Getting Into a New Style: You Only Got One Shot

Hey everyone! If the meme title hasn't already driven you away, welcome. Today I'm going to be talking about some recent insight I had relating to alternative fashion. If you don't already know who Safia Nygaard is, I highly recommend checking out her youtube (but pls cone back afterwords), since she's the one who sparked the inspo for this post.

So for those of you who don't know about her, Safiya Nygaard is a youtuber who makes a lot of experimental videos, such as melting lipsticks together, buying from questionable online brands, and trying fashions that aren't hers. The latter is the inspiration for this post. One of the things Safiya is known for is trying out different styles, whether it be dressing up like other popular youtubers, trying different decade's fashions, or trying alternative fashions, she does it all! I've watched her videos for years and these type of videos were always my favorites, but it didn't click until recently when I rewatched her Lolita fashion makeover what made her style experiments different from my own: She goes all in. And I could definitely take a page from her book.

So what does that mean, going all in when trying a style? In Safiya's case it means doing research in the style or styles she plans to represent, finding an expert in that style, and buying and wearing an entire outfit (or outfits) to wear for a video. Needless to say the majority of you reading this probably aren't Youtubers, but there's still a lot to learn from this format, even if you aren't making outfits for Youtube videos or instagram posts.

#1: Research!
The first thing anyone should do when going into a new fashion is research. What are the main aspects that sets this style apart from others? Are there different substyles? Start a pinterest board, folder on your phone or computer, or a list and start taking note of what makes that style. For example, bell shaped skirts, soft lace and ruffles, and bows are some of the key aspects of Lolita fashion. Predominantly black clothing, detailing, and extravagent or edgy hair are key points for Goth fashion.

For substyles of a larger fashion whole, what makes them stand out from each other? Since Goth fashion is such a huge umbrella term, let's use that as an example. The points I used above when describing it are so vauge because there's so many different styles, it's hard to pinpoint specific details and say 'oh yeah, all Goth fashion has _____.' Romantic Goth has softer silhoettes, corsets, lace, and an overall dark, dreamy sort of feel, where as Traditional Goth tends to have fishnets, teased hair, and casual clothing with a general 'eff the world' sort of feeling. (I'm not a huge expert on every Goth substyle, so sorry if I'm a bit off in places.) If you're getting into a style that has many different substyles, you should do enough research to be able to tell the difference between them and decide which you like and don't like. Also worth noting is that different eras can count as different substyles, even if they have the same general name. If you wore Lolita fashion from the late 80s and early 90s today and posted in a Lolita fashion group, you'd have a lot of people telling you that it's not Lolita fashion because the style's changed so much over the years it's become it's own substyle or sub-genera.

#2: Find an Expert
Thanks to the ease of using the internet and searching for things online, it's pretty easy to find an expert on many alternative styles. Unfortunately it may be hard to find an individual who will personally walk you through putting together outfits in a style in one go, but there's plenty of blogs and videos out there where people describe what makes a fashion. There's also groups where you can ask for advice on outfits you've put together or are thinking of putting together. If you're still unsure where to go after doing your research on a style, groups like this can be extremely helpful as you don't have to rely on one person in particular to help you.

#3: Buy an Entire Outfit
So this part of Safiya's videos is what really hit me: She always buys and wears a whole, complete outfit, makeup, hair, and all. When I look back at some of my previous outfits and style attempts, I realized that's what I've been missing. I've done pretty much nothing but research, research, and more research to the point of becoming an expert in a lot of styles while simultaneously half-assing my wardrobe and outfits. So I'm basically an expert, but no one would believe me if they saw the way I dressed compared to others who have more extensive wardrobes than me. And this is why I've struggled with feeling like I fit into certain fashions because I didn't always go all in when I wore them.

I recognize we can't all walk into Shibuya 109 or a giant Goth wearhouse and walk out with an entire outfit, hair, and makeup all put together when we start wearing a fashion, and that's fine. If you have the resources to, I highly recommend buying a complete outfit and taking the time to learn how to do proper hair and makeup to go with that style or find someone who can do the hair and makeup for you. If you're unable to, for example, drop $900 on an entire Lolita coordinate in one go, find pieces you like that would make a complete outfit and buy them one by one as you can afford to. If you can DIY or upcycle pieces while still remaining true to the fashion, great! However, what I highly recommend you DON'T do is be like me and buy things just because they're convenient and somewhat fit into the style you're trying to wear. It's a waste of time and money and you're better off just buying the thing you actually want.

Once you have a full outfit, do your hair (or wig) and makeup accordingly and wear it all together. If you end up liking the outfit, but don't want to pursue the fashion further, no worries! It was a learning experience and you can always hang onto the pieces you got and wear them as a whole some other time, you can wear the same thing as many times as you want! If you do like the style, you can use the pieces you have to expand and build a wardrobe that works together. And if you ever decide it's just really not you, you can sell the pieces or give them to a friend who does wear the style.

I hope you guys enjoyed this week's post and that it gives you an "aha" moment if you're struggling with your fashion identity like I am ❤

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Looking to the Past for a Better Future

Hey everyone. Today's post is a bit more... personal than I usually get. We're living in a crazy world right now that can feel hopeless and honestly I've been letting it get to me for a lot longer than I care to admit. So today I'm going to be talking about healing, dreams, and the future. Content warning: Mental illness and vauge mentions of suicidal tendencies

We all had dreams growing up, whether it was a dream of our future career, a dream of a different world, or just a little dream of happiness. As we get older, it's natural for our dreams to change. We're told we need to be realistic with our dreams and we start forming ambitions and goals instead. By the time we're adults, we may even forget what our childhood dreams were, or if we even had any in the first place. When I was growing up, I had dreams, but I kept them secret, even from myself at times, and instead tried to have dreams that were the same as my sister. As I grew older, my real dreams were influenced by my loves, and the dreams I expressed, while sometimes my true dreams, were more and more cries for acceptance. Whenever I did tell my true dreams, I was shut down, told to be realistic, and told they would never happen. I believed what I told, so I took my crumpled dreams and put them away. I locked more and more of myself away the older I got and began to rely on daydreams and escapism to live those "unrealistic" dreams. I put on a mask of who I thought I should be, but I was still rejected, still told I couldn't get things right, that I was a failure. And so I became angry. Angry at everything around me because no matter how hard I tried, it was never enough and I was always second place.

As I got older still and was forced to think about my future, I tried to express my real interests and dreams again. I was told that they weren't any good, that there was no point trying because it wouldn't work, because their dreams didn't work out, so why would mine? So I gave up. I ran away. I joined the very thing I'd been threatened with since I was a teenager. It both ruined my life and gave me an opportunity for a new life. I was moved away from where I grew up, to the complete opposite coast where I was alone and knew no one. I was still in contact with my family and some friends back home, but I was utterly on my own for the first time. I finally had a bit of room to breathe, I thought.

I started to try and define myself, trying on new fashions and old hobbies to see what would stick. But there were even more people telling me to step back into line. I could be whatever I wanted as long as I didn't leave that line. I had even more voices telling me what I needed to do to fit their mold of success, and when I said no, I was punished. And so I got angrier and more frustrated and hopeless. My despair swallowed me up and my life felt meaningless. Luckily I managed to hold on for a bit longer, just long enough to get help. For the first time in my life I was told that I wasn't okay, but that was okay. I was taught coping mechanisms and was able to start thinking critically about my mental health. I got better for a while, and so I stopped making appointments. I thought I'd made it through the worst of things and that I'd be able to cope with things well enough to make it through. But I was wrong.

In 2018, I left the military due to mental health issues that I couldn't resolve while I was enlisted and that wouldn't allow me to work without eventually becoming a statistic. And so they marked me as useless and kicked me out with a gold star for effort. The last two years haven't been a lot better than the four I spent in. I tried to pursue my dreams in the best way I could, but I still lacked real support. I ended up putting my dreams on pause in order to be able to survive. I finally started to make what felt like progress, but then the novel coronavirus COVID-19 came along and closed down just about everything, including my source of income, putting me back in the position I was two years ago, but under even less optimal conditions. I'm not going to lie, it's been extremely rough. But I've had a lot of time. A lot of oportunities to think about what matters the most to me.

And then, something happened. One of my favorite brands, Baby the Stars Shine bright, colaborated with Harajuku Pop to make the At Home Lolita Contest. And I saw one of my dreams again, up for the winning if I entered. And I began to remember my dreams again. I remembered the things that I loved and the things that I replaced them with because I was told that my dreams were unobtainable. And so I took a shakey first step towards reclaiming my dreams. I drew myself in a dream that I want to become a reality. And then I prayed that this dream could become a reality and drew that too. I suddenly started to remember who I wanted to be and what I wanted to do. It's going to be a long path ahead to get there, but I'm on that path now and I see where I'm going.

I hope you all can find your dreams too, whether they're lost or not. ♥
~Butterfly

Artwork by me, do not share or reproduce without permission.

At the time of writing this, the At Home Lolita contest is still underway and winners have not been announced yet. Check out my Twitter to see the results and stay tuned for future posts.

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Building a Wardrobe: Redo

Hello everyone! Who am I and why do I suddenly have things to write about again?! Quarantine and lots of downtime'll do that to ya. So today I wanted to do a bit of a rewind and look back at my Building a Wardrobe series (part 1, part 2, part 3, part 4) that I made back in 2015, five years ago at the time of writing this. While I'm not going to take them down and completely rewrite them....there are a lot of points where I sigh deeply and utter the phrase "Oh you sweet, Summer child," while rereading them and I wanted to do somewhat of an updated recap to build on what I wrote then. Needless to say, I have a lot more experience in J-fashion and life in general than I did then and times be a-changing, so here's a bit of an update on those posts, all in the convenience of one (albeit long) post. Needless to say, if you haven't already, I'd recommend reading the original posts before this one.

So at the time of writing this, I am once again rebuilding my wardrobe, because my style has changed once again. However, this time I've done more research both into the process as well as myself and what I want. One of the more notable repetitions in my original post was budgeting, saving money, and overall not spending money. While this is an important factor to consider, it shouldn't be the main focus when planning out a wardrobe. If you can afford to buy 12 new pieces a month, great! If you can only afford a new piece every three months, also great! As long as you're aware of your budget, you can go through building your wardrobe as quickly or as slowly as you need to. That being said, this is the last time I'll be mentioning budgeting in this post.

Step 1: Maybe Don't Throw Everything Out
So at the time of writing the original articles, I was very much on a Marie Kondo fueled Decluttering high. And I made a lot of decisions I'd come to regret. While the KonMarie method in and of itself isn't necessarily bad, the mentality I had going in was. Rather than focusing on getting rid of pieces you don't deem necessary anymore, start by visualizing the style you want. Whether by writing down key details you like, making pinterest boards, or following people who's style you admire, figure out what you want and what you like. If you're going from tees and jeans to full on Kuro Gyaru, you may not even feel like you have anything to start with. That's fine, we all have to start somewhere. If you already have an established wardrobe and you want to add in a new style, great! This next part should be easier.

Step 2: Start to Define What You Want
Once you have the broad brush strokes of where you want to go, it's time to start defining. Take a look at what you currently have. Does any of it fit with your intended style? If not, this is where my thrift store try-on advice comes in handy. If you already have a color pallet that works for you and you know what sort of cuts and sizes you wear, you can start envisioning your wardrobe by creating wishlists or pulling pieces from your current wardrobe that you can use. If you're starting from Kmart and aiming for Kamikaze Girl levels of lolita burando, you can still look at the items you own and ask yourself what you like about each piece or if it's just there because running around naked is generally frowned upon. You may also want to take into consideration the difference in comfort levels. Lounging in tees and jeans or a simple dress is a lot more comfortable than lounging in three layers of petticoat, a frilly dress that you may or may not actually fit in, and twelve layers of bracelets, bobby pins, and bows. If comfort is a high priority for you, keep the clothes you're comfortable in and look at options that may be better suited to regular wear.

Step 3: Make a Plan for Yourself
One of the biggest differences between my previous wardrobe building and my current wardrobe building experiences has been how I've planned. This video from The Stitchess on Youtube has been a huge help for me. Rather than estimating how many of each item type I should buy, I've made myself a constantly updating table of item types and colors I want for the baseline of my wardrobe. Rather than just window shopping and impulse buying, I go into shopping with a plan. I know what I have in my wardrobe and what I'm lacking and I can build from there. Also, trying on the items you have, whether to wear out or just for practice, you can start to get an idea of where you might have gaps to fill in your wardrobe that you might want to prioritize. As an example, I have a black shirt with mesh detailing in my Larme wardrobe that I've worn a total of once in that style. I determined that it would look best paired with pink strapped dress on top as that's a common duo in many of the Larme snaps I've seen. Since I don't currently have such a dress, I've been keeping an eye out for one to purchase. All of the other pieces I currently have can be paired several different ways, so I'm less concerned with adding other basics in.

Step 4: Build With Confidence
Once you get the hang of things, you should be able to confidently go out and purchase items you want and need for your wardrobe. If you're delving into a whole new style, make sure to do your research on what pieces would best fit you and your style. Don't be affraid to experiment and try new things. I bought my first Liz Lisa OP the other day knowing I could very well be turning right around and selling it. I learned a lot from it about that brand's sizing and I never would have known that I can wear LL pieces if I hadn't taken that first step into the unknown. Likewise, I had a lot of trial and error with other pieces in the past that gave me a better idea of what measurements I should be looking for on different styles of clothing. One of the best ways to learn is through experience and you only get experience if you're willing to take slight risks. (That being said, don't buy from Millanoo, kids. ;) )

I hope you guys enjoyed this updated perspective. Let me know in the comments how you built your wardrobes!

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Why DIY When You Could Just Buy?

Hey everyone! You might be surprised to see me back with not just one, but now two posts after a very long hiatus, but hey, quarantine and boredom give you lots of time to think. ;) So today I wanted to talk a bit (okay, maybe a lot) about how Do it Yourself, or DIY, has changed over the last 10+ years, as well as people's perspectives, my own included. So let's get started!

First of all, I want to preface this saying I very much support DIY, but I also understand not everyone has the skill set, time, money, or general capability to make their own things. This post isn't meant to shame people who choose to DIY or those who are unable to DIY for whatever reason. We all have our own stories and I'm not here to judge or look down on people in different positions from myself. With that being said, let's get into the actual content here.

When I was a young lass (my father took me into the... Wait, getting off topic here) I was raised to be rather frugal and depend on myself to meet my demands where I could. I learned sewing and crochet from my parents sometime before I have solid memories and many other crafts have come fairly easily to me. (Not including chainmail, but that's a different story.) If I wanted a new doll or stuffed kitten dress, I made it with the plentiful fabric we had lying around from my parent's past projects. When I first started getting into anime and lolita fashion back in the early 2000s, I didn't have the money or resources to buy lolita clothes or cosplays from the wonderful land of Nippon. So I made do and made my own, even if they weren't the best quality. As I got older and my style started changing, as well as my disposable income, I learned how to order online, but my first thought was always "Oh, I could make that." So I'd buy fabric and thread or beads and ribbon and attempt to fashion my own clothing and accessories, looking up tutorials online where I needed to. Sometimes it worked, sometimes I spent my money on a learning experience instead of a completed item. Either way, I forged ahead, convinced that it'd be easier to make things than to buy them. And I know I'm not alone in that.

Many of us who've been into lolita or other J-fashion for years grew up in an age where the only way you could get Japanese brand was by having a friend who visited Japan or going there oneself. And times have changed. Gone are the days of making a JSK with a bedsheet because Baby the Stars Shine Bright doesn't ship to your country. Gone are the days of having to make your own accessories because you don't have access to the style you want. We live in a day and age where you can find and buy just about anything you could want from the comfort of your own home. So why DIY if you can just buy something for 5 bucks off Wish or Amazon?

Well, there's a lot of reasons, but here's a few I personally find myself making:

• For fun
• Internetphobia?
• It's cheaper
• Sustainability

DIY For the Fun of it

A lot of folks who choose to DIY do it for the fun of it. You take time to yourself, you get an enjoyable passtime, and even an end product! Even if none of the other variables I mentioned concern you, it can be relaxing and fulfilling making something for oneself or for others. And if you make a huge mess and don't end up with a useable end product? At least you tried and learned something in the process!

Wait, I Can Use the Internet for That?

So this might just be a me thing, but I find myself forgetting that all the pretty sparklies I see online are only seperated from me by a few clicks and shipping time. I tend to prioritize buying things in person that kinda generally sorta work over the things I actually like and want online because "this is cheaper," or "well I know this fits," or even just "hey, this could give me immediate gratification instead of waiting a month for the end result!" I'd like to think I'm not alone in this, but I'm so used to having to "make do" with what's available, I sometimes spend more money on things I eventually get rid of than I do on the thing I wanted in the first place. But wait, isn't DIY supposed to be an affordable option?

I Could Make That for Half the Cost!

...Or so we'd like to think when we see $500 dresses online and $50 necklaces. Is that really the case though? If you're a skilled crafter who has access to the same sorts of materials used in those "overpriced" items, maybe. But if you're a skilled crafter, you also recognize that cost usually has more meaning to it than just being an arbitrary price. It factors in the materials, the skilled labor and/or specialized machinery needed, the time spent making the item, and how many are being made. The unlined lolita dress you made with $2 a yard fabric from Joann's isn't going to compare to a $200 dress from Angelic Pretty. The $5 necklace you made isn't going to have the same quality and finishing touches and the $30 one from Liz Lisa. If you really can make an item of comprable quality to what you see online, chances are you'll end up spending a lot more money than the original would have cost as well a lot of your valuable time. If you're just making something for fun and you don't mind it looking as professional as the original item though, there's no real harm in buying a $5 bag of beads and some stretch cord and making lots of bracelets and necklaces for yourself. And if you have the skills to turn a bedsheet into a detailed lolita dress, then go for it! Just remember that not everything you see online can be made exactly the same in your living room for a lesser cost. But what about items that aren't expensive? Like that 20 pack of hairclips you saw on Wish for $2?

But is it Sustainable?

An emerging "trend" of sorts that's becoming more and more popular, especially among my generation and younger generations, is sustainability and ethically sourced products. Not to be overly political, but put simply by our favorite Science Guy, "The planet's on [effing] fire," and a lot of us want to do what we can to keep that from getting worse. Sustainable shopping and ethical buying decisions are sometimes more important than simply liking a product for many people. Those impossibly cheap items online? There's no telling what their quality will be until you get the actual item and if you're paying $5 for something that should cost $200, there's a lot more to worry about. As I mentioned before, items made by reputable brands tend to factor the cost of their workers that make the items into their price as well as material costs. So that low quality item you're purchasing could just as easily be made by a very low paid, possibly otherwise mistreated worker. And that's not even factoring in where the materials for that product came from.

So then, you may ask, what makes DIYing better than straight up buying something? Well, that's a tough question to answer. There's really no way to know where the materials you buy came from, especially if you're trying to save money by buying inexpensive materials. And if you buy quality materials from reputable manufacturers, it could end up costing you as much or more than buying the item in the first place. So how are we supposed to decide? Honestly, there's no easy answer. That's the real reason I wanted to write this post, to kinda vent my own frustrations and also give others the oportunity to see things from my perspective. In the short term, everything seems so complicated, but if we start making informed decisions now, maybe there can be less grey area in the future. And that's a start.

What are your guys's opinions? Do you tend to opt to DIY or do you choose to buy things already made instead? Let me know in the comments below!

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Liz Lisa: First Impressions as a Curvy Girl

Hello everyone! Long time no post. Life's been rather complicated for me in the past few years and unfortunately blog posting took a back seat to my instagram as welk as more pressing life issues. But I'm here, at least for today, with my first experience wearing a Liz Lisa dress. For the sake of brevity, I'll post about other items I have from them in a different post All pictures are stock images unless otherwise noted b/c I am not in a position to take nice photos atm.

So first of all, what is Liz Lisa? Liz Lisa (LL for short) is a Japanese fashion brand focusing on "Retro Girlish" fashion stating (as translated by Google Translate) "We propose a fashionable style that fuses the retro style with the trend and retains the [']cute['] style of a woman. A woman who is sensitive to trends but who can enjoy her own style." LL's pieces have generally been considered Hime Kaji fashion in the past and generally consist of soft florals, lace, ruffles, flared skirts, and elegant detailing leading to a soft, feminine, yet still cute, look. Unfortunately, like many Japanese brands, most of their pieces outside of shoes are one size targeted towards smaller Japanese frames. This means their items generally fit a US XS or S. However, I decided to take a chance and buy a LL dress with a half shirred back both because it was cute and for super scientific research purposes.

So first things first, let's talk about my measurements and general size since my main reason for making this post is for the sake of others like myself who want to wear Japanese fashions, but are worried they might be too big. Measurements are approximate since I haven't measured myself in a little while, so they may be an inch or two off. I converted all measurements to their approximate cm equivalent as well.
Height: 5'4"/163cm
Bust: 35"/89cm
Waist: 30"/76cm
Hips: 45"/114cm

As you might have noticed, my hip measurement is significantly larger than my other two, meaning that I am pear shaped. Also worth noting is that in addition to a large butt I also have thicc thighs, a shortish torso, and somewhat broad shoulders. I'm also a bit chubby, but any weight fluctiatuons I have mostly affects my waist measurement as long as it's not caused by muscle gain. So with all of that in mind, let's talk about the dress and how it fits me.

English Rose frill OP in pink (162-6006-1)

Unfortunately since this is a slightly older item from 2016's Autum collection I haven't had much luck finding the official measurements and the seller I purchased from took down the listing, so I can't reference that either. Below are the measurements I could find as well as notable features.
Bust: 85cm (34in)
Shoulder (presumably flat): 32cm (13in)
Sleeve length: 60cm (24in)
Overall Length: 72cm (28in)

• Half back shirring
• Side zipper
• Fully lined bodice and skirt

Potato quality try-on

So, first things first, when I innitially tried the dress on, I was wearing my regular pushup bra and it was rather tight, so I switched to a less padded bralette, which made the fit much less constricting. Both times pulling the zipper up the last half of the way was a bit challenging. I definitely couldn't have put this dress on as easily without the side zip.

Secondly, the waist of the dress hit a bit high on me due in part to my very much not flat-chested-ness. When worn it sits more on the bottom of my ribs than my natural waist.

Thirdly, and most importantly for me, the skirt lining juuuuuuust barely fits over my hips and the skirt itself comes maybe 3 inches below my bum. This means that I DEFINITELY need to wear some sort of shorts underneath to avoid accidentally flashing people and when wearing it out I need to be careful sitting and bending over in it.

Also worth mentioning, the shoulders of the dress are a little bit tight on me, but that's normal for me even with fitted, non-stretch blouses in my size from the US. The sleeves were also just a teeny bit short on me, but not really significant enough to be outright noticeable or harm the intended appearance of the dress when worn.

What We Learn?

I knew I was taking a bit of a risk buying this piece, but I figured the shirring would make it more likely to fit me. Luckily, my risk paid off and I have a dress I can wear, albeit a tad uncomfortably, as well as a reference point for future Liz Lisa purchases. Overall, I'll probably lean towards dresses with fully shirred backs and straps for more comfortable wearing in the future. Unfortunately since the bodice is relatively tight on me, this means that any fitted blouses from LL are a straight up nope for me. Luckily they also have tops, often paired with matching skirts, that have straps and shirring, so I could definitely wear those. For skirts, I should also be good to wear them as long as the back is fully shirred or the waist band is fully elasticated. I'm unsure if skirts with built-in modesty shorts (aka sukapan) would fit me, but I'm willing to give them a try if I find one I like and I can always alter the shorts if needed. I may want to lean towards longer skirts where I can in the future, but that won't stop me from buying shorter skirts since I'd be able to wear them at my natural waist too. Overall, I'd say this dress is a great first LL dress for me and a great way to give myself more buying confidence in the future when buying Liz Lisa pieces.

Was this article helpful for you? Are you considered "plus size" in Japanese fashion? Let me know in the comments!

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Lolita 52 Challenge: Ending the Streak

Hello Everyone!

 As I'm sure many of you have noticed, I've been following with the Lolita 52 Challenge from F Yeah Lolita for a while now and thanks to it I was able to write a good number of posts. However, it's time for that to end. While I have yet to finish the challenge, I feel that I'm spending more time dreading writing posts based off of the prompts rather than having productive post writing sessions about a topic that interests me. In addition, I actually don't really identify as a Lolita as much as a pastel cutie or Fairy Kei girl anymore, so I end up having to change the topic of the week a lot (example: The Not Really post). Because of these two things, as well as just not being interested in a lot of the remaining prompts, I will not be writing any more Lolita 52 Challenge posts. (I might still use the prompts for some inspiration though.)

 So what does this mean for my blog? As I'm sure many of you have noticed, I've been posting very sporadically lately, in part due to the afore mentioned problems, but also just because I don't have as much inspiration or time to write anymore. I'm really sad I haven't been able to keep this blog as active as I once had it, but alas, life doesn't always go the way we like. I will still do my best to post somewhat frequently, but I'm not going to be able to stick to a regular schedule, at least for the time being. I hope you all understand and still continue to read my posts, both past and future~

Got any topics you'd like to see me write on or prompts to share? Let me know in the comments below!

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Lolita 52 Challenge: Not really

Hello everyone~! So today's Lolita 52 Challenge topic is Lolitafying things in my everyday life, buuuuuut I generally am more into Fairy Kei than Lolita in general anymore (though I still do love Sweet Lolita and have several OPs and JSKs), so instead I'll be talking about how I cutify things in my everyday life to fit my very specific pastel aesthetic~

#1: Spray Paint
 Soooo, I'm kinda lazy when it comes to painting furniture, but I like to thrift or otherwise rescue unwanted furniture while still having furniture that matches. So to fix that, I spray paint all of my furniture. I did paint a few pieces with regular furniture paint, but I had no idea what I was doing and ran out of paint extremely quickly compared to what I was lead to believe I would need and the particular paint I chose ended up scraping off waaaay too easily (Having a kitty using them as leaping pads didn't help either). So, rather than waste my time and money on painting things that weren't going to stay painted, I decided to just buy a ton of spray paint in various pastel colors and do that instead. And I do have to say, I think all of my shelves and other furniture that I painted this way turned out super cute and way more durable than the ones I tried to paint properly. Plus it's a lot easier for me to decide to change the colors on furniture or frames if all I have to do is lay some newspaper on my porch, put on a mask, and give it several coats over the course of an anime episode or some YouTube videos than all the work that goes into proper painting. (I literally bought and painted a cute little corner cupboard and shelf thing in a few hours one afternoon along with a couple other items earlier in the day. The only time I can't finish a project in an evening or a day is if I run out of the color of paint I need and am too lazy or broke at the moment to get more.)

#2: Stickers!
 So, I have a handful of stickers laying around that I'd never really found a use for, then I realized I could use them to make plain looking, single color items look waaaay cuter and more intricate! Plus it's less expensive than trying to get and attach wooden shapes to make it look like the piece has intricate craftsmanship rather than being rectangles of presswood nailed together. I especially like puffy stickers since they can give an item even more depth than just flat stickers.

#3: Cute and colorful thumbtacks
 So, like many people, I like to get prints and other art and apply them to my walls, so I use cute heart shaped thumbtacks as well as typical ones with colorful plastic heads to pin my artwork up. In addition to the pictures on my walls, I also have a cork board that I keep cute packaging, business cards, tags, and the like on using a fun mix of the thumbtacks I have!

#4: Collages~
 Like with my cork board, I like to turn things into little framed collages to put into spray painted frames. I posted a few pictures of meh ones I'd made previously in another post, but I have one with Pusheen blind box pieces (and another one planned), several with business cards and cute notes from sellers, and some other ones with cute packaging I didn't want to throw away.

#5: Lotsa lil' trinkets
 So one of the the main ways I cutify my apartment is with lots and lots of cute little things (and some bigger cuties). I have plushies invading every room (minus my bathroom because I don't have a place to put them) displayed on shelves, in my display cabinet and TV center, and on my couch. I have anime figures displayed in my living room and bedroom as well as some very nice quality weapon replicas of Sora's keyblade and Link's Hylian shield and Master Sword that a friend gave me. (I also have a little shine to my best girl from Love Live!, Eli Ayase, in my living room.) I have re-ment figures and some little outfits, that fit my Licca doll perfectly and also look super cute on my drawing mannequin, displayed in my kitchen and display cabinet. And I have a pretty phone styled to look like an antique rotary phone that I recently repainted to be pastel along with lots of other miscellaneous trinkets displayed around my apartment on any flat shelf-like surface that is relatively safe from my little kitty cat (who thinks everything is a toy).

#6: Display that merch!
 In a previous post where I talked about how I decorated my room at the time, I mentioned that I like to display my hair accessories on the wall. My collection has since grown a good deal, so instead of the one ribbon hanger thing I now have several, two of which I've made rather recently to hold all of the cute hair accessories and pins that'll fit on them. In addition to those, I have several decorative wall pegs meant for holding clothing or hats that I display my headbows and hair poms and such on so they're all easy to see and add to a coordinate. All of those are in my bedroom, and in addition to those I have a little coat rack and shelf with pegs on it that I display my favorite purses and my BTSSB parasol on for easy access and bragging rights along with some of my Pusheen items.

How do you like to decorate your room or apartment/house to fit with a Lolita aesthetic or your personal aesthetic? Let me know in the comments~

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Lolita 52 Challenge: Bloomers or No Bloomers?

 Hello everyone! I'm here again with another Lolita 52 Challenge: Bloomers or no bloomers? Let me know your opinion on this in the comments below!

So I personally enjoy wearing bloomers under my Lolita coords for the most part, but it can be a bit frustrating at times too, so let me list some of the pros and cons I've found for wearing bloomers.

Pro Bloomers
 So one of the biggest pros of bloomers for me personally is chafing prevention. They're cute and go with the Lolita aesthetic and make it so I don't get a rash on my thighs just from walking, presuming they're longer. Even with shorter bloomers, it adds a feeling of cuteness to the look, just like wearing cute or matching undergarments can make you feel better about an outfit even though no one can see them. Plus, if you live somewhere windy or are prone to tripping or twirling a lot, bloomers help protect you from flashing your underwear unintentionally. Bloomers are also good to wear should you end up in a fashion show so you aren't giving everyone in the front rows an uncomfortable view up your skirt and instead a cute, ruffly view of bloomers and petticoats!

Bloomer Cons
 One of the biggest cons for bloomers can be their price point and sizing, especially for people with wider hips or that are plus sized. While it's possible to make one's own bloomers, having a good fabric, lace, and pattern to use can add up (especially lace) costing as much or more than a pre-made pair of bloomers. Also, even on nicer bloomers the lace can be somewhat irritating if no tights are worn under the bloomers. Bloomers also add an extra elastic waistband and layers to what can already be a somewhat uncomfortable fashion and make it even warmer too. Since a simple pair of pajama shorts or spandex can easily work the same as bloomers for modesty and chaffing reasons, many may opt to skip the pricier bloomers. Thanks to anti-chaffing products and lack of thigh rubbing in the first place, many people can get away with wearing only underpants with their Lolita and may want to, especially on hot days.

 So all in all, while I do enjoy the aesthetic of bloomers, for me personally they can be annoying or uncomfortable if I plan on wearing a Lolita outfit all day. In these cases I'll usually wear pajama shorts and anti-chaffing cream instead for better comfort without the worry of accidentally flashing someone. Do you like to wear bloomers? Let me know in the comments!

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Throwback: Cosplay Tips 1

Hello everyone! Today I'll be going back to one of my very early posts Cosplay Tips 1 and basically rewriting it since I've had a lot more experience with cosplay since then (I might have cosplayed twice at that point?) and since the availability and pricing on many cosplay items have since changed. I hope you all enjoy my more current advice as well as cringing slightly at my old post along with me. ;)

#1: Wigs and Hair
   As many of us may notice when looking for anime characters to cosplay, many of them have unnatural colors and gravity defying hair, or just a color or style that's not easily achievable for you (like going pink when you have to have a natural color for your job or magically growing your fade into flowing, manly locks in a week). While closet cosplays or simple cosplays based off of your current hair color and style (or lack of hair) can be fun for a low budget or last minute cosplay, trying to do more advanced cosplays with natural hair can be costly and difficult. For example, several years ago I read a post by a lady who used her natural hair for a Sailor Mercury cosplay (if memory serves me correctly). One of the biggest cons she noted was that any time she wanted to do that cosplay, she had to get a haircut so that her hair would be accurate. If you're getting a haircut for a cosplay every two to three weeks when you normally would get your hair cut maybe twice a year, that becomes really expensive. Even if you cut your hair yourself, it can be frustrating and time consuming. While this can be less of a problem if you have longer hair that easily works for the character, you may still want to consider the fact that that cosplay will need a wig should you decide to change your hair in the future.

 Wigs nowadays are generally easy to find at reasonable prices and in good quality, so I highly recommend getting a wig if possible. Not only are wigs generally easier to maintain than natural hair, it gives a cosplay that extra something to make you more recognizable. (Granted if you cosplay horribly obscure characters like I tend to do, it won't help much outside of the accuracy department.) I've gotten several wigs off of sites like Amazon and Storenvy that are very nice quality that I use for J-fashion and my cosplays. However, when ordering wigs online, be cautious of wigs without reviews or ones that look like party wigs and thoroughly check reviews to make sure there's no complaints of the wig being poorly made or thin. Unless you know the seller is a reputable wig seller, I wouldn't recommend buying any wigs that don't have reviews unless you're willing to take a chance. There are also many reputable wig sellers aimed at cosplayers, such as Epic Cosplay and Arda Wigs, that have a variety of wig colors and styles available.

 One of the main disadvantages of getting a wig is that you have to style it for your character and while in my old post I had recommended World of Wigcraft, it seemed to have disappeared completely, but it seems to be available again: World of Wigcraft. Unfortunately it is rather expensive, but if you plan on doing more advanced techniques or complicated wigs, I'd advise getting it. Fortunately, there's a wide array of character specific wigs available as well as pre-styled ones, so many times trimming the bangs to the right shape is all that's necessary. For bang cutting tutorials, I highly recommend looking up tutorials on Youtube or ask a hairstylist friend to show you how (or do it for you) if you can. Remember, it's always better to cut less off than you think you need to and always use nice, sharp scissors so you don't maul your wig.

 Wigs also require different maintenance than natural hair since the fibers don't grow back when they're pulled out of the wig cap. Usually a brand new wig will have some shedding when it's first combed through, but normally you shouldn't be getting a lot of fibers with every comb-through. For typical wig maintenance, I recommend getting a styrofoam wig head and a pin or pins to hold the wig on it, some sort of stand for said head (I've been using my camera tripod recently), a wide tooth shower comb, and Motions At Home Oil Sheen Spray. (You can easily get the spray from Amazon or Sally's Beauty Supply.) After putting the wig on the styrofoam head and a stand, pin it in place so that it won't slide around while you comb it. I usually just put an obvious pin in the center top so I can easily find the pin again. You can also secure at the back and the temples of the wig if you so choose. Spray the entire wig with a coat or two of the oil sheen spray, both outside and inside of the wig and let it sit for a minute. Comb it gently in sections, working from the ends of the wig upwards and starting a new section if a tangle goes across a larger area than yous section. If the wig has curls, you may want to comb them separately to avoid them frizzing out or otherwise losing their shape or you can wash the wig after in cold water to help the curls resettle. Work on the top and bottom sides of the wig to make sure you get as many tangles out as possible. If you find that two of the fibers have tied themselves into a knot, take a sharp pair of scissors to cut as close to the knot as you can. I highly recommend gently combing your wigs out using this method after every wear, but be careful not to overdo it as you don't want to damage your wig by over combing it as it could damage the fibers.

What do you guys do about your hair when you cosplay? Let me know in the comments!

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Shibajuku Girl Dolls Review

Hello everyone! I'm back and today I'll be doing a review of one of the new Shibajuku Girl doll I got not too long ago. Unfortunately I don't have a Pullip doll to compare it to, so I'll be giving my opinion based on the doll's quality, design, and price. Let me know in the comments if you have one of these dolls or are considering getting one!


Quality
 Shibajuku Girl dolls are made from a hard plastic, with rooted hair, inset eyes, a moveable head, and articulated joints at the wrists, elbows, shoulders, hips, and knees. The entire doll is made from a hard plastic with no mobility outside of the joints. The hair fibers feel nice, but had some glue or styling product on them when I first opened the doll. While not especially thin, I feel there could be more hair since her scalp can show at times if her hair isn't placed right. While looking at the painted on makeup, I noticed it was a little sloppy in places and there appeared to be a spot of misplaced paint on her face as well. While posing my Shibajuku Girl, I noticed that it's very easy for her limbs to twist the wrong direction, which could easily lead to damage or breakage if I'm not careful to make sure they're turned correctly when trying to flex her joints. Other than that, her joints move well. My first impression of the Shibajuku Girl I have is that, for the price, she's pretty good quality, but she's definitely not top quality.


Design
 So, the first thing I noted about the Shibajuku Girl dolls is how much they resemble a Pullip doll (number 1 reason I wanted to get one). I couldn't say for sure how much inspiration was drawn from Pullips since I don't personally have one, but I have a feeling that Shibajuku Girl's design was heavily based off of the Pullip's. Judging from the recent influx I've seen of certain Japanese trends (usually ones that have been around for a while), I'd say this is another instance of that. The dolls all have the same base design with slight differences in hair and eye colors and hair and makeup designs. Each doll has its own style of clothing as well. Overall, I'd say the dolls could use a bit more variation on their base looks, but they're still all a cute design.

Poseability
 As I mentioned before while discussing the quality of the Shibajuku Girl dolls, there are some problems with joints moving out of place when moving them. Outside of that, the dolls have fairly good poseability due to the joints in their limbs. However, due to the size and weight of the doll's head in comparison to their bodies, it's very difficult to get them to stand on their own, if not impossible. The Shibajuku Girls unfortunately do not come with stands, making it difficult to have much posing variety on their own. Overall, I'd say they have pretty decent poseability, but could have better with a stand.

Clothing Variety
 If you're like me, you like dolls not just for aesthetics and like to dress them up in different outfits too. The Shibajuku Girls all have very cute base outfits that come with them and they're all different J-fashion inspired looks, so it's not too difficult to get one that matches your aesthetic. There are a handful of outfit packs available as well which usually come with a hair accessory and a top and bottom or dress. Unfortunately, there are currently no available extra shoe or sock options specifically made for the Shibajuku Girl dolls. After doing a bit of research, it looks like there are some other doll styles that have compatible clothing, but many come with clothing on the doll only. It appears some Pullip clothing and shoes may also work for them, but I don't have any to try out.

Final Rating: 3/5
 While the Shibajuku Girl dolls are pretty cute, they're still lacking the variety I'd like to see in a fashion doll, like Barbie and Licca have. I also am a little disappointed in the quality level, but it's understandable based on the target market (young children) and the price point. While I do regret buying her a little bit, I do still enjoy my Shibajuku Girl, but don't anticipate getting any more unless their quality improves.

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Lolita 52 Challenge: Purses that I Love

Hello everyone! So today's topic is purses that I love. I only really have one specifically Lolita purse, so for the most part these will be purses I want to eventually get or that I appreciate the aesthetics of. Be sure to let me know which ones you also like or your favorite Lolita purse in the comments!


All pictures are sourced from Lolibrary unless otherwise noted.


#1: Old school heart purses
 My number one favorite style of purse (and coincidentally the only one on this list I have one of) is the old school heart purses with round metal handles, lace around the border, and a big ribbon in the center. I really fell in love with them after watching Kamikaze Girls and seeing Momoko carrying them around with her. Unfortunately the one I have is only a design replica, but I love it all the same and am less concerned about it being used heavily.
https://images.lolibrary.org/file/lolibrary-images/5655531d-754d-5302-a53f-cc24145b94f9.jpeg


#2: Angelic Pretty Candy bag
I'm a huge fan of sweets inspired pieces, so naturally I adore Angelic Pretty's Candy Stripe Bag. I'm hoping to get one eventually, but I'm focusing more on main pieces for the moment, so I'll have to wait on buying it.


https://images.lolibrary.org/file/lolibrary-images/29350813-7264-5430-bf4b-d7df28df0792_thumb.jpeg


#3: Book shaped bags
 While they don't generally fit my personal style, I really love the look of bags that look like books! I think they look very elegant and are a fun idea while still being a practical shape, unlike the previous two bags I've listed. (Trying to set down a heart shaped purse without having it dump half it's contents out is a bit of a challenge.)


https://images.lolibrary.org/file/lolibrary-images/e70aba5b-3c7d-55de-93c1-3f9987241480_thumb.jpeg


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Lolita 52 Challenge: How I get out of a Wardrobe Slump

Hello everyone! Today I'll be talking about another Lolita 52 Challenge topic: How I get out of a wardrobe slump.


 So we've all been there: We go to put together an outfit and either everything's dirty or we just don't want to wear anything we have because we wear it so often we're tired of it. I can't tell you how many times I've stared at my wardrobe until I give up and just throw on a T-shirt and some jeans or a tried and tested outfit I've worn some variation of for the past week. My wardrobe's still fairly limited, so I have a lot of wardrobe slumps. So what do I do to get out of these slumps? Well outside of checking to make sure the slumps not just due to weight gain, here's some of the things I do.


#1: Why aren't you wearing what you have?
 One of the first things I do when I'm in a wardrobe slump is figure out what I haven't been wearing and why. Does it still suit my style? Does it still fit and is it flattering? What would it go with? If I can't find a way to wear a piece, I'll usually figure out what I need to wear it or get rid of it if it's something that doesn't work with my wardrobe. If it doesn't fit properly or look good, I'll get rid of it as well.
#2: Try new combinations
 After going through lesser worn pieces, I'll usually start trying to make new coordinates. I'll take a piece, put it on my dress form or lay it on my bed, and start holding up other pieces next to it to see what would go with it. Sometimes I'll start building an outfit, then change out the piece I started with to make a more congruent look. Don't be afraid to try different things. Once you have an outfit you like the look of, try it on and make sure it still looks good on you and change a few pieces as needed.


#3: Determine what you need
 One of the advantages of getting rid of pieces is that you can add new pieces instead. If you find yourself saying things like "If only I had [ ]" or "This would look so much better with [ ]" keep track of what those items are so you can decide if you want to add them to your wardrobe later on. Also, if you're finding a piece is just getting too old and worn looking, make a note of it and start looking for its replacement. Feel free to try something in a different style or color when replacing an item if it's not a staple item (such as a white blouse in a Lolita wardrobe).


#4: Catalog
 Once you've put together some outfits that work, take pictures! Having a reference to go back to really helps when you don't know what to wear. This also gives you an opportunity to decide if it really was something you'd wear or just a mess that looked good in the moment. You can also look back on those outfits for inspiration when putting together a new outfit, similar to a street snap on Pinterest, except with your own wardrobe!


What do you do when you're in a wardrobe slump? Let me know in the comments below!




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Worst Places to Wear Lolita

Hello everyone! Going off of last week's post, I wanted to do a list of the worst places to wear Lolita. This is going to be a bit more humourous of a post needless to say, so I hope you enjoy!


#1: Hiking
 Ima be honest here, while I haven't been hiking in Lolita, I did go hiking in Fairy Kei a few times and boy was that a mistake.... And Lolita is even less versatile than Fairy Kei. Fancy shoes now caked in mud and dirt, wig and petticoat snagging on stray bushes, headbow constantly being knocked off by branches... All in all, Lolita would be very impractical and frustrating to hike in, plus you're more likely to overheat from all the layers!
#2: Swimming
 While there are swimsuits available from various Lolita brands, jumping in the pool in your AP dress would be a very bad idea. Not only would you have to worry about the print running, the chlorine or salt water (if you jump in the ocean) would likely bleach or damage your dress. Plus those pettis would be a lot more weighing down than floofy and fun after hitting the water.
#3: Running from the authorities
 While running from the authorities generally isn't a good idea in the first place, doing so in Lolita would be even worse. As many of us know, Lolita can be quite constricting around the chest, which would lead to getting winded sooner and climbing a chain link fence would be near impossible, especially if you're wearing platform style shoes. Not only that, but can you imagine trying to hide or blend in with a crowd in Lolita?
#4: The jungle
 Let's face it: It doesn't matter what jungle you're in, it's gonna be hot and humid, there's probably going to be bugs trying to eat your headbow, and chances are the footing won't be the best. Not to mention snakes, monkeys (we all saw what Jane had to deal with in Disney's Tarzan), big cats, and who knows what else. If you were lucky, you'd probably get away with a shoe lost in quicksand at the very least.


Where do you think would be a terrible place to wear Lolita? Let me know in the comments below!






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Lolita 52 Challenge: Best places to Wear Lolita

Hello everyone! Today I'm going to go over what I feel are the best places to wear Lolita. For this list, I'll be excluding meetups and conventions since you're generally expected to wear Lolita or something similar to this type of event. (Obviously you can cosplay or just go in jeans and a nerdy tee to conventions, but generally if you aren't cosplaying and you're into J-fashion, you'd want to wear Lolita or another J-fashion style at a convention, so that's why I'm not including them in this list.)


#1: Special events and shows
 Generally it's fun to dress up when you're going out, so having a special excuse can make it even more fun. Whether you're going out for Easter brunch, watching an opera, or screaming your full head off at a One Direction show, there's plenty of events you can wear Lolita to. I would not, however, recommend moshing in Lolita. Fellow metal heads might be very confused when attacked by petticoats.


#2: Hanging out with friends
 I'm sure we all have friends we adore, but just can't hang out with too often because of distance or merely time constraints. So needless to say when we do get to hang out with those friends, it's also normal to want to dress up and go do things together. (Granted there's nothing wrong with hiding out and playing video games in jammies together.) Though you may want to tone down your look if your friend doesn't wear alternative styles and is uncomfortable with people staring at you, it's still possible to have fun and look frilly as well.
#3: Bakeries and tea houses
 Since bakery sweets and tea are generally a staple in a Lolita's lifestyle, going out for some cake or tea in Lolita is a great idea! Many Lolitas do meetups at local bakeries and teahouses, so there's no reason you couldn't dress up in Lolita and go by yourself or with a few friends. Plus you'll fit right in with all the cute tea sets and cakes. Just make sure to put a napkin on your lap if you're a messy eater like me!


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Lolita 52 Challenge: What's in my Makeup Bag

Hello everyone! Since I'm struggling a bit with coming up with my own prompts, I'll be continuing to use Lolita 52 Challenge topics for a while. This week's topic: What's in my makeup bag? Since I don't really have a makeup bag, per se, I'll just be going over what I typically use in the way of makeup.


Let's start with base makeup: foundations, concealer, etc. For my foundation I usually use a Maybeline BB cream under a matte foundation with SPF from the same brand followed by cream stick concealers from Covergirl (one green, one skin toned), and then set with either a Rimmel London or Essence powder. For contour/highlight and blush I also use Essence cosmetics. After applying my base makeup, I fill in my eyebrows with a pencil from ...Maybeline? and start adding color to my eyelids. I've recently started using Urban Decay's Primer Potion and it makes a pretty good base for colors. Before that I used either a white Nyx pencil (which I still use on my waterlines) or an E.L.F. shimmery primer and both worked well, but I like the Primer Potion's texture better. For colors, I typically use a generic colorful pallet I have, but I've recently picked up Kat Von D's Pastel Goth pallet and I use the colors heavily mixed with white for pastel looks. I also add glitter with a cheap shimmery white eye shadow I got at the dollar tree or my Urban Decay Moonlight? pallet for more intense looks. I also do simpler eye shadow looks with the Essence Bright Eyes pallet. For eyeliner, I don't really have a preference on brand, but I generally prefer felt tipped liquid liners that are waterproof. I like black volumizing mascaras and I vary between a few different ones depending on the look I'm going for. I especially like two part mascaras with a clear base coat and a black top coat right now. For lips I'll usually do a pink lip gloss or a red lip tint if I remember. I don't generally wear false eyelashes or face crystals on a regular basis and I generally forget to wear lipsticks, though I do own a lot of those...


What sort of makeup do you guys usually wear? And do you have a makeup bag you tote around for touchups? Let me know in the comments!


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The End of Kera and the Gothic & Lolita Bible

Hello Everyone! Today I'll be giving my thoughts on a very sad topic: The ending of Kera's print edition and the suspension of the Gothic & Lolita Bible (G&LB). I considered making a video on this topic, but since I don't currently have any editing software and I know there will be a lot of crying, I decided it would be best to stick to writing a blog article.


 As many of us in the J-Fashion world have learned over the last few days, Kera and the Gothic & Lolita Bible will no longer be releasing printed magazines. After learning about Fruits magazine's cancelation earlier this month, this is coming as a very hard blow to many of us who have loved and collected these magazines over the years. While I only recently started to collect Kera and have one copy of G&LB, my original love for Lolita was due to a friend introducing me and my sister to the fashion and lending us copies of the English edition of G&LB to look through. I would never have gotten into Fairy Kei when I did if it hadn't been for my interest in Sweet Lolita and finding a more wearable option for day-to-day. Even though my introduction to Kera was within the past couple of years, it quickly became my favorite magazine and I was looking forward to getting more and more copies in the future. However, due to it's cancelation I won't be able to get any more after the last print issue comes out this month. I personally like having a physical copy to flip through when it comes to fashion magazines, though I can understand their decision to switch to a digital only copy due to the decrease in popularity of print media in general. I'm going to miss being able to collect new issues of Kera, though I will treasure the ones I have (especially the one with a street snap of Mana-sama).


 So with the end of three of the most iconic J-Fashion magazines, what does that mean for Harajuku fashion? I at first presumed that their closures were merely due to printed media being less popular nowadays due to the internet allowing easy access to so many things, but I might have been wrong. After finding out about the end of the magazines, I saw a video by one of my favorite YouTubers, Cathy Cat, a German Lolita living and working in Japan, where she expressed her feelings on the matter. To summarize what she said in her video, the generation of Harajuku kids and Lolitas that started and promulgated many of the crazy, over-the-top styles that Harajuku is known for are getting older and changing to more demure styles that suit them better or completely giving up J-fashion to fit in better with the general populace. Because of that, those fashions are not as present in Harajuku as they once were because the younger generation aren't wearing them. Cathy Cat goes to Harajuku a lot for her and Kawaii Pateen's videos, so she gets to see what's going on there regularly and she said that she's seeing less and less bold fashion present in Harajuku. She ends her video stating that in order for these fashions to survive, the older J-fashion generations need to bring the younger generations into our fashions and stop discriminating based on experience in a style.


 So, from what I've seen, I've gathered that Harajuku fashion isn't so much dying as changing. In the Keras I have as well as street snaps I see online, styles are getting more toned down and changing to more muted pallets instead of brighter colors like Decora or OTT Sweet Lolita tend to use. In the G&LB I got recently, I noticed almost everything in it was Gothic or Classic Lolita and seeing as how many of the original Lolitas I know of are getting along in age, OTT Sweet may not suit them as well as when they were younger. Even outside of Lolita, styles such as Cult Party Kei with more muted color pallets are getting more popular. Softer pastels are more in than bright colors as are black pieces and detailing. As to the end of Fruits, cancelation of Kera's print edition, and GL&B's suspension, these are most likely due to the drop in popularity of print media and could also be affected by the change in popular J-fashion present in Harajuku.

What do you guys think? What are your thoughts on the end of many J-fashion magazines and the style shift in Harajuku? Let me know in the comments below!

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Lolita 52 Challenge: What Influences my Lolita Style

Hello everyone! Today we have another Lolita 52 Challenge topic: What influences my Lolita style. I'll be doing this in a bullet style to list my influences. Let's go!


#1: Bakery goods and sweets
 As I mentioned in my 5 keywords Lolita 52 challenge post, I have a bit of a foodie theme to my wardrobe. The main reason for this is that I really love the look of cakes and candies and such. I love how delicate frosting roses are, how delicious a spongy jelly roll looks, how jewel-like, yet sweet candies are, and many other aspects of sweets that definitely translate into the general theme of my wardrobe. Additionally, due to its white base color, frosting more often than not turns out pastel even with stronger gel food dyes, and the aesthetic of that is clearly translated in my Sweet Lolita wardrobe.


#2: Trends that I never got to try
 While there's still a lot I want to try out, I find that both current and outdated popular trends can influence my Lolita style a fair amount. Some aspects of my wardrobe and aesthetic are more oldschool Lolita since that's the era I discovered Lolita during and I have plans to add some more oldschool pieces like rocking horse shoes to my wardrobe. Additionally, I'm kinda catching up with Sweet Lolita trends I missed when I wasn't able to afford Lolita clothing.


#3: Fashion Icons
 Lolitas and other J-Fashion enthusiasts I follow on Youtube and Facebook have a HUGE influence on my wardrobe since secretly I kinda wish I was them to some extent. For example, I got a blue/pink mixed wig because Lawl Factory (Now Anna Drake) wore one in a couple of her videos. Additionally, I decided to add a yellow JSK and a pink blouse to my wardrobe because of Lovely Lor's coordinate for Japan Festival Houston. The people I follow are big inspirations to me, so I copy trends and looks they do as much as I can, but I also don't try to force myself to try a look that wouldn't suit me just because someone else looks good in it. Like I tried Decora out since Mahou Prince is such a big inspiration to me, but I learned pretty quickly I don't like it on me as much, so I focused more on styles I do like on me.


#4: Dolls
 I've always really loved the outfits you see on porcelain dolls as well as just dolls in general, so they were kinda the underlying influence that made Lolita such a perfect fir for me. I've always loved dressing up dolls in pretty clothing and having porcelain dolls dressed in elegant fashions, so being able to dress myself up in similar styles is a lot of fun.


What influences your guys's wardrobes? Let me know in the comments below!


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Lolita 52 Challenge: How I Accessorize

Hello everyone! Today I'm back with another Lolita 52 challenge topic: How I accessorize. This has changed a little bit as I've gotten more accessories of different types and it also varies depending on the event and my energy. I'll also be covering how I accessorize with Fairy Kei, my main style outside of Lolita.


 So with both Lolita and Fairy Kei I generally have some type of hair bow, a necklace or two, some bracelets, and rings or earrings if I remember them. For Lolita hair accessories, I usually wear a bow or two in a coordinating color or a large matching bow on the back of my head for more toned down looks. For one of my recent coordinates that I wore at a convention, I used the second detachable bow from my JSK as a headbow by slipping it onto a headband and added a giant resin star clip on one side and three smaller pink and purple bow clips on the other side. Generally my hair accessories for Fairy Kei are a bow or two that go with my outfit or the giant resin star clip and some bows. For necklaces, I generally do a choker and a longer necklace for Fairy Kei and just a longer necklace for Lolita coordinates. Generally my longer necklaces have a large statement pendant, like a big plastic heart or plastic lettering saying "mahou shoujo." For bracelets I generally use my wrist cuffs and pastel arm kandi or pearl bracelets, but I will occasionally wear a simple metal bracelet or a half pearl, half charm bracelet. For the most part though, I put on as many bracelets as possible! Rings and earrings are typically forgotten when I do everyday cords, but I generally wear two to four rings on each hand and a pair of pastel earrings when I do remember them. I'm trying to get better at changing my earrings to match my outfit so I'm not just wearing the simple fake pearl earrings I generally wear day to day since my job doesn't allow flashy earrings. I'm also looking at different ways to display my rings and my smaller hair clips so I'm more likely to actually wear them instead of forgetting they're in a small jewelry storage box. Other than jewelry and hair accessories, I'll occasionally put a decorative pin of some sort on my outfits as well, and that's pretty much the extent of my accessorizing.


 What sort of accessories do you guys wear? Let me know in the comments below!


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Lolita 52 Challenge: Plan for a Trip!

Hello everyone! Today I'm back with another Lolita 52 Challenge topic: Plan for a trip! A week's worth of Lolita outfits I can fit in a small suitcase. I'll be going over this from the perspective of what I own as well as a more generalized perspective. For both I'll be planning a Spring-time trip, so temperate weather with no heavy coats needed.


 First up, how would I pack for a week with my current wardrobe. Since I only really have three Lolita dresses and a couple skirts, I would begin by laying them all out on my bed to decide on tops and accessories. Since I generally travel somewhere with access to a washer and dryer, I'd be able to get away with bringing my one blouse as well as camisoles for underneath, a nightgown, and my two cardigans and sweater as tops. Then I'd just alternate which days I'd have to wear a blouse with days I can wear a cardigan or my OP. For petticoats, I'd bring my two hand-made ones as well as a couple of the longer party store ones I have. Shoes, I would bring my tea parties, a pair of white heels, and my white boots (in case it rains). If weather was expected to be especially sunny or I planned on going to a beach, I would pack my white sandals instead of boots. I'd bring my white heart-shaped purse and pastel Ita bag as well. For accessories, I'd bring socks or tights as needed, my bloomers and spandex shorts, wristcuffs, and any necklaces, bracelets, and earrings I decided on for each coordinate. Most of my pieces come with a detachable bow or matching headbow, so hair accessories are simple, but I would bring some small pastel bows too if I didn't feel like wearing a larger bow that day. I'd also bring a colorful umbrella in case it rains or I need to shield myself from the sun.


 For a non-specific wardrobe, we're going to assume that all of the pieces are either all in the same style or two different styles that can interchange basic accessories (like a simple white blouse). I would recommend packing two versatile JSKs and two skirts along with two or three blouses and two cardigans that work for all of the pieces and a cutsew that goes with one of the skirts. I'm also going to assume all of these pieces have similar lengths for the sake of this example, so two to four petticoats that can be easily packed down depending on the level of poof your skirts allow. (As an example, I generally only require two since I have larger hips and don't want a large amount of poof due to shorter skirts. However, someone with smaller hips or longer, classical skirts might need four to have a proper silhouette for their style.) In addition to these, two pairs of Lolita shoes that can work for two or more of the main pieces each and a weather specific pair of shoes (like boots or sandals) if needed. Otherwise three pairs of typical Lolita shoes, like teaparties, in colors that work with the main pieces. For accessories, I'd do the same as for my example, matching or coordinating headbows and/or smaller hair accessories, and necklaces and other pieces that work for each coordinate. In addition to those, any bloomers, shorts, camisoles, etc. needed for the wearer's comfort and a compact parasol or umbrella as needed.


What would you pack from your wardrobe for a week-long trip? Let me know in the comments!


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Developing your Wardrobe

Hello everyone! Going off of last week's post, I decided to do an article on developing a basic wardrobe to a more complete wardrobe. This article is intended to help someone who already has a defined style, but may not have all of the pieces they want for an everyday wardrobe. If you want advice on starting to build an alternative style wardrobe, check out my Building a Wardrobe series (part 1, part 2, part 3, part 4). Otherwise, you're in the right place!




 So before we get into the steps, let's start with a definition of what a basic wardrobe is, mainly in reference to J-Fashion, but this can also be applied to other styles too. I consider a basic wardrobe to be one that you are able to make enough unique outfits for a week or mix and match the pieces you have to make a two week's worth of similarish outfits (like using the same tee and shoes with a different bottom and outer piece).


#1: Assess what you need
 Once you have a basic wardrobe, you'll likely have a fairly good idea of what your style is, so you should be able to assess what your wardrobe is lacking or what it doesn't need. Take some time to go through your wardrobe and pick out pieces that you don't wear and decide if you don't wear them because you need new pieces to go with them or because you don't like them as much as you thought you did. Take some time to determine what you would need to wear the pieces you haven't been wearing and write them down. Once you've done this assessment, go through the pieces you do wear regularly and determine if the pieces you would need for your unworn or less worn pieces would work with what you already have. In addition to those, write down any other items you would like to add to your wardrobe such as weather specific items as well as anything you need to replace due to wear or fit issues.


#2: Prioritize
 Once you've made a list of what you'd like to add to your wardrobe you can prioritize which pieces to buy first based on what works with the most pieces or what needs to be replaced. You can either rewrite your list in order of most needed/wanted or just write ranking numbers next to the items or something similar. A good way to decide on priority is to think what items you need sooner rather than later, like if it's getting cold out and you need a good coat and boots, you'd want to put those higher on your list than a light Summer blouse. Also, you can prioritize based on rarity of an item or how many items in your wardrobe it'll work with.


#3: Research and buy
 Once you know what you want and what order you want it in, you can start to research which items specifically you want as well as start looking for auctions and sales with what you need. I highly recommend researching prices for specific items you want by looking through sold listings. For example, when I decided I wanted to buy Jewelry Jelly, I looked it up on Lolibrary to decide which style I'd prefer (JSK or OP) and make sure the measurements would fit me. After that, I pulled up sold listings for it on Lacemarket and compared the prices based on colorway, style, and what was included (matching headbow, socks, etc). From that I was able to get an average price to expect and was later able to buy the OP with matching headbow second-hand from Storenvy! Great places to look for used J-fashion are Lacemarket and its spinoffs (Kei market, etc, linked at the top of the page), Facebook groups (usually searching the style and sales works well for finding them), and eBay or Storenvy (just be careful and check their feedback). You can also check in local Lolita and J-fashion groups to see if there will be a swapmeet or if anyone is selling anything and willing to do a local trade/sale.


Do you guys have any plans for your wardrobes? Let me know in the comments below!


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