Yearly Archives: 2014

Nocturnal House: Prince Lestat

Posted on December, 2014 by Lady of the Manners

Go put on your finest velvet frock coats, antique lace scarves and cuffs, and pour yourself a cup of tea or a glass of your favorite libation, Snarklings. Because it’s time for another visit to the Nocturnal House, and OH! What a visit it will be. Because the Lady of the Manners has finally paused in her gleeful dancing around with her beloved cliches and actually gotten around to writing the review:

Prince Lestat, by Anne Rice. Continue reading →

Posted in General, Nocturnal House | Tagged , , , , | 12 Comments

Gothic Museum Exhibits! MMA and the British Library

Posted on November, 2014 by Lady of the Manners

Oh, how the Lady of the Manners wishes she could get to NYC sometime between now and February 1, 2015! The Metropolitan Museum of Art’s exhibit Death Becomes Her: A Century of Mourning Attire looks to be utterly amazing, and the Lady of the Manners would love to spend a few hours examining the details of the gorgeous, funereal artifacts and fashion. Continue reading →

Posted in General | 6 Comments

Of Musical Conjurings: An Interview with Meredith Yayanos

Posted on October, 2014 by Lady of the Manners

The Lady of the Manners has a special treat for you Snarklings! In December 2012, a gorgeously unsettling musical work was released: A Blessed Unrest, by The Parlour Trick. A collaboration between Meredith Yanos and Dan Cantrell, is an album perfect for spirits looking for a house to haunt, or to soothe a madwoman in an attic. It quickly became one of the Lady of the Manners’ favorite musical works, and is a perfect soundtrack for writing.

And now, presented to you after assorted adventures and hijinks with email and schedules: the Gothic Charm School interview with Meredith Yanos!
Continue reading →

Posted in review: music | Tagged , , , , , | 1 Comment

Of Goth Fashion: DIY vs. Off-the-Rack

Posted on September, 2014 by Lady of the Manners

Hello Snarklings! The Lady of the Manners has decided to rise herself from her end-of-summer torpor and resume answering questions. (August is not a good month for the Lady of the Manners, what with the brilliant sunshine, the warm weather, and so on.)

What summoned the Lady of the Manners from her darkened lair in the Gothic Charm School library? A question about the fashion dilemma of DIY vs. buying pre-made goods: Continue reading →

Posted in Being Fashionable, General | Tagged , , | 22 Comments

Nocturnal House: Still Life, by Michael Montoure

Posted on July, 2014 by Lady of the Manners

It’s a warm summer night, the clear light of a full moon shining through an open window. The whisper of a breeze brings the scents of moss and night-blooming flowers, which mingle pleasantly with the perfumes of candles and old books. At the edge of your vision you spy a flutter of movement — a bat? Or the ghostly gesture of something reaching past you to select a book from the shelves? Welcome back to the Nocturnal House.

Still Life by Michael Montoure was one of my favorite new books of 2013. It’s a story of vampiric transformation, where the hazy romantic trappings that cushion many vampire tales are peeled away, exposing the bare viscera and bones of loneliness, need, and the bloodsucking truths (both metaphorical and shockingly physical) of relationships that have turned toxic. Continue reading →

Posted in Book Reviews, Nocturnal House | Tagged , , , , | 4 Comments

Beware the Burning Orb! Or, Summer Goth

Posted on July, 2014 by Lady of the Manners

Snarklings, it’s July in the Lady of the Manners’ part of the world. In other words, summer, the dreaded season of burning sunlight and high temperatures. Woe! Woe are the goths!

Oh, all right, the Lady of the Manners may be indulging in the tiniest bit of melodramatics about summer. There are many goths who adore this season, and look forward to warmer weather and longer days. The Lady of the Manners doesn’t happen to be one of those types of goths, and judging by questions showing up in the Gothic Charm School mailbox, many of you share her opinions. Which means it’s time for a summer survival guide! Continue reading →

Posted in Being Fashionable, General | Tagged , , | 35 Comments

Five Years!

Posted on June, 2014 by Lady of the Manners

Five years, Snarklings! Five years!

::a brief pause while the Lady of the Manners dances around the room with pink and black balloons, then lights the candles on the tray of cupcakes::

What on earth is the Lady of the Manners talking about? Just the small fact that this is the FIFTH ANNIVERSARY of the release of the Gothic Charm School book! Continue reading →

Posted in Events, Stuff & Oddments | Tagged , , , | 18 Comments

Review: Only Lovers Left Alive, from Black Phoenix Alchemy Lab

Posted on June, 2014 by Lady of the Manners

Just in case you’ve somehow missed the Lady of the Manners burbling everywhere about it: the Jim Jarmusch movie, Only Lovers Left Alive, is possibly the best vampire movie she’s ever seen. Tilda Swinton! Tom Hiddleston! AS VAMPIRES. It’s a gorgeous, lush opium dream of a movie about immortal love, and you should see it if you’re able to.

The mad geniuses over at Black Phoenix Alchemy Lab have created an official line of perfumes for the movie, and they very kindly sent them to the Lady of the Manners! So for the next little while, it’s review time! Starting out with our pair of immortal lovers, with a “bonus track” review of the Lady of the Manners’ favorite scent from the entire collection. Continue reading →

Posted in General | Tagged , , , , | 3 Comments

Bats Day 2014!

Posted on May, 2014 by Lady of the Manners

Thanks to the incredible kindness and generosity of some friends, the Lady of the Manners was able to attend one of her all-time favorite annual events, Bats Day at the Fun Park. An event that combines two of the things that are incredibly dear to the Lady of the Manners: goths and Disneyland! Continue reading →

Posted in Events | Tagged , | 11 Comments

Polyvore Thing! “A little tea party”

Posted on May, 2014 by Lady of the Manners

The Lady of the Manners has returned from Bats Day, and is in the middle of writing an enormous post about it. In the meantime: oooh, look! The wonderful Thea Maia has created a gothy tea party Polyvore set! Continue reading →

Posted in Being Fashionable, Polyvore | Tagged , , | Leave a comment