The Forgotten Lolita Lifestyle

When I first got into lolita, things were very different. For one thing, lolita was generally considered to be more than just a fashion style, but a lifestyle, too. There was even a blog (hands up if you remember The Princess Portal!) which was devoted to the lolita lifestyle. I adored seeing posts on the egl livejournal about lolifying your life, and the things you could do to make your home more lolita influenced and whimsical. As well as the beautiful clothes, these were the things that really captured my attention and made me want to be a part of the lolita subculture.

Kamikaze Girls (2004) where Momoko takes the lolita lifestyle to the extreme!

In recent months, I've been seeing a lot of people shooting down the notion that there exists a lolita lifestyle. I have to say, this baffles me somewhat. I don't think any of us really expects someone to change their entire personality and behaviours just because they're wearing a frilly dress, or to pretend they live in 18th century France like Momoko in Kamikaze Girls, but can you really deny that becoming a lolita is in itself a huge lifestyle change? 

Unless you were already into expensive fashions before, or were used to buying designer clothing, it is a transformation of your idea of clothing's worth. Of course, lolita can be bought secondhand and often for affordable prices, but  before I got into lolita, I had never had to be thrifty or buy used clothing. If I needed new clothes I could replace old items in Primark for very little. I'd never had to save up money for a single item of clothing before, and I had never bought an expensive dress, apart from my prom dress when I was sixteen. I assumed that was ok-- you were meant to splash out for special occasion clothing. But not everyday items, surely!

Thus, becoming a lolita completely changed how I lived my life. I became more interested in clothing quality, learning about different types of lace, coordinating outfits, making accessories... None of these things had mattered when I was decked out in jeans and a t-shirt. I began to show clothing a new sort of reverence. It became a hobby.

I definitely felt encouraged by the fashion to explore my creativity. Before, I had been convinced that academia was the only way in which I would ever be able to prove my worth to the rest of the world. But lolita changed my mind. I realised how important fashion and creating things were to me. I gained a new interest and respect for the art and fashion world, and realised that this was a way in which I could make life fulfilling for myself, regardless of what others expected of me. Indie brands are everywhere in lolita. This idea that anyone could start their own brand inspired me in a large way, and I have found that the community in general is full of artistic talent and interested in crafts, moreso than in most other fashion styles I should think. I know I never would have challenged myself to do what I love had I never gotten into lolita.

There's a certain self assuredness that comes from lolita fashion. Whenever you wear it, you know people you encounter on the street will do double takes, comment on what you're wearing, ask questions, laugh, smile, point, stop in their tracks to stare. Once you get over the initial discomfort that comes with this, there then comes a certain confidence, and a thick skin develops. Through lolita I found that I changed my view of how I should react to others' opinions. I value those of the people who care about me for sure, but I found myself realising how insignificant the negative thoughts of a random person I may never see again are. I found myself prioritising my own happiness.

Lolita changes not only your personal lifesyle and thought processes, but also those of how you approach your social life. Most lolitas have lolita friends they spend time with, often through lolita meetups. Before lolita came into my life, it never occurred to me that I could go out and spend time with people due to a shared interest. I became a meetup regular starting in 2013, and now I have a group of best friends I never would have known had it not been for lolita fashion. Lolita has its own social club aspect to it-- you go and meet people regularly, and eventually, friendships form. That's not to say that all lolitas will get along just because they wear the same clothes. But lolita does give you the ability to get in touch with people you might never have had the opportunity to otherwise.

Other fond memories I have of my early days in lolita are the personalities who used to be so important. Everyone knew who Moon Kana was, and everyone owned Kanon Wakeshima's Shinshoku Dolce. Both of these women were considered to be lolita icons; for the former's constant appearance in the Gothic and Lolita Bibles, and both of their contributions to what we all considered to be lolita music. Novala Takemoto was iconic for his writings on what it meant to be a lolita. There was a gentle side to the fashion in which no-one was afraid to identify with poetic, quaint interpretations of the reasons this fashion had spoken to all of us in some way.

A typical Moon Kana photoshoot from a Gothic and Lolita Bible

Certain aspects of lolita fashion today bother me. In some ways, its steadily growing popularity is a good thing. It means the clothing is more accessible, and people are more likely to understand what you're wearing and why. But newcomers are not finding out about the fashion through the egl community on livejournal. Newcomers are missing out on not only an invaluable resource chock full of information collected over the years, but also a kind of lolita culture that is no longer prevalent. It's not a terrible thing, but it still makes me a little sad. 

The online community doesn't feel as tight knit as it once did, and the decrease in livejournal presence is upsetting. I have fond memories of some of the really interesting discussions that took place there. Tumblr is fast and great for exposure as we all know, but it's not a discussion platform. It doesn't allow for any dialogue to be set up between a group of people, and I feel disconnected from the lolita community outside of reblogging coordinate photos (and even then, I believe daily_lolita was much better for receiving feedback on your outfits). I used to participate in the egl tinychat, which was basically an opportunity to talk to any livejournal lolitas who happened to be online at the time the link was posted to the main community. We'd talk about clothes, our lives, musings on the world around us... it was relaxing and it made me feel like I was part of something bigger than just a fashion style. Nowadays, the lolita community at large feels incredibly fragmented, and its migration from livejournal to tumblr and facebook are most likely to blame. 

As you can see, I have a lot of nostalgia for how lolita used to be. People just entering the fashion must be having a completely different experience to those who entered it years ago. I try to move with the times, and yet it is very hard to see the aspects that made lolita lolita for you being wiped away and considered passé.

I myself agree that you cannot be a "lolita at heart" if you don't wear the fashion, and that in principle, playing a classical instrument for example is not a "lolita activity". However, as far as I'm concerned, there is a lolita lifestyle, and it is simply made up of aspects of your life that have been influenced by the very fact you wear lolita fashion, and to shut down anyone who agrees with this is unfair. We are all entitled to our own interpretation. It may not be something you agree with or get. But if you've been wearing lolita for years, are still active on egl, or simply aren't afraid to consider how lolita is so different from other fashions and has its own influences on your daily life, you'll know what I'm talking about. And this is for you.

To end this post, I'll use the words I wrote as a seventeen-year-old about my feelings towards lifestylers:

I firmly believe anything that can have such a huge impact on a person's life is indeed, a contributing factor to their lifestyle. You don't have to sit around drinking tea, playing with dolls or flower-arranging to be a lifestyler. You simply need to have a special place in your heart and in your life for the beauty and magical things that come with being a lolita.

I am a lifestyle lolita. Are you?  ❤

Bodyline Review: Shoes 251 in Red and Gold!

Hey everyone! Today I thought I would do a review on my new Bodyline shoes. For photos from more angles, you can find an old Shoes 251 review of the shoes in white here.

On July 18th I ordered the shoes in red, and also in gold as they'd just been added to the website and appeared to be selling out fast. I only just managed to nab a pair in my size! (I get size 245-- my feet are 24cm long and this seems to be the most comfortable size for them). They arrived on August 5th, which I thought wasn't so bad given I used AIR shipping as usual (so that's 2 weeks and 4 days in total).

The shoes arrived each in their own box, with plenty of wrapping to stop them getting damaged, and then put together in a large mailing bag. They arrived in perfect condition! Thanks, Bodyline!

I'll get the red ones out of the way first. They're a super vibrant colour, like a lipstick red, which I really love.

I have nothing else to report. They fit just as well as my white pair of these, and they are comfortable, easy to walk around in, and have good traction on the sole. Full marks from me!

Now...the gold pair!

They are a really nice colour-- not an intense yellowy gold but a more delicate shade which is very pleasant.

The texture is a little strange and difficult to describe. They are nothing like my other Bodyline shoes. 

They look as if they have a kind of rough texture, and yet they seem to be sealed in a shiny plasticy finish which is smooth to the touch...

...apart from here at the front, where the toe of the shoe meets the sole. It could have been glued a bit more neatly, but this doesn't bother me too much and I don't believe it really spoils the overall look of the shoe. Still, something to think about if you like every detail to be perfect!

Overall, I'm really happy with this order! I paid in yen and used AIR shipping, which means the shoes came to about £20 each. Result!

I think it's really great that Bodyline has spent a lot of time listening to what their customers want. They also brought out a silver pair of these shoes at the same time, which I think is pretty cool. They have become my go-to place for lolita shoes as they are affordable and surprisingly long lasting. Plus, they are much more comfortable than the An*Tai*Na shoes I've purchased in the past. I recommend Bodyline shoes 100%!

I hope you enjoyed this review! See you next time, and don't forget to leave a comment! ❤

Book Review: Kawaii! Japan's Culture of Cute

I recently got the book Kawaii!: Japan's Culture of Cute off Amazon. I've been meaning to get it for a while after seeing a couple of reviews about it. I like to get books relating to Japanese street fashion so this seemed like a sensible choice.

What a cute cover!

Whilst my last Japanese street fashion book was content heavy but lacking in the photo department, I would say that Kawaii! has a great balance of the two. There is a particularly strong focus on artwork and artists, and after looking at this book I would like to know more about them and their work.

I spent several minutes on certain pages taking in all the details of certain drawings and paintings.

It is packed full of interviews with various kawaii artists, designers, models, etc. There are explanatory title pages explaining a certain aspect of kawaii culture, before divulging into different brands or products which fit into that category.

For me, the one part where the book is lacking is talking about kawaii fashion. This was a little disappointing given that the kawaii aspects of sweets, foods and even mayonnaise was covered, but the section on lolita fashion, for example, was given a mere four pages consisting of a brief interview with two models. It did not make for an informative read, but simply presented personal opinions and experiences. However, I realise this approach might appeal to some people.

Still, there's a section on the street fashion walks which happen in Harajuku which I found interesting. I can't imagine that idea working very well where I live!

This book is visually stunning, packed with high quality photos and artwork that are a pleasure to just sit and flick through on a cloudy day. The pages are large and the book feels sturdy. I would recommend this book to those with an interest in learning about the origins of kawaii as it goes pretty in depth about this. It would make a great gift, for yourself, or someone else!

Overall (with a slight drop in score due to how it breezes through kawaii fashion), I would give this 4/5, and I would definitely recommend it!

Do you own this book? What do you think of it? ❤

New Youtube Videos: Baby Bag Review and Metamorphose Lucky Pack Opening!

Hey everyone! I haven't had much time or energy for proper blog posts recently (plus it's currently my very short summer holiday and I want to make the most of it!) so I've taken a little time to make a couple of Youtube videos.

They're very basic "unboxing" videos, where I talk about packages I got in the post recently, and go through the contents. Most recently I got a bag from Baby, The Stars Shine Bright, and a dress set/lucky pack from Metamorphose.

Here are the two videos I've done in the last week or so. I hope you enjoy them!

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Bodyline Review: Shoes 224

Last Thursday I received a pair of black Bodyline boots in the post. They took a few weeks to arrive as I used AIR shipping, but I didn't mind-- there was a free shipping deal going on and I had to take advantage of it! I didn't get hit with customs which was another bonus.

Bodyline shipped them in a bag, but this was fine because they were very securely wrapped in layers of bubble wrap. The boots were stuffed with long, stiff foamy stuff to help them retain their shape, and the toes of the boots had balled up tissue paper as well. The boots came with zero damage whatsoever. Thanks, Bodyline!

Well, here's the outer side of the left boot. You can see where the ankle creases due to movement. I don't mind this too much, and it's inevitable with sturdy, non-leather materials. The boots make your feet look really tiny!

Here's the inner side. The zip isn't the smoothest to do up but it's manageable. The creasing only seems to affect the outside of the boot, but this will probably vary depending on what your walk is like.

The traction is pretty good. The soles feel hard yet slightly rubbery, and they are rough to the touch. It seems unlikely you would slip over in these, unless you were on ice or something! I plan to wear the boots on wet or cold days rather than snowy conditions anyway (not that where I live has seen snow any time recently).

And here's a front view of the boots worn! I really like the bows as they are well constructed and cute, though none of them are detachable which might bother some people. These boots do not have a very forgiving calf size. My calves are about 37cm around, and I really think that is the maximum size for these boots. Otherwise, the laces won't be long enough and the sides of the boots won't really meet the tongue. It's a shame they didn't make these boots larger to fit more people.

Overall, I really like these boots. However, they lose points for their general solidness, which I can imagine could get uncomfortable if worn for an extended period of time. Also, these boots run a touch small. I would recommend getting 0.5cm size up from your regular measurement if you plan on wearing socks with these. I will only be wearing regular tights with them so hopefully they will remain comfortable. To explain, my feet are something like ~24-24.2 cm (I find them so hard to measure) so I always get size 245 in Bodyline shoes. For these boots, I think 250 would have been right for me. 

Finally, I have a pair of lolita boots! I will update you on their comfort level once I've worn them for a day.

EDIT 30/1/15: These boots are incredibly uncomfortable for tasks such as simply walking down stairs!  The material is so tough that it isn't flexible enough to accommodate the bending involved in that basic process, Where the tongue meets the top of the toe is quite bulky and you have to carefully readjust this to avoid it digging into your foot. I cannot in good faith recommend these boots for anything more than a photoshoot, They are simply not soft enough for extended wear.

I hope this review was helpful. Let me know what you think in the comments ❤

A fun picnic meetup!

Hey everyone! Apologies for not posting in a little while, but I've simply not had the time!

I thought I would do another meetup report, this time on an Oxford lolita meetup that happened on Sunday.

We decided to go for a picnic. Luna and Sammi organised a series of games for us to play such as lolita print bingo, and a pinata, and overall, it was a really funny meetup!

We set up camp under the shade of some big trees by a duck pond.

We had croissants, cocktail sausages, sausage rolls, grapes, strawberries and cream, fairy cakes (which were amazing), Doritos, couscous and sandwiches!

This lil ducky chilled out with us for a bit. She was rewarded with Doritos after we decided she was a "cool original" sort of duck.

James ended up in a tree in an attempt to set up the pinata so I gave him my camera so he could get some cool birds-eye view photos of us! Luna's dress makes me nostalgic as it's what she was wearing the first time we properly met! I decided to wear an Anna House blouse, Bodyline macaron print (because food theme!) and a handmade strawberry clip and handmade teapot earrings!

All of us waiting around for this bloody pinata to get it together! Despite Sammi having dried out the paper mache for days, it still had a weird gooey texture and didn't quite work out properly.

We each took turns to whack at this thing for so ages before finally deciding to just tear it open already!

My shoes weren't loli at all but I didn't have my black tea parties at my parents' house where I was staying. Oh well XD

After we were done with clearing up all the pinata mess, we went for a bit of a wander around the park, getting stopped for photos, and then going on a hunt for the toilets. We then headed for another shaded area to take group photos.

And here's all of us! We had a couple of newcomers and they were so lovely. Hopefully they'll come to more meets in future!

After this, we settled ourselves down once more so we could sample Nicola's chocolate cake.

It was delicious, of course! So far, Nicola's chocolate cake is the nicest I've tasted so far. I love that she doesn't overdo it with the chocolate so it's not overly rich or bitter. It's just perfect! I regret not asking to take some home with me!

After that we headed to the ice cream cafe to cool down. And then, the meet was over!

I had such a great day! Meetups are so much fun in hot weather because the days are longer, and there's so much more freedom when you can stay outside and be comfortable.

I hope you enjoyed this meetup report! Thanks for reading, and feel free to comment! ❤

Bag review: Angelic Pretty's Melty Moon Bag

Hi everyone!

When Angelic Pretty released their Melty Moon bag last year I thought it was pretty awesome. A bit of a strange concept, but definitely awesome. What I didn't find awesome, however, was the mad chaos that ensued as everyone tried to get their hands on it. It was stress I couldn't be bothered to deal with. I decided to bide my time instead. 

Recently I noticed someone selling the Melty Moon bag on the UK version of lolita sales on facebook. I watched as the price went down and down as the months passed, before deciding to get it before someone else did! I ended up getting it for a great price. Result! Anyway, I wanted to add to the list of reviews of this bag as there are surprisingly few of them. Let's go!

The size of the bag surprised me. It actually fits a fair amount of things in it! A phone, a camera, a small wallet, lip balm, a mirror and door keys. Perfect! One thing I would change is the writing on the star, making it white instead of silver. As it is, you can't really tell that easily that the text says "Angelic Pretty". Other than that, this bag is beautiful.

The opening is a good size and curves around with the bag.

The material of the bag caught me by surprise. I wasn't expecting it to feel so soft and well, like it was really made of leather. The texture is really gorgeous and I couldn't help but spend a little while stroking it.

There are many stars to be found on this bag, from the ones printed on the front of it, to the star shaped buckle, zip chain, studs, and little star shaped dangly thing (a mini coin purse? I don't even know but it's adorable).

The inside of the bag is quite roomy given the shape, and has an AP tag and a little zipped pocket for small items.

The bag is comfortable to wear, with a strap you can adjust. The theme of it is a bit unique though, so I'll have to try to find a plainer dress/skirt to wear it with so there's no print theme clashes.

Overall, I'm really glad I got this bag! It's such a cool concept, and I'm excited to wear it. Lolita fashion definitely got me into the idea of unusual shaped bags and I look forward to adding more to my collection! I hope you enjoyed this review! Let me know what you think of the bag (and lolita bags in general!) in the comments ❤