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How to wear skulls like a rock star

Keith Richards wears his trademark skull ring on the cover of his autobiography

No self-respecting rock star – or would-be rock star – can be seen in public without at least one skull on his person, preferably in white metal. Who started the skull trend? In the rock world, many attribute it to Keith Richards of the Rolling Stones who has sported a skull ring since way back. “Keith has worn that skull ring since the early seventies,” says Gerard Marti, co-owner of Célébrités Galleries in Maui and former EMI record producer, referring to the ring custom-made for Richards by London goldsmiths Courts and Hackett. ”The skull ring is Keith’s trademark. Every single musician in rock and roll wears a skull in one way or another.”

Steven Tyler wears Loree Rodkin skull jewelry

The craze for skull is still a reliable seller, according the designers of Borgioni jewelry, a favorite of rock stars from Steven Tyler to Axel Rose. “We have a bracelet with a little skull and we sell a lot of those,” says Rhonda Bartolacci. “Men love that. So I don’t think the skulls are going anywhere.”

Of course, as Marti pointed out in my last post on how to wear jewelry like a rock star, the skull symbol predates current fashion and the Stones: “The skull is a rock staple, it comes from the image of the pirate, the black flag, and that’s been around for centuries. It’s an image of being a rebel, an outlaw, someone who lives life by different rules.”

In Keith Richards’ case, it’s hard not to see that skull as more of a flirtation with death. Rumors of his debauchery are often exaggerated but there’s no doubt he’s cheated death many times.

In the decadent seventies he was arrested five times on drug-related charges. If you love stories of rock’s hedonistic heyday, read Richards’ autobiography. You’ll be as surprised as he is that he’s still alive.

After a few decades of rock and punk, wearing a skull has become not only a symbol of rebellion but a symbol of survival.

The symbol rockers chose as their brand is traceable back to tombs of the 4th century. The skull appears throughout Christianity, closely connected with crucifix and saints, as well as the devil.

Saturday, February 12, 2011

Mainstream Trends, "Rocker Chic", & Token Goths

For whatever reason, society and media always seem to back away from saying

 the Goth-word.  They are so against dropping it in any films, fashion related 

media, or music, they throw up a finger crucifix and pull out every trick in the 

book to express the unique Gothic style without dropping the g-bomb. Never 

mind

 the fact Goth is a legitimate subculture, music, literature and fashion genre, 

but noooo, it’s total taboo.

 

Among the 

censored made-up fashion statements fashion magazine and articles use in

 absence of Goth, my favorites are“edgy” (classic!), “glam rock”, “fierce pop”, 

and “glam grunge”. WTF is glam grunge anyway? Other than an oxymoron? And how 

does that make any sense? I would like to know. But, of all the Goth-block fashion 

terms, my all time favorite is “Rocker Chic”. It entertains me endlessly every 

time.

                 Look! I even colleagued some parts of pages of Seventeen Magazine to 

prove it!

 Rocker Chic is surprisingly prominent. Fashion magazine suggest it, (or a variation on 

it) quite often. With all the ways to dress up a little black dress, there is rocker 

chic,

 among the sporty chic and hippie boho, without fail. Unfortunately, Rocker chic 

and

 Goth are not interchangeable in the least, in the sense that all these made up 

names are not just little baby lovechildren of Goth and mainstream, but they 

are usually watered down in most cases. (Unless of course you happen upon a

 gem 

of uber Goth somewhere in the media, in which case we still have to call them 

rocker chic, because goth is a no-no, remember?)

      
(There are pictures in this post, I promise, keep reading)

  

But let me get back to the G-word, not dropping it doesn’t mean anyone’s against 

it,

 because an effort is made every now and again by writers and screenplay writers. 

There exists, a token Goth. Yes, it’s like we’re our own race now I guess.  (eye roll.)



But Boots, where would I find such token Goths, I mean rocker chics or glam rock or whatever you may ask, to which I would reply, everywhere my friend. 

Let’s name a few.

 

Janis, From Mean Girls

Magenta, From Sky High

 

Jade, From Teen Nick's "Victorious"

 

Tina, from Glee

Lily, From The Princess Diaries (Despite her School uniform, it's there)



Warren Peace, from Sky High (Though he's a guy, and the rules are a bit different, we'd call him a Bad boy, but that's a whole nother story)



They’re not Goth! You shriek at me. I know, I know. It’s a watered down 

version kids. You can identify these rocker chics or glam grunge or whatever 

often by smokey eyes or excessive eyeliner, any unnatural hair color 

or streaks, more 'conservative' black boots, or what have you.

Some of you may be wondering, where’s Abby from 

NCIS? Honey, I’d say she’s Goth.  I find nothing 

watered down about her. When I was researching 

“token Goth”, some people online just started

 naming off Goth movies, and others suggested 

Lydia Deets from Beetlejuice as a token Goth. 

What, mate? Lydia is a main character, two, she’s 

definitely Goth, three, Tim Burton is not trying to

 impress anyone with his diversity. The story is the 

story.

 The story is a Gothic story. Nothing diluted or

 fake about it.

Now let’s get back to fashion.

As many have said, every now and again some elements of Gothic fashion peep their little beady eyes up and end up part of a mainstream interpretation . Studs for example, became in high demand this fall, silver and bronze studs, often paired with little gemstones, just, because. I really don’t know. These little shots of glam punk rocker chic looks to spike up intensity in people’s daily look are imitations of the Goth fashion they evolved from; so we should not be bitter or intimidated by it in any way. Generally. The Goth look is not one easily achieved by tinting a normal wardrobe 4 shades darker and adding various hardware. It takes time, and has a lot of history; 95% percent of which is lost on fashion magazines. But that’s not our problem.

We can only look on at their loose interpretations of what we do as a means

 of making the Gothic style more palatable to the average people 

we encounter. J

                                                                     Minor tangent:

But yes, occasionally we will come across those who claim they patented

 fishnets paired with tulle skirts, but let it go. Why, just yesterday, I

 saw a video explaining and promoting how black lipstick is very in,

 and used heavily in runway shows right now(dark lips are always 

runway popular). There’s something very Goth about high fashion, 

no matter what it is. It’s fearless, I suppose. Nothing on the runway

 is worn daily. It’s all interpreted for the masses. Quite like how 

magazines are influenced by Goth fashion. The can use it, but they

 cannot attain it without diving in headfirst. Runways understand this,

 so be a good Goth to high fashion. Even if something isn’t ‘Goth’, 

it doesn’t  mean it can’t be good. Picture it in black. Or don’t. 

Why, personally I LOVE the pink and white polka-dot dress the 

girl in the T-mobile commercial wore, I’d probably not have it in

 me to wear it, but I think it’s splendid. Oh yeah, I said splendid. 

Runways are like Goth in the sense that what they do is continuously imitated and softened. They recognize Goth.

(/tangent)

In short,  though Goth fashion is not always understood, and frequently 

imitated; we cannot complain. For every trend-slaughterer out there, 

there is a little rocker chic that will evolve to something more.

                                                                

 Sincerely, Boots.

Ostentatious, daring, & heavy, medieval gothic Skull Rings are not for the timid. Crafted Skull jewelry are certain to scare your colleagues, shock your parents and shock your girlfriend! Adorning skull jewelry conveys an ultimate statement of daredeviledness, independence, anti-conformism and power. Skull jewelry appeals to into a person's fear of death and awe about of the unknown. Little wonder that no other symbols are so popular or look so radical on jewelry.

An Androgynous sign

A common misconception about skull jewelry is that only men find such designs appealing. While that might have been true in the past, that's a complete myth today. The human skull is androgynous, being as much a part of women's anatomy as it is part of men's. These days, skulls appeal to both genders. What defines a person's like or dislike for gothic jewelry is his or her personality, not gender.

More Than Just Rings

Other than the traditional skull ring, skull designs have found their way onto a wide variety of other jewelry, such as pendants, bracelets, dog tags, earrings and anklets. Even if it such a genre is not something you deem suitable for normal work wear, adding a few skulls to your otherwise unremarkable array of classic jewelry is a brilliant and novel idea. They make for stylish, classy accessories, are practically mandatory for entry to popular hard rock and gothic metal concerts. And of course, they lend you the badass image you need to blend in for your occasional visit to the underground side of the city. Whether you spend most of your time on a motorcycle or behind a corporate desk, wearing a little badass skull jewelry once in a while can remind you of the fearlessness and nostalgic sense of rebellion you were born with.

Be it skull bracelets, skull pendants, skull rings, skull dog tags or skull earrings you seek, look for just the right skull jewelry for your needs and for the look you desire to create. Treasure and remember your primal instincts

Author Unknown

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Rock Star Fashion Article by ~Kate

Kate Wendelborn of Pencey said something I kept thinking about as I went from show to show yesterday: "People are very into the dark rock-and-roll look, which I think is a reflection of the times." Rock-and-roll and goth-inspired looks prevailed at Jill Stuart,William Rast, and Alexander Wang. And since variations on this style have been around since rock was born, in their own way these items are timeless. Key elements include leather (shorts, skirts, skinny leather pants, slouchy ones—you name it, I saw it in leather), velvet jackets, studs, edgy jewelry, faux fur jackets, exposed zippers, deep red, motorcycle boots, fringe, biker shorts, gold, shiny fabrics, and lots and lots of black. The look makes a huge statement, yet it's safe because it’s worked for decades. I was in the Morrison Gallery not long ago looking at a very old picture of Mick Jagger and Keith Richards backstage (they looked so young!) and thought to myself: “One of our designers should make those exact pants!” Guess they heard me.

--Kate

Rich in history and legendary, the Fleur de Lis is one of the most recognized symbols across the world. Representing either a lily, or an iris, its motif comes to us from a distant past and to this day still remains a mystery as to its origins.

So, what does it symbolize? Essentially it is a stylized flower that over time has been associated with royalty. Representing elegance and class, this enduring emblem has been used as a decorative element on shirts, jewelry and even objects for Home Décor.

--KatWhere does it all begin and how is the symbol being used?

Monarchy and Heraldry

While the Fleur de Lis has appeared on numerous flags and European coats of arms over the centuries, it is mostly associated with the French monarchy. Used as a dynastic emblem, the Fleur de Lis goes as far back as the 12th century and was also adopted by noble families like the royal House of Bourbon.

The symbol is also featured prominently with other European monarchs and rulers such as in the Crown Jewels of England and Scotland where it has been a prominent part of the design of the Scottish royal arms and Royal Standard since James 1 of Scotland.

Across the world

What does the emblem symbolize to different countries across the world? Some interesting fleur de lis facts include these bits of history. As French settlers moved to the New World, the emblem soon became associated with areas such as Quebec and Nova Scotia in Canada and south of the border in Louisiana, Louisville, Kentucky and New Orleans in the United States.

This symbol has also been used in less traditional ways! After Hurricane Katrina several New Orleanians of different ages and backgrounds were tattooed with the french motif as one of its cultural emblems and as a memorial of the storm.

Following Hurricane Katrina, Louisiana governor Bobby Jindal signed on July 09, 2008, a bill into law making the Fleur de Lis the official symbol of Louisiana. It is also widely used in New Orleans as an emblem of grassroots support for New Orleans' recovery. This holds a special place in the heart of New Orleans.

Modern Customs

Often by design, the Fleur de Lis is still used to this day and represents the ongoing presence of heraldry in our everyday lives. In such a context what does the Fleur de Lis symbolize as different organizations are still using this emblem?

Example, the Madison Scouts Drum and Bugle Corps situated in Madison, WI, have the emblem as their official logo, with members and past members sporting signature Fleur de Lis tattoos!

It also appears as a logo for different sports teams, as with the Fiorentina soccer team, the New Orleans Saints football team, the New Orleans Hornets basketball team, and last but not least, the former Quebec Nordiques National Hockey Leagues team.

Another Fleur de Lis is fact is that it is also featured on military badges like those of the First World War Canadian Expeditionary Force, the 256th Infantry Brigade Combat Team, and the Corps of Cadet at the Louisiana State University.

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