Capsule Wardrobe: Packing for Japan Edition

It seems like forever since I did a post about packing frills for a (then imaginary) trip to Japan. Well, now I am going for real (in just over three weeks, aaa!) and will need to pack for real, so let’s do it all again, 2023 update style!

Some Criteria

Like with any capsule wardrobe, we need some parameters to work within, some criteria that will determine what to pack and what I will make the most use out of. For reference, as I am going for nearly three weeks, I do not plan on wearing lolita every day, although I don’t yet have a specific plan on how often I will wear frills. As such, a capsule wardrobe is better for me than a set of specific outfits since it will allow me the freedom to decide what to wear on the day depending on other circumstances (weather, mood, activity, how my body is feeling etc.). But some basics to consider are:

• It is firmly winter when I am going. Whilst I will also be visiting some places further south that will be a little warmer, it is always easier to take layers off than add them mid-stroll, so I need to pack for cool weather. At the moment it’s too early for accurate weather forecasts, but the average temperatures for the places on my itinerary range from 2-12°C, with potential for both warmer and cooler.
• When in Japan, one always travels a lot on foot, so comfortable footwear is a must. I may have space for one, maaaybe two pairs of less sensible shoes for looks, but need to make sure that everything that I pack will work with the practical footwear that I plan on taking.
• A big point of a Japan trip is being able to shop in person, so I can’t pack my suitcase completely full. Moreover, I’m going to several different places and lugging a heavy suitcase up some train station stairs is not my idea of fun (been there and done that). Therefore my lolita pieces have to be relatively interchangeable for maximum versatility. Also, because of the length of my stay, they need to be easy to maintain, so that I can safely throw them into coin laundry machines to keep them fresh.
• Lastly, although some of the non-lolita pieces that I have in mind to pack require a petticoat, that is a different one to the one that works with most of my frills. Whilst I am perfectly happy to travel in a petticoat to save on packing space, travelling in two is a bit much on such a long flight. So whatever I pack has to work with one of the two petticoats that I have in mind. Later, if I have time and energy, I may do some further tests to see if, for example, I could make do with my cage skirt instead, since that at least packs flat, as well as test a vacuum bag for whichever petticoat I won’t be wearing, but generally speaking the more interchangeable the petticoats are the better.

I’m not going to dwell on the obvious (like handbag) or the necessary things (like a jacket/coat) since those are less about coordinating and more just the realities of travelling. I will need those and will have to pick something practical first, aesthetic second, so whilst they will be in the big overall list of what I’m taking, they won’t feature in any of the individual looks. And as that sets out all of my restrictions, let’s have a stab at actually putting something together!

The Capsule Wardrobe

Everything lolita that I have so far earmarked to pack, put together into two collages in Whering.

I have gone for red as the base of my capsule. Most of my red pieces are pretty versatile and red is also a primary accent colour for nearly my entire wardrobe, so I had that in mind when shopping for winter boots, which then determined the rest. And between Christmas and the New Year, red is a very seasonal and auspicious colour to wear. The hope is that between white and green as secondary colours I will still manage to get enough diversity of looks, as well as enough of a crossover of pieces to minimise packing.

The big list up here does not include the non-lolita pieces that I’m also taking (though it is just four dresses) nor any of the jewellery that I will also pack. Small bits like that don’t translate to digital collages very well and the necessity of layering combined with quite a textural range of the capsule might not require too many extra bits.

Some Outfits

For a change of pace, rather than show you a couple of coords with each of the main pieces I’m taking, I will show off a handful of coords that I am actually considering wearing grouped by the theme of the activity. Bar one of these, you’ve all seen me wear these dresses and skirts multiple times and I’d like to believe that it is quite easy to imagine how this particular set of items could create a large and diverse set of looks. Focusing on things that I have provisionally put into my Whering calendar will give you a more authentic flavour of how I intend to use this capsule. You won’t necessarily see every single item being used here and I am at peace with the fact that during the trip I may not end up wearing some of the tops or socks. But equally, if the weather proves cooler than what I packed for, they may end up being worn and not visible for extra layering and warmth, so same difference. The point here is to show the scale of my options, from the most casual to the most OTT, with these specific pieces and also share a few tidbits from my very loose itinerary.

Travelling

On the left is Lady Sloth's Winter Spices skirt.
On the right is Violet Fane's Otome Nostalgia skirt.

The easiest way to bring a petticoat with you is to travel in one. And of the two that I’m bringing, my Aurora and Ariel one is the more cumbersome to pack, so this is the one that I’ll be travelling in. Also, for longer bits of travel comfort is much more of a priority than for shorter bursts (which in my books is up to 3 hours). So for the plane journey to Japan there’s no point wasting any of my nicer tops when I have this comfy normie jersey one, whereas for some of the shorter train hops across Japan I can afford to be a bit more dressed up since that will save me on changing once I get to my hotel.

Shopping

On the left is Violet Fane's Otome Nostalgia skirt.
On the right is Axes Femme Kawaii's Coca-Cola Collab JSK.

Shopping is the one thing that lolitas travel to Japan for. And there is definitely a balance to be had between comfort and looks. On the one hand, this could be a day with a lot of walking, including up and down stairs, and changing rooms may also be involved. Having something more low-key for that will make the experience less stressful. But on the other hand - as a non-Japanese traveller in Japan we want to signal to the shop staff that we are serious shoppers and not some casual tourists. Looking as much lolita as possible will help achieve that before I even open my mouth and put the shop staff at ease by being able to communicate in their language. So shopping can really involve all kinds of outfits and this capsule will definitely allow me that!

Going out/Celebrating

On the left is Grove Deer's Moon of Eternal Day OP.
On the right is Axes Femme Kawaii's Coca-Cola Collab JSK.

I have a few days earmarked for some sort of a going out or a celebratory occasion with other people. These range from dinners to Christmas things and are the more dressed up end of the scale, justifying a more playful or elegant approach. As well as the slightly less practical footwear as even should it rain or be snowy, I should be ok to make my way there. And if really not - the outfits won’t lose much charm because of practical footwear.

Day trips

On the left is Meta's Gold Braid Tuck Pinafore JSK.
On the right is Grove Deer's Moon of Eternal Day OP.

Although I don’t plan to do too much of the touristy bits (I’ve done so many already), I enjoy having at least one new thing to do/see/visit when I go back to Japan. This time this will range from small museum trips to actual strolling around cities I’ve never been to. My main goal is to soak in the cityscapes and soundscapes, so it won’t always be necessary for me to have the most comfy shoes, I can play that a bit by ear depending on how I feel on the day and what I decide on doing.

Laid back days

On the left is Meta's Gold Braid Tuck Pinafore JSK.
On the right is Lady Sloth's Winter Spices skirt.

One of the things that I would like to do is a bit more of a proper hatsumoude (first shrine visit of the New Year). I’ve worn enough hatsumoude-themed coords previously, now’s the time for the real thing. And as mentioned before, a big part of this trip will be dedicated to reminiscing and revisiting my old haunts to relive the memories. Both of those, whilst nice things to do and deserving of a nice outfit to mark the activity, are also not significant enough to let the aesthetic overshadow the practicalities. But it would sure be nice to look nice on those more laid back days.

Final words

It has been over four years since I last went to Japan and throughout that time, in no small part because of the pandemic, my Japan nostalgia has had some real highs. So needless to say, I am legit buzzing and vibrating with excitement that this is finally happening. With no boys this time to hold me back, just me, a suitcase, and the beautiful places ahead. Because of how relaxed and relaxing I want this whole trip to be, I will be working hard to not hold myself to too high a standard with how often I will dress up or how many of these (and other) coords I will actually wear. If they happen, they happen, same with documenting them: I will have my tripod and shutter with me, but I don’t want to stress over documenting every little thing. But still, because of the type of person that I am and how much joy things like lolita fashion bring me, just putting these together in Whering and provisionally mapping them against some specific days and activities has my excitement levels shooting even further up. Just 23 days to gooooo!

Is saving out of fashion?

As the old person that I am, I still have my music on an iPod. And recently, when I put all of the songs on there on shuffle, MC Melod￥ Doll’s iconic Buy Mo' Brand came on. The song’s opening verse, combined with a few of the more recent discussions within the lolita community (both on big forums like Rufflechat and smaller, private ones), got me thinking: is lolita fashion so accessible now that we no longer need to save up for it?

Photo by maitree rimthong on Pexels.com

For anyone unfamiliar with the song or who’s simply forgotten the lyrics, allow me to refresh your memory on the opening verse:

I’ve been working lousy jobs since I was just fourteen
Working conditions that would make a loli scream
Why do I do it? You gotta understand
A gothic lolita needs to buy mo brand
Summer jobs in the kitchen was a hundred degrees
When the working day was over I was covered in grease
I saved up all my money, nearly broke my back
And then I could afford my first lucky pack

Back in 2013 when this song was released, this was the reality for many lolitas. We were young – teenagers or students – with little disposable income and the fashion was accessible only from Japan at brand prices (God bless Meta, but still not everyone could afford that) or from second hand sales that may also not have been in our own countries. The low cost option was predominantly Bodyline, which was still mostly frowned upon, and not everyone had the skills to make things by hand (never mind all the stuff that makes good handmade stuff good, which also adds to the costs). Because of this, everyone within the community had accepted that in order to wear the fashion, saving up was a necessary evil. But more than just a necessary evil, the very act of saving up reminded people of what lolita fashion ultimately is: completely unnecessary luxury that was an investment in something of good quality, as well as a look that tickled our fancy with its over the top nature.

Fast forward to now. On the one hand, lolita fashion is the most accessible that it’s ever been and continues to grow more so. Despite the challenging economic climate right now, in 2023, we have options for diverse budgets, body sizes, in a range of locations, catering to pretty much every look imaginable. Even our second hand market is so full that unless you are selling at very low prices or selling something highly desirable, listings on Lacemarket and other sites simply sit there waiting because buyers do have more alternatives to choose from. On the other hand, looking at things in a bigger perspective, in 2023 we have entire generations of consumers who do not know what buying clothes was like in the pre-fast fashion boom. Online shopping started to take off by around mid-1990s and only kept growing to th point where now it’s the people who do not shop for clothing onlinewho  are in the minority. If the lolita fashion second hand market is oversaturated – multiply that by at least 100 to get a sense of the scale of how much clothing exists globally right now. Whatever garment you can imagine, there will be someone out there producing and selling its cheaper knock-off version that dozens of people will buy before getting rid of it (to a charity shop in the best case scenario – into the bin and then landfills or oceans at worst).

A £175 JSK vs a £75 JSK. And those are just two of the quite popular options and without digging too much.

The combined effect of those global changes within the fashion industry on our niche subculture is that younger lolitas do not treat the fashion in the same way. Where obtaining frills in 2013 or 2003 felt earned, being a result of hard work to first get the funds and then find a way to buy something, obtaining frills in 2023 is more a matter of a few clicks. Unless you want a specific design that is priced just like we are used to pricing lolita fashion from its inception, unless you pay attention to the quality of your clothing and at least try to care about it not coming from a sweatshop, there are scores of newer lolitas who get attracted to the look, find something like it on SheIn and don’t even think about the cost because everything on SheIn is purposefully designed to be cheap, so that you don’t spend so much on one order that you then cannot afford another. I don’t personally know anyone affluent enough to be able to do that by shopping directly with lolita fashion brands.

And recently there have been a few posts where well-meaning people tried to point out that a JSK bought from SheIn that someone had shared on Closet of Frills or other social media is problematic on all kinds of levels and ultimately had to give up. Any of the valid arguments put forward: about the unethical practices at SheIn factories, about the lower quality translating into lesser durability, dispelling the myths about unaffordable or size restrictive brand(s) – all of those were met with a defensive huff from the OP because they have a right to shop wherever they want and why should anyone deny them that. Which rather than a callout for that particular person is a wider observation of what a lot of younger, newer lolitas have been doing and how they’ve been thinking. They grew up with large clothing hauls: from Primark, from ASOS, from Amazon, from SheIn, being a normal part of shopping for clothes. They reached teenage years at a time when one social media platform replaced another as a vehicle for spreading new interesting looks and trends that were then immediately available at the click of a button. When someone has never experienced the barriers that lolitas from even 10 years ago had and when they prioritise that personal dose of serotonin over attempting to navigate an unethical global economy and society with a bit of conscience, there is no argument that can be presented to them that would make them change. Those people have to either learn their lesson or those well-meaning commenters need to realise that they’re commenting more for the sake of the anonymous readers of the comments rather than the OP who will not change their mind.

This phenomenon isn't limited to lolita fashion, it happens within every style that you can name. But those fashion styles reliant on small designers and that grew big thanks to small designers are impacted by it more than mainstream fashion styles cycling back - although they also have a smaller impact than those.
Image from NextMSC

Now, on a personal level, despite what my day-to-day grumbling at work might suggest, I actually have a lot of faith and hope in the younger generations of people. Having worked with 16-to-18-year-olds for a while and seeing the occasional flash of what good the TikTok youths can get up to when they put their minds to it, I’ve seen enough evidence that not every young person out there is this selfish or this hedonistic. Moreover, whilst lolita fashion is the most accessible that it’s ever been in terms of purchasing, we’re also at a time when it’s never been easier to find out more about it to guide any beginners into this world, which includes plenty of great resources. I have personally met people who were mentored by friends on Discord and showed up to their first meetup looking as if they’ve had a few years of coordinating under their belt. Contrary to what social media may make you believe, diligent and conscientious newbies to lolita fashion are out there, they’re pretty numerous – and yes, they are saving up just like the rest of us did back then.

Remember the times when a lucky pack set really could be someone's first complete outfit at a discounted price?

Lolita fashion will continue to appeal the most to young people, both because it looks quite youthful and because this eye-catching style does well with the algorithms on social media, of which young people are the most numerous users. And what hasn’t changed much over the last few decades is that young people do not have a lot of disposable income available to them. People have and are saving up their money however they can – gifts for special occasions and part-time jobs – and then buying whatever it is that tickles their fancy. But whereas MC Melod￥ Doll in 2013 was saving up for a lucky pack to get that first coord in one go for that big ￥31.5k Candy Sprinkle set, in 2023 that kind of money can get someone an even fuller coordinate from a cheaper retailer (like a Taobao reseller or someone making things custom like Glitter Tale). In other words: because lolita fashion has more affordable options nowadays, people don’t need to save up for as long as they used to 10 years ago in order to join the fashion. And because saving up for frills has always been the norm for us, the newbies who continue to do just that aren’t as visible on social media – unlike those who choose to shop with companies that try to gaslight the world into believing that a knitted sweater can reasonably cost $2.

Versatility vs Creativity

For November the Bibliotheca bloggers have agreed on a theme of versatility. It’s a word that comes up in our fashion very often – heck, I’ve used it myself plenty enough! Recently though I’ve pondered the idea and concept from a different angle: is versatility more important than creativity? Or are we saying one when we mean the other? It feels like a while since I’ve done a think-as-I-write post on a bigger subject, so as the evenings and nights are getting longer in the Northern Hemisphere, this should be a good time for a longer post to entertain yourself with on a quieter evening.

Photo by Bruno Scramgnon on Pexels.com

Some definitions

As always, we need to start with the most basic step of defining the words.

According to the Oxford English Dictionary, versatility is defined as the ability to adapt or be adapted to many different functions or activities. In that context the focus is on being flexible or capable of performing various tasks or roles. There is no difference in how lolitas apply that word to our fashion, when we talk about clothes (mainly main pieces) as being versatile we still mean that they can be made to look different and be appropriate for a range of circumstances. The context is typically that of the fanciness scale, i.e. casual to OTT, but not exclusively so as being able to style a main piece in ways that suit multiple substyles of lolita is also encompassed within that.

Once we move to creativity, we can see some of the overlap already. The Oxford English Dictionary defines creativity as the use of imagination or original ideas to create something new (irrespective of the type of medium or creative expression). It goes on to say that there is a nuance of thinking outside the box, being innovative, and unique self-expression. All of those are also how we’ve talked about versatility of lolita fashion clothes – which isn’t necessarily wrong, it’s just that versatility is that little bit more specific and creativity is broader than simply wearing one item many different ways.

How do they interact?

We need to recognise that these two concepts go hand in hand rather than work against one another. Whilst it’s not inconceivable for someone to be creative with a main piece that isn’t very versatile, the more versatility a main piece has the more room a person has to be creative with it. In a way, creativity can often be a direct result of versatility – seeing an array of possibilities that a dress has is in itself the inspiration for the lolita to explore these. Versatility is a characteristic of a physical object, while creativity is that of a person. In the context of lolita fashion, it is the dress that is versatile, not its wearer, even though a person can also be versatile – but that then changes nuance to imply that one person is wearing a diverse range of looks/substyles and pulling them off.

Rosier Fleur is no doubt a versatile JSK, but the bottom three coords are a better examples of what it can do with a little bit of creativity applied.

As a lover of all food metaphors, think of these two concepts in relation to onions. It’s a humble vegetable, easy to grow and present in all cuisines worldwide. It is a versatile vegetable because it can be cooked many different ways and will carry pretty much any flavour that you apply to it. But it is human creativity and ingenuity that applies those methods and flavours to it, that explores the other ways that an onion can be prepared and what that can taste like. In that sense, lolita fashion is no different to an onion (and yes, this is Shrek-approved).

Yes, Donkey, versatility is like onions. It has layers.

Which is more important then?

And here is the meat of this post. Have we all been wrong this entire time? Have we been banging on about one thing when the other one is the what matters more? Are we all going to get arrested by the grammar police for using words wrong?

In short, no. Language is a beautiful thing in how words can take on additional connotations within subcultures that do not rid them of their original meaning. This is how lolitas use replica as a derogatory term whereas for other communities it is a complimentary one. Moreover, I personally believe that for an object’s versatility to be utilised we need an element of creativity to unlock its potential. Just because we don’t explicitly talk about that doesn’t mean that it isn’t there at all.

That being said, the language we use is what shapes our understanding of the world and I think we have a lot to gain by reframing how we talk about lolita fashion, specifically in relation to purchasing the clothes. So far the narrative that we have adopted and passed onto others in the form of advice is that buying main pieces that are more versatile is better. They are better value for money as you potentially get more outfits for the same single item’s price tag. It is helping us make smarter purchases by trying to come up with a few theoretical coords before we even commit to purchasing something. This way we are saving ourselves money and storage space long term because we will need fewer pieces if they are all highly versatile. There won’t be an occasion, however casual or OTT, that we couldn’t get dressed for if we shop primarily for versatile pieces.

This is what we sometimes understand as versatility. Each of these JSKs is neutral enough in design to offer plenty of coordinating possibilities, including sharing builder pieces, without being too similar to one another so as to make one's wardrobe boring.

All of the above are still great things to consider and good advice to take on board, especially earlier on in our journey into lolita fashion as we are still learning the ropes. However, valuing versatility so much ignores the nuances of individual circumstances. Does someone committed to and most comfortable wearing gothic lolita need pieces that are versatile enough to work as sweet? Some could, but not all. Does someone intent on wearing lolita only for meetups need each of their main pieces to have the potential for super casual styling appropriate for a grocery shop run? Again, some might like having the option, whilst for others it’ll be entirely pointless.

Not every lolita out there wants to be both. So how much versatility do they really need then?

Needs aside, let’s look at the question from a true creativity-focused angle: is versatility the only way that one can achieve a range of unique looks? Once you phrase it like this, the answer seems like an obvious “of course not”. Just because something is harder to achieve doesn’t make it impossible. In fact, to me it feels more impressive when someone manages to style a main piece that isn’t inherently very versatile in multiple different ways than someone doing so with one that is incredibly versatile. We don’t need lolita fashion to know that a simple black dress will allow you countless looks and styling possibilities. So kudos to those who are taking their wa lolita prints, their orange Halloween-y things, their princessy ruffle cakes, their weird niche collaborations or inspirations, and repeatedly turning those into fabulous outfits.

I've used this photo before, but since this is my most ridiculous piece it bears repeating: creativity is what helped avoid wearing this in the first two ways only since it's by no means an inherently versatile item.

Yet before we all jump ship into advocating for focus on creativity instead of versatility, it bears stating that this is almost like talking about two different difficulty levels. Someone without much experience with fashion or other visual media would find it easier to start with versatile pieces and once they found their feet – move to exploring a more creative approach.

However, there is certainly more room within this conversation that we could dedicate to explicitly discussing the value of creativity. After all, self-expression is one of the major appeals of lolita fashion and its often prohibitive cost is what triggered at least some of the narrative around versatility in the first place. If someone doesn’t want to have some creative fun with discovering the many ways in which their frilly clothes can be worn, then what is it that they actually find appealing about the fashion? I have seen so many lolitas, myself included, talk about being in a creative slump with coordinating as a thing that fills us with sadness because creativity with these clothes is what brings us joy and makes the fashion fun. On a bigger level, both creativity and versatility also lead us to be very environmentally friendly as it keeps clothes with us instead of perpetuating the fast-fashion mentality of wearing once and throwing away.

Final words

None of the above is to say that unless you wear your clothes differently each time, you’re not valid as a lolita. Lolita fashion is first and foremost clothes. Wear them, re-wear them, repeat outfits, do whatever is comfortable for you. However, for those who wish to and enjoy pushing their wardrobe to the limits of its potential, having either a collection of versatile pieces or plenty of creativity will be important. The former will work better if you aren’t yet that confident with styling lolita fashion and wish to avoid wearing the same coord to every meetup, whereas the latter will be more helpful to those who already have both experience in coordinating and a sizable collection. Not exclusively – simply better, a little easier. But for how much lolita fashion stands out from the crowd and how creative it already is, I say that whilst versatility is great, creativity is what leads you down the path of memorable looks that you will look back on with fondness and feel a sense of pride from putting them together. Maybe this spark of a creative thought is precisely the thing to brighten up your gloomy November evening and help you remember why you fell in love with lolita when the world outside might be too cold/wet/windy/dark (or for my Southern Hemisphere readers – too hot/humid/hot and humid) to comfortably wear it.

These are merely my thoughts rattling inside my brain about the subject. Bibliotheca is a collaborative approach to blogging and others will be sharing their own posts on the theme of versatility over the course of this month, so make sure to follow them. Bibliotheca makes that easier to do by compiling those posts into a monthly newsletter, so subscribe to that to make sure you catch it all.