Yes, it's uber-trendy and often goofy but I am totally, utterly head-over-heels in love with classic lolita fashions. I love the frills, the delicate colors, the sweet details. Like vintage fashion has many branches of style (era, pin-up, rockabilly, etc), lolita fashion also has many branches. I personally love classic lolita with it's Alice in Wonderland, tea party cuteness.
This site also has many links to lolita shopping fashion terms and how to host a lolita tea party- FUN!
If I were 16, this would be a lolita blog
I stumbled upon the beauty of lolita bout 3 months before getting pregnant with Olivia. I planned to sew a few lolita dresses of my own. I sketched them out, found patterns, bought fabric, etc. On Valentine's day weekend, Pj and I took a trip to southern Missouri to stay at a friend's bed and breakfast. I brought my sketches and inspiration to design a few more garments that weekend. Then, while laying on the couch, watching a movie and feeling like crap it dawned on me that I was probably pregnant- and I was right! A preggo lolita? No, thank you! And a 20-something mom lolita? Again, no thank you! If I were 16, this would be a lolita blog but instead, I fell in love with vintage fashion. Vintage allows me to wear some frilly, unique, elegant things without feeling completely silly.
Get inspired by lolita fashion
It's been about two years since I even thought about lolita fashion. Today, I'm working on revamping a few cardigans and sweaters and I found one that screamed "victorian-inspired, please!" So, off to Lolitaland, I went! I found the website for my very favorite classic lolita store, Mary Magdalene and it all came back to me. Weather you're 15 or 45 we can all find great fashion inspiration through this Japanese street style.
I promise you (and myself), I will not parade around town in pink platform maryjanes with a napkin on my head
However, this year, I do plan to add some lolita-flavored pink sprinkles to my wardrobe. Before you call me crazy, check out some of the beauties below!
Here are some of my favorite finds from Mary Magdalene and Juliet et Justine
A lot of lolita clothing can be very expensive so I often make sketches or print out things I love and look for thirft store finds that can be embellished or altered. If you sew, there are a lot of basic modern patterns that can be jazzed up to fit the lolita aesthetic, but toned down enough to wear and still feel comfortable.
If you also want to add some classic lolita style to your closet, look for victorian inspired pearl necklaces and cameos, lacey gloves, straw hats, little bows and circle skirts.
For more classic lolita inspiration and fun, do check out this cute gal's lolita fashion blog, Zeruda's Wonderland
I love the brown blouse...and I am head over heels for the purse!!!!
ReplyDeleteI can imagine your little one dressed up in lolita dresses!!! cute!
I love Zeruda's Wonderland! Even though I don't wear head-to-toe Lolita clothes, I do have a couple of pieces I got from Camden Market years ago that I add to my vintage outfits and they fit in quite naturally. It's such a brave style, I totally admire those who go for it!
ReplyDeleteFrom Carys of La Ville Inconnue
When I was in middle school, I used to be SO into Lolita fashion! All of my friends were. Though, on my allowance of $10 a week, I could never afford any of it. So, I just settled for things with frills and lace and polka dots because it was the closest I could get, haha.
ReplyDeleteIn high school, my style changed and I fell in love with vintage (my collection is still small but growing).
I have a few friends who are into lolita, but they're more the sweet style than classic. I was tempted a few times to get into it, but the clothes are just SO expensive! I also feel like it only really suits people who have 'cute' faces, and that I'd look out of place trying such a style.
ReplyDeleteI ADORE Gothic Lolita. In fact, the very first skirt I made was from a gothic lolita website called batty chan. It was black with black lace! I also love the gothic lolita pink heads by Tarina Tarantino! what was discouraging is that the pattern instructions i could find are in japaneese and as a fat girl, the sizing was for an actual doll as far as I am concerned LOL
ReplyDeleteOh, goodness! Love it! So girly! I'll definitely be keeping this in mind for future sewing inspiration.
ReplyDeleteIf I was 16 now, I would totally be into Gothic Lolita. I discovered it back when I was slimmer, but still a 35yr old mom of 2. I have planned out some outfits to make to wear to Sci-Fi cons, but I never got around to it.
ReplyDeleteI saw that blue dress on my dashboard and fell in love with it.
ReplyDeleteI'm a recently reformed lolita, I always loved Juliet et Justine it all looked so pretty! For a lot of personal reasons I decided to leave the scene though. I think Vintage fashion and lolita fashion have a fair amount in common sometimes. Some of the pieces cross into each other really well! it's all about being fem and girly which every way you go!
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ReplyDeleteGah! This post is like, my secret mind!! I love Lolita ~ especially the classic style and sometimes sweet too. The whole reason I never got into is was that I felt I was too old too... > < Especially now that there's baby coming. *sigh* I am not Japanese enough to pull off a crazy style and a baby too!
But that's ok, because I feel that vintage is a style I love too, and I can obsess over that and choose elements from Lolita to incorporate too.
xox,
bonita of Depict This!
~ * ♥ * ~
Fab post! I think that there are some lovely Lolita pieces out there that would slot in very nicely to a vintage styled wardrobe - esepcially the high necked shirts.
ReplyDeleteWho can't get enough of frills?
ReplyDeleteBtw, I nominated you for a blog award :]
http://redlipsandcorsets.blogspot.com/2011/01/these-are-few-of-my-favorite-things.html
I am mostly into the gothic lolita Japan look. Love it but dont wear it myself
ReplyDeleteI am a lolita myself and, originally reading your blog, I love to read your posts anyway. Vintage fashion is super cute and I'd love to make a retro/vintage inspired lolita outfit.
ReplyDeleteI used to read lolitafashion.org, but I find the EGL Livejournal forums chock full of even more information, ideas, tips among other things!
http://community.livejournal.com/egl
Miss Moxie, you're so right about live journal! I was on there ages ago also and found a lot of great information and talked to a few lolita gals in my area too. Everyone on there was so friendly and helpful!
ReplyDeleteI would LOVE to see a retro inspired lolita outfit. I saw a black a white gingham lolita dress yesterday that was totally cute. I think it was on Juliet et Justine?
I love it when you do this kind of posts! Lots of research must go into these. So I appreciate that you do take the time .
ReplyDeleteThat last dress is adorbs! I want that outfit and I don't care how silly a 28 year old would look wearing it!
ReplyDeleteVery cute indeed. I absolutely adore Japanese street style, Kawaii is one of my very own passions. Lolita-wise I like the skirts but for myself not so much the tops - that said - that brown cardigan you've shown is just beautiful.
ReplyDeleteLook at this blog - she is one of my bloggers friends, she's German and a full time Lolita. She's over 30 but I think she looks just brilliant. We did a Kawaii swap once, I crochet and she sews, she studies fashion design and showcases her (lolita) creations on her blog.
http://bathinasblog.blogspot.com/
Vivien at the US lolita/quaintrelle label Candy Violet (http://candyviolet.com/) has been transitioning to a vintage-inpired look to her stuff for the last year, I think you'd really like some of it. (Disclaimer, she's a good friend of mine, but I wouldn't post the link if I didn't think you'd really be interested.) On her blog she's been really exploring the links between the styles as well.
ReplyDeleteSarah, yes, I love Vivien's work! I used to make kanzashi and found her shop -ages- ago. It's funny because she's on the Vintage Life Network now and as soon as I saw her name, I thought "hmm, where do I know her from?" and then I realized she was -that- Vivien!
ReplyDeletequestion Mrs. Britney, Do you know of any good and helpful communities on Live Journal that has to do with vintage?
ReplyDeleteI just did a search on livejournal for "vintage fashion" and came up with these links:
ReplyDeletehttp://www.livejournal.com/interests.bml?int=vintage%20fashion
and for retro fashion, these links:
http://www.livejournal.com/interests.bml?int=retro+fashion
I'm not a member of any of these groups, although I'm going to have to check them out now! If you find any good ones, do let me know and I'll keep you posted on my findings too!
Thank you so much!!!
ReplyDeleteI am a friend of Zeruda's....she is a HUGE inspiration to a lot of girls!
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