1 Dress 4 Looks Take 35

This one has taken a little longer to put together and it probably was my most challenging piece to include. This HeartE JSK is certainly cute, though a little (and noticeably) shorter than a lolita dress should be and with a very defined A-line shape that doesn’t fit much petticoat. So in order to prove that it can be worn in lolita ways, it required some more specific pieces and thinking outside the box to get the coordinates to work. Hopefully these four outfits showcase just that.

Look 1: Oldschool

| BtSSB shirring blouse | BtSSB logo knee socks | Innocent World shoes | Two Days Slow bow clips | offbrand beret |

The first idea that popped into my head that was definitely lolita was oldschool. Its earlier versions very much incorporated shorter dresses with smaller poof, as well as were less reliant on matching to achieve the look. This is what I tried to do here and while in an ideal world I’d change some bits (namely shoes and headwear), it’s not a bad attempt. I have worn this JSK with this blouse before and it’s a cute look that I’d re-wear anyway. Although I probably wouldn’t do it with the coord styled as this. It’s a chaotic outfit, which I think is an appropriate nod to the rebellious times of early lolita. Although I dig the tartan dress and stripe socks combo. Maybe more on someone else though...

Look 2: Punk

| offbrand jacket and boots | Cutie Creator tights | Two Days Slow bow clips | Rose Marie Seoir Lolita choker | event pins: Love from the North, Myths of Our Own and Strike a Pose | offbrand cat pin | offbrand unicorn brooch |

Speaking of rebellious – tartan is to punk like pink is to sweet lolita. Whilst my version here is more ‘clean’ than I’d want an actual punk outfit to be, this is mostly due to the pieces that I currently own. Also, imagine this with big teased hair, where these bows would sit with pigtails or something, and that makes enough of a difference – hopefully. In actual fact, I probably would wear this with the striped socks from above as well as the tights, however, I tried to make the coordinates look different from each other, since there are so few pieces changed between the two and a flatlay isn’t always as forgiving. And I think I’d wear this dress and jacket combo just because, in non-lolita ways, because they just look cool together.

Look 3: Sweet

| Crown Label cutsew | Haruhi Clover headbow | Angelic Pretty Logo Ribbon Charm wrist cuffs | offbrand socks | Fluffy Tori and Tea Party Club pins | Twinkle Kitty Boutique and Star Glazed Delights rings | Metamorphose shoes |

These outfits are a little out of order, as I had the other three thought out first and then got stuck for the last one. My thoughts eventually led to pink x red, which naturally lends itself to a sweet lolita look. And here is precisely that. It’s great how putting a cutsew on top of a dress can change it and with this dress being a bit shorter than a lolita JSK should, this works great for a cute casual outfit. This coord has also highlighted that I am in need of some sweet brooches in red – not an area I’d expect to have any gaps in my wardrobe, to be honest.

Look 4: OTT

| Infanta overblouse | Bodyline L380 skirt | Peacockalorum underskirt | Enchantlic Enchantilly The Crown of the Rose Princess tights | Irregular Choice Total Freedom shoes | offbrand crown | handmade chain of office | Puvithel Crystal Heart brooch | vintage belt | Primark and handmade bracelets | Primark, Wicked and Whimsy and Star Glazed Delights rings |

As this is one of my chief casual pieces, I was determined to prove that it can still be worn in an OTT way. And I must say, I’m pleased with how this came out, it befits the Queen of Scots herself. The only thing I’d like to change would be to add an opulent plaid to go over the shoulder like an encharpe – or, well, a plaid. Oh, I can already see this whole outfit, including the hairstyle with some pearls stuck in there for good measure. Someone give me an excuse to wear this, please! But maybe not too soon, so that I do have time to get that plaid.

Hopefully this post was able to showcase some unquestionably lolita outfits. Would I wear these? Possibly? Definitely the last ones, with the other ones there’d probably be some variations. Though having these in my outfit bank certainly won’t stop me from viewing this dress as my casual piece that I wear in more lolita-inspired ways. It’s nice to know that there are options if I ever get bored of the same casual looks. 

Do you have a go-to casual piece that you end up wearing in non-lolita ways more often?