I take it that the inspiration can be anything, from flag colours and symbolism/things associated with that country all the way to that country's culture and incorporating that into Lolita. This is what I have done, and in all fairness, this is a coordinate which I would love to wear one day. Small chances, unless I slim down a lot to fit into Alice and the Pirates clothes, but hopefully it won't be too impossible. (Please, forgive me my poor photo-editing skills, I only have free software that I haven't used in years.)
List of items used:
| AatP Sheherazade ~ One Thousand and One Nights JSK I (wine) | AatP Sheherazade ~ One Thousand and One Nights blouse (off-white) | TejaJamilla Crown Printed tights (gold on white) | AP Party Glitter shoes (gold) | red/white dupatta/Indian headscarf | red and gold Indian jewellery (2 sets of bangles, large drop earrings, jhumar) | ornate gold purse |
The whole point of this coordinate is to reflect the ornate, sparkly and colourful quality of occasion wear in India. The print on the JSK already touches on that, whilst also hinting to non-Western and non-East Asian style (although yes, I realise that the print is more Arabian Peninsula than the Indian subcontinent). While I picked the blouse from the same series, I think that any cream/off-white blouse with loose sleeves, like maybe Infanta's
Swan Lake chiffon blouse, will do - however this one has the advantage of laying flat on the forearm where bangles would be, making them easier to wear and making both pieces compliment each other. Any subtle gold print/emroidery or even plain socks/tights in cream would do; the point is to let the dress and the accessories be the focus point, so more pattetn on the bottom would be too distracting. While plainer gold heels would make the rest stand out even more, I picked those ones because it is common for dancers in India to wear ankle bracelets/bells, and the pearls on these AP shoes could imitate them. The dupatta is optional, but it would add more authenticity to the look than jhumar alone would - plus on slightly colder days or if worn with short sleeve blouse it could also provide a tiny bit of warmth when draped across the arms. Any red and gold Indian jewellery will do, as probably would red and white, but I suggest totally skipping any necklaces, so as to not overpower the neck/head area. As for purses or handbags, I chose an ornate peacock clutch in gold to emphasize the Indian-ness of the coord, but if I was to stresa the Lolita quality of it, I'd pick something like AP's
Dreamy Star pochette, AatP
Treasure Box pochette or a replica
Melty Moon bag, as long as they're in gold.
Overall, this coord is my tribute to India and to Bollywood - to the colourful, shiny, flashy period dramas and historical films produced in India, and to the opulence and OTT that you so often see in their clothes and jewellery, especially evening and occasion wear. It is also a nod to my past self, where Bollywood was a massive part of my life. And finally, this coord is here to show that Lolita knows no boundaries, certainly not geographical or cultural ones, and no matter how simple or extravagant, how familiar or exotic, you can create a fantastic Lolita outfit to pay homage to whatever place or culture - hopefully, without making it look like cultural appropriation either.
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