°˖✧✝ NYC’s BABY Store Opening Pt. 2 ✝✧˖°

This is a continuation of my post, °˖✧✝ NYC’s BABY Store Opening Pt. 1 ✝✧˖°. Please take a moment to read part 1 of this post here. 

By morning, I had my outfit finally sorted out. But with the constant second guessing, last minute preparations, and all of the little grooming in between, I made myself late for the train, which set me back about an hour later than I had scheduled. I was upset, but I let it go. I was more concern about the other Lolitas in my community that I would be letting down by arriving late. By the time I boarded the train to NYC, I was only preoccupied with getting to the store as soon as possible. However, my lack of experience with subways and unannounced detours made my hour and 30 minute trip into a daunting 3 hour one. I wasn't ready to give up, even though I was on my third attempt to find the right stop on a train that had as many variations as AP’s chocolate prints. But then, on my third try, out of nowhere, I saw a glint of a pink poof in the same train car as me and desperately maneuvered through the crowd of people to the layered mass. It was another Lolita, a Sweet one to my rescue! And she lived up to her Sweet Lolita persona. She was nice, generous, understanding, and just so sweet! Though, to my dismay, she was also lost (I couldn't catch a break)! But I knew I had more hope of finding the place with her. She didn't even think about it; she insisted on helping me.

My cute, pink savior! 

It took a few more tries on the subway, but we finally found the correct route to take us to the store thanks to the instruction of an insightful station worker at one of the stops. The situation was a bit funny too! We saw him and asked him for him for help with low expectations, but when we walked over to him, he stopped us and said, "You're Lolitas, right? Going to the BABY store? What you do is... and get off at... and then walk..." We were shocked that he even knew what we were and where we were going. When I asked him how he knew about the event, he told us that people who looked like us were coming through the stop all day asking for assistance. He also explained that the normal train we would have gotten on was on a different schedule because of detours in the line. My day ended up being composed of lucky coincidences, but I wasn't complaining.

The station worker's directions were correct and they got us there in no time. I was glad and it felt like the worse was over. I was finally there and a could bask in all of the Lolita glory. With only two blocks left to walk, I felt excited. By the last one, I could see the line. I could tell it was long, but my anticipation overshadowed that fact. When we reached the store's door, I was so amazed. Going down the line further, I was ecstatic. There were so many beautifully dressed Lolitas in such interesting outfits. Passing the midpoint of the line, I still wasn't able to see the line's end, but that didn't stop any of my enchantment. However, by time we arrived at the block's corner, we still weren't at the end, and reality started to sink in. Just what did I get myself into?!

All the way down the block (a NYC block, gosh those things are long) and around the corner, I stood waiting, taking everything in. I REALLY had no idea how many people planned on coming. Without any exaggeration, this was the longest line I ever had to wait in, but, honestly, it was also one of the most enjoyable. When I got the chance to sneak off the line, I had time to search for my friends and talk to some familiar faces, I even got the opportunity to take a few pictures with the other Lolitas there. I had to wait three hours to get into the store, but interacting with the people in the line seemed to be an even greater event than the store's opening.

I was standing next to this lovely Lolita in line. It was fun listening to her stories.
She said she was at the first Tokyo Rebel store opening. How cool is that?!
(Sorry for my sloppy purse. I have to be more mindful of these things.)  

The greatest thing that happen that day was me meeting my favorite Lolita blogger, Sheri.
Please go check out her blog! She's amazing. 

When I finally made it to the next group allowed to go in, it was still so crowed inside the store! There were people all over who were reminiscing over their Lolita memories from yester years, squealing from unexpected reunions, partaking in interviews, and combing through BABY's selection. All I wanted was an accessory in black (I wasn't throwing out the big bills that day). I could only afford two or three headdress. But to my dismay, there wasn't anything left in black. They completely cleaned out. Only the Sweet accessories remained. I was disappointed that I couldn't get what I wanted, but I was glad that it meant they were getting good business. The purchasing line wrapped around half of the store! When I would go back to look at a JSK, it'd be gone!

BONUS: It's hard to believe, but in a bizarre way, this was my luckiest day EVER. Not only was I fortunate to bump into a Lolita on the same train car as me and meet  the most positive and informative subway worker, but I was also the one who won the raffle to purchase BABY's La Marie Pure dress set! NO LIE! Like I said before, I didn't have a substantial amount of money, but when the sales worker came down the line recruiting people for the raffle, I signed it. Though, I only did it to show support. I never win at things like this and knew I would never be the one picked.

The dress on the left is the La Marie Pure dress set.
I could have been a perfect Lolita bride!
Source: BABY's NYC Blog 

You should have seen my face when she tracked me down in the store and told me I won! I was shocked, for sure, but I was more embarrassed than anything. There was no way I had enough funds to spend on the $1000 set. But the sales clerk insisted on helping me work out some sort of payment plan. I felt so bad having to turn her and the opportunity down so many times.

The funny thing, though, is when I called my mother to tell her what happen on the train ride back home, she yelled at me! She screamed, "You won a chance to buy a $1000 dress?! And you didn't take it?!!!" I mean, how was I supposed to know that she would help me pay for it? Oh, well. I just laughed and responded, "Yeah, maybe if it was in black."

°˖✧ 'Til Next Time