tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-27844214572472349132024-03-05T08:53:55.017-06:00Carnivale Salt<center>Haute Goth & Morbid Couture, Gothic & Lolita fashion, Mori Girl and Dolly Kei, Neo-Romanticism and idealist nostalgia. Neo-Romantic art, culture and lifestyle. Musings of a girl caught in the clouds...</center>Mothra Liddelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06831760354752620780noreply@blogger.comBlogger40125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2784421457247234913.post-22075029555007467882016-11-06T16:26:00.000-06:002016-11-06T16:26:10.732-06:00Alive Again ~ Back from HiatusHello again darklings! It has been quite a while since I've revisited this blog (several years in fact, oops), but it seems like I'm still getting visitors and I'm finally in a place again where I have time and motivation to blog. I won't go too much into detail about my personal life, but the past few years have been full of chaos and honestly quite a bit of unpleasantness, but I'm more and more confident each day that the dark times are behind me. A few small updates about what I have going on and how that will affect the blog.<br />
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Firstly, I moved back to Chicago after my year in Los Angeles at the beginning of 2014, and I intend to stay in the Chicago area indefinitely. I am still an active member of the Chicago Gothic Lolita community, and I still intend to include coverage of local events and meetups here on the blog. Related to this, one of the most exciting developments is that I have launched a jewelry and accessories line,<a href="https://www.facebook.com/atelierexcentrique/" target="_blank"> Atelier Excentrique</a>, which is currently available through the <a href="http://www.lolitacollective.com/" target="_blank">Lolita Collective </a>and through my Storenvy. I will include a widget on the sidebar to direct you to more information about Atelier Excentrique soon! Last but not least, I am getting married! My partner and I have set our date for the summer of 2018, so we have a while, but I might do some posts about alternative wedding planning here on the blog as a part of an effort to include more lifestyle and domestic content. I am looking into promoting posts on Pinterest as well, and may even set up a corresponding Instagram!<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Model: Lady Saltina ~ Photographer: Sam Dickey<a href="http://samdoesphotos.tumblr.com/" target="_blank"> samdoesphotos.tumblr.com</a></td></tr>
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Thank you dear readers for continuing to read this blog and promoting the witchy lifestyle!<br />
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Best,<br />
Lady SaltMothra Liddelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06831760354752620780noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2784421457247234913.post-33170163292885540812013-08-01T17:22:00.002-05:002013-08-01T17:22:49.958-05:005 Songs for Dark Mori Girls<div style="text-align: center;">
<i>CocoRosie - Beautiful Boyz</i></div>
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Cocorosie's gossamer crooning is the perfect accompaniment for any dark mori girl. All of the sisters' oeuvre fits the strega aesthetic wonderfully, but this is one of my favorite Cocorosie songs. The video is stunning as well! The Bearded Lady is a favorite character of mine (I have been known to show up to Carnivale parties with a well-groomed fu-manchu), and I love her inclusion in this video!</div>
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<i>O'Death - Down to Rest</i></div>
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O'Death is a Brooklyn-based folk band I would describe as falling into the Gothic Americana genre, with heavy bluegrass and folk punk influences. Most of their music is reminiscent of fiddle ditties to be played at a wake in the old west, which I for one adore. "Down to Rest" is probably their most popular single, and for good reason. I can't get enough of this song! It's upbeat (for O'Death, that is), and even danceable, but still flavored with a strong dose of the macabre. The video is awesome too, although not very dark mori. Skeletons, astronauts, gambling?! Do yourself a favor and watch it.</div>
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<i>16 Horsepower - Sinnerman</i></div>
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16 Horsepower could also fall into the Gothic Americana genre, but what makes them unique is that this band, and their still-active side project Woven Hand, identify as a christian band. What makes them unique as a religious band is their preoccupation with the darker side of christianity, writing lyrics about death, guilt, perdition, redemption, how man is sinful... ect, ect. Frontman David Eugene Edwards has likened himself and his vision of Christianity to that of Northern Renaissance painter Hieronymus Bosch. Religion aside, 16 Horsepower's sounds are completely enjoyable and relevant to the dark mori aesthetic. No video for this one, sorry!</div>
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<i>Siouxie and the Banshees - Strange Fruit</i></div>
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Okay, it's probably predictable but I LOVE Siouxie Sioux. In addition to just good old gothy admiration, I think she's an incredibly versatile musician and can creatively touch just about any genre. This cover of the classic song "Strange Fruit" captures the tragic nature of the original as well as incorporating delicious jazz notes that hint to the song's origins. I think its absolutely perfect for a dark mori girl!<br />
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<i>Rasputina - Why Don't You Do Right?</i></div>
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Rasputina is another musical match made in heaven for dark mori kei. This trio sings deliciously gothic folk songs accompanied by the velvety sounds of the cello. I had trouble picking a single song for this list, but their first album "Thanks for the Ether", off which this song is taken, is my favorite.</div>
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Enjoy!</div>
Mothra Liddelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06831760354752620780noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2784421457247234913.post-89301989843123530132013-07-12T21:23:00.001-05:002013-07-12T21:23:32.911-05:00Building your Dark Mori WardrobeSo you've decided you identify with the dark mori aesthetic, and you're ready to take the plunge and start building your wardrobe. As with starting out in any style, building your wardrobe from scratch can seem quite daunting. This post is intended as a guide to help you in your journey to create magical strega style coordinates.<br />
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<i>First: Identify your influences</i></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgGO3FHMd5VQ8xlfToL2C-dSIvfVobdnsmBU1ZDq0gIGHmArBRu7cX-iLvOhiRUHW48W104nVCosieRQptZXaScRX-hNp44sgbwUBHs2paXZ_pTycVrVCyUOB_eVxbDiOkCQP83Jz9yRCFB/s1600/nailyourstyle.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgGO3FHMd5VQ8xlfToL2C-dSIvfVobdnsmBU1ZDq0gIGHmArBRu7cX-iLvOhiRUHW48W104nVCosieRQptZXaScRX-hNp44sgbwUBHs2paXZ_pTycVrVCyUOB_eVxbDiOkCQP83Jz9yRCFB/s640/nailyourstyle.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>From Left: 1. Source unknown 2. <a href="http://ovate.ca/" target="_blank">Ovate f/w12</a> 3. <a href="http://pucerone.canalblog.com/" target="_blank">Les Chiffons de Pucerones</a> 4. Rowan City Knits by Amy Butler</i></td></tr>
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What styles of dark mori kei inspire you most? Are you more drawn to historically influenced coordinates, or are you smitten with the Nazgul-esque silhouettes of gothic minimalism? Choose if you want your look to be more boho, more modern, more retro, more dolly-kei influenced, more ghost like, more witchy, more hipster.... whatever you fancy. Of course its okay to be in love with more than one of these styles, but narrowing down which looks you are more interested in will help you build your wardrobe. Personally, I am drawn to things that represent the witch archetype, and focus on purchasing a mixture of long flowy things, and more modern, minimal things I can wear casually that still fit within the aesthetic. For my personal style, I generally feel that things that are too bohemian, or too "fairyish", dont really fit in with the rest of my wardrobe, so I try to avoid pieces with that feel.<br />
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<i>Second: Hit the thrift stores</i></div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>A smattering of things from my Polyvore account. Similar things can be easily thrifted.</i></td></tr>
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One of the great things about mori kei in general is that it is very easily achieved just through finding workable pieces at thrift stores, garage sales, charity shops, ect. When you are shopping, pay close attention to the silhouette, details and quality of garments. Make sure to consider how well they will layer, and coordinate with other pieces in your wardrobe. Be on the lookout for things with asymmetrical hems, made of materials like linen or silk, and have interesting details that will play well off of other things in your collection. I will go into more detail about thrifting for dark mori clothes in another post!<br />
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<i>Third: Accessorize</i></div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>From Left: 1. Satchel bag by Henry Baguelin 2. A covetable Ebay cameo lot 3. Antler hair pick by <a href="http://www.etsy.com/shop/JCMcCairn" target="_blank">JCMCairn</a> 4. Squirrel Paw earrings available locally at Necromance, LA</i></td></tr>
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Accessories really make a dark mori outfit. In many cases, your accessories will be the only thing denoting you as a witchy mori girl rather than your lighter-hearted brethren. Printed tights and leggings, available on Etsy, Ebay, and many other online retailers, are great for casual outfits with a baggy t-shirt, or to add texture to your legs underneath a dress or skirt. For baubles, consider bone jewelry, antiques, rosaries, occult symbols, runes..... Making your own accessories is definitely encouraged! Scarves, mittens, and chunky socks will help keep you warm in winter and add texture to your coordinate. Great shoes and a great bag will help ground your outfit and complete the look. For shoes, retro heels and victorian boots are great for more feminine looks, but a great pair of leather lace-up boots or Doc Martins are perfect with any outfit.<br />
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<i>Wardrobe Essentials for the Dark Mori Girl (or Boy)</i></div>
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:: A long, full, black maxi skirt (or two or three) ::</div>
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::A few great chunky sweaters::</div>
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::An asymmetrical hem cardigan or vest or both ::</div>
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:: A drapey black tshirt ::</div>
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:: Printed leggings ::</div>
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:: Long sleeved black shirts (jersey or thermal) :: </div>
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:: Fancy blouses ::</div>
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:: Doc Martin style boots ::</div>
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:: A leather satchel ::</div>
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I hope this guide is helpful for those interested in getting into the style! What wardrobe essentials could you not live without? What tips would you give those just starting out in the style? For more information on wardrobe building, please check out this post: <a href="http://carnivalesalt.blogspot.com/2012/08/refining-your-style-wardrobe-wrangling.html" target="_blank">Refining Your Style: Wardrobe Wrangling for the Alternative-style Schizophrenic</a></div>
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Mothra Liddelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06831760354752620780noreply@blogger.com9tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2784421457247234913.post-27152165305529247962013-07-11T21:58:00.001-05:002013-07-11T21:58:15.997-05:0030 Questions for Mori Girls: How did you get into ::Dark:: Mori fashion?Most of my recent posts have gravitated towards coverage of lolita fashion, and while I do participate in Gothic Lolita fashion, and am a member of several lolita blogging groups, this blog is intended to cover the scope of dark romantic fashions and lifestyles. This next series of posts will focus on <a href="http://carnivalesalt.blogspot.com/2012/10/witch-from-woods-dark-mori-style.html" target="_blank">dark mori kei</a>, adapted from the 30 Day Mori Girl Challenge created by my friend Lauren of <a href="http://shadyoaks.tumblr.com/post/9732852520/mori-girl-30-day-challenge-i-hadnt-seen-one-yet-so-i" target="_blank">Shady Oaks</a>.<br />
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As much as I love lolita, I have been active in the style for many, many years now and these days I feel myself drifting more towards dark mori both in my lifestyle and fashion. This brings us to the first prompt in the Mori Girl Challenge.... <i>How did you become interested in ::dark:: mori fashion and lifestyle?</i><br />
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Well, the easy answer is that I stumbled upon your garden variety mori kei when it was first emerging back in about 2009/2010 through tumblr and livejournal, and other internet resources. As a young girl, I generally preferred the company of my garden and the woods behind my house to the company of other children. My mother told me stories about fairies and read me verse by pre-raphaelite and transcendentalist poets. I was utterly in love with nature and enamored with tales of girls who lived in the woods, completely self-sufficient, and I was convinced that I would grow up to be a naturalist of some sort (I really wanted to be a marine biologist). As I grew older, I found myself bound to the city, but my love for nature never died.<br />
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When I discovered mori girl fashion, I was immediately reminded of the girl my childhood self aspired to be when she grew up. A mori girl is independent, self-sufficient, a dreamer, a creative, and at one with animals and nature. Her chunky sweaters and warm scarves allow for comfort, while her delicate skirts and antique laces embrace the femininity of lolita. The many styles that can be considered mori let the wearer bounce between casual and almost hip, to very formal and historic. Although I try to let specific aesthetic principles unify my style, I get bored sticking to one "genre" of dress. Mori kei is very flexible, and much of what I find myself wearing on a day-to-day basis can fall into mori-inspired looks.<br />
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So why dark mori? Dark mori, for me, is an answer to the lightness of most conventional mori fashion. Dark mori adds an element of the obscure and the occult to the idea of the forest girl. Although I enjoy fairy tales and drinking tea, I also love the dreariness of a fog-soaked pacific morning, or looking for dead things on the beach, or collecting bones and touring cemeteries. Nature is most importantly cyclical, and death and the other side is a large part of that cycle. The witch archetype is something I identify with strongly, and dark mori helps me embrace that visually. Another prompt asks if mori kei has changed your outlook on life or your lifestyle, and I would say it has, but that's a tale for another day! Stay tuned....<br />
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Are you interested in mori kei at all, dark or not? How did you get into your fashion genre of choice? Or are you a fashion chameleon? Thanks for reading!! If you are participating in the 30 Day Mori Challenge, please let me know! I would love to read your posts.Mothra Liddelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06831760354752620780noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2784421457247234913.post-21010997797766683092013-07-10T21:04:00.003-05:002013-07-10T21:58:05.284-05:00Lolita Blog Carnival: If Brands Made Home Decor..... Hello from a little hiatus! The last few months have been incredibly packed for me with travel and work, and I have had little time for blogging. Fortunately for Carnivale Salt, I've hit what is commonly known as "the summer slump" in terms of finding freelance work, so I should have more time to be more active on my blog.<br />
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This past week's Lolita Blog Carnival topic was "What if brands made home decor?". Hands down, the brand who's homegoods I would certainly break the bank to have adorning my walls would be Alice Auaa. For those of you not familiar with Alice Auaa, the brand is a prominent Japanese goth company fronted by designer Yasutaka Funakoshi. Although popular with gothic lolitas, Alice Auaa is mostly known for its more avant-garde looks and haute couture approach to the goth aesthetic. Highly coveted among Japanese goths, Alice Auaa's signature plain external tags stitched onto the backs of their garments are as much a badge of honor at Tokyo Decadance and similar Japanese goth events as Angelic Pretty plastic jewelry is at lolita meetups. If you haven't already, please google them and look at their runway collections, or even check them out on <a href="http://www.style.com/fashionshows/powersearch?designer=design_house7912">Style.com</a>(!!!).<br />
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But enough background, why I <i>really</i> bring them up is for their interiors. Feast your eyes at this den of desires.<br />
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Unfortunately, most shops in Japan disallow photography, so these photos are borrowed from La Carmina (I know, I know). I had the pleasure of visiting Alice Auaa's Marui One boutique and know just how cool their decor is from personal experience. White plaster hands function as hooks on the walls, displaying accessories and bags. Heads with baroque-looking devices in their mouths, doors that hang to nowhere, and framed prints of artwork by friends of the designer. All this serves to feature the garments of course, but man do I wish they sold some of those awesome hand wall hooks, or that S&M bust modeling the corset or their amazing torture-device chandelier. I loved the shop so much when I went there that I ended up buying an extremely expensive shirt that I have never worn... (ooops).<br />
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Thanks for looking! Please check out other participants' posts from this week!<br />
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<span style="background-color: white;"><img border="0" src="http://i39.tinypic.com/2eb8p3t.png" style="color: #666666; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px; padding: 8px;" /><br style="color: #666666; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;" /><span style="color: #666666; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;">Read what the other girls wrote about that topic:</span><br style="color: #666666; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;" /><a href="http://snowroseblog.blogspot.de/2013/07/lbc-if-brands-made-home-decor.html" style="color: #7e359f; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px; text-decoration: initial;" target="_blank">Snow Rose</a><span style="color: #666666; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;"> * </span><a href="http://hellokittylovesdisney.blogspot.de/2013/07/if-brands-made-home-decor.html" style="color: #7e359f; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px; text-decoration: initial;" target="_blank">A sweet Lolita's Disney Life</a> * <a href="http://lolita-glamour.blogspot.de/2013/07/lolita-blog-carnival-if-brands-made.html" target="_blank"><span style="font-size: x-small;">Lolita-Glamour</span></a></span><br />
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<strong> Lolita Glamour: Lolita Blog Carnival: If brands made home decor..</strong></div>
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Mothra Liddelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06831760354752620780noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2784421457247234913.post-50584731792398365062013-03-09T02:19:00.001-06:002013-03-09T02:19:05.292-06:00Meetup Report: Dolly House RunwayThis past sunday was a a very, very exciting event for me and for all of the SoCal Lolita community! After much anticipation, we managed to pull off the first annual Dolly House Runway event hosted at University of California Irvine! For an independently organized event, it was quite grand. I participated as a designer, so the week leading up to the event was nothing but craziness, and I'm afraid I looked rather shabby, but it was worth it because my models looked awesome!!!<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Everyone swarms the BTSSB booth.... Those striped blouses were so lovely!</td></tr>
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After opening to the public, the event began with an exclusive documentary about the design and manufacturing process at Baby The Stars Shine Bright in preparation for their Japan Expo Paris show. It was a really heartfelt, relatable, and inspiring film, but unfortunately where my boyfriend and I were sitting, we couldn't really see the subtitles. I could understand some of the dialogue, but I mostly had to rely on video by itself.<br />
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After the video, there were fashion shows by BABY and Liz Lisa. I enjoyed them, but I had seen most of the things BABY presented before. I lent some shoes to Liz Lisa for the show but they ended up not using my very gothic items ;P.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Our adorable hostesses! </td></tr>
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After the designer showcase, the floor was opened up for a brief shopping intermission, and then on to the main event, the independent designer showcase and competition! I was so nervous about my pieces, but when my models came out on the runway, I was so proud I nearly cried.<br />
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I'll be showing these looks again and a few others later this spring at a fashion show in Chicago, so this was kind of a trial run! I have a lot of improvements to make, but I am so happy with the results in spite of not being 100% finished. All together, there were seven independent designers, and each was very unique and talented! I really enjoyed seeing the wide range of interpretations of dolly fashion. My line, and a kodona-pirate collection by Other Type, were the only gothic designs on the runway, so a lot of people really received my collection well. Many people told me my looks were their favorite!<br />
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Cyril of Doll Delight was the judge for the independent designer competition, and in the end she chose the pirate-kodona collection, not mine :(. Congratulations Other Type!<br />
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I hope you enjoy these photos! All credit goes to Peter Huynh, the event photographer. Thanks for looking!Mothra Liddelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06831760354752620780noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2784421457247234913.post-55813442417351987932013-02-14T03:49:00.000-06:002013-02-14T03:49:04.159-06:00Things I Love Thursdays: Dolls, Shoes, and Cats!Hello readers! I've been insanely busy with work this week but I don't want to neglect my blog too much... I think its high time to revive the Things I Love Thursdays feature!<br />
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<i>Switchblade Sister Dolls</i></div>
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A special thanks to the amazing blog <a href="http://dropdeadkawaii.com/">Drop Dead Kawaii</a> for introducing me to these dolls! This talented Japanese doll artist makes both soft-body and ball-jointed dolls, but these "face-type" dolls just steal my heart. Stitched into bears, bunnies, kittens, and nonspecific animal-like fluff balls, each creature features a hand painted and uniquely sculpted face that rests somewhere between adorable, creepy, and slightly deranged. I prefir small dolls, so I was delighted to find that these cuties mostly fit in the palm of your hand! Find more at <a href="http://www.switchbladesister.com/">http://www.switchbladesister.com/</a>.</div>
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<i>Jeffery Campbell Abbey Tabby Pumps</i></div>
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I am obsessed with these shoes. First of all, I am a sucker for shoes in this shape, with bows on the toes. I also love brown, faded, ghostly colors that match with black. I also crazy for cats. Be mine shoes!!!!! I've actually really wanted a pair of shoes in this fabric since JC released the cat tapestry Lita's, but this style is much more to my taste. I won't give you the link because they're almost sold out, and I'm holding out for a pair before they're sold out ;-P.</div>
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<i>The Art of Yuko Higuchi</i></div>
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I've been in love with these whimsical, semi-realist etchings for ages on Tumblr, but I only recently discovered the mastermind behind these characters, Japanese artist Yuko Higuchi. <a href="http://higuchiyuko.tumblr.com/">Her personal Tumblr </a> is chalk full of amazing art, and great photography of her studio, home, her cat (the model for many of her drawings), and her incredible antiques collection! You can also <a href="https://www.facebook.com/burnetmoth/info">follow her on Facebook</a> and get updates about her collaborations and merchandise. I believe she also displays her drawings and installations in art shows fairly frequently if you are in the Tokyo area. I'm planning on making a dress inspired by her work soon! </div>
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<i>Easy Vegan Cupcakes by Veggieful</i></div>
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I'm not all-the-way vegan, but my boyfriend and I try to avoid using eggs and dairy in our cooking at home. I've tried several different vegan cupcake and cake recipes, but always have been disappointed by the results. Most vegan cake recipes call for all kinds of weird egg replacers and ingredients I don't always have around, but this recipe was super simple with only about five ingredients that everyone owns, no weird egg replacers, just sugar, oil, and flour! The resulting cakes are everything cupcakes should be: moist, fluffy, and golden brown, without any weird lingering flavors vegan baked goods sometimes have. This recipe makes vanilla cupcakes, but its such a simple base that its easy to experiment with your own flavors. I made lemon-lavender and I plan to try matcha next! I made mine without frosting, so I can't vouch for her frosting recipe, but It looks just as delicious and simple as the cake. I encourage you to try it out, even if you aren't vegan! Find the recipe here at <a href="http://www.veggieful.com/2013/01/vegan-vanilla-cupcake-recipe.html">Veggieful.com</a>.</div>
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Mothra Liddelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06831760354752620780noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2784421457247234913.post-44883124189946450332013-01-23T00:40:00.000-06:002013-01-23T00:40:18.652-06:00Event Announcement: Dolly House Runway I'm excited to announce that I will be debuting my gothic lolita fashion collection "Lynnesse" very soon at SoCal Lolita's event Dolly House Runway: A Kawaii Fashion Show. If you are located in Southern California, I encourage you to attend!<br />
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Today the organizers announced that Baby the Stars Shine Bright will be sponsoring the event, have a booth in the vendors area, and even be showing us exclusive looks and a design process video! I'm really happy that my designs will be shown next to looks from BTSSB <3 .="" nbsp="" p=""><br />
Be sure to check out their website, <a href="http://dollyhouserunway.blogspot.com/">Dolly House Runway</a>, and get previews of my collection at my shop blog <a href="http://atelierexcentriquehandmade.blogspot.com/">Atelier Excentrique Handmade</a>!<br />
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Hope to see you there!<br />
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<br /></3>Mothra Liddelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06831760354752620780noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2784421457247234913.post-51983579128743488962013-01-19T03:01:00.000-06:002013-01-19T03:02:02.491-06:00Lolita Blog Carnival: If I had my own Lolita CaféI nearly missed out on this weeks theme, but once I saw the topic, I knew I had to participate! This weeks prompt: your own lolita theme café. Opening my own café and lounge is something I think about often because my mister is actually in the process of opening a gourmet mobile food truck! Right now my house is filled with test menus and all sorts of business start up books and thinking about the restaurant business is always on our minds.<br />
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<i>"Les Lounge des Sel"</i></div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Screencap from Japanese thriller "Goth" (2010). I absolutely adore the set design in this film. This cafe caters to people of dark persuasions, and is central to the plot of the movie!</i></td></tr>
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<i><i>Ambiance and Decor: </i></i></div>
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My café would definitely have an old-fashioned, gothic feel, alá the aesthetic of Carnivale Salt! For the interiors, I would choose a dark hardwood with dramatic moulding, Victorian or Art Deco inspired wallpaper, perhaps with a treatment to fake the appearance of age, and salvaged antique furniture. Patrons could eat at vintage sewing machine tables, adorned with lace doilies and dripping candles, and have tea on pretty vintage china. Collections of oddities would line the walls, and I would have a collection of used books for patrons to relax with and read. My dream space would include an open area that could be used for art shows, live music and entertainment, and doubling as a seating area for private parties (maybe lolita tea parties). Ideally, the cafe would be set up as a quiet coffee-shop / tea house during the day, and then open up as a classy cocktail lounge in the evening. Entertainment could range from burlesque shows, to tarot readings, to fashion shows and fortune tellers!</div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>My cafe would definately have a library / bookshop element, where you could come and be among old books and study or read. Lace curtains are always a nostalgic touch. The ambiance of the space would definitely give a nod to the decor of Grimoire, with lots of antiques and creepy touches. A functional spice wall would separate the kitchen from the dining space, giving a apothecary-like feel. Patrons could dine or enjoy their beverages at antique sewing machine tables.....</i></td></tr>
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<i>Menu:</i></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://24.media.tumblr.com/tumblr_lsunggUNii1qb9feuo2_1280.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="http://24.media.tumblr.com/tumblr_lsunggUNii1qb9feuo2_1280.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Aren't these sugar skulls for your tea to die for?! (Excuse my terrible pun). <br />Available for a very reasonable price at <a href="http://www.etsy.com/listing/85233174/sugar-cubes-6-bags-of-four-skulls">DEMBONES Sugar Skulls Etsy Shop</a>. </i></td></tr>
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What would we serve at Le Lounge Des Sel? Tea of course! I would pride myself on having the widest variety of artisan teas and coffees to sample, as well as offering hand-crafted tea and coffee drinks like lattes and espresso. Served of course in pretty antique tea cups!<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://25.media.tumblr.com/tumblr_m8rdhuyA9W1rcc9f7o1_500.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://25.media.tumblr.com/tumblr_m8rdhuyA9W1rcc9f7o1_500.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Weheartit.com has a million pictures of tea pouring into teacups...</i></td></tr>
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As far as food items, my cafe would be a melding of English tea house and rustic French bistro. I would love to offer a traditional cream tea, and formal tea service, in addition to an alá carte small plates menu, specializing in savory charcuterie, artisan cheeses, savory pies, and French traditional inspired cooking. I think it would be interesting of offering a savory cocktail-munchies service, served on a three-tier tea service tray, to accompany cocktails in the evening. </div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>We'd have a stunning charcuterie of ethically-raised artisan meats, and delectable cheeses. </i></td></tr>
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In the evening, the cafe would open up into a relaxed but vibrant cocktail salon. Not too crazy, but a perfect haven for like-minded individuals to see and be seen. Naturally, we would want to showcase a menu of (tea-inspired?) craft cocktails and fine spirits. And of course, absinthe with all the ritual! </div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.goindie.com/assets/images/user_images/2011/11/29/20111129195829877.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="http://www.goindie.com/assets/images/user_images/2011/11/29/20111129195829877.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>I would love to have fancy absinthe fountains and filters for the proper absinthe experience. This photo is from t<a href="http://www.goindie.com/dine/index.cfm/listing/view/id/9E4A69F8-2E8B-4FB3-A0E68352044E981B">he Albright Restaurant and Absinthe House</a> in Jim Thorpe, Pennsylvania. </i></td></tr>
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I don't usually talk about food on my blog, but I am a huge foodie and love to cook and bake. My boyfriend and I are vegan-leaning vegetarians (even though I appreciate some fine cheeses and charcuterie), so my cafe would definitely have plenty of vegan and gluten-free options, and everything would be ethically sourced.</div>
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I struggled with whether or not I wanted to create a coordinate for what the waitstaff would wear, and played around with different lolita coordinates, and even toyed with the idea of having the waitresses wear full Victorian maid uniform ala Downton Abbey, but really nothing seemed right. I would prefer for the venue to speak for itself and let the guests do the dressing up! I'd also want the cafe to appeal to a larger audience.... book worms, mori girls, hipsters, goths, eclectic professionals, foodies, club kids, fashionistas. I don't want it to be limited to only lolitas! I feel that the dark romantic aesthetic really goes beyond gothic lolita, and I would definitely want this cafe to reflect that.</div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>All in all, I really want people of all kinds who <br />appreciate the old and the spooky to enjoy themselves at my cafe!</i></td></tr>
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This was such a fun prompt! I can't wait to read all the posts from the blogs who participated! </div>
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<span style="color: #46301d;">~ </span><a href="http://angelshinigami.blogspot.com/2013/01/lbc-if-i-had-lolita-themed-cafe.html" style="background-color: white; color: #b38787; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 12.727272033691406px; line-height: 16.363636016845703px; text-align: center; text-decoration: initial;" target="_blank">Sweet and Simple</a><span style="background-color: white; color: #46301d; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 12.727272033691406px; line-height: 16.363636016845703px; text-align: center;"> ~ </span><a href="http://eglcommunity.weebly.com/14/post/2013/01/january-17th-2013.html" style="background-color: white; color: #b38787; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 12.727272033691406px; line-height: 16.363636016845703px; text-align: center; text-decoration: initial;" target="_blank">EGL Community</a><span style="background-color: white; color: #46301d; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 12.727272033691406px; line-height: 16.363636016845703px; text-align: center;"> ~ </span><a href="http://geishababy.blogspot.com/2013/01/lolita-blog-carnival-if-i-ran-lolita.html" style="background-color: white; color: #b38787; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 12.727272033691406px; line-height: 16.363636016845703px; text-align: center; text-decoration: initial;" target="_blank">Geisha Baby</a><span style="background-color: white; color: #46301d; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 12.727272033691406px; line-height: 16.363636016845703px; text-align: center;"> ~ </span><a href="http://a-lace-jail.blogspot.com/2013/01/if-i-had-lolita-themed-cafe.html" style="background-color: white; color: #b38787; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 12.727272033691406px; line-height: 16.363636016845703px; text-align: center; text-decoration: initial;" target="_blank">Lace Jail</a><span style="background-color: white; color: #46301d; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 12.727272033691406px; line-height: 16.363636016845703px; text-align: center;"> ~ </span><a href="http://lace-a-la-mode.blogspot.com/2013/01/if-i-ran-lolita-themed-cafe.html" style="background-color: white; color: #b38787; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 12.727272033691406px; line-height: 16.363636016845703px; text-align: center; text-decoration: initial;" target="_blank">Lace a la Mode</a><span style="background-color: white; color: #46301d; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 12.727272033691406px; line-height: 16.363636016845703px; text-align: center;"> ~ </span><a href="http://beyondkawaii.blogspot.com/2013/01/lolita-blog-carnival-if-i-had-lolita.html" style="background-color: white; color: #b38787; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 12.727272033691406px; line-height: 16.363636016845703px; text-align: center; text-decoration: initial;" target="_blank">Beyond Kawaii</a><span style="background-color: white; color: #46301d; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 12.727272033691406px; line-height: 16.363636016845703px; text-align: center;"> ~ </span><a href="http://sunsinourhands.wordpress.com/2013/01/18/lolita-blog-carnival-if-i-had-a-lolita-themed-cafe/" style="background-color: white; color: #b38787; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 12.727272033691406px; line-height: 16.363636016845703px; text-align: center; text-decoration: initial;" target="_blank">Sunshine In Our Hands</a><span style="background-color: white; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 12.727272033691406px; line-height: 16.363636016845703px; text-align: center;"><span style="color: #46301d;"> ~ </span><span style="color: #f4cccc;"><a href="http://fyeahlolita.blogspot.com/">Fyeah Lolita</a> </span></span></div>
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Mothra Liddelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06831760354752620780noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2784421457247234913.post-15860707906397169792013-01-14T19:49:00.000-06:002013-01-14T19:49:19.239-06:00Lolita 52: Weekly blog prompt challenge! - Five pieces every lolita should own, regardless of style!Okay, I know I already participate in the <a href="https://twitter.com/lolitacarnival">Lolita Blog Carnival</a>, but this challenge the <a href="http://fyeahlolita.blogspot.com/2013/01/lolita-52-challenge-lolita-topic-week.html">Lolita 52</a>, popularized by Caro on her blog FYeahLolita, is more conducive to fighting random writer's block. Whereas the Lolita Blog Carnival has weekly group deadlines (that some of us, cough cough, abide by with varying strictness ;P), one can participate in whenever she feels so moved.<br />
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If you'd like to participate, or want to learn more about the prompts, please refer to <a href="http://fyeahlolita.blogspot.com/2013/01/lolita-52-challenge-lolita-topic-week.html">Caro's post on the Lolita 52 prompt challenge</a>. Without further ado, I bring to you:<br />
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Five pieces every lolita (or dark romantic) should own..... Regardless of style</div>
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1. Bloomers</div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://25.media.tumblr.com/b71543c2883678f0eab6d8defdb3a418/tumblr_mgm7eslXMr1s3pq5qo1_400.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="http://25.media.tumblr.com/b71543c2883678f0eab6d8defdb3a418/tumblr_mgm7eslXMr1s3pq5qo1_400.png" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Pic from tumblr.... Sorry, I couldn't find the source!</i></td></tr>
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I often hear beginning lolitas asking around the communities if bloomers are actually necessary for a full lolita coordinate, and my answer is <i>always </i>YES! Not only do bloomers provide modesty (because yes, ladies, we <i>can</i> see under those skirts when you lean over) and protection from itchy petticoats, they are also incredibly adorable and add a touch of luxury to each outfit. They are also incredibly comfy if you find a pair that fits right, and come in so many different styles, that they can add anything from touches of antiquity, to just the right amount of sexy to any coordinate. I wear my bloomers all the time: around the house, as pajamas, by themselves and under tunics for a casual kind of dolly-look, with a corset, harlequin tights and a ruff for a marionette costume, I even wore bloomers to a rave party once. I recommend owning several pairs in varying styles and lengths to add to your coordinates, whether it be extra-fancy antique ones that peep out beneath your skirts, or a pair of Star Wars printed short ones for secret nerdiness. <div>
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2. Basic mid-height pumps in your colors</div>
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<a href="http://www.westblvd.com/dwds/images/Kevel-H-Black-Suede-Discount-Designer.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="http://www.westblvd.com/dwds/images/Kevel-H-Black-Suede-Discount-Designer.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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Obviously, my colors are black, but I've owned pink pumps for sweet outfits, red for more retro looks, and others. Whereas tea-party shoes and other popular lolita footwear can make some of us look a little dumpy, a nice heel always flatters the leg and turns a woman into a lady! Honestly, you can't go wrong with these babies. Pay attention to heel height and toe shape when selecting your pump: Higher heels will elongate your legs, so a mid-height or vintage heel is best for lolita to get that elegant but demure look. Stilettos in general look too modern for a basic lolita shoe, I recommend a more substantial heel both for balance and comfort. Round toes are more suited to sweet lolita, whereas more pointed toes are better for gothic. A nice, almond-shaped toe is a good compromise that can work for all kinds of looks. A plain pair like this can be spritzed up easily with different kinds of shoe clips to dramatically change your shoe! </div>
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*Tip from Lady Salt: Vintage pumps (1940s-1960's) are often more comfortable than their modern-made counterparts. Not only was craftsmanship better then, wearing flats wasn't as much of an option for the fashionable woman in those days. Shoes were made with the intention of being worn and walked in, and have the structure to support those activities.</div>
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3. Vintage blouses</div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://img2.etsystatic.com/000/0/6726591/il_570xN.325456610.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://img2.etsystatic.com/000/0/6726591/il_570xN.325456610.jpg" width="315" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>1960's Butter-yellow tie-neck silk blouse found on Etsy</i></td></tr>
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The best way to build a unique but frugal lolita wardrobe is to stock up on vintage blouses! When I first began wearing lolita in around 2005, I was a highschool student in a rural area. Japanese lolita clothing was almost impossible to purchase without a shopping service, and even more impossible with my part-time job's paychecks, so I made do by finding loliable skirts and blouses at my local thrift shops and vintage stores. </div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://img3.etsystatic.com/000/0/6949789/il_570xN.343959647.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="http://img3.etsystatic.com/000/0/6949789/il_570xN.343959647.jpg" width="259" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>This model is great at showing how lovely these blouses can be! <br />From Vintrigued Vintage on Etsy</i></td></tr>
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As my wardrobe evolved, I eventually let go of most of my finds, but I still keep a healthy stash of vintage blouses around, both for use in lolita coordinates, and for daily ware. Romantic, lolita-appropriate styles have been fashionable in the West with reliable frequency, so lacey, Victorian-inspired, feminine blouses are pretty easy to find. </div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>1980's new-romantic "poet" style blouse found on Etsy</i></td></tr>
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White and offwhite are the easiest colors to find, and most suited to classic coordinates, but with enough diligence you can find loliable blouses in any color you wish. Make sure to keep in mind the shape of the blouse when you are planning your coordinate: many of these kinds of blouses aren't very tailored and may bulk up under a jumperskirt. Smock-style shirts are best worn tucked into skirts with some sort of belt. One trick to minimize bulk is to tuck your shirt into your bloomers, or tie a ribbon around your waist, over the blouse to keep it from riding up.</div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Seafoam green / mint blouse found on Etsy. <br />Vintage blouses can work with sweet too!</i></td></tr>
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Once you start spotting these blouses in stores, you'll notice them all over the place! My favorite vintage blouses include a beautiful wine-red silk mandarin-collar piece with Chinese embroidery, a delicious lace-trimmed off-white beauty with a flowing shawl collar and balloon sleeves, and a high-necked chiffon number with black and cobalt blue stripes! Really unusual but I love it under black jumperskirts and with AP blue items. </div>
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*Tip from Lady Salt: Make sure to always keep quality in mind when shopping for vintage blouses. While there are many beautiful pieces available, there are just as many of terrible quality to be found in the same styles. As with typical lolita clothes, avoid low-quality synthetics, shiny satins, cheap rachel lace, and bad construction. No one will appreciate your vintage gem if it looks like Milanoo! </div>
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4. A Basic Blazer Jacket</div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>I </i>love<i> this blazer by Mary Magdalene, but a basic black suit <br />jacket can work just as well in lolita coordinates.</i></td></tr>
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When most people think of lolita outerwear, blazers aren't usually the first thing that comes to mind. I include them in this list simply because they are incredibly versatile! A black blazer, cut short enough to accomodate lolita dresses, is an easy find at any high-street store. (I got mine at Crossroads Used Fashion for $10.00), and they are incredibly easy to throw over a coordinate if its a bit chilly, but not cold enough for your Angelic Pretty coat complete with plush animal ears. They suit any style, gothic and classic with minimal embellishment, and sweet if you dress them up with your favorite bows, brooches, and pins. Many brands have released printed blazers that match jumperskirts, but a basic blazer (or three) is a staple every lolita should own. They are also a great thing to own if you want to wear your frills to work!</div>
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5. A large variety of interesting tights & hosiery</div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Verum tights by Grimoire</i></td></tr>
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These days, tights are catching on in the lolita community, thanks to the the popularity of <a href="http://yaplog.jp/grimoire-blog/">Grimoire's Verum line</a> but it feels like not so long ago when I had to convince most of my lolita friends that expensive printed socks are not always the answer. As a taller lolita with thicker legs, printed socks tend to look awkward on me, and I much prefir the more elegant lines of tights. Tights can change your look dramatically, and now one can find them in almost any print, style, or color you can imagine. There are even places that will let you design your own and get custom prints! But tights aren't all.... to add a bit of sex appeal to you hosiery, why not try thigh-high stockings with garders? </div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://media-cache0.pinterest.com/upload/21040323229107514_kSiYbTM7_b.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://media-cache0.pinterest.com/upload/21040323229107514_kSiYbTM7_b.jpg" width="318" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>A generic editorial mori-kei photo of socks, but seriously, <br />who can hate socks that cozy!!!</i></td></tr>
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But don't think that socks are off limits! Think beyond the box of lolita socks. Maybe give sock garders a try if you're feeling adventurous for an antiquated look. Ankle socks are gaining popularity, and I always love thick, hand-knit, chunky socks for a more rustic, mori-style look. Scrunch down your OTKs for an old-school kogal vibe, or even try layering socks over tights. </div>
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5. One really, really over-the-top dress or coordinate</div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Not lolita I know, but somehow the perfect dream dress illustration.<br />Illustrator Howard Chandler Christy</i><span style="background-color: white; color: #6e7173; font-family: Garamond, 'Hoefler Text', 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; font-size: 13.333333969116211px; line-height: 15px; text-align: start;"></span></td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><div style="text-align: center;">
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The one. Your dream dress. Every lolita needs that one dress in her closet that she maybe never has an occasion to wear out, but just owning it makes her feel happy. Wearing lolita is all about dressing as elegantly and as dreamily as possible, so why not own a completely impractical dress? This goes for my readers who wear other styles as well: everyone deserves a little piece of luxury they can prance around the house in once in a while. For me, I've always wanted to own one of Baby's really sumptuous Rococo-style one pieces, preferably in black shantung, or chiffon, or velvet. I still haven't tracked down the perfect piece yet, but when I finally find it, my closet will be ready!</div>
Mothra Liddelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06831760354752620780noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2784421457247234913.post-58947426926414969422013-01-14T03:35:00.000-06:002013-01-14T03:35:50.583-06:00A Very Spooky Birthday<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
Hello dear readers! Its been a packed few weeks for me. On the first of the month, I celebrated my birthday! My boyfriend and I had a special day planned, but it seems that New Years Day in Los Angeles is not the best of date days - almost everything we tried to do was closed! In spite of all the cancellations, we had a great day anyhow!</div>
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Our first stop of the day was a visit to the Hollywood Museum of Death. I was quite excited to visit this location because it seems like the perfect gothy tourist destination, but to be honest, it was a little intense for me. I don't consider myself a squeemish person, but room after room of autopsy photos, and the smell of embalming chemicals was a little too much for me. I did really enjoy their collections of death-row art and poetry, their amazing skull collection (they have a giraffe skull!!!!!), and their really interesting Heaven's Gate and Manson Family exhibits. The owners were really nice, loved our outfits, and even gave me some free buttons for my birthday! They had a really adorable (live, and 20-year-old) siamese twin painted turtle in the lobby. I'm glad I went, but I don't know if I'll be going back any time soon.... </div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg8D7x8eyeSS_7oNsrw0qX-ZVsxnBU3OS5NWIkDuNXxXG1h3HDgrbrAMmKmMkiei0Fdob_2tXem03uPJ9EgUu5gggWkrAj_byseU-GKMCiyJmpkt22ZdqoekjVgZn9QRfy9sBl5hklvhTn6/s1600/3HZKOl.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="265" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg8D7x8eyeSS_7oNsrw0qX-ZVsxnBU3OS5NWIkDuNXxXG1h3HDgrbrAMmKmMkiei0Fdob_2tXem03uPJ9EgUu5gggWkrAj_byseU-GKMCiyJmpkt22ZdqoekjVgZn9QRfy9sBl5hklvhTn6/s400/3HZKOl.jpeg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>The infamous Hollywood Museum of Death... visit if you dare!</i></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjxqBojY0_-hIR3s66MHJAB6Eu78FjXshyIcnOQbM_OJ4LA_U_gR30IIomRQMMF2OcujKScesgGuWPjAgQVKRGS0UmDU3mZ5bswZcRIPa_D9wn3QDpcCwfpazEQNJ0XNfo5V2QF8IBwEnec/s1600/IMG_1166.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjxqBojY0_-hIR3s66MHJAB6Eu78FjXshyIcnOQbM_OJ4LA_U_gR30IIomRQMMF2OcujKScesgGuWPjAgQVKRGS0UmDU3mZ5bswZcRIPa_D9wn3QDpcCwfpazEQNJ0XNfo5V2QF8IBwEnec/s400/IMG_1166.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>DEATH parking, teehee</i></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjLOrPIgc6mgqbDyCtX0r50xbkvuOcqS6YYmkF0dxGRg-UtsGgYU4IC9AL-Aqi5A6iFZW1ZwwKGfVUU7lmQo415BNSXMMd27In51bp9F8QYUvePf5MJo-PQ96gT2LdPt5xMepf-0-26AVsF/s1600/IMG_1167.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjLOrPIgc6mgqbDyCtX0r50xbkvuOcqS6YYmkF0dxGRg-UtsGgYU4IC9AL-Aqi5A6iFZW1ZwwKGfVUU7lmQo415BNSXMMd27In51bp9F8QYUvePf5MJo-PQ96gT2LdPt5xMepf-0-26AVsF/s400/IMG_1167.jpg" width="299" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>You aren't supposed to take photos inside, but I snapped this <br />photo of a "family" quilt made by the Manson girls. Nothing pairs like crafts and murder!</i></td></tr>
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After the museum, I wanted to go shopping at LA's oddities emporium, <a href="http://www.necromance.com/">Necromance</a> on Melrose in West Hollywood. Unfortunately, Necromance was closed, but we were able to browse some of the nearby shops that were open. I *almost* bought a pair of skeleton leggings, but I decided against it at the last minute. I should have bought them! There were so many cool stores on Melrose, including a branch of the Asian street-fashion brand <a href="http://joyrich.com/">JOYRICH</a>, but most of the ones I really wanted to visit were closed :(. </div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>A shot of the inside of Necromance from Google. I'm so bummed it was closed.... </i></td></tr>
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After we'd had our fill of Melrose, we headed over to Little Tokyo to indulge in vegetarian Japanese food at <a href="http://www.theshojin.com/">Shojin</a>, LA's only all-vegan Japanese restaurant! We ordered stuffed shitake mushrooms, yuzu-cured seitan, eggplant and burdok maki, and a vegetarian dragon roll! The Shojin staff were so sweet! They brought me a fruit dessert with a candle, and gave us our polaroid in a nice, personalized card. They also gave me a CD with the jazz music they played in the restaurant! </div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJgzNd-qaBm-qvHec3qqaTMlItdfe7NV-XFEKJ5iIpmpXSxvFdMiDcXNJmSbaHu7OTIYpmE1h7cyTIuVPP6c7eeq0R3LOvdIFgtMBCs76MX64OD9roeZy7ba5vGM2c6q4Ip0ACh_zO5qeK/s1600/5HApTU.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJgzNd-qaBm-qvHec3qqaTMlItdfe7NV-XFEKJ5iIpmpXSxvFdMiDcXNJmSbaHu7OTIYpmE1h7cyTIuVPP6c7eeq0R3LOvdIFgtMBCs76MX64OD9roeZy7ba5vGM2c6q4Ip0ACh_zO5qeK/s400/5HApTU.jpeg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>I took my own pictures at the restaurant, but they didn't really turn out. I snagged this from Google. </i></td></tr>
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After dinner, we had planned on going to do purikura, but it was also closed :(. Luckily, many of the Little Tokyo shops were open, so we got to browse a little after all. My boyfriend bought me some delicious macarons from Lette and a really adorable spoon ring from an Osaka-style vintage shop, and I treated myself to a cute pair of lashes. <div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhWA9EjCJFCeR8cL1IrCB07J0Vvr34erLQW1bNIagyJVPNGRWjYpUcmTF03vCyghil6QM9q1nY5RzwcNA3fnjWO5hL_2oLVVBFjYaD8LFIEmYaYUW7QhGbcPF7_Baj3eBUv6Fx_f-QLC9Rj/s1600/HOd0Vu.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhWA9EjCJFCeR8cL1IrCB07J0Vvr34erLQW1bNIagyJVPNGRWjYpUcmTF03vCyghil6QM9q1nY5RzwcNA3fnjWO5hL_2oLVVBFjYaD8LFIEmYaYUW7QhGbcPF7_Baj3eBUv6Fx_f-QLC9Rj/s400/HOd0Vu.jpeg" width="300" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>My birthday haul!</i></td></tr>
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Here is what I wore! In celebration of my birthday, I wore my most sumptuous gothic coordinate. Blouse: Victorian Maiden / OP: F+F / Hairpieces: AATP, F21, H&M / Rosary, stole, gloves: Vintage / Shoes: Bordello</div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Simple makeup.... I put a lot of roses in my hair.... </i></td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Eeeeh, demon face! It was dark by the time we got home, so my pictures are a little blurry! I love this dress so much! </i></td></tr>
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Mothra Liddelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06831760354752620780noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2784421457247234913.post-19407029004217025542012-12-29T00:56:00.001-06:002012-12-29T01:11:54.783-06:00Lolita Blog Carnival: Five Books Every (Gothic) Lolita Should ReadHello dear readers! It's been a while since I've had the time to participate in a Lolita Blog Carnival theme, but as a literary sort of gal I feel obliged to take this one on. My reading list is pretty specific to those who enjoy spooky kind of stories. So without further ado....<br />
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Five Books Every Gothic Lolita Should Read</div>
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<i>Wuthering Heights </i>by Emily Bronte</div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Image from the 2011 film version of Wuthering Heights</i></td></tr>
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<i>Wuthering Heights </i>is the quintesential gothic romance, full of wandering in misty moores, unrequited love, madness, and vivid descriptions of soot-blackened Yorkshire kitchens and stone bedchambers. Putting aside its canonnical status in gothic literature, its also one of my favorite novels. Though it may seem heavy, I actually read this book in a night: I just couldn't put it down. If you don't know the story, just give it a quick wiki search and do your homework. </div>
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+<i>The Awakening </i>by Kate Chopin</div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Frank W. Benson - "Artist's Daughters in Dining Room" 1906</i></td></tr>
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<i>The Awakening</i> is a tale of a woman unsatisfied with her position as a wife, mother, and socialite in Victorian Louisiana, and her struggle to find her place as an individual in high-pressure upper-crust Victorian society. During the course of the novel, the protagonist boldly leaves her family and attempts to forge a life for herself, but faces the overwhelming adversity of society at large. Kate Chopin writes beautifully and <i>The Awakening</i> is a literary gem for this reason alone, but I feel this novel is of the utmost importance to modern women, and to lolita and neo-romantic readers because it reminds us never to sacrifice our personhood for what society believes is the "right" way to live. We are reminded how far women have come, and how far we have yet to go. It also nudges us a little to not romanticize Victoriana toooo much ;). </div>
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+<i>A Good Man is Hard to Find </i>short story anthology by Flannery O'Conner</div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://graphics8.nytimes.com/images/2007/02/04/travel/flannery_600.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="212" src="http://graphics8.nytimes.com/images/2007/02/04/travel/flannery_600.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #666666; font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 11px; line-height: 13.983333587646484px; text-align: left;"><i>Flannery O’Connor’s desk and typewriter in her bedroom at her farm near Midgeville, Georgia. <br />Photo courtesy of New York Times. </i></span></td></tr>
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Flannery O'Connor is probably my favorite writer of all time. Unfortunately, this queen of the Southern Gothic passed at a young age, and her body of work is quite slim as a result. None the less, she produced one of the best short story anthologies of American literature. <i>A Good Man is Hard to Find </i>is full of the grotesqueries hidden beneath the mundane American existence, and features stories about many deliciously gothic bits such as serial killers, bible salesmen, spinsters, and wandering hobos. Flannery O'Conner wrote during the 50's-60's, so there are all kinds of kitschy rural mid-century details if you're into that sort of thing. </div>
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+<i>House on Haunted Hill </i>by Shirley Jackson</div>
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Shirley Jackson is another big name in American Gothic literature. Whereas Flannery O'Connor's work focuses more on absurd realities, Jackson's writing often has more of a supernatural or dystopic slant. Many of her stories are popular titles in this kind of genre, and I know that her novel <i>We Have Always Lived in the Castle </i>is a perrenial hit with the Tumblr/indieblogger crowd (I'm ashamed to admit that I haven't read it yet!), but I have chosen <i>House on Haunted Hill </i>for this list because it really is the essential American ghost story, and who doesn't love a good ghost story? Like pretty much every other story on this list, <i>House on Haunted Hill</i> also deals a lot with a woman's perspective, and her status in society. Also the movie is badass (the Vincent Price version, not the remake).</div>
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+<i>A Great and Terrible Beauty </i>(and sequels) by Libba Bray</div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-style: italic;">I know the cover makes it look like a cheesy romance novel. I promise you, it is not. The picture on the left is actress Romola Garai, the choice casting by a fan of one of the characters in the book, Felicity Worthington. I agree!</span></td></tr>
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Unlike the rest of the novels on my list, <i>A Great and Terrible Beauty</i> is a contemporary novel, written by YA author Libba Bray. The story is set in a mysterious girls' school in Victorian England. Although at its core, this book is a fantasy novel, it is <i>so </i> well researched and well written that it is actually quite immersive and feels very historic. The fantasy/adventure elements make this book fun to read, while the period detail makes one want to don her finest bonnets and go on some sort of gas-lit adventure.</div>
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I love each and every one of these books dearly! Maybe some of them are not really explicitly lolita, but each has a mood or theme that would appeal to most classic and gothic lolitas, as well as others interested in 19th century and 20th century history and life.</div>
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Check out these blogs that participated in this week's theme:</div>
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<span style="color: #444444; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif;"><span style="background-color: white; font-size: 15.454545021057129px; line-height: 21px;"><a href="http://eglcommunity.weebly.com/14/post/2012/12/books-every-lolita-should-read.html">Let them eat cake: The EGL Community Blog</a> ~ <a href="http://a-lace-jail.blogspot.com/2012/12/lbc-5-books-every-lolita-should-read.html">A lace jail</a> ~ <a href="http://palace-of-frills.blogspot.com/2012/12/lbc-5-books-every-lolita-should-read-14.html">Palace of frills</a> ~ <a href="http://kirakirashoujo.blogspot.com/2012/12/lolita-blog-carnival-14-5-books-every.html">Sparkling girl</a></span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #444444;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif;"><span style="background-color: white; font-size: 15.454545021057129px; line-height: 21px;"><a href="http://frozen-mammoth.blogspot.ca/2012/12/lolita-blog-carnival-5-books-every.html">Ice Age </a>~ </span></span><span style="background-color: white;"><a href="http://parasolobsession.blogspot.fi/2012/12/lolita-blog-carnival-five-books-every.html" style="font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13.333333015441895px; line-height: 22.66666603088379px; text-align: left;">Päivänvarjon alla</a><span style="font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13.333333015441895px; line-height: 22.66666603088379px; text-align: left;"> </span><b style="font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13.333333015441895px; line-height: 22.66666603088379px; text-align: left;">~ </b><a href="http://chigumachan.blogspot.com/2012/12/lolita-blog-carnival-5-books-every.html" style="font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13.333333015441895px; line-height: 22.66666603088379px; text-align: left;">Swirly Purple and Green Crayons</a></span></span></div>
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Mothra Liddelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06831760354752620780noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2784421457247234913.post-6685053099713801862012-12-25T05:04:00.000-06:002012-12-29T01:10:57.914-06:00Meet Up Report: Secret Winter Party at the Fairytale BoutiqueHappy Holidays from Carnivale Salt!!<br />
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A week or so ago, I attended my first lolita meetup in Los Angeles. LA's Little Tokyo district is home to an adorable lolita shop called the Fairytale Boutique. In addition to selling barely-used consignment brand items and unique pieces by local designers, Fairytale Boutique is also known for hosting some of the most popular events in the Southern California lolita community! I was really bummed that I was still in the midwest for the <a href="http://automatichoney.com/">Automatic Honey</a> Halloween release party. When Fairytale Boutique announced that they would be hosting a holiday event, I could not wait for the chance to get to participate in one of these events!<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgU8wCXJxd0ekv4JaFSN3yO3u9CzBaLqZI650heKkiZ9exWeniLOZ1owAxsYE6OzIADvguMCnxayVSaqT02nXwZab5GXF3AHR4xOnEDbE7JSuGHP-qe92mFCiTQ-z00zMcXjSlJy98KsyEb/s1600/546985_534180196593172_1778940278_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="267" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgU8wCXJxd0ekv4JaFSN3yO3u9CzBaLqZI650heKkiZ9exWeniLOZ1owAxsYE6OzIADvguMCnxayVSaqT02nXwZab5GXF3AHR4xOnEDbE7JSuGHP-qe92mFCiTQ-z00zMcXjSlJy98KsyEb/s400/546985_534180196593172_1778940278_n.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>So many lolitas! Everyone had a really festive time. There was a cosplay event going on at the shop next door so there were also several visitors in costumes. I love the Holiday Cami in the background of this shot!</i></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgjnCTKDrQ5ap0nJFZWScEGZGxoYBae139voa9Izq_-KzNrwPAvDDVUGlxxHsEhb8D09zAWfbJd5_wuF3DIQW4VG_nQ3CrCKWPVFPfEaFM_dVO8OsJFzkmcT0tSsgUefpPEVdU4EjA7pz-x/s1600/8867_534172823260576_1862248865_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="267" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgjnCTKDrQ5ap0nJFZWScEGZGxoYBae139voa9Izq_-KzNrwPAvDDVUGlxxHsEhb8D09zAWfbJd5_wuF3DIQW4VG_nQ3CrCKWPVFPfEaFM_dVO8OsJFzkmcT0tSsgUefpPEVdU4EjA7pz-x/s400/8867_534172823260576_1862248865_n.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Hostess Miki taking gifts for the White Elephant exchange. <br />She did a wonderful job organizing the event!! I loved her festive caplet.</i></td></tr>
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During the event, guests who had RSVP'd for party programming played a game of Rock-Paper-Scissors against the hostess for prizes. I have heard in the past that this style of rock-paper-scissors is a popular game at brand events in Japan, for lolita and other kinds of brands as well. I didn't win any prizes, but I came really close in one round! Following the game, we moved on to an extremely lively White Elephant gift exchange.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgqRSG4uekKKnG73Agp4y5OItb5-JgAbzjeOFyFywvSy7X9ys8d9K3Y059v7RUo2MK50nFz4ijBEla_1of6YOxy3H6TSP5zEU2lzpisHZurN8G8taddi50mpvBM1eNkPEnLrlZeuTGZcp6O/s1600/61389_534172933260565_604225594_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="267" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgqRSG4uekKKnG73Agp4y5OItb5-JgAbzjeOFyFywvSy7X9ys8d9K3Y059v7RUo2MK50nFz4ijBEla_1of6YOxy3H6TSP5zEU2lzpisHZurN8G8taddi50mpvBM1eNkPEnLrlZeuTGZcp6O/s400/61389_534172933260565_604225594_n.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>The Christmas Tree before all of the White Elephant gifts were added.....</i></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg7MsXcniE0ghopOmNFVH4KyvaCN7WKE0-6Y5JMlP3nWGMiu0IM4LywIkdrqTHrJHxczDnnR2S7aFRw8_DUwnxN7RkLMhpcCg_hSh-n7z27Or9BhlnnaGf4JR9sRnPIYXjgb6b7GIHjmxiT/s1600/IMG_1151.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg7MsXcniE0ghopOmNFVH4KyvaCN7WKE0-6Y5JMlP3nWGMiu0IM4LywIkdrqTHrJHxczDnnR2S7aFRw8_DUwnxN7RkLMhpcCg_hSh-n7z27Or9BhlnnaGf4JR9sRnPIYXjgb6b7GIHjmxiT/s400/IMG_1151.jpg" width="300" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>The tree after all of the gifts were added! It was quite an impressive sight. I had my eye on the parchment <br />wrapped gift but what I ended up with turned out to be much better. </i></td></tr>
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Instead of just matching your assigned number to the corresponding gift as I had assumed, we opened gifts one at a time in the group, and everyone could choose whichever present in the pile they wanted. Everyone cheered or booed as guests opened their gifts, and stealing gifts was allowed and encouraged! I had number 37, almost last, so I was lucky to have my pick of almost all the gifts. I felt a little guilty for stealing the Swimmer Tshirt I ended up with from another girl, but she got to steal another gift she wanted even more as a result anyway. At the beginning of the game, everyone felt bad stealing presents, but by the end, it was madness!<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgyOukILqp0ehOsPvA_dNAfttYcasR3tJ7CESDCwjY1hx7cuLG29kQ1wQ20LLfIIt8mujKM95D86SsWP6VN6_T998zayw9wMmqEoPWM1ZqkaJaE2vMqwN_DtXc7vwrxE1-kq4SFQSIffqSu/s1600/IMG_1152.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgyOukILqp0ehOsPvA_dNAfttYcasR3tJ7CESDCwjY1hx7cuLG29kQ1wQ20LLfIIt8mujKM95D86SsWP6VN6_T998zayw9wMmqEoPWM1ZqkaJaE2vMqwN_DtXc7vwrxE1-kq4SFQSIffqSu/s400/IMG_1152.jpg" width="300" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>I brought home this extra cute Swimmer ice cream tshirt. The screen print is flocky and its black and grey color scheme works great with my casual wardrobe. I've been wearing it with acid-washed jeans, combat boots, my graffiti stud belt, and the Kidsyoyo berret I wore to the event. The gift I brought for the exchange was a box of <br />Tazo blueberry white tea, a black BABY headbow, a ring from MONOMANIA, <br />and a sterling silver teapot Christmas ornament, all in a collectable MONOMANIA giftbag. </i></td></tr>
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I had a wonderful time, and eventually did open up and meet some new friends, but I must admit that I was terribly nervous and shy most of the event :(. Large meet ups are always a little intimidating for me, but meeting all new people at an event like that can be downright terrifying!<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhDO59Nk1xXcrrDJt5m7oegbbCUJSH1jHVS1BMNNRy0Zq4Zqg8m1xMoFkqfWVhPXxkERAsdKKyL-xRxiikaeX-firbY6YfsmUTpDhutjc6ELPkBVtf1aYGTKDc5plJk6mZWGGfmQSfJo7Ei/s1600/61459_534175589926966_598669162_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="267" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhDO59Nk1xXcrrDJt5m7oegbbCUJSH1jHVS1BMNNRy0Zq4Zqg8m1xMoFkqfWVhPXxkERAsdKKyL-xRxiikaeX-firbY6YfsmUTpDhutjc6ELPkBVtf1aYGTKDc5plJk6mZWGGfmQSfJo7Ei/s400/61459_534175589926966_598669162_n.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>All these girls were super nice! The girl I met with the red hair standing to the right of me was actually the one who won my gift! I was so happy she loves tea and wears gothic and classic, so it was the perfect gift for her. I wore my new AP Moon Night Theater miniskirt, with harlequin tights, black blazer and BABY blouse, topped off with my KIDSYOYO beret. Sweeter than my usual fare, but I wanted to be festive!<!--3--></i></td></tr>
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In spite of my shyness though, it was a great introduction to the SoCal Community, and I really hope I can get to know my local lolitas better soon! Did your community do anything fun for the holidays?<!--3-->Mothra Liddelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06831760354752620780noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2784421457247234913.post-5993452507838215722012-12-13T20:55:00.000-06:002012-12-13T20:55:16.649-06:00Carnivale Salt does Hollywood!!!Hello dear readers!! Carnivale Salt is back after an eventful hiatus moving across the United States! As all things that are kind of done on the fly, moving turned out to be a much more complicated process than it should have been and it really turned out to be quite the adventure. None of it was really on topic with the things I talk about on this blog, but maybe I'll tell you about it sometime :). After about three weeks of traveling, we finally are settled in our new (beautiful) home in the Koreatown area of Los Angeles! I've lived in the midwest most of my life, so being here with so many fruit trees and palms and beautiful people feels quite idyllic. Things to watch for on the blog!!<br />
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+Decorating and domestic features<br />
+Los Angeles city guides<br />
+Coverage of SoCal Gothic and Lolita fashion community events<br />
+ Recipes<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">On my list of things to do, find this awesome beach from <i>The Craft. </i>Yes, everything here does remind me of this movie....</td></tr>
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Mothra Liddelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06831760354752620780noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2784421457247234913.post-90864036744975638082012-11-15T10:25:00.001-06:002012-11-15T10:25:38.550-06:00Some recent purchases....Hello dear readers! I apologize for my blog neglect, I have been very busy preparing for my upcoming move to California. Unfortunately, things haven't been going as smoothly as we'd hoped so the process has been more stressful than I anticipated. Even though we're experiencing a bit of a delay, I'm still super excited, and am holding my head up high with thoughts of what waits for us there! <br />
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Along those lines, I've purchased a few new items for my Lolita wardrobe that I can look forward to once I arrive! <br />
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The first piece is something I've been trying to get my hands on since it was infamously released in Hot Topic years ago.... The Orchid Jumperskirt! I remember when I was still a beginning Lolita, and it was still difficult to get clothes overseas, this dress, sold easily at your local mall, took the western community by storm. I remember looking all over for this dress, but none of my local Hot Topics had it. Well, almost 7 years later, it's finally mine!<br />
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The second purchase I made was the mini-skirt release of Angelic Pretty's Moon Night Theater. At first I thought I didn't like this print but a few of my friends have the Jumperskirt in the pink colorway, and I must admit that it's grown on me quite a bit. I've always liked pleated skirts and I've been itching for one of AP's more casual mini's for a while. Not too cutesy, but more playful than my usual fare, I'm excited to wear this with a black blazer or turtleneck and beret for gothy otome looks ~<3 <br />
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The third and most dramatic piece, is Juliette et Justine's recent release "La Bibliotheque". I thought I had sworn off buying new brand at new brand prices, but this dress swept me away. Since I succeeded in selling most of the things I wanted to get rid of for moving, I allowed myself to splurge a little on this incredible piece! The design is so unique for a Lolita garment. I love flounce sleeves and find them to be very flattering on me, and I'm super psyched to see then used in Lolita. The handkerchief detail is perfect executed in this print, emphasizing the lines of the books. It's colorful yet still has that antique gothic feeling that I love! <br />
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None of these items have arrived yet, so I'm afraid these images are either borrowed from the seller or from Google. I'm so excited to receive my new items in my new home! <br />
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Have you made any recent purchases you're super excited about? Do you have any rituals when you move into a new home? Thanks for reading!<br />
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<div class="separator"style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQMrdL6hlGQ-07k9n3HMmvcQ0drlH2TCM15ZawD88oAp58v-fcX6F_H8FucR89j_VI9nc_cw4sDSM-SYy53Wj9YKVemwMno0UyTZn0OpILMdoW18p27pNtRSJR4Y5zfSZnCLT1yIF3tAfc/s640/blogger-image-322864590.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQMrdL6hlGQ-07k9n3HMmvcQ0drlH2TCM15ZawD88oAp58v-fcX6F_H8FucR89j_VI9nc_cw4sDSM-SYy53Wj9YKVemwMno0UyTZn0OpILMdoW18p27pNtRSJR4Y5zfSZnCLT1yIF3tAfc/s640/blogger-image-322864590.jpg" /></a></div><div class="separator"style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh3-DK0Wi-cLpzXr4DbhqbxJB3sGsoqA7SISCPcl-g-qvQic3VjDbU2oyIK00fGMZFhgE3AWyjWnh6xMj0a9dol1Izuq7rLZo4Rcnt3y5ghbP7Zt6FhhBxJcJHV_Fu7yx_AanVvA4MqBtNJ/s640/blogger-image-2107824984.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh3-DK0Wi-cLpzXr4DbhqbxJB3sGsoqA7SISCPcl-g-qvQic3VjDbU2oyIK00fGMZFhgE3AWyjWnh6xMj0a9dol1Izuq7rLZo4Rcnt3y5ghbP7Zt6FhhBxJcJHV_Fu7yx_AanVvA4MqBtNJ/s640/blogger-image-2107824984.jpg" /></a></div><div class="separator"style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh3B9CLf4dDpBa_zgxuni56Ovjg5dvuify0vVj2O84BIduhUBvvGXS0IvCn4Mh8onBx4S5x4wQLZaAT6dcXG2KjLa0Hnn1H9hxPolOX3HbEQZDidybCYR51BhmkfkVwjoGWCKUlOADJFSml/s640/blogger-image-2011094373.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh3B9CLf4dDpBa_zgxuni56Ovjg5dvuify0vVj2O84BIduhUBvvGXS0IvCn4Mh8onBx4S5x4wQLZaAT6dcXG2KjLa0Hnn1H9hxPolOX3HbEQZDidybCYR51BhmkfkVwjoGWCKUlOADJFSml/s640/blogger-image-2011094373.jpg" /></a></div>Mothra Liddelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06831760354752620780noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2784421457247234913.post-66430516797355680292012-10-26T21:57:00.000-05:002012-10-26T22:00:50.287-05:00My Style Outside of The FRILLS<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
This week's prompt for the Lolita Blog Carnival is to talk about your personal style outside of lolita fashion. Since Carnivale Salt is not strictly a lolita blog, you've heard me discuss many different styles, ranging from mori kei to western goth. While I am very interested in these fashions, and take a lot of inspiration from them, my daily style rarely conforms to just one. I'd like to describe my style as antique avant gothic, but the truth is that I'm not really sure how to describe my look. Even though I think I have a pretty interesting style, I'm not the most photogenic of people, and I tend to only take outfit shots if its a special occasion. The following is a smörgåsbord of photos from the past year so you can decide for yourself! From most recent:</div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Most recent and current hair and glasses combo... This look consisted of a mid-length long sleeved sweater dress and long pearls. Somewhere between Edward Gorey and Edith Head. Channeling 30's spinsters. September 2012<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Another recent look from shortly before I cut my hair short. I was going for Moon Flamenco for the club and put lots of flowers on my head and wore a stripy blue ruffley shirt, snakeskin leggings, and leather wedges. September 2012<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Wearing my hair down for a fancy wedding in Los Angeles. I'm the one with the big hat on the left. I wish I had a better picture of this outfit, but as you can see, it was very minimal consisting of my minipleat stretch column dress and a very big vintage portrait hat, accessorized with chainmaile earrings and Vivienne Westwood bag. One of my British aunts kept teasing me that I had to wear my hat at a jaunty angle, and not back on my head, because it looked too witchy! May 2012<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Eyebrowless and bright pink hair for early spring. I had bright blue hair a few months after this, but I can't seem to find any pictures.... This picture was from Midnight Mess in Tokyo during my trip in March 2012.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">More subdued pink last winter. This picture was taken of my boyfriend and I <br />
at a speak-easy themed show at a local loft space. I was going for bawdy turn-of-the-century feminist. <br />
Wearing pants and swearing at stuff. The boy is wearing a bike tube as a bolo tie! February 2012</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">More winter hair. I miss these glasses!!! I think they broke in my purse :(. <br />
I don't remember what I was doing when this picture was taken.... January 2012</td></tr>
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I wish I had more pictures to show you! I'm really bad at taking outfit photos, especially outside of lolita and club looks!! I'll try harder in the future!! This year in my personal style was all about un-naturally colored hair, interesting glasses, and thrifting a lot. I'm excited to see everyone elses posts on the blog carnival.<br />
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Check out everyone else who participated in this weeks Lolita Blog Carnivale!</div>
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<span style="color: #444444;"><span style="background-color: white; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 21px;"><i><a href="http://2tspofsugar.blogspot.com/2012/10/lolita-blog-carnival-my-style-outside.html" style="text-decoration: none;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;">Two Teaspoons of Sugar</span></a> ~ <span style="font-size: xx-small;"><a href="http://lepopprincess.blogspot.com/2012/10/lolita-blog-carnival-my-style-beyond.html" style="text-decoration: none;">Pop Princess</a></span> ~ <span style="font-size: xx-small;"><a href="http://ff-and-ss.blogspot.com/2012/10/lolita-blog-carnival-my-style-outside.html" style="text-decoration: none;">FF &SS</a></span> ~ <span style="font-size: xx-small;"><a href="http://geishababy.blogspot.com/2012/10/lolita-blog-carnival-your-style-outside.html" style="text-decoration: none;">Geisha Baby</a></span></i></span><br style="background-color: white; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 21px;" /><span style="background-color: white; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 21px;"><i><span style="font-size: xx-small;"><a href="http://magicalamode.blogspot.com/2012/10/lolita-blog-carnival-what-i-wear-out-of.html" style="text-decoration: none;">Magic A</a><a href="http://magicalamode.blogspot.com/2012/10/lolita-blog-carnival-what-i-wear-out-of.html" style="text-decoration: none;"> </a><a href="http://magicalamode.blogspot.com/2012/10/lolita-blog-carnival-what-i-wear-out-of.html" style="text-decoration: none;">la Mode</a> <span style="font-size: x-small;">~</span> <a href="http://palace-of-frills.blogspot.com/2012/10/lbc-my-style-outside-of-lolita.html" style="text-decoration: none;">Princess Palace</a></span></i></span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 21px;"><i> ~ <span style="font-size: xx-small;"><a href="http://red-tonic.blogspot.com/2012/10/lolita-blog-carnival-week-5-your-style.html" style="text-decoration: none;">Red Tonic</a></span> ~ <a href="http://chigumachan.blogspot.com/2012/10/lolita-blog-carnival-your-style-outside.html" style="text-decoration: none;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;">Swirly Purple and Green Crayons</span></a></i></span><br style="background-color: white; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 21px;" /><span style="background-color: white; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 21px;"><i><span style="font-size: xx-small;"><a href="http://fantasiadollhousediaries.blogspot.cz/2012/10/lbc-week-5-your-style-outside-of-lolita_26.html" style="text-decoration: none;">Doll</a><a href="http://fantasiadollhousediaries.blogspot.cz/2012/10/lbc-week-5-your-style-outside-of-lolita_26.html" style="text-decoration: none;">house Diaries</a> <span style="font-size: x-small;">~</span> <a href="http://a-lace-jail.blogspot.fr/2012/10/lolita-blog-carnival-styles-outside-of.html" style="text-decoration: none;">A Lace Jail</a> ~ <a href="http://makelovely.wordpress.com/2012/10/26/outside_of_frills/" style="text-decoration: none;">Make Pretty</a> ~ <a href="http://fyeahlolita.blogspot.com/2012/10/lolita-blog-carnival-my-style-outside.html" style="text-decoration: none;">F Yeah Lolita</a></span></i></span><br style="background-color: white; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 21px;" /><a href="http://sidhebanshee.blogspot.it/2012/10/lolita-blog-carniva-your-style-outside.html" style="background-color: white; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 21px; text-decoration: none;"><i><span style="font-size: xx-small;">A life in Disguise </span></i></a></span></div>
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Mothra Liddelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06831760354752620780noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2784421457247234913.post-30019130314030047602012-10-25T16:55:00.002-05:002012-10-26T22:15:21.771-05:00Chicago Lolitas' Halloween Tea 2012<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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This past Saturday, I hosted a tea for my local lolitas at one of my favorite spots, <a href="http://www.russianteatime.com/">Russian Tea Time</a>. When I first became active with the Chicago area lolitas in 2008, it was a tradition of sorts that the community held seasonal formal teas, usually one in the spring, one around the holidays, and one in autumn. Our first fall Halloween tea was one of my favorite meets, so I decided to continue the tradition and host another edition of ChiGothLoli Halloween Gothic tea.</div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Everyone together taking obligatory shoe shots!!</i></td></tr>
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I was a little nervous about the turnout, but after everyone arrived, we had a large group of 19 lolitas and friends! The theme was gothic, but some people ventured out in their best bittersweet, oldschool, and classic looks. I really enjoy themed meets because I feel like it encourages people to look their best. Everyone really did well!<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Said shoe shot. Mine is the velvet boot with lacey tight at 12:05!</i></td></tr>
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I didn't get many pictures of the tea service or the party indoors because the lighting was poor, and also because I've featured Russian Tea Time's service <a href="http://carnivalesalt.blogspot.com/2012_08_01_archive.html">before</a>. As always, it was very delicious, and with generous helpings! I love RTT because I usually have a lot of left-over sweets that I can bring home and enjoy with my coffee the next morning (yes, I'm a sweets for breakfast kind of girl!).<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Russian Tea Time has lots of beautiful dolls that harken back to folkloric Russia. <br />I've always loved them but never got any good pictures! <br />Thanks Nina for this snapshot!</i></td></tr>
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After tea, the group of us meandered over to the Art Institute gardens for pictures, and then over to State Street to visit Sephora and <a href="http://muginohointl.com/">Beard Papa's</a>, a Japanese creme-puff shop very popular with the local lolitas.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Like everywhere else right now, Beard Papa's is full of pumpkin items for fall. <br />I bet a pumpkin creme puff would be really delicious...</i></td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Choices of creme puff shells at Beard Papa's. The cookie-top one is my favorite.</i></td></tr>
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All in all it was a very successful meet! In addition to carrying on an annual past-time in our community, I wanted to take advantage of the opportunity to say goodbye to my local lolitas because <b>I am moving to Los Angeles in a few weeks!!! </b>I'm so excited!!! I will miss Chicago but I'm excited to have lots of new adventures on the west coast. Expect many related posts in the future. This is what I wore to tea.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>I wish I had a better shot of the details! My blouse is beaded and has a very beautiful lustre, </i><br />
<i>but it doesn't really show in the photos :(. </i>***<br />
<i>OP: Black Peace Now<br />Blouse: Vintage<br />Bloomers: Metamorphose Temps de Fille<br />Tights: Vera Wang<br />Shoes: Bordello<br />Accessories: F21, VoodooDolly</i></td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Coat: KidsYoYo<br />Stole: Vintage</i></td></tr>
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Thanks for looking! Do you have any Halloween traditions with your friends or your fashion community?Mothra Liddelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06831760354752620780noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2784421457247234913.post-5311192868617176512012-10-14T22:22:00.002-05:002012-10-14T22:22:59.242-05:00Three Lolita Prints I Would Like to SeeI'm a little late to the party for this week, but I recently joined a wonderful ring of lolita bloggers for our very own Blog Carnival! A Blog Carnival is a group for weekly blog prompt, and is intended to bring lolita bloggers together and help each other keep our blogs active! While my blog isn't exclusively for lolitas, I do dress in lolita fashion, and participate in the lolita community. This week, our prompt is about prints! I tend to choose dresses for their design rather than the print, but I do have a few things I've been dying to see.....<br />
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<b>The Bug Collector: Butterflies, Moths, Beetles, and Bugs</b></div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>"A moth, butterflies, and bees" by Wenzel Holler c. 1650</i></td></tr>
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From my banner and previous posts, you've probably deducted that I love natural history, and I especially love early 17th century natural history illustration and engravings. I would love to own a lolita dress with a tiled, all-over print of illustrations of various insects, perhaps with labels and arranged in a grid like a scientific preparation. A black print on ivory or white would be beautiful, but colored illustrations against a solid background would be stunning as well. Perhaps with velvet or grosgrain ribbon trim.... I would love to wear a dress like this with a straw hat, doctors bag, and maybe a brass magnifying glass on a watch fob for a Victorian naturalist inspired look.<br />
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<b>Surrealist Photography</b></div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>"Composition" by Maurice Tabard, 1919. <br />The Met Musuem, New York</i></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
Perhaps an unconventional choice for lolita, but I would really love to see a dress with a surrealist photographic motif, maybe in the style of Juliette et Justine or Jane Marple. Surrealist photography usually is black and white, and has a collaged or layered composition. This kind of textural image could really be interesting in a textile, and could lend itself to interesting details, such as draped sleeves or hems, in a lolita dress! Surrealist photography often has sexual imagery, so one would probably need to choose a photograph that was safe for work!<br />
<div>
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<div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<b>Black Cats</b></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://24.media.tumblr.com/tumblr_mavn777BM61qac76ro1_250.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="http://24.media.tumblr.com/tumblr_mavn777BM61qac76ro1_250.jpg" width="334" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Found on Tumblr</i></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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I know Angelic Pretty's recent release Cinema Doll features black cats, and there have been other brand releases featuring black cats in the past, but I really want something spookier!! I am the proud mom of a extra cuddly and really not at all spooky black cat, and I really want to own some related dresses!!! In spite of this, I haven't really been enamoured with any of the black cat prints that brands have released, and am holding out for more. Common Moitie, black cats on gravestones with skulls, please??</div>
</div>
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<div style="text-align: center;">
Check out everyone else that joined in on this week's topic:</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><a href="http://kairii-chan.blogspot.com/">La petite Princesse</a> ~ <a href="http://www.goodmorninglovely.net/">Good Morning Lovely</a> ~ <a href="http://sweetlolitadoll-94.blogspot.nl/">Sweet Lolita Doll</a> ~ <a href="http://darklydarling.blogspot.jp/">Darkly Darling</a></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><a href="http://lepopprincess.blogspot.com/2012/10/lolita-blog-carnival-three-prints-you.html">Pop Princess</a> ~ <a href="http://sidhebanshee.blogspot.it/">A Life in Disguise</a> ~ <a href="http://commerciallyalternative.blogspot.com/2012/10/lolita-blog-carnival-3-prints-i-would.html">Commercially Alternative</a> ~ <a href="http://a-lace-jail.blogspot.com/2012/10/lolita-blog-carnival-3-prints-you-would.html">A Lace Jail</a></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><a href="http://lucythewhite.blogspot.pt/2012/10/lolita-blog-carnival-3-prints-i-would.html">Secret Window</a> ~ <a href="http://rainbowstarcandy.blogspot.com/2012/10/lolita-blog-carnival-week-3-3-prints.html">Rainbow Star Candy</a> ~ <a href="http://lolitapoupee.blogspot.com/2012/10/lolita-blog-carnival-3-prints-i-would.html">Lolita Poupee</a> ~ <a href="http://fyeahlolita.blogspot.com/2012/10/3-prints-i-would-like-to-see.html">F Yeah Lolita</a></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><a href="http://dixmacabre.blogspot.com/">Dixmacabe Sewing</a> ~ <a href="http://www.parfaitdoll.com/2012/10/3-prints-challenge.html">Parfait Doll</a> ~ <a href="http://leatherlaceandarsenic.wordpress.com/2012/10/11/lbc-3prints/">Leather Lace and Arsenic</a> ~ <a href="http://puppenschloss.blogspot.de/2012/10/lolita-blog-carnival-3-prints-you-would.html">Puppenschloss</a></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><a href="http://candy-coated-life.blogspot.com/2012/10/lolita-blog-carnival-three-prints-you.html">Candy Coated Life</a> ~ <a href="http://lemontree111.blogspot.com/2012/10/lolita-blog-carnival-3-lolita-prints-id.html">LemonTree111</a></span></div>
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Mothra Liddelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06831760354752620780noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2784421457247234913.post-72009698325883559532012-10-14T20:38:00.000-05:002012-10-15T23:44:43.214-05:00Dark Mori Checklist<br />
<div class="title" style="padding: 10px 10px 0px;">
<span style="color: #494949; font-family: Garamond, Hoefler Text, Times New Roman, Times, serif; font-size: x-small;">Many of you might be familiar with the Mori Girl Checklist, a popular meme that originated in the Japanese Mori Girl Mixi communities. To those not in the know, the Mori Girl Checklist is a sometimes tongue-in-cheek "code" for mori girl fashion and lifestyle. With the advent and evolution of the Dark Mori style, the idea of the Mori Girl Checklist has been appropriated as a code for Dark Mori girls. I find I identify with almost everything on the list!!! Maybe this is why I feel such an affinity towards this style <3 nbsp="nbsp"></3></span><br />
<span style="color: #494949; font-family: Garamond, 'Hoefler Text', 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; font-weight: bold;"><br /></span>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://25.media.tumblr.com/tumblr_m90j6tAyqP1re9cono1_500.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="275" src="http://25.media.tumblr.com/tumblr_m90j6tAyqP1re9cono1_500.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Source: Finnish Lolita Designer <a href="http://rosanitida.blogspot.com/">Rosa Nitida</a></i></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<span style="color: #494949; font-family: Garamond, 'Hoefler Text', 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; font-weight: bold;">Dark Mori Style and Lifestyle Checklist </span></div>
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Fashion:</div>
<ol>
<li><div style="margin-top: 10px; padding: 0px;">
Wants to look like a witch or a dark fairy from the woods</div>
</li>
<li><div style="margin-top: 10px; padding: 0px;">
Likes to wear Dark, dusty colours, but also jewel and earthy tones.</div>
</li>
<li><div style="margin-top: 10px; padding: 0px;">
All white outfits can be pretty for a ghostly look.</div>
</li>
<li><div style="margin-top: 10px; padding: 0px;">
Vintage clothes are a must</div>
</li>
<li><div style="margin-top: 10px; padding: 0px;">
Antique, used or ragged laces and silks</div>
</li>
<li><div style="margin-top: 10px; padding: 0px;">
Flowers, Leaves, feathers, or antlers make pretty headpieces.</div>
</li>
<li><div style="margin-top: 10px; padding: 0px;">
Natural stones, bones, taxidermy and silver jewelry is best.</div>
</li>
<li><div style="margin-top: 10px; padding: 0px;">
Leather accessories (belts, pouches, cuffs, corsets…)</div>
</li>
<li><div style="margin-top: 10px; padding: 0px;">
Anything Furry could work</div>
</li>
<li><div style="margin-top: 10px; padding: 0px;">
Knitted Items, Handmade is best</div>
</li>
<li><div style="margin-top: 10px; padding: 0px;">
Layering is the key,</div>
</li>
<li><div style="margin-top: 10px; padding: 0px;">
Medieval, Victorian, Folklore and 1920’s inpirations</div>
</li>
<li><div style="margin-top: 10px; padding: 0px;">
Ethnic Clothes</div>
</li>
<li><div style="margin-top: 10px; padding: 0px;">
Hats. Big, quirky and always decorated.</div>
</li>
<li><div style="margin-top: 10px; padding: 0px;">
Floral patterns and animal prints</div>
</li>
<li><div style="margin-top: 10px; padding: 0px;">
Might have some Lolita or Steampunk inspiration</div>
</li>
<li><div style="margin-top: 10px; padding: 0px;">
Helena Bonham Carter is a great style icon.</div>
</li>
<li><div style="margin-top: 10px; padding: 0px;">
Dramatic silent movie make up, tribal paints or very natural look works fine.</div>
</li>
<li><div style="margin-top: 10px; padding: 0px;">
Legwear is fun to experiment with. Wearing stripey socks can add to the traditional witchy look</div>
</li>
<li><div style="margin-top: 10px; padding: 0px;">
Can look flirtacious, seductive at times. Corsets are welcome for this look.</div>
</li>
<li><div style="margin-top: 10px; padding: 0px;">
Crushed velvet</div>
</li>
<li><div style="margin-top: 10px; padding: 0px;">
Prefers Dresses and Skirts, longer the better.</div>
</li>
<li><div style="margin-top: 10px; padding: 0px;">
Shawls, ponchos and hoods.</div>
</li>
<li><div style="margin-top: 10px; padding: 0px;">
Laced up boots, pointy shoes, victorian heels and clogs.</div>
</li>
<li><div style="margin-top: 10px; padding: 0px;">
Braided hair, messy curls, or dreads are good hairstyles.<br />
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</li>
</ol>
<div style="margin-top: 10px; padding: 0px;">
Lifestyle:</div>
<ol>
<li><div style="margin-top: 10px; padding: 0px;">
Likes anything spooky or creepy</div>
</li>
<li><div style="margin-top: 10px; padding: 0px;">
Collects oddities</div>
</li>
<li><div style="margin-top: 10px; padding: 0px;">
Might be attracted by witchcraft and esoterism</div>
</li>
<li><div style="margin-top: 10px; padding: 0px;">
Might tend to have a « natural »lifestyle</div>
</li>
<li><div style="margin-top: 10px; padding: 0px;">
Believes in Fairies, and Spirits</div>
</li>
<li><div style="margin-top: 10px; padding: 0px;">
Crafty Girl</div>
</li>
<li><div style="margin-top: 10px; padding: 0px;">
Has a familiar/pet, and most likely a cat or rats.</div>
</li>
<li><div style="margin-top: 10px; padding: 0px;">
Rather solitary girl,kind of an introvert</div>
</li>
<li><div style="margin-top: 10px; padding: 0px;">
Might prefer Dark Music scenes, from traditional goth, ambiant to Black Metal.</div>
</li>
<li><div style="margin-top: 10px; padding: 0px;">
Likes Tribal Fusion Dancing</div>
</li>
<li><div style="margin-top: 10px; padding: 0px;">
Strangeness over Prettiness</div>
</li>
<li><div style="margin-top: 10px; padding: 0px;">
Loves books. Old Bookstores are a favourite place.</div>
</li>
<li><div style="margin-top: 10px; padding: 0px;">
Somewhat rebellious, strong willed and free-spirited, but still Lady Like</div>
</li>
<li><div style="margin-top: 10px; padding: 0px;">
Romantic, Melancholic</div>
</li>
<li><div style="margin-top: 10px; padding: 0px;">
Might have little quircks, superstitions</div>
</li>
<li><div style="margin-top: 10px; padding: 0px;">
Loves Tea</div>
</li>
<li><div style="margin-top: 10px; padding: 0px;">
Folklore, Fairytales, Legends and Myths from the North are favourites, but might like Oriental cultures as well.</div>
</li>
<li><div style="margin-top: 10px; padding: 0px;">
Loves antiques.</div>
</li>
<li><div style="margin-top: 10px; padding: 0px;">
Thrifting is a favourite activity</div>
</li>
<li><div style="margin-top: 10px; padding: 0px;">
Always thinks « warm and cosy »</div>
</li>
<li><div style="margin-top: 10px; padding: 0px;">
Might be a bit messy, but always with style</div>
</li>
<li><div style="margin-top: 10px; padding: 0px;">
Might drink alcohol on occasions. Mead and spicy wines drunk in a horn, or strong alcoholin a pretty flask.</div>
</li>
<li><div style="margin-top: 10px; padding: 0px;">
Collects bottles and fiols</div>
</li>
<li><div style="margin-top: 10px; padding: 0px;">
Likes to take walks in the Forest, after the rain, at dusk or event at night.</div>
</li>
<li><span style="font-size: 13px; line-height: 15px;">Preraphaelites, Arthur Rackham, William Bouguereau or Brian Froud are favourite artists.</span></li>
</ol>
<div>
Originally posted by <a href="http://stregaforest.tumblr.com/post/16855814273/my-dark-mori-style-and-lifestyle-checklist">Strega's Forest</a> over on Tumblr.</div>
</div>
Mothra Liddelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06831760354752620780noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2784421457247234913.post-14140046465654244012012-10-07T21:15:00.001-05:002012-10-07T21:15:53.024-05:00Witch from the Woods: Dark Mori Style<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgNBCFitCJOB7ZQ7gFPn0kkXUhV4Vc8YOOwd3iZiCd_UOyLdLhR26-ovYoAiHFHAb6xHPM3l4B060JijaaG4nKJfZds-JBOlZQpzIhhZ2TeTsByCbes5YbSANyb0TERzNhyw8dqqHiaZnb3/s1600/darkmori_mosaic.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgNBCFitCJOB7ZQ7gFPn0kkXUhV4Vc8YOOwd3iZiCd_UOyLdLhR26-ovYoAiHFHAb6xHPM3l4B060JijaaG4nKJfZds-JBOlZQpzIhhZ2TeTsByCbes5YbSANyb0TERzNhyw8dqqHiaZnb3/s640/darkmori_mosaic.jpeg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="background-color: white; font-family: Verdana, Geneva, sans-serif; font-size: 9px; line-height: 18.700000762939453px;">Collage from Tumblr. Photo sources: </span><a href="http://stregaforest.tumblr.com/" style="background-color: white; font-family: Verdana, Geneva, sans-serif; font-size: 9px; line-height: 18.700000762939453px; text-decoration: none;">Strega's Forest</a><span style="background-color: white; font-family: Verdana, Geneva, sans-serif; font-size: 9px; line-height: 18.700000762939453px;">, </span><a href="http://featherandmoss.tumblr.com/" style="background-color: white; font-family: Verdana, Geneva, sans-serif; font-size: 9px; line-height: 18.700000762939453px; text-decoration: none;">Feather & Moss Curiosities</a><span style="background-color: white; font-family: Verdana, Geneva, sans-serif; font-size: 9px; line-height: 18.700000762939453px;">, and </span><a href="http://www.etsy.com/shop/Necrosarium" style="background-color: white; font-family: Verdana, Geneva, sans-serif; font-size: 9px; line-height: 18.700000762939453px; text-decoration: none;">Necrosarium</a><br />
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</tbody></table>
Within the last year or so, a buzz has been growing around the idea of a darker version, or sub-style, of the <i>mori-kei </i>style. For those of you not in the know, mori kei, or mori girl, is a street fashion look originating in Japan that embraces the aesthetics of a rural, woodsy lifestyle. Mori kei fashion is heavily layered, and often incorporates heavy knits and lace to evoke a charming, hand-made feeling. While many dark romantic types identify with the solitary, girl-living-in-the-woods ideals of mori-kei, we often associate ourselves with the darker aspects of the woodland fairy-tale: the woods witch, the wandering sage, the Miss Havisham, the village priestess, the Gretel.<br />
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Dark mori, sometimes referred to as Strega style (as proposed by Hydrangea Velours, curator of the tumblr blog <a href="http://stregaforest.tumblr.com/">Strega's Forest</a>), or Black Forest Mori (as proposed by Shady Oaks at her <a href="http://shadyoaks.tumblr.com/">tumblr</a>), is the incarnation of this fashion that revels in the melancholy of the forest. Dark mori uses variations of blacks and greys where traditional mori kei uses whites and cremes. Raw edges and tattered lace are used to give dark mori garments a worn look. Accessories can feature dried flowers, branches, bones, horns, and raw stones, and makeup can vary between completely natural to elaborate and tribal.<br />
<br />
Dark mori girls and boys can draw inspiration from nature, from the Northern Rennaissance and Pre-Raphaelite art movements, Gothic literature, bronze-age and pre-Christian civilizations, folklore, fairytales.... Since dark mori is a fairly new idea, there are a limited amount of definitive resources floating around the net. Although this is true, there are quite a few good tumblr blogs with a dark mori theme. Here are a few:<br />
<br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
<i>Strega's Forest - <a href="http://stregaforest.tumblr.com/">stregaforest.tumblr.com</a></i></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<i>Shady Oaks - <a href="http://shadyoaks.tumblr.com/">shadyoaks.tumblr.com</a></i></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<i>Dark Starts - <a href="http://darkstarts.tumblr.com/">darkstarts.tumblr.com</a></i></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<i>A Dark Forest Girl (Lots of good all-white and "old-school" mori kei as well)</i></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<i>- <a href="http://dark-forest-girl.tumblr.com/">dark-forest-girl.tumblr.com</a></i></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<i>The Reliquatory (lots of dolly-kei too) - <a href="http://reliquatory.tumblr.com/">reliquatory.tumblr.com</a></i></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
and mine! <i><a href="http://ladysaltina.tumblr.com/">ladysaltina.tumblr.com</a></i></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
I'm really enthused about this style and have been trying to dress within this vein. I hope I can make this blog a good resource for dark mori fashion!</div>
Mothra Liddelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06831760354752620780noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2784421457247234913.post-82825200737641486492012-10-05T19:36:00.001-05:002012-10-05T19:37:56.931-05:00Curious about Curiosity Cabinets: How to start your own Wunderkammer<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Collecting is a hobby that can take many forms, but displaying your oddities in the form of a Curiosity Cabinet is the ultimate way to showcase your collection, and visually communicate your interests and aesthetic. Curiosity cabinets, or <i>Wunderkammen</i> in the original German, have a rich history and have been a popular method of displaying personal collections for centuries.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://25.media.tumblr.com/tumblr_m7xnxp9n0A1qc5jyvo1_500.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="http://25.media.tumblr.com/tumblr_m7xnxp9n0A1qc5jyvo1_500.jpg" width="271" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>I adore their collection of crucifixes! </i><br />
<i>Note the mingling </i><i>of oddities with books....</i><br />
<i>Source: Tumblr</i></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<b>Step One: Acquiring a Cabinet</b></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<b><br /></b></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
While not one-hundred percent necessary for a more general oddities collection, a nice touch, and really, the <i>defining</i> touch to your Cabinet of Curiosities is, of course, the cabinet! Finding a suitable display case can be a treasure hunt of its own, but there are plenty of options commercially available if you are willing to spend the money. Thrift stores with large furniture selections usually have hutches or china cabinets available that could be fitted to work, and of course, ebay always has (sometimes pricey) selection of antique apothecary shelves available for purchase. </div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.mrbeasleys.com/store/images/products/43289.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="http://www.mrbeasleys.com/store/images/products/43289.JPG" width="300" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>A quick google search for "Antique Hutch" turned up this beauty, </i><br />
<i>but its easy to find similar models at any local thrift shop. </i><br />
<br />
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-size: small;">If you are on a budget, a bookshelf can do the trick. The possibilities are endless, but remember that the display is just as important as the collection itself, so make sure to choose something that really speaks to you! A nice feature to have is a light source. Though not mandatory, it's nice to be able to really put your collection in the spotlight.</span><br />
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</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<b>Step Two: Beginning Your Collection</b></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<b><br /></b></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
Traditional curiosity cabinets were comprised of a combination of natural and man-made artifacts. Collectors would display sea fans and shells next to plater casts of grecian statues and sometimes obvious fakes "proving" the existence of mythical creatures (such as the "Piece of Skin from the Serpent in the Garden of Eden" below). Although for a while these collections were considered educational, their real purpose was to engender awe in their viewers, and capture an appreciation for the world around them. As the Age of Reason dawned, the organization of these collections began to be more motivated by scientific method and were divided into classifications for research. Eventually, <i>wunderkammen </i>evolved into modern natural history and art museums. Art and artifacts were separated from natural specimens, and the gaffs and mythological pieces were removed all together. </div>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://cool.conservation-us.org/jaic/img/jaic43-03-002-ch2fg2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="http://cool.conservation-us.org/jaic/img/jaic43-03-002-ch2fg2.jpg" width="283" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">This specimen was a showcase piece in the curiosity collection of <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Charles_F._Gunther">Charles F. Gunther</a>, a successful confectioner in Victorian Chicago who was well known for his vast and eccentric collection. In addition to owning many legitamate and important historical artifacts in his collection, he also was the proud owner of pieces like this, "A Piece of Skin from the Serpent in the Garden of Eden". Cataloging textile pieces from Gunther's collection was one of my jobs when I worked at the Chicago History Museum!</td></tr>
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Modern curiosity cabinets in many ways harken back to the original <i>wunderkammen</i> of the Northern Renaissance. Most private collections these days are not intended for methodical scientific study, but rather to express one's aesthetic and interests, and to display items which whet one's curiosity and wonder. Modern collections do not have to abide by any traditional guidelines. Mechanical wonders, art, dolls, things found on walks, urban refuse, your cat's meal remains.... the sky is the limit! </div>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://25.media.tumblr.com/tumblr_maz6u9TGY01ro8kzyo2_1280.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://25.media.tumblr.com/tumblr_maz6u9TGY01ro8kzyo2_1280.jpg" width="235" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #666666;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: xx-small;"><b>Cased Victorian Butterfly Collection</b> featured on <a href="http://shopoddities.tumblr.com/">Shop Oddities tumblr</a>. Available on Etsy <a href="http://www.etsy.com/listing/110539802/victorian-cased-butterflies?ref=sr_gallery_14&ga_search_query=taxidermy&ga_view_type=gallery&ga_ship_to=ZZ&ga_min=0&ga_max=0&ga_order=date_desc&ga_page=0&ga_search_type=all">here</a>.</span></span></td></tr>
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All this thinking about collecting is very exciting but beginning a collection can be daunting. Like building a wardrobe, a collection should be fairly thematic if you want to clearly communicate an idea or aesthetic. It is a good idea to choose a theme for your collection, or narrow the things you want to collect down to a few specific kinds of items. Once you have a basic collection down, you can build from there. Some ideas for themes could be Natural History (bug collections, bird skins, articulated animal skeletons), medical paraphernalia, funerary items, or religious artifacts. Ideally, these things should have some personal significance, but they can also just be things you think are cool!!</div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://24.media.tumblr.com/tumblr_matv7yA7Th1r8vrhxo1_500.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="219" src="http://24.media.tumblr.com/tumblr_matv7yA7Th1r8vrhxo1_500.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><strong style="background-color: white; color: #6e7173; font-family: Garamond, 'Hoefler Text', 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 15px; text-align: start;">A collection of glass eyes</strong><span style="background-color: white; text-align: start;"><span style="color: #6e7173; font-family: Garamond, Hoefler Text, Times New Roman, Times, serif; font-size: x-small;"><span style="line-height: 15px;"> which belong to the last lady glass eye blower in the UK: </span></span><br /><span style="color: #6e7173; font-family: Garamond, Hoefler Text, Times New Roman, Times, serif; font-size: x-small;"><span style="line-height: 15px;">From the Royal Berkshire Medical Museum Collection. I would die to have these in my collection!</span></span></span></td></tr>
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Since a curiosity cabinet is a central part of your home's decor, its a good idea to discuss your collecting plans with your partner or family if you share your home. My boyfriend and I are both excited to start building our own oddities collection, but we have agreed together that we will not be collecting any human remains, pickled things, or mortuary ephemera, on his request, and nothing associated with black magic/summoning on my request. We have agreed we want to stick with natural history artifacts, medical equipment, and religious artifacts. </div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgwtoJlPenrleKpuOi3KqQIZqRwVNhkd_Zi0ZUZQC19IhlJR9BNEdyS67doFWJ4Iq1x16TSa699UH11Slv6Wxms2FFOReIkMLVUeW92rBzwr-prv1aHsMzqNbdnN7PO4JsXxgHRNvBHfNA/s1600/Curiosity+Cabinet.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="365" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgwtoJlPenrleKpuOi3KqQIZqRwVNhkd_Zi0ZUZQC19IhlJR9BNEdyS67doFWJ4Iq1x16TSa699UH11Slv6Wxms2FFOReIkMLVUeW92rBzwr-prv1aHsMzqNbdnN7PO4JsXxgHRNvBHfNA/s400/Curiosity+Cabinet.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">DIY Curiosity Cabinet from the <a href="http://jewelrytutorial.blogspot.com/2011_02_01_archive.html">Jewelry Tutorials blog</a>, who run the EtsyMetals blog ring. The linked article talks about what they do to inspire them as jewelers, and maintaining a curiosity cabinet is on the list!</td></tr>
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If you are on a budget, or just aren't sure what direction you want to go with your collection, its also perfectly acceptable for your <i>wunderkammer</i> to be made up of little things that have no significance other than that you like them. Your curiosities don't have to be valuable, or rare, or even beautiful to be special to you. Maybe the most important function of a curiosity cabinet is to store and elevate items that have emotional significance to you. To have them somewhere where you can look at them and remember those feelings and feel proud of the object, and not just keep it in a drawer. </div>
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<b>Step Three: Oddities Odds n' Ends</b></div>
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So you're ready to turn your collection into a full blown curiosity cabinet. Here are a few useful links for where to get things you'll need or want, inspiration, research sources, and other like-minds. I only have US locations right now. If you know of any others, feel free to comment and I'll add them to the list!! Happy collecting!!! </div>
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<i><b>Those nifty glass domes:</b> </i></div>
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<i><a href="http://www.collectingwarehouse.com/Product-Home-Page/Glass-Doll-Domes-22-Sizes">Collectingwarehouse.com</a></i></div>
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<i><b>Oddities shops: </b></i></div>
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<i>Obscura - New York, New York <a href="http://www.obscuraantiques.com/">http://www.obscuraantiques.com/</a></i></div>
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<i>Necromance - Los Angeles, California <a href="http://necromance.com/">http://necromance.com/</a></i></div>
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<i>Wooly Mammoth - Chicago, Illinois <a href="http://www.woollymammothchicago.com/">http://www.woollymammothchicago.com/</a></i></div>
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<i>Loved to Death - San Francisco, California <a href="http://www.lovedtodeath.net/">http://www.lovedtodeath.net/</a></i></div>
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<i>Evolution - New York, New York <a href="http://theevolutionstore.com/">http://theevolutionstore.com/</a></i></div>
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<i>Pandora's Parlour - <a href="http://pandorasparlor.blogspot.com/">http://pandorasparlor.blogspot.com/</a></i></div>
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<b><i>Museums and Public Collections:</i></b></div>
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<i>The Mutter Museum - Philadelphia, Pennsylvania </i></div>
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<i><a href="http://www.collegeofphysicians.org/mutter-museum/">http://www.collegeofphysicians.org/mutter-museum/</a></i></div>
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<i>The Museum of Jurassic Technology - Santa Monica, California - <a href="http://mjt.org/">http://mjt.org/</a></i></div>
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<i>Ripley's Believe it Or Not Museums - your local tourist town <a href="http://www.ripleys.com/weird/">http://www.ripleys.com/weird/</a></i></div>
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Mothra Liddelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06831760354752620780noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2784421457247234913.post-73688922226980039922012-09-29T00:03:00.000-05:002012-09-29T00:03:28.103-05:00Outfit Snap: Dreary Night Antique Doll A few weeks ago, I escorted a friend who recently moved to my city to a local goth club for a fan meetup. I always love to go to the goth club so I eagerly volunteered to go with her, even though I know nothing about the fandom which the meet was about T_T. Here's my outfit!<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZOF4625mvMQKtGp26B9Jd5cxm_mv884rmTKtPbd0sNrfMVME4EDuA35GZOH6IJYA9e3zSYnWSnGtOz1vjKoXw3Tjm6ecvgt1WwP5w4iSoqc5KqMrXgELoer4v_HZCcUWvYuTUaL_2cKlM/s1600/IMG_1003.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZOF4625mvMQKtGp26B9Jd5cxm_mv884rmTKtPbd0sNrfMVME4EDuA35GZOH6IJYA9e3zSYnWSnGtOz1vjKoXw3Tjm6ecvgt1WwP5w4iSoqc5KqMrXgELoer4v_HZCcUWvYuTUaL_2cKlM/s400/IMG_1003.JPG" width="300" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><div style="text-align: center;">
Headbow: Claire's</div>
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Jacket: F21</div>
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Overdress: vintage Laura Ashley</div>
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Fox stole: from the Cat's Meow Vintage Show</div>
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Underskirt: Vintage from Height-Ashburry in San Fran</div>
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Wooden rosary: thrifted</div>
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Wedge sandals: Target</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEikb9v79cBUYN0ILhSyhQhAETxtdy-YfCJ7790z6cBFbik1rXuWJIty8Czb3tJrV7Fq4t0ShtxFIhfB-CPC3ho730IGA7TWkzNRd7gIdlp0zXCs-PHFVAFx2zg_GImVRCUOsLn8OaEzEU5K/s1600/IMG_1005.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEikb9v79cBUYN0ILhSyhQhAETxtdy-YfCJ7790z6cBFbik1rXuWJIty8Czb3tJrV7Fq4t0ShtxFIhfB-CPC3ho730IGA7TWkzNRd7gIdlp0zXCs-PHFVAFx2zg_GImVRCUOsLn8OaEzEU5K/s400/IMG_1005.JPG" width="300" /></a></div>
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I was going for a kind of elegant doll look, maybe reminiscent the work of <a href="http://www.yamamototakato.com/news_e.html">Takato Yamamoto</a> or of the talented duo <a href="http://www.kokusyokusumire.net/">Kokusyoku Sumire</a>. I really enjoy using vintage items in coordinates that feel like lolita, but are really not lolita at all! Do you like my new hair and glasses? Lots of people thought my hair was a wig!<br />
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I'm trying to make an effort to make more outfit posts, but I'm terrible at remembering to get pictures of my outfits!<br />
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Thanks for looking <3 p="p"></3>Mothra Liddelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06831760354752620780noreply@blogger.com2Chicago, IL, USA41.8781136 -87.629798241.6889521 -87.94565519999999 42.067275099999996 -87.3139412tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2784421457247234913.post-75369707541577591862012-09-04T19:38:00.001-05:002012-09-04T20:00:29.104-05:00Lost Little Dolls: Art Dolls for the Darkly PursuadedLike many people interested in lolita, mori, and dolly kei fashion, I'm really interested in dolls! Blythe dolls, Pullips, and ball-jointed dolls are very popular, but I've always had a soft spot for one-of-a-kind creepy art dolls. They're fun to make, have a spooky kind of aesthetic, and are always unique. Even though these dolls creep some people out, they are definitely of interest to people of a dark-romantic persuasion. Here are some noteworthy doll artists for your perusal:<br />
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<i>Shain Erin</i></div>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5287/5367418480_0339af9649.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5287/5367418480_0339af9649.jpg" width="262" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Sabelia - Exquisite Monster Doll by Shain Erin</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://shainerin.files.wordpress.com/2009/05/mummydoll023front.jpg?w=497" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="http://shainerin.files.wordpress.com/2009/05/mummydoll023front.jpg?w=497" width="282" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Mummy Doll by Shain Erin</td></tr>
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Shain Erin makes macabre sculptures of mummies, monsters, and ghost children, all finished with care and aged to appear as artifacts. In addition to being deliciously creepy, the attention to detail on these dolls is superb. The fabrics and trims chosen for their clothes are hand dyed and distressed, and many feature tiny embroidery and decorative finishings (check out the stitching on the cuffs of that mummy doll above!) Shain Erin's dolls are made of paperclay, and can be viewed here: <a href="http://shainerin.wordpress.com/">shainerin.wordpress.com</a><br />
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<div style="text-align: center;">
<i>Scott Radke</i></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.scottradke.com/012mermaid.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="640" src="http://www.scottradke.com/012mermaid.jpg" width="280" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Mermaid by Scott Radke</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.scottradke.com/12tutu2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="http://www.scottradke.com/12tutu2.jpg" width="201" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Tutu #2 by Scott Radke</td></tr>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.scottradke.com/12tutu2-2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="284" src="http://www.scottradke.com/12tutu2-2.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Detail from Tutu #2 by Scott Radke<br />
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<span style="font-size: small;">Scott Radke has had quite a successful career making his "marionette" sculptures as he refers to them. You may recognize his work from Tim Burton's Alice in Wonderland or The Birthday Massacre's music video "Blue". He has been published in Juxtapoz and Hi-Fructose magazines, and has shown these dolls in countless galleries across the globe. While most people rightfully treat these objects more as fine art or sculpture, they would be perfectly at home on any avid art-doll collector's shelf. I am enamoured by these little guys' lovingly painted faces, that make them feel almost like illustrations rather than three-dimensional characters. Scott Raedke uses a variety of mediums, and sells dolls and prints on his website, <a href="http://scottradke.com/">scottradke.com</a>.</span></div>
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<i><span style="font-size: small;">Wooded Woods by Kamila Mlynarczyk</span></i></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://woodedwoods.com/sculpt_new/0020/big.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://woodedwoods.com/sculpt_new/0020/big.jpg" width="245" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Lydia Turnpike: Visitor in the Night.... <br />
by Wooded Woods</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://24.media.tumblr.com/tumblr_lqro91XRx61qznnmeo1_400.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="http://24.media.tumblr.com/tumblr_lqro91XRx61qznnmeo1_400.jpg" width="243" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Hands by Wooded Woods</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://woodedwoods.com/sculpt_new/0025/big.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://woodedwoods.com/sculpt_new/0025/big.jpg" width="245" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Pregnant Pia by Wooded Woods<br />
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Wooded Woods is a doll line headed by artist <span style="font-size: 12.499999046325684px; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;">Kamila Mlynarczyk. Her dolls are more character-oriented than any of the artists I've discussed previously, but the way she uses color, pays attention to the detail in their clothing, and really pays attention to the personality of each doll makes her one of my favorite doll artists. I love that so many of these dolls are *almost* pretty, but each is so flawed. I'm not a huge fan of her zombie style sculptures, but I'm in love with the Victorian-inspired cuties pictured above. You can see more of her work and find links to purchase here: </span></span><a href="http://woodedwoods.com/">http://woodedwoods.com/</a></div>
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Art dolls are great because there are virtually no limits! This post is mostly about polymer-sculpt dolls of a certain aesthetic, but there are plenty of great artists working with cloth dolls, custom BJDs, fashion dolls, and so forth. Maybe I'll do a post about some of those in the future! </div>
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What do you think? Do these kinds of dolls creep you the heck out, or do you like them? Ever tried your hand at making your own? </div>
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Mothra Liddelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06831760354752620780noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2784421457247234913.post-23094726130389274332012-08-30T17:28:00.001-05:002012-09-29T00:51:05.433-05:00Outfit Snap: Tea for TwoTuesday, my mother came to visit me in my city for an afternoon of pampering and treats! My family lives in a different state, so I don't get to spend very much time one on one with any of them. Getting to see her this way was quite a treat in itself! <br />
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After she arrived, we stumbled upon a farmer's market set up downtown. We had plans for tea, so we didn't get much, but the vegetables and flowers were so pretty! <br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjabp8iZpsndjZ3HWorngv-rFvTJCoCWRspovuyXFRUrmBJ3HpmsHUJ-KWYZStzk0QbFBv7JSSv5cr5JJc9Bb3rPHp8uVTIgcNSSF-mTTQhrq1FW959h2aFE7q9tWoZmlL0jiQlm72KXtHA/s640/blogger-image--871519907.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjabp8iZpsndjZ3HWorngv-rFvTJCoCWRspovuyXFRUrmBJ3HpmsHUJ-KWYZStzk0QbFBv7JSSv5cr5JJc9Bb3rPHp8uVTIgcNSSF-mTTQhrq1FW959h2aFE7q9tWoZmlL0jiQlm72KXtHA/s400/blogger-image--871519907.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Sunflowers are my mom's favorite flowers, and the ones at the <br />
market were incredible examples</i></td></tr>
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After browsing the market, we had our nails done in a little parlor nearby. The girl working on mine recognized that I was wearing Lolita. <br />
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Next, we enjoyed afternoon tea at one of my favorite tea houses in Chicago, Russian Tea Time. Our waiter was very old-world and insisted on teaching us to drink our tea "the Russian way", which involves putting a generous amount of white sugar and lemon into your tea, and then sipping your tea through a brown sugar cube you hold in your teeth.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiEiFLp5em3u8cNaHaB-QcKWlgepkbk-rpl8d8XUajOqVHWmgkPf-_KxH4pewh14nBt4xwLz4xwwCRpZ11v7IIf8uT2GiPtOZFIkIpIRCp3ulrtQvhfEP0cxd-oiPufYnPMgXjYLJ5RkjXv/s640/blogger-image-1779987062.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiEiFLp5em3u8cNaHaB-QcKWlgepkbk-rpl8d8XUajOqVHWmgkPf-_KxH4pewh14nBt4xwLz4xwwCRpZ11v7IIf8uT2GiPtOZFIkIpIRCp3ulrtQvhfEP0cxd-oiPufYnPMgXjYLJ5RkjXv/s1600/blogger-image-1779987062.jpg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Russian Tea Time serves a house-blend Russian style black tea, in addition to<br />
a more conventional tea menu. The Russian tea is served in these cool tankers! </i></td></tr>
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Tea was excellent, and so generous that had to bring home some of the sweets. <br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhCEqWc2ZktNG0b0aOaB5ONlnbSu1l5vdKs5Vd9JE49vbpqOePfG8txEUSG9x0CP4oQVRkFSpKfgpWzh-loDhullcVTa9s5xdtujKBhmUZ-OGbtODZQVEQvoWk3WGMXTUk5jhujwY_4aTYE/s640/blogger-image-1041273468.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="370" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhCEqWc2ZktNG0b0aOaB5ONlnbSu1l5vdKs5Vd9JE49vbpqOePfG8txEUSG9x0CP4oQVRkFSpKfgpWzh-loDhullcVTa9s5xdtujKBhmUZ-OGbtODZQVEQvoWk3WGMXTUk5jhujwY_4aTYE/s400/blogger-image-1041273468.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>A selection of our goodies! Not pictured are our <br />
scones, cream, and jam, and our extra order of sandwiches.</i></td></tr>
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I wore lolita for the first time in ages. It felt really good to dress up. I like spending time with my family in lolita because I hear so many stories about people's families opposing their interest in lolita or other alternative fashions. I am lucky to have such a supportive family, they all really enjoy my fashion choices!<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEilm9U9xlnkMGlYWIAleLCdDiBqU9U4zzgfb97SQRFJDIkHzjOoyNLLZsGqPWsUdFgEywsMxw0Re5qkuQ9Jf3eDPa9U2KgPBipINvvuv77d9At7WQKK4cpiJYLMzRAtJ7QJdR1iio17qnOE/s640/blogger-image-815806026.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEilm9U9xlnkMGlYWIAleLCdDiBqU9U4zzgfb97SQRFJDIkHzjOoyNLLZsGqPWsUdFgEywsMxw0Re5qkuQ9Jf3eDPa9U2KgPBipINvvuv77d9At7WQKK4cpiJYLMzRAtJ7QJdR1iio17qnOE/s640/blogger-image-815806026.jpg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>I went for a subtle daytime smokey eye, a peachy-nude lip, and penciled eyebrows. <br />My hair is a wig from Gothic Lolita Wigs pulled into pigtails. </i></td></tr>
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I wanted to go for a fairy-casual, summery look. I think my coordinate turned out slightly sweeter than I intended, but I like the result. Sorry I didn't get a better picture of my outfit!<br />
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Jumperskirt: Innocent World</div>
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Bolero: Emily Temple Cute</div>
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Shoes: Bordello</div>
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Tights and hair accessories: off-brand</div>
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Thanks for looking!</div>
Mothra Liddelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06831760354752620780noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2784421457247234913.post-67066270307031707912012-08-22T00:32:00.001-05:002012-09-04T19:40:48.786-05:00Refining Your Style: a wardrobe-wrangling guide for the alternative style-schizophrenic<br />
If you are reading this blog, you probably love clothes. You probably love fashion, and maybe many diverse, obscure fashions all at once. In an attempt to create a complete wardrobe for each of these styles, its easy to end up with a lot more than most people can handle. The result can be really disorganized, both for your style, and physically in your closet! Everyone wants an interesting and diverse collection to pull from, but no one wants to deal with the headache of managing an overflowing closet of mismatched, inharmonious items that are impossible to make sense of.<br />
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Every fashionista strives for that look that they alone define. Most who do it successfully, even those who wear multiple styles, achieve wardrobe unity through refining of their style, and a close shave to their wardrobe. Even if at first it seems counter-productive, the key to creative dressing is often to limit your wardrobe to a handful of pieces that really express your aesthetic.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiU0BoexiJWrXXYfWjPawFMRSGdI0fHcNV6AbNp9BmI-0AUoaqy0-Ty0S4BSZl24NuioVSRnti9o_XkPMMoY0LhtSjgLbqEsSJbTR-_pMnoR2nwIYfXaOd71bwMG4UAg9bYAOwAYGg-_dVR/s1600/Buddhism+notes.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiU0BoexiJWrXXYfWjPawFMRSGdI0fHcNV6AbNp9BmI-0AUoaqy0-Ty0S4BSZl24NuioVSRnti9o_XkPMMoY0LhtSjgLbqEsSJbTR-_pMnoR2nwIYfXaOd71bwMG4UAg9bYAOwAYGg-_dVR/s400/Buddhism+notes.jpeg" width="360" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Fantastic closet from <a href="http://lookbook.nu/radioact_ive">Diana D's Lookbook</a></td></tr>
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<i><b>Phase One: </b>Finding Your Personal Aesthetic</i></div>
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<b>1) Do a personal inventory: </b>Search yourself and acknowledge your interests beyond fashion. Refining your style is about more than the garments you purchase and wear, its about creating an expressing a creation of self. Consider your lifestyle, hobbies, and social life. Does your wardrobe fit the part? Do you want it to? Always remember, dress yourself for the life you <i>want</i> to live.</div>
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<b>2) Make an inspiration Tumblr: </b>Post things that inspire you aesthetically and in mood, and only that. Try to keep the blog strictly aesthetic. The purpose of this is to be able to easily look at your archive. Most likely, you will see a pretty strong themes in the things you have posted over time, and you might surprise yourself by how cohesive your tastes actually are. </div>
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3) <b>Be honest with yourself about your tastes: </b>Sometimes its easy for those interested in alternative fashion to lump themselves into a specific subculture. Naturally its alright to like more than one style, but admit to yourself when you are growing into new tastes. The motivations that lead you to your original style will probably still be there, but they might be on the verge of metamophizing into something new.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgPnrULKn8-mujdfNfPF1MtmbBsYJbzZ5dF-6sW-7tydpqeGjj9hMAdQDzBVpyvgkd7k1qip9z4igf0wU8Z5q6KebNpfmPErdA6GOL9_4TnhUKW0UxZjCdlXNIrD634AAGWafc8K5sCDY9D/s1600/37717715599157672_sXbfxlGu_f.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgPnrULKn8-mujdfNfPF1MtmbBsYJbzZ5dF-6sW-7tydpqeGjj9hMAdQDzBVpyvgkd7k1qip9z4igf0wU8Z5q6KebNpfmPErdA6GOL9_4TnhUKW0UxZjCdlXNIrD634AAGWafc8K5sCDY9D/s1600/37717715599157672_sXbfxlGu_f.jpeg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">This person really has a clear aesthetic just judging by their shoe collection. I wish I had the source!</td></tr>
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<i><b>Phase Two: </b>Cleaning out your closet</i></div>
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<b>1) Acknowledge when you have too much and set a guideline for a full wardrobe: </b>Be honest with yourself about how much clothing you actually need. Know what this is and make it a goal to pair down to. <a href="http://theeverydaygoth.blogspot.com/">The Everyday Goth</a> and <a href="http://fyeahlolita.blogspot.com/">FYeah Lolita!</a> both have great articles, for goths and lolitas respectively, about how to know when your wardrobe is complete.<br />
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<b>2) Get rid of worn-out items: </b>I have a tendency to think things look better with age. Sometimes this is true, but most the time, it isn't. Don't let nostalgia trap you with dozens of stretched-out sweaters and faded blacks. Exceptions can be made for you 12-year old Burzum t-shirt (which I will keep for ever!)<br />
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<b>3) Choose a color palette and stick to it:</b> Choose three basic colors, and two or three accent colors. Mine are black, grey, and off-white, and my accent colors are muted blue and wine red. If you want to experiment with a style, its much easier to switch out a secondary color and match it to one of your primaries.<br />
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<b>4) Avoid holding onto things because you "might" wear them: </b>I am absolutely terrible about this. I love clothes and I tend to collect things that I may or may not even intend to wear because I find the garments interesting. If you do this, and absolutely cannot make yourself give your excess up, it might be wise to invest in a storage unit, or have a separate closet or rack for the clothing in your "collection" verses for your wardrobe. It's important to avoid mixing them!<br />
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<b>5) Sell things: </b>EGL Comm Sales Livejournal community is a great place to sell second-hand lolita, but you can also sell things on Etsy, Ebay, or locally at consignment shops like Buffalo Exchange, Plato's Closet, or Crossroads.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgB3vt2_F5WdcZcCQgzY83QuBvBYXNubB6yQipQfUdd9LGLqfXBByCt2k5ruG6VO5vF0_8d2-CwWx9T9oXtmpdD7clGC_xp25KEgGpjK_TOVMFS9Ye7selRI3NxktLTyHjc5R-btZRk5cPG/s1600/mori-closet.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="268" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgB3vt2_F5WdcZcCQgzY83QuBvBYXNubB6yQipQfUdd9LGLqfXBByCt2k5ruG6VO5vF0_8d2-CwWx9T9oXtmpdD7clGC_xp25KEgGpjK_TOVMFS9Ye7selRI3NxktLTyHjc5R-btZRk5cPG/s400/mori-closet.jpeg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Photo courtesy of weheartit.com, but borrowed from <a href="http://inkymilkdrop.blogspot.com/2012/02/lolita-closet-deciphering.html">Lady Inky's post</a> on <br />
deciphering your lolita closet!</td></tr>
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<i><b>Phase Three: </b>Keeping your new look clean</i><br />
<b>1) Avoid impulse buys: </b>Remember this experience of letting go and question if you really need that new "it" dress or bag.<br />
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<b>2) Try to buy for quality, not quantity: </b>Seek out really special pieces. They should be versatile, bold, and really embody your aesthetic. Try to uphold a standard of quality, even if that means buying less often than you were previously.<br />
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<b>3) Don't buy for the label: </b>When you start trying to collect quality pieces, its easy to convince yourself to buy simply because an item is from a certain brand. If its Vivienne Westwood, it must be good, right? Don't clutter your wardrobe with superfluous pieces, even if they are of great quality, they still must really speak to, and add something, to your style.<br />
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Most of all, remember that refining your style, and your wardrobe, is about creating a style that is uniquely and genuinely you! Have fun!<br />
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Mothra Liddelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06831760354752620780noreply@blogger.com1