Breaking and Making some rules.

So I have most definitely decided to do Hime gyaru. I may have said this some posts back, but I'm gonna go a bit more into depth. I really do enjoy the aesthetic and lovely dresses. Though it isn't really an everyday type of thing. However the idea of all that shiny fabric for dresses ain't gonna fly. And can be highly unflattering. And There is also trying to distinguish what would be considered Hime Gyaru enough. I do intend to break a few rules. It's not about being a rebel or anything like that. It's about being able to wear clothes that are flattering. Now I know Petticoats are not really a thing for Hime Gyaru. Just a personal preference. I like the poof. And I think it can easily pass as one fashion or another. I prefer a non OTT style as well. I think simplicity is can still be elegant, and the dramatic pieces should be left to one or two things in particular. i.e dramatic hair and maybe some heavier makeup. But 3 billion bows is much...well that's an exaggeration of course, but sometimes that many bows is really fucking tacky and you end up looking like a fool. This of course is just my personal opinion I also have to think about the lengths of my skirts and dresses. Too short and with my err current weight....I would definitely be asking for it in terms of  being blasted out on the street and in the online community.

Hair is also another concern of mine....or more appropriately a place where I'll probably break some rules. I have an undercut which can be a little challenging. Summer is pretty much a no with me and wigs right now. It'll be way too damn hot to even do anything beyond maybe a photoshoot. Not to mention getting it to stay in position would be kinda challenging.  Now I can work around this with a weave more or less. Plenty of ways to protect my hair and still have something to play with. But I won't have the traditional hime gyaru hairstyles. While it is obviously a more recognizable, It isn't for everyone, and 5 hair pieces is not my idea of fun. And I want to be able to do hair that isn't gonna take entirely too long to do on a regular basis. Yes not very Gyaru of me, but I'm for practicality and ease in as many places as possible. If I can make my hair less of a task I can put more effort into other places. Like my make up. Which isn't terrible, but right now it'll probably be something that takes me a little longer to do. And considering at this stage in my life where I have a standard wear at my job which I can't really change. Even if I make it look cute...my work apron isn't cute lol. And I don't know if I could get away with altering it or something.

Now to make this post less texty here are some clothing inspirations :3

I know some of these are actually hime lolita, they're still inspiring to me. That's all for now. Birthday's in a few days and I hope to definitely have something to share.

College Prep

Alright this post is just as it states. Now College will start in fall and I'm not sure how work and college will work out. I know people do it but I'm not registered for classes yet. Needless to say I need not only new clothes but I need more up to date equipment. This is to keep me more organized since I've found another tablet that I sorta want...Not a cintiq....I can'd even begin to afford that not even an intuos 5 which would be nice but 800 bucks. I probably could get it when I start doing commissions. Anyways Let's start with my art needs.

A desktop. The HP Omni has pretty good reviews and is the least expensive option, with a 500 GB hard drive. I've never had my own hard drive, but my experience with space on a hard drive...definitely need more than I currently have on this laptop. This of course will be great for working at home and without having a hot ass box ( read: tower) under my desk. It's streamline and doesn't take up too much room which is another plus for me.

The Acer Aspire AS7250-3821. Now I know I have a laptop...and while the one I have is good for basic things, internet search and word pad etc. etc. It probably wouldn't be the best for college work. I simply don't have the room on my laptop for everything. I can't keep too much music on here and because I tend to multi-task with internet and my drawing programs ( when I had my tablet) It took a lot out of my laptop. The task manager said otherwise, but I go by what I see happening and not always what my task manager says. Not to mention my current laptop only has windows xp, which is fab, but not for college and since I have no doubt I'll probably need programs like photoshop, flash and various others. A new one would probably workout for the better.

The Wacome Bamboo. It's bigger, great reviews and comes witht the following programs

• Corel Painter Essentials 
• Adobe Photoshop Elements
• Autodesk Sketchbook Express
• Nik Color Efex Pro 3.0 WE3
• Definitely looking forward to this. The pen also looks a lot more stable, but still will have to treat it with care. It's under 200 so I can't complain too much. Most likely will have this before I get the new laptop or desktop. 

The other things I need, I'm not really gonna get pictures of. Which really all I need are some sketch books. A sharpener for my prisma color pencils and a blender. Rulers maybe some new bristol boards and if I'm lucky some A4 paper. I may invest in my own printer at some point. Only because it would be less of a hassle. Of course it would be an all in one printer. -shrugs- 

Now onto the fashion part. The idea is that I won't have to throw out the entirety of my closet. Since September is like 5 months away and I'm trying to lose weight I have clothes I can still wear...now the problem is are they...gyaru worthy. Winter is almost a given that I'll wear mostly black because of the weather. Which is great for Goth gyaru. But I want to amp it up a little more. The other problem...my job. Not that it's a problem, but there is a dress code I have to follow, which isn't hard, it's just this is going to be a first for me. The last time I had a job, I never did anything before I actually had to go to work so I was always in either pajamas or pulled on whatever if I had to go somewhere before hand. This also means I'll probably have less days to work, most of them I'm sure will be days I don't have school depending on what that schedule looks like. Can gothic amekaji be a thing? lol. I have an idea of what I can do coord wise, just to be simple and warm. So I will basically be looking at styling.

Long T-shirts are fun, Modifying one that's already made
is a lot easier than making one from scratch.

This would be more in the beginning of fall but it's easy to pull off and not a hard coord at all.  Not exactly that shirt but you get the idea. 

These would be great, because they can don't take up much room so long as they're folded and put away. It's just making sure they're not too plain. I don't know if a print would be particularly good for this type of shirt, but giving it maybe some iron on designs. 

Hell even an applique would be nice depending on what it is. 

It really depends on personal choices and tastes. I'm sure not everyone will like them and there will be a couple of "This is not Gyaru." But come on not everyone can fit name brand and while it would be lovely to own a piece or two. I don't need a closet of name brand clothes wearing me, thank you very much. 

These are skinnies, but they are sweet and them boots...I need them stat. But I like this styling. Especially when it's paired with over sized tops or tunics. Solids and certain prints are always in when it comes to skinnies, leggings and yes even jeggings. I've seen bottom weight fabrics in stripes and some florals. 

Really like harem pants. Though I think they usually look better with sandals, I'm sure some mid calf boots would go great with them.  Yes they're a little summery but considering the weather has been weird they'll be good for the beginning of fall or just be made with a more cool weather fabric. And while jeans are always good to have in the closet. I don't want a closet full of them either. I don't know if I'm a fan of jeans with rips in them, so I really need a few pair in different washes and I should be good. I need to see what else can be worn with them though. I know form fitting tops look great with harem pants, but their should be other options. 

This is actually pretty damn clever. I've never tried layering like this before. 

I really like the look of layered clothing. And it's something I would like to try. Though I think this would be better for himekaji and probably gothic gyaru. It's still really nice. 

I really want all their outfits, but Fiona first. Love the hoodie.
Big bunny ears and all.

But as seen with Fiona in the middle there ( which I have every intention of making a similar hoodie) it can be done. There are plenty of options, and the length Fiona is wearing is about tunic length, which is great to wear with leggings, skinnies, or jeggings as well as regular jeans. Any shorter and it could be worn with a cute skirt or a nice pair of shorts...Stocking and otks would be necessary for the cooler weather. I would like to be cute, fashionable and warm, lol. 

 

Another good look for fall even though I would probably wear more jewel toned colors for the season. And as a project I'm gonna attempt knitting a Ski hat wit a big pompom on top. Should I attempt stitching some words into it? Dunno. I'll ask my friend Terri about mapping out patterns or stuff like that. She has more experience than I do. I will probably alternate between wigs and such. I think I only get away with my undercut now because it has grown in a little since my last shave which was probably 3 weeks ago. But it'll be cool and shaved head + cold air is not really fun at all. But I'm looking forward to the up coming projects. And I could get everything done before fall so long as I'm consistent. Anything involving skirts and dresses or anything over the top will probably be left for outings with friends . Also though I have in mind some circle coats I want to do. Saw some cute Giraffe fleece ( I know that's more udoli but I love giraffe print.) And For me, Even though I can buy clothes and probably will when I find some I really like. Making them is so much more exciting. 

Manaka is fierce!

But All in all if it isn't something I can sew unless it's just really that fab or I can't decipher how I could sew it, I am sure a good chunk of my wardrobe will be handmade. I just wish I had a bigger closet. I need to go through my shoes. I have lots of heels which is not a problem to me, but I do need some more flat shoes. Some of the fancier boots that I like are upwards of 200 dollars...which is real splurge if you ask me. And maybe just once I will though I know my mom wouldn't understand it for sure. 

I think I'll make a list for myself just to keep track of projects. Jegging/leggings won't take long or much space since I don't have to put them in my closet. It's just a matter of getting the fabric and when I lose weight I can always take them in. The hoodies and coats will require a little more work but Aren't difficult to make either. These items aren't new to me. Making dresses.. if it ain't something that stretches and doesn't require a particular cut. They are quite a task to take on. At least cutting an pinning. The sewing part is a little easier. Hemming is just a pain in the ass however. Especially if you're like me and I like things that flow and hang nicely. But all the clothes in the world won't look complete without accessories. Jewelry I try to keep as simple as possible. I don't have too many things with like rhinestones and stuff. Mostly because too much can be a bad thing. And the point of the gyaru is to be free, fun, sexy ( whatever that means lol), and unique, without looking cheap, guady, ratchet or taudry. And it's a really fine line you're walking there. Having mirror will also be your best friend. But Jewelry has never been something that I went over the top with. I hardly wear more than a necklace or two at a time when I do wear them. Same with bracelets. The only jewelry I wear more of that isn't a piercing are my rings. Two is the standard, but I will wear more if I feel they will complete a look. I have my eye on a piece of jewelry I saw at T.J Max. A Hand of Fatima to be exact. It had some...I'm gonna say either rhinestones or cubic zarconia on it. Simply beautiful. 

Next weekend I'll be posting about my workout regimen. It's still forming. Right now it's mostly strength training because of my flat feet. I need arch supports to lessen the pain of cardio. 

Gyaru Questions.

Just some questions I have.


How closely do you Gal's follow the current trends?

For me personally since there aren't many plus Gyaru Models I have slightly different rules I need to follow clothing wise. But I personally don't like the idea of following an outfit right to the T either. I know some Gal's will wear the same outfit their fave model wears with no deviation. And it personally irks my soul, even you look good. I don't understand it.

Which leads to the next question.
 If you do follow trends, what percentage of it is incorporated into your wardrobe/coordinate?

Not every trend is that great and some past trends still work well to me. I still have fox tails. ( Actually I had one before they were hottest thing to get...and I know that sounds hipsterish, I'm being honest....I am also not a hipster .____.)

How about color palates?
It seems every style has set colors and maybe even prints that I see little deviation from, Aside from wanting a particularly goth wardrobe that I can use in each of my preferred styles or wear just as is. I also love my colors whether it's clothes, makeup or hair. And I'm no stranger to either bright and bold or soft pastels. With the exception of maybe gyaru kei or Amekaji, some styles seem to have the same color schemes and pattern usage. For example. Onee Gyaru. I mostly see black, white, brown, silvers, some animal print, usually leopard. Maybe I'm missing some Western Gal's who break out of this color scheme but what about cobalt blues or mustard yellow?

And with makeup in mind.
Is it possible to do gyaru makeup with some colors beside maybe pink, neutral tones, and blacks, greys, silvers and gold?

My favorite colored eye shadow is electric eel ( which is bright as fuck blue) and I wore it like a fiend. I also really like blue color palates since I have brown eyes. It makes my eyes pop. I guess it's hard to and one would have to sit down and really think about how it would fit with an outfit. Though I have seen a few gals do other colors, there isn't a whole lot.

Hair color....well there isn't much I can say. I have seen a lot when it comes to gyaru and hair. I've seen wild and I've seen tame in a whole spectrum of colors. And wigs are one of the best things ever, whether you have "natural" ( browns, black, blondes, and some reds) hair colors and want a easy change without out totally committing or unnatural and need something a little more natural for another style. The possibilities are quite endless if you know what you're doing. And there are tons of tutorials online to follow on youtube.

Gyaru Advice: 001

I decided this is a good way to do something productive while I still work/wait to get a good couple of outfits together. And there aren't many places that cater to plus size gyaru, and some new Gals who are plus size probably want to join the community, but are worried. Mostly because they don't want to be posted on G_S and be cruelly told they're too fat to be gyaru.
So I will stop with a body shape that I have. Which is an apple shape. An Apple shaped woman usually has, a lard mid section, and rounded or broad shoulders. Wide back. And generally have flat buts. Our assets are usually our legs and arms, and sometimes large breasts. For the sake of the keeping this informative and straight forward, I won't delve into how to dress for each substyle, because even apple shaped women are different person to person. But I will lay out the basics.

Update + Before and After

Well I'm still working towards getting my makeup right. The last critique I was bolder lashes and to define my eyebrows.

Despite having a new brand of lash which I suppose I should really invest in curling my lashes a bit more, they're aren't quite as bold as I thought. At least the tops ones. The bottom ones are a tad long for my liking so I may trim them a bit. I do have some other top lashes I can try. This was done about a week ago. I'm glad my skills aren't so terrible after six months of not even putting on makeup. Style wise, still working on it. Mom's gonna help me make a homemade dress form, which will be helpful with making tops and well dresses. And boy do I have plans for dresses. This should also help me waste less fabric trying to do things through trial and error. It's not that I don't know my measurements but I can't exactly pin fabric to my body. I've been thinking a lot about the styles I really do like and I've decided that I'm gonna have a base style. 

What does that mean? Simply. I'm going to goth versions of my favorite styles. Yes there is Goshikku Gyaru which I like very much and will probably have this as an everyday style, but the other styles like Amkekaji, himekaji, Onee Gyau and now definitely hime gyaru, they will just be a little more goth influenced. Now don't get me wrong I will still have the respective color pallets for each. And I very much like my pastels in spring. I have a couple pieces that will look great in summer. But I figured it was different, from my point of view. I'm still working on losing weight and feel these substyles are doable with my body type. Right now the best curves I have are the girls. But I have other assets that I work while hiding the not so flattering parts. Truthfully I've never been more excited and going through Violet's tutorials I have a lot of ideas for some fabrics that I haven't gotten around to using. Now I'm still missing some key pieces. More specifically, some nice shorts, light wash jeans. Blazers and good bras. ^^;; Also some shapewear would be lovely. I have come to the conclusion that until all the weight is off or I manage to make one I won't have many cute bras. Being DDD is not remotely fun. But enough about that. 

Also looking to get more sandals and open toed heels. I've always loved a good heel, but have mostly stuck to some boots. 

I also want to make some contributions to the Gal community in someway. Although my make is not quite perfect. I am a crafty girl and I thought it would be great to do some sewing tutorials. And other crafts of course. Really itching to get some new lenses, and new lens tweezers. The ones I have are too thin and the "padding" if it could called that is not ideal. I've got quite a bit on my plate, but I feel invigorated for the first time in a long while...that may have something to do with the fact that I'm damn near kicking thirty in ass, to quote my brother. I'm just glad I don't look it lol. Hopefully by summer I'll be driving. If I new any gals, new or other wise within the South Jersey/Philly area that would be great. And it would be lovely to start a Gal-Sa, but if I am driving I would be content with maybe heading to NYC to hang out with some of the great Gals up there. I'm going to fix my header a bit. Even though I own a white wig haha. But I want something more polished ya know? And I have to work on my Graphic Design skills ( I have like very little. ORZ). 

Hopefully next Post will be a little more exciting with more pictures, even if it's just makeup or my current little thing which is making nail sets for myself. trying to grow out my own, but until they're long enough, false nails are always good. 

catch up

Oh chu chu it's been so long since I've posted. I'm totally sorry. But I really promise to try posting more frequently. So for starters let me just start off that I've officially been entrenched in the Legend of Korra Fandom and I regret nothing ( I'm ridiculously and unashamed of liking Bolin ) Soon as I can get work/money I will be buying some blue lenses for some gyaru waterbending shenanegins. I've started practicing makeup again as well. Right now trying to do something a little more doll like. As I've found inspiration in a Gyaru model.

Proper Intros, and Gal Beginnings ( and some tips for beginners)

I figured I'd make a proper intro for anyone who's new to my blog  and shed a bit of light into who I am. 

Name: Isis (yes this is my real name) 

Age: 24

Location: New Jersey 

Birthday: June 12th 

(I'm a Gemini)