An affair between a young girl and her stepfather was the subject of fiction in Nabokov, but a woman in China has found herself at the center of a real-life Lolita story when she received a shocking email from her missing daughter.

Ms. Huang’s daughter had disappeared without a trace about two years before, when she was just 12-years-old, along with her stepfather Liu. This April, Huang suddenly got a mail from the missing girl that read, “I am Liu’s wife now. We’ve already been living together for more than two years and we have a daughter together. Mom, please divorce Liu.“

Huang married her first husband in 1996, and they soon had a child, but when her husband discovered it was not a boy, he left her. At first, Huang decided to raise her daughter as a single mother, but over time, she began to feel that her daughter was suffering from the stigma of coming from a fatherless family. She decided to get remarried for her daughter’s sake, and after meeting Liu through an acquaintance, they wed in February of 2006. It was her hope that the marriage would make her daughter’s life easier, but instead it tore their lives apart.

According to Huang, she remembers finding a love note from her daughter in one of her husband’s pockets back in 2009, at which time the daughter was just 12. The note was quite explicit, but Liu claimed he didn’t know anything about it. Rather than expose the family to scandal, Huang decided not to do anything. Less than a year later, Liu disappeared with her daughter.

After receiving her daughter’s email, Huang agonized over what to do, but seeing no other option, she called in the police. In May of this year, Liu was arrested in Jiangsu, where he had been living with his stepdaughter. Although the stepdaughter herself had no wish to press charges, the fact that she was not yet 14 when they began their sexual relationship meant she was not capable of giving consent and charges of statutory rape went ahead without her cooperation. Liu was convicted and sentenced to 11 years of hard labor, though the case is currently in appeals.

Source: Narinari
Top Image: Sister Morphine

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Origin: Life Imitates Art: Preteen Lolita Elopes With Stepfather
Copyright© RocketNews24 / Socio Corporation. All rights reserved.

As Humbert Humbert would say, “It was love at first sight, at last sight…” And this may be the last sight you will ever have of these eerily realistic lolita dolls…

Top Japanese love doll brand Orient Industries, pioneers and legendary makers of some of the most realistic and beautiful sex dolls you’ve ever laid eyes on, suddenly announced the mysterious demise of their “Lala” lolita doll range, due to “various factors”. Hmmm. From April 1 onwards, no more of these dolls will be created, and when they run out of inventory, it’s goodbye Lala! Warning, there are some naked doll pictures below which may not be suitable for work.

The many faces of Lala.

The Orient website states “Lala dolls are not just for men. For all men and women who love dolls, they will heal your mind and body.” For only US$1,169. And you could even choose whether the dolls had, err, anatomical realism or not. But not any more.

We’re not sure if it’s because demand was lacking, or because the market was flooded. Either way, the days of these lifelike girl dolls are numbered.

Anatomical realism?

Comes with these great accessories… Source: Kanojo Toys, for all your used panties needs.

Shhh… she’s sleeping.

People in the know say they do look less creepy in “person”. And keeping in mind the cost and stress of having your own child in Tokyo, maybe some women do have Lala dolls instead, so who are we to judge? And, hey, some women are even turning themselves into dolls.

And on a more positive note, agalmatophiles (doll fanciers) can look forward to a rosy future of sexbots and android brothels by 2050. Orient have already made major contributions in anatomical realism to the field of dentistry, among others. Check out this amazing video!

Finally, robotic beings will rule the world…

Source: はちま起稿

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• Do You Know this Naked Couple or their Inflatable Friend? 【Photos】

Origin: Read It And Weep: Orient’s Lolita Dolls On Verge Of Extinction
Copyright© RocketNews24 / Socio Corporation. All rights reserved.

Disconcerting news from the world of Japanese fashion: adherents to the cutesy subculture of Lolita fashion are organizing themselves into an official group. Their target: the whole world. 

The Japan Lolita Association was formed in February to spread Japan’s special brand of ‘kawaii fashion’ to the world. Aoki Misako, a well-known Lolita model who in 2009 was appointed ‘Kawaii Ambassador’ by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (an absolutely real, and possibly even serious, position), will serve as chairperson, and the society’s office will be established at Fukuoka’s Omura Beauty College.

The Association’s main activities will be to report lolita news, recruit and appoint Kawaii Ambassadors to support the global lolita network, host events such as tea parties and get-togethers for Association members, and encourage and nominate lolita fashion-related schools and educational institutions. It all sounds perfectly innocent, but who knows what’s really going on behind those frilly petticoats and lacy parasols.

Becoming a member gets you perks such as subscription to their email newsletter and notifications of tea-parties and events. You can sign up here at their homepage. If you sign up with your smartphone you even get a super-extra-kawaii membership image. Count me in?

The Association is also seeking information on Lolita-related events, so event promoters who want their event shared with Lolita fans should submit their information to the ‘Events & Tea parties’ page.

While the news is sure to excite some, I’m sure it’s also struck a note of trepidation in the hearts of men and women alike. I mean, just look at that bunny’s eyes. Take a good look, and tell me he’s not up to something. *shudders*

Source: ねとらぼ

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Origin: Japanese Lolitas Plan World Domination
Copyright© RocketNews24 / Socio Corporation. All rights reserved.

Who among us hasn’t dreamed of being a lolita? We mean the fashion conscience kind of Lolita, not the…other kind. The frilly little dresses, the bonnets, the ridiculous platform shoes, and all the cake and tea you can get in your stomach! Sounds great, right? Except for the price tag—buying all of those frilly little dresses yourself will set you back a lot of money! Well, here’s your chance to try out being a lolita for a day without breaking the bank or selling a few organs!

Starting on August 23, Maison de Julietta, will be reopening their “lolita salon” in Harajuku, where patrons can dress up as lolitas and get glamor photos taken to show off to all of their friends! The event is called, fittingly enough, “Lolita in Summer Wonderland” and comes as the result of numerous requests to turn their limited salon (which was only open for three months) into a regular store.

Partnering with the legendary lolita chain, Baby, the Stars Shine Bright, kawaii ambassador Misako Aoki, the Gothic, Lolita, and Punk Club, and beauty salon, Dea by Noz, Maison de Julietta will offer a wide selection of dresses and accessories to choose from, in addition to providing hair and make-up services. The basic package, starting at 8,980 yen (about US$90), even includes some tea and cookies for you to nibble on while you wait!

There are around 30 outfits to choose from–most of them from Baby, the Stars Shine Bright and their sub-brand Alice and the Pirates.

Once they’ve gotten you all dolled up, it’s time to shoot some photos, which, for an extra fee, they will “improve” with some Photoshop magic. You can also bring a friend or two and get pictures taken together if you don’t mind sharing the spotlight. Photos will take about 10 days to arrive and are sent to you by email.

Of course, if you enjoy your photos, Maison de Julietta also has a store where you can take the plunge and get your own clothes and accessories. Be warned, though, they won’t come cheap!

The salon will start accepting reservations on August 12, but note that there’s no word on whether or not the staff speaks English. If you plan on having one of these lolita photoshoots, you’ll want to hurry since they became fully booked for an entire month in three hours last time. The first 50 people will also get a special present from Misako Aoki’s line of body sprays. However, members have priority, so you might want to get your membership now! You can sign up on their store website (Japanese only). An opening event is also planned for August 21 and 22.

Source: Maison de Julietta, My Navi News
Image sources: Maison de Julietta

▼A few more outfits you’ll be able to choose from.

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Origin: Playing dress-up: Maison de Julietta offers the chance to be a lolita for a day
Copyright© RocketNews24 / Socio Corporation. All rights reserved.

Since Her Excellency Tomomi Inada, Minister in charge of Japan’s “Cool Japan” strategy, visited New York, JapanCulture•NYC has been trying to define “Cool Japan” as it relates to New Yorkers. The broad range of the term can encompass an overwhelming number of areas: Food, fashion, design, travel, the list goes on.

To focus on one type of fashion, JapanCulture•NYC turns to the expertise of New York-based accessories designer Jen Green, who attended Japan Society’s Lolita fashion discussion on February 5. In this special guest post, Jen deconstructs the Lolita look and phenomenon for the uninitiated.

Petticoats, sugar-coated pastels, lace, over-sized bows and ruffles worn with beautiful ornate full skirt dresses in sweet prints and accessorized with knee socks and maryjanes. I haven’t seen this much frill outside of Takeshita Dori in Harajuku! This is not the typical attire one would see on a frigid February night in Manhattan, but the winter weather didn’t stop ladies from coming out in their Lolita finest to attend Japan Society’s Lolita Fashion: Costume or Culture? The evening was part panel, part fashion show followed by a meet-and-greet reception.

Lolita fashion was popularized on the streets of Harajuku in the 1990s. Heavily detail-oriented and extremely feminine, Lolita fashion was Japan’s interpretation of the Rococo & Victorian eras. Jumper skirts layered with petticoats and blouses are the quintessential Lolita cupcake silhouette. Once only found in Japan, the Lolita fashion trend has spread globally in the past decade.

A panel of Lolita fashion experts, moderated by Gwynn Galitzer, spoke about what Lolita fashion is to them. Galitzer is a performance artist and founder of Dirty Bird Productions, a creative network and full-service event management community. As a moderator this was her introduction to Lolita fashion, and she embraced that by dressing the part. Looking kawaii in a pastel pink and blue Sweet Lolita ensemble, Gwynn was excited to learn more about Lolita fashion from the panel of experts.

One expert was Misako Aoki, a well-known Japanese model for Lolita brands like Baby, The Stars Shine Bright, Putumayo, and Agonqiuns. Misako served an official role for the Japanese government as “Kawaii Ambassador,” or Ambassador of Cute. As Kawaii Ambassador, Misako traveled the world to spread the word and appreciation of Japanese fashion and pop culture. She was first introduced to Lolita fashion by modeling for Kera, a Japanese street fashion magazine, at a time when there was only one Lolita store in Harajuku.

The other two panelists are the co-creators of the upcoming RuffleCon, the first Northeast conference in the United States celebrating Lolita and alternative fashion. Carolyn Dee has been involved with Lolita fashion for more than a decade and is known for her popular Lolita blog, F Yeah Lolita. Dee’s interest in this style came through online photos when the J-Rock scene became popular in the US goth scene around 2001 to 2003.

Christina Gleason runs the blog Ramble Rori, which includes surveys to gather information about the growing Lolita community in the US. She got into Lolita fashion by accident. She purchased a Wa Lolita dress, a style that combines traditional Japanese clothing elements with the Lolita silhouette, from a second-hand store. When she wore it someone asked her if she was Lolita, and the rest is history.

Just like any fashion event, the panel started with the ever-important question: What are you wearing? Aoki wore a dress from Baby, The Stars Shine Bright with a ballroom motif and her favorite, princess sleeves.  Although she didn’t mention it, she wore an amazing floral and ruffle bonnet, as the headpiece is a key accessory in Lolita fashion. Gleason went for the “mint & white” look wearing a white Baby, The Stars Shine Bright dress layered with mint blouse & accessories. Dee wore a 2004 Innocent World piano dress that had a hemline border detail that was pleated piano keys!

The three most common types of Lolita style are classic, sweet, and gothic. Dee says most Lolitas overlap styles in their dress, not sticking to just one look. She prefers to dress in a combination of classic & gothic. Aoki loves anything pink, so she favors Sweet Lolita but will combine other Lolita elements into her look.

Photo: Jen Green

Explaining the difference between costume & Lolita fashion, Dee says to wear Lolita is to be yourself, but to wear a costume is to be something else. According to Aoki, in Japan Lolita fashion is often confused with cosplay, but since Lolita fashion started in Japan she feels it is established. Although the look has become more mainstream in Japan, Aoki says there is a way to go as a subculture.

“Just like any fashion the Lolita scene sees evolution and waves in trends”

In other subcultures fashion and music go hand in hand, like punk rock or hip-hop. Lolita fashion is not directly associated with a particular music scene, but Dee feels it has become a subculture in the past decade thanks to the “language” the Western Lolita community has adopted. The Lolita lingo is a combination of abbreviations like OTT for “over the top,” JSK for “jumper skirt” mixed with Lolita brand names and Japanese words.

Just like any fashion the Lolita scene sees evolution and waves in trends. For example, OTT sweet Lolita was very popular but started phasing out in 2010. The classic Lolita style has had a resurgence, but according to Dee, it can still be just as OTT with bonnets, corsages, etc. Perhaps the community is growing up because most people who dress OTT Sweet are in their early 20s, and those who dress in classic Lolita are late 20s.

Surveys on Rambling Rori have shown Gleason that there seems to be two age groups of Lolita: 18 to 24 and 24 to 27. As you get older, the classic or goth Lolita styles are more practical because they can be easily toned down for work or other events.

The Internet plays a huge role in the Lolita community, bringing Lolitas together through photos and message boards. While it is crucial for Lolita communities spread out in the US, Aoki believes that the Japanese scene is evenly split between online correspondence and actually getting together to shop or have a tea party. Despite the negativity some US online Lolita communities have received for being elitist or judgmental, both Carolyn and Christina believe it is false representation. They encourage everyone to talk to a real-life Lolita if they are interested in learning more about the style.

Photo: Jen Green

After a Q&A session with the audience, there was a Lolita fashion show with looks provided by Baby, The Stars Shine Bright and Alice and the Pirates, two popular Lolita brands in Japan.

The first look was a Sweet Lolita skirt from Baby, The Stars Shine Bright Strawberry Days collection worn with a sailor blouse, an oversized coordinating bow in the hair and strawberry vine over-the-knee socks tucked into red tea party shoes. There was also a classic Lolita look from Baby, The Stars Shine Bright in a pink sparkle striped fabrication and accessorized with a floral headband and wand to evoke a Spring Fairy feel. Another classic Lolita look followed, a Baby, The Stars Shine Bright coordinate that first debuted at the brand’s floating tea party in 2013. This one-piece dress had princess imagery and the classic cupcake silhouette created by petticoats worn underneath. The last look from Baby, The Stars Shine Bright was “Wedding Dress for the Maiden from the Star” and depicted what a Lolita bride might wear down the aisle. An oversized bow bustle and mini top hat veil completed the look.

The first look from Alice and the Pirates was “Lost Paradise,” showing imagery of Adam and Eve in gilded frames with snakes entwined in apple trees in an A-line silhouette. Part of the Lucifer series, the next look was that of a royal prince with an embellished black tailcoat with corset lacing worn over pants and accessorized with a top hat. The Alice and the Pirates brand celebrated its tenth anniversary by revisiting the original pirate motif in the next look, topped off with a feminine white pirate hat with veil. The last look of the evening was a black asymmetrical bustle and a high-wasted jeweled corset showing the epitome of the brand’s gothic Lolita signature look.

Photo: Jen Green

The meet-and-greet reception, complete with heart-shaped cookies, was the perfect opportunity for those in the New York area Lolita community to meet others and discuss fashion, which is clearly a hot item from Cool Japan.

All Photos: Jen Green

As a kindergartener, Jen Green appeared in the Japanese play Momotaro, which sparked her love of all things Japanese. Now she is an accessories designer who has worked in the fashion industry for 14 years. Twice a year she travels to Tokyo in search of inspiration and runs into Lolitas on the streets of Harajuku. Follow her adventures in New York and Japan on Instagram @jenpanese.

For more Japanese culture in the Big Apple, check out JapanCulture•NYC

• Japanese fashion comes home: Interior design ideas for Lolita-style living
• Playing dress-up: Maison de Julietta offers the chance to be a lolita for a day
• Japanese Lolitas Plan World Domination
• First Year Lolita Studies: Sewing, patterning, and cute!
• Okami cosplay: It’s for the dogs!

Origin: Deconstructing Lolita fashion
Copyright© RocketNews24 / SOCIO CORPORATION. All rights reserved.

Japan’s distinctive Lolita fashion is a subculture that is known worldwide. While some wearers of the lace petticoats, bonnets and parasols may treat it as a hobby, dressing more conventionally in their day-to-day life but wearing Lolita outfits at the weekend, for others, Lolita fashion is a full-on lifestyle with principles that they adhere to day in, day out.

So if you want to make your life as Lolita as possible, or just feel that your home needs more cutesy ruffles and buttons, check out these pictures of the new Lolita furniture and homeware range from Japanese online store Romantic Princess. Warning: things are about to get frilly.

The line is divided into three themes: Gothic, Classic, and Princess. First up, let’s head to the Gothic Lolita room, which is decked out in striking dark reds and blacks:

Quirky features here include metallic stag heads on the walls, and unusual glass ornaments. Recognise the model? Romantic Princess have brought in Midori Fukasawa, Lolita model and cover girl for magazines such as KERA and Gothic & Lolita Bible, as their Style Advisor.

▼ Each theme also features Midori’s favourite items. Here, she’s chosen a black lacquered dresser (left), and display cabinet (right).

Next up, it’s Classic Lolita, which here means European-inspired art and decor, heavy on the wood, and of course lace:

▼ As you may have noticed, this interpretation of Classic Lolita is strongly influenced by Alice in Wonderland, a trend in Japan which shows no signs of stopping.

Last but by no means least it’s Princess Lolita, which might be the closest to many people’s idea of what Lolita fashion looks like. Pale pastel and white tones set a mood of freshness and innocence.

“With this bed cover, make your bed even more princess-like!” says Midori. Princess Lolita style is like an even-sweeter version of so-called Sweet Lolita, with late Baroque/racoco influences that here extend to bed covers, not just skirts and petticoats.

▼ Oh yes, and lace. Did we mention the lace?

So if you’re looking to up your house’s cute quotient this spring, be sure to check out the full range on the Romantic Princess website!

Source and images: @press

• Deconstructing Lolita fashion
• Playing dress-up: Maison de Julietta offers the chance to be a lolita for a day
• Japanese Lolitas Plan World Domination
• First Year Lolita Studies: Sewing, patterning, and cute!
• 11 unique experiences for tourists to Japan

Origin: Japanese fashion comes home: Interior design ideas for Lolita-style living
Copyright© RocketNews24 / SOCIO CORPORATION. All rights reserved.

Lolita fashion is one of Japan’s most famous cultural phenomena. And lolita style, characterised by intricate, lace-adorned dresses and a doll-like look, has an off-shoot sub-genre for almost every day of the year. There’s gothic lolita, punk lolita, ‘sweet’, classic, princess, even pirate…and coming full circle, “Japanese-style” wa lolita, which incorporates elements of traditional Japanese dress such as kimono fabric, long sleeves and obi sashes.

But what happens when you mix lolita with Chinese cheongsam dresses? You get ‘qi lolita‘, a sub-genre which looks not to Japan or Europe, but to China, for its inspiration. It’s bold, different, and seriously cute.

The ‘qi’ of qi lolita comes from ‘qipao’, traditional Chinese dresses that are also commonly called cheongsam. They’re long, form-fitting silk dresses that typically have high necklines and buttoned collars.

▼ Cheongsam

A qi lolita outfit combines the cheongsam‘s high neckline with a lolita “cupcake” skirt, creating a different silhouette altogether. Tassels and chinese button knots feature heavily, as do folding fans.

Breidholt

buychina

The slit up one or both sides can make a conventional cheongsam quite revealing, but switching it for a tiered skirt and tights (pantyhose) keeps these qi lolita outfits in the covered-up realm of little girl aesthetics. (“Don’t show too much flesh” is a a common dictum in the world of lolita fashion blogs, which often feature lists of rules and dos and don’ts that seem a bit stern from a fashion subculture that’s supposed to be about personality and self-expression.)

Qi lolita remains pretty niche, but there is plenty of room for self-expression and styles vary quite a lot. In fact, the more we looked at photos of qi lolita, the more we began to think this cultural mash-up might be the answer to China and Japan’s long-standing political tensions! Qi lolita: fusion fashion sent to save the world!

▼ You see, girls the world over like hanging out in the park…

taobao

▼ Putting flowers in their hair…

taobao

▼ Playing with their new specs as if they’re Google Glass…

taobao

▼ …and pretending to be animals!

taobao

▼ We’ve all done it, though: buy something, take it home, realise it looks like a pair of curtains and never wear it again.

Breidholt

(Just kidding. That’s my favourite one!)

Sources: Naver Matome, Breidholt, Lolita Poupée
Featured image: via Breidholt

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Origin: Real China dolls! Lolita fashion turns Chinese in a fusion of East meets East【Photos】
Copyright© RocketNews24 / SOCIO CORPORATION. All rights reserved.

If you weren’t raised on a steady diet of Disney movies, then we’ll wager your childhood was lacking a little animated magic. Even now the old classics still hold up, and Disney definitely isn’t just for kids.

But if you’ve ever been left disappointed that those amazing Disney Princess dresses they sell at the Disney Store don’t fit anyone over the age of eight, then fret not! Now adult women (or indeed, men) can dress up in fantastic, whimsically childlike Cinderella dresses courtesy of this collaboration between Disney and lolita style brand Baby The Stars Shine Bright.

The Walt Disney x Baby The Stars Shine Bright “Cinderella Project” line will launch on April 10 this year, with four different colours of dresses to be released over the coming months. In April the Blue and Cream versions will go on sale, followed by Purple in May and Pink in July. But all that frilly cuteness doesn’t come cheap – each dress will cost 40,000 yen (US$333)!

ディズニーストア「シンデレラ特別企画シリーズ」販売開始　2015年4月10日 より順次~女の子なら誰もが憧れる“シンデレラ”がコンセプトのスペシャルアイテムが数量限定で登場 prtimes.jp/main/html/rd/p… BABYめも http://t.co/VXdtQb2Lvg

—
さらしる (@sarasiru) March 19, 2015

The Blue version will be available both online and at Tokyo Disney Resort, while the other colour variations will only be available online.

Photoset: livingeldorado: Disney X Baby, the Stars Shine Bright Cinderella OP. Available online from 4/10. tmblr.co/Zhoavw1g5j0be

—
That Yandere Stalker (@real_yuno) March 17, 2015

Hmm, we think you might get some funny looks strolling down the street in one of these poofy creations (unless you’re in Tokyo where girls in poofy dresses are pretty much a dime a dozen). Still,these look like just the thing to wear to a lolita meet-up event or a lolita tea party. Or you could just wear it around the house and do the washing-up in it while pretending to be a real life Disney princess…

Source: NetLabo
Main Image: Disney Store Japan

Origin: Disney and Baby The Stars Shine Bright collaborate on range of lolita-style Cinderella dresses
Copyright© RocketNews24 / SOCIO CORPORATION. All rights reserved.

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If you’re anything like us, there’s a good chance you like both lolita and traditional Japanese fashion. Many of us here at RocketNews24 love those lolita skirts, even if we can’t really pull off the fluffy look, and we definitely appreciate the beauty of a well-crafted kimono.

So the news that the Kaga Lolita Project, which combines traditional Japanese fashion with the lolita style, finally has a dress available for sale online has us reaching for our wallets! You might not see any of us actually wearing one, but you can bet we’ll be admiring the dresses from afar, dreaming of twirling parasols on our shoulders.

Check out the dress below and get ready to dig out your credit card!

The Kaga Lolita Project started in 2012 with a design competition, but some ways, it really began almost 500 years ago. We admit that sounds like marketing speak, but the project is described on their website as: “Kaga’s traditional handicrafts for 500 years meet Japanese Modern Fashion ‘Lolita’ from the 21st century.” And they’re not making it up, either! The city is located in Ishikawa Prefecture, which is known for their textiles and fabrics, so if anyone can combine traditional and contemporary Japanese fashion, we think Kaga can!

Kaga Loli

Though the project has been around for a few years, they only just released their first dress for sale online this year. Based on the Kaga Lolita Project’s mascot character Yo-chama, pictured above, the dress combines the bright colors of Ishikawa’s traditional designs with the fluffy, frilly dresses of Harajuku’s most regal lolitas. The project has also released a YouTube video showing off the dress!

▼ Yes to all of this!

The dress is available for purchase online from Ishikawa-san Shop and Belsel, though it looks like neither of them will be shipping internationally. The dress costs 46,000 yen (about US$384) through the Ishikawa shop and 49,680 yen (about $414) on Belsel. Both shops note that the dress will be shipped when your order is ready, so even if you do live in Japan, you may have to wait a bit to get it. It also looks like there’s only one size available, so we’re guessing that if you’re much taller than the average Japanese woman, you might need some extra tailoring. And despite all this, we still really want to order one!

▼ Even if we end up just displaying it in our room.

Belsel

▼ Though it might look good on Mr. Sato…or even P.K.!

Belsel

As we mentioned above, before the dress and Yo-chama even existed, the Kaga Lolital Project got started with a design contest in 2012. We’ve included the top three designs below, showing what else could have been. While each of them have a certain charm, we have to say that we definitely like the final version best. But that high collar in the Kaga-Yuzen version is pretty badass! It would be perfect for a Victorian-era lolita superhero — she could kick butts, take names, and look fancy doing it.

Kaga Loli

Kaga Loli

Kaga Loli

To learn more about the Kaga Lolita Project, be sure to visit their homepage or follow them on Facebook or Twitter.

Sources: Irorio, YouTube, Kaga Loli Project, Belsel
Images: YouTube

Origin: Shut up and take our money! This awesome dress combines lolita and traditional Japanese fashion
Copyright© RocketNews24 / SOCIO CORPORATION. All rights reserved.

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Japanese culture has spread throughout the world with food, anime, video games, and more. But one region that hasn’t taken in as much of what Japan has to offer as the rest of the world is the Middle East and other Muslim countries.

Until now. Pictures of young Muslim women incorporating Japanese Lolita fashion with their traditional hijab head scarves have been exploding in popularity online. Could this start a new trend toward Muslim idol groups and cosplay conventions?

It’s important to note that the photos of the Muslim women showing off their Lolita fashion skills on Twitter don’t originate from the Middle East; they’re actually photos of Muslim women in England and California. But you’ve got to start somewhere, so maybe the trends they set will pick up momentum in other Muslim regions around the world.

Here are the tweets, complete with the pictures, that have been blowing Japanese Twitter users’ minds: (Click photos to enlarge.)

▼ “Look, Japan! This is Muslim Lolita fashion. It’s cute!”

日本よ、これがムスリムロリータだ！ってか？かんわいいね～！！(*´ω｀*) hokkfabrica.com/when-muslim-gi…　スカートの下に長ズボンを履いて肌を露出せず、ファッションを楽しむこととイスラムの教義との境で努力しているそう。 http://t.co/T6fBVLLVfd

—
スパンロック・ラダー (@supan_caall) July 23, 2015

▼ “Seems like Lolita fashion is spreading among the comparatively liberal Muslim population in the West.”

比較的自由な欧米のムスリムたちの間でロリータっぽいのが流行っているらしい、可愛い twitter.com/ccttaa/status/… twitter.com/ccttaa/status/… http://t.co/uzGh4gVOku

—
kskでtwt (@ksk_twt) July 23, 2015

▼ “I think they’ve taken a liking to Japanese Lolita fashion”

日本のロリータファッションの影響らしいです。 http://t.co/8ETBEciEz6

—
山下陽光 (@ccttaa) July 22, 2015

▼ “Japan’s Lolita fashion has even come to places like this!”

【7/23 話題の画像】日本のロリータファッションは、こんなところまで影響を与えてるのかw http://t.co/70sGyPHA89

—
超ツイッター速報 (@twi_chooo) July 23, 2015

The women were said to be inspired by Japanese Lolita fashion when they saw the cute outfits which, due to their long sleeves and long dresses, wouldn’t go against their religious requirements.

Alyssa Salazar, one of the Muslim Lolita women, had this to say in an interview about how she got involved in the Lolita fashion community:

“I feel more welcomed into the Lolita community than in the Muslim community. They actually wanted to get to know me. They invite me to stuff, and they interact with me at those functions. I met my best friend through Lolita.”

Alyssa also runs a Tumblr, The Hijabi Lolita, where she posts pictures of herself in various Lolita/Muslim outfits. Here are some of the photos of her showing off her cross-culture collaborations:

Of course most of the comments that Japanese netizens have made about the Muslim Lolita fashion are along the lines of kawaii! (“cute!”) or sugoi! (“amazing!”), but some other have kindly expressed their feelings using more than one word:

“Wow, glad to see them doing their best to express themselves as best they can.”
“Lolita fashion: overcoming national borders and religious obstacles.”
“I’m shocked that Muslim clothes and Lolita fashion go together surprisingly well….”
“The people calling them ‘not Lolita’ are missing the point; this is about them finding their own identity.”
“They’d better get started creating MSL48.”

So what do you think? Can Lolita fashion spread to more conservative Muslim countries as well? Or will it remain a niche hobby?

Source: HOKKfabrica via Togetter
Featured/top image: The Hijabi Lolita (1, 2) (Edited by RocketNews24)

Origin: Japanese Twitter celebrates new “Muslim Lolita fashion” trend 【Pics】
Copyright© RocketNews24 / SOCIO CORPORATION. All rights reserved.

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We sent two of our Japanese writers to dress up in matching Kiki & Lala Little Twin Stars cosplay in Harajuku!

Maison de Julietta at LaForet Harajuku is a store specialising in Lolita fashion, with a dressing service and expert advice available. It’s also the perfect place to go if you’d like to just try out the look since the staff will dress you, do your makeup and hair, and even take some studio-quality photos for you to take home, too.

While our Japanese writer Meg is undeniably a master of all things cute, her partner in crime for this frilly mission, Midori, who writes for our Japanese sister site Pouch, was slightly more apprehensive. Despite harbouring a secret love for cute things since kindergarten, she’s always felt that frills and lace synonymous with Lolita fashion just don’t suit her. Undeterred, Meg dragged Midori along to the salon for a full Lolita makeover (after all, you can’t dress up in matching adorable twin character fashion without a twin, can you?)

Upon arriving at the salon, our reporters were met by rack upon rack of beautiful pastel Lolita fashion from various brands, including BABY, THE STARS SHINE BRIGHT. They couldn’t help being shocked by the price tags, though. (Lolita fashion can be very expensive, with most dresses starting from 10,000 yen (US$87). They were also surprised upon chatting to the staff to find that the store sometimes gets customers who are in their eighties! (Keep an eye out for Lolita grannies to snap on your next trip to Tokyo!)

The Kiki & Lala dress-up plan comes in three categories, all of which include hair, makeup and photo session. The difference is in the extras, which include original design dresses and a full photo album. Meg decided to be Lala (in pink) while Midori opted to become Kiki (in blue.)

Midori was surprised at the amount of padding and elbow-grease involved in the dressing process — her dress required three petticoats in order for the skirt to reach maximum floofiness levels. Hair and makeup was a similarly elaborate operation, involving wigs, false eyelashes, and special Sanrio brand makeup.

After some personal shots and much squee-ing, our reporters were ready for their professional photo shoot with a Kiki & Lala themed backdrop. The photographer was reportedly a pro, and talked our girls through several poses, even providing props. Despite feeling a little self-conscious at first, our Meg and Midori soon got into the swing of things!

After their photo shoot, our reporters changed back into their street clothes and discussed the experience, remarking on how refreshing it is to try out a whole different look when there’s someone else doing the choosing and outfit coordinating. Even if you’re a little intimidated by Lolita fashion and worry about looking silly, the staff at Maison de Julietta are total pros who will ensure you wind up one cute and confident Lolita. One warning, though: Lolita fashion can be addictive. The staff told our reporters that the majority of people who come for a trial dress-up and photo shoot return again within the month to buy their own Lolita pieces…

Store information
Store Name: Maison de Julietta（メゾン・ド・ジュリエッタ）
Address: BF 1.5, LaForet Harajuku, Jingumae 1-11-6, Shibuya, Tokyo
Opening Hours: 11:00 to 21:00, every day (“last orders” for dress-up are one hour before store closes)

The Kiki & Lala Plan is available until the end of March, 2016.

All photos © Pouch

Whether you’re into pink frills or black one-piece dresses, there’s a knife here for you!

Despite changes in fashion trends, lolitas and goth lolitas have managed to maintain a certain presence in Japanese pop culture for about as long as we can remember. Their adorable frilly dresses and cute fashion is still one of the most enduring images people have of Harajuku — and with good reason! Who doesn’t wish they could spend all day dressed as lolita, sipping tea and eating sweets?

Of course, someone has to make all those treats, but, sadly, there just aren’t very many “cute and frilly” options for foodie lolitas. At least, not until now!

These lolita kitchen knives are perfect for the lolita that lives inside us all. Though, when you see the price, you’ll definitely hope your inner lolita has secret bank account to float you a loan…

▼ “Both the goth lolita and lolita kitchen knife have excellent cutting edges. They were forge cast, so they cut cleanly. If the edge gets dull, you can get it sharpened. But don’t use it for any wrist cutting please!”

ゴスロリ包丁　ロリータ包丁どっちも抜群のキレ味です。本鍛造ですのですぱっといきます。刃がちびてきたら研いでもらえます。でもリストカットには使わないでほしいです＞Ａ＜ https://t.co/qKSGjVvYG7

—
血ゑ＠播州三木打刃物 (@ChieriHanapy) March 18, 2016

Both of these knives were produced by Takumi Armory, a company that produces a variety of “weapons” for cosplayers, and are apparently individually made. That means if you want one, you’ll have to contact them directly and…fork over a fairly hefty sum.

For example, the Lappin knife — the cute, pink lolita version covered in hearts pictured above — will set you back 168,000 yen (about US$1,500), which is definitely enough to finance a shopping spree at Baby, the Stars Shine Bright.

▼ Though we guess it could also double as a video game weapons…

すごく反響をいただいておりますので関連写真をあげていきます～ ロリータ包丁ラピン https://t.co/LsDyvJbQmg

—
血ゑ＠播州三木打刃物 (@ChieriHanapy) March 19, 2016

And if you’ve got a bit more gloom and doom in your heart than bright pink bunnies, you’ll probably want to order the Juliette knife, pictured below. With an elaborate butterfly wing spreading off the top of the knife and a lace-covered handle, you’ll need to spend a bit more time saving up, the knife costs a bit more — it’ll put you back 198,000 yen (about $1,777).

▼ “Now, this is a knife.”

ゴスロリ包丁ジュリエット https://t.co/YMROqFIXYa

—
血ゑ＠播州三木打刃物 (@ChieriHanapy) March 19, 2016

As some Twitter users pointed out, there’s a good chance these knives aren’t really all that great for actual kitchen use. For one thing, that engraving looks like it would make the knives difficult to clean and for another they just don’t seem very comfortable to use. But we still definitely want them!

If you’re ready to order, you’ll need to send Takumi Armory a message using this form. Since the knives aren’t actually produced until an order is received, you can expect to wait around two months for your personal Lappin or Juliette to be finished. But, hey, there’s still plenty of time to get an order in for the 2016 winter holiday season!

And if you’re going to be buying these knives, you might as well keep going and do some lolita interior decorating too! You wouldn’t want to be mixing up your themes after all.

Sources: Twitter/@tomokiy, Takumi Armory, ITMedia
Feature image: Twitter/@tomokiy
Images: Twitter/@tomokiy, Takumi Armory

Our reporter hops on a plane to Paris to check out Princess Crêpe, a Japanese-style creperie in the City of Lights!

In Paris, France, it’s as easy to spot a shop selling crepes it is to find a tanning salon in Tokyo’s mecca of youth culture Shibuya–they’re virtually everywhere. However, out of all of the classic Parisian creperies to choose from, there’s one that seems to have sprung up from an entirely different dimension of cuteness altogether.

According to locals who live in the area, the tiny eatery is continuously basking in the love of “girls who have a weakness for cute things and otaku living in France’s capital.” Since we never pass up a chance to see a famous kawaii [“cute”] place outside of Japan, we sent our Japanese reporter Yuuichiro Wasai to check things out.

Princess Crepe is located is the Le Marais historical district of Paris, where many aristocrats used to live in bygone days. The outside of the shop is positively overflowing with girlish, kawaii charm, so first-time visitors will have no problem picking it out on the street.

If, like our dashingly rugged Wasai, you’re not exactly the cutesy type yourself, you might feel a bit hesitant to step inside. But there’s no reason to feel awkward–everyone is welcome there, and no one even batted an eye when our man entered with all of his decidedly non-kawaii, masculine charm. In fact, he felt so immediately welcome that he wanted to call out, “I’m home!” in Japanese.

Actually, he should have, since the staff member was ethnically Japanese and spoke the language fluently. Okay, maybe there was some kind of magic in the air, because Wasai, even as a full-grown man, suddenly felt like squealing out in delight!

Taking a look around, Wasai was overwhelmed by the pastel pink interior. He couldn’t quite decide if “fancy,” “lolita-style,” or “moe-style” best described the vibe…but a lovely pink it certainly was.

The interior decorations included moe anime figurines and adorable plushies. Even the staff member was wearing a Sweet Lolita-style dress, adorned with frills and hearts. It was hard to believe this was Paris, and not some cute little cafe tucked away in the side streets of Harajuku, Tokyo.

▼ A large heart-shaped window looks out onto the street.

▼ Anime figurines galore

Now, onto the food! The sweet crepe that Wasai ordered was gorgeously crafted into the shape of a flower bouquet, with a healthy dollop of fluffy whipped cream and fresh strawberries. The entire creation melted in his mouth and vanished in the blink of an eye.

By the way, Wasai points out that many Parisian creperies use buckwheat flour to make savory, pancake-like treats called galettes. Princess Crepe, however, uses regular wheat flour to craft its sweet crepes, which are the most familiar version to most Japanese palates.

All in all, Wasai highly recommends Princess Crepe to both people who have an intrinsic interest in kawaii culture and to those who have never experienced such a concentration of “cute” before. Even if you’re the self-proclaimed manliest of men, you should try it out–you might just surprise yourself!

Cafe information
Princess Crepe
Address: 3 rue des Ecouffes 75004 Paris
Open: 1 p.m.-7 p.m.
Website

Images © RocketNews24

The stunning porcelain doll lookalike shares the secrets behind her amazing appearance.

Since starting her Instagram account four years ago back in 2013, Kina Shen has picked up 445,000 followers online, with people in her homeland of China and further abroad all drawn to the stunning young woman’s photo collection.

What sets Kina apart from all the other pretty young fashionistas on Instagram is her striking look, which people around the globe are likening to a doll.

Looking through her photo collection shows that the raven-haired beauty really does have all the features of a doll brought to life, regardless of whether she’s looking off in the distance or gazing down the barrel of the lens.

Kina has a fondness for the dark, once leaving the comment: “All this time I thought I was dark, but maybe I was wrong. I cannot stay away from darkness, because it needs me. Because I am the light it craves, and needs. So maybe I am not cursed, but blessed with a dark kind of light.”

Her penchant for dark fashion and cigarettes make her look like a gothic Barbie doll.

With porcelain skin, large eyes and a dainty mouth, every photo taken of her looks more like an image of a doll rather than a real-life person.

▼ In these shots, she looks like a doll that’s been carefully posed for photos.

▼ Kina likes to play around with her look, getting creative with new makeup…

▼ And different coloured hair.

And just like a doll, she has a number of outfits for different occasions.

When she steps into cosplay attire, her doll-like features make her look like an anime character come to life.

Kina’s distinctive look owes a lot to her large and captivating eyes, a key feature that she’s been kind enough to share with this makeup tutorial on YouTube.

As Kina continues to update her photo collection with new images, she’s also beginning to inspire a wide and varied collection of fan art.

One fan even created a computer-generated image of her in life simulation video game The Sims 4.

If you like Kina’s look and want to see more living dolls from across the world, you might want to check out the blonde Barbies walking the streets of Russia and the Ukraine.

If these doll-like women ever decide to meet up one day for a photo shoot like this one, then we’ll all feel like we’ve stepped into an alternate universe!

Source: Instagram/Kinashen
Featured image: Instagram/kinashen