All that Sparkles — Everyday Kawaii

*Coat: LIZ LISA; hair clips: LIZ LISA; earrings: Kate Spade New York.*

It has been a good year in kawaii fashion for me—I entered the LIZ LISA Coordinate Olympics for a second time this year and actually won, I posted more kawaii outfits than ever before, and most important of all, I returned to a regular posting schedule on Everyday Kawaii after an extended break.

I may have been all smiles in the photos on my blog and Instagram, but behind those smiles sometimes lurked worries and sadness. As the years tick by, I am starting to realize that there are always going to be new challenges whether I seek them out or not and the only way I can overcome these challenges is by keeping a smile on my face.

*Coat: LIZ LISA; hair clips: LIZ LISA; earrings: Kate Spade New York; bag: Kate Spade New York; shoes: LIZ LISA.*

That’s why I love celebrating holidays so much, especially New Year’s Eve. While it’s a day that compels serious reflection over the past, it’s also a day marked by excitement for what’s to come. It’s truly a day that encompasses both the past and the future. As much as we would like to forget the sad things that happened in our lives, they make us who we are and we won’t be the same without them.

That was how I chose my outfit for this special day. I want to say a gentle, loving goodnight/goodbye to 2018, so I chose LIZ LISA’s sleeping bunny dress, which features a pinkish pattern made up of stars, pearls, and of course a sleeping bunny in the navy version. I also matched the LIZ LISA sailor collar coat with this adorable dress. Navy is the obvious choice because what color expresses the idea of midnight and New Year’s Eve better?

*Dress: LIZ LISA; hair clips: LIZ LISA; earrings: Kate Spade New York; bag: Kate Spade New York; shoes: LIZ LISA.*

I worried that wearing the navy coat with the navy dress will be too much navy, but this heavy layer of dark blue turns out to be a perfect backdrop for my light-colored accessories and even the shiny details of the dress like the star-shaped buttons at the collar. Pairing the navy dress with black items makes the overall look too dark, and the navy color gets lost in all that darkness. I therefore opted for some light pink LIZ LISA pumps and white Kate Spade bunny earrings and bag instead to help the navy stand out (and complete the bunny theme).

*Dress: LIZ LISA; hair clips: LIZ LISA; earrings: Kate Spade New York; bag: Kate Spade New York.*

All the sparkly details of this outfit (and the backdrop I chose) express my hope for the coming year—to always chase that sparkly silver lining in life and to never lose that sparkle in my heart called hope. Here, I draw inspiration from one of my favorite songs from this year, “Rocket Beat,” the second opening song of “Cardcaptor Sakura: Clear Card:”

“It’s a moment nobody has witnessed before
My heart setting me in motion
It’s made only of things that sparkle
An inner self I can’t tell anyone about
The power to find the future
I’m always searching
For what’s most important”
Source: https://www.lyrical-nonsense.com/lyrics/kiyono-yasuno/rocket-beat/

I hope your new year will be filled only with things that sparkle too. Thank you all for a wonderful 2018. Now onto 2019!