Mina...
22. Animation/Illustration Student at SJSU. Dabbler, creator, artist, model. aspiring polymath.
Proper Introductions
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By Mina Caustic, on November 15th, 2010%
I’m definitely not finished with my school projects. However, I spent a long weekend working on a frustrating assignment, and I feel like I’m coming out the other end of this ordeal finally. We have to do it once more, but we have more time to work through it now.
Meanwhile, this came in the mail today:
A super cheap (Amazon had a crazy deal on it), decent tripod. It’s perfect for what I need. The cat did not come in the shipment today.
This tripod is made of aluminum, so it’s super lightweight. It’s sturdy and has that professional look, even if it’s fairly simple. It has good reviews and is considered a well made, yet low-end tripod. Some of the Amazon reviews say that it at times comes faulty. The leg locks feel a little flimsy compared to Max’s equipment, but that’s to be expected. I think that as long as I treat it well and keep it properly stored (this tripod came in its own bag), it will last for as long as I need it.
Here is a test shot. The post-it was for focusing purposes. If you ever wanted to know how I look when I’m working on four hours of sleep and as a consequence have no time to be pretty for others, this is me. Basic jeans, t-shirt, and chucks (actually, these are again, chuck wannabes from Payless. Airwalk has their own version of lo-tops). I need to figure out a better way to use lighting, and I’d like to get a better backdrop going. Any ideas?
And this came in the mail last week (with one or two other items that aren’t as interesting). I’m super excited. I feel like I have the bare basics of a starter kit, but it actually feels well rounded now. I took the below image with it.
I’ve been feeling really creative these past couple of days.
Over winter break, I have a sketchbook to work on for school. I originally was going to use one of these cahier notebooks by Moleskine, and I even customized it to my liking. I really haven’t felt comfortable with it, though. It feels like a travel notebook or something similar, and while I love the thin aspect of it I just haven’t felt that it’s the right decision. It can handle washes fine, but it gets wrinkled easier and the paper itself is light weight (which is bad, it feels flimsy and easily damageable).
Enter, this pink book. It’s by Studio Goods and the paper feels just right. The paper is archival quality. I wish it had a little moleskin style pocket and rubber band, but I may find a way to put that together myself.
I’m finding a love for deep hue, colorful sketch books. This one is no exception. Hot Pink (or Orchid as it’s called) is a color I’m somewhat resistant to, but I had to have it and use it. Decoration will commence eventually, in the vein of my beloved green book.
I really have to take a moment and mention this green book. It’s by Global Art Materials with the branding “hand*book journal co.”, and boy, it feels like a fancy sketchbook. The paper feels like watercolor paper. The small details get people curious about it when I have it out at school. Even the elastic ribbon that keeps it secure looks fancy. If you ever see one of these in the wild, check one out. Of course, yours will not have all my swirly scribblings on it.
Mmm, art supplies.
P.S. I have a fashion show focused on hair coming up in a couple of weeks. Cross your fingers for me that we’ll get a photographer out to shoot!
By Mina Caustic, on November 14th, 2010%
If you’re a busy girl like me, you learn to cherish the few true moments of freedom you have with the people you care about. My advice for anyone who is reluctantly working long hours and feels burnt out is this: take that break when you need it. Spend time with your important people. Get things off your mind or talk some things out. Go out. Live life. If you don’t live life, you can’t be the best you can be at your career. (Note, living life is not the same as living in the moment or living life fast. That’s a different blog topic, though). Sometimes you need to put these things on hold while you finish a project, but the moment that project is done–take care of you.
Having moments where you reward yourself and treat yourself well are important for your health as well as your social life–without them, you’ll hit your wall faster than you ever expected. Am I speaking from personal experience? Of course I am. The above advice is something I tell myself as well as you, my friends.
In lieu of art or fashion (because neither have really happened lately–sorry folks! I have the coming week to fix that, but for now I’m focusing on schoolwork), I will show you my night out instead.
Scott and I went out on a night walk earlier this past week, and I took pictures. San Jose is interesting to walk around downtown at any time of day, but at night it’s the most interesting. I’ve been taking these same walks for years and I always enjoy myself.
Walking past Hydration, a bubble tea and coffee cafe.
San Carlos Street. Probably less interesting for you than it is for me.
We decided to stop at Icebee’s, one of the many Frozen Yogurt places dotting downtown San Jose. It was my turn to buy and share, and I love to make my froyo as decadent as possible. Scott wanted green tea, I wanted everything else.
Icebee’s has a really nice feel. Most froyo places have some kind of unique decor to them, and this one is no exception.
Outside the San Jose Repertory theater. I’ve heard rumors that it may close down, which would be quite sad. The more arts we have in our south bay city, the better.
Paseo de San Antonio. One of the nicer aspects of downtown San Jose are these wide walkways with shops.
I apologize if any of these photos are very dark. My laptop screen shows these photos in near perfect (yet night time) clarity.
If any of the photos are too dark or something, feel free to leave a comment. I’ll make sure to fix that for the future.
By Mina Caustic, on November 10th, 2010%
The girl with the new camera would like to tell you to please do the above suggestions daily. This is a small key chain my mother gave me. There are multiple Love and Laugh tabs on this little keyring charm, and it’s a great thing to remind yourself if you start to feel a little down, which, honestly, I go through a lot.
Many goths are artists, and many artists are depressed. It’s not really something we do on purpose, it’s just something that we deal with. Some of us function better than others. Some of it’s self-imposed (well, I’d probably argue a lot of it is self-imposed), some of it’s subconscious. Whether or not there are more depressed artists out there vs other people, though, I can’t quite say.
I suffer from periodic depression and anxiety, and it doesn’t help that I’m often overloaded and run the risk of burn out half the time from too much work (my own fault though. Time Management Planning is my new year’s resolution, after I disappear into the woods for my much needed winter break, which should wash away a lot of that burnout and overloaded feeling).
Today I woke up not feeling well, and having the above little reminder is always a big help. I plan on salvaging today by making it to the class and meeting I have to go to, and spending the rest of the day in my home, cozy, working on art homework that I need to get done (and am behind on). It actually sounds lovely, as today I don’t really feel like facing the daily horde of 30,000 college students buzzing about at my campus.
I’m not attempting to garner sympathy. It’s just a fact of my life, and it unfortunately puts a very somber mood on conversations. So, instead of leaving this paragraph feeling gloomy, go back to the above photo and think about those two words. Smiling sends happy chemicals to the brain, and feeling good about yourself in general makes your day better!
On with my weekly outfits. I wore this little set-up Monday:
Make-Up: Standard issue MAC, clinique, and palladio mix.
Clothes: Las Vegas souvenir t-shirt, Target sweater, Forever 21 leggings, Lip Service skirt
Accessories: Glasses for comfort (usually contacts), black bow choker, spider heart pendant, pink and black striped Hot Topic barrette
Shoes: Payless ankle boots
I have nothing else to report, so stay strong, have a great day, and don’t forget: never, ever give up!
By Mina Caustic, on November 8th, 2010%
I have nothing to show you wonderful people in the way of art or fashion, so I thought I’d babble about other things today. My weekend was filled with homework, visiting family, and retrieving items from home. I missed my parents terribly; I haven’t been able to visit them much at all this semester. And, I saw two of my closest friends.
I’m happy to say that I’m now driving again. Through various circumstances, I was given my grandmother’s car. She’s fine, fyi. It’s a 2001 Camry. I am to drive it like my grandmother, too.
Also, as a Christmas present, my Dad got me the new camera I was hoping for! It will debut with my mediocre camera taking skills (because it’s a really nice camera and I need practice) in today’s post:
Autumn
I *love* autumn. California likes to pretend it isn’t there, but all the decorations and changing leaves tell me otherwise. Autumn means I regain my love for knitting that lies dormant in the summer months. Autumn means that the nasty sun-creature is moving slightly to the south, making it cooler and cozier. Autumn means the first rains come for us; it signifies change in a way that’s inviting and nostalgic.
I have a love of pumpkins. It’s not irrational–yet–and I came across this little tea light decoration that was on sale. I decided it was great for my coffee table and I promptly bought it. I added my seasonal decoration for the photo (these fruit and gourds usually live in the kitchen). I love it.
As for knitting, I’m prepping myself for it. I have lots of yarn I need to start working with. I’ll start playing with the idea of spending money at yarn shops. I’m opening up the yarn blogs to see what I’ve missed the past few months. I feel crafty.
By Mina Caustic, on November 4th, 2010%
Today, I want to stress the importance of fashionable, yet casual wear. Now, when I mean fashionable, I don’t necessarily mean trendy. Fashionable can be something that fits your shape, looks great on you, and feels great. That being said, the current fashion trend of 70′s inspired bohemian looks and flowy, drapey sportswear can be worked into your look (look at what Haute Macabre suggests for gothy, comfortable outerwear [click the link]), or you can just keep it simple as with a jeans and nice shirt.
And yeah, I know. Outfits like this aren’t really goth. There is nothing extreme about my look. My piercings are basically invisible. I’m not wearing make-up. Perhaps, even, I should dive into the leggings trend full tilt… but I really do love these jeans. I feel good in this outfit. I’m comfortable, these jeans are old-reliables, and then there are my throwbacks: silver and black jewelry, purple scarf that feels exotic and old, a shout-out to my love of alternate brands (Lip Service shirt). And, seriously? Think pragmatics, here. I live in California. In November, we still have many 75 degree days where people walk around in t-shirts. We don’t get the weather necessary to dress how I really love without sweating out everything I own.
Casual wear is important. Think about it: many of us are busy, working on school projects, work, entrepreneurship, personal projects, what-have-you. Having something that looks good that you can grab and finish in five minutes is perfect on days that you have 10,000 things to do. Don’t forget: casual wear is comfortable! Being comfortable when you’re on the go helps keep your stress level manageable and helps keeps you focused.
Sometimes, make-up isn’t an option. I am personally fine with that. Some of you don’t feel comfortable walking out into the world with very little going on on your face, and personal beauty is a topic I want to shelve for another day. But you’re gorgeous without the make-up too, I promise.
When I have the time for make-up, it’s often very simple. Eyeliner, mascara, eyeshadow to set the liner. Sometimes I’ll wear lipstick or gloss, and sometimes I’ll wear foundation. Finding a good balance that doesn’t take much time in the mornings can be a really big help, if make-up is a part of your daily routine.
The Outfit:
Make-Up: Today, I wore no make-up. The camera shows very little difference either way.
Clothes: Mossimo jeans, Lip Service shirt, Forever 21 scarf
Accessories: Forever 21 bangles, head scarf, earrings from Mom
Shoes: Payless flats
I really want to drive home this idea: Goth is not all about the fashion. Yes, it is a huge, huge part of what makes us distinguishable. Yes, it is something we really, really like. We can find each other in a crowd and we’ll generally agree on aesthetics. But when you look at the giant umbrella that is Goth, you’ll find all the amazing variation. You can find two people within the subculture with absolutely nothing in common, save for the love of black and graveyards. When you can be that different, who cares? What matters is what you love. If all you do is focus on what other people think of you, are you really following some of the basic tenets of these ideals we hold in this subculture? Dress for yourself. Don’t dress for attention, don’t dress for others. It will make you happy, confident, and awesome, no matter what you wear.
Something entirely unrelated: I passed my portfolio review! I am totally stoked.
By Mina Caustic, on October 31st, 2010%
Friday evening saw me in a costume contest for my major, wearing simply what I own. I didn’t win anything, but I had a lot of fun!
Now now, I know what you’re thinking. “Goth isn’t a costume!” However, Halloween is where whimsy and theatricality are their best. Why not play it up in your wardrobe? Of course I’d wear extravagant outfits like this more often if I could. And yet, I’d lose 2-3 hours in my day taking care of it all. The hair pieces, the make-up, putting the outfit together, making sure everything sticks and works? It’s not easy. For those of you who can commit that time to your looks, I bow to you, because I love to dress from my imagination, and I’d love more opportunities to do so.
With that out of the way, here’s my outfit breakdown:
Make-Up: MAC fluidline blacktrack eyeliner, MAC studiofix foundation, Covergirl blue eye shadow palette, Hot Topic palette, Palladio blush, Urban Decay lip stain, MAC Ruby Woo lipstick, Clinique lavender eye shadow, Clinique black eye shadow, Palladio mascara
Clothes: RetroScope Fashions long bustle skirt, Bodyline (Japanese brand) jacket, Tripp NYC bodice (underneath), In the Starlight petticoat, Hand-made petticoat purchased from EGL Sales, Forever 21 purple stockings
Accessories: Hot Topic Octopus Necklace, miniature top hat***see end of post, Forever 21 shawl/scarf, headscarf (to cover my hair color), misc. silvery bangles from Forever 21, lace fingerless gloves (not pictured)
Shoes: Dexter brand from Payless Shoe Source
Hair: Handmade dread falls and tracks. They are pinned and tied in. These are made by me, with yarn. They are very easy to make!
Here is a close-up of the make-up and a better shot of the octopus necklace/dreads.
Washable Wear:
One thing I feel really, really strongly about and try to adhere to with 95% of my wardrobe is this: Find clothes that are washable. Especially mainstay pieces that you wear time and time again. Every item that I am wearing in the above photos are hand or machine washable. This saves time and money. From my experience, well-made, affordable clothing that is washable will also tend to be very durable. You want your clothes to last a long time, and you want to be able to keep them clean.
For damage control, consider this: even some “dry clean only” items are hand washable. Most people in the US have at least a few pieces that are considered non-washable. To find out if your fabric is water-friendly, test a small area that’s not visible. Try it on the thread and on the fabric and see what it does. Generally, natural fibers can be gently washed in cold water—perhaps it is listed as dry-clean-only to maintain its shape, or its particular dye. Some items are dry clean only because they use different types of thread that shrink easily when washed with more traditional methods. Some items disintegrate. There are many other reasons for dry-clean-only, as well. When you can, do your research before you touch any delicate, expensive, sensitive items to water. I always cross-check before I take the plunge with pieces I want to wear another day. The last thing you or I want is something ruined.
As a side note, unrelated: Both photographers from the last couple events/shoots I did have been busy or have had no access to the internet. I have photos, and I have done recent relevant modeling work. I just can’t show it to you. I apologize! However, I don’t hold it against them, and neither should you. They will surface eventually.
***This hat is a cheap replica of GypsyLadyHats beautiful work. I bought it when I was browsing the mall and didn’t realize at the time that this particular company or supplier ripped off a hard working independent artist. I couldn’t return it due to damage that occurred in transit home, so I decided to keep it. I wear it now with a veil wrapped around it, and I may do more to it so that it echoes her work less. But, if you see something and you know it’s a cheap rip-off, don’t buy it. Credit the artist. The hats she creates are investments; they’re affordable when you consider that they are all hand made, and above all, they are gorgeous, original designs.
By Mina Caustic, on October 12th, 2010%
Happy Tuesday! Today, I survived the last of my midterms. Also, I received a lovely package in the mail: my first set of personalized, professional business cards. Regrettably, dear Internet, I am still paranoid enough not to post my phone number on a public blog, so that is blocked out. Everything else, however, is right on the money.
Moo.com is a lovely printing service. I’ve loved these mini-cards for a while now and with the release of SweetlyCaustic.com, I felt it was high time to have a unique, professional way to share my contact information with others. They’re printed in color, matte, double-sided, with quality cardstock and easy editing options. It feels sturdy and smooth in the hand and the colors are vibrant, making the card memorable.
As the customer, you have the option to use whatever customizations you want. Either you use the Moo editor by specifying extra specs that you want, or by importing extra images. I used my modeling photos on one side and Moo’s WYSIWIG editor on the other side. As I’m just starting out, something that’s simple and elegant seems the most appropriate. Check it out if you can.
Now, you may look at this next photo and wonder, what is that blobby gelatinous thing she has on her desk?
I give you the Cocoa Loco from Psycho Donuts.
Psycho Donuts is a small chain in the general San Jose area, serving tasty donuts with strange and wonderful toppings. This particular donut is a chocolate cake donut, with chocolate frosting, cocoa puffs, icing, and powdered sugar. They have much more exotic options, as well, but this was what I wanted last night. As a side note: if I have the option to pick between chocolate vs. any other food, chocolate wins. Somehow, my thighs have not grown to epic proportions.
Needless to say, I will have to go back and try more items. That’s all for now.
By Mina Caustic, on October 4th, 2010%
I like dressing well. I think I still have a lot to learn, but my love for darker fashion has blossomed. I haven’t gotten a true grasp of seasons and trends yet, but I think I’m getting there. And I’ve said it before: the only problem with being an art student at college is… dressing well can be expensive. I aim to write this not as an advertisement, but as advice and ideas for friends and new readers. I’m not paid to link any of the places I’ve suggested. On to the exhibition!
Here are some ways I’ve managed to work things through a budget:
Exhibit A: The gothy fashion blog. Seriously, and I don’t mean my own blog. Many of my finds have come from Haute Macabre in their $25 or $50 & under posts. Check it once a week, they usually post something bargain-oriented there.
Exhibit B: The discount stores and low priced department and clothing stores: Target, Marshall’s, Ross, Forever 21, Charlotte Russe, Payless, etc. Most items are under $40. The key to these stores is checking in on them now and then (I check out Forever 21, Charlotte Russe and Payless online). Then, see how you can incorporate what you like from those places into your wardrobe. Most, if not all, are current and in-season. What makes it work is your discerning eye. Note: A lot of Forever 21’s items are on their website for a short time, and not in the store. They don’t often restock, either. And, I’d like to note that yes, I do think some of these stores probably are using sweatshop labor to keep these clothes cheap. I don’t promote that. I simply promote the idea of dressing well at good prices. Fair-trade standards should become, well, standard. If you don’t support these companies, there are many other options listed below that you can choose from instead, or you can research the companies that are offering cheap clothes, and see if they have a good track record.
Exhibit C: Styling websites like Polyvore and ShopStyle. These are fun for building outfits that you can draw inspiration from, or for scouring for deals across a multitude of online boutiques. If you’re not careful, you can spend hours on these websites.
Exhibit D: Trade. I spent several hours on Sunday at a goth trade event and walked away with a lot of amazing items. It was a nice, intimate event hosted at a friend’s house with beverages and snacks. All the people there were friends, or friends of friends, and it worked out well. We brought items that were very gothy, basic street clothes, and everything in between.
If you know people in your area willing to give away, sell, or trade items, perhaps host something similar. It doesn’t have to be at your home, but someplace relaxed would probably be best. It gives the community an opportunity to meet in a non-club setting and most of the time, everyone walks away with something new. If it doesn’t work out that way, be kind and patient—there will always be another chance to score new additions to your closet.
Exhibit E: Thrift Shops. I don’t mean to leave this near the end. I just don’t have much luck in thrift stores. However, I know many resourceful people who make genius fashion discoveries at second-hand and thrift shops. Here in the San Francisco bay area, I’ve had or heard about luck with Saver’s, Crossroads Trading Company, MoonZooom, Good Will, Salvation Army, and a few other local shops in San Jose. The best you can do is do some searching, look on Yelp for reviews, and take the plunge.
Exhibit F: Making/Altering your items. I knit and I’m still pretending that I can sew. This helps with keeping costs down without sacrificing material quality: If I want something that’s popular right now in knitwear, I can make it myself and work with better fibers, and it generally will be a fraction of the price for an original, designer piece. Being able to alter a piece is very handy, also. If you learn how to fit a jacket to your size, you’ve opened a wide new world of opportunities from second-hand shopping and trading that you hadn’t had previously.
Exhibit G: Last but never least, DO please check out sale sections of popular gothic brands. My particular poison is Lip Service’s closeout section, and I’ve gotten many an item for quite cheap through that.
While I know many of my friends are master bargain hunters, I’d like to stress for anyone who is still learning: with all of the options above, keep in mind prices. Set a budget for yourself. See if you can afford to get this, or pay for that. If you browse a shop like Lip Service and have trouble with an itching wallet, perhaps make a limit for yourself by saying you’ll only buy 3 items. Make the most expensive $25. Work down from there. Ask yourself how badly do you *want* those shoes, or how badly you *need* that corset. This will help you keep to your budget in the long run. :]
These principles in practice: What I wore today
Make-up: Clinique black eye shadow, Black Palladio eyeliner, Palladio mascara
Jewelry: two (one black/one red) costume gem brooches, four rings, and two necklaces—all but one from the goth trade event, red earrings from Torrid (bought back in HS, probably $4.99), my standard metal tunnels
Outfit: Forever 21 striped sweater, xhileration dress from goth trade event, hand-me-down leggings from Mom
Other accessories: A hat I made myself, a small hair bow that’s not visible from this side, lace fingerless gloves from Forever 21
Shoes: Steve Madden combat boots—also gained through the trade event
I hope this helps! I’m hoping to make this a recurring topic. I want to delve into each of these topics further in other posts.
By Mina Caustic, on September 27th, 2010%
Please excuse me while I stand on the subculture soapbox.
I adore the goth subculture. It ideologically values art, independent thought, beauty in the unexpected and underappreciated, intellectualism, theatricality in the name of self-expression (and a good dose of camp), and of course, a darker aesthetic and sense of the world. However, there seems to be a prevailing pseudo-elitism among many younger goths (and some older goths, but this mentality seems to fade as one grows older) regarding how one must look in order to be truly “goth”.
I love alt and fringe fashion. Subculture is fascinating. But, I am not defined by my subculture. I do like to tie it in to my daily wardrobe as much as possible, but sometimes, let’s face it: I just don’t look goth. It doesn’t affect my feeling or place in the community, and really, no one should be judged on how “goth” they appear.
Because of that attitude, I felt that someone needs to say (perhaps over and over): yes, we really enjoy our extravagant fashion, but it’s okay to dress casually. If you’re younger, perhaps you attend a private school with uniforms, or your parents aren’t big on your fashion choices and secretly hope that this “goth thing” is a phase. Or perhaps you’re like myself, and you really don’t have the time, energy or money to dress how you’d like to daily without missing a class in the morning or wearing out your prettier, more delicate clothing within six months.
And so, I play it up. Sometimes, I dress more extravagantly, like this, for my friend Katie’s lolita picnic:
And sometimes? I want to blend in a little. I want to look well dressed without getting constantly stared at. Enter, the five minute jean ensemble:
This outfit was worn the same day as the first photo, to visit my friend Hope. I touched up my make-up, kept my jacket, but changed everything else. I feel like the boots are a little off (you can’t always win), but I never get much wear out of them since they’re *not quite black*. Despite being iffy with my boots, I felt good about myself and how I was dressed. I still had things that were throwbacks to the subculture I call home—silver jewelry, stripes, tight Lip Service jeans (always check the clearance section of the site!), and a frilly jacket that I found at Target.
However, if you didn’t see my piercings, you probably wouldn’t be any wiser to what my interests were. And that’s not necessarily a bad thing.
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