Best Lolita Shopping Experiences in Japan

Whilst I don't want to become that person, I have just been to Japan and obviously shopped there as much as I could afford do. I visited so many branches of the well-known and much loved brands and retailers, but they are not all made equal. The experiences at some of those were far better than others and I want to highlight the really good ones. This isn't to say that the other branches are bad or that the staff there were rude - just that those particular branches on the days I visited were more welcoming, friendly, and helpful than the other ones. Whilst my experience is heavily tinted by the fact that I can communicate in Japanese and did visit every one of these while dressed in frills of some sort, I am also quite confident that should you try to retrace my footsteps, you would have just as good a time. In no particular order then:

Photo by Andrea Piacquadio from Pexels.com.

Physical Drop HQ

Map of where the branch is, taken from Physical Drop's Instagram.

Sure, you're not always guaranteed to bump into Kato-san whilst there, but you never know, there's always a chance. But even if you don't, shopping at Physical Drop was such a lovely experience that I think everyone would enjoy. One thing to bear in mind is that the branch is teeny-tiny and you'll have to take your shoes off, so prepare for that. But once you're in, it feels quite cosy to be surrounded by rails filled with clothes. The whole place really has a homely vibe, it feels more like being at a bring and buy in someone's house than going to a shop - except that you can pay with a credit card. Just be careful, seeing the little bits that you don't always get to see at the online outlets combined with the staff’s friendliness will entice you to buy more than what you planned for! That being said, although Physical Drop can't do your shopping tax free, I did receive a 10% discount, basically equivalent to a tax free shop. They so didn't have to do that and because they are absolute lovelies, they did. In case it wasn't obvious, I'm still not over how nice that whole experience was.

Atelier Pierrot Osaka

Atelier Pierrot Osaka as seen on Google Streetview.

This one I actually visited twice: first at the start of my trip and then at the end. Both times I ended up buying things and both times I met really lovely staff (different people each time too, so this recommendation definitely extends beyond just a one-off visit). The staff were eager to explain things, whether what may have already been written on a sign like the sale details or what was just laid out on the table like accessories, as well as encouraging to at least try things against your body in the mirror. Also, only Osaka Atelier Pierrot could collaborate with a local brewery for a New Year's campaign! That's not something that's on all the time, just a little tidbit from when I went that made me laugh a little. But they've done it once, they might do it again…

Hoshibako Works, Sunshine City, Ikebukuro

Hoshibako Works Ikebukuro, taken from a post on their Twitter feed.

Having been under the impression that Atelier Pierrot was the only retailer of Hoshibako Works in Japan, I was surprised to stumble upon not one, but two branches: one in Yokohama and one in Ikebukuro. (There may be more, I haven't checked.) Let's be honest, both are great, but it's the one in Ikebukuro where I felt almost instantly invited to spend money at. I was approached by a staff member pretty early on, who was helpful in pointing out where the things that I was interested in were. She also helped me try stuff on and encouraged by my ability to communicate in Japanese, was very curious about the state of lolita fashion abroad. The enthusiasm for the fashion was so clear and to learn that there are lolitas in the UK hosting regular meetups seemed to have made her day a little. It's this connection over something that we both enjoy that made the experience so lovely and I have a feeling that it would transcend language barriers. That particular corner of Sunshine City is unexpectedly frilly as right behind is a To Alice branch, so even if Hoshibako Works isn't your style, a visit is definitely worth it.

BtSSB Yokohama

BtSSB Yokohama, taken from BtSSB's website.

In total I visited 6 BtSSB branches and bought something at 3 of them. So for this one I feel like I absolutely know what I'm talking about. Generally my experiences at BtSSB were far better than at AP, like, across the board better. But the warm atmosphere at Yokohama takes the crown for me. It certainly helped that there were other people shopping at the same time because I could see that the treatment wasn't exclusive to me. The staff were chatting with people, showing off possible styling options and encouraging to try things on where possible. And when I went to pay for my things, I was complimented on my Chrysanthemum's Concerto beret with genuine admiration (and even more so when I explained that it was handmade by a friend). Yokohama is generally pretty chill, both as a city and the particular shopping centre where the lolita brands are, so if you’re only going to Tokyo, but want a much nicer shopping experience, absolutely make the short trip to Yokohama. You won't regret it.

Angelic Pretty Sannomiya (Kobe)

Angelic Pretty Sannomiya, picture is my own.

I know what people are really after. And I know that sweet lolitas yearn for that lovely experience of shopping at the most famous of brands. But the sad fact is that at most of the AP branches that I've been to my experience has been cool to say the least. At some branches I didn’t even get an irasshaimase, which honestly felt like a deliberate slight. Except at Sannomiya. Finally I did not feel like my mere presence was making the staff jump off their seats to sort of follow me around with their eyes, as if expecting that I'll knock something off or knowing that I won't spend my money there. The staff were welcoming from the moment I entered and were pointing out bits with a smile. When it came to paying, they even suggested that the whole department store has an app that gives new members 1000 yen off coupon (which I ultimately couldn't get, but it was still nice of them to point it out). If you want that dream shopping at Angelic Pretty experience, honestly, skip Tokyo altogether and as much as it pains me to say it, skip Osaka, and jump straight on a train to Kobe.

A quick note about Closet Childs

Closet Child Osaka, picture is my own.

Whilst Angelic Pretty is where all the sweet lolitas want to shop at, Closet Child is where everyone wants to go to. This time I can proudly say that I visited all branches but one (CC Yokohama and I just could not align our schedules). And I can't say that any of them were particularly exceptional. What is essential to note is that CC Harajuku now operates a policy whereby most of its big brand items are behind ropes and accessible only to staff. There are QR codes to let you browse what's there, so make sure to have Internet access; none of the other ones do that. That being said, CC Harajuku had, in my opinion, the best selection: large, with plenty of popular/newer prints, lots of sweet, but also a fair bit of classic and gothic too… I also found that they had some of the cheapest bits – I've been on a particular lookout for things like Axes Femme tops and where other branches had them at a ¥1000-2000 mark, Harajuku had plenty under ¥1000. That being said, the staff at CC Harajuku were utterly disinterested in any of the customers until they came to the checkout, same with Shinjuku. Ikebukuro and Osaka were better about that, but were still relatively cool, even when you compare that to walking into just a random shop in places like LaForet (I've had some of my sweetest interactions with staff in shops with a more edgy kind of J-fashion). CC Shinjuku, whilst quiet, doesn’t have that much to offer, so I'd say to check out the other ones instead. Maybe Yokohama, with all the other loveliness I encountered there, is the hidden gem to aim for. But I'd say overall treat going to Closet Child in as business-like a manner as you can: go in, browse, then either buy or leave. This is not the place for idle chatter or a cute lolita connection moment (maybe with another customer, but they too are there on a mission).

Final Words

Now, did I make a purchase at each of those places? Yes, you bet that I did. However, despite being on the lookout for things from these brands anyway, I specifically shopped at these branches and not always at others. The main reason for that being precisely the nice atmosphere and treatment that I received there.

An honourable mention goes out to the KERA Shop at Shinjuku Marui Annex where I didn't buy anything in the end, but really wanted to. Both the large selection of brands and items, and the approachable staff were very inviting to part with my money, it just came down to not finding anything that I actually wanted or that would've fit me. But not once have I felt like an imposition or felt like the staff were following me with a bit of suspicion, in fact they were just as nice as at Atelier Pierrot Osaka, for example, so had they had something to tickle my fancy I would've been throwing my money at them hard.

Wherever you decide to shop whilst on a trip to Japan, the customer service culture there will guarantee you a positive experience. Especially when you look like you could be the shop's target audience and not a wanderer (i.e. when you're dressed in lolita/J-fashion). It could also be that by the time you go, staff will change or people will have a better/worse day and your experiences will differ from mine. But if you were to ask me where to go to maximise your chances of having that great lolita shopping time we're all dreaming of – these are the places I'd recommend.

2024 Wish/Need/Replace List

This year's wish/need/replace list doubles up as this month's Bibliotheca post as the bloggers are talking about Wishin’ and Dreamin’. And to throw in a bit of a review, I will start each respective section with a brief summary of how things went in 2023. So let's get right into it!

REPLACE

In 2023 my replace list had 4 things on it (after I dropped one upon realising it's really not necessary): a pink bolero, a pair of gold shoes, an ivory JSK, and pink ankle socks. And I am very pleased to say that by the end of the year 3 out of 4 of those were successfully replaced! In fact, I have even managed to replace one more thing: the red Sentaro bell sleeve blouse was replaced with AtePie’s Decay one. That may not have been on the list, but it’s still a replacement that’s been on my mind.

Click to enlarge.

That still leaves me with the ivory JSK to replace and because of an idea that I have, I’m all the more motivated to make it happen sooner rather than later in 2024. There was already a fair bit of scouring towards the end of 2023 and I'm slowly leaning towards getting something custom made by an indie brand (like Eat Me Ink Me or La Spina, that sort of a style).

If I notice anything else that's uncomfortable or that I'd rather have a nicer quality version of, I'll be sure to add it later on. For now the mission is to find an ivory JSK to replace AatP's Rosier Fleur.

Just one thing, that's really good, actually!

NEED

The need list is always the one that requires the most thought. It takes a very honest look at what I already own and how I like to style things these days to find the right set of items that would actually enhance my wardrobe. In 2023 I was helped a lot by the work I did to understand my preferred substyles better and most of what’s left can be carried over into 2024. At the end of the year my 2023 need list ended up looking like this:

Click to enlarge.

But nothing is ever that simple and one’s style is hardly ever constant, we all evolve in more or less subtle ways. In my case, I have noticed myself leaning more into solid main pieces (which then means that a lot of interest in the outfit comes from textures and layers), as well as preferring reds and warmer colours to cool ones (so do I need all those blue-based bits?). I should’ve paid more attention to all those moments when I thought “ooh, this could really use X” or “I wish I had Y”, that would’ve helped make this section easier to do. So with the understanding that more bits may be added later, here are the things that I believe my wardrobe could really do with:

Click to enlarge.

And again, for ease of understanding what all this means, here's the text version of it all:

• Sweet
• A necklace in navy and a neutral shape.
• A pair of large neutral earrings in sax and/or mint
• Classic
• A long sleeve bolero in sax (Millefeuille style)
• A beret in light pink

I am going to stop here because the risk is that of course I could come up with more things. But will they all actually be needs? Probably not. As I already said, I can always add later if something crops up.

WISH

I'll be the first to put my hand up to say how lucky I was to find three of the exact dresses from this list in 2023, as well as a skirt that fits the description I wanted. Sometimes we put these lists together not expecting to find the items, yet the dreams manage to come true.

What I obtained from my 2023 wishlist.
Click to enlarge.

Of course, this has motivated me to revisit what was left on the list to see how much I still want to keep and whether anything needs updating. It's still surprisingly relevant, although the few updates that are here really reflect my move towards solids over prints. Or more specifically, it highlights the sweet vs classic divide where the only prints I am still after are sweet and all bar one of my classic wishlist items are solids or patterns.  

Click to enlarge.

To aid in finding these, as not everyone is familiar with print names, here is what’s in each tier:

• Fanciful wishes
• Meta’s Airline JSK in navy
• Mary Magdalene’s Arabesque Rose in ivory (original release with shirring)
• Angelic Pretty’s Antoinette Decoration JSK in ivory (now prefer the non-bustier cut)
• BtSSB’s Antoinette Bouquet JSK in wine, the 2012 Memorial Series cut
• Seasonal wishes
• BtSSB’s Kumya’s Christmas Market JSK in either red or sax
• A sailor collar OP in navy or ivory (any brand, as long as it’d fit me, preferably in cotton or linen)
• BtSSB’s DOKI DOKI Strawberry Magic skirt in red
• Daily wishes
• Innocent World’s Cool Rose JSK in wine
• A floral skirt, preferably fully shirred

On the non-dress wishlist front I've also had some luck, both with the Millefeuille boleros and the other items. As my Millefeuille bolero collection is pretty significant right now, I should think of a better way to record what I already have to make sure that I do not accidentally buy something I already have (hasn't happened yet, but the anxiety is there and every listing I find is accompanied by way too many checks in way too many places). It feels a little odd to not have more wishes that aren't dresses (I do love both socks and blouses, for example), but there's no point trying to force myself to fill the list with stuff, so I guess it mostly stays as it is.

Click to enlarge.

And again, to list these for the sake of clarity, here it is all listed in text:

• The Millefeuille boleros
• the pure smooth Millefeuille in any colourway;
• the shell lace Millefeuille, which I originally wanted in brown, but now that I have the 2012 original lace one in brown I will take shell lace one in any colourway;
• a pink Millefeuille in any kind of lace (they were only ever available in rose and ribbon, and given how hard ribbon lace is to find second hand, I am trying to stay realistic by keeping my options open);
• and the cross lace Millefeuille in black (at a push I will accept any of the other ones).
• Layering pieces
• A full-body apron in white or ivory
• A front-lacing cottagecore corset vest/bodice in an ivory-based gobelin
• An underskirt in wine, preferably in a stiffer fabric than chiffon
• Accessories
• A wine vintage hat, either a percher or a wide brim
• Angelic Pretty Girly Sticker pochette

THE INKLINKS

For the last few years I have wrapped these posts with things that I anticipate myself wanting based on the scant previews that some brands have sent. For 2024 it seems like I am holding my breath for The Black Ribbon. They teased a jihanki print early in 2023, which was supposed to be in autumn, but clearly they needed to reschedule. And literally only a few days ago this Valentine’s Day number was previewed that has my wallet quaking.

Both images taken from The Black Ribbon's Instagram.
Click to enlarge.

Those are the only things on my radar so far. I'm always feeling like I'm playing a waiting game of “Is this where they get me?” with certain brands, like Lief or Royal Princess Alice, but they only preview what is actually upcoming and within no more than a few weeks, which means nothing to add here. Yet. That's actually quite nerve wracking, this anticipation of the unknown…


I have made a start on this list whilst I was still travelling in Japan, but didn't finish it off until I got home and took stock of what I purchased and what I already own. I've said it before and I'll say it again, doing these lists keeps me on track and fills me with determination to get things that are right for me. Ever since I started splitting my wishlist like this, I've been able to focus my wardrobe growth in ways that make the biggest difference. And right now, with all of that new year energy still around, I cannot wait to see what 2024 actually brings.

As mentioned before, for this January the Bibliotheca monthly theme is Wishin’ and Dreamin’, and there will be plenty of other bloggers taking part and probably talking about their own wishlists. Make sure to check them out and to join the Bibliotheca mailing list if you haven't yet, there are some incredible bloggers there for you to read!

2024 Lolita Goals

Unlike last year, when I began preparing the goals post a bit in advance, in 2024 I didn't even begin to think about that until well into January. To be in the right frame of mind for reflection I needed to be in my own physical space and then rest off most of the travelling.

What is continuing is the tradition of setting a goal that's measurable, achievable, and beyond purchases as that is what my wish/need/replace list is for. Out of 2023's four goals I was able to complete two and a half, which is not bad going, even if not ideal for a completionist like me. So it was all the more important that foe 2024 I channelled my focus and energy into something really worthwhile and not just adding goals for the sake of bulking up a list.

Photo by Markus Winkler on Pexels.com.

1. Finish the Craft Projects I Started in 2023

My failed goal of 2023 was making something from Otome no Sewing. And I made a start on that - but stopped as soon as I got overwhelmed with instructions. Fun fact, I also started making something from a pattern from GLB, but that was met with the same fate. This year I would like to finish both of those projects because they will result in items that I can see myself using, as well as provide me with an outlet to connect with the fashion in a more relaxing way (since I sew by hand, which I do find quite relaxing). To ensure that this happens, I will review the instructions carefully and if I am still stuck after that, then I will call upon a friend to help me decipher things. There's no shame in asking for help and that's not in itself an imposition, no matter what my stupid brain may be trying to say.

Despite choosing a project last year, I did only one part of it.

2. Learn a New Low-Effort Hairstyle

One of the things that stops me from liking my own coordinates from when I work from home is the bare minimum styling. And whilst often keeping makeup to just some lipstick is enough for me, my straight hair bothers me as it naturally lacks volume to work with most of the hair accessories that I have. So I would like to learn a new hairstyle that will not require sleeping in rollers or take tonnes of time to achieve to help elevate those. Granted, I am in love with those big princessy curls that are ever so popular in mainstream looks too, but as much as I would like to learn to do those too, I may have to be realistic about how much effort I am willing to put in on those Thursday mornings.

Aspirational, but probably not what I need for this goal.
Photo from Pinterest.

3. Sort Through My Bags

It’s something that I’ve been thinking about for a while already, so why not encourage myself to actually get it done through this extra layer of accountability? At the moment my bags are a bit of a mess, to put it kindly. I have more than I actually use, I have a bunch of bags that probably need selling, giving away or throwing away, and every now and then I find myself in a position where I probably could do with something else than what I own, but can never retain that thought for long enough to make a note of it. Moreover, I am very aware that I am not storing my bags correctly, but I am limited by space in that regard. Let’s put all of that to the end this year. Sorting through my bags will involve the following micro-steps:

• getting rid (through any means appropriate) of bags that are no longer usable, that are not my style or that I realistically will not use:
• identifying the kinds of bags that I may be missing to round out my outfits nicer;
• applying any minor fixes possible (there probably isn’t much that I can do about awful peeling, but on bags that I do reach for every bit of restorative work will go a long way);
• and last but not least, either rearranging bags in my current wardrobe to make them easier to access and less damaging to store or, if possible, apply a different storing solution.

All of these sound like a lot, but then again, this is a resolution for the whole year, I can take my time with this. Hopefully. Because my bag collection really is crying out for some attention.

Those arent't even all the bags that I own - and some of these I do not recall ever using.

This is where I will leave things. These are three very worthwhile goals to focus on and if I can achieve them, their impact on my style and general fashion lifestyle will be great. If any of you have any rental-friendly tips for storing bags or cute hair tutorials, I would absolutely love to check those out, leave me links or pass me keywords to search for.

How are your 2024 goals/resolutions looking like? Are you scaling down and preserving energy too? Or do you have big plans for this year? Whatever you’re attempting this year, all the best of luck to you all!

End of 2023 Lolidrobe Reassessment Post

I’m back from Japan now, 2024 is well and truly underway (gosh, here’s a scary thought), so it’s time to catch up on the usual end-of-last-year/beginning-of-the-new-one things. Thank goodness that I took a few extra days off work, this means that I have the energy to think about things.

Overview of Purchases

I always knew that my trip to Japan would bring with it a substantial haul. That’s what I had been saving for and that’s what I wanted. Things aren’t always very clear cut on what to include in here, given that my lolita wardrobe mixes in pretty freely with my non-lolita one, so I tried to go by either what brand it came from or what I envision using it with the most. Ideally both, but sometimes you gotta be picky like that.

• 8 main pieces (1 sweet JSK in red, 1 sweet OP in red, 1 classic OP in wine, 1 classic OP in green)
• 5 tops (1 gothic blouse in wine)
• 4 pieces of outerwear (1 sweet cardigan in pink, 1 classic corset in wine)
• 2 pieces of underwear
• 1 piece of overwear (1 classic overskirt in ivory)
• 8 pairs of legwear (1 pair of sweet socks in orange, 1 pair of classic tights in ivory, 1 pair of classic tights in wine, 1 pair of sweet OTKs in white x sax, 1 pair of sweet ankle socks in sax)
• 6 pairs of shoes (1 sweet pair in light blue, 1 sweet pair in red, 1 classic pair in gold*)
• 3 bags (1 sweet bag in white)
• 1 novelty item (mug)
• and 48 sets of accessories (last quarter purchases: 3 sweet hair clips in red, ivory, and blue, 1 pair of sweet hair combs in sax, 1 pair of sweet wrist cuffs in black, 1 classic necklace in wine x gold, 1 sweet/classic ring in sax, 1 sweet/classic headband in gold, 1 classic belt in ivory x gold)

A total of 89 lolita purchases over the year is pretty good going. Although I have sold some things, it certainly wasn’t enough to offset this in any way. Nonetheless, as I say probably every year, I am quite happy with the direction those purchases are setting. Despite still having days when I doubt my style, I feel like I have been consistent with what I get and that it matches how I wear things. And a fair few of these purchases fill in gaps that I already had, which always makes one feel better about confronting one’s own spending.

Sure, there were purchases outside of Japan too, but this is the bulk of last quarter's addition.

The Year of Returning to Japan

Where else would you have a cute
giant bear bread sign?

Let’s get the obvious out of the way, shall we? After last going in 2019 I finally made it back to Japan. And as this time I went alone, I committed to wearing frills more whilst there. For a 17 day trip I wore lolita on 14 of those. Two weeks of nearly uninterrupted frilling without feeling tired of being in lolita at any point, that is really good going. It highlights that for the fatigue of wearing frills is less to do with the clothes themselves and more with the activities that I engage with whilst I’m dressed up (as well as the level of OTT-ness or styling). Since we’ve already talked about purchases, I’ll glance over that part and focus instead on the amazing experiences that I had this time. The chief one being, of course, meeting Kato-san when I went to shop at Physical Drop – she is the actual sweetest and I sincerely hope that I will get to meet her again. Overall, that whole trip has been very healing: my Japan nostalgia stopped raging so hard (duh, would be worrying if it didn’t) and were it not for living out of hotel rooms, I slipped back into feeling like a local so effortlessly that upon returning home I had some real weird moments of feeling out of place and almost a reverse culture shock (why was everything so quiet?). Here’s to planning and saving up for another trip in hopefully less than 4 years (provisional aim is 2025).

The Year of Mixed Pictures

My 2022 goal was to be less hard on myself with having to photograph every outfit and leaning into mirror selfies. In 2023 I flipped the script and sought out taking more photos outside, to prove that I do leave the house, as well as to get more comfortable with the idea of taking photos of myself on location. All whilst still taking more mirror selfies. I think as the year went on, I found that happy balance and became more confident in both. This has taken off a great deal of pressure to have the perfect outfit picture every time, as well as encouraged me to get over my irrational fear of being seen in public (which is what the photos outside thing boiled down to). I’m not always 100% satisfied with each picture, but still aim to avoid things like hiding my face with stickers or editing beyond fixing poor light. Here’s to more of that mix of photos in 2024!

The three levels of my outfit shots now.

The Year of Aesthetifying My Space

A row of happiness.

Although not exclusively a lolita thing, many of the things that I ended up doing around my flat to make the space prettier involve lolita fashion in one way or another. I have a whole column of framed photographs from cherished memories, all of which showing lolita fashion. I purchased prints and pictures, both explicitly lolita and simply fitting with the aesthetic, that have added my walls. My fridge is covered in stickers on magnet paper, almost all of which are stickers from lolita artists. Novelty items from brands, such as mugs or storage containers, have found their way into my kitchen and I would love to get more. It’s little changes that end up having a big impact on my emotional wellbeing. Because even if I’m feeling down, all I need is to make a cup of tea to comfort myself and then life is a little bit better for a moment thanks to the Angelic Pretty mug or the photo from an event that I am looking at. I wholeheartedly recommend beautifying your space and making it a reflection of what matters to you!

The Year of Being Tired

I feel like in practically every coords roundup post in 2023 I had at least one outfit that I wasn’t fully happy with because I rushed it or was lazy with the styling. Generally I noticed that my energy levels are lower than what I remember them being, mostly due to various work-related things (not even necessarily the work itself, but simply being at the office more has a major impact, let alone anything on top of that). Looking back on those times and on every occasion when I found myself in the grips of the impostor syndrome as a lolita and comparing my looks to those of others, the one consistent theme was that this was always those rushed coords and that I usually compared them to more “traditionally” lolita coords, i.e. the full tick-box experience with everything from a maker that explicitly focuses on lolita. This has given me a lot of food for thought, way more than I will share right now (maybe at some other point in the future – if I can find the energy) and I think that going forward this is something that I will have to be a lot more considerate of. Both because my energy levels are not magically going to go up and because this is the kindest thing that I can do for myself with regards to my mental health. I’ll mull that over some more and see what would be best.

I've been feeling like this stock photo lady a lot. Though not always this aesthetic.
Photo by Kha Ruxury: https://www.pexels.com/photo/sleeping-woman-in-front-of-turned-on-table-lamp-beside-books-1294284/Photo by Kha Ruxury on Pexels.com.
Photo by Kha Ruxury: https://www.pexels.com/photo/sleeping-woman-in-front-of-turned-on-table-lamp-beside-books-1294284/

Review of 2023 Goals

Four goals of mixed effort levels for 2023 have yielded some mixed results. Looking at them now, I think that the ones I succeeded in were a little bit less effort or more of a concentrated very short burst of effort as opposed to a sustained one.

1. Did I take at least one coord photo outside this quarter: yes! Read more about this above, there’s no point in repeating myself here.
2. Did I obtain any pieces of lolita art or home decor: yes. Also more about this above.
3. Did I make at least one item from Otome no Sewing: Overall this one is a no. I made a start and then abandoned the project at the first hurdle of feeling overwhelmed. This is something to tackle next.
4. Have I transferred my entire wardrobe to Whering: A mixed bag. I have transferred all of my lolita clothing to Whering and made a conscious decision not to add jewellery because of how it impacted the app’s functioning. My non-lolita wardrobe is probably mostly there, but not completely, and I know that I am procrastinating, but I’m also not feeling the urge to do any bulk uploads. And you know what, I am satisfied with letting this be a work in progress, after all, so is building a wardrobe overall.

How should I sum up 2023? Initially my mind gravitated towards the word “unremarkable” because for the most part life was simply happening. I didn’t have any major revelations, I kept things back a bit with my creative output, I was just enjoying every meetup I got to go to and connecting with people both online and off. But actually, in between that day-to-day bits there were so many little moments of joy and community spirit. And that is what ultimately tips the scales towards life being good. It doesn’t need to be extraordinary or remarkable. By wearing lolita as often as I do I am already romanticising my life a lot more than the average person. I think by being so “unremarkable” 2023 has shown that I have finally entered that “true lolita lifestyler” era where I just allow life to happen and extract joy from the smallest things. And that in itself is a very remarkable thing.

How was your 2023? If it was unremarkable, I hope that you’re also able to see that as a positive thing and not beat yourself up over things. May 2024 bring us all peace and plenty of opportunities to connect with this cute silly fashion that make our hearts do a lil’ joyful skip. That’s the best that could happen to all of us!

December Coords Roundup

It’s January – but I only just had the capacity to finish this post and wrap 2023 up properly. Hope you’re missing that Christmas content because there will be a fair share of it here!

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Coord 1: Dotty for December

| Metamorphose Polka Dots Tiered skirt | Laura Ashley blouse | offbrand jumper, tights, socks, and barrette | Elf Armorie Cupid’s Heart shoes | XKawaiiCutieX earrings |

Ah, it's been a while since my hair looked this nice (even if the hairspray made it feel quite crunchy lol)

This is very much a look that I've been into a lot in 2023 overall.

Of course that I’m going to dress up on the first of December and finally release all of that festive cheer! Even if still in a somewhat more comfortable and casual version because boo for work ruining that vibe. I really like how this coord came out, it’s super cute and kept me quite warm, which is a necessity given how much the temperatures have dropped. What you don’t see is that under the skirt is the jumper’s caption that says “Up to snow good” – and that is exactly what I was that day.

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Coord 2: Christmas Lunch

| Axes Femme Kawaii Coca-Cola Collab JSK | Angelic Pretty Glitter Knit cardigan | Enchantlic Enchantilly Angel’s Ball Party tights | Bodyline shoes | Peacockalorum headbow | Beholder Fashions mini hat | Tiny Passerine Creations The Duchess’ Tea earrings | handmade necklace | offbrand and vintage brooches | Candy Kitsch bracelet | Star Glazed Delights Brand Whore ring | Wicked and Whimsy ring | Banned Retro Bella belt |

The first time taking selfies with a new phone and I freaked myself out with them being flipped. Or more specifically, not mirrored after being used to seeing them mirrored for years.

An assortment of festive brooches.

Not gonna lie, I was Naked-chan for the longest time, partly because I’d been reminding other people to wear stuff with tonnes of shirring and partly because I’d been stuck on my own ‘when did I last wear it’ tracker. So I ended up ignoring both of these things and worn my most recent acquisition and channelled that good old 90s Coca-Cola Christmas truck ad energy with the coord. On the morning of the lunch things were set to keep inconveniencing me in minor ways (eyeliner smudging, hair not curling the way I wanted, new phone being too big for the holder), but I still managed to end up with a look that I was pleased with and make it to the venue on time. Just like last year [https://cupcakes-and-unicorns.blogspot.com/2016/01/december-coords-roundup.html], we had a really lovely time and a good meal. I love these comm Christmas lunches, they really fill me with festive cheer and joy, and love for the community, so that alone would’ve been perfect. That I also came back with a wonderful gift from the Secret Santa exchange and a very kind gift of some loose change in Japanese yen from a friend who’d come back from her trip recently only made the fuzzies all the warmer. And in the end, despite all my shouting about shirring, I managed to eat pretty much all of those three courses and not feel like I was too stuffed, so a win all around!

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Coord 3: Back Again

| Lady Sloth Winter Spices skirt | offbrand top, barrette, and slippers | Snag Papaya tights | Axes Femme collar | Kirstteas brooch | handmade (not by me) brooch |

Repping both the festive season and my friends with their amazing work.

My plan for that day’s outfit was different, mainly in terms of the main piece, but as it turned out I put on a little bit of weight and it wouldn’t fit that day. So I went with the path of least resistance by swapping out just the main piece. It wasn’t until it was on that I remembered that I had worn basically this whole outfit before and as soon as I did, I only took a quick mirror selfie because only a few details are different. Though those details were the point of the coord, so I made sure to photograph them! That day generally had it in for me (my work monitor decided it was done with life halfway through the morning), so generally I gave myself permission to take it a bit easier than I would’ve anyway.

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Coord 4: Tartan Season

| Wonderland Ukiyoe Lilith’s Collection skirt | Pairs Scotland socks | everything else is offbrand |

I look so business-like here. You can trust me to take care of your next event booking.

Part of me is tempted to one day replace these Primark fake pearls with a string of ring ones.

The coord is pretty tentative in its link to lolita fashion, but again – my blog, my rules. And I really like how this outfit came out. It’s somehow subtly festive, subtly business-casual, and subtly elegant. It shouldn’t work this well and the fact that it does just goes to show that experimenting in fashion pays off. I was a little stuck for accessories because of the different vibes and colours that the skirt and the blazer bring round, but if in doubt – you can never go wrong with some pearls. And that little pearl of wisdom continues to be true.

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Coord 5: Overdressed Once More

| AatP Rosier Fleur JSK | offbrand top and necklace | Innocent World Rose Lace Millefeuille bolero | Violet Fane Enchanted Ivy tights | Elf Armorie Cupid’s Heart shoes | Cutie Creator headbow | vintage earrings and brooch | Rose of Sharon brooch | Ublins glasses |

Only just noticed that earring swinging wildly.

Moral of the story is, if you're thinking about something for a good part of five years, you should buy it.

There is absolutely no need to get this dressed up for a supermarket trip – but I did. Between feeling like there’s very little time until leaving for Japan and still having things that otherwise won’t get worn before the end of 2023 and wanting to see if some of my other things also don’t fit the same anymore, I was keen on wearing this JSK that day. The coord itself is that nice uncomplicated classic and in that sense it came out exactly like I wanted. After missing out on these tights waaay back in 2018, I thought about them so often that when Violet Fane re-released them I was ON IT. And I’m very glad that I did, these really pull the coord together.

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Coord 6: Delayed

| L’esprit de la Noblesse La Bibliotheque JSK | Angelic Pretty Glitter Knit cardigan | Metamorphose Dressy OTKs | Modo Prayer Poem shoes | Cutie Creator headbow | Axes Femme brooch | vintage brooches | handmade bracelets | Ublins glasses |

I have relied on the flat headbows so much on those freshly washed hair days, I need to up my repertoire.

Dang, I'm still proud of making those bracelets.

I had this coord all laid out to wear to see Hamilton for the second time. But then on the day I was really not feeling like going, the end-of-year fatigue combined with cold outside/warm inside swayed me towards laziness and staying home. So instead I wore it a few days later for working from home. It includes a few combinations that I’ve done before with JSK, but never all of them at the same time, so guaranteed to work whilst still being pretty new to me. Now that I am part of the Modo shoes gang, I can absolutely vouch for their comfort. Will that stop me from getting a pair of gold Elf Armorie ones if those ever appear? Erm, no comment.

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Coord 7: Going

| Lady Sloth Winter Spices skirt | Amavel cardigan | Snag tights | offbrand boots |

This is where we enter the Japan Coords Era. For such a long journey comfort was a priority, but also not having to pack a petticoat. This skirt also won thanks to pockets, though I admit that by the time I reached Japan I was not the most comfortable. But it did its job and then some.

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Coord 8: First Day

| Violet Fane Otome Nostalgia skirt | offbrand top, boots, beret, earrings, and brooch | Amavel cardigan | Pairs Scotland socks | vintage necklace |

That's the face of someone who's really bloody happy to be back in Japan!

This brooch has done a lot of work in December alone.

On that very first day (or rather for most of my trip) my plans were very loose, mainly wandering around familiar places and feeling all of the nostalgia heal. And only after writing that did it hit me how appropriate Otome Nostalgia was for that. My main point was, again, comfort, but also a degree of recognisability as a lolita because the wandering included some lolita shops where looking the part typically gets you a better experience. Also, whenever you see me in these pictures without a jacket on, just know that that’s for the pictures only. Yes, it was mild (for the most part), but not quite that mild, it was still December after all.

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Coord 9: Reminiscing the Old Days

| Metamorphose Gold Braid Tuck Pinafore JSK | Axes Femme cutsew | Innocent World Belle Epoque OTKs | offbrand boots and earrings | Cutie Creator headbow | Ublins glasses | Ebony & Ivory brooch | Metamorphose wrist cuffs |

Every now and then I try the downturned eyeliner and I still can't decide how I feel about that.

Ah, that direct wintery sunlight...

A big theme for me in 2023 was going back to the campuses of the universities I went to and having photoshoots there. That’s what that day was for (and reminiscing more broadly about that first study abroad trip to Japan) and thankfully Kwansei Gakuin Daigaku is known for its beautiful campus. Even though I hid away in a slightly less aesthetic part of it to take those photos.

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Coord 10: Travel Day 2

| Lady Sloth Winter Spices skirt | offbrand blouse, boots, and beret | Amavel cardigan | Angelic Pretty Rose Lace Pattern OTKs | handmade necklace | XKawaiiCuteX earrings | Trixie La Fleur brooch |

Whilst in Japan I got this rose brown eyeliner and I've been a little obsessed.

There's something so punk about lolita socks with bows and roses paired with practical boots.

I promise that this skirt wasn’t just for travelling in. But as I was changing into something non-lolita for the evening, re-wearing it for the train journey was a sensible thing. Plus, this coord came out really cute, the socks in particular work so well with this skirt.

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Coord 11: Snow Day

| Grove Deer Moon of Eternal Day OP | Axes Femme cutsew | Metamorphose Snow Crystal OTKs | Elf Armorie Cupid’s Heart shoes | offbrand hair clips and jewellery | handmade bracelets |

It's astonishing how the barest bit of makeup makes a tonne of difference.

These pearl clips and pins might have been some of the best purchases I made, just generally.

I happened to arrive in Kanazawa right as the snow fell. And we’re talking like 30cm of snow, the proper stuff. So although I had earmarked this coord for that day in advance, the socks turned out to be spot on. Oh don’t worry, the shoes were just for photos. That was a really chill day: my Japanese family, whom I was staying with, took me to see the new prefectural library (I kid you not, it’s so dreamy), we picked out sushi for dinner (which admittedly, I’m not exactly keen on, but I learnt that when it’s wrapped in lettuce leaves instead of nori, which is the main problem for me, it’s a lot nicer), and we baked a cake for our Christmas dinner (a very non-traditional orange peel and walnut chiffon and whipped cream cake). The apron my Japanese mum gave me was actually super cute, it had some lace around the top and two pockets, we were all saying how it matched my outfit so well. I forgot to ask where she got it from, but to be honest, after my previous apron-making success, I feel encouraged to make something like this. Whether I will or not, it has certainly changed my opinion of the full-body aprons with lolita, as until then I was a die hard fan of the bottom-part-only ones.

Festive anonymity applied, the point here is the apron.

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Coord 12: It’s Christmas

| Axes Femme Kawaii Coca-Cola Collab JSK | offbrand top | vintage jumper and brooch | Snag Trifle tights | Elf Armorie Cupid’s Heart shoes | Haruhi Clover headbow | XKawaiiCuteX earrings |

When this silly cheesecake pinup-esque selfie comes our right, it is just the best for fun retro looks!

Just two lil' snow guys, hanging out.

This is actually not that far off from the pattern clash coord I put in the Ugly Christmas Jumper 1 Piece 4 Looks post. Not sure whether I’d call it a more toned down version, but there are certainly fewer patterns here. This was Christmas Eve and although the Japanese do host Christmas parties, it’s not exactly a full ‘everything is closed’ kind of an event, so I still went to town for a bit of shopping. That is where I unexpectedly emerged with a Kumakumya – I swear, it’s the 20th anniversary limited edition thing that got me, not the Kumya itself. The boy is called Kinnōsuke 金之助 after hailing from Kanazawa 金沢 and he is up there with the Dumb Airline Dress and the Dumb Burger Dress as far as Dumb Purchases go, but I still love him. What was really extra cool is that as I was checking out the shop staff asked whether I had come by bus and when I said yes, she whipped out these three bus vouchers for 100 yen each. It was part of some sort of city-wide campaign to thank people for shopping during certain times and doing so by using public transport (since the vouchers were valid for local trains too), which I thought was extremely cool. It basically meant that my return journey was free bar like 20 yen. Not to say that this made the Kumakumya purchase worth it, but the experience was certainly one that stayed with me and I wish more places did that. And then, of course, we had a very non-traditional Christmas dinner in the evening. Honestly, make your own traditions for important holidays, it’s fun.

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Coord 13: Off to Tokyo

| Violet Fane Otome Nostalgia skirt | Axes Femme cutsew | Amavel cardigan | offbrand tights, boots, hair clip, and brooch | Chrysanthemum’s Concerto necklace |

You know, I can't remember if I put any eyeshadow on that day. I'm staring at this photo so hard and still can't tell.

Just bow things.

After the snows of Kanazawa it was time for the noise of Japan’s capital, which I seem to have launched rather head first. I have to say, the Japanese absolutely love the Otome Nostalgia print, every time I wore it I had someone admire it and compliment me, even in such a casual look as this. Not much more to say about this look besides that.

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Coord 14: Zushi and Yokohama

| Grove Deer Moon of Eternal Day OP | Pretty Rock Baby Spring Break Upper East Side cardigan | Snag Hit the Bottle Green tights | offbrand boots, hair clip, and jewellery | Chrysanthemum’s Concerto beret |

When the cafe gets empty, you take those selfies immediately!

Did I ever tell you that I have a weak spot for snowflakes? Oh, I did? Well, can you blame me?

What does a lolita wear to the beach in winter? This, apparently. My nostalgia for Zushi stems from my second year abroad when a friend from my course did an internship there and part of me fell in love with this charming place. Think of the feelings that “A Town with an Ocean View” from Kiki’s Delivery Service evokes and that is basically it. I was also dreaming about getting another doughnut from Misaki Donuts – if you’re still thinking about a food a literal decade later, you know that it’s good. A stroll around the beach did me tonnes of good and afterwards, as that was the only actually planned thing for me to do, I enjoyed the freedom of hopping off the train back to explore a giant goddess statue looming over Ofuna (big recommend), then did some more lolita shopping in Yokohama as well as Ikebukuro, where I was staying. Overall, a very good day and such a great coord to carry me through it.

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Coord 15: Ushiku and More

| Violet Fane Otome Nostalgia skirt | Axes Femme cutsew | Amavel cardigan | Innocent World Belle Epoque OTKs | offbrand boots, hair clip, and brooch | Tiny Passerine Creations The Duchess’ Tea earrings | handmade bracelets |

Honestly, I liked this look more in the mirror than I did on selfies. Sometimes things just end up that way.

These bracelets are something like 7 years old by now and I still use them so much.

The only reason I wanted to go to Ushiku was to see the Ushiku Daibutsu (well, and a little bit because I was trying to break even with my JR Pass). For someone pretty uninterested in religion, I somehow ‘collect’ trips to see these great Buddha statues, plus how can you be a Kamikaze Girls fan and not want to go? (By the way, Ushiku Daibutsu is not that close from Shimotsuma, the film makes it out as if it’s just down the road, but that’s still a good 40 minute drive.) Unfortunately, I timed my arrival poorly and missed the only bus going there from the train station by like 5 minutes and the next one wasn’t around for 2 hours. So as to not waste a trip, I Google Mapped what’s around and went for a stroll around Ushiku Chateau, a local winery and ‘a rich sod once lived there’ kind of a place. Which I’m sure is lovely in spring or summer with people around, but it was bare and hardly anyone was around when I went, which only creeped me out. But hey, it made for a nice photo background. Afterwards I went to Jiyugaoka in Tokyo to shop at Physical Drop HQ and my luck turned around because I got to meet Kato-san who is an absolute darling. That more than made up for the really random trip in the morning.

Kato-san is a darling and Physical Drop rules. You can fight me on that.

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Coord 16: An Overdue Reunion

| Axes Femme Kawaii Coca-Cola Collab JSK | vintage blouse | offbrand tights and jewellery | Elf Armorie Cupid’s Heart shoes | Haruhi Clover headbow |

Finally found a quiet area of Tokyo, praise be!

These textures please me a lot.

I was really excited to meet up with my friend after a decade, so whilst I tried not to go too overboard with the coord, with non-lolita friends even pretty casual frills are a lot. I would also not recommend doing 15k steps in heels, but I will admit that there are worse choices for that. Although it wasn’t quite New Year’s yet, the area of Tokyo we met up at is a lot quieter (Hamachou, in case you need a respite), so the cafe we planned on going to was already closed for the holiday. To heal our past student selves, we went to Saizeriya – a very cheap family restaurant chain serving Italian food that is stupidly cheap, but seems like a luxury when you’re a student. Afterwards I braved going to Harajuku to the Closet Child there and whilst Takeshita-doori is way too packed (seriously, it’s almost not worth it), I’m glad that I did because it’s at that CC branch that I found the green Physical Drop OP. It’s also the only Closet Child purchase I made, despite visiting all branches but one, which is a little sad, but when there’s nowt there you want then there’s nowt that you can do about that.

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And that was the last outfit of December 2023. Not the last outfit from my trip to Japan, but you’ll have to wait for the January 2024 coords roundup post to see those. Given the season and the necessities of packing, there was understandably a lot of red (and green) this month, though when I did a little look back at all of 2023’s coords my favourites almost all included reds or warm tones, which I think I need to ponder more closely. That’s a matter for another post though.