N
Noir*Boudoir
Guest
Ok, so the other thread was getting a bit heavy on the downloads, so because I want to add a few more picture-based posts, and some scans, I thought I'd branch out (and colonise, mwahaaahahahaaa!)
You're getting my personal style favourite this time:
<p align="center"> <font size="+1">PINSTRIPE</font size>
<u>Pinstriped 'Corporate Goth'... still going strong...</u></p>
While writing this series of posts, I've been browsing around in the goth category, trying to see what non-brand stuff is still selling. As far as I can see (and fervently hope) this trend is still going strong!
I've always liked the traditional suit patterns like pinstripe & dogtooth, in slinky cuts of course... So when I found a Vollers corset (on sale!) in a subtle pinstripe, I was pretty chuffed. Now I'm sure you can find early shots of various members of the Clash or the Banshees wearing dapper pinstripe blazers customized with metal accoutrements. But in more recent times, I'm not entirely sure from what trend Lip Service picked up the Jessica-Rabbit-meets-Cagney impetus to create their first Gangsta Pranksta line in 2002:
<p align="center"><img src="/goth/rustlemeup.jpg">
</p>
Stretch fabric, snaffle adornments, slight nods to vintage outlines and a <i>very</i> figure hugging cut. During 2003, the proportion of pinstripe on offer around Camden (my main barometer, I'm afraid) zoomed up precipitately, particularly in 80s punked up styles, or menswear - especially bondage trousers (basically, straight pants or jeans with lots of D-rings, and an assortment of straps attached to the D-rings with clips, strung around or between the legs - these pants usually have apron-like 'bum-flaps' too. Personally, I don't like the 'bum-flaps'!).
<p align="center"> <img src="/goth/bondagetrousers.jpg">
(Bondage trousers from Redhaze.co.uk - more of a stripe, but both wide and narrow get grouped under 'pinstripe' in style terminology here)
</p>
Pinstripe got fully integrated into this year's retro 50s scarlet-lipsticked 'Gothabilly' trend (by the way, I doubt anyone searches under that; I think the goths search 'rockabilly' and select what they like). Now I don't have any shots of the petticoated flouncy pinstripe skirts I've seen, but my personal favourite result of this crossfertilization was this:
<p align="center">
<img src="/goth/bettiepage2.jpg">
An enterprising supplier somewhere in the world, or maybe a north London alternative ragtrader, got a whole load of basic pinstripe tops - mens, women's shirts & tanks - and cut holes in them. In the holes they put plasticised fabric inserts of pin ups - Bettie Page, mostly, but some featured one particular shot of Emma Peel in the Hellfire Club, complete with python and corset. They left the edges raw-ish. These shirts actually look pretty cool, but they have no label or manufacturer name...(wish I'd bought one - this is my BF's)
The pinstripe-retro interface colours most of its uses in goth, from Lip Service's fetish 'Lady is a Tramp' line, which came in thin and wide pinstripes, as well as polka dot:<p align="center">
<img src="/goth/ladyisatramp.jpg">
(the Betty Bacall skirt from the discontinued Lady is a Tramp line - I'm <i>still</i> looking for this in medium, ::sigh::. )
</p>
... to the '40s style' (they say) suits marketed by Dracinabox, for the Corporate Goth:
<p align="center">
<img src="/goth/pinstripedracinabox2.jpg">
<img src="/goth/pinstripedracinabox.jpg">
</p>
And I suppose you could say this Morbid Threads lacy cami top is a little bit 'Pin Up':<p align="center">
<img src="/goth/morbidthreadscami.jpg">
</p> But there is one firm who decided to go their own way on the pinstripe trend... Futurist fanatics Cyberdog (of whom more later) formulated their own UV-reactive, electric-circuit pinstripe, initially for use on one of their comprehensive range of T-shirt styles.
<p align="center"><img src="/goth/cyberdogpinstripe.jpg"></p>
This must have sold as well for them as the Lip Service version did, since they've now expanded the number of garments using the fabric.
Now, the application of all this to clothing re-sale - unless you're a DIY reconstructionist who can attach tutus and lace to everything - is a bit tricky. Marketing a pinstripe item as 'goth' will probably only succeed if it's particularly sharp-looking, or quite unusual in some way (usually decorative details). Those Dracinthebox suits, above, have little spiders embroidered into them (no, really!).
One successful avenue last year was the high-street rip-off trend which ploughed the same pinstripe furrow. Ironically, some of the stuff produced was almost indistinguishable from the guerilla-adapted remainders on the market stalls. I found Charlotte Russe could be particularly good at this - this pinstripe bustier had a working zip and silver cross attachment:<p align="center">
<img src="/goth/pinstripechainfront.jpg">
</p>
A particular style that became really popular last year (mostly supplied by amateur DIY-ers) and is still going great guns this year (going into wider production I think) is the faux-corset latticed ribbon jacket. Here shown in a pinstripe jacket sold for a decent sum by UK goth seller Biomech-K:
<p align="center">
<img src="/goth/biomechkjacket.jpg"></P>
Now, you're not necessarily going to find these down the thrift... but you get the idea that unusual, glittery, metallic, lace or ribbon features can put a pinstripe item in the Gangsta goth ballpark. I wore a relatively normal grey pinstripe Morgan de Toi skirt, with a black lace trip, to a club last year and was surprised at how many compliments I got about it. Create the context, and something might just work...
You're getting my personal style favourite this time:
<p align="center"> <font size="+1">PINSTRIPE</font size>
<u>Pinstriped 'Corporate Goth'... still going strong...</u></p>
While writing this series of posts, I've been browsing around in the goth category, trying to see what non-brand stuff is still selling. As far as I can see (and fervently hope) this trend is still going strong!
I've always liked the traditional suit patterns like pinstripe & dogtooth, in slinky cuts of course... So when I found a Vollers corset (on sale!) in a subtle pinstripe, I was pretty chuffed. Now I'm sure you can find early shots of various members of the Clash or the Banshees wearing dapper pinstripe blazers customized with metal accoutrements. But in more recent times, I'm not entirely sure from what trend Lip Service picked up the Jessica-Rabbit-meets-Cagney impetus to create their first Gangsta Pranksta line in 2002:
<p align="center"><img src="/goth/rustlemeup.jpg">
</p>
Stretch fabric, snaffle adornments, slight nods to vintage outlines and a <i>very</i> figure hugging cut. During 2003, the proportion of pinstripe on offer around Camden (my main barometer, I'm afraid) zoomed up precipitately, particularly in 80s punked up styles, or menswear - especially bondage trousers (basically, straight pants or jeans with lots of D-rings, and an assortment of straps attached to the D-rings with clips, strung around or between the legs - these pants usually have apron-like 'bum-flaps' too. Personally, I don't like the 'bum-flaps'!).
<p align="center"> <img src="/goth/bondagetrousers.jpg">
(Bondage trousers from Redhaze.co.uk - more of a stripe, but both wide and narrow get grouped under 'pinstripe' in style terminology here)
</p>
Pinstripe got fully integrated into this year's retro 50s scarlet-lipsticked 'Gothabilly' trend (by the way, I doubt anyone searches under that; I think the goths search 'rockabilly' and select what they like). Now I don't have any shots of the petticoated flouncy pinstripe skirts I've seen, but my personal favourite result of this crossfertilization was this:
<p align="center">
<img src="/goth/bettiepage2.jpg">
An enterprising supplier somewhere in the world, or maybe a north London alternative ragtrader, got a whole load of basic pinstripe tops - mens, women's shirts & tanks - and cut holes in them. In the holes they put plasticised fabric inserts of pin ups - Bettie Page, mostly, but some featured one particular shot of Emma Peel in the Hellfire Club, complete with python and corset. They left the edges raw-ish. These shirts actually look pretty cool, but they have no label or manufacturer name...(wish I'd bought one - this is my BF's)
The pinstripe-retro interface colours most of its uses in goth, from Lip Service's fetish 'Lady is a Tramp' line, which came in thin and wide pinstripes, as well as polka dot:<p align="center">
<img src="/goth/ladyisatramp.jpg">
(the Betty Bacall skirt from the discontinued Lady is a Tramp line - I'm <i>still</i> looking for this in medium, ::sigh::. )
</p>
... to the '40s style' (they say) suits marketed by Dracinabox, for the Corporate Goth:
<p align="center">
<img src="/goth/pinstripedracinabox2.jpg">
<img src="/goth/pinstripedracinabox.jpg">
</p>
And I suppose you could say this Morbid Threads lacy cami top is a little bit 'Pin Up':<p align="center">
<img src="/goth/morbidthreadscami.jpg">
</p> But there is one firm who decided to go their own way on the pinstripe trend... Futurist fanatics Cyberdog (of whom more later) formulated their own UV-reactive, electric-circuit pinstripe, initially for use on one of their comprehensive range of T-shirt styles.
<p align="center"><img src="/goth/cyberdogpinstripe.jpg"></p>
This must have sold as well for them as the Lip Service version did, since they've now expanded the number of garments using the fabric.
Now, the application of all this to clothing re-sale - unless you're a DIY reconstructionist who can attach tutus and lace to everything - is a bit tricky. Marketing a pinstripe item as 'goth' will probably only succeed if it's particularly sharp-looking, or quite unusual in some way (usually decorative details). Those Dracinthebox suits, above, have little spiders embroidered into them (no, really!).
One successful avenue last year was the high-street rip-off trend which ploughed the same pinstripe furrow. Ironically, some of the stuff produced was almost indistinguishable from the guerilla-adapted remainders on the market stalls. I found Charlotte Russe could be particularly good at this - this pinstripe bustier had a working zip and silver cross attachment:<p align="center">
<img src="/goth/pinstripechainfront.jpg">
</p>
A particular style that became really popular last year (mostly supplied by amateur DIY-ers) and is still going great guns this year (going into wider production I think) is the faux-corset latticed ribbon jacket. Here shown in a pinstripe jacket sold for a decent sum by UK goth seller Biomech-K:
<p align="center">
<img src="/goth/biomechkjacket.jpg"></P>
Now, you're not necessarily going to find these down the thrift... but you get the idea that unusual, glittery, metallic, lace or ribbon features can put a pinstripe item in the Gangsta goth ballpark. I wore a relatively normal grey pinstripe Morgan de Toi skirt, with a black lace trip, to a club last year and was surprised at how many compliments I got about it. Create the context, and something might just work...