Lolita Blog Carnival! ~ How Do You Keep Your Love For The Fashion Alive Without Meets/In-Person Events?

 Hello my wonderfully sweet s'mores! :3

I'm back on my blog today after a bit of a hiatus with something I haven't done in a while; A Lolita Blog Carnival post! ^w^ I'm a little bit late on this one as it was supposed to be the one from last week but I was still very inspired about it so that's why I wanted to participate anyway! ~

The subject for this time was...

~ How Do You Keep Your Love For The Fashion Alive Without Meets/In-Person Events? ~

Firstly, I wanted to say that I had a lot of trouble with that at the beginning of the lockdown and I was struggling to find a way to still enjoy the fashion on a regular basis and also connect with my local community... But as the months went by I discovered some ways to enjoy the fashion despite the current state of the world and I'll share them today! :3

~ Dress up at home for no reason at all! ~

Probably the one thing that helped me the most during the pandemic! I used to be one of those "daily" Lolitas who would only dress up when I had an occasion to do so; run an errand, for work or to meet up with friends. This year, I really tried to challenge those thoughts that I couldn't dress up just for a casual day at home because it wasn't worth it... Because in the end, it is worthy! ~ I started to practice my makeups skills pretty much on the daily because I would do my makeup to stay at home just for fun! ^w^ I learned new techniques and what worked and didn't work for me! I also tried new ways of coordinating my outfits in a more casual way and that gave me a new perspective about my closet too! :3

~ Connect with the Lolita communities online, via social media or with snail mail! ~

This year, I really started to follow a bunch of different Lolitas on social media for inspiration and also to try to still have a sense of community without Lolita meetups! I discovered so many new instagram accounts, blogs and youtube channels and it's always nice to have new and fresh content to explore! ~ I also tried my best to stay in touch with my local community via social media and to give them some prompts to share about Lolita fashion together! :3 Finally, one of our local community members had the idea to do a little snail mail exchange for the Holidays together! ^w^ I thought it was such a wonderful idea and it's very lifestyle Lolita indeed! ~

~ One on one meetups/videochats with Lolita friends! ~

I enjoyed a couple of occasions to dress up and meet up one on one with some of the members from our local community this summer when the situation was a bit more calm in my area! ^w^ I thought it was nice because, unlike me, most of the other members in our local community aren't daily or lifestyle Lolitas and are too shy to dress up on their own when there's no meetups or special occasions! We also had a couple of remote Tea Parties and gaming nights via videochat and it was nice to be able to see everyone, chat and catch up! :3

~ Incorporate Lifestyle Lolita elements into your daily lives! ~

Another thing that really helped me a lot into keeping my Lolita spirits up! ^w^ I was always a lifestyle Lolita so most of the time I would already incorporate these things into my daily life anyway... But during the pandemic I started to reconnect with some lifestyle things I had pushed aside in the past years; Having tea in my very fancy antique teacups, listening to classical music, reading for pleasure, enjoying a long skin care and bath ritual, etc... I would pretty much always try to do that to an extent but recently I made sure to incorporate even more lifestyle Lolita elements into my daily life and be even more mindful and extra about it! ^w^ Honestly, it also helped me to feel happier and more productive during these hard times! ~

And you, how do you keep your love for Lolita fashion alive with the recent events? Share your thoughts in the comments, I would love to hear about it! ~

Also, please don't forget to take a look at the other people that participated to this Lolita Blog Carnival along with me and so give them some love! :3

The Bloody Tea Party

Roli's Ramblings

Diary of a Deadmann

Until next time my shiny pinky pearls, stay safe and take care! ^w^ <3

Lolita Blog Carnival! ~ What Types Of Topics Would You Like Covered In A Lolita Panel?

Hello my pretty pastel gingham hearts! :3

Today on my blog I'm going to participate in another Lolita Blog carnival for this week! ~

The subject for this week was pretty interesting for me since I am putting up together two Lolita panels for the SagGeek this year again so I thought it would be nice to participate in it and also share some other inputs from other Lolitas! ^w^

What Types Of Topics Would You Like Covered In A Lolita Panel?

For a little bit of context; I only went to about 2 or 3 Lolita panels at conventions so I don't have a lot of experience in it, but I thought it would be nice to point out things that was a bit "missing" from the Lolita panels I went to as well as some personal preferences. ~

I won't really cover the basic like what's the element of an outfit, the different styles and where to get the clothes because I really think that they are staples in a basic Lolita panel and I thought it would be nice to share some different input and perspective. :3

Ressources/shops for plus-sized Lolitas

As a plus-sized Lolita, this go without saying that this is very important to me to mention. I also realized that "plus-size" in Lolita starts a bit below of what it would be considered plus-size here in Canada when I saw some of my friends which were regular-sized needed to get custom sized clothes. ^w^'' So I was surprised that this was some information and ressources very much needed for a panel, it can also helps everyone with unusual measurements or proportions.

Also, for the bigger end of plus-sized, it always nice to know that there are ressources for us and that we aren't a lost cause. XD; For exemple, recommendation on where to get custom sized everything, custom sized winter coats and boots and the like. Also where can we get shoes for wider feet or socks that fit big calves. ~

Information about the Lolita Lifestyle

As a lifestyle Lolita, this is also something that I think is very overlooked in Lolita panels. I think it would be nice to have some information about the Lolita lifestyle and the hobbies that fit into the aesthetic of the fashion. How can someone "Lolify" their lives and become more of a lifestyle Lolita if they are interested in it. ~ What are the values related to the lifestyle? How can someone become a better lifestyle Lolita?

It would maybe be interesting to mention how can someone adapt Lolita fashion to their daily lives. How can someone wear the fashion on a regular basis and what they can expect when they do so.

Information about meetups, meetup etiquette, etc...

This is a subject that I plan to cover in my advanced Lolita panel this year! XD; But I think it's something that I really should have touched on more on my previous panels. I think that meetup etiquette is something that, as an experienced Lolita, I feel like it's common sense but it may not be for newcomers. It's always nice to have information about Lolita meetups and how you should plan one properly and things to know to make the meetups a success! ^w^

Lolita in the Media

Another subject that I plan to cover in my advanced Lolita panel! ~ I thought it would be nice for newer Lolitas to find some outfit inspiration and where they can find Lolita related medias. I would mention the obvious Kamikaze Girls movie but also popular Lolita models, bloggers and Youtubers around the world, magasines on the fashion, etc...

So that's pretty much all I could think about that wasn't too obvious for me! XD; Before you go, please take a look at the other blogs that participated in the Lolita Blog Carnival this week and show them some love! :3

The Bloody Tea Party

Teeny Travels

Cupcakes and Unicorns

Until next time my precious heart shaped chocolate cookies! :3

Lolita Blog Carnival! ~ What Would Be An Item Or Accessory That You Wish You Had More Of?

Hello my cutie kitten ears! ~

Today I join another Lolita Blog Carnival! ^w^ I haven't done one in a long while and I thought it would be interesting to do one this week! :3 The subject for this time was...

What Would Be An Item Or Accessory That You Wish You Had More Of?

It was hard for me at first to pinpoint what I "miss" in my closet since I am pretty happy with the pieces I've got and I know I can mix and match a lot of things in my closet... But I thought that this was the perfect time to dream and pinpoint what would my "Dream Closet" would look like, ideally! ^w^

Country Lolita Pieces

I love Country Lolita and it's pretty much my go-to style for the warmer months since I discovered it! ^w^ However I think I don't have many pieces that nicely fit the aesthetic of the style... Sure I can always wear my strawberry prints or some more plain pieces in a Country coordinate, but I really wish I would have more jumperskirts and OPs with gingham or pretty summery flowers! *v* Ideally I would like I have at least one flowery OP in pink, white or blue, two jumperskirts in blue and lilac with gingham or flowers on them and two other skirts in blue in lilac with gingham and/or flowers. :3

Sailor Lolita Pieces

I only have one Sailor Lolita OP and one Sailor Lolita blouse, I really wish I had more! ;w; Sailor Lolita isn't one of my favourite styles but I really love how it looks on me and how it can be sweetened up! XD; It also reminds me of the Old-School Lolita days too which are very dear to my heart! ;o; Ideally I would like to add at least another Sailor blouse, in blue. I would also love to have a blue or blue and white Sailor OP. ~ I think that a Sailor Lolita cutsew would also be very useful for casual days too and I've seen so many cute ones! :3

Cutsews

I only have 3 cutsews in my closet and for someone that wears Lolita fashion on the daily I think it's really not enough! XD; I think that cutsews in blue, lilac and red would be something interesting to add in my closet for more daily coordinates. ~

Yellow Pieces

I thought about for a while and I know that for now it would be too much of a hassle to go on the hunt for them, but I really wish I would have some yellow pieces in my closet. ;w; I don't have any at the moment, but I have a lot of prints with yellow on them and I think it would be a nice colour to add to my closet. ^w^ I also think it would be a nice colour suited for Country Lolita too and it also would match with the colours in my closet I already own! :3

Old-School/Plain Pieces

I already have a lot of them since I went on a shopping spree for them when I was starting university and I wanted to have more casual and versatile pieces in my closet, but I think I still miss a few of them! I don't even have a plain pink jumperskirt in my closet and I've been a Sweet Lolita for nearly 10 years now! XD; I would also want to add another plain pink skirt, a plain blue jumperskirt and a plain blue OP (probably with an appliqué or something fun!).

So that's pretty much what I would generally miss so I would have a dream closet for me! ^w^ Even if I am already happy with what I own, it made me think about the things I would really like to add to my closet so it's even more complete and functional. ~

Don't forget to take a look at the other bloggers that participated in this week's Lolita Blog Carnival and go show them some love! ^w^

Roli's Ramblings

Cupcakes and Unicorns

In Love with a Dream

Until next time my precious jewels, take care! ^w^

Lolita Blog Carnival! ~ Create A Lolita Prompt Challenge!

Hello my very sweet sugar cookies! ~

I'm back on my blog by the end of this week for another Lolita Blog Carnival! ^w^ I haven't done those in a while and the subject this week was a bit challenging for me so I decided to give it a go! :3 The subject this week was...

Create A Lolita Prompt Challenge

At first I wanted to do a 30 days prompt challenge, but I thought that I didn't had that much interesting ideas... XD; So I went for a 12 months challenge. ~

There is one Lolita or Lifestyle prompt for every month. ^w^ I thought I would list them and explain them a bit and why I decided to chose them. :3 It's a mix between fashion inspired prompts and more lifestyle Lolita prompts so it's more suited to Lolitas that consider themselves to be lifestyle Lolitas. ~

12 Months of Lolita & Lifestyle

January: What are your Lolita/Lifestyle resolutions?

January is the month of resolutions for everyone and Lolitas are not exempt to that! XD; I thought it would be a nice prompt for January, especially because I think Lolitas doesn't talk a lot about their goals for their wardrobe and their lifestyle very often. ~

February: Share your favourite makeup products from your Lolita makeup routine!

I associate the month of February with romance because of Valentine's day and romance with makeup apparently. XD;

March: What are your favourite tea blends?

The month of March is still very cold here in Canada and my favourite thing to fight the cold months is a yummy cup of tea. :3

April: What are your favourite Lolita bags?

I love bags! XD; I love collecting them. ~ I wish we would talk more about Lolita bags, the more intricate ones and the one that are more practical for daily Lolitas. :3

May: Share a favourite recipe.

With the Loliday around the corner, I thought that the month of May would be perfect to share our recipe for the Lolita potlucks, Tea Parties and picnics! ^w^

June: What are your favourite Loliday/meetup memory?

This one is pretty self-explanatory. XD; I always like to read about other Lolitas favourites memories of meetups and cute stories about their communities. :3

July: A fictional character that inspire your fashion or lifestyle.

This one was inspired by one of the posts I saw on Rufflechat a while ago that was about the anime characters that would inspire your style... So for the people that aren't into anime I extended it a bit! ^w^ I usually like to get inspired by real Lolitas, but a little inspiration from the fiction is always refreshing. ~

August: Create a coord based on your astrological sign.

August is my birthday month and I used to relate a lot to my astrological sign, so I thought it would be nice to add a little bit of creativity in there by creating a coord around it. ^w^

September: Share something that you created.

I think that the Lolita lifestyle is about putting the Lolita aesthetic in the things you create or craft... September is usually a very inspiring month for me creativity-wise so I thought it would be the perfect prompt for this month!

October: Share a Lolita or lifestyle horror story!

It can be anything related to Lolita or your lifestyle! XD; A broken shoe on the way to a meetup? A hair dye horror story? That time that you brought your most expensive teapot and teacup to a picnic and it broke apart in your bag? ^w^'' (Been there, done that...)

November: Write a poem inspired by the Lolita lifestyle.

It may be a little bit more of a challenge for the Lolitas that doesn't already write or are more into the crafty side of things... But I thought it would make an interesting prompt before the winter Loliday! (You can even share it with others on your Loliday meetup, like we did in our community!)

December: Share some Lolita or lifestyle inspired gift ideas.

I know that there are many lists about gift ideas for Lolitas out there, but one that is a little more personal for you is always useful to have too! ^w^ You can even send it to friends or family! ~

Phew, here it is all complete! ^w^

I hope you liked to take a look at my prompts and it may inspire you for your own blog too if you chose to do my challenge! ~ If you do so, I appreciate if you can link it to my blog or this blog post! :3

Before you go, don't forget to take a look at the other blogs that have participated in this Lolita Blog Carnival and show them some love! ^w^

Cupcakes and Unicorns

The Bloody Tea Party

Roli's Ramblings

Until next time my perfectly infused Chai teacups! ~

Lolita Blog Carnival! ~ Share Your Most Worn Dress VS Your Least & Why?

Hello my cute little pumpkins! ~

I wanted to participate in the Lolita Blog Carnival this week because when I saw the subject, it really made me wonder about it for a while... The subject this week is...

Share Your Most Worn Dress VS Your Least & Why?

It was kind of hard to chose a dress that I worn the most... Since I wear Lolita fashion daily, most of my dresses have a very "worn" feeling and I cannot really tell which one is the most worn out... ^w^'' But, when I started to think about it logically and which dress I am the most drawn to, my choice stopped on this one...

Most Worn Dress

Lovely Forest blue jumperskirt by Dream of Lolita

I feel like this dress is really my "go-to" dress on the daily. I never expected one day to like this dress as much as I do. ^w^'' At first when I got it, it was my first "Sweet-Classic" piece and I really didn't like to wear it... It didn't feel like myself! But when I started university and I needed some more daily and casual pieces for school, I started to appreciate this jumperskirt more and more! It also really helps that this dress is one of the most comfy ones that I own! I like that you can dress it up in a very sweet way or wear a more casual outfit with it. ~ It's also one of my favourite jumperskirts to wear for Country Lolita outfits! :3

As for my least worn dress, the choice was a little more obvious. Even if I have dresses that I have worn a bit less than this one, it's mostly because they are newer in my closet and I haven't had some chances to wear them more... I finally decided to chose this one because I knew that I wasn't going to wear it more than I do so now... ^w^''

Least Worn Dress

Little Bears Café pink jumperskirt by Dream of Lolita

I'm really sad to see this dress as my least worn one... ;w; I got it around 3 years ago and I haven't even worn it a handful of times... It's the only dress in my closet with a high waist and it was partly my mistake for getting it despite knowing that I really hate high waists on me and that I find them even more uncomfortable... XD; I really love the print and I like the material, even if it's corduroy and I can't wear it during summer... But it's just so uncomfortable to wear... ^w^'' The dress is also made a bit smaller than most of my other dresses so it's not as roomy and I have trouble wearing it for a long period of time, like for a full day out... I'm even more sad that I got a necklace, a few rings and a pair of wristcuffs specifically for this print and I haven't worn them out yet... ^w^''

So that was my little input on the subject from this week's Lolita Blog Carnival! ~

Before you go, please take a look at the other blogs that have participated in this week's Lolita Blog Carnival and show them some love! ^w^

Cupcakes and Unicorns

Roli's Ramblings

Saxon Blues

The Bloody Tea Party

In Love With A Dream

Until next time my fluffy lilac bears! ~

Lolita Blog Carnival! ~ What Is One Piece That You Could Never Give Away & Why?

Hello my precious dark purple jewels! ~

I'm back on my blog today with a Lolita Blog Carnival post! I haven't done these in a while! ^w^ But this week's subject was very interesting to me and I really wanted to share it on my blog. ~

What Is One Piece That You Could Never Give Away & Why?

I thought for a long while about this subject and how I could chose only one piece of clothing... As you may know, I am not the kind of Lolita that usually give away or sells any of her pieces, especially her main pieces. I've done so a few times with more Otome or Fairy-Kei pieces or ones that I received that truly didn't fit me right, but overall I never gave away a single piece of clothing of my Lolita life.

I feel like everytime I buy a new piece for my closet, it's like a missing piece of a giant puzzle I've been looking for years. It may seem a bit weird or exaggerated, but I truly connect with each and every one of my pieces and all of them hold so many dear memories to me. I look at the worn out lace, the buttons that I had to sew back a hundred times, the necklaces I had to mend and the bows I had to tie back and it gives me that sense of accomplishment. I feel that way because I know that by wearing those pieces I am doing the right thing. ~

I've always said that my first piece of official Lolita clothing was my pink Anna House OP that I got at the beginning of 2010, maybe because saying it's an OP is more "glamorous" and because it seems more important because it's a main piece... But along with that OP I also got a black and white polka dots skirt too.

I remember back in my early Lolita days that I always wanted to do a nice black and white coordinate with that skirt, it was probably one of my first Lolita goals that I haven't truly tell to anyone. I also got a white blouse with black details just to complete that perfect outfit idea I had in my mind.

It's so silly, because this skirt and that blouse doesn't go with anything else in my closet. (It's probably my biggest beginner Lolita mistake, honestly.) But I knew that I got them with that perfect outfit in mind, and when I wore it for the first time, I felt so accomplished. ~ I finally felt worthy of being a Lolita and to start my Lolita life.

Even if that skirt (and that blouse) doesn't mix and match with anything in my closet, even if it's a bit on the shorter side and I can't wear it with one of my proper petticoats, even if I haven't worn that skirt in over 5 years and it just sits there... I don't think I could ever, ever give it away!

I might want to wear it tomorrow, who knows...?

Please, take a look and show some love to the other blogs that participated in this week's Lolita Blog Carnival!

Cupcakes and Unicorns

The Bloody Tea Party

AriesKitsune

Masquerade Doll

Until next time my fluffy puffy clouds, take care! ~

Lolita Blog Carnival! ~ 5 Ways to Beat the Heat in Lolita Fashion!

Hello my pretty sparkly rays of sunshine! :3

After a very long while without joining one, I decided to participate in another Lolita Blog Carnival this week! ^w^ The subject for this week was...

5 Ways to Beat the Heat in Lolita Fashion!

I don't live in a place where it gets unbearably hot in the summer and I have a pretty high tolerance to heat itself (but let's not talk about sunlight XD). I don't know how much my tips will be helpful... ^w^'' But I decided to share them anyway. :3

1. Keep your clothes to a single layer only

My number one tip from when it's really hot outside is to keep your clothes to a single layer only. Wear only an OP or a skirt and blouse or cutsew combo. It may go without saying that the less layers you will have on your body, the cooler you will feel! ^w^ If you may wear a jumperskirt, chose a bolero or light cardigan over a blouse to cover your shoulders. ~

2. Ditch the wigs and favorise updos and braids hairstyles

Wearing wigs makes me feel hot even in the middle of winter so I can't imagine how uncomfortable it must be to wear one in summer. ^w^'' (That's pretty much why I don't wear wigs... XD) Also, for your hairstyle if you have longer hair you may prefer doing updos or braids, anything to free your neck from your hair so you are cooler. :3

3. Chose breathable fabrics

I also always favorise light cotton and chiffon fabrics in the summer. They are more breathable and it will be more comfortable outside in the heat. Avoid fabrics like wool, velvet and corduroy which doesn't make the air circulate as much. ~

4. Wear hats and/or carry a parasol

Direct sunlight on your head on a very hot day can make you feel more hot than necessary, so I would suggest wearing a straw hat or boater hat with your coordinate. (It's time to get out your Country Lolita outfits and flower prints!) If a hat isn't suitable for your outfit and you know you are going to be outside for a long time, I would suggest carrying around a parasol. They really do make a difference since you will always have your little spot of shade to keep you cooler! ~

5. Protect your skin from the sun and stay hydrated

This tip may be a more personal one that others, but I always find myself cooler when my skin isn't directly exposed to the sunlight. I have very sensitive skin and it gets worse under the sun so I always make sure to protect my arms, legs and face from the sun. I usually chose long sleeves over short sleeves in the summer so my arms can be covered and I carry around a pair of gloves to wear outside. Also, make sure you are wearing sunblock (which is more efficient than sunscreen because it block the sunrays instead of only treating your skin to protect it). Finally, don't forget to stay hydrated, bring a bottle of water or iced tea with you whenever you are out! ~

So that was my little tips on how to beat the heat in Lolita fashion! I hope you enjoyed reading it and they maybe you learned something? ^w^

Before you go, please take a look at the other blogs that have participated in this week's Lolita Blog Carnival and show them some love! ^w^

The Bloody Tea Party

Fleur d'Élise

Until next time my sugary lemon drops! ~

Lolita Blog Carnival! ~ What Has Become A Staple Piece In Your Wardrobe And Why?

Hello my pretty flowery teacups! :3

I decided to join another Lolita Blog Carnival today! ^w^ This subject was...

What Has Become A Staple Piece In Your Wardrobe And Why?

After a long thought process, I decided to choose my pink printed skirt from Dollscrops!

Here is is, in all it's glory! XD;

This skirt is probably one of the main pieces in my wardrobe that I have worn the most. It was one of the first Lolita skirts I bought on the Qutie Land website back in the beginning of 2010! (I can't believe I've been wearing that skirt regularly for 8 years and it haven't fallen appart yet! ^w^'')

The lace is still nice and the print is still very crisp and bright after being washed a LOT of times. ~

I think it's one of my most comfortable skirts so that's why I love wearing it so much. I also think it's really flattering on me! It's just the right length, it's not too big or too small, it have just the right amount of gathering at the waist so the print doesn't look weird with a regular petticoat. ~

I also really like how I can dress it up or dress it down. It have a lot of colours, themes and details so I can coordinate it in a lot of different ways. Whenever I want to dress casual, but still colourful this is my go-to skirt! ^w^

I really love the little details on the print. ~

I am really glad I own that skirt since I've been really loving it for all those years and I hope I can continue to wear it and appreciate it for 8 more years to come! :3

Please take a look at the other bloggers that participated in this week's Lolita Blog Carnival and show them some love! ^w^

Roli's Ramblings

The Bloody Tea Party

Dollhouse Diaries

Until next time my cute pink kitten paws! :3

Lolita Blog Carnival! ~ Preferences of Solids Or Prints: What Draws Your Favor & Why?

Hello my sweet chocolate puddings! :3

I'm back on my blog today with another subject from the Lolita Blog Carnival blogging community for this week! ~ The subject for this week is...

Preferences of Solids Or Prints: What Draws Your Favor & Why?

 As much as I would like to surprise you and be kind of quirky, you guys probably know the answer! ^w^'' It's prints!

I think I have kind of a good balance of solids and prints in my closet. I really like to have some solid pieces that are more simple and kind of easier to coordinate daily for more busy days. I actually stocked up a lot on solid and more plain pieces before I entered university for that reason! I knew I wouldn't have much time to think about complex coordinates to wear daily so I got a bunch of very simple solid skirts and cutsews to make things easier for me. ~

But prints are truly what make my heart skip a beat in Lolita fashion! I used to dream about them and I never knew I could get my hands on or even fit into printed dresses when I first started the fashion! I realized my wildest dream when I got my first printed dress which was my pink Wonder Cookie jumperskirt replica! I wore it waaaay too much back then because I felt so beautiful and myself in it and I was so grateful to have it and to wear it! ^w^ When I think about it, it still makes me super proud and wonderful and I couldn't be happier. ~

Nowadays I like prints because I think they are very easy to dress up, even in OTT style with a lot of accessories and bold colours but they are also easy to dress down and let the print itself be the star of your coordinate! This is one thing I really love to play around with my printed dresses; to see how much I can take the most OTT Sweet print I own (which is Milky Planet) and even dress it down with a simple white blouse, simple plain socks and very few simple accessories. I also think that simple coordinates, even with some more colourful and bold print makes me feel less overdressed in my daily life and I can still enjoy my wonderful prints! ^w^ (But let's be honest, I can't say no to an OTT Sweet coordinate just to go to work once in a while, it always makes me feel better!)

Don't forget to take a look and show some love to the other bloggers that participated in this week's Lolita Blog Carnival!

Cupcakes and Unicorns

Rose Nocturnalia

Poppy Noir

The Bloody Tea Party

Until next time my sparkle rose petals! ~

Lolita Blog Carnival! ~ Key Differences From When You First Started Lolita To Now!

Hello my pink sugar cubes! ~

I'm joining another Lolita Blog Carnival today! ^w^ I thought it would be a subject that is quite interesting to talk about since I've been a Lolita for quite a long time. ~

As stated into my intro, I started the fashion in late 2009, which means that I've been wearing it since around 8 years already! (Time goes by so fast!) I also want to say that my opinions about this subject are from my own perception from my local community and may not represent the Lolita community as a whole. ~

Key Differences From When You First Started Lolita To Now

The online community was mostly on Livejournal and on forums.

That is the biggest difference that really stand out to me! When I first discovered about the fashion, the worldwide Lolita community was mostly on the EGL Livejournal. People would reference it all the time for questions, reviews, new releases from brands, requests, etc... I used to take a look at it multiple times daily! :3 I also remember how the community from my province had their own Harajuku forum and we used mostly that to exchange about our love for Lolita fashion and other Harajuku fashions. Nowadays the worldwide community is mostly on facebook groups and my province community too, though my province is not nearly active anymore on the internet. ;w;

Lolita fashion was more of a daily style rather than "special occasion" clothes.

This is one of the main point I felt that changed a lot when I saw the fashion evolve through the years. I remember when I first started the fashion that I saw a lot of Lolitas wearing the fashion mostly everyday and it was just their usual daily style. I feel like back in the days it was seen more as a daily alternative fashion that it is now. ;w; Nowadays I feel like less people wear it as daily clothes as the outfits aren't as toned down and practical anymore, or it is very hard to do so with pieces that were released in the past years since they are less casual... People wear the fashion more for special occasions like meetups and conventions and it is sometimes seen as weird to wear it just to run errands on the daily. ^w^'' (Sadly for me!)

Lifestyle Lolita was an actual thing.

I know that when I first discovered about the fashion, it was the lifestyle that hooked me up! ^w^ It was very common to associate the fashion and the lifestyle and it wasn't seen as weird or special to be a lifestyle Lolita. Most of the Lolitas I knew would relate to the lifestyle aspects of the fashion at some point and would try their best to "Lolify" some aspects of their lives! I feel like nowadays it is harder to find ressources about the Lolita lifestyle and how it relates to the fashion. I knew I had a hard time to find ressources about when I did the research for my panel on Lolita fashion! XD; It seems like it is an aspect of the Lolita subculture that is slowly putted aside or is kind of ~mystical~ and forgotten now. ^w^''

OTT Sweet was the biggest trend.

OTT Sweet started about just as I started the fashion myself! ~ I must say that it is also one of the aspects that strongly hooked me up on the fashion! I would have dreams about the colourful, dreamy, sugary prints that was released at the time and it was making my heart pound so much! ^w^ Nowadays the fashion have moved more towards OTT Classic and more elegant pieces and darker colours. It is also harder for me to find new cute pastel pieces that I love since it isn't really the trend anymore. ;w;

Almost everyone had their own blog (or multiple ones).

This is a thing that I feel apply mostly to my local community maybe. XD; But back the days, everyone had a blog of their own and they would use it mostly as a daily journal to let their thoughts out and post their new outfits, what they bought, etc... I feel like it is something that also moved up to facebook or instagram nowadays as almost no one have a "daily blog" like this anymore. Most of the bloggers (like me!) have moved to a more professional and organized approach of their blogs and the posts are not as personal anymore.

Old-school Lolita wasn't called "old-school" yet.

What we call old-school Lolita nowadays was pretty much what wasn't very trendy anymore in the fashion back in the days. I joined the fashion in the era where rectangle headdresses and simple and plain non-print pieces were just getting out of trend (for OTT Sweet, apparently! XD). People would start to avoid these things like the plague and trade them for their love of busy prints. I remember that my first headpiece that I bought was a rectangle headdress and I was getting mixed vibes from people towards it. ^w^'' But now I know that it's the perfect accessory for my old-school coordinates. ~

Lolita meetups were more casual and less of an event.

This is something I felt evolved though the years, in my community at least. I remember that the few members from our province would just decided to hang out on a Saturday afternoon dressed in their frills at a café or downtown. The very first meetup I attended was planned literally only hours in advance and there was no event or activity that would happen per se, we would just hang out and take pictures. XD; I feel like nowadays the meetups are more formal, are planned quite a bit in advance and we would do an actual activity, not just hang out and chill. XD;

I hope you enjoyed this little return in time with me! ~ It surely brought back memories as I was writing it, I feel a little nostalgic now. ^w^''

Please, check out the other blogs that have participated in this week's Lolita Blog Carnival and show them some love! :3

Art du Noir

Roli's Ramblings
The Bloody Tea Party
Stardust Dreamers
Pastel Peggy

Until next time my pinky bunny noses! ~

Lolita Blog Carnival! ~ Things You Have Learned About Yourself While In The Fashion This Year!

Hello my cute cherry pies! ~

I'm taking a small break from my Blogmas posting because I decided to participate in the Lolita Blog Carnival from this week! The subject was very interesting to me and I thought I had a lot to share about it so here we go. :3

Things You Have Learned About Yourself While In The Fashion This Year!

Firstly, I thought it would be useful to make a little preface before getting into the main subject...

In 2013 or 2014, I kind of decided to leave Lolita communities all together. I stopped going to Lolita meetups in my province, I stopped participating to forums or communities online and I even unfriended most of the Lolitas I had on my Facebook. I did this because I thought that the Lolita communities in general were doing me more harm than good. I really did felt like the ugly duckling whenever I went to meetups or when I posted online... It left me feeling sad and bitter about it. I knew it wasn't the fashion itself, but the people I shared it with. So I decided to leave the Lolita communities... Until this year.

This year, I learned I could host a panel on Lolita fashion at a local geek convention!

In July I hosted my very first panel ever at a convention and it was a panel about Lolita Fashion 101. I was way too stressed as it was the first time ever I putted together an explanatory panel about the fashion and I was doubting about myself a lot. Despite being in the fashion for so long, I did left the communities a while ago and I didn't really kept up to date with the trends as they were less interesting to me... But I was very proud of myself for doing it at all! ~ In the end, I only really wished to share my knowledge and so people in my city could understand the fashion a little bit better, but I got a few people interested in the fashion, which was a lot more than what I hoped for! ^w^

This year, I learned I could host meetups with Lolitas in my own city!

It's closely related to the previous one, but it really felt surreal to me at first! ^^'' I felt like I could never meet other Lolitas until I traveled for several hours away in bigger cities. But after giving my panel on Lolita fashion, it felt right to start hosting Lolita meetups with the few Lolitas from my city even if we aren't a big group and even if some of them are beginners. The people in my local community are truly kind, polite, welcoming and we are a generally drama-free community for now. It changed my perception of Lolita communities a lot, as it was the first time I felt truly happy and safe during Lolita meetups. For once I felt like I belonged somewhere... There was no elitism, no judging, no gossips... Only frillies enjoying their clothes and doing activities together. :3

This year, I learned I could be a good Lolita blogger!

Of course, my experience with my panel and my local Lolita community did gave me a huge confidence boost with that! I decided to take my blogging more seriously, by posting more regularly and being more organized, like a true blogger! ^w^ I also gathered the confidence to join the Lolita Blog Carnival community this year which I am very thankful for! I love putting my heart and soul into everything I do, and this blog is the proof that I don't do it for nothing as it leave me with a powerful feeling of accomplishment and I am very proud about it. :3

This year, I learned to love and embrace the social aspects of Lolita fashion again!

It's pretty self-explanatory. :3 It was a year of change for me in general, in my personal life, as I learned a lot about my limits... But I also learned about my capacities; what I could do and more importantly what I liked to do. Sometimes, life puts you in situations you don't like and that doesn't feel right... But when you stop and think about what you truly enjoy and what can bring you happiness and positive vibes and you move towards that as your goal, it gets so much better. ^w^

Please, take a look at other blogs that have participated in this Lolita Blog Carnival and go give them some love! :3

Cupcakes-and-Unicorns

Poppy Noir

The Bloody Tea Party
Queen-and-Commander

Until next time my pretty pearly kitty ornaments! ^w^

Lolita Blog Carnival! ~ 5 Things I would tell a beginner Lolita to avoid!

Hello my little gingerbread cookies! ~

Firstly, I wanted to introduce a new kind of series on my blog since I decided to join the Lolita Blog Carnival! I wasn't confident enough of my blogging capacities (and mostly if what I had to say was interesting enough) but I decided to take the plunge and join this wonderful Lolita blogging community! :3

The subject that was chosen for this week was...

5 Things I would tell a beginner Lolita to avoid!

My advice lean a little bit more towards things I wish people would have told me when I started the fashion though and it's closely related to my first failed attempts at being an acceptable Lolita. XD;

Trying to sew/make your first Lolita clothes if you have no experience.

Making your own patterns, choosing the right fabrics and sewing clothes with the proper techniques can be hard enough on their own, but it is especially true when it comes to Lolita fashion! I would avoid trying to do this if you are either a beginner at sewing and/or a beginner in Lolita. Lolita clothes have a certain quality standard, construction and embellishments that is drastically different from regular clothes and it might be difficult to get the hang of it at first, especially if you have no experience with both sewing and Lolita fashion. Most of the time, your clothes might look okay according to you, but they will lack the quality and construction that is mandatory for Lolita clothes. I know that my first attempts at sewing my own Lolita clothes were a horrible mess. It will result in a waste of your time and especially a waste of your money too! Most beginner Lolitas think it's less pricy to try to make their own clothes but it's not. You better take your money to buy from real Lolita stores and have proper clothes with the proper quality for the fashion. :3

Trying to find proper Lolita clothes/accessories in local/normie stores.

I'm sorry, but H&M never made a Lolita dress or a Lolita skirt. Neither Walmart or even your local gothic/medieval boutique. Most of the beginner Lolitas are often trying to find "Loliable" clothes in normal stores and will just take the first frilly skirt and white button up shirt they can find to make their first outfit. Been there, done that. Again, as I said before, it's a waste of your time and money. If you really want to start wearing the fashion, you better buy from Lolita stores and get proper Lolita clothes that fits the aesthetic of the fashion.

Wearing too much "normie fashion" elements with Lolita.

This one is kind of related with the previous one... Wearing a pair of regular dressed up shoes, a loliable cardigan or turtleneck and a regular beret can be acceptable if you are going for a casual/daily look or even Otome fashion, but for a proper Lolita look I think you always should go for clothes and accessories that have the proper Lolita aesthetic. Most of the normie clothes lack the frilly details and fanciness that are what makes Lolita fashion so unique and elegant. Most of the Lolita clothes, even the most simple ones, will have some details that will make it Lolita: a cute embroidery, some cute bows with pearls or rhinestones, buttons shaped like roses or pearls, scalloped/frilly edges or special details like shoes buckles shaped like a heart. This is what makes or break Lolita fashion signature look and aesthetic.

Not building your wardrobe with limited styles and colours.

This is probably the most common mistake made by beginners and I know this was my biggest one. I really think that when you start Lolita fashion, you should firstly stick to one of the main three styles (Sweet, Classic or Gothic) but also stick to only 3 or at most 4 colours when building up your closet and your firsts outfits. I know it can be exciting to start buying everything you remotely like on Lacemarket, but I would keep in mind a general colour scheme for your closet, at least when you are starting out the fashion. It will make sure that your get the most outfits you can from your pieces and that they can be easily mix and matched together to create different looks with limited pieces. My rule of thumb now is that I don't buy a dress, blouse or skirt if I cannot make at least 10 different outfits with it! ^w^

Being afraid to wear Lolita outside of meetups and/or conventions.

I know that this is something that isn't accessible to everyone, especially when you are first starting out the fashion, but as a daily and lifestyle Lolita I couldn't exclude it! ^w^'' Lolita is primarily a fashion, clothes that are ment to be worn on a regular basis when acceptable/safe to do so. I think that you shouldn't be afraid to wear the fashion out even if you have no special occasion. It will makes coordinating different outfits easier for you if you do it regularly, but will also makes you more comfortable of wearing the fashion in public and dealing with the stares and comments. It will also confirm more easily if you love wearing the fashion or not if you are just starting out. It's also always positive to have more visibility for the fashion from people that are going out and about so it will be more accepted from the general public as an alternative fashion. ~

I hope you enjoyed my little insight on the subject, I know I really enjoyed writing about it and I'm pretty proud of myself for my very first Lolita Blog Carnival post! ^w^

Please, check out the other blogs that have participated in this week's Lolita Blog Carnival!

Cupcakes-and-Unicorns
Gotas de Baunilha
Queen-and-Commander
A-Princess-Fairytales
The Bloody Tea Party
Floating on Macarons
Sanakanin

Until next time my fluffy strawberry macarons. ~