Aristo Drama; I have none.

Good afternoon, minna-sama. Oh my, do forgive yet another long stretch without anything on the up and up. Much actually has been happening, but so much so that I haven't been able to spare time, as usual, into posting. This worries me some, as I haven't even spent the half hour I know it would take to sew two eye patches [on in square, one in more traditional shape], or the new mask, nor go out and take the Halloween Aristocrat picture for the Doll Part contest. I shall probably resolve to do that tomorrow night then... maybe... Tomorrow seems dastardly. I haven't [named or] taken my cane out with me during jaunts on campus, even though I haven't yet fixed Petros, and that second jabot just refuses to be pinned and cut in the pattern shape for starters. An endeavor... all of it.

On a happier note, however, Toriberry, Nobu, and my club has been officially approved, and the Lolikei duo that is the former and I took some time after class to put up our pretty and altered tab-tear fliers. They look great. And some have been ripped soundly to shreds, in the way that there are no tabs left, and I've had to replace them. This gives me a lot of hope for our first turn out, scheduled for November 8th at 6 pm [in case there are invisible followers who are privy to know where we are]. The place hasn't been decided yet, but I think it shall probably be in a room in the Armory until further notice. I just hope I won't forget. That's all I need, to not be there even though I've got it down three weeks in advance. We're planning our first group activities and get-togethers. The online community has gone live, and is now taking in our interested blood~ It is something to excite this heir marquis.

In reader's digest version, that has been what is all consuming [sans some of the less pleasurable or notable points that I don't care to recount to anyone] these past few days. Halloween nears, and Undertaker debuted in public [outside of a con] to a big success, so now I must untangle the wig and hope for cold weather again on Friday. Keep me posted, minna-sama, on your ins and outs and parties and costumes.

As for today, I hope you will all pardon some more ramblings on a specific topic that I'm sure most Lolitas, and indeed perhaps others in related and similar themed Japanese street fashions, are well aware of; online drama. You can find them anywhere in your online fashion community, perhaps notably on livejournal the community loli_secrets, wherever there is the ability to create a fan page or similar, to gather the hyper-egos, weeaboos, bitches, and sometimes even the occasional nice person who gets eaten alive or changes into a bitch online. Freedom of speech, yay, all the jazz. Class? Sophistication? If anyone on the other sides of those posts had any to begin with, it sure doesn't show. Since Toriberry has begun posting Loli Secrets, I find myself enjoying each read, much as she does, aptly describing it as a train wreck. But as much sadistic pleasure I get out of laughing at the weeaboos and whiny bitches who really admitted to scheduling their lives around a post of pictures with usually hateful words attached, I am also disgusted, and relieved. Does this sound strange to you?

Disgusted, of course, goes without saying. The fact that there are people--girls no less, who are wearing a style that seeks to embody a delicate and gentle countenance, with varying levels of innocence, sub-style [punk, goth, sweet, classic, etc.] pending--who use the separation, the detachment allowed them by being on a computer to out-pour their critical views and hateful words about how this one girl looks like trash, how a fatty-chan isn't worthy of wearing the clothes she owns, and pick apart different coordinates, of ancestors and descendants alike. [When I say that I mean experienced Lolitas and new blood Lolitas.] This particular loli-secret post got me thinking about the whole online mindset of Lolita communities.
And I thought to myself, 'True as this may be, what a sad outlook. Young ladies are trying to enjoy this fashion, maybe just for frilly reasons, and maybe more personal matters, yet when they look to the Internet for advice, tips, CONSTRUCTIVE criticism, and support, they must also be prepared for BITCHES.' Most likely experienced lolitas, who prey on others, looking through past and present to find something to harp on. Not everyone has thick-skin like this marquis does. He is violent, he is mean, with no tolerance for drama, but he is not unkind nor insensitive. These sorts of bitching do indeed discourage others from a fashion, that otherwise they would welcome and foster and care with love as any other aspect of their life, if only there wasn't things like loli_secrets. I have to wonder sometimes, if it isn't the "frilly bitches" who are the insecure ones, and know no other way to make themselves seem legit than to do as the Roman's do, and flame. Said flames have now resulted in a disastrous snowballing that spirals into communities like loli_secrets, breeding grounds for chains of hate back and forth. For it's own part though, in the post where I retrieved the above photo, there were significantly more positive things like fledgling lolitas asking for their mentors to come back, or requests for prints that have come and gone, and such.

As for my other feelings towards Lolita drama, I'll reiterate; I am relieved. When I decided to join Toriberry in a new fashion venture, I did not want the frills and Mary Janes. I knew that from the start. Skirts are not for me, no matter how amazing they all look. If not chained and bound in the elaborate and made-up ties of Visual Kei, then it would be adorned and majestic in the baroque and Versailles age of Aristocrat. A style less well known, less paraded, though still fairly popular for what it's worth among the big three [Lolita, Visual-Kei, Aristocrat (for girls, with Kodana and Dandy)]. Yes, I may only be able to buy things from Atelier Boz directly since there is no solely focused sight for non-brand Aristo [although Fan+Fried has some amazing pieces I'm interested in], and you have to know your keywords when you want to search Aristocrat communities online, but I am wholly confident that with the few specific but general rules that there are for this style, there will never be an online community that will come about devoted to the dramas and egos of Aristocrats eating each other's flesh and blood over how they look like a butler rather than lord of their castle. As it stands, I believe that's the only thing people really critique in Aristo fashion; how much you look like a contemporary butler. If something like that should ever seek to rear it's ugly head, I will be at the forefront to destroy it [hence my signature name, 'Knight of Destruction']. It is not a matter if I would break under the ego-tripping bitching out, it is the fact that I will never tolerate or allow myself to be in association with such a disgusting waste of time.

Saa, I've had my say, and I lay it here to be revisited should something come up; although I've said all of what I feel on the matter--if there is some drastic change in the drama weather from scathing to loving, perhaps I'll make note of it. I will continue to be the supporting friend I am in Toriberry's endeavors. She's a strong girl, to be sure, stronger still for keeping up with the frilly bitches abound, but I'll be her emergency confidence booster in the back of the room waiting to be busted open, should she ever start to crack.

I had an interview today, and I infused some of this and that, although perhaps with my hair fly-away [thanks to this damn humidity in OCTOBER, wtf] and with a vest without a jacket, I shall look somewhat like a host still. I'll replace the tie with the neck frills [perhaps that'll make me so inclined as to make the Atelier Boz one].

"Moonlight, floating on a wave. Moonlight, in a deep sleep."
Eternally yours,
Il Ruinante Isaak