Daily Outfit- Mori Monday

I found myself being homesick for the Overton Woods in Memphis where I went to school. The only place remotely similar are the Sutton Woods here in Norman but the trees aren't nearly tall enough nor is the community that goes there nearly as friendly. It was a nice day to spend with John though and a nice day to spend at Tea Cafe afterward.

My Personal Top 5

I haven't compiled a list like this in a while and so many new things have emerged that I felt the need to make one. Some would see my closet and view my person as very indecisive regarding fashion (mostly due to the fact that many people come over unannounced and see me in my painting clothes smelling of turpentine). I view myself more as an eclectic personality wise however my views on fashion are fairly straight forward. I have a palette that I prefer and a type of uniqueness that I admire.

 V- Bohemia

Despite this fashion being the lowest on my list, it is actually the fashion I am most commonly wearing. I do a lot of traveling and on a personal level I am highly influenced by the Romani culture which Bohemianism derives from. Bohemians in 19th century France were described as the outcast vagabonds and impoverished artists, writers, and musicians. Being a "Starving Artist", I fit rather snugly into the lifestyle of the Bohemian.

What distinguishes the Bohemian fashion from others is the individuality. The traveling dandy would incorporate things that they experienced and all of those experiences were different for other people. The palette and general style is generally the same all around however.

A love of the Earth is prominent in this style given the aspect of traveling so a lot of the colors are Earth based- browns, sky blues, greens, etc. A layering of accessories is also fairly common. Various stone bracelets and necklaces are added amongst the free flowing skirts and blouses to add a very shamanistic and gypsy feel.

IV- Rococo Lolita

The Rococo Lolita is not a fashion I have been able to experience yet but is one that I am highly intrigued by. The Rococo time period in which the artist expressed through florid and playful ornamentation. The Lolita street fashion quickly took hold and incorporated it into the style known as Rococo Lolita. These little Marie Antoinette's don on floral patterns, antiques lace and even powdered wigs in order to capture the essence of the Rococo fashion sense while still maintaining the doll-like innocence that is Lolita.

III- Shiro and Kuro Lolita

Shiro ("White") and Kuro ("Black") are by far my favorite forms of Lolita. I admire it for its elegance and its simplicity. This neutral style of Lolita can cross over into other styles such as Sweet Lolita, Gothic Lolita and even the previously mentioned Rococo Lolita.

Recently I have developed a fondness for the color white. The fondness, I admit, is heavily influenced by the beauty that is Shiro Lolita. The ways in which you can combine variations of white is very attractive and combined with the innocence of Lolita is very alluring.

Kuro Lolita is often mistook for Gothic Lolita. Although, it is more often the case that the Kuro Lolita is in fact a Gothic Lolita. However, like with Shiro, it can be fairly neutral.

II- Victorian Gothic and Macabre

Number two is a tie between two fashions that I adore wholeheartedly. However, they are more often not mutually exclusive so there is all the more reason to lump them together. On occasion though, they are two separate entities.

 The Gothic subculture made headway in England during the 1980's as a result of the gothic rock and punk scene. This particular street fashion is one that has a prominent lifestyle that goes hand-in-hand with it. The Gothic artform is a fashion that you have to encompass emotionally and personality wise to fully appreciate and embody.

The Victorian Gothic takes the vision and aesthetic of the Romantic Goth described prominently in gothic, horror literature such as those from Poe or Bram Stoker. These bible-blackened beauties wear a fashion inspired by the Victorian Era (1837-1901) with an added flavor of Gothic essence. Dead flowers and death-like, pale skin are a common staple to this fashion. Black, being the color of mourning and death in Europe, is the primary palette for the Victorian Gothic.

I have always been a fan of Macabre in both lifestyle and art. The fashion is very artful and is surrounded by the allure and mystery of death. I think, in many ways I can blame my obsession on the films I grew up watching when I was younger. One in particular was Beetle Juice. I always adored Lydia Deetz and had often imagined myself as her. Where other girls my age wanted to be Disney princesses, I had dreams of becoming Lydia Deetz.

The Macabre Gothic has more of a pull towards death iconography and in some cases even the grotesque aspects of it. Bones, blood, grotesque deformity, and mention of Medieval torture are common themes amongst the fashion and lifestyle of the Macabre Gothic. The Macabre Gothic can branch from the Victorian Gothic or it can simply be visually terrifying- Like something from an abnormally beautiful and tragic nightmare.

I- Dolly Kei

Dolly Kei is a recently developed street fashion currently based out of Japan. This is number one on my list because it encompasses all of the previous into one happy, unique little bundle. Through Dolly Kei you can experience the same effect as Shiro or Kuro Lolita by keeping the palette simple with black or white, be a Bohemian vagabond, incorporate the Victorian or Macabre Gothic by adding dead roses or corpse-like makeup, or add a powdered wig inspired by Rococo.

The Dolly Kei fashion was introduced with the opening of "Grimoire" in 2008 by the former Cutie Magazine model Hitomi. It bears its roots in the Lolita style but also shares an attraction to the supernatural and the gothic lifestyle. The shop

Dolly Kei works very similar to the Bohemian fashion in that it is very individualized. Dolly Kei is influenced by Medieval Celtic and Russian iconography as well as "folksy" textiles and eccentric antiques. It is identifiable by its jewel-toned color palette although sometimes a more pastel palette is used, and the layering of fabric and accessories. Some prominent accessories include antiques, florals and furs.

I see the Dolly Kei style growing in both ideas and in popularity in the upcoming years of fashion. In the meantime, I am going to continue to be a little hipster and get giddy when I mention it to fashion enthusiasts and get confused looks.

Happy Easter!

 In celebration of Easter Sunday, I wanted to provide some inspiration for some egg dying designs- Some traditional designs and a few adorable ones Lolita in me couldn't help but post.
I hope everyone's holiday is wonderful and I pray that this rain outside (which we haven't gotten any since October) washes away the negativity caused by the past couple of month. In fact, I'm going to go run around in it for a while. Excuse me :D

HAPPY EASTER!

Being Alone

 Mon-o-pho-bi-a [mon-uh-foh-bee-uh] -noun. An abnormal fear of being alone. (Photo by Diane Arbus)

This is not exactly a subject I like talking about given my circumstances. I have had to deal with anxiety and monophobia for a good portion of my life and things haven't been easy. Even now, as I write this, I am sitting in my cluttered, unkept apartment alone because my fiance works the graveyard shift. I often can't sleep and I just sit here impatiently until he gets home. Its not out of dependency though. its more a matter of I can't sleep because I'm alone. I get anxious and worried that if I fall asleep while I'm alone that I'll leave the stove or the oven on and the house will burn down or I will stop breathing or something will happen or I will make a stupid mistake that I can't take care of by myself. I realize that its ridiculous, but my brain doesn't seem to think so. And coupled with the actual experiences I've had of something happening while John was at work and the rest of the world was asleep and I couldn't fix the problem. These experiences only added more fuel to my overwhelming anxiety.

I had mentioned in a previous post that I was at a very difficult point in my life. This is because I am always alone. I have no friends here in my hometown in Oklahoma. Because of that, I am either with John or completely alone. I hit a very dark point that I couldn't do anything about except wait for that dark cloud to pass. While the cloud hasn't fully passed over, I have at least given myself some time to enlighten myself on how I can better deal with my situation.

Having no friends to share my interests with I suddenly found myself not interested in them anymore. Fashion was just a hobby and food was a necessity rather than something to be enjoyed. Art was a profession and not a way of life. Religion was just a hindrance and all the more reason to believe in my failures. The trees stopped speaking to me and I stopped speaking to them. The world around me became monochrome until all of my color was gone.

I discovered this video a while back and wasn't sure what to make of it. I admit, I cried a little and then I seemed to of forgotten it. One night when I was alone I discovered it again, as if the Universe was trying to remind me that "alone was okay." Because of this I am going to set a goal for myself to be alone and to embrace it and to be happy with it.

Morning
I am going to learn to enjoy food again. I am going to sit out on my balcony while John is sleeping after his long night at work and admire the morning air while savoring a nice potato soup and cup of tea.

Afternoon
I am going to take myself out on a date. I don't care where. I'll probably just go on a walk and find a nice, secluded area away from people where I can sketch. I'm going to try and not worry about what strangers will think or even acknowledge the fact that I'm alone. I'm not going to think about how I have no friends to share my interests with- be it art or Lolita.

Evening
When I get home to spent the evening with John, I'm not even going to mention the fact that I was alone all day because being alone won't matter. What matters is what I learned about myself by being alone with my own person.

Some of you might be wondering why I am posting this on a blog that claims to be about fashion, food and subculture lifestyle. I am posting this for myself, firstly. And secondly, I am posting it because of the overwhelming number of Lolita's and other fashion groups who feel outcast by society because of their interests and appearance. Being alone is okay so long as you can be happy with yourself. Taking part in any particular subculture is difficult and personally demanding. Don't give up on it just because you don't have friends to share it with. If there's no one there, share it with yourself. You are your best audience.

"Because if you're happy in your head then solitude is blessed and alone is okay."

Pea Soup

I've never had pea soup. But I felt today was a great day to try new things. I went into the kitchen this morning only to discover that I pretty much had nothing in my pantry. In the back of my cabinet hiding behind the sugar (John never organizes the cabinets the way I ask) I found a can of generic pea soup. I shrugged and decided I should try it since it was there and because there was nothing else.

What I made was amazing. I suggest this to anyone who wants something filling and savory. I literally just combined a few spices in my spice cabinet and voula.

Recipe:

• One can of Green Pea Soup mixed with one can of milk
• Ground black peppercorns
• Mustard powder
• Nutmeg

I put the soup and milk on the stove and added my spices (to taste) until the mixture was blended. It took me a while to get it perfectly blended and creamy but by the time I was done it was the consistency of potato soup. Once I was done, I added more nutmeg and some thyme as garnish.

 

Back From the Grave...

Sorry I've been gone for so long. I'm was at a pretty low point and I needed to reevaluate a few things. I didn't forget about this blog although I don't have many viewers. But, for those that do pay attention I can safely say that I'm back and I have a few articles and fashion aspirations to blog about in the near future.

So, here is to a new year for me (starting now).

Daily Outfit- St. Patrick's Day 2011

 Daily Outfit:

• Hair- Handmade flower wreath (Hobby Lobby knick nacks!)
• Makeup- MAC Creme de la Femme
• Shoes- Earth Shoes
• Jewelry- Tudor Rose copper coin pendant, Large brass Tudor Rose pendant

I wanted to wear something casual today so that I can move comfortably from party to party. I can't do much with my hair so I settled on the flower wreath I wore at my handfasting yesterday. That way it looked special and pretty for the occasion. Although I sure wish I had a green Lolita dress for today. That would be awesome.

It looks like the batteries we got were messed up and the problem was never my camera. Luckily, I found my rechargables and posts don't have to be delayed until I get a new one! Hooray!

I hope your day is full of Irish appreciation and good food, and lots of fantastic green beer!

Happy St. Patrick's Day!

Happy Saint Patrick's Day! Today might be slow for me because my camera may have died. If I can get it sorted out I will post something more beneficial to read. But, unless I can't I hope your holiday plans are wonderful!

Colorful Wig Aspirations!

I really want to invest in wigs. I'm always toying with my hair and often thought that wigs would look strange but after seeing people wearing them quite well and often to the point that I couldn't tell they were wigs, I changed my mind. I'm contemplating something layered and colorful- very Scene Kid.

I have a few websites in mind and I think the wig shop at the mall in Oklahoma City is still open. I'm hoping to buy a natural wig and dying it the way I want. I'm considering using bird eggs as a source of color inspiration.

Scenery Change

I'm in the middle of redesigning Kemuri & Mitzu in hopes of getting a nicer, fresher start on things this Spring and hopefully getting a few more followers. I'm also planning on changing up the frequency in which I post new stuff (at least something new each week) as well as the content that I post. In the meantime things are going to change here and there as far as the layout. I have high hopes for it :D

In other news:
I'm borrowing a sewing machine! Huzzah! I'm hoping I can give myself a well needed crash course on making clothing. I'm hoping I can dedicate some of what little money I have to buying fabric at least once a month (At least until I have a better hang on it). Wish me luck!

How to Help Japan

 The World Wildlife Federation- or WWF has released an article from the Huffington Post listing a lot of the current relief efforts that anyone and everyone can help with. I thought I would spread the word and post a few of them here:

The American Red Cross
Save the Children
Japan Earthquake and Tsunami Relief Fun at Global Giving

These are just some of the more accessible ones. There are several.
Huffington Post Article

In addition to these donation sites, the BBC has probably the best coverage of the situation in Japan right now. I have been keeping track of it since early in the morning Friday because they have a live video feed.
BBC Asia-Pac

Currently, you can go to your local Salvation Army to donate toiletries, bottled drinking water (which there is a shortage of there), and other items. From what I'm told they either have an area for you to place your donation so that they know you are donating to the Japan Relief but you may want to drop by first and ask if they are currently taking some donations. Some smaller Salvation Army's might not have a donation center.

For those in Japan, I send my deepest sympathies and most positive of thoughts.

Handfasting Inspiration

John and I are having a handfasting ceremony next month. I have so little time to prepare! Luckily I have absolutely wonderful friends who are willing to help out. And God bless the internet for allowing me the ability to look up random pictures to use as reference for our Fae inspired engagement ceremony.

What to Look for:

• Faerie related clothing
• Something that incorporates both of our personalities (His Greek influences and my Buddhist influences)
• Unique Nature based decorations
• A color scheme to tie it all together

These images came from a rather thrifty little blog that I follow- Gypsy House Designs- I absolutely fell in love with these images. The gowns, head dresses and scenery are absolutely flawless. I wish I had an unlimited budget but, alas, I have to keep it as close to a hundred dollar budget as possible. This does give me quite a bit of inspiration for the wedding soon to come.

Twig Oaklyn Flewinia Thistlebottom, better know as Twig the Fairy,  is an absolutely adorable young woman who often makes appearances at Medival and Renaissance Fairs. She's been featured in several fashion and counterculture lifestyle magazines. If there was ever a place to pull small budgeted Faerie costumes from, it would be Twig.

Lastly will be our decorations and color scheme. Since the theme we decided on was Faeries I thought it seemed fitting to create some tiny chairs for our Faerie friends to sit in during the ceremony and reception. I gathered up a bunch of twigs, tree bark and moss and plan on piecing them together.

I was also considering making some natural terrariums to place around the church and to keep us company in the apartment later. I've already invested in jars, Now it is a struggle to get the actually plants to fit within our budget.

 After all of this, the main thing to do now is hunt down some fabric and trim to make my dress and John's tunic. I'm all shimmery eyed this month and I hope this glow stays. Lately I could use the extra boost of shiny. Maybe I should rummage through my closet and look for clothes to make over. That might get my head of of those dark, broody clouds overhead and focus more of the bright blue Oklahoma sky.

A Day to De-stress- Daily Outfit

It always feels like every time I get ahead, I get slapped in the face with something cold, hard and on occasion sharp and pointy. So, I decided I needed a day to de-stress. Just a day to sit, drink tea and coffee and read a nice book.

I started my day with an awesome rose milk tea. I spent the time to make it look pretty so that I at least had the satisfaction of creating something beautiful and simple. It made me feel good and my experiments with adding different combinations of tea with the rose made it taste just like my favorite tea at Tea Cafe.

I've been browsing around Google and admiring a street fashion movement called "Dolly Kei" and decided to compose something to wear from that using the random bits in my closet. It made me smile a bit when I looked in the mirror and as an added plus it was comfortable. It's also inspired me to makeover my coat. Most of the buttons have fallen off so I'm going to seize the opportunity to go to a junk shop or art supply shop and buy unique buttons and pins. I'm also thinking of adding trim around the sleeves and bottom rim of the coat. I might even add a layer of patterned fabric to the inside. That sounds nice. I should post my progress soon.

I spent the afternoon at Brandy Park (better known as "The Duck Pond") and listened to the geese yell at passing cars who were playing loud music. Hence "The geese disapprove of your choice in musical aesthetic." I doodled for a little while before deciding on walking back to the apartment. John and I kept an eye out for random nuts and bolts that we can incorporate in our costume or props for the Steampunk con and then he treated me to Spaghetti-O's. Best. Day. Ever.