I'm Poor ;_;

[Rinniika]

I really want to get into Lolita and buy my first dress but there's one problem.

I have a seriously hard time obtaining money.

I'd get a job but my parents don't want me to. I don't get an allowance so the only money I get is on holidays. Then when I get that money my friends somehow convince me into blowing it on cosplay instead.

Do you know how I could get Lolita clothes for really cheap? Maybe some ideas of how to get money instead of waiting for the holidays? I try art commissions but no one will hire me for real money T.T

Also, I can make my own clothes. Do you think it'd be smarter/cheaper to make my own Lolita clothes?

[Basset Hound Babe]

One thing you can always do, is make a wishlist of what you want. The cheapest and easiest thing I can think of is Bodyline, since it's fairly cheap, and pretty straight foreward when it comes to ordering, and show your family and friends what you like on the site, so they can get you something themselves for birthdays and holidays.

Second of all, if you want to get into lolita, job or not, you have to stop blowing all your money on cosplay items. I have a job and a house and bills to pay, and i LOVE buying food, because i really like to cook. I like expensive and high quality foods, because I'm a bit of a health nut. I love sewing and cosplay and conventions, but i wouldn't have anything to wear if I blew what little i had after my bills were paid off on those sorts of things. It's called saving, and budgeting. If you really like spending money on cosplay things, then thats fine. But if you want to start building up any sort of a wardrobe you have to budget! Split your money up. Some for cosplay, some for lolita, some for whatever else. If you can't do that now, how are you suppose to do that when you have a job?

It may take some stregnth of will sometimes, but it's worth it! good luck!

[Evil Goth Bunny]

I think making your own clothes is a good idea. It depends on how much the fabric costs, plus lace and stuff, but it can work out fairly cheap.

You say that your parents won't let you have a job and don't give you an allowance, so I'll assume you're young enough that they buy you your clothes. Would they be happy to buy you some lolita? Or at least the fabric to make some lolita with.

[Chwisty]

I'm in a similar situation moneywise.
Most of my money goes towards school, and all the jobs hiring are out of my distance (no car lol)
I feel bad asking my parents for anymore money, but when I do have disposable income I shop around eBay for things like bags and shoes and I browse secondhand sales.

80% of my lolita wardrobe is now Bodyline because I managed to snag some cute things off Lacemarket.us that was each less than $40

As for homemade things, I can't say since I don't have a sewing machine so I have to do things by hand. But I have made wristcuffs.

If you're able to use paypal, lolita is easily accessible by means of secondhand sales
3nodding

[Rinniika]

Basset Hound Babe

One thing you can always do, is make a wishlist of what you want. The cheapest and easiest thing I can think of is Bodyline, since it's fairly cheap, and pretty straight foreward when it comes to ordering, and show your family and friends what you like on the site, so they can get you something themselves for birthdays and holidays.

Second of all, if you want to get into lolita, job or not, you have to stop blowing all your money on cosplay items. I have a job and a house and bills to pay, and i LOVE buying food, because i really like to cook. I like expensive and high quality foods, because I'm a bit of a health nut. I love sewing and cosplay and conventions, but i wouldn't have anything to wear if I blew what little i had after my bills were paid off on those sorts of things. It's called saving, and budgeting. If you really like spending money on cosplay things, then thats fine. But if you want to start building up any sort of a wardrobe you have to budget! Split your money up. Some for cosplay, some for lolita, some for whatever else. If you can't do that now, how are you suppose to do that when you have a job?

It may take some stregnth of will sometimes, but it's worth it! good luck!

Huh, that's a good idea. I have a couple things I wanted on Milanoo (I know people don't trust that site but I have gotten some good quality items off there.) but I'll do some more looking into Bodyline^^

ヾ(´･ω ･｀｡)ノ” Yeah, I should budget better. I really did declare I was going to buy Lolita clothes since it'd be more beneficial but I guess that didn't get me anywhere. I should half my savings right now and toss one half for Lolita clothes but when I start working on a cosplay I use as much money necessary to make something. Usually at the cost of my dreams QAQ

I will try to be strong! Thank you!

Evil Goth Bunny

I think making your own clothes is a good idea. It depends on how much the fabric costs, plus lace and stuff, but it can work out fairly cheap.

You say that your parents won't let you have a job and don't give you an allowance, so I'll assume you're young enough that they buy you your clothes. Would they be happy to buy you some lolita? Or at least the fabric to make some lolita with.

I might be able to convince my parents to buy me some things if it was as a present. If I have money then they'd want my money. If I had nothing at all they might buy something...

Asking them to buy me fabric is a good idea though! My mom wouldn't like it but my dad wouldn't mind. More time away from the computer :3

Chwisty

I'm in a similar situation moneywise.
Most of my money goes towards school, and all the jobs hiring are out of my distance (no car lol)
I feel bad asking my parents for anymore money, but when I do have disposable income I shop around eBay for things like bags and shoes and I browse secondhand sales.

80% of my lolita wardrobe is now Bodyline because I managed to snag some cute things off Lacemarket.us that was each less than $40

As for homemade things, I can't say since I don't have a sewing machine so I have to do things by hand. But I have made wristcuffs.

If you're able to use paypal, lolita is easily accessible by means of secondhand sales
3nodding

eBay. I should go to eBay. Second hand stores sound like a good idea too! I'll definitely try that website lacemarket.us. Sounds like they have good deals biggrin

Maybe once I get some art commissions I could open a PayPal account! Yay, money~

[Lydia B.]

Do not, I repeat DO NOT go through Milanoo. Forget that dreadful website right now. I can understand their cosplay items being of decent quality, but their lolita items are hardly even notable as lolita.

I might suggest little ways to try to make money off of your parents by offering to do chores and errands for them. Even before I wore lolita, that's how I'd made my spending money. It might be a little silly offering your services as a "maid", but it's better than being a Deceitful Momoko figure.

[Rinniika]

Lydia B.

Do not, I repeat DO NOT go through Milanoo. Forget that dreadful website right now. I can understand their cosplay items being of decent quality, but their lolita items are hardly even notable as lolita.

I might suggest little ways to try to make money off of your parents by offering to do chores and errands for them. Even before I wore lolita, that's how I'd made my spending money. It might be a little silly offering your services as a "maid", but it's better than being a Deceitful Momoko figure.

I guess I'll sew some knockoffs of their dresses because some of them are really pretty .-.

That's a great idea! Thank you^^

What's Deceitful Momoko?

[Chantilly Bunny]

Do not, I repeat, do not buy lolita from ebay. It's a minefield of overpriced garbage items and scammers. In addition, any genuine pieces can be found cheaper elsewhere. Same deal for Milanoo--just don't.

EGL Comm Sales on Livejournal, Lacemarket.us, and LSE (lolita sales in English on Facebook) are far better for second-hand sales.

Both cosplay and lolita are potentially expensive hobbies. Very few people can afford to throw themselves head-on into both. You have no income and already spend what you do have on cosplay--realistically, you cannot afford lolita if you do that. Want to save money? Simple. Stop spending it. You have no bills or financial responsibility, and your friends shouldn't have command of your wallet.

Art and cosplay commissions are an excellent idea, but you will need a portfolio, a platform for sales, a marketing strategy, and some start-up funds for materials. You also need to be competitive--for artists, if you have to spend 8 hours producing a piece of questionable quality that won't fetch much money, then it isn't a solid money-making endeavor and you'd need more practice.

I'd suggest making some collages of a dream coordinate, the first one you want. Get an idea of what you like and what you should be looking for. Hunting for deals second-hand is fine but you run the risk of a wardrobe that doesn't go with itself. Learn the fashion, really learn it. Understand what is an efficient way to build a wardrobe and what the desired aesthetic and clothing quality is.

To buy or sell second-hand or make any online sales, you will need access to a Paypal account.
If you are under 18, you cannot have one in your name. You will need a parent who is willing to set one up and give you access.

If you can get good quality fabric and lace, there are DIY lolita patterns/tutoritals. Here and here are two places to start.

Oh, the good news--things like tights/socks/accessories/headbows/hats/jewelry/some shoes can be bought in mainstream stores if you know what to look for. I've found suitable blouses, skirts, etc at places like Forever 21 and Goodwill. Since you're new, I suggest finding a willing mentor who can point out of a mainstream garment is worth a purchase and "loliable".

[legnanellaf5]

How good are your sewing skills? Like while it is cheaper to make clothes, you have to be actually good to make them decent. Too many people have no clue what they are doing, and have little if no knowledge of fabrics and lace and design. Knowing how to use a sewing machine doesnt help if you fail at porpotions and you dont know what is a good choice in fabric. There are a lot of tuts online on how to make things, but please dont buy cheap stuff for the sake it being cheap.

[Princess JessieKate]

Make/thrift/alter and be patient in general. Your parents don't want you to get a job? I'm assuming you're under 16, so wait until you're a better age. Your art skills aren't good enough to be commissioned for real money? Keep practicing and they can be. Lolita isn't going to happen overnight or even over a few months; it didn't for any of us.

[tehrin]

I would personally wait until you have money to invest in it. If you are young and can't get a job yet due to parents, I'd just start making a wishlist and go from there. When you're working, it'll be easier to set aside money to invest in it. You can probably make a few things in the meantime, but it would be better to just save. Maybe ask for a Bodyline OP as a birthday or Christmas gift?

I've been in a similar situation, and back then even cheap cosplays were hard to scrape by. Lolita is by far worse cost-wise even if you go the cheaper route.

[Chwisty]

Celadonia

Do not, I repeat, do not buy lolita from ebay. It's a minefield of overpriced garbage items and scammers. In addition, any genuine pieces can be found cheaper elsewhere.

Rinniika

eBay. I should go to eBay.

Sorry, I forgot to be more specific.
Like Celadonia said don't buy LOLITA from ebay. 99.9% of the time if it says lolita in the item title, don't buy it. You shouldn't specifically be searching under lolita. By "don't buy lolita" I mean, CLOTHES mostly. dresses, skirts, etc.

HOWEVER, I have found eBay to be effective in buying inexpensive accessories. It takes some getting acquainted with lolita to see if something's a replica or not. I buy generic but cute bags. Things like biscuit/ponies/stars (obvs lolita things) are mostly likely going to be knockoffs.

You should know what you want before you begin searching on eBay.

Here's some examples of things I have bought that I have incorporated to my coords
Red Bunny Bag
Kitty Hat
Ruffle Socks
Heart Heels.
Acrylic Bow Rings

Also be aware if something is super cheap, that will reflect in the quality.
But the above items were pretty decent for the price.

[Rinniika]

Celadonia

Do not, I repeat, do not buy lolita from ebay. It's a minefield of overpriced garbage items and scammers. In addition, any genuine pieces can be found cheaper elsewhere. Same deal for Milanoo--just don't.

EGL Comm Sales on Livejournal, Lacemarket.us, and LSE (lolita sales in English on Facebook) are far better for second-hand sales.

Both cosplay and lolita are potentially expensive hobbies. Very few people can afford to throw themselves head-on into both. You have no income and already spend what you do have on cosplay--realistically, you cannot afford lolita if you do that. Want to save money? Simple. Stop spending it. You have no bills or financial responsibility, and your friends shouldn't have command of your wallet.

Art and cosplay commissions are an excellent idea, but you will need a portfolio, a platform for sales, a marketing strategy, and some start-up funds for materials. You also need to be competitive--for artists, if you have to spend 8 hours producing a piece of questionable quality that won't fetch much money, then it isn't a solid money-making endeavor and you'd need more practice.

I'd suggest making some collages of a dream coordinate, the first one you want. Get an idea of what you like and what you should be looking for. Hunting for deals second-hand is fine but you run the risk of a wardrobe that doesn't go with itself. Learn the fashion, really learn it. Understand what is an efficient way to build a wardrobe and what the desired aesthetic and clothing quality is.

To buy or sell second-hand or make any online sales, you will need access to a Paypal account.
If you are under 18, you cannot have one in your name. You will need a parent who is willing to set one up and give you access.

If you can get good quality fabric and lace, there are DIY lolita patterns/tutoritals. Here and here are two places to start.

Oh, the good news--things like tights/socks/accessories/headbows/hats/jewelry/some shoes can be bought in mainstream stores if you know what to look for. I've found suitable blouses, skirts, etc at places like Forever 21 and Goodwill. Since you're new, I suggest finding a willing mentor who can point out of a mainstream garment is worth a purchase and "loliable".

I looked at Lacemarket and they have some really nice dresses that fetch for good deals. thank you^^

before I was trying to find a way to integrate Lolita and cosplay together but then... yeah, stuff happened.

Because of certain circumstances I actually have to pursue two different coordinates. But I have the first one hashed out with a couple things that would work together.

I actually already have a PayPal account so I'm not sure about that whole 18 thing... Unless I lied about my age and I just forgot about it >.>

I have all the fabric in the world at my fingertips! Plus I make my own patterns biggrin I imagine those will be handy as references to confirm what I'm doing is right.

My mom has a good eye for loli things actually. I guess it's time to start accompanying her on shopping trips.

Thank you for the information^^

legnanellaf5

How good are your sewing skills? Like while it is cheaper to make clothes, you have to be actually good to make them decent. Too many people have no clue what they are doing, and have little if no knowledge of fabrics and lace and design. Knowing how to use a sewing machine doesnt help if you fail at porpotions and you dont know what is a good choice in fabric. There are a lot of tuts online on how to make things, but please dont buy cheap stuff for the sake it being cheap.

I've made Victorian cosplays complete with ruffles and ribbons galore. Granted I'm still learning I think I'm competent enough to make certain things. I don't have a great knowledge of fabric but the people at the fabric stores are really helpful in the matter.

The last thing I plan on doing is cheaping out on fabric. If I find the perfect thing then I will bargain to hell for a good deal XD

Princess JessieKate

Make/thrift/alter and be patient in general. Your parents don't want you to get a job? I'm assuming you're under 16, so wait until you're a better age. Your art skills aren't good enough to be commissioned for real money? Keep practicing and they can be. Lolita isn't going to happen overnight or even over a few months; it didn't for any of us.

I'm actually 16 on the dot. My parents just forget sometimes and think I'm 12 .-. I have a financial opportunity now to tutor kids in English so I'll have to see if that works out. Maybe my years of waiting to start buying clothes will come to an end.

tehrin

I would personally wait until you have money to invest in it. If you are young and can't get a job yet due to parents, I'd just start making a wishlist and go from there. When you're working, it'll be easier to set aside money to invest in it. You can probably make a few things in the meantime, but it would be better to just save. Maybe ask for a Bodyline OP as a birthday or Christmas gift?

I've been in a similar situation, and back then even cheap cosplays were hard to scrape by. Lolita is by far worse cost-wise even if you go the cheaper route.

Last time I tried asking for dresses as a present I got a straight up 'no.' My parents are happier funding my video gaming habits which they hate for some reason.

I absolutely do not plan on going cheap. I've heard too many horror stories of people going cheap with cosplay/ Lolita/ anything really. Money counts. All these people that keep telling me this here further enforce that XD

Chwisty

Celadonia

Do not, I repeat, do not buy lolita from ebay. It's a minefield of overpriced garbage items and scammers. In addition, any genuine pieces can be found cheaper elsewhere.

Rinniika

eBay. I should go to eBay.

Sorry, I forgot to be more specific.
Like Celadonia said don't buy LOLITA from ebay. 99.9% of the time if it says lolita in the item title, don't buy it. You shouldn't specifically be searching under lolita. By "don't buy lolita" I mean, CLOTHES mostly. dresses, skirts, etc.

HOWEVER, I have found eBay to be effective in buying inexpensive accessories. It takes some getting acquainted with lolita to see if something's a replica or not. I buy generic but cute bags. Things like biscuit/ponies/stars (obvs lolita things) are mostly likely going to be knockoffs.

You should know what you want before you begin searching on eBay.

Here's some examples of things I have bought that I have incorporated to my coords
Red Bunny Bag
Kitty Hat
Ruffle Socks
Heart Heels.
Acrylic Bow Rings

Also be aware if something is super cheap, that will reflect in the quality.
But the above items were pretty decent for the price.

I've looked on eBay for Lolita before and half the time I was like 'Okay, that's ugly and that's not nearly frilly enough. How you Lolita you ugly thing?'

Knockoffs, huh? I didn't realize that was a thing to look out for. I will be keeping that in mind now.

eBay does sound like a better place for accessories like you said. It'd be even cheaper (decently priced)and have more options than other places. Thanks for the examples! I'll be keeping these locked away in my brain :3

[Basset Hound Babe]

wanting to add on the ebay topic, I've actually bought and sold quite a bit of lolita on ebay before lacemarket was established. However, I buy secondhand brand. I specifically search for brands like Angelic Pretty, Innocent World, Metamorphose, Btssb, etc. IF you do that, make sure it is in fact brand. check for positive feedback, proof photos, not just stock photos, proof pictures of the tag, etc. Not everything is priced cheaply, but I have nabbed a few really nice brand dresses for only $70 each. In fact, my first brand piece ever was a Btssb jsk for only $150 including shipping, and I still own and wear it regularly to this day! heart

Though in all honesty, I'd reccomend this level of caution with any type of transaction.

[Rinniika]

Basset Hound Babe

wanting to add on the ebay topic, I've actually bought and sold quite a bit of lolita on ebay before lacemarket was established. However, I buy secondhand brand. I specifically search for brands like Angelic Pretty, Innocent World, Metamorphose, Btssb, etc. IF you do that, make sure it is in fact brand. check for positive feedback, proof photos, not just stock photos, proof pictures of the tag, etc. Not everything is priced cheaply, but I have nabbed a few really nice brand dresses for only $70 each. In fact, my first brand piece ever was a Btssb jsk for only $150 including shipping, and I still own and wear it regularly to this day! heart

Though in all honesty, I'd reccomend this level of caution with any type of transaction.

Cosplayers say just the same things. Only difference is with Lolita is watching out for knockoffs which I fear I will be very bad at. I just don't know brands that well.