Author Archives: Lady of the Manners

Of Parents Disapproving Of Your Evolving Style, With A Short Tangent About Emilie Autumn

Goodness, Snarklings! The Lady of the Manners is sure that all of you have seen the photos all around the Web of President Obama and his family with the Spanish Prime Minister and his family, including his two gothling teen daughters. The Lady of the Manners thinks the photo is adorable, and fervently hopes that the Spanish Prime Minister has been keeping his daughters out of the media spotlight because he wants them to have some privacy, not because he is possibly embarrassed by the girls’ Goth appearance. Because (by the Lady of the Manners’ logic), if the Spanish Prime Minister was apprehensive about his daughters’ gothy tendencies, he would have done what parents of Goths have done for ages, and informed his daughters that the were not going to attend the event dressed like that. But obviously he didn’t, and the whole photo just makes the Lady of the Manners beam fondly.

Speaking of possible parental disapproval, Continue reading

Posted in Being Fashionable, Growing Pains | 1 Comment

Of Nicknames. And Of Fan Art!

Forgive the delay between posts, Snarklings. Firstly, the Lady of the Manners wanted to make sure that the post about Goths of Color had a goodly stay on the front page. Secondly, the Lady of the Manners is recovering from the flu, and has not felt up to writing anything more in depth than the occasional ennui-laden LiveJournal entry. But! The aches, chills, and fever have finally gone away, and the Lady of the Manners feels clear-headed enough to do more than glance fuzzily at her inbox!

One very flattering question that appears in the Gothic Charm School mailbox frequently is if there are going to be more Gothic Charm School videos on YouTube. Yes, Snarklings, eventually. The Lady of the Manners has been discussing some ideas with her brilliant and talented friends who helped create the first three videos, and there are Plans Afoot! But the Lady of the Manners is unable to give you even a vague projection of when a new video may appear, as there is much wrangling with the schedules of everyone involved to be dealt with, first. But yes, more videos are going to happen! Continue reading

Posted in General | Leave a comment

Of Goths Of Color

Snarklings, remember back in early July, when the Lady of the Manners asked for your help in answering a reader question? No? Here, let the Lady of the Manners refresh your memory about what a Snarkling named Oni asked:

Dear Lady of the Manners,

I’m new to your site and would like to say that this is a very reliable source for the Gothic lifestyle and for the onlookers. You don’t choose sides and its nice and equal. Although I face one MAJOR problem in the lifestyle. I’m of African-American descent and have noticed that I cannot find good makeup tips and fashion for us goths of a darker shade, which makes me feel left out. Not only that but many other goths that I have encountered have tended to have a very “racist” attitude toward goths of a darker shade things like “Oh! I have never seen YOUR kind” or “I didn’t know there were black goths around”. There absolutely needs to be more diversity in the subculture and someone needs to break the mold in fashion.

At that time, the Lady of the Manners replied with:

Oni, you are absolutely right, there needs to be more diversity in the Goth subculture. The Lady of the Manners cannot stress that strongly enough, and is sad to read some of the attitudes and comments you’ve had to deal with.

However ”¦ the Lady of the Manners is a well-intentioned white girl, who wants to give helpful advice, but is operating from a position of cluelessness. Which is why, Snarklings, she is turning to you. Other Goths of color, please speak up!

Well, the time has come, Snarklings! The Lady of the Manners has read through all sorts of interesting mail from helpful Snarklings, and hopes that the following advice is what Oni (and other readers!) were looking for. Continue reading

Posted in Being Fashionable, Being Mannerly, Serious Matters | Leave a comment

Of Maintaining Your Gothy Nature And Creativity In Spite Of Ill Health

Well Snarklings, the Gothic Charm School book tour is winding to a close. There is a signing at The Dreaming comic shop in Seattle at 4PM on Saturday August 15, and then … good heavens, the schedule is blank! That isn’t to say that the Lady of the Manners doesn’t want to go out and meet more of you charming people, not at all! No, it means that there isn’t anything scheduled. If you have an event that would like to bring the Lady of the Manners out as a guest, please feel free to contact Gothic Charm School!

Be sure to toddle over to the Lip Service Webzine to read about the Lady of the Manners attending a Gothic Lolita and Ball-Jointed Doll convention. (The very short version is that it was a marvelous time, more conventions should host tea parties, and the Lady of the Manners is planning on attending next year.)

Also, the Gothic Charm School Batty Heart necklace from Rocklove and the Gothic Charm School body butter from Starborn Alchemy are both available now!

Reader question time! A dear friend of the Lady of the Manners wrote in with a serious question, one that might apply to more Snarklings out there:

question: Hello Dear Lady!
It is with awe I watch you continue to take over the world!

I am taking the time to ask you for help.
What does a darkly clad (or insanely clad) one do to remain true to the whimsy when one is ill?
Continue reading

Posted in Clicky-links, Events, Serious Matters, Stuff & Oddments | Leave a comment

Of Interviews, Of Upcoming Events, And Of Tightening Parental Restrictions

Snarklings! There are so many exciting things still going on at Gothic Charm School! Such as the lovely new merchandise that the Lady of the Manners wrote about last week: the Gothic Charm School Batty Heart necklace from Rocklove Jewelry, and the Gothic Charm School Body Butter from Starborn Alchemy! Go forth and investigate those clicky-links for more information and to purchase the items. Continue reading

Posted in Clicky-links, Events, Growing Pains | Leave a comment

Portland! New Gothic Charm School Merchandise! And When Not To Explain That You’re Not Wearing A Costume.

Forgive the Lady of the Manners if this post seems a little scattered, Snarklings. The trip to San Diego Comic-Con was amazing, but just the teensiest bit overwhelming. But oh yes, the Lady of the Manners wants to go back next year. Be sure to scamper over to the Lip Service Webzine to read the book tour diary installment about all the hijinks!

Thank you to all of you Snarklings who came to the Gothic Charm School autograph session or who recognized the Lady of the Manners in the Exhibit Hall and said hi! Meeting the people who read Gothic Charm School has been the best thing about the book tour. The Lady of the Manners wishes that she were able to visit more cities and meet more of you, but alas, a book tour budget only stretches so far. Continue reading

Posted in Amusements, Being Fashionable, Being Mannerly, Clicky-links, Events | Leave a comment

Of San Diego Comic-Con, Portland, And A Reader Suffering School Torments.

The NYC stop of the Gothic Charm School tour was oodles of fun, Snarklings! (If a bit humid.) The reading at The Mysterious Bookshop was lovely, and the Lady of the Manners was delighted to meet all of you who turned up there. The picnic at the Green-Wood Cemetery was everything the Lady of the Manners had hoped for and more! Goregously-dressed creatures, a historic cemetery, and weather that turned out to be pleasant instead of sweltering and sticky like the day before. Pictures from the events can be found over at the Gothic Charm School Flickr Group! Continue reading

Posted in Being Social, Growing Pains, Love & Romance, News | Leave a comment

Of New York, Lip Service, And Answering Reader Questions!

Busy times, Snarklings! Busy busy times! So the Lady of the Manners is going to give you several updates in a bullet-point style, and then yes indeed, answer some questions from readers! And finish up with a reader question that she intends to address more fully, but needs your help to do so. Continue reading

Posted in Being Fashionable, Clicky-links, Events, News | Leave a comment

Of NYC And San Diego ComicCon!

Goodness, Snarklings! The California stops for the Gothic Charm School book tour were all sorts of fun, and it was lovely to meet all of you who were there. But where oh where is the Lady of the Manners going to be next? New York! And San Diego ComicCon! Continue reading

Posted in Events | Leave a comment

Of Events, And Of Finding The Gothic Charm School Book In The Wild!

Snarklings! The Lady of the Manners is incredibly giddy with how well the release party for the Gothic Charm School book went! Swarms of you turned up at the University Village Barnes & Noble in Seattle, and made the Lady of the Manners feel very loved indeed. Thank you.

Speaking of events: remember there are Gothic Charm School reading & signing events in San Francisco/Burlingame and Los Angeles this weekend! Come meet the Lady of the Manners and Pete Venters, the book’s illustrator! Continue reading

Posted in Events | Leave a comment