Brand Inspired Decor

Work was a bit slow for a couple of days, so to break my boredom I decided to have a bit of a play around and make some brand inspired bedrooms. I don't really have the option to decorate a room based around a brand so I am having to live vicariously through other people's Pinterest boards. Oh well, it was fun doing a bit of window shopping and I enjoyed putting these 'looks' together. Could we maybe pretend that all of the colours match up? These collages are meant more as mood boards rather than finalised room designs. It is really difficult to get things like colour right when you are looking through a laptop monitor! As for further inspiration, I guess I would suggest checking out your local charity shops and maybe checking out antique markets. Sometimes you can find some cute kitsch stuff from a few decades ago which could fit the aesthetic. Touring places such as stately homes can be inspiring if you are a classic lolita. There has been a rise in adults adopting 'childish' (their words, not mine...) culture as well, and you can find some really cute articles which may offer inspiration.

Alice and the Pirates

There were lots of different ways I could have gone with the AatP room, but I remember an old interview (I think it is in one of the English GLBs) where the designer was talking about her inspiration for setting up the brand. I love the idea of Alice from Alice in Wonderland going on adventures beyond Wonderland. So this collage is very piratey. I didn't feel the pirate colours truly reflected the whole AatP 'feel' so I added in some dark red as well. 

Angelic Pretty

Pink, pink and... more pink! My inspiration for this collage came from the actual Angelic Pretty stores in Japan, which are very pink! I also decided to go for a cute, retro look. When I saw the stripy bow shaped cushion, I instantly thought of AP. This being AP, I decided to add a touch of Paris to things as well. Looking at the finished collage, I suppose this is more late 2010 era AP rather than present day AP. Maybe I should try giving that a go... I could see that being a massive challenge though!

Baby the Stars Shine Bright

There is still a touch of the pink, but in more muted tones than AP. I wanted to do something a bit 'dreamy' and soft looking. So I went for light, delicate layers. A lot of my inspiration here came from the print Twinkle Dreaming Princess, which features clouds and bedroom furniture. It just seemed like the ideal print for this collage. Please excuse the rabbit jars, which are not really the right colour. I added them because I thought I couldn't do a BTSSB room without at least acknowledging Usakumya-chan. I love my little Usa pochette, but I know some lolitas out there have massive Usakumya collections. Having a gathering of them piled in one corner of the room is definitely how I envisage a BTSSB room!

Innocent World

This has a more classic, European look. It is well known that the IW designer is a massive Europe lover and her travels have inspired several IW prints. I felt it was only right to acknowledge some of the more popular aspects of Innocent World. So the collage features a deer wall decor to represent Lotta, Fleur de Lis details which crop up in a lot of IW prints, a crown chandelier which is a nod to Grazia Crown and a cherub tray to represent that cherub IW print whose name I can't think of right now. There is also some florals thrown in, because IW do release a lot of floral prints.

Moi Meme Moitie

Out of all the collages, this one was the easiest to do! There are so many pages dedicated to gothic decor, that I was really spoiled for choice. So I tried to go for styles which reflected Moitie. Can you imagine Mana doing a photoshoot in this room? That was my main objective! I feel the bed frame and screen have a similar style to popular MMM gate prints, such as Iron Gate. Obviously, there had to be some vivid blue in there too! The coffin shelving unit is a nod to the old Moitie physical stores, where the changing rooms were shaped like coffins. It is a shame the lining is not blue though!

So this post was really just for fun, but I hope you have all enjoyed it. You may have noticed I didn't do one for Metamorphose... I did try to do one, but it was so all over the place and nothing really complimented anything else. They are so diverse style-wise that it would be hard to do a Meta room without focusing solely on one particular print, which really wouldn't reflect on the brand as a whole. I had a leopard print chaise longe saved and everything! 

Collections Lolitas Accumulate

January is typically "Wardrobe Month" in the online lolita community. Suddenly we all remember that the LiveJournal community still exists, and hurry to post our wardrobes on EGL before the end of the month. As with previous years, I am not intending to do a wardrobe post. I simply don't have the motivation to spend hours taking decent pictures of everything, especially given recent circumstances. Maybe I will do it one year, but it wont be this year! But my wardrobe has still been on my mind a lot recently anyway. I think seeing what other lolitas have naturally makes you focus on what you have more. But I have mostly been having a bit of a think about what I may potentially want to sell in the near future and having a general tidy. It was whilst I was having this cleaning session that I noticed I had piles of stuff which appear to have accumulated. It is not clothing, but other stuff that naturally comes as part of following any fashion. I simply don't have the heart to throw them out. They feel really personal to me and they tell the story of my journey in lolita fashion throughout the years. And yet, wardrobe posts are so focused on the dresses and clothing that these little mementos tend to get ignored. I wanted to focus on them today, because they really mean a lot to me.

Notes from other lolitas- Whenever I buy anything, I always love seeing the little notes that people include. Sometimes it could just be a simple thank you, or perhaps it may include something that references what you have purchased or a private joke. I love all the different cute paper and stationary I get. This may sound weird, but I also like looking at other people's handwriting. There is just something really pleasing to the eye about good handwriting! Adding notes adds an element of caring to a purchase. It makes you feel that as a buyer, the seller didn't simply chuck your item in a box and then forget about it the second they get their money.

Brand Tags- They usually include Japanese washing instructions that I can't read anyway, but for some reason I have this weird compulsion to never throw out my brand tags. A lot of the logos look cute anyway. I think as well that sometimes when you are selling things on, there is an emphasis on how new things are. You will often see in the description whether the item you are buying comes with tags or not.

Stickers- I absolutely love getting stickers! I never want to use them, because I want to keep them looking new and pretty (one of the reasons why I never go out of my way to specifically buy brand novelties). Some of my stickers have memories attached to them too. The Baby ones in the picture for example, are ones that I got from Hyper Japan. I had just brought my mini Usakumya, which is quite an iconic lolita brand item. The lady in the store looked amazing in head-to-toe Baby, was happy to demonstrate how to properly tie waist ties and did this whole gesture of sealing up my bag and handing it over in this obvious 'presenting' gesture. The Pixie Bunny one is from where I won her competition, so that has happy memories attached to it too.

Postcards- These are an easy way to get hold of some Imai Kira artwork, as she works with Angelic Pretty a lot. It is really exciting when you get artwork of a print that you may own. Like notes, sometimes the postcard may have personal messages on them. One of my postcards from when Angelic Pretty Paris was Boddywood included a note to say I had been entered in to their contest for a place at their tea party (I won, but was unable to attend unfortunately...). There are also a great number of talented artists in the lolita community who really love to have the chance to showcase their artwork. I completely forgot to photograph the postcards that came in my Tea Party Club event goody bags. Some of the free postcards are super cute!

Catalogues- Physical printed catalogues don't seem to get printed as often as they used to be. Or sometimes you will find the art used for special "art books" instead (typically these art books are a novelty item with a small leaflet, which has a few pictures of a new release). Metamorphose gave me a catalogue when I ordered Magical Moonlight, which I thought was a really nice touch. It meant I could see how the dress looked on a model and how the whole series looked. I know some lolita like to cut these up and frame the artwork as well, a bit like with the postcards.

Novelty fair items- I have only ever been lucky to receive a special novelty item, given away during a brand's promotional fairs, once. It was a Metamorphose drink flask, which I got with my Meta lucky pack all the way back in 2010. They held a Winter Novelty Fair at the same time as their lucky packs came out. These items are only available for as long as stock lasts and some of them can be hard to locate. Sometimes you will get novelties that are designed exclusively for events, which provides a long-lasting memento to a fun day you had. Badges and hand mirrors are quite easy to make, and are another way to show off a print that you love.

Fabric Swatches and spare buttons- Do Angelic Pretty do fabric swatches anymore? It has been ages since I have received one with anything I have brought. It does mostly seem to be AP who do the fabric swatches, but most brands will often provide a spare button. Given how fragile some of the buttons can be, it is obviously a very good idea to keep hold of these spares! I have a drawer in my sewing box stuffed full of spare buttons. I don't think I even own some of the items the buttons go with anymore.

Shopping bags- I actually had to throw out a load of Bodyline bags once because they wouldn't fit in my "Bag of Bags". I have a big Metamorphose shopping bag which I use to keep hold of all of my plastic shopping bags. I really love how when you buy from brand stores they will provide you with a spare shopping bag, even if you haven't attended the physical store. It is nice how they know how much their fans appreciate these bags! A lot of the time the bags are cute and colourful. If you have too much stuff to fit in your actual bag (which happens a lot with a lot of tiny lolita bags) these brand shopping bags are a cute and cheap way to 'remain lolita' instead of carrying a bag from a high street store.

Clothes hangers- I didn't take a photo of mine, because they are not always that exciting to look at. Sometimes when you order bigger items from brands you will find that they throw in a clothes hanger for free. They are often just bog-standard hangers with no indication that they came from a lolita brand, but on rare occasions brands have put out branded hangers. Knowing how much clothing I have, I simply am unable to throw out a clothes hanger, because you never know when you are going to need it.

GLBs and other Japanese fashion magazines- Unlike the glossy 'weekly' magazines which typically get thrown out after being read, Japanese fashion magazines are more like books. Sometimes when I am feeling ill or a bit bored, I will sit and look through all of the street snaps. There is something really satisfying about sitting down in a comfortable seat, all snuggled up, with a physical magazine in hand. It feels a lot more personal than finding content online, as you can hold it in your hands and you have the physical reminder to keep. And as embarrassing as this sounds, I did go out and buy the Japanese Gothic Lolita Bible when I saw I had been featured in it! For me personally, that was a really special moment and I wanted something to remember it.

So as you are flicking through all of those wardrobe posts or even making your own, take a moment to think about the person behind the clothing. Some of the items I mentioned in this post are highly sentimental to me. They have memories attached to them and some are unique to me. They document my lolita story through the years. I keep a lot of the personal stuff, such as the notes, with my lolita scrapbook so that I see them frequently when I need some inspiration. Do you have any 'collections' outside of your lolita wardrobe? I am curious to know what other lolitas think of these little mementos and if you cherish them, like I do.

Scentsational

I told myself I wouldn't be one of those people who use dodgy puns and plays on words, and yet here we are...

When I was little, there was a time when I seriously wanted to be a perfumer, creating my own fragrances that captured the spirit of life's special moments. I was the sort of girl who never really bothered playing with her mum's make up, I just wanted to wear her perfume (and I would get in trouble for spraying her expensive perfumes everywhere!). Even now, make up never really excites me as much as perfume does. When my mum took me shopping, she would leave me by the perfume aisle, so she could shop in peace whilst I tried out all of the testers. The shop staff began to recognise me and would even give me free  perfume samples when they got any in! I would mix bath products and pretend I was some sort of perfume witch, making magic potions that would make people fall in love. That probably sounds really silly, but I guess I was a bit of a weird kid.

Fragrance is a bit of a weird topic when it comes to lolita. It is not really that widely discussed. When you look at an outfit picture, do you usually think about what perfume they are wearing? Most of the time we are focusing on the clothing. You can't reach in to a picture and smell perfume. For all we know, the outfit wearer could smell completely different to how we would expect. And yet, I still feel that perfume could play a big part in lolita in the wider sense, even for the non-lifestylers. It can be easy to forget how big a role scent plays in our life. Shops pump out smells to encourage us to buy more, it lingers on our bodies and on our belongings and scent can trigger memories. Similarly, wearing a favourite scent can remind us of memories of when we previously wore it. As time has gone on, I have noticed that I have started saving certain scents for when I wear lolita. I guess I do it because for me, dressing up in lolita is special, and the whole getting ready phase is part of the experience. That includes a spritz of perfume right before I walk out of my front door. It also helps me to connect that scent with lolita meets and all the fun things I have done. I associate that scent with happy times where I have met up with friends and have worn the clothes I love.

I will admit though, that I have never purposely chosen a scent to match my outfit. I tend to go for the perfume I happen to fancy wearing that day, rather than matching sweet scents with sweet lolita and classic scents with classic. So I decided it would be fun to see if I could make perfume collages for each of the 3 main lolita styles, with scents that match the look. I found there were certain challenges that came with each style, but I did enjoy looking up fragrances. In fact, I had to stop myself from buying anything! As a little disclaimer- it is worth mentioning that not all of these perfumes may be available in your particular country. I also decided to include a few other scented products, rather than sticking to just perfume.

Classic

1. Chloe Eau De Parfum 2. Lush Imogen Rose Fragrance 3. Viktor and Rolf Flowerbomb Eau de Parfum 4. Marc Jacobs Gardenia Splash Perfume 5. Miss Dior Eau de Parfum 6. Lancome La Rose body lotion 7. Cath Kidston Meadow Posy body wash

For the classic collage I felt it was important to include some nice floral options, but at the same time for the florals to not be too "old". The aim was for something a younger person would wear, rather than your grandma. I chose what I feel are some fresher smelling options. There are also some musky scents as well. I've always loved the smell of roses (as in the actual flower) and Lush's Imogen Rose is one of the few rose perfumes I have found which doesn't have that typical artificial rose smell you typically find. Marc Jacobs typically has a good reputation, and after searching a couple of different top notes online, I discovered their Gardenia Splash perfume with its fresh, green notes.

Gothic

1. Black Phoenix Alchemy Labs Snake Oil 2. John Galliano perfume 3. Tom Ford Black Orchid perfume 4. Absinthe and Sugar body lotion by Bloodbath on Etsy 5. Ghost Deepest Night perfume 6. Lush Devil's Nightcap soap 7. Dior Midnight Poison eau de parfum 8. Opiate by Enchanticals Perfume on Etsy

I was initially unsure which way to go with the gothic collage, but typically if a perfume sells well, a "night" or "dark" version will probably follow! This is why I ended up with the Dior and Ghost perfume. The Ghost one is actually one of the first perfumes I was actually given, rather than "borrowing" my mum's stuff, so I have fond memories of it. You can't really do a gothic perfume collage without a mention of Black Phoenix Alchemy Lab! I know several friends who love collecting B-PAL fragrances and they are always raving about them.

Sweet

1. Body Shop Vanilla perfume 2. Lush Candy Fluff dusting powder 3. DKNY Be Delicious Candy Apple in Sweet Strawberry perfume 4. Imperial Leather marshmallow shower gel 5. Vera Wang Pink Princess Eau de Toilette 6. Nina Ricci Les Delices de Nina eau de toilette 7. Yves Saint Laurent Black Opium Nuit Blanche eau de parfum

For the sweet collage, the main challenge was to not go too childish, but at the same time to get some really good sweet notes. If you happen to like those sickly sweet scents that are typically aimed at the Claire's Accessories crowd, then fair enough! I personally prefer my sweet notes to be a little bit more subtle. The options I included feature a lot of vanilla and strawberry notes. I can personally vouch that the marshmallow shower gel is sweet without being overpowering. The Yves Saint Laurent perfume may seem like an unusual inclusion, but I happened to get a sample of it in an online order I placed and it is surprisingly sweet but in a mature way. I was initially worried about the coffee notes, but the main note I get from it is vanilla. In fact I love it so much, I am going to invest in a full-size bottle soon.

I feel like I have only really scratched the surface here, but there are many websites (like fragrantica.com) where you can search for a perfume by picking out top notes. I always feel with fragrances though, it is always best to go in to a store and try before you buy. And it is important to only try out a few perfumes at a time! I love the feeling of discovering a new favourite scent, especially when it is an unexpected find. Are there any other perfume addicts out there? I am curious to know if any lolitas out there match their fragrances to their outfits or have particular scents they save for meets.

The Secret Kawaii Lifestyler

I recently got a message from a friend of mine asking what I had been doing over the weekend and whether or not I had dressed in lolita at all. Considering I had been doing some DIY around the house that weekend, I think it is safe to say the frills stayed in the wardrobe that day! But it did get me thinking a bit about how different my weekend life is to my weekday life, and also about how it isn't always possible to wear lolita every day. Despite being self-employed and working from home, you are more likely to find me wearing my pyjamas whilst working, rather than lolita. But although I may not have much experience working in an office, I can appreciate that it is not an appropriate lolita environment. You have to at least appear professional a lot of the time but also, I think sometimes the idea of having to explain lolita or a love of all things kawaii to colleagues is a bit embarrassing! Some of James' colleagues found out about me wearing lolita last year. As it turned out, they were quite positive about it, but there was still this initial fear of being 'caught out'! I guess what I am trying to say is, I may love cute things, but at the same time I want to maintain some level of maturity in public, especially when I am not dressed up. It is not just work environments where lolita is not appropriate. I don't know of any lolitas who think wearing their frills to the dentist is ever a good idea, for example. But there has to be a way to add those little touches of cute to everyday life without it being overbearing. Here are some ways I have thought about adding a touch of cuteness to everyday life or trying to maintain a 'lolita lifestyle' when it is not always possible.

First things first, I feel that even if you do work in an office environment, it is important to have your own space and express yourself in a way that is still appropriate. It could be something as simple as having some cute stationery on your desk. Obviously if you are off to a serious business meeting it is probably a good idea to have some smart stationery to hand, but for your desk and more casual interactions, what is the harm in going a bit cuter? There are so many different stationery stores out there that offer cute choices. Off the top of my head, we have Artbox, Tofu Cute, Blott and Paperchase here in the UK. I am pretty sure those of you not from the UK can at least think of one store. Cute stationary can add a touch of fun without being too much. Some of these stores also carry stuff like mugs, which can brighten up a work's kitchen area.

It is also possible to wear items from a cute wardrobe in a more mature way. Classic lolita blouses for example, would not look too out of place in a work wardrobe, depending on your choice of blouse and how you styled it. It is well worth looking up Daily a la Mode looks online, as there are lots of outfits out there which use lolita pieces, but have a bit more of a 'normie' vibe to them. Recently, I have noticed more and more that a lot of lolitas are using high street clothing with their looks. If everyday clothing can be used in lolita, then why not the other way around?

If wearing your cute clothes in a toned down sort of way sounds too daunting, then I guess you could always resort to being even more subtle with your cuteness. How about painting your toenails with a cute pattern? Chances are, nobody is going to see it anyway. It is just a little bit of fun, and it can feel kind of sneaky, knowing you have this cute little hidden secret. You can always take pictures of your nails when you get home. You could even do your finger nails too. Nail art went through a bit of a boom in popularity, and nail salons are always popping up all over the place. I don't feel that nail art is really seen as being that outlandish nowadays and lots of people use it is a fun way to express themselves. The Spring and Summer is especially a good time if you are in to pastels.

The use of perfume is a good way to capture a favourite memory. I frequently wear perfume when I am in lolita because I feel it is a nice finishing touch. Now, whenever I wear certain scents outside of lolita, it brings me happy memories. Although I am in completely casual clothes, perfume feels like a way I can take my lolita memories with me.

If all else fails, I know several people who are frequently baking stuff like cupcakes and then taking them to work. I am not saying we should be like Momoko from Kamikaze Girls and only eat sweet things, but the odd cupcake with pastel icing and cute sprinkles is a nice way to cheer up the odd lunch time. And if you end up bringing more for others then to be honest, a lot of people are more likely to be excited about the free food, rather than how cutesy your food is! Besides, if all the trendy cupcake stands dotted about the place and all the cooking shows (like Great British Bake Off!) on TV are anything to go by, it seems cute cakes are not just for us kawaii fans. If cupcakes are not your thing, then try taking inspiration from bento boxes. There are some really good bento inspiration blogs on Tumblr which are packed full of ideas. Even shaping your lunch time sandwiches using cookie cutters can add a cute touch! (and yes, I did choose the picture above because of the duck cupcakes!)

So those are my ideas for adding a subtle touch of cuteness to everyday life. Can you think of any others? Please feel free to comment and share them!

Sleeping Princess

Whilst I was ill recently and trying to fill up my sudden increasing amount of free time, I didn't just watch lolita videos and read blogs. I also did a lot of window shopping! And as I sat about in my pyjamas all day, I thought about taking a look to see what sort of cute sleepwear there is out there. Lolita sleepwear is not something that you see a lot of. When I think about what a lifestyle lolita would wear, I tend to picture Victorian nightgowns with flowing fabric or maybe a nice vintage peignoir. Even bloomers and a custew can make good make-shift sleepwear if you choose ones with soft fabric and gentle elastic. A few years back, Bodyline offered some very cute sleepwear and although I haven't checked in a while, I hear that DreamV also had some cute options. So I decided to see what Taobao had to offer and this is what I found.

Here are some offerings from Chyllirn. I found lots of soft, floaty layers. There was even one of those nightgowns I mentioned, but in pastel colours. The sleepwear in the centre of the picture is made of super soft fluffy material and would be suitable for Winter.

Unfortunately, I lost the link to this store! According to the names I saved the pictures under, it may be called something like Hua Sang. This store features many soft and thick materials and some cute designs. I know a lot of bear fans who would probably love the bear pyjamas in the bottom left. I am kicking myself for not saving the store link properly! If I find it, I will add it to the post.

These items are from Senlan. Again we see more floaty layers. This store features lots of lace and puffy sleeves. I really love the nightgown in the middle of the picture.

And finally, here are some offerings I found from Weimushi. This store features lots of pastel colours and simple prints, such as polka dots. There are even matching 'couples' pyjamas (not that I will be doing Mr and Mrs matching sets with James!). The designs are simple and easy to wear, but still have cute designs with lots of ruffles.

So that was my little venture in to Taobao sleepwear. I only really scratched the surface, but I was mainly searching for cutesy pastel stuff. Something I discovered whilst browsing Taobao, was that there is a lot of adorable children's sleepwear out there. I really wish some of those came in adult size! But there are lots of adult sized options too for the lolita who wishes to add a bit of cuteness to bed time.

My Ultimate Lolita Sick Day

I am writing this post on what I hope is the road to recovery. For the past few weeks I have been really unwell. I had 2 colds in a row with no break in between and then I got struck down by a small bout of flu and this is on top of my ongoing health problems. Barely able to stand, not eating very much because it was too painful and unable to sleep... It isn't really surprising that I needed some time out to recover. The real surprise was the positives I was able to take from this experience.

I am one of those people who gets very frustrated if I am not moving about or doing something to keep me occupied. I get bored so easily and so I hate being stuck in bed. But I got to the point where I had no option but to have a bed day. So I decided to turn this negative in to a positive and I ended up having a really fun day.

I did all the fun things that I don't usually leave enough time for and a lot of this did involve my favourite Japanese fashion. I dragged everything soft in to the living room and made myself a nest, I put on a pair of wrist cuffs that I usually never wear but don't have the heart to sell and got out all of my fashion magazines.

I read so many Keras and Gothic Lolita Bibles that day and it was the best thing ever. Because I suddenly had a lot more time on my hands, I read every issue with a lot more concentration than usual. I analysed every picture, I made notes on ideas I would like to try and admired all of the brand release adverts. But the best part was reading some of the issues that were around when I first started wearing the fashion. I felt that rush of excitement that I felt when I first read these magazines. It was really enjoyable to play "If I Had £1000" whilst looking at all the details in the glossy photos. I felt like a new lolita all over again.

My thirst for all things frilly was still not satisfied. So I ended up reading a lot of the old blogs that I haven't read in years. It is a real shame to see so many of the old lolita blogs haven't been updated in years. But when I was re-reading entries that I had seen from years ago, it felt like I was reading them for the first time again. It felt like I was visiting an old friend I hadn't seen in ages. And then there was the Youtube videos. I saw people sharing their hauls and opening lucky packs. I got excited with the lolitas in the videos as they saw what they got. They kept me company when my husband was away at work and suddenly I didn't feel so alone.

All of this renewed my enthusiasm for lolita fashion, and if I hadn't been so sick I maybe wouldn't of dedicated so much time to all the videos and blog entries I read. It gave me a real wake-up call. I have always been passionate about lolita, but sometimes it is easy to lose sight of why I fell so in love with the fashion in the first place. I am really excited about being well enough to dress up again and seeing my friends.

So I guess I just wanted to say a huge thank you to everybody who puts this content out there. Thank you for keeping me sane! I watched so much that day, so there is a large possibility that some of you may be reading this right now. You have all inspired me so much. If anybody reading this finds themselves in a similar situation, know that there are hours of lolita-related entertainment out there to keep you going until you feel well enough to get out there again.

Good Habits For Lolitas To Get In To

No matter how long you have been in to lolita, there is always room for improvement. Even if you don't have any meets coming up or if you are taking a break from wearing the fashion, there are still ways you can make progress at home. I have been thinking a lot lately about how one can improve as a lolita and I have come up with a list of habits that I think most lolitas can benefit from. Like with New Year's resolutions, it is probably better to tackle one good habit at a time. My list is not a definitive list of must-dos but more suggestions of different ways you can enrich your lolita experience.

Have a dress-up day- I am not talking about preparing an outfit for a meet. I mean just dedicating an amount of time to having some experimental fun. Try going through your wardrobe and try things on together, especially items you would not usually think to put together. See how things look together. I myself do this from time to time and I usually take photos, even if a combination works out badly, just so I have a visual record of how my experiments turned out. I find that if I don't have any meets coming up, it is good to have these dress up days to keep myself in the mind-set of coming up with outfits so that when an event does come up it feels easier to get the ideas flowing. And if the creative juices are not flowing, I can always browse through my folder and remind myself of any good ideas I may have come up with. I try to have these dress-up days once a month, although sometimes I can't do it this frequently. If I can't find the time, I will at least write down any ideas I have come up with in a notepad so I have the ideas ready for my next dress-up day.

Learn some basic sewing skills- I don't know what the education system is like in other countries, but when I was in school I left without any basic sewing or cooking skills or basic life skills (which is pretty appalling, because these are the sort of lessons I probably needed!). I had never been taught how to sew on a button or repair tears and I had to teach myself how to do it. Anyway, my point is these skills are very useful to have if you wear lolita fashion. Being confident at basic sewing skills is great for those incidents when a button flies off your dress or you need to do some basic repairs. I once got a dress which arrived in a condition much worse than I was expecting and I had to repair this fraying loop that was holding some ribbon in place. I managed to fix it but I had to look up how to do it first, because I had never done this sort of sewing before. I will at least know what to do if this ever happens to me again, but the experience did teach me that as well as learning how to look after your clothes, you ideally need to know how to repair them.


Do a Monthly Budget- Sadly, we can't all be super-rich lolitas who can just buy whatever we please! Thankfully, my own financial situation is a lot better than it was a few years ago and I can afford to buy more lolita now. But that doesn't mean that I can be careless and so, every month I make a list of what I have earned and everything I need to pay out for over the next few months. I find it is definitely better to plan a few months ahead. It gives me a better idea of how much I can justify spending on lolita. Writing everything down also gives me a better perspective of how many times I can afford to go out, attend meets and do interesting stuff whilst wearing lolita! There is definitely a balancing act between buying new pieces and attending more meets. If you buy too many pieces you may find you can't go to meets and have the opportunity to wear your new purchases. Another thing I do is put a little sum of money aside each month for Christmas and also have an emergency fund, so that I know nothing nasty can sneak up on me.


Learn a new hair style- Something I have learnt recently is that I rely too much on wigs! And when I use my real hair I always do the same style. There is nothing wrong with using the same hair style if it works for you, but sometimes it can feel a bit repetitive. I am one of those people whose hair is very difficult to style, but I do try to do a new style every now and then. In fact, I am attempting to do a new hair style for Regalia in September. I don't know when I will get around to publishing this post, but if you see me wearing a wig at Regalia, it means I chickened out! The great news is that there are now more gadgets and hair pieces available that make hair styles a lot easier. Checking out your local Claire's Accessories or beauty store could prove useful.


Plan a Meet- Are you one of those lolitas who keeps meaning to host a meet for your community but never get around to it? Well, now is the time to plan that meet! As somebody who has hosted a fair few meets, I feel they get a lot easier to plan once you have hosted a couple and know what you are doing. Once you have gotten used to hosting and know your local community better, you will wonder why you were so apprehensive to host a meet. It does obviously help if you have a lovely local community and thankfully, my friends are very supportive!

Learn a new craft- There is something quite satisfying about knowing you have made something yourself. Well, that is at least how I feel. There are so many different crafts that can be used to make lolita accessories- crochet, knitting, decoden, embroidery... These are just some I have come up with off the top of my head. Learning a new craft can also be a calming experience if you are feeling stressed or just need some quiet time.


Make a scrapbook- This is something I have been meaning to do for a while. I want to print off all my outfit photos and do a diary of my experiences. This idea was inspired by some old print-outs I printed when I first got in to lolita of dresses I wanted. It was really interesting to see what I liked back then and how my tastes have changed. This made me realise that it could actually be quite fun to record all of my lolita memories and maybe in a few years time I will discover that my tastes have completely changed again. It is also quite a warm feeling to look back at old meets which I remember enjoying. I even feel a lot better looking back at my early outfits and seeing how my style has evolved, even if it is a little embarrassing!


Improve your beauty regime- I have never been one to obsess about the latest products but as I have gotten older I have noticed changes in my appearance. I realise now just how important it is to look after my skin and have a regime in place. It does make an impact. There are other small things I feel I could improve as well. Like for example, I do a lot of gardening, and my hands could really do with a bit of extra love. So I am making a note to use more hand cream and look after my cuticles a bit better. If you take care of yourself you will find that it makes a difference to how you feel when you wear lolita. I always feel a bit more confident when I have upped my beauty regime before a big event.

So hopefully this list has given you a few ideas to start with. I know I could benefit from taking some of my own advice! Even if my list did not inspire you, perhaps you can think of some of your own ideas. If you sit down and think about it, you can probably come up with your own list.