he/him. viet. reblogging whatever i find interesting, which tends to be lolita/jfashion, vkei, goth, punk and other alternative music.
83 posts
Noir Fleurir | Soushi
PENICILLIN in MUSIC WARDROBE Vol. 10
Unknown artist.
Dir en grey in MUSIC WARDROBE Vol. 10
«Rozz Williams of Christian Death sandwiched between Edward Stapleton and Gerardo Velázquez of Nervous Gender
📸 Ave Pildas, 1982.
Music From Hell deluxe reissue out now on 2xLP/CD 💿»
hi! I have a couple of very old brand pieces that aren't on lolibrary. where would you suggest I look to hunt down additional info and maybe add them to the database? thanks!
Hello! I’m very excited by this question.
I have a few suggestions depending on how knowledgeable you are on the item- if you aren’t sure where to start at all you might have some luck with narrowing down the general era or release date of the item judging by its label or wash tag.
Various tag guides have been published- this one by How To Become An Angel on neocities and this one on Raine’s Crimson Reflections blog.
But since you have checked lolibrary and it isn’t there, i’m assuming you have some information already (release year or print name or something along those lines). It’s possible to access old versions of lolita brand’s websites through the wayback machine and adjust the year to suit your best guess. From the homepage you can go to the brand catalogue and see the dresses / jsks / undergarments / ect and see if any have descriptions that will match your mystery item (even if there is no stock photo available). For example:
- Angelic Pretty 2002- present
- BTSSB 2000- present
- Metamorphose 2000- present
- Victorian Maiden 2001- present
- Innocent World 2001- 2004
- Innocent World 2005- present
- MmM 2001- 2010
- Atelier Boz 2001-2003
- Atelier Boz 2004 to 2017
Lolibrary is an extensive database, but it doesn’t cover every single piece in existence. If I haven’t found it on lolibrary and I haven’t found any information on the brand’s original website, I will usually turn to my lolita magazines and see if I can spot the item anywhere. Lolita History is a great resource that most of you are already aware of. It’s great for GLB scans and even other niche publications that have been kindly submitted. You can filter by Keywords to narrow down your search.
All of the advice above is if you are the kind of person that likes to take your time with research and look into the item personally. If you don’t have time for that, i’d just post it on social media and ask if anyone knows anything. U can post it here on tumblr or u can send it to me! There will always be someone happy to help, and if it’s something I can’t do myself I will volunteer to submit it to some senior lolibrarians and see what can be revealed.
1998 Show presentation scans
Juri wears Meta’s boots in white (2000).
Miyuki wears Victorian Maiden’s velveteen wing corset in purple (according to lolibrary).
Cartoon Crusties
cali≠gari Version 8.0
rosiere roser
So-En - Tokyo Brands To Watch 1997-1998
Follow me on Instagram for weekly new magazine scans! So-En's Brands To Watch (Autumn 1997-1998 Season) Featuring the runway shows of some of the most popular emerging labels coming out of Tokyo at the time, So-En listed these as ones they had their eyes on and included the exclusive collectibles sent out as invitations by brands such as Undercover, 20471120, Shinichiro Arakawa, and Tsumori Chisato.
zAkro wears A+Lidel’s cross bondage shirt op (not its official name) in black x red print.
Example image via this y! Auctions listing.
Mystery lolita-chan wears an unknown Moitie velveteen cross mini hat. I was surprised to see this isn’t on lolibrary!
Example image via Caffeinetedcameron on LM
some KERA (?) mag punk scans I found online :3
i love KERA mag punks, they just always do it right lol
//(*▼▽▼)∩//
Daily Kami - Day 186 + Közi
A bit of context for this photo.. Mana had crashed the van, so Kami and Közi took the opportunity to take photos of themselves with the van afterwards.
A lolita at Fanime 2006 wears Suppurate System’s rose petal orb necklace (unknown).
tbh my opinion isnt so much that trans men cannot have male privilege. its that the way we understand male privilege is based in cis women, specifically otherwise privileged (esp. otherwise-gendered privilege, i.e gender-conforming/straight/perisex) cis women's understanding of gender as something static and inherent to who you are, rather than something fluid which is, in part, constructed by society and placed onto you separately in every moment.
can a trans man experience (cis) male privilege? yes. can a trans woman? yes. and so can a cis woman! hell, a femme perisex cis woman with a gender neutral name could if she's assumed to be a cis man on a resume. male privilege is not an on/off switch. the idea that it is stems from cissexist understandings of male/female as entirely separate and static categories which everyone can and must be understood through. trans people in feminism are expected to constantly defend and deflect accusations of being Privileged Male Oppressors by promising cis perisex women that our experiences are just like theirs! we don't have any scary opinions that don't align with their worldview! we swear we won't ever make them have to reflect on how being cis+perisex has biased them and potentially made their analysis of gender at all inaccurate! trans experiences are only considered valuable to cisfeminism to the extent that they reaffirm what cisfeminists already hold true. thats why they only ever want to talk about a very simplistic narrative around wages pre/post-transition. its extremely unthreatening to cis people because it presents transness in patriarchy as just going from one cis role to another; it doesn't ask cis feminists to expand their paradigm to include the ways in which trans people are treated as a class and their own complicity in transphobic oppression.
which is why trans men have been getting fucked over by trans-affirmng cisfeminism. because by virtue of having our gender acknowledged, we are expected to forfeit our place in the feminist movement and adopt the role of outsider along cis men*. and its also why trans women and MTX people get fucked over the minute they cannot or refuse to describe their experiences through the one or two approved narratives. cisfeminism cannot tolerate transness-as-transness. it has to be compressed and reduced and diluted into something that fits within a cis-centric framework. we aren't allowed to have nuanced and intersectional conversations about trans men & other trans folks relationship with male privilege, the things we have to sacrifice to there, how fleeting it can be, the fact that for some of us being read as "biologically male" is actively more dangerous than being read as female... if it isn't familiar to cis women, then it means you aren't really oppressed.
*cis men should not be outsiders in feminism either btw but thats another post
Christopher Nemeth collection in Tokyo coverage in STREET magazine no. 69 / April 1995
lmao
"vintage facist fishnet top" via the lip service archives
ACDC Rag - A Japanese brand! Runs small and short. Won’t fit plus size at all. A bit pricey, but good quality and looks interesting. Alchemy Gothic - Great quality, great look. A bit pricey. Sometimes Halloween stores sell their cheaper stuff for good prices. Appalling Apparel - Average quality horror t-shirts for average prices. Banned Apparel - Cute, decent quality, and usually pretty good price. Shop around, places like to sell this brand for more than it’s worth sometimes. Blackbird Parlor - If you want a custom knitwear, this place will make anything to your specifications for a decent price. Handmade, so it’s a little expensive. Begotten - Lasts forever and looks great but good luck finding a second hand dress. If you do, it’s either stupid expensive or fifteen bucks. No inbetween. Blackcraft Cult - Don’t go for their clothing. It’s overpriced and not that creative. Their furniture is nice, though. Castle Corsetry - Expensive, but super nice quality. Save up for this if you want a corset as a main statement. ChicStar - Cheap both in price and quality. Use it when just starting out or for DIY. Runs a bit small. Corset Story - (Also CorsetDeal) CHEAP AND ABSOLUTELY SHIT QUALITY. DO NOT BUY, YOU WILL HURT YOURSELF. Cryoflesh - A bit expensive, but nice looking and good quality cyber clothes. Current Mood - Expensive and surprisingly generic looking. You can find better stuff that looks the same from other companies. Cutting Edge Threads - I think they merged with Jawbreaker. Nice quality, a bit pricey. Find it second hand if you can. Cykxtees - REALLY nice, REALLY expensive. Try finding online, because you’re not gonna find these in stores. Does medieval and I love it. Dark In Love - Runs REALLY small. On the low tier of expensive. Unique designs but won’t be the same as the picture. Quality is decent. Get a fancy outfit while on sale, but don’t buy full price. Don’t get your basics here, either. DarkStar - A bit pricey and falls apart REALLY easy. A lot of their stuff looks like Lip Service stuff from the 90s. If you want to go 90, I’d suggest them, just have basic sewing skills and be ready to use them. Dead Threads - Good quality but expensive. Get on sale. You can find some stuff similar to Hearts n’ Roses for a bit cheaper. Edgy teenager vibe. Delightfully Deviant - Wish they’d use less satin… Nice quality, a little expensive. Can make some really fantastic stuff when it’s not satin. Owner is a gem of a person. Demonia - Expensive and easy to ruin. Their shoes will usually lower in price the longer they’re up, so wait a year or so before buying or get it on sale. You can also find some of the same styles at their child brand, Pleaser. Devil Clothing - Sold by most places online for more than it’s worth. Really soft, could be stitched better on shirts and dresses. Get it on sale only. Runs a bit small. Disturbia - SUPER overpriced. T-shirts you could easily make at home with some scissors and safety pins. Either that or really basic clothes sold for ten times the normal cost. Don’t even bother with this brand. Doc Martens - Expensive for plain boots, but these things last DECADES and feel great while doing it. The price is worth it. Can be used as work boots as well. DollsKill - Generic looking and over priced. Average quality. Dracula Clothing - Medium quality for a medium price. Okay for starting out a romantic wardrobe. If you can sew, you can find some of their jacket patterns at Joanne’s. Drklght Clothing - If you like Killstar and Dollskill shirts, but wish they were cheaper, this is the place for you. Good quality, decent design, decent prices. Dulce Calaveritas - Really nice quality accessories for great prices. More horror themed, but classy. Eternal Love - Looks a little costume-y, a bit pricey. Decent quality. Hard to find, look on eBay. Eva Lady - BEAUTIFUL. Expensive. Great romantic clothes made out of nice materials, but still really expensive. Find a sale. Fi Machine - Spooky bags that are handmade. Decent price, great quality. Fiend Boutique - Cute, causal necklaces for a great price. The black paint rubs off the chains, though. Funhouse - Does this brand still exist? Looks great, price is decent, needs upkeep if you’re gonna be wearing it a lot. Basic sewing skills required. Hearts ‘n Roses - Quality clothing. Runs a bit small. A bit more expensive than it should be. Heavy Red - Expensive, nice quality, you can find a lot of what they have for cheaper or can make it yourself for a lot cheaper. Sometimes they do come out with “WOW” pieces, though, so just wait for a sale. Hell Bunny - Runs small. Seems to have gone to 50s clothes as of late. Not too pricey and thankfully not all dry-clean only. Hillary’s Vanity - Depends on what you buy. Mostly expensive. I wouldn’t suggest their tulle or “brocade” clothes, but their other stuff is pretty good quality. Hot Topic - Yeah, the brand for the the store. Average quality, good for basics. Uses dye that rubs off, so wash it a few times before wearing. Iron Fist - Okay quality shoes for a good price. Nice designs, sizing is all over the place. Buy second hand since the company went bankrupt and isn’t getting orders out anymore. Isabella Corsets - FANTASTIC corsets for a great price. If you want custom, it’ll be more expensive, but these are body modification devices, so don’t try to cheap out. JawBreaker - Runs a bit small. Really nice look, good quality. Expensive. Killstar - Overpriced. Their quality absolutely fell off the map in the last year. Five wears and their shoes are falling apart. Runs a bit small, tends to overuse occult designs. Kreepsville666 - Decent price for decent clothes. More horrorpunk than anything else at this point. Accessories are cheap and great for DIY or Halloween. Lip Service - Decent price. Runs a little small, lasts forever if you maintain it properly. Miniskirts are MUCH shorter than they look at first. Living Dead Souls - Really nice clothes, great quality for a decent price. More high-end, so they’re a little expensive. Love Pain and Stitches - If you’ve seen a jack-o-lantern bag, it’s probably from here. Phenomenal quality and a decent price. Super hard to get a hold of, though, they’re handmade and sell out really fast. Madame Zombie Fx - Holy crap, these shoes are to die for. Great quality, a bit pricey. Good luck finding them at conventions. They also have some cute accessories for great prices. Memento Mori Goods - High quality, beautiful pins for a great price. Their other stuff is okay. Ms.Formaldehyde Couture - Pricey headdresses, but everything else is pretty and pretty cheap. Quality is a mixed bag. Do your research before buying. Necessary Evil - They overcharge for the basics. Not by much, but you can get the same plain black maxi dress from Target for ten dollars cheaper. Average quality. Don’t bother. New Rock - A bit pricey, but wonderful quality. Do look a little over-the-top most of the time, though. PawStar - Nice quality belts and accessories for cybergoths and gravers. (And anyone into the furry/kink scene.) Good quality for a good price. Pentagramme - Nice looking clothes with a decent quality. Really pricey, though. Don’t go clubbing in the lace or chiffon styles, they’ll rip easily and it’ll be money down the drain. Pleaser - Demonia’s cheaper subsidiarity. Falls apart easy, but the price is NOTHING compared to Demonia. Carries some of the same styles for much cheaper, too. Buy if you don’t mind using rubber cement to hold your platforms together. Poizen Industries - Really overpriced basics. Good quality. Wait for clearance, they’ll be knocked down to less than half their price. Princess Madison - Only found at conventions and on etsy. Has nice hats and meh everything else. A little pricey. You can usually find similar elsewhere for cheaper. Punk Rave - Runs absolutely tiny. Expensive for nice looking, decent quality clothes. A bit overblown, but most other companies don’t make the same style, so what are you gonna do? Queen of Darkness - A nice look and good quality, but expensive. They overcharge for the basics and a lot of their styles can be found elsewhere. Get a fancy coat or something, but if you just need a black maxi dress look elsewhere. Restyle - Everything they have is just okay quality. Looks fantastic, but it’s not gonna last. Clothes are a bit overpriced for the quality and run small. Jewelry is a great price. Again, their stuff looks nice, but in two months the silver’s rubbing off and the coat’s snagged. Retroscope Fashions - Pricey, average quality. It’ll last if you maintain it. Leans more steampunk, much like Spin Doctor. Rock Rebel - Horror t-shirts of average quality for an average price. Rosetic - Cheap quality, average price, nice look. Runs tiny and falls apart REALLY easy. Some styles are a knock-off of Eva Lady. Be careful when buying. Royal Bones - Tripp under another name. Same quality, but pricier. Falls apart easily. Buy on sale. Samiah - Ask yourself, do you need that extra kidney? If you can sell your organs, you can have a REALLY nice jacket. Seriously, these things make you feel fantastic wearing them but will give you a heart attack once you see the price tag. Great quality, but way too overpriced. Shrine is a better option. Serious - Cheap looking fetish clothes. OK price. Shrine - Expensive as hell, but great quality. These things are made for royalty. Good luck. Sourpuss - Pins are decent quality and price. Clothes are nothing to write home about. Spin Doctor - Nice clothes with good quality. Can get expensive. Buy on sale. Spirit - Yeah, the Halloween store. Poor quality, cheap price, cute for a year or so if you maintain it. Good for things like shorts to wear under skirts, really cheap petticoats, or a slightly dented pentagram necklace. Subterranea - Looks good as long as it’s not their polyester stuff. PRICEY. Nice quality. Good luck finding these dresses. Usually really pricey since they’re out of business. Super Low Fat - Good luck finding this brand! Usually not that pricey despite being out of business. Good quality, too bad everything looks really cheap. Sweet Midnight -If you like mixing goth and Disney, this is the place for you. Their skirts are a little pricey, but their other stuff is good quality for a great price. 13’s Closet - Good looking clothes. A little too expensive for my taste. Average quality. Their bat accessories are where they shine, but again, it’s a bit pricey. Too Fast - Rare instance of a pin-up company going goth instead of the other way around. Good quality. A bit more expensive than they should be. Buy on sale. TrippNYC - Even though everyone makes fun of these, it lasts a long time. Their larger zippers can break easily. I wish more of their stuff wasn’t dry-clean only. Good quality for a decent price. T.U.K. - Decent quality shoes. A bit pricey, get them second hand. Don’t wear them in the rain or snow. Victorian Choice - Cheap price overall for the dress styles. Meh quality fabric. If you want a Victorian inspired look fast, it’s a good first dress if you get it on sale. Save up and get something better quality later. Vimpoke - Do not buy from them. They just resell cheap AliExpress products with insane mark-ups. Like, charging $70 to $150 more than the product normally sells. Horrible quality products, shady business practices. Just find the same thing on AliExpress for less than half price. Voodoo Vixen - Sadly went the way of the pin-up. Decent clothes, a bit pricey. Runs small. Take measurements before buying. Widow - Meh quality clothes sold for a high price. Most designs can be found in a better quality elsewhere. Don’t bother unless it’s in clearance for dirt cheap. XXX Rude - Great quality basics for guys. A bit overpriced. Wait for a sale or buy secondhand. Some notes: You don’t have to get brand name everything. Most basics of a wardrobe can be found at places like Target or Walmart. Thrifting is super cool in the community. Try DIY if you’re feeling creative. Never buy one-size-fits-all fishnets. Check back later, this list sometimes updates with more brands.
Japanese Tags in Smart Magazine (1997)
all of the EGL King of the Hill images I've collected so far
This is a work in progress and will change over time. Not every search term will come up with clothing suitable for each fashion, it takes a good eye and some imagination to make it work. It is best to study the best known brands of each fashion to understand what to look for. Google searching the following fashions in japanese give the best results: 森ガール、ナチュラル系、山ガール、グリモワールファッション
A few things to remember: modest clothing, layering, loose fitting clothing that drapes nicely, the right fabric and minimal makeup is absolutely key for mori girl. embellishments, asymmetry, varying colors and textures are also important. Additionally, because of confusion, the biggest difference mori girl and natural kei is the amount of layers.
Mori kei, or 森系 is not a Japanese term. I am unsure of the origin, but it used in Chinese (and searching it in google brings up Chinese results), and westerners use it the same way for example Visual kei, a long known Japanese street fashion is used. For this reason, I have not included it for recommended search terms.
Hama girl, or 浜ガール is not coined in Japan. It was coined by someone on Tumblr, who then aggregated a series of photos of mori girls by the sea. For this reason I have not included it in recommended search terms since it will difficult to find anything.
Yama girl is more a lifestyle than fashion. The term originated in 2009 when the Japanese government was actively promoting trekking around Mt. Fuji.
The terms for dolly kei are based on the fashion around 2010; the store Grimoire has changed since, with an overall lighter palette.
森ガール Magazines: Spoon, Valon
Themes: nordic, amish, boho, bohemian, lagenlook, mennonite, mori girl, mori kei, nautical, rustic, shabby chic, upcycle, loose clothing, vintage, layered
Colors: Main colors are beige, the natural color fabrics like cotton, linen, etc. and shades of brown (from light tea brown, clay to tree bark). Secondary colors are blue, green, rust, earthen colors. Can use blues, reds, yellows, pretty much other colors as well, but in natural tones. Shades of brown matching skin color are also a plus.
CLOTHING Tops: pintuck, crochet vest, oversized cardigans and sweaters, peter pan collar, shawl, flannel, smocked, henley shirt, sailor collar, Bottoms: layered skirt, long flowy skirts, button down skirts, baggy lose denim pants, kapri denim, harem pants, boot cuffs One Pieces: prairie dress, a-line dress, overalls Accessories: lace socks, cotton tights and socks, leather and/or canvas backpacks, straw bags. I’ve seen deer antlers flower crowns and capes in mori girl but it seems to be prominent in western mori girl
MATERIALS cotton, linen, gingham, crochet, knit, patchwork, plaid/tartan, denim, floral fabric, leather, suede, polka dot, wool, gauze, muslin, chintz fabric
EMBELLISHMENTS cotton lace (especially eyelet), tulle, wood buttons
HOUSE/ROOM DECORATIONS knick knack, kitsch, knotty pine, rustic, country home living
MASCOTS Muumin, Little Bear, Where the Wild Things Are
SHOES round toes are very common in mori girl. combat boots, mary janes, desert boots, duck feet boots, penny loafers, moccasins, moc toe boots, oxfords, wood clogs, espadrilles, sheepskin boots (ugg, bearpaw, etc)
BRANDS Clothing: Wonder Rocket, Favorite One, Onepi-C, Dearli Shoes: A lot of comfort shoe brands are suitable for mori girl. Some examples are Birkenstock, Dansko (they are advertised in moi girl magazines), Born/BoC, Clarks, Taos, Blowfish (some styles are made out of linen) Accessories: same as clothing brands
山ガール Magazines: Randonee, falo
Themes: mountaineering, rustic, nordic, hiking, camping
Colors: Yama girl uses a lot of neon colors because for safety reasons during hiking. So there arent set colors.
CLOTHING Tops: flannel vests, Bottoms: mountain skirt, compression tights One Pieces: Accessories: leather canvas backpacks, hiking backpacks, leg warmers
MATERIALS cotton, wool linen, gingham, plaid/tartan, denim, nordic print, waterproof material (tyvek, gore-tex)
HOUSE/ROOM DECORATIONS rustic pine, knotty pine
SHOES Hiking boots, duckfeet boots, combat boots
BRANDS Clothing:Columbia, North Face, l. l. bean Shoes: Keens, L.L bean, Columbia, Birkenstock Accessories:
Grimoire Girl/Dolly Kei Themes: antique, 1920s, grimoire, eastern european, russian, slovak vintage, victorian, edwardian, catholic themes
Colors: reds
CLOTHING Tops: sailor collar, folk vest Bottoms: One Pieces: dirndl type wear, victorian day dress, peignoir Accessories:
MATERIALS cotton, tapestry, patchwork, plaid/tartan, needlepoint, leather, suede, fur
EMBELLISHMENTS
HOUSE/ROOM DECORATIONS
SHOES Shoe style: wood heels, clogs
BRANDS Clothing:Grimoire, Vintage Gunne Sax Shoes: Accessories:
Today The Virgin Mary closes its doors after 17 years.
Previously known as CULT PARTY for its first 4 years of business and the birth place of cult party kei, The Virgin Mary was a highly influential and renowned vintage shop that inspired several fashion brands/designers. The shop and cult party kei’s impact could be seen across Japanese street fashion between the late 2000s through early/mid 2010s. Grimoire (the birth of the dolly kei)— another famous vintage shop from the same era— came to be as a result of The Virgin Mary’s influence.
There is no denying The Virgin Mary’s success and place in Japanese street fashion history, it’s especially heartbreaking to see the store close as it is one of the last major vintage shops left from this era of fashion. Grimoire had already closed their doors after a 15 year run.
While cult party kei has dwindled in popularity since the late 2010s, as of the early 2020s there is still a small dedicated community online who wear and keep the fashion alive today.
Thank you Ari and the wonderful staff at The Virgin Mary for 17 years!
Can we stop with the “do you want a man like this in the women’s bathroom then huh? [picture of a passing trans man]” stuff.
Because it ignores and downplays the violence trans men face in bathrooms it frames trans men as a threat to cis women.
Also just the whole thing of framing someone who looks like a man/masculine as being a threat is just . Weird. Non-passing trans women aren’t a threat either.
Transphobes have made it very clear they want to ban trans men from both the men’s and women’s bathrooms. They don’t want us in either.