Lala vs Lolita/Punk/Cosplay

4.31pm, Saturday May 16 2009

This post is made in response to this and this.

Disclaimer: Before I start, let me just say that I cosplayed once, and am a part time lolita. I said part time, because I only dress up in Lolita fashion attires for anime/cosplay conventions, and personal Lolita/cosplay gatherings or private photoshoot sessions. 

And okay, I'm more into ero loli, or as what some Lolita fans would call, ita loli because I prefer my skirt to be short (a few inches above my knees) compared to the more conservative knee-length/below knee length lolita dresses/skirts. 

Well, unless I get a proper lolita dress from FanPlusFriend or some other branded Lolita online shops, (which costs over RM300 for a dress wtf) I can't really find a decent knee-length dress here in Malaysia... But still, I try to observe and follow the true Lolita fashion. 

----------

I've been wanting to write on this topic after reading WayeYoung and Kel-v-en's blog post regarding the Lala culture. It's not that I'm pissed off with them condemning this culture, whom many consider as a way of life (unfortunately...). I don't mind people flaming the Lala culture at all. In fact, I myself hate it too. 

The mismatch stockings and accessories, "rojak" apparels with neon colours, excessive hair styles, colours and hair extensions, eyes opened as big as possible, the list goes on. You should know how they look like without me posting pictures up. You can see plenty of them in Sg Wang and Time Square. Or if you're lazy, just check out the 2 blogs I posted above!

However, I noticed that there were many misunderstandings in the 2 blog post that I mentioned above and I feel that it is necessary to clarify it. 

Firstly, Lala is a culture, not a fashion and is not to be confused with Lolita and Punk. I shall not talk about punk/visual kei, seeing as how I'm not a fan of it and hence my knowledge regarding it is very minimal. 

Guys in Punk, girls in Lolita. By the looks of it, they're outside of a convention center = they're dressed up to attend a cosplay/anime convention. Nothing lala-ish about them, if you ask me. Well, unless they're at the mall, then it'll be a different story. 

 

Now, Lolita had always been a classic fashion style. It originated in the Victorian era, but was popularized in Japan. The classical lolita followed the Victorian style closely, with the clothes involving laces, ruffles, frills, with knee-length skirts worn over bloomers or petticoats. 

Victorian-style dress

A classic lolita dress. (which is also my dream dress. Sighhhhhh...bo lui!)

There is a fine line between punk and rojak style, which many Chinese Malaysians tend to mix it up. They end up looking like a messed up child, looking lost, emo, and pathetic. 

On to my second point, please do not confuse Lala with COSPLAY. =.= If you are not exposed to the world of anime and manga, just take note that cosplay stands for costume play. It simply means people dressing up as a charactor from an anime or series.  

Being anime averse is no reason for you to mix up a Vampire Knight group cosplay picture with a group of lala peepz. And in case you're new to this, no, cosplayers DO NOT WEAR THEIR COSTUMES OUT TO PUBLIC JUST FOR THE F*CKING FUN OF IT. 

A Vampire Knight group cosplay.

 

The above picture is taken from Kel-v-an's blog. Well, from the looks of it, it's a group of cosplayers having a private photoshoot session. The picture came out pretty well too, I might say. (no I don't know the people in the picture. I'm just saying it based on my experience) And as if it isn't obvious enough, the bottom right of the picture had already stated "Vampire Knight". *smacks hand to head* 

From a normal person's point of view, cosplayers might be nerds who not have a life. From an anime lover and cosplayer/lolita point of view, you taking a cosplay picture and mistaken it as a group of lala people posing in front of a building is just downright sad, stupid and ignorant in many, many levels. 

And before anyone of you start flaming me regarding this matter, go study briefly about what the heck is cosplay. It'll save me lots of time explaining the concept and prevent me from giving you any "DUH"/"OMG noob =.=" responses. 

As for WayeYoung's blog post, he pretty much PWNED the lala and ahbengs. Also, being somewhat sexist (well, judging from the number of posts degrading women and so on, I just can't help thinking that way), he pretty much proved that men are clueless when it comes to fashion. No misconceptions here, though his descriptions of ahbengs are somewhat on the borderline of punks. 

Oh, and Lolita and punks are very particular with their cloth quality. No shiny/silky materials, no cheap laces, etc. After all, a lolita dress usually costs around USD150 and above. Comparing it with the cloths that lala and ahbeng's wear, THAT'S NOT VERY CHEAP NOW, IS IT? 

Now you see why Lolita and cosplayers do not like to be mistaken as a lala/ahbeng? 

So before you start writing something which you are unfamiliar with, do some research. It prevents you from looking dumb. 

What madness is this??

Thursday February 26, 2009

Teachers going mad teaching subjects in English, claims
rep

By RASLAN BAHAROM

TAIPING: Some Malay teachers in Bagan Serai are “going mad” as they
cannot handle teaching Mathematics and Science subjects in English, claimed a
state assemblyman .

Dr Khalil Idham Lim Abdullah (Titi Serong) said the teachers themselves had
to take English classes to improve their command of English.

While they are still grappling with the language, they are required to
teach their students as well, said Khalil, who was chairman of the Perak
Backbenchers Club in the former Pakatan Rakyat-led state government.

“The teachers themselves have a poor command of English. How do we expect
them to teach their students?” he asked in his speech after a briefing on the
subject at the state PAS headquarters in Jalan Air Kuning on Tuesday.

Some teachers, he said, “have simply gone crazy” because of this, likening
the matter to the blind leading the blind. He claimed the minimum passing mark
for both subjects were lowered to ensure that only a rosy picture was painted of
the move.

Earlier, the gathering was told by Malaysian Translators Association
president Associate Prof Abdullah Hassan that a big gathering is scheduled to be
held in front of Istana Negara at 2pm on March 7 to protest against the teaching
of Mathematics and Science in English.

Prof Abdullah said the argument that the usage of English would provide
better job opportunities could only hold water if there were plenty of job
openings.

“The teachers themselves have a poor command of English. How do we expect them to teach their students?”

Uh, hello?? What happened to the value of self improvement?? You're a teacher. If you can't even learn English, how're you supposed to teach your students? Tak kan la nak cakap bahasa Melayu aje ker? Matematik dan Sains boleh dapat A, bahasa Inggeris pulak fail kaw kaw. Matematik terrer giler giler, standard macam Harvard Uni, tapi nak compete bahasa inggeris ngan budak tadika pun kalah. Apa gunanya??

Some teachers, he said, “have simply gone crazy” because of this, likening the matter to the blind leading the blind.

Are you really so selfish to NOT OPEN YOUR BLARDY EYES and prevent the future generation from being blind as well? How the **** are they going to compete in the future? Unlike them, you're secured with a job, and is most probably married. DO YOU THINK THEY WILL BE ABLE TO SECURE A JOB AS EASILY AS YOU DID WITH MINIMAL UNDERSTANDING OF ENGLISH? In fact, getting through college would be hard enough, unless they're going to a government uni.

Minimum passing mark for both subjects were lowered to ensure that only a rosy picture was painted of the move.

The minimum passing mark is already low enough, TQVM.

a big gathering is scheduled to be held in front of Istana Negara at 2pm on March 7 to protest against the teaching of Mathematics and Science in English.

Yeah, sure. Embarrase yourselves in public.

Prof Abdullah said the argument that the usage of English would provide better job opportunities could only hold water if there were plenty of job openings.

Unless it's a government post, I'm doubting that private companies and multinational companies will hire "non-inggerish-speeking"  people into their company, irregardless of the number of job openings.

Annoyed

12.16am, Friday, January 16, 2009

It's been quite a while since I've updated my journal, eh? Well, that's what happens when I stop writing down my thoughts. Everything gets jumbled up and I find it hard to write it all out at once.


So I'll get started by writing what has been bothering me lately. I'd rather get it all off my chest here rather than to go around being a total bitch.

---------------------

Now, I'm pretty sure that I said something about my resolution to get back into the dating scene in my previous post.

But if these are the kind of guys that are asking me out, I'D RATHER BE SINGLE THANK YOU VERY MUCH.


I mean, who would go around saying stuff like, "You're always in your room is it, your leg so fair wan?" Fair?? FAIR???? Is that all you notice about me? My fat legs and how fair it is?? Well, if you're using that as a compliment, it's definitely not working. For all I know, I'm not all that fair. (It's hard to be fair when you love the sun and gardening...) So how else can I reply other than lamely going, "Uh, yeah, I guess I hardly go out." and stomp off to class before he could say anything more repulsive. All because I felt like wearing a skirt to class.

I suppose I should have expected that from him. That's what you get when you get too friendly with guys online, you know. Flirt with a guy once and he'll ignore your Sorry-I-flirted-with-you-but-I'm-REALLY-not-interested signals. Only applicable in INTI-UC, where girls are aplenty and guys are not used to being ignored.



It's been a long, loooonnnngggg time since I've gotten calls from friends whom I am not close with. So when I received a call from an unknown number, the last thing I'd expect is a (very) distant friend to suddenly call and ask, "Hi, do you know who I am?/Do you remember me?"


-.-''


Don't get all friendly with me when you hardly chatted with me on MSN. Besides, what's wrong with you people who calls and expects me to instantly know who you are when you've never even given me your phone number?? And you have the GUTS to get ANGRY when I don't know who you are?????

Thank God I have gotten loads of training on receiving calls from unknown people when I was getting famous in DC++. The most memorable call would be from "PISS_OFF_DUN_HIDE_RETURN" - yes, that's his nick in DC++. Lolz - that went "LysathisisPissOffYCnowfasterI'mwaitingatyourblockdy *line cuts*" before I even have the time to go, HUH??!?!?!

Really, much thanks to those who have given my handphone number to every Tom Dick and Harry who asked for my number in DC++. =D It's been a great experience. (Yes, I'm being sarcastic. Duh)

Anyway, in any case, I guess it was a mistake to have recognize that fella correctly, since he further went on to chat with me for almost half an hour, before asking me out. But it's really too bad that I'm busy lately, what with my CNY spring cleaning and assignments and all. (phew...)



And here comes the final blow - a random black dude hitting on me. Why can't I have an uneventful semester in INTI-UC?? Is that too much to ask for??

And to add salt to injury, his first sentence was, "Hi, have we met before? You look familiar" Uh, hello?? In case you didn't realise, it's very LAME and UNORIGINAL. Do all strangers use that pick up line on girls, or am I just the unlucky one? Or maybe it's just a standard procedure that they have to use that line when they're hitting on an unfortunate lady?


Anyway... the most befitting reply to stranger who approaches you with such stupidity would be "NoIdon'tknowyou", fuck face included.


So... can you really blame me for being in a bad mood lately? And can you really blame me for being single when guys whom I like is not asking me out, but instead I'm getting attention weirdos'??

Sheesh...





Seriously, what is WRONG with the guys in INTI-UC??