Lolita Charm

Saturday, April 16, 2011

Spring at Petit Trianon

In lolita fashion, plenty of historical and whimsical themes float to the surface, inspiring us to new concepts and ideas. My current favorite theme is what I've dubbed 'Spring at Petit Trianon', a country-lolita-meets-mori-girl fantasy inspired by white dresses, natural trailing curls, and unsurprisingly for those who've seen Angelic Pretty's newest print, sheep. My current thoughts look something like this...

{Aristocratic Maiden (check out her awesome blog if you're not already a fan!; Tess D'ubervilles screenshot; Marie Antoinette screenshot}

I admit I have a thing for sheep. Where I live, there is a small patch of scrubby earth, muddy and pebbled, with a mossy little brook, and in the spring, oodles of lambs are born there. There are small and scruffy and sometimes, just because it's forbidden, poke their heads through the wire fence to eat weeds on the other side. These sheep, belonging to a local man, do not have their tails docked, and therefore have long curly tails that look just a little ridiculous. I'm also a pretty country girl, and have spent many a time at our county fair in the petting zoo with the little things.

Whenever I think up a theme, I try to have a little 'checklist' to make the look work. For Spring at Petit Trianon, try some of these fashion ideas...

a bold, historically themed bonnet or arching straw hat, lavishly decorated with lace
or like the photo above, embroider a pretty kerchief to handle long hair
long white lace gloves - to protect your arms from the sun!
sleeping on pin-curls for bunchy, sheepy curls, or for long, loose waves without heat damage
ruffly, over-the-top parasols covered in layers of frills
straw baskets DIYed with lace and trailing ribbons
anything from Seraphim
adding a silk scarf as a sash to a pure white dress
white roses and daisies as hair corsages
white-on-white embroidery, especially on soft white bloomers

What's your theme for spring? Do you like to choose something seasonal, or something new every year? I can't wait for summer next - nauticals, sailor dresses, and mermaids, my favorite!

xoxo,

Labels: spring

Wednesday, April 6, 2011

April Style Tips

(clockwise from top left: cherry blossoms, Misako Aoki and Midori modeling for BABY; Angelic Pretty's new spring hat; a spring coordinate from BABY San Francisco; and decorated eyelashes you can buy here!)

Plan a spring picnic with friends, perhaps somewhere in the flowering woods or under spring blossoms. Don't forget the strawberry lemonade!

Add spring flavor to one of your older bags by changing a keychain or cellphone charm on it from time to time. I routinely cycle a few cute keychains on my white heart quilted bag, it really adds an extra touch of interest to an outfit. Plus I finally have something to do with the cute trinkets I collect!

Tired of boring eyelashes? Add a cute sequin or very tiny cabochon to falsies before applying. A little eyelash glue could secure anything from miniature deco pearls, nail decals or puffy dessert-shaped stickers!

Cardigans are your friend for hot-and-cold spring weather. Make sure you have at least one simple, goes-with-anything cardigan to layer over short sleeved blouses, sleeveless shells, or even blouseless jumperskirts, in case the weather takes a shift. A solid or something with a cute applique is just the thing.

Is your full-length mirror looking a little drab in the bright morning light? Give it a good washing, and then edge it with faux roses or gerbera daisies for a bright floral touch. This will hide rough edges and give it new life, especially in the obligatory mirror shot!

Want easy spring waves fast? I'm in love with these natural-looking pre-curled extensions from Pinkage. A pretty bonnet or cluster of roses is just the thing for loose, polished hair. Don't worry about matching your color exactly - if they're a little darker or lighter, consider them highlights or low lights!

Decorate a spring hat or be on the look out for your favorite brand's hat releases. Not only are they perfect for the season, they'll product your face from the sun!

Update: Thank you for everyone who has inquired about my health! I have a long road ahead of me, but I am happily being discharged from the hospital today after a week (I miss my puffy puppy!). Please look forward to more updates and articles on Lolita Charm, and thank you again for your support and patience!

Labels: spring, style tips

Tuesday, March 1, 2011

March Style Tips

Make yourself a playlist of music to wake up to in the morning. I recently found a Hello Kitty iPod dock for wicked cheap, and now every morning means turning on some cute music and dancing around as I get dressed! It puts me in a great mood to start the day.
Sick of tromping around in winter boots? All of my shoes disappeared over the winter due to this year's terrible snowstorms, so March is the time to buy new shoes! New heels, Victorian short boots, or summery sandals? If you order from overseas now, they'll be here by the time the snow melts!
Find yourself a simple spring jacket or coat. I have a few choice favorites from Yumetenbo - both for a cute everyday style and for casual lolita coordinates! Check out this scallop-edged spring coat, for only $60 USD (check out the rest of their Mary Rose line for classic, morigirl or otome style)!
A cute mug is just the thing to perk up your cup of tea. Stop drinking out of 'World's #1 Dad' and finally have a very berry breakfast! Cath Kidston is selling these at American Barnes & Nobles lately.
Spring is the time to break out your smoothie maker! Frozen fruit might be more applicable early on, but as the weather warms you'll see fresh fruit more often. Eating more fruit instead of heavier winter starches will prep you for the coming weather.
Even if it's cold, sit out in the sunlight for even a few minutes, perhaps on your lunch break. It really does refresh you! Make sure you've got some SPF-added makeup though!
Pick out a new book to read for sitting in the early spring sun! I just finished The Elegance of the Hedgehog, a French novel (translated to English if you need it.) It takes place in Paris, but has a healthy dose of Japanese and other philosophies to occupy the characters. Not only is it an excellent read, it will expand your vocabulary! My favorite word from the book was 'autodidactic'. Lolitas are certainly autodidactic!
I feel like March is one of the perfect months for mori-girl - soft browns, flowing aprons, and lacy edges, still textured and warm but light. Wonder Rocket has some beautiful things in for spring. Add a little mori-girl or natural-kei to your typical lolita style with a vintage lace doily corsage or a brass antique locket.

Since I mention them, you might enjoy reading a translation of Takemoto's 'As For Young Ladies' Early Spring Coats'. I am not sure exactly what to make of it, but I like it all the same.

Labels: spring, style tips

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, December 16, 2010

Dreaming of Spring (...already!)

December always sneaks up on me. School, holidays and endless 'did-I-finish-my-homework' weekends sweep past and before I know it, I'm making appointments with the date 2011 on the ends of them. I just made an appointment today for June 2011! How is that possible?!

It seems like only a few days ago when I dreamed up my winter lolita style (you can read my winter style daydreams & brainstorm here!), and while I'm still waiting for real snowfall (a dusting is all so far, but enough to encourage the nearby skiing mountains to make more) the fashion world is already plotting spring style. Whether this makes us crazed at keeping up, or hopeful for the eventual blossoms that will pop, spring & its style is on its way!

'Milky Way' Onepiece from Pinkly Ever After

Every springtime needs a rainbow. Stop thinking one color is all a girl could need - and get them all. For days that feel lavender, or yellow, or mint, or even black - have one perfect dress in every color. The checklist: pink, yellow, mint aqua, blue, red - hunt up lilac, deep purple, white, retro black and white. Give up on neutrals and banish white basics in favor of pink, lilac, soda blue or black for pop appeal. Collect shoes to match and ditch the pointy, tippy heels: revive the original lolita platforms for comfort, height, and over-sized dolly feet. Keep a wardrobe of wigs behind curtains of dot-tulle, in every color and length. Salopettes and shifts are in for carefree days, with nonexistant waists and flirty lengths that are dying to be layered with glittery tights or pumpkin pants. Wear them with as many Sanrio products as you can find, especially My Melody, Little Twin Stars, or even San-x's Korilakkuma -

Fabric lineup: soft embroidered cottons, breezy t-shirts with inspiring screenprints, super-soft vintage lace, and silk hairbows. Your new allegiances: Taobao & Electric Alice, with a religious fanaticism to Spank!. Favorite themes: anything made with ice cream colors, stars, kittens and rainbows

Make your wardrobe look like the inside of your pixelated .gif collection. Anything labeled 'marshmallow' or 'mokomoko' (fluffy) is a must. Snow-dot, pinstripe or tiny florals look delicate next to chunky accessories or big polka dots. Simple curls, pigtails and using all your real hair is a big do - but so is adding an array of mint, sky-blue or lavender extensions for daily wear. Wear MILK, especially in bubble skirts. Make your own fairykei pins with unicorn and vintage My Little Pony print-outs on fabric, made into tiny stuffies and edged with ruffles or lace.

Make every outfit - every item - seems like a piece from fairyland. Don't compromise on anything that seems dull or boring. Order your entire life from Chocomint, and keep hoards of it in a carousel-shaped jewelry box. Follow the lead of real dolls and twin with your Byul. Prints are cute, but design-only dresses reign in their elegant cuteness. Never pay full price for anything that doesn't directly touch your skin, and wear your most expensive purchases till they fall apart. Pencil hours into your schedule for just playing with your wardrobe. Your only wardrobe rule is to wear whatever is cute and comfortable. Collect replica prints right alongside your real-things. Lace gloves make their appearance again, paired with simple-and-sweet faux nails in pretty pastel reincarnations of the French manicure. Wear Ticket to Darling with Wonder Rocket. Layer your skirts with vintage petticoats in periwinkle and powder blue. Get a hotfix rhinestone wand and add them anywhere the light might hit. The first reaches of spring sunlight should make you glow.

Do you have fashion visions for what you'll wear in Spring 2011? Current style crushes or ideas you've always wanted to try in warmer weather? What item would you love to welcome in spring with?

Labels: fashion, inspirational, spring

Monday, January 18, 2010

Spring Cleaning

It's the end of another fashion season. Even though where I live, Connecticut, still has plenty of snow on the ground, the fashion industry is already thinking spring lines. Every store you go into is having their semi-annual season switchover sale, and despite the cold and smell of anti-freeze, somebody is thinking florals. Or corals. Maybe both. Amazingly, as it always feels in New England, we may have survived another winter. I think it's a hold-over from our colonial days and mooching off Squanto. God, spring?! Are you serious, dude?

So now there's the huge question. If your stores are having their semi-annual sale, what are you supposed to do with a wardrobe packed to the gills with velvets, heavy sweaters, and plaids you thought would match well with autumn leaves? Or, if you're in the southern hemisphere, the time of strawberries and sun will be drawing to a close, and it's time to hunt out winter coats. It's time for the big turnover.

If you've never done a 'wardrobe cleaning' sale before, never fear! Here's an easy step-by-step guide so that when the seasons creep up, you'll be prepared.

Step One: Go through your entire closet.

Sort it into three piles:

I love it! Pile: These are pieces you would never sell. You couldn't image not having these pieces to fall back on, or they still feel beautiful to you, or maybe you've got a sentimental attachment to them.

I love it! - but it's the wrong season Pile: The same as above, but out of season. If you're going into spring, it's time to put away your furry bolero. If you're in the southern hemisphere and going into winter, your strappy platform sandals need to be packed away.

I don't wear this/It doesn't work for me (fit, flatter, match anything) Pile: The dresses you avoid or have forgotten about, the shoes that make your ankles look fat, or the skirt you always keep hoping will fit. If you can't put it on and summon an outfit around it, then it's not helping you and needs to go - however painful that might be, if you really like the piece.

Step Two: Take your entire 'Not Working Pile' and do a status check. Is everything in good condition, minimally damaged, or beyond sellable quality? I have some dresses that look brand new and a pair of shoes I've worn so long the entire lining has come out. It's pretty obvious which things are sellable and which aren't. Once you've decided what can be sold, break it down by brand and by category. Then assign everything a fair price. Items that are more worn or slightly damaged can be sold if marked down and damage is well documented. It helps if while doing this you are keeping some sort of list or notebook. I still use my Hello Kitty diary for any scheming or list making or even book-keeping that occurs in my lolita ideas. Tally down your total worth if everything sells, and then use that as ground basis for your new budget (but don't count your chickens before they hatch - not everything may sell, or right away).

Step Three: Take inventory. Now that you've decided who's staying, what are you missing or light on? Did you just get rid of all of your old jumperskirts, are are you down to one blouse? Count up how many you have of each big item. I broke mine down into tops, cardigans/light outerwear, jumperskirts, onepieces, and skirts. Usually you can see where the hole is. For me, I realized I'd half as many jumperskirts as anything else, and only two tops.

Step Four: Get creative. Decide where you want your spring style to go or what you want your spring season to be about. Flip through magazines, watch costume-loaded movies, or go through your Inspiration folder (you do have a folder of lolita images you love saved to your computer, right?!) Then make some notes on your piece of paper, or make a collage of photos in a photo editing program, with Polyvore, or just with paper and glue. In a transitional season like spring into summer, it also helps to organize your style by month. Every month, I consider what I'd most like to wear, so I know which items will go through the whole season and what is more of a passing fancy. After all, the style I have in mind for February can be very different than my ideas about June or July.

Step Five: Look at your list of what you need and then decide how this fits in with your season's 'personal trends'. For example, perhaps you've decided to go with a berry theme this season. If you're low on cardigans, then you should look for one that incorporates that berry theme - like a sweater with crocheted strawberries on the sleeves.

Step Six: Sell the items you are culling from your wardrobe. If your sale isn't successful right away, buy from your list only the items that are more important first, or just one at a time. A word about large wardrobe sales: you might want to split your sale into two separate lots, to make it easier to manage. Rather than going to your local post with eight packages, you can pace yourself by four one week and four the next. This will also make it easier to keep track of payments and comments.

All set? That's it! Now enjoy your new, fresh wardrobe!

Got advice on how you turn over a wardrobe? Leave a comment!

Labels: shopping, spring

Tuesday, May 12, 2009

She's a Country Girl

Being as I am from the farmland and fields of Connecticut (also known as: the boondocks) there is a special area in my heart for country lolita. Whenever the weather warms up and the brands start releasing strawberries and roses, I break out the country.

It's a fairly overlooked and old-school style - it was a lot more prevalent in the magazines about four or five years ago. Today it is very rarely seen, which is a pity, as it is such a beautiful style. From time to time the Bible will show a few mini straw hats, but mostly it is absorbed into the realm of Sweet Lolita style. I think it also works well with classic lolita. With summer on the brink, you might be interested in giving it a try! The best part is that country generally doesn't require you to buy new clothes - mostly accessories.

How to Pull It Off

Basket Purse or Picnic Basket: This is one of the most important pieces. A pretty picnic basket bought from a craft store or a basket you have modified with bows, ribbons, and lace is perfect. The brands generally come out with at least a few basket purses in the early summer. Last summer there was a rash of home-made ones that looked very fabulous. As for me, I've bought both of mine from Mother Garden, a Japanese store specializing in childrens' toys, homewares, and covering everything with strawberries. The one I just bought at the Palisades Mall (New York state) for only $13.50!

Full-size or Mini Straw Hat: I really am a big fan of lolita hats! I've altered my own department store hat and have another mini-hat in the works! You can usually find mini-hats in various sizes at your local craft store in the doll or bear department. You can decorate them with plastic fruit, felt strawberries or flowers, and of course ribbon and lace. Any of your favorite flowers can be country, but I find that daisies and roses and my favorite!

Other accessories: Floral corsages pinned to handbags or blouse throats; flower or fruit printed socks; antique-looking lockets for classic and large novelty strawberry jewelry for sweet. Ruffly or Victorian-style parasols add that out-in-the-sun look.

Hair: Hair can range through a variety of sweet styles, but a few specifically come to mind. Loose, almost frizzy curls; straight and braided; looped braids; curled pigtails; or simply worn long and natural.

Makeup: Makeup should concentrate on looking even more fresh and underdone than usual. This does not mean skipping makeup entirely; it means improving on nature in a very natural way. A soft powder and concealer, possibly with a few very light highlights of bronzer; softly stained lips or nude lips, both with or without a gloss. Generally eyeshadows should be kept light - I like a nice French vanilla color, but a sunshiney butter or pale pink are also great options. Add your usual color of mascara. I prefer to go one shade darker than my natural color as it makes the eyes look wider. Don't forget to curl your lashes for a wide-awake, open look. Some more daring colors to work with in your palette can be coral, a soft spring green, or even a very light touch of cherry.

The Dress: Popular styles for country generally include fruit and floral prints, and sometimes sweets (like Angelic Pretty's Sweet Jam line or Baby's previous line printed with tiny pies and jam jars). The dress can be either classical or sweet style. Gingham, polka dots, or cute animals like forest creatures or kittens can also work. As you've seen already, it is not really the dress that makes an outfit country style. You really can't just sling on any dress and call it country, even if it is gingham, say, or slathered with cherries. The look is comprised of many factors put together.

I think the trick to getting country right is to put together an 'image' that you feel fits the outfit. I like a sort of provincial France or cottage English look, but a Strawberry Shortcake atmosphere is also adorable. I really hope to see more country style around!

Links

My go at country style!
The Lolita Handbook's Guide to Country

Brands for Country Style

Innocent World
BABY the Stars Shine Bright
Angelic Pretty
Victorian Maiden
Mary Magdalene
VM Beth

Labels: guide, spring, summer

Thursday, February 26, 2009

The Imaginary Girls of Spring

Inspired by Miss Lumpy's imaginary girls and my own runaway daydreams today, here are a few darlings I'd like you to meet! {Remember to click to enlarge & for item details!}

Lilac Unicorns at Sugary Carnival - by VictoriaSuza on Polyvore.com

Carabelle had always been too scared to ride the merry-go-round as a child. It goes around and around and you never get off, she had told her father once. But this spring, when a traveling carnival came to town from some faraway Eastern European country, she was just too attracted to the beautiful lilac pony on the top floor. She gave her marshmallow rope to her father and rode for the first time - and she never wanted to get off.

Love Story - by VictoriaSuza on Polyvore.com

Benette never wanted to fall in love. She had seen all of her friends get boyfriends, get crazy, and get their hearts broken. Not something she wanted to emulate, she thought, as she drifted in and out of sleep under the willow trees some hot South Carolinan day. But still, she couldn't quit listening to this song on repeat...

The Unicorn Project - by VictoriaSuza on Polyvore.com

Juliana was walking home from her job at an accounting firm late one day, and decided to take a twilight shortcut through Central Park. She was thinking only of numbers and spreadsheets when she thought she saw a flash of something white and glittering. When she looked up, all she saw was a policewoman on a white horse - but ever after at dusk, she would bring a bottle of her favorite fruity alcohol and go looking for unicorns in the parks of New York City.

Alice in Strawberryland - by VictoriaSuza on Polyvore.com

Susan had always thought, through a small mishap at a berry stand in her youth - that she was allergic to strawberries. Her mother promised that they made her break out into hives. Imagine her surprise when one day she was routinely tested for allergies and it came back negative. After the appointment, she stopped at a retro soda fountain and indulged her long-lost desire, making sure to get the strawberry syrup all over her lips, and then lusciously licking it off.

Labels: polyvore, spring

Wednesday, February 25, 2009

Will You, Won't You, Join the Dance?

Lilac Feeries at the Dance - by VictoriaSuza on Polyvore.com

Lately, I've been hoping to go to the Dances of Vice Sacre du Printemps - the Spring Equinox celebratory ball in New York City (where a dear friend of mine, Miss Lumpy, will be modeling!). Life may interfere, but it doesn't stop a girl from dreaming... This is the coordinate I came up with, using my BABY the Stars Shine Bright Lilac Rococo Onepiece!

The theme for the ball are two of my favorites: spring, naturally, which prompted my blue lilac style - and 'It is impossible to be overdressed!' My kind of people! It's sure to be quite a sight to see - plenty of beautiful costumes and interesting guests! Wish me luck - and if you're near NYC, consider coming!

[click the image to see full size & credits!]

Also - if you're my friend on Facebook, you can now enjoy automatic updates from LC directly to your Facebook account! Each new post will post on my Wall as a Note!

Labels: inspirational, polyvore, spring

Thursday, February 12, 2009

Now Presenting: A Brief Overview of the Spring 09 Lines

Admit it. You want one, even as they fade in resolution.

I've decided to cut some of the epic running around LC lately and just babble on about the new lines and coming trends for spring. Mostly I was tipped off by BABY's littlest cutie, the Mini-mini Bunnybear bag!

I think the marketing slogan for BABY and the bunnybear bag would be: A BUNNYBEAR IN EVERY HOME, with a sweet, belipsticked Lolita holding up her bear like a 50s housewife with a post-war vacuum. Or what they have actually named the file at BtssB headquarters: How to Get Every Lolita to Buy One - Make it cheaper and smaller! Well, the 20,000 yen version sold like crazy, but then even more so for the 9,000 yen version, and now we top out with the 3,000 yen version! ~~Because secretly we've implanted them all with microchips to track your every move and form a secret army!~~ Or buy all three and take adorable poses like the one shown above! Yes all of these exclamation points are necessary!

Well, you know that I just gotta have one. Even if I just keep it on my bed. Because it can only hold your cellphone, sans charms, I'm sure.

BABY has also issued another print - a sign that they are trying to stay afloat in a more and more predominately AP-print-world. It's a 'remake' of their old print Snow White which was so beloved form yesteryear. This boast new artwork but a similar feel and style, and of course baby (BABY?) deer and cute wildlife. I'm already humming 'Some Day My Prince Will Come'. The minty green is especially adorable a color - one they seem to have latched onto, if their Alice in Hedges print is an indication.

Of course I'm sure you also want to hear about the new Angelic Pretty lines, so I'll just jump into that. The three kicking around so far are: Sugary Carnival, the bunny/cherry print (name unknown?) and the Cake Appliqué on Gingham (not official name). I'm fond of all of these - bad news for my wallet - but it's been a bumpy road. Sugary Carnival sold out entirely in the few hours the East Coast was asleep, and now the mad scramble for the aftermarket has begun. It's part of my new obsession, unfortunately - unicorn, pony, and carousel pony prints.

Surprisingly, both yellow and lilac made their way into Angelic Pretty's summer line-up. Sugary Carnival comes in a pleasing lilac and the rumors suggest that lilac tea party shoes will be available for the first time. Yellow is also one of the prime colors in the bunnies/cherries line.

I'm a fan of both these colors - I own the lilac Roses and Angels Onepiece from BABY and the yellow Bloom Onepiece from Angelic Pretty. I love pink, but it's exciting to see something a little out of the ordinary when it comes to the typical Lolita colors. Lilac reminds me of lavender ice cream, which is creamy and a little spicy - and yellow reminds me of lemonade and lemon meringue pie!

Metamorphose has also broke their fail-streak (heart-shaped leopard spots, anyone?) by releasing a new line with roses and fairy-tale crowns. They've gone the opposite route by dropping spring colors in favor of blue/black and pink/black, or cream/pink. Even the pink isn't very sugary - it's definitely more of a defined, rose tone. You can read more about Metamorphose's new line at Doll Part, one of my fellow Lolita bloggers.

My personal fads for spring?

Long, decorative bloomers made to show under slightly-shorter skirts. This will graduate into summer days as completely scandalous bloomers-only - but only if no men will be present ;)
Easter bonnets kicked up a notch - both wide-brim hats and straw bonnets a la Jane Austen. Triple Fortune carries some of the most expensive, but I'd look around craft stores to see if there is anything worth altering.
Lace gloves! Angelic Pretty and Metamorphose have been releasing them and I am in love. I think they're so elegant at picnics and teas, but even more cute dangling from your hand as you try to climb trees with your fellow Lolitas in a fit of boyish tomfoolery.
Open-toed shoes of any kind - Lolita or himegyaru. I've even seen the models in the Bible wear them - with socks, believe it or not! I'm not sure about that - knowing me I'd rip a hole in the toe.
Instead of socks, as the days heat up, try wearing your sock-stoppers as a kind of lacey anklet. The fun of socks without the cloying fabric! I'll have to try it and bring back a report of my experiment.
Citrus-colored nails with faux fruit on them! Try Strapya for the cutest in tiny deco sweets, and then add them to your nails or falsies just the way you would rhinestones. I just set mine into the wet polish and then go over them with a coat or so of Sally Hansen's Diamond Finish.

Spring is coming, I promise! Enjoy!