Birthday Weekends and a Bit about School

Hello everyone! I hope that you had a great weekend! Mine was quite eventful. My roommate Faust had her birthday party last weekend and I had mine this past weekend! I wanted to share some pictures from both of them!  I'm going to apologize in advance for the wonky placement of pictures. I'm still trying to figure all this stuff out! I took all the pictures for Faust's party but Sooji Kimn took the ones for my party!

Kim Joon in Btssb

Kim Joon and Dante

Faust’s girlfriend Alena decided to throw her a surprise party with a twist! Everyone was supposed to dress as the opposite gender! The look on Faust’s face was priceless when she came around the corner and saw all her girl friends dressed as guys in skinny jeans and plaid shirts and her friend Daniel dressed in a neon green skirt. Kim Joon was a good sport and dressed up as well. Kim Joon finally got to see why I always complain when I wear Lolita in the summer!

Daniel being antisocial

Alena and Faust

Greg in a dress

 

We all went to the park and played on the playground for a while!

Greg on a swing

Gangsta me and Kim Joon

Then we walked to a nice coffee shop that was nearby to get out of the heat! It had to be around 95 degrees that day. After we left the coffee shop, someone had the brilliant idea to go and check out the piercing shop that was across the street. After waiting for a while and chatting with some of the people in the store, Dante ended up getting her lip pierced! Greg was going to get the bridge of her nose re-pierced but decided to wait. 

 

 

My Birthday Party

I decided to celebrate my birthday with my local Lolita community, the amazing Atlanta Lolitas. We had a tea party at our friend Andrea’s condo! Andrea’s condo is by far the most girly place that I have ever seen. All the walls are pink and she even has a Disney princess room! I decided that I wanted to have a very informal tea party and that’s exactly what I got!

My hand was shaking...

Ravenous lolitas waiting for me to cut the cake

A few of the many ATL Lolitas <3

Savannah, Betty, and Dawn

The lovely Andrea! <3

Andrea and Whipcreambunn <3

Boxedtea

<3 Kasumi Pai <3

Sophie

I stayed up extremely late before the party. I was born at 3:26 AM so Kim Joon refused to say happy birthday to me until that time! To keep myself awake, I listened to music from my childhood and tried to find my favorite songs from the past few years. By the time that 3:26 actually rolled around, I was already passed out in bed! I was still sleepy when I woke up and got ready for the party. I usually take a picture of my coordinate for the day but I was in such a rush!

We didn’t really do anything interesting at my party other than pig out and talk. The boyfriends/husbands left at the beginning of the party to hang out at a bar and go antiquing. This definitely made the party a bit more fun! My friend Dawn got me an amazingly delicious handmade Korean cake!! This is now my favorite type of cake! It was so light and fluffy! 

Kim Joon and Chris at High Tea

Kim Joon and Chris finally reunited

After the party began winding down, a few girls wanted to go out for dinner or karaoke. I wasn’t able to go unfortunately because I wanted to see my mom and my brother. I was also exhausted! When I got home, I decided to check my email on my laptop and guess what was waiting for me! A virus! A lovely W32 Blaster Worm! YAY! Just what I wanted on my laptop! I called Kim Joon and sobbed to him for a few moments while he gave me the worst case scenario. My cousin’s friend ended up helping me fix it over the phone. I’m so grateful that all of that is done with! 

Well there you have it! That’s what my two weekends back in college have been like! Unfortunately, the first week of school wasn’t as eventful. I love my classes this semester but I think that they will definitely be a challenge. I’m taking: American Government, Archaeology and Prehistory, Human Communication, Intro to Biology, and Advanced Spanish Grammar 1. I’m extremely worried about the Advanced Grammar course. I haven’t taken a Spanish class in two semesters and I seem to have forgotten almost everything that I knew before. This should be interesting to say the least! I’ve met a few interesting people on my way to and from class. One of these people is a very sweet homeless man who goes by Copper Man. Copper Man makes copper jewelry for the students at GSU. He also is trying to beat the world record for the longest copper chain in the world. I’m planning on interviewing him sometime soon because I would love to learn more about his life and what he does. Living in downtown Atlanta forces you to meet some interesting people! 

Copper Man

I’ll probably be able to update my blog once a week now that school has started. I’m excited for everything that I have planned! I just need to get around to doing it! I’m going to Dragon*Con next weekend (only for Saturday though) so expect to see some coverage of that! If there is something specific that you would like me to investigate at D*C or in general, please comment or send me an email! I could always use ideas! Thanks for reading!

A filler post

Hey everyone! I just moved into my dorm yesterday! I’m still unpacking and getting ready for school on Monday. I’m so exhausted and sore from moving boxes up and down stairs! I'm so happy to be back downtown with the all the noise of the city right outside my window. We have a great four person dorm this year and everyone has their own room! I hope that we will be able to get to know our new roommate a little bit better. She seems nice so far though! I'm currently making cheese biscuits with Greg for Faust's birthday party! It smells absolutely amazing in here. We found out yesterday that our friend Sam lives two floors above us so he was over all day yesterday and all day today. I'm looking forward to many adventures with him! Here's a picture of us from a few months ago! Sorry for the terrible coordinate!

Sam with my hat! See how short I am?

I thought that I would make a quick post just to give everyone something to read while I get settled here! So here is the…

               30 DAY LOLITA CHALLENGE!!!!!

(stolen from someone else!)

Day 1 – 10 things about your lolita bubble.

Day 2 – 10 things you love in lolita.

Day 3 – 10 things you hate in lolita.

Day 4 – 10 different kinds of food you like.

Day 5 – 10 items from your wishlist.

Day 6 – 10 things you can’t live without in lolita.

Day 7 – 10 people who inspire your lolita style.

Day 8 – 10 songs that inspire you for lolita.

Day 9 – 10 things you will never do in lolita.

Day 10 – What’s in your bag?

Day 11 – One day in your lolita life in pictures.

Day 12 – A picture of yourself before lolita came in to your life.

Day 13 – A picture of your favorite sweets.

Day 14 – A picture of your dream item.

Day 15 – A picture of your last lolita purchase.

Day 16 – Your outfit for the day.

Day 17 – What do you want more then anything right now?

Day 18 – A picture of your favorite lolita style.

Day 19 – What’s in your make-up bag?

Day 20 – A picture of a lolita friend.

Day 21 – Your favorite fictional lolita.

Day 22 – A picture of your room.

Day 23 – A picture of your handwriting.

Day 24 – A picture of you from a meet.

Day 25 – Your favorite lolita themed artwork.

Day 26 – Your Facebook profile picture.

Day 27 – One song that fits your favorite lolita style.

Day 28 – A picture of the perfect lolita location.

Day 29 – A picture of a lolita you would love to meet for real.

Day 30 – A photo of yourself taken today and 3 good things that’s happened over the last 30

days.

I’ll try to keep up with it as much as possible but I can almost guarantee that I won’t be able to finish it on time!

Day 1 – 10 things about your lolita bubble. (I’m not quite sure what the bubble is supposed to be so this will be 10 random Lolita facts about me I guess!)

1. I wear what styles I want to wear! I don’t have one definitive style right now but that will probably change in the future! I have a lot of stuff that I could coordinate with sweet but I really want to move towards classic or even try gothic.
2. I don’t own a proper Lolita blouse or a good petticoat.  I’m actually browsing for one online right now!  
3. I only own one piece of brand and I love it to death. It was passed down to me from my Lolita Mommy Brittany <3 Actually it’s the pink dress above!
4. I love my local community so much. Everyone is really laid back and isn’t so uptight about the rules. The meetups are always fun and everyone is good company! I know that if I ever need anything then I can call on one of them!  
5. I really like replicas. I know that many people have a problem with them but that’s just too bad! I just bought the new Vampire Requiem JSK replica so I can’t wait to get it in September!
6.  I love JSKs and OPs more than skirts. This is probably because I don’t own a good blouse.
7. I’ve only been involved in Lolita for a year even though it seems like it has been forever. It’s taken over my life but has taught me many valuable lessons.
8. Baby the Stars Shine Bright is my favorite brand! I used to really love Angelic Pretty but after I realized that I would never fit into anything, I started looking elsewhere :P Unfortunately, I’m not very happy with their customer service right now!
9. I’m thinking about doing a big video project for anthropology stuff about Lolita. I really should plan this out a little bit more. My Cultural Anthropology professor suggested that I submit my work
10. I would love to be able to wear Lolita every day! I try to wear it once a week to class!

A random post about my future

This post came out of the blue today when I got some awesome news from Kim Joon. I was so happy that I felt the need to write, even if it wasn't necessarily on the same subject!

As a college student, there are many things to worry about. Grades, what to major in, roommates, and what type of ramen to make for dinner are just few on the long list. Recently, another item has been added to my list, my career choice. My mom has really been pushing me this entire summer to weigh my options and start narrowing down a few choices. I took her advice and now I’m swamped with ideas. I thought that I should include a short blog post about some of my ideas and trouble! 

I’ve always been one to get ahead. When I was a junior in high school, I researched nonstop about what I wanted to major in. Most of my friends were out partying and putting that off until they got to college. A lot of them still haven’t decided now that I think about it! I chose anthropology because it is basically everything that I could want to study. When I was a senior, I slacked off. I applied to a bunch of colleges but was not able to go to my dream school because of financial difficulties. That set me back a bit. One good thing was that I managed to get enough credits (thanks to the IB program!) to be a semester ahead in college! In the spring of 2011, I took an amazing Cultural Anthropology class that was taught by my favorite professor. She had various exercises throughout the course that made us go out into the community and get to know people. One of the ethnographic exercises that I did covered a formal Lolita tea party that was one of the biggest events of the year for the community. Even though this was my own community that I was covering, it still allowed me to take a step back and really observe how my friends interacted with one another in a formal setting. The next exercise focused on how the 4chan board /cgl/ (Cosplay and Gothic Lolita) is a speech community. I’ll post both of these exercises soon! These exercises really opened my eyes and showed me that this is what I want to do with my life. I want to research and report on different subcultures! If I could make a living doing this, I would be in heaven. A Teacher’s Assistant did a presentation later on in the semester about popular culture in Korea. He focused on how popular music idols like DBSK and Big Bang influenced their followers. Studying pop culture was quickly added to my list after that lecture. I really regret not composing myself more and not asking the right questions when I talked to him.

If it weren’t for my “forced” minor in Spanish, I would definitely be minoring in journalism. I went into college with enough credits for Spanish classes to be halfway through a minor. If I were to drop the minor now, I would have wasted so much time. I’ve decided to take journalism classes as electives to see if this is something that I really want to do. My passion definitely lies with researching subcultures and pop culture! I wouldn’t mind writing for a newspaper or an alternative lifestyle/fandom magazine, or even doing research for documentaries! Unfortunately, I’m not seeing very many career choices where I would be able to express my love that would lead to a steady paycheck. I really don’t want to end up working in a cubicle in corporate America. I want to be out in the real world, interviewing people and seeing how other people live life. We tend to fear the unknown while we should be learning more about it. Education is the key! 

During my search, I’ve found several blogs and documentaries that are worth noting. All of these have inspired me in some way. The first blog belongs to the Otaku Journalist, Lauren Rae Orsini. Lauren’s blog covers anime, gaming, and fandom in a unique way. She doesn’t just interview people, she participates! She takes the time to understand why this is happening and truly what it is. She has made many posts about how to get into a fandom journalism career that have been helpful to me. She documents what she has struggled with, bumps along the road, and also interviews other journalists that have valuable career advice. You can find her blog here (http://otakujournalist.com/). I found out this morning that my boyfriend Kim Joon commented on one of her blog posts and she replied back. He sent a link to this blog for some reason. I think I’m going to be sick with nervousness. So Lauren, if you’re reading this, thank you so much for all you have done! You have truly inspired me and others and I will continue to follow your blog!

The next post that really inspired me did not come from a blog. I found an article in Vanity Fair about FURRIES. Yes, furries…in Vanity Fair. I was not expecting this! The article is about a furry convention that a journalist attended for the first time and his perspective on some of the events that occurred. I was doing research for my own project on furries when I stumbled upon this piece. I went to my first furry convention with Kim Joon in the spring of this year. I not only wanted to figure out what this was all about, but I also wanted to help connect Kim Joon to his fellow furries. It’s always nice to have people that have similar interests in your life. The link to the article can be found here: (http://www.vanityfair.com/culture/features/2001/03/furries200103).

The next, and last, link that I want to share is something that I have just recently seen. I absolutely love documentaries. I will actually choose documentaries over most other types of movies! A friend of mine gave me the link to a PBS documentary called Four Days at Dragon Con. Dragon Con is the largest comic and gaming convention in the south east. It spans 4 days over Labor Day weekend and takes place in Atlanta. I feel really lucky because this year will be my first time attending! I also don’t have to book a hotel because my dorm is within walking distance of all the action! When I watched this documentary, it made me even more excited to attend. Many people are in elaborate costumes during the event. I feel as though I should cosplay (dress up as a character from a comic book or an anime), but my sewing skills are lacking and I don’t have the time to tackle a project like that. I also probably won’t cosplay for a while after my last fiasco. More details to come at a later date. The documentary also has interviews with cosplayers and details some of the struggles that they have to go through to achieve costume perfection. This documentary can be found at (http://video.pba.org/video/2065738625/).

Thank you all for reading and putting up with my ranting! I feel much better now that I’ve written this down. I don’t own any of the blogs or links that I mentioned! Please check them out!

Lolita Part 1- What is Lolita?

Disclaimer- I do not own any of these pictures! 

Lolita fashion has been a major aspect of my life for the past year so I feel like I need to write SOMETHING about it. Just FYI, this is not going to be a blog that is will only focus on Lolita! I don’t want to go into too much detail at this point in time about Lolita but I want to outline the basics. I don’t claim to be an expert on this subject, just someone who has some experience. I often get a lot of questions about Lolita from friends and strangers, especially when I’m out in public and I try to explain it in as simple terms as possible.

For those of you who are not familiar with Japanese fashions, Lolita (also known as Elegant Gothic Lolita or EGL) is a street style that is influenced by the Rococo and Victorian eras. Lolita has managed to spread outside of Japan and is now relatively popular among Japanese fashion enthusiasts. It has NOTHING to do with the novel by Vladimir Nabokov of the same name and is not a sexual fetish (for us at least). Lolita is composed of several major substyles: Sweet, Classic, and Gothic. There are even more styles that can be found in the fashion such as Pirate, Sailor, Kodona (or boystyle) and Country Lolita.
THIS IS NOT LOLITA

Once again, THIS IS NOT LOLITA

Now on to the real stuff...

Sweet Lolita

Gothic Lolita

Classic Lolita

               Sweet Lolita is characterized by pastel colors and knee length skirts and dresses that are held up with large knee length petticoats. The petticoats are mainly used to give the dress or skirt a shape that is similar to a cupcake. “Prints” that are found on the items of clothing often feature objects such as toys, animals, and candies. Over the Top Sweet or OTT Sweet is a very popular version at this time. It literally means what it is called. Wigs with different colors and many accessories help make OTT sweet. Classic Lolita is a more refined and mature style characterized by muted colors such as brown, ivory, and dusty pink. Knee length or longer skirts and dresses are worn with a petticoat that gives less volume than sweet. Prints are often floral or feature fruits, books, and animals. Classic is often seen as the “go to” style when Lolitas feel that they are too old to wear Sweet Lolita. Gothic Lolita is similar but uses darker colors such as black, wine red, and dark blue. Prints are usually of castles, bats, vampires, and other things that are considered to be dark or “gothic.”

What makes a Lolita outfit?

A Lolita coordinate is comprised of several items.

Melty Chocolate OP

 

Melty Chocolate JSK

·        A dress or skirt- Dresses are put into two categories. Jumper Skirts (commonly known as a JSK) are dresses without sleeves while One Piece (OP) dresses have sleeves. 

·        A petticoat- There are many different types of petticoats that are used under dresses and skirts. Different types give dresses and skirts different shapes. Sweet Lolita usually uses bigger, bell shaped petticoats, while Classic often uses A-line petticoats

bell petticoat

A-line petticoat

        

A Blouse- Blouses are worn with JSKs and skirts. Many Lolitas say that blouses are absolutely essential, even in the blazing hot summer. I don’t necessarily agree with them!

Socks or Tights- Knee socks, over the knee socks (OTK), and tights are almost always worn in a coordinate.

·        Bloomers- Bloomers are not essential but sure come in handy!

·        Shoes- All different types of shoes can be worn with Lolita. It’s really just a matter of what goes best with the outfit.

·        Accessories- These can sometimes make or break a coordinate. Accessories range from bonnets and headbows, to rings, bracelets, and purses. 

 (I love Melty Chocolate!)

Where can I buy Lolita clothing?

Lolita is a very expensive hobby. Many Lolitas prefer to buy from particular brands which are known for their clothing. Brand clothing tends to be much higher priced (often in the $100-400 range) and is often better quality than most other places. Lolita brands are similar to stores like Louis Vuitton, Coach, and Guess and are highly sought after. Other shops that sell Lolita clothing are not considered to be brands. Brands are responsible for many of the sought after prints that are found on their clothing. Popular brands are:

• Angelic Pretty- Mainly Sweet Lolia
• http://www.angelicpretty.com/en
•   Baby the Stars Shine Bright- Sweet (more toned down than AP), some classic
• www.babyssb.co.jp/ 
• Alice and the Pirates- sweet, classic, and gothic
• Metamorphose Temps de Fille- Sweet, some classic and gothic 
• http://www.metamorphose.gr.jp/english/ 
• Innocent World- Classic 
• http://innocent-w.jp/index_e.html  
• Moi Meme Moitie- gothic
• moi-meme-moitie.shop-pro.jp

• Other (legitimate) stores to buy Lolita clothing 

Taobao- (I’ll explain how to use this later. For now, use google chrome and translate)  http://egl.livejournal.com/16187531.html (a very useful list of links)

Bodyline- Sweet, Classic, Gothic (very hit or miss but great for beginners)

http://www.bodyline.co.jp/bodyline/

 Fan+Friend

http://www.fanplusfriend.com/

Handmade items are also a great place to look! Etsy (http://www.etsy.com/) is my best recommendation. Several awesome seamstresses that I know well can be found there.

o   Miscy (www.miscy.etsy.com)

o   Dawn (http://www.etsy.com/shop/snowfield) 

Miss Megan Maude (http://www.etsy.com/shop/meganmaude)

A message about a little place called Milanoo.

There is a website known as Milanoo (www.milanoo.com/) that claims to sell Lolita clothing. This is FAR from the truth. It has become a trap that many beginner Lolitas fall into. Milanoo advertises everywhere, including on Youtube and other blogs. It is a major scam and will give you terrible quality dresses that don’t look anything like what you paid for. Milanoo has even gone as far as stealing stock pictures from many of the websites above. That pretty dress that you saw on their website is definitely not an original of theirs. The best way to find out where a dress is from is to look through Lolibrary (http://lolibrary.org/). There is a nifty search feature that can help you narrow down certain aspects of the dress and find out where it originally came from. Don’t buy from Milanoo!

Thank you for reading! I’ll continue to add to this list and change it over time. If you are still interested and want to learn more about Lolita fashion, please check out The Elegant Gothic Lolita livejournal at (www.egl.livejournal.com) and the Lolita Handbook at (lolita-handbook.livejournal.com/)

If you think that I need to add or correct anything please let me know!

Next Post: My personal take on Lolita/30 Day Lolita Challenge