A Three-in-one Blog Post!

First of all, Happy New Year everyone! Second, here are the Lolita clothes I got for Christmas this year! :D

I also recieved another jumperskirt but I couldn't take a very good picture of it, and two pairs of lace gloves - one pair in white and one pair in black. I got other non-Lolita things as well, long story short I loved everything!

Lastly, I am thinking of introducing something new to my blog this year called Week of Lolita. What this will be, is for one week ( Maybe one week a month, maybe one week a year, or maybe frequently, I'm not sure yet. ) I will take pictures of the Lolita coordinate that I plan to wear that day and then say what experiences I had while wearing it. I hope this will help newer Lolitas to see what it's like in the life of someone who wears the fashion frequently, and hopefully even answer some things they may be wondering or calm some fears about wearing it out in public once they see it really isn't so hard after all! Feel free to tell me what you think of this idea.

What do you hope to accomplish this year?

Bullying and the Lolita Community

I'm sure you've all heard of the Lolita hate "communities" out there. You know, where you can go and either anonymously bully other Lolitas back into submission, or gang up on them and do it all together. Hmmm...cowardly much? Then again, that's what bullies are, cowards.
I'm sick and tired of all the immature hatred that is going around, and I'm just going to be completely frank about it.

First of all, if you've ever been bullied by other Lolitas ( Or anyone for that matter ), don't worry about it. Everyone has made mistakes, INCLUDING those who have the nerve to bully others for making mistakes, and no one has the right to tell anyone else they aren't worthy of being a Lolita because of it. Don't let their "lolier than thou" attitude get to you and don't be afraid to try new things, at the end of the day your opinions matter just as much as theirs.

Second, if you yourself have a problem with another Lolita, just talk to THEM about it. There is no need to publicly humiliate them, it won't make the situation better and it certainly won't make you feel any better. It's not wrong to disagree with someone else or dislike something that they said or did, but bullying is wrong. You never know who might be struggling in real life - regardless of what they've done no one deserves to be bullied and hated, especially for things as trivial as a fashion and the internet.

Third, I'm not trying to pretend to be perfect myself, it's not as though I've never said a cruel word to someone else, but I've regretted it and so will anyone else who does the same thing. Sooner or later, you will regret it, and they will resent you for it. It won't get you anywhere either, would you listen to someone who humiliated and criticized you harshly? No, you wouldn't. There's a reason people are willingly to accept constructive criticism and not harsh criticism. If you want to tell someone that you feel they have done something wrong, do it nicely and you will get a million times farther than you would being hateful towards them.

And lastly, like I said, I'm not trying to pretend I myself am perfect. I don't wish to preach, I simply, like many others, wish for an end to the hatred of our own Lolita kind.

If you TL;DR - Practice what you learned in Kindergarten and treat others how you would like to be treated, because we've ALL made dumb mistakes.

Poupee Girl ♥

I just made a Poupee Girl account! I've added the widget to my blog so now you can see it on the left. I've always loved dress up games and dolls, and since Poupee Girl has Lolita clothes for your virtual doll, it's the perfect thing for me! I'm procrastinating on taking pictures of most of my clothes until after Christmas. lol

How Lolita Changed Me

I should have done this on International Lolita day, I'm sorry!

Anyway, I really think God has put Lolita fashion in  my life for a reason. This fashion has definitely changed me - for the better. Before I found Lolita fashion I dabbled in various other styles, I liked them but it still felt like a part of me, my style, was missing. Self expression through fashion is important to me, it always has been, but nothing really fit until the day I discovered Sweet Lolita. The fashions I'd tried out before are probably what gave me the confidence to try wearing Lolita, I was pretty much used to being given weird looks. The first time I tried on my first outfit ( the pictures of which I look at and cringe today ) I finally felt like this was me, this was what I was created to wear, I'd finally found my style! From that day forth, I never felt right wearing anything else. I was far more into vintage clothing as well, and now I pay more attention to the little details in my outfit than I ever did before. Lolita has made me more responsible as well, I started earning a bit of money doing chores for my parents and saved it up until I had enough to buy what I'd been saving up for. Before Lolita, I didn't really save my money at all, I just went out and shopped. Lolita has definitely taught me patience as well as hard work, it has raised my confidence and allowed me to overcome some things I didn't think I could. I'm very thankful for this fashion and also thankful for my family supporting me becoming a Lolita.

How has Lolita changed you?

Christmas!

My house is all decorated, I'm done Christmas shopping ( Unless I decide to spend some more next time I get some more money, which I probably will. ;) ) and all my gifts are all wrapped up. That's definitely a record for me!

I absolutely adore the Christmas season, it never fails to brighten up my mood no matter how the year has been going. The Christmas decorations around my house and in every store you go to, the beautiful songs like 'Carol of the bells', sitting around the fire with your family drinking cocoa, I love it all. But oddly enough the thing I'm looking forward to the most this year is all of the things I get to wear now that it's getting cold enough! Those of you from warmer places like I'm from can understand that, normally it's far to warm to wear anything more than the simplest Lolita that borders on casual, for me anyway. I'm really looking forward to wearing the ton of sweaters I got from my grandmother, as well as just about everything else I've been missing out on all year. I'm especially looking forward to whatever snow we might get!

So, what's your favorite thing about the holiday season?

What to expect your first time out in Lolita

So you have your first Lolita outfit - feeling a bit nervous about wearing it out in public? Don't be! While your experience will vary depending on where you live and who you meet while you're out as well as where you go, here are the basics of what to expect as well as a few tips.

1. People will stare.

This is normal and to be expected wearing any fashion different from the norm.

2. People will feel the need to comment on what you are wearing.

Most people will probably not comment at all, most of the ones who do comment will probably say nice things and all of the ones who say mean things aren't worth your time or effort. Just stay confident, mean people are usually cowards and will be intimidated, therefore leaving you alone.

 3. Don't be surprised if people ask to take your picture - or do so without asking at all.

Consider the first a compliment, if they are impressed enough to ask you for a picture it probably means you look pretty good! As for the second, you don't have to put up with that, it's an invasion of privacy. Either confront them or block them from being able to take your picture with something like a parasol or a friend. If they make you feel threatened tell a police officer, harassment is against the law no matter what you're wearing.

4. If you're wearing a tulle petticoat, it will deflate. 

Specifically, it will deflate in the back from you sitting on it while wearing Lolita. This can be temporarily fixed by starching it or avoided completely ( So I've heard ) by wearing a crinoline petticoat.

Tips

• Bring a friend or two. You'll feel a lot less nervous and will be able to focus more on having fun that what other people are thinking about you.
• If you plan on doing a lot of walking around, leave the heels at home. Trust me, it will save your feet some pain. If you really have to wear them, try using gel insoles.
• Don't snap at anyone who stares at you, they probably know nothing about the fashion and are simply curious about you. 
• Just have fun wearing what you like!

Good Enough

Everywhere you look, perfection is the standard of what a person should be. Mainstream society and even subcultures have developed an image of what perfection is, for the Lolita it is looking just like a porcelain doll and for other girls it may be looking like a Barbie doll. It's not just the image either, it's everything down to whether or not your own beliefs will offend someone else's.

This isn't something we should just sit back and allow. No one will ever be "good enough", because we won't ever be perfect. I hope everyone out there realizes that. Why? Because you're probably judging yourself by that same standard, too. I do it all the time, every day, I'm sure most of you do too, to think thoughts like "Maybe I shouldn't wear Lolita today, my hair doesn't look just right." or to wonder why you're even going to bother trying to do something great because there will always be someone out there better, smarter or prettier than you. Everyone makes mistakes no matter how much we try to deny it or cover it up, even the people you look at and wonder "How can he/she be so perfect?". I've finally come to a realization, and that is that I don't need anyone else's permission to be myself loud and proud.

And neither do you.

My mom always used to say to me that someone is going to find something to tease you about no matter what you do. So why even bother trying to please everyone? Go ahead and try, try to become whatever it is you feel led to become, be aware that people will always attempt to bring you down but in the end they can't stop you.

Lolita Christmas Gifts on a Budget

I have finally succumb to the Christmas spirit. Every year I try to make it wait until December, but starting this year I think I'll just give up and feel Christmas-y starting in November!

So, I've decided to make a list of some Christmas gift ideas that would be good to give to your fellow Lolitas aside from the obvious like dresses. :) It includes links for examples and ideas. :P Some ideas are obviously better for different types of Lolitas ( Classic, Gothic, ect. ).

• Handmade gifts - they are very special, even if you can only make something small like a headdress.
• A manicure set.
• Cute jewelry and hair accessories from places like Claires.
• Different flavors of tea.
• An awesome pair of headphones like these ( Or you can make a cute pair ).
• Socks! You can never have too many pairs.
• Awesome cell phone decorations.
• A beautiful journal.
• Adorable erasers.
• Cute stuffed animals.
• Candy and other sweet treats.
• Lolita books or magazines.
• Make a scrapbook featuring pictures of her, the two of you or your entire group in Lolita ( If you have one ).
• Vintage accessories are great for Classic Lolitas, you can find them at a local garage sale.
• A porcelain doll or something for her BJD, if she has one.
• Alice in Wonderland - The book or one of the movies.
• Decorations for her room if she has a specific theme to it.

 Well that's all I can come up with for now, hope it helps!

Lolita becoming... mainstream?

This may be an old topic but I'm going to discuss it anyways because some people still have an issue with this.

As Lolita gains popularity and even celebrities try out the fashion, there has always been a fear among Lolitas of the fashion becoming... *gasp* MAINSTREAM.  I find this fear ridiculous.

Our Lolita world will not be destroyed if more people gain interest in the fashion. For those of you worried about more "itas" walking around, how well did you dress when you tried on your first fashion? I wince to look at pictures of myself in my first Lolita outfit, not a bad attempt but not true Lolita. As for the fear of posers, how can we know someone's true intentions by a glance? It's like seeing a Goth who happens to be hanging out at the mall and labeling them a mall Goth immediately, especially when they shop at Hot Topic. What a crime, actually finding good clothes and accessories at the mall. I came across this link today through a list of Lolita tutorials, it's a very old thread but it still made me angry. To think we should have the powers to pick and choose who is "worthy" of Lolita is laughably ridiculous. What are we becoming, Lolita hipsters?

If Lolita became "mainstream", I think that would be a good thing. As it is, anyone who wishes to join the fashion has the freedom to do so, so why would we want to start limiting that freedom if it became more popular? Because it would be less unique? Ladies, think about it. We're already wearing a fashion that lots of other people in other countries are wearing. It's not that unique, and honestly I'm going to be a bit blunt here, if you're only wearing the fashion to be "different" from the mainstream ( by wearing a fashion that other people are already wearing, hmmm... not that different after all. ) then I don't see that as a very good reason to wear Lolita at all.


If Lolita became mainstream, it would be more widely available. A lot of Lolitas budgets would be thankful for that, I know mine would, and a lot more people would be introduced to this wonderful fashion that we already know and love. What would be so wrong with that? We've already found happiness with this fashion, why keep that happiness all to ourselves? Not to mention you could walk down the street in Lolita and get a lot less odd stares.

There might be a lot more "itas" walking around, but you know, that's what the internet is for. They'd be bound to see all the different Lolita guides and tutorials here and even if they didn't follow them, would the rise of itas really make the true Lolitas go into hiding or something? I doubt it. We don't want people to judge us unfairly for what we wear, why do the same thing to someone else?

So now I've put my two cents in about that. And I'm wondering how a hipster Lolita coordinate would look...

Bodyline Soft Cream Skirt Review

Sorry I haven't posted in awhile, I've been waiting for my skirt to get here! It's Bodyline's Soft Cream skirt in blue.

Excuse the first two pics, it had just arrived when I was on my way somewhere so I took a couple of pictures in the car before I rather impatiently ripped the package open to get to my skirt.

I have to say, I'm hesitant to order from AIR shipping again. The package thankfully arrived okay, but it was stuffed in my mailbox and it had a couple rips in it, plus they wouldn't update the tracking thing to let me know where my package was so I didn't even know if it was going to get here at all which really frustrated me. I think I might just spare the extra money and order from EMS next time...

I love Bodyline's packaging. <3 So the skirt inside was perfectly fine, and it came with a little bow as usual which I completely forgot to take pictures of. ( But it was fine too. ) Sorry about that!

Here is the skirt after it was brought home and ironed, and here are some close up shots of the skirt and the waist ties for details.

I absolutely love the print and the lace is definitely better than Bodyline's usual lace quality. I am extremely pleased with this skirt but the shipping is a different story.

So that's my review and I hope you enjoyed it!

When is Lolita fashion inappropriate?

This is a question that has been asked many times by many different Lolitas.
There are many different answers, but here is my opinion on it.

When Lolita is inappropriate 

• At work: Some Lolitas will claim that Lolita is ALWAYS inappropriate at work. I disagree, I believe it is only inappropriate at work if your boss doesn't allow it. If you ask to wear Lolita or a more toned down version of Lolita and your boss allows it, then of course you can wear it - but always get their permission first.
• School: This just depends on your school rules and whether or not you can handle or want to handle wearing Lolita every day, as not only is it an attention grabbing fashion whether you intend it to be or not, but it can be hard wearing it all day every day too. Sometimes it just isn't the most comfortable fashion in the world.
• Funerals: Unless the funeral is for a Lolita, I wouldn't wear Lolita to a funeral, and even if it was for a Lolita I would only consider wearing Gothic or Kuro Lolita if I were to wear it at all. Funerals are about remembering the person who died, just be respectful of that.
• Family Reunions: This just depends on your family and where they are meeting at. I would just go for a more toned down Lolita style if you do decide that it's appropriate to wear. 

Those are the only things I can think of where it might not be appropriate to wear Lolita, but above all just use your common sense. For example, I'm sure that everyone knows Lolita is inappropriate in some situations just because of practicality - jeans and a t-shirt are more appropriate for volunteer work than Lolita fashion. It's really not that hard to determine where to wear Lolita and where not to wear it, but I hope this helps. :)


P.S.  I've just decided to simply respond to comments in the blog post itself, because no matter what I try I just can't respond any other way. So yeah.

Edit - Scratch that, I just found out a way to make it work! Finally! lol

Straw hats

Now as you probably all know by now, I'm mainly a Sweet Lolita. But, I do love a lot of the other kinds of Lolita also, such as Classic and Country, and thanks to my grandmother I have started a little collection of elegant straw hats.

Also - The comments still aren't working for me, I can't respond no matter what I try so I'm sorry about that... I will keep trying to get the darn thing to work! :) 

Handmade bows

I made these bows awhile ago and have been procrastinating on taking pictures of them and putting them on my blog ever since. So here you go! Just some cute little bows that I made. They're definitely not perfect but I have a very limited experience with sewing, so they aren't that bad either.

I began making bows and then just putting them on head bands like most Lolita bows, if you're wondering why I put it to the side instead of in the middle, I just think that looks better on me.

Here's a close up.

Then I started making other bows and just attaching them to plain little metal hair barrettes you can get at any craft store.

So yeah, I've been thinking about doing a tutorial on how to make these, they're really simple and they'd make a great accessory for any Lolita, especially a Lolita on a budget ( Like me. :) ) but I'm not to sure about it, so if you would like a tutorial on how to make these simple bows, just post a comment. If you have any constructive criticism please post that too. ^_^ Sorry for the crappy phone pics, btw.

Courage

I'm back from my super-short hiatus! Ha, just a day later... *blush* I really thought I'd need more time to feel well enough to update  my blog after the emotional stress I've been under lately. Guess I bounce back pretty fast. o_o"

Anyways, I want to talk about something that really, really bugs me.

I really dislike it when people say "I love Lolita fashion, and I would wear it, but I live in ___. If I wanted to wear Lolita, I'd have to move to Japan!" Oh, really? Lolita is a growing fashion trend, more and more people know about it every day, and there are lots of Lolitas in countries other than Japan, and even in Japan, Lolitas are a minority. So if you feel that you can't wear Lolita because you don't live in Japan, let me ask you this - ...Who's stopping you? The answer is simple, ( Unless you happen to be under eighteen and your parents are stopping you, but I've covered this topic in the past and I might do that again in the future. ) you are the only one preventing yourself from wearing what you want to. No, it's not the person who might make fun of you, or glare at you, or laugh at you, it's you. I've said it before and I'll say it again, being a Lolita takes courage. Lots of Lolitas, absolutely no better than you are, wear Lolita regularly or perhaps even every day in places where it may not be socially accepted. They do not possess some sort of magical ability that allows them to wear the fashion without being stared at or mocked, they are people just like you. From my own experience, it's not nearly as bad as all the horror stories you might hear about Lolitas getting harassed, those are rare occurrences. Usually ( Again, from my own experiences. ) people will either simply stare, or actually go up to you and compliment you on what you are wearing!

So which would be worse, taking a little chance and wearing what makes you happy regardless of who might dislike it, or changing yourself to fit into societies little cookie cutter mold of what a girl like you should be? Which will make you happy? Just think about it.

Taking a small break.

I'm talking a small break for personal reasons. I don't wish to say why but I would appreciate prayers. I probably won't be gone for very long, so just bear with me please.

Just so everyone knows...

I am a Christian. Why am I saying this on a blog that's meant for talking about fashion - Lolita in particular? Well, I just feel like God has put it on my heart to say this. I'm not one to keep my religion to myself, I'm not scared of telling the truth, and I'm not about to hide who I am.

So, I'm just saying this so everyone knows it and there is no doubt - I am a Christian, I believe there is one God and only one way to heaven through him. I don't doubt that someone is bound to dislike me saying this, but I don't really care. Being a Christian is a huge part of who I am and I feel like I would be hiding who I am if I didn't make it clear to everyone.

Now that I've gotten that off my chest, here is a picture of a cat dancing.

 

Also, I have noticed the comments on my blog and I have tried to respond to them, but for some reason my comments aren't showing up. Sorry about that, I'll try to fix it. 

Why I love Lolita Fashion.

There isn't just one reason for me to say why exactly I love this fashion that's so far from the mainstream and the everyday. I can't just say, "I love it because it's so ___".

This may sound completely ridiculous to some of you, but I love it because, well... I feel like it's a part of me that I was missing before. Yes, that's crazy, Lolita has no magical powers or anything like that, it's just clothes. I know. But I really feel that way.

After discovering Lolita, if I can't wear Lolita out when I go somewhere for any reason, I have a hard time deciding what to wear. I just don't feel like myself in anything else.  I'll be completely honest, I want to always be wearing Lolita. Of course that's not always practical and I won't always be wearing Lolita, but it's definitely a goal of mine to go at least one week wearing only Lolita fashion.

A lot of girls see Lolita as a sort of escapism, some girls just wear it because they like it, some girls have a Lolita lifestyle, there's nothing wrong with any of those things. Personally, I like it for a lot of reasons.

The Freedom

Living in the modern day society where anything out of the norm is basically shunned and the people who aren't ordinary are "freaks", the freedom of being able to wear a dress featuring teddy bears or unicorns or basically anything you want is very refreshing. Honestly, I feel like - "Yes, I'm dressed like a doll and wearing a giant bow on my head. So what, I'm a Lolita!" Isn't that just an amazing feeling? To know that you are dressed out of the ordinary and that people are probably staring... but not to care?

The Self Expression

I consider this a bit different from just the freedom of wearing Lolita, the freedom to me is basically how good it feels to be able to wear something you know is outrageous without caring, the self expression part is actually wearing what expresses your unique personality. Which, yeah, is pretty different than just wearing clothes different from the mainstream just for the sake of being "different". If we all did that, we wouldn't be very different, now would we? ;)
Anyways, I am a girl who loves...well...everything cute! I want to express that, I want to express my love of teddy bears and unicorns and Alice in Wonderland, ect. ect. Lolita gives me a chance to do that! When I'm in a different mood, I can dress Country, Gothic, Punk, you name it. I love all the different types of Lolita and the fact that you can put your love of just about anything into a Lolita outfit and therefore, express yourself!

The Modesty

Lolita is inherently modest, and you know what? I love that about it! Some people seem to think that you could never get a date while wearing a fashion like Lolita. I for one wouldn't want to date a guy who only likes me based on how I dress. You don't have to wear revealing clothes to be attractive, and it certainly doesn't show much respect for your own body not to have any privacy. I'm not advocating the harassment of women who do dress that way, not at all, regardless of how someone is dressed you shouldn't harass them. I'm just saying that beauty is not measured by how little clothing you are wearing, and I think Lolita fashion proves that!

Dressing up

Sometimes I don't like to take the time to put the clothes on, fix my hair, put on makeup, do my nails, ect. but on the other hand, it can be really fun just taking some time to pamper yourself. In a society that makes loving yourself seem selfish, it's fun just to get away from all of that and just to have fun dressing up like a princess or a doll or whatever you want to be! Which leads me to...

The Fantasy

A lot of girls feel like princesses while wearing Lolita, or they just feel powerful. Or both! I've heard it said that Lolita clothing is a Lolita's armor, with it she can go out into the world and conquer anything! That's how I feel about it. When I wear it, I feel strong. I feel like nothing can hurt me. Lolita is a form of escapism for many girls, or a shield of armor. It takes strength to be a Lolita, to overcome the fear that people will laugh at your or not take you seriously. Lolita pretty much is a strength, and for some girls, it's a fantasy and a means of escaping reality for awhile, a sanctuary. I guess there is a bit of "magic" in Lolita after all!


Well I guess that pretty much covers it. Aside from the obvious of course - I like how it looks. That right there is a good enough reason to wear it. lol But that's not the only reason I wear it so I thought I'd list all of them.
Why do you like Lolita fashion?

Dress up!

We all know that Lolita fashion resembles the look of a porcelain doll ( usually ), right? And how fun is it to dress up an adorable little doll in frills and lace? Unfortunately, BJDs are very expensive and not every Lolita can afford one. Myself, for example.

So I go to the next best thing, dress up games! 

Here are some Lolita dress up games that I like to play!

Goth Loli dress up game - This is the game the above image is taken from. I love all of the options you can choose from and the music is lovely.

Lolita dress up game by Queen of Dorks - I found this game through Parfaitdoll ( Formerly known as Lolita Charm. ) and I love it, the music is adorable as is the cute chibi character you get to dress up! This creative little game also has a lot of different clothing to choose from, which makes it one of my favorite dress up games.

Sweet Lolita dress up - This one is so adorable!

Lolita friends dress up game - Very cute, you get to dress up a Gothic Lolita and a Sweet Lolita. Nice music, too!

Decololi dress up game - In this game you get to choose the color and pattern of your clothes.

Sweet Lolita dress up game - This is also one of my favorites! Not a lot of options, but the clothes are so cute!

Gothic Lolita maker - Very elegant, one of the first Lolita dress up games I came across.

So, what's your favorite dress up game?

P.S. Sorry I haven't posted anything in awhile, I've been sick and otherwise just not feeling very well so I decided to take a small break from blogging. I'm feeling better now though so I'll be writing on a regular basis again!

Nails!

I love painting and decorating my nails ( I'm not very good at it, but that's beside the point! ), what Lolita doesn't? But my nails aren't nearly as strong as I want them to be, and the cuticles? They can be a pain. So in my search for something to help with both problems, I discovered something I honestly didn't think would work at first, a cheap cuticle pen by E.L.F.

I was amazed at how well it worked on my cuticles, in just one use they looked far better than they had before! A plus was that it didn't smell bad, in fact I couldn't even smell it at all. Using this pen, you'll probably still need to push your cuticles back, but it definitely helps with dry cuticles. I've been using it on my whole nail and with the actual nail itself, I honestly haven't noticed any difference, but it's definitely working well on my cuticles, pretty good for something that's only a dollar!

Staying Inside the Lines

When you are young, you are taught that you can be whoever you want to be. Follow your dreams! Don't be afraid to be who you really are! As you grow older however, you are expected to be just like everyone else.

Where does this change come? At what point is it decided that since you are no longer young enough, you can't dress a certain way, think a certain way, or have fun like you used to? No more dressing in cute clothes, you have to dress sexy. No more playing, daydreaming or pretending, imagination is to childish for you now. When you turn eighteen, do your interests magically change into something more "mature" and socially acceptable? No. And it sounds ridiculous to think they do, doesn't it?

Of course your tastes will probably change as you grow older. You will lose interest in certain things and gain interest in others, that's only natural. But what if someone still likes a lot of the things they used to as a little girl? Is that so bad? Does it really make them immature to still have their collection of stuffed animals, or enjoy climbing trees, or playing with dolls, or dressing like one? In my opinion, maturity is being able to take responsibility for yourself and having respect for others, not having interests that are considered mature by the rest of society. You can be a perfectly mature adult, and still love the things you did when you were a child. It does not mean you are living in a fantasy world, it means you are exactly who you want to be. Who says you have to lose the imagination you had when you were a kid? Who says you have to give up on having fun, or following your dreams, or even just dressing the way you want to?

I don't care if you are one hundred years old, there is no reason you shouldn't be able to follow your dreams and do what you want to. Anyone who says otherwise is probably just bitter that they themselves don't have the courage to do what they want. It's easy to give into what society wants you to be, to fit into that little cookie cutter mold that they want you to fit into, it's hard to be who you are in a society that shuns anything and anyone who is different from them. It takes real courage to not give up and to stand up for yourself and what you believe. Could you truly be happy living a lie by not being who you really are? It may be the easier way... but it will never make you happy.

No one has the right to tell you who to be, how to dress, or what to think. In the end, that's up to you.


Love, Amelia Jane.

For the Everyday Lolita

Who doesn't want to look like a doll or a princess or even just dress up a bit every day?
But sometimes, it's just not practical to go OTT. So I thought I'd put together a few tips on how to go a bit more casual for the everyday Lolita.

Since school is starting again, I thought I'd mention that if you are in school and want to wear Lolita to school, these tips might be helpful to you, however you should always check with your school rules to make sure Lolita is appropriate before wearing it to school! If it isn't appropriate or you simply don't want to wear full out Lolita, you might like to simply add a bit of Lolita to your everyday look. Some good ways to do this would just be to wear a cutsew with some jeans, or just wear a Lolita skirt with no petticoat and a nice shirt or blouse. An example of a good cutsew appropriate for school -

Shoes are also something you may want to think about. Heels probably wouldn't be preferable to wear to school, but some nice, simple flats would look very cute. Socks can be anything you would normally wear that would go with your outfit. As for accessories, any Lolita jewelry will probably do, but the giant head eating bows probably won't, so you might want to opt for smaller ones or just some cute hair clips.

Moving on, now for my tips on a somewhat more casual Lolita.

The Shoes

It's not really the most comfortable thing in the world to walk around in high heels all day. Trust me, I've tried. And as cute as they can be, they aren't always the shoes you want. There are lots of cute flats out there or shoes with less of a heel and sometimes they can even be found at normal stores. Make sure they fit you correctly though, or they won't be more comfortable than heels after all. I also have a pair of boots that are extremely comfortable from a normal store, so that might be something you want to try too, if it suits you.

Petticoats

Sometimes one petticoat is actually all you may need or want, perhaps two at the most, but multiple petticoats are just not very comfortable some days. If you plan on wearing Lolita every day, only one or two petticoats might be preferable.

Tops

This includes blouses, cardigans cutsews and coats. Blouses are beautiful, but you might want to save the more expensive ones for special occasions to ensure that they remain as nice and pretty as when you bought them, other blouses you can just wear everyday, or even just wear cutsews or sometimes even nice shirts you can find at normal stores. Cardigans come in handy during cooler but not winter weather, plus you can wear them with a normal shirt to give it a more elegant touch. I'm not talking about ratty old t-shirts however, so just use your judgement on what tops will go with Lolita or not. Hint - not the ones with holes in them. 

On the subject of coats, they tend to be rather expensive when it comes to Lolita, even some from Bodyline can be over your budget, it might be worth the investment however, and there are some cute hoodies from normal stores that can work well with Lolita and are more casual than Lolita coats. Here is a hoodie from Alice and the Pirates, for example -

Socks

Knee-high socks are adorable, but sometimes not always practical, and especially in warm weather. It's usually pretty easy to find Lolita appropriate socks or tights from normal stores, ankle socks are sometimes the best choice for warm weather.

Hair Accessories

The giant bow is not necessary. It's absolutely fine if you like it, but it might not be very good to wear everyday for some people, such as myself. In fact, I don't even own a giant bow. Bows are very easy to make, in fact I am considering making a tutorial on how I myself make the bows I wear, so I find they are the perfect everyday accessory. Mini top hats might also be good for everyday if you like them, or headdresses and even bonnets. Giant bonnets might not be so good for everyday use, half bonnets however might be your thing. Sometimes though, I don't even feel like wearing a bow, just a simple, cute hair clip is enough for those days, and they are easy to find anywhere. In fact, you can find any nice hair accessory basically anywhere. 

Hairstyles

Curling your hair everyday is just going to damage it. You can just wear your hair down with a cute accessory or put it up in something simple, like pigtails. A ponytail is generally frowned upon though.

Purses

Purses are another easy to find item, and you may even be able to make them. I've seen many adorable purses that can go well with Lolita, Claires is a good place to look. I wouldn't recommend carrying around expensive brand purses everywhere, unless you want to of course, because they are probably going to get beat up and damaged and not look nearly as nice as when you first purchased them. Purses are probably going to take a heavy beating if you use them everyday, so pick something cheap but nice and durable. 

Accessories

One of my favorite things about Lolita, the accessories! Basically you can choose any Lolita accessory as long as it isn't going to start to annoy you after awhile. To much jewelry might however, so I would keep it limited to a few, nice items.

So there are the tips I have for you on wearing Lolita everyday, I hope they were helpful! 

Also, since school is starting I am more busy lately, but I will definitely still try and post frequently.

Love, Amelia Jane.

Younger Lolitas

It's back to school time again! So I have decided to share my thoughts on younger Lolitas and hopefully give some helpful advice for them.

First and foremost - there simply is no age limit on Lolita, young or old. Why should there be an age limit on wearing what you love? But for younger Lolitas, it may be harder to be a part of the fashion.

The first obstacle there is, is the obvious money issue, you probably won't be able to convince your parents to buy you expensive brand dresses on a whim. However, it may be easier to convince them to let you earn the money to buy the clothes you want, perhaps from cheaper places such as Bodyline or while you save up for more expensive things like brand. A few things you could do are babysitting, getting paid for doing chores around the house, mowing lawns, ect. There are a lot of things younger Lolitas could do for a bit of money, but be patient! Lolita fashion is expensive and it takes time to save up for it.You could also learn how to sew, this also takes plenty of time and patience but it can really pay off, in terms of money and creativity.

Second, there is the issue of going to school in Lolita, unless you are home-schooled. You need to check your school rules to see if it would be acceptable to wear Lolita in the first place, if you plan too. If it is, go casual. I am not saying this because you should try to'fit in', I am saying this because it's just plain easier to go through a day of school in Lolita if it is casual, it's easier to walk around and concentrate on your schoolwork. Ditch the multiple petticoats, one is enough. A simple, small headbow is sometimes better than a large one. Wear your hair in simple pigtails or just wear it down. There are plenty of guides for casual Lolita if you need help such as this one.

Third, there is the possible issue of not being able to fit into most Lolita clothing if you are to small for it. Sewing is possibly the best option for this, or see if you can find someone to pay to make the Lolita clothes for you. As for the shoes I find most younger Lolitas are lucky, because there are plenty of cute Mary Janes available for younger Lolitas in normal stores as well as cute accessories! A simple look around your own closet could reveal a few Lolita appropriate pieces you already own.

Fourth, being a part of the Lolita community. Some Lolitas are less than nice, and a community like EGL may be very intimidating to a younger Lolita, it even is to some older Lolitas! Let me make it clear that you do not have to be a member of any Lolita community to be a Lolita. They are a great source of information however, and they can even be great for making new friends, but there are a few jerks out there. Ignore them. You do not need their approval or anyone else's to be a Lolita. I'm not about to say words don't hurt, let's face it, they do. But there are many bullies out there in the real world, just as there are online. Just be careful and be safe on the internet!

Fifth, I leave what is probably the biggest issue for the last. Parents. My parents, thankfully, always approved of the fashion, but some parents will not be so easily convinced. There are many things you can do to try and change their mind, but one of the most affective things is maturity. Prove that you are mature enough to wear the fashion and maybe they will let you, your attitude is the most important thing. As I have listed above, money is an issue, perhaps they don't allow you to wear Lolita because they think it is to expensive. Introduce them to cheaper stores like Bodyline and to the option of sewing and they might change their mind, but make sure to let them know you are willing to work for what you want, you can't expect them to buy you everything! Another issue may be that they find it a bit...unusual. This is understandable, looking like a giant walking cupcake isn't something you see everyday. In this case, you may want to start with introducing them to casual or classic Lolita, then work your way deeper into the fashion slowly, make sure you give them time to adjust to such a big change! Something else that may bother your parents is that they may not think you will actually wear such frilly clothes, especially if you don't usually dress that way. Prove to them you will by wearing nicer clothing on a daily basis, such as skirts and blouses, not just a ratty pair of jeans and a t-shirt.
Overall, you should just try and talk to them about it, let them know how much you love the style. Your parents probably care deeply about you and just want what's best for you, so just be patient with them.

I hope this article offers a bit of advice to younger Lolitas, but the best advice I can offer, is to not give up on being a Lolita, if that is truly what you want to be.
Love, Amelia Jane.

An Offbrand Parasol Review

Originally, I was simply going to post the pictures on my blog with a review, but making a video out of it seemed much more fun! So here it is.

Ignorance is not Bliss.

Another appropriate title for this blog entry could have been "The Things I Wish I Knew Before Buying My First Lolita Outfit" but that is quite a mouthful!

I have learned from the mistakes I made when purchasing my first Lolita outfit ( Hopefully anyways! ). So I make this post in the hopes that Lolitas purchasing their first outfits can learn from my mistakes as well!

Mistake #1  Buying a colored blouse. 

Colored blouses are cute. Colored blouses are fine. But when it is your first blouse, you really want a white one, unless perhaps you are a Gothic Lolita, then a black blouse might be your first choice, but even then a white blouse would go with more and be cooler in terms of temperature. So when buying your first blouse, I strongly recommend buying a white one, preferably with detachable sleeves.

Mistake #2  Buying a cheap blouse.

I absolutely love Bodyline. Most of their clothes I find adorable, and the prices are very decent, but one thing I am not so fond of from Bodyline is the quality of their blouses. They are alright, but definitely not as good as they could be, especially with the quality of the lace on my first Lolita blouse. The lace is scratchy and bothersome and as cute as the blouse is, it's somewhat uncomfortable to wear. There are blouses of higher quality such as brand blouses that can be purchased at a cheaper price from sources such as the comm sales on EGL or even found at thrift stores.

Mistake #3  Buying socks with cheap lace.

Purchasing socks with no lace at all is better than buying socks with cheap, scratchy lace. Of course, it was hard to tell the lace quality by the small picture on Bodyline's website, but with Bodyline one should always be wary of the lace. Actually, I think my first mistake was buying socks from anywhere but a normal store in the first place, for the simple fact that 'normal' socks can be just as cute and far cheaper. I have gotten socks from the mall that are far cuter and have far softer lace than the socks I got from Bodyline, and they were cheaper too!

Mistake #4 Neglecting to purchase a good petticoat.

As any good Lolita will soon realize, you need a good petticoat to complete your outfit. I strongly suggest you stay far away from the petticoats at Bodyline unless you plan on either buying a lot of them, or not having a ton of poof. Tulle petticoats are definitely not the best, they will lose their poof within a few wears. While it is possible to revive them using starch, it's definitely better to save up for a petticoat made with crinoline or organza. While I unfortunately do not own a petticoat made with either of these, I've heard that they never die! If you absolutely cannot buy them however, you can buy a couple decent tulle petticoats so that even if they were to die, the sheer number of them would add poof to your skirt.


Now that I have told you the mistakes I have made when purchasing my first outfit, here are some mistakes other people have made that every Lolita should try to avoid ( In no particular order. ).

Cheap fabrics. 

 Basically, any cheap looking fabric that would be used in a costume is not Lolita. The best choice is cotton. Shiny fabric, pressed velvet and the like are very hard to make look good in a true Lolita outfit.

Scratchy, ugly lace. 

The best type of lace is soft and doesn't have an obvious, cheap netting. For a wonderful guide on how to tell good lace from bad lace by Miss Caro-chan, click here! Also, a good Lolita dress or skirt isn't a lace monster ( A dress absolutely covered in - usually bad - lace. ) and in fact, a dress or skirt doesn't even need lace to be Lolita.

Strange dresses.

If a dress has many odd colors, an unusual shape, or is based on anime, it is probably not Lolita. I'm not saying you can't be unique, but wait until you get the hang of Lolita! Even if a dress is extremely cheap, if it's clearly only meant for cosplay, it's not worth buying to wear as true Lolita, especially if it's your first outfit.

Revealing clothes.

Lolita is not about sex, nor is it a fetish. Lolita is a modest fashion, skirts should be just about knee-length and blouses should not reveal a ton of cleavage. Showing a lot of leg is generally a taboo also, but short socks are just fine on a hot day ( I know I would melt where I live if I wore knee-high socks in the middle of summer! ) and so is going without a blouse while wearing a Jumperskirt.




Take these tips as you will, you are of course free to wear what you like and that is none of my business, these are simply some things I've learned that have helped me with wearing Lolita and maybe they will help you too. The main thing you should remember is that it is okay to break a few rules, but Lolita has rules for a reason, otherwise it wouldn't be Lolita!


Love, Amelia Jane.

An Introduction

Hello and welcome to my first ever blog!  I am Amelia Jane, a Sweet Lolita, and this blog will be used to not only document my personal journey into the world of Lolita, but to hopefully offer information and advice to other Lolitas through my personal experiences. I hope you find this blog entertaining and informative, and I will try my best to keep it that way.

Love, Amelia Jane.