Accessorizing the Mood.

My grandfather was a psychoanalyst, and full of one-liners and maxims on surviving the psychological ebullience that being a sentient being in a turbid sea of other sentient beings engenders. One of those was, "Avoid crazy people."

The statue of Freud that my grandfather had on his desk; now on my desk.

Another piece of advice (which brings me to today's topic) is of quelling a twitch: If you have a twitch in your eye, say, or leg, the best way to get it to go away is to exacerbate the twitch. If your leg is jumping, just flex the muscle with as much force as you can muster every time you feel the twitching sensation coming around; eventually the twitch will cease.

I follow this advice whenever I get into a mood -- I act out the mood to the fullest of its extent, to ridiculousness, and the feeling soon passes.

Turban: Vintage, thrifted. Shades: Vintage. Blouse: thrifted. Skirt: Old Navy. Shoes: Irregular Choice. Apple Pendant: vintage, thrifted.

Here are a few accessories I've scouted out on Etsy, to fully set the mood:

I just ordered these today from relishdress to wear when I'm feeling especially dark and literary. I love things with mysterious text on them and the stark black and white with tear-like presentation is wildly appropriate.



Whichgoose's Etsy shop is filled with ethereal, nature-inspired headpieces; usually in bridal white. This black one is the fussy hat version of a headband. My favorite aspect of this headpiece is that the vines its made from are left their natural brown, giving it a "when the fairytale turns sinister" vibe.


Choose your own "chained/free" metaphor! I love jewelry that features timepieces or keys. And, I've always loved the antique appeal of charm bracelets, but always found them too girly-girl for me. Jewelrybyvicki features this bracelet anchored by heavy, medieval-looking keys, maybe one leads to a secret garden, or chamber occupied by a bed-ridden albino child?



Because every black ensemble needs a little color. Adorapop has the best, cheapest pendants with spooky Brothers Grimm-type images. I love this pensive, Renaissance-ish rendition of Little Red Ridinghood.


By now, Paraphernalia is an internet fave for their iconic, anatomical heart necklaces. This chicken foot necklace stuck out to me, a) because of that episode of "Are You Afraid of the Dark" where two boys go trick-or-treating and receive an evil crow's foot that grants wishes in the most malicious way possible and b) chicken feet are like, the most black-magic thing ever. This pendant steers clear of pentagram territory by virtue of its two dimensionality and beautiful, extreme detail.

And, while we're on the bird tip, why not inject a little humor into one's ensemble with these earrings from Cut + Paste? What glum lass doesn't love allusions to Edgar Allan Poe --and whimsical, funny, anthropomorphized ones at that?

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