Wearing Lolita to Work or School

It's certainly been awhile since my last post. Last week I was extremely busy preparing for a convention, taking care of the cats, and being sick. But this week will hopefully be different. Today I want to write about wearing Lolita fashion to work or to school. I tried this article a few weeks back, but I couldn't come up with enough information to make it worth posting. I've been mulling it over for awhile now and I think I can write it well now.

Middle School and High School
Provided you don't go to a school with a very strict dress code or a uniform policy, it is possible to wear Lolita to school. I know quite a few people that wear their frills to school all the time. There are a few things to think about though before you decide on your outfit. First and most important, will I be breaking any school rules by wearing this? Many dress codes have a policy on what you can and cannot wear. Consult your school handbook to check those rules. It shouldn't be a problem if your school has a fairly lax dress code, but double check to make sure. Second, do you have any sort of art class that could be messy and leave stains or gym classes that would either require you to change? It's best to avoid wearing lolita on those days. You do not want to be stuffing expensive and delicate dresses into gym lockers or risk staining them with paints or chemicals. Make sure your schedule will allow you to wear lolita without risking your clothes. Finally, do you mind getting rude comments, stares, questions, etc? Kids can be really mean to each other, especially if you look different from everyone else. Prepare yourself for all sorts of comments, questions, and all those nasty looks.

College
College is so so much easier to wear Lolita at. Very few colleges and universities have uniforms or even dress codes. Unless your school is extremely small, people really won't bother you, make comments, etc. You'll still get the occasional question, comment, and plenty of stares, but overall it's not nearly as bad as High School or Middle. Again, you want to avoid wearing lolita on days where you might have messy activities (Chemistry, other science labs, art, etc.). Take into account if you use public transportation that it may be crowded at peak hours. Other than that, I can't think of anything to really watch out for.

Work
Think about what you'll be asked to do at work. If you work with food, machinery, or pretty much anything that could spill or leak, don't do it! Use common sense! Many work places if not all have dress codes or uniforms, so make sure your boss is okay with it. If they are, then that's great! Watch your skirts, they can easily knock over displays or get caught. Most everything from above also applies to work. You also might want to leave your wigs and OTT makeup off for the day, as customers and co-workers can be put off by these things especially.

As for styles, I think pretty much anything can work as long as it's not too over the top. Classic is a lot more "normal" for people that don't know anything about the fashion as it passes for vintage style. Casual probably would work best as well as it would be more comfortable. The most important thing is to be comfortable and your outfit be functional. Have fun and don't be afraid to try wearing Lolita to school/work sometime!

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.

Jasmine by Cat91151 featuring lucite jewelry

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 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?

Hosting a Meet-up at your House

I thought that this was worthy of it's own article, as it's a bigger undertaking than hosting a meet-up somewhere else. However, hosting a meet-up in your home allows for more freedom of activity and can be really fun! I'm planning one for later this spring, maybe as a spring garden party with an easter egg hunt or something.

If you've decided to host a meet-up in your home, then there are a few steps to take. The first of which is inviting people. I personally think that it's absolutely fine to send out private invitations for this type of meet-up. After all, you are inviting people into your home, and you might not want to have absolutely everyone in your area show up. For instance, I live in a very small apartment. If I were to have a meet-up there, I could really only accommodate for about 7 to 10 people at most. If I were to open the invitation to everyone, I could end up with 13 to 15 people, which will not fit into my house. So invitations are perfectly fine. If you are going to mail actual invitations, don't just print off a blank paper with the information. Decorate them around the theme, handwrite them on some stationary, or even hand-make the whole thing using scrapbooking supplies. If you don't want to go this route, send out e-vites! There are hundreds of templates here, as well as party planning ideas, recipes, and decoration suggestions all on this site. E-vites can be great, especially if you don't know the addresses of the people you've invited. Just make sure to have people RSVP if they are going to be able to come.

That's the easy part. Now comes the harder parts. You need to decide what kinds of food you will have available. If someone has a serious allergy, then they need to tell you before they get there (as with any meet-up involving any kind of food). As a rule of thumb, I try to have at least one vegetarian/vegan option for anything I host. You could have it be a pot-luck style meet-up where everyone brings something that they like. This can be easier if you're having a big party or you don't want to cook a whole lot. If it's a more casual type meet-up, like a movie night or something, then you can either make or buy typical snacks. *Tip! Water bottles are much easier than using cups if you're having something more casual. If you're having some sort of formal meal, then cups are much more elegant and preferable. If you're going to have a meal, then you are probably going to be cooking it yourself. Try to choose things that can be prepared ahead of time and either served cold or reheated. You don't want to be messing around with cooking in your lolita best. In addition to that, make sure that you have enough plates, cups, napkins, silverware, etc. so that you aren't scrambling at the last minute. If you need trays, then make sure they're washed/purchased and ready to go.

Finally, you have to clean your house. I know it's a pain, but if you are going to have people in your home, you want it to look its best. If you have an animal, it might be best to enclose it somewhere where it can't escape outside (if you'll have the door open for a garden party) or bother your guests (some may be allergic or afraid of certain animals). Run the vacuum, dust, do all your dishes, air out your house, mop, whatever you need to do to make things look great for your guests. Take a minute to get rid of old magazines and/or newspapers by recycling or throwing them out. Close off any doors that you don't want your guests going through and make sure you don't forget the bathroom! If you don't have a powder room, remember to put your personal effects away, like your toothbrush, make-up, and any medications. Empty all the trash cans. Put fresh towels out and maybe a candle. Fresh flowers are always a good idea, especially if you grow your own.

The very last things you should do are preparing the food to be served and decorating. At this point, everything should already be cooked, all you'll need to do is heat it up and put it on the plate(s). The goal here is not to make a big mess. Any dishes should be in the dishwasher or washed by hand, especially if you don't have a dishwasher. You don't want your guests to see a pile of dirty dishes in the sink! After the food is done and the mess is cleaned up, you can decorate! It's hard to clean around decorations, so make sure you're putting them in places you've already cleaned. Themes are great, but don't be afraid to customize or even make your own decorations. If you don't want to do anything major with decorating, flowers in vases scattered throughout the party space is always great. If you're having a movie night type of party, don't worry about decorating. After all, your guests will mostly be looking at the movie, not your house!

After your meet-up is over, make sure to clean up properly, especially if you live with parents, siblings, some other family member, or room mates. They will appreciate this greatly! I hope you throw some awesome meet-ups in your home using my little guide. A lot of these things are common sense, but you'd be surprised at how often some things can get forgotten. Let me know if you have any questions on my formspring, and please become a follower of my blog!

Hosting a Meet-up

This is part two of my previous post on attending a meet-up. This one focuses on hosting a meet-up. There are many different types of meet-ups and many choices to make when planning your own meet-up. But if you follow this guide, you're sure to have a great time and a smooth meet-up.

1. Decide what kind of meet-up to have

First, you need to decide whether you want to have your meet-up in a private place, like your home, or in a public place. Meet-ups held in your home are things like crafting meet-ups, cookie swaps, casual meet-ups, or my personal favorite, video game tournaments! I really would like to host a wii party with a few people from my local group sometime soon. If you are having your meet-up in a public place, you need to decide where. Do you want to have it at a museum or gallery? Do you want to go to eat? Do you want to go shopping? The possibilities are endless.

2. Post It!

If you are hosting a meet-up, you probably know your local community and have been to a meet-up before. If you are just meeting with some friends, that's fine too. No matter what, you need to get the information out there! Post the info to your local page, your facebook, myspace, what have you. I cannot stress this enough, if you are going to be eating somewhere, make sure to ask people to list any allergies or dietary restrictions that they have BEFORE you make a reservation! You do not want anyone to feel left out because they can't eat at the restaurant or have someone have an allergic reaction. Do all of this pretty early so that people can plan to come to your meet-up, especially if you need to make reservations or anything. I suggest at least two weeks.

3. Make Sure People RSVP

You want people to tell you that they are coming to your meet-up. If they are bringing any friends, family members, or a significant other, they need to specify this. Make a list of people that are coming and take it with you. If people are going to be coming late, write this down too. This way you aren't waiting for people that are coming later and make sure you don't leave anyone behind.

4. Try and Talk to Everybody

Especially if there are new people. I am a moderator for our local community, so I try my best to make everyone feel welcome. If you notice someone is especially shy or not talking to anyone, go up and try talking to them. This is really tough for me because I'm very shy, but I try my best. See the previous article for conversation starters.

5. Be Prepared to Change Plans

Stuff happens. In the winter, it snows and roads become impassible. In the summer, it rains when you're trying to have a picnic. Restaurants are randomly closed, places renovate, crowds happen. So think of a back up plan for things that can go wrong. In the winter, have a pre-determined snow date. If it rains the day of your picnic, have it inside a park gazebo. If the restaurant is closed, look for similar ones nearby. I had a meet-up once that the place we were going would only take reservations the morning of the day you want to go. I called and they were booked full for a baby shower. So I called my back up place. And it was booked for a wedding shower! So I called my third back up and they were open. In the end, it worked out! Just goes to show you, you can never be too prepared.

Remember to have fun and be yourself! Meet-ups are a great way to meet other lolitas, make friends, and have a good time. I hope this helps you to start organizing your own meet-ups in your town! If you read my blog regularly, please become a follower of it! And as always, if you have any questions, comments, or requests, post them here as a comment, or let me know on my Formspring!

Attending a Meet-up

Many cities and towns all over the world have local groups of lolitas. They get together from time to time and do various activities together. A meet-up can be as simple as a few people meeting at a coffee house for lunch, or they can be formal affairs that have been planned months in advance. No matter where you will be meeting, there are a few rules of thumb to keep in mind.

1. How dressy/casual should I dress?

Where will you be going? If you're going to a fancy tea house, it might not be appropriate to wear a more casual style. On the other hand, if you are meeting outdoors for a picnic, you'll need to take the temperature into account. I went to a meet-up that was in a botanical gardens once. It was the beginning of summer, and it was absolutely stifling! I almost passed out from the heat. Avoid long sleeves if you know you could get hot. If the temperature is questionable, for example, it is cool outside but you will be inside for part of the time, consider a light sweater or a bolero that can be removed if you get too hot.

2. What do I need to take with me?

I always take my wallet, cell phone, a snack (just in case), keys, camera, and a pad of paper and a pen. Why a pad of paper? Because! There is absolutely no doubt that if you are meeting in a public place, someone at sometime will ask for more information. It can be a passer-by on a street, a new member of the group who wants more information on the local community, or even to simply exchange email addresses. It never fails that if I forget my paper and pen, someone needs it. If you have any medications that you may need to take (especially allergy-sufferers), don't forget to take that along!

3. Can I bring my boyfriend/girlfriend/regular friend/significant other?

This is a personal pet peeve of mine. So many times has it happened that someone will say "I will be there" but forget to mention that they are bringing +1. Please do not forget to tell the organizer that you are bringing someone along! Especially if reservations have to be made. I personally don't take my boyfriend to meet-ups, but it's because he would be bored out of his mind. If the person you want to bring is actually interested in the fashion, even if they don't wear it themselves. Of course it's always even better if they wear it too!

4. What do I talk about?

If this is your first meet-up, it's normal to be a little nervous. I know I was. I almost went home three times as I was driving there. But trust me, it was worth it to stick it out and be nervous. Most people are nice in person. If you want a conversation-starter, outfit rundowns are always a safe bet. Many groups also play small ice breaker games, especially if there are a lot of new people. How did you find out about lolita? What is your favorite style? All of these questions are perfectly fine to ask.

5. Have Fun!

Take lots of pictures and smile a lot! It's fun to meet with other people that share your interests. You probably will have more in common with some people than just Lolita fashion. So remember to have fun. That is the most important part of all!

Do you have any other thoughts on attending meet-ups? Leave them here in the comments section below! Next time: Hosting a Meet-up. General types of meet-ups that can be held easily and without too much planning, being a good host, and the planning that goes into a meet-up!

Creating A Wardrobe

So I know it's been a little over a week since I last updated. But hopefully the number of posts per week will go up as my school time goes down. Finals are just about over, so I should have oodles of free time to write. Which is good, right? Anyhow, on with the post.

Building a Wardrobe

You've got your style choices, color choices, and maybe you see some pieces that you like. Now, you can start building a wardrobe. This can take a long time and can be a hit and miss process. There are two methods to building a wardrobe. The first is the purposeful, methodical, and planned out method, and the second is the random acquisition method. I'm going to first talk about the random acquisition method.

Random Acquisition Method

This is probably the most common method for creating a wardrobe. This method involves buying random pieces and creating outfits around them. The resulting wardrobe can end up with varying styles and outfits, or it can end up very homogenous. I personally have been piecing my wardrobe together using this method. My resulting wardrobe consists of many different styles (some sweet pieces, some classic, mostly kuro, quite a bit of casual) and is a moving target. This is a perfectly fine way to make a wardrobe! You should definitely make a wardrobe of pieces that you love and not worry too much about keeping consistently to one style.

Purposeful and Planned Out Method

This is a much newer and more internet-centric method. What you do is choose pieces that you want to get, create outfits with them, and then buy those outfits. This can still lead to the same wardrobe as above. I've recently started doing more of this, but I still want both sweet pieces and classic, kuro, and casual coordinates. This can also lead to a highly homogenous wardrobe where every piece works in multiple ways.

Using Polyvore

I know I've brought up Polyvore before, but I cannot stress how fun this thing is. You can save all the things that you want or own and make outfits from them. Or you can save random stuff and just have fun with it. I'll use Polyvore frequently here to show coordinates in particular price points, styles, or even whole wardrobes, like I will right now.

Gorgeous Gothic Wardrobe by Cat91151 featuring sterling silver bangles

This is a gothic wardrobe. It's a bit on the medium side, but each piece can be coordinated with multiple other ones. The five dresses/skirts at the top are all brand pieces, from right to left they are Metamorphose Temps de Fille, Alice and the Pirates, Moi Meme Moitie, Alice and the Pirates, and Baby the Stars Shine Bright. The first two blouses are off-brand, and the other three are from a Taobao shop, Qutieland. All of the shoes are from Bodyline, except the cream ones (Innocent World) and the blue ones (offbrand). Four of the five head pieces are Alice and the Pirates/Baby the Stars Shine Bright, and the blue one is Moi Meme Moitie. But most of these are easily made at home using materials that are easy to find. The black bat bag is Bodyline, the silver one is Fan + Friend, and the black bow bag is off brand. All of the tights and jewelry are off brand too. This illustrates that your entire wardrobe does not need to be made up of "brand" items. There are plenty of fantastic off-brand items out there that will fit in perfectly with your wardrobe.

The Black Cat by Cat91151 featuring christmas jewelry

Gothic Princess by Cat91151 featuring gothic jewelry

Both of the coordinates above were made from items in that gothic wardrobe. As you can see, they are both gothic and very different. If you have a wardrobe filled with the basics, then you will be able to make lots of fabulous outfits!

Say you're not into gothic style. It's not everyone's thing. Well, I've also made another example for you all!

Sweet Lady by Cat91151 featuring chiffon tops

Here's a wardrobe that depending on how you coordinate things can go sweet, classic, or even country. Maybe it looks familiar? That's because I based it off of the coordinates I used in my Choosing your First Pieces post.

Chocolat by Cat91151 featuring a heart bag

While this coordinate does have items not in the above wardrobe, none of those items are very expensive on their own. The shoes are from Bodyline (around $33 USD) and the bow is handmade. This is a more classic use of the pieces.

Sweet Strawberry Paradise by Cat91151 featuring a red ring

This is a coordinate using the Angelic Pretty One-piece from the original wardrobe. The bow is handmade, and the jewelry could be found anywhere, even somewhere like a party supply store. This could become a more over the top sweet coordinate, but for this, I made it a very subdued sweet style.

So as you can see, two very different wardrobes with very different coordinates that can be made from the pieces. If you click on the wardrobes, it will take you to a page that lists everything in them. From there, you can make your own polyvore account and make coordinates for yourself! Have fun!

Types of Pieces

I realized that I'd never introduced the different types of pieces available at many lolita shops! That's very important to know, because each work in different ways. I'm going to be using Baby the Stars Shine Bright for my examples here because it is my favorite brand and it is also one of the most recognizable to newcomers.

Dresses

There are two major types of dresses, One-piece dresses (abbreviated to OP) and Jumper-skirts (abbreviated to

JSKs). One-piece dresses are just as they sound, one piece. It's a dress that has sleeves. Sometimes they are long sleeves and are detachable to turn into a short-sleeve dress, other times they only have one sleeve option.

Jumper skirts are sleeveless and come in a wide variety of cuts and necklines. They are typically worn over a blouse or cutsew, or underneath a bolero or a cardigan. Often, companies will release a one piece version and a jumper skirt version of the same print, as seen below.

One Piece vs. JSK by Cat91151 on Polyvore.com

Tops

Blouses are a staple of a lolita wardrobe. They also come in a variety of cuts, styles, and colors. Some may have shirring in the back or all the way around. Shirring is embedded elastic into a piece to allow it to stretch more than it originally could. This allows for a wide range of sizes to wear a company's products.

Cutsews or cut and sewn items are typically made from knit materials, the same fabrics that t-shirts are made from. They stretch and are generally more casual in style. Both blouses and cutsews come in different sleeve styles, collar styles, and cuts.

Blouse vs. Cutsew by Cat91151 featuring a lace blouse

Skirts

Typically, skirts are worn very full with petticoats and bloomers underneath them. They can also be a-line and have less of a poof shape. Petticoats give the skirts a cupcake or bell shape that is the key to the lolita silhouette. These also come in many styles and cuts. They are worn with either a blouse or a cutsew.

Headwear

Headpieces are very important in lolita fashion and are often overlooked. There are many different styles, but some can be more tricky to coordinate with than others. Popular styles include the head bow, headdress, bonnets, hats, and hair ties.

Socks and Shoes

Lolitas generally wear over the knee (shortened to OTK) socks or opaque tights. These can have prints or patterns on them, or can be a solid color. Many companies make matching socks for their popular prints. Shoes are also a tricky business. Generally, lolita does not include stiletto heels, platform shoes (there are a few exceptions), and flip-flops. However, outside of those, pretty much anything goes. There are "official lolita style" shoes such as rocking horse shoes (RHS for short), Mary Janes, and the ever-popular "tea party shoes" produced by Angelic Pretty. As long as your shoes match your outfit and look good, it should be okay. I personally like to wear flats with a lot of my coordinates, but it's up to you!

Lolita Shoes by Cat91151 featuring floral tights

Undergarments

This is an extremely important part of the outfit, which is the most overlooked part by new lolitas. You need a petticoat for sure. This is what gives skirts and dresses that poofy shape. There are many different petticoats to choose from, but you always want to see a photo of it underneath a skirt to make sure it will give that poof. The best one that I've seen available (for a reasonable price) is the Fluffy Petticoat from Candy Violet. It gives a great shape, it's not too expensive, it's made from soft chiffon (so it's not itchy), and it won't deflate (which happens to petticoats made from tulle or net).

Good Petticoats vs. Bad Petticoats by Cat91151 on Polyvore.com

Bloomers are also important, but many girls choose not to wear them. Wearing them keeps you a little warmer, protects you from "upskirt issues," and generally add a little something more to an outfit. Pretty much any bloomers are okay, because they should not be seen. They're easy to make too. Brands do make their own bloomers (often called drawers).

Other Stuff

Many companies also make coats, parasols/umbrellas, purses, wrist cuffs, cell phone straps, jewelry, wallets, and gloves. These items are nice, but they aren't really necessary for anyone to have. You can find plenty of purses, jewelry, and even parasols at your local mall or online from American and European stores.

I hope this was helpful! Now you know about the different clothing types and pieces, but more importantly, you know the abbreviations for these items. These abbreviations are used probably more than the actual words themselves, so they're super important to know. I think that's the last of the basics, so if you have a question or something you'd like to see me write about, let me know on my Formspring!

Choosing Your First Pieces

By now, you should have a few styles that you're interested in, some colors that would look good on you, and now you need to start creating a wardrobe! There are a few ways to go about this. If you know how to sew, you can make your own pieces. There are plenty of tutorials and patterns online that can help you get started. I recommend checking out the livejournal community Sew_loli if you're interested in sewing your own stuff. If you aren't confident in your sewing skills or you just don't want to make something like that, then you can buy your first pieces. Many Japanese companies will ship to Europe and the United States, as well as Asia, Australia, and many other places. There are also American based companies, European companies, and other Asia based companies. You can also buy from Etsy shops or other craft sites. You can also choose to buy second hand. You can get pieces second hand from the Livejournal community egl_comm_sales or from ebay. I strongly suggest that you avoid ebay because there have been problems in the past of misrepresentation of products and bad transactions.

Brand vs. Offbrand

This is a point of many arguments in the lolita community. Personally, I do think Bodyline is okay as long as you use your judgement and choose the right things. I don't think that replica pieces, as long as they are advertised as so, are terrible. These things help lolitas fill out their wardrobe and they allow those that are just starting out to experiment with different styles and prints without spending a fortune.

Choosing Versatile Pieces

You want to get the most out of your first pieces because you will be wearing them a lot until you can get more. So choose pieces that can be used in lots of different ways. A good way to do this is to use Polyvore. Polyvore lets you make virtual coordinates (the term lolitas use for complete outfits) and see what will look good together before you buy. You would be surprised how many different outfits you can make from just a few pieces.

Country Classic by Cat91151 featuring a straw hat

This is a coordinate I made using a Baby the Stars Shine Bright jumper skirt. Everything else used is either from Bodyline (very inexpensive) or from other sources.

Classic Tea Party by Cat91151 featuring satin pumps

This is one made from the same Baby the Stars Shine Bright dress, but using all offbrand items. Jewelry is something that you can find in all sorts of places, Forever 21 is my favorite.

Casual Classic by Cat91151 featuring floral tights

This is a third coordinate also made from the same BABY dress as the others. As you can see, this dress is very suited to either classic or country styles. Pretty much anything can be dressed down to be more casual too. So out of this one expensive dress, you can put just a little money into other pieces and have three fabulous outfits.

Maybe you can't afford to get a brand dress right off the bat. That's fine too! My first pieces were skirts from Candy Violet's old line (no longer sold). I still have one of them that I wear regularly. You can also have someone make you pieces or buy second-hand. I've bought almost everything I own second hand. There is no stigma associated with it, and it's a great way to get older pieces or find something that you didn't even know existed. Since the pieces are typically used, the price is lowered too.

Bodyline is also a good choice for a first outfit. As long as you choose wisely, you'll be fine. For more information about choosing pieces from Bodyline, I highly recommend reading F-Yeah Lolita's posts on buying from Bodyline. I adore the series of posts and they've helped me learn more about buying from Bodyline. They are a must-read before placing an order there.

No matter what you choose, congratulations! You're now a lolita! You have your very first pieces and you're on your way to having the wardrobe of your dreams!

The Basics #2: Choosing Colors

So now you know a little about all the different styles of lolita, and maybe you've even picked a few to try out. Now you need to decide what colors you want to wear. There are just somecolors that don't look good with different complexionsor hair colors. For example, I have medium-tone red hair and skin with pink undertones. Because of this combination, I don't look good in most pinks and yellows. This also goes for hair colors.

Determining Your Skin Tone

Before you put on any make-up, look at yourself in a mirror or take a picture, preferably on a white background. You all know what your hair color is, even if you've dyed it, think about your original one. The four skin tones are like the four seasons,

winter, spring, summer, and fall.

Winter: has blue or pink undertones. Your actual skin color could be dark, olive, or extremely pale. You probably have dark hair and dark eyes.

Spring: usually has golden undertones and creamy or peachy skin. Your hair color is either very deep blonde or strawberry blonde. Your eyes are probably blue or green. You probably have naturally rosy cheeks.

Summer: Also can have blue or pink undertones. Your skin tone is probably pale and pink. You also probably have light-color eyes and naturally blonde or brown hair.

Fall: If you have golden undertones and either red or brown hair, you're probably a fall. You also probably have brown or goldish eyes.

Now you know a little bit about the different skin tones. Determining your skin tone is the first step in determining the colors that will look best on you and the ones to avoid. As a reference, I use Beauty and the Bath.com. That site also has a ton of information on hair care, make-up techniques, and a lot of other stuff. Please check it out! I've linked the page for the different skin tones, but from there you can get to the whole website.

Now for example, I am a fall. I have red hair and blue eyes with gold flecks. I should not be wearing pastel colors, especially near my face. They will make me look dull and sickly. However, black can make me look awesome. As a result, I have a few kuro coordinates and no Angelic Pretty prints. Do you know what your color pallet should be now? If the website above didn't help you out, you can google your season and see what comes up. There are tons of helpful sites out there!

Photos from Google images and http://beauty-and-the-bath.com

Becoming A Lolita: The Basics

This will be an ongoing series of posts based on my panels at various conventions. This panel often gets a different name depending on the major focus. This particular post is what I usually do for my "lolita 101" panel or an equivalent one to that. It's directed towards those who want to take the first step into the world of lolita. Do you know anyone like this? I do! I have a few friends that want to become a lovely lolita lady but they really doesn't know how. So this first post is dedicated to them!

Step 1: So you want to be a lolita?

Great! Being a lolita is a fun and rewarding hobby. But before you buy your first items, you should do your homework. For example, do you know the different styles of lolita? Everyone knows gothic and sweet lolita, but there are tons of styles!

Gothic: A very recognizable style. It's not just black pieces though. Gothic can have dark reds, blues, or even jewel tones like rich purples and ruby. It's not to be confused with American gothic styles, and should not feature whiteface with dark makeup!

Sweet: Very cute and innocent. Pastels and white are popular colors, but you can wear black and be a sweet lolita! The prints usually are cute with animals, toys, candy, or cakes as the focus.

Classic: features floral prints and classic silhouettes. Often skirts can deviate from the cupcake-shaped ones of other styles. Also can utilize vintage pieces and simple hairstyles/makeup.

Casual: an easy style to wear everyday. It's all of the pieces of a lolita outfit, but toned down. Instead of a fancy, lacy blouse, you can wear a cute printed t-shirt (or cut-sew). It's still important that you match your colors and patterns and that you don't forget a part of the outfit, like a headpiece or a petticoat.

Kuro: In Japanese, Kuro (くろ）means "black." And that's what you wear, black. All black items.

Shirou: The sister style to Kuro, Shirou（しろう）means "white" in Japanese. Shirou lolita features all white items. It used to be quite popular to do twin photo shoots with kuro and shirou lolitas, but I haven't been seeing too many recently.

Country: Country is a mix between sweet and classic. This is where you find the ginghams, fruit prints, miniature straw hats, and baskets. It's reminiscent of a country picnic in the summer. Some country lolitas even choose to use fresh flowers to accessorize their outfits!

Punk: This style has been more influenced by the west than any other. It is reminiscent of British and American punk styles, but with a lolita twist. Skirts can be somewhat shorter, and plaids are very popular. Ties are appropriate in this style, along with simpler tops and crazier hair styles.

Sailor: Many brands put out pieces that are inspired by the typical sailor uniform worn by Japanese school students. It's not an extremely popular style by itself, but often the pieces can be integrated into other styles.

Pirate: It's a fairly new sub-style of classic lolita. It often features tricorner hats, belts, swords, and lots of jewelry. It can get close to becoming costume-y though so you have to be careful. The only "official brand" for pirate style is Baby the Stars Shine Bright's other line, Alice and the Pirates.

Hime: This is a hybrid between lolita and Hime Gyaru styles. It features the same hairstyle and accessories as the Gyaru style, but the silhouette and anatomy of a lolita coordinate. Pieces can overlap between the two styles, as well as color schemes and prints.

Kodona: Also known as Ouiji, Dandy, or boy style. It's one of the few styles in which it is okay to wear pants! It's based off of the clothes that young boys would have worn in the 1800's. Sometimes, the wearer will choose to add feminine touches in the shoes or make- up, it's up to you! It can also be easily mixed with the punk style for a cool hybrid.

Aristocrat: Also known as Elegant Gothic Aristocrat. It is a more mature style of lolita, with longer skirts and fewer frills. Often, skirts are ankle length and blouses are long sleeved and high collared. The shape is not at all what other styles are, but it is a very elegant silhouette. There are also aristocrat styles based off of mensware from Victorian England.

Common misconceptions about styles:

You would be surprised at how many questions I get about styles that don't exist. For example, I got a question at a convention about where this person could purchase "maid style lolita." There is no such thing! There are websites out there that will tell you that maid uniforms, nurse uniforms, cosplays, and even Alice in Wonderland costumes from a costume store are appropriate lolita items. I always tell people the same thing: absolutely not! Even if your Chii cosplay may fit some of the requirements for a lolita outfit, it will never work. This is because people will always recognize you as a Chii cosplayer. This point always earns me skeptical looks from the cosplayers in the room. But trust me, it isn't a proper lolita coordinate.

So now you know a little bit more about the different styles of lolita. What did you think? Did you see a few that appeal to you?