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Another year in lolita. This year I focused less on cataloguing everything I own, and more on coordinating the interesting bits, arranged by color. And as ever, blouses. More blouses. Although... even I was surprised when I made up my final tally for this post, haha...
To preserve my sanity some images were taken from my blog, please excuse the watermark.
[Prints]
Inori JSK, Little Dipper underskirt, offbrand blouse and accessories
One of my dream dresses is BTSSB's Searching for Baroque. It wasn't something I ever imagined owning; too precious to wear and shut up in the closet, likely. However when Inori came out with their, ah, ~inspired~ design, I liked it very much. The colors are vibrant, and it is quite versatile to coordinate.
Krad Lanrete Mozarabic Chant JSK | Bodyline l546 | Souffle Song Time Godness skirt
I'm not much of a print collector, as you see... but these three pieces are precious to me. For me the subject matter of the print is a huge factor, but the color palette is just as important. There has to be a large range of colors to draw from, to make it easy to coordinate. These aren't rare pieces (well, maybe the Krad...) but I smile every time I see them in my closet, and I will probably never sell them for this reason.
[Blue]
Magic Tea Party JSK, dazzle underdress, バイオレット peignoir, offbrand tulle topper
MTP gets a lot of flak for being low quality; but it is quite sturdy, if one doesn't mind the lack of lining. I really loved the color and print, so I had to get it! It also comes with waist ties, five small bows and one large bow. The back is corset lacing threaded through loops, so it can be done up without damaging the dress.
Bodyline JSK, Little Dipper underskirt, offbrand blouse and accessories, restored vintage hat
Bodyline's bustle JSKs are my favorite from their selection. This one is jacquard, and the colors are so dreamy! The hat... had an unfortunate encounter with the dry cleaner, but I tried to smooth it out with steam and decorated it to perk it up.
handmade JSK, Little Dipper underskirt
I took up Fashion Design this year. This is the first garment I ever finished, inspired by designs from VM. It took quite a bit of time (and cussing, and unpicking stitches) but in the end, I think it was worth it and I was ecstatic that 1) I finished, 2) it actually fit me, and 3) it goes with a lot of things in my wardrobe ೕ(˃̵ᴗ˂̵ ๑)
Bodyline JSK, offbrand blouse and accessories
When I saw that this print had cats in it, I was sold. That, and stripes. Cats and stripes and florals! A word of caution, the 'white' parts are not offwhite but a creamy beige. The bottom frill is ivory.
Bodyline OP, BCBG Max Azria bolero, handmade collar
I wanted to add more blue to my wardrobe, but when it arrived it was much more Sweet than I was comfortable with- so into the bath of boiling tea it went, and now the color is subtly lighter and the lace is grey. I forgot to photograph it since, so this is an old picture.
Dabuwawa overdress, snidel asymmetrical dress, offbrand lace dress
That dabuwawa dress is still the airiest garment I own. I'd like to make something in a similar design and material someday.
Bodyline l580 in sax and pik, offbrand dress
Random pink there, hi. They're twins so they needed to be together in the picture. I detached the original chiffon underskirt on the pink one because it was peachy-pink and clashed with the cooler tone of the floral fabric. The pink chiffon layer in the picture is a Little Dipper underskirt. ILD meet. I was stumped for ages on how to coord the pink floral, until I got these purple flower clips from a comm member, Mayi, during our winter ILD meet. Problem solved!
Max&Co. sailor dress, Infanta Powers and Thrones JSK, offbrand dress
That sailor dress resists all attempts to iron it, but the skirt area is so poofy. I've worn it several times before, but a crisp white blouse really changes the look.
[Florals]
Bodyline l596 in green, modified
I reviewed this dress on my blog post here. When I saw this on the website it looked really washed out, but I took a gamble on it being a little darker in color. The red ribbons and buttons weren't at all flattering, but changing them out for light pink accents really made a big difference. And it has a pocket! I wish BL would put out more classic pieces; I think most of their new releases could be made to work, but this was the one dress I just couldn't pass up.
unknown offbrand OP, modified; Little Dipper underskirt, dazzle underdress, Foxcherry brooch
This dress originally had a plain neckline, but I added a sailor collar. This is just a WIP, as I'm still thinking about what to do with the hem; I love painting prints like this and I would like to keep the airy feel.
offbrand OP | offbrand dress | Bodyline l585
Eh. These three didn't get any new coordinations. The first is cut like a box, I need to fix that... and the third I bought out of curiosity (review here) it is quite nice, but shortly after I found g1121 which is one of my dream prints!... so this didn't get much use. I will probably sell it this year.
Liuz Style OP | snidel (over)dress | offbrand dress
The third dress is one I bought early in my lolita journey, and actually isn't lolita in itself- but that hem! The swish and poof is mesmerizing in motion, especially when going down stairs (GIF) ~~
YC Girl dress, offbrand blouse and bonnet
Prairie kei! This dress originally had huge poofy half-sleeves, the kind that give you pro wrestler arms; the first thing I did was to cut those off. The armholes are still huge, but now it sort of resembles an apron instead of just a goofy dress.
[Ivory/Pale]
Walter Ma dress | offbrand long lace blouse | snidel tulle OP
That Walter Ma dress is the heaviest thing I own. The long bodice didn't suit me at all; but then I tried adding an ohashori to it to shorten the bodice a little. Problem solved!
Amy (over)dress | Miss You underdress (modified)
Sweetheart necklines don't appear much in lolita. This dress is more gyaru, I think (not my field so idk terminology) but it is very, very flattering. Still experimenting with the scarf placement.
unknown offbrand dress | Bodyline l380 underskirt | Inori ribbon bows
Cap sleeves are so cute and comfy! Despite the layers this coord is still very comfy to wear. I've been eyeing Little Dipper's new underskirts, as they have a navy blue colorway which might go with this...
Infanta Rose Cathedral JSK | Liz Lisa minidress | Bodyline l329
My ivory dresses. These three have their issues; for example the Infanta one was sold as damaged because the print wasn't perfectly smooth. But I ended up liking them for their quirks - the 'rough' print is much more subtle than the other colorways. The Liz Lisa one I like to wear with the straps crossed in front, and the l329 is my workhorse because it goes with so many things!
Emily Temple Cute JSK | offbrand blouse and hat | Harajuku Lovers bracelet (worn as necklace)
This is the second time an ETC/STC item all but landed in my lap. Weird. This brand is like the furthest thing from what I normally wear...
[Pink]
CANDY STRIPPER OP
Still NWT. Still thinking about how to coord this (and why did I buy it...) maybe I will just sell it lol. The design is embroidered onto the tulle, and there is a pink satin slip to go with it. The peace sign badge is detachable.
Shirley Temple Cute JSK | Bodyline l438 JSK | Liz Lisa minidress, Little Dipper underskirt
Being flat is a blessing for J-fash. Technically STC is a kid's brand; I don't have a niece in that age range so I can keep this for myself (´꒳`∗)
[Black]
Bodyline l489 | MOGAO blouse | bread and butter miniskirt (worn as ruff)
I've been doing the 'skirt as a ruff' thing for awhile now; but I think it has finally found its OTP. The skirt on the JSK is huge, I could stick all my petticoats under there. The only con about this is the fugly lace on the neckline, but most of the time it doesn't show.
unknown offbrand OP | Little Dipper underskirt | JC Penney blouse
I've had this dress for awhile, but its OTP blouse was a recent acquisition- instant nun lolita. The OP is raw silk, and while the breeziness is very refreshing on summer days I think I will have to add lining to the skirt part to help it lie smoothly.
Dorotee Sweetlips OP (handmade by Justine Chantelle) | Spider HK bustier, RQ-BL skirt | MOGAO OP
I didn't buy much black this year. Honestly I've always been most comfortable in Classic, my face is too round for Gothic.
offbrand dress, Little Dipper underskirt | offbrand floral OP | Bodyline l479
These three... need alteration. The Bodyline OP was one of the first items I bought online, and while I still like the fabric it hangs like a tent on me as it only has waist ties .-.
[Kimonogatari]
Solo vest and offbrand skirt | both Bodyline l329 in beg
Kimonogatari I - wa by way of the haori jacket. (post) The easiest and most fuss-free way to go about it imo.
Bodyline l325, handmade sleeve flounces
Kimonogatari II - wa by way of the kimono. (post) The obi, particularly the ohashori (fold) makes it exponentially more difficult to put together ლ(ಠ_ಠლ) still if you have the necessaries (like padding, collar stiffeners, etc) and most importantly time... it is a nice look.
offbrand skirt | Little Dipper underskirt x2
Kimonogatari III - wa by way of the yukata. (post) Easier than the kimono to fold, unless you've got some Attack on Pattern monsters like these; in which case you need a truckload of flowers to go with it...
Little Dipper underskirt | offbrand everything | Bodyline l369
Kimonogatari IV - wa by way of breaking the rules. The robe in the middle is for children, but then that's what being flat is for... The kimono top in the third picture is actually one of those satin evils they market as 'kimono' in mainstream fashion. It is not at all legit, but the material in this top was actually pretty thick and not too bad, so I bought the largest size available (waaay back in 2006/07?) so it would have a relaxed shape. I was a thug back then so I have no idea what possessed me to buy a flowery top, but at least it's still wearable now.
[I go on and on about blouses, but skirts are THE key factor in my wardrobe]
Little Dipper x3 | Bodyline g1121 (red rose floral)
Bless Little Dipper. Can't live without them. These three match about 85% of my wardrobe.
Bodyline l380 | Bodyline l325 x2
I would collect these two skirts in all the colorways if I could. If anyone is selling....!! The l325 has since been updated, the black is the new model and there is corset lacing in the back, threaded through fabric loops, so it can be laced up small and is very sturdy. I also wear them back to front, or side to front.
Punk Rave skirt, offbrand blouse and jacket
Punk Rave gets dissed for being low quality, but I liked the variety of textures and trims on this skirt. There is a built in tulle petti and lining, too. The downside is that the corset lacing is threaded through lace, so it cannot be tightened without damaging it :/
offbrand lace skirt, Little Dipper underskirt, offbrand long blouse
This skirt doesn't have enough poof to be worn as a skirt, but look at that lace! I couldn't let it out of my hands; good thing this blouse came along to be its OTP.
spider HK overskirt, offbrand underskirt | offbrand skirt (worn as a dress), Bodyline l325 | Bodyline l369, offbrand blouse and jacket
Some day I will wear 3 skirts at once. Actually, I can't believe I haven't done that already, since I'm all but married to my skirts.
Chess Story skirt | Bodyline l353 x2
I had 3 of l353. I sold the pink and bought the black, and then the red too. Now I'm considering re-buying the pink so I have triplets. This is crazy.
My theory is that there is One True Blouse for every coordinate; they were simply meant to be together, like PB&J, bacon and eggs... of course this leads to storage problems at some point, but... ヽ(＊>∇<)ﾉ Offbrand unless otherwise stated; if it's an unknown Chinese brand I won't bother with a name. Last time I left off at 78. This year I finally got my hands on red blouses in the wild.
[Edro, Edro...]
White - All offbrand. I gave up on trying to correct colors, but these are all the same general shade. #6 is velveteen. Why do I have velveteen in the tropics?...
Warm White - mostly offbrand. 8 is Liz Lisa, 9 is Deep or Shallow.
Ivory/Lace - these are my most detailed blouses. #13 is from Carolina Lace Creations, I think it must have been a one-off piece (worn here). These are all offbrand.
More Ivory- it really is an easy color to find and coord. #24 is Bodyline, and remains the only Lolita-specific blouse I have. All the rest are offbrand.
And more Ivory - among these are my more 'casual' blouses; I strongly support cotton blouses over chiffon for the summer, as chiffon isn't nearly as absorbent or comfortable as light cotton. Might be an unpopular opinion, but it's always hot here.
And even more Ivory- but this is the last batch of them. #34 is Cutie Lolita Punk, #35 is Marc Jacobs; rest are offbrand.
Pink - all offbrand except for #42, which is Cecil McBee.
Blue - Just one purple combo breaker; fortunately it isn't a color I need much.
Grey - In 2016, I made up my mind to get more grey blouses. How that went, you'll see further down.
Metallics - silks and satins. Sometimes the texture makes all the difference. #66 is Allison Taylor.
Blacks - I don't wear much black, so I'm set on that front. #71 and #72 are from MOGAO, I think.
More Grey - and now my problem is that I need more grey main pieces. #79 is Stage of Playlord (really good quality, they make lots of loliable things), #82 is femiculine, #83 is Freebird, #84 is Chloe.
More light colors - #86 is JC Penney, which was a surprise. #86 is Stage of Playlord. Rest are offbrand.
Beige and Black - 99 is too small to fit my linebacker mannequin. 102 is from Dream of Lolita- I know, I know, but it's a perfectly wearable blouse. Rest are offbrand.
Pink/Red - oy vey a century of blouses later and I have 2-3 red blouses? That is how hard it is to find in the wild. Tbh if you're expecting to find one in mainstream fashion... it ain't gonna happen, probably easier to buy from TaoBao instead of relying on luck.
Also, check out that empty space riiiight there. I feel like I need another blouse to fill the void, I still need like a light blue one, and a green one, and- but no, something has to give this year. Either the closet rail gives out or I give some of this stuff away. I mean, I will. At some point. Yeah...
[Flowers and feathers]
Sleeve flounces - The first two were made for fun, but since then the family has grown!... and they've been much more useful than I thought. Sometimes the extra sleeve length changes the whole look.
Sun hats - Ordinary straw. I like being able to customize them according to how OTT the coord will be.
More hats - That bear's bonnet will never leave my hands.
More more hats - The top hat is Foxcherry. Gorgeous- and does not fit. After this I gave up on getting hats from online stores and vowed not to buy anything without trying it on first.
Fascinators - SM, the local department store giant, put out a lot of 1920s inspired stuff in December. Hail to the Chinese overlords. I hauled every color and style except for the purple ones.
Crowns and headbows - crown is Zara, the two head eating fascinators are also from SM.
A sampling of scarves. The rest take up two drawers and I didn't want to trash the room getting them out.
In 2017, I would like to get more blouses pare down my closet, make more of my clothes, and maybe buy some brand. I am not a print person, but I have been eyeing some older VM, to examine the little details. Despite the composition of my wardrobe I don't dislike brand, and studying fashion design has given me more appreciation for the amount of time and effort that goes into every release. This year marks the start of the graduation term for Fashion Design students, and that takes priority in terms of expenses... but I hope I will be able to find some pieces from VM for my personal enjoyment.
Thank you for reading to the end of this very, very long block of text. Stay frilly!