Tuesday, November 20, 2012

Shelby Lynne O'Neal of The Black Belles talks fashion, goth, knee socks and Nabokov.

What were you like growing up?



Growing up I was very shy and I’ve always been incredibly bookish. In high school I did independent studies so I didn’t have a typical high school experience. I spent the ages of 14-17 growing up without much outside influence from classmates. In turn my tastes in music, fashion, and literature were sometimes very different from other kids growing up in my hometown.






Who are your personal female heroes?

My Grandmother. She overcame a lot of difficulties in her life and was one of the strongest and most beautiful ladies ever. ...And she always had fantastic taste in shoes.




Who would you say are your style icons and inspirations?


Wednesday Addams.

Marianne Faithful. Pamela Des Barres. All of the Runaways. Lydia Deetz.

Loads of my friends have fantastic style too, so I am constantly inspired by them.







What are your top 5 staple items?

1. Black platform wedges. Whether they’re oxfords, ankle straps, or lace-up boots, I am most often wearing some form of black wedges.
2. Over the Knee Socks. American Apparel makes great ones, they don’t slip down and are surprisingly durable.
3. Black baby doll dress; white collar. Despite how many dresses are in my closet, I most often find myself reaching for one of these.
4. Leather Jacket...My brother painted a spider on the back of mine and I’ve decorated it with a few pins.
5. The jewelry I wear every single day....
For my 15th birthday I got an ax pendant on a simple chain. I’ve been wearing it every day since and collecting additional meaningful pendants and charms. There’s probably about a dozen different things at this point, with a story behind each one....In addition to this necklace, every day I also wear two rings. One was a gift from my Grandmother to my Great Grandmother which was then passed down to me. And the second is a VeraMeat ring to commemorate the life of my beloved Daschund of 13 years.




You have a very impressive vintage dress collection. What is it you like the most about vintage style and where do you usually do all your thrifting?

Thank you!! My favorite part about vintage style is how all encompassing it is. Whether I feel like wearing gold bell bottoms from the 70s or a 50s party dress, or anything in between...Vintage doesn’t let me down.

I’ll do my thrifting anywhere, I’m not picky! There are treasures to be found everywhere. Tennessee has the most excellent estate sales. I’m partial to California’s flea markets. There’s a great one every Sunday in a drive-in movie theater near where I grew up. I have favorite thrift shops all over the country, but those are a closely guarded secret.





How would you describe your sense of style?

My style varies a lot day to day but most often its some sort of gothic pilgrim with a bit of schoolgirl thrown in there as I often wear childrens’ clothes. But then again...sometimes its more 70s teenager...or a 60s housewife on New Years Eve.





Are you a brands kind of girl or more of a whatever looks good/is comfortable kind of girl?
I’m not so much a brands girls....There are designers who I admire but my own closet is far from full of labels. My achilles heel would have to be Jeffrey Campbell.
I just try to find pieces that appeal to me aesthetically in some way. Flattering fit is important too, but I do a lot of altering myself (with the help of my Mom).There’s very few dresses in my closet which I haven’t modified in some way.




You have a very eclectic taste in fashion, style, film and art. What are some of your all time faves and why?
Lolita. The Nabokov novel is my all-time favorite book. There’s an unmatched beauty to the way its written. The poster for Kubrick’s film is my all-time favorite poster. The heart shaped glasses. The red lipstick. The lollipop. Its just perfect.

I adore Stanley Kubrick, so next would be the Shining. I love everything about this movie; the original trailer, the script, the gore... But above all are the twins’ outfits.

Harold & Maude. Simply: Harold is my soul mate.

Mercedes Helnwein is one of my favorite artists. Her aesthetic is right up my alley. Everything is beautiful and creepy and interesting.

Justin O’Neal, another one of my favorite artists. There’s a dark beauty to what he creates which I love. http://justinonealart.com/









What are top 3 makeup items you cannot live without?



1. Red eyeshadow. I finally managed to find just the right shade but its a blush that I use as eye shadow! (Nars in Exhibit A.) A little bit goes a long way and it stays on forever! 2. Red/orange lipstick. This might make me a weirdo, but I have a huge obsession with having my lip color match my eyeshadow.
3. Black liquid eyeliner. Always winged. I’m not even sure I know how to do it any other way. 






What are your favourite places to shop online?


Sockdreams.com is my favorite... They have the best selection of leg wear which is a vital part of my wardrobe.  Asos.com of course is just amazing. NastyGal.com & Karmaloop.com are my favorites for shoes.



Where do you get majority of your inspiration in life?
 Going to live shows...I’m always inspired in some way after I leave an excellent concert. 

Fave blogs and sites to visit?
RookieMag.com. Tavi Gevinson is a girl wonder.
 I also like MissPandora.Fr and thecherryblossomgirl.com 









You can check out Shelby in The Black Belles below;