Manmade Memories

Baby, the Stars Shine Bright spring/summer 2010 Catalog

2010-03-27T12:51:00.000-07:00

I just got the new spring/summer 2010 Baby, the Stars Shine Bright catalog, and wanted to share some of my favorite parts. The cover features the new series 'Cherry cherry fallin' cherry'

I love the clean look of this print it just embodies summer. It's not really my thing but it's still cute.

I think these necklaces are adorable though; the black and the mint/blue ones are my favorite

How cute are these?! the headbow is so cute!

This is their new 'Alice' Set. I like the Alice and the Pirates one better....

see so much cuter.

So many new shoes. The new Chandelier ones look really nice, I wish they were velvet though.

Love this print. The attention to detail in the print is amazing. I want to see it in person before I buy it though. The fabric looks too shinny.

The bow detail on this is so elegant and yet edgy at the same time, love it.

I'm absolutely in love with these cross and crown sandals. I will be reserving these for sure.

Thank you for reading

Brand Novelities II (and give away)

2010-03-20T09:21:00.000-07:00

Time for some more novelties and a give away! Here are a few more novelties I've received.

On the left those 2 are from Metamorphose and on the right are from Separate System, Next try and guess what this is?

Milk-chan has such a cute face! but what could this be? give up?

a tissue box cover!

I got these hair ties from Angelic Pretty.

Now it's time for the give away!!

I'm giving away 2 postcards with a BtSSB sticker and a 2010 calendar (again, BtSSB just keeps sending me these). This time there will be three winners! All items are from Baby, the Stars Shine Bright.

to enter in the contest just leave a comment, and at the end of one week (It has ended) the winners will be chosen via Random.org

WE have Winners!

Thank you everyone for reading

Lucky Pack H.Naoto Gramm

2010-03-13T17:08:00.000-08:00

I want to announce I will now be posting every Saturday!
Please check back on Saturdays for new posts

H.Naoto Gramm is one of my favorite brands, but it's more expensive then a brand like Baby, the Stars Shine Bright. So a lucky pack is a great way to get some items at a great price! I missed them when they were sold on the official site so I had to get mine off an auction site. The packs came in 2 sizes a 5000¥ and a 15000¥. The 5000¥ was most likely an accessories pack and the 15000¥ had clothes (this works as a general rule for most lucky packs). I got the 5000¥ pack.

exciting! Before I open my packs I always try to gauge what could be inside by feeling the bag.

I got (starting on the left) a cross body purse, a small pouch, sock/leg warmers, and a novelty towel.

Thank you for reading!

Alice and the Pirates' Sleeping Beauty

2010-03-07T10:14:00.000-08:00

I'm a big fan of sleeping beauty so when I saw that Alice and the Pirates was releasing a sleeping beauty series I knew i had to have it. So I made a reservation for it. It arrived about a week ago. I had to wait longer then most because the production of the bonnets was slow. So without further ado ...

I got it in navy! it's so pretty, the colors are so vibrant.

I LOVE this bonnet. The brim in a little wider then their normal. Also the blue flowers are removable.

Thank you for reading also please look forward to my next post (there will be a give away again!)

Brand Novelities

2010-03-02T14:09:00.000-08:00

Novelties are items brands give away for free (if your spend a certain amount). Many of these novelties are small items like postcards or pins. However some times that are stuffed animals or even jewelry. Here are some of the novelties I've received over the years.

Here are some of the post cards I've collected. At the top are some Angelic Pretty Ones and the rest are Baby, the Stars Shine Bright. Also the one at the top right is signed by Auska and Maki (the designers for Angelic Pretty)

pins!

Often Novelties can be catalogs.

The letter set on the left is from Metamorphose and the planner on the right is from Baby, The Stars Shine Bright. You can get planners as novelties around the new year, normally they start to give them out around the end of November.

Some of my favorite jewelry items I've gotten. They are all from Baby, the Stars Shine Bright.

These are lunch bags on the left is from Metamorphose and the right is from Angelic Pretty

Limited edition Angelic Pretty Bear. Her foot is numbered I got 21/210.

This is my most recent Item. I got this with my reservation Alice and the Pirates Sleeping beauty series

Hope you enjoyed this post!

Innocent World Lucky Pack

2010-02-13T10:00:00.000-08:00

A few days ago I got the package I've been waiting for. A box from my shopping service (for those of you who don't know what a shopping service is; It's a company in an other country/area that goes to local shops to buy you things. For example Japanese auction sites will not ship international, so you need a shopping service to use them.) My box was full of lucky packs and items from auction sites. I would like to share with everyone my lucky packs.

Starting with Innocent World

Looks promising The print is the limited edition for 10th anniversary

I got:10th Anniversary skirt in pink, White Blouse, Rose socks, music note earrings, Alice in wonderland broach, and a sliver ring. the blouse was like really small smaller then Alice and the Pirates or Angelic Pretty!

I'm really excited that I got earrings, I'm seriously lacking in brand earrings. The broach with the bunny on it spins around and the other side has a lolita on it. I wish the ring had also been antique color and not the white silver. All in all though this was a great pack! I might trade my skirt for the black version, But I love the print.

Suppurate System Lucky Pack

2010-02-01T13:15:00.000-08:00

Time for another lucky pack. Today I got my Suppurate System Lucky Pack. I ordered it way back on 12/31/09 and I finally received it today.

YAY!!

Seriously they sent me like 20 fliers and 2 post cards

the bag was really small, but it only has to hold accessories. So I was still hopeful.

Tada! yay my pack included a crown; Suppurate System is known for their crowns and resin jewelry.

It's so pretty. but I was a little bummed out that the tag was from Halloween...

I also got these 3 rings, the one in the middle was damaged though.

The emblem in the middle wasn't glued in so I just super glued it.

I got these rings too...wtf? All in all it was a great pack, I was disappointed to get so many rings. Last year the pack was half the price and had only 4 -5 items this year they had so many items! (but it was 10000¥ )

Also I want to say thank you to everyone who entered the Calendar contest. Please check back for our next give away.

Innocent World Ordering

2010-01-25T17:09:00.000-08:00

Over the next few months I'm going to feature a different brand each month, write what I know about their concept and design. As well as show you how to order from them. I just received an order I placed with the new Innocent World website, so I thought now is the perfect time to write about them.

"Innocent World's designer, Yumi Fujihara,
has created a new brand of clothing
inspired by classical European designs
that embodies the ideals of elegance
and cuteness but is suitable for
young women of the modern era.

The brand name Innocent World
brings to mind a simple world
without dirt or blemish. We made
this name to reflect the pure
and innocent hearts of young women
everywhere, at any age."

Today I'm writting about ordering from them. Their website is now available in English making it much easier to navigate, and order from. I recently tested out their new order system. They are currently having a sale! Check it out, it's great way to get some good items for a good price: http://innocent-w.jp/shopping/sale_e.html Here is my order procese I placed my order on 01/14/10

I copied the name and price from the small box under the description and click "order form" in the top right .

I ordered a total of 5 Items. I was invoiced that same night, and promptly paid through paypal the next morning. My items shipped out on 01/21/10. I received my order today! 01/25/10

Yay! and here's what I ordered!

Items from left to right are Edward Scarf, Emblem Necklace, Velvet Crown Ring, Ribbon Crown Scarf, and in the top right Heart Scallop Card Case. One of the cutest things was they also sent me a note!

It was all very easy and rather quick. I will definitely be ordering from innocent world more often now that their site is so easy to use.

don't forget to leave a comment on my previous post about the GLB to win a BTSSB calender!!

Thank you so much for reading yesterday we had almost 700 hits!

Gothic & Lolita Bible (and calendar give away!)

2010-01-24T14:27:00.000-08:00

The Gothic and Lolita Bible (GLB) is one of the most important things to a lolita. It's been about 9 years since volume 1 was released! The book has always a great way to see new/old brand items from a variety of brands all in one place, like a lolita year book. As well as to see photo shoots featuring different brands. Recently when looking through some of my older issues, I realized just how much lolita has changed. Also how brand identity has changed.

I was flipping though my first volume and found some old ads that really show how some brands have changed! Look at this angelic pretty ad

look at that bonnet! it's comforting to know somethings don't change. However in this volume this is really the only angelic pretty feature. There is no section featuring their designs, odd. One of the other old ads I found a little odd was for Victorian Maiden.

Some brands I feel haven't really changed all that much, Like Metamorphose and Baby, The Stars Shine Bright.

On the left is metamorphose, this is one of my favorite prints from them. The version pictured is on a shinny satin fabric. To the right is Baby, The Stars Shine Bright, it's a little longer and the head dress is a bit awkward then their designs now. Over all the older bibles have some great rare items in them it's fun to see the original price.

I want to say thank you to everyone for reading! I have a gift for one lucky reader leave a comment over the next week (ends 01/31/10) and I will randomly (via random.org) pick one person to recieve:

A 2010 Baby, The stars shine bright Calendar!!

We have a winner!!

Thank you everyone for reading and keep checking back for more Give a ways!

Lucky Pack Time!! (First)

2010-01-23T10:51:00.000-08:00

This is me. I am a plus size lolita, simple as that. This blog is not about size, shape or creed. It's about lolita pure and simple. Lolita is something that is very important to me, not for the fashion, but for the friends.

With that said, I would like to christen this blog and get this first post under way.

Over the next month I will be receiving all the lucky-packs I've ordered. I know there are always a million questions about what these are and where you can get them. So I present the first post:

福袋 (Fukubukuro) A.K.A. Lucky pack, Mystery bag, Lucky bag

WHEN- The best time to buy these is new years between the end of December and the end of January. This is when they mostly get released. They are also released in the summer, but those packs tend to have back stock and items no one really wanted.

WHAT- Some bands include an entire outfit. For example this year Angelic Pretty made a limited edition print and offered it in 2 pack types. a JSK (jumper skirt, sleeveless dress) and an OP (one piece, sleeved dress) you can see the sample Image on the right (the OP version). The JSK version also included a blouse. Every band offers something similar. Even non-lolita brands release packs.

WHY- Lucky packs offer many items at a great discount. The angelic pretty (AP) one posted here was 15000 yen so about $165 (with current exchange rate) that's less then the price of a single blouse or skirt from AP! These packs are a great way for a beginner to get some items and because the pack usually matches you can wear it right out of the bag. Other more expensive brands like Juliette et Justine offer packs as well this year it cost 30000 yen ($315) and contained 4-6 items.

Now let me share with you one of the Lucky Packs I got this year from Baby, The Stars Shine Bright

"BABY Muffler & Gloves set"

Muffler
Gloves
Ribbon head bow
Socks
Eco-bag

Price 6,825(includes tax)

the website displayed this image (above), so I mostly knew what I was getting the only thing that was questionable was the color....

Here is the pack I received. I got pink! I don't really wear alot of pink but that's how it goes buying lucky packs. I'm really glad I got these other socks and not the ones pictured. My items ended up not being coordinated very well, but I don't really plan to wear it all together.

I have a lot more lucky packs coming and you can expect all of them to be posted and reviewed!