Vampire Clothing

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Who exactly wears vampire clothing? Of course, you could say that vampires wear them, if you are a believer in the existence of this supernatural entity. However, most people choose to wear vampire cotumes only at Halloween or for costume parties.

Those who wear vampire clothing often are people who aspire to be a vampire or are attracted by the vampire lifestyle. These people may be involved in vampire role playing games; they meet with other vampire fans for events in which everyone pretends to be an alter ego that is a vampire. Then there are those people who dress in vampire clothing because they really believe they are a vampire.

Vampire clothing that is mostly worn as costumes is the style most associated with the modern day vampire from films. The color palette associated with vampire clothing is black as night with blood red accents. A long black cape with a red underlining and an oversized collar that allows the wearer to hide their face from the sunlight is the signature piece of both male and female vampires.

Accessories most associated with theatrical vampire clothing include white face paint to simulate the look of death and lack of sun. Also, the theatrical vampire must have big, black bushy eyebrows, which are based on the fictional Dracula by Bram Stoker that is set in the birthplace of Dracula -- Transylvania.

A person dressing as vampire for Halloween or a costume party will also need a pair of false teeth with oversized incisors. A drip or two of blood coming out of a set of blood red lips completes the ensemble. As for the vampire clothing beneath the cape, most anything black will suffice, such as a black dress or suit. Typically vampires are seen as sharp dressing attractive individuals, though, so consider this as you choose the outfit to wear.

Those who dress with a vampire influence include social groups who are indirectly involved in the vampire culture. While these people may not call themselves vampires in the fictional sense, they will take on some of the characteristics of vampirism, such as a nocturnal nature, lack of sun exposure, or pleasure in drinking blood.

One type of such group is the gothic vampire who wears clothing based on inspiration from the Victorian era. More specifically, in the gothic vampire style people dress in black Victorian era ball gowns or dress coats with long tails.

Males wear top hats and carry canes, while women wear fascinators in the form of miniature top hats or with elaborate black plumes. Ruffled collars, curly long hair, and formal dress also characterize this style of vampire clothing.

Instead of appearing like campy vampires from a Hammer Film, gothic inspired vampires elicit a more elegant and sophisticated air. One example of the gothic vampire in modern film can be found in the film adaptation of Anne Rice’s gothic fiction novel, “Interview with the Vampire.” The male vampire characters Lestat de Lioncourt plaed by Tom Cruise; Stephen Rea as Santiago; Brad Pitt who is Louis de Pointe du Lac; Armand portrayed by Antonio Banderas; and the female Claudia played by Kirsten Dunst are dressed as gothic vampires.

vampire clothing Steam punk fashion is also associated with Victorian clothing inspired by the 1700s. However, steam punk style incorporates the use of steam powered mechanics and metallic parts. Items that are found in modern day, such as watches and spy gear, are recreated as if they would have been in the 1700s. This means that rather than plastics and synthetic materials, or batteries and computer chips, steam punk objects are made using steam, wheels, and materials, such as copper, that were found in the eighteenth century.

As for the clothing and accessories, steam punk fashion incorporates gothic Victorian styles, such as spikes, chains, and dark inspiration. For instance, gothic clothing consists of long black trench coats and tall leather boots. Also added to the look are popular accessories for steam punks, such as metal mechanized goggles that change the wearer’s eyes, such as through colored glass lenses to make the person look like a vampire, or goggles that are black to shield their vision. These look especially spooky.

Also in connection with steam punk inspired vampire clothing is the use of Victorian style pieces, such as long lacy gloves and top hats. Just as with goth style, steam punk females will often sport a formal ball gown complete with a tight fitting corset and sharp pointed boots. Along with jewelry made from cogs and wheels that has form as well as function, steam punk vampires take a more mechanical approach to the gothic style.

Other accessories that are often used in conjunction with vampire clothing are vials that are filled with either real or synthetic blood and worn on a necklace. While cheap plastic vampire fangs are typically used for temporary scenarios, such as costume parties, some people invest in surgical procedures to implant permanent incisor teeth that are animalistic in length and sharpness. In the same vein as vampire fangs are faux vampire bites.

These come in temporary tattoo form, as well as more elaborate theater makeup kits. The vampire bites tattoos are available at most costume stores and party shops; they are inexpensive but also very short lived. Theater makeup kits that are used for vampire bites use latex and synthetic blood. The latex is applied in a gory manner and blood is allowed to drip out of the bites. These are longer lasting and a lot more noticeable.

If you have invested in a wardrobe of vampire clothing, but need that extra special touch, consider investing in colored contact lenses. While a pair of contact lenses should always be purchased from an eyewear professional, this also involves a visit to an optometrist to get a subscription so the contacts best fit your eyes. However, there are some manufacturers that sell generic vampire inspired contact lenses, such as those that make the eye balls red, black, or white.

If you are interested in vampire clothing, start by looking for items that are black or red. White, and other bright colors of the rainbow, is not typical of any vampire style. Invest in items that layer, such as fishnet stockings or tights, multiple layers of skirts, or a suit coat with a vest and collared shirt. The premise is that vampires must wear all of their clothing at one time as they are constantly on the hunt. Also, keep in mind that vampires are typically narcissistic by nature so they want to look their best.

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