1. Do not skip the research.
Research is the main thing to do before diving into the fashion. Researching the styles, researching the different brands, researching for your local community. Everything helps to get things straight from the beginning. Nowadays there are a lot of FB Groups where you can find all the information. A lot of blogs about the fashion are out there and most Lolitas are glad to help out, if you researched beforehand. Also research before diving into the fashion will keep you from making obvious mistakes and spending money on false brands/ scamming sites.
2. Be yourself
I think this is one of the most important things about the fashion. Stay true to yourself, don't try to be someone else when frilled up. It's a fashion not a costume. Sure it's better to be a bit more careful or thoughtful, about your clothes you're wearing, but don't let that effect your personality. Everyone can wear Lolita, no matter if loud and outgoing, calm and shy or boyish. You don't have to be excessively a girlish girl to wear frilly dresses. Everyone of every age, every sex/ gender and/ or body shape can wear the fashion.
3. Don't be afraid
Don't be afraid to ask questions, if you're not sure about something. There are a lot of helpful people out there. If you need inspiration or advice don't be afraid of constructive criticism. Don't be afraid of trying something new, it might turn into your new favourite thing. And don't be afraid to go outside all frilled up. You might get weird looks, but be proud of what you like and if you're a bit scared to go alone take a frilly friend or someone who knows about your fashion/ a good friend who supports you as mental support.
4. Start easy
It's best to start easy. Choose one style, one colour scheme and build around that. You don't have to hunt down every iconic print of a style to be considered part of it. Your first coord or even all your coords don't have to be all brand. It's an expensive fashion/ hobby, start with something simple to pin point down what you want. Even casual Lolita is a step into the fashion. A loliable skirt, a cute cutsew, over knee socks/ thights and loliable shoes and you're good to go. Your first coord diesn't have to be perfect and it doesn't have to be super fancy. As stated above "Don't be afraid and start easy."
5. Don't pressure yourself
Linked to all the above points, don't pressure yourself. It's the best you can do. Don't pressure yourself into wearing it daily, into wearing it at all, into buying all brand, into being perfect.
We all know it's not an affordable fashion/ hobby so don't pressure yourself into wearing it daily. You're still a Lolita, even if you can't dress in the fashion all the time. It's okay to not buy everything brand new and it is okay to not buy new Lolita stuff all the time. And don't pressure yourself into being perfect, it should be fun to wear the fashion and only because someone else coordinated the same print in a whole different way and you like it better doesn't mean your coord was/ is bad. Keep that in mind and enjoy the fashion.
Simple coord of the day
I call it a simple/ casual coord, because I don't even wear a petticoat. I know it's a scandal, but I tend to not wear one when I go to uni frilled up or when I'm about to run errands. It's easier this way and much more comfortable. Also with a build in petti and a pair of fluffed up bloomers you still get a bit of poof into the coord.
JSK: Holy Lantern - Angelic Pretty
Cutsew: Vero Moda
Tights: Calzedonia
Shoes: Tamaris
Batwing cuffs: Eat Me Ink Me
List of participants
Ohh you're right, research is probably the most important part when you're a novice in the fashion. It can really help when making your first coord!
ReplyDeleteYeah, I think it's important and that it helps to keep you from getting scammed by certain sites.
DeleteI think your advice is super nice and down to earth! I loved reading your insight on the subject! ~
ReplyDeleteThank you. <3
DeleteA lot of your advice echoes what I have written, but I missed out the 'be yourself' part, which is so important. There's no point pretending to be someone else because that won't make you happy long term and could actually put you off Lolita fashion, e.g. if you feel like you should be doing OTT Sweet stuff, but what you really like and enjoy is casual Gothic or creepy cute. Figuring out what you really like in Lolita takes time, trial and error, but ultimately you come out of it knowing what you feel great in, like a better version of yourself, and that's priceless!
ReplyDelete