Monday, January 21, 2013

Worst of 2012

As a nice little appetizer to our anticipated Midwinter, 2013 issue, here's a little something to play with.

Remember kids, themed events are not a license to forget.
We are watching.
We will make fun of you.

The Nominees for Worst Dressed of 2012



 Crash: Reese, then, Harpy of Milwaukee at Midwinter 2012
 Crash: Apollo from the Twin Cities at Midwinter 2012 in his Goblin King costume.


 Crash: Lena! in this unfortunate plaid dress at Columbus's Grand Elysium in July
 Crash:  Julius Cole, Prince of Philly, and that f@#$%ing hat,  at Columbus's Grand Elysium in July.
 Crash: Tony Maietta, Brujah from Maine at the Atlanta Event in September.
 Crash:  Rook and Harrow from Annapolis at Nonclave's "beach party" in August.
Crash:  Assamite, Quinn from Hartford, CT at the Northeast Event in November.

















Well, that's it, darlings! Just a taste to get you ready for Midwinter 2013! And it's a hot, hot issue!

xoxo
Crash & Burn

(OOC note:  Even though we may be vicious vapid bitches IC, we seriously and honestly appreciate your costuming.  It gives game its energy and fun when everyone brings their A game and wears some of the most amazing costumes, many created by their own hands.  Seriously, kudos to all of you who go the extra mile and make the effort.  Costuming is part of the fun of live action games.  Keep it coming, and we think you are the most daring, courageous, wonderful people that OWBN has to offer.)

Saturday, January 12, 2013

2012 In Review

Well, well well, my sweet dark loves, what a YEAR IT HAS BEEN. We have seen the best, and the worst, out of the Kindred of the Camarilla (and a few Anarchs! And at least a couple of Giovanni!)  A year of the amazing couture and a year of crimes against fashion!

Milwaukee, we are looking at you. Oh yes, yes we are. After how Baltimore totally stood you up last year, we are expecting wonders. Do not disappoint us!

With that, we decided to give you all a reminder of the best of the best. Yes, darlings, here it is, the Best of 2012.

 Be sure to vote in the poll, and be on the look out for the poll for worst dressed of 2012 in the week leading up to Midwinter.

Nominees for Best Dressed


 Crash:  Midwinter: Vinny Velario and William Harkness of Baltimore and Portland, Maine respectively.
 Crash:  Glitter and Gloom, Ekaterina, Clan Ventrue, Baltimore.

 Crash:  Glitter and Gloom: Rachel Dubhan, Toreador of middle Georgia
 Crash:  Grand Elysium of the Bay Area, Alecto, Toreador archon.


Crash:  Lehigh Valley Conclave: Zoe, Toreador from PA

 Crash: Atlanta, Lilyanna Salvatore, Toreador, Seneschal of Middle Georgia.
 Crash: The Northeast Event, Anya, Brujah Prince of Hartford
 Crash:  The Northeast Event - Vinny Velario, Toreador from Baltimore.















 
Burn: Grand Elysium, Columbus, Lady Black


Coming soon, Nominees for Worst Dressed, and poll.


Dos and Don'ts for the 2013 Season


  • Don't: No more Prom Themes. Seriously. Seriously! What's next, Kindred Under the Sea? Starry, starry night?  A Night in Paradise? Stairway to Heaven? Spend five minutes with a creative Toreador or with Tommy Truelove's drugs and come up with better ideas, party planners!
  • Don't dress like Azrael Abyss, Prince of Sorrows. (But if you do, do it ironically and send us hilarious photo ops.)
  • Don't be a stereotype.  You can do better.

  • Do be adventurous! If you want to be written about (and we know you do!), wear something that will catch attention!
  • Do make statements! Statement necklaces, statement shoes, statement hair, statement Fendi bag with an adorable little ghoul puppy in it!!
  • Do accessorize.  Fabulous hats, gloves, distinctive jewelry.  Wear fabulous shoes (beauty is pain, darlings!)
  • Do establish a signature item (Except you, Julius Cole.)
  • Do: Tailoring.
  • Do: Ladies, every single one of you, when in doubt, a little black dress can never go wrong.
  • Do: Gentlemen, when all else fails, wear a suit.  For real.

That is all my dears!

xoxo
Crash and Burn

Friday, January 4, 2013

The Shoe Issue 2012

Darlings!!! 

Your long wait is over!  Here it is, darlings, our first annual* Shoe Issue!!! This past year we have been seeing some truly amazing shoes on the most darling and daring Kindred! We have also seen some crimes against fashion! Some true Ermahgerd! moments, my sweet dark things.

No holds barred, darlings, tell us how you truly feel about these winners and losers. 

WINNERS!

Crash: Anya, the not-so-silent Prince of Hartford, in sweet little vintage-inspired black satin slingbacks with an adorable little satin rosette.  The shoes far out-shined the blue polka dot dress she was wearing, but hey.  We'll take it.  Keep up the good work, sweetie.
Burn:  Pardon me, darlings, while I try to channel my inner Manolo here.  This sexy little open-toed black sling-back with the bow accent is a winner! However, Anya-darling, do please put some polish on those undead toesies of yours. Might I suggest OPI's "Lincoln Park After Dark"?


 Crash: Oh dear, sweet Sugartits, uh... Katja Nothing, at Columbus's Grand Elysium this July, after a disappointing overture at first, stepped up for a truly spectacular finish with these striking PVC platform stilettoes.  De-licious.

Burn: Oh, Katja, sweet Katja, if was not obvious we name you the Camarilla Shoe Princess of the Year. Sexy caged stilettos with a yummy polish! 





CrashMason, from Buffalo shows off white hot spats at the PA Conclave this year with his simple, yet elegant and tasteful black square toes.

Burn: Mason, Mason, Mason. Once again, you show us how to walk with style. Perfect black and white split dress leather loafers. Just perfect.

 Crash: The stunningly gorgeous, dark haired turned heads in her classy black dress in Atlanta this September, but it was her shiny black leather open toed shoes that really caught our attention.  Talk about fantastic taste and a real sense of class.

Burn: A lovely set of strappy heels that shoe off those beautiful gams. snaps.

Crash: The red hot square toe croc embossed shoes with matching red socks and pants worn by a certain Setite were the bright shining stars of mens' fashion this summer. 

Burn: Well. It makes a statement, that's for sure! Snaps for the kindred trying to pull this one off and not wearing a boring black suit with a blue tie. 



CrashVinny Velario, Toreador from Baltimore brought the house down at Anya's blues party in sweet croc embossed shiny blue square toes that look suspiciously inspired by a certain Setite's footwear at Grand Elysium in Columbus.  It seems someone was taking notes.  Glad to know we have such loyal (and fabulous) readers.
Burn: Oh, Vinny, darling, darling. Fabulous choice of footwear to go with the dark suit. Tres stylish and very daring. I love it. Love love love love love.




Crash: Sabine Reya, Westchester, at Columbus's Grand Elysium wearing these interestingly-textured multi-neutral-toned t-straps.  I swear this drawing does not do them justice.  They really were way cuter in person.  Rather 1920s inspired, but didn't really go with the more 1940s-inspired outfit Sabine was wearing.  Points for taking the risk.


Burn: Sabine, Sabine... brown suede pumps. Gag. 
Crash: Lots of great shoes at Columbus's Grand Elysium this year.  This pair of decadent red suede platform pumps with bloody red PVC heels had us panting.  More like this please.


Burn: OMG, children. I am fanning myself here and praying I don't rochechek, because, omg, those red pumps are on fucking fire! Hot, hot, hot. Come fuck me pumps indeed! Ahem. Darling. Seriously. Ahem.

 Crash: Jenny Talia, Primogen of Washington, DC at the  Baltimore Glitter and Gloom event taught the assembled Kindred there all about classic black heels. Simple, understated, and timelessly elegant.  Take notes, people.

Burn: Oh, Jenny, Jenny, Jenny. Not only do we love your name (and oh, we do), we love your sense of style. These shoes completed your look at Baltimore, and my god, you are a sexy, sexy woman -- and too much for one man, if you know what I mean, children. 
 Crash: Selene Lazarion, in Baltimore at Glitter & Gloom sexy satin open toed shoes with an interesting textural detail and a little  kitten heel every bit as cute as she is.

Burn: I am very afraid if I say anything bad about these shoes, Selene Lazarion would light me on fire. So I won't. But seriously.  Well done.


 


Crash: At 2012's Midwinter, the one, the only the slightly addictive, Roxy Codone, childe of Tommy Truelove, Prince of Tampa, rocking the most amazing red satin corset-back open toed platforms.  This girl makes stripper shoes look classy.  What a gift.  Midwinter

Burn: Oh. Roxy. Oh Foxy Roxy, these amazing platform red stilettos are so so you. I am sure you were breaking every man's undead heart and turning every woman at Midwinter's heart green with envy.




LOSERS!


 Crash: Masako Hara at Baltimore's Glitter and Gloom had a seriously hit-or-miss weekend.  We loved the black wiggle dress, but the red one, and the deeply unfortunate sandals she paired with them was not her best work.


Burn: Masako - Gladiator shoes?? Really?? With pink polish? Did Kanye West dress you too?  Gah. Well, I suppose even a fashion goddess like yourself has a bad shoe day.

Crash: The shoes Lena! was wearing at Columbus's Grand Elysium this year came from a discount "intimates" shop for Japanese school girls with a serious tentacle problem.  

Burn: Oh Lena! You are not a 14 year old girl! Those plaid puppy heels ...with bows. Seriously. With bows???? Seriously? Seriously! Seriously! Please, girlfriend, you are a Prince of the Camarilla. Stilettos. Doc Marten Shit-Kickers. Ballet flats. Anything but plaid puppy heels. Seriously.



 Crash:  It seems this year at Nonclave, everyone came down with a serious case of the fashion fuck-its.  These tall Converse All Stars with stud details, in a classy pairing with ripped up fishnets are seriously special.  Like, 90s high school special.

Burn: Fuck it. It's Nonclave. No one cared. Obviously. OBVIOUSLY. 



Crash:  Open-toed shooties.  WTF?  Shooties.This kindred, cracked blue toenail polish and all, has clearly failed.
Burn:  I rest my case on the no one caring at (or about) Nonclave. Ew. Just... no.



Crash:  Nothing says easy, breezy, beautiful like over-sized plastic sandals.  Seriously, you're not even trying.  Just because it's Nonclave doesn't mean you don't have to at least try.

Burn: ... I have no words. Oh wait. I do. Crash -- WHY do you make me look at the ugly??? WHHHHHHHHHHY!! Why do you do this to me! What Kindred couldn't make even the *smallest* of efforts to wear a nice sandal. These...these things are an abomination!! 


 

Gossip! 

 And because it is us, we can't have a issue with a hint of gossip!!!
  • Blind item! What Tremere Archon has a giant crush on Cassandra Sumner? We heard that a certain Prince fancies her as well and is refusing to share! In fact, the Prince in question told her and others present at a gathering that the Archon was trying to wrap a bow around her!  Sadly Cassandra doesn't feel like being re-gifted this year, and has declined to return his affections.  This made the Archon quite upset when he was there to collect such a pretty package!  

We can't wait for Midwinter, pretties, to see what you all do with the theme.  Until next time!

XOXO,
Crash & Burn

(OOC - Once again, we love your costuming! And shoes! Snaps to Katja Nothing's player for the idea. Take nothing we say in a bad way OOC.)