Category: fashion

Runway Looks, Lolita Style – Jason Wu

Fu (Wu)Manchu – Images via New York Magazine.

If you are unfamiliar with Jason Wu, he is one of the designers that Michelle Obama often wears. Also his collaboration collection with Target just came out and sold out (to the extent that a Florida couple bought the entire stock).

His designs are often very simple, but statement-worthy.  Originally I had planned to do a piece on Rag and Bone with their gradient hues, but I was blown away by Wu’s designs and the strong influence of Chinese royal regalia and Forbidden City (the entrance doors were inspired by palace doors!).

While most people may not understand the history symbolism behind it all, people can harken back to the pop culture archetypes of Fu Manchu (played by Christopher Lee no less!) and the infamous “dragon lady” (a sexy but fiesty Asian woman).

Wu’s power suit for the typical dragon lady.

As an Asian-American, it’s hard to embrace your culture without being a typical stereotype. It’s often like going uphill on a down escalator. Eventually you just have to accept your culture and incorporate it into your life.  Wu’s designs are solely him as a fashion designer and him showing his Chinese pride.

Maroon is definitely a color to use for fall.

Lolita fashion is all about breaking stereotypes, as well as embracing them. Qi-Lolita is a style that is influenced by the Chinese cheongsaam. A cheongsaam is a fitted silk dress with slits at the side with a mandarin-styled collar. It was developed in the 1920s and has become iconic with Chinese culture. 

Cheongsaam/Qi Pao whatever you call it, it’s still fashion

Incoporating cultural elements and Lolita is very difficult. Done right, Qi-Lolita (based on the qipao; not to be confused with Wa-Lolita, which is based on the kimono) can be very cute.  Kidsyoyo’s design one of the tasteful versions I’ve seen that’s wearable as fashion, and not totally seen as a costume. This style comes in red and black (a popular color combo in general for the original style) or pink and brown.

Always Lolita.

Runway Looks, Lolita Style – Richard Chai

via NY Magazine

New York Fashion week started today. And like a fashionable New Yorker I’m ecstatic to know the trends for fall be. Unfortunately since I’m not one of the elite, I’ll be watching via Youtube, NYTimes Style section, and New York Magazine. 

Taking it one step further, expect to see recreated looks from collections that could easily be translated into Lolita fashion.

First up Richard Chai. Sleek, Sophisticated with a corporate, but playful touch.

Outfit could be easily incorporated in Lolita

Chai’s collection featured alot of stripes and toned down colors (gray, blue, blacks, and maroon, lots of maroon) – both of I’m a big fan of and what stood out for me.  Most of all, all of it looks like you could walk off the runway with a good portion of the collection.

Favorite out of the fall collection

“I didn’t want to create looks that were just for the show. I wanted it to be approachable and believable, but also be really aspirational. At the end of the day, it’s pieces that I want people to wear.”

And here’s my own take on the first picture.

Rundown:
Angelic Pretty Classic Regimental (black) pants $180
Gray shirt from TJ Maxx $15
Eggplant corduroy jacket from JCPenney $30

If you’re big into Fashion Week and love creating coordinates feel free to email me at lolitaandthecity (at) gmail (dot) com.  Include a picture of the collection you’re trying to model along with a picture and description of your coordinate (at least one item should be Lolita-related). Also why you chose the designer.

Who knows, it could be featured here!

Merry Christmas Everyone!

I feel like this is one of those obligatory holiday posts, but I wanted to wish anyone and everyone who reads Lolita and the City. It’s a slowly building brand which I hope to continue to despite this busy year. 

Keep your eyes open for some new posts this coming weeks (and possible an anniversary giveaway).

Happy Holidays everyone!

(Feel free to tell me if you’ve gotten anything outstandingly stupendous that you need to share!)

Cinched: Historic Corsets & Modern Corsetieres – 11/9

 
It’s not fashion unless there’s some pain involved. The Nineteenth Century Society presents the history of the corset. Learn about how to make your own, as well as see some corsets historically-made and historically-inspired made by designers and fashion enthusiasts. 

 

CINCHED: Historic Corsets & Modern Corsetieres 
November 9, 2011
6:30 – 9:00PM
Swift Hibernian Lounge

34 East 4th Street
New York, NY

Lolita Designers at Tokyo Rebel 8/1 – RVSP 7/23

Misako Aoki at Tokyo Rebel (2010)

Tokyo Rebel is a must for local and out-of-town Lolitas and lovers of J-fashion alike. And this year old store is making a big splash, holding events with special guests. Last year they had the opportunity to invite Misako Aoki to their store for a small signing. Around 100 people came (that’s big for the Lolita community) and the line was out the down with people just waiting to see the former Kawaii ambassador.

This year Tokyo Rebel gives local Lolitas a chance to meet the designers from Baby, the Stars Shine Bright, and Alice and the Pirates.  For those who are unable to make it to Otakon (for any reason, since they are guests this year), black out  Monday, August 1st, on your Hello Kitty calender.

From 6:00PM – 7:30PM ,  Masumi Kano (Fashion Designer, Baby, the Stars Shine Bright) and Mistuba (Chief Designer, Alice and the Pirates) will be signing autographs at this New York boutique. Due to the popularity of the designers and the size of the store, this is a RVSP-only event.

They will accepting RVSPs at 12PM on July 23rd.  

Please check Tokyo Rebel’s post regarding this event for anymore info. What better way to meet new and reunite with old Lolitas. As well as pick up something up to add to your already overflowing Lolita wardrobe.

Hope to see you there!

BtSBB & AaTP Designer Signing
August 1st, 2011
6 – 7:30PM
Tokyo Rebel
170 Avenue B
New York, NY

Fast Fashion – eBay Fashion Vault X CDFA Bag Review

 

Remember the post I made about the CDFA raising awareness of counterfeit goods? I decided to purchase the bag (my bag collection is rivaling my shoe collection).

It arrived yesterday afternoon which was quite a shock as the receipt told me it would arrive in two weeks. I knew it was going to be a big (it was a tote bag after all), but it was much bigger than I expected. Not that I can complain.
Simple yet functional – all while making a statement for a cause. Good for school, work, or shopping. There’s two pockets inside. The only thing is there’s no zipper, but it’s deep enough for pickpockets who don’t feel like digging for wallets.
Attached to the bag was giant tag thanking me for my purchase and supporting their campaign. On the other side was a list of CDFA members who were involved.

If I’d known Anna Sui was involved I would’ve bought hers (It was super mori-girl)
Back of authentication card.
Lastly, there was an authentication card in the inside pocket (Always check the pockets!). Overall it’s a great bag to invest and support a cause. For $35 with free shipping I say it’s a good deal don’t you?

You Can’t Fake Fashion

via Racked (National)

Replicas, knockoffs, bootlegs, whatever you call them they are not the real thing. In the Lolita world this is a big debate, and in the fashion industry it is a slap in the face to designers who have worked hard to define their brand and product as uniquely theirs.

NYC’s Chinatown is known as the mecca to find counterfeit goods — men and women come from all over just to find a cheaper version of the real thing. And everyone is sick of it and taking action.

Lolitas tend to go one way or another. On one hand it’s affordable and bespoked for more fuller figured girls. On the other hand it lowers the value of an actual brand item, and the quality is not as good as the real thing.

The Council of Fashion Designers of America (CDFA) have been constantly taking a stand against counterfeit goods. More active than ever, designers have become more active in contributing.

eBay and the CDFA have collaborate to create one-of-a-kind bags made by designers such as Donna Karan, Betsey Johnson, Badgley Mischka, etc.

For the most part each designer worked with a plain canvas tote bag emblazoned with the phrase “You Can’t Fake Fashion.” Naturally, these bags quickly sold out (at $150), but there are plain ones ($35) available for people to decorate, create, and, most-of-all, make a statement.

I would love to know what indie Lolita Designers would do to this bag. Fuzzy stars and pop-kei charms for Pretty Pop? Embroidered macarons and sweets from Little Macaron? A screen-printed skeletal outline by Morrigan?

Unique Uniqlooks Summer Contest

Think you have a fashionable sense of style that the world should see? Uniqlo is holding a contest for this year’s summer most unique and stylish look.

Uniqlooks is a fashion online community (a photo version of Facebook) where people can upload their own looks to be “liked” by their peers.

Uniqlo’s Uniqlooks Summer Contest will have three winners chosen for a four days and three nights trip for two to one of Uniqlo’s flagship stores (London, New York, Paris, Shanghai or Tokyo). Although the contest started earlier this month, it’s not to late for you to whip up a couple of coordinates perfect for a stroll along 5th Avenue. Contest ends July 18, 2011.

Oh and one more thing, the judging will be fierce as winners will be chosen by Uniqlo and Lady Gaga’s stylist, Nicola Formachetti.

Anyone can enter, but only three will win. Check out your competition and enter today!

Uniqlooks 2011 Summer Contest
Tuesday, June 7th – Monday, July 18th, 2011

Fashion in the Middle Ages 5/20 – 9/4

Lolitas are in general fascinated by fashion. That’s a given. But while the majority of the community is enamored by Rococo periods, there’s no harm in studying further into the past.

Starting on May 20, the Morgan Library and Museum presents “Illuminating Fashion: Dress in the Art of Medieval France and the Netherlands.” The exhibit covers over 200 years of fashion before the French Renaissance, and features full-size replicas of clothing illustrated in the manuscripts.

The exhibit aims at those interested in the fashion aspect of medival dress — how it was worn, by whom, what was used for everyday, what was worn for special occasions, etc.

The Morgan has a whole line up of events in honor of the exhibit.

  • The Morgan’s Spring Family Fair
. Sing and dance like the French and English did 500 years ago. Workshops include making your own chaperons and hats, fabric dying using traditional methods, and even try on costumes inspired by the exhibit’s own manuscripts. Or if you prefer, come in your own costume.
    Saturday, May 21, 2-5PM
  • Becket (1964). Watch the famous friendship of King Henry II and Thomas Becket on screen.
    Friday, June 10, 7PM
  • From the Set to the Runway. Deborah Nadoolman Landis and Valerie Steele discuss the difference between costume and fashion. Very good opportunity to those to who want to learn the best way to explain Lolita fashion to others.
    Wednesday, June 15, 6:30PM
  • Gallery Talk Illuminating Fashion: Dress in the Art of Medieval France and the Netherlands
. Roger S. Wieck, the curator behind the exhibit, takes museum goers through the exhibit.
    Friday, June 24, 7PM
  • Restoration (1995). A biopic on Robert Merivel, King Charles II’s favored physician from his journey serving the king to tending the sick during the Great Plague of London.
    Friday, July 8, 7PM
  • The Leopard (1963). Based on the Italian bestseller by Giuseppe Tomasi di Lampedusa, The Prince of Salina deals with Italian unification and family issues during the 1860s.
    Friday, July 22, 7PM

Illuminating Fashion: Dress in the Art of Medieval France and the Netherlands
.
May 20 – September 9, 2011
The Morgan Library and Museum
225 Madison Avenue
New York, NY 10016
212-685-0008

Frills, Pants and Cake – Lessons in Kodona

There are times when donning the dress, the petticoat, the bloomers, the tights, rocking horse shoes tends to be cumbersome. And reserving that extra two hours of primping your hair and face to be picture perfect becomes increasingly tedious and time-consuming.

There are days when you just feel like wearing pants.

While majority population of lovers of Lolita fashion are girls, not all of them are fond of wearing skirts and petticoats. Some prefer to be the princely counterpart, the crook for her arm, or to simply stand out even further amongst the sea of skirts.

Boystyle, as it’s commonly known (also kodona or ouiji. I tend to define kodona as a younger version, and ouiji looking like a fop), is a subcategory in Lolita fashion, and the name pretty much explains it.

Dress androgynously and feel dandy. Tap into your inner George Sand.

However “boystyle” is not just throwing on your Sunday best. You should be as meticulous, if not more so, with your appearance as much as you do when wearing Lolita. In addition, you don’t have to buy brand (but a pair of Alice and the Pirates pants won’t hurt either).

When dressing “boystyle” you should consider a few things:

  • Use a three-piece suit as a model. For those unsure of the term, it usually encompasses a jacket, a vest, and trousers (or capri pants for a more youthful look). For a casual look stick with vest and trousers.
  • Iron everything! No one likes a wrinkled shirt. You’ll not only feel neater and cleaner (but you’ll impress your mom too).  Optional: creating a crease in your dress pants.
  • Avoid Shakespearean “poet shirts” – they tend to give off that costume appearance. 
  • Whether you’re a girl or guy, make sure tuck your shirt in. No one likes the unkempt look (unless that’s the look you’re going for)
  • A vest hides everything!
  • Dandy and Wit has good tutorials if you’re unsure how to tie a bowtie or need to pack a suit coat.
  • When you wear suspenders make sure you know how to get out of them in case of an emergency.
  • The sky’s the limit when it comes to shoes. Platforms, noisy dress shoes, and heels never hurt anyone (Louis XIV wore heels and nobody complained). Just make sure it works with the outfit, but not overdone.
  • For inspiration I recommend look for any period movies with Hugh Grant. Also Paul Bettany in A Beautiful Mind.
  • When in doubt: Keep it simple!
Hope this helps if you ever decide to try boystyle or want to simply impress a girl you know how to dress. Or just want to be manly for a day.