#Hair-On Leather Flat Laces uk | Explore Tumblr posts and blogs

sp00kworm · 4 years ago

Text

A Den of Iniquity (Part 3)

Pairing: Dracula/Count Dracula/Vlad Tepes x Female Reader

Warnings: Death, Murder, Blood, Gore, Injuries, Violence, Vomiting and Adult content.

---

Part 1 Part 2 Part 4 Part 5

---

---

A week. He had one week to discover how to consume human food. One week to try and be human. Vlad turned his gaze from the mirror and thrust the covering back over it, hiding the glass from his sight. He didn’t wish to see the smog covered beast he was underneath his trickery. The mirror shuddered under the sheet but didn’t crack. The vampire grazed his fingers along the moustache on his top lip and wondered just what this face looked like. True, he had seen photos of himself, slapped across most of his company’s websites, but it wasn’t the same. The image seemed foreign to him. A reflection of a face that wasn’t his own. At least, not anymore. He looked at the painting hung over his fireplace and dusted dirt from his shoulder as he gazed upwards, admiring the strong face he knew as his own. The sword he held in the painting was positioned below it, shined yet in need of another covering of oil and care. Gently, he took the great blade from the wall and swung it in an arc before rotating it over his hand and turning to thrust it at an invisible foe. His blood sang with the vibration of the blade through the air. Dracula took the blade to his desk and sat in the great chair, a cloth in hand as he pondered on what he could do to remedy the hole he had dug himself into.

The internet yielded no results. Therapy websites for eating disorders or calorie planning for dieting. It wasn’t the answer. A gastric bypass. Stomach removal. Eating with certain diseases. Intolerances. All the while, he shined the blade he had broken the cross with, looking down to avoid the sharpened edges. Dracula admired the blade in the light, satisfied with the shine as he leaned to look at his monitor. Nothing. Modern medicine had no answers. He grumbled as he stood from his chair and replaced the blade in its holder. It shone better in the light. Dracula moved back to his desk and rapped his nails along the wood in thought. Once, twice, and a third and final time as he pondered on what he could do to solve his issue. The only person he had ever encountered that knew anything about his curse was Professor Abraham Van Helsing, and that man had wanted him and his brood wiped out from history. He had, however, lived. His ancestors were somewhere out there. Out of curiosity, he put the name into his search engine and watched thousands of results come up. The name, however, was not common. Van Helsing was a small lineage even now, and he opened various social medias, looking for any relative that could be close. There had to be a remnant of the line somewhere in the UK. Abraham was a Professor in London.

There was a link, some way into the third page of results.

‘Doctor disgraced. Drinking problems hit the highest mind in Pathology.’

Dark eyes narrowed at the news article and the vampire opened it with interest, leaned back in his chair as he read. His eyebrows raised and a smile curled on his lips before he started to chuckle. A Van Helsing worked in London. Disgraced in medicine at the University College Hospital. A former teacher as well. With another click, he was searching for more. Profiles and odd links on profiles. Eventually, he gazed at her name with red, burning eyes.

Dr Anne Van Helsing.

The vampire grinned, fangs sliding from his gums as he stood from his chair, huffing with beastly excitement as he rushed to get changed for the evening ahead.

Van Helsing blood was a stench he would never forget. The woman was easy enough to track down once he had looked up her address. She was still half practicing, apparently sober now for a year. He moved under the door of the shop as vapour, green and curling in on itself. Anne lived beneath the occult store, in the basement. Vlad assumed that she conversed with the owner and fed him information in exchange for a cheap rent. The alarm system blinked in the corner, the camera lens stagnant, watching. He moved up the wall and curled over the top of the camera. Electricity buzzed inside before it fried with a snap. The vampire moved under the door to the stairs and floated along the old wood, sensing his surroundings as he drifted lower and lower, along the old stairs and towards the smell of the vampire slayer he knew so well. The green smog slid through her door and coalesced into a rolling shape of a man.

The vampire hunter was laid in her armchair, snoring softly across from a buzzing television screen. It was a late-night reality show rerun. The smoke curled from his hands as they formed, and the vampire, rippling with vapour, curled his gloved hand over her head, watching and waiting for her to wake and grapple him for a fight. He hissed and waited. Slowly, he leaned down towards the woman’s greying blond hair and snarled. The scent of whiskey hit his nose. She was inebriated with alcohol. The vampire’s red eyes caught sight of the bottle in front of her on the coffee table. She wouldn’t be awake for a while. Vlad’s fingers recoiled as he turned on his heels and looked around her small, basement flat. The room was decorated with hard wood and mismatched old rugs. It was dusty yet lived in, like she forgot to clean. Dracula looked at the walls as a barely formed human figure of smoke, floating before he dispelled himself to look for anything he could use. The book. Van Helsing’s notebook. His mist curled around the rugs before coiling around the coffee table legs. There was a great welsh dresser, full of old pottery, the bottom lined with books, in the corner. He rushed towards it, sending a brisk breeze over Anne. The vampire formed in front of the books, a swirling storm of green mist. There was one book, the spine leather, old and self-bound. Misty fingers reached for the spine, tugging it free. The pages of the book fell open under a gale of wind and Dracula hissed from within the storm.

A burning sensation laced through the fog.

“Beast.” Anne slurred from her chair as she fumbled along her coffee table again, trying to find something among the papers. The burning emanated from where his flesh was ripped from the fog. A blessed blade seared in the dead flesh of his foot and Dracula howled, the walls shaking with the noise.

“Vampire slayer!” He snarled as he reached to drag the hilt of the dagger free, his thick, dead blood splattering along Anne’s wooden floor, “I should have ended your line when I had the chance!” He hissed in Romanian as his claws snatched the book, scarlet eyes burning in the black fog as he took three steps back, his floating hair already dissipating out of the window.

“You should be dead!” She slurred as she took the end of the holy blade in her hand and threw it towards him. This time he was ready, and the mist created a hole before swallowing in on itself and bursting up towards the window. Anne cursed as she tripped over the rug, left alone in her small basement as the creature escaped with the notes her ancestor had made when the beast was supposedly destroyed, so long ago.

“Shit.” Anne howled as she rushed to retrieve the holy dagger from her wall. She peered up at the clouded sky in her pyjamas, cursing violently as the vampire escaped. With a thump, she closed the window and reached for the whiskey she had left on the coffee table.

Back in his own home, Dracula peered at the book in his hands, nails trailing over the old cover. The woman in his lap whined, French manicured nails squeaking over the leather of his trousers. With a single finger under her chin, he tilted her head upwards, pulling her lips away from the inside of his thigh. She whined again, pressing herself against his cold skin, her mouth open and neck bleeding from the first bite. The girl was barely into her twenties, yet she was easy pickings, her brain was too addled with alcohol to resist the mild glamour he had applied. She’d even walked out of another man’s arms, just to crawl into his own. The book detailed many things. Autopsies on other vampires, creatures of his brood from when Abraham was young. He looked at their entries and peered at the drawings as the woman climbed into his lap again, pressing her nose under his chin. He petted the side of her cheek as he read the notes slowly, struggling to understand the medical terms.

‘Dead insides. Heart was dead for longer than is conceivable. Putrefied organs. High salt content in tissue samples. Stomach empty of acid.’

Nothing told him about how he could change these things.

Subject: Dracula, former alias Vlad of the Order of the Dragon.

His own autopsy. It seemed Abraham had even analysed his corpse, drawing the body and decapitated head with gruesome detail. There was pages and pages of notes, but no answers. He read the final line with a sneer.

‘Subject laid to rest by Mrs Harker. Tomb sealed before leaving.’

Van Helsing had not expected his revival in any case. Dracula watched the woman in his lap go bleary eyed and whine once more. He took her by the hair and pushed the book onto his desk before exposing her neck and biting. Her cartilage crunched under his jaw and she shouted in pain before melting against his front. Two pints maximum. That was all he could take before she would be close to death. He counted the mouthfuls between hungry snarls before wrenching himself from her neck. Her eyelids closed as her breathing went shallow. The vampire released her head and wiped at his mouth, licking the blood from his fingers with another dark purr. Carefully he arranged her in his arms and stood with her. Dracula deposited her in the guest bedroom, slipping her clothes from her body before he looked at the holes in her neck and leaned down to lick them clean. They would be healed in a day, but he hid the area with bruises. She would believe something else entirely had happened.

He left her with a brunch bar and water on her bedside table. The vampire didn’t care about her so long as there wasn’t a trace of her by morning. It was smart not to kill at every chance he got. He closed the door and listened to the old chimes of the grandfather clock at the bottom of the stairs. It was into the early hours of the morning. He glanced at the smart phone in his hand and the time before heading back to his office and closing the book with a snap. He was dead. Putrefied inside. Salt and dead flesh. He opened the drawer of his desk and chucked the book inside it, kicking it shut with his foot as he looked out of the window. A lone cat strayed across his lawn, tail curled in the air before it sat in the grass and looked at him. He hissed around it, voice echoing in the darkness as the cat hissed back at the window. Dracula spat, thumping at the window, fangs slick with spit and blood. The cat watched him, bristling, but ran from his lawn, down the drive and towards the main road. Dracula watched it leave before closing the curtains and going back to his computer. He slumped back in the chair before opening recipes for the coming date he had planned. Perhaps something raw?

You knocked on the door of Vladimir’s home, running your hands over your outfit worriedly. Why you were worried, you didn’t know. This was professional. You reminded yourself of that as the man answered the door with a smile, his pale face looking out from an inside lit up by soft, warm white light. There were candles in great, intricate candelabras, burning in the entry hall.

“Welcome to my home.” Vladimir pulled open the door wide to reveal the inside of his home and himself. He was dressed smartly, a silver suit lined with blue, his hair down, resting on his wide shoulders.

“I thought this was just a professional affair, Vlad.” You moved into the threshold with a shake of your head at the elaborate setting of his home. The door clicked shut behind you, and Vladimir chuckled at your concern.

He slid your coat from your shoulders gently, “I am a host before everything, my dear. My home is my pride. I enjoy impressing.”

You watched him hang your coat on the hook, “You mean you enjoy gloating and showing off.” You snarked with a smile as Vlad pressed a gentle hand to your back, steering you towards the dining room.

“Something of that ilk, yes.” Vlad opened the door to the dining room and your mouth opened in awe at the warm candlelight from the extravagant candlestick in the middle of the old wooden table. That, itself, was shone to perfection with wax. The cutlery was laid out perfectly alongside the placemats and even the tablecloth was ironed. It was perfect.

“Something tells me this really isn’t just a work catchup, Vladimir.” You looked down at yourself and took a deep breath, “I feel like this is crossing a line that…”

His hands wrapped around your bare shoulders, squeezing, comforting as he hushed you, “Perhaps I have…interest in you, yes, but it is a desire to know more about you. I hold no lecherous desires. I have no ill intentions. I only wish to know you.” He moved around to face you, “I promise you.”

Something about his voice was soothing as he held onto your shoulders, his dark eyes bright with happiness.

Carefully, you plucked Vladimir’s hands from your shoulders, “Fine. I’ll accept it, for now.” You pointed to the table, “And because I’m guessing you have an insane spread planned for this evening.”

Vladimir’s fingers curled back into his palms before he pulled you a chair out at the table, “Oh it is a spectacular menu.” He purred as you sat yourself at the circular table. It was made for two people to dine at. Intimate and close among other things. The rest of the dinning room was cleared, the normal, full length table, pushed to the side at the back, and the chairs stacked out of sight underneath sheets.

“So, what’s for dinner then?” You asked as you watched Vladimir pour you a drink of the red wine he purchased from your shop. He avoided his own glass and sat down across from you, “You don’t drink?”

Vladimir shook his head, his dark hair flopping over his shoulders, “No. I do not drink. It does not sit well.” He patted his tummy before gesturing in the air with a smile, “Drink. Be merry. I will see to dinner. Or, well, the staff will.” A waiter waved from the doorway, the towel over his arm wafting as he disappeared back into the other room, towards the kitchen.

“You really hired staff for one night?” You asked, laughing at the absurdity of it all, “Are you wanting to flash your cash and win me over, Mister Székely?”

Vladimir hummed, “Hardly. I don’t need to announce my wealth to you. If anything, that will make you less likely to entertain my advances.” He explained.

Taking a sip of your drink, you looked at him over the glass, “And you think you’ve figured out how to win me over?”

Vladimir rolled his shoulders, “I have no idea how, my dear.” He confessed as the waiter returned with a large silver platter, rested on one hand, “Ah, dinner is served.” He clapped his hands excitedly as the waiter laid a starter before the two of you.

The starter was delicious, the food of a quality you hadn’t tasted in a long time, not since your last expensive birthday get together. You pushed the plate forwards a little with a sigh of content.

Vladimir had poked at his food, eating just over half.

“That was delicious…Aren’t you hungry?” You pointed a finger at his plate, “Maybe you picked the wrong chef?” You teased as he placed his fork and knife in the middle of the plate.

Vladimir smiled cryptically, “It is very rich. My stomach is not good at coping with such things.” He waved his hand, “I have been this way since I was a child.”

“Ah.” You nodded, “I’m sorry for making fun.”

“You have nothing to apologise for. I have taken no offence.” He was quiet as the waiter took the plates away from you both after refilling your wine.

After a moment, you took a sip of your drink and changed the conversation, “So, Vlad, where do you come from? You didn’t give that information on your website.”

Dracula felt a sense of déjà vu at the question. Time seemed to shift as he saw Mina sitting before him, laughing and perched like a lady on the edge of her chair. It came and went. He smiled at the memory of it before clearing his throat.

Vladimir spread his hands, “I come from a town, deep in the Carpathian Mountains. It was once a stronghold during the fight against the Persians, many years ago. There are legends, that beyond the forest and in the mountains, that a secret order was housed. Dracula, Vlad Tepes, or whatever they call him, he was part of this order to defend the church against the onslaught. A knight of the Order of Dracul.” He noticed your confusion, “The Order of the Dragon, in English. My hometown was bred on the legends, so here I am, feeding the West them as well.” He chuckled before fixing you with a heavy gaze.

“So, you’re from where he originally lived?” You asked curiously.

“Ah, no, but nearby. Close enough for the legends to be very relevant…” He made a cross with his fingers, “And for the locals to be very superstitious.” He laughed again before you frowned, and his laughter died away.

“Is it pretty?” You asked as you took another drink, “Aren’t the mountains some of the only untouched lands in Europe?”

“Yes. The woods are fresh with clean air, expansive and wide. There is a river. A great one. In English it is called, River Princess, or the Princess River. The tears of a beautiful princess filled it from bank to bank.” His fingers trailed along the wood, “Or so the stories go.”

“I think it would be hard to cry that much…” You smiled behind your glass, “But those are wonderful stories. I would love to hear more.”

The beast inside whined at the pain as he began to tell the story of the knight and his princess, the food rotting his insides.

“Thank you for having me this evening.” You paused at the doorstep to his home, watching the man smile from inside, still looking you in the eye, “I…I was sceptical, but I enjoyed it immensely.”

“I am glad.” Vladimir drawled, “I would like to do this again, if I have not scared you away?” He asked as he took your hand, placing a kiss on the back of it.

Gently, you took your hand back and smiled, “I would love to.” You took out your phone and snatched his from his fancy trousers, unlocking it before you tapped your phone number into his contacts, “So we can arrange another.” You offered before hearing the toot of the taxi’s horn, “Goodbye, Vladimir. Have a good night.”

He caught your wrist before you could escape and leaned forwards. Your breath caught in expectation of a kiss. It never came, but he pressed his lips to the inside of your wrist.

“Good evening. Sleep well.” He whispered before he released you to your taxi. You touched the spot on your wrist as you waked down the drive. The door to his home closed behind you as you made it to the car, and you gave one last look at the house before ducking inside the taxi and telling the driver your home address.

Agony. The beast howled inside but he didn’t make a noise. Dracula’s mouth hung open, spittle clinging between vicious, giant fangs, as he clawed at his stomach. His eyes bled to red, black pupils going wide as he hid his face, dismissing the staff, bidding them to leave as he crawled upstairs to his bedroom. The wooden door shuck as he slammed it closed, dragging his clothes free in pain as his stomach muscles seared. Desperately, he pushed his fingers into his mouth to silence his own agony as he fitted on the floor, his muscles burning as claws ripped from his feet and scratched great lines in his floor. Fur rippled over his back as everything clenched in burning ripples of pain. Dracula heard the door close with a scared ‘good night’. He listened to the staff walk down the drive before he began to howl. Pain seared up his stomach as he morphed into a wolfish beast, snarling and spitting against the wood. The vampire limped to his window, unlocking it before he pulled himself out, his head twisting as he looked up at the moon. Pain curled in his guts again as he managed to jump from the window and to the floor. Dracula landed in the grass with an ungraceful thud. Snarling, and starving, the vampire pulled himself up enough to move, crawling towards the little piece of woodlands that separated his home from the park.

The University College Hospital was bright with the activity of Doctors and patients. Dracula didn’t see nor hear the bustling activity as he snarled in the back of the hospital, his fangs embedded in a young nurse. She’d been out on her break, eating a sandwich with her headphones stuffed in her ears. The vampire grasped her in the bushes, swallowing mouthful after mouthful of blood to no avail. His insides still churned and seared with pain with the meal. It was agony. Like being stabbed with holy blades. The red-hot knife twisted in his guts as he dropped the woman. The burning need to drink continued to cripple his throat. Dragging himself along the grass he felt the blood drip past his lips before his stomach lurched and the blood came back up in a spray of curdled red goo. The grass hung under the weight of the blood and Dracula writhed for a moment. He was blinded by his pain.

“Jesus Christ.” A man walked closer with a cigarette hanging from his lips, “I’m…Doctor Seward. Are you quite alright?” A young doctor approached him with a pale face, looking at the gore with horror in his eyes.

Dracula felt a ripple of familiarity about the man as he gazed at the black hair and narrow face, “Van Helsing.” He growled as he forced himself to appear human in the man’s eyes, slicing his own stomach with his nails before the doctor could see.

“My God. Of course, this has something to do with that blasted woman.” Dr Seward looked at his stomach before Dracula snatched his cheeks in his hand, “Calm down. I’ll…”

The vampire pressed his fingers to the man’s cheek bones and watched him grow complacent, his eyes unfocused as he gazed into the red eyes of Dracula.

“Take me to Van Helsing.” He commanded.

Dr Seward’s eyes went cloudy as he nodded and awkwardly helped the vampire to his feet, taking a lot of his weight. No one came close to the wolf man and the doctor as he helped Dracula along the road around the back of the hospital, towards a huge set of iron doors, angled into the ground, leading to a basement underneath the hospital. Dr Seward pulled a ring of keys from his belt, finding the one to unlock the shutter doors before he threw them open. He shouldered Dracula’s weight once more as they shakily descended into the basement. The air grew colder and staler as they reached the bottom of the concrete stairs. Seward left him propped against the sterile wall as he rushed to close and lock the doors again behind them. Dracula took a breath of air, rolling the smell of death over his palette as Seward returned and began to drag him down the hallway. They passed three rooms labelled with ‘cold storage’ and the vampire spewed blood from his mouth again, spraying the concrete floor with goo as Seward dragged him towards a room that stank of congealed blood and bleach.

“Anne!” Seward shouted as he opened the door, still in a haze, “He asked for you.”

Anne Van Helsing looked up from her work on the corpse with a shocked face, her greying hair in a frizz around her head as she dropped her glasses from her nose in shock, “Jesus Christ, Seward!” She cursed as he dropped the vampire to the floor. Her bright, intense eyes looked at the wolfish vampire in his grasp.

“Do not see me.” He hissed and Seward’s face melted into confusion before he walked, like a zombie, to the door, and disappeared down the hallway towards the hospital. Dracula felt her gaze grow cold as he fought to pull himself up, using the metal table as a prop to keep himself upright.

Anne pulled a blade from her leg, “Tell me why I shouldn’t fucking kill you now.” She spat as she held the blade towards him.

The vampire looked at her, his eyes rolling as he smelt the air. She was stone cold sober, her hands shaking around the blade with withdrawal.

“Your grandfather tried it, Van Helsing, and look what it did to me.” He hissed, claws slamming through the metal of the table as the vampire killer held her blade to his chest, “I lived. My head was severed yet I remain…undead.” He wrenched his fingers from the metal and watched her. She levelled the vampire with a stare, “Would you not like to understand, Anne? Would you not like to understand the secrets of the dark?”

Anne took the blade from his chest, “You are vermin.” She conceded as she tucked the blade into her boot again, “I will find a way to kill you, Dracula.”

“You can try, Van Helsing.” He hissed as he crawled up the table, “But I will gut you like I should have done Abraham.”

“You’re in no state to do anything.” Anne pulled him up on the table, gloves slick with blood as she wrestled him upright and reached for a bottle of heavy syrup. It smelt foul. The vampire retched as it was brought towards him. Anne wrestled him backwards , snapping a scalpel through his hand to hold him still and she held his maw open and poured the thick syrup into his mouth, “Ipecac syrup works on animals, so it should work on you. You’ll be vomiting for a long time.” She pressed his mouth closed under his chin and pushed hard against his head to keep him from spitting anything out.

“What is that…” The vampire gipped, “Poison…”

“In about…” Anne looked at her watch under her glove with a mild amount of interest, “Twenty minutes, you’ll be vomiting your guts up... Figuratively that is.” She sat back in her stool and watched spit drip uncontrollably from his mouth as he flipped onto his stomach and wretched, his abdomen clenching and rippling as the vampire heaved, “I find it surprising that this works on vampires.” She observed as he heaved uncontrollably on the body table. The Van Helsing woman began to count as the vampire heaved and gagged, the noise growing more intense until he finally gave in and spewed out a great gush of red and black. Anne stepped back as he sprayed the table and floor with blood, and continued into another burst of thick, black sludge like vomit. She covered her nose as a thick, mucus membrane slipped past his teeth and onto the floor.

“Fucking hell.” Anne whistled as she walked over to the vampire, a pair of tweezers in hand, “I didn’t expect you to actually…throw up your stomach lining.” She plucked the mucus from the mess of black goo and blood curiously before looking at the vampire.

“Vile woman.” Dracula spat as he wrenched himself from the floor, “Cursed line of…” He collapsed against the table with a bubble of blood in his mouth.

“Cursed line of god worshippers? Please, vampire, I’ve heard it before.” Anne moved away from him, leaving him heaving on the table as she went to collect something. She returned a few minutes later with a bag of red liquid in her hand, “Blood.” She tossed it onto the table, barely defrosted and cold, “You need it.” She tossed another on top of it, “For good measure.”

Dracula looked at the blood next to his head with red eyes, “Foul.” He commented.

Anne rolled her eyes, “Six hundred years old and you’re still a baby.” She walked over, her glasses perched on the end of her nose and stuck a bloodied scalpel into the edge of each.

The beast snarled before pushing the plastic edges into his mouth and drinking, gulping the bags with gusto as Anne watched him.

“You are a monster, Count Dracula…” She flipped the table he was laid on as his eyelids grew heavy, pushing him towards the wall, the dry blood bags falling from his lips with the movement, “It’s time you started acting like it. Nothing can reverse damnation. I suggest you remember that when you tear her from her life, just like all your other victims.” Anne leaned over the vampire with a dark look.

Dracula snarled and banged at the table as she turned her hip and slammed the trolley into the cold locker. The vampire felt his eyelids grow heavy as he howled at her worlds, the will to fight leaving his body as the cold set into his dead flesh.

Anne looked at the cold locker as she pulled the gloves from her hands, binning them before washing her hands and finding the packet of cigarettes Seward had dropped on his way out. She walked towards the lift and pulled a cigarette free with three nervous taps to the packet. When she reached the smoking area she dared to exhale, her hands shaking as she wished for the whiskey bottle to take the edge off.

The plush fur of a bear was soft underneath his feet as he dragged the body behind him. The woman screamed as he pulled her by her hair, crying to God, begging to be released instead of being killed. He couldn’t particularly hear her cries as he crawled along the stone, looking around his own castle, heading towards the great cross. The cross was rotting, the metal rusted and the gash still bleeding drips of blood. The woman. The faceless woman was sat underneath it, her lace covered fingers moving up to caress the hole, blood dripping down her wrists. He drew himself up onto two legs before speaking.

“I have brought you food.” His mouth was not his own as he wrenched the young girl forwards. Listening to her cries, she turned to look at the human. She descended the two steps in a roll of silk and came close to him before her veiled face turned to the girl. Bloodied, lace covered fingers moved to snatch her by her cheeks, stopping her noise before the veil shimmered. She reached to pull the bottom upwards and Dracula felt his chest heave in expectation. A mouth appeared but she tucked the lacing tight behind her head, hiding the rest of her features as a mouth full of fangs opened in her face.

The girl screamed as the faceless woman tore into her neck, gulping blood before reaching for his own face, tugging his wolfish snout down before she kissed him, blood pouring past his own lips. Dracula felt himself snarl with excitement, claws dragging over the silk, tugging, and tearing but getting nowhere through the fabric. She continued to feed before offering him another, bloody, kiss. Dracula raked his own claws over the girl’s throat and watched her gag as blood spurted from her. He dropped the body to the floor and pulled the faceless phantom forwards by her hips. Blood squelched under his feet before he was pushed onto his back, the black silk following him as the green snake hissed behind her, dipping from under her skirts to eye him with one, black eye. He felt his blood sing as she mounted his hips, teeth snapping as he dragged at the black silk again, revealing no skin to himself even as he tried to pull it upwards. His own fangs grazed her throat before the snake hissed and snapped around his neck, pulling its coils tight. Bones creaked in his neck as the phantom over him leaned down to lick along his furry chest.

“Please.” He begged before the snake struck, fangs digging deep into his dead flesh. The beast howled, the stone shaking, as he felt his legs go numb. Her face disappeared as soon as she tore the veil free.

The vampire awoke with a snarl, claws snapping forwards to snatch at the veil that was no longer there. His legs ached, and so did the throbbing erection between them. Huffing, he managed to open his eyes enough to watch icy air curl around him.

“Van Helsing.” He hissed as he pulled himself up, shaking ice from the fur on his shoulders and back, cracking the bones as he attempted to shift back. He was still too weak, and the vampire collapsed from the table with a grunt.

“What the fuck…What the fuck?” A worried man whittled outside before the key clunked in the door. The vampire slinked back towards the shadows as the door opened, “Where the fuck did the body go?” He reached to tug at his hair as he spotted the empty blood bags on the floor, “Jesus Christ someone’s stolen it.” He panicked until the vampire launched himself from the shadows, fangs tearing open the man’s throat. Dracula gave a great hiss of relief as the hot blood poured into his icy gullet.

He made sure to leave a mess for Van Helsing to clear up before he smashed his way out of the basement and into the new evening.

138 notes · View notes

cerf-et-loutre · 5 years ago

Text

Merlant Fashion Week: Day 1 - Black (Arc)Light of A’s eyes.

Kicking off Merlant Fashion Week, we start with my favorite casual look: the ArcLight wardrobe!! Four pieces of natural monochromatic delight and one messy hair.

So, let’s start!

(Photo for a better look of Noé with the coat, this is not from the same day).

WRAP COAT (Louis Vuitton)

Price: 4,800.00 USD

Sizes from 34 (XS or 2) to 42 (XL or 10)

This LV design is really popular, with sizes sold out in the USA, while no longer being listed in France, UK or Italy.

“The coat of the season combines a classic feel with avant-garde edge. Cut from a luxurious double wool-and-angora blend, it reinterprets the bourgeois wardrobe with its bold shoulders, and dramatic lapels in a contrasting wool-jersey blend. The belt’s Monogram canvas tips add a discreet Louis Vuitton signature.”

Detailed Features

Main : 48% Wool 31% Angora Hair 16% Polyamide 3% Cashgora 1% Cashmere 1% Elastane

Lining : 100% Silk

Black

Regular fit

Made in ITALY

2. XS BICOLOR RIB KNIT HIGH NECK LONG SLEEVE TOP (Louis Vuitton)

Price: 1,160.00 USD

Size: 34 (XS or 2)

Guys, this was mad difficult to find. This design is not only out of stock everywhere but completely de-listed. Even on indian sites! lol.

I was honestly sure I wouldn’t even be able to find the exact model, as Noé doesn’t show it much. The best we are able to see is on the ArcLight interviews they did before the Q&A (the quality of those videos make me cry), and the complimentary photo they took with Scott Mantz. But, enough about that!

Detailed Features

“How stylish is this top from Louis Vuitton! Beautifully made from a silk blend, this piece will give you a fitted look. It has a simple design with a high neck and long sleeves. This creation can be perfectly paired with skirts and skinny jeans.”

Lining : 100% Silk

Black

(Sadly, I couldn’t find more detailed info about the materials used)

3. Black Skinny Pants (Society Room)

Adèle’s pants at the Hamburg Film Festival are the skinny pants both wore at the ArcLight panel. Now, they are not exactly the same in terms of tailoring. I’m not well-versed enough on english terminology about couture, but you can see the difference in the lower part of the pants, Noé’s are more open and longer, while Adéle’s are fitted and slightly shorter, that’s why you can see her socks better.

This is because this design belongs to Society Room Paris. A designer-house that makes exclusive tailored-made clothes.

“This townhouse is a contemporary version of 19th century Parisian salons and defines a new art of living.

Society Room offers a tailor-made brand for women and men , as well as a collection of ready-to-wear women "advanced contemporary" .

The particularity of the place lies in its philosophy, a place of life and exchange around creationThis townhouse is a contemporary version of 19th century Parisian salons and defines a new art of living.Society Room offers a tailor-made brand for women and men , as well as a collection of ready-to-wear women "advanced contemporary" .The particularity of the place lies in its philosophy, a place of life and exchange around creation.”

They do not sell online and their ready-to-wear collection is pretty limited, they prefer to work for hire. The closest I could find on their website was this:

It’s important to note that Cèline also has a similar design that she wore for the Golden Globes ceremony.

I particularly love the way they describe their work and their efforts for inclusivity, I think this is a huge reason why our babes wear them, aside from the clear good taste.

“Impeccable costumes, fitted cuts, personalized shirts, all this man-made universe, Society Room also dedicates it to women with an oversized and sexy tomboy wardrobe.

Society Room offers tailored pants and jackets, tuxedos and shirts. To this formal offer is added the custom-made casual (leather jackets or tunics).

It is a real service, also tailor-made, which accompanies customers in their experience during fittings by appointment.

4. Viv' Skate Metal-Buckle Sneakers (Roger Vivier)

Oh, the way this took me 2 hours to find and it was a very good friend and fellow Merlant Academy Founder who finally gave me the answer. I love her so much, guys.

Price: EUR 806.95

Size: White, Black, Black/Gold, White/Gold, White/Silver.

Size: 37 to 42

When fashion meets street style, the result is an explosive trend that will never stop. Hand-crafted in leather, with an iconic metal buckle, the Viv' Skate is your new, elegant ally for a dynamic and non-chalant look.

Roger Vivier "Viv' Skate" sneakers in soft leather with patent leather trim.

Detailed Features

Leather upper

Signature metal pilgrim buckle at side.

Flat chunky heel.

Round toe.

Rubber outsole

Lace-up vamp.

Leather lining.

Made in Italy.

Maintenance and care cards included.

Branded dustbag

About the brand:

“Credited with creating the very first stiletto heel in the 1950s, Maison Roger Vivier today carries forward an extravagant artistic heritage. Each creation is meant to entrance with timeless Parisian elegance—sophisticated and inimitable, a rare and true luxury. Icons include the Miss Viv' bag, inspired by mid-century modern architecture; the sharp and flawless Belle Vivier Trompette pump; as well as the romantic, buckle-topped Belle Vivier and Gommette flats. The latest handbag design, Pilgrim de Jour, interprets the house-code buckle in a sleek and nonchalant way.”

...and VOILÀ!

On tuesday, Jun 02, our girl brings the spring with her and it’s damn cute.

#Noémie Merlant #louis vuitton #roger vivier #society room #merlant academy #merlant fashion week #fashion #a la mode

21 notes · View notes

littlemix-styleblog · 6 years ago

Photo

Requested Little Mix Picnic Inspired Outfits

Jesy

MissGuided black nakey nakey nakey slogan oversized t shirt dress: £18. So we begin with Jesy who was the hardest for me to do. I know she had that period when she went through a boho phase for a while, But I was still clueless because most of those boho outfits were dressed up and you don`t really need to dress up when you go for a picnic do you. But nevertheless I got their in the end and these are my results. I went with this oversized black shirt, We all know she likes the colour black and she does seem to like oversized items...Oversized items that don`t compliment her body sometimes. Example 1. MissGuided do a lot of oversized t-shirt dresses in a variety of colours, patterns and whatever else.

PrettyLittleThing BASIC BLACK CYCLE SHORTS: £5. So at the minute your body is pretty much covered by the oversized shirt, You could wear it as a dress or a t-shirt but you have to be careful your not flashing too much. What has become a essential in many peoples lives the cycle short comes into play. This is such a versatile piece, they are so comfortable and all you gotta do is slip them on with no fuss. Be warned though when you buy these shorts, some of them are nylon and some are see through.

PrettyLittleThing WHITE CHUNKY TRAINERS: £25. I don`t believe she`s worn similar trainers before or anything, Maybe the FILA ones come close? Or the Buffalo ones she wears. Either way Jesy likes a chunky shoe. Now this you can say is inspiration from one of Kim Kardashian`s outfits she wears, Sometimes out of the all the ungodly, ugly outfits she wears she does wear a good one. Kim Kardashian has become such a staple in the fashion market for the last couple of years, Places such as MissGuided and PrettyLittleThing offering dupes of what she wears. She embraces her curves and likes to flash too much sometimes. It`s ok to embrace your curves too and don`t be shy, But for some this isnt comfortable. I`ve noticed a lot recently that places like PLT have a lot of cropped tops out or dresses that hug your body and I only wish that could change you know. I do not like wearing crop tops myself for several reasons, One being my skin is sensitive and I don`t like feeling the cold. I`ve being trying for ages to find a t-shirt/shorts PJ combo but have come to absolutely no avail because it`s all crop tops and mini shorts. I think something needs to change and I think these shops need to look at their target audience more. Sorry for the rant. I also did manage to find some other chunky trainers from Ego and ASOS

Noughtsandkisses Malibu Flat Top Leopard Oversized Aviators: £18. So when it is sunny in the UK, Everyone suddenly becomes sun worshippers they whip out the sun cream, the bikinis, the sunglasses etc. So I picked up these Celine dupes from a unknown brand that has yet to really make it`s mark yet. I`ve heard of these people before but never really gave them much interest. So instead of paying £100 for a pair of designer glasses, You can buy them for a measly £18.

Leigh

River Island White ribbed halterneck crop top: £7. I dunno if anyone has noticed or if I`ve mentioned it before but Leigh loves a white crop top. I think it`s become a essential in her suitcase every time she travels. So I picked this one up from River Island for £7! What`s more is that it comes in a whole chocolate box of colours.

H&M Wide trousers: £34.99. Initially, I set out to find a pair of flared trousers, I could not find any anywhere and when I did they were either too small or the wrong pattern I wanted. Went on a normal search on H&M and found these in the New In section. What a great summer piece this is, You don`t want something too clingy or uncomfortable when your on a picnic in the basking sunshine. These trousers are flowy so you will feel the summer breeze, the colour is gorgeous. Perfect if you wanted to wear trousers but not jeans.

Zara FLAT LEATHER SANDALS WITH TASSELS: £7.99. I`ve just realised I`ve made a mistake. These arent the shoes for Leigh`s outfit, Were meant for Perrie`s. The ones I was meant to choose were these which are sold out now. Either way you can still use these sandals for this outfit too.

Jade

Miss Selfridge PETITE Blue Floral Tie Bardot Top: £28. As i`ve said before Jade loves a ditsy flower, I find she`s very petite in her clothing when she wears petite patterns which is cute and girlie. I picked this top up from Miss Selfridge which showcases Jade`s inspiration well.

Topshop MOTO Authentic Jamie Jeans: £40. Jeans, I know I said they arent exactly the best in the summer but it`s personal preference for everyone. So you can either team this look with jeans or with shorts, So I picked these shorts up from h&m.

Kurt Geiger KLAUS in tan CARVELA: £109. Jade likes a wedge, infact she likes a unique shoe. These arent exactly my cup of tea but I can see her wearing them despite them looking....Odd. They may look uncomfortable but think of it this way, Your mum will be eyeing up the moment they enter your door.

Headscarf. As demonstrated from yesterdays wave of photos Jade was seem wearing a headscarf. I think it`s adorable when she ties her hair up with a headscarf, it`s so different and unique and cute. I couldn`t choose just one so I chose a whole page for you with lots of variety.

H&M Small tasselled shoulder bag: £14.99. I`ve noticed she likes a small shoulder bag wherever she goes and who can blame her when it carries the essentials. So that daisy necklace you made whilst waiting for your mum to feed the ducks could be tucked away in your bag, away from the dangers such as your dog. Found this bag which so happens to go nicely with the shoes. Can pat yourself on the back here Emma.

Perrie

PrettyLittleThing NORAH WHITE BARDOT BOW SLEEVE JERSEY CROP TOP: £10. Perrie likes a white top too, But she`s more of a broderie, hippy, boho, crochet and lace kind of girl then Leigh who likes a plain white top. Think back too handmaid/Milk maid times when they used too wear them tops, which is what Perrie would wear. The one I had in mind was no longer available but that`s ok because she`s worn similar to this one anyway. Again, easy and simple, very comfortable and flattering. No feeling of hot or bothered. I also have some other different versions of the top, from this one, to this one

Topshop MOTO Premium Mom Shorts: £32. No brainer as to what would go with this outfit really.

Zara FLAT LEATHER SANDALS WITH TASSELS: £7.99. She likes a boho sandal with all the nooks and crannies of lace and crochet and tassles etc so it was only right to find one. Unfortunately these have just sold out.

PrettyLittleThing GOLD RENAISSANCE TRIPLE LAYERED COIN PENDANT NECKLACE: £8. If you think your neck looks bare or needs a little perking up then how about these. We`ve mentioned these so many times and they are a firm favourite here. Really cute layered necklace set, these are in fashion at the moment so you will find anywhere. I know Topshop and ASOS do some. What`s more is that Perrie favours them aswell, How satisfied can you get?

ASOS DESIGN gold plated sterling silver hoop earrings with cut out eye detail: £15. I dunno if anyone else has noticed but Perrie has a strong set of earrings she loves at the moment. Gold feather earrings can be seen dangling from her ears beneath her curls, I believe hers is from a boutique and I think they are still available to buy. However, you don`t see me posting them about much on here because she wears them repeatedly I find it would be too repetitive if I posted it on here all the time. You guys arent dumb, you know where they are from, you know how much they cost and you don`t need a constant reminder. But back to this outfit, Perrie loves a accessory and so we`ve gathered a list of earrings you might like, from crosses to pearls. ASOS arent the only place that does them, nearly every high street store or online shop you can think supplies them in every design you can imagine.

ASOS DESIGN leather western tip waist and hip belt: £16

This post does contain affiliate links. This means if you make a purchase through these links I earn a tiny commission to keep the blog running. It does not cost you any extra.

#Inspired #ASOS #PrettyLittleThing #Noughtsandkisses #Zara #Topshop #H&M #Miss Selfridge #Missguided #River Island

6 notes · View notes

curiousfancy · 7 years ago

Photo

Wearing ✶ ASOS Curve red gingham dress {also available in the main range and maternity} ✶ Jeepers Peepers pink round sunglasses ✶ Last summer’s d’orsay flats {similar in wide widths here and also here} ✶ Brit Stitch Half Pint red leather satchel ✶ With Lavender and Lace blush pink velvet hair bow {similar here}

A few things occurred to me the day I wore my new red gingham dress to go to a cute cafe and indulge in cappuccinos and chocolate cake.

One: You can never be too old for a good hair bow. Especially if it is velvet. I’m wearing a hair bow at 32 and I’ll wear one at 64.

Two: Red and pink is a dream combination for all things cute, romantic and retro. You can’t go overboard with red and pink because it’s already there. You can only make it greater and better. I went the classic route with this ASOS Curve red gingham dress and added touches of pink and more red everywhere else. (Red gingham for summer, how original etc.!)

Three: This dress is massive. I mean I love massive but this is too big even for my preferences. I generally wear a 18-20 at ASOS, this is a Curve 20. I had to get this dress hemmed by about 3 inches so it wasn’t swamping me. If you have your eye on this piece, sizing down would probably be a good idea.

And four: I’m a ridiculously dressed fatty eating chocolate cake all by myself at a cafe while my photographer snaps photos of this event. This is what living my best life looks like. And I don’t mean that in a self deprecating way. Outfits that verge on the ridiculous are my jam. Cake is my favourite food of all time. When the two meet, I’m in heaven. As a fat person, however, I’ve had my share of anxieties about eating in public. It’s hard to enjoy your food when you can feel the scrutiny every time you take a bite.

It’s taken me a great deal of time, above anything else, to feel comfortable with and actually enjoy eating in public. Apart from that, here’s what also helped: having supportive friends with whom I could go out for a meal without being judged for my food choices. This is so very important. For women, especially, diet talk at the table is pretty much inescapable. But don’t give in to the pressure to participate! Let your friends and family know why you aren’t comfortable going out to dinner with them. And if you don’t have anyone you’re comfortable eating with, go out for a meal on your own. This might sound terrifying thanks to all the lonely fatty tropes but it really is surprisingly liberating.

Several years ago when I was at University in the UK I got into the habit of taking myself out to dinner maybe once a month. Being my hermity self, I didn’t really know anyone there, so I’d just go out on my own. Browse the bookstores, have a walk around town, get myself a bite to eat. And those are some of my fondest memories from that time - spending a peaceful few hours by myself in the company of good food and a good book.

If you’re fat, there’s a certain species of person that’ll always judge you no matter whether you’re eating salad or cake. They judge us for daring to exist in their field of vision - there’s no winning with this lot. Rather, the only way to win is by ignoring their garbage opinions and living your best life anyway. Revenge is a life well-lived, so eat the salad and the cake with joy!

All photos by Taha Zaidi.

1K notes · View notes

onlongsleeveweddingdresses · 5 years ago

Text

that every one of your bridesmaids will have the same style and outline v neck homecoming dress*&……Rikgh

The entire system of pinpointing your choice from among all the tailor-made wedding dresses is truly great. There is no loophole left in the selection process. Therefore, you start at the website by picking the type of wedding dress you are looking for. The choices you have include A-line wedding dresses, ball gown, the mermaid dress, princess dress and the column wedding dress. You can indicate your budget for the wedding dress of your choice from under $100 to $501 and above. At each of these different ranges such as between $101 and $150, you will get the indication as to how many dresses are available for you to select from. Long hair always remained a matter of attraction for centuries. Many people have a wish to have long hair and many have them. Thickness and shine increase beauty of long hair. These look like golden hair fall if are golden, like a brown hair fall if they are brown or black waterfall even if black. Imagine how beautiful they will look in sunshine. Since they are already very beautiful can be made more charming by turning them into different long hair styles. There are many hair styles for long hair like salon hair styles, straight hair, hair with bangs are most popular these days blue prom couple outfits. Most common hair style for long hair is ponytail which looks gorgeous in casual wearing and sometimes formal too. Miami wedding photographers are known for their commendable proficiency and excellent clicks that make you go �?Wow! Indeed beaches make for the ultimate wedding destinations and when you are getting wed locked in Miami you have the best of both lands. Miami wedding photographers have a tactful way of getting hold of weddings and celebrations. They introduce themselves to the family, the couple, know about their story, make arrangements for their best clicks, take feedback from the couple on the way they want their wedding to be covered and give personalized services with the best of involvement. The Miami wedding photographers have been known to be having an insightful study of the wedding with the best and worst of arrangements and how they shall be able to make the most of it.

And, lots of of these adopt unsophisticated approaches to demonstrate their dependable patterns and signal their exceptional style and design principles and new layout makes an attempt. Ablaze it truly is a magic weapon which makes highly-priced perception, clear-cut traces, designs and colours add unruly, uncomplicated but classy and comfortable thoughts. Primarily, they are leather-based designed and by using a big compartment for just a large product which include a passport, a lot of inside of little pockets for your credit playing cards and a number of other somewhat even bigger compartments for money, keys or changes. As well as the elegant model generally is totally shown out by means of very simple and strong detailing of each depth in the wallet invisibly and invisibly long sleeve lace mother of the bride dresses, and grasps several folks in pursuit of elegance. Once in a while the extensive variety of styles and plans of wedding outfits that bridal dresses online shop UK offer could change that they get to be befuddling to choose from. It is best to make the web shopping, either with your accomplice or your wedding organized. The last can best give you the proposal that will never fall flat since they recognize what wedding outfit would suit best ihdpiyhjsjlijk_ouiols the theme and motif of your wedding lace mermaid prom dress. Notwithstanding wedding outfits, you can likewise discover bridesmaid’s outfits. This guarantees you that every one of your bridesmaids will have the same style and outline v neck homecoming dress, however you generally have the opportunity to pick diverse hues for everyone. Related recommendations: jie125(*&TOIKygfmore powerful than the traditional text based communication floor length bridesmaid dresses under 200 y1132046937the food has not raised to the level where is gets cooked vintage bridesmaid dresses under 100 the interiors along with incorporated textures as well mermaid prom dresses under 200*&^RUItfgs one of the places that should never be missed on the Barcelona beach bridesmaid dresses under 70&^%RIKfgs

0 notes

sunnetherlands · 3 years ago

Text

Real Nappa leather flat laces UK -Sun Enterprises

High quality Real Nappa leather flat laces with snake and stingray print in 10 mm at wholesale prices.

This material is extremely versatile and easy to handle in jewelry making and fashion accessories creation and design.

Thanks to its bright colours, reliable strength and extremely soft texture, our Nappa leather is a special and precious textile, especially popular among designers, both from the jewellery and the fashion world.

Our genuine and soft Nappa leather with animal prints is of the finest quality, and it is a very popular textile among both jewelry and fashion designers.

Thanks to its colour brightness, it is extremely soft texture and its absolute versatility, it is widely popular and mostly appreciated for its ease to handle in jewellery production and fashion accessories creation and design.

You can use them in combination with other styles and kinds of leather, including braided and round, as well as with other textiles, widely popular and highly used, both in the jewellery and fashion industries, such as suede, silk and hair-on. They can also be combined with with our stainless steel locks and findings and silver plated locks.

#Real Nappa leather flat laces #Real Nappa leather flat laces usa #Real Nappa leather flat laces uk #leather cord #leather cord usa #leather usa #leather ropes #leather string #leather jewelry cord #leathercordusa #leathercord usa #leather cords usa #leather rope #leathercord #leather cording #cord usa #leatherusa #leather chord

0 notes

spellboundwolf · 8 years ago

Photo

Chapter 1 & Forward

Ness Wolfess

Start: 7/30/2016

Attention! This story is rated T to A because it includes adult situations, drama, some swearing & sex scenes farther in. If that sort of stuff isn't your thing, please direct your eyes some place else! All characters that appear in this story are over the age of 21, including the fictional persona of the reader. Dan Howell, Danny Avidan, Brian Wecht, TWRP & Phil Lester took no part in the creation of this story & is purely a fan fiction for entertainment purposes only. Since the love interests in this story are a bit tall (over 6 ft) I imagine the reader character's height it, at the biggest, 5'5”.

To Dan Howell & Danny Avidan if they finds this story, thank you for being so wonderful enough to inspire me. I respect & love you 2 very much.

(y/n) = your name

(e/c) = eye color

(h/c) = hair color

Dan = Dan Howell/Danisnotonfire

Danny = Leigh Danny Avidan/Danny Sexbang

With all of that taken care of, I hope you enjoy.

You were fast asleep in the window seat of a large, airline plane, right cheek resting against the bicep of your boyfriend Danny Avidan. There was a firm pressure against your face as he nudged & jostled you awake with his shoulder.

“Hey, sleepyhead. Wake up. We're about to land.” Danny said in a soft tone as you rubbed sleep from your eyes & sat up. You wiped off a bit of drool from your chin, stretched & looked around, Danny's hazel eyes being the first thing you saw as you came back from dreamland. Him, you & Brian were bound for London, England for Ninja Sex Party's very first UK tour. After getting on the ground, the 3 of you planned to meet the guys of Tupper Ware Remix Party at the hotel where all of you'd be staying for the tour. You yawned & glanced over to see Brian as he sat beside Danny with his chin in 1 hand, then out the window to your first glimpse of the United Kingdom of Great Britain. You had come along with them because you'd been really looking forward to their very first tour overseas & a couple of your friends from the internet were locals. So you could all meet up while there. As the plane steadily landed & moved along on the runway, you slipped your hand into Danny's larger one, laced your fingers together & smiled up at him.

“How are you doing, hun?” You asked & Danny squeezed it.

“I'm really fucking excited actually... And dying to get out of this seat.” He answered & flexed his ankles impatiently. Poor guy, those long legs weren't meant to be cramped into such a small space for so long. Brian sighed & sat up straight as the pilot announced that they'd be ready to unload very soon.

“Me too. Spending so many hours on a plane sucks. At least we'll get to see TWRP & eat.” He added & you sat back in your chair as the plane started to slow to a stop, thinking of what you'd do once you finally got to walk around one of your dream vacation spots.

Brian slid the card key to the hotel room's door in & then yanked it back out, the light on the metallic handle turning green. He pulled down on it & opened the door wide, leading the way into your home-away-from-home. The 3 of you set down your luggage & wandered around to explore. The suite was large, of course with three people staying there. It had the kitchen combined with a lounge, bedroom, an office, bathroom & balcony that overlooked part of the busy, British city below. Brian headed for the office area & got on the phone with TWRP since he'd received a text message informing you that they had been having trouble finding the building. After tucking away some sodas, bottled water & food into the fridge, you wandered into the bedroom that housed 2 big beds, 2 dressers, shared bedside table, a wide-screen TV, desk & a bay window with floor-length curtains. You grinned when catching sight of Danny who was sprawled out on his back with both arms spread & eyes closed. He lifted his head & peeked out of one eye when you climbed onto the mattress & curled an arm around your chest as you snuggled up close.

“Hey, girl.” He said & let out a sigh when you ran your fingers against his flat stomach.

“I'm really happy I got to come along with you.” You said softly & laid a smooch on his fuzzy cheek. Danny turned his head & locked lips while sliding his long fingers into your soft, (h/c) locks. The tips massaged firmly & you let out a pleased moan into his mouth. In the other room, you could hear Brian continuing to chat & laugh with Lord Phobos on his cell phone. The kiss ended after a couple minutes of lips playing lazily & you snuggled up to your man.

“Mmmm, me too, (y/n).” He mumbled & the 2 of you laid there until Brian finally hung up & walked in through the double doors. He ran a hand across his dark hair before turning to open one half of the curtains, right in front of where you lay. Danny groaned & turned his back on the sunlight that suddenly hit his face. His eyes shut tightly in discomfort.

“Damn it, Brian.” He complained as you sat up. You chuckled a bit & hopped off the mattress, over to the other half of NSP as your boyfriend curled into himself.

“What's the news, dude?” You asked, bouncing a little on the soles of your feet. Brian smiled proudly at the bit of mischief he'd just pulled off then directed his attention at you.

“The guys said they'll be here in 30 minutes to an hour. Traffic's bad by where they are right now.” He replied & you nodded a little.

“Ok, sounds like we have some time to kill until then.” You said & looked over at Danny when he spoke up.

“You should tell your friends we're here, (y/n).” He mumbled while kicking off his shoes. Danny sat up long enough to wiggle out of his leather jacket, then slumped heavily back onto the comforter with a muffled thud. You perked up at this & went over to your luggage of non-clothing items.

“Oh yeah! I almost forgot.” You exclaimed & Danny just answered with a grunt. Flying for so long really wore the singer's body out. Brian had an expression in his sharp, blue eyes that suggested he was considering messing with Danny further, but instead walked off to the lounge to call Rachel & let her know that all of you had made it to London safely. While he did that, you took out the laptop with cable you used for travel & moved to the office space as to give Danny some quiet time. Right before setting up the computer, you sent your British friends text messages on their phones to get onto Skype, since you were now in town. You opened the messenger & checked your e-mail while waiting. Right after you finished up, the ring tone song that plays for a new call alerted. You minimized the browser & smiled when seeing the familiar avatar of your besty Phil Lester, requesting a video chat. You tucked a bit of your (h/c) hair behind one ear & clicked 'Accept'. Right away, most of your screen was filled with the smiling faces of Dan & Phil as they sat in their gaming room. You grinned big right away & all of you waved at each other.

“Hey, guys! We have arrived in merry, olde England!” You greeted & Phil rolled his eyes a little.

“That's a bit over the top, don't ya think?” He asked & you laughed a little before apologizing. Dan poked his head forward a little so that his face was more in frame now.

“Don't mind him. Anyway, it's so wonderful to see you. How long's it been since we last Skyped?” He said & you thought for a moment.

“I think about 2 months? Things have been crazy-busy with arranging this trip, plus having to get ready to actually be here.” You replied as Dan sat back & Phil punched his arm playfully for getting in the way. His eyes darted down while checking the clock on the monitor, then back at your face.

“When do you think we'll get to see you, (y/n)? I'm just so excited!” Phil asked as you noticed that Dan had been intently watching your eyes since the chat session started. He smiled slyly & tilted his head slightly when realizing that you had indeed discovered he was staring.

“Uh, it'll be a few hours at the most. How about I come over tonight? These guys are having their first concert tomorrow & I don't want to get in the way, need some time to adjust to this time zone. I really wanna see you too!” You answered & the 2 of them looked at each other, then back at the camera.

“Yeah, sure. Sounds good to me!” Phil exclaimed & Dan agreed. Due to Danny being famous & you... not really as much, the relationship between you was strictly private. Only the other Grumps, TWRP, Dan, Phil & both you & Danny's immediate families knew. It was sometimes a bit difficult to make sure that there were no public photos or videos of you together. You were both very thankful to everybody for this respect. Danny & you had been a couple recently going on for 2 years now. First, there was the casual dating, then things got serious a few months into your relationship & finally going steady. Being with Danny was, one could say, one of the best things to happen in your life & you knew he'd say the same about you. Dan, you & Phil chatted for a while longer about plans & catching up on what you'd all been doing since the last time you had seen each other. You kept thinking about how excited you were, finally getting to meet some of your best friends in person. The internet was so amazing! Without it, you would most-likely never have even known about the duo bloggers.

“Wait until we take you Pokémon hunting. Phil & I have been working on finding the best places in London to catch them.” Dan bragged & you clutched your cell in 1 hand excitedly.

“Oh, that sounds great!” You replied & started to enthuse about video games with them. Phil came up with the idea of making a few collaboration videos & added it to their schedule.

Later that day, 4 PM (London time), Brian & you took a taxi to the neighborhood Dan & Phil lived in. Danny was currently with TWRP, the lot of them at the hotel. Everyone had dinner together & you were now going to stay the night with Dan & Phil while the bands prepared for their first concert of the tour. The slick, black taxi came to a steady halt on the curb right outside of Dan & Phil's flat building. Brian helped you unload your over-night bag & walked you to the door while the cab waited.

“Danny & I will come to get you tomorrow around dinner time. Be sure to send a text or call if anything comes up.” He said while standing on the stoop with you. You smiled & gave Brian a warm hug.

“Ok, Bri. See you then & have fun.” You replied & he returned it with one arm before opening the door for you.

“Have a great time too, (y/n). I'll see ya.” Brian said & patted the top of your head gently before heading back to the cab. You waved as he went, then turned to go inside. You hands shook with the excitement. Dan & Phil were such wonderful friends to you already & could hardly believe that the men were about to be in front of you for real. No aid of computers to hear their voices or see their bright faces. You took a few deep breaths as you ascended the stairs to the entrance of their flat. You fixed your hair & let out a sigh before ringing the doorbell. Seconds later, you heard the muffled, distant sound of Dan calling out to his flatmate.

“Phil, get the door! My hands are full in here!” You heard Dan's high-pitched shout & the slightly rushing steps of someone else. Your ears perked at Phil's slightly lower & relaxed tone voice as he responded, which was much closer.

“Yeah, yeah. I'll get it! Don't worry about it, you lazy oaf!” He replied with playful sarcasm & you heard a very soft 'ugh' as Phil unlocked the door. You stood up straight & squared your shoulders as the knob turned. Your heart leapt when the door opened & you made eye contact with Phil Lester for the first time. Right as he saw you, his face turned into a huge grin & he practically screamed out your name.

“(y/n)! You're here! He cheered & reached out his long arms, scooping you up so that your feet half left the floor. You laughed giddily at his enthusiasm & hugged in return.

“Phil, oh my gosh! You're so strong!” You giggled & gave his shoulder a light headbutt. The 2 of you parted & he widened the doorway.

“Come on in. Dan! Get your ass in here!” He offered, then turned his head to call for Dan, his Lancashire accent more prominent with the volume. You stepped past Phil & into the flat's living room, eyes exploring the new scene before you. You had just set down your overnight luggage as Dan hurriedly made his way in & screeched to a halt, catching the door frame with one hand as to not bump into Phil who had followed behind.

“Oh my fucking god, you're actually here!” Dan Howell swore, grabbed both of your hands in his & squeezed them. You noticed that he was also quite tall, about Phil's size. Arin & Danny flashed through your mind & you smiled internally at realizing that you had more very tall, male friend than you had previously thought. You laughed at Dan's funny expression of shock when realizing that he'd said 'fuck' in front of you without meaning to. He blushed & dropped your hands, scratching his left cheek in embarrassment.

“Heh, sorry. I'm just really happy to see you, (y/n).” Dan apologized & you shook your head.

“It's alright. I understand & don't mind it really. You're talking to somebody who hangs out with the Grumps just about everyday.” You replied & step closer to your best friends. The three of you shared a group hug & you sighed contently.

“It's so wonderful to get to finally be with some of my favorite people in the whole world.” You said took a good look at the both of them. Phil grinned & adjusted his glasses.

“Well we're very happy to have you, (y/n).” He replied & Dan nodded, hands in his front pockets.

“Yeah, welcome to our home. I know we're going to have a great visit together.” He added & then shuffled his feet a little, eyes downcast. Phil swiftly fasten his hand to Dan's shoulder, making the other jolt a tad.

“Who's up for a home tour?” He asked with a big grin, those lovely blue eyes wide with enthusiasm. Dan groaned & shrugged Phil off before picking up your baggage to place out of the way.

“I sure am!” You said in an equally happy tone. Dan smiled in spite of himself & lead the way to the rest of their flat.

5 notes · View notes

twenty6magazine · 8 years ago

Text

LCM: London Collection Men Day 2

KATIE EARY

If anyone can turn a set of pyjamas into a high-end ensemble with an ideology of lounge luxe, it would be Katie Eary. The British designer is known for her bold and quirky designs, and this collection definitely falls in line. Taking stimuli from the 1960's, her AW17 collection features psychedelic swirls and animal print, which can be seen on silk robes, shirts, and trousers all inspired by pyjamas and night time wear. The styling imitated this particular stimuli with bouffant hair and red tinted glasses being seen throughout the show. With orange being the predominant colour, the collection also features a couple of outerwear pieces in a slightly less vibrant colour scheme of grey and brown. However the slightly duller in colour jackets don't take away the contributions the other garments have made to the vibrant and eclectic collection with a bed time theme. The show itself showed the other side to the meaning of a 'bed time theme'. On seeing the sexual nature of the invitation to the show we knew the show would have a few seductive elements.

The show was opened by the gorgeous model Daisy Lowe. She appeared at the top of the runway in front of a wall filled with naughty balloons designed to resemble a woman's upper body. She then fiercely strutted down the runway, with a sexy, smouldering, look on her face wearing a silk dress that barely covered her derriere and posed for photographers at the other end. The other models then followed her footsteps and the show had begun. Voluptuous balloons were not the only props used throughout the show. Models also held hands with teddy bears as they sashayed the catwalk, all the while adding to the overall spirit of the show. The show was closed once again by Daisy, although this time she appeared hand in hand with Katie Eary to which she received rapturous applause and standing ovations could be seen.

CHRISTOPHER SHANNON

Christopher Shannon took us around the world during his AW17 LFWM show. The collection had a strong sense of streetwear meets sportswear with a 90s vibe, following on from the re-imaging of Sports Direct he designed for his SS17 collection. In Sports Direct's place Shannon chose to add a contemporary twist to legendary designers Calvin Klein, Hugo Boss, and Timberland. Modifying CK to CS (Constant Stress), Timberland to Tumbleweed, and Boss to Loss. These slogans were emblazoned onto sweatshirts and showed us rebirthing brands is evidently becoming Shannon's trademark style. Models solemnly strutted down the catwalk to the sound of Cilla Blacks, Anyone Who Had A Heart with flags fixed to their faces. Another continuation of the SS17 show as then the models had denim attached in the same way. Gay pride, the Union Jack, and the Welsh flag; three things close to his heart, were the main flags that could be seen as well as flags of other European countries. This idea were inspired by the way football fans paint their faces when attending matches.

Key looks of the collection include track tops underneath knits and sweatshirts paired with skin tight leggings, tracksuits, and jeans. Ripped denim was also heavily featured; a key and popular trend of the current season. Black was most commonly seen however splashes of bright reds, pinks and purples were thrown into the collection. Some funky, and interesting shapes were also noted, a black puffer jacket almost looked as though it was going to fall off the model with rips, trailing and protruding aspects was particularly accredited. Christopher Shannon was the first ever designer to be awarded the BFC\GQ Designer Menswear Fund in 2014, and has now been shortlisted for an Emerging Menswear Award at the British Fashion Awards. As a result, 2017 is set to be an extremely promising year for the for the quirky and inspirational designer.

MATTHEW MILLER

‘Fear itself’ was the theme and visual language of Matthew Miller’s AW17 somewhat emotional runway spectacle. This manifestation was centred on the post-truth era.

The post-truth era refers to dishonesty and deception in contemporary life. At one time we had truth and lies. Now we have truth, lies, and statements that may not be true but we consider too complaisant to call false. It is the unknown. Through the spirit of the show, Miller encouraged and taught us the importance of protecting oneself in this era, physically and mentally.

Pensive models paraded a collection that had connotations towards compassion, unity and of course fear. Models did so to a voiceover describing the thoughts, feelings, and actions of a person when they are under such distress. The styling was very close fitting to the theme. Model’s faces were made to look pale. Some had red stripes from their nose to their chin, others had lines drawn under their eyes; a likely representation of the tears people cry when fear is thrust upon them. Other faces were left bare.

The collection itself was almost entirely black. There were peeps of colour every now and again through the use red scarves that models either held or wore around their necks. One black and white floral coordinate, and one coat with the same pattern were also seen coming down the runway. Other ensembles included tailored trousers, which were teamed with wool duffle coats, jersey tops, and leather jackets. Simple, yet eloquently stylish and inspirational. At the end of the show models lined down the catwalk holding large red and black flags. They paused for a few moments before individually turning around and walking back. The flags they carried almost signified a surrender to the fear. An idea that no matter what we do, fear will always find us.

ASTRID ANDERSEN

The AW17 Astrid Andersen collection continues the streetwear mixed with sports luxe design aesthetic Astrid has become renowned for. Her collections are known for offering comfort with an undeniable high-end sense of style. Considering the season, appropriately outwear is the main focus of her next range with every model being seen wearing a coat of some kind. These coats were layered on top of casual corduroys, formal velvets, and lace, all set in a traditional colour palette of camel, burgundy, navy, and black.

Astrid’s aim for the collection was to revisit why masculine opulence is being neglected in the way men dress today, and to try to and bring it back in ways of exploration, elaboration, and exaggeration. She has done this by transforming basic tracksuits into stylish ensembles through the use of juxtaposing different fabrics and using fashionable prints such as leopard. She also debuted a flat cap in her AW17 collection, could this be a sign Astrid is branching into the world of accessories?

FASHION EAST

2000 was the year the Old Truman Brewery established a non-profit, revolutionary organisation. Sponsored by Topshop, Topman, and The Greater London authority, the initiative aims to nurture emerging, young designers during the challenging times of the early stages of their career.

Each season they offer a select number, chosen by Lulu Kennedy, a chance to showcase their collections during fashion week. As well as this, the designers are guided and mentored by Fashion East and a panel of fashion industry experts. Triumphs include Katie Eary, Christopher Shannon, and J.W. Anderson. This season, the lucky chosen ones were a brand called ‘Art School’ made up of designers Eden Loweth and Tom Barratt, as well as ‘Rottingdean Bazaar’ founded by James Thesus Buck, and Luke Brooks.

The first presentation you were met by when entering the Topman Show Space, belonged to Rottingdean Bazaar. Rottingdean are a brand who intend on firstly being a showcase, and hope to eventually open a shop. This was their second time showcasing at LFWM. Some elements were the same including a follow on from the sweaters that had the words ‘yes’, ‘no’, and ‘maybe’ stitched on them in tights. However, there were plenty of new things to look at too. Fake care labels were hung up as if for sale, black tack rings embedded with roman coins were examples of this.

Art School’s presentation brought their collection to life on an entirely different level. Teaming up with the Theo Adams Company, we were given a performance that almost felt as if we were at the theatre. Miming, to the backing music, and dancing in time to the rhythm, there was a play on the word ‘school’. This was seen through a ‘follow the leader’ format; one dancer obviously being the teacher in front of pretend mirrors suggesting they were in a dance class. Art school strive to create clothing that is suited to no gender. The collection features clothes that the designers have re-interpreted from their own wardrobes in an attempt to elevate queer style as a response to the times in which they live; sequins, jewels and flares were a big part of the collection. The press release read, ‘these are the clothes of dancers and artists living free from constraints’.

TWENTY6X

Words by Alice Lamaison

Images courtesy of VOGUE UK

#twenty6magazine #LCM #katie eary #christopher shannon #matthew miller #fashion week #men collection

1 note · View note

olivereliott · 5 years ago

Text

Ode to Japan: A Yamaha SR400 bobber Made in England

We’re huge fans of the Japanese custom scene. But it’s not just the motorcycles that captivate us: we’re also conscious of how Japanese creativity influences the custom scene around the globe.

Many elements of the universal flat-seated cafe racer genre originate in Japan—whether builders realize it or not. But this tasty Yamaha SR400 takes more than just a few cues. From top to bottom, it’s a deliberate homage to Japanese custom style.

The project started as a collaboration between the small but feisty British apparel brand Two Gun Salute and custom shop Smith and Son Motorcycles. Two Gun Salute brothers Nathan and Sam Burton had long wanted to do a custom build to promote their label, but being a small brand, budgets were always tight.

Then Jamie Smith—a self-professed ‘shed builder’ who operates as Smith and Son Motorcycles near Peterborough—reached out to them via Instagram. The guys met up at the Hot Rod Drags at Santa Pod, and hit it off.

“We jumped at the chance, having seen the quality of Jamie’s previous builds,” says Sam.

“I loved Jamie’s goal for the build: a low, super clean, simple looking bobber, influenced by Japanese builders such as Heiwa. A plan was made, and the target was to have the bike ready and on show at the Bike Shed London 2019.”

A 1992-model Yamaha SR400 was sourced directly from Japan, and landed in the UK 13 weeks before the show. So Jamie (who also has a family and a nine-to-five) kicked into high gear.

He grabbed his grinder, de-tabbed the frame, and lopped off everything behind the shock mounts. Then he welded in neat pair of rear fender lugs, and built a battery box to sit below the seat. The tail’s finished off with a trimmed Motone fender, with a clever mounting system that can be adjusted to match the wheel’s position when you tweak the chain tension.

Up top is a neat solo bobber seat, upholstered in black leather with a classic tuck and roll pattern, by Nostalgia Upholstery. There’s a Motone taillight further down, attached to a custom-built plate bracket that’s mounted to the swing arm.

Jamie tweaked the SR400’s stance too, by swapping out the rear shocks for a set of Harley-Davidson units that are 100 mm shorter than stock. The front forks were stripped, rebuilt and lowered by 80 mm.

Jamie decided to keep the SR’s stock wheels, but they were stripped, powder-coated and re-laced with stainless steel spokes, with help from SFX Wheels. Two Gun Salute’s aesthetic is very much steeped in hot rod culture, so they threw on a set of whitewalls from Shinko.

The Yamaha’s new fuel tank was lifted from a Harley Sportster, but it was far from a straight swap. It needed a new tunnel, and had to be reworked to clear the SR’s oil-in-frame filler. It’s topped off with its own one-off gas cap.

Just in front of the tank, Jamie machined the ignition and speedo mounts off the top yoke, and ditched the rubber riser mounts for solid mounts. The ignition now lives on the side of the battery box, and there’s a generic aftermarket speedo tucked into a hand-made basket on the side of the forks.

The bars are from Norman Hyde, and the grips are from Biltwell Inc. The standard switches were kept and cleaned up, and all the wiring rerouted to run through the bars. The new headlight is classic bobber fare, right down to the yellow glass.

Jamie didn’t need to do too much to the motor, so it simply went off to Motoedit for vapor blasting. It also got a new Mikuni VM34 carb with a custom stainless steel velocity stack, and a braided camshaft oil line.

The exhaust was welded up from a collection of pre-bent sections, then capped off with a slightly modified Danmoto silencer. All the welds were smoothed off, and the entire system was given a brushed finish.

Ian at Bulldog Bodyshop laid down the tank and fender paint—a combo of Ford Focus RS grey and Old English white. And Classic Coatings handled the powder coating, leaving the SR400 looking out-the-box fresh.

There’s not a hair out of place here, and we love the cheeky little details like the cloth spark plug cable and dice valve caps. It’s a killer build, and one of the best examples of a Jap-style bobber that we’ve seen.

Smith & Son | Facebook | Instagram | Images by Jonny Wilson

0 notes

nikkifinnie-blog · 7 years ago

Text

Dye, 'Docs and Devilocks' - 80s Punk fashion

Photos in gallery are by Dod Morrison and Richard Nixon Leg warmers. Neon. Perms. What do all these things have in common? You guessed it…..the 80s! Whilst 1970s punk style sought to create shock and awe, 1980s consumerism meant that more products than ever were available to those wishing to customise their style. As a result, fashion went all over the place as the once (relatively) unified punk scene splintered into a thousand shards, all with their own key looks. Fashion in the 80s was more colourful than its 70s counterpart with a much wider range of garments available and as a result, there was no end to the mash ups, matches and messes that could be created! The 1980s was undoubtedly a decade of tumultuous politics and regrettable fashion choices but beneath the stereotype of shoulder pads and tracksuits there were innovative and bold fashion movements that either sat comfortably within punk itself or certainly borrowed from it. Here are some of the most dominant looks. Mohawks and ‘charged hair’- Whilst 70s punk took a generally more austere approach to hair (favouring short cuts on both men and women) the 80s allowed a bit more room for manoeuvre for both sexes. Long hair just whimsically floating past your shoulders may have been a bit too hippy even in the 80s, so something had to be done to style rogue strands. And so, styles like the mohawk and ‘charged hair’ (when all your hair stands on end like you’ve been electrocuted) became popular- keep it short on the sides but build up instead of out with the rest of it. As you can gather from its name, the mohawk is a traditional Native American hairstyle and as such has been around for a long time amongst traditional tribes. Whilst the 80s punk scene helped bring the style onto the UK streets, this was not the first time the Western world had borrowed the look. American GIs wore the style in the Second World War to intimidate enemy combatants and the style was also popular amongst fringe Jazz musicians in the 1950s. Devilocks were also popular in the US thanks to Horror punk bands such as the Misfits. A devilock is one long, flat spike pulled down over the face. This was particularly popular amongst American skateboarders and Glenn Danzig of The Misfits has stated in interviews that he was inspired to don his version of it by Eddie Munster, thus cementing the bands commitment to horror references. Boots: Combat, military and Dr Martens were the most common boot choice in 80s punk, for both men and women. The brand Dr Martens has been a staple of almost every major youth movement in the UK since they were first introduced here in 1960 (the company had been going since 1947 in Germany and other parts of the world but the Northamptonshire factory where they are still made was opened in 1960). Skinheads, punks, grunge, goth…..all have been known to ‘don a Doc’ which is a testament to how versatile and enduring the design is. Crust punk: Not the most appetizing of names for this cohort of punks but that’s the term given to those in this punk/folk fusion. Crust punk has many of the hallmarks that are associated with the general punk look and some of these aspects are still pretty popular today, particularly with the resurgence of environmental activism. Crust punk originated in the UK (widely cited as being Bristol specifically) but still has very strong followers in the US, particularly in New York. Crust punks sported a dishevelled look that sought to communicate their anti-capitalist, pro-environment and animal rights agenda. To that end, many of their clothes were made from materials that were ethically sourced (before that was such a widespread thing) such as hemp or faux leather, with hair fashioned into dreadlocks negating the need to waste water by frequently washing it. Look to bands like Disorder, Lunatic Fringe and even Chumbawumba for a bit of crusty goodness. Goth: Goth was the exception to the garish dandy look of some 80s subcultures with a colour palette that was decidedly dark. Whilst describing Goth as simply black is obviously incredibly simplistic, it’s also not a bad place to start. It’s been 30+ years since Goth first appeared as a popular fashion movement in the UK and yet you would be hard pressed to find one town/village/street corner in the UK that doesn’t have at least one teenage Goth hovering round it. By 1981, the New Wave, erm……….wave(?) had started to take over where punk was tapering off. New Wave fashion was considered by some to be a bit fancy- ruffled shirts; floppy hair and colourful make up and accessories- so some sought to find their own niche that was far removed from this frivolity. Goth subculture focused (at least aesthetically) on the morbid, the grotesque and the……black. If you hung around original UK Goth club The Batcave in London’s Dean Street, you would have spotted all the ingredients that make up a classic Goth look- mesh and lace, dyed black hair, Christian paraphernalia (think crosses, rosary beads etc); velvet; pale face and black make up. Leather jackets were also popular in this look creating a cultural bridge to the punks who were sporting the garment at the same time. Sexiness was accepted- corsets and fishnets were juxtaposed with occult imagery to create a jarring subversion of traditional feminine sex appeal. Goth took off like a rabid crow on both sides of the Atlantic and the look was adhered to by fans of many different genres of music such as punk; metal; indie, deathrock and Horror punk. Dressed down hardcore: On the complete opposite end of the spectrum looks-wise from the overtly adorned crust punks and elaborately coiffured New-Wavers, you had the basic look of the American 80s hardcore scene. Jeans, basic t-shirts, short hair and hooded sweatshirts were the building blocks of this look. Looking ultra-casual was multi-purpose: it was anti-fashion in the truest sense of the word; it was low maintenance, so anyone could afford it and also provided comfort during all the ultra-hectic early hardcore shows. That early scene became known for the level of violence at gigs and when brawling in the pit you may soon find rubber pants and a 2-foot mohawk more of a hindrance than a help. The ethos of the early hardcore scene was a rejection of anything seen as bourgeois or pretentious and so bands like Black Flag, Descendants and Circle Jerks made a conscious decision to separate themselves from the UK punk scene. Tartan: Look up 80s punk fancy dress costumes and you are likely to find some element of tartan incorporated into it, such is the connection between the two. And it’s true, tartan was a big part of 80s punk and new wave fashion. The utility of wearing tartan was to signal ones’ discontent and rejection of the ruling class and authority as tartan (until that point) was heavily associated with military pomp and ceremony, thus punks wearing it was a subversion. Of course, it could also have been a rebuff of Scottish pop band Bay City Rollers. I guess we’ll never know. Tartan is still a key staple of the American pop punk look as is its close cousin Plaid. So, whilst the 1980s is often derided as the decade that style forgot, a lot of the trends mentioned above still endure to this day. For every dozen Flashdance fans in leg warmers and sweatbands, there were a mixture of Goths, New Romantics and patch emblazoned Crust punks all blazing a trail in identity fashion which made the UK a bit of a hub of key trends and creativity. Alas, these new looks were to face a challenge from the cultural revolution that came in the 1990s. Grunge, Riot Grrl and Pop Punk brought new brands, styles and attitudes such as skater wear; body painted slogans and Courtney Love's 'Kinderwhore' motif. Read our next feature to get the low down on those looks! Read the full article

0 notes