DANCES OF VICE STEAMPUNK HALLOWEEN! EDWARD GOREY VICTORIAN COSTUME PARTY, NEO-GOTH ROCOCO FASHION IN NEW YORK.
Announcing yet another Los Angeles book signing – this time for Crazy Wacky Theme Restaurants: Tokyo!
WHEN: Monday, November 30, 6:30-8:30pm
WHERE: Giant Robot LA gallery, 2062 Sawtelle Blvd, Los Angeles CA
Hope to see you there and at the November 28 and 29 signings at Kinokuniya LA.
Let’s now reminisce on the most important day of the year: October 31st, All Hallow’s Eve. My evening began with an aborted attempt to get into the Vice Magazine 1994-themed party in Brooklyn. I was with Elizabeth Wurtzel, author of bestselling memoir Prozac Nation who is featured in October’s issue of Vice. And get this: not even she could get in! The Vice party was an absolute disaster: there was no VIP list, the warehouse was over-capacity…
Onward, to the next Halloween bash — which turned out to be the best one in NYC that night. Dances of Vice is a celebrated gathering of neo-Victorian, steampunk and dark cabaret aesthetes. I saw Napoleonic military outfits and Marie Antoinette hats and knew that yes, this was the place to be!
Theme: Edward Gorey Dwindling Party. Dresscode: Neglected Murderesses, Doubtful Guests, Gashlycrumb Tinies, Hapless Children, Gilded Bats, Lonesome Mourners, Dancing Cats, Restless Widows. Don’t you love Dances of Vice already?
We rarely see men and women in hats these days (baseball and skullcaps do not count). What a treat to see top hats, bowlers, floppy brims, towers of fruit and a giant white parrot. The costumes were gloriously elaborate. Many of them took dedication to wear: such as the life-size curtain tassel who had to hold up his “head” all night long.
I found Kanae, who plays the “Party Girl #1” in our fabulous Japanese B-movie. We drooled over the steampunk and broken doll jewelry.
Doe Deere of Lime Crime Makeup looked lovely with teardrop eye makeup and a unique hair accessory: cones wrapped in faux braids. I’m wearing an Atelier Pierrot dress, cone hat from Village Paper, scrunchie and panda sticker from a Harajuku accessories store.
I ran into Kyshah Hell, my friend who interviewed me for a Morbid Outlook article. Love her veiled hat and Yohji Yamamoto dress.
Hooray for the decadent undead and… avantgarde conceptual ghoul mummies? (Pop quiz: can anyone name the Woody Allen movie that inspired the silver-headed character in the back? Answer is here.)
I made a beeline to this amazing Hello Kitty costume. Her Japan-style kawaii nails were done by a lady in Brooklyn.
The fashionable spooks weren’t the only attractions (distractions?) in the room. Decadent offerings included hand-drawn Gorey portraits of guests, crime scenes interpreted through dance, a theramin performer and 24-piece chamber rock orchestra…
From body painting to Day of the Dead makeup, there was so much inspiration in one room. Thank you to Shien Lee for inviting me — I couldn’t have spent my Halloween in a better way!
New Yorkers: you’ve got to get on board the next Dances of Vice! “The Grand Shipwreck Ball” is setting sail on November 20-22. Hurry — there are only two days left to get tickets for “the most extravagant and fanciful gathering of castaways, sailors, glittering mermaids, sea sirens, pirates, romantic sea captains and scalawags ever known to New York.” Find out the scoop on Dances of Vice’s website and Facebook.
Song of the Day #240: Dresden Dolls & The Ambitious Orchestra – One (Live) (The orchestra — especially the frontman — played an incredible set on Halloween.)
SHARE & COMMENT
LA CARMINA
61 Comments
:D thanks!
It was a really great party!
SO fab! The pix of you are gorgeous!! Thanks doll!
*Amazing*Amazing*Amazing*! ^-^
so inspirational!
I want to dress up now! lol
I want to go to Dances of Vice, but I can't miss Kaya =(
:D thanks!
It was a really great party!
SO fab! The pix of you are gorgeous!! Thanks doll!
Thanks again for having me!
Decisions, decisions… :)
I know, I want to keep up with the Joneses!
Thanks again for having me!
*Amazing*Amazing*Amazing*! ^-^
so inspirational!
I want to dress up now! lol
I know, I want to keep up with the Joneses!
I want to go to Dances of Vice, but I can’t miss Kaya =(
Decisions, decisions… :)
Kaya has a 3 hour set allowance. Definitely Kaya! [geist] is playing too =D
awesome report!!
im so glad i was able to hang out with u too <3
hope to meet u sometime soon :D <3
Kaya has a 3 hour set allowance. Definitely Kaya! [geist] is playing too =D
I was so surprised by the blog! Is that in NY, right? If that was in Japan, Terrible!
wow, there are some crazy costumes there!!! ( * 0 *)
awesome report!!
im so glad i was able to hang out with u too <3
hope to meet u sometime soon :D <3
I was so surprised by the blog! Is that in NY, right? If that was in Japan, Terrible!
The party was in Brooklyn, NYC — Bond St building. :)
wow, there are some crazy costumes there!!! ( * 0 *)
La Carmina, please, PLEASE fix your hair and learn to properly apply makeup!
How are you running a “fashion blog” with that raggedy awful hair? Please try to look more stylish and fashionable! You look awful.
La Carmina, please, PLEASE fix your hair and learn to properly apply makeup!
How are you running a “fashion blog” with that raggedy awful hair? Please try to look more stylish and fashionable! You look awful.
I totally agree! What an absolute mess. :)
This was a) day 4 of Halloween, so I hardly had sleep for the past few days; b) I had a book signing earlier that day and hardly had time to get ready for the party; c) it was POURING rain and, as I wrote in the blog post, we were trapped outside the Vice 1994 party for 30 minutes, trying to get in. By the time I got to Dances of Vice, it wasn’t a pretty picture! :P
To me, the important thing was getting the word out on Dances of Vice — it’s a terrific party and I appreciate being invited to check it out. Highly recommended!
I totally agree! What an absolute mess. :)
This was a) day 4 of Halloween, so I hardly had sleep for the past few days; b) I had a book signing earlier that day and hardly had time to get ready for the party; c) it was POURING rain and, as I wrote in the blog post, we were trapped outside the Vice 1994 party for 30 minutes, trying to get in. By the time I got to Dances of Vice, it wasn't a pretty picture! :P
To me, the important thing was getting the word out on Dances of Vice — it's a terrific party and I appreciate being invited to check it out. Highly recommended!
The party was in Brooklyn, NYC — Bond St building. :)
You're doing a great job in fashion, congratulations..
Best wishes from Germany and keep on blogging…
You’re doing a great job in fashion, congratulations..
Best wishes from Germany and keep on blogging…
i am addicted to obentos now :D thanks to u
i am addicted to obentos now :D thanks to u
Wow you are so talented i like your style!
keep it up
ciao
have a great day
Dances Of Vice！Wish I could be there!!Hope someday ;)
Dances Of Vice！Wish I could be there!!Hope someday ;)
One day you should visit Kanae and me in New York and your band can perform at Dances of Vice!
i am addicted to obentos now :D thanks to u
i am addicted to obentos now :D thanks to u
Wow you are so talented i like your style!
keep it up
ciao
have a great day
Dances Of Vice！Wish I could be there!!Hope someday ;)
Dances Of Vice！Wish I could be there!!Hope someday ;)
One day you should visit Kanae and me in New York and your band can perform at Dances of Vice!
Is that Lady Oscar? Love that one and the Hello Kitty costume..the Day of the Dead people. Nice party!
Dances of Vice and Disco Noveaux are the parties to go if you are in NY, maybe someday..
I heartily agree! I am dying to go to Disco Nouveaux… did you check out the first one?
Ohh good question about Lady Oscar. I think she merely dressed up as a Napoleonic military aristocrat… but that is a great resemblance! It was such a fun and friendly party. :)
Is that Lady Oscar? Love that one and the Hello Kitty costume..the Day of the Dead people. Nice party!
Ohh good question about Lady Oscar. I think she merely dressed up as a Napoleonic military aristocrat… but that is a great resemblance! It was such a fun and friendly party. :)
Dances of Vice and Disco Noveaux are the parties to go if you are in NY, maybe someday..
I heartily agree! I am dying to go to Disco Nouveaux… did you check out the first one?
Carmen looked amazing!
I've seen some pics at Shien's flickr, mainly the same amazing regulars of DoV but less vintage and more like what Blitz club would be nowdays. You are lucky to live so close!
I like the panda!
Carmen looked amazing!
I’ve seen some pics at Shien’s flickr, mainly the same amazing regulars of DoV but less vintage and more like what Blitz club would be nowdays. You are lucky to live so close!
I like the panda!
Carmen looked amazing!
I've seen some pics at Shien's flickr, mainly the same amazing regulars of DoV but less vintage and more like what Blitz club would be nowdays. You are lucky to live so close!
I like the panda!