Dark Charmer
Styling a romantic blouse that a studious vampire could wear for centuries
Pictured: Anna’s “gothic vampire” vintage Valentino blouse modeled with the ruffled collar open and untied and paired with black jeans.
Submitted by Anna Hou
Instagram
How did you acquire this piece? I purchased the vintage circa 1980s Valentino blouse from Depop a few years ago. When I saw it, I just knew I had to have it — it’s silk, black with a flouncy judge-style collar, an elevated classic. I like to call it my “gothic vampire top.” What more could my little blood-sucking heart want?
Why is this your favorite go-to piece?I love this top because it's pretty yet comfortable and can be styled in a variety of ways. Below are a few looks showing the range I can give to this “basic” piece — some along the veins of dark academia and some more similar to what you’d see a child wear.
Pictured: Three outfits incorporating the same blouse. On the left: Anna pairs the blouse with a red sleeveless dress and red boots. In the center: The blouse is worn with “schoolboy” shorts with suspenders and sneakers. On the right, it is styled with a black knife pleated skirt and red boots.
Any other comments? My first foray into vampires was the Twilight series. Cringe, yes, I know, but it was all the rage back in middle school. After all, who wouldn’t want a dark, brooding vampire who lived and breathed only for you and would do anything for you à la Heathcliff from Wuthering Heights? (As a middle schooler I thought that was incredibly attractive).
This interest eventually blossomed into “vampire aesthetic” fashion in high school. I was trying to find my personal style — a signature look — and I fell in love with the dark elegance of vampires. I’m particularly drawn to the vampires that exude an aristocratic yet feral quality, an ethereal yet dangerous aura. They look pretty and dress pretty, but they can just as soon tear out your throat if they want to. These beings are usually pictured wearing flowy black capes, fluffy blouses with cravats, and thigh-high laced boots. I was enchanted and I wanted to embody their otherworldly charms, and I suppose I thought that if I dressed in such a fashion, I would manifest a similar confidence.
As I would later learn, emulating the vampire look for daily wear was too difficult, so I turned to something similar: dark academia. Dark academia is akin to the vampiric aesthetic I wanted, but it was easier to wear: smart button-downs and herringbone tweed blazers, penny loafers, and tailored knife pleated slacks all in dark hues were all that was needed.
Deep neutrals are much easier and comfortable to wear, so that’s the style I’ve adopted and mostly stuck to. Of course, I don’t confine myself to one particular aesthetic, but I’ve found that my personal mix of “romantic vampire x dark academia” suits me best. I stick with dark academic staples that can be enhanced by a few vampiric statement pieces. I would love to have more statement pieces, but buying consciously on a budget means buying only what I’ll wear often.
Pictured: Anna kicks up her heels and shows off her black square toed boots.
The only other aesthetic I’m drawn to is tech wear. You can thank K-Pop for that. I enjoy the dark, edgy vibe (e.g. harnesses, utilitarian skirts, chains and combat boots) but I’m not particularly inclined to invest my money into creating a tech wear wardrobe — perhaps just a few pieces here and there — because tech wear tends to be unsustainable and not something I can wear on a daily basis.
If you’d like to dabble in the “elegant vampire style,” may I suggest the following shops:
The Vampire’s Wife if you want something to wear to your next illicit rendezvous with your secret human lover and @Madame_noir_vintage if you want pieces you can wear daily. I like the following vintage designer shops on IG: @shrimptoncouture, @247archives, @anteactus, and @tinselkid. Looking at vintage pieces from Prada, Miu Miu, and Vivienne Westwood offers great inspiration for my style.
If you check out any of these shops, get anything, or feel inspired to try any dark academia or vampire looks, I’d love to see and hear about your experience! You can tag me on Instagram @redbeandream.
Thank you Anna for this bloodcurdling good outfit repeater! This blouse is scrumptious and your exploration of more subtle variations of the vampire aesthetic is something to behold! This is a great reminder of the kind of romantic-with-an-edge treasures you can find while shopping secondhand. After all, wouldn’t a modern vampire invest in pieces that will stand the test of time?
Do you have a favorite outfit that makes you feel totally rad? Show us and tell us all about it. Strike a pose and interrupt conventional internet traffic with your awesome duds HERE.
Editor: Iris Aguilar | Designer: Kelsey Wolf | Photographer: Anna Hou | Communication/Support/Outreach: Meg Chellew and Elise Nye
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