Can a "belt" be a part of a lolita outfit?

[honeyteaclover]

I once was a devoted collector of lolita clothing. After a hiatus, I've recently renewed my interest in lolita fashion and its community. Unfortunately, so much time has passed that I'm now reading articles and attempting to re-learn the various "rules" that guide the lolita style

Comments

[raphiael]

I bought a lot of thick waist belts at Forever 21 and use them in lolita a lot. I think as long as they match your outfit, it's totally okay, and actually done a lot.

I've heard good things about damselinthisdress on etsy for corsets, and offbrands like the aforementioned forever 21, Charlotte Russe, and department stores often have belts that look nice with dresses or skirts.

[honeyteaclover]

Thanks for the suggestions! I always keep an eye out in Forever 21 for cute tops/blouses. I think the last time I looked at their belts, the selection was more, um, "club"-style belts.

I guess that's another issue...what "style" of belt is OK? I think it'll be challenging to find an off-brand belt with the same lacing as the examples above.

[raphiael]

I don't think they have to have lacing, necessarily. A lot of styles are commonly used depending on the outfit. Classic might have a plain brown belt or one with flower cutouts, gothic might use one with buckles. I have a thin black belt with star cutouts that I wear with AP sometimes. It's really a matter of finding something that works for you, I think. Belts with center details like the ones you showed would work with a lot of things, too!

[chiichick]

I love using belts with lolita :)
I have a pink and white striped belt with a big bow on the front that looks great with so many of my dresses or over a skirt/cutsew combo on a more casual day.
Because I own this dress in blue, this is what pops into my bed in particular
http://hellolace.net/wardrobe/ap/2010/jsk/ap_jsk_merrymakingpartycollar.jpg
That bow/waistband in the middle is actually a ribbon belt! It snaps on and off and goes through belt loops. Maybe it isn't quite the belt you are talking about but I think it serves as a good example.

[honeyteaclover]

Great! That's very close to the look I had in mind.

I did also see some other belts like the one in your example. I was worried that they might seem too "casual" since that's the kind of belt I might pair with a non-lolita sundress (see the example of the normal "pink" outfit above).

[___ifwinterends]

In my opinion, the stuff you posted in the pictures are what I'd envision you'd wear at a Renaissance fair...it's a different time period. Even the pictures you posted, which I assume are categorized as "Classical Lolita" really remind me of milk maids. I'd never look at those pictures and think "oh! Lolita". Corsets are undergarments, they're meant to be worn underneath an outfit where nobody can see them, to sinch your waist...it's since become fashionable to wear them on the outside or to wear shirts that look like corsets, but to me it looks exactly like wearing your underwear outside your pants. It just doesn't look proper, so adding that to Lolita which is all about proper, really looks odd to me

[honeyteaclover]

Thanks for your input! These were precisely the concerns I had... I felt that I had read somewhere that corsets were essentially undergarments and not intended to be worn on top of one's clothes. Still, here and there I run across people using them when styling outfits, but I found the aesthetic to be more steam-punk-ish than "Renaissance Fair."

[wabbie_chan]

I think that wide belts that have a cinch effect, like the ones you posted, as well as mini corsets, look perfect with some Lolita styles such as classic and gothic. Cummerbunds are more difficult to find in lolita brands currently, even though there have been some in the past. Mini corsets are much more common. IW currently has a violin one which is really amazing looking and if I remember well, aatp also had a very pretty one a few months back.
Actually I really enjoy pieces like that in my Lolita wardrobe as they can be quite versatile and I love the flattering effect they have on more hourglass figures like mine.

[cederlina]

Oh, I love belts in lolita and I just wish that brands would make these "corset type" belts a bit more often. They look gorgeous! I would also love to see a bow belt by Angelic Pretty.