Paradiso Decadence Adventure Report Part 2

Welcome to the second installment of my Paradiso 2019 summary!

This report will be divided into two parts as well. The first half, I will be talking about Day 2's morning at the Miniature Museum, while the second half will contain my thoughts on the Tea Party in the afternoon. Let's get to it!

Day 2 - Morning

We woke up at 6AM and were barely ready on time for our trip to the Kansas City Museum of Toys and Miniatures at 10AM. I never get up that early, so it was a bit of a challenge to get ready while being so tired. We managed to get there on time but, because we only had 10 out of 30 people, we ended up starting the tour quite late. There was so much to see, even if they only took us to see the museum highlights.  I would honestly recommend saving this destination for a separate occasion --specially since I could have used the extra sleep! On account of the people's lateness, the tour felt rushed and I felt like I was missing some things. However, the museum itself was very interesting and had some beautiful displays.

My favorite part was the moving sculpture at the heart of the museum. It had hundreds of toys people in the area had donated over time.

Coordinate for day 2 in front of the moving sculpture

Day 2 - Afternoon

The tea party was the main event. We arrived at the Little Theater just in time to queue up. There were so many beautiful coordinates, and it was obvious that people had put their best foot forward. I was very tired, so unfortunately that colored my memory of the experience. Because I'm hard of hearing and there was a lot of echo in the venue, I had a really hard time understanding the MC and the guests answering questions in the beginning. This extended to the ouji and judge responses at the start of the pageant as well, unfortunately.

Beautiful venue for beautiful people

The food seemed to be okay. I'm very picky with what I eat, so I didn't really enjoy it much, but I knew it was coming and that it was nobody's fault. It didn't really feel decadent, though, as the dishes were rather simple. They included fruit, some vegetables with dip, strawberries, and chia pudding, if I remember correctly. The pudding was probably the least popular, as nobody in my table really finished theirs.

Picture from Bodyline Website

The venue was stunningly beautiful, but the caterers seemed overwhelmed with the amount of people they were serving. While most of the audience was enjoying the ouji pageant, I missed a good portion of it due to being unable to follow the conversations that reverberated off the walls. Still, all the princess wooing performances were adorable and, in some cases, hilarious. My favorite act came from Prince Lapin, the eventual crown winner. They met their bunny princess and danced to the Waltz of the Flowers together until the bell rang and the princess had to go in a hurry. It was doubly cute because both prince and princess were wearing the bodyline print 'Bunny Cinderella'.

The other performers were creative and comedic as well, and all the oujis' coords were impeccable. They sang, rapped, dropped packages, and seduced with puns from what I could tell. It was enjoyable to watch and a good distraction from the socializing that was going beforehand.

Look at all the wonderful princes and princesses!

Overall, the event was fun to attend, and it was inspiring seeing so many amazing coordinates. If you are an introvert, I would recommend going if you already know some people there. To me, it felt like people go in groups, and it was intimidating to break those small cliques to get to know people. Otherwise, it is a great event to attend and save your social and physical energy for.

Pack with Me! Paradiso Edition

Heya everyone!

Currently, I am away from my lolita lair. In my absence, the me from the past has filmed and edited a video about lolita packing!

I my two lolita coordinates in one large, hardcase bag with room to spare. I'm not the most efficient packer, but it was a good exercise in filming and editing. For my trip to Kansas City, Missouri, I ended up taking four pieces of lugagge: 2 checked bags, a backpack and a large totebag. I had plenty of space to spare for new purchases!

Without further ado, here's my video:

I hope you enjoy, and I'll see you next time!

Constructing a Cohesive Wishlist

In lolita it is very easy to fall in love with dresses --they are the centerpieces of the fashion, after all.

Prints and fabric details steal the spotlight, calling to our aesthetic soul and driving us away from the equally important but often-overlooked supporting pieces. Blouses, jewelry, accessories, shoes. You name it; we all have an area we are blind to.

Infatuation with main pieces is a problem that I share and, like many other lolitas before me, that led me to have a mismatched, uneven closet. The infatuation consumed a lot of time, effort, and, most importantly, money. To avoid spending on whatever crossed my path, I decided to make a wishlist. My process to do so is what I am going to share with you today.

The first list I created was of the dresses I wanted. By having a concrete set of prints I really wanted, it was easier to not lose track of the goal and splurge on impulse purchases. You can see that list below:

As you can see, I focused on the prints I wanted and what version of them I wanted them in. But this does not give me enough information about them, and what little information I have is not organized in any particular way. This isn't very efficient, and eventually led me to want and purchase similar prints that were not exactly what I wanted and that I eventually had to resell. I also focused so much on main pieces that I overlooked buying more than one blouse and a small group of accessories, which made my coordinates look too similar to each other.

Don't get me wrong: listing all the dresses I wanted to keep and obtain was a crucial step in moving forward. It helped me understand what kind of colors and motifs I was attracted to so I could further build upon them with the rest of my closet items. I wanted to figure out how to cover all the holes I my wardrobe had, and this was a good start. But it wasn't enough.

So how did I fix the list? First, I recognized that I needed more basics. I had a barely-functional petticoat and one pair of lolita shoes, and this lack showed in my coordinates and limited my creativity. I had to take a good look at my closet and figure out what I had, what I wanted, and what was missing. Where did I start? With my measurements.

1. Take your measurements

When purchasing lolita fashion items, measurements are key. I could want OPs and skirts all I wanted, but buying them would be a waste of money if I could never fit into them. (I'm looking at you, Emily Temple Cute >.>). So I started by taking my approximate measurements in metric and imperial units. I did conversions to Japanese sizes so I could have them on hand, and took out everything on my wishlist that would not realistically fit my body measurements. While initially a demoralizing shock, this helped me a lot in the long run by saving me money and grief.

2. Select your primary wardrobe colors

Do you have 2-5 colors that are consistent in your desired main pieces or current wardrobe? For example, you may like the black x pastels combinations and a variety of black gothic prints, so your primary color would be black. If you check the list I provide above, a lot of the main pieces have black, brown, or pink as their main colors.

3. Pick out accent colors

What are common colors you can find in the prints or details of your main piece? This will help you determine what color you want your supporting pieces to be so you get more varied coords. If you take a look at the dress list, I used to want dresses that had a lot of brown, red, or pink details. Getting accessories in those colors would have helped me bring out the accent colors in the print, making the coordinate more interesting to look at.

4. Common Motifs

Does your list have a lot of flowers? Food? Architecture? Lace detailing? Is there a fabric that's recurring in your closet? Noting patterns will help you determine themes, which will in turn help you buy specific accessories that could work with more than one main piece at a time. For instance, a lot of the prints on my original list were food themed: chocolate, donuts, biscuits. We knew that brown was a main color and an accent color, so getting food themed accessories in brown would help expand my coordinating possibilities quite a bit.

5. Determine what you need

Now that you know what colors and motifs you are working with, it's time to assess what exactly you are missing. Delve in your closet. Do you have only one or two pairs of shoes? Does the blouse you have only match certain things? What about wristcuffs and rings? You pick what accessories work best for you, but at least now you have a starting point to find them rather than jumping into a sea of products that may overwhelm you.

6. What do you want?

After all bases are covered, we still have certain specific items we still want. Maybe it was that amazing wig you saw another lolita wearing, or a specific brand accessory that only goes with one or two things. These items are non-essential but would still be fun to have. This is the category for excess: oddly shaped purses and headwear; gorgeous skull shoulder pieces; giant golden spoon scepters, and violin-themed shoes. Ultimately, this is the true wishlist you would splurge on.

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Below is an updated wishlist --though the measurements are quite out of date. My tastes have changed quite a bit since I started, and so have my needs. If you would like, you can also see the glossary and store list I put together at the end of this list. It was originally intended for beginners or non-lolitas who wanted to buy me lolita gifts, and it's the basis of my Where to Buy Lolita page as well.

This is all that I have to share on the topic of making a (somewhat) cohesive wishlist. I hope you were able to learn something from it, even if it was just comparing what you do now with what another lolita does. If you have any tips on how to put together wishlists, feel free to share them with me!

Chocolate Lover's Tea: A Valentine's meetup (Picture Heavy)

Hey friends,

It's Keiko here with a meetup review! Sorry for the late post, but I was at a meetup last weekend! My comm went to the Saint Paul Hotel in downtown Saint Paul for their Chocolate Lover's Tea special event. This is a 5-course meal tea party in honor of Valentine's Day. The venue was beautifully decadent and the elegant atmosphere was accentuated by a live piano performance throughout the event. 

I enjoyed their Black Tea blend, but was unable to catch the name of it

Beautiful decor and attention to detail

The five courses all incorporated chocolate in some way to celebrate the spirit of the holiday. I tried to test it all but, since I'm an extremely picky eater, I can't give a fair review of what the food was like--- but I can show you some pictures of what we had for each meal!

Duck and Dark Cocoa Terrine
Choco-dipped strawberry with Candied Walnuts
Chili dusted shooter with mole soup (Spicy!)

Chocolate citrus glazed veal Osso Bucco
with creamy polenta and vegetable garnish 

Chocolate Citrus scone with Godiva
Chocolate Butter

Raspberry and candied citrus Mendiant
Chocolate Caramel Bar
Chocolate Mint Marshmallow

Dulce Ganache Chocolate Short
Dough Tartlet (My favorite!)

The Saint Paul Hotel's Valentine's teas are extremely popular each year. They hold around 5-7 events with this theme in February and they each fill up months in advance. For this meetup, we asked all attendees to reserve starting early to mid-January to make sure we got enough spots. In the end, all 9 reservations were filled and there were even more people that wanted to come!

It was a good time to make conversation and enjoy the extravagance of the hotel lobby. The servers were dressed as maids or butlers, which was a neat touch, and they seemed to be from different ethnicities, races, and walks of life. This detail was important to me because seeing only Latinx and African American maids initially made me uncomfortable, given the historically racially charged implications of servitude among those groups. As a Latina myself, it made me feel like I was a European aristocrat at the cost of other people. Thankfully that wasn't the case, but I could write an essay on wanting to feel like a royalty in lolita and not wanting to fall back on the historical ramifications that would entail. Either way, I digress.

Below is a picture of my coordinate that, believe it or not, was taken at the hotel lobby bathroom. It had numerous other golden details and ornate mirrors and stalls. As lolitas, my comm could not pass the photo op up!

Headpieces: Pastel Parade, chocomint
Blouse: The floral Notebook
JSK, Sash, Socks, rings: Angelic Pretty
Necklace: Deerstalker Pictures
Bracelets, shoes: Offbrand

Have you been to a meetup recently? How was your experience? Tell me all the details in the comments section below~ <3

How to have a great Valentine's Day: A Short Illustrated Guide

Hello lovebirds! It's ya girl Keiko again.

Today I am going to spread some illustrated wisdom about how to make this Valentine's Day the best one yet. Warning: It is preferable that you are single during this process, but people with partners may also partake if they wish. Without farther ado, here we go!

Pankeiko's Illustrated Guide to Having a great Valentine's Day

In today's day an age, while we are more connected to each other than ever through the online world, there is still a physical aspect that we are missing. This applies to both the people and the things we love. We often yearn for what we don't have as we look at what's out there. This brings us suffering and sadness so, instead of mourning the connections we do not have, I believe it is better to get reacquainted with what we is close to us --and what better day to do it than on the day of love!

So do a little self-care, hang out with friends, or do what any sensible lolita would do: turn to your wardrobe. Your most prized pieces are probably in need of a little extra care anyway, so why not make them and yourself happy in that special occasion?

1. Give your pieces a good wash.

Whether you trust the local dry cleaners, or are brave enough to do your own lolita laundry, this step is essential. Making sure that your clothes are clean is the first step of having a happy wardrobe. They will feel fresh and closer to new, and the individual attention you give them will make you fall in love all over again.

Make sure that you do some research before tossing your precious prints in the washer. I suggest familiarizing yourself with the Japanese laundry symbols and think of the specific materials your pieces are made of and how they wash individually.

2. Lint roll your pieces and check for damages

This step helps you familiarize yourself yourself with your clothing in a more tactile way. You will need to carefully inspect each item with care to make sure there are no snags or loose threads. Any pet hair must be disposed of with a lint roller to return the piece to its best self. I would recommend doing this while watching a movie. It will be soothing for both of you and will enhance your bonding experience.

Bonus points if you sew buttons back on, adjust bows, or run your hands over the lace to appreciate its quality. Pro-Tip: Checking out the print for any running colors will also give you the chance to appreciate its artistry and find little things you hadn't noticed before.

3. Admire your pieces

After all the hard work and bonding time, you should take a step back to take in the fruits of your labor. Now your lolita items are clean, lint-rolled, and glowing with love. Our first instinct would be to put them back in the safety of our wardrobe, yet how would it make you feel being shoved into a closet after a strenuous makeover? All that work to look your best, for what? These kind of negative feelings will not stand. Instead, why not admire each item individually --or better yet, why not try putting together a coordinate to see how each individual part comes together to create your own unique combinations? Whether it's a floordinate in an instagram post, a picture for a future wardrobe post, or just displaying them on your mannequin (provided you have one) will allow for more time to appreciate your lolita closet. If you want to increase your love output, I recommend that you follow best way to show your clothes you love them: wear them.

4. Take the next step

So now you have cleaned, pressed, and displayed your clothes. You may even have gone through with wearing them somewhere. What next? It depends on how comfortable you are in them and how far along you are in your relationship. I'd recommend picking a memorable place to go. Maybe a park or a nice cafe. Depending on what you like, it can be crowded or a more secluded area. Then wait for the perfect moment. It can be the way your petticoat puffs up when you sit down, or the sound of the fabrics as you move. It's up to you to determine when you are ready. Just don't forget to get a matching ring to cement your relationship and expand your options for coordinates ;).

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That's all she wrote, folks! I hope you liked this little guide for the pursuit of happiness on an arbitrary commercial holiday that can affect some people negatively. I wanted to make something that would cheer up those who are not having a good time this week, so I put a little extra effort by sketching some images. So please let me know what you think in the comments!

52 Weeks of Lolita - Lolitas I have met in real life

Hey, everyone~
Keiko here with another installment of 52 weeks of lolita!

Today's topic is talking about Lolitas I've met outside of the internet.

Naturally, I thought I'd start with some of the basic ones: Misako, Midori, Asuka, and Mana-sama.

Just Kidding!

Happy April's fool day, friends!

The only lolitas I've really met offline are from comms in the areas I've been in. I had the opportunity to meet some D.C. lolitas when I was there for a semester, and I'm acquainted with part of the Minnesota Rufflebutts community.

Unfortunately, I don't really have any pictures, so all you get is a lazy blogpost ;)

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Have you met any famous lolitas? Or have you run into lolitas from other comms? Please feel free to share, and have a great April's Fool's day!

Keiko out~~!

52 Weeks of Lolita Double Feature - How I found out about lolita & 5 keywords that describe my style

Hey everyone!
It's Keiko here surviving a cold!

I'm sorry I missed the post last week. I got sick and didn't really feel like writing anything. But that means that today we get a double feature post to make up for it!

Today's topics are: How I found out about Lolita and 5 Keywords that describe my Style

Without further ado, let's begin!

How I first found out about Lolita Fashion

I stumbled upon lolita fashion via anime. I used to watch Rozen Maiden when I was younger, around the early 2000s and such, and recall loving the outfits of the characters in the series.

I would often google "Rozen Maiden Clothes" or "Rozen Maiden Outfits" and, somehow, those search terms led me to lolita fashion. I did not know what it was at first, since I had only pictures to go by, but soon I learned about the Gaia community and, though I never joined, I lurked fashion forums looking for more pictures. Eventually, I got to Livejournal and realized how expensive the clothes were. As a teenager in a third world country with a terrible economy and worsening political climate, Lolita became an impossible dream. I renounced it, unable to even look from afar and disillusion myself.

It was when I moved to the United States for college--nearly ten years later,-- that I took the plunge into the fashion. In the end, I was happy to find out that there was even a Rozen Maiden Innocent World collection! Maybe I'll purchase Shinku's set if I see it around someday...

5 Keywords that Describe My Style

This year will soon be three years since I first purchased a lolita dress. How fast time flies! I can also confidently say my lolita style has changed since that first purchase of the Milky Planet black OP. Where I used to want to follow 2010-2012 sweet OTT trends and mix them in with 'bittersweet' and creepy cute aesthetics, now I want to my prints of mixed styles to be comfortable and wearable in those rare occasions I wear them. As you might have guessed, my keywords are as follows:

Prints: One thing that has not changed from the moment I entered the world of lolita is my love for prints. I hate them in normal clothing, but I feel like in lolita they make outfits so interesting and fun to look at. I tend to like certain designs and hunt them down until they are in my wardrobe --so much so that I only have one dress left on my wishlist!

Mixed: I use the word mixed to represent the fact that, while I'm primarily a sweet lolita, I wear coordinates from all three main lolita styles. I enjoy a versatile piece as much as the next person, and this is reflected in my wardrobe. I tend to like pieces I can dress up or wear simply to let the print speak. As my lolita aesthetic evolves, I wonder if I'll get more pieces to mix and match the three main lolita styles even more than now.

Comfortable: While I tend to forgo this aspect of wearing clothes every so often, I have found that I prefer my main pieces to not be hard to wear for extended periods of time. Tightness and uncomfortableness make lolita less fun for me, even if it looks beautiful,

Wearable: Because I don't have much occasion to wear lolita, I try to make my coordinates go more towards the casual side. That way I can wear them to simpler outings that are not necessarily special occasions. This is the polar opposite of what I originally wanted to do when I entered the fashion!

Occasion-driven: I unfortunately don't go out much in general. I work full time now at a place with a business casual dress code, so I can't wear lolita to work either. As a result, I have depended on meetups and special outings with friends to wear lolita at all, much less dress it up with special themes and the like. I particularly enjoy themed meetups when I am able to match the suggested topic. It's fun to rise up to the challenge on those rare times!

Did you first find out about lolita through magazines, forums, or somewhere else entirely? How has your style changed since your first encounter? Feel free to share in the comments below ^^!

Keiko out~!

52 Weeks of Lolita - Why don't I wear Lolita more often?

Hey everybody~

It's Keiko here!

I'm sorry that I'm late with this blogpost. I just got a new job and it's eating up all of my time orz. But enough of that, let's get to the meat of the post! Today's topic is:

Why don't you wear lolita more often?

The answer here varies a bit. To start with, I don't really have occasion to wear the fashion often. Meetups in my comm are spaced out and I cannot always go to all of  them, so I miss some opportunities to dress up once in a while.

Secondly, I've gained some weight after my wedding rather than losing it as I was trying to do. 

This unfortunately means that my bust measurement increased enough that I don't fit in a good number of my pieces. Oddly enough everywhere else fits fine :/... With this limitation has come a loss of confidence.

Real talk (depression trigger warning): I struggle with body image and suffer from depression and generalized anxiety so it's already a fight to convince myself of something positive. When I add this to the fact that something that used to bring me so much joy might no longer be for me no matter how much I try to lose weight, I can't help but feel discouraged.

I've thought of abandoning lolita altogether because sometimes I feel I can't do it justice at all and my dresses deserve a better owner. This train of thought has prevented me from wearing the fashion more than once and is currently my biggest obstacle to wearing it and documenting it. (Trigger warning over)

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I'm sure there are other lolitas who feel discouraged or uninspired once in a while. What kinds of things usually stump your lolita life? How do you deal with them? Do you have strategies to get a second wind?

52 Weeks of Lolita - Why I wear Lolita

Hey everyone!

It's Keiko here with another 52 weeks of lolita prompt~

This week's topic is to talk about why I wear lolita. The short answer? I want to be cute!

But there are other reasons why I'm attracted to this luxury kawaii fashion as opposed to dolly-kei, fairy-kei, mori-kei or any other style. Here are some of the other reasons why I wear lolita:

1. The aesthetic and the creativity in it: The lolita silhouette can range from cupcake-cute to extremely elegant or even mysterious depending on the style and coordinate. It has variability, even in its uniformity because people's creativity allow it to transform.

2. I can be hyper-feminine without being oversexualized: Being a hourglass shape in an sexist culture is quite annoying. Men whistled at me, and sometimes people nosily would bug me to 'dress my shape' so I'd 'look better' by exposing that body shape that made me uncomfortable. With lolita, I can dress femininely and not be whistled or jeered at as much. It's a great relief, even if lolitas still get other kinds of unwanted attention. At least it's about my clothes and not about my body.

3. Comfort and confidence: Since the clothes reflect my tastes and make me feel safer, I feel more comfortable and confident wearing them outside than other kinds of feminine clothes. While lolita is not necessarily comfortable to wear, I feel covered and cute--more than what I can say about fast fashion.

4. Prints are really interesting and fun to work with: Prior to wearing lolita I already liked the challenge and creativity that come with themed outfits, so the fashion fed into that tendency of mine.

5. Originally a form of protest: I really respect the Japanese young women that spearheaded resistance to stereotypes and expectations of femininity in their country. I think, in a sense, it is possible to also use lolita as a protest to the unfair expectations of what women 'should' look like in the West--even if our own pressures are less strict than in Asia.

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Why do you wear lolita? Do you just like the style or does it have more significance to you than simple clothing? Feel free to share in the comments ^^

Keiko out~!

52 Weeks of Lolita - What my own Lolita lifestyle is like

Hey there everyone~

This is Keiko on week three of the 52 week lolita challenge! Today's topic is talking about my lifestyle as a lolita. Honestly, I'm not a lifestyle lolita by any means, but I'll give you some details about my fashion bubble anyway~

Let's start~!

I used to wear to class and work sometimes. Particularly when the dresses were comfortable and toned down. I was blessed to have pretty flexible work as a Spanish tutor at school and what I wore wasn't a big issues, so sometimes I'd dress up for the whole day and see my students and classmates while in frills.

I also used wear to go out and do stuff with friends. I do this a lot less often now that I graduated and live further away from my roommates and my friends, I have less occasion to doll up and go out. Nowadays, I wear lolita mostly to meetups, though I still dress up to go out alone occasionally.

Sneaking a picture in the internship office

My shared room is my little corner of the world. It has stickers, posters, cute business cards, drawings, and plushies everywhere. Nowadays I also like to put together outfits on the mannequin every once in a while and practice coordinating and taking pictures. I really enjoy having a space that follows lolita aesthetics and kawaii culture in some form, since it makes me feel inspired to keep doing what I love.

In terms of pastimes, I honestly don't really have lolita-like hobbies, but I do draw, write, and bake occasionally. Playing horror and otome games are a passion of mine, and I enjoy watching horror movies and animated films. I used to be into manga and anime, but I have not read or watched anything big recently. I want to get back into it, though.

 What's your life as a lolita like? Are you a lifestyler or do you only wear it on special occasions? Do you have lolita-like hobbies, or is it just a fashion for you?

52 Weeks of Lolita - 5 movies for Lolitas

Hey there, peeps!
It's-a me again~

This week's topic is recommending five films for lolitas to watch. For some reason, I decided to go thematically rather than focus on costuming or cinematography. I tried to have some variety, but undoubtedly these are (mostly) pretty lighthearted movies. Enjoy~

1. Alice In Wonderland

This movie was an obvious choice, as there are tons of Alice references within lolita and lolita media. However, I feel like Alice's character is encapsulates a trait that much of the lolita community seems to have in common: the creation of our own space separate from mainstream reality as a way to make life more interesting. Among tea parties, cute animals, and trump motifs, lolitas have taken to their own hands building the a real version of the adventures Alice only dreamed of.

2. Beauty and the Beast

While the aesthetics of the new film with Emma Watson look perfect for lolita photoshoots, since it's not out yet by the time of this blogpost, I'm going with the Disney version. Bella always dreamed of more than village life could give her. In a sense, I feel like lolitas share this desire for more than what their surroundings can offer and find that something extra in the fashion and other hobbies.

3. Legally Blonde

This film, to me, is about exploring that there are different kinds of feminine and that femininity isn't inherently bad. Elle has to struggle and live through humiliations and constant judgement from her peers because her hobbies and presentation don't live up to their expectations. Similarly, lolitas have trouble with strangers' prejudices simply because their means of expression through clothing are out of the norm. In that sense, the fact that the film illustrates that you can be quirky and successful aligns speaks to my experience as a lolita. Plus, if Elle was a lolita, you can bet she'd be one of the sweetest sweet ones.

4. The Princess Diaries

This film's narrative of transforming from a mundane girl to royalty captures the essence of part of a common experience delving into lolita. We all started somewhere and for some of us the journey to lolita was from wearing metaphorical rags to riches. I know I switched my old, worn T-shirts and jeans to fancier clothes and took better care of my appearance when I started wearing the fashion.

5. Crimson Peak

This one is for those of us who like a gothic story. This is a thriller film with beautiful visuals and costuming. While it's not one of Del Toro's best works, it is still so beautiful cinematographically and musically that I couldn't help but recommend it. I associate it with lolita particularly because I attended a gothic meetup to go see it once.

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What movies would you watch if you were holding a meetup? Are there any you recommend (outside Kamikaze Girls) that have actual lolitas in them?

Keiko out~

52 Weeks of Lolita - 5 Pieces Every Lolita Wardrobe Should Have

Hey everyone,

This is Keiko here with the first post of the 52 weeks of lolita challenge by F Yeah Lolita. Today's post will determine what, in my opinion, are five things no lolita should go without, regardless of their style. Without further ado, here is my list:

1. Petticoat

MeLikesTea Hard Tulle Cotton Candy Petticoat

Petticoats are key to any lolita-related activity. They are the backbone of your silhouette  and will ensure you look the part. That's why every lolita should have at least one petticoat in the shape that best suits their wardrobe (cupcake, A-line, etc.).

2. White blouse

Boguta blouse with 2 detachable sleeves

A white blouse is a good staple piece for any wardrobe --bonus points if it has detachable sleeves! This item is versatile and fits with a range of styles, which makes it a good first purchase. I personally recommend one of Boguta's chiffon blouses. It comes with two sets of sleeves that have elastic tops, making it long-sleeved or princess-sleeved for a variety of looks.

3. Pearl bracelets

My plastic pearl bracelets 

Whether real or fake, pearls are as versatile as white blouses. They add a touch of elegance that can elevate a coord a bit while still being somewhat neutral. I personally got my bracelets at Claire's and have used them for Sweet, Classic, and Gothic looks no problem.

4. One pair of comfortable lolita shoes

My shoe collection is quite comfy -even the heels!

This item is useful for meetups where you foresee walking or standing for long periods of time. Brand, indie, or offbrand, comfortable shoes might take you out of a tight spot and make you more prone to wearing them --and lolita, more often

5. Bloomers

Angelic Pretty Heart Pocket Bloomers

By bloomers I don't necessarily mean the real thing here either. Just a pair of shorts might work if you're in a pinch. Just make sure that you have something to wear underneath your petticoat in case the wind blows or you are going up the stairs. Nobody wants to flash anyone else by accident!

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These are the five items I find crucial for anyone starting a lolita wardrobe of any style. But what about you? Do you think having camisoles to wear underneath blouses or neutral tights that go with everything should make the list? Let me know what you consider essential in the comments below~ <3

Keiko out~

Happy Blog Birthday & 2017 New Year's Goals

Hey everybody!
Today the blog turns a year old! Whooo! To celebrate, we have a layout change with new lovely art!

Yesterday I reviewed the final progress for this year's goals and, though 2016 sucked overall, I did well in terms of lolita. For this post, I put together 2017's resolution with ten separate goals to pursue. They are as follows:

1. Hold a meetup: Now that I've participated in a few meets, I think I'd like to put together my first one. I was thinking of doing a swap meet or casual tea somewhere, as it sounds like a good starting point in terms of event planning.

2. Go to a lolita event (tea party, fashion show, etc.): This is a rolling goal from last year. I'd love to participate in an fashion show, attend a tea party or a convention this year.

3. Keep a time for weekly blog posts: I haven't been very consistent in posting this year, and I'd really like to fix that. I think I'd like to post every Saturday at 3PM U.S. Central Time and do other non-scheduled posts either Fridays or Sundays at the same time.

4. Complete the 52 week lolita challenge: I'd like to take on F Yeah Lolita!'s 52 Week Challenge to make sure I post once a week. I think I'll just pick a random topic from their list and complete it out of order depending on what I feel like.

5. More coordinate pictures!: This one goes without saying! I'd love to use my mannequin more by at least posting monthly about what's on it.

Floordinates and Mannequin shots will come this year!

6. Have money set aside for lolita purchases: This goal came to mind thanks to Cupcake Kamisama's goals for this year. I'd really like to set aside some money to be prepared for expenses, just in case something big comes up that I really want!

7. Save for Outerwear sale and Black Friday sales: This goal goes hand in hand with the last one. I'm hurting badly for outerwear and Closet Child's and Lacemarket's Black Friday sales could help with that--as long as I finally am financially prepared for them!

8. Experiment with my nails more: I've been doing work on my hair and makeup this year and, while I'd like to continue experimenting on those two fronts, I feel like I've neglected to do my nails in a way that matches my coordinate well. That's gonna be my next area of exploration this year!

9. Update my wardrobe post: I'd like to complete my wardrobe post update by the end of January. I still haven't decided whether I want to do a video or just post pictures, but whatever I pick, expect a post :)!

10. Be more active in social media (Amino, Tumblr, Instagram): I recently joined Amino and, since I'm aiming to get more pictures this coming year, I think I'd like to update my social media accounts a bit more too. It'll be good to document progress with some purpose.

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Do you have any goals for this coming year, or will you take things as they come? Feel free to share your plans below as always~ <3!

This is Keiko and here's to a whole new year of blogging!

End of the Year Goal Review: 2016 in Retrospect

Hello everyone!
Keiko here~

It's finally that time of the year when we look back at what we have accomplished in the last 365 or so days. For this blog, it means that I'll be going back to do a final evaluation of how I did regarding my 2016 goals for lolita fashion. Do you remember what they are?

 2016 Lolita Goals

1. Create and keep a blog - I not only kept the blog, but I updated more than 52 times! That's about once a week or so, so technically this was successful.
2. Wear Lolita More often - I've stepped my game up with this goal, since I started going to meetups and wearing lolita to run errands. What I need to get better at is remembering to take pictures!
3. More Floordinates - I think this could have been much better this year. I just haven't really remembered to take pictures. Now that I have a mannequin, though, that's no excuse. I think for this coming year I'll establish a once a month or bimonthly post about 'What's on My Mannequin?' so I can force myself to remember to take pictures and practice coordinating.
4. Lolify Room - Success! The room I share with my husband has been solidly lolified. You can see my room tour post here. Maybe I should update it, since I've made some changes.
5. Go to a Lolita Event/ Meetup - I have attended three meetups this year with my local comm. It's been really fun and I'm super looking forward to joining them for more events. 

   

   Seeing beautiful lamps costumes with my comm was fun!

6. Participate in ILD -Finally participated in both Summer and Winter ILD! For next winter, I'd like to have more outerwear at the ready.
7. Wardrobe Post - The wardrobe post was one of the first goals completed. I would like to make an updated one with better lighting for this coming January :)
8. Practice Makeup - I've been practicing make up more often this year than ever before. It's fun to just try out looks to match upcoming coordinates and experiment a little as well.
9. Spend Less money - I did really well on this goal for a while, but then it came back with a vengeance when I started to get a coordinate ready for one of the meets. On the plus side, though I failed this goal, my wardrobe is definitely much more well-rounded now.
10. Lose Weight - I am stuck at the same weight. I have oscillated between going up some pounds and losing some, but the holiday season definitely set back my progress. I think next year I want to focus on my health, and this will be a big part of that.

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Did you have any goals last year? How did you do in meeting them? Share your 2016 lolita experience down below <3 ~

Keiko out~!

Christmas Meetup

Hey everyone!

Thank you for tuning in for today's brief blog post~

This past Sunday, my lolita comm held a Christmas meetup by where I live. We had a potluck, presents, and a great time!

My friend SJ and I wore the same print~

My friend and I decided to do some pseudo-twinning just for fun. We both really like Sweet Cream House by Angelic Pretty, so we decided to go for it. It was fun to see our different takes on the print~

One of the attendees brought an amazing log cake!

One of the people that came was super sweet and brought teacups with matching saucers that everyone could keep. Here's mine:

I also got a super cool present for my Secret Santa exchange. My Santa knew I needed outerwear and that I'm incorporating more gothic into my lolita wardrobe, so she got me a black capelet!

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Has your comm had any recent meetups? What did you do? Let me know all about it in the comments below~

Keiko out~~