Happy New Year!!!

Courtesy of Magickal Graphics

I'm going to be offline for the entire weekend, 

so I want to wish all of you a 

Very Happy New Year! 

Here's to a fabulous 2012!!! 

BatFit here we come! WAHOO!

Lots of hugs to you!!!

Quality Time with my Older Sis

Yesterday, I dropped my grades off at CSI -- yes, they still make us do physical grades instead of on-line grading -- and spent some much needed time with my older sister. My sister, her husband and their two kids are in for a Christmas visit. This was the first time in a long time that my sis and I got to hang out together sans boys, and what a treat it was!!! She drove me up to the college and then we went to lunch ... and happily yapped and yapped over fries and coffee. Indeed, it was fabulous, quality sister time -- time we both needed and deserved.

I haven't done laundry in two weeks because of the holidays and end of semester insanity. So I'm digging in my closet for casual and comfy combinations. Although it was freezing yesterday, I decided to wear a pair of leggings, crocheted socks and my DIY Target shoes. What was I thinking? Brrrrrr! I paired the leggings we my old travel knit skirt, a black boatneck blouse and my beloved grey sweater. I have to admit, I was indeed channelling some 80s goodness here. ;)

The real show-stopper, however, was my new Art Deco necklace from Alchemy Gothic. Ed gave me three Alchemy pieces for Yule this year and this is one of them. I was thrilled to received this, but I am tickled pink to find that I have a pair of earrings that match this perfectly! 

Yes, I'm being good and wearing my glasses!

Yes, I was a very good professor and wore both my glasses and lip gloss! Going through this blog I noticed that I never wear lipstick! I vow to correct this and at least wear a lip gloss or tinted lip balm. I don't know what it is about lipstick that I completely neglect it. I tend to wipe it off within an hour of applying ... well, unless it's a lip stain and I can't feel it on my lips. 

hmmm .... Can anyone recommend a good lip stain?

The Run Down:

Sweater: Dress Barn

Blouse: Lane Bryant

Leggings: Lane Bryant

Skirt: QVC

Shoes: DIY, Target

Socks: Target

Necklace: gift from Ed

Earrings: gift from someone ... a long, long time ago

Christmas Weekend

Happy Holidays from Ed, Moo and Le Professor Gothique

What a crazy, busy holiday weekend filled with shopping for Christmas dinner on Friday, Christmas cooking phase 1 and then dinner at my brother's for Christmas Eve on Saturday, and then Christmas dinner here at our place on Sunday. Whew! I have to admit, I am very happy that the holidays are over. Don't get me wrong, I love the holiday season. However, this year was particularly trying and emotional. It's no secret that I'm unraveling from a super stressful year, that I had a challenging semester, and that I miss my Pop who died three years ago. Yulemas can be bittersweet. 

I'm really looking forward to "ordinary time" and a month off from teaching. I'm thrilled to be working on my dissertation and some outstanding projects that need to be finished. I am also really looking forward to giving my head, heart and soul a well-deserved rest. Indeed, I am looking forward to the quiet stillness of January and to long days holed up in the New York Public Library Archives. :) Boy, that sounds absolutely delicious!!! sigh ....

Friday food shopping

On Friday night, Ed and I went food shopping for Christmas dinner. We really didn't need to get much except fresh vegetables so our trip was quite short. I had a horrible night's sleep and was rather sluggish the whole day so my outfit was rather uninspired. A simple pair of black jeans, a Bauhaus t-shirt, and a cardigan sweater was just perfect. I pulled my hair back and donned my glasses. Believe it or not I should be wearing these glasses a lot more than I do. I need them for distance and refuse forget to wear them.

Le Profeseur Gothique on Christmas Eve

Christmas Eve dinner was spent cooking in the morning and then at my brother's in the evening for dinner. My brother cooked a traditional Italian Christmas Eve dinner -- The Feast of the Seven Fishes -- in honor of his wife's family who are Italian-American. As I mentioned in last's week post, I decided to wear this dress and victory rolls in my hair for the holiday festivities. Instead of the gorgeous shoes that I featured last week I opted for a patent leather bootie. And I switched out the leopard print stockings for diamond patterned stockings. In my rolls I wore tiny little bows. Black pearls completed the outfit.

It was cold last night so I broke out my fuzzy FAKE fur coat. Yup, this fabulous coat is 100% teddy bear! I have to admit that I feel extremely glamourous in this outfit. :) 

As for Christmas Day I have to apologize for not posting a picture. I was so busy with cooking that it never occurred to me to take a photo of today's outfit. Since our guests were my Mom and Ed's parents and brothers, I dressed very casually. I wore a pair of super dark-wash jeans and a black, long-sleeved, cotton blouse with star-shaped sparkles and pearl accents. I like to be comfortable when I cook and it's very rare that I'll dress up for a holiday simply because I'm cooking. Needless to say today was a pleasantly quiet and low-keyed day ... a perfect way to end the holiday season.

The Run Down:

Friday:

Jeans: Eddie Bauer

T-shirt: Gift from Ed

Cardigan: Lanes End

Shoes: Target, DIY by me

Saturday:

Dress: Torrid

Stockings: Target

Shoes: DSW

Pearl Earrings: gift from my mother-in-law

Pearl necklace with crystal anchor: gift from Ed

Fuzzy Coat: QVC

Happy Holidays!

Ginger Dead Holiday Card by Calan Ree

May all of you have a 

wonderful and jolly holiday! 

Happy Yule/Winter Solstice! Happy Hanukkah! Merry Christmas! 

Long Velvet Skirts

It's Tuesday ... must be time for RPG!

This week was the last week of school for all of CUNY (City University of New York), which means I gave final exams on Monday and Wednesday. 90+ finals now sit on my desk staring at me, waiting to be graded. Hopefully I'll be able to grade at least half today and half on Monday so that I can submit the final grades next Tuesday morning. I want to get finished with this semester's work so that I concentrate on my own dissertation work and so that I can organize my classes for next semester.

On Tuesday for RPG and Wednesday for Yule and the last day of classes I wore long, velvet skirts topped with lacy blouses. I was completely PMSing this week, and I tend to wear loose clothing like this when I'm PMSing because I feel so bloated and blah! Long velvet skirts alway make me feel romantic and content, leveling the spike in emotions that come with this time in my cycle.

On Tuesday I wore the wine equivalent to the black skirt I've featured many times. I absolutely adore these skirts -- the velvet is extremely soft and plushy, and the bi-cut design makes the skirts interesting. I paired the skirt with an Empire waist top that you haven't seen since the summer. It's been warm here in NYC, unusual for this time of year, so I've been able to get more mileage out of "transitional" clothing like light sweaters, jackets, and blouses like the one above. In other words, I don't have to worry about being "warm enough" and can dress anyway I like.

In my hair I wore crystal snowflake clips. I also wore crystal snowflake earrings. Hmmm ... wishful thinking?

Time to give the last final of the semester!

On Wednesday I wore a plushy, black tiered velvet skirt that is detailed with small ribbon and sequins. I wore a lace and silk tunic that is edged with lace and a crocheted neckline. Again I wore crystal snowflake earrings and a stylized snowflake pendent.

This outfit was super comfortable and absolutely perfect for our Yuletide festivities that took place after class. Every year I make Indian food for Yule because I associate the heat of the curries and spices with the sun; besides Kali Ma and Shiva are my main Deities and therefore are honored with Indian food. This year I was not able to cook because I was giving an exam, so Ed and I went to a local (and quite delicious) Indian restaurant for a most wonderful meal. When we got home we had a quiet ritual and then opened presents, which I will feature at some point this weekend. He gave me three gorgeous additions to my Alchemy Gothic collection, fabulous lace cuffs, a Vamplet, a hat, and music. The next day we spent time in Manhattan looking at the windows and the tree at Rockefeller Center.

I am now getting ready for the last big holiday push -- that of Christmas Eve, Christmas Day and the week with my sister and her kids. Whew! I am so ready for a soak in that hot tub in our hotel room in Salem over New Year's weekend!

The Run Down:
Tuesday:
Skirt: OneStopPlus
Blouse: Macy's
Stockings and socks: Target
Docs: ShoeMall.com
Crystal snowflake clips: I can't remember
Crystal earrings: Target

Wednesday:
Skirt: QVC
Blouse: OneStopPlus
Tights and socks: Target
Docs: ShoeMall.com
Crystal Snowflake earrings: Target
Snowflake necklace: gift from my sister

Getting Festive

Le Professeur Gothique off to give exam #2 ... one more to go!!!

Yesterday I gave the second of three finals; my last one is tomorrow. I'm feeling mighty festive because my cold is over, my piercings are pretty much healed and the swelling is gone, and I have a bit more to grade and then I'm done for the semester. Since I wasn't actually teaching I decided to give a never worn blouse a test drive. I've had this gorgeous silk blouse hiding in my closet with the tags still on it for almost three years. I can't figure out why I bought it and then never wore it. 

It's a fantastically tailored cranberry silk blouse. The sleeves poof at the shoulder and are gathered just above the wrist with a elongated cuff. It's sort of an Empire waist because you'll notice that the styling changes right under the bust. There's a black silk band that separates the two sections and then underneath the silk is tightly smocked in a band. Along the bottom hem the silk is flattened again into a ruffle. And under the ruffle you'll see black tulle peeking out, creating yet another ruffle. The entire blouse is trimmed with a black silk ribbon. 

It's a very complicated blouse that desperately needs something plain worn with it. However, I don't think slacks were a good idea. The pants downplay the romantic side of the blouse, something that I really don't like. I'll admit that I really didn't want to wear a skirt yesterday. Hell, I really wanted to wear jeans and a comfy t-shirt, but wouldn't and couldn't. Next time this blouse comes out to play I'm going to wear it with a long flowing velvet skirt or a matte wool pencil skirt. I do think I'll stick with patent leather shoes -- I like the shine to shine parallel. Next time I'll break out my patent leather pumps or kitten heels.

What do you think? 

The Run Down:

Blouse: Coldwater Creek from three years ago

Pants: Coldwater Creek

Shoes: DSW, Lifestrides

Socks: Target

Bat Fit 2012: Challenge One

I know that it's not technically 2012 yet, but I want to start this amazing journey and what a better time than when most of us are overindulging and being challenged emotionally. So, your first challenge, dear readers, is to go out and buy yourself a notebook, journal or sketch book -- anything that you'll write in constantly. If you can't buy something then find an old half used notebook or make a file on your computer. This is going to be your health journal and will be the place where you keep your innermost thoughts, accomplishments and miscellanea associated with Bat Fit 2012.

Here's my notebook and pens.

I actually went out on Friday night and bought myself a new journal. I wanted to treat myself to something special because I'm trying to make my quest of 40x40 more personal and fun. I figured I'd have fun writing in a Jack journal with colored pens. :)

Once you buy, make or find your journal write your first entries:

1. Write your health goals for 2012. Be brutally honest, candid and realistic about what you want to achieve. Many of you shared this with us on the Facebook page, however it's time for you to write it out in your own handwriting.

2. Once you've done that, your second entry will be for you to explore the meaning of good health. What does it mean to you? How does it relate to your goals? Be absolutely realistic.

In this journal you will keep a record of your progress and daily health activities. This includes your food intake, exercise output, moods, mental state, trips to the doctor, sickness, PMS, etc. Since I'm trying to lose weight and get fit, I am going to record my food intake and will slowly eliminate the "culprits" and habits that are causing my problem. I will also keep track of all of Bat Fit's challenges in my own journal and my own results. We all have our own goals so your journal will look quite a bit different than mine.

However, we should all write this one entry EVERY NIGHT before bed:

3. Write no less than five things that you are grateful for, or that you've accomplished during the day and are proud of, or that you like about yourself. 

Share pictures of your journal on your blogs! Heck, share your first two entries on your blogs, too! Stay tuned, Monday, January 2 will be our second Bat Fit challenge. Will you be ready?

Thanks to Bane: GIY, Goth it Yourself for the journal idea. Bane keeps a decorating/design journal and I thought it would be a great way to keep track of redesigning our bodies, minds, and hearts. :)

Holiday Shopping!

Le Professeur Gothique off to do some food shopping. Good grief! I have to cut my bangs!!!

This weekend was spent finishing up our holiday shopping, doing some food shopping and grading. In general, this holiday season has gone off without much fuss and stress. The tree and decorations went up without anyone getting upset, the cards went out in a mere few hours, and the gift buying was actually fun this year! I have to admit, I am a stressed right now and not because of the holidays. I have a stack of papers to grade by Wednesday, and 95 final exams to grade by Monday. Semester grades are due 72 hours after the last exam so I'm a little stressed to get stuff done. The world won't end if I don't make the deadline, but I don't want this stuff hanging over me for the weekend. 

I actually made a very monumental decision this past weekend: for the first time in over 16 years I will not be making holiday cookies for my family. I took a good, long look at what stresses me out over the holidays and what activities I hate doing. Surprisingly, cookie baking was top on that list. Don't get me wrong, I love to cook and bake but not like that. I originally started baking the cookies because I wanted to continue my Mom's tradition. However, at 39 I'm still baking the cookies out of guilt that the tradition will end with me. For the first time in my adult life I have decided to do what's good for me and break with tradition. It feels weird, but it's about time I do what I want and not what's expected.

I spent most of my days in pjs because I was grading; however I got dressed to do some shopping in the evenings. Yesterday I wore a long, double slit velvet skirt, my London After Midnight t-shirt, topped with my trusty cardigan. Since it's so close to the holidays I wore crystal snowflake hair clips and my crystal snowflake earrings ... of course I paired them with my crystal skull earrings in my second holes and my antler death's head.

It's finally cold here on NYC! WAHOO! I have to admit, I love this weather. I love the layering and outerwear options and I get to wear my fun DIY Jack O'Lantern scarf. I can't wait until it's cold enough to wear my fuzzy coats and my silly wool hat! YAY!

The Run Down

Skirt: Lane Bryant a million years ago
T-Shirt: recent gift from Ed
Cardigan: Land's End
Hairclips: I can't remember ...
Earrings: Snowflakes from Target and skulls from Claire's
Stockings: Target
Docs: Shoemall.com
Coat: Macy's
Scarf: DIY by me

Of Final Exams and Head Colds

Le Professeur Gothique heading off to Parsons to give a final.

I was doing fine all semester long -- healthy, strong and focused -- and I was taking my Airborne religiously so that I wouldn't get sick. Ed was sick and so way family, a family that I visited on Sunday for dinner. My immune system couldn't handle and by Tuesday night I was sneezing. By Wednesday night I was dying with a head cold. I'm only coming out of it now, on Saturday. BOO! Alas and alack, this is NOT the time of year to get sick. I have papers to grade, exams to give and grade, final grades to submit, and Holiday cookies and dinner to make. BOO AGAIN! Add to all of this ~ahem~ my PMS and it's been a "trying" few days.

Above you'll notice nothing special about my outfit. I went to Parsons to give a final exam dressed like this -- comfortable, warm, and babying my sick body. My students instantly knew something was wrong because, according to them, Professor Z is "always dressed up and looks cool." Ah well. I'm wearing a pair of wide leg jeans with a nice comfortable cotton long sleeved t-shirt, a ruffle long sweater, topped with a sparkly scarf. I've worn the t-shirt and sweater combo before with skirts, usually to run errands on my off time.

I'm feeling ok today. I'm still a bit stuffed and woozy, but not like Thursday! UGH! I have a mountain of stuff to grade and plan to do so before the end of the weekend, and before the next mountain of stuff next week. By Wednesday I'm going to have 100 finals to grade, it's best I get all my work done this weekend! 

The Run Down:

Jeans: Lane Bryant

Long-sleeved t-shirt: Lane Bryant

Sweater: Macy's

Scarf: Dress Barn

Shoes: Target, DIY by me

Necklace: gift from my sister

Snowflake earrings: Target

Santa Baby, Slip a (FAKE) Sable Under the Tree ... for me.

Le Professeur Gothique ready for the second of the holiday parties with the RPG crew

Last night was our weekly RPG, however it was also our RPG holiday party. While we did get some gaming in, we spent most of our time socializing and eating in celebration of the holiday season. This was my first holiday party with the crew since I've only been gaming with them since April. I was feeling pretty sick all day long so I decided to take some cold medicine and make myself feel better by dressing up.

I've had the song "Santa Baby" stuck in my head for a few days now. It proved to be a wonderful inspiration for my outfit. I decided to wear my hair in Victory Rolls with a high, bouncy ponytail topped by a bow. I curled my bangs with a curling iron and proceeded to apply retro-inspired makeup. Of course any retro look needs some fake eyelashes and a healthy application of red lipstick! :)

You've seen this dress before a number of times. I usually wear it with some kind of flat shoe or my boots. I VERY RARELY wear heels because I have an arthritic toe that is unbearable in heels. The pain is right in the spot that ones weight falls while wearing heels, so you can imagine how difficult it is to wear heels like the ones I'm wearing above. I sucked it up and took some Advil. Thankfully I was sitting for most of the evening, walking was quite painful, but hell! sometimes a gal has to suffer to look adorable. I think this look is a winner for Christmas Eve dinner at my brother's ... sans heels. I think I'll swap them for a low kitten heel instead.

It's amazing to me how much I look like my Mom's family when I wear my hair up like this. My Mom called me "Betty" last night -- my Grandma's name. I have a feeling ol' Grammy would be thrilled to see this look. She was quite a character and very free-spirited so it's an honor to be compared to her. 

The Run Down:

Dress: Torrid

Stockings: Target

Shoes: Torrid a million years ago

Skull earrings and hair bows: Claire's

Monthly Homework Assignment: Comfort and Joy

Comfort and joy during the holiday season can be very difficult to come by, especially in this age of materialism and uncertainty. Add personal and family drama, school deadlines, and an increase in stress and exhaustion and VOILA! you have a recipe for emotional and mental meltdowns. While the intention of the holiday season is for universal brotherhood and family closeness a là Norman Rockwell the reality for many of us is quite the opposite. "Is this enough? Is it perfect? Why do I have to see so-and-so? Will he or she belittle me yet again? Why does she have to always say something negative? Why does it have to be a gimmefest?" are all questions that many of us are faced with every holiday season. Students you have the extra bonus of impending deadlines, papers and final exams! This is enough to make anyone crazy!!!

Your homework assignment this month is to show us what gives you comfort and joy. Do you have a woobie that you snuggle with in order to block out the world? Do you have a favorite routine you follow? A favorite piece of clothing? What do you do to escape the insanity of the holiday season? My friends, I give you three of my most favorite things that keep me calm and focused throughout December.

1. Last week I made a huge pot of chicken soup using my Mom's recipe as I always do. Growing up my Mom always had chicken soup bubbling away on the stove during the cold winter months. Not only did it provide nourishment, but it was also a huge hug in a bowl. Nothing calmed me down or made me feel better than a bowl of chicken soup with egg noodles. Whenever I was stressed out with school, or getting sick, or completely miserable about something, homemade chicken soup made it all better ... at least for that moment. I made a huge pot of soup last week for my Mom and me. Both of us have colds. Both of us are starting to notice the affect the lack of sunlight is having on our moods. Both of us desperately needed a hug in a bowl.

2. A huge pile of yummy books. As you can see in the above photo, the books I tend to gravitate towards lately are related to my dissertation. This stack will take me through the end of January. Notice the wonderful books on the history of reading in America, children's education, and illustration for children. Yeah, it's that good!!! Any time I feel completely freaked out about grading papers or making the perfect sugar cookie I pick up my dissertation work. It needs to be done and it's something in my life right now that is a secure constant. Besides it's fun, interesting and I love the work. Focusing on reading or writing a few paragraphs settles a nervous stomach and makes me live in the present.

3. The most perfect relaxation method for me is, of course, a soak in a nice, warm bubble bath. Sigh ... I actually grade papers and exams in the tub! hehehe .... *shhhh* don't tell my students. ;) Ideally there would be a glass of wine or a cup of tea sitting on the edge of the bathtub. And don't forget the scented candle! I'm really big into aromatherapy and find that I react to certain smells in positive and relaxing ways. Cedar or ylang-ylang calm me down and focus my mind on the task at hand, which is usually grading at this point in time.

Devil Duckie says hi!!!

BIG THANKS TO THE FOLLOWING FOLKS FOR PARTICIPATING:

Gothy Twoshoes

TropigothMama

Tante Fledermaus
Lynoire
Sal at Still Dark at Heart
Sophistique Noir
Miss Eva Morgan Reeve
Lady Lovescraft
Snowhyte
Bane: GIY
Sabayon
CorpGoth
Miss Rivett
Electrobat
SpookyVegan
Ms. Lou
Mistress Aphrodite

SiouxsieL

Goth Mary Poppins

Gothic Fairie Queen

It's your turn! My assignment for you this month is to feature the ways that you, my darlings, take a well-needed TIME OUT. How do you unwind? What gets you through the holidays and exams? A bubble bath? Running five miles? A steaming bowl of chicken soup? Also, what kind of comfort clothes/accessories do you go to during this time of high stress? Do you have a favorite Woobie (sweater, scarf, blanket, etc.)? Please feature whatever it is that helps you feel well-needed COMFORT AND JOY during the season of "gimme gimme" and cranky shoppers at the mall. How do you infuse your life with the true meaning of the season -- peace, rest and reflection.

Please, no adult content.

So you want to participate? AWESOME! Here are the rules:

1. on December 13 check back here for my Monthly Assignment contribution;

2. on your post please include this bit of code to link back to this blog and my post. You can easily do this by cutting and pasting the code under the "Edit HTML" tab:

<a href="http://gothicprofessor.blogspot.com/search/label/homework%20assignment"><img src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-AOWrXLqL3DU/Tp7QtRvOg1I/AAAAAAAAA38/HmuZW95e0nM/s1600/monthly+homework.jpg" border="0"></a> 

If for some reason you can't do so, please make sure you link back to this blog within your text and post the Monthly Homework Assignment picture;

3. don't forget to leave a comment on my December 13th post with a link to your own post. I will list everyone's entries in a separate post the following day! Yuppers, one whole post dedicated to you and your gorgeous, naked faces! WAHOOO!!!!

4. the assignment will be available from 12:00 am on December 13 EST to 11:59 December 15 EST ... and yes, I take late homework;

5. HAVE FUN and GET CREATIVE!!!

Bat Fit 2012 (40x40)

The votes are in and you, dear readers, voted for Bat Fit 2012 as the name for our Goth Healthy Living Campaign! A huge thank you to mksiny14 for coming up with the name in the first place. Now that we have a name let the games begin!!! WAHOO! ARE YOU READY TO GET HEALTHY?!? Yes?!?! Well then ....

LET'S DO IT!!!!

For those of you just tuning in here's some background:

About two weeks ago I announced here on this blog that I, Le Professeur Gothique, set a goal for myself to lose 40 pounds by my 40th birthday in June. I said that I planned to do so NOT by dieting, but rather by eating smaller amounts of very healthy, nutritious foods and adding exercise to my life. I am determined to keep this whole quest SUPER fun. I then asked "who is with me?" I was overwhelmed by the positive responses and the candid goals of my readers. Some wanted to lose weight, some wanted to gain muscle, some wanted to work on mental and emotional health, but we all agreed that 2012 is our year to do it together as one, big batty clan.  Bane from GIY suggested that we include weekly challenges like dancing to VNV for 20 minutes a day or taking a well-deserved and needed bubble bath. I, of course, love this idea! HUZZAH for Bane!

So without further ado, I welcome all of you to Bat Fit 2012! I've created a Facebook group for all of us to join:

https://www.facebook.com/groups/270131759703231/

*** ON MONDAY, DECEMBER 19th, I WILL POST YOUR FIRST BAT FIT 2012 CHALLENGE FOR THE WEEK. STAY TUNED!!! ***

Please email me with some of your challenge suggestions. I'm going to keep a record of all of the challenges, etc. Also, use the above graphic whenever you are posting about your Bat Fit 2012 results, accomplishments, and hick-ups. And remember HAVE FUN!!!!

Finally, I would like to make t-shirts for this challenge and sell them through Zazzle or one of those on-line printing companies. ALL proceeds with go to the SOPHIE Foundation. I'm going to email Sylvia, Sophie's mom, to see how we can do this easily. :) Artists! Get cracking on a cool design! I think we should have a contest and we will all vote on our favorite design. :) More about the contest to come. Let me email Sylvia first. 

Welcome to Bat Fit 2012!!!

Weekend Fun

Le Professeur Gothique getting ready for an evening at home with friends

It has been a busy but an extremely fun weekend! As you read, dear reader, Ed and I saw VNV Nation here in NYC on Friday. This wonderful evening kicked off a fun-filled weekend of friends and family. Indeed, most of our weekend was spent indoors socializing, chatting and relaxing -- just what we all needed in the middle of this most insane holiday season.

Saturday night we had friends over for a holiday cocktail party. While jeans and a t-shirt would have been fine, I decided to doll myself up a bit. After all, it is the holiday season and it does call for plushy velvets and sparkly goodness! I wore a long, plush, black velvet skirt topped by a lace blouse. The blouse is actually made up of a silky under blouse topped with copious amounts of delicious lace. I've featured both of these pieces many times before, but never in this combination ... at least I don't think so.

I wore my hair down, which I've been doing a lot lately. My makeup consisted of a light dusting of powder, a heavy application of L'Oréal's creme eyeliner in purple, and severe eyebrows drawn in with liquid liner. I wore earrings by Betsey Johnson and converted my two leather and crystal bracelets into a collar by snapping them together.

Heading off to the in-laws

Sunday evening was spent celebrating my brother-in-law's birthday at my in-laws' house. It was a casual and comfortable evening so jeans and a long sleeved t-shirt was just fine. I wore my hair pulled up and topped with two ribboned bat clips. 

How was your weekend? Did you do anything fun or holiday based?

The Run Down:

Saturday:
Blouse: Macy's
Skirt: OneStopPlus.com
Stockings: Target
Shoes: Target, DIY by me
Bracelets used as a collar: Kohl's
Crystal Bracelets: Michael's
Betsey Johnson earrings: Macy's

Sunday:
Jeans: Lane Bryant
T-shirt: Stolen from Ed's closet
Converse: DSW
Batty Hair Clips: Claire's

Reminder: Monthly Homework Assignment

Don't forget darklings: This coming Tuesday, December 13th is Le Professeur Gothique's Monthly Homework Assignment!!!

My assignment for you this month is to feature the ways that you, my darlings, take a well-needed TIME OUT. How do you unwind? What gets you through the holidays and exams? A bubble bath? Running five miles? A steaming bowl of chicken soup? Also, what kind of comfort clothes/accessories do you go to during this time of high stress? Do you have a favorite Woobie (sweater, scarf, blanket, etc.)? Please feature whatever it is that helps you feel well-needed COMFORT AND JOY during the season of "gimme gimme" and cranky shoppers at the mall. How do you infuse your life with the true meaning of the season -- peace, rest and reflection.

M

Please, no adult content.

So you want to participate? AWESOME! Here are the rules:

1. on December 13 check back here for my Monthly Assignment contribution;

2. on your post please include this bit of code to link back to this blog and my post. You can easily do this by cutting and pasting the code under the "Edit HTML" tab:

<a href="http://gothicprofessor.blogspot.com/search/label/homework%20assignment"><img src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-AOWrXLqL3DU/Tp7QtRvOg1I/AAAAAAAAA38/HmuZW95e0nM/s1600/monthly+homework.jpg" border="0"></a> 

If for some reason you can't do so, please make sure you link back to this blog within your text and post the Monthly Homework Assignment picture;

3. don't forget to leave a comment on my December 13th post with a link to your own post. I will list everyone's entries in a separate post the following day! Yuppers, one whole post dedicated to you and your gorgeous, naked faces! WAHOOO!!!!

4. the assignment will be available from 12:00 am on December 13 EST to 11:59 December 15 EST ... and yes, I take late homework;

5. HAVE FUN and GET CREATIVE!!!

VNV Nation!!!

Le Professeur Gothique off to see VNV Nation!

VNV Nation played Webster Hall here in NYC last night. Ed and I were, of course, front and center for a most amazing show. All I can say is, dear readers, if you haven't seen VNV live yet -- DO SO! NOW! This is my third time seeing them. While the first time will always be my favorite because they toured with And One -- talk about a FANTASTIC SHOW -- last night's show was a very close second. To echo Sophistique Noir's review of the show, VNV was amazing, up-lifting, inspiring, and completely intoxicating. Ronan Harris was electrifying as always and his interaction with the crowd absolutely makes seeing VNV live one of the most memorable experiences of one's life. You can't help but be in the moment. You can't help but be swept away with the energy. You can't help but dance and sing and smile, desperately wanting those short two hours to never end. I am sore and happy today. I have no voice. And I am riding on a post-VNV high that I can't even put into words. And let's not forget about the amazing performance by their opening act, Straftanz! What a treat to see these guys! FANTASTIC!!!

So let's move on to the fashion, shall we? For me a VNV show is a stompfest, so velvet and lace is right out. I dressed to move and move hard -- black jeans rolled up to show off my super tall Docs, a SOPHIE t-shirt (the connection between VNV and the SOPHIE Fund is undeniable), my DIY Jack arm warmers, and, of course, my DIY hairfalls. 

Whiteface powder, a thick application of Maybelline's gel eyeliner in black, Manic Panic's eyeshadow in red, and a liquid lined eyebrow completed the look. I was really surprised that my makeup looked exactly like that when I left the show! Here's to Maybelline's gel eyeliner! WAHOO!

The Run Down:

Jeans: Eddie Bauer

T-Shirt: SOPHIE -- BUY ONE NOW!!! Support a good cause!

Docs: Zappos

Arm warmers: made by me, socks from Spirit Halloween last year

Hair falls: made by me

Antler death's head necklace: Pyramid Books, Salem MA

Black and Grey

Wednesday's Outfit

I've really been into soft, grey sweaters lately. I like the way they subtly break up an all black outfit, softening what would be a very dramatic and hard-edged look. It didn't dawn on me until I started working on this post that I wore grey two teaching days in a row, both with very different results.

On Wednesday I wore my pencil skirt, a long sleeved cotton blouse and a very light grey, short sleeved sweater. I didn't notice it at the time, but the stockings have the same diamond/chevron pattern that is in the knit of the sweater. It makes for an interesting contrast with the flat black skirt and blouse, connecting the whole outfit together. I always wear this sweater with some sort of icy cold crystal jewelry or hair clips/bands. It has the feel of winter and I love to accentuate that quality. As you can see in the above photo I wore a headband that has a beautiful icy grey and crystal embellishment.

Friday's Outfit

Friday was a big day for me for a number of reasons. My dissertation proposal was accepted and approved by my department, which means I can start writing my dissertation! WAHOO! I'm so excited to be able to get started and to do good work well!!! YAY! Also it was my last day teaching at Parsons for the semester. The end of the semester is always bittersweet for me -- I'm thrilled to be done and to have a break ... I'm sad because I really am going to miss my students. This semester at Parsons I have an awesome bunch, which makes it harder to see them go. I see them one more time for their final and that's it. :( Friday was also the VNV show here in NYC, which means I had to teach in the morning and then run back to Staten Island to change, only to run back into Manhattan to catch the show. Whew! 

I wore my hair down because I knew that I was going to be wearing hair falls that evening. I wore practically no makeup for the same reason -- I was just going to remove it to apply more dramatic makeup.   I'll admit, I really didn't think about this outfit at all. A pair of pants, a black blouse and a grey sweater did the trick for professional, but comfortable. My thoughts were somewhere else that morning. 

Stay tuned for my VNV Nation outfit and news about our healthy living challenge!!! We have a name and that means we will have a Facebook group and image! YES!

The Run Down:

Wednesday:

Skirt: Lane Bryant

Blouse: Lane Bryant

Sweater: Coldwater Creek

Stockings: Target

Shoes: Naturalizer, DSW

Hairband: Claire's

Snowflake Earrings: gift from my sister

Friday:

Pants: Lane Bryant

Blouse: Lane Bryant

Sweater: Dress Barn

Shoes: Target, DIY myself

Home Stretch Teaching

Le Professeur Gothique starting the last bit of teaching for the semester

WAHOO! We are in the home stretch! I only have one more class to teach at Parsons and three more at CSI. I need to grade their papers, administer and grade their finals, figure out their final grades and VOILA! I'm done until the end of January. I am really looking forward to January's break. I have a lot of things that I want to accomplish like cleaning my office, organizing my dissertation research better, spending more time in the library, etc. I also really want to take a breath and create some art, perhaps do a painting or two. And I want to start planning out my garden. Yes, I said garden. I have to make a cold frame for my early spring leafy greens and I want to see if I can get my hands on some heirloom varieties of vegetables. I also need to get my hands on an apple tree -- I want to plant one in the middle of my Mom's yard. Anyone here in the USA have a good resource for heirloom vegetable seeds?

Yesterday I wore a grey and black leopard print wrap skirt topped by a ruffled, sparkly blouse and my trusty black pinwale blazer that I've been living in all semester. Black, opaque tights, loafers and a sparkly knit scarf completed the look. I was very lazy yesterday with my hair and makeup so I kept everything polished and simple, using black eyeshadow as liner and pulling my hair up. 

We're coving the 19th century in my CSI classes and I can't be more thrilled. I LOVE teaching this time period because it's what I study. I love talking about Courbet and Manet and how they purposefully drew attention to the two dimensionality of the canvas surface, making the viewer aware of the fact that they are looking at paint on a flat surface instead of through a "picture window." It blows my students' minds every time. :)

The Run Down:

Skirt: Lane Bryant

Blouse: Macy's

Blazer: Lane Bryant

Stockings: Target

Shoes: Life Stride, DSW

Scarf: Dress Barn

Sunday Holiday Shopping in New Hope

Let the holiday shopping begin! Indeed, Ed and I went to one of our favorite artsy towns -- New Hope, PA -- to start our shopping. We prefer to shop in small, local businesses instead of the big corporate places and New Hope has always been a favorite of ours. With stores like God Save the Qweens (say hi to the owner, Meshell), Celt-Iberia Traders (when you're there say hi to the owners, Mike and Rich. Tell 'em I sent you!) and Heart of the Home, you're bound to find something fun for the wonderful people in your life. Besides, New Hope is always a nice day out for Ed and me. We visit with our friends, eat yummy food at local restaurants, and have a wonderful day wondering around Main Street along the Delaware River.

I wore a cotton, long sleeved t-shirt that has buttons and ruffles down the front, my knee-length travel knit skirt, opaque tights, striped gloves and my new patent leather Docs, of course. It was a bit chilly so I also wore the wool coat that I featured in Ms. Kitty's Monthly Theme: Outerwear. We had some serious holiday shopping to do and it was imperative that I was comfortable, warm and stylish. ;)

Awwww ... The Spooky Couple ready to shop till we drop!

My Makeup and VOILA! A re-pierced nose.

So have I told you, dear readers, how much I LOVE L'Oréal's HIP creme eyeliner in eggplant? I just tried this weekend and WOW! This is the best creme/gel eyeliner I've used yet. It goes on super smoothly, is wonderfully forgiving, and DOES NOT FADE, CRACK, OR MIGRATE ACROSS MY FACE!!! Oh yeah! See that photo above? My face looked exactly like that after 12 hours of shopping, which consisted of going from the cold outside to very warm insides. I am thrilled with the way it came off too -- no real fuse, no scrubbing, and no burning.

Oooo, and look at the shiney in my nostril! :) I opted for a diamond stud set in white gold instead of a ring. I figured it would be easier to maneuver the academic world with a stud.

And here's the left ear with the seamless white gold hoops. I have hoops in holes #3, 4 and 5 on the left ear and in holes #3, 4, 5 and 6 in the right. So far everything is healing up nicely. :) Warm salt water soaks for 10 minutes a day is exactly what the doctor ... er ... the piercer ordered. Oh, and did I tell you, my darlings, that I'm going for my tattoo consultation for my other arm early in January? Yup, I'm excited to get started. WAHOO!

The Run Down:

Blouse: Lane Bryant

Skirt: Macy's

Tights: Target

Docs: ShoeMall.com

Gloves: Claire's

Mjölner: Medieval Gallery, New Hope ... now closed :(

Bat Winged Pentagram: Alchemy Gothic

Bat Earrings, hole 1: Alchemy Gothic

Bat Earrings, hole 2: Gorey Collection, House of the Seven Gables gift shop, Salem, MA

Friday's Outfit and Jump Starting 40x40

Le Professeur Gothique's  Sparkly Friday

Friday was a very busy day for me: I taught at Parsons in the morning, had some gift buying errands to run, and had to be in the tattoo studio by 2:15 so that Virginia could take a picture of my finished and healed sleeve. I needed to wear something that was work appropriate, comfortable enough to bounce around Manhattan, and sleeveless so that Virg could easily take photos. Add to this the fact that it was cold in the morning and almost 60 degrees by the afternoon, and you have one complicated fashion day!

I wore my summer weight wool pants from Coldwater Creek, a cowl neck, sleeveless, sequined blouse topped by my lace "cardigan." A comfy pair of patent leather loafers allowed me the mobility and ease of standing on my feet to teach for three hours, followed by a couple of hours of transferring subway lines and walking many city blocks. I probably should have worn my hair pulled up because it was in my face all day and sticking to my neck because I was very warm. 

My breakfast: all natural peanut butter and cranberry chutney on whole wheat, cinnamon raisin bread

I jump started my 40x40 Quest last week by dancing to VNV in my living room for 20 minutes, followed by a series of crunches, push-ups, and light weight training. I've been walking like crazy -- mostly in Manhattan -- and taking the stairs every chance I can get.  I've cut my portions and added whole foods to my diet. For breakfast on Friday I made myself a peanut butter and cranberry chutney sandwich, using a whole wheat, cinnamon raisin bread. YUMMO! I also packed my own coffee so that I knew exactly how much sugar and skim milk was in it. My breakfast kept me going until I settled down for lunch around 3:30 pm -- a bowl of borscht at Veselka's in the East Village. 

While at the tattoo studio I indulged in a whim ... well ok, it wasn't really a whim because I was thinking about it for over a year. I re-pierced all of my earring holes (5 on the left side, 6 on the right) and had the piercer put small seamless hoops in holes number 3-5 and then 6. I also had my nose re-pierced. Yup, I had a nose ring for some time but took it out because of some complications. The piercer moved the hole up a little and put a small diamond stud in it. Photos will follow in my next post.

The Run Down:

Pants: Coldwater Creek

Sequined Blouse: Lane Bryant

Lace Cardigan: Macy's

Loafers: Life Stride, DSW

Snowflake necklace and earring set: a gift from my sister

2012 Healthy Goths: An Update

Many of you, my dear readers, have expressed interest in joining me on my quest to get healthier for 2012. Some expressed the desire to lose weight, others want to add exercise to an already healthy routine, and still others talked about emotional and mental health. Basically what we are all talking about is taking ahold of our lives -- our bodies, minds, hearts, and souls -- and making them healthier and happier. Indeed, this is a very transformative year for all of us! I am humbled and completely thrilled that my own quest of 40x40 has started such an amazing revolution for all of us! I'm just tickled all sparkly black!

I decided that it would best to make this more official, so I'm going to roll out some fun things for all of us to participate in:

1. Look over to the top right column of this blog. See the poll? Ok, now vote for what you would like to call this Health Quest! I have my favorite, but will keep that secret. Voting will be closed on December 10 at 11:59 PM (EST);

2. Once we get a name then I will make an image for us to use when we are posting about our progress, etc.;

3. And once we get a name I will also create a Facebook Group for all of us to join to support each other. It will be a private group so that we can be completely honest about ourselves and our quest. This way we can all support each other in a safe and secure environment;

4. I am going to start posting health challenges for all of us to do. THANKS TO BANE OF GIY: GOTH IT YOURSELF for this idea! These challenges will always be fun, sometimes relaxing, and will take a new spin on how to get healthy. It might be trying a new vegetable or adding a new exercise into our lives ... or it might be as simple as making sure you do something relaxing like taking a bubble bath.

So, my friends, let's make 2012 a healthy year ... Goth style!

Monthly Homework Assignment: Comfort and Joy

"It's that most wonderful time of the year ...." or so the song says. Some of us, like myself, completely and utterly adore the holiday season. Others duck out until January, hoping that the holidays pass them by. Whatever your relationship is to the upcoming holidays it's a given that this time of year can be extremely stressful and emotional. Many of you, dear readers, are still in school getting ready for exams and final papers, which adds yet another level of stress and emotional turmoil.

What I've always found ironic is that November and December are the quiet times for Momma Nature. She yawns and stretches, pulling a blanket off snow over herself she settles in for a long winter's nap. Even the critters turn in for a few months. The plants die off, planting themselves in the seeds they lost throughout autumn. The trees are now bare and quiet, standing empty against the pale moonlight. Yet, what do we stupid humans do? November and December are the months that we get more active. We jack up the stress and insanity to levels that aren't humanly possible! It's crazy!!! For what? To have a few trinkets under the tree and the perfect sugar cookie? Because THEY tell us that's what we must do in order to have a nice season?

So, my assignment for you this month is to feature the ways that you, my darlings, take a well-needed TIME OUT. How do you unwind? What gets you through the holidays and exams? A bubble bath? Running five miles? A steaming bowl of chicken soup? Also, what kind of comfort clothes/accessories do you go to during this time of high stress? Do you have a favorite Woobie (sweater, scarf, blanket, etc.)? Please feature whatever it is that helps you feel well-needed COMFORT AND JOY during the season of "gimme gimme" and cranky shoppers at the mall. How do you infuse your life with the true meaning of the season -- peace, rest and reflection.

Please, no adult content.

So you want to participate? AWESOME! Here are the rules:

1. on December 13 check back here for my Monthly Assignment contribution;

2. on your post please include this bit of code to link back to this blog and my post. You can easily do this by cutting and pasting the code under the "Edit HTML" tab:

<a href="http://gothicprofessor.blogspot.com/search/label/homework%20assignment"><img src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-AOWrXLqL3DU/Tp7QtRvOg1I/AAAAAAAAA38/HmuZW95e0nM/s1600/monthly+homework.jpg" border="0"></a> 

If for some reason you can't do so, please make sure you link back to this blog within your text and post the Monthly Homework Assignment picture;

3. don't forget to leave a comment on my December 13th post with a link to your own post. I will list everyone's entries in a separate post the following day! Yuppers, one whole post dedicated to you and your gorgeous, naked faces! WAHOOO!!!!

4. the assignment will be available from 12:00 am on December 13 EST to 11:59 December 15 EST ... and yes, I take late homework;

5. HAVE FUN and GET CREATIVE!!!

Sophistique Noir's Monthly Theme Post: Outerwear

Good grief! I can't believe that it's the first of the month already!!! And you know what that means, dear readers: Sophistiqué Noir's Monthly Theme Post. Because of the impeding cold weather, our dear Ms. Kitty's theme this month is Outerwear. I have three specific coats that I wear all winter long: a tailored wool jacket that can take me through moderately cold to really cold temperatures (as long as I wear a sweater underneath), and two fake fur coats that are warm and toasty on the coldest winter's night.

Please note: all "fur" featured in this post is FAKE. That's right, both are by Dennis Basso from QVC and they are about as real as my hair color. ;)

My Mom bought me this coat approximately six years ago for Yulemas. I really love this coat because it has the look and feel of real fur but is absolutely 100% fake. It looks so real that one day a PETA person harassed me to no end until I showed him the tag that says, "100% acrylic." I'm not one for white or light colors, but there's something so magical about this coat, especially with the dramatic makeup. It's especially dramatic in a snow storm, but that's another story all together. I honestly feel like a 1920s movie star when I wear this!

Yet another fake fur fuzzy from Dennis Basso for QVC. This time it was a "hand-me-down from my cousin in California. She bought it for herself but didn't like the way it fit, so instead of sending it back she sent it to me. The coat is reversible, the other side is a water-repellant rain coat. Indeed this coat is quite useful in the wet and cold winters here in NYC. It's a super deep red with a black undertone. I get a lot of millage out of it, especially for club nights, shows, and general hanging about.

And now for something a bit more tailored -- a DKNY wool coat from Macy's that I bought last fall. I usually wear this coat when I'm heading to work or when I want something simple and all black. It has a slight flare at the bottom, making it super comfortable and very flattering.

I had to show you my DIY Halloween fleece scarf with this coat! :) I made this scarf extra long because I like the way it wraps and wraps and wraps around me, and how it hangs long. I have the pattern and instructions for the scarf somewhere in my sewing bag. Perhaps I'll do a tutorial on how to make it soon.

Of course it would be no fun without showing you my outfit for the day. I wore my tiered velvet, lace and sparkled skirt with my flowing lace top. I'm having issues with my right hip today -- I think I over-extended it -- so I chose my DIY shoes instead of the patent leather Docs that I would have normally worn with this.

The Run Down

Top Two Coats: Dennis Basso for QVC

Third Coat: DKNY, Macy's

Blouse: Macy's

Skirt: QVC

Stockings: Target

Shoes: DIY by me, shoes from target

Beaded necklace: it's so old that I can't remember where I bought it

Earrings: Betsey Johnson, Macy's (the other day I told you I bought them in Lord and Taylor. I was mistaken.)

Batty hairclips: Target