Aqua Princess

A simple princess lolita coordinate I wore for a little pre-birthday party this weekend! (More about that on Thursday!) My new pink Aqua Princess onepiece arrived in the mail earlier this week so I just had to wear it! As I said on my Facebook, this dress is honestly one of the most beautiful in my collection. The lace and fabric quality is amazing, even if you're already aquainted with brand quality. The Swiss dot netting, the silver grommets, the satin, glittery print... This is truly a dress fit for a princess.

Rose mules: DreamV; pink candy & pearl bracelet, golden tiara: Chocomint; crystal candy necklace, Pretty Pop Designs

Labels: fashion, outfit post

posted by Victoria Suzanne @ 10:39 AM 103 Comments

We Heart Of the Week (6.25.11)

Tokyo Factory gives an amazingly in-depth, 3-part history on lolita fashion origins, dolly-kei, and mori-girl.

Always wanted to know how to customize your Blythe? Puchi Collective has tutorials on everything from sanding to painting realistic freckles.

Major lolita points for anyone who adorably coordinates this rabbit headband from Rococo Soul. Make sure to check out their other beautiful headdresses!



Miseducated.net shows DIY instructions for Hello Kitty crochet. Yes, you heard that right!

6%DOKIDOKI, the much-beloved rainbowphonic street style shop, now has an international shop through Maruione!

Catwalk shows us 6 Ways to Stop Impulse Spending - your survival guide when the newest it-print starts calling!



Get inspiration for your next hairstyle or just nibble the eye candy at My Little Pony Hair.

And to end the week...

Labels: reader appreciation sunday

posted by Victoria Suzanne @ 10:28 AM 4 Comments

Cute Embroidery

One of my favorite crafting hobbies to do is embroidery, particularly cross-stitch and simple outline embroidery. For a simple project, I like to find patterns at my local craft store. On a recent trip, however, I felt pretty let down by the selection: my few choices were either American flags emblazoned with eagles, 'Oriental' ladies with tigers, or the kind of wolves usually screenprinted onto t-shirts. Not exactly the romantic and sweet fare I'd been picturing for a leisure activity! Even the unicorns managed to look a little trailer park for my tastes. What I really wanted was a few lolita-worthy but doable dose of cuteness.

That's when I found this downloadable Japanese crafting magazine, titled simply 'Cute Embroidery'. Here's a sample of some of the patterns found inside:

This magazine contains several embroidery patterns, both line design and cross-stitch, including a cross-stitch initial alphabet. There are also a few easy projects to make with your finished embroidery, such as a cell phone case and coin purses, as well as the usual (but indispensable in summer!) handkerchief and herbal sachets. If you're new to embroidery, fear not! This magazine includes step-by-step photography instructions to complete any of the stitches you'll find in the designs, such as French knots, blanket stitch applique edging, and a padded satin stitch.



Stitch Idees (Vol. 11, samples shown above) is another Japanese embroidery magazine available for download. Less for the beginner and more challenging, this magazine provides an array of projects and patterns suitable for sweet lovers as well as classic lolitas or those more inclined to natural-kei or morigirl style. Lace cutwork collars, 3D satin-stitched pillboxes, and fairytale-like traditional cross-stitch patterns of red birds adorn the pages. Some of these projects may be hard to discern from the Japanese pages if you're not familiar with advanced embroidery such as Hardanger, ribbonwork, or beadwork.

I'm thinking of embroidering a handkerchief with the pink ribbon an a fanciful V initial for an easy lazy summer day project! What sweet style item would you like to work on?

Download both embroidery magazines here at Tokyo Jam, along with oodles of other Japanese crafting magazines!

Labels: crafty loli

posted by Victoria Suzanne @ 9:23 AM 13 Comments

Let's Get Personal: Personal Blogging

I've always been a 'get-down-to-business' blogger. My posts are 'articles' or 'reviews' and I 'cover events.' I (presumptuously, perhaps) have always considered my site to be more of a one-woman magazine than a simple journal or diary. I even read magazine's just to get different ideas and angles for blog posts. As long as I've been blogging, I've often felt that the 'personal post' was a cop-out. By 'personal blogs' I mean those that make up a big chunk of the blogosphere: you know, your typical slice-of-life blogs with pictures of your dog, dates, food photography, and the occasional outfit shot. Who could possibly be interested in my dull life, I thought. This is what I wore to the dentist. Afterwards I broke protocol and ate this contraband chain-restaurant donut. Enjoy the subsequent twelve photos.

Some bloggers have got this down to an artform: beautiful snaps that make your chain-store donuts look delectable and outfit shots of ordinary coordinates look romantic and inspired. Or perhaps as a personal blogger your skill is sharing your daily stories in an engaging way, that both speak to the reader emotionally and garner a few laughs. While I've read and enjoyed many a personal blog, I never figured that genre would work for me.

After a long tradition on my blogging 'editorial' style, I was moved to consider personal blogging after reading this touching 'love letter' post from Anika (ByAnika.com) To be honest, I didn't even know 'personal blogging' was a term until I read this! But this post really opened my eyes to the soulfulness and contribution of the ordinary personal blog. A personal blog, Anika writes lovingly, is like a conversation with a good friend. A personal blog is unafraid to share the real life and personality of the blogger, not just their writing style or opinions on niche topics. You really get a homey, comfortable feeling reading a good personal blog, like sitting down to tea on a cold day.

I've always been worried about 'staying on topic' with Lolita Charm and one aim of the new site (coming soon, next-week-soo!) is to allow myself to wander off-topic. Now that I have 'license' to do that, however, I find myself clinging to my stalwart topics more than ever. It's a big, scary, topic-filled world out there! What if I write about something nobody cares about? Cue the horror music and screeching violins, of course. Personal blogging, as Anika notes, takes bravery. It takes bravery to say yes, my life and personality, simple as it is, has something to offer to the world. Someone, somewhere, can take happiness, or hope, or just a smile from your blog when you offer up yourself. It's especially brave in the ever-present shadow of the Haters^TM, those people who, in the words of comedian Katt Williams, 'hate good shit'. There's always going to be someone who tells you that you're not that 'special, sorry', that no one really wants to see pictures of your doily collection, or that your personal(ity) has no worth in general.

But I find, in the quiet spaces between articles and comments and page breaks, the personal blog does something the editorial doesn't. For a handful of people, the personal blog touches hearts. The highlight of my day is when I get a note from a reader saying that my blog made them smile, or helped them along the path to becoming a lolita. I have to say that the true allure of personal blogging is its promise to connect with your readers on a whole other level.

You keep posting, spending hours writing your posts, taking your pictures, feeling vulnerable and not successful at times, and yet you keep going. For you. And for me.  You keep at it, staying true to your self, not getting caught up in the whirlwind of popularity. No, you hold on to your blogging balls and you don`t give up. And eventually I find you and am happy you did not give up on blogging.

-Anika (A love letter to personal bloggers)

Good blogging, like good fashion, takes proverbial balls. Lolita Charm is about fashion and unicorns, yes, but it's also about my renewed journey about what it means - to me - to be a good blogger. This article is personal to me. I hope to write more, and keep hanging onto my blogger balls for dear life. Now, don't worry, there won't be any TMI play-by-play of my feminine issues on the horizon. But in between talking about favorite lipgloss colors or this season's new lucky packs, occasionally, I may share something realer.

So to all you personal bloggers, I salute you. Keep writing.

Labels: blogging, discussion

posted by Victoria Suzanne @ 9:22 AM 13 Comments

Ponies on Parade

As a die-hard pony fan (I went to a rodeo last night just to see the petting zoo's miniature ponies...) I am completely at a loss to handle Baby the Stars Shine Bright's newest print, Unico (rn) in Bloomland! Baby's typical formula of floral edging with sweet vignettes takes it up a notch by adding unicorns, a much-asked-after but still somehow rare motif. While Angelic Pretty often breaks out the carousel ponies, actual unicorns have been rarely used. The most well-known unicorn print is actually from American indie label Pink Macaroon, with their premiere design Unicorn Fantasy. (Here's a shameless video plug to my Unicorn Fantasy review back in the day...) The closest resemblance Japanese brands have produced is Metamorphose's Twinkle Journey, which features pegasus. (image link credit to Fibrolita)

It's interesting that while many brands and street snaps show wigs for the sweet lolita look, Baby almost always goes for a natural, understated hairstyle. While you'd expect a pink or blonde wig to go with this print, the model's own brunette hair is done up in a simple side ponytail. While unusual, I think it really lets the design of the dress and accessories take center stage. My favorite aspect of this coordinate however is the transparent lace-topped socks! They look so delicate and fine. There are two transparent sock styles currently available on Baby's site, one short pair patterned with Swiss dot and one long pair patterned in roses. I think they really personify Baby's refined princess style that they seem to be capitalizing on lately - pearls, crystal drops, fine lace, and delicate prints. Even the model's open-toe high heels are a contrast to the usual chunky-heeled and heavy lolita shoe.

You can see the rest of Baby's Unico in Bloomland designs here.

And the timing couldn't be better - for all you pony lovers in New England, be sure to attend this year's Pony Fair! My Little Pony Fair and Convention, also known by its fans as Ponycon or just Pony Fair, is the travelling one-day convention  mecca for My Little Pony fans in the United States. This year's Ponycon will be in Pawtucket, Rhode Island, on July 9th, so I am hitting the road for a very magical road trip! How many times do you think the My Little Pony theme song can play on repeat in the car? Hmm...

For those who don't feel the pony urge, Ponycon (at the Hasbro headquarters!) will also be selling plenty of other vintage 80s' toys and videos, including Care Bears, Moon Dreamers, and Littlest Pet Shop (the 90s version, not the new creepy kind).
I hope to see lots of New England lolita pony lovers there! I'll be there with a pony-inspired coordinate, so if you see me, please say hello!

Labels: fashion

posted by Victoria Suzanne @ 5:24 PM 10 Comments

Brand Spotlight: Jane Marple

Being mostly familiar with this brand previously through secondhand sites and consignment sites, I was pleasantly surprised when I came across the advertisement's for Jane Marple's 2011 Spring/Summer line. The usual concepts for lolita summer trends are present (indeed, trends that pop up throughout cute culture fashion, especially around summer time), but with an adorable kitschy twist that isn't quite classic lolita, sweet lolita, or even mori-girl.

Jane Marple, like its other old-timer comrade Milk, is a brand that creates its own answer to the eternal 'what-is-cute' philosophical question. While some items, such as the sailor blouse below and accompanying straw hat, seem to ooze lolita flavor, other items such as the ruffled shorts, follow a beat all their own.

My personal favorite is this banner ad, which besides sporting sweet nautical sailor styles for daily wear, also features a fantastic British crown overgrown with wild cherries and strawberries. You can even find a stripy cutsew with the design, but I have half a mind to see if I could copy it onto a handkerchief for embroidering!

This simple Jane Marple cutsew cries out to be DIY'd! Its only feature besides being simple jersey is this grosgrain-studded neckline, but the price tops out at ¥10,290 ($129 USD)! All you need is a plain, soft tee and a matching length of grosgrain ribbon: tie a set of bows, seal edges with a lighter to prevent fraying, and hand-stitch to the collar. This item could be cute for casual lolita, mori girl, or simply ordinary cute style with heart-patterned shorts or under a simple jumperskirt. It has the added bonus of adding some Jane-Marple cute to your wardrobe, despite Jane Marple beingnotoriously difficult to get your hands on.

In a fit of inspirational and fashionable obsession, here's a few more samplings of Jane Marple's work:

Labels: fashion, summer

posted by Victoria Suzanne @ 10:10 PM 8 Comments

Small Compromises

It started out as a small suggestion. "What harm can that do?" I thought, and I made the change. It was, as I say, something small. Don't be quite so outlandish. Do you really need three petticoats to go out? Isn't two enough? Or none, for a casual day? Why such a big bow? What about all that blush? Maybe a little less? Can you give it up for one day? Well, maybe again tomorrow too? Don't you need some 'regular' clothes? Just for once in a while... Like jeans? And some t-shirts?

Fast-forward. Let me preface with this fact: my mom is a brag-book kind of mom. She has what she calls her 'tarot cards' stuffed in her daily planner, ready to show everyone from the surgeon to the postman: a miniature portfolio of my many fashion and hair exploits. Pink hair and poofy dresses. Towering Rococo coiffures I've modeled, or pictures of me with rainbow highlights and my pom's bad orthodontia, grinning at the camera. In short, a time capsule of how I've expressed myself in the past three or four years. The other day, like clockwork, she whipped them out for my nurse.

Six months later, after days and days of small suggestions, I barely recognized myself. The color had gone out of my hair, I gave up the daily use of candy-colored makeup, and my 'off-day' clothes were making more appearances than my real wardrobe. What happened? Where did I go?

On this blog, I often preach the 'be yourself' mantra, along with its pals, 'do what you love and f*** the rest', 'put yourself first'. But I just want to acknowledge: it's hard. It's damn hard. No one is totally immune to the temptation of fitting in, of going with the flow and what is easier. And yes, that includes me. It's funny: I never had this problem in high school or college. I didn't feel a big pressure to normalize. Now that real life is looming ever closer, I can see some implications I do care about, and they're not what the in-crowd thinks. Finding a business internship, for example, or making the right impressions on my boyfriend's family or previous prep school professors (best ran into, by the way, when you are sweaty, have a big head of messy pink hair, and are wearing oversize borrowed snowpants to learn snowboarding). The Connecticut curse of upper-middle-class was creeping in on me. An example: in some of the better, wealthier areas of my county, there are rules about what color you are allowed to paint your house and shutters (white, black shutters, thankyouverymuch.) I won't regale you with anymore New England yuppie horror stories.

So now that I've snapped out of this stage (which was thankfully short), I want to reflect a little. Not on how hard it is to fight the tide and 'b you-nique', because we've all heard that already. I want to reflect on how easy it is to make those small compromises, that chisel away at who you are. Some people may argue, 'You need some compromises!' I agree. Let's be practical: don't wear your best dress to get your teeth cleaned. You really can't wear popkei to attend a funeral. If you want to get the job, dress corporate. But you have to know where to draw the line. If you're not sure, do a little soul-searching and find out.

You know what is really amazing? Every day, with every decision you make, you get to decide who you want to be. It's all up to you. If you're envious of this person or that, for this hair or that outfit or even that talent, add it to your want list. The next day, go get it. Design yourself. Who do you want to see in the mirror? If you could write your ideal character, what would your signifyou be? From a fashion perspective, you can decide what you want to wear or how to do your makeup. Or consider your personality: what kind of person do you wish you were?

Once you know your 'dream self', so to speak, it's easier to know where the compromises have to stop. Dressing down for Grandma? Having a business wardrobe? Is one okay for you, but another going too far? Would you dye your hair for your parents, or stop (or start) wearing makeup for your significant other? Make yourself a personal 'do-not-cross' line. Some things are up for the occasional compromise. And some things are non-negotiable.

Labels: inspirational

posted by Victoria Suzanne @ 9:28 PM 22 Comments