mengapa bayar lebih? belilah dengan harga borong

FYI I have stopped calling myself a lolita now because some elitists thought that you are not a lolita if you don't wear proper lolita. I have a perfectly opposite opinion about that coz I thought that it doesn't really matter if you're wearing lolita or not, as long as your heart is into it, you can be the most beautiful lolita ever. Well, at least Takemoto Novala says so - or something close to that. But there's no point arguing with elitists, especially when they have the capability of humiliating you on social networking sites, so I decided not to label me and my seemingly ita clothes as lolita.

Among my lolita online friends, I was not even regarded as a lolita, mainly because I can't even afford to buy Bodyline, let alone burando (brand items). Somehow I felt reluctant to pay RM200++ for a single dress even when I have the money, because years of living in near poverty *hyperbole* has taught me to optimize the value of my money (i.e. "RM200 can buy you 10 pairs of discounted shoes" - Confession of a Shoessaholic Named Alice). I do have the intention to buy Bodyline, though, but not now coz I'm waiting for my next sem's JPA money. Maybe an OP, or a JSK. We'll see about that later.

Lolita is an expensive hobby, no doubt. One big item (i.e OP, JSK, shoes, bag) costs about RM200-RM300 in average for off-brands, and more than RM700 for burando. Even small accessories like headdresses can reach up to RM100 (the price I saw at i-socks. Ridiculous indeed). Fortunately there is another alternative for cheapskate girls who want to get into lolita but don't have the money for it - sewing lolita items yourself. Something that I've been considering of - for quite some time already actually. Unfortunately for me, I don't have a sewing machine and I don't know any heck about sewing clothes. Some girls have the privilege of having a mom who knows how to sew, but mine is afraid of sewing (hence the absence of a sewing machine in our home). But I'm not going to give up on that, though. I've recently learned that making a 100% hand-sewn JSK is not impossible, and when it comes to how-tos there's always sew_loli. Still, I need those sewing machine to make my life easier. *persuades mum to buy one*

For the time being I just stick to my current hobby - hunting for lolita-esque clothes, modifying/mix-and-matching them until they appear lolita-like. But having learnt from my past mistakes, I'm not going to call my 'coordinates' lolita anymore, coz I realized that most of my previous coordinates are non other than ita clothes. Didn't want to provoke those elitists, do we? XD. Though not 100% lolita (please bear in mind that as a Muslim I have restrictions, and I can't show my hair/legs/most of my skin. Yes there are Muslims who don't follow that but I'm not one of them), at least I can make myself satisfied by appearing different than other peeps around me. And yeah, need I mention that all of the items I bought cost less than RM50 each? Mwahahahahahaha~

One of my most recent 'coordinates':

dress: RM25 (bought at Times Square, kedai sebelah i-socks. The closest thing I got to lolita)

cutsew/pirate jacket/whatever: rm35

bag (not loli pon...need a new one...): RM20

slacks: RM20

Mary Jane shoes: rm40 (yet to be adorned with my hand-made shoe clips)

petticoat: handmade, material cost RM6

bloomers: need it for extra poofiness that the petti lack of. improvised from a RM10 skirt

socks: RM15...damn i-socks...

gloves (not worn here): RM15...damn i-socks too

tudung: rm10

total cost: RM196 - still less than a freaking GLP blouse!

(the featured coordinate actually received positive comments from several people, including my lolita friend. I wore this to a particular shop in city square selling GLP outfits and the salesgirl started treating me extremely nicely and asked me things about my dress :P)

Guys, I will buy myself a Bodyline. Or make myself a proper lolita outfit. Watch this space.

blackrose_bon odori!!!!!

OMG

OMG!!!!!!!!!

One fateful day my friend from the Diploma Kejuruteraan Jepun (her name is Shafienaz, thank you) started one fateful conversation. It was something like this:

Fify: Tim (kantoi name btol), do you know about Bon Odori?
Me: Of course I know that one! I'm dying to go there!

Fify: Wanna go there? It's on the 18th of July. Heard that INTEC will provide a bus to go there.

Me: NANI???????? (random Japanese words followed later)

I AM SOOOO GOING TO BON ODORI!!!!!!

It turned out that INTEC did provide a bus to go to Panasonic Sports Complex, hence saving my RM2 worth of bus fare (okay, so it's just RM2, but I can buy one ikan keli with that. Life is hard without allowances T_T). Initially planned to go there with Nemo and Fatin, but ended up going with Linda, Fatin and Oura instead (the two made a last-minute decision, while Nemo decided that a beauty nap is better than a Nihon festival).

By the time we reach there, the place was already packed with people.

Sugoi! I was like, am I really attending a Bon Odori Festival????OMG!!! It's been a part of my dream since, what, four years ago? And now I'm able to brag in front of my bro, telling him "Akak dah pegi dah Bon Odori [menacing laughs]". How sugoi was that?

Being compulsive buyers that we all are (despite the absence of JPA allowance money), we headed straight to the Japanese product booths. 6 pm at that time, we had like 1 hour to go before the real event starts, so might as well get something to eat. Or drink (not sake or Asahi beer!).

So the Sushi King booth became our first victim.

the RM4 crabmeat sushi. Jusco's was rm1 each, but what do you expect from Sushi King?

Linda and Oura. Linda's first sushi experience?

everybody say "Oishii!!!"

Food was okay, but the price turned us down. I would especially love to eat an unagi bento set, but for RM6? No thank you. Iie, arigatou (direct translation). One cup of ice cream can cost up to RM5, and two cute balls of mochi costed RM2. A bowl of ramen costed RM10 (yet people were waiting in long queues for it). I was dying for some dango and takoyaki, but there's too many people at the booth. So all of us had to do with nasi lemak for dinner (like, very ironic. You go to a Japanese matsuri to eat nasi lemak for dinner????).

others prefer unagi bento, but whaddaheck, nasi lemak rulezzz!!!

Apart from eating and 'shopping' (told you we're compulsive buyers), another favourite among us is to snap pictures with people in yukata...

sweet Japanese family ^^ awwww

we 'kidnapped' this girl while her mother went to buy some ice cream...smthg..

...And also with a Gothic Lolita (hello sister!!!) [note that at Bon Odori you are not advised to wear cosplay/Decora/Gosurori/Alice Auaa/Moitie/Algonquins/h.naoto Blood so as to respect the Japanese ancestors and their traditions. But the Gothic Lolita was cuuuuute!!!]

the gothloli's not at the centre. She's at the far right

cool plushie. Hangry or Angry?

And then, the best part would definitely be the Bon Odori Dance! We only managed to join the second part of the dance, but it was something not to be forgotten of. Fancy Parapara-ing to traditional Japanese songs? Then Bon Odori is the place to be! (You know me rite; that Parapara was an exaggeration).

hai!!!!let's parapara!!!!

It's a pity that our dance was cut short (very short indeed, we only managed to follow one-sixth of the second part dance T_T), coz someone (president of INTEC's Japanese Club I guess) told us we were required to go back at 8.30pm. But despite the short duration of our first Bon Odori experience, I dare say that it's one of the best things I've ever had in my life!

Who's going with me for next year's Bon Odori?

blackrose_alice and the jabberwocky

"`Twas brillig, and the slithy toves

Did gyre and gimble in the wabe:

All mimsy were the borogoves,

And the mome raths outgrabe. "
Jabberwocky by Lewis Carroll, from Through The Looking-Glass, 1872

I bet you are all aware of the classic Alice's Adventure in Wonderland by Lewis Carroll, and possibly may have heard of the sequel Through The Looking-Glass as well. For years ("Alice" was published in 1865) the bizarre tale of a girl's adventure in LSDland had adorned many a little children's bedtime story and had captivated numerous adults alike.

(No, I'm telling you the truth, adults do like Alice in Wonderland - Tim Burton won't make the live action version if it isn't so.

Freekin enough for a goth to love Alice? Not really. For those living in the secluded, private world they called Gosuroriland (me included - 'gosurori' means 'gothic lolita'), Alice is like an official mascot, just like what Marilyn Manson is to the gothic underworld (apparently he has his own version of Alice, too. Something with the word Phantasmagoria as well)

Now, you wonder; how can a children's popular tale be gothic, or even lolita?
For me, I view Alice in three points of view:

1) The Lolita Side

Alice is a Sweet Lolita. It's obvious. She wears blue baby doll dress with drawers and crinoline and frills resembling that of Baby The Stars Shine Bright. She wears Mary Jane and attend tea parties. And she's sweeeeeeeet.

2) The Dark Side

Four words, "Off With Their Heads!!!!"

Like, very grotesque.

And the Jabberwocky part - have you ever seen the 80's version of Through The Looking Glass ? That Jabberwocky was awesome.

And the poor innocent baby oysters becoming victims of the merciless Walrus? How gory was that?

3) The LSD Side

Mad Hatter and the March Hare portrays the best example. Surely there's something in their tea that makes them act like that. And the freekin caterpillar was very psychedelic trance. I mean, hippie (he smokes hookah/shisha. Hashish?). And you notice the whole surrounding of the Wonderland? You won't get all of them if you're not on an acid trip. Maybe Alice did take LSD.

So yeah, Alice in Wonderland, along with Through The Looking-Glass, is definitely more than just a children's tale. I know it, coz I'm Alice of Phantasmagoria. Man, can't wait for that Tim Burton version to come out! I just so love Alice (Liddell and Cullen-Hale)!