DIY chain mask

So, I was invited to my friend's birthday last week and the dress code was masks... The atmosphere was  supposed to be dark, a bit oriental and Eyes Wide Shut-y. As I don't really like the typical masks, which seem a bit silly and terribly uncomfortable, I decided to make something myself; something that would be close to a mask, but lighter, cooler and more ... me.

Since I've been making jewelry from chains for a while now, chains were a natural choice. My first inspiration was the queen from Snow White and the Hunstman (the movie was no more than average teen flick, but I loved all the elements of the queen's look - the hummingbird skulls & serpents, the feather coat, the iron crown...) - this was my first inspiration:

Of course, as it usually happens - the result came out looking nothing like this, which is actually a good thing. Even if your creation is based on something that is already done, always add something new and use your creativity. Looking like a bad copy is the worst thing.

So I bought some chains and a few little decorations from a handicraft store. I used a thick heavy chain as a wreath around my head and started adding chains to it. The queen has chains on her forehead, attached together with another element in the middle. I used the same technique, only using more feminine and oriental items. I also added extra chains that would fall under my eyes on my cheeks - thinking about the characteristics of a mask. This was the tricky part - I first made these chains too long and it looked like I had droopy sunken cheeks; so I hade to make them rather short and also attach them to the other chains falling from the sides of my face (and united under my chin).
Here's how it looked:

If you plan doing something similar and you have parts of the jewelry falling on your nose, I strongly recommend gluing it to your nose with eyelash glue. Mine always kept sliding on one side of the nose.

I also used a decent lot of black eyeliner and smacked it all over my eye area - to amplify the mask effect and add mystery.

My boyfriend also made his mask himself, he bought a silver mask and painted it with a brassy gold tone, leaving the silver shine through a bit. He also added some baroque style jewelry on the mask.
I'm wearing an armchain I made years ago and as a contrast to dark jewelry and makeup, I chose very white and light clothes and accessories.


So, have a great holiday season and loads of inspiration to y'all!