Get the Look

I had been wanting to do this post ever since the original Rufflechat thread, but procrastinated. Well, better late than never, eh?

The idea is simple: just like fashion magazines show you where to buy a designer runaway look for cheaper, I will create coords imitating the looks of brand ones that won’t cost as much. The comparison is based on prices when new, since obviously sometimes you can find these much cheaper second hand, although if you want the look instantly, you might not want to stalk second hand sales. For ease of price comparisons, I will transcribe all prices into USD and all prices and rates are accurate as of January 13^th.

Look 1: Angelic Pretty

Original (left):

Angelic Pretty Antique Crown JSK (¥26,800), Angelic Pretty Antique Crown headbow (¥3,500) and Angelic Pretty Bunny College blouse (¥13,800)

Total: ¥44,100 = $406.26

Alternative (right):

N.I.A. Tartan Crown JSK (CNY 586), N.I.A. Tartan Crown headbow (CNY 70) and Souffle Song Sailor Collar Chiffon blouse (US $28.99)

Total: $126

OK, it’s not the exact same look, since the blouse is short sleeved and doesn’t have any tartan print on the collar. That is because long sleeve sailor collar blouses are on the unusual side and this AP one is the only one I know of to have tartan details. However, the rest? Come on, that print is the exact same thing (crowns on a plaid background) and dare I say, the cuts are nicer than AP’s. Chinese Lolita Updates shared this on their page on January 8^th and the reservation actually closes on January 19^th, so if you like that, use your Taobao shopping service of choice to get it.

Look 2: Baby the Stars Shine Bright

Original (left): 

BtSSB Maria’s Catholic Nun OP (¥35,424), AatP Amelia headdress (¥3,780), BtSSB Invitation from 5^th Avenue rosette (¥3,780), AatP Psyche ~The Doctor and the Eternal Sunshine~ OTKs (¥2,700) and BtSSB Victoir shoes (¥15,984)

Total: ¥61,668 = $568,31

Alternative (right):

Opal & Beryl OP (CNY 469), Opan & Beryl headdress (CNY 108), Peacockalorum rosette ($21.85),  Violet Fane Victorian Mourning tights ($32.84) and Antaina RHS ($44.99).

Total: $184,86

Now, Maria’s Catholic Nun OP has been around since around 2016 and became loved enough to be re-released three times already. By now it’s a classic that, unluckily for some, retains its value second hand. Have no fear, because you can find dupes for that too! And where Chinese brands haven't created a close enough lookalike piece, look towards other indie designers who may often have better matches, especially for things like legwear and accessories (or at least it’s easier to search for those).

Conclusion

What I liked about this exercise is that countless of times I looked at a design from a Chinese brand and thought to myself “This looks like X from brand Y” or “They’re going for that [insert era/style/trend] [insert brand] look”. You can literally keep scrolling through the Chinese Lolita Updates Facebook page until you find a good enough dupe for what you’re looking for, regardless of whether it’s a print, non-print or a pair of shoes. There are plenty of people out there who are not set on the exact brand item, but rather like an overall feel or theme of a piece. For them an equivalent from another brand will fit the niche just as well, whilst keeping their bank account that little bit healthier. And it doesn’t matter what you’re after, with enough searching you are bound to find something that suits you!

Personally, while I definitely am the type to get hung over a specific dress, I can also be quite vague with my requirements (just look at my wishlist). If only it were a little easier to search the CLU page (or if its contents were backed up to Lolibrary more consistently), I would happily use it to find some pieces that I’m missing or would like. Though even in the course of doing this post I have found a few that caught my eye, namely some blouses and shoes.

This is also an interesting angle to look at the cost of lolita fashion. On the one hand, even the cheaper looks are still more of an investment than a shopping spree at H&M. On the other, they are roughly a quarter of the price of the brand looks for the same number of pieces and for incredibly similar pieces, making the dupe looks considerably more affordable. Of course, there are ways to get things even cheaper. They might not necessarily be a dupe for a specific brand piece or you may have to hunt down pieces second hand and you have to decide if that’s a compromise you’re willing to make. But a brand new, fresh from the factory look that is quarter of the price of a brand new, fresh from the factory brand look that look nearly indistinguishable from one another? That is an incredible deal!

Have you found any pieces recently that imitated the look of another brand? Would you go for the cheaper alternative to get the look or are you dead set on the brand label/design? Or maybe you had a Chinese brand come to your rescue with a piece deceptively similar to a brand one, but cheaper/in your size (not talking replicas here)? Have a go yourself at doing this ‘Get the Look’ mini-challenge, though make sure to do whatever you need to prevent getting lost in the bottomless pit that are Chinese brands’ updates!