Hey everyone!
So, I have some unfortunate news today: This blog will be going on a hiatus of sorts and will not be updated regularly. I will still try to do posts occasionally and they'll post on Saturdays at 8am Pacific time, but there may or may not be a post every week.
Why is this happening, you may ask? Unfortunately, I haven't been putting aside enough time to write articles lately, and the amount of time I have free has dropped significantly due to some changes in my job. I'm still figuring out what I have to do to stay afloat with fewer hours to take care of daily tasks like cleaning and organizing as well as shopping, laundry, planning meals, and so on. I also have a huge pile of projects to do that just keep stacking up and not getting done, so I'm having to learn to manage my time better so that I can start reducing clutter and turn it into cute clothes, costumes, and accessories. In addition to all that, I'm struggling to find motivation to keep writing articles for this blog. I feel like I put a lot of time and effort into it for little to no real benefit to myself outside of the satisfaction of writing the post itself and the (very scarce) comments I get. I'm also working on starting up a YouTube channel (check my Facebook page for updates on that), so I'll be posting videos of unboxings and random things with friends there before too long.
I'm sorry that I have to do this, but I hope you all understand and will continue to check from time to time for new content.
~Butterfly
Wednesday, December 2, 2015
Saturday, November 21, 2015
What is This "Minimalism" You Speak of?
Minimalism and J-Fashion? Hahahaha, no way. Or at least that's what you're probably all thinking. But minimalism is more than just having a grand total of 30 items of clothing, shoes, and accessories and having a sparsely decorated room or house. It's about avoiding unnecessary clutter in your life.
So what exactly is minimalism? Many people define minimalism as having "less than 100 things" or "extreme sparseness and simplicity." So how is someone into J-fashion supposed to do this when we all know things like anime figure or poster collecting, tons of clothing and accessories, crafting, and cute decor are practically synonyms with J-fashion? Well, let's start by looking at a different definition of minimalism: Having only what you need or use on a regular basis or living an uncluttered lifestyle. What this means can vary depending on the person and what they need. Many people who aren't big on fashion or have a professional wardrobe can get away with having only a few items in their entire wardrobe since clothing isn't a big deal for them. This is why there are programs out there to help people reduce their wardrobe to only 33 items or reduce their number of possessions to 100 or less. So how can someone who, by nature, collect items and has a varied wardrobe become a minimalist without giving up the things they love?
#1: Declutter
Get rid of the things in your life that you never use or look at. That sweater Grandma gave you five years ago that you haven't taken out of the back of your closet since? Donate or sell it. Got loads of craft items you never use? See if any of your friends want them. All those scarves you crocheted that you never use? Try selling them or give them to family members as Christmas or birthday gifts. Essentially, take what you aren't using and either sell, donate, give, or throw it away.
#2: Avoid impulse buys.
This goes hand in hand with decluttering: Don't buy things you aren't going to use. Do you really need a third white blouse that looks identical to the ones you already own except it's got stars on the lace instead of flowers? Are you seriously going to make that dress if you already have a pile of sewing projects and patterns you've never even used? Do you REALLY need that Mr. Yan bodypillow, or is it just 3am and you have a bad case of the giggles? Always second guess your purchases. If you HAVE to have that dress because it's so cheap, bookmark it, take a walk or a nap, then decide if you still really want it the next day. I understand this can be hard when you're dealing with auctions or online sales, but it's better to wish you had bought something and wait until the next opportunity to get it comes up than to regret having bought a dress that doesn't even match your wardrobe. One time when I was younger, I really wanted to get a dog tag necklace with Gaara from Naruto on it at a con, but I wasn't sure if I'd actually wear it, so I waited until the next con six months later to find it again and buy it. And guess what? I may not wear it super often anymore, but I wore it all the time after I got it and still do occasionally. I don't regret buying it in the slightest. Those two purses I got a few months ago though? Putting them up for sale because they're the wrong size for my needs and don't match my wardrobe.
#3: Is there someone who would enjoy it more?
Sometimes we have items we occasionally use that we don't entirely care for as much as we did when we got it. A lot of times, these items can be sold or given to someone who would appreciate it more. I have been selling and donating some items that I use on occasion simply because I would rather have something that suits my wardrobe better take its place.
#4: Is it really that sentimental anymore?
Many of us hang on to items purely for sentimental value. 'I got this giant teddy bear at the fair with my BFF.' 'These fake rose petals were from the wedding of this one cousin I barely see.' The number one question to ask with items like these is, are they really important enough to be taking up space in your house or room and your life? If you keep them in storage, is it really worth the money you're spending each month to hang on to them, or would it be better spent elsewhere? If you aren't quite ready to get rid of something, take a picture of it and put it in a box or something where you won't see it often. If they're memorabilia from a wedding or party, do you have pictures from the event? Are the pictures of the item and/or event enough, or do you really like the item itself? Sometimes the memory is worth more than the item itself and a few pictures in a photo album takes up a whole lot less space than a giant teddy.
I hope you all enjoyed today's post! Let me know if there's anything you do to keep from being overwhelmed with items while still having the things you enjoy.
Check out my Facebook page: facebook.com/CelesteChoCho
Peruse my wares: animelolitacouture.storenvy.com
So what exactly is minimalism? Many people define minimalism as having "less than 100 things" or "extreme sparseness and simplicity." So how is someone into J-fashion supposed to do this when we all know things like anime figure or poster collecting, tons of clothing and accessories, crafting, and cute decor are practically synonyms with J-fashion? Well, let's start by looking at a different definition of minimalism: Having only what you need or use on a regular basis or living an uncluttered lifestyle. What this means can vary depending on the person and what they need. Many people who aren't big on fashion or have a professional wardrobe can get away with having only a few items in their entire wardrobe since clothing isn't a big deal for them. This is why there are programs out there to help people reduce their wardrobe to only 33 items or reduce their number of possessions to 100 or less. So how can someone who, by nature, collect items and has a varied wardrobe become a minimalist without giving up the things they love?
#1: Declutter
Get rid of the things in your life that you never use or look at. That sweater Grandma gave you five years ago that you haven't taken out of the back of your closet since? Donate or sell it. Got loads of craft items you never use? See if any of your friends want them. All those scarves you crocheted that you never use? Try selling them or give them to family members as Christmas or birthday gifts. Essentially, take what you aren't using and either sell, donate, give, or throw it away.
#2: Avoid impulse buys.
This goes hand in hand with decluttering: Don't buy things you aren't going to use. Do you really need a third white blouse that looks identical to the ones you already own except it's got stars on the lace instead of flowers? Are you seriously going to make that dress if you already have a pile of sewing projects and patterns you've never even used? Do you REALLY need that Mr. Yan bodypillow, or is it just 3am and you have a bad case of the giggles? Always second guess your purchases. If you HAVE to have that dress because it's so cheap, bookmark it, take a walk or a nap, then decide if you still really want it the next day. I understand this can be hard when you're dealing with auctions or online sales, but it's better to wish you had bought something and wait until the next opportunity to get it comes up than to regret having bought a dress that doesn't even match your wardrobe. One time when I was younger, I really wanted to get a dog tag necklace with Gaara from Naruto on it at a con, but I wasn't sure if I'd actually wear it, so I waited until the next con six months later to find it again and buy it. And guess what? I may not wear it super often anymore, but I wore it all the time after I got it and still do occasionally. I don't regret buying it in the slightest. Those two purses I got a few months ago though? Putting them up for sale because they're the wrong size for my needs and don't match my wardrobe.
#3: Is there someone who would enjoy it more?
Sometimes we have items we occasionally use that we don't entirely care for as much as we did when we got it. A lot of times, these items can be sold or given to someone who would appreciate it more. I have been selling and donating some items that I use on occasion simply because I would rather have something that suits my wardrobe better take its place.
#4: Is it really that sentimental anymore?
Many of us hang on to items purely for sentimental value. 'I got this giant teddy bear at the fair with my BFF.' 'These fake rose petals were from the wedding of this one cousin I barely see.' The number one question to ask with items like these is, are they really important enough to be taking up space in your house or room and your life? If you keep them in storage, is it really worth the money you're spending each month to hang on to them, or would it be better spent elsewhere? If you aren't quite ready to get rid of something, take a picture of it and put it in a box or something where you won't see it often. If they're memorabilia from a wedding or party, do you have pictures from the event? Are the pictures of the item and/or event enough, or do you really like the item itself? Sometimes the memory is worth more than the item itself and a few pictures in a photo album takes up a whole lot less space than a giant teddy.
I hope you all enjoyed today's post! Let me know if there's anything you do to keep from being overwhelmed with items while still having the things you enjoy.
Check out my Facebook page: facebook.com/CelesteChoCho
Peruse my wares: animelolitacouture.storenvy.com
Saturday, November 14, 2015
I Have Nothing To Wear!
Hello everyone! Today I'm going to be talking to something that happens to many of us all too frequently: Looking at all the clothing strewn about one's room after trying on a bunch of different items and going: "I HAVE NOTHING TO WEAR!" This is a bit of a follow-up to my wardrobe building series of posts (Part 1, part 2, part 3, and part 4) since I've had plenty of time to build a new wardrobe. I recommend you read them first if you haven't already, since they're the foundation for this post. Otherwise, let's go!
So I said I had plenty of time to build a wardrobe, right? So why am I saying I have nothing to wear now? Well ya see, there's this thing called changing seasons and not planning ahead because who wants to buy a sweater when it's so hot and humid you don't want to even think about leaving your nice, air conditioned room? So, thanks to my planning, I was able to build a very nice Spring and Summer wardrobe, but now the weather is turning and I have no idea what to wear anymore. So what's a fashionista to do?
#1: Re-evaluate your style preferences.
Alright, so maybe you had the perfect, pastel Fairy Kei wardrobe for warmer weather. Do you want to keep wearing pastels in Fall and Winter though? Or do you want to indulge your inner Goth or rockstar and switch things up completely? It's time to go visit the mall or thrift store and try on everything you can again. I would suggest avoiding buying anything the first few times or keep purchases small and limited to things you already wanted for your wardrobe. If you want to try wearing a different style from what you already own, try to limit your purchases to main pieces that aren't too expensive so you aren't impacting your budget too heavily. *cough*totally did that*cough* Try wearing the new style you're trying for a few days in a row using what you have and any additions you got to see if it's really something you want to wear that'll make you happy.
Here's what happened for me: I have a very cute, pastel versatile wardrobe based around Fairy Kei for the Spring and Summer. When the weather started getting colder, I decided to start wearing Goth fashion more to go with the changing colors of fashion. However, I found myself still wanting to wear my Fairy Kei outfits more than Goth or jewel toned items. I've decided I want to start wearing Lolita more often due to its built in layers as well as ease of layering underneath as well as some warmer Fairy Kei based outfits with some off-white pieces mixed in.
#2: Decide what additions your wardrobe needs.
Now's the time to go through your wardrobe and pull out all the out-of-season clothing you've been hiding away. Can you make your new style plans work with what you already have, or are you going to have to sell off all your sweaters or shorts and buy new ones? This is a good time to evaluate condition as well as if it fits your wardrobe, so if you have an item that's got a ton of holes and snags that aren't supposed to be there, now is the time to throw it away or fix it. (If you have a sweater that's just shrunk in the dryer, you can stretch it back out with some work. I found this tutorial extremely helpful when recovering a cashmere sweater.) Make a list of any items you feel you need to make your wardrobe more complete and wearable during the changing seasons.
Since I'm keeping my wardrobe mainly pastel, but still need to stay warm, I decided to talk to some of my fashion friends in the area and see what they do to stay warm as well as re-watch Lovely Lor's Lolita Fashion in Extreme Weather video for ideas. I decided I needed some layering pieces as well as some patterned statement pieces (my wardrobe's mostly solid color), a long sleeved blouse, and some comfy, yet cute shoes that will survive snow.
#3: Go forth and buy.
Now's the time to start buying the additions your wardrobe needs. Try and get more basic or generic pieces from places like Target, Walmart, or thrift stores (or your country's equivalent) in order to have more money to spend on the main pieces. Probably most of us don't have the money to go buying 1000 bucks worth of Angelic Pretty dresses new, so look into less expensive alternatives. There's a lot of US and international sales groups on Facebook, you just have to search for the type of fashion you're interested in along with sales. (In addition, if you're already in a few sales groups, Facebook will suggest some similar groups in the side bar while you're browsing that group.) Lace Market, eBay, and Storenvy are some good places to look for used or less expensive pieces and there's always Bodyline for inexpensive pieces.
I want a couple statement pieces with prints, but I very much do NOT have $400 to drop on used Angelic Pretty or Baby the Stars Shine Bright dresses, so I'm considering a couple Bodyline JSKs as well as searching through Lace Market for some less expensive pieces. I also want a long sleeved blouse and colorful socks which can also be found on those sites. I've already got one short sleeved blouse on the way which, even though it's not great for Winter, is something I've been wanting to add to my wardrobe since my current short sleeved blouse is a bit big on me.
I hope you all have fun with dressing for the changing seasons and that I've given you some ideas to help avoid over-spending!
Check out my Facebook: www.facebook.com/CelesteChoCho
Peruse my wares: animelolitacouture.storenvy.com
So I said I had plenty of time to build a wardrobe, right? So why am I saying I have nothing to wear now? Well ya see, there's this thing called changing seasons and not planning ahead because who wants to buy a sweater when it's so hot and humid you don't want to even think about leaving your nice, air conditioned room? So, thanks to my planning, I was able to build a very nice Spring and Summer wardrobe, but now the weather is turning and I have no idea what to wear anymore. So what's a fashionista to do?
#1: Re-evaluate your style preferences.
Alright, so maybe you had the perfect, pastel Fairy Kei wardrobe for warmer weather. Do you want to keep wearing pastels in Fall and Winter though? Or do you want to indulge your inner Goth or rockstar and switch things up completely? It's time to go visit the mall or thrift store and try on everything you can again. I would suggest avoiding buying anything the first few times or keep purchases small and limited to things you already wanted for your wardrobe. If you want to try wearing a different style from what you already own, try to limit your purchases to main pieces that aren't too expensive so you aren't impacting your budget too heavily. *cough*totally did that*cough* Try wearing the new style you're trying for a few days in a row using what you have and any additions you got to see if it's really something you want to wear that'll make you happy.
Here's what happened for me: I have a very cute, pastel versatile wardrobe based around Fairy Kei for the Spring and Summer. When the weather started getting colder, I decided to start wearing Goth fashion more to go with the changing colors of fashion. However, I found myself still wanting to wear my Fairy Kei outfits more than Goth or jewel toned items. I've decided I want to start wearing Lolita more often due to its built in layers as well as ease of layering underneath as well as some warmer Fairy Kei based outfits with some off-white pieces mixed in.
#2: Decide what additions your wardrobe needs.
Now's the time to go through your wardrobe and pull out all the out-of-season clothing you've been hiding away. Can you make your new style plans work with what you already have, or are you going to have to sell off all your sweaters or shorts and buy new ones? This is a good time to evaluate condition as well as if it fits your wardrobe, so if you have an item that's got a ton of holes and snags that aren't supposed to be there, now is the time to throw it away or fix it. (If you have a sweater that's just shrunk in the dryer, you can stretch it back out with some work. I found this tutorial extremely helpful when recovering a cashmere sweater.) Make a list of any items you feel you need to make your wardrobe more complete and wearable during the changing seasons.
Since I'm keeping my wardrobe mainly pastel, but still need to stay warm, I decided to talk to some of my fashion friends in the area and see what they do to stay warm as well as re-watch Lovely Lor's Lolita Fashion in Extreme Weather video for ideas. I decided I needed some layering pieces as well as some patterned statement pieces (my wardrobe's mostly solid color), a long sleeved blouse, and some comfy, yet cute shoes that will survive snow.
#3: Go forth and buy.
Now's the time to start buying the additions your wardrobe needs. Try and get more basic or generic pieces from places like Target, Walmart, or thrift stores (or your country's equivalent) in order to have more money to spend on the main pieces. Probably most of us don't have the money to go buying 1000 bucks worth of Angelic Pretty dresses new, so look into less expensive alternatives. There's a lot of US and international sales groups on Facebook, you just have to search for the type of fashion you're interested in along with sales. (In addition, if you're already in a few sales groups, Facebook will suggest some similar groups in the side bar while you're browsing that group.) Lace Market, eBay, and Storenvy are some good places to look for used or less expensive pieces and there's always Bodyline for inexpensive pieces.
I want a couple statement pieces with prints, but I very much do NOT have $400 to drop on used Angelic Pretty or Baby the Stars Shine Bright dresses, so I'm considering a couple Bodyline JSKs as well as searching through Lace Market for some less expensive pieces. I also want a long sleeved blouse and colorful socks which can also be found on those sites. I've already got one short sleeved blouse on the way which, even though it's not great for Winter, is something I've been wanting to add to my wardrobe since my current short sleeved blouse is a bit big on me.
I hope you all have fun with dressing for the changing seasons and that I've given you some ideas to help avoid over-spending!
Check out my Facebook: www.facebook.com/CelesteChoCho
Peruse my wares: animelolitacouture.storenvy.com
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