Sunday, September 22, 2013

Lolita Hobbies: Stationary, Journals, & Fountain Pens

The last segment of my Lolita Hobbies list deals with something that everybody should do every day in some way: writing. We are moving into an electronic age where everything is starting to be done by either a computer or a cell phone and the physical act of writing is starting to be looked down on as an inferior method of communication. But this was not always the case. Proper writing and having good penmanship was viewed as being a necessary skill because it was the only method of communication that was viable at the time. There were no phones to text other people with and no computers to send Facebook messages to your friends with. If you wanted to get a message to someone, then you had to write them a letter and hope that they got it.

Even though the physical aspects of writing longhand may not be used anymore, it can be a very relaxing pastime to do. Learning (or re-learning) different styles of penmanship can make your everyday thoughts look very elegant; especially if you take the time to learn a very elaborate script like Spencarian or Gothic.

Of course, it isn't just about the process of writing that makes this skill a good hobby for a budding Lolita. It is all the paraphernalia that can come with it: pens, paper, envelopes, pencil cases, and journals.

Journals can come in a variety of different shapes and styles. They can be as common as simple college ruled notebooks or as luxurious as Clairefontaine notebooks. And if you can't find exactly what you want then you can always learn how to make your own journals. Or if you don't want to start from scratch, you can get a plain cover and decorate it yourself to suit any style. There is a ton of variation and a lot of brands, so it would take a while to get bored looking at different journals.

There are as many types of pens as there are types of journals. For the ultimate luxury there are fountain pens that use bottles of liquid ink. Then there are multi-colored gell pens that come in a variety of pastel colors, roller ball pens that combine the ease of use of a ballpoint pen and a fountain pen, and normal ballpoint pens. For those that don't want to use ink there are pencils (both colored and regular), markers, and even crayons. And don't forget calligraphy brush pens.

For those who feel uncomfortable with the idea of journaling, there is a more practical side of pens and paper: the humble letter. Everybody likes getting a letter in the mail and receiving a handwritten letter is even better. It shows the other person that you care about them enough to sit down and actually write to them. Of course, mailing a letter through the postal service will be a lot slower than e-mail, but you get the perk of the joy of writing and the pleasure of shopping for cute stationary.


Writing is an ideal hobby to get into for a Lolita. It can be as simple or as complex as you want it to be. Of all of the hobbies I have done so far, it is one of the most customizable hobbies out there. There will be nobody in the world with your exact handwriting except for you. It can give you endless hours of pleasure or it can just add a splash of elegance to your everyday life. Finally, it is simple to incorporate into your life. Next time you need to go to the grocery store, write down a list. If you are throwing a party, try sending out some invitations through the mail instead of over Facebook.

2 comments:

  1. I agree with you .This is a great guide on blog commenting. Just make sure you implement some of the things learned. That’s the most important part of execution….thanks for sharing this Lolita. I found your article so useful to me.

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  2. Dear Miss Wesley,
    I have been looking for people who share my interest of penmanship, rather using a fountain pen to write regularly. It would be great to know more about your writing habits. More appropriately, I am looking for people with good handwriting to learn a thing or two about it. If it suits you, could you be kind enough to drop me an email at aakash.badhawan@gmail.com
    Thanks & Regards
    A

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