May Style Tips

• Make your own 'live stream' of inspiration - tack photos you love into a cluster on your wall, strung along a line of fairy lights, or even on a simple ribbon board. Some ideas: photos of your favorite flowers, free paint chips from your nearest big-box hardware store, or just the contents of your Tumblr!
• Dress up any ordinary manicure paint job with white or black polka dots - just add them with a tiny brush or even a tooth-pick! Polka dots add a touch of class to any outfit.
• Add cute country kitsch to any outfit with a half-apron or pinafore. Vintage patterns would be great for making your own, or choose one from your favorite lolita brand. 
• Choose a 'patron color' for the month and add little touches of it to your daily life. Right now my patron color is definitely violet and lavender; I've even painted my nails lavender, started using lavender body wash, and worn lavender shimmer on my eyes lately!
• Take advantage of the upcoming fresh fruit for breakfast! Fresh fruit, yogurt, and granola or honey is a wonderful breakfast on a spring morning. Peach is one of my favorites that will be available soon!
• Less is more - invest in at least one 'summer dress' that's light and breezy and can be worn anywhere - on a date, to the beach, or the farmer's market! I love simple sailor onepieces especially for this time of year - or be more daring and wear your favorite jumperskirt without a blouse for a more casual look.
• A must-have to go with the aforementioned - a go-to cardigan for when the sun sets! Big, squashy cardigans in pastels are wonderful for girls who want sweet pop, whereas a soft white crocheted shawl or cape would look fairytale-like over classic, romantic lolitas and summery mori-girls. 

Labels: style tips

posted by Victoria Suzanne @ 8:44 AM 0 Comments

April Style Tips

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!

Labels: spring, style tips

posted by Victoria Suzanne @ 12:05 PM 0 Comments

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

posted by Victoria Suzanne @ 8:24 AM 1 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

January Style Tips 2011!

Monthly Style Tips, ever popular, is actually a feature running into 2011 - begun back in 2009! I can't wait to celebrate Lolita Charm's 3rd birthday this year in August as well! Oh God I feel the years upon me!  So this year I am trying something new - instead of an ordinary image (meant to be seasonable and touching, etc) I decided to make a small collage of the fashion, feel or motif for each month's style tips. This collage is composed of shop images from the Etsy boutique Which Goose, Spank!, and vintage clothing. I think it really characterizes the soft, fresh feeling I have for January this year

• Drink white tea this month! January is about fresh starts and nothing can be so light, energizing or cleansing as white tea. My favorite is a perrenial jasmine or this Strawberry Misaki blooming tea, which you can get at your local Teavana. After being seeped in hot water you'll find a beautiful tiger lily in your teapot or cup!
• Eat fresh fruit - I had new strawberries for the first time in ages a few weeks ago and was astounded! They were even USA-grown from Florida, I was so surprised! Tiny and sweet. You can often find cherries on sale this time of year as well.
• Take photos in the snow before it's gone! I still haven't done this, but I keep hoping it will snow when I am visiting my boyfriend, so we can take photos at the abandoned train station in his town. Snowy photos, whether braving it in just a dress, or showing off your winter coat, have a beautiful fantasy quality that captures your 2010/2011 winter.
• Halfway through your winter, take your coat to be cleaned! They smudge up against cars, get mud-flecked, snowy, or in my case, ashy from Christmas fireworks! Getting your coat cleaned around this time of year is must to keep you looking fresh and well-turned out until spring. 
• Roses add a wonderful melancholy for this time of year. Choose white or dark roses for a whimsical hairpiece - and make a beautiful coronet with this rose hairband tutorial! Or if you're all-thumbs, you can purchase delicate floral haircombs and crowns from Which Goose.
• Reorganize your computer experience - file away that mound of miscellaneous photos, put all your blog reader into a feed like Google Reader, and turn your bookmarks from a huge mess into categories (am I lecturing to myself here or what?!) 
• Spruce up your usual blouses with unique add-on collars or tippets. Knitters or crocheters can find patterns for lace collars, or simply use this vintage Butterick pattern for huge lacey bows, or delicate Peter Pan collars with broach centers.
  
• Want smooth, glowing skin? I'm in love with Tarina Tarantino's Pearl Glow Primer. Besides having an adorable bottle, its light, sheer makeup glides on smooth and gives you a skin a faint candle light, similar to the effect of wearing pearls. I'm also wearing it as the pink-haired Marie Antoinette at the Toyland Ball, for that spun-sugar complexion.

Labels: style tips, winter

posted by Victoria Suzanne @ 12:11 AM 0 Comments

December Style Tips

• Create your own lolita-inspired gingerbread house. Cute cookies, edible glitter, and marshmallow rope would all be great assets to a tiny sugary house! Bonus: take photos on a blank background and then photoshop yourself into your little wonderland!
• Lolita fashion can also make for a very sweet winter holiday tree - use your hairbows and ribbons to decorate it, or perhaps hang it with shimmery brand tags? My Christmas tree is always pink with teacups and unicorns :)
• Buy yourself a new cute planner for next year! Kinokuniya (a Japanese bookstore prevalent in America) has a wide variety of datebooks available right now for 2011 - everything from strawberries to Rilakkuma! I found myself one full of toy dogs eating cake! (I know, that sounds weird, but there is a little white French bulldog licking a cake... sleeping vanilla-colored dachshunds... oh, you get the picture!)
• Go anywhere heavily decorated for the season (a pretty downtown, a Christmas village, or mall) and take photographs against the twinkling lights. If you're in Connecticut, you can see the Silver Lights display in Meriden's Hubbard Park - over 300 lighted figures such as swans, castles and reindeer.
• Dark weather getting you down? Snuggle into the sofa with some of your favorite films. My favorite picks: Princess Tutu collection, The Nutcracker, or The Snow Queen.
• By December I'm always dreaming of snow! Buy a make-your-won snowglobe kit (the kind for pictures) and include an inspiring lolita photograph you love - whether it be shimmery pink, gorgeously classic or elegantly gothic. I'd love to see some Imai Kira art or a favorite Angelic Pretty ad surrounded by shimmery white snow.
• Mix up your winter style by darkening up your hair! Add lowlights to your usual color, or chunks of brunette. Brunettes always make me think of sweets - so many dye boxes are labeled with chocolate, espresso, coffee, or mocha! Even blondes can enjoy something a little darker in the pale brunette color commonly called 'milk tea'. If you don't want to make the commitment, a pretty brown wig can add a surprising depth to your style in the winter months.
• For the perfect sweet-and-simple gift, make your friends and family a variety of 'hot chocolate on a stick' recipes. These are lumps of chocolate designed to melt into a warm cup of cocoa when stirred into warm milk! Check out this recipe here at the giverslog - a great resource for pretty wrapping ideas and cute, simple presents! (She's also got a great post on chocolate - what it is, how to tell what's good chocolate, and what exactly is white chocolate! Fascinating!) For best results, pair with pink Rice Krispie treats! I recently found pink, 'berry flavor' giant marshmallow - hint: they don't taste like berries, just like pink or Red 40, which is delicious!

Labels: style tips

posted by Victoria Suzanne @ 9:33 AM 0 Comments

November Style Tips

Labels: style tips

posted by Victoria Suzanne @ 4:04 PM 15 Comments

October Style Tips

• Choose a different style of pumpkin for your crafts this year - skip out on the orange for the many variations of white pumpkins like the Lumina, the Cotton Candy, or Baby Boos. They look so elegant and eerie as jack-o-lanterns! If you can't find one, just get out the white paint before you carve!
• Get a book on constellations and start pointing out the ones in your hemisphere. Clear, cold nights are perfect for naming stars!
• Cinnamon (now being touted for its anti-oxidants) coffee blends are just the thing for this time of year. You can find them at your local grocery store.
• Look up the older, darker versions of fairytales for some creepy reading. Most fairytales originally had much worse, gorier endings than they've been sugared into. Here's a few to get you started!
• Black, licorice-scented candles are everywhere for Halloween. If you love a gothic lifestyle, this is your chance to stock up! I can't help buying up at least a few since they smell so delicious.
• Pick and dry the last of your flowers and fruits. Tradition says that on Halloween night, the fairies swing by and 'piss' on your garden (the ancient interpretation of frost) and it's bad luck to eat anything!

Labels: style tips

posted by Victoria Suzanne @ 4:56 PM 8 Comments

September Style Tips

• Use cinnamon to perk up any average recipe - on your lattes, your oatmeal, even in your sandwiches with slices of crisp apple and ham. Cinnamon always gets me in a fall-and-Christmas mood, and makes everything taste like homemade breakfast to me! Steal sprinkles of it from cafes and coffee stands.
• Go apple-picking and dress up like Gerda or Snow White. Peel the apple in one long curl and then throw it behind you - the shape of the peel was used as divination in Victorian times, often to spell out the name of a crush or loved one.
• Give yourself one end-of-year goal - there's still time left to fulfill your New Year's resolutions! Split the next four months into easy chunks and reach your heart's desire - whether that's reading a weekly book, learning a new skill like crochet, or taking a local ballet class.
• If you're feeling in a school-ish mood, whip up a chunky-style lolita tie (typically with rounded edges and edged with lace or dainty ruffles) or a sailor-style necktie bow. For a quirky-meets-nerdy feel, wear a small bow tie at the throat of your blouse. Suspender-style skirts also have a schoolish feel - either attach your own suspenders or make a suspender skirt. You might even possibly be able to use your waist-ties, but I haven't tried this yet!
• Make corsages of real autumn leaves with ribbon, then pin them to your lapel or your hairstyle for the day.
• Make librarian-style look cute with a giant puffy bun! You might need a hair rat or doughnut (from the drugstore or by rolling two socks together) but add a flirty bow and pen and you're set!
• Use your downtime on your commute or in between classes to reacquaint yourself with some relaxing classics - anything Jane Austen, a children's book like Peter Pan, or even Winnie-the-Pooh - can be refreshing after days of textbooks or work reports.

Labels: style tips

posted by Victoria Suzanne @ 8:54 AM 9 Comments

August Style Tips

• If you haven't already, find yourself some lolita-worthy, confidence-inspiring sunglasses. They'll shield your eyes from the sun and add a little quirk to your summer style. My pick? Pink aviators from Juicy Couture with a heart cut-out on the arm, a little more gal-inspired and delicate.
• Choose one offbeat DIY project for the month. I'm inspired by a recent Kera with a couple pages of unusual, popping accessories like corsages made from seamstress tape and lace-covered fedoras. I currently have a pink straw fedora on my table asking for some embellishment - vintage lace? Rhinestones? We'll see!
• Change your plumage for a few days - swap out your natural hair for a bold color choice wig, or attempt brunette for all your pink and blue and lilac headed girls! You may discover a whole new side to yourself!
• Designate a 'house dress' like in Victorian days - a simple or older lolita dress or gown for lounging around in on days when you're at home. My recent find is a bubble gum pink yukata that I can't wait to trim with a little lace and ribbon.
• Treat yourself to a new magazine subscription. I personally recommend Victoria, a Victorian enthusiast magazine full of beautiful photographs and personal articles on bringing the Victorian to daily life.
• Play with the big boys by borrowing a little body wash. I've started stealing my boyfriend's, which has a touch of salycilic acid in it to prevent acne and bad skin. Not only can it go anywhere (guys just sort of scrub all over, saving time on your lolita dressup routine!) but it also really reminds my skin to stay clear.
• Now is the time to pick out your new winter essentials - the season change is closer than you think! Take it slow by pinpointing exactly what you need in a new daily messenger bag or carryall purse - and then start the hunt, with your requirements list in tow.
  

As a side note - Lolita Charm is up and running after a lovely week's vacation along the seaside! Lolita Charm will also shortly be broadcasting from the west coast's Emerald City, Seattle, starting next week. There should be plenty of fun surprises in store there!

Photo via tumblr.

Labels: style tips

posted by Victoria Suzanne @ 1:24 PM 9 Comments

July Style Tips

• For a cute summer and seaside motif, I love saltwater taffy. Eat it, watch it being made, and yes - accessorize with it. Q-pot's summer fair series has pretty little jewel-toned taffy rings that would make a cute statement.


• If you're looking for a summer photoshoot or just simple daytrip getaway, head to your nearest seaside resort town and its penny candy tourist stop. In New England you can find little pink shops along the sea selling fudge, old-fashioned candy sticks, and yes, more saltwater taffy. My two favorites are in Provencetown on Cape Cod, Massachusetts, and Watch Hill in Rhode Island.


• Buy yourself one 'throw on' JSK or onepiece for casual beach and vacation wear. It should be a lightweight cotton with a simple print, that you can wear without a blouse or a ton of accessories. You can wear it to an early breakfast out or barefoot on the beach, maybe over a swimsuit. Mine is my mint tulip-collared dress from Metamorphose, but I've always wanted Metamorphose's marine-and-seashells dress for the same reason.


• If you're not located near the ocean, check out other far-afield locations in your lolita best. Lots of little trainstop towns have caboose or train-inspired restaurants, or visit a Victorian bed and breakfast.


• If you're a fan of iced chai like I am, make your own chai syrup (concentrate) to add to milk over coffee. LiterariTea posted a great recipe, which I can't wait to try. It's just the thing for a hot day.


• Find some pretty pastel polishes in unusual ice cream colors like lilac, mint, and lemon. I can never find the ones I like in drugstores, so I searched online and found quite a few: China Glaze's Re-freshmint, Essie's Neo-Whimsical, and Model's Own Lemon Meringue. China Glaze even has the perfect summer line of pastels and brights called Up and Away, reminiscent of balloons and blue skies.

Labels: style tips, summer

posted by Victoria Suzanne @ 8:31 AM 6 Comments

June Style Tips

• In my family, holidays mean one thing: explosives. Summer is a great time to set off some fireworks - I love the idea of lolitas silhouetted by fireworks in the night summer sky. Sparklers could make for cute photos, too - but like all fireworks, please be careful and follow your local laws. (Or don't get caught, but you didn't hear that from me :P)


• For a safer option, catch fireflies. Get a few large Mason jars and head to a spot where they're known to be plentiful, then go after the little glowing things. You can display them for a few hours in a pretty bell-jar; just make sure to let them go!


• Switch up your usual lolita get-togethers with a nighttime bistro style tea party. In your garden or patio, string up fairy lights or paper lanterns and lay out your laces and good china in the evening. Drink more unusual, light teas like lavender, raspberry, or white pear.


• Head to your local water feature for pretty summer photos. Water gardens can cater to a royal style, or get all sailor or mermaid themed to go to the beach. Anchor motifs, strings of pearls, and seashells are all watery ideas for ocean shoots - faux water lilies or even frogs (frog princess?!) motifs could make a cute pond shoot.


• This month's prettiest beverage is pink lemonade! Originally it was associated with the cirucs, where it was served - and can be tinted pink with cinnamon drop candies or grenadine. If you want to pick some up at the store, I'm in love with Simply Lemonade made with raspberry (for pinkness and hint of flavor). Or make it by hand in the original southern way using grenadine and like in this recipe here.


• If you're a big pearls-and-gold fan, mimic the warm days and summer sunsets with pink pearls or rose gold. They're my two favorite jewelry staples year round, but they look especially sweet at summer garden parties.


• For any easy updo, just curl all of your hair in any method you like, and then rumble or tousle the hair up off your neck, either top or both layers. Just clip with a big rose or bow and you're all set - instant casual cuteness. I just use my straightener and can scrape together a hairstyle in under 20 minutes.

Labels: style tips, summer

posted by Victoria Suzanne @ 11:35 AM 3 Comments

May Style Tips

• Pick a theme for the upcoming summer season, like berries, shortcake, or ice cream. Then hunt up a few accessories or color schemes that support that theme (for me, ice cream motifs and 'ice cream' colors). It'll bring the flavor of the season and freshen your coords all summer long.


• Go looking for local wildflowers to observe, photograph, or press. My current favorites are dwarf violets - so amazingly tiny!


• Visit local parks or forests for cute photographs and an escape from the city sun. All the better if you bring someone with you to enjoy it (or take pictures! ;)


• Just like others choose summer reading, decide on a summer project to persue. Maybe you want to swell the ranks of your bloomers, or you're looking to pickup crochet again? These projects can be slung into a bag to take with you to the beach or park as simple entertainment.


• Floral corsages make a brilliant appearance for pinning up overheated hair in May. Make some with craft supplies and a glue gun, or buy one from your favorite brand. I love Victorian Maiden's flowers like that can be found at Tokyo Rebel.


• Start planning for International Lolita Day (June 5th!) Will you be attending an event, making sweets with friends, or going for a solitary walk in a flower garden? Make plans for yourself to celebrate the place lolita has in your life.


• Find yourself a fan. Paper or fabric, it doesn't matter, but it will most likely save your life on a humid day.


• On a warm day off, eat ice cream for breakfast. Rocky Road is a great way to start your day ;)


• Don't be afraid to forgoe some underwear (petticoats, I mean!) if the days start to warm up. Cutting back a layer will loose some poof, but can give a more delicate silhouette and lower the temperature. The same goes for socks, especially over the knees!


• Make it a personal mission to find your local ice cream truck (or for the lucky, cupcake trucks! Connecticut's Cupcake Truck can be tailed using their blog here).

Labels: style tips

posted by Victoria Suzanne @ 12:06 PM 2 Comments

April Style Tips

• Read up on which of your locally blooming flowers are edible and see how you can use them in salads, dishes or desserts. Violets are in season right now and their sugary, snap-pea-like flavor makes a great edition to any spring picnic!
• Bust out your parasols! Usually people think of them as rain shields or as accessories, but I promise, it is about 10 degrees cooler under them. Don't be without one on a sunny day!
• Switch your hot tea for iced tea. My favorite is to order from Starbucks - black tea with four pumps of raspberry syrup! Flavor your tea with something besides just honey or sugar - try jams, juices, or just agave nectar.
• Hunt up light printed tee-shirts to casually stand in for the super lacey blouses. My newest favorite is my Metamorphose pale blue tee, which has the screenprint of a pink poodle on it!
• Think outside the box (bouquet?) on floral accessories. Besides the usual roses and occasional daisy, what other flowers can you work into your coordinate? Daffodils? Pussy willow? Cherry blossoms? Violets (when you're not snacking on them)? Make a corsage or maybe even a wreath for a more mori-girl feel?
• Start a list of lolita goals - not to things to buy, but to learn. Want to learn to a style the perfect wig, or line your waterline like a pro? Make a list of them and then give yourself a deadline, with the intent of breaking it down into smaller pieces like one goal every two weeks. Little by little, you'll learn the skills you always wished you knew.
• Find yourself the perfect bronzer to wake up winter skin leaping into spring. Even if you prefer or have pale skin, a little hint of light - even a pale touch - can awaken your eyes and features. I love the looks of Aromaleigh's Peaches and Cream finishing powder!
• Start pressing flowers in the pages of heavy books. They'll make cute craft supplies for cards, candles, or journals later.
• Go without socks in favor of open-toe shoes with your lolita one of these nice days. It makes for a classy change and lets in fresh air!

beautiful photograph from The Blind Pig and the Acorn

Labels: style tips

posted by Victoria Suzanne @ 12:06 AM 8 Comments

March Style Tips

• Spring might finally be in the air, and spring makes me think of the color sage! Find a few sage accents (not mint mind you) and add them to your favorite pink, lilac, white, brown, or blue coordinates.


• March is also the month of the windy and suddenly chilly weather (especially here in new England), and scarves are a great edition to any outfit. Soft fluffy ones, or one that are flannely and making you feel like you never got out of bed.


• Start seeds inside, preferably something easy like marigolds. As a child I always used paper egg cartons. When the weather is warmer, you can plant them outside.


• Try switching the shape of your nails. If you usually file them oval, go square. If you usually choose square, go oval. If you're a 'squoval' type then decided already! ;)


• If you decide to go with wearing scarves, take some of the weight off your hair and show off a hint of neck: a super-high, puffy bun or a faux bob is just the thing. Dust the bones at the base of your neck with a little hilighting powder or subtle shimmer in your preferred color.


• Cardigans! As spring comes and then falters, I love cardigans - layered over blouses as an extra pop of color. This one by Wonder Rocket (an adorable mori brand) is both sweet and fairly affordable at 3,900 yen. And it's sage!


• Start collecting eyelashes if you haven't already! I had to get a case for mine recently because I've been getting new pairs (the photo on the top is my new favorite pair ♥). Surprisingly, Bodyline has quite a few cute ones. These piece-y ones ($3!) look like the lashes on Raggedy Ann or a bisque doll to me. If you want to store them in an easy and cute way, check out Violet's eyelash-container-turned-cake tutorial!

Labels: style tips

posted by Victoria Suzanne @ 9:33 AM 16 Comments

February Style Tips

Celebrating one year's worth of style tips!

• Buy a miniature rose from your grocery store to brighten up your home. They're my favorite - delicate and beautifully fragrant, and popular around Valentine's Day.
• Go to your local drug store and buy a sampling of different Valentine's Day chocolates. Eat luxuriously.
• Don't have a beloved this February? Plan a girls' day out for Valentine's weekend, complete with manicure and desserts.
• Alternately, give yourself a French manicure at home (a favorite from last February's style tips!). Essie makes an extensive set of delicate pinks and whites just for that reason. Read more about Essie and French manicures at Polish Addict. My favorite colors are Sheer Magic (a pearly white) and Love Letters (a translucent ballet pink).
• Invest in full or demi lower lashes. I've started wearing them with my glasses, and they accent your eyes without being lost in your frames. They're also easier to wear, as you're not blinking your lower lashes as repeatedly. I like Dolly Wink, which you can buy here. Or, you can trim and modify a set of upper lashes to fit your lowers.
• If you have bangs, get some spray-on temporary hair color (like at Halloween) and use a stencil to spray a heart onto your hair. You can do the same to a wig if you don't have bangs.
• Read a romantic novel that takes an unusual turn - like Pride & Prejudice and Zombies, or Sense and Sensibility and Sea Monsters. Or just read the cheesiest romance novel you can get your hands on. This means it must have pirates with split-open silk shirts.
• Tame frizz and heat-burnt ends with satin hair oil. I like got2b's Smooth Operator Smoothing Satin Drops - and the packaging is downright adorable.
• Nose around an antique or thrift shop to find vintage Valentines, either to give away or decorate your house with.
  
• Be your own Valentine.

Labels: style tips

posted by Victoria Suzanne @ 9:38 AM 11 Comments

January Style Tips: Welcome 2010!

• Start making your own fanciful coffee drinks at home. I recently purchased a powdered vanilla latte, which is added to hot water like cocoa. While it doesn't bear much resemblance to a latte, it is sweet and almost like a malt. Ginger liqueur adds an interesting kick.
• Sick of fly-away, hard to manage hair? Buy yourself a pretty wig, in a style you love but would be terrified of for keeps. If your hair is long, how about a bob? Curly styles for straight-haired girls? I like Cutesy Shop's wigs on eBay.
• If you have spare winter evenings, consider putting together a jigsaw puzzle in a pretty picture. Quiet contemplation exercises the mind and shuts out the anxious things that run through your head in a day's work. I like this one of Cinderella's castle.
• Go to flea markets or thrift stores hunting up old frames. My favorite frame I found at a local church sale for only $1!
• Cut up your old calendars for free, cheap art. I recently put up a framed black and white photo of Paris's oldest carousel and the Basilica - stolen from the March section of my '09 calendar.
• Socks and leggings. It's been as cold as 13 degrees here not counting windchill at times, so a pair of leggings combined with over-the-knee socks is an extra layer that doesn't compress your toes like doubling up on tights can.
• Take vlogs of your outings. Even my iPod can film now, so all of my footage is getting dumped onto the internet. Even better - make blooper reels. Those are even better. Most Microsoft computers at least come equipped with video editing, so you can add titles and music. They're great for watching with friends later.
  
  

Labels: style tips

posted by Victoria Suzanne @ 12:37 PM 7 Comments

December Style Tips

• Get a box of paper whites and start growing the little bulbs inside. It's pleasant to watch them grow, and they remind of both spring and snow.
• If you don't have a cellphone strap hook to put all those adorable straps, consider looping them on the handle of your bag. I recently put a brown Swarovski decorated bear on my Candies purse, which adds a little cute interest.
• If you haven't got them already, get some gloves! Colored leather is pretty, but soft, thick ones are also pleasant to pull on before letting your hands get raw in the cold.
• Speaking of raw, pick a hand cream to use this winter in your favorite scent. Preferably with some kind of built-in anti-bacterial to keep your from getting sick. I like my hand creams with lavender, because lavender always reminds of lavender ice cream, a local flavor.
• Learn the art of camping out. Whether you find yourself with spare time at school, work the airport, or a waiting room, learn how to get comfortable for the long haul. Some essentials include: a delicious munchable snack; a music device and set of headphones; a book; and a lounging position.
• For melancholy, otherworldly stories of romance, try reading A Collection of Beauties at the Height of Their Popularity by Whitney Otto.
  
• If inspired, begin writing your own pillow book in the style of Sei Shounagon. You can read her original work here.
  
• Wear a nude lip with a layer of clear gloss for a dewy, chilled look. Cover the lips with lip primer (I like Aromaleigh's, suitable for both lips and eyes) and then add a product like MAC's Lipglass.
  
• Switch holiday ornaments. If you always get a real tree, get one made of metal and tinsel or in human colors. Or if you usually go for more avant-guard styles of, say menorahs, switch back to something traditional. This is the first year I decided to get an artificial tree - pink, of course.
  
• Spend too much time at the mall, enjoying fairy lights and things that glitter.
• Wear silver jewelry this month until the day of the winter solstice, then use the holiday to triumphantly wear gold and remember that spring is, in fact, coming.
  

Labels: style tips

posted by Victoria Suzanne @ 12:08 PM 12 Comments

November Style Tips

• Fight the gray by adding one very bright accessory to every outfit! I like sunshiney yellow, coral, or a really ultra violet kind of pink!
• Save your hair for the week and make a pact - no heat or product! Go for fishtail braids, pin curls, or creative hair accessories.
• Buy yourself a few brightly colored petticoats and be colorful even underneath! They'll be a fun addition only you know about, and can be pressed into service for fairy-kei if you like.
• Sparkle up a set of lace tights... I love these, even prettier than adding lace appliques to plain nylons!
• Make it your mission to find one fascinating ring for each finger - sweets rings, giant cocktails, rings with letters, anything! Wear them all at once like a rock star.
• Hoodies - the hooded sweatshirt - is invaluably soft and comfortable, but not always very cute. Get yourself a plain one from a craft store and decide what it needs - an applique, embroidery? Giant rhinestones?! - And make it work with the rest of your wardrobe.
• Become a regular at your local bakery, enough to give recommendations. You might make friends with the bakery staff, and at the least you'll learn about different kinds of pastries or bread. Today's cake slice from our local bakery, La Palette, was cherry gateau with real whipped cream!
• Want snow, but looking at bare lawns and trees? Cut out a set of paper snowflakes. In the middle of a lovely spring? Use folded paper to cut strings of dolls, heart or stars as streamers, to hang in your room or to surprise a friend with.
• Leave post-its on public restroom mirrors that say, You Are Beautiful. Decide to be an agent of Operation Beautiful.
  

Labels: style tips

posted by Victoria Suzanne @ 11:21 PM 9 Comments

October Style Tips

• Use a drill to make tiny holes in your jack-o-lantern and then string fairy lights through them. A great alternative to the typical candle, which can cause burns on the inside of the shell. Or if you'd prefer to avoid lights altogether, just glitter the hell out of a few.
  
• Pumpkin foods - seasonal treats - are available now! Pumpkin latte, pumpkin muffins, pumpkin cheesecake!
• Get a copy of Martha Stewart's Halloween magazine - my favorite to see Halloween done up classy. She always has amazing costume and decorating ideas, too! Maybe this year I'll go as a raven from one of her magazines... (And most of the pumpkin deocrating ideas can be found on her website, as well.)
  
• Try out a simple Gothic Lolita coordinate if that's not your usual style - it makes a beautiful Halloween and late autumn statement. (Protip: borrow from your dark-loving friends if you'd prefer not to invest in one yourself!) Try black velvet, soft black lacy gloves, or just a few stunning midnight blue or bordeaux hair corsages.
  
• Get together your girls (or just your cat!) for a few creepy-cute movies. I just watched Coraline and loved it - so visually thrilling! I really recommend it.
  
• Use a scrub made of brown sugar and oats on your face to clean up oils and dry, itchy, winterized skin. Try this recipe here.
• Get your craft on, girls! Now is the time to start knitting long, creamy scarves, campy bows, and floppy flowers. If you have a copy of Tokyopop's Gothic & Lolita Winter edition, use it for ideas! Here's a great project if you like to crochet. I'll be posting some results of my crafting later on :)
• Break out microfiber leggings, over-the-knee socks, and hide shorter socks in your boots. Keeping your legs warm when out in the wind can make lolita much more wearable.
• Add darker tones to your hair color, like mahogony or cinnamon for brunettes/redheads, cool honeys for blondes, and dark chocolate for dark hair. Can't make the commitment? Try a wig in one of these colors! I like Gabalnara for wigs right now.
  

Labels: style tips

posted by Victoria Suzanne @ 12:00 AM 2 Comments