I'd like some advice please!

[mimiqui]

This is the first time I've been in this forum, so first off...hello everyone! 4laugh

Now, I've been watching and adoring Lolita from a far, ever since I was about fifteen. Now that I'm an adult, who can buy my own clothes and the what not without having to go through my parents...I finally have a chance to get into the fashion!
...Issue is though, I end up spending all of my money on video games and I end up hating myself for a good long while after it.

Now, looking at the fashion from a distance, I know how pricey it can be. Sometimes the price tag makes me want to cry! gonk I've been considering on buying replicas and make most of my closet from BODYLINE as well. (I don't exactly have $300 to spend on a JSK alone...)

So I must ask you LF;

1. Any pointers on how to get myself actually INTO the fashion? (And how to keep me from spending my money on games to do it?)
2. Would you say that BODYLINE and replicas are a good way to go for someone just getting into the fashion?
3. Any words of advice in general?

[tehrin]

I used to spend a lot of my money on random stuff before I got into Lolita. For awhile I collected Monster High dolls and vintage My Little Ponies. I also used to spend a lot of my money on cosplay. I'd spend some on sites like these too. When I got into Lolita, I stopped spending my extra money on stuff and kind of slowed down my collecting. I still buy a pony every once in awhile and sometimes I will spluge on a MH doll that I really like. But I'm not so gung-ho about collecting. I also kinda stopped buying video games because I just don't play them. D:

As for getting over sticker-shock, it happens. I was horrified at first even at Bodyline's prices. I won't even buy a pair of jeans for more than $30 (and I still think even that's a rip. I like to shop clearance!) It went from $50, to $100. Now I don't really even bat an eye so much if I purchase something that's $300+, but I do hunt for deals. My first AP dress was $140 and it had a small stain and some wear (but I sold it because it wasn't very flattering on me).

I don't buy anything new, and I just wait until it pops up on the 2nd hand market, and hunt for one that has a good deal. My most expensive item (being shipped) cost $325, but it included the headbow and was new. Original price was $350 for the dress alone and the headbow $40, plus whatever shipping costs were. So that was a deal. Another AP Item I owned I bought from a Japanese site, and it was about $80 cheaper after shipping new with tags. I've bought second-hand things from the facebook sales community, my local community's facebook, and on egl-comm-sales at good bargians. Also people mark their stuff down, and I stalk that stuff until they reduce prices to a point where I feel more comfortable buying it.

The key is, save up your money.
Sell stuff you no longer need or use. You'll be surprised how much you can make!
If you're crafty or creative you can make things to earn some extra money.

For cheaper options, there are indie designers, tao bao shops, and of course Bodyline. You can also handmake your stuff too!
http://hellolace.net/shopping/where-to-buy
http://hellolace.net/shopping/taobao-guide

Lucky Packs are a good way to get an outfit for a low price, but most everywhere no longer has their lucky packs up. I bought a Metamorphose one which should be arriving tomorrow! :3

[mimiqui]

tehrin

I used to spend a lot of my money on random stuff before I got into Lolita. For awhile I collected Monster High dolls and vintage My Little Ponies. I also used to spend a lot of my money on cosplay. I'd spend some on sites like these too. When I got into Lolita, I stopped spending my extra money on stuff and kind of slowed down my collecting. I still buy a pony every once in awhile and sometimes I will spluge on a MH doll that I really like. But I'm not so gung-ho about collecting. I also kinda stopped buying video games because I just don't play them. D:

As for getting over sticker-shock, it happens. I was horrified at first even at Bodyline's prices. I won't even buy a pair of jeans for more than $30 (and I still think even that's a rip. I like to shop clearance!) It went from $50, to $100. Now I don't really even bat an eye so much if I purchase something that's $300+, but I do hunt for deals. My first AP dress was $140 and it had a small stain and some wear (but I sold it because it wasn't very flattering on me).

I don't buy anything new, and I just wait until it pops up on the 2nd hand market, and hunt for one that has a good deal. My most expensive item (being shipped) cost $325, but it included the headbow and was new. Original price was $350 for the dress alone and the headbow $40, plus whatever shipping costs were. So that was a deal. Another AP Item I owned I bought from a Japanese site, and it was about $80 cheaper after shipping new with tags. I've bought second-hand things from the facebook sales community, my local community's facebook, and on egl-comm-sales at good bargians. Also people mark their stuff down, and I stalk that stuff until they reduce prices to a point where I feel more comfortable buying it.

The key is, save up your money.
Sell stuff you no longer need or use. You'll be surprised how much you can make!
If you're crafty or creative you can make things to earn some extra money.

For cheaper options, there are indie designers, tao bao shops, and of course Bodyline. You can also handmake your stuff too!
http://hellolace.net/shopping/where-to-buy
http://hellolace.net/shopping/taobao-guide

Lucky Packs are a good way to get an outfit for a low price, but most everywhere no longer has their lucky packs up. I bought a Metamorphose one which should be arriving tomorrow! :3

Oh man, I know about Monster High dolls...So far I've just bought the one's that I really really like! u v u But when it comes to video games, the issue is that I DO play them. But I have thought about selling everything just for the sake of it. (Half of me agrees, the other half would regret it.)

And buying 2nd hand would usually be through EGL, correct? I doubt that there's a Lolita community in my town, but you never know...there's a pretty large cosplay community here!

But wow, thank you so much for your advice!

[tehrin]

http://egl-comm-sales.livejournal.com
https://www.facebook.com/groups/248638205150052/ - Lolita Sales in English
there's also some other facebook communties for sales.

Other places I buy from:
http://bunnykitty.ecrater.com (has lots of brand stuff, she does payment plans on her more expensive things too) Most is new with tag, others are new or gently used. Socks are new.

Japanese places:
http://www.fururun.com - Alice Fururun
http://closetchild.ocnk.net/ - Closet Child

[mimiqui]

tehrin

http://egl-comm-sales.livejournal.com
https://www.facebook.com/groups/248638205150052/ - Lolita Sales in English
there's also some other facebook communties for sales.

Other places I buy from:
http://bunnykitty.ecrater.com (has lots of brand stuff, she does payment plans on her more expensive things too) Most is new with tag, others are new or gently used. Socks are new.

Japanese places:
http://www.fururun.com - Alice Fururun
http://closetchild.ocnk.net/ - Closet Child

Wow! Thank you very much for the links!

[pink wig thick a-s-s]

tehrin

http://egl-comm-sales.livejournal.com
https://www.facebook.com/groups/248638205150052/ - Lolita Sales in English
there's also some other facebook communties for sales.

Other places I buy from:
http://bunnykitty.ecrater.com (has lots of brand stuff, she does payment plans on her more expensive things too) Most is new with tag, others are new or gently used. Socks are new.

Japanese places:
http://www.fururun.com - Alice Fururun
http://closetchild.ocnk.net/ - Closet Child

These are wonderful sites!

Also, you could try buying "used" (slightly worn, worn once, all the way to very worn) clothing from the EGL comm sales. A lot of them seem to be in really good shape and I've had friends who have had good experiences with buying second-hand heart

[Revolutionary Rhapsody]

I know the feeling, I'm finally getting into the fashion too and trying to make a style transition to include more girlie things in my wardrobe.

No one can really say three magic words and help you stop spending when you feel like it, it's more you have to weigh your options when you're about to make a purchase. "Do I want this game, or do I want to save up for a new dress or blouse or skirt?"

Bodyline isn't a bad place to buy from, though they have a few questionable items or colorways (some of their black and white pieces aren't the good kind of black and white). Thing is though that Bodyline may not cater to your style exclusively. Replicas are eh, you like them or you don't for whatever reason.

My preferences are to not buy brand, not because it's bad or I'm trying to be a rebel without a cause, but I literally cannot stomach the idea of spending over $200 on a single dress, or $100 on a skirt. And I personally am not fully keen on getting secondhand clothes. I've bought one dress from Bodyline (and a wig I wish I hadn't bought...) and it was quite nice, and I've bought Infanta dresses from Clobba that I like quite a lot.

I personally like Fan Plus Friend, Clobba, and Qutieland for clothes, and plan to place a large order from F+F soon. Under my spoiler tag are some helpful links and the like, including links to the off brand sites I recommended. I'd definitely recommend getting a livejournal account to join both egl and the egl comm sales to get items second hand and the like, and also joining English Lolita Sales groups on facebook.

Places to buy lolita type clothing from would be
Bodyline
A cheap place to buy from, some of their items are not quite the best but overall their quality is okay and they're convenient and usually priced reasonably.
Fan Plus Friend
Has a lot of options, generally a step higher than Bodyline though they also have some problematic pieces. They do have a selection worth browsing, but the shipping can be a bit expensive as I believe they only ship express.
Clobba
Reliable seller, it's a shopping service in that you send a quote inquiry and then are sent an order form to fill out, and then send back to get an invoice in which to pay. They are cheaper than Qutieland and have over several of the same products for less.
Quiteland
Has a huge selection and generally very good quality. Shipping causes them to be pricier.
A brand list is on EGL, the LiveJournal Lolita community. The list itself is not quite pretty to look at but it's extensive. If you don't have a LiveJournal you may want to get one solely for being able to interact with the LJ lolita communities as well as their comm sales. You will need to be able to link to some feedback elsewhere though, like eBay feedback or something, at least they prefer it when you start out so they know you're not a wet behind the ears scammer.
Some of the more popular brands are Angelic Pretty, Baby the Stars Shine Bright, and Innocent World.
Before buying something, google reviews of that item. There may be reviews available through EGL or within online blogs.

Petticoats
Do not buy petticoats from Bodyline, they loose puff fast. You need to spend money and invest on a petticoat and make sure you get yourself a good one that will last.
Clobba & Quiteland
Sells Classical Puppets petticoats (and some others). Classical Puppets are one of the most used brands for petticoats. They are also praised for their quality more often than not. I love how full and fluffy my CP Bell is.
Vivcore
Sells the Lace Petticoat and Fluffy petticoat. The fluffy petticoat is the same as a Malco Modes 582 P petticoat, Malco Modes I believe make square dance petticoats but they're still good just a bit on the long side.
VictorianGirlDress
If you're on the smaller side VictorianGirlDress petticoats can fit and work well often, they're praised as well from what I've heard and been told.
How to Store Petticoats via Lolita-Tips

Extra
The Lolita-Tips tumblr founder gives out a lot of advice on whether certain Bodyline items are worth it quite often.
You could also look on Etsy and EGL comm sales for used or handmade or vintage items.
Petticoat Police is a tumblr that offers advice on whether a certain item is good for lolita, such as offering their opinions on which Bodyline items are worth buying or if an F+F item is alright! They're also amusing~
English Charm is a cute online store with some solid colored plain lolita clothing, mostly for the classical style but worth a look for sure!
Sweet Rococo is a site that lets you customize an outfit to your measurements and preferences, it looks pretty interesting at least c:
This is a list of Lolita Taobao shops.
This is a list of Lolita Etsy shops.

Washing
Japanese Washing Care Tag Translations
From what I've been told this chart can help you translate the warnings on your clothing tags.
Wash Bodyline 1
Wash Bodyline 2
Wash Bodyline 3'
General Wash
Brand Wash

Wigs
If you want several more wig places I recommend in cosplay, feel free just to ask!
Gothic Lolita Wigs
One of the best places in my opinion to get wigs from. Reviews are almost always positive and praise the soft feel and cute styles and I really adore their wigs, I've ordered a Duchess for myself personally and plan to order all the other colors when I'm able, I just want like all of GLW. Their Facebook page is very active in answering questions and displaying customer pictures.
Lockshop Wigs
Wigs well liked for lolita so I hear.
Minty Mix Wigs
Another lolita-oriented wig store, also sells some accessories.
Arda Wigs
If a wig you like from Arda says out of stock or sold out, just check their restock page frequently to see when it will be coming back in stock.
Arda Wigs is has good customer service, pretty good wig styles to choose from, lots of accessories like bangs and ponytail clips, a gallery full of customer photos wearing their wigs, and they're just pretty much rather fabulous. I have not bought a wig from them YET but I really do want to. Their wigs are all pretty much at least $30 though, but you buy quality, reliability, brand name, and thickness. Arda Wigs are known for great wig fiber thickness and their wig cap sizes can accommodate larger heads or those who have a lot of hair to cover up.

[spuntino]

1. To prevent yourself from spending money that you want to spend on lolita on other things, make sure you have a concrete budget. Make an Excel document (or Google Spreadsheet or whatever else you want to use) with an image and link for the item that you want to buy.

Then use this spreadsheet to track your incoming funds (wages from work, gift money from relatives, scholarship refunds, allowance, whatever) and your outgoing funds (money spent on games, etc.). Set percentage of what you "earn" as being untouchable. And keep track of it. If you have to look at that sheet every time you're about to spend money on something that isn't the dress/skirt/outfit you're saving to buy, you'll be less likely to spend.

2. Bodyline is a good start, sure. Replicas are hit or miss. Their quality isn't very carefully regulated because they're all competing against one another and the original brands. You're more likely to get weird misprints and poorly sized garments than if you buy an already made outfit from Bodyline. You can also try TaoBao indie brands or buying second hand as suggested by others (Closet Child, the EGL sales community and the Facebook sales group are all good places to shop; Closet Child is in Japan, but don't be discouraged! You can get great deals and their 3/5 rating and higher is more or less pristine, as-new quality).

3. BUY A PETTICOAT. Right away. It's important. And make sure you get a good one. They last longer and won't need as much maintenance as a cheaper petticoat.

Pick one or two colours and a staple colour to start and go from there (ie: pink and blue, plus white; alternatively, brown and green, plus ivory; your choice). Buy your staple "coordinating" items (blouse, socks, boleros, accessories) in your staple colour and your main pieces (shoes, dresses, skirts, accessories) in the other colour(s). You'll be able to put together several outfit quickly and with the most effective use of your money.

It also will make it easier to experiment with other styles the longer you're into the fashion, since you'll already have your staples.

[pureismyheart]

Bodyline is awesome for beginners. smile

[Born Backwards]

Ooh this is a great thread! I'm quite new to lolita, I'm finding this really helpful, too!

[spacekitten]

- Bodyline is a great place to start. I might avoid replicas for now; they're a polorizing subject and it can be tough to find a good one.

- As far as help saving money, find a safe, out-of-sight place to put your extra money, and forget about it. Add to it when you can. I do this because if cash is in my wallet, I'm more likely to spend it, so I leave myself enough for lunches and gas, and put the rest away where I'll forget that its there. Then after a few months of that, suddenly I have 400-500 and can splurge on some Lolita things!

[wonderfinch]

1. Just start buying ^^ To make an outfit, you generally need a blouse, a dress or skirt, a hair accessory, legwear, a petticoat, and shoes. You can usually get legwear, headbows, and shoes at "normal" stores for pretty cheap, to help save money when you start out. Petticoats are also easy to find for low prices at vintage shops, and even on eBay. The blouse and dress will probably look best if you buy items specifically intended for lolita. To make sure your colors match I'd start with those items and a petti and buy everything else once you've found a blouse/dress combo you like.
2. Bodyline is a great place to start ^^ I would recommend staying away from replicas because the quality isn't great and they're relatively expensive (they're generally $100-$120, where as lovely dresses from Taobao stores cost ~$80- and can usually be custom-sized- and BL dresses only cost $40-$60).
3. If money is an issue, be sure to carefully track your spending! I used to go out and carelessly spend a lot when I was with my friends, but I was shocked when I realized I was spending $50-$100 on a single night out! Now I still go out, but I have more funds for lolita because I'm more careful with my spending in other areas.