Traditional Lolita has found a home in Japan, with variations on the style constantly evolving, including a darker but still chaste version called “Gothic Lolita” that in many forms brings to mind the works of Tim Burton.  This darker trend has also spurred many a fashion accessory and novelty line, including the popular Melancholy Kitties range of gothic dolls.

Melancholy Kitties dolls and Tim Burton’s Alice in Wonderland (source: WGSN)

Common to both branches are all things decidedly feminine, including lace, bows and ribbons, ruffles, powder boxes, and florals.  In true Lolita styling, an almost creepy childish vibe also emerges through the use of bonnets, parasols, bloomers, knee socks, and accessories made from stuffed toys.  The primary color palettes are white and shades of pink, with those who favor gothic choosing black or midnight blue instead.

Other evolutions of Lolita have also occurred, particularly in the United States and Britain.  These newer asides favor a more grown up approach, trading teddy bears and ruffled tops for feminine kitsch and satirically girly jewelry and graphics.

This less involved, more easygoing approach is fast becoming a favorite in both the U.S. and Asia, as more traditional dress and hairstyling can take literally hours to achieve.  Plus, the less child-like version affords the ability for adult women to sneak in a little hint of sexiness, like Asian celebrity and model Angela Yang, a.k.a. Angelbaby, whose girly styling has drawn a major following.

Hong Kong model and actress Angela Yang (source: WGSN)

Updated Lolita jewelry often still includes bows, candy, florals, and lace, but in a less over the top proportion and more polished color schemes.  Perfect for any girl who wants to be edgy and feminine, but isn’t necessarily a fan of pigtails.

All fashion photography sourced via WGSN

I’m pretty sure everyone is just about ready to drop everything, call it a year, and have the best Summer ever. At least once a day, I say “I just wanna sleep. Wake me up on the first day of summer vacation.”

But we’ve made it this far without losing our minds (maybe), and we can’t give up yet.

Know why?

PROM.

Girls, we’ve been waiting for prom since, like, the beginning of time. Gorgeous dresses. Hair, nails, makeup. And shoes! Obviously.

It’s like a girly-girls dream come true!

You may act like a princess on a normal day…but how often to you get to dress like one?

IT’S THE BEST FRICKEN PART.

Spend an entire day at the mall, try on a bazillion different dresses, and don’t stress.

We’re all gonna look perfect. I promise.

Now, I don’t really know how boys feel about prom or anything…but apparently, they make perfect dates! Cute pictures, corsages, someone to slow dance with. Got a prom date? Congratulations.

Dateless? Who cares! Don’t spend your special night watching the movie Prom while wearing your dress, and crying into a giant ice cream sundae. (Trust me…I thought about it.) Suck it up, go out with your friends, and have a good time. Plus, no date means no limit on who you can dance with ;]

Prom is one of the last nights we have to spend with our senior classes. Make it super special and don’t ever forget it.

The tattoo is a many splendored thing, and we’ve watched its evolution across the passing of a century with all the vim and verve that an artform deserves.  From vaudeville to Sailor Jerry, permanent makeup to Ed Hardy, the tattoo has become an integral part of popular culture in the Western world.  In fact, figures taken in the 2000s suggest that approximately 16% or one sixth of all adults in the United States have at least one tattoo.  What’s even more impressive is that those who are counted amongst that percentage cannot be characterized into any particular set of demographics.  Basically, tattooing transcends the barriers of race, age, gender, and economic status to become one of the most popular means of human identification and expression worldwide.

popular tattoo art styles (source: WGSN)

Now back to the great Mr. Emerson.  Tattoos for most are an expression of some part of us that would otherwise remain hidden.  We mark our bodies with things we choose specifically, things that speak to us, or that express our personalities or indulge our secret passions.  So in that way, what we ink on the outside can represent what lies within us.  Our tattoos can become the expression of our inner strength, the proof of our bravery, or an emblem of our values.

My tattoos are a statement that I’ve chosen to represent my love of simplicity, of Eastern culture and enduring symbolism, and in many ways of keeping my private thoughts.  I put them in places that most people will never see, not because I want to appear “uninked,” but because I’m a very private person.  I can count the number of people who know where my tattoos are and what they translate to in English on just my two hands.  And in that way, they also symbolize the strength and depth of my closest friendships, and the spiritual element that I feel is inherent to permanently marking myself.

two of my own tattoos inked in kanji

What do your tattoos stand for?  I understand if you don’t want to tell.

Red with Black and White

The poignant mixture of brilliant red with black and white creates a sense of unnaturalness, false reality, or even impending doom.  When mixing reds with monochromatic styling, less is definitely more, but prepare to be noticed regardless.

Ruby Red

Ruby red and crimson, all of the deeper reds, are inextricably linked to blood, danger, vampirism, and all things dark or gothic.

Bright Red and Reddish Orange

Brighter reds and reds with a touch of orange impart a more retro feel, with styling inspirations drawn directly from kitsch fashion, vintage, and particularly burlesque.  This red is feminine, yet comically realistic, with all of the punch and plushness that makes it the classic original companion to any femme fatale.

Perhaps that’s exactly why red has become a popular hue amongst celebrities, and not just for lips and wardrobe staples.

Florence Welch of Florence and the Machine, Rihanna, and Hayley Williams of Paramore

All fashion photography sourced via WGSN

Sometimes the process is inspired by new shapes of Swarovski crystals.  I lay them out and start placing different crystals in varying patterns around and near each other.  When I start to see a design form, I find a way to repeat this same layout with metallic parts called “findings.”  Sometimes it works out perfectly, and sometimes I struggle to find the right parts to enable the crystals and charms to lay right.  From that point accent beads are added to add detail, symmetry and character. Plenty of times it doesn’t work at all and I have to start from scratch.

Sometimes I have an idea in my head and it may be there a day or a year before it becomes a real piece of jewelry.  Then one day I’ll start designing and voila, it’s ready to sparkle someone’s belly. There are times it is exactly what I carried around in my head, and others when it evolves into something that doesn’t resemble the original idea at all.

Occasionally I will look through search engine pictures of jewelry or designer websites looking for inspiration.  Or I’ll be in a department store and something will catch my eye.  I whip out my phone and take a quick shot.  Once I set out to be inspired by the original, it ends up looking nothing like it.

Many times I will have a design that I don’t know what colors to use, or colors that I have no design for.  Color inspiration comes from an endless number of resources.  Usually when I’m in a mall, I’ll come home with 5 or 10 pictures of things that aren’t jewelry but  colors or patterns I have seen in clothing.  Oddly enough, when I’m cleaning and putting away extra crystals, colors will randomly mix together and the combination will grab my attention.  I’ll usually get a bag and put the combination in it for those times when I’ve got a design and I’m looking for colors.

There are occasions that I’ll see the shape of a tree or how a lamppost looks against a house that will give me an idea for a piece of jewelry.  Then I have to translate the elements of what I saw into crystals and metal parts that we carry in stock, not always an easy task, I assure you.  It’s always a terrific feeling of accomplishment when it works out like the image I have in my head.

I love my job.  If jobs were a lottery, I won the mega millions!  Though I don’t see our customers enjoy their pieces, between the online reviews and the feedback from customer service, I have the pleasure of knowing that I enhanced an outfit, helped someone feel pretty, or strengthened someone’s fashion statement.  I’m not curing cancer, but giving a little bit of happiness is enough for me.

Ever wonder how mother’s day came about? Well, in the late 1800’s there were several attempts to establish an American Mother’s Day but they were unsuccessful. The current holiday which we are familiar with today was founded by Anna Jarvis from West Virginia. After Anna’s mother died in 1905, she held a memorial for her mom and soon after started a campaign to make “Mother’s Day” a recognized day across the nation. In honor of peace and motherhood, Anna petitioned her idea to the superintendent of her church in 1908 and her request was honored on May 10^th of that same year.

The first official Mother’s Day celebration was held on this day and carnations were given out to the mother’s who attended. However, Mother’s day was not an official national holiday until 1914 when President Woodrow Wilson signed it into law, declaring the second Sunday in May as Mother’s Day. By the time Anna Jarvis died in 1948, over 40 different countries observed this holiday, and over 70 countries participate today. Most of the other countries celebrate on a different day than the U.S and have a slightly different meaning associated with various events (religions and historical). However, most countries have adopted many American Mother’s Day traditions.

Mother’s day is one of the most commercialized U.S. holidays. Flowers, cards and other various gifts are sold like crazy in the weeks and days before. What are some top gift ideas for mother’s day? Besides the common (sometimes overdone) presents like flowers, personalized items are always a big hit. They show that you took time and put thought into the present instead of picking something up last minute. Gift certificates are always nice too. Other gift ideas include jewelry, candles, perfume, picture frames/albums, pampering gifts, and chocolates/candy. Don’t have a lot of money to spend? Try hand making a gift or cooking dinner for her (and doing the dishes afterwards)!

The number one gift, in my opinion anyway, is jewelry. Seriously! What woman doesn’t love jewelry? It’s something you can never have enough of (kind of like shoes and purses). I remember when I first bought my mom a pair of earrings with my own money. I was around 17 years old and just started working so I could actually afford something nice instead of making her a paper card like most of the other years. The expression on her face when she opened that elegant pair of earrings I bought her let me know I had made the right decision. This year, I plan on sticking with the jewelry idea but making it even better. How? Personalized jewelry, it makes it more thoughtful and special if she knows I took the time to have something made especially for her.

Mother’s Day: a day to show your appreciation, respect and love for that incredible person who does everything for you. Don’t wait until last minute to show your mom how much you love her.

“All that I am or ever hope to be, I owe to my angel Mother.” -Abraham Lincoln

Fun facts:

Mother’s day is the biggest day for long-distance phone calls. It is also the 3^rd highest church attendance day, following behind Christmas Eve and Easter.

According to the National Retail Federation, the average person spent $127.90 last year on mother’s day presents and this year, the amount is expected to be $140.73. Total spending in the United States on this one day is expected to reach 16.3 billion dollars.

Key Points:

• traditional retro hairstyles with modern color treatments like ombre looks, dip dye, or rainbow coloring

• fifties florals and touches combined with neon or bright coloring and harder detailing

• the edginess of the retro biker aesthetic blended with ladylike vintage and touches of  modern kitsch

• sixties fabrics cut in modern shapes or vice versa, creating a juxtaposition of old and new

• black and white art and vintage comics

Key Pieces:

• Plugs, tunnels, tapers, and cheaters with retro art or motifs

• Body jewelry that utilizes retro diner food, sweets and malts, and sign art

• Modern takes on rebellious fifties kitsch, like cherries and other rockabilly styling elements

• Accessory items featuring classic comic book characters and retro comic typefaces

The coming together of 1950′s vintage styling with modern clothing cuts, updated color usage, and satirical American heritage elements creates a look that both reveres and pokes at traditional wholesome suburban values.  The use of retro typefaces and pop art graphic styles serves to amplify the sense of rebellious, youthful fun, and gives a sort of deconstructed malt shop feel.  Perfect for escaping the disillusion of modern youth culture common to suburban living.

All fashion photography sourced via WGSN

For those who have a navel piercing that they’d like to keep, there’s a great solution for safety, comfort, and fit: the pregnancy belly ring.

This type of belly ring includes an extra long barbell made out of flexible, biocompatible material.  It’s nickel and lead free, non-metallic, and because it bends with the skin as it stretches, it’s nice and comfy.  And the best part?  The long shaft of a pregnancy belly ring can be sliced on an angle to any desired length.  Then all you have to do is twist the ball on and off a few times, and the newly clipped barbell will self-thread.  Voila!  Custom belly ring.

In case of any medical testing or surgical procedures that may require all metallic jewelry to be removed, there are non-metallic retainers for a huge variety of other piercings too, many of them also made with comfortable, flexible bioplast.

And if cleaning certain piercings starts to become difficult, no problem.  Pre-mixed safe and effective aftercare products make cleansing easy.  There are even natural holistic products containing soothing aloe that come ready and waiting inside a disposable cotton swab.

For those who have nipple piercings, the American Pregnancy Association recommends that jewelry be removed if you’re planning to breast feed, as the pieces then become a choking hazard.   But for women who plan on using formula instead, piercings can be kept, and may require the switching of captive jewelry to flexible barbells for comfort.

Fun Fact: In traditional Indian medicine called “Ayurveda,” piercings of the nostril are believed to assist in feminine health and lessen the pains of childbirth.

Those who practice suspension may do so only once in their lifetime, or several times, and give a variety of reasons for choosing to engage in the practice. Among the most common are overcoming a particular fear, strengthening the mind/body connection, attaining some level of spiritual vision or enlightenment, and purely for the thrill or to prove to themselves that they can control their own feelings of pain. In recent years, following in the footsteps of shamanic performance artist Fakir Musafar, more and more performance groups are springing up around the world that include suspension in their art.

As expected, suspensions require diligent preparation in which one or several experts will evaluate the individual’s skin, determine the best placement of the hooks being used, and perform the actual piercings themselves. Depending on a number of factors, anywhere from one or two to over a dozen hooks may be used, along with one of several different types of suspension rigging which can include ropes, cables, or even chains. The depth and size of the piercings is very important, as well as their placement on the body, making it extremely important for the modification artists involved to have a thorough knowledge of human anatomy. They should also be well versed in the suspension processes from start to finish, some of which are based on the pre-existing tribal practices of the Sioux and Mandan Indians and of the Hindus that attend Thaipusam.

from left: Sioux sun dancer, Thaipusam devotee

Some of the primary types of modern suspension have been named in accordance to the general placement of the hooks and the position in which they place the body. These include the resurrection suspension (in which two rows of hooks are placed in the abdomen), the superman (in which several piercings are placed in the back and legs), and the “angel” or “redeemer,” in which the subject is suspended upright by a set of hooks in the back that mimic the shaping of angelic wings.

There are several personalities who have become famous for their alternative stage art and practice of suspension, including Fakir Musafar, Allen Falkner, and most recently fearless Brit Alice Newstead. Ms Newstead made international news in 2008 when she dressed up like a shark and suspended from fishing hooks in her back to protest the over-fishing of sharks for their fins, considered in some places a delicacy. She repeated this stunt several times afterwards in the United States, France, Hong Kong, and elsewhere, garnering both support for her cause, and worldwide publicity.

(source: WGSN)

Delmation Jasper Plugs

These are made of Jasper, a natural semi-precious stone, and with a neutral base color and fun black spots, they’re the perfect low key accessory.  In alternative healing, Jasper is believed to give an instant mood lift by helping us release our negativity and fostering a live in the moment attitude.

Looking for something a little bit darker?  No problem.

Obsidian Snowflake Plugs

Snowflake obsidian is a crystallized or stone form of volcanic glass, and perfect to accommodate a darker aesthetic as it’s black in color like regular obsidian, but contains light colored mineral patches that look like falling snowflakes.  According to spiritualists, obsidian can help ward off negative energy or thoughts and give perspective on our inner nature, revealing and nurturing our better qualities.