Spring Trends 2012

Spring seems to be upon us (finally) and you know what that means~ It's not a freezing, ice-covered hell outside anymore. And with a new season, means new trends to watch! I've been looking through Japanese fashion mags and spring fashion shows for the last week or so now, and I feel like I'm equipped to tell you all about some new(ish) things that seem to be in for spring.

Bell sleeves shown at the
BTSSB Fashion Show at
Anime Matsuri
Photo Credit

Bell/Princess Sleeves are popping up everywhere! In the BABY, the Stars Shine Bright line, there were bell sleeves everywhere!! Which is awesome for me, because I love bell sleeves~ There were a few last season, but now other brands are picking up this trend. Alice and the Pirates and Angelic Pretty both feature designs with bell sleeves this season! I think it has something to do with the overall trend back towards the original, more simplistic lolita style.

Jewel Ribbon Elegant Dress

Faux under skirts are also in right now, specifically for classic styles. I think this gives everything a sort of hime flavor, which I don't dislike. Innocent World, AATP, and Victorian Maiden all released dresses with this faux under skirt sort of look, they are quite lovely~ Florals are always big in spring time, as are fruit prints. This always happens in the spring time. But it would be nice to see some other spring motifs, maybe cute easter eggs or more animal-themed prints from the classic end of the spectrum.

Bonnets. Holy crap bonnets. Bonnets are so popular. Nearly every Japanese brand has a few different bonnet or half-bonnet designs coming out with their lines this spring. I've never been a fan of them, they take a certain face shape to pull off. But half-bonnets are a little more forgiving. Overall, bonnets just feel spring-y to me.

Chantilly Models at Anime Matsuri
Photo Credit: Octavekitten

Finally, diamond prints are in style this season. Diamond and check prints have always sort have been popular in lolita because they remind us of Alice in Wonderland. But this season I've seen more unique takes on the traditional diamond print. BABY did an argyle style sock, AP combined the diamond motif with horizontal stripes for a unique effect. Chantilly did a whole line of diamond print dresses, with socks and bonnets to match. So pick up a pair of cute diamond print socks, they come in every color to match any style wardrobe.

Did you pick up on other spring lolita style trends I missed? What new things are you going to try out this spring? I'm trying for a bit of a more subtle style with lots of different textures this spring, it's been really fun so far~

Baby the Stars Shine Bright Winter Releases!

BABY and Alice and the Pirates are my favorite Japanese brands. I'm always watching for their newest releases! And this past week has been a flurry of releases from them. Three new sets have been released for reservation, and they're all quite different from each other.

Angel's Gentle Whisper of the Heavenly Holy Night Melody

That sure is a mouthful. What a ridiculous name. But this print is quite lovely in my opinion. It features delicate angels flying around with crosses and candelabras. The series has two jumpers, a skirt, a bonnet, an Alice bow, some socks, a blouse, and plenty of jewelry to match. The designer used delicate chiffon fabric to give the jumpers a light and airy feeling, like they could float away. Both jumpers also feature bustle backs, which I'm a big fan of. The skirt is simple, a great piece to fit into almost any wardrobe. The blouse has princess sleeves, which seem to be back in style. None of the pieces are over-designed in my opinion and would work well in many different styles. It went on sale on the 11th, but most everything is still available for reservation!

Drosselmeyer's Wonder Box

This is my favorite of the three. If I had the funds for it, I'd be tempted to buy it. It's perfect for Christmas! This is an Alice and the Pirates design based off of a Christmas classic, The Nutcracker. I don't know why, but I associate this type of plaid print with Christmas. The border has toy chests, nutcracker soldiers, rocking horses, stuffed bears, and all sorts of other classic toys one might find in the ballet. It comes in four vibrant colors: yellow, blue, green, and red. This series also has two jumpers, a skirt, a one-piece, two tops (one blouse and one vest-bustier sort of hybrid), an Alice bow, a hat, and some socks. I wish they had made this into some stuff for boy-style too, since the hat would be perfect for a military-inspired coordinate. I'm not a big fan of the blouse at all, but the Mary jumper and one piece remind me of the sorts of Christmas dresses my mom would make my sister and I wear for church. The reservation period starts on the 16th, so if you want to get this, be ready. I think it will be popular.

Hoshi no Namida Princess

This set is a collaboration with the popular vinyl doll, Blythe. The series has one dress, a headbow, a pair of tights, and some jewelry. The print is of the night sky, full of constellations and different types of stars. The back of the dress has an enormous bow complete with smaller bows as decorations. It has a bustle front, princess sleeves, and a scalloped hem, making it a very opulent one piece. The cost reflects this, at over $600 US (that's around 450€ or 387£ for European readers)! Also available for purchase is the matching Blythe doll, complete with her own, tiny version of the dress and headbow. This reservation starts on the 18th, and does not include the doll with any purchase.

The first (crazy long name) and the last of these three series can be seen here in the videos from the Hoshi no Namida Princess Tea Party held in October in Tokyo. Make sure you get the right videos though, as they also have ones of their tea party held back in February. I'm not sure why the Nutcracker print isn't in the show, since they use it on the video at the beginning. I love that BABY made their own YouTube channel and is taking film of their shows in Japan for all of us that can't go to their shows over there. I hope they continue to do that in the future~ Will you be buying any of these? Which is your favorite?

Recent Releases

I'm late! I'm late! I've been meaning to do a review of some of the newest Japanese brand pieces and with school and work I've just completely forgotten to do it! Here we go, a whirlwind tour of the newest fall pieces!

First, we'll start with Angelic Pretty. They have Petit Patisserie and Royal Palace out so far this season. Petit Patisserie features vertical lines of various cakes and ribbons. It's quite different from Angelic Pretty's famous border prints, and I rather like it. It comes in two jumpers, what appears to be a coat, a mini skirt, a hair bow, and socks. One of the jumper skirts is pictured on the left, in Ivory. It's quite a delicate look, and this version is still in stock in a few colors. Next, is Royal Palace. It's a floral printed dress with a bustle in the back and plenty of subtle details. It seems to come in ivory, brown, and pink. It only comes in a jumper so far, and only the brown is listed. This dress also very subtle, and I personally like this. It's on the right in the ivory, but is in stock in the brown.

Next on the tour, we have Innocent World. Another two dresses from this brand, Delft Jumper Lotta and Stained Glass Rose. I'm really not sure what "Delft Jumper Lotta" is supposed to mean, but it's quite lovely. The print has little deer and other woodland animals in little scenes together. It comes in three colorways, blue/green x cream, pink x brown, and bordeaux x pink. And like many of the other IW releases, it comes in a regular length and a long length. The print also comes on a skirt, socks, and a matching bag. The short version of the blue jumper is pictured on the left. I love how the designers used the print to make the detail, there's very little lace or other decoration. Second, the Stained Glass Rose. It was the feature of a F Yeah Lolita article a few weeks back, and it's something you just don't see everywhere else. It also comes in three colors: blue, bordeaux, and apricot, and in both short and long styles. In this series, there's a skirt, a hair bow, socks, and a rather plain looking blouse and bag. The picture on the right is of the short version in the Apricot color, and my sister actually ordered this dress. I can't wait to see it in person!

Finally, the designers over at BABY and AATP sure have been busy. In the last month, they have

released seven different series, not to mention their fall coats and shoes. I can't possibly talk about them all in enough detail without this article being entirely too long. Starting with Milky Rail Train, this is a special series in conjunction with KERA magazine I believe. Make sure to check out the clock-themed accessories, striped details, and the matching pullip dolls! Black Cat, Witch, and Apple Tree is AATP halloween-themed print. I love the border print, reminiscent of Vampire Requiem.

The big miss for me is the full-size witch hat. It's just too costume-y for my tastes. BABY's print, released around the same time as the AATP one,

is Marchin' Cookie Flavour. It's something I would have bought if I hadn't already seen BABY's most recent dress in KERA magazine, and something I would like to own in the future. It has a diamond pattern with a border print of cookies and tea cups. The pieces are pretty safe, and I like that about them. The VANTAN collaboration sets are not something I really get. I believe Vantan is a fashion design school in Tokyo, and they had students work with both BABY and AATP designers to create these two dresses. The Tales of Xillia sets are based off a video game for the PS3, released in Japan on the 8th of this month. I don't really understand why BABY made these outfits. They're cute, but I don't see them working in a lolita wardrobe. Putamayo also worked with this game to create their own looks.

And now we're to the set I wanted to talk in detail about. Clockwork Tea Party is the dress that kept me from ordering Marchin' Cookie Flavour. I saw it in the KERA scans a few weeks ago, and instantly fell in love. It becomes available for reservation on the 30th. The series has two jumpers, a skirt, a head bow, a bonnet, a blouse, socks, and some jewelry. Whew! Unfortunately, the reservation page doesn't have actual pictures of

the items, just sketches. The print has teddy bears and tea cups with butterflies, cookies, and other tea party stuff. It comes in five colors too, ivory, pink, red, navy, and black. On the left, there's the only picture I can

find of the actual pieces. That's the first jumper skirt, head bow, blouse (princess sleeves!), and socks. According to the KERA magazine that the scan on the left came from, Alice and the Pirates will be releasing a series called Lock the Pandora's Memories, but I can't tell much from the ad (on the right).

If I've missed or forgotten something, please let me know and I'll add it! Did you purchase one of these dresses or are you planning to? Which is your favorite? I'm so excited to order this Friday! Thanks for reading!

Baby the Stars Shine Bright and Alice and the Pirates at Otakon 2011

I've been so excited about this recent announcement! If you haven't heard, designers Mitsuba and Kano will be making guest appearances at Otakon, one of the largest conventions in the Eastern United States! BABY has sent designers from their Japanese offices over before, quite often in fact. That comes with having a store here. But this is only the second or third time that I know of that they've come over to the eastern area. I was able to meet two designers from their company a few years ago at the New York Anime Festival, but I really didn't care about brand or designers at that time, mostly because I couldn't even dream of affording things from them. Now I'm older, and so excited to meet some of the people that actually design the pieces that we wear!

The designers will be hosting a BABY the Stars Shine Bright and Alice and the Pirates fashion show, as well as signing autographs and holding Q&A sessions. I have to remember to take my winter catalog with me to get it signed. They are currently looking for volunteers to model in the show as well as make-up artists to help out behind the scenes. I'm sure there will be tons of applications, I hope mine gets chosen! Somehow, I doubt it. Still, I'm really excited to see the show. I've never been to a professionally run fashion show before, I hope I can learn a lot from them just by watching.

In addition to the designers from BABY, designers MINT and IBI behind h.Naoto sixh. will be there! They too will be hosting a fashion show, and are also looking for model and make-up artist volunteers. Their line is not strictly lolita in any sense, but it's still a cool line of clothing. I have no idea how to pronounce the name "sixh." but I like the whole idea behind it. I'm looking forward to seeing all these fashion shows, meeting all of these designers, and celebrating Japanese street fashion with everyone else there!

Anime Review: Gosick

Do you watch anime? I do! I know that many of us enjoy anime and manga. Gosick is probably one of my favorite anime currently airing. It's great! It started last season, and it's been picked up for 24 episodes. The anime is set in the fictional country of Sauville, in the year 1924. Kujo, the main character, is a exchange student from Japan. While attending St. Marguerite Academy, he meets a mysterious girl named Victorique (Vic-to-ri-ca). They have a series of adventures, all around solving mysteries. It's a great show, but what relevance does it really have here?

Well, the main character, Victorique, wears the most beautiful gowns, all with lolita elements

in them. Also, Innocent World has paired with the animators to make an original dress set, that, if I understand correctly, will be animated into the show at some point. She wears long dresses in the Victorian style, but it is easy to see where Lolita styles get

their influences from. Victorique wears her hair extremely long, which seems like a character trait rather than a fashion norm (as other women in the series wear theirs at different lengths). She's obsessed with books, and spends her days in the library. She has a penchant for sweets, and demands that all visitors bring them to her. She lives in a house that can only be described as "fit for a doll." It's the picture to the right, isn't it adorable? Anyhow, I'll be reviewing this anime really quick. As it's still airing, I can't comment on the show as a whole, just what's been shown so far.

Story: 9/10

I'm a sucker for a good mystery story. You just don't see too many mystery anime being made. The story lines are masterful, with each being neatly tied up within two or three episodes. There aren't really gimmicks or anything in this show, the only thing I can think of is what seems to be the heightened logical reasoning skills of Victorique, which she calls her "wellspring of wisdom."

Sound: 10/10

The music! I love it! All the background music fits perfectly into the scene that it goes with. And the opening is one of my most favorite anime themes ever. The ending themes (there are two now) are both lovely, yet sad sounding, which I'm sure will fit into the story line later on (it's going to end up being sad, I just know it).

Art: 10/10

This show is gorgeous! The studio that produces this anime (Studio Bones) is known for their

eye-catching artwork, and this show is no exception. The opening and ending have less of a finished look to them, they look more like

line-art, if that makes sense. But that's a good thing in my opinion. The show itself is polished, dynamic, and detailed to a tee. There are tiny bricks on buildings, hair and clothing move hyper-realistically, and everything is depicted beautifully, even gruesome scenes.

Character: 9/10

Most of the characters in this show are really interesting and dynamic. Victorique can be very childish, demanding sweets and rolling on the floor when she's bored. She can also be very mature and she's just brilliant. She has a porcelain pipe that she keeps by her site at all times, a nod to Holmes if I'm not mistaken. Kujo (the male protagonist) has been sort of flat for the beginning of the show, but little by little he's changing. The rest of the characters are sort of plain and predictable, with the exception of the Inspector (the drill-hair character). He's actually quite interesting in my opinion, I hope the show explains him a bit more in the coming episodes.

Enjoyment: 10/10

I love this show! As soon as I see it up to watch, I watch it. Others take me days to get to, but a select few get the top priority. Gosick is in this category. It never ceases to intrigue me and every episode gives me more questions that I want answered.

Overall: 9.5/10

This show is brilliant. Victorique's character is terribly interesting, and each episode creates more mysteries around her. I cannot wait for the new episode each week. Plus, the main character wears lolita-esque clothing. It doesn't get much better than that, right?

Are you now sold on Gosick? Have you been watching it as it airs? If you're at all interested, check it out! I have a feeling that this one might get dubbed into english, but there are plenty of places to see it now! If there are other anime or manga that I find that seem appropriate to review here, I'll be doing that! Anime is my first love, so I'm more than happy to integrate it into my blog.

In other news, I recently acquired a new part time job. I'm not sure of my hours yet, and it shouldn't affect this blog in a negative way at all. But if for some reason it does, please bear with me. I am really excited to start this job because I'll actually be able to wear lolita to work, so hopefully I can write some stuff about lolita in the workplace.

Versailles Rose Bouquet and Rapunzel Doll Dress

Baby the Stars Shine Bright has yet another set of reservation items up on their site. This time, there are two sets, the Rapunzel Doll Dress and the Versailles Rose Bouquet set. I'll be talking about both sets today.

Here's the first one, the Rapunzel Doll Dress. I have to say, I'm not a fan. It's sort of matronly in my opinion. I had high hopes when I saw the name, since just a few weeks ago they released the Scent of Rapunzel print. However, this is what I found. It also comes in black with silver and red accents, but there's no picture of this color. If I could see it in the black, I might be more interested. There's only the dress in this set, no accessories, no jumper, no skirt version. I really don't have much to say about this one, so I'll move on.

Now here's something that I'm interested in. This is Versailles Rose Bouquet. There are two jumpers, a skirt that isn't pictured, two hairbows, a bonnet, a tiara, a pair of socks, and a necklace. If I had the money right now, I'd be ordering this tomorrow.

It's $301 for just a jumperskirt, and I'd want the dress, hairbow, and perhaps the socks. It comes in off-white, pink, sax blue, red (an increasingly popular color), and black, so there's a color for everyone. What's interesting about this print is that each colorway has a different name. For example, the blue is called "blue moon," the black is called "black ice," and so on. If I were buying this, I think I'd go for either this blue version (above) or the cream. The print is delicate flowers, perfect for spring. It would work very well in classic, country, or even a more demure sweet coordinate. I don't like the bonnet though, I think it's kind of silly. That's the only piece in the series that I don't like. Also, it's almost $140USD!

Well, are you going to order from either of these sets on March 11th? I wish I was. In other news, Tekkoshocon (the con I work for) is coming up really soon! Are you going to be there? If you aren't planning on coming, you should check it out! Click on the website link and see if you can make it!

New Print from Alice and the Pirates!

I'm not the best at keeping up with what's new on the market. I'm getting better though! I saw this posted on the EGL livejournal, and felt that I needed to post it here. A brand new print from Alice in the Pirates, which if you remember, is a brand run by the same people as Baby the Stars Shine Bright.

Alice and the Pirates seems to make prints that everyone loves, no matter what style you tend to wear. This new one is no exception. It's called "Scent of Rapunzel" and it's just beautiful. It also fits in with my theme here! The print has scenes from the story in little frames, surrounded by roses and birds. It comes in four colorways (color combinations), off-white with lavender, red, navy, and black with pink. I personally adore the off-white and lavender! Usually I'd go for the black, but I'm not a fan of the pink. It comes in two different versions of jumper skirts, a one piece that sort of looks like a dress with a matching bolero over it (I don't think it's removable), socks, a bonnet, a bow, and some jewelry. I was hoping for a bag, but no such luck. The second jumper skirt version is pretty unique with the lacing up the sides. I don't think I've seen that on a dress before.

I may be ordering this in either the off-white or the navy. While I like the red, I don't think it'll look great on me. I'd also like to order some other things from Alice and the Pirates, but I certainly don't have the funds. In other news, I may be actually visiting the Baby the Stars Shine Bright/Alice and the Pirates shop in San Francisco! If I do get to go, then I'll also be going to Angelic Pretty, Harajuku Hearts, and Black Peace Now. If you know any other shops in the area that are worth visiting, please let me know in the comments section! If you have any suggestions for articles you'd like to see here, please let me know either via my formspring or in the comments here! I'm trying to get a regular posting schedule for Tuesday, Thursday, and Saturday going, but sometimes I can't think of what to write about. All of your suggestions will be taken under consideration!

Wearing Lolita at Conventions

I love going to anime conventions. I've been an anime fan for pretty much all of my life, and as I've grown up, my tastes have matured. When I go to a convention, I wear lolita pretty much the whole time. However, wearing lolita is much different at a con than it is elsewhere. Here are a few tips to remember when wearing lolita at a convention:

People Will Ask You For Pictures

So be prepared. If you've ever cosplayed before, you know what this is like. If you do mind having your picture taken, then respectfully decline by saying something like "please don't, I don't feel comfortable with that." If you don't mind, then let them. Have a couple of poses that you like ready so that it doesn't take you long to figure out what to do for the camera. My favorite is the curtsy pose, which allows you to display the print/design on your skirt or dress.

You Probably Will Be Asked Questions

Even at an anime convention, not everyone knows about lolita fashion. You might get asked who you are cosplaying, where you got your clothes, how much they cost, or if you bought that in the dealers room. People that know something about lolita might ask you if your dress is from a specific brand. Hardcore cosplayers tend to ask "did you make that?" The range of questions is endless.

Dealers Room/Artist Ally

At pretty much all of the cons that I've been to, there's some sort of dealers room selling industry goods, and an artist ally selling handmade goods. In both of these places, you may find things that seem to be lolita. And they very well may be. Last year at my local con, there was a Bodyline dealer with a booth. At a New York con I went to, there was a Baby the Stars Shine Bright booth. However, both places had extremely inflated prices. Do your research! I know a lot of people paid over $100 USD for Bodyline jumper skirts that online go for $35. However, you don't have to pay shipping, you usually can try items on, and you get it right then and there, which is something to think about. Artist Ally is usually safer. Often you can find cute, handmade accessories, jewelry, and even skirts and t-shirts that are unique and great for your wardrobe. A few years ago, I found a skirt with a sushi print on it, and it's just such a fun item to have in my wardrobe.

Meet-Up With Other Lolitas

Many lolitas have meet-ups at conventions. They could be meeting up to work on something together, like a panel or a fashion show type event. They could be meeting to go shopping, or just to hang out. Meet-up information for individual cons would either be posted on the convention's forums (through the con website) or on the local livejournal accounts. Find your area here!

Think About Your Outfit

Especially if you are not staying at a hotel, or if your hotel is far away from the site. Think, "am I going to be okay in these shoes?" "will I get hot/cold walking outside?" etc. Layers are always good, casual styles are a safe bet too. If it's cold outside, cons usually have a coat check.

Have Fun!

Don't forget to have fun! Go to panels, meet with other fans, learn new things! You'd be surprised what you can take from a cosplaying panel and apply to lolita, like wig styling tips.

In other news, I will be at Ohayocon doing a couple panels on lolita fashion with a friend. Mine is entitled "The Elegant Wardrobe: A Guide to Dressing Lolita" or something like that. If you'll be there, please come check it out!