LBC: 3 Things You'd Tell Your Young Lolita Self

Me ca. 2011, about a year into my Lolita life. 

I love when the Lolita Blog Carnival topics bring up a sense of nostalgia or deeper reflection over the fashion. You can say a lot about how Lolita is just a pretty fashion, but it takes effort, and whether we like it and recognize it or not, there is probably deeper reasons about why we started dressing the way we do. I know that "3 Things You'd Tell Your Young Lolita Self" doesn't necessarily have to be 'deep and mentor-like advice about the Lolita Force', but I can't help it: Stuff like this just hits me in the philosophical spot. Bear with me.
Here are the 3 things I'd tell my young Lolita self if I had a time machine, from the deep stuff to the basics that would just have made me look a billion times better.

1. Do not buy replicas!

Granted, there are one or two replicas I might actually, at some point, in the far future, get to tailoring to fit my current body type, but wow, do I have a closet of replicas now that I just do not wear anymore! Some of them have moved on, but had I just dealt with it, made more of an effort with my excersize earlier on to lose some weight, or just bought some pieces with full back shirring, I would've had a much bigger closet of beautiful, better quality, better fitting and much loved pieces now. I picked the easy way out, and I thought I had some pretty good excuses: Replicas can go in the washing machine, and I'm a tall girl, and nothing is gonna change that. Many brand pieces are gonna be high waisted on me, but that's OK! It looks cute! And underskirts are actually a thing if the length starts bothering me at some point!I missed out on a lot of really cute releases because of this, that cost hundreds of dollars more on the secondhand market today.


2. Experiment more with make up and hair!

Lolita was the beginning of my journey towards becoming a girly-girl. Before Lolita, I just threw on whatever and headed out the door. I did start experimenting with make up when I started Lolita, but I never went out of my way and did something big and eye catching. A bit of eyeshadow, mascara and powder, a headbow on my head and out the door. Today I could've been much more of a "kawaii make up guru-chan" (never typing that out again) than I am, and I would have had some much more flattering photos to look back on!

3. Keep going strong! Lolita is gonna be with you for a long time!

I don't really have a number 3, so this is just gonna be words of encouragement. I actually did pretty well, as boring as that sounds. My ita phase was more of a learning process than me obsessing over lacemonsters, and I had long since shed my cat ears. Looking back, I know what worked for me, and that's what I share with every new Lolita that is confused about where to start when they first drop in on the Lolita Fashion Mentoring group on Facebook, or EGL. Research, research and more research, and trial and error. Those are the only things that moves you forward. I was aware that you need to crawl before you can walk, and walk before you put on false eyelashes, wigs and bunny ears and try to rock it. Start out small, figure out what works for you, and what makes a good Lolita coordinate. If you're passionate about something, take your time to learn. You don't become an expert over night. 

Time and time again, I doubted if Lolita was actually for me. I was just finding my feet. I looked up Steampunk and Goth and other fashions, but Lolita stuck with me, and I returned to my favorite blogs and EGL to read some more. I was a sponge back then, and I still am. 

Lolita is evolving, and so are we, as it's wearers. 

I'm wondering what 3 points of advice I'd give myself today, if I look back in a 5 years time?

(Wow, that became very deep, very fast!)

What 3 pieces of advice would you want to give your young Lolita self, if you could? 

Also, if you're new to Lolita and want some pointers, I'm open to questions this week!

Check out the blogs below if you want more Lolita nostalgia.

A Heart's Sound

Hunting with Cash, for Beauty and Dreams

Finding a title for this post was very difficult. Almost as difficult as adequately describing that hardcore mission that is "Lolita Shopping" on the internet. I can only speak for the internet, as I've yet to actually try going for a shopping spree in a real Lolita shop, and I imagine that the experiences are of course entirely different. In real life, you have the posibility of falling in love with a piece because of how it looks at you when you're trying it on. On the internet, you have to use your imagination.
This post will be about a Lolita-related epiphany I had as late as yesterday.

Recently I received a rather neat paycheck, which I decided was big enough for me to spoil myself by purchasing a Lolita dress. The secondhand market is huge, and I knew that I would be able to hunt down at least one of the dresses I've been pilling up on my wishlist, or as I like to call it, "the prediction of my future wardrobe". And true enough, stalking Mbok, Yahoo JP, the egl-comm-sales and Facebook groups brought me across multiple dresses from my wishlist, from Day Dream Carnival, to the Cameo Print JSK, the Secret Between Alice and the Clocktower.. Even Cinderella Jewelry, which I've been wanting in that specific colorway for half a decade!

However, I was surprised to find myself in doubt. None of the dresses that I've been pining for in years and years really made me want to press "Buy". I knew I should want them (a silly thought, because who're really telling me I have to?) but I didn't feel any real excitement or glee at the prospect of owning and wearing these pieces. I scrutinized the exquisite details, the lush fabrics, the flattering designs, and even if I really, truly appreciated it all, I felt nothing. And I was so confused. 

I have a tendency towards being a bit of a Scrooge, but it's not like I didn't have the money, or was falling out of love with Lolita all together. I just wasn't passionately in love.

I browsed the internet a little more, and went back and forth between the auctions and sales posts I had bookmarked with each of the dresses I had found that were also on my wishlist, or knew dresses I found that I kind of liked. However, none of them spoke to me, even if I stared at them for long, long period of time.

And suddenly, late at night, as I was digging my way through Mbok after a long day of work and studies, I felt a sudden pang in my chest, and I was in love. I was in love with a dress that I'd never thought I was ever gonna like.

I had seen the dress with the silly name "Fall in Love with the Sweet Magic of Scent" for sale before, multiple times. I'd looked it over time and time again on Closet Child's website, and every time I'd shrugged and closed the tab again. But I was completely and utterly lost, all of a sudden. This was it. The ivory colorway just displayed the details of the print so perfectly well. It complimented the delicate pastels of the print. The lace and gold details were a sprinkle of magic and richness to an otherwise simple garment.
I could see myself wearing this thing, twirling around my bedroom, shimmering and glittering like a princess! 

And suddenly it struck me, that this was what Lolita is all about. This is what one is supposed to feel when choosing a dream dress, in my opinion. An appreciation of beauty that makes you smile, makes your heart beat a little quicker, and before everything else, a piece that you can see yourself wearing and feeling beautiful in.

 The dress in itself is nothing special, in that it's not particularly rare or expensive.

It's a bit like when I purchased my "Alice's Doll House" piece. For some reasons, I see these dresses for sale all the time, except I'd only ever seen "Magic of Scent" in the blue and pink colorways. The other dresses on my wishlist are beautiful, lush and perfect in design and detail, and that's why I keep them there. I know I'd enjoy them, but they're not my dream pieces. My dream dresses seem pop up all of a sudden when surfing the internet. 

They grab a hold of me when I least expect it, and won't let me go. 

They fill me with that same passion that I felt when I found the first dream dress that secured my long lasting love for Lolita life.

What's my point?
Happiness in Lolita is not necessarily about saving up and hunting down a rare and expensive Lolita piece. That feeling is not something that you can bring about by sheer force of will. 

To some Lolitas it can, and will, come jumping out of nowhere in even the smallest of packages. 

"Newb Season" and the Mentor Paradox

Summer is coming to and end, and so is the "youngin's" Summer vacation, at least where I am. This also, to many a Lolita's relief, means the ending of "newb season". Every year, as the season edges closer, groaning can be heard all over the Lolita internet hemisphere. When fall arrives, there are stories of actual gif parties to celebrate the end.

But why? 

It is known that there are Lolitas out there who'd rather see that Lolita stays a niche fashion, but many Lolitas are only excited to see Lolita gain recognition and, as a result, almost accurate media coverage! Wider recognition means brand stores opening up in other countries, and more easily accessible pretty things for all of us! It also means Lolita conventions, Tea Parties and other events, and last but not least, more Lolita friends to make.
(I'm also, personally, hoping for cuter and more elegant mainstream clothing inspired by Lolita. A girl can dream)

What is the downside of a seasonal influx of new Lolitas? 

Some of them actually stay and become part of our community, and it's so exciting to share our love with a fashion with a new, wide-eyed soul!

The downside is the result of one thing, and one thing only. And it really kills the joy, even to me, a devoted part-time Lolita mentor.
New Lolitas step into a world of complicated rules, piles and piles of new terms and shorthands. What does "JSK" stand for? What is a "Jumperskirt"? And there are a thousand stores to lerm to distinguish between! It's no wonder that a new person becomes lost!

Lolita can almost be compared to the court culture at Versailles, at a much smaller scale. You cannot just wear any shoe. Wearing the wrong make-up and a biker jacket may have girls giggling in the corner. That is were I and many other experienced Lolitas come in. Ask if you're in doubt about the "secret court rules"- We'll gladly let you know what shoes are appropriate in Lolita fashion, if neon colors are ever OK, or explain to you when it's alright to go without a blouse. Those things are complicated! It's not just "Yes!" or "No!", "Never!" and "Always!", but a matter of certain situations and the coordinate at hand, and part of what makes Lolita so fascinating! 

Also, giving constructive criticism to new Lolitas are essential to the learning process for a Lolita duckling, if they ask for it.

As you've probably noticed, new Lolitas are not the problem. Questions about complicated nuances and the grey zones in Lolita fashion are just fine, and perfectly understandable. They may even start interesting debates for the rest of us, and give us an opportunity to exchange views on things that we thought were established aspects of our fashion! When are neon colors OK in Lolita fashion, anyway!?

What makes "Newb Season" so frustrating is something that I as a Lolita mentor experience way too often: Laziness. Not my laziness, but an inexplicable laziness found in the young Lolita ducklings! "Where can I purchase Lolita clothing?" and "How do I get my skirt to puff up?" are a couple of the questions that make more experienced Lolitas drop their heads hard onto keyboards in agony. 

That is the curse of "Newb Season". 

The Googli-fication of online communities, and the permanent citizens of these that are being treated as if we were all Siri. 

I do not know what have prompted this. I do not know, if this is a new phenomenon, but it confuses me to no end! This makes me sound really old, but back when I first started out, I was so excited that I did all the research I could. I google'd, read blogs and "What is Lolita?" posts till I was blue in the face! I figured out for myself where to purchase Lolita clothing, I learned to avoid Milanoo like the plague all on my own, and figured out how to distinguish between proper Lolita clothing and nightmare-ish lace monsters through staring at pictures on "Daily Lolita" and guides like FYeahLolita's brilliant "How to Avoid Being an Ita".
I fell head over heels in love with Lolita, and that made me want to swallow the fashion whole. Figuratively.

Has this curiosity died out? What does that say about Lolita fashion, or the people joining the fashion?
I'm not sure. I like to think, that the new Lolitas joining are getting into it with the same love and eagernes that I did, and that the "Let me Google it!" mindset has just taken a step back.
The thing is, it's so easy to find reliable Lolita shops. Even easier than typing out a question on EGL, and a lot less dehumanising to the community.

We love helping out new Lolitas who truly seem like they want to become part of our world, and will work for it, the way we ourselves did. It also helps when the time and effort of a mentor is accepted with a smile and a "Thank you" instead of insulted frowning.
We're not a restaurant who'll hand it out on a silver platter.

I truly hope that many of this years Lolita ducklings will stick around, and start to grow their swan feathers.

Adieu, "Newb Season"!
Until next year.

A Living Tourist Attraction

Hello everyone! Long time no talk!
I've been very busy lately as my exams are coming up. I've had to study the "history of Globalization" for hours on end, and I've had to really squeeze Lolita in from time to time (to now go completely crazy).
Yesterday was one of those hectic days. I read for a couple of hours, then I took the train (reading) to the International Lolita Day meet-up and then I went back home to read some more.

We met up at the train station, walked to the King's Garden to have our picnic and well.. It was an interesting experience.

The King's Garden is a public park area behind Rosenborg Castle, an old renaissance castle build by the king for his beloved, a couple of hundred years ago. It's my favorite danish castle so far (and my second favorite just behind Versailles, all in all). What I had forgotten to consider was that it's not just my favorite castle, perfect for a picnic- It is also a must-see for tourists from all kinds of different destinations in the summer. Tourists who are, in general, really bad at being considerate to other people's privacy and have left all their manners at home with their obligations.

We walked through the castle gates and around the castle to cross the bridge and get into the Garden, and from our first step, people began snapping away! We were more interesting than the building right behind us! It felt like being shot down by paparazzi!
And it didn't get much better when we'd sat down with our blankets and started chatting. People all around us were snapping pictures non-stop, sat down on our blankets next to us to have their friends take a picture of them sitting with us (without asking!). It felt like we had just stopped being living people to them!

So how did we deal with this?
We didn't.

We just continued enjoying our day. It was the very fewest of them who got into our personal space without asking. When they did, we felt it very rude and a little uncomfortable, and we probably should have said something to them, in retrospect, even if it was due to a difference in culture. But making a scene and throwing a fit at one tourist who took pictures of us from a distance without asking would not make the rest of them go away.

We just kept on having a good time, talking, drinking our tea, and it actually became a lively topic among us how strangers react to Lolita. What was going on around us was, after all, an example. When people were nice enough to come up and ask if they could have a picture, we had a good time! The cutest little shy girl wanted a picture with us because she thought we looked like princesses. Who would we be to say no to that?

We decided to move after a couple of hours to go to somewhere a little more private. 

If we had said or done something instead, maybe the people would have been more considerate the next time they saw someone interesting they wanted a picture off. But taking the time to educate every single paparazzi would have taken away all the time we could have spend having fun!

What would you have done in such a situation?  How did you celebrate ILD?

Book Review of "Kamikaze Girls", and the independent Lolita.

"This cabbage shall be your friend!"

This quote has become a staple joke in Lolita fashion ever since the movie "Kamikaze Girls" came out back in 2004. This movie was, of course, based on the book of the same name. If anything can be considered the Lolita Bible (apart from, of course, the actual "Lolita Bibles"), it would be this book.
The main character, Momoko Ryugasaki, is the embodiment of the perfect Lifestyle Lolita.

Both in work, school and life, she is everything most Lolitas dream to be! Even so, she is not a very well-liked character in the Lolita community. Why not?

And how does the movie compare to the book?

(if you do not like spoilers, I suggest you turn back now!)

I tend to watch the movie before I read the book. It gives me the opportunity to form an opinion of the movie as an experience of it's own because, and I know most of you'll agree with me out there, the movie is rarely as good. The movie just doesn't give us the same amount of detail. It doesn't get emotion across quite as well, and it doesn't let us get acquainted with the thoughts and intentions of our characters.
The same goes for Kamikaze Girls.

The movie was quite a strange experience for me, to be honest. It was one of the first things I watched when I was researching Lolita, back in the day, and honestly, it made me doubt whether Lolita was for me at all! Because if you don't like "Kamikaze Girls", how can you be a "True Lolita", Am I right!?
Of course that's a load of nonsense.
But "Kamikaze Girls", the movie, grows on you, with it's random cartoon clips, sound effects and wacky humor.
The book has a bit of the same lighthearted feel to it, and you can see why the movie made the decision to exaggerate the aspects it did (like the Unicorn Guy's hair that's got a bit of a life of it's own!)
However, the book is not quite as silly, in the cartoon-ish way. 

Whereas the movie seems to be of a "Real Life Animé"-genre, I'd say the book is kind of like a long chat over a cup of tea with a good friend. You know, when your best friend spends half an hour telling you this really good anecdote from their life? It resembles the diary or biography genre, but with a faster pace, more surprising twists and turns and little thoughts thrown in at random parts of the book.

 You don't get bored reading "Kamikaze Girls"!

One of the most interesting aspects of the book, is the development in the relationship between Momoko and Ichigo. It grows on a steady pace, and Novala Takemoto does a great job letting it slowly build, and sometimes he throws little notes in there that makes you go "Oh! Look, she gets her!"
In the movie, you don't get to look into Momoko's head and see how she starts comparing aspects of what Ichigo says to what she herself thinks, and how it begins to make sense to her, that they're not quite as different as she thought.
There's major character development going on in the book, on both ends, and you get to know Ichigo a lot more! Not just how she is, and her past, but how she thinks. 

She's actually not just a free spirit, but a woman with strong values that she's willing to take with her to the grave!

The story of Emma and Himiko actually get's some development as well. Just a side-note. 

They suddenly make a lot more sense to me, after reading the book.

So, how does it actually feel, as a Lolita, to listen to Momoko tell her story? 

Do I wanna strangle her or do I wanna hang out with her?
Well, None of the above. But that's not the point.

Momoko has a lot of bad character traits. Just like in the movie, she lies to her dad, she doesn't wanna hang out with anyone and criticizes other people. These are what people seem to dislike her the most for. 

Apart from me just thinking that they're all very creative traits that adds depth to her character, I would actually respect her if she was a real person, too.

The main problem people seem to have with Momoko is that she's a loner. 

(Yes, even though she lies and cheats her dad for money.)

She doesn't want to make friends. Period. 

I think this has to do with  the stigmatizing of introverts in our society. You have to be social. Momoko is not, at all, and that makes her seem un-likable. 

What I think is really cool, however, is that she has plenty of selfconfidence. She's a loner, but she's not lonely. She simply doesn't care what other people think about her. 

She rejects society's norms completely, and does whatever she want. Obviously, she does it to the extreme, so much that it might actually cause her harm at some point (she doesn't care about what she's gonna do when she finishes highschool, for instance), but I think that a healthy amount of this might be really good for most people to learn, including Lolitas.
How is not wanting to be around other people bad? Momoko is comfortable in her own company. 

Too many people these days aren't.

Another good thing Momoko stands for, is persistently pursuing living life the way you want to.

She insists on living what she views as the Rococo lifestyle, because that is what makes her happy, and she goes into great detail in doing so. That kind of devotion is inspiring!
Momoko stands for living life to the fullest. That means fighting for it, and sometimes succumbing to life's little joys. 

When life gives you lemons, or a mouse-eaten bonnet, make beautiful embroidery!

Last but not least, about that "cheating her dad" thing:
Let me play devil's advocate first. Her dad was selling counterfeit goods, which means that his hard earned cash was earned by cheating other people. In this case, karma is coming back to get him. 

Even so, cheating people is wrong.

One of the lessons Momoko teaches Ichigo in the book is that if you want something, make it yours! Momoko lives by this rule, and knows that it applies to herself. She takes good care of her stuff to prevent other people from claiming it, because she cares about it. In real life this should of course not be applied to stealing other people´s stuff or scamming innocent Lolitas, but it could be applied to other things.
Take care of the things you value. Do what you can to claim what you desire.
It means having enough confidence in yourself, and gathering enough spirit, to reaching out and grabbing that thing, because you deserve it! 

You deserve it just because you had the desire and the guts to claim it for your own. 

You earned it by claiming it.

So, to sum it up:
Yes, the book is better than the movie. 

Yes, Momoko has plenty to teach us, even if she isn't a nice person. 

She does, however, get better. 

She opens up to another person, and learns to accept that there are other strong people out there who can add something to her already strong and independent personality, and some spice to her life. 

Introverts like having friends sometimes, too. It just needs to be the right one.

Why "Beauty at Any Size" Doesn't Work

Warning! 

(This post might be triggering to some, though I'm writing it with the best, most body positive intentions. I also want to underline, that what I'm writing is not directed at people with any eating disorder or similar issues.)

A couple of days ago, I had a very special moment on Tumblr. Many people who have a Tumblr account know, that it is home to both real and misunderstood feminism, body positivity and young people with bad selfconfidence who hate themselves. It can be both very serious, and a place to waste a serious amount of time when you just want to turn off your brain completely.

Usually, I just use it for the last point, hitting reblog on autopilot. 

I happen to, of course, be following a couple of friends on there, and a couple of days ago, one of them reblogged a post that made me stop. It broke my autopilot.

It was this animation with a bunch of skinny bodies. Thigh gaps and flat tummies and everything, flickering past one by one, and then the text "I need to be like these girls". The post still only had  about 25 notes, but knowing the self confidence issues of Tumblr, this was sure to blow up sooner or later. I'd seen plenty of posts kind of like that, but something about this specific post just seemed a lot more "In your face!" than any of the other ones.
So what do you do? I was a little torn. 

Part of my mind was hindered by what the danish calls the "Jantelov" 
(my dictionary translates it to "The Jante Law", but I'm not sure how well know it is outside of Denmark and Scandinavia)
It's like a mindset- Part of it is "don't think you're capable of making a difference!" and since I grew up with that, my head told me that it would be obnoxious of me to try and make a difference. It would be obnoxious of me to make a lengthy note with my opinion written beneath somebody else's post, telling them why I think it was wrong. Even if I found the post to be harmful, and I knew that post would cause nothing but pain to a lot of people. But why should anybody care what I think? This is none of my business!
Long story short, I jumped at it, and I wrote a lengthy note beneath the post, expressing my opinion.
To my surprise, I had received a message the next morning. Surprising, since I'm not the kind of Tumblr person who gets a lot of messages or replies to my posts.

It turns out the message was from the girl who had made the post in the first place. She told me that my comment on her post had changed her mind. It had inspired her to join a Fitness center, throw out the fastfood and she had bought a new pair of shorts (in a healthy size!) for summer, to motivate herself.This moved me so, so much.
I had managed to make a difference, in a much bigger way than I had hoped for. But I see a lot of "body acceptance" on the internet. 
I see plenty of "curvy girls are beautiful girls" and "beauty at any size" and so on. How did a simple post I made on Tumblr, manage to make a girl who had obviously been powerfully envious at "skinny girls" strive towards becoming not skinny, but healthy?

I've been considering my stance on this issue for a long time, and here's what I think. 
This was also the views that I expressed in that post I wrote.
Let me share the post, for starters. I excuse the swearing.

"No. You need to be like YOU, and to be happy! Not everyone has the physique to look like the women in the pictures, and not everybody should. 

It took me a long time to learn to understand that. Everybody’s “happy and healthy” is different. Yours is sexy, too! If you’re not happy with yourself the way you are, if you want to lose weight, do it! Go for a run if you can, or find some other way to be active, eat healthy, and watch how treating your body right benefits your gorgeous body.

But please promise me that you won’t eat less or hurt yourself. A body in motion needs nutrition to survive. It just needs the right stuff. The good stuff, like lean proteins and salads.

Please, promise me that you’re gonna be good to yourself. If I could’ve told myself the things I’m telling you know, I would’ve spared myself months of hell. Today I’m healthy and happy. I look nothing like the girls in the picture. I’m a little wider, because that’s my bonestructure, but I look fucking gorgeous because I work out. I bike. I do crunches and I eat right. 

Be healthy and happy! The two ingredients to being beautiful!"

I might have been a little emotional when I wrote that, but my points remain.
It's OK to not be satisfied with the way you look. If you're overweight, if you're too thin, it's totally OK to want to change.
The "beauty at any size" phenomenon that is going on right now, is not gonna change how you feel. Not being satisfied with your looks is a matter of being happy with what you see when you look in the mirror, and being told time and time again that what you're feeling when looking at yourself is wrong, is not gonna change that discomfort. That's why it hasn't really had any effect- the people who suffer from dissatisfaction with themselves, do not agree.

What I think is able to erase the pain, though, is being good to yourself. 
What will make you feel better, is the understanding that everybody's body is different, but has the ability to look beautiful, when you've done all that you can to shape it up and polish it!
As an extra treat, the beauty that your body carries will be unique, because no two bodies look the same. You might find that you have beautiful legs, a nice waist or gorgeous curves!

It will be a magical experience, figuring out what brings out the best in you, when what you've got to work with, is in perfect shape, just like it was meant to be!

(I want to point out, as a footnote, that if you're overweight or thin and happy, it's none of my business. Rock it and live your life to the fullest!)

The Flaws of Facebook and Bringing Back the 00's!

This post calls for a little bit of a backstory.
This weekend, I was on the way home for a small party that mainly consisted of my friends from my old Lolita circle. It had been a while and we had a good time. The next day, I was on the way home, and during the train ride I and a friend, who had joined me for some of it, got talking about the status of the Lolita community, both global and here in Denmark. It is obvious that everything has moved to Facebook. We do not know if this is just the case of the US and the danish Lolita community, but I suspect that this is pretty much a global thing. I know you may be having a bit of a deja vu, as I spoke about something like this in this post a while ago, but please stay with me here.

We discovered, that while the community has moved on to Facebook to become more "private" and a little more meet-up focused, the community has also lost some of the "involvement" that it once had.
(This might just be a case of "Back when I was a newbie, the grass was a lot greener..")

Even if Facebook has made communication a lot easier, quicker and moved the community into the "everydaysphere" of the members so you can get constant updates from your Lolita pals, alongside pictures from your cousins birthday, communication between Lolitas has become a lot more scarce.
I suspect is has to do with lazyness. You don't really engage, if you don't have to make a conscious effort to do so.

Facebook has taken away the spirited discussion of Lolita, and I suspect, killed a little bit of the magic that I felt when I first started out. If you don't share how you feel in Lolita, exchange views on new releases or the funny little situations you get into, or have gravely serious discussions about the "Rules" vs. "Guidelines", the 'science' of Lolita dies out. And of course I use the word 'science' with a loving, satirical tone. Of course Lolita is not 'seriouz businezz' in the big scheme of things, but isn't it to us, just a little bit, because we're passionate about it?
I think social activity and sharing help keep that passion alive, and that's what I've been missing.

I may be contradicting myself a little bit. I'm a big advocate for the "personal Lolita lifestyle", which many of my longtime readers already know. Lolita is something deeply personal to a lot of people, and that's how it should be. The important point in Lolita fashion is how you feel and see yourself, but this does not have to be disconnected from the social aspect of the fashion.
Engaging in conversations about Lolita can fuel your fire, make you consider new aspects of the fashion that you have not known before, and rekindle your love for corners of the fashion that you had forgotten all about.
Drama is what kills it.

Either I'm becoming a nostalgic Old Schooler trying to bring back the good ol' days, or I've pinpointed an actual flaw in the new community system. I guess I'm gonna find out, for I've decided to start up a Forum for my local communities. It feels like I've brought back the 00's.
People are even making old fashioned "Introduction Posts"!

I'm not saying we should shut down the Facebook communities. They're great for arranging meet-ups, making quick, fun updates and sharing videos. But they're horrible for conversation, and even worse for long, well-thought out posting.

So, how do you feel about this topic? Is Facebook a step up from the old platforms?
Should we bring back the old communities?

The Nostalgic Future of Lolita Communities

The Lolita Community is like a "pocket society" within the larger world community. It seems like the Lolita community exists on it's own, like a small town on the outskirts of the big city of "Modern World", and has it's own set of values, it's own customs, habits and even language.
But I've found that it's not quite so. Through the last couple of years, the Lolita community and fashion has changed tremendously! The change is moving at an incredible speed, maybe because our community is as small as it is. I think it's moving even quicker than the broader society, actually.

This post is me reflecting upon the change of the Lolita community that I've observed over the last couple of years, and why I think it's moving in the direction it is.

When I first got into Lolita, about 3-4 years ago or so, the global Lolita community really was Global with a capital G. The community was connected through huge communities, like EGL, and once in a while a new community would be born to knit Lolitas from around the world even closer. The communities were active and thriving, with multiple new posts pretty much every hour. People would start discussions about various aspects of Lolita culture, share fun experiences in Lolita and they would eagerly ask other people to share their stories as well. It was not just this social aspect of Lolita that the communities thrived on, but also the sharing of drawings, sewing creations and the like.
As many of us know, the EGL community seems to be slowly dying out. I think this shows a very interesting change in the mentality and social life of Lolitas in general.

From my observations, this decline in activity within the global communities has happened slowly, but it really dropped within the past year, reaching it's current low-point.
Reading through the Gothic and Lolita Bibles from the early 2000's, Lolita started out as a very personal thing, or a local, small-group hobby. Lolitas would gather in their local communities to do crafts together and whatever we do at meet-ups today. Then the global communities happened, and they grew.
It seems that currently, Lolita is moving backwards towards the situation we had before this globalization.
I think Lolitas simply got fed up with the global community, and the inevitable "Global Hierarchy" that happened along with it. With the global community we got a lot of interesting discussions, but at the same time it meant a situation where Lolita was no longer just your business. The "Rules" were established, as the Global Community were established, and it meant that everybody had to conform to certain standards. It's a natural part of group formation, I think, and it took away some of the romance of Lolita life.
Having to live up to the expectations and tastes of an entire world became too much of a burden, and so, the Lolita community broke up to go back to the old days where you could participate more freely.

Apart from being a symptom of the Lolita community getting "fed up", I think it's also part of a movement in society at large. I see more and more people deleting their Facebook accounts and putting their phones on stand-by for longer periods of time. The idea of going offline is gaining momentum.
At least where I'm from, the idea of the "simple life" is trending.
Making your own stuff and buying local produce is "in", whereas big corporation and globalization is losing it's charm.

I think it's a symptom of nostalgia. Everybody want to regress back to a state of closer connections. Closer connections to the foundations in life, from food to the people around you. From virtual connections to eye-to-eye contact. From global communities to local communities.

Lolitas have left the global communities and moved on to Facebook. Not to discuss the fashion in all it's aspects, but to use it as a simple tool for arranging meet-ups with the people who matter. Tumblr has become a thing, but mostly as a tool for inspiration. Only rarely do we see real judgement. Gossip blogs spring up, but they die out quickly. Tumblr is more like a virtual quick-fix magazine.
The real talk and gossip goes on around tables at tea houses or picnics in the real world.

Small-town drama will always exist, but it's a lot easier to deal with than "Behind the Bows".
Some Lolitas might be lucky enough to have the support of friends within their local communities. Even if they don't, it's a lot easier to just shut the door on a judgemental community after a bad meet-up, than knowing that what might feel like a million strangers is judging you on the internet.
Those mean comments will follow you around because of the internet's constant presence.
Mean gossip dissapears into thin air, and so you can forget and let go.

My point is, I think Lolitas are longing for that closed knit community that was at the roots of our community, back in the day. Also as a way of rekindling the magic of Lolita as a personal way of life. Fashionwise, I think this will change the fashion as well. When nobody has to live up to the judgement of strangers, nothing will stand in the way of free experimentation. I don't think the shared idea of what Lolita is about will die out, but everybody will have their own way of painting within this canvas.

This global evolution of fashion will not be for us to see, though.
The only Lolita-volution we will soon be able to follow will be our own, and as we move towards that future, it becomes more and more clear to me that our own is the only one that matters.

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

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.”

On "Mean" Lolitas

Credit for Original Picture goes to yumi_sanxsushi

"I thought about becoming a lolita, but then I heard that you're all MEAN!"

Sounds familiar? Well, that's not so strange. There has been a lot of talk about how mean we all are, lately. Another phrase that has been used so much that it has become cheesy is that for a bunch of lovely girls, we are very ugly on the inside. 

So, is it true? are we all mean? Are even the majority of us mean?

No, definetely not. And I think that if a person should want to join our community, and then turn away because of the All Lolitas Are Mean-idea, then that person might need to take a deep breath, cool down and then come back to see for herself. Lolitas are people just like all other people, and we are a surprisingly diverse subculture. Some people would say that we are not even a subculture, because they think that the only thing we have in common, is clothes. So, considering that lolitas are a diverse group of people with different personalities, how come that we should all be mean? Well, my answer would be that some people get this idea from secret-communities and a very persistent rumor, concerning the often-referred-to-but-less-often-spotted Elitist Lolita. The Elitist is supposedly a snobbish, mean lolita who only wears brand clothes and looks down upon all new lolitas, lolitas who wear offbrand, and lolitas who are not Perfect. The Elitist is a bit like Bigfoot. People claim that this creature exists, but very few people have actually seen one. This rumor seems to especially thrive in secret communities, which are communities specifically designed to make anonymous confessions. People seem to take advantage of the anonymity to make troll-posts and blatant lies, just to make people mad or hurt someones feelings. 
 So, when people learn about this rumor, I think that many are ready to jump the gun and scream "Elitist!" as soon as they feel that they are being opposed. This tendency is only made worse by new lolitas already being scared of the rumor and of not fitting in.

From what I have seen in the lolita community myself, people tend to be civil, nice and helpful, but! Since lolitas are just people and not all Innocent and Forever Patient Maidens, they can also get a little tired of having new lolitas come into their community very often, which in itself is just nice, but when they all ask the same questions again and again, without taking the time to research their question first, they tend to get a little tired. 
If you are not a new lolita, and still believe the "All Lolitas Are Mean" rumor, maybe you should take a moment to reflect on the issue. Have you ever heard the phrase anywhere other than in Secret Communities or from new lolitas who claim that everybody responded in a mean way to their post? Probably not, but maybe you yourself feel that lolitas tend to be mean to you? Maybe you've just ended up in a bad drama-filled local community, in which case I would say that you should probably just step back and seek the company of more laid-back lolitas online, or encourage your local lolitas to work out their problems! Somebody has to take the first step, right?

If you continuously have bad experiences with other lolitas on the internet, or you are a new lolita  planning to make your first post, let me give you some handy tips!

• Try doing your research before posting a question! Do a google AND a community search and check the archive/memories before posting!

• Try writing your question and/or post in a mature and polite way, but don't overdo it! 1900-century mannerisms can be fun in a sentence or two, but don't use it for your entire post!

• Don't use too many japanese emoticons and the like. Don't use japanese phrases that are not a part of the relevant "Lolita Vocabulary".

• Behave maturely if you receive constructive criticism or if a person tells you to "Stop That!" even if you think that the other person is wrong. No good is gonna come out of starting an argument or slinging insults at each other. It's just gonna make you both look bad. Also, there is a difference between a civil discussion and an argument!

• Don't post stuff that is not lolita related in the slightest, unless the topic in that particular post allows it!

Many of those apply to real life encounters with other lolitas as well! Try your best to behave in a polite and mature manner, and if another lolita does not respond in kind, well, then at least it's not your fault. As I've said before, lolitas are just people with a different aesthetic, so yes, you may meet a mean person in our subculture, but that can happen anywhere! If you meet a person that behaves in a mean or cold way towards you, give that person a second chance and try to be nice. You don't know if the other lolita just had a bad day. Maybe his or her pet died. Simply avoid the other person if she keeps being mean every single time.

If you still want to leave or just not get into lolita because you might risk meeting a person that's not nice to you, or because you have had an unpleasant encounter, then just don't seek the company of other lolitas. Being a lolita is about wearing the clothes for yourself, afterall. You don't need the community to be a lolita.
But you're missing out on a lot of possible friendships if you stay away!

Disney Heroines and Female Ideals

Recently, the new Disney movie "Frozen" was released in cinemas, and this movie has raised voices all over the world! The complaints mainly revolve around the amount of female characters and their portrayal, from what I've heard. 

The argument about the portrayal of women in the media in general is interesting, but in this post I'm gonna talk about Disney in particular, and the ideals that they set for girls and women. I feel that the portrayal of women in Disney movies and TV-series is to some extent misunderstood, but then again, the critics are right on some points as well. 

One must remember, that many of the Disney princesses were written many decades ago. The expectations that people had for a woman was different back then. There was a time where it was expected of a woman to be quiet, delicate and the wife of a husband/breadwinner. 

So is it healthy, pulling those roles out of the dusty old closet and pushing them onto girls today? Are Disney princesses bad rolemodels, just because they're not all "feisty" ?

I don't think so, at all. 

Many people seem to worry that Disney will make girls fall victim to the idea that you have to find a guy to marry, to be "right". What I think some of these people forget, is to reflect upon their own childhood and the worries and goals they had back then.

Growing up, did Disney make you frantic to go out and get married? Was the most important thing in your life finding a Prince Charming, or has it been since?
Maybe it's just me, but I watched every single Disney movie, I had the Disney-Barbie dolls. I still wanted to become a hero I wanted to travel the world and become a Pokemon Master, I wanted to become a secret Spy. The last one was a result of Disney's "Kim Possible", actually. See, that's a great story with a kick-ass female lead!

Disney Princesses were some of my greatest idols, though! I was a huge fan of Pocahontas, especially. 

I loved her affinity with nature, her strength, her willingness to stand up to her parents and to traditions to do the right thing. The John Smith-thing was just a side-plot to me. 

The great story with a strong female lead was in the center.

I found Belle in Beauty and the Beast to be very inspirational as well. She was clever, openminded, independent, and her close relationship to her dad is for some reason some of what I remember the clearest. Many people worry that her falling in love with the one that keeps her prisoner will have a bad influence on how girls view relationships. I never even thought of that when I watched the movie! The only thing I cared about was how she was able to see past his beastly looks! To me, "Beauty and the Beast" is about not judging a book by it's cover, and second chances. And Belle is not all beauty. She's brains as well!

Even the women in the older Disney movies have great traits that young girls will undoubtly learn from. The three fairies in Sleeping Beauty are fun and quirky characters. They're creative, they're motherly and they raised her all on their own with no man involved. I'm not gonna talk about miss. Beauty. She doesn't have much of a personality of her own, in my opinion. I'll give the critics that.

The first Disney princess, Snow White, is innocent but not just that. She has a sense of curiosity that makes her go her own way, and a basic trust in humanity. She moves in with a bunch of nice, little strangers that would probably have been looked down upon and shunned back in the middle ages or whenever this story takes place. She keeps that trust, despite having just been betrayed by a person that she trusted, and having been mistreated her whole life. She turns that into something good. She helps the dwarves and becomes a motherly figure to them, and they give her a place to stay and protects her. Even if she is naive, I think the basic message that little girls get out of the movie is a good one.
It didn't make me trust strangers blindly, but it's central message about friendship went right in there.

I could go on and on, and talk about Jasmin's independence, Mulan's sense of justice and Tiana's hardworking personality and goals, but they speak for themselves.
What I'm trying to say is, that Disney is not all about finding and marrying Prince Charming. That's not what little girls get out of watching these movies. What little girls see, are women that can hold their own in a world dominated by men.
They see that by following your sense of justice, being independent, being something besides "just" beautiful, and doing good in the face of adversity, you become a great and admirable woman!
Those are the traits that make up a princess and/or a heroine!
People claim that Disney has started to make female characters that look the same, but I disagree. Merida doesn't look anything like the Frozen girls, for instance.

Disney have their flaws, but I think their ability to make a wide range of different, but equally rolemodel-worthy heroines deserves applause.

I have yet to watch the movie "Frozen", but I know I will, despite the lack of female characters in the movie. From what I've seen, the Queen looks pretty badass.

LBC: What are You Thankful For in Lolita Fashion?

The logo of the community in which I discovered Lolita.

This week’s Lolita Blog Carnival topic is one that comes straight from the heart- What am I thankful for in Lolita fashion?

Lolita might just be clothes, but they are clothes that awaken strong emotions in most of its wearers. Also, I would argue that Lolita is a subculture, in the same way that Goth is a subculture. That discussion is not one I’m gonna take up now, though.

First of all, I guess like most of the participants in this weeks topic, I’m thankful for my community. My community is a closeknit one. We’re a big circle of friends, that invite each other to parties outside of Lolita as well, and I enjoy every moment I spend with them. I don’t get to see them nearly enough, now that I’ve moved!

Even if I’ve moved to another part of the country, because of Lolita, I’ve quickly gotten into a new circle of people that I can’t wait to get to know better. Almost no matter where you live, Lolita is a fast-track to making new friends in your new city, and the many online communities makes it even easier to sniff out the local Lolitas!

I’m not just thankful for the social aspect of Lolita. I’m thankful for the fashion in itself, as well. I’m thankful for the frills that make me feel gorgeous whenever I put them on. I’m thankful for the whimsy that can make even a grey and ordinary day feel magical. Lolita makes me open my eyes to the beauty of the world around me. I pay attention to the little things a lot more, when I dress up, and it feels like I become a part of that beauty.

I’m thankful for the things that Lolita has introduced me to. New interests, movies, music. All the fun info that I stumbled upon while researching the fashion!

Last but not least, I’m also thankful for the understanding Lolita has helped me obtain, of other subcultures. Lolita made me more curious when it comes to other groups of alternatively dressed individuals, from ordinary Punk, to Mori-Girl, to Steampunk. It has made me question stereotypes a lot more, and less prone to making assumptions about people based on the way they dress.

That goes for how I view ordinary people too. Truthfully, I don’t even really frown when I see an old woman in a fur coat anymore. Who knows how she got it in the first place or why she’s wearing it?

In general, I’m thankful for who Lolita has helped me become, and how Lolita has enriched my life.

I don’t know who I would’ve been without it, and I wouldn’t care to find out, even if I got the shot.

Lolita Glamour
Wild Jackalopes
Wearable Magic