Lolita Charm

Monday, June 27, 2011

Aqua Princess

A simple princess lolita coordinate I wore for a little pre-birthday party this weekend! (More about that on Thursday!) My new pink Aqua Princess onepiece arrived in the mail earlier this week so I just had to wear it! As I said on my Facebook, this dress is honestly one of the most beautiful in my collection. The lace and fabric quality is amazing, even if you're already aquainted with brand quality. The Swiss dot netting, the silver grommets, the satin, glittery print... This is truly a dress fit for a princess.

Rose mules: DreamV; pink candy & pearl bracelet, golden tiara: Chocomint; crystal candy necklace, Pretty Pop Designs

Labels: fashion, outfit post

Sunday, June 19, 2011

Ponies on Parade

As a die-hard pony fan (I went to a rodeo last night just to see the petting zoo's miniature ponies...) I am completely at a loss to handle Baby the Stars Shine Bright's newest print, Unico (rn) in Bloomland! Baby's typical formula of floral edging with sweet vignettes takes it up a notch by adding unicorns, a much-asked-after but still somehow rare motif. While Angelic Pretty often breaks out the carousel ponies, actual unicorns have been rarely used. The most well-known unicorn print is actually from American indie label Pink Macaroon, with their premiere design Unicorn Fantasy. (Here's a shameless video plug to my Unicorn Fantasy review back in the day...) The closest resemblance Japanese brands have produced is Metamorphose's Twinkle Journey, which features pegasus. (image link credit to Fibrolita)

It's interesting that while many brands and street snaps show wigs for the sweet lolita look, Baby almost always goes for a natural, understated hairstyle. While you'd expect a pink or blonde wig to go with this print, the model's own brunette hair is done up in a simple side ponytail. While unusual, I think it really lets the design of the dress and accessories take center stage. My favorite aspect of this coordinate however is the transparent lace-topped socks! They look so delicate and fine. There are two transparent sock styles currently available on Baby's site, one short pair patterned with Swiss dot and one long pair patterned in roses. I think they really personify Baby's refined princess style that they seem to be capitalizing on lately - pearls, crystal drops, fine lace, and delicate prints. Even the model's open-toe high heels are a contrast to the usual chunky-heeled and heavy lolita shoe.

You can see the rest of Baby's Unico in Bloomland designs here.

And the timing couldn't be better - for all you pony lovers in New England, be sure to attend this year's Pony Fair! My Little Pony Fair and Convention, also known by its fans as Ponycon or just Pony Fair, is the travelling one-day convention mecca for My Little Pony fans in the United States. This year's Ponycon will be in Pawtucket, Rhode Island, on July 9th, so I am hitting the road for a very magical road trip! How many times do you think the My Little Pony theme song can play on repeat in the car? Hmm...

For those who don't feel the pony urge, Ponycon (at the Hasbro headquarters!) will also be selling plenty of other vintage 80s' toys and videos, including Care Bears, Moon Dreamers, and Littlest Pet Shop (the 90s version, not the new creepy kind).

I hope to see lots of New England lolita pony lovers there! I'll be there with a pony-inspired coordinate, so if you see me, please say hello!

Labels: fashion

Saturday, June 11, 2011

Brand Spotlight: Jane Marple

Being mostly familiar with this brand previously through secondhand sites and consignment sites, I was pleasantly surprised when I came across the advertisement's for Jane Marple's 2011 Spring/Summer line. The usual concepts for lolita summer trends are present (indeed, trends that pop up throughout cute culture fashion, especially around summer time), but with an adorable kitschy twist that isn't quite classic lolita, sweet lolita, or even mori-girl.

Jane Marple, like its other old-timer comrade Milk, is a brand that creates its own answer to the eternal 'what-is-cute' philosophical question. While some items, such as the sailor blouse below and accompanying straw hat, seem to ooze lolita flavor, other items such as the ruffled shorts, follow a beat all their own.

My personal favorite is this banner ad, which besides sporting sweet nautical sailor styles for daily wear, also features a fantastic British crown overgrown with wild cherries and strawberries. You can even find a stripy cutsew with the design, but I have half a mind to see if I could copy it onto a handkerchief for embroidering!

This simple Jane Marple cutsew cries out to be DIY'd! Its only feature besides being simple jersey is this grosgrain-studded neckline, but the price tops out at ¥10,290 ($129 USD)! All you need is a plain, soft tee and a matching length of grosgrain ribbon: tie a set of bows, seal edges with a lighter to prevent fraying, and hand-stitch to the collar. This item could be cute for casual lolita, mori girl, or simply ordinary cute style with heart-patterned shorts or under a simple jumperskirt. It has the added bonus of adding some Jane-Marple cute to your wardrobe, despite Jane Marple beingnotoriously difficult to get your hands on.

In a fit of inspirational and fashionable obsession, here's a few more samplings of Jane Marple's work:

Vintage wrapped candies make an appearance on stick pins, perfect for lapels and berets.

Beautiful cobwebby teapot-and-teacup shaped lace.

Jane Marple has only just opened their official online shop early this June (2011), but don't forget that you'll need a shopping service if you'd like to order from outside of Japan. And so far it seems like the catalogue is quite limited - you may still prefer a personal shopper.

Labels: fashion, summer

Wednesday, March 23, 2011

Miniature Marie Antoinettes: The Complete Hime-Lolita Guide

After writing the much-loved guides Sweet, Sweet, Sweet!: Guide to Over the Top Sweet Lolita and Pastel Pop Darlings: The Complete Guide to Fairykei, a loyal reader requested I add a hime-lolita addition to the growing guide collection. Hime lolita is one of my favorite styles, so naturally I couldn't resist!

This guide will cover hime-lolita (princess lolita style, or lolita fashion that looks like clothing a fairytale princess might wear). Hime lolita is considered to be one of the more extravagant styles. There are no hard-and-fast rules for this subset of lolita, so feel free to experiment and be creative with any notion that says 'princess' to you. A sweeter lolita may be inspired for a fantasy, pink-haired version of hime lolita; a classic lolita might want a more opulent western historical royalty theme.

Some consider hime-lolita to be a blend of himegyaru (princess gal) style and sweet lolita style; others consider hime-lolita to take its inspirations from fairytale princesses or royal historical fashion trends, usually the Rococo period and Marie Antoinette. Fashion is entirely about how you interpret an idea, so there is no wrong or right variation. Anything that represents a princess ideal for you can be considered hime-lolita, so long as enough lolita influence is present.

Misako Aoki modeling a Rococo/fairytale inspired hime-lolita style, both by Baby the Stars Shine Bright. Note the heavy Marie Antoinette influence in the updos, the gold tiaras, and multi-strand pearl necklaces.

So when considering your coordinate, decide which inspiration you prefer. A Rococo styled dress is for a more historical or fairytale look; a dress with more himegyaru leanings obviously will feel more at home with himegyaru accessories.

Baby's Ribbon Cream OP and Baby's Pure Princess OP

Baby the Stars Shine Bright is, in my opinion, the queen of Rococo-worthy dresses and jewelry, especially with their new spring line boasting Versailles Rose series. They like the look of bell sleeves, square necklines, and stomacher-style detailing down the bodice; stack pearl bracelets and chokers, or items with hanging crystals are also on the list. Baby has also long made tiara combs, woven with images of roses, ribbons, and their royal B crest.

Shown above: two dresses inspired by the himegyaru style, made by Angelic Pretty, provide a perfect base for a hime-lolita outfit. As you can see, the prime focus on these dresses is feminine constructural details such as layers and layers of net lace and an overdose of bows, rather than a cute printed fabric.

Two street snaps of hime lolitas wearing Angelic Pretty. A delicate floral, layers of lace, and roses in her curls create a very innocent hime lolita style. The lolita on the left has chosen an ornate rose bonnet rather than a bow or tiara, making a gorgeous statement.

Angelic Pretty, on the other hand, creates clothing made for the more modern princess, often releasing dresses on par with the look of Jesus Diamante and other himegyaru styles. Large roses, dresses completely covered in net lace or delicate florals, with bows worked into the structure (say, ribbed down the otherwise open back of a jumperskirt) fit their idea of princesses.

Components of a Hime Lolita Coordinate

Baby's rendition of a sweeter hime lolita style. The lace-draped sleeves, pearls, satin elbow-length gloves, and full-sized crown give this coordinate a very hime feel.

For any lolita outfit, start with your basics: you need to have the bell-shaped silhouette; a dress without the capacity for one is simply himegyaru, a dress lacking a petticoat when it should have one is just sloppy if you're going for a full hime-lolita style (for casual days, see hime-kei below). The dress is your choice; mostly hime-lolita revolves around the very opulent onepiece or at least jumperskirt - the skirt and blouse combo says more innocent and childlike than princess. If you really do prefer a blouse however, choose something with a square of heart neckline, with bell sleeves. Chiffon is a very elegant material for a hime-lolita blouse.

For a more elegant, royal look, you could also consider adding a corset or a more mature style of blouse as shown above in the style on the right. On the left is an Angelic Pretty coordinate with a very princess-like dress styled with lace gloves and a beribboned rectangular headdress (both modeled by Kyoko Fukada).

You don't need a specific color for hime lolita: Misako Aoki, above, is wearing royal blue. While many hime lolita outfits end up being rose pink or Cinderella blue, I've also seen hime lolita in lilac, ruby red, wine, black, or white. So long as the dress is opulent enough, the color isn't as important.

After choosing your dress, add your hime accessories. Hime lolita is all about the following motifs: lace (usually net lace), roses, pearls, crystals/rhinestones, and florals. Satsify these motifs in any way you like - whether it's roses in the hair, or as earrings, or on shoes, or on purses; lace stockings, lace-patterned nails, or lace-covered bows.

There are a few accessories that are typically make the hime lolita roster. Usually considered a no-no to typical lolita, the elbow-length glove or longer can make an appearance (velvets for winter, lace for summer). Lacy arm-warmers are rarer, but go well with the himegyaru version of hime lolita, especially since they allow plenty of room for rings, bracelets and fanciful manicures on uncovered fingers.

Particularly frilly parasols (Battenburg lace is still out, sorry ladies), pearl jewelry, and mini tiaras or floral combs are also a must-have for hime lolita style. Any accessories that look very princess-like and sweet with a touch of class or bling usually work. Hime lolita also has a love of fans for the summer - paper or lace fans possibly decorated with pearls, roses or rhinestones (I'm hoping to deco a new fan for this summer!)

Purses from himegyaru/hime casual brand Liz Lisa would be very appropriate for a spring hime lolita style.

Scepters were once popular for hime lolita as well, but they have dropped off in popularity for little more than the occasional photoshoot. Glittery, children's toy type scepters could be used with a very sweet styled hime lolita outfit; fanciful, ornate an expensive gold scepters were sometimes sold by brands, but their cost usually deterred them from popularity among many lolitas.

Baby's Princess Drop Millefeuille wedges; Yumetenbo's rose open-toed pumps

Hime lolita often skips the knee-high socks in favor of opaque or lace tights, for a more elegant air. Shoes may either be high-heeled lolita shoes or rose-draped himegyaru heels or boots.

Hair, Makeup, and Nails

Himegyaru inspired hair and makeup in Angelic Pretty's Strawberry Ribbon print and matching canotier.

Hime lolita almost always involves curls, whether you choose to go with a more Rococo styled coordinate or a more himegyaru look. You can curl your own hair, or you can choose some kind of added piece. Prisila and Cyperous (ships overseas) both have a wide range of curled and bouffanted styles the make a great base for a hime lolita hairstyle. If you want a more fantasy-styled princess look with a sweeter twist, consider perhaps a very full curled pastel pink wig. Long blonde ringlets are often popular as well.

Large hair is just the thing for filling with roses, pearled bobby pins, or tiny tiaras. An ornate bow or simply very large and lacy matching lolita bow would also look nice. Or you could check out some himegyaru hairbands - they often make very large, elaborate bows or rose-themed hairpieces. This one is a heart filled with pink, white, or black roses as you like (ships overseas through Rakuten). In more historically inspired cases, wide-brimmed bonnets with much lace and rose adornment are also a very sweet option; adding a bow hairband or a tiny tiara to the base of a bonnet is popular.

Makeup can be your usual lolita makeup regimen, or you can add a more himegyaru aspect with extra eyelashes and liner. Pink cheeks or the newly popular 'lavender' blushes might be just the thing for adding some color to your face.

Hime lolita usually takes its cue from himegyaru in the manicure department and includes lavishly decorated false nails with roses, pearls or crystals. You can find beautiful hime nails from FullMoon Nails. If you prefer not to wear false nails, a simple pink or glitter polish would also be appropriate.

Other Inspirations

Ryohei of Megamasso in Baby the Stars Shine Bright

Hime lolita is not so much embracing a substyle (like you would classic or sweet or gothic lolita) so much as it is designing a themed coordinates, usually for an event or photoshoot. With this in mind, there are plenty of inspirations you can use for your hime lolita style. Fairytale princesses such as Sleeping Beauty, Rapunzel, or Cinderella could make interesting themes to follow in your coordinate; even something simpler as your idea of a fairytale princess or a rose garden theme would unify a coordinate well. As I said, there are no strict guidelines you need to follow for hime-lolita, so feel free to style it as uniquely as you wish.

I hope you enjoyed this guide! Have a wonderful time dressing up, princesses!

love & roses,

Labels: fashion, guide

Tuesday, March 8, 2011

Pastel Pop Darlings: The Fairy-Kei Guide

My past article about fairy-kei and lolita fusion, thereafter dubbed 'fairy lolita' or fairy-loli, has been generating a lot of interest and traffic after being posted to an online fashion community. Some commenters remarked that it was the only in-depth guide available to the style. Since that article was more of an overview, specifically meant for those with a lolita background, I thought I would write an additional article as a complete guide to fairy-kei, in the tradition of my complete guide to over-the-top sweet lolita style. Without further ado...

By the way, these photo collages are BIG so you can examine the smaller details of their outfits. Click for larger! Shown above: first two, Maga, SPANK! staff; Japanese street snap; Tabuchi (founder of SPANK!)

Fairy-kei (meaning fairy-style), also called SPANK! style or pop-kei, is one of the currently popular Japanese street fashion. The style is based around muted pastels, bright flourescents, and 80s revivalist cartoons and motifs such as My Little Pony, Care Bears, Rainbow Brite, vintage 80s Barbie, etc. The look is very much a 'fantasy style', emulating the worlds of 80s girls' cartoons and early shoujo manga. It began with Tabuchi, founder of the vintage and repurposed vintage boutique SPANK!, as her personal style, and then the look took off from there.

The Clothes & The 'Silhouette'; Texture & Color Palettes

Let's get down to the nitty-gritty of the fashion. For anyone joining me from the lolita world, you can probably relate to this experience when studying other fashion styles or street styles. It feels like a notebook-in-hand moment, with plenty of questions: what kind of fabric is prevalent? What fashion silhouette? How many layers? What's the color palette? Essentially, what are the 'rules'? Lolita fashion is very structured and despite its fantasy nature, can sometimes seem more like a math equation or getting your adjusted balance sheet to balance. If I put a headbow here and socks here, then do I get an equal of frills to style? (I gotta get out more and put down the accounting textbook...) But here's the kicker: aside from lolita fashion, most Japanese street styles are unstructured. It's a few people with a common idea or concept (in this case, fairy-kei is pretty much the brain baby of Tabuchi, founder of SPANK!) that ends up evolving into a look, and then a following. So this 'structuring', especially for airy-fairy fairy-kei, is pretty rough. This is just my observations and interpretations of it.

The silhouette is very similar to mori-girl and natural-kei in shape - an extended A-line with little defined waist, bust, etc. It's sort of a sack-like appearance, really, when it comes to fairy-kei dresses and one-pieces. Some flare can be added in the form of short colored petticoats (think Bodyline's small, cheapy ones - they won't double under your lolita skirts, they're really just for color) and its counterpart, pumpkin pants, which are like short, super puffy bloomers, usually in decorative fabrics. So for a dress, there are most likely layers on top (cardigans, sweaters, etc) or underneath (tees, cutsews a la lolita, etc); then there may be a few peeking hems of colored petticoats with pumpkin pants to keep your from flashing your panties. On the opposite end of the spectrum are very defined waists with 'tutu' dresses or petticoats that more resemble tutus in shape than anything else. That being said, even these defined waists are in no way revealing. Like other street styles, fairy-kei has a bit of a frump, a layering look that comes off as cute when paired with big eyes and whimsical hair and accessories. That slightly nerdy, overly energetic girl of the 80s? That would be fairy-kei, I think. If you aren't used to the style, rent a bunch of 80s movies and watch them. Karate Kid has his typical love interest, who's got a great blonde Cali-girl teeny bopper vibe going on (except at the end where she clearly discovers the 90s and becomes a soccer-mom-in-the-making, but ignore that).

Fabric is usually lightweight for dresses and skirts, such as the loose A-line dresses and the fluttery colored petticoats. Thick, fluffy sweaters, oversized 80s sweatshirts; this is also the land from whence comes the mokomoko accessories craze, and stuffed animals are sewn onto sweaters and scarves, or as the usual purse. Dress length can be ankle length, knee-length or mini-skirt length; anything fluttery and flowy works.

The most important aspects of fairy-kei are the vintage/fantasy world factor, and the color palette. Color is one of the most important features here, less so the structure or item. Pastels and neon-tinted pastels, or high-saturated pastels. Popular colors are mint/seafoam, lavender, super pale pink, electric blue, lime green, creamsicle orange, neon orange, and in smaller doses, 'white-with-black-dots'. Several motifs and themes are often found in fairy-kei as well: most notably the unicorn, followed by kittens, any vintage 80s toy or franchise, moons and stars, rainbows, and naturally sweets such as cotton candy and conversation hearts (the chalky American candy that say things like UR CUTE).

The DIY and Vintage Factor

Whereas many Japanese fashion styles are now 'couture' based (having established a variety of brand houses to cater to the style, i.e. Angelic Pretty, Baby the Stars Shine Bright, etc for lolita fashion), fairy-kei is very much based on DIY and vintage. While some clothes can be 'bought', most of these clothes are vintage or re-purposed vintage. SPANK! and its sister store, Ticket to Darling, sell 80% vintage clothing they think fits with the SPANK! and fairy-kei aesthetic; 20% of their items are re-purposed vintage or handmade. Many girls make their own clothes with finding vintage fabrics or clothing and sewing them into items that fit the style. This dress below is made from vintage lilac unicorn bedsheets:

I happen to have the same set & can't wait to turn it into a floaty onepiece! The thin fabric is also great for layering. Besides vintage bedsheets, vintage toys and other 80s paraphanalia is very popular. Vintage My Little Ponies (G1 for you collectors) make great necklaces and hairbands, or Care Bears pinned to jackets. Vintage 80s-style buttons, 80s cartoons stickers made into necklaces... Plastic pastel chain, a uique feature of the 80s, is often used for jewelry, along with plastic charms. I've seen felt brooches, clay conversation heart rings... Most accessories are DIY and based on the idea of pastel pop cute, with only a little historical basis. Don't forget simple I-made-it-cute items; I've seen denim shorts with fabric painted shooting stars, denim jackets with unicorns painted on the back and edged in lace... I'm sure bedazzling, popular in the 80s and 90s, could also be a hit here.

Shoes, Bags, and Other Accessories

As said, the primary concern in fairy-kei is the color palette, so finding necessary accessories is mostly about hunting up pastels. There are a few shoe types that are popular in fairy-kei style however. Hi-top sneakers in bright pastels are on many a fairy-kei girl's must have list, and give you feet a nice break from high heels. Reebok x MILKFED (shown above, right) collaborations sneakers are popular, but I think any pastel hi-top would work. Punk boots, such as my pastel pink Doc Marten knockoffs, and engineer boots in similar colors work well too. Some gyaru brands make pastel UGG-type shoes; usually Yumetenbou have several in the winter, and you can snap them up in powder blue, lilac, mint, and pink. Adding cute shoe clips, bows, or ribbons can amp them up as well.

{via kyandi.tumblr.com; these are photos from her personal wardrobe}

While it seems that fairy-kei girls favor more comfortable shoes than other fashions, they still have a soft spot for heels. Pastel heels, preferably super-shiny ones that look like life-size versions of Barbie shoes, make the cut. Again, there are plenty to be found on Yumetenbou, but their shoe sizes stop at 7.5 (I'm an 8... kill me now.) Look around at spring time in your local stores, or perhaps check out Irregular Choice. Fairy-kei also willingly borrows styles from sweet lolita, mostly Angelic Pretty, so tea parties, ruffly platforms, and heart-buckle shoes or boots also on the table. You can buy the real thing or the knockoff, depending you your tastes.

Purses and bags come from all over in fairy-kei. Shaped purses from Angelic Pretty (shooting stars, teddy bears, chocolate bars), animal purses (unicorns are common), or totes made with vintage material can all be seen. Vintage lunch boxes with character designs can also fit the bill, and fairy-kei girls are also more likely to have cutesy backpacks.

For other accessories, there are also tights and legwarmers. Tights in glittery styles, rainbow, transparent, cute patterns like kittens... And fluffy, droppy legwarmers. If you can't find any you like from fashion sites, you can find them on discount dance supply websites. The above legwarmers are from Yumetenbou (now sold out, but one can always hope they restock), which despite being a discount gal website, has plenty of items suitable for fairy-kei. Check the roomwear departments of the Girly and Princess sections; there's often mokomoko items or colorful hoodies, etc.

Hair

Fairy-kei is the Japanese subculture that is about the unnaturally colored hair. While some girls do like wigs, plenty of girls in this style actually dye their own hair. Due to social constraints in Japan, like getting a job, this is pretty hardcore. For fairy-kei you will see some really cool and colorful dye jobs. Pastels like pink, blue and lilac are obvious choices, but so are neon orange and teal. Tabuchi is well-known for her bright teal and sometimes lime hair. Highlights, tipped bangs, etc, are all very popular. Some girls get braided-in extensions to get that Rainbow Kid look. Kawaii Ambassador of Pop-kei/street style usually rocks super-tight curls with braided-in extensions. If you're looking for extensions, I'd recommend clip-ins over more permanent methods, so you can change them with your outfits or non-fairy-kei style. Still, natural colors like soft brown, chocolate, and blonde also look cute. Pigtails, poofy giant buns, bobs curved under, etc, are some of the most popular. Curls are done, but if your hair isn't curly no one will shoot you.

Makeup (And Nails)

To the best of my knowledge, I haven't seen any significant makeup trends for fairy-kei. Looking through example photos it seems to be just bright colors, some eyeliner and perhaps false eyelashes. Simply choose your favorite girly makeup up look and add some bright colors like super bright pink blush, or perhaps 'Marshmallow', lilac-pink blush from Candy Doll.

If you want a more casual style for your nails, any pastel tone will do. I'm currently wearing Essie's Nice is Nice lilac, with white polka dots I added with a small brush. Fairy-kei girls do like acrylic 3D nails however, usually commissioning unique styles from Japanese nail salons like Care Bears, air-brushed unicorns, or Little Twin Stars. If you can't find or comission 3D nail art, you can always keep them in a simple glittery style with the requisite color palette.

Where To Buy

There are some brands that sell fairy-kei and pop-kei style. Here's how to get your fairy-kei fashion fix:

Brands and Online Shopping

ManiaQ - lots of rainbow petticoats, vintage style tees and jackets/parkas. SHIPS OVERSEAS!

Spank! online store - does not ship overseas; you'll need a shopping service. New items posted every Sunday at 12 noon Japan time, hurry, things sell out quickly!

Electric Alice - Australia based webshop that sells items from 6% Doki Doki, Delilah, MILK, and other brands. Click here to view their fairy-kei section.

Refuse to Be Usual - Their 'Cute Me Up' section has plenty of fodder for fairy-kei lovers.

Swimmer - cute clothing, accessories and homewares. Needs shopping service.

KERA shop - sells many of the brands showcased in KERA magazine. Needs a shopping service, but sells Nile Perch, as well as Angelic Pretty, Baby, Dangerous Nude, and others.

Chocomint - plenty of fairy-kei worthy accessories!

Listen Flavor - punk and pop-kei clothes.

We Love Colors - a huge supply of pastel tights.

6% Doki Doki - super-saturated pop-kei and decora-kei style, and most likely the most expensive (nearing lolita brand prices). Needs shopping service.

Buy and sell fairy-kei clothing at the community 80s_cuties! I don't always see something I want, but if you lurk you might find just the thing. I got my ManiaQ hoodie from there!

You can also look into buying secondhand on mbok or Yahoo!Japan. I don't know very much about this area, but it is out there if you're already familiar with the process.

If you're looking for vintage items to collect or DIY with, you can't do much better than etsy. I've found a plethora of vintage My Little Ponies, Polly Pocket, Rose Petal Place dolls, Lady Lovely Locks Dolls, Lisa Frank stuff... all moderately priced. EBay can also be the place to find vintage sheets or other items, but etsy would be my first choice.

Inspiration Station

The best way to do fairy-kei is to observe all sorts of coordinates and media and then select what you like and make it your own. With this is mind I have included a lot of my favorite coordinates in photos in this article. Most of them were found on several pop-kei themed tumblrs. If there are any you recognize, please let me know and I will add credit; I don't claim these photos as my own in any way, they're simply a teaching guide. Below I've included a list of fairy-kei tumblrs. If you want to learn fairy-kei, one of the best things you can do is get a tumblr and start following these cuties.

Fairy-kei Tumblrs & Other Sources

kyandi - an adorable tumblr run by Kyandi, a great example of fairy-kei and fairy-lolita, plus tons of vintage inspiration like Sailor Moon, 80s Barbie and Creamy Mami.

fuckyeahtabuchi - love for the Spank! founder Tabuchi

spankgirls - for girls that dress in spank! style

fuckyeahpopkeifashion - pop-kei fashion

Tabuchi's lookbook.nu - see what the founder of SPANK! wears every day!

Fairy-kei Flickr Group

popkei community @ Livejournal

Other Articles About Fairy-kei

Miseducated.net - Fairy-kei and More 80s Revivalist Fashion

Marshmallow Stars - Fairy-kei Links
TokyoFashion.com - Fairy-kei & Japanese Decora Nails in Harajuku

Stick around for Part 2: The Complete Fairy-Lolita Guide! I wrote this for all the girls interested in fairy-kei. If you're a lolita at heart, like myself, you're probably more interested in fairy-lolita (lolita blended with fairy-kei). I think if you're going to blend two styles, you need to have a dependable basis in both - whether you're interested in decora, punk, fairy-kei, hime-kei, mori-girl, or any other street style. So study up and be prepared for Part 2: The Complete Fairy-Lolita Guide!

Labels: fashion, guide

Monday, February 28, 2011

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

Saturday, February 26, 2011

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.

I am just blown away by the outfits they're showing for spring. The princess aesthetic and sweet whimsy is just everything I think we dream about in a sweet lolita style. While they're still following the usual spring trends such as country-inspired and princess-style (usually popping out in the warm weather), they've completely revamped them. For example: As a show piece, they also included the most gorgeous princess Rococo fan I have ever seen, in all white with ruffles and a white satin bow. They most likely won't sell these, but I'm tempted to try and duplicate the idea.

If I had to pick a theme for this show and perhaps their spring line in general, it would most certainly be fairytales. It seems Baby was interested in reinterpreting several western fairytale classics, with adorable interpretations of Alice in Wonderland, Snow White, 'the twins' (a take-off on Tweedle Dee and Tweedle Dum), Aurora and Snow White. The style they are producing is definitely sweet lolita, but it seems that rather than compete with Angelic Pretty for the next it-print and over-the-top style, they've decided to do their own over-the-top - princess opulence previously only seen in Triple Fortune bonnets and some high-end Gothic brands. These outfits may have been souped up for the runway compared to what you'll find on shelves, but the overall feel is clear: a natural, elegant, and dainty fairytale approach. They seem to have re-evolved Baby into a fresh look at sweet lolita for girls who want complete beauty and fairytales, rather than super sugar and slightly tacky.

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

Thursday, February 3, 2011

5 Lolita Styles That Need To Make a Comeback!

With the recent talk of 'old school', I must admit that I went through the most ancient photos and street snaps looking to see where the inspiration lay. While some outfits made me glad those days were gone, there were a few styles I did look back on with fondness and wishing... Some styles are no longer made and probably lost to the sands of time, or the backs of closets... But these five styles could still make an appearance! These are my top five favorites!

One of the first photos I saw of a lolita, a real lolita, who I later actually met (!), was a girl with pink hair, in a pink Angelic Pretty dress, wearing rocking horse shoes. I was absolutely enchanted. The rocking horse shoe was once a staple of lolita style, similar to the rectangular headdress (and yes, don't worry, it makes this list too!). The platform shoe is ideal as it makes the rest of the lolita look tiny and delicate in comparison. The rocking horse has the added benefit of the 'chip' taken out the back, which gives the unearthly appearance of walking on air. Their simple style compliments any outfit, and ballerina ties, as notoriously hard as they are to keep up (I remember a friend using sock glue to keep hers on!), look adorably delicate.

(Warning: more Kamikaze Girls fangirling ahead.) Momoko (novel) was describing her outfit as a typical family stops her in her favorite castle-themed restaurant, mistaking her as waitress. She says describes her outfit as being black with white lace and frilly headdress (rectangular) and an apron, for the 'cute image of a maid in a European castle.' I died. Usually I think of princesses for lolita, and maids as something sexy, but the idea of a cute little lolita maid in a castle, eventually finding her prince perhaps? (Just like the Innocent World ad above!) Baby used to sell plenty of aprons back in the day, a staple of their site - in colors like pink and blue, with heart- or bunny-shaped bodices. Today's fashion will still use aprons a little, mostly brands like Baby or Innocent World, but only as part of specific outfits or coordinates. I would love to see them brought back as interesting staples in solids, meant to be paired with many items - I think they would suit those who love lolita as well as natural-kei or mori-girl.

After the full apron of course you had to see this coming - the rectangular or traditional headdress. One of the first hair accessories and an item unique to lolita, this also got pushed to the side and out of popularity due to, well, its popularity - it was so iconic that it was being portrayed in animes and mangas, leading to more cosplay interpretations. They're also considered 'easy to make', but as a beginner who has tried to make headdresses and seen many other try as well they often look like disasters. A real headdress, usually brand, is made of beautiful fabric as high-quality as the dress, with petersham ribbon and quantities of elegant lace and snowy ribbon. Baby and Angelic Pretty release them from time to time, and Innocent World is fond of the headdress-with-headband version, which doesn't require you to pin on the headdress. I'm currently on the hunt for a Baby or Angelic Pretty rectangular headdress myself!

Monochrome prints were some of the first lolita border prints to hit the scene - images that were screen-printed in usually only one or two colors. Pastel a La Mode, shown above, is an example of a monochrome print from Angelic Pretty (shown here on Maki). Today's print craze has lent itself to entire rainbows, making coordinating easy - nearly every pastel can be found in, say, Milky Planet. Monochrome prints can show a cute image like artwork without overwhelming the person wearing it, or the overall design of the dress.

Shiro lolita: once a staple of the lolita scene, has faded from view. Shiro lolita, meaning white, is a lolita coordinate done entirely in white - from lace-adorned canotier right down to the tips of her shoes. I'm not sure why this style disappeared - its counterpart, kuro lolita, for lolita done entirely in black, still seems to have followers in the gothic substyle. This style could look gothic, sweet, or classic depending on the brands and items used, making it a great look for lovers of any substyle. The pale, ethereal look always makes me think of a picture book I had growing up - The Little Water-Babies. In it, a chimney sweep falls down a chimney pot and finds a beautiful little girl asleep in her big white bed, dressed all in white lace, with her little white dog. Such a romantic, angelic image!

I also found this adorable shiro lolita makeup tutorial on Youtube by FilleDePorcelaine! She really does look like a porcelain girl!

and I couldn't resist one last photo...

What styles would you like to see popular again in lolita? Do you have a favorite that you keep with you even as it fades from popularity?

xoxo,