Day 3

30 Day Lolita Challenge

Day 3: 10 things you dislike in lolita.

1. While I Accept It, My Bank Account Dislikes It

I'm sure this is a common gripe among almost everyone in the fashion, but the price for this fashion can definitely be daunting! I see no harm in investing in beloved hobbies and interests, but the costs can be difficult at times~ It is also challenging since there are so many cute things everywhere all the time, it can really put your self control to the test!

2. How Tricky Limited Releases Can Be

This can drive me absolutely crazy! Since new release items are often in limited quantities, not only are many of them gone in a flash but often times they are flipped and scalped or so they're so popular that their second market value skyrockets! Releases are usually announced not long before they come out too, so it can be really challenging to have enough money to get them when they come out if you aren't planning ahead or just made a purchase. Most of my wardrobe is second hand so I haven't had to do this often, but oh gosh the few times I participated in a store release really got my heart racing!

3. The Fickle Relationship Between Layers and the Weather

I LOVE wearing layers, but it is impossible for me to when it's hot outside because I get pretty bad heat sickness. Ever since getting into this fashion I have only lived in warm climates, which really isn't forgiving when it comes to layers! In the summer I can't even wear anything lolita except skirts with blouses and salopettes. (Which do look cute! But it would be nice to wear other dresses in warm weather.) But in winter it is wonderful!!

4. The Song and Dance That is Purchasing Shoes

The struggle! I am generally between sizes when buying shoes in the US (often I have to try on at least 1-2 different sizes in the store) so it seems like it's always a guessing game when buying them online. It is even more difficult when a lot of shoes from lolita shops vary in size depending on the style of shoe, which means all the hard work you spent finally figuring out your size goes right out the window!

5. How Fragile Pieces Can Be

I often get nervous wearing lolita because I am afraid something is going to get snagged/stained, so I am really picky about when I wear it and only choose events where I won't be doing something too messy or with minimal damage risks. Whenever I eat something in lolita I am particularly nervous because I am definitely not the most graceful, so I am super paranoid while eating anything that could result in mess haha.

6. Matching Tones

It seems to be a gamble at times when trying to match certain ivories, browns, pinks, and lavenders, especially when purchasing online (even from the same brand!), and it is a big disappointment when purchasing a piece to go with a specific dress only to find out the shade clashes horribly! I particularly love lavender that is an entire venture in itself to find matching/compliment tones~

7. The Attention When Out and About

I am a really, really shy person and while I love wearing lolita I get incredibly uncomfortable about lots of people staring or asking about what I am wearing. I am only able to wear super casual/subtle lolita on my own, otherwise I have to be with my partner or friends while wearing it because I get super nervous if I am drawing any kind of attention to myself. Luckily I haven't gotten too many rude comments, but even having strangers politely ask about what the fashion is can be a bit overwhelming for me, especially when it happens a lot in one day.

8. Storage Can Be a Tricky Project

This hobby can take up a ton of room! Until I have a permanent residence, it is sometimes incredibly difficult to fit all of my dresses, skirts, blouses, shoes, and bags comfortably in my living space while moving from apartment to apartment. I wound up buying a standing wardrobe from ikea specifically for just my lolita wardrobe, but it is large and inconvenient to move around with. Once I have a permanent place to live I am excited to begin making a custom wardrobe for it that will allow a place for everything, but until then I have to play tetris with my closet!

9. Finding Enough Time

I love investing in my hobbies, but sometimes I feel I don't have enough time to invest in lolita fashion! There are always so many new things coming out, new information/updates to read, or places to look for inspiration/shopping while trying to track down specific pieces, and of course friend's social media... it's easy to fall behind if things get busy with work or life and I can't keep up as much as I would like! Of course, everyone can make as much or as little time for their hobbies as they like, but it can definitely take a lot of time to keep up with this fashion, particularly when scouring the internet trying to find a dream item!

10. The Assumptions/Preconceived Notions

By far my biggest dislike since it causes the most harm! The whole relation to the book issue has been discussed a lot so I won't go into the specifics, but it is very frustration when people assume or try to relate it to nasty things. The concept of a cute feminine fashion for adults is just so impossible to exist with no ulterior motives!  Other than that, what has also personally affected me are the assumptions some friends would tell me if I ever expressed interest in it. After starting to open up that I liked the fashion, a few of them put it down because of how expensive it was, saying was a waste of money or just ridiculous, and would put it down or make fun of it...  Since this happened a couple of times, I became too embarrassed to tell anyone who wasn't into the fashion that I liked it for a while because that kind of response made me really insecure and sad. But over time, I learned that it's really only as expensive as you want to make it! And also, it's not nice to bash your friend's interests or hobbies if they're not hurting anyone! Unwarranted criticism is rude and should not affect your happiness for something! Let people live their dreams!!

In time I started embracing the fashion more and became less shy about sharing my love for it, because cute clothing and cute... everything, makes me really happy and has really become an important part of my life!