Finding a super rare dress

Today I was browsing through mbok and I couldn't believe my eyes when I found a super rare dress I always wanted to own! And with rare I mean really rare, not that Angelic Pretty dresses who are only "rare" because scalpers are buying them.

I'm talking about the Ribbon Ribbon Hello Kitty JSK by Btssb. It was released in 2009 and I told myself if I ever start to wear Lolita, I want to buy that dress. I even had hope to be able to buy it, because the advertisement for this dress was at the Btssb frontpage for a quite long time and I thought, if it is on the frontpage it can't be sold out. How wrong I was xD

But since then it was always on top of my wishlist, not certainly because of the design, but because it combines 2 things I love: Lolita and Hello Kitty.

A few days ago I found that dress on mbok, however the price is too expensive for me. It costs 45.000 Yen and even if the Yen course is better than ever, it still would cost 300€ + additional costs. I think it's too expensive, it might be rare but it isn't that popular.

When it comes to money I can be really resistent. I don't want to pay ridiculous prices no matter how much I want an item and how rare it is. I want to pay appropiate prices, that means I have nothing against paying a high price for Puppet Circus for example. But in this case, 45.000 Yen is too much.

How do you handle such situations? Do you consider market prices or are you willing to pay higher prices if you really want a dress?

Thank you for reading,
Miuko~ <3

No OTT outfits at Metamorphose Contest?! (not a request for votes ^^)

Hello my dear readers!

Today I want to talk about the Metamorphose A&W 2014 Contest. Currently the OTT trend is really popular and Sweet Lolita isn't the only substyle anymore that follows this trend. Classic and Gothic OTT
are even more popular today.

And for special occasions like such contests, Lolitas usually tend to choose their OTT outfits because they look most special and make you stand out more from the other people. But at this contest, basically noone entered with such an outfit.

Some examples of their newest collection

And I asked myself why. Maybe it's because I'm a huge AP fan that I always expect more overloaded outfits. But I think it's because Metamorphose has a huge "Old School", or should I better say, "Normal" Lolita  vibe. When I think of Metamorphose, the first outfit coming to my mind is a very basic one, where you wear a dark-colored skirt with a beret and a blazer. I think even if Metamorphose has sometimes crazy-looking dresses, it's just not the brand where you wear crazy outfits. Fans of Metamorphose like to wear Lolita in a casual way, in a further step I would even say it's the brand for Lolitas who wear this fashion everyday.

If you haven't done it already, you can take a look at the outfit contest here:
Metamorphose website
Facebook voting page

I'm very interested in what you are thinking about this topic? Do you agree or disagree with me?

I also participated in the contest. I don't know why but I'm happy that I can see my picture at the Metamorphose website, even if mine is the very last one of the contest ^_^'''''

Thank you for reading!
I would be happy to read your comments :)
Miuko~ <3

Lolita Level Up

Can you remember this old "Lolita Level Up" meme? It's from the "Parfait Doll" blog (back then known as "Lolita Charm") and from 2010! I can remember that I did this meme in 2010 when I started with Lolita but of course I barely had any 'levels'.

This is the original link to Parfait Doll: http://www.parfaitdoll.com/2010/01/lolita-level-up.html

All levels I reached within 4 years of wearing Lolita are bold:

LOLITA LEVEL UP

You've been to egl.

You've posted on egl, without an onslaught of 'USE THE MEMORIES' and likewise.

You've bought a lolita mook.

You've picked a favorite brand.

You've ordered your first item.

You've worn a full outfit.

You've worn a full outfit out in public.

You've worn a full outfit and posted photos of it on the Internet.

You know what JSK, OP, and cutsew all mean.

You've bought your first brand piece.

You know your measurements.

You know you shoe size - in American, European, and Japanese.

You know who Mr. Yan is.

You know who Mana is.
          +1 points if you know his band. 
          +2 points if you know his brand.
          +3 points if you know why he's featured in every GLB. 20
          +4 if you have a shrine to him in your closet.

You know who Maki and Asuka are. 
          +2 if you've met Maki and Asuka.

You've watched Kamikaze Girls.
          +1 if you know the real name of this movie. 
          +2 if you know who wrote the book this was based on. 
          +3 if you've also read the manga or novel.
          +4 if you love the author despite his criminal record.

You own a wig. 
          +1 if you own more than 2.    

You own a pair of falls.

You can identify lace on the spot.

You can identify an item's brand on the spot.

You can identify the year a dress was made by a specific brand on the spot.

You can name several different dresses or prints.  

You answer stock photo requests.

You mod a lolita community.

You decorate your nails. 
          +1 if you wear fake nails.
          +2 if you make fake nails.

You own a pair of rocking horse shoes. 
          +1 if you know their abbreviation.

You've made your own rose corsage.

You've made anything out of your brand dress's waist ties.

You've made anything out of a matching eco tote.
          +3 if you were the first one to do it, you think.

You know how to apply false eyelashes.  

You know how to pronounce shirring.

You know how to pronounce Moi-meme-moitie, or Metamorphose tempes de fille.

You know a reliable shopping service.

You bid on Yahoo!Japan or Mbok.

You've been to a meetup.

You've planned a meetup.

You've planned a meetup with catering or more than 20 attendees.

You've met up with lolitas while on vacation to foreign or faraway locales.

You've seen a lolita fashion show.

You've seen a brand fashion show.

You've modeled in a lolita fashion show.

You've modeled in a brand lolita fashion show.

You wear bloomers.

You know how to make bloomers.

You tell other people to wear bloomers.

You draw lolita art, write a lolita blog, or provide the community with some sort of creative services.  

You've taken purikura in lolita.

You've decorated your room/house/apartment in lolita style.

You've listened to lolita music.

You've learned kana.   

You've learned enough Japanese to read a magazine.

You wear or own circle lenses.

You've been called a princess by a young child.

You've dressed up a friend.

You've convert a friend.

You've been in media (television, newspaper, magazine). 
          +2 points if it's Japanese media.

You've learned a handicraft, like jewelry making, embroidery, or sewing.

You've become a lolita mentor.

You've attended lolita events at an anime or multi-genre convention.

You’ve organized or presented lolita events at a convention.

You've visited a brand shop.

Trip to Japan!

You've dressed up and gone out alone.

You're prepared for inclement or colder weather in lolita (coat, parasol, boots, gloves, other climate-specific items.)

You've learned face contouring.

You've made a lolita valentine.

You've got a lolita pen pal or online lolita friends.    

You have local lolita friends.

You know how to modify clothes that don't fit you.

You know how to dress for your body type.

You've been in a street snap.

You've been to multiple world locations of the same brand store (BABY Paris, BABY Tokyo, BABY San Francisco, etc.)

You've created a makeup/hair/sewing tutorial.

You've sold hand-created lolita goods.

You have your own lolita fashion line.

You've gotten a lolita haircut, style, or color.

You've mixed other street fashions with lolita.

You've thrown a lolita party/had a lolita wedding.   

You've dressed your child/small children in lolita or kodona style.

You've successfully cross-dressed in lolita style at least once (boystyle for girls and girls' clothing for guys).

You've lolified or made sure all the contents of your purse are cute (wallet, lipgloss, keyring, etc.)

You have a lolita pet (small dogs, cats, rabbits, exotic birds, fancy fish) or have dressed/accessorized your pet (bows or pet clothes).

You've dressed your significant other or dated someone who dresses in J-fashion/alternative fashion.

You've read Alice in Wonderland.
          +1 if you've seen the animated movie or other variations.
          +2 if you've seen more than one variation.
          +3 if you own more than one variation.

You've dressed as Alice or another Wonderland character in lolita style, or own Alice themed items.

You've made something from a Japanese pattern.    

You've found, bought, or made lolita underwear (bras and panties).

You wear lolita daily, or have gone 7 days straight wearing only lolita.

You have lolita calling cards or business cards.

You play a lolita instrument (i.e., piano, violin, harp, French horn... well any instrument really.)

You can translate yen to your country's currency in your head. 
          +1 if you can convert other currencies you shop with as well. 
          +2 if you read the news to know how the yen is doing.

You've sold lolita clothing online (secondhand, egl_comm_sales).

Your article or entry has been put into the egl memories.

You take photos of your outfits/daily outfit photos.

You’ve posted to daily_lolita.

You own a petticoat. 
          +1 if you own more than one. 
          +2 if you wear three or more at a time.

You’ve bought a lucky pack.

You keep a style diary or look-book.

You can put together an outfit made entirely from offbrand.

You’ve bought offbrand or non-Japanese brand.    

RESULTS

I achieved 96 out of 145 points

That means I'm a "Pretty Princess"
Only 5 levels to go until "Ultimate Lolita Boss Fight" xD

POINTS CHART

Adorable Admirer (lvls 1 - 20): You've started studying or liking lolita but haven't taken that leap of faith yet. Good luck!

Resplendant Rufflebutt (lvls 21 - 40): At home within the land of the rufflebutts and spilling frills from every edge.

Victorian Maiden (lvls 41 - 60): A classy lolita of taste and experience, who knows her way around the lolita social set.

Starry Celebrity (lvls 61 - 80): On page six of the lolita world, you've risen to the ring of the upper crust.

Pretty Princess (lvls 81 - 100): Lolita royalty, truly versed in the ways of the lacey ones, the lolita princesses have achieved a special level of enlightenment.

Ultimate Lolita (Boss Fight!) (lvls 100+): Wow, you've gotten over 100 levels? You're the ultimate lolita with unlimited hitpoints. That's actually a little scary...

Recent thoughts in Memes

Two recent thoughts about Lolita which I converted into Memes. They look a bit crappy but I can't draw and I even needed 3 hours to edit them with Photoshop X_x
You can tell me in the comments what you think about them if you want.

Thank you for reading,
Miuko~ <3

"Growing up" in Lolita Fashion

Recently I updated my wishlist folder on Photobucket. I started it around 2 years ago and I always added new dresses to my wishlist but never deleted some. But a few days ago I did and I realized that my taste grew up. 1-2 years ago many dream dresses were OTT Sweet Lolita like Milky Planet, Sugary Carnival, Toy Parade, Toy Fantasy and Milky Chan. But now these dresses are to childish for me. I still like them but I feel to old in them.
My only childish dress I own is Little Bears Cafe. When I first got the dress, I had no problem with wearing it, but now I feel a bit uncomfortable in it. I have the fear that I look like an adult who wants to fit in a child dress, so I always do my hair and make-up in a way that I look younger when I wear the dress. But I think I will never sell this dress because I love the print too much, I sometimes just have to be really brave to wear it xD

Also I realized that prints and especially popular prints were a big deal for me. But now I look for more special dresses which not many other people have. Currently I'm searching for a dress which is just one color but still have many details like many ruffles, different laces, a special cut, many ribbons etc.
Ok I have to admit I bought 1 abslolutely popular dress which is Day Dream Carnival, but I always dreamed of a pony themed dress which doesn't look too childish and this dress looks pretty sweet-classic to me, exactly the way I like it right now :)

Dresses I love right now (of course all from Angelic Pretty xD)

Princess in love OP

Symphony Frill JSK

Victoria Princess OP

Lace Lady OP

Did some of you also experienced a recent change?
Thank you for reading,
Miuko