Tutorial Tuesday

Oh my gosh its time again for another tutorial tuesday and this one will focus on skirts, yes a basic for any Lolita's wardrobe.

Today Evange posted to EGL LJ comm her tutorial for box pleats

I made a pleated skirt a while back and wished this tutorial had been available then. I came out great but it would have been much easier had I been guide.

Next up the simple skirt from LOTR, they have names their version the hobbit skirt, but no worries ladies this pattern is loliable: my suggestion adding a ruffle at the hem, perhaps a some cute lace

Another option for a basic lolita skirt: the flared skirt comes in two options: Pour_me_coffee's LJ tutorial and Desany's tutorial on her youtube channel LolitaCupcakeXD.

Don't know how to add a ruffle well there is a good tutorials that can give you some guidance.

RhodyGunn's tutorial, which comes in 2 parts: part 1 and part 2

What about a ruffle skirt? Murphy offers a layered ruffle tutorial that with a little tweaking can

Back ruffle skirts are also big in Lolita... One of the basics especially for those who love bustles.

Kidcaella answers to many wishing to figure out this skirt.

What's a back ruffle skirt without a cute overskirt? Chiaki_Ayumi's tutorial is sure to please!

Enjoy and happy crafting!

Cont. Tutorial Tuesday

I just wanted to add some inspiration for all your dessert crafting

Blogs:

• Milky Ribbon
• Apricot Cafe
• Dolce Deco

Videos:

• Adrine80
• Jisfruit
• Small Passions

Have fun and happy crafting!

Tutorial Tuesday

Bonjour mes amis!

Welcome to another Tutorial Tuesday today I would love to show you some sweet tutorials for your dessert accessories.

It is truly surprising how many prints are centered on dessert. AP's Fruits Parlor , Melty Chocolate and Milky★Planet are just a few. But let me mention some of the other brands too!

• BTSSB's Creamy Soda Pop, Cherry Ribbon
• Innocent World's Chelsea Print , Dessert Dress
• Meta's

To accessorize many turn to... dessert accessories. Cake Hats, truffle rings fashioned from polymer clay or felt. Though some examples look like they just came out of the oven, and appear to just as complicated as rocket science. But low and behold the internet and some very wonderful people have open this world up to us making tutorials so that we too could concoct our own yummy fake desserts.

Ready Set ...GO!

Shiri's youtube channel Gentleman Bunny offers polymer clay tutorials for making fruit canes and cakes and tarts! My favorite and one I will try out soon s her Swedish Princess Cake .

A team effort comes from Eva and Jia through there youtube channel Evalrie, these amazing girls offer many tutorial in felt and even other Lolita accessories.

Other helpful youtuber Angela from Garden of Imagination, makes tutorials that though intended for miniature houses can definitely fit our purpose.

For all my crocheters out there dessert patterns come via Norma Lynn on her website Cake Sachets.

So get to your crafts stations and whip up some delicious treats!

Have fun and Happy Crafting!

Tutorial Tuesday

Bonjour mes amis!

This tuesday I would like to focus on hair accessories and obviously I would like to show a few tutorials on bows.

elizabethzap1 has posted a very helpful video on youtube on how to make cute ribbon bows.

JynDesign's offers a tutorial on making flower corsage hair clips

I've been eyeing Victorian Maiden's and Mary Magdalene's rose corsage hair combs for the longest time but have yet to purchase them for the hefty price tag they tote, so as a true spend thrift I wanted to make them myself and luckily Tian Shi had posted an easy to follow tutorial on the main Lj comm.

Another fun accessory and one I really want to try for this autumn and fall seasons in the mini top hat and the one I found with a few changes (in material)... and a few add ons (rose or ribbons the possibilities are endless) has the perfect shape, comes from Tom Banwell.

finally another great bow tutorial comes from Layer Cake Lie (posted to EGL Lj comm)

This is the first of the hair accessory tutorials I will make another when I find more.

I hope you enjoy and happy crafting!

Tutorial Tuesday

I always have a hard time figuring out what to do with my hair when I decide to get all dolled up in Lolita, I usually revert to a lazy bun(boring and messy!) or my regular straight fringe and two curly buns (a la Princess Leah); which is cute but also boring.

Scouting the internet I came across a Loliable tutorial by Binosusme for the Classical Lolita, it has a very Victorian Maiden, Mary Magdalene vibe to it. It is simple yet elegant and could even go with out a hair accessory.

For the cute Sweet Loli Bubzbeauty's tutorial offers 4 easy and quick hairstyles that incorporated a cute hair clip.

Forthe Gothic Lolita (and the others to) Loepsie teaches us to make no heat curls, for the classic EGL look.

Hope you find these useful. Have fun and happy styling!

Update: Post Schedule

It has occurred to me that perhaps I need to place a post schedule so that I have more consistency with posting. I also want to make monthly or weekly theme post and post series

New theme posts to be debuted are: Quick Look, Tutorial Tuesdays

Quick Look will be posts dealing with the latest released news from the brand blogs

Tutorial Tuesday: I will post either my own tutorials ( you'll have to wait for those just a little longer) or tutorials I found around the web. These tutorials range from hair styles to clothing and accessary. Be back tomorrow for the first Tutorial Tuesday

Post Series: Budget Lolita, Lolita Palaces

Budget Lolita: will deal with how to get more bang for you buck.

Lolita Palaces: for the lifestyle lolita, living surrounded by beauty is a must, this series will give inspiration, tips and tricks to make your home into your Lolita Palace.

So stay tuned for these new developments.

Thank you to all my new followers!

Credit to image owner, no copyright infringement intended.

Victorian Maiden Cape

I want a fall and winter cloak a la Victorian Maiden... Perhaps I can make one myself.

With fine velvet and a soft satiny inning..

Melty Chocolate Release Colors

Quick Note on Baby the Stars Shine Bright

My does time fly by it is already time to celebrate Baby's San Francisco Boutiques first anniversary, and what a better way to celebrate then by releasing in store lucky backs!

The stores official blog has just announced the lucky packs and their release day.

Man, I wish I was in San Francisco to pick one up.

Follow the link to more info on the rules of purchase.

And Happy Shopping!

Quick Note on Angelic Pretty

Original release advertising

Bonjour mes amis!

I just wanted to make a quick update on a bit of news coming from Angelic Pretty.

They are rereleasing the Melty Chocolate line in new and improved colors

It has been mentioned that this is the first time that AP has rereleased one of their prints, so this i definitely exciting news!

And from what I can tell they have also come up with a new triple color combo

Pink-Mint-Coco, yum!

Happy Shopping!

rereleased coords

The Basics: Lolita Silhouette

Bonjour mes amis!

For the next series of post I will be referencing to the basics of Lolita.

What I mean by the basics is what makes an outfit Lolita.

The Skirt (on skirts, Jumper-skirts (jsk) and dress (op): The quintessential item that can make or break your Lolita coordinate.

Ideally it should be bell shaped but I have seen a-line, trapezoid and circle skirts (though not as common). Something that will flare out and accomodate a petticoat. If you want to truly put this basic on its head you could also try for a pencil skirt a la Victorian Maiden.

But what ever the shape you choose, take note Lolita prides itself on modesty so this should be at knee or just 2 inches above the knee.

skirt 1

skirt 2

skirt 3

jsk 1

jsk 2

op 1

op 2

Tops: Blouses and cutsews, they are the thing that goes with the skirt or under the jsk. Though there are many options for tops. Not any old thing will work. Traditional a Peter Pan collar blouse or for a sailor inspired look a sailor collar have been the ideal, but brands come up with many variations.

Here are some other varieties:
blouse 1
blouse 2
blouse 3
blouse 4

The camisole styles offer a summer option:
cami 1
cami 2

Then there's the cutsew, a jersey knit top sometimes with cute graphic to boot.
cutsew 1
cutsew 2
cutsew 3
cutsew 4

Socks and Tights: This is your most open item, by that I mean you can go along with brand socks ( super cute but very expensive) or even hit up your local boutiques and novelty stores for options. Usually the kept at knee length or over the knee and thigh high.

sock 1

sock 2

If you have an issue with knee high socks or want to cover up a too high skirt (for taller lolitas)

tights 1

tights 2

Headwear: everything from a head eating bows to cute cake hats and mini top hats.; and the old school headdress too! Remember to hit up accessory departments in your locals stores.

bows 1

bows 2

hat 1

hat 2

headdress 1

headdress 2

headdress 3

Undergarments: The petticoat has been suggested as the most important part of your wardrobe, it is the base without it you have no silhouette. Don't fall prey to getting a square dancing petticoat they don't have the right shape! Almost all Lolita brands have options:

petticoat 1

petticoat 2

petticoat 3

There is also the option of making your own, I recommend Sugardale's Tutorial!

Bloomers: remember the part where Lolita was all about modesty well, bloomer help to keep your modesty on windy days or when bending forward.

bloomers 1

bloomers 2

bloomers 3

Like the petticoat, bloomer can also be handmade. There are also tons of tutorials online. This one involves recycling.

Shoes: There are many options but at the same time some are clearly un-loliable.

The Mary-jane style shoe is the most basic of Lolita shoes; and is the base of many brand shoes (cute teaparty shoes). Other options the famous and infamous (Naomi Campbell incident) RHS (Rocking Horse Shoes)

shoe 1

shoe 2

shoe 3

shoe 4

Final Note: All these are suggestions, the Basics are open to interpretation; though mind the bell-shaped or flared skirt and petticoat when looking for items, they are the staples of Lolita fashion.

Have fun and happy shopping!

*image credit to owner.

Budget Lolita: DIY

So you've scouted your local boutiques, Forever 21, HM, even departments stores and still can't find what you're looking for.

Every beginning Lolita has experienced this frustration with the readymade world. So what are you to do?

Make it your self!

But how you ask, well if you know where to begin you have a juicy option to build your wardrobe.

Where to begin? You have lots of resources at your dispense.

Sew_loli Comm in Livejournal: offers but tutorials, and inspiration and also gives you an audience to give constructive critique or to help when your projects get a little out of hand.

EGL Comm Memories : EGL staff have placed the many tutorials submitted into an easy to access page.

These lead to lolita specific tutorials but with a little creativity and knowledge you can use other resources not necessarily meant for Lolita and make a whole new garment

Visit Craftster an online community dedicated to you guess it crafts! There are also some Lolita members who share and post tutorials so you won't be lost.

Threadbanger website and Threadbanger on Youtube: They offer non Lolita tutorials but a Tuxedo Bib tutorial posted by the girls at Burdastyle and Caplet tutorial by Jenn have huge loli potential. Keep you eyes open and you mind wheels rolling to convert their ideas.

Now if you can't find what you got in mind, You could also look up patterns and add some lace and bows and voila JSK or OP. Make sure you have a good idea of what Lolita fashion s before trying this out.

Burdastyle offers patterns (both free!) for simple dress and blouse that with a bit of tinkering can be your next Lolita JSK and blouse.

You could always head down to your local fabric store and purchase one of their patterns.

Here are some of my suggestions:

Vogue's Very Easy Misses' Dress reminds me of the bodice of BTSSB Cherry Ribbon Summer OP; a simple change for a fitted skirt to say a gathered one; Voila you have a cute new BTSSB inspired OP.

Can any one see the similarities between Butterrick Misses' Dress B5351 and Angelic Pretty's Dream Dollhouse JSK?

Yes, you got it.. it's the bodice (with a few more embellishments of course) and if you take that bodice and flare out the skirt portion of this pattern and some lace and a some bows.

Remember with a bit of creativity, basic sewing skills and knowledge of Lolita, you too can come up with your own Lolita wardrobe items.

Have fun with it and happy crafting!

Budget Lolita: Off-Brand

Borrowing a page from EGL's monthly theme I have be wanting write a post focus on Budget Lolita...especially Off-brand.

Now it can be argued that off brand does not neccessarily mean budget...but most of the time one can make up a good portion of one's Lolita wardrobe and general wardrobe by diving into the world of off brand.
So what is offbrand in Lolita terms it means anything that is made or produced by any other company or brand that is not a Lolita Brand ( ie Angelic Pretty, Victorian Maiden, BTSSB, Innocent World et al)
Sometimes it will also add brands that are not Japanese (ie Candy Violet, Megan Maude, Blasphemina's Closet etc etc) but really that issue is a personal call and for me all brands geared to the Lolita are brand weather they are Japanese in origin or not.
So lets begin, shall we?

Most lolis first choice when looking into off brand is.... Forever 21!

The accessories alone are enough of a reason to go and stock up, and from time to time the come up with the most Loliable garments: cardigans, blouses, vest.

Off brand 1 by dizzylolibliss featuring Forever21

Next up HM

HM is an off brand brand that has made its way in to lolita legend when they release a truly Loliable dress

I would suggest scouting out your local HM for blouses and probable jsk options for your coords.

Off brand 2 by dizzylolibliss featuring Vivienne Westwood shoes

In a final note: for the beginner off brand can be a true hit or miss, to guarantee your off brand excursion produced good results make sure to get the basics of what makes garment lolita and take that info with you as you browse the shelfs and racks at your local boutiques and shops. Happy shopping.