The aughts, the recently bygone era of fried blondes and rhinestoning everything to death, did manage to burp out a few good fashionwise things while they were going on. One of them is Tribal Fusion’s influence on the humble jazz pant, once the province of dancewear catalogs, now exploded into a wide range of lovely permuations, good for anchoring a tribaret outfit with a sparkling booty showcase, or throwing on a pair of cotton bellbottoms for looking cute during Errand Day. The elastic/drawstring waistbands that don’t require zips or hooks to fasten, and the frequent use of machine-washable materials, make them ideal for the comf-minded glamourpuss.

Tiers of ruffles descend down a totally funky silhouette. They also come in black. From Chacabraka.

These “Sugar Britches” volumize the knee with petticoat-like volume, and they’d probably double well as an underlayer to a long skirt. They, too, come in black. By From The Fig Tree.

Disclaimer: I was having the hardest time finding black lace bloomers that wouldn’t make my legs look like a pair of frilly porkchops – I bought a pair of these but customized as black capris, and they turned out fab. She also does lace-topped garter pants if you’d like your costume to involve flashing some thigh. From Creaturre.

The ruffles scream for dancing around like an utter loon, eased by openings in the front to make sure you don’t trip over yourself in your ecstasy. From Nakara Style.

Cotton pants are raised to headturning heights with the addition of lace-trimmed ruffles – this shop is loaded with similarly-slathered gothic bellydance goodies. (The lace capris are a separate item and not included in the listing, but do illustrate the layering possibilities nicely.) From Dark Fusion Boutique.

Polymer – it’s long had connotations of mushrooms, hempen cords to hang them on, and all manner of hippieness. But it’s the intent, not the medium, that ultimately matters, and here’s some jewelers putting a more nefarious sculpt on things.

Here’s a pendant perfect for a doll collector, who doesn’t have to leave all her companions behind when getting dressed for the evening – this dollface cameo brings a flapper along for the ride. From Moniee’s Art Doll Shop.

A glass vial is encased in black clay and winged with silver mica, ready for love powders, medications, or “other tiny dry items” to be kept close to one’s person. From Olga Ayala Handicrafts.

Etched fleurons, stitches, curling inlaid wires, damned if I can see where the polymer is in this piece but it’s still pretty cool. From Myithilien.

Taking a break from the usual renderings in fantasy pewter, dragon wings are spread across the tiles of a choker like tiny fragments of stained glass. From The Sage Arts.

And speaking of fantasy pewter, this reminds me of one of my favorite necklaces that sadly got lost over the years, a very 80’s silver witch’s hand where each fingernail was a red gemstone. Here’s a more flesh-and-blood version that’s just as wicked. From Pearl Moon Arts.

Black lace: it’s boudoir. It’s bad-girl. It’s vintage. It’s 80’s tawdry. It’s can-can. It’s totally gawth. One thing it definitely is: as potent as bare flesh in the turning of heads.

Black lace skitters around this dress in both a lovely fuschia overlay and on its own to princess-puff the arms and let the cleavage peek from behind dark flowers – a coquettish alternative to the ubiquitous (and tiresome) plunge neckline. From Frenchie Stiles.

It’s just a white lace slipdress gussied up with a wrap of pleated black lace, but damn, it falls just so. The rose corsage is a perfect finishing touch. From More Is More.

A Victoria’s Secret bustier gets an upgrade of pleated ruffle trim all over the place, and yes, that sweet little cameo collar is part of the deal. And it’s on sale, too. From Cabana Vintage.

These cuffs were inspired by the upcoming Tim Burton Alice flick, and suggest the tiers of a very dark teaparty cake. They also come in a mitt length, and in white, too. From Opal Moon Designs.

A slinky, body-hugging starlet gown, if said starlet drank a lot of blood on her way up the food chain. There’s also a couple of shorter, sleeveless sizes if this is just too much gown for you. From Mange La Mode.

One of the highlights of moving cross-country last year was getting to spend a bit of time in New Orleans. Bourbon Street was a vomit-scented letdown of alcoholic Slurpees and Britney Spears, but Cafe Du Monde made up for it with little bags of sugary heaven. The gift shops were goldmines of pretty masks, everything from curvy faces that dripped pink fringe down one’s cheeks, to those miniature porcelain pouts so popular in the 80’s, the kind of thing Prince decorated his bedroom with in Purple Rain and never seem to die out of dollar stores.

BTW, you can liven up a plain porcelain mask by draping some “hair” over its head with a scarf. Tying together a bunch of fiery colors to spill down one side looks pretty cool, so does a little veil of black lace.

Typing “mask” into Etsy spits back 360 pages of search results. This is definitely a topic that will have to be returned to later for further study, because that’s a lot of gorgeous.

Let’s start with tradition: an Italian jester mask in red and gold. The loop inside the forehead is for hanging when it’s not in use, and a little reminder that yes, that’s a piece of art tied to your face. From The Art of the Mask.

The Venetian shape takes on a light, delicate air with wire and glass beads. From Grin, Grimace, and Squeak.

The roses on the this Day of the Dead mask can be frosted with black, if you wish. The seller also recommends you wear it with a push-up bra. From MasqueFaire.

Venetian flair…rendered in kanzashi. From Xiuxiueig.

Inspired by circus sideshow acts, this nail-studded mask brings a touch of grotesque to the masquerade. From Deux Visage.

Spats – an underutilized accessory that brings ornamentation downward to the feet, throws a lot of quick-change variety into one’s shoe collection, and until the past few years, proved extremely difficult to find if you wanted them. The rise of steampunk vogue and Etsy can-do spirit mean not only can you get the fussy vintage-style button-down classics, but a quick perusal of the search results turned up styles suitable for teaparties, discos, heavy metal beach parties, and pretty much any festive scenario you please.

Somber charcoal is livened up with hot pink snaps and lining. “Perfect for those of us who don’t necessarily believe that the 1890’s and the 1980’s are mutually exclusive time periods,” haha. (Those lace tights are pretty sweet, too.) From Fait Avec.

Here we have a leather-on-plaid concoction detailed with pleating, scalloping, and pewter buttons. The play of punk tartan against fancy old-world dress puts me in mind of Westwood. Well done! And if you want them, you’d best get clicking because not only are they on sale, they’re also the last pair. From Ashes and Empires.

Here’s a fabulous solution for budget-conscious newlyweds-to-be: tying all the bridal bells and whistles on over a pair of white shoes for instant wedding boots. It also means that the dupioni silk, Venice lace, and silver-frosted netting isn’t attached to only one pair of shoes, and can be worn over and over to other occasions. From Pondhopper Studio.

This off-to-Washington pair features a welt pocket, which has been outfitted with a snap for the secure totage of ID, small incriminating documents, and bribes. From Monjio Creations.

Legwarmery in slinking up the leg, spatty in covering the ankle. And the bit of corset lacing is something typically reserved for less sturdy hosiery mediums than crochet, so bravo on the rare collision of erotic apparel and winterwear. From Sannica.

In recent years, the pixie style has evolved way beyond Tinkerbell tulle with the advent of earth tones, leaf patterns, and fun with headwear, all brought together by the finishing cinch of a elven pocket belt. On Etsy, upcycling has entered the game, as well as blending the details with other fashion genres. Below, this week’s treasures.

The practice of turning old sweaters into jawdropping outerwear is in full swing with a handful of designers who have harnessed the power of colorblocking. This coat’s extra-long hood can fall dramatically down the back, or transform into a self-matching scarf. And it’s now on sale since the seller’s college tuition is due. From Designed By Gina Louise.

And some of the patchworking comes in more restrained, workwear-friendly versions, such as this funky-sleeved cardigan. And if you only want to add just a touch of color to an outfit, you can go with the armwarmers, which this shop has a bunch of. From Viola Vintage.

Moving into more fantastical realms, the leaf pattern which has grown prevalent on woodsy hoodies and other faerie romperwear shows up on an off-the-shoulder sorceress gown, right down the the flowing sleeves. From Timjan Design.

An apple-green tunic gets an off-the-shoulder neckline, leg o’ mutton sleeves that end in pointed gauntlets, a built-in cincher that laces up the back, and lettuce edging on the pixie points. A nice blend of modern and medieval that can go mini or maxi. From Vaisto.

And, something for the kids. From the appropriately-named Swirly Hats.