Here's one "classics can't be colorful." Victorian dresses were all about those crazy colors and patterns. But everyone thinks your trying to go for a sweet look.
What a great point! I also see many sweet dresses be considered classic because they are just more toned down in the color even though they are very much a sweet dress! Never thought about that - thanks for commenting !
I do have to disagree here. Although Lolita Fashion is inspired by Victorian and Rococo Period clothing; They are not the same thing. Classic Lolita is more about neutral colors and being a sentient wallpaper then being a milky planet fantasy land. I’ve seen comments like these trying so hard to blend Victorian/Rococo fashions into Lolita, there not the same thing.
Agreed, well also depending on other things like accents and vibrancy. I really like the sets from Amavel which most of them can be described as more Sweet-leaning Classic Lolita, but ultimately Classic despite they have cute pastel colors like pink or mint available, and cute motifs like animals or sweets that are still somehow more classic than sweet (probably cause of the art style, cursive text, off-whites, and accent colors like golds, browns). I like to think of the genres/subgenres of EGL as more of a spectrum which can also have many overlaps. There's just no limit beyond imagination, and it can always evolve over time too.
I'm so glad you talked about the "advice based on OTT sweet" issue. This is the main reason that I don't ask for advice in FaceBook groups anymore. I posted a classic coord with a straight wig, and someone suggest giant curly twin tails and adding a lot of bows and clips. Another time I posted a coord with a baby doll cut, and someone told me that I needed to get a giant cupcake petti for it. Idk, I just feel like there is a gap in resources for non-sweet lolitas, so most of my classic inspo comes from historical fashion content creators.
Yes! I have had similar experiences as you in the past. Sweet lolita, especially OTT, seems to be the most popular of all lolita substyles (within the West at least). Because of this, they are the most exposed online and give out the loudest advice. This is great for sweet lolitas! But like you said, it's not applicable to other substyles. We can still appreciate them and their style, but I hope in the future there will be more focus on the differences, and not hold people to standards that don't go towards the same standards of other styles they're not in.
I feel like the advice against using non-lolita pieces is a bit of gatekeeping mixed with justification for the collector mentality that makes some lolitas spend so much money on clothes they will wear once. The whole point is to use your creativity - buying head-to-toe designer outfits is the opposite of creative. I'm much prouder of something I sewed or altered to realize my vision than something I paid $300+ for just to have the rarest/latest thing.
I agree! It should really be focused on personal taste and expression. I think it's fine if someone loves AP so much that they want to obtain all of their pieces, but it's quite ridiculous to apply that to other people who may not even like AP. I also think that for beginner advice, a much more helpful approach should be focused on finding personal style rather than how to properly coord within lolita. I think most beginners find themselves switching away from the substyle they started in and I think the "rules" of coording w/o being an "ita" stop people from figuring out what they like. I think it can cause a lot of people to think in order to be a proper lolita you need to follow ott sweet rules of modern day and that's just not correct. It then makes people spend lots on stuff they don't feel comfortable in and a lot of pressure to wear it 100% in other people's favor. This then results in people quitting easily and losing out on money.
I still feel like as a beginner lolita it is better to start with basic lolita piece first just to familiarize urself with the fashion. Creativity has to be built on fundamental knowledge and its the same with everything.
Agreed. Plus there are also consideration for each individual's own needs or preferences too, like for example I get sweaty too much even in low-humidity cool climates, due to anxiety, so I like having more cold-shoulder blouses like those for jirai/ryousangata. Even though there's people saying these aren't Lolita, I feel the style matches just fine as long as the style of ruffle/lace and color scheme matches. I also have very weak wide feet that additionally need very thick insole inserts, so I tend to just wear sneakers and dress them up with ribbons and stuff to Lolita-ify them because I cannot wear those small delicate dressy shoes which cannot even fit any insole. Not every Lolita has to be the same after all and the style always has room for evolution and new variations and hybrids (such as WaLolita and QiLolita and Hijab Lolita that were thanks to allowing such creativity/freedom and consideration to personal cultural and religious needs).
number 8 reminded me of this reddit group we saw that said you had to have a new coord every 6 months to be a Lolita! it was so stupid to me because Lolita can be really difficult or expensive to get if you're disabled, a student, struggling with finances etc! it was so disheartening to see :(
Whoever claims that is not worth being around- seriously, what's the point in that? Please don't follow that rule and wear lolita whenever you want to! (Plus, how would they even know if someone wore the same coord? really, why do they care that much in the first place? lol, such a dumb made up rule for no reason)
I think a lot of people misunderstand the "stick with a single color scheme" technique. It's good advice for starting any wardrobe on a budget, but that's what it should be. A start. Once you have a good handful of things you can mix and match together, then you can start slowly introducing more colors to your wardrobe.
I agree! Though, I would also argue that suggesting basic neutral colors as a start would be a lot more beneficial than suggesting say pink and pink only. Then, you can mix and match many things while introducing more unique colors ! If you have tons of black and white but you want to do a blue or pink coord it'd be a lot easier than if you had only one unique color!
@@PureRaee That's what I did when I started out, I only got white or black blouses, so I could easily mix with other color skirts. That way I can save money on blouses too, only need to buy JSK or Skirt, in any color. I also opted for white or black or brown shoes at first, so that I could just put the color in the socks, to save money since shoes are expensive and hard to find comfortable ones, but socks are so affordable and easy to find in any color. I also think it's fine to mix colors, especially if they compliment each other, for example I really love the pink and brown and white combination because it's like Neapolitan. Brown and green is also cute, like nature-y or mint chocochip. I also really love pink-purple-blue, it reminds me of Hydrangeas or like Little Twin Stars, and can give kind of fairy-kei vibes.
yes exactly! i think at the start you should focus on buying pieces that work with a variety of existing clothes in your wardrobe. but that isnt because someone needs to stick to a color scheme, its so you get more use and variety out of your wardrobe.
Maybe it's just me, but something I do not see people talk about, whether within lolita or outside of it, is how important it is to get your sizing right. Me, being young and probably a bit stupid measured my bust and waist and bought according to that size. I did not think about taking into account an inch or two for breathing and general movement. I sadly had to get rid of pieces because I didn't consider that. Please don't keep wearing pieces that are uncomfortable and difficult to breathe in, it's not worth it. An easy way to see if something will fit you is to measure yourself and take a deep breath while still holding the measuring tape. I know lots of lolita pieces have shirring, but there are definitely pieces that don't or just have partial shirring.
That's great advice and very insightful! I agree - it's very important to know your measurements (in cm, too!) and to learn how to measure properly. When I first learned to sew I measured my waist way lower than where my actual waistline was because I didn't know where a natural waist was (I grew up with low rise jeans so it skewed my perspective ^^;;) and therefore the skirts I'd make were very low rise unintentionally. So, it's a very important skill to learn and very helpful when buying!
Definitely agree! The first pieces I bought had trouble because it was tight, it made it impossible to raise my arms without ripping the armpit stitching. :( And the buttons on the chest would pop unless I wore a chest binder. I would also add that if you're under 30 yrs old, and want clothing that will last for your lifetime, it's also good to get more relaxed fitting outfits because I would in my 20s buy more form-fitting sizes and regret it since I had to through it all out when I got into my 30s and I inevitably gained weight due to age (no diet or exercise difference, just age).
Totally agree that Black n White is not ita at aaaaall 🤧🤧🤧 so many lolitas I look up to wear all black/white and it's flawless, I bet so many coords in GLB an Kera etc are monochrome and it's wonderful, I think it makes you look like an ink illustration ;;w;;
Omg you're right! Black and white coords do give me an ink illustation vibe - I love that! I like how it gives a type of edginess and shows that monochrome doesn't have to mean boring or simple. I think the idea people get with modern lolita styles is that in order for it to be considered "advanced" or "creative" it must be OTT and a ton of colors that are uniquely coordinated.
I'm a beginner lolita and I'm definitely classic. Every time someone says I should wear a poofier petticoat I'm seething inside 😂 That and I have very short hair and the first advices I got was that I should "dress them up" ? And I hate it because my short afro hair is a statement in itself and I don't want to cover them in a million bows. A small headpiece is all I want to put on them. As I'm very money limited, I decided to make my own wardrobe cohesive in color at first so I can wear things with each other (my favorite color is blue). I definitely plan to add other colors like red and brown when I have a solid base though!
Yeah I understand the suggestion of adding head accessories to “balance things out” - but it’s only helpful in the regard of one hair/head accessory. More than that is just going into OTT and not everyone wants to do that. For keeping your wardrobe to one color- that’s totally fine! I was mainly referring to people criticizing others for *not* sticking to that method when it’s their own wardrobe and they can do what they want! I push for people to do what makes them feel happy and comfortable- if a big petticoat and OTT hair pieces make them happy that’s great! But it’s not everyone’s style :p Glad to see you’re doing what works best for you
I saw you comment that, I totally agree, I started with classic... Mainly... My first dress was pirate, 2nd and 3rd were classic/gothic, 4th was classic, then I got sweet/classic dresses. I have a wide range of colours, I literally spend a few days making headbows and rectangular headdresses in a variety of colours. I only started last march and already I could add any colour or style dress to my wardrobe and I'd have something to go with it 🤣
Oh how wonderful! I have been doing that lately too! It's super fun and I really enjoy doing it. Maybe you should start making them to sell or something ! That could be cool. So glad to hear you have such a wide collection :) It's really cool to experiment with how accessories are made and make your own to suit your own style- thanks for commenting :D
I started getting into the fashion around 2015/16 and seeing how much the advice I was given when I was starting out has changed is wild. OPs being recommended for newbies was def something I remember seeing when was starting out.
I don't like the overapplication of sweet rules into other substyles either. Sweet definitely has styles & trends that are NOT a thing in Classic. Lmafo People saying long skirts is not lolita has obviously never worn classic before, ankle length never died in classic either. Tea length A-line has always been a staple since the beginning of classic lolita. Super a-line poof is one of the things that only applies to heavier dresses in classic (like velvet) with a lot of decorations to hold up the dress properly. The thing in Classic too is that trends stick around and become part of a "bigger" picture of what it means to wear Classic. Unlike sweet, trends don't turn over as quickly and they tend to become part of the way the substyle is worn. Like the time of the OTT classic trend from like 2015-2018 mainly made accessorizing and having subtle details in coordinates without having overwhelm the entire coordinate an added trait.
about that "The lolitas aren't lovelies" I discovered when I saw the international community, my local community its really welcoming with newbies but on the internet I see so many ppl that straight up refuses to help new ppl. . . I mean ok you are not obligated to help me but at least don't be rude ;-;
Yes! Exactly this! This is why I encourage newbies to try and engage in their local comms if possible because they are usually a lot more understanding and welcoming. It's like what you said; online people keep up the motto of "I'm not obligated to help"- however, if that is the case you can just ignore it. Instead, many people choose to actively be rude to the new person because they are annoyed by their presence (which in itself isn't very nice). And, I just find that to be so hurtful.
im getting my first lolita fit soon, and honestly im kinda terrified 😭 like i thought this was just a clothing subculture but its so much more than that?? theres like rules and communities and other stuff completely foreign to me thats honestly really close to scaring me away from not going through with it. like what if i do something wrong? i just wanna wear pretty dresses but i dont know if i wanna commit to this whole community thing.
Hello! I'm also a relatively new lolita (try local groups! they tend to be more friendly than online) and I sympathise with your situation a lot here. To me lolita is pretty much just about keeping the shape (bell, a line) and keeping quite modest, with less skin shown. There's nothing wrong with wearing pretty dresses, but you could always not label your fashion as lolita (try lolita inspired) to keep away the purists
Never saw anyone say the "don't buy other colors", but I guess that's why I never shyed away from tons of colors. I have pinks, red, purples, blues, blacks... So many haha.
Have all the colors you'd like! The colors comment was something I mainly saw in smaller groups and it was usually one of those things where it wasn't definite. However, the way people went about trying to give good advice with it was very poor, and condescending. Sticking to one color scheme might be good advice for some - but especially if you have a lot of white basics it's super easy to interchange your wardrobe with more than just one color scheme! I feel like a better way to use this advice would be to suggest beginners to keep in mind basics that can be used more rather than every main piece has to look similar.
I think it is less do not buy other colors but starting with a few things you can mix and match so your get more out of what you have and can affort and one can expand when one got a solid base
I bought from devil inspired for my birthday in june 2020 and it only arrived in february of this year 😭 Like,, it was weird, they kept sending me e-mails (not bots ones, like actual manually written e-mails by staff) asking me over and over again to confirm that i still wanted my order and didnt want a refund instead, each months they would ask me "we will ship it, just tell us you still want it" and i would answer back to the e-mail "yes i confirm i still want it". At some point they asked me to send my adress again like they forgort or something?? And then asked me to send my phone number again 😭 I won't buy from them again like god it was such a pain to communicate, as well as i was pretty disappointed since i needed my order to arrive for december for a special occasion 😭
Oh wow! I am STILL waiting for my package from them as well lol. I made an order during the 11/11 sale cuz it was free shipping just to see- and yeah... I had to actually message them in Jan. asking if my order went through and if they were shipping it because it wasn't pre-order items and the time it would be sent had passed- they bascially were like "oh! Yeah.. we will do that!" shipped it and its been in the mail for over 100 days now.. lol
@@PureRaee yeah they're shippement system is so messy. I think they werent prepared for the popularity they got, pretty sure they didnt expect such a huge amount of costumers just cause they sponsored a youtuber haha
Haha I wanted to make an “ita” wardrobe tour in January but I decided to wait for some taobao stuff to arrive and it still hasn’t. I agree that they are stupid rules that is so often created within this fashion, and I bought clothes that I could easily throw on like any of my other dresses.. so it’s one of the reason I’m happy to stay an ita even if my coords may eventually be acceptable for Lolita standards
Yeah, I wear my lolita stuff in my normal daily wear all the time so I know what you mean! My friend and I often joke about being "itas" because of it - its a fun banter :p Also an "ita" wardroble tour would have been a fun watch ahhaha
One of my biggest issues with beginner advice is when people recommend bodyline for plus sizes....like just no....I have a bust size of 111cm and the vast majority of their things don't fit. Even if they have the potential to they are hardly EVER in stock. It always drives me crazy as they could instead offer information on places like glittertale or metamorphose which offer a much better variety and range. Also as far as big sisters of lolita fashion goes, it's somewhat complicated since the only real tag that's regulated is big sister. I've seen people declare themselves middle sister when they've only been in the fashion for a few months. For me personally I've been in for about a year now, and since there's no real defining trait to move up I haven't changed from little sister as I still don't feel qualified yet. I do still comment in ways that I think would help a newcomer though. I usually just comment links to different stores or videos so they have more resources.
Hi there! I can totally hear where you're coming from! Bodyline was always recommended even 5 years ago for plus sizes, and I never thought too much about that , but that doesn't really make that much sense now. Bodyline sizes vary so much all of the time too. I can fit between a M-2L in bodyline! That's a very big range. I think maybe people believed they offered more shirring? But I agree with you with Meta. Meta's shirring is THE BEST. It is stretchier than most of my elastic shorts for lounging. So not only is Meta good for fitting all different sizes, but it's COMFORTABLE! At least in my own experience and what other's have agreed with. I am happy to hear you are being an advocate for this information, though! It's very important to spread the info you wish you heard more often :D As for BSOLF, it is totally confusing on deciding what you should label youself. I remember when I was more active in it, I was also confused on this. I ended up reading through their about page and it mentioned that Little sisters/siblings were people who really needed help and didn't feel they had much of a grasp on the fashion (or at least that's how I interepreted it). Therefore, I think you could actually qualify as a MS. But that is totally up to you and what you feel most comfortable with! I can def say that people will care about your comments more if you say you're a MS rather than a LS. And that makes sense to an extent. LSs usually look for that. Either way, the beauty of not having the MS vetted is that you can decide that at your own pace! I wish you well :) Thanks for commenting and mentioning some great points!
@@PureRaee I definitely agree! It's nice that people can decide at their own pace! For me personally I feel like what determines a MS is being able to tell the difference between each style. When I see a jsk that's in between two styles I have a hard time determining which category it belongs in. For example: Romantic little garden feels very sweet (I'm fairly certain it is in fact a sweet print) but I also feel like it could be classic? Or at the very least could be coordinated as such? I'm getting better as time passes but sometimes certain prints still get me lol
@@teatime4061 I think what is fun about most things is the nuance. That print can in fact be made more sweet or more classic, but there are def styles that mix! A lot of sweet dresses I like are more country or classic looking, but have sweet elements to them. I think the best part is being able to wear them all types of ways. Of course there are prints that just purely of that style, like baked sweets parade. You couldn't really make that look classic. But the dress you mentioned I can def see in a very hime look which has classic and sweet elements to it.
I have a bad experience with their blouses popping at the chest, even in sizes that are literally way too big for me, the buttons pop or are just soooo lose they do not stay on, like the buttons are too small for the buttonholes, and I end up having to use fashion tape and hope that tape doesn't fall off while I'm out in public lol. However their skirts have not given me any trouble, and one of my favorite shoes which are actually comfortable, were from Bodyline.
A frustrating thing I have run into is that people also give advice assuming you fit into straight sizes. I've struggled with accessories. So I will get comments like add printed tights or add something to the waist, but they can't point me into the direction of anything because it won't fit. For waist items it seems to be mostly a waiting game, but as far as tights go my options seem to be pretty limited. Most tight brands I've found that have a size range are usually suited for sweet, which I don't wear.
Yes! I have seen these things too. There is wayyyy more accessibility for sweet items because of how big the substyle is in lolita, but that doesn't help with critiqing at all. I also feel like printed tights are very risky in regards to how comfortable they could be if they did have all sizes, how the print would look in person, and how the print looks on. Honestly, I think comfort and how you feel in a garment is far more important than anything else. I find sometimes printed tights warp when wearing and can look not as flattering because of this. This is a really great point, thank you for bringing light to it!
the "black and white = ita" came from a lot of shit pseudo-lolita dresses back then poorly imitating oldschool. modern day "ita" dresses are very very different, but they're out there.
the "stick to a color scheme" is for saving money. if all of your dresses and accessories are pink and white, youll have trouble using the accessories on a new either black/chocolate colored dress or on a soldier-general outfit of any color, so you would have to buy all accessories again (AND learn make up new). it is ofc not to keep people from expressing themselves, trying stuff out or to make them stick to rules.
I think the first one is just to simplify things for beginners and make it easier to build a cohesive close, and getting several outfits wuthout having many pieces :) if someone said it would look bad to not do, or that you HAVE to i mean thats obviously wrong hahah
It's interesting how all this advice just sounds like different facebook groups, I don't think I ever heard these things in my comm or at events when I was first starting out and even blogs have usually more nuanced advice, lolita facebook groups really develop their own culture. Love the video btw! it was a great topic to talk about. Also, your headdress is cute!
Yes I totally agree! It definitely depends on where you go to experience it. Some of the advice I said I never saw either, but I had seen people talk lots about (in the thread) so I made sure to add them and give my own opinion for funsies :P I don't think most in person events give advice like this because a lot of them are kinda ridiculous, haha (thankfully). When researching there were some older blogs that would have some similar concepts - but I think a lot of it comes from non controlled spaces like non offical aminos or groups where people misconstrue the actual message to re-enforce gatekeeping, but in completely wrong ways, haha. Thanks so much for the comment! I'm glad you enjoyed the video :D Also thanks for the compliment on the headress
honestly i think the first one seems to have been misunderstood a bit by people. it is advice, not rules ;) i also think it is more from the days when egl was not as easily accessible, so you wanted to plan very well what to buy and how to effectively build a functioning wardrobe instead of simply owning various pieces you adore, but cannot coord.
Yes, that is good advice when explained like that. However, I was more so referring to the way a lot of people will go very extreme with this advice and consider it to be so strict that it is a rule to them. This tends to be common amongst newbies who are trying to act badass in front of other newbies; however there are always outliers! Thanks for commenting :) I think the insight of where it probably comes from is very interesting and I'm happy you mentioned it! It's a great point
I'm stuck in the past. I still coord like a 2001-2004 GLB ad. Anyone who doesn't like it can fight me. You can call it frumpy all you want I'm going down to the depths of hell with this ship.😂
Something i would like to add: using the same Colourscheme is Not neccaserrily true, because while you can use a Blouse thats pink with brown, Black or even the Occaisonal pink dress For instance, i matched pink Tights and Infantas pink Antique Bonnet in pink with the Sleeping Beauty Mini JSK in brown Pay attention to your mainpiece, and coordinate from there The Colour scheme more helps buy so it is most likely to fit in the Dresser. In the dresser remind you, Remember Not in the Outfit.
this is abit of an older video but as a newbie lolita (transmasc nb!!) that just ordered his first set recently (cape, blouse and skirt second hand), this is a lovely video!! ive loved lolita clothes ever since playing styling savvy and watching dollightful, im an artist too and im so happy to be starting gahhh (slowly but surely
I disagree with the excuse of "you need the money" for Lor recommending DI because of sponsorship. Like I think that if you have a big community like her, that you have so much influence and you can afford 300$ dresses, so you don't need the money to just survive, it is your job to make sure or at least do some reaserch that your sponsor isn't a scammer andthat you're not sending people that trust you to a scam (because between the markup and the problems with receiving your products, if you ever receive them, I think it qualifies as a scam) just so you can make money off of them. Edit : Now that I'm the end of the video (I wrote the first bit without having watch the whole thing because it bothered me too much) I wanted to add that I completely agree with you for the rest and it's refreshing to see someone giving different advice than the most popular lolitas and not being afraid to contradict them (not saying that all their advices are trash because some of them aren't) and your video looks really good and it feels like you spent a lot of time working on it ! (I'm sorry if I'm not understandable, English isn't my first language, if I need to try to re-explain something, don't be afraid to ask)
I see where you are coming from ! And it's totally fine for us to agree and disagree on things - it's what helps us have different perspectives! I agree with what you are saying in reference to the DI sponsorships, however the reason why it's hard for me to completely flip to that opinion is because I do understand needing financial needs. I hear what you're saying with her having the ability to buy dresses that are expensive - and we really do not know the exact value she makes off of the sponsorships. But, I also do not know what her relationship with spending is like and her actual financial states. Some people may not spend their money all that responsibly which could be a whole different issue all together. I would hope that isn't the case for her, though. I guess my conclusion with that opinion is that I agree that she should research her sponsorships more and, if anything, at least make people somewhat aware of the shop's normal process of orders; even if she accepts it. She could simply state how the normal process of DI orders go and to tell people up front what they can expect so that people are not completely misled. To be fair, I didn't hear much bad about DI until the last 6 months or so. A lot of people (from what I was seeing) were using them and not complaining much until recently. Thank you for commenting ! I really appreciate your perspective and that you took the time to complete the video
@@PureRaee I totally see your point now that you have explained it, and I think we agree on the fact even if I think accepting the sponsorship is also a problem the major part of it is how she does it, making it looks like it's only rainbows, unicorns and butterflies, that the price is right for the "comfort of buying" it gives you and there's no problem with them, like even "I recognize they mark up their prices more than other retailers and some have allegedly had problems with DI but I never did" if they don't like being criticized in an add/video on them the alleged could maybe help. And I find it hard to believe she has never seen something bad about them because I've seen multiples people commenting about it under her videos about them ^^" You're welcome ! I also commented because I like to see other people point of view and I really liked your video 😊
I bought my first dress from devil inspired. Nobody told me to, but it was one of the first things that came up when I first started looking and being a newbie I got super excited to see an actual shop pretty much dedicated to lolita when I had never seen it in person. The dress is decent quality and I got it in like 2 months which isn't that crazy for overseas, but the prices were ridiculous. Also, they send me SO MANY emails! Then I saw it listed as a scam site somewhere and got scared. I guess overall my experience wasn't as bad as it could be, but I'm still not going to buy from them again.
im glad to hear the dress came to you in a timely fashion and was as expected! I wouldn't say they're a complete "scam" site like milanoo used to be back in the day. However, I've never received my order and I've heard that from others before, too. I would say it seems to be more rare for that to be the case. It's more of them ripping you off like you said about how the prices were ridiculous. So it's really just whatever someone is most comfortable with.
I think why a lot of people say to "only stick with one color when you're starting out" is so it's not as expensive. If you start out with buying 3 dresses/JSKs of all different colors you're also going to have to buy stockings, accessories, bags, blouses, etc all in those different colors which can easily get up to HUNDREDS of dollars just for 3 coords! It's better to pick main pieces that are similar colors and pick accessories you can mix and match with all of them but of course if you're financially able to go gung-ho and go for a full rainbow in your closet I don't see why you shouldn't!
I see what you're saying; but honestly I would say the reverse would be better. If you were to buy 3 different main pieces in different colors but then chose to buy everything else in white + black then this would significantly decrease spending while also allowing you to mix and match things with different kinds of main pieces! The point I was making in the video was mainly that a lot of advice was given more about *critiquing* someone's main piece choices and saying that everything must all be one colors - I simply disagree and believe this to be restrictive. However, I do agree that it's good advice to stick to a couple basic colors like black and white for things like legwear, blouses, cardigans, bags, shoes,etc.! Endless possibilities without much worry. Lot's cheaper and easier than having a bunch of accessories + blouses that *only* work with 1 color!
I brought 2 things from Devilinspired. A headpiece and my first dress. It wasn't bad at all the sellers where responsive and I got everything on time🥺 plus...idk how to use a ss or Taobao😅😅 it sounds like the mail lost your package if you still haven't gotten it yet 😓
Yeah the mail def lost it but the thing about it that wasn’t handled properly from the beginning. I received the invoice from DI through email but on my account on their website it appeared as if I didn’t even have an order. I emailed them about it initially and they assured me all was fine. However after many weeks passed the production time (these were not pre order items) and they obviously were not even going to send my package until I made notice to it. Overall it’s definitely a thing of disorganization. It also seems they switched mail carriers during that too. I just wouldn’t suggest it since I’ve heard this was the case for many people . I’d rather be safe than sorry because thankfully the order I made was not a big and expensive one. In the end, it’s def easier than ordering off taobao with a SS ; but there’s other more organized and trust worthy resellers available.
Yes I can agree with that, but many people were pretty hung up even just on color when this was created which I just disagree with - I think neutrals are the easiest way to go for a beginner and there shouldn't be any shame in wear a white blouse with something.
Thanks so much for this video! I’m a newbie and I wear sweet and classic I only have a few OP dresses and 1 JSK so I’m definitely a newbie. This really helped me thank you for clearing up the bad advice :)
I'm glad you found this helpful! I hope you enjoy the fashion and don't let anyone put you down to feel like you shouldn't be involved - I feel this is something that happens often to newbies and it's something I always worry about. So please keep your own best interest in mind
Personally I don't see a problem with devilinspired like brand equally takes just as long as long to arrive and is more expensive so if your a new lolit you won't have money for it anyway, also if you don't fit into brand devils is a nice place to go furthermore alot of lolitas buy from taobao which is what devil's is and we all know you cant buy from taobao without a shopping service so theyre rewlly just cutting out thr middle man for you for an extra fee which makes sense to me. You can't tout saying buy from aliexpress and taobao when you trash on devils make it make sense, Plus you cant say bot buy from them and not offer an alternative
the colorscheam advice makes sense for a beginner for it means everything you have you can mix and match giving you more variety then if your few pieces all do not add up. it does not mean you can not expend later of well, have seperat compleat outfits, but that way you get more out of what you have withut having to spend exobitent amounts of money
Devilinspired is just one piece of an arsenal of places you can buy from and I don't recommend someone do it unless they are okay being massively overcharged for what they're buying for convenience (I do know some people who don't mind) or if you are prepared to double check prices and shop around with other resellers. Some of their products have been the same price or even cheaper than buying from a shopping service for some reason, and the do sometimes have good deals on shipping that also lower costs, but also I've sometimes see they mark up like 20-35% of an item's value for like, no reason. Why should I have to pay 60 dollars for a 38 dollar cardigan? But I guess it's still better than knock offs from amazon at the end of the day.
I’m a very very new Lolita, and so far I’m just buying a bit of main pieces, so I can get used to wearing them outside, because I love and want to wear these outfits but I don’t want to go all out or spend so much money, and to find my actual style so fair I think I’m more into Victorian, classical, or gothic, I’m not sure. But this is just what I think I am, based on what I like.
4:59 idk if OPs are harder to coord but they can be less versatile which was always the basis for what I’ve heard for getting a JSK before getting an OP. However I have one dress and it’s an OP and I love it
Many people say less versatile which can be true depending on how you like to coordinate - but I argue that for beginners, it makes more sense to value easy of understanding how to coordinate over versatility as many do not even have many pieces to start from to actually benefit from the versatility standpoint.
I have no idea if I'm Lolita, but I wear Llolita clothes because they make me feel immeasurably fancy and cute. I don't stick to a color or a type; I generally shop at places that will do custom sizing 'cause I'm fat. That being said, it seems weird to gatekeep people out of the community based on how good they are at wearing clothes that make them happy. I enjoyed this video, and you're outfit is quite cute. I agree with many of your takes, so this comment is just choir reverb.
i don’t like the stuff against flat shoes like,, you expect me to wear heels any time i go out and about in lolita? also the anti loliable thing is especially dumb for plus size lolitas (especially on a budget like me) because how many brands can we all name that have plus size lolita specific tights? what about me with us womens size 11.5 feet? what’s stopping a gothic or classic lolita from wearing gothic or vintage looking JEWELRY?? as long as the quality is good and it fits the coord why is it a huge deal? black and white can definitely be done well too in any era style. if you can make the colors complement each other instead of clash (which isn’t that hard) it’s fine lol with color schemes, thinking about what colors work well is better than just using a couple colors. buying a pink dress and matching it with sax isn’t hard to figure out or achieve imo. i think the common “start buying for one of the main 3 substyles” also isn’t always necessary as long as they know what they’re doing and they’re willing to possibly take longer and/or spend more to get a nice size wardrobe. main think stopping me from getting punk lolita stuff has been my size the whole time i’ve been interested, i definitely enjoy gothic though. “you can’t be as creative with OPs” isn’t true if you know what layering is lol. an overskirt or bolero or anything like that can add flair on the body and the rest of the outfit is the same to coord as a jsk or skirt. with solid color dresses or skirts, what i said before about colors that work together. the example with pink and sax that i used works fine. pairing pink, sax, and white is one of my favorites for making pastel coord collages (which i love doing lol) and it’s normally a solid color skirt or dress. i could ramble all day about this but i’m gonna cut it off here and i’ll add to this comment later if i think of something and get reminded that i commented this.
Yeah I think a lot of the advice given seems to assume most people do not know the basic understandings of how to make an outfit that will match and look nice all together. Sure, there are people who struggle with that - but if you do not then the advice is just nothing applicable. Also, like said before, it all leans heavily into the OTT style. I wear plenty of off brand items within lolita and not just from taobao or something that'd be jfashion adjacent- I often thrift and make my own items within lolita. There's nothing wrong with this and imo is a huge part of what makes the alternative fashion experience!
@@PureRaee anyone who likes putting together any sort of nice looking outfit could figure out how to pair colors that aren’t in the main piece, and classic and gothic lolita especially can work great with loliable stuff. classic lolita’s would probably be in heaven at a local antique store with a clothing section lol, and any gothic womens clothing brand with high enough quality would have things like jewelry, maybe blouses, probably socks or tights, etc that fit the look just as well as moitie (especially considering gothic lolita is heavily inspired by western goth fashion put in a lolita style).
Haha, go for it! I just wouldn't personally recommend it to anyone because I've never received my orders and experienced bad customer service. But there's plenty of people who use it often too
not me buying my first lolita dress from devilinspired and it being a black (short sleeved) op with no print that i coord with white or black thrifted blouse and socks from my non-lolita closet. at least the leap from romantic goth to gothic lolita isn't too huge
haha don't worry, there isn't anything wrong with any of that imo. I even have a video about thrifting non lolita things to work in the closet! And I am a huge lover of black and white coords. I just have beef with DI because they never sent me my order once lol and Ive heard some mixed things
I am going to be making a video on it... if I ever get my package ^^;;... it's been 55 days in transit and that was AFTER I had to bug them about sending my items long after any processing time for items that weren't even pre-orders. So I really hope we both get our packages and they're all okay! haha.. we can only hope
@@PureRaee oh, I am so excited for the video!! I understand, I assumed the lunar New Year would cause delays... But you are right, the delay in-transit is excessive.
To Number 1: it would be a tip I’d give for people who want to save money a bit because they can use the same accessory for multiple s dresses and similar. To Number 7: I think solids are easier to coord as well. I like them a lot with specific accessories I use that are around my waist (a bag I have, for example) because solids make them much more visible. To Number 8: I’m sorry but I just think it’s stupid if you think there are requirements like that to be Lolita… That’s it. That’s just what I want to say. No one has to agree to me…
Huhh only 1 color in your closet? For me if i have a pink dress, i don't really feel the need to buy another pink dress. I like to just have 1 of each item of every color i like. It's actually easy to style because you'll always have the color you're looking for
I agree! I like too many colors to just chose one haha and especially if you have basics like black and white of your blouses and things it makes it all even easier!
For the BSOLF comment where some people don't like seeing little sisters or siblings give advice, I understand but I thought this is where there's a point to the tags. If I'm a LS and I think I have some helpful advice, then I'm going to say it, and those reading can take my advice with a grain of salt just by seeing my tag "LS"
I agree- I think some people assume that little sibling can infer that you are a complete noob. That’s not always the case though- there are people who still call themselves LS even after a couple years of being in the fashion. And, even if you are , it’s not an issue to give your knowledge on something. However, I think the reason why some people don’t listen to it as much is because they see the group as a place for LSs to go to ask MS or mainly just BS for advice and not another LS
Slightly shook by you mentioning a beginner lolita amino. I was in one last year, but it suddenly closed down and was deleted. There was a lot of bad advice in it, and a lot of passive aggressiveness. I wonder if it was the same one?
I'm pretty sure it is based on how you are describing it! Tons of passive aggression happening there especially in the group chats. I just wanted to talk with people and they were always poking and prodding to try and find SOMETHING ANYTHING to scrutinize someone for. Glad its gone now!
@@PureRaee I remember there being two beginneramino, or maybe it was two lolita amino. I think the one I was in had about 600 people? I just remember being encouraged to shop on aliexpress, and to use resellers. And it seemed that anyone that disagreed with the owner of that chat would get dogpiled on by all their friends. I felt very discouraged to venture into more lolita online spaces bc of my experiences from that group. However, I found the mentoring server on discord, and it is 1000 times better c:
@@DragonFlightRider I'm so glad you were able to find a place where you felt comfortable in again after that incident! I felt the same as you which is why I started making lolita content on my channel! I would get dogpiled in the chats all the time because I wasn't a part of their clique and didn't like being so critical all the time. If I ever stood up and said "hey this is a little uncalled for" they would go crazy and the entire chat would try to gaslight and manipulate me into thinking I was somehow stupid or wrong. Basically; it was very toxic! That's why I was like whatever I'll create my own space where this toxic behavior isn't encouraged. I say this because this was a great way for newbies to enter the fashion, see the attitudes that came with those people, and learn that in order to make friends they must emulate that same energy. So, that's why the entire chat would follow with the leader! It was the best way to become accepted unfortunately.
@@PureRaee it's so crazy seeing someone else with the same experiences I had. I mostly just stayed quiet and watched it unfold since I was too scared to speak up. These types of spaces can be so damaging to the community :c
im going to get my first dress next friday :))) its like blue and pink with cats and white lace!!!!!!!!! its so cute my dad offered to help me pay for it if i do good in school
i was literally about to buy my first ever dress on DI but this made me wanna look for some other taobao sellers. do you have any recs on good places to buy (i’m interested in old school!)?
I would look at either chinese lolita updates or loki doki doki shopping service on facebook ! both of them post releases from taobao from all different substyles and then you can use their shopping services to buy it directly as well
6:23 I’m only at 6:23 but basically the OP thing is just about versatility honestly and that can be overcome with a little imagination and experimentation lol I do wanna ask why you don’t like devil inspired? I don’t think we should point beginners fo it, my advice is for people just starting out to have 1-2 main pieces they’re set on and look for that honestly however Devil inspired doesn’t look like a bad place. It’s an easy to use website and they buy from taobao in bulk so they should have everything on the site in their own warehouse. However I’ve yet to actually buy from them lol I’ve only bought from lace market so far so I kinda want a bit of elaboration here
Yeah though I feel like if someone completely new wanted a full coord the easiest and most efficient way would be by getting an OP. Then they don’t have to worry about extra parts like a blouse and styling that. Plus, you can layer to create an illusion of having just a blouse or just a skirt out of an OP. I just feel like JSKs are overrated when talking about beginners advice since in reality the Easiest and most cost efficient way for someone with no experience in lolita or just styling much in general would be an OP because it’s kind of a two in one and cuts out a process of getting a blouse. For devils inspired, there’s a lot of reasons that I don’t even know to the extent of but basically you can if you’d like it’s just I can’t personally recommend it to anyone as when I ordered from them I never received my items and trying to fix the issue with that and talking with their customer service was very unhelpful. So I can’t recommend them in good faith. Also they have really high up charges to the extent of sometimes being 80%+ from what I hear. I think there was other cons but those are just the most prominent that people have issues with.
I’m so glad you’re researching to find the best fit for you! I would also recommend looking at second hand places like Lacemarket as well if you want an easier, cheaper way! It can be helpful for first coords :)
@@xXxPriscxXx it's a website! You will need to verify your account through Facebook or email to let the mods know you are trustworthy. This process only takes about a day. Here is a link to it! : egl.circlly.com/
@@xXxPriscxXx I have heard good things about them in the past - however I believe they share similar issues as DI does with over pricing items. I have never purchased from them so I unfortunately cannot give you a first hand experience. But, I would recommend watching reviews of them online or looking more into forums that speak of it! :)
I've been wanting to get into lolita for a few years, I definitely don't want it to be my main style. My style is a whole lot of different stuff. But, I can't really buy stuff online and definitely not actual lolita stuff. I'm mostly trying to be inspired by lolita fashion, is that bad? I just like cute things and wanna like cute things :
I actually have a video on my channel about thrifting for lolita items in thrift stores (off brand items). That may be helpful for you! and no! it isn't bad at all. :)
also! if you can't buy online, if you have access to facebook, you could join your local comm's group (they could also have a discord most likely too) they usually have swap meets where its essentially like a yard sale of lolita clothing :) that may be an option for you too @@heyits_cat8966
@@PureRaee thanks again for the tips! Unfortunately I don't think that'll be an option for me, but I do know how to make clothes! So at some point I might bite the bullet and make some skirts, because I have some blouses and keep finding more lol. I've also been dabbling in upcycling children's poofy dresses/skirts 😭😭 they (can) fit and are cute, so we'll go with it!
It's more that brand names like Baby the Stars Shine Bright and Angelic Pretty are reliable and have higher quality items. Plus, you are supporting smaller designers (even bigger brands in lolita are not big brands in the grand scheme of main stream fashion).
@PureRaee thank you! I'm so used to main stream fashion, so when I hear of a brand that's well known, my brain always assumes it's big. Where you suggest to buy from if you don't fit into normal sizes? (It's hard to find things I fit into)
Please don't apologize for using the term bittersweet lolita! I was interested in the same thing when I was younger and I always have known it to be that, not sure why it'd be controversial! Honestly I would suggest looking at bodyline or at least second hand bodyline as it can be cheaper and sometimes the sizes have more range. I'd also look at thrift stores or vintage stores for loliable pieces that might have more options for size and price points! I have a video on my channel about thrifting for lolita if that might be helpful to you :) And lastly, there might be some options on aliexpress that might be cheaper and offer larger sizes. Make sure to read reviews and some are actual Taobao resellers like loligals I believe is supposed to be legit and not scamming or replicas. Best of luck!!
I’m sorry if you said something about this I don’t have time to finish the video right now. I’m ten years old but have convinced my mom to get a gothic coord. My mom accidentally made a Facebook account so we decided to try and join our local community. We sent the join request but she hasn’t told me yet if we got a response. What do you think we should say to the group members about me because I’m really young?
I toting to comment here just because a lot of people say you should be older to go to meetups and that type of thing but then some people say you should immediately go to your local community so of course I can’t have a Facebook account but the whole point of my mom having one is for me and so we can hopefully do some online meetups
I would tell them exactly this! Let them know of your age and that you will need to bring a gaurdian with you when you go to meets due to it. There are lolita meet ups that may only be for 21+, however those are often rare (from what I have seen). Usually meetups are for afternoon tea at a cafe, meseum days, zoo trips, or picnics in a park- which are all perfect for any age! I am sure they will be understanding and happy to guide you into the fashion :) I hope the best for you! Have fun !
I was just on devil inspired and i it was so sketch there wasnt reviews or anything out of stock or even ratings like it was completely ghost town lmao
Hey ! I totally recommend the second hand market (Lacemarket) :) or your local comm if possible. If not those, I have heard good things about this reseller www.my-lolita-dress.com/ though I DO NOT have personal reference for this - so please research it more throughly if so!
I'm a begginer still, and damn is so difficult to find those clothes (i'm from brazil) and the lolita community here is like non-existent so i just have to study a lot about it alone
I'm so sorry you have to be alone in this :( I hope you have the ability to find some online communities that you can talk to and meet new people! When I was younger, I was a lone-lita but purely just because I was way too shy to meet people IRL! But, the online community can def help fill the void a bit. I hope you are able to find some people who you can relate to in your region
@Pure_Rae Totally agree with your points there im a beginner and starting out my lolita journey but so far im loving it and im brand new to your channel
Dont really think they are ‘bad advice’ per se just felt very general. She does well in the basic sweet lolita style but lacking in being creative and inclusive of other styles. And yeah her constant promotion of DI is distasteful to me considering her reputation in the lolita community.
Hi am a member of the church of Jesus Christ of later-day saints and I really love classic lolita and I would like to join the lolita community but it seems like it is very ani-religion and I don’t want to be attacked for what I believe is true. I was just wondering is it really that ani-religion?
I have not seen anything in lolita regarding people’s religious beliefs. It’s not a religious fashion, and therefore people of all different kinds of beliefs participate. No one should be attacking anyone for their beliefs unless they were actively harming someone else or making people uncomfortable by inappropriate actions; however these are things that most people are aware of socially knowing when to speak about these things and never pushing someone to feel uncomfortable or to change their own personal beliefs. If someone wants to judge you for your own spiritual beliefs then they are not the right person to interact with. I promise you that there are Lolita’s of all different races, religions, sizes, genders, sexualities, etc, etc. We are a very diverse community that tries to keep everyone feeling safe to be themselves. There are of course some bad apples, but that is best to avoid them and their peers.
Is it possible to have a mix of two Lolita styles? I like the sweet outfits but I definitely like the more gothic or steampunk-like outfits, could I be able to combine those together for a gothic-sweet look or a gothic-steampunk look?
2:07 The vid: "I know a lot of people say neutral and solid colors are for "baby Lolitas"" Me: what in the living heckity heck heck are you taking about, the outfit you're wearing at the moment looks like a really nice grandma that that just made cookies for all her grandkids because she's so nice!
I agree! But this was a pretty common belief during the height of prints and OTT lolita! Since this video, the old school revival has been a lot more prominent as a trend and solids are not seen as this AS much. I’d say this advice still exists in many beginner online groups though. This is often how it goes with newbie advice as to advise against any possible way of looking new. But imo it’s a very … not good way of exploring haha also I feel solids are the easiest transition into the fashion if you’re not confident in coording
Here's one "classics can't be colorful." Victorian dresses were all about those crazy colors and patterns. But everyone thinks your trying to go for a sweet look.
What a great point! I also see many sweet dresses be considered classic because they are just more toned down in the color even though they are very much a sweet dress! Never thought about that - thanks for commenting !
@@PureRaee personally I just never liked the food print dresses. Some of the toy ones are okay but so many are made to be ott.
I do have to disagree here. Although Lolita Fashion is inspired by Victorian and Rococo Period clothing; They are not the same thing. Classic Lolita is more about neutral colors and being a sentient wallpaper then being a milky planet fantasy land. I’ve seen comments like these trying so hard to blend Victorian/Rococo fashions into Lolita, there not the same thing.
Agreed, well also depending on other things like accents and vibrancy. I really like the sets from Amavel which most of them can be described as more Sweet-leaning Classic Lolita, but ultimately Classic despite they have cute pastel colors like pink or mint available, and cute motifs like animals or sweets that are still somehow more classic than sweet (probably cause of the art style, cursive text, off-whites, and accent colors like golds, browns). I like to think of the genres/subgenres of EGL as more of a spectrum which can also have many overlaps. There's just no limit beyond imagination, and it can always evolve over time too.
I'm so glad you talked about the "advice based on OTT sweet" issue. This is the main reason that I don't ask for advice in FaceBook groups anymore. I posted a classic coord with a straight wig, and someone suggest giant curly twin tails and adding a lot of bows and clips. Another time I posted a coord with a baby doll cut, and someone told me that I needed to get a giant cupcake petti for it. Idk, I just feel like there is a gap in resources for non-sweet lolitas, so most of my classic inspo comes from historical fashion content creators.
Yes! I have had similar experiences as you in the past. Sweet lolita, especially OTT, seems to be the most popular of all lolita substyles (within the West at least). Because of this, they are the most exposed online and give out the loudest advice. This is great for sweet lolitas! But like you said, it's not applicable to other substyles. We can still appreciate them and their style, but I hope in the future there will be more focus on the differences, and not hold people to standards that don't go towards the same standards of other styles they're not in.
I feel like the advice against using non-lolita pieces is a bit of gatekeeping mixed with justification for the collector mentality that makes some lolitas spend so much money on clothes they will wear once. The whole point is to use your creativity - buying head-to-toe designer outfits is the opposite of creative. I'm much prouder of something I sewed or altered to realize my vision than something I paid $300+ for just to have the rarest/latest thing.
I agree! It should really be focused on personal taste and expression. I think it's fine if someone loves AP so much that they want to obtain all of their pieces, but it's quite ridiculous to apply that to other people who may not even like AP. I also think that for beginner advice, a much more helpful approach should be focused on finding personal style rather than how to properly coord within lolita. I think most beginners find themselves switching away from the substyle they started in and I think the "rules" of coording w/o being an "ita" stop people from figuring out what they like. I think it can cause a lot of people to think in order to be a proper lolita you need to follow ott sweet rules of modern day and that's just not correct. It then makes people spend lots on stuff they don't feel comfortable in and a lot of pressure to wear it 100% in other people's favor. This then results in people quitting easily and losing out on money.
I still feel like as a beginner lolita it is better to start with basic lolita piece first just to familiarize urself with the fashion. Creativity has to be built on fundamental knowledge and its the same with everything.
Agreed. Plus there are also consideration for each individual's own needs or preferences too, like for example I get sweaty too much even in low-humidity cool climates, due to anxiety, so I like having more cold-shoulder blouses like those for jirai/ryousangata. Even though there's people saying these aren't Lolita, I feel the style matches just fine as long as the style of ruffle/lace and color scheme matches. I also have very weak wide feet that additionally need very thick insole inserts, so I tend to just wear sneakers and dress them up with ribbons and stuff to Lolita-ify them because I cannot wear those small delicate dressy shoes which cannot even fit any insole. Not every Lolita has to be the same after all and the style always has room for evolution and new variations and hybrids (such as WaLolita and QiLolita and Hijab Lolita that were thanks to allowing such creativity/freedom and consideration to personal cultural and religious needs).
number 8 reminded me of this reddit group we saw that said you had to have a new coord every 6 months to be a Lolita! it was so stupid to me because Lolita can be really difficult or expensive to get if you're disabled, a student, struggling with finances etc! it was so disheartening to see :(
Whoever claims that is not worth being around- seriously, what's the point in that? Please don't follow that rule and wear lolita whenever you want to! (Plus, how would they even know if someone wore the same coord? really, why do they care that much in the first place? lol, such a dumb made up rule for no reason)
I think a lot of people misunderstand the "stick with a single color scheme" technique. It's good advice for starting any wardrobe on a budget, but that's what it should be. A start. Once you have a good handful of things you can mix and match together, then you can start slowly introducing more colors to your wardrobe.
I agree! Though, I would also argue that suggesting basic neutral colors as a start would be a lot more beneficial than suggesting say pink and pink only. Then, you can mix and match many things while introducing more unique colors ! If you have tons of black and white but you want to do a blue or pink coord it'd be a lot easier than if you had only one unique color!
exactly!!!
@@PureRaee That's what I did when I started out, I only got white or black blouses, so I could easily mix with other color skirts. That way I can save money on blouses too, only need to buy JSK or Skirt, in any color. I also opted for white or black or brown shoes at first, so that I could just put the color in the socks, to save money since shoes are expensive and hard to find comfortable ones, but socks are so affordable and easy to find in any color.
I also think it's fine to mix colors, especially if they compliment each other, for example I really love the pink and brown and white combination because it's like Neapolitan. Brown and green is also cute, like nature-y or mint chocochip. I also really love pink-purple-blue, it reminds me of Hydrangeas or like Little Twin Stars, and can give kind of fairy-kei vibes.
yes exactly! i think at the start you should focus on buying pieces that work with a variety of existing clothes in your wardrobe. but that isnt because someone needs to stick to a color scheme, its so you get more use and variety out of your wardrobe.
Maybe it's just me, but something I do not see people talk about, whether within lolita or outside of it, is how important it is to get your sizing right. Me, being young and probably a bit stupid measured my bust and waist and bought according to that size. I did not think about taking into account an inch or two for breathing and general movement. I sadly had to get rid of pieces because I didn't consider that. Please don't keep wearing pieces that are uncomfortable and difficult to breathe in, it's not worth it. An easy way to see if something will fit you is to measure yourself and take a deep breath while still holding the measuring tape. I know lots of lolita pieces have shirring, but there are definitely pieces that don't or just have partial shirring.
That's great advice and very insightful! I agree - it's very important to know your measurements (in cm, too!) and to learn how to measure properly. When I first learned to sew I measured my waist way lower than where my actual waistline was because I didn't know where a natural waist was (I grew up with low rise jeans so it skewed my perspective ^^;;) and therefore the skirts I'd make were very low rise unintentionally. So, it's a very important skill to learn and very helpful when buying!
Definitely agree! The first pieces I bought had trouble because it was tight, it made it impossible to raise my arms without ripping the armpit stitching. :( And the buttons on the chest would pop unless I wore a chest binder. I would also add that if you're under 30 yrs old, and want clothing that will last for your lifetime, it's also good to get more relaxed fitting outfits because I would in my 20s buy more form-fitting sizes and regret it since I had to through it all out when I got into my 30s and I inevitably gained weight due to age (no diet or exercise difference, just age).
Totally agree that Black n White is not ita at aaaaall 🤧🤧🤧 so many lolitas I look up to wear all black/white and it's flawless, I bet so many coords in GLB an Kera etc are monochrome and it's wonderful, I think it makes you look like an ink illustration ;;w;;
Omg you're right! Black and white coords do give me an ink illustation vibe - I love that! I like how it gives a type of edginess and shows that monochrome doesn't have to mean boring or simple. I think the idea people get with modern lolita styles is that in order for it to be considered "advanced" or "creative" it must be OTT and a ton of colors that are uniquely coordinated.
I've set out to make a black and white coord because it looks so pretty.
@@courtneycherry5582 Yay! I love black and white coords- have fun making it ! :)
It always looks very old-school lolita. Super cute!
I'm a beginner lolita and I'm definitely classic. Every time someone says I should wear a poofier petticoat I'm seething inside 😂 That and I have very short hair and the first advices I got was that I should "dress them up" ? And I hate it because my short afro hair is a statement in itself and I don't want to cover them in a million bows. A small headpiece is all I want to put on them.
As I'm very money limited, I decided to make my own wardrobe cohesive in color at first so I can wear things with each other (my favorite color is blue). I definitely plan to add other colors like red and brown when I have a solid base though!
Yeah I understand the suggestion of adding head accessories to “balance things out” - but it’s only helpful in the regard of one hair/head accessory. More than that is just going into OTT and not everyone wants to do that.
For keeping your wardrobe to one color- that’s totally fine! I was mainly referring to people criticizing others for *not* sticking to that method when it’s their own wardrobe and they can do what they want!
I push for people to do what makes them feel happy and comfortable- if a big petticoat and OTT hair pieces make them happy that’s great! But it’s not everyone’s style :p
Glad to see you’re doing what works best for you
I always circle back around to hyperfixating on lolita culture, but this time there's actually a ton of information out there its so nice!
I saw you comment that, I totally agree, I started with classic... Mainly... My first dress was pirate, 2nd and 3rd were classic/gothic, 4th was classic, then I got sweet/classic dresses. I have a wide range of colours, I literally spend a few days making headbows and rectangular headdresses in a variety of colours. I only started last march and already I could add any colour or style dress to my wardrobe and I'd have something to go with it 🤣
Oh how wonderful! I have been doing that lately too! It's super fun and I really enjoy doing it. Maybe you should start making them to sell or something ! That could be cool. So glad to hear you have such a wide collection :) It's really cool to experiment with how accessories are made and make your own to suit your own style- thanks for commenting :D
I started getting into the fashion around 2015/16
and seeing how much the advice I was given when I was starting out has changed is wild.
OPs being recommended for newbies was def something I remember seeing when was starting out.
There are so many changes it's crazy! And it wasn't even too long ago! I am sure it's going to be so different in just a few years
I don't like the overapplication of sweet rules into other substyles either. Sweet definitely has styles & trends that are NOT a thing in Classic. Lmafo People saying long skirts is not lolita has obviously never worn classic before, ankle length never died in classic either. Tea length A-line has always been a staple since the beginning of classic lolita. Super a-line poof is one of the things that only applies to heavier dresses in classic (like velvet) with a lot of decorations to hold up the dress properly. The thing in Classic too is that trends stick around and become part of a "bigger" picture of what it means to wear Classic. Unlike sweet, trends don't turn over as quickly and they tend to become part of the way the substyle is worn. Like the time of the OTT classic trend from like 2015-2018 mainly made accessorizing and having subtle details in coordinates without having overwhelm the entire coordinate an added trait.
about that "The lolitas aren't lovelies" I discovered when I saw the international community, my local community its really welcoming with newbies but on the internet I see so many ppl that straight up refuses to help new ppl. . . I mean ok you are not obligated to help me but at least don't be rude ;-;
Yes! Exactly this! This is why I encourage newbies to try and engage in their local comms if possible because they are usually a lot more understanding and welcoming. It's like what you said; online people keep up the motto of "I'm not obligated to help"- however, if that is the case you can just ignore it. Instead, many people choose to actively be rude to the new person because they are annoyed by their presence (which in itself isn't very nice). And, I just find that to be so hurtful.
im getting my first lolita fit soon, and honestly im kinda terrified 😭 like i thought this was just a clothing subculture but its so much more than that?? theres like rules and communities and other stuff completely foreign to me thats honestly really close to scaring me away from not going through with it. like what if i do something wrong? i just wanna wear pretty dresses but i dont know if i wanna commit to this whole community thing.
Hello! I'm also a relatively new lolita (try local groups! they tend to be more friendly than online) and I sympathise with your situation a lot here. To me lolita is pretty much just about keeping the shape (bell, a line) and keeping quite modest, with less skin shown. There's nothing wrong with wearing pretty dresses, but you could always not label your fashion as lolita (try lolita inspired) to keep away the purists
Never saw anyone say the "don't buy other colors", but I guess that's why I never shyed away from tons of colors. I have pinks, red, purples, blues, blacks... So many haha.
Have all the colors you'd like! The colors comment was something I mainly saw in smaller groups and it was usually one of those things where it wasn't definite. However, the way people went about trying to give good advice with it was very poor, and condescending. Sticking to one color scheme might be good advice for some - but especially if you have a lot of white basics it's super easy to interchange your wardrobe with more than just one color scheme! I feel like a better way to use this advice would be to suggest beginners to keep in mind basics that can be used more rather than every main piece has to look similar.
I think it is less do not buy other colors but starting with a few things you can mix and match so your get more out of what you have and can affort and one can expand when one got a solid base
I bought from devil inspired for my birthday in june 2020 and it only arrived in february of this year 😭
Like,, it was weird, they kept sending me e-mails (not bots ones, like actual manually written e-mails by staff) asking me over and over again to confirm that i still wanted my order and didnt want a refund instead, each months they would ask me "we will ship it, just tell us you still want it" and i would answer back to the e-mail "yes i confirm i still want it". At some point they asked me to send my adress again like they forgort or something?? And then asked me to send my phone number again 😭
I won't buy from them again like god it was such a pain to communicate, as well as i was pretty disappointed since i needed my order to arrive for december for a special occasion 😭
Oh wow! I am STILL waiting for my package from them as well lol. I made an order during the 11/11 sale cuz it was free shipping just to see- and yeah... I had to actually message them in Jan. asking if my order went through and if they were shipping it because it wasn't pre-order items and the time it would be sent had passed- they bascially were like "oh! Yeah.. we will do that!" shipped it and its been in the mail for over 100 days now.. lol
@@PureRaee yeah they're shippement system is so messy. I think they werent prepared for the popularity they got, pretty sure they didnt expect such a huge amount of costumers just cause they sponsored a youtuber haha
@@laurentcathery273 Yeah, I think so too! haha
Oh jeez. I bought a dress, blouse, and accessories in devil inspired. I hope I don't have to wait long.
Haha I wanted to make an “ita” wardrobe tour in January but I decided to wait for some taobao stuff to arrive and it still hasn’t. I agree that they are stupid rules that is so often created within this fashion, and I bought clothes that I could easily throw on like any of my other dresses.. so it’s one of the reason I’m happy to stay an ita even if my coords may eventually be acceptable for Lolita standards
Yeah, I wear my lolita stuff in my normal daily wear all the time so I know what you mean! My friend and I often joke about being "itas" because of it - its a fun banter :p Also an "ita" wardroble tour would have been a fun watch ahhaha
It’s done!! 😅
One of my biggest issues with beginner advice is when people recommend bodyline for plus sizes....like just no....I have a bust size of 111cm and the vast majority of their things don't fit. Even if they have the potential to they are hardly EVER in stock. It always drives me crazy as they could instead offer information on places like glittertale or metamorphose which offer a much better variety and range. Also as far as big sisters of lolita fashion goes, it's somewhat complicated since the only real tag that's regulated is big sister. I've seen people declare themselves middle sister when they've only been in the fashion for a few months. For me personally I've been in for about a year now, and since there's no real defining trait to move up I haven't changed from little sister as I still don't feel qualified yet. I do still comment in ways that I think would help a newcomer though. I usually just comment links to different stores or videos so they have more resources.
Hi there! I can totally hear where you're coming from! Bodyline was always recommended even 5 years ago for plus sizes, and I never thought too much about that , but that doesn't really make that much sense now. Bodyline sizes vary so much all of the time too. I can fit between a M-2L in bodyline! That's a very big range. I think maybe people believed they offered more shirring? But I agree with you with Meta. Meta's shirring is THE BEST. It is stretchier than most of my elastic shorts for lounging. So not only is Meta good for fitting all different sizes, but it's COMFORTABLE! At least in my own experience and what other's have agreed with. I am happy to hear you are being an advocate for this information, though! It's very important to spread the info you wish you heard more often :D
As for BSOLF, it is totally confusing on deciding what you should label youself. I remember when I was more active in it, I was also confused on this. I ended up reading through their about page and it mentioned that Little sisters/siblings were people who really needed help and didn't feel they had much of a grasp on the fashion (or at least that's how I interepreted it). Therefore, I think you could actually qualify as a MS. But that is totally up to you and what you feel most comfortable with! I can def say that people will care about your comments more if you say you're a MS rather than a LS. And that makes sense to an extent. LSs usually look for that. Either way, the beauty of not having the MS vetted is that you can decide that at your own pace!
I wish you well :) Thanks for commenting and mentioning some great points!
@@PureRaee I definitely agree! It's nice that people can decide at their own pace! For me personally I feel like what determines a MS is being able to tell the difference between each style. When I see a jsk that's in between two styles I have a hard time determining which category it belongs in. For example: Romantic little garden feels very sweet (I'm fairly certain it is in fact a sweet print) but I also feel like it could be classic? Or at the very least could be coordinated as such? I'm getting better as time passes but sometimes certain prints still get me lol
@@teatime4061 I think what is fun about most things is the nuance. That print can in fact be made more sweet or more classic, but there are def styles that mix! A lot of sweet dresses I like are more country or classic looking, but have sweet elements to them. I think the best part is being able to wear them all types of ways. Of course there are prints that just purely of that style, like baked sweets parade. You couldn't really make that look classic. But the dress you mentioned I can def see in a very hime look which has classic and sweet elements to it.
I have a bad experience with their blouses popping at the chest, even in sizes that are literally way too big for me, the buttons pop or are just soooo lose they do not stay on, like the buttons are too small for the buttonholes, and I end up having to use fashion tape and hope that tape doesn't fall off while I'm out in public lol. However their skirts have not given me any trouble, and one of my favorite shoes which are actually comfortable, were from Bodyline.
A frustrating thing I have run into is that people also give advice assuming you fit into straight sizes. I've struggled with accessories. So I will get comments like add printed tights or add something to the waist, but they can't point me into the direction of anything because it won't fit. For waist items it seems to be mostly a waiting game, but as far as tights go my options seem to be pretty limited. Most tight brands I've found that have a size range are usually suited for sweet, which I don't wear.
Yes! I have seen these things too. There is wayyyy more accessibility for sweet items because of how big the substyle is in lolita, but that doesn't help with critiqing at all. I also feel like printed tights are very risky in regards to how comfortable they could be if they did have all sizes, how the print would look in person, and how the print looks on. Honestly, I think comfort and how you feel in a garment is far more important than anything else. I find sometimes printed tights warp when wearing and can look not as flattering because of this. This is a really great point, thank you for bringing light to it!
the "black and white = ita" came from a lot of shit pseudo-lolita dresses back then poorly imitating oldschool. modern day "ita" dresses are very very different, but they're out there.
Yep! The dreaded lace monsters were always shown around! I am just glad that most beginners dont see "black and white = ita" anymore! :)
Black, purple, silver, white, midnight blue. Gothic funeral mourning absolute.
the "stick to a color scheme" is for saving money. if all of your dresses and accessories are pink and white, youll have trouble using the accessories on a new either black/chocolate colored dress or on a soldier-general outfit of any color, so you would have to buy all accessories again (AND learn make up new). it is ofc not to keep people from expressing themselves, trying stuff out or to make them stick to rules.
I think the first one is just to simplify things for beginners and make it easier to build a cohesive close, and getting several outfits wuthout having many pieces :) if someone said it would look bad to not do, or that you HAVE to i mean thats obviously wrong hahah
yeah! You got it :D That's how I feel too
It's interesting how all this advice just sounds like different facebook groups, I don't think I ever heard these things in my comm or at events when I was first starting out and even blogs have usually more nuanced advice, lolita facebook groups really develop their own culture.
Love the video btw! it was a great topic to talk about. Also, your headdress is cute!
Yes I totally agree! It definitely depends on where you go to experience it. Some of the advice I said I never saw either, but I had seen people talk lots about (in the thread) so I made sure to add them and give my own opinion for funsies :P
I don't think most in person events give advice like this because a lot of them are kinda ridiculous, haha (thankfully). When researching there were some older blogs that would have some similar concepts - but I think a lot of it comes from non controlled spaces like non offical aminos or groups where people misconstrue the actual message to re-enforce gatekeeping, but in completely wrong ways, haha.
Thanks so much for the comment! I'm glad you enjoyed the video :D Also thanks for the compliment on the headress
honestly i think the first one seems to have been misunderstood a bit by people. it is advice, not rules ;) i also think it is more from the days when egl was not as easily accessible, so you wanted to plan very well what to buy and how to effectively build a functioning wardrobe instead of simply owning various pieces you adore, but cannot coord.
Yes, that is good advice when explained like that. However, I was more so referring to the way a lot of people will go very extreme with this advice and consider it to be so strict that it is a rule to them. This tends to be common amongst newbies who are trying to act badass in front of other newbies; however there are always outliers! Thanks for commenting :) I think the insight of where it probably comes from is very interesting and I'm happy you mentioned it! It's a great point
Your very bright keep your eyes open and share what you learned 🦉🇯🇵
Yes and also omg your profile pic is Rue Q.Q brings back so many memories 💕
I'm still bitter about my Devil Inspired ordeal. lol Thankfully I figured out taobao and lacemarket. >:(
I'm stuck in the past. I still coord like a 2001-2004 GLB ad. Anyone who doesn't like it can fight me. You can call it frumpy all you want I'm going down to the depths of hell with this ship.😂
Something i would like to add: using the same Colourscheme is Not neccaserrily true, because while you can use a Blouse thats pink with brown, Black or even the Occaisonal pink dress
For instance, i matched pink Tights and Infantas pink Antique Bonnet in pink with the Sleeping Beauty Mini JSK in brown
Pay attention to your mainpiece, and coordinate from there
The Colour scheme more helps buy so it is most likely to fit in the Dresser. In the dresser remind you, Remember
Not in the Outfit.
this is abit of an older video but as a newbie lolita (transmasc nb!!) that just ordered his first set recently (cape, blouse and skirt second hand), this is a lovely video!! ive loved lolita clothes ever since playing styling savvy and watching dollightful, im an artist too and im so happy to be starting gahhh (slowly but surely
Aw thank you for your sweet comment ! I Hope you enjoy your first coord! I love capes
I disagree with the excuse of "you need the money" for Lor recommending DI because of sponsorship. Like I think that if you have a big community like her, that you have so much influence and you can afford 300$ dresses, so you don't need the money to just survive, it is your job to make sure or at least do some reaserch that your sponsor isn't a scammer andthat you're not sending people that trust you to a scam (because between the markup and the problems with receiving your products, if you ever receive them, I think it qualifies as a scam) just so you can make money off of them.
Edit : Now that I'm the end of the video (I wrote the first bit without having watch the whole thing because it bothered me too much) I wanted to add that I completely agree with you for the rest and it's refreshing to see someone giving different advice than the most popular lolitas and not being afraid to contradict them (not saying that all their advices are trash because some of them aren't) and your video looks really good and it feels like you spent a lot of time working on it !
(I'm sorry if I'm not understandable, English isn't my first language, if I need to try to re-explain something, don't be afraid to ask)
I see where you are coming from ! And it's totally fine for us to agree and disagree on things - it's what helps us have different perspectives! I agree with what you are saying in reference to the DI sponsorships, however the reason why it's hard for me to completely flip to that opinion is because I do understand needing financial needs. I hear what you're saying with her having the ability to buy dresses that are expensive - and we really do not know the exact value she makes off of the sponsorships. But, I also do not know what her relationship with spending is like and her actual financial states. Some people may not spend their money all that responsibly which could be a whole different issue all together. I would hope that isn't the case for her, though. I guess my conclusion with that opinion is that I agree that she should research her sponsorships more and, if anything, at least make people somewhat aware of the shop's normal process of orders; even if she accepts it. She could simply state how the normal process of DI orders go and to tell people up front what they can expect so that people are not completely misled. To be fair, I didn't hear much bad about DI until the last 6 months or so. A lot of people (from what I was seeing) were using them and not complaining much until recently.
Thank you for commenting ! I really appreciate your perspective and that you took the time to complete the video
@@PureRaee I totally see your point now that you have explained it, and I think we agree on the fact even if I think accepting the sponsorship is also a problem the major part of it is how she does it, making it looks like it's only rainbows, unicorns and butterflies, that the price is right for the "comfort of buying" it gives you and there's no problem with them, like even "I recognize they mark up their prices more than other retailers and some have allegedly had problems with DI but I never did" if they don't like being criticized in an add/video on them the alleged could maybe help. And I find it hard to believe she has never seen something bad about them because I've seen multiples people commenting about it under her videos about them ^^"
You're welcome ! I also commented because I like to see other people point of view and I really liked your video 😊
@@gundhamstyle For sure! And thank you again for the compliments - I really appreciate it and it is very sweet of you! :)
@@PureRaee You're welcome! And I was/am just being honest 😊
I wish you a nice day !
@@gundhamstyle Yeah of course! And it's a completely valid opinion that I, and I am sure many will agree with ! I hope you have a nice day as well :)
I bought my first dress from devil inspired. Nobody told me to, but it was one of the first things that came up when I first started looking and being a newbie I got super excited to see an actual shop pretty much dedicated to lolita when I had never seen it in person. The dress is decent quality and I got it in like 2 months which isn't that crazy for overseas, but the prices were ridiculous. Also, they send me SO MANY emails! Then I saw it listed as a scam site somewhere and got scared. I guess overall my experience wasn't as bad as it could be, but I'm still not going to buy from them again.
im glad to hear the dress came to you in a timely fashion and was as expected! I wouldn't say they're a complete "scam" site like milanoo used to be back in the day. However, I've never received my order and I've heard that from others before, too. I would say it seems to be more rare for that to be the case. It's more of them ripping you off like you said about how the prices were ridiculous. So it's really just whatever someone is most comfortable with.
I think why a lot of people say to "only stick with one color when you're starting out" is so it's not as expensive. If you start out with buying 3 dresses/JSKs of all different colors you're also going to have to buy stockings, accessories, bags, blouses, etc all in those different colors which can easily get up to HUNDREDS of dollars just for 3 coords! It's better to pick main pieces that are similar colors and pick accessories you can mix and match with all of them but of course if you're financially able to go gung-ho and go for a full rainbow in your closet I don't see why you shouldn't!
I see what you're saying; but honestly I would say the reverse would be better. If you were to buy 3 different main pieces in different colors but then chose to buy everything else in white + black then this would significantly decrease spending while also allowing you to mix and match things with different kinds of main pieces! The point I was making in the video was mainly that a lot of advice was given more about *critiquing* someone's main piece choices and saying that everything must all be one colors - I simply disagree and believe this to be restrictive. However, I do agree that it's good advice to stick to a couple basic colors like black and white for things like legwear, blouses, cardigans, bags, shoes,etc.! Endless possibilities without much worry. Lot's cheaper and easier than having a bunch of accessories + blouses that *only* work with 1 color!
I brought 2 things from Devilinspired. A headpiece and my first dress. It wasn't bad at all the sellers where responsive and I got everything on time🥺 plus...idk how to use a ss or Taobao😅😅 it sounds like the mail lost your package if you still haven't gotten it yet 😓
Yeah the mail def lost it but the thing about it that wasn’t handled properly from the beginning. I received the invoice from DI through email but on my account on their website it appeared as if I didn’t even have an order. I emailed them about it initially and they assured me all was fine. However after many weeks passed the production time (these were not pre order items) and they obviously were not even going to send my package until I made notice to it. Overall it’s definitely a thing of disorganization. It also seems they switched mail carriers during that too. I just wouldn’t suggest it since I’ve heard this was the case for many people . I’d rather be safe than sorry because thankfully the order I made was not a big and expensive one. In the end, it’s def easier than ordering off taobao with a SS ; but there’s other more organized and trust worthy resellers available.
11:52 I would say it’s less have one color and more have a theme that would be helpful. In a way the sub styles themselves are themes.
Yes I can agree with that, but many people were pretty hung up even just on color when this was created which I just disagree with - I think neutrals are the easiest way to go for a beginner and there shouldn't be any shame in wear a white blouse with something.
I’m from Australia and devil inspired is my best and cheapest option alot (like bodyline) are expensive (especially shipping) soooo
Tho I’d love cheaper options for Australia Lolita’s (old school)
@@Buzzbee2.0 Check out my video where I look for cheap old school!
Thanks so much for this video! I’m a newbie and I wear sweet and classic I only have a few OP dresses and 1 JSK so I’m definitely a newbie. This really helped me thank you for clearing up the bad advice :)
I'm glad you found this helpful! I hope you enjoy the fashion and don't let anyone put you down to feel like you shouldn't be involved - I feel this is something that happens often to newbies and it's something I always worry about. So please keep your own best interest in mind
Personally I don't see a problem with devilinspired like brand equally takes just as long as long to arrive and is more expensive so if your a new lolit you won't have money for it anyway, also if you don't fit into brand devils is a nice place to go furthermore alot of lolitas buy from taobao which is what devil's is and we all know you cant buy from taobao without a shopping service so theyre rewlly just cutting out thr middle man for you for an extra fee which makes sense to me. You can't tout saying buy from aliexpress and taobao when you trash on devils make it make sense, Plus you cant say bot buy from them and not offer an alternative
7:56
Idk, in germany vintage store i can find blouse with bell shape sleevs and coton lace.
Something look like bodyline 10's stuff.
Thanks for video
the colorscheam advice makes sense for a beginner for it means everything you have you can mix and match giving you more variety then if your few pieces all do not add up. it does not mean you can not expend later of well, have seperat compleat outfits, but that way you get more out of what you have withut having to spend exobitent amounts of money
Devilinspired is just one piece of an arsenal of places you can buy from and I don't recommend someone do it unless they are okay being massively overcharged for what they're buying for convenience (I do know some people who don't mind) or if you are prepared to double check prices and shop around with other resellers. Some of their products have been the same price or even cheaper than buying from a shopping service for some reason, and the do sometimes have good deals on shipping that also lower costs, but also I've sometimes see they mark up like 20-35% of an item's value for like, no reason. Why should I have to pay 60 dollars for a 38 dollar cardigan? But I guess it's still better than knock offs from amazon at the end of the day.
late reply, but do you know any other taobao resellers?
@@nightrose6116 other one i use the most is lolita wardrobe
ty for talking abt devil inspired 😭personally i was kinda afraid talking against it so hell yeah
The main probllem with Lolita for me is I can"t find them in a plus size, or Lolita for the plus size woman.
I’m a very very new Lolita, and so far I’m just buying a bit of main pieces, so I can get used to wearing them outside, because I love and want to wear these outfits but I don’t want to go all out or spend so much money, and to find my actual style so fair I think I’m more into Victorian, classical, or gothic, I’m not sure. But this is just what I think I am, based on what I like.
And no matter what style yoou choose is fine! You can be more than one style in your wardrobe too :)
@@PureRaee, thanks for that advice 😊.
@@Neo-wg9cl of course! anytime :)
4:59 idk if OPs are harder to coord but they can be less versatile which was always the basis for what I’ve heard for getting a JSK before getting an OP. However I have one dress and it’s an OP and I love it
Many people say less versatile which can be true depending on how you like to coordinate - but I argue that for beginners, it makes more sense to value easy of understanding how to coordinate over versatility as many do not even have many pieces to start from to actually benefit from the versatility standpoint.
I have no idea if I'm Lolita, but I wear Llolita clothes because they make me feel immeasurably fancy and cute. I don't stick to a color or a type; I generally shop at places that will do custom sizing 'cause I'm fat. That being said, it seems weird to gatekeep people out of the community based on how good they are at wearing clothes that make them happy. I enjoyed this video, and you're outfit is quite cute. I agree with many of your takes, so this comment is just choir reverb.
i don’t like the stuff against flat shoes like,, you expect me to wear heels any time i go out and about in lolita?
also the anti loliable thing is especially dumb for plus size lolitas (especially on a budget like me) because how many brands can we all name that have plus size lolita specific tights? what about me with us womens size 11.5 feet? what’s stopping a gothic or classic lolita from wearing gothic or vintage looking JEWELRY?? as long as the quality is good and it fits the coord why is it a huge deal?
black and white can definitely be done well too in any era style. if you can make the colors complement each other instead of clash (which isn’t that hard) it’s fine lol
with color schemes, thinking about what colors work well is better than just using a couple colors. buying a pink dress and matching it with sax isn’t hard to figure out or achieve imo.
i think the common “start buying for one of the main 3 substyles” also isn’t always necessary as long as they know what they’re doing and they’re willing to possibly take longer and/or spend more to get a nice size wardrobe. main think stopping me from getting punk lolita stuff has been my size the whole time i’ve been interested, i definitely enjoy gothic though.
“you can’t be as creative with OPs” isn’t true if you know what layering is lol. an overskirt or bolero or anything like that can add flair on the body and the rest of the outfit is the same to coord as a jsk or skirt.
with solid color dresses or skirts, what i said before about colors that work together. the example with pink and sax that i used works fine. pairing pink, sax, and white is one of my favorites for making pastel coord collages (which i love doing lol) and it’s normally a solid color skirt or dress.
i could ramble all day about this but i’m gonna cut it off here and i’ll add to this comment later if i think of something and get reminded that i commented this.
Yeah I think a lot of the advice given seems to assume most people do not know the basic understandings of how to make an outfit that will match and look nice all together. Sure, there are people who struggle with that - but if you do not then the advice is just nothing applicable. Also, like said before, it all leans heavily into the OTT style. I wear plenty of off brand items within lolita and not just from taobao or something that'd be jfashion adjacent- I often thrift and make my own items within lolita. There's nothing wrong with this and imo is a huge part of what makes the alternative fashion experience!
@@PureRaee anyone who likes putting together any sort of nice looking outfit could figure out how to pair colors that aren’t in the main piece, and classic and gothic lolita especially can work great with loliable stuff. classic lolita’s would probably be in heaven at a local antique store with a clothing section lol, and any gothic womens clothing brand with high enough quality would have things like jewelry, maybe blouses, probably socks or tights, etc that fit the look just as well as moitie (especially considering gothic lolita is heavily inspired by western goth fashion put in a lolita style).
"stop buying from devilinspired"
me, actively bookmarking devlinspired pieces: 🏃
Haha, go for it! I just wouldn't personally recommend it to anyone because I've never received my orders and experienced bad customer service. But there's plenty of people who use it often too
I really loved the video, I am glad I found a new lolita youtuber to watch!
Aw thank you so much! I’m happy to have you be here :)
not me buying my first lolita dress from devilinspired and it being a black (short sleeved) op with no print that i coord with white or black thrifted blouse and socks from my non-lolita closet. at least the leap from romantic goth to gothic lolita isn't too huge
haha don't worry, there isn't anything wrong with any of that imo. I even have a video about thrifting non lolita things to work in the closet! And I am a huge lover of black and white coords. I just have beef with DI because they never sent me my order once lol and Ive heard some mixed things
Oh dear, is devil inspired truly a waste!? Now I am frightened to see my package.
I am going to be making a video on it... if I ever get my package ^^;;... it's been 55 days in transit and that was AFTER I had to bug them about sending my items long after any processing time for items that weren't even pre-orders. So I really hope we both get our packages and they're all okay! haha.. we can only hope
@@PureRaee oh, I am so excited for the video!! I understand, I assumed the lunar New Year would cause delays... But you are right, the delay in-transit is excessive.
To Number 1: it would be a tip I’d give for people who want to save money a bit because they can use the same accessory for multiple s dresses and similar.
To Number 7: I think solids are easier to coord as well. I like them a lot with specific accessories I use that are around my waist (a bag I have, for example) because solids make them much more visible.
To Number 8: I’m sorry but I just think it’s stupid if you think there are requirements like that to be Lolita…
That’s it. That’s just what I want to say. No one has to agree to me…
9:19 solid colors sound like the most versatile lol
15:05 advice should def be based either off the advised one’s personal style or off the coord already being worn and what would make sense with that
Huhh only 1 color in your closet? For me if i have a pink dress, i don't really feel the need to buy another pink dress. I like to just have 1 of each item of every color i like. It's actually easy to style because you'll always have the color you're looking for
I agree! I like too many colors to just chose one haha and especially if you have basics like black and white of your blouses and things it makes it all even easier!
For the BSOLF comment where some people don't like seeing little sisters or siblings give advice, I understand but I thought this is where there's a point to the tags. If I'm a LS and I think I have some helpful advice, then I'm going to say it, and those reading can take my advice with a grain of salt just by seeing my tag "LS"
I agree- I think some people assume that little sibling can infer that you are a complete noob. That’s not always the case though- there are people who still call themselves LS even after a couple years of being in the fashion. And, even if you are , it’s not an issue to give your knowledge on something. However, I think the reason why some people don’t listen to it as much is because they see the group as a place for LSs to go to ask MS or mainly just BS for advice and not another LS
Slightly shook by you mentioning a beginner lolita amino. I was in one last year, but it suddenly closed down and was deleted. There was a lot of bad advice in it, and a lot of passive aggressiveness. I wonder if it was the same one?
I'm pretty sure it is based on how you are describing it! Tons of passive aggression happening there especially in the group chats. I just wanted to talk with people and they were always poking and prodding to try and find SOMETHING ANYTHING to scrutinize someone for. Glad its gone now!
@@PureRaee I remember there being two beginneramino, or maybe it was two lolita amino. I think the one I was in had about 600 people? I just remember being encouraged to shop on aliexpress, and to use resellers.
And it seemed that anyone that disagreed with the owner of that chat would get dogpiled on by all their friends.
I felt very discouraged to venture into more lolita online spaces bc of my experiences from that group.
However, I found the mentoring server on discord, and it is 1000 times better c:
@@DragonFlightRider I'm so glad you were able to find a place where you felt comfortable in again after that incident! I felt the same as you which is why I started making lolita content on my channel! I would get dogpiled in the chats all the time because I wasn't a part of their clique and didn't like being so critical all the time. If I ever stood up and said "hey this is a little uncalled for" they would go crazy and the entire chat would try to gaslight and manipulate me into thinking I was somehow stupid or wrong. Basically; it was very toxic! That's why I was like whatever I'll create my own space where this toxic behavior isn't encouraged. I say this because this was a great way for newbies to enter the fashion, see the attitudes that came with those people, and learn that in order to make friends they must emulate that same energy. So, that's why the entire chat would follow with the leader! It was the best way to become accepted unfortunately.
@@PureRaee it's so crazy seeing someone else with the same experiences I had. I mostly just stayed quiet and watched it unfold since I was too scared to speak up. These types of spaces can be so damaging to the community :c
@@DragonFlightRider agreed! Hoping no one else will have to experience those things!
I love your headpiece, you look so sweet!
Aw, thank you! :) I believe I got it from aliexpress- it's pretty good quality too!
im going to get my first dress next friday :))) its like blue and pink with cats and white lace!!!!!!!!! its so cute my dad offered to help me pay for it if i do good in school
that's awesome! Happy to hear :) that's very exciting
i was literally about to buy my first ever dress on DI but this made me wanna look for some other taobao sellers. do you have any recs on good places to buy (i’m interested in old school!)?
I would look at either chinese lolita updates or loki doki doki shopping service on facebook ! both of them post releases from taobao from all different substyles and then you can use their shopping services to buy it directly as well
Mecari, Glitzy Wonderland, shopee
6:23 I’m only at 6:23 but basically the OP thing is just about versatility honestly and that can be overcome with a little imagination and experimentation lol
I do wanna ask why you don’t like devil inspired? I don’t think we should point beginners fo it, my advice is for people just starting out to have 1-2 main pieces they’re set on and look for that honestly however Devil inspired doesn’t look like a bad place. It’s an easy to use website and they buy from taobao in bulk so they should have everything on the site in their own warehouse. However I’ve yet to actually buy from them lol I’ve only bought from lace market so far so I kinda want a bit of elaboration here
Yeah though I feel like if someone completely new wanted a full coord the easiest and most efficient way would be by getting an OP. Then they don’t have to worry about extra parts like a blouse and styling that. Plus, you can layer to create an illusion of having just a blouse or just a skirt out of an OP. I just feel like JSKs are overrated when talking about beginners advice since in reality the Easiest and most cost efficient way for someone with no experience in lolita or just styling much in general would be an OP because it’s kind of a two in one and cuts out a process of getting a blouse.
For devils inspired, there’s a lot of reasons that I don’t even know to the extent of but basically you can if you’d like it’s just I can’t personally recommend it to anyone as when I ordered from them I never received my items and trying to fix the issue with that and talking with their customer service was very unhelpful. So I can’t recommend them in good faith. Also they have really high up charges to the extent of sometimes being 80%+ from what I hear. I think there was other cons but those are just the most prominent that people have issues with.
" Don't do this! Don't do that! "
What taobao resellers do you suggest?
Lets hope this is a style my parents will agree to
just bought my first dress and apron from devil inspired
Hoping it'll all turn out okay !
@pure_rae where did you buy that brown with white lace headpiece from? I need it! S.O.S
I think I got it from Aliexpress
I’m new to Lolita trying to buy my first dress almost bought from devil inspired glitzy wonderland I’m doing research rn
I’m so glad you’re researching to find the best fit for you! I would also recommend looking at second hand places like Lacemarket as well if you want an easier, cheaper way! It can be helpful for first coords :)
@@PureRaee ok thank you everyone has mentioned to me lace market but idk if there’s an Instagram of it or just a website
@@xXxPriscxXx it's a website! You will need to verify your account through Facebook or email to let the mods know you are trustworthy. This process only takes about a day. Here is a link to it! : egl.circlly.com/
@@PureRaee thx you but do you know if glitzy is good?
@@xXxPriscxXx I have heard good things about them in the past - however I believe they share similar issues as DI does with over pricing items. I have never purchased from them so I unfortunately cannot give you a first hand experience. But, I would recommend watching reviews of them online or looking more into forums that speak of it! :)
I've been wanting to get into lolita for a few years, I definitely don't want it to be my main style. My style is a whole lot of different stuff.
But, I can't really buy stuff online and definitely not actual lolita stuff. I'm mostly trying to be inspired by lolita fashion, is that bad? I just like cute things and wanna like cute things :
I actually have a video on my channel about thrifting for lolita items in thrift stores (off brand items). That may be helpful for you! and no! it isn't bad at all. :)
@@PureRaee alright! Thank you! :3
also! if you can't buy online, if you have access to facebook, you could join your local comm's group (they could also have a discord most likely too) they usually have swap meets where its essentially like a yard sale of lolita clothing :) that may be an option for you too @@heyits_cat8966
@@PureRaee thanks again for the tips! Unfortunately I don't think that'll be an option for me, but I do know how to make clothes! So at some point I might bite the bullet and make some skirts, because I have some blouses and keep finding more lol. I've also been dabbling in upcycling children's poofy dresses/skirts 😭😭 they (can) fit and are cute, so we'll go with it!
yes upcycle! I have done it to a lot of simple blouses by adding lace trim and such, Best of luck!!@@heyits_cat8966
Rae not to offend you bb but i am a media maker too! I hope you make your audio better for us lolita kinds of gals! ❤️
I'll try my best!
@@PureRaee stay safe!
This is a lot of great advice!
I'm glad you found it to be helpful :)
why is brand important? like i dont fully get it (new to lolita) and ive heard some very strong opnions on it
It's more that brand names like Baby the Stars Shine Bright and Angelic Pretty are reliable and have higher quality items. Plus, you are supporting smaller designers (even bigger brands in lolita are not big brands in the grand scheme of main stream fashion).
@PureRaee thank you! I'm so used to main stream fashion, so when I hear of a brand that's well known, my brain always assumes it's big. Where you suggest to buy from if you don't fit into normal sizes? (It's hard to find things I fit into)
Hiii. Do you know any trustworthy sites I could buy classic lolita from?
does anyone have any tips for finding cheaper plus size lolita/“loliable” items? i’m totally broke
Please don't apologize for using the term bittersweet lolita! I was interested in the same thing when I was younger and I always have known it to be that, not sure why it'd be controversial! Honestly I would suggest looking at bodyline or at least second hand bodyline as it can be cheaper and sometimes the sizes have more range. I'd also look at thrift stores or vintage stores for loliable pieces that might have more options for size and price points! I have a video on my channel about thrifting for lolita if that might be helpful to you :) And lastly, there might be some options on aliexpress that might be cheaper and offer larger sizes. Make sure to read reviews and some are actual Taobao resellers like loligals I believe is supposed to be legit and not scamming or replicas. Best of luck!!
i only like lolita dresses with prints but that's just me. otherwise they look too much like normal dresses to me
I’m sorry if you said something about this I don’t have time to finish the video right now. I’m ten years old but have convinced my mom to get a gothic coord. My mom accidentally made a Facebook account so we decided to try and join our local community. We sent the join request but she hasn’t told me yet if we got a response. What do you think we should say to the group members about me because I’m really young?
I toting to comment here just because a lot of people say you should be older to go to meetups and that type of thing but then some people say you should immediately go to your local community so of course I can’t have a Facebook account but the whole point of my mom having one is for me and so we can hopefully do some online meetups
Thought not toting
ty for the heart
I would tell them exactly this! Let them know of your age and that you will need to bring a gaurdian with you when you go to meets due to it. There are lolita meet ups that may only be for 21+, however those are often rare (from what I have seen). Usually meetups are for afternoon tea at a cafe, meseum days, zoo trips, or picnics in a park- which are all perfect for any age! I am sure they will be understanding and happy to guide you into the fashion :) I hope the best for you! Have fun !
@@PureRaee thank you for the advice!
I was just on devil inspired and i it was so sketch there wasnt reviews or anything out of stock or even ratings like it was completely ghost town lmao
Yeah I still do not have the one order I made lol its been 8 months...;;
Where to shop for newbies that don’t understand Taobao? (Non-brand shoppers)
Hey ! I totally recommend the second hand market (Lacemarket) :) or your local comm if possible. If not those, I have heard good things about this reseller www.my-lolita-dress.com/ though I DO NOT have personal reference for this - so please research it more throughly if so!
@@PureRaee thank you!!:)
I'm a begginer still, and damn is so difficult to find those clothes (i'm from brazil) and the lolita community here is like non-existent so i just have to study a lot about it alone
I'm so sorry you have to be alone in this :( I hope you have the ability to find some online communities that you can talk to and meet new people! When I was younger, I was a lone-lita but purely just because I was way too shy to meet people IRL! But, the online community can def help fill the void a bit. I hope you are able to find some people who you can relate to in your region
@@PureRaee thank you so much!! I will search for some online community :))
le carrousel, me likes tea, and cotton candy feet are all shops based in brazil! i'm confident you'll be able to find some clothes and a community
@@m0ntygee thank you so much for telling me!!
@Pure_Rae Totally agree with your points there im a beginner and starting out my lolita journey but so far im loving it and im brand new to your channel
Thank you! I hope you have great experiences within our fashion! :) Thanks for commenting and watching !
@@PureRaee your very welcome i hope we can be great friends i have Instagram if you want to connect and i hope i will enjoy lolita too
Rip Bodyline
So cute Mari I love the coord
Thank you !!
Lor is the last person any lolita should take inspiration from. She constantly promotes shitty sites and gives bad advice.
Dont really think they are ‘bad advice’ per se just felt very general. She does well in the basic sweet lolita style but lacking in being creative and inclusive of other styles. And yeah her constant promotion of DI is distasteful to me considering her reputation in the lolita community.
Hi am a member of the church of Jesus Christ of later-day saints and I really love classic lolita and I would like to join the lolita community but it seems like it is very ani-religion and I don’t want to be attacked for what I believe is true. I was just wondering is it really that ani-religion?
I have not seen anything in lolita regarding people’s religious beliefs. It’s not a religious fashion, and therefore people of all different kinds of beliefs participate. No one should be attacking anyone for their beliefs unless they were actively harming someone else or making people uncomfortable by inappropriate actions; however these are things that most people are aware of socially knowing when to speak about these things and never pushing someone to feel uncomfortable or to change their own personal beliefs. If someone wants to judge you for your own spiritual beliefs then they are not the right person to interact with. I promise you that there are Lolita’s of all different races, religions, sizes, genders, sexualities, etc, etc. We are a very diverse community that tries to keep everyone feeling safe to be themselves. There are of course some bad apples, but that is best to avoid them and their peers.
@@PureRaee thanks 😊
Is it possible to have a mix of two Lolita styles? I like the sweet outfits but I definitely like the more gothic or steampunk-like outfits, could I be able to combine those together for a gothic-sweet look or a gothic-steampunk look?
There is bitter-sweet substyle. I like it, but haven't seen to many people do it.
@@michellemackay6684 ooo! I’ll have to look it up! That sounds really interesting
2:07
The vid: "I know a lot of people say neutral and solid colors are for "baby Lolitas""
Me: what in the living heckity heck heck are you taking about, the outfit you're wearing at the moment looks like a really nice grandma that that just made cookies for all her grandkids because she's so nice!
I agree! But this was a pretty common belief during the height of prints and OTT lolita! Since this video, the old school revival has been a lot more prominent as a trend and solids are not seen as this AS much. I’d say this advice still exists in many beginner online groups though. This is often how it goes with newbie advice as to advise against any possible way of looking new. But imo it’s a very … not good way of exploring haha also I feel solids are the easiest transition into the fashion if you’re not confident in coording