Books TV Shows for Lolitas: Cat Street

I'm likely not the first to mention this show to many of you. I've seen it referenced a couple times on egl the past few months. But I thought I should give it a review anyways.

The thing about this show is that, actually, it sounds a bit clique and silly. A child actress gets stage fright once and basically turns into a hermit until she has friends forced upon her to save her with their friendship. And honestly, it took me a bit to get past the initial 'omg, it was one thing please get over yourself' reaction and just watch the show. And it actually turned out to be a really amazing one.

Keito is a really depressed girl. The show takes it's time with her development, which means it takes a bit for the audience to learn the real reasons behind her withdrawal from society. Though this requires a bit of a push to get past, it helps to symbolize how the character is opening up. The friends she begins opening up to are as diverse and interesting as anyone could wish for. And they each come with their own problems and pain that gets worked through during later episodes. From the boy with the stutter who wants to dance to the lolita who is was hurt from the teasing she endured at a previous school to the cool guy that doesn't like answering personal questions to the odd principal that opened up the school that brings the kids together.

But characters and plot aside, I honestly fell in love with the feel of the show. It's a rather accurate representation of the group I fell into during high school. Not that I had friends just like these, because I don't really see any matching personalities, but a tight group of friends that were each just a tiny bit odd and had a vast collection of different interest but fit together like pieces of some puzzle that didn't seem like it would even make sense. And the show made this connection without the glitz and glamor that American shows add to any high school theme. Despite one girl being a super star.  Cat Street also deals with the issue of bullying, and not in an after school special way. There is no magic grown up that steps in to stop it. These kids learn to deal and to take it into their own hands. And when that fails they learn to fall back on each other - sometimes a little awkwardly because a lot of things are awkward at that age. It's not a show about how friendship just makes everything better, but about how friends can inspire you to make yourself better and help you along the way when you need it.

Also, she's got some adorable dresses.

I really enjoyed Cat Street and highly recommend it to anyone that grew up on the care bear definition of friends and enjoys an occasional drama show.

Pretty of the Week: An Infanta Dress for Autumn

I really love the muted floral print and chunky brass buttons on this dress. Almost as much as I love the vest on top. The cut is flattering and the dress is just so very unique. And I have to say, I really think the model's coordinate does a lot to show it off. This is definitely one for the wish list.

Loliprompt: Lolita Horror Stories

Another Loliprompt post this week as I get my feet back under me. 

Today, recall a moment revolving around Lolita that sticks out in your mind as horrible, embarrassing, or otherwise facepalm-inducing.  

Did someone puke on your JSK? Did your lacey blouse get thrown in the washer by accident? Were you singled out as an example of how NOT to do Lolita, or snubbed by other Lolitas?

 Hello Kitty Ghost = way too cute!

I tend to have more good than bad responses and experiences while in lolita. But I do have a handful of horror tales.

There's the fairly typical story of a milanoo dress (I was very new to the fashion and didn't know any better) falling apart while wearing it. Horrifying for sure, but it didn't happen when I was with anyone I knew so in the end I count it as a valuable learning experience.

There are certainly outfits I look back on with horror, but the group I've been involved with is incredibly nice and no one made an issue with it. Even though I'm certain no uglier blouse has ever existed. In the history of the world. But it's still more of an internal cringe than anything.

The most memorable isn't so much a horror story, but was a really awkward moment. It was last year's International Loli Day and I was meeting up for a pizza/tea/movie night with a friend to celebrate. But said friend was a fair distance and in the town my mother lives in. So I go a few hours early to take Mom to the craft show in town. In my favorite dress, because it's loli day and I didn't fancy changing in a public bathroom and figured Mom could handle loli-me for a day. (She's not crazy about the fashion.)
I didn't know it at the time, but the center that hosted the craft show was also hosting Disney on Ice. Which meant loads of little girls were wandering the craft fair before or after seeing the show. Several times I was asked if I was a princess and because I love making kids smile I always answered yes. It had happened a few times when I notice the last girl to ask was following me. Without a parent in site. In a really crowded craft fair where I'd been running back and forth as shiny things distracted me.
While I did get her back to her mom, I was terrified the whole time that I'd unknowingly kidnapped a poor little girl by pretending to be a princess.

Another time I was aproached while at the store buying cat litter by a woman who said her daughter wanted me to know I was very lucky. My brilliant reply: 'Oh, does she want a cat?'
Turns out it was the pink wig that made me lucky. Not the cat litter.

Loliprompt: A Matter of Identity

I apologize for the slightly longer than anticipated delay and for the lack of a normal themed post this week. I feel it would be improper to discuss the tragedy that struck my family early this week on what should be a fun, happy sort of blog, but any prayers aimed towards my aunt, uncle, cousins and extended family at this time would certainly not be unwelcome.

Please forgive me if I find it difficult to make an excited post about pretty things today. Instead, I am going to pull out one of the loliprompts I'd meant to tackle this month.

For those of you who feel that (Gothic &) Lolita plays a big part in who you are, do you feel it is more of a social, outward identity, or a personal, inner one?
For example, is it more important for you to participate in online and in-person communities and keep up with trends, or do you feel it’s more important to do as you like regardless of other Lolitas’ trends, communities, acceptance, etc.?

 For me it is an outward expression of an inward me. That is to say, I like what I like and wear what I wear only for myself. That's not to say that I remain unaffected by trends or that participating in a community isn't important. As with all fashions, trends affect what is and isn't available and spread ideas of new ways to do things. However, I feel that, especially in an alternate fashion such as lolita that is about wearing what makes you happy, following any trend that doesn't appeal to you is a bit ridiculous. On the same note, if a new trend comes along that I like I won't refuse it on the basis of not wishing to follow the crowd.

As far as participating in a community goes, I see lolita as an opportunity. Lolita is a starting point and a reason for people to get together. Especially as I've moved several times recently to different states and different communities, I've found myself leaning on that as a means of connection. However, a fashion is only a gateway to a friendship. Much like seeing someone reading a book you like. It isn't going to make that person your friend unless you are the type of people already compatible as friends and are both willing to put effort into getting to know each other. If you are the kind of person I don't enjoy being around a shared love of frills isn't going to change that. But on the same note, if you are someone I like spending time with I don't care what you wear or even if we have very little in common.

Footnote on lolita not changing a dislike of someone's base personality: I feel that within a community it is always wrong to let personal dislike of another member (for any reason) ever make things difficult or uncomfortable for other members at community functions. Simple politeness, redirection of attention and opting not to see the person in non-meet-up situations is what I am referring to by this remark.