Grand Theft Autumn

{Kurt Cobain and Courtney Love back in the day ... the star-crossed grunge royalty (oxymoron?) couple} (http://xpbert4life.buzznet.com)
My cravings for all things darkly beautiful, slightly grungy, and daintily creepy is going into overdrive, in spite of a warm, sticky weekend in the last week of September. The craving for soft, worn knits, ass-kicking boots (Docs?), smudged eye-makeup, and crayon-colored hair has been hitting me hard. I remember back in 8th grade when I was secretly thrilled if my bangs got a little stiff after a couple of days - call it the '90s response to the greasers. (The Outsiders, holler!) I flirted by asking some boy if I could listen to Stone Temple Pilots, Smashing Pumpkins (I loved D'Arcy), Pearl Jam, and Rage (Against the Machine, duh) on his Discman while we rode the bus home from Old Sturbridge Village, and I longed for a smiley-face baby-tee. Those of us with a major soft spot for the golden age of grunge were often also susceptible to emo and punk, worn-out striped sweaters, the occasional cool-eyed loop around Hot Topic, and school dances that consisted of 2 hours of same-sex head-banging followed by perhaps 7 minutes of combined-gender grinding. Hand me an Army Navy jacket, the Clueless VHS, Delia's catalogue (to cut up and use to decorate my binder), Manic Panic hair dye, and some gel facial-glitter.

{Deep passion and dark romance: a local book display that made me want to hide under my covers in a "wuthering" thunder-storm and dream of Heathcliff.}

{Craving pin-up and seasonal colors for lips and nails. I'm interested in spicing up dark-hued ensembles with a swipe of bright, cheery housewife-esque lip color. Revlon Super Lustrous Creme lipstick in Siren, Sally Hansen Crackle Overcoat in Ink Splatter - to layer over sparkly Milani Nail Lacquer in My Network ... Essie Nail Lacquer in Geranium, and L'Oreal Coulour Riche lipstick in British Red.}

{T.J. Maxx treats from the top of the season: Super-tempting triple-compartment skull dish and skull catch-all; desert-tan wedge booties that made their way home with me (and win the Most Comfortable Platforms Award).}

{Uber-grungy canvas-and-leather studded lace-up boots for which I'm just a bit too girlie but still hold a healthy appreciation. Soundgarden show, anyone?}

{Prized triple-buckle brown motorcycle boots discovered at an undisclosed location, gaining character as they get beaten up ... what survivors. Red child's stool (now a foot-stool for my closet), $11.88 at Target. Puzzled Yorkshire Terrier pup; Western Massachusetts.}

{Pretty sweet stacked-skull silver butter-spreaders for $8.00. I resisted, but only barely. Their smiles are just so warm and inviting.}

Grunge isn't dead, only sleeping ... beauty sleep, I might add!

xoxo