Introduction  

It's been a couple of months since I started to wear lolita fashion regularly again, so I thought it would be fun to answer a small questionnaire for lolitas now that I have a lot of new thoughts regarding the fashion! I got the questionnaire off a template from LiveJournal, though I adjusted some of the questions due to the odd translation errors. I based a lot of the changes off of Raine Dragon's submission of the same questionnaire, which I recommend checking out!  I actually answered the same questionnaire a while back on my old blog, but unfortunately the contents were lost in a database wipe  Someday I'll answer the 100 question version soon; maybe once I hit 5 months of wearing lolita fashion again hehe!

 45 Questions for Lolitas 

Please tell us your Internet Handle.
Hello I'm Lori! Online, I use the alias "Velvet Lori".

How long is your history as a Lolita?
I started buying lolita 6 years ago! I wore my very first coordinate outside in the summer of 2021.

What first motivated you to do Lolita fashion?
For as long as I can remember I always enjoyed dressing as a princess! I would wear a princess gown everywhere as a young child, even all the way to the grocery store LOL. When I discovered I could wear beautiful dresses in my day to day life I knew lolita fashion was right for me!  

After knowing Lolita fashion, have you had any time-gap or resistance till you actually started to be Lolita?
I didn't have the resources or money to afford lolita fashion until 2020. With my combined birthday and Christmas allowances I was finally able to cobble enough funds to purchase my first ever coord!

Please define your Lolita style as much as possible (eg. gothic Lolita, sweet Lolita, shiro Lolita)
Lately I've been dressing in a lot of old school inspired sweet. I still wish to dress in classic lolita again someday, and maybe even dabble in aristo coording.

How many Lolita friends do you have?
About 1-2 acquaintances... I'm a lonelita in my day-to-day life, though I scarcely have any friends in the first place LMAOOO 

What is the best thing about wearing Lolita?
Piecing together a coordinate and watching it all come together in the mirror! I also love to admire the craftsmanship and construction of a garment.

Conversely, what's the worst thing about wearing Lolita?
When the lining of your petticoat rides up and the organza scratches against your leg, or when you have to remove all the layers and accessories after a long day of wearing lolita. I'M TIRED!! ONE DOES NOT SIMPLY TEAR OFF A $300 DRESS!!!!!  

Which Lolita Brands do you like?
Baby the Stars Shine Bright and Innocent World! I also enjoy metamorphose for it's eccentric design choices lol.

What was the first Lolita item that you’ve owned?
My first lolita related item would be a 45cm A-line petticoat from Aurora Ariel! For my first mainpiece, it would be the French Lady OP by Tiny Garden, and for the first ever brand item it would be Triangle OP from Innocent World!

Personally, I believe a proper pair of shoes can go a long way in elevating your coord. Even plain black mary janes make a significant improvement! 

Do you wear bloomers?
I own a pair but I don't wear them... They feel stuffy compared to regular safety shorts.

Do you have any favourite Japanese music?
I listen to many Japanese artists throughout various music genres. Some of my favourite artists are Rayons/Masako Nakai, Ichiko Aoba, DJ Okawari, Nunjabes, Kashiwa Daisuke, and Sheena Ringo!

Where do you particularly visit as Lolita?
Parks and marketplaces if I'm out in the city. Lately I've been visiting a cutesy café that's owned by a woman who also dresses in alternative fashion. She's incredibly sweet and supportive when I come in wearing lolita   

About how many times per week do you dress as Lolita? 
A week is being very generous...  At most I'd wear lolita once or twice a month *sniffs*

Please tell us about one embarrassing episode from the time when you were just a beginner Lolita.
I bought some petticoats that were marginally cheaper than my already very affordable Aurora Ariel ones in order to save a couple bucks. All I got were some itchy unusable products that I binned after a couple uses. It's embarrassing because I already owned a perfectly fine petticoat that did not need replacing— I simply thought it would be necessary to own a cheaper petticoat for everyday wear despite not wearing the fashion regularly at that point... 

What is your favorite hair style to wear with lolita?
Blunt bangs and curled hair! I also adore hime cuts and braided hair, though I personally don't style my hair that way.

Have you ever thought of stopping Lolita? The reason?
I went on hiatus from the fashion due to schooling and budget constraints for about 2 years. I was also pretty insecure about my body at that point and it didn't feel good to wear dresses. I'll probably wear the fashion less frequently if it impedes with my comfort and health, though I'd like to wear it as long as possible!

Please tell us your heart's bible as a Lolita. (Anything like a book, magazine, CD, idol...)
CINDERELLA by Sui Uzi is how I feel when I wear lolita  

Do you own a doll? Tell us your feelings about her intensely!
At the moment, I do not, though I'd love to own a custom doll modelled after my oc though! Here's a "page doll" of her lol.

What kind of make-up do you wear when you wear Lolita clothes?
I don't wear make-up, but if I must, the most I'd wear is some concealer to block out any blemishes and mascara.

Have you ever secretly changed clothes in a train station bathroom on a Lolita day-out?
No, nor have I ever had to change into lolita outside of my home. I guess the closest would be a hotel room for when I'd wear lolita during my travels?

Are you composed when doing Lolita all by yourself?
For the most part I can fare well on my own. Usually I drag my sister along for outings just because it's more fun to do things with the company of another person. If I'm lucky, I can sometimes convince her to match in an ouji coord as well!

How much do you spend on your Lolita clothes & accessories monthly? 

What is the most expensive Lolita thing you've bought so far? How much was it?
As of writing, it would be my velveteen babydoll JSK by BtSSB, purchased at $388 CAD. Foolishly, I didn't realize the currency difference until it was "too late" but TBH I could've backed out before the invoice was sent. I decided to proceed with the purchase since I was able to arrange a payment plan with the seller, and I've been on the lookout for a velveteen mainpiece for a while now. I made it a super early birthday gift for me and I wore it on my birthday hehe  soo worth it!

So far about how much has the expense been for Lolita goods?

Lolita outfit really costs money. How do you raise money to cover the cost of Lolita?
I have a job that lets me eat lunch and supper for free which saves on grocery expenses. I also don't pay for rent at home. 

Have you ever bought from an online store? If so, please tell us its good and bad points and some advice for the future. If not, please tell us why not.
Purchasing products online is the only way I'm able to receive lolita goods lol. I think some good advice (that I should definitely follow myself because I do not do this LMAO) is to have your measurements on hand if the product comes in multiple measurements.

If I'm buying brand second-hand, I only buy from listings that have a visible photo of the brand tag and care tag. I also check the original price on lolibrary and compare it to past second-hand listings to make sure it's being priced fairly. 

Even if you sort of want to keep it a secret, please tell us about a private manufacturer that is the best.
I don't know any private manufacturers, but I do think socks from Roji Roji are pretty great and affordable. 

Is there a brand and/or an item that you think, "I could never get it! But I unreasonably want it!"?
Mary Magdalene oughhhh... Specifically the Bertille OP in Bordeux. Even if I found a listing that wasn't charging an obscene amount of money, the dress would not fit me  

What do you think about people who only do Lolita at music-lives or cosplay? 
It's whatever. If you're only wearing cheap lolita as a one-off gimmick then I find it incredibly lame and tacky.

From what age to what age is it acceptable to do Lolita? Do you think that there's a state in which someone must graduate from Lolita? (you can answer as ‘never graduate’)
If the fashion sparks joy you can wear it forever ♫

Is there a Lolita fashion or behavior that you think "I don't want Lolitas to do this!"?
Sharing "horror stories" about an era of lolita fashion you were not present for. I also dislike the obsession over subverting the fashion's rules, especially if it's done as a form of engagement bait. If you have to break a "rule" you can just... do it? I don't understand the need to announce it on a soapbox.

Is there something you think "Lolita has to be this way!"
Not really? Just learn the fundamentals and do your research before engaging with the fashion.

Has the way you wear lolita changed over the years?
I wear the fashion regularly now, and I try to dress up on casual outings instead of reserving lolita for formal events. My style has also changed from classic lolita to casual/old school inspired sweet. I find it much more practical for everyday wear and I love taking inspiration from early 00s street snaps.

Do you go to school/work as Lolita?
No, it's not practical.

Do you wear Lolita clothes as casual wear?
I utilize a lot of my pieces in everyday wear, such as my blouses, boleros, and shoes.

Do you have a partner? Do they understand your hobby? 
I have a very lovely girlfriend whos very kind and supportive of my hobbies. I dream of dressing her in lolita and matching with her someday  I think she'd look really lovely in sailor lolita or dressed in teddy bear motifs hehe, to me she looks just like Kumakumya-chan!

What do the people around you think of your doing Lolita? Do they accept it?
My parents are supportive, though my mom is a bit wary when I wear lolita in town since the people here are pretty conservative. Luckily, I haven't had any negative experiences yet, and people have been very friendly and complementary of my outfits!

Which Lolita has impressed you the most?
Kaya.coords of Mary Magdalene Coords is incredibly dedicated and has gone as far to find the fabrics and textiles manufactures that Mary Magdalene uses. She also has a lot of handy tricks for restoring and mending second-hand garments!

Have you ever made your own Lolita clothing or/and accessories? If so, what was the best item that you’ve made?
Not yet, though I aspire to make my own skirts and accessories someday...

If you have an ideal Lolita outfit or coordination, please tell us.
For me personally, I love a bolero with wrist cuffs adorning the sleeves, a blouse over a JSK with the waist bow clipped on the collar, and frilly OTKs with mary janes! Can't forget a rectangular headdress as well!

Is there a motif that you think “this is a staple of Lolita”?
Mary jane shoes and torchon lace!

Would you want to dress your children as Lolita?
I don't intend to have children, but hypothetically? If she's interested in the fashion and wishes to match with me I'd happily encourage her! And if she still enjoys the fashion and wants to continue wearing it in her adult years I would inherit pieces of my wardrobe to her. 

What is your image of the ideal Lolita?
Someone who dedicates herself to wearing the fashion as everyday clothing. You don't have to wear it daily, the clothing just needs to be worn instead of collecting dust in your closet!