3 posts tagged “lolita”

As those of you who know me through Pullips may or may not know, I own a 60cm BJD. She's a CP Soony, and while I love her for her size and weight (they're like little babies!) her face is very blank. Almost a dazed expression, really. It makes her less like who she is and more like a doll. Because of this (and because I was unhappy with her lip color when she arrived anyway) I'm planning to send her off to someone to give her a whole new face, and some life, hopefully. I've just asked for a quote so I don't know how much it'll be yet, but I'm just doing the face at the moment. I feel like I could do body tatoos and manicures later by myself relatively easily, but to create expression and personality through a faceup is hard.
I'm currently knitting her a new dress, and I pierced her ears last night (those of you who are afraid to do such things on your dolls, be they Pullips, Blythes or other should really try it!) in an effort to bond with her again. Part of the reason I haven't as much is because 60cm clothes are expensive usually, and I've been rather lazy on the sewing front. Pullips can just wear Barbie, Jenny and Licca clothes so their wardrobe has expanded quickly XD I did buy her some shoes a while back, but she needs more than just boots (^^;)
I'm not sure if I want to collect all the RM pullips anymore - after Suiseiseki, my favorite dolls from the series will have been released (I don't really like Souseiseki as much, Barasuisho is a villain XD and Kanaria is funny, but not high on my list). It would save me a couple hundred dollars XD and some space. I'm feeling very Pullip-saturated. I have my grail (Fanatica), a variety of skin tones (white, tan, dark) and a couple boy dolls. Dals are really looking all the same, which is a shame since I like the mold. I might send off one of my girls to get a new face eventually. I was very interested in Blythes recently, but after getting Silver Snow I'm feeling kinda done XD I have a Suna on the way, I already own a Momoko and a Coco... there's not much more I'm interested in other than BF Xiao (a 43cm BJD).
It's kind of like it was with Lolita - aside from shoes, anyway - I bought and bought and fell in love with everything until suddenly I didn't feel like I needed any of it any more. I mean, I still love the pieces I have and wear them frequently (in warmer weather, at least) but I'm not looking to expand beyond some nice cute boots and mary-janes. And that's the main reason I keep up with Lolita at all - cute shoes! :D

(I may add more later but I have to run to class XD)

(This was posted in my livejournal, but I think it's ready to be seen by the world now XD)

I'm trying to write a comprehensive guide for going lolita-clothes shopping, and this is what I have so far. If you have any more information (especially where I say "um... don't know why this happens or what they say, but this is the gist of it") please let me know!

Preface: This is very Tokyo-centered as I've only been to the stores in Shinjuku and Harajuku. I feel I'm fairly proficient in Japanese, but I'm not claiming these phrases are perfect, so feel free to correct me.

Preparations:
♠ If you want to dress up, great, but keep this in mind: shopping involves a lot of walking, and possibly trying clothes on. So,
♠ wear shoes you can easily and quickly take off and put on again
♠ likewise for dresses, skirts, and tops if you plan on trying anything on.
♠ try to pack lightly in your purse - if you're planning on purchasing a bunch of items, clothes get heavy quickly and you don't need extra weight to start out with.
♠ if you have point cards, don't forget them!
♠ bring cash as a back up if you're planning on using credit cards, there is a chance they may not work.
♠ Cash is preferred, so if you can, bring it.
♠ As far as credit cards go, if it's a Mastercard or Visa, you should be fine (unless it's from a very small bank). [Note: I did have some problems initially in MaruiYoung/One but after they made a call about it things worked fine from that point on. Putumayo has always worked, both in La Foret and its flagship in Harajuku. h. Naoto and Channel H Harajuku and h. Naoto & Angelic Pretty in La Foret all worked fine. I haven't yet gone to Baby in Daikanyama, though.]
♠ make sure you leave yourself at least a few hours to go shopping in (^__^)
♠ If you're going during sale season (especially New Year's) you might want to drop by a day or two before to familiarize yourself with the locations of the shops you want to visit. The crowds get huge in areas like LaForet and if you don't know where you're going, you might miss out on something you want.

Ground Rules:
♠ You may NOT take photos in the store. This is a rule that exists almost universally. Please don't make the rest of us look bad by taking photos and making a fuss about it.
♠ If it's raining, put your umbrella in the plastic bags provided by the entrance to the store. PLEASE. Don't let your wet umbrella drip all over the ground and make things dangerous and messy.
♠ Unless it's sale season, try not to be pushy. If someone is standing looking at something you want to see, gradually move closer to them until they move. Honestly, this really works. Eventually they will get the point and move on. Likewise, keep an eye out for people around you, and move if you're done looking at something. Being considerate goes a long way.
♠ If it is sales season, be prepared for pushy people! If you're easily frightened or made nervous by large crowds, by all means DON'T GO DURING THE SALES! (Winter, Golden Week, Summer are the largest I've seen) There is yelling, pushing, even louder music, and aggressive girls. You can get awesome deals though, so if you can stomach it, I say go for it!
♠ Knowing no Japanese is really a disadvantage, especially if something goes wrong. I'd advise you to learn at least some basics before heading out, but I'll leave that up to you. Be aware, though, that even if you have taken Japanese, using it in context can be much harder than using it in the classroom - the loud music in the stores as well as the speed at which the sales girls speak might impede your ability to understand. However, if you know what to expect (as I'll discuss below), you'll be better off (^__^)

While Shopping:
♠ Take your time. Enjoy the atmosphere. In store such as Baby, Heart E and Emily Temple Cute in MaruiOne, you'll hear soothing classical music. Putumayo and h. Naoto in La Foret, on the other hand, play louder, more rock-like music.
♠ When you enter a store, the shop girls will say "いらっしゃいませ" (irrashaimase), which means "Welcome!" You're not obligated to respond to this, but I like to smile in response, personally (^__^)
♠ During sale seasons (esp. New Year's), the stores can be crowded and loud - the shop girls will constantly shout things like "ごゆっくりごらんください～" (goyukkuri goran kudasai), please take your time looking around; and sometimes they will talk about the specific sales they have going on, like markdowns on certain clothing.
♠ If it's NOT sale season, the girls will still say "ごゆっくりごらんください", but they won't shout it. Also, they'll come over and let you know that you can try things on, or ask them questions if you want. (I forget the exact phrase used.)
♠ After they've said that, you're free to look around for a while. You can touch the clothes, unfold them, etc. but try to put them back the way you found them. If you spend time looking at one particular item for long enough, typically they'll come back and ask if you want to try it on, or they'll show you a special feature of that item.
♠ If you want to try something on, say "これ着てみてもいいですか？" (kore kite mite mo ii desu ka?)
♠ Usually you need to take your shoes off before you enter the dressing room, so just start to anyway, and if it isn't necessary they'll stop you.
♠ They might caution you to be careful of your make up, and some places will have face paper to keep the clothes from getting dirty.
♠ If the clothes you are trying on fit, open the door and let the girls see how you look in it. (If you take too long in the room, they'll ask you how the fit is anyway, and sometimes will come in to help you if they think you're having trouble.)
♠ Let them squee over you. Enjoy the attention :D
♠ If you want to buy it, but you're not done shopping, you can keep the item with you, but the girls will most likely ask you if you've decided to buy it yet - "決めましたか？" (kimemashita ka?) They'll offer to hold it at the counter for you, so that you can look around more. It's better to let them do this, as you won't risk dropping it or ending up with your hands too full. If you haven't decided, tell them "まだ決めていません" (mada kimete imasen) "I haven't decided yet." or "まだ考えています." (mada kangaete imasu) "I'm still thinking about it."
♠ When you're ready to check out, head towards the counter. If you have items already there, make sure they know those are yours (especially if your shop girl has gone off to do something else).
♠ If you're planning on using a credit card, ask if it's okay. "クレジットカードを使っても大丈夫ですか？" (kurejitto kaado wo tsukatte mo daijoubu desu ka) Typically they'll say yes. I have yet to find a brand store that will flat out refuse Visa or Mastercard.
♠ They will add up the total, and tell you how much.
♠ If they think you can't speak Japanese (or read the register...) they'll type the total into a calculator and show you (sometimes this is to double-check the amount, they'll actually add it up again on the calculator).
♠ Put your cash or credit card, as well as your point card into the little tray on the desk. The girl will then take the tray and process the transaction.
♠ If you don't have a point card, they may ask you if you have one. "ポイント・カードをもっていますか？" (pointo kaado wo motte imasu ka? | Do you have a point card?) If you want them to make you one, requesting it at this time is easy. "作ってくださいませんか？" (tsukutte kudasaimasen ka? | could you make me one?) If they DON'T ask, you can ask if they have point cards at the store and if they could make you one. (I'd suggest unless you really know Japanese you skip this.) Caveat about point cards: Some places require you to fill out your address, so if you're not actually living in Japan you might want to pass.
♠ If you're using a credit card, they'll ask you what method to use: 1 means credit, 2 means debit (I think. someone help me here)
♠ If your card doesn't work immediately, they may have to call to find out something - if you don't want to wait and have cash, use that. If not, let them know that calling is okay. They'll apologize for the wait and call. I'm not quite sure why this has to happen, though...
♠ After the payment has been completed, your items will be carefully wrapped and packaged into an appropriately sized bag. They will tape the top together. Don't open it until you leave the store.
♠ Most of the time they will walk you to the edge of the store, and hand the bag to you there. If they girl motions for you to go, then that means you should walk to the exit, and turn around to face the store. She'll hand you the bag, take it, and bow after she does.
♠ Continue to the next store!

Special Notes:
Shoe shopping
♠ First, you need to know your size. You can measure your feet in cms and go from there, but shoe companies do vary.
♠ Typically women's shoes go up to 24.5cms (about an 8.5US). You can find 25cms, but they're not as common, and anything above that means you may be out of luck in places like MaruiOne.
♠ Learn numbers in Japanese, or write it down on a pad. Choose the shoe you want, and ask if they have it in that size.
♠ The shop girl will scurry off to figure out if they do, so just hang tight. In some cases, they may know right away, but often times they double check anyway.
♠ She will return, and if you're lucky, you'll have shoes to try on.
♠ She WILL help you try them on. That's just how things go. Let her, unless you're hopelessly picky about such things.
♠ Look in the mirror, see how they feel.
♠ If you want them, buy them, and follow the procedure above. If you don't, or they don't fit, communicate that:
Too Big: "ちょっと大きいです。　もっと小さいのはありませんか？" (chotto ookii desu. motto chiisai no wa arimasen ka?) "They're a little big. Are there any smaller ones?"
Too Small: "ちょっと小さいです。　もっと大きいのはありませんか" (chotto chiisai desu. motto ookii no wa arimasen ka?) "They're a little small. Are there any larger ones?"
Other than that, if they aren't fitting but it's not because they're too big or small, you can just say "だめです。" (dame desu) Which kind of literally translates to "it's no good." (Is this really too harsh to say? I used it and they didn't seem surprised but I'm not sure.)

If there's anything else you want to know, feel free to ask! I was in Japan for the New Year's sales last year and also from late March to the end of July this summer.

So I was looking up something parapara related on google, and ended up at the para_para community on lj which somehow brought me to the ganguro community. I love gyaru fashion, I really do - I'm more of an　お姉-ギャル (older-sister type gyaru) than anything else but that doesn't mean I don't think the others are cute (姫ギャル, for example, is adorable! but Jesus Diamante clothing is four times as expensive as most lolita stuff (x_x)).
Anyway, I see this a lot in J-fashion communities, but every time I see it I can't help cringing and feeling indignant somehow: There was a post explaining the various subtypes of gyaru (ganguro, himegyaru, etc.) and one really caught my eye - romanba. It's a fashion combining cute cute pink things like Marie from The Aristocats with awfully dark tans and typical manba make up (white around the eyes, contouring of the nose, etc). Now, I love Marie-chan and cutesy pink things, so I'd probably follow that fashion to find all the good places to get those things (^^;) but one girl asked if you could do all that without being so tanned, and the response was basically "OMG NO! Why can't you just love it the way it is?! *sob*" (That's an exaggeration, obviously, but about the same gist.) I understand that if she wasn't tanned that she probably shouldn't be calling herself romanba but I feel like when people say things like that, it's almost like telling people they can't dress that way if they aren't going to embrace everything about the fashion. Maybe that's not what's meant all the time or even most of the time, but that's the way I've always interpreted it. (I will note that I'm typically overly sensitive to such remarks so if that's never been your intention... (^^;;))
There is a subcategory of gyaru that's ganjiro - they follow the fashions but don't tan - so why couldn't she just be a ganjiro romanba? XD That might be going too far, though.
I just can't fit into set fashion templates - there's always something I don't like that, without it, people seem to say "!! you're not a true __________" I mean, it's okay to embrace a fashion subculture completely and leave it untampered, but fashion doesn't evolve, you don't evolve, if you just take what someone else created and use it as-is. Add your own style, your own flare - your own trademark! (As a note: if completely embracing one fashion IS you, and you love every bit of it 100% and it expresses who you are - great! I completely respect that, but I know many people don't feel that one pre-set fashion expresses themselves fully, and that's what I'm talking about.)
I love finding out about new fashions because it helps me gain access to the pieces that I like which I can later incorporate into my own style. Lolita has given me Putumayo and h.Naoto for when I feel edgier and want to wear chains with pearls; Angelic Pretty and Baby, the Stars Shine Bright and Heart E for when I feel like being cutesy cotton candy; Victorian Maiden and Mary Magdalene for when I feel refined and want to wear a dress (they're the only companies I'd ever consider wearing onepieces from - AP and BtSSB are too frilly most of the time XD). Spank! inspired 80s cutesy fashion has given me pastel rainbows, fluffy colored petticoats and leggings. Gyaru (so far) has given me Liz Lisa, the inclusion of Disney characters in everyday life, gold jewelry (I refused to wear it at all previously) and pretty nail art. I'm aching to add high heeled boots and gold pumps to my wardrobe, and every time I read Pinky (oneegyaru magazine) I feel inspired to add something new.
I want my fashion style to be constantly evolving, and if I stick faithfully to only one fashion that won't ever happen. Maybe I have no discipline, but I love trying everything in bits and pieces. That goes for everything in my life as well, and while sometimes I wish I could just be one way, in the end, I wouldn't change it.