LBC: 1 Piece, 4 Seasons

This week's Lolita Blog Carnival was a great practice session if one was a little bit stuck in the co-ord department. Also, it gave me a chance to play around with Polyvore, which is always fun!

For my 1 piece, I chose a dress which has no seasonal "vibe" to it as such, but I wanted something that was not plain and easy to work with, either. Therefore, I went with Baby the Stars Shine Bright's "Kitty Kitty Rhapsody" print! 

(I'm a sucker for cats... I need that print in my wardrobe at some point!)

Fall Coordinate

For the fall coordinate, I wanted to play up the cream aspects of the print, with just a little bit of the pale pink thrown in there as accent colors. With that in mind, and also kitty cats, I chose the fawn fur, which again gave me the chance to add in some darker fall colors. I think the fawn fur nudged me in a more outdoor-sy direction, so I went for a pair of comfy looking victorian boots and a hat that resembles a victorian riding hat. Perfect for a walk in the forest! All in all, I think it turned out very classy and very different from how I usually see this dress coordinated. 

Spring Coordinate

For spring, I thought it would be most appropriate to play up the gentle pink color! And what goes better with gentle pink than chiffon and princess themes? Instead of white, I decided to go with cream, as it suits the print more. The sheer tights with little polka dots and the sheer collar of the blouse adds a princess-like feel to the coordinate. I went with a bonnet and flowers because of the romance. The cat ear headbands could be used along with the flower clips, if bonnets are not really your thing.

Summer Coordinate

For summer, I really wanted to make the hot pink details of the print pop! And when I found the hat, I just had to go in kind of a sailor-ish direction. What I had in mind for this coord, was a nice walk along the harbor, eating icecream, eating lunch out of a picnic basket and enjoying the sun and smell of the ocean. Very much the danish summer for you! 

I should have added in a pair of cat-eye sunglasses, now that I think about it.

Winter Coordinate

For winter, it is all about fluffy snowball kittens. I wanted to make this coordinate as fluffy and snowy as possible, without resorting to cat-paw mittens. I chose a soft cutsew instead of a blouse, because I wanted a cozy coordinate as opposed to "formal". For extra warmt, I added in the bolero. We're still in the princess-like department, as you can see from the ribbons, pearls and lace. I wouldn't recommend walking on slippery surfaces in those boots. They're purely for decorative purposes.
Oh, and the snowflake is a pendant! How cute is that!?


This week's theme was a lot of fun! It was very interesting, making a single print that might seem a bit "closed off", work in a bunch of different coordinates with very different themes, color schemes and "weather conditions".

Still stuck on how to make "that dress" work for the upcoming spring? Check out these blogs for inspiration!

Elegant Poupée

Breidholt

Vanilla's Traumfabrik
Whimsical Adventures
Wearable Magic
Poppy Noir
Helado de Cereza
New Vogue Children
Electric Carousel
Pretty Little Habits
The Bloody Tea Party

Meet-Up: So very artsy-fartsy!

This saturday I went with my local Lolita girls to the "Aros" museum in Aarhus, which is a museum of modern art. It's a good hour or two away from where I live, but it was worth it! I'd never been to Aros before, and I was quite curious, as the danish queen and her husband has just opened an exhibition at Aros, featuring a bunch of their own artistic creations. We met up at the trainstation at about noon, and walked to the museum.

Almost all of the pictures in this post was taken by other Lolitas, as my new phone camera is suckish. 

We met up with the rest of the girls there, and then just started from the bottom floor and worked our way up!

At the bottom floor Aros has a lot of sensory exhibits. It's like a maze of halls that look exactly alike, with doors on each site. Behind every door, you find a different room. Most of them are very dark, only lit up by the art in the room. The art could be anything from a huge, slowmotion picture on each wall, showing water that is slowly falling upwards, or a huge, luminescent egg. We were especially fascinated by one of the only decorated rooms. It was named something along the lines of "The Neighbor's Living Room". The room was dark, and built like there was a balcony outside, with a breeze that made the laundry outside move a little bit. As we went about the room, examining the books on the shelves, the furniture and strange decor, the sun started to rise outside. It was pretty neat!

Group shot in the neighbors' living room!

We went upstairs to take a look at the rest of the modern art. This was most definetely not my favorite part of the museum, but I'm not gonna complain, as I knew what I got into. Modern art is modern art when it comes to paintings, and it's never gonna be my cup of tea! So I let art be art, and enjoyed the company instead, and talked to a couple of the nice, elderly ladies who complimented and asked about our clothes. We were quite popular that day. Of course some people had to ask if we were part of a happening somewhere on the museum, or if one of the girls were getting married (so the rest of her were her bachelorette party? haha!)

Ceiling mirror!

We did get to see the exhibition that I had been looking forward to- The "Pas de Deux Royal"! I had pretty high expectations, even if I didn't know what to expect- I were not dissapointed! Queen Margrethe has done some pretty cool things. Bishop robes that she had designed were exhibited, and they looked stunning. A bunch of pretty paintings were there as well, and there was a room dedicated to the costumes that she had designed for the royal ballet. My favorite part were her illustrations for the danish version of J.R.R. Tolkien's "The Lord of the Rings"!

Sadly, I've got no pictures of this part of the trip. But take my word for it- It was pretty cool!

We went upstairs once more, to an exhibition of the owner of the museum's 100 favorite pieces. These were handpicked by the guy, whomever he is. There were a couple of very pretty pieces amongst them, but a lot of our time was just spent goofing around with various illuminescent surfaces and funny mirrors. Lots of selfies were taken and shared through snapchat and Facebook!

My least favorite piece of art was part of this exhibition- Since when was 20-30 jars with pieces of a slaughtered horse on a shelf considered "art"? Oh well. Whatever floats ya' boat, I guess.

The paintings by Julie Nord is always awesome, though! I love her mixture of storybook-like drawings and eerie elements. Of course we had to take a group shot in front of the Rococo-esque one!

Cool stuff that I've got no pictures of would be: The huge, extremely lifelike statue of a boy covering in a corner, looking at us suspiciously over his shoulder, and a video of a woman being turned into a dragqueen, but played backwards! We were in awe by the transformation.

Also, it was of course not possible to photograph exactly how much fun we had, getting to know each other even more! We're meeting up again, in my town this time, for a teaparty! I'm planning on contributing with some delicious, chewy cookies, with pieces of mixed chocolates inside.

Last but not least, to make you guys even more hungry..

Have a picture of the cupcakes our host brought along! They were banana-chocolate cupcakes!
Made to look like Lolita poops.. Hence the rainbow sprinkles.

We ended the afternoon perfectly, at the local bubbletea café, and then split up.

All in all, I had a great afternoon!

Indie-Brand Interview: Atelier Dormir

Today I'm really happy to be able to share an interview with you guys, that I've been wanting to do for a while now! This interview is with an aquiantance of mine, the lovely Laelette of the indie-brand Atelier Dormir! I met her when I applied for my position as a mentor on the facebook group, Lolita Fashion Mentoring, of which she's the admin, and since then I've been following how she's been gaining more and more succes with her indie-brand, that specializes in cute and elegant Lolita lounge wear!

I hope you guys will enjoy this interview as much as I enjoyed talking to Lae about such things as working towards your goals, future dreams, and all that really goes into running a Lolita business.

Northern Star- NS

Atelier Dormir- AD

NS: What does “Atelier Dormir” mean to you?

AD: You know, it actually took me a good couple years to come up with a name. I've always known I wanted to sewing for a living, well before I found Lolita fashion. I wanted the name to leave an instant impression and got closer and closer to the name the more I found what it was I loved to sew. "Goodnight, Sweetheart" was going to be name for a good year but I felt it didn't express my work well enough. It had to have the same feel of the clothes. One thing I've always been obsessed with is Rococo and french history. It's a very romantic notion that there would be one shop that all fine ladies would go to for their undergarments. These were called Ateliers, it's means a supreme workshop. My clothes are for night wear and relaxing hence "Dormir". Dormir actually appears to be a verb! Meaning to sleep or relax. So the Atelier isn't me. The Atelier is you. As wearing the clothes makes you the supreme of relaxing. Though in the french language it actually might be a very large Oxymoron! "The working place of doing nothing"

A couple of the portaits that has worked as inspiration for the designer of Atelier Dormir

NS: A “Baby the Stars Shine Bright” designer once said, that Lolita fashion is in part about waking up the dreams that we had when we were little girls. What dream would you like to awaken in your customers, when they put on your creations?

AD: I want them to feel naturally beautiful. To feel care free. My lounge sets are heavily designed from portraits of young girls running through meadows and playing by river beds amongst daisies or lounging on huge lush silk Chaise lounges eating Rose petal bonbons relaxing after a long day of being beautiful. I want to invoke a sense of beauty when the make up comes off and the dress goes back into the closet. That was always my least favourite part of Lolita events. Taking off your wig and pealing off the eyelashes. Now lounging doing reading, sewing, playing video games feels just as beautiful and fun! I really like to dwell on a the idea of a care free life style. Being able to shut the real world out in your time to relax and unwind. Sitting in the garden doing nothing but laying in the sun. Though last summer I almost got no work done! I ended up lounging in my garden sipping rose tea instead of sewing!

I'm so in love with the detailing on these bloomers!

NS: What’s an average day at Atelier Dormir like?

AD: Every day I wake up at 8:30am. I go down stairs for a cup of coffee and a bowl of cereal and then at 10am I go back up stairs to wash my face and sanitize my hands. Hygiene is very important to me! I was my hands with an absinthe solution. I walk past the product closet and usually take a look inside to remind myself of how hard I work. I've never had so many bloomers hanging up before! It looks like a dress rail in a shop. Then I go to my desk and open up my work log and sign in. I write down everything that I do and the time I do it in. It's important to keep track of your progress. It's also how I work out how much the products actually cost. I even write in lunch and dinner breaks and if anything is interrupted. Look up to my "Enchanted" count down, an event we'll be selling at and rip off a day. Today it's 68 days till Enchanted (Note: That was by 01/26-2014) ! I set my goal for the day and turn on my machines and unfold my ironing board. Today I finished off my black bloomer's "shells" A Shell is what we call an undecorated pair of bloomers. They needed their waist band's finished and their tags sewn in! Now they're ready to be steam cleaned and decorated with bows, roses, pearls and chains. I have lunch at 1pm downstairs with my work log. On my lunch breaks I like to draw in more designs. Then back up stairs I go to wash up and keep sewing. To keep me motivated I listen to Trance music! All day I turn on the spotify radio and listen to NNSST NNST NNST or various techno music. Such as "Totally enormous extinct dinosaurs" I've found over the years music with a very fast beat makes you work faster. My working day almost always ends at 10pm or until I'm too tired. I'd keep sewing but when you're tired you make clumsy mistakes. I work Sunday-Friday and on Saturday's we have business meetings and do our quality checks! We go through all of what's been made that week and then discuss what we're doing. We all sit at my dining room table with coffees at my laptop having in depth discussions about colours and fabrics. We all have really different ideas about what we want to do. Sometimes I take a day off. Though it's usually only if I've finished a large amount of work. I recently finished a £100 order so I allowed myself a half day off to go see a movie!

NS: You sound incredibly busy! How many days off would you say you have in, like, a month?

AD: Maybe two? You have your breaking points but you're reminded you can't stop. You've got a deadline, a goal and customers are waiting. When I begin to get sad and want to go back to sleep I remember that my customers are waiting, and that usually fires me up. If there's one thing I can't emotionally stand doing, it's upsetting a customer. If I'm taking too long on an order I can start to have panic attacks but that's where my project manager steps in and calms me down. He usually tells me to go have an ice lolly and get some fresh air.

Exquisite charming charms.

NS: What has been your happiest moment as an independent designer and seamstress, so far?

AD: Every time a customer writes to me to say how much they love their order. I could cry of happiness! They're the most important part to me. 

When we got the confirmation email from the organizers of "Enchanted" that was a big dream come true. I've always wanted to sell at a big event. So I actually did cry from happiness. To other businesses I know it's not a big deal but to me it's going to be one of the best day's of my life. People buying my art, going out of their way to find my stall or even just complimenting my stall. It's what I've always wanted in life.

NS: What has been the most difficult part of running your own brand?

AD: The sewing. It's 80% of the work. It's fun to talk to customers, it's fun to draw pretty dresses and visit museums to find inspiration. 20 pairs of bloomers, 40 legs, 80 bits of fabric. 40 legs that need to be sewn, pressed, locked. Doing anything 40 times in one day can get a bit boring if you don't make a game of it. A hard day's work leaves you with a pile of oddly shaped fabric. You have to keep yourself focused!

NS: What’s your biggest dream when it comes to your brand? What do you hope that the future holds?

AD: My biggest dream for Atelier Dormir is a physical shop. An actual real life boutique in the heart of Amsterdam with happy well paid staff and a design team of my own! To be able to host brand tea parties, sell lucky packs, have ques of people on new releases. I'm dreaming pretty big but I know if I believe in myself I can do it.

A possible future addition to the Atelier Dormir shop (with more lace and frills). Keeping my fingers crossed!

NS: Do you have any advice you’d like to give to aspiring Lolita designers, or other Lolitas who’re pursuing their dreams?

AD: Don't ever listen to anyone who tries to tell you it's not possible. I once read an article on EGL saying it was impossible to make money or a business from just sewing bloomers. I agreed with them. I was an idiot! Sometimes you need to throw realism straight out the window to really achieve your dreams. It used to be impossible to travel more than 30mph, it used to be impossible to touch the moon itself, so if all that can be possible, you can achieve your dreams!

NS: Last but not least- Could you give us a tiny hint on what we can expect to see from you next?

AD: Pink and collaborations. That is all.

I feel so lucky that I know someone with such impressive spirit, and I can't wait to find out what that very secretive end to the interview is hiding! I wonder who they could be collaborating with..
Thank you so much for the interview, Atelier Dormir!

To see more of Atelier Dormir, visit their Facebook page!
Oh, and they also have a blog. That one can be found right here.

All photos on this page were borrowed with permission from Atelier Dormir.

52 Weeks: The Ways in Which I Fit the Cliché

This week's topic of the weekly Lolita blog challenge has been decided by destiny (aka. Random.org) and is numbler 42! I'm gonna talk about the ways in which I fit the both dreaded and loved Lolita cliché!

Despite Lolita being sort of an "umbrella-term" that covers so many different substyles and aesthetics, some of which are almost polar opposites, there is a general cliché as to what the ideal "Lifestyle Lolita" likes and should be. This sweet, polite maiden of class, who enjoys a good tea party, survives on nothing but cake and oxygen, and does nothing if there's the risk of getting her wig in a tangle.

Too good to be true, of course! But is there a chance that I share some common traits with this goddess of Lolita-dom? 

Guilty as charged- Tea parties are gold!

Tea parties are my favorite type of meet-up. Even better, if they're at somebody's house, and everybody bring homemade cakes and fingerfoods! Tea parties are the perfect way to catch up, gossip or get to know each other. The atmosphere is a lot more intimate than going to the movies or to the museum. Also, you don't have to worry about money or being able to reserve a table! 

There are really no cons, I think. Especially if everybody helps with the clean-up afterwards.

I love baking- Especially macarons!

Lolita fashion is crazy about macarons. You could probably spot the little french pastry in more prints than you could fluffy kittens, and even in prints where they make no sense. While I might not be as skilled a pastry maker as little miss Lifestyle Lolita, I love baking! I use almost any excuse I can get to whip out some type of cake, and the more creative I can get with the recipe, the better. When I choose to stick to the recipe, however, I love making macarons. Also because they're quite challenging to get right!

Bram Stoker, Jane Austen, Edgar Allan Poe.. I love my oldies!

I enjoy the classics, like a real lady (haha!). "Dracula" is a beautiful piece of literature with a touch of action, "Pride and Prejudice" is hilarious but romantic, and the works of Edgar Allan Poe makes you consider things you'd never thought of before. The man might have been.. complicated company, but reading him is complicated in the way I enjoy. 

If you're not easily bored by difficult, old-fashioned language, there is something for everyone on the classic bookshelf.

 I'm still looking to get a copy of "Jane Eyre", too. The movie was awesome!

Needle and thread? Well..
I have recently started making my own stuff, so I guess I can kind of/sort of put that one on my list. Apart from that, I've always been a creative soul. I love drawing, and my style range from the Tim Burton-esque to "Sailor Senshi! Kawaii!" stuff. 

Skillwise, these are the ways that I'd say that I fit the bill. I may add, that I have watched Kamikaze Girls and bought the book, I decorate my house with antiques, etc. and etc. 

The rest of the cliché is more a matter of personality. The way I get the cliché Lolita, she's always sweet and polite, and if we are to trust the forementioned "Kamikaze Girls" story, she's a loner who hangs around nobody, except maybe her immense collection of teddybears and porcelain dolls.
Though I do like porcelain dolls and oldfashioned teddybears, and I thrive in my own company most of the time, I think the "polite" and "sweet" part is something that everybody should strive for.

The Lolita community is kind of split up on the "Lolita's should be sweet and polite!" stereotype. Some people seem to have a hard time with people 'telling them what to do' and complain loudly and obnoxiously whenever it is mentioned, and then they try as much as they can to show how tough and non-sugary they are (usually by cursing like sailors and talking about how much alcohol they consume and how hard they party). 

They forget that being polite is not the same thing as being a doormat.

No, people shouldn't tell other people what to do. But I'm gonna do it anyway, with this one.
I'm pretty sure I'm both sweet and polite, at least most of the time. 

And everybody should stive to be so, Lolita or not.

This post turned into a bit of a ramble in the end, but I hope you get what I'm saying.

In which way do you fit the Lolita cliché?
I can't wait to get to talk about the opposite- How I don't! Haha!

PS. I have a really exciting post coming up! A small hint: It's a new Indie Brand interview! So keep checking back for the good stuff!

LBC: Lolita and You in 8 Years

This week in the Lolita Blog Carnival, the theme is to predict the future! Where do I see myself in 8 years, when it comes to Lolita fashion?

As some of you guys know, I've been a Lolita for almost half a decade now. Truth be told, I had no idea that I would come this far, when I first started. I just wanted to have fun, and I wanted to be part of some larger group. Lolita was adorable, convenient and part of something that I'd already kind of stepped into (or so I thought, because I read a lot of manga..)

Things sort of change when you become an adult, though. You get responsibilities, you have less time to yourself and you have to, and this stings my heart to admit, think of your image a little bit.
I'm lucky enough that my workplace doesn't care what I do in my spare time, currently, but 8 years from now? I'm not so sure I'll still have that luxury!

In 8 years, I see myself going in one of 2 directions. Either I'll be working at some university, doing research. If I want to be succesful, I'll have to take care of my image to be taken seriously. That means not doing "weird" stuff on the internet. The same goes for if I get a good job at a local museum, and I have to make the place look good to potential guests.

Contrary to popular belief, I never see Lolita becoming mainstream. 

It's just too small and obscure a fashion, even if it feels like we're a lot of people when browsing EGL and joining groups of a couple of thousand people on Facebook. People will never see it as normal for an adult to post pictures of herself in cute pastel dresses playing charades and drinking tea. 

It shouldn't matter what I do in my spare time if I'm good at my job, but that's just how it is.

The jobs I want will probably be time consuming as well. I'm prepared for my job to become a bit of a lifestyle. Maybe I won't really want to spend my days off doing my hair, make-up and everything else to the nines, just to go grocery shopping and lounge about my house. It would be a lot of trouble too, if I have to take everything off to go biking to stay in shape. As much as I love Lolita, I need to take care of myself, which means staying in shape. Not easy to do in Lolita, no matter what "Mr. Rococo" says!

In 8 years, I will be 28, coming on 29. Age, in and off itself, is not an issue for me. I will be happy to wear dresses with little kittens in tiaras in 8 years, if luck is on my side and I find that I have both the time and energy to still keep up with new releases, dress up in my sparetime and go to meet-ups or just go to a café with a friend or two. I know plenty of gorgeous girls in their mid to late 20's who still wear Lolita!

It's not a matter of not wanting to. It's not a matter of me not loving Lolita or wanting to cling to my precious garments for as long as possible. It's a matter of "society" that's going to knock on my door sooner or later, calling for me to come out here and participate in the masquerade that is business relationships. On the bright side, it is also a matter of me following a dream that I've had since I was a kid! I'm gonna be a historian sooner or later, and that will be my life, which won't leave much time to be active in my local community. The social aspect of Lolita fashion has become a big part of my participation in the fashion, over the past year, as I've become more and more busy. 

I dress in Lolita for me. That is true. But the lifestyle certainly adds to the magic.

If I lose that, my dresses will collect dust, and I might lose the passion that I once had.

I'm not gonna ever stop being fabulous, though! If I stop dressing in Lolita fashion, I know I'll move on to something else. Can you imagine a historian in homemade victorian garments!? That will be epic, and who knows? If I'm lucky, the authenticity might actually be a feather in the tophat of my future career!

(I think I'm gonna give my dresses a hug now. I'm still yours, my dears!)

Wanna take a trip in the time machine with the rest of the Carnival? Check out the links below!

Elegant Poupée

Lace Teapot

Whimsical Adventures of Me
Masquerade Doll
The Bloody Tea Party
Poppy Noir
Hello Batty
A Sweet Lolita's Disney Life

Mini-Review: A Royal Affair

Today I'm gonna talk about the pride and joy (at least in my opinion) of danish movie culture.

As a dane, I am of course not aware of how widely known this movie is, outside of Denmark, but when it came out it was a big deal! Which felt really strange to me, as usually historical movies doesn't really get that much attention. This was the first real big historical movie production in Denmark, though. As soon as I found out that for this project they were gonna use the story of Caroline Mathilde, Struensee and our crazed king Christian, I knew that I had no choice but to go see this movie in my local movie theater. It is one of my favorite eras of danish history, if not my most favorite one. 

The story takes place in the mid to late 18th century, and is about how the german physician Johann Friedrich Struensee changes Denmark through his influence on the crazy king of the danes, Christian the 7th. The king behaves like a spoiled child. A popular example of this was something that an english traveller witnessed in Copenhagen- According to him, the king was throwing furniture and other valuables out from a balcony to the masses, though we don't get to see this in the movie. Struensee becomes a fatherly figure and best friend to the king, who has married his own cousin from Wales, Princess Caroline Mathilde. Caroline Mathilde is an intelligent young woman, fascinated by the forbidden works of Rousseau. She finds her equal in the new royal physician. They start a love affair, and plan to transform danish society in a more progressive and liberal direction. For this, they use the naive king's influence to get their reforms past the royalist government. As far as I remember, they even implement free speech this way!

How all of this plays out, you'll have to see for yourself! The movie is Ah-Ma-Zing, and I'm not even saying this because I'm danish and I love the story. The actors and actresses are talented and believable.

What I find to be quite impressive, too, is the many grey-zones that the movie puts to good use, if you just keep your eyes open and have a tiny bit of historical understanding of society and norms. The movie doesn't fall into the trap of "It's Good vs. Evil". King Christian 7th is shown as being both cruel and selfish, but he is never evil. He wants to do good and he wants to be a good king. It's very apparent that Struensee is a good influence on him. Struensee isn't portrayed as being a saint, either. He has his faults. The same can be said for Caroline Mathilde, who is neither sweet nor angelic. She is strong, and intelligent, but has very little patience for King Christian and his crazy, and she doesn't trust him.
You come to understand where all of the characters are coming from. Even the royalists who work against Struensee and his progressive thinking! After all, they're not trying to be mean. They're doing what is natural to them, and they're fighting for what they believe in and what they think is right, too. 

The only reason we support Struensee and what he's doing, is because we were born into the age we live in, where freedom of speech, the liberation of the printing press and similar things, are a vital part of our everyday life! Back then, these things seemed mad! You couldn't give free speech to the masses! That would cause an uprising, you know!? And this was even before the French had beheaded the king!

Another interesting part of this story, is that we get to see what happens to a man who was clearly born centuries before his appropriate day and age. The world was not ready yet, though it would have been, just a hundred or 150 years later. He would have been seen as conservative today, but he could have been considered invaluable at court in the mid to late 19th century. As long as he could keep his hands off the queen.

Have I said to much? Well, go watch it!
To me, it's one of the only good things to come out of danish movie theaters in a long, long time. I'm not a fan of the strange stuff we tend to put out, otherwise. Like "The Green Butchers", "Fidibus", "Blinking Lights".. Strange stuff. And all the crime shows, even if the international world seem to love those... Bleh.

52 Weeks: Favorite Hairstyle

This week's 52 Weeks Lolita Challenge is to talk about my favorite hairstyle! 

Sadly, I'll be talking about a way too rare one. It's pretty much extinct, actually.
My Favorite Lolita hairstyle is- Ringlets!

And I'm talking real ringlets, not the "Hollyweed Ringlets" that more resemble heavy wavey-hair.

Ringlets are the classic princess hairstyle, and the most preferred 'do for antique dolls. I suspect that as Lolita has slowly moved away from the "antique doll" ideal, they have at the same time cast-out this elegant, oldfashioned perm. 

Many people may consider ringlets to be "extreme". They're not as natural as the long, wavey hairstyles that are favored by most Lolitas today (even the Sweet-oriented ones!), but I think they fit the aesthetic and is able to add a little bit of cute, opulent spice to most coordinates! As Lolita has been gradually moving towards a more natural look the past years, I hope we get to see ringlets and other Old-School elements resurface.

Ringlets are also a pretty versatile hairstyle. They ARE a little like more extreme curls, in that matter. Below I'm gonna post a couple of inspirational photos to show how ringlets can be worn, apart from letting them hang loose like in the wig-photo above.

Old-School Pigtails

Awesome late-60's Updo! I think this could look pretty badass in a hime-coord

Pinned back with a long ponytail!

I myself would wear ringlets, if my hair wasn't so stubborn! It refuses to stay curled. I've gotta find a solution to that somehow...
I hope this opened more people's eyes to the beauty of the good old ringlet-style! 

LBC: 3 Prints in My Favorite Colorway

This week's Lolita Blog Carnival topic is to name 3 different prints in my favorite colorway. I'm taking this as an open invitation to share a little bit of my wishlist, so this is also gonna be my top 3 favorite prints as of right now! This does not include my actual dreamprint, that I talked about some time ago.

The Secret Between Alice and the Clock Tower in Ivory

The contrast between the dark blue, the black and the ivory is just so beautiful! I love contrasting prints, that really makes the artwork stand out. It also gives the story told around the border a different feel, I think. It seems kind of eerie, kind of dark instead of the usual pastel blue, cotton candy-like prints that you see. The silver detailing looks kind of like shadows. 

The dress looks beautiful in a cold sort of way. It's just a whole different type of Alice!

Dim Light in Wine/Bourdeaux

With this design and print I really think Metamorphose showed what they're capable of! The gold stands out beautifully against the wine-colored background. What I really love, is the way the fabric shines. The color is not the usual dark red that Alice and the Pirates often uses. The color seems richer, I think. Once again, the print stands out really gorgeously, and the details really jump right out at you. The brown ruffles and chiffon details are a bold move, but they work out really well. The entire print, specifically in this colorway, makes me think of a dinner party in the italian renaissance period. 

Sorry for the closeup. I just thought it showed the print the best!

Miracle Candy in Red

I tend to fall for Angelic Pretty's prints in the darker colorways, but never in black. Therefore, red is usually my choice, and with Miracle Candy it's no different. This is the newest print on my wishlist, and I fell for it for multiple reasons. The print is candy sweet, but I love the detailing on the glass containers. The shading is done really well. Also, the colors in the print are a little understated compared to their other candy prints. It makes me think of an oldfashioned candy shop, also because of the polkadot tulle and white cotton ruffles. I love the way pastels look against a red background! It makes the whole print seem a bit warmer. Also, I have a weakness for red candy stripes!

So, these are some of my current favorite prints! They also represent some of the different facets of my style. Even if they're different, I still think they fit a pattern that I cannot quite put my finger on..

Oh well! Let me point you towards some of the other wonderful blogs that participated in this weeks theme!

Lace Teapot

Breidholt

Elegant Poupée

Vanilla's Traumfabrik

Lolita Glamour

Whimsical Adventures of Me

Crimson Reflections

The Bloody Tea Party

Less talking, more doing: My First Handmade Skirt!

New Years often means New Beginning for a lot of people. People make New Years Resolutions where they promise themselves all kinds of stuff- To lose weight, to work harder, to study more... Truth be told, I'm not really a believer when it comes to that kind of stuff. I know from experience that you really need to step it up to put actions behind promises before they matter. It's a lot easier to make promises followed by excuses, than to do anything and make commitments.

Well, I've finally "done"! For years on end I've been promising myself that I'd add another, more serious, hobby to my list and I started this year out by taking the big plunge. I bought a sewing machine, and now I've finished my first project! I didn't just buy the equipment, I actually spent hours on end working hard, and this is the result!

This is it! I've added two little bows to the line of ribbon, too!

I made the most adorable skirt, and I'm terribly proud of myself!
I spent hours on end working on this! Two nights ago, I worked almost non-stop for 12 hours (A lot of time, but hey, I'm a complete beginner!)
It's a little crooked, the ribbon is not entirely straight, and the seams are not as neat as on the dresses I've purchased from professionals, but I still find it to be gorgeous, and I'll wear it with pride.

Wow, are my proportions off on camera! Haha!

I put together a quick coordinate, because I just couldn't wait to try it out! It's a bit on the short side, but I've decided not to care. I think it rocks the short length pretty well!

Moral of the story is not just that I wanted to show off my first handmade piece (even if it's a huge factor, I'll admit).
It's also that instead of making promises to yourself, go out and do something! Do it right now!
Make that purchase. Make a commitment that you cannot run away from. Go to the gym, if that's what you've been planning to do.
Even if you do not see immediate results, they will come. Taking that first tiny step in the right direction is still progress. Allow yourself to be proud of that, because that's what's gonna keep you motivated! My skirt is not first-class handiwork, but with practice, I know I'll get better. That's what taking action will do to you.

If you don't do anything, the promises that you've made to yourself is gonna run right out in the sand, and you'll stay dissapointed in you.

Enough talking. More doing!
GO!

52 Weeks: Trends I Thought I'd Never Get Into

Oops, I missed a week! Oh well.. I've been studying a lot. I guess I'm excused, a little bit. 

(And yesterday I spent like 12 hours sewing non-stop! I'm gonna show you guys when I'm finished with my first Lolita-related project!)

Time to get back in the routine! This week's blog challenge topic is about the trends that I've been shaking my head or rolling my eyes at in the past, but I'm now lovin'! 

One of the prints I'm currently coveting.

Cute Prints
Back when I first got into Lolita, I was attracted to a Mary Magdalene-ish classic style, cute bowler hats and the like. I was a classy lady! But as time has passed, I've slowly been sucked into Cotton Candy Land, and a few of the prints at the top of my wishlist could give you cavities now.

The bigger the better!

Headeating Bows
At first I thought they were outlandish and childish, but as you get used to them, they grow on you. Also in a literal sense. The longer I stay in the fashion, the bows I prefer seem to grow in size as well!
(And here I am, joking about men's "strange fascination with size"...)

"Dolly" Gyaru Make-up
I would never claim that it looks "natural". And that's not the point! To me, it gives off a "mahou shoujo" sort of feeling. I've fallen head over heels in love with the false lashes on the lower lashline, the shiny-ness, pink cheeks and the huge circle lenses. Over-the-top makeup to complete an over-the-top outfit!
I need to practice some more and invest in some good quality falsies! 

Do you find that your tastes have changed since you got into Lolita? In what way? I love to hear stories of how other people grow in Lolita fashion!

My first exam! Wish me luck!

So, now I'm heading of to my first university exam, at the culmination of weeks and weeks, and hours and hours of home-studying! 

Wish me luck! 

Hiding in Outrageous Fashions

I know I have not been very active on here lately. That is mainly due to my studies, as I have a couple of exams coming up this month. The first one is gonna be over on wednesday, though, and then I might have the time to dress up a little bit more, and in general enjoy life again (not that I'm complaining).

Enough about that!
Yesterday I watched one of those make-over shows on TV. A lot of Lolitas dislike them, since they're all about teaching other people how to dress in "mainstream fashion" and such, and I agree that some of them tend to be quite dreadful (most Lolitas remember the "What not to Wear"-incident...) but I enjoy "Trinny and Susannah". They seem like nice people, and the people who say "yes" to being on the show usually have problems with their self-confidence and are genuinely not happy with the way they dress themselves.

I watched yesterdays show, mainly because it was fun seeing my town being featured on a show like that. It might be a small-country complex thing..
One of the ladies on the show was picked because she dressed in overly colorful clothes, and she admitted that it was because she was trying to hide. Most other people I've seen tend to hide by dressing in very anonymous clothes, but this woman did the opposite. She wanted people to notice the clothes more, and by that, they wouldn't notice who was IN the clothes. 

That was thought provoking to me, and in a way, the phenomenon didn't seem that strange to me. 

I'm sure most people who dress in Lolita fashion do so because they really do love it, and are not afraid to stand out. It's no secret that our fashion is unusually attention-grabbing. But well, that's it, ain't it? It's the clothes in themselves that grab peoples attention, at least at first. Most people will notice the frilly skirt and the knee-socks before they notice your face. Lolita fashion was once described as "armor" in a very inspirational poem. I'm sure this is not what they meant, but I guess they're right. To some people, Lolita might not be who they actually are, but a clever disguise that they can use to turn into someone else, or to hide in piles of lace.

So where am I going with this?
I hope that the people who wear Lolita to hide from the world, will learn from the subculture they have found their way into. There may be mean people in this fashion too, but they're everywhere.
Don't blame the subculture for that.
 To many people, Lolita has been a gateway to selfconfidence. If not because you feel beautiful in the clothes, the make-up and everything else or because of the inspirational Lolitas out there,
then because of the message Lolita carries as a whole- That anybody can be beautiful, no matter what. And I stress that last part.

I really don't think you could have found a better place to hide! Hopefully, you're gonna feel at home sooner or later.
Last, but not least, I'm gonna leave you with that inspirational poem I talked about earlier.

Oh Maiden, Advance with a Sword and a Rose 

by Arika Takarano

"I wonder what made you become Lolita? Is it because you wanted to wear cute clothes? Because you like lace and frills? Because you wanted to be like someone? Or was it because you wanted to become cute so you’d be popular with the guys?

No, no, that’s impossible isn’t it? After all, Lolita isn’t something with which you worry about what guys think! I bet your answer is something like this, “Before I knew it, I was a Lolita maiden!”

That’s right! You are a chosen maiden, a born aristocratic maiden. I understand you well. You’re a daydreamer and a visionary who is here in body, but not in spirit. You’re shy, willful, and don’t want to be like others. You like reading by yourself rather than partying with friends. You love pretty things and want to live surrounded by only the things you like. Isn’t that right?

"I am a special maiden." It’s okay for you to think that, you know. Even if there are strangers who look away and snicker at you because your skirt is too poufy, or because the ribbon adorning your hair is too big, you don’t have to let it bother you. Sure, it’s aggravating that there are still some confused people who see Gothic and Lolita as unemotional, cheap cosplay, but you should just remain confident and stand tall.

One cannot learn true kindness unless one becomes strong. Nothing will come of indulging in the comfort of lukewarm idleness. It’s triffling and foolish to look at the same things others see and try to discover something interesting from such. After all, there are many more wonderful things, yet-unknown things, beautiful things that will take your breath away in your world. I know you can find these things.

Cotton candy envelops your heart. Scarlet roses bloom in your eyes, and the taste of honey forever spreads upon your tongue. Your hair is soft and your skin smooth. You are a maiden who was born to be Lolita. You exist in a cocoon. The light of the sun and the glistening of the moon gently fall upon you there. You want to stay in there forever with your eyes closed. While you wish for that, the dreams that fall gently upon you there are woven like a sweet layer of powdered sugar….

But girls with a highly developed sense of beauty are intelligent. Have you realized that behind the fluffy cuteness lies hidden a well-honed sword, the blade of which shines brightly? That’s right. After all, you already know, don’t you? That this world does not consist of only beautiful things? That somewhere there lurks malice that intends to do you harm? That roses have thorns so that they may remain sublime? And that sometimes, you must fight to protect that which is dear to you?

This is what I think: Gothic and Lolita clothes are amaiden’s armor, which even a knight’s armor cannot compare to. A maiden’s lace is her steel. Her ribbons are chains. Her dress hat is her helmet, and her surreptitiously changes the blood that flows from her wounds into true red rose petals. Thus, the maiden fights. After all, to live is to fight, and to become beautiful is to become stronger.

You are a noble being that no one may touch, you are cute and yet tragic. Yes, the ideal aristocratic maiden, in my imagination, is very much like you.

There are often maidens who say, “But I’m not cute, so…” you know, though, that there’s no such thing as a maiden who is not cute. It’s just that there are those maidens who don’t have enough confidence. However, modesty is a virtue, and those maidens won’t become the kind of shameless women who are not mindful of their appearance. That’s why I think not having confidence is a step toward beauty, too. So, stop looking in the mirror and sighing! You must find at least a piece of yourself that you like the best. For example, a part of your face would be nice: like your peachy cheeks or even your eyelashes. Your tiny, pink seashell-like nails also would be fine. The fact that you’ve got a talent for art, or that your specialty is making sweets would be fine, too. It’s enough for you to acknowledge, little by little, that there is something that you excel in. See? When you think of it that way, don’t you recall this and that talent?

Say, I can see wings on your back- elegant wings, with the luster of velvet. Please keep flying freely, without fear. Even if someone should hurt you, you will end up landing in the right place. I know this well because once upon a time, I was like you, too.”