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?