Now for the second weekend of February. I couldn't pass up an opportunity for a Galentine's Day Event. I was intrigued by the nature of a local business called Tea and Tarot in Madison, Connecticut. I knew from my friend Ave that they sell witchy and metaphysical supplies as well as offering a variety of intuitive based readings from select readers on staff. Normally this shop is only open Friday-Sunday afternoons, so to get the opportunity to visit it in the evening worked much better with all of our schedules. The Tea and Tarot After Dark event promised us "an evening of saucy sensuality, honoring the Divine Feminine at its finest, complimentary tea-inspired mocktails, spicy Tarot & Palm readings, and all things Magickal!" 

Honestly I wasn't sure what to expect. The event required pre-registration, and I wasn't sure if you had to be there the whole time. The actual shop is located on the second floor of the Abigail Meigs House (1794) in downtown Madison.  Every inch of the space has intentional design and is carefully curated. Fresh cream walls stand out from a variety of plants, decor, and small bottles of homemade tinctures as soon as you ascend the stairs. To the left of the stairwell you will find all varieties of objects for sale like books, bags, incense, tea, stones, jewelry...but there's a lot of intention about it. All of the teas for sale were blended in house, as were all of the tinctures and other incense and salt blends. Behind the shopping area is a little kitchen and area for small private classes. 

We were able to sample two different tea blends while we shopped during the event, and they were both delicious. We were served, "A Queens Confidence", (White Chocolate Raspberry with Green Rooibos and edible gold Glitter) in the fluted glasses you see pictured above.  Of course I was going to purchase some of their tea blends, and a few other things. We didn't end up getting any readings because at this point in my life, I'm more content to buy $55 worth of consumable stuff than get a reading.

(I've also been reading tarot myself for more than 10 years. I used to do readings for strangers. But nowadays I only do it for myself or my friends. Reading tarot for someone can be intense because you'll suddenly become privy to someone's life. It could be a wonderful exchange of energy or a sudden cathartic exchange on the person being read.) It sounded like the readers of this particular event were prepared to be saucy and sensual, if we had only chosen knowledge over objects!

My outfit this time was what I would consider a casual sweet lolita outfit. I took my outfit from last year (a strawberry button long sleeve blouse, strawberry and bow pink petticoat skirt, and pink and white heart cropped cardigan) and went with different accessories. At first I was going to wear the pink head bow with the white and pink bow ribbon over the knee socks and white platform shoes...but my legs just were not having the socks that day. (They were brand new, and I forgot to pre-stretch them by wearing them for a few hours the day before). Plus I was going to the hospital to visit a family member in this outfit that morning.  I needed to be able to walk and stand around for awhile, so I actually wore a white beret, snag bunny tights that are violet and white, and grey and black sneakers. I absolutely had to have the pill over the shoulder purse for both occasions. And lastly I wore my holographic wing harness to Tea and Tarot (but not the hospital). Even wearing a casual sweet outfit to a hospital feels like community service when your family member is tucked away in a depressing limited access ward because there are aren't enough beds in a more generalized area. One of the nurses on call said that I looked like a doll. Nailed it!

Honestly it was so refreshing to get out with friends and to try out this outfit in two different types of places. I'm always much more confident in Classic or Gothic styles, but sometimes Sweet style is the best choice. 

Ah finally February 2024! Every weekend in February, I went to some amazing event in a special outfit. The first Saturday of February, Pahl and I dressed in our Renaissance best for the Frost Moon Feast. The Frost Moon Feast is an event that my friend Colleen had found out about, and when she saw the beautiful dress that Pahl had purchased for me at the Connecticut Renaissance Faire last fall, she insisted that I must wear it to this event.

The Frost Moon Feast was located at the Hollow Bridge House, which is a rustic tavern in the middle of a campground in northeastern Connecticut. The event included a three course banquet, vendors, actors that interacted with guests, as well as some live fencing entertainment. It was funny to me because where I live, the snow from the week before had already melted, but there really was frost and ice covering the grounds and driveway to the place, so they really weren't kidding about the frost.  The Moon and stars were very visible from this location, I honestly had never experienced them so bright. And the Feast was excellent. They had catered the feast and it included several delicious options and you could go back for more if you were still hungry. 

The acting was interesting. They had both humans and Fae who interacted with guests. One of the human actors asked me my name right away and I was immediately known as Lady Schmitt, and Pahl, never even got to name himself...he was just known as my consort.  The Fae actors really never broke character. They were very friendly, but if you asked them for help taking a group photo, they would ask things like, does this device also capture your soul?

After the main feast, the human actors handed us several riddles and they would give you a special coin (that apparently was only currency in the Fae realm) if you could solve the riddle. I did not exactly solve a riddle, but my answer was somehow better than the actual answer to a riddle, and I earned a coin anyway.  It was really cool to have something to do with the people at your table after eating and before the fencing entertainment, but it was a little random and the fact that you couldn't exchange the coins for anything was a bit lackluster. But, from the little I knew about the event and its prior incarnations, they had had it at venue people use for weddings in the past and the Hollow Bridge House was definitely a camp building that's probably not normally used or open in the winter time, and I think that aspect alone required a lot more labor and work to execute. That being said, it was overall an excellent and fun time and I feel I got my money's worth, especially with the frost, the moon and the feast. 

The event said to wear Renaissance Faire type costumes, so of course Pahl had to be the Knight. This is very similar to his last Knight incarnation, except now he also has some kind of warm vest that protects his arms and torso under his real chain mail, and his leg armor. I'm sorry I don't know all the names for the parts of a Knight outfit. But his outfit has gotten increasingly complex and is physically heavy. I am glad that he wore all these layers of metal, leather, and fabric, as without him I had a lot of difficulty walking around on all the ice in the parking lot and up to the venue entrance,  and as a result of all the weight, he was very sure-footed and steady. What a perfect Knight!!

I was wearing a full length Renaissance gown that is primarily green, gold, beige, and brown. I wore a long sleeve green t-shirt under it as it was very cold and I needed an extra layer. Several people asked me where I got my wonderful head dress. I got it from 42 Lolita of course---it is the Foxcherry-Palace Retro Gorgeous Lolita Headdress. For about $32, I got the beige headdress and the matching beige veil (with gold celestial stamping pattern on it). I thought it was going to be difficult to put on, but it is very easy. It fits like a KC (head bow) and is extremely lightweight and comfortable and perfectly holds the veil in place. I never would have thought to wear it with an EGL outfit, but it really helps drive home the regal Queen aspect I was going for in my Renaissance look. Since the head dress has white flowers, pearls, and lots of celestial charms, I also wore it with a white choker I got from 42 Lolita, the Sakuya Lolita-Whisper of Stars Sweet Lolita Choker. I initially purchased the choker for a completely different outfit, but I noticed it went along with this one, and nicely added a little bling to my neck. Lastly I wanted to be the kind of Queen that was intimidating, and a little bit scary, so I ordered a half set of delicately formed gold finger armor from an independent artist on Etsy. 

I had so much fun doing my makeup for this event as well. Moss green and brown eyeshadow blended together with a gold overlay (like the gold on my dress). I also used a warmer coral blush and lipstick, which is a refreshingly lighter look than the dramatic gothic makeup I seem to do for most other events. 

I am excited to wear all these pieces again in warmer weather, as even though it looked great at the feast, I'm sure it will look even better worn in actual sunlight without a heavy coat over everything. 

One fine Sunday at the end of January, I decided that we should visit the Mattatuck Museum in Waterbury, Connecticut because my former Alternative Process Photography professor Jessica Somers had artwork in the (RE)WORK IT! WOMEN ARTISTS ON WOMEN'S LABOR current exhibition. I had never been to the Mattatuck Museum before, even though I had heard of it. The Mattatuck Museum is an art and regional history museum on the Green in downtown Waterbury. The museum collects and exhibits American Art and cultural history with a focus on the Naugatuck valley and Connecticut artists. Their galleries display the work of American Masters associated with Connecticut including Anni Albers, Alexander Calder, and Frederic Church. They present more than 12 changing exhibitions every year, AND are regionally known for a button gallery displaying more than 10,000 miniature works of art donated by the Waterbury Button Company in 1999. 

The Sunday that I chose to visit the museum, happened to co-inside with the opening of the Mixmaster exhibition, which is a juried members show. Basically if you are a Member of the museum, and an artist, you can submit your work to their annual call for entries. This particular visit was very exciting because I not only got to see my professor's work, but I also got to talk to other local artists in an adjacent gallery that happened to be at the museum for the opening. 

I had no idea that the day I went to the museum was such a big deal, but I dressed to impress. An oil painting themed jsk in the style of the Old Masters at an Art Museum seemed like the best thing to wear. This set is from the Chinese indie brand, YingLuoFu and is called Cloria, Classic Oil Painting Print Lolita JSK. It includes the jsk, the matching blouse, a choker along with a matching printed headbow KC. However, it was January and the bow was just not warm enough, so I swapped it for a classic wool beret in the light tan color. I wore red lace printed tights under my knee high leather boots that you can't see. Alas. Again the weather was very cold, and I needed to be properly outfitted if it started snowing (which it did). The YingLuoFu set is very comfortable, in fact the XL is roomy on me. Many people asked me about my outfit and it was much admired. I love being the intersection where art and artists mingle. 

Pahl also dressed like an artist, wearing a double breasted paisley corduroy coat, black jeans, a black fisherman's cap, and his Stacy Adams brogues. I'm sure he was also wearing rings, we just can't see them.  He honestly could have gone with gray-blue, red, or cream accents to match my dress as well, but hey it's a real versatile piece--I'll wear it again sometime and we can try for a different look!

The museum has a pretty strict no photo policy in the current exhibitions, so you can only take photos in the permanent collections. This phone booth is part of the Orton P. Camp Jr History Exhibition on the first floor. It's a very engaging historical gallery that shares the transitional moments in Waterbury's past.

Overall, my visit to the museum was a really fun time. I scoped out the Upcoming Exhibitions to plan a trip with my fashion club to try to dress up around the theme of one of them. Stay tuned for our second visit to the Mattatuck Museum...

Periodically my local EGL community will host a swap meeting to sell gently used clothing pieces such as jsk, blouses, skirts, dresses and accessories to each other from known brands as well as indie brands in the EGL category. Community members looking to sell their pieces will sign up ahead of time if they want to sell items and how many tables they might need or a rack and decide how it is best to pay them. The rest of the community members come ready to shop with all of their PayPal, Venmo, and cash ducks in a row. 

It was my second time attending a swap meeting (my first time was way back in April 2022 when all I owned was a Bodyline JSK I purchased from the shop owner the meet was held at). The room was filled with many jumper skirts to blouses and all kinds of accessories (like headpieces, purses, jewelry, socks, some shoes, and some sellers even had old Gothic Lolita bibles as well as Lucky Packs that they made because the meeting was held in January! (A lucky pack is kind of like a mystery bag...the amount of the item you receive is usually much better than the cost you put in). A $15 lucky pack may include some accessories. A $60 lucky pack might include a blouse and an accessory. A $100 lucky pack may include a special outfit that is only available to purchase in a lucky pack. These prices really vary by brand, with the Chinese Indie brands kind of plateauing at $65 but the Japanese brands capping around $150~200. 

My friend Clover was the one who organized the swap, and I told her that "I am only coming out of hibernation to come to this meeting", so I dressed like a bear. Even thought the jsk is brown and cream which are considered more Classic colors, this entire outfit is definitely sweet EGL. The jsk is relatively simple with its two different colored browns, but it falls just above the knee (very common for sweet) and has soft bear head pockets. I paired it with a cream colored cutsew, winter white tights, cream and brown suede booties, a brown beret with a bear and bow headpiece in front of it, and a cream and brown teddy bear bag. I didn't bother with makeup---I just woke up from my winter sleep for a mere afternoon--I didn't want to bother putting it on or taking it off.  

I wasn't even sure if I needed anything at the swap. When I looked around the first time, it was mostly pieces that complimented sweet pastel looks (which I admire, but don't own that much of). However, a second go around I did find a few things that I decided to try on. Firstly, I tried on a cream cherry print shirred dress from Baby the Stars Shine Bright. I wasn't sure if it was going to fit me (I assumed basically all Japanese brands except for Metamorphose were not made large enough for my bust), but it DID fit. The seller was selling it for about $125, which was a lot less than it is listed on Lace Market. There was nothing wrong with it--it was just not their style. What a steal! But I also tried on a Lady Sloth dress called "Where's the Bat?" which is light gray with very well articulated graphics of several sphinx cats and a few bats with silver and black accents that FIT ME PERFECTLY.  Getting both was not in my budget, so I went with the Lady Sloth piece. (You could easily spend $200 or more at a swap meet if you're picking up genuine Japanese brand pieces or accessories, depending on the condition). It can be expensive...so if you know your community has a meet coming up, you want to save your coins because most people are not going to take credit cards as a form of payment, (as they want to avoid the fee), so it is usually friends/family PayPal, Venmo, or CASH. 

When I arrived home, I noticed that the holly tree was in bloom. (Last year the holly tree had berries that came and went in NOVEMBER, so I could not miss this opportunity in January!) I am modeling the Unideer Casual Lolita Wool Winter Coat that I purchased from 42 lolita. I had wanted to purchase it originally in the navy color, but that was already out of stock back in November, so I settled with the Storm Blue. This color is so versatile and in the right lighting, perfectly matches my eyes. It's really an exquisite piece. Not only is it wool, but there's also down between the layers, detachable deer colored fur cuffs and neck piece, functional pockets and SNAPS, you heard that snaps, which become completely invisible when you close the coat. The thought that went into the design of this coat is impressive. It's so warm, comfortable, and easy to get on and off, I've even worn it to work at the office a few times.  The XL does fit me, as long a I don't wear a thick sweater underneath--but who needs that when the coat is so warm on its own!!

I liked going to the swap meeting and seeing what everyone had to offer and socializing. I also really like being able to try on the pieces that are being sold. I think that is my favorite part--being able to see myself in a mirror and check if something fits my body and my style. 

My dear friend Melissa happened to be in town for one more day before heading back to the west coast and gathered a handful of old friends together for a Saturday afternoon to catch up.  We needed to go somewhere that had tea, but after 2pm when one of us got out of work. Now most bakery/tea shops around here tend to close at about 3pm on a Saturday...that was not going to do. We could meet at a restaurant, but sometimes it can be loud and hard to hear each other. I did a google search of tea shops in the area, and found a place that piqued my interests---a witchy themed speakeasy in the middle of a strip mall in Wallingford that was open between 12-7pm. Everyone agreed it was very interesting and wanted to give it a shot. 

​Pahl and I were the first to arrive at Bones & Botanicals. I checked the website quickly to acquire the door code. I punched it into the box near the door and was immediately amazed by the dim light and glow-in-the-dark decor. There were about 2 open seats at the bar, and a bench that could maybe fit 4 people and the rest of the 6 chairs were already occupied.  Knowing that there would be 5 of us total, I grabbed the bench quickly and some cocktail menus. We talked a little bit with some other visitors who were facing the bench on the comfy chairs. Between us was a low glass topped table which held a glittering sarcophagus inside with glow in the dark sides and bottom. To the left of the bench were stacks of books and games that patrons could utilize and herbs in glass jars on a shelf above our heads. To the left was a curious assortment of decorations of an occult nature on a shelf along with two digital portraits whose expressions would periodically change. Straight back there were floating candles hanging from the ceiling with glass pentagrams hanging over the bar. 

What I really liked about Bones & Botanicals is the atmosphere, decor, and the vibe. They have cocktails, mocktails, and regular tea, so there's something for everyone to try, even if they aren't imbibing. They also have some small bar snacks that you can purchase along with your drinks. Pahl and I ordered the "adult lunchable" that basically had mixed nuts, chocolate and pita chips in it. I honestly never thought I was into the "bar scene" or cocktails, but apparently if you serve them to me in a dark witchy themed secret access only speakeasy, I can be persuaded. 

Pahl and I decided the day before that we would dress up in Rockabilly style outfits to meet everyone with. Rockabilly fashion is a style of dress that takes its inspiration from 1950's American Rock and Roll culture. It is often characterized by bright colors, bold prints, and a mix of vintage and modern elements. Rockabilly music (which inspired the fashion) is a mixture of rock and roll music (think Johnny Cash and Elvis), hillbilly and country western aesthetics, and 1950's fashion with a little bit of punk thrown in. 

Pahl has got the faux vintage western shirt, black denim inside real motorcycle boots, with a vintage motorcycle leather jacket, and round sunglasses. He's basically James Dean from Rebel Without a Cause, minus the pompadour. Now my elements are a bit tricker to compare as it was January and still far too cold for pigtails, half sleeves, or open toed shoes. However, I did opt for a low cut black shirt tucked into a leopard print mini skirt with punk elements (see the straps hanging down). To go extra bold, I wore tights that have imagery of magenta lips tucked into over the knee suede boots with chunky heels. The boots and the beret are a bit more modern looking, but I just really wanted to wear them with the outfit. I was also hardly wearing any makeup-except for a bold red lipstick. 

It was so nice to catch up with Nell, Jess, and Melissa. I hadn't seen Nell and Jess for over a year in person, and well Melissa we actually did see her a few times in August, but it's always a fun time. We had many engaging conversations about topics ranging from how our families are doing to artificial intelligence and how advanced it is already. 

​

It could have been the angle of the light coming through the window, or it could have been the fact that we are both Scorpio risings. The Scorpio Ascendent is a placement that is known for being mysterious, otherworldly, spiritual, and even attracted to taboo and occult topics. How fitting it was to capture this image at a cocktail bar that has all of these elements!

I shall now recap my final fashion adventures of December 2023. I had oh so many other adventures I had to cancel on from a Holiday party with the Steampunks to a tea party with my own EGL fashion group because I got sick. So for the rest of December I didn't go much of anywhere, except to go out to eat a few times and to do the holidays with our families. 

Christmas this year ended up on a Monday, so I got a wonderful three-day weekend with Pahl that I wouldn't normally have. On Saturday night we went out to eat at one of my favorite local restaurants, Home, in downtown Branford. Home serves comfort food (which can be made gluten free) in a relaxed dining atmosphere. The front of the restaurant is set up like someone's living room with comfy leather chairs and small low tables. This part cannot be reserved, and it can be a little awkward to eat like this...but I prefer it because the section is walled off a bit from the rest of the restaurant and its a lot quieter. I chose to sit on the couch while Pahl chose to sit on the leather chair. It is better to sit across from one another for talking to one another (as well as taking pictures of each other's outfit). 

I am wearing an outfit that I purchased from Killstar a few years ago. The red blouse which is a  stand collar (that laces with velour lacing at the top),  extends into long bell sleeves to the wrist. The velvet repeats at the bodice downwards. The matching mini skirt (which is hidden by the sleeves while sitting) is tiered red lace at the front with a red interior lining. Red, white, and grey on black plaid tights from Snag Tights match the black beret with the red plaid accent at the top. I am also wearing a quartz and silver ring to tie in the gray neutrals. 

We didn't plan this at all, but complementary to my mostly red outfit, Pahl is wearing mostly green. He paired a navy and dark yellow floral motif button up shirt with a dark cotton waistcoat and green pants. He's also wearing his green striped Italian race car driver hat, which may be initially mistaken for a beret, but it is not. The front flap can be put down to act as something like goggles or sunglasses for the driver. It is a rare occasion though when Pahl is not wearing any of his rings!

Dinner was so fantastic we actually went back to Home the following week to celebrate Pahl's birthday (and I ordered the same exact thing...the bone in porkchop meal is splendid!)

On Christmas Eve, I decided to wear EGL fashion. My parents did not have the pleasure of witnessing the Christmas Bear Sweet Lolita dress last year, so I wanted to wear it again. It's a pretty great design from the sailor collar to the very cute bear print and the interior lining. I wore the pink waist belt and gold shoes with it again this year, but I changed up some of my other accessories. I moved the bow that came with up to the space between the two collar sides, and I repeated the bow pattern by wearing a red velvet KC (headbow) from the chinese indie brand Infanta. Instead of pink diamond tights, I wore winter white sweater tights. I also wore a gold star/celestial necklace and gold rings. Lastly, I  added the Brown Bear Christmas Bag that 42 lolita had sent me as a gift for being an excellent customer.  42Lolita always sends free gifts with every order (including some of the soft ornaments hanging behind me), but this was a special gift package that came separately. 

Some of Pahl's family also got to witness the Christmas Dress. It is such a delightful piece of clothing, it always brings smiles and warmth to everyone it encounters. It seems as if it is my fate to wear it every year in some capacity, until my nieces can both fit into it so I can pass it along to them. 

As far as Christmas Gifts, we were definitely feeling green. We basically both picked out the big pieces that we wanted each other to buy. Pahl chose this green waistcoat from the Historical Emporium as he did not have a double breasted one quite like this in his collection. All of the buttons are functional, and it does take some effort to put on for sure, but he looks great in it. I also got him a special box of Victorian themed socks from FootClothes (that had 5 different pairs of socks and some other things like a candle, a brooch, and a little jar of teeth). 

My outfit that I selected is actually the skirt and blouse version of the Miss Point Point Manor OP dress that I already own in the yellow striped colorway. You know you love a piece when you buy it in a second color way. I asked 42lolita to help me acquire it (so Pahl could buy it for me of course). I wish I could link it to you, but it looks like it's just not available anymore. It was available made to order from Sept 2021-Dec 2022.  

Pahl also got me a variety of other things like a lightswitch, a silver rat ring, a really cool looking steampunk bag, and a very nice pair of earrings from Crunchy Diva Designs that I said I liked at an indoor holiday market we attended. I can't wait till summer to wear the earrings--they will really shine when I put my hair up out of the way!

Nemia-Rose, Pahl, and I in front of the rotunda at the New Haven Museum
(Nemia-Rose and I are wearing sweet style)

One of my favorite things to do to dress up to match the theme of events offered at various museums. The New Haven Museum is a museum dedicated to the history of the city of New Haven, CT from its colony founding as puritan village, through it's growth into a major industrial center, and now a thriving metropolitan area. The museum was founded in 1862 as the New Haven Colony Historical Society, whose goals have always been to collect, preserve, and make available research materials which document the history of the greater New Haven area. The current building on Whitney Avenue was built by J. Frederick Kelly, a notable colonial revival architect, in 1929.  It's absolutely gorgeous inside the building, even on a rainy dreary overcast day!

The lecture that we attended in the Auditorium/Ballroom was called "Delight in the Diminutive: A History of the Victorian Doll House", by guest lecturer Eliza de Sola Mendes who is an independent decorative arts scholar from New York City.  This particular lecture included a special tour of the New Haven Museum's own Victorian Doll House (located on the first floor), and a tea reception after the lecture as part of their "Free First Sunday" events.  The lecture covered the history of antique doll houses and miniatures from the early Victorian period to the beginning of the Edwardian era. Eliza de Sola Mendes led us through various parts of a doll's house and how the miniatures reflected exactly what people living in the Victorian era would have put in their own real homes, just in the miniature. Early doll house furniture and furnishings did not spare any expense. The crystal is real. The silk is real. I had no idea the level of detail and attention to miniatures, nor realizing that the perfect image of Victorian life was to be found in depictions of doll houses---not photographs of the era!!!

Now I only subconsciously knew that my dress was the perfect choice for this lecture. I learned that many dollhouses included portraits just like the ones in the dress design. See, I've been doing a little research about elegant lolita fashion, and yes it IS influenced by the Rococo, Victorian, and Edwardian eras, but an elegant combination of its own making. The Victorian aspect is closely akin to what maybe Victorian children wore, which can also be seen in dolls and dollhouses of that time!

Myself and Eleanor modeling the same dress in different colorways

Now you shall know the story of how I ended up with this dress. Basically last time I saw Eleanor, she wore this dress to the tea party in July. My boyfriend thought I would look especially smashing in it, and wanted to know where Eleanor got it. It's called Portrait of A Little Lady from the Chinese Indie Brand Infanta. Eleanor assured us that they already sold out of the colorway she had, so we just picked a different one. Mine is more of a blue-gray with rose gold accents, while Eleanor's is more of a green-gray with burnished gold accents. 

​Now what's great is you can see how to style this dress in December vs July, which are two very different climates in Connecticut. For December (which is cold, rainy, overcast, and might be snowing), I paired mine with an apricot colored long sleeve stand collar blouse from Metamorphose, printed bow tights in pink grey from Red Maria, gold mary janes, and the head bow that matches the dress design.  For July (which is humid, hot, sunny, maybe a little sticky), Eleanor paired it with a cotton short sleeve blouse with a peter pan collar. She is wearing over the knee socks in a crossing ribbon pattern (often seen on Victorian dolls), classic brown shoes, and a clever head piece that was literally a cup of tea with flowers and some ribbons. The hand fan was absolutely essential as well. Not just a prop. 

Overall I had a wonderful time making all the connections between historical Victorian and modern Japanese street wear fashion. I also got tea twice in one day! I drank hot tea after the lecture, and bubble tea at The Whale Tea, which is a very good bubble tea shop also located on Whitney Ave (just on the other side and up the road a bit from the New Haven Museum). 

One of the winter programs I had the pleasure of attending this past December was Christmas By Candlelight at Old Sturbridge Village. Old Sturbridge Village totes itself as a living museum of a recreated 1830's town in rural New England.  Within its 200+ acres and 40 historical buildings, attendees can freely walk around and enter buildings and spaces and interact with costumed historians as they work the tasks of the past including pottery, woodworking, smithing, general store, preaching, bank, etc. What makes Christmas By Candlelight particularly special is that the entire town is ready for Christmas. Decorations are up on the inside and outside of every building. You can attend the tree lighting and are invited to sing yuletide carols. Many of the buildings are offering fresh baked or brewed samples of hot apple cider, sweet breads, and cookies that were made for Christmas specifically in the early 19th century. 

Old Sturbridge Village is a lot bigger than I remember it being since the first time I went back in or around 30 years ago on a school trip. I have faint memories of entering the general store and the gift shop, but I don't remember the extended bridge around the pond next to the Qunebaug River, or any of the extended houses and fields beyond that.  I was able to go on this wonderful trip because my friend Barbara and her husband Jake are members of the museum and they won 6 free tickets to Christmas By Candlelight at a members only gathering!  Barbara said they had expanded a lot since the last time I attended, so my suspicions that it was bigger were confirmed. 

The area around the pond and river were beautifully lit up at night by lights that reflected off the water. There was a large covered bridge over the river which housed many evergreens that you could attach a holiday wish to. A smithery and grain area lays further beyond that as well as fields a plenty for livestock (which were safely put to bed in their pens for the night time event). 

Every time there's a meeting at a museum, Pahl and I love to try to match the time period, the activity, and or the lecture being offered. This time we went for simple (for us), nearly puritanical looking pieces that highlighted classic black and white. I decided that it was the perfect time to bring out my Elegant Solid Color Skirt in Black from the brand Yuan Su.  What I love about this skirt is that it is quite long and elegant and that the slightly nordic design above the bottom hem is actually embroidered into the material. For such a lovely piece, it also includes contrasting ribbons that you can lace up on the sides and back of the skirt, as well as functional pockets. It's definitely a good piece to have if you identify mainly as a Classic EGL enthusiast. I paired it with a Time Memory long sleeve cotton blouse which I had purchased somewhat randomly back in May of 2022 when I first began my EGL fashion journey. It is quite perfect for classic or maybe even old school looks, but it didn't lay well under the jumper skirts I had at the time, so that's why it took so long to make its debut.  And of course, my big black bonnet, which basically goes with everything---Classic, Regency, and over the top Gothic.  I didn't bother with makeup, (I bet people in the 1830's in rural New England were also skipping that part) but I was wearing several layers including thermals top and bottom, fleece lined socks, and lined knee high boots. The last fashion meeting at Elizabeth Park prepared me for dressing for colder temperatures. 

You can't really see the intricacies of Pahl's outfit outside of the white collar of his shirt with the red paisley and black puff tie and "Sherlock Holmes" great coat. He was wearing suspenders and a beautiful red waistcoat under the coat, but again, function over fashion dictates on outside excursions when the temperature is cool. 

Everyone else in our group either went full on cozy Christmas vibe with red and green throughout or classically cut wool coats and sneakers. Barbara also applied very festive and vibrant makeup as part of her look. 

The Christmas by Candlelight program was so fun!!! I would love to do it again sometime. I definitely prefer historical living museums when it is too cold for all manner of insects to be buzzing around. 

Colleen and I twinning with an archway

Now, if you've been reading the blog for awhile, you'll know that Pahl and I went to Elizabeth Park back in early summer (first weekend of June in fact) to see everything in bloom, do a photoshoot, and have a picnic. I wrote extensively about the history of the park and its gardens and you can read about that here.

This time we were at Elizabeth Park for a spooky photoshoot with my fashion community. The dress I wanted to wear (back in October when the original date of the meeting was rained out) had exposed shoulders and at daytime temperatures stopping at 40 degrees Fahrenheit in the sun, that was definitely not going to work.  I didn't want to wear the exact same dress I wore at the trolley museum either. I wanted to look like Persephone, Goddess of Spring, about to descend into the Underworld. 

My friend Colleen was going to attend the meeting as well, and we knew that we had the same dress SKULL LOLITA JSK in the exact same colorway with the exact same misprinted backwards design.  We decided to twin our pieces. We had only talked about the wearing the same jumper skirt, but our outfits were very similar. She is wearing a black beret with faux pink and purple flowers. I am wearing the Woody Rose-Elegant Lolita Small Hat in Black, which comes with faux decaying roses on the brim. We are both wearing wigs; hers is more of a pink-purple and mine is more of a blue-purple. We are both wearing black blouses under our jumper skirts, and likely thermals as well---it was starting to get very cold outside! We both have big black wool coats with faux black fur somewhere on the coat. You can't tell from this photo, but we also almost had the exact same bag, except mine was slightly bigger. They are Morning Glory~The Star-Moon-Grimoire Crossbody bags with silver or gold writing on them. The only big difference is the shoes. I went for my wine red shoes to match some of the red roses on my hat. 

My wig had fallen down in the car on the way to the park, but Colleen was able to get it to stay on my head properly applying a few bobby pins on each side of my head towards the front. Despite the difficulties with my wig, I feel that I did a great job with my makeup, especially the eye make up matching my wig and the purple/pink tones in my dress. I used my ABH Cosmos eye palette. There is a pink shimmer shade that when applied to the eyes actually comes out as a radiant silvery purple. I don't make the rules, but it was an awesome discovery while getting ready for the meeting.  Additionally, I brought a small mixed deck of tarot and oracle cards as another prop...but if you know me, it's not just a prop. I've been slowly working on my own tarot major arcana since 2020. 

Overall, it is very fun to twin with a friend! I highly recommend the experience. I was glad that we got to get out and take lots of fun photos together. I also liked visiting Elizabeth Park in November because there were far less people in the gardens and I didn't have to wait or move out of someone's photo to get a good shot.  Walking around Elizabeth Park can work up quite an appetite, especially in November when it is too cold to picnic, so as a food recommendation, if you are looking for a lot of choices that won't break the bank, I highly recommend Parkville Market- "22 restaurants under one roof" located 6 minutes away. I got to try an El Salvadorian tamale, drink a matcha boba tea, and eat thai street food for dessert all in the same place! There were a lot of people at Parkville market, but when you wear an alt fashion with a big petticoat, people tend to make way for you. 

Sarah, Me, Pixie, Barbara, Caroline, Jess K, Jess J, Mel, and Pahl
Photo Credits to Ben Jordan/Photo Images Co.

If you've been reading the blog regularly, you'll know I had originally tried to plan the Shoreline Trolley Museum visit in July 2023.  But...the weather wouldn't cooperate with torrential rain, coastal flooding, and tornado warnings. I figured the second weekend in November ought to bypass all that type of weather. 

The Shoreline Trolley Museum totes itself as the "oldest continually running trolley museum in the United States". This time around, I made sure I planned it right. The director of the museum worked with me to plan the meeting. I told him that I wanted a private charter essentially, but for only 10-12 people, and that we weren't having a party or anything. We just wanted to model our outfits with the trolley station and trolleys as our background. Intrigued, he let me fill out a form and I didn't have to pay for our meeting in advance...all they asked for was that each person who attended donate some money of their choice to the museum that day. After I knew that we didn't have to pay up in advance, I went ahead and also hired a photographer to follow us around all day and take staged photos of us inside the station and various trolleys. I was able to get a very reasonable price and cut the cost with attendees. This was going to be the best meeting I ever planned yet!

The day was cool, crisp and clear. This was the weekend after Daylight Savings Time ended. (For those of you who live in a part of the world where you don't do this, we "fall back" and are forced to turn our clocks back an hour to provide us with slightly more daylight in the morning as opposed to the evening, to I think make it safer for people waiting for transport in the morning time? From November to January, we are lucky to get approximately 9 hours of daylight in my region).  So my thematic suggestions were fall colors, jewel tones, gothic/black, and or pinstripes. I wanted to evoke a historical feeling that worked with the interior of the cars as well as the season of the year. 

Everyone really "nailed the assignment". Sarah is wearing some great jewel tones of her green chocolate rosette dress paired with a bright red coat and shoes. I had a vision that I must wear my Miss Point gothic pinstripe Point Manor OP and accessories that I purchased in 2022 because I knew these colors would work with the inside of the older trolleys especially. Pixie wore an outfit that matched mine quite a bit with the black shirt and yellow topaz skirt, but paired with a beautiful jewel tone blue corset and a purse that was a working clock!! Barbara went for all black, and as she put it, "the look of an orphan looking for a new lease on life". Caroline wore a garnet red dress that had a print of different types of coins on it, which is  cleverly reminiscent of the fare that many operating trolleys still take in various parts of the world today. Jess K stuck to ruby red and white for her main pieces and a blue and white caped coat as an accent (and to stay warm I imagine). Jess J wore a dress with a design called "British Bear", which was sapphire blue plaid with gold accents and different kinds of teddy bears on it. Mel wore a bright red and white dress (which reminds me of a classic Chinese styling with the shape as well as the diagonal fabric buttons on the front). And lastly, Pahl wore his new gray outfit which included a shirt he purchased from Thomas Farthing (which we visited when we were in London), his slacks and tailcoat from the Historical Emporium, as well as a new navy blue puff tie. The herringbone black and grey shoes he apparently had for a long time, but didn't have anything to go with them until this year. (He actually wore this exacty same outfit at the Bakery Meeting, except that he wore a Sherlock Holmes type hat rather than a bowler). 

An posed group photo next to one of the the Trolley barns

Group photo in front of a trolley very similar to the one that we rode on our private charter

Pahl & Danielle close up in the party car

I had a lot of fun learning more about the museum from our private charter conductor as well as Lydia (the events coordinator) who was volunteering that day. I enjoyed moving from trolley to trolley to take wonderful group and close up photos. I highly recommend this museum as a place to work with for your next event. I also highly recommend nearby Transilvania Restaurant, which serves Romanian and American style food (we went here as a group afterwards). The owner is super nice and the restaurant theme is really fun (in a weird and good way) and I've tried several of the Romanian dishes and they are all delicious.