Lolita blog Carnival: Fall meet up ideas

Harry Potter meet in Viapor fortress or Tavast Castle

Finland has some amazing castles that would work amazingly for a meet up like this. My favorites for Potter themed meet up would be either Viapor in Helsinki, with its cafes and tunnels giving lovely opportunities for both photo's and dining, or Tavast castle in Hämeenlinna with amazing architecture.

Leaf picnic (with a quick getaway cafe if there should be rain)

The city I live in has this big amazing park area with all sorts of trees and lakes and perfect little nooks for picnics. And now that it is autumn it is filled with the most beautiful colours. So I had this idea about a picnic on a glorious sunny autumn day themed after the autumn colours. Guest would wear said colours while having steaming hot tea and hardy sandwiches among the gloriously golden trees, maybe even enjoying the water organ show when the evening falls. And if it should rain there are the cafes at the docks nearby.

Autumn Accessories sewing bee and tea

There is nothing nicer than adding the new season to your wardrobe and what better way to do it than a little sewing bee with your best friends. Or crafting bee. Personally I'd love to have a beret decorating meet up but haven't had the time to organize on this year but I will keep the idea in mind for future reference.

Other participants

Poppy Noir
Vanilla Bear

Quick and cute: Moomin, welcome to moomin valley game.

As you all probably know I love Moomins. So imagine my excitement when I found a Moomin sim game for my smart phone. It's really cute and quite fun to play and I thought maybe there are some readers in my blog who'd be equally enthusiastic.



The style of the game is reminiscent of Tove Jansson's comics but I am not quite sure if it's directly lifted from them. Whichever, it's very nostalgic and cute. Playing is very easy and quite fun. The game is available in Play Store on android for free though there are some adds in the game and you can buy rubies to expand your valley more quickly but so far I haven't done that.

In the game you can decorate the valley and the moomin house. By decorating you get more items you can use to expand the valley and decorate more. You can also visit Moomin's friends which gives you more shells, party items and characters for your valley.

Over all the game is very cute and starts very quickly which kinda made me hooked after just a few minutes but it slows down significantly at the higher levels and becomes a bit more challenging. The activities the characters can do are well chosen and the animations are cute. If you like charming little mobile games this is definitely a good one.

Madame Parapluie

For the love of Tartan

I love tartan. I have loved it for quite some time and people who have known me the longest know this.  I feel it is a very classic, subdued, ladylike pattern event though it in our modern times has some punk connotations. 

With this said it is obvious that my wardrobe has a lot of tartan. I counted at least 11 tartan pieces ranging from dresses to blouses to scarves. One of my dreams is to have a coordinate made entirely of tartans but I am still missing shoes, a bag and hat so it's a long way of. 

This is my newest plaid or tartan dress. It's from Excentrique (my first Excentrique dress too!) and I love it. The hem is quite narrow making it perfect for shopping or having a casual tea time at The Ounce. It also came with a waist cincher which will likely go unused as I am not a big fan of corsets at this point of my life, but we'll see.

This is one of my hand made tartan dresses and it features my possibly favorite tartan, which is the black watch. The pattern has military history I find the colours very regal and strong though in this dress a made them a bit more feminine with the addition of the lace applique.

And of course I own a kilt. I wear it on my more casual days when petticoats just feel like hell. I love the colours in this piece and own a blouse in the same pattern. 

What  are your favorite pattern's dear readers? Do share in the comments as I'd love to hear if you love flowers or polka dots or tartan like me.

Madame Parapluie 

Autumn aesthetic

This autumn finds me inspired by witches(especially Slytherin witches) and vampires. My inspiration for gothic lolita has been back in a big way for some time now even though I still love classic too. Now I just have closet of two tales. On the one side we have the gothic vampire lady with silks, velvets and brocade and on the other the preppy, sort of snooty Slytherin witch with wools, tartans and little bit of quirkiness.

something gothic this way comes by mimielizabetha featuring home wall decor

The gothic side of my wardrobe is as always inspired by vampires and gothic romance. This year I am especially in love with Carmilla by Sheridan le Fanu and I hope it shows atleast a little bit in my wardrobe. Another big inspiration has been the new Guillermo del Toro movie, The Crimson Peak which I cannot wait to see. 

Little bit of Slytherin by mimielizabetha featuring Vivienne Westwood

Even the more classic side of my wardrobe is a bit darker again. I do love black dresses with white collars, being a Wednesday Addams fangirl at heart. As I pointed out in an earlier post my Potterheadedness has also returned with a vengeance and I love to add a little touch of Slytherin to my outfits.  Other than that after rewatching Gossip girl (I love the devious Blair Waldorf) I have also fallen in love with a slight preppy look and hope add that to my style as well. It feels so put together and chic. 

What are your ideas for this autumn, dear reader? Tell me in the comments.

Madame Parapluie

Inspired by: Harry Potter

Autumn is quickly approaching and my love for Harry Potter is once again rekindled by the most magical of seasons. So naturally I thought it might be fun to make one of these inspired by-things about my favourite book series.

I have loved Harry Potter since I was eleven and my elementary school teacher (who's name I have happily forgotten) started reading the first book to my class. Soon I was demanding the books for assorted Christmas, birthday and "hey I don't like to be stuck at the summer cabin for months"- presents.

Ever since those golden days Harry Potter has been a big inspiration in my life (I have even written fanfiction stories which I call  "The thing that will never be published") and naturally I have worn some Harry Potter inspired coordinates over the years and await wearing many more in the years to come. Here are just a few ideas I might utilize when the time comes.

House pride makes a good start

My Hogwarts house. according to Pottermore and assorted internet quizzes is the noble house of Salazar Slytherin, so naturally my house pride outfit is inspired by the cunning, ambitious, Slytherins. The method I used to make this coordinate will however work on any of the houses.

 I suggest a splash of the house colours, in my case silver and green, utilization of the houses emblem, in my case the often misunderstood snakes, and  adding some unique things to reflect your style. 

In this case as pointed above I used Slytherin colours and emblem and decided to add a really snobbish umbrella to a relatively casual outfit to make it bit fancier. I was also rather liberal with jewelery because I feel it would suit the Slytherin spirit.

Evil comes in.... Pink tweed packages?

Yes this was inspired by Dolores Umbridge. Yes she is a nasty piece of work and possibly the most hated character in the entire series. But... I have to admit that she had a pretty epic style. Especially in the movies. Now I am not a very pink person but her look has this iconic flavor I just can't resist.

To create this Umbridge inspired coordinate I combined her movie colour palette with her book description. Everything is pink and covered in cat jewelery but she is wearing the cardigan and the head bow mentioned in Harry Potter and the order of the phoenix. I wanted to make her outfit sort of businessy and bossy by using a very tailored type of jumper skirt.

 Fandom is fun

Last of the outfits is the most simple. A basic coordinate with some fandom inspired jewelery. I do like these kinds of subtle nods to things I like. It feels so nice to know that there is a special little detail in your outfit that reminds you of something you love. Personally I do this sort of outfits constantly. It's fun.

Other ideas

• Add a house scarf or tie to you outfit. Scarfs are a darling addition to an outfit especially if it's a bit cooler.  Just make sure everything matches nicely. 
• A witch hat is also a nice addition especially around Halloween. It is a more costumey element and should be used on more OTT- looks. 
• Wear something robe like, maybe a bolero or  capelet with deep hood to feel like a proper witch. 
• Draw inspiration from the other schools mentioned in the series. Beuxbatons already has some very loliable uniforms for ladies. 
• Become a ghost by wearing something white. Ghosts are after all very important in Harry Potter. 

So these are my ideas about Harry Potter. What kind of fandom related outfits have you worn, dear reader? And also what is your house in Hogwarts?

Madame Parapluie 

Lolita reads: Queen of fashion.

Last time I reviewed fiction. This time it's time for a little bit of fact as we educate ourselves on the wardrobe of Marie Antoinette, with Caroline Weber's Queen of Fashion, what Marie Antoinette wore to the revolution. We follow her journey from the modest Austrian Arch duchess to the Queen of France and finally on the steps of the Guillotine. 

The book isn't written like traditional biography though the timeline does follow Marie Antoinette's life chronologically.  The writer puts the fashion choices of the queen in to historical context but is more concerned with the actual dresses and the evolution of her style than telling the story of the French revolution. 

Sometimes the text jumps back and forth which is a bit of bother but not big enough to ruin the book for me. 

Personally I like the way the book is written. It's easily understandable and nice to read and not too scientific making it a fun read for everybody.  I especially enjoy the descriptions of The Grand Mogol and the queen's gowns during the first phase of the revolution. 

"Exotically named  the Grand Mogol, in reference to putatively luxury-loving Asiatic grandee, her boutique boasted large windows filled wit displays that were designed to divert foot traffic from Palais Royal. With their artistic  arrangements of bonnets, shawls, fans, spangles, furbelows, silk flowers, gemstones, laces and other accessories, the displays set up a bewitching siren's song. Once lured inside, ushered through a door by liveried  footman, potential customers found themselves in a setting as luxurious as an aristocrat's salon." 

Doesn't it sound so much like depiction of  a lolita boutique's window displays and space? This is why I find this book so inspiring for lolitas. Our fashion was inspired by these times and the book paints them beautifully for us to gaze, with the help of numerous well picked illustrations that help one to imagine how everything would have looked. 

I do feel that this bookl isw most inspiring to lolita like me who enjoys the historical inspirations of lolita fashion more than the kawaii culture side of things. I find the fashion history in the book to be endlessly inspiring with the morbid details of the fashions of Guillotine survivors, the royal mourning customs and the idea of bringing a little bit of meaning to your outfits with well picked accessories. I even learned somethings I had not known previously. 

I could go on forever with how much I love this book but I shall just leave  you, gentle reader with another beautiful, if melacholy quote. 

"And so, shedding the ragged black dress in which she had faced her accusers, Marie Antoinette slipped in to her plum-black shoes, a fresh white underskirt and her pristine white chemise. To complete the ensemble  she put on  the white deshabille dress Madame Elisabeth had sent her from the Temple and the prettiest of her muslin fichus around her neck. She even removed the dangling black ribbons from her makeshift widow's coif, the result was a pared down ruffled linen bonnet as colourless as her hair. Paler then ever from her severe recent blood loss, the queen became a figure of pure, radiant white. " 

Madame Parapluie

P.S. If you have any books you'd wish me to review leave your suggestions in the comments. I am always happy to receive book recommendations. 

Lolita reads: The little white horse

Welcome to my new series where I review books which I feel are inspiring or otherwise interesting  to lolitas. Today's topic is the the Little white horse by  Elizabetha Goudgen which has been filmed under the name Secret of Moonacre (though there are quite drastic changes from the book).

The little white horse was first published in 1946 in London, England. It has whimsical fairy tale like style which makes it nice reading for lolitas of any style. I would compare it to Harry Potter which is no wonder as J.K Rowling has said she was inspired by the Little white horse. 

The story opens at 1842 when Maria Merryweather's father dies and she has to move to her second cousin's manor in Moonacre, where she has many whimsical adventures. The book has a pinch of romance and a lot of fun. The characters are intriguing and have clear personalities. My personal favorite is Maria's King Charles spaniel, Wiggins, who is both quite selfish and greedy but also a welcomed comedic side kick whose exploits always manage to make me laugh.

"Wrolf and Zachariah treated her now as an esteemed colleague, and Wiggins, though his expression in her presence was by no means agreeable, had sufficient self control not to give verbal expression to the sentiments within in his breast. For one he as not quite sure what Wrolf might do to him if he did and another, he was not unaffected by the charming sweetness of Serena's manner toward him."  

As the story progresses Maria begins to realize that not everything in Moonacre is as nice as it seems and it falls to her young shoulders to try and fix the discord that has ailed the valley and her family  since ancient times. 

The writing style is whimsical and easy to read pulling the reader in to the story excellently. There are even a few songs included in the book, which I have always found rather charming.   

A more fashionably inclined reader will enjoy the descriptions of Maria's clothes and most particularly her boots, which are lively and will surely give some outfit ideas as well. 

"And the boots she had on today were calculated to raise the lowest spirits, for they were made of the softest grey leater, sewn with crystal beads round the tops and were lined with snow white lamb's-wool. The crystal beads, as it happened, could not be see, because Maria's grey silk dress and warm grey wool pelisse, also trimmed with white lambs wool reached to her ankles, but she herself knew they were there and thought of them gave her a moral strength that can scarcely be over estimated."

The edition I read sadly has no illustrations but a quick googling has made it quite clear that there are absolutely charmingly illustrated ones out there. To me it's a bit sad that I couldn't find an illustrated version because all the styles of illustration I've looked at are charming and quite inspiring.

All and all The Little white horse is a charming story of girls just at the cusp of adult hood, akin the likes of Alice in Wonderland, Little Princess or Kamikaze girls which all feel like classic reading for lolitas to me. It has a bit of fashion, tad of tea parties and a lot of whimsy that most lolitas will enjoy. I can wholeheartedly recommend it to any lolita. 

Madame Parapluie

My new almanac.

I rescently got this beautiful almanac from Ladurée. I've had quite dark calenders during recent years so a light one is really nice fora  change. But this one is so much more than a calender. It has recipes, life style advice, beauty tips... 

The book itself is filled with lovely detail, like these pages for the start of every month. Some of them look like antique wall papers. 

The recipes are by Ladurées chefs and sound really delicious. I haven't had time to try any but I am quite sure I will.

My favorite detail has to be this cute macaron charm on the book mark. I think it's just the perfect addition to this almanac and completes its style. 

My only complaint is that the book is quite big and thus quite heavy and a tad hard to carry around in a smaller bag. But for everyday it's a very good choice.

I would really recommend this almanac for especially classically minded lolitas. It does kind of echo the styles of Innocent world or Victorian maiden.  It's elegant and gives some fanciful elegance to everyday life. 

Madame Parapluie

Gift ideas for lolitas, the internet edition

Artwork 

A piece of lolita related or othervise pretty art work would be very cute especially a framed piece. If one can't draw very well there are hundreds of artist online that sell prints or even originals in fairly good prices. 

Maruka illustration has charming lolita themed prints for even more macabre tastes. I really love the Playtime not Over-print.
Little tree sprout: Really cute illustrations of different kinds. I especially like the pencil sketch styles she has.
Imagine and do: A Finnish artist who makes charming colouring pages for adults. Also she designed a lovely print for Cloudberry lady

Tea or anything related

Tea is always a good gift. There is endless options to suit even the pickiest taste and any budget. And if the giftee has already quite a collection of delicious teas there is always a chance of delighting her with pretty cup or tea service.

Tea for All Reasons has a wonderful selection of cleverly named teas which would definitely satisfy any picky taste. Their Downton abbey collection is especially enticing.
Dammann Freres A traditional French tea house with very nice blends. My favourite tea was from this house but it was discontinued. The online shop only takes credit cards.
Romancing the teapot carries charming lace patterned teapots and cups. Their tea for one sets are truly charming.

Accessories

There are never enough good accessories. Jewelry, head thingies and anything small and frille will surely please any frilly lady.

Closet Child is the classic place to get anything lolita related, used and at a reasonable price. You might not find exactly what you are looking for but the selection is wide.
Lily of the Valley Charming jewelry and headpieces and nice gloves. Her jewelry is really charming and quite well made.

So dear readers! What are your best lolita gift tips this year? Any shops you'd recommend or any ideas to share? I'd love to hear what you have to say about this.

Madame Parapluie

If I were a goddess

Kaino challenged me to tell you what kind of goddess I would be so here comes!

"If I Were A God..." -challenge!

Rules are as follows:

1. Tag back to the person who tagged you.

2. Answer the questions.

3. Add a question if you come up with a good one.

4. Challenge five other bloggers.

Mari got it pretty right when she said I would be the Epic Vampire Goddess of Night, Moon and Starry Skies. I would also add that if you suffer from insomnia that's probably my doing. Why should I an All powerful goddess be the only one who can't sleep? I am also a bit mischievous so all sorts of pranks will be something my followers have expect. 

As a goddess I would ride a huge black unicorn with bat wings to battle every night to overpower the hateful sun and give my followers the calm coolness and soothing darkness of the night. I would also have a flock of bats as pets and messengers to carry out my holy orders. If I were heavenly pissed of I probably would stop the sun coming up (What? It's a star too and thusly a part of my domain.) 

1. The global warming thingy will kill lots of stuff. You get to save one species and have to kill another. Which ones and why?

I would save dogs because puppies are adorable and kill those nasty little bug thingies that bite you and make nasty itchy bumps everywhere. I think the English term is Black flies. I hate those buggers. 

 2. Ok, since you are playing god, make a prayer your worshipers would have to pray every evening.

"Oh queen of darkness 

Silent and swift

Slay the sun 

and raise the night

so those who oppose thee

will fall to dreams. 

Of queen of darkness
merciful and kind
My blood I offer thee
so thine essence will inspire me"

I don't know if it would do much help to you mortals though but no one can blame you for trying.I would. Latin might work better though. I am a bit fancy that way.

3. Nice and poetic that one. Now, any sacraments you would want to have?

The giving of the beautiful virgins to nourish thine goddess.

Making sure thou art wearing clothes of good quality and fit. I will not have shabby looking followers.

Wearing of the night sky. (It makes a very sparkly dress) 

Bringing of the night eternal and the end of the world

4. I like this theme. Three annual ceremonies that would be held to celebrate you?

The hateful day of the undying sun

This celebration would take the place of midsummer as it is the only day your goddess can not overpower the sun. It would be celebrated by staying indoors locking every window and putting on thick heavy curtains to keep out the noise of the foolish who celebrate the sun. 

On this day your goddess expects to be given beautiful parasols to fend of the hateful sun. 

Night of horrors and love

Set on october 31st  this is the most romantic celebration in the schelude as this is the day your goddess deigned to marry one of her most loyal followers (from now on known as the Darling one). Gentle mischief would be expected to take place but your goddess will be too busy celebrating her anniversary to notice much off it.  

On this day it would be good to sacrifice black silk dresses and other black shiny items to your goddess. And make sure their quality is impressive or else I might go back to my old habit of dining from Beautiful virgins. 

The undisturbed night of starry skies

The longest night of the year which I personally would decorate with the  most wonderful array of stars, comets and perfect moonlight to shine with the pure white snow.
This is the only night of the year that I would expect the sacrament of giving of the Beautiful virgins all though it is appreciated on other nights as well. If any virgins aren't available I will accept any nice gothy boots, shiny sparkly black purses and black lace dresses given that the items meet my expectations of quality.

5. Just in case you become a god, what sacrifices we mortals should offer for you for a good weather and such benefits?

I will accept Beautiful virgins, black silk, lace or velvet dresses, bejeweled purses, super nice shoes (black), puppies and kittens and books. Books are good but if you dare give me Twilight I will personally rip out your jugular. 

6. Since there are the five of you playing gods, check each others blogs and tell us what kind of gods you think the others would be like according to their blogs.

Caramea: I have nothing to say against her own ideas. I would just add the powers of taking away good lace if you heavenly piss her of and the ability to walk in any heels no matter how high. 

Rinna: She would be the goddess of antique lace, ethical garments and spending money rationally. Her  powers would be giving that little voice of ration when you are thinking of buying something you do not need, being the little voice that says that buying antique lace is truly reasonable and reminding you of the almost exactly the same dress in your wardrobe.

Asio otus: The lady of impeccable make up and super nice wigs ruling over the domain of poofy petticoats guarded by her guard turtles and the cat Baisy. Her power would be to always succeed in putting on makeup and poofing up the petticoats. She rides a giant turtle. 

Elfie: The high queen of the faerie, and the flower growing ballerina. Where ever she dances during spring flowers will grow and where ever she dancing during autumn you will see fairy rings of mushrooms appear. She is the kind goddess of growth and daintyness. 

7. With which god of the other four would you most likely ally yourself with if needed?

With Caramea of course. Our combined powers would wreck such glorious mischief and sometimes it's nice to look when the world burns. 

8. Since there are five to choose from to worship, why would your supporters choose you?

I'm easy to please and you get to stay up late. Also glittery black things and vampire fiction. I would also be willing to give you ride on my black bat winged unicorn if you asked nicely enough. 

9. Tempting! What rules should the followers of your cult follow?

1. Thou shalt stay up at night so thine goddess has someone to talk to.
2. Thou shalt carry a parasol at all times during the hateful day to shield thine self from the even more hateful sun.

3. Thou shalt not make sexual advances when they are not wanted or We thine goddess shalt become very unpleasant. 

4. Thou shalt wear garments and accessories of good quality and proper fit. We shalt not have shabby followers.

5. Thou shalt drink the absinthe the darling one offers thee for it is an honour. 

6. Thou shalt not bully thine fellow worshipers or We shalt become very unpleasant. 

7. Thou shalt engage in mischief against thine enemies.

8. Thou shalt keep our holy days and sacraments

9. Thou shalt not were a more beautiful silk dress than we or more sparkly black accessories. 

10. Thou shalt stargaze every week to appreciate our work.

10. How would you end the World when the time comes? Your take on the apocalypse?

I would wrap the world into the night eternal and look as everyone freezes to death with some amusement. Then I would swiftly judge the people to find out if they belong in heaven or hell.

11. Ok, the World is ending, what will you offer as the after life?

Oh it would be so beautiful. Everyone would look stylish and classy and wear clothes of impeccable quality and have proper manners. There would be nice things to consume and peace all around. Naturally the hateful sun would be gone and we would always have calming moonlight or serene starlight and it would never be too cold to enjoy it. Everyone would have moonlit picnics and midnight tea parties. 

Unless of course you ended up in hell where the sun will eternally scorch you wearing the coarsest polyester garments and scratchy underwear. The only drink allowed would be dismally over brewed tea and sleep would be nonexistent. My little demons would beat those fallen to hell with parasols and laugh as they do it. The Hell is of course for those people who managed to piss me of. 

And I shall tag the following people: Shena, Amy, Redtonic, ShaDow and Karakuri. Have fun. I won't add any questions. because I can't think of good one right now. 

Lolita blog carnival: Create your own lolita substyle

LBC1 by mimielizabetha featuring a tapestry wall hanging

Vampire lolita

Vampire lolita is substyle that takes much from gothic lolita, adds a generous dose of romantic goth aesthetic and mixes with classic horror movie glamour.  Wearer wouldn't stand out at the set of Dracula or Interview with the Vampire.

This style uses lot of jewel colours like ruby, emerald and sapphire but also black, wine and navy. The fabrics are luxurious velvets, shining brocades and floaty chiffons. 

Chiffon or lace blouses give just the right romantic addition to this opulent look and add a touch of vampiric sensuality to one's outfit.A slightly more decollete is recommended but not necessary.

When it comes to aaccessoriessomething with a slight macabre touch is really the best option. Vampire bite necklaces, black lace gloves and large veiled hats go with Vampire lolita perfectly. And of course no vampire is completely ready without a proper parasol to ward of that fiendish sunlight.
Shoes should be extremely elegant, somewhat Victorian and preferably heeled. Ankle boots, dainty pumps and full goth boots will definitely work.

As for make up dark lips and pale skin are recommended and dark eye make up encouraged. Inspiration can be taken from such femmes fatales as Morticia Addams, Theda Bara and any of the ladies of Tim Burton. (Well... Maybe not the Red queen...)

One can't really list good brands to buy items for this look but Moi-même-moitié will have nice blouses, most classic brands carry appropirate dresses along with Atelier Pierrot and Lumiebre has good options for the parasol lover.  Accessories can be easily found from the collections of Alchemy Gothic, vintage stores and Etsy.

Lolita blog carnival Facebook group: Here

Lolita blog carnival is group for lolita bloggers to share ideas through these posts and in our Facebook group. If you wish to join read our rules and contact one of the moderators. 

Other participants

Sleeping sweets

Madame Parapluie

10 signs of autumn, the lolita version

1. Closet child will publish its coats page along with the brand collections of coats.

2. One will find it is incredibly important to read Kamikaze girls again. (And thusly becomes inspired to wear old school coordinates)

3. Muted colours become all the rage once more.

4. Parasols magically turn into umbrellas. 

5. Suddenly everyone is wearing ankle booties. And cardigans or knits. With fur collars to look more cuddly and warm. 

6. Alice and the pirates releases the annual Halloween print declaring  the halloween season open. Everyone will buy a massive lace adorned witch hat.  

7. Summer sales are over. And the wait for the next lucky bag season begins. 

8. Florals will slowly disappear from the print circuit and get replaced by plaid, crowns, teddy bears, books or chocolate. 

9. The hunt for the perfect pair of gloves will begin.

10. Someone will try to host the last summer picnic. Sun decides to shine as during summer when ever there has been a picnic it has been raining. 

What signs of autumn have you, my dear readers seen lately? Feel free to add to my list in the comments or make your own!

Madame Parapluie 

Inspired by: The work place

So as summer holidays are again winding down it's time to return to the everyday life, which in my case means an internship starting at the begining of August. So as I tackled school in an earlier inspired by post I thought this time we'd discuss the work place. Be noted that some ideas proposed here are not strictly lolita but will incorporate lolita clothes.

I might also point out that these tips wont work for all fields. I have mostly worked at customer service situations in places that have allowed this sort of thing. Work places are different and if yours enforces a dress code breaking it should be done after carefull consideration and with subtlety. 

The added flair way

Add some flair by mimielizabetha featuring a metal wall mirror

 This is really quite a simple idea which can be done with any bottom one wishes to use. I chose to use a skirt because I don't really care for trousers. I combined the skirt with a nice lolita blouse and added a cardigan. I feel some lolita blouses are classy and dressy enough to wear in a work outfit even if one's work place demands a fairly formal attire.  To add more femininity I added a nice pair of heels and head bow. 

The Casual lolita way

Casual approach by mimielizabetha featuring bird home decor

This is  coordinate for a more relaxed atmosphere. It is basicly a very simple lolita outfit with some dressy accessories. To make it interesting I decided to keep it rather missmatchy with the red shoes and the lilac gems on the watch. It is quite clear that one should probably leave the over the top styles to lo9lita gatherings and tea parties, but I don't feel it's necessary to leave all your personal style at home.

My way

A lady's work never ends by mimielizabetha featuring wall mirrors

This is definitely something I'd wear to work. I would generally keep the petticoat slightly less poofy and keep a cardigan near me as just like in school work places tend to have different tempatures at random. I also like to have a watrch on me to keep my eye on the time.

General tips

1. If your boss informs you that what you are wearing isn't appropriate, listen to them and don't wear the piece of clothing in question again. Work is a small part of life and somethimes one needs to to forgo ones sartorial wants to follow a work place dress code.

2. If anything lolita is absolutely not okay, add cuteness to your day with a cute lunch box or small accessories like pearl bracelets or a simple floral hairpiece.

3. Some work places wont allow you to carry a bag so pockets will become your best friend. Pick pieces taht have those or hope you can hide everything you need to your desk drawer.

4. Choose simpler almost otomeish pieces for work wear. They tend to be more comfortable than more elabrote styles and less fussy to wear as well.

So dear readers, have you worn lolita to work and what was it like? Or do you feel that lolita and work should not mix? Do share your experiences in the comments.

Madame Parapluie

Inspired by: The little mermaid

If you were expecting the movie as inspiration I have to disappoint you. This about the original fairy tale which to me is very interesting and inspiring. I find the mermaid's motivations so powerful and touching that it almost always makes me cry a bit.

Our story begins under the sea in the kingdom of merfolk where these longlived beings play and swim and so on. The king has six daugthers who are taken care by his mother as the king has widowed many years ago.

The youngest of them is strange, thoughtful child yearning to see the wonders beyond the come her fifteenth year. For when a mermaid turns fifteen she is allowed to go up to see the fragrant flowers, birds and even humans.  And after a long wait it's finally her turn.

To adorn her to her trip to the surface her dear grandmother puts a wreath of white lilies on her head (each petal is a half of pearl) and orders eight great oysters to attach themselves to the young princesses tail as a mark of her high rank. 

To show these of on a lolita coordinate I chose a dress that reminds me of the sea. Of course a flower crown was a must to harken the crown in the story. Other than that I added shell themed accessories and pearls to show of her status as a princess of the sea.

During her first visit to the surface she sees a handsome prince having  party aboard a ship. She can not take her eyes of him nor she can leave the ship. And then a shipwreck accures. The prince is thrown to te ocean and the mermaid admiring his beauty saves him carrying him to white sanded shore where he is found by novises of a convent. The mermaid of course swims back to the ocean still unable to forget making her more silent than ever.

Her sisters worried about her condition which is worsening find out where the prince lives and take her to see him. This only makes it worse as she begins to love humans more and more. Finally her curiosity about them wins and she goes to her grandmother asking:

"Can humans live forever?"

"They must die as we do, but their lives a shorter. We live to three hundred years and then turn into the foam on the surface of the sea never missing our loved ones. We have not immortal souls like humans do.When a human dies they go to the glorious air beyond the stars to a place we will never see."

The little mermaid is distraught. Why could she not have an immortal soul? She'd rather give up her hundreds of years and live a day as human just to know what's beyond the stars. But the only way she can have a soul is if a man loves her more than his mother or father and takes her hand in marriage giving her half his soul. But this can never be, says the grand mother as she is a mermaid.

And she goes to the witch. She gets a potion to make her a human but it comes with great pain. Every step she takes is filled with pain which no one will she as she moves with the lightness of a dancer. And if the prince should not love her and take another as his wife, the mermaids heart shall break and she will turn into sea foam. As payment the witch takes her voice, as it is the sweetest in the sea.

And so she becomes a human. Prince finds her and takes her to his palace where she is clad in silk and satin.

The royal favorite by mimielizabetha featuring wall mounted mirrors

I chose dark red velvet as it is a royal colour and added a jeweled headband as reminder of tiara she craves to wear as his bride.

She is the most graceful of the prince's companions soon becoming most dear to him. But he cannot love her as a maiden from the temple lives in his heart. And soon he must marry.

A princess of the neighbouring kingdom is chosen and so he sails taking the mermaid with him. But alas the princess is the maiden from the temple! The prince is overjoyed but the mermaids heart is already breaking. The wedding goes on the mermaid holding the brides veil as they swear their oaths. She dances pain piercing her feet again and again but she cares not for the pain in her heart is greater.

That night her sisters, their hair shaved of come and offer her a knife enchanted by the sea witch. Should she kill the prince, she could return to the sea as a mermaid. If not she will be foam on the surface of the water. But she can not.

She flungs herself to the sea fully expecting to turn into foam. But her kindness is rewarded and a chance to win a soul is given.She is now a daughter of the air and as one has the chance to earn a soul by doing good deeds.

Daughter of air by mimielizabetha featuring anklet jewelry

For a daugther of air I chose a dress with a star print as they hope to find their way to the kingdom beyond stars. She wears a winged necklace as symbol of the soul she is trying to get and a crown to tell about her divine devotion.

For three hundred years she will do good deeds and then the kingdom beyond stars will be open for her.

So this was... different. Do you dear readers like this style or was this way too long? Please share in the comments and do tell if this fairytale inspires you as well.

Mademoiselle Parapluie

PS: If you wish to read the original tale here is an English translation.

Inspired by: My little pony: Friendship is magic

As the season premiere of the My little pony Friendship is Magic is rolling around quite soon I decided that this would be the perfect time to take some fashion inspiration from the most regal of all Ponies the four Alicorn princesses.

Princess Celestia

Princess Celestia is the benevolent ruler of Equestria and the princess of the day. Her reign spans hundreds maybe thousands of years. She is also responsible of bringing up the day by raising the sun. She is kind, warm, wise and has a mischievous streak.

Stylewise princess Celestia is very regal in a very comfortable way. Her colours are soft bright pastels and lovely radiant whites. She seems to be the universal mother figure of the ponykind and as such her look is very approachable.

Princess Celestia by mimielizabetha featuring gold home decor

For Princess Celestia I chose a pale white dress with pastel coloured blouse, bolero and stockings. To make her royal status clear, she wears a golden crown, shoes and a sun pendant to connect with her celestial charge. As you can see I chose to not use wigs so my primary inspiration were her colours.

Princess Luna / Nightmare moon

Princess Luna is the sister of Celestia who succumbed to her jealousy and was turned in to the evil mare of Darkness, Nightmare moon who wished to bring about eternal night. Celestia was forced to banish her in to the moon for a thousand years. Now she has returned and redeemed by the elements of harmony. Her duties include bringing the night by raising the moon and soothing ponies' nigthtmares by offering her wisdom via dream walking.

As the princess of the nigth Luna's style is darker and a good bit colder than Celestia's. Even if she is smaller in stature her presence is more imposing in the world of mostly pastel coloured subjects.
As the Nigthmare she was even more dark, cold and imposing choosing to wear armour instead of regalia the princesses usually prefere.

Princess Luna/ Nightmare Moon by mimielizabetha featuring an arched window mirror

I chose to do both, Luna and Nightmare. Both would were high heeled boots and a moon shaped pendant but show their differences with their other choises. To add to their mystery as beings of the night I had them wear masks. Luna's mask shows the beuaty of the moon where Nightmare's is dark, and twisted, a horror of the moonless night. Their material choices are different as well. Luna's dress is floaty light chiffon where Nightmare wears something hard, almost leathery.

Princess Cadence

Cadence or Princess Mia Amora Cadenza is the princess of Love and The Crystal Princess of the Crystal Empire. She is kind in a more youthful big sisterly way than Celestia. She ascended to alicornhood when she fully grasped the magic of love and became the adopted niece of Celestia.  In her wedding to Shining Armour their combined love defeated the queen of the Changelings and her army. Now they live in and rule the Crystal Empire.

Cadence's style is befittingly pink for the princess of Love. As an alicorn she is quite a lot younger than Luna or Celestia and thusly more normal looking as ponies go. Her mane is not a wild mass of swirling magic but normal like every other pony though as the Crystal princess she may use some gems to decorate it.

Princess Cadence by mimielizabetha featuring an oval mirror

For Cadence I chose a onepiece dress with a soft pink hue. She would wear a crown decorated with heartshaped gems and add roses in her hair. I also chose to include the crystal heart pendant to show of her status as the Crystal Princess.

Princess Twilight

Twiligth Sparkle is the newest princess of Equestria, once pupil of Celestia and quite bookish. She is not quite comfortable in her role yet and thusly not quite as confident as the other princesses. Her ascendance to alicornhood came from friendship and her role in Equestria is still quite uncertain.

As the newest of the princesses I would venture a guess that Twiligth would be a very classic princess, choosing safer option with the help of her fashionista friend Rarity. She would still hold on to a bit of her neat style suited for librarian and a student. 

Princess Twilight by mimielizabetha featuring a wooden mirror

For Twilight I chose a less formal dress as she isn't quite accustomed to her new status. Her crown is more of headband showing of the shape of her cutiemark. Twilight would wear some well chosen jewelery maybe on the insistence of Rarity. Her choice of dress is quite practical ( it has pockets!) accordance to her logical personality.

Bonus round: Queen Chrysalis

Chrysalis is Queen of the Changelings a race of ponylike beings with some added attributes from the world of insects. They feed on love and can take a form of anypony to syphon off the love of those closest to their victim. In the wedding of Princess Cadence and Shining Armour, Chrysalis took the form of Cadence to lead an invasion of Equestria which promptly failed as Twiligth freed the real Cadence ableing her and Shining Armour to defeat the Queen.

Chrysalis is the creepiest thing the show has thrown out so far. She is about the size of Celestia with holes on her hooves and a jagged mallformed horn and seaweedlike green hair. Her style thusly is quite dark with colour palette of black and sickly greens.

Queen Chrysalis by mimielizabetha featuring a round mirror

With Chrysalis I chose to go a little bit more punk as befits a queen of the Badlands come to fight for dominance of Equestria. To corrolate with her insectoid wings she would wear a dragonfly pendant and soft floaty fabrics. Torn stockings give her outfit some approriate edge.

So this is my take about these royals. Do you have any ideas of what they migth wear or do you just dislike this show completely? Is there other shows you find inspiring? Do share your thoughts in the comments.

Madame Parapluie

P.s: Nigthmare Moon art: Akili-Amethyst

Others: Sleepswalks