“Expand you wardrobe -week”

In this week  we are going to show around (online)shops to make your wardrobe much bigger in size and styles. Take a look around where you may find things you actually did not think you would! We are looking forward to our tour with you^^

In our previous post we already gave you a little journey to forever21. Hold on tight, we have just begun!

Expand your wardrobe!

Yesterday, I got a nice tip from a good friend of mine to an online shop! This one made me actually really interested, since it is full of all styles and has a lot of cheap items! The online store is in the US and may actually cost a bit to get your things delivered to you, if you live faraway.

The most important thing is that you can find anything in here and use it as you will in your own lolita style. Just make your world bigger and more international with your wild imagination!

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Made by Gina (Our art designer!)

Gothic Lolita Mini Hat Tutorial ~ Youtube

Part two of our gothic lolita hat tutorial is out now, take a look if you have the time too^^

Rio; A gothic And Lolita Shop in Sweden

If you travel a bit, your world will become a bit bigger too. Think then what will happen when you travle alot! Well, while we take you to discover this shop in Sweden, we hope you will enjoy it. Since Scandinavia is not the best place for gothic and lolita style, it will be good with some hope, even if it is a tiny one.

Rio, is a shop where you will find everything; from clothes, accessories, shoes (gothic boots!), sweet or gothic bags and laso hair products! We did not get  a lot of pictures, but hope this will be enough.

BAMA ~ Gothic Lolita Mini Hat Tutorial ~ Youtube

Since there were a lot of people checking out our gothic lolita mini hat tutorial, we thought it will be good to share it even more and easier with other people who doesn’t search blogs to find their needs or want tutoials in other ways. Now it can be easier for you too, to look and read this tutorial if you prefer to not read our loooooong tutorial, you who are a blog-searcher!

Part 1 is out, enjoy yourselves!

BAMA ~ Video-Book

Hurray! BAMA finnaly got a whole new thing to add to this site! Now, it will maybe be more enjoyable to be in this blog. There will be more action. BAMA has realesed their OWN, FIRST, VIDEO(-book). To see this new feature go to pages, the coloumn you will find at right on this side. The first episode is out, tell us your opinion!

Visit to Bergen, Norway; the products!

I, Ba also found some gohic lolita realted items in the normal stores, and I must tell you, the hair bow has really taken over. They were not so popular for a while ago, at least as to what I have seen! (look at the images bellow for information!)

When you think of gothic lolita, what words do come usually forth in your mind? In mine the word “cute” jumps. And talking about cute, I found some fascinating and cute sunglasses. I normally do not care about  sunglasses, but this time my eyes where stuck on them! (Look at the image bellow)

Well, this is the end of this “hunting season”, join us another time and have fun!

Visit to Bergen, Norway; OUTLAND Bookstore

Ba is continuing the shopping adventure in Bergen. Thanks to a good friend of Ba, Ba’s eyes were caught on this special bookstore. It is not like any other bookstore, this one is a adventure into the goth and horror world of books mostly!

The shop is divided into to floors. When you come in, you come to the second floor, where you will find games and game items for the most (World Of Warcraft is one of them).  I do not mean small and little items, but BIG ones. Like a chair from a game, I think it belongs to the World Of Warkraft game too.

The first floor contains for the most of books and comics. The right side is for manga and comics. Here you will also find some famous books, like Bram Stocker’s Dracula book. You will also be able to find items belonging to some comics/movies you know about, like Emily The Strange, Lenore and Nightmar Before Christmas.

The first floor had also items from ancient times, like the old Japanese swords and accessory’s, all hidden inside a glass closet. This part were on the left side of the first floor. Here you could see huge collection of international books. This part was just for books! You could find vampire, zombie, mystery, gothic and more genres for books here. Common for all of them was the dark and horror atmosphere. Beside the bookshelfs, you would find a long table with three chairs around. Here you could sit and read. In a deeper corner there were several people sitting and having fun. It kind of reminded me of something like a book-coffee? I had fun running into many books where the price were not even like in normal bookstores. It was quite good and cheap prices on most of the books, in my opinion.

You could also buy movies here, along with anime series. The movies are most in the horror genre, so if you are looking for normal movies, this store certainly is not for you. The collection of movies here, were also international!

A Visit to Bergen, Norway; antique shop hunt!

Well, it is not so easy to find any gothic or antique stores in Norway. If you work your hardest, then you will only end up in the capital, where you only will find punk-rock shops. But to our surprisement there was a hidden treasure in one of the large cities in Norway, Bergen.

This city will surprise you with its many hidden secrets! If you once visit it, then you will surely not come out of there empty handed. But this time, the store that BA found, on a trip to Bergen, where not hidden. It was simply on the uppermost floor on one of the shopping malls, Galleriet.

BA will now take over and take you on a short trip to the heart of this city!

The antique store I found, had the name Herskap og tjenere, it was not easy to find a translation for the first word. But it simply mean a kind of lord over the servants in ancient time/ rich people with a lot of power, therefore I will just translate it to Herskap and servants.

Well, I do not like everything in this shop to be honest, not every thing is pure antique, and some of their things had nothing to do with the COMPLETE antique shop I was looking for. But it is just to continue the hunt ^_~

What is Gohtic Lolita? (2)

In the first what is gohtic lolita post, we did not write a lot  about each style. Now we will give you a better overview. Hope you enojy and understand a little more about the style. Credits to this site;

http://lolita-handbook.livejournal.com/3035.html

Is there anything you wonder about in this post, either ask us or go to the link above^^

Styles

Main Styles

	♥Gothic Lolita♥ Probably the most used lolita term. The traditional blackxwhite scheme is very recognizable, but not all gothic lolita is black and white. This style incorporates the darker colors and themes (like cross motifs and veils) from Western goth into the more adorable lolita style to produce a very unique style that takes a lot of practice to perfect. So it’s darker than sweet lolita, but much sweeter than Western goth. Most lolitas start off with this style because it much easier to find gothic items locally and it’s very easy to coordinate. But be aware that Gothic Lolita is nt a substyle of Goth fashion, though it incorporates some of its elements. This style may also be called ‘loli-goth’, ‘goth-loli’, ‘Elegant Gothic Lolita’ or ‘EGL’, but these terms are somewhat misleading, though they are commonly used so be aware. Some people also consider Gothic Lolita a coverall term for lolita fashion, probably because of the Gothic Lolita Bibles, but this is also misleading because many lolita styles possess no gothic elements.
	♥Sweet Lolita♥ Now the most common lolita style and definitely one of the cutest and most colorful. It has all the traditional lolita elements but with a more wider choice of colors, like light pinks, baby blues,whites, and even sometimes colors like lavender, canary yellow and mint green. This is also where you’ll find the most fluff and frill. Lolita brands that sells Sweet Lolita clothing might often have themes, such as fairy tales (i.e.: Little Mermaid, Sleeping Beauty, Little Red Riding Hood, Cinderella, Snow White, etc.), cupcakes, fruits, and other sweets, puppies and kitties, and fragrances.
	♥Classic Lolita♥ Classic lolita is a slightly more mature version of lolita. It’s not quite aristo because the loli silhouette is still present, but there are fewer frills and it’s a lot less cutesy. Generally classic pieces are decorated with a few self-ruffles or some ribbons, but you won’t find yourself swimming in lace and large bows. Classic lolis tend to wear darker or more muted colors (as opposed to bright pink or blue) and floral prints are common as well but aren’t required for a classic outfit. What makes this style harder to distinguish is that it is right between sweet and gothic lolita – the dark reds and blues and even blacks can be confused for gothic style while the light florals make it look like sweet. What separates it from both is that it relies on an elegant cut or print instead of a lot of trim. The perfect style for those who love lolita but who want a more subdued look. Original guide here.
	♥Punk Lolita♥ Punk lolita is a really hard style to pull off because it treads a fine line between lolita and full-on Western Punk. Traditional punk elements are used – plaid, chains, spikes, deconstructed fabrics, etc. – but what separates punk lolita from traditional punk is really the fact that it’s adorable and a bit cutesy. Good punk lolita tends to keep the bell-shaped skirt or the frilly blouse even with all the other more punk features, and lolita accessories are mixed with punk (for example, a lace trimmed spiked collar). This is the only lolita style where big stompy boots really fit, but honestly any shoes work for punk lolita so long as you have other lolita elements in your outfit. Though keep in mind you’ll probably look a little ridiculous to real punks, so you may want to leave the frills behind for the Buzzcocks concert. Original guide here. (Sorry it’s so terrible, it was one of the first)
	♥Aristocrat♥ Aristocrat is a more mature style, so I’m not sure whether it would actually be called lolita. But it is associated with it, simply because of it’s old-fashioned elegance. The skirts are longer and they don’t have to be bell-shaped, and the shoes and other accessories are typically less cutesy. It’s what lolitas grow up to be – an elegant, refined lady. For a few examples (I’m sorry they aren’t very good): Original guide here
	♥Boystyle♥ Boystyle is just as varied as lolita ranging from the cute little-boy style of kodonas to the more sophisticated dandy or aristocrat. “Kodonas” might wear knickers (not the underwear!!!) with a proper blouse and a vest, while aristocrats would wear a whole suit; a suit like those from the Victorian Era, not a tuxedo. But seeing as I don’t really wear boystyle, I thought I’d leave the description up to those who understand it better than I do (namely neuromance), see here from teddyboys. For a few examples: Original guide here.

Common Themes

♥Kuro Lolita♥ “Black” lolita – like any other style of lolita but completely black. I’m not entirely sure why the style merits it’s own name, but just a heads up this is what it is called. Kuro-lolitas are often spotted with their lighter counterpart, the shiro-lolita. (Note: Kuro-lolita is not a name to call darker-skinned lolitas. I’ve seen people say it in this term and it’s ridiculous.) ♥Shiro Lolita♥ “White” lolita – any style of lolita done completely in white. This is a very tricky style to pull off because wearing floofy white clothing can easily lead to looking like a giant marshmallow, but it’s very beautiful and striking if you can pull it off.

	♥Hime Lolita♥ Princess/himeloli is pretty much what it sounds like – lolita clothing a princess might wear. This style is very much inspired by Rococo (rather than Victorian) and is very fancy, with a mini-crown or tiara to complete the look. But don’t think a pink dress and a crown will make you a hime lolita–coordination is key! Sometimes (but not often) the traditional loli silhouhette of a bell-shaped skirt is extended to a more full-length dress, usually with a slightly lower and squared neckline to balance out the fullness of the skirt (not a plunging neckline or anything). This is a difficult modification to pull off correctly and should be avoided by beginners. Jumpers can be found as well, but not as many blouse/skirt outfits. Overall in my opinion, it’s the most feminine and fancy of all the Lolita styles, and often the most extravagant. Original guide found here.
	♥Country Lolita♥ A subset of sweet style, with little straw hats and dresses in gingham, floral, and fruit patterns. Basically you look like a sweet lolita out for a picnic, so it is not uncommon to tote around a wicker basket or parasol. The print of the dress and the straw hat accessory are really the only thing that distinguishes it from sweet loli, and often the two are grouped together. Original guide here.
	♥Sailor Lolita♥ Pretty self-explanatory, it’s just a lolita version of the old sailor uniforms. The skirts have nautical stripes around the edges, the blouses have little sailor collars and ties, and sailor hats are worn in place of headdresses. It’s really just a small subset of sweet lolita, it’s popular enough to deserve it’s own panel. Original guide here.
	♥Oriental-styled Lolita♥ Wa-lolita – inspired by traditional Japanese clothing, including the kimono and less formal yukata. One option is a top or dress resembling a kimono with a lolita bell-shaped skirt. Often lace and an obi bow are added to make it more lolita. Oriental or solid prints are used for this style. Another far less lolita style occasionally put out by the brands is the lolita yukata, employing cuter prints and lace to try to make it look more lolita. I don’t consider this to be very lolita but I’m putting it here just to have a complete view of waloli. Qi-lolita – inspired by traditional Chinese qipaos (those cute little brocade dresses). Mandarin collars and frog closures with a Chinese print fabric usually identify these dresses. Often they are sleeveless but sometimes puffy sleeves are added to make them more lolita. Silk brocade would be the best choice for these but cotton is usually used. Hopefully I’ll be able to find more examples soon, but this style is rarely done very well. There are also attempts at hanbok-styled (traditional Korean dress) Lolita dresses, a lovely example being here. Original guide here.
	♥Gurololita♥ This style also goes by “grotesque lolita” or “injured lolita”. Any style of loli clothing will work for this because it’s all about what you add to it (though it is more often seen on punk or goth lolis). Eyepatches, blood stains, fake bruises, bandages, and even slings give you that “broken dolly” look. This style can either look scary and gruesome or cute and all please-fix-me. Just don’t overdo it, because you can quickly start looking like something out of a Marilyn Manson video. Most of these examples are actually art because it’s not a common style. Art (Not safe for kids) by sugarcreamcandy Original guide here.
	♥Erololita♥ Erololi is a more uncommon style that resembles normal lolita style on it is slightly more revealing and often has fetish elements such as collars, handcuffs, garters, and vinyl fabric. By revealing I do not mean exposing, the skirts are just shorter and the tops are a little lower cut, or ones that draw attention to the breasts. Corsets are often seen and usually without anything underneath (such as a blouse). The style ranges from the darker stuff you see in places like “Torture Garden” to the adorable pastel frilly clothing of Kana. It’s still appropriate to wear in public but it’s usually meant for clubbing or going to concert. Despite being “ero” it maintains a certain innocence through frills, loli accessories, and a certain degree of modesty. It fits a more western definition of lolita (a sexual precocious – not promiscuous – little girl) but elegance and class are still important. This is a very tough style to pull off and it helps to have a lot of experience in lolita fashion before you attempt it. Most of the better examples are found in art rather than life. These ecamples are only to give you a sense of the elements that may be incorporated into ero (corsets, bloomers showing, low-cut but still modest an frilly tops), but they are not examples of perfect ero-lolis. Original guide here.

Not Lolita

♥Lolita Cosplay♥ Lolita Cosplay is to real lolita what school-girl costumes are to real schoolgirls. It’s a little strange that someone would dress up like something you wear regularly, and is sometimes taken as an insult to dedicated wearers of the fashion though it might not be meant as one. Lolita costumes tend to be cheaply made and are generally less conservative than real lolita clothes (much like the naughty schoolgirl costume), so they can easily be distinguished as costumes. Sometimes poorly done lolita is also referred to as cosplay because the poor quality of the outfit seems like it was meant to be worn rarely. Often these outfits look very French Maid and for some reason seem to have a lot of cosplay add-ons such as cat ears and wings, – things you wouldn’t wear everyday. Very often these accessories are viewed as distasteful if you are wear it to a normal lolita meeting, during a regular day or something. Usually lolitas will wear one during a themed party, like Alice in Wonderland or an animal-themed party. Some brands also make cat and bunny ears; this does not mean that they are automatically OK, sometimes they get the style wrong too. Please note wearing lolita to a cosplay event does not make it cosplay lolita. Some people just feel more comfortable wearing their lolita in this sort of setting, but they treat it as you would a nice evening dress – meant to be worn on special occasions but not as a costume. SO be careful when using applying this term to others.