. I love the swirls and the moon. It matched my outfit perfectly!  We had a lot of fun that evening with loads of talented designers and performers. The show was a huge success for everyone involved!

What's an Eldergoth to wear?

Anything she damn well wants to!

Lately I keep seeing these articles circulating Facebook about what women over 30 should and shouldn't wear. It all started with a woman named  Kallie Provencher and one of her articles on Rantchic. Ms. Provencher seems to love writing about what women over 30 should and shouldn't do or wear. I am not even sure if she is over 30 herself since she never mentions her own age. The articles seem to be what I consider click bait. Click bait articles have catchy titles and usually consist of tons of photos with maybe one sentence explaining what you are looking at. They are usually snarky or condescending in some way too. Very little actual writing is involved. And most of the time the writer is well aware that these articles will be controversial. They don't care how many people are offended about the content because the real goal of the article is to get lots of traffic to their site. Remember that old Hollywood saying? Any publicity is good publicity. So it seems Rantchic has been successful in gathering lots of site traffic because those articles have gone viral. Now to be fair these types of lists are nothing new. In fact I remember seeing lists like this in fashion magazines at least 20 years ago. What makes this article especially nauseating is the snarky tone in which it was written. These articles are succesful not because they were good articles, but instead it's the reaction of disgust from women all over the Internet. Women over 30 are pissed off! 

The good news is that articles like these are simply not true. The idea that you have to be under 30 to be stylish or trendy is ridiculous. Blogs like Advanced Style prove what I'm saying is true. In fact, most of my favourite bloggers are over 30. I find they experiment more with mixing trends and they know how to accessorize an outfit better than their younger counterparts. They are truly inspirational in demonstrating that being stylish has nothing to do with age! 

Style is an evolution. It takes a lifetime to curate the perfect wardrobe. You can't just walk into a store at the mall and buy clothes straight off the rack and expect to be stylish. Or click purchase on websites in one night to do it either. It takes dedication in weekly visits to the thrift store for that perfect accessory and regular trips to the vintage boutiques for one of a kind pieces. Being original is what makes older woman look stylish. They have a collection of unique clothing and accessories that they have collected for years and years. 

Another reason I think woman over thirty are more stylish is self confidence. I find the older I get the more confidence I have to wear outfits that are not the norm. Who decided that mature equals boring anyway? You won't believe how many times I hear "I used to dress like that but then I had to grow up" or "I used to dress like that but then I had kids". Why do we put these limitations on ourselves? Why do we feel the need to conform and wear a basic uniform over the age of 30 in order to fit in? Unfortunately mainstream society expects us to tone down our style over a certain age. Some women do it in order to get a better job or to fit in with the soccer moms at their kid's school. I also toned down my outfits in my late 30s in order to fit in. Now, ten years later, I have the confidence to wear whatever I want to once again. 

Fashion is hardly new to ageism. The runway shows have models as young as 14 years old these days and magazines are full of wrinkle cream ads featuring models in their 20s. Even the larger designers rarely use older models. Think about it...the 90s Supermodels are in their 50s now and yet they are seldom used in fashion shows. Those same designer's core customers are probably in their 40s and up. I realize those shows are all about fantasy, but why not show diversity in the models? 

What I find most interesting about this latest round of ageist articles was the tremendous backlash that happened afterwards. I'm not the only blogger to post an article about it. So does this mean that fashion as a whole is evolving? Women seem to have more freedom to wear whatever they want to then any generation before them. Most of us no longer follow fashion trends blindly. That wasn't true even 10 years ago. We pick and choose which trends we want to borrow from or for that matter what decade we want to borrow from. The malls have more diversity than ever before and if we can't find it locally then we can just order it off a website. I predict that street fashion is going to change incredibly very soon. That alternative style will be the new norm. That more and more women over 30 will refuse to conform anymore. They will be free to wear whatever they like, dye their hair bright colours, and stop worrying about whether or not it is age appropriate. The concept of "dressing your age" is so old fashioned! It's time to embrace loving the way you look and feel today! 

Here is some fashion inspiration from some ladies that may or may not be over 30...

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. 

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.