Paris ’14, Day 3 – Following Alice Event

On Sunday morning, I was woken up by the alarm on my phone. I went to take a shower and when I walked out of the bathroom, Mila and Marie had started their morning routine
as well.
That day we would attend the Following Alice event, organised by the French Lolita associations Rouge Dentelle & Rose Ruban and Le Chemin de Briques Rose. Usually they organise the annual Lolita Convention, but this year there wouldn’t be one. Out of the blue, they later announced a different event: Following Alice, with special guest Misako Aoki! Also, there would be a contest to elect the official French Lolita Kawaii Ambassador.
Initially, I wasn’t going to attend, but I ended up changing my mind due to the Kawaii Event in my own country getting cancelled which Misako Aoki would attend. I really wanted to cheer on my friends who had made it into the Kawaii Ambassador contest and of course meet Misako again. ^^

The three of us started to get dressed and were later joined by Diana, a friend of Mila and Marie’s. I loved how we all dressed up in very different styles. Mila, who was in the race for Kawaii Ambassador, got dressed into a beautiful Baby, the Stars Shine Bright outfit in soft pink, adorned with lots of flowers and a little crown. Marie had chosen an outfit in her usual beautiful dark style, but added an amazing red headpiece with feathers. Diana dressed in an elegant boy style with cute bunny ears. And then there was me, dressing up in pink and blue with my Promenade de Paris dress and French beret.
When we were finally all done, we went on our way to Princess Crêpe, for some Lolita-esque breakfast. ^^ When we arrived there, to our surprise it was super crowded! We had to wait for our crêpes for a while and it was quite warm inside the shop, while outside it started to rain. I thought I had chosen a safe crêpe for once, with nutella on the inside that wouldn’t easily fall out. Unfortunately, it made the crêpe go soft, making it very difficult to eat after all. XD I always make the wrong choices when it comes to ‘Lolita safe food’, but at least it was very tasty. :3
We were not the only ‘strange looking’ girls in the shop, so many people passing by the shop looked around the corner of the door or through the window to see what was going on. An elder couple asked us about our clothing and since I could tell by their accent we spoke the same language, I answered them in Dutch. They were very surprised and happy, haha! They asked for a picture of me to show to their granddaughter, so sweet!
The four of us went on our way to the location. I am very used to getting everywhere right on time, but now we were running late. Later I learned it was a ‘walk-in-walk-out event’, so it wasn’t a problem at all!
We arrived at the location and there were some Lolitas standing at the small registration desk, like Libellule, Marine, Marine and Karima. I was very happy to see them again in real life, so of course there was lots of hugging. ♥ Mila, Marie, Diana and I signed in and decided to take some outfit pictures. Yet the rain was really pouring now, so taking pictures was quite hard. The entrance to the venue was right in the middle of a roofed path, so we stayed dry luckily, but it was also a little dark as well. Eventually we found a solution: standing as far as possible outside of the gate without getting wet.

Pictures by Marie Tuonetar

Despite the weather, I had a lot of fun taking pictures. I noticed that I like taking pictures more and more. I am not really good at it or anything, but I just really like doing it. ^^
Sweet Marie offered to take some pictures of me with my camera as well. Thank you dear! ♥

✿ French Following Alice Outfit ✿
My outfit rundown:
Beret: offbrand
Blouse: Bodyline
Jsk: Angelic Pretty’s Promenade de Paris
Socks: Angelic Pretty
Shoes: Bodyline
Flower pin: Claire’s
Pearl chain bows: ħπ
Bow bangle: Chocomint
Bracelets: Claire’s
Wristcuffs: Angelic Pretty
Rings: Angelic Pretty

After taking pictures, it was time to go inside! We entered through the door and had to descend a winding stone staircase, which was super dark! We really had to be careful not to fall! When we arrived downstairs, we walked around the venue to explore for a bit. I had already read the Following Alice event took place in some sort of cellar, but I expected something of a big, broad room with stone walls. Instead, there were multiple small rooms connected to each other with a low ceiling. It fit the theme really well, since I felt a lot like wandering around a rabbit hole, but it was quite dark and damp as well. Taking pictures would be difficult, I could tell.
Someone started talking through a microphone, thanking everyone for coming and announcing the programme of the day. There was a small separate Tea Party going on with Misako Aoki. As soon as that was finished, Misako would take place in her own corner where you could meet her and buy her book and merchandise if you wanted. There would be an indie brands fashion show and an introduction of the Kawaii Ambassadors, after which the election would take place.
I got separated from Mila and Marie, but instead walked into the lovely Kata from
Electric Space Carousel. I was so very happy to meet her! I have liked her blog for a long time and we had been talking on Facebook as well, so I was very excited to meet her. In real life she was just as sweet as I had imagined. ^^ I was also very happy to see my German friend Vera as well, who introduced me to her friends Saskia and Lisa.

The lovely Vera, Saskia and Lisa. ♥
After some walking around, I decided to go back upstairs again to get some fresh air. I was not the only one luckily, so I could also take some pictures. ^^ The Russian pirate Lolita Iana told me she liked my blog, which made me really happy! *o* I also met two really friendly English girls and I talked a bit with one of my Facebook friends, Wendy, who looked so pretty in Fantasic Dolly in pink!

With the lovely Wendy. ♥
Kata had joined me in the fresh outside air, so we talked for a bit and took some pictures. There were a lot of lovely outfit walking around at Following Alice, that’s for sure :3

Clockwise from the top left: Marine, Karima, Marine, Iana, Kata
and a lovely girl whose name I unfortunately don’t know.
I went downstairs again (carefully!) and walked into the corner where a photographer was taking pictures of everyone who wanted to. He was putting quite some effort into it, helping girls pose and all. There, I walked into the lovely Camélia, who asked me to take a picture together. Of course I had no objections at all! =D

Together with cutie Camélia! I quite like our picture together.
Picture by Nakana Focus.
Finally, it was time for Misako to take place in her corner. I had brought her book that I had bought in Japan with me for her to sign it. When I entered the special room, I felt a rush of happiness sear through me. I have met Misako before, but seeing her again in real life felt surreal and exciting! She really is so pretty and she was wearing a gorgeous outfit with a pink dress and lots of flowers. She looked like a princess! Standing next to her was François Amoretti, a French illustrator who is very involved in the French Lolita community and who acted as a translator.
Before I went up to meet Misako, I first took a look at the merchandise for sale. There were cute glittery, bow-shaped rings, a poster, her new book of course and heart-shaped, striped buttons saying ‘Lolita Fashion Book’. I have a thing for buttons lately as well as for posters, so I wanted to get one of each. ^^
When it was my turn, I walked up to Misako and offered her my gift: a package of Dutch ‘stroopwafels’. She was very happy with them! She told me she had had them before and she liked them very much! After that, I gave her my book to sign it. I bought a button as well, but decided to get the poster maybe later. I showed her the Lolitina button I had bought at the previous Kawaii Event and she was very happy I wore it! We also took some pictures together! ♥

I am so happy with this picture of Misako and me! ♥
Since monsieur Amoretti could translate, I asked him to tell Misako I really regretted the cancellation of the Kawaii Event in the Netherlands. Misako gave me an agreeing head nod and told me she regretted it very much as well, but that someday she would ‘get her revenge’, hihi. :3
It was time for the indie brands fashion show, so I joined Vera, Lisa and Saskia at the back of the venue. Since the few chairs that were present were filled up already, we sat down on the floor and talked for a bit, which was really nice.
The music became louder and the fashion show started. Many beautiful dresses and sets passed us by. I tried to take pictures to the best of my abilities and somehow they came out better than I expected!

My personal favourites from the indie brands fashion show.
After the fashion show, I decided to go back to Misako’s corner and buy the poster after all. I love posters too much, so I couldn’t leave it behind. She signed it for me as well. ^^

Misako signing my poster. ^^
I also couldn’t help but buying one of the adorable glittery bow ring as well. They came in two different versions: one with pink rhinestones and one with white rhinestones. I went with the white one, to match my similar bow bangle I happened to be wearing that day. After that, I stuck around for a bit to take some pictures of other girls with Misako.

The English girls Andie and Jennifer with Misako. Somehow I really like this picture.
Someone announced through the microphone that the Kawaii Ambassador fashion show was about to start, so I took my previous spot at the back of the venue again and the music got turned up. In total, there were ten candidates. All very different girls with their own styles and qualities. ^^

The ten Kawaii Ambassador candidates.
Picture by Nella Fragola
After the Kawaii Ambassador fashion show, the three finalists got announced: Yumi, Pom and Mila! From here on, the programme got a bit vague. At the other side of the venue, questions were being asked to the finalists, but since the rooms were so small I heard about it too late and there was no way to get close due to the small rooms. There was a raffle after that, but since everyone was spread out over the venue, the announcer had to walk around to find the winner. ^^’ I didn’t win anything unfortunately.
I took a look at the stalls, I talked to some people and took more pictures until it was time to announce the French Lolita Kawaii Ambassador! I quickly made my way into the room and ended up right behind the three finalists. After explaining a bit about the election process, the woman who presented it all told the audience that there would not be one Kawaii Ambassador, but all three of them were chosen as Ambassadors! My silent prediction came true! Somehow I could feel it in my bones there wouldn’t be just one and I was right, huhu. :3 So Mila, Yumi and Pom became the official French Ambassadors and it sure was well-deserved. ^^

The three French Kawaii Ambassadors! ✩
Picture by Marie Tuonetar
The event came to its end, so we all went back upstairs and outside for a group picture. Luckily it wasn’t raining anymore, the sun had even come out to shine upon us!

The Following Alice Event attendees with Misako Aoki.
Since there was finally enough light, everyone who wanted could take pictures with Misako! I ended up getting a lot of phones pressed into my hands to take pictures for people, hihi. My most spoken sentence that day was ‘Ichi, ni, san! Mou ikkai~!’ XD Luckily, someone was nice enough to take pictures for me as well. ^^

A picture with Misako again. Doesn’t she look amazing?
Since there would also be an evening event (that I wasn’t attending), many new girls were walking into the square, including the two Irish girls I had met during my visit to the Angelic Pretty pop up store.
Finally, I said goodbye to everyone and went back with Mila, Marie and Diana. We got redressed into normal clothes back at Mila’s apartment, after which the three poor girls had to go to their last meeting before the big event the next day they were organising. I stayed home and ate the last pizza, chatted with my mom back home and spent a nice, quiet evening by myself.
Finally, Mila and Diana got back and we all went to sleep.

Purchases of the day