Work from Home & Lockdown Coords

Welcome to the new normal that is lockdown. I have been working from home for almost two weeks, whilst official lockdown has been going on for a full week. One of the things I've learnt from this is that working from home is an encouraging environment for wearing frills. There have been some casual outfits and some fancier ones, some that I've been meaning to try for a while and some that I didn't expect to happen. So let's talk about those!

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Coord 1: Fancy Work From Home Friday

| BtSSB Secret AIR MAIL from Sweet Kitty JSK | Angelic Pretty Whip Girl cutsew | Angelic Pretty Sugar Ribbon OTKs | Haruhi Clover headbow | Angelic Pretty Cute Ribbon wrist cuffs | Latte Galaxy brooch | Enchantlic Enchantilly ring | Fantastic Grim Jewellery necklace |

When I mentioned Fancy Work From Home Friday to my colleagues, they asked for a photo, particularly with the teacup.

Proving that there is sax in this print.

This was only my second day working from home. On the first one I went with a lazy slob look to celebrate having somewhat of a break. But Fancy Work From Home Friday had to be a thing and I even went so far as to drink from my china teacup. After saying that I wanted to wear this dress with sax, this was the perfect opportunity to do so. And that colour combination genuinely reignited my appreciation for this dress. It was simple and comfortable, thanks to the cutsew, but I would totally wear this in a slightly fancier version in the future.

First I had breakfast - which required more tea than my china cup could handle.

Then I could get onto snacks. Pierniczki can last forever if stored correctly, so these genuinely are leftovers from Christmas.

Not much happened besides that, to be honest. It was a fairly standard day of working from home, setting up my then still new laptop and enjoying the change of pace.

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Coord 2: Cards Against Lolitas Sunday

| Dear Celine Magic Book OP | Putomayo Celestial Light OTKs | Imperial Fiddlesticks Emporium headbow | Fantastic Grim Jewellery necklace | Violet Fane brooch | offbrand earrings |

The laziest approach to hair and makeup right there.

Book-necklace appreciation pic.

 

Whilst I have worn lolita on the Saturday too, it was the outfit that I filmed another Around Your Wardrobe in 30 Coordinates prompt in, so you will have to wait to see that. By Sunday I was a bit tired, so looked around for a quick and easy option, landing on this OP from Dear Celine. I really like the way it looks with wine red, especially with these socks in particular, although part of me really wishes that I had more energy to do something different with my hair. Even sticking a wig on might’ve been better. Oh well, I genuinely was just sat at home, under a cosy blanket. Playing Cards Against Lolitas and chatting with my community via Discord was fun, there were people I haven’t spoken to in what seems like forever, as well as those I’ve gotten close to over the past few meetups. We were actually such a large party that someone else had to start another game as the one I set up could only hold a maximum of 10 people. It was great fun, if you’re looking for online meetup ideas, I thoroughly recommend doing that.

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Coord 3: Remote Twinning & Cards Against Lolitas Take 2

My partner in crime @lolahbell - I can't comment on her outfit rundown, so I'll focus on mine.

| Bodyline L262 JSK | Primark blouse | Bodyline shoes | bow clip made out of cutoffs from the dress when it was beilg altered | everything else is offbrand |

I tried to mimic Holly's hairstyle and learnt that I can just curl the front of my head if I'm lazy.

The cherry necklace that everyone into rockabilly/retro fashion probably has.

Killing two birds with one stone is what it’s all about. After seeing so many people share their incredible remote twinning coords, I wanted to join in on that bandwagon too. The first person to respond was a good friend of mine and while we can’t twin clothes, we were able to vibe twin – because not all twins are identical. It’s amazing how we could get such similar coordinates, down to every accessory, and she even completely nailed down the kinds of poses that I do, it’s uncanny! Whilst I had that coord on I realised that it was one of the cheapest ones I’ve ever put together. By my rough calculations, the coordinate itself came up to about £50-something – not including petticoat, which was just under £48 on its own! Though I guess that still makes for an entire coordinate at around a £100 mark, which is pretty good. Once I got dressed in this, I pretty much stayed in it until the evening when I hosted another round of Cards Against Lolitas for those who couldn’t make it on Sunday. It was much, much quieter, but still just as nice. It also turned out to be someone’s very first lolita comm meetup, which made me realise how great virtual meetups are for newbies to just get familiar with the comm and how the comfort of their own home can help. I want to try hosting more of these even after the lockdown is over to provide that safe space in the future as well. Let’s see how that goes.

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Coord 4: Another Remote Twin & Zoom Livestream with Joelle and Lou

| Angelic Pretty Fantasy Theater Gilet JSK | Haenuli x I Do Declare blouse | Angelic Pretty Toy Circus tights | Angelic Pretty Elegant Doll boots | Cutie Creator headbow | Chocomint star clip | bow clip from Dear Celine Magic Book OP | Angelic Pretty Crystal Dream Carnival ring | Twinkle Kitty Boutique ring | Brightlele wig |

After years of this wig getting progressively worse I finally decided to give it at least a surface brush. Thanks to that it looks fluffy again - and this coord's colour palette and the lighting really bring out the lavender hues in it.

This bodice is what I fell in love with and what made me buy this dress. It's such a flattering cut too!

Let’s start off with the livestream coord. This is an outfit I had in my mind for a while now, maybe even a year, and been meaning to put on ever since I started working from home. The Zoom livestream with Joelle and Lou gave me the push to do so since it was a big enough occasion to warrant something quite so out there. The coordinate itself is actually pretty simple, it’s the individual pieces that are bold and/or big on their own that creates the OTT feel to it. My biggest win with this one is that the tights, which I got from an Angelic Pretty lucky pack, do actually fit, which I didn’t expect them to do. Yes, they stretched out quite a lot, but they go almost up to my waist (with a bit of a fight though) and the bear on the leg is still recognisable as such.

For those who are interested, you can watch the repeat of the livestream below. It lasted a bit over two hours and while for us doing it time simply flew by, watching it on replay you may want to arm yourself with a drink and a snack.

This time my partner in crim was the amazing @inkonsakura - who is also blogging over on It's a Long Story, you should check it out! Again, I will only be giving an outfit rundown for my own. Even though there are obvious differences to our outfits, we do look like we go to the same school, so mission accomplished!

Lockdown got to me and made me do these toast shots.
| After Midnight First Semester JSK | Innocent World 2017 lucky pack blouse | Angelic Pretty Crown Ribbon OTKs | offbrand shoes | Cutie Creator headbow | offbrand beret | sentimental pin (see detail shot) | Metamorphose Double Pockets 3-way bag |

Sweet Mana, look at the time!

It's been a long time since I wore this blouse, I need to make more effort to wear it.

This badge says 'model/exemplary pupil' and it's something we were given as a reward for highest marks on behaviour at the end of an academic year in the first few years of school in Poland. No-one ever wore these, there was never any real purpose to them other than to reward good behaviour. I'm glad that (oh God!) 20 years after receiving my first one of these badges I finally found a use for it. At least it has that vintage feel to it now which is so trendy now.

And before the livestream I also took some photos for another round of remote twinning. This is more like actual twinning, since at least the main piece is the same. The school vibes of this outfit together with lockdown madness slowly creeping in made me particularly giddy to try posing with a piece of toast in my mouth, as if I was an anime schoolgirl, so now you have that. And thanks to @inkonsakura’s photoshop skills, you even get to see that scene play out. You’re welcome, Internet. Don’t say that I don’t treat you.

I have no doubts that there will be more of these roundup outfit posts coming in at semi-regular intervals. Meetups are still cancelled, I'm still working from home and everything around is closed. Getting dressed up is one of the few things I still can do that gives me joy. There are also a few more remote twinning coords cooking up behind the scenes that I will share with you once they’re ready to be shown. At this rate I will go through every main piece in my wardrobe much quicker than I normally do, putting me very much on track for wearing everything at least once this year (and some pieces are already being worn more than once with all that remote twinning). Let's see at what point I start dressing in full OTT regalia just to do my daily allowance of outdoor exercise.

Stay safe, everyone!

Getting Out of an Outfit Rut

It seems that anyone who’s been in the fashion long enough for the initial honeymoon period to blow over has had one of them. It’s like a writer’s block but for lolitas: you have plenty of clothes, yet nothing inspires you and none of the outfits you put together feel exciting. This doesn’t necessarily have to be a sign to quit the fashion, so here are some tips on how to work through it.

A prompt challenge

I am quite a fan of ye olde prompt challenge. I’m too much of an overthinker and usually have too much going on to do a lot of them, but once I get stuck in, it’s going. Being confined to the boundaries of a specific prompt often forces us to think outside the box, which can reignite our excitement about the fashion. Because too much choice can be just as overwhelming as not enough. So browse around or ask your comm/friends for a prompt challenge recommendation and have a go. Mine is, of course, the Around Your Wardrobe in 30 Coordinates Challenge. I have also had a Wunderwelt Libre article where I listed a few more, though as it’s been a while since then, there may be new, more exciting ones out there.

Would I ever have put together this coordinate without the prompt challenge? Maybe. Did the prompt challenge help me do it sooner? Absolutely! This is from the unexpected colour combination propmt.

Pick an unworn item

Are you guilty of buying things and not wearing them? This can apply to all kinds of lolita items like blouses or socks, not just main pieces. Try to create at least one coordinate with that item. It doesn’t have to be good – it simply has to be complete. Of course, along the way you may realise that you’re lacking in things to make it as you’d like it to be in an ideal world. In that case remember to use that knowledge to motivate yourself to work towards that coordinate, not to wallow in self-pity that your collection is lacking. And if one coordinate was too easy, then try three. The whole point of this exercise is to realise that you already have options for your unworn items already and that those coordinates could be just as good as the ‘dream’ ones inside your head.

When forcing yourself to coordinate an unworn item you can either go for the safe options (like white or black base) or you can really let yourself be free and experiment. Worst case scenario is the outfit won't work.

Help from a friend

By this I mean specifically what I’ve done with Joëlle from Fluffy Kawaii Jo. Get together with a friend, either in person or through some virtual means, and ask them to put together a coordinate with what you have. This could be a coordinate that they’d like to see you in or something that they would wear themselves if they had your wardrobe. We all coordinate our frills differently and seeing the possibilities your own wardrobe allows when in someone else’s hands can make you see new options and get you excited again. Returning that favour can also be exciting because we all enjoy a browse through someone else’s frills.

It all started with this video. Who knows what you might discover is possible with your clothes?

Try something new

This one is good if you can combine it with the one above and do some makeovers. Trying a completely different look/style/cut/colour/whatever can be really refreshing. Regardless of whether you end up switching or expanding styles, just seeing yourself in something you wouldn’t have otherwise picked can help. Doing so via a makeover also means you’re not spending money and then realising something isn’t right for you. That way you will either find something new you like yourself in or will realise that what you have is the right thing for you and that you want to get back into that.

Modelling is another great way of trying something new for free (well, included in your event ticket).

Wait it out

Getting in a creative rut is normal. Anyone involved in anything creative where they express themselves through something gets that sometimes. Whether you don’t want to try to get out of it or whether trying hasn’t worked, waiting it out is a valid option. During your time away from wearing and thinking about lolita you will eventually gain clarity on what’s happening. Maybe you genuinely are moving away from the fashion as a whole – or maybe you’re simply changing direction and style? It could be that the cause of your creative rut has little or nothing to do with lolita fashion, e.g. it could be rooted in the community or in your personal life. Taking a break from feeling like you have to dedicate your time and energy to lolita is often pretty eye-opening in where your priorities really are.

It's ok to put your frills away and do something else instead. Sometimes forcing yourself to do something can do more harm than help.

Other options

This is by no means an exhaustive list. You always have the options of looking for inspiration elsewhere, through tags on social media or in J-fashion/lolita magazines. My aim was to focus less on passive ways and more on active ones, as in my experience doing something got me out of a creative rut faster, since I was more engaged than when browsing street snaps. Moreover, I wanted to avoid going down the shopping route. Not only it’s not always reasonable to indulge in a purchase, oftentimes it’s also not necessary to buy something new to revive your excitement. The hoarder mentality in lolita fashion can really encourage spending, when buying a new item is often just a plaster that doesn’t fix the underlying problem. And if you’ve reached the creative rut stage, I’m assuming you’ve been in the fashion for long enough to really have options and not actually need anything major.

What kinds of things do you do when you get stuck in a creative rut with lolita fashion? Has it happened to you yet?

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?