Outfit #15

Untitled #93 by labelleestlabete

Another casual work outfit today. This is a set that I made for my old job, which didn't have a dress code (it was in the tech industry, so a dress code was pretty fruitless).
I'm using similar items to the sets here and here, but replacing the jeans with elastic-waisted trousers. I normally wear these with a longer top because they can be a bit unflattering just below the waistband. 
I used a different scarf this time, from Chan Luu. It's cashmere and silk and it's the best scarf I've ever bought. It never fails me.
I added cowboy boots to stop the trousers looking too uncool (elastic waist, remember), and added the trusty Boda Skins jacket.

Outfit #14

Untitled #82 by labelleestlabete

I built this outfit around the leather jacket - it's slightly oversized, so I kept the jeans close-fitting to stay in line with the tight/loose theory we looked at here. 
I used a white sweater to keep the outfit from being too monochrome, and to make the detail of the jacket stand out more. 

The belt is the same one I used here, as well as a similar sweater in black. 
The boots are from Frye, and are about halfway between a cowboy boot and a biker boot, which is interesting.
I love boots and shoes with lots of detail and a quite "hard" look - my favourite brand is New Rock, which have become a staple of the goth scene. New Rock for looks, and Demonia for comfort.

Outfit #13

Untitled #83 by labelleestlabete

I made this set because I got a new coat from Khujo. I really needed a good, solid coat in Germany because the winter is so unpredictable. A few years ago, a big snowstorm hit Europe (the one that shut down all transportation for 3 days) and the snow would go halfway up your leg. Praise be unto combat boots, I say.

I'm not using combat boots in this set, but this sneaker-boot style from Demobaza. They're more interesting than a simple boot or sneaker, but more comfortable than breaking in a new pair of boots. I talked about Demobaza earlier in the Headhunter post. 
A tip I learnt recently was that if your new boots are rubbing at the heel and causing blisters, tighten your laces right up at the toe end. I tried it with my newer combat boots and they didn't budge after that. No more preemptive plasters!

I used a dark denim to match the coat, and a black-and-white scarf to add contrast to the outfit.

Outfit #12

Untitled #98 by labelleestlabete

Oh goodness, are we using something other than solid black today?!

I came up with this outfit while playing Style Boutique, and the top is very similar to one that was in the "cool" section. I made it per in-game customer request, which is great for thinking up new ideas. They all talk too damn much, though, which leads to mashing of the A button and then missing what they wanted and having to read it all again. Fun times.

Because the top is long, I used leggings instead of jeans. I don't especially like wearing leggings as pants, because if the fabric is a bit thin, your undies show. Lulu Lemon had this problem with their yoga pants a while ago. Under a long top, though, the issue disappears completely (and literally).

For jewellery, I used the square bracelet from Rebecca's Elizabeth range, and headband with a buckle to match the bag.

The boots are from American Eagle, but you can find pretty much the same style on Ebay. I'm not normally a huge fan of fringes on clothing (it makes me think of either line dancing or Coachella, neither of which are my thing), but these are pretty damn cute. 

So, to sum up - I recreated an outfit from a video game. Not sure how I feel about myself right now.

Outfit #11

Untitled #73 by labelleestlabete

Today's outfit started with the trousers. I really like the Lagenlook style from Germany - the best way  I can describe it is "high school art teacher". Lots of long, flowing layers and soft fabrics, usually in natural and/or neutral shades. The aspect that I'm using here is a more "gothic Lagenlook" style - it keeps the "long and loose" silhouette, but with a darker palette and slightly more industrial fabrics, like parachute material or ripstop. I can't remember who designed these trousers, but I found them on Ebay and really considered buying them. I didn't, in the end, because my closet was already overflowing, but I still like the look of them.

The rest of the outfit deviates from Lagenlook by dispensing with the flowing fabrics. I subscribe to the theory that if you are wearing a tight-fitting top, like this Adidas hoodie, you should go for a looser-fitting trouser or skirt, and vice-versa. The trousers in this outfit are loose-fitting in the leg, so in order to balance the balloon shape, the top should have a contrasting fit. Of course, the bodycon trend threw this theory out of the window, so perhaps take my advice with a grain of salt!

Outfit #10

Untitled #90 by labelleestlabete

A bit more of an "evening" look today. I really like the idea of wearing something like a dress, but a bit more interesting than a top+trousers.
The corset-style belt pulls in the waist a further than the narrow belt, and the bracelet matches the bow detail. The other bracelet, by Yves Saint Laurent, and the Topshop necklace constrast with the bow details to stop it looking too cutesy, and the heels help to stop your legs looking stumpy where the trousers stop.
And of course, the Boda Skins jacket makes yet another appearance. I didn't want to go with a more "evening" fabric for the jacket to keep the clothing from being layers of crepe or matte fabrics, so I added a leather jacket to break it up a bit (and go with the accessories).

The one issue with the jumpsuit-as-normal-clothing idea is that nobody has managed to come up with a method by  which you can use the ladies' room without having to get halfway undressed. They look so cool in magazine spreads, but they are pretty impractical if you're out all day or at a party for more than a couple of hours. This is probably why the clearance racks were loaded with them a couple of years ago - everyone likes them, but nobody actually wants to wear one. The one in the set is by Coast - they do make really lovely evening wear, but I don't think this was their most popular.

Outfit #9

Cashmere Snake by labelleestlabete

This is a pretty old set - they're building up on my Polyvore, so I sort of gave up naming them all after a while.

This set was based around the Theory shorts and the Rick Owens sweater. I love sweaters with extra-long sleeves, because I'm 5'11" (180cm) with the obligatory long arms. People often say they'd like to be taller, but it's not really that great. You have to choose tops and sweaters with care, otherwise it looks like they shrank in the wash. The cropped sweater trend was a nightmare of finding something you really like, then checking it out in the mirror and realising you look like you shop in the kids' section.*
Ditto trousers - capri pants are usually acceptable, but pegged or ankle-length trousers look daft unless you're wearing heels or boots.
So, that's why I like extra-long everything - it makes me look less giraffe-like. It's the same principle as the "huge bag, huge sunglasses, big floppy hat" trend from a couple of years ago: if all your accessories are huge, you look smaller in comparison. There's a hint of Lewis Carroll about the whole thing, IMO.


*(Confession: I actually do shop in the kid's section on occasion. They often go up to sizes for 13-15 year olds - in fact H&M have a lot of things that will even fit giraffes like me. You have to trawl through a lot of glittery pink gear, but there's good stuff to be found. Their boys' T-shirts are pretty awesome too. Also, if you have a Primark near you, the best T-shirts are in men's section.)

Outfit #8

Untitled #109 by labelleestlabete

Another high-low mix today, which I talked about a bit in this post. The hat, harem pants and long-sleeved top are all from fast fashion stores, and other items are slightly more...pricey. That's the thing with Polyvore - you click through all the available items and think to yourself "Oh, that's awesome! I wonder how much it...900 dollary-doos?!". And then you embark on the journey to find a duplicate, or something close enough.

The cardigan is now showing as "out of stock", so it could be hard to get the real deal.
It's priced at $300 (€275), but the design is very simple. If you know how to knit, it wouldn't be hard to make one. It looks like an aran-weight yarn (10 ply), and everything is knitted in the round, using circular needles. The body is done in garter stitch, and the collar and cuffs are ribbed (not sure which rib pattern - maybe a 3x2?).
According to the product description, it's made of alpaca wool, which can be pricey. I would estimate a materials cost of approximately $90 (€80) using alpaca, but you could use something like merino wool, which would cost you something like half that price. Look for "superwash" merino, so you can put it in the washing machine (believe me, there are few things more tedious than hand-washing and drip-drying knitwear, especially if it's thick and heavy. Looking at you, aran sweater - I remember you taking a week to get properly dry).

Outfit #7 (Headhunter)

Headhunter by labelleestlabete

The All Saints scarf made an appearance in my very first post here - I really like this type of big, soft knitted scarf. Blanket scarves are everywhere this winter, and there's enough fabric in this one to keep drafts off your shoulders as well as your neck.
The Hades boots were used in an earlier outfit and I think they help to keep an otherwise plain outfit eye-catching. 
The bracelet is called the Throwing Star cuff by Lynn Ban, which fits in nicely with this "classy ninja" thing. 
The jacket by Demobaza is one of my favourite things (I actually have a product from a set in my wardrobe! Hooray!) - if you want something from them, I'd recommend going up a size as they seem to run a bit small.
Incidentally, this is one of the few sets with a title - I was listening to Front 242's "Headhunter" and built the outfit with a (hopefully) similar vibe.

Outfit #6

Untitled #96 by labelleestlabete

Boda Skins jacket, once again. It really does go with everything.

Cowboy boots also work in a lot of outfits, and I think they go really well with straight or skinny jeans. These jeans are black, because most of my wardrobe is, but a dark or indigo wash would also look good.

This belt is from Asos, but it's really similar to one I got when I lived in Frankfurt. Downstairs in one of the train stations was a shop that sold belts and other leather goods, and if you didn't like any of the belts on display, you could pick out a strap and buckle that you did like and the owner would put them together for you. I have 3 belts from there and they still look as good as new.

A basic black sweater is a must-have for everyday goth wear. This one is Rag and Bone, but mine is one that I made a few years ago. I haven't made a sweater since, because I have a bad habit of losing interest halfway through (and I hate sewing seams on knitting). Also, ribbed sweaters will keep you really warm, but changing from knit to purl every few stitches makes the whole thing take longer (see above about getting bored before finishing), and if you aren't paying attention, you end up with wonky ribs and you have to unravel a few rows, which is just plain annoying.

Outfit #5

Untitled #99 by labelleestlabete

I started with the boots on this one and worked upwards. This style of boot has been really popular among goths for a few years - if your legs are aching from the 4" platforms, this can be a nice change. I wanted a jacket to match them, so I found this Missoni blazer and gold Chanel cuff. Since there are a lot of details in this look, I kept everything else basic to bring the accents out.

Outfit #4

Untitled #97 by labelleestlabete

The Boda Skins jacket makes another appearance. This was a pretty typical work outfit at my last job - we weren't customer-facing, so anything went. My skull-print scarf got used pretty often, and so did my straight-legged black jeans.
Here's a tip: if you're a full-figured lady, go to the men's section and try on their skinny jeans. You might need to go up a size or two, but they fit more like actual straight jeans than the ones in the women's section. I have to admit, I shop in the men's section a lot. Their T-shirts are just better somehow.

Outfit #3

Untitled #105 by labelleestlabete

This is a set I made recently, after a bit of a break from Polyvore. I started with the coat and built everything from there. The full-skirted silhouette is a big part of the current gothic look, and there are elements of the "high-low" trend from Japan (mixing high-fashion items like the Givenchy bag with fast fashion items like the cropped undershirt and the SheInside coat).

Outfit #2

Untitled #104 by labelleestlabete

I really like this Boda Skins jacket, and I use it in a lot of sets. Usually that tells me I should probably just buy it, but I have at least three leather jackets already. All Saints scarves and those Fly London boots also make a lot of appearances.
I like the effects that Polyvore lets you add to your sets. The grey top doesn't actually have ink spatters on it, but I think it looks better this way.

Outfit #1

This started with the Alexander Wang shorts, then grew from there. I tried using patterned tights, but I like the effect of the solid black ones better. The All Saints wide scarf is great if you live in a place where the weather changes quickly. I live by the beach and it can go from sunshine to hail in half an hour, so I'm getting a lot of mileage out of my (similar) one.
You could also swap the bag and watch for something more feminine, and the high heels for a combat boot if you're going to be walking a lot.

Untitled #107 by labelleestlabete