Blog Music IV

Good afternoon everyone, happy weekend~. It seems that this has become the regular instead; I will take what I can, so that when other things come up I can add to the frequency of posts. A short post today, but I'm hoping to get to some cosmetic reviews next. And I think I'm going to just count the music changes in the roman numerals unless it's a very special interlude. Hopefully I'll remember how to keep track of them like that, ahaha.

Alas~ I didn't end up changing the music for February, but perhaps it's better to give it a month or two. March is here, so I thought, oh yes, I'll definitely do it at some point. Thus, the selection process began. I don't think I have a method to this madness either, yet right now there is still a video game theme [this might be a subconscious leaning due to the increased amount of GSO related things happening this year]. I hope this does not deter anyone, rather, on the contrary, is a means to broaden the range of musics you might enjoy. 

This game in particular, is also a highly lauded game for it's style as surpassing regular game expectations, and becoming a work of art.

In Japanese: 'Wander's Journey'. The OST is titled 'Roar of the Earth.'

Shadow of the Colossus is now one of my favorite games, and this soundtrack does play a part in my love for it. The story is straightforward, but at the same time ambiguous, the graphics are good for the time [already a game 7 years old, though recently re-released in HD], and as a game, it is still rewarding as far as gameplay. The track I selected is 'To The Ancient Land', the prologue/intro piece. I'll admit, I wouldn't be able to relate this much to the fashion roots or content of this blog, so perhaps it really is just my gamer subconscious being channeled into it, ahaha. Nonetheless, I hope you all will enjoy it. 

Do you have a few favorite songs outside of your usual listening zone? What's a genre that you don't generally listen to, but still found an exception? What are your thoughts on video game music as a separate genre?

Into the new week, everyone~ take care. ^_^

Eternally yours,

Il Ruinante Isaak

And now for something [else] completely different.

Good afternoon everyone~ how's the weekend been? Obligatory mention of Sunday relaxation. I'm trying to be semi-productive by straightening my hair, replaying Castlevania: Dawn of Sorrow, sewing a button back on, reading Noblesse, and going over GSO music in some sort of cohesion [Noblesse is winning]. Another week down. What am I counting down to? [Hmmm... I guess Otakon now, so very far away...] Well, that aside, as the title states, I had some fun on Friday.

This semester at least, I don't have class or work on Friday, so more often than not, I'll be staying home. This past Friday though, two of the student groups on campus I'm involved in were having fundraisers, so I came out to lend manpower and promotional support. In hindsight I think I somehow managed to mash both aesthetics of the groups [Japanese American Student Association (the ever popular JASA) and Satanic Mechanics Theater Company (no affiliation with Satan or car repair)] together without trying.

Yukata: Handmade

Hakama: Japan

Armwarmers: Hot Topic

Boots: Demonia

Of course, no day dressed in hakama is complete without a few pictures with Yasumisame. Ever faithful, simple and elegant, Yasumisame is my ferocity in modesty [...whut?].

I do know basic kendo strikes, but this is just posing for the camera, haha. ^_^

With one sleeve pulled up, I actually feel more like an archer.

The hakama and boots combination was apparently a somewhat popular style for ladies after the Meiji Restoration in Japan [around the 1860s]. That was the thought I had in my head when I was thinking about what I wanted to wear on Thursday [it is a rare occurrence indeed, for me to plan my outfits, especially a whole night beforehand]. It's hasn't gotten back to being cold enough to snow, but it was still chilly, and it rained [so I'm glad I threw on the arm warmers as an extra measure]. I suppose if I had to type this, it would be a neo-fuedal, cyberpunk samurai style. I will probably wear this again come Cherry Blossom season, if not sooner.

Do you have any clothes from a different era of time? If so, do you get to wear it that often? What would be your favorite crossover styles of old and new?

March is almost upon us now, look forward to some new music~

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

Monthly Theme: Bling for your Fingers

Good evening, everyone~. It's only the middle of the week [but I'm still dreadfully tired, what's happening to me~?], and suddenly there is so much to do, even though it's now becoming the late hours of the night. But, if you'll pardon me, I'm going to cue up 'Storms of Storms' to get the juices going [music is my powerful elixir], and we'll be on our way for that time of the month~...! What? No, not that [whatever 'that' is to you], something better. That's right~ it's Victorian Kitty-san's Monthly Theme, this time, focusing on rings~.

Contrary to popular belief [of those near to me], I actually do enjoy wearing jewelry. I love my earrings, probably since I got them pierced late in the game by some standards, and necklaces have always been in surplus. I wore anklets and bracelets a lot when I was younger, but that tapered off because they impede typing and tight shoe wearing. Rings are actually fairly recent, in the grand scheme of things, but ohhhh how I love them indeed.

I usually wear two rings as a staple, a gift ring from a girlfriend from high school on the left hand, and the high school ring on the right hand. Since it's a special occasion~ I donned some more that I just recently acquired along with the clothing given from my godmother in Boston.

There were also some turquoise rings, but I let mother marquis have them.

To match, I wore my grommit halved pants [first time for 2012, yay~], and as many other eyelet things as possible, for the emulation of rings, in that they are round holes. I hope to have two shirts that are eyelet filled to add to a similar ensemble another day.

This is actually the most dressed down V-kei I've done in a while, too.

A couple girls on campus were selling off their hula-hoops outside of Stamp, so as an after thought, I added in one of mine. I am an excellent hula-hooper, so I stayed a while and helped advertise. Good work out, too! [my boots as they are now remind me of Sora's shoes...]

I'm hoping to acquire some ring armors, with a talon point, but not any other sort of weaponry, because then that's just self-sabotage and many accidents waiting to happen. Unfortunately, I can only usually find ring armors that cover the middle knuckle, or are full with a short knife on the top. They look awesome, and I might break down and buy the latter if I see it at Otakon this year just to have it, but a more everyday wearable one is ideal.

Lastly, as an aside, I took out some rings from my grandmother's collection. I didn't wear them, since they're a little different from my style [generational gap], but I cannot help but treasure them of course. My grandmother left me all of her jewelry in her will [which made mother marquis pout, although I let her borrow some], and just looking at it gives me that spiritually connected feeling. Her birthday is coming up, so here's a little bonus and pre-tribute.

Along with these, she has lots of pearls and brooches.

Thank you for the theme, Kitty-san~ it was my pleasure to join back in.

Here's the last leg to the weekend~

Eternally yours,

Il Ruinante Isaak

Blog Music III

Good evening, everyone~ and here's to the brand new 2012~! Whether you had a big party, went out to see your big city's ball drop, or toasted with champagne at home with a few loved ones, I hope things have begun to start off right for you all. I know I'm looking forward to some changes myself, big and small; I can only hope I keep my motivation up for it after all is said and done.

To start things off, on a list of a bunch of smaller changes, hooray, new musics~. The new feature song is entitled 'Baljhet Mountains', borrowed from Castlevania: Curse of Darkness [hmmm... I somehow managed to keep the same series without even thinking about it...].

Hector, our protagonist, is noble and gentlemanly, even with his former alignment with Dracula.

It is a field theme, so it does have it's loop properties common for such, but it's got such cool exoticism to it not so often used by the composer, Michiru Yamane, until then [and beyond]. I find myself wandering around even after I've gone through every place on the map because I enjoy this theme so much [I envision Isaac, Hector's counterpart and primary antagonist, tapping his foot impatiently at the castle wondering what's taking Hector so long to get there...].

As part of my changes in the new year, I hope to keep up with a music roulette for the blog every month, or every two months. Here's to hoping the HTML won't die on me soon and leave me wondering why nothing is happening...

I hope you all will enjoy it~!

Eternally yours,

Il Ruinante Isaak

The Fabled Tea-time with the Marquis

Good afternoon, minna~. How positively coincidental of me to say that I'll get a post in on Saturdays, and then forget the upcoming Saturday will consume my soul [shadow casting of the Rocky Horror Picture Show, with my favorite fandom, ahem... 'prodding' people in line]. And then I got sick. But I'm getting better, and thus I was inspired to do the tea-time post, since that is helping me feel better [also, hot apple juice with a bit of honey; it's really amazing]. So let us journery to that quiant cozy little corner of the world that's all yours, where the weather is exceptional, and nothing would be better than a spot of tea.

So a while back [...yeah, June-ish], gallavanting about, the parent-persons and I stopped at a Teavana. I swear I would buy a tea set from them if it wasn't so expensive... [well, not entirely overpriced, per se] The sample brews were delicious as always, and the mother-person bought some this time around. But it was caffeinated, and it didn't sit well with her stomach, so I ended up drinking most of it. On a calm Saturday morning that I planned to do a lot of work, I made a pot with a touch of honey. Generally, I will let tea steep for however long there is water in the pot; it makes each cup stronger. However, I do know that can impart the taste and make it overly bitter. Teavana brews will come with suggested steep times on the back of the bag.

The tea set came from my cousin Jo from when she was moving. Oh, the mother-person also made bread [with a breadmaker borrowed from a friend], and I do love my starches with every meal. I had honey and or butter with the French bread. The house was empty, so my little tea-time was very~ calming [and, since no one was around, and it was early in the morning, I hadn't dressed to match the part either, oops]. Even with the caffeine running through the veins.

Sebastian likes bread of all types, and thought he would help himself to some. [I would've had let him had he not also climbed up on the tabletop itself and almost spilled scalding tea on himself and I.]

Oh, the serving plate for the bread is a lovely number made by my awesome godmother. It actually comes off more a sushi plate to me, given the long rectangular shape, but like most dishes, it's versatile. We now have quite the small collection of various pieces from her. [I wonder if she's started to sell online, too...]

What's your favorite type of tea? Cold, hot, sweet, bitter, decaff, caffeinated? How do you enjoy your perfect cup of tea? If you're not one to brew your own, are there any good cafes around where you live that serve great tea?

And with that, I'm going to make some more chai and probably go back to sleep. *Sniff.* Take care of yourself, everyone~

Eternally yours,
Il Ruinante Isaak

Blog Music II

Good morning, minna-sama~ I still seem to be low on sleep [ah, if only I had more mana...! say what?], but that's alright, because things are finally coming to a close, and the summer is looking good. I'll be very busy, but I know it will be much more enjoyable. I hope you all are looking forward to nicer summer days too~

As for this, you may or may not have noticed [again, it depends on if you turn your speakers on or the volume up or if your Adobe reader is working, etc.] that I have changed the music for this Aristokei Core. In light of our spectacular concert, I had planned to change it for a day or two from 'No Turning Back' to 'Objection!' from Phoenix Wright: Ace Attorney, since we were playing an extended version of this piece. In the future, I may change it to this for a stretch anyway, because it's quite catchy and enjoyable. However, with all that happened leading up to, and over the weekend, it escaped me. However, to mark the end of the semester, I decided for a change anyway.

Thus, I moved on to a theme that I've had up on a tab for probably two months now, and when Yoshimaru decides to break again, I will probably go back and put it up on it's own tab once more. I'm talking about a track from the Castlevania: Lament of Innocence OST.

Leon Belmont ranks up there as one of the sexiest of his clan. [unfortunately, he is Lawfully Stupid, and has the worst Good Job Breaking It, Hero moment, in that he aided in the ascension of Dracula. But he's blond~ look at him~]

Currently, 'House of Sacred Remains' is what I have up now. It has quickly become one of my favorites out of the whole two disc soundtrack, along with two or three others that I might circulate directly after this. The into might seem a little dull, or grainy even, but when you listen to the rest of it, there is undeniably a gorgeous meld of choral, organ, and synth. I find that when I listen to it again in a loop, the begnning actually does very nice job of setting the tone for the rest of the theme. It never returns to it, but now that you know how the rest sounds, it draws the ear deeper. Speculation and opinion, of course.

Thumbs up? Thumbs down? Want to know where to find it? I've been looking myself, and I think my good old friend Blue Laguna may have the entire two disc collection. If you prefer, you can always find it on Youtube, as I did to get it to play on here in the first place.

"You have become a cursed being and I will never forgive you. This whip and my kinsmen will destroy you someday. From this day on, the Belmont clan will hunt the night!"

That's all for now~ I hope you'll all enjoy it for the while. [heh, classic...!]

Eternally yours,
Il Ruinante Isaak

Marquis does Versatility.

Good morning, minna-sama~ have you been well? This week has been especially arduous to me, but not without some enjoyable things as well. The weekend is also looking to be splendid, so I won't be down and out by the looming storm clouds just yet. Besides, how could I think to be down when something as pleasant as an award has been recieved?

Award? Nominated by the up and coming, rose descendant after my heart, Liz of Aristocratic Elegance, this marquis has been bequeathed the Versatile Blogger Award that is being passed around [ah, I don't know who the creator is!]. Thank you very much, my dear! It is a great pleasure and honor to recieve it, and I hope as the community gives shout-outs to one another, we can all make friends with someone new.

To the best of my knowledge, the rules for those given the award are as follows:

1. Thank and link the person who nominated you.


2. Share seven random facts about yourself.


3. Nominate ten of your favorite bloggers for the award.


4. Be sure to inform your nominees of their nomination~!

And so, right after I decided it would be a great time for the '20 Random Facts' post, here's seven more facts about me [jeez... better just come be my family now at this rate.]

1. I walk [and in general, move I guess] very, very slowly. In fact, the fastest parts of my body are my tongue and my fingers. Forcing me to run is a sure fire way to tick me off.


2. I lack a pronounced heartbeat in part caused by hypotension. So when doctors put the stethescope to my chest, it takes them a really long time to hear anything. I can tell they are both perplexed and irked by it.


3. I can't decide how I feel about the rain anymore. I hated it for a long time, now I don't mind it so much as long as I have an umbrella, but yesterday it basically monsooned and I watched the whole time. Bah. Damn rain.


4. My favorite candy bar ever is Twix.


5. My favorite ice cream flavor ever is chocolate chip cookie dough.


6. I like collecting pins and phone charms [the pins go on my messenger bag]. When I get to cons, I try and pick up at least one or the other of series I like, so as to represent. At Otakon this year, I'm on the look out for Devil May Cry, Legend of Zelda, Uraboku, and DOGS Bullets and Carnage.


7. I like gijinka. Particularly the brush gods from Okami.

And for my nominations~...! Alas, I am not even following ten blogs, but all the same, I will post my favorites. Please give them a look~ and see if you can't broaden your blogsphere. ^_^

• My good friend and rising banba/gyaru Toriberry of East Meets World.


• The lady of Gothic for the work and play, Victorian Kitty of Sophistique Noir.


• Everything-Japan-lovers in New York, sisters Mina and Steph of Ja ma vrouw.


• [and though it may seem redundant] My newfound rosebud stirring up magnificent Aristocrat outfits, Liz of Aristocratic Elegance.

Versatility abound...! The splendor of spontaneity does become us...! Let our oneness as a community shine through as we show appreciation and compliment our peers. Thank you~ and enjoy.

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

Eternally yours,
Il Ruinante Isaak
p.s. Formatting for the blog is being a pain recently. Is anyone else experiencing trouble [especially with line breaks]?

Plus 20 [of him]

Good afternoon minna-sama~ and my, look at this splendid weather that has finally come around, hmmm? Pleasant to no end. I hope everyone can get around to enjoying it. Sebastian and I have sat around outside in the lanai for a stretch, and Firi-kun left me a cute message earlier this morning. Hopefully that'll be enough pleasantries to get me through work.

As for today, I thought I'd just come to keep up on things, and do a '20 Random Facts' post. I've been reading some that have been passed arounds a bit, and thought, 'Sure, that would be nice.' Maybe we'll get to know each other better and share our experiences. So, that is, take from this what you'd like, and enjoy for what it's worth.

1. I'm two halves of the same coin. My own brother from another mother. However you want to say it, I'm a dual person. Not to say dual personality, or bi-polar. More of, I can and do readily advocate, act on, and believe two different things that often contrast simultaneously. I chalk it up to my Gemini zodiac sign, but that's just an easy way to say it.


2. I'm an easy to please person, really [yet, following number 1 it would go without saying that I can be hard to please at the same time]. I don't need much to keep me content; an empty house with a book, or my PSP, or a pencil and paper, or nothing but a bed to sleep on would satisfy me.


3. My handwriting continues to spiral into scrawling semi-cursive. Mind you, my cursive is shit, but my print is often mistaken for cursive. I write very quickly, and so the pen/pencil rarely is lifted from the paper [even between words], creating a very... pretty mish-mash [some will say it's just illegible].


4. I wish I had a dog. Not to replace Sebastian, but in company of him. I'm afraid that getting a dog that is the same size or smaller than Sebastian would result in an injured dog. [Sebastian knows I'm talking about him.] So I'd go for a Russian Wolfhound or a German Shepard. Maybe a Shiba Inu.


5. I like chocolate, except in the pudding, cake, and ice cream configurations. I think it's because I had too much of it growing up. I LIKE CHOCOLATE OTHERWISE.
   


6. I am allergic to Benadryll. If I was a allergic to pollen or anything else, this would royally suck, but mercifully, that is my only allergy.


7. I can speak in tropes and tv idioms. Most frequently will be trope equations, e.g.: Battle Butler + Fetish Fuel Station Attendant + Gentleman Snarker = Sebastian Michaelis of Kuroshitsuji.


8. Officially, I have [self proclaimed] theme music. Violater by Nobuo Uematsu.


9. I'm [still?] an otaku. It is controlled, sans conventions. Because I grew up with dial-up, I wasn't privy to watching a lot of anime on Youtube, so I read manga more. Currently, the collection extends to about 150+ manga spread over at least 25 different series, discluding series magazines [which would add about another 20]. An interesting title can get me interested in an anime.


10. Since I am studying Japanese [semi-fluent, at best, I'll say], that means unless I'm talking to someone else who knows Japanese, I don't add 'kawaii' and 'desu ne~' to my sentences and Youtube comments, etc.
    


11. That being said, I do sometimes pick up a verbal tic. For a while it was 'Context' after an ambiguously double meaning sounding sentence. Now it's a trope that fits whatever I just said [hence... verbal tic].


12. I believe one of my most formidable weapons is my tongue [context]. With or without a single spoken word, my tongue can take care of a good number of situations.


13. I'm indecisive a lot [and, quick to decide]. I've come up with the example, if I was in a room filled with endless supplies of all my favorite foods, I'd still starve because I wouldn't know what to eat first. [The times when I am decisive, it's probably because I'm not deciding something for myself, and the better choice is clear.]


14. I like ALL foods. And I am perpetually hungry. So that crinkle of your chip bag, the fizzing of contained carbonated soda, even if you're trying to be a ninja, does not escape me. I'll eat pretty much anything, and as much as I can in that one bite you offered me.


15. 15 is my favorite number. [I didn't plan it this way, but when it came up, that's the first thing I ended up thinking.]



16. My ideal profession is to be a glassblower. That pretty much has nothing to do with anything I've been studying for the past... my life. This is something I decided when I was six or seven years old, and haven't shaken yet. While I would readily accept other great professions [writer, massage therapist, translator, ehm...], this is my 'dream job', as it were.


17. I am a gamer. I don't know if I should call myself a hardcore gamer, because I don't have topline equipment and headsets and keyboards and modded controllers, etc. And I don't spend unholy hours a day [...all day...?] playing either. But I LOVE~ video games [and video game music~!]. Because I didn't grow up with a game console in the house [ohh~ I was so depraved~ ah~] I played my friends' games with varying degrees of frequency. So I know lots of video games, without ever having owned them myself. Nowadays the game count is increasing little by little [with Capcom games in the lead, oddly].


18. I mostly listen to J-musics. But anything with a good sounds can entice me. A GOOD sound. Lyrics in my own language that I can't understand does not usually lend itself to a good sound.


19. I read spoilers sometimes [not usually intentionally]. I don't mind if you tell me spoilers either. I believe that the sign of a good story is one in which you CAN know what is going to happen, or if that one character survives, and still be on the edge of your seat when you get to that part in the story yourself.


20. At the end of the day, I'm happy to be as fortunate as I am. In the future, I can only to continue to go towards what I really want, which is freedom. More than anything in this world, I want to know, embody, and exist in true freedom.

Oh my, did that get too thick and heavy at the end? [Context... damn.] Don't think too much on it. I'll look forward to seeing your own 20 random about me post in the future. ^_^

If I can just get through this week... things will be so much better...

Shall you bring me to further roses...?
Eternally yours,
Il Ruinante Isaak

Music Revisted

Good evening minna-sama, ahhh this feels better, doesn't it? A nice, relaxing--...a gently breezy cool evening, with tea and dinner. Oh, I haven't done a meal post in a while, either have I? More things to look forward to. ^_^ Things are still keeping busy, but I have a feeling it's all for the better. Once May rolls around, things will be good. In the meantime, here's to touch on something new.


As you may or may not have noticed, depending on where you read this blog and if you choose to keep your speakers off, etc. etc., I have added music to thy blog. Music, herr marquis, how can that be? There's no music player to be seen anywhere. Now, now, no need for formalities, we're all friends here, and I'll let you in on my secret~


The non-existent music player is actually a Youtube video, the embed code of which I copied, and shrunk down to invisible. You can't force it that small if you try to custom size it before you copy and paste it, so just copy it as is, and stick it in any place on your blog where HTML coding works. Then, change BOTH width and heights [one in the beginning and another towards the end of the code string] to 1 pixel wide. Now your music is out of sight, out of mind. In order to make it play, add the code '& autoplay = 1' DIRECTLY before the "greater than-less than-param-greater than [you may find you have a res=0 or similar in front of it; it goes there, with no spaces or other characters]. With careful scanning, and a good reliable video, you've now discreetly added music to your blog. The only downside--your mileage my very if this is a downside--is that this does not loop, nor give the option to pause the music as you go. Unless I haven't figured it out how to do so. But~! Do give it a whirl if you'd like, I am happy to hear your blogs as well~


The current selection is 'No Turning Back' from the Soul Calibur 2 OST [yes, the video game]. Previously, when I first started fiddling with Blogger's trippy HTML coding screws, I had 'The Love from a Dead Orchestra' playing as the first song, followed by 'ASCENDEAD MASTER', both by Versailles Philharmonic Quintet. My love for Versailles--the ideal combination of what this blog is about really, Japanese Street styles focusing on Aristocrat and Visual Kei--continues onward and onward~ and I hope they can continue to bring us beautiful music.


The reason I couldn't keep it to their songs however, was because the videos I was using seemed to be deleted or moved--thus messing up the HTML code--not long after I would add them. While I am by no means compromising by using 'No Turning Back' [I LOVE this track], I would like to use something more readily related to thy blog's purpose. While troping, by some way or another I got onto Castlevania, which led to looking up some of the OST from various games on Youtube. I've been listening to Castlevania Lament of Innocence tracks as of late, and I already know at some point or another at least three of them are going to have to go here. [For those unfamiliar with Castlevania, it is a Konami video game series, that is well regarded for it's Crowning Music of Awesome across all of its 25+ games. Lament of Innocence features some of the best music of the series, which is saying something.] I am thinking I might change the music once a month, just for the sake of variety [this is hoping I will remember, among other things].


That being said, I am open to suggestions or requests for music to be featured~. During the summer, I feel I have time to even do day-to-day/week-to-week things for super special occasions. I'm into anything that sounds good, and happy to recommend things as well. If you're just tuning in, that's alright by me, too. Music is a wonderful thing, let's be sure to have fun with it.


This weekend I am actually formulating a mini-schedule to get the Altelier Boz jabot done, and perhaps the Nudy Boy mod. We'll see how that works out when Friday evening rolls around~


Holy Cross Obsessed by the Moon~
Eternally yours,
Il Ruinante Isaak

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

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

Happy New Year's. [...posted belated...?]

[It appears I forgot all about this post set aside on draft... Please enjoy it as you like, everyone.]

Good evening minna-sama~ and a happy belated new years to you one and all. I hope you all managed to stay up, if that is your typical thing to do, and ring in the new year right, with friends, family, good food and drink, and lots of good music. If you slept through the midnight hour, that's as well too. Welcome to the new year.


I suppose to start the year off right in accordance to this blog on my fashion happenings, it would be fitting to see something involving Visual Kei or Aristocrat. As it were, I went down to the super semi-suburb that is Frederick, MD, and bought patterns from the JoAnn's Fabric super store [really, it's at least the size of the three closer stores to me combined] for the future cosplay I was pleasantly roped into, Getbacker's Akabane Kuroudo, aka Dr. Jackal.


My perfectionist side came out in full as I looked through at least five brands' pattern books, but I narrowed it down to two selections from the same company, and luckily, they were having a New Year's sale and were $0.99 a piece, so I bought the two that looked best. The main thing was the lapels and a button, since no jacket would probably readily have the length I needed and also be cheap. I am wondering about the hat, but I'll think about that later [I have heard good suggestions dealing with costume witches hats, styrofoam, and a backing that isn't the normal fabric backening, the term of which I clearly cannot recall]. I also had a looksee into things for Saiyuki's Ukoku Sanzo cosplay, involving the ring on the gloves of the black ninja suit underneath, and the breastplate. If I had a bandsaw I probably would already be mad at work chopping up some bamboo I have lying around, however, I don't~.

Alls to say, perchance if I am not too busy, please look forward to some progress pictures of the costumes. Here's to getting at least one of them done by Katsucon here in Washington D.C.

I also bought some more eyelets, and so I might proceed with the detached sleeves of my first Nudy Boy shirt, or the corset backing of my other purple shirt [also handmade], though since it is already getting a little short-small, I may simply retire the beauty. Ahh...

I beat the Shade Impulse story mode for Dissidia Final Fantasy a while ago actually [just 27 days after I bought it], and my two level 100s are Warrior of Light and Sephiroth [even though it serves no purpose for any Chaos warriors to be leveled up. Currently, I have seven level 100s: Warrior, Sephiroth, Squall, Emperor, Kuja, Cloud, and Firionel (in that order), and next will probably be Cecil and Cloud of Darkness. Emperor can EASILY kill Chaos, it makes me happy]. Inward Chaos raised Warrior of Light's rank to SSS, and Vicious behavior.

I am looking forward to Dissidia 012...

The Jingu Bridge Japanese Fashion Club is heading off in a good direction~ we've got big things in store, I'll keep everyone posted of our events. Rounding up members is always the priority, to better promote the learning and making environment that club needs.

I'm trying to figure out what to do with my leather pants... if anyone has seen that picture of Sebastian Michaelis [Yana Toboso's Kuroshitsuji] in a V-kei get up, that's sort of what I've been thinking of...

*Rubs eyes sleepily.* Please forgive me, minna-sama~ Sebastian has been disturbing me at odd hours and it's becoming detrimental. I'll be turning in now. Have pleasant dreams, one and all, and carry on into your future.

May the light, forever shine upon us.
Eternally yours,
Il Ruinante Isaak

A Merry Christmas to All

Good evening, mina-sama. It's that special time of the year again, where everyone forgets common courtesy, forgets how to drive, and the rabid shopping beasts within them come out, all for the sake of buying gifts for loved ones over the holiday season. Mmmm~ I feel all warm and fuzzy inside just thinking about the road rage and retail carnage.

On a much less sarcastic and indeed more sincere note, I hope that everyone will have a safe and wonderful holiday. If you travel far or near to be with others, take care on the roads, in airport security, or find that good position to sleep in on the bus or train. If you are hosting your family who journey from near and far, remember your gracious host etiquitte, even though you are family, and don't let drama upset the good times that are made to come during Christmas and New Years.

I hope to use this time productively of course, and with any luck there will be picture laden results in the New Year [ever since I obtained cutlery suitable to be scalpels for the planned Akabane cosplay, I seem to be in a sort of high to look for a long jacket/coat pattern]. Are you busy as well during this time? Or are you going to also do that relaxing thing? Curl up with a warm drink and a toasty hearth~ everyone.

With best wishes and hopes for the future, to you and yours everywhere.
Eternally yours,
Il Ruinante Isaak

Miniature Post--Marriott Nights

Good afternoon, mina-sama~ do forgive me being away again. The semester is nearly at it's end, so I hope to have more time to post with recent activities that are planned as soon as the finals are did and done with [good luck everyone! you can do it!]. There is one very big project on the ball that I remember off the top of my head... Then scores and scores of smaller but still just as important projects, including a semi-commission [is it official...? Aaah...!] from Toriberry for the Angelic Pretty overskirt. I will certainly be keeping busy with winter, and since my place of work is closed, I'll probably have more time to do things than I did in the summer. Please look forward to it, if you can, mina-sama.

As for today, just a couple pictures of the ensemble I wore yesterday, for the snazzy Marriott Hotel Customer Appreciation event held in the Marriott in Greenbelt, celebrating it's finished refurbishing. It looks very posh now, but I've always liked Marriot anyway, never ridiculous high class, but still luxirous looking enough for one to know that they will be well taken care of during their stay. Not really understanding at the time I was asked what it was I had agreed to go to, come Wednesday I dressed up anyway per the mother-person's request ["I hope you'll wear... business causal, something nicer than your hooe and jeans, you know." she said, yet yesterday morning she to one look and realized she had forgotten, and went back to her room to change], and staggered through the day half awake until she got off of work.

It was a windy day, so you know what that means~ [or perhaps you don't, heh.]

I was wearing a black scarf as well since it is chilly now, tucked in. I took it off before I remembered to take a picture. It looks like a super puffed straight falling jabot, if you wish to supplement. [My hair is doing weird things recently.]

So walking around campus was a treat, and the Marriott event was wonderfully done. There was lots of food, good drinks, and some gambling table games. I've never done so poorly on roulette in my life... [granted, the experience has been limited to other tables and computer game versions] Upon leaving, the polite and fun ladies at the name-tag table offered candied apples, and these two nice older women complimented me on the coat. I think for this and similar when wearing them together, people mistake it for a long long coat, which isn't necessarily bad at all.

I have also noticed a trend when people ask and compliment your clothes or accessories. For people say... 30 years old or younger, they compliment and then ask "Where did you get them?" But for people 30 years old or older, they compliment and then ask "Did you make that?" It pleasantly perplexes me, although I can kind of understand where it comes from. We are different generations of people, coming from shop-happy spenders to old-school handmade.

It's just a little longer everyone... and then pleasantries... a little longer. I'll get down on my knees and get a good head on my shoulders, do it for my friends for myself, go to the ends of the earth. I'll do what it takes, and do it with dedication, and put out all misery.

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

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