This fashion has inspired me to do so much with my life that I wouldn’t have done otherwise.
1.) Blog
If it weren’t for lolita fashion this blog wouldn’t exist!
2.) Sew
This one is a combo effort of both my interest in cosplay and lolita fashion, however the very first major sewing project I did was a questionable lolita dress
3.) Make Jewelry
I made some cute strawberry charms just last week!
4.) Care for my clothing
I’ve always been a bit of a chaos being but getting into a fashion that I loved has helped me value and care for things more than I did younger.
5.) Organize
I have discovered that I desire to have my space match the aesthetic more and being messy isn’t very lolita-like in my mind. It’s also just way more pleasant.
6.) Needle Tatting
I just learned how to do this yesterday and it is really fun, it’s still pretty rough though
7.) Embroidery
I have yet to apply this to any clothing making but I hope to in the future
8.) Baking
This is just an adorable hobby and I have been having a blast adding beginner foraging to it
9.) Makeup
I straight up looked like a clown in makeup before I started this fashion bless you all for teaching me
10.) Basic Hairstyling
I can now cut my hair confidently and do a whole range of hairstyles.
There’s an exceedingly simply answer to this question. It’s an individual who wears lolita fashion, but to those of us who hold our frills deep inside our hearts and consider ourselves to be lifestyle lolitas this question may be a lot more complex and hold different answers for each of us. I know it does for me. Ever since I was little I dreamed of being a lost princess and of fairytales. I romanticized everything and in the poetry I wrote people were transformed into royalty, flowers and gemstones. Everything was fantasy and fantastical to me long before I ever discovered what Lolita Fashion was. Sadly, no people from a tiny forgotten country came to inform me that I was in fact a princess. So when I saw Lolita Fashion in it’s most derivative form searching for a prom dress my junior year of high school. Something clicked. I ended down a rabbit hole of blogs and youtube channels with Parfaitdoll and FYeahLolita showing me the way. These resources aren’t nearly as active now as they were then but I still hold both of these blogs close to my heart. I watched Deerstalker Pictures and Pixielocks when she was still a Lolita herself. I still love watching PrincessPeachie even though she has largely traded her frills for the more comfortable fairy kei. This was a world that I immersed myself in and learned so much about and fell in love with.
The clothes themselves were beautiful and sparked joy in my heart but what was even more important to me then what the clothes looked like was what they meant. It was a way to assert my independence in a way that felt comfortable. I felt like myself when I wore them. It said to the world that I am feminine and I am strong and I control the image I have for myself. The frills spoke of the strength of the heroines in my fairytales and that that strength is inside of me as well. It showed me that I have the ability to achieve my goals in a way that makes sense for my life and in a way that isn’t defined by the others who are around me. At 22 years old, I still want to be a Princess as defined by virtue not birthright. I want to be kind, organized, responsible, and beautiful. There are so many beautiful bright princesses in the Lolita community that I adore and look up to. There are girls in my own comm that I admire with all my heart and the sense of community I have been blessed with in this fashion is incredible. I have so many wonderful women that I can turn to in a time of crisis or visit their animal crossing islands. It’s a group of individuals outside of my day to day interactions and that kind of connection has been truly precious to me.
There is also a magical and mundane aspect to me as well. Due to being in this community I have learned so many life skills I wouldn’t have learned without it. I learned more about sewing, cooking and baking. Things that should be basic life skills but don’t seem to come up very often. I learned more about music, poetry, other languages, how to budget, and how to write about my own experiences all because of this wonderful aesthetic that I am so delighted that I get to live in.
I think as time goes on what a Lolita is to me changes but at its core it remains similar. To be a Lolita is to be a modern day princess with all of the strength and courage that that implies. It’s to be able to stand on your own two feet and do what you love. Its being kind to others and taking care of your life while not sacrificing what makes you happy. It’s something that I truly love that in this lifetime I get to be.
Well, hello everyone! It’s been awhile. It’s actually a lot longer than I thought since I wrote a post on here. Well I have a lot more time now to work on this being home and since I looked up to so many blogs when I first got into Lolita fashion I don’t want this to become an abandoned project. There’s a lot going on in the world right now and for those of us who have been very active in our comms and lives now is a hard time. I have been doing somethings to get through it. Here’s some things I have been doing
I have been working on learning new hairstyles and pin curl sets. I personally think pin curls go really well with lolita fashion but that may just be me
A pin curl set I tried out last night!
The results!
My first attempt at a hair flower, I don’t know why my hair was so frizzy that dayMuch more successful hair flowers on my sister’s head
I have had a lot of fun also watching other peoples content and practicing Ballet. I’m really thankful my studio went online. If you have a local studio they may be offering classes at a discount on Zoom! I recommend it especially if you feel like you’re starting to go stir crazy.
I also highly recommend pulling out your fancy teacups and having mini tea parties. I did one yesterday. One girl in my comm is doing it about everyday! Also almost my entire comm has been playing animal crossing it’s been fun getting to visit everyone’s islands
my animal crossing house!
I’m also getting a chance to get back on top of my social medias and do things like update this blog!
I hope to do some more things like do my nails, have a virtual tea party with my comm and try to responsibly pad out my wardrobe on lacemarket. I am fortunate to still have an income coming in
Thank you all for reading! See you guys next Monday!
One of my new years resolutions is to buy clothing more sustainably where I can, I’m aiming for better not perfect. It got me thinking about how I interact with Lolita fashion and where I think that Lolita engenders itself to being sustainable and where it doesn’t. The first point for lolita being more sustainable is that it is not at all a fast fashion, and individuals typically treasure the items they collect. Unfortunately also due to this Lolita Fashion is inherently a little materialistic and finding out where japanese companies produced their items can be next to impossible to figure out. With all of this in mind I’ve made an actionable plan to help increase my ability to be more sustainable while enjoying the fashion I love
1.) Mend and Alter my Clothes
This is also great for saving money! As you aren’t going to be buying a new blouse every time it has a small stain. The egl livejournal memories although they aren’t very active anymore are still a great resource for lolita specific repairs. Learning how to treat specific stains, sew and tailor will be great life skills in general, help keep things from becoming throwaway items and save you money! It’s really a win- win. Learning how to alter your clothes can also allow you to make them more fashionable! I have a large bust, so my blouses usually create the dreaded boob loaf.
Here’s my most recent ProjectThe replacement laceBack Panels I added to make it fit
2.) Buying from Independent Designers!
For me personally buying from independent designers helps alleviate a lot of the worry I have even buying from big brand houses. In most causes the person or small group you’re buying from are the people who made it! I’m looking forward to some planned purchases I have on Etsy from independent designers I’ll be reviewing on here. However, I have heard word that Glitter Tale and Lady Sloth are amazing independent brands. In fact Lady Sloth actually was the creator of one of my dream dresses! Spooky Macarons! Another benefit to buying from independent designers is that many of them nowadays have plus size or custom size options
3.) Buy Secondhand
I already do this quite frequently but buying secondhand is a surefire way to make sure that your money is going into the pocket of another lolita and you know that it’s getting it’s full use. I personally use Lacemarket due to it’s ease and policies however if you’re braver than me you could give ordering from Closet Child a go.
4.) Appreciate the Pieces I Already Own
I finally organized my closet last week and I realized. I own far more pieces than I give myself credit for. It can be really easy to be swept up in all of the new releases but take a moment to shop your own closet, try new ways of coording things before springing for new releases. Also almost everything pops back up on the secondhand market and by then you’ll know if you truly want it or not. This is one of the best ways to be more sustainable is to consume less. Of course with Lolita this is a challenge since there are many layers and pieces involved.I think focusing on your workhorse pieces, like blouses, socks, and shoes, can truly make your closet more versatile.
I have a 34H cup chest currently so it makes it pretty difficult to find dresses and blouses in my size and have them flatter me. So if you are also in this boat, here’s some advice!
I am a bit like Alice, I give myself very good advice but I very seldom follow it. So if there is a dress you love, and you like how it looks, rock it! This is just what I find works best when I feel like putting in the extra effort.
1.) Bodices are your friend
I find the extra space allowed by the more 3 dimensional nature of the bodice block has created my most flattering and comfortable dresses. Empire waists often cut my bust off at the bottom and creates a bit of a bizzare effect.
2.) A-Line silhouettes are the most flattering
This is an old standby that I found when searching for tips for busty lolitas when I was first starting out and it is definitely true if you’re trying to do as little compensating elsewhere. However, you shouldn’t limit yourself to only half of the silhouette! There are ways to be the frilly cupcake of your dreams
3.) For Bell Shaped silhouettes drop waists and thick waist bands are your friend
This is what I have found helps, having that break between the poof and your bust creates a better silhouette and helps accentuate your waist more. I’m a strong believer that you can wear whatever shapes or colors you want, you may just need to modify it if you desire to fit into the mainstream aesthetic.
4.) Buy clothes that will fit your measurements (Actually fits, not just fits by the grace of those above)
This is the part where I say I very seldom follow my own advice. This one is probably the hardest because it may limit your wardrobe and what you can buy realistically. However, you will feel so much better in clothes that fit and not having breathing make a button go flying. (I have actually had this experience)
5.) High Neck Blouses are pretty great
I struggle to have my normal necked ops not turn into accidental ero lolita coords due to the copious amounts of cleavage that will occur whether I want it to or not. Blouses that can button all the way to the neck and can be layered even under OPs will help extend your wardrobe greatly.
Well, I’ve started a few Lolita blogs that never really took off, I have a hard time figuring out what to write and doing it consistently so I’ve decided this time that I’ll start from the beginning. My love affair with Lolita Fashion began when I first started looking for a prom dress, I remember being on the computer in the family living room late at night after my family had long gone to bed. I was looking through so many dresses that I didn’t like and so many with bizarre cut outs and silhouettes that I didn’t love, and then I laid my eyes upon it. A single simple black dress on ebay, it had an a-line shape with a ruffle on the hem, puffed sleeves a sweetheart neckline and a bow on the waistline. It was cheap and satiny and I have to admit I absolutely loved it! The style was so simple and elegant and touched some feeling within me that clothing had never elicited from me before. For me, Lolita Fashion all of a sudden transformed into a way I could form an identity for myself. Yes, the clothes were beautiful but for me it was never purely about clothes even in the beginning. When I looked at those clothes I saw a version of myself I could love. I saw the beautiful princess that I could transform into. An elegant lady who was feminine, kind, competent, and a leader. I saw in these clothes everything I wanted to be.
When I was younger, I always felt torn in my identity. I grew up in a split family, and in some ways it made my life difficult. In others it’s been fantastic, I mean I have 4 parents and all of the pros and cons that go with that. I got lots of extra love and lots of conflicting expectations, and as I began to grow into a young lady these expectations were put into sharp relief with one another, especially in the examples of what womanhood should be. For one mother it was putting me in makeup far outstripping my age and making me look far too sexual for a 14 year old in my opinion, in the other it was an intense revulsion to makeup or anything too feminine and it led me to a lot of confusion. I didn’t truly identify with the more masculine presenting femininity which is very common today. I respected it and loved that many women in my family found self love within that but for me I couldn’t. I also didn’t identify with the hypersexualized feminity that was presented to me at my other home, so when I looked at lolita fashion it almost felt like a salvation, an answer to the things I had been questioning and longing for for such a long time. Finally, I thought to myself. I can feel like a woman and have no shame feeling that.
I’m grateful for my discovery of lolita fashion for many reasons. In many ways I believe it taught me how to be a woman. I learned to put makeup on that didn’t look like a clown had done it from the lovely ladies I learned from and looked up to. I finally learned how to match colors in an outfit. (As a child I believed neon green and purple went together because I wanted to look like a Decepticon.) I also learned the things I did and didn’t want to be. In Lolita I idolize the fairy tale type of Princess, the type that is kind, beautiful, and brave and I strive to be that. It’s an inspiration I take to heart. Fashion wise, the road has been a bit bumpy and I’m still learning, as I have been a student this whole time some of my resources have been limited. So, I wasn’t nearly as pic happy then but I’ll show you some of my first coords I have pics of.
So my very first coord wasn’t too bad! I was super proud to show off my first piece of lolita clothing, a FanPlusFriend Tardis skirt. As I am a huge fan of Doctor Who and it seemed a good way to introduce the clothes to my family
I was so proud of that tiny top hat I made! It’s not the best quality because I made it out of cardboard and scrap velvet. However, because of that hat, I am still a huge fan of those tiny hats and you all can fight me on it. 😛 I suppose they hold such a huge place in my heart because that hat was made the night I found out that my grandmothers cancer was untreatable and going on livejournal and finding that old tutorial and busily working on it till the wee hours of the morning was all I could do to keep from breaking down.
This picture was just not lolita at all! I only owned one outfit and this was my best attempt at a second outfit. Although this pic isn’t the most flattering of me, this outfit actually helped me get the majority of my wardrobe! A lovely girl in my comm was selling a large chunk of her wardrobe and she custom selected a lot of my current wardrobe from the colors I used! This is now the pallette of my gothic wardrobe!
Ever since I started Lolita it has been close to my heart, it may fade a bit at times, however when times get tough it is always something I can lean on and look to to get through it. In fact I have been looking to it recently as my mental health has been suffering a bit. That aspiration to transform into the person I know I can be. Thank you all for reading the first post on this blog and I hope you’ll come back to read more
Luna By The Lake With Cake 