Not a Good Fit? Excuse Me?

Some time ago, I was told that Lolita was "not a good fit" for me. My reaction? Excuse me? What do you mean "not a good fit?" They proceeded to tell me in the most carefully chosen words that my breasts were too large to fit properly into the fashion and that this was throwing off the proportions. Needless to say, this is absurd. I believe that anyone should be able to wear Lolita fashion, regardless of their size. There is always an option. I wanted to write a blog post about this awhile ago, but I had forgotten to. A friend asked me about options for people who are taller than the average female that want to get into Lolita, and that prompted me to write this article.

Plus Sized Princess

I kind of hate that term for Lolitas who are curvier. Lolita is a Japanese street fashion, and as a result, Japanese brands are made to fit Japanese girls in standard Japanese sizes. Unfortunately, some of us are not this size. In the last few years, Japanese brands have met the demand for different sizes by offering actual sizing options, not one size only. Still, some of us can't fit into the most forgiving of brand pieces. Does that mean you have to give up? Absolutely not. There are plenty of options! Bodyline offers many of their dresses and blouses in sizes up to 4L. Fan+Friend can make a piece to order, you send them your measurements and they make it to that size. However, I have never ordered from Fan+Friend and so I can't say for sure about how accurately they size things. There are also plenty of amateur and professional seamstresses willing to make pieces to order, as well as make pieces of your own design. But that's for another day. There is also an increasing number of replica items that are made to look like popular brand pieces. I'm not saying that I support them or anything, I'm just saying that that is also an option. Finally there's also the option of altering brand pieces to fit. Unless you are an experienced alterations person, I don't recommend doing this by yourself. There's a great community for all this information and so much more, EGL_Plus.

Too Tall?

I don't have this issue in the slightest, so I have far fewer suggestions. Many of the above apply for extra tall people too. Many brands and off-brands have started offering T (for Tall) sizes. This means that the skirt portion is extra long, as far as I understand it. You can also use solid colored underskirts to give you another inch or two at the hem line. These can either be handmade or from a regular shop. Since they're under the regular dress, it doesn't matter much about the design. The peeking bloomers look is also alright, though rarely done right. Other than that, I don't have much advice for tall people.

Remember to be yourself and never to let someone else tell you what you can and cannot be. My own family has told me that lolita makes me look fat before, but I just can't let that get to me. The style is too important to me to allow for other people to influence my choices. As long as you wear things that are comfortable and you like them, that's all that really matters in my book. On a more general note, someone at a con came up to my friend Jen and I after our panel and told us "I really liked the panel! I know I'm not wearing the best of dresses, but I really like it. Now I won't look stupid calling it lolita when it isn't." This is kind of what I'm talking about in a broad sense. Thank you for reading, I hope to be announcing a new giveaway soon!

Lolita Obsession: Shoes

I think that most people go through phases of interests. For a while I would go through a cycle of playing video games, sewing/doing crafts, and playing with my dolls. Then it would start over. Recently, I’ve noticed a similar trend in my Lolita. I’ll become obsessed with one thing, and then move on to another one. Right now, it’s shoes.

I’ve never been much of a girly girl. So for me to be obsessed with shoes is something unique. But I just can’t get enough of Lolita style and vintage shoes. There are just so many styles and colors. They can be covered in bows, hearts, flowers, or swirls, and in every color imaginable. Boots, tennis shoes, high heals, medium high heals, flats, closed toe, open tow, sling back, sandals, platforms, slippers, lace-ups, you name it, it should exist.

Where to Buy

Lolita shoes can be found anywhere, but my personal favorites are vintage shops and Bodyline. I own two pairs of Bodyline shoes, but I’m planning to get many more throughout the New Year. Shoes are a staple of a wardrobe, but if you order them from a brand, they can cost upwards of $200. While brand shoes are gorgeous, they are usually made out of the same materials as their off-brand counterparts. Many companies have also been making

reproductions of popular styles, such as the An*Ten*Nai Tea Party replicas. These reproductions cost about the same as regular shoes from somewhere like Payless cost, around $50. Bodyline shoes are less, at around $30, while boots usually cost around $60, since they are heavier to ship and they use more material.

Rocking Horse Style Shoes

These are perhaps my favorite type of Lolita shoes on the market. Some people think they are a bit old school, but I personally adore them. I have two pairs, with plans for red ones in the future. I first saw them in the anime NANA, and while I’m no expert on Japanese punk styles, I believe they are popular in that too. I know that Kamikaze Girls is sort of an old style lolita movie, but the main character, Momoko, deems them "absolutely essential" in a wardrobe. The epitome of all Rocking Horse shoes are made by Vivienne Westwood. What I would do to get my hands on a pair of Vivienne Westwood original rocking horse boots. Oh man they are gorgeous. But I'd take any pair of knockoffs too.

They look like they'd be hard to walk on, but they're quite easy and even comfortable once you get the hang of it. Just practice at home before going out, beware of cobblestone streets, ice, and stairs. Those things can be tough to walk on. The heavier they are, the better. I own a pair of Bodyline ones, and a pair from the Littlechillishop on eBay. The Little Chilli Shop ones are heavier and easier to walk in. The base is a bit wider too. But the Bodyline ones were less than half the cost, came in an eighth of the time, and while they're a little tricky to walk on, I'm getting the hang of the balance and weight. Each pair is different.

Other Shoes

There are so many different types, it's hard to pick a favorite. If you want to experiment with different shoe styles, flesh out your shoe wardrobe, or simply get something cute, I highly recommend Bodyline shoes. They are cheap, so you can get two or three pairs for the same price you'd pay for one pair from another store. They come in most every color and style, they have flat rate shipping (shoes cost more to ship because of the weight from most places, but not Bodyline!), and they'll be shipped quickly. If you scuff them, it's not such a big deal since they weren't too expensive to begin with. However, sometimes the sizing on Bodyline shoes can be tricky. I've just ordered my actual size and they've fit, but I know sometimes the sizing can be way off. There is no good way to find out exactly which pairs of shoes will be off, but from what I understand, the company is getting better about fixing these sizing issues. Forever 21 and H&M also sometimes carry cute print and solid color flats that are perfect for a casual or a lighter summery style. You'd be surprised what great finds you can find in your local mall or shopping district!