GGBNYC- Lolita Brunch at Brooklyn Botanic Gardens
Sakura Matsuri at the Brooklyn Botanic Gardens is a celebration of the Cherry Blossoms blooming as well as a celebration of Japanese culture. Geek Girl Brunch had a blast last year (our founders first fashion foray into Lolita style) and we knew we had to go back this year!
The weather has been unseasonably cold in NYC lately but we were lucky that day! The weather warmed up and on April 25th we were all able to dress up and hang out amongst the blooms!
Picnic at Brooklyn Botanic Garden
Due to the overwhelming turnout of like-minded girls, Lolitas were in attendance everywhere. This was New York’s first brunch where the geek girls were not so easy to spot. Envision a game of Where’s Waldo, but instead of red and white stripes we stood in a mass of pastel flowers and stars. Once we were able to locate each other, we laid out our picnic blankets preparing for the performances. We were even interviewed by the NY Daily News!
The Secret Garden
We went to our favorite semi-secluded garden to have a photo shoot. We had so much fun posing for photos, hula hooping and hanging out in our secret garden.
Brunchette Fashion
Our Lolita brunch was all about fashion and style and NYC Brunchettes dressed to impress. Our chapter donned styles like Lolita, tea & garden party, accidental cosplay and even ’90s Claire Danes.
Co-Founder Coords
Jamila
I wanted to wear something floral to go with the Sakura Matsuri theme of the brunch so I went for a Classic Lolita look with a touch of Garden Party. I was really worried with how my vintage hat would look with my coord but it ended up being my favorite piece!
- Infanta Fairy Dance Chiffon Lolita Blouse from My Lolita Dress
- Magic Tea Party Elegant Flower Lolita Skirt from My Lolita Dress
- Classical Puppets A-line Petticoat (Type 1 Long Version) from My Lolita Dress
- White Rocking Horse Shoes from My Lolita Dress
- Lace Ankle Socks from Cosmic Crystal
- Vintage ‘60s Floral Hat from Age of Mint
- Lace Parasol from Tablecloth Shop
- Vintage 1950’s Pink Straw Purse from Flea Market Lover
- Pearl Lace Choker from Salem’s Oddities
Yissel
My coord is between Classic and Country Lolita. I kept a straw element but dubbed it English Country, my homage to Downton Abbey.
- MICHAEL Michael Kors button down ruffle shirt
- Alice Blue Lolita Jumperskirt Dress from Two Penny Toast
- Pure Edith Hat in White from Mod Cloth
- Swing Along Heel from Mod Cloth
- Lace Parasol from Amazon
- Fingerless Lace Gloves from Amazon
Rachel
I tend to skew towards “Bittersweet Lolita” (a term much debated in the Loli fashion community but I’m just going to use it) but I also really wanted to incorporate some Classic Lolita elements. I feel like Classic can be a little bit more casual and fun to wear when you’re tromping around outside for hours! What I ended up with was something classic with a splash of gothic!
- Boater Hat from Urban Outfitters
- Lolita Blouse from ebay
- Black Lace Petticoat from JulietandVampire
- Black Floral Lolita skirt from Clockmonster
- Embroidered Overskirt from EatMeInkMe
- Ruffle Knee Socks from Target
- Spaced Platform Shoes from ASOS
Taiko Drumming
The Soh Daiko took to the stage and performed traditional taiko drumming. They performed amazing five pieces.
Shopping
The entrance to the gardens was lined with booths selling everything from matcha tea, to vintage kimonos. We stumbled across a kawaii jewelry booth, and needless to say all walked away with a souvenir.
BBG Parasol Society Fashion Show
The BBG Parasol Society hosted their annual Fashion Show, which was accompanied by the Hanami Ensemble. The ladies (and gentleman) took to the catwalk and showcased their Lolita inspired ensembles and parasols. It was like a scene from Paradise Kiss, they were gorgeous!
Butter and Scotch
We were in need of some refreshment after all the posing for photos and walking around. So off we headed to Butter and Scotch, a place where desserts and cocktails are combined! We started off with a round of “Blood and Sand Jell-ohhh Shoot” which was blood orange, scotch, sweet vermouth, and creme de cassis. They were served in the orange peels so that was our fruit serving for the day!
In true Lolita fashion, we ate dessert for dinner and it was amazing. A highlight was the Bourbon Ginger Pecan Pie which had a spiked whipped cream on top. It was a combination of my two favorite things bourbon and whip cream. They also have Cocktail Caramel Corn in Dark & Stormy, Hot Toddy and Green Chile Margarita. I (Ashley) had the Dark & Stormy flavor and it was so good! It was the perfect blend of sweet and sour.
1 thought on “GGBNYC- Lolita Brunch at Brooklyn Botanic Gardens”