Weekly Indulgences - Acid Trip

One problem with other fancy subcultures is both the fear of color and the fear of risk. Luxettes are not afraid of incorporating daring colors into their look. Below are some splurge items as well as some inspiration images!



This is actually the inspiration for this entry. An amazingly styled photo from Viona Art. This woman is a costumer who takes liberties with historical fashion that are exhilarating. When looking to other more OTT garments for inspiration for your look, take some key look points and incorporate them into your look. These include but are not limited to style lines, silhouette, fabric, color, texture.



Cake themed corsets by Maya Hansen. 'Nuff said.







To be a Luxette, you must care about your appearance. Not in a vain jerk way. In an, "I'm proud to be me," way. Make sure your hair is clean and styled, make sure your face is clean, and above all, look appropriate for the situation. You don't HAVE to wear makeup. You don't have to have overly styled hair. And on top of it, if your hair is colored, make sure it's freshly dyed. The Luxette is absolutely able to have crazy colored hair. Choose a color that looks good on you and is easy for you to maintain. If you're more fickle, a good choice for you might be wigs. A newish wig company, Cosplay Wigs USA also has the offshoots Rock Star Wigs and Lolita Wigs. They have a lot of great heat resistant wigs in fun colors and styles. Another good choice is Minty Mix. Very cute wigs!






Tarina Tarantino makes candy colored confections that catch everyone's eye. She makes items that carry over beautifully from workplace to cocktail hour, so if you buy one piece you can use it for many things. I personally have a black bracelet and I can wear it with most of the items in my closet.



Sugarpill Cosmetics are well known for their great customer service and absurdly bright makeup. If you want to make a statement, this is the way to go.






Lollia makes luxurious bath and body items. They come in amazing scent combos as well as bright colors to liven up your bathroom! They also offer pjs and fittings for your bedroom.













And last but not least, dressing your feet. Irregular Choice offers insanely beautiful shoes that shout risk-taker! They also offer choices in bags, clothing and accessories.

Thursday Style Icons

Adrian Brody is Luxeur for sure. He screams old Hollywood in his delectable suits and gorgeous voice (as we've heard it in the Stella Artois commercials. So classy! He's even been named in many best dressed lists! And we believe them.



Did you ever think Kelly Osbourne would get it together, clean up her potty mouth and be a polite fashionista? I know I didn't, but I'm glad I've been proven wrong. Now a host on Fashion Police, Kelly's cute dresses and shy blushing makes that show so much fun to watch! But our little alt girl still sticks up for the risk-takers on the red carpet, such as the Rihanna and Helena Bonham Carter, and for that we love her :) Also, look at those shoes!!!



Dita Von Teese can go from subtle to sex-pot in the blink of an eye. This vintage burlesque beauty has amazing taste in clothing, both on an off the stage. She balances the dark and the light, Gothic and old Hollywood, and looks like she must roll out of bed fully coiffed every morning. Gorgeous, feminine and strong, Dita is a Luxette we love.



Anna Tsuchiya, half Japanese, half Russian actress, model and singer is a gorgeous and talented girl who emanates punk rock fire. She played one of two lead actresses in Kamikaze Girls, a funny movie about a Lolita and a Yanki who reluctantly become best friends while mutually benefiting each other as well as sang the opening theme of the anime series NANA. She balances the look of model, rocker and starlet so convincingly and looks adorable while doing it. Sometimes she could be a little too rock and roll in her antics, but she has grown up much and has chilled out :)

Weekly Indulgences - La Fee Verte

Our weekly indulgences this week are based on a delicious anisette, the green fairy, Absinthe. This Luxette loves green, loves absinthe and feels like a mix between a Bohemian and a resident of Oz :) Between the Bohemian movement and the things that came from it, absinthe can be incorporated into your look, your activities and your life all without have a single drop.



Alphonse Mucha is one of the most well known artists of the art nouveau movement. Not only did he make fine art prints, he also did gorgeous advertisements. This image is one of his most iconic ads and it really represents the beauty and whimsy of the Bohemian movement.









Etsy is an amazing place to find extra decadent, sumptuous items to incorporate into your luxette look. A good corset can be worn over or under your outfit, boleros are an easy way to dress up many looks and layering jewelry in different shades of green will make you the envy of any party.




A nice green cocktail dress can be worn in many ways! Add or subtract a belt, bolero, cardigan, blouse, or brooch. You can go from structered and professional to sexy and ready for a night out. Now, to keep this fully Luxette, make sure you keep your skirt length appropriate for your age, height, weight and size. Mini-skirts are not Luxette. Even when acting the sexy vamp, you can still keep your show of skin down. Sexy is about attitude, not showing off the goods.







Now the Absinthe is legal in the US, many companies have started making their own blend or breaking down the formula of old recipes and reproducing it. Absente (a brand available in US that didn't contain thujone) now has Grand Absente, a blend that does. Lucid is another newish brand. It is actually pretty tasty! A lot of nose-in-the air types don't like it because it's newer and marketed to Americans, not necessarily because it's not good. They have been nothing but kind to my friends and me when we've needed sponsorship for events. I recommend you try it for yourself and make your own judgement. Marilyn Manson also has his own brand called Mansinthe. I haven't had a chance to try it, but I heard from several trusted friends that it's not very good. But again, try it for yourself and form your own opinions. I hope to try Obsello next.

For those of you who don't like drinking Absinthe in the old way (water, ice, etc), a nice treat I had while on a pub crawl that has become one of my FAVORITE drinks is an Absinthe sour. Try it, it's delish!









And now, last but not least, pamper yourself with the delicious anise scent of these bath and body goods. Like with other bath and body items, layering will keep you smelling yummy all day. Start with bath gel or soap, next to lotion or body butter and finish with perfume. Some lines even make conditioners and shampoos to match their other items.

So relax, enjoy your dance with the green fairy and until next time, stay beautiful, stay handsome, stay Luxette!

<3Samantha

Frugal Fanciness

Last weekend, I was at an event and I was arguing that everyone should try and look the best they can instead of just settling for "good enough". More than one person tried to shoot me down saying that not everyone has a lot of money to spend on better clothes and accessories. Not once did I mention that your pieces need to be more expensive to be better, and yet that was instantly what people thought I was talking about regardless of how I worded my thoughts. For some reason, a lot of people get hung up on something having to be expensive in order for it to be better. However, the reality is that you can look like a million bucks for next to nothing. It's all about making better choices, searching out great deals and doing a little bit of creative thinking.

While Luxette is about luxury, it isn't necessarily about costliness. The only thing that paying a lot of money for an item means is that you have less money to buy other fabulous things with. The economy is down, and you've got bills to pay. So, while splurging on that designer bag may be a delightful treat to yourself, you've got to find a way to not break the bank on all of the new clothes you're clearly going to need to show your tote-able treasure off to it's finest. Alternatively, if you don't have the money to splurge on the handbag, you want to show yourself off to your finest and be super fancy as often as you can while still being able to eat.

So far as I'm concerned, there's two main tricks to looking lustfully lux for less. The first is to focus your funds on the pieces that stand out the most, and the second is to look for amazing bargains on high end goods. The two things go hand in hand as the second trick can be used to achieve the first trick.

I always say that if you've got great shoes, a stunning handbag and classy jewelry, everything else will look better by association. There are certain pieces of clothing and certain accessories that are extremely hard to make look nice if they're really not so great. Items topping the list are shoes, bags, metal jewelry, belts and winter coats. They all have the same thing in common: they all take high levels of craftsmanship and good quality materials to look well-made. It's hard to fake either of those things. Sacrifice one or the other, or worse, both, and you've got a piece that's only fit for the dull, unthinking, pajamified masses. You're not one of them! Nothing ruins a gorgeous dress so much as a pair of cheap-looking shoes, a Wal-Mart purse and chintzy costume jewelry. When you're making wardrobe selections, keep in mind which items will stand out if they're not up to snuff, and make sure that all of those pieces look smashing. When I was a kid and would complain that my shoes didn't match my outfit, my mom would tell me that no one was looking at my feet. As it turns out, we're all looking at your feet, so banish those sad PayLess shoes to the local thrift shop! Leave the Claire's costume jewelry to the tweens and buy an adult handbag... maybe even the kind that comes in its own bag.

Bag with it's own bag! This is my patent leather instant-lux kit.
This accessory trio adds no-fuss fancy to so many of my outfits~

Some of my favorite and most-complimented pieces are some of my least expensive. This is where the second trick helps with the first trick. I have the most stunning black patent leather belt from Lord & Taylor, and it makes every outfit I wear it with look that much better. It's definitely my favorite belt, but what really makes it even more my favorite is how much I paid for it. I bought it at a thrift store for $0.39! No joke. I had no idea what I was going to wear it with at the time, but I couldn't pass it up! I would say about half of my wardrobe is thrifted, but since I try and only buy things that look really nice, you'd never know. I also love buying shoes on sale. There are few feelings so fine as knowing that you're wearing $150.00 boots that you paid $50.00 for... or better yet, $20.00. Just because you want to put the most funds into the pieces that stand out the most, it doesn't mean you have to if you can avoid it!

See? It really was only $0.39! It's real leather too!

The looking-for-bargains trick extends to everything. No matter what you're looking for, chances are there's a bargain for you out there somewhere. The internet is rife with websites bringing you deals and steals on everything (one of my favorites for shoes is www.6pm.com), and the world is full of one-day sales and thrift shops. If you're looking for vintage togs or discount sewing materials, etsy and ebay can yield fantastic, affordable finds. The excuse of "this was all I could afford"should never be uttered from the lips of a true Luxette or Luxeur, and that even extends to handmade items. I have a lovely pink-and-white flowered dress that I made out of delicious vintage bedsheets that I picked up at a thrift shop for $6.00, and everyone who sees it is shocked that it cost so little. If I had bought the cheapest fabric at the fabric store, I would have paid more and had a much less impressive-looking dress. Instead, I shopped around and found a great deal by thinking outside of the box!

This is the aforementioned $6.00 vintage bedsheets dress.

You may not be able to afford a designer dress, but you can afford to look fancy just by using creative thinking as your currency. There are some things that never go on sale and are extremely difficult to find second hand; a high-end custom piece by an independent designer isn't the sort of thing you can count on finding in a thrift shop. That made-just-for-you corset, dress or hat is something you're going to have to pay for, but that doesn't mean you have to pay in actual money. If you're friends with a designer or skilled craftsperson, consider trading them for a commodity you have. You can trade goods for goods or even services for goods. A real example would be the fact that Heather Luca of Scoundrelle's Keep has traded her corsets for tattoos. I've known a couple of designers who trade items for a good cut & color. Trading may not be for everyone, but if you've got something to offer, consider trading it for things you want.

Remember, being Luxette isn't about spending lots of money. It's about making thoughtful, creative choices that make you look and feel like royalty, even if the only kingdom you rule is your own bedroom.

Enough from me! Go forth, and be fancy!

<3 Megan

Thursday Style Icons

Harry Potter's own Emma Watson has grown up into a classy style-conscious young lady. She's modeled for the very classic Burberry, cosmetics line Lancome as well as started a small collection of eco-conscious separates with Alberta Ferretti. All while studying hard at school! This pixie is the epitome of Luxette.



Adorable, pouty lipped Emma Browning, Violet in A Series of Unfortunate Events, is all grown up and looking gorgeous. Pocket-sized actress was recently all sex-bomb in Suckerpunch, but in her day to day life she is simple elegance, whether walking down the street or sitting at a fashion show. They grow up so fast!



Jurnee Smollett is one of those actresses who people remember when they see old episodes of Full House and say, "Whatever happened to that girl?" Well, she obviously grew up to be drop dead gorgeous and is currently in the legal comedy drama "The Defenders" with James Belushi and Jerry O'Connell. I have personally followed her career since she was a small person, having starred in one of my all-time favorite movies Eve's Bayou. It's time this beautiful actress get more recognition, not just for her style, but for her talent.



Star of 2010's Alice in Wonderland Mia Wasikowska is so demure and airy. Recently she picked up the highly coveted role of Jane Eyre in the classic story. She's walked red carpets in beautiful and interesting dresses, never looking like all the other Hollywood starlets. Good on ya, Mia!



Elijah Wood is one of those people who no matter how old he gets, he still has the look of a wide-eyed, innocent kid. Those blue eyes do it every time! Elijah always looks well put together when the situation calls for it, but even at his most comfy he doesn't look lazy. He looks like a cute, arty nerd. Besides that, though, the man knows how to wear a suit and wear it well! Bonjour, Luxeur!