The lead singer of the Vincent Black Shadow, a Vancouver punk-goth-cabaret band, comes across as a vamp on-stage. But when she’s on her own, Philippine-born Cassandra Ford has some offbeat tastes. They include David Cronenberg and Terry Gilliam films, as well as a necklace made of human teeth. Recently, she shared some of her other fashion preferences with us.

Desert-island accessory

“Sunglasses would probably be a smart move. I have a pair of fake Chanel sunglasses with equally fake crystals around the edges. I can’t believe I haven’t lost them yet. I’m sure if they were real Chanel they would have disappeared a long time ago.”

Current foot fetish

“I got some of those roller shoes a while ago. Heelys, they’re called. Every Asian kid you see in the mall wears them. They are pretty sweet; mine are black with pink laces. I’m not very good at cruising in them yet. I always fall, especially when I’m in the kitchen.”

Denim staple

“Denim is such a weird thing. I remember when acid-washed denim was in style, but now only hobos and moms wear that. I guess I’ve gone through my own horrid denim time line, but the one denim item that I seem to keep going back to are dark blue denim jeans. I’ve never really seen them go out of style.”

Favourite jacket

“I have so many jackets that I have to keep some in storage. I recently ordered this black trench coat on-line from Hong Kong. It reminds me of what a 1950s sexy female spy would wear. Or Posh Spice. Anyways, I don’t actually have it yet. I just ordered it a few days ago and Hong Kong is far. But I can assure you that when it does arrive, it will probably be my favourite jacket for at least a week.”

Lingerie philosophy

“Oh my God. Lingerie is so dumb. I recently went on a fruitless search for sensible underwear with my friend Katherine. We went from everywhere to La Senza to The Bay but nothing could be found. Why does everything have to be crotchless with ribbons and pom poms hanging off of it? What is the purpose? I just wanted a pair of normal freaking panties that didn’t cost $45. Not fair.”

Hair staple

“I did spend almost $300 on a Chi hair straightener from Aveda. It’s amazing. It was probably invented by Jesus. I can’t live without it. I use it every day.”

Make-up must-have

“I only ever use mineral powder foundation by L’Oreal because it literally takes 30 seconds to put on. Did I mention I’m lazy?”

Top pick

“My top pick right now is a necklace that I made of human teeth. There are about 20 of them on the string. It took me about a week to fully clean off the blood and dried skin. With the smaller teeth that were left, I made matching earrings.”

Tour must-have

“My striped glittery socks. I love socks. These socks I love the most. They go up to the knee. They are really warm and have magic powers.”