Tarja's Latest

This is not exactly a Goth song.  Okay it's not at all Goth, but Tarja DOES do Goth part of the time.  This is her latest video from the forthcoming live disc, Act I.  Into the Sun is the title.

Creating an outfit: Romantic Goth

Creating a wardrobe of Gothic clothes beyond black jeans and band T-shirts can be an expensive thing to do.  Romantic and Victorian styles can be particularly costly since the clothes are frequently hand made or vintage.  I saw a really cool top hat once, the genuine article more than 100 years old.  The price was over $100 too, $169 as I recall.  It helps if you know how to sew as patterns abound and you pick the cloth.  Unfortunately I don't sew.  Here thrift shops are a great place to find vintage pieces not only reasonable but downright cheap!  Several weeks ago I went thrifting.  I was starting to get discouraged.  My daughter Molly never hits the stores without finding several treasures.  I'd been to three already and decided to hit the Mega Goodwill at Van Ness and Mission in a last ditch effort.  One of the first items I came upon was a full length dark red brocade dress.  It was only $19 when I noticed a small, repairable hole in one shoulder.  After trying it on and finding it fit perfectly, I headed for check out.  I mentioned the hole to the sales clerk and he reduced the price by $4 so the dress cost a mere $15.  My vision was to combine a black corset or waist cinch corset.  I found the waist cinch corset on sale at Orchard Corset for a mere $60, nearly four times the cost of the dress but a bargain none the less.  I added to this some black pump boots and voilà, I had a great looking outfit for $75.  The boots I already owned and the corset will have other uses so on the whole it was a very good deal.
There is one more part to this story.  In order to wear a corset as an outside conditions must exist.  Either you are very svelte,  you don't mind an occasional bulge sticking out above and below the corset or you are willing to wear substantial foundation garments underneath.

I took the third option which required a SPANX body briefer that comes up just below the bust and a long line bra (I had always wondered why someone would wear one).  I was very pleased with the final result.  Tell me what you think?

If you should try this at home, be aware that a body briefer under a cinched corset does not easily come down, like if you want to use the toilet?  Don't wait till the last moment because the corset has to come off before the SPANX comes down!