Goals for the new year

 Goals 2016

 

 

1. Stock up the basics- It's always good to have more basics. I tend to wear skirts a lot so I have the most of them but what surprised me when I was tallying up my wardrobe for the year was how few Lolita specific basic tops I have. I have enough frilly, ornate, impractical blouses that are not everyday wear but have been using the same plain ones to death in outfits. My aim for this is to buy a blouse & bolero, underdress or underskirt a month.  I am aiming for having very plain cardigans, turtlenecks & blouses that can match anything and then some pretty boleros & underskirts, possibly an infanta underdress or two. 

2. Build up my handmade wardrobe, sew, design, craft anything! I have a decent wardrobe already but I've gotten the most pleasure out of making my own things. Recently I've taken a design course and am busy designing any print that takes my fancy. Rabbits & Royal Doulton, why not?  It helps to have a photographer in the house but I am most excited for when I get on to illustrator & can use my own art to make dresses out of. I was enjoying embroidery when I was ill so it can be as simple as embroidering something cute on a plain beret or crafting some matching jewellery for a print.

3. Wear my hair in upstyles daily. I have a u shaped hem at about waist length, it always gets thicker at the ends and looks healthier if I wear it up more. Every year I say that I want to grow it to classic length and then do nothing more about it. I'm also taking multivitamins for hair & nails & eating lots of protein.

4. Get back into Dance. I've not danced seriously since 2011 with my group, or taught since 2013 when I had a relapse of my spinal issues. I know from bitter tears of frustration that I can't move as well as I could and at the time just thought I would be better off forgetting about it if I couldn't excel. But if it's something I could do, even a few times a week in front of a tutorial dvd, that would lift my mood & energy levels and I would benefit from it daily. 

Wardrobe

End of year wardrobe post 2015

This years tally comes to

23 OPS

30 JSKS

54 Skirts (11 self designed prints)

 12 Coats

29 Shoes

31 Bags

21 Blouses

20 Bolero's/Cardi's 

A whole lot of accessories

& a partridge in a pear tree

I have a room of clothes rails & storage boxes since the move 6 months ago that I had promised myself I would make a pretty boudoir/dressing room out of then I turned around and bought 10 dresses on mbok/yahoo japan out of the $ instead. No regrets! Although I am going to have to save up again if I want to make that room nice.

I am looking forward to the wardrobe posts on egl.

 

Blackberry picking

Blackberry-Picking

By Seamus Heaney

 

Late August, given heavy rain and sun

For a full week, the blackberries would ripen.

At first, just one, a glossy purple clot

Among others, red, green, hard as a knot.

You ate that first one and its flesh was sweet

Like thickened wine: summer's blood was in it

Leaving stains upon the tongue and lust for

Picking. Then red ones inked up and that hunger

Sent us out with milk cans, pea tins, jam-pots

Where briars scratched and wet grass bleached our boots.

Round hayfields, cornfields and potato-drills

We trekked and picked until the cans were full,

Until the tinkling bottom had been covered

With green ones, and on top big dark blobs burned

Like a plate of eyes. Our hands were peppered

With thorn pricks, our palms sticky as Bluebeard's. 

We hoarded the fresh berries in the byre.

But when the bath was filled we found a fur,

A rat-grey fungus, glutting on our cache.

The juice was stinking too. Once off the bush

The fruit fermented, the sweet flesh would turn sour.

I always felt like crying. It wasn't fair

That all the lovely canfuls smelt of rot.

Each year I hoped they'd keep, knew they would not.

The Sheelin Lace museum & gift shop

Set in the picturesque village of Bellanaleck, The Sheelin Lace Shop is a treasure trove of Antique Irish Lace items and other vintage textiles and clothing. Items for sale include antique wedding dresses, wedding veils, shawls, collars, bonnets, christening gowns, 1920s dresses, feather fans and headpieces

I went for a gander here with my partner while his parents were visiting & fell in love with the place. I'm getting my wedding "bits" from the shop, its all handmade lace, not machine so expect prices to match labour. I think the veil I was eyeing up was 900 euro's although the amount of work that had gone into it was enough to leave you blind (if you made it) or gasp if you are just holding it in your hands. I think it's the perfect place to pick up something unique and traditional for your big day. I thought fellow Lolita's would appreciate the intricate and beautiful handmade lacework, if you click on any of the images you can see the individual knots!

Music themed Lolita Coordinates

Bodyline Jsk L506

Cream lace high neck blouse Aliexpress

Collar Dream V

Brolly Totes

Bag Angelic Pretty

Pearl Necklace & bracelet commissioned by local jewellery designer to match my engagement ring.

Other accessories; Asos, bodyline, Pennys

Schuh off white silk double bow kitten heels

 

Baby the stars shine bright flowers and ribbon salon music jsk

Offbrand top

Bodyline shoes 256

Baby the starts shine bright twin ribbon bag

Bodyline accessories

Bodyline L087 OP

 Restyle Violin bag
 Bodyline Shoes 296

Monsoon button detail bolero

Bodyline Accessories

I tried taking shots of some flat layouts with my 50mm lens, as I notice I don’t tend to make an effort with my wardrobe beyond documenting what I own. I am trying to pick up some good habits this September like making the most out of what items I have! I tend to scramble around in the morning - or the night before if I am feeling particularly adventurous, and usually wear something I’ve put together a few times before which I know suits me.

I hadn’t worn these items in this combination before and although I enjoyed piecing them together I now appreciate the effort that goes into a nice flat coord! It was fun planning for future dress ups. It is like creating a little work of Art. I think I would like to instigate a flat layout day about once a month, to help me be a bit more creative with my outfits.

I started with an old baby dress, that I bought because I play the violin (badly) and the print tied in, then I remembered a restyle bag I had that I worked into a coord with the Bodyline Cameo Op, finally I pulled out a bunny dress with musical notes out and began adding cream to the mix, I tired out fairly quickly to be honest. It was hard work! I didn’t think I had enough to stretch to three musical themed outfits but there you go.
 I would love to do this with all of my muchacha bags next as a base as I don’t really have any dream dresses. My bust is a 36J so I have to take what I can get in terms of fit. I favour dresses by MM OR VM which will never fit me, the recent Fleur Antoinette rerelease made me so sad as I wanted one really badly,  but I do have dream bags and own all of them.