What would you like to see more of?

Tuesday, January 13

"Dread" seller review; Elysee Star

This one might turn out pretty damned sarcastic as I'm sure everyone knows now how wanky their products are...

Don't believe me? Have a butchers at the wigs on their site; Seriously.

Most people end up getting their first ever synthetic "dreads" from them after finding the styles online and wanting that look right just now, but not having the know-how, connections or sense to look for a proper and reputable seller and dread maker.

As such, people end up with thin, and pretty crappy looking machine twisted dreads, they are not dreads really, just twisted hair.

I've had the misfortune of attempting to put these in both wigs and my own hair, and they don't look nice at all, far too shiny, there is also zilch volume to them and they are really squishy and bendy.

They are also kind of over-priced for what they are, they unravel very quickly and they are super thin, handmade dreads last longer, are a lot more durable and just look a whole lot nicer!
Elysee are not even good for a full head install, as you need between eight to twelve packs of them to get a full head, they still look damned thin, and at the price of £9.99 for only ten of the buggers you will end up paying between £79.92 - £119.98, for those prices you can get much better sets!

A typical eBay listing - they are just very "meh".

I would put your tenner to better use, like towards an accent kit from a reputable seller, whose dreads are handmade and beautiful! Or indeed, use your tenner as part of a payment plan, most dread sellers accept them!

I think I would only use Elysee if I wanted some little dreads for a one night only sort of thing, or to pick apart to use the hair for something else instead.

xx

Monday, January 12

So I'm gonna be posting a series of reviews on all the different dread sellers, makers and companies I have ever bought from, what I received from them, whether it was what I wanted, how long it took, the good, the bad and the ugly basically :)

These are the things I am covering;

Synthetic dreadlocks
Human hair dreadlock extensions
Synthetic dreadlock hair falls
Wool hair falls
Dread wigs
Machine made/twisted dreads

Some people you can expect to see are;

Devilish Dos/Rebellion Hair Extensions
Hybrid Hair
Dollylox Dreads 
Funky Rapunzels
Plastikated Cyanide Hairfalls
Dawn of the Dread Dreadlock Design 
Elysee Star 
Doctored Locks
Dreaded Glory by Asphyxia Hair
Headrazor
Lady Dragonair
The Foxes Treasure Dreads

I'm fully aware that not all these experiences have been positive ones (though the majority have), and I'm putting this here to remind anyone featured above that I am going to be 100% honest, so if something in your craft, service or communication was lacking then I will be noting it down so other potential buyers can see it, not every transaction will be perfect, but some have left a lot to be desired...I'm not meaning to purposefully upset you, but I will be honest about our transaction.
Please remember that if the words of a customer have hurt your feelings, then you might need to up your selling game. 

Peace.



Tuesday, September 30

*~~Dressing for confidence: Part One; Collectif~~*

Hey all! Today I've decided to write this little bit down, as I know a lot of other ladies that are into fifties/reproduction or Rockabilly styles often have a real hard time finding things that fit the aesthetics of the look, or they are unsure where to shop and not get ripped off by things masquerading as UK brands and sizes when in reality they are coming from China!

Now, Rockabilly looks a hell of a lot better when worn with confidence, and once you have everything put together then trust me you really will look amazing!
A smile pulls any outfit together :)

This blog post is mainly aimed at ladies in the UK (with regard to the links I will use!) Although if you like I can do an international or specific country post if needed!

Now there are a lot of stores online where you can get some pretty darn fabulous clothing and accessories, the most obvious and frequented of these is;

Collectif

Say the word "Collectif" to any rockin' lady and her eyes will glaze slightly and you may even see a little bit of drool. Collectif makes some absolutely gorgeous clothing, but as it is the best for Fifties looks, it can be a bit more pricey, though they do have a lot of sales, and the clothes really are worth the price!

However, there are some negative aspects, such as prices of accessories and postage costs, which I will also cover :)

Their clothing really makes for a beautiful, ladylike look!

Their clothes are a little less loud than a lot of us wear, as they go more for Fifties reproduction than what we know as Rockabilly, however with the right accessories and makeup they most definitely can be jazzed up!

Take this blouse for instance, paired with pale blues or pinks it'll make it stand out so much more than when paired with darker colours. Finish the look with pink cheeks, white accessories and you're good to go!

For example, right now they have the most stunning coats all ready for A/W14! I have been eyeing them up for a while thinking that surely someone but love me enough to get me that green one as a Christmas present!

Okay the shoes are absolutely terrible for that style, but you get the idea right?!

They also do most everything in a range of different sizes, which is great! I always err on the side of caution at a size 12 and usually get a 12/14 to make sure I have the perfect fit for the larger breasticles.


Come on, you know you're gonna have a look :3

They have some amazing fitted and flared dresses, (I myself prefer flared) so that there will be something that suits your shape, but if you're a little worried about it and need some help then feel free to message or send me an email :)
...

Fitted glory! But more sailor needed for my liking!

Now the photo above is a great example of how good a fitted dress can look, and they really do fit any shape or size, so don't be nervous if you know people can see your belly, they are too busy thinking "Gosh what a lovely dress!" to notice, or indeed you'll look that fabulous that you won't even care!

I actually prefer fitted dresses like this on bigger ladies, even though they are usually lax to wear them! At my size (12-14) I feel an hourglass shape really looks amazing in dresses like this, and as it's a higher cut at the top, even better for pear shaped ladies!

Advantages of the fitted dress;

#1 - they make your legs look so long due to the tapering of the skirt!
#2 - They look freaking fabulous with heels or flats!
#3 - extra buttons and pockets can draw attention away from areas you aren't so keen on.

Now if you feel a fitted dress won't suit you, or your confidence is not ready for anything too figure-hugging right now, try a flared dress instead!


This photo right here just embodies perfection for me, wowzer! Beautiful accessories all tied in to the dress colour-scheme, that's an A+ right there!

Now these kinds of dresses can be worn with or without a nice puffy petticoat, but really, they are so much more fun with one, and of course, when you sit down you feel like a princess ^_^
My proudest moment in my huge swing petti was taking up two seats on the bus!

However, please Collectif shoot your stylist for making this poor lady wear a bandana with a going out dress!

These sorts of dresses really do suit any size or shape, and they are so very easy to obtain in different dress sizes, colours and levels of dramatics!

I myself prefer to keep things a little simple, have the dress as the loudest part and then matching accessories in the base colours :) it just gives a more pulled-together feel in my opinion.

Advantages of the flared dress;

#1 - add a huge petti and get instant teeny tiny waist!
#2 - every size and colour imaginable and obtainable!
#3 - very easy to dress up for a night out, or down for a simple picnic!
#4 - halter tie neck dresses make the boobies look wonderful!

Have I made you love Collectif yet? If not, now you can gush over the accessories with me, muhahaha!

IT'S GOT FREAKING STRAWBERRIES ON IT!!

Now I honestly would not recommend buying hair flowers and accessories from Collectif, simply because you can get the exact same things on eBay for a lot less money shock horror! But if you're a serious brand whore or you're owed a nice prezzie then some of these are perfect!

Plus sometimes a lady just needs a £12 hair flower...for the strawberries.

So cute!

Now these are amazing, and they're only a fiver whilst being made entirely from velvet, so I think that's a pretty fair price really :)
And all Rockabilly ladies will attest to the fact that you can never have enough hair flowers!


Now some of the bags can be super expensive as well, but I know a lot of ladies hate to skimp on their bags! Plus you know...Christmas is a'coming!

This cute little number will work perfectly with pretty much anything, especially black, white or red outfits, and cherry print dresses!

I'm not overly impressed with Collectif's range of bags to be honest, sadly this was the only one that caught my eye.


Now once again, Collectif is kind of taking the piss with their prices when it comes to the accessories...as I have these exact earrings but they came from eBay at the price of £2 and free postage!


Same can be said for these too, £5 really is too much for these, and you can find the same from a lot of UK eBay sellers :)

Saying that though, I do really love the bamboo hoop earrings that they do, and I haven't seen those anywhere else! I'm not overly sure I would be prepared £7 for them though!

Every other accessory is priced between sort-of-reasonable to just-plain-silly, so honestly, best save their bits and bobs to a wish list for Christmas and just get yourself the clothing!

Postage;

Now here is where things carry on being pretty darn silly, their postage for orders under £150 is £5.50...most places where I get my dresses online, including eBay, it's anywhere from £2.80 to £4 for tracked items. Once you get to the checkout it just feels as if they really are trying to squeeze you for all your are worth :(

They use Royal Mail First Class Signed For delivery, which I know for a bloody fact does not cost that much! Something like free delivery would really help attract more customers, and get them more profits in the long run, I really hope they look into it soon as it is the main thing that puts me off buying anything else...

However, their clothing is really worth the money, looks absolutely amazing (although not always Rockabilly enough for my liking), and they make a good statement piece!

I've also gathered up some links for you to make your own mind up;

Reviews; Can be seen here however all the recent ones are pretty negative which makes me split into two minds about buying anything, sounds like they are really messing people around with the coats!

xx

Sunday, September 28

Perfectly pin-up locks!

So as you know, I wear wigs every single day, and have styled and shaped them into various rockabilly styles, some not so great to some I'm really proud of, hope you wanna have a look :)

Also included some hair ideas! Maybe you're stuck for some cute hair, but don't worry -I've got you covered :D

My own hair;

So this is the first sort of roll I ever did, and they went too sort of long and cylinder shaped, but in the end I really liked them! Wasn't able to pick a hair flower that day so just bunged a few altogether, not my best moment xD very much a fluke though, haven't been able to get it right again!


I honestly hate how many piercings I had back then, they didn't suit me at all! Also I made the rather embarrassing faux-pas of ratty straight ends!


I wasn't really overly confident with regards to the rockabilly style back then so I just looked way too mismatched and rushed.

***


Now this I'm way more proud of! I miss this wig so much it hurts, although it annoys me that you could see the bloody clips when I did this!
I'm not great at central fringes so pulled this to the side, and to be fair it was pretty cute :)


Now if anyone sees a wig this shocking red again please link me!

***
Perfect pin-up locks

Victory rolls


Now these are a firm favourite as they really transform your look so easily! And honestly, they are not that hard to do on real hair! I'll be attempting these on my current red wig tomorrow, so I'll post some results for you, as I seem to be better at burlesque rolls!


Even found a cute little tutorial showing you how! 
Victory rolls really put the lady in your look, they look so much more mature than some of the younger styles, and they add a touch of class to any outfit, but look especially fabulous with swing dresses!


They are my favourite pin up style for black hair!

You can do them pretty much anywhere in your hair, and as big or as small as you like!


Go super luxe like this lady!

***

Bandanas!

Bandanas are brilliant for perfecting your pin up look, I used mine with a pretty lacklustre wig and they always made it look great! Just put your hair up at the back, I use a claw grip so I can then fill it up with hair flowers, tie the front into a cute little knot and you're ready to rock!


These ladies pull it off so well!


As you can see, you can also wear them covering the top of your hair, especially good if it's thinner on top, or if you wear wigs and the skin top or wefts are not so tidy!



Red seems to be the most staple colour of bandana (and honestly it's way too over-done), but I have them in pinks, black, blues and even greens! It's always a nice casual touch to an outfit, although they don't look overly nice with dresses, definitely more a trousers and blouse look!


The eyeliner game is strong with this one! Wowee :D

***

Home-maker hair

Don't ask me why, this is just always what I've known this style as! Now, be warned, this can be exceptionally difficult to pull off. Shorter hair, very tight spiral or sausage curls with a straight or slightly waved fringe to one side!
Now I loved this wig dearly, but from certain angles it looked horrendous!


It was a nice style though, when you could get it to work!


Although be aware, if you have a round or fuller face it will very much emphasize that fact and if you're as vain as I am it'll draw your attention constantly!
I'm waiting on a wig in this style but in blonde, so I'll put some photos of that up next week for you :)



This lady really pulls it off!
Can't really stop staring at her bazoomas though :3

***

The ultimate want! Bettie Page hair

Now, anyone who is anyone knows who the notorious lady was! And we all love her hair of course! Bettie bangs, or indeed the full on Bettie hair really does suit anyone and everyone, so don't be afraid to try this out!


Now at first you might end up arguing with your fringe a lot if it's not very thick, or if it's very unruly and won't curl properly, but persevere! It can be done!
And if all else fails, buy a clip in one ;)


As you can see, I bought a pre-styled Bettie wig, which was a bad idea as it was not very heat resistant, too darn shiny and the fringe had to be re-styled by me anyway! 
It did look very beautiful though (when it was cooperating!) and it really fit the look well, but it is another style that will emphasise a rounded chin, and make your face look shorter.


When it does work however, oh myyyyy how it works!


Bettie hair definitely needs to be pulled off with a smile ladies!

And last but not least for the hair styles and leading us into the realm of accessories for you pin up locks;

***

Updo's with veil



Now these are perfect if you're needing a touch of elegance and class, and there are so many styles of veil, from huge and awe-inspiring to small and understated! There will definitely be something that suits you!


I would kill for this lady's face, she is gorgeous!
If you need a nice veil or hair accessory, I really cannot recommend Lady Lavender's Millinery enough, as I've bought pieces from her before and they are wonderful!
If however you are on more of a budget, you can't go wrong with eBay!

***

Accessories!

Hair flowers

Definitely my most favourite accessory! You can have as many as you like, in any colour you like! I am a fashion-perfectionist by nature so I always have to match mine!



You can find hair flowers in any bloom you can think of, the firm favourites are Orchids, Roses and Hibiscus, however I've also seen the rarely-utilized Sakura make an appearance, but mainly in my own hair!


I do love the louder colours though, like this amazing green! And they do really come in all different colours, and indeed all different styles of attachment, so there is something for everyone!



***

Hair clips

Now as with every style there are some obvious little clip styles that people go for as they just work! Examples of these include Swallows, Roses, hearts, banners and skulls. But there are also some really cute card and dice themed ones out there too!




I'm of the opinion that one can't go wrong with cherries ;) which of course needs everything cherry-printed to match with, yay!





Hairbands

Luckily for us ladies, headbands are super cheap and cheerful and can be bought absolutely anywhere for hardly any money at all! I buy all mine on eBay, and none is ever more than £4!


These cute little wire bunny ear ones are all over eBay, so grab yourself a bargain!
You can get printed fabric ones, polkadots (my personal favourite), cherry printed...anything you can think of really! Also you can buy packs of school ones that are aimed at little girls and nobody will ever guess!




You can also just buy plain coloured ones (red, blue, white or black etc) to just add a more polished feel to your outfit, as they can be simplistic, you'll never feel too over-done.

***

So I hope you enjoyed this post, and maybe found some inspiration too ^_^ show me your own styles or things you tried from this post in the comments section!

xx

Thursday, September 11

Shooting today - some witchyness for you!


You know when you just *click* with a someone? That happened to me today with regards to a lovely photographer!

It always makes me happy when I find new people with similar interests to me, as it makes for some even better photos, and there's nothing worse than meeting a new photographer to work with who is a total blank canvas!

I was honestly getting a bit disillusioned with regards to modelling as of late, it seemed that nobody had any ideas, or, as currently there is such a massive over-saturation of models, that photographers did not really want to travel to Cambridge, as it can be a bugger to get to, not to mention expensive!

Enter Stephen Roissy to save the day! Now we have tons of ideas we've bounced around and my first preview from today I absolutely adore already - thanks for a great day Stephen!


Remember to check out mister Roissy's page; Right here!

And give mine a cheeky like whilst you're about it! Why yes madam!

Foodie review! : The Urban Shed 

Now I've wanted to go here ever since it opened, as it's had some seriously rave reviews on TripAdvisor, which if you're a member, you'll know can be a hard site to please!

Me and the lovely Stephen Roissy were feeling a bit peckish after our lovely Cambridge shoot, so he decided to treat me to a bite, always a winner in my books!

We had walked past this little place earlier on in the day, and the smells coming from the door were amazing! So when we ventured inside for our lunch, I think we were both very pleasantly surprised! 
The space has been utilized really well, into a cute and quirky little place, with some lovely vintage décor that you can even buy!

There's even a cute little vinyl player, and an excellently large selection of vinyl records to peruse, brilliant! You're also able to buy the records, which is great as I've not seen many places in Cambridge selling any good old ones!

Food arrives in a sweet little box, also plenty of Veggie options, one of which I tasted, and it was beautiful! Lovely salad, gorgeous seeded bun, hats off to the cook!

Definitely recommend this place as much as possible! It really is brilliant value, £13 for two people :) and a lovely atmosphere with friendly staff!



So I hope you've had fun reading, I'll be reviewing some more Gothic clothing sites later on, and also the amazingly candy cute Bubblegum Emporium, so stay tuned, and most of all, stay spooky :D

xx

Friday, August 8

Why mental health disorders need to fuck off.

So you're going to sleep one night feeling funky fresh, happy and content.  
But then something happens to you overnight, a brain "chemical reaction" or something "internally wrong with you" depending upon which school of medicine or indeed bullshit that you happen to follow...

You wake up feeling pissed off, melancholy and low for no apparent reason...

This can last for a day, several days, weeks or indeed months.

You haven't slept well and now have a headache, or you have slept way too long and feel sick.
Your hair and your makeup just won't work, and you find yourself re-doing them all day long and never being satisfied with the results.
You don't want to see anyone today, not even the ones that you love.
Your clothes hurt your skin, or make you look fat and ugly, they're just too tight or too loose or not right for some reason.
It feels like your own head is working against you.
"Everyone" is looking at you funny, you know it.
"Everyone" is talking about you too, making jokes and being rude and mean.

Nothing feels right...not any one thing makes you feel good.

You can't laugh.
You can't smile.
You can't eat.
Or you can't stop eating.
You want to stay in bed all day long.

But you felt fine the other day right? In fact, you had been the life and soul of the party, felt totally amazing and loved by all your family and friends. Maybe you are like me and spend all your cash on things you want, and justify them as "making you happy"? But once you have the many pretty things you "needed", you still feel sad inside.

Just one little thing, a mocking glance, a back-handed compliment, can sink you into this mess, it's not fair, not fair at all.

Really, this is yet another reason why we all need to try and be nice to one another, as you have no freaking idea what anyone else is going through, just as they have no freaking idea what you are going through. Kindness is not a difficult thing, and if it is difficult for you, you need to ask yourself what the hell kind of person you are.

You can go to the doctors and their first idea is essentially to bung you on a cocktail of whatever is cheapest at the time...can you tell I don't have much faith in medicine? These drugs can work for some, but not for others.
For example, I won't take mood enhancing/changing drugs like Prozac as they keep me on a constant low. I enjoy my feelings of high/hyper, they make me feel good. Sure, they aren't very healthy on my bank balance, but they are a damned site healthier than me sitting on my own and slicing up my arms.
Make sure to test everything though, and see what works for you, everyone really is very different, and something that makes me feel shitty might be the difference in mood that you really needed :)


  1. Don't; Drink alcohol to make yourself feel better. I've tried it, so so many times, and it just does not work. Sure, you feel good for an hour or two, but the drinks and their mood lowering effects will catch up with you the same night, or the next day.
  2. Don't; slip into old habits that you know will make you feel worse. Self harm, binge-eating, starving yourself or promiscuity do not make you feel better in the long road. You only feel better at the time because you're trying to fill the void you feel that bipolar has caused you.
  3. Don't; be suckered into things that work for others by thinking they will work for you. Not everyone needs Religion, cognitive behavioural therapy, medication or talking therapy. Sure they help some, but not all. You can always try them though, you never know.



  1. Do; try and sit in the sunshine, if there is any. You may sneer but it really does help. I've also found that a light box, usually used for people with SAD syndrome also really helps people with mood affective disorders.
  2. Do; eat some fruits and veggies if you feel the need to snack or starve. I find their bright colours can really help, rather than a plate full of stodgy mess.
  3. Do; talk to someone! Anyone at all! It can make you feel better to get impartial advice or just have someone to have a bloody good whinge at.
  4. Do; get your meds checked regularly if you take them, pill check-ups often are forgotten by both you and the doctor, and doses sometimes need to be changed!
  5. Do; join some Facebook groups for people with disorders like you. Having a support network has stopped me from doing some stupid shit in the past.
  6. Do; remember that you are not alone in feeling this way. As much as I know only too well that it feels like nobody else has ever felt this way that you do, they have, and they are right now.
  7.  And more than anything, please please please remember that people do love you, don't ever take your own life. Even someone online who you have never met, you make their day. Suicide is a completely selfish thing to do, as much as it hurts to admit that to yourself, it is. It takes away your pain, sure, but it can leave the people you love feeling the exact same way that you did. I speak from experience, my best friend in all the world Ryuu decided to take his own life, because his mental health issues got too much for him to bear. I love him, I miss him, but I will never, ever forgive him.
xx


Thursday, July 24

So back onto happier and exciting things - clothes and stuff!

*~~Rebuilding Gothic Doll wardrobe~~*

Doll, rather than Lolita, as being a dolly has no rules and restrictions, or indeed communities that impose their rules on others  and look down on anything against their own idea of "normality" within the clothing style :)


*~~Demonia dolly shoes~~*


These are my most favourite shoes I've ever ever had, and I've had hundreds and thousands! They are by Demonia, my favourite brand <3


Super comfy, exceptionally easy to walk in, even though the platform is four and a half inches, making me over six feet tall when I wear them :) I've not even fallen, twisted my ankle or stumbled once, and usually I always do that! 

They have double straps as you can see, I received a size seven as I find Demonia can be too tight in a six. Seven is a little too big but that's okay as I wear socks under my tights :) they felt a little sloppy when walking so I just put some innersoles inside them.


I find the rocking horse motion that they create much easier than trying to walk in standard platform shoes!

They look so freaking cute with my standard striped tights and dress combos!

As you can see, they make you look and feel like a super tall Amazonian Goddess woman, which is always good :D plus, they really make you look like you have legs up to Heaven.


The only downside to these perfect platforms is that you have to clean them pretty much constantly as they scuff very, very easily! That's okay though as it means I have always have pretty, polished feets!

xx