Friday, November 18, 2016

Lolitafying Things in my Everyday Life (52 Lolita Challenge)

One of the terms that immediately comes to mind when I see the word “Lolitafying” is “Lifestyle Lolita”. And I always have to ask myself if I really am a Lifestyler. Certainly, a lot of my interests and aesthetics align quite nicely with Lolita. I sew, I enjoy antiquing, and I adore the extravagant flair of Victorian and Rococo furniture and clothes. I would love nothing more than to deck out my entire dwelling in dark frills and lace (which is something I’m working on, but that’s a topic for another post).

But I always arrive at the answer of “no”, because being a Lolita 24/7, and wearing Lolita every day, would simply be absolutely exhausting. Some days, I just want to wear a pair of leggings or hang around in sweatpants. But I do like to keep that Lolita spirit with me, and so some everyday things have undoubtedly been affected by my adoration for Lolita.

1. My Desktop




Let’s start with something simple: my desktop, both at work and on my personal computer, have an undoubtedly Lolita-esque flair to them. I usually have it set to a picture of Mana-sama, especially if I liked the most recent Moitie photoshoot in a GLB. Other options include decidedly (Gothic) Lolita-friendly bands and performers (Kanon Wakeshima, Kalafina, Babymetal, Malice Mizer, Moi dix Mois, and plenty of others), prints (my Facebook banner has been set to Moitie’s Silent Moon print for ages because of my love of the print), character artwork (such as Kuromi or Nyanpire, or even characters from shows like Rozen Maiden). Brands’ new-release photoshoots and promotional art (especially any of Yoh’s work for Alice and the Pirates) are also some of my favorite sources for desktop artwork.

Considering I used to be the person who didn’t give two figs about what on the background of my computer desktop and just kept it as “default”, this was actually significant for me. One thing’s for sure—nothing gives you a bit of a “bump” towards the Lolita side of things like opening up a computer screen to see Mana-sama gazing back at you.


2. My musical taste



Kanon Wakeshima's cover art for the "Suna no Oshiro" single

Lolita is certainly tied into Visual Kei bands (hell, Mana-sama is arguably the founder of Gothic Lolita and he formed it as a part of his stage presence). And it only takes a quick google search to find several threads of people asking for suggestions for “Lolita” musical artists.

And… well, I’ve come to really have a soft spot for them.

While my musical tastes are still all over the place and I certainly enjoy American bands just as much (my girlfriend will vouch that my love of Fall Out Boy probably requires some kind of counseling), there’s something about sitting down and putting on some Kanon Wakeshima or Malice Mizer that just puts you in a Lolita mindset. My music taste has forever been Lolitafied.

3. My décor





A ruffled duvet cover like this one from Philly Linens (link) is an awesome way to Lolify your decor quickly and easily.

While my sense of what I liked and didn’t like aesthetically has more or less always included antiques and ornate furniture, it really only solidified once I’d become interested in Lolita fashion. My love of ruffles, in particular, was greatly impacted by my interest in Lolita fashion (which I find especially ironic a few months back; my mother mentioned that I “wasn’t a ruffles type a person” to a family member, which made me about die of laughter at its inaccuracy — if she only knew the ruffly monstrosity of a duvet cover I had in the mail at the time!).

My Lolita wardrobe also doubles as a "decor" piece on its own. My purses are all displayed on a shelf; I usually have a dummy wearing a coordinate displayed in one corner; I keep some pieces of jewelry and accessories out; my Gothic Lolita Bibles are proudly displayed on an entire bookshelf of their own.

As I've begun purchasing my own furniture and buying my own home decor, I've gravitated towards decidedly more extravagant styles than I had previously. I've upgraded from a relatively boxy dresser to one with a carved front, and changed the plain dresser mirror into a baroque-styled round one hung on the wall. My bedside table has Queen Anne style legs, and instead of a traditional bedside lamp, I've got an electric candelabra. I've switched out traditional hardware on my furniture for carved silver roses. I've created a ruffly slip cover for an otherwise normal computer chair desk.

My décor has started to compliment my love of ruffles, rather than coexist with it—and that’s something I absolutely adore about the Lolification process.


4. My general sense of fashion (outside of Lolita)





Alice and the Pirates Rose Frill Grosgrain headbow (and similar styled headbows) are easily used in a "normie" wardrobe.

Given that I tend to wear “normie” clothes to the office (lately it’s been a lot of leggings and tunics or black jeans with sweaters), it can be hard to “Lolify” what I wear when I’m out of frills. But I’ve found a few ways to make use of items in my Lolita closet: accessorizing.

I’ll wear “normal” clothes, and use accessories from my Lolita wardrobe. I may use a violin-shaped purse for a conversation piece, or a brand headbow to get some more wear out of it and up the "cute" factor of an otherwise boring outfit. One of my favorite barrettes was originally purchased to wear solely in Lolita coordinates, and has since become a go-to when I feel my bangs will get in the way that day (I’m actually debating buying an extra one specifically to keep at work for the days I forget to wear it!). Basically, if I can find a use for Lolita clothes in my normal, day-to-day clothing needs, I’ll try to incorporate them and get the most bang for my buck. Besides… That means that even when I’m not decked head to toe in frills, I can at least have a bit of a pick-me-up from wearing something I really love.

What about you? What are some ways you bring Lolita into your everyday life? Or maybe you prefer to “stealth” your Lolita and pull a complete 180 when you wear your frills! I’d love to hear about your Lolitafication in the comments section below. 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.

Tuesday, May 31, 2016

Project Post: Fairy skirt with half-elastic waistband (self-drafted)

A few weeks ago, my good friend Sheepie and I decided to do a set of box exchange videos. I managed to find a lot of great deals on her items, and found even a bit of brand for our relatively low price point. But I wanted to include some both main pieces and a few handmade items. So, in the end, I decided to make her a skirt! I've had this fabric for ages, and it was eating a hole in my stash; I bought up some of the trim and other stuff at a sale, and decided to go at it. Two afternoons later, I had her skirt finished!


The fabric is a design by Michael Miller (you can get it on Amazon, if you were interested in snatching some up for yourself); I've used the coordinated accent fabric (used for the waistband) to make plenty of dice bags and other little things for friends, but I finally used up a majority of the remainder with this project.


The border print is actually surprisingly detailed; very reminiscent of A Midsummer Night's Dream. There are a lot of different fairies, and they're silhouetted against some gorgeous greenery and a night time sky. The stars in the fabric actually have some sparkle woven into the fabric, too, which is a nice detail I didn't expect when buying the fabric!


Half-elastic waistbands are one of my favorite things in existence, but are simultaneously the most frustrating thing in the world the sew sometimes. This one didn't turn out half bad, though! I do wish that the fabric were light, to match the sky in the print, but as it is, it doesn't look too bad. It should be fairly comfortable, and I'm glad it didn't flip out at me when it came to sewing down the elastic...

What about you? What's a project you've made for a friend? I'd love to see your photos or hear your stories! Until next time!

Friday, March 18, 2016

5 Things You Wish There Were More Prints Of (Lolita Blog Carnival)

Ah, yes--prints. Prints have become the cornerstone of Lolita fashion as it expanded--and it's no wonder. While it's impossible to deny the classic allure of solid dresses with impeccable tailored details such as ruffles, pintucks, and lace, there's simply so much more freedom when you allow a dress to become a canvas for artwork on top of that.

And with such freedom comes a terrible problem: No one has made the print you want; or, if they have, it's been simply lost in the sea of print releases every year.

So, what are my gripes? What are prints I'd love to see--or at least see more of?

1. Shakespeare Prints



Haenulie's "For Juliette" print is based off of Shakespeare's "Romeo and Juliet"

This is one of those themes that I simply don't understand why we don't see more often. Shakespeare's plays are some of the most widely-spread and loved literary works of all time--and yet we rarely see them in prints! And even when they are, they tend to be more abstract than feature the actual characters (or simply use the name, a la Alice and the Pirate's "Midsummer Night's Dream" print).

I'd especially love to see prints featuring Hamlet and MacBeth; They're two of my favorite plays by him, and would lend themselves to absolutely gorgeous Gothic prints Hamlet's "to be or not to be" soliloquy, in particular, would be a great scene to depict--as would Lady MacBeth's infamous "out, damned spot!" scene.

2. Tarot Card Prints



Alice and the Pirates' Tarot Card print, JSK II cut in black (2010)

Another print I'd love to see more of would be Tarot Cards. They're such a great theme! They've got the right amount of mysticism and romanticism surrounding them that they could be the basis for some amazing prints. In particular, I'd love to see larger border prints depicting the Major Arcana around the hem. Tarot cards tend to have very graceful, elegant, and detailed drawings--which lends them very well to being featured on a Lolita print!

While Alice and the Pirates released a Tarot Card print in 2010 (pictured above), and a handful of other dresses featuring the theme are out there, I can't help but hope that the theme is revisited. I think that Innocent World could take a lovely approach on it with a more weathered or antique look, while Alice and the Pirates' detailed line work could make the revisit worthwhile.

3. Pagan Prints



Moi-Meme-Moitie's Stained Glass Print OP (2012)

Religious imagery is EVERYWHERE in Lolita. Crosses, stained glass, reproductions of religious paintings--hell, Juliette et Justine's L'Eclat de Croix series actually features Jesus on the cross. Noticing the beginning of a trend here? Christian iconography was one of the leading inspirations of Western art for quite a long time--from medieval manuscripts of the Bible with beautiful illustrations to Renaissance masterpieces from Da Vinci, Michelangelo and Raphael (to make a long story short, the church had the money, and commissioned a lot of the art; and when it didn't have the money, nobles who did have the money liked to look pious and would commission art on behalf of their church).

So enter one of my guilty pleasures: Pagan iconography. There are a plethora of myths to depict, and plenty of modern-day inspiration to draw from. How beautiful would a Gothic print inspired by Hades and Persephone be? How lush and beautiful would the story of Apollo and Daphne (a la Bernini) be? Could you imagine a painting print based off of the story of Eros and Psyche? Mythological prints are conversation pieces. Or take a nod from common, modern pagan religions. Pentagrams, pentacles, altars, runes, and so much more are out there--and I'd love to see more variety in prints like this.

4. Prints Based on Gothic Literature & art



The indie brand Lady Sloth has used Caspar David Friedrich's
"Klosterfriedhof im Schnee (Cloister Cemetery in the Snow)" for a print.
While it doesn't date from the usually accepted Gothic period,
it depicts many classic Gothic literature tropes.

Ah, yes. Gothic Literature. Is there anyplace else you can go for your fill of romance, adventure, mystery and suspense? There are dozens of beautiful, famous Gothic novels to choose from--from the classic Dracula and Frankenstein novels to Wuthering Heights and The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyl and Mr. Hyde. These novels have inspired countless artists, and it would certainly be interesting to see takes on it within Lolita fashion. But perhaps that's my English-major Bibliophile coming out a little.

I'd actually adore to see Carmilla adapted into a print--a vampire story that predates Dracula, with heavy lesbian undertones. And if the oldies don't do it for you--couldn't the newer "Gothic" novels be just as appealing? I don't know about you, but I would certainly jump for joy for "Interview with the Vampire" or "The Woman in Black" prints.

5. Prints Based on Dark Fairy Tales



An illustration of "Little Red Riding Hood" by Jessie Wilcox Smith (1863-1935)

We've seen quite a few cute fairy tale prints from Lolita brands before. The "Rated G for Everyone" versions of fairy tales are cute and widely popular--so it's really no surprise that a brand would put out a Sleeping Beauty or Cinderella inspired print. But here's the more interesting bit: most fairy tales aren't originally as sweet and happy as they've become. Some are more pessimistic, sad, and just downright dark. Exploring the more gothic or artistically-minded aspects of fairy tales could be a great way to have a fresh look on an old favorite.

In particular, I'd love to see an interpretation of the original version of The Little Mermaid where, spoiler alert, she does not gain the love of her prince and live happily ever after--but instead dies and turns into sea foam. Little Red Riding Hood would be another great option, as would any other Brother's Grimm fairy tale, to be honest. I'd also love to see a print based off of "The Little Match Girl" released around Christmas, though it isn't strictly a fairy tale and it's grim nature may be unappealing to some!

What about you? What are some prints you'd like to see in Lolita? Leave them down in the comments below, and be sure to check out the other Lolita Blog Carnival posts on this topic! Links are located down below.



Other LBC Entries this week
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