Friday, February 11, 2011

Formula for Casual Lolita

Many people think that casual Lolita is easy to pull off. And indeed it is. Casual Lolita is a great way to work the Lolita aesthetic into your everyday wardrobe. It can be cheaper than a more formal outfit, and is a great way to experiment with different styles and really make the fashion fit in with your own tastes.

To make a casual outfit, you need just a few things. If you want to go with separates, then you need a skirt and a top. The great thing about casual Lolita is that tops are easy to find! You can go to your local mall and look for things there. Sanrio shirts, t-shirts with cute images or prints, and casual blouses are all very good things to look for. My personal favorite place to look for this type of top is Forever 21. If you’re going for more of a punk style, Hot Topic carries tops in all manner of motifs. Casual bottoms aren’t any different from other styles of Lolita. In fact, most skirts can be dressed down or dressed up depending on the top you wear and how you accessorize.

This is Jasmine! I wanted her pet tiger to be represented in the coordinate, hence the tiger print shirt and the tiger print shoes. The earrings are jasmine flowers. I chose that mint/turquoise color to be reminiscent of Jasmine's outfit. I think that the lamp necklace speaks for itself.

Jumper skirts are a little trickier. Casual style using a jumper is quite popular in the summer because you don’t always need to wear a blouse. Shocking, I know. But it’s true. Jumper skirts look fantastic with a bolero or a cardigan over them, and without a blouse. This is especially nice for summer, because boleros are usually lighter than blouses, and are easily removed. Boleros are available usually in the fall from major retailers, but many brand and off-brand shops sell boleros specifically made to coordinate with Lolita outfits.

Belle

Belle by Cat91151 featuring tie shoes

This is my version of Belle. I used a cardigan instead of a bolero for a more "librarian" feel. I wanted to play up her book-loving side. Incidentally, Innocent World makes this gorgeous print, featuring books. I wanted a different book-themed bag, but this one matched the outfit so perfectly. The gold color of this dress also reminded me of her trademark ball gown.

Casual style is perfect for staying at home, doing everyday activities like grocery shopping or going to school, or going to a more casual themed meet-up. If you are going somewhere very formal like a nice restaurant, a ballet, or a symphony, then you might want to avoid casual style. If you still want to go casual, then go with a jumper skirt version of casual. It tends to look more formal and conservative compared to the separates version.

I've now covered Snow White, Aurora, Jasmine, and Belle. I'm looking forward to making my next princess coordinate for next Tuesday. I wonder which princess it will be?

4 comments:

  1. I love the princess theme you're going with! X3 I can't wait for more~

    (Though Poca's a princess no matter who says what! XD)

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  2. What about Cinderella or Mulan? Though Mulan is not a princess, she is still considered "Princess-like".

    I was just wondering how I could make the Princesses more Lolita-ish and my friend you have done it very well! Thanks for this!

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  3. I'm still working on Cinderella, but I can't make a Mulan because I've never seen her movie.
    Thank you very much! I'm glad that you've liked it, it's been so fun to make these coordinates.

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  4. This is a great inspiration for me!! (I found you through googling "casual lolita at work" lol)

    Thank you SO MUCH for your ideas! They are lovely. <3

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