But-It-Now, Buy-It-New Japanese Brands Capsule Wardrobe

This was an extremely dangerous exercise to attempt, considering how easily it could have turned into a shopping list or a new wishlist. However, I hope that I was able to resist that. Inspired by Roli’s post of the same theme and title, allow me to present you my own capsule wardrobe of items one could purchase brand new from Japanese brands now.

The Capsule

In my search I have expanded to include all Japanese brands, not just the major ones. My main criteria was that this had to be a capsule for me, so each item had to at least have a chance at fitting me comfortably. Once I selected the first three main pieces from the major brands, a fairly clear classic theme in wine red and ivory emerged, so I decided to run with that with small dashes of gold. Other than that, I simply went with what I liked (which is another reason I expanded into other Japanese brands as the main four just did not have enough of what I’d like within that theme), without restricting myself to a set number of pieces. It took a little bit of tinkering until I felt like the capsule offered enough versatility, but I think it worked out.

Has it though? Well, let’s find out!

Coordinates

Pina Sweetcollection Chiffon Frill OP

Truth be told, I’ve seen this OP for sale a few times in various colours and it always tempts me. It has the right volume of ruffles to be OTT and a simple enough cut to be casual. Thanks to all that shirring layering things underneath it wouldn’t look too bulky or awkward. And if you really wanted to, you could probably wear it as a normie formal dress, e.g. for weddings.

Innocent World Flower Tulle OP

I am waiting for this OP to go on sale before I attempt to buy it. It was released just after my Japan trip last year finished, so I never got to try it on in store, which means the fit risk is just that little bit too much to go for it at full price. (I have also hesitated for just a bit too long when I saw it for like £60 on Lacemarket and I have regrets.) Now, this should fit my actual current wardrobe nicely, as I could pair it with other ivories, pinks, and greens. Seeing how well it could work with wine red just makes me want it that little bit more.

Angelic Pretty Dolly Damask JSK

First of all, damn, I was convinced that this colourway had sold out on the Japanese website and now I’m tempted again. Though if it’s still there, then maybe it will go on some crazy sale? I’m not counting on being fast enough online, but with a little help from Styled In Tokyo, maybe I could snag it in store?
That aside, this is another piece that I think would be extremely versatile. I haven’t even attempted to put hypothetical coords with the boleros because I wanted to use all the blouses, but how gorgeous would this look with the Millefeuille one? And it’s another dress that could work for non-lolita occasions. Damn it!

Enchantlic Enchantilly Elegant Back Frill JSK

By this point I had 3 wine red main pieces and only one ivory, so I was determined to add something. Whilst this still isn’t quite what I’d reach for, it is the nicest one that I could find right now. Because you know me, I love an all-ivory coord with pops of colour, particularly when that colour is wine. That and just look at how lovely this JSK cut is, it'd sit beautifully at the waist!

Metamorphose Lilli skirt

Skirts are great and high waisted skirts are event better. I love how, just like the Pina Sweetcollection OP, this skirt works for both fancy and casual outfits.

Final thoughts

So I guess the capsule works! There are still plenty of combinations I haven’t even attempted, which goes to show how well it all works together. I probably should’ve added one or two other bits, like a white bag or fully wine legwear, but I don’t think that not having those limits the possibilities within this capsule that much? Of course, it’s put with the assumptions that all colours match, which they probably don’t, so it’s not a big deal. Though this exercise has certainly reinforced how much I love wine colourway and that I should add more wine to my own wardrobe/wear it more often. With a few more gold pieces (like my Lady Sloth Glitter Mesh blouse) I could imagine myself with a wardrobe like this capsule. Not for very long, but I could.

As I commented on Roli’s post, a capsule like this would be an incredible amount of money to spend in one go. However, if one were to wear lolita semi-regularly (a minimum of once a month) and was absolutely set in that style, then it would be worth the investment. Particularly as pieces can always be sold to obtain funds for replacing them, so one is never permanently stuck with an unwanted item.

Having said that, this isn’t an approach that I’d recommend for newbies. Although I have seen a fair number of “my first coordinate” posts where the entire outfit is head to toe brand (usually AP or BtSSB), this isn’t a sustainable or achievable way of wardrobe building for the vast majority of us. I can see a scenario like this working for an established lolita who suddenly lost their entire wardrobe (e.g. due to a horrible accident). In reality, people in that position most likely wouldn’t pick this route unless they got a very good insurance payment and weren’t keen on re-obtaining dream pieces lost. But as they already had X number of years coordinating lolita fashion pieces, they’d at least be more likely to stick with such a capsule since they’re not figuring their style out anymore and they know what works for them.

Finally, for the very brave, you’re probably wondering how much this capsule would actually cost. Trust me, so did I. So sit down, brace yourself and maybe prepare something to calm your nerves afterwards.

The total cost of this capsule wardrobe, not including postage or customs fees, is 415,780 Japanese yen. At the time of writing, that was just over 3,000 British pounds or almost 4,000 US dollars.

Yeah. I know.

But when you consider that this is 28 brand new pieces from respectable and well-known Japanese brands, it puts that figure in a lot of perspective. Even though, yes, should you have £3k to spend, you would be able to get so much more shopping second hand and you wouldn’t be restricted to what’s for sale right now. This is big reason why we shop second hand instead.

Let me know your thoughts on this capsule, please. Part of me is tempted to try to recreate it, with the same wine/ivory/gold theme, from the pieces within my own wardrobe. Whether I’ll have the energy to do that, that’s a whole other matter. But I am tempted - and open to being encouraged.