Back to School In Gothland

My but its been a while! I'm sorry to have neglected my blogging recently, life, as it has a habit of doing, has been taking over. I've been busy spending far too much money (I am now the proud owner of Emilie Autumn's The Asylum For Wayward Victorian Girls) re-dying my hair, working, and going to school. As such, I thought it might be nice to write up a short compilation of back to school "essentials" for us in the black clad masses.

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1. Coffee or tea. We're creatures of the night! Getting up early to catch the bus, drive to school, and still have time to perfect winged eyeliner requires a burst of caffeine. I like to stock up on my tea supply as the school days loom closer to give myself a bit of variety in the morning. 
2. Concealer. Speaking of getting up early, does anyone else have terrible problems with dark circles? While they may lend a touch of reality to zombie inspired makeup looks, many goths shoot for the vampire/porcelain doll look and as the hours of required alertness begin to shift earlier, some of us are going to have to cover up those hours spent restlessly night prowling. 
3. A shower cap. Don't look at me like that, they're very useful (if not very stylish)! Dyed hair has to be washed in cool water to maintain its color, and everyone wants their locks looking brilliant and radiant for that first day of school. This doesn't mean you have to shower in ice water though! I take my usual relaxing hot shower in the mornings with my hair safely hidden away under a shower cap so the color doesn't fade. Then when I'm done, I just stick my head under the facet to wash my hair in cool water.
4. A travel size makeup bag. School buildings contain lots of people, involve lots of walking, and aren't always nicely air conditioned. These humid environments can wreak havoc on a carefully crafted goth face, so I'd suggest carrying your basic eyeliner, lipstick, powder, and some blotting sheets to maintain your look throughout the day. 
5. A pair of flats. Throw these little shoes in your locker for days when you can't rock the four inch kitten heels for six hours, or when the weather man promised rain and you find yourself engulfed in knee-high-not-very-breathable-platform-boots in 90 degree weather. You'll be comfier and less cranky if you've got a backup pair!
6. Saftey pins! The ultimate DIY fallback, you can throw these on the collar of your jacket, along the seams in jackets and pants, or up the strap of your backpack to add a little gothy flair to any outfit. DIY goes a long way for school supplies too! Although I admittedly spent $2.50 on Monster High notebooks for last year, just look at the masterpiece I created out of a black binder I snagged for a dollar:

   

   Very proud of my creation. :)

7. Music! You've gotta have some morbid tunes for the funeral march through the school doors, or the morgue-like atmosphere of silent study hall. Stock up your i-pod with your blackest favorites and don't forget to charge it up the night before!
8. The perfect outfit. I'm a dork, but I always plan my outfit for the first day of school and lay it all out, accessories and all, right by my bed so when I'm stumbling through my early morning haze, I don't have to stumble through the chaos that is my closet as well. Heck, try it all on the night before to make sure you look gorgeous from every angle. If you're confident in your look, you'll be that much better at meeting raised eyebrows with smiles and letting snide comments roll off your shimmering scales.
9. A good book. Sometimes starting a new year means starting new classes without your very best flock of ravens around to support you during the awkward before-the-teacher-walks-in period. If you're not the biggest social luna moth, a book can be a safe haven and even a conversation starter. My English teacher and I last year discussed the pros and cons of Stephen King and the different takes on vampire legends for a good twenty minutes before class started simply because he walked in to find me engrossed in Salem's Lot.  
10. Time. This usually isn't a problem for me as I tend to sleep very little the night before a big event (like the first day of school! Jinkies!) and as soon as my alarm goes off I fly out of bed. But remember, some of us like to lounge about in our pajamas completely neglecting the world outside of tumblr relax our goth-ness over the summer, so it's a little more work than you'd think getting ready the first day. Inevitably, your favorite spike choker will go missing, you'll drop your contact down the drain (guilty) and you just won't be able to decide on green or purple eye shadow. Do yourself a favor and get up just a tad bit earlier to make up for first day hullabaloo. 

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Well that was fun! I pride myself in my ability to sound like a magazine for teen girls. :) I hope you all have wonderful first days back to school, and that you all post pictures of your outfits for me to admire! On that note, would you enjoy some outfit posts from me? I always feel a tad bit awkward doing those sorts of posts, I feel like I'm going "Ah! Lookit! It's me and mah fancy schtuff!" Let me know while you listen to the
Song of the Day: