100 Days To Halloween

Eeeeeek! Today marks 100 days to Halloween! I can't believe we have already arrived at this milestone this year. This year has definitely been difficult and I haven't been around much on here or other social media. Though navigating through the COVID-19 pandemic has been hard (though I would say the hardest part is dealing with people who refuse to wear masks or social distance), I am glad that it acted as a catalyst for the Black Lives Matter movement to gain momentum and wake a lot of people up. With this social movement as well as the continued threat of COVID-19 (and spending most of the year staying home), this year feels like it has sped by!

10 Things I'm Loving This June

This has been a hectic month with trying to pack and get ready for a big move, plus getting ready to travel for a wedding, not to mention how bonkers work has been! Thank goodness I had some things that kept me sane and happy this month, and as per my monthly tradition, I'm sharing 10 of these things with you below. This monthly practice encourages me to reflect on things I'm grateful for this month as well as sharing some of my favorite things with you! And I always love to hear about items you are digging this month, feel free to share them with me in the comments!

Here are my 10 Things I'm Loving this June:

Spooky Summer Goth Essentials to Survive the Sun

With Memorial Day behind us, I can't believe summer is almost here! I'm already in shock of how long the days are stretching and I am already dreading the warmer temperatures. Summer is the last season before the glorious return of fall, and all we need to do is survive summer to get to the best season, autumn! And of course, summer can be fun if take the time to stock up on some necessities that make it so much more pleasant for us darklings...

I have to say that summer is usually a struggle for me (and many other fellow fiends who wear black year-round), so in preparation I've rounded up some spooky summer goth essentials to help me and my fellow spookies survive the summer. Below I'm sharing clothes, accessories, pool floats, parasols, swimsuits, makeup, sandals, and more with a spooky twist to make summertime more bearable.

13 Tips and Tricks To Survive Midsummer Scream

Midsummer Scream is just a week away (eeeeeeek!!) and I am so excited! In case you didn't know, Midsummer Scream is a Halloween festival and convention held at the Long Beach Convention Center. It celebrates all things spooky, kicks off the Halloween season (yes, it's here!), and has been a blast every year I've attended (see my coverage of last year's event HERE and HERE and 2016's inaugural event HERE). It has been so neat to see it grow over these last few years, so I am really stoked to see what they have in store for us this year.

Since so many people are attending this year (I get to see so many spooky friends, yay!), I have been asked for tips and tricks on attending the convention, what people should expect, what they should bring, and so on. I figured I would put together a little guide for those who are attending for the first time as well as for those convention veterans needing a bit more help navigating the event.

With so many amazing panels, classes, vendors, entertainment, and more, it is easy to get overwhelmed, but I'm here to make sure that doesn't happen! With just a little bit of pre-planning, you can maximize your time at Midsummer Scream and make sure you see everything you want to (and more!). I'm a person who love to pre-plan everything, but I know there are others out there that don't, so I wanted to make sure to cover even the most basic of tips for the convention.

Check out my 13 Tips and Tricks to Survive Midsummer Scream below:

Halloween Hike to Pumpkin Rock in Norco, CA

Pumpkin Rock is a hidden gem in the Inland Empire region of Southern California that only takes a short hike to get to, but rewards you with the sheer joy of being in the presence of a huge jack-o-lantern as well as stunning views of Riverside and Norco. Not many people seem to know about it, so I wanted to share how to find this gourd-geous monument to Halloween spirit so you can visit as well!

Spooky Summer: Goth Lemonade To Quench The Darkest Thirsts

Goth lemonade, made with activated charcoal, is an eerily easy way to spook up your summer, whether you make a refreshing glass for yourself or an entire pitcher to serve at your next goth pool party (see other goth essentials for summer HERE). It is the perfect drink to make on hot, lazy summer days and has the added bonus of matching your clothes...and soul! No to mention it is an eerily impressive beverage that photographs wonderfully! Besides serving this in summer, it would also work just as well for Halloween. Check out the quick and easy recipe below.

Spooky Summer: 20 Swimsuits for Darklings

I cannot believe it is already June! I don't know where the first half of the year went, but the days are getting hotter and soon we will be in the wicked throes of temperatures that soar above 80 degrees (my preferred temperature is around 65 degrees at the max). While I generally like to remain indoors during the summer, there is something about this year that actually has me looking forward to long, languid days spent lounging near a pool, beach, or other body of water - in a killer swimsuit perfect for darklings, of course.

Lucky for you, I've scoured my favorite online haunts and scoped out their swimsuit collections for spooky swimsuits, from Halloween-inspired prints to vintage-styled black swimsuits. I've found 20 swimsuits in various cuts, styles, and prints that are just perfect for those of us that have gothic inclinations. The bathing suits I chose all have a certain dark flair and I am certain you will find something to adore for summer below:

Spooky Summer: Eerie Items For A Goth Pool Party

Summer is basically here and though I'm not usually a fan of this season, I'm trying to make the best of it this year. That means putting a goth spin on traditional summer activities, like pool parties or beach visits, because you can maintain and show off your darkling style even in the dreadful heat. I have been preparing for the hot weather and sunny days by browsing for goth summer products, from swimsuits to pool floats to beach towels to flip flops to party accessories...and want to share my fiendish finds with you, so you can make your next pool party (or backyard barbecue, or beach outing, or lake retreat, etc.) spooky!

Below you'll find eerie items you need to have a killer goth summer party:

Goth Guide to Summer: 31 Goth Essentials to Survive the Sun

Temperatures are heating up, the days are getting longer, and we are going to be in the middle of summer before you know it! In my opinion, the only good thing about summer is that Halloween season will immediately follow, so I just have to get through it.

If you are a darkling like me who wears black year-round and hates the heat, you are probably looking for ways to keep cool while still staying spooky. Lucky for you, I've been on the hunt for goth essentials like fearsome fashions, eerie accessories, and so much more that will make summer a little more bearable for us spooky kids. I've found 31 macabre must-haves for surviving summer the spooky way, check them out below:

Summer Goth Playlist

We are now in the agonizing throes of summer. It always seems that as soon as July 1st hits the temperatures and humidity spike up and I'm left feeling hot and gross for months. I'm already longing for cooler days and nights! While temps won't cool down for many months (even our autumns here in SoCal are hot and searing), I stay cool with a collection of summer tunes. Even when I'm wearing all black on a scorching day (I will never not wear black), these songs make the torturous summer slightly more bearable.

How to Have a Spooky 4th of July

Hope you are doing something spooky for Independence Day, but if not there is still time to plan something for tomorrow! As for me, I'm keeping it creepy by carving some melon-o-lanterns, watching some scary summer movies, and grilling up some vegan noms like the Beyond Burger. If you are still looking for ways to spookify your patriotic celebrations, I have some fun recommendations for you below!

Goth Essentials for Surviving Summer

I can't believe summer is already here, it feels like the spring went by so fast! Thankfully here in Orange County it is still relatively cool due to June Gloom (swoon!), but warmer weather has been creeping up on us (it will be in the 80s the rest of the week) and as soon as July hits temps will be shooting up to the 90s and 100s (ugh). I hate hot weather so I do all I can to stay cool while still keeping it spooky during the unbearable summer months.

Below I've collected some summer goth essentials to help you keep creepin' in the summer heat, including pool and beach accessories, some dark but gauzy clothing (I don't care how hot it is, I'm still wearing black), items that will protect your skin from the sun, boo-tiful bags to keep all these ghoulish goodies in, and much more macabre merch to add to your wish list!

My Top 10 Summer Horror Movies

Original image from Italian poster art for Blood Beach (1981)

I'll admit, I'm not a summer person. I don't like the sun, I hate the heat, the tourists are awful, the days are too bright, and I generally feel like running away and hiding from this season. In my opinion, the only good thing about summer is Halloween goodies start appearing in stores and that means autumn is not too far away. So most of the summer I lock myself away in my air conditioned home and spend my time soaking in horror flicks in my cool, dark, and cozy living room.

However, sometimes I get an annoying urge to put on a summery horror movie where kids are going to camp (and probably getting butchered), beach-side and lake-front beaches are crowded with sunbathers and swimmers (to satiate whatever lurks in the watery depths off shore or in the sands below), shady locals are waiting to offer tourists a helping hand (only to entrap them in a sinister scheme), and people are enjoying their vacation (until something unfortunate happens). Maybe this is me trying to jive with the summer vibe or maybe I just like watching sun-worshippers get their comeuppance (hint: it's probably the second choice!).

Anywho, I have a list of 10 of my favorite summer horror movies below (plus some bonus picks) that help evoke the feelings of this sweltering season without ever having to step foot outside. Hey, it's scary out there, which you would know if you paid careful attention to the killer summer-themed horror flicks mentioned below!

20 Summer Goth Essentials to Survive the Sun

UPDATE: Check out other Summer Goth Essentials on my 2018 list and 2017 list!

Summer is swiftly approaching here in the Northern Hemisphere and temperatures are already inching up into uncomfortable territory (I can't stand anything over 75 degrees Fahrenheit; yes, I'm a delicate little flower). Though summertime means that Halloween is right around the corner, we still have to get through the sweltering days, which can be a challenge for those of us that prefer dark and dreary to bright and cheery.

So, to help cope with the impending sunshiny doom, I've put together a survival list of 20 summer essentials for dark hearts like myself. Most of these items are for spooky ghouls (sorry boils) and include creepy clothes, sinister swimsuits, boo-tiful bags, macabre makeup, and more. These are all items I either love or covet, I have not been paid to post them. Also, everything you see is vegan and cruelty-free. And I think it goes without saying, but ALL BLACK EVERYTHING (ok, with a few exceptions)!

I hope these 20 items keep you cool and creepy this summer!

Summer Beach Goth Essentials

Who knew Vampira was a beach goth?

With warmer temps heating up SoCal and spring breakers descending on our beaches, it already feels like summer is here! As you probably know since I've complained about it so much, I'm not the biggest fan of the sun, summer, or the heat. This year, however, I'm kinda looking forward to the summer season (though probably only because it will put me closer to Halloween).

In fact, I've been so stoked that I kinda started planning beach trips and browsing for the perfect gothic beach accessories. I've found some ghoulishly great goth items for this summer, so now I guess I don't have an excuse for not hitting up the beach!

Here are my picks for Summer Beach Goth Essentials:

Tricks and Treats to Beat the Heat (Guest Blog on Cowgirls and Collard Greens Site)

Written by Sarah E. Jahier

When the adorable vegan cowgirl Kayle Martin of Cowgirls and Collard Greens asked me to guest blog on her site, I jumped at the chance! I have been a long-time admirer of Kayle, adore her site, and even got to meet her in person at Expo West (yes, she is as sweet in person as she is online!). I was truly honored/excited to guest blog on her site, so please giddy-up on over to Cowgirls and Collard Greens to read about my tricks and treats to beat the summer heat.  

Please check out my article on Cowgirls and Collard Greens or continue reading below. And in the immortal words of the vegan cowgirl herself, Yeehaw!!  

The Hollows Market Spooks Up Some Fun in SoCal Tomorrow

Written by Sarah E. Jahier

The Hollows Market is happening TOMORROW, Saturday, July 26th from 11 AM - 8 PM in Glendale, California and will feature vendors that specialize in darker aesthetics. Horror-themed products, fearsome fashions, Halloween-themed creations, gothic baubles, dark art and much more will be available from independent, local artisans.