tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-60231341832558844852024-03-19T04:06:49.229-07:00F Yeah Lolitacaro-chanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02816959125315317615noreply@blogger.comBlogger309125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6023134183255884485.post-23139149564340058002016-03-10T09:48:00.001-08:002016-03-10T09:48:33.235-08:00Making Old School New Again: PriereChunky platforms, bloomers peeking out the bottom of a skirt, yards upon yards of lace, lacy headdresses tied under the chin—all things we tend to think of when we reminisce about what Lolita used to be. But what if it was all back again, and with an updated look that was cutting edge and even trendy? That's exactly what Japanese indie brand Priere is doing!<br />
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<a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-zRNOKIq9-rY/VuBC7sOW_xI/AAAAAAAAIrY/YTcWOm4S5ns/s1600/priere-1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="Priere Japanese Antique Doll Fashion Old School Harajuku" border="0" height="394" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-zRNOKIq9-rY/VuBC7sOW_xI/AAAAAAAAIrY/YTcWOm4S5ns/s640/priere-1.jpg" title="Priere Japanese Antique Doll Fashion" width="640" /></a></div>
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<span style="text-align: start;">Taking inspiration from antique dolls, Yukarin of Priere has created an angelic vision that harkens back to what Lolita was in the 90's, as well as the Victorian revival of the 1970's that brands like Gunne Sax popularized. Japanese pop culture is experiencing some serious 90's nostalgia at the moment (perhaps all the 1980's Fairy Kei girls have grown up and the girls who grew up in the 1990's are taking their place as queens of street fashion?) and is coming up with ways to reinvent the looks of the decade in fresh new ways. </span></div>
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<a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-P9ddt3Jlw9M/VuBELow7GJI/AAAAAAAAIro/UtU0X6a60Qw/s1600/Priere%2B2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="Priere Japanese Antique Doll Fashion Old School Harajuku" border="0" height="480" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-P9ddt3Jlw9M/VuBELow7GJI/AAAAAAAAIro/UtU0X6a60Qw/s640/Priere%2B2.jpg" title="Priere Japanese Antique Doll Fashion" width="640" /></a></div>
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Perhaps the best way to make coordinates like this cutting edge is the way they're styled, gone are the bare faces and simple hair of early Lolita, and in their place are the currently trendy looks that seem to borrow heavily from moe pop culture. High bright blush, berry red lips, and flawlessly natural looking hair, often with professionally dyed unnatural colors, give a finished look to the old fashioned layered dresses.<br />
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<a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-H3_PogJRoDQ/VuBELnOTHuI/AAAAAAAAIrk/xYOtEWgXZeo/s1600/Priere-3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="Priere Japanese Antique Doll Fashion Old School Harajuku" border="0" height="480" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-H3_PogJRoDQ/VuBELnOTHuI/AAAAAAAAIrk/xYOtEWgXZeo/s640/Priere-3.jpg" title="Priere Japanese Antique Doll Fashion Old School Harajuku" width="640" /></a></div>
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One thing I particularly love about this brand's stylings is the use of mixed off-whites, with only touches of brown or gold, and yet most of the looks are paired with darker shoes, something that was very frequently seen in old Lolita street snaps. I think that the pairing of lighter frilly dresses with dark shoes has such an endearing look, and reminds me so much of sepia toned antique photographs of little Victorian children.<br />
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<a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-NED3Sn2dRTU/VuBELoPvusI/AAAAAAAAIrg/Dr284Lyn_EQ/s1600/Priere-4.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="Priere Japanese Antique Doll Fashion Old School Harajuku" border="0" height="640" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-NED3Sn2dRTU/VuBELoPvusI/AAAAAAAAIrg/Dr284Lyn_EQ/s640/Priere-4.jpg" title="Priere Japanese Antique Doll Fashion Old School Harajuku" width="480" /></a></div>
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While Priere is not a Lolita brand, the aesthetics are very similar and I think that anyone interested in Lolita, particularly the current Classic Lolita trends, can find a lot of inspiration from this up-and-coming designer. The bell sleeves, the peeking bloomers, the layers of sheer lace, these are all things that elicit a strong sense of nostalgia from most Lolitas who've been in the fashion for a while, or even new Lolitas who know their roots, and it's exciting to see a new designer put a fresh face on the older designs.<br />
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<a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-xZAMt_a21cc/VuBEMfuIv1I/AAAAAAAAIrs/vro0e6WSyzc/s1600/Priere-5.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="Priere Japanese Antique Doll Fashion Old School Harajuku" border="0" height="480" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-xZAMt_a21cc/VuBEMfuIv1I/AAAAAAAAIrs/vro0e6WSyzc/s640/Priere-5.jpg" title="Priere Japanese Antique Doll Fashion Old School Harajuku" width="640" /></a></div>
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Priere is a very new line and currently only has an <a href="https://www.instagram.com/_priere_/">Instagram</a> with the promise of a future webshob. But you can also follow Yukarin's personal <a href="https://twitter.com/ykrn_antique">Twitter</a> and <a href="https://www.instagram.com/ykrn_antique/">Instagram</a> for more. Tokyo Fashion also features an interview with Yukarin <a href="http://tokyofashion.com/antique-doll-fashion-priere/">here</a>.<br />
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<br />caro-chanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02816959125315317615noreply@blogger.com271tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6023134183255884485.post-69334734862201712302015-03-04T15:53:00.001-08:002016-03-10T09:49:26.062-08:005 Hard Lessons About Lolita Fashion<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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It's no secret that being a Lolita isn't all kittens and rainbows. Wearing Lolita isn't going to fix all your problems, and mingling with other Lolitas doesn't mean you're going to be welcome with open arms into a completely accepting sisterhood. Just like nearly anything you do in life, Lolita has its ups and downs, and today, let's look at a few of the downs that tend to sweep by and take even the most hardened Lolitas by surprise sometimes. Consider this something of a<i> 5 things I wish someone had warned me about</i> list!<br />
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<b>You can't wear Lolita all the time</b></div>
I know that a lot of people who start in the fashion imagine a life where they can wear nothing but Lolita and live the Momoko lifestyle they have been dreaming of, but it's probably just not going to happen. While there are plenty of opportunities to wear Lolita, and even more to Lolify a little bit of your life, it's just not something you can cram into every nook and cranny of your day to day life.<br />
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A question I get a lot from people looking to take their Lolita to the next level is "How do you wear Lolita to work/school/fancy events/etc?" expecting that other Lolitas have figured out some sort of neat trick they just haven't thought of that is going to make this work, and the truth is simply that there are going to be times when you simply cannot wear Lolita. And in all honesty, it's really not that big of a deal.<br />
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You're no less of a Lolita because your job or school wont let you dress however you want, or because sometimes you have to put on some normal clothes, or other times it's simply too hot or too cold or you're too lazy to bother with all those petticoats.<br />
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<b>People aren't going to want to be your new BFF <i>just</i> because of your clothes</b></div>
Don't get me wrong, going to Lolita events and being an active member of Lolita communities are a great way to meet like minded people, and wearing Lolita might be just the ice breaker you need in a social situation, but people aren't necessarily going to jump at the chance to be your new BFF just because you happen to be wearing Lolita, even if they're wearing Lolita too.<br />
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Ultimately, Lolita clothes are just, well, <i>clothes. </i>And anyone can wear them. Lolita fashion attracts a very wide variety of people, some are going to mesh with you, and some simply are not. I feel like a lot of newcomers to the fashion come in with the attitude that everyone else who wears Lolita is going to instantly like them and agree with them and like the same things they like, and when they are shocked to find out that other Lolitas are just regular people, they write off the possibility of being friends with other Lolitas as a hopeless cause. "Hardly anyone talked to me! I felt so left out!" is all too often the cry of someone upon coming back from their first Lolita meetup.<br />
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Lolita fashion is a great common interest to have with people, but just like in any other situation, sometimes you're going to have to put in the effort into making lasting friendships with other people.<br />
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<b>You're not going to be able to wear every dress you fall in love with </b></div>
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I feel like this is a hard lesson that some people sort of never get over! There are so many <i>amazing</i> dresses released by brands, both big and indie alike, it's honestly hard not to love them all. But sometimes it's just something that's not meant to be. </div>
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Maybe the dress is incredibly rare, is out of your price range, out of your size range, or simply doesn't look the way you hoped it did when worn. Sometimes you just have to let it go and learn to love a dress <i>without</i> owning it. Trust me, your wallet and closet space will thank you for learning this lesson!<br />
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<b>There will be unexpected things you're probably going to have to buy</b></div>
This is a lesson I'm learning all the time! Try as I might I feel like I am all too often having to buy something really unexciting that I absolutely need in order to wear something that I'm just dying to get the chance to coordinate. I might want to spend all my money on the dress of my dreams that pops up on auction, or some exciting new release, but what I <i>really</i> need is a new petticoat and a pair of comfortable black walking shoes. Oh, and dry cleaning, and some plain colored tights, and a plain button up in cream, and a plain underskirt in just the right shade of brown, and I think you get my point!<br />
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It's fun to get swept up in wanting new main pieces, but there are so many basics that you need too. <i>Especially</i> if you wear the fashion on a regular basis and you wear some pieces so much that you get the chance to actually wear them out and probably have to toss them in the trash. I don't even want to think about how many pairs of tea party shoes I've had to throw away simply because they were just too worn out!<br />
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<b> It's going to take some hard work to get what you want</b></div>
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Many new Lolitas seem to think that people who've been wearing the fashion for a while all know some sort of magic trick to make things easier when it comes to finding just the right piece, in just the right size, for just the right price. The hard truth of the matter is that there is no trick, most of us who wear Lolita who have pretty much any sort of budget at all or fall anywhere outside of the standard size put in a lot of time and effort into building our wardrobes. We hunt and we lurk and we plan and we save! </div>
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The best "magic trick" I can teach you would be to lurk more! Lurk <i>everywhere</i> and try to learn about <i>everything</i>! If you're interested in a particular style, learn who makes it, what sort of prices they go for, and what sort of hoops you should be jumping through to buy them. If you want to learn how to do something just like the pros, who make it all seem so natural and easy (be it posing like a kawaii princess or sewing beautiful dresses!) you're going to have to practice and you're probably going to make a lot of mistakes along the way. </div>
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As many Lolitas will tell you, these little annoyances are definitely worth it for what the Lolita fashion gives back to them! For all the hours of lurking and learning, the reward is snagging your long sought after dream dress after all those years for a good price. For every handful of random Lolitas who you've met but neither of you are ever going to even remember each other names, there's going to a genuine friend.<br />
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What sort of hard lessons have you learned in the fashion that maybe you wish someone had prepared you for before hand? </div>
caro-chanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02816959125315317615noreply@blogger.com42tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6023134183255884485.post-36484006166253870382015-01-28T17:14:00.001-08:002015-01-28T17:21:28.348-08:00Kawaii Box Giveaway<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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As part of being Kawaii Box's <a href="http://fyeahlolita.blogspot.com/2015/01/kawaii-box-january-2015-review.html">Blogger of the Month</a> I'm hosting a giveaway for a month of Kawaii Box! It's a pretty easy giveaway with a ton of ways to enter through Rafflecopter! If you've been thinking of joining, this is a great chance to test out the box and see how much you like it!<br />
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<a class="rcptr" data-raflid="1363d2e4320" data-template="" data-theme="classic" href="http://www.rafflecopter.com/rafl/display/1363d2e4320/" id="rcwidget_9ufdja1h" rel="nofollow">a Rafflecopter giveaway</a>
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A winner will be chosen at random and will be announced over on <a href="https://www.facebook.com/pages/FYeahLolita/152675714775917">my facebook page</a> when the giveaway ends!caro-chanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02816959125315317615noreply@blogger.com22tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6023134183255884485.post-29433781391787665282015-01-19T12:00:00.000-08:002015-01-19T12:00:02.619-08:00Kawaii Box January 2015 Review<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-uhnzP9ECd1w/VLmmY-11-hI/AAAAAAAAImY/xoJdTpzyEes/s1600/kawaii-box-review-header2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-uhnzP9ECd1w/VLmmY-11-hI/AAAAAAAAImY/xoJdTpzyEes/s1600/kawaii-box-review-header2.jpg" height="393" width="640" /></a>Subscription boxes are all the rage lately! It seems like there's a subscription box for every interest, but there are very few for the kawaii lover. Enter <a href="http://kawaiibox.com/" rel="nofollow">Kawaii Box</a>, one of the only subscription boxes filled specifically with cute things. I personally subscribe to this box and pay for it with my own money, however, for January I was chosen as Kawaii Box's reviewer of the month, and was sent a free January box for review.<br />
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Kawaii Box arrives in a, well, kawaii box! With their cute logo printed right on the box, so you know exactly what you're getting when you see it in the mail. Everything in the box is packaged very well, small items are in little baggies and everything is covered nicely with pink tissue paper, all fitting snugly into the box. While my box was a little squished in the middle, nothing was damaged.</div>
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I love cute flyers like this, and Kawaii Box includes a few, including a cute handwritten note and a <a href="http://www.blippo.com/">Blippo</a> flyer, which I believe is their parent company, with a discount coupon on the back.<br />
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What I've definitely noticed in the boxes that I've gotten so far (and comparing the previous boxes listed on their site) is that the contents are generally similar, each month I have noticed you tend to get a snack, a couple keychains, some stationery items, a mini pouch, and a few cute accessories, making each box more or less predictable (at least for the moment!). That being said, this is the selection of cute accessories in January's Kawaii Box. The nail polish glows in the dark and the bracelet is a soft minty green and would be a cute addition to any mint-based Lolita outfit! Personally, the thing I look forward to the most in these boxes are the little pouches. They're so cute and I always feel like I can use more little pouches like this!<br />
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This month had 3 different straps in it, including one gigantic plushy one! It's far too big for a phone strap, but would still look cute hanging on a purse. The little deco strap has a mirror on the back and the upset looking emoticon one is squishy!<br />
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The snack in this month's box were these little Rilakkuma crackers, they were light and fluffy and tasted a bit like savory corn chips. They were tasty, but most importantly probably, the packaging was totally adorable.<br />
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Another thing I really look forward to in these boxes are the stationery items! I only recently started to get in the habit of keeping a planner, and having cute stickers and pens really helps me get excited about writing stuff down in it. Kawaii Box is a quick and easy way for me to build up my collection of cute stickers and stationery!<br /><br /><a href="http://www.kawaiibox.com/">Kawaii Box</a> is 18.90 a month, including shipping, and I personally think it's a pretty good value. If you have an import store near you, even small items like this are going to end up adding up to around $30 or more. For me, the best thing about boxes like this is the surprise and the fun of getting something cute and usable in the mail. All of these things (except for the glasses, because I wear prescription glasses!) are things I can regularly use and enjoy. Kawaii Box is definitely something I look forward to getting!<br />
<br />caro-chanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02816959125315317615noreply@blogger.com21tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6023134183255884485.post-14362959805763181112014-12-31T08:19:00.000-08:002014-12-31T08:44:11.741-08:00Lolita Level Up Quiz 2.0A few of you might remember an <a href="http://www.parfaitdoll.com/2010/01/lolita-level-up.html">older Lolita quiz from Parfait Doll</a> that gauged your Lolita Level. I recently discovered an old Livejournal entry in which I took the quiz and got to thinking about just how much Lolita has changed since the quiz was originally made over 4 years ago! Back in 2010, there really weren't a ton of opportunities for Lolitas outside of Japan. Sure, Baby and Angelic Pretty sometimes did fashion shows at anime conventions, and the second Baby shop outside of Japan was freshly opened, but beyond that the Lolita community was much the same as it had been for years. So I got to thinking, what sort of things are Lolitas in this day in age marking off as their rites of Lolita passage? What opportunities do Lolitas have now that were just frilly day dreams back in 2010? Soon enough, the Lolita Level Up 2.0 Quiz was born! <br />
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The rules are simple, you get a point for every one of these things that you can say you've done, add the points up at the end, and you have your score! For the purpose of this quiz the term "brand" is open to your own consideration. If you consider Bodyline as a brand, or don't consider anything that wasn't designed by Mana himself as brand, that's up to you. Questions are broken up into groups of 16 to make counting your points easier!<br />
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<li>You have a favorite brand</li>
<li>You own a petticoat</li>
<li>You own multiple petticoats in different cuts and/or lengths</li>
<li>You own a parasol</li>
<li>You own an item from a brand</li>
<li>You own a novelty item from a brand (plates, mugs, stuffed animals, home decor, and other "non-wearables")</li>
<li>You own an item from Bodyline</li>
<li>You own an item from a Taobao brand</li>
<li>You own an item from a Western indie brand</li>
<li>You own an item you bought of eBay, Amazon, or a shady website and it came out okay</li>
<li>You've bought brand directly from their official store</li>
<li>You've bought a lucky pack</li>
<li>You bought an item in reserve</li>
<li>You own a complete Lolita outfit</li>
<li>You've worn a complete Lolita outfit in public</li>
<li>You've worn a complete Lolita outfit in public and it wasn't even on Halloween or at a convention</li>
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<li>You've bought and sold on an online Lolita community</li>
<li>You've paid retail price for a rare secondhand brand</li>
<li>You've paid double the retail price for a rare secondhand brand</li>
<li>You've paid less than 20% the retail price for secondhand brand (ex: you paid $40 for a piece that originally cost $200)</li>
<li>You've bought from a Japanese auction</li>
<li>You've ordered from a shopping service</li>
<li>You wear clothes you've made for yourself</li>
<li>You wear a print you've designed yourself</li>
<li>You wear clothes you've had custom made for you</li>
<li>Have had brand pieces altered to fit your size or style</li>
<li>You've been wearing Lolita for over a year</li>
<li>You've been wearing Lolita for over 5 years</li>
<li>You've been wearing Lolita for over a decade</li>
<li>You have enough Lolita outfits to wear a new one every day for a week</li>
<li>You have enough Lolita outfits to wear a new one every day for a month</li>
<li>You've converted an interested friend to Lolita</li>
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<li>You wear brand with your "normal" wardrobe</li>
<li>You don't have a "normal" wardrobe because you only wear Lolita</li>
<li>You know how to handwash your Lolita clothes</li>
<li>You know how to wash a wig</li>
<li>You've worn a wig, circle lenses, or false eyelashes</li>
<li>You've worn a wig, circle lenses, and false eyelashes all at once</li>
<li>You own a pair of rocking horse shoes</li>
<li>You own a pair of tea party shoes</li>
<li>You own a purse shaped like something ridiculous</li>
<li>You own an old school rectangle headdress</li>
<li>You own a bonnet</li>
<li>You own Lolita roomwear or pajamas</li>
<li>You own a Lolita item that was released this past year</li>
<li>You own a Lolita item that was released over 6 years ago</li>
<li>You own a Lolita item that was released over 10 years ago</li>
<li>You own every item released in a favorite print/series</li>
</ul>
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<ul>
<li>You've worn something on your head that was never intended to be worn on a head</li>
<li>You've worn a trendy accessory (deer horns, halos, peignoirs, eyeballs, etc)</li>
<li>You've worn Sweet Lolita</li>
<li>You've worn Classic Lolita</li>
<li>You've worn Gothic Lolita</li>
<li>You've worn Old School Lolita</li>
<li>You've worn Boystyle</li>
<li>You've worn one of the lesser worn Lolita substyles such as Punk, Ero, Wa, or Guro</li>
<li>You know the difference between a JSK and an OP</li>
<li>You can name at least 5 prints</li>
<li>You can tell which items are from which brand just by looking at them</li>
<li>You can tell which items are from which brand just by looking at them, even if they're not a print</li>
<li>You can tell which year a brand piece came from just by looking at it</li>
<li>You've taken Lolita outfit snaps</li>
<li>You've traveled to visit a fancy looking place just to take outfit snaps</li>
<li>You've started a trend that others have followed</li>
</ul>
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<br />
<ul>
<li>You own a Gothic & Lolita Bible</li>
<li>You own every single Gothic & Lolita Bible</li>
<li>Your picture is in a Gothic & Lolita Bible</li>
<li>Your picture is in a Gothic & Lolita Bible because you're a model for a brand</li>
<li>You own a Lolita sewing pattern book</li>
<li>You've made something from a Lolita sewing pattern book</li>
<li>You've seen Kamikaze Girls</li>
<li>You've read Kamikaze Girls</li>
<li>You've met Novala Takemoto</li>
<li>You've met Misako Aoki</li>
<li>Misako Aoki has made you an official Lolita ambassador</li>
<li>You've met one of your favorite Lolita designers</li>
<li>You've learned how to sew/craft just so you can make your own Lolita clothes/accessories</li>
<li>You've decorated your house/bedroom to match your Lolita wardrobe</li>
<li>Your Lolita wardrobe is part of your decor (ex: you display your hats on a shelf, keep a mannequin dressed up on display, etc)</li>
<li>You've been interviewed for a newspaper/magazine article for wearing Lolita</li>
</ul>
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<br />
<ul>
<li>You've made friends through Lolita</li>
<li>You've made friends in foreign countries through Lolita</li>
<li>You've celebrated International Lolita Day</li>
<li>You have a separate facebook profile just for Lolita</li>
<li>You're known by a different name when you wear Lolita</li>
<li>You've twinned with someone</li>
<li>You've tripleted with people</li>
<li>You've been part of a group of clones</li>
<li>You've taken purikura in Lolita before</li>
<li>You have a purikura app on your phone</li>
<li>You've had to explain what you were wearing to a stranger</li>
<li>You've been called a princess by small children</li>
<li>Old ladies have complimented you and remarked how nice it is to see young people dressed so nicely</li>
<li>You've been called Bo-Peep</li>
<li>You've been asked if you were in a play</li>
<li>You've been asked what you were cosplaying as, or compared to an anime character</li>
</ul>
<br />
<br />
<ul>
<li>You're a member of online Lolita communities</li>
<li>You're active in online Lolita communities</li>
<li>You mod an online Lolita community</li>
<li>You mod an online community of over 1,000 members</li>
<li>You've attended a meetup</li>
<li>You've attended a tea party meetup</li>
<li>You've attended a brand sponsored tea party</li>
<li>You've traveled multiple hours to attend a meetup</li>
<li>You've hosted a meetup</li>
<li>You've hosted over 6 meetups</li>
<li>You've hosted a meetup with over 20 attendees</li>
<li>You've been to a Lolita swap meet</li>
<li>You've attended a large scale Lolita event or convention</li>
<li>You've been on staff at a large scale Lolita event or convention</li>
<li>You've been to a Lolita panel at a convention</li>
<li>You've hosted your own panel at a convention</li>
</ul>
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<ul>
<li>You've seen a Lolita fashion show</li>
<li>You've modeled in a Lolita fashion show</li>
<li>You've seen a brand fashion show</li>
<li>You've modeled in a brand fashion show</li>
<li>You own your own Lolita clothes/accessory line</li>
<li>You've hosted your own brand's fashion show</li>
<li>You have visited a Lolita shop</li>
<li>You've traveled to another country just to buy from Lolita shops</li>
<li>You own and run your own Lolita shop</li>
<li>You're friends with a brand shop girl</li>
<li>You are a brand shop girl</li>
<li>You run a Lolita blog (traditional, tumblr, vlog, etc)</li>
<li>You run a Lolita blog with over 1,000 followers</li>
<li>You have been called "e-famous"</li>
<li>You have been called "e-infamous"</li>
<li>You've been featured on TV for wearing Lolita</li>
</ul>
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<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-u_UURP84hs4/VKQWvwhccwI/AAAAAAAAIkI/49NwR0crpB4/s1600/1curious.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="1-15 Curious Onlooker" border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-u_UURP84hs4/VKQWvwhccwI/AAAAAAAAIkI/49NwR0crpB4/s1600/1curious.jpg" height="128" title="1-15 Curious Onlooker" width="640" /></a></div>
1-15 points means you're familiar with the fashion and have taken an interest in all things frilly and Lolita. You've probably attended a few open events, maybe own a few pieces of Lolita, lurk the online communities, and you definitely are on your way to knowing your stuff! Your next step is probably buying the final piece for your first full outfit and finally headed to your first meetup!<br />
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<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-N8hLt3dJNk4/VKQWv2okYNI/AAAAAAAAIkw/de7siqTT-2g/s1600/2starting.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="16-40 Just Starting Out" border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-N8hLt3dJNk4/VKQWv2okYNI/AAAAAAAAIkw/de7siqTT-2g/s1600/2starting.jpg" height="128" title="16-40 Just Starting Out" width="640" /></a> <br />
16-40 points means you're just starting out in the world of Lolita. You may have been interested in the fashion for a few years but are just now getting involved in wearing the fashion on a regular basis and joining local communities. You probably have a couple full outfits but are still working on building a larger wardrobe. Alternatively, you have a larger wardrobe and definitely know your stuff, but you aren't very active in local or online Lolita communities and are perhaps more of a lone Lolita. Your next step is probably either finishing up adding a few more pieces to your wardrobe or to starting getting to know some other Lolitas.<br />
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<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-ifkplKpNcWY/VKQWvwwyqJI/AAAAAAAAIkM/lwsL478GCaU/s1600/3wellrounded.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="41-60 Well-Rounded Lolita" border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-ifkplKpNcWY/VKQWvwwyqJI/AAAAAAAAIkM/lwsL478GCaU/s1600/3wellrounded.jpg" height="128" title="41-60 Well-Rounded Lolita" width="640" /></a></div>
41-60 points means you're probably a very well-rounded Lolita. You have a fair sized wardrobe that allows a variety of outfits and some style experimentation, you have a few Lolita friends, and you've attended your fair share of meetups and even fashion shows. You probably have a few volumes of the Gothic & Lolita Bible hanging around your bookshelf and you've definitely taken an interest in Lolita hobbies. Your next step is probably to step out of your comfort bubble, try a new style you've always wanted to try, host your own meetups, or perhaps finally apply to be a model for a local Lolita fashion show.<br />
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<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-G4nEiu8tAVo/VKQWwC9zqlI/AAAAAAAAIkQ/2k-qrutIN5o/s1600/4experienced.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="61-80 Experienced Lolita" border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-G4nEiu8tAVo/VKQWwC9zqlI/AAAAAAAAIkQ/2k-qrutIN5o/s1600/4experienced.jpg" height="128" title="61-80 Experienced Lolita" width="640" /></a> <br />
61-80 points is the realm of an experienced Lolita! You've probably been active in the fashion for a number of years, have a fairly large and diverse wardrobe, and have attended (and hosted!) your fair share of Lolita events. You're most likely well-known within your local, and online, communities. You're probably practically an expert on the fashion and have probably introduced, or at least guided, a few friends along the right path in the fashion. Your next step is most likely to do a closet cleaning or some wardrobe organization because you probably have a few years of accumulated clothes. <br />
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<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Wf3srEKEKM0/VKQWwUzR3oI/AAAAAAAAIkU/7pKUh1q_jvo/s1600/5top.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="81- 100 Top Of Your Game" border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Wf3srEKEKM0/VKQWwUzR3oI/AAAAAAAAIkU/7pKUh1q_jvo/s1600/5top.jpg" height="128" title="81- 100 Top Of Your Game" width="640" /></a></div>
81-100 points is at the top of the Lolita game. You've definitely been active in the fashion for a number of years, or possibly you've had a <i>very</i> intense first few years. You've gone out there and had the chance to do some pretty cool things that you always dreamed of doing back when you first got started as a Lolita. There's a good chance you're a leader in both your local Lolita communities and the online Lolita-sphere. Your next step is probably to kick a few more things off your Lolita bucket list! <br />
<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-nM5Y-BEJ4sg/VKQX0OPVG0I/AAAAAAAAIlM/ikF5BPXgYs8/s1600/6royalty.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-nM5Y-BEJ4sg/VKQX0OPVG0I/AAAAAAAAIlM/ikF5BPXgYs8/s1600/6royalty.jpg" height="128" width="640" /></a><br />
101 points is within the ream of Lolita royalty. You probably have enough clothes to dress your own personal rufflebutt army, which you could very well easily raise with a wave of your very expensive burando scepter! You're well known by Lolitas both near and far, who are most likely green with envy at what you have in your closet, who you've met, and what you've had the chance to do. There are probably still a few items left on your Lolita bucket list that have been haunting you for a while now because you thought they've always been out of your reach for one reason or another (perhaps it's that long-distance shopping vacation, to complete your dream dress list, or to finally host the tea party of your dreams), but look how far you've come yet! Whatever it is you want to do, you can probably achieve it easily, or at the very least, you definitely have the patience within the fashion to stick with it for a while and work on getting it done.<br />
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Keep in mind, this is obviously just for fun. You probably can't walk into Angelic Pretty and demand a discount because you got over 100 on this quiz, and the burando police aren't going to sneak into your house at night and steal your petticoats if you got a low store! I'd also like to give out one final shout out to <a href="http://parfaitdoll.com/">Victoria of Parfait Doll</a> who made the original Lolita Level Up quiz all those years ago, if you want a big of nostalgia, go take her original quiz. If you took it long ago, take it again and see how you compare (I've gotten an extra 20 points in the 4 years since I last took her quiz!).<br />
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What's your Lolita level? How accurate is the descriptions for you? Are they spot on or way off for you? My final score is a whopping 98 points! Here's to hoping 2015 brings me those final few points to knock my score up to Lolita royalty!caro-chanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02816959125315317615noreply@blogger.com36tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6023134183255884485.post-19696465830484774962014-12-21T18:16:00.001-08:002014-12-21T18:16:08.178-08:00Fumiko Kawamura Interview + Enchanted Holiday Party Report<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<i style="background-color: white; color: #444444; line-height: 18.2000007629395px;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">This post was written by Mis of <a href="http://froufro.us/" style="color: #cc5d5d; text-decoration: none;">froufro.us</a> as part of F Yeah Lolita's new blogging team. </span></i></div>
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<span style="vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Last Sunday, <a href="http://fairytale-boutique.com/">Fairytale Boutique</a> held "An Enchanted Holiday Party" at Chado Tea Room in Los Angeles. The event featured Fumiko Kawamura and her brand, <a href="http://chantilly-mimidy.com/">Enchantlic Enchantilly</a>, as well as the premiere of local brand <a href="http://www.automatichoney.com/">Automatic Honey</a>’s newest jewelry collection. It was a fabulous time all around! We had the chance to attend the event and sit down for a chat with Fumiko- read on to find out all about it!</span></span><br />
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<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-YVlknVTjvG0/VJd1MBEnaYI/AAAAAAAAAPk/g6x3S6LJhNM/s1600/IMG_7241.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-YVlknVTjvG0/VJd1MBEnaYI/AAAAAAAAAPk/g6x3S6LJhNM/s1600/IMG_7241.png" height="426" width="640" /></span></a></div>
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<span id="docs-internal-guid-35c36adf-6fa9-b891-b7bd-c9809f0cba31"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">The party was held in the main room at Chado- a modern and inviting space lined with shelves full of teapots, tea accoutrements, and canisters of exotic loose-leaf teas.</span></span></div>
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<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-HW_1dEc6OMY/VJd1Lqn1i1I/AAAAAAAAAPY/VEydkaDy9zI/s1600/IMG_7245.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-HW_1dEc6OMY/VJd1Lqn1i1I/AAAAAAAAAPY/VEydkaDy9zI/s1600/IMG_7245.png" height="426" width="640" /></span></a></div>
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<span id="docs-internal-guid-35c36adf-6faa-0188-a0aa-c295933a4044"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Each attendee was presented with a goodie bag that contained exclusive branded buttons, postcards, and an Enchantlic Enchantilly folder with stationery featuring artwork from their newest print series. VIP ticket holders also received Enchantlic Enchantilly bow brooches and pillows from the Queen Cat series.</span></span><br />
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<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-TTRDsKOuJzE/VJd1POKDHrI/AAAAAAAAAP8/0fc52xxKqYM/s1600/IMG_7261.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-TTRDsKOuJzE/VJd1POKDHrI/AAAAAAAAAP8/0fc52xxKqYM/s1600/IMG_7261.png" height="426" width="640" /></span></a></div>
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<span id="docs-internal-guid-35c36adf-6faa-be71-0882-101fd4b71ea6"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Once everyone had settled in, we were presented with full tea services. Each person received four tea sandwiches (smoked salmon on rye, egg salad infused with smoked Lapsang tea, cucumber & chive, and chicken with cranberry-lingonberry compote), a fresh scone with clotted cream, strawberries, and apricot preserves, and a sugar cookie and cup of chocolate mousse. Delicious and filling!</span></span><br />
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">As a special treat during the service, we were also provided with a special blooming tea: “Flower of Wealth & Rank”. The waitstaff came around periodically with extra pots of black tea and Chai.</span></div>
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<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-Yw9AUmOmHD0/VJd1RPCXgFI/AAAAAAAAAQA/lWmx4RLUp1Q/s1600/IMG_7262.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-Yw9AUmOmHD0/VJd1RPCXgFI/AAAAAAAAAQA/lWmx4RLUp1Q/s1600/IMG_7262.png" height="426" width="640" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">When everyone was fed and full, we snapped a group photo before heading into Little Tokyo for the afterparty at Fairytale Boutique! Everyone looked so amazing.</span></div>
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<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-gZPvQ8KF-Cg/VJd1Rtfl-xI/AAAAAAAAAQE/3f87miS52Yo/s1600/IMG_7265.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-gZPvQ8KF-Cg/VJd1Rtfl-xI/AAAAAAAAAQE/3f87miS52Yo/s1600/IMG_7265.png" height="426" width="640" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">VIP attendees were allowed into the boutique first to shop the Enchantlic Enchantilly exclusive pieces and Automatic Honey’s new jewelry. Those of us waiting outside took the opportunity to mingle and take outfit snaps until we were let in.</span></div>
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<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-u0e20skLtNY/VJd1YbdpSOI/AAAAAAAAAQw/sK20GROruRg/s1600/IMG_7292b.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-u0e20skLtNY/VJd1YbdpSOI/AAAAAAAAAQw/sK20GROruRg/s1600/IMG_7292b.png" height="389" width="640" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">It was really impressive to see how many people were wearing Enchantlic Enchantilly pieces. They had such opulent coordinates, and a lot of them made amazing accessories to go along with their dresses- seriously creative!</span></div>
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<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/--G76LBH46MQ/VJd2yCmrjDI/AAAAAAAAARc/5uP_JVfgKXM/s1600/IMG_7288%2Bcopy.PNG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/--G76LBH46MQ/VJd2yCmrjDI/AAAAAAAAARc/5uP_JVfgKXM/s1600/IMG_7288%2Bcopy.PNG" height="640" width="426" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">The interior of Fairytale Boutique is very open and has plenty of cute home goods, magazines, brand posters, and plush toys on display. The racks were filled with Enchantlic Enchantilly’s newest pieces, as well as dresses from Angelic Pretty’s fall/winter collections and some indie and consignment goods.</span></div>
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<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-BxHpZiwDpZA/VJd1fRvv7OI/AAAAAAAAARE/BbPruO4mThQ/s1600/IMG_7313.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-BxHpZiwDpZA/VJd1fRvv7OI/AAAAAAAAARE/BbPruO4mThQ/s1600/IMG_7313.png" height="426" width="640" /></span></a></div>
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<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-oEzTWqmL5H0/VJd1lzgTSGI/AAAAAAAAARQ/x7nndE_pRZs/s1600/IMG_7328.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-oEzTWqmL5H0/VJd1lzgTSGI/AAAAAAAAARQ/x7nndE_pRZs/s1600/IMG_7328.png" height="640" width="430" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">The afterparty certainly kept Fumiko busy- she was always up and about, signing autographs, chatting with guests, and helping the staff with party activities.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">She also </span><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;">gave some enlightening demonstrations on how to tie perfect bows with waist ties and corset ties. </span></span></div>
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<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-qyHwS0HvMuY/VJd249XfqhI/AAAAAAAAAR8/DlZYlh30I1k/s1600/IMG_7353.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-qyHwS0HvMuY/VJd249XfqhI/AAAAAAAAAR8/DlZYlh30I1k/s1600/IMG_7353.png" height="640" width="426" /></span></a></div>
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<span id="docs-internal-guid-35c36adf-6fb0-d107-107a-fe23b704da71"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Raffle tickets were sold, and attendees were given a chance to play a festive ring toss game to win Swimmer prize packs. Super cute!</span></span></div>
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<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-WlzxSOlKac8/VJd27KaZfaI/AAAAAAAAASQ/s_IScA9HLac/s1600/IMG_7362.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-WlzxSOlKac8/VJd27KaZfaI/AAAAAAAAASQ/s_IScA9HLac/s1600/IMG_7362.png" height="426" width="640" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">And for the grand finale, more Swimmer packs were raffled off, as well as an Enchantlic Enchantilly “After Tea Party” print skirt in the black/gold colorway- very fitting! The lucky winner had been wearing a wonderfully intricate Queen of Hearts-themed outfit (pictured earlier), and after having seen it, I can’t wait to see how she coordinates her new skirt!</span></div>
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<span id="docs-internal-guid-35c36adf-6fb1-597b-d149-a4cd9787072c" style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br /><span style="vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">---</span></span></div>
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<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-QHih_1cFtgY/VJd1ipcoD2I/AAAAAAAAARM/4P_TK3SJcn8/s1600/IMG_7319.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-QHih_1cFtgY/VJd1ipcoD2I/AAAAAAAAARM/4P_TK3SJcn8/s1600/IMG_7319.png" height="640" width="426" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">And finally, we were fortunate enough to sit down with Fumiko after the tea party for a quick interview. Fumiko wore her newest print series, ~The Tale of Snow Swan~, with Chandelier Ribbon socks and Chantilly exclusive Elegant Ribbon shoes from the 2012 collection. Her translator, Yuki from Harajuku Hearts, wore the After Tea Party OP with Chandelier Ribbon socks and Elegant Ribbon shoes in the black colorways.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">---</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br class="kix-line-break" /></span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br class="kix-line-break" /></span></span></div>
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<b><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #351c75; font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">You’ve been designing cute fashion for quite a while now. </span></b></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #351c75; font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><b>What are your biggest inspirations when designing for Enchantlic Enchantilly?</b></span></div>
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<span id="docs-internal-guid-35c36adf-6fb5-6a00-d5b4-cf859bbffa14" style="color: #351c75; font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #351c75; font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">“My biggest inspiration is seeing cute customers wearing [Enchantlic Enchantilly] designs… each girl has her own unique style, and seeing how she wears an outfit in her own way makes me say, “I want to make something new just for her!”.”</span></div>
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<b><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #351c75; font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">What are some ways that you've noticed Lolita fashion has changed since you first began designing?</span></b></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #351c75; font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">“I’ve noticed that there has been an overall increase in the quality of garments, not just in lolita, but in [mainstream] fashion as well. In lolita fashion, what stands out most is that there’s been an increase in complexity… in the details of garments, in print artwork, and in the designs overall.”</span></div>
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<span style="color: #351c75; font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><span style="background-color: transparent; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br class="kix-line-break" /></span><span style="background-color: transparent; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Fumiko says that she’s always learning and studying new trends while she creates new designs. She works closely as a team with her preferred illustrator, <a href="http://torii-tsubaki.com/">Tsubaki Torii</a>, and together they develop more and more fanciful designs.</span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #351c75; font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><b><span style="background-color: transparent; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Are there any trends that have caught your eye recently?</span></b><span style="background-color: transparent; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br class="kix-line-break" /></span><span style="background-color: transparent; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">“Cats!! I will definitely be making more cat designs in the future!”</span><span style="background-color: transparent; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br class="kix-line-break" /></span><span style="background-color: transparent; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br class="kix-line-break" /></span><b><span style="background-color: transparent; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">You also have a unique position as a Japanese designer who sells clothing and participates in events inside and outside of Japan. How has the international audience influenced your work?</span></b><span style="background-color: transparent; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br class="kix-line-break" /></span><span style="background-color: transparent; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">“International lolitas have been a great influence. It’s made me want to focus on creating pieces that fit everyone’s needs… I want my clothes to be comfortable, and design them so that they’re maybe not so extravagant, but easy to wear and to coordinate. With these clothes, people get to choose what they want to wear. The clothing doesn’t choose the person.”</span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #351c75; font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><b><span style="background-color: transparent; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Do you think that lolita fashion will continue to become more international?</span></b><span style="background-color: transparent; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br class="kix-line-break" /></span><span style="background-color: transparent; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">“Yes, absolutely, and I hope that it spreads to all the girls in the world.”</span><span style="background-color: transparent; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br class="kix-line-break" /></span><span style="background-color: transparent; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br class="kix-line-break" /></span><b><span style="background-color: transparent; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">You’ve traveled to quite a few international events recently- is there a country or city you dream of visiting, or perhaps returning to?</span></b><span style="background-color: transparent; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br class="kix-line-break" /></span><span style="background-color: transparent; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">“I’d like to return to every place I’ve visited, so that I can see everyone I met there again. Of course, I’m also interested in seeing new places, and I’d like to travel all over the world. Taking care of [Enchantlic Enchantilly] keeps me very busy, but I hope I’ll have those opportunities.”</span><span style="background-color: transparent; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br class="kix-line-break" /></span><span style="background-color: transparent; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br class="kix-line-break" /></span><b><span style="background-color: transparent; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">What are some of your fondest memories of the events you’ve attended?</span></b><span style="background-color: transparent; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br class="kix-line-break" /></span><span style="background-color: transparent; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">“Everything! All of them are memorable and enjoyable in their own way. I love to meet girls who love lolita [fashion], because they’re the ones who inspire the designs I’ll make in the future. I love to see everyone’s unique styles and the different ways they wear this clothing, and I always want to see more.”</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br class="kix-line-break" /></span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Our thanks to Fumiko for the interview and for being such an inspiring designer, to Yuki for facilitating the interview and being such a pleasure to work with, and to Fairytale Boutique’s staff for working so hard and putting on an amazing event! It seemed like everyone had a wonderful time. </span></span></div>
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<th class="tg-wr85"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="color: #444444;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">About The Blogger</span></span></span></th>
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<td class="tg-031e"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="color: #444444;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-PmMnBiB3vvE/VHtARd2_8iI/AAAAAAAAIVA/Ay0o7c-jOtQ/s1600/MIS-square-90.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-PmMnBiB3vvE/VHtARd2_8iI/AAAAAAAAIVA/Ay0o7c-jOtQ/s1600/MIS-square-90.jpg" /></a> </span></span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="color: #444444;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Mis is a long-time lolita fashion aficionado, amateur seamstress, and intermittent blogger at <a href="http://froufro.us/">froufro.us</a>. She accumulates brand, BJDs, and miniature perfume bottles like a magpie with overly expensive tastes.</span></span></span></td>
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mishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06862270368607405435noreply@blogger.com10tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6023134183255884485.post-20791732179206748272014-12-16T16:00:00.000-08:002014-12-16T16:00:06.405-08:00Panda Fuzz Review<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-rSn1wgWnPSA/VI-J9rhclPI/AAAAAAAAIXo/p-iFbrYnRUI/s1600/Untitled-1.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-rSn1wgWnPSA/VI-J9rhclPI/AAAAAAAAIXo/p-iFbrYnRUI/s1600/Untitled-1.png" height="328" width="640" /></a></div>
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Over the summer I was sent a few items from the Fairy Kei shop, <a href="https://www.etsy.com/shop/pandafuzz">Panda Fuzz</a>, for review. Since my blog has been on a long hiatus since then, I'm only now getting the chance to post the review! <br />
<br />Shortly after being contacted by <a href="http://pandafuzz.etsy.com/">Panda Fuzz</a>, I was sent a package that was sent priority and only took a couple days to arrive. Packaging was very neatly done and everything was wrapped in pink tissue paper and the accessories were confined to baggies to keep them from rolling around the box. Panda Fuzz surprised me with a very high quality printed tee shirt that I was totally not expecting (The shirt is the image in the background of the review header!). I was very impressed with the print quality on this shirt, as it appeared to be screen printed, and the illustration on it was just adorable! Anyone familiar with the style will tell you that cute and unique tee shirts in pastel colors are an indispensable addition to a Fairy Kei inspired wardrobe. <br />
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<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-sg68D1cQiN0/VI-B-yl-gzI/AAAAAAAAIWg/6gIjyD3Rp5E/s1600/pfbracea.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-sg68D1cQiN0/VI-B-yl-gzI/AAAAAAAAIWg/6gIjyD3Rp5E/s1600/pfbracea.jpg" height="400" width="640" /></a></div>
The rest of the items were Fairy Kei essentials, such as this kandi styled charm bracelet. It's on an elastic cord, which feels strongly secured and comfortably stretchy, and look extra cute paired with pastel lace wristcuffs in Fairy Kei x Lolita coords!<br /><br />
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<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-oRJAgnZsEa8/VI-B_l5pbiI/AAAAAAAAIWo/nzdhbAODnx8/s1600/pfcharma.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-oRJAgnZsEa8/VI-B_l5pbiI/AAAAAAAAIWo/nzdhbAODnx8/s1600/pfcharma.jpg" height="400" width="640" /></a></div>
I thought that this heart lollypop cell phone strap was particularly cute and a subtle way to add a little bit of kawaii to your life. Unfortunately, I was afraid of the fragility of this piece, as the lolly pop stick is the real deal and the resin set so that it was more rubbery than plasticy. The rubbery resin isn't necessarily a flaw, it was by no means sticky, just something to take note of and I believe has since been worked out. However, all of the other resin pieces were perfectly set! <br />
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<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-yMMAQ7kSkIs/VI-B_79j9oI/AAAAAAAAIWw/N50cgXpXwS0/s1600/pfclipa.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-yMMAQ7kSkIs/VI-B_79j9oI/AAAAAAAAIWw/N50cgXpXwS0/s1600/pfclipa.jpg" height="400" width="640" /></a></div>
My favorite piece was definitely this very excited star hair clip! The face on the star is too cute and the color gradient was very cute. It featured a pink glittery plastic chain and charm dangle, that would look extra cute mixed in with your curls! <br />
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<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-1PQEQDbe9G8/VI-CAkPU-_I/AAAAAAAAIW4/SDSOLf-PksE/s1600/pfnecka.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-1PQEQDbe9G8/VI-CAkPU-_I/AAAAAAAAIW4/SDSOLf-PksE/s1600/pfnecka.jpg" height="400" width="640" /></a></div>
The final item I received was a large statement charm necklace, featuring the same pink glittery plastic chain as on the hair clip. My favorite part about this was the little heart and star charms, as they reminded me of the sort of linkable charm necklaces that we used to make growing up in the early late 80s/early 90s. Definitely the right kind of nostalgic for Fairy Kei!<br />
<br />Overall, the items I received from Panda Fuzz were well made and were just what you would expect from the photos and the price range. The designs are cute would be a nice addition to a Fairy Kei inspired Sweet Lolita wardrobe!<br />
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<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-AVTIPJ_KaGQ/VI-dOhd67GI/AAAAAAAAIis/2ug1w9oGELg/s1600/animated_rainbow_star_divider_by_gasara-d5hgo54.gif" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-AVTIPJ_KaGQ/VI-dOhd67GI/AAAAAAAAIis/2ug1w9oGELg/s1600/animated_rainbow_star_divider_by_gasara-d5hgo54.gif" /></a></div>
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You can find Panda Fuzz a few places online:<br /><b><a href="http://pandafuzz.etsy.com/">Etsy</a></b></div>
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<b><a href="http://pandafuzz.storenvy.com/">Storenvy</a></b></div>
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<b><a href="https://www.facebook.com/ThePandaFuzz">Facebook</a></b></div>
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caro-chanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02816959125315317615noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6023134183255884485.post-16001746433809192012014-12-05T12:00:00.000-08:002014-12-05T16:57:53.436-08:00Lolita Blog Carnival: 2015 Lolita Trend ForecastThis week's <a href="https://www.facebook.com/groups/lolitablogcarnival/">Lolita Blog Carnival</a> looked like a fun one, so despite quite a long time of not joining in, I just had to do this one! The topic is: <b>2015 Lolita Trend Forecast</b>.<br />
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In the past year or so, a lot of really interesting new trends have been popping up in Lolita and the very idea of what the "traditional" Lolita looks like has vastly changed! I think 2015 is going to be an exciting year for Lolita trends, so for the topic of this Lolita Blog Carnival I've chosen 5 trend predictions for 2015 that I think are very likely.<br />
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<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-L2y8Tkk5_CE/VIEqptLEG4I/AAAAAAAAIWE/sumdpMmw1Lc/s1600/silhouette.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-L2y8Tkk5_CE/VIEqptLEG4I/AAAAAAAAIWE/sumdpMmw1Lc/s1600/silhouette.jpg" height="400" width="640" /></a><br />
I definitely think that in 2015 we're going to continue stepping away from the "traditional" Lolita shape of a very fitting bodice that flares out to a cupcake at the natural waist and stops short above the knees. I definitely think we're going to see the continuation of the trend of longer hemlines, increasingly deflated skirts, and higher waists. One of the reasons why I think this trend is going to continue to grow is because of just how versatile this look is! An a-line dress can have either a mature and sophisticated look with a longer hemline, or a youthful and retro feel with a shorter hemline. Lolita designers are no longer confined to "coloring within the lines" of the traditional silhouette to evoke a mood or aesthetic, but have much more room to fiddle with the overall look.<br />
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<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-c0kNENCzcfw/VIEqowUIhhI/AAAAAAAAIV0/8iPLmGE0L68/s1600/moreheadwear.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-c0kNENCzcfw/VIEqowUIhhI/AAAAAAAAIV0/8iPLmGE0L68/s1600/moreheadwear.jpg" height="400" width="640" /></a></div>
In 2015, I think that there will be many more accepted styles of headwear, just like with the silhouette, the "traditional" will be set aside for the more adventurous. For years it seemed like the only headwear of choice was either an Alice bow by default, a rose corsage if you were going for a very grownup look, or <a href="http://fyeahlolita.blogspot.com/2010/11/updated-rectangle-headdress.html">an old school headdress</a> for a select few who were <a href="http://fyeahlolita.blogspot.com/2012/11/lifestle-lolita-pure-maiden.html">stuck in the past</a>. While there have always been a few crazy few out there who would do
something so ridiculous as stick a cake on their heads, this was always
the exception and usually reserved for the daring. In the past couple years people have obviously gotten rather bored with this and have been experimenting with what they stick on their heads! No longer do people go for the default Alice bow and save the birdcage for fancy meetups, but even the most casual Lolita get together calls for creative head gear. From halos, to veils, to rose crowns, to books, to picture frames, to giant bonnets covered in flowers, there seems to be no limit to what a Lolita can stick on her head. I definitely think that this is a trend that will continue into 2015 and will be picked up more by mainstream brands, rather than just the DIY spirited Lolitas.<br />
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<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-v_lUXEJJ0zY/VIEqo1UWimI/AAAAAAAAIV8/K0kLZyuh3RI/s1600/morereligion.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-v_lUXEJJ0zY/VIEqo1UWimI/AAAAAAAAIV8/K0kLZyuh3RI/s1600/morereligion.jpg" height="400" width="640" /></a></div>
The cross motif was at one time probably one of the fashion's oldest and most iconic prints, hitting big when Gothic Lolita was at the forefront of the fashion in the early 2000s. Recently this religious twist has come back, with a vengeance! I think that 2015 will see much more of this religious iconography trend in everything from more nun dresses, prints of classic religious paintings, to accessories that evoke a holy feel. No longer will the fashionable Lolita strive to look like a cupcake or a fairy princess, but rather she will want to look like she stepped right out of a church fresco. <br />
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<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-B-f7ynLrdw0/VIEqov5XnsI/AAAAAAAAIVw/1fx0TJLnaj8/s1600/moretrims.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-B-f7ynLrdw0/VIEqov5XnsI/AAAAAAAAIVw/1fx0TJLnaj8/s1600/moretrims.jpg" height="400" width="640" /></a></div>
Does anyone else remember how over the top wacky it was when Angelic Pretty would release a dress with a pompom trim? "That's just... <i>too much</i>!" people would exclaim. Well, those days are long behind us and more and more dresses are being trimmed with just about anything other than lace. I think that 2015 will see more brand releases with much more variety of trims, including many different kinds of trims on the same piece, for a more <a href="http://fyeahlolita.blogspot.com/2014/02/lolita-trends-opulent-is-new-kawaii.html">lush and opulent look</a>. I think that in 2015 we can expect to see beading, tassels, fringe, charms, and pretty much anything more adventurous than a grosgrain ribbon adorning the newest looks from brands.<br />
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<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-w_ZDEK9_d8w/VIEqqHcHBcI/AAAAAAAAIWM/p2G3nb-DZHM/s1600/theriseofboystyle.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-w_ZDEK9_d8w/VIEqqHcHBcI/AAAAAAAAIWM/p2G3nb-DZHM/s1600/theriseofboystyle.jpg" height="400" width="640" /></a></div>
I have noticed a big Boystyle or Prince comeback within the fashion! For years Boystyle was just sort of there as an option that most people only chose to dabble in with off-the rack clothes, and honestly the style was stagnant for years (<a href="http://fyeahlolita.blogspot.com/2009/11/boystyle-wearing-pants-in-lolita.html">This old post of mine</a> has very quickly become hilariously out dated!), but now all the sudden brands seem to be interested in releasing creative takes on the style beyond the typical black knickerbockers, white blouse, and a top hat. In fact, a handful of years ago if you would suggested Boystyle in either a Classic or Sweet option, you'd be met with a lot of skepticism. Nowadays Boystyle is just as diverse as Lolita. I think that 2015 will see a lot more Boystyle, both from brands, and in general at Lolita friendly events.<br />
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Overall, I think the theme for 2015's trends will be <i>variety</i>. We'll be seeing a lot of the old classics be reimagined, and the traditional take the back seat for the more avant-garde. I think that a lot of trends we're only just now seeing the beginning of, such as longer more relaxed silhouettes and religious iconography will really begin to take off in the upcoming year in a big way! The last year or so has seen a huge influx of indie brands releasing really creative pieces, as well as a lot more DIY spirit among Lolitas, and I really feel like this new variety in the fashion is really speeding up the evolution of Lolita fashion.<br />
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What do <i>you</i> think 2015 will hold for Lolita? <br />
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<a href="https://www.facebook.com/groups/lolitablogcarnival/"><img alt="https://www.facebook.com/groups/lolitablogcarnival/" border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-RePB1ARlRTg/VHtJUxar1AI/AAAAAAAAIVg/2ULs9jOosiE/s1600/lolitablogcarnival-Classic.png" /></a></div>
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<a href="http://thebloodyteaparty.blogspot.com/2014/12/lbc-2015-lolita-trend-forecast.html">The Bloody Tea Party</a> also joined in on this week's LBC topic!</div>
caro-chanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02816959125315317615noreply@blogger.com22tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6023134183255884485.post-30419681361945885832014-11-30T08:32:00.000-08:002015-01-02T08:32:05.272-08:00PMX Lolita Fashion Show 2014<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><i>This post was written by Mis of <a href="http://froufro.us/">froufro.us</a> as part of F Yeah Lolita's new blogging team. </i></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="background-color: transparent; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">It’s been a full decade since the first <a href="http://pacificmediaexpo.info/">Pacific Media Expo</a>, and in that time, the convention has made a strong reputation for itself as a venue for lolita fashion. Since 2009, PMX has hosted fashion shows and tea parties with nearly every major label, from Angelic Pretty to Juliette et Justine. This year they welcomed back Innocent World and their lead designer Yumi Fujiwara, alongside Baby the Stars Shine Bright, Alice & the Pirates, Lief, Haenuli, and new guests Marchen die Prinzessin and White Forest. </span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="background-color: transparent; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"><img alt="wf-mp.png" height="391px;" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/zYpklJfqOQkNVaMqhfCEx9yBDLlWn1ltWtJnSha_fRGGo1Bz8iWzeqbtdiwJTWj9UYwps7DpOBKetbH976OzH1bWl50YSXnj_Wn9kEreFGDzriDrGoDQXuyxKP8B_cdIyA" style="border: medium none; transform: rotate(0rad);" width="624px;" /></span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="background-color: transparent; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"><br class="kix-line-break" /></span><span style="background-color: transparent; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Korean brand White Forest led the way with their Walks of Elizabeth OP (left). The bunny in the basket gives this outfit a nostalgic touch- stuffed animals are associated more with sweet lolita these days, but maybe we’ll see a resurgence in the early-2000s trend of pairing plush toys with classic coordinates?</span><span style="background-color: transparent; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"><br class="kix-line-break" /></span><span style="background-color: transparent; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Next up, Marchen die Prinzessin premiered their Swan Lake OP (right), a lovely illustrated print on an arabesque-patterned background. I love how the sash and socks tie the outfit together here (pun intended)!</span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="background-color: transparent; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Haenuli followed with a very fairytale-esque series of coordinates: their Little Mermaid JSK, paired with an organza overskirt (left), Planetary Dreamer JSK (middle), and Whipped Cream Kitty Kitty JSK (right). </span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="background-color: transparent; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">The hair styling and accessories on the latter looks nearly stole the show! Who wouldn’t want a shimmery unicorn flower crown or a fluffy puff-eared wig?</span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="background-color: transparent; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"><img alt="lief1.png" height="397px;" src="https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/YXX0EocaCi1Y4ILWQ8NTdJOncUGXRoazfzkmfucPMAPjXUqNie08B98D7uS1JNbx2mK3y9JCRdC9TmLLkDPzelmuTaeHJS0ba_rcfIrb7SKH7EeF11mw73Yv43tZO5i5DA" style="border: medium none; transform: rotate(0rad);" width="624px;" /></span><span style="background-color: transparent; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"> </span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="background-color: transparent; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Lief gave us some sweet treats with their Noble High Tea OP (left), Veryberries JSK (second to left), and Apple Blossom JSKs (right). This was a great demonstration of the versatility of their dresses: the cuts are all similar, with lightly embellished bodices and box-pleated skirts, but they can easily lend themselves to a wearable otome look with the addition of a cardigan and beret, or be dressed up for a distinctive lolita look with a ruffled underskirt and fancy headdress.</span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="background-color: transparent; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"><img alt="lief2.png" height="473px;" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/xVgLB-kKJp4qO1ugvyjvuFpnpyfwPYaEfKzf4iRPXC5wqZ8w9kACHkcuvWUiRhxbkHczARqXgf2hFkyU6ENrCZ-FyFw6ct1qk_IPbSa30k_cvLuP8EytM9rk7Vcdum8A0w" style="border: medium none; transform: rotate(0rad);" width="624px;" /></span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="background-color: transparent; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">And as a coup de grace, Lief premiered their Celestial print series with these gorgeous twinned coordinates. The details in the print really seemed to glow under the spotlights!</span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="background-color: transparent; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"><img alt="baby1.png" height="392px;" src="https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/zZV5nk-Yj3JlxSvgJA4Y7Fzaqg0YBPznGUU0F-yBr_5drYj2WsKAkWnCC3w2NBO2QJJttBwYEMcJx5NmqyAr6C-7awMB1HgntPuarjID3UJp-jtkdTIvNVfniLoUV_SQHQ" style="border: medium none; transform: rotate(0rad);" width="624px;" /></span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="background-color: transparent; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Baby/AatP regaled us with their newer Fall/Winter offerings, including Funeral Procession of Rose Aria, Kuma Kumya’s Royal Kingdom, Sonnet for Juliet, and Bright Starry Night.</span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="background-color: transparent; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"><img alt="baby2.png" height="411px;" src="https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/vZWySwmj7Sfc2XJg5WnQX4pEUinRGt40_Mft7U63kHsHZdU0dzhagFAwslhQ6KiOP1B5hO81ahxHrI4PmEFqpD8MwUiFW6-VGIglF-vGFT2g4FjOhFMfUhpBQR2vrw76qA" style="border: medium none; transform: rotate(0rad);" width="624px;" /></span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="background-color: transparent; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">My personal favorite looks- both for the coordinates and the charismatic models- were the Queen of Snow OP, shown with a crown scepter and beribboned booties, and the Rosa Mistica OP, paired with a rose coronet and magnificent parasol. Gorgeous!</span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="background-color: transparent; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"><img alt="iw1.png" height="365px;" src="https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/DLrlnIo6w9iJrIERql0Aa7iH0pzhNSt4U2a0g4MMAT5mSs5lZeiXS4Fk8ZDy5l2iTt7OW9KcBq0DG0CEhaIsI1Kj5F2CoTjTcLAX6zchgDbtV56yRiw9Ch800HwTmxBT2A" style="border: medium none; transform: rotate(0rad);" width="624px;" /></span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="background-color: transparent; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Last but not least, Innocent World took the stage with a selection of their newest pieces. In keeping with their signature style, each coordinate was understated, but never boring. </span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="background-color: transparent; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">From left to right: Antique Doll Dress, Three Archangels OP, and Printed Rose Gobelin JSK.</span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="background-color: transparent; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"><img alt="iw2.png" height="437px;" src="https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/VboCkzrDckWT4iLrINf8Svc2mGVuJHrghErg9tEdjeVQWbdSo8D2cLvKY4XkXMBTJ2YlP78ssrVYlothdd2RU6pqS8guchouuUZxuMAkzQCQi4WxGAr1QRQRWQxcUqKMmw" style="border: medium none; transform: rotate(0rad);" width="624px;" /></span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="background-color: transparent; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">And for the grand finale, we saw the debut of Innocent World’s upcoming Big Ben print, a silhouette of the London skyline against a night sky full of constellations. The glowing yellows in the illustration and the gold trim detailing really make it pop!</span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="background-color: transparent; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"><img alt="pmx2.png" height="403px;" src="https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/Yrqdd3Lj_xoXklEL05rbPma9XrBKhMbXOIzIxmwEIuRw2kK19W9oXjP1_yO5iCJiiLYfuAxPJbGgSF2KTS3bdxEFJulWo4KiME8-wXQ-Rfzna13TfJ3kPYkNWQaRVi5WoA" style="border: medium none; transform: rotate(0rad);" width="624px;" /></span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="background-color: transparent; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">After the fashion show, everyone filtered out to do some last-minute shopping in the brand boutiques, where many of the items for sale were coming in fresh off the runway (and even marked down at the last minute!). It was fun to see so many of the major brands represented by attendees! Everyone looked fabulous, and looked like they were having a fabulous time. </span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="background-color: transparent; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"><img alt="pmx1.png" height="364px;" src="https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/Ea4kfJ_Zg1ooRXLfGo878kvNzKvmo-O0JhuMAVMa6x6d_X99HgZYXuzBwSvJ4wYQqeYPMMjdKOuzz90Lu24hRV-t-z6CO6uSHOtXDwBkaBWO0kRaQsWKg60WnSHwh_ThfA" style="border: medium none; transform: rotate(0rad);" width="624px;" /></span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="background-color: transparent; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">If you’re a lolita aficionado with the means to travel to LA, I’d recommend checking out PMX! Some might be put off by the fact that it is still primarily an anime convention, but alternative fashion does have a strong presence here. Along with the fashion show, brand tea parties and designer Q&As are a regular feature, and you might just find the perfect piece for a future coordinate in the brand boutiques. PMX provides plenty of opportunities for shopping, socializing, and enjoying frilly fashion with your fellow attendees.</span><span style="background-color: transparent; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"><br class="kix-line-break" /></span><span style="background-color: transparent; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"><br class="kix-line-break" /></span><i><span style="background-color: transparent; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Photo credit: <a href="http://froufro.us/">froufrous</a> / <a href="http://secretforkeeps.blogspot.com/">secretforkeeps</a></span></i></span></span></div>
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<th class="tg-wr85"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">About The Blogger</span></span></th>
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<td class="tg-031e"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-PmMnBiB3vvE/VHtARd2_8iI/AAAAAAAAIVA/Ay0o7c-jOtQ/s1600/MIS-square-90.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-PmMnBiB3vvE/VHtARd2_8iI/AAAAAAAAIVA/Ay0o7c-jOtQ/s1600/MIS-square-90.jpg" /></a> </span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Mis is a long-time lolita fashion aficionado, amateur seamstress, and intermittent blogger at <a href="http://froufro.us/">froufro.us</a>. She accumulates brand, BJDs, and miniature perfume bottles like a magpie with overly expensive tastes.</span></span></td>
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caro-chanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02816959125315317615noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6023134183255884485.post-10905145965409863472014-11-29T08:13:00.000-08:002014-11-29T08:13:30.868-08:00It's Been A While! Long time no see! It's been a pretty crazy 5 months that lead to an unexpected hiatus! Between helping organize RuffleCon,
being in multiple artist alleys, and starting a new job that clocks in
at over 50 hours a week, I unfortunately had to put F Yeah Lolita on
unannounced hold. However, I'm hoping to get back into the swing of
things with a few new additions to the blog!<br />
<br />
If you've been checking back for more news (and thank you if you have been!) you might have noticed a new link at the top, <a href="http://fyeahlolita.blogspot.com/p/blogging-team.html">F Yeah Lolita Team</a>. What this means is that in the future I'll be hosting a number of posts by guest bloggers! This has been an idea I've been toying with for a very long time, but I decided to finally buckle down and do it after RuffleCon
when I realized how much I would absolutely love to be able to cover
more Lolita related events, but unfortunately only am local to a very
small amount! <br />
<br />
This
won't necessarily change the way F Yeah Lolita runs, it will simply
mean a sprinkling of a few more posts here and there. After all, this
blog was never meant to be a blog about my own personal Lolita
experience, but rather about <i>the</i> Lolita experience, and adding other Lolitas with new experiences seems like the perfect way to do this! <br />
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<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-tdNmaikVTrc/VHntAideCFI/AAAAAAAAIUg/s2k6u3OcO6g/s1600/kira2.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-tdNmaikVTrc/VHntAideCFI/AAAAAAAAIUg/s2k6u3OcO6g/s1600/kira2.jpg" height="272" width="640" /></a></div>
caro-chanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02816959125315317615noreply@blogger.com11tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6023134183255884485.post-3810079112555591822014-06-26T09:51:00.000-07:002014-06-26T09:51:22.899-07:00RuffleCon News Part 2: Lolita Designer Guests & EventsA few months back I wrote about <a href="http://fyeahlolita.blogspot.com/2013/12/rufflecon-upcoming-us-alternative.html">RuffleCon</a> an alternative fashion conference, and I'm back for round two with all the exciting news that's come out since then! When I first wrote about RuffleCon, it was only just announced, and in the past few months we've had a lot of really exciting announcements. One of the most exciting of which is that a few of the special guests for the premier year are Japanese Lolita brand designers!<br />
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<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-P4hepFDe35s/U6txw550TsI/AAAAAAAAHsQ/LnVA6VyK8zc/s1600/enchantic.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="Fumiko of Enchantlic Enchantilly" border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-P4hepFDe35s/U6txw550TsI/AAAAAAAAHsQ/LnVA6VyK8zc/s1600/enchantic.jpg" title="" /></a></div>
Fumiko of Enchantlic Enchantilly (formerly known as Chantilly) will be be attending and her brand will be sold in the marketplace. Chantilly is known for their lush Gothic designs in bold jewel tones and delicate metallics, as well as their larger range of sizes. They are definitely one of my favorite Gothic Lolita brands and it's very exciting to get the chance to see their clothes in person and meet the designer!<br />
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<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-bxJgji_4QOw/U6txxNgcHpI/AAAAAAAAHsU/08gIkG7AGC8/s1600/triplefortune.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="Triple Fortune" border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-bxJgji_4QOw/U6txxNgcHpI/AAAAAAAAHsU/08gIkG7AGC8/s1600/triplefortune.jpg" title="" /></a> The other Lolita designer special guests are Kaie and Babi, the designers behind Triple Fortune. This is incredibly exciting news because this will be Triple Fortune's first event in the US! Their clothes are notoriously difficult to get a hold of online, as they mostly sell at events and you usually have to be lucky enough to stumble across something secondhand or through <a href="http://kerashop.jp/top/search/asp/list.asp?s_cate1_1=356761">their very limited Kera shop</a>. While Triple fortune is most known in the US for their elaborate bonnets, they also release gorgeous dresses and corsets too! Getting to meet the designers <i>and</i> be able to purchase their items is a rare chance for Lolitas outside of Japan!<br />
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Of course, these aren't the only Lolita brands being represented at RuffleCon's marketplace! There is a wide assortment of indie Lolita brands that will be attending, you can check out <a href="http://www.rufflecon.org/marketplace/">the currently announced ones here</a>!<br />
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Even just beyond designers and shopping, there are a lot of things for the Lolita to do at RuffleCon! We have a number of panel rooms featuring panels and many of our special guests will be presenting panels. In fact, we still have about a week until <a href="http://www.rufflecon.org/events-and-guests/panels-workshops/event-application/">panel applications</a> close! There will also be quite a few main events including a fashion show (featuring the above brands and then some!), <a href="http://www.rufflecon.org/events-and-guests/variety-show/">a couple different coordinate contests</a>, and <a href="http://www.rufflecon.org/events-and-guests/masquerade-ball/">a masquerade with live music</a>. So far it's really gearing up to be an amazing event! <br />
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<a href="http://www.rufflecon.org/"><img alt="http://www.rufflecon.org/" border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-fUkRIDK8aYE/U6t6oT6ArvI/AAAAAAAAHsw/MZBr76XLuhA/s1600/logo.png" /></a></div>
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You can check out RuffleCon here:</div>
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☆ <a href="http://www.rufflecon.org/">Website</a> ☆ <a href="https://www.facebook.com/RuffleCon">Facebook</a> ☆ <a href="http://therufflecourt.tumblr.com/">Tumblr</a> ☆ <a href="https://twitter.com/RuffleCon">Twitter</a> ☆ <a href="https://www.facebook.com/groups/650859948310681/">Facebook Discussion Group</a> ☆ <br />
If you happen to register for RuffleCon, add my name as a referrer ;D</div>
caro-chanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02816959125315317615noreply@blogger.com14tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6023134183255884485.post-25482894219004835112014-06-19T06:46:00.002-07:002014-06-19T06:46:50.262-07:00Baby, The Stars Shine Bright to Open New York City Store!If you're friends with anyone on Facebook who happens to live anywhere even remotely close to the US east coast, this is probably old news to you by now, but if you haven't heard yet: Baby the Stars Shine Bright is opening it's first store on the east coast! The news came alongside the news of the re-opening of <a href="http://tokyorebel.com/">Tokyo Rebel</a>, a NYC shop that carried a number of Japanese brands, including Baby. In fact, Tokyo Rebel and Baby will be opening side-by-side. The most exciting thing about this is that it isn't happening in some far-off unspecified future, but it's happening <i>in a month</i>. <br />
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<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-AAOYM1jICxs/U6Lhtxf2liI/AAAAAAAAHrQ/qhleHWKl-aY/s1600/announcement_landing_pagev2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-AAOYM1jICxs/U6Lhtxf2liI/AAAAAAAAHrQ/qhleHWKl-aY/s1600/announcement_landing_pagev2.jpg" height="206" width="640" /></a></div>
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This is incredible news, and not just for Lolitas who happen to live in and around NYC! This might be the first brand shop to hit the east coast, but it's the second Baby to hit the US, and one of several Lolita shops. Lolita fashion is definitely on the rise in popularity and it's incredibly exciting to see actual brand shops opening up, not just once or twice, but multiple times, outside of Japan. Just as <a href="http://www.herlumpiness.com/2014/06/breaking-tokyo-rebel-and-baby-stars.html">Miss Lumpy pointed out</a> in her post about this news, even if this new shop isn't local to you, with each brand shop to successfully open outside of Japan, it increases the chances of <i>more</i> brand shops opening all around the world! <br />
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As an east coast Lolita, I've often <i>siiighed</i> with envy at all the exciting events that happen for all the west coast Lolita brands, and here's to hoping that with the opening of this Baby store we'll be getting similar events here! <br />
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<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-E8Y_MvZ6lp0/U6LoB90tGDI/AAAAAAAAHrg/Z-y614P6g78/s1600/baby_title.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-E8Y_MvZ6lp0/U6LoB90tGDI/AAAAAAAAHrg/Z-y614P6g78/s1600/baby_title.jpg" height="187" width="200" /></a></div>
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You can keep your eyes on the <a href="http://www.bssbnyc.com/">Baby NYC</a> website for more news about this exciting opening, as well as the <a href="https://twitter.com/bssbnyc">twitter</a> and <a href="https://www.facebook.com/bssbnyc">facebook</a>. I would also suggest keeping an eye on <a href="http://www.tokyorebel.com/">Tokyo Rebel</a> and their <a href="http://blog.tokyorebel.com/">blog</a> for news as well! caro-chanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02816959125315317615noreply@blogger.com9tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6023134183255884485.post-11405738416249823812014-06-13T08:07:00.002-07:002014-06-13T08:13:00.384-07:00Invent 5 New Lolita Holidays To CelebrateI haven't had the chance to do a <a href="https://www.facebook.com/groups/lolitablogcarnival/">Lolita Blog Carnival</a> post in a while, but this week's was just too fun to pass up! The topic is <b>invent 5 new Lolita holidays to celebrate</b>. Every good Lolita knows that every year comes with, not one, but two International Lolita Days as an excuse to get together and have some meetups, but what about the other 363 days of the year? Now's our chance to fill the calender up with more excuses to wear Lolita!<br />
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<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-aAtbPjHQ4f4/U5pEwwHdiuI/AAAAAAAAHqU/5nD7YvoXmnQ/s1600/maidensday.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="Maiden's Day" border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-aAtbPjHQ4f4/U5pEwwHdiuI/AAAAAAAAHqU/5nD7YvoXmnQ/s1600/maidensday.jpg" title="" /></a></div>
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<i>January 26th</i></div>
January 26th just so happens to be Novala Takemoto's birthday, and what better day to have a Lolita holiday on? Maiden's Day is an excuse to completely indulge in the <i>lifestyle</i> of Lolita. Put on your laciest Old School Lolita dress, sip your most expensive tea, and watch Kamikaze Girls for the millionth time in your life. The best part about Maiden's Day is that you don't necessarily need other Lolitas to celebrate it with, because <a href="http://www.lerman.biz/asagao/gothic_lolita/translations/soreinu1.html">who needs things like friends</a>?<br />
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<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-JO2iGoWpW1g/U5pE4WxfCUI/AAAAAAAAHqc/fqkIh-__Sao/s1600/worldgothicday.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="World Gothic Lolita Day" border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-JO2iGoWpW1g/U5pE4WxfCUI/AAAAAAAAHqc/fqkIh-__Sao/s1600/worldgothicday.jpg" title="" /></a></div>
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<i>March 19th</i></div>
March 19th is already a familiar holiday for a lot of Lolitas, as it's Mana's birthday! What better day to recognize Gothic Lolitas than on his birthday? World Gothic Lolita Day is an excuse for even the sweetest of Sweet Lolitas to goth it up in some black clothes. Take a cue from Mana's Visual Kei roots and put on some <a href="http://fyeahlolita.blogspot.com/2013/12/shironuri-inspiration-for-lolitas.html">Shironuri</a> makeup and <a href="http://fyeahlolita.blogspot.com/2014/05/art-loli-dramatic-lolita-styles.html">go totally OTT</a> with your Gothic coordinates!<br />
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<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-gQ7DWD4pbHg/U5pE-DQcNbI/AAAAAAAAHqk/CUaxdlv9q4o/s1600/intl-casualday.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="International Casual Lolita Day" border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-gQ7DWD4pbHg/U5pE-DQcNbI/AAAAAAAAHqk/CUaxdlv9q4o/s1600/intl-casualday.jpg" title="" /></a></div>
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<i>Second Saturday in August</i></div>
This comes a couple months after the summer ILD, in what is usually the hottest time of year, a time when people just generally don't wan to wear Lolita. Come August, most Lolitas probably realize that they haven't worn the fashion in a while! Let's change that with International Casual Lolita Day! Everyone shows up with their favorite Otome-inspired blouseless JSK, big straw hat to block the sun, ruffly ankle socks, and meetups are chosen based on places have the best air conditioning.<br />
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<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-re_E8S127_w/U5pFDkFXLrI/AAAAAAAAHqs/M3RsM6Zajps/s1600/ottday.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="Over the Top Day" border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-re_E8S127_w/U5pFDkFXLrI/AAAAAAAAHqs/M3RsM6Zajps/s1600/ottday.jpg" title="" /></a></div>
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<i>October 13th</i></div>
Wearing Lolita in October is sometimes more annoying than it should be because it's so close to Halloween that people tend to assume there's some sort of Halloween party going on that they weren't invited to. OTT Day is a chance to go all out with your Lolita, <a href="http://fyeahlolita.blogspot.com/2011/07/taking-classic-lolita-to-next-level.html">regardless of your style</a>, and do it in a big meetup group. So now when people ask if there's a Halloween party going on, you can tell them "No, as a matter of fact, it's Over-The-Top Day, just wait till you see our Halloween costumes!"<br />
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<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-sT1pywt76XQ/U5pFJXoP13I/AAAAAAAAHq0/MyAQ9Bzx9Cs/s1600/rufflechristmas.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="Ruffle-Butt Christmas" border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-sT1pywt76XQ/U5pFJXoP13I/AAAAAAAAHq0/MyAQ9Bzx9Cs/s1600/rufflechristmas.jpg" title="" /></a></div>
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<i>December 28th</i></div>
Who doesn't love Christmas parties? But the real shame is that once Christmas is over, you have to wait almost a whole week before New Years Eve parties! With Lolita Christmas, the holiday doesn't have to be over so soon. In that awkward week of resting between Christmas with the family and spending all New Years Eve partying we can easily fit in a special holiday just as an excuse to bust out the green and red velvet Lolita dresses you never have a good reason to wear the rest of the year! Ruffle-Butt Christmas is, basically, exactly like regular Christmas, only it's just for Lolitas. You get all your Lolita friends together for one last Christmas party of the year and exchange presents of brand novelties, bake up some cute pastel sweets, and finally get to incorporate tinsel into your coordinates! <br />
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<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-4oV5wAx1Fi8/U5o508UVNyI/AAAAAAAAHqE/tfNgp-zHShA/s1600/largestLBC.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-4oV5wAx1Fi8/U5o508UVNyI/AAAAAAAAHqE/tfNgp-zHShA/s1600/largestLBC.png" /></a></div>
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Check out these other blogs participating in this week's Lolita Blog Carnival!</div>
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✦ <a href="http://queensnorthernstar.blogspot.com/2014/06/lbc-invent-5-new-lolita-holidays.html">Northern Star</a> ✦ <a href="http://www.laceteapot.co.uk/2014/06/lolita-blog-carnival-invent-5-new.html">Lace Tea Pot</a> ✦ <a href="http://www.hellobatty.com/blog/2014/06/13/lolita-blog-carnival-invent-5-new-lolita-holidays-to-celebrate/">Hello Batty</a> ✦</div>
caro-chanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02816959125315317615noreply@blogger.com11tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6023134183255884485.post-62146953133726472972014-05-12T13:40:00.000-07:002014-05-17T18:50:07.662-07:00Art-Loli: Dramatic Lolita StylesRecently I stumbled across a post about the Brilliant Star event in Japan compiling some really stunning outfits under the name Art-Loli (short for Artistic Lolita). These outfits were all stunning! They really took the <a href="http://fyeahlolita.blogspot.com/2014/02/lolita-trends-opulent-is-new-kawaii.html" target="_blank">over-the-top decadent trends</a> to the extreme, it's no doubt that these outfits are practically a work of art themselves! The styles bordered on what is generally considered "acceptable" in Lolita, lots of floor length gowns, quirky coordinations, and unusual trims.<br />
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<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-EO2lBrx_uuU/U3EdUJeP76I/AAAAAAAAHn0/d86ZZDLTEfM/s1600/artloli2b.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="Art-Loli on F Yeah Lolita" border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-EO2lBrx_uuU/U3EdUJeP76I/AAAAAAAAHn0/d86ZZDLTEfM/s1600/artloli2b.jpg" height="480" title="" width="640" /></a><br />
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Big elaborate hats are also something I saw a lot of! These girls are not content with just wearing a headdress or an Alice bow, but instead go for full size Victorian styled hats, completely covered in trimmings!<br />
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<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-HSzeP_0fLrU/U3EdUdqICtI/AAAAAAAAHnw/zF9rnZde3Xc/s1600/artloli3.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="Art-Loli on F Yeah Lolita" border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-HSzeP_0fLrU/U3EdUdqICtI/AAAAAAAAHnw/zF9rnZde3Xc/s1600/artloli3.jpg" height="480" title="" width="640" /></a><br />
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The stylings are very quirky, lots of mismatched patterns, and creepy-cute details. But despite the apparent haphazard look, they are all so thematic that even the most ridiculous accessory works perfectly with the outfit.<br />
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<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-DRIZD2N1jmU/U3EdU6ccVzI/AAAAAAAAHoU/CdeN4LblBKM/s1600/artloli4.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="Art-Loli on F Yeah Lolita" border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-DRIZD2N1jmU/U3EdU6ccVzI/AAAAAAAAHoU/CdeN4LblBKM/s1600/artloli4.jpg" height="480" title="" width="640" /></a>
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Unusual trims have always been a love-it or hate-it thing in Lolita, ever since Angelic Pretty put a pompom trim on their most infamous print (Puppet Circus!), Lolitas have not exactly known what to think of these types of details that maybe are more appropriate attached to a fancy pair of curtains or along the bottom of a couch. But with Art-Loli these trims are embraced! From tassles to fringe to braiding, these outfits have it all.<br />
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<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-W4xi2VJ-iHY/U3EdVm6LsgI/AAAAAAAAHoM/Kj9x2KdsgDc/s1600/artloli5.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="Art-Loli on F Yeah Lolita" border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-W4xi2VJ-iHY/U3EdVm6LsgI/AAAAAAAAHoM/Kj9x2KdsgDc/s1600/artloli5.jpg" height="480" title="" width="640" /></a><br />
While most of these coordnates feature bold colors, antique golds, and jewel tones, <a href="http://fyeahlolita.blogspot.com/2014/04/wearing-sugary-sweet-pastels-with.html" target="_blank">pastels aren't left out in the cold</a>! An outfit like this differs from the usual fare of OTT Sweet Lolita because the individual details are all so elegant. While it may share the same color pallet, and same amount of accessories, the details are all very elegant and opulent, as opposed to kawaii and childlike. Something like this reminds me of a more grownup version of OTT Sweet.<br />
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<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-oRnXAt77VEY/U3EdS3zreVI/AAAAAAAAHnk/ESW6V5RVnBU/s1600/artloli1b.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="Art-Loli on F Yeah Lolita" border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-oRnXAt77VEY/U3EdS3zreVI/AAAAAAAAHnk/ESW6V5RVnBU/s1600/artloli1b.jpg" height="480" title="" width="640" /></a><br />
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This outfit is actually relatively simple compared to the others! But the bold black and white, with touches of gold and rich red, in addition to the thematic accessories such as the eye patch, really makes the coordinate stand out from your average Lolita coordinate.<br />
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This might be more of just a style trend, than a proper Lolita substyle, but I think that Art-Loli really puts a name to a style I've been noticing a lot lately (most notably with the rise in the popularity of <a href="http://fyeahlolita.blogspot.com/2013/12/shironuri-inspiration-for-lolitas.html" target="_blank">Shironuri</a> and OTT Classic), and even been around in the background for a very long time.<br />
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<a href="http://classicalpuppets.taobao.com/" target="_blank"><img alt="http://classicalpuppets.taobao.com/" border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-tJbHpslFJDU/U3EsLKulf4I/AAAAAAAAHo0/Cu8VqMe9x4I/s1600/classicalpuppets.jpg" height="480" title="Classical Puppets" width="640" /></a></div>
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Taobao's <a href="http://classicalpuppets.taobao.com/" target="_blank">Classical Puppets</a> is a brand that immediately spring to mind. A friend recently described it as "burlesque steampunk circus", which really hammers home how unplaceable this style was prior to discovering the term Art-Loli.<br />
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<a href="http://www.kikirarashoten.com/" target="_blank"><img alt="http://www.kikirarashoten.com/" border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-ldb9ZW96-Hw/U3EsLdTCx0I/AAAAAAAAHo4/1BWSsg98qBg/s1600/kks.jpg" height="480" title="Kirakira Shoten" width="640" /></a></div>
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<a href="http://www.kikirarashoten.com/" target="_blank">Kirakira Shoten</a> was another brand that sprang to mind. They've kind of been on the outskirts of the Lolita fashion for years with their really over-the-top colorful corset dresses and crazy hats. There are a ton of other brands out there that would be perfect for the Art-Loli style, from <a href="http://fyeahlolita.blogspot.com/2012/10/vierge-vampur.html" target="_blank">Vierge Vampur</a> to <a href="http://www.atelier-pierrot.jp/english/" target="_blank">Atelier Pierrot</a> even to Baby the Stars Shine Bright's special sets.<br />
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To see some more examples of Art-Loli, check out these posts about the Brilliant Star events by Triple Fortune at <a href="http://www.rokkyuu.com/brand/triple-fortune/" target="_blank">Rokkyuu Magazine</a> and <a href="http://www.style-arena.jp/en/newtribe/2014/61" target="_blank">Style Arena</a>. Art-Loli is the perfect style to break out for events like this! It's dramatic, eye catching, and very refreshing to see. It's a little different from the usual popular styles, a little more playful and a bit more Gothic. I am excited to see someone has put a name to the style, and I can't wait to see where it goes!<br />
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What do you think about this Art-Loli trend? I think it's unmistakably "out-of-the-box" thinking, and not exactly something that can easily be put into an already existing style (like the<a href="http://fyeahlolita.blogspot.com/2009/08/micropost-bitter-sweet-lolita.html" target="_blank"> age-old Bittersweet Lolita</a>, which is literally just Sweet Lolita in black), so where normally I'm not too keen on jumping on naming a style at the first sign it might be a trend, I think that this particular style has been around and relatively nameless for long enough that I really like the idea of finally giving it a name.caro-chanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02816959125315317615noreply@blogger.com15tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6023134183255884485.post-65363136944289683412014-05-05T11:47:00.001-07:002014-05-05T11:53:25.192-07:004 Responses to "What Are You Wearing?!"Those who wear Lolita are all too familiar with the question "What are you wearing?!" Sometimes it seems like you can't take more than a few steps in public while wearing Lolita without someone asking this question! Unfortunately, sometimes answering it with "It's Lolita fashion!" leaves people with even more questions than before! So what's a Lolita to do when she's asked this sometimes tricky question? Personally I have a few different responses to it, depending on how it's being asked.<br />
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<span style="font-size: large;"><b>"It's from [insert brand/shop here]!"</b></span></div>
This is my go-to answer to this question because it doesn't involve any followup questions beyond possibly someone asking where to buy it for themselves, which is generally easily answered with "The internet!". I usually use this response when someone is specifically asking about the clothes, rather than the general style. Personally I notice a lot of older women being interested in the fashion this way, they're generally excited about the lace, or <a href="http://fyeahlolita.blogspot.com/2011/02/details-that-make-lolita-dress.html" target="_blank">some sort of details</a>, or the fact I'm wearing a petticoat. Although I will also use this response with someone about my age or younger, as there is a good chance they recognize it as Lolita fashion already and will probably even recognize the brand name.<br />
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<span style="font-size: large;"><b>"It's a street fashion from Japan!"</b></span></div>
This is the classic "describing Lolita without saying Lolita" description of the fashion. Mostly this type of response is reserved for people who are asking about the general style, like the sort of questions you get when you're out with other friends who are also wearing Lolita. The downside to this response is it usually has a lot of follow up questions! Particularly because of the addition of "from Japan" usually makes people curious about why someone is wearing something from Japan, so far away from Japan!<br />
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<span style="font-size: large;"><b>"It's a retro/vintage/Victorian inspired fashion"</b></span></div>
This response is similar to the above, except it neglects to mention Japan, which often leads to less follow up questions. I would save a response like this for someone who wants to know what the general style is called, seems honestly interested, but you don't want to make a particularly long conversation about it. <br />
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<span style="font-size: large;"><b>"Oh, just regular clothes!"</b></span></div>
I generally save this response for when I'm feeling particularly snippy, or don't have time to entertain stranger's questions. For example if I'm visibly in a hurry, or doing something, or talking to someone else and someone asks this without seeming to be genuinely curious. If I feel like they <a href="http://fyeahlolita.blogspot.com/2011/03/wearing-lolita-in-public.html" target="_blank">are demanding an explanation from me</a>, rather than asking out of genuine interest they will get this response from me. It's kind of passive aggressive but it usually gets the point across that I don't feel the need to explain why I am dressed the way I am.<br />
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How do you respond to questions about Lolita fashion from strangers? Are you one of those brave souls who's ready and willing to patiently explain what Lolita fashion is to the curious, or is that a conversation you simply don't want to get into with strangers? caro-chanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02816959125315317615noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6023134183255884485.post-20415515901820161762014-04-23T13:01:00.000-07:002014-04-23T13:01:34.653-07:00Book Review: Kawaii! Japan's Culture of CuteRecently I've been accumulating books about Japanese pop culture, particularly ones that reference the Lolita fashion in one way or another. There aren't a ton to choose from, but there have been a few releases that seemed worth checking out! <br />
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The first one I'd like to review is Manami Okazaki and Geoff Johnson's <i>Kawaii! Japan's Culture of Cute</i>
from 2013. Of the few I've recently picked up this one is probably my
favorite of the bunch! I had actually almost skipped over this one
completely because the cover made it look like a much more shallow book
than it actually was. I was pleasantly surprised to find that it was
insightful as well as authentic, showcasing some things beyond just
Hello Kitty bento boxes. <i>Kawaii!</i> contains a number of interviews
with a variety of different creators about their own take on the kawaii
lifestyle. The book is divided into six different aspects of this kawaii
lifestyle!<br />
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The first section of <i>Kawaii!, </i>"The Roots of Kawaii" is probably
the most wordy, even though it's composed of almost entirely interviews,
just as the rest of the book is. There's really just a lot to be said
about the early days of kawaii in the 60s and 70s! I love the kawaii characters of the 70's and it was really cool to get to see some pictures of the "fancy goods" of the era, in addition to the totally iconic shojo art of the era!<br />
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Interviews in this section include the curator of the Yayoi-Yumeji Museum, Eico Hanamura, a couple different researchers with the Kyoto International Manga Museum, Macoto Takahashi, and Yumiko Igarashi. <br />
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The second section was entitled "Cute Design Overload" and focused on
kind of "iconic" Japanese kawaii, from cute merchandise characters like
Hello Kitty and Gloomy Bear, to cute shops like Swimmer, to cute public
works, to even Itasha which is an otaku fad of tricking their cars out
with anime character decals.<br />
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This section was one of the largest in the books and very photo oriented, but still had a fair number of interviews with the Gloomy Bear creator Mori Chack, Swimmer designer Hiroko Sakizume, and Nameneko creator Satoru Tsuda. <br />
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The third section in the book, "Adorable Eats", was very brief and all about cute foods! This section was mostly devoted to pictures, but it did have an interview with Miki Ikezawa, a rep for MaiDreamin.<br />
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The fourth section was called "How to Dress Kawaii" and was tied with the chapter on kawaii designs for largest in the book! There were tons of interviews and street snaps in this section, pretty much all of which I found very interesting (which is fantastic, because it was the reason I bought the book in the first place!). While most of this section is devoted to street fashion and designers, there is, of course, a few pages devoted to cosplay and Comiket. Books like this almost always inevitably will talk about cosplay, and I'm thankful that this book kept it very short and kept the focus on fashion designers and lifestyle wear rather than costume and otaku culture.<br /><br />Interviews in this section included Shoichi Aoki of FRUiTS, Kumamiki of Party Baby, Takuya Sawada of Takuya Angel, Yuka and Vani of 6%DOKIDOKI, Toyoko Yokoyama from Conomi, Lolita models Rin Rin and Chikage, and Gashicon of h.NAOTO's Hangry & Angry line.<br />
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The fifth section was "Cute Crafts" which is pretty self explanatory! It featured a number of different Japanese crafters, of both modern cute things as well as traditional Japanese cute things like kokeshi. This section was brief but packed full of pictures and interviews with various crafters.<br />
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The final section is called "Kawaii Visual Art" and is a bit different from the design section because it featured artists who create art for themselves rather than as part of a larger merchandising business. This section was also brief but packed full of pictures and interviews. A lot of the art in this chapter was trendier and edgier than the design section and was a refreshing end to a book about all things kawaii.<br /><br />Interviews featured in this chapter include Chikuwaemil, Junko Mizuno, Osamu Watanabe, and a handful of others.<br />
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Overall, while the actual Lolita related content in this book is minimal, I really enjoyed this book. I particularly loved the different takes on the kawaii culture, and even the different creators very definitions of the word! <br />
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I actually recently <a href="http://www.amazon.com/lm/R23CICNFJVE9WA/" target="_blank">put together a list on Amazon</a> of all the English language books about Japanese street fashion that I could find! I have a handful of them but I'm hoping to work my way through the list and eventually get them all. Especially while I'm anticipating the possible English translation of <a href="https://www.facebook.com/pages/Shades-of-Wonderland/1398253027101793" target="_blank">Shades of Wonderland</a>!<br />
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<br />caro-chanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02816959125315317615noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6023134183255884485.post-73110450110904983552014-04-21T11:16:00.001-07:002014-04-21T11:37:48.260-07:00Lolitas vs. The Living Dolls<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-l_xFCLy3paI/U06gfmrNImI/AAAAAAAAHjs/cjMbS7stAiI/s1600/Pretty-Barbie-Dolls-Wallpapers-For-desktop.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-l_xFCLy3paI/U06gfmrNImI/AAAAAAAAHjs/cjMbS7stAiI/s1600/Pretty-Barbie-Dolls-Wallpapers-For-desktop.jpg" height="320" width="320" /></a></div>
Anyone in the Lolita fashion right now can tell you that one of the biggest hot topics at the moment is the media's recent portrayals of Lolitas as "Living Dolls" and lumping them in with a variety of different people who choose to use Barbie as their fashion icons. It's not unusual to associate Lolitas with dolls, we've been doing it ourselves for years, but this recent trend of lumping them with <i>Barbie</i> dolls is a new and unusual stereotype. For some reason it's easier for people to understand the fashion in terms of Barbie dolls. To an extent it's understandable: many Lolitas are known for wearing pink and having elaborately large hair, just like Barbie! But when compared to the other self proclaimed "Human Barbies" Lolitas seem really out of place, at least to those of us who are very familiar with the fashion. Personally I find it really strange that Lolitas are being featured in the same shows as people who go through extensive plastic surgery and extreme breast implants. I really have no problem with people who generally want to look unreal and plan on having very real medical procedures to do so, I just fail to see what these people have to do with the Lolita fashion, because the two are almost <a href="http://aramatheydidnt.livejournal.com/4816362.html" target="_blank">always mentioned together</a>. <br />
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I've heard a lot of mixed reactions to the term "Living Doll" being used to describe Lolitas. It's mostly groans and head-desking, but a number of people like the term because they <i>like</i> looking like dolls (not necessarily <i>Barbie </i>dolls though) and feel like they shouldn't have to change because of some reality shows. Alternatively I've heard some people say why <i>shouldn't</i> we use the term "Living Doll" to describe Lolita and show people how Lolita is <i>really</i> done and provide some much needed normalcy, compared to the often over dramatic, suspiciously edited, pseudo-Lolita shown in these shows.<br />
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A number of Lolitas have expressed concern about people simply getting the wrong idea about what Lolita is based on these shows, and it's a very real concern, as the people featured on these programs, if relatively normal outside of the show, are edited in ways that are intended to make your average viewer think "<a href="http://www.parfaitdoll.com/2014/01/my-strange-addiction-living-doll.html" target="_blank">what a weirdo!</a>". In these "Living Doll" shows and articles Lolitas are often painted as juvenile fame obsessed losers who have little interests beyond wigs, fake eyelashes, and the color pink, and it's this idea that most people are fighting against, not necessarily Lolita's association with dolls.<br />
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<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-IpOFNoB0twE/U1VZq_kk3TI/AAAAAAAAHko/M2cOQtiz9cw/s1600/_origin_Dzivas-lelles-1-dala-3.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-IpOFNoB0twE/U1VZq_kk3TI/AAAAAAAAHko/M2cOQtiz9cw/s1600/_origin_Dzivas-lelles-1-dala-3.png" /></a><br />
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How do I personally feel about this term being applied to Lolitas? Honestly, as someone who has been a Lolita for <a href="http://fyeahlolita.blogspot.com/2014/04/old-school-musings-how-being-lolita-has.html" target="_blank">a very long time</a>, I find it very difficult to muster up the effort to really care what outsiders to the fashion think about it. I've been around long enough for strangers to have thought we were all self-harming emos, Harajuku obsessed Gwen Stefani fans, or Lady Gaga clones, and then promptly forget they ever thought these things about us in the first place. This new "Living Doll" stereotype is just another on a long list of annoyances. In general I feel kind of apathetic about being called a "Living Doll" by outsiders, it's annoying because it's not true, but there's pretty much a guarantee that if someone thought I was some sort of Human Barbie Doll just because I wear Lolita and they saw a reality show that featured the fashion, they probably would have thought something equally silly if they hadn't seen the show. <br />
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What do you think about using the term "Living Doll" for Lolitas? Do you find it to be a less controversial term than "Lolita" and an easy way to explain the fashion to outsiders? Or do you try to distance yourself as much as possible from the hightly-edited antics of "weirdo watching" reality TV?caro-chanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02816959125315317615noreply@blogger.com18tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6023134183255884485.post-88984058013012661292014-04-14T14:22:00.003-07:002014-04-14T14:22:53.086-07:00Wearing Sugary Sweet Pastels With Classic LolitaIt's pretty obvious that Classic Lolita is this year's big thing. Take a look at almost any large-scale Lolita gathering where everyone dons their most impressive outfit and it's a sea of Classic Lolita as far as the eye can see!<br />
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But what is the Lolita to do who isn't ready to give up her pastels, but wants to get in on this opulent decadence that everyone is excited about and aren't exactly ready to go full Marie Antoinette or in <a href="http://fyeahlolita.blogspot.com/2011/04/sweet-classic-lolita.html" target="_blank">a Sweet-Classic hybrid</a>? Luckily nowadays Lolitas are much more open about what sort of colors different styles can wear! No longer are Classic Lolitas confined to jewel tones and mute colors, but they can dabble in sugary sweet pastels just as much as the Sweet Lolita can. <br />
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Finding Classic Lolita styled dresses in Sweet Lolita true pastels is probably the hardest part! But there are a few pieces out there, especially now with Classic Lolita on the rise and brand's spring releases already in stores. Look for traditional Classic designs, cuts, and materials, only in soft and sugary pastels.<br />
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<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-V3zz_mSsDuk/U0xHzJhG4wI/AAAAAAAAHi0/pUFlosOITHs/s1600/pastel-tops.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-V3zz_mSsDuk/U0xHzJhG4wI/AAAAAAAAHi0/pUFlosOITHs/s1600/pastel-tops.jpg" height="364" width="640" /></a></div>
The easiest way to make this style work is to make sure that your accessories are all unquestionably Classic Lolita inspired. Nix the tea parties for a pair of Victorian styled boots or a more grownup style of heels in white or pink. Ditch the headbow for a Victorianesque hat or a corsage of pastel roses. Loose the twin tail wig and choose either a romantic flowing hair style or an elaborate updo! <br />
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<a href="http://crazy-kitch.tumblr.com/post/82016303826/enchanted-london" target="_blank"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-s4MR_hDa9ec/U0xMtxux4hI/AAAAAAAAHjU/gQwQWPtGk80/s1600/tumblr_n3oevju9Zq1ru5zbao1_1280.jpg" height="400" width="266" /></a><a href="http://crazy-kitch.tumblr.com/post/82016303826/enchanted-london" target="_blank"><img alt="http://crazy-kitch.tumblr.com/post/82016303826/enchanted-london" border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-ehV5EGcXgcc/U0xMuNV-JMI/AAAAAAAAHjY/EedGYKlktec/s1600/tumblr_n3oevju9Zq1ru5zbao2_1280.jpg" height="400" width="266" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-size: xx-small;"><i> Two fantastic Classically inspired Lolita outfits using soft and sugary pastels! Taken by <a href="http://crazy-kitch.tumblr.com/post/82016303826/enchanted-london" target="_blank">Crazy Kitch at Enchanted</a>.</i></span></div>
<br />Adding in a second (or even a third and fourth!) pastel color to the mix, à la the Sweet Lolita trends, is a fantastic way to make the outfit even more decadent. A pastel blue jumperskirt paired with a pink bolero, a mint green OP with a pink ribbon tied around the waist and a pink underskirt peeking out, lavender jumper skirt with a yellow blouse: these are all common Sweet Lolita pairings that can easily be translated into Classic Lolita!<br /><br />
Sugary sweet pastels don't have to be <i>just</i> for Sweet Lolitas! For those that want to get into this new trend of over-the-top Classic Lolita looks, but aren't ready to give up their pastels, this is the way to do it! caro-chanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02816959125315317615noreply@blogger.com12tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6023134183255884485.post-51631559787785638742014-04-02T12:47:00.000-07:002014-04-02T12:47:21.225-07:00Old School Musings: How Being A Lolita Has Changed Since 2001
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I've been thinking a lot about old school Lolita lately (not that that is anything out of the usual for me!) and in particular how much Lolita, and <i>being</i> a Lolita has changed in years since I first discovered the fashion. Lolita has changed
<i>so much</i> since I first learned of the fashion sometime in the
early 2000's! It's been so long that I honestly don't even know exactly when it was I heard
about it. I am almost positive it was sometime in 2001 or 2002,
because I remember asking a friend who had a non-dialup internet
connection to download some music from the very shortly broken up
Malice Mizer for me, and I know that I learned about Malice Mizer and
Lolita at the same time (how could you not back then!). Back then
Lolita, outside of Japan, was so heavily wrapped up in Goth and Jrock
and Japan that it was pretty impossible to like just one of them it
seemed. To be a good Goth I should be interested in Lolita and to be
a good Lolita I had to like Jrock and to like Jrock I had better be
interested in Japan! Or at least, these were the things I told my
teenaged self. <br /><br />This was all shortly before Hot Topic
released their first wave of “Loli Goth” products that were so
iconic of <i>doing it wrong</i>. I remember how
completely appalled everyone was to find out that Hot Topic was
dipping in on our totally secret trend and I feel like a lot of
people from back then lost interest in Lolita for fear that it was
going to “go mainstream”, but that was pretty indicative of a lot
of the people (but certainly not all of them!) who seemed to be into
Lolita at the time in the English-speaking online communities, for
many people it was just another way of expressing how different and
alternative they were. You can actually read a post from this era about the <i>horrors</i> of Hot Topic that is so charmingly angry <a href="http://egl.livejournal.com/250287.html" target="_blank">here in an ancient Livejournal post</a>.</div>
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I also remember the
complete rarity it was to own brand, and how if you had a brand
dress, that's pretty much all it took for you to be the best Lolita
you could be! But on the other hand, due to brand rarity, there was a
huge interest in thrifting loliable clothes and learning to sew for
yourself. I can't tell you how many people had Lolita wardrobes made
up of simple handmade gathered skirts, modified grandma blouses, and
the least extreme square dancing dress they could dig up on eBay! I think
this is all very embarrassing to us now, to think that we used to
share sissy sites as sources for cutesy shoes in non-child sizes and
tips on which sorts of square dance related keywords you can search
for on Ebay to get some <i>almost</i> Lolita clothes, but it was sort
of endearing. As difficult as it was to wear Lolita back then, we
were determined and willing to work with what little we had to be Lolitas.
<br /><br />Lolitas now have it so much easier, it's still sort of surprising to me to see people's first Lolita outfits be perfectly put together and so accurately Lolita! I'm actually very envious of these girls who are just now learning about the fashion and who can with so little ease assemble a very cute outfit for themselves if they so choose, when I had to wait literally years before I could get my first <i>real</i> Lolita outfit! As nostalgic as I am for old school Lolita, I definitely do not miss the hassle and near-imposibility of being a Lolita back then!</div>
caro-chanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02816959125315317615noreply@blogger.com13tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6023134183255884485.post-5844067598398587952014-03-01T08:32:00.001-08:002014-03-01T08:32:40.651-08:00Lolita Week NYC: Videos & An Interview With MisakoA few weeks ago I had the chance to head to New York and speak with Misako Aoki at the <a href="http://japansociety.org/" target="_blank">Japan Society</a>, and the week quickly became known as Misako week as Lolitas were invited along on various adventures with Misako while she was in the city. If you missed any of them, luckily youtube has you covered!<br />
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<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="360" src="//www.youtube.com/embed/k-nXnYVQSLk?list=FLZE_46KtQOVck6mtAWYgItg" width="640"></iframe><br /></div>
The above video is the lecture and Baby the Stars Shine Bright fashion show at the Japan Society, it's about an hour long and was incredibly fun to be a part of! If you don't know, I'm the one on the end in the Innocent World piano dress!<br />
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<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="360" src="//www.youtube.com/embed/ewEBshI8ARE?list=PLpXk0Q5io1AXqZIBYfHO3-WlGugaCpLPq" width="640"></iframe></div>
FCI NY also has a quick Japanese language run down of a bunch of the different events that happened that week, such as the tour bus ride and the tea party. If you want to see 100+ Lolitas crowded together, this is the video to watch!<br />
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<a href="http://harajuju.net/Topic-Misako-Aoki-The-Interview" target="_blank"><img alt="http://harajuju.net/Topic-Misako-Aoki-The-Interview" border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-tb_JVFtxass/UxIBF3alBLI/AAAAAAAAHgE/BOeyhBSTDd0/s1600/misakointerviewbannre.jpg" height="156" width="640" /></a></div>
While she was in New York, Misako <a href="http://harajuju.net/Topic-Misako-Aoki-The-Interview" target="_blank">was interviewed by Harajuju</a>. Misako doesn't really give a ton of interviews, and when she does, the topic is often kept light and fluffy. I feel like an interview like this, where a Lolita icon talks about a variety of topics is really an important piece of Lolita media that helps bridge the gap between Lolita in the West and Lolita within Japan. <br /><br />This was really an amazing week, and I'm so glad I had the chance to be a part of it! It was incredible seeing rooms packed full of Lolitas, and it was a rare chance to get to meet someone like Misako, who's enthusiasm for Lolita is really infectious. She just genuinely loves the fashion and wants to share that love with the world. I think we're lucky to have someone like Misako to be the current face of Lolita fashion!caro-chanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02816959125315317615noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6023134183255884485.post-9741413137943140522014-02-21T08:56:00.000-08:002014-02-21T08:56:03.958-08:00Lolita Trends: Opulent Is The New Kawaii<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-IVwJqhzhEQE/UvqGzypeMkI/AAAAAAAAHd4/1BeRl3Un_38/s1600/opulent2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-IVwJqhzhEQE/UvqGzypeMkI/AAAAAAAAHd4/1BeRl3Un_38/s1600/opulent2.jpg" /></a></div>
Kawaii is dead, long live the opulent! Okay, so that might be a little extreme, but I have definitely noticed a change in Lolita trends lately. A few years ago, to be the best Lolita you could possibly be, it was encouraged to just pile on the kawaii, quite literally sometimes, as Lolitas carefully would pin actual stuffed animals to their piles of pink curls. Nowadays, stuffed animals and pastels have been, for the most part, cast aside for more elegant trends. But that doesn't mean it's not as over the top as ever! We Lolitas are not exactly known for our restrained fashion tastes, so now that Classic is more in the lime light, of course Lolitas are going to go <i>all out</i> with it.<br />
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Ages ago I wrote a bit about this emerging trend <a href="http://fyeahlolita.blogspot.com/2011/07/taking-classic-lolita-to-next-level.html" target="_blank">here</a>, but now that the trend is in full swing I would like to revisit this topic. When I first wrote that post back in 2011, I actually got a fair amount of flak from that article (although I lost most of the comments in a comment system move!) from people who thought that Classic Lolita <i>shouldn't</i> be elaborate, that it was <i>supposed </i>to be a more toned down style. Two and a half years later it would be appalling to make such a suggestion! Now there's no doubt that Classic Lolita can be just as elaborate and over the top as Sweet Lolita was known for being, it's everywhere! Without a doubt I feel that the previous trends of <i>kawaii</i> are being replaced more and more with opulent trends. <br />
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What exactly does this mean? I feel like there has been a definite aesthetic trend emerging. For the past few years keywords like <i>princess</i>, <i>childlike,</i> <i>cute</i>, and <i>baby doll</i> could easily be used to describe <i>popular</i> Lolita trends, and popular Lolita outfits typically featured soft baby colored pastels, shorter hemlines, and quirky prints and accessories that tugged on our sense of childish nostalgia (the 80's inspired Fairy-Kei was a very big overlapping trend with Lolita for a very long time!). Currently I am noticing these type of aesthetic keywords being replaced with similar, but strikingly different, keywords such as <i>regal</i>,<i> refined</i>, <i>elegant</i>, and <i>porcelain doll</i>. Let's take a look at some of the individual trends happening within this current trend of opulence! <br />
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<b>Headwear and Hair</b></div>
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<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-O775geWWf7U/Uwd58KFzlmI/AAAAAAAAHeI/ourKq0yucZw/s1600/109P017-g_0.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-O775geWWf7U/Uwd58KFzlmI/AAAAAAAAHeI/ourKq0yucZw/s1600/109P017-g_0.jpg" height="320" width="240" /></a></div>
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Bonnets have always been around in Lolita, and go in and out of style, but they've come back in a big way with the new trends, often worn with waves or curls. In addition to bonnets, headwear has gone less from just slapping a headbow on to wearing elaborately styled hairdos and decorating them with various corsages and clips. This new opulent trend has no room for the twin tail wigs of the past, or at the very least, there is simply no room for them under our bonnets! <br />
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<b>Classic Prints</b></div>
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<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-iPVIuayq0I8/Uwd7HUL9DyI/AAAAAAAAHeQ/M1w7-SmbJkI/s1600/tumblr_mok6maAZ5w1s5bliio3_500.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-iPVIuayq0I8/Uwd7HUL9DyI/AAAAAAAAHeQ/M1w7-SmbJkI/s1600/tumblr_mok6maAZ5w1s5bliio3_500.jpg" height="320" width="239" /></a></div>
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In terms of popularity, Classic inspired prints have replaced the more saccharine prints. Even Angelic Pretty, who spearheaded the ultra-kawaii trend, has been releasing more and more classically inspired prints, and often in bolder colors than the soft muted pastels of the past few years. The opulent trend has even upped the print ante a bit and has grown quite fond of mixing multiple prints in the same outfit, à la <a href="http://fyeahlolita.blogspot.com/2010/02/japanese-dolly-style-lolita.html" target="_blank">Dolly Kei</a>.<br />
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<b>Silhouettes</b></div>
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<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-n8uiQI_QsMo/Uwd8CY72_WI/AAAAAAAAHeg/2cjZhJ7i6v0/s1600/aatp1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-n8uiQI_QsMo/Uwd8CY72_WI/AAAAAAAAHeg/2cjZhJ7i6v0/s1600/aatp1.jpg" height="320" width="240" /></a></div>
<b> </b>Hemlines in Lolita appeared to be rising fast in Lolita, and petticoats were just <i>never</i> poofy enough for the kawaii trends. But in contrast, the more opulent trends favor longer skirts, often with underskirts to lengthen hemlines even more, as well as a much less extreme poof. We're also seeing a lot more empire and trapezoid dresses getting more positive attention than they did during the reign of the kawaii. There are still a lot of poofy dresses out there, but I think what we're definitely seeing with the opulent trend is a much greater variety of silhouettes getting attention.<br />
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<b>Materials</b></div>
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<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-G36CKHetqOg/Uwd7g3jVbUI/AAAAAAAAHeY/O-uN1EjfpRs/s1600/02pk_1_12.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-G36CKHetqOg/Uwd7g3jVbUI/AAAAAAAAHeY/O-uN1EjfpRs/s1600/02pk_1_12.jpg" height="320" width="240" /></a></div>
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Back when kawaii was king, most every popular dress was inevitably going to be a cotton dress and the focal point was intended to be the print on it, the rest of the pieces in the outfit (blouse, socks, bolero, etc) were generally chosen based on how well it's color complimented the print color, and were for the most part still opaque cotton. Now we're finding brands releasing more popular pieces that experiment with a variety of different fabrics, from sheer chiffons to shimmery satins. Even legwear is no longer limited to a cotton knit sock, but a variety of different textured sheer stockings and silky printed tights have been released by brands lately! <br />
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Personally, I find this change in trends very exciting! Super Sweet Lolita was never really my cup of tea, and I found the style of the individual pieces to go stagnant after only a short time, with the only real changes in the fashion during the reign of kawaii to be superficial, limited mostly to the realm of accessorization than to the actual dresses: hair, jewelry, and print trends changed while the individual Lolita pieces being released were more or less unchanged. I felt that the kawaii trends came with a "coloring book" style of experimentation, as Lolitas we were given a very basic dress cut and a rainbow of pastel crayons, and while we could do what we pleased with them, there was little we could do to change the basic dress with them. With the rising popularity of more opulent trends I am seeing much more experimentation among brands in terms of materials and silhouette. Of course, this trend is still relatively fresh, and it could easily revert to the "coloring book" style of releases that we saw for much of the kawaii trend, just with calf-length brocade dresses rather than above-the-knee cotton dresses!<br />
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Brands are still releasing cute and bubbly kawaii inspired
pieces, and Lolitas are continuing to wear them, just as they were
releasing more elegant pieces during the <i>kawaii years</i>, it's
simply that the focus has shifted from one to another! What do you think
about this shift from kawaii to opulent? Are you excited for the change
in trends? Or does your heart still beat doki doki for the kawaii? <br />
<br />caro-chanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02816959125315317615noreply@blogger.com30tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6023134183255884485.post-46611542081645690412014-01-31T07:18:00.002-08:002014-01-31T07:18:45.383-08:00Misako Aoki in New York CityThis first week of<b> February 2014</b> is a pretty exciting week for Lolitas in the New York area! We're lucky enough to get a visit from Misako and a few very exciting Misako events.<br />
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Over the years, Misako has done a lot of cool things to bring Lolita to the limelight, from being one of Japan's first official Kawaii Ambassadors, to her new project the <a href="http://brick.heteml.jp/jlolita/" target="_blank">Japan Lolita Association</a>, so it's really exciting for her to come to New York City!<br />
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Misako's first event in New York, on <b>Wednesday the 5th</b>, is to be part of a panel at the Japan Society, "<a href="http://www.japansociety.org/event/lolita-fashion-costume-or-culture" target="_blank">Lolita Fashion: Costume or Culture?</a>". Myself and Christina of <a href="http://ramblerori.com/" target="_blank">Ramble Rori</a> will actually also be speaking at that event! The panel will end with a Baby the Stars Shine Bright fashion collection showing and a meet and greet wine reception with Misako! You can buy tickets for the event <a href="http://www.japansociety.org/event/lolita-fashion-costume-or-culture" target="_blank">here</a>.<br />
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While in NYC, Misako will be filming with Jiji Press and is hoping to put together a group of Lolitas to ride The Ride around Midtown with her on <b>Friday the 7th</b>. This event is still tentative and dependent upon a few things, but if you happen to be free early Friday afternoon in NYC, you can check out how that's developing <a href="https://www.facebook.com/groups/NYCLolitas/permalink/10151913637433404/" target="_blank">here</a> (The latest news I've heard is that the tickets will be discounted to $20, but they need at least 15 Lolitas! The bottom of the post should have the newest info).<br />
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<a href="https://www.facebook.com/events/1455769397976660/" target="_blank"><img alt="https://www.facebook.com/events/1455769397976660/" border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-ESghraBjSFg/UuuzheJnuDI/AAAAAAAAHdo/3zKYbqJUFLI/s1600/1781152_631450850223715_902835900_o.jpg" height="236" width="640" /></a><br />
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That Friday, on <b>February 8th</b>, we over at <a href="http://rufflecon.org/" target="_blank">RuffleCon</a> are lucky enough to have gotten the chance to sponsor an event with Misako! From 2-7PM Misako will be the guest of honor at a tea party in New York at The Dove parlor! There are a few activities planned for the evening, including a few raffles. There are only a very small number of spots left, so if this is something you're interested in, you can see details and prices <a href="https://www.facebook.com/events/1455769397976660/" target="_blank">here</a>. <br /><br />These are all really amazing events, and I'll personally be at the Japan Society event, as well as the tea party on Saturday. I think it's a really cool chance to get to see a big-name Lolita guest outside of an anime con environment, which is usually the only chance some of us get to meet Lolitas like Misako, especially out here on the east coast, where we have an unfortunate lack of physical Lolita shops.<br /><br />Is anyone else planning on going to any of these events? If you're on the east coast, particularly the north east, what sort of Lolita events do you hope we one day get around here?caro-chanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02816959125315317615noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6023134183255884485.post-813676174976538352014-01-24T09:47:00.001-08:002014-01-24T09:47:26.320-08:00The Most Accurate And Shocking Lolita Documentary Yet: The Secret Life of the Lolita Part 1As Lolitas, we were all unlucky enough to have been the subject (sort of) of the recent <a href="http://www.parfaitdoll.com/2014/01/my-strange-addiction-living-doll.html" target="_blank">My Strange Addiction episode</a> about "living dolls". Luckily for us all, Deerstalker Pictures has released the first part of a startlingly accurate portrayal of the Lolita in her natural habitat. It's short, hilarious, and only a <i>slight</i> exaggeration about how real Lolitas live.<br />
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<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="360" src="//www.youtube.com/embed/HOeh_O2vi48?rel=0" width="640"></iframe></div>
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<a href="https://www.facebook.com/pages/Deerstalker-Pictures/228119627302181" target="_blank"><img alt="https://www.facebook.com/pages/Deerstalker-Pictures/228119627302181" border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-SW9COPC3_ns/UuHdpuQ8yEI/AAAAAAAAHcU/v5Bkh7jD9oE/s1600/EmailSignature_zps0a22cb06.png" /></a></div>
You can see more of Deerstalker's amazing Lolita-centric films <a href="http://www.youtube.com/deerstalkerpictures" target="_blank">on youtube</a>! If you haven't seen any of them yet, I would definitely recommend them! They produce some of the most technically impressive, funny, and genuinely touching videos about Lolitas I've seen yet. caro-chanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02816959125315317615noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6023134183255884485.post-20426522104942542512013-12-13T13:49:00.001-08:002013-12-13T13:49:43.820-08:00RuffleCon: An Upcoming US Alternative Fashion ConferenceHave you ever ventured into something that's incredibly exciting, but also incredibly scary? That's exactly what happened over the summer with me and Christina of <a href="http://ramblerori.com/" target="_blank">Ramble Rori</a>. It happened as all big scary exciting things happen, while chatting on Facebook.<br />
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We were talking to a mutual friend about Lolita and anime conventions, and how a lot of anime convention are cutting out Lolita and other J-Fashion panels and events from their schedules. Our mutual friend from Germany, <a href="http://ooooh-tralala.tumblr.com/" target="_blank">Tralala</a>, is lucky enough to have a lot of large scale Lolita events and even Lolita conventions in Europe that she has the opportunity to attend, and after a bit of complaining from us about lack of any fun events (of course, this is outside of Frill! Which was unfortunately much to far for most of us in the Northeast to travel to) Tralala simply asked "Why doesn't someone start a Lolita convention over there?". At that moment lightbulbs probably flickered on over both mine and Christina's heads and we rushed to PM to discuss exactly <i>why </i>no one did and <i>who</i> should do something like that. After some serious consideration, and some really amazing dedication on Christina's part, lawyers were called, LLCs were filed, and <a href="http://rufflecon.org/" target="_blank">RuffleCon</a> was officially born.<br />
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<a href="http://rufflecon.org/" target="_blank"><img alt="RuffleCon" border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-pw8cVlrfF0M/UqtO5ZXTFFI/AAAAAAAAHYU/YfGOjbz61go/s1600/logo.png" title="" /></a></div>
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So, what exactly <i>is </i>RuffleCon all about? After thinking about it for a bit, it was decided that a strictly Lolita convention isn't the way to go. After all, a lot of the people we wanted to get involved with building the event had a lot of different and amazing personal styles that were not necessarily strictly Lolita, so with that, we decided to expand RuffleCon to encompass other alternative fashions as well and decided we were really more of a conference, than what one typically thinks of when they think "convention". We wanted to provide out dream fashion weekend of shopping, fashion shows, stage events, and even panels. Our "big three" fashions are Gothic, Lolita, and Steampunk, but the list doesn't really stop there! <br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-HMJnG2h2iJA/Uqs72hSD1vI/AAAAAAAAHYA/Qbt8uisdfOw/s1600/rufflecon-2014-staff.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="RuffleCon 2014 Staff" border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-HMJnG2h2iJA/Uqs72hSD1vI/AAAAAAAAHYA/Qbt8uisdfOw/s640/rufflecon-2014-staff.png" height="425" title="" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Just part of <a href="http://www.rufflecon.org/about-our-staff/" target="_blank">the staff</a> for RuffleCon 2014!</td></tr>
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I was lucky enough to go with Christina to visit one of the potential hotels to host the event at, <a href="http://www.omnihotels.com/FindAHotel/NewHavenYale.aspx" target="_blank">the Omni in New Haven Connecticut</a>, and we walked into the lobby and were blown away by the elegance of the place. The aesthetics of the hotel perfectly fit the shared aesthetics of the fashions we wanted our conference to represent. It was decorated in a very lush and inviting Victoriana style, even the panel rooms had wall sconces and chandeliers. It was about a million miles away from the white walls and abstract neon carpets of your average convention center. Connecticut might seem like an out-of-the-way spot at first, but the hotel that RuffleCon will be at is less than a mile away from from a train station that connects directly to Grand Central, as well as pretty much anywhere Amtrak (and a number of bus lines) runs!<br />
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We have <a href="http://www.indiegogo.com/projects/rufflecon-2014" target="_blank">an Indiegogo</a> up and running to help fund this project and make it <i>even better</i>. While we currently have a fair share of guests, some extra funding can help add even more guests, as well as lowering ticket prices for attendees! If you want to help out even further, and are already making plans for RuffleCon, we're always looking for <a href="http://www.rufflecon.org/registration/volunteer-registration/" target="_blank">volunteers</a> as well as people interested in <a href="http://www.rufflecon.org/events-and-guests/" target="_blank">presenting panels or other events</a>. Even just helping to spread the word by sharing the Indiegogo link would be a fantastic way to help. The Indigogo page even has code for a widget for your blog's sidebar! <br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.indiegogo.com/projects/rufflecon-2014" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" target="_blank"><img alt="http://www.indiegogo.com/projects/rufflecon-2014" border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-iDEC7a2SwTc/UqtP9oQnPnI/AAAAAAAAHYY/h-bGitfIHcw/s1600/indiegogo-logo-204x248.png" title="" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">One of the biggest ways you can help make this event even better than it's already going to be is to donate to our Indiegogo fund! <a href="http://www.indiegogo.com/projects/rufflecon-2014" target="_blank">Check it out here!</a></td></tr>
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So far, this whole project has been the making of a dream come true. It's seriously something that I know a lot of people have dreamed of for years. As scary as all of this is, it's really amazing to be a part of something like this! You'll definitely be hearing more about this from me, but in the mean time you can check out RuffleCon's <a href="http://www.rufflecon.org/" target="_blank">website</a> or <a href="https://www.facebook.com/RuffleCon" target="_blank">facebook</a> for more info!caro-chanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02816959125315317615noreply@blogger.com9tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6023134183255884485.post-10380788401216843622013-12-04T11:12:00.000-08:002013-12-04T15:47:13.967-08:00Shironuri Inspiration for Lolitas<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-cB1Vi4y-uC0/Up9fW70LHPI/AAAAAAAAHWU/TfhZvDjlqMw/s1600/minori.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="Minori in Shironuri" border="0" height="425" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-cB1Vi4y-uC0/Up9fW70LHPI/AAAAAAAAHWU/TfhZvDjlqMw/s640/minori.jpg" title="" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://ameblo.jp/mi-no-ri-cute/" target="_blank">Minori</a> in Shironuri</td></tr>
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One of the longest and most lasting <i>don'ts</i> in Lolita has always been "Don't wear whiteface!". This <i>don't</i> has a pretty solid history of half-hearted Mana cosplays, bizarre Geisha misinterpretations, overly enthusiastic Visual Kei inspired crossovers, and over emphasized Goth interpretations of Lolita to back up the reason why. A "Very good try!" could quickly turn into an "Oh god what have you done?!" with a sloppy layer of white facepaint and some creative eyeliner doodles. However, the tides have begun to turn with the rise in popularity of Shironuri. <br />
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Perhaps the most famous Shironuri artist is Minori. She takes heavy inspiration not from the creepy and grotesque, but
from nature and creates a soft and ethereal look that is a fresh take
on the style. It is all at once girly and otherworldy, even beyond just
the makeup, the hair and fashion choices look to be inspired by current
Dolly Kei, Cult Party, and Mori trends. Layers of soft vintage chiffons
are combined with faded flowers and vines! <br />
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While it's Minori's version of Shironuri that most people think of when they hear the word, there are many different Shironuri styles, as a quick glance at the infamous <a href="http://tokyofashion.com/japanese-shironuri-harajuku-pics-video/" target="_blank">White Face Monster Party</a> will show you, many of which are inspired by more traditionally grotesque looks.<br />
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How do you make this look work for Lolita? Personally I think the answer
to this question is largely to master the makeup. The old "rule" still
holds true, sloppily applied makeup <i>will</i> ruin whatever sort of
look you happen to be going for! Luckily for us all, Minori has a pretty
well done video on how she applies her makeup. <br />
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<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="360" src="//www.youtube.com/embed/fWFD5RqC4RM?rel=0" width="640"></iframe> <br />
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After a coat of white face paint, the Shironuri style is really so varied (afterall, Minori's ethereal look is just one of many possibilities within the Shironuri style) that you can basically do as you please, and that's exactly what people have been doing the world over since this look took off in recent years! However, there are a few trends that I've noticed within the style that seem to compliment the Lolita fashion very well. Please keep in mind that these are not "official" style names, and I am absolutely not the authority to go around dishing out names to these styles, I am merely pointing out the different types of stylings and themes within the Shironuri fashion, and even then, only the ones that I think mesh particularly well with the Lolita fashion.<br />
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<b>Circus/Clown</b></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-23vaRdXc71o/Up9rTaLWOpI/AAAAAAAAHWk/r6_VG7oa-AA/s1600/chrysalis+batlace.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="Chrysalis Batlace in Shironuri" border="0" height="320" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-23vaRdXc71o/Up9rTaLWOpI/AAAAAAAAHWk/r6_VG7oa-AA/s320/chrysalis+batlace.jpg" title="" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://www.facebook.com/ChrysalisBatlace" target="_blank">Chrysalis Batlace</a></td></tr>
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There are so many dresses within Lolita that are heavily inspired by the circus that this particular styling is just too perfect for Lolita! Think a black and red color scheme and even clown-inspired eyemakeup. I would go overboard with a style like this and add touches of gold, a ruff, harlequin patterns, and a bold red sash to an outfit featuring this type of makeup.<br />
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<b>Ethereal</b></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-yy--UxB-1Ho/Up9sE3zX_-I/AAAAAAAAHWs/kgu1Zqm8aGs/s1600/minori+1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="Minori in shironuri" border="0" height="320" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-yy--UxB-1Ho/Up9sE3zX_-I/AAAAAAAAHWs/kgu1Zqm8aGs/s320/minori+1.jpg" title="" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://ameblo.jp/mi-no-ri-cute/" target="_blank">Minori</a></td></tr>
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Minori's more ethereal stylings would go perfectly for some of the more desaturated floral print Classical Lolita dresses out there crossed over with a bit of floaty pale chiffon. Think longer dresses with an all over floral print paired with a long chiffon blouse and layered tulle underskirt in a dusty ivory, covered up with lots of layers of antique lace with some scattered vintage jewelry and a gorgeous lace and faux-flower hair corsage tucked into a teased pale colored wig.<br />
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<b>Doll-like</b></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-W1s6gsjsbyY/Up952GZZrWI/AAAAAAAAHW8/7bJ8GbKjwRE/s1600/taikutsu+1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-W1s6gsjsbyY/Up952GZZrWI/AAAAAAAAHW8/7bJ8GbKjwRE/s320/taikutsu+1.jpg" width="239" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://taikutsu-machine.tumblr.com/post/63731830288" target="_blank">Taikutsu</a></td></tr>
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If the more elaborate makeup isn't exactly for you, and you have little desire to color coordinate your lipstick to your wig to your dress, a more simple and doll like style of makeup goes very well with any number of Lolita dresses. Personally, I love this style best coordinated with old school Gothic Lolita dresses! There's just something about black and white dresses that pair perfectly with spooky doll-like makeup.<br />
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<b>Ghostly</b></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-m_UW8igQop0/Up98Fs7JjKI/AAAAAAAAHXI/fMNvGe-Bw4U/s1600/gama.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="213" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-m_UW8igQop0/Up98Fs7JjKI/AAAAAAAAHXI/fMNvGe-Bw4U/s320/gama.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://shironuri-wonderland.tumblr.com/tagged/gama" target="_blank">Gama</a></td></tr>
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This is a bit similar to the ethereal Shironuri stylings, but less colorful and a bit more creepy. I would go with a completely white coordinate with something like this, especially something with distressed details, think of older h.Naoto pieces, or even something a little Alice Auaa inspired. White Cobwebby tights, tangled white wigs, trailing torn chiffon white overskirts. A little bit of color can be added with the addition of some antique styled jewelry, to make the perfect focal point and to create the perfect ghostly illusion.<br />
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Of course, none of these are really "everyday" looks, but that's really the beauty of fashions like this. You don't have to wear it every day for it to still be something special, a way for you to express a maybe more elaborate and extreme aspect of your style or personality. I know with things like this a lot of Lolitas cry "But it makes it look like a costume when you wear that with Lolita!" which I always thought is such a silly cry, because your average person thinks we're in costume already, why hold back on something you really want to do for the sake of their opinion?<br />
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You can find more Shironuri inspiration on the tumblr, <a href="http://shironuri-wonderland.tumblr.com/" target="_blank">Shironuri Wonderland</a>. I would also really recommend <a href="http://www.tjf.or.jp/clicknippon/en/mywayyourway/01/post-1.php" target="_blank">this article about Tsunoshi</a>, another well-known Shironuri. What do you think of this style? Do you think a coat of white paint is enough to ruin any Lolita outfit, regardless of how well it's done, or are you as excited as I am to see people take the term "over the top" to the extreme?caro-chanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02816959125315317615noreply@blogger.com13