Your suggestions, please!

Hello everyone!

As I've mentioned before, I'll be spending new year in Tokyo. I'm so excited! As soon as I leave Japan, I start planning for the next visit. I've a little notebook full of lists of things to do, see and buy that I've been keeping for over a year! I hope I'll be able to tick off all the lists, and do other things besides.

Unfortunately I won't be able to blog while I'm there, though I may update Elegant Poupée's facebook page now and again. Of course, I'll be taking lots and lots of pictures, as well as extra special care not to drop my camera after what happened in Singapore. When I get back I'll tell you all about it!

You can look forward to hearing about new year celebrations, sales shopping, brands, bands, Disney Sea and hopefully my first visit to a cat café!

In the meantime, I wonder if I could ask you for a little favour?

I really love writing this blog, and I'd like to improve on it somewhat. I would very much appreciate it if you could comment with some of your thoughts about this blog; which posts you have enjoyed, what you'd like to see more of, what in particular makes you follow this blog, tutorials you'd like to request and so on. With your suggestions in mind I'd like to make this blog more fun to follow!

Thank you all so very much!

See you in two and a half weeks time~

With love from Sapphira

xxxxx

Merry Christmas!

Hello dear followers!

I'd like to wish you all a very Merry Christmas. I hope you're having a wonderful day!

~Two of my handmade cards~

Here's one of my favourite Christmas tunes, with an adorable dance routine:

I hope you enjoy it!

Sapphira

~xxxxx~

Nineties Nostalgia

Hello everyone! Christmas is getting close isn't it? I do feel Christmassy but... mostly I'm having an attack of 90s nostalgia!

When I saw D earlier this year it brought back my love of Visual Kei, which had dimmed a bit since I became more and more into Lolita. My favourite bands are the "vintage" ones (don't say has-beens!) like Baiser, SHAZNA, Raphael, LAREINE and of course MALICE MIZER. Mana-sama has been fabulous since the beginning! 

Of course, since I didn't even know of any of those bands until 6 or 7 years ago, my experience of the 90s had more to do with The Fresh Prince of Bel Air, Clueless, the Spice Girls and losing my milk teeth. Still, Dionne and Hilary were pretty fabulous too! 

Looking at 90s FRUiTs street snaps is also really inspiring. I know I'm late to the party when it comes to reminiscing about old-school Lolita, but I'm not the sort of person to jump on a new trend (or revival) right away. Rather, I think about it for ages and finally incorporate it in some small way here and there. I like how 90s fashion had a bit of frumpiness to it, not as immaculate and shiny as these days. 

So with these various inspirations I put together this coordinate: 

~Rundown~

Hat- Vintage

JSK- Metamorphose

Necklace- Innocent World

Everything else- Offbrand

Remember Mana's loooong hair and big hats? And Kamijo's too! This is a wig, but I hope my hair will be this long in a few years. My tights were actually navy to match the hat. 

Thanks for looking!

Sapphira

xxxxx

~A note~

I would like to say a big thank you to everyone who "liked" my photo in the Lockshop competition. I was very pleasantly suprised to see how many likes it had received. It was not something I was expecting! I was so touched- no prize could be lovelier! Thank you.

Lockshop competition

Hello all! How are you? We put up our Christmas tree today- it looks so pretty! I hope you've been having a nice weekend.

I just thought I'd mention that I've entered a competition for a wig shop that's getting very popular with Lolitas- Lockshop. I wear wigs on occasion (for instance at the Brighton Japan Festival), and hair pieces now and then, but so far only in my natural colour. I'd really like to try brown next time, and I like the simple curly style that Lockshop has! What do you think? 

There's a lot of lovely entries to the competition! You can see mine here. Please vote by liking the picture! Thanks very much :D

Sapphira

xxxxx

Sapphira's Ten Recommended Anime for a Classic Lolita

Today's post is a bit different to usual- no pictures! Instead, I'd like to write a little about Japanese animation, and tell you about a few examples you might like to watch.

Although Lolita fashion is somewhat associated with anime in the popular imagination of the West, it’s not always the case that Lolitas are particular fans of this media. Personally though, I am! Japanese animation covers a huge scope of subject matter, so I don’t think it can be so easily dismissed as something you’ll not like, even if the more well-known series don’t appeal. With this in mind, I’ve decided to compile a list of ten that might interest a Classic Lolita in particular. Some have historical themes, others are more mature examples of the shoujo genre, and most include a lot of roses. Whether you are new to anime or a long-time fan, I hope you’ll find something to suit you. Let’s begin!

1. The Rose of Versailles (1979)

ベルサイユのばら

A classic, and my personal all-time favourite! Versailles no Bara (BeruBara for short) tells the life story of both Marie Antoinette and of Oscar François de Jarjayes, a character created by the author (Riyoko Ikeda). Oscar, a young woman who was brought up as a man, becomes a high-ranking army officer and also a favourite of the French queen. It’s very romantic and affecting, and brings this famous period in history vividly to life. You are very likely to fall in love with Oscar, as many have. I also highly recommend the Rose of Versailles cosmetics line- I’ve been a devotee of the Oscar eyeliner for over three years!

2. Gankutsuou: The Count of Monte Cristo (2004)

巌窟王

Dumas’ epic of adventure and revenge is transported to a futuristic world that is half-period, half-science fiction. The innovative animation techniques used to create the decadent world inhabited by the Count and his fellow aristocrats are alone worth watching this series for. The beautiful design, intriguing plot and a soundtrack which includes Tchaikovsky and Debussy will I think appeal greatly to a Classic Lolita. I still need to read the giant novel itself!

3. Rozen Maiden (2004)

ローゼンメイデン

The story revolves around a set of elaborately dressed dolls (created by the toymaker Rozen) who duel one another in ‘Alice Games’.  Although I feel this series to be sometimes lacking in sophistication, it has a sinister quality (enhanced by wonderful music from Ali Project) which gives it distinction.

4. Candy Candy (1976)

キャンディ キャンディ

This series is the cutest I’ve ever watched! If you are fond of 19^th century novels like Little Women, What Katy Did or Anne of Green Gables, you are sure to love this nostalgic anime, set around the same period. The Candy of the title is our heroine Candice White, a freckle-faced American orphan who often gets into scrapes but always tries her best.

5. Le Chevalier D’Eon (2006)

シュヴァリエ

A wonderful combination of the historical and the supernatural, Chevalier is loosely based on the life story of the French nobleman and spy d’Éon de Beaumont. The real d’Éon claimed in later life that he was really a woman, and was given permission by Louis XVI to live as a member of the opposite sex (the king even gave him money for a whole new wardrobe- lucky d’Éon!). In the anime, he is possessed by his dead sister, who was killed in a plot that d’Éon and his fellow spies try to uncover. Another one for 18^th century history fans!

6. Paradise Kiss (2005)

パラダイス キス

Ai Yazawa’s works are wonderful love letters to modern Japanese street fashion, and in this series great care was taken over the animation of the various characters’ outfits. And quite rightly so, as Paradise Kiss is all about the student members of an atelier and the directionless highschooler Yukari who ends up as their model and muse. Whereas all the other series in this list are escapist, this is a modern day series that I think any Lolita will find particularly relatable.

7. Black Butler (2008)

黒執事

Set in Victorian England, this series follows the adventures of the young orphaned aristocrat Ciel Phantomhive, who makes a deal with a demon butler. The appeal of this series lies in it’s mix of real historical events (such as the Jack the Ripper murders and the Great Exhibition) with elements of horror, the supernatural, comedy, somewhat inappropriate sexual tension and a lot of fetching outfits.

8. Onii-sama e… (1991)

おにいさまへ…

Another Riyoko Ikeda story, both the plot and the dresses in this series will make your otome heart flutter! Although the animation was made in the early 1990s, the manga began in the mid 1970s and the fashions seem to be quite of that period- think neo-Victorian ruffles, high collars and puff sleeves. The story is set at the exclusive Seiran Academy, and the plot focuses particularly on the politics of the school’s sorority. There's a lot of heartbreak- storylines include incest, lesbianism, divorce, drug addiction and terminal illness. Watch it when you feel particularly feminine and tragic.

9. Howl’s Moving Castle (2004)

ハウルの動く城

I always find that Ghibli films are so lovely, it almost makes your heart hurt! This list didn’t seem right without one. I chose this Howl’s Moving Castle because of it’s beautiful setting, and because like Paradise Kiss, The Rose of Versailles and Candy Candy, it’s also the story of a young woman growing up. In this case the heroine, Sophie, grows up quite suddenly and dramatically into a 90-year old woman! Despite this setback she also manages to win the heart of the mysterious wizard Howl. The story seems to take place in a lovely European country during the early 20^th century, filled with buildings both quaint and elegant, wonderfully stylish steam-powered vehicles, and very smartly dressed soldiers and sailors (well, there is a war on)….

10. Revolutionary Girl Utena (1997)

少女革命ウテナ

Another shoujo classic! After meeting one as a child, Utena Tenjou decides to live her life as a prince. At the Ohtori Academy she is unwittingly drawn into a duel over the Rose Bride (her fellow student Anthy Himemiya). The swordfight scenes are very elegant- to win one must cut the rose from one’s opponent’s jacket! You’ll enjoy the stories of school life, as well as discovering more about the legend of the Rose Bride. The shadow girls who act as a sort of Greek chorus and the imagery referencing Charles Rennie Mackintosh are also nice touches. It’s also a bit mad now and then, but that’s all part of the fun.

Well, that’s my grand list of ten. I could name many more that I love (Lupin III!), but I think these ones best fit the list. Dear reader, have you watched any of these? All of them? Have you any you can recommend to me? I’d love to hear your thoughts!

Thanks for reading,

Sapphira

xxxx

Elegant Poupée on Facebook!

Hello everyone!

I decided to make a facebook page for Elegant Poupée so that those readers with accounts there can easily stay updated. I'll post a link each time I make a new blog entry, as well as posting small bits of news and so on. I look foward to seeing you there!

Please Like Elegant Poupée on Facebook!

Thanks so much for all your support!

Sapphira

xxxxx

Casual classical lolita winter coordinate

  

~Rundown~

Headbow, socks- Innocent World

Blouse- Vintage

Jumperskirt- Jane Marple

Boots- Offbrand

Ah, I love this jumperskirt! The scalloped waistline is so pretty. I posted it before when I only had my webcam to take pictures, but now you can see it properly. You can click on the pictures to make them bigger! Since the dress has quite a mature appearance, I added a bit of cuteness by coordinating with Innocent World's Night Bear head ribbon and Antique Book socks.

My next Japanese lesson is the last of the winter term. We're going to bring in snacks, so I'm going to bring homemade onigiri! I'm going to make practice ones this weekend. I hope you'll have fun this weekend too!

Sapphira

xxxx

Anniversary photoshoot preview

Hello everyone! How are you? Hope you're having a nice weekend.

Elegant Poupée is coming up to it's first anniversary in January! I can't believe it, somehow it's passed so quickly. So quickly, in fact, that this blog has had virtually the same layout all it's short life. I decided that the time was ripe for a change, so I set up a little photoshoot at my house to make a new blog banner.

Here is what I wore:

~Rundown~

Onepiece- Juliette et Justine

Blue corsage- Handmade

Everything else- Offbrand

A bonus silly picture:

Expect the new look Elegant Poupée in January!

Sapphira

xxxx

PS Thank you for my valentine this week, if you are reading this!

Horns hair tutorial

Hello everyone! I got a couple of enquiries as to how I acheived the 'horns' hairstyle I wore on Halloween, so I thought I'd make a little tutorial. The technique takes a bit of practice, but is essentially very simple. I hope you'll try it out!

First you need to section off your hair on either side. I take a section from the top of my ear up to the beginning of my fringe. If you like, you could leave a little hair on either side to frame your face.

Tie the sections into two ponytails. You can see from the picture that only a little hair is required to make the horns, but if your hair is short-ish you make need to compensate with more thickness. 

Now twist on the ponytails. This makes the hair easier to work with.

Start to create the horns by wrapping the twisted hair around the base of the ponytail.

To make the correct shape, you'll need to have more hair at the base of the horn and less at the top. I find that when you have wrapped it a few times, if you hold the tip of the horn then continue wrapping the hair around the base the shape will form nicely.

When there's a little hair left, be sure to tuck the end into the base of the horn to hide it. This will also help to secure it in place.

Slide two hairpins crossways into the bottom of the horn to anchor it.

Repeat the process for the other side.

Finish with a light coat of hairspray, and you're done!

Hint~ Wrap the hair as tightly as possible! Once you have made the horns, you can adjust them by pulling the hair gently with your fingers. Before pinning them in place, maneuver the horns so they are as symmetrical as possible.

I hope this was useful! Good luck if you try it out, and if you have any questions please don't hesitate to ask. 

Degas and the Ballet: Picturing Movement

At the weekend I attended a Lolita meet-up to see an exhibition of Degas' ballet paintings. I had such a lovely time! It was wonderful to meet some Lolitas who I hadn't met before, and well as friends I hadn't seen for a while. It's been some time since I went to a meet-up; I particularly miss the chance to see and admire others' outfits!

I made my coordinate a little dancer-like with pale tights and shoes and my hair in a bun.

~Rundown~

Skirt- Fairy wish

Knit- Vintage

Everything else- Offbrand

Ballet is generally rather popular with Lolitas, and I'm no exception! I started to take lessons when I was four, but I stopped when I went to university. I do hope to take it up again. When it comes to exercise, I'm really not enthusiastic, but I love to dance! 

~Accessories~

The exhibiton covered some very interesting aspects of Degas' work that I hadn't considered before. Previously I liked the pretty and charming dancers who look so dainty in their wide sashes, and the way he captured the atmosphere of the perfomance. Looking at a painting of dancers waiting in the wings, you can feel the anticipation and excitement. However, observing the work on display, one can see the artist's development from these pretty sort of scenes to more dynamism and movement (as the title sugests!) It was quite fascinating to see how advances in photographic technology helped Degas to develop his technique. There were even examples of Degas' own photography! A series of three that he took of a dancer were particularly beautiful. 

I really recommend this exhibiton! You can find more information at the Royal Academy website HERE.

Thank you for reading and see you next time!

Sapphira

Happy Halloween!

Hello everyone! Did you enjoy Halloween? What did you do? I went to the cinema to see one of my favourite films, The Rocky Horror Picture Show. It was wonderful to see it on the big screen! Here's my coordinate:

Onepiece- Innocent World

Everything else- Offbrand

I decided to add a bit of devilish flair to a very classic dress with a horns hairstyle and deep bordeaux accessories.

I remembered an accessories shot this time!

Hope you had fun!

Coordinate with waistcoat

Hello everyone!

Guess what? My new camera arrived! So happy!

To celebrate I took some pictures of my coordinate.

I wore a navy waistcoat over the white onepiece I made for graduation and added light blue accessories.

I think I've used that exact pose before....

~Rundown~

Onepiece, ribbon- Handmade

Everything else- Offbrand

I got the blue shoes in Singapore! Blue shoes are rather hard to find, aren't they? I used to have a lovely cream and navy pair, but sadly I wore them to absolute death and they are no more. It was so sad when I had to throw them out!

I tried out the 'toy camera' feature of my new camera- I really like it! That's good, I can make my pictures look interesting with no skill at all, haha. Cameras are so clever these days. I'll be extra careful with this one!

Thanks for reading!

Osaka

Hello all!

I mentioned in a previous post that I'm visiting Tokyo in January- very excited!! I thought I'd reminisce with you about previous trips to Japan, so today I'll tell you about my first time in Osaka last summer.

I love eating, and Japanese food is one of my favourites! The first thing we did on getting to Osaka was to eat omu-rice.

The next day we went shopping. We visited the Big Step shopping mall, which has a KERA shop (Maria?), Anna Sui, and Rag Tag. Opposite Big Step you'll find Pure Sound/Maiden Clothing, which sells second-hand VK cds and goods and Lolita clothing. I liked that shop a lot! There were a lot of interesting bits and pieces to rifle through. I picked up an old LAREINE vhs and an equally old Metamorphose headdress. That reminds me, I need to wear that headdress again! 

~You can click the images to make them bigger!~

I wonder what the Pure Sound in Shinjuku is like? 

On the final day in Osaka we visited the famous castle!

The garden was so pretty.

I hope to visit Osaka again someday, and get to know it better. Do you know much about Osaka? If you do, please recommend me something!

Cambodia

Today I'm posting the last lot of pictures from my recent holiday.

From Singapore, I took a short trip to Cambodia. I've never been there before, and never thought I would! I'm glad I did go, since I was able to see and learn some things that were completely new to me.

The first bit of sightseeing was a boat ride on Tonlé Sap. 

The captain brought his cute children along for the ride! They were quite fearless sitting on the prow of the rather rickety boat, and made the ride even more entertaining.

The most famous feature of the lake is the "floating village", a village of houses built in the water itself, on stilts. I felt a bit intrusive sailing past someone's front door and peering at them! The funniest thing was the little floating pig pens; a sort of raft/cage attached to the house by a rope containing two or three little pigs. The pigs seemed happy enough, though it must be a strange life for them!

We also visited Angkor Wat, a huge temple complex. It was very impressive! We saw many of these Apsara ("heavenly dancers", I think).

These ladies were even decorating our hotel room! Across the road from the hotel was the Cambodian Cultural Village, an attraction that introduces the different groups of people who have been living in Cambodia. It's  basically lots of model villages built different styles (for instance Chinese). There were short perfomances put on at the different villages telling folk tales.

We watched one about a princess and a peacock! A bit hard to follow, since I couldn't understand a single thing being said, but entertaining nonetheless. 

All in all it was quite eye-opening and a fun experience. It's always good to visit somewhere new! 

I hope you enjoyed the pictures. My new camera is on it's way, so I hope to share some nice coord shots with you soon!

JM jumperskirt and camera troubles!

Recently I've added to my Jane Marple collection (no doubt destined to expand further when I go to Tokyo in January!) with this plum-coloured jumperskirt.   

~Rundown~

JSK-Jane Marple

Blouse, tie-Vintage

Everything else-Offbrand

While it's an uncomplicated design, the key is in the details! The edge of the bodice is scalloped, as is the hem, with two rows of pretty trim in a lighter shade of plum decorating the hem. I think I'll wear this jsk a lot!

I coordinated with a tie for a prim but girlish look. I used to wear ties a lot, in my more dandy-ish days! Since I have a nice collection, I want to start incorporating neck ties into my Lolita style. I know a few different knot styles, so please look out for those in future coordinates!

I'm sorry about the webcam pictures- not only is my camera broken, but now my parents' camera has given up too! Hopefully I can sort that out at the weekend.

See you next time!