Wednesday 18 December 2013

Two Lolita Firsts

On the previous weekend, two Lolita related firsts happened to me.

First, I went to Sydney matsuri and wore a casual Lolita coordinate there. I enjoyed the festival and saw the Kawaii Fashion show. It was interesting seeing the Australian brands as well as the Baby outfits. Also, I liked Misako Aoki's outfit for the day. As there seems to be plenty of photos of said outfit, I am not going to place any on my blog. However, this is the link to her post about the fashion show. Unfortunately, I did not take a photo with Misako as I had no idea there would be such an opportunity. Maybe she'll come back to Australia one day. It was nice seeing her on stage and I was able to understand a lot of what she said in Japanese.

Anyway, the photo below is what I wore on the day.
Outfit Details
 
All of this except for the skirt is offbrand. The skirt is hand made. No petticoat is worn though because I do not own one at the moment.

 


Even though everything is offbrand, I think it is decent enough to pass for a casual coordinate. Wearing Lolita for the first time was an amazing experience once you get used to the attention it brings. Despite the bit of extra effort for Lolita, I really want to wear it again.

During the same weekend, I found the Angelic Pretty mook in Kinokuniya, which came with a Sugary Carnival tote bag. Due to the only way of buying brand in where I live being online and the cost, this is my very first brand piece and I love it.


 Seeing it for the first time, I was surprised at how it looked with a black background. Unfortunately, photos of Sugary Carnival don't do the black colourway justice. I wonder if this is true for other AP prints. Also, I would like to use it in the future, as part of either a Lolita or a non-Lolita outfit.

Sunday 8 December 2013

International Lolita Day December 2013

Happy International Lolita Day everyone.

Today, I am going to review the post from the last Loliday and write about each goal.

1. Increase Lolita wardrobe to a decent size

Regarding this goal, I have bought some things from Taobao but I have not received them. In terms of the items I specified in the previous post, I have ordered a petticoat, a blouse but not the pair of white shoes. Instead, I bought a pink pair and a blue pair. Along with those items, I have bought a few other things as well but they will be revealed when I review the items and the shopping service I used. That's not all I have done for this goal though.

 2. Create at least one basic Lolita skirt

I have achieved this goal fairly recently and below is the result.
 
Excuse the bad shot though. This skirt was made using the tutorial mentioned in my first International Lolita Day post. The only additions I made to it were the lace and the ribbon. Overall, it is pretty good for a first completed skirt. It is a simple design but it is something that could be used in a Sweet/Casual co-ordinate.
Above: Close up of the bow and lace.
Again, sorry for the photo but this is the first time I have photographed a garment. Despite it being a simple skirt to make, the amount of fabric was tricky to deal with as well as not having a pattern to cut the pieces from. However, I completed it and just started my second Lolita sewing project: a head bow from a GLB pattern.
 
3. Wear Lolita at least once
 
This goal has not been achieved yet but I did say before the end of the year and it is only the end of the first week of December. Anyway, I do have plans to wear the handmade skirt featured in this post and currently looking for anything that could be used to make a co-ordinate with it. If relying on mainstream stores, it is difficult to find suitable items but I should be able to find a few things though. I will probably do a post on my first Lolita outfit.
 
 

Friday 29 November 2013

Lolita Blog Carnival: Decorating Your Lolita Inspired Holiday Party

I can't believe it's less than a month until Christmas. The start of the silly season.

If I had to organise a Lolita themed Christmas party, I would first decorate the tree with various decorations such as pink, purple and silver baubles; tree lights and a few Nutcracker/ballet inspired decorations. Also, the tree would be white instead of green. On top of the tree, I would place a star. Below the tree would be fake presents that are wrapped with paper that is printed with various Lolita prints.

Above: A white Christmas tree as an example to the one I would be using.
Below: Pink decorations that may be used on the tree.

With the "presents", the featured prints would be a mix of the main substyles (Sweet, Classic and Gothic). Also, within the presents would be the party bags for each of the guests. However, those bags would actually be boxes and would contain a pair of knee high socks as well as anklets for the coming Australian summer as well as some lollies that are nicely wrapped/from a lolly shop.

The table would have an elegant but festive tablecloth with fancy serving plates. One of those plates would contain any Lolita/Loliable jewellery that I own (At the moment, I only have Loliable ones though). Next to that would be a bowl with lollies in it. As the centrepiece, there would be some flowers in a vase with Christmas crackers standing up around it.
Above: Not exactly Lolita, but is an elegant Christmas design that could be incorporated into a Lolita Christmas party.
 

For the lighting, I would use fairy lights as well as candles instead of normal lighting in order to bring out a Victorian yet modern atmosphere (something that could describe Lolita in a way).
But at some point, the normal lighting would go on if any of the Lolitas wanted to take pictures under ordinary lighting.

Finally, I would do something loosely based on an article that was advertised on the front cover of an issue of GLB. The cover said  "Doitsu no kurimasu" (in katakana, obviously. I also do not vouch for complete accuracy here). This means "(A) German Christmas" in English. Instead of German traditions, I would use a few Finnish traditions instead. For example, I would serve Gingerbread biscuits following a recipe based on how my late great-grandmother used to make them. They would be shaped on various Lolita motifs (think bows, cute animals, flowers etc.). Another delicacy I would serve would be pulla (for an idea of it/recipe, click here).
Link to LBC facebook page

Other blogs participating

The Cute Lifestyle

 Hello Batty
 
 
 


Friday 18 October 2013

Lolita Blog Carnival: My Favourite Print Theme in Lolita

 In Lolita, I have two favourite print themes: cute animals and sweets. If I think about it, all of my dream dresses have one or both of those themes. Even my latest dream dress, Promenade de Paris has these in the form of a poodle and a patisserie in the background as well as a lolly shop.


Above: Angelic Pretty's Promenade de Paris print. There are plenty of lolly shops and patisseries present but the adorable poodle does play a minor role here.



Above: AP's Dreaming of Macarons OP. I wish I could show the picture that made be fall in love with the print though but close enough (the original picture had the mint colourway).
What do I like about these two themes? I'm just a sucker for anything cute and really enjoy sweets. Actually, my first dream dress, Dreaming of Macarons fits under this theme even though I had never tasted nor knew what a macaron is at that point (I've had plenty of them now). However, what got my attention was the cakes that were present at the bottom of the OP. That was around five years ago before macarons became popular in Australia.

Recently, I saw Infanta's creamy cat print while looking for what to buy on my first Taobao shop. Because it combines both of my favourite print themes together, I wanted it as soon as I saw it. I just hope it hasn't sold out yet.

Above: Infanta's Creamy Cat. This is the first (and only) print from an indie brand that is on my dream dress list. Cats and dessert=super nice.

Speaking of sweets, AP's not yet released print, Donut Holiday, looks really good too. I have never seen donuts in a Lolita print before but only time will tell how it goes.


Above: AP's Donut Holiday. I wonder when AP is going to announce the release date of this print.
 
Above: Not Lolita related, but I could not help but think of Homer Simpson when I saw Donut Holiday. Sweet prints...mmm. (My words: Cute animals...awwww.)


https://m.ak.fbcdn.net/sphotos-e.ak/hphotos-ak-frc1/581410_3690648225658_1684158216_n.jpg

Other blogs participating

Under the parasol
Smithsonian
Lace a la Mode
Daily Fuckery
The Cute Lifestyle
Pretty Little Habits
Lolita Glamour
Le Boudoir
Hello Batty
Starry-eyed Lolita







 

Saturday 14 September 2013

Angelic Pretty's Fancy Paper Dolls

Today, Angelic Pretty just released its newest print: Fancy Paper Dolls. This print is unique in that it is toy themed but in a different way. Another thing that is unusual for a print release is that it has no OP.

 

 
 First is the tiered JSK. It is high waisted but it has a belt like ribbon on it. The lace neck line is soft and has three bows on it, two in the same colour as the JSK and one in a different colour. One clever use of the print is to use a smaller print on the bodice and first skirt tier and to use a bigger print on the bottom tier. It also has full back shirring, making it very flexible in terms of sizing.
 

 
Next is the collared JSK. It also has the same print design and waist ribbon as the tiered JSK but it is less high waisted and does not have a tiered skirt. The collar adds a semi quirky feel to a pretty unique print. When tied, the halter ties create a gigantic bow, which is cute. The ribbon from the collar adds a lovely touch to it has well as the collar edging. The heart shaped buttons also add a cute but elegant touch, which reminds me why I am so attracted to Sweet Lolita. This JSK has half back shirring, also making it fit a variety of sizes.
 
 
 

Finally, the print itself. The Fancy Paper Dolls print uses two AP mascots: Lyrical Bunny and Shy Bear as well as another bunny and a mouse. The print is cute and quirky due to the use of animals and the paper cut out doll theme. It even goes as far as using furniture and décor that would belong in a doll house/girl's bedroom. One thing that I find unique in this print is that it incorporates the Dreamy Baby Room OP, bonnet and the iconic heart pochette.
 
Overall, this is a nice print. One thing that is interesting about this print is that all of the colours have their merits, but I would have a hard time choosing between the pink, sax and lavender colourways. This is because I am not a big fan of using black in Sweet Lolita, personally. Speaking of mascots and iconic pieces, two which I would like to see in a new release is Vanilla Chan and the famous Pony Bag. They are too cute.




Friday 2 August 2013

Lolita Blog Carnival: Favourite brand

My favourite Lolita brand is Angelic Pretty because it uses both bright and pastel colours and is very girly as well as being OTT, sweet and classic-sweet.

Most of my favourite prints come from AP. For example, Dreaming of Macarons, Milky planet, Whimsical Vanilla Chan and Promenade de Paris to name a few. Speaking of prints, AP uses a lot of my two favourite motif categories: animals and sweets.




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 Above: Marshmallow bunny and Whip Magic.

Also, I like the fact that the plastic jewellery that AP produces seem like cheap plastic toy jewellery at first glance, but when you look closer, you can see the craftsmanship and the quality of the plastic. Also, the designs are cute. The headwear AP produces also has similar attention to detail and is very unique.



Above: two examples of plastic accessories that include a few of my favourite things: ice cream, lollies, colour and glitter.

Finally, the signature AP shoe, Tea Parties, are my dream Lolita shoe. I love the ribbon on the end of the shoe as well as the scalloped edge. Also, the strap pattern is quite unique and the Japanese names for the colours remind me of sweets such as marshmallow, chocolate and strawberry milk (go check the Japanese AP online shop if you don't believe me). The only problem with buying Tea Parties is that they are expensive.


Above: Tea Parties in blue (Soda) and pink (Strawberry milk).


At the moment, I do not have anything by AP but when I do my first major Lolita shop, maybe I will find something secondhand. If there was an AP shop/stockist in Australia, I would definitely buy something, even an accessory.


 Other blogs participating
 
 
 
 

Sunday 14 July 2013

Angelic Pretty's Promenade de Paris series

Today, AP just released its Promenade de Paris series, which is the first city inspired print I have seen in Lolita.

First, the OP has a boatneck/sailor neck line with a bib on the top. Instead of the waist bow, it has a waist ribbon, which creates a belt like effect. Also, the pleats at the bottom is something different from the lace that is normally seen. The use of a pink background with purple detailing is cute. The only problem with the OP is that it has no shirring whatsoever, which restricts the sizing. Overall, it is a nice OP.

 
 
Next is the halter neck JSK, which has a larger bib than the OP but does not have the waist ribbon. But it has a bow on the upper part of the bib and half back shirring. It also has a removable waist tie at the back, making it flexible in terms of sizing. The sax colourway does not have the same effect as the pink x purple one. However, the pink ribbon borders on the print do stand out more, which creates a strong effect.
 
 
 
The skirt of this series is another non-traditional miniskirt that you cannot fit a petticoat in. Sure, Lolita does not always require one but the shape of this miniskirt seems to be very inflexible because the hips need to be within a certain width or the skirt will not fit in contrast to the traditional bell-shaped skirt, which is a free size in the hip area. With this particular skirt, the pleats break up such a beautiful print, which is a shame but the ribbon detailing on the upper area is a nice touch.
 
Overall, the Paris inspired print does give the impression of walking though a Parisian street with cafes, patisseries and other kinds of shops. The print also includes two features of Paris: The Eiffel tower and a woman (in this case a girl dressed in Lolita) walking her poodle. I would consider buying the OP or the halter neck jumper skirt in either pink/purple or sax if I could.


Tuesday 9 July 2013

Glitter shoes

 


I love the glitter Mary Janes that Misako Aoki sometimes wears. However, there seems to be no mention of where she got them from.
Also, I have not seen any of the main Sweet Lolita brands sell any type of glitter shoe even though I think they do suit Sweet Lolita well. In Australia, there are sparkly shoes (I.e. glitter, sequins, rhinestones) for sale at various shops. I have a pair of glitter shoes though.

 Above: My glitter flats
Below: The glitter flats being worn
 
Unfortunately, the above photos seem to mute the effect of the glitter but the rainbow glitter can be seen. In regards to Lolita, these shoes could be worn in Sweet Lolita and due to the colours present in the shoe, could work well with any co-ordinate as long as it has colour in the OP/JSK/skirt in my opinion.
 
It's a shame that the brands have not created glitter shoes even though they have glitter prints and accessories with glitter. Maybe that could be a future trend for Lolita (not that Lolita relies on trends a lot). 

Monday 3 June 2013

International Lolita Day

Yesterday was International Lolita Day, which is held twice a year on the first Saturday of June and the first Saturday of December.

In this post, I will talk about a few personal goals for Lolita in time for the next International Lolita Day.

1. Increase Lolita wardrobe to a decent size

So far, I only have one OP, one jumper skirt, a couple of cutsews, a pair of tights and a black pair of Mary Janes and a couple of ballet flats as well as some small accessories as my Lolita wardrobe. Sounds pretty limited, even if you add a few cardigans that may fit into a few coordinates. As a sweet Lolita, black Mary Janes aren't very versatile unless you're a bittersweet Lolita, which I am not too interested in. For this reason, one goal is to add on to my Lolita wardrobe by buying at least a blouse, a pair of white Lolita shoes and a petticoat. Another thing I want to do to add on to my Lolita wardrobe is to...

2. Create at least one basic Lolita skirt

I have taken up sewing since last year and have attempted a couple of skirts. One of them was a Lolita skirt but it was not very good. The next skirt I make will be another Lolita skirt but this time I hope it will be something that can be worn. The method used to make the first Lolita skirt and will be used again is the Basic Full Elastic Waistband Loli Skirt. It is a basic pattern that can be played around with in terms of resizing and adding embellishment and lace.

3. Wear Lolita at least once

Due to its nature, Lolita is hard to wear in everyday life especially if you are a science student. The only time I could wear it is on the weekends. It is also different from mainstream fashion which adds to the difficulty of wearing it. For this reason, I have not been able to wear full Lolita. I have worn something that could be semi-Lolita a few times and the closest I have been to wearing it is a coordinate involving my white OP, pink ballet flats and a small white hair bow clip. Because of this, I would like to wear Lolita at least once before the end of this year.

Above: AP Tea Party shoes. Maybe these will be my white Lolita shoes but not very likely though.
When I have done goals 2 and 3, I may post about them. I hope I can achieve all of them by the end of this year but if I had to choose only one to achieve, it would be hard but because goal 2 will be helpful in improving my sewing even if I do leave Lolita, I would choose goal 2.

Saturday 4 May 2013

Baby's Seven Colour Prism

I'm sorry it's been more than a month since I posted. I've been really busy studying.

In this post, I will be reviewing Baby's Seven Colour Prism Series.
First is the Seven Colour Prism Alice Chan Patterned Saint JSK. The neckline is unusual for a Lolita JSK, in my opinion because it is a boat neck. It does give it a 50's flair though. The skirt is a tiered one that does look nice with the theme of the JSK. The sizing of the dress does seem to be flexible but is still small. Overall, the JSK does look cute and is a unique piece that could be welcome in a sweet wardrobe. Because of the quirkiness of the JSK but still being cute, I would consider buying it.

 
Next up is the Seven Colour Prism Alice Chan Skirt. It is a simple skirt as the only decorations added to it are the lace and ribbon on the hem, making the print on the skirt stand out. The print is a cute print that is Alice based but does it in a softer way by use of pastel colours. One problem with the skirt is that it will only fit those with a small waist of less than 70cm. Even AP's standard sizing allows girls with a waist bigger than 70cm to fit in most standard skirts. However, this skirt is cute and is something I would like to buy.
 
If I could buy at least either the JSK or the skirt, I would choose either pink or sax because I think they would look nicer with such a soft, pastel print.
 
 
I could not resist these pieces of jewellery in the series. A biscuit with "Eat me" written on them is a cute way of referring to Alice in Wonderland and they are not too OTT to wear with everyday clothing. Because of this, I would buy these if I ever have the chance to. I would possibly choose at least one item of each colour (milk tea or white) because they are cute and the biscuits do look decadent.


Friday 22 March 2013

Explanation for outfit 2

Sorry about separating what was supposed to be one post into four but I have just started using Polyvore and have not gotten used to it yet but  I will be better next time I make an outfit post.

My second Easter outfit includes AP Sheep Garden which is well suited to Easter because it has lambs and the colours suit spring and Easter well. But it is Autumn in Australia now so if it does get cold, I would suggest wearing a cardigan or bolero over this. I chose the other three items to be basic in order to draw attention to the OP.

Easter coord number 2

Two outfits for Easter

Easter is only a week away but in this post, I am going to show two Lolita coordinates that are suited to Easter.

First is a melty chocolate set, which is in the previous post that is well suited to Easter because it has chocolate prints in it. The bodyline blouse was chosen in order to prevent it being a one brand outfit but the headbow and jumper skirt with the blouse makes a nice traditional Lolita outfit that could go well with some jewellery that has chocolate motifs and a pair of pink or brown OTKs or tights.

The second set is coming up in the next post.



 

Untitled #1

Saturday 2 March 2013

Angelic Pretty's Candy Fun Fair series


In this post, I will review AP's Candy Fun Fair OP, JSK and skirt.

 
 First, the OP has a quite distinct bodice and skirt. One thing which is lovely about the OP is that it has back shirring, which makes it something that will fit a wide range of sizes, from standard Japanese to plus-size it seems. Another feature about the OP which I like is the white bib on the bodice, which has lace edges as well as a centre that alternates between a button and a ribbon. Overall, the OP seems to be very flexible in terms of sizing and is a piece that is quite unique. Because it is quite OTT, it is probably best suited to a meet up/convention in my opinion.
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Next, the JSK is a bit less OTT than the OP but has features such as a waist bow and beading lace across the skirt that does affect its daily wearability. As with the OP, it has back shirring which stretches quite significantly, making it ideal for those who are plus sized. The use of rick rack as a trim is an alternative to lace as well as having no trim on the bottom tier. This would be a piece that could be worn outside of meetups or conventions if the wearer is daring enough to do so as it is still different from mainstream fashion.
 

 Finally, the skirt is quite simple in terms of detail other than the print and can be worn with or without the suspenders, further increasing the daily wearability of this item. The details with the skirt include rick rack and a few bows. I do like the scalloped hem with the lace at the bottom as it does add a decorative touch without adding on too much. One problem with the skirt though, is that it is in standard AP skirt sizing, which means that it is fairly limited in terms of sizing. Overall, it is a fairly simple skirt for sweet Lolita that could be worn by the daring on a semi-regular basis but due to the scalloped hem, I would not advise it to be worn without a petticoat.

The print does remind me of a carnival and makes me feel of eating something sweet. Because of this and the detail on the OP and the JSK, I would buy one of them if I could but would like the skirt if it would fit me. In terms of colourway, I would have a hard time deciding between ivory, mint and red because they bring out different aspects of the print without blurring the print, as black does.

Sunday 10 February 2013

Wish list

There are several prints on my wish list, some brand and some offbrand. In this post, I will cover three of the prints on my wish list.



The first print is Bodyline's Soft Cream. The print reminds me of ice cream and the ribbon border just draws attention to the ice cream cones, which are filled with soft serve ice cream of multiple colours and each cone seems to have multiple toppings. The rest of the jumperskirt is also filled with various motifs. This, in my opinion, is one of Bodyline's best original prints.


 The next print is AP's whimsical vanilla chan. The cats (which are my favourite animal) on the skirt are cute and have various expressions. The ribbons vertically arranged on the skirt and bordering the kitties draw attention to the cats and the alternating colour ribbons on the cats' necks are a very attractive detail on the print. When I first saw it, I wished I could buy it but I guess I have to wait until I can find it second hand or get a replica of it.

When I first saw the Dreaming of Macarons OP in a GLB, I wished I could get it and also wanted to look at the Angelic Pretty online store and fell in love with the brand. The cakes at the bottom as well as the various macarons and strawberries across the OP just made me fall in love with the print even though I had never tasted a macaron in my life nor knew the full name of the print at first (I could originally read the name of the print as something "seeing macarons" from my ability to read katakana and a handful of kanji at the time). Seeing it again at an online second hand shop and how it would fit me made me disappointed at the time as I was not able to afford it at the time but someday...

Monday 4 February 2013

Meta's Fancy Egg

For my first opinion post on a brand print, I have chosen to do Meta's Fancy Egg.



First, the pinafore jumperskirt in mini length does seem to have a nice cupcake shape and might be well suited to a sweet-classic wardrobe or a sweet wardrobe.  The bows on the straps add a nice touch as well as the waist ribbon. Compared to other jumperskirts, this one is relatively simple. Personally, I would have considered adding lace to the hem instead of chiffon but that is just my taste.





The skirt is also cupcake shaped, which would also make it well suited to a sweet-classic or a sweet wardrobe. Even though there is chiffon attached to the hem, there is less on the skirt, which makes it look better. On the waist, there is a removable bow that has a pearl chain attached to it. As with the jumperskirt, this skirt is also quite simple.

Between the jumperskirt and the skirt, I would choose the skirt because of the bow and the lower amount of chiffon used. Between the four colours (black, pink, sax and green), I would have a hard time choosing between pink and sax because they both add brightness to the print and bring out the best in the colour palette used for the print.

Saturday 2 February 2013

My Aspergers

From a personal perspective, having Aspergers is both a disability and a personality difference.

The disability is my difficulty in understanding social situations as well as a "normal" person. This is similar to culture shock in some ways such as interpreting body language and emotions as well as understanding social rules. For me, body language is a language that is similar to a second language. This may be hard to understand for someone who can easily pick up on non verbal signals but imagine that these non verbal "words" were in a language that you cannot understand. As with a second language, I have learn to interpret non verbal language but I am not exactly fluent in it.

Speaking of second languages, learning Japanese has given me a deeper understanding of social rules by studying another culture and practising dialogue that is similar to a social situation.

One thing that can be both a disability and a personality difference are my semi enhanced senses. There are some things that I can not tolerate sometimes to the point of feeling sick (e.g. the smell of oranges). On the other hand, there are somethings that I find calming such as touching satin.

In terms of personality differences, I find it easier to understand something if it is presented visually rather than verbally. This is common with many Aspies (another way of saying "people with Aspergers"). Because of this, I find reading something easier than listening to the same thing. Perhaps this is why I taught myself to read before starting school.

My visual preference could be one reason why I was drawn to Lolita fashion in the first place. Another reason for this that could relate to my Aspergers is the detail that is present in Lolita clothing.

Speaking of detail, I can be quite detail oriented and sometimes a perfectionist. For example, I can have a very good assignment when marked but I can see it as average.

To end this post, I will quote Simon Baron-Cohen,  a renowned Autism researcher in a brief summary of Autism (this can be applied to Aspergers as well).

"Autism is both a disability and a difference. We need to find ways of alleviating the disability while respecting and valuing the difference."

Introducing Pink lace + Glitter

Welcome to Pink lace + Glitter.

Let me start off with the "average" Australian. She is 164cm tall, is of English descent, possibly comes from a family with married or divorced parents.

That is not me.
I am only 155-156cm tall, half-Finnish and I come from a single parent family and my mother has never been married. Other things that separate me from the "normal" Australian include I have Asperger's syndrome (which is a form of Autism) and I have an interest in Lolita fashion. For more information on Lolita fashion (Not the novel), then please look at Hello Lace. On the Lolita side of things, I prefer Sweet, which I am trying to get into.

In this blog, I will be discussing Lolita, being different and sometimes struggling with it. I do struggle with being different because I have been bullied because of my Aspergers. Because of the bullying, I have felt that being different can be wrong at times and why should I do something that will make me more different and might get hurt because of it?

 

Above: One of my favourite Angelic Pretty prints, Milky Planet.