What’s this, what’s this? There’s color everywhere!

What’s this? There’s white things in the air!

What’s- Oh, wait; It’s only winter.

Yes, dearest Raven Rumps, winter weather has officially begun in the Midwest. Bring on the cold weather, fluffy coats, and, of course, snow!

Winter is often one of the most favored seasons by goths, and it’s easy to see why. We often wear layers of clothes, which can get hot in the summer, but are perfectly adapted for icy days in which warmth is sought after. Also, it is a season in which everything falls into a deep slumber and is covered by a beautiful layer of frozen wonderment, which is not only pleasing to the eye, but also to the ideal held by most goths that there is beauty in death.

Actually, though I enjoy winter when there’s snow on the ground, I prefer the warmer weather of summer, even though the giant angry burning orb in the sky is quite troublesome at that point in the year (But hey, that’s why they invented parasols). I would like to talk about the ways I fashionably deal with the cold weather as a heat-loving creature of the night.

Firstly, the most important thing in a goth closet for dealing with cold weather is a good coat. By good I mean big, fluffy down feathers, because those really seal in the warmth and fight off the cold. My coat is by the brand ZeroXposur, and I’ve had it since eighth grade and it still keeps me warm to this day. Of course they usually have “normal” colored coats and such, but the black ones they have are often trimmed in glossy buttons and faux fur, and made with a shiny, thick, satin-like material that would make any goth sing with glee at the quality of the fabric.

Another thing I like to add to my closets for the winter season is scarves. They are not only cute, they are wonderful pieces to wear indoors that no one will throw a fit about. Around the fall and winter months the stores are stocked full of plenty of scarves for those who enjoy the fashionable aspect of this particular garment, but I wear them for the ability to keep warm in school and get away with it. Also, they keep the cold winds off your neck when you’re outside, which is wonderful for temperature sensitive people like myself.

Black leggings are also magnificent pieces to own, because they can keep your legs warm while still allowing you to wear the super cute mini-skirts that so many of the subculture (including myself) are fond of. They make it so that you can wear summer pieces in the winter, and that makes my life so much easier.

One last thing for goths to consider during the winter months is proper footwear. I happen to love flats and dainty little confections to slip onto my tiny feet, and I’m absolutely fond of platform boots, but let’s face it: in the cold weather with ice everywhere, neither of those options are practical. Flats won’t keep your feet warm and if you have to go through snowy areas you’re bound to get snow all over your exposed skin, and platforms are quite frankly dangerous on icy patches. My advice is to get some low-heeled combat boots that are at least somewhat insulated, because they provide good traction, will keep you warm, and are still very dark and stompy looking.

That’s about all I have for the wintery themed blog, and if I think of anything else I’ll add it in later or make a part two. Goodnight, sleep tight, don’t let the vampires bite~

Well, Ravensies, I suppose I should follow through with my promise and write about a more gothy topic this week. The subject that has been brought to my attention this week is oh-so-cliché and absolutely necessary: the stereotypical goth.

Everyone knows the traditional goth stereotype: black hair, chains, a gloomy attitude, and let’s not forget the dark and ooky spooky makeup. Contrary to popular belief, this isn’t necessarily the cookie cutter that shaped every goth out there, because we are all different in our own unique ways. I guess what I’m really trying to get at for this week’s blog post is that you don’t have to follow a certain pattern to be a goth.

The first thing I would like to discuss about this topic is the common debate that I’ve heard many times: can you be too old to be a goth? The answer is no. Anyone can be goth, and it doesn’t matter what age you are. If you want a wonderful example of an Eldergoth* that I greatly admire, look at Jillian Venters, the author of “Gothic Charm School: An Essential Guide for Goths and Those Who Love Them.” She is actually a great inspiration in my blog because she, too, keeps a blog over the gothic subculture. I will leave a link to her blog at the end of this post, because she has wonderful advice and ideas.

Another stereotype that I would like to dispel is that you have to have black hair to be a goth. That is an absolute untruth, and I don’t know why people think this. I have recently been getting a lot of flack for this, actually, because my hair is currently a reddish brown instead of the blueish black it usually is. I don’t really think it matters what hair color you have, even if you want to keep your natural color, because, though it is a major part of the subculture, appearance isn’t everything. Honestly, you could wear white every day and listen to whatever popular music you wanted to and still be goth, because more than anything goth is about the mindset of the person, not the appearance.

Another stereotype that I would like to get rid of is the idea that goths hate everyone and everything, are depressed, and you can’t be happy if you’re a goth. These are outright lies, Rumpsies. I am appalled that some people think this simply because of our preference for dark decorum; we are actually, in my experience, some of the nicest people you could ever meet, if you take the opportunity to get to know us. The whole idea that you have to be depressed to be a goth is absolutely foolish, and whoever came up with that deserves to be hit in the head with a croquet mallet. Goth isn’t about depression, it’s about finding beauty in unexpected, and often dark, places. We are often very happy people because we have found where we fit in, and it makes a very comforting lifestyle to know that there are other people out there who are just as strange and unusual as yourself.

There may be a part two to this blog at some point, my Raven Rumps, but for now this is what I leave you with. These are very important things to know about the subculture, and I hope that you all have learned a little bit from this post.

Until next time, lovelies~

*Eldergoth: an Eldergoth is someone who has been in the subculture for a very long time, or is much older than the usual gothic crowd. They often have a vast amount of knowledge of the subculture, and are very wonderful people to know and or more often than not inclined to help younger fledgling goths with the ins and outs of goth. When I say Eldergoth I’m not kidding, either. The subculture has been around since the late 70s early 80s, so we do have quite a few older members.

Link to Gothic Charm School, Jillian Venters’s blog: http://www.gothic-charm-school.com

Well, Rumpsies, I was originally going to have this post be about the ending of the Hallowe’en season, but some new things have come up and a new topic has emerged.

Today I wish to discuss with you something in my personal life, which I usually try to stay out of in this particular blog. You see, I have posted previously about my new infatuation with a certain someone who shall remain nameless, and I am very confused at the moment. I’m trying to figure out what the heckie I’m supposed to be doing with my life right now, I am very busy with Fall Play, I have scholarship papers to fill out, I must keep up my grades, and on top of everything (That’s right, my Raven Rumps, EVERYTHING) a new potential suitor has arrived out of the blue.

I honestly have no idea what to do.

You see, here’s my problem. I like both of them, but the one that I like more seems to be not as interested as the other. Oh, cruel fate! I’m not trying to be a drama queen about all of this, it’s just that I’m very confused and on top of this confusion I have mixed feelings about both of the suitors. The one that I prefer sometimes sends me signals that he is interested, and other times it’s almost as though I don’t exist, a mere shadow among shadows. I just wish that he would be straight forward and let me know if there was even a chance that I could win his heart.

The other one, however, sends completely clear signals that he wants to be with me, but there’s only one problem that I don’t know how I feel about: He is a little younger than myself, and I’m not sure how I feel about that. I have always wanted the person whom I spend my time with to be older, and it’s just a little hard for me to get over my own ideals. I’m not even sure if I like this person enough yet to even consider a relationship, and I just wish that I had an idea of where my life is headed right now.

I am utterly, thoroughly confuzzled about the whole situation, Rumps, and I just needed to vent and get my feelings out. I know that this is rather out of character for me, to post about such things, but I felt the need to tell someone about what is going on. It makes me feel a lot better, really, to get it all out in writing.

This just goes to show, when you think your life is going in one direction, something pops up out of nowhere and it can either steer you a different way or encourage you on the path you are already on.

I’m terribly nervous and excited at the same time to see where this is headed, and I promise that next week I will be back to my normal, gothy-blog self. Toodles~