Meet Up Report: Secret Winter Party at the Fairytale Boutique

Happy Holidays from Carnivale Salt!!

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 Automatic Honey 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!

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!

Hostess Miki taking gifts for the White Elephant exchange.
She did a wonderful job organizing the event!! I loved her festive caplet.

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.

The Christmas Tree before all of the White Elephant gifts were added.....

The tree after all of the gifts were added! It was quite an impressive sight. I had my eye on the parchment
wrapped gift but what I ended up with turned out to be much better. 

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!

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
Tazo blueberry white tea, a black BABY headbow, a ring from MONOMANIA,
and a sterling silver teapot Christmas ornament, all in a collectable MONOMANIA giftbag.  

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!

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!

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?

Chicago Lolitas' Halloween Tea 2012

This past Saturday, I hosted a tea for my local lolitas at one of my favorite spots, Russian Tea Time. 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.

Everyone together taking obligatory shoe shots!!

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!

Said shoe shot. Mine is the velvet boot with lacey tight at 12:05!

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 before. 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!).

Russian Tea Time has lots of beautiful dolls that harken back to folkloric Russia.
I've always loved them but never got any good pictures!
Thanks Nina for this snapshot!

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 Beard Papa's, a Japanese creme-puff shop very popular with the local lolitas.

Like everywhere else right now, Beard Papa's is full of pumpkin items for fall.
I bet a pumpkin creme puff would be really delicious...

Choices of creme puff shells at Beard Papa's. The cookie-top one is my favorite.

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 I am moving to Los Angeles in a few weeks!!! 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.

I wish I had a better shot of the details! My blouse is beaded and has a very beautiful lustre,
but it doesn't really show in the photos :(. ***
OP: Black Peace Now
Blouse: Vintage
Bloomers: Metamorphose Temps de Fille
Tights: Vera Wang
Shoes: Bordello
Accessories: F21, VoodooDolly

Coat: KidsYoYo
Stole: Vintage

Thanks for looking! Do you have any Halloween traditions with your friends or your fashion community?

Outfit 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!

Headbow: Claire's

Jacket: F21

Overdress: vintage Laura Ashley

Fox stole: from the Cat's Meow Vintage Show

Underskirt: Vintage from Height-Ashburry in San Fran

Wooden rosary: thrifted

Wedge sandals: Target

 

I was going for a kind of elegant doll look, maybe reminiscent the work of Takato Yamamoto or of the talented duo Kokusyoku Sumire. 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!

I'm trying to make an effort to make more outfit posts, but I'm terrible at remembering to get pictures of my outfits!

Thanks for looking <3 p="p">

Outfit Snap: Tea for Two

Tuesday, 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!

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!

Sunflowers are my mom's favorite flowers, and the ones at the
market were incredible examples

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.

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.

Russian Tea Time serves a house-blend Russian style black tea, in addition to
 a more conventional tea menu. The Russian tea is served in these cool tankers! 

Tea was excellent, and so generous that had to bring home some of the sweets.

A selection of our goodies! Not pictured are our
scones, cream, and jam, and our extra order of sandwiches.

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!

I went for a subtle daytime smokey eye, a peachy-nude lip, and penciled eyebrows.
My hair is a wig from Gothic Lolita Wigs pulled into pigtails. 

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!

Jumperskirt: Innocent World

Bolero: Emily Temple Cute

Shoes: Bordello

Tights and hair accessories: off-brand

Thanks for looking!