If You Could Only Keep 5 Main Pieces What Would They Be...

Hi friends! <3

I'm just going to jump right into things...

www.facebook.com/groups/lolitablogcarnival/

Angelic Pretty: Dream Fantasy Jsk

Lots of pastels, an adorable print featuring stars, rainbows, and different plushie style animals. I wear this one fairly often. Very easy to coord.

Moi Meme Moitie: Stained Glass Chiffon Jsk

Dark and elegant. Love the stained glass print! <3 It got me into wearing gothic style.

BTSSB: Dreamy Pony Ribbon Ribbon Jsk

A darker take on the pastel look. I started off in lolita with bittersweet. Wearing it makes me think back on those beginner days and realize how far I've come. This is also one of the first few brand dresses I got second-hand on LiveJournal. Anyone else remember that site?

Innocent World: Ave Maria Stained Glass Tulle Lace Jsk

More stained glass, but in a classic style. I like that minimal accessories are needed when coording and you can just let the focus be on the print/design.

Angelic Pretty: Fancy Paper Dolls Jsk

Pastels again, this time with cute plushie type animals playing dress-up. My first lucky pack/brand purchased direct from the brand. I remember being so excited when it arrived!

Hope you enjoyed this entry!

Feel free to check out which main pieces other bloggers chose at:

Roli's Ramblings

What is One Facet of the Fashion You Enjoy & One You Don't...

Hi friends! <3

www.facebook.com/groups/lolitablogcarnival/

So, this week's topic is fairly straight forward. Let's get into it!

Enjoy- I love getting all dressed up in cute clothes and accessories. As you get older, clothing choices seem to become limited. Work clothes all look the same after awhile, and it's difficult to find something not covered in stripes, polka dots, or flower prints. There's many times I've seen something in the children's section at a store and wished it came in my size. Why don't they make things like that for adults? Some places have been working on this, but there's still room for improvement. Lolita clothes and accessories are a great way for people to express their inner self/creative side. The big, small, and indie brands are all coming out with new things constantly. You're bound to find something you like. And, even if you and your friends want to get the exact same thing, you can still coord it differently.

Don't Enjoy- Meet-ups not happening much. I used to go to about two meet-ups a month between the local and semi-local comms. Now I'm lucky if at least one meet-up happens. That may be due to a variety of things though. I think it's mainly due to the weather (as we're in winter time here still). Although spring is on the way, it may be awhile before it actually decides to stay. I also think some people may have just switched their focus to be on other things like family and different hobbies. I may just try for more casual/smaller type meet-ups/events instead, like going for lunch with a friend. I want to go places and do things while all dressed up, and not spend money on things just to have them sit around in my closet going to waste.

See what other bloggers had to say at:

Cupcakes and Unicorns

The Bloody Tea Party

Tailoring Your Wardrobe: Making it Work & Suit You...

Hi friends! <3

www.facebook.com/groups/lolitablogcarnival/

With wardrobe post season upon us, it's a perfect time to reflect on what makes one's wardrobe essentially theirs. For those who are maybe just starting out in the fashion, it can be quite overwhelming. Where does one even begin? Here are some of the things that I have considered when creating (and revising) my own wardrobe.

What is its purpose?

For me it was easy. I wanted my wardrobe to be wearable. Some people wear lolita daily or hardly at all. I wanted mine to be sufficient enough to be able to rotate dresses and try out different looks when coording. I attend 1-2 monthly meet-ups along with some additional events or special occasions. I figure what's the point in spending all this money on things just to have it sit around looking pretty? They are clothes after all and meant to be worn.

What do I like?

Style-wise I love sweet the most, but enjoy classic and gothic as well. So, I have a variety of colors, prints, and themes to choose from. I've found that certain brands are good if you know what you are looking for. Pastel colors, cute teddy bears, and desserts? Angelic Pretty. A lady-like floral print? Try Innocent World. Crosses, roses, stained glass? Moi Meme Moitie.

Does it fit me?

The most important one of all. Whenever I start looking at a dress or blouse I check the measurements carefully. Certain things like the cut or amount of shirring will often decide things. I try on items as soon as possible to make sure it fits properly. If not, I will put it up for sale right away. There's no use keeping something around that I won't wear due to it not fitting how it should.

Is it useful?

I love when items can be used multiple ways and or times. I mean, sure that tiny pony bag is cute and all, but a larger simple pink heart shaped bag would be able to hold your stuff better, not to mention match with multiple coords. Staple items like a white blouse, good petti, and a durable pair of shoes will do wonders.

Hopefully you found some interesting tips to apply to your own wardrobes. Check out what other bloggers had to say at:

Cupcakes and Unicorns

The Bloody Tea Party

Silk and Shears

Share 5 Dresses You Believe Are Underrated & Why...

Hi friends! <3

www.facebook.com/groups/lolitablogcarnival/

Lolita fashion is full of many beautiful dresses and accessories. There are various reasons why certain ones catch our eye compared to others. Some people may be drawn towards a favorite color, print, or design. Others may prefer soft fabrics or lace trims. Once you have the dress, accessories can then be added to personalize/ enhance your look. While everyone is familiar with the more popular ones (such as Cat's Tea Party, Day Dream Carnival, and Holy Lantern to name a few), there are many more that fall by the wayside and go unnoticed. This week's prompt has us sharing five dresses that we believe are underrated and why.

And let me just say, I believe the big reason people tend to avoid lesser known dresses is that the stock pics are awful. They never do a dress justice. However, everyone tends to reference the stock pic when trying to find out more about a dress. I mean, I appreciate the brands supplying potential buyers with these stock pics, but to properly evaluate a dress, it's better to either see it in person or online with detailed real life pics. I want to know what I'm buying before dropping $300 on a new release with only a blurry thumbnailto go by. Although, the brands have gotten somewhat better in recent years.

BTSSB "Milk Chan and Snow Strawberry Ribbon" (black)

This dress is from 2010 and features BSTTB's mascot Usakumya. The print has snowflakes, roses, and strawberries. It's an unusual combination as they are all from different seasons, but it somehow works well together. There is also cute little pom pom trim along the bottom hem instead of the usual lace. The dark color emphasizes the print which feels festive yet not too busy. I like that the print is semi generic and can be worn throughout winter and even into spring.

 

Angelic Pretty "A La Carte Tea Time" (pink)

This dress is from a 2012 lucky pack. The print features all kinds of sweets like strawberries, donuts and cookies. It even manages to work a bunny into the mix by cleverly disguising it as a cookie. The pink color is soft and makes the colors in the print stand out nicely. My favorite feature is the full back shirring which allows for comfort while wearing. It's super easy to coord too.

 

Innocent World "Rabbit and Horse Carousel Frill" (bordeaux)

This one is from 2016. While at first glance, it appears to be a standard classic style dress, it also has  elements in it that can be good for sweet style. I think it's interesting that the carousel aspect is implied and not actually shown as a normal carousel.  The carousel features both horses and rabbits, along with twirling flower garlands.

 

Metamorphose "Grapy Sweetie Fox Cub Ribbon Shirred" (blue)

This dress is from 2017. Meta is well known for having quirky prints and this one is definitely different. It features cute red fox cubs playing amidst bunches of green grapes. While there are numerous prints in lolita with bears and bunnies, you hardly ever see a fox one. The cubs are adorable. It reminds me of a fable called The Fox and the Grapes. The silver bows along the bottom hem are also removable so you can remove/attach them as you want.

 

Atelier Pierrot "Art Museum" (black)

This dress is from 2013. The print has keys, clocks, fancy picture frames, etc. It has a subdued color palette and is great for casual wear. Perfect for when you want to just throw on something cute and not fuss around much. I especially like how it looks fairly simple, but then you start to notice little details here and there upon closer inspection. 

 

Hope you enjoyed reading this! Feel free to check out what other bloggers had to say at:

Cupcakes and Unicorns

The Bloody Tea Party

Celebrating 4 Years!

Hi friends! <3

Today my blog turns 4 years old!

Another year has gone by quickly. This blog has grown and changed a bit over time. From my very first post (Wardrobe Post: 2015) to my most recent one (Lolita & J-Fashion Golf Meet-up!). I've enjoy sharing various openings, coords, and other content through this blog. I will continue to post more entries in the future for all of you to enjoy.

Thank you for staying with me! :-)

As for this year... I plan to continue with my usual posts (including the ever popular Wardrobe Post), explore some blogging prompts from others, and starting a new series called Tea Time where I taste and review different teas.

What types of posts would you like to see me do? Which is your favorite? Feel free to leave a comment below!

What Do You Believe Are 5 Misconceptions About Lolita Fashion...

Hi friends! <3

www.facebook.com/groups/lolitablogcarnival/

I know I shared some of these misconceptions before in an earlier post, but I thought I'd revisit them and add a couple more. I'm a strong believer that everyone can wear lolita. And while it may be easier for some compared to others, it can be done. Though it will take both time and effort on your part.

Lolita is only for girls with small builds-

As a sweet lolita, Angelic Pretty is my favorite brand. But most of what you see online is being modeled by these tiny little Asian girls. You may think there is no way that same dress, skirt, or blouse is going to fit me. I, for one do not see myself as huge or anything, but by Japanese sizing standards I am considered plus sized. For reference I wear US size 8-10 in women's clothing (depending on who makes it and how the sizing runs). For lolita fashion, I avoid anything that does not have shirring. Instead, I look for items that have partial to full back shirring. Shirring is elastic that is sewn into the fabric so that the garment can expand to fit a range of sizes. Big name brands like Angelic Pretty,  Metamorphose, and BTSSB have a lot of items with shirring available. There are also indie brands that are very plus size friendly such as Haenuli, Lady Sloth, and Enchantlic Enchantilly. I recommend you look into them if you are plus sized.

Lolita is only for short girls-
Again Japanese sizing standards will come into play here. Shorter heights means the bodice and skirt length will sit at different places on you if you're on the tall side. I am 5'8" which is considered tall.  I worried that I would get these cute clothes and they would be too short on me. However, I learned that there are a different ways to deal with this issue. You can wear an underskirt; which will extend the bottom edge of your skirt/dress to be of a more desirable length. Or maybe go with a different version. For example, Innocent World makes some of their dresses in both short and long length versions. You could also check if the shoulder straps are adjustable. If you are crafty, there are tutorials online that show you how to create strap extenders as well. I would advise you to check out Lolibrary. It is an online database containing lolita clothes and accessories. A word of advice though. If you do go on there, make sure you are comfortable and don't have anything planned for the next few hours as you will be spending a lot of time browsing ;-)

Lolita is expensive-
You're probably thinking how am I going to afford all these pieces that are required for just one coord? Let me tell you, when I got into lolita fashion I was a student in college. I was excited to start buying and wearing the fashion as soon as possible. I dreamed of getting a job, making that big paycheck, and buying all the pretty things I wanted. Although I didn't gain steady employment right after graduating, I did save up enough over time to be able to buy the occasional item. I spent many hours browsing the sales listings online, noting what I liked, how much different items cost, and trying to mentally prepare myself to spend $40 on a headbow.

Before, I tried to use stuff I already had at home and kept an eye out whenever I went shopping. But it didn't quite work. In all honesty, building a lolita wardrobe is challenging. You are new and just starting to learn things. Such as the different styles, what goes together, how to achieve that perfect level of poof, etc. There are certain aspects of lolita fashion that make it lolita. A certain shape, quality fabrics/trims, and an attention to detail. Ideally you want good quality items that will last awhile as well as be versatile. For example, nice thick cotton fabrics instead of satin. Cotton lace instead of polyester. High quality construction with seams sewn straight and edges matched up neatly. Things like that.

Yes, you can buy direct from the big name brands, but you don't have to. A brand new brand dress  runs about $300 to $500. However, if you buy it second-hand or used, it would be less than that (unless you're after a particular old or rare item). Sometimes you can even get items new tags! There are auction sites like Lace Market, and sales groups on Facebook such as Lolita sales in English. You can place bids, buy it now, or make offers as well. Some sellers are even open to payment plans too. 

If you do decide to get into lolita fashion, I would advise for you to start saving your money now. Once you have a decent amount, it will be readily available for when you do find that beautiful dress or whatever it is, and you can get it. Cut back on eating out, buy things on sale, use coupons or discount codes when possible. If you're getting money as a gift for say your birthday or a holiday, put it aside for lolita. When you're out at the mall shopping with friends, ask yourself, do I really need another pair of shoes or would I rather put that money towards that super cute lolita dress I saw online instead. You'll be surprised at how quickly it can add up!

Lolita is not suited to me-
I admit, I'm not much of a girly-girl. I wear a t-shirt, jeans, and sneakers most of the time. And yet, I fell in love with the cute prints and soft pastel colors. The idea of dressing up in pretty skirts/dresses and in pastel colors was too much for me to do right away. So, I wore the sweet prints in the darker colorways (sometimes called 'bittersweet'). I worked my way up to wearing them how I originally had wanted to all along. It felt great to be confident in expressing my love for something so far outside my comfort zone. If you feel intimidated by lolita fashion at first, I think you should try doing something similar. Start small and work your way up. Maybe try pairing a cute accessory like a hair clip with your everyday clothes. Go with what you are comfortable with and at your own pace. You are doing this for you.

Lolita is too much work-
I like my everyday outfits to be simple and comfortable. Lolita fashion is more complex.  A basic coord consists of a hair accessory, op, bloomers, petticoat, otks/tights, shoes, purse, and jewelry. Sometimes makeup. There are many hours spent doing research and constant browsing of multiple sales boards/sites. This leads to the purchasing of items, creating a coord with them, and then finally wearing it. Why would you bother going through all that? Because the reward you get in the end is worth it. And I'm not just talking about looking pretty for pics or having all the brand. There's a sense of pride and accomplishment one feels in being able to say, I did this. You don't have to be perfect from the start. Nobody is. Over time you will learn and improve. So, don't worry about things and just go for it! :-)


Thanks for reading. Feel free to see what others had to say about this topic at:

The Bloody Tea Party 

Cupcakes and Unicorns

Share Your Most Worn Dress VS Your Least & Why...

Hi friends! <3

www.facebook.com/groups/lolitablogcarnival/

I was not going to be joining in this week's post, but after seeing everyone else's I really wanted to join in. So, I figured why not. Sorry if it's a bit late. Hope you enjoy it anyways!

Now onto the discussion topic...

My most worn dress would have to be one of these two...

Angelic Pretty "Tea Time a la Carte"

Angelic Pretty "Dream Fantasy"

Both are from older lucky packs and are super comfortable to wear. I love how colorful and cute they are. They always make me smile when I wear them. Coording is also super easy as I have a bunch of accessories that match. I just pick a color or two and away I go.

I love to wear strawberry or donut themed items with the first one. And, ice cream or teddy bear themed items with the second one. 

My least worn jsk(s) would be all of these ones that I haven't worn other than to try on. A few I did plan out coords with, but didn't end up wearing them.

Angelic Pretty "Honey Cake Switching"

Moi Meme Moitie "Frame Cross Print Gathered"

Angelic Pretty "Holy Lantern"

Angelic Pretty "Toy Harmony"

Metamorphose "Snow Party Ribbon Shirred"

Moi Meme Moitie "Divine Cross"

BTSSB "Strawberry Tart"

Moi Meme Moitie "Sleeping Garden"

Royal Princess Alice x Automatic Honey "Witch Academy"

Honey Cake and Holy Lantern I had planned to wear to Anime North, but it was way too hot and I ended up wearing more casual clothes. Frame Cross needs to have the straps lengthened as they are way too short. I found some matching ribbon to make extenders, but just need to get around to sewing them. Toy Harmony and Snow Party I got during winter lucky pack season and didn't get around to wearing them. Divine Cross has just been waiting to be worn. Strawberry Tart I got during the summer time with the intention of trying out a country/berry picking type coord for a summer meet-up, but it was so hot out and meet-ups were not really happening at that time either. Sleeping Garden and Witch Academy I just got recently. I am hoping to wear Witch Academy to a meet-up this weekend. I just have to finish coording it.

I do plan to wear all of these dresses sometime though. Stay tuned for when I finally do :-)  

Feel free to check out what others had to say on their blogs at:

Cupcakes and Unicorns

Roli's Ramblings

Saxon Blues

The Bloody Tea Party

Lady Tomoyo

Sanakanin

What Were Mistakes You've Made When You First Joined the Fashion...

Hi friends! <3

Another post for the Lolita Blog Carnival. Feel free to check the group out at 

https://www.facebook.com/groups/lolitablogcarnival/

This week's topic has us looking back to our early days in the fashion and reflecting on mistakes we have made. I think it's a great way to see how much we have improved and learned along the way.

I got into lolita fashion back in 2009 when I was in college. I was drawn to the cute prints and pastel colors. I wanted to wear them and be cute and colorful too. Unfortunately, I didn't have too much extra money and the know how to pursue it properly at the time. The following year I attempted a lolita outfit of my own, which I wore to a local con. And here's a more recent pic of a coord. 

 

Back then, I thought it would be easy to create an outfit or coord. Seeing these pics side by side, a few things stand out to me...

Using loliable items instead of items specifically designed for lolita-

 I used clothes and accessories that I already had instead of spending money on new things. I didn't see why I should spend money when I had a bunch of perfectly good clothes. I didn't realize my dress was too short. It also had the wrong shape; meaning no room for a petti under there either. The blouse was more suited for work with the pointy collar. Lolita blouses have high necks, rounded collars, and ruffles or lace. I'm wearing sandals instead of proper closed-toe shoes.

 No bloomers-

Yes, I wore underwear with my dress, but I didn't wear any bloomers over them. It seemed like a weird concept to me at the time. I ended up buying a few pairs of cute printed pj shorts to wear with my coords. After awhile now, I feel weird not wearing them if I'm in a skirt or dress. Even outside of lolita.

No petti-

Like with the bloomer issue, I didn't get the point of wearing a petti either. I'm not sure how I missed the connection between needing to wear a petti to make my dress poofy. I also didn't know how to go about buying one and how to pick a good quality one. Now you can search online, ask others for advice and even read reviews.

Lack of accessories-

I wore regular jewelry and made my little top hat. That's fine and all, but it didn't help my coord any. Accessories should be suited to the coord and help enhance it. This means that I should have gone for more cutesy and noticeable pieces instead. The large brooch on my headbow, sparkly cutlery earrings, and parfait necklace help tie my coord together and convey 'this is a sweet coord.' It also allows one the opportunity to personalize their coord and be unique.

There were also some misconceptions that I had.

Lolita was only for petite or tiny girls-

I love the brand Angelic Pretty. Everything I saw was being modeled by these tiny little Asian girls. I thought there was no way it would fit me. I know I'm not huge or anything, but by Japanese sizing standards I am considered plus sized. And I'm tall too. I believed that everything would either be too small or short on me. I later learned how to find clothes that fit my measurements and certain cuts or features to look for. Things such as shirring, adjustable straps, and longer lengths. Lolibrary (https://lolibrary.org/) is a great reference tool for doing this.

Lolita was expensive-

I thought I could not afford it as a student. I dreamed of getting a job, making a big paycheck and buying all the pretty things I wanted. While I didn't gain steady employment right after graduating, I did save up enough over time to be able to buy the occasional item. I spent many hours browsing the sales listings online noting what I liked, how much different things cost, and trying to mentally prepare myself to spend $40 on a headbow. You can also buy direct from the brands, or from a variety of auction/sales sites. Secondhand items are a lot less pricey than they used to be (unless you're after an older/rare item). Sometimes you can even get items new with tags!

Lolita was not suited to me-

I fell in love with the cute prints and colors, but wasn't sure about being so girly. I wore a t-shirt, jeans, and sneakers most of the time. The idea of dressing up in pretty skirts/dresses and in bright pastel colors was too much for me to do right away. So, I wore the sweet prints in the darker colorways (sometimes called 'bittersweet'). I worked my way up to wearing them how I originally had wanted to all along. It felt great to be confident in expressing my love for something so far outside my comfort zone.

Whew...  I didn't expect this to be such a lengthy post. I hope you've enjoyed reading it. If you'd like to see what others had to say about this topic, check out their blogs below:

The Bloody Tea Party