ITT: Things you wish you knew when you were a newbie

[Anonymous No.8378181]

Things you wish someone had told you? Things someone did tell you, but you wished they'd have listened to? Tell all!

(Pic basically unrelated)

[Anonymous No.8378194]

>>8378181
>it's better to wear a good Bodyline coordinate than an outfit that contains a brand item but is missing lolita essentials
To my first convention I really didn't want people to think I was a Bodyline weeb, so even though I could make several complete, nice Bodyline outfits, I went in an outfit with a Taobao dress that I couldn't fully coordinate yet just because it matched a brand bag I owned. It looked pretty underwhelming and I had no hair accessory and nothing on my arms, wrists or hands (short-sleeved OP).

[Anonymous No.8378204]

>>8378181
i wish someone had introduced me to the fashion earlier. i knew about it for a long time but didn't understand it until i was 17 and had begun to lurk on getoffegl, /cgl/, and btb

[Anonymous No.8378210]

>>8378204
17? Boy thats lucky. I didn't get into the fashion until i was 24. Now I feel like I'm way too old for this shit but I still dig it.

[Anonymous No.8378219]

>>8378210
Whatever anon, I'm turning 28 this year. I have more disposable income now, and several of my dream dresses. 17 year olds usually don't have those resources.

[Anonymous No.8378220]

>>8378210
but the problem you see, is that i'm only 18 now. also the main reason i joined is because i thought the drama that was always happening was funny as shit and it was a style that i had been eyeing for long time but didn't get into because even though i wore weird stuff daily, lolita was a step above. My first introduction into the lolita community was getoffegl, kinda a weird way to begin

[Anonymous No.8378222]

>one petticoat probably won't be enough to hold up your dress
i got a CP one, but it seems even that wasn't enough. Most of my early coords look so sad with just one petti.

[Anonymous No.8378227]

You don't have to have to look like the tiny cute Asian models to wear Lolita. I didn't get into the fashion until quite late because I thought I didn't have "the look".

[Anonymous No.8378229]

To buy more blouses and shoes while you can.
I got stuck with 20 dresses and fuck all to coordinate them with. Seriously wish i would have listened to people on that one.

[Anonymous No.8378252]

>>8378204

Your lucky to get into that young. I'm a sweet lolita and started at 23, could barely afford it. I'm 27 and can afford it better but will be so much easier when I'm 29 and make max pay at my job. Sucks for me since I only like sweet and will be at old hag status for sweet at 29.

[Anonymous No.8378254]

>>8378222
Adding on to that, you'll probably need multiple shapes and lengths of petticoats. My CP bell only works with 2-3 dresses out of 7.

>>8378229
Fuck man I know those feels.

To add on
-There is always a style/brand/ect that will suit you. Spend some time looking.
-Lolita is less narrow than it looks from the outside.
-Trends come and go, wear shit for yourself.
-After a certain point with BL and Taobao you are going for quantity over quality. At this point, consider secondhand brand.

[Anonymous No.8378257]

>>8378252
>>8378219
Yeah turning 28 this year too. It's nice to be able to look at some of these dresses and actually buy them if I really want, but I also am afraid of looking too old.

Time to get into gothic and classic while I can.

[Anonymous No.8378258]

>>8378229
Definitely this.

[Anonymous No.8378263]

>>8378254
Very much this. I got a bell-shaped and an A-line. Not enough, needed extra poof for certain dresses. Got some things to put under to layer, still not enough, as petticoats too short for certain dresses and they get the lampshade effect. Right now I'm looking for a light longer length petticoat, and a poofy slightly longer (maybe 53cm) petticoat. I can easily see myself with six pettis or more.

>puffy bell
>daily bell (can be stacked with puffy bell
>strong A-line
>weak A-line
>longer length puffy bell
>light long A-line

[Anonymous No.8378277]

That dead-eyed constipation face the japanese lolitas likes to make only looks good on said japanese lolitas. Don't make the dead-eyed constipation face.

[Anonymous No.8378288]

>>8378219
>>8378252
>>8378257

You're not that old. If dressing up makes you happy, then go for it. It might be sort of creepy if you're still dressing this way when you're 50 though.

[Anonymous No.8378295]

> Waist ties are a pain to tie by yourself.
> Some waist ties are lined, which are a even greater pain to tie yourself.
> Fitted offbrand is better than Awkward fitting brand
> Accessories and jewelry turn an outfit from 7/10 to 9/10

[Anonymous No.8378303]

>>8378288
I don't see how it's creepy, sweet lolita is no different than gothic or classic. It's still an alternative fashion style and most people think anyone 50+ wearing any alternative fashion is creepy. Don't know why sweet is always singled out.

[Anonymous No.8378304]

>>8378303
Because sweet lolita is really fucking weird

[Anonymous No.8378311]

>>8378303
I personally think its only other lolitas who have a problem with it. You will get more shit from them than anyone else. I know this 60 year old with pink hair who is always decked out in Hello Kitty and no one cares.

[Anonymous No.8378328]

>>8378295
> Waist ties are a pain to tie by yourself.
> Some waist ties are lined, which are a even greater pain to tie yourself
Dresses with waist ties that aren't detachable really piss me off now I live alone. It was OK when I was still living at home because there was usually someone in the house I could ask, but now it's a crapshoot.

[Anonymous No.8378334]

>>8378303
It depends what sweet you're thinking of. But the difference between pastel sweet with cute childish prints and moitie or IW or MM is like a 40 year old dressing like crust punk or dressing a little ega.

[Anonymous No.8378336]

>Don't try mixing in other substyles until you have experience (I'm looking at you, fairy lolita)
>Learn to makeup
>You can get cheap brand
>don't like sweet, buy classic stuff before it gets popular

[Anonymous No.8378339]

>>8378304
This. Most of sweet lolita looks like it's made for kids. 20 or 50, it still creepy.

[Anonymous No.8378344]

>>8378304
You probably think the only sweet that's out there are the pastel AP prints.

[Anonymous No.8378354]

>>8378344
Yes, I have only been in the fashion long enough to know about OTT and not anything before that because I didn't bother to do any research.

[Anonymous No.8378360]

>>8378334
I'm talking about pastel sweet, since I am also an older sweet Lolita. I'm only drawn to pastel sweet and the more mature styles aren't just my taste.

Just never understood the whole age thing or why other Lolita's care so much.

[Anonymous No.8378364]

>>8378344
Or maybe people assume that becuase it's the most popular style of sweet.

[Anonymous No.8378390]

>>8378360
This will happen in any communty that is mostly dominated by young people though. Older goths, punks, etc get shit. My father in law gets shit for playing video games at his age and liking "young people music".

Just do what you want and ignore anyone who complains, those people will get old too and then they will just go through the same thing.

[Anonymous No.8378395]

Style your damn hair.

[Anonymous No.8378400]

I wish I knew where to get a non brand petticoat earlier. I didn't get one for a long time in my early days.

[Anonymous No.8378413]

>>8378390
Older goths also get respect though, as eldergoths. Goth in general I think people understand as a style older people can do. Whereas an old emo would just be pathetic, and although old punks exist opinion is much more divided on them.

[Anonymous No.8378425]

>>8378413
Sorry for being dumb but why is it only eldergoths that get respect?

[Anonymous No.8378443]

>>8378360
When it comes to pastel sweet, the colors and prints are associated with childern. So too most, it looks too odd on an older person.
I have no issues if an old person wants to wear that style, I know not everyone likes toned down sweet and the more mature styles. Just be prepared to face backlash from other lolitas, don't post photos and become a lone lolita because your comm may want nothing to do with you anymore.

[Anonymous No.8378446]

>>8378413
Stuff like emo or punk is much closer connected to rebel or whiny teenage years whereas goth has always had a very huge age group as far as I know and isn't specifically connected to any youthful sentiments like anti-establishment or thinking about life and crying. Might be my ignorance about goths but there's not anything there that would make you seem underdeveloped or stuck if you kept doing it for your entire life whereas forever emos need therapy and forever punks are hobos.

[Anonymous No.8378447]

>>8378425
It is a respect your elders thing. A lot of what goth can be now is something that developed because of those who are now older have made it into something that is a fashion style and not just a trend. There is also an attachment to the 80s in general, from the trad goth style, to the bands who were around then, and the people who wore it then and kept it going.

[Anonymous No.8378448]

>>8378425
They were there first and laid the foundations, I'm guessing? I never understood why older lolitas get the disdain they do, though. Without the previous generations, the overseas market wouldn't be a shadow of it's current form.

[Anonymous No.8378456]

>>8378425
Like >>8378446 said, goth has always had associations that are more suitable for any age range. A lot of goth icons and famous goth musicians are/were older, and the idea of an old vampire is not weird. Whereas a style like emo is very, very associated with teenagers, all its famous musicians are in their early 20s at most, and the fans are mostly living at home with their parents. Also goth is an older subculture, so the original goths have had time to grow up; with emo, it's not just the whiny associations but that wearing the style as an adult makes you look like you're trying to look cool to 13-year-olds in order to have sex with them or something. It definitely comes off as creepy, like feigning tween interests.

With punk, plenty of original punks have aged and it is understood, but it's a much more out-there style that's harder to bring into a professional life than goth is. You can introduce toned-down goth elements to a corporate wardrobe, but you can't do it with punk, so it seems more counterculture and less mature. In addition, the "punk" of like, pop-punk bands that tweens and teens like and Claire's sell will again make you look creepy, like you're wearing a style for younger teens in order to sleep with them. Again, that's a more recent trend so there's no way a 40-year-old in the style can have been an original shit pop punker.

I wouldn't say that forever punks are hobos, but forever punks have to either have no real job at all and basically be still bumming around in their 50s (seems pathetic), or have a job like roadie, tattoo artist, or something like a fashion designer like Vivienne Westwood. Whereas forever goths can work in all sorts of jobs.

[Anonymous No.8378462]

>>8378448
Most lolitas don't have a problem with older lolitas, it's only a issue of they still wear pastel sweet.

[Anonymous No.8378483]

>>8378456
Think of Bela Lugosi for example, compared to MCR's frontman. Fits the goth look but is already old. The look is not associated with youth. To be honest band members aren't even a good example because emo bands have always been older than their fans; a typical concert has a lot of 13-17-year-olds even though the band members are in their 20s.

Also punk had this big "fuck the older generation" thing going on that doesn't sit so well with being part of that generation unless you successfully carve out a living in the counterculture. A punk living an ordinary adult life is almost betraying their principles; even if their clothing is non-conformist, their life is conforming.

[Anonymous No.8378484]

>>8378339
Normalfags arent going to distinguish between a 20-something wearing Bopeep dresses and someone else.

[Anonymous No.8378495]

>>8378456
>>8378483
Thank you for the detailed answer!

[Anonymous No.8378504]

>>8378495
Of course not all old goths get respect, plenty of normies still think they look weird and other goths don't think they look good, but because the style isn't intrinsically youthful like lolita is, it's not as looked down upon.

I mean, there are very few examples of older lolitas out there. They exist, but because of not wanting to get negative comments, they don't tend to put their photos out there. A lot of the original lolitas that are still into the style no longer post coordinate shots, so all that's floating around on the internet is them when they were younger. I think the brand designers are one of the only chances you get to actually see older lolitas. So people continue to associate the style with youth, and it looks even odder on someone that isn't young.

[Anonymous No.8378516]

>>8378504
I wish older lolitas would put themselves out there more, so it would be seen as normal. I am in the minority but I would respect the shit out of an older person wearing pastel vomit sweet. I guess I like seeing old people do what they want and not cave into other peoples standards.

[Anonymous No.8378519]

>>8378504
Even with IW's designer, Yumi Fujiwara (藤原ゆみ), if you look for images of her they're all taken from careful angles so she looks younger and there aren't that many out there, but if you see her IRL and on video she's obviously older.

[Anonymous No.8378520]

>>8378483
But anon...Bela Lugosi's dead.

[Anonymous No.8378521]

>>8378519
Awh.. What a beautiful old lady

[Anonymous No.8378522]

>>8378516
I feel like if it was someone really old, like a cute little old lady, people would love it and how she was doing what she wanted, but I expect people would be horrible about someone 40 or 50.

Forgot to say, >>8378519 is very classic but the designer still wears sweeter stuff even though it's not OTT sweet, you can see it in other pictures and videos. She was wearing a chocolate-themed dress in that interview.

[Anonymous No.8378526]

>>8378483
i don't think using gerard way is a fair example because he was well into his 20s by the time mcr started, and about 30 at the height of their career (and now he's almost 40, wearing makeup and glitter, looks like this and doing some fuzz-brit-pop bullshit? wtf happened?)
sage because really OT

[Anonymous No.8378531]

>>8378519
i'm going to dress like her when i get older.

[Anonymous No.8378532]

>>8378364
Is it? Chocolate and food prints get bought up just as quick as pastel vomit.

[Anonymous No.8378534]

>>8378526
Yeah, that's why I said using band members was a bad example (although MCR have always denied being an emo band, just like Sisters of Mercy denied being a goth band). Other than the band members, adults didn't dress like that is what I meant.

[Anonymous No.8378537]

>>8378532
No. Even when you google search sweet lolita, the first couple of pages is filled with pastel vomit prints

[Anonymous No.8378557]

>>8378360
it seriously looks like ageplay

[Anonymous No.8378560]

>>8378557
Not a sweet lolita, but it depends on the print IMO. Salopette's look a bit ageplay-ish but other than that it doesn't resemble kids clothes.

[Anonymous No.8378569]

Everything you think you love about the fashion you will come to hate. Prints, highly coordinated, OTT nearly unwearable costumey looks.

Stick to your roots and go with basic gothic lolita you fell in love with. Also, dabbling with all the styles will lead you to get burnt out into nearly quitting.

[Anonymous No.8378572]

>>8378560
Kids also wear dresses

On topic: I wish someone told me 1 pastel print would be enough. Because I can't tell the difference anyways. Everything looks like pastel blobs

[Anonymous No.8378573]

>>8378557
Yet most kids clothing looks like mini versions of adult clothing, expect for a few character theme outfits but yet they have those for adults too.
Still waiting to see a child wearing something like milky planet.

[Anonymous No.8378576]

>>8378560
I think any 30+ year old woman wearing clothing akin to little girl clothes will look age play-ish.

There was recently a post of an older woman in a red coord with those fancy printed tights and I believe there were lots of comments on her age, even though her coord by all means was pretty amazing. If on a younger girl people would probably have liked it more.

I think once you start getting past 30 in this fashion you need to focus on really simple classic coords with less prints, or more floral focused prints.

[Anonymous No.8378579]

>>8378520
Beautiful.

[Anonymous No.8378585]

>>8378573
Ageplay is supposed to look like a caricature of a kid

[Anonymous No.8378591]

Someone's mom on tumblr. it looks pretty nice (could use a good petticoat though).

But yeah it's definitely not sweet or crazy over the top, I think it suits her nicely and this is a little bit of hope for when I get older.

[Anonymous No.8378595]

>>8378591
She looks like she needs a drink

[Anonymous No.8378598]

>>8378591
I think most of the reason she looks out of place is the typical mom hair and make-up. It'd be more interesting to see examples of older women wearing more elegant hairstyles and appropriate make-up (I don't mean lashes and circle lenses, but not that sorta orangey foundation middle-aged women wear etc).

>tfw can't try clothes on my mum because she's 6 sizes bigger than me and 6" taller.

[Anonymous No.8378614]

>>8378591
I wil get hate for this but I think Voldie (sp?) posted her mom in sweet and it didn't look that bad. Gives me a tiny bit of hope since I dont like goth or classic styles.

[Anonymous No.8378628]

>>8378537
Just searched it up and nope, the first row features not only a non-print dress but also an offbrand dress with a brown bodice.

[Anonymous No.8378638]

>>8378628
And the other rows?

[Anonymous No.8378683]

>>8378628
That Milanoo dress's skirt is pretty pastel vomit-y though. Not even the anon you're arguing with, but here's the first page of results as proof.

[Anonymous No.8378698]

>>8378252
>old hag status
>29

only lolita, man

[Anonymous No.8378710]

>>8378311
I've literally never seen anyone as age obsessed over clothing as lolitas are. I always thought, as long as you can pull it off and feel good in it, wear it as long as you want.

[Anonymous No.8378723]

>>8378710
I feel like most are in the fashion for attention and not for themselves. Youthful child looking Asians are popular in jfashions and they want to look like that too.

[Anonymous No.8378727]

>>8378710
You've never seen people mock older women for dressing too young before? Do you live under a rock? Generally if anyone older wears anything too much like teen clothes, trendy clothes, or sexy clothes they get mocked.

[Anonymous No.8378729]

>>8378710
Could also have to do with lolita being a expensive materlistic hobby. I'm sure it attracts those vain and shallow type of girls who obsess over their appearance and age.

[Anonymous No.8378731]

>>8378723
Bait in the dungeon.

[Anonymous No.8378739]

>>8378727
Maybe I just hang around people who mature and act like adults, they don't care how someone dresses as long as they are happy.

[Anonymous No.8378748]

>>8378739
Good on you for having a nice friendship group, doesn't mean it doesn't exist though. You only have to take a look at the Daily Mail's sidebar of shame to see that.

[Anonymous No.8378749]

>>8378727
Here's the point: Why do you care, though?

Also, I've seen it outside lolita but it's nothing like lolita is to itself. It's one thing to get angry at a 50 year old woman wearing Juicy shorts. It's another thing to get angry at a girl who's 27, looks fine, but she's too "old" for the fashion. 18-30 is about the average lolita age range.

>>8378729
I actually think this, too. Ironically, most lolitas look great. I even really like the older ones that wear whatever they want.

>>8378731
>saying lolitas don't obsess over age

What reality to you live in? I'd like to be there with you.

[Anonymous No.8378753]

>>8378749
I don't care, I'm just saying it's a thing that happens. I'm not sure who you think you're replying to but I'm not one of the people that's been posting bait or wehhing about how they'll have to leave lolita once they're older than 25.

[Anonymous No.8378763]

>>8378749
I have actually seen 50 year olds wear that. Didn't look that bad though. I think that issue is also thinking that all older people look like shriveled up prunes. With advances in skin care, a lot look good for their age.

[Anonymous No.8378768]

>>8378749
They basically just said most lolitas are attention whores, on this board that's bait.

[Anonymous No.8378778]

>>8378768
If they weren't, why do they care so much about what other people think? If you are truly doing something for yourself, the opinions of others shouldn't bother you.

[Anonymous No.8378783]

>>8378768
They're not and I didn't say that? Don't know how you came to that conclusion. I said they're age obsessed. That's not the same as saying attention whore at all.

[Anonymous No.8378785]

>>8378778
Others negative opinions often mean negative attention, possibly more attention than you would have got from positive. People that don't like a lot of attention or are generally shyer personalities don't like people laughing at them or harassing them every time they go out, on top of girls in their comm being catty bitches behind their back.

But to stay on-fucking-topic...
>blouses
>when people say you can thrift them, they are lying
>when the shop you make your first order off tells you they've sold out of the blouse you wanted, swap it for another blouse, don't swap it for a wig and a refund

[Anonymous No.8378788]

>>8378783


>>8378723
>I feel like most are in the fashion for attention and not for themselves

[Anonymous No.8378798]

>>8378788
You can be age obsessed for yourself, you know. Sometimes you don't want to dress in what you think, whether it's true or not, looks too "young" for you.

[Anonymous No.8378800]

>>8378788
>>8378798
Why don't you guys discuss this in the age thread instead?

[Anonymous No.8378826]

>Do not spend £400 on bodyline shit when Misty Sky releases for the first time and your preferred cut and colourway has been sitting around for an unusually long time for such a popular thing.

I'm hoping I can redeem myself tomorrow.

[Anonymous No.8378850]

>>8378826
Ah man. I was gonna buy some IW dresses but made a Taobao order instead. One of them was Westminster.

>tfw I'll never own it now

[Anonymous No.8379606]

>>8378598
Yeah, if her hair was put in a more Victorian updo like Mary Poppins, it would be amazing.

[Anonymous No.8379992]

>>8379606
That sounds really good, it'd be nice to see lolita on older women with more Edwardian-inspired hairstyles.

[Anonymous No.8380009]

>>8379992
I was just trying to think of a hairstyle that wouldn't look so odd as, say, pigtails on someone older, but still had a sweetness to it that'd work well with classic sweet or toned-down sweet. How about a wavy bob? Not as slick and vamp-y as the Marcel wave can be, but something a bit fluffier. I think it could work really well.

[Anonymous No.8380010]

I wish I bought a crapton of stuff from Bodyline back when their prices were really cheap and they had just restocked a lot of their inventory. If I knew they were inflate their prices like mad, I would have bought L350, that Duet Rabbit Symphony JSK, and some cute wrist cuffs and headdresses.

[Anonymous No.8380011]

Go on /cgl/ and dont go on /b/ (in general). It wouldve saved me from all my high school ita and meme cringe.

[Anonymous No.8380014]

I wish someone told me to be more patient and to save up a little bit more money to buy secondhand brand when I was first starting out. I spent quite a bit of money on handmade and "loliable" lolita dresses, more money than I should have now that I look back, because I was too impatient to get into the fashion. And now it's sitting in my closet collecting dust, and I'm 90% sure it will be unsellable on LSE.

[Anonymous No.8380016]

Don't buy something just because it's cheap and burando, only buy things you know you'll wear.
Don't be afraid to handwash things in cold water but do be careful with that iron holy fuck.

[Anonymous No.8380020]

>>8380016
For the longest time I was afraid to wash my brand

[Anonymous No.8380091]

>>8380016
Amen.

>stuck with heaps of brand I don't like
>melted some lace on an IW blouse

[Anonymous No.8380114]

>>8380016
Yyup. People sometimes wonder why I own so much Taobao but generally it's because I'm not going to buy underwhelming unpopular secondhand brand just because it's cheap and brand. I'd rather buy an original Taobao design for the same price if I think it's equally as cute. I do own a lot of brand pieces I love, but it's not something I buy for the sake of it.

[Anonymous No.8380117]

>>8380091
maybe you could sell some stuff off? I'm still at the phase where I'm building my wardrobe so I'd love to take a look if you're selling

[Anonymous No.8380182]

>>8380117
I've been slowly selling stuff but right now I'm too time poor to deal with online sales. I don't want to be a shitty seller and leave buyers hanging, so I'd rather wait until my schedule clears up a little.

[Anonymous No.8380311]

>>8378360
I would be an older pastel sweet lolita in few years but being 28, 30 or more won't stop myself to wear it. Even if i get married or i would have a professional job, i don't want to only dress gothic or classic or worse, leave the fashion. I like gothic too and i dress already like this outside lolita, but my first love was always sweet and i mean as sweet the most childish prints from AP and "petite" girls fairy kei pieces like salopettes or mini skirts, i'm lucky my body is small enough to fit them without looking weird. I don't understand why this age appropriate thing in Lolita, i see this more on cgl than on fb btw, because as long you look good and not ita, even if you are past 35 no one gives a fuck if you don't tell your age. I saw some past 30-35 lolitas in pastel vomit sweet that looked really pretty and cute. At 30 you are still young, unless your genetics suck or you have bad skin due to too much smoking, tanning or other bad habits, you would never look like an old hag in Lolita.
>>8378390
I'm happy when i see older people drawn into alt fashion, music and nerdy interests. If i had a dad like that i would really proud of him, instead to be a "boring" older man that complain about nerdy stuff, modern or alt music or fashion.
>>8378447
Yeah, i noticed this a lot even on younger people! I'm not a full goth because i wear other styles recently like otome, fairy and my room is becoming a kawaii pastel place with hints of black and also... i'm not much attracted to 80s trad goth music. I tried to listen to some but... idk....they are cool and talented but i love more modern dark electro music or industrial of every era from 80s to 2000s. Some goths would despise me to be like this.
>>8378576
>grandma lolita kei
I look like shit in florals, muted colors so no. I have a mori dress but i look very grandma-kei and frumpy in a negative way.

[Anonymous No.8380317]

>>8380009
I suggest for older people to use bangs to cover forehead wrinkles. I'm still young but my haircut (bob style with curls and a full fringe) would look ok at every age. My mom has a similar haircut to me and she is way past 50.
Btw, there are low pigtails if a woman has long enough hair to do them or twin braids. They look really cute and not much childish.

[Anonymous No.8381550]

"A petticoat is not optional and pink is not your color"

[Anonymous No.8381683]

Don't buy bodyline petticoats

[Anonymous No.8383324]

>>8378303
Honestly classic lolita (when it isn't OTT) often looks like normalfag retro-wear, which looks great on ladies 50+, which is why it never gets singled out.

also in western goth subculture there are a lot of 40-50+ people, "elder goths" or whatever. so there's precedence for older ladies continuing to wear gothic fashions as well.

[Anonymous No.8383343]

>You will burn through a ton of petticoats finding one that works with what you want, this will also change according to what skirt/dress you are wearing. (Try and find a friendly local loli or comm who will let you try their pettis under your stuff to see what works for you so you don't have to blindly buy online)
>You, and most girls, cannot pull of OTK or Knee-high socks. They look like crap and make your legs look fatter
>Don't be afraid of having 'too' many accessories. It's already an OTT fashion, an extra necklace or bracelet isn't that noticeable.
>This does not apply to hair accessories. Less is more but always try and have something in your hair.
>BRING A GODDAMN APRON OR SWEATER TO MEETS WHERE FOOD OR DRINKS ARE INVOLVED. WEAR IT WHILE PUTTING THINGS IN YOUR MOUTH.

[Anonymous No.8384494]

>>8380014
This.

[Anonymous No.8385191]

>>8380317
I have a similar haircut to my mom as well, both full fringe and a bob but my hair is slightly longer. My mom is 40 and I think she looks like she's in the beginning of her 30's, but she has a young face in general (even without the fringe) - no idea why, since her features aren't extremely "youthful". I think it's just her general appearance that makes her look younger.

So yeah, I think bobs and fringes work well even for older people while things like middle parts and long, straight hair are probably very unhelpful if you want to appear younger.

[Anonymous No.8385235]

>>8380114
This. I buy what I like. I'm fed up of people telling me I could have got secondhand brand for x price (but what if it's ugly as fuck and ss fees on top) I have general indie, Taobao, Bodyline AND brand but I'm picky. I don't have alot of money and he brand I do like is expensive as fuck so I'd rather have a handful of special pieces and lots of cheaper filler that I genuinely like.

I wish I knew about Bodyline in 2006

[Anonymous No.8386662]

>>8378181
I wish I knew that brand was achievable for even lolitas on a budget. I had gotten the impression from other lolitas that brand was this super-duper expensive, holy-grailesque, really top tier stuff that I would just never be able to get my hands on.

I guess I was just too shy to ask how to navigate places like closetchild, and I had no lolita buddy to show me the ropes in regards to buying second hand. Now I have all this shitty bodyline that I don't like anymore that I can't get rid of to anyone.

[Anonymous No.8386675]

>>8386662
Try selling it within your comm for $10 below retail assuming they're in good condition.

[Anonymous No.8386688]

Don't buy items just because they're popular or rare. Buy things you know you will wear and suit you instead.

[Anonymous No.8387479]

>>8378519
She's so cute!!

[Anonymous No.8387544]

1) Buy more bodyline shoes
I had some lolita shit for at least 2 years but never wore it because I was hesitant. Then I bought a pair of used BL shoes for $5 and went full speed ahead and got lots of nice things. Having a cute pair of tea parties felt like I was legitimate.
2) Buy less bodyline dresses
What the fuck do I do with these awkward colored misprinted pieces now, none of my friends or comm wants them and it'd cost what it's worth to ship.

[Anonymous No.8387571]

I wish people would have talked about how HARD Lolita is to wear physically. Nobody had ever talked about that kind of thing so it hadn't crossed my mind until I was wearing it for the first time and basically got sick from all the layers and pressure on my waist. 7 years ago when I discovered the style I was smitten and didn't consider that my health would make it so uncomfortable. Now I'm too far into this stupid fashion to back out now, I mean I think about it almost daily, it's become a part of my life, but had I know it would have been hard on me I would have probably chosen to focus on a more casual fashion to really get into instead.

Also related,
I own only Bodyline dresses right now because I bought them when I was new and thought I'd wear Lolita more often, and I can't justify buying even 2nd hand brand right now. Turns out I wear it like 4 times a year because of the comfort thing so I would have been better off buying two brand dresses instead of 5 Bodyline ones. I don't think my Bodyline is ugly, but in hindsight I'd rather have a couple really special pieces than several not so special ones.

I tried wearing Lolita more often but it's just too hard. Thinking of wearing my stuff casually from now on and one day when I can justify it get a couple brand dresses and call that good.

[Anonymous No.8387587]

Buy shit that you can actually wear outside meetups and cons. Buy shit that you can tone down for casual wear just as easily as dressing up for meetups and cons. Get all your fundamentals first (blouses, shoes, petticoats, headwear, accessories, etc) before worrying about main pieces.

[Anonymous No.8387665]

>>8387571
why not just wear otome?

[Anonymous No.8387694]

>>838757
>I wish people would have talked about how HARD Lolita is to wear physically.
Sorry to say this, but maybe the stuff you wear is just too small for you to fit comfortably? Just keep it simple, if you are kind of sensitive. You don't have to wear corsets or 5 layers of petticoats in order to pull of a good coord.

[Anonymous No.8387695]

>>8387694
meant to quote
>>8387571

[Anonymous No.8387815]

>>8387665
I like otome but I don't get excited about it like I do Lolita. BUT I am currently trying to use some of my Lolita items in my everyday clothes and experiment with how they look without a petticoat, which has an otome flair to it.

>>8387694
Nah, everything is in my size. In fact almost all my things are slightly big on me. I keep all my outfits to a bare minimum in order to make them easier to wear, have banned myself from wearing tights too and loosened the elastic in my petticoat which causes slipping problems but at least it's not squeezing me now. Still uncomfortable and hard on me to wear though. It's such an unrequited love.

[Anonymous No.8387940]

>>8378537
>>8378628
>>8378683

You guys know your google search results are personally tailored? If I search for sweet lolita I'll probably pull up a completely different set of images because of my browsing/search history.

[Anonymous No.8392263]

>>8378219
got into it just before i turned 17, and i'm 18 now so only been into it for a year and a half. my wardrobe is almost all brand save for like 2 bodyline blouses, one taobao dress and a handful of taobao blouses.
Having a job is great :')