Welcome to 2013, Parfait Doll readers! As of this year, Parfait Doll (previously incarnated as Lolita Charm) will have been published online for five years! (Crazy talk, I know.) I spent winter break mostly curled up, snowed in, and spending lots of lazy time with my new boyfriend. When not in my pink nest of blankets and fuzzy socks, I loitered anywhere festively lit in New York City. We had a great time just walking down 5th Avenue a few weeks ago, taking in the holiday displays.

Now that I’m back at university for the spring semester, I’m ready to get back on schedule again with my life, and my blog. I’ve cleaned up my bedroom, my calendar, and my hair. I’ve started productive lists. Really.

So here is the illustrated guide of what I want to make out of my next year!

#1. Take more fashion risks.

Looking back on 2012, I am really pleased with most of the outfits I put together. There were no big oh-God-can’t-believe-I-wore-THAT moments like I’ve had in previous years. But I still feel there is a wide world of fashion I am shying away from, because lolita is my comfort zone. I’m so inspired by some of the new friends I’ve made in the past year, and new trends that have emerged that I’m dying to try. My 2013 fashion collage board is definitely getting its own future post – look forward to it!

(photos via Tumblr; upper left is Xiaxue I believe)

#2. Go pink for this year.

Okay, this one is kind of cheating, since I finally got my act together and got colored back to what I consider my “natural” color (natural state, maybe?) right after Christmas. I spent most of 2012 waffling around colorwise. I spent way too many hours hanging out playing mad color-scientist in my bathroom, trying to get my hair to look like whatever seemed coolest on Tumblr at the time. I went lavender, silver, pastel blue, pink dip-dye, and finally landed on platinum blonde since August. At the encouragement of my new boyfriend, I got pinked up in the last few weeks.

For those on the search for the right pink, I just started using Pravana and I’m really happy with the results. It’s a different shade than the usual bubblegum pink, but it’s been through six washings so far with little fade. This may be the mythical ‘permanent’ pink. It’s kind of thrilling – in a way unnatural hair girls alone will know – to get out of a hot shower with the same hair color.

#3. Make real steps (strokes?) to trying out mermaid-swimming for myself.

I started pining over real mermaids since last spring, particularly once I started following a few on Facebook. I’m excited to get myself a monofin to start with, and then get into easy beginner tails to start with. Not only will it be great exercise, I’m excited for some Traci-Hines inspired photoshoots – and maybe finally hitting up the Mermaid Parade this year in Coney Island!

My big idol is Mermaid Mizuko, as she’s also into Japanese fashion like gyaru. Make sure to check out her Facebook for some mer-eye-candy.

#4. Start journaling again.

I’m a serial journaler. I start journals, get gung-ho about doing them for a few weeks, then find that it’s collected dust and I feel awkward writing alongside my much-dorkier past-self from six months ago. So I buy a new journal. You know how some people start going-to-the-gym resolutions and then quit and feel too awkward to go back? I’m just like that. Except I’m realistic enough to know I’m never joining a gym, but I’m not realistic about my journaling endeavors. I’ve done every kind of journaling, from collage to paint to drawing. This time I’m trying to just write a page or half a page each day to keep on track.

I picked up the rose-patterned journal above at a Michaels’ Craftstore for only $3, and then slapped a random Angelic Pretty sticker on it. I know I always use cute things more!

#5. Take a self defense course.

As my Facebook friends may know, I had a rough spot on a recent afternoon out with some friends in Times Square a few days ago. To sum up my story, I was almost physically attacked because of the color of my hair. While I was ready for a fight if need be, I have to be conscious of the fact that I really don’t know what the hell I’d do in a serious physical altercation. My father always says its the size of the fight in the dog, not the dog in the fight, but the truth is I’m a 100 pound girl standing a little more than five feet. I am going to take control of my own safety, and to do that I’m looking for a good self-defense course in my area. If you have a favorite Connecticut defense class, hit me up! (Uhh… maybe that’s a bad pun.)

And those are just the big bullets on my list – not counting my resolutions to adventure more, be friendlier, meet new people, and have a chip-free manicure at least 80% of the time. I guess like all things, I’ll just have to add to the list as I go!

If you could do anything this year, what would it be? 2013 is a fresh year, live it as if anything can happen!