Sick Soaps brings new meaning to the words "hand soap". If everyday soap is not gruesome or creepy enough to match your home or personality, then you might enjoy some of the horribly cool creations to be found in this store.
Severed hand soap, lavender scented.
Horror and slasher film fans will appreciate the soaps themed after their favourite movies, such as The Exorcist, Halloween, or IT. Lovers of curios and gross stuff in bottles as decor will enjoy the encapsulated brains, fetuses, teeth, and bloody body parts. As they look so amazing, and many of the reviews say that the photos don't do them justice, I think these soaps might fall into the category of "too beautiful to use." There's something so sad about gradually destroying something so cool looking, but these soaps are intended for everyday use. They're full of lovely scents and moisturising ingredients too. Why bring a boring bottle of soap into the shower, when you can have a fetus in a popsicle instead?
Strawberry & champagne scented serial killer soap
There's also a category dedicated to the Haunted Mansion, plus lots of other dark Disney. And it's not just soaps, there are sugar scrubs, body and room sprays, scented oils, and dishes to store your creepy creations.
I have yet to try them myself (I definitely will be) but more than a thousand reviews singing Sick Soap's praises can't be wrong. I'm so keen on trying the 'curio' looking ones. The prices are reasonable compared to other fancy handmade soaps I've seen at markets and such, and as these are individually handmade, one can imagine how much time and work goes into each. Definitely not the sort of thing you will find in any normal bath and body section.
Every time I visit this shop to oogle, there seems to be even cooler designs than ever. The large coffin soaps with removable lids have to be the most sophisticated soaps I've seen in all my life.
So if you're looking for a gift for the weirdo in your life, or maybe just your wonderful weird self, visit Sick Soaps and have an oogle yourself.
Well, if there's a shop I've been pining over for literally years, it's this one. Dellamorte & Co. makes some of the most awesome shit for the home I've ever seen. A number of their items have been on my wish-list for a long time, the only thing that holds me back is the cost of shipping weighty items internationally, but I reckon they're worth saving for.
Amor Aeternus Wall Plaque
Dellamorte & Co. makes statues, vases, magnets, barware, wall plaques, lights, and more; everything the macabre household could do with to improve upon its macabreness. Each piece of quality dark art for the home is handmade to order. Much of the inspiration comes from the wish to create functional art, and it is precisely that; many of the things you can find there are not just for display, but to use.
You can find anatomically correct heart-shaped vases, realistic skull planters, tombstone magnets, tentacle winestoppers, and much more. Also can be found exquisitely morbid items purely for decoration, such as wall plaques that look like they've been taken from centuries old sepulchres. At Christmas time, you can decorate with cheerful Krampus decor, or hang the Headless Horseman from your tree.
Anatomical Heart Vase in black
The only piece I own is a conjoined twin fetal skull, which was gifted to me a few years ago. It takes pride of place in the centre of my living room's display cabinet. It's always been one of my favourite decorations, and I have, like I said, pined to own more ever since. Dellamorte & Co. has managed to find the balance between spooky and classy. A lot of home decorations can look cheap and Halloweeny, whereas these pieces are pleasingly morbid as well as elegant and smart.
Fruit Bat Wine Accessory Set
If you are someone who decorates for Halloween all year round, and likes to do it with style, then you should definitely visit Dellamorte & Co's online store. Their pieces also make excellent gifts for fans of the dark and macabre, as I said, my piece was a gift, and one of the coolest I ever remember receiving. Thank you for visiting, hope I've given you something new to admire!
Until next week x
I decided a while ago that I wanted to make regular posts highlighting cool and interesting shops online, so I thought it was about time I did so. There are so many amazing, talented artists and crafters out there, I love discovering them, and so I want to share that excitement with you. I thought I'd begin with a small business I mentioned in a video recently, Umay Designs.
I've been following Umay on Instagram for a long time, and was finally lucky enough to own a piece for myself. Based in Turkey, Umay Designs brings you unique, handmade, "wearable forms of nature and art". They also make decorative items for display, but my personal favourite pieces are the large, outstanding crystal pendants, that do look like something plucked from nature.
Some pieces are like a little slice of enchanted forest, with tiny mushrooms, flowers, or encased spores, while others feature skulls or blood and are more macabre. Those are, naturally, my favourites. Each piece is tremendously detailed, and most certainly made with love and care, and to last.
The piece I have is now one of my most prized jewellery pieces. It's so different from anything else I have, a proper treasure. I wish I could own a whole collection of their fascinating pendants. The pricing is fair given the amount of work that goes into each unique piece, and I expect you'd be very unlikely to run into someone who is wearing the same thing. I recommend following Umay Designs on Instagram, so you can keep up with all the cool new things they keep creating. I'm so impressed by their stuff, I thought you might be too :) Their stuff is perfect for anyone who wants to weave a witchy or magical vibe into their style, for crystal collectors, or they would make an amazing and special gift for someone. Visit their store on Etsy.
Thanks very much for reading, you can share this article on Facebook or Twitter. I hope I've introduced you to something new to fawn over, and from now on I'll be bringing you regular, awesome finds from all over the web. Cheery-bye!
Here are my vlogs from this year's Wave-Gotik-Treffen, the world's biggest goth festival! Apart from the decidedly moist weather, it was the same intense whirlwind of partying and friend-making and black everywhere as every year. Enormous thanks to Queen of Darkness for making it possible for me to go this year, and for arranging the wonderful meet & greet! Enjoy! Part 1:
Hi! I've done clothes and bags, now we're onto the shoe section of my wardrobe tour. Do I have too much stuff? Probably. Anyway, here's the video, and below I've listed where you can find every pair of shoes online, should you wish to add to your own collection. There's a number in the bottom-left corner of the screen for each pair. I linked to the exact page where I bought my own, except for the very old ones.
Did you have a favourite, or a pair that you thought were particularly stupid? Anyway, enjoy the video!
It's always satisfying and exciting to discover a new place to find the things you love and covet most, and I'm constantly being asked where I get clothes, shoes, jewellery, etc. from. So how about a little series of blogposts that put the spotlight on the best webstores? Does that sound like a good idea to you? Anyway, let us begin...
Dress by Punk Rave
If you watch my videos regularly (and you should because: cool) then you've probably heard me mention DevilNight.co.uk a few times. I choked a bit when I first stumbled upon their website, because they stock several of my top favourite fashion brands; Punk Rave, RQ-BL, Pentagramme, Devil Fashion, and Dark in Love.
They also stock an impressive and promising range of Medieval and Victorian gowns. It's one of those places I could go mental at if I had the funds to do so. Since first discovering DevilNight, I've been lucky enough to receive three garments from them.
High-Waisted Skirt by Punk Rave
In my experience, some lesser-known webstores recreate and sell knockoffs of some of my most beloved brands, and I had feared that this might be one of them, but to my delight, the garments I received were 100% genuine and beautiful.
My first acquisition was a high-waisted, terribly elegant skirt by Punk Rave. I wore it in an OOTD video entitled Aquatic Shimmer. My second was a really cool dress with a high neck, also by Punk Rave, made of soft, suede-like fabric as well as raggedly fishnet. Perfect for me really, and perfect for the current chilly season. Thirdly, I got a hooded dress by Dark in Love that is pleasingly swooshy as has a distinctly witchy vibe. I showed it off in a video wherein I showcased the newest releases from Dark in Love.
DevilNight provides a variety of different 'theatrical' styles of dress, including 50s pin-up, Steampunk, and Lolita, and fortunately supply plenty of mens' things as well as womens'.
DevilNight is active on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter. On their Instagram it's really nice to see people showing off their wedding outfits that they've bought there. A lot of people seem to find their perfect alternative wedding outfit at DevilNight. Let me know if you like the idea of highlighting and/or reviewing alternative webstores, I think there are so many out there, especially small businesses, that could really do with a bit more love and attention!
I took some photos for Dark in Closet, an online gothic fashion store that I instantly died when I saw. There I found a dress I had seen around and wanted for ages, even though it was something unlike I had worn before. It's from my favourite brand Punk Rave, so I knew it would be beautiful, and even prettier in real life than photos. I thought the whole outfit for my little photo session was so cool, that I wanted to make an OOTD video of it. Here's the video, list of everything I'm wearing below! Watch me:
I wanted to gather a list of terminology used within the global Goth scene, because why not. Please leave a comment here (or on YouTube) if you have anything to add! Here is the video first of all. In this video I'm wearing a bat necklace from Dystunctional Doll's eBay store, inverted pentagram earrings by Curiology, red contact lenses from Pinky Paradise, and my bolero and belt both came from Queen of Darkness.
Watch me:
Moontan
The opposite of a suntan. The paleness achieved by never going into the sun.
Gothip
Gossip specifically spread within and about the black scene.
The Scene or The Black Scene
The global social scene or people actively involved in our splendid and outré subculture.
Darque
An action or statement that is nihilistic and causes a reaction of, “Oooo”.
Drac
Something markedly cool and pleasingly creepy. ie: “Oooo, drac”.
Eldergoth
Someone over the age of around 35 or who has been in the scene since the 80s.
Usually given great respect.
Babybat
Someone new to the scene who is still finding their way around. Also "Kindergoth" or "noob".
Necro
Something deathly and dark yet undeniably cool. ie: “we cooked a necro-dinner,
everything on the plate was black”.
Normal
Noun. Regular people that do not fall into any alternative subculture. ie: “he was
hanging with a bunch of Normals.”
Mallgoths
Usually a cluster of teenagers looking spooky in a mall or other public place to
attract attention.
Bat
Another name for a Goth in general.
Über
Also called “fancy”, someone with striking, over-the-top, gothic style with no detail forgotten.
Bleak
Used to describe music, meaning good, because that’s how we like it. ie: “Hollow Hills is nice and bleak”.
Depression or Mope
Cumulative noun, a large group of Goths. ie: “there’s a heavy depression coming in” or “a whole mope entered the bar at once".
Trad
Goths who have a taste for traditional style and artists, typical markings include teased hair, angular eyeliner, 80s inspired fashion, and pike shoes.
Deathrocker
Too punk for Goth, too Goth for punk. Fans of Deathrock music, typical markings include deathhawks, studded jackets, and torn stockings worn as any garment.
Waver
Fans of dark wave, cold wave, and other wave music, much crossover with Trads as far as taste and style goes.
Poseur
Someone who dresses up for attention and often talks about how dark and mysterious they are, doesn’t actually know anything about the subculture.
Tourist
Someone who dresses up in a “goth-costume” and hangs out in the scene, but isn’t actually a goth themselves.
Weekender
Someone who only dresses Goth on the weekends for parties on events, but has a normal lifestyle throughout the week. This is often forced upon people who work in a corporate environment or similar.
Mansonite
Someone categorised as a hardcore Marilyn Manson fan or imitator.
Colourful
Grey.
Phaser
Someone going through an obvious rebellious or fashion phase who will some day grow out of it.
Cybergoth or Graver
Fans of electronic “doof doof” music, often sporting UV reactive tube hair, fluffy leg warmers, and stylised gas masks.
Goth Moth
A normal person who hangs out with groups of Goths. Like a moth flying around and around a flame.
Bubblegoth
Also called “Perky Goth”, one who is generally cheerful, energetic, and may wear accents of pink or other colours. Probably has pink hair.
Goose
When someone tries dressing up to look very dark and fancy, but crosses the line into looking comical.
Doomcookie
Someone obviously trying way too hard to appear gothic, often marked by melodramatic poetry or behaviour. The doomcookie does not know that he or she is one. Also called a “TryHard”.
Batcave
A club in London considered a birthplace of the scene, where many classic, cornerstone bands peformed. Also the term used to categorise the sort of music played there. ie: “tonight’s gig is 80s, Dark Wave, Batcave, and Electro.”
Batcaver
Fans of Batcave bands who conform to the traditional style.
Gothic Two-Step
The classic dancemove involving staring at the ground looking forelorn and stepping from side to side.
Part-Timer
Someone who only takes part in the scene some of the time, and otherwise appears normal.
Elitist
An asshole who thinks they’re better than everyone else for no reason. Judges others openly, and often quizzes others on their knowledge of classic bands or obscurities. Elitists usually are not part of the scene for long.
Which bring us to…
Gother Than Thou
The patronising attitude of looking down on others as not being “goth-enough”.
Goth Card
A fictional club-membership card used as a joke. ie: “you’re listening to Taylor Swift? That’s it, hand in your Goth Card, you’re out”.
TRVE
An unattainably high level of gothness. One must eat only black food in measures of 666 grams, bleed black, piss black, and probably be dead.
Goth Points
Something that doesn’t exist, used humourously ie: Carl McCoy asked for a photo with me, goth points off the charts right now!”
Post-Goth
Someone who has figuratively “handed in their goth card” and has taken on a normal lifestyle and fashion sense.
Goth in a Box
Someone who has undergone an overnight transformation by buying all their clothes and accessories from a mainstream alternative store like Hot Topic. Instant fashion from a box, without any originally or personality woven in.
Not-a-Goth
Someone who is obviously a Goth but furiously denies it, ie: “I may be driving a hearse in a black frockcoat while smoking a clove and worshipping Peter Murphy’s cheekbones, but I’m not a Goth.”
Goffik
No one likes dropping the G-Bomb all the time, a less embarrassing way of saying "gothic".
Those of us who don black, outré outfits every day, will already understand the struggles of surviving Summer. However, Nick Morgenstern of Morgenstern's Finest Ice Cream shop has made it possible to get more enjoyment out of Summer while still committing to a spooky lifestyle.
One can now enjoy solid black ice-cream, the trendy treat that's overtaking rainbow bagels and lattes on the coolness scale everywhere. The ice-cream contains no food dyes, nor is it coloured with squid ink or sesame as many other black foods are.
A photo posted by Morgenstern's Finest Ice Cream (@morgensternsnyc) on
The unusual ingredient is coconut ash. Morgenstern told Mic that "it's simply the charred and processed remains of a coconut shell", and combined with coconut milk, coconut cream, and coconut flakes, the result is a rich coconut flavoured ice-cream with a jet-black colour.
One ought to be warned however, the ice-cream will temporarily stain one's lips and mouth black. Which is fine (and even convenient) for those of us who prefer a dark lip. Coconut ash is a form of activated charcoal, and while it is widely believed to hold detoxifying properties, others have doubts over its effect on the body. So perhaps this inky treat is best enjoyed in moderation.
Morgenstern's shop also sells other unconventional flavours such as Banana Curry, Cardamom, and Egg. The store is located in New York, but the popularity of the black ice-cream is seeing similar products pop up elsewhere in the world.
Just a quick Outfit of the Day before I went into the city. I had to buy kitty litter, terribly exciting. I can't help but feel like I'm channelling the ghost of some 50s housewife with this dress on. It's made of corduroy so is actually fairly warm. It's easy to dress up, just a few accessories and that's it.
It ended up being a delightful afternoon. I was waiting for the bus, when a car full of young blokes shouted "Hallo!" at me. Minutes later they turned their car around, and pulled over to get a photo with me. They asked another chap standing at the bus stop to take the picture, was all a bit funny and somewhat embarrassing. When the bus came, the other chap got me onto the bus for free with his card, how kind! Ended up chatting to him the whole way, it's often interesting talking to strangers. Everyone has a story.
I picked up my cat-related requirements then obliterated my diet with a Banana Caramel S'mores Frap from Starbucks. Damn, worth it. On the way home I had the same bus driver, who just let me on for free again. Woo! It's the little things or whatever :p Anyway, here's my outfit video, followed by where you can find everything online :)
I've decided to do the occasional book picks post instead of every month as before, (unless anyone should insist otherwise?) but I had a nice time looking through all your suggestions for great books to recommend your fellow Belfry Bats. Some of these look extremely promising!
So here is a collection of books, suggested by you, with where to find them on Book Depository. I chose Book Depository since it's my favourite place to get books, and ships free all over the world :)
The horror stories collected in Teatro Grottesco feature tormented individuals who play out their doom in various odd little towns, as well as in dark sectors frequented by sinister and often blackly comical eccentrics. The cycle of narratives introduce readers to a freakish community of artists who encounter demonic perils that ultimately engulf their lives.
The award-winning author of bestsellers Heart-Shaped Box and Horns, plunges you into the dark side of the imagination with a thrilling novel of supernatural suspense . . .Victoria "Vic" McQueen has an uncanny knack for finding things. When she rides her bicycle over the rickety bridge in the woods near her house, she always emerges in the places she needs to be. Vic doesn't tell anyone about her unusual ability.Charles Talent Manx has a gift of his own. He likes to take children for rides in his 1938 Rolls-Royce Wraith with the vanity plate NOS4A2. In the Wraith, he and his innocent guests can slip out of the everyday world to an astonishing playground of amusements he calls Christmasland. Mile by mile, the journey across the highway of Charlie's twisted imagination transforms his precious passengers, leaving them as terrifying and unstoppable as their benefactor.
H.P. Lovecraft's reputation has grown tremendously over the decades, and he is now commonly regarded as one of the most important horror writers of the 20th century, exerting an influence that is widespread, though often indirect.' H.P. Lovecraft's tales of the tentacled Elder God Cthulhu and his pantheon of alien deities were initially written for the pulp magazines of the 1920s and '30s. These astonishing tales blend elements of horror, science fiction and cosmic terror that are as powerful today as they were when they were first published. This handsome leatherbound tome collects together the very best of Lovecraft's tales of terror, including the complete Cthulhu Mythos cycle, just the way they were originally published.
Presents four volumes in which Vlad, an orphan who is half-vampire, attends Bathory High as he deals with other vampires who want to steal his powers, vampire slayers who want to kill him, and conflicts with his best friend Henry.
This is a story of an artist's desire for beauty and the ultimate corruption of innocence. 17th Century Holland. When Griet becomes a maid in the household of Johannes Vermeer in the town of Delft, she thinks she knows her role: housework, laundry and the care of his six children. But as she becomes part of his world and his work, their growing intimacy spreads tension and deception in the ordered household and, as the scandal seeps out, into the town beyond.
In a future world, vampires reign. Humans are blood cattle. And one girl will search for the key to save humanity. Allison Sekemoto survives in the Fringe, the outermost circle of a vampire city. By day, she and her crew scavenge for food. By night, any one of them could be eaten. Some days, all that drives Allie is her hatred of them. The vampires who killed her mother and keep humans as blood cattle. Until the night Allie herself is attacked - and given the ultimate choice. Die...or become one of the monsters. Faced with her own mortality, Allie becomes what she despises most.
This magnificent novel portrays two lovers separated by deadly secrets and trapped in the fateful hourglass of time.Beautiful young Andrea travels from Los Angeles to her ancestral home in England to meet her relatives and confront her mysterious heritage. But from the first moment she steps foot in her grandmother's cold Victorian house in Warrington, she senses an awesome, unsettling presence. She knows that a rendezvous awaits her: a terrifying journey into the past, and a shattering encounter that will mark and change her forever. Andrea soon learns how terribly right her instincts have been.
In Winter, or Gethen, Ursula K. Le Guin has created a fully realised planet and people. But Gethen society is more than merely a fascinating creation. The concept of a society existing totally without sexual prejudices is even more relevant today than it was in 1969. This special 25th anniversary edition of The Left Hand of Darkness contains not only the complete, unaltered text of the landmark original but also a thought-provoking new afterword and four new appendixes by Ms. Le Guin.
Thanks for your suggestions! If you'd like to suggest a book for next month's book picks, write to me here on the Contact page and select Other. Happy reading! x
Shopping while drunk is both dangerous and brilliantly fun. I did a lot of it at the Wave Gotik Treffen festival recently. Here are the things I vaguely remember buying, plus where you can find as much of it as possible online :)
Watch me:
The stuff I showed you that I was able to find online...
Velvet tail jacket by Intermoden, I can't find the item anywhere unfortunately!
Only a few scents from Parfume Noire are available online, but apparently you can email parfume-noire@t-online.de to ask about other scents. They have so many!
I loved the items I got from Dark in Love! Remember that when you visit their online store, you can use the code "blackfridaycode" for free shipping! Anyway, here's me (what we could loosely call) modelling my new black on black clothes. Below you can find a list of everything I was wearing, and where you can find it online if possible. Enjoy!
If anyone is allowed an informed opinion on Buzzfeed's latest video, 9 Struggles of Wearing All Black, it's me. By popular demand here is my reaction! Beneath the video you can find everything I'm wearing in this video, enjoy!
Hi! On the weekend we went to the monthly Sabotage Noir party in Spenge, which is always a reason to dress nicely. It's in a castle, somehow you feel like you need to dress... castley. Anyway, here's my Outfit of the Day video for you, plus a list of where to find (most of) my outfit online x
Let's get ready for a date! I think it's important for couples to go on dates even if they've been together a long time. Also join us on the date, plus the party we went to afterwards in Herford. It was such a lovely night! Below the video is a list of everything I was wearing or using, and where to find them online if possible.
Watch me:
Clothes:
Blazer from Punk Rave
Singlet top with lace bust, good for layering, bought locally
Someone had the genius idea that I should record my reactions to Buzzfeed's Men/Women Try Goth Fashion for a Week videos. So I did, here you go. Share this on Facebook if you enjoy them!
Curious as to what your favourites kinds of videos are, so I can make more things that you're most interested in watching. From the list below, please select your favourite kinds of videos. You can also make a suggestion or leave a comment. Thanks very much for your help, greatly appreciated!
I had said a while ago that I would start posting book suggestions as suggested by you guys, so I figured it was about time I got onto it. I was thinking of making this a monthly thing, because BOOKS, would you be keen on that? Anyway, here are a few books as recommended by you guys! I've linked everything to Book Depository, because it's where I and my friends usually buy books; they have pretty much everything ever and free shipping anywhere in the world!
"A visceral story of friendship, music, and bloody revenge" Rachel feels like she doesn't fit in -- until she finds heavy metal and meets Fern, a kindred spirit. The two form their own band, but the metal scene turns out to be no different than the misogynist world they want to change. Violent encounters escalate, and the friends decide there's only one way forward...
25 chilling short stories by outstanding female writers. Women have always written exceptional stories of horror and the supernatural. This anthology aims to showcase the very best of these, from Amelia B. Edwards's 'The Phantom Coach', published in 1864, through past luminaries such as Edith Wharton and Mary Elizabeth Braddon, to modern talents including Muriel Gray, Sarah Pinborough, and Lilith Saintcrow.
Due to its passionate, extreme aesthetic, Goth culture remains both vibrant and vibrantly loved, and continually inspires new developments in pop culture. Both a starting place for newcomers and a source of incisive insights for veterans, "Goth Chic examines this dark culture from multiple angles. Each chapter of this lavishly illustrated guide dissects a distinct aspect of the Goth genre, including movies, music, books, graphic novels, and more.
A new guy in town. Rumors of vampires. Dangerous first love. This is where it all begins.... The mansion on top of Benson Hill has stood empty for years. But one day it seems to be occupied, and its mysterious, handsome inhabitant Alexander Sterling becomes the source of much talk around town.
Thanks for your suggestions! If you'd like to suggest a book for next month's book picks, write to me here on the Contact page and select Other. Happy reading! x
