The artsy high schooler in me has been excited about this goth trend since the minute I heard of it.  Leather, corsets, and black black black -- perfect for dreary Portland weather and just in time for Halloween.  One trend in particular I'm interested in is the so-very-teen-angst-throwback black lipstick.  While copying looks straight from the runway might get you looked at funny in the mall, I think a vampy lip is definitely worth doing.

As White Lightening posted about London Fashion Week, the goth trend is culminating with black lipsticks, standing alone, glossed, or blended with purples and even blues.

Here my girl Lily Allen works an off-black lip hue with a basic black dress and her signature gold bamboo hoops.

Tips for Making the Look Your Own:

Don't just slap on that Halloween shade of Wet 'n Wild.  Look for a black with a tint of brown or purple, or slick a coat of black gloss over your favorite color of lipstick.

Do experiment with shades.  Just like every red or pink doesn't work with every complexion, every dark shade won't work on everyone either.

Don't avoid the trend just because you can't pull off a dark lip.  I will not wear a lip color any darker than my blush, but you will see me playing around with black gloss this season to create my own take on the look.

Do keep your eyes muted if you are doing a bold look, unless it actually is Halloween.  As always, it's best to let the dramatic feature stand alone rather than having parts of your made up face compete.  Use a bronzer or blush just a shade or two darker than your skin tone to give your face shape and contours, and do a natural or a subtly smoky eye.

Do rock the goth makeup as part of a look.  With a bright pink top, black lips will look ridiculous, so wear it instead with that leather jacket and your darkest wash of skinnies, or with that black party dress.  Corsets, lace, and shiny black leggings will also keep your dark lips looking sexy rather than scary.

Do match your lips to your nails, painting your fingers a deep purple or shiny black.

Photos from:
ChelseaGirl
Team Sugar