Personalize Your Look

Finding attractive personalized clothing is difficult. Simple alterations individualize a standard, off-the-rack, outfit. Accessories assist in creating a unique persona.

Goth clothing is typically black; however, incorporating color is a great way to accent personal features. Find body dimensions on "Illusionist: Body Shapes" and then make changes. The video "Alterations" works for my dimensions. I have long-legs and an hourglass figure. Therefore, draw attention to the legs and fit clothing around the waist.

After applying an ivory ribbon around the hem, the dress sags around the waist. A ribbon can bring in the waist and add interest without creating a line around the circumference of the waist. A long body type wants to bring attention to the waist with a belt. A balanced body type (equal leg length compared to torso) wants the line to be around the hips. A person with an apple figure wants to extenuate bust or chest letting the dress hang over the waist.

Add ribbon to the back by pulling the dress out across the width and along the area to be altered. Fold it in half the find the middle, separate the front and back and move a hand up the middle to identify where the ribbon will be placed. Remember the dress needs to go over your head. In this demo, it is brought in a total of four inches; two inches on both sides, plus length of the ribbon.

Move up from the middle, pinch both sides together and sew the sides together. Loosen thread and cut thread in half to leave a noticeable marker with the length of the thread. Use the markers to sew both ends to the dress. Fold excess under and evenly on both sides. Turn ends of the ribbon under to hide them and create a finished look. Now secure the ribbons by stitching it together and knotting thread. Stitching it a few times holds it in place; however, too many stitches are visible. Now the simple dress is fitted around the waist.

Add accessories to dramatize a look. In this example, extenuating the legs is acceptable; therefore, I add black three-fourth leggings, black shirt with a lace collar, ivory boot socks and black flats. Three-fourth leggings create a line around the legs. The black shirt with a lace collar brings attention the face while blending in with the black dress. The ivory boot socks contrast against the black and the black flats to add another level of interest to the feet.

Depending on a persons figure the accessories are applied differently. A person with a pear shape may not want a black dress. A dark violet dress over black leggings brings attention up and away from their hips. A person with a long torso wears full length black leggings and an ivory shirt with a lace collar to balance out the body portions. Mix and match accessories to create a dramatic and attractive look.

The Goth look doesn't have to be bland. Knowing your body type and figure creates a blue print to alter and accessorize clothing. Build layers of accessories to make a look as minimal or exotic as desired. Flare is wonderful. The trick is finding the best application for individual traits.

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Goth Clothes

More than looking great, style is an additional complication when finding acceptable clothing to develop a persona. Individuality is important in Goth Style, yet wearing black is limiting. Working with accessories can be difficult. Goth is known for being edgy, metallic accents turn an average outfit into a work of art.

Growing up I went clubbing at Goth, Industrial or Rave clubs every weekend and sometimes during the week. Enjoying being a woman, some people believe women have to show skin to be attractive. Leaning towards the dramatic elevating basic black to an exciting and feminine persona is complicated, though not impossible.

Comparing androgynous, masculine and feminine types: androgynies wear heavy clothing, while men and women enhance natural features. For example a man may prefer a suit, while a woman prefers a black dress and leggings. Androgynies wear both, yet remain completely clothed from the neck down; except, for hands.

After mastering the underpinning points of fashion according to body-shape, it is easy to accessorize to create a stunning Goth Look to create and ideal fantasy. Even on a budget, basic black is a foundation. The foundation is altered with less expensive accessories. Sometimes accessories include transparent clothing. One of my favorite items is a black jumpsuit. Add a rhinestone jacket for a rock star look. Lose the jacket to wear a large burgundy scarf for a romantic look. Forego either with an oversized transparent long-sleeve white, shirt. The shirt glows in black light. When lighted from behind, it silhouettes the body to create a beautiful industrial look.

Enhance clothes with decorative stitches, buttons or alternating black and white. Apply decorative buttons by removing buttons to be replaced from the shirt or pants. Thread the needle and use the old thread holes to identify the place for new buttons. After anchoring the thread, slide the new button over the thread. Hold the button about a centimeter away from the shirt looping thread through the button and shirt several times to make sure it is in place. Knot excess thread underneath the shirt, where it will not be seen.

Sewing hardware to shirts is another option. The shirt from Tripp already has d-loops installed. Snow chains and a leash are utilized to form a new look. Chains come in a variety of shapes and sizes. Everything can be premade and bought in a store. The artistry is in imaginative usage. Chains are versatile. They can be a necklace, bracelet, anklet, belt and more. Drape them over clothing for an additional layer of expression.

I enjoy sparkling. A cardinal rule of clubbing and going to concerts is to avoid wearing anything expensive or difficult to replace. In a moment a lace shirt, tat vest or angora sweater is ruined. Though these items are wonderful for simulating an Elizabethan look, clubs are filthy after midnight. Clubs should be filled with people having fun and dancing. Goth Style doesn't follow a generalized train of thought. It is creative, spontaneous and an extension of originality. Adding small or large elements greatly enhances an outfit. Hopefully, these images will stimulate ideas to improve outfits.

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