Bodyline Review

As you know, I ordered these shoes from Bodyline a few days ago. I got them yesterday, five days after I ordered them. They arrived in a bag, which was a little odd, but they were unscuffed and safe.

They also fit perfectly. I ordered them by cm, not by the conversion chart, and I'm glad I did. My feet are 24 cm, measured by standing on a sheet of paper, marking the front and back, and measuring the paper. The 24 cm shoes fit wonderfully. The only thing is the ankle ties are a little snug, but bearable.

I will definitely have to buy white shoe polish to go with them, for they will undoubtedly get dirty very quickly.

Overall, I'm very happy and would order from Bodyline again. I love my new shoes! =)

Before You Buy

Before you go out or online and start buying things, make a list! It is easier to build a wardrobe once you know what you'll need.

Blouse

Dress, JSK, or skirt

Petticoat

Stockings

Shoes

Jewelry

Hair accessory

Other (purse, parasol, etc)

Now! You can have multiples of each of these, but this basic list will start a wardrobe for you. But wait! Don't go buy yet! Look around your house and in your closets for things that might work for a basic style. Blouses, shoes, stockings, maybe even some jewelry. You might luck out, and save a lot of money in the process! Here are some things I found in my house:

White decorative blouse; good for by itself or layering with a JSK.

Three pairs of shoes; two flats and one pair of boots. Better for classic or gothic or casual.

Some jewelry and a hairpiece better suited for classic and gothic. Found at Forever 21 and Bijuju.

More jewelry and hairpieces. Better suited for sweet, casual, and Alice themes. Found at Claire's, Charlotte Russe, Tasty Peach Studios, and homemade bow.

I also found a couple of pairs of stockings and tights that I could wear, crossing out some basics in my wardrobe. And while your tastes may be different and your lolita style more difficult, you still may be able to find some useful pieces and some fun jewelry you can incorporate into your everyday wardrobe while you work on your lolita wardrobe. The closet raid is a great way to start and a great way to save money!

Next is a shopping spree post in which we go to local stores to look for loliable clothes! Stay tuned!

The Dangers of Having Two Styles

While shoe shopping yesterday, I realized I had a problem. What shoes could I buy that would match both of my styles? After some heavy picture browsing and research, I saw that lolita shoes ran very similar across the style board. I finally chose the white pair from the previous post, white because it matches pretty much anything; a good starter. Fantastic! Problem was solved.

But I began to wonder. Were there other staples that could work for both my gothic/classic and sweet style? Or would I have to buy completely seperate wardrobes? More research showed me this:

Blouses are a staple and usually come in white or black. Vastly different styles can use practically the same blouse, as shown below.

Both blouses are white with a flared sleeve. You could easily just buy one or two blouses and use them for different outfits.

Tights and stockings are staples, too. Simple solids can be used with almost any style, but you can get away with some similar patterns. However, you can also get away with buying matching stockings with your outfits, as they are cheaper.

Petticoats and bloomers are also those things that one need not necessarily buy matching sets in for each outfit (unless you are that sort of person and have the money to burn, haha). So once you have these staples, you can build two completely different wardrobes with just JSKs, dresses, and skirts. And the cost is significantly reduced (which may be the best part!) ;)

First Pair of Lolita Shoes

That's right! I just bought my first pair of official lolita shoes.
Before I had been wearing Charlotte Russe flats with bows on them, but it seemed time to upgrade. I was also on a shopping kick... (My poor bank account, haha. Time to build her back up!)

I'm a little nervous about sizing, after all I've heard about Bodyline, but hopefully I'll get it right! *crosses fingers*

What are your favorite or dream lolita shoes?

A Lolita Forum

Dressed to a Tea is a very useful and fun lolita forum! Please check them out, and come visit me there! =)

Choosing Your Style

So, now that we have a world of knowledge under our stylish belts, now what? Buy the first dress we see? Nope! First things first. What style should you go for, in a sea of so many different colors, prints, and frills?
If you don't already know, this step can be hard, especially if you like many different styles. Which is the best for you?

Do you like pants better than skirts? Boystyle may be for you.

Do you prefer prints or solids? Prints are more often found in sweet, country, punk, wa, and qi lolita. Solids are more often found in gothic, classic, sailor, hime, and some sweet lolita.

Do you prefer darker or lighter color schemes?

What is your favorite theme? Do you prefer cupcakes and ice cream cones or instruments and tea cups? Strawberries or cherry blossoms? Tiaras or plaid?

How would you like to wear your hair? Huge, Marie Antoinette style? Curled? Straight? Multi-colored wig?

Do you like more mature styles or younger, brighter styles?

Which lolita pictures or dresses are you drawn to the most?

This site gives descriptions of each style if you would like to read more in-depth.

Answer these questions and see if you can narrow down your favorite style.
It's okay to have more than one favorite style! Most lolitas have two styles they dabble in. I prefer gothic and sweet lolita, two opposites of the spectrum. They leave one open for options. But for right now, let's focus on one style.

What is yours?

Do Your Research!

As a baby lolita, one must first know what they're talking about. I know everyone says this, but it is a vital first step for Babies. And besides, it doesn't have to be boring! Lurking on blogs and lolita communities is a great way to get a fun start! Here are some of my favorite places!

http://egl.livejournal.com/
The ever fmaous EGL site, while enormous and sometimes overwhelming, can be very helpful. I would suggest searching the 'Beginners' tag. But they feature contests and fun things to do, creating a fun, interactive experience!

http://www.fyeahlolita.com/
A very informative blog with great tips to starting in lolita fashion. Also a good place to find reviews and lists. Great layout and plenty of pictures!

http://lolita-charm.blogspot.com/
Another great place for reviews and tips. Less pictures, but still very informative and just fun to browse!

http://lolita-handbook.livejournal.com/
A great place to start! Complete with labelled pictures and plenty of tips in every category you can imagine!

Also be sure to search around and check the EGL community's affiliates to see if you can find a lolita community for your area. Maybe, if you're lucky, you can find a lolita mentor who can help you in your journey! <3

Do you have any favorite blogs or communities?

Advice All Lolitas Should Start With

I want to become a lolita, you say.
So become one, I reply.
What can I do to look like a lolita?
I have no words with which to reply to this.
You need a headdress, don't you? And a pannier.
Is this coordinate strange?
Is it not wrong for lolita?
Why do you want to do lolita?
Because it's trendy, because my friends do it...
If that's the case, you have no right to wear lolita.
If you just do what the others do, you will look like a lolita.
But I want you to think about something.
Who do you live for?
You think you want to be yourself, but you are afraid of isolation.
You yell that you want to be free, but you take comfort in following convention.
When you are praised for something you don't even feel comfortable with, are you really satisfied?
Girls who wear Vivienne Westwood but don't even know the Sex Pistols.
Even when wearing a jersey, a princess is a princess.
My lolita rules are mine alone.
So you are the only one who can find your own lolita rules.
My god and your god are different, aren't they?
There are angels who wear elegant dresses and play tamborines,
But there are also angels wearing armor and carrying swords whose job it is to fight.
I can't answer your question.
But there are a lot of hints all around you.
You just haven't noticed yet.
What you feel is right is your answer.
Sew frills onto the hem of your heart!
Put a tiara on top of your soul!
Have pride.

- Novala Takemoto

Welcome!

Hello! Welcome to my blog! Within this blog, I plan to chronicle my transition from lurker to lolita and share tips and trials we all come across on the way. I hope my journey will be able to help other baby lolitas in their transition! Let's enter the frilly world of lolita together! =)