10 Small Things That Make Me Feel Lolita, When I'm Not In Lolita

This is a small collection of things that, silly or not, make me feel more lolita in my everyday life. I will be offering no explanation because some of these are very silly and seemingly unrelated to lolita at all.

10. Wearing makeup.

9. Having my nails painted in specific colors.

8. Doing embroidery of any kind.

7. Listening to classical music

6. writing things by hand. ( the vast majority of my posts are handwritten in a notebook before they are typed up )

5. Studying French

4. Wearing bows of any kind, especially in my hair.

3. Using vintage methods of skin and hair care.

2. Organizing my stuffed animal collection.

1. Writing about lolita-related topics for this very blog. 

I really am sorry for such a silly and short post. Things in my home have been hectic as of late. I would love to hear from everyone about things that for no other reason than it feels right make you feel "lolita". I really do love hearing from you all. 

                                                                Always,

                                                                        Rose

Do you look for bargains to save as much money as possible, or are you willing to make sacrifices for high-quality products?

     While I do normally look for bargains and ways to save money I know when things are worth splurging on. There are a few things I will always splurge on, however. If it's a dream dress, a good quality petticoat, or any kind of shoes. Dream dresses because well I never know when I will see it again. Petticoats because I have noticed that the better quality ones are usually more expensive. And Shoes because you want high-quality materials between your feet and the ground.

    I will absolutely splurge on a Dream Dress. You really never know when you will get another opportunity to get it. There IS a limit but if I ever see Milky Planet (Lav), Be My Valentine (Sax), or Royal Crown Strawberry I would pay a disgusting amount for them. 

Petticoats are an absolute must-have for any lolita and the higher the quality, the higher the price. There is, of course, layering them and I do that but it's not always comfortable and when I just want to quickly get dressed and head out layering them properly can be a real pain. Literally. The pressure on my waist can make wearing them unbearable. I do find that a structured underthing can help, such as a well-boned corset, a pair of Spanx or some such thing, or even a chest binder works well for me to alleviate some of the pain of having all that pressure in one spot. 

And shoes. If you don't splurge on shoes they fall apart and you end up spending way more on another 3 or 4 pairs that only last a few months to a single year rather than one pair that will last 4 or 5 years or more. Well-made shoes are becoming hard to come by so if you see some snag them. I recommend this for lolitas who wear their frills more than twice a week ( like myself ). I have a pair of an*tai*na Tea Parties that I have had for like 4 years now and they're still in great shape. Seriously though buy good shoes, in general, it'll see your feet.

Overall though as much as a bargin shopper as I am I will splurge if I can afford to. Especially with shoes. (can you tell I like shoes?) In my experience you get what you pay for in everything from clothing to electronics. Try to avoid planned obsolescence as much as you can and please shop responsibly. Places that have sustainable and ethical business practices are the best places to shop. All it takes in a Google search to find out. So all in all shop smart and splurge when you can and overall have fun with your shopping and frills.

                                         Yours Always

                                                        Rose

Excluding fashion shows, what's the most amount of outfits you've ever worn in a day?

I haven't ever done a fashion show actually unless you count a personal one to try on all my dresses and things! I actully have worn like 3 diferent coords in one day to diferent places! It was a lot of work actually. The first one was a simple coord with my Strawberry Cake skirt, the second was one with my Strawberry Bunny JSK, and the third was with my Little Devil skirt and was a gothic coord instead of a sweet one! All of these were super fun to wear and really hard to get right in the moment.

The first one was a short-sleeved white blouse with ruffles down the placket and a rounded collar with ruffles, a skirt that has a cute strawberry shortcake print on it with a nice comfortable stretchy waistband and some pretty very soft lace around the bottom trim, a plain pink and white RHD, some short white lace topped socks, some pink tea party shoes, and I had on some wrist cuffs and just my base petticoat and a smaller petti on top. I also had my hair up in puffy twin-tails. I loved wearing this coord because it is just so comfortable and cute! And I wore it to breakfast with my fiance. I still love wearing variations of this coord, actually.

My second coord was a little more involved I feel with my Strawberry Bunny JSK with the same blouse under it, I had the matching bow on my head kind of askew on my head and clipped and pinned into my left tail, on my legs I had some knee-high socks with a ruffled lace sock garter and my pink tea party shoes again. To be honest this was a bit less comfortable but I was very happy with how it turned out and I enjoyed wearing it greatly. I really love this particular JSK because of how well it is made and the fact that the fabric is nice and thick and of very good quality and the print is nice and crisp. I also love the way it is designed to where it is not too high waisted but it actually sits at my correct waistline. After a quick trip home to check on our children, I changed and we went to the local flea market.  Overall this was great fun to wear and I still absolutely adore this coord and wear it quite a bit.

My last coord of the day was actually a more casual gothic coord the only things I kept from my previous two coords were my underthings. It was my black Little Devil skirt, a pair of maroon UTK socks, and a matching sweater with a white blouse under it on the top, I also wore some white platform mary janes. I wore a black RHD and a small bow at my collar. I still really love this coord and it was a pure coincidence that my socks and sweater matched perfectly! I still wear this coord when I don't want to really go full Gothic Lolita on that day. The blouse unfortunately is quite tight around my bust so I think I am going t make a fake collar with it. This was actually my grocery shopping outfit.

Well, there you have it! The most coords I have worn in a single day! Sadly it has only been 3 but I had a very busy day and I wanted to dress nicely for no real reason. It was just a really fun thing I did. Anyway, thank you for reading this book of a post! I really do appreciate it! 

Always Yours 

Rose

Lolita Level Up Version 1.0

  Since Parfait Doll's blog is gone I can't link directly back to her original post but here are the questions and statements for the original Lolita Level Up Quiz! I have edited it a tad to make it easier to read or make more sense in some places. I also can not for the life of me find the scoring system for this one so I am going to use the one from 2.0. If anyone finds it please let me know I would love to have it. 

• You’ve been to egl. (the LiveJournal page)  +1

• You’ve posted on egl, without an onslaught of ‘USE THE MEMORIES’ and likewise.

• You’ve bought a lolita mook.  +1

• You’ve picked a favorite brand.  +1

• You’ve ordered your first item.  +1

• You’ve worn a full outfit.  +1

• You’ve worn a full outfit out in public.  +1

• You’ve worn a full outfit and posted photos of it on the Internet.  +1

• You know what JSK, OP, and cutsew all mean.  +1

• You’ve bought your first brand piece.  +1

• You know your measurements.  +1

• You know your shoe size – in American, European, and Japanese. * +1

• You know who Mr. Yan is.  +1

• You know who Mana is. (+1 points if you know his band. +2 points if you know his brand. +3 points if you know why he’s featured in every GLB. +4 if you have a shrine to him in your closet.) +5

• You know who Maki and Asuka are. (+2 if you’ve met Maki and Asuka). +1

• You’ve watched Kamikaze Girls. (+1 if you know the real name of this movie. +2 if you know who wrote the book this was based on. +3 if you’ve also read the manga or novel. +4 if you love the author despite his criminal record). +5

• You own a wig. (+1 if you own more than 2.)

• You own a pair of falls. (I am not entirely sure what this is and google isn't helping)

• You can identify lace on the spot. +1 (They type not the brand)

• You can identify an item’s brand on the spot.  +1

• You can identify the year a dress was made by a specific brand on the spot.

• You can name several different dresses or prints. * +1

• You answer stock photo requests.

• You mod a lolita community.

• You decorate your nails. (+1 if you wear fake nails. +2 if you make fake nails.) +2

• You own a pair of rocking horse shoes. (+1 if you know their abbreviation.)

• You’ve made your own rose corsage.  +1

• You’ve made anything out of your brand dress’s waist ties. 

• You’ve made anything out of a matching eco tote. (+3 if you were the first one to do it, you think).

• You know how to apply false eyelashes. +1

• You know how to pronounce shirring. +1

• You know how to pronounce Moi-meme-moitie or Metamorphose tempes de fille.  +1

• You know a reliable shopping service.  +1

• You bid on Yahoo!Japan or Mbok.

• You’ve been to a meetup. +1

• You’ve planned a meetup.

• You’ve planned a meetup with catering or more than 20 attendees.

• You’ve met up with lolitas while on vacation to foreign or faraway locales.

• You’ve seen a lolita fashion show.  +1

• You’ve seen a brand fashion show.

• You’ve modeled in a lolita fashion show.

• You’ve modeled in a brand lolita fashion show.

• You wear bloomers. +1

• You know how to make bloomers. +1

• You tell other people to wear bloomers. +1

• You draw lolita art, write a lolita blog, or provide the community with some sort of creative services. +1

• You’ve taken purikura in lolita. +1 (I am counting all photo booth type pictures)

• You’ve decorated your room/house/apartment in lolita style. +1

• You’ve listened to lolita music. +1

• You’ve learned kana. +1

• You’ve learned enough Japanese to read a magazine.

• You wear or own circle lenses.

• You’ve been called a princess by a young child. +1

• You’ve dressed up a friend.

• You’ve converted a friend. 

• You’ve been in media (television, newspaper, magazine). (+2 points if it’s Japanese media.)

• You’ve learned a handicraft, like jewelry making, embroidery, or sewing.+1

• You’ve become a lolita mentor.

• You’ve attended lolita events at an anime or multi-genre convention. +1

• You’ve organized or presented lolita events at a convention.

• You’ve visited a brand shop.

• Trip to Japan!

• You’ve dressed up and gone out alone. +1

• You’re prepared for inclement or colder weather in lolita (coat, parasol, boots, gloves, other climate-specific items.) +1

• You’ve learned face contouring. +1

• You’ve made a lolita valentine. +1

• You’ve got a lolita pen pal or online lolita friends.

• You have local lolita friends.

• You know how to modify clothes that don’t fit you. +1

• You know how to dress for your body type. +1

• You’ve been in a street snap.

• You’ve been to multiple world locations of the same brand store (BABY Paris, BABY Tokyo, BABY San Francisco, etc.)

• You’ve created a makeup/hair/sewing tutorial.

• You’ve sold hand-created lolita goods.

• You have your own lolita fashion line.

• You’ve gotten a lolita haircut, style, or color. +1

• You’ve mixed other street fashions with lolita. +1

• You’ve thrown a lolita party/had a lolita wedding.

• You’ve dressed your child/small children in lolita or kodona style. +1

• You’ve successfully cross-dressed in lolita style at least once (boystyle for girls and girls’ clothing for guys).

• You’ve lolified or made sure all the contents of your purse are cute (wallet, lipgloss, keyring, etc.) +1

• You have a lolita pet (small dogs, cats, rabbits, exotic birds, fancy fish) or have dressed/accessorized your pet (bows or pet clothes). +1

• You’ve dressed your significant other or dated someone who dresses in J-fashion/alternative fashion.

• You’ve read Alice in Wonderland. (+1 if you’ve seen the animated movie or other variations, +2 if you’ve seen more than one variation, +3 if you own more than one variation) +4

• You’ve dressed as Alice or another Wonderland character in lolita style, or own Alice-themed items. +1

• You’ve made something from a Japanese pattern.

• You’ve found, bought, or made lolita underwear (bras and panties). +1

• You wear lolita daily or have gone 7 days straight wearing only lolita.

• You have lolita calling cards or business cards.

• You play a lolita instrument (i.e., piano, violin, harp, French horn… well any instrument really.)

• You can translate yen to your country’s currency in your head. (+1 if you can convert other currencies you shop with as well. +2 if you read the news to know how the yen is doing.) +2

• You’ve sold lolita clothing online (secondhand, egl_comm_sales).

• Your article or entry has been put into the egl memories.

• You take photos of your outfits/daily outfit photos. +1

• You’ve posted to daily_lolita.

• You own a petticoat. (+1 if you own more than one. +2 if you wear three or more at a time). +3

• You’ve bought a lucky pack.

• You keep a style diary or look-book. +1

• You can put together an outfit made entirely from off-brand. +1

• You’ve bought off-brand or non-Japanese brands. +1

⦁ 1-15 Curious Onlooker

 1-15 points mean that you're familiar with the fashion and have taken an interest in all things frilly and Lolita. You've probably attended a few open events, maybe own a few pieces of Lolita, lurk the online communities, and you definitely are on your way to knowing your stuff! Your next step is probably buying the final piece for your first full outfit and finally headed to your first meetup!

⦁ 16-40 Just Starting Out

16-40 points mean that you're just starting out in the world of Lolita. You may have been interested in the fashion for a few years but are just now getting involved in wearing the fashion on a regular basis and joining local communities. You probably have a couple full outfits but are still working on building a larger wardrobe. Alternatively, you have a larger wardrobe and definitely know your stuff, but you aren't very active in local or online Lolita communities and are perhaps more of a lone Lolita. Your next step is probably either finishing up adding a few more pieces to your wardrobe or to starting getting to know some other Lolitas.

⦁ 41-60 Well-Rounded Lolita

 41-60 points mean that you're probably a very well-rounded Lolita. You have a fair-sized wardrobe that allows a variety of outfits and some style experimentation, you have a few Lolita friends, and you've attended your fair share of meetups and even fashion shows. You probably have a few volumes of the Gothic & Lolita Bible hanging around your bookshelf and you've definitely taken an interest in Lolita hobbies. Your next step is probably to step out of your comfort bubble, try a new style you've always wanted to try, host your own meetups, or perhaps finally apply to be a model for a local Lolita fashion show.

⦁ 61-80 Experienced Lolita

61-80 points are the realm of an experienced Lolita! You've probably been active in the fashion for a number of years, have a fairly large and diverse wardrobe, and have attended (and hosted!) your fair share of Lolita events. You're most likely well-known within your local, and online, communities. You're probably practically an expert on the fashion and have probably introduced, or at least guided, a few friends along the right path in the fashion. Your next step is most likely to do a closet cleaning or some wardrobe organization because you probably have a few years of accumulated clothes.

⦁ 81- 100 Top Of Your Game

 81-100 points is at the top of the Lolita game. You've definitely been active in the fashion for a number of years, or possibly you've had a very intense first few years. You've gone out there and had the chance to do some pretty cool things that you always dreamed of doing back when you first got started as a Lolita. There's a good chance you're a leader in both your local Lolita communities and the online Lolita-sphere. Your next step is probably to kick a few more things off your Lolita bucket list!

I ended up with a 75!  61-80 Experienced Lolita. It makes me so happy to see how far I have come in such a short time. I hope to grow more as I dig deeper and do more introspection. If you do this let me know, I would love to know how you did on this! 

                                                                    Yours Always

                                                                               Wild Tea Rose

5 Things I wish I had been told as a new lolita

    I am going to preface this with I was a "new" Lolita for a LONG  time. What I consider a new Lolita is someone who is interested and wants to wear the fashion but hasn't yet put together a proper coord. Now on to the things.

1. A JSK does not always require a blouse. That is not saying that your shoulders shouldn't be at least kinda covered but a whole blouse under a JSK can be very hot and uncomfortable in the summer here in the south. A nice lace or chiffon bolero would look good and solve the problem of possibly having a heat stroke. Do however try to wear a light camisole or slip under it, to prevent your dress from getting sweaty and dirty on the inside.

2. You should probably wear some kind of bloomers or shorts under your dresses and skirts and dresses. I am very clumsy and have a tendency to fall over and trip or the wind blows my skirt up and boom panties. Wear your bloomers, please. 

4. Any hair color can go with any coord. I typically have pink hair. (Shocking I know) And it's not a soft pink it's bright shocking pink. At one point I even buzzed my head and had inch-long hair for several months. And I didn't bother with a wig. It's too hot where I live for that mess. Your natural hair, just as it grows out of your head is perfect to wear with lolita. For a long time, I thought I had to have a certain cut to make the style look good but alas, my hair is the perfect way to wear it with lolita and so is yours. 

5. Your style is just that, yours. You are wearing this fashion for yourself. Make yourself happy with your coords. You don't have to stick to just one substyle. Like sweet and gothic? Wear both, mix them, do your own thing and make yourself happy. Because when you're happy that is when you really shine. (insert cheesy Baby, the stars shine bright joke here. ((Because when you smile, baby, the stars really do shine bright.)) I hate myself now) 

Anyway, That's all for now. Until next time

                                                                       Rose

My Lolita Batton

 1. Screen-name and DOB, please tell me this ~.

Wild Tea Rose, February 1, 1994

2. Height, weight, clothing size, and shoe size?

163 cm, 90~ kg, I get most of my dresses custom sized due to the fact that my bust, waist, hip ratio is strange and well I do weigh 90 kg.

3. Why did you start to dress lolita?

To feel like *me*, I struggle a lot with my sense of self, and being in lolita makes me feel like the most authentic me that I can be. 

4. Which style of lolita do you like?

I like Sweet and Old Scool styles.

5. Express in your own words, the ideal of your above answer.

As for sweet, a pink JSKwith a white blouse, white UTK socks with pink lace or white lace and a pink ribbon, pink tea party shoes, hair up in big fluffy twin tails with either a big bow, two slightly smaller bows, or an RHD, I prefer pinks and whites but lavender and sax are really pretty too. As for an Old School coord I personally own my perfect coord. Antique Dolls JSK by Souffle Song and the matching RHD, A white short puffed sleeve blouse with a frilly doll collar, black UTK socks with white lace garters that have removable black bows on them, a black bag shaped like a bat, and several black or white accessories including black lace wrist cuffs.

6. Do you have piercings? Where?

I do! My ears have several in them including stretched lobes. I am currently at a 00 (10 mm).

7. What brands do you like?

My favorite brand is Baby the Stars Shine Bright, but the one I buy most from is Souffle Song or any of the brands they own.

8. Which is your favorite piece you have?

That's a tough one really it is either my Strawberry Bunny JSK in Pink or my Antique Dolls JSK in black. 

9. How many lolita friends do you have?

None, unfortunately.

10. What do you love most about lolita?

The freedom to express my feminine flavors in a very controlled way. 

11. What do you hate about lolita? What are your peeves??

My peeves, there's really only two, too-tight petticoats. This is an issue I have a lot because let's say I'm not the brightest when it comes to sizing things. And not wearing bloomers under your dresses. 

12. What magazines do you read?

I used to read a lot of Shojo Beat or Shounen Jump but they discontinued them and it upset me greatly. I read a lot of blogs online now and I like Papplion which is a Gyaru mag.

13. Headdresses, bonnets, ribbons, or katsushya?

Rectangle Head Dresses, Katusushya, Ribbons, Bonnets in that order. 

14. Do you wear drawers or bloomers?

Absolutely. I do not even wear normie dresses or skirts without some kind of bloomer or shorts under them.

15. Do you tie headdresses at the front or at the back?

At the back usually under my hair.

16. Who is your favorite band/type of music?

I really listen to a bit of everything. I have this one playlist that has, Disturbed, Perfume, Kyary Pamyu Pamyu, Bing Crosby, Dolly Parton, Skrillex, My Chemical Romance, Lar'c En Ciel, and AC/DC on it. It's a wild ride to listen to.

17. What is your phone ring tone~?

For my partner, it is A Thousand Years by Christina Perri and normally it's Fly Away from Panty and Stocking with Garter belt

18. Do you go to concerts in lolita?

I would if covid wasnt a thing and concerts still happened.

19. For people who attend concerts: Do you headbang there?

I would.

20. What colors do you like?

Pastels and black.

21. What are your hobbies?

I have ADHD I do everything from historical sewing to web coding.

22. If you have any favorite perfumes, please tell us.

I love rose-scented things so really anyone with a rose scent or floral tone to it.

23. Is there anything you are careful of in lolita?

come back to this 

24. Do you have any favorite haunts to go to in lolita?

The Three Gorges in Mobile AL It's technically a candy shop but they have expanded a bit in the last few years. The whole place is just so pleasant and in the heat of the summer and fall, it's so wonderfully cool inside.

25. How many times a week do you dress in lolita?

Two to three times a week usually just something comfortable and casual to be in the house in.

26. Please tell us an embarrassing story when you were a beginner in lolita.

Most of the embarrassing things came from not knowing how to respond to people taking my picture or wanting a picture with me. 

27. Your current hairstyle and color.

Currently, I have a modified hime cut where the bangs are straight across and the side bits are a bit longer than a traditional one and it is long in the back, it's currently an ugly greyish color because I need to redye it soon. I am thinking of going back to my natural brown or maybe a darker brown.

28. What is your lolita history?

Strap in this one might be long. When I was a kid my aunt and mum took me to this huge antique mall in Louisiana and it was there that I saw my first lolita She had a cherry-printed dress on and I think it may have been a wa-lolita style. I think it may have been handmade and she was so pretty. That week we ended up in a Walmart and I grabbed a copy of Shojo Beat that ran a short article on J-fashion and lolita was mentioned and In the years that followed I did more and more and more digging and for a really long time I wanted to be a lolita and wear the pretty dresses and look cute and lovely like that. It wasn't until I was an adult and had already had children that I actually got to realize my dream. My first dress was one with an Alice in Wonderland theme and I got the entire set that it came with including a JSK, Blouse, Headband Bow, and a bag. I had already ordered the shoes and a pair of white socks to go with it and I wore it out for the first time on my birthday that year. Since then I have grown my wardrobe a good deal and am very happy with the things I have.

29. Do you store your clothes in a special place?

Kinda, they are the only things in my closet hanging up.

30. Did you ever think about stopping Lolita? What was the reason?

I did briefly when we were very strapped for cash and I considered selling my dresses and stopping wearing them.

31. What is your motto?

We are all made of stardust, we need to act like it.

32. Your dreams of the Future?

My overall dream for the future is to be able to have a home that my family owns and enough money to live comfortably and get the things that I want.

33. "This person is so perfect for lolita!" - Do you ever think that about certain celebrities?

Only one really. I think Keira Knightly would look great in lolita

34. Any products/items you have with a fond memory?

I have a necklace that my husband bought me at my first meet made by one of the lolitas there. I love it and wear it with every sweet coord I wear. 

35. What was your first item?

Funnily enough, it was a pair of shoes. They are pink high heels with bows and pearls on them and they are not comfortable. 

36. Have you got a pose for photos?

Sort of. I like to pose proudly with my parasol and my head held high.

37. What is your heart's bible? [book/magazine/CD/etc]

38. What is the best cm for heels?

2 to 10 cm anything taller than that and I lose balance really easily unless it's platforms then I'm all good until they like like stilts.

39. Do you wear tiaras?

Yes, I do. I'm a princess why not wear a tiara?

40. Do you think you want to try prince style? What kind of prince? Ankoku-kei [Gothic/dark prince]? Or "prince on a white horse" style?)

Feminine pastel prince style is my favorite and I would love to try it.

41. What types of lace do you like?

I personally like antique or vintage lace the best but mesh lace is a close second.

42. Do you own a doll? Does it give you fun, childish feelings?

I own many dolls. I actually have tea parties with them still. They make me feel small and since I missed out on having many as a child I have them now to make up for that.

43. What is in your lolita bag?

My bag staples are: Whatever makeup I may need to touch up during the day, a lip balm in case my lipstick wears off and my lips feel dry and gross, a book (usually a manga actually), a small snack, a bottle of water if it will fit, and my phone, wallet, and keys.

44. What is your favorite flower?

I love roses. I actually want to try my hand at growing them one of these days.

45. Right now, what is your favorite accessory?

Earrings and plugs to go in my ears.

46. Please recommend us some cosmetics.

I can't really recommend anything. I generally don't wear a lot of makeup.

47. With Eye-tape your eyes look like a Doll's! What eyelashes will you wear?

I don't use eye tape but I do wear false lashes sometimes I just get cheapies really. 

48. What glue do you use for these eyelashes?

I actually use Kiss glue it works the best for me.

49. Red Lipstick? Blue? Black? Pink?

It depends on the colors I'm wearing but I usually go for a nude or a pink unless I am wearing gothic then it is usually black.

50. Which nail polish do you choose normally?

I like Color Pop because of their sparkly holographic polishes. 

51. Have you ever changed in a train station bathroom?

No, I usually just leave the house in what I am going to wear for the day.

52. What do you think of 'twinning' and 'triplet' lolitas?

It's a really cool idea I think. I haven't ever been able to do it though.

53. How do you keep in shape for lolita? Recommend us something.

I don't do anything special. 

54. Do you keep calm when by yourself in Lolita?

I have to. The area I live in has a high population of boomers and just generally rude people. I have had to keep calm being yelled at because of how I dress before.

55. How much do you spend per month on clothes/accessories?

It's not a monthly thing for me. I generally get one or 2 big orders a year when things are on sale.

56. Was there a time lag between you knowing about Lolita and dressing?

A very big one around 10 years.

57. What is your most expensive Lolita item?

My Strawberry Bunny JSK. Hands down the most expensive item that I own.

58. It takes a lot of money to do Lolita. How do you save?

I don't. I wait until tax time or if we come into a bit of money.

59. Just a little secret here...How much have you spent so far on Lolita, roughly?

at least 2,500 USD.

60. Is there a Brand you want near where you live?

No. I would love if Baby put a shop here though.

61. "Man, what a rip-off!!" Have you ever thought that about a store?

Several times, usually about shipping.

62. Do you shop online? If so, put the good & bad points here to advise others.

I shop online almost exclusively. There arent any physical stores that sell lolita where I am.

63. You can say if you want, but is there a Secret person/shop that you have ordered a dress solely for you from? [I guess commissioned/replicated]

No, not really.

64. "I can never have that/see that happening!! But I will always want it!!" Is there a brand you think this of?

I want Melty Planet in lav. I don't think I will ever get it. 

65. What do you do with the clothes you don't want anymore?

I don't have that problem.

66. What is your most recent purchase? [Even non-lolita]

A small bag of sweets from The Three Gorges.

67. Is there an item that you love that you can't buy/seem to find?

Melty Planet from Angelic Pretty in the Lavender colorway

68. What do you think of people who only wear lolita to concerts?

I think that people should enjoy their clothes when they wear them.

69. What do you think of lolitas without makeup?

I don't judge people for wearing or not wearing makeup.

70. Another lolita is wearing the same coordinate/clothes as you!! What do you do?

Get a picture with them and compliment them on their style.

71. What age should you stop Lolita?

NEVER.

72. When do you think you should graduate from Lolita? And why?

If you don't want to you shouldn't give up something you love.

73. "You should stop that!!!>_<;" What must you not do when dressing lolita?

In my personal opinion smoking or doing any kind of drugs at all really. 

74. A lolita should be 'this'! What do you think that should be?

Confident. 

75. Excluding #73, is there anything you should definitely not do in lolita?

You probably shouldn't go to water parks in them. 

76. What do you think of men in Lolita?

If a man wants to wear the frills let him. It just proves he has good taste.

77. Did you change yourself for dressing lolita?

I became more me actually.

78. What do your family and surrounding people think of you dressing lolita? And do you accept it?

They all like it and tell me that it looks pretty.

79. How do you dress Lolita in the boiling mid-summer?

Short-sleeved blouses, skirts, hoop petticoats, and lots of pink lemonade.

80. Have you gone to School or Work in lolita?

No, mostly because I don't work or go to school.

81. How do you dress normally?

Kinda like I do in lolita actually. Pastels and black.

82. Do you think twice about buying second-hand clothes?

Never. I would rather buy used than new with most things.

83. Do you have a boyfriend? [or husband?] Does he understand Lolita?

I have a partner that does understand lolita. I have a tendency to info dump about it a lot.

84. Please tell us your ideal man.

My partner. He is perfect for me.

85. What Lolita has left a big, shiny impression on you so far?

86. Have you made your own clothes? What are they like?

I have but they're mostly aristocrat style, and they're very warm.

87. Have you made your own accessories? What did you make?

I have made detachable bows and lace wrist cuffs.

88. The best item you have made! What is it?

A pretty real flower corsage for a friend of mine.

89. Please say the most perfect Lolita coordination you wear.

I can't choose at the moment

90. Do you admire someone? What are they like?

I do but they arent someone in the lolita community.

91. .One day I will go on a date with that person. What would you like to wear for him?

Something simple, a black button-down, some jeans, boots, maybe some accessories. Basically how my partner dresses for our nicer dates.

92. If you want one, what type of store would you open in the future?

93. I want to open an Alice in Wonderland-themed restaurant.

94. Your eyes get attracted inadvertently to something. What is this motif?

Damask or bunnies and cakes.

95. Would you dress your child in Lolita?

I do dress my daughters in lolita.

96. How much do you spend on one outfit?

I haven't actually got any clue.

97. "This is Lolita!!" Please say what you would say this about.

Most things from Claires. 

98. "I have always wanted to try that once!" What, in the Lolita world, have you wanted to try wearing?

Punk Lolita. I don't feel like I could pull it off very well. I have too much of a sweet face.

99. Look at you in Lolita. In one word/phrase, how would you express your style/image?

Pink

100. What is your ideal of Lolita?

Being happy and getting to wear lolita every day.

101. Thank you for taking this Baton!! Please state your thoughts on it!

It was a really fun thing to do and a great way to get to know yourself and others.

I found the original post here. So what did everyone think of this? Its long but in my opinion was worth doing. I had to reword a question or two but that's okay. I am very thankful to 10sugars on LiveJournal for taking the time to translate this entire long thing. So that's it! Thank you for reading and sticking with this quite long post. 

                                                                            Yours Always

                                                                                        Wild Tea Rose

T-Shirt Towel DIY!

 SO! In my haircare post, I said I would post a T-Shirt towel DIY project, and here it is!

You will need

• 1 or 2 T-Shirts XL the 100% cotton kind work best
• thread ( it doesn't have to match)
• hand sewing needles or a sewing machine
• 3inches (6 cm) of elastic
• a large button

Step One - Measure Twice Cut Once

Measure out your dimensions and make this shape. I know it looks strange but trust me on this.

You are going to want to make the flat side a bit longer than your hair when hair is flipped upside down, and the rounded side a little deeper than a hoodie hood. 

Or you could free-hand it. That is always an option with these kinds of projects.

Cut 2 of these for a single-layer towel. If you want a thicker one cut more in multiples of 2 so if you want a towel that is 2 layers thick cut 4 of these shapes!

Step 2 - Sew It Together!

Either hand stitch or use a sewing machine to sew along the curved side. If you're hand sewing use a backstitch. I backstitched it and a little further in I did another line of back stitches just in case the first one gave out. 

Step Three - Fasteners!

This is where that button and the elastic come in! Sew your button on the tail end of the towel. The elastic goes in a loop in the middle of the head of the towel. I put mine in the seam so it is nice and secure. 

And thee you go! A T-Shirt Towel for your hair! 

There are actually 2 ways to make one of these! One is what I stated above and the other is super simple but requires more sewing and materials.

You will need at least 2 shirts for this one. 

Cut off the shirt right under the sleeves and then down one seam. Do this for all the shirts you are using. Lay all of them the same way on top of each other and sew up the seams and sew a big X from corner to corner. 

I don't have drawings for this one sorry!