1. 5 pieces that every Lolita wardrobe should have, regardless of style.

My list of things every lolita should have is a bit... out of the norm. Instead of focusing on main pieces that lolitas need to fill out their wardrobes, I kept my list to the little things people may not even think about.

First up on my list is sunglasses. It's no secret that I love sunglasses, partially because I'm grossly photosensitive, but mostly because they're a great accessory that's really underrated. There has been a recent surge in styles sunglasses are being made in, from the simple to the OOT, so there's definitely a pair out there for every lolita's personal style. Lapin Chocolat did a post on cute loliable sunglasses that you can find here.

My next two items are things that you can't actually wear, but are great to have on hand anyway. A tube of E-6000 glue can make a real difference when the soles of your cute shoes start to peel away from the upper, saving you tons of money, and jewelry pliers will save the day when the findings of your favourite jewelry start to warp.

Two-way clips come in fourth on my list for sheer versatility. Wear them in your hair, wear them on your clothes, wear them clipped to your bag or your shoes; the possibilities are endless when you have both an alligator clip and a pin back.

Lastly, I think every lolita should have a handful of handkerchiefs. Mythbusters may have proven that handkerchiefs are actually really grossly unsanitary for blowing your nose, but they have tons of other uses. From dabbing the sweat away from your brow in the summer, to covering your lap to keep snack crumbs off your burando, to wiping off bus seats of anything icky, a handkerchief in your bag can go a long way to keeping you and your lolita neat and tidy.

Post 19/52 of the Lolita 52 Week Challenge.

7. Why Do I Wear Lolita?

I have a tiny, unreliable income, I'm disabled in ways that makes getting dressed rather difficult, and I'm genderqueer with a masculine leaning identity. Lolita seems like the last fashion I would get into but yet, here I am in all my frilly wonder. Why I wear lolita can be largely boiled down to one reason : it makes me happy; but there are a lot of factors that have influence me into wearing the fashion myself instead of just admiring it.

Lolita, being an alternative fashion at its core, has always had guys wearing it. I've always been a very feminine person even though I don't identify as female at all, and I've always had a love for skirts and dresses and super cute clothes. Finding out that one of the lolita forefathers was male had a huge impact on the way I, this skinny little trans boy, viewed clothes in relation to gender. While the idea that clothing style has nothing to do with gender has only become prevalent in the United States in recent years, back then (all the way back in 2005 I think), the idea that somewhere guys were able to wear traditionally feminine styled clothing really helped me accept the fact that I could be feminine without necessarily being female. It took many, many years for me to get comfortable actually presenting femininely, but my love of lolita was a huge reason why I pushed my boundaries in regards to gender presentation. Wearing lolita has been more or less the ultimate culmination of the self confidence I gained while experimenting with my gender and the way I present myself.

Being disabled, both mentally and physically, means that I spend a lot of time at home in my pjs. The extra effort I put into getting dressed for when I go out, even when I'm not wearing lolita, goes a long way towards tempering some of the symptoms I have. For me, getting dressed is going to hurt anyway so I might as well go the extra mile and wear something that makes me look awesome and feel good about myself. What I gain from this extra effort far outweighs the cost of doing it. When I'm dressed up, I'm happier, I handle my chronic pain better, and I'm not as bothered by the side effects of my medications.

Lolita is a very expensive hobby but, for me, it's well worth the strain on my tiny income because of how happy it makes me. It's a very positive force in my life and it's become a huge part of how I identify.

Part 18/52 of the Lolita 52 Week Challenge.

5, 8, & 20

Whoops, I've been slacking in the blogging department Dx

5. Wardrobe Turnover
So far, turnover in my wardrobe has been pretty much nonexistant. Since I don't have a whole lot of income, I am very careful with what I buy, especially in Lolita. If I am not 100% in love with something and can make at least one coord with what I already have or am planning on getting in the near future, I don't get it. Because of this, I can't see myself parting with anything I have in my wardrobe any time soon. I love it all too much ;v;

8. Why don't I wear Lolita more?
I don't leave my house enough OTL Plus my wardrobe is still to small for me to wear lolita more without having a ton of repeat coords.

20. How satisfied am I with my current wardrobe?
I'm pretty happy with my wardrobe right now. There's definitely still room for improvement and, you know, more stuff, but for only about a year and a half of work, it's a pretty good, well rounded wardrobe.

Part 15-17/52 of the Lolita 52 Week Challenge.