Wearing Frills to a Concert

Last Saturday was a big night. What better way to make it even bigger than by wearing lolita?

| Angelic Pretty Cinema Doll JSK | Axes Femme cutsew | Cutie Creator tights (layered over Uniqlo leggings) | offbrand boots | Cutie Creator headbow | Rose Marie Seoir necklace | Primark rings | offbrand earrings | Glasses Lit glasses |

I had to tie my hair up for the journey, otherwise I'd have a bird's nest on my head at the concert. Dennis was a windy boi.

The sleeves on this cutsew have this amazing lace detail that I absolutely adore. It's subtle, yet effective!

Considering how the UK was in the middle of Storm Dennis, Cinema Doll was a bold choice for the weather. However, it was the perfect choice for the occasion, the print is impactful without being too much. Although I had to make adjustment to the outfit, mainly the shoes, since in any other heels I’d arrive with my feet soaked. This outfit highlighted for me that I could do with some more legwear in black or with black patterns. The fishnets worked and were comfortable, but I would’ve loved something a little more elegant maybe? No, that’s not the word I’m looking for. The fishnets with Cinema Doll make me think of larme-kei, whereas my ideal version of this outfit would be something more sophisticated yet typical lolita. It was great for a concert I had to get to in awful rain – however, next time I wear Cinema Doll with fishnets, I’d love that look to have a different feel, whereas when I wear it again with this top, I’d aim for a more typical lolita look.

For my birthday my parents have gotten me tickets to see James Blunt live. And not just any tickets – the front row centre seat ticket! In bloody Manchester Arena, which is a massive venue! James Blunt is also the most famous person I’d see live in concert, as well as someone who’s music I genuinely enjoy. All of this made that night, and that present, one of the best things to have happened to me. I was incredibly excited for this.

Sadly, two things tried to dampen my enthusiasm. The firsts one was Aunt Irma, who made me just want to curl up under a blanket in a onesie. Which was not helped by the second factor: Storm Dennis. No-one wants to battle wind and rain in winter, when the indoors appeals with all its cosiness. Yet despite both of these, I was determined to go and look my best. Hello, centre of the front row, James Blunt was guaranteed to see me and I was determined to be seen! Luckily, I had tested my dress for colour fastness not that long before, so I knew I’d be safe. And indeed, despite the front of my dress peeking out from the coat and getting absolutely soaked, the print is still just as crisp as when it first arrived. So if any of you out there also got Cinea Doll in the 2018 MTO, you can breathe a bit more easily.

One lady was  very kind to take my photo before the show started. Look how close the stage was!

Although I took it at the end of the show, it still shows you how massive the venue was and how many people were there.

And oh my God, the concert! The concert was absolutely amazing, from start to finish! I do very unironically like James Blunt’s music and am a fan of him as a person, in as far as we see him through his interviews. His music is great – his self-deprecating sense of humour and distance to himself is what made me fall in love with him. And there were both of those in the show. I laughed a lot hearing James Blunt go into tiny anecdotes such as when Elton John advised him to “only play the hits” and his response was “Well then, I’m fucked” because playing You’re Beautiful 22 times is not anyone’s ideal live show. That and being honest with the audience how to anyone who brought a significant other to the show as a Valentine’s weekend date in hopes to get laid he wished the best of luck since he’s mostly known for singing sad songs that get people teary.

He was this close! And EXACTLY in front of me! I could not stop grinning and still do just thinking about it.

Yaaas, James Blunt, sing me those sad songs!

Whilst I snuck a couple of photos and clips, which I shared on my Instagram stories on Saturday night, I focused on enjoying the show. Going to concerts in our day and age, as someone who grew up still knowing the world without social media, can be quite conflicting. I want to wholly enjoy the event, but at the same time I do want those little memento clips and photos to relive the experience through, remind me that I didn’t dream it. So seeing others around me do this emboldened me a bit and I’m glad with what I got. And there was one moment when we were explicitly asked to get our phones out and light the torches up to become the stars. It looked absolutely magical and it would be criminal not to take at least a photo of that.

Have a clip instead of just a picture. 

In a sea of stars...

I left the concert on absolute cloud nine. Seeing someone I admire from so up close that I could see hand prints on his guitar was mindblowing. And hearing his music live was even better. My past experience of live music has taught me that an amazing artist will make you fall in love with a song, which on the album you weren’t quite so into. Which is exactly what happened and I have some new favourites now. I can also very confidently say that wearing lolita to a concert was absolutely possible, as well as quite comfortable. Yes, whilst we were seated, I had to tuck most of the petticoat under myself to allow space for the people besides me to sit comfortably. However, we stood for at least half of the concert, when it didn’t bother anyone. Besides, James Blunt is not the artist that attracts rowdy crowds who might spill a drink on you by accident, so I didn’t feel too worried about my brand.

What was unfortunate was my return journey. Once I reached my tram stop, an officer there told us that the stop was closed for maintenance and we couldn’t exit. We were advised to go to the next stop over, where a free bus would take us back. There was no clear information about this when I got on the tram to town, so this was quite annoying, especially as getting off a stop earlier would’ve actually been easier for me. With all the wind and rain, this was a less than ideal return journey, although I am very glad that I was able to catch that free bus after all. It took maybe 10 minutes of waiting, during which I pondered other options, but it got there and I could return home without being too delayed.

If I could, I would 100% relive that concert again. The tour has only just begun, Manchester was only the second show on it, but I doubt that I’ll be able to afford to travel to another place AND afford a front row ticket again. Maybe on another tour though…