I put the tl;dr at the start of this post because it's most likely going to be a long one, and if you can't be bothered to read that, then at least watch this short video explaining (very badly) what I'm going to be talking about:
Now that that's said and done, I've broken all the information up into questions to make it easier for you to find whatever you're interested in, so read on to have all of your questions answered! ^^
Short Answer: I'm not changing my style, I'm expanding it, and no, I still love k-fashion and ulzzang makeup.
Long Answer: Up until now, I've focused on fitting into the typical Eonni (big sister) image and limited myself to Ulzzang makeup and Korean(-ish) fashion because I wanted to be recognized as a role model in that community and on YouTube. I do still love these styles, and I do plan to continue them, however these are not the only styles I like. I've always loved lots of different J-fashion, Lolita actually being the first alternative fashion I ever admired (since I was 13!), but I was scared to try these styles up until now because I was afraid they wouldn't suit me as they are 'cute' styles, and I don't consider myself cute. But! I've realised that I wasn't really being true to myself by holding myself back and I want my channel to represent me and the joy of being yourself.
Q: Where did you find inspiration to make this change?
Short Answer: ...okay, so really there is no short answer for this, but the biggest influence on this decision was quite obviously: myself. I clearly wasn't happy with my style, and I clearly wasn't happy with feeling so restricted, so it was first me admitting that to myself that allowed me to make the decision to change, after that, everything else was just encouragement, but here are some of the people that encouraged me:
My Fashionable Friends: I'm fortunate enough to have met many others who are interested in J/K-fashion like myself, and I've watched many of them becomes successful for being true to themselves and wearing what they like. Some prime examples are Luppoku, Chewiee & Zaine.T.K (formerly Shun.) These guys are all people I know and have met/hung out with, and they all look amazing without limiting themselves to one look or style and I really respect them for having the courage to do something I haven't.
TheLovelyIfy: I came across Ify's channel about half way through November and to be honest, I was subscribed after just one or two videos. Ify was basically the epitome of what I want to be, scrolling down her video feed I could see how adventurous she was and after watching a few videos, I felt inspired and empowered, and that's exactly the feeling I want others to have when they watch our videos. (Not to mention she seems like an amazing person; from her videos you can tell she's very sweet and kind, but also mature and humble - I highly suggest you check her out if you haven't already!)
Minori: At the end of November, I met Minori at her fanmeet during Hyper Japan and really this was really just the icing on the cake for me. Minori is an amazing person because she's gone past being just a fashionista to actually being a true artist; she revolutionized her style (Shironuri) and made a name for herself by simply being herself and I have so serious mad respect for everything that she stands for. *flips the off switch before I hit full fangirl mode*
Short Answer: There's no definitive list just yet, but the one's I'm most interested in at the moment are Lolita, Otome and Mori-kei.
Long Answer: I plan to start out with the styles I've had most interest in up until now, but I'll probably put the most effort into Otome-kei since I think it's a lot more wearable in my day to day. I find Lolita a bit too restricting because I think some of the prints can be overpowering and don't always look nice when mixed, and I don't think Mori-kei will always be practical considering my wardrobe (and British weather XD) However, I may branch out of this list if something else catches my eye, I mean, have you seen nu-goth? @@
Also, as an overall my style will still remain very dark and monochromatic, and I still intend to put my stamp on everything I wear, whether it fits into one of these specific styles or not! All in all, I want to be true to myself and have fun with it, while encouraging others to do the same! After all, that's what fashion is all about~
Q: What is Lolita/Otome/Mori/etc?
If you want to know more about Mori, then check out Hanzel's post here.
I'll soon be writing a post about Otome so stay tuned.
And if you want to know more about Lolita... google it XD
Any other styles, leave me a comment and I'll get back to you :3
Q: You said you've had the longest interest in Lolita, does that mean you're going to become a Lolita?
(Very) Short Answer: No.
Long Answer: Lolita is a beautiful style that I have always admired but I honestly have never seen myself wearing it every single day. One thing I don't like about the style is that it comes with so many rules and regulations, and personally I don't like being restricted. There's also a huge buying and selling culture in Lolita which I think is great for some, but being my lazy hoarder self, I'd much prefer hoarding all my loli clothes and not selling them, and that costs money I don't currently have. So no, I don't plan on ever being 'a lolita', but I will wear it from time to time.
Short Answer: That's up to you, but you'll be missing out!
Long Answer: While it may not be every video, there will be a lot of that stuff still on our channel and on our blog; we also have an Ulzzang playlist and you can search the Ulzzang and K-fashion tags on our blog. Also, even if you have no interest in J-fashion and Kawaii culture now, you may come across a style you've never heard of that you really like, and it's always fun to experiment with something new. At the end of the day, the choice is yours, but we'd be very sad to see you go~
Q: So in short, what is your 'style identity'?
In all truth: I dunno XD But I'm okay with that, who needs labels anyway? No matter what style I do, I intend to make it my own, so I'll never be just another ulzzang or just another lolita. I'm just someone who loves alternative Korean and Japanese fashion and the only way to find out what my style identity is, is to stick around and see it for yourself :3
Anyhow, if you have somehow made it to the bottom of this post, thank you so so so much for reading through all my rambling, and if you still have question, don't be shy and feel free to ask! If not, then I'll see you in my next video or blog post, and I hope you enjoy my new style journey.
Lots of love, Harmony <3
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