As I’ve discussed previously, as the world has mostly shut down during the COVID 19 pandemic, many Lolita’s have turned to remote twinning and holding virtual meetups. This has led me to both twin with local and non local Lolita. Most recently I had the opportunity to to do a tripleting coord with some long-time LiveJournal era friends. We coordinated our matching Meta skirts from their 2000 “Thorn Print” series. In addition to coordinating outfits together, we talked about how the world of Lolita has changed. The younger generation is obsessed with social media, likes, and influenced culture. It’s so strange. Many people seem to get into the fashion for aesthetics or because it’s flashy. I see so many people posting about engagement and followers and it’s so strange to me. Don’t get me wrong, it’s just different and no one is bad or wrong for doing things differently than me. I’ve met a lot of amazing people who have gotten into Lolita more recently. In fact, most Lolita I know became aware of and began to participate in it much later than I did, but also many of those people don’t even wear Lolita anymore either.
Even of the people that were around when I began Lolita or even before, have mostly disappeared. If anything I am sincerely grateful to still know and be in contact with others who have been around as long as me, though I do wonder what made us different from the others, and why did we last in the fashion while so many many didn’t?
For me, the one reason that drew me into Lolita, and I think probably one of the biggest reasons I’ve stayed is due to my interests. When I began Lolita, there was a huge emphasis on “lolifying your life” and being a lifestyle Lolita. I think that the reason we had such an emphasis on the “lifestyle” of being a lolita because it was so hard and expensive to obtain, not many people outside of Japan, LA and NYC even lived within the vicinity of another Lolita to dress up and go out with. In fact, you were lucky if you were a few hours drive away from major cities to even attend other communities’ meetups. So, many people would live vicariously through the experiences of those in the few major comm’s posts on LiveJournal’s EGL, and in turn would try to make their lives as “Lolita” as possible.
There were always tons of posts for suggestions and ideas of how to become “more Lolita” as well as whole blogs dedicated to the subject. Many of these posts made suggestions on how to more easily and comfortably wear Lolita in all sorts of adverse weather for every day Lolita’s such as how to avoid heatstroke in summer, and how to survive the freezing cold of winter. Others suggested long lists of “Lolita appropriate” reading lists, movies and television programs, often with plots taking place in the past as historical dramas. Others would suggest Lolita appropriate activities and hobbies such as learning a instrument, keeping a diary, drinking tea, gardening, and making Victorian era arts and crafts to name a few. For me, a lot of these interests and hobbies were already integrated into my life, so when I discovered Lolita and the lifestyle Lolita, it came quite naturally to me, and felt more like finding a missing puzzle piece I hadn’t even realized I had been missing.
I do wonder, if now that we are less able to leave our homes, if lifestyle Lolita will begin to rise in popularity? I’ve noticed once again suggestions of Lolita appropriate books and activities such as taking up painting, or reading kamikaze girls have once again begun to be suggested to others as a way to busy themselves during quarantine. Is this the next chapter for Lolita Lifestylists? What have you been doing since the pandemic began? Are you a lifestyle Lolita?
Here is my personal list of lifestyle activities that I have done, or continue to do during the pandemic.
1. Journaling- this can count as blogging, scrapbooking and keeping a diary. It’s nice to have something to come back to and reflect upon. And let’s be real, as Lolita you often find yourselves with ticket stubs from events, as well as brand stickers, ribbons and postcards from your purchases. How else to better display all your photos from the events you’ve attended by decorating them with the cute novelties items you receive? In addition to this blob, I keep 2 separate scrapbooks. One small one for my Lolita stickers and Polaroids from events, and a larger family one that I keep to document all of our adventures, and of course I wear Lolita through out most of it. In fact, I think now would be a perfect time to catch up on it all. Plus now that it is spring and all my violets are blooming, I can probably add some pressed flowers to my scrapbooks now too.
Since the quarantine began, we decided to decorate our outdoor space since we’ve spent more time in the yard.
2. Gardening- My whole life I have always loved flowers and gardens. They are good for both your physical and mental health, in addition to having the ability to provide free, delicious, organic foods straight into your home. Since I like flowers and nature, most of my garden is full of flowers, however I do keep some herbs and vegetables. However, since we are trying to leave the house as little as possible, I have been trying to save pieces from our grocery hauls so I can add some more fruits and vegetables to our garden.
One of the last meets we had was a valentines meet where we created cards for each other. If you’re crafty, perhaps you can create your own cards or stationery to send in place of pre-made sets.
3. Frilly Penpals- I love how we have been able to reconnect with each other lately through the use of our current technology. But, being stuck home sucks and some of the most exciting parts of my day is when I get to leave the house to walk down to the street to check the mail box. So I think now is the perfect time to start using all that cute stationary I know we all have, or finally buy that cute set we’ve had bookmark all these months. I use to have a pen pal back in the LJ times and it was so exciting every time I found a small pink envelop covered in hello kitty stickers in my mailbox. And because I’m sure most of us can’t sustain our monthly Lolita hauls, we can still look foreword to happy little surprises in our mail box every few weeks.
With the flowers in full bloom, it is perfect timing to enjoy the outdoors and (safely) get some fresh air like this little spider hanging out with my violets.
4. Have a picnic in your yard, or porch, if you live in an apartment. Recently we’ve been taking advantage of having nowhere to go by having meals outside in our yard, enjoying the cool spring weather and being surrounded by the blooming flowers in my small garden.
Painting I’m currently working on. Can you guess my favorite brand?
5. Painting- painting has always been a favorite past time for the rich and frivolous ladies of the past. From the Regency, to the Victorian era to present, painting has been enjoyed for centuries. Weather hi are painting on a piece of paper, canvas, or even choose to decorate a blank flower pot or tea cup, painting is always an enjoyable and productive activity, because you have something beautiful to show for your hard work in the end.
Handmade JSK featuring calaveras and a chiffon overlay. Made back in 2016 and still one of my favorite handmade items I’ve ever completed.
6. Sewing- bows the time to finish sewing that skirt that’s been sitting pinned together half done for months? Finish it! Have a loose button or small repair or alteration you’ve been sitting on? Do that too! In fact, with the novel COVID around, sewing is a very admirable and practical skill! Use some scraps to make masks for yourself or your loved ones to protect yourself and others while making grocery runs. If you have lots of spare fabric, many local hospitals are asking for hand sewn masks to help protect medical personnel. I personally have medical personnel in my family so I have been trying my best to sew masks for everyone!
Half of my accessories and most of my shoes, locate in my bedroom, this is my “Lolita corner”
7. Organize your wardrobe! Weather you need to re organize your wardrobe for the seasons, or begin to de-clutter, now is as good a time as any to do it! Once you’re done fixing it all up, use that extra time to make your “Lolita space” weather it’s a fresh coord on your mannequin, hanging cute photos on your wall for a coord photo space, or finally build that shrine to Mana that you’ve always dreamed of! If you can’t leave your home, at least make your own happy place within your home that you can enjoy.
I think it’s about time to re-read this book.
8. Read! Now I’m going to be a bit cliche now and suggest something that has been on these types of lists for years. Have you ever actually read Kamikaze Girls or Alice in Wonderland? Well now is the time to do it! I recently read Kamikaze Girls for the first time a few years ago and I couldn’t put it down! I can’t believe it took me so long to read it! Even if it isn’t “aesthetic,” stop putting off those books on your reading list!
My triumphant moment when I finally caught my first tarantula. Do you recognize the dress I’m wearing?
9. Alright I’m gonna say it. Play animal crossing. You can build your own Lolita prints, live out that kawaii life virtually. But take my advise, if there’s multiple people in your home, make sure everyone has their own switch. My fiancé didn’t even want to buy it, but he loves me and bought me the new game when it came out, but now I have to fight him AND my daughter to have time on my island that they both invaded and decided to live on, mooching off my hard work! Or maybe just straight up hiding it would work better if you’re like me and just start hiding it from everyone so you can get some island time alone.
Nothing better than enjoying a hot cup of coffee in my favorite mug.
10. Don’t forget to take time for yourself. Many people have been participating in online tea parties. However, if you’re an essential personnel like me and still working, your job is probably more stressful than usual right now, and working schedules may make it impossible for you to participate, or too exhausted, just be sure to take time for yourself, get dressed up for yourself and have a nice cup of tea, coffee or even hot cocoa and put it in your favorite teacup or mug. Take a bath instead of a shower. Use those bath bombs and face masks that you bought and have been too busy to use.
If you have any other stay at home lifestyle suggestions, I would love to hear them! I hope everyone is stay home, staying safe, and staying sane.
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