A few years ago, I moved into my own apartment. It was less than a month after graduating high school, and I found myself in a rinky-dink studio apartment with absolutely no money after rent for anything more than Ramen noodles, Pop-Tarts and Wendy's. I couldn't have been happier. However, you can imagine what a diet like that did to my health, and without money for the fancy lotions and potions I was used to pampering my skin with, I had to learn how to make due with what I had. Luckily for me, what I had was a corner store, a few dollars, and the Internet. With these simple tools, you too can build your own beauty regime for pennies! (/commercial)

My absolute beauty stand-by is, to this day, baking soda. For about $0.89 USD, you can buy a few months' worth, depending on what you use it for, and it does almost anything. Anything I need done, I use baking soda first, and if it doesn't work, I proceed from there. Usually, it works. I exfoliate my face with a tablespoon of baking soda mixed with about a teaspoon of water; I gently rub the paste in circles over my face and neck, then rinse. I follow it up with diluted apple cider vinegar as a toner, and my skin has never been softer. My hair is another thing I turn to baking soda for: normal shampoos are not only expensive, but they can also be bad for your hair because they strip natural, healthy oils as well as grease from your hair. Baking Soda, on the other hand, simply dries the grease from the outside of the follicle without penetrating through it and removing the good stuff. I use a tablespoon of baking soda to about a cup of water as shampoo, and the same concentration of vinegar to water for conditioner - if you have very dry hair or get very greasy, you should look into the No Poo method, as it's called! It also helps preserve your dye job, if you roll like that. No time to shower before dashing out the door? I run some dry baking soda through my hair at the roots, and it dries up the grease and keeps it looking nice until I can shower when I get home. It's also a natural deodorizer, so you can use it in place of deodorant if you have sensitive skin.

A few more tips:

• Have a zit? Cut a clove of garlic in half and rub the cut side on it. Garlic is a natural astringent, so it will drastically reduce redness of new pimples that haven't formed a head yet. If that garlic won't work (say you can't stand the smell, or the zit has already popped), hold an ice cube on it for as long as you can before you go to bed at night. This will soothe the inflammation and the blemish will be noticeably less red by the next morning.
• If you have bags under your eyes, cucumbers are not an urban legend! However, if you want something stronger, put two spoons or used black teabags in the fridge the night before, and place them on your eyes for as long as you can manage. The chemicals in tea are naturally healing, but the cooling affect is really the star here, so metal spoons work too.
• For another great homemade exfoliator, mix one part kosher salt or sugar with two parts olive oil, or use this great aspirin face rub.
• Lemon juice can be used to strengthen nails and give them a natural shine. Dip a Q-tip in fresh lemon juice and rub it onto your nails for a few minutes. Leave it on for about ten minutes. This can also lighten the white parts of your nail.
• After you're done brushing your teeth, gently brush your lips with the toothbrush. This exfoliates them which makes them smooth, can help with chapping, and makes lipstick stay on longer and brighter.
• Some foods that can be used to make great face masks are honey, yogurt, avocado, and oatmeal.
• Hot Oil treatments are great to add shine and softness to your hair. Take a few tablespoons of olive oil (the length of your hair will determine exactly how much you'll need), heat it in the microwave for a few seconds (it should be warm but not so hot that it burns you) and rub the hot oil through your hair. Cover with a plastic bag and leave on for as long as possible, preferably over night but at least thirty minutes. Then, the trick to washing it out is to rub shampoo into your hair before getting it wet. Oil and water are NOT friends, and so if you saturate the oil with shampoo before wetting your hair you'll have a much better time of it.

Darling readers, what are your favorite home beauty tips?

Also, yet another new layout! I know, I know, I made the last one like a month ago and there are blogs who don't change their layout for months or even years, but... they're just so much fun to make! I went with a sort of "room" theme for this one, with things that reminded me of a Victorian parlor (striped "wallpaper" with pictures in ornate frames and pretty chandeliers). Also, for the background, it was originally pink but I made it blue instead - if you made it and want credit for it anyway let me know! I lost my original source...

Not gonna lie, Martha is, like, my ultimate girlcrush. I had been familiar with her from the New York City lolita scene, but didn't really talk to her until Otakon of last year. Even then we didn't hang out until later that summer, when Victoria Suzanne and I met up with her and Kelsey in San Francisco. It was upon gallivanting through an unknown city with the pair that Victoria &I really got to know them, as well as getting an amazing first-hand look at both of their very inspirational personal styles. Since I've been (no-so-)secretly girlcrushing on her like mad, I figured she would make a perfect addition to my Get That Style series!

Name: Martha
Zodiac sign: Sagittarius
Location: New Jersey, USA
Style: Classic lolita influenced by historical fashion, mori-girl, and sweet lolita
Definitive trends: Like many lolitas, Martha's most recognizable fashion statement is definitely her hair. Her short bangs and full, huge ringlets make her look much more like an illustration than someone you'd expect to see walking down the streets of New York City. Another recurring look is the creative use of off- or indies-brand items. Like me she adores the work of our mutual friend Kelsey of I Do Declare, as well as Japanese indies brands like MILK and Pink House. This girl also works wonders at chain stores, coming away with gorgeous blouses and cardigans on a frequent basis. Martha's style is all about accentuating the natural and taking classic stand-bys and updating them.Stand-by pieces: Tights or bare legs are favored instead of knee-high socks, and shoes are understated with a vintage flair, especially calf-high boots. Martha is well-known for creative bags, especially favoring pochettes in natural neutrals like brown leather and black fur. She also prefers longer styles, with dresses and skirts falling somewhere between the top of the knee to the calf. Never without a fabulous hair accessory, she mostly favors floral corsages, especially with bows, and feathered hats. Tops are usually cutsews, blouses, or sweaters from chain stores - as I said above, Martha is iconic in my mind for crazy-awesome finds at Forever 21 or even K-mart.

To achieve: RATS! Make or buy a rat for your hair to give it extra volume, then curl it into sumptuous ringlets with either an iron or curlers. Hair accessories should be perched jauntily on one side of the head. Either invest in an amazing hat, or make yourself a few rose combs to fix just above your ear. Include accessories with a glamorously natural vibe, such as a leather purse, feathers in your hair, and pearl jewelry. Interesting necklaces, especially hand-made, are utterly necessary to get her look. For make-up, go with a natural look, coral lips and cream shadow with very little blush (the focus is on her even, porcelain skintone), and manicured brows are a must. Favor prints in bold neutrals, such as stark black-and-white or intricate patterns in cream and brown.

In summary: Natural, natural, natural. If I could describe Martha's style in one phrase, it would be "understated, old-world elegance with a modern flair." For more, check out her new blog, moss garden!

Pink? Polka dots? Hearts? You know what that means - I've roped Victoria into another one of my hair-brained schemes for the benefit of my lovely readers. "Hair-brained" is certainly applicable this time, because here's a hair-spiration post featuring this season's hottest style: Braids! From mainstream to mori-girls, everyone has decided that the braid is back. I've always adored braids as a cute, simple way to jazz up any style, especially in summer when you don't want all that humidity melting your hairspray away. Since my hair is so dark, details don't photograph on it well, so I recruited Victoria to help me out (she sat complacently on her cellphone, figuring out how to link it to her e-mail). Here are some of my favorite braided looks for lolita:

The Crown Braid: An old favorite of mine, it's a touch tricky and takes some getting used to, but if you can master it, the affect is understated but very glamorous. Just take a small section of hair from just above the ear, and start braiding as close to the root as possible. If you can, hold the hair over your head while you're braiding, as this will cut out any lumps that may form when you lay it over the crown. Then... lay it over your crown. Here I secured Victoria's braid with a bobby pin that matched her hair under about three fingers worth of hair behind her ear. If you want, you can adorn the end of the braid with a bow or flower corsage, but here I didn't think it would be necessary, especially with how cute it is to have the pink braid over the blonde hair. A pearl headband behind the braid would be very classy as well.

Crown Corsage Braid: Ahh, so you've mastered the crown braid, eh? Well, here's the level-up. Instead of a regular braid that you pull over the top of the head, take a small section and french braid it across, behind your bangs if you have them. Once you get to the end, curl the tips of your hair around a finger, then keep rolling until you have a rose-like corsage. Secure with a few bobby pins. I can't claim credit for this look - I found it off Youtube tutorial. I can't find it now, but if anyone is interested I'm sure I could dig around for it!


Pigtails With Pizazz: And here is my favorite braided style- sick of normal braided pigtails? take a medium-sized section from the crown at the front of your part and braid it - when I do it on myself I can just do a regular braid, but for some reason Victoria's hair wasn't taking it, so I did a french braid itself. I think this looks much more streamlined than my usual style, but I definitely wouldn't have the patience to do that on my own hair! Maybe if I'm styling someone else's, though. Adorn the ends with anything you would use on normal pigtails, or for added cuteness channel mori-girl and stick some small wildflowers or feathers straight into the braid itself.

Ramble Rori's post on Internet addiction made me realize just what a huge problem it can be to our demographic, and even I'm a victim. I've been so holed up in my room these past few weeks, busy with not only blog-work but school-work that I almost didn't realize it was nearly summer! I stepped outside yesterday and saw people with perfect tans all over campus and I thought, already?! I had no idea the weather had been so nice, but it had, and I had been missing it because I was "too busy." Me, the queen of stopping to smell the roses, too busy to spend an afternoon in the sun?! So here are a few tips I came up with to get out and away from your computer:

If it's warm:

• Go to a park! Take a walk around your local park or wildlife reserve. Bonus points if you pick flowers or leaves as mementos.
• Have a picnic - a perennial favorite of mine!
• If you absolutely can't get away from the computer ("ahhh finals ahhh essays fml!!" has kind of been a summary of my last two weeks), buy yourself a nice big bouquet of flowers to bring the outside inside. Or, better yet, convince a gorgeous suitor to buy them for you!
• Go out to lunch with friends. My favorite is cupcakes and sandwiches at a local bakery.
• Find a good book and a parasol and just veg on your favorite spot of grass. Mine is at my parents' house, in the shore of the lake - I bring an mp3 player, book, blanket and smoothie and soak up that vitamin D when I need a break.

If it's cold (I didn't forget about you, Southern hemisphere!):

• Take in some local history. In my area, most of our towns have a Historical Society where they have pictures or fun facts about the area from when it was first founded to the present. If not, I'm sure you have some kind of museum or historic landmark nearby. Lessie of Intravenous Sugar did this here when she explored Europe without leaving her home city of Buenos Aires!
• Taste-test every hot chocolate in your city. Make a day and go to every cafe you can find. Normally I'd suggest tea, but let's mix it up a bit, shall we?
• Go ice skating! I'm lucky enough (?) to live in an area that gets ice-covered ponds and lakes in the winter, but if you're in a warmer climate, search out a rink instead.
• Head into the closest city for a day of shopping with your girls. When I get this hankering it's Tokyo Rebel, here I come!
• Even if it's too cold or blustery to go outside, you can still take time to yourself! Draw a picture, paint your bedroom, curl up on a nice carpet with a good book - bonus points if there's a fireplace involved!

Summer is on its way back to the Northern Hemisphere! I'm psyched, personally - this means picnics after work, parties before class (yes, I'm taking a summer class as well - Biology of Local Plants! Totally stoked), and basically a lot of running around and doing a million fun things one after the other. Because of that, I needed a make-up look that was easy and classy, but could still transfer between work, school, and family events, then straight into lolita if it had to. That's why I designed this make-up look, inspired by that golden time of day right before sunset when I always seem to be outside in warm weather.

Eyes: A good amount of mascara (my technique: dust lashes with translucent powder, apply a tiny bit of mascara, curl, apply a bit more to seal the curl), and a thin line of liquid black liner to act as a base to the color, with a little wing at the outer corner to enhance the lashes. Cream shadow on the inner third of the lid and down into the inner corner of the eye to make the eye look wider and more awake, as well as a bit under the outer half of the browbone to enhance the eyebrows. I applied shimmery amber shadow on the outer corner, starting along the lashline and blended upwards, a bit heavier in the crease (but not much! Heavier dark make-up in the crease will look too mature for lolita, though it's lovely for daily wear). To finish, I lined my waterline with the same shimmery cream as above and dabbed a bit of translucent gold shimmer to just the inner corner.

Face: Start with SPF-added moisturizer to protect the complexion from the harsh summer sun. I then used a very lightweight foundation with a light dusting of mineral powder to cut shine &absorb oil. I didn't have any coral blush, which is what I really recommend for summer, so I only used a very light application of pink cream blush because it blends better. It also helps the bronzer stay on, which is really the secret star of this look and summer make-up in general. I played it up a bit more for the photograph than I would for daily wear so you could see where I applied it - just along the cheekbone. That's it! In the deep summer when I'm a bit tanner I'll apply it to the bridge of my nose and jawline too, but no more than that. Bronzer is meant only to enhance and add a healthy glow to the places on your face where the sun would kiss your skin, not to change your skin's entire color. Very common misconception! I've had so many people cringe when I say bronzer is one of my favorite types of make-up, because they think of something like spray-on tan. It's not so! In my opinion, no other type of make-up will make you look as healthy, refreshed, and awake as a good, tastefully-applied bronzer.

Lips: Since the eyes and complexion are the focus, I went light on the lips. I applied a light covering of Blistex with sun protection, and a light coral gloss over that. The lip balm not only locks in moisture and protects your lips, it will act as a primer and make your lip-gloss last longer. Remember with make-up that you should only have one major area of interest - a bright blush, intense eye make-up, or a killer shade on the lips. Combining too many of these will be totally overwhelming, even for dramatic wear.

The directions may look long, but mostly I'm just waxing poetic about bronzer- the whole look probably only took me about 5 to 10 minutes to apply, so it's perfect for throwing on before heading out in the morning and requires minimal touch-up during the day. I'm excited - it's going to be just as perfect for days on the beach as days at the office. Sigh... is it summer yet?!

I'm toying with the idea of a new series. F Yeah Lolita's "Lolitas Who Break the Mold" series has really inspired me to start talking about all of the amazing girls I observe in the fashion. Since Miss Carolyn is already doing the people behind the clothes, I thought I'd take these opportunities to dissect certain inspirational coordinates by the same lolita. Mostly it's an excuse to fangirl over how awesome my style icons are. For my first, I figured I would look at someone who has always been an inspiration for me and whose style I've had a first-hand look at for quite sometime. Also she's first wife and would be pissed if I chose someone before her :P Yes, of course, I'm talking about Victoria Suzanne of Lolita Charm!Name: Victoria Suzanne
Zodiac sign: Cancer
Location: Connecticut, USA
Styles: Sweet lolita influence by gyaru, mori-girl, and fairy-loli
Definitive trends: PINK! First and foremost, Victoria's most recognizable trend is bubblegum pink hair. While she plays with different colors and styles, it's been a standby of hers for a few years now, and it's definitely the first thing you notice about her. She also seems to have made it her personal mission to make her entire life rose-colored. Another trend of hers is BABY, the Stars Shine Bright. While Vix experiments with a wide variety of brand and off-brand items, BABY definitely has a strong loyalty with her and almost all of her coordinates feature at least one item from the label.Stand-by pieces: Merry Sweets Castle skirt in mint by BABY, the Stars Shine Bright, pink bustier by BABY, the Stars Shine Bright, and Starry Night Theater in pink by Angelic Pretty are three pieces Victoria goes back to time and again. Other themes to her style are understated shoes, kitschy accessories like huge pink glasses and suspenders, and handmade floral corsages. Items popular in mainstream fashion also make appearances, such as peasant blouses and heeled booties.
To achieve: dye your hair! No, not necessarily, but as Victoria Suzanne is known for her rosy locks, so if you're looking to take some style tips from her, I recommend buying some good-quality clip-in extensions (I know Vix herself had some glittery pink ones for a while) or a wig. If unnatural colors aren't your thing, go down to Claire's or Icing and buy yourself a few understated bow headbands or floral corsages and wear them with a cutesy updo or cascading curls. Go for pastels with pops of primary brightness in prints, and the more candies on an item the better! For accessories, class it up with multi-string pearl bracelets, charm bracelets, or necklaces with delicate chains and dainty pendants. Make-up should be natural with a hint of glamour - pink lipgloss and fake lashes are a must!

In summary: Unnatural hair in a color that speaks to you is a plus, but even without (remember when she was blonde?!), Victoria's style is whimsical and spunky with just a touch of elegant, understated glamour.

Surveys always amuse me. Not only do they give an interesting look at its target participants' lives, but they often tell me things that surprise and inspire me. I read the results of one of the surveys at Ramble Rori (which is an awesome project being conducted by my roommate and you should all check it out!) and was amused at one of the results I saw. I've been involved with lolita fashion for a few years now, actively dressing about four years, and I've recently been noting my personal tastes changing rapidly from sugar-sweet to the more subdued, grown-up classic for various reasons. Apparently, I'm not alone: according to the survey results, about 75% of beginner lolitas wear sweet lolita, and this group also makes up the majority of fashion-wearers. Of the 17% of lolitas who are considered “seasoned,” 15% are classic. Amount of years dressing lolita? Four or more. Something tells me I'm a walking stereotype, and I don't care. The actual results:

"Of the 17% of Lolitas who answered that they have been involved in Lolita longer than 4 years, 15% of them answered that they consider themselves Classic Lolitas (9% of the 16% Classic Lolita total).

Of the 76% of Lolitas that have been involved less than 4 years (not including those not involved), they made up 13% of the 14% total Sweet Lolitas, and 12% of the 14% total Gothic Lolitas.
The 5% Aristocrat and Hime Lolitas have been involved with Lolita for at least 2 years."

Once lolitas pass this four-year mark, most of the beginners start leaning away from classic and towards sweet. Now, there are plenty of speculative reasons that newbies are drawn to sweet. My theory? Sweet is easier to get a hold of, if you consider that both Angelic Pretty and BABY, the Stars Shine Bright have been reaching out to the international markets for a good amount of time now. I also think we have more of our lolita "celebrities" who wear sweet lolita than most other styles (Victoria Suzanne and Ashlee, for example) so newer girls have an easier time finding inspiration as well. Before Alice Deco and Gothic Lolita Ensembles, it was also easier to find sweet lolita in print than other styles.

But the research doesn't lie, and the research says that most girls switch to classic after they've been in the fashion for a few years. I'm finding this to be true for me too, personally - while I was always drawn to brands like Innocent World and Mary Magdalene, it was just so much easier to get my hands on Angelic Pretty and BABY that I found myself dressing more in sweet styles. Now, though, I have accepted the truth that I knew deep down the whole time: I am just not a sweet lolita. But now what? I had no idea how to transfer from one style to the next. I had invested so much time and money perfecting my wardrobe, accessories, even hair and make-up techniques that I was kind of at a loss at first. Would all that go to waste?

It's always intimidating to start a new fashion style. I felt kind of like I had, years ago, when I first decided to wear lolita;I had a newly-embraced aesthetic for how to dress, but no way to actually go about dressing it! But this time I had an advantage. My closet may have been full of pastel pink when I really wanted cream and brown, but at least I had all of my foundations and a good amount of pieces that could go between styles.

That's your first step: Figuring out what can stay. I recommend:

• plain colored pieces such as a plain black skirt or plain knee-high skirts, without a huge amount of embellishment.
• Understated blouses. Ditch the AP version with rainbow rhinestones for buttons, but keep the black BABY one with pearl buttons and a few rows of lace.
• tights, especially plain-colored ones. Lace is fine, but say, cherry-print or flowered ones might need some more consideration.
• simply-designed shoes. I'd count tea parties here, I'd say, but anything above that might be too much.
• Understated prints. Merry Sweet Castle by BABY, for example, has more subdued tones and can be coordinated with a broader spectrum of colors (including classic staples like cream or brown) than Toy Parade, for example.

Get rid of:

• Bright, loud or overly-childish prints
• Overly-decorate shoes
• Sweet prints
• Laced-topped knee socks
• Huge hairbows

You'll notice that all of my suggestions focus on the old mantra of "less is more." The thing about classic that I think puzzles most newbies is that it's a mix of understated and interest pieces, an understated mix that can beguile a beginner. Also, please note that I am a huge believer that almost any pieces can be made to fit either style, so if you see promise in something, trust your judgment and keep it. The few exceptions to this are, I think, probably huge, head-eating bows and loud prints but hey, I'm open to being surprised!

A note on colors: Just because a color you have a lot of and love is not hugely popular for classic doesn't mean it can't be used! If your closet is 80%hot pink, you may have a problem, but I think that with enough know-how any color can work. Pair sweet pastels with cream is a great way to really soften and mature the look, and bright reds go lovely with brown, in my opinion.

There, so now your closet is all set- but really, are clothes the only part of lolita?! Of course not! There's still the entire rest of your look: hair, nails, make-up, the works. This is probably the hardest part, in my opinion - what do you MEAN, my huge teased pigtails won't work anymore?! (and again, remember that I'm always open to being surprised!) These extras you add to your look are probably the most iconic parts of the style, so it's important to learn how you can take the styles and tricks you've already mastered and apply them to classic lolita instead of sweet. For example:

• For those huge, teased pigtails, instead tie the ponytails at the nape of your neck, curl the ends with a large-barrel curling iron, and fingercomb/fluff a bit. Or if you want to add some country sweetness, try french-braiding them from your crown to the bottom of the ears, tie them off there, and do the curl-fingercomb routine.
• If you like those Minnie Mouse-style hugely teased buns, affix pigtails at the base of your neck, but instead of pulling the hair all the way through, allow the ends to be caught and fluff out the top a bit near the elastic, to make sort of a messy bun. Top with rose combs or cream bows.
• Another classy look is to do a deep side-part near your ear, comb with gel it a bit over your crown to keep it nice and frizz-free, then twist it into a low chignon behind your ear.
• Sausage curls can be worn in classic lolita as well as sweet, but may be overly immature, depending on your coordinate. For a more mature version, wear your hair down with a small sidebow. Tease a bit behind the hairband (not a lot! Just enough to give a bit of volume - we're not looking for a hime bouffant here), then, with your large-barrel curler, either curl your hair into large, loose waves or just curl it under, like a reverse flip.
  

These are just a few ideas. There are so many more beyond this, but they're simple enough and play off of looks and techniques that you already mastered in your sweet lolita coordinates. Make-up is important, too - as a rule, leave behind candy-colors for more neutral, natural shades, such as coral for bubblegum lipstick, cream for white glitter shadow, and peachy blush instead of cotton candy pink.

Like everything, switching styles is a fun way to shake up what you know about a fashion and expose yourself to new things. Be that as it may, it can also be frustrating and confusing, though hopefully you won't have quite such a looming fear of "doing it wrong" as you did when you started wearing lolita all together. If you're still nervous, find some style icons- my personal favorite is Rizzell of Aristocratic Maiden (pictured above), and searching "classic lolita" on tumblr always yields a treasure trove of inspiration.

Well, everyone else doing it, aren't they? I might be a touch late to the bandwagon - oops! These are the things that affect my sense of fashion.

The Lumpian Lolita...

• Prefers cardigans or sweatshirts to jackets
• Thinks there's no better accessory than long necklaces, thin chains with large pendants and small charms
• Loves to layer jewelry; a bracelet and watch, mismatched earrings, a ring on every finger
• Paints her nails in soft, muted colors like brown, dusty pink, or powder blue, and adorns them only with rhinestones or a few stick-on pearls
  
• Prefers leggings or tights to knee-high socks
• Always wears pretty underthings, whether it's ruffled polka-dot bloomers or a corset and garter belt ;)
• Will almost always prefer flats to heels, so she can run at a moment's notice
• Makes smoothies for breakfast whenever possible
  
• Hoola hoops!
• Appreciates the seasons for their fashion opportunities: thick scarves and braids in winter, airy chiffon and curls in summer
• Prefers a day trawling vintage shops in the East Village to pouring over back-issues of the GLB
• Is always experimenting with her hair!
• Loves interesting color combinations, and thinks brown goes with everything
• Wears long-sleeve blouses with bright-colored one pieces
• Comports herself with dignity; she always looks like she's posing for a picture, whether she's at a photoshoot or walking to class
• Surrounds herself with beautiful people; whether their beauty is inside or outside, they always inspire her to better herself
• Prefers sky blue to bubblegum pink
• Sometimes goes without a parasol to feel the sun on her skin
• Is more inspired by watching period drama than reading fashion mooks; in fact, she loves to find inspiration in any unexpected place, especially Shakespeare and poetry
  

Classic lolita for errands/date day in the city! My boyfriend &I went to hang out around the East Village so I could pick up G&LE. We also stopped &got bubble tea &some amazing Japanese food. Exhausting but fun day!

My hair looks so short in the little pigtails!

Rundown:

• Blouse: Innocent World
• "Cincher": Forever 21
• Skirt: Bodyline
• Socks: Secret Shop
• Shoes: Bodyline
• Hairbows: BABY
• Lace tights: offbrand

Note to self: This skirt likes more poof! More petti next time.

I have to admit, I definitely had the most trouble with this one. Water is inconstant and flows freely with the tides, so all water signs are incredibly hard to define as their personal situations so profoundly affect them. These are the signs that I expect the most issues to be most contingent with, so if any of these descriptions don't suit our Water-Lolis, well, I'm not going to be surprised XD; I did try my best, though, and here are the conclusions I could come to:

Scorpio v1 by herlumpiness featuring Forever21 accessories

Scorpio, the Scorpion: Scorpios are what Jen call “the vitality of the extremes.” They are sharp, stark, distinct, but still feminine and oldworldly, so here I've selected for them a rigid corset with a skirt that's architectural but still cascading with a waterfall of soft, feminine ruffles. Scorpio favors statements more than patterns; they'll like structured pieces that make a splash in their construction details, not in prints or patterns. Scorpio is enticing, Scorpio is mysterious, is skin in all the right places with a touch of exoticism. Hair is usually unrestrained – the iconic Scorpio has long, flowing hair that she wears down and naturally curly/wavy. I really find it difficult to imagine a Scorpio in anything except ero, to be honest, though because of this idea of extremes, I wouldn't be surprised to receive comments on this from super-OTT sweet Scorpios or wearers of understated classic. Colors Jen and I discussed are, unsurprisingly, black, blood red, white (again, the dichotomy of the extremes), and silver jewelry.

Pisces v1 by herlumpiness

Pisces, the Fishes: Pisces... oh man. Pisces is very difficult to describe, because they're so incredibly affected by water, and therefore very changing. Pisces, the fish, flows through the water with ease, fighting currents and ebbing with the tides. Similarly, a Piscean is usually very laidback, very go-with-the-flow, yet they're also stereotypically very funky and eclectic – this is one of the stereotypical “hippie” signs. They love unique pieces and are likely to combine them all and wear them all at the same time, but as they err to the traditional side often, they're more likely to go with an established style than to go TOO far left-feel, and will probably prefer sweet or classic. For some reason, Pisceans also have some weird thing with feet. I don't know, I don't get it, but if they can't be barefoot, they'll probably go to the other extreme and have a huge collection of funky, off-the-wall shoes. They're also very into construction: they love well-fitted, soft garments that flow but still cling, as they have a strong sense of scale and proportion. Pisces is said to be the sign that feels the most strongly; they will love completely because they hurt completely. However, they're very secretive and private, so they'll probably prefer light colors over dark; it's another way for them to keep the dark inside, where it's safe. They'll like blues, very light pinks, and other pastels for this reason.

Cancer v1 by herlumpiness

Cancer, the Crab: Cancers are soft with an edge. The crab works very hard to put on a hard shell to protect themselves from what they perceive to be the big, bad world. Their clothes are part of that shell; the Cancerian lolita will wear what she perceives, usually subconsciously, as being unapproachable. However, Cancer is ruled by the inconstant moon (forever changing in her nightly orb!), so whatever their mood happens to settle on that day is probably what they'll end up wearing. Light, seafoam green is often associated with Cancers, so I picked that color &then just went with my ~feelings,~ trying to channel the Crab. They also love old things – channel Cancer yourself by picking up some accessories from a vintage shop, like these gloves and this pearl bracelet.

Previous signs:

Other signs:

Zodiac-loli: Earth Signs and Introduction

Zodiac-loli: Air Signs

Zodiac-loli: Fire Signs

Onto the fire signs: Leo, Aries, &Sagittarius. I definitely underestimated the amount of work this would be! Three-quarters of the way there...

Leo v1 by herlumpiness

Leo, the Lion: I adore Leos. I find them utterly hilarious and totally endearing. They're energetic lover of attention – and have you seen their hair? (Side note- Leos LOVE their hair. I have a dear friend who's a Leo ascendant, which means that whenever she's uncomfortable she gets Leonine tendencies, so whenever she's angry she's really quite funny to watch - “You know what? Fuck him! He does NOT deserve me. He'd better just not cry himself to sleep every night when he realizes what he's missing out on!! Can I borrow a comb? I need to tease my pigtails.”) Their love of attention, color, and brightness makes them very suited for OTT sweet, even bordering on gyaru. Their confidence doesn't stop at their hair – they love their bodies, or at least outwardly act as they do, so showing a little leg shouldn't be unsurprising for a Leo Lolita. Their confidence also spreads to creativity; they like to be praised, so they follow the rules, but they're definitely innovative. Also, name brands. If Virgo is dressed in an exquisite dress that you just KNOW is brand without them having to proclaim it, Leo is the one with logos on every item they're wearing, or the uber-print that everyone can recognize on site. Virgo is Innocent World; Leo is Angelic Pretty.

Aries v1 by herlumpiness on Polyvore.com

Aries, the Ram: Rules? What rules? Aries is the sign of Mars, so these people are passionate individuals, natural leaders, and very emotion-driven. Aries is the type of sign who throws open their closet and puts on whatever ~feels right~ to them at that moment, the type to change outfits a hundred times a day, the type who either looks like they've just stepped off the pages of Alice Deco or who looks a hot mess. Another sign whose personal style varies greatly on the individual themselves, and in fact can vary greatly from one day (or even moment) to the next, they're also hard to categorize. Personally I'd say that Aries, another fire sign and like Leo a lover of attention, would go for over-the-top- probably not sweet, as they have a flair for darker, more dramatic styles, but whatever they're doing is going to be big. They're often foolhardy daredevils and are just as likely to get hundreds of comments on daily_lolita as they are to be posted to /cgl for their utter wtf-ery. As I said above, they're ruled by Mars, planet of passion, so these are very sensuous people; my Arian lolita here channels Mars by leaning heavily toward ero-lolita. However, Ram-lolis aren't all sex; all Arians still have a lamb hiding inside them, and lolitas have less trouble showing this than non-loli Rams. Colors for Aries are reds, purples, maybe royal blue – anything deep and brilliant. Black is a definite contender, but only if paired with bright or eye-catching colors like the above or maybe bright, metallic gold.

Sagittarius v1 by herlumpiness

Sagittarius, the Archer: Jen, on Sagittarius: “Sag is like... the kind of girl who'd be taking a walk in the park, then break into a run, then trip &fall over into the grass, then roll around in it until her hair was full of twigs &leaves &flowers... &then stand up and continue on with her day.” There's little else to say than this: Sagittarius is the ultimate mori-girl. She loves layers of soft, earthy fabrics, she dresses almost solely for comfort; she is “immaculate in her disorder,” as Jen puts it. Make-up is natural for a Sag, or not at all – she'd much rather go for some natural lip balm. Jen relates Sagittarians to horses, which I can see, but from the Sags I've seen, birds and bird motifs seem to appeal to Sagittarius-loli. For colors, husky brown, earthy turquoise, and a soft, dusty purple are favored.

Other signs:

Zodiac-loli: Earth Signs and Introduction

Zodiac-loli: Air Signs

Continuing my Zodiac Loli series today with air signs! Gemini, Libra, and Aquarius lolis ahead:

Gemini v1 by herlumpiness featuring Tarina Tarantino jewelry

Gemini, the Twins: Gemini is, first and foremost, the eternal child. Gemini is ruled by Mercury, the planet of information, intellect, and communication, which these days translates into, of course, the Internet. The Gemini lolita is tech-savvy, up on all the recent drama, checks the community twenty times a day, though they may or may not really be very active. Their childlike nature (“childlike,” remember, is a very different word than “childish.” Gemini is very mature, just with an eternal youthfulness) creates in them a creativity with their wardrobe, as well as a love of color &frivolousness – fairy-loli is where it's at for these ladies. The keywords here are eccentric, eye-catching, and experimental. If there is any possible way it can be neon or brightly-colored, it will be.

Libra v1 by herlumpiness featuring Juicy Couture jewelry

Libra, the Scales: Libra is noted as having an air of mellow relaxation. They are very elegant and refined, turning their noses up at the mundane. They're definitely the type to enjoy the luxury of brand names, but it's more important for them to enjoy the fit, quality, and style of each piece they own than just to be decked out head-to-toe. They're also ruled by Venus, like my beloved Taurus, so luxury &beauty is very important to them, as well as actualizing both qualities into their daily life. Librans love textures, from opulent ones like organza and fur to rustic straw hats and thick woolen socks. They're also very charmed by accessories, so they're likely to pile them on – remember, though, that Librans are the epitome of taste and elegance and will never look overdone or out of place. Colors associated with Libra-the-lolita are earthy but elegant, like brass, antique gold, and light brown.

Aquarius v1 by herlumpiness featuring Masquerade shoes

Aquarius, the Water Bearer: Aquarius means business. Aquarius knows exactly how it wants to look, what it wants to wear, and the exact image it gives off. The water-bearer does not fool around when it comes to fashion; they will bend over backwards for no magazine! They create their own rules – I remember an Aquarian lolita once telling me “I'm giving up socks. I'm not going to wear knee-socks or OTKs or any of it anymore. It's either tights or nothing. Socks are just not elegant enough.” And once an Aquarian decides something, it is decided. They have a pioneering edge that will not give up, will always be trying something new. Aquarius is, however, the water-bearer. She is very intimately close with water, which is ever-moving and ever-changing, so the Aquarian style is ever-evolving, always pushing the envelope, always trying to find a way to perfectly channel themselves. They're very given to historical inspiration; almost all of the Aquarian lolitas I've encountered are classic or at least have a great personal interest in history. Jen associates the Aquarian lolita with the colors dark brown, sky blue, white and maaaaybe light pink, depending on the person's individual style. But remember, Aquarius is not one to be defined, and could very well be absolutely nothing like this. The point with Aquarius is individuality.

Other signs:

Zodiac Loli: Earth Signs &Introduction

Some of you may not have picked up on this yet, but I'm a pretty big hippie. This is largely to blame on my ex-roommate and forever love Jen, who is a certified astrologer &introduced me to Tarot, pendant-divination, and chakra cleansing in the three months she lived with me, as well as the study of the Western zodiac. It's funny - once you're introduced to this stuff, you can't begin to imagine how people live without it. You start thinking in terms of Tarot cards, diagnosing ailments on behalf of blocked chakras, and, especially in my case, start blaming things on your astrology. In short, you look for connections. For the entire history of my blog, I've been meaning to do a write-up of Zodiac for Lolitas, so this weekend I sat down with Jen &her laptop, &brainstormed what attributes of which signs would come over into a lolita's manner of dressing. I'm going to be transcribing all of my quotes, as well as some quotes from Jen herself on the subject, into a four-part series organized by the element of each sign, starting with Earth (I'm biased).

(Please note that the following is really all in jest, and that there is a lot more to someone's astrological chart than their sun signs - if something in your sign seems totally unlike you, remember that these are stereotypes and that not everyone fits them! There is also much more to your astrological birth chart to consider - many of my lolita friends show their ascendant or rising sign more than their sun signs because we so often put up a front when we dress up.)

Taurus v1 by herlumpiness featuring Forever21 jewelry

Taurus, the Bull: The ruling planet of Taurus is Venus, the planet of love an beauty. Therefore, Taureans have a love of beauty that borders on obsession. Like their bovine namesakes, Cow-people have an easy, lazy air about them and a stubborn loyalty that you do not want to cross. Their top priorities are being pretty and being comfortable. Since they're very nostalgic, they'll forever relate colors and styles to things that have made them comfortable in the past, so the Taurean clothing style is very personal and unique to the individual – not always something you can define or pinpoint. The Earthly bull is very soothed by nature, so they will often include them into their wardrobes. It would have been easy to put my Taurus in brown, but really, many Taureans find brown too harsh and stark for their own wardrobes. They are more comfortable in lighter, soothing colors like sage green and lavender. This isn't true of all Taureans, of course- as I said above, their nostalgic nature means that the specifics will change, but the ideas of achievable, comfortable beauty is very high on their priorities.

Virgo v1 by herlumpiness on Polyvore.com

Virgo, the Virgin: Virgo, like all Earth signs, is very traditional. The guiding theory behind Virgo is what Jen calls “purity of purpose.” Virgos, when it comes to fashion, are the ones wearing the exquisitely-tailored suit that doesn't even need to be plastered with labels for you to know it's on par with Armani; the same goes for lolita. Virgo is the one decked head-to-toe in brand, and even without a name showing, you just know – not because of the status symbol, but because they know that brand names are synonymous with quality. The purity of high-quality items hold with the Virgoan motto of Purity of Purpose. Their presence is enough; they don't need to go Over The Top to be noticed. These are the Earth signs who will go for dark, deep brown, because they like elegance of it; the same is true of maroon. If they go for a light color, they'll prefer cream to pure white; they're too sensible to wear something so easily dirtied, though, so they usually will prefer colors. Virgos also like historically-inspired clothing, because of their love of tradition and the idea that if something has lasted this long, it must be good.

Capricorn v1 by herlumpiness on Polyvore.com

Capricorn, the Seagoat: First of all... what the hell is a Seagoat?! Anyway, Capricorn, like other Earth signs, is very traditional. Capricorn is ruled by Saturn, the planet of rules and laws, and therefore there is nothing they love more than following all of the established rules – this could be what drew them to lolita in the first place. Traditionally, most people would think of Capricorn as being a gothic lolita because of its connection to dark Saturn, but in fact, they would be too worried about what people would say about them to do so, and are more likely to go for old-school sweet or classic, if they go for lolita at all, really. It's all about established tradition. They're not ones to do much innovating; they prefer to accept rules as they are. Despite their dislike of negative attention, Capricorns have a secret longing for fame, and therefore they like that brand names are status symbols. In the end, though, they're too thrifty to spend hundreds of dollars on one dress, so they'll probably go for brand accessories and an off-brand dress of fantastic quality. They also put fashion over comfort - they're the type to wear a tightly-laced steel boned corset under their dresses all day, simply because, in their mind, it's "what you do." Colors that Capricorns are drawn to are either very classic colors like pale pink or blackxwhite coordinated looks, or the colors of their ruling planet Saturn: plum or light gray.

This evening I watched the 2006 HBO/BBC production of As You Like It. I've just finished reading the play in my Shakespeare class, and am about to write a critical analysis of it (maybe - or should I choose A Midsummer Night's Dream?! Decisions, decisions - the cruel fate of the English major!) and my teacher recommended seeing a production or movie-adaptation of the play we choose first. The text mentioned the Kenneth Branagh version as taking place in post-feudal Japan, so of course, my interest was peaked. I really recommend this version - the costumes are so beautiful, a necessity as even in Shakespeare's original the plot is incredibly lacking as compared to the characters. There doesn't really seem to be any point in setting it in Japan, but it does make for some very pretty costumes and settings. One character in particular strikes me, and that is Aliena. Cousin to the main character Rosalind, she was rather cast-aside in the original; this film version gives her a role as pastoral shepherdess and outfits her in florals, sage green, and hip-length blond hair woven with flowers.

She starts out the movie as a courtier named Celia, all curled-updo and satin corsetry:

Celia, in blue, before the exile

Rosalind is exiled, and Celia sneaks away with her, calling herself Aliena ("the estranged one," according to my textbook) to Rosalind's new pseudonym "Ganymede." However, after entering the forest of Arden, she finds herself exhausted and distressed, not having realized what she got herself into. She becomes tousled and unkempt, her appearance mirroring her fatigue:

Disheveled Aliena with Touchstone the fool

All she wants is a place to rest and food to eat! Once she gets these and becomes comfortable in her surroundings, she accepts the pastoral life Fortune has temporarily provided her with:

Aliena, mori-style

I can't even begin to explain how much I love this look. If I could drses like this everyday I think I could die happy!

Aliena by herlumpiness

Get that look:

• Use soft, dusty pastels like sage, rose, or cream
• Use a ruffled bolero to allude to her ruffled overdress
• Keep make-up and hair natural; a bit of just-kissed-pink gloss, cream shadow, and tousled hair
• Don't overdo accessories - use rose corsages or make yourself a flower crown out of fake flowers, or even real if they're blooming for you!
• In my mind, Aliena is barefoot, but as this isn't really too practical for her as a shepherdess or you in the modern world, break lolita convention and go for a pair of sturdy yet comfy gladiator sandals, as in my imagination all historical fashions favored.

For those of you who are into Shakespeare, I... don't recommend this movie or even the original play. However, for those of you who are interested in period drama and enjoy historical costume, beautiful imagery, and quotable characters, definitely check this version out. Anyone interested in boystyle? Check out Rosalind as Ganymede - hottie!

Bryce Dallas Howard as Ganymede/Rosalind, in brown

Though I must admit, Orlando is quite a looker himself. I... don't know who that other man is.

Before cutting my hair, I did a demonstration of some of my favorite styles. Now that I'm getting used to my new coif, I think I'll talk a bit about working with short hair for my fellow cropped cuties!

First of all, short hair itself is often regarded as more of a style than long, so it requires less effort. That doesn't mean you get to slack off, though! If anything, it means you need to take better care of your hair. Short hair shows greasiness and frizziness much more than long in my experience, so get a few good products or procedures you swear by - for example, I wash my hair with baking soda &vinegar right before I go to bed, then sleep on it, scrunching it to form curls periodically while I'm trying to fall asleep. Keeping your hair clean, shiny, &healthy is important no matter the length, &it is especially so for us shorties because we'll have less going on with the way we style it. Have a few stand-bys for bad hair day protection - longer hair can just be put into a bun or braid, but for us, not so much! Almost all of my friends swear by snoods, but other hats or claw clips if your hair is long enough will work well too. And for prevention, invest in a good dry shampoo, which will clean your hair without being washed out if you're in a rush, or keep some baking soda or baby powder on hand &lightly run it through your hair from roots to tip. It'll dry up the grease &ickiness, but don't do this for more than one day in a row or it'll be noticeable.

When I had long hair, I used it to accessorize itself - tiny braids or loose loops were staples for lazy days because they could hang with my waves or be pinned back for extra cute. Now, however, I find myself relying much more on outside implements like clips, headbands, and hairbows. I got a pack of glittery, bright-colored clips from Hot Topic on super-sale recently that I adore, which I really recommend - keep a few hair clips or bobbypins in your purse in case you find yourself wanting to snazz up a bit in a pinch. It's very important to invest in accessories if you have short hair - cute little star-shaped hair gems, flower bobbypins, and feathered headbands are all some of my favorites for daily wear. For lolita, I wear... well, all of those of course, but also mini-hats, hair bows on elastics or bobby pins, and of course, headbows. The latter presents its own unique challenges - long hair will be able to hold its own with a huge, head-eating bow, but short hair needs to be highly teased or otherwise styled HUEG so it doesn't just look flat &dead in comparison to your big, perky bow. However, a side bow looks very sweet with short hair of almost any type - curly, straight, boy-short, etc - and depending on your type of hair you can vary the size &style. For example, a long, flattish sidebow looks nice when my hair is curly, but when it's straight I prefer a double-sidebow headband. Do your own experimentation, though - head to your local Claire's or Icing store &try on their selection to see what works best for you.

So, what can you do? Here's a brainstorm of some of my favorites:

• Pull the front sides back &secure with a barrette or bobby pins and a bow comb. Bonus points if you braid them!
• Similarly, starting at your part, twist the hair tightly in on itself all the way across your hairline, behind your bangs if you have them. Secure behind your ear with a bobby pin. Cover the pin with a rose corsage.
• Gather all of your hair across the crown by inserting your thumbs behind your ears and pulling back. Secure with a ponytail, then curl the shit out of it. Top with a tiara.
• Too short for full pigtails? Using a similar method as above, gather the hair from your crown into two small ponytails above and slightly behind your ears. Use small bows or hair clips in these so the accessory doesn't overwhelm the style.
• If your hair is at least chin-length, you can probably do french braids if not regular ones. Try two small ones, it's easier on short hair than one because the hair doesn't have to reach as far to join the braid.
• Put your hair in pin curls before bed. Wake up &take them out. Instant pseudo-curl-fro - tease to enhance! Wear a small sidebow with it.
• In the end, if you miss long hair, you can always buy a wig or clip-in extensions - they're easier to wear with short hair sometimes, too!

Just imagine – you've spent hours getting ready, perfecting your outfit and hair and make-up. You arrive at the ball, give your hair a little fluff in a window's reflection, and then, horrified, you see it. Whatever it is, you are mortified- how could you let this happen?! It was a horrible slight of judgment - how could you have forgotten _____?! Don't panic– you have your Lolita Survival Kit!

Level 1 – things to throw in the bottom of your purse before you leave:

• Bobby pins and/or hair things
• Tide-to-go pen
• Lipgloss and mascara (both are make-up secret weapons, the two things that can most refresh your look)

Level 2 – keep in a little pouch, grab it on the way out the door:

• A travel-sized bottle of perfume
• Needle and thread and a few safety pins
• Make-up remover, for smeared mascara or eye liner
• Wisp toothbrush
  
• Extra cash
• Extra batteries for your camera
• Tweezers

Level 3 – keep in the back seat of your car

• A pair of pajamas for surprise slumber parties
• Toiletries like deodorant and a toothbrush, also for surprise slumber parties
• A change of shoes in case you step in mud or your shoes are somehow inappropriate – a picnic with friends is rained out and your heels aren't appropriate for clomping through the mall instead
• Emergency weather clothes – gloves, hat, and scarf in the winter; tanktop and sandals in the summer
• Extra cash, just in case – mentioned above but it bears repeating! You never know when you'll get lost and encounter a toll bridge
• Rations – some candy, a granola bar – something not likely to spoil, just in case you go to a meet-up to find nothing you can eat. Don't pass out driving home after wards – just nibble your rations!
• A book, in case you need to wait for someone.
• A comfy cutsew dress, in case you spill something on your skirt and need to change
• A cellphone charger, to reduce the risk of being stranded communicationless

Your lolita survival kit will make any situation manageable. Never fear make-up mistakes, follicle follies, or other awful alliterations again. Build your own today!

I've been interested in tea very seriously for years. Ever since I started this blog, I've been meaning to do an informational tea post, but I've kept putting it off or for forgetting about it. Carolyn of F* Yeah Lolita's recent post about exquisite teas got my blood pumping again, and, doki-doki-ing away, I didn't have any choice but to write up my own article!

So, why drink tea? Of course it is ~so lolita~, but why? Well, if you consider its fabled health benefits, it may not be a surprise; while being incredibly beneficial to one's heart and immune system, it is also said to be good for the nails and hair, while boosting the metabolism and fighting diabetes (both important when nomming away on cakes at a tea party!). Green tea especially also employs a unique combination of chemicals: EGCG, L-theanine, and caffeine. These chemicals combine in an interesting way- the caffeine affects your body in a similar way as it does in coffee or soda, but the L-theanine and EGCG put your brain into alpha, relaxed brain waves instead of beta brain waves (which is considered the unhealthy "fight-or-flight" reaction) as is usual with caffeine consumption. What this means is that your metabolism is boosted and you feel more alert, but the uncomfortable anxiousness and nervousness are assuaged. There is also much less caffeine in tea (around 15 - 60 mg) than in other caffeinated substances, with soda at 80 -140 mg and coffee at 60 - 200 mg. This is why people trying to wean off the substance are recommended to switch a few cups of coffee to a few cups of tea a day.

So, what different types of tea are there? Technically, the three main types are black, white, and green. These all come from the same plant (Camellia Sinensis) and use the leaves; however, the difference in them is the fermentation, which affects each type profoundly. Black tea, the most common, is fermented longest; it's considered "fully-fermented," though technically the term "fermentation" is a bit of a misnomer in and of itself, because the process we give this name to is actually just allowing the tea to oxidize during the drying process- black tea is allowed to dry longest, and thus loses a lot of properties that less-fermented green and white teas keep in tact. The next level of fermentation is green tea, which, as stated above, keeps chemicals such as EGCG that black tea looses. White tea is considered the most healthful and luxurious, as it undergoes much more careful handling and a shorter drying period, keeping the most chemicals and health benefits. White tea drying methods are also used in Silver Tips tea, which is usually the most expensive type: this tea uses only first-flush young leaves (the newest, youngest, most tender leaves from the first harvest of the season) - if you can get your hands on this I really recommend it! Beyond those, anything else is considered an "herbal" tea, or tisane (pronounced "tee-zahn") - the only "true" teas are those using leaves of the Camellia Sinensis plant.
Now you know what type of tea you want to go for. Your next question is, loose leaf or bag tea? There are pros and cons for each choice. For example, bag teas are cheaper and more convenient, but you have to be more careful - a lot of tea bags are mostly filings, which are very low-quality "fillers." You have a much better chance of quality control if you go with loose leaf, as well as superior taste and more blending capabilities - obviously, I recommend loose leaf, but it's a bit pricier (look to pay $3 - 15 per ounce, with 3 - 4 servings per ounce) and harder to get a hold of. Try your local health food store, or online - my personal favorite sites are Rishi Tea and DiviniTea. They're also both Fair Trade, organic, and kosher, all of which are important to me personally. What that means is that the teas were produced by workers in fair, safe conditions without the use of harmful chemicals, using only the best ingredients - I recommend checking packages and looking for certification for all three when buying teas. For a loose leaf tea, you'll need an infuser of some sort - this can be an individual teacup, a whole teapot, or even a french press (my favorite is this one from Rishi Tea). You can even steep the leaves in a normal teapot, then strain it when you pour it into the individual cup. If you want more tips on the best way to brew Western tea, check out Victoria Suzanne's post here.

I have a deep personal love of tea. I spent six month working in an organic hippie tearoom, and it was by far the best six months of my life. I learned so much more about tea than I ever thought was possible, and from this I learned more than I could have ever expected about myself, inner peace, and balance. There so are many reasons people drink tea- love of the taste, its possible health benefits, or for the pure aesthetic value of taking tea with friends. What's your reason?

marginally related image c/o we heart it

Between redoing my room at my parents' house, planning my move back to school, and working for a kitchen appliance company that is expected to be fluent in interior design, I've been spending a lot of time lately thinking about decor. Today I was going through the newest issue of a design magazine we carry and was stunned by the trends I noticed - light, airy colors with Victorian detailing and scrollwork in the molding were greatly appreciated, but the thing that made me doki-doki most was the use of everyday items as focal points- things that may have been put there to grab attention but also look like they were just sort of put there, grew accustomed to their new homes, and never left. I love this trend - it seems so natural &organic to me. It's also a really easy way to transform a room - clear off a table and add a sweet, simple centerpiece and you can really transform a room.

I've put together a few ideas for simple, quick attention grabbers based on what I've been seeing in design magazines. I tried to base these around a sort of dreamy, fairytale-y, vintage-y aesthetic that I think my darling lolis would find inspiring. Hopefully these will help you all add a little more romance to your room!

• Buy a few pretty, intricate photo frames. Instead of pictures, put a black and white print, a small mirror, or even a handmade silhouette!
• Cake stands &tea trays: Use these to display little tchotkes, jewelry, or even as a perch for your picture frames.
• A vintage tea set would look adorable as a focal point on top of a dresser, breakfast table, or vanity - bonus points on the latter if you use the sugarbowl &cream pitcher to hold your jewelry! Or even make-up - imagine an array of colored eyeliner pencils and mascaras sticking out of a little teapot.
• Everyone knows a bouquet of flowers will do wonders for brightening and perfuming any room, but if you're looking for a more natural, organic feel, try a bundle of herbs like lavender or mint instead.
• If you DO want flowers, get a low, shallow bowl, fill it with water, &float some blossoms in it. Please note that flowers will die sooner in this method than a vase!
• If you'd rather get some more lifetime out of your bouquet, get a pretty glass wine bottle, remove the label, and use it as a vase for a bouquet of long-stemmed wildflowers, like Queen Anne's Lace of a branch of forsythia.
• Buy (or convince someone to give you!) a bouquet of roses. Instead of throwing them out when they start getting brown, tie the stems together with a string and hang them upside down to dry. Gravity will keep them from getting wilted, so once they're totally dry you can put them in the vessel of your choice or - as I prefer - just leave them hanging by a window or on the outside of your door.
• Leave china teacups of potpourri around - customize the blend with hand-dried roses from above.
• Fill small, decorative bowls with prettily-wrapped candy and leave it on your bedside table or the shelf of a bookcase.
• Buy an empty glass lamp from your local craft store. Fill it with shells, buttons, fake flowers, or anything else that suits your fancy.
• Use colored lightbulbs in a few lamps or sconces. I used to have amber ones in mine, and it gave my room a dreamy look like it was eternally sunset.
• Fill your room with vintage clocks of all types. Watches hanging from a nail to the wall, alarm clocks on the bureau - to make it even more Wonderland, set them all to a different time.
• If you have a dressform, dress it in that dream coordinate that you always want to wear but never have an excuse to.

Few of you know this, but lately, in addition to lolita I've been really interested in modern mainstream &high fashion. I've been watching the shows, reading the magazines, observing the trends every chance possible, &let me tell you I am loving it! This season is going to be amazing &I am adoring it. Part of my observing has been trying to see what current trends I can combine with lolita, &let me tell you, I'm brimming with ideas. Sure, the stiletto peep-toe booties I've been seeing around don't exactly fit the bill, but let me show you some that do:

Another trend I've noticed, more this fall than so far this winter, is bright, fearless red lips. I personally love the timeless look of red lipstick, but I think it's far too overpowering for me or, in my opinion, most forms of lolita (I have seen it done well, though, especially in gothic). Then I started thinking, what about if it's a Clara Bow? The Clara Bow was popular in the 20's, when tube lipstick was a new-fangled invention that allowed the girls more freedom with its application. It is applied by paling out the lips with primer and/or foundation and redrawing them in smaller &fuller- a good tutorial is here for anyone interested. The reason I think this works well with lolita is that the smaller lip is less overbearing, but is still full &cutely pouty &suits the doll-like look of classic or maybe even sweet... but don't get crazy. The Clara Bow can also be overpowering if it's accentuated too much, so keep it simple!

The last trend I want to address, &one of my personal favorites, plays with color palettes. Use a neutral like black, white, or gray, and pair it with a few pops of a bright color. I used black with pink for this example, but some others are brown with powder blue, grey with lavender, and white with sage green. Note that my examples are muted pastels, but you could potentially do something like red or hot pink if you have the right stuff. Caution - too bright colors can look kind of 80's revival. ~Fashion~ (who?) says that in order for a color to be incorporated into an outfit, you should have three+ pieces of that color as well as your base, so a "pop" would be only one or two small pieces or accessories- a hairbow, socks, or purse, for example. This is, as I said, my favorite current fashion trend &totally defines my non-lolita style - I am SUCH a sucker for neutrals this season! Last year I avoided them whenever possible, but this year I am relishing them - right now I'm wearing solely black &grey as we (type?) speak &it is delicious!

You know I will never tell you to dress like the rest of the world, readers. I adore your individuality &support sartorial experimentation in all its forms, but I also think it's important to look unexpected places for fashion inspiration, and you never know - that place could just be the latest issue of Vogue or Allure!

What are your favorite mainstream fashion trends right now? Do you incorporate them into lolita?

(also, apologies that I've been so sparse lately - I've had a lot of stuff on my plate, not least of which being my first legit University finals. Semester's almost over, though, so soon I will be out of excuses &will go back to updating twice a week or so!)