Click here to read my post about Day 1 of Eternal Twilight! Today I'll be covering Day 2 of Eternal Twilight: the Shakespearean Night tea party and the Nightfall afterparty. I had this post in my queue and I accidentally set the date to way in the future so it was never actually available to read. I've backdated it so that it shows up in the correct order in the navigation, but...d'oh. Sadly, a huge chunk of my photos from this event just disappeared from my phone and I can't find them, even in my cloud backup. I'm actually really upset about it because a lot of them were really sentimental...
We weren't quite used to the time zone change yet, so we all ended up waking up way too early. The day before was such a rush that it was nice to just take our time to get our hair and makeup done. We headed out to Svenska Klubben by tram (actually, we ran into Mana and his entourage at the tram stop...he must have been staying in the hotel next to ours since we bumped into him 3 times!) and arrived about an hour before the doors were set to open. The surrounding area was pretty quiet despite being near a major road. It looks like Helsinki isn't very lively on Sundays, as many shops weren't open at all and there was almost no traffic. We took the opportunity to take some goofy photos on the street.
I was feeling pretty lazy and wanted to be comfy after the exhausting day previous. I did a shiro nun coordinate, which really has nothing to do with the theme at all, but I wanted to be comfy and I hadn't brought along enough accessories for an OTT look.
Shakespearean Night Tea Party at Svenska Klubben
Svenska Klubben is a historical building located near the waterfront of Helsinki. It's beautifully decorated inside. My favourite area was the bar/lounge because it looks like a movie set!
We all crammed into the ground floor of Svenska Klubben for a toast with sparkling wine, then headed upstairs towars the dining room so we could start eating. Shortly after, the special guests of honour, Babi and Kaie of Triple Fortune, arrived and took their seats. Our table setting had a black Gothic Arch print file folder, a Triple Fortune placemat, and a Triple Fortune printed fan. We actually ended up sitting a few seats down from Babi and Kaie, which was very lucky! At the end of the party, Babi and Kaie came up to my friends to compliment them on how their outfits really made them look like dark Shakespearean villainesses ❤
Table setting with a Triple Fortune placemat and fan, Gothic Arch folder, program, and coupons from Teja Jamila.
Instead of serving ourselves, we lined up and served ourselves buffet-style. I've never been to a tea party with a buffet, but it was awesome and filling. It was too crowded to get a photo of the buffet table, but they had popular Finnish foods such as rispirog (rice pies), smoked salmon, and berry pie. There was also an assortment of cheese, meats, salads, and bread. Me being me, I basically filled my plate with rispirog covered in eggs and cheese because that just seemed like the right thing to do.
@vudu_juju wearing a golden I Do Declare OP and a Hysteria Machine crown.
After we ate, there was a performance of traditional Japanese dance. I was far back enough that I couldn't see anything at all, though, so I can't really comment on it, the organizers held a raffle. The first prizes given away were private kabedon photos with Babi and Kaie. Several girls were whisked away by Babi and Kaie and returned laughing and blushing. They also awarded a prize to their favourite Shakespearean coordinate. The winner was wearing a Triple Fortune dress with roses and lillies and a handmade floral halo crown. Those were apparently Shakespeare's favourite flowers, according to Triple Fortune.
Me looking incredibly nervous in a corner.
Afterparty at Gloria and Brilliant Kingdom Performance
Gloria is a small bar/performance venue in downtown Helsinki. The night before, Kamijo had a small concert that we didn't attend. The bottom floor features a stage and dance floor, and the upper floor has the bar and seating area. Flanking the bar on both sides were balconies in a semicircle overlooking the stage and dance floor. The layout reminded me of the Asylum bar in Vampire the Masquerade: Bloodlines, if you have played that game. My favourite part about Gloria was the black and white tiled floors paired with the giant red doors - it was very reminiscent of the Beast of Blood MV (which was in turn inspired by Twin Peaks). The lighting wasn't good enough to get a good coordinate shot, but . We met a group of Russians who were super excited to learn that the Slav squat had become a meme overseas, so naturally we had to squat with them.
Quick snap from my Instagram.
They were serving Eternal Twilight-themed drinks based on Mana and Brilliant Kingdom! Drinks in Helsinki are expensive. Each of these drinks was 7.50 Euro. ranted, everything is expensive, but it's so much cheaper to drink in Toronto. The Mana drink was aesthetically pleasing (so blue!) but not very tasty to be honest...and that's as someone who loves tonic in drinks. I went for the Brilliant Prince drink which was quite tasty, and quite a few shots as well. There was a black licorice drink but I didn't have it since I prefer my licorice to be uh...solid.
Also, Finns can drink us Canadians under the table.
The Brilliant Price (ginger ale, lime, and whiskey), the Mana (vodka, blue curacao, and tonic water), and some random shot.
After milling around, socializing, and drinking for an hour or two, the afterparty programming again. As the afterparty was 18+, the programming was definitely a little bit racy! There were several burlesque and striptease performances, so it was tons of fun to watch. For obvious reasons, I'm not going to post the photos. My personal highlight of the night: the burlesque performer ripped her blouse open to release a cloud of rose petals and rose nipple pasties, all to the tune of Malice Mizer.
Babi and Kaie singing as Brilliant Kingdom!
After a few hours of milling around,Brilliant Kingdom, Triple Fortune's music and fashion performance group, put on a fantastic show. I wasn't able to get many clear photos (I mean I was drunkenly trying to take photos on my phone from the balcony) but thankfully the official Hellocon photographer was there to save the day! All credit for these photos goes to Sanni Siira.
We took a break from dancing and decided to go sit out on the balcony we were in previously only to find Mana and his entourage - Mana standing, entourage dancing and cheering. I guess they'd been watching the whole time! I hope he was happy to see that people still really enjoy his music.
That just about wraps up my discussion of Eternal Twilight, so I hope you enjoyed reading about my Finland adventure. We did end up staying for a few days to explore Helsinki, but I haven't had time to write about all of the other things we did. I can't wait to go back! This was my first time in Europe and I couldn't have asked for a better experience. Until next time, Finland!
Hello bats! I've just returned from the airport and I'm trapped in bed with an awful cold and a stomach bug, so I figure now is as good a time as any to write up my trip report. As many of you probably already know, my friends and I flew to Finland for Eternal Twilight (Hellocon 2018), an annual lolita event held in Helsinki.
This was my first time attending a large, exclusively lolita event, and it was also my first time in Europe. Actually, it was my first time taking a major trip without a family member...I've gone on trips to other provinces or to the USA by myself, but never overseas. It was a bit stressful, but everything went pretty smoothly!
Opening Ceremony Mana Q&A
Instead of getting a paper ticket or plastic card pass, we got a cute Mana pinback button as a ticket. Different ticket tiers had different Mana portraits - I wish I could have grabbed the other ones! The blue pin was for VIP ticket holders. VIPs also got a tote bag with some stickers and flyers inside.
The bat clips are mine, and the Gothic Arch clear file is from another event.
They got his resting bitch face down pat.
The programming of the day began with a Q&A with Mana and his staff. The questions were not very spicy. A lot of it was kind of stuff we've heard many times before - "what inspires you?" "Why do you like blue?" etc. The highlight of the Q&A was actually a special surprise - since Mana doesn't speak, Kamijo was invited to recite Mana's answers instead! He kept making the Japanese equivalent of dad jokes and hearing him say "Kawaii!" was precious. Sadly, I had to take off halfway through the Mana Q&A to get ready for the fashion show.
Mana Q&A session. Mana is wearing Demonia Stacks, haha! Taken from the MMM official twitter.
During the first model fitting on Friday, Mana himself showed up! He kept to himself in the corner, staying on his phone and talking to his staff quietly. He was wearing his "casual disguise" (hat and sunglasses) and was probably pretty tired and jet-lagged, like us. I was so surprised to hear his real voice! It didn't sound like I imagined it would - I always imagined it would be one of those super dramatic, resonating voices for some reason but it was actually more high-pitched and slightly nasal...so a very normal Japanese male voice, pretty much. It was very cute.
I remember one of the Wunderwelt staff telling me that normally they wouldn't put someone in a dress they already own, but they really wanted me to wear white, so I was chosen to wear the short version of the new Cross OP in white. I'm happy I got a light and comfy dress since it was very hot backstage...some of the poor girls were wearing long-sleeved blouses under OPs with wigs. Mana was present during the backstage preparations, which made us all a little bit nervous!
For styling, I was asked to do my makeup in light gold with blue accents like a "messenger from God" (how fitting for a heathen like me!) and to put my natural hair in twintails. I used ABH Modern Renaissance eyeshadows, Nyx's Pinched blush, and Sephora's Lip Creme in Marvellous Mauve.
The accessories I got to wear were pretty awesome. Rose Cross Original Lace Headdress and the matching Rose Cross Original Lace Choker, both from 2007. I've been wanting this headdress for a long time but I've never seen it in person. As you can see, it's absolutely massive, even on my big head. I also wore the Holy Cross Lace Up OTKs in white, which I desperately want and will probably never touch again. Haha~
The runway was shaped like a cross and decorated with crosses and bats.
All of the models lined up on the blue cross stage, with Mana at the centre. Taken from the MMM official Twitter.
Posing in Paasitorni's stairway after the fashion show with Mana! Taken from the MMM official Twitter.
We got a sneak peek at 3 new releases during the fashion show. Firstly, we have two new colourways of Sleeping Garden, which will be available in a long and short version. The first colourway is a pinky-orange to purple gradient, and the second colourway is green. It has been officially confirmed by WW staff but no official photos have been released yet. It was really exciting to see them in person. The green blouse with the frilled collar/jabot worn by Mana is also a new item that will be available soon.
I also hope that because Silent Moon was included in the fashion show that they're hinting at a re-release, maybe? Possibly? I'm trying to collect every cut and colourway. Right now I only have black x gold and black x blue so I would basically die of happiness if this were the case!
Update: Apparently when someone asked if they could buy one of the Silent Moon dresses from the fashion show, staff indicated that a re-release of Silent Moon is in the works. My prayers have been answered!
Unfortunately I don't have clear photos of the fashion show, so I hope this video gives you guys a good idea - thanks to FreakyAngel for compiling the video! Click here or go to 11:43 to skip ahead to the fashion show. You can see how I completely fucked up the timing at the end of the Puvithel walk and turn around like an idiot. This was my first time modelling so I was a little bit (read: terribly) nervous as we didn't have much chance to practice.
I really like Puvithel's designs.She is really creative and I love how she pulls off decora, menhera, and lolita so well! I modelled her Slaughterhouse JSK in white. She also made the beautiful iridescent pink heart necklace and waist chain in my outfit!
Ending Ceremony and Mana Meet and Greet
At the end of the fashion I finally had a chance to rejoin my friends and sit to watch the tail end of the programming but I was totally exhausted since I hadn't eaten all day and my allergy meds were kicking in hard. I ended up drifting in and out of sleep during most of this part, basically only waking up to sneeze...damn Finnish trees!
The highlight of this event was definitely getting to meet Mana in person! My friends and I all had VIP tickets so we got to go in ahead of the raffle ticket winners. We lined up outside of a small room and waited to be called in. Once it was my turn, the WW staff member gestured me inside and closed the door.
Mana was standing inside of the small room. Of course, he did not talk, but he took my hands very firmly in his and stared into my eyes very intensely. I was really anxious so I didn't have anything to say except "Thank you so much, Mana-sama!" like the awkward dork that I am. He the handed me a rose with a Moi-meme-Moitie ribbon tied around the stem (I immediately stabbed myself on the thorns because I'm dumb). His face was quite stoic the whole time, but he looked at me and gave me what I'd like to think was an approving nod, and he seemed to like my Bara No Seidou pin as well.
Everyone who had a VIP ticket or winning raffle ticket received a rose and a signed photo. You could bring other items for him to sign, so I asked for him to sign the cover of my Magnifique photo book. I had been debating between bringing a copy of GLB #1 or the book, but I was worried about the magazine getting squashed in my luggage, so Magnifique it was!
The spoils of war! My signed copy of Magnifique, signed catalogue, Jewel Cross pendant, phone strap, and rose.
I've never seen this phone strap before. Maybe it's a new item, or really old stock? They don't have a whole lot of them.
A few interesting pages from the catalogue. Pajamas, an apron, bloomers, and jewellery!
Shopping
I barely had time to browse the vendors because I was tied up with the 2 fashion shows back-to-back. Firstly, I picked up my preorder from Lady Sloth - the My Spooky Macarons OP in orange with the matching headbow. It's soft and lightweight, so not ideal for Halloween weather, but it's adorable and super comfy.
Lady Sloth My Spooky Macarons OP and matching headbow
Look at the cute ghost kitty necklace it came with!
Puvithel was kind enough to give me a goodie bag as a thank you for modelling!
Inside the zippered pouch were some cute pins, an iron-on patch, and these awesome syringe pens. I also bought the rose ring from her booth.
The phone strap looks cute with the case! It juuuust barely fits my OnePlus.
Lastly, I grabbed a few small accessories: Metamorphose Fluttering Ribbon Lace OTKs, a black and gold headdress from Sweet Mildred, and a zippered pouch from Eat Me Ink Me.
I finally have a proper black x gold headdress after being in the fashion for...4 years now?
After the event wrapped up, people started heading out for the Kamijo concert and meet and greet planned for later that evening. I didn't get tickets because I'd already seen Versailles back home in Toronto pretty recently (I also ran into the band in a restaurant after the concert and got to talk to them a little bit, which was awesome!). In retrospect, I'm really glad I didn't go because I was so exhausted that I probably wouldn't have enjoyed it very much. Instead we got into comfy clothes and went to an Italian restaurant near our hotel, where we ran into Mana's entourage! He eats really slowly. It's precious.
That just about sums up my report on Day 1 of Eternal Twilight! I'll be back soon with a post about the Shakespearean Night tea party and the rest of my Finland escapades. Maybe after I recover...
Hello bats! For today's Lolita Blog Carnival I'll be discussing my thoughts on solids vs. prints.
Even though a huge chunk of my wardrobe is made up of prints (I'm a slut for black x navy prints), I'm gonna have to vote for Team Solid. Why? Well, there are a couple of reasons...
A few of my favourite coordinates with solid dresses.
1) Solids are perfect for daily wear.
Solids are easy to wear on a daily basis because they're way easier to camouflage as normie wear - a plain black OP wouldn't attract nearly as much attention as something like Milky Planet. You don't need to worry about matching accessories to the colours in the print, since you can match them with nearly anything and call it a day. Solids are so easy to coordinate, and so versatile in that you can pair them with plain or printed accessories in much wider range of colours.
The best part - if you throw them in the wash, you don't have to worry so much about bleeding colours or melting screen prints! Nothing sadder than watching Berry Bunny turn into Bloody Bunny because you forgot your colour catcher sheet.
2) Solids are accessible.
Solids are plentiful and cheap - in the age of prints, the value of a lot of solid dresses has decreased significantly. It's easy to find perfectly wearable dresses in good condition for $100 or less, especially on Japanese auction sites. This makes solid dresses a great option for anyone who is looking to pad out a wardrobe with more "wearable" everyday pieces, or for newbies who aren't fully confident in their ability to coordinate.
One of the most painful things about lolita fashion is waiting months (if not years) for a rare print series to come up for sale. While some solid dresses are extremely hard to find, especially if they're old, very few are as sought after as the holy grail print dresses, and rarely command ridiculously high prices. Even pricier brands like Atelier Boz and Moitie tend to hover around retail or lower for their solid dresses.
3) Solids showcase good design.
I think solids allow the craftsmanship, design, and creativity to shine. It's easy to create a great illustration (well, it's not - but you know what I'm getting at) and slap it on a boring dress and call it a day. Creating a visually interesting, creative dress without using prints is a little trickier since designers have to rely on arranging generic detailing like ruffles, pintucks, etc. in a unique way. Playing with different textures, transclucent fabrics, asymmetry, layering, removable parts...there are lots of ways to make a dress interesting without using a print.
Atelier Boz's nun-inspired Giulietta OP in Black x Black. In my opinion, Atelier Boz, Sheglit, and Atelier Pierrot
are the undisputed masters of beautiful, aesthetically pleasing solid
dresses. (I'll give you Victorian Maiden, Mary Magdalene, and Innocent
World if you're more of a classic fan.)
I also wanted to share a few thoughts on prints...
Newbies to lolita may not know this, but early lolita was nowhere
near as print-centric as it is right now. In the early-to-mid-2000s the
overwhelming majority of dresses across all substyles were solids.
Details were typically added with contrasting fabric and trims,
appliques, and patterened or textured fabrics. Prints, if used at all,
were usually simple border prints.
Mana wearing the Cross Print JSK - one of Moitie's (and lolita's) earliest and most iconic prints.
I think it's a bit strange that lolita has become so hyperfocused on
prints to the point that people will buy a dress purely because of the
print and not because of the fit, cut, or details...which are also
important parts of lolita fashion. A lot of cheaper Taobao brands pump out cute, unique,
well-drawn prints at a breakneck pace but take shortcuts with quality
and overall design...essentially, slapping a cute print on a badly sewn, badly
designed dress. Great concept, poor execution.
Don't take this as me hating on Taobao prints, or prints in general. I just frown when I see people focusing on a gimmicky print at the expense of...well, everything else. Prints aren't everything, and that's coming from someone who is desperately trying to collect every single cut and colourway of Silent Moon and Iron Gate.
It is what it is - there's a place for both solids and prints in lolita, and even if I sound salty about print supremacy...the truth is that I'm still a slut for prints and will continue to hoard favourites even though I mostly buy solids now.
From top to bottom, roughly translated: Neo Gothic Arch Printed KC (5940 yen), Neo Gothic Arch Mini Flower KC (9720 yen), Blue Rose Jewelry Knee Socks (5940 yen)
As you can see, the headbow and canotier match the new Neo Gothic Arch print released earlier this year. For those of you who don't know, Neo Gothic Arch is a re-release of 2006's Gothic Arch print featuring new cuts, colourways, and a larger print. The headbow and canotier currently available in black x silver, with no other colourways announced yet. The socks feature a blue and silver recolour of the Jewelry print released a few years ago, minus the rhinestones. There are a few other colourways in the works, including a black one! It doesn't look like these are available in the webshop or on CDJapan, and I don't know if these are sample items brought specifically for in-person events or if they will ever be available for sale online.
An unexpected and exciting new announcement was posted on Wunderwelt's page! The announcement contains a message from Mana and Tanaqro Co. Ltd (Wunderwelt's parent company) and reads as follows:
Firstly, there isn't a lot of comfirmed information about Maglaia - I was always of the understanding that it was Mana's private record label, formed sometime after Midi:Nette became inactive.The most recent Moi dix Mois record, Reprise, was released under Maglaia instead of Midi:Nette. It appears that Mana owns and runs the entire Maglaia operation.
I'm cautiously optimistic about the brand being more available for overseas customers. In addition to it simply being easier to buy, we might see things like accurately listed measurements, more forgiving cuts, a more frequent release schedule...it might also drive down the secondhand market, which is currently absolutely ridiculous. There are literally dozens of girls selling unpopular dresses from 2008 with $100+ added to the listing price because they're secretly trying to recoup their customs fees. None of it ever sells - some of those listings have been up for a year. No tea, no shade...
In the same vein, I'm curious to see if they'll continue to refresh older prints (like Iron Gate/Royal Gate and Gothic Arch/Neo Gothic Arch) or if they will straight up re-release older prints AP style. The latter would certainly make a ton of money, especially if they kept the classic colourways/cuts but expanded the sizing. Neo Gothic Arch was a modest success, but I feel like it could have been a smash hit if they reused the older colourways. Depending on the approach they take, this might crash the secondhand market or keep the classics in high demand.
(As someone who owns Gothic Arch and Iron Gate, I have really mixed feelings about this haha...)
Now...for the bad.
It's entirely possible that Mana may maintain creative control but the business aspect of the brand will take precedence over his vision. By that, I mean that the brand may become profit-motivated instead of design-motivated. Mana has that same old school goth mentality...always held true to his original image and ideals of what he wanted EGL to be without being influenced by trends or outsiders. Increased production may mean greater quantity at the cost of quality, or worse...the brand might have to cave and design based on what is trendy rather than what maintains the iconic style of the brand.
While there have certainly been plenty of style changes and lower quality releases over the years, the core aesthetic has remained more or less the same, and the brand is known for being well-made. One of the main gripes I hear about the rapid-fire pace of new AP releases is that the cuts and fabrics have become dull and uninspired (tiled prints in muted pastels on chiffon sack dresses) and the construction quality has taken a slight dip.
This is an interesting writing prompt! Until I sat down to write the post, I hadn't seriously considered all of the difficulties associated with participating in this fashion. It's a bit shocking seeing it all laid out here, but to me it's 100% worth the struggle.I can certainly understand why people find it difficult to break into lolita, and I've definitely encountered people who give it a try but ultimately lose interest just because it can be so challenging to deal with at times.
1)Lolita is a shopaholic’s worst nightmare.
I’m impulsive by nature and I’ve always had the attitude
that there’s no point in hoarding money when you could be using it to enjoy
life (within reason of course). Time or money wasted on something you enjoy is not wasted. I also love bargain hunting, so lolita can be
a dangerous temptation. I deal with it by keeping a strict list of items that I
want, divided into tiers based on how badly I want them and how much I’m
willing to spend on them.
Another thing that can help curb impulse buying is holding items in your cart for a long time before purchasing them. This is especially useful when ordering from Taobao, where it's easy to amass a huge cart of inexpensive items only to be unhappy with them when they finally arrive months later. Been there, done that! Now, I keep my items in the shopping cart for at least a week and carefully consider them before making the decision to purchase. How often will I wear it? Is the fabric quality and construction worth the price? Very often, I find that by the end of that week, I've dumped most of the items from my cart.
2) Lolita fashion can promote consumerism.
I can think of a LOT of things I could have bought with the money I spent on lolita.
I wouldn’t call myself frugal, and I don't have any problem with enjoying shopping and collecting items in themselves - but I try to be mindful of advertising and consumer culture, and how it affects my psyche and behaviour. Lolita is interesting because it is an underground (yet brand-focused), expensive luxury fashion subculture. Like more traditional luxury fashions, having a large collection of name-brand items and owning coveted, rare pieces is a status symbol. Lolita itself is an expression of decadence.
On the other hand, lolita is an indie, "slow" fashion with a thriving secondhand shopping and handicraft culture in a conglomerate, fast fashion world. I think that the craftsmanship and quality of the average lolita garment has given me a greater appreciation for well-made clothing in general. I find myself doing a lot more secondhand shopping and making alterations than I did before, and buying fewer quality pieces instead of heaps of poorly made items that I won't get much use out of.
3) SO MUCH LAUNDRY.
I am eternally grateful that most of my wardrobe is machine washable, because I wear lolita a few times a week and it's just way too much to handwash. Laundry sucks. I don't even want to devote a full writeup to laundry because it doesn't deserve it.
4) Meeting up in public spaces attracts a lot of unwanted attention.
Toronto is a big city with a huge alternative scene so it isn't at all unusual to see lolitas, punks, goths, or other weirdly dressed people hanging out in public. The response from locals varies from total apathy to candid photos and awkward questions, but it's usually not too bad. I love taking out my phone and snapping pictures of them in return! Most people are curious but harmless, and some are nice enough to ask for photos instead of just taking creepshots.
Going into a touristy area is almost guaranteed to turn into a paparazzi shitshow of harassment. People have tried to get me into their cars, asked me if I'm a prostitute or a dominatrix, touched me without permission or tried to look up my dress, and all sorts of incredibly inappropriate things. I've lost count of the number of times someone came within spitting distance of me and started filming or chatting me up while I'm eating a burger or on my phone or something equally uninteresting. They wouldn't do that to someone dressed normally, so I'm not sure why wearing an unusual outfit waives my right to sit in peace.
My local comm has a lot of girls who are too shy or afraid to defend themselves when someone is getting out of line. Thankfully, most of the older members are good at politely defusing the situation and asserting themselves, but it doesn't always work on people who are really persistent. I'm...less than polite to say the least! My natural inclination when faced with rudeness is to be even ruder - and quite frankly, I feel no need to show decorum or respect to someone who won't return the favour. Juvenile, yes. Satisfying, also yes.
5) The media depicts lolitas in the worst light possible, making it difficult to explain our hobby to others.
Anyone remember this debacle? This poor girl was misled about how her photo would be used, resulting in this movie poster that associates lolita fashion with ageplay and pedophilia.
If I had a dollar for every shitty, badly researched """""documentary""""" (using that term extremely loosely here) I've seen about living dolls or every cringeworthy ita making an embarrassment of themselves on one of those TLC makeover shows...well, I wouldn't be rich but I could buy a fancy bottle of liquor and that's almost as good!
It's incredibly rare to come across a media depiction of lolitas that is fair or realistic. Instead, they usually fall into one of two categories: A) we're all depressed, emotionally damaged girls using babyish princess clothing as a way of escaping real life or B) we're all perverted fetishists who dress as children (or worse) for the kink. Sometimes a combination of both.
I personally am not bothered by ageplay fetishists, even though the idea
makes me deeply uncomfortable. It's none of my business what people do
in their private lives as long as nobody is being hurt. But I really don't want any kind of fetishistic lifestyles associated with lolita fashion.
It doesn't help that these documentaries almost exclusively focus on sweet lolitas who love cutesy, pastel weeby stuff. I personally have no problem with that, but many westerners conflate liking sweet childish things with being immature, or wanting to be an actual child. I feel like if they interviewed a gothic lolita it would be similar to those really bad 90s-era news reports about how goths are S&M maniacs who believe in literal vampires - still bad, but less damaging than potentially being viewed as someone who has a fetish involving children.
The filmmakers seem to go for the easy targets - people who are willing to talk about themselves at length on camera and expose themselves to public scrutiny are usually the absolute last people you would want to represent lolita fashion to the world. In short, they seem to pick people who are total itas or people who are a bit...off, instead of choosing the 99% of lolitas who are completely normal functioning adults who happen to like dressing up.
6) Sizing is a royal pain.
Lolita is notorious for running too small for most western body types. We're just bigger over here than the average Japanese woman, even at a healthy body weight. Height, bone structure, and bigger busts are usually the culprits. I think it makes people feel insecure and unhappy with their bodies, which is really sad. I firmly believe that there is no such thing as a "wrong" body - it's the clothing that is wrong. Thankfully, many brands do custom sizing now and there's lots of shirred pieces available. Overall, brands are increasing in size as time goes on, But there's only so much you can do - if your ribcage is too big for a bodice, you can't do a whole lot about it short of sawing them off.
I have long limbs and broad shoulders so finding things that fit properly is an adventure. Blouses and OPs are a crapshoot - either the shoulders are too small or the sleeves are too short. For instance, my ladies' size Atelier Boz Roland jacket fits my chest and waist with wiggle room to spare, but it's so tight on my shoulders that I can't raise my arms properly. I own a lot of JSKs and skirts because it's just easier to deal with than having an OP that I can't cram my shoulders into. .
Some brands are much better for me than others - Moitie and Millefleurs
fit me perfectly, longer dresses from AatP/Baby and JetJ make me look
stumpy, AP is too big in the waist...basically, if a dress doesn't have
waist ties or corset lacing, I won't buy it. Of course, it doesn't help when manufacturers' measurements aren't accurate. I'm looking at you, Moitie.
I'm trying to give you money, Mana. Why you lying?
But despite all of the annoyances and heartache that come along with the fashion, I'm never going to stop wearing it. I've met so many amazing people and had some wonderful experiences all because we bonded over these ridiculous dresses. I don't think I could have picked a better subculture to call home! ❤
Check out what these other lolitas had to say on this week's LBC topic!
