Style Inspiration: Coco from Die Milch

After her two recent visits to England— one last summer, and at Milk Tea Day in December in which she introduced her new (adorable!) violinist Yui— Die Milch’s Coco has gained a lot of fans here in the UK. It’s really no wonder! Between Die Milch’s fabulous Gothic Lolita-worthy music, her sunshine personality, and her flawless, doll-like style, Coco has captured people’s hearts. For style ideas for the upcoming year, here are some elements of Coco’s style by which to be inspired!

Left to right: Coco and Jasmine

Doll-like, understated makeup. Exchange glossy pastel pink lips for a more natural peach or rose flush; Illamasqua’s matte lipstick in Liable is a beautiful peachy red that will make any skin tone glow. Keep eyeshadow colours neutral and liner to a minimum, and instead achieve those huge sparkling eyes with big, spiky false eyelashes like Dolly Wink’s eyelashes in Dolly Mix. Finally, put emphasis on a clear complexion by minimising added colour: a light sweep of pale pink blusher or highlighter along the cheekbones is all you need.

Short, nude nails. Leave your deco nails at home and wear them short and neat, with just a clear or sheer pink varnish for an elegant look. After all, you never know when you’re going to be called upon to play the piano for an adoring crowd!

Bold, unusual details. Don’t be afraid to play with the fashion: Coco’s stage outfits include off-the-shoulder sleeves, lustrous fabrics, unusual colour combinations like black and pastel pink, and oversized details such as wide corset lacing for a dollyish look.

Think a little old-school! Chunky platform shoes feature heavily in Coco’s outfits; either high-heeled platform mary-janes, rocking-horse shoes, or simple flat platforms. Wristcuffs, bell sleeves, and ruffly headdresses also get some time in the spotlight, along with black-and-white colour combinations. Coco's Sweeter outfits as well as her stage outfits keep this slightly old-school feel with demure skirt lengths, high necklines, and details like corset laces and simple colour schemes. Her look is much more Baby than AP.

Simple, wearable hair. Coco’s signature hairstyle is her cute blonde bob; give your hair a break from wigs, extensions, and heat tools and leave it down and natural, with perhaps just a spritz of spray-in conditioner for shine. Instead, put the focus on a really eye-catching headpiece or even a fabulous mini-hat.

Give Atelier Pierrot some love. Atelier Pierrot has always been a bit underloved outside of Japan compared to brands like Angelic Pretty and Baby the Stars Shine Bright. However, their pieces are always beautifully ornate and add an air of  decadence to any coordinate. If you don’t want to go completely Gothic Lolita in their fanciful bustle skirts and corset bodices, look for some of their accessories to wear with other brands: try wearing some of their pretty lace gloves to add a Classic touch to a Sweet outfit, or a ruffled choker to make a Classic outfit a little more ghostly.

I’m really in love with Coco’s mixture of playful china-doll simplicity and lavish Gothic decadence, and I'm looking forward to incorporating some of her style into my 2014 look. Don’t forget to check out some of Die Milch’s music on their new Youtube channel!

And if you're in the UK, you can buy Die Milch's album Metronom via Teatime Treasures!

With love,

Amelia

Images from Die Milch Official; cropped image from Dynamick on Deviantart under a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-No Derivative Works 3.0 License.