Tutorial: Star Hair Clips (like Chocomint ones)

I've been wanting a set or three of the metallic gold Chocomint star clips for as long as I've known they've existed but I either can't find them in stock or they've been at serious scalper prices which I'm not quite willing to pay. So I figured if I could make all sorts of wacky costumes then surely I could make starclips. And I think I did alright.

What you'll need:

Fabric: Can be a scrap, you don't need much, maybe a 6"x10" square. I have a 1/4 yard and could easily make 5-7 sets if not more.
Thread: I'd suggest against metallic as it isn't as strong and you aren't going to see it anyways. I used tan with my gold fabric since it will blend if seen. Also you'll need thread for the pearl strands, go with something that matches the pearls obviously.
Stuffing: Polyfill, or whatev. Just make sure it is light.
Pearls: For the pearl strings between the stars.
Needle: Even if you're machine sewing for the most part, you'll want a needle to hand sew the backs of the stars, sewing the clips on and doing the pearls strands.

First you'll need a pattern. I just used one of the star decorations I have in my room but to make your own simply draw out what you want at the size you want then and 1/2" all around the border of it. This works for any shape.

Now cut out your fabric (I traced around the edge of the star since it was such slippery fabric). You'll want 4 stars in total.

Match shiny side to shiny side and pin together. You'll have 2 stars ready for sewing!

And sew. I used a machine for this part but you could totes hand sew these.

Now trim the points off the stars, making sure not to cut too close to the thread. This will make turning this right side out easier.

Speaking of turning these right side out, you'll need to cut the center of on side on each star to do this. Pluck at the fabric so it separates then cut it, making the cut as small as possible while still allowing you to pull the fabric through.

Now turn it inside out. I used the looped end of a bobby pin to hook onto the point of the star and help push it out as pointy as it would go.

Now stuff. You want it fairly well stuffed, you can use the loop end of the bobby pin to help get the points stuffed.

Time to break out the needle and thread. Close up the opening you used the turn the star out.

Now sew on the hair clip. You could glue it on but you already have the needle and thread out and then you don't have to worry about the glue melting of getting in your hair on a hot day.

Now that the stars themselves are pretty much done, time for the pearl strands! I used white thread so it would match with the pearls better. Sew a few stitches right beneath the opening end of one star to anchor the strand.

Then add your pearls. I just winged it and stopped when I thought it looked right.

Then sew down on the other star at the spring end. Do at least a few stitches.

Then tie it off.

And repeat for a second string. Make sure it is a different length than the first.

And you're done! Look at that! And for about $5 you've got a set of star clips. :D

Make-Up Monday: Evil Shades Victorian Night, Drakon, Necropolis and 13th Hour and Morgana Cryptoria Actium Eyeshadows

Since I've got pleeeeenty of lipsticks I've been trying to focus more on buying eye shadows now. Evil Shades eye shadows are pretty much my fav: super soft, saturated shadows that apply easy. There is also a bonus of the Pro size, if you LOVE a shadow, you can buy a giant jar of it that is a little less than double the normal size.

Victorian Night is a gorgeous lavender with aqua/blue sparkles. So pretty.
Drakon is this brownish, greenish shifting color that is best likened to lizard scales. One of my favs.
Necropolis is a solid darker brown. That sounds like a sad description but a solid brown is a great thing to have.
13th Hour is a daaaark navy blue. When ordering I thought it'd be purple but it is very much a dark blue. It doesn't quite seem to be a blue sparkle based in black like this color normally is made either, it seems like it really is just a solid navy. It is my favorite. It is everything I hoped Urban Decay's Evidence would be.

And here's a look using Victorian Night and 13th Hour.

Actium is another brown but one which has a ton of gold in it. It fits very well with the Egyptian themed collection it is apart of.

Outfits of the Week

I'm going to try and post a compilation post of all the lolita outfits I've worn every two weeks to try and help inspire me to wear lolita in the summer. It is so hot here in the summer that often I just want to shlub into work slacks and a blouse or just a jsk and pretty much nothing else. So hopefully this will keep me in lolita at least once a week or so.

Here is Monday's outfit:

Taking outfit shots at night suuucks. Also forgive the mitts, our hvac is being messed with so I need something to keep my hands warm.

Top: Offbrand

JSK: Bodyline

Socks: Alice and the Pirates

Shoes: Liz Claiborne

 

And here is today's outfit:

I'm all wrinkled from carting books around.

Jacket: F21

OP: Handmade

Socks: Claire's

Shoes: Mossimo Black

Make-Up Monday: Dermal Platinum Collagen Essence Mask

Make-Up Monday: Dermal Platinum Collagen Essence Mask

Hey! Look who’s back! With big things kind of happening one right after another this time of year things get spotty. But Night Shift is just about ready to publish (just have to finish the cover) and about 60% of my costume projects for the year are done. So hopefully I’ll be back to at least one post a week. I’ve also been diving head first into more skin care stuff since just about everything I use has either recently been discontinued or isn’t working well anymore.

First up is something I got during my trip into Dallas proper recently, one of Dermal’s Essence Masks. I got the Platinum Collagen one since I didn’t see a milk one and platinum sounded ~fancy~. Also it was only a $1 or so.

I’ve never done a mask of this sort where you don’t wash it off and where it is an actual mask. But it wasn’t too hard to apply past issues with my chin being tiny and apparently having big eyes. But I persevered. Also I used it after my morning shower should that make any difference

It felt really nice and cool to apply/wear and there was a lot of product in the baggie after removing the mask (so my arms and legs were super fab and moisturized). It would be great for summer. I chilled with it on for about 20-30 minutes while I drank my morning coffee. After removing it my face felt waaay super moisturized. I’ve never felt it so moisturized so it was a little weird.

And then I was all broke out at the end of the day. :/ But I have stupid sensitive skin so it isn’t all that surprising. I really liked the mask though (and if they sold the goo in a bottle I’d buy it to use as a regular lotion, especially for my hands) so if I see one marked specially for sensitive skin I will give it a go.

Price: $1 for one mask in pouch.

Packaging: 5/5
Thin and stores easy and the directions are clearly written.
Quality: 3/5
Felt lovely and the extra mask sauce worked great as a lotion. Still made my seriously sensitive skin break out though.

Value: 4/5
It is cheap and works pretty well for a dollar luxuriant.
Overall: 4/5

Make-Up Monday: Evil Shades Cosmetics Lipstick, Hardcore Lips and a Shadow

This is another indie brand, it looked cute and I had to make an order when I saw a gold sparkly lipstick (yes I really like those a lot). And I couldn't just order one thing, how wastefu,l so I grabbed a few other things too. I put in the order the second week of Jan and got it the second week of Feb. There was a bit of a glitch where my order seems to have gotten lost in the interwebs so I emailed the owner and she a) responded within 24 hours and b) had that order out within a week like she promised so really I'm quite happy with all of that. Errors happen and she made sure to correct it.

This spy, uses a spy trading card to cover her spy-nformation.

It came in an envelope, which I down with since it keeps shipping down and means I don't need a tiger to open it.

All the products came in a satin bag (PINK! :D) and included a business card, a slip with what I ordered, two free samples and a lolipop. Y'all know my opinion of little touches, I love them. As you can see the packaging is all very clearly labelled and looks very professional with standardized look. Also pink. :D

Let's start with the Deviant Lipsticks. Can I say I love them? Because I freaking love them. And this isn't like a big fight for a best lipstick, this is such a different formula and I really like it. Just a warning about the scent, it is punch in the face candy scented though it mellows with time. Just don't use it while queazy the first few weeks you own it.

So here are the shades I got:

Schemata

The whole reason this order got placed. It isn't as dark as Morgana Cryptoria's 24k Pumpkin, it is fairly close to the Amphitrite Gel Lipstick's shade though but just a tad darker so it is quite nice. It takes many goes over the lips to achieve an opaque color, like you have to warm it up, but it doesn't feel caked on from that. It really makes it easy to get many different looks from one shades, from tint to opaque.

This was such an impulse buy. It is like Transformers: Animated Arcee pink and for $4.50 I'm down to buy a color I otherwise wouldn't (didn't think it would look nice with my skintone) if it makes me think of a cool character. It is very matte in real life and... And I kind of love it. Schemata is nice and servicable but Fearless is just so... so... Me. It is bright ass pink and so perfect. If it wasn't a matte color I wouldn't love it but the matte makes it really look nice. I can't explain it. It just looks amazing. It is now one of my top three lipsticks. Yay Arcee pink?

Another try for Nora. Another no-go. It is about one or two shades lighter than my lips and a very beige nude and holy balls the white shift is really there in person. The bottom pic is with flash to get that across. Could have sworn the listing said blue shift but yeah, def white. It is pretty if you look good in beige nudes but if you are like me and don't I'd say skip it. It streaks a tiny bit but with a little work can be smoothed out.

Price: $4.50 for a .07oz tube (which makes it about equal to Morgana stuff in $/oz)
Packaging: 4/5
Very swanky, but the black tube makes it hard to judge how much is left. The slimline balm tube is needed to support the product during application because of how hard it is.
Quality: 5/5
It feels nice and smells nice (I like the candy scent personally). It also wears nice though it does have to be touched up often.
Value: 5/5
For the product it is on target.
Overall: 4.67/5
It is really nice, the small full size is great for travel or trying it out (the sample is a third of the price, just drop the money on the full size if you're even a third sure you'll like it) and the really unique formula is a nice change of pace. It almost doesn't feel like you're wearing lipstick at all. It leaves your lips feeling kind of like you rubbed olive oil on them but otherwise bare. It is cool. I look forward to getting Jenaveve because it might be the perfect retro matte red. Also a good way to make sure they apply easy is to keep it in the back pocket of your jeans, it keeps it a better temp in winter.

Now on to the Hardcore Lips! This is a pretty standard gloss, needs frequent reapplication has a candy scent and moisturizes a bit. BUT THE COLOURS. Such lovely colors. And instead of the standard feel I have to concure with other bloggers in that is feels a little like Vaseline on the lips. Not a bad thing, just a thing. At the time there were only samples but I wanted to try the formula so I got them anyway.

I only got it because it made me think Decepticons. I really don't like the shade, it is exactly as described but it just doesn't work on me (lol nudes never do). So Arcee was a full size and spot on and Deception was a sample and a miss. I'm fine with that. If nudes work for you then this will be something you like probably.

I got this because the purple on the site and the name DOOM made me think Shockwave (yes another Transformers thing) and I love Shockwave. It looks really brown on me. It is an okay color but not one I'm in love with.

It also wears away weird. So not baaad, just not one I'm in love with. It happens. Still love the formula though.

I also bought a sample of Last Kiss and MEANT to take pics but I loved it so much I kept wearing it daily. And I ran out. Whoops. The pics on the site are spot on though and I've got a migi of it on it's way to me now (a few days after I order the full size comes back in stock, just my luck). Hilariously enough it is the closest to Nora I've gotten. One note though, while the XTREME blue shift is very apparent in the container it isn't as much on the lips. I wish it was a little more present but holy balls it is still really really pretty.

Price: $2 for a 5 dayish sample, $4.50 for 4oz and $6 for 5oz
Packaging: 5/5
The little snap pot container for the samples is really nice, very secure, no leakage even kicking around my purse.
Quality: 4/5
It feels nice and smells nice (I like the candy scent personally). It also wears nice though it does have to be touched up often.
Value: 4/5
With how much you have to touch it up you actually use a lot, so a giant 10oz tube would be great here. If there was a 10oz tube for $10 that would be so amazing.
Overall: 4.33/5
Applies evenly, feels clean and smooth and has quite a range of colors that can be made opaque or tinting. If they lasted a little longer on the lips they'd be perfect. Touching up every two hours and right after I eat sucks.

Now for the free samples. I got a sample of the just released Sugar Kisses Whipped Lip Butter in Sprinkles (white and holy sparkles, Batman).

Photos just don't show the bucketloads of sparklely glitteryness. It is also averagely moisturizing so basically if you want something glittery and good for your lips you've found it. They went up on the page the day after I placed my order (d'oh!) so I'm going to hold out and get the full size of sprinkles and maybe a few others in a few months for my birthday. They are just so fun.

Price: $6 for a 5gram jar
Packaging: 5/5
Same snap thing as everything else for the sample and the 5g jar for the full size looks like it would work well for this mousse which doesn't flop around at all.
Quality: 4/5
It feels nice and smells nice (I like the candy scent personally). It also wears nice though it does have to be touched up often. It'd get a 5 if it was super moisturizing but it is very servicable as is.
Value: 5/5
For the product it is on target.
Overall: 4.67/5

And now for the eyeshadow sample, I was sent Yellow Snowballs from the Humbuggary line. I wasn't too excited by a bright yellow shadow, how am I supposed to wear that? But I actually really like it.

The right is without base and the left is over a base. It has serious white shift. Serious. White shift. Which is what really works in its favor.

I thought I'd give it a whirl in a basic smokey kind of look just to give it a shot and... I actually like it a lot. Not nearly as crayon on the eye as I thought thanks to the white shift.

I'm serious about that shift guys! I tried it with black eyeshadow later but then it does look taxi-like, it works better with that lovely red/brown Harbringer I like so much. But aside from the shift, it is a very soft and silky shadow and applies much like every other shadow I've used which doesn't need tons of base. It is a dream to work with. I'm glad she included that sample as it is what spurred me to order eye shadows from her now. Hey, samples exist for a reason. I'm so willing to let someone convince me that something is awesome.

Price: $6 for a 5g jar and $9 for a 10g jar tube
Packaging: 4/5
The snap container worked for the sample and I'm guessing the jar will be like Morgana's. The sticker on top makes it hard to see the color though!
Quality: 5/5
It feels nice, is easy to work with and the colors are BAM! there but blend easy. Amazing.
Value: 5/5
For the product it is on target.
Overall: 4.67/5
I've already ordered three more shadows. I really like the formula and am hoping those other colors pan out. I like Yellow Snowballs itself too but I'm still trying to decide if yellow really suits me/I would wear it often enough to justify it taking up drawerspace. Maybe that'll be b-day order thing. Who knows what colors I'll be digging then!

Helpful Hints For Finding Off Brand

I’ve had a couple of people comment that I seem to find some really great offbrand stuff and while part of that is luck, part of that is also having spent a loooot of time getting to know the feel of where to shop to find it. So here are my biggest tips, in no particular order and some conjecture as to why they exist. This is all from my personal experience so no references to cite.

1) It is seasonal.

You’re going to find a lot more lolita style blouses (and possibly gothic/ega dresses) during the winter, everyone is trying to be classy and to the nines during the holidays so things like pintucks and ruffles and other shows of opulence are going to be in. January is a great time to go shopping since that all goes on clearance about then.

The best seasons for JSKs are undoubtably spring and summer. Spring is a little better since shorts seem a little more prominent than dresses in summer but you can still find cute things. Easter and graduations make knee length airy dresses popular during spring I think. You can also find cardigans that would do well with sweet style (and sometimes classic) as spring is normally pastels and light colors which go hand in hand with sweet style. Summer is better for primary color sweet stuff like reds and blues.

Fall is great for classical lolitas, the color palate is more mature and you start getting into furs and stuff being in. Gothic things can also be found, and not just around Halloween.

Winter is when the goths are going to have the best luck, black is always popular as are deep jewel tones. Those jewel tones are also good for classical lolitas too.

2) Know your stores.

Walmart

Walmart is almost always a waste of time, especially if brand size M fits you well. They just don’t sell clothes in that size. But also unless the current trends are towards lolita-ish things they just aren’t going to have anything. The handbag and jewelry departments can yield some good things though. I normally do a quick run through the jewelry and handbag department whenever I’m at a Walmart (which honestly isn’t all that often) since it only takes a minute or two.

Target

Target is good, they are like a slightly more mature Forever 21 if that makes any sense. Converse One Star which is sold at Target USED to be a go to for blouses and dresses but lately it really hasn’t been. The skirts on the dresses haven’t been near big enough to fit a petti the last two seasons. They also seem to be falling prey to vanity sizing as their 2/x-small has been bigger lately than what it used to be. Sadness. The Merona stuff, especially blouses and cardigans, can be very lolita as well, but they have always had the vanity sizing issue. Their size 2 is probably equivalent to a Baby or AatP JSK in sizing (aka too big for me) whereas the Converse size is off and on Victorian Maiden sized (aka my perfect size). They are also a good hit or miss for shoes. The past season or two hasn’t really spoken to me but before that I could normally find at least one pair a season that would work well for lolita. Shoes from them wear out kind of quickly though, the longest I’ve been able to nurse a pair of their shoes is about four years but with regular wear I normally only manage a year of use and daily wear can break them as quickly as 3 months. Their handbags, jewelry and other accessories are also a good bet and in winter they have cute real leather gloves, the S/M size fitting moderately small hands well. That’s a store I go to pretty much bi weekly and keep an eye out at. Since I wait for things to go on clearance I’ve missed a few really good things but I’m cheap.

I would have paid full price if I knew you existed in x-small!

And they never did have that olive green ruffle coat in an x-small in my store which made me mad. It would have been the perfect coat for my green lolita wardrobe.

Forever 21

Forever 21 is one of the best places to look for accessories. You’ll find funky and traditional things there and most of it is cheap. Currently they have some decent Alice bow headbands for $1.50 and in quite an array of colors. No true white, grey, green, pastel pink or lighter blue though. I think the only ones I didn’t get were the teal and red ones (why couldn’t the red be a more saturated hue?). They also are great for loli-ish jackets and coats. Blouses not so much since they are loathe to use cotton (unlike Target which loves cotton) and hem lengths tend to nix skirt options. They also are more of a BtssB sized store which makes me sad. But cute things can be found here too. The quality is pretty subpar so just try on and inspect everything you are thinking of buying to make sure it is decent. I wouldn’t suggest the shoes though. Rather uncomfortable and wear out quickly. You could def find things for Mori-Kei or Dolly-Kei as well.

Old Navy

They don't have things that are great too often and often times don't have VM sized things. And then you get things like that skirt up there which are great. Just don't ever pay full price there. The quality is terrible and they overcharge. Kinda like another Forever 21. But they have more basic staple type stuff as opposed to Forever 21's trendy trendness.

Kohl's

Kohl’s is a place to never buy something for sticker price at. It will go on sale or you can use a coupon from the weekly newspaper (or both)! Same sizing issues as everywhere else though the Lauren Conrad stuff is hit or miss on that front. This is a great store for blouses and accessories. And occasionally you’ll find super amazing things like that suit that looks kind of like VM’s Charlotte suit. It is a good store to blow an hour in. Shoes can be amazing too but only like 30% of the time. They last a little longer than the Target ones though.

Anthropology

Anthropology has lovely things and if you are VM sized then they do normally carry clothes that will fit. Just hope you don’t have another size 0 in your area since they only ever seem to get one of those for anything. They charge Bodyline to brand prices so be prepared for that. When I lived near one I would keep an eye on the clearance section, that helped with prices a bit. The sewing quality is most of the time nice and the materials are normally good but shoes are the same bad deal as brand shoes. Also they through in pockets more than most stores which is rad.

H&M

H&M is what you would get if you crossed Target and Forever 21. It has a lot of the grown up sensibilities of Target but with some of the crazy pieces of Forever 21 and goes about 50/50 on the quality. Some pieces are really great, I have a shirtdress (not lolita but the top would make a great loli blouse) which is a great grey sateen and sewn beautifully. I also have those four shirts, two of which are size 2 and two of which are size 4 (what kind of size variance crap is this?) and none of them breath even remotely well. But they are great cutsew/blouses for when I have nothing else to wear and were on sale for cheap. It’s a give and take. The accessories and handbags are pretty uninspiring here but they do tend to get nice knitwear in. Haven’t bought their shoes but they look like F21 style stuff.

Claire's/Icing

Claire’s you all know about, and probably their sister store Icing as well. I don’t even need to talk about it. Just remember that like once a month they do a 10 red mark items for $10 sale, normally on a Saturday. It is easy to get it cheap.

Charming Charlie's

Charming Charlie’s is amazing if you have one in your area! It is like Claire’s for 16-20 year olds. A bit pricey but you can find some really unique stuff here. Like my favorite little ram necklace. :3

Marshall's/Ross/Tuesday Morning

Marshall’s and Ross are going to be pushes if you are VM size as with most American mass retailers but sometimes you find a gem. It will just be rare so I’d say skip the clothing unless you have an hour to waste. Shoes and purses are quick to browse and you can find good things, especially for Classic or Gothic. Ross is the cheaper of the two though Marshall’s has a better selection of shoes. Also if you’re a toy collector then this is a good place to look for discontinued toys you either missed in clearance or which were a late wave which the mass retailers passed on. Also Tuesday Morning is like another Marshall's, it is where I got those pretty burgundy flats from the last picture.

Big Lots

Big Lots is like the skeezier version of Ross. No clothes or shoes to be found here but occasionally hair things and if you’re looking for make-up that was discontinued then here’s your best shot after ebay. They also get good craft things in if you like to make your own jewelry or deco or scrapbook. This is also a great place to shop for frilly looking food for meet ups.

Thrift Stores

Thrift Stores are going to vary by where you are. Where I currently live is terrible as I’m in podunk but Austin, TX is vaguely nearby and has amazing ones. There is one in Houston, TX where all the rich people seem to dump their stuff as you’ll find real fur and gorgeous vintage overcoats and stuff. The ones near me when I was in CA had some great stuff occasionally too. And I know at least one had a Bodyline shirt since I donated it aha. But just realize while the prices are good and you’ll occasionally find some great things you’ll be investing a lot of time. Get to know your local ones to find out if it is worth it bothering (like how I don’t bother at my local ones now since they stink).

Vintage/Resale/Antique Shops

Vintage/Resale/Antique stores will have lolita things. That’s just a given. But the price is going to normally be high. You probably won’t be able to do a whole outfit from one store either, blouses are hit and miss though jsks are easy to find. Shoes tend to be a little meh. Handbags and other accessories can be amazing but priced accordingly. They are like thrift stores too in that some are better than others. That is part of why I named what stores I got my things from in my wardrobe post, so you’ll know some good ones. Vintage Dreams in Covina, CA and whichever one is by the starbucks and the traffic circle in Orange, CA are great (and always compliment lolita outfits). Buffalo Exchange in Austin is hit or miss but can be amazing.

3) Get to know materials, get an eye for quality, and know what little things you can do to make things better.

If you go at it long enough then you’ll be able to spot shoddy seams from 20 paces and fabrics that won’t breath from one touch. You’re just wasting your money if you buy crap. It would be better to buy one nice brand or expensive offbrand blouse rather than three offbrand blouses you can’t stand wearing.

I don't trim the fabric off taken in cutsews in case I want to sell them later. It takes two minutes to take out those two lines of stitching and makes it easier to sell.

If you’re a VM sized person like me then it is worth your while to try things on that you know are  too big because sometimes it is a really easy fix. This is especially true of things made with cutsew material/jersey as a lot of the time just laying a shirt flat, pinning in about an inch or so and sewing a straight seam where those pins are will solve that sizing issue. But that is just something you have to deal with as a smaller sized person in a larger sized country. Consider it a challenge! A fun challenge!

4) Get to know your sale cycle

Maybe I’m just Cheapy McCheaperton but I try to not buy my offbrand unless it is on sale or on clearance. Part of it is that fast fashion quality means the lifespan of these garments (even when well cared for) is going to only be a few years or so but I also just don’t like spending that much money. So I’ve gotten to know when stores I frequent do their sales and how long I’ll probably have to wait for something to hit clearance. It was easier when I worked at Target admittedly but it isn’t too hard now. And if there is something I absolutely love I just ask if I love it enough to pay full price. That happens sometimes. I think the last time that happened was that green wool ruffle coat from Target I mentioned earlier. If they had gotten an x-small in I would have dropped the $65 they were asking for it.

5) Just keep an eye out whenever you’re shopping!

Kohl's, Claire's, Belk, Tuesday Morning and... Winchester Mystery House. What can I say, their cutsews are super cool.

You never know what you’ll find. That was how I found that pinkish striped shirt at Belk, I was just putzing through and saw it and fell in love. This is also very true of accessories. Sometimes you’ll just see something odd like a chunky men’s watch that really would look good with your Iron Gate. And I always have my best luck when not looking for lolita stuff. If I go out thinking I’d love to find something cute and lolita I never do but when I’m just strolling along, not a lolita thought in my brain that is when I find great things. The lolita gods just roll like that.

And lastly, have fun! If you’re grumpy while looking you won’t find anything or you’ll always remember the unhappiness when you wear it. Make it a fun hunt. Consider it a challenge and don’t lose hope (even if stores keep vanity sizing you out of things that fit)!