Kawaii or Die

Don't be alarmed by the title and bare with me as I tell my story! Just go with me guys~ (Me editing this two years from when I first wrote it)

The Backstory

A couple of years ago, just after I became a adult (I was over 18 years old, which in America meant I was a adult), me and my family went to Disney World. Imagine my how excited I was at going when I am was an adult and I could go and do anything, and how amazing I was going to look compared to when I went when I was around 17! I was excited to say the least, and I had this idea about how things were going to go. I was going to go to the parks and be noticed for once! I was going to lounge on the deck and scope out cute people while they checked me out. It was going to be a new Disney experience. Now some of you might just be wondering why I was trying to pick someone up at Disney World? Well not just kids go there for one, and two there are workers, and lastly because it is literally any vacation story there has ever been on T.V. or the movies.

But that was not going to be my reality. At first I didn't really notice or care how I was being treated as an adult! Did I notice that all the cute and age appropriate people were ignoring me? Well yes, but I was in Disney World! I was having fun anyways and that was all that mattered!

(SUDDEN TURN IN THE STORY)

Well fast forward to like the night of Halloween (or really close) when my relatives that lived in Orlando, also known as my uncle, and my family went to the Hard Rock Cafe for dinner. Everything was fine at first. Just your usual night out with family. That was until the three most gorgeous women sat next to our table (Y'all how did I not realize I was gay? No seriously). Not only were they very pretty but they also were pretty much unclothed subscribed to sexy costumes. Lets just say So the sexy nurse, sexy nun, and sexy whatever came to dinner. (I am sorry for the slut shamming, honestly still can't believe I didn't realize I was gay). For the rest of the night our table went unnoticed and these women got checked on every 5-10 minutes by a rotation of three different servers. (And me) Needless to say my ego took a massive hit (Still). 

Not to be mistaken, I am often the background to many people's life. (Aren't we all past Kim). Before and after I turned eighteen I have been looked over (STILL TRUE BUT WHO CARES YA BABY). Most (I) would say that once I talk people are very interested in what I have to say. Which of course is a polite way to say I don't look like much but once I get someones attention at least I can keep it because I am interesting. It is times like these that I understand what Oprah said about her past, she has always been viewed as smart rather then beautiful. This is of course not bad! Not at all! And these women who came in had no idea that they were hurting my ego and making a proud person humble, they did not set out to do this, and I understand that. However, that did not change how I felt and how I continue to feel. I honestly always feel like the consolation prize, girl number two, you couldn't get plan A so you would settle for plan B. (This whole paragraph is a clusterfuck and I gave up editing it half way through, if YOU are still reading let me just say that I realize that this is a short sighted and narcissistic view of how I interpret the world.)

I guess here would also be a good time to mention that by no means do I think I am ugly (THEN B I T C H WHAT WAS THAT LAST PARAGRAPH MY GOD), I know I am not (???). What I am saying is with my brown hair, brown eyes, 5 foot 2 frame, and 32A chest size (oh boo hoo you got a flat chest, cry me a river ya baby) I was not striking and was easily forgettable. Did people remember me after I went away? More times then not, when I have run into old teachers or people I have met at concerts, the answer has always been yes. I am forgettable.  

The Story as it Stands Now

I have not really worried about this too much unless I am talking to my friends. The ones who get hit on and get asked to dates. (Why does this matter to your Story Past Kim? You literally sound like the bitter cat lady you will become) The ones who hate it (for very good reasons it is very annoying) but they can not argue that they are ignored, that if they were to disappear no one would remember them. (My Chemical Romance playing in the background as I continue to cry about the fact my friends have told me all of this isn't true) They do not blend into the wall. Of course when ever I bring it up they are amazing and tell me that I am beautiful, that people do notice me, everything I need to hear to sooth my soul. I don't think they are lying, but my experiences alone compared to what they tell me are contradictory. (B I T C H you make ZERO sense I swear)

But between school and life and being lazy I could never muster up the strength to try to deal with my feelings in this respect. 

That brings us to the here and now, I am going back to Disney World in October. (It has been almost a year since this post) And this time I refuse to be the little wall flower in the background. I don't want to be sexy or half naked for this (YES I DO WTF, Short shorts are life and you lived in them in South Dakota SO DON'T EVEN) . I honestly would settle for not being forgettable. So That when people looked at me they weren't aren't looking past me but at ME. 

So some things have to change.
(Swell of the chorus to the Black Parade playing. Honestly? I had some dope outfits BUT mostly was still left alone so jokes on you Past Kim)

The Process

First thing I had to do was to form a picture of what I wanted in my head. What did I want to look like at the end of all of this? Where did I want my progress to be by the time we left in October?

Kawaii or Die

This lead me to the obvious revaluation. I want to be the kawaii-est person I could be (This didn't last long, idk what happened but I looked cool not kawaii). I want to live in the world of hard working pamper-er (aka getting nails done, shaving regularly, etc) so I could be my type of feminine. I could never become the women from Disney all those years ago but I could become interesting on the outside too. I don't have to try to be other people, I need to work at being a better me all the time. (Bolding for emphasis, this is something I am still working on and is the diamond in the rough of this post)

This lead me to the thought process of Kawaii or Die, which is obviously a play on ride or die. Ride or die people are in it through thick or thin, and I need that type of thought process going on this journey. To make the woman I see in my head each time I think of my future a reality.
(THIS MADE ZERO SENSE and would like to apologize for making everyone read that nonsense, it wasn't original or funny and just hurt me physically to read my god) (It also hurt me physically to reread)

The Changes B.C.E. or B.C.K.

So the changes Before Common Era, or in this case Before Common Kawaii have been pretty simple but they have gone a far way in helping me step away from the girl who blended in the wall.

I have died my hair, I am no longer technically a brunette. I have blue hair! And I intend to keep coloring it. It is a fun and experimental way at changing my look. (Dude I dyed my hair like a year before this post and went to Disney with grey hair and then shaved my head completely, wild hair is my thing now)

The scariest difference in this is all of a sudden I was being stared at, and not kindly, by complete strangers. I kept forgetting that my hair was blue so this scared me at first. The good part of this is that I have gotten used to this, and now get a lot more complements on my hair than I used to.

By dying my hair I have forced people to look right at me, and to acknowledge me. Now if I disappear people will remember me. I often find people double taking at me when they see me, which has never happened to me before. (This is the strangest sensation that many people with dyed hair have also shared but mostly I just sound like a sad butthole and I am) 

The Changes A.K. or The Changes to Come

Now that I know I want to make this change in my life, I am excited to start. Some of the things I have already started doing is putting lotion on my arms and legs daily. (As a white women in a white house hold I never did this before and it has changed my life, I never knew skin could feel and look so good! I am a dumby who never thought of doing that before despite living in a dry climate)  I have dry skin problems here, and to be honest don't want those there any more, lotion will help especially if I keep it up and do it all the time. It should pretty much eliminate my problem. (It pretty much has) The next thing is getting a new hair cut. I was inspired by the Disney Descendants and cut my hair like Mal's in the movie. Though I added some wicked V bangs instead. Not only do I get compliments on my hair color, I now also get compliments on my hair in general. (This didn't last but it was cool, my favorite hair cut since then has been a blue bowl cut) This was the cut I was thinking of getting before heading to Disney World but I am glad I got to try it out first. ( I did not do this hair cut in Disney... Surprise surprise) Test running the hair style gave me the option to change it if it ended up real bad. The opposite has happened and I am crazy in love with it so it is here to stay, at least until after Disney.

I also wrote down everything I wanted to change by the time I went to Disney World in a note book, detailed in to how I am going to do these changes, and what I will need to do them. It has been really helpful in deciding what change I need to tackle first.

And I started writing in a journal to help focus my goals and so that I could keep track of my progress.

(I literally don't remember any of this, though it does sound like something I would do. My experience at Disney was better and if I could take anything away from what I have learned this time is that I need to have more confidence in myself because this whole post was a sad buttholes post and was a waste of all of our time but hey...)

That pretty much wraps this up. I hope you all continue to support me and look for me on youtube (kaceycookies), tumblr (kermit-kim), or instagram (kermit_kimberly) if you want to keep track of my progress. I hopefully will be updating here more but you never know with school. Thank guys! You are the best. 

Cookie (This is my friends Break Dancing Name)
(I go by Kermit now)

(Also I graduated so uh yeah I am just lazy)

New YouTube Videos! Closet Child Mini Haul and others

Hey!
I know I haven't updated in a very very long time. To be truthful I have been more active on my Tumblr, and Instagram (I go by kaceycookies there too).

I am dropping by right now to just let you know that I have put up some more videos, if you wanted to check them out!

And as always you can click here to see it on YouTube!

Kaceycookies

A Very Special Birthday Meet To You!

Once again I am writing about this pretty late! But better late then never right!?

The next lolita meet I went to was a birthday party to one of our Mods at the local comm! You might recognize her! I couldn't wait to go back to high tea and get all dressed up, and we had plans for after too! It was going to be a great day!

AND once again I was happy my great friend Jamie was going with me! But UNLIKE all the previous times she had to work before hand so we were going to meet up at the Brown Palace.
It was very weird getting ready with out her and leaving to get downtown by myself, but weirdly enough we meet up sooner than we thought!

Bus/Light rail selfie!

The light rail was having issues and so stopped running, and at first I was just sitting around and waiting and Jamie texted me letting me know she would be at the stop where I was soon! So I got off and we met up super early! Then walked/bused the couple of blocks left to the Brown Palace.
While on the way to the meet me and Jamie stopped and took some outfit pictures with Graffiti!

I really love this picture, I wish you all could see Jamie's but alas the world is cruel.

This outfit was inspired by my old school Metamorphose dress! So I tried to create a old school co-ord!

Of course some people canceled last minute, but there still a good amount of people. We were there for Chocolatehime's birthday!!!!

The food plates they brought out with Scones, finger sandwiches, and desserts on the top!

Close up of the roses on the table! Picture is not mine see below for links~

Look at that face, super attractive right? And next to me is my friend Bryce

And Chocolatehime's birthday cupcake!

Really it was the same old of the previous Brown Palace Meet except it was a happier meet and at a different table. (The last meet was a good bye party). We also had some new people there as well and not the same people as before! After eating we found an empty room and decided the only smart thing to do was to take tons of pictures. Firstly, here is my OOTD:

Old School:

JSK- Metamorphose

Blouse- Baby the Stars Shine Bright

Socks- Secret Shop

Bow- Metamorphose

Shoes- Bodyline

Accessories-Off Brand

Of course its not a real post if I don't have group/ funny pictures!

Serious group picture of us though me and Jamie are being kinda goofy~

Me and Jamie worshiping Chocolatehime and her cat's tea party dress

The birthday girls outfit picture! I don't know the details but thought I would just add it in here because it is her birthday we are celebrating!

After taking some pictures some of us went home while the rest of us walked around downtown. Not just wondering around mind you, but actually walking around a downtown mall where we stuck out like a sore thumb! (It was so much fun and no one bothered us... it is downtown after all).

However we got lot of compliments and the birthday girl got one fantastic birthday song by a street artist who recognized her from before! Of course by this time my feet were killing me! But I was having too much fun being cold with my friends to care, but like all good things it had to come to an end. And before long we were saying good bye to each other and traveling home.

There are more meets in the future! (or actually in the past as it were)~ So look forward to them.

Cookie

P.S. Most of these pictures are Chocolatehime's and you can go here or here to see more or follow her!  

Tips and Tricks: Lolita, Affording this Hobby

THE STORY SO FAR...
When I was a senior in High School and just getting started in the crazy Lolita world I booked marked a ton and I mean a ton of Fan+Friend stuff! It was cheap and it was cute and I was brand new to the lolita world, having not yet learned anything beyond the silhouette.

In my tips and tricks series we have covered how you might best start your wardrobe, from what would be the best to buy first to what colors you should stick to. This tips and tricks article (if you couldn't tell from the title) is all about how lolita's afford to buy these lolita items.

Though I would like to point out that this part below is how I have saved up and bought my clothes and in no way is how every lolita does this. Nor that you should do it the way I did.  My hope is that by being as candid as I can about how I got my lolita clothes it will help tear away the mystery of how people afford this hobby! Under my story is some other ways I've noticed lolitas afford their clothes!

My Lolita Money Story:
Very early on I realized this hobby was going to be an expensive hobby, and one I did not yet have money for. As a senior in High School I was more focused on finishing the year and doing sports. Thus I didn't worry about getting lolita clothes, I just absorbed as much of the fashion as I could. I also bookmarked my first dress and thought about what I wanted to buy when I did have the money. So naturally I didn't look for a job.

Most of us when starting this hobby are confronted with this issue, how do we afford Lolita? To help and get some of you guys started I will be talking about how I personally have afforded the things I have so far. Some of them might not have been the best budgeting ideas, or the smartest ways to handle money. But I feel I have to talk about this because this is a question many other new lolitas wonder about. And when people ask and get answers to the question of how older Lolitas afford this hobby... well lets just say I often feel people are not happy with the answers they get, no matter how truthful they are.

SO lets start with my first purchases! 
The first couple of things I bought I got with my money for graduation. I got $100 specifically to buy my first ever lolita dress!
Here is the part I am kinda ashamed of... as you might already know when we graduate family and friends often give money for college or for whatever you have planed after high school.
I don't remember how much money I got, but I do know I took "some" of that money and also bought a petticoat, shirt, another dress with matching headdress, and another dress, socks, etc. The beggings of my lolita wardrobe was started with money that was given to me after my high school graduation for college.

One of my first Lolita outfits with my new purchases!

I didn't buy any more clothes until I found a job.

 SECOND BUYS
I had started college at this point and was getting help from my parents till I found a job at a big fast food restaurant. I worked 25-35 hrs a week at this fast food place and started putting half my check away for when I transferred to a bigger college. The other half of my check I kept to buy what ever I wanted. I bought books and movies, but also saved up for more lolita clothes.

I ended up having to pay for my own schooling sooner than I thought for family reasons. Though because I was going to community college it was a bit cheaper. Meaning I didn't have to take out any loans but my money became very limited after that.

What happened NEXT!?
Well I got a seasonal job a  a mall, so quit my fast food job. Then I didn't have a job for almost a whole year! While I was looking for a job I had moved out, so what little money I had saved up went to paying for school. It wasn't until I had moved back, and got a job at a deli when Lolita things started looking up.

I started working full time and going to school full time my last semester at the community college. With the money I was making at that time I could finally afford to buy dresses again! So I have, the very first one being the AP lucky pack.

WHAT DOES THIS MEAN FOR YOU THE READER!?

Most of us work and go to school, have other hobbies or other expenses. When newer lolitas ask how we earn enough money to afford lolita most of the time the answer is saving up! Though it doesn't seem like enough but trust me it is.


Ways in Which You Can Afford Lolita:

From EGL thread discussing how others afford Lolita: Read here!

I really wish it was like Momoko in Kamikaze Girls where everyone of us were just really really good gamblers! But sadly its not like that at all.

How Milkyfawn affords Lolita: Read Here!

AN OLDIE BUT A GOODIE:
To afford lolita stuff you could always get a job if you don't already have one!

IF you do but can't spare any money try setting up a jar where you can put loose change?? Or try to save a couple of bucks here and there to go to lolita.

IF you can't do that either you can try and get another job if you are able! If you feel like you can take on the extra burden of working two jobs you can totally use one check to cover expenses and what is ever left over you can save for dresses.

EXTRA HELP! Try to budget your money if you can. What I see a lot of is someone saying that lolita is too expensive and they want more stuff but they say can't afford it when they are out spending money on muggle clothes, books, movies, video games, cars, tattoos, etc. If you really want to buy this stuff but are also participating in other hobbies, its not that you can't afford it! Its that you spend your extra money else where, which I completely understand and fall prey too as well. Try to save a bit more or cut back on your other hobbies every once and awhile and you should be able to afford it in no time!

Really great and informative video talking about how this person affords Lolita: Watch Here!

SELLING!!!????:
But you just bought these clothes!?
I know that part of selling clothes is actually being able to buy them and if you can't buy them its nearly impossible to sell them!

But think of the other things you can sell but you have been giving yourself excuses on why not to sell them. Well you might have a reason now! So that is always an idea to get the money.

On the other hand, you have bought your first clothes and you are ready for the next big thing! Try selling or trading off your old dresses and stuff you don't want anymore!
Many other lolita's have done this. When they first get started in the fashion they might only buy bodyline to really start their wardrobe and if they choose to start buying brand they sell off the bodyline dresses to help afford the more expensive dresses! This is a great way to start dressing with out paying top dollar right away.
Though be warned, many lolita's do this to also keep their wardrobes down to a smallish size. If you want to build up a pretty big wardrobe its best to avoid selling off your dresses, but it is a good way to re freshen your wardrobe and to get rid of the clothes that no longer fit your style or old stuff you don't wear anymore!

Parfaitdoll's Blog post about obtaning your dream wardrobe, Really worth the reading if you ask me! Read Here!

OTHER ALTERNATIVES: 
What else can there be to get these clothes you have wanted for so long!?
Here are two other ways I have noticed lolitas do to start their wardrobes.

Great article about starting out in Lolita: Read Here!

GIFTS- I am not telling you to go up to your friends and family and ask for the brand new AP release for your birthday. But you could try asking for socks, or accessories. In my other tips and tricks post I talk about finding accessories also at places like Target, or Claire's. Lolita Wonderland started her wardrobe this way. Buying headbands and jewelry while saving up for the bigger purchase of a dress until she had all the basics down.

ALLOWANCE?- Now I am guessing most of you don't get allowance, or money from your parents at all really! But understand that there are younger lolita's that do and this is okay! Its just how some lolitas afford their clothes over others. Though Once again most of us have to save up and work to afford our clothes.

SEARCHING FOR THE BEST DEALS:
The best way to afford this hobby though is to be as thrifty as possible!
You can and should be thrifty in this hobby. I am being serious! Stop laughing! Don't buy right away, look for the best deals. Closet child, second hand sells, and Mbook are your best friends! I know a lolita who bought a Angelic Pretty Mint Caplet for $30 on Mbook, and there are always good deals on Closet Child for brand dresses if that is what you are looking for! Remember to spend your money wisely, you didn't save up all that dough to just blow it on one dress!

DO NOT forget that DIY is always cool in lolita! Wether it is making your own accessories to making your own dresses! If you are not like me and can actually sew that is a good way to afford getting into lolita.

RECAPS:
Me and tons of other lolitas work for our clothes, and though that doesn't seem possible to lots of people it is 100% true.
Some of us sell off old dresses to afford new ones.
Some of us make our own dresses!
Some of us are thrifty and generally never pay full price for a dress.

These are all ways we afford this hobby. I hope it helps and you start your journey to saving up and starting your very own wardrobe!



Till Next Time
Cookie

Lolita Meet Up at the Denver Museum

Sooooo I am SUPER late at making this post! But I promise it is not my fault! I have enough time to go to meet ups and kinda participate in my local comm but with school its harder to make these really wordy and long post cause I need all that stuff for my papers!

ANYWAYS I will write about the Museum Meet Up I went to around Halloween! There were a couple of meet-ups hosted in the Local Community but I could only make it to one because I worked on the other days sadly!

HOW THE DAY STARTED!
Luckily for me Jamie was going too! So as usual she came over and got ready with me! Funnily we ended up looking pretty similar in our outfits! But then we had to go into Denver where the museum is! This meant taking the bus. Not only was it public transport (which is usually how we get around) it was one of the busier buses, which meant tons of people. But we managed okay, though we were a bit late! We were really excited to be seeing some new lolitas and seeing some friends too!

Goofy just finished getting ready picture with Jamie!

Make up of the day/Selfie on the bus! False Eye lashes again! Getting so good at these things!

When we got there I felt really dumb because I just got dressed up in lolita, but everyone else had themed outfits for Halloween! They all looked really fantastic! It was also super awesome walking in and spotting ruffle butts, it makes meeting up so easy. While we were waiting for one more person some little girls and mothers came up and said they loved our outfits... It was awesome.

Then we just walked in 'cause we are cool like that... Or you know it was free day at the museum, which ever story you like better. As we were deciding where to start in the museum a dinosaur came over and "attacked" us and we took so many selfies!

From there we went first to the mission to mars place, which matched one of the lolita's outfits so we took some pictures of her there and then a group shot! The first of many this day to be honest.

Group shot number one in mission to mars room! Right to Left we have me, a space fairy!, the wicked witch who ate Hansel and Gretel, Jaime, and a sweet bunny, and a new lolita friend.

Next we went to the gems and walked around in there and took more really goofy pictures...

Me and Jamie looking at our caged 'love'.

Then  we went up stairs and saw the taxidermy animals!The dinosaurs! And lastly we headed to the Ancient Egyptian exhibit...

Cute/ Funny face lolita selfie!

Group shot number two! This one was taken in the dinosaur exhibit!

Just funny picture of me...

Jamie and I being pretty cool! RIGHT!?

After all of that we were tired and took outfit shots in the best lighting we could find in the museum... Against a blank white wall!!!

OOTD-

Jsk: Milk

Blouse: Putumayo

Socks: Angelic Pretty

Shoes: Bodyline

Head-bow: Sweet Rococo

Accessories: Gifts from friends/ off brand

Wig: Ebay

After taking pictures we dicided we were hungry and went to the Old Spegatti Factory downtown! But once we got there it was closed for another 30 min so we walked to Sakura Square and got some treats there, and once we walked back the restraunt was open! It was my first time eating there and I had so much fun, and loved it.

After eating me and Jamie went home, and the day was done.

Till Next Time!
Cookie

P.S. Pictures were mostly taken by me, Jamie, and Chocolate Hime

Sarah Chrisman and "Victorian Secrets"

During the summer I finally found a book that I had heard about once upon a time ago but didn't get even though it was a great interest to me, this book was called Waisted Curves by Sarah A. Chrisman. When I first heard about it but didn't get it because it was costly and I didn't have the money to get it... It was more expensive because Sarah Chrisman bound the book her self! The book was completely hand made so it cost a bit more.

To my surprise a little more than a year later I ran across this book again! However the name has changed to Victorian Secrets: What the Corset Taught Me about the Past, the Present, and Myself, and I ran across it when I watched one of my YouTube videos. (You can watch that video here if you want!)

Now Sarah's book has been picked up and published by a bigger book company, which means cheaper books but no more hand made books.

The book was good, it hit a lot on the myths surrounding corsets, and the authors life. But this is not a review of the book (which if you can read it you should) it is the author we will be talking about.

Sarah A. Chrisman's life changed when her husband gifted her a corset for her birthday. After getting the corset she started wearing it every once and awhile, then more and more, till she was wearing it all the time! Wearing this corset changed Sarah and her husbands life in so many ways. Firstly her and her husband were already interested in the Victorian era and already had a pretty good collection of clothes now that she was corseting she could start wearing them. By wearing the corset she went from a 32 inch waist to a 22 inch waist!

 

But this is not about her wight loss either. I am writing this today because Sarah has been bitten by a sister species of the bug that bites Lolitas. After Sarah started wearing the corset she started wearing Victorian dresses and Victorian inspired dresses. She became a lifestyle Victorian. She and lolitas I believe have a lot in common, we have this life of wearing cute clothes that we want to wear despite what anyone tells us. 

Though I do believe we both wear our clothes for different reasons. From what I can gather from the book Sarah is interested in living the actual Victorian life.They are interested in living in the past and are nostalgic for the "better times" in the past. But I don't think this is actually bad, I believe many Lolita's feel a small faction of the same way. We both are captured in the beauty of the past and what it holds for us. But unlike Sarah I feel Lolita's are not so stuck in the past that we are here in the present. We have a fashion that is only based in the past but is very much in the these years trends, based in the here and now. We Lolita's also wear this style, much like I feel Sarah wears Victorian clothes, for the modesty. Though for me personally Lolita's are trying to reclaim themselves back from modern fashion, we in short are trying to reclaim our sexuality by wearing something that is very hard to sexualize, something that is modest and more importantly cute because WE want it to be cute and for no other reason.

I feel that Sarah and Lolita's have so much in common and that many of us, not just Lolita's could learn something from her.

Sarah goes out by herself dressed in what isn't considered normal anymore. But Sarah continues to do it because it is who she is and it what makes her happy. She feels pretty in it and its what she wants to do, even though she is constantly harassed for it, and asked inappropriate questions about her and her husbands sex life!

Sarah A. Chrisman and Lolita's have a lot in common, and I hope we get strength from each other to continue doing what we both love to do!

To continue more on Sarah in the book, she is a message therapist and her husband is a librarian and used to manage a bike shop. She doesn't drive and chooses instead to bike everywhere! This is even in the case of biking miles and miles to visit with friends. Before she started wearing the corset she had her eyes on the Victorian houses in Port Townsend, Washington. After wearing her corset her dreams were set in motion and now they own their very own Victorian house.

Sarah and her husband are living the life they want, just like the way many Lolita's do! Sarah and her husband has gone so far as to use a real ice box for their food storage and oil to light up their house. Their convection is something as a Lolita I look up to because of the way they live their life, it makes them happy and that is all that matters. I also feel they have become part of the alternative fashion scene, they have joined our lifestylers ranks whether it be Lolita, goths, or fairy-kei. Though many would criticize them for their life and their belief that the Victorian era was the best era and put them next to reenactors, they still live their life according to their rules. I wish Sarah and Gabriel the best of luck moving forward and hope I can meet them one day in my Lolita finest! (Even if to them it makes no sense).

If you want to make sense of my ramblings or just want to see more awesome pictures and learn more about Sarah and Gabriel Chrisman please check out their website!

Thanks so much for reading and I hope you guys are doing great!

Till Next Time

Cookie

Nan Desu Kan Outfits and Ramblings

So here we are again! I promise I have more to post besides just outfits!
 But since becoming more involved with the Colorado Lolita Community I actually have been dressing up more so I have more outfits to share! Isn't that exciting?

SOOOO first thing first, it was NDK or Nan Desu Kan which is the premier anime convention in Denver and Colorado obviously. AND it was my first year there! Seriousily my first time ever at any type of convention and there was so much to do!

So here I will talk a little about what went on at the convention and my first time there and stuff! My outfits will be a little futher down if you want to skip to those!

First thing first, I was lucky to have my boyfriend buy me the tickets as a birthday present and they only cost $40 at the time! The biggest price I think you have to pay is like $50 at the door for all three days. My pass was for all three days and the first thing we did when we got there was to pick up our badges! My brother, Sean (the BF), Jamie, Ashley, and I were all there together in one big group.

The first thing I noticed was all the cosplays! I loved it so much, and there were so many nice cosplays... I enjoyed seeing all these different and unique cosplays all three days of the Con! If you want to see all the cosplay pictures just head over to this page on my tumblr and search a bit for it, they are all there!

The next thing was me and Jamie bee lined to was the Lolita Boutique which was being runned by Angelic Pretty San Fransisco and Harajuku Hearts! The selcetion wasn't exactly what I thought it was going to be, but we went and just looked around to get an understanding of the prices. We also went to the artist alley and looked around to see the things they had and such.

Besides what was mentioned on Friday we also tried to go on a Harajuku Street Fashion Walk thing but we ended up missing them when they left the hotel and having a hard time of finding them at first when we finally realized where they were! We finally did meet up and went to Panera for dinner, it was so cold that day and luckily for us they had these awesome fire places that we sat next to to help us warm up! I didn't wear anything too special and only one person really understood it was creepy cute I was going for but that is okay!

Group shot of the Harajuku Walk, I'm over to the right in lavender! I am using this pic as well as some below to do my out of the day!

Selfie with some new friends at Panera! We had so much fun!!!

 The next day, Saturday, we went to the dealers room first and checked things out and we finally started buying things that day! After the dealers room we ran to the Lolita Boutique and went in and out for like 30 minutes to and hour trying to get the perfect thing, and there was a line forming outside so we kept rushing out to think and then rushing back in to purchase. After that we had another lolita meetup hosted by Rae! We all went to lunch at Noodles and Company and just had a fun time!

Me, Jamie, and Miracle all looking fresh to death on Saturday!

A kind of group shot of all of us going out to lunch together on Saturday! So many cute lolitas!

 The last day I went back and spent the last of my money, I also had to use some of the money to get my nephew a gift for his birthday! So that last day was spent just kinda walking around, it was also the day we actually went to a panel! The only panel we went to was Harajuku fashion trends in 2014 hosted by the kind ladies from Angelic Pretty! After that we went home!

Another Lolita we meet on Sunday who was really cute! We got this pic together! Sadly I don't remember her name!

  I made so many new friends there and met so many kind people who had the same interests as me! I also got to meet a whole bunch more lolitas in Colorado, it was a very fun weekend! 

NOW my outfits!

Friday:

My Face of the Day or FOTD is pretty light and simple here! Pretty self explanatory!

Picture of me and Jamie on Friday, the Picture is from this website! I'm using this picture as well as the group shot from up above for my outfit of the day since I didn't get a good picture.

 

 

OOTD-

Seifuku: Bodyline

Hair Accesories: Kreepsville666

Earrings: Starlight Deco Dream

Tights: Ebay

Shoes: Doc Martins

Purse: Angelic Pretty

Saturday:

My Face Of the Day, I actually did false eye lashes and they looked good and didn't fall off! Finally getting this make-up down!!!!

My outfit for Saturday! I was really inspired by the red details so I decided to pair the jsk with a red cutsew and originally I was also going to wear red striped socks but it looked too busy! So I went with these white and black socks instead. I also wore my Bodyline shoes which killed my feet all day cause they are a bit too small on me!

OOTD-

JSK/bow: Angelic Pretty Triple Tart Jsk II

Cutsew: Metamorphose Temps de Fille

Socks: Baby the Stars Shine Bright

Shoes: Bodyline

Purse: Angelic Pretty Candy Sprinkle Lucky Pack

Wig: Gothic Lolita Wigs

Accessories: Off brand

Sunday:

My FOTD for Sunday! I pretty much did the same thing as Saturday except different eye shadows! And my lashes were good this day too! Oh lucky day!

My outfit for Sunday was focused around my Candy Sprinkle Lucky Pack JSK, I used Lavender in the form of my blouse and socks to bring out the softer colors in the JSK that you can't really pick up on the black version.

OOTD-

JSK/Bow: Angelic Pretty Candy Sprinkle Lucky Pack

Blouse: Angelic Pretty

Socks: AP

Shoes: Bodyline

Purse: AP

Acessories: Off Brand and Betsey Johnson

Wig: Ebay

So that is pretty much it for my NDK post! I will be doing a video of what I purchased in more detail! It will be out soon... Hopefully, I am a full time college student guys I will do my best I promise!

I hope you all have been good and you enjoyed the heaving reading! Till next time!

Cookie!

BONUS PICTURE: Me and Jamie acting like complete goof balls for our new friend Bundy!

Good Bye Julie! My Second Meet Up in Downtown Denver

What! I just wrote about a meet up and now I am writing another one so soon! Yep!

You got me, I had said in the earlier post that Julie, a person I met was going back to Huston for school seeing as her internship was ending and the new semester was going to start, so me and Jamie hosted a meet-up to say good bye!

We decided it would be best and cheapest if we all got dolled up and just went to walk around 16th Street Mall in Downtown Denver! We scheduled it for August 3rd, and it was my first time to host a meet-up, though I didn't do much so we will just call it hosting a 1/2 meet-up instead of a whole one.

This post will also be picture heavy! Tons and tons of pictures! So I will lightly be explaining what happened!
(On a second look there are a lot of pictures but they are mostly of us soooo........)

You Should Watch Theses Videos Because They Are GOLD

This is the FIRST EVER time I will be doing something like this post you are about to read, so as usual I will start this off with a back story!

Paint the scene...

Avril Lavigne's Hello Kitty video just came out and I am on tumblr watching in fascination as people start tearing this video apart... And as usual I am over come with curiosity of what everyone was talking about so I tried watching the video.
TRIED being the key word here, I couldn't get through it at all!

Mainly I didn't like the song, but I also didn't think Avril's look was cute, in fact it reminded me of when me and my friends would go to the mall and "dress like Harajuku girls like Gwen Stafani". We were sophomores in High School and weeabos for sure and seeing Avril a grown women doing what I did six years ago bothered me.

Here is the thing, I grew up in those six years and realized that what I did as a Sophomore in High School was wrong, not because I hurt anyone in particular with my actions but because I realized that this Harajuku fashion is a part of the Japanese culture. That it just wasn't throwing on mismatched layers of clothes and some accessories and calling it Harajuku fashion, that it was a deeper realer thing that included many other sub styles that originated there and how it fitted in to Japan's culture.

Since then I have learned much more about J-fashion, seeing as I am a Lolita! What I have learned is that most people from Japan want to share their fashion with us! They go out of there way, like hiring Kawaii ambassadors and having over seas TV about Kawaii fashion, to include all of us to what is unique to them.

What Gwen and Avril did is take a country and their fashions and rip them off to make some fast money, and once again its not like Japan doesn't go out of its way to share there street fashion culture with us anyway so it's not hard to do it in a nice and "correct" way (like actually showing their fashion instead of showing your own version of it to millions of people). Correct meaning a way to show off Japan's culture rather than just ripping it off to seem edgy.

You can click this link to read more about Avril and her Hello Kitty disaster

So knowing all of this I am going to show you some video's that blew my mind which deal with the same category.

As always you can click this to watch the video on YouTube

After you watch the music video I would highly highly encourage you to watch Elleanor's video on Tokyo Fashion if you haven't already!

Watch it on YouTube here if you would like

DID YOU WATCH THEM?
DID YOU REALLY?
Because if you didn't this next part of the article is going to be mighty weird and you might not understand it at all...

Okay! On ward we go!!

First, I did not link Avril's video so I hope you are well versed in what had happened...

Second, I would like to point out that I will be talking about why I like Lionhearted and how this is a giant step forward from Avril's Hello Kitty video this is by no means the end of the line, it can still be a problematic piece of work (and probably is)! Here I won't be highlighting this so much as explaining why it takes these steps forward from Avril's video.

Okay for real let's break this video down!

Elleanor is contacted by Porter Robinson, he has reached out to her because he loves Japanese fashion and just Japan in general. This is not surprising many people feel the exact same way from Lady Gaga to Katy Perry to Avril! 
He has asked her to come to LA to be the costume designer for his new music video, he has explained to her that he wanted REAL Japanese fashion to be a feature in the video rather than a carbon American copy made to duplicate it. He asked Elleanor to come out and do this so that real Japanese fashion is featured because Elleanor is an actual Japanese street snap girl who is often featured on Tokyofashion.com.

How this is different from Avril? Well.....

This is not any Japanese street or main stream fashion that I can think of, the closest it comes is to the bittersweet Kawaii trend that happened when KyaryPamyuPamyu became popular in 2012 which is not as popular as it used to be and if it is suppose to be this it does a very bad job of it. Random "kawaii" stuff and a black shirt and stockings does not make a actual Japanese street fashion outfit, it is half baked and looks like it, not to mention the clones in the back ground, and the set. I believe they were trying to go for a 6%DokiDoki atheistic, or a KyaryPamyuPamyu atheistic since they are both designed by the same person, and that even looks half done. It looks like they literally just grabbed all this stuff at party city right before filming.

Japanese fashion in Lionhearted...

These are screen caps of the ladies chosen to get dressed up including Elleanor. The hair, the bright tutu skirt, the masks, this is real street style atheistic straight from Japan.

Next we can talk about the weapons! Traditionally weapons equate power. That is what they symbolized here, these women dressed in Japanese street fashion's power. This one way this is so different from Avril's video! These women while in the back ground and following the lead guy's order (for right now) are given SYMBOLS OF POWER and violence. The masks also show conformity and they are literally covering up a part of them selves, they are repressing themselves. In one part of the music video THEY TEAR THESE OFF. THEY RIP OFF WHAT IS OPPRESSING THEM. (They do this near the very end of the video though)

Once again here they are agian, wearing masks running around, they walk around and anything they touch changes and becomes different. Which I can say is what Japanese street fashion does for a lot of us.

Also notice the Porter Robinson isn't super kawaii'd out, he is just in simple clothes that many Americans see on the street every day. As the video starts he is using these girls as his extension to change the world. These are his accessories.
When they rip off their masks they are acknowlegding that they are not his to boss around, he does not get to opress them. They are their own people and not his accessories!
 So much different then the back up dancers in Avril's video, no emotion there at all even though this pop song is suppose to be about their home land, we assume so but they could have hired anyone.

Near the end of the song now, we see him in a building looking at all the things he has changed with his kick ass team, and you see their silloutes, then they come closer and

They kill him, they take over what is theirs and blow up the building he is in.
I think this is sending very clear messages to the people like Avril who used this culture as an accessory.

It takes her video, in my mind, and sets these stereotypes free. It says that this isn't your accessory to make a buck on, these are real people and a real culture people all around the world take time out to do the right way, you as a celebrity should do so too cause you have no excuse. Other wise these girls will mess you up because the whole sweet Asian girl thing is a stereotype, it is by no means the truth.

These girls literally start this video going along with him, to being pushed around wearing masks by him, to tearing them off and killing him... this is such an important music video. With the weapons they have to symbolize power the take their power back from the guy who was using them.

If you don't think that is cool there might be no hope for you.

Till next time,

Cookie

Bouns pic because I love Elleanor