If only we were amongst friends.. or sane persons!

So pretty much all of my October posts have been Halloween related in one way or another, but what can I say! I adore it. I wish that Saturday would bring an awesomely amazing post about how much fun I'm about to have at a fantastically glamorous Halloween party whilst wearing an off-beat costume that would make everyone go "Oooh," but no. I'll be working that night, my husband will be working, and that's that.

To make up for this, I think I'll just present to you my favorite Halloween ladies of all time:

Wednesday Addams

I wanted to be her as a kid, and despite being 24 I still kind of do.

Lydia Deetz

I also wanted to be her. I used to watch Beetlejuice when I was little and make my mom rewind over and over to the part where they sit her down in that big chair. The exorcising bit terrified me a little because I didn't want Barbara and Adam to die, even though I had seen it a billion times and knew they survived! (Sidenote: did anyone else used to watch the Beetejuice cartoon??)

Claudia from Interview with the Vampire

Okay, I wanted to be her too. I had/have a lot of weirdo idols, okay? She's just so gorgeous and smart, and the whole movie is romantic and perfect. I started reading the Vampire Chronicles at thirteen and was hooked even more.

Catwoman

I used to watch reruns of the '60s television show and Catwoman was by far my favorite villain. I honestly can't remember if I loved Lee Merriwether, Julie Newmar, or Eartha Kitt the best-- I think I liked them all in different ways. When Batman Returns came out I was seven and so obsessed with Michelle Pfeiffer's version. I had a poster on my wall and everything. I suppose the '60s version had the best costume (although seven year-old me dug the latex for some disturbing reason), but Michelle was so perfect for the role.

Siouxsie Sioux

Siouxsie & the Banshees are one of my favorite bands and I've always adored Siouxsie's look!

The Bride of Frankenstein

Look at this fierce monster, being all gorgeous and big-haired and played by the lovely Elsa Lanchester. The best moments of that entire film are the few at the end with the Bride in them. I have this unexplained obsession with her and I'm not quite sure why--maybe it's the hair, or the entire look, or the fact that I've always felt she was a kind of feminist icon for refusing to marry someone that clearly appalled her, despite being created for that exact purpose. Which brings me to:

Magenta from The Rocky Horror Picture Show

(Look at those boots!)

I don't know what it is about Magenta, but ever since discovering and becoming obsessed with Rocky Horror at seventeen I've been hopelessly in love with her. She's sneaky and snarky and draws out her words and doesn't play well with others, and those dark eyes and poofy red hair still create one of my favorite looks of all time. And of course, her hair goes all Bride of Frankenstein at the end-- bonus!

I dressed up as Lydia, Wednesday, and Catwoman for Halloween as a kid. No one knew who I was as Lydia and Wednesday, though, but it was exciting for me anyway. I was eight with my Wednesday costume, and my mom used that fake spray stuff to color my long blonde hair black.

I'm sure this year's Halloween will consist of me watching Rocky Horror before work and eating lots of candy throughout the night, but I desperately wish I was going to a costume party. I hope you guys have fun and be safe!

Don't we love it now

Cardigan, boots, & top: Forever 21, Target skirt

That photo is super awkward and weird, but never mind!

I really wish it wasn't all overcast on the day that I took this so you could see the boots better-- they're F21's "Burton" boots from a a few posts below. Love! I bought the little bat pin at the farmer's market on Saturday. I love Halloween-y things.

Lately I've been doing lots of knitting in an attempt to actually finish a few projects before it turns cold. I'm also going to try and make socks for the first time ever. Yikes!

Shop update (kind of!)

Since my new schedule has gotten in the way of updating the shop as much as I'd like, I thought it wouldn't hurt to post about recent additions. These are the few things that I've added over the last several weeks! I'll try to get better at balancing everything as time goes on.

The two coats are so lovely.. the '60s faux fur one is priced higher than I normally price things, but it's because it's absolutely stunning! I have it listed as more of a M or L, but it would certainly fit a S as a big oversized winter coat. I love that thing. The little boy blazer is adorable too!

I've lowered lots of prices overall, so check it out please! ^_^ New things hopefully late next week.

The Graveyard Book

Thrifted vintage dress, Ashley Judd boots

For my YA class this week we're reading Neil Gaiman's The Graveyard Book, about a little boy who grew up in a cemetery. It's so lovely, but I'm incredibly biased because of my intense Neil love. I thought it was a great excuse to finally take a few photos at the old cemetery nearby (like I said I would ages ago!)

This is one of the best cemeteries that I've every been to-- half of it is new and looks pretty run-of-the-mill, and the other half is insanely old and dark with tall trees and lots of Spanish moss. It's actually kind of strange how the old half is appropriately dark and dreary.

I have to admit, doing this was so creepy! And I'm not afraid of cemeteries or anything, but all day it had been threatening to rain, and it was so cloudy and windy. I was the only person around so it was super quiet until the train came groaning through a couple of streets over. Train sounds have always creeped me out and I have no idea why (I suspect it's from too many scary ghost train stories as a kid).

I'm such a weirdo in cemeteries-- the last thing I want to do is be disrespectful, but I just want to take lots of pictures and hang out for a bit.

This dress was from that huge haul that I thrifted a month or so ago. The fabric is so thick, and it's in excellent condition for its age (whatever that may be), except for a few loose threads here and there. I love the buttons and the weird detailing. It's obviously not my favorite length since it just makes me look shorter, but I love the style so I'm not too bothered by it.

So it goes...

Shirt (so soft!): Target Skirt: thrifted Shoes: Delias Tights: Sock Dreams Disco bracelet: vintage shop

(I actually ended up tucking in the plaid shirt later that day and it looked much better, but I had already taken photos. Oh well.)

These Sock Dreams tights are my new favorite things! I adore that shop. They're actually cream colored instead of pure white, and they're cotton and soft and wonderful. I also got a pair in Heather Slate to replace my dearly departed perfect gray tights. Very worth the price!

This past week was Banned Books Week, and as a library school student I can't let that pass by unnoticed (although I kind of did, not posting until now-- but never mind!) This is a great article about why Banned Books Week is still needed in the U.S. It's a bit shocking to discover how many people don't realize that books are still being challenged and banned, and how disgusting that is not only for librarians, but for everyone who believes in the freedom to read whatever you want. Book banners, however enraged they make me, are one of the reasons I'm so passionate about becoming a librarian.

"And on the subject of burning books: I want to congratulate librarians, not famous for their physical strength or their powerful political connections or their great wealth, who, all over this country, have staunchly resisted anti-democratic bullies who have tried to remove certain books from their shelves, and have refused to reveal to thought police the names of persons who have checked out those titles.

So the America I loved still exists, if not in the White House or the Supreme Court or the Senate or the House of Representatives or the media. The America I love still exists at the front desks of our public libraries."

- Kurt Vonnegut, A Man Without a Country

Burtonesque

It's October!

I know everyone has seen this Tim Burton for Harper's Bazaar shoot already, but I'm compelled to post it anyway due to prettiness:

My favorite is Lydia!

Also, I just bought these "Burton inspired" boots from Forever 21:

OH OCTOBER. I love you.

(Again, sorry for disappearing lately... it seems that when I'm not at work I'm at home in my pajamas doing schoolwork!)