Flights of Fancy: In Search of The Perfect Black Top Hat

  XXXaiva Mini Top Hats $45

Once upon a time, the top hat was a symbol of capitalism and U.S. monopoly; today it is just a playing piece in the game Monopoly and a fashion statement novelty. It conjures up the circus ringmaster, the vaudeville performer, the burlesque teaser, and the cabaret singer. It is the ultimate symbol of theatrical frivolity, worn by men and women alike, and it will never fall out of fashion. 


I went on a hunt to find the best of the plain black top hats available online. Through hundreds of hats of every shape and size, with every conceivable concoction of tacked-on feather and trim, I found a few that caught my fancy; a few that were hand-blocked in a lovely shape, solid black, and not too over-done. 

From the most expensive to the least, here is what I found:

House of Nine Designs-- 'Una'  $425

By far the best top-hat shop on Etsy is the exquisite House of Nines. Hand-blocked and perfectly trimmed, this veiled black top hat may be a bit pricey, but it would be the ultimate find for a classic, high-quality top-hat collection.

Topsy Turvy--The Lady Divina $229

Topsy Turvy makes many carnivalesque and costume hat styles, but this black topper is the most classically-shaped, basic top hat they sell. The netting is not as nice as the House of Nines top hat, but the price is much more affordable.

Topsy Turvy--The Lady Divina $229

Gypsy Lady Hats 'Captain Spaulding'  $145

The second-best Etsy seller for top hats is Gypsy Lady Hats. This designer sells a large number of top hats in gothic and steampunk styles with a shape that says , "let's party!" a little louder. I love the striped versions in velvet and satin, and all of the corset-laced ones. The price is perfect for a custom-made hat. 

Gypsy Lady Hats $135

Noxenlux Chapeaux--Victorian Style Top Hat Trimmed in Red- $125

Another fabulous Etsy shop is Noxenlux Chapeaux, which sells a variety of hat styles with burlesque and stage-performer flare in sequins and jaunty ostrich feathers. I liked these two classic Victorian style top hats with the unusual pleated ribbon detail.

Noxenlux Chapeaux--Victorian Style Top Hat Trimmed in Purple-- $125

The Gypsy Lady--Plain Black Mini-Top Hat $60

Going lower in price still is another Gypsy Lady Hat in velvet--a plain mini-top hat. This would be the perfect basic hat for DIY interchangeable trim for whatever occasion.

Kalandra Jane Designs--Black Velvet Mini-Top Hat $45~

And smaller and cheaper still, I found this adorable hand-blocked mini-hat by Kalandra Jane Designs, available through Ebay. I can afford this one. ;)

Kalandra Jane Designs--Black Velvet Mini-Top Hat $45~

There are also basic black satin or velvet full-size top hats available on Ebay for around $20 and under which are made in China; I've had about 5 of them over the years--they always get  DIY-ified for some specific costume. The shape is OK, but not as pretty and feminine as these hand-blocked ones.

"I'm puttin'on my top hat Tyin'up my white tie Brushin'off my tails"

- Irving originally Israel Baline Berlin

'Top Hat, White Tie and Tails', performed by Fred Astaire in Top Hat.

Do you own a black top hat?

Which of these is your favorite?

.

Bibian Blue Fashion Show Video

Fans of Blade Runner will recognize that the character of 'Rachel' must have been the inspiration for Bibian Blue's 2011 fashion show at her Valencia Fashion Week show.  Bibian Blue continues to experiment with new textures and materials each season, and even though her corsets have grown more and more contemporary and couture, she still somehow remains true to her exquisitely feminine, romantic aesthetic. I'm astonished at the creativity of this designer; she's by far my greatest inspiration! Check out the bolero-neck corsages that sit atop the models' shoulder's separately from the corsets--especially the gray chiffon one with beaded wrists near the end. Breathtaking!

Which is your favorite creation?



.

Hexotica Giveaway!

Dearest fans and followers--it's time for another Hexotica dark cabaret accessories giveaway!

This drawing is for YOUR CHOICE of anything from the Hexotica Web-Store up to $50 with FREE SHIPPING to your door! That would be a pair of pasties and a choker, or a fascinator and a bracelet--anything you like! All you have to do is enter the official 'sweepstakes' form on my Hexotica fan page and comment either on my Facebook fan page or back here under this blog post to tell me what your favorite items are in my shop--not just what you would want to win, but what items do you really like, even if they are above $50.

The giveaway ends next Friday, March 1. Winners will be announced here on my blog next Friday, with their favorite product choice and what they liked about that product shared here.

Good luck!

                                                                                 .

New Hair

One of the reasons I haven't done any outfit posts since I've been back in Melbourne is because my hair needed some TLC ASAP, and I just haven't the time for my old, work-from-home hairstyle--which took an hour to blow-dry the fringe, brush out, hot-roll, pin-up, and wax-gel-spray-whatever in order to have a polished and glossy 'do for a night out. And that was just for a night out! Now that I work full-time again I don't have time for all that, and I also did not want to induce so much damage to it on a daily basis. Yet, I also hate to always have it pinned up or in a pony tail, my fringe a wreck by the end of the day. So, I got new hair!

My friend Fer runs Fer Le Noir, a new Victorian-styled salon in a nearby neighborhood. I'd never had a hair cut from her, so I thought I'd support her new business and check out her skills with a pair of scissors, with a bottle of wine of course. 

I had about 20 cm/ 8" cut off, and am allowing my fringe to grow out so that I can do a daily 1930's styled marcel-wave set overnight, which is easy as pie and takes no time at all, yet stays in place in a nice wavy fall for 2-3 days. Unlike most hair stylists, Fer did not break out the dreaded hair straightener, but actually curled and styled my hair as close to the picture that I brought in for her to work by. My hair is very thin and the day was very humid, so the curls did not stay in quite so well, but I was impressed that she could do as much as she did with my fringe in just 15 minutes or so. 


I'm definitely making her my regular stylist now, and am planning to have even more cut off on my next visit. It's been super easy and quick to have a nice daily style for work now with shorter hair. I'm not missing my long hair in the least! 


I highly recommend Fer Le Noir to anyone in the Melbourne area. Her cuts are very reasonably priced, she uses all organic hair products, and she is a fantastic conversationalist to boot! :)

Have you made any changes to your hair lately?

.

Rouge Fonce - 'Devious Eyes'

In the mood for sultry, seductive, silkiness? 

Rouge Foncé are a dark cabaret, five-piece rock band from Melbourne. With provocative vocals, haunting melodies, and macabre storytelling, Rouge Foncé brings together the worlds of rock and burlesque. They often have burlesque noir dancer Kerryx perform during their set. This video, released in January, was filmed at our lovely Burlesque Bar, Fitzroy.

"Once described as “The Dresden Dolls meets Hole”, their live show is not one to be missed."

I haven't seen them live yet but I think they would be fun; the Burlesque Bar is always a blast-- from what I can remember from the times I've been!

It seems Melbourne is a hive for dark cabaret right now--I've come back to hear half of my friends say they have had sightings of Amanda Palmer, who is currently living in my part of town for the next couple of months while recording a new album. She's doing stuff all over town--even a free ukelele performance in our town square last night!  I have tickets to see her perform up the street on the 28th. And last weekend Voltaire was in town, though sadly I missed him as I had friends to catch up with. Best of all, there is a new cabaret club that is scheduled to open in March, Bohemia. It looks fantastically decadent--I can't wait to see it!

.

Hexotica Stores Are Open Again!

After a two-month hiatus while I visited my family in the U.S., my online stores are back open and in full swing again!

Picture By Daniel Bostrom. Model is wearing Hexotica's Ravishing Ruffles Choker and Strolling Seduction marabou garter.

As before, every Friday I will post about a featured product, event, or an awesome prize giveaway. Only, for the next couple of months there may not be a regular flow of new designs, as I am currently working full-time, in order to help my boyfriend begin his freelance architecture and graphic design business, S||N Architecture and Design, as well as to do some new projects, photo shoots, and more offline marketing. In other words, because I'll be working my little tail off, it may be a while before you see the new stuff! (By the way, anyone need an architect or graphic designer??) heh heh.


So, if you you are either a long-time or new reader and have never browsed through the hundreds of handmade pretties that I create, go take a peek now and tell me what you like, back here or on my Facebook page! (Cue operator's voice) Your feedback is very important to me, and keeps me motivated and inspired to keep creating! :D 



All of my handmade dark cabaret fascinators, garters, chokers, cuff bracelets, beaded necklaces, nipple pasties, parasols, and other accessories are available through my:

Web-Store

Etsy Store

Ebay Store

Or you can order directly by contacting me on my Facebook page or email.

Thank-you for your support!

                                                                                   .

Flights of Fancy: Shopping for Cabaret Goth Clothing Online

Where are the best places online to buy new, unique clothing in a Cabaret Goth style? 

Though some designers and fashion houses occasionally create some great pieces in a Cabaret Goth style, there are only a few that consistently produce a full range of clothing entirely in this niche. Here are my absolute favorites:

First, close to home, is Dark Muse Corsetry, based in Sydney, Australia. 

DMC not only have a variety of  steel-boned corsets, they also have various bustle and skirt styles, ruffled bolero jackets and headwear. 

The quality is outstanding and the prices are very affordable. What I love about DCM most is their choice in fabrics, prints, and simplicity in design. I have more than a few pieces of theirs on my wish list for this year. Custom-made clothing can be ordered through their Facebook page or web-site.

Next,  Love Child Boudoir reigns supreme as the leading Cabaret Goth designer, making a mix of clothing self-described as "Where Tim Burton meets Dita Von Teese".  LCB started off up-cycling pre-loved lingerie, jackets, skirts, and pants, adding ruffles and corseted ribbons, but now they also make new bustles, skirts, boleros, and tulle shawls and accessories. This designer has been copied relentlessly by a million Etsy sellers without as much imagination and often with a complete lack of shame; replicating the clothing and pictures exactly. Even Leg Avenue has copied LCB's bustle design, though they make their copy looks limp and cheap!

Love Child Boudoir striped bustle

Love Child Boudoir Up-cycled Ruffled Jacket

Another brand that consistently makes cabaret-goth clothing is Decadent Designs on Etsy.

Decadent Designs makes every piece feminine and dark, all custom made to suit your size. 

I love the edginess and lines of their designs, and some of the pvc designs are just stunning, like this jacket, the best pvc jacket available online by far:

Do you know of any other brands that fit the description Cabaret Goth, with almost everything they make fitting this niche style? I'd love to know them!

.

Travel: Hotels in L.A. and the Sabeto Mountains, Fiji

My journey back to Australia took four long days. I had super bad-luck with all of my flights--four out of four flights with the Fijian airline Air Pacific were delayed--out of Melbourne, out of Fiji, and two months later, out of L.A. and out of Fiji again. What crazy bad luck! At least I got put up in a Marriot Hotel for the 13 hour overnight delay out of L.A.!  I had enough time to enjoy a fine dinner with a generous voucher, do yoga in the morning, then order breakfast in my room with another voucher.

My fruit platter, bagel, and fresh coffee at the Marriot, L.A.

A small view of Los Angeles

The beautiful abstract photography hotel wall art in my room...

After a 10 hour flight, it was back to Fiji, arriving late at night in the pouring rain. Just a week before Fiji had had massive flash floods, and the little town of Nadi I had visited previously had been waist-deep in water. My opportunity to visit the local orchard garden had been blighted, but I still enjoyed the lovely hotel I stayed at in the foothills of the Sabeto Mountains. The drive out to it was on a road of more pot-holes than road, and leaping frogs crossing every which direction.

The views from my window were breathtaking!

As I was the only guest at the time, the lovely owner upgraded my room to her best suite. It wasn't air-conditioned, but as it was the cool season in Fiji it felt fine; just warm and comfortably humid. I spent the night under this romantic mosquito net listening to the rain, enjoying the breeze through the open windows and the ceiling fan. It was heavenly!

I spent most of the afternoon sipping coffee at the hotel restaurant and petting some of the owner's super friendly six cats and five dogs. I love staying at hotels with this kind of character and friendliness.

I don't say this about a lot of places, but I really want to come back to the Stoney Creek Hotel in Fiji someday. It was just so peaceful and beautiful, and I'd love to see that nearby orchard garden. Perhaps after an island-hopping visit, it would be an ideal place to unwind before flying out. It's much prettier than most of the hotels near the Nadi airport.

BIG SURPRISE: the fourth, final fucking flight was delayed by six hours!!! Luckily, it wasn't overnight this time. I spent the hours writing in my diary and having a couple of Fiji beers. My free meal ticket number: 13! Huh!


So that was my journey there and back again. I'm back in Melbourne now, re-adjusting to summer having come straight out of winter in Atlanta. There's friends to catch up with, clubbing to be had, a March birthday party to plan, and a couple of dear friends' big-ass wedding coming up, with one of my best friends returning for it from London for a couple of weeks. Oh, and getting back into full-time work after years working for myself, mostly. But best of all for my dear blog followers--things will be back to normal around here, and I'll finally get to show off all the awesome clothing I bought in the U.S.!  ;D






                                                                                          .

Weekly Outfit: Farewell, America

On my last evening in Atlanta with my family, I managed to get some photos of a new outfit I put together for my farewell party. Though I did a lot of shopping, I couldn't coordinate many things very well, but this simple outfit worked well for a very domestic celebration among children, dogs, tea, and a lot of desserts.

These are the vintage earrings I bought in Helen, Georgia. I collect old clip-ons like these now--I just love how huge and grandmotherly they are.

Everything worked well around this gorgeous embroidered skirt I found at a Goodwill. My love of colorful prints on black got really out of hand on my visit in the U.S.! But I found such cool stuff...

Like these sparkling black-glitter ballet flats, which were brand new at only $4. I'm such a bargain shopper!

By the way, all these pics were taken while I was cooking a warm sticky date pudding for my family. The idea was an after-dinner, all-coffee, tea and desserts get together. Everyone brought good joe or something sweet, so I thought I'd make my favorite Australian dessert because nobody had had it before and it's the bomb.

Our desserts and tea table. I had to fight back everyone to get a picture of it before it was all gone--it was so mouth-watering to look at!

Me again, grinning with my sugar buzz.

My shoes agian, because I really adore the sparklies in life.

Whole outfit. I'm wearing a teal-colored tee under a fur-trimmed cardigan with an elastic waist belt.

And this is a picture of the room I've been staying at in my mother's house for the last two months. The bed is the same one I grew up in; my younger sister and I had a matching set in the room we shared up until I was 14. I bought the vanity myself with allowance money when I was 15. This room is now my nieces' room when she stays with my mother--I would never have lived in a yellow room!

 And this is my beloved jewelry armoire, my sweet sixteen birthday gift. I miss it terrible because there are NO armoires like it in Australia. There are some very small ones, but none this big or well-made. I am going to have it shipped to Australia this year to finally replace the makeshift-armoire/bathroom cabinet I've been storing my jewelry in for the last 5 years. See my old post on jewelry armoires here to know what I'm talking about. I love armoires!

My sister-in-law very kindly gave me a set of my deceased grandmother's vintage jewelry; a jade-green agate necklace and matching bracelet. It matches a little witch I found in my niece's toy box nicely.

Forlorn-looking face captures how I really felt. I'm not happy to be leaving Atlanta. It may be years before I see all my family again. It always hurts to say good-bye. My mother visits almost every year, but none of the rest of family can get away. 

Anyway, it was a great trip. I caught up with my family, did a bit of travel and touristy stuff, bought lots of nice gifts and thrifted finds, and I enjoyed having the time to blog, read, and go through all of my old junk in order to have it ready to ship to Australia. Now to go home and pay for it all!

Outfit details:

Sweater, skirt, shoes: Thrifted

Teal tee: Wal-Mart (I had a gift certificate!)

Earrings: Antique shop in Helen, Georgia

.