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

Tips and Tricks: How to Shop to Expand Your Wardrobe

So as this tittle suggests this post is all about How To Shop To Expand Your Wardrobe and not to inhibit it!

Basically what I am trying to say is that so much of us Lolitas funnel money into our hobby that it makes sense that we would try to capitalize on this and also cut corners where we need to!

However if you are anything like me it might seem like a daunting task to try and form a wardrobe of lolita clothing that you can wear as often as you want. The daunting part being that you are not used to actually forming a wardrobe out of nothing. You (like me) usually buy what ever muggle clothing you like and it kinda all goes together anyway. But we look at lolita and we see that it will not be this easy, mostly because of the cost of everything.

So this "small article" will be a continue of my past Tips and Tricks and will go smoothly with new Tips and tricks that will come out later.

I know that some of you will think this a lot like my past Tips and Tricks, and that's okay! I will admit that it is, since I will be saying most of the same thing, stick to your colors and accessories are your best friends!

At this moment I will be using me as an example!

It was Easter time and I wanted to wear a special outfit of course! And I started to put it together, and while I think I have a pretty okay closet I started to feel constricted. The outfit I had in my head was completely different than the one I could actually come up with. I was lacking accessories and I had an epiphany!

SO HERE IS THE SECRET THAT FINALLY HIT ME IN THE HEAD AND I WILL SHARE WITH YOU

Buy tons and tons of accessories, invest in socks and shoes and necklaces and different head wear or head wear you can mix and match.

I don't know about you... but myself, I love the dresses and the JSK's that come out, so those are the things I buy mostly, that is where 90% of all my lolita money goes.

AND THAT IS ONE OF MY ISSUES IN LOLITA (my personal issue that is, let me just vent for one sec and we will be back to scheduled helping) THAT I ONLY EVER BUY THE DRESSES SO THAT WHEN I WANT TO MAKE A COORD ALL I HAVE IS IS IS STINKIN' DRESSES! YOU CAN'T FEED PUDGE TUNA CAUSE HE IS A FISH!!! oh wait! hahaha wrong vent....

Sorry I had to add it in here!

 Okay! So this is a big problem! So I am here to warn you all that unless you want to be in my position where I have plenty of dresses which is kinda nice but then I have to struggle to pull a coord out of thin air because I lack accessories; make sure that you have plenty of different accessories. 

No really if you have one dress you could have at least enough accessories to coord it two completly different ways, so it might be the same dress but a whole new look each time you wear it!

One more time, the more accessories you have the more outfits you will be able to make with limited clothing, the easier it would be to be a lolita on a budget. Accessories can completly change the look and feel of the dress, so it feels like you have two dresses instead of the one!

This is what I am learning now! Though I am still having a hard time not buying my jsk's, seems I am working backwards, buys all the dresses and then goes to buy all the accessories so that I never actually wear my clothes until I get the accessories! Trust me that is just a sad feeling looking at your clothes and then feeling like you can not wear them!!!

So here is the quick tip/ exercise:

Lets say you have your first outfit down, these are the items you have purchased besides your foundation items like your petti and bloomers (We will be talking about bloomers vs. shorts in one of the next tips and tricks articles)
Of course before buying your items (which you have to buy usually one at a time cause you are not made out money) you decided that pink and cream (or off white, near the same color family) are the two colors that you have decided to buy around. You choose these colors because you want to be a sweet and classic lolita and you figure using these two colors with help with that decision.
Here is what you have:

So here we have just the dress and NOT the blouse that is pictured... oh and FYI Click Here for The Dress

Click Here to see this Really Really Cute Blouse

I would highly suggest against getting this color way for this blouse, the lace trim is snow white while the blouse is almost a dusky yellow... it just looks a little strange. I included it here because realistically we all make mistakes, like not paying attention when buying, consider this a "mistake you made in purchasing". You didn't realize that the lace didn't match the shirt. Later you would probably buy the off white colorway of the shirt up above (which I suggest instead of this one) but here is the link anyway!

You can check out these socks here!

This headdress is perfect for both sweet and classic because of the color and than the lace and roses! But here in this simulation we don't usually tie it under our chin unless we are going for a innocence look! We usually tie it behind our neck under our hair. Click here for headdress!

I chose these shoes for us because they are cute but are more grown up looking so would also match really well with a more classic look, it is also a lighter of the pink colors for this reason. Click here to see the shoes and stuff.

Out of what is above think about how many different outfits you can make? Two right? One for each different color way of the blouses. Even if you take off the sleeves or put the on its still only two outfits that feel a little bit different.

So now you are getting ready to buy a new dress! I mean after all you have all the basics down right!? And this way you can have 2 different dresses with 2 outfits each... so 4 whole new outfits! But take a min and step back and think about this for one sec, yeah you could buy a  new dress and have the best of both worlds I mean it is your money! But think about it you might keep buying new dresses for awhile and just that... well than you are stuck with only two ways to ever coord your dresses and that gets boring after awhile.

What I suggest is that instead of buying your second dress straight away get some more accessories!
Like....

Cardigan Here

Socks here!

A cardigan+socks

Same cardigan as above

Cardigan Here!

or Cardigan+ another cardigan 


or just more knick knacks in general!
This way you than have 3 (or 4 for 2nd option) to 5 (or 8 for the 2nd option) outfits to choose from and that is just by buying a cardigan or 2!

So when you finally do buy that new dress you have so many different items to match with it that it doesn't get boring! This way you can really mix it up and it isn't limited to one pair of socks and two blouses!

At the end of the day you have to think about like one of those really annoying math problems, if Jose has 3 shirts and 3 jeans how many outfits does Jose have?

We actually have to think like this to make lolita worth the buck sometimes! We have to go if I have 3 tops and 2 caridgans and two dresses and 3 socks and two pairs of shoes how many outfits can I make?

This right here is why you stick in your color group in the begging! So that you can make the most of your dollar because EVERYTHING SHOULD MATCH!

I hope with this thinking I did today I can try to put the Jsk buying behind me and focus on getting some more accesrotries to make my outfits pop!
I hope that this has helped you too and you learn from my mistakes! And more importantly how to make the most out of your hopefully budding wardrobe!

Till next time!

Cookie~
 

BTSSB UNBOXING!

This is coming like a week late though! I am sorry! So if you already seen it on my YouTube channel I am sorry! However if you haven't seen it yet you should because I am funny and bright and this is all you get of me because I never update here anymore like I promise myself! Ha ha ha!

No but really, I hope you watch it and enjoy it~

As always you can click here to watch it in original nice YouTube largeness!

Besides the video I should also mention I am done with school for this semester! So hopefully I can write a bit more! (This also marks (if I pass my class that is, not counting eggs hatching until I get my actual grade) me getting my AA! I am really proud of myself!)

I hope everyone has being doing fine! All the best and talk or write to you soon!!!

Kaceycookies

Angelic Pretty Candy Sprinkle Lucky Pack

Hey Guys! So I finally got the last thing in the mail! The one I have been waiting for! 

 MY ANGELIC PRETTY LUCKY PACK!

I was lucky enough to get it, and I explain it more in the video down bellow!

Thanks to Jamie and Sean who told me to do a unboxing video! I hope you all enjoy it! :D

You can also go Here! If you want to watch it on YouTube!

Till Next time

Cookie

My Wall Changes: Part 1

How to best explain this... Well lets start with tumblr... There are some fabulous tumblr lolitas who I adore sooo much! They both are from Austrilia funnily... but besides the point I noticed that both of these ladies had clothes on their walls, and I thought it was very interesting but couldn't figure out why they would do that!

So one day I asked one of them, and she said that she just liked hanging them up to look at them.
That simple, well this got me thinking that it would be a great idea for me to do that!!! So I pushed some pins in my walls and hung up some new clothes I had gotten. Now I hang up my new clothes to admire them but also so that I will remember to wear them after I get them, and not to keep wearing the same old muggle clothes every day.
I don't have pictures for each time it changes but I do have two!

So here is the first time I did it and the clothes that where hanged up.

 Rundown~

Right to Left:

Black dress from Target

Floor length flower skirt is thrifted

and 

Brown vintage target sweater is also thrifted

And the next one I have might look familar to you guys!

Rundown~

Right to Left:

Red halter lolita dress is from Bodyline

Lavender seifuku is from Bodyline

and White OP lolita dress is also from Bodyline

Look forward so more of these as well! maybe not all that often, but its a nice idea and I'm glad I got to share it with you.

Thanks for reading! 

Cookie

OOTD: Lolita #3 Christmas Time Speacial!!!

Well even though Christmas isn't my favorite holiday out of the year (its right next to Valentines and Columbus Day) my family has a giant Christmas Eve party every year, and even though this post might be a bit late for Christmas I thought I would show you what I wore. It was a very casual outfit with out being a causal lolita outfit, meaning that I was dressed up but not super duper accessories everywhere dressed up. And I also used some of the new items I got in! Consider this a teaser to a wardrobe update.
Now with out further ado here is what I wore:

Christmas Cheer

Outfit Rundown~

Blouse: Bodyline

JSK: Bodyline

Socks: F+F

Headband: its a spiked headband from Claire's

See... not too dressy, like I said. You might be like what! new things! Well there is a story all about the fact I haven't gotten new lolita stuff till recently... Want to hear my story of woe? (If you do not care don't worry about it and just skip the really long post bellow..*)

 I had moved from one place to another around 2 years ago, and when I did that all my money dried up because I no longer had a job. And it took me a long long time to get a job, and where I was living it was really hard to get around seeing as I can't drive so I have to take a public transport system or walk. This made wearing lolita impossible for me because I would always worry about whether or not it would get dirty, not to mention the 2 hour bus ride to and from school. OR how snooty the place was, I just didn't fee comfortable. I basically stopped wearing my lolita I worked so hard for, and I couldn't afford new items. When I finally did get a job, it only paid enough for me to pay for school, since I pay for schooling out of my own pocket and have yet had to take out school loans, it was important for me not to spend too much money.

Here is when the story takes a turn for the best (not saying that my time there wasn't okay but hey no lolita!) I moved to a cheaper place and got a new job. And originally I was making the same as I was at the other place but than my hours tripled! ( I am not happy about this, I was going to school full time at this point and was only suppose to work these hours for 6 weeks and it turned into 3 months, needless to say I am very very very pissed, if you want to hear the whole story you can ask about it or request I make it into a post.) This meant 3X the money, which at first I was very careful not to spend, but than black Friday happened and I ended up buying new lolita for me! Which will be in a new wardrobe post, after it all gets here! No spoilers! 

*So I got a new blouse (taking my own advice from my tips and tricks post!) and two new dresses so far, this was my first time wearing both of these! I have to say I am really really happy! 

Thank you so much for reading!!! 

Cookie

Outfits Running Through My Head: Black Cat's and Witches/ Halloween Time

Black Cat, Witch, Apple Tree Halloween inspired outfit:

Black Cat, Witch, Apple Tree Halloween themed outfit by kaceycookies featuring side zip boots

So this outfit has been in my head for a couple of days, and has encouraged me to finally get a polyvore! It was a lot of fun picking everything out, and putting it all together. A shameful secret I have is that I am pretty lack luster when it comes to coords sometimes, hopefully this site will help me out and make me stretch my creativity. How do you guys like the outfit! Be nice it is my first one after all. :D
See you guys soon.

Cookie