#head looks extra enormous when u add hair from the side

[skunkes]

[bitch-butter]

(Modern!AU Webgott idea. Longish? Will eventually be called true bluish light. Tell me if this is interesting lol

Rated C for mentions of Joe's poor COVID protocol)

* * *

The blackout curtains that hung over the single window in the somewhat narrow bedroom were intensely effective, shrouding the occupants of the bed in a heavy darkness that even the daylight outside could not permeate. The still potent smell of sex lingered over the room, sweat and saliva and everything else casting a gross and homey aroma over the rumpled sheets and discarded clothing along the floor. Just around the edges of the curtain was a thin, white glow, but beyond that absent suggestion of light the room remained dark and still, as though nobody was there at all.

Pulling in a deep breath, Joe admitted he really shouldn’t have been there.

Shouldn’t have stayed the night, at least, if anything for the sake of his own reputation. He’s not typically one to go full spoons with a stranger (or, practically a stranger) no matter how good the sex had been, and he’s definitely never been one to spend the night somewhere that is not his bed. He’s spent years crafting his bed, has read actual magazine articles about how to create the best, most comfortable space, and after many years of hard work he is lucky enough to have created what many have called the Coziest Place in America. Suffice it to say, he does not like to spend a night in someone else's bed and he doesn’t think he needs to apologize for it.

This bed isn’t the worst, though.

And the guy that came with it wasn’t the worst either, he had to say. Joe had been ready to delete the app that led him to this guy and his bed, but it’s funny what a ‘ping’ on a lonely Friday night after nearly a year of no sex could do. Turns out that celibacy has made him into a fucking cuddler.

He’s not all that sorry about it. Keeping his distance from contact with other humans has handily prevented him from catching COVID thus far, and not everybody in his circle can say the same thing, as Tab had caught it first out of all of them via an ill-timed jaunt to Miami and Lip had had it twice now by virtue of his shoddy lungs and over-eagerness to lend a hand to people in his building. But a year is long, and half a bottle of cold Kim Crawford accomplished a lot at diminishing his capacity to give a shit about anything other than getting some attention on his dick. As long as the guy had sworn he tested negative, which he had, and Joe himself had tested negative, which he was, he saw no reason not to waltz into a total strangers apartment to merrily screw for as long as they both could stand to.

And it turns out this guy can stand a lot.

Joe has to admit at least half the reason he spent the night was that he actually was exhausted by the sheer voracity of their fucking. They oughta hand out medals for this shit, or something.

He finds himself smiling as he lets his mind wander over their earnestly passionate exploits of just a few hours past, and proceeds to let his eyes linger on the form of his companion. Though the room outside the warm enclosure of the blankets is a little cool the guy has one bare leg stretched out along the sheets, pressed up tightly against Joe’s own blanketed legs, with the remaining covers bundled against his chest. Resting mostly sideways on his belly, his face is turned towards Joe in sleep, mashed into the pillows and yet somehow managing to look as effortlessly gorgeous as he had looked in his photos on the app. His body moves with deep breaths, the steady inhale and exhale in combination with the sheltering warmth of the blanket nearly lulling Joe back to sleep.

Nearly.

He needed to get up, at the very least to find his phone and check the time. As carefully as he could he extracted his body from the tangle of covers, stepping lightly onto the carpet with his eyes on the other guy's face all the while, mindful not to disturb him. The night before he hadn’t even bothered to check his messages before passing out, and as such headed straight for the amorphous blob of his pants that rested just a foot away from the bed, crouching and reaching into his back pocket to grab his phone.

He hadn’t told Babe where he was going, as he’d only gathered the stones to go circa 11p.m. and he figured Babe was either asleep or performing his Getting Ready to Fuck routine and wouldn’t want to be disturbed. He almost feels sorry for Babe, who had loved the idea of dating a future doctor until this year when the sexiness of it was side-swiped by the actual danger the position entailed. As such, the Getting Ready to Fuck routine had an extra layer of manic energy to it, and Joe knew better than to try and pull Babe’s attention away from the hours preceding Gene’s rare, rare, rare visits to the apartment.

Even so, the amount of message icons he was presented with was unexpected to say the least.

He raised his eyebrows, nearly humming in interest as he noted the time. Jesus Christ, these blackout curtains are really worth their salt if it was nearly noon.

Tapping into his messages, he found a trickle of anxiety rolling down his spine.

FRI AT 11:42PM

Babe

Hey where r u?

I gotta talk to you

SAT AT 12:00AM

Babe

Are you coming back?? Srs need to talk

Feb 5 12:00AM

Missed call/Mobile

Babe

SAT AT 12:02AM

Gene Roe

Hi Joe, it’s Gene. idk if i gave you my number?

Trying to get a hold of you, call/text when you get a chance

Thanks

SAT AT 12:20AM

C h u c k

Babe is trying to find you

Feb 5 12:30AM

Missed call/Mobile

Babe

SAT AT 12:50AM

Speirs Ron

Why am i getting texts at 12:45 at night asking me to find you?

Well, something is fucking happening. And he’s at least 100% sure he wants no fucking part of it because any drama that starts after 11p.m. is the drama of the goddamn devil.

Fighting not to heave an enormous sigh, Joe reluctantly acknowledges that he should pull his clothes on and get out of here if there really is an emergency in the vicinity of his roommate. Looking back over his naked shoulder Joe tries to catch a glance at the guy in the bed, at the length of his bare leg in the semi-darkness, and the angle of his shoulder protruding from the blankets where he curled. He’d happily get back in that bed and go another round or five.

As though alerted to Joe’s presence by the cosmos, his phone begins buzzing in his hand. Huffing in annoyance, he attempts to reject the call at least until he can get out of the room, but throws himself off kilter and bangs his elbow into the bedside table, jostling a glass of water and a pile of paperbacks.

“Shit,” he curses, grasping at his elbow and shooting a glance back to the guy, whose eyes are already open and alerted to the noise.

Damn it.

The guy blinks slowly, bleary, for a moment before pulling his face from his pillows and angling up onto his side. “Hi,” he greets softly, running a hand through his mussed hair.

“Hi,” Joe nods back, grimacing. “Sorry, I didn’t mean to wake you up.”

The guy shakes his head, looking for all intents and purposes like he means it. “Not at all,” he sniffs, meeting Joe’s eyes in the darkness with a still-sleepy smile. “What time is it?”

“Oh man, it’s like noon.”

Furrowing his brow, the guy nods back before shooting Joe a wry smile. “We tired ourselves out, huh?”

Joe laughs, seeing his phone light up in his hand with a new message. “Speak for yourself.”

At the interested quirk of the other man’s brow Joe hastily gives a shake of his head and stands. “I’ll get out of your hair quick, no worries, just be a minute.”

The guy frowns, sitting up in the bed to let the blankets pool around his hips, hands coming to rest between his legs. “Oh, well, don’t feel like you have to.”

Joe pauses, pants in hand. “Oh, it’s not -”

“I mean, if you want to go then for sure, but like…” the guy waves a hand, pursing his lips before smiling and coughing out a laugh. “Are you hungry? I have eggs, I can make you something before you go.”

He hesitates, eyes pivoting from the guy, to his phone still in his hand, and back to the guy and his open, expectant face. After a moment, he clears his throat. “You know, I could eat.”

“Yeah?”

“Yeah, I could, could you?”

The guy smiles, and even in this mostly dark room Joe can see he has dimples and has to hold himself back from practically swooning, cursing his half-drunk self of the night prior for not remembering exactly how attractive this guy was. “I could use some coffee, is what I can use,” he says, stretching his arms over his head, and Joe is treated to the sight of his bare, bitten up chest. Usually he doesn’t take much notice of his partner's body hair, but as he lets his eyes trace over the guy's chest and legs as he moves to stand he finds himself clearing his throat and getting a little warm along his neck.

“Yeah, tell me about it,” he responded distractedly, pulling his eyes away from the luscious sight of the guy's ass as he bends to retrieve his underwear and instead moving to put his own on. After a second thought he pulls on his shirt as well; might do him some good if he finds himself flushing up at just a glimpse of this guy's ass.

As he slips his shirt over his head, the guy turns to him with a bit of a sheepish look on his face. “Can I admit something?” he asks, lips scrunched.

Joe pauses, still grasping the hem of his shirt. “What?”

“I…” he starts, before chuckling somewhat awkwardly. “I don’t totally remember your name...”

A fair bit of relief surges through him at that, and Joe finds himself huffing out a laugh of his own, and adds another one at the half-embarrassed and half-expectant smile the guy gives him. “Can I admit something back?”

“What?”

“I don’t remember yours either.”

The guy's eyes widen minutely, before he tips his head back and laughs, nodding gently as he rubs a hand over his face. “Is it bad manners to say that’s a relief?”

“I think it’s alright as long as neither of us care,” Joe said, pushing his hair back, before stepping up to the guy and extending a hand. “I’m Joe.”

The guy grasped his hand in a sure grip. “David,” he replied with a little shake of their hands, before leaning in and pressing a dry kiss to Joe’s cheek. “Nice to meet you.”

Joe turned his face into David’s, catching his lips in a tender, if chaste, kiss. “Nice to meet you.”

[deepwaterwritingprompts]

ooh ask day! are you working on any of your own writing at the moment? what excites you about it? is your writing similar to your prompts in any way? or do the prompts fulfill something else for you?

mainly im working on getting my first novel published, which you can read about HERE. otherwise, the sequel, an adult fiction project, and an urban fantasy type YA about a town called florida. in florida. Florida, florida.

Florida project, working title BORDERLINE, is the most in line with my general prompt vibe here. a little cosmic horror, bent reality, just generally odd.

I never write stuff based off the prompts, but I DO write prompts based off my own stuff, very occasionally. for me, writing prompts is like scales for a musician. keeps my brain well oiled.

*still taking asks, no requests please*

anyway, ive been working on Florida project a lot lately. have an excerpt:

Backpage:

Lin O’Leary was born and raised in the town of Florida, Florida, tucked away into a corner of the state’s forgotten coast. All the locals know Florida is a strange place, rumored to stand on a borderline, where the veil is thin and mysterious forces wander alongside the human population. The daughter of Irish and Mexican immigrants, Lin knows you can only find trouble if you go looking for it, and like the rest of Florida’s residents, lives comfortably alongside the supernatural. This is before Momoko Kasahara disappears into thin air, frightening the town of Florida into a new, ultra-cautious existence. Five years after Momo’s disappearance, Lin is seventeen, a highschool dropout now working at a convenience store, her once vibrant town still plagued by fear. The days drag by, mundane as they come in Florida, occasionally punctuated by unpleasant visits from Bo Kasahara, brother to Momo and full time asshole. Then, one fateful late shift, Lin sees the missing Kasahara twin standing in the aisles, gone as quickly as she appeared. Meanwhile, a stranger arrives from California, claiming to be a paranormal investigator hellbent on uncovering the mysteries of Florida, and suddenly Lin is faced with a choice. Be smart and keep her head down, or dive headlong into the strange mist that so often covers Florida, to rescue Momo Kasahara, and return her town to the way she remembers it.

1. 100% humidity feels like breathing underwater.

L I N

Florida ate Momoko Kasahara on the most miserable day of the year, and washed her down with a thunderstorm. A lot of other important things happened that day, but Momo’s disappearance overshadowed them all. Momo was the coolest girl in our class. She had shiny black hair that ran down to her waist. She liked to wear a different flavor of lip gloss every day of the week, and could sing in Japanese. I was on my way home from the beach when I saw the police cars in her driveway, and her twin brother sitting on the porch, painted purple in the twilight. 

He shook his head, at me, slow, and all the sound seemed to drain out of the world. The flashing police lights distorted his face, as bright white clouds passed too quickly above us. The whole scene drove a stake of wrongness hard into my chest. Sometimes even now, I dream about it. Bo and I watching each other. The dead silence. The purple light. The too white clouds. And Momo, eaten.  For the first time in my life, I was afraid of my own town. 

My name is Lin O’leary. I live in Florida, Florida, a nothing sort of place crammed into an extra forgotten corner of the state’s already forgotten coast. Some days I can forget about Momo, and everything that happened in the hours before she vanished. Heff says I’m good at keeping my eyes closed, even when they’re open. 

I really wish he were right. 

2. Cloudy with a chance of hotdogs (haunted).

J U L I E N

I was standing in front of the worst building I had ever seen. Slab grey and full of sharp edges, additions had been slapped onto every side until it resembled an impossible puzzle piece. The front windows were crowded with signs for cold beer and hot food, but the glass itself was opaque. It was a convenience store from hell, a collection of stationary parts so nonsensical I was worried it might grow a few new alcoves if I blinked. Above the door, an unintelligible sign in complicated neon cursive flashed electric blue. There was a neon clock too, flickering wildly, just striking twelve.

I must have walked halfway across town, and as far I could tell this was the only place that sold food at all, let alone past three in the morning. Still, I couldn’t bring myself to go inside. My stomach was a mess, and haunted convenience store hot dogs could only make it worse. I fished my phone out of my pocket, but the little service I had was, like the midnight clock above me, barely clinging to existence, my map application nothing more than a collection of beige squares. There was no one around. The sky was intensely dark, a pitch black blanket of clouds. Water hung thick in the air, the night time street so quiet I could almost hear beads of sweat sliding down my already slick face. No, there was nothing for it. I needed directions. 

The bell above the door made a strange, flat sound as I pressed inside. If the building was weird from the outside, that was nothing to its interior. The shelves, tall and numerous, had been arranged like maze walls. The overhead lights were blinding, stark white, and every other tile on the floor was mismatched. Some were squares of carpet. The only thing really visible from the entrance was the register, a fortress made of dark wood and surrounded by lottery advertisements. Behind the counter, a girl was reading something intently. As I got closer, I saw it was the back of a box of oatmeal.

“Hi,” I said, adjusting the duffel bag that had been crushing my left shoulder for an hour. 

The girl nodded, but didn’t look up. She had thin black hair, pin straight and chin length. Her skin was a warm, golden brown. Her shirt said something in miniscule writing, but my glasses were a little foggy, so I would have had to practically press my face to her chest to read it, which didn’t seem like a great first impression.

“Can you help me? I’m looking for the Fahrenheit Motel. I think it’s supposed to be around here.” 

Finally, she glanced at me. 

“It’s just around the corner. See the glasses store across the street? Go straight past that and make the second left, you’ll run right into it.” 

She pointed out the window, and I realized they were one way. 

“Who built this place?” I asked. 

She shrugged. 

“We’ve had a lot of owners. Everyone adds something new.”

There was something off about her. Like we were talking, but mentally she was still 

reading the box of oatmeal. 

“I’m Julien,” I said, sticking out a hand. She raised her eyebrows before taking it. 

“Lin,” she said, with another small nod. 

Her face was round, but her features were knife sharp. I wondered what she looked like angry. Maybe that was a really weird thing to think. 

Not wanting to ask for a second set of directions, I wandered around the store for thirty minutes before returning to the counter with a gallon of chocolate milk and a bag of seaweed flavored potato chips. 

“I can’t believe you have these. I didn’t think you could find them outside of California.”

Instead of replying, Lin held up the chocolate milk. 

“There’s no fridge in your room at the Fahrenheit. You know that right?”

“I was told on the phone… ” I started.

“There’s a fridge, but it’s in the lobby, communal. Kimmy’ll drink this.” She gave the milk a little shake before scanning it. “Just warning you.”

“Thanks,” I said, as she stuffed my things in a smiling shopping bag. 

I paused on my way out.

“Goodnight,” I said, “Or, good morning I guess.” 

Lin stared at me, then glanced at the box of oatmeal and back. 

“Morning,” she said, with a sigh.

***

I followed Lin’s directions, and wound up at last in front of a long, low building sporting a vacancies sign. Even in low light I could see about a hundred sad looking plastic flamingos had been stuck all over the lawn, the bushes, even the gravel path that led to the front door. I had to pick my way around them on approach. 

There was no one at the front desk. The reception area was lit only by the green blue light coming from an enormous fishtank that didn’t seem to have any fish in it. As I approached the counter, I noticed someone had left the key to my room out for me, next to a scrap of paper bearing the wifi password. I picked up the key, old and brass, then watched the fishtank for a second, before turning around and experiencing heart failure. 

A very old woman with wiry black hair was standing there in her nightgown, arms crossed and frowning at me. She didn’t apologize for nearly sending me to my grave. 

“I’m up. I can check you in properly,” she said, shuffling past me. “I’m Kimmy, but you can call me Miss Kimmy. You got ID?” 

I dug it out of my wallet while she opened a dusty guest book. 

“The reservation is for Julien True,” I said. 

Miss Kimmy glanced at the ID I had just handed her. 

“That’s not what this says.”

“I know. It’s a stage name,” I admitted, “everything else is correct.”

She raised an eyebrow to herself, but didn’t ask any more questions. 

“Now listen,” she said finally, shutting the guest book with a snap. “I’ll be honest, there’s not much to do around here. There’s a bus runs to the state forest during the day, and the beach isn’t going anywhere. If you’re hungry that’s too bad for the most part, unless you feel like walking down to Morton’s.”

“Is that the weird looking building? One way windows?”

“That’s the one. Midnight Morton’s, never closes. This late at night you’ve got Lin at the counter, nice girl.” 

I don’t know what I would have called Lin, but it probably wasn’t ‘nice girl’.

“Thanks,” I said, glancing around for the hallway that led to my room.

I bid Miss Kimmy goodnight and lugged my things to Room 7, at the very end of the dark hall. Inside was simple, but stunningly clean, which I had in no way expected. The bed had a sunken spot in the middle, and there were a lot of paintings of tropical fish on the walls. Home sweet home. I changed into pajamas, and took a huge swig of chocolate milk before glancing at my duffel, still full of equipment. 

It could wait. I was exhausted, sweaty, and more alone than I had ever been in my entire life. 

3. Welcome to my grocery store how may I assist you.

L I N

“I want to drop out of high school,” said Roach. 

We were sprawled out on separate tartan sofas, both angled towards the ancient television. It was after midnight, and the only light in the room was coming from the nature channel.

“No you don’t,” I said. “You’re not even in high school.”

Roach was a weird little girl. Eleven years old, she wore oversized thrift store t-shirts, and big chunky glasses, and cut her own hair. I loved her the most in this world.

“Yeah, but when I get there, I want to drop out. You did.”

I sighed. 

“You’re smarter than me. You have to finish school and work in a laboratory anywhere but here. Those are the rules.” 

Roach crossed and uncrossed her skinny legs without arguing. I knew she just wanted to hear me say she was smart. 

We continued to watch the nature channel in silence. A documentary on the arctic ocean was playing, which I found devastatingly boring, but Roach was clearly glued to. I could hear dad snoring upstairs, a pleasant sort of nightly white noise, and tuned out completely until Roach clapped an inch from my face. 

“Jeez,” I started, pushing her hands away.

“You were way out there. It’s freaky.”

I had been practicing my zone out since I was Roach’s age. On my best day, I could have an entire conversation without hearing one word the other person said. Call it a life skill.

“You’re doing it again!” said Roach. “Don’t you have work soon?” 

That snapped me out of it. I looked at my watch. 

“Oh, yeah. Thank you.” 

I rolled off the couch as Roach sat back down with a huff. The arctic documentary was ending, and she picked up the changer to scroll through a long list of similar recordings. Roach loved animals, all of them, even fish that ate your insides, and grubs, and parasitic worms. Especially parasitic worms. 

“Don’t stay up too late okay?” I said, tugging gently on her massive ponytail. Roach got dad’s curly, reddish brown hair. I got mom’s.

“Mmhm.”

I glanced in the hall mirror to see if there was any food on my shirt. Then I stepped into the mosquito ridden, muggy Florida night, and headed to my shift.

***

You might be thinking: where does a seventeen year old high school dropout work after midnight? And the thrilling answer is: the grocery store, sort of.

You might be thinking: what? 

But that’s Morton’s. 

The sliding doors opened smoothly for me upon arrival, which was always a good omen. I straightened the newsstand and went to look for Barry.

My manager, a small, Dominican man who loved to party, was in the produce section with a woman I assumed was his latest girlfriend. He was chucking the moldiest vegetables into an open trashcan.

“Our fresh produce is a travesty,” I said. “When was the last time someone bought an eggplant here?”

“I’m thinking of moving the veg,” said Barry, “they don’t like the energy in this corner.”

Barry was constantly moving things around the small labyrinth that was Morton’s. At least once a month he would take an hour long stroll from shelf to shelf, while I wrote down what was going where. I made a new map of the store for every big move.

“What are you guys up to tonight?” I asked, as Barry followed me to the register, bag of moldy vegetables in hand.

“Dancing,” said his date, with an endearing round of jazz hands, as Barry broke into a stationary samba while he gave me a list of stuff to work on. He treated me to his own enthusiastic jazz hands, and a few notes of a Juan Luis Guerra song as he samba’d in the direction of the door. As it swung shut behind them, I let the intense silence of Morton's wash over me. The fluorescent lights hummed gently. The food sat well behaved in slightly crooked rows. I turned my brain down to its lowest setting, and consulted my list.

...

[tdrcycle09]

Mini Challenge #1 - The Shading, The Shading Of It All!

For this mini challenge, our amazing ladies got out their sketchbooks and started throwing down the colours with their own extravagant concepts and designs! Let’s see how they did!

Analyse Thropic

🐍

Hisssssss, bitchesssss! You don’t need to speak Parseltongue to slither into this ssssstunning gown. Whether you’re going out to dance the mamba mambo or staying in and watching Monty Python, you’re sure to be the kingqueensnake. Unhinge your jaw to give some (copper)head, cuz girl, every anaconda do want some. You could accessorize with some snakeskin heels or a feather boa, and the design of the dress allows you to wear it with or without a (co)bra. A snake may have convinced Eve to commit the original sin, but it would be an even bigger sin to not wear this ssssickening look.

🐍

Lila: Well hello! Congratulations again for winning Charm School Cycle 3! Now, I am in awe of this look, really. I can see this being a statement piece at the Met Gala or something, and your communication is spot on with all of your labels being clear with what material is best suited to get your desired effects. It’s very interesting and your inspiration is really coming through. I’m gonna nit pick (because its tough to find a critique, really) and say your inspiration is coming through too strong maybe? Nevertheless, what a great start to this cycle! Great Job!

Gluttoni:

Letha: Well, Missssssss Thropic, that’s quite a dress you have there! Throughout Charm School you showed a strength for concepts and having a fully fleshed out idea, and it served you well then, and it has continued to serve you well with this design. The colors (you know I’m a sucker for green) and shapes make sense for the look, and the theme of it all is very strong. The amount of detail you included, in both the sketch as well as your notes, help make the look seem all more real, even if you haven’t sewn it yet. My one nitpick would be that the combination of the headpiece AND the ruff/collar might not play so well together in real life, as they might get in each other’s way. But other than that, a VERY strong first effort for your first mini challenge!

Toni: This isn’t Charm School any more and you came to show us that! Congrats on your win dear. I’m honestly in love with this concept. It has clear inspiration, and from what I can tell was very thought out. I love the idea of this King(Queen) Cobra inspired look because it’s such a  striking idea.I do worry that the colors may not all be the same tonne of green or gold and may be a stark clash for the others (the bottom of the skirt) But over all this is an amazing and Super strong concept that I am madly in love with. Keep up the good work going into this main!

Avana Noir

Hello Everyone! My name is Avana Noir and this is my design. I call this Pretty in Pink Anime Lolita Girl. My design for this challenge was based around cute Japanese/Anime Fashion. I got Inspiration from for top half of the dress from the Anime Modaka Magicka  (watch it if you haven’t) as well as basic Lolita Fashion, hence the bows and the arm sleeves. The wings also come from the Anime because in the anime they are  superheroes. The lower bottom(me) of the dress is inspired by the 1950’s pencil skirts but as well as a look by Alexander Mcqueen. Where he uses tool to make a dress look structured. I wanted to either make it look like if it was made by tool or cotton. So this is my design , Thank you very much!

Lila: Oh my god, I think it’s adorable you sign your concept when you finish it! Okay, I’m getting your inspiration, very Victoria’s Secret in the Harajuku District in Shibuya! I’m also getting a little bit of Diancie from Pokemon too. Shoes are such a tough thing to draw, but I wish you included them just so we could see how you communicated your design - if you draw like a flap and add a U shape into it, it looks a little bit like a court shoe! Good communication too, and I applaud you for using unconventional materials! Great Job!

Gluttoni:

Letha: This is such a cute look, Avana! I enjoy how much thought you put into all of the “extras”, because while the outfit itself isn’t a gown or showpiece, all of the elements make for a complete picture and “lewk” when they’re all together. I enjoy your notes on the materials, some of which are very unconventional. I do wish the wings made more of a statement, as they’re kind of meh in their current size/shape. I also wish for a bit more color? I know the Lolita style incorporates a lot of pastels, but I feel as if those more muted colors could be grounded with some accents in a bolder hue (making the bows a darker pink, for instance). Overall, strong work!

Toni: Ms. Noir! Okay I see you coming to play! I love this its very Japanese street fashion meets that one pink diamond pokemon. It’s something that I would never think to see youu in and that excites me because great things always come from stepping out side of your comfort zone. I do wish everything was a bit BIGGER, cause in drag sweetheart you’ve gotta be big and loud to be noticed. if you made the sleeve bigger, made the wings and the bow bigger so that you have this crazy mega lolita shape it would be everything. Good luck this week dear!

Daddie Dearest

My design is inspired by my favorite graphic artist, Hense (https://goo.gl/images/gV4R6b). Most of his work is in urban areas, so I decided design streetwear. The pants are made of pattern sublimated vinyl to keep their shape. It is high waisted with the ruffles at the top giving the model some shape. The pants are drop crotch, and they taper at the ankle to mimic joggers. The top is an asymmetrical poncho of sorts also made of vinyl. It is just short enough to show some under boob. The headpiece is representative of some of the extraneous lines in Hense's work. And finally, the back lines extending from the model's neck are made out of rusted metal rods to further drive home the urban feel of the look. Overall, I could see this being presented on Project Runway, and I'm happy that's the direction my design took.

Lila: I’m so intrigued by this look because it’s very much like the style of the art itself! I’m living for the streetwear-cross-avant garde and I’m really slain over how intriguing this design is! You can see the inspiration clearly and I love it! I hate to nitpick here, but I wish there was a little bit more labelling going on and potentially you could’ve had a seperate drawing to depict the back piece’s overall construction, but overall, Great job!

Gluttoni:

Letha: This is such a bold and graphic look, Daddie, I live. The shapes and the lines are intricate and structured and I love the colors. Pants can be hard to pull off in drag but I can see this really working as a high fashion, modern look. I will say I enjoy the outfit more than the headpiece/s themselves, but it’s still all very cool. This is a very strong first step forward in this competition and you should be proud of yourself! 

Toni: Daddie! Again this is another one that shook me because I didn’t expect this from you but its everything. I see the inspiration and I like it, giving me a little bit of street fashion which is what I think of when I think of you. I think this looks like a fashionable beetle! I don’t totally understand the addition of purple and red and it feels that those were just thrown in there because you didn’t want this to be super duocromoatic, so either change those colors or find a way to work them in better. Over all good work this week!

Dotte Com

Deep within the recesses of space, there’s a nebulous force of hope that’s delivered to you in the form of a bodacious badass blonde. You see, people think of stars and these delicate little twinkly lights. But they’re also large, fiery beings who you can’t even touch at all. Inspiration for this outfit was derived from the truth about these galactic beings and the subconscious dream to burn brilliantly in the midst of the darkest environments.

The voluminous hair and waist cape mimic the enormous mass found in stars, while the metallic golden shoulder piece and tiara emulate their absolute brilliance. The white and black elements contradictory and complimentary, a reminder that there will always be light amongst the darkness.

Lila: I am in awe of this look! The restrictive colour palette, the design and the motifs are really beautiful and I’m honestly super impressed with this overall design! I HATE to nitpick (only because its hard to nitpick) but I do wish the legs ended with some sort of heel, but it’s like what I expect from a fashion drawing, so great job here, miss Dotte!

Gluttoni:

Letha: This look really really captures what I think Dotte represents. It’s got attitude, volume, and color. I can see you performing in this and absolutely tearing up the stage. I do wish that the hair and the skirt fabric were a bit more different in tone, because they read very similar on paper (though most likely wouldn’t in real life), but your concept is still very clear and very strong. The thigh highs are also a nice touch, as they are still very you. Great job!

Toni: There is nothing I do not love about this!! not only did you give us a STUNNING look you also gave us character and reasoning for it which I love. I love that this shape is  powerful and strong while at the same time playful and fun, giving a superhero vibe to it.I do wish there were a few more indications such as it the skirt flowing or does it have the shape that you gave us in the picture on its own, but those are very small things that can be over looked and left up to artists intent. Overall I am amazed by this, keep it up!

Ebony Boss

My look is based around paint. I really wanted to have a clear concept that still stayed true to my design aesthetic. I drew a plunging neckline, off the shoulders leotard. It is paired with a clear vinyl skirt with paint blobs painted on. The shoes would complement the blue blobs. Also she would have a paint palette as a fascinator with a paint brush on top and matching paint brush earrings. I hope you enjoyed my design! MWAH!

Lila: I love this look, it’s really interesting and really fun! I like that there’s a seperate to this look, there’s an opportunity for a reveal with the skirt. You can tell you were really in your element here as clothing designing goes, however I have a few nitpicks. If you used a stilleto rather than a boot, it wouldn’t cut off the leg so sharp since we can see through the vinyl, and I can see the skirt having a very chiffon-mesh like fabric with appliques with small boning in the skirt to offer some sort of flair to the mermaid skirt. However, great job with this concept! I’m looking forward to seeing your work!

Gluttoni:

Letha: Hello, Ebony! This is a very cool look, and your design background is definitely showing! The silhouette itself is very interesting, and separates make a lot of sense for drag/performance. I’m not so sure on your choice of proposed materials, as vinyl might be quite difficult to have flow like this (not impossible, but easier with other fabrics). I would agree with Lila about the shoe, the skirt serves to emphasize the legs, so cutting them off in a boot like that would be a disservice. I enjoy the concept of the paint splatters and whole “artist” theme, but would personally enjoy to see more color used, if that’s what you’re going for. I really enjoy the ombré hair, but with so much green/blue on the look itself, I almost get a “paintball camo” kind of vibe instead of “artist”. Still, this is a very strong look, and you have certainly made a strong first impression with this mini challenge!

Toni: Hey babe! I love this! I think its fun and feminine as well as creative. I love the color scheme although I think one more color thrown in there to shake up the greens and blue would have added a lot. I like that you thought about a head piece and tied it in with the look. I worry about having paint splatter on vinyl because it may not look/drape how you like. It would have been better fitted on maybe a chiffon with satin appliques so that it has the flow that you’re looking for with this look. I am excited to see what you come up with next!

Giraffez Doris Buckel

I decided to look at some old drawings I had drawn during highschool for inspiration and went straight for the Very first dress I saw. Which was also the first picture, a dress I drew for prom. I updated it a bit to fit my new style from a poofy ball gown to an elegant sleek mermaid style with a simple tiara, and two bracelets one white and one pink because this bitch likes pink. I then colored the dress in normal rainbow fashion with pink at the end and chose to keep the bosom and last stripe white to emulate clouds.

Materials used: body is muslin the top and bottom remain white, the rest being dyed red, orange yellow, green, blue, purple and pink. The bottom being made of tulle in the same colors and the same order.

Lila: I love the inspiration behind your concept, really cute and a nice update to the one we saw from your highschool days! The spiralling technique was a better technique to go for so I’m really glad you went for that! Now, that being said, this is a tad basic for what we asked, and there’s a lack of clarity in your notes, as in we can’t really make out what you’ve wrote down. However, good job!

Gluttoni:

Letha: Hey, Giraffez! This is a cute design, and the story of where it came from is also very sweet. I like the design of the color-blocked rainbow, but I feel as if the colors are a bit muted (the white does help to set off the colors that are there, though). Some more accessories might also help the look (I feel like based on this neck line there should be some sort of necklace?). The silhouette, while basic, does say prom to me so it makes sense. Some more detail/notes on the design might have been helpful, but overall, good job!

Toni:Hello dear! Welcome to the cycle! I want to start by saying i love the idea of bright colors and how you reused your old coming out dress idea to make it into something new and exciting. I do feel that this is lacking and that you had free range to draw anything you wanted, you could have easily added more flair and shape to this and had fun with it. Good luck on the main challenge my love!

Klinker

Inspired by Fashion singers like Gaga, Bjork and Karol Conka. Made out of broken CDs

Lila: Hi Klinker! Welcome to TDR! Now, for starters, I am enjoying the entirety of this outfit, 100%. I’m getting your influences so strongly, and I enjoy that you’ve used a material like CDs alongside your purple colours. I can see this becoming a concept in itself, since there are a lot of fabrics out there that have that amazing shimmer that CDs have, I wish there were an addition of shoes and arms so that you could expand on what accessories there could be with this amazing piece. Overall, I enjoy your concept and this is a good job! Well done!

Gluttoni:

Letha: I love this look, Klinker! The shapes you made give me that pop star type of vibe, as well as the colors and textures. I’m left wanting for some shoes/accessories, as seeing what those would be could also really help the look along. Your choice of unconventional materials in the broken CD’s is awesome and I’m glad you picked them, as the holographic-ness really goes with the futuristic feel that this look embodies. I’m really feeling this look, great job!

Toni: Yas queen, giving me early lady gaga realness. I love that you used the cd’s esp cause thats a very popular style right now, the chrome/holographic style.I think the shape reads very interesting as well as the structure to it is very eye catching and is a real stand out. I adore that you included accessories that fit into your drawing and just were not thrown there because you felt it needed to be there. It all works really well together. Good luck babe and Good work!

Judah Kiss

Hi there judges! For my first mini challenge, I started off with a million ideas, but they all kind of just burned out. Eventually the idea struck me that even though I don’t have natural drawing ability, I could get my shapes and silhouette down by having nature do it for me. I decided to burn my paper, and design a dress out of the shapes that formed. Fire is savage, but gives life: and I wanted my design to be savage, while still giving life henny! I took a lighter to the top and bottom of my paper, burning into what would later become the hair and bottom of the dress. Then, I went in and drew an outline of the rest of the dress, including the arms, collar, and hair. For the collar, I used an OCC pressed shadow for some minor shimmer, and used colored pencils for the rest of the colors you see. I then glittered over the white area of the dress to give dimension and represent sequins. Finally, I took the charred pieces of burnt off paper and glued them onto the drawing as fringe for the dress along the sleeves and to separate the white and black areas of the dress. I didn’t draw hands because my hands suck, but the fringe there is for the sleeve; not some sort of scary claw hands. All in all though, I’m super happy with how it turned out!

Lila: Kudos for using a more so negative space unconventional material to make the piece have that beautiful trim of black to work with thanks to the lighter! Its really fun to see conventionally weird ways of designing and it paid off really well! Using the makeup as well gives the design the sort of intrigue we’re looking for! I do wish you drew like some hand flaps just so you could’ve added nails or gloves, but I love this design! Great Job!

Gluttoni:

Letha: This is a very interesting design for sure! The use of the paper itself to aid in your design is clever, and I quite enjoy the shapes created with both the hem/hair, but it does leave me wondering if the dress goes down to the floor, or is some sort of high/low asymmetric hemline situation. The use of texture is great throughout, as well as the colors, except for the main body of the dress. I really like the glitter as an additional texture, but I think the white is a bit too stark compared to the rest. If it were even a black glitter that would be incredible as the whole dress would be these different textures with the bold flame accents. But overall this is a great design and you should be proud of it!

Toni: okay c’mon thinking outside the box. This is such an amazing improvement to your first design that you showed me and I really love this. the idea of burning the paper and using the space is so smart and really shows that you put thought into this. I love the coloring and shape of it all it just does leaving me wondering about the base. Is it a hi/low or does it go all the way down and there are holes burnt into a dress. While it is visually stunning it does lack a bit of technical design. I am so proud of this, good luck in the main!

Marcella Fox

My inspiration for this design was Katya’s latex runway from AS2. In particular, the colours, the texture and the small flower embellishments. As much as I love the original, Marcella could never wear it, so I kind of adapted it to suit my own style. Whereas Katya’s is more of a costume, my version is a more wearable cocktail outfit, with a more girly-girl kind of look. I view myself as quite minimalist and fresh and simple in my style, so rather than building upon the original, I decided to refine it. I made it into a short dress, with a ruffled/gathered skirt, and added some cool sleeve thingies to balance out the simple silhouette. I kept the flowers in all the same places as Katya’s look, but changed the swimming cap into a hairband type thing, that I could wear in my signature red hair. Latex/PVC would be the main material, but anything shiny in the right colours would do the trick I think. And I added some flowers to the shoes to finish it off. I kept it free of necklaces/rings etc because I think it’d look more finessed without.

Lila: I am honestly gagged by how well you’ve created this concept and I love your little Marcella-Model-Mini-Me you have going on here, really impressive! Again, it’s such a cohesive little piece to go with your theme and I enjoy that you’ve also utilized the colours of your fashion in your communication, which is spot on too! The only critique (and this is a nitpick, because its difficult to find something to improve on) is just selection of fabrics, I would’ve loved to have seen the sleeves be more of a detachable capelet or cloak? But honestly, I love this concept! Great job!

Gluttoni:

Letha: I love the inspiration (as do we all) and it made the juxtaposition of the flowers with the latex even stronger. If the materials allowed it, I think this would be so adorable to see. Your detailed notes also help to sell the vision as something that could be really made. I’m also a sucker for a flower crown, so you know you got me there. Overall, while this is a concept we’ve seen before, you took it and tailored it to Marcella, and I applaud you for your creativity, great job!

Toni: This hit it out of the park for me, you could take this to any company, show them just this design, and they would be able to make the whole look just based off of this, and thats the sign of a good design!! Not only is it a strong look, and well designed but it also comes of ass VERY Marcella which tells me you know who you are as a queen and you know what you like, which is super important. Honestly I love this and have nothing to critique. It’s stunning! good job!

Lexi Lamour

For the first time, Hello Judges! This is the concept I came up with. I used pencil, color pencil, and black paperclips as my mediums to show the different parts of the design. I thought the paperclips would be inventive, unique, and could be used to show the volume that I had hoped to convey with my design.

I took inspirations from different cycles of ANTM, specifically Cycle 9: Episode 5 and Cycle 16: Episode 8. Both of which focused on showing high fashion looks using recycled materials, garbage, and fabric made out of recycled fabrics/materials and all natural products. These looks also all had unconventional aspects. My garment would have all 3 aspects: recyclable products, “recycled” fabrics, and unconventional materials. I also included 3 different head concepts using different hair and incorporated a headpiece in one.

Lila: OOH bitch, I am shocked at this! This is definitely the most intriguing design and It’d be interesting to see how this is made, I’m visualising like stuffed tubing to try and get that motif of the paper clips, or large wiring too! I’m glad you used a lot of high fashion looks and especially since I watch ANTM and PR for a lot of inspiration, the sources are a great way to try and get inspired by the couture nature of it all! My one critique would be that the hair and headpieces fall short against the billowing gown garment, like your girl is gonna look like the cakes Rupaul asked the Season 3 queens to decorate, you know? Nevertheless, Great job with this concept!

Gluttoni:

Letha: Lexi, this makes for an INCREDIBLE sketch, and to see how you would realize the shapes/textures of those clips would be amazing to see. I like how you kept it black/white/gray and let the textures and materials speak for themselves (except for that poppin’ red lip, thats cute). I do think the look calls for some very special hair or headpiece, and the fact that you included multiple options shows you had that in mind. I also appreciate your choice of materials, with everything being recycled or unconventional- it wasn’t part of the assignment, but bonus points for creativity! Strong work!

Toni:Classic, stunning, glamour! I love this, something about this is so classically beautiful to me and I can’t get over it. The colors are right, the shape is right and I love that you gave options. Now my biggest concern is how it would translate from paper, which worries me because the beauty may get lost, something to think about next time. Great job love!

Paprika

so i cant draw and i was rlly rlly afraid we would have to eventually make this so i thought i would do something basic but like, not?? last night i drew some basic lil skirt and shirt but it was ugly and i threw it away, and i did this today in class because im a bad student smh. its inspired by untitled and emilie autumn and weddings and shit like that, its like a wedding dress but more minimal and deconstructed and i feel like it definitely fits my style. think white wedding meets heroin chic, like some bride had a really low budget and then her husband ditched on her day of.

Lila: Hey Paprika! First things first, I love the idea of a wedding dress, and I’m glad your influences are coming through! Your communication (while hilarious) is sound and I do wish you werent as afraid of this mini because I knew you could’ve taken this all the way! While it’s imperative you should be speculating what the designs are gonna be used for, you should bring your all to each challenge we give you, because it’s really unfortunate that this feels a little basic. I wish you weren’t as worried for this challenge because I know you have some stellar ideas, trust! Good job, nonetheless! (and don’t be too afraid!! remember to messages us if you’re ever worried or stuck!)

Gluttoni:

Letha: This look is cute, but I have to admit that it’s not my favorite. I just wish there was more to it? We’ve all seen a wedding dress, so your challenge should have been to make YOUR wedding dress special and unique to you. More detail added to the drawing itself (or as least more notes on what you wanted), what shoes there would be, all that. Your description gives some insight, I just wish we had more visuals on this outfit. But the concept is still there, so good job!

Toni: Hey girl! Now I have to be honest, I know who you are as a queen and performer so when I saw this I was majorly let down when I saw this. You have so much creativity and spark in you and I would have loved to see this come alive on paper. This is a cute design, basic wedding dress really, with not much detail on what is going on with it. I do really wish you had reached out to the judges so they could have worked with you to build you up. I know you’re gonna work hard in this next main so good luck babe!

Phoebe St. Jefferson

For my mini I was first inspired by Alexis Michelle’s promo look, but I wanted to add a twist to it, so I made it an asymmetrical glow in the dark club look. The hair is going to be big and wild with structured shoulders.

For the colors I chose a simple grey for the daytime look, and then when in the dark/under a blacklight, the dress transforms into a wild glow in the dark design. It looks very aquatic deep sea realness and I am living for it.

Lila: Hello Phoebs! First off, I am enamored that you’ve chosen to do such a unique twist to your design such as doing blacklighting. Really creative and exciting! It’s great to see you communicating with the judges to get a piece like this, especially having it digitally done as well. I wish there were a little bit more to this in the bottom half of this dress though, like a pair of shoes, and potentially a little bit of a fascinator or accessory, and perhaps more UV-oriented colours, like I love my neons, so it lacked a little in that area! BUT I applaud that you’ve gave your model a lot more than just a dress form with a pair of arms, and I can visualise this being a concept in real life. Good Job!

Gluttoni:

Letha: This is a really cool look, Phoebe! I love the innovation of the glow in the dark changing the look (though I would be careful with the design itself, as the squiggles look a bit like something else that’s black light reactive, lol). The silhouette is very modern and strong, and I can get behind that! I would like to see more details on this design, such as accessories or shoes because they could help complete the look. The hair is cute, an having it back away from the face/shoulders is a smart decision. Well done!

Toni:Oh okay miss Phoebe you giving us a two in one day to night fantasy right here! I love the shoulder pads, right off the bat. I think it was smart to do this black light, 2in1 concept so that you have more creativity to work with if that makes sense. I do worry that its an odd length, and its lacking a few accessories imo. also I wish you had ran with the under the sea fantasy and taken it as far as it would go because I love that part of this. Over all good work!

Sugar Monroe

Hellooooooo judges and TDR! It’s Sugar Monroe, back to give a bitch a cavity. ;) first off, I cannot tell you how excited, happy and thankful I am to be back for another cycle and to prove I have what it takes to be tumblr’s next drag super star. 😘 Now onto this mini: I wanted to give you a kind of fairy queen-esque look and I was inspired by flowers (obvi) and how you can take them from where they were originally planted, and they’ll take root and blossom to an even bigger and better bloom. And that’s like me this cycle. Taken from last cycle, and now I’m taking roots here and ready to blossom into the amazing queen I know I can be! ☺️

Lila: Welcome back mama! I can’t wait to see what you do this cycle! Okay, first things first, I am absolutely living for where your concept is being inspired by, very Angela Clayton meets White Queen from Narnia. The communication level on the design is really high standard, what I’m expecting to see from you when you guys send your thoughts for feedback etc. so I’m really impressed. I can see this being turned into a concept clearly, which is great. My main problem would be that you could have sketched your concept a little larger and maybe even added your capelet onto the concept, just so that would’ve been a bit more clearer in terms of how you presented the idea. Nevertheless, this is a great start to this cycle! Good job!

Gluttoni:

Letha: I’m so glad that you’re back, Sugar, I can’t wait to see what else you have to offer, starting with this design! Overall, it’s cute, and I’m more in favor of a dress vs. separates in this case. I have an obvious bias as a total flower bitch, but I really enjoy the color scheme, it’s very muted/pastel, and with the white it gives a very ethereal effect. I like how you didn’t put the flowers EVERYWHERE, and enjoy the gradient effect on the cape, but I do get a lot of negative/bare space in the middle of the dress. I see the belt there, maybe jazzing that up a bit could help? I would also have loved to see more development in the hair/accessories, as they could really further the look (yes, I’m talking about maybe adding a fucking flower crown THERE I SAID IT OKAY!). But other than that, good job this week, and I hope to see you continue to keep the momentum going!

Toni:Shes back back back again! Sweet as sugar but still a massive bitch <3. I love this boots the house down, it’s giving me queen of the faeries, its giving me letha but as a good witch. I love the idea of you in this motherly and natural state, with beautiful thin fabric covering your body and being graced by flowers. Its something I don’t think ive ever seen from you and I think it would be amazing to see on you. I do wish the sleeves were dramatic and long but thats just a person choice. Good luck this week!

[domonthego]

Patagonia’s dramatic landscapes and beautiful hiking trails have been calling adventurers from around the world for many years. Over the course of our three-week adventure throughout the region we attempted to get exposed to as much of it as possible. One of the highlights of the trip was tackling the W Trek in Torres Del Paine National Park. Considered one of the most popular treks in South America, the W Trek doesn’t require technical climbing experience or require hikers to endure high altitudes. It will, however, test your physical ability, endurance and adventurous spirit. Sounds perfect right? We sure think so.

The 3 to 4 day W Trek gets its name due to the actual shape of the pathway through Torres Del Paine National Park. Trekkers can either start the trek on the west or east side. Taking a look at the map you’ll see that regardless of the direction you decide to go, the path you follow is an outline “W”. Also famous in Torres Del Paine National Park is the 7 to 8 day O Circuit. I bet you can’t guess how it got its name? Ding Ding Ding – That’s right, it circumnavigates the park in the shape of an “O.”

Puerto Natales (Destinations // Puerto Natales) was our pre- and post-base trekking location. We left all but our essentials at our hotel, met up with our W Trek guide, boarded a bus and made our way towards Laguna Amarga – the eastern entrance to Torres Del Paine National Park.

If you missed Destinations // W-Trek, Torres Del Paine National Park Part 1 be sure to check it out to see how the adventure started and how we trekked 30km in two days.

Here is Part 2 of our 4 Day/3Night W-Trek adventure:

// DAY 3 French valley trek

The ferocious sounds of wind and rain pummelling our tent overnight was a nice reminder that we were in Patagonia. Locals will often tell you that you can experience all four seasons in one day – this could not be truer. In addition to being the longest day on the trek, day 3 of the W Trek was definitely the wettest. It’s moments like these that you are thankful you threw the extra money at your fancy outdoor gear to keep you warm and dry. Weather aside, day 3 was definitely my favourite day of the trek. The path has you maneuvering alongside the Paine Massif into the French Valley and is probably the most challenging of all the routes over the course of the W Trek.

After leaving Refugio Los Cuernos we began heading into the valley towards the Refugio Italiano. Trekkers use the Refugio as a bag dumping point to continue their path up the center of the “W” towards the Francés and Británico Lookouts. Upon arrival at the Refugio we were told the weather conditions were too bad and that the trail had been closed after the Francés lookout. Our experienced guide expressed that it didn’t make sense to go further along the path due to the conditions, but a few of us were keen to continue as far as we could go. We were here to tackle the “W” not the “U” – right?

Seven out of sixteen of us (including our experienced guide) decided we would brave the elements and make our way up to the Francés Lookout. After dropping off our bags at the Italian Refugio we headed off. The path became steeper, very slippery and put us in our paces. We passed gorgeous waterfalls, meandered through dense forest and eventually was knee deep in snow. The rain turned to snow and it was like we were in a different world.

Overlooking the French Glacier at the Francés Lookout was fantastic. One of the highlights was witnessing a humongous avalanche in the valley. Our guide pointed out the cracking sounds he heard high into the mountains, which were shortly followed by one of the biggest avalanches he had experienced. It made the strenuous trek to the mirador well worth it. You can sort of make it out behind us in the photo below.

We made our way back down, grabbed our bags and continued along the path. We trekked alongside Lago Skottsberg where we stopped for lunch and pushed forward towards Lago Pehoé. Both of these lakes are a stunning turquoise color and make for a great backdrop as we neared the Paine Massif and our campsite for the evening – Refugio Paine Grande.

To the left you can see the towering Paine Grande and to the right you see the stunning pampas fields along the shores of Lago Pehoé. Definitely a treat for those either using it as a starting point or like us – the last place we stayed on the W Trek.

Day 3 Total Distance/Time: 17.5km/8h

Refugio Los Cuernos – Refugio Italiano (5km/2.5h)

Refugio Italiano – French Look Out (2.5km/1.5h)

French LookOut – Refugio Italiani (2.5K/1.5h)

Refugio Italiano – Refugio Piane Grande (7.5km/8h)

// DAY 4: Grey Glacier Trek

When we got out of the tent on our last day of trekking the W Trek in Torres Del Paine, we got a glimpse of the sun rising above Paine Grande. Reason # 1,239,456 why we will always remember the “W” Trek. Finishing the last stroke of the “W” was bittersweet.

Our trek started through the pampas and headed up into the valley. The trail itself was quite easy as we headed to our first break stop – the overlook at Laguna Los Platos. While it’s nothing spectacular, it is one of the many lagoons in Torres Del Paine that are being fed by the melting glaciers on the southern ice field.

Continuing further along the trail you can’t help but notice the presence of Grande Paine. We had amazing weather so were quite lucky to have a constant view of this beauty. Grande Paine is the tallest of the mountains in the Cordillera mountain group.

On our way through the valley we made our final pit stop at Mirador Lago Grey Lookout. In addition to views of Lago Grey, we got to see Grey Glacier. Most trekkers will navigate onward to the Refugio Grey Glacier on this leg of the trek. As we needed to ensure that we made it onto the catamaran back to town, we only trekked to the Grey Glacier Lookout.

Known to be the largest glacier in Torres Del Paine National Park, Grey Glacier is a part of the Southern Patagonian Icefield of Chile and Argentina. Like many glaciers around the world, it’s retreating at a significant rate. While we didn’t get as close to the glacier as we had wanted, standing out on the lookout ledge and having the ice-cold air battering us was a clear sign of the enormity of it. Just look at the pic of the girls – hair blowing all over the place. Reflecting on the glacier, we knew in the back of our minds that without continued education and the taking of responsibility it may some day be gone – such a shame.

After spending time at the lookout we made our way back down to Refugio Paine Grande to pick up our bags. We made our way down the footpath to Lago Pehoé and boarded the Catamarán Hielos Patagónicos. From Lago Pehoé, the thirty-minute catamaran takes you to Pudeto on what is quite literally the most beautiful boat ride I have ever been on.

The boat makes its way in front of and around Torres Del Paine National Park. For all the trekkers like us who went from east to west along the path, it is the first time we got a full view of the park in which we spent the last 4 days trekking. We could visualize for the first time exactly where the “W” was and the perspective was astonishing. Seeing the moody clouds stretch along Las Torres, Los Cuernos and Paine Grande in one view is awe-inspiring.

We met our driver in Pudeto, loaded up our gear and began our 2-hour journey back to Puerto Natales. We made one more pit stop to admire the vista, shortly after which our rearview mirror views of Torres Del Paine began to slowly disappear.

There are not enough descriptive words I could use to construct a sentence that accurately describes how grateful I am to have been able to experience the “W” Trek in Torres Del Paine National Park.

Day 4 Total Distance/Time: 11km/6h

Refugio Paine Grande – Grey Glacier Lookout (5.5km/3h)

Grey Glacier Lookout – Refugio Paine Grande (5.5km/3h)

Patagonia is a special place and what could be described as the epitome of wilderness. Like many other adventure seekers around the world, the “W” Trek, deep in the heart of Patagonia, pulled us in and did not disappoint. I hope after sharing my stories and photos that you are feeling like an adventure is in your future and add this beautiful place to your travel bucket list.

For up to date information on the trek and Torres Del Paine National Park be sure to visit the official Torres Del Paine National Park Website. Happy Hiking!

READY TO PLAN YOUR ADVENTURE? GUIDE OR NOT? CAMP OR STAY IN THE LODGE? WHAT TO PACK? WATCH THIS SPACE FOR A BREAK DOWN OF THE MAJOR CONSIDERATIONS TO TAKE INTO ACCOUNT WHEN PLANNING YOUR OWN W TREK.

Massive avalanches, turquoise lakes and one of the most picturesque boat rides I’ve experienced made the last couple of days of the W Trek quite special. Check it out here in Part 2 of my take on the 4-Day/3-Night W Trek in Torres Del Paine National Park, Chile. #Patagonia #WTrek #TorresDelPaine Patagonia’s dramatic landscapes and beautiful hiking trails have been calling adventurers from around the world for many years.