The Wonderful World of Axes Femme

 Dear my fellow frillies,

    If you have been in the fashion for some time, you may have seen the name "axes femme" floating around on Lace Market or Closet Child (you'll certainly see a lot there). For those unaware, Axes Femme is a Japanese casual women's clothing brand that's been around for as long as many of your favorite EGL brands have existed. For a brand that has been around for over 30 years, I'm surprised I don't see more J-fashion enthusiasts wear it in the West. They are one of my favorite brands for affordable EGL and other lolible items. Today I want to share my love of Axes Femme to the frilly world~!

    Axes Femme describes their business on their Japanese website as "offer[ing] feminine daily wear that incorporates the stylish spirit loved by Parisian women during the Belle Époque, France's golden age, into a modern style". I think that is a very accurate description of their flagship line at least. They have expanded into many other styles nowadays. They currently offer 13 clothing lines, each specializing in a different fashion style, demographic, or product. There have also been three additional lines that are discontinued. Below are all the active lines available on both the Japanese and Western websites:

• axes femme - classic, elegant, and feminine; very French inspired
• POETIQUE - even MORE romantic and dreamy, otome style
• NIBBLE POISON - the brand describes this line as "dark kawaii", I would just say it's generally gothic and girlish
• axes femme kawaii (now called Chalmiere) - sweet, gothic, and classic EGL
• REZEN - unisex and modern wa style
• axes femme for MEN (now called AXES-X) - was originally for men, but later rebranded to be unisex when the name changed
• Purple Label - for mature ladies
• Axes Femme Kids - the same classic elegant style now for little girls!
• Fickle Bebe - draws inspiration from modern "ryousangata" styles, seems to be aimed at teens and young adults
• AICE - a collaboration line with multiple J-pop groups
• ROSE ROUGE - elegant and feminine jewelry and accessories
• Axes Femme Vintage (now called PASTEQIDOR) - upcycled vintage pieces as a part of a larger sustainability initiative (more on this later!)
• myu:lorét - hard to describe this line, but the brand uses the hashtags "modern mori", "cottagecore", and "shoujo girl" when advertising new releases of this line on X

Discontinued lines include:

• Nostalgie - I could not find a lot of information on what this line specialized in, but it seems it leaned towards a "mature" image
• Red Label - items created with customer input via polls on their blog; this label is no longer advertised on either website so it is presumed closed
• Axes Femme Home - kitchenware, decor, and household textiles. I wish this one stuck around :(

    Axes Femme started officially in 1988 as "AXES", a wholesale storefront. In 2002, they changed their name to the name we now know them as: Axes Femme. They also started to manufacture their own clothing at this time. By 2006, they had 36 shop locations across Japan! They were hardly slowing down; two years later, the first online webshop opens as well as new offerings: their Nostalgie line, Kids, and Home lines. Then in 2012, the Poetique line launches. The following year is when we start to see Axes Femme expand to the West. Shops are opened in Shanghai and Paris, but eventually closed over the next decade. You can still read about a lolita's firsthand experience shopping in the Paris store here. 

    Fall 2014 sees the launch of the axes femme Kawaii line, their first step into EGL fashion, with the prints Sweet Halloween and Sweet Swans (though they still had Poetique labels on them). The first print released with Kawaii labels was Classical Marine. Eventually in 2019, the Official Axes Femme YouTube channel opens. Their uploads are varied and sporadic now, but still contain great content on previous releases, coording tips, and interviews with staff and their CEO Akinobu Igarashi. The next year, new clothing lines open: Red Label, Axes Femme Vintage, and axes femme for MEN. 

Poetique Sweet Halloween (2014)

Poetique Sweet Swan (2014)

    In the following five years, a lot of movement happened. 2021 saw the opening of a brick-and-mortar shop for Axes Femme Vintage in Fukui prefecture (where the Axes Femme headquarters is located!). Additionally multiple lines rebranded, if that wasn't confusing enough. axes femme for MEN rebrands to Axes-X and shifts focus toward more unisex clothing, Axes Femme Vintage rebrands to PASTEQIDOR, and most recently, axes femme Kawaii rebrands to Chalmiere in 2025. A separate webshop is opened dedicated to their EGL line. And finally, most MOST recently, this year saw the grand opening of Axes Femme Taipei Lab. 

    It's amazing (and a little insane) the amount of movement this company has had. It is obvious they love to experiment with what products they carry and which audiences they want to target. I love that they make it their mission to appeal to everyone across borders, ages, and genders. They also are committed to zero waste, which is not something you often see in J-fashion brands. In 2024, Axes Femme launched the line PASTEQIDOR, which centers on upcycling vintage Axes Femme pieces and using leftover fabric to make new items. This is done through a clothing recycling program held in store, as well as offering cleaning and alteration services to extend the life of their clothing. 

        The best part of this program is that this line works exclusively with local disability agencies and proceeds of PASTEQIDOR sales go directly back to them <3 Additionally, the upcycling work is supported by local designers and social welfare agencies. You can read more about their sustainability initiatives through their international site. However I want to be clear that while this is a great start, they do not publically announce their numbers, such as how much they recycle every year or how much still goes to landfills. We also know that they manufacture in China, as is a common practice with other Japanese clothing brands. So we do not know how fairly their garment workers are treated. 

    So... is Axes Femme perfect? It's debatable. The perception of the brand (at least online) is vastly different in the West than it is in Japan. Over here, they have the reputation of being cheap and easy to order, perhaps with sometimes questionable quality. I own five dresses from their flagship and Chalmiere lines. The fabrics vary greatly. My Fluffy Bear JSK has a softer lighter feel than my Circus Doll JSK, which is made from a heavy polyester. I think both are well constructed but one feels significantly cheaper. This is consistent with other reviews of their clothing. They use lots of polyester, though poly is not inherently evil. They also have frequent releases that lean on current trends, which is a strategy fast fashion companies use. The reputation in Japan is far cruder. The perception is that Axes Femme is only worn by older women or mojo 喪女 ("loser" women who are unattractive or plain). Wow, harsh.

Axes Femme Kawaii Fluffy Bear (2nd Release) (2025)

Axes Femme Kawaii Circus Doll JSK (2025)

    Whether you love her or you hate her, Axes Femme doesn't seem to be going away anytime soon. They have been a staple in the J-fashion space for a long time and I think more fashion enthusiasts should check them out and formulate their own opinion. Speaking strictly in an EGL context, I think Chalmiere is a wonderful brand to pad out a beginner's wardrobe. Many of their JSKs are plus-size friendly (by my observation, up to <110 bust). And their jewelry is surprisingly good quality! Alas us large foot havers might struggle to find shoes as they only go up to a Japanese size 24.5. But I think they are still worth looking into!

    What do you think of Axes Femme? Do you own any of their pieces? Let me know!

Love & laces, 

♱ Sara ♱

♱ཐི ʕ.•ﻌ•.ʔ ཋྀ♱

Shoe Brands for Large Footed Lolitas

 Dear my frilliest of friends,

    Have you ever noticed how small brand shoe sizes are? It is kind of ridiculous. I researched several major EGL brand's websites and Lolibrary entries to see what sizes they offer for their shoes. What I found is, for the most part, all the brands offer the same four or five sizes. This roughly converts to sizes US 5-8, though keep in mind sizing between countries is not a 1:1 ratio.

    I understand brands mainly cater to Japanese audiences, whose bodies tend to be smaller on average to American ones. But ever since the COVID-19 pandemic, many of these brands shifted their business strategy to appeal to Western consumers. They did this in many ways: offering English translation on their websites. shipping directly to Western countries without needing a shopping service, and some even offer plus-sizes (though their definition of "plus-size" could be questioned). The least they could do is offer one more shoe size up pretty please with sugar and cherries on top!

    It sure is hard to find cute and lolible shoes for US 9 and above. As a size 10 myself, I am shocked I still struggle to find appropriate shoes in Western stores let alone in Japanese ones. But if you are like me and have been blessed with tremendous tooties, then I have some advice for you: if you know where to look you can find the perfect shoes for your sub-style. I have kindly curated a list of brands I have personally purchased from. 

Sweet

Antaina

You can find this brand on TaoBao, Clobba, 42 Lolita, and Lolita Wardrobe. They are probably the MOST size-inclusive of all the lolita-specific shoe makers. Depending on the shoe model, you can find Japanese sizes 21~30.5! They also offer a wide variety of shoe styles and every color you can imagine. I cannot recommend this brand enough.

Angelic Imprint

This is another Chinese brand found on TaoBao, My Lolita Dress, and 42 Lolita. You can find Japaneses sizes 20~31, depending on the shoe model. This brand specializes mainly in sweet-style shoes and shoe replicas (such as Vivienne Westwood's iconic rocking horse shoes).

Metamorphose temps de fille 

Meta is one of the very few brands that offer larging sizing, so I would be remiss to not mention them. Although it is heavily dependent on the shoe, sizing can go up to 3L, which is 26.5. As a size US 10, I fit into their 3L size comfortably. They offer tea parties and wood platforms to go with your sweet coords. They also offer platform heels for gothic or very special hime coords. 

Gothic

American Duchess

American Duchess is an American company that makes historically accurate footwear from the 16th~20th Centuries. They offer a huge range of styles for any sort of historic look you are going for, in US sizes 5~13 men's and women's. They also offer wide versions of many of their shoes if you need that extra space. Lots of their shoes also work well for classic lolita. 

Fluevog

Fluevog could arguably be considered one of the penultimate shoe companies for lolita fashion. They are not cheap, let me tell you. But what you are paying for is a high-quality shoe worthy of your money. This is a canadian brand that specializes in quirky designs and funky colors. If you love a weird fucked up little shoe, you'll love them. They offer US women's sizes 5~13 and men's 7~14. Many of their styles are lolible in the right colors, so take a look and see what sparks your fancy.

Demonia

Demonias are a favorite in other alternative fashions, and depending on the style, can be worn very cutely with gothic lolita. Kera-08s (shown above) are a popular gothic and old-school option! I will say be careful with Demonias. They get a bad rep for being ita when worn with lolita, and many of their styles are not lolible. Do your research. Ask your comm or Big Sisters of Lolita Fashion on Facebook for advice. Demonia offers women's US 5~13.

Classic

Victorian Maiden

Victorian Maiden is one of the biggest classic lolita brands that's still active. They don't offer many types of shoes, but what they do have is surprisingly size-inclusive for a Japanese brand. Sizes available are Japanese sizes 22.5~27. These shoes can also work with with a gothic coord. 

Yana

 I love this brand! You can buy them from TaoBao or 42 Lolita. They specialize in qi lolita and classic lolita, though I can easily see some of their shoe styles working for an elegant gothic or hime sweet coord! Yana offers Japanese sizes 21.5~27.5, depending on the style of shoe.

Sentaro

This is a TaoBao brand who specializes in classic lolita fashion. They do offer some shoes in vintage styles, perfect for lounging on a chaise in a swanky salon or taking a stroll in a rose garden. While not as size-inclusive as other TaoBao brands, Sentaro does offer Japanese sizes 21~26 (which is roughly up to US 10). For a classic brand, that is still pretty good. 

So as you can see, there are lots of options for bigger feet for every style. I think the key is just looking outside of Japanese brands. Plenty of TaoBao brands offer a wide range of sizes. And many Western brands have options that are very cute and lolible. You just have to be a little creative. Do you have a favorite shoe brand that I did not mention? Please let me know! I'm always looking for new shoes <3

From the Curator's Desk: My Favorite Brands

Dear my frilly friends,

    Do you have a favorite brand? It might be an easy question for some lolitas. For me it is a difficult one. I love too many brands for different reasons. And I love different brands across many substyles. So to pick just one seems damn near impossible. I do not have the fortune to fit easily into most Japanese brands. 

    It would be so easy to pick one brand that caters to my style and body type, but alas there are none so perfect. What I can at least do is pick a favorite from each substyle. But of course I could not just pick one brand so I added some honorable mentions, for brands I love dearly for one reason or another.

My favorite gothic brand: Atelier Pierrot

What I love about them: plus-size friendly, caters to a more mature gothic style, easily accessible without a shopping service, carries many different brands (not just their own proprietary brand), weekly livestreams in english, their new website automatically converts to USD and auto-translates to English, great customer service, they got Connie!

Honorable mentions: Moi-même-Moitié, Antique BeasT, Cruel Arcadia

My favorite sweet brand: Baby, the Stars Shine Bright

What I love about them: lots of bear print releases, their overall aesthetic is very soft and doll-like vs Angelic Pretty is seems more "poppy" in their color schemes/busy designs, plus-size friendly (depending on the item), has an English website that's easy to order from

Honorable mentions: Axes Femme Kawaii, Metamorphoses temps de fille

My favorite classic brand: Innocent World

What I love about them: very girlish vintage-inspired pieces (aka "swassic"), plus-size friendly (depending on the item), aesthetic reminds me of children's novels, nostalgic & whimsical vibes, they got some of the best brand legwear you can find

Honorable mentions: Victorian Maiden, WireHead

Do you have one favorite brand? Or are you like me and cannot decide? Let me know what you think, sweet reader! I hope to hear from you soon~

Love & Lace, 

Sara ♱ ཐི ʕ•ﻌ•ʔ ཋྀ ♱

2024 Winter ILD

 Hello my dark darlings~

   Happy International Lolita Day~! For winter ILD, my comm decided to go see ZooLights. For those unfamiliar, it is an interactive walk-through light show held at the Phoenix Zoo every holiday season. Despite living in Arizona majority of my life, I had actually never been to ZooLights! That, or I have when I was a young baby bat and I do not remember. Either way I was extremely excited to see the dazzling lights and spend some quality time with my beloved friends. 

    If you ever get the chance to go, I highly recommend it! It is best seen with friends or family ❤︎ But heed my warning, it is a VERY popular holiday attraction so be prepared for big crowds and long lines for food. Luckily the parking situation is not all that bad. There will be employees guiding you to empty lots. If you purchase your tickets ahead online, it will only be $30 ($35 at the gate). 

ZooLights at the Phoenix Zoo (photo taken from zoo website)

    Surprisingly it was not that cold. I planned for a very chilly night, so you'll see I wore a coat. Honestly I was just really excited to wear a coat. You truly get so few opportunities to wear anything heavier than a cardigan or sweater here in the desert. So to say I was disappointed at how warm I felt is an understatement! As the night went on though it did get cooler. 

    Deciding a coord for such an important meet-up was a difficult task. By now, I have accumulated quite the gothic wardrobe. And I did have a specific gothic dress in mind: Baroque Sleeping Lily OP. I thought of doing a "Charles Dickens" inspired Victorian look with a bonnet and granny boots. But the OP is one cotton layer, so it's not very warm. 

    I do not own any gothic lolita-appropriate jackets yet (you so rarely need one in Arizona). So I looked to my newly created choco-lita capsule wardrobe. I have been following Roli's Capsule Wardrobe Building series to create a sweet capsule that focuses on bears and chocolates. I was able to find an adorable brown bear-themed coat to fit the capsule. And I (perhaps wrongly) assumed it would be freezing. So I opted for a sweet coord. It just so happens that it was my "sweet debut" as I have never worn sweet in front of my comm before. Suffice to say my readers will be sure to see more of The Curator's sweet side in 2025 ཐི ₍ᐢ. .ᐢ₎ ཋྀ

My hair & makeup, inspo taken from GLB Vol.35

In the Glow Garden~

All hail the octopus!

Do not perceive the black petticoat peeking out; quality pettis take time to ship!

Rupert did not appreciate being sacrificed to the lions >:(

♱ ཐི ʕ•ﻌ•ʔ ཋྀ ♱

Love & Laces, 

The Curator ♱

Interview with The Curator

Hello my dark darlings ~ 

The Curator is back from the grave to post a "lolita level" challenge while I try my damn hardest to make it through a no-buy. I think my wardrobe is at a place now where I have mostly everything I need so it is time to cool off the spending and start enjoying what I have. I came across this challenge from lolita YouTuber Pinkfakeflowers and thought it would be fun to do now that I am just past the six month mark in my lolita journey. I am by no means an expert and certainly not an intermediate either. Maybe I will do this challenge again at the one year mark to see how far I have come!

Would Mana-sama be proud of my collection?

♱ཐི ʕ.•ﻌ•.ʔ ཋྀ♱

Lolita Journey ♡

How did you discover lolita fashion?

When I was in high school, I came across a Lovely Lor video on YouTube that exposed me to the fashion. I think I was searching for maid cafe content because I was going through a slight "weeb" phase. I have no idea why the algorithm thought this would be adjacent content.

How has your style changed since you discovered the fashion (if it has at all?)

There was a period of years from when I first discovered EGL to when I bought my first piece (and then a few more years before I started collecting pieces and building a full wardrobe). At that time I was a strict gothic lolita. I had zero interest in any other style. Now I am starting to explore classic and old school sweet. Someday I want to explore ouji and aristocratic as well.

What was your first main piece? Do you still own it?

I have discussed this in my introduction post, but my first piece was Atelier Pierrot's Labyrinth Lace JSK in the black colorway. I sold it to a thrift shop as I eventually lost interest in the fashion. But recently I purchased the red colorway so my baby has returned to me!

Can you show us a picture of (one of) your first coord(s)?

Looking back, I do feel like my first coord was rather plain. And it barely read as gothic if it were not for the pops of red. It is basically a kuro look, which is wonderful but was not my intention. My comm seemed to love it however. To quote one member: "How does it feel to completely skip your ita phase?" It is so fascinating to look back on photos taken only six or seven months ago and already have so much more knowledge and expertise. I am proud of the coording progress I have already made in such a short period of time!

When you joined the fashion, what was the most active online community?

Facebook and Instagram; I joined in 2023 so by that point, the LiveJournal community was already sort of dead.

What is something that was popular when you joined, but isn’t any more?

I think casual coording is super popular right now. I see many blouse-less coords on Instagram lately and I love it. Especially here in Arizona, it is too hot to always be wearing a blouse. It is nice to see this has become more socially accepted.

What was the most popular ‘look’/substyle when you joined?

Sweet is still the most popular, in the community as a whole and in my local scene.

What was the least popular ‘look’/substyle when you joined?

Personally I think old-school and classic are less popular right now in the overall community. In the Arizona comm, gothic is not very popular. I simply cannot imagine why † ཐི❤︎ཋྀ † So I guess you can say I am my comm's "go-to goth".

Have you noticed a change in the community’s values/beliefs since you joined (this could be related to the fashion like the community stance on replicas or to ‘politics’ like more open conversations on discrimination)?

It is too soon to say. In the half-year I have been wearing lolita, I do not think much has changed in the community's beliefs. I do see more and more lolitas posting advocacy for marginalized groups on their lolita-specific Instagram accounts. It actually makes sense; the fashion itself is a feminist movement. I hope this trend continues.

What is a current lolita goal you have?

I have so many ㅠ_ㅠ But a main one at the current moment is to build a classic capsule wardrobe. So far I only have one coord, sans legwear. I will return to this goal when my no-buy is over.

How has wearing lolita changed you or your lifestyle?

(TW/CW: ED, disordered eating, mental health) I do not mean to get too personal on this blog, but in some ways lolita has improved and harmed my self-image. I am always someone who feels better about myself when I feel pretty. So lolita has helped me with that in many ways. Coming home from a long day at the office to throw on a frilly dress and a silly headpiece just to sit on the couch with my roommate's cats is one of my life's simplest pleasures. Conversely, being a plus-size lolita has done a lot of harm to my perception of my body. I have always struggled with my weight but wearing lolita has triggered some old disordered eating habits as majority of my gothic favorite brands do not cater to my size. Does that make me any less of a lolita? Hell no. Am I working with a therapist to combat these negative thoughts? Hell yes. Should you seek care if you too find yourself struggling with negative self-image? Yes to infinity!

What is one piece of advice you wish you could give to every new lolita?

When reading the measurements of a garment, understand that you will need to be at least 3~4 cm less than the maximum if you want it to fit comfortably and be able to move. If a dress bust is a maximum of 100 cm and your bust IS 100 cm, baby you do not fit :( This is the dress's problem, not you; how dare that dress! This may seem obvious to some, but I have beans for brains.

Wardrobe ♡

How many main pieces do you own?

17! Two of the dresses do not fit thought and I am planning to bring them to the next swap meet. So if those two do not count, then 15.

Outside of main pieces, what do you own the most of?

Headpieces and legwear. As it should be! A goth can never have too many lacy tights.

What is your favorite brand?

My favorite brand that I wear the most often is Atelier Pierrot. My favorite jewelry brand is Néant Glass. And my favorite brands for their aesthetic are Moi-même-Moitié and Antique BeasT.

Do you prefer shopping from Japanese, Chinese, Western or other brands for your main pieces?

I don't really have a preference, it just depends on what I need to buy. I do prefer the designs of Japanese brands more than Western brands.

Where do you do most of your shopping/do you buy more new or second-hand?

I prefer to buy new in general. But I noticed I tend to buy my main pieces and bags second-hand and almost everything else new. I buy majority of my things second-hand from Closet Child and Lace Market and new items from Wunderwelt and Atelier Pierrot's international website (as they are a retailer for many brands).

How many dream dresses do you have (and how many have you found?)

I currently only own one of my dream dresses, Ista Mori Nameless Poem OP. I have many other dream dresses but none of them would fit me at my current size, so I just admire them from afar ~ I am still on the hunt for

Gothic dream dresses:

• Krad Lanrete Transilvania Moonlight JSK
• Moi-même- Moitié Rose Cross Shirred OP
• Physical Drop Organdy Babydoll OP
• Innocent World Pearskin Doll Tiered JSK (in black)
• Haenuli Stained Glass: Saint Vitus JSK

Classic dream dresses (all Innocent World):

• Heart Rose Shirring JSK
• Antique Bouquet High Waist JSK
• Violets Inside Mansions High Waist JSK
• Maiden's Rose Garden Cross Ribbon JSK
• Lucienne JSK

Have you ever had anything custom-made for you?

Yes, way back when I bought my first dress I did commission an Etsy artist to make me a custom rectangle headdress to match. I still have it to this day. I also own an Antique BeasT bolero that I had Yuuki custom size to fit. Contrary to what her website says, she can actually custom size any of her pieces (her site says she can only change a measurement -/+ 5cm).

What was the most expensive item you’ve bought?

Probably Enchantlic Enchantilly Rose Castle ~Invitation From The Duke of Bat~ OP. I bought the re-release brand new for $325.

Personal ♡

How would you describe your own personal style?

Vampiric, romantic, lots of black, white, and bordeaux. With some Victorian influences and Catholic elements.

What are your favorite colors to wear?

Black, white, any shade of red (but especially bordeaux), and silver.

What is your favorite piece of clothing you own (at the moment?)

Angelic Pretty Lacy Princess JSK in black. It makes me feel like a princess.

How do you wash your clothes: machine, by hand, dry clean only?

Depends on the item but dresses I hand wash, almost everything else by machine.

When/where do you usually wear lolita fashion (outside of quarantine) Are you comfortable wearing lolita alone?

I am not comfortable wearing lolita to medical appointments or work, but almost everywhere else I wear it. I am comfortable wearing lolita alone, but it also depends on where I am going.

Does your interest in lolita influence your non-lolita clothes/home decor/hobbies.. Etc?

Oh yes absolutely! I have begin to lolify my bedroom to match my dark aesthetic. Before I started wearing lolita, I wore goth fashion. New ideas I get for gothic lolita coords create new ideas for goth outfits and vice versa. I also picked up knitting again. I eventually want to buy a sewing machine and start making things.

What is a pet-peeve or unpopular opinion you have about lolita (or the community)?

I hate to say it but sometimes when I am scrolling through Big Sisters of EGL Fashion (a Facebook group for newbies to ask questions of veterans), I hate seeing people ask blatantly stupid questions that could easily be answered if they did more research and planning. It always shows that they do not actually care to learn more and want an "easy" way into the fashion without understanding the context/history behind it. They do not seem to care why it can be so expensive, or why quality matters, or why you cannot just buy something off Amazon and call it a day. It is insulting to the fashion.

What is a current trend you love, and one that you dislike?

A trend I love right now is Angelic Pretty's all-over prints. I know most prefer their border prints (and that I do not even wear sweet!) but I think their newer designs are super cute. A trend I dislike is releasing sweet prints in black colorways; in my humble opinion they never look good :/

What is something ‘outdated’ that you wish would become popular again?

I wish gobelin was popular again so Meta would release something in it!!

Do you need to wear makeup with lolita for it to look good?

Absolutely not! That being said having your hair put together and makeup done really does change the look of a coord.

Do you think lolitas should behave in a certain way, or is it just clothes (attitude doesn’t matter)?

I think to a certain extent you should try to be nice to strangers when wearing lolita in public as this is a niche fashion and you walking around your local grocery store is going to be some people's first exposure to the fashion. Ideally yes you would want to set a good example since eyes are going to be on you regardless of your behavior.

How important is being creative/experimental in lolita?

Honestly I don't think you would have much interest in any sort of niche alternative fashion if you were not already a creative and/or experimental person.

What has been your favorite meet up or event that you’ve attended?

My favorite meet-up so far has been summer ILD with my comm. We went to a local tea house and exchanged handmade gifts. I made so many precious friends that day.

What is your favorite part of wearing lolita fashion?

Feeling like that rich Victorian widow my inner child always wanted to become. Also all the compliments I get from little girls whenever I am out in public.

Do you find lolita clothes uncomfortable, or tiring to wear?

As someone with a chronic illness, yes all the layers and the heat do get to me. The shoes can hurt my feet. My wig can give me headaches. My headdress or JSK straps might fall down. I still do it all again the next day.

Do you consider yourself part of a comm, or a lonelita?

I am a very happy member of the Arizona EGL Community! You can find us on Facebook.

What is your favorite ‘era’ of lolita fashion?

OTT sweet era was when I first discovered lolita, so it is nostalgic for me. I want the trend to come back.

What is your image of ~lolita perfection~?

I do not think I will ever achieve this (nor should anyone necessarily strive to) but to live the full lolita lifestyle, complete with living in a cottage or castle!

♱ཐི ʕ.•ﻌ•.ʔ ཋྀ♱

Love & Lace, 

The Curator ♱

The Curator's Lolita Checklist

 Hello my darlings ~!

The Curator has returned. It has been quite some time since my last post, so wanted come back with a short post inspired by one of my favorite old school lolita bloggers, Her Lumpiness. She wrote a post describing what her style of lolita looks like. It has been over half a year that I have been wearing lolita fashion so I think it has been enough time for me to get grasp of my own style. Here is a list of inspirations and preferences I have when it comes to my brand of EGL.

The Curator's lolita...

• Is gothic, classic, or old-school sweet
• Is vampiric (regardless of sub-style)
• Prefers to be fashionable over functional
• Heels > flats
• Consists of mainly offbrand dresses paired with brand accessories
• Likes to follow traditional "rules" of lolita coording (do not fix what is not broke!)
• Has long nails (claws perhaps, who needs to type?)
• Shows off her brand items because she is proud of her collection
• Has everything in her purse because you never know what you might need
• Wears glasses chains with (almost) every coord
• Always wears bloomers (even in Arizona heat)
• Finds inspiration through fashion history & historical films
• Short-sleeve blouses & boleros > long-sleeve blouses
• Likes to make a statement through the structure of a garment versus the print
• Wears long pendant necklaces, silly statement earrings, and lots of chunky rings
• Believes a look is never complete without hair and makeup done (at least minimally)
• Knitwear > jackets

♱ཐི ʕ.•ﻌ•.ʔ ཋྀ♱

Love & Lace,

♱ Curator ♱

One Frock, Four Seasons - Rose Castle ~Invitation From The Duke Of Bat~ OP

I own the Enchantlic Enchantilly Rose Castle ~Invitation From The Duke of Bat~ OP. Now try saying that five times fast! It is my favorite dress I own right now (but I do not own many dresses to begin with haha). It is a empire-waist, 110 cm bust OP with short puff sleeves. It is perfect for plus-size gothic lolitas like myself! 

The waist ties are detachable and can be tied in the back. There are neck ties that can be either tied like in the photo below or tucked into the neckline to hide them. There have been several releases of different colors, the most recent one in 2020 had "Red Night", "Night Sky" (black with a glittery waist tie), "Jade Night" (green), and "Blue Night" versions.

I love the all of the intricate details, from the roses, to the gate filigree, the castle tiling, to the lovely bats flying or hanging everywhere. The print just screams vampiric! Plus it even has a one pocket! Not sure why just one, but even one pocket is so rare in lolita releases that I'm just happy to get even that XD

Duke of Bat Skirt

Red Night colorway

My one complaint about the print is why does it only have one bat have a face? The bat in the center front and center back of the skirt has a little face and he's wearing a ruff collar but all the other bats on the dress are just... wings?? And I mean that literally. Just body and wings. I do not see the point. Was it too much work to give each bat a cute face? I would pay GOOD money just to ask the designer why they made this choice. I want to look at cutie patootie bats and this dress was not cheap!!

What a distinguished gentleman ^_^

A flying rotisserie chicken

I still love this OP so much due to how stretchy and comfortable it is. I tend to wear it around the house in casual coords. That being said, I thought it would be fun to see how I can style this OP for each season. I might make this a series with my other main pieces. Let's start with summer. 

♱ཐི ʕ.•ﻌ•.ʔ ཋྀ♱

Summers in Arizona are b r u t a l. It is common to get in the triple digits (in Fahrenheit, sorry Europe; get good). I like my gothic lolita to be vintage inspired and vampiric in a sense, so I tried to keep that in mind when styling all of these looks. 

Look #1: A Vampire in the Sun

Next is spring. I really tried to emphasize the roses in this print to bring out a romantic floral vibe. Spring brings rain and some chill so I added a parasol and a ruffly cardigan but otherwise kept it pretty neutral for rain or shine. I love how elegant this turned out.

Look #2: Strolling Through the Rose Garden

Next is autumn. I originally wanted to do a witch-inspired coord, but pairing a witch hat with a black dress is way too easy. So I tried to get creative with this witchy jacket and a different kind of hat to make what ended up feeling more like a magician's outfit. I added the La Luice Bunny Bag to fit that vibe. I actually really love how it turned out!

Look #3: For My Next Trick...

Finally we come to winter. I had to go with a full Victorian look, with so many delicious gothic-looking mantles out there. A mantle is like a long cape that was common during the entire Victorian era. I have been dying to re-create a Victorian evening look with long opera gloves, an elaborate bonnet, and a dainty chatelaine bag. I could see this person walking down a foggy London street, on their way to see the symphony.

Look #4: 'Ello Gov'na!

♱ཐི ʕ.•ﻌ•.ʔ ཋྀ♱

Love & Lace,

♱ Curator ♱

March Monthly Haul Round-Up

I am new to lolita fashion, so I am somehow acquiring pieces at an alarming rate. Part of my budget strategy is to focus all my spare funds towards one hobby at a time. But I also feel the need to "catch up" on all the years I missed NOT wearing lolita fashion. That sounds silly but blame hyperfixation! Either way, I purchased quite a few items this past month. Here's an overview of what I ordered in March, with links to each cause hot girls do not gatekeep.

♱ཐི ʕ.•ﻌ•.ʔ ཋྀ♱

1. Aurora & Ariel petticoat: My very first purchase re-entering into lolita was a 45 cm petticoat. I foolishly assumed that length would be correct for all my future dresses. However I wear gothic and kuro; majority of my dresses are below my knees (55 cm+) so I got this one to cover all my bases moving forward. I got this in black.

Aurora Ariel ~ Lolita Fashion 60cm A Line Daily Wear Petticoat = $30.99

2. Candy Sweet bloomers: I learned the hard way that rogue breezes will always try to flip your skirt in public. That bastard... Please take caution and wear some bloomers. 

Candy Sweet ~ Daily Cotton Lolita Bloomer Cute Underwear = $22.99

3. Xilia blouse: I have two blouses currently, both black. One is a long-sleeve, and the other is a 3/4th sleeve. So I will need something appropriate for spring, both in sleeve length and color.

Xilia Peter Pan Collar White Lace Blouse with Puff Sleeves = $45.72

4. Triple*Fortune Doll Bonnet: I went a tad wild with the hair accessories and neglected hats. TF bonnets have an immaculate reputation for being high quality and extravagant. I actually saw one on LaceMarket not too long ago, but I held off. It was purchased by someone else the next day. However timing was auspicious, as I saw this bonnet go for sale on Lolita Collective soon after. Suffice to say, I didn't think to hesitate again ㅜ0ㅜ

Triple Fortune Doll Bonnet: Black = $140

5. Twinkle Bat Designs Glasses Chain: I wear glasses everyday (irrational fear of touching my eyeballs). I thought it would be fun and very "Victorian" to wear glasses chains! I got the red hearts one, but they are sold out as of the writing of this article.

Twinkle Bat Designs Glasses Chains = $25

6. Marble Short Front Long Back V-Shaped Skirt: I don't own any skirts yet. I focused on obtaining dresses but now I have three; that seems like a good capsule amount. I do eventually plan on wearing lolita most days so having skirts will be necessary. I really like the design of this one, but I mainly picked it because it will actually fit my 96 cm waist.

MARBLE Short Front Long Back V Shaped Skirt = $109.23

7. Marble Lace Short Socks with Marble Satin Roses: Similar thinking to the skirt and blouse, I will eventually need some ankle socks for the upcoming spring season. I got these in black and in white.

MARBLE Lace Short Socks with Marble Satin Roses: Black x White Roses = $14.61

MARBLE Lace Short Socks with Marble Satin Roses: White x White Roses = $14.61

8. Atelier-Pierrot Lace Elegance Ruffle Collar: I will be honest, this one was 100% an impulse purchase! I really love religious motifs and I am desperate to make a nun coord. There are plenty dresses out there that can meet that goal for me, but almost none of them will fit me. I saw AtePie's Facebook page advertise this item and figured with a black JSK, I could make something "nun-y" out of it. We shall see! I was lucky enough to buy the last one in white before it all sold out. But I'll provide the link anyway in case it restocks.

ATELIER PIERROT Lace Elegance Ruffle Collar White/Ivory = $55.35

9. Moi-même-Moitié Cross Arch Lace Ribbon OTKs: Last month I purchased the Bodyline Charlotta JSK in black/white and Metamorphose Wood Ribbon Shoes. So I felt that I could mimic the look of genuine rocking-horse shoes with these socks. I got these in "white x white lace x black ribbon".

Moi-même-Moitié Cross Arch Lace Ribbon Overknee Socks = $44

10. Antique BeasT White Cat Headdress: Antique BeasT's shop opened recently. I already own this infamous headdress in black so I just decided to get it in white as well. That seems to be what a lot of gothic lolitas do.

Antique BeasT White Cat Headdress = $33.55

11. Antique BeasT Campanula Bolero: I am considered plus-size in this fashion, so I thought it was impossible for me to ever wear one of Yuuki's clothing designs. However my comm corrected me; apparently so long as you provide your accurate nude size (your measurements while nude) and accept the additional fees, she can custom make any of her pieces for you! I almost cried ㅠ_ㅠ I have been having trouble finding ruffly boleros that fit my bust and shoulders. Finally my search comes to an end!

Antique BeasT Campanula Bolero = $134.23

12. Antique BeasT Horned Lizard Barretta: I own too many headdresses and not enough hats. But it seems I also do not own enough little hair clips/easy things to just pop on my head before I head out without making too much fuss. I was stuck between this and the headdress version of this. Maybe next shop opening I will get that one too. But for now, I just got this. I love how it looks like a bat ཐི ₍ᐢ. .ᐢ₎ ཋྀ

Antique BeasT Horned Lizard Barretta = $16.78

13. The Black Ribbon Soft Raschel Lace OTKs: I love TBR. They are a great place to stock up on JSKs, skirts, and legwear. That is, when those items are in stock. Unfortunately TBR does not stock as often as I would like, so I keep those Facebook notifications on for when new items drop. I saw these pop up one morning. I love the old school look to them so I had to have them.

Soft Raschel Lace OTKs - Black x White = $25

14. Raspberry Mazohyst Cathedral Carmilla A5 Print: I am not going to lie to you, I just bought this to fill the cart. You may throw your tomatoes. HOWEVER, I love the idea of starting a lolita art collection and decorating my room with them. So this will get use, mark my words. I genuinely love this brand (I already own one of their famous chokers) and this matches my room's vibes.

Cathedral Carmilla A5 Print = $8

15. Moi-même-Moitié Hemera Sailor Cardigan: I am in desperate need of more cardigans and boleros, especially since spring is approaching here in Arizona. Unfortunately there does not seem to be many knits made for plus-size lolitas. Moitié is even worse for this (though they have improved in recent years). This cardigan somehow does fit my measurements so I had to get it. I got it in black. 

Moi-même-Moitié Hemera Sailor Cardigan = $130.66

16. Sheglit Sacred Tiny Rosary: It may sound silly but I really prefer my jewelry in sets. It just makes in my mind to pair pieces together when they already match. I wanted a pair of cross earrings and a necklace, but could not find anything to my taste. I do not need another cross rosary but this was the only set I could find that had matching earrings so I just ended up getting everything in the set LOL

Sheglit Sacred Tiny Rosary = $58.14

17. Sheglit Sacred Cross Ring: My favorite accessory is rings!! I love the look of several chunky statement rings on one hand. I only own two large chunky rings at the moment, so I got this in black to add to that collection.

Sheglit Sacred Cross Ring = $25.42

18. Sheglit Sacred Tiny Earrings: This is really what I wanted from this set. The cross is super simple, but I love that these have Madonna images as well; it makes them a bit more interesting. Got them in black to match the rest of the set.

Sheglit Sacred Tiny Earrings = $36.33

19. Sheglit Sacred Bracelet: I did not used to be a "bracelet person". At the Renaissance Festival this year I found a deal on pearl bracelets so I bought a little stack of 'em. Now I am kind of obsessed. I love all the little elements of this charm bracelet. I cannot wait to wear it. 

Sheglit Sacred Bracelet = $45.76

20. Thrifted cross necklace: My friend found this at a garage sale and asked me if it would "go with my lolita". It is honestly one of my new favorite pieces; I prefer silver over gold and I love religious motifs so it is perfect for my style!! So that would be my biggest tip to you all: tell your non-lita friends what you are in search of; you will be surprised what lollible items they can scrounge up!

$free.99

21. Moi-même-Moitié Bat Ring: I have had my eye on this item for a bit. I love gaudy chunky rings!! Ideally I want a ring on each finger, but I simply do not own that many. So it was no question that I would get this. I got the antique silver one. 

Moi-même-Moitié Bat Ring = $31.93

22. Atelier-Pierrot Ladder Lace Choker: I wanted more chokers to feel vampiric. Luckily the bordeaux version of this was still in stock so I got it!

Atelier-Pierrot Ladder Lace Choker = $25

23. Morun x Muuna Stoik Corsage Headdress: I saw this feathery headdress with a veil on Closet Child and just impulse bought it. However I really like the vintage feel to it. I think it would look very elegant on an ero coord. Unfortunately the Closet Child listing is now gone so I couldn't locate a photo of it (it is also not on Lolibrary). So you will just have to use your imagination until it arrives! 

24. Moi-même-Moitié Flocky Cross Lace-Up JSK: I am taking a bit of a gamble on this one. Per the measurements, this will not fit me. But given there is back shirring, I wanted to risk purchasing it anyway. Call me delulu but I just really love this print. Worst case, I can sell it if it really does not work out. But fingers crossed! I bought it in black x black. 

Flocky Cross Lace-Up JSK = $233

25. Moi-même-Moitié Cross Arch Shirring Blouse: This piece will definitely fit me. I am excited to have more short-sleeved black blouses. I got this in black x black.

Cross Arch Shirring Blouse = $116

26. Gothic & Lolita Bible Vol.32, 33, 34, 35, 37, 40 and Gothic & Lolita Ensemble: A member of my comm suggested I start collecting GLBs to get inspiration for old school coords. I think that is a brilliant idea. I got this bundle off Mercari to start my collection. 

Gothic & Lolita Bibles = $98.93

27. Moi-même-Moitié Silent Moon OP: I was reluctant about buying this one given the measurements, but a member of my comm who has similar measurements to me owns this and she said it fits her comfortably because of the shirring. So I bought it in black x white. The white x black colorway is so popular it is sold out, but honestly I prefer this colorway over that one. I fear I would get a white dress dirty immediately.

Silent Moon OP (Short Length) = $247

28. Moi-même-Moitié Silent Moon Tights: Got the dress, so I had to get the matching legwear. There is also an option of OTKs, but I don't own a lot of tights so I got these instead. 

Silent Moon Tights = $31

29. Moi-même-Moitié Crystal Candelabra Necklace: Remember how I said earlier I like my things in sets? Well I already own the matching earrings of these so...

Crystal Candelabra Necklace = $28

30. Moi-même-Moitié Coffin Lace Headdress: I could not tell you why I bought this. I have plenty of headdresses, but not too many rectangle ones. Especially not colorful ones (white IS a color, argue with the wall). So I guess that is why I got this. That or to fill the cart. IDK, it just spoke to me.

Coffin Lace Headdress = $51

31. Néant Glass x WireHead Briar Rose Choker: I am not exaggerating when I say I will buy anything made by Néant Glass. I saw their Instagram story about this collab with the European old school brand WireHead. Earlier in the month I already purchased a lace choker but what harm would another do?? I was about to secure one of the black chokers. I will provide WireHead's site in the link, but be warned that these were a limited release and are all sold out now. Both brands sell in sporadic limited releases and sell out VERY fast (I am talking literal seconds). As a horror movie fan, I love a good bloodbath but not like this ㅠ0ㅠ Make sure to follow eithers' instagram accounts for updates on future drops! I might make a post on how to purchase from Néant Glass in the future.

Briar Rose Choker = $42.96

♱ཐི ʕ.•ﻌ•.ʔ ཋྀ♱

Love & Lace,

♱ Curator ♱

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