It’s my birthday on Tuesday. Without giving too much away (for my age is a thing of international intrigue and debate), I’ll tell you a little secret…it’s a big one. A massively big one. It’s a very important birthday indeedy.
And so, to celebrate this milestone in my life, tomorrow morning I shall be heading from one big smoke to an even bigger big smoke. Yes, ladies and gentlemen, tomorrow morning I WILL BE LOSING MY LONDON VIRGINITY. Bring. It. On.
There is really only one anthem which would be appropriate for such a monumental event. If you haven’t already guessed what it is yet…well, you’re a silly billy, to be very honest with you.
(Mr. Strummer’s red shirt and the way he wears it certainly is something to write home about, isn’t it?)
Anyway, it’s a, “Cheerio!” from me, peeps! See you on the other side, when I will be older but certainly not any wiser!
The moment I birthed this baby of mine (I’m speaking of this blog, obviously), I have been dying to write a blog post about Wonderland LA. Numerous times I have gone to compose an article about this emporium only to come across an insurmountable hurdle; that of the temporary closure of the online store as a result of a mysterious fire in what I may wrongly recall as being the shop stockroom? Or am I confusing this with ASOSgate? Hmmm…
Either way, some brand of incendiary has prohibited me from proceeding with this blog post.
UNTIL NOW.
This store is a treasure trove of dark delights. Stocking men and women’s clothing, accessories, housewares and beauty products (including official High Voltage Tattoo merchandise), all items are sourced and chosen by Kat Von D herself and you can certainly see why! From the disturbing to the beautiful, this shop is the perfect haven for lovers of the Gothic and the unusual. And the prices aren’t too scary either.
The main woman herself…
So, in true High Priestess Fashion style, allow me to outline for you my top picks from the collection which I am desperate to have in my wardrobe and that I think you should be craving too. Who knows, I might even throw in a couple of non-clothing items…gasp…variety is the spice of life after all. The excitement is all too much for me.
If there is one face I want to be walking around wearing on my body, it is David Lynch’s. I positively idolise the guy and everything he lays his distinctive finger upon. Team this tank dress with an oversized plaid shirt, a pair of fishnets and some oxblood Dr. Martens and you are surely onto a casual winner.
I can only assume that wearing this top would feel like bathing your body in a mixture of warm butter and honey. And hello, velvet? Who can say no to a spot of velvet? Dress this up with a high-neck white silk blouse with billowing sleeves and a PVC pencil skirt. Victoriana chic with a modern twist. Bingo.
Always wanted to look like the perfect vamp-ish pinup, but never know how to do it? All you need is this dress. Literally. That is it. This dress could make the most conservative, plainest of Janes look like a provocative queen. I need this ASAP.
This unisex tee is simple but effective. Big ol’ Edgar’s face on the front accompanied by an eye-test of his glorious words on the back. All that we see or seem is but a dream within a dream…love, love, love!
The epitome of the ‘killer heel’. These shoes certainly were not made for walking. Strictly car-to-bar stilettos. But what the heck, treat your feet, girl!
This belt is enough to bring tears of joy and amazement to the eyes of any classical music fans. It is literally a masterpiece of true artistry. A work of genius. I can’t believe I never thought of it before. This is the only belt one could ever need. Downright stunning.
These nail rings are the perfect touch of bling. I’ve always wanted to be a vampire princess…and now with these nail rings, I well and truly can! You can tell admirers that those are the blood droplets of your enemies you keep as mementos…just to REALLY creep them out. MWAHAHAHAHA!
Anyone who has ever been lucky enough to enter my family home will vouch for the fact that the females in this household have a mild obsession with candles. And nothing screams ambiance quite like a black pre-dripped candle. If there is one thing I need in my life, it is this candle. Just as long as a virgin doesn’t light it. Wouldn’t want to be summoning any Sanderson Sisters now…or would we?
Last but not least, Wonderland LA is also the main stockist of Kat Von D’s make-up brand, Sephora…but more about that in a blog post in the very near future. For now, it’s an adios from me. And I suppose I better wish you all a happy new year so…happy new year!
A few weeks ago, I embarked upon an aimless pondering upon what were, in my opinion, the ten most perfectly flawless women to ever grace the planet. Well, now it’s time for the opposite sex to get their fair share of the spotlight, as I turn to the ten (of the) most perfectly flawless men to ever grace the planet (70% of whom are or were part of the music scene…okay…maybe 90%).
I must ‘fess up. I have a mild tendency to claim that any attractive male celebrity whom I lay eyes upon is ‘the love of my life’. Thus, this was an extremely difficult task for The High Priestess. Therefore, I came to the conclusion that I would narrow it down to my ten ultimate faves (excluding one…or two…or five…it pays to be ruthless), particularly in the iconic fashion sense. So, without further ado, ladies and gentlemen, My ‘Perfect Ten’: Male Edition!
10) Brian Ferry
The lead singer of Roxy Music, Brian Ferry was and continues to be The King of Smooth. Three words: suave, suave, suave. I mean, this fella is rocking a pair of leather trousers in an image above like no other person ever could. Ross Geller, eat your heart out! And who could possibly forget the iconic baby blue suit, candyfloss pink tie combination from the Jealous Guy video? Fabulous, dahling!
9) Oliver Sim
This man is to blame for my obsession with elbow slits in clothing. Tucking formal peg-leg trousers or hareem pants into long black DMs was never fashionable until Oliver Sim came along. And not only is his style fashion-forward, it is also practical, especially considering the unusual yet hypnotising shapes this guy pulls on stage. Love you long time, Mr. Sim (and Romy…and Jamie…).
8) Kurt Cobain
If Brian Ferry is The King of Smooth, Kurt is most certainly The King of Grunge. With his dirty shoulder-length blond hair, baggy sweaters and jeans that any mother would have thrown in the bin a long time ago, Cobain became the defining image of an era and the mouthpiece for a generation of misunderstood teens. His legacy continues its reign to this very day, with a new age of teens being introduced to his music with every new rising sun, and both men and women citing him as their ultimate style icon.
(This song seriously speaks to me.)
7) Steve Strange
I’m in awe of his eccentricity. In fact, I’m downright envious of it. As the founding father of the ‘Blitz Kids’ scene in London in the 1970s and 1980s (and consequently the New Romantics), we are all eternally indebted to Strange for encouraging androgyny and the wearing of Victoriana attire simply to pop down to the shops.
6) James Quaintance
With the face of a cherub and the body of a rockabilly bad boy, James Quaintance was created to break hearts. A jack of all trades, he is just as comfortable working the runway as he is with the ink and needle or wheeling around Venice Beach on a skateboard. He even dabbles in the music scene. Perfection? I think so.
5) Jeff Buckley
It is no secret that I am madly in love with Jeff Buckley. With a voice as ethereal as a siren’s song (see what I did there?), hauntingly beautiful eyes and a through-other fashion sense, Jeff is the idealistic heartthrob for this lost little Goth girl. The morbid corner of my mind is also sickeningly roped in by the mystery of his eerie death. A conspiracy? We may never know. All I know for certain is this: I LOVE JEFF BUCKLEY.
Effortless. He doesn’t even have to try. How is this possible? How is this real? Ugh.
4) Robert Smith
The crazy-cool lead singer of The Cure is my beauty style icon. I mean, he got the ultimate Gothic make-up look down to a tee. And he is most certainly my hairspray rival. The quest for volume knows no end. I spy with my little eye something beginning with ‘s’…
3) Eddie Redmayne
Okay, so maybe Master Redmayne’s style isn’t exactly iconic…yet. But I simply couldn’t resist. I adore this man. Completely and utterly in love. The hair. The freckles. THAT SMILE. I could look at his face all day. I actually want to look at his face all day. I don’t want to do anything else. It hurts. It hurts so bad. My little heart. Swoon. Hurry up and move on Niamh before you make a fool of yourself…or is it too late?
2) Paul Weller
I have inherited an admiration for this man from a mod revival mother who tried her utmost to replicate his style. But seriously, what is not to love? The Modfather used fashion as a weapon to reel in a generation of unruly teens and taught them with words of rebellion in his new wave anthems. Angry young men looking their finest. And the best part about Paul Weller? HE IS STILL DROP DEAD GORGEOUS TO THIS VERY DAY. He is the perfect embodiment of the ‘fine wine’ comparison.
1) Morrissey
Morrissey is my god. I think we all already know that. Need I say more? He has an effortlessly cool image which just screams, “I know men and women are falling for me and I sincerely couldn’t care less. I hate people. Bring me my cat.” It is he to whom I pay tribute with my characteristic undercut and quiff. Morrissey, how I adore thee. Teach me your ways. And lend me your shirts.
That’s me. I’m done, off to cuddle my teddybears and spend the rest of my life painfully alone because no man will ever live up to my ridiculous expectations, considering my ‘perfect ten’ are well and truly perfect. Sigh. Ah well.
In the not-too-distant past (literally about three days ago), I began to notice a trend forming amongst the people I follow on Instagram. Suddenly, everyone was posting perfectly filtered photographs of themselves in adorable little vintage-inspired outfits, each photo accompanied by the Insta-tag #TWPIveBeenNaughty. Naturally, I was curious. Naturally, I wanted to decipher this cryptic code. And naturally, I found the source of this foreign tongue.
And that source was the London-based online fashion brand THE WHITEPEPPER.
What started out as a meagre Tumblr blog soon developed into an online store, and now the brand stocks concessions in the likes of ASOS, Topshop and my very own Urban Outfitters. It truly is a Cinderella-esque rags-to-riches story.
If I am completely honest, a lot of the designs on the site are a little too sweet and kitschy for my rebellious self, nevertheless I absolutely adore the cutesy tea dresses and vintage sweaters. However, I was rather pleasantly surprised by how head-over-heels in love I fell with some of the more sinister, gothic-chic items, which I could definitely see gracing the Narnia caverns of my wardrobe sometime soon (including one particular accessory which I highly doubt I can live without from this moment onwards).
So, without further ado, here are the top five items from the cherubic brand THE WHITEPEPPER…
One can never have too many LBDs. And how fetching is this delightful little number? I’m a sucker for a turtleneck but the naked arms add a touch of allure to the otherwise rather conservative dress, whilst the black velvet and the net frill detail at the hem adds a touch of elegance and glamour. The perfect Christmas party dress if you ask me. So get your (ice)skates on before the festive season is beyond us and you’ve missed your chance!
Masculine shoe shape? Check. Sci-fi-perfect holographic upper? Check. Whacky heel? Check. Tell me, what is not to love about these eye-catching shoes? Dressed up with a feminine shift dress or dressed down with some bobby socks and a pair of mom jeans, these would be the ideal addition to the alternative shoe closet.
Although no longer available in black on the website (the navy and teal is still pretty fab), I couldn’t possibly write this post without including this little number. Did someone say ‘Twin Peaks’? Words cannot possibly convey how much I long to don this ensemble and dance around in my socks, pretending I’m Audrey Horne swooning along to some ‘dreamy’ music in the Double R Diner…sigh…
This would be an absolutely heavenly companion on this night of sub-zero temperatures. It’s the sort of jacket that once you see it on a person, you simply have to hug the wearer. That is, if the wearer can spare a second to stop hugging themselves. It is just one cuddly, cosy, snuggly, lovable, carressible, warm…wait, where am I going with this again?
This would be the perfect final touch to the perfect fictional outfit I have concocted in my mind’s eye for my birthday in January. Therefore, I must have it. There can be no debate. There can be no deliberation. There can be no question about it. I. MUST. HAVE. IT. That is all.
Honestly, this list could have gone for quite a while longer but that’s no matter-tomorrow we will run faster, stretch out our arms farther…wait. That’s the coda of The Great Gatsby. I have no idea how to finish blog posts. Can I not just let F. Scott Fitzgerald do it for me? I’m away. Bye-bye.
This is the première post of my new project, High Priestess Fashion, and I am your host, Niamh (the High Priestess herself). I promise I don’t bite…I welcome you warmly!
First things first: I have finally found the time to produce this fashion blog baby as a result of my inability to do much else having been struck down by a mystery illness (otherwise known as ‘the flu’). Therefore, the past two days have been spent gathering ideas for this little pretty. Unfortunately, as I sat down to write this first blog post, all of my coherent, logical, brilliant ideas flew out the window with my prospects of a bright future. So instead, enjoy this rather rad rockabilly skeletor couple:
(I guess this is the point when I issue a disclaimer, legally stating that none of the images I use on this site are mine, and that if you do happen to be the owner of any of the images used and wish me to remove them, simply give me a bell. I don’t be wanting no fisticuffs. I’m only 4ft 10.)
Anyway, I suppose I better declare what you should expect from this blog. Well, first and foremost, this is a fashion blog for the stylish people that mainstream fashion shunned. Hold on tight for a raucous ride through fashion’s darkest, murkiest, most antique corners…Gothic, Rockabilly, Steampunk, Grunge, New Romantic…you name it, we’ll explore it!
I should also warn you that there is a massive probability that some of my other absurd fascinations may also make a habit of creeping into blog conversation at seemingly random moments. Like this guy (the ultimate bae):
Or this guy (the role model):
Or most definitely this guy (the icon of my idolatry):
But I hereby swear that no matter where my discussion may wander to, I shall always relate it and return to fashion. Because I am Irish and, therefore, I have an innate ‘Gift of the Gab’. So I can do that. With anything. ANYTHING.
Before I digress any further, I shall make my speedy departure. Thank you for your time, implied listener who may or may not be there, and I hope to speak to you again soon in the foreseeable future (tomorrow, if I am spared). I shall leave you with these words of wisdom from the Princess of Goth herself…
High Priestess Resurrected 