Current Issue
Letter from the Editor
2026 has been an exceptional year for creativity in the alternative space, from the expertly crafted heirlooms of tomorrow to the musicians composing the anthems that will define this chapter of our lives. Beyond the artistry, there's the mettle we're made of, revealed in moments of adversity and the courage it takes to face life's greatest uncertainties. Together, these expressions of strength and imagination have inspired our November (Heavy) Metal issue, an ode to what we create, what moves us and what we're made of.
The issue begins with a journey into the great unknown. Our cover star, Anastacia Anastascio, The Spiritual Goth, explores spirituality, inviting us to experience a past-life regression firsthand. Funeral director and embalmer Emily Murman offers a moving perspective on the care behind our final farewells. We also spend an evening among the living and dead at historic Ruthven Park.
From matters of the soul, we turn to the romance of treasured possessions. We venture inside the imaginative world of Petals & Poison, where founder Jená Bhone continues to expand her artistic repertoire beyond her iconic gothic jewellery designs. Silver and gold take centre stage in our dark feminine jewellery capsule, accompanied by statement rings, battle-inspired designs and finishing touches worthy of the grandest entrances.
Then, we turn up the volume. Musician Max Madly welcomes us into her Garden of Neglect, while our Alternative Music Class of 2026 introduces emerging talent deserving of your attention. Naturally, we've dressed for the occasion with a concert style edit that takes us from the dressing room to the front row.
And, finally, with the festive season approaching, a little anticipation is in order. Discover 25 dark feminine advent calendars and our holiday gift guide celebrating the independent artists who make alternative culture so creatively rich.
For free, subscribe below and/or read the full issue digitally here.
With devotion,
Amanda
Cover: Courtesy of Anastacia Anastascio, The Spiritual Goth. Photography: Madeline Stanley (@Madexposure).
Feature Articles
A Higher Education: Meet Anastacia, The Spiritual Goth
The former English teacher brings an educator's perspective to spiritual practice, inviting a more thoughtful conversation about tarot and personal growth
By: Amanda Albert
The endlessly curious have a talent for finding new subjects worthy of their fascination. Anastacia Anastascio, The Spiritual Goth, has three Master's degrees and a voracious appetite for exploration that eventually led her beyond the classroom and into the realm of the metaphysical. Her professional journey began teaching English, but a spiritual awakening during the pandemic inspired an unexpected change of course. What started as a personal pursuit soon became a new vocation, giving her academic training fresh purpose in spiritual education.
Today, Anastacia brings an educator's perspective to a subject often surrounded by misconceptions. She encourages people to examine their inner lives with greater honesty, even when the discoveries are uncomfortable. She's also setting the record straight on a few tarot myths, challenging long-held assumptions about the cards and what it actually means to read them.
We caught up with Anastacia to revisit the turning points that shaped her career and explore the philosophy behind her teachings.
Before My Time: My Past-Life Regression Experience With The Spiritual Goth
What happened when I explored a past life under Anastacia's guidance
By: Amanda Albert
I step into the kitchen. It's a small room, sparsely furnished, yet somehow it feels empty. A pot of salty porridge sits on an old-fashioned coal stove, left over from breakfast, but something inside me knows better than to throw it away. We'll need what's left tomorrow.
Faded blues and greens lend this farmhouse a dreary disposition, their colours softened by the grey light filtering through a weathered window above the sink. An old metal milk container stands beside the door. A wooden table occupies the centre of the room, surrounded by five chairs, although only four match. The air smells of damp earth, and my leather work boots feel heavy against the floor.
A calendar hangs on the wall, its lettering written in a language I cannot, today, understand. The illustration tells me it's May, although the chill in the air suggests otherwise. I seem to be somewhere in Eastern Europe, sometime during the 1800s.
I've never seen this kitchen before. I don't recognize the food or understand the language on the calendar. Yet, in this moment, I carry the weight of a life I don't recognize.
Somewhere beyond this farmhouse, in another time and place, Anastacia Anastascio The Spiritual Goth is guiding me through a past-life regression.
Grave Expectations: An Evening Among the Living and Dead at Ruthven Park
Victorian superstitions meet historic grandeur during a lantern-lit cemetery tour at one of Ontario's most intriguing estates
By: The Lace Ledger Staff
The road to Ruthven Park is almost worth the journey alone. Winding lanes carry us through the Ontario countryside, where autumn leaves burn copper and gold against the crisp sky. A grand 19th-century mansion awaits beyond the gatehouse, surrounded by the sprawling grounds of a historic family estate.
Just before Halloween, we visited Ruthven Park National Historic Site in Cayuga, Ontario, for The Mansion in Mourning: Séances, Superstitions & Haunted Cemetery Tour. The evening promised an introduction to Victorian funeral traditions, followed by a lantern-lit excursion among the headstones of the Thompson family cemetery.
Excellent plans for an October evening, if you ask us.
The Fine Art of Farewell: Insights From Funeral Director and Embalmer Emily Murman
13 alternative fitness brands and collections for lifting, lunging, stretching and sweating
By: The Lace Ledger Staff
We go to the gym to feel our best, so, what we wear should help us feel like ourselves, too. From yoga and pilates to the weight rack, spin, barre and boxing, there's no reason to leave your personal style in the locker room.
We've rounded up our favourite gothic and alternative activewear brands and collections, featuring everything from romantic, lace-trimmed sets to death metal-inspired gym gear.
Designed with performance in mind and plenty of personality to match, these pieces are ready to work as hard as you do.
Past Issues
About Us
The Lace Ledger is a dark feminine field guide to style, culture and the arts. Inspired by soft goth aesthetics with an eye for the beautiful and strange, we explore the people and ideas shaping life on the moodier side of the culture.
Founded by writer and poet Amanda Albert, The Lace Ledger grew from a desire for a publication where alternative tastes could be treated with the same depth and editorial curiosity afforded to the mainstream.
Here you’ll find:
Style — Seasonal style, trend reports and beauty with soft goth sensibility.
Literature + the Arts — Poetry, fine art, reading lists and conversations with the creatives behind the work.
Culture — Film and music, with plenty to add to your watch list.
House & Haunt — Moody interiors and darkly refined entertaining.
Travel — City guides and places worth visiting.
Gift Guides — Curated finds for every occasion.
Work With Us
Reach out with your latest product launches, brand news story ideas, finished work or pitches. We’re here to create thoughtful partnerships.
We welcome collaborations with brands, creators, artists, writers and experts who share our taste for the uncommon.