Lolita Blog Carnival: The Effect of Events on the Lolita Community

I find it amusing that this makes two LBC topics I'm blogging on in a row that are kind of weird to talk about as a massive introvert. However, the introvert perspective is totally valid, so here I go!

Events are a *big thing* in this subculture, from local meets to brand events to full weekend affairs. It's undeniable that events have always been here, and probably always will be. Case in point - even this year, events are persisting in digital formats. If they weren't important to lolitas as a whole on a fundamental level this wouldn't be happening.

I have to say, even though I'm not a huge event goer myself, I do know that if our subculture didn't have events, it would be much poorer for it. If the clothing itself is the keystone of the fashion, events make up nearly the entire rest of the archway, or whatever keystones are used for. In the West, there isn't a place like Harajuku that can form a community organically around the fashion - we've had to do it ourselves.

One of the two big events I've been to.

Of course, this does mean that events are perhaps too emphasised, especially for introverts like me. Lately I've been feeling like a bad lolita since 2020 is going to end with me attending zero meet ups. But of course that isn't bad at all! Yet it's still a pervasive thought that I'm not doing lolita "right".

So the downside of events being so integral to this subculture, at least in the West, is that there is an emphasis on events to the point that not engaging in events, due to preference or circumstance, comes across as a bit unusual. Though I do have to admit that it's possibly just my anxiety talking - my brain often tells me that everyone's judging me!

On the other hand, especially in the current age of social media, events are being supplemented by online engagement. Naturally this isn't necessary at all - the only thing you need to be a lolita is wearing the fashion! - but lolita in complete isolation is an idea that doesn't quite feel right to me.

So overall in my view the effect of events on the lolita community is a positive one - it gives us a way to come together and enjoy the fashion with other people. But with a rise in things like YouTube and the resurgence of blogs there are other ways to engage with the community, and to my mind that's only a good thing.

Read more from other bloggers:

The Bloody Tea Party

Lolita Blog Carnival: How Do You Keep Your Love For The Fashion Alive Without In-Person Events

 Oh man *laughs in introvert*

So, complete honesty time, the current pandemic situation has not really affected my attendance of lolita events. Well, I did plan to host a craft day but had a cold, so had to cancel on principle when I wouldn't have if it was not, you know, government mandated at the moment. But by and large I'm not a sociable person so this isn't really 2020 specific opinions, but more the opinions of someone who's more lone-lita than anything.

Just do it 

Thing number one is to not let circumstances stand in the way of wearing lolita. Don't feel like you have to wait for the perfect occasions, just wear these clothes that you love. In a sense, dressing up in lockdown can be freeing. You want to wear OTT but don't want to put on makeup? Go for it! You want to do something experimental? Try it! You want to just lounge around the house in a JSK with nothing else? You totally should!

An outfit I wouldn't have tried if I wasn't wearing lolita to work from home this year.

Participate online

A very simple way to keep involved in lolita is to engage with the online communities when you can't participate in IRL ones. Personally, I'm a lurker, not a poster, but I'm still a part of Rufflechat and CoF on Facebook. It's nice to feel connected, even if I'm doing to Internet equivalent of sitting in a corner at a party.

Create content

Last but not least, my favourite way of keeping the candle burning for this fashion - content creation! Start blog or a YouTube or Amino or TikTok...whatever the cool kids are doing these days. Have fun with lolita and hey, when we get to a point where we can have proper meets again, you can share those too.

I've found YouTube really fun so far!

Ahem...click here to view my channel ^__^

So basically, this introvert strongly believes that, while the lolita fashion subculture is a subculture and thus no frilly person is an island, there are many ways to enjoy the fashion without going out and spending time with people. 

Read more from other bloggers:

The Bloody Tea Party

The 10 Day Lolita Challenge - A YouTube Series

 A very brief post today to let you know that today I posted the first video of a new series, The 10 Day Lolita Challenge by Lolita Wonderland, to my YouTube. 

Click on the image above to go direct to the video! As is totally spoiled by said image, this first video is just me, talking for ages about how much I love Meta and why ^__^

So far I'm really loving using YouTube, and I'm uploading every Friday at the moment. It's not all going to be lolita, but for at least nine more videos in the future it definitely will be so I would really appreciate it if you subscribed!

What's In My Wardrobe - A Ramble

Recently I completed Raine Dragon's lolita buying habits survey and it made me think a bit about the make up of my wardrobe, how it has changed over the years, and what it says about me as a lolita.

The specific question was about the amount of main pieces in your wardrobe from various sources. I had to count, but it turns out I own 14 main pieces from Japanese brands, 9 from Bodyline, 1 from an indie brand, 4 handmade, and 2 custom-made by a designer who doesn't typically do lolita (so I don't count them as "indie"). 

And of those brand main pieces, 8 are Meta...

I was incredibly surprised to discover that almost half of my main pieces were brand, and I was curious to see how this ratio was in the rest of my wardrobe. So I went and counted my blouses and outerwear as well, though I didn't go into socks or accessories or shoes.

In terms of cutsews and blouses, I have 12 from Japanese brands (though not all lolita brands, this includes Axes Femme and similar brands), 6 from indie brands, 4 from Bodyline, and 2 offbrand options. In the outerwear category I have 15 items from Japanese brands, 1 indie, 1 handmade, 1 custom-made from Lyris Design, and 3 offbrand.

So in tops I have a little less than half from Japanese brands, and in outerwear I have around three-quarters brand. Which means that my wardrobe as a whole really is about a fifty-fifty split of Japanese brands vs other sources.

This really surprised me. I knew that over the past 5 years I have definitely been buying for brand items than when I started, but I didn't think that fully half my wardrobe was brand by now. And that realisation leaves me in a bit of an odd position when thinking about who I am in this subculture.

My latest haul - some new, some secondhand, some brand, some not.

See, I used to think of myself as a bit of a...not necessarily a budget lolita, but more of a "don't care about brand" lolita. And to an extent I think I still am - if it's nice and I like it, I like it regardless of source. However, knowing that my wardrobe is now just as much brand as not came as a surprise.

I bought my first brand in mid-2014 and since then my buying habits have skewed, slowly but surely, to more brand focus. Not exclusively, and I don't think it will ever be exclusive, but I certainly buy more brand than anything these days, though it's pretty much all secondhand. 

While this was a bit of a shock to the system, I like that I am actually now more than ever living up to my intention of having a wardrobe full of things I like, regardless of source. There's nothing wrong with loving a particular brand and stocking your wardrobe with that brand and that brand only, but that's never been my preference. 

I don't quite know how to wrap this up as it's probably the most rambly post I've done in a while and I don't really have a point to make. But it's interesting to look back at my loltia buying habits and wardrobe make-up and see trends that I wasn't aware of.

Coordinates from 16 - 31 October 2020

Picking up from right where we left off in the first half of October round up, the next day I wore a really fun casual lolita outfit for my counselling appointment. The starting point for this look was the ACDC Rag hoodie and I really, really love the result, it's so me and so fun!

Skirt: Handmade

Hoodies: ACDC Rag

Socks: Bodyline

Shoes: Yosuke

Handbag: Angelic Pretty

Hat: Offbrand

Clip: Yokai Candy

And then I wore lolita briefly the next day too! Three days in a row hasn't happen for a little while, so it was rather fun ^__^

JSK: Metamorphose temps de fille Teddy Chocolatier

Bolero: Lady Sloth

Socks & Shoes: Bodyline

Headbow & Necklace: Angelic Pretty

Everything else: Offbrand/Taobao

There's nothing terribly exciting about this coord, but I always enjoy Teddy Chocolatier. This was worn to film my YouTube channel intro so please check it out! Also, I wore make-up so have a selfie ^__^ 

The following Tuesday I wore lolita to work from home and went for something casual and cute. I loved it!

Skirt & Bow: Metamorphose temps de fille

Shirt: Listen Flavour

Everything else: Offbrand/Taobao

On this day James also did his first Halloween shoot of the year, and I absolutely love the pumpkin he carved! So also have a selfie with my new orange friend ^__^

Also, check out his page The Enthusiast to see all the absolutely amazing stuff he did for Halloween this year! 

Exactly a week later I wore lolita to WFH again. The weather turned cold again and honestly it was a great "stay in PJs" day but I had a Zoom meeting, so work-safe lolita it was! I also assisted with a Halloween shoot and went to Officeworks after work in this look so it got around!

Skirt: Handmade

Shoes: Bodyline

Everything else: Offbrand

The next day I was going to assist with another Halloween shoot after work and needed to duck out during my lunchbreak, so figured why not wear lolita?

JSK: Baby, the Stars Shine Bright Shirring Princess

Bolero: Maxicimam Lovely

Socks & Jewellery: Angelic Pretty

Shoes: Bodyline

Headbow: Metamorphose temps de fille

Everything else: Offbrand

Buuuuut in reality, I wore this outfit for about twenty minutes only for the stupidest reason. We have a sword hanging in out hallway...

And guess who somehow pulled the sword off the wall with her dress and hit her leg with it? This gal! So I was freaked out and bleeding a little and just wanted to be comfy after that, so off came the outfit! Oh well, it's the thought that counts and now I can add "have been wounded by a sword" to my list of bizarre life achievements!

Then I wore lolita to my counselling appointment on the Friday. Not much to say about this one except it was cute! I also visited my mum after my appointment and she said I looked beautiful, thanks mum ^__^

JSK: Baby, the Stars Shine Bright Tartan Check

Bolero: Maxicimam Lovely

Socks: Handmade

Shoes: Bodyline

Everything else: Offbrand/Taobao

And to top the month off, for Halloween I pulled together a quick maid look, because I wanted a simple and comfortable costume. We had our favourite other couple over for the evening and handed out candy to the neighbourhood kids. We ate pumpkin soup, played Blockus, and just hung out. It was good, and an excellent way to end the month!

JSK: Baby, the Stars Shine Bright Shirring Princess

Bolero: Peace Now

Apron: Marble

Socks: Bodyline

Everything else: Offbrand/Taobao

I also want to share a selfie of this look, since I really liked the subtle cookie these I had going on.

So that was the latter half of October! It's been a hectic month, but a good one, and I'm keen to see where November takes me, in lolita and in life ^__^