Wardrobe Post 2012

I wanted to put this together much much earlier, for the January EGL theme. However, Ohayocon happened, and I didn't get it done on time. But now it's all finished and I thought I'd post it up here! This is my current wardrobe for fairy kei and lolita fashions, I hope you enjoy!

Petticoats and Skirts

I never really realized just how many skirts I have. And with the addition of all these fairy petticoats, it's become maybe too many to keep. I don't wear skirts that often, so I'll be looking at selling some of these.

Top row: Bodyline, American Apparel, Malco Modes, Bodyline, Bodyline

Second row: Hand made, the rest are Bodyline

Third Row: Bodyline, Handmade, In the Starlight, Handmade, Handmade

Last Row: Candy Violet, Metamorphose, Handmade, Metamorphose, All my head bows

Jumper Skirts

Dear Celine Autumn Poodle JSK. I love the houndstooth print and the little poodles! I want the matching head bow for this, but I don't think it's available anymore.

Baby, The Stars Shine Bright Pocket Embroidery JSK. This was my dream dress (as I've mentioned before) and perhaps is my favorite dress that I own. I love it so much, I've thought about buying a second one in black for a keepsake.

Baby, The Stars Shine Bright Clockwork Tea Party JSK. I was so excited to be able to get this dress (my first time doing a reservation) after it had been sold out! And it got here... and the zipper immediately broke. So it has to be replaced now, what a bummer.

Metamorphose Temps de Fille Strawberry Shirring JSK. I love the Meta shirring JSK style! I have two dresses like this, and I have a third on my wish list. This one works really nicely for a bittersweet country coordinate, but it can go a lot of different ways.

Metamorphose Temps de Fille Candy House Shirring JSK. As I have mentioned a few times, I have been searching for this version of this dress for about a year and a half before I finally found it last fall. My only light-colored dress, I just adore this print. It's sweet, but very different than the AP or BABY prints~

Unknown Taobao Dress (I think it's a replica?). I got this on the sales community on a whim and it's been a really great dress for me. It fits my style perfectly, cutesy elements but with a more muted (black based) color palette.

Alice and the Pirates Vanilla Corset JSK. My newest arrival, it came last Friday! I've been eyeing this dress for awhile on the website (sold out!), and when I saw it in stock in the San Francisco store, I knew it was meant to be. I think I'll be wearing this to Otakon, but I haven't 100% decided yet.

Cutsews/Blouses

Unicorn Shirt by Tasty Peach Studios! I got this at Ohayocon a few weeks ago! So cute!

Bodyline cutsew. Kind of a weird one, but it looks nice with some things in my wardrobe.

Baby, The Stars Shine Bright Angel's Whisper in the Holy Night Melody Blouse. It's chiffon and so soft and pretty~

Baby, The Stars Shine Bright Clockwork Tea Party Blouse. I adore princess sleeves, they were in style when I first became a lolita. And now they're coming back! So when I saw this blouse, I knew I had to get it somehow.

Bodyline long sleeved black blouse. My go-to black blouse for this winter. I love the collar and the little bows~!

Lady Heather's Fashions short sleeved black blouse. Ohh it's very old, about 4 years now. It's been my staple blouse in my wardrobe for pretty much my entire time as a lolita. It's becoming quite ragged, but I don't really want to give it up.

Bodyline. My one and only white blouse. I should probably get a few more. But this is a good plain blouse that I wear with a lot of different outfits.

Shoes

Top row: Bodyline, Bodyline (same pair, I love them so much!), Bodyline Red heels, Osiris

Bottom row: TJ Maxx flats (they broke a little at Otakon last year), F21, Offbrand, Littlechililolita Shop

Other

Lots and lots of stuff here! Top row: Bodyline white flats (I forgot about these for the shoe picture above), a whole box of hair things (but I'll save that for next time), Some choice items that are my favorites (three star clips I made, unicorn necklace, and my compact mirror), Chocomint tea pot clip, and Little Twin Stars tote with a star pin I made to match! Second row: BTSSB overnight bag, BTSSB Alice tote, Candy Violet mini hat, Sanrio pink bag, BTSSB bow socks. Bottom row: Innocent World heart cutout parasol, H&M bow bag, Alice and the Pirates Darien parasol, and my San-X Penguin camera bag~!

And finally, a few omake shots~

My so very poorly designed closet. The next apartment I have will have a proper closet, I swear. I mean, who makes closets without bars, just hooks on the wall?? Jumper skirts and parasols.

And this is the blouse side. Everything is stacked four or five thick, my skirts are underneath the blouses. Ugh.

And finally, this is my kitty, Mako, checking out the inside of my Innocent World parasol. He was so very concerned about it being open on the bed, but it was a cute picture so I thought I'd include it here. I hope you enjoyed my wardrobe post!! If you want to see larger pictures of all the items pictured, as well as some detail shots, please check out my Facebook album!

Happy Bloggiversary!

Well, it's been about a year since I started writing The Elegant Wardrobe. I started this blog as a re-route for people that come to my lolita panels. It's become more than that though. It's not just the basics anymore. I'm pretty happy with the direction it's been going recently, but there are a few things I'd like to change. I'd like to be posting more, but I don't want to post fluff. If that means that my post count stays low like the past few months, then so be it. I'd like to change the layout again soon, so look forward to that. Finally, I'd like to do more as far as giveaways, contests, promotion, and stuff like that. So look forward to all that, tell your friends about this blog, and thank you so much for reading and supporting this blog for one year!

Style Spotlight: Fairy Lolita

I hate to be late to the party, but I'm becoming a huge fan of fairy kei and its inspiration on Lolita fashion. Maybe this is going out of style now with OTT sweet lolita on the decline, but I love it more and more. I've always been more of a bittersweet fan, and so this really goes against my personal past trends. But the soft pastels and lack of rules attracted me to fairy kei. Which is funny, because I'm a big fan of the rules in Lolita fashion. I'm still learning the intricacies of fairy fashion, and it's actually pretty easy once you get the general idea down.

This is how I think about it. Its easy to be a good lolita if you have three things: 1) Information, 2) money, and 3) confidence. If you have the money for it, you can simply wait for a brand to release something you like and then buy all the items in the series. Then all you need to add to the outfit are matching shoes. The items in the set are all made to go together and will look good together. Once you've gotten a few items and you get the hang of it, you can start mixing and matching. Fairy kei (and pretty much every other J-fashion style) doesn't have the same concrete rules about items, silhouette, accessories, and color coordination. This gives these styles a lot of flexibility, but at the same time, it makes it somewhat hard to "get it right" when you're just starting out.

Fairy lolita is, well, a combination of the lolita aesthetic with fairy kei ideas. It incorporates

sweet lolita with the vintage-fabulous fairy kei. It can go from the VERY casual end of the lolita spectrum to a more formal style, but it's overall not as formal as strict lolita style. I think the biggest difference between the two styles though is the emphasis in fairy kei on hand made items. Which I personally, love. And you can say that there isn't a stigma on handmade in lolita fashion, but in reality, there is. Mostly because lolita is a tricky thing and if it isn't made absolutely perfectly then it just looks off. But in fairy kei, it's more about getting plain things and making them your own. There are a few major brands, Spank!, Nile Perch, and 6% Doki Doki are the most popular ones. Items from Angelic Pretty, Chocomint, and other shops associated with lolita fashion are also incorporated into the style often.

In this style, there's a big focus on the 80's and children's toys/tv/clothing of the 80's. Now, I had a very traumatic experience with Care Bears when I was young and I really can't get on the My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic boat (actually I can't stand MLP at all). These are two of the mecca's of this style. Furthermore, I wasn't even born in the 80's! I have all these things going against me, but it's okay. My fairy kei taste is just a little more my own and a little less conventional. I'll probably write more about it some other time though. If you want more info on fairy kei and incorporating it in your lolita wardrobe, check out these links below~ I'm by no means an expert on fairy kei style, but I hope this short intro to the style inspires you to find out more information!

An Article on Nile Perch (a fairy kei shop) - I got most of the pictures in this article at this site

Spank Love Livejournal Community

Spank & Fairy Kei Tumblr

This Wardrobe Post by Kyandichan - She has a fairy lolita style wardrobe!

Parfait Doll's Guide to Pop Kei

My Week in the World of Lifestyle Lolita

This past week, I decided to do a little experiment. I wanted to see what being a lifestyle lolita was like. And I have to say, it was a lot different than I expected. I wore lolita six days during the past week, I had to skip Sunday because I can't wear it to the job I have on Sundays. I'll talk about some of the really fun parts of the week, as well as some of the problems I had.

Getting Up and Getting Dressed

I am not a morning person. At all. I get up and catch the bus less than 20 minutes later. Which made dressing in lolita particularly miserable. I decided on my outfit the night before, but even with that, I was still missing the earlier bus and nearly late to class a few times. If I could manage to get up even 15 minutes earlier, I wouldn't have felt so rushed getting ready to go. If I could have gotten up an hour earlier, I would have actually felt awake when I was getting dressed.

Wearing lolita, while fun, is terribly inconvenient. I'm not used to wearing clothing without pockets. And only one of my dresses actually has them. It was difficult to carry my ID and phone with me. I have a bright green and black backpack that I use regularly. When I was wearing my frilly clothing, it felt out of place and, well, just plain ugly. So I couldn't use it. I have a few laptop bags that I used, and while they worked, they didn't really match either. What I really needed is a school bag, but more on that later.

Reactions: Good and Bad

I prepared for the worst. I prepared for the usual stares and the negative comments. However, I was pleasantly surprised. Fellow students ignored me, professors didn't make comments or make me explain myself. The people working at the two coffee shops I frequent were so positive and I received lots of complements. One girl told me to check out the PGH_Lolita group, where I'm a moderator. I politely thanked her for letting me know about this.

Working my week-day job in lolita was pleasant. I work in retail, so it was quite easy to wear lolita to work. However, it was also somewhat difficult to work in lolita. It was cramped and hard to move around a lot to help the customers. I've worn lolita to work before though, so this is not something new to me. My bosses really liked it though, and were very positive.

There were a few random reactions that I got in other places. A lady in the grocery store said she liked my dress and asked me where I got it. My little cat, Nia, was actually afraid of the dresses. There were a few people asking about it on the bus and on the street walking between classes and work. But overall, most everyone just ignored it.

Wardrobe Difficulties

I have a pretty decent sized wardrobe. I have seven skirts, seven jumpers, four blouses, and three cutsews. I've been able to make a myriad of coordinates thus far, but six days in a row took a toll on my wardrobe. I simply do not have enough dresses to make coordinates that interest and excite me every single day. Skirts were pretty-much unusable, because I only had a few tops I could use with them. This was a real eye-opener for me. I had always thought of each piece in my wardrobe being important. But truthfully, many pieces stay on their hangers in the closet. It may be time to do a bit of evaluating in my wardrobe, especially if I plan to become a lifestyle lolita.

I was quite surprised by myself. For the past two years, my life has become more and more lolita-centric. I've wanted to become a lifestyle lolita for past year almost, and that has been what I've been moving towards. After this experiment, I'm not so sure anymore. It's very difficult to wear lolita all day. Perhaps it's just me, but wearing lolita becomes exhausting after awhile. I learned that I would need to own enough cutsews to match my skirts, and while I have four blouse options, not one of them has long sleeves. How did that happen?

My conclusions

I think that it takes a lot of confidence and energy to wear lolita by yourself. A friend complimented me on my outfit one day, saying that she "doesn't have the balls to wear her lolita to school." I didn't feel that way before this experiment. I also feel that my wardrobe is not in a state to be used daily. I can barely make enough outfits to wear something different every day for a week. Finally, there are just some impracticalities that come with wearing lolita. It would be important for me to keep some "regular" clothes around to deal with these situations in. For more on these, check out my post from a week ago on this subject. Still, I don't think you have to wear lolita every day to be considered a "real lolita." Even if you just wear the style to meet-ups, conventions, and occasionally other times, like I do usually, you're still a lolita in my book!

It's almost been a year since I started writing the Elegant Wardrobe. I know I don't have a ton of readers or internet fame or anything. But I'm still happy with how this is going. So I'll be doing a one-year bloggiversary give away, starting later this month. Also, I am proud to announce that The Elegant Wardrobe now has a Facebook page! Please feel free to subscribe to it to get the latest updates right on your Facebook. Until next time~

30 Day Lolita Challenge - Day 3

WARNING! This post contains my honest opinions! If you are someone that takes offense to things easily, this is not the post for you!

I should have combined days two and three together. That would have made for a much longer post. But I didn't and so now they'll have to be separate. Do you like the new banner? If you want to make a 30 Day challenge banner and see it here, you can email me the file at theelegantwardrobe@gmail.com and I'll use it!

10 Things I Hate About Lolita

1. The word "burando." - All I can think of is Marlin Brando (the actor). This was captured perfectly in an image I saw once. I think the word is kind of stupid, just call it brand.

2. Angelic Pretty "Clones." - I think hate is a pretty strong word for this one. It's not that I hate that they exist, I just would like to see them have more variety in their outfits! They are lovely girls, they should show that off instead of trying to all look exactly the same.

3. Wigs - They're itchy, even the good ones. I own one wig, and I don't plan to ever buy another one.

4. Poorly maintained wigs - More and more I see girls with what must have been expensive wigs and they're tangled, sliding off their heads, and generally disheveled. This to me is equivalent to not wearing a petticoat or showing up with wet hair.

5. The term "fatty-chan" and any other term like it - How would you like to be called something like that? I don't care what you look like, it's exceedingly immature. Leave the name calling to the grade schoolers.

6. People that bash Bodyline, F+F, homemade, off-brand, etc. -

These are all viable options for obtaining lolita outfits. Just because they aren't made by the most popular companies or may be flawed doesn't mean they aren't beautiful.

7. Vice versa. People that bash others for wearing only brand or mostly brand - Why can't we all just get along? So what if some people prefer to buy the expensive brand clothes. It's their money and their preference. It's only affecting their life, not yours.

8. Saying that so and so can't be a lolita because of the color of their skin or their religious beliefs and practices. Come on guys, really.

9. The price. Ugh, it sucks! I have zero sewing skills when it comes to human-sized clothing. And now with shipping costs rising, even shops like Bodyline aren't as affordable as they used to be. I've bought pretty much every piece in my wardrobe second hand. I work two jobs, but I

use most of the money I make on things such as rent and food and gas.

10. How most of the community is LJ based - I'm not so great with Livejournal. I've been usingit a year and a half now and I'm just starting to get the hang of it. Maybe because I'd never used a site like that one, but it has been hard to pick it up. I wish it was more of a traditional forum. But it would have to be massive.

There you have it! 10 things that I dislike about lolita fashion. I could probably come up with more. For a fashion full of love and lovely things, there sure is a lot of hate in the community and between members of it. I'm no exception, I just think that if we all followed the golden rule, then the community would be a slightly better place.

30 Day Lolita Challenge - Day 2

Alright, day 2. Two days in a row! 10 things I love about lolita, go!

1. Colors! Whether they're in prints, solid dresses, just in the accessories, I love seeing so many colors! Which is odd since I'm a kuro lolita.

2. I love how everyone has their own spin on their coordinates. There aren't two people that look quite exactly the same ever. At least around here that doesn't happen. I have seen Angelic Pretty clones in pictures only, never in real life.

3. Twirling around in a skirt or dress. It never ever gets old and isn't fun anymore. Never ever.

4. Having tea. I hadn't been to a tea party before about a year and a half ago and now I'maddicted! We have tea every four months or so here. It's really broadened my horizons as far as types of tea and sandwiches. Plus it's quite a lovely activity to participate in.

5. Bloomers! I sleep in mine. They're so comfy!

6. The friends I've made through the fashion. Not only have I made a lot of friends locally, but I made some when I was in Japan two years ago and in NYC a year ago.

7. SHOES! I love lolita shoes. I know I've mentioned this a few times before.

8. The cute jewelry! I love it! Even though I only own one kitty ring.

9. Dressing my doll(s) in the fashion too! I find so many doll dresses that I want to have in my size! Some day, I will get matching outfits and we will twin and it will be adorable.

10. When I wear lolita, I feel really beautiful. Which is not an everyday sort of feeling for me. And it's really a nice one.

So are you enjoying the 30 Day Lolita Challenge? I think I am. Today ended up being kind of short though... which is disappointing. I hope I can keep it up!

30 Days Lolita Challenge! Day 1

Since I've been stuck in a blogging rut recently, I decided to try this 30 days meme that's been circulating around the community recently. I believe it was Kris at Sweet Lolita On-the-Go that started this meme, at least that's where I saw it. So I'm going to try it out and see how far I get. I probably won't post one every day, but it'll be great inspiration for new posts.

Day 1 - 10 things about your lolita bubble

I'm not all too sure what this actually means. Does it mean my local group, my personal lolita experiences, or what?

1. For me, lolita has been a on again off again thing. I first got into the fashion when I was in 7th grade, got my first proper pieces in 9th, and then I sort of dropped out of the style. After I graduated high school, I went to study abroad in Japan and fell in love with the style again. Ever since I've been a proper lolita going to meet-ups and stuff.

2. I love the rules. A lot of lolitas these days are all like "screw the rules and be creative." I think that that can be one approach to lolita and some of my polyvore coordinates take that a bit more to heart. But for what I actually wear, I go traditional all the way. It can be boiling outside and I'll show up in a blouse and bloomers.

3. Mana. Eh. I'm not a Mana fan girl. So many people are, I don't really get his whole draw. I like his brand, I like his music, I'm just not a big Mana fan.

4. My local community is pretty darn awesome. We've had our share of problems. But I think we've been heading in a positive direction now. I've been a moderator there for about six months, and so far it's been crazy fun.

5. I love running lolita fashion shows! I've done two now, each one has been an extremely stressful experience. Somehow I manage to be extremely stressed and having the time of my life. It's a good 50 hours of pre-con work, and this past con I was so stressed I threw up. But that's probably my favorite part of being a lolita and I wouldn't give it up for the world. I'll probably be writing a whole article about my experiences with this at some point.

6. I think I'm a kuro lolita with a color problem. It's so strange because I really love colors and my apartment is just covered in scraps of colorful fabric. But I wear kuro lolita. It's quite odd to me.

7. I LOVE SHOES. I never really was a shoe girl until I got into lolita. Now, I've picked out like 15 new pairs of shoes that I'll be slowly obtaining pair by pair. My favorites are rocking horse shoes and anything with laces.

8. I never wear OTK socks. If my knees are showing, I feel cold and naked. So I always wear tights.

9. My room doesn't have a trace of lolita in it at all. Except for the pile of dresses for sale in a chair and the G&LBs on the book shelf. So I won't be taking pictures of my room for day 22.

10. I desperately want an elegant wardrobe of my own. My closet is just a normal one, but it doesn't even have a bar in it to hang stuff on, only hooks. It's a pain! Someday I'll have a vintage armoire or something glorious for my clothes. But not anytime soon.

Day one done! Let's see if I keep it up! I already can pick out days that I won't be doing, namely the ones that require pictures of myself. I try not to post too many of those to the internet, so I'll be changing those ones a bit. If you've got any ideas, feel free to email me at my new email, theelegantwardrobe@gmail.com! Bye bye for now!

When a Friend Leaves Lolita

It's always sad for me when a good friend leaves lolita. Since I don't usually see my lolita friends outside of meet-ups, this is an indefinite good-bye for me. I've seen many friends come and go, all of them have been excellent people and excellent lolitas. Even though it's a sad thing to see comrades leave the fashion, there isn't much that can be done. You can't beg them to stay, you can't cry about it, and you can't be mad at them for leaving. All you can do is say that you'll miss seeing them and wish them well. Sometimes, your friend will come back to the fashion. Often, this isn't the case. There are a few things to avoid though when confronted with this situation.

1. "Don't beat a dead horse"

Your friend is leaving. This is a very personal and often difficult decision. While it is appropriate to say that you'll miss them and that you're sad to see them go, one or two comments to this effect at most is alright. More than that, and you start to sound like you're begging them to stay. I know it's terribly sad, but try to keep it to yourself.

2. Don't immediately ask them what they're selling/if you can buy their wardrobe

If you're really close (read: related) then that's okay, but otherwise, wait until they post a sales thread on the egl_comm_sales. I think it's okay if you purchase things from your friend, just don't rush them to sell off their stuff. I know that even when I sell something that I've never worn, I feel a little sad about it. Imagine how you'd feel about selling your whole wardrobe. Even if they've simply fallen out of love with the style, those pieces contain memories.

3. Ask them why they are leaving, but don't try to convince them to stay

This goes back to the first point. If your friend is leaving, it's perfectly fine to ask them why. It can be a tough choice to leave, and part of being a good friend is listening to what they have to say. People leave the style for a myriad of reasons. Maybe it's something little that can be fixed, such as a misunderstanding. Many times it's simply that they've lost interest in the style. If they're leaving it for a different style, then ask them about the new one (especially if you don't have any idea as to what they're talking about).

4. Stay in touch

If you have a cool community, they may be willing to accept all sorts of J-fashions at their meet ups. So if your friend switched styles, they may still be able to participate in meet ups. If they're not switching styles or your group doesn't let other styles in or what have you (I hope that made sense), then by all means, stay in touch! Exchange phone numbers, have lunch sometime, email, chat online, whatever you'd like. Just because you don't have lolita fashion in common anymore doesn't mean you can't be friends.

I hope this never happens to any of you. But if it does, try not to think of it as the end of the world. Life will go on. People come and go, it's a part of life. I've had friends move away, leave the fashion, and simply stop coming to meet-ups and posting to our community. It's sad and you miss them, but life goes on. New people join up and you can make new friends. I hope this has made sense and helped out with this tricky situation.

As some (hopefully most) of you have noticed, there's a new poll feature up at the top of the page. This is very important! Please vote in it! I have some ideas for new content, and I want to gauge interest in certain things. So you have a little over a month to vote. I can't really offer you anything for voting. All I can say is that by voting, you're helping me come up with new content.

Confessions of a Kuro Lolita

I'm a kuro lolita. While I appreciate, collect, and wear other styles, I keep coming back to my first love, kuro style. What is kuro style exactly? It's all black style. The word "kuro" in Japanese means "black," hence, all black coordinate. Kuro style seems boring to many people, but for me, I love the simplicity. I have three black dresses (but I'm planning to sell one) and a black skirt I got while I was in Japan. I'm always looking for more black pieces to add to my wardrobe. When I tell people that I'm a kuro lolita, I get a similar response almost every time, "but isn't that boring?" I don't think so though. In fact, I think it can be harder to create an interesting Kuro coordinate than a more straightforward style.

Kuro (and it's sister style, shiro) can be coordinated in so many ways! You can have classic, sweet (bittersweet in the case of kuro), or gothic based coordinates, but they all can be made as a kuro coordinate, if that made any sense. What I'm trying to say is that if you tend towards a certain major style (gothic, sweet, classic), then you can still stay true to your style choice while still making a kuro coordinate. My kuro stuff is more on the bittersweet side of things. It can be tricky to create a nice kuro coordinate, the more pieces you use, the trickier it becomes. I have a few tips for making your own kuro coordinates (and as far as I know, these tips can apply to shiro style also).

1. Choosing pieces

I'm a big fan of jumper skirts for kuro especially. However, you can use whatever pieces you like to make a kuro coordinate. When choosing pieces for really any coordinate, you want to look at the details of the pieces. This goes double for kuro and shiro. For example, if you have a detailed skirt (lots of lace/trimmings/a bustle or something else) then you want to go for a simpler blouse. You do NOT want a detailed blouse with a very simple skirt. That makes the coordinate look top heavy. If you have a simple skirt, then choose a simple top to go with it. A casual style works very nicely for this.

2. Keep true to your style

If you're an OTT sweet lolita and you're looking at Kuro style, that's totally fine! Just because you prefer pastels or prints doesn't mean that you can't experiment in kuro or you can't wear it at all. It would be pretty awesome to see an OTT kuro coordinate. By combining the poof, sweet elements, and decora-inspired elements from sweet styles with the all black requirement of kuro, you can get a look that isn't seen at all.

3. Don't feel like you have to have black hair/makeup

Yes it is Kuro lolita. Yes you wear all black clothing and accessories. No, you do not have to have black hair and make up. I don't own any wigs, and I do my makeup pretty much the same everyday. Of course you can wear black makeup and have black hair with kuro lolita, I'm just saying it's not a requirement.

4. Prints...

This is something kind of weird, and I hope you get what I'm saying. Prints are okay, as long as they remain true to the black on black color scheme. You can have a black print on black fabric. Of course, it's probably not going to be a complicated print with lots of little details. But I just bought a dress with a polka dot print, and it is black on black. So it can work, but the print is going to most likely be simple.

Here are some examples of Kuro lolita dresses. I'm going to talk just a bit about each one.

This is an example of a sweet-kuro dress. This is actually the dress I just got! It has a light dot print and lots of gathers and bows. This makes for an interesting piece that is definitively sweet. This dress actually comes in a bunch of other colors too, including white (for a cute shiro lolita coordinate!). The OP style makes this an easy dress to coordinate. Sweeter shoes would work nicely with this, as well as either socks or tights. Since it is an OP, you don't have to worry about a blouse or any other pieces really clashing with the dress, making it a good choice for newcomers to the fashion. You also wouldn't have to purchase a blouse, which means less money spent on a fabulous Kuro coordinate.

Ack! I just said that you don't really see complicated prints that are black on black. This Innocent World dress is a great piece for a classic-kuro coordinate. The chandelier print makes it super classic. It is a JSK, meaning you would need a blouse or a cardigan or bolero over it. However, if you choose a simple blouse without puff sleeves or a wide collar to go underneath this, the dress will speak for itself, making a streamlined, classical coordinate. This dress is beautiful, and the print looks like it has a bit of a different texture than the rest of the dress has. The simple bodice should be flattering on a number of different body shapes. It was made in 2007, so good luck finding this dress for sale if you're as in love with it as I am.

Moi Meme Moitie is often called the definitive gothic brand. I have to say, I'm not extremely familiar with the brand itself. But this dress is a great example of a kuro dress that can work in a more gothic coordinate, or even in a sweeter one. It seems to have that same type of print texture as the IW one does, but it's not clear to me what this print actually is. This is also a jumper skirt, meaning you do need a blouse. One with a high collar would really drive the gothic-ness home. Lots of gothic jewelry would complete the look also. If you wanted to go sweeter with this dress, a blouse with more frills, possibly bell sleeves would do the trick. So this dress is quite versatile it would seem. I could see this going well in any of the three major styles, but it really fits in well with gothic the best.

So you see, Kuro lolita is most definitely not boring. It can be interesting and fun if you make it like that. Are you going to try out some kuro styles now? If you do, post a picture here and I'd be thrilled! Especially if you try out the OTT Sweet-Kuro that I was talking about up there. Of course, don't feel like you have to post a picture or anything at all! Trying new styles out is fun, I hope you try this one out sometime!

Lolita and Pets

Just because you dress in Lolita fashion doesn't mean that has to be the only thing in your life! Many Lolita's only wear the style part time, for meet-ups and special events. Even if you're afull time, life style lolita, that doesn't mean you have to give up everything else. So if you are a Lolita, please don't feel like you can't have pets! Yes they shed, yes they can smell, yes they get into stuff. But if you care for your pets properly and you care for your clothing properly, I see no reason why the two can't go together. Here are some tips for havingpets and being a Lolita.

1. Put your clothes away!

If you leave your clothes lying out, cats will almost always be drawn to that pile of fabric. Cats love to sit on soft spaces. Your clothes are a perfect little kitty nest for them to snuggle into. Especially if they can smell your scent on them. Hang your clothes up right away, in a closet or wardrobe where your cat can't get to. This will cut down on the fur you get on your clothes, and protect them from damage.

2. Keep a lint roller with you

No matter how much you try, fur will end up on your clothes if you have a shedding pet. So get a lint roller to keep in your car or closet to get the excess off before you head out. Nothing is more annoying than having fur all over yourself and having no way to get it off. You can get sticky lint rollers at many grocery stores, as well as fabric stores and pet shops.

3. Try and keep your interests separate

I know there was some question as to whether it was appropriate to make little "lolita" outfits for your dog/cat. I think that's going a little too far with it. However, it could be really cute if you have a dog with a coordinating collar to your outfit. I don't think that's too much, and it doesn't harm the animal.

4. Your animal always comes first

No matter how much you love your clothes, if you are caring for an animal, that animal must always come first. That means that if your cat has a hairball on your dress, you do not throw the cat out on the street. If your dog is sick and you need money to pay for the vet bill, you may have to sell a few pieces to cover the cost. Having a pet is a big responsibility, and shouldn't be taken lightly. After all, it's a living thing, and clothes are not.

This might seem like a contrived article, but it's something I really care

about. I see so many people frivolously take animals into their homes, then throw them out for doing what comes natural to them. I personally have a dog and a cat. My dog's name is Cassie, and she's an 85 pound black lab. She sheds like no other, so I have lint rollers in my apartment, car, and at my parents house, where she lives. My kitty's name is Dusty, and we adopted her from the Humane Society. She was abandoned outside the shelter, and we were fortunate enough to get to her before any other family. She loves to sit on my petticoats, but I try not to let her. She's the cat over to the left, as well as at the top of the article.

If you're looking at getting a pet, think about adopting first. An adopted pet is just as good, if not better than an animal from a breeder. Many animals in shelters have to be euthanized because there isn't enough space for them anymore. By adopting a pet, you can save a life and give a sweet and good animal a second chance at life. If you're a lolita, don't feel like you can't have a pet, because the two are very compatible. I hope you liked this post as much as I have enjoyed writing it!

Lazy Thursday

I had a midterm today. As a result, I have no more energy left to write a witty and interesting blog post. However, I do have an Alice coordinate that I was planning to use on Tuesday and did not. So I'll do that today instead.

Classic Alice by Cat91151 featuring hair bow accessories

This is an extremely classically styled coordinate. This is a print by Alice and the Pirates, produced in 2006. The print features recreations of the artwork from the Alice books along with the Alice and the Pirates logo. The print itself is quite detailed, the pictures can't do it justice. I coordinated this print quite simply with a formal blouse and cream shoes. The Alice themed locket really adds a whole level of classic-ness to this outfit in my opinion. The cameo-style jewelry brings the Alice theme to the forefront. Finally, the bag is a practical choice, as it can be used for school or as a purse.

I'm so sorry about this pathetically short post. I'll try to make up for it on Saturday, but I'm not making any promises. You can ask me anything at my formspring page and don't forget the giveaway will be ending on the 22nd!

My Not-so-Lucky Lucky Pack

This was my very first experience with buying a lucky pack. I got this one as a part of Baby the Stars Shine Bright's Valentine's Day event. As I’ve mentioned before, BABY is my absolute favorite Lolita brand, and so I really didn’t want to pass up the opportunity to get a good deal on some clothes. This event was unlike previous lucky pack sales in that they had to be bought in person at the Baby the Stars Shine Bright shop in San Francisco. Having lucky pack sales that have to be bought in the store isn’t uncommon; it was simply unexpected for me. I never thought I'd have to hire a shopping service for a store in my own country. Nevertheless, I hired my first shopping service and began the wait.

Now what exactly is a Lucky Pack? Basically it's a pack of items coordinated to go together. Many brands sell them around New Years to clear out old stock, but sometimes they're sold in the summer. Many brands offer different types of lucky packs for different prices. There’s usually a “deluxe” pack that can have one-pieces, blouses, jumper skirts, accessories, headpieces, bags, and even jewelry inside.These are the most expensive packs and sometimes contain an original print. Also, the shop may let you choose a color or style. For example, you can indicate that you wear black or pink or blue most often, and they’ll give you that color of pack. Of course, you don’t know what's inside, so there’s still a surprise there.

Then they’ll have a “medium” pack or a casual pack. That’s what I got. It’s usually priced pretty well (for generally expensive Lolita clothing.

For example, in my pack, I got a jumper skirt, a blouse, a head bow, a pair of socks, a cell-phone strap/keychain, and a gym bag (why I would need a gym bag for Lolita, I’m not sure. Maybe I’ll use it for travel).It contains a complete outfit, but it’s not going to be as complete as the deluxe pack/it will lack something that the more expensive pack has.

The third pack that is usually sold is an accessory pack. This is the cheapest pack offered. It’ll have a headpiece, some socks, maybe some wrist cuffs, jewelry, a wallet; it just depends on what the brand offers. These are great deals if you’re in need of accessories, want to get a lot of little things for not a high price, or even to get the pack, split it up and give them as gifts. This pack also will usually come in different colors or styles. Sometimes they’ll let you choose, sometimes they won’t. It varies from sale to sale.

Different sales will have different packs available. I’ve also seen packs with skirts and blouses, shoe packs, jewelry packs, and all sorts of other ones. If the brand offers it for normal sale, chances are, they will eventually offer it in a lucky pack. The only exception I can think of for this is for parasols. I’ve never seen a pack offering parasols. But if they did, I’d be all over getting one of those.

Anyhow, now you know more about lucky packs. Now for my lucky pack. I got that medium size pack, the one with the jumper skirt and blouse and accessories. It’s a complete outfit and it’s very well made.There are all sorts of little details on the different pieces, like the crown embroidery on the detachable bow, the BABY logo embroidery on the blouse, and the different types of lace used on the blouse. The jumper has shirring on it, but no corset lacing, which I found odd. The other problematic thing about the dress is that the straps are uncommonly short. This makes the dress sort of not make sense to me. In the photos provided by BABY on their San Francisco blog it looked like it would fit one way. However in real life, the dress does not fit this way at all, which is very disappointing. The pack came in three different color options: pink, brown, and black.

I was hoping for black, and I got brown. A friend of mine ordered two packs, and so she was hoping for a black so that we could trade, but she got two browns! So between the two of us, we ended up with three of the exact same pack. I ended up buying a black one on the sales community and selling my brown pack to my sister.

I wish I could have included pictures of my black lucky pack for you. However, I haven't been able to get all the wrinkles out of it. It has a bustle in the back, which makes ironing it tricky. I don't have a steam iron either. So when I am able to get all those pesky wrinkles out, I'll take some pictures and update this post. Is that alright? I'll be updating again on Saturday, so look forward to it!

Ball-Joint Dolls: A Lolita's Best Friend?

Dolls and Lolita go very well together. In part because the Lolita aesthetic can be described as “doll-like.” I consider myself a doll collector before a Lolita, and as a result, my dolls get preferential treatment over my personal wardrobe.

I’ve been collecting for about two years now, and I have seven dolls in my collection currently. “Ball-joint” refers to the actual jointing of the doll. Each part has a “ball” and a socket for that ball to go in. The pieces fit together like a puzzle, and the doll is held together with cord elastic that is strung throughout the doll.The result is a highly pose-able and customizable doll. The entire thing comes apart and can be modified, customized, and put back together.

I have seven dolls, but I’m only going to truly talk about one here. That’s because she is the only one that has a proper Lolita wardrobe. I’ve had her for about a year now, and I have slowly

built her wardrobe from both new and second-hand pieces. Her name is Rose, and she was made a part of a line of dolls by Volks (the first company to make BJDs) based off of the Harajuku neighborhood of Tokyo.In other words, they are made to be little Lolitas.My Rose came with an absolutely gorgeous dress set made by a team made up of staff from both Volks and Baby the Stars Shine Bright. Volks has worked with BABY before my doll was made, and they have since worked with them. They’ve also made collaboration dolls with h.Naoto and Alice and the Pirates.A different type of doll, called Pullip, has worked with Angelic Pretty and recently, Innocent World to make lovely Lolita dolls. You can see the result of their collaboration with Innocent World here to the right.

Ball-joint dolls are known for being very expensive. And that is true, they are not the price of an average Barbie. Why is this? Well, it's because they cannot be mass-produced like other dolls. Each one has to be finished, painted, and put together by hand. You must have a skilled worker to do all of this. So when you order a doll, it is made by hand and will have imperfections. These imperfections are why many doll owners come to love their dolls. But just because they are made this way doesn't mean you have to break the bank to own one. There are many affordable dolls on the market, such as ones made by the company Bobobie. They make a lovely doll for an affordable price. My first doll was actually a Bobobie. Pullip is another affordable doll. They are not quite the same as a ball-jointed doll, but they are quite lovely and somewhat pose able.

Anyhow, this is my doll. As I said before, her name is Rose. I got her last year in March from collector. I am at least her third owner, there may have been more owners before. She was made in 2008 and sold in Kyoto at a doll event. She is very beautiful in my opinion, and very suited to wearing Lolita fashion. Her style tends toward a very classic aesthetic, and her favorite pieces are ones with roses on them (because that is her name). Ball joint doll owners tend to give their dolls back stories, personalities, preferences, original names, and even family members. Rose here has a younger sister named April. She also wears lolita from time to time, and likes the sweeter prints. Right now, she has a dress covered in cakes, though she has no shoes to wear with it. Rose was the seventh doll I'd ever purchased, and has been the most expensive one yet. Even though she has had many owners, she is in very good condition and thus has retained her value. Her clothes were made as a collaboration between Volks (the doll company) and Baby the Stars Shine Bright, as I said before. This resulted in an extremely well-made and detailed ensemble that fits her perfectly. At one point, I believe this dress was also sold for human sizes, but I haven't been able to find proof of that ever happening. A more recent collaboration resulted in this doll, named Lieselotte, and this dress for the human owner. They aren't exact matches, but you get the idea.

If you would like to see more of Rose, you can see the whole shoot I did with her here. My camera had died, so I took these pictures using my iPhone. Please excuse the questionable quality. If you would like to learn more about Ball-joint dolls in general, Den of Angels is a fabulous forum with all the information, photos, and answers you could want. And if there is something you can't find, you can ask on there and people will help you! If you'd like to ask me questions about Rose, my other dolls, where to get Lolita clothing for dolls, or really anything else, you can ask away on my formspring. Until next time!

My Lolita Idol

This is a topic often talked about at meet-ups or online. "Who is your Lolita idol?" It was even a theme of the EGL community a few months ago. A lot of people say Japanese designers or musicians, like Mana, Kaya, Kana, etc. But mine's a little bit different. My Lolita idol is Julie Andrews. Why? I'll tell you.

1. She can sing!

I just adore her voice! In Mary Poppins, my favorite song is "Feed the

Birds" followed by "A Spoonful of Sugar". In The Sound of Music, I love "My Favorite Things," I think because my mother used to sing it to me when I was little. Her voice is so elegant and she can put so much emotion into her singing.

2. She always looks elegant and sophisticated

Isn't she just gorgeous? Her style is slightly vintage, always very put together, and reminiscent of another time. She's one of a very small number of people that I like short hair on. In recent years, she has become a role model of sorts for actresses that want a more mature style of dressing, as well as ones that want to learn her grace and elegance. Her signature look involves well-tailored pieces, long dresses, empire waists, and timeless jewelry.

3. She has a regal air to her

In everything she does, she's been described as "practically perfect in every way." And it's true! She always holds her head up high and seems confident every time I see her on TV. She adopted two kids and had three of her own. She was married to Blake Edwards for over 40 years before he died. She's a wonderful mother and now grandmother. She does work for charities such as the United Nations Development Fund for Women (UNIFEM), and Operation USA in California, known for it's aid to foreign countries in times for crisis. Most recently, she helped raise money and awareness for the victims of the Haiti earthquake. She writes children's books, she has directed a few musicals and has been giving more concerts recently. Indeed she is "practically perfect in every way."

She's my Lolita idol for these reasons. Whenever I wear Lolita, I try to emulate her grace and elegance. Even though she's not a Lolita herself, or even reminiscent of the style, she still has the basic principles of what I think makes a good Lolita, and more generally, a good person. And while I do like Mana and Kaya and Kana well enough, I don't think of them as my personal idols. Who is your Lolita idol? Tell me in the comment section below! And as always, if you have questions or suggestions for me, you can send them to me via my formspring.

Happy New Year!

Happy New Year everybody! Did you have a good time last night? I like to make a few sets of resolutions every year, doll resolutions, regular resolutions, and of course, Lolita resolutions. So these are my Lolita resolutions for 2011!

1. Buy more shoes!

As I talked about last time, I've got a bit of an obsession with shoes right now. For awhile I had a pair of white shoes and a pair of black ones and I could wear those with everything. But now, that just isn't cutting it. So I want to get all different types and colors of shoes to vary up my coordinates a little.

2. Learn to make pieces

I make doll clothes, but I've never made any human size clothes. So this year, I'd like to learn to make clothes for myself. I'm starting with skirts and reconstructions of t-shirts to make cut-sews.

3. Get more casual items

I've been slowly transferring my wardrobe into more of a casual style that I can wear every day, but this year, I'd really like to get on that and become a true lifestyle lolita.

4. Expand wardrobe in general

My wardrobe, in its current state, is pitiful. I sold off a lot of my pieces to afford my dolls, but now I want to build it back up. So I'll be stalking the sales community for second-hand items to build it back up. Hopefully the sewing skills I plan to acquire will help out too.

There you have it! My Lolita resolutions for 2011. Of course, these will probably change as the year progresses. For instance, I might be going to Japan this fall for a study abroad. If I do, then I plan to go back to Harajuku for some serious shopping. Last time, I was able to buy a Baby the Stars Shine Bright bag and two Metamorphose Temps de Fille skirts. Next time, I will surely brave the busy Bodyline store (it was PACKED!) and get some good bargains without shipping fees. What are your Lolita resolutions?

Lolita Obsession: Shoes

I think that most people go through phases of interests. For a while I would go through a cycle of playing video games, sewing/doing crafts, and playing with my dolls. Then it would start over. Recently, I’ve noticed a similar trend in my Lolita. I’ll become obsessed with one thing, and then move on to another one. Right now, it’s shoes.

I’ve never been much of a girly girl. So for me to be obsessed with shoes is something unique. But I just can’t get enough of Lolita style and vintage shoes. There are just so many styles and colors. They can be covered in bows, hearts, flowers, or swirls, and in every color imaginable. Boots, tennis shoes, high heals, medium high heals, flats, closed toe, open tow, sling back, sandals, platforms, slippers, lace-ups, you name it, it should exist.

Where to Buy

Lolita shoes can be found anywhere, but my personal favorites are vintage shops and Bodyline. I own two pairs of Bodyline shoes, but I’m planning to get many more throughout the New Year. Shoes are a staple of a wardrobe, but if you order them from a brand, they can cost upwards of $200. While brand shoes are gorgeous, they are usually made out of the same materials as their off-brand counterparts. Many companies have also been making

reproductions of popular styles, such as the An*Ten*Nai Tea Party replicas. These reproductions cost about the same as regular shoes from somewhere like Payless cost, around $50. Bodyline shoes are less, at around $30, while boots usually cost around $60, since they are heavier to ship and they use more material.

Rocking Horse Style Shoes

These are perhaps my favorite type of Lolita shoes on the market. Some people think they are a bit old school, but I personally adore them. I have two pairs, with plans for red ones in the future. I first saw them in the anime NANA, and while I’m no expert on Japanese punk styles, I believe they are popular in that too. I know that Kamikaze Girls is sort of an old style lolita movie, but the main character, Momoko, deems them "absolutely essential" in a wardrobe. The epitome of all Rocking Horse shoes are made by Vivienne Westwood. What I would do to get my hands on a pair of Vivienne Westwood original rocking horse boots. Oh man they are gorgeous. But I'd take any pair of knockoffs too.

They look like they'd be hard to walk on, but they're quite easy and even comfortable once you get the hang of it. Just practice at home before going out, beware of cobblestone streets, ice, and stairs. Those things can be tough to walk on. The heavier they are, the better. I own a pair of Bodyline ones, and a pair from the Littlechillishop on eBay. The Little Chilli Shop ones are heavier and easier to walk in. The base is a bit wider too. But the Bodyline ones were less than half the cost, came in an eighth of the time, and while they're a little tricky to walk on, I'm getting the hang of the balance and weight. Each pair is different.

Other Shoes

There are so many different types, it's hard to pick a favorite. If you want to experiment with different shoe styles, flesh out your shoe wardrobe, or simply get something cute, I highly recommend Bodyline shoes. They are cheap, so you can get two or three pairs for the same price you'd pay for one pair from another store. They come in most every color and style, they have flat rate shipping (shoes cost more to ship because of the weight from most places, but not Bodyline!), and they'll be shipped quickly. If you scuff them, it's not such a big deal since they weren't too expensive to begin with. However, sometimes the sizing on Bodyline shoes can be tricky. I've just ordered my actual size and they've fit, but I know sometimes the sizing can be way off. There is no good way to find out exactly which pairs of shoes will be off, but from what I understand, the company is getting better about fixing these sizing issues. Forever 21 and H&M also sometimes carry cute print and solid color flats that are perfect for a casual or a lighter summery style. You'd be surprised what great finds you can find in your local mall or shopping district!