Sorry, it's been so long since my last post. I've been a little unwell the past few days and finally feel up to making a post. That, and it was hard to come up with something for this month's 5AT post, which I had meant to write up on Wednesday. Oh, well! Better late than never!
So, what's so awesome about the Hime-Loli style?
5. The History
Bad reputation aside, Marie Antoinette is what most Hime-Lolis are aiming for looks-wise. The girl had everything, charm, beauty, a heart of gold (part of the reason she went bankrupt wasn't the clothes, it was all the charities she was giving to). Not to mention, a wardrobe that was simply incredible. In the wake of the 2006 New-Wave-flavored biopic about her, new interest has bloomed and "Madame Antoine" as well as her contemporaries (Georgiana, Duchess of Devonshire, among others). With the trumpet sleeves and extravagant ruffles, one hopes that these Rococo-inspired outfits would do them proud.
4. The Accessories
Oh, lordy, the accessories. If you've ever wished to be prom queen, Cinderella, Holly Golightly, or just plain wished you had an excuse to wear a tiara and drip with gems and pearls, this is the style for it. Most people wear just a tiny tiara, but, I see no reason why a larger tiara wouldn't work on those of us with a little more heft (NOTE: If anybody knows any reason why I shouldn't wear a non-mini tiara, speak up, I need to know this stuff). Pearl chokers, lockets, rings, you name it. Without overdoing it, of course.
3. The Motifs
Cinderella's Coach, Sleeping Beauty's Spindle, Snow White's Apple... If it has ever been seen in a fairy tale, you can find it on a Hime-Loli outfit. Admittedly, some of my dream coords have yet to be made (No Frog Princess, No Kaguya-Hime or Mulan, and I have yet to see a single Bride of Bluebeard), but that's not to say that a person with enough industry couldn't make one.
2. The Silhouette
While not nearly as grown-up as Gyaru or Aristocrat, there is something undeniably elegant and a bit more mature than regular Sweet. The neckline hits just a bit lower, the skirts are a bit fuller, the sleeves drape and float. The style is everything your inner girly-girl (if you have one) could ever wish for.
And the Most Awesome Thing about Hime-Loli is...
1. The Way It Feels
If you've ever wanted to be a princess, queen, or other fairy tale heroine, this is the way to go. Go ahead, wear that tiara and that over-the-top hairpiece, doll up to the nines! Even adults need to pretend, just a little bit, and why not do it in style?
I promise! Next month's 5AT will be better! Until next time, this is Brenna, wishing you lots of luck, love and living space! Remember, I'm no expert, I'm learning as I go!
Showing posts with label five awesome things. Show all posts
Showing posts with label five awesome things. Show all posts
Saturday, September 4, 2010
Wednesday, August 18, 2010
Five Awesome Things About... Country Living
"Five Awesome Things" is going to be a monthly series where I sit down and ruminate on the things that make the month's theme so cool or on other things that might not get the appreciation they deserve. So, what's so great about living in the countryside?
5. Nature Walks:
I'm normally a bit of a slugabed and I'm not much of a fan of living an hour from a decent grocery store. But, there's something magical about going for a walk in the cool of the evening and wandering into the woods. In autumn, there were changing leaves and wild turkey and deer peeking out of the trees and brambles. In winter, the first snowfall of the season began while I was out for a woodland stroll, showering everything with a fine, cool, diamond white glitter. Spring meant rabbits and birdsong, with cherry, dogwood and wild apple trees in full bloom, and every breeze was full of petals straight out of a shojo manga. Summer meant I had to wait until sundown for the temperature to drop, but the sunsets were amazing and the summer flowers were like splashes of brilliant paint on the world. You have to be careful out here; bears and bobcats were a hazard for a while, but they seem to have moved on to quieter woods and now, I'm willing to believe that the area is safe for an afternoon wander. I don't take my iPod or anything with me, just my cell phone for security. It's little things like that, that make things a little less stressful. When I'm walking, there's nothing I need to think about, past maybe dodging cars on the way!
4. Peace and Quiet:
Okay, I'm a talker. I like sound and conversation and music. But, I never realized just how beneficial a little silence could be until I moved out here. I've found that I listen to music way too loud, that my cats are much more expressive and chatty than originally believed, and that even silence has a little bit of music to it. And time seems to move a bit slower out here. I forget to get out of bed somedays until noon, I'm so much more relaxed. The laidback atmosphere has done wonders for my mood.
3. Fresh Produce:
Ever tasted a freshly-picked cherry tomato? I mean, REALLY fresh, straight off the vine? I hadn't either, until my Mother-In-Law moved with us and started growing vegetables and herbs on the back porch. I popped one in my mouth when it was offered and thought I was in Heaven. It was juicy and sweet and rich and a dozen other wonderful words. I love being able to go out back and pick herbs for my salads, or just grab tomatoes to snack on. They may not be any more or less healthy than the store-bought kind, but the ones in the store just don't taste the same at all.
2. Wildflowers:
Virginia wildflowers were something I discovered only after I moved to Loudoun County as a pre-teen. They get planted all along highways and median strips here and they fill the summers with such color and joy, it's hard to imagine a summer drive without them. Huge red, yellow and orange poppies, pale blue and purple cornflowers, flowers I can't remember to describe that only come to mind as punches of pink and violet and indigo. My yard was full of pink phlox, which looks like a carpet of tiny fuschia flowers smaller than my pinky nail, during the month of June and I was so very sad to see them go away. Just keep in mind, hard as it is, don't pick them unless they're in your yard. Many areas plant them in places to keep native species from dying out or being crowded out by invasive species. Instead, if you want to have wildflowers to pick for your own, find out if any local nature preservation societies have seeds for sale and plant them in your yard or in pots.
1. History:
In Virginia, we have tons of old historic houses and neighborhoods, especially outside of the cities. There are the ones people know, Monticello, Mount Vernon, Montpelier, Williamsburg, but not a lot of people know about Sully Plantation, a place very close to my heart. My mother and I used to reenact for the park service at Sully, which is the ancestral home of the famous Lee family (yes, 1776 fans, THAT Lee family ;)). It's a beautiful old Federalist period home, roughly built around the time the Regency period was kicking off in Europe, and we very nearly lost it to the building of Dulles Airport. As it is, Dulles is quite close by (you can hear the jets flying low overhead), but dear old Sully was saved and functions as a museum to this day. I highly recommend finding your own local historic sites and getting involved in their well-being. It maybe as wild as the local animal sanctuary (many of which were founded in the Victorian age) or as civilized as a local small town where absolutely nothing seems to have happened. But keep it alive so future generations can enjoy it!
Until tomorrow, I wish you all lots of luck, love, and living space! Remember, I'm no expert, I'm learning as I go!
5. Nature Walks:
I'm normally a bit of a slugabed and I'm not much of a fan of living an hour from a decent grocery store. But, there's something magical about going for a walk in the cool of the evening and wandering into the woods. In autumn, there were changing leaves and wild turkey and deer peeking out of the trees and brambles. In winter, the first snowfall of the season began while I was out for a woodland stroll, showering everything with a fine, cool, diamond white glitter. Spring meant rabbits and birdsong, with cherry, dogwood and wild apple trees in full bloom, and every breeze was full of petals straight out of a shojo manga. Summer meant I had to wait until sundown for the temperature to drop, but the sunsets were amazing and the summer flowers were like splashes of brilliant paint on the world. You have to be careful out here; bears and bobcats were a hazard for a while, but they seem to have moved on to quieter woods and now, I'm willing to believe that the area is safe for an afternoon wander. I don't take my iPod or anything with me, just my cell phone for security. It's little things like that, that make things a little less stressful. When I'm walking, there's nothing I need to think about, past maybe dodging cars on the way!
4. Peace and Quiet:
Okay, I'm a talker. I like sound and conversation and music. But, I never realized just how beneficial a little silence could be until I moved out here. I've found that I listen to music way too loud, that my cats are much more expressive and chatty than originally believed, and that even silence has a little bit of music to it. And time seems to move a bit slower out here. I forget to get out of bed somedays until noon, I'm so much more relaxed. The laidback atmosphere has done wonders for my mood.
3. Fresh Produce:
Ever tasted a freshly-picked cherry tomato? I mean, REALLY fresh, straight off the vine? I hadn't either, until my Mother-In-Law moved with us and started growing vegetables and herbs on the back porch. I popped one in my mouth when it was offered and thought I was in Heaven. It was juicy and sweet and rich and a dozen other wonderful words. I love being able to go out back and pick herbs for my salads, or just grab tomatoes to snack on. They may not be any more or less healthy than the store-bought kind, but the ones in the store just don't taste the same at all.
2. Wildflowers:
Virginia wildflowers were something I discovered only after I moved to Loudoun County as a pre-teen. They get planted all along highways and median strips here and they fill the summers with such color and joy, it's hard to imagine a summer drive without them. Huge red, yellow and orange poppies, pale blue and purple cornflowers, flowers I can't remember to describe that only come to mind as punches of pink and violet and indigo. My yard was full of pink phlox, which looks like a carpet of tiny fuschia flowers smaller than my pinky nail, during the month of June and I was so very sad to see them go away. Just keep in mind, hard as it is, don't pick them unless they're in your yard. Many areas plant them in places to keep native species from dying out or being crowded out by invasive species. Instead, if you want to have wildflowers to pick for your own, find out if any local nature preservation societies have seeds for sale and plant them in your yard or in pots.
1. History:
In Virginia, we have tons of old historic houses and neighborhoods, especially outside of the cities. There are the ones people know, Monticello, Mount Vernon, Montpelier, Williamsburg, but not a lot of people know about Sully Plantation, a place very close to my heart. My mother and I used to reenact for the park service at Sully, which is the ancestral home of the famous Lee family (yes, 1776 fans, THAT Lee family ;)). It's a beautiful old Federalist period home, roughly built around the time the Regency period was kicking off in Europe, and we very nearly lost it to the building of Dulles Airport. As it is, Dulles is quite close by (you can hear the jets flying low overhead), but dear old Sully was saved and functions as a museum to this day. I highly recommend finding your own local historic sites and getting involved in their well-being. It maybe as wild as the local animal sanctuary (many of which were founded in the Victorian age) or as civilized as a local small town where absolutely nothing seems to have happened. But keep it alive so future generations can enjoy it!
Until tomorrow, I wish you all lots of luck, love, and living space! Remember, I'm no expert, I'm learning as I go!
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