Inspiration: Wonder Woman

Sparkles!

To be honest, I'm not entirely a fan of Wonder Woman as a lone character. She just doesn't work as well when she isn't playing off of others, in my opinion. But she's a great inspiration anyways.

I have to admit it took me a while to figure out just how to work her into a lolita blog. She isn't exactly a type that the typical lolita strives to be like. She's a fighter, isn't at all girly, and has a less-than-modest fashion sense compared to what we as lolitas see as proper. But believe it or not, she wasn't created to be eye candy for all the boys reading comics. She was created to be a "feminist role model whose mission was to bring the Amazon ideals of love, peace, and sexual equality to a world torn by the hatred of men." The whole idea behind her was to present a strong woman that girls could look to, but for her to be completely a woman.  Wonder Woman's creator once wrote:

"Not even girls want to be girls so long as our feminine archetype lacks force, strength, and power. Not wanting to be girls, they don't want to be tender, peace-loving as good women are. Women's strong qualities have become despised because of their weakness. The obvious remedy is to create a feminine character with all the strength of Superman plus all the allure of a good and beautiful woman."

As lolitas, we have no issue with not wanting to be girls.  But there is something to be said for the idea of being stronger. Not necessarily in a physical sense, but in our thoughts about honor and honesty. We always point to the the princesses of Disney and to Sara Crewe as role models for lolita. But why not point to the princess of the Amazons as well? She may not attend tea parties, but she embodies the strength that women have. She is confident in herself, doesn't rely on others, never defines herself by the status of her her love life, inspires strength in her friends and knows she is fully capable of doing whatever needs to be done. I think it's important to combine the best of these strengths with the best that the world of frills has to offer.

Here are a few ways to add a little amazon to your inner princess:

1) Get some exercise. You don't need to go to a gym, but do something active. It's a great way to clear your head and it's good for your body as well. Even if all you do is pop in your headphones and take your puppy on a walk around the block, you'll feel better than if you just sat on the couch.

2) Try a bolder wardrobe. Wonder Woman is very well-known for her uniform, but it's not exactly something to consider working into everyday wear. Instead try for bold, powerful colors that will inspire you all during the day. 

3) Be honest. Wonder Woman's primary weapon is her magic truth lasso. In fact, her creator is also the man who created the polygraph. So strive to be honest with others.

4) Read up on some mythology. Wonder Woman is always calling on the ancient goddesses to give her strength and guidance. Her mythology isn't exactly accurate, but myths can always be fun.

5) Watch the DC Universe Wonder Woman movie. It's an interesting story with some great voice talent to back it up.

6) Help others. This is pretty simple. It's silly to think of a lone lolita defending the world from evil aliens and stopping natural disasters (though it would make a great story) but help out in smaller ways. Volunteer, clean up trash, or just do small considerate things like letting someone in front of you in line. Make the world more beautiful not only by your frills, but by adding one smile to it at a time.