Weekend Gamer

Good afternoon, everyone [already afternoon? ugh, where does all my time go?]. Hope you all had a pleasant weekend. I was verily too busy to post on Sunday [che sigh], as I tried to be semi-productive and catch up on work in the time I wasn't going out. Saturday, I had a tall-shoes outing with a friend from campus, and we went and saw Hunger Games [I haven't read the book, so I have a very base opinion just concerning the movie. And I feel like I sound jaded when I say it was alright; just okay]. Aside from the Demonia boots, nothing to report. Resident Evil-ed into the night [this was probably one of the worst ideas ever, but heeeeyyyy I swear the paranoid hysterics are gone].

On Sunday, the weather dipped again, so I knew there was a jacket in the works. But for walking around D.C. to go down and see The Art of Video Games exhibit at the American Art Museum in the Smithsonian, I was in the mind to be kept at arms length. I don't mind staring--I'm going to get that on the Metro this Saturday for the Cherry Blossom festival--but I don't want to be -bothered- by... undesirables. So I made myself 'fierce', with direct inspiration from the guys of SID.

Jacket: Second hand
Scarf: Undertaker cosplay
Pants: Handmade
Shirt: Katsucon
Platforms: Demonia

And the shades are over top of my glasses.

Trademark delinquent crouch. No really, this is a staple.

Wish I had remembered the cane, I would've felt safer.

I am quite pleased with this ensemble, and I was able to walk the three blocks to the museum in relative peace. The exhibit was pretty good, it was a nice sampling of the past and present in video games, including the evolution of story, mechanics, music, and of course, art. The Kogard Courtyard is quite beautiful, but as far as how a 120 piece orchestra plus chorus is going to fit, I do have lingering worry. But we'll make it work.

Not inspired by my hair. Totally.

The face swirls are courtesy of my calligraphy brush. This is probably not the best implement for writing on one's face, but I use it because of the control, non-smearing, easy remove ink. Replace instead with any liquid eyeliner, is what I recommend.

Since this one is sort of late, hopefully I can get to another one about more War Paint by Thursday... but don't hold your breath, I don't want you to suffocate.

Cherry blossoms are very much in season~, do you have any plans go to a viewing? Are you lucky enough to have some in your backyard? This is the hundred year anniversary of Japan giving us those very first trees, everyone~ do something special just for that.

Eternally yours,

Il Ruinante Isaak.

Under De-Construction

Good evening, everyone. For the record, the title took two more minutes than usual [aka, those two minutes] to come up with, aaaah. I guess we all struggle with it. Our Golden Week is here~ and so soon, already gone... awww... I have to say, it's not as if I've been doing anything. It's actually quite terrible, I was sleeping. Sleep, sleep, sleep, SLEEP. And I think I'm caught up, but I still just want to sleep. Somewhere between the shut eye, I did something semi-productive.

Since the weather's warming up, it's hard to wear the full layers of Aristocrat and not become a hot mess [although I am temperature retarded, so I might be okay]. So I'm going to do my best to switch it up to Visual Kei, and emphasize the accessories and make-up. However, there's a important aspect to Visual Kei clothes that can make it easier for even beginners to build up a wardrobe. Aside from a norm of darker colors, deconstruction is your friend.

So, thinking to make a wide-necked shirt, sort of shoulderless, I did the thing anyone does now a days, and Googled how. I came across Salinabear on Youtube, who has a wide array of videos on how to tear up your T-shirt in a cool way. And I sure as hell have a lot of T-shirt's to tear up. I tried a look from this video, and cut down the back as in this video. Here's my results~!

My first subjects~ [why haven't I seen these shirts in forever?]

For a shirt more baggy than the ones in Salinabear's videos, I like how this came out.

Oh, and then I went out. [a pair of pants I haven't seen in forever.]

I was going to use the white shirts for the cut up the back, but I wrote stuff on the back, haha. So I dug around for another one that was a little smaller [the vast majority of the T-shirt's I have are also nightclothed sized from when I was a kid].

I ended up double weaving it, too. Don't be afraid to cut wide for this one.

I probably did something wrong as far as making the boat cut on the top, but eh, it's fine.

I'm not ready to cleave up my special graphic T's just yet, but perhaps I'll get some in the future, and with the extras I'll give it a whirl.

What's your opinion of pre-torn clothes? Do you think torn clothes are ever appropriate? If you have holey jeans/shirts/etc, how did you get them?

Oh Golden Week, here and gone. Please just a few more days~
Eternally yours,

Il Ruinante Isaac

Nudy Boy Shirt Complete

Good afternoon, everyone~ I hope the week went well for all. We finally had another dusting of snow yesterday, and by dusting, I do mean maybe and inch, the promptly melted in the three hours I went back to sleep. I almost wondered if I hallucinated it. If you all are getting snow, do a ritual-dance-something-or-other and send it to the east coast, please. I'm feeling cheated out of winter, it's no fun just having blistering cold winds [even if they blow my long coats out].

In other news, you might remember way back when, I had plans to turn my Nudy Boy shirt [the first one with Engrish over it] into a replica of my black Visual Kei pants; using my new best instrument of modification, eyelets, I made a T-shirt and detached sleeves. Since I didn't use siding, this was a relatively simple project by comparison to the pants [and the white Aeon ones as well], taking just under 2 hours.

Here's the shirt before.

In a store that usually sells things like this for $60, I was pleased to get it for $20.

The most important thing for this project was to correctly measure out the space for eyelets when hemming the cut sleeves back. It all goes a little something like this:

T and sleeves with hemmed ends.

Eyelets in.

1. If you decide to use siding for your sleeves, then you won't have to measure out extra to fold back. If your shirt in question is thicker, like denim, then you won't need to do either. This is for no siding. Depending on the size of your eyelet, you will have to adjust the measurements of how much you hem the shirt back. For 1/4" eyelets like I had, I just folded back the sleeves about 2.5 cm. Add that to the end of where you want the eyelets to go, because you're folding that part back. Cut a little extra for seam allowance. Repeat the same for the now-detached sleeves.
   
   
2. Turn your shirt and sleeves inside out, pin, and sew all around.
   
   
3. If you want, you can turn your T and sleeves back out the right way, unless you're okay with measuring and cutting the holes for the eyelets from the inside out. I recommend doing it from the outside. Measure how far apart you'd like your eyelets [and remember, you have to add the same amount to each detached sleeve, so make sure of how many you have], and trace the inside of  DEEP END eyelet over each mark.
   
   
4. Cut out the hole through both layers. Watch your fingers!
   
   
5. Put the DEEP END of the eyelet through the outside, and the shallow end on the inside. Get a nice sturdy surface [a garage floor or spare 2x4 works great] and hammer away~!
   
   
6. Thread the T and sleeves together with your string/ribbon of choice.

Finished, all strung up~

Tada~. Magnificent results, if I do say so myself. And not one chip of nail or polish. I'd say that's pretty good. Aaaaand~ being primarily all white, it'll go great with the Aeon pants~. Now I have the urge to find a white rose hair piece...

Do you use eyelets for clothing projects? What's a handmade item you absolutely love? Got a DIY project in your head that's not working out on paper? I'd love to help. ^_^

Into next week~ [and let's get those snow-dances jiving, everyone.]
Eternally yours,
Il Ruinante Isaak

Playing with Polyvore: White Marquis

Good afternoon, everyone~. Here I am starting this in afternoon, but we'll see if I can't somehow manage to distract myself and end up doing this in the evening anyway... No~! NO! Come now me, snap out of it. *Pat pat.* This is procrastination at it's finest, my friends...

Recently, I've somehow become absorbed into a longtime dream of mine to make an all white Aristo, to contrast the usual all black that goes with the type. This isn't necessarily something I'm wanting to do to prove that all white Aristo exists, because I think it does, more of compiling the ensemble just to have it [like anything else I do, really]. Then I can go out no matter the weather, and I can choose which way to match or contrast to my Lolita counterpart companion [or Goth or Gyaru, etc.]. Reaching into a lazy late night and dabbling around with the nifty--but sometimes thwarting--tool Polyvore, I constructed a guideline white Aristo goal.

The cane is a Luscious Malfoy replica, haha.

And silly me, I didn't take any notes as to the brands or such. I suppose since I wasn't looking for replication, I didn't think about it, but you all might be interested~! Next time I will remember, and jot them all down.

As with a default Aristo, accessories in color [even white] aren't a no-no, so I highlighted the white with red and black [and ohhhhh yaaaaaaaaay PURPLE~!] where it would look classiest. If I ever make a chrome colored cane, I might use that for a white ensemble instead. I couldn't find any white jackets that I liked [with the methods I was using to search], so I just picked the one shown on the right, imagining it to be white. White jackets even in regular styles are hard to come by, me thinks... Shoes are also a toss-up, one half dozen of the other, but maybe this summer, I'll have a good pair [...right, in the summer, when it'll be hell to wear them]. Since I already have a few, I think instead of white belts, I'd also use chrome or stainless steel link belt in the place of a straight white belt.

Do you use online tools to help coordinate? Got any advice for using Polyvore [or can recommend other sites]? Or do you like the old fashioned way of laying all your clothes out/holding them up to you in a mirror?

Come to me, all white Aristo~! Same for all white Visual-Kei, too.

Eternally yours,

Il Ruinante Isaak

Secondhand Goodness Part 1

Good evening, everyone~ and for those of you like me who are returned to your respective universities, welcome to the spring semester. Good luck one and all~. Has it snowed where you are? More than a scant inch or so like it did here before icing over and melting away... please come back snow~ [or at least appropriate temperatures for the current time of the year]. Bah, it's fine one way or another, in the end.

At last~ I had another occasion to wear my other secondhand jacket in his mild cold weather, so we can have something to look at. Around Otakon last year, Nobu was in town from her trip to China, and dropped off a lovely pair of jackets for me to have, since they were too long for her. As a double bonus, she got these jackets for a steal at the thrift store near campus. Win win all around~! The first up is a number you've seen before, both for Victorian Kitty-san's lace-themed month, and just recently for the end of the year variance sampler.

It has a buckle in the back to make the waist more or less tight, and a pair of rather spacious chest pockets. It carries with it the feel of a Japanese delinquent [...it sounds more random than it seems, promise, haha]. If I knew how to do it, I would embroider something on the sleeve invoking the feeling even more ["Rising Sun of Love and War!" or the likes]. I'll just have to make sure it's accurate.

The second is a delicious leather number, if I do say so myself. I wore it a lot during all of August and September, and adjusted to the ways of slipping leather against car seats and such. All part of the sexy.

Oh, and I finally tamed my hair some.

I'm still not out of my crouch shots. These boots are surprisingly easy for it, though.

No pockets, but it makes up for that in another way. That awesome high collar, open chest, and clip-buckles towards the bottom make this an almost near replica of Final Fantasy VII's main antagonist, Sephiroth  [I make metaphors that he is the Darth Vadar equivalent for video games].  It is close enough to encourage me to make a full cosplay for him somewhere down the line [and I already have one of the more difficult aspects of it in this jacket down]. Don't hold your breath for it, but just wait... it'll come along. Outside of hyper fandom excitement, it is an excellent cool weather jacket as well, because the leather and lining is warm.

Naturally, I give Nobu extra hugs every time I see her when wearing them. Plus two more reasons to love windy days.

Have you ever gotten things secondhand that you wear more than some new things? Or, have a horrible case of the handed down off-colored sweaters from aunts or grandmas?

Here's to a lovely weekend [and this is part one for a reason, so look forward to part two~]

Eternally yours,

Il Ruinante Isaak

Culturally Exploding [from the heat of summer, hello there.]

Good evening, minna-sama, I hope you all have had a good weekend. Saturday was beautiful, and I had a long event [and teaser concert for Gamer Symphony Orchestra~!], so by the time I got home that evening, I hadn't the energy to post for the event that happened last Tuesday. Late~! Forgive me everyone. If you will, here are some pictures for that event from that day, which include a couple of new things I experimented with~. Please enjoy.

Twas a very good event, too, used in part to promote our club, Jingu Bridge, but also be apart of the student showcase on campus. It was--title drop--a Cultural Explosion, so we hired ourselves out, as it were, and performed a para para dance in styles of Japanese street fashion, and then participated in the fashion show halfway through. While I think the weather that day would've been best suited for dressing up in Visual Kei, let's just say, among other things, looking a torn up mess at work may not have gone over well [and that is a maybe, as my workplace is surprisingly lenient]. But I'm temperature retardent. Wearing layers in 80 degrees is quite alright. ]

Here we are all together [power of paint to protect the innocent], in our sub-styles; left to right is seifuku, banba [our own Toriberry], yours truly, and Classic Lolita.

Today's focal piece, my lacy rose tie. I bought it at Otakon 07, and it has never once gone a day without a compliment. It's got a zipper collar, so to put it on all I have to do is zip it up or down. This picture seems to make it look bigger than it actually is. Although maybe it doesn't look that big to you. [The crucifix on top is Trinity Blood merchandise.]







I got a chance to put my hair back in a big bow like I've been meaning to do. The weather that day was definitely better suited for that, no less. It seems a little messy, but those are just my bangs from the front that you see on the sides. Those I'm not sure how well they worked, but I think I'll have to try a couple more times to see if anything can be done. The first picture shows them before they accidentally got a little wet, and thus a bit curly. Tucked behind my ears didn't look too bad though. [Also, I will probably get a wider ribbon just for this sort of thing. I think the big bow and ponytail is perfect Aristo hair styling, especially for the summer. Classical, in a way.]



And, last but not least~ the full length shots. If you click on each to see them larger, they are unfortunately a bit blurry [it seems the one sharper picture I took I accidentally deleted and didn't notice until I took them off the memory card; serves me right for not wearing my glasses through that process], please bear with me. I didn't wear my Demonia boots with this either, and I feel the shorter but simpler ones worked better for the appearance that I wasn't dressing for a show [ironic that I was], and come across to me as a bit more Aristo than Ouji. I will try this out again with the 'Undertaker' boots to see if they work the same.

Now that the summer months are rolling in, I'm going to adjust some, hopefully into Visual-Kei, but equally so I hope I can mix things up with the wardrobe I have--and hope to increase--to make Aristo work in the summer. Or working on cosplay projects may consume me and make me lazy when it comes to getting dressed each morning. I don't know.

Ever been in a student showcase with a cultural group? Or maybe been in a talent show of another sort, or even walked the runway? What do you like to see best in a talent show of your peers? How did you dress? Was what you wore even important [haha]?

Into the beautiful future, where we may all come together to be our own person, as we are one people.

Eternally yours,

Il Ruinante Isaak

p.s. Knowing that this would be a picture heavy post, I switched to blogger's new formatting toolbar thing-jabber in hopes of easing the formatting trouble I've been having lately. With all the grief it gave me, I'm almost ready to go back to the old one. But I think I've got it now. Maybe.

The 50th Post [Extensive]

Good morning, minna-sama~ [ohto, here I am again coming in the morning to do things (especially when I should be doing something else)] Have you all been well? I apologize for being away so long. Aside from upped business, I wanted to make the 50th post something noteworthy [as opposed to what the next post is going to be]. Thus, here's the big events from Friday and Saturday.

On Friday, the Japanese American Student Association [JASA] hosted it's annual Taste of Japan event on campus; it's just like it sounds. A taste of Japanese things, from fashion, food [catered by the awesome Matsuba], travel, origami, song, dance, and raffles. After some kinks getting into the event from the start, Jingu Bridge: A Japanese Fashion club joined up with the fashion branch of JASA and hosted our raffle that went quite well. As we take interest in the sub-styles of Japanese fashion, Jingu Bridge members dressed up~ to represent. As the resident man of the club, I donned my Aristo for the whole day [including work and classes]. Though I am pleased with the ensemble, I actually forgot one part. The hat is part of a match set that the mother person bought for her and my late grandmother. It's a little small on my head [I think because I have too much hair], and made me feel a little more Ouji than Aristo, but that's okay. Toriberry was kind enough to give me smoky eyes [quickly], and I accidentally mashed my black lower, red upper lips halfway through, heh heh. This is what I had in mind; the difference is the half skirt [shown in earlier posts]. ...I hope everyone recalls I like strange positions. [a squat is strange, deshou ka?]Underneath. [Oh yessss~ so classy. *Snerk.*]

As a very new club with not much out about us, the raffle was quite a success. Taste of Japan was also a lot of fun, as usual~ and JASA gathered a lot of support and contributions to the Japanese Red Cross. It was a have fun, feel good, do good night. Jingu Bridge has another event coming up in which we shall have a slot to showcase our name; please look forward to it~

Then, come Saturday, the mother person and I went out to the Cherry Blossom Street Festival in D.C. It was cold, about 50 degrees at the most, and cloudy [no chance of a brief warming in the sun~...!], but it was not unpleasant. Even with the newly instated $5 admission, the Street Festival did not disappoint, continuing to uphold it's tradition of wonderful musical entertainment, interesting info/participation booths, and great food. And while by no means mandatory, the Street Festival is a great opportunity to dress in one's yukata or kimono suited to the fesitval atmosphere. The otaku will show you otherwise, but only Hazel-kun seems to dislike the weeaboos cosplaying at a festival rather than a convention... The hakama I bought in Japan, from a street stall in Harajuku. I think the guy was going to give me a discount, because I was about to buy two [there was a green and black in similar gradient], but~ either way, I am happy to have it. The haori is a captain's robe, from Bleach, bought from Otakon '07. Since I have nothing else of Ukitake's cosplay, I tend to wear it only for the Cherry Blossom Festival. It's got the traditional feel to it. Also, my hair is in a topknot, but the ends curled down a little, haha. ^_^ Way back before I made The Crow [my cane], my sword, Yasumisame [also bought at Otakon '07], served as my makeshift cane. I thought I'd show it some love and feature it with the photos. [No, I didn't bring it with me to the festival, as much as I'd like to.]

The cherry blossoms around campus are still blossoming, but I expect with a light breeze and the sporadic warm days we've been having, they will soon become bare again. I will enjoy them in the meantime. If you have some growing where you are, have a picnic under one, and let a blossom drift lightly into your drink. ^_^

The next few projects I hope to do over the weekends, since the two cosplay projects I hope to do in May and June will be all consuming. Please look forward to the jabot from Altelier Boz, and the detached sleeve Nudy Boy shirt modification, among others.

I hope everyone had an enjoyable Spring Break, or if you are in the midst of it, continue to enjoy it~ minna-sama~

Admiration of the Clan~ We shall Triumph.

Eternally yours,

Il Ruinante Isaak

Mini Post: Grocery Shopping [and meals]

Good afternoon minna-sama~ sorry for the delay. [I moved these pictures, and then forgot where they were.] It's getting a little warmer, little at a time. I would still like a repeat of last year's Snowmaggedon, but at the same time, because I lack a good Aristo or V-kei coat/mantle, I don't mind warmer weather coming forth if it means wearing blouses and my waist coat only. As it were, here's a little post for the weekend outing two weeks ago.

As I mentioned, I finally went out to SAM's Club with my parents for the first time in forever. I love our SAM's Club in Annapolis, everyone is cool. The ladies tend to enjoy my outfits, and my Demonia boots are a hit really.

The priest cossak, thusly dubbed [see a previous entry], the Demonia boots, and Trinity Blood crucifix [it makes me wonder if people see it and think I'm uber religious]. I really really really want a top hat now. If anyone knows a good millery or hat store, let me know.
We got peaches, and I decided to promote them. Strangely. I think if I had the Undertaker wig on, this would be more complete. [also, I didn't turn it all the way around, bad sales pitch~! Haha.]

Also, I've been making waffles with my new waffle iron I bought during Black Friday. The top is with blue berries, the bottom with cheese grilled into it; just put shredded cheese of choice on top after you've ladeled the batter in, then close the top.

I had an outing with Toriberry just this past Sunday, down to Georgetown to do some vintage store shopping. She in her new embrace of gyaru, went stylin' and profilin' in complimentary contrast to my expiremental Aristokei mash-up. I forgot to take pictures, but I'm sure to wear that combination again I believe.

Into the future, everyone~ Do your best, and look as you wish. That which we have all sworn to, shall always be my guiding light. [I love Warrior~]

Eternally yours,

Il Ruinante Isaak.\

The Marquis talks Make-up

Good morning, minna-sama, and I beg forgiveness for my unannounced hiatus [I don't like the thought of saying that I was on a hiatus when it's not as though I've had writer's block or anything]. The winter break was only good for me essentially on the days of the holidays themselves. I won't let you wallow in my despairs as well, because recounting them will hardly lift me out of my really drowsy state. Instead, let me try to jump-start into all the things I've been wanting to say and do concerning my love of my favorite Japanese street fashions~!

There will be a mini post up after this one of the outfit I wore last Saturday when I went on outing for the first time in a month I think. [Also a gag pic. Correct context, you must choose.] We had some snow around here, and it's got me into my wintery weather mindset which I love~ but also has my gears turning about things I would like to add to my wardrobe, in terms of footwear [you'll see].

I still don't want to believe it, but I am under the impression that Chimera-kun and Drocell-kun did something incredibly stupid and amazing and bought me this outfit from Atelier Boz. They [supposedly] ordered it back in early December. I don't want to believe that they would shell out over $300 for me. I nervously watch my doorstep when we pull up for signs of a package or a missed package slip.

I'm thinking ahead to the spring months, and the less-than-successful time I had with Aristocrat over the summer. With some shopping trips planned in the near future, I am expecting to get a few things that will hopefully be Spring Aristocrat friendly, as well as look more towards my Visual Kei styles to supplement a majority of the warmer months. I have never been inclined much on the "shredded" style that is incorporated more into V-kei today, but I'm beginning to find appeal in it. That, combined with numerous accesories and several premade garments that help to make up my slightly larger V-Kei wardrobe, give me something to look forward to as I stroll campus and the neighborhood.

Lastly, with Toriberry's new delve into gyaru fashion, I've watched her in her fervor passion dive into make-up, an necessary and very important part to all of the gyaru main and sub-styles. We were close to getting circle lenses. We very well might in the near future [although I was settling for white contact lenses which go great for a true 'nobleman of the night' Aristo and high androgyny gaze-into-my-pretty-eyes V-kei]. I'm not one for the big eyed look, but watching make-up vids [by the lovely Michelle Phan], and Torriberry go to work, I was inspired to one up my looks even more than that extra accessory could. And so I perused around suggested looks for Aristo.

I am not unfamiliar with make-up, although admittedly, I do not know more than the basics of terminology [if that]. In addition, my few make-up ventures when I have chosen to wear it have been limited mostly to lipstick, and in black and red checker patterns [simply though this may be, I like how well it turns out and the kiss print]. One could find this highly ironic considering that my mother person used to work for Mary-Kay, perhaps one of the biggest giants of the cosmetics world, and still has a great deal of their products from workers benefits. I suppose the main reason make-up and I are not better friends than we are is because of time. I'm sure if I got into the habit of it earlier, I would know to make time for the make-up, but as it were, I also didn't feel girly enough for it, in that golden age of pre-teen and teenager years. Jewelry was easy to put on and off, and if I touched it, it wouldn't get messed up. Make-up can be easy to put on and off to an extent if one does simpler things, but boy isn't it hell to take off soemtimes, and a mess to fix on the fly if your eye accidentally has a run in with your finger.

In hindsight, I have a good feeling about being able to adjust to this sort of thing to incorporate it into V-Kei and Aristo. Save the extravagence for the big outings, like anything, stick to the simple-yet-bold touch for more common fare. While I won't be going out of my way to get fake eyelashes any time soon, I do forsee some more eyeliner and eyeshadow being bought in the near future [along with a bright blue tube of lipstick; something other than black to form that stark contrast. Pictures will ensue]. My nails are also a great asset, and I haven't been giving them as much love as I could, considering nailwork is very very easy for me, and I am regularly tending to them for viola playing purposes. Just as good, if not better than, gloves in a wardrobe, the upkeep of my nails will easily add another defining detail in my two styles.

What's your view on make-up? Can you not leave the house without it? Go natural some days? What's your favorite brand[s] or color scheme? Do you like the big-eyed, big lips look? As always, tips, tricks, and advice from more experiences make-up artists are welcome~

I have a lot of projects still, and I'm looking forward to them~! Katsucon is around the corner, and we've decided for a one-day affair with it, so I will probably decide against Undertaker and go ahead with a Mad Hatter perhaps. Now that would require a top hat ne~? Hmmmmm... more ideas abound~!

To a glorious and rose-filled future~! Holding the Fate!
Eternally yours,
Il Ruinante Isaak

Fashion Institute of Technology; Quick-like.

Good afternoon, minna-sama~ and let's give it up for the near-end of the first week of the New Year~. Here's to the 51 more to come. It doesn't seem as long when you can count it down like that, desu ne.

Rather than bog down the previous post with adventures of travels, I thought it'd be better to break it up, especially since it is a more related post than simply ringing in the new year. The day before New Year's Eve, the mother person and I took a bus up to New York [and wasn't that a trek and a half? Details disparring, it took an hour alone to get through the Lincoln Tunnel], met up with my godmother, and had ourselves a looksee into the special exhibit at the Fashion Institute of Technology, titled Japanese Fashion Now. Just looking at the Hangry and Angry picture ballooned up on the wall and double doors made me excited.

I wasn't entirely sure what of all was going to be encompassed there, but the website made it all look intriguing enough. The mother person and I met up with my godmother and made ways downstairs to the first half of the exhibit [I say half because it was the first of only two rooms that made up the display]. The first half was mostly dominated with women's clothing, fashions that one might say was typed for the single woman in this new age of Japanese culture who isn't married but has her own place and holds down a good paying job, and shops ferverntly on weekends with her disposable income. The things she might wear out while doing said shopping [or buy while out shopping] were the sort of displays on first. There was also some menswear.

Ah, before I forget, I will mention that I have no pictures to show because picture taking was no allowed. If you're thinking about going up there though, let the avid artist within you come out, as they will allow you to sketch anything you'd like in pencil.

Like many advant-garde fashions from around the world really, I wasn't terribly impressed with the sort of things in the line-up. There was an attractive long jacket, and a sari-like garment that all three of us liked, but overall I was asking myself "Do people really wear this sort of thing? Is this what people call high-fashion now?" because truthfully, I would hope that some of these things never leave the runway. We moved into the larger second room, where the youth culture fashion mannequins were on display. From the more extravagent that we all know and love--Dolly Kei, Lolita, Mori girl, Visual Kei, and cosplay even--to the equally popular but tame by comparison--Oshare kei, onii-san kei, and semi-gyaru--the big names that even I can claim to recognize were put out on display. The Lolita section also had ball-jointed dolls on display, dressed in Baby the Stars Shine Bright and Alice and the Pirates chibi wear. There was a prominent display of menswear too, which intriguied me; not that I would think that all females in attendance wouldn't enjoy seeing mens fashion as well, but perhaps the male audience that it is targeted to would be lacking in attendance. I don't know. Perhaps when the exhibit opened there were more guys [oh, we practically had the place to ourselves when the three of us went].

Overall, though it was a smaller exhibit than what I was expecting, Japanese Fashion Now was a very enjoyable look into the contemporary fashions of our friends in the East, with more than just the look into the pop culture styles though I love those best. If nothing more than good memories, I am encouraged to continue with my workings into V-Kei, Aristo, and cosplay if for that the strong prevailance of Japanese fashion in Western culture has really begin to set itself apart. I don't think it will be too long before some of our own subculture is able to stand apart as it does in Japan, with branches like gyaru, Lolita, and V-kei. One can tantalize the possibilities at least.

It isn't worth a plane ride to get there, but parking can cost more than you'll spend eating food while in New York. The exhibit itself is FREE [one of my favorite words], but why do and make up for it with expensive transportation? Use a bus or train. We used a bus, but that hardly went down well, although I won't discredit it if you use a bus service other than Bolt.

Would you like to see a fashion exhibit closer to home? What sort of designers would you want to focus on? Would you want to add something to your display, such as a mini-fashion show once a week during hours?

Dressing the way you feel is so much fun, truly.
Eternally yours,
Il Ruinante Isaak

First Jingu Bridge Meeting

Good morning, minna-sama. Oh my, will the wonders never cease [it sort of like being able to understand Kamijo singing in English on the first hearing]? What on earth am I doing up this early? Good gracious I could get elevens in at this rate. Have you all been well, minna-sama? The weather has gotten steadily chillier and I am loving every blistering cold moment of it.

To be brief before the heart of the post, I downloaded a stupid large amount of Versailles~The Philharmonic Quintet music, and it now continues to blast through my ears [because you can never get tired of five different versions of ASCENDEAD MASTER and lesson versions of The Revenant Choir], keeping my fingers on a roll for Nanowrimo. If you are in it, add this professor_specter henceforth. The zipper on my black pants is having wardrobe malfunctions; in light of it, I pulled out my gray pinstripe slacks, and thought of some modifying I could do with them [involving when I wear my Demonia shoes]. I split my lip, horribly. It swelled and got all gross. So mask time, which only makes me want to hurry up and make a second, for it's time for the faithful butterfly to be laid to rest.

Since I had not however, I wore it yesterday to Jingu Bridge: A Harajuku [and Shibuya] Fashion Club [hencefort Jingu] first meetin, along with the Aristo vest jacket combination aqcuired a few months ago, the jabot, Kuroshitsuji silver, and The Crow [my cane]. As far as turnouts, it was better than expected. If only five people had shown up, I would've been pleased. In total, fifteen people showed up. 15, my lucky number. And several people I actually know, so we're all sure to be a big friendly group right off the bat. Meeting wise, the logistics didn't take too much time [nor seem to discourage anyone], and we were able to plan our meeting layouts, and the project for the next in person meeting. The online community shall soon begin to burst forth with more formal introductions at the moment, but soon many topics will come about [as Toriberry and I get mastery over livejournal. Feel free to visit the jingu_bridge community]. Ahhh, how nice it is to see Mido-kun and Tenshi again. I feel we're on the path of something beautiful. ^_^ Please wish us luck, minna-sama.

Mmmm~ Reminiscence is so beautiful... And now I'll be off to write some more things [I don't specify nanowrimo because as soon as I started, I wrote a fanfiction as opposed to something for Chaos Factor].

'We live in the rose~... you [are] holding the fate~...
Time is your grace~...
I am already God.'

Eternally yours,
Il Ruinante Isaak

Semi-casual Aristo

Good evening, mina-sama. I know I write this in the morning, but more likely than not it will be after noon o'clock when I finally finish. I'm looking back a post and it appears that my pattern post yesterday didn't go through; I'm hoping Yoshimaru wasn't stupid and actually managed it, because I don't remember any of what I said outside the main point of the post, nor do I feel inclined to go back and type it over again [aside from the main point of it]. I'm already rather dispondant that I haven't been able to keep up as much as I want with Aristo, so something like this is the last thing I need.

On a more pleasant note however, before things got ridiculously busy, I was able to get a semi-casual Aristo and Aristokei combo coordinate together. Coincidentally, when Toriberry and I proposed our Jingu Bridge club pitch to Naito-sensei to ask if she would be our sponser, we were decked in our semi-casual Aristololi. I think I should start taking pictures of her too, for the sake of photos, friendship, memories... Tonikaku, as it were, here's what I've got.

The white shirt is the second shirt I bought from Nudy Boy over a year ago in Japan [on the back it says Believer. We got a big thing in this music]. This was the first time I'd worn it [today is actually the second], and it was a big hit. Paired with my staple cane [which I need to touch up a bit for the foot], I think it makes a decent coordinate. The top one uses accessories for the neck, and my neck frills. I hope to add to the flexibility of my outfits by making the Atelier Boz jabot from the pattern acquired from G&BL [normally I'd rather wear my neck frills with a white blouse and vest of some sort, to bring it together; the Boz one lays flatter and would work with just a blouse].

The mother person has located the candelabra, but I think I might have to buy a couple white candlesticks if I can't find anymore in the garage [these things get spread out you see]. Hopefully, this disgusting weather known as rain will go away, so it won't be a soggy mess in the woods a week later when I want to try to get the Dollpart Halloween Photo Competition shot done.

I can't get 'Ageha' by MUCC, 'Alsatia' by Galneryus, or 'Lamento' Japanese version by Itou Kanako out of my head. This isn't bad per se, these are all beautiful songs [or I suppose for 'Alsatia' a heavy song that drives me forward]. But I haven't been able to write anything to help get the inspiration out of my head and onto paper.

"For loveless loving, you fly around this broken world. Mercifully the rain falls~..."

Eternally yours,
Il Ruinante Isaak

Aristololi Patterns

Good evening, mina-sama. I have been frightfully disgustingly busy. Well, not all disgustingly busy, some of it I did consent to... [you may choose to take that as you will]. But on the whole, not keeping up in anyway in the slightest with being Aristocrat. Visual Kei has been upkept a bit in semi-casual. With Halloween beckoning ever closer, I've been on the mindset to perhaps lay some groundwork on my Ukoku Sanzo cosplay; I have a feeling that will probably wait until December though. Undertaker will be making a return to campus, and I think I have decided to wear it during class, not during work. My hopes are to finish either a new mask, an eyepatch, or both before the Thursday and Friday before Halloween Sunday. Pictures abound perhaps.

Toriberry, Nobu, and this Marquis' fashion club is being set into motion, steadily. Toriberry and I have a lovely Japanese Classical Literature professor that graciously agreed to our request to have her as our sponsor. Toriberry made flyers in a frenzy [in a good way] and they look smashing. We're planning to make a forum website, and once we gather some more members and make an official in person meeting date, sans the SGA recognition, Jingu Bridge: A Harajuku Fashion Club will be complete. The possibilities ahead do give me a calm pleasant feeling to hope for the future.

On the subject of things for the future, we come to the main topic of today's post. Toriberry recently acquired an issue of Gothic & Lolita Bible, the staple mook for all Lolitas or fans of Japanese fashion in general. I say that because G&LB does feature new lines from other designer stores besides Baby the Stars Shine Bright and Angelic Pretty; among the others is my new personal favorite, Atelier Boz. In the back of every volume is--in addition to a beautiful comic by an artist I can't remember--a pattern spread of some of the items featured in the issue for more adventerous and skilled types to delve into making. Toriberry graciously allowed me to snip out said pattern sheet, and now resting safely out of harms way, I've set down a couple more projects for the future. For the record, here's the spread of the pattern sheet.

It's actually quite a convoluted mess really. But I'll make sense of it.

This is one of the projects I hope to complete. One of the exact jabots I had drawn inspiration from, looking online at the Atelier Boz site.

This pretty little overskirt number I have promised to Toriberry. I'll do my very best love, and I'll try to do it timely before spring. She has a red color scheme in her Lolita thus far, so I'm on the look out now, if she doesn't bring me something first.

The jabot is the main piece for me, but I'm also interested in the pair of sleeves, tie, and top hat they feature. The top hat is meant for big-haired dolls, but I'll probably just change the scale of it to be fullsized for my head.

Patterns are exciting to me, especially with the finished projuct show and worn in coordinates you may be inspired to make or coordinate your own clothes from, looking throughout the volume. You don't have have any homemade piece to get those similar styles and accentuating pieces. Just keep your eyes out for things you can do easily.

Jaa, mina-sama, I am laying down and losing feeling in my fingers, which creates a very surreal feeling as I type. Have pleasant dreams, everyone

Eternally yours,
Il Ruinante Isaak

A Noble Photograph

Good afternoon, mina-sama. Finally, finally, oh grandeur days, the weather has truly come to embody autumn. After the hotter-than-average summer we experienced over here in the west coast, I was positively desperate for cooler weather, and not just because of my then-new delve into Aristocrat fashion. Long sleeved garments are so much fun. I may near equal number of T-shirts and long sleeved shirts [ranging from v-necks, blouses, and turtle-necks], all of which I love to wear, but when a T-shirt is still too hot for the 90+ degree weather you're experiencing, it does make one long for a freak snowfall in July.

October in particular is an especially fruitful month, not just for the dropping of temperatures, but for the changing of the foilage that brings about inspiration for meet-ups, parties, and contests. Halloween on campus is always a splendid affair. I can't imagine what's going to happen when it actually falls on a weekday [it's been on Saturday and Sunday so far]. I'll be bringing Undertaker to campus. You doubt this? Watch me. It will probably be on a Thursday, when all I have to do is work, gufu fu fu... [you see, I'm already in the spirit of things]. Dressed down masked Sebastian or a over-the-top Visual Kei coordinate may be in store for Friday, when I have classes. Toriberry is keeping tabs on meet-ups in our area, and I believe one is to be had sometime in November, if another one doesn't pop up before then. But even without, there is a Aristololi related Halloween contest to be had, and I am all a fervor at the thought of my entry.

For those of you who are curious or would like to enter, by all means, peruse the site. It is 'Exquisite Corpses: A Doll Part Competion' http://dollpart.wordpress.com/2010/09/07/exquisite-corpses-halloween-comp/

Under the rules it's states no cemetary or graveyard shots allowed--although I don't have any nearby anyway--which got me thinking immediately about using a dark forest background. Luckily for me, I do happen to have a forest right outside my house down the street, and it is never in foliage as far as I'm concerned. The trees are always bared, and they are numerous and tall, close together and yet far apart. A perfect setting to stand somewhere off-center in an all black Aristo coordinate, just to throw off the eye that is traveling warily over the spooky scene. Also, because of the no-straight cooridnate shot rule, I was once again immediately struck with the ideas of which accessories to use. My newly made cane is a dear, I love it to bits, and I had a thought to use that first. But call it a strange coincidence, I happen to have a candelabra, and several still tall crimson and white candles. And so I had yet another dark eerie touch to add to my photograph. Seems like all I need is a darker night just as the sun sets west of the forest, a good spot not too deep in the forest to set up and pose, a pose, and I'm all ready to go. Unfortunately, I have a few kinks in my otherwise very simple plan.

While no incidents have ever been reported in that forest [as it doesn't lead anywhere save for the sound barrier walls in front of 50 West], it's still rather chilling at night. As in it can make the best of us a bit paranoid. Sometimes for me all it takes is that one small sound that was probably a bird or squirrel to get my senses on overdrive, suspecting every crunching footfall not my own to be another person, and another person who has malign intentions, to be near. However, the sun sets opposite to the forest, so it can still be somewhat light outside and the area will be dark enough for a good shot. But there's still the matter of setting up my camera, for I fear that proposing this idea to the mother person will result in it immediately being shut down, as opposed to offering me help with the shot itself, and providing a safety in numbers, however few our numbers would be [and again, it's not as though there's anything necessarily in the woods that one needs to be cautious of]. Also, I would like to make sure I don't set the forest on fire with the candelabra. So dashing back and forth from where I set my camera to my chosen pose spot would be quite risky, hence why I would like assistance. But then, neither Otousan or my mother person don't know how to take good shots with my camera [this is puzzling considering Otousan has a great Nikon camera and takes very good shots for whenever he does it for whatever he's taking a picture of].

Sigh, perhaps I should try to take a shot on campus. There is a cathedral, and a dorm that is rather run down and dilapidated, but since I am rarely on campus at night, I don't know if that would work out well. Perhaps I'll brainstorm some more, try adding a different touch or focus, and come up with something I can do indoors. I gave back Julian too soon, haha.

Interested in the contest, mina-sama? Have an idea but not sure how to work out the logistics? Want to see me dressed up in a certain way? I take all comments, questions, and suggestions. Feel free to bounce off your ideas for your own photograph or any helpful tips for me. I'll be very much obliged to any and all ideas. And also, what are you plans for Halloween? Do you celebrate it? Have parties with your friends? Chaperone you younger siblings? Stuck outside passing out candy? How do you spend your very spooky October 31st?

A dark splendor that consumes all...
Eternally yours,
Il Ruinante Isaak

Jabot Complete, jikan douri da.

Good evening, mina-sama. My earlier thought about clementimes giving me that random burst of energy seem to still hold true, oddly enough. Biology and kinesthesiology is important everyone. Without a head piece for last Sunday's meet up, I was feeling an urge to have some other sort of piece in my Aristo coordinate, and since the jabot was already on my list, I put aside the Nudy Boy shirt to get it done by then. I don't know what I'm going to do come time to make the half skirt and Nudy Boy shirt, since the rest of those clementimes don't look so good... [perhaps grapefruit is in order].

So among other things from a trip to Jo-Ann's maybe a month ago, I bought this lovely black sateen swatch to be my neck frills. My plan was instead of making a collar that fastened in the back, or came around into the front to tie, I was going to thread a ribbon through the opening in the collar and have that tie in the back. That way, on those days when I didn't have a brooch or pin to put up, the bow would serve as it's own additional decorative touch. When I make a tiered one, I'll probably do the same thing; and I won't have to worry about getting more ribbon because I can simply pull the one I have out of the single tiered. I will probably go and buy white ribbon, to mix and match, as well as compliment the white sateen jabot that will eventually come about. If I don't screw up, I may make a black and white tiered, in white-black-white, and black-white-black. Ahh, such lofty aspirations... and maybe I'll get my technique down by then.

Now then, without further ado, here is my tutorial for making a jabot [like mine, where there is no fastening in the back].

For ease and convenience, gather all your materials together. Not pictured are the sewing machine, iron, and scissors; you know you'll need those of course. Because my jabot didn't have a fasten in the back like a button or those metal snaps, I cut down on costs, complexity, time, and additonal effort. I don't imagine adding the metal snaps would take much more than making the collar part longer, and following the directions for affixing them to your fabric. You can still follow this tutorial up until that point, where instead of leaving an opening, you'd sew the collar piece down and add your fastener of choice. As far as the measurements go, I had a yard of ribbon [since it's going front-back-then front to tie], about 40 x 14 inches for the jabot frill itself, and about 10 x 35 inches for the collar [it's going to be folded over, don't forget]. Also, sateen was an incredibly difficult fabric for me to work with, because it became unthreaded easily. What am I trying to say... it frayed easily, and I was contantly pulling the loose threads out. Pinking the edges may have helped, but I didn't spare the time to bother with it. Sateen does flow nicely though, and is super shiny. It's up to you which fabric you wish to use of course.

The first thing you'll want to do is cut out your rectangle that's going to be the gathered frill in your jabot. If you know of a different shape that you want it to be, cut it out in that way, but just be mindful that the ends will pull up when you gather, so it's not necessary to make things rounded persay. Then create and even hemmed edge around three of the sides. I did the bottom first, then folded the sides on top, since it was easier to hide that little overlap in the corner. You can snip out a tiny bit if it makes it easier. Then gather the unhemmed top and hand stich it into a gather. I found that making the stitches smaller up top allowed for more ruffling to come down through the rest. Depending on the size of your gather, it'll look a little something like the above. Set that aside to start working on the collar part.

When doing the collar part, you'll want to make sure it's not to thick or thin, for when you're going to turn it inside out. Because I was putting a ribbon through mine, I made it a bit thicker just for insurance, but it still fits under the collar of my blouses well. This is also where you want to decide how long around you want it to be. If you're opting to fasten it in the back, measure a comfortable circumference around your neck with a little slack for the seam. If you want it to go from front to back to tie in the front, double the circumference, then add extra for tying a knot or bow, depending on what you'd like. Cut out the appropriate length for the collar, and sew the edges of the sides down. Next, sew the top and bottom, but make sure to leave some space for the gathered piece in the middle. If you'd rather sew it all the way across and just sew the gathered piece to the back, you can do that too, but be mindful that you'll be feeling that ruffle against your neck, and it might be uncomfortable or tickle, depending on your fabric.

Next, turn your collar piece inside out. This is the first one I made, and it turned out being to thin for me to comfortably stick the ribbon through, so I cut another piece; the steps are still the same though. Pin the sides of the empty space you left for the gathered piece, then go ahead and iron down the crease. This'll allow you to remove the pins to repin the hemline with the jabot tucked into it, without having a mass of pins everywhere between the layers.

So it'll be something like this. All that's left is to bite the bullet and sew everything into place. If you want a little more stability than just the pins, go ahead and baste the gathered part to the back side of the collar, and re-pin it down. Try and get it so you have the ruffles in a place you want them, since you can't move them once they're down; don't worry, it won't affect the bottom as much, you can still shift those around, they just tend to move back if you fastened a top part overlapping.

The end result looks a little something like this. ^_^ The ribbon is threaded front to back to front and tied as it would be if around my neck. And there be my jabot made in a few hours over two days. I wore it with my coordinate and it looked right at home. I iam mmensely pleased with it, considering I was going crazy about it's overall look with the muslin, the sewing machine threw a fit, the fabric kept fraying, and I had only two days to do it once I finally said "Damnit, DO IT!" I'm going to wear it this evening in fact, with my cane accompanying.

Now without giving too much away, that's all for that. Next post will reveal all~ ahahahahahaha! *Koff.* Nghhhh, I hurt my throat promoting SM and GSO on Thursday... It feels really scratchy. *Sigh.* Way to add to my unenthused and overall unwell feeling.

I bid you goodbye for the moment, mina-sama, so I can tend to somethings and get tea into my system.
Eternally yours,
Il Ruinante Isaak