Style Inspiration: Deka Wanko

So it seems like with the appearance of Deka Wanko online, the lolitas are all huddled around their laptops with popcorn as they watch and brand-spot, like playing eye-spy. Deka Wanko, for those unaware, is a Japanese drama (live-action serial) based on a manga of the same name. The basic plot is a cute female detective just transferred to the homocide investigations sector, and she has the unique ability to sniff out clues just like a police dog. The catch that's got everyone so enthralled? She wears lolita clothing 24/7, even on the job. If you haven't seen it, you're probably wondering, 'How do you wear lolita as a police officer?!' Good question - not acceptable in the real, non-fantasy world I'm sure, but she does wear lolita daily, for work and other occasions. Her style is Angelic Pretty punk, also a rather rare creature of its own. Love her or hate her, I'm impressed at her simple yet wearable sweet-punk style!


Tip #1: Angelic Pretty is not just for sweet lolita. Wanko wears primarily Angelic Pretty, but also Putumayo and Metamorphose. Angelic Pretty does make their usually pastel items in black, red, and navy blue - and these are usually the ones Wanko chooses. Above: her 'I-smell-crime' face paired with the black colorway of Angelic Pretty's French Cafe and what I think is a Chantilly bonnet; below, in Angelic Pretty's Fantastic Dolly cardigan.

Tip #2: Go offbeat. Instead of multitudes of head-eating bows, Wanko usually opts for a small bow (possibly worn to the side) or, her favorite, the mini-hat. The mini-hat has a very dorky-cute impression to me, but it is refreshing to see something offbeat and out of the ordinary. Like in Tip #1, just because you're shopping at a major brand doesn't mean you have to pick their most popular items. She also enjoys her leather Metamorphose jacket with leopard trim and half-capes or almost poncho-like sweaters.

Tip #3: Don't stress about your hair. Instead of mountains of curls or wigs, Wanko usually has work-friendly soft curls in low pigtails or ponytails. If your hair is naturally wavy or curly, you can just pep it up with a few heated curls from a curling or straightening iron - my usual method of choice for 'relaxed' curls. If you want those softer curls, spritz your hair with water and then sleep in a few damp buns, rag curls, or braids for morning 'natural' curls.

Tip #4: Black and white is not just for itas and maids. Wanko frequently wears black with white lace! Previously a big no-no in the lolita world, it seems like black and white is making a comeback - not just with Deka Wanko but also among the western community, who seems nostalgic lately for the original black and white coordinate. Make sure you have high quality materials - buying a black-and-white from BABY should keep you covered - and pair it with something elegant, like a simple hairbow, beret, or bonnet. Using all white accessories has a lighter feel - all black accessories looks smooth and uniform.

Tip #4: Tartan is still cute. It seems like tartan has fallen off a lot lately in the lolita world, but seeing Wanko in a bunch of cute punky red tartans makes me remember just how adorable they can be! Pairing them with a neutral cardigan and accessories would be perfect for work or other more 'respectable' functions. I am falling in love with soft pink tartan all over again lately, it seems to be everywhere!

Tip #5: Go for the cutsew. One of my favorite comfortable outfits of hers is a jumperskirt with a soft turtleneck underneath instead of a starched blouse. It looks very practical for office work or more casual days. Collared cutsews can also give the look of a blouse while being more relaxed for longer days.

Tip #6: Cellphone charms really can go on anything. The infamous first scene shows Wanko putting a glittery cake Angelic Pretty charm on the end of her tiny gun. You can use this same idea to dress up purse handles, brooches, wallets, zipper pulls... anything really! Especially good for people who love to collect them and then don't know what do with them (like me, cough!)

And now... some of my favorite Wanko outfits! Clockwise:


1. A cute cardigan plays down this print skirt to wear at the police office. The bow carries on the polka dots with the large pearls. Outfit: Angelic Pretty.

2. Polka-dotted dress combined with a soft turtleneck;

3. The same outfit with the added leather jacket and teal opaque tights, which match the hairbow she's wearing. A really unique addition of color to a monotome oufit!

4. In Angelic Pretty's Marionette Girl version 2, with a bordeaux red turtleneck. I was a never a fan of this dress, but now I think it's so cute and wearable! No extra fiddly bits or details to get in the way - just velvet and appliques.

5. In an Angelic Pretty badge beret and wide-collared fluffy white parka; a white and black-spotted turtleneck peeking out. Her short curls are just right with the beret! And she's wearing this outfit with a frills-only, navy blue skirt. I love the monotone meets jewel color theme!

6. In roomwear with usamimi headband! I know these have fallen out of the limelight in the gyaru world, but I still think they are so cute and casual, and perfect for roomwear.


By the way... keep in mind that Deka Wanko is a comedy and therefore you shouldn't try to copy all of her moves! I am totally absolved of any crimes if any of my reader start sporting lolita dog collars! (Hint: don't do it!)

Labels: fashion, guide, idol study

posted by Victoria Suzanne @ 8:26 AM 0 Comments

Baby the Stars Shine Bright's Spring Fashions

Baby honestly does some of the most magical fashion shows for the lolita world I have ever seen. Their show pieces, music choice, and themes are so fairytale like and beautiful. It's shows like these that remind that Baby will always be the cradle of lolita fashion to me. Whenever I visit their website, they seem so lackluster, but the items I see them producing and other people wearing are stellar examples of sweet lolita done with a very delicate and innocent style.

Some upcoming spring trends from Baby this year spotted in the show:

• rose headbands (I love what they come up with for bridal, and this is honestly their best design yet.);
• chocolate blouses instead of basic white and black for a downplayed, romantic style, with a great impact on pastels or dusty pastels;
• straw hats marries the straw bonnet this spring for a new, classical take on the usual summer boater;
• they've revived the 'bodice' piece, this time in a charming soft black to do a princessly forest girl rendition of Snow White, and again in a very opulent pink-and-white patterned stomacher, I believe;
• medieval/Rococo flowing princess sleeves are back in style;
• tiaras are also back in; not the simple rhinestone kind, but a heavier, ornate style, most likely styled like roses or other flowers.

If you want to give your music player a little sweet lolita style, here's some titles I've heard played in this and other Baby shows:

Alice in Wonderland's In a World of My Own (Disney [original])
House Disney's Part of that World (Disney)
Ayumi Hamasaki's Some Day My Prince Will Come (non-related video) (Disney)
House Disney's A Whole New World (Disney)

I can't wait to see this princessly BABY style hit the streets (or the webshop, for that matter!)

xoxo,

Labels: fashion, spring

posted by Victoria Suzanne @ 10:10 PM 0 Comments

MIG: New World of the Girls

I ran across this Japanese webzine recently and had to share! (Hopefully I'm not just a dork behind on the times, but...) MIG, short an acronym for Made in Girl, is a Japanese fashion zine created, as their slogan says, by girls, for girls! In fact their slogan is 'New World of the Girls, Created By the Girls, For the Girls'. How powerful is that?! The feminine street fashions of Japan really do seem to be women taking back fashion from the realm of 'what will men think is hot?' to, 'what do I think is cute?' Fashion as self-expression and a personal aesthetic instead of just 'fitting in', fashion as an individual journal entry and not as a showpiece for the rest of the world. I'm in love with that concept. This fashion zine, as well as being online, can also be found for free in random places around Tokyo, according to rumor. It's a grand composite of all your favorite Japanese girl street fashions, from Angelic Pretty and the classiest cake hats around to dolly-kei's Grimoire and the ever-popular fairy-kei mecca SPANK!

xoxo,

Labels: feminism, inspirational, photopost

posted by Victoria Suzanne @ 2:21 AM 0 Comments

Real Lolita Lifestyle Girls

This video popped up on my dashboard a few days ago, and I was fascinated by it. Not just because I'm a Kawaii TV addict, but because this specific clip is about 'lifestyle lolitas', though they call it simply the lifestyles of lolitas. I expected another bout with the typical KERA! and Gothic and Lolita Bible models, like Misako Aoki, AMO and Midori, but mixed in with a few celebrities (Kokusyoku Sumire, Maki and Asuki in the background I think?) were a few ordinary, regular lolitas. At a group interview, Kawaii TV shows glimpses into the worlds of both dark, gothic lolitas and cute, romantic sweet lolitas. I've heard many girls say that in Japan, there isn't really a 'lifestyle lolita', that this is more of a western construct within our society, the idea of 'living' like a lolita. So I was surprised to see girls that really do live a lolita lifestyle in Japan! (Or maybe it seems so obvious to them that it doesn't need a separate category? Hard to say.) One of the gothic girls wants to draw and paint; she spends a good deal of her free time at an antique doll museum, taking inspiration from their cold, unblinking faces. A sweet lolita is going to school for fashion design; she has sketchbooks full of her watercolored princessly designs, that she then creates and wears on the streets of Tokyo. It was so fascinating to see that gothic lolita lifestyle girls really exist, without eating Spam at midnight (for those of you who have read the older GLB 'Day in the Life of a Gothic', you get my joke.) And these lolitas loved their styles, but they were also serious students with talents and career paths in mind. 2-D characters? I think not.

It seems some girls wear lolita full time, though the majority of them don't. Having worn lolita exclusively for a while... it is not easy! And I was really pleased to see the hostess note that, the effort and bravery it requires. 'I admire you,' she says. Dressing in lolita 24/7 isn't necessary to be a lifestyle lolita, but it is admirable, as anyone who's tried it knows. It's not easy to figure out 365 or so lolita outfits you can easily wear to the dentist, grocery store, and a wedding, let alone building in the extra hour or so to curl your hair and carefully line your eyes.

I'm totally captivated by the little blonde lolita, Hiyoko. She seems shy, with a Baby-the-Stars-Shine-Bright-meets-natural-kei style that I adore, and a kittenish nasal accent I wish I could copy (I'm sure other people find it annoying, but to me it's like an adorable little animal...) It sounds really cheesy, but this girl is my idea of a perfect lolita. She's not physically perfect, and she doesn't have to be. She's not a model, or even super outgoing. She dresses up every day, wearing her real cute little blonde pigtails, in crocheted cardigans and lacy scalloped aprons. I guess I'm idealizing her, I'm sure she has her flaws like all other human beings, but she's just charmed me.

My favorite part is when the host asks her, 'You're really awesome, for an/not just an eccentric girl!' and she responds, 'Am I am eccentric girl?' It's natural to her. It's simply who she is. I think primarily through photoshoots, magazines, the Internet, or media in general, we've made the 'lolita lifestyle' into such a large, heavy topic or production, something akin to religion or devoting yourself to a cloister. But it's not that at all - it's a much more innocent thing, and a personal thing. It comes naturally, but it's still a little fairytale inside yourself.

So, since it was so enlightening to see other girls and their lolita lifestyles, challenge: described, either in the comments, or with a link to your webpage/article, post, your lolita lifestyle. No embroiderings, no imaginings, just how make your personal lolita lifestyle, you, and the world. Make this your own few paragraphs of documentary; photo-frame a piece of your life. I can't wait to read all about the stories people create inside themselves ♥


xoxo,

Labels: lifestyle

posted by Victoria Suzanne @ 7:18 PM 0 Comments

How to Be Alone (Without Being Lonely)

I've seen this so many times online, whether it be in the weekly secrets, posted as Facebook statuses, or just admitted by some of the readers on Lolita Charm.

"I wish I had lolita friends near me! I wish I could hang out with other lolitas..."

The quintessential lolita of course needs her quintessential lolita friends. I'm sure you've seen it, just imagine a typical Imai Kira or other lolita artist depiction: three frilly girls, differently styled but still obviously a matched set, clustered around a stack of magazines and teddy bears at a slumber party, or out to tea on a blue-skyed afternoon. It's this kind of fairytale that girls imagine they could have, if only there were just a few like-minded ruffle-lovers in their zip code. Heck, some of us would settle for state or country!

But for many lolitas, this just isn't an option. While some places have flourishing lolita communities, others have nary a hairbow or two. Or perhaps you have a large community, but no one you've really connected with. What's a girl to do?






I saw this video a while ago and was very inspired by it. Like the title of this article, it's called How to Be Alone (Without Being Lonely). It's really a well-done and beautiful video, bordering on spoken word and musical performance. After seeing it (and reading several of the SARK books, check her out if you haven't read any!) SARK wrote a whole section on how to be alone. She described plenty of girls we know, or recognize in ourselves: 'I want to see that movie, but no one would go with me'; 'I want to try that new restaurant, but my boyfriend hates Indian food'; 'I want to see the sunrise on the beach, but...' All kinds of wishes that we're afraid to do alone. SARK calls women like that 'captive women.' Their fear of being alone paralyzes them inside their own homes!

I've decided that 'how to be alone' is a life skill everyone should cultivate. After I moved out of campus dormitories, it took me a while to learn how to operate outside of that nebulous of friends and people, who previously were with me always, like a security blanket. Small things like going to lunch or walking across campus seemed daunting. It may seem scary or awkward at first. But like all things worth knowing, it's something you can practice and will get better with time. Lolitas especially can be afraid of going out alone, as we stand out so much. 'Safety in numbers' seems to validate us to the rest of the world, and maybe ourselves as well. But I promise you: being a lolita seulement is not the end of the world. And as much as I enjoy being with my lolita friends (a lot!) it's also very relaxing to be a lolita in the world alone, once you get the hang of it. With this in mind, I compiled a little lesson on how to be a lolita, alone.

Step One: Get dressed up in your favorite lolita style. Pretend you're not going out at all.

If you could wear anything currently in your closet, what would it be? Don't think about 'what people will think' or 'how you'll look by yourself in x'. Anything you want. Do you want to wear your new classic lolita dressed adorned with pansies or don a new wig? A carousel-shaped hat or a creepy bunny backpack? If you really can't detach from the idea that people are going to see you in it by yourself, go for a slighly more toned-down version. The fairy wings are not necessary if it's really going to kill you.

Step Two: Take yourself on a lolita date.

'What's a lolita date?' Oh, you know exactly what I mean. To your favorite antique bookstore. To the cafe where they have salted caramel squares and the best green tea latte. To the Sanrio store where everything is saturated with strawberries and pink. To your local craft store to pick out faux flowers for new corsages. Anything at all the makes you happy and fits your 'lolita fantasy'. If you could dream up the perfect lolita and of course her perfect lolita life, where would she go? A tea room, a public garden with swans? It's just you, so you can do anything you want - no need to compromise with anyone! My most recent 'date' was on a hunt for Sylvanian Families at my local big-box toystore - I'm looking for the bunnies with chocolate-tipped ears! The video above suggests places were people alone are accepted: coffe shops that encourage patrons to stay; bookstores or libraries with silent stacks; small diners or lunch-counters.

Step Three: The Secret...

Don't think about the other people. If they give you strange looks, don't return them. You don't need to engage with anyone who cat calls; politely manuvuer yourself out of situations where outsiders insist on making comments. A tip I once read for walking alone was to look into the distance. If you want to cast an air of leave-alone-ness, this is a good tip. Imagine no one else is there. Perhaps people are looking. But that doesn't mean you have to play into it. If you're not sure you can do this, bring a book or journal. Headphones can be an asset, a social do-not-disturb sign. That being said, resist the urge to text real or pretend friends with your cellphone - it's just a way of pretending you're not alone.

Once you're better at being alone without feeling self-conscious, you can practice interacting with the people around you. Compliment someone's sweater or chat up your barista. Even holding a door for someone with a smile can be a rewarding experience. It's all about learning to be confident - confident enough to go out, confident enough to think 'Yes, I look different but I can still be out in society, that's my right'; confident enough to act as if a girl in a puffy dress is perfectly normal... and the rest of the world just might think so, too.

The real secret is to have fun. It's very freeing to do anything you want without someone else's authority. Leave when you want to. Hide out in the back of the bookstore reading all the best picture books. Draw on napkins your ideas for dream dresses. Wrap yourself up in your own daydream, and you won't even be worried about 'being alone.' Absorb yourself in collecting wildflowers to press, or in picking out nail polish colors. The more you practice, the more you will learn that being with just yourself is a good thing.

For closing comments, here is a translation of Novala Takemoto's small essay (a collection of his advice columns, dubbed Soleit Nuit/Soreinu/ [Night Sun(shine) in English] on 'maidens being alone'.

As the beginning of spring passes, I often hear people discussing a particular problem: “I don’t have any friends! What should I do?” April comes around, and between new homerooms and the like, their environment and surroundings change. People are caught daydreaming while their new peers are forming groups, and before they realize it they are left all alone. When summer starts most are released from this dilemma and enjoy the break with the help of their old friends. However, even in the new season, there are some of these people who are still left alone. They show great strength and continue their lives by themselves.

A maiden does not need things like friends. Maidens are sublime and aloof by nature. In stories, the male heros will form cliques and carry out their activities together. Like in Tom Sawyer, Tom, Huckleberry Fin, and Getalobe, joined together and the three of them made the “15 boy’s drifter chronicles”, and then the 15 had to be together; they weren’t adult at all. But young ladies are different. Alice went through the perils of Wonderland by herself, and Anju helped her brother escape from the bandit’s mountain and was abandoned herself. And if you think about Meg, she was always singing, “People say I can do anything but still/ the witch girl Meg is always alone.” Being a maiden is an “absolute existence.” And being “absolute” is by definition “uniqueness” that cannot be compared to others, so maidens need no companions. Like Ken from the gangster movies, maidens have a cool independence. They say things like, “If I open my heart to people I can make friends,” but opening your heart to others is sacrelige, and you musn’t do that. A maiden’s heart is her glittering jewel, and should not be shown to others recklessly.

A maiden stands coldly like a glass pain that seems like it would shatter if touched, encased in a hard shell for protection, and that maiden, tightly bound in a web of honey and gazing at you all alone, isn’t she cute. There is no need for you to integrate yourself with the common people. It’s okay if people say you’re an “arrogant child” or a “gloomy child.” Thinking you can’t eat lunch by yourself and making friends, that’s a really silly thing to do. Being gorgeously aristocratic like Madame butterfly is an indispensable part of being an independent princess. For me, my tv and potted plants are my close friends.

As you can read in the original poster's interpretation, this was most likely written to console lonely girls who couldn't make friends. Like many of Takemoto's writings, his advice is a mixed bag (this is, after all, the one who calls Momoko his alter ego, not exactly Mother Theresa), but there are some parts of this I liked and thought would end this article well. The maiden (or lolita, or whatever feminine creature/fashion your consider yourself to be) is complete on her own. She doesn't need other people to be perfect, or to exist. There's no reason why she can't eat lunch by herself. There's nothing she needs to validate, to prove, or to find in other people. She knows who she is. I suppose that's what I really take away from this essay... being complete, as yourself, is 'an indispensable part of being an independent princess.'


xoxo,

Labels: guide, inspirational, lifestyle

posted by Victoria Suzanne @ 6:03 PM 0 Comments

Happy Valentine's Day!

Okay, I know you're all dying to know who won the Hawaii Kawaii giveaway! This was a very popular giveaway and it seemed people loved using the new 'points system'! We'll definitely have to try this again in future! Anyway, without further ado...


What I wore for last weekend's Valentine's Day party:

Sunday: Secret Love Letter Coordinate 




Outfit Rundown:


Onepiece: Angelic Pretty
Cutsew: Angelic Pretty
Socks: Angelic Pretty
Apron: Vintage
Teddy bear clip: Mousse Au Chocolat
Shoes: Grace Gift



with marzipan kisses and chocolate wishes,

Labels: holiday, outfit post

posted by Victoria Suzanne @ 9:00 AM 0 Comments

Milk Tea Pink

Today I got up super early and had my hair done a new color! I haven't been satisfied with my pink for a while (upkeep, damage, dye brand, you name it) and I wanted a softer look than the bright fluorescence I usually got from the bottle. I'd been playing with the idea of softer blonds and browns, with pink highlights. This was my 'idea collage' of different hair colors and highlight placement...

 Somehow I got the best of both worlds - the undertone of rose and silver shimmer of the pink hair, with the cooler, softer matte tones of the ash blonde. In direct light, it looks very pale pink. In the shade, it appears to be a very soft fawn color. I think it goes much better with classic or natural-kei styles while still retaining a sweet, pop-kei image - plus I'm not 'matching' clothes to my bright pink hair anymore! I'm also really excited to wear it with 'Bambi' fur items, I think the effect will be very sweet! It's odd, the color actually reminds me of this magazine scan...

Labels: photopost

posted by Victoria Suzanne @ 8:37 PM 0 Comments

Lessons from the Jellyfish Princess

After Baby the Stars Shine Bright came out with their Jellyfish Princess inspired dresses, I just had to watch the anime. If an anime is cute, quirky, and preferably a comedy, I can't resist! When I was snowed in at my boyfriend's in the mountains (two days straight of snow and ice storms!) I sat down and watched the entire series of 11 episodes in one day. Heh, my nerd side is showing!

Besides being a cute and funny anime, with plenty of tongue-in-cheek humor, I feel like there was one strong lesson running through the series. To begin with, let me give you the basic syopsis (don't worry, there's no spoilers to the overall plotline):

Several nerdy girls (otaku) with various obsessions, live together in a 1920s apartment building. The story centers around Tsukimi, whose nerd passion is jellyfish (while the others like a Chinese drama, older gentlemen, trains, and kimonos/traditional Japanese dolls). They're all so obsessed with their hobbies that like many otaku, they're rather social inept, and such, are terrified of what they call 'the Stylish' (which seems to be gyaru? XD). Tsukimi winds up making friends with a Stylish, and things take a turn for the worse when they realize that their beloved apartment building is on the brink of being torn down.

So, that's the setup.

One of the themes running through this anime is the idea of appearances. The nerdy girls' social anxiety is strongest when in public, because they're so intimidated by better-looking people - so much so that they often refuse to go out, even to see things that pertain to their hobby - even though she loves jellyfish artwork, Tsukimi had a panic attack at being with so many 'Stylish' in Shibuya and had to return home early  without seeing the exhibit. Seeing all those pretty girls, she remembers her mom hoping that she'll grow up to be a beautiful princess... and feels like she'll never be one. As she says, "I'm not sure where, but somewhere along the line, instead of becoming a princess... I ended up a freak." I think we've all had that feeling - whether looking at outfit snaps, magazines, or just the pretty girl next to you in class... that we'll never measure up. The world can seem full of pretty girls that cast the rest of us into shadow.

After she makes her acquaintance with her new cross-dressing friend Kuranosuke, a 'Stylish', no less, in a bouffanted pink wig and purple spandex tights, she and all the rest of the 'nunnery' as they call themselves eventually get makeovers. While Tsukimi's makeover is mostly for fun, the other girls are required to put on their 'battle clothes' so they can fight against the closure of their building. Calling them 'battle clothes' reminded me very much of a poem by Novala Takemoto, in which he speaks of lolita clothing as 'battle clothes' - the clothing we don as we go into the world, whether to protect ourselves or to protect our right to dreams, it's hard to decide. The exact quote:

These are the battle clothes of the precious ones, the few chosen to fight the many who lack the power to see dreams.

Haha, Takemoto rhapsodizing again about the fantastical majesty of the lolita. But in a way, he's right. Standing up to the conventions of society is a 'battle' - something lolitas do every day. The way it's used in Jellyfish Princess, being stylish is their defense in the battle against everyday society - like being taken seriously at business meetings.  Kuranosuke says, you don't have to change who you are if it's not what makes you happy or comfortable... but sometimes you have to 'put on your battle clothes'. For some, perhaps that's a business suit; for others, a Louis Vuitton bag; for us, perhaps, a frilly pannier and and Alice bow.
Anyone can be a 'princess' if they really want to. I firmly believe that if you want it, it's there. No matter what you look like, what you weigh, how much money you have, your gender, your orientation... It's there. I never thought, as an awkward teenager in high school and often the butt of class jokes and bullying, that someday I could be a model. Between my long, unstyled ashy hair and bushy eyebrows, right down to my ugly shoes and too-big khakis, I was far from anything resembling cute. I didn't know how to wear makeup, or style my hair. In many ways I identified with Tsukimi, the sweet and lovable nerd. I wish I had had a gorgeous cross-dresser to teach me the ropes!

It's only because of lolita that I really felt motivated to 'learn to be beautiful', in a manner of speaking. Like Tskumimi, I assumed I was a lost cause. But because of lolita, because I loved it so much and wanted to be like that so much, I had to try. But at the end of the day, when the eyeliner and hair extensions are safely retired to their drawers - being a princess isn't just about physical beauty. What Tsukimi gains most from being dressed up and primped isn't her looks - she loses her social anxieties of being accepted and can express herself freely in her 'disguise', showing other her wonderful heart and making new relationships. To put it simply, she gains confidence, and learns to be herself. While being attractive is nice, being confident is irreplaceable. Tsukimi, fantasizing about what it must be like to be so stylish, seems much more entranced with Kuranosuke's big personality - though she calls it 'using her beauty as a weapon', it's really more having the guts and sense of entitlement to speak up for yourself: confidence. Believing that you have worth, being proud to be yourself, wanting to let your personality and spirit shine... are the kind of things that make you beautiful. I know that sounds like an after-school special. But it's really true. Don't wait for a modeling agency, a guy, your mom, the online community, or whoever to tell you you're beautiful to believe it. It's not something in your genetics, in your makeup bag, or in a bottle of hair dye. Giving yourself the tools to feel beautiful will make you believe it - and then so will everyone else.


I really hope you watch this anime, it's short but so sweet and poignant. Watch the entire series on hulu.com!


with jellyfish kisses,

Labels: inspirational

posted by Victoria Suzanne @ 10:17 PM 0 Comments

Hawaii Kawaii Giveaway!

What do hot-pink kittens, unicorns, and polka-dot bows have in common? They're all screenprints you can find on t-shirts at Hawaii Kawaii! Hawaii Kawaii is your top location for your daily dose of cute (or in Japanese, kawaii) - they seem to have a knack for digging up the most adorable stuff! Besides a huge collection of super cute wallpapers (Magemoma, Rilakkuma, and Berry Puppy all make an appearance!) they've also got their own shop where you can happily OD on sweet, casual style. These adorable tops would be perfect with pop-kei style, casual lolita or fairy-lolita. Here are a few favorites (my friend Amanda would love that panda bear!):



Lolita Charm and Hawaii Kawaii are collaborating for a giveaway - win any tee-shirt of your choice! Rack up points, and every point will enter your name into the random generator. The more points you achieve, the more likely you are to win yourself a Hawaii Kawaii tee!


This giveaway winner will be announced by February 14th, just in time for Valentine's Day! This is a super quick flash giveaway so don't dally!




If you take a peek at Hawaii Kawaii's website, you might see something new - a new Lolita Charm grab button! If you've wanted to link to Lolita Charm you can now use this pretty new button to add to your blog's sidebar. It will also be a big help if you'd like to be in the Reader Blog Spotlight - it's not always easy for me to see who's a reader and deserves to win the spotlight! So make sure you have one of these buttons if you want to be featured!


Please save the image to your own hard-drive and upload to your own server/blog! Thank you! 

xoxo,

Labels: giveaway

posted by Victoria Suzanne @ 8:27 PM 0 Comments

February Style Tips

• Enjoy the last true month of winter by indulging in anything fluffy or soft. One of my favorite Japanese words is 'mokomoko', which means fluffy! Soft pajamas, fleecy bows, knitted scarves, or even soft puffballs of fur.
• Pearls are the perfect accessory for Valentine's Day and late winter and early spring - the light of pearls reflecting onto your skin is similar to candle light, the most flattering light. 
• Chocolate, chocolate, chocolate! This is the best time of year to wear anything chocolate-themed, from your Melty Choc coordinate to a simple sweets necklace in a chocolate theme.
• Warm up the evening with fondue - in your choice of dark, white, or milk chocolate. Have fruit or slices of heavy cake - sponge or pound - on hand to dip. Using a fire-safe bowl, such as a cooking pot, and a tea light, you can DIY your own fondue set up. If you'd prefer not to do it yourself and live in New York City, you can arrange to do it at Max Brenner's, the amazing chocolate-themed restaurant. Dalin of La Vida Frills and I did this a few weeks ago for her birthday and it was so delicious and relaxing!
• Make a point to get your six to eight classes of water a day! Winter weather is so drying on skin and hair - hydrate!
• Use a wet towel or wet toothbrush to brush chapped, dry skin off your lips - then immediately apply moisturizing lip balm to help new skin heal.
• Staticky hair got you down? Wipe a dryer sheet through your hair to eliminate some electricity.
• Start seeds or small plants indoors - I'm hoping to find some strawberry plants to start inside. I love their little flowers, related to the rose, more than even the fruit!

What do you hope February will bring?

note: Reader Appreciation Sunday has been changed to a bi-weekly schedule for better satisfaction :) You'll see it again next week!

xoxo,

Labels: style tips

posted by Victoria Suzanne @ 1:50 AM 0 Comments

Strawberry Pop & Shiroi Stars

xoxo,

Labels: outfit post, photopost

posted by Victoria Suzanne @ 4:27 PM 0 Comments