Author Archives: Lady of the Manners

Tutorial: The Hair Floof – a Fluffy Fabric Hair Tie!

While the Lady of the Manners is probably never going to have short hair, she admits that long hair can sometimes be difficult. Especially in the summer, when wearing your hair down can be uncomfortably warm and sticky. But the Lady of the Manners becomes easily bored with plain ponytails, buns, and other sorts of updos, and suspects that she’s not alone in that. Enter one of the Lady of the Manners’ favorite (and simple!) solutions: a fluffy, flouncy hair tie! Or, as the Lady of the Manners refers to them, a hair floof.
Continue reading

Posted in Fashion, Tutorials | Tagged , , | 5 Comments

Summer Goth! The 2018 Edition

The Summer Solstice has passed in the Northern hemisphere, which means summer has arrived. The Lady of the Manners wishes she could be more enthusiastic about the whole thing.

The Lady of the Manners is completely accepting of the fact that many other goths don’t share her biases about the seasons and their attendant weather. There are people she’s very fond of who adore sunny days and high temperatures, and who become listless and dispirited once autumn comes around. But, as the Lady of the Manners often says over on Tumblr, she is a delicate moss flower. Which brings the Lady of the Manners to what is becoming a summer tradition at Gothic Charm School: advice on how to deal with the burning orb. Continue reading

Posted in Stuff & Oddments | Tagged , , | 10 Comments

Of “Rules”, and Questions from Different Ends of the Age Spectrum

The Lady of the Manners didn’t mean to hide and take a nap for a large portion of the spring, really she didn’t. But sometimes these things happen. However, a few bits of Goth Upkeep information that the Lady of the Manners feels you should know:

  • Crypts and haunted mansions, while lovely and gloomy, still won’t protect you from pollen-induced allergies.
  • MAC Liquidlast liner will stay on through allergy attacks, naps, showers, and possibly anything else.
  • Milani Cosmetics Infinite Liquid Eyeliner is a perfect duplicate of Liquidlast, and is available in drugstores.
  • If you use either of those liquid liners, you will need to use an oil-based remover to get them off your face. (The Lady of the Manners uses jojoba oil and baby wipes.)

And before the Lady of the Manners gets on to answering some questions, she has one other thing to tell you about! She and Rhias Hall are the hosts of a new podcast about horror novels from the 70s, 80s, and 90s: The Night Library! This podcast is inspired by the delightful book Paperbacks from Hell by Grady Hendrix. Your two hosts realized they had both read a vast number of the books in that tome, and the podcast is an excuse to reread and discuss them. Continue reading

Posted in Being Mannerly, Being Social, Elder Goths, Growing Pains, Love & Romance | Tagged , , , , , , | 7 Comments

Show and Tell: the Wet n Wild “Goth-o-Graphic” collection

Therefore when the Lady of the Manners heard that Wet n Wild cosmetics were releasing a limited edition goth-themed collection, she was VERY interested. Continue reading

Posted in General, Reviews, Show And Tell | 8 Comments

Of Finding Goth Fashion

During the months that she was in torpor, the Lady of the Manners received questions that were all variations on a theme that is familiar; Goth fashion – where to find it? In fact, a question from an anonymous user over on the Gothic Charm School tumblr summed it up best:

Any resources for gothic clothing? All the ones I find just bring up the stereotypical goth.

A much-expanded version of the Lady of the Manners’ reply to this question is as such: Continue reading

Posted in Being Fashionable | Tagged , | 21 Comments

The 2017 Holiday Gift Guide!

It’s that time of year, Snarklings! Holiday gifting time! The Lady of the Manners has spent a not-inconsiderable amount of time talking to artisans and creators (and window-shopping in the process) to bring you a list of enticing goodies in a wide selection of price ranges! Continue reading

Posted in Holidays & Special Occasions | 2 Comments

Of Goth and Halloween Costumes

Quite simply, it is not rude to dress as a goth for Halloween. Continue reading

Posted in Holidays & Special Occasions | Tagged | 8 Comments

A Short Post on Dealing with Elitist, Gother-Than-Thou Types

Elitists. Gatekeepers. People who say “You’re not a REAL goth unless”. The Gother-Than-Thou scourge of our subculture, and a persistent problem that many of you keep running into. So here: A selection of questions and (slightly rewritten) answers. Continue reading

Posted in Being Social, General | Tagged , , , | 17 Comments

Summer Goth – Avoiding the Burning Orb

Snarklings, it’s time for a seasonal column. By which the Lady of the Manners means that in the hemisphere she lives in, it’s summer; her least favorite season. ::shudders::

Forgive the Lady of the Manners her melodramatic turn, Snarklings. There are many goths who like, nay, even adore summer! Warm weather! Longer days! More plentiful outdoor activities! There are those who are kind of meh about the whole sunlight thing. Then there are those (the Lady of the Manners included) who thanks to genetics, illnesses, medications, or who knows what else, don’t deal well with prolonged exposure to sunlight. (As the Lady of the Manners has said before, eventually she’ll develop the fun symptoms of vampirism, like mind control.) Continue reading

Posted in Fashion, General | Tagged , | 14 Comments

Of Gifts and Relationship Talks

Snarklings, the Lady of the Manners didn’t intend to lapse into silence again, really she didn’t! But there was work, and travel, and then more work, and even more travel. And, well. Time scampered on by, as it does. Yes, the Lady of the Manners was posting fairly regularly over on Tumblr and Instagram (where, if you go back in the archives to the beginning of May, you’ll find photos from Bats Day and the Vampire Masquerade Ball, which was part of the aforementioned travel), but that’s not the same as writing posts for Gothic Charm School!

So! The Lady of the Manners is slowly excavating the Gothic Charm School inbox, and getting back into the swing of answering reader questions! Continue reading

Posted in Love & Romance | 9 Comments