Perpetual Elevens' [and the skirt; picture+video!]

Good afternoon, mina-sama. Did everyone have a good thanksgiving break? I had a pleasant time venturing out to the semi-countryside that is Mt. Airy to see good friends, and make merry with damn good food and delightful company. Truly, I have much to be thankful for, even without material goods. I continue to pray for the happiness and good fortune of my loved ones.

I will admit though that I did go and get up fiendishly early to participate in the madness that is Black Friday shopping [I may also see what I will see to the tune of Cyber Monday]. Semi-countryside-dom has it's advantages. Things were relatively orderly, I got a good parking space, and when it was all said and done, I was only out for 45 minutes before returning to the hotel to sleep a couple more hours until breakfast. The otaku side of me comes out as I made my largest purchase at Gamestop, securing myself a PSP at last, and acquiring Dissidia Final Fantasy, Soul Calibur: Broken Legends, and Crisis Core: Final Fantasy VII as my first stock [I will probably purchase Kingdom Hearts: Birth by Sleep closer to Xmas, and at Target, since I have unconvered a gift card]. Intermitenly as I write this, I play a few quick battles on Dissidia [I'm leveling up Sephiroth]. Didn't know this marquis was a gamer too, eh? ^_^

I had a very peaceful time. I hope a similar good time was had by all.

Now then, as alluded to in the last post, I came upon a skirt from way back when as I was hanging up the skirt I bought from the thrift store. This is a pleated skirt--granted, there are only four, and it's very wide pleats [more like in stiched seams so it wouldn't be one big slate of skirt]--with a waist band if you could call it that, that has a button, and a zipper fasten. The button waist band saved me the trouble of having to add one to thread through the D-ring loops I bought, so all I really had to do was rip the seam that the zipper was on, rip some of the seam on the waist till it was 3/4 [so should I call it a 3/4 skirt...?] and then resew it back down into a nice clean edge.

The original skirt, still whole. It's a little hard to see with the black on black, but the pleats are there, if you can see them.

The above is cut out and pinned, and the bottom is with the hem finished. It was mostly a matter of making sure the folds were neat.

And for the sake of contrast, put some tissue paper between just to show. It's a bit long even if I have shoes on [only the Demonia boots make it seem appropriate length].

One of the simplest projects I've ever done that has yielded magnificent results. Now I also have some guideline as to how I want to make the skirt out from scratch--as it were--and out of the thirft store skirt. The one from scratch may still end up being my favorite since it will have a colored lining, but we'll see.

Also, it's essentially still a skirt, so I've worn it very frequently since I've made it, including out on my Thanksgiving travels. It makes a very bold and dramatic touch to my Aristo wardrobe, and anything in between. I do now have an increased fondess for windy days.

I have tried walking with skirt and the Crow in combination, and let me just say, it only looks awesome on paper.

Worn on as sundry of occasions. [it may be hard to tell in the last one, but I'm wearing the leather pants I got a the thrift store, and the dubbed "priest cossak" from the Undertaker cosplay outfit.]

As promised, I'm getting a little fancy up in here, and to show how the thing moves as I do, I made a little video. The lighting is iffy, pardon. But the essence is there. And it's just another example of how well it works with basically anything you'd normally wear a skirt with.

I'm suiting up more and more for this rumored-to-be-colder-than-ever winter season. Got anything on the ball you've been working on? Spotted a must-have winter coat? How have you all been adjusting to the chillier weather?

I've got a lot of work ahead of me, please forgive a long absence in advance, mina-sama. I'll walk tall and strong, to the best of my ability, and give all I've got.
Eternally yours,

Il Ruinante Isaak

Thrift Store Shopping

Good evening, minna-sama. I'm sorry I've been away so long, I've been... in a difficult position, really. I'm doing things I hate, and I hate them because I am bad at them. I haven't had my head in the right place to post for a while, do forgive me. The holidays are a wonderful way to brighten my spirits, as is the completion of a project [yes, another spur of the energy moment thing], and so I return with hopefully two posts back to back [or at least, today and tomorrow] as to catch up with aristocrat and visual kei related things that have in fact been happening.

Jingu Bridge has been going splendidly. Truly. We're going to have to work out a few things here and there and work on preparation, but that's all well and good; the club is just starting, and it's the latter half of the semester, so we're having a great trial run of how things will work out for the spring semester. The group project for my global literature class on Visual Kei went smoothly as well; no one wanted to volunteer to be dressed up, but that's alright, I make my own suitable manequin. Perhaps showing them Neo Ark [Phantasmagoria] was a little too scaring... but, as it were, that's updates for that.

A couple weekends ago, I went to the thrift store near me [that I readily know of]. I was reminded why I both love, and to an extent, dislike the thrift store. One the one hand, there always seems to be scores of little heathen brats running around, and either screaming their heads off for no apparent reason, or crying excessively loudly for their parents. But if you can ignore that, the upsides outweigh the atmosphere's downsides. Prices are amazing, and if you have a little more time than I did to look, you can almost certainly find something that you were looking for [or perhaps not even, and that's never really bad]. I went with the intent of buying some white blouses--ahh, white blouses? what the hell...?--and a long skirt, so that I could expirement with something premade for making the half skirt [see previous project entry]. I also happened to pick up another pair of slacks, since my trusty black ones with pockets are having wardrobe malfunctions with the zipper, and some leather pants. In total everything came to just over $30, with the leather pants being the most expensive thing of course.

Since there is no fitting room at the thrift store, I immediately tried things on as soon as I got home to see if I properly eye-balled the sizes of things correctly. Here are my finds.

A long black skirt, made out of rayon I believe, so it's stretchy compared to the sateen fabric I bought to make my own from scratch. The plan is to cut down the seams of the sides and hem the back, creating a half skirt. With the extra I cut off, I would make a waist band to go through D-loops I bought a while back to put on my slacks.

The shiny white blouse--with breast pockets--that was the cheapest thing of the day, and the pinstripe slacks. They lack pockets, unlike the black ones I adore, and they have a bit of red in them, which immediately makes me want to add a touch of red into my Aristo. I don't know why I don't think add to V-kei, although that might be because there's limited colors [excluding Hizaki of Versai] in V-kei... though white isn't excluded... anyway. I wore this some day during the week, with the tailcoat jacket. I like the shirt a lot, a lot.

The leather pants, that are just a tad too long, and just a tad too tight. So tight in fact that I took a picture as soon as I got the button closed, not trusting myself to be able to fit into these again by the time I posted it because they were that tight [coincidentally, I have put them on with much less struggle two times since then, and before now]. I'm not sure why the shirt seems off-white, pale creamy at the top there... but it's all white, as the other picture shows.

Upon hanging the skirt up in my closet, I came upon an interesting discovery; lo, another skirt. This one was from the uniform of my high school's orchestra. It's very long, and has four pleats down said long sides, along with a band that has the button fasten, and a zipper. Had I recalled before hand that I still had that in my posession--since it was exactly the sort of thing I was looking for to base a already made beforehand turned into half-skirt on--I would've bypassed the skirt at the thrift store. Be that as it may, since it's a different material, I'm going to use it as well, regardless. I may choose to sell it once it is made, but we'll see how that goes.

To be sure, since I had the uniform skirt, I chopped that up quick like, and the results I will show in my next entry. Look forward to it, I'm getting fancy with a video, desu ne.

For whatever reason, when I was younger, I was a little turned off by thrift stores, and I think it was that atmosphere--aside from the crying kids--of... fervor and scurrying around. Now it's just the tight isles and screaming kids that make me pulse point when I step foot in there. A neutral scowl keeps them at bay however...

So, if you've got one near you, and you're just plain fed up with brand or replica prices, take a stroll down to your local thrift store. You never know what might turn up, and for REAL cheap no less. For those of you who have gone there, did you ever get a great find for a steal price? Got one nicer than mine? Love to go if it's nearby.

Whether with friends in your area, traveling back home or hosting family, or with the company of yourself, I wish everyone a splendid holiday, good food, great memories, and safe travels.

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

Goodnight, Hallow's Eve.

Good evening, minna-sama. The weather has finally gotten chilly, ahaha, and I have yet to make any of the projects suitable for the cooler weather, oh dear. Well, nothing like long weekends for that sort of thing. The campus becomes much calmer when it is cooler I think. Next Monday shall be our first official Jingu Bridge: Harajuku Fashion Club meeting. If the torn tabs off of our posters are any sign, hopefully we will have some sort of gathering to an extent [I just realized, we haven't picked a location yet, have we...?]

Halloween was excellent. I couldn't ask for a better turn of events, except for maybe being able to wear my hat. There was GSO rehersal yesterday, but it's not as bad as it sounds. We're all about doing the holidays up right, so a good majority of orchestra plus chorus dressed up. I took my hat off so as to ensure the people behind me would be able to see our already-rather-short conductress. I didn't get to the Doll Part Halloween Photo contest, but there were pictures abound of Undertaker cosplay to be had, both in GSO and out.

Since the plan was to be out all evening--or at least late enough that all the trick-or-treaters would be passed and gone--there was no candy bought. Imagine then, the surprise, seeing the little rugrats out when we came back from rehersal. So instead of making ourselves targets by pulling up in our driveway, McDonald's we a-go for some om noms. Waved at some people in the drive through, complimented on costume by an elderly couple, had our food, oh, and when I was getting a refill for a road, was mobbed for a picture by a group of girls waiting in line. I suppose the most impressive thing was that they could tell my gender beneath all the costume [when many people at Otakon could not]. The way the first girl phrased her question caused me to reiterate it in such she misinterpreted it, and thus resulted in not a picture of me alone, but a group shot of the rest of the gathering flanking me. All well and good really. Hope they didn't mind my hand placement. One last girl who didn't get in got a solo shot, with shoulder grab in it. Walked out and felt like a celebrity.

And so the book closes on another year's Halloween. I'll post some pictures in another mini post. These will be of the mother-person's friend's party, and GSO costumings.

How was your night of frights and delights? Eat enough candy to get diabetes? See or wear a particularly spectacular costume? Did you go out clubbing or partying? If so, are you even conscious from said partying? Ahaha!

Things are going to be touch-and-go for me this month, minna-sama, but please bear with me. I will be done with things soon enough, and will take my projects into full swing soon, if not piece by piece over the next coming weekends.

'And it feels like home... it's been a long road, alone...'
Eternally yours,
Il Ruinante

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