Lolita Charm: Lady's Lessons: Apples!

Wednesday, September 29, 2010

Lady's Lessons: Apples!

Apples deserve their exclamation point! Autumn is the time of year when apples take center stage, and we're reminded why when they are freshest and crispest, rather than the mealy and slightly soggy guise they take the rest of the year. And besides making a great pie, they're steeped in heady folklore - from the dusty pages of the Bible, to the mythologies of the Celts, and in dark fairytales from Schneewittchen (Snow White) to Johnny Appleseed. And lolita has drawn on this rich tapestry - for example, in some of the prints and accessories below.

(pictured above: Snow White by Baby the Stars Shine Bright, apple & key necklace by Suppurate System, and Metamorphose's Apple Print, Innocent World's Nicholas skirt)

Celts were some of the early people who revered the apple tree and its fruit. The apple was so central to life that anything not an apple was called one - tomatoes, when newly introduced to parts of Europe, were called 'love apples' - oranges were 'Chinese apples', and of course there is the pomme de terre - the French way of saying potato, or earth-apple. In Celtic folklore, the apple was the symbol of rebirth, giving their afterlife of Avalon the name The Isle of Apples. In certain apples, the souls of kings are contained, or they grow from the graves of tragic lovers.

Apples make their appearance this time of year in the popular Celtic-turned-American holiday of Halloween. Though in recent years they've been outshone by their bolder cousins, the pumpkins, in Victorian times they still had their place among superstition and folklore. An apple peeled in one slice could be thrown behind you into the fire to spell the initials of your future husband, and bobbing for apples was a popular parlor game.

In Greek mythology, they are prized almost to a fault. Hercules fought a dragon guarding golden apples, and a golden apple was thrown among the three goddesses Hera, Aphrodite and Athena to determine which was the prettiest - which then started the Trojan War. In happier times, Gaia, the earth, presented Zeus and Hera with a golden apple tree on their wedding day. These myths also lend themselves to the apple's other connotation - they're often thought of as an aphrodisiac. When looked of in that light, you can see why a red, shiny apple might also be tempting Snow White to take just one bite...

And not to forget the Judeo-Christian realm, the apple is how medieval English people related to the forbidden fruit of the Garden of Eden. Snow White is said to be the fairytale version of this, that the apple was her temptation and the prince's kiss her rebirth in a very Easter-like fashion. In the Disney version, it clearly shows that winter passes before she awakens in the spring, which could relate either to Easter and the rebirth of Christ or the return of Persephone (who also gave in and ate her forbidden fruit - not an apple, but a pomegranate of the dead).

If you'd like a different, darker version of Snow White to go with this article's apple theme, consider reading Neil Gaiman's short and spooky story Snow, Glass, Apples. (Warning: contains vampirism, incest, pedophilia, necrophilia - so if you're squeamish, don't read it! I know that sounds dubious, but it really is a wonderfully well-written piece.)

Apples have many properties that you can employ in your wardrobe. They can be used to attract love (for when you'd like to meet someone!), for wisdom (to do well on a test or other big presentation), or to bring health and cleansing (for when you feel a cold coming, or just sick - apples are known to help many issues of the insides and of course have the phrase 'An apple a day keeps the doctor away'). I also like to pick a fairytale character for the day or even just as my personal hero, and represent her in some way - whether with a piece of relevant jewelry or a similar print. Choosing Snow White for your 'patron princess' - whether a dark, German version or the cheery, 1920s Disney one - can add a sense of old magic to your wardrobe. Whether you love a gothic style or a sweet one, there is an apple motif for every style!

Labels: lady's lessons

11 Comments:

At September 29, 2010 at 8:12 PM , Holocaust Journal said...: The interesting thing is that the Garden of Eden's apple was most likely a also pomegranate- apples wouldn't have been known about at the time and place that the bible was written.
At September 29, 2010 at 9:02 PM , Andie said...: I love Apple prints for fall! I didn't know many of the histories you mentioned, it's positively fascinating!
At September 30, 2010 at 1:10 PM , Unknown said...: I've also heard that an apple in the morning is better at waking you up than caffeine. Mmmm, I love apples in the morning!
At September 30, 2010 at 1:32 PM , Cateaclysmic said...: Great apple facts very interesting. Apples are my favorite motif I adore my BTSSB snow white print and often accessorize it with apple bracelets, rings, brooches etc. xoxo
At September 30, 2010 at 3:37 PM , Psu said...: Oh, I'm going to eat an apple in the morning now! Much more delicious than a coffe, and also more healthy ^___^

I've never been a big fan of apple-printed dresses, but I just realized that they're just perfect for autumm!

Great apple facts! Thank you! (I feel like I'm in a Lolita School, haha!!! ^____^)
At September 30, 2010 at 5:41 PM , Harley said...: Ahh, I wish I were a lolita. But I would have no clue how to even start..
At October 1, 2010 at 12:40 AM , Mykki said...: Thanks for including all the folklore about apples. It's great that you added in some of the Celtic info...but it goes so much deeper than that.

By the way, that apple-key necklace in the photo is to die for!
At October 1, 2010 at 10:55 AM , Diane said...: Apples are my favorite part of fall. Just loved this post.
At October 3, 2010 at 2:51 AM , Raayvhen said...: I love living in Washington State. Fall really is an apple filled season here, and I'm lucky enough to have apple trees in my backyard.
At October 3, 2010 at 6:33 AM , Anonymous said...: I look into you blog for some time and would like finally say thank you for all your interesting entries ^^
At October 3, 2010 at 12:48 PM , Unknown said...: Thanks so much for the intro to Gamain's wonderful story! And I was deeply touched by your post on the beauty myth.

Cheers!
Hope Ava

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Wednesday, September 29, 2010

Lady's Lessons: Apples!

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