A Victorian Weekend in Detroit

So, firstly, sorry for delay in posting (I've been trying to post twice a week- mid-week and on the weekend).
It was because of my mini-trip to Detroit, Michigan over the weekend.
This is what I wore on the plane and on Saturday. I love this new bodyline JSK, but it has extremely stretchy shirring! I can pull it over my hips without unzipping it. I also cut my hair and redyed my black stripes recently as well, as you can see.

I was expecting to just have a little visit with my grandparents, to celebrate Thanksgiving with them early as I will be remaining in Baltimore for my mothers wedding this coming week, but all in all it ended up being quite a loli-appropriate time!

First, we visited Greenfield Village on Saturday. I used to go all the time as a child, I was a little history buff even back then! My fondest memory is going on a day tour for little girls sponsored by the American Girl doll Samantha (the Edwardian/Victorian one!). If I lived in Detroit still I would love to host a meetup there! Maybe Michigan lolitas do actually, I have no idea. Anyway, it is an outdoor museum created by Henry Ford that showcases historical buildings, vehicles, machines, and artifacts from around the world. The buildings are completely authentic, and have been moved in piece by piece, like Robert Frost's home or the Wright Brother's bike shop. Many of buildings are from the Victorian era and other time periods of commonly of interest to lolitas.

My favorites are the Victorian hat shop and jewelry store, the 100 year old carousel (it's the only one in existance that has a green frog), and Coswold Cottage (beautiful English cottage made of stone, it's one of the oldest buildings in the village and looks like a tiny castle!).

At the giftshop, there were all sorts of adorable things, handmade things, nice smelling things... in the end, I purchased a lovely girly style t-shirt with a chandelier screenprint with tiny rhinestones on the tips. It was on clearance, which makes it even better.

I love visiting my grandparent's house. It's not only full of Finnish artifacts and keepsakes (and my grandfather's archives of the only Finnish American newpaper), but also many beautiful family photos and furniture from the turn of the century. I am fascinated by old photographs, it's amazing to see what people actually looked like, unbiased in a way paintings are not. Here are some of photos of my great grandmother on my grandmary's bureau.

Fun fact: my two great great great uncles and my great great grandfather died on the Titanic. My grandmary loves to show off the ship's log with their names. I also have a great uncle who was a lion tamer...
On Sunday, we went to an estate sale and I found a beautiful hand mirror for my collection and a lovely but very large frame. Both were $12! I left Sunday night to return to Charm City and my two kittens (who are currently perched regally on either arm of the sofa, like gargoyles but adorable and fuzzy).

On a final note, to anyone who plans to travel by air whilst in lolita, prepare to be patted down! I like to wear my pettis to avoid smooshing them into a bag, and I was targeted for my crinoline both directions of the trip (not that I can entirely blame them, it would be pretty easy to smuggle something under there).
I'll post something more interesting after the holiday, I promise!