Beetlejuice, Beetlejuice, Beetlejuice!
Well, I'm back in New York City and falling far behind on recounting and sharing my recent travels. To make a long story short (and still promise that a whole storm of passport-stamp-craving photos are on the way), I managed to catch food poisoning in Paris, then tonsillitis in London, and then I finally returned to New York City only to be hit with several days of utter exhaustion (and an ear infection) and a backup of work that far exceeded the number of hours available in any given day to complete it all. Needless to say, I actually returned from my "vacation" desperately needing a vacation. Funny how that works, isn't it? Sometimes all your body wants is to just... rest. I need to remind myself to do that. Someday.
So, let's take a little break from my European exploits to talk style inspiration. And bugs. Bugs are a really important part of this. I've long referred to my style as Cher Horowitz meets Wednesday Addams, but I would be amiss to not include Lydia Deetz in my sartorial inspiration archetype, (though, admittedly, this look is more Beetlejuice himself than derivative of Lydia). Stripes can be nautical or preppy or sporty or edgy, and almost always patently a "no-no" for a larger body, but I love the severity that a bold, contrasting stripe packs with the right accessories - in this case, chunky studs and gold chains and creepy crawlies and my favorite toughens-everything-up leather jacket. The shoes are also an instant summer favorite - enough height that I feel just a little bit more powerful, and a pointed toe that brings femininity to an otherwise creeper-inspired shoe, (and I like them so much that I bought them in black, too!) It's starting to get far too hot to wear my leather jacket over everything, so I've been swapping out my toughened outerwear for a black lace cardigan - certainly a piece that would be Lydia approved.
"Summer goth" is a thing, right? I certainly hope so.
So, let's take a little break from my European exploits to talk style inspiration. And bugs. Bugs are a really important part of this. I've long referred to my style as Cher Horowitz meets Wednesday Addams, but I would be amiss to not include Lydia Deetz in my sartorial inspiration archetype, (though, admittedly, this look is more Beetlejuice himself than derivative of Lydia). Stripes can be nautical or preppy or sporty or edgy, and almost always patently a "no-no" for a larger body, but I love the severity that a bold, contrasting stripe packs with the right accessories - in this case, chunky studs and gold chains and creepy crawlies and my favorite toughens-everything-up leather jacket. The shoes are also an instant summer favorite - enough height that I feel just a little bit more powerful, and a pointed toe that brings femininity to an otherwise creeper-inspired shoe, (and I like them so much that I bought them in black, too!) It's starting to get far too hot to wear my leather jacket over everything, so I've been swapping out my toughened outerwear for a black lace cardigan - certainly a piece that would be Lydia approved.
"Summer goth" is a thing, right? I certainly hope so.
Sunglasses via eBay, Topshop Beetle Necklace, ASOS Curve Striped Dress (similar here), Topshop Leather Jacket (old), ASOS Pointed Flatforms, Chanel Classic Flap Bag
Photos by Lydia Hudgens