Part Time Lolita

An apology

2010-05-09T19:10:00.002-04:00

I'm sorry to everyone who follows me. The end of the semester kind of took over my life. Add that to the fact that I recently learned my dog Buddy isn't doing too well and will probably have to be put down in the next month or so. I apologize for my silence, but other things are more important than a blog.

Thank you for your understanding and hopefully I'll be back soon enough.

Tokyo Rebel Online Shopping Review

2010-04-24T17:59:00.005-04:00

After losing my Metamorphose parasol a year ago in China Town (long story) I needed a new one for this upcoming summer. On April 17th I placed an order with Tokyo Rebel for an Innocent World parasol. Not two days later they let me know that they had shipped out my package and reimbursed me for $8 on my shipping because, living only one state over, shipping was not as much as quoted.

On April 22nd it arrived at my doorstep.

It was shipped in a long rectangle box, wrapped in tissue paper and a heavier shipping paper. The parasol was in perfect condition.

They even included the cutest handwritten note.

Overall I would rate my online shopping experience with Tokyo Rebel a 5 out of 5. Shipping was fast, contact was fast, it was packaged great, and they even refunded some of my shipping. I would definitely order from them again.

Sakura Matsuri at the Brooklyn Botanical Garden!

2010-04-19T08:00:00.000-04:00

May 1st and 2nd is the BBG's Sakura Matsuri 2010. An event that celebrates the beauty of cherry blossoms and Japanese culture. They have special events such as taiko drumming, the flower hat parade, pop singers, Go practice, bonsai exhibits, and countless others. They even have events for the anime crowd such as para para practice, a manga library, cosplay contest, and a lot more.

The New York City lolitas will even be hosting a meetup on Saturday at the Cherry Esplanade. Details can be found on EGL here. There's an insane amount of people attending and it's always fun to hang out with fellow lolitas. I'll be popping my head in there for a little while too.

If you live anywhere nearby I greatly suggest going. It's a lot of fun! (Even if it rains, which it usually does. Bring an umbrella!) Admission is $15 for adults, $10 for students with a valid ID.

This will be my 9th year in a row attending the event, but the very first year that I will be attending both days so I'm very excited. If you're going I hope to see you there!

Commissioning Tips

2010-04-16T08:00:00.001-04:00

I'm currently in the process of commissioning a few tops and a jsk from a couple seamstresses. Now, commissioning custom pieces, especially from someone you don't know, can be a daunting task. Here's some tips that should help you through the process.

~ Know what you want. - Whether it be a replica or something original, have a clear idea in your head. Be able to explain it clearly or draw a little picture showing what you're looking forward to.

~ Know your budget. - Are you going to be able to splurge $200 on a dress? Or are you scraping the barrel at $70? It's always best to state your budget beforehand. Stay aware of shipping costs too.

~ Be reasonable with your budget. - You're not going to find a seamstress anywhere who wants to sew ten million details and spend oodles of money on lace if your budget is low. If you can't afford anything more than the basic, consider going simpler, getting something smaller (a skirt instead of a JSK/OP), or just saving up more money.

~ Be aware of your size. - Are you plus size? Petite? Some seamstresses have more experience than others in different size ranges. I always find it helpful to mention basic measurements (Bust, Waist, Hips) when I'm in the first stages with a seamstress. This will enable her to make the decision whether or not she is skilled enough in your size range to make your garments.

~ Know your time limit. - You can't get an OP in time for your dance in two weeks, it just isn't going to happen. Know your time constraints and plan accordingly. Don't forget to mention this to any seamstresses you're communicating with and ask if your deadline is reasonable or not. Don't forget to account for shipping time.

~ Check reviews. - The seamstress you're considering should have feedback somewhere. Customer testimonials are one of the best ways to judge whether the person you're commissioning from is good, trustworthy, on time with deadlines, etc.

~ Ask for pictures of previous work. - Another good way to check your seamstress out is to ask for pictures of previous work. Not just pictures of the outfit or item, but ask for closeups of seams and the insides of the piece. Does it look sloppy? Rushed? Are there loose threads hanging everywhere? Or does it look professional and clean?

~ Get a quote. - You always want at least an estimation up front to know what you're working with.

~ If applicable, compare prices. - If you're considering commissioning from one seamstress or another compare prices with quality of work and reviews. You want to get the most bang for your buck, but remember that cheaper isn't always the best way to go.

~ Be prepared to get needed measurements. - If you don't know your measurements already you're going to need a flexible measuring tape and a friend or family member to help you get them. Need tips on getting proper measurements? Check out Uniquely Loli's Measurements Guide.

~ Set a schedule for updates. - Some people are more patient between updates than others, setting a schedule ahead of time prevents headaches later. Me? I like to ask for progress pictures every week to two weeks, depending on what I'm commissioning. I think once a week is reasonable for a skirt or larger. For a headbow or accessory, three or four days. Allow a day or two of wiggle room in case a seamstress has something come up and is a little late for an update.

~ Don't be afraid to speak your mind. - Don't like how something is looking when you've gotten an update? A detail doesn't match what you asked for? Speak up. A seamstress can't fix what you don't like if you don't tell her you don't like it. Does it seem like she's coming up close on the deadline? Mention your worries, don't keep quiet.

~ Most important of all: BE POLITE. - Constantly bugging your seamstress for updates, demanding changes that weren't in the original agreement, or threatening a bad review for a small mistake is completely unreasonable. Yes, you are employing your seamstress but she is an actual human being with a life outside of your commission. Don't forget the previous tip of speaking your mind, but remember that "please" gets you farther than "because I said so".

Breaking all the Rules

2010-04-14T07:47:00.002-04:00

Alright, so I'm still a little behind on my schedule. Unfortunately, life comes first.

Lolita has a ton of rules, either fashion-wise or behavior-wise. Skirts have to be so long, socks have to be so high, you can't wear this with that, you have to act ladylike. Like anyone, though, I like to break quite a few of these rules. Please share what rules you like to break, too!

~ 99% of the time, I don't wear makeup
~ I wear glasses (there was a big to-do over this a couple years ago)
~ I like my skirts a couple inches above the knee
~ I wear black shoes with almost everything
~ I tend to avoid wearing jewelry
~ I don't wear bloomers
~ I love old-style flat headdresses (mostly out of style nowadays)
~ I don't paint my nails
~ I like running around and going crazy in lolita rather than sitting still and looking pretty
~ I don't like tea
~ I don't enjoy most fancy desserts

Etsy Hunt: Butterflies

2010-04-09T08:00:00.001-04:00

After a long hiatus I am back! Apologies to anyone who missed me.

One of my favorite motifs is butterflies. And with Meta releasing their Jewel Butterfly series this spring, I decided to go searching for accessories that shared the same motif.

I am in absolute LOVE with this dress and wish I could fit into it.

On Etsy, there are a hundreds of treasures in every style imaginable hiding among the masses. Here are just a handful that jumped out at me. (Click images to go to the items)

Coming Down to Earth

2010-03-19T08:00:00.002-04:00

There's a very loud chorus from those who aren't lifestyle lolitas that "lolita is just clothes". But you have to admit that the lifestyle lolitas are shouting collectively louder.

I recently went to a meetup where the crew for the Loligirls documentary was filming for their full length production. They asked us what we lolitas usually talked about at meetups and proceeded to throw out examples. "Makeup tips? Favorite brands?" they asked. Us girls looked around at each other, unsure how to express that we had just got done with a rousing bout of crude toilet humor. I get asked by friends, "So, do you sit around at home and drink tea and pretend you're living in Victorian times?" And I always have to explain that while there could be some girls out there like that, once I'm home I'm usually lazing around in PJ pants playing on the internet or doing homework. Whenever you see lolitas being filmed, say on the news, and they're in there rooms, everything is always pink and fluffy. We've been painted with a very broad brush full of rainbows and unicorns and soft fuzzies. And it's because us "normal" girls don't stand out as well as the much more extreme lifestylers.

I just don't understand the rationalization that someone who dresses different = someone who acts different. Dressed like cupcakes, we're still normal girls underneath, and I think even a lot of lolitas need to come to this realization. We're not doing any good in canceling out the thoughts of bypassers that we're strange when most of us come home to a pile of pastel that should be in a nursery. (Barring that you actually have a child and a nursery. xD) Most of us are in our late teens and early twenties. It's time for us to start making a place in life for ourselves through college, jobs, and careers. Yes, lolita is a great escape from the day to day pressures of normal life and an escape is good from time to time. But eventually the clothes have to come off. Most of us aren't tittering school girls blushing behind our parasols. We are young women, ready to take on the world. And it's time that we start dispersing these beliefs that we are just big girls trying to be little girls still. I'm not saying stop doing what you love and try to fit in to a niche the rest of the world has set up. I'm just saying that there are times when you really should take off that tiara.

Plus Size Lolita Buying Guide

2010-03-15T08:00:00.000-04:00

Today I'm cheating. I'm just copy and pasting the buying guide that I updated over the weekend for egl_plus. I spent so much time working on it I felt that I deserved to use it twice. You can continue to read it here or go on over to its spot on the LJ community.

Notes:
- Most of these measurements are rough estimates and DO NOT apply for all garments from mentioned brands. Be sure to check that what you are buying is a piece that falls under the right sizing. Also note that the "up to" measurement is usually the MAX measurement and will either be incredibly tight and/or won't look good.

- This is not a brand list. Not every lolita brand, Japanese or otherwise, is going to be on here. I'll only include brands that have a trend of selling larger clothing than Japanese standard sizes.

- I worked hard on this list. Updating it alone took over four hours. If reposting it elsewhere, please give credit where credit is due.

JAPANESE BRAND

Baby the Stars Shine Bright
Has forgiving shirring.
Full-shirring JSKs will go up to about 130cm/52"
Full-shirring blouses will go up to about 140cm/55"
Some skirts up to 96cm/38"
Some cutsews up to 111cm/44"
"L SIZE"
Back-shirred JSKs can go up to 102cm/40" bust and 84cm/33" waist
"LL SIZE"
Back-shirred JSKs can go up to 110cm/43" bust and 96cm/37" waist

Innocent World
Has forgiving shirring.
Fullshirring OPs and JSKs up to about 110cm/43"
Some cuts of JSKs up to 130cm/52" (This cut)
Elastic waistband skirts up to 100cm/39"
OFFERS "L SIZE" (but not as forgiving as Baby or Meta's larger sizes)
Some blouses up to 100cm/39" bust
OFFERS "TALL SIZE"
RUMORS OF OFFERING "LL" and "3L" sizing in the future

Metamorphose Temps de Fille
Some skirts up to 100cm/39"
Some JSKs up to 105cm/41"
OFFERS "TALL SIZE"

Angelic Pretty
Full shirring JSKs up to 100cm/39"
Full-back shirring up to 107cm/42"
Full-shirred blouses up to 136cm/53" bust

h.Naoto
Some skirts up to 110cm/43"
Some tops up to 106cm/41"

MA/MAM
Full shirring up to 105cm/41"
Full elastic waistband skirts up to 100cm/39"
OFFERS "LOVELY SIZE"
JSKs up to 120cm/47"
Blouses up to 120cm/47"
Skirts up to 110cm/43"

Milky Ange
Some dresses up to 120cm/47" in the bust
Some tops up to 110cm/43"
OFFERS "L" and "XL" SIZES
*also sells maid dresses

Putumayo
Some knits up to 110cm/43"
Skirts up to 101cm/40" HIPS
Some JSKs up to 100cm/39"

Bodyline (included because it's Japan-based, though it's not necessarily considered "brand")
Up to 110cm/43"
Offers "L" and "2L" sizing
*Not all items are lolita

CHINESE "BRANDS"

Fan Plus Friend
Sizing up to 112cm/44" bust 91cm/36" waist
Offers "LARGE SIZE"
Custom Sizing $5 USD
*also sells cosplay

Anna House
Offers S, M, L, XL Sizes
XL up to 102cm/40" bust and 86cm/34" waist.
Offers custom sizing for a small charge. (about $10 USD on average)

TAOBAO SHOPS
*when ordering custom size it may be best to add an inch or two to measurements.
(Prices and info are based off of Qcute/Qutieland shopping service, as I can't read Chinese.)

Dear Celine
"Standard Size" 92cm/36" bust 77cm/30" waist
"Oversize" custom sizing for up to 65 HKD (about $6 USD)

Rose Melody
"Standard Size" 88cm/34" bust 70cm/27" waist
"Oversize" custom sizing for up to 75 HKD (about $10 USD)

Momo & Jia Baby Shop
"Standard Size" 88cm/34" bust 70cm/27" waist
"Oversize" custom sizing for up to 70 HKD (about $9 USD)

Infanta
Offers "L" and "XL" sizing
Up to 96cm/37" bust 76cm/30" waist
Does not offer custom sizing

R-Series
Offers "L" sizing
Up to 92cm/36" bust 72cm/28" waist
"Oversize" custom sizing for up to 65 HKD (about $6 USD)

Kids YoYo
JSK "Standard Size" 88cm/34" bust 68cm/26" waist
Blouse "Standard Size" 92cm/36" bust 76cm/30" waist
"Oversize" custom sizing for up to 90 HKD (about $11 USD)

White Moon
"Standard Size" 90cm/35" bust 74cm/29" waist
"Oversize" custom sizing for up to 40 HKD (about $5 USD)

PrinCutess
"Standard size" 90cm/35" bust 72cm/28" waist
"Oversize" custom sizing for up to 55 HDK (about $7 USD)

DollscroPs
"Standard size" 88cm/34" bust 68cm/26" waist
"Oversize" custom sizing for up to 75 HKD (about $10 USD)

Surface Spell
"Standard size" 90cm/35" bust 72cm/28" waist
"Oversize" custom sizing for up to 65 HKD (about $6 USD)

Taobao shopping services
Qcute/Qutieland
Taobao Now
Miwitch" (seems to be Infanta only)
Mashimaro Girl (Potential Scam?)

AMERICAN BRANDS

In the Starlight - http://inthestarlight.com/
*CLOSED*

Excalibur Girls - https://www.excaliburgirls.com
Up to 111cm/44" bust and 91cm/36" waist.
*CLOSED* ?

Sweet Rococo - http://www.sweetrococo.com/
General sizing up to 111cm/44" bust and 91cm/36" waist.

Candy Violet - http://www.candyviolet.com/
"L", "XL", and "2XL" sizing
Up to 116cm/46" bust 96cm/38" waist

Blasphemina's Closet
Custom Sizing at no extra charge

Megan Maude
"L" and "XL" sizing
101cm/40" bust 78cm/31" waist
Up to 111cm/44" waist on some skirts
*Custom sizing available as of 3/12/10

OTHER COUNTRIES' BRANDS

Ergi
Up to 100cm/39" bust 75cm/29" waist
No custom sizing

English Charm
"L" "XL" "SXL" "MXL" "LXL" and "XLXL" sizing
Up to 122cm/48" bust 107cm/42" waist
Offers custom sizing

ETSY SHOPS

11tyone
Up to 90cm/35" bust 85cm/33" waist
No custom sizing
Available for commissions

Anachronisme
Up to 5XL
Semi-custom sizing
*Currently on hiatus

Bloom Empire
Up to 101cm/40" waist

Bondage Tea
Up to 127cm/50" waist
*A lot of stuff sold isn't lolita

Delicacy
Up to 99cm/39" bust 89cm/35" waist
sometimes offers semi-custom sizing

Dreams and Outfits
"L" and "XL" sizing
Up to 91cm/36" waist
Custom sizing
*Bloomers only

I Do Declare
Up to 96cm/38" waist

Lauralyn
Up to 99cm/39" bust 96cm/38" waist
*Not all items are lolita

Petite Royale
Up to 127cm/50" waist

Pink Sugar
Up to 94cm/37" waist

Silversark
"L" and "XL" sizing
up to 127cm/50" bust 106cm/42" waist
*Not all items are lolita/a little ita-ish

Skeletons in the Closet
Custom sizing
*more aristocrat than lolita

Victoria's Jewelry Box

2010-03-12T08:00:00.003-05:00

I am very picky about jewelry, it is incredibly rare for me to find several things that I love in one place. But one place has managed to make a miracle. Victoria's Jewelry Box. Victoria's incredibly lovely victorian inspired jewelry, cameos in every color you can imagine, and delicate details have definitely charmed me. Hopefully it will charm you too.

I love cameos. They're classic, timeless, and gorgeous. But a cameo alone doesn't make a beautiful piece. The settings for these cameos are incredibly detailed and I'm absolutely in love with the chains.

The attention to detail on this pendant is amazing, while not being overly cluttered. I love the shape and openness of it as well.

This locket is gorgeous. The intricate flowers and little butterfly up top are adorable. Raphael's angel makes the piece and the red stones on the chain compliment it well.

I've never been big on earrings, but I do like these a lot. They're intricate and delicate. If you can't tell by now, I'm greatly attracted to the little flowers. The curves and lines of the designs are incredibly lovely.

Victoria's also has other items of interest, all of which can fit in perfectly with a lolita's bedroom and vanity.

I am absolutely gaga over this dragonfly perfume bottle. And the angel compact is sweet and simple.

I have an unhealthy obsession with trinket boxes. If I could, I would buy all three of these and many more that Victoria's has.

Victoria's Jewelry box has beautiful pieces, including gorgeous cameos and intricate details. On top of that, they have knickknacks that any lolita would love to place on their vanity. Add decent prices on every item and you have a winning combination.

From Fail to Frills

2010-03-08T08:00:00.006-05:00

Warning: This post is super long and has a gratuitous amount of photos of me. Continue at your own risk.

A lot of photos have been deleted, the evidence burned, but the shame still remains. I know there's a few girls who weren't itas to start out, but the amount of us who were is astounding. Here's my tale of a girl finding her place in the frills throughout the years.

2004 - 17 years old
Luckily I don't have pictures from this year. If I'm even luckier, my mother doesn't either. This was my first ever year attempting lolita. For my Senior Seminar at high school I did a paper on gender roles in Japanese pop culture. For the presentation though, we only had to do projects loosely based on our subject and having to do with our art major. I was in creative writing, so I did poems inspired by Visual Kei bands (Yeah, I was an awesome weaboo teenager xD). The day I gave the presentation I dressed in this bastard child of really bad gothic lolita and decora. I was wearing a gothic dress with a square neck, moons on the bodice, and a kerchief skirt. Fishnets. I had plastic fish tied into my hair... it wasn't a pretty sight.

For my graduation I begged my mother for some real lolita. Of course, we were poor and there was no way she was going to buy me those expensive clothes from In the Starlight. I ended up with a black circle skirt with see-through lace panels, a squaredance petticoat, a plain white blouse, and pigtails. When I wore this getup to Otakon the summer after I added a ribbon as a "headdress".

I'm so glad no pictures exist of these.

2006 - 19 years old
After my first failed attempt, I gave up on lolita for a year. But then I had dropped out of college, started working a lot more, started saving up, bought my first BJD, and wanted another huge money sink. (What was I thinking?) So I bought a hugely overpriced Hot Topic dress from the UK. (In the end I think it cost me $300 altogether. I was so naive.)

Yes, this one. (Not my photo)

I barely squeezed my fat ass into it, got a mini tophat, and proceeded to take a million pictures. Unfortunately, I'm pretty sure I've deleted all of them. If I come across one I'll be sure to share it.

After I got sick of not being able to fit into the Hot Topic dress, I finally decided to order from the best place ever (in my newbie eyes), In the Starlight. And yes, I have pictures from this outfit. (Lucky you).

I thought I was hot shit.

For Halloween I got another dress from ITS. I was slowly getting better. Very slowly.

2007 - 20 years old
2007 was the biggest year for me as a lolita. I was getting the hang of what dresses looked good, but I still hadn't come to learning what dresses looked good on me. I started venturing away from In the Starlight and poking my head into Fan plus Friend and commissioning private seamstresses. I also got the ever popular hime-cut this year.

Fan plus Friend dress. The collar was HUGE.

This was my favorite dress for forever. It was an AP replica, incredibly full, hand dyed lace, made just for me.
Unfortunately, I had an unhealthy obsession with front corset lacing. As you can see, we didn't exactly get along well.

My hime-cut. Brand new. While wearing a band shirt xD

2007 was also the year I met Caro-chan and our friend Xanet, and our special little trio was born.

I still had the occasional bad-fitting dress, but I was pretty much in my lolita niche.
Xanet also started stealing my clothes since we had similar measurements. xD

And then I got my first brand dress. From Innocent World.

Happiest girl in the fucking world, I tell you.

2008 - 21 years old
Nothing much happened for me in the world of lolita. Just purchases. I got my one and only lolita coat to date. Some more Innocent World jumperskirts. My beloved IW bonnet. And my most favorite jumperskirt in the world. I was also slowly starting my switch from sweet to classic and gothic.

2009 - 22 years old
This year everything started changing. I went back to college, got glasses so I could actually see what I was learning, and quit my job. The need for money also awakened the need for me to realize what really fit well and what didn't. Slowly, the Innocent World jumpers were sold, along with a lot of other clothes that made me look frumpy or oddly shaped. I also grew out my hime-cut and chopped it all off.

2009 was also the year that Xanet, Caro-chan, and I all went out in the woods behind my house and killed eachother. Or something like that.

The best part: My parents didn't even bat an eye when we all got back to my house.

2010 - 23 years old
I don't know what the future holds for my lolita life. I'm broker than ever and have even less opportunities to dress up than I did in 09. I'm hoping that I soon get a job, so I can start buying pretty clothes again. We'll see what happens.

What I do know, though, is that I wouldn't have made it this far if it hadn't been for the best two girls in the entire world. We don't get to see eachother much, but when we do it's always a wild ride. Caro-chan and Xanet are the best girls ever and if they weren't around I wouldn't be here. (Literally, Caro-chan was the one who goaded me into starting this blog xD) So, like most girls, I started off a scratchy-lace covered ita and grew into the lolita I am today. Like I wish for most girls, I did it with the help with two great friends. Because of them, I can look back on my beginner days with a smile.

Dealing with Dissapointment: It Doesn't Fit

2010-03-05T08:00:00.000-05:00

In my last post I mentioned my brand new HMHM blouse not fitting and nearly crying over the fact. Unfortunately, I can't wear the blouse as it is, but here's a couple ways to handle a similar situation.

We've all been there. We've all ripped into a package of brand new lolita clothes, tried them on, and end up staring into the mirror in disbelief. Whether something was too tight, too loose, too long, or too short, we've all experienced clothing not fitting. I've listed a few ways to deal with this horrible circumstance.

First Things First

- Don't lie to yourself. If it doesn't fit, don't force it. Telling yourself it looks fine isn't going to make things better. You want your clothes to fit. You don't want to be busting out of your clothes or wearing them like a tent. If your breasts are trying to make their way to freedom, if you're on the maximum end of the shirring stretch and your torso resembles a sausage, if you had to jog around the block a couple times to get your skirt to fit, your clothes may be too tight. On the other end of the spectrum, if your jumperskirt is hanging off you like a limp rag, if your skirts keep sliding down to your ankles, or the bottom hem of your blouse is hitting your knees, you may want to consider your clothes being too large.

Pictured: Undesirable Outcomes

- Take a deep breath (but not too deep if you're going to bust a seam). Freaking out over your clothes not fitting is not going to solve the problem. Getting them soaked in tears isn't either. Take them off, carefully if they're too tight, fold them up, and put them away in a safe place. If you need a while to mope around the house, do so now.
If too small

- Don't resign yourself to using corsets, shapewear, or sportsbras to fit into an item. Sure, it's a quick fix and requires less grief for the short-term, but owning a piece that requires you to strap yourself in everytime you wish to wear it can get depressing. What's worse is that sports bras can give you this horrible thing called "boob loaf", a malady that creates the illusion of having a loaf of bread stuffed in your shirt rather than two separate breasts.

- Look the garment over. How much room does it have in the seams for it to be let out? Would that allowance be enough for what you need or no? If yes, consider a tailor or seamstress. A relative might know how to fix the garment for you. If not, do a search online for tradesmen and women in your area, or local businesses. Craigslist.org is perfect for such a thing. Always check their previous work before hiring them, though. If you would rather someone a little more versed in lolita, make a post to the EGL Community Sales. There are plenty of seamstresses there who would be able to resize your garment for you.

- If there isn't enough seam to be let out or you don't think the garment can be modified to fit you, you may have to sell it. It's tragic, but it happens. Selling it right away is the best way to guarantee you'll get close to what you paid for it. Be sure to mention that it is brand new, only tried on, and give it's exact measurements. Post a link to the original place you bought it if applicable to show that you're selling it for the same or slightly less price. Always remember to never charge more for the item, even though you may lose out on a couple dollars through shipping. Lolitas are sharp and spendthrifty. Most don't fall for such a trick.

If too Large

- Don't expect corset ties, waist ties, or belts to reign everything in. If the item is only a little bit too loose in certain areas, these things can be a godsend, but they aren't a miracle cure. A sack is going to look like a sack even if you cinch it in the middle with a belt.

- Most items that are too large can easily be taken in. Once again, ask a family member who knows how to sew, search for local seamstresses, or ask around on the comm sales. If there is enough extra fabric, you may even be able to get a whole new accessory out of it!

In the End

- Remember that it's not the end of the world. Clothes are not the be-all, end-all of life. They can be edited, repaired, or replaced. There is always another chance and there is always another day. You can start worrying when we run out of fabric in the world, but until then you can easily avoid wearing ill-fitting clothing in an attempt to look your cutest.

Twitter!

2010-03-04T11:09:00.002-05:00

Just a small announcement. I've finally got a twitter for this blog! You can find me in the right hand column or just go to my profile at http://twitter.com/PartTimeLoli. Follow me and I'll follow you!

Review of Qcute/Qutieland: DollscroPs, HMHM, and PrinCutess

2010-03-01T08:00:00.000-05:00

On December 29th I made an order from Qcute on their Qutieland website. On February 18th I received my package. All in all things were wonderful, but there were a couple hiccups along the way.

Communication: 5/5
Qcute was awesome with letting me know what was going on. I placed my order for four items over their website, a bonnet, a blouse, a bolero, and a skirt. I filled out my measurements and sent it in. The next day I received an email asking me if I was sure those were my real measurements and for a couple extra measurements, such as height, arm width, and the like. I sent those back and waited.

A few days later they emailed again, informing me that the bolero was out of stock. They subtracted the price of the bolero from my order and sent me a paypal invoice. The three items, custom sizing, and shipping cost $1345 HKD, about $170 USD.

Things went quiet after that as I eagerly awaited my shipping notice. I would check on my order status every couple of weeks on their website and it listed what process my items were currently undergoing. My DollscroPs skirt was finished and shipped to Qcute's warehouse first, but HMHM and PrinCutess weren't far behind.

On February 12 I received my shipping notice and EMS tracking number, a little over a month and a half after my initial order.

Shipping: 5/5
Being shipped EMS, my items only took six days to get to me. The package was labled as a gift, so I didn't get hit my US Customs. It was delayed a day because the mailman delivered my package receipt to the wrong apartment and I had to go hunt it down, not a fault of Qcute at all.

Everything was placed in a large, well-sealed, heavy duty plastic shipping bag. Inside that was a layer of bubble wrap. And inside that were my individually wrapped pieces. Safe and sound.

Click on thumbnails for bigger images.

Construction: 4.5/5
Everything was made beautifully. There were very few loose threads, both the skirt and bonnet were lined, the skirt in this most luxuriant purple fabric. My only issue was the velvet pattern on the skirt. While very pretty, the velvet is rather cheap and while getting the skirt on, it comes off and wedges itself underneath my fingernails. Even wearing the skirt throughout the day I would have to continuously wash my hands to get the fuzz off.

Fit: 3/5
Here's the most important part to me as a plus sized lolita, the ability of a company to make a garment that fits. Unfortunately, both HMHM and DollscroPs failed a little in these regards. Qcute asks for your exact size, saying that the companies will add a few centimeters for your garment size, but I added a few centimeters to my measurements anyway just from past experiences. I'm glad I did or else I'd be even worse off that I was when my package arrived.

I ordered my DollscroPs skirt according to my corseted waist size, as I never wear a high-waisted skirt without smoothing out my belly with a corset. Even wearing my corset and having added a few centimeters to my measurement, the skirt is incredibly difficult to get on. It just fits my corseted measurements and with a lot of pulling and wiggling at that. But once it's on, it's good to go. Also, I need my skirts extra long because of my height, and DollscroPs did deliver on that aspect. The skirt falls right to my knees.

The HMHM blouse, on the other hand, was a disaster. I put it on right away and almost ended up crying. The sleeves were incredibly tight, almost cutting off circulation, and the bust gaped at least an inch, I was barely able to get it buttoned. I either need to sell it and order a new one with larger measurements, or attempt to get it let out a little. It is not wearable at my size.

Overall: 4/5
I would recommend Qcute as a shopping service and the companies I've ordered from. My only issues were with sizing, but I now know better to add even more extra centimeters to my measurements, especially in my bust. It's a little depressing to have to do such a thing, but a blow I'm willing to take for beautiful custom-sized clothes. I will definitely be ordering from Qcute again.

Wearing my DollscroPs skirt with an In the Starlight blouse.
Photos by Caro-chan at FYeah Lolita.
Ignore the doofy look on my face.

Catching the Elusive Lolita

2010-02-26T13:16:00.000-05:00

Sorry about the lack of post last Monday, life and school caught up to me a little. To get us all back to speed here's a bit of a silly post. Also, I'd like to make an apology. I've been unknowingly hotlinking images from other scources by using blogger's "add image from the web" feature. I assumed that it would upload it to my picasa web album automatically and this was not the case. I have rectified my mistake and would like to offer an apology to anyone I may have inconvenienced. With that said, let's get on with it!

So, you want a lolita girlfriend, do you? It's a lot harder than you might think, catching one of them girls. But I'll help ya out, no problem.

Before you go out hunting for your lolita, be sure to:
- Dress in lolita, aristocrat, or dandy. Lolitas feel threatened by people in other fashions. If desperate, Spank!, gal, or decora might do in a pinch.
- Have a list of compliments at the ready. "You're skirt is so poofy!" or "Are those real Vivienne Westwood rocking horse shoes?" are good ones for beginners.
- Also have a gift for the lolita on your person. Something simple and cute will do the trick, a ring, a hairbow, some socks. Lolitas love socks.
- Brush up on your etiquette. Remember to bow/curtsy, be polite, and always butter your roll as you bite it, not cut it open and make it a butter sandwich.

Once those things are done, then it is time for the hunt!
- Go to the lolita hunting grounds and set up your trap to lure the lolita out. Tea parties work great for this. A more adventurous hunter may try a more elaborate trap, such as an orchestra or brand store setup.
- Place your bait somewhere in the center of the trap. For the proper bait for the desired lolita, refer to the field guide.
- Lay in wait out of sight. Be patient.
- Once the desired lolita falls for the trap, spring into action. Be sure to remember your practiced manners from your prep session. Introduce yourself and woo her with compliments.
- If she looks like she's close to falling for you, go in for the kill with the gift. If she seems to be resisting your advances, back off to let her go on her merry way and reset your trap.
- Should things go south and the lolita becomes violent, drop to the ground and assume the fetal position. Be sure to protect your face with your arms.
- If she accepts the gift, feel free to bundle up your lolita and take her home.
Congratulations! You have caught your first lolita!

Recipe: Lemon Whippersnappers Cookies

2010-02-19T08:00:00.003-05:00

I got this recipe out of an old cook book (about mid to late 1800's I think) that was gifted to me. I've updated it a little to make it more modern, though I'm sure there are lots of other versions out there. These cookies are super simple and perfect for the lemon lover.

You'll need:
1 pkg. Lemon Cake Mix (18.25 oz)
2 cups Whipped Cream (4.5 oz) (or just over half a standard 8 oz Cool Whip container)
1 large Egg
Powdered/Confectioners Sugar
OPTIONAL: ¼ Lemon OR 1 tablespoon Lemon Juice

1. Preheat oven to 350°F.
2. Combine Cake Mix, Whipped Cream, and Egg in large bowl. If desired, add juice from ¼ Lemon or 1 tablespoon Lemon Juice for extra lemon flavor.
3. Mix until blended.
4. Spoon rounded balls of batter into bowl of Confectioners Sugar and roll to coat.
5. Place 1” apart on greased cookie sheet.
6. Bake for 10-15 minutes.

Makes about 40 cookies.

Current WTFs from Lolita Brands

2010-02-15T08:00:00.002-05:00

There are brand pieces that may make you say "WTF?" but you know someone out there will like, they're just not to your tastes. And then there are those brand pieces that make you scratch your head until its bleeding with the question "Who on Earth would wear that?" These are some of those pieces, and they're not old-lolita either, these pieces are currently available for purchase on their websites.

Baby the Stars Shine Bright

I've always wanted a dress that had a skirt that looked like a diaper with strawberry dingleberries all over it! The matching propeller bow headdress goes wonderfully with it too!

Alice and the Pirates

Because we all need pants whose pockets make our hips look wider than a truck. Don't get me started on those hats, because I don't know what happened to them.

Angelic Pretty

I included the back view of the shapeless top to really drive home the fact that it looks like a frilly hospital gown. I love the lampshade hat too.

Metamorphose

Surprisingly, this is the only thing I could find from Meta right now. Even more surprisingly, it's sold out.

Innocent World

I don't understand the shape of the coat at all. The grandmother cardigan would be perfect to wear underneath it.

Moi Meme Moitie

This would be fine if it wasn't pleather. But... it's pleather.

Victorian Maiden

While not exactly lolita, it is ugly.

Feel free to share some wtf brand discoveries of your own in the comments!

Happy Valentine's Day

2010-02-14T08:00:00.001-05:00

Whether you're spending the day with a loved one or lamenting single's awareness day, curl up with some chocolate and enjoy yourself.

Elisabeth the musical

2010-02-12T08:00:00.001-05:00

Bouncing off from the post on Takarazuka on Monday I'm here to talk about my absolute favorite musical ever, "Elisabeth" by Michael Kunze and Sylvester Levay.

Elisabeth is based off of the life of Elisabeth of Bavaria, "Sisi" to close friends. She was a complete tomboy growing up, but was married to her cousin, the Emperor of Austria, Francis Joseph, at only sixteen. She had four children, three girls and one boy, but all children were taken away from her at a young age to be raised by her Aunt/Mother-in-Law. Sisi travelled a lot and came to be known as "The Wandering Empress". She was also obsessed with her beauty and youth, following very strict diet, haircare, and skincare regimes. In 1898 she was assassinated by pure chance by Italian anarchist, Luigi Lucheni. He had missed his original target, spotted Elisabeth, and decided to kill her instead, stabbing her with a sharpened file. You can read more about Sisi's real life on her wiki page.

The musical is a little different, a little more fanciful. It starts in Hell, where Lucheni is under judgment for the murder of Elisabeth. He tries to get out of it by claiming that Elisabeth had wanted to die. When asked to explain he begins the story, calling up the souls of the dead who knew Elisabeth in life to help him.

According to Lucheni, who narrates throughout the whole play (and is always quite sexy in my opinion), after attempting an acrobatic trick when she was a child Elisabeth actually dies. She meets the Angel of Death, Der Tod, who almost immediately falls in love with her. Because of his love, he returns her to life for the price of her forgetting him but swears that he will have her heart in the end. We then follow Sisi throughout her life, the marriage to her cousin Francis, the birth and taking away of her son, her political influences, and a lot of other high and low points of her life that I won't give away.

The music is modern, having been made in the 90's, and has a lot of rock influences. I have seen two versions, the "original" Austrian and the Japanese Takarazuka Moon Troupe's version. I can't say which one I prefer, but there are definitely a lot of differences between the two to make each special. The Austrian version has a lot better singing, but the Takarazuka version has amazing choreography.

Uwe Kroger vs Ayaki Nao as Der Tod

And because I can't talk about this play without sharing youtube clips I'll share the two different versions of my favorite song "Die Schatten Werden Langer"/"Yami ga Hirogaru"/"The Shadows Grow Longer".

Austrian version (With Mate Kamaras as Der Tod and Fritz Schmid as Prince Rudolph)

Japanese Version (With Ayaki Nao as Der Tod and Oozra Yuhhi as Prince Rudolph)

My hope is that one day this musical will make its way to Broadway in the US. I'm absolutely in love with it. I have the Moon Troupe's version on DVD and want badly to get my hand on an Austrian version. All in all I believe it's a compelling story with beautiful music.

If you want learn more about Elisabeth the musical, here is the wiki page. If you don't mind watching things on youtube the whole production with Mate Kamaras as Der Tod is available here. If you're interested in the Takarazuka production, the Takarazuka Insanity Project has the Moon Troupe's 2005 performance (the exact one I own and have shown you here) available with subtitles.

I apologize if I've gotten anything wrong in this post in regard to names or languages, I do not speak or write German or Japanese but I've tried my best to keep things accurate.

Interrupting your regular posting schedule!

2010-02-09T13:48:00.001-05:00

I just want to mention that the panel last Saturday went great! There were a few hiccups but I think Caro-chan and I did an awesome job and all our guests were awesome as well. So I want to say welcome to anyone who's stopping by from the panel and I hope you enjoy your stay!

The Takarazuka Revue

2010-02-08T08:00:00.000-05:00

I'd say this is rather lolita related. There's a lot of historical and fanciful clothing involved and they've been features in Gothic & Lolita Bibles, but we're gonna take a quick detour right now.

I'm not an incredibly devoted fan, I can't name all five troupes of the Revue off the top of my head, the only actress' name I know is Ayaki Nao, but I do love the Takarazuka Revue.

For those who don't know, it is an all female theater troupe in Japan that performs musicals. In fact, it's the only all female performance troupe in the world. The actresses are split into two roles in the school. Otokoyaku for the male players and Musumeyaku for the female players, and for the most part are tied to these roles throughout their career.

Takarazuka does many musicals from all over the world. From the American West Side Story, to the Austrian Elisabeth (You'll see more about this one Friday.), to an adaptation of the popular Japanese manga Rose of Versailles. They do everything from comedy to drama. They even have a Phoenix Wright musical. I shit you not. You can learn more about Takarazuka at their english webpage and on their wikipedia article. I could tell you more but now I'm going to get to the eye and ear candy.

Phantom (of the Opera)

Rose of Versailles

Gone with the Wind

I can't really suggest a place for you to buy videos of any of these plays, unfortunately. Japan is rather possessive when it comes to Takarazuka and your best bet would be through a shopping service. But be warned that they can get expensive.

However, if you don't mind unofficial videos and would like subtitles, the fans over at the Takarazuka Insanity Project have quite a few translated titles under their belt. They make no money whatsoever, you only pay for the cost of the DVD and the shipping. I have a few plays from them and can say they do a wonderful job over there. The quality isn't the best, but that is in order to encourage you to buy the real DVDs.

And with that I'll leave you with one last present. I assure you, you're not ready for this.

100 Question Meme

2010-02-05T08:00:00.003-05:00

This meme was posted originally on EGL. Alice over at Pink Milk Tea cleaned it up and did it herself. It looked fun to fill out, so I grabbed it for myself.

1. Screen-name and date of birth, please tell us these~
RayRay, December 22nd

2. Height, weight, clothing size, and shoe size?
5'11", 200+ (that's all you're getting xP), 18, 12 US women's.

3. Why did you start to dress lolita?
I had admired it for years. A friend introduced me to Malice Mizer and lolita and I coveted it for forever. After a couple failed attempts with regular clothes over the years I jumped the gun and bought an actual outfit. It has been love ever since.

4. Which style of lolita do you like?
Gothic

5. Express in your own words, the ideal of your above answer.
Rich fabrics in jewel tones. Lace tights. Thick bangs with classic flat headdresses or stiff-brimmed bonnets. Cravats. Corsets. Elegant heels. The works.

6. Do you have piercings? Where?
My ears, but I'm allergic to nickel so I don't wear anything in them.

7. Which brands do you like?
I love Innocent World and Atelier Boz. Also Suppurate System jewelry. Mary Magdelene and Victorian Maiden are great to look at for inspiration too.

8. Which are your favourite clothes (that you have)?
My green floral jumperskirt made by nessaneko on livejournal. It fits me perfectly, is adorable, and is constantly mistaken for brand.

9. How many lolita friends do you have?
I have six very close lolita friends, either those I have met through the fashion or friends I had before who then got into it. I have a handful of online lolita friends as well.

10. What do you love most about lolita?
That anyone can wear it. There's so much room to play with it that you can always find something to flatter you. And that it makes me feel pretty.

11. What do you hate about it? Any pet peeves?
The care that the clothes take. I don't mind if my other clothes get roughed up, they're cheap and easy to replace. But lolita clothes I have to be careful of staining, or of my parents getting the smell of cigarette smoke all over them. Ick.

12. What lolita magazines do you read?
None anymore. I used to collect the bibles and brand books religiously, but after a couple years I realized I didn't do much more than look at them and set them aside. So I don't bother anymore.

13. Headdresses, bonnets or ribbons/hairbows?
Headdresses and bonnets. I love classic headdresses even if they are out of style for the most part. And I absolutely adore stiff-brimmed bonnets.

14. Do you wear bloomers?
No. Its hard for me to get bloomers that fit right it seems, so I've stopped bothering. So I go bare for the time being. I want to find a pair of gym shorts or something to wear underneath my skirts instead.

15. Do you tie headdresses at the front or in the back?
In the back if they have ties. I try to get headdresses on headbands instead. I hate that they push up my chin fat with ties. Bonnets, however, I can't tie anywhere but under my chin so I just suck it up and deal.

16. Who is your favourite band/type of music?
Right now I'm listening to a lot of Mika and Lenka, but I love everything from Infected Mushroom, to X Japan, to HalCali.

17. What is your phone ring tone~?
I have a ton of them xD I have Mika's "Relax, Take it Easy", Infected Mushroom's "Cities of the Future", the Super Mario theme, Flogging Molly's "Seven Deadly Sins", "One Day More" from Les Miserables. The list goes on and on.

18. Do you go to concerts in lolita?
If I went to a Mika or Lenka concert I might, but most concerts I go to are rock or metal so no, I don't. I've had clothes torn, beers spilled on me, mysterious bruises appear, the works. So no way I would wear lolita to concerts.

19. For people who attend concerts: do you headbang there?
Of course!! I lose all all inhibitions at concerts and rock out however I want. I love it.

20. What colours do you like?
Green and pink are my favorite colors. Most of my lolita clothes are green. My room is bright green with neon pink borders, with green polkadotted pink curtains. Its like being in a giant watermelon xD

21. What are your hobbies?
Reading, baking, playing video games, reading manga (I know, nerd).

22. If you have any favourite perfumes, please tell us.
I'm not big on perfumes.

23. Is there anything you are careful of in lolita?
I'm always careful about spilling anything on my clothes. Stains are never fun. I also constantly check where I'm sitting down and am wary about bending over. I always bend at the knees while in lolita.

24. Do you have any favourite haunts to go to in lolita?
Anywhere where my friends are at. I love the Brooklyn Botanical Gardens in the spring too.

25. How many times a week do you dress lolita?
Very rarely. I'm lucky if I get to dress lolita in a month.

26. Please tell us an embarrassing story from when you were a lolita beginner.
My first outfit I begged my mother to buy for me for my highschool graduation. She wanted to spend as little money as possible so I ended up with a black circle skirt with a bit of lace, a squaredance petticoat, and a generic white blouse. I put my hair up in pigtails and had a bit of ribbon as a headband. I was so proud of my outfit.

27. What is your current hairstyle and colour?
A few inches longer than shoulder length, bangs curved around eyes, brown.

28. What is your lolita history?
I learned about it in 2002, wore my first outfit in 2004. I gave up and didn't come back to it until 2007 and finally gained a good sense of fashion for it by 2008.

29. Do you store your clothes in a special place?
I have a closet. One side is lolita, one side is normal clothes. Any accessories I have go into a cubby in the closet.

30. Did you ever think about quitting lolita? What was the reason?
Once in a while the thought comes up. Especially at times where I come across other fashions. When I got into aristocrat I considered it again. And recently when I discovered Spank and decided I want to try it. But I have invested too much time, money, and love into lolita to ever leave it.

31. What is your motto?
"Be confident and you can rock anything."

32. What are your dreams of the future?
They're not related to lolita at all but I want to finish my program at community college, attend and graduate from UNH, get a job in the mechanical engineering field, and go from there. A home and some pets would also fit nicely into that picture as well.

33. "This person is so perfect for lolita!" - Do you ever think that about certain celebrities?
Not really, no.

34. Are there any products/items of which you have with a fond memory?
Not in particular. I've never received lolita as a gift and I've sold most of my first pieces so there's really nothing I have an especial attachment to.

35. What was your first item?
The first item that I still own is my green nessaneko jumperskirt. My first item from when I finally got the hang of lolita was a pink Angelic Pretty replica that I eventually sold because it didn't fit me right.

36. Do you have a signature pose for photos?
Not really. I usually have my hands clasped in front of me though. I'm trying to get out of that habit.

37. What is your heart's bible? [book/magazine/CD/etc...]
Sir Apropos of Nothing by Peter David. Its a satire but its also about not settling for being a supporting role in your life's story.

38. What is the best height (cm) for heels?
2 inches. Shorter is okay but my feet look super ducky in flats. I can also go up to 3" but I'm tall as it is so I try to avoid it.

39. Do you wear tiaras?
No.

40. Do you think you want to try prince style? What kind of prince? Gothic/dark prince? Or "prince on a white horse" style?
I thought about it for a minute but I decided against it. If I had it would have been more aristocrat boystyle.

41. What types of lace do you like?
I love rose cluny.

42. Do you own a doll? Does owning it give you fun, childish feelings?
I have seven dolls right now. All BJDs. And no, I was into BJDs before lolita and collect them more for aesthetic and storytelling then any desire to remain childish.

43. What is in your lolita bag?
Wallet, keys, cellphone, tide-to-go, my camera, bobby pins, safety pins, lint roller, sometimes sock glue, and a bottle of water if my purse is large enough.

44. What is your favourite flower?
I love roses and water lilies.

45. Right now, what is your favourite accessory?
Oh jeez I don't know. I think it's my Suppurate System cage necklace. It's gotten so banged up over time but I still absolutely adore it.

46. Please recommend some cosmetics.
I can't? I don't wear much makeup at all. I have had no luck with finding a foundation that matches my skin so I've pretty much given up.

47. With eye-tape your eyes look like a doll's! What eyelashes will you wear?
I'm not taping my eyes and I'm wearing my own lashes thanks xD

48. What is your eye makeup for these eyelashes?
None. Haha!

49. Red Lipstick? Blue? Black? Pink?
If I have to I'll choose a nuetral to pink tone.

50. Which nail polish do you normally choose?
Clear if I use it, just to make them shiny and pretty.

51. Have you ever changed in a train station bathroom?
No, thank god. But I have changed in a car. That was an experience.

52. What do you think of "twin" and "triplet" lolitas?
They're adorable. My friends and I are coming up with outfits to triplet (or even more!) in and I can't wait!

53. How do you keep in shape for lolita? Recommend something.
I'm out of shape right now... but I mostly do a lot of walking. I go through long walks in the woods with my mp3 player going in my ears. That way I get to sing and unwind too. I want to try to start jogging in the spring though. We'll see how it goes.

54. Do you keep calm when you wear lolita alone in public?
For the most part. I'm pretty confident while wearing it and if someone makes a comment I'll usually make a comment right back.

55. How much do you spend per month on clothes/accessories?
Very little. I'll usually save up and then splurge every couple of months.

56. Was there a time lag between knowing about lolita and dressing in the fashion?
Oh yeah, definitely. Years even.

57. What is your most expensive lolita item?
Oh man... Probably my green jsk again. Fabric, custom design, custom made, shipping from New Zealand. It was a pretty penny.

58. It takes a lot of money to be a lolita. How do you save?
When I was working I'd just work as much as I could and put away as much as I could. Now it's a little harder.

59. Just a little secret here... How much have you spent so far on lolita, roughly?
Oh... don't ask me that. Well over a couple thousands. I don't want to think about it. Haha.

60. Is there a brand shop you want near where you live?
OMG Innocent World please. I don't even care if its in New York City and I have to travel two hours by train. I'd love an IW.

61. "Man, what a rip-off!!" Have you ever thought that about a store?
A lot of the time. Even big brands like Baby and AP. Some of the stuff they put out is amazingly overpriced.

62. Do you shop online? If so, put the good & bad points here to advise others.
I love to shop online. Good: Usually nothing in the stores fit me so shopping online lets me choose from a much bigger selection. Bad: You always want to research a shop when ordering from them for the first time or you might get burned.

63. Is there a secret person/shop that you have commissioned a dress just for you from?
I usually commission from Talia_Speaks on livejournal if I want something just for me.

64. "I can never have that/see that happening!! But I will always want it!!" Is there a brand you think this of?
AP. I can't fit it. I don't wear OTT sweet, but somedays I'm just "I WANT THIS!" so very bad.

65. What do you do with the clothes you don't want anymore?
I first offer them to my friends for cheap and if they don't want them I sell them on the comm sales.

66. What is your most recent purchase? (Even non-lolita.)
I'm waiting for a skirt, blouse, and bonnet from Qcute to get finished. I'm so excited for them!

67. Is there an item you love that you can't buy/seem to find?
If I really want something and can afford for it to be made I can always get it, so no I suppose.

68. What do you think of people who only wear lolita to concerts?
If it's rock or anything where there's potential to ruin your clothes I get concerned.

69. What do you think of lolitas without makeup?
I am one, so I love them. Haha.

70. Another lolita is wearing the same coordinate/clothes as you!! What do you do?
Laugh and pose for twin pictures.

71. What age should you stop wearing lolita?
Whenever you get sick of it and no sooner.

72. When do you think you should graduate from lolita? And why?
Probably when another fashion comes and takes its place for good. It's definitely a long time coming but I know one day there'll be something I love more.

73. "You should stop doing that!!! >_<" What must a lolita not do?
A lolita can do whatever she wants as long as she's not harming others or their clothes, I believe.

74. "A lolita should be 'this'!" What do you think that should be?
A lolita should follow enough "rules" of the fashion to at least resemble lolita when she wants to wear it. You can't just go around in a poofy skirt that barely covers your privates and a corset and call yourself lolita. There are guidelines for a reason and if you're unrecognizable as a lolita there's no point in calling your clothes lolita.

75. Besides #73, is there anything you should definitely not do while wearing lolita?
See 73.

76. What do you think of men in lolita?
Go for it. I only mind when an older man (say 30's and above) wants to come to meets when we have minors in the group as well. Then I would have to be mean and ask him to stay at home, just for the comfort of the younger members (who already get nervous with hanging out with 20 year olds). But if he wants to hang out with us older girls one day I'm fine with it.

77. Did you change yourself to be a lolita?
I changed my attitude. For the better in my opinion. I used to be so scared of what other people thought of me but lolita let me gain confidence and pride in myself.

78. What does your family and other people think of you dressing lolita? And do you accept it?
My parents were weirded out in the beginning but my dad has come to accept it and my mom has come to love it. She asks me for pictures everytime I go out. My extended family makes faces whenever I'm wearing it but I've always been the weirdo in the family so I just deal.

79. How do you wear lolita in the boiling mid-summer?
If I'm absolutely dying I'll forgo a blouse, but I can usually get by with a short sleeved blouse and OTKs as long as I have a parasol to keep the sun off me.

80. Have you gone to school or work in lolita?
I've gone to school in lolita a couple times. I'm trying to do it more this semester since I don't have drafting anymore. (Graphite all over your expensive dress is not fun.)

81. How do you dress normally?
Jeans and t-shirts. A skirt if I'm feeling adventurous. I'm trying to dress more girly and spank! like in my free time though.

82. Do you think twice about buying second-hand clothes?
Its so rare that I do, but no. I check the user's feedback and ask for extra pictures. If they check out, I buy.

83. Do you have a boyfriend? (or husband?) Does he understand lolita?
He's a steampunk freak so he doesn't mind the weird fashion. And anything that gets me into a skirt is good for him. He was once asked what he felt about the fashion before and after he got to know me (when we first met I was in lolita) and for before he answered "That is one frilly dress", after "That is one expensive as hell frilly dress." So it makes me laugh.

84. Please tell us about your ideal man.
I really can't tell you. I thought I had it all sorted out but this computer nerd who's loud and abrasive but also the biggest teddy bear once you get him behind closed doors showed up and knocked my world upside down.

85. What lolita has left a big, shiny impression on you so far?
Caro-chan, definitely. She was my first lolita friend and has taught me so many awesome little crafty things and is just absolutely insane. (Don't let her blog fool you, that girl's crazy xD). My friend Xanet is a close second. I love them both.

Xanet, Caro-chan, and Me

86. Have you made your own clothes? What are they like?
I've made a skirt... it's kinda wonky but was a good learning experience. I want to make more skirts soon.

87. Have you made your own accessories? What did you make?
Back in the beginning I made a beaded crown. It's probably in a landfill somewhere now. Haha. But yeah, I've given up on accessories for the most part.

88. Think about the best item you have made! What is it?
Nothing lolita related. lol.

89. Please tell us about the most perfect lolita coordination you wear.
I have no idea... I still don't have many mix and match clothes (being poor sucks), but I love coordinates paired with my green shoes. You almost never see green shoes and to have them match my clothes is just so amazing to me.

90. Do you admire someone? What are they like?
Not really. Especially not in lolita. I just kinda do my own thing.

91. "One day I will go on a date with that person." What would you like to wear for him?
Whatever I feel like wearing, and he will be happy. I dress for myself, not for others. If he's lucky I'll put on a skirt. Haha.

92. If you want one, what type of store would you open in the future?
I want a store with a ton of different indie brands and seamstress clothes. It will absolutely never happen, but a girl can daydream.

93. Something catches your eye. What is this motif?
Butterflies. I'm obsessed with them, but its very rare for them to show up in lolita clothing.

94. Would you dress your child in lolita?
Before they are too old to choose what they want to wear? Yeah. I'm guilty of wanting to do that. But once they start making their own decisions I'll let them choose.

95. How much do you spend on one outfit?
Ohhh man... Let's just take an educated guess of about 700? But who the hell knows really.

96. "This is lolita!!" Please say what you would say this about.
Definitely the petti. I don't see the point of wearing lolita if you have a flat skirt

97. "I have always wanted to try that once!" What, in the lolita world, have you wanted to try wearing?
OTT sweet. It's my secret weakness. Some days I hate it and some days I'm in love with it. I adore a million ruffles and can't get away from it.

98. Look at yourself in lolita. In one word/phrase, how would you express your style/image?
Cute fatty poof. xDDD

99. What is your lolita ideal?
I have no idea actually. I just wear what I love.

100. Thank you for taking this baton!! Tell us what you think!
It took me forever to fill out but I had fun doing it! I hope a lot of others do it too!

Working for the Frills

2010-02-01T08:00:00.001-05:00

I'm currently unemployed and all of my available funds are going to college. (Hurray for the economy!) My most recent splurge was only possible with the aid of Christmas and Birthday money. While I know I'm better off than a lot of people out there, but there are also a lot of people who are more well-off than I am. This past Christmas there was a discussion on the EGL livejournal community where people got to list what they received for gifts. I was floored by the amount of money some people's family spent on frills alone. There are genuine lolitas out there whose mommy and/or daddy buy them anything they want. And I can be jealous of these people until I'm green in the face.

But when you think about it, these are the people most likely to buy the most popular print. And then once its not popular anymore they buy the next big thing. They keep moving on from piece to piece, possibly selling their old ones.

And then there are the people like me. Like a lot of us lolitas out there. We work hard and save up for what we really like. Maybe a piece from a lesser-known indie-brand. Or an older piece that we've wanted forever that someone is selling second hand. Or a custom-made piece that only you have, and no one else. We can appreciate the clothes we buy. Love them.

I can't say that I have my first lolita garment, since I started out as an ita like the best of them. But I do still have one of my earliest jumperskirts. It is an original piece made just for me and I still get asked constantly what brand it is.

So you can be jealous of all those girls better off than you who get the whole world handed to them one day and throw it out the next. Or you can be proud of the frills you bought with your own hard work and love them like no other lolita could.

Review: Sweet Cupcakes in Boston, MA

2010-01-29T08:00:00.005-05:00

The other day I got to visit my boyfriend's sister in Boston. She dragged us all over the city and one of the highlights of the day was popping into the Back Bay store of Sweet. I have always wanted to try a cupcake shop so I was extremely excited about this.

The Back Bay shop is located on a cute street, not far from a rich stretch of town that has gas lamps, a lovely little grassy area, and, I'm told, very pretty gardens in the spring and summer. It being winter I had to miss out on this last detail. The shop itself is very tiny, with seating enough for maybe ten people tops, the display case, and service counter. Everything is pink and white and there are dishes filled with classic candies like cowtails and gumballs, though they're only for display.

The girls behind the counter were a little rushed with a girl ahead of us making an order for a party, but they were still very friendly and helpful. I ordered a "sweet cake" cupcake with vanilla frosting. My boyfriend a dark chocolate cupcake with chocolate frosting. We managed to snag a seat and dug in.

The first thing that hit me was the size of the cupcakes. They were standard cupcake pan sized, rather small and underwhelming. And while the amount of frosting on them was awesome, two very large dollops per cupcake, it did nothing to justify the $4.00 each price tag.

Upon the first bite I was once again disappointed. The frosting was very good, I'm picky when it comes to buttercream and I really liked this frosting. But the cake itself tasted no better than out-of-the-box yellow cake. My boyfriend had a similar experience with his dark chocolate cupcake. He told me that, once again, the frosting was delicious, but the cake itself left something to be desired.

So while the shop and the cupcakes themselves were incredibly cute, I don't believe I will be visiting Sweet again anytime soon. If I do, I'll most likely settle for a frosting shot and leave it at that.

Going to School in Lolita

2010-01-25T08:00:00.002-05:00

Well, my spring semester at college starts today and its back to lectures and tests for myself and many. A lot of lolitas like to use school as an excuse to wear their frills in a more daily fashion. But if you've never gone all out the idea of wearing full on lolita to class can be a little daunting. So I've put together a couple tips for learning in your loli.

- Start small. If you're too nervous to just take the plunge and go all-out lolita on the first day, work up to it in babysteps. Wear a ruffled skirt sans petticoat with an everyday top or wear a blouse with jeans. Slowly add things toward full lolita so the transition isn't so much of a shock to others.

- Stay classic or casual. If you want to stay in the background as much as possible classic or casual lolita is the best. Classic will, at most times, just look like dressy clothes with a petticoat. Casual lolita, with a cute cutsew, will look even more like casual everyday clothes. If a bit more girly.

- If you want to go a little further than classic or casual. Say, gothic or sweet, don't go OTT. Sweets jewelry and incredibly huge teased hair may look cute at a meetup, but it will be distracting while taking notes. Also, keep any makeup tuned down and low maintenance. There's no need to spend an hour getting ready to simply sit and learn all day.

- Wear flats or low heels. Chances are you're going to have a long school day and high heels just run you the risk of getting sore feet.

- If you have an art class, or lab, or anything with the potential to get messy or harm your clothes, don't wear lolita. No amount of "being careful" is worth the risk of ruining such expensive items.

- If someone asks what you're wearing and is actually curious, try to hold off on the word "lolita" because of the stigma attached to it. Introduce them with a title something along the lines of "a Japanese street fashion". Don't go crazy explaining it to them either unless they specifically ask. Be polite.

- Remember you're most likely going to get harassed no matter how carefully you ease into your frills. People feel threatened about things that are different and you're going to be different. But if you act confident and keep your head held high then you're not likely to get much more than a handful of odd stares and rude comments.

Mini Post: Orange Chocolate Chip Cookies

2010-01-22T10:30:00.001-05:00

I love to bake. Its one of the few "lifestlye lolita" traits I take part in. So I figured it was high time I shared some of my recipes with my readers!

I made these cookies for a cookie swap party and they were a huge hit. They have a mild orange flavor that goes perfect with the chocolate chips.

You'll need:
2 and 3/4 cups flour
3/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 cup melted butter
2 eggs
1/2 cup sugar
1 cup brown sugar, densely packed
2 eggs
Fresh grated orange rind of a whole orange
Fresh squeezed juice from a whole orange
Chocolate chips of your choice (dark, milk, bittersweet, etc)

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
2. Combine flour, baking soda, salt, and orange rind in a medium bowl. Mix and set aside.
3. Combine sugars in a large bowl.
4. Add butter and mix well.
5. Add eggs, orange extract, and orange juice and mix well.
6. Add dry mixture, blend until just combined.
7. Add desired amount of chocolate chips. (The more the better imo)
8. Drop by spoonful onto wax lined cookie sheet.
9. Bake for 10 minutes or until cookies a light brown around edges.
10. Allow to cool.
11. Nom.

Dressing Yourself Outside of Lolita

2010-01-18T11:00:00.001-05:00

I've noticed a lot of complaints from girls into lolita in regards to girls dressing sloppily in their everyday clothes. They argue that you shouldn't wear lolita if you don't know how to dress yourself outside of it. Like you have to pass some sort of coordination test before you're allowed to match up prints and colors of your froof.

I, for one, don't buy into this shit. Before lolita I wore nothing but jeans and those annoying "ironic" t-shirts that everyone hates (but I still love. So there.) or band shirts. Throw on some Payless sneakers and a pea-coat if its cold out and I'm good to go. I never bothered with which shirt matched what skirt because I never wore anything that couldn't be thrown on from out of my closet. Unless you count my highschool mallgoth days, but we won't even go there.

Lolita is not rocket science to coordinate. Especially the basic stuff. You find some colors that go well together and fit into one substyle of the fashion and you're good. If you want to be even lazier you buy the whole set of matching stuff from a single brand (Candies go with candies go with candies? Brilliant!). If you want to try mixing styles or bringing outside influences into your lolita, say rockabilly for example, you're going to have a slightly harder time. But for the most part lolita is paint by numbers easy to coordinate.

So why is it I have to be required to know how to match clothes I don't want to wear to other clothes I don't want to wear? Lolita makes me feel pretty. My slummy clothes make me feel comfy. I don't need or want an inbetween. Most mainstream clothes don't suit me because they're made for size 8s and I'm a size 18. So they make me feel ugly and uncomfortable. Why force myself to learn how to dress a way that I'm going to feel self-conscious in and thus look horrible anyway because I'm not rocking it?

Point is, these people are complaining because they can't comprehend others dressing outside of the norm. How dare you dress how you want while everyone else is wearing the latest fashions? This makes them hypocrites because they themselves, in the very act of wearing lolita, fall out of the norm and are now the ones being looked down on for "not knowing how to dress themselves".

Moral of the story? Wear what you want. Someone out there is going to hate it anyway so why not rock something you love and feel comfortable in? Whether it be lolita, jeans and a t-shirt, the stuff you see in magazines, or clothes from centuries ago. If you like it, wear it.

An aside: In case you haven't noticed. Part Time Lolita has a new banner and background! Vote on how much you hate it in the poll to the right. I'll take this moment to introduce the new weekly polls as well! There will be new poll every Monday along with the weekly post so we can see the readers' opinions on different subjects. Enjoy!

Tips for the Plus Size Lolita

2010-01-11T13:21:00.000-05:00

Everyone has the right to feel beautiful. For some of us that means wearing lolita. For a few of us that means wearing lolita while being plus-sized. While those who give us flack for being plus-sized will always give us flack, that does not excuse us for not looking as fabulous in our frills as possible. So here's some advice on what kind of frills will look good on your body shape.

Hourglass: Hurray for you! You actually have the best figure for lolita in my opinion. Sure, your large breasts and wide hips may seem like a detriment to you, but that defined waist can really pull you through.
Do
- Wear pieces that define your natural waist. Jumperskirts with princess seams will work well to call attention to your hourglass figure.
- Take advantage of a-line skirts, your shape flatters them well. Wear petticoats with lighter fluff around the hips.
- Look for back shirring or waist ties. These will help the clothing contour to your shape.
Avoid
- Empire waist dresses, they cover your waist and ruin your shape.
On the fence
- Cupcake shaped skirts. They truncate your waist instead of accentuate it, making your torso look stunted at times.

Comparison: The pink jsk will flatter and elongate your waist.
The red jsk will truncate it, making your torso look shorter than it is.

Top Heavy: As a friend of mine used to say "I got kicked in the back and it all came out on my front." You're in luck! Petticoats can hide the fact that you have no hips, giving you the illusion of an hourglass.
Do
- Wear lots of poof. In a fashion like lolita where poof at the hips is expected a flat petti can draw attention to your lack of downstairs.
- Take advantage of wide belts. They're coming into fashion in lolita and can be just what you need to draw out your waist. Remember to make sure that the belt is not at your underbust, but rather your natural waist, as this can make you look more breasty than you might like.
Avoid
- Pieces that have defined areas for them to sit over breasts. Chances are, unless these are custom made to your measurements, you will overfill these areas and look awkward.
- Pieces that have a lot of ruffles or lace around the breast area. It will draw the eye and make you look even more top heavy.
On the fence
- High waisted skirts and underbust jumperskirts. Again, these draw the eye to the breasts and can even hike them up higher into your chin. Use with discretion.
- Full shirred bodices. If they stretch far enough then it's worth giving a shot, but if you're on the cusp of the max measurements they can give you the appearance of a sausage.

This jsk has a defined area for your chest. Chances are you will overfill it.

Bottom Heavy: You've got more width at the bottom than at the top. But this is good news! 99% of lolita clothes are free at the hips, so a lack of inches at the top means you might fit into more brand than a lot of other plus sized girls could.
Do
- Look for princess seams and a-line skirts. Like the hourglass figure, they enhance your waistline.
- Take advantage of pieces that have lots of ruffles and lace on the chest area. It will help even you out top to bottom.
- If you commission, give measurements for the "rise" of your skirts. This will avoid uneven hemlines when worn and unwanted panty shots.
Avoid
- Super poofy petticoats. The added bulk around the waist can ruin your shape.
- Shorter skirts, especially if store-bought. They can easily gain you some unwanted attention.
On the fence
- Empire waist dresses. You can get away with them because they'll flatter you down to your waist, but wide hips with the addition of a petticoat may cause an odd silhouette.

The A-line skirt will flatter your hips and elongate your waist.
The ruffles on the bodice will add volume to your top.

Apple-Shaped: It's a little tougher for a girl of this shape to just throw on lolita and look wonderful. A little experimenting and playing around goes a long way though, you can have more fun with your wardrobe then others.
Do
- Wear separates. Blouses and skirts are good for defining a waist that the allover cover of an onepiece or jumperskirt may obscure.
- Go for petticoats slightly poofier below the hips. They can help even out your shape without adding extra fluff to your waist.
Avoid
- All over shirring. It can add unwanted bulk to your waistline.
- Full elastic waisted skirts. They can cause an unwanted silhouette under your blouses. Go for back elastic or zip up skirts instead.
- Empire waists. Not only can they hide your waist, they can give the illusion of being pregnant.
On the fence
- A-line skirts. They can give the illusion of a longer trunk and lower hips.

The separate blouse and skirt combo will add definition to your waist.

Body Trait Quick Tips:
Short neck - Look for flat collars like peter pan collars. Avoid high neck blouses or raised collars.
Wide Shoulders - Wear wider straps on jumperskirts. Avoid puffy sleeves.
Short legs - Wear knee-high socks. Avoid horizontal stripes.
Long legs - Wear overknee socks or tights. Avoid shin-high boots.
Wide calves - Wear full color or vertical stripe socks. Avoid horizontal stripes or prints.
When wearing a high-waisted skirt or full-shirred bodice, consider a corset or shapewear underneath to smooth out your tummy.

Got tips of your own? Add them in the comments!

Mini post: A Lolita Panel

2010-01-08T10:03:00.000-05:00

So, I've been asked to help run a lolita panel next month by my friend Caro-chan over at F*** Yeah Lolita. It's just a small convention at the University of Connecticut, called U-Con, in it's first year running. The convention is absolutely free to attend, so if you're in the area please stop by! The panel will be running at 4pm on February 6th. You can check out everything you need at the U-Con website.

We're just going to be giving the basic "What is lolita?" kind of panel, touching on the different styles, quality you should look for, etc. It's not going to be anything completely innovative because we figure there won't be that many lolitas attending. If things go well we'll be able to fill up the whole hour with information. If not I'm sure we'll find something fun and lolita related to pass the time and get to know eachother! I'm super excited about it since this is the first panel I've ever ran and if it goes well we might attempt something at the larger Connecticon in the summer.

So if you want to see Caro-chan and myself in action, come check it out!

Return of the Rant: "Lolita" Pets

2010-01-04T20:58:00.000-05:00

We've all heard about them. Most have seen them. Some even want one. A cute little puppy or kitty to dress up and show off with your latest dress. Maybe they even match your print? A bischon with your Innocent World, poodles with your Angelic Pretty, kittens for your Metamorphose. It's adorable! Dress them up too! Put a bow on their heads! And carry them around in your purse! Aren't they the cutest?

No. I'm sorry. Pets are not accessories. They are living, breathing things that should be treated better than dressed up and shoved in a purse to be carried around for hours. They have legs, they need to walk. Unless you have a chihuahua and you're outside in the middle of winter your pet does not need clothes. In fact most clothes for pets, especially in the summer, can cause your animal to overheat. Those cute little booties you put on your pup? They're good for keeping his feet dry while outside in the cold, but when inside they can cause infections between the pads. How's that for cute?

"Teacup" breeds are the worst. Dogs are inbred to become smaller and smaller, more fashionable. Meanwhile, the inbreeding promotes breed-specific health risks. Not to mention more immediate dangers such as taking jumps off something as low as a couch. The small breeds are fragile and breeding them even smaller makes things worse. On the same vein are the "designer dogs" like Goldendoodles and Puggles. They are bred with the intention to make them more hardy or hypo-allergenic. But what designer breeders don't tell you is that the chance for these positive traits to come out is the same for the chance of negative traits of both breeds coming out. You don't know what you're going to get. So, with Puggles for example, you can get the easy overheating, respiratory problems, and nose wrinkle infections from the Pug as well as the destructive properties, weight issues, and heart disease from the Beagle. Sure, it's cute, but you're probably not getting as good of a dog that you think you're buying. Not to mention, a designer dog's price tag can be more than a purebred's. You can be paying upwards for $1k for nothing more than a fancy mutt!

All animals grow up. Puppies become dogs. Kittens become cats. They get old. The bills for the vet visits grow. They no longer look so cute next to your kitten print, and tend to get hair all over it. Not to mention that a lot of animals sold as "teacup" breeds are actually just premature puppies or kittens. They grow up to be full sized and have even more health problems. They don't fit in your purse anymore. And they whine to be picked up still because all you've done is carry them around their whole lives.

I realize I'm being harsh with this rant but 1) it's a rant, 2) it's my blog, and 3) this is an issue I feel strongly about, not just within lolita. I worked in the animal care industry for over five years. I have seen dogs bought as accessories suffer through many problems, health, mental, and otherwise. I have cried when animals I've known for years were put down or given away simply because the owner was bored with them, or they were no longer cute, or were too much of a handful. I know this is a harsh rant but what I'm getting at is please think about the animal that you're buying. Are you getting it for an accessory? For something to coo over for a couple weeks and then get bored of? To dress up and show off? Or are you looking for a new friend for life? To give an unloved animal a new lease at life? To make your world and theirs a little bit brighter? Animals are not your personal playthings. Consider this before you go to buy one. Or even better, consider this and then go to your local shelter or pound and adopt that scruffy looking mutt in the corner. He or she will be your best friend as long as you care for them right.

Pictured: My old man Buddy. Part Husky, part Beagle, part Australian Cattle Dog, all Love.
There's nothing lolita about him, but I couldn't ask for more.

The In-between Lolita

2009-12-28T18:06:00.000-05:00

It's a false belief that every lolita ever loves tea parties, baking, and acting like a pretty princess. We don't all sit around our pink lace covered table and sip at earl grey discussing what style of lace we like most, the ones with hearts or the ones with puppies. But everyone seems to know this nowadays.

Then there are the lolitas who drink, smoke, and curse. They go out clubbing. They display their piercings and tattoos proudly. They're not afraid to give the finger in their photos and show just how non-princesslike they are. And that's cool too.

But what about the lolitas in between? The lolitas who don't want to sit in a knitting circle all day but would rather spend the night in with some close friends then travelling down to the nearest club for a night of debauchery. Those lolitas who don't have a taste for tea, but don't have one for hard liqour either. What activities could these types of lolitas partake in at meetups?

My best suggestion would be card and board games. Especially ones aimed toward a more adult audience. They allow players to get a little naughty and rambunctious, making for a fun night with friends. My absolute favorite game is Apples to Apples, but others that are good ideas are Lunch Money, Taboo, and Cash 'n Guns. They're more exciting than plain old Yatzee or Clue and don't require taking shots to spice up the action.

So everyone's tired of the game, what else can we do? Sure, we could deco up some cell phones or bake some cupcakes, but that's normal lolita stuff. What can we do that's a little more adult? Set up a movie night. Scary movies are great when you're decked out in your frilliest. Turn off the lights, find a spot on the couch, and settle in for a ride. There's nothing quite like a group of girls in pink either screaming or snarking their heads off at a film. Want a more gothic touch? Go for old black and white horrors or artistic films. No need to constantly watch Disney cartoons.

What about refreshments? Not everything can be cupcakes and candy. Dinner is a perfect time to get your sophistication on. Try a cheesecake for a less out and out sweet dessert. Or go for a more sophisticated fruit display, offering pomegranate, mango, and passion fruit. For savory hors d'oeuvres, a fancy cheese platter is always welcome. Skip the meetup staple of sushi or simple dishes for something more out there. Check with everyone's food preference before hand and aim for something like a steak dinner with fresh greens. Vegetarians? Try thinking about more asian inspired dishes using tofu instead of meat. Break out those cute aprons and get everyone involved with the preparing. That way you have yet another bonding experience during the meetup and get to prepare tasty foods as well. Once ready, set up some candles, maybe open a bottle of wine, and enjoy.

These aren't the only ideas for the in-between lolita. There are many more ideas out there, hiding in your imaginations. There's no need for tea parties and feeling like you went out of your way for the most elaborate game of dressup, or to go crazy wild at parties if you don't feel comfortable in that sort of environment. There is a happy middle ground, you just have to find it.

Merry Christmas!!

2009-12-25T03:00:00.000-05:00

Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays from RayRay
AKA the girl who used to own and love such an atrocious dress
Thank goodness for lolita!

Birthday!

2009-12-22T12:44:00.000-05:00

I'm going to take a moment of selfishness and announce that today is my birthday! So I figure it is a perfect occasion to share a few pictures of amazing cakes that lolitas would love. Just click the photos to go to their website.

And me? I like to be simple (plus I don't have that kind of money for something so gorgeous). I love out of the box lemon cake with lemon frosting. Can you tell I love lemon flavored sweets?

Grandma Florals

2009-12-16T14:04:00.000-05:00

I'm back! First off, apologies to anyone who cares about the blog. Life caught up to me for a while. It's still nipping at my heels but I've almost beaten it back.

I hope everyone had a wonderful whatever holiday they celebrate in November.

And since winter in the northern hemisphere is coming on fast I figured I would bring a little bit of spring back into our lolita lives. It's time for me to rave about the long forgotten prints of yesteryear. Specifically, grandma-ish florals.

Here at the cusp of 2010 we're buried in border prints. Some large details above the skirt hem with little pictures scattered about the rest of the piece. Back when lolita began we had all-over floral prints. Prints reminiscent of your grandmother's old couch or curtains. It may have been a little tacky, but I personally miss it.

So here's a couple examples from the olden days of all over floral prints.

Victorian Maiden

Innocent World

Moi-Meme-Moitie

Metamorphose Temps de Fille

Baby the Stars Shine Bright

Atelier Pierrot

Angelic Pretty

While the above are all lovely, some absolutely stunning, there were some pieces that were hit or miss. Such as this Baby jumperskirt.

U-G-L-Y!

But all in all I miss the old floral prints. And with the ott sweet prints having taken over, its even rare to see florals in classic brands such as Innocent World nowadays. There are a couple dresses available from brands that still have that old classic charm. Such as these two from Victorian Maiden and Mary Magdalene.

But for any others we're just going to have to wait and hope that this sweet thing blows over (unlikely) or make them ourselves.

Happy Halloween!

2009-10-31T15:38:00.000-04:00

To all my readers! Hope you have fun tonight and stay safe!

Nursing the Sick Lolita

2009-10-27T18:05:00.001-04:00

So last week I came down with a pretty awful cold. Now, I don't know about anyone else, but when I get colds I just want to curl up under the covers and be babied. I suppose it's one of the few times I go truly "lifestyle" lolita, even though I feel as far from lolita as possible (being buried alive in a pile of tissues will do that to you).

And so! I present to you: An In-depth Guide to Nursing the Sick Lolita

Step one: Dress her in comfy nightclothes.
I wouldn't suggest your nicest vintage nightgown for this one. Some old ratty PJs that are worn in are perfect for this. You're sick, no need to look your best.

Step two: Tuck her into bed. Let her burrow into and/or make a nest out of the blankets if necessary.
Taking refuge on the couch, and even couch forts are acceptable. Just make sure it's comfy, warm, and you can get in and out relatively easily in case of emergencies.

Step three: Turn on some cartoons for her.
Disney comes in wonderfully here. Put in a princess movie. Other feel good children's movies are perfect too. My personal choices this past week were Beauty and the Beast and Thumbelina. If kid's movies are too babyish for the lolita, go for horror movies instead. There's nothing like scaring the illness away! Plus, you get to cuddle close to the sick loli to comfort her.

Step four: Server her some hot soup and a sandwich.
My personal choice is grilled cheese and spaghettios. Some may opt for the more mature tomato soup. For the upset tummy, dry toast and flat gingerale can be made special by being put on a fancy plate. Don't forget lots of oranges for vitamin C!

Step five: Keep an arsenal of medicine at the ready.
Cough drops, nyquil, pepto, whatever you need, keep it nearby. A well lolita is made only by being a well prepared lolita.

Step six: Let her get plenty of rest.
This step is the most important! Don't let the loli go off and make herself worse. Keep her in bed, try not to excite her, and she'll be well in no time.

Tumblr!

2009-10-26T20:09:00.000-04:00

Part Time Lolita now has a tumblr! http://ptlolita.tumblr.com/
Lolita-related pictures I like will be posted there, along with cool artwork. Feel free to check it out!

Turn it up to 11!

2009-10-24T14:52:00.000-04:00

Everyone knows of the recent trend in lolita to pile on bows and ruffles and lace and fimo clay sweets and whatever else you can grab and stick onto your outfit. Lolitas, some who used to complain that shoving on a ton of hairclips and bracelets "Isn't decora-loli!", now are wearing over the top prints paired with enough frills to choke a horse with jewelry to match. Bows on top of bows, childish prints that envelop the whole garment, headwear with additional ears? Where will it end?

Even Victorian Maiden, known as a classic brand, has fallen to the insanity.

The main brand to blame for this horrible trend seems to be Angelic Pretty. And it's true, AP was the first brand to start piling crap ontop of their dresses, but the real question is why?

Is this really necessary AP?

The thing is, there's just one simple answer to that question. Because we, as Lolitas, started it! That's right! It's at least some of our faults that this crazy trend began! Sure, you may argue that brands conspire on what will be the next big trend in lolita. They decide for us, if you will, what will be the next big thing. Like this season's deer print trend, or the recent pinkxmint explosion. But the thing is, those are safe innovations. A sudden increase in cute fawns prancing around our skirt hems is just the same as Vogue determining that teal is the Next Big Color. But Vogue isn't going to randomly pull out that a stuffed cake to put on top of your head is the must have item of the season, and neither will lolita brands, unless we give them a reason to think that.

Lolita brands watched the increasing trend of decora and fairy lolita, watched all these girls in their sweet print dresses pile on jewelry and barrettes and bows, and thought "We could make money off of this." They release things on a small scale. A cake hat, a headband with maybe a couple extra bows than normal on it, a slightly rufflier bonnet. And then these items get bought and that gives brands the big green light, and shit goes nuts.

Hear that, lady? Its all your fault!

So, love it or hate it, crazy OTT lolita is here until we all get sick of it. Brands will keep pumping out more clothes and accessories with more bows, ruffles, and who knows what than you can beat off with a stick. Until people stop paying for the stuff, its all here to stay. Sure, the gothic and classic lolitas can all cry and complain that its "ruining lolita" and that there should be some sort of loli revolution where the OTT sweet lolitas break off from the fashion so they can't be associated as the same anymore. But really, we all get the same confused looks when we go out onto the street in our petticoats and ruffles, no matter how toned down or turned up they are. In the end, it's no one's fault but our own that we keep getting asked, "Are you in a play?"

Lolita Halloween Costumes Part 2

2009-10-17T09:43:00.000-04:00

So in my last post I covered some tradition styles of lolita that would work just as well for Halloween. Now let's flip that over and give some traditional Halloween costumes with lolita elements.

Vampire

It is my honest opinion that when you type "Lestat" into google images
you should not get pictures of Stuart Townsend as Lestat.
Only Tom Cruise is Lestat, TYVM.

I know what you're thinking "But all I have to do is throw on some fangs and blood with my lolita outfit and I'm good to go!" You could... but why not play with it? Dress in rich gothic lolita, lots of layers and fancy lace tights. Or do a deep red and black ensemble. Go for the mini tophat you've always wanted but was too scared to put on. Pile your hair high on top of your head in an intricate style. Wear a low-cut neckline, because vampire are just as sexy as pirates. Wear velvet (for the love of god, not crushed velvet). Play with all these things, just keep the lolita silhouette and keep it classy. Then you're not just one of those dime-a-dozen slutty vampires out there on Halloween, it actually looks like you put effort into your costume. If you're lucky, you can pull all this out of your very own closet!

And, because I can, here's Eli from Let the Right One In.
Go watch it if you haven't seen it yet, seriously.

Mummy

Shit. Let's try that again...

That's better!

This is probably the easiest lolita costume you're going to be able to make. Grab a white blouse, a white petti (and a white skirt to have over it if your petti is see through), white socks, and white shoes if you have them. Then grab about three rolls of toilet paper (the good kind if you don't want it to rip in a million places before the night is over), some scotch tape, and go wild. Roll yourself up. Don't tighten the paper over your petti, let it drape, so it doesn't squish the cupcake shape. If you want to, cover up your whole face. If you don't, cover it in a couple places then do your makeup real pale with dark circles around your eyes. Let your hair hang loose, or in raggedy curls, make a toilet paper flower (I love the internet) and pin it to your hair. Voila! Instant lolita mummy!

And yes, Poupee beat me to this idea.

Fairy

No, I'm not talking about fairykei or fairy-loli. I'm talking about a lolita fairy costume.

This one will probably require a trip to the fabric store, but luckily won't require more than a couple dips into the scrap bin if you're lucky. Start with a color scheme and a matching base. Want to go as an earthy fairy? Stick with muted greens and browns. Want to be more pastel? Throw on a pink or blue skirt. It's probably better to start off "casual" too. Put on a matching puffy sleeved t-shirt instead of an all-out blouse. Once you've got your base down, find matching scraps of silk, taffetta, any gauzy see-through fabric. Now, this is Halloween so you can do things cheaply. Make an elastic belt to fit your waist and go hog-wild arranging and tacking these fabrics so that they'll drape over your skirt. Make some overhang so they can flutter around. If you can find a gauzy matching bolero, even better. Do up your hair, throw in some little flowers and ribbons. Buy or make your own fairy wings. Wear some sparkly make up. Throw on some cute matching socks and shoes, and you're set!

So three more costume ideas! Myself? I'm probably going to end up doing mummy lolita, because I think it sounds awesome. If I do, I'll post pictures after Halloween. These ideas are just a starting point too, don't be afraid to set down a lolita "base" and then follow through with elements from a traditional Halloween costume. It's Halloween! Have fun with it! Don't be afraid to break any lolita rules. It's the one day a year you can get away with it without being beaten to death.

Okay, well... let's not get too carried away with ourselves.

Lolita Halloween Costumes

2009-10-15T10:54:00.000-04:00

Halloween's quick approaching and all the lolitas are scrambling. What costume do I wear that has lolita elements but isn't strictly lolita?

It's a tough question. As many lolitas will tell you, the fashion is not a costume. It's for everyday wear. But there are some styles of lolita that will probably sneak by the "not a costume" definition. Here are three of the more traditional styles to consider.

Guro Lolita

The first, and most obvious, way is Guro(Gore) Lolita. White dress. Lots of blood. Bandages. Bruises. Dirt. Gauze eyepatches. Medical corsets. It's the most popular lolita style for Halloween time.

Some tips to make your costume awesome: Don't chicken out. Buy a cheap dress so you won't feel guilty slathering it with fake blood. Sure, bloody bandages and an apron may look okay, but this is Halloween! Go all out! Even if it's a cheap dress from Momo's or Rakuen, it's going to be covered in blood and be a costume-only thing. No one's going to feel the lace among all the blood and start screaming "Cheap! Cheap! Cheap!" like some demented chick demanding food from it's mother. And just a warning, fake blood likes to get everywhere. So if you're going somewhere they'll mind stains on furniture, slather your dress a couple days before. Sure, it's gonna be dark and dried, but it'll still look cool and you won't have to pay for steamcleaning an expensive sofa. Also, be sure to wear underclothes you don't really care about getting stained. And avoid rain if at all possible. Wanna play with it? I've found that color definitely adds something special to the same-old same-old guro outfit. Throw in some splashes of black. Or bend all conventions and cover a pink or blue dress in blood. No one said guro had to be white and only white.

Nurse Lolita

Some may argue that Nurse Lolita falls into the Guro category, but I figure it's different enough to warrant it's own section. And besides, this is Halloween, regular lolita rules need not apply. Crosses, nurse hats, arm bands. A double breasted dress helps too. Like guro, white and red seems to be the most popular, but play with it. While pastel colors might not look "professional", muted, dark colors could work as well.

Tips: Don't want to spend a ton of money? Don a regular gothic loli ensemble, but keep the ruffles and embellishments to a minimum. Pop on an arm band and a (nice quality) nurse hat. Grab a stethoscope or a medical kit. You're pretty much good to go.

Pirate Lolita

Image copyright http://www.chriscb.org/

A popular style of more "costumey" lolita that gets worn out a lot. And while it's true that you could slide this one by at a meet, or, if you're a bit braver than the average lolita, wear it around town, it wouldn't look out of place at a costume party either. Corsets. Mini tricorns. Pirate boots. Front lacing. Rich fabrics. Ruffles. Pirate lolita definitely has a lot of wiggle room to make your costume look however you want.

Tips: Don't just grab a mini tricorn and run. Corsets definitely add to the pirate look. Under or overbust, either will work just as well. The fun about Halloween though? You can throw some cleavage in there and no one will come screaming up from behind to beat you with a Gothic & Lolita Bible. So don't be afraid to throw a little sexy in there, because pirates are damn sexy. Grab some overknee pirate boots. Throw in striped fabrics. Don't be afraid to go assymetrical or even have a lot of layers overlapping. Have ruffly bloomers peeking out. Grab a fake sword or gun for that final touch.

So here are just three ideas for your lolita Halloween. I'll surely be posting more as the holiday creeps closer.

We all want our Prince

2009-10-08T11:17:00.000-04:00

Disclaimer: I know these pictures are currently making their rounds on the internet. That's how I found out about them. But too bad, I'm writing about them here.

Most lolitas like Disney, right? Most of us grew up on kind princes taking care of their princesses. Most of us base our favorite Disney princess over which prince was our favorite. Or vice versa.

Mine? My favorite Disney princess was Belle. I love her, she's not normal, she likes to read, she's a bit of a nerd, she's got a crazy (adorable) father. Belle is amazing. So it makes sense that I fell for The Beast, or at least the human version of The Beast, very hard.

You know you love it.

Davidkawena on DeviantArt has a whole series of Disney princes completely sexified. Sultry poses, delicious pecs, conspicuous bulges, they're all here. Pick your favorite prince, or even male Disney character, and he's probably there. (Note: You have to have a deviantart account to see some of them, as they are marked mature.)

Some will make you feel slightly pedophillic.

Because everyone wants to wank it to the boy who refuses to grow up, right?

While others are for those of us who prefer a more manly man.

No comment. Seriously, no comment.

Personally, I'm going to sit here in amazement that Mr. Kawena remembered one of the less prominent characters from Pocahontas, and my favorite.

I had a thing for Thomas. I ain't gonna deny it.

So hitch up your petticoats and take a gander over at davidkawena's Disney Princes gallery. Enjoy your favorite movies in a whole new way.

Oh, and while you're there, check out some of his other art too. I'm especially in love with this Art Nouveau take on Giselle from Enchanted.

Rant the first: Weight, Lolita, and You

2009-10-06T16:26:00.000-04:00

Let's face it. I'm a fatty. I like lolita, and I'm a fatty. I can't fit into brand. I have to have my things custom made. I can't even wear socks with print on them because my calves will warp the images beyond recognition.

The almighty god Mana-sama should just strike me down where I stand, right? For messing with the sanctity of lolita?

I'm still here.

So it's skinny lolitas then? The ones who can fit into most, or all brand. They're the ones to blame, right? They're ruining it for us fatties, if they didn't exist brands would go for bigger sizes and then we chunky ones could fit into those pretty dresses. Besides, they look horrible. You can't look young and innocent while being thin and gaunt.

A 30 inch waist? No one's that skinny! Right?

Wrong again.

Here's the deal. Fat or thin. Too big or too small (believe it or not, there are full grown women too small to fit into brand. The horror!). Lolita is unfair to everyone. There's always going to be a dress we want that we can't fit. There's always going to be a skirt just out of our reach.

"But," the fatties argue, "it's easier for a garment to be taken in than let out."

Yes, but buying brand and altering it requires just as much money and effort as getting your own garment commissioned. Maybe more.

"But what about the special prints?" They all cry.

There are places out there that will do custom prints on fabric. Get a replication of the print you want done or make your very own custom print. Can't draw worth a damn? There's people who will design for a few dollars too. Or have a friend who can draw do it for you.

Then, once you get the fabric, send it to a talented seamstress to make your replica or original garment.

In the end you have something that fits (Yay no boob loaf!), is good quality (as long as you do your research), and for around the same price as a brand piece. And now you're not just paying for a name, but for a quality custom garment made just for you.

In the end, who gives a crap what size you are? Take lolita and rock it. Get a full length mirror and learn what looks good on you, what flatters your size, where you need something to fit just right and where you can let things go a little. Get a good friend to tell you honestly if you look like shit before you go out that day. Experiment a little.

Have some fucking fun.

And don't listen to haters on the internet who say you're too big or small. Or that little niggling voice in the back of your head that's just echoing other people's sentiments. You love lolita? You know how to flatter your shape and size? Then wear that shit with pride.

I'll meet you out there.

Welcome!

2009-10-06T16:04:00.000-04:00

Woo first post! This blog is the result of boredom, my constant urge to write and bitch, plus some goading from a friend. I'm voicing a warning right now that while this blog will be about lolita and things related to lolita, this is not an area for those that are lifestyle lolitas. You're more than welcome to come and read, of course, but there will be plenty of ranting and swearing in the future. I will most likely be heavily opinionated, loud, and nowhere near the stereotypical sweet lolita attitude. There will also be posts where I just feel like sharing cute things, or post lolita clothes, whatever I feel like really.

Part Time Lolita rants will not be about sunshine and rainbows and unicorns (though I do love my unicorns), but rather living as a lolita in the real world. I can't guarantee anything revolutionary here, but that's not going to stop me. So stick around, it'll be fun, I promise.