Of top hats and metal

As you may have guessed, the posting will be quite erratic till I get the path to my goals somewhat stabilized. However, I've been wanting to show you two tiny tophats that I bought from a (new) friend of mine, Raven of Sanguine Threads. She's a lovely person. We were basically BFF's from the moment we started talking, and I feel like she's a mentor figure to me now. I also recommend the band whose concert we were attending at the time, namely Lolita Dark, as their brand of melodic metal is stunning and they're also personal friends of mine.

Anyway! Hats.

Preeeeettty. The black butterfly on the right hat reminds me of my character Taralyn, as those are her symbol.

She threw in a couple other hair accessories as freebies! I've worn the black lace hairpins, but so far I've been sitting over the hats like a dragon on its hoarde, just going 'preeeeetttty'.

That is all for now, except for a small update that my sewing machine WILL eventually cooperate with me. (Context: it hasn't been.) I thought I wasn't threading it correctly but after having my mom look at it (I learned sewing from her), it seems there's a screw missing in the bobbin case. Oh well, there's a sewing machine maintenance store in walking distance of my house...

And then, I WILL get this cosplay dress sewn for my partner. And the cloak I promised a friend years ago. And *GLORIOUS* +BLACK+ ~FRILLS~ for moi.

Of mist that clears to find the moon

*blinks at sidebar*

I really need to clean this place up. See what blogs are inactive, maybe have an "Archives" section for them...

Also, hello again! I've missed you.

I've been in an extended low-energy point for at least a year now, while it seems like life goals chaotically swerve around me. But I've finished college finally, I'm looking to end my unemployment, I have my own home with my partner...

And I have a sewing machine. And prospects of getting fabric.

Two of the three lolita dresses I made need serious repairs--I want to fix them. The third needs minor upkeep, by which I mean a couple of the roses are coming loose.

But then I want to sew again! And start building my goth and loli wardrobe once more. I'm also working gently towards my creative projects, teaching myself how to cook, trying to find more friends of the various (lolita, witchy, permaculture, goth, and so forth) subcultures in which I want to have a social group.

As someone with depression, I have to go slowly sometimes, or find ways of approaching goals that don't seem daunting or stress me out. One thing that helps is I walk to a coffee shop in my area (which doubles as my goal of more exercise!) and sit there with a latte while I work on things or relax with my laptop. Getting to do that feels really quite 'Lolita,' even though I'm not usually dressed up.

And in continuing this blog, and my presence (both social and creative) in the community, I hope I can be a lighthouse to others, as I've always wanted to be since the first post. I want other young lolitas or goths or anyone who reads this to know they aren't alone, and that they will achieve their dreams and realize the dark frilly world they've just begun reaching out towards.

Finally, for the first real time in what feels like a very long while, I wore lolita. It was at a winter formal held by my university's anime club. And I met a couple girls who like the fashion, so maybe there are some potential loli friendships already.

I very much want to show you the pictures, but they don't seem to have been posted on the event page yet. So I will edit this post when I do have access to them, or maybe make a new one. So,

May the Goddess of Night spread Her wings over the dreams you build.

Edit: Pics!

These two were taken by Terry Shih.

This was taken by Amy Wong, one of our other photographers for the event. I wanted to have a picture with my sheep, Sheepie Annabelle Lee. That's really Lolita, right? Also she's showing off her cute bonnet that I made.

Of my love for this subculture that will shine until class M stars go out

It's 2am here, but I was spurred to write this post by reading the farewell post of another lolita blog that I've loved for a long time. It made me cry, to see the blogger go, not just from lolita blogging but from lolita itself.

It made me think how I've posted much less in recent days than I want to, sewn much less than I long to. But that isn't because I'm losing interest. It's because school and chronic depression / anxiety saps so much of my energy sometimes. It's because I don't (YET) have a sewing machine with me in my apartment. It's because on the weekends I do go home, the house is always so cluttered (an ageold very frustrating problem for my house) that it's hard to find space to sew.

You have to understand, to a goth, saying "I'm leaving the [fashion/subculture/whatever]" is, well, confusing. A lot of my approach to lolita comes out of my having discovered goth first; so I don't consider it something I'll ever tire of or (Goddess forbid!) grow out of. No, I plan to grow into it. The reason--one reason--I feel so strongly about that is that I haven't really had a chance to shine in it yet! I'm still in the protostar phase, winding up my accretion nebula so that I can start nuclear fusion in my core the moment I get the chance.

That was an astronomy metaphor, yes. I love astronomy! It made me realize there is ONE thing that would make me suffer through more school after my bachelor's. And it wouldn't even be suffering! Because stars and exoplanets and nebulae and galaxies and yay!

I end up using science metaphors all the time. It's really amusing. And useful! And nerdly.

Back to my point: what I meant in that metaphor was I haven't sewn as many lolita clothes as I would need for a full "basic" wardrobe. I haven't sewn stuff to sell to my other lovelies out there either! The thing I am happy about though, is that I've been working on some other long-dreamed-of goals, such as art of my characters. My characters always inspire me, including in fashion, so hopefully I can get some fabric and start sewing soon! *dusts off ribbon-rose making skills*

(By the way, class M stars, the dim red ones, shine for like a hundred billion years, literally. The Universe is only 14 billion years old or thereabouts, so we haven't actually observed a class M star going out. They almost LITERALLY burn forever.)

Of lace and space

Oh my Godoka, I am so tired. That could be because I just walked home with three bags of groceries, but this summer in general has been a wearing one. So obviously, it's pic spam time.

I turned 22 last month!

My friends threw me a cupcake and cookie making party. :3

Also I've finally made some progress in my wares for Etsy.

(wrist cuffs)

(headpieces)

(chokers, and one more headpiece)

 

I made a friend who's a boss at doing hair. Also I sold her the first of my wares! Which she is wearing here. Along with the results of her hairboss skills.

She also tried on the first corsage I made, for my own wardrobe.

Later that night we went to a goth club and I took an outfit snap. 

A few weeks ago (on an unrelated note), I had an attack of ZOMG CUTE in my university's bookstore. I'll show you why.

It's a roly poly fluffy manatee! You're welcome, Sweet Lolitas.

And now some Doctor spam. I was a wee bit excited about the new season of Doctor Who, and Eleven had me firmly in his squee-inducing clutches. Uh, more than usual. So I sketched him. (Yes, in the middle of Japanese class. I have to stay awake somehow.)

And THEN the ballroom studio at which my mom and sisters take dancing lessons (I would love to join them, but it's an hour away from my university, so maybe later) had an open house, and the theme was the greatest object of my nerdly adoration: space. So obviously, I had to go as the Doctor. And this involved pulling Eight's wardrobe practically out of my closet, since he is rather steampunk-romantigothy-ish. Also I made a TARDIS. Out of a tissue box. 

 

And Sheepie (consult previous post) was my companion. ^u^

Of seeing famed frills in person o.O

Recently I went with my Japanese study group to Japanese style karaoke (and finally got to sing Ascendead Master something by Versailles!). But the point of this post, interesting as that outing was, is that afterwards we visited a lolita boutique that opened in Little Tokyo, on that very day, actually.

Pic spam! (I just typed smap. Maybe I'm a little distracted. I'll admit I was thinking about how one could make a magical girl transformation sequence involving the words "pic spam!" so...)

^That's my friend Joy in the black and white dress.

And that's Jamie of the previously mentioned lolita tea meetup, holding her amazing purchase aloft. 

I sneakily snuck this shot of them. >.> Plus, lovely mirror bonus! (That should definitely be a brand name.)

One of the few gothic things they had at the time. They had more when I went back though, which was nice to see. You know, I'm going to have to implement my dream of selling my crafty stuffs to all the lovely gothic lolitas. Fairytale Boutique has inspired me! *determined face* 

This amazingly dressed person is part of a band, Midnight Shinigami. I told her I love naming things with Midnight in the title too. I guess that totally shocks all of you.

Of spiderwebs and scythes

Er, yes, it has been a while hasn't it? *checks calender* Oh look, Bats Day! I can't go due to lack of monies of my own, but hopefully one day I will join you in infiltrating Disneyland! Have fun, all who are going (including you, my goth big brother).

I admit a lot has been happening (most of it good) but my main reason for not posting is I keep forgetting to take pictures of my finished dress! I've worn it a couple times now--the most recent (and second) time was to Das Bunker on May the Fourth, for their Star Wars themed night. If any of you were there, by the way, do comment and say hello!

Next, I need a spider-web themed dress. Have I mentioned my character Fennore, the princess of my spider-fae? Yeah. Tis fun making stuff inspired by my fictional peeples. All the fae clans are represented by a different color of rose, and Fennore grows the black roses of her clan in her garden, beneath her tower room. Ah, so dreamy...


I've been working on a bunch of sketches (which I'll digitally color) of various people in my books for a tarot-inspired deck. It's my created world's version of the tarot, referred to as Oracle cards. (There's a person called the Oracle, so they're named after her.)

I'll post a couple of the linearts here, for now. They are, respectively, the immortal king who gave up his life to save his world, and his revered and shadowy mentor, goddess of Mystery, night and death.

 

By the way, she's the one in my avatar photo. She definitely has a perkygoth side as well as her Epic Doom side. And she's very kind. 

 

Of sweet red witchery and sheep

Last night I went with a friend to a Valentine's event in Koreatown, called Shibuya Lovers Night. I was still recovering from lack of sleep, but it was fun people-watching. They were very all prettily dressed. The event had a sort of a cute yet morbid theme, which I think Valentine's Day lends itself to very well. Not morbid exactly, just...gothy? Anyway. Like Sweet and Gothic loli combined.

They also had some amazing chandeliers, like the one that was maybe ten or twelve feet tall (the ceiling was really, really high) and made of a million little prisms, so it was all rainbow-strewn and sparkly. If I figure out how to get pictures from my phone onto here, I'll show you.

However, I do have a picture or two (finally!). I discovered the one place in my house that is currently fit to be seen--my bedroom. Which is conveniently where my Versailles poster is, so I sat on the bed for what felt like a very "portrait" style outfit snap. In this you finally get to see the bat dress worn, along with my first successful headdress. I love headdresses! *sigh....*

I felt either like a willful whimsical doll, or a very fancy witch in this outfit. It was marvelous. I wore my cloak too, which made it more witchy. Oh! And there's my Sheepie (also known as Annabelle Lee), whom you can see there beside me. Since she was there, I thought she'd make a fun addition to the portrait.

Also: a makeup shot, because I finally managed to do something I've been wanting to since I started lolita. I had seen a beautiful makeup tutorial on egl in which the eyes were painted in a vivid red or blue on the inner half of the lid, and then black on the outside. I went with red-black and blue-silver, which was a bit more vivid than you can see here.

I didn't quite manage to finish my dress this weekend, but I brought it with me to do some handsewing. Because with out all the subtle elaborate embellishments, it's just meaningless frills. Yes, I made a Kamikaze Girls reference. It even fits, because I plan to embroider on it along with other elaborations.

So, I shall retire from your lovely company for now, and bid you a fair midnight. Does that work, grammatically I mean? I say it does. Yes.  

Of "the lady in black"--as they called me at the Faire

Having finally finished hemming the chiffon layer of my skirt (that stuff is so finicky to work with! And this is my first ever rolled hem), I should go on and post a few pictures from the Faire. 

Near the entrance to the fairgrounds, we fell into conversation with a group of young Elizabethan soldiers, and they insisted we take a picture with them. They also said "Our knees are for sitting (on)--"hence kneeling on their part and the sitting down of my sisters and me.

I especially loved watching the Middle Eastern dance performance that we saw.

This next dancer I absolutely loved. She was so mysterious and graceful.

Afterwards, they called us up onstage to learn a few steps. I learned that it's particularly difficult to swing your hips with a corset top on. 

Later we watched a performance of traditional English folk dances.

Thats all of my pictures from the Faire, but I kidnapped my little sister to take an outfit shot afterwards, partly so I could show you the black and red headwreath I bought from one of our favorite Faire vendors. (Even though it's blurry...)

I know a lot of people go to Ren Faires in goth (which I did) or lolita, which I'd like to do sometime (go in lolita, I mean). What about you? Have you attended a Faire in alternative or historically inspired garb?

Of Coordinate the First (and passing mention of a library haul)

Today I did something I haven't done in far too long: I went to the library and checked out slightly less than my usual sky-high pile of fantasy novels. I found several books that are on my Amazon wishlist, mostly about faerie folk and vampires. Interestingly, I happened across a book set in Venice, which I was excited to find because I have a character from Venice, and I don't know nearly as much about the city as I'd like to.

My library haul, while fascinating (to me), is not the main reason for this post. Last weekend I wore the first of my seven coordinates, when I attended the Rilakkuma Valentine's event at JapanLA. I knew hardly anyone, so it was a bit awkward at first (I'm very shy). But Oli of Lemontree was working at the door as a greeter, so I stood with her for a while and felt much less out of place.

Actually, for most of the afternoon I joined the greeter squad and conversed with a delightful deco lolita (I'm sorry, I didn't catch your name, but it was nice meeting you!). We both agreed that when it came to our personal styles, the more accessories the better! There is a reason I call myself an OTT  gothic...

(For those who don't know, OTT stands for Over The Top--as in accessories, hair, etc--which is usually applied to certain kinds of sweet and deco lolitas.)

I didn't take my camera, but before I left, I asked my mom to take a snapshot of my coordinate.
Coord #1

You can't really see my vest (ah, the hazards of wearing all black), so here's a close up.

I doubt I'll wear all seven outfits before February is over, but we'll see what happens. To me, the important thing is the small-wardrobe-coordinating skills that I'll be learning through this challenge.

Of other chroniclers...

Not to spam you, but I wanted to note that I have added a new section, "Other chroniclers from the darker side," to the side bar over to your right there. This section will consist mainly of blogs written by (and in many cases for) goths and/or gothic lolitas. Not all of them will be specifically goth or gothic lolita; some of these are simply blogs that I thought my fellow goths and goth lolis might enjoy reading. I know that it's hard sometimes to find blogs that cater to one's own substyle (or subculture), so I hope this will help sort out the wonderful mad mass of my "lolita blogs" section.

If any of you have a blog that you would like added to (or removed from) this new section, please let me know! Also, note that any of the lolita blogs listed under "Other chroniclers" will remain in the lolita section as well. Lucky you, getting listed twice!

For that matter, if you have any sort of lolita blog, let me know and I'll be happy to add it to the lolita blogs section!

Of goodies, plans, and a Special Anniversary

Hello, my dear Ballroom guests, and welcome to the first post of the year! I hope all of you had a wonderful holiday. Mine had its ups and downs, but in any case I'm very happy to be back in the blogging and sew-loli-ing swing of things.

Speaking of the new year, I'd like to mention that these first couple weeks in January are a rather special time for me as a lolita. I don't remember the exact date, but around this time one year ago, I realized that I belonged with the frilly beruffled masses. At that time I didn't foresee starting a blog, much less having 35 followers! Thank you all so much! Thank you also to all the wonderful blogs I follow, which have inspired me so much along the way.

To start with, I suppose I should share pictures of a few goodies I've acquired since last time. One of my favorite gifts was a Harajuku Lovers bag from my cousin, which works perfectly for a knitting bag.

My sisters and mom all love to craft and sew, so we took a trip to A. C. Moore, a craft store which we unfortunately do not have here in California (in my corner of it, anyway). I picked up a couple of charms--a rose cameo by Blue Moon Beads, and a rather awesome angel wing + dangling chain charm from Rebel Shine.

 

I'd like to put them on necklaces or chokers (I need more chokers!) but I'm not quite sure yet. When I acquire something this fabulous, I have to ponder awhile just what to do with it.

Last month, I had talked a little about my resolutions, which include a whole bunch of sewing type projects. Somewhere recently I read about the idea of setting monthly goals for yourself, so as to not become overwhelmed. So by the end of January, I would like to:
~Finish knitting my red lace-up kneesocks
~Finish a black lace pair that I'm also working on (pictures to come!)
~Add a ruffle to the skirt I made for a loli Halloween costume (it's a bit too short)
~Finally make a skirt out of that black and white printed fabric I have (which reminds me a bit of an ornately decorated garden--I can't wait to wear it!)

I'd also like to send off for samples to a fabric website I discovered, Dharma Trading Co. It seems to have good reviews, and I'm quite excited because they have plain black (and plain white) fabric, which is very hard to find at JoAnn's. I figure if I want embroidered fabric (which I do!), for me the best way would be to just embroider it myself. I've been itching to learn how, anyway. That, and crochet. Mark my words, I'm going to have rose lace and beaded lace somehow, and I've seen some really pretty examples of crocheted lace. <3

Some of those goals have a slightly sooner deadline than the end of the month, as it happens. Right now I'm ecstatic, as I'm finally going to a second meetup! This one is a picnic potluck, as before, and once again coordinated by Oli of Lemon Tree.

The meetup doesn't happen till the 22nd, so by that time I hope to finish my red socks and the black and white skirt. You know, I was wondering how in the world I would build a coordinate around blood-red socks when most of my small wardrobe is black and/or white. However, I have a few red accessory pieces, such as that red and white bow I purchased from akumaxkami of Les Fleurs Noires.  So a red, black and white coordinate could be very interesting to put together, I think. It'll probably be chilly, so I'd like to knit a beret or some other hat on which to pin my bow. (I just realized I'll be channeling Misako Aoki and her fabulous berets.)

I'll keep you posted as I complete projects, so look out for completion pics and worn pics! Also, I've learned that the theme this month for EGL is "showing your wardrobe," so I may do that here. I have very few lolita pieces, but it would be fun to lay out and photograph what pieces I do have.

I hope you're having a darkly frilly January so far. <3

Of Other Cyber-Castles

Thanks, once again, to my new followers! I noticed several of you have lolita blogs, and I'm always glad to discover more of those!

A short list of my recent followers' blogs, for those interested:
~The Dark Victorian by OpiateVampire, a lifestyle gothic lolita whose views about lolita blogging and lolita in general I can very much relate too, because they are (for the most part) not too different from my own. And really, you should see her tips for gothify-ing one's living space!
~Lemontree by Oli, the lovely host of that first and only meetup I've attended (so far), a lolita who enjoys the lighter substyles and very adorably coordinates them.
~Bloody Fashionista by Crimson, who seeks "dark romanticism" (as she put it) in her preferred style of lolita--a quest to which I can certainly relate!
~Pretty Kiss by Firefly, a sweet lolita (I believe) whose appreciation for other styles, such as classic and even gothic, I very much admire!

My lovely Ballroom-guests will find these and many other lolita blogs in my blogroll, there at the side. If any of you have a lolita blog (whether or not I already follow you--yet, that is!) which you would like me to include here, do let me know in a comment! (Likewise, if any of you to whose blogs I've linked would rather not be featured here, let me know and I will edit the post accordingly.) I don't have a myriad of followers, but if I can help you get word of your lolita blog out there, I'd be glad too. Besides, I always love discovering new lolita blogs!

I should note, of course, that the idea of having a lolita blog listing post came from Miss Caro-chan of F Yeah Lolita, a gothic lolita with strong classic leanings. I'm sure many of you already follow her, but if not, why don't you check out her corner of the loli blogosphere?