Lolita 52 Challenge: Question #10

How I first found out about Lolita

This one's an easy one! When I was in high school, I had friends who were pretty into anime, J-rock, J-pop etc. One of them spent a few weeks obsessed with Mana and brought one of the first few GLBs to school - I think this was in 2002/3?

I first saw lolita (well, proper lolita and not anime lolita) then, but didn't quite take a fancy to it immediately - I wasn't so concerned with clothes and make-up back then.

Fast-forward to 2007/8, I was in my first year of university, was starting to take an interest in my own appearance and had been online shopping for a year. I can't remember the exact sequence of events, but somewhere in the timeline goes this:

- Saw some Mary Magdalene replicas on eBay, fell in love, ordered them and was horribly disappointed. I still hadn't known the style was called lolita, or that there was such thing as "brand" and "replica".

- Bought a second-hand GosuRori magazine at the London MCM expo and saw the difference between higher quality sewing and the cheap replica I'd bought the year before.

- Someone on another fashion forum I was on posted photos of herself in lolita, which is how I found out about the name.

- Found the Lolita Handbook, Lolita Fashion website and some other beginner tutorials. Eventually, I stumbled upon Daily Lolita and EGL.

- Found the GLB section in my local Kinokuniya, as well as the one in Singapore and started collecting them.

- While searching for cheap lolita in my hometown, I found a shop that sells offbrand and Bodyline for ridiculously expensive price tags.

Eventually, I made friends with another girl who was also tentatively looking towards making her first steps into lolita. We gave each other gentle shoves towards the fashion (back then, we were buying everything Bodyline!) - and next thing you know, it's 4 years on and here we are! She had other friends already into lolita, I think, so she took the first steps, and I followed her and eventually it kind of snowballed from there.

I still remember that somewhere between 2008 and 2009, one of the GLBs I bought had some absolutely gorgeous Victorian Maiden and Mary Magdalene dresses - they were the ones that made me gasp out loud from their sheer beauty. Till now, MM's Emanuel OP in rose and VM's Victorian Queen Bustier OP in coral both have special places in my heart for pulling me into the fashion :)

Mary Magdalene's Emanuel OP - Rose

Victorian Maiden's Victorian Queen Bustier OP - Coral

Good memories :)

Lolita 52 Challenge: Question #9

5 keywords that describe my personal Lolita style
Oh gosh, this is a hard one. Let’s see…

1. Feminine
2. Romantic
3. Older
4. Luxurious
5. Understated

Feminine – I generally like wearing a lot of florals and soft colours, which feels pretty feminine to me!

Romantic - I also like chiffon, roses, pearls and lace, all of which give any outfit a softer, more romantic feel.

Older – By this, I mean more mature styles of Lolita, like Classic and EGL. Essentially, I like the general styles of Victorian Maiden, Mary Magdalene, Mille Fleurs and Moi Meme Moitie. It’s still Lolita, but there’s an unmistakably older feel to it.

Luxurious – I’ve once said before that roses, lace and pearls are (to me) marks of opulence and luxury. I very frequently feature all three in my outfits, usually completely unintentionally. Also, I’ve always thought that Lolita clothes are rather luxurious, especially pieces by Juliette et Justine that are sometimes made of super high quality polyester that feels like silk.

Understated – Well, as understated as Lolita can get anyway! Although I enjoy looking at other girls who can accessorize with 4 rings, 20 bracelets, 5 necklaces and 8 head accessories and still come out looking perfect, I’m a relatively simple girl. Most of my outfits have a maximum of maybe two rings, one bracelet, a necklace and one hair accessory. Also, I like wearing less poofy petticoats (I’ve finally figured that it actually does freak me out when I can’t see my own feet), and less accessories + less poof = understated Lolita outfit




That’s about all, I feel. It’s really hard finding five words – everything else felt like it was too specific or generic and didn’t really encompass my entire style! I was going to put “Classic” as one, but then I realized classic isn’t the only style I wear haha.

Lolita 52 Challenge: Question #8

Why don’t I wear Lolita more often?
The answer to this is actually really simply: I just don’t have enough hours in a week to wear Lolita more often.

I work in a bank with a relatively strict dress code, and I work about 10-12 hours a day – and that doesn’t include any dinner meetings I may have to attend. Usually, by the time I get home after facing an hour of traffic, there’s only just enough time for me to have a quick dinner, shower, surf the net a bit then head for bed.

On weekends – okay, for that I have no excuse haha. Saturdays are usually days reserved for running errands, and Sundays are family days. I don’t dress up often because Lolita is often not practical for where I have to go.

Besides, I actually like full-on Lolita as a “special events” only type of fashion, like meet-ups, conventions and just generally going out with friends, rather than something I wander around the house in ^^;

However, that said, I do wear my lolita dresses in lolita-inspired outfits very often!

Here are some pieces that I do wear to office pretty often:




Of course, I don't wear them quite as frilled up as they are in these photos :)

And then there are my casual weekend outfits that are also lolita-inspired:




Hmmm I guess I actually do get my dose of lolita on a regular basis!

Lolita 52 Challenge: Question #7

Why do I wear Lolita?
I just wear it because it looks pretty to me ^^;;

The women in my family are all pretty feminine - we like sewing, baking, craftwork, dressing up, lace, fresh flowers, flirty skirts, elegant teapots... (okay, maybe that last one is just me hahaha). But anyway, the women in my extended family (on my mother's side) are all the type to appreciate frills like lolita. I've worn somewhat toned-down Classic lolita around them before and while the men laughed themselves silly, the aunties and cousins all loved it.

I've had my mum and a couple of cousins admit to me that if they'd discovered the fashion when they were younger, they'd probably have worn it too!

That said, being brought up around this sort of thing, Lolita fashion just seems to be a natural extension to things I already like. As it is, my work clothes and daily clothes are already frilly and feminine, so just adding a petticoat doesn't seem to be too big a step!

I'm also a pretty straightforward girl - if I like it, I'll get it or eat it or wear it or whatever "it" is meant to be used for ^^;

It seems like a rather boring reason to wear lolita but hey, when did we ever need a reason to wear pretty clothes we like, right? ^_^

Lolita 52 Challenge: Question #6

My Favourite Lolita Brand


As is probably obvious from all my posts, my favourite brand is Innocent World. The designs are really cute, and are easily worn in daily outfits without needing added frills to make it look more complete. A big plus for me is that the dresses fit me pretty well!

Here are some of my favourite pieces by Innocent World! But please note: I tend to follow the rule of "no more than 3 main items per brand" for my outfits, so most of these coordinations are a mixture of brands :D


Innocent World's Grazia Crown JSK
Innocent World's Millefeuille Bolero


Innocent World's Rose Stained Glass Skirt


Innocent World's Royal Library JSK

Of course, these are only some of my most recent favourites from this brand - there are other older pieces like Rococo Rose Border that are my favourites and are worn pretty regularly too!

Other favourite brands that I love, somewhat in order of preference (this tends to change every few months, but these few brands are always at the top of my list!):

1. Juliette et Justine
2. Alice and the Pirates
3. Metamorphose
4. Mille Fleurs
5. Victorian Maiden
6. Moi Meme Moitie
7. Angelic Pretty
8. Mary Magdalene (this is only at the bottom because I can't fit most of their stuff!)

Lolita 52 Challenge: Question #5

My wardrobe turnover
Generally speaking, in the past 3 years since I first started actively buying and wearing lolita clothes, my wardrobe has pretty much been in a mostly "incoming pretties" mode. I've put up a few closet cleaning posts and answered a few WTB posts, but mostly I just seem to be receiving new stuff ^^;


My few closet cleaning posts are actually more of letting go of pieces I know I will never wear. This happened mostly when I finally accepted that while I love looking at sweet lolita, it isn't a style that suits me very well. My true calling is Classic and Gothic! (Because I can't seem to coordinate anything else)


I do have an addiction to Lucky Packs, especially Innocent World's Oddments LPs, so from the ones I've bought, I have a pretty sizeable collection of lolita clothes that are perfect for everyday wear. I haven't completely worn out any dresses to the point where I'd be embarrassed to be caught in them (though I think my favourite dress is very close ;_;) but it's only a matter of time before that happens...

I still can't decide what to do with those dresses! Maybe I can repurpose the fabric into something else, like lining for a baby blanket? The fabric sure is soft enough....

Lolita 52 Challenge: Question #4

Favorite thing to put on my head


Hands down, my favourite thing to put on my head is flower corsages. Clips, combs, hair ties, pins, ribbons, fabric, crystals, large, tiny - I just love putting flowers on my head!

The above photo is just a very small part of my flower accessory collection - the darker colours like navy, black and deep purple aren't even represented in this photo!

Lolita 52 Challenge: Question #3

"What my own Lolita lifestyle is like"
Between my job and my personal life, I actually don't really set aside any time specifically for Lolita. I usually spend about half an hour everyday browsing through some of my favourite Tumblrs and blogs and occasionally check out some shops when I get notification of updates. Then there are times when I remember to take photos and update my blog and Tumblr... I think I do spend alot of my online Lolita time webshopping though hahaha.


I do wear my lolita clothes out at least twice a month in casual non-lolita outfits, and on weekends and some weekdays when I get home early from work, I take the time to go through my wardrobe and put together outfits that I might wear for the next meet up six months down the line, or something for my mannequins.


In terms of sneaking lolita into my everyday life, there are a few things in my handbag that brighten up and lolify my stuff: my planner is from Baby The Stars Shine Bright, my phone cover is Cath Kidston, the pen that's always with me is pink and has Swarovski crystals in them, my office hair accessories are usually flower corsages or loli-able ribbons, all my office notepaper are flowery or cute.... Small stuff ^^;

Aaaand... apart from the occasional meet-up and regular chats with some friends on Lolita related stuff, that's about it, really ^^; Lolita isn't a major part of my life except for the clothes that I wear - and for me, that's perfect :)

Lolita 52 Challenge: Question #2

"5 movies for lolitas"

1. Kamikaze Girls
2. Alice in Wonderland, 2010
3. Princess Diaries
4. Pride and Prejudice
5. Harry Potter

Alice in Wonderland is in my list for the eye candy XD

Actually, the main reason why numbers 2 to 4 are ranked as they are is that the main message I take away from them is strength of character - most notably from the female leads, of course.

Pride and Prejudice is also a movie I find particularly meaningful, as it doesn't just deal with Lizzie's intelligence and wit, but also her flaws and how she comes to recognize those flaws by the end of the movie. Of course, Pride and Prejudice (book, movie and TV series) has always been my favourite, so maybe I'm just biased!

Um, Harry Potter is in there because I couldn't think of a suitable fifth movie ^^;;

Lolita 52 Challenge: Question #1

"5 pieces that every Lolita wardrobe should have, regardless of style"

1. Two good petticoats - one bell-shaped, one A-line
I'm a firm believer of layering petticoats rather than depending on just one. With one super poofy petticoat, you only ever have that one shape with the petticoat. On the other hand, with two types of petticoats, you can either wear only one petticoat for a more casual outfit or layer both for added poof.

Layering one over the other also helps with achieving different shapes, though a friend kindly pointed out (and I strongly agree!) that once it reaches the point of needing layered petticoats, the shape doesn't seem to matter much!



2. A decent underskirt
This underskirt should probably match most of your wardrobe. In my case, I have a few (ivory, black, bordeaux, etc etc). This underskirt will come in handy for making short dresses of any style look longer. I also like using them to tie together my outfits, like in the photo above, even if the dress or skirt in question isn't actually too short.

However, my most common use for underskirts is as a final layer over my petticoats under my dresses (like in the first photo!). The ruffle does not have to show at the bottom, because the underskirt is essentially there as a "silhouette shaper" - that is to say, the underskirt smoothes over any bumps in your petticoat and gives your dress a smoother, neater silhouette.



3. Flower corsages
I'm a great fan of flower corsages of any sort! I like single flowers, small bouquets, an entire bush.... And I love them as hairclips, brooches, pins, head dresses - anything! But the best ones are corsages that can double as a brooch or as a hairclip. I find alligator clips the best, because they're more secure in hair. I love them in all colours - add them into any outfit and they immediately add an air of opulence!




4. A basic pearl necklace
Pearls have always been my favourite gem. Even my everyday jewellery are simple pearl drop earrings and a lone pearl pendant. There's something about the weight of pearls around my neck or on my ear that's very comforting, and they complement my skintone so well.

As with the flowers, I find that adding pearls to any outfit adds a touch of elegance! They don't have to be white or ivory pearls either. I find black pearls have an incredibly lustrous sheen when worn with solid black gothic outfits, and my favourite gray pearls give pink lolita outfits a more sophisticated feel to them.

Of course, if you're planning on getting glass pearls, rather than real ones, I'd recommend ivory pearls, because they look more natural :) If you are purchasing real pearls, please be sure to choose your colour carefully! The best pearls I have change their colour everytime I put them on with a different outfit, and the right shade of ivory can really make your skin glow, even without any make-up!

I'd actually rank this first, but a proper silhouette is so much more important to lolita, and I feel roses are a more practical accessory for most lolita styles, as pearls can sometimes make an outfit look rather OTT.


5. Comfortable matches-everything lacy tights
No photo for this one, because I can't find a decent photo of tights in my photo album :/

I love wearing tights in lolita because they make my legs look longer and my outfit more mature and elegant. As you can probably tell from the roses and pearls entries, I rather like opulence and luxury. Lace is just another aspect of lavishness that I enjoy looking at :) Besides, don't "roses, pearls and lace" go so well together?

(Er - I'll be honest and admit that part of the reason why I love tights is that socks never stay in their proper place for me! ^^;)

Lolita 52 Challenge

It's been pretty stressful at work lately, so I decided I ought to schedule myself for some relaxing time with lolita stuff.

I was looking through a few blog posts, and was suddenly inspired to start the Lolita 52 Challenge! I probably wouldn't follow the once-a-week idea, and post as and when I feel like it, but I hope I'll finish all questions!

Putting the entire list of questions here for my own reference :)

1. 5 pieces that every Lolita wardrobe should have, regardless of style
2. 5 movies for Lolitas
3. What my own Lolita lifestyle is like
4. Favorite thing to put on my head
5. My wardrobe turnover
6. My favorite Lolita brand
7. Why I wear Lolita?
8. Why don't I wear Lolita more often?
9. 5 keywords that describe my personal Lolita style
10. How I first found out about Lolita
11. 3 trends I wish would come back
12. Combining other fashions with Lolita
13. Lolitas I have met in real life
14. Lolitas I would love to meet
15. 3 things I wish I was told when I was a new Lolita
16. 10 facts about my Lolita wardrobe
17. My first meetup
18. Trends I thought I would never get into, but I now love
19. Trends I thought I loved, but now I'm not too keen on
20. How satisfied I am with my current wardrobe
21. Plan for a trip! A week's worth of Lolita outfits I can fit in a small suitcase
22. How I accessorize
23. What influences my Lolita style
24. What's in my makeup bag
25. Best places to wear Lolita
26. How I get out of a wardrobe slump
27. Purses that I love
28. Bloomers or no bloomers?
29. Lolitafying things in my everyday life
30. How long it took me to build a complete wardrobe
31. Impulse buys that were totally worth it
32. My best deal
33. Something that I made
34. Wardrobe blunders! Things I bought that I ended up regretting!
35. What I thought when I got my first real piece of Lolita
36. Nails to match my favorite looks
37. Something that's not my style, but I love anyways
38. Favorite hair style
39. Most versatile Lolita item I own
40. 5 inspirational fictional characters
41. Fondest meetup memory
42. The ways in which I fit the cliche
43. The ways in which I do not fit the cliche
44. How strangers react to my clothes, and how I react to their reactions
45. Something that was a gift
46. Parasols: Vital or frivolous?
47. The item in my wardrobe that was the hardest to get
48. My "signature" outfit
49. My favorite Lolita print
50. What's in my closet, but I haven't worn yet!
51. Predict the next Lolita trend!
52. How Lolita has changed me

First question should be up soon! :D