Review: Alice Fururun, and Where to Buy Online

Since I started Lolita in 2007, it's become increasingly easier to purchase Lolita clothing online. Gone are the days where only Baby and Metamorphose shipped abroad, and most Lolitas on a budget had to sew clothing themselves or painstakingly search it out online. These days, there's a myriad of shopping choices out there for you to get your frill on; whether you want to order brand-direct, or bargain hunt from the second-hand shops.

Today I'll be focusing on Japanese second-hand shops, and the ones I normally frequent. All of them are good, but may have varying degrees of difficulty to navigate the site, communicate with staff, and place an order.

I'll start for my most recent order, from Alice Fururun.

Ease of navigating site and ordering: 3/5
Accepts Paypal?: Yes
Staff Communication: 3.5/5
Condition of items: 4/5
Shipping/Packaging: 5/5

Alice Fururun has been around since I first started Lolita, and their site hasn't changed much over the years. Most if not all of it is in Japanese, with enough English pointers for you to scrape by and make an order. It helps to be able to read katakana, as most of the brand names are written in katakana. (Or, use Google Translate if you like.)

That being said, navigating the site can be a little difficult. One glitch I found was that when I shop, and am looking at several items, I like to open them in new tabs with the main search results still open. This is mostly because I am lazy and don't want to hit the back button a million times. However, I noticed when I added items into my cart in a new tab, then closed it and went back to the main search, it would empty my cart from that tab. So in other words, all of the items I added to my cart in a separate tab disappeared as soon as I closed that tab. Needless to say, I was very confused, but as soon as I figured out I'd need to do all of my shopping in one window, it was fine. 

Ordering-read their Overseas Order page here. 

I checked out using the shopping cart method, but if you don't speak/read Japanese, or don't feel like running it through a translator, you can also use an e-mail order method.

Personally, I prefer the shopping cart because it partially ensures that my items will not sell out (However, I can also read Japanese so it wasn't a setback for me to use it). As soon as I check out, the items were marked 'sold out' on the site. By using the e-mail order method, you will have to wait for staff to confirm your item is in stock and mark it 'out of stock' on the site for you. 

It took a couple of days for staff to email me back to confirm my order. I had to send them an email to confirm my order and payment through and that everything was okay. But then again, I did place my order pretty close to New Year's holidays, so that could explain the delay.

My items were shipped by EMS (staff provided the tracking number) and arrived quickly. Everything was very well packaged. Boleros were separately wrapped in plastic, and my purse was stored in a cardboard box to prevent denting or damages.

Everything was in decent condition considering the awesome prices. There was a black hair on the pink cardigan I ordered, but that's not that big of a deal to me. There was a dent on the front of the heart enamel purse, but that was clearly pointed out on the site, so I was expecting that. (They are very good about noting all flaws in the item descriptions, so again, Google translate is your friend if you can't read Japanese.) 

The price was awesome for everything I got. The cardigans were 1,500 and 2,500 yen, I got a Baby plastic headband for 1,000 yen, and the heart enamel purse with strap was only 3,000 yen. Including shipping, all four items were right around $100. 

So that was my first experience with Alice Fururun, and I was fairly pleased! 

There are plenty of other places to shop online and get a great bargain, though. Out of the Japanese online retailers, these are some of my favourite to buy from:

• Wunderwelt (review coming soon!)
• Fairy-Angel (review coming soon!)
• Closet Child (If you're reading this, you probably don't need a review, you know they're legit and easy to use.)
• Tokyo-Alice
• Usagi Youhinten
• Maiden Clothing

I have orders coming in from Wunderwelt and Fairy-Angel, so maybe when they come in I will write up a joint review similar to this one. This was my first time ordering from Wunderwelt and I like them so far; as for Fairy-Angel, they've been around about as long as Alice Fururun and I have ordered from them before. They were very sweet and great to work with, and I am expecting the same this time around.

Well I hope that this was useful, and now you have two shiny new reviews to look forward to! If you have any questions about navigating Alice Fururun or the above sites, leave me a comment and I'll try to help you out.

Xoxo,

Cherie

How to Host an At-Home Meet-up

An intimate Lolita Dinner meet my friend hosted at their home.

Most Lolitas will agree that Meet-ups are an important part of Lolita culture. Whether you're a lifestyle Lolita who dresses up every day, or someone who just enjoys it among other hobbies, all Lolitas like to dress up in their best coord to "meet up" with friends.

However, if you're part of an active comm, meet-ups can start to get expensive between museum trips, fancy tea or dinners, tickets to local events or fairs, or other miscellaneous outings. 

That's why I've been thinking, wouldn't it be nice to have a low-key meet-up at home once in a while?

The only thing about having meet-ups in your own home, is that not everyone is willing to open their home to the comm. Of course everyone will have varying viewpoints on that- perhaps they live in an apartment with limited space and parking, or with relatives, or on a college campus, and it's just not doable. 

If this is the case, you can always consider looking for the following cheap or free locations for a DIY meet-up:

• Community Center, sometimes found in neighbourhoods or apartment clusters
• A local park, with a covered seating area
• If you attend a church, perhaps they have a room that can be used for 'meetings'
• I even attended a potluck party in a karate dojo, which the owner let us use after hours!

So, do you have a location in mind, if not your own abode? Then without further ado, let's check out some pointers about hosting your own "at-home" meet-up.

1. Decide your theme, possible time frame, and menu. These are all necessary before inviting others over. Will it be potluck-style? Afternoon tea? Will it be an evening event, with alcohol? All of these things will effect the wording of your invitations, and preparations you will need to make.

2. Invitations. They do not have to be physical snail mail invitations, but if you have the time and inspiration, it wouldn't hurt! Of course, most comms are connected on Facebook these days, and creating a simple event page would do. I would think of a date in advance, and check with your local mods to make sure it doesn't conflict with an event they are planning. 

You can also ask your mods' help in creating the event page for you; they may be able to set it up so only members of your Facebook group can view the event. Doing this can ensure privacy, especially while holding a meet at your own home or nearby. 

You don't necessarily need to release your address on the event page. At a recent potluck meet, a mod required that you RSVP and state what you'd be bringing, in order to receive her address in a private message. 

3. Shopping. Once I have an idea for a meet in my head, I start casually shopping up to two months in advance. That way, if I see something cute and cheap for decorations or favours, I just pick it up! 

I'm currently planning an at-home meet myself; and now that Valentine's Day is around the corner, there's tons of cute cellophane bags, decorations, and little favours on sale for as little as $1 right now. And I am sure there will be plenty of cute things left over on clearance, after Valentine's Day! So what a better time to save these things, instead of scrambling when I need them?

While shopping for food, keep in mind any information garnered from your RSVPs. Does anyone have food allergies? If doing a pot-luck, what things have people already said they're bringing? 

Don't forget the essentials, if having people over at your house- paper towels, TP, hand soap, anything you would normally need to have! 

4. If you're doing a tea party, brush up on tea etiquette. This isn't necessarily a need-to-know thing, but it may inspire you for a trivia game (more on that later), give you ideas on how to set the table and what dishes you need, and even aid you in which kinds of foods should be served when.

5. Day-of Prepations. Be sure to do these things the morning of, or night before:

• Prep any food items you can, to help save time.
• Make a little extra room in the fridge, in case a guest brings something they must keep chilled.
• Be prepared to welcome people into your home. I like to pretend they will be there for the first time- make sure the space is tidy, clutter is put away, and the kitchen and bathrooms are stocked with all essentials.
• Make your home easy to get around- no large obstacles or things blocking the way. Try placing chairs against the wall instead of crowding them all around a table. Creating a "flow" through your home will also make the space seem larger, even if there's several people coming over. 
• If you have any valuables or personal items, such as jewelry, medications, or portable electronics, move them to your bedroom or private space. 
• Decorate, if necessary. Even a simple tablecloth can go a long way to dress up a table! 
• It may also be a good idea to prepare a side room or front closet for coats and bags, in case your guests need to set anything down. 
• Don't forget to check your event page in the hours before your event! People may be lost, running late, asking if you need anything, or cancel at the last minute. 

6. Once your guests start arriving...

• Have light music playing in the background. I recommend using Pandora to create a custom music station ahead of time. Some ideas for a Lolita station can be Classical and Malice Mizer; Kyary Pamyu Pamyu, Hatsune Miku, and K-pop; or even Disney and other movie soundtracks, if that strikes your fancy.
• Have something for guests to do right away. Maybe have a finger food available for snacking and socializing, or a DIY photo booth. Stock a photo booth with a selfie stick or Polaroid camera, and any funny props you like!
• Be prepared to help people park if necessary; know your street and surrounding areas in case you need overflow parking. 

7. To keep parties from getting stale, or to break the ice, it might be good to have some games in mind. You can have board games available, a video game console set-up, or, prepare your own Lolita-themed game for when all of your guests arrive!

Some Lolitas have created their own versions of popular games, such as "Lolitas Against Humanity" (based on "Cards Against Humanity", of course.) It is pretty easy to get creative and come up with your own Lolita versions of popular games, such as, "Never Ever Have I Ever", Charades, Pictionary, or "Who am I?"

While trying to think of some games, I made up my own Lolita version of "Scattergories". I created a few, and decided to share with you for your own use! (If you think of more Scattergories, I would love to hear them in the comments!)

And this one may be a little more difficult, but I tried to make a Gothic-Specific one as well:

Scattergories is a great game for a bigger group, because people can play by teams as well as individually. Plus, it's a pretty off-the-top-of-your-head game, so people are bound to get laughing and having a good time with the responses!

Also, if you found some interesting information while researching tea etiquette, it might be fun to play Tea Trivia! Look up different tea practices from around the world, and interesting facts about different teas. 

Feel free to come up with your own games as well! Do you have a favourite you like to play at meets?

8. Before your guests leave, thank them for coming! Offer up left overs to anyone who would like to take them home. If you prepared party favours, make sure you don't forget them, and that everyone gets one on their way out. 

And of course, everything after that is easy! If you make sure to pick up trash throughout the meet as you see it, clean up should not be too difficult at all.

Have you ever hosted a meet-up in your home before? What did you do, and how did it go? I would love to hear all about it! 

Winter ILD 2015- Frills and Film Recap

Hello, Darlings!

As promised, I wanted to write about my first meet-up I attended in Maryland, for Winter International Lolita Day 2015.

As some of you may know, there are two ILD's held each year- one in Summer, and one in Winter. On International Lolita Day, the local communities usually come together for one big meet, doing something typically Lolita- for example, having high tea, visiting a museum, or even just getting together at a host's house. Even if someone is usually too busy to attend meets regularly, most Lolitas will make an extra effort to attend International Lolita Day- that is how important the day is to our culture.

In Summer 2015, I hosted the Hawaii Lolitas meetup at a local tea room, with a lot of help from some of my friends. It was Disney themed, and there were lots of really cute coords!

Me as Lolita Ursula, with Ariel and Bambi at my table.

But that was a different, and much smaller comm! In total, we had about 10 attendees.

So imagine going from a small comm, to almost one hundred Lolitas all in one place! That was Frills and Film, for me.

Frills and Film, I believe was hosted by the Charm City (Baltimore) Lolitas moderators. The group rented out a theatre near the airport, which was easily accessible by bus, train, and car. Lolitas from all over flocked to the theatre for an exclusive screening of our "cult classic", "Kamikaze Girls".

Kamikaze Girls, based on the novel by Novala Takemoto, tells the story of two unlikely teenage girls who become friends- one a hard core Lifestyle Lolita, and one a "bosuzoku" motor bike yanki who rides with a girl gang. The two are social outcasts in their own right, in their back-water, "chou-inaka" town of Shimotsuma. While these girls independently waltz/stomp around in frills/embroidered motorcycle jackets, the rest of the town lives in complacency with normal clothes from Jusco; a Japanese equivalent of Walmart. 

The movie caters to Lolitas, because of the heavy references to iconic Lolita brand Baby, the Stars Shine Bright. But aside from the frilly eye candy, it's a funny film with a warm message of friendship. 

And what a better movie to watch, for my first meet with my new comm?

To be honest, I was incredibly nervous and almost didn't go- but the $37 ticket, promise of raffle prizes and goodie bags tempted me otherwise.

There were several categories for the coordinate contest, for which I assembled a pretty humble holiday coord using my Charlotte Baniran Jsk. I also made myself a feathered headpiece, just to add more flair, and a holly brooch, to bring in a more holly-day (hah) feel.

 

The theatre was surprisingly quiet outside; but when I walked in, the theatre lobby was packed with petticoats! Being as shy as I am, I stayed off to the side, until a couple of girls complimented me on my headdress. I joined their cluster, and we ended up being friends and sitting together for the day.

There was a photo booth inside the theatre, with Kamikaze Girls themed props. After everyone trickled in, we all got in line for confections, including all kinds of candy, home made pink candied kettle corn, vegetables with dip, and more.

Waiting in line for snacks!

The line for the photo booth. 

After, it was time for the film to start rolling. It was amazing watching the movie with so many other Lolitas- everyone was laughing with me at the funny parts, and I had a feeling we cried together at the sad parts, too. It was far different from the first time I watched the movie, years ago in high school- alone, in my room on my laptop. It made me think how great it was, that the Lolita community has grown.

There was a raffle shortly after, in which I won a drawing from Kate Leopold Art! I can hardly wait to frame it, and hang it in my sewing room.

There were also goodie bags passed out, with business cards from local artisans, a pair of tights from We Love Colors, and an adorable handmade button, featuring the cabbage from Kamikaze Girls.

"This will be your friend, now."

I was also very surprised to win one of the categories for the outfit contest! Although I didn't win the "Elegant Holiday" category I was going for, I ended up winning Judge's Choice. I got an adorable gift box with a copy of the original Kamikaze Girls novel, and an embroidery loop, so I can be like the main Lolita character, Momoko. 

Not only did I leave the meet with a lot of swag, but I had a great time, and ended up making a great new friend too. Since this meet, I've hung out with new friends singing karaoke, playing games at their house, or meeting up at the mall and grabbing dinner. It was a great gateway into the new community!

I know it is only January, but I can hardly wait for Summer International Lolita Day 2016!

The next big meetup for the Charm City Community will probably be next month's Katsucon. They are hosting a Lolita Luncheon at one of the nearby restaurants. There will supposedly be Lolita-related panels as well, but at this time, I heard the panels had not been announced yet.

What are some of your favourite ILD memories? Did your comm do anything special for this past one? Feel free to leave me a comment, or a link to your blog post!

365 Lifestyle Lolita Challenge

One thing I've seen a lot of buzz about in the Lolita circle is Lace a la Mode's "365 Lifestyle Lolita" Challenge.

Since one of my goals was to be more active in blogging about Lolita and Lolita prompts, I wanted to give it a try. Of course, I am also pretty busy, and can't always blog every day, so I decided to pick and choose a few that stood out to me.

As I said in my previous post, I would like very much to improve my wardrobe this year. For the longest time I focused on collecting main pieces, such as OPs and JSKs. However my blouses, accessories, legwear, and bag collection are severely lacking, or worse, non-existent.

In the late part of 2015, I got to travel and meet many different Lolitas in the San Antonio, TX comm as well as here in my new home, Maryland. While hanging out with new friends at their homes, I got to see a couple of closets, and was greatly inspired by them. Though the girls of course had different tastes and preferences, the way their closets were assembled was amazing! They had organizers for their bows and headgear, cute hanging organizers for shoes, many different tops and boleros, adorable methods of hanging and organizing jewelry, and of course purses and parasols in many different hues.

Closet Goals! Source: Parfait Doll. 

It made me think of my own Lolita collection, abused and balled up in my suitcase. Even back in my old house, I did hang my Lolita fashion in it's own closet, but I would be ashamed to show it to anyone who came over.

So with this in mind, here are my goals for my wardrobe:

• Create an imaginative, organized and calming space to store my Lolita collection
• Build/decorate my sewing room around that theme to create a safe place for my hobbies
• Expand my wardrobe by investing in less OPs/JSKs, and more purses, accessories, bags, etc. I believe by doing this, I will improve the versatility of what I already have, and I will not always feel like I have to buy new dresses.

This prompt is actually quite useful for me, since I just moved here! I was excited to find quite a few museums in my area that are relevant to my interests, and would be great for hosting a meet-up.

The B&O Railroad Museum- It is said Edgar Allan Poe himself used to catch the train here, to go visit his friends in nearby cities! Plus I love trains; especially the nostalgic feel of railroads.

Edgar Allan Poe House and Museum- one of Edgar Allan Poe's homes, where he penned a couple of eerie short stories and poems. 

Geppi's Entertainment Museum- an establishment housing retro comic books and more regarding American Pop Culture History. Since comics and "nerd" culture sometimes overlap with Lolita interests, I think this would be a fun place to visit with people who share a mutual love for comics. 

And of course, the area I am in boasts multiple historical sites, such as the house where the American Flag was sewn, many small colonial historical towns, and we are very close to Washington DC and the Smithsonian Institutions. I think there will be many interesting and unique places to visit, here!

I am the sort of person who almost never uses my real hair in Lolita- I usually wear wigs, from my favourite brands such as Lockshop and Dreamholic. However, it would be nice to learn an easy style to do with my real hair.

So I set out on a search, to find something low-maintenance, super-cute, and easy to use for my Lolita aesthetic. That's when I saw this adorable mini-bun look, with a chunky bang.

So cute! And it can be accessorized-up with either small bows in each bun, or they could probably fit behind a full headbow. Maybe even pom pom hair ties would be cute on each bun!

I found a pretty straight-forward and easy to follow tutorial here, from Violet LeBeaux. 

Are you going to do the #365LLC? Will you update it diligently every day, or just in your free time?

I look forward to reading everyone's posts!

2016: Year of the Lolita

After a very long absence, hello darlings, and happy new year!

I find it embarrassing that my last post was on March of 2015. Last year was very busy for me, with a dynamic professional life, moving across the Pacific and the mainland, and making my way through my first year of married life. It's been an emotional roller coaster, but I am glad to be on the doorstep of 2016.

In case you were wondering, it was a pleasure to meet Akira at Kawaiikon 2015. She is by far one of the most engaging J-fashion guests I have met. I posted about it on instagram, which was my platform of choice for my hectic year if you would like to catch up.

#FlashbackFriday to the time I met #Akira (@disacode) at a #Kawaiikon #teaparty! I forgot ALL of my Japanese when I saw her, because I was so nervous. But she was so funny and sweet! I gave her a present... a small bottle of Crown Royal that said "Drink Me", and a box of Hawaiian chocolates that said "Eat Me". 🍶🍫 Much to my surprise, she loved the whiskey!! 😂 She said it was her "energy!" Haha~☆ that was a great day. And she said I have a pretty face 😢💗 Marry me now, Akira-sama...👰💒💍💐 #lolitafashion #happy #eglcommunity #aliceandthepirates #aatp #kera #ouji #love #disacode

A photo posted by エリカ / Erica (@lycaon_lycoris) on Oct 2, 2015 at 6:24pm PDT

At least, I did get to wear a lot of Lolita in the past year. It was probably my friliest year so far, since there were more than enough meet-ups to go to! Here are a few which I remembered to grab pictures of:

But as I sit here on the 4th of January, there is one thing I am sure of: 2016 will be the "Year of Lolita" for me.

This year I want to:

• Improve my wardrobe
• Be more active in the community online, and in-person
• Improve my blog by sharing reviews, event reports, coordinate posts, crafting/sewing posts, Lolita themed writing prompts, and more
• Attend more meet-ups
• Maybe host or help plan a meet-up
• Travel and visit different comms, to meet all different kinds of Lolitas

In addition to the above, I've set another goal to host a fashion show for Darkly Darling at Rufflecon 2016. I have never attended Rufflecon, but I always fawn over the photos and dream of showing a collection there someday. So now that I have moved to the East Coast, why not go for it?

Of course, that means that as soon as I move in to my new home, I will have to set up my sewing machine and hit the ground running. I want to improve my skills, and only put my best work forward.

This year is already shaping up to be quite busy, with Katsucon right around the corner. This will be my first big mainland convention I've attended since I was about 12. So far a Lolita Luncheon has been announced, called "Star Crossed". I am already dreaming up a constellation-themed coordinate for the event!

I did not order any lucky-packs for new years, so don't have any new exciting purchases to show off. However, I did amass a lot of dream pieces to my collection in the past year, so I hope to have a "2015 Wardrobe Post" up by the end of the month.

I hope to share many more meet-up pictures this year, so please look forward to it!

I am also cleaning up my blog layout for something less busy, and easier to read and navigate. I hope that this will help keep my old readers as well as bring in new ones.

To all of you, Happy New Year!

Happy New Year! 2014 Wardrobe Post

Happy New Year, Bonne année et bonne santé, and 明けましておめでとう, Darlings!

Thank you for all of your support in 2014, with my first two fashion shows at the Hawaii Horror Ball and RAW: natural born artists Honolulu! I hope to improve very much this year, make very many commissions, work on my time management and have many more creative shows for you!

今年もよろしく!

There is one Lolita meme I enjoy doing every year, and that is to post my wardrobe. It has changed very much over the past few years I've done it. The first year I did it, I kept my photos on Photobucket, but they are all gone now. That year was the year I studied abroad in Japan, and I had quite a few bright Angelic Pretty prints, leopard print accessories and bright pink motorcycle jackets.

The year after became a bit more muted and slightly mature, with still a few sweet elements. (Check it out here, Wardrobe Post 2013!)

This past year, 2014 was really when I started forming my personal style, and collecting pieces that truly reflect my personality and taste. As you'll see, I definitely became fond of Atelier Pierrot, and there's barely a trace of sweet Lolita to be found. I am very happy with my collection, which reflects classic themes, military and uniform influences, and lots of jewel tones!

Without further ado, and with firecrackers popping overhead as I write, my main wardrobe pieces of 2014.

Alice and the Pirates

St. Helena Jsk
(Pin: Miho Matsuda; Blouse: offbrand)

In comparison to last year, my collection of Alice and the Pirates has really thinned out. Still, I kept this Jsk, because it is one of my absolute favourites.

Firstly, navy blue is my favourite colour. It is so versatile, with the ability to compliment many different colour schemes and skin tones. I especially like wearing it with cream and gold accessories. I also adore uniform styles, so it is my go-to piece when I have no idea what to wear. I love it, because it can be styled classically, gothicly, or as a school uniform. I hope one day, to track down the matching capelet!

Cock Robin Jsk

I'll be honest. Though the design of this dress is very elegant, I mostly bought it because one of my favourite bands is called cocklobin, lol. I had the pleasure of watching them perform at Takadanobaba AREA just before they disbanded last year. Check them out, if you're into Nagoya-kei!

But back to the dress! As an avid collector of jewel tones, I appreciated the unique burgundy colour. I am also a fan of the ruffle on top of the bodice.

My latest purchase, still waiting for this one to come in from Closet Child.

Angelic Pretty

Wrapping Ribbon Jsk

I have long been skeptical of Angelic Pretty, because pastels just don't suit me. But I've wanted this particular print for a while, especially with the dark purple colour combination. On top of that, the chiffon is lovely, and the cut of the dress is quite comfortable. 

Atelier Pierrot

Halter Vest Jsk

 

I always wanted an all-black Atelier Pierrot Jsk. When my friend happened to be selling hers, I couldn't resist! I got it for a steal, because the zipper had broken off the track, but my husband fixed it for me in a jiffy. I am looking forward to so many different looks with this Jsk!

Eden Jsk

Definitely another one of my favourite Jsks. I bought it at Onicon Hawaii in 2012, the first year Atelier Pierrot came to Hawaii. I adored the green colour and had stalked it online for weeks, but it was sold out everywhere. I held on to my con savings with the faintest hope Atelier Pierrot might bring one for sale. As soon as the booth opened, I was there waiting, and watching... and there it was! I snagged it right away. I also modelled in the Atelier Pierrot fashion show that year, so this piece is also very sentimental to me. I don't think I'll ever get rid of it!

Cage Skirt

For as long as I could remember, I wanted a black cage skirt! Imagine my surprise and excitement when I found one at Closet Child in January for only about 6,000 yen. Score! 

Charcoal Capelet

A versatile mantle/capelet with faint pinstripes. I sometimes decorate it with a broach, corsage, or military-like ribbons, depending on the look. I got it in an Atelier Pierrot lucky pack last January. I got to see Yuko in Harajuku again the day I bought the pack, and she remembered me from Onicon, which made me very surprised and happy. 

Cream Pintuck Apron

A versatile and classic apron with many delicate details. It can be coordinated in many different ways, which is why I love it. I also got this from my lucky pack last year. 

White Jsk (I forget the name)

My photo honestly doesn't do this dress justice right now. I am still working on a complete coordinate.

This was my dream dress for my wedding, or post-wedding party last year, but it was always out of my budget. When it finally went on sale a few weeks ago, I decided to snag it. You never know when you can do a romantic gothic photo shoot, or vow renewal. ;D

Baby, the Stars Shine Bright

Ma Cherie Jsk

Although I've considered selling this a few times, I just can't let go of this adorable Jsk. Though normally I avoid pink, I am fond of Baby's special shade of "cherry" pink. Not to mention, I adore the heart embroidered eyelet lace on the bottom. On top of all that, it is called "Ma Cherie", almost as if it was made for me! Even though I prefer darker colours, I feel it is good to have at least one sweet Jsk in your wardrobe, just in case. 

Baroque

Missing Letter, Key and Rabbit Jsk

I am not usually big into prints, but I adore the colours used in this print. It is a beautiful balance! I recently wore this out on a holiday shopping outing with my new chocolate brown mary janes.

Darkly Darling (my home-made items)

Enchanted Forest Jsk

A half-shirred Jsk with delicate pink tones and warm chocolate brown. I made it for a forest themed meet-up.

Rosemary Cream and Green Jsk and Bonnet

One of the first outfits I made when I got back into my sewing kick this year. I adore chiffon, it's my favourite material to work with! This was also my first successful bonnet that I made for myself.

Blue Lace Overlay Jsk

A fully shirred OP made of blue tafetta, fully lined with black lace overlay. It was one of my first experiments with fully shirred OPs. I wanted to make something in a bold sapphire blue colour, originally inspired by Beauty and the Beast, but it took a turn towards Moi-Meme-Moitie. 

I made a lot more items this year, but I think those are my favourites.

Excentrique

Green Halter Jsk

This was another dream dress, I dug it up at Closet Child for only 6,000 yen! I couldn't believe my eyes! I positively love Excentrique as a brand, and hope to collect more odds and ends from them in the coming year. I'd especially love one of their military styled jackets. 

Innocent World

Dot Shantung Jsk

I actually didn't get this in an oddment pack, I bought it by choice! As I said before, I love navy, and I also love polkadots, so this Jsk was just right for me. Not to mention, I prefer IW's longer hemlines. 

Antique Playing Cards Jsk

I love the metallic gold print, and how the pops of red surprisingly compliment the brown! The ribbon high on the bodice is also a cute touch.

Antique Cutlery Jsk

I love the reds and blues in the print. Though I am not usually a fan of prints, recently I have been coveting those from Innocent World.

Antique Tartan Jsk

Innocent World be like ANTIQUE ALL THE THINGS!

Obviously, I have become quite the fan of Innocent World, lol. I also enjoy collecting pieces with unique colours. Surprisingly enough this can be coordinated for either a Spring ot Autumn look.

Putumayo

Bear eared Jacket

One of the things I bought when it was freezing cold in Tokyo. It kept me surprisingly warm! I love the bear ears!

And last, but not least, some random accessory eye candy.

Welp, those are the main things I've added to my wardrobe in 2014! I feel it is a lot more cohesive this way, and reflects my personal style. It also shows how my taste has matured, and even fringed on gothic this past year. I am very satisfied with it!

Of course, I have some odds and ends such as Q-pot rings, brand necklaces given to me by friends, and one or two branded head pieces, but they're really not impressive enough to show off, haha. 

In 2015, I'd like to collect a Triple Fortune Bonnet, more Atelier Pierrot Jewel Tone Jsks, military items from Metamorphose and Excentrique, Innocent World's Rose Panel Jsk, and Btssb's Charlotte Baniran Jsk in red. Maybe I'll make a more extensive wishlist post later this week, for the Lolita Blog Carnival! 

I hope you enjoyed peeking inside my closet, and hopefully this time next year, I'll have more than twice as many handmade outfits by Darkly Darling to show you!

Xoxo, Cherie