Blackwork Tattoo Artist: Johnny Gloom!

At just 23, artist Johnny Gloom- the pseudonym of a Parisian tattoo artist (a she, not a he,) is a name that's on the come up in the realm of minimalistic, blackwork, traditional tattoo artists. 

Finding inspiration for designs in everyday life things, and describing herself as "sensitive to her own emotions," and using that as a guide for her work. "Love, Hate, Violence, Passion... Love is the burden of humanity, everyone recognizes it.... Graphically, I love simple things."

Obviously taking inspiration from fetichism, BDSM, film noir femme fatales, doomed lovers, etc. I love this style so much, because it shows that you don't need loud colors, lots of detail and intricate designs to convey a short story. 

Johnny Gloom and Ball & Chain dropped the brand new "ADORE" collection on Monday, August 8th, featuring apparel and accessories featuring the works of Johnny Gloom! My girlfriend and I are obsessed with the work of both Johnny Gloom, and Ball & Chain, and the two working together can do no wrong. She actually ordered a bunch of items from the ADORE collection drop from this past Monday, for her and myself, and words can't explain how excited I am!

Follow Johnny Gloom on Instagram: @JohnnyGloom
Follow Johnny Gloom on Tumblr: @danslamaisonnoire

XO
MEL

WCW: Robin Eisenberg

I feel like 90% of my favorites artists are based out of California, I feel like I need to venture out there at some point of my life.
Robin Eisenberg, an artist and designer based out of California, who creates digital art and designs things like patches, pins, hats, key chains, prints and postcards!! I have this recent obsession with pins, and I need every single one from Robin's shop. 

What I love most about Robin Eisenberg's work in general is obviously the bright colors, and bold lines, and how her character girls all look so different! She makes sure to highlight all body types, because all bodies are great bodies! She's heavily inspired by feminism, badass women, space, fashion, sex, the occult, makeovers, "and other rad things!" 

Robin Eisenberg Website: http://robineisenberg.com/
Follow Robin Eisenberg on Instagram: @RobinEisenberg
Shop Robin Eisenberg PRINTS: https://society6.com/robineisenberg/prints
Follow Robin Eisenberg on Tumblr: robineisenberg.tumblr.com 

Check out the video below, featuring Robin Eisenberg, and a couple more of my favorites, Sara M. Lyons (wildly known for her "Whatever Forever" piece that is so widely spread on the internet!) , and another one of my favorites, Natasha Lillipore (who I actually have a tattoo of one of her drawings!)

WCW: Special Effects Makeup Artist, Erika FX!

If you love special effects makeup artists, optical illusions, and scary real prosthetics, you're going to love Erika FX! Body painting, and SFX makeup is something I've always wanted to take up as a hobby, ever since I did my Halloween makeup as a Pop Art Zombie! I love featuring SFX artists here on the WCW blog, so here's another for ya!

Check out her Instagram, because it was really difficult to choose only a handful of pictures to put in the slideshow, because I love all of her work so much! 

ErikaFX Instagram: @erika.fx
ErikaFX Facebook Fan Page

XO
MEL

Ball and Chain Co. ft Johnny Gloom

Ball and Chain Co. is an apparel, accessories, brand that makes high quality,  patches, jewelry, and pins! B&C paired up with one of my favorite artists/tattoo artists, Johnny Gloom, and used some of his signature designs on a varsity jackets, pins, lighters, banners, and more! A shop close by to my house actually sells some patches and pins by B&C, and I have a few of their patches that I've put on hats!

It's really my life dream to get tattooed by Johnny Gloom. His work is minimalist, and a lot of his work is really sexy, kind of dark, and always very clean. I really like art work done by John Willie, who is best known for his bondage comic strips, and fetish photography, and I get a similar vibe from Johnny Gloom's work!

Follow Ball and Chain Co. on Instagram: @BallandChainCo

Follow Johnny Gloom on Instagram: @JohnnyGloom

WCW: Colour Creep AKA Kimberley Margarita!

I talk about a lot of beauty and glam makeup artists here, and just about everywhere else, because those are quite easy to come by nowadays with YouTube makeup tutorials being such a huge way to learn the art form.

After doing makeup professionally for 3 years, she has began to use all that she's learned about makeup, to take on body painting, and more creative and whimsical styles of makeup. When beauty meets fantasy, that is  where you will find miss Kimberley Margarita! When looking for inspiration for a look for RuPaul's Drag Race Battle of the Season, I came across this gem! Kimberley can make something look so beautiful, even if it really is something still very grotesque, and creepy. There really is something very romantic, fairy like, and playful about her looks, but also never going without some kind of a eerie, and haunting vibe to it as well.

She's really inspired me to start trying some fantasy looks, and watching her YouTube videos, I feel like I've been able to pick up a few new tricks, that I'm really excited to play around with next time I do a more creative makeup look!

Follow Kimberley on Instagram: @kimberleymargarita_
Subscribe to Colour Creep on Youtube

XO
MEL

LAKE EFFECT/VILE LOOK BOOK COLLAB

So we had a really great time shooting up at the sand dunes this past wk with Jen Drewyore Beck and our good friends Brittlind and LB. Took some good pics, rep'd our New Design "Such Small Hands" designed by Alisha Murray! Who if you haven't checked out her work yet creep it HERE! And we got to shoot some fun behind the scenes action and collaborated with one of our favorite songs by our boys in Lake Effect! Check out the video here ! 

Hologram Hair!

Hologram prints, fabrics and textures have been my obsession since about two summers ago when hologram came back in style, and hologram came back stronger than ever. It was on backpacks, purses, makeup bags (which I have,) skirts, dresses, accessories, YOU NAME IT it probably comes in hologram! There's just something very 90's about it, and since fashion and style is being recycled heavily from the 90's right now, it's understandable why hologram took over when it did. ONLY RECENTLY have I seen THIS trend taking over. With all the hype about silver, white, lavender and pastel hair has become to popular, it really was only a matter of time until someone made hologram hair happen!

Really the first time I've ever seen this actually done, was by Guy Tang, the HAIR ARTIST of our time. He is really so sooo so talented, and he really is a master of his craft.  Watch the video below of how Guy Tang achieves this fabulous hair look! Definitely not to do something on your own at home, because it very well could go completely awry!

XO
MEL

Rose Ellen Swenson Art!

Rose Ellen Swenson's work is best described as portraying women as ethereal sensual dark goddesses that are entrancing to say the least. The way her pieces translate beauty, in a bold and powerful way, is absolutely effortless with the way she paints these beautiful models whose stares you can just get lost in. I feel like each of the girls she paints are something like Sirens, who lure you in with their beauty, but then eat your head off basically. I love that she paints her women looking so beautiful but not society's typical, standard, vanilla version of beauty. Her use of textures and mixing shapes that would normally seem like they would clash like geometric shapes and florals, seem so fluid and give the art a fantasy feel.

PORTRAITS & ILLUSTRATIONS
http://roseellenswenson.com
http://instagram.com/roseellenswenson
http://roseellenswenson.bigcartel.com/

XO
MEL

Moxi Roller Girls AKA Your New Squad Goals!

I found my new obsession. Aren sent me a video about the Moxi Girls earlier this week, and instantly, I was OBSESSED. You guys know how obsessed I am with girl gangs, and anything that shows women working together and doing something they all love so much, and empowering other women in the process! The feeling I got when I discovered the Longboard Girls Crew, I got when Aren sent me the mini documentary that Refinery29 did about the Moxi Girls (video below!) These girls are a combination of The Confetti Crowd meets Longboard Girls Crew, and those things together just makes my little girly heart explode with happiness!

I think what I love most about these girls, is that they really do embrace their femininity when they skate, and you'll always find them wearing bright colors, in their cute little booty shorts, and knee high socks. Not to impress anyone, but because it's just what's comfortable to skate in, and it's what makes them feel powerful! 

"We are tall and short, we are thick and skinnny. The most important thing is that we're all strong."

In the video they mention how the skate world is dominated by men typically, so when they go to skate parks, it's a bunch of guys on skateboards, and the girls show up in their colorful cute outfits, and roller skates, but do not be fooled... These ladies can do some badass things on these skates. Moxi is all about spreading a very positive message about being body positive, proving people wrong, breaking down barriers, and most of all having fun! The video below explains just about everything I could say about this badass girl gang, so I'll let them explain it all!

ALSO, I think I know what I want for my birthday.... ;)

SHOP MOXI HERE!
Follow MOXI GIRLS ON INSTAGRAM: @MOXIROLLERSKATES

XO
MEL

ScoobToobins by Alisha Murray!

Alisha Murray, or going by her pet Pomeranian's name as her artistic alias, "ScoobToobins," is an amazing artist, based out of Detroit Michigan, and a family friend of us here at Vile Company! Heavily inspired by tattoo art, and actual tattoos themselves!

I think what I love most about ScoobToobins work, is that it's mostly hands! I have this obsession with hands, in art and in real life of course. It's something about hands that can tell you so much about a person. Tattooed hands have to be my favorite, and she's always giving us tattooed hands with her art.

Go check out http://www.scoobtoobins.com/ where you can purchase art prints, apparel, stickers and even ORIGINAL pieces!

Keep an eye out for a new design for Vile Company, by ScoobToobins coming very soon!!!

Follow ScoobToobins on Instagram: @ScoobToobins

ShopTuesday.Com // Tuesday Bassen!

"I make work centered around strong female characters and often use themes of literal violence as figurative representation of power."

Tuesday Bassen (Yes, Tuesday is her real name,) is a 26 year old independent illustrator based out of LA who designs everything for her online shop called ShopTuesday! Not only does she design everything for her shop, but she also does freelance design for clients like The New Yorker, Playboy, Adidas, and Paramore! She's even supposed to be designing for Sophia Amoruso's second book, "Nasty Galaxy!" ShopTuesday will soon be expanding into a store in HIghland Park, Los Angeles! You can even find Miss Bassen featured as one of the "New Faces of Feminism!" in Teen Vogue magazine!

Follow ShopTuesday on Instagram: @TuesdayBassen

XO
MEL

Your New Girl Gang Goals: CONFETTI CROWD!

The Confetti Crowd is the UK's leading "girl gang of creatives!" These women have all come together to give you excellent, rainbow fashion, create on levels that are absolutely unimaginable, and empower women and girls everywhere about being whoever you want to be, wearing whatever you want to wear, and supporting other women, creating an extremely unbreakable support system, of a girl gang! These ladies are a representation of the strength and determination of women, and they aim to empower young females! With a message like that, I think any girl can get behind these ladies! 

They are a group of five creative, ambitious, goal driven female creatives, who all are working in different parts of the fashion, music, art, and TV industry!

You definitely need to check out all of their individual sites, and blogs! I linked them all below, just click on the image of the Confetti you'd like to visit the page of! 

Snoochie Shy - DJ / Presenter / Model
Instagram - @SnoochieShy

Lulu - Fashion Designer
Instagram - @LuluTrixabelle
(I've been following Lulu for YEARS now. She's the blogger who inspired me to start getting into fashion, and made me want to start a blog of my own!)

Heidi - Singer Songwriter
Instagram - HeidiPetite

Heli - Stylist / Photographer / Owner of Vintage Brand "Sassy World"
Instagram - HeliBells

Tiger - Fashion Photographer
Instagram - TTigerLilly

What I love about these ladies is that they're all in their 20s and they're spreading such an amazing message! 
I'm on a constant personality struggle between wearing all black all the time, or just being super colorful and fun like these ladies, and The Confetti Crowd really inspires me to embrace the rainbow more this upcoming Spring and Summer seasons!

Follow the Confetti Crowd on Instagram: @ConfettiCrowd

XO
MEL

Happy International Women's Day

I know it was yesterday, but my posts go up on Wednesdays so I'm going to post about it anyway.

"To all the baby girls who were killed at birth because they weren’t boys. To all the girl children who were sold into “marriage” sex slavery when they were much too young. To all the girls denied an education because they were expected to grow up to be housewives.To all the girls who made it to school but were discouraged from being “too smart”. To all the girls who, even though they needed food as much as “a growing boy”, starved themselves to stay thin. To all the girls and women who have been raped, assaulted and murdered. To all the girls and women who constantly look over their shoulders while walking home from the bus stop at night, or who otherwise have learned that walking alone, even in their own neighborhood, is dangerous while men can walk about with no trouble at all. To all the women who were pressured into or forced to have children they didn’t actually want.To all the women who did work but whose accomplishments were stolen by men who did none of the work and took all of the credit. To all of the women who watched their male coworkers get raises and other perks while they stayed below the glass ceiling. To all the women who were assigned male at birth and who still struggle for recognition as themselves today. 
To all my fellow women–this is a small recognition in the face of what we go through on a daily basis. May it be one push of many towards a better world for all of us." - Shelby Prevatt (Facebook) 

I really do these posts every week, because I love to celebrate women in any way possible, and doing these posts gives me a platform to be able to spread the greatness of the women that I look up to so much, so I can share the badass women, and their ideas, skills, designs, art, business, etc with all of Vile Company's followers! Go celebrate women today, tomorrow, next week, and every other day!

XO
MEL

Undercut Hair Tattoos

I know a few months ago, I did a post about Bald Babes, with shaved heads! I've been seeing a lot of something that's called "Undercut Tattoos" in the past few weeks, on Instagram a bunch! Basically what it is, is people are shaving just a little bit of under their hair, and putting cute designs on them, from geometric line work, flowers, mandala designs, stars, and so much more!

I feel like the shaved hair trend has been very big since last Summer I'd say! I know it's nothing new of course, but I'm seeing a lot more recently amongst more than just very "alternative" styled people. A lot of people are doing it for utilitarian purposes like, their hair is really thick, and they want to take it down a notch as far as how much hair they have, so shaving a bit off definitely does the trick, and looks really awesome, and since you're shaving your hair, why not give it some pop, but adding a design, or some color! It looks great when your hair is in a ponytail!

XO
MEL

WCW Sonjdra Deluxe

Sonjdra Deluxe has to be one of my favorite YouTube makeup artists, hands down. I was searching for a tutorial for an all black lip, using my LimeCrime black liquid lipstick, and that's how I came across Sonjdra's channel! She reminds me so much of my sister, with their personalities, so I instantly loved her, and watched her channel for a few hours. Sonjdra was born in Canada, and currently calls Vancouver home! The 26 year old is self taught at makeup, and works as a MAC makeup artist!

I love her channel so much because it doesn't seem like she's so scripted, and robotic with her channel. You can tell she just has a great time doing makeup, and she's really just doing what she loves most! If there's one thing I don't like, it's watching someone on YouTube whose channel sounds scripted, rehearsed and boring, which is the case for a ton of YouTube makeup artists! OH. Maybe it's also worth mentioning that she was the inspiration for me getting my philtrum lip piercing! That's not an exaggeration either because I remember finding her on YouTube that night, thought her's looked SO great, and literally went out that night and got one for myself! Call it copying, call it inspiration, but I love it!

Follow Sonjdra on Instagram: @SonjdraDeluxe
Subscribe to Sonjdra on YouTube: CLICKHERE
 

WCW: @KieraPlease

So in celebration of Black History Month, I'll be making my posts this month about some influential, beautiful, and powerful black women that I follow! The first post, goes to the wonderful and amazing @KieraPlease ! Awhile ago while scrolling through Tumblr, I found these pictures of Kiera with flowers of assorted colors in her gorgeous mane of hair!

After finding her Instagram, Twitter and Tumblr (@kieraplease for all) it wasn't long until I fell in love with her! She has such a positive radiance about her, amazing style, and an infectious smile! 

Kiera recently started her YouTube channel, watch her intro "25 Random Facts About a Potato" video below! WARNING: YOU'LL PROBABLY FALL IN LOVE WITH HER.

XO
MELANIE

Black Light Hair DYE!

Alright so this is some wild shit. I mean its not the wildest, but how cool is it? The hombre/pastel trend is good and all but black light hair dye?How awesome of an impression will you make while you are out at a show or even just when the lights go out? Science is Amazing! We know this isnt exactly new technology but we are stoked for it to be a trend. Go check it out and get your mermaid hair on! 

you can see an example of this in the Grimes video for "Go"

Longboard Girls Crew

The Longboard Girls Crew started in Madrid back in 2010, and their whole message was to get more women into the sport. They started to film videos and post pictures though YouTube, and their Facebook Fan page to get it out there like, "Hey, we're doing this, and you ladies can too! Send us your awesome pictures and videos of you guys doing this too! Grab a board, and get to it!" The really cool thing about how they started this, was that none of them at the time were really pros either, so what these girls were doing was really just supporting girls beginning the sport, and encouraging them that this sport isn't just for the boys, which is a message I can always stand behind.

I've wanted to learn to longboard for years now, but I didn't know anyone who did it, and I was too scared to try on my own. Once I met my girlfriend, and found out that she longboards, it was seriously the best thing she could ever tell me, because I started begging her to teach me instantly! She had a mentor of sorts before, who is a girl named Gloria, and now she's a mentor for me! I picked up a longboard that my mom's boyfriend was given from our neighbors before they moved out, and he wasn't using it, I recently gave it new parts, and I'm ready to really learn!

So basically, just 5 years later, their following expanded so much, making Longboard Girls Crew the biggest longboard community in the world, and one of the biggest in the Action Sports Industry, acknowledges in more than 180 countries with official crews, and ambassadors in more than 70! They have a very acknowledged presence in social media, and have over 14 million views around the world! So, I guess you can say they reached their original goal right? So, what are they working towards now, you may ask?

Now, after all this social media success and attention worldwide, the LGC is working relentlessly to have women in action sports recognized, and not only reinforce their role in the sport industry, but also in society in general. They're working towards making it known that women are under exposed in the action sports industry, and female athletes aren't being marketed when talking about these sports, but the sports industry would rather put a model who doesn't participate in the sport, or they do use an athlete, but have her in very little clothes. LGC is working towards change in the industry, and focusing on being role models for other girls who want to skate, or have just a spark of interest on the subject.

SUPPORT THESE WOMEN. I'll be buying some merch from them very soon, and knowing it is going towards a good cause, because what these ladies are doing is so kick ass, and makes me want to jump on my board right now, and go for a ride. Thank you Longboard Girls Crew for raising awareness in the skating community about girls who skate, and being motivation to every girl who want to begin! You ladies have seriously inspired me to keep learning, and not give up!

Visit the LGC website to learn more about these dope girls! 

Follow Longboard Girls Crew on Instagram: @LongboardGirlsCrew

Watch the video below, and I definitely recommend watching some of their other videos as well! 

XO
MELANIE

Melanie's Monthly Favs~

I really am so happy this year is closing, and a new one will be starting in just a few days! It's been a roller coaster of a year for sure, and I'm definitely happy to have a fresh start.

BEAUTY

I know last month's beauty favorite was red eye shadow looks, so this could be slightly redundant. But recently, I've gotten to use my Kat Von D METAL CRUSH RAW POWER eyeshadow, that I got from Sephora a few months ago, but only used subtly on the eyes. I did this cute red eye for Christmas Eve for work, and for when I went to my girlfriend's family gathering for the holiday as well! I love the way red shadows look on dark eyes, and this eyeshadow is perfect for getting that look! All of Kat Von D's Metal Crush shadows are so gorgeous, but there was something about the red one that when I first saw and swatched it, I knew I would fall in love.

FASHION

I've been really into caps the last couple months! I've bought at least 4 new hats, including the fact that I literally just ordered one while I was writing this post...... ugh. Also, if it's not just buying hats, I've also been very into making basic hats a little cooler, and original by sewing patches onto them! It's a very affordable, easy, and fun way to transform a hat, or anything really, just by adding a patch, or pins!

MUSIC

This one is SO IMPORTANT TO ME. I have been SOOOOO obsessed with Pandora Radio's new THUMBPRINT RADIO!! They added a station, that's basically only songs that you've thumbed up over all the time your account has been made! Thumbprint radio has been the only thing I've been listening to. It's littttttt.

INSTAGRAM

I first initially found Isabel through ShopTunnelVision's page I believe. That was quite awhile ago. I've been seeing her all over the place ever since. This girl has a DOPE style, she's a plus size model, with a beautiful message that she always spreads, about loving yourself. She really is a unique unicorn. I love this girl, seriously. Her Instagram feed is really awesome as well, because she works with companies like ShopTunnelVision, and UNIF!

HAPPY NEW YEAR EVERYONE!

XO
MEL

Fashion Blogger Duo LOLA AND LORA

Lola and Lora are the girl gang duo from my dreams. Lola aka Flamcis (Left) and Ellen V Lora (Right), are two fashion bloggers who are based out of California, who really are taking over the fashion scene, all via Instagram! They've been featured by Maybelline NY Cosmetics, Lime Crime Cosmetics, they've been featured in the Chris Brown music video for AYO, this list could really go forever honestly.

These ladies travel together, model together, and even design together! They have their own collection on MYVLCLOTHING.COM, a clothing company I've been following for so long, so I was really happy to see they were partnering up in the LOLAXLORA collection!

This duo really is taking over the fashion scene, all via Instagram it seems!

Follow Lola on Instagram: @Flamcis
Follow Ellen on Instagram: @EllenVLora
EllenVLora's Personal Fashion Blog: http://pureevl.com/