Monday, May 25, 2015

Impulse Buys that Were Totally Worth It (52 Lolita Challenge)

When it comes to Lolita, impulse buys usually aren't my thing. I like to plan out what I buy, and have an idea of what my wardrobe needs--and then spend my "budget" for that period of time on those items--or else pick up dream items. This doesn't usually leave room for impulse buys. But every once in a while, I've "slipped up" and made a purchase before thinking it all the way through. Ironically, both of these items have been from Metamorphose! Something about that brand appears to loosen my purse strings, I suppose. And, thus far, it's always paid off in the end--though I still want to stop doing it, for my wallet's sake!

Item 1: Meta Lucky Pack JSK



Otherwise known as my first main item of brand. While I had owned accessories and the like from brands before, this was my first foray into brand jumperskirts. I was understandably nervous about the move, given the fact that I'm plus sized, and had no guarantee that the piece would even fit me other than the word of the girl I was buying from. but when it arrived, I fell in love with the simplicity of it, of how easy it was to match with items from my wardrobe, and--best of all--the simple quality of the garment. The cotton was so thick and soft--to this day, I think that this is one of the nicest pieces in my wardrobe, including other items by Meta and items from other brands.

Item 2: Unknown Shirred Meta OP




The second item I bought purely on impulse was a fully-shirred Metamorphose OP. I bought this mostly because I was curious to see if a fully shirred OP would even fit me. It does, though admittedly not the best (though that's more due to my wide shoulders than my plus size status), so I tend to wear it with boleros and other items to cover up my shoulders a bit. But despite the slight fitting issues, I really like this piece! The lace detailing is really gorgeous, and there's this simple old school kind of vibe that it gives off. This dress was the first piece I bought that was really intended to be an old school piece, rather than a newer-age piece that just uses a black and white color scheme. I love this OP despite its flaws, and really need to make some more outfits with it!

What about you? What are some impulse buys you've made that really paid off in the end? Did they perhaps go entirely outside of your professed style, and introduced you to another substyle you came to love? Or were they items already in your substyle? I'd love to hear your stories in the comments below. Until next time!

The post above was a response to the Lolita 52 Week Challenge made by the ever so delightful Caro over at FYeahLolita.

Monday, May 18, 2015

Purses that I Love (52 Lolita Challenge)

When it comes to purses, it's no surprise that Lolitas tend to be pretty quirky with their choices.


The plain handbag



A/P Ribbon Bag by Alice and the Pirates

You can't go wrong with a plain handbag. And it's that sense of versatility that I really like about the plain Lolita handbag. It still has the bows and lace that we associate with the style, and is usually quite a bit "cuter" than many mainstream bags. With the plain handbag, you don't really have to worry about it matching your coordinate other than the color. Add in the fact that you could easily use this purse with mainstream fashion, and you have an item from your Lolita closet that could get quite a bit more use--and give you more bang for your buck.

The book bag (literally)



"Magic Spells" Book Bag by Restyle.pl

I believe that there is a law somewhere that says all English majors are required to love books. Having recently graduated with my B.A. in English, I'm no different--and this love extends to items shaped like books. I have plenty of small storage boxes shaped like books, and a love for bags shaped like them, as well. If I had my way, I would have a good three or four different book bags, but I try to keep myself in check. Book shaped bags are great for any bibliophile who wears Lolita fashion; and with Restyle.pl around, that most definitely includes a wide variety of options for Gothic Lolitas, specfically. Awesome!

The violin bag



Violin Bag by Innocent World

Once upon a time, I played viola. I loved playing, but for multiple reasons (too much money, horrible teacher, and lack of time), I had to quit lessons. With a violin-shaped bag, I can think about that long-ago time without actually trying to remember the chords my fingers have probably long since forgotten! A violin bag is a lovely addition to a coordinate, especially for Gothic Lolita leaning in a Classic direction. I own a violin bag from Lady Sloth (though they no longer carry them), and for the longest time, it was my go-to Lolita bag--and for good reason! Violin bags are a classic, if you ask me.

The coffin bag



Coffin Style Pochette by Alice and the Pirates

Ahhh, yes. The coffin bag. Staple of Gothic closets everywhere. Or, at least, I always assumed it was. Are coffin bags as common as I think they are? I certainly think they deserve to be if they aren't. There's something that's so simple yet classic about a coffin bag. Being a classic Gothic motif, coffins are a great choice when looking at a first "shaped" bag for a Gothic Lolita wardrobe. It helps that there are tons of resources for them, if you know where to look. Alice and the Pirates releases them regularly (hell, most of the Gothic brands have released one at one point--including a highly sought after and rare piece by Moi-Meme-Moitie and an absolutely adorable winged coffin backpack from Putumayo). If you don't have the money (or don't want to drop it on brand), there are tons of offbrand options, as well, including a vegan leather bag by Dysfunctional Doll with multiple decoration options.

What about you? What are some of your favorite bags or bag motifs? Do you like it plain and simple, or do you think the quirkier, the better when it comes to your bags? Do you have any favorite brand-released bags from over the years? I'd love to hear about them in the comments before! Until next week, stay frilly, my friends!

The post above was a response to the Lolita 52 Week Challenge made by the ever so delightful Caro over at FYeahLolita.

Monday, May 11, 2015

3 Trends I Wish Would Come Back (Lolita 52 Challenge)

When it comes to trends, I'm not usually the best person to ask. I don't find out about trends until they're halfway over most of the time--and I find myself not really caring most of the time, actually. Trends come and go--but I really like to invest my time and effort into timeless items that will outlast the "trendy must-haves".

That doesn't mean, of course, that I don't have a couple trends that I feel should be timeless, or that I wish would come back into style--so here, of course, I want to share them!

1. Rectangle headdresses


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Diamond Headdress from Antique Beast

Anyone who follows me won't find this entry on the list surprising at all. I don't hide my complete adoration of rectangle headdresses--I embrace it and happily flaunt it in front of naysayers who consider this beautiful item of clothing to be an ita staple. How ludicrous! Of course a rectangle headdress is perfectly Lolita! This piece of clothing should be revered, if you ask me. For a more updated approach to rectangle headdresses, look for ones that are flatter on the head--more like a lavishly decorated headband. But for old school looks, the good old-fashioned frilly ones are amazing!

2. Chunky platforms



Shoes by Demonia

Depending on who you talk to now, some people will argue that chunky platforms are still "in style" and perfectly okay to wear, at least with Gothic. But when flipping through most outfit posts or the Gothic Lolita Bibles, there is a distinct lack of platform shoes--which were all the rage in the early 2000s. I personally love these kinds of shoes--especially when they're more "platform" than "heel", which increases the wear-ability for my wussy heel-hating feet while still allowing me to tower over any who might try to defy my frilly wonder.

3. Gothic Lolita as Vogue



Mana in Moitie's Cathedral print; printed in the Gothic Lolita Bible

Gothic is certainly not the favored and trendy style, at least the moment. No--that crown, at least at the time of writing this, most likely belongs to Classic. But there was a beautiful era where Gothic was the go-to style, the default. But that all changed when the Sweet Nation attacked...

All ATLA references aside, I would love to see Gothic rise in popularity and become the "it" fashion again! And it would appear that this just might be a "thing", given that even Angelic Pretty has had a bit more of a "Gothic" touch in some of their more popular series this year, including the much-sought after Holy Lantern release.

What about you? Are there any trends you want to drag out of the closet and dust off? Or ones that you wear regardless of whether or not they're "popular"? I'd love to hear them down in the comments! Until next time, stay frilly, my friends!

The post above was a response to the Lolita 52 Week Challenge made by the ever so delightful Caro over at FYeahLolita.

Monday, May 4, 2015

3 Things I Wish I was Told when I was a New Lolita (Lolita 52 Challenge)

We're all new in Lolita during one point or another. And that's not a bad thing! Everyone has to start somewhere, and that includes seasoned Lolitas. We're all going to have embarrassing moments as we figure out how the style works, and how we can put our own spin on it while remaining within the realms of "Lolita". And sometimes, what we thought looked okay then was actually... Well. Horrible. Thankfully, I really was never into having pictures taken of me when I was going through my "ita" phase--and so the only remains of this dark era are my own memories of them... And for that, I am quite grateful.

So without further ado, I want to talk about the three things that I wish I had been told when I was new to the Lolita fashion.

1. Do not buy your Lolita clothing on eBay (in general).



Though this example is from Milanoo, I could have easily gotten stuck with one of their eBay coverups...

My first two Lolita dresses were bought off of a Chinese replica maker on eBay. And while they are definitely not the train wrecks that they could have been, and they were actually wearable (for the most part), the quality on them was most definitely not up to standard for Lolita clothing. I still own one of these dresses--a jumperskirt based off of a Victorian Maiden dress--but I am more than aware, now, of the bullet I dodged in buying from an eBay shop. It could have been one of the many cover shops used by the notorious bane of Lolitas' existences, Milanoo, or a company that was along the same vein. Thankfully, I escaped relatively unscathed.

2. Just because Sweet is popular doesn't mean you need to wear it.



Whimsical Vanilla-chan by Angelic Pretty

Sweet Lolita was in its heyday when I started wearing Lolita in 2011. OTT Sweet was becoming the "it" thing, and my preferred style--Gothic--had long since fallen by the wayside. It was rather discouraging to see a flood of sweet Lolita coordinates, with Gothic coordinates few and far between--and plus-sized girls wearing Gothic being almost non-existant. For a while, I felt that I wasn't a Lolita if I didn't own a sweet dress, which is just silly (especially since I would probably never wear said dress). I would have liked hearing someone tell me that I didn't have to wear what was "popular", and instead wear what I loved.

3. Just because you're plus sized doesn't mean you can't be a "real" Lolita.



A picture of myself, circa 2014

I think this was the hardest lesson for me to learn. I found it almost impossible to find other "plus sized" Lolitas when I started out in the fashion (at least, until I ventured over to join Tumblr--ironically, for non-Lolita reasons!). Given that my exposure to Lolita thus far had been the EGL Community on LiveJournal, finding the Tumblr Lolita community was something between a revelation and an overload. There were so many Lolita blogs, and so much variety. Plus sized, LBGT+, girls with all brand or girls with no brand--the fact that I could see Lolitas of so many different shapes, sizes, budgets, and backgrounds was miraculous, and made me feel a lot more at home in the fashion. Best of all, however, was that it made me realize that everyone could be a Lolita, and there were no boxes that had to be checked off--so I, too, could feel at home in the fashion, and that I was validated in calling myself a Lolita.

The post above was a response to the Lolita 52 Week Challenge made by the ever so delightful Caro over at FYeahLolita.

Friday, May 1, 2015

Lolita-fy a Non-Lolita Friend! (Lolita Blog Carnival)

When it comes to sharing things you love with friends, it can go one of two ways: it can be a lot of fun for both parties involved, and you find something new in common; or, you find that it just isn't their thing. I feel like this is especially so for sharing fashion choices.

I am decidedly darker than most of my friends in the aesthetic I prefer. Most of my friends are T-shirt and jeans or flannel and leggings type people, who will occasionally put on a clubbing dress for when we go out. Very few of them find J-fashion to be of interest of them (though a couple have shown interest in Lolita and Mori Kei for special occasions). And these differences are perfectly fine! It's all about a variety and a spice of life. And I'd be lying if I said I didn't feel like wearing "comfort" fashion most of the time, especially as it gets warmer.

I recently got to sit down with a friend of mine, Sam, and share Lolita fashion with her. And it made for a really fun afternoon! You can watch the highlights in the video below.


Even though Sam prefers Sweet Lolita, I'd say she makes a pretty adorable Gothic, wouldn't you agree? I was pretty glad to see she was so excited about dressing up as a marshmallow, even if only for a short amount of time.


Coordinate rundown:

JSK: Bodyline
Blouse: Anna House
Socks: Offbrand (eBay)
Shoes: Offbrand
Mini hat: Ciciworks
Wig: GLW


What are your experiences sharing Lolita fashion with friends? Have you turned someone to the dark side? Or do your friends consider it just one of your quirks that simply isn't for them? Have you made your friends primarily through Lolita fashion as an ice breaker? Or are you the only Lolita in your social circle? I'd love to hear your stories down in the comments below! Until next time, stay frilly, my friends!


Other LBC Entries this week:
ϿѺϾ Courtly Dreams for Burgher ϿѺϾ