100 questions for lolita
this is a series of prompts that's been going around for years, that i somehow never got around to doing until now. i got this version of the questions from my friend arachne.
my answers
1 Please tell us your screen name, date of birth, and origin.
soapbubbleseal, january 27 19[redacted], armenian-american
2 What is your height, weight, clothing size, and shoe size?
154cm, [redacted], US medium/JP large, [redacted]
3 What made you start doing Lolita fashion?
i first saw BtSSB while searching for images of vivienne westwood clothes. it made an impression at the time, but i didn't necessarily want to wear it myself. then about a year later, in 2003 or so, i came across the volks x btssb kira collab while getting into super dollfie. for whatever reason, that made me want to wear lolita for sure. i couldn't say for sure why this is what made lolita click for me. that particular OP and coord aren't actually my style at all.
4 What is your favorite Lolita genre?
on me, old school sweet.
i also really love the aesthetics of 2010s OTT sweet as well as punk and gothic coords with tartans-- on people who are not me.
5 Do you have any particular commitment to that genre, or your own definition of it?
yes, i have a lot of thoughts on old school and its current interpretation and place within lolita fashion. i came into lolita in the 2000s. since then, i have watched what we used to wear back in the day go way out of style, and then get revived by newcomers who learned about it from social media.
i think because a lot of newer lolitas are seeing old school through the lens of published magazine advertisements, and snaps from bloggers who had the reach and polish for a lot of their photos to have been archived and shared around, the look of neo-oldschool is kind of an over-refined version of what was once a more eclectic scene.
a lot of the coords i see being called 'old school' these days feel too instagram-worthy, almost *too* cohesive, they lack the grit and frumpiness of real old school. also the people who think that 'old school' and 'solid black and white' is the same thing, that's so dumb and annoying lol. i beg you to look at one (1) old magazine scan.
my commitment to my favorite substyle is buying the scrungliest old dresses i can lol
6 Do you have your ears pierced? How many piercings?
i have three holes in each ear on the lower half, i used to have an industrial on my left ear as well, but it suddenly rejected after 7 years when i got covid in 2020.
7 What is your favorite brand?
i'd say a tie between angelic pretty and btssb. ap more for main pieces, btssb for blouses and outerwear.
8 What is your favorite outfit?
probably when i wore twinkle mermaid with a blue bolero, blue shoes, and all white everything else.
9 How many lolita friends do you have?
uhh.. i have a lot of lolita acquaintances, and then a handful of specific people i'd consider friends. i don't have many interests in common (other than lolita) with the majority of lolitas i've met over the years, to be honest.
10 What is the best thing about wearing Lolita?
i get so much joy from styling outfits in any fashion genre, but especially lolita. i also love digging up info on old brand items that i come across.
11 On the contrary, what is the most unpleasant thing?
trying to make friends when most lolita gatherings (in western communities anyway) seem to center around eating and social media... i'm a high tea hater and i don't care about instagrammable cafes, rip
12 What is your favorite magazine?
alice deco a la mode
13 Team Headdress? Team Bonnet? Team Headbow?
any of the three, depending on my coord. although i'm not sure bonnets suit me haha.
14 Do you have bloomers?
yeap
15 Do you tie your headdress in front? or are you on the team that ties it behind your head?
behind my head, and pinned with bobby pins! tying in the front makes me feel like i'm being choked by a very weak person..
16 Do you have a favorite music genre or band?
too many to list
17 What is your mobile phone ringtone?
silent.
18 Do you go to lives in Lolita?
idk i think i've been to maybe 6 concerts in my entire life
19 For those who go to lives, do you headbang?
i did at sisters of mercy a couple years back haha
20 What color do you like?
sax, mint, and ivory.
21 What are your hobbies?
too many. video games, crafting, going for walks, and archival, to start.
22 Please tell me if you have a favorite perfume.
i have a pretty extensive perfume collection, i love scents! my current favorite is 'sweet muskmelon' by strangers parfumerie from thailand. it's a spicy-fruity summer type of scent.
also currently on heavy rotation-- sol de janeiro cheirosa 48, versace bright crystal, and dossier's 'citrus green apple' (dolce & gabbana 'light blue' dupe)
23 Is there anything you say “I’m careful about this” when it comes to lolita?
i always fold my skirts in my lap so as not to take up a ton of space on the train, or stand in the standing/luggage area in the driver car. i try to be mindful of others' personal space as well as my own.
24 Where are the places you visit / hang out at frequently?
in lolita, i like going to the areas around the larger train stations in my area. when i lived in the US, there was an antique mall i liked to go to in lolita, but they went out of business a few months before i moved away.
25 How many times a week do you wear Lolita?
trying to wear it every weekend, these days.
26 Please tell us the most embarrassing episode you had when you were a beginner in Lolita fashion.
i wore an ap main piece to a btssb tea party........ yabai lol (my blouse was baby at least)
27 What is your hairstyle and color now?
i have my hair chemically straightened (it's naturally around 3A/loose spiral curls), and currently just my natural black haircolor. my haircut is pretty simple, halfway down my back with blunt ends and longish bangs.
28 How long have you been in Lolita?
been wearing it since 2006 or so
29 Do you have a dedicated lolita storage space?
not really
30 Have you ever thought about leaving Lolita? If so, why?
yeah, i actually left lolita for a few years in the late 2010s. AP and baby's swassic releases at the time bored me to tears. i extremely did not vibe with my local comm at the time, as their lives seemed to revolve around anime and pastries, two things i don't give a shit about lol. at the same time, i was going through a period of feeling like i don't have the right personality for lolita. people kept expecting me to be upbeat and bubbly based on my aesthetic, then getting pissed off at me when they discover i'm quiet but blunt, and lowkey dead inside.
i'm glad i came back to lolita though.
31 What is your motto?
'i have to be the most esoteric bitch in (any given location)'
32 What are your dreams for the future?
idk i just want to have fun
33 “This person would definitely look good on Lolita!” Are there any celebrities you think that about?
i don't think about celebrities much
34 Please tell us the item with the most memories and those memories.
my btssb milk crown ring, it was a gift from my husband on our first christmas together.
35 What was the first item you got?
an 'in the starlight' alice in wonderland themed skirt, in pink, august 2006. my first name brand item was innocent world's flocky floral JSK, christmas 2007.
36 Do you have a signature pose for taking a picture?
no, i never have the slightest clue what to with my body or face without a mirror, monitor, or someone directing me. i did commercial modeling for about a year in my late teens, and can only pose if someone is yelling poses at me lol
37 What is the “Bible” of your heart? (Like what Books, magazines, CDs, etc. represent your inner self)
uhhh i would say the stuff i watch, read, and listen to chill is pretty different from what i actually relate to.
as far as CDs that represent my real self: smog - knock knock, the mountain goats - heretic pride, and neko case - the worse things get, the harder i fight, the harder i fight, the more i love you
movies: nightcrawler, leon: the professional, i tonya, blade runner
38 How many centimeters tall is the highest heel you have?
i used to wear pleasers, i guess 12cm or so back then. these days, i prefer lower heels around 6cm or less because they're easier to walk and take public transit in. i do have a pair of 15.5cm versace medusa aevitas pumps that i'm dying to wear with lolita at some point.
39 Have you ever worn a tiara?
i think once? in like.... 2007? 2008? it's not for me, i think.
40 Do you want to be a prince once in a while? What kind of prince? Dark and gothic? Ghostly in white?
nah. i don't care for the more dandy and historical style clothes, and even if i did, masc clothing doesn't suit my body type.
41 What kind of lace do you like?
cotton torchon, and in particular i have a soft spot for colored lace.
42 Do you own a (ball jointed) doll? Those who have them are usually so enthusiastic about them!
yes, quite a few. much like my clothes, i like buying the old scrungly secondhand ones.
43 What’s inside your lolita bag right now?
i leave my lolita bags empty until i'm carrying them with a coord. i used to keep my [redacted substance] in my kumya ruck back when i lived in the US though haha.
44 What is your favorite flower?
hibiscus and plumeria. i love flowers in general though.
45 What is your favorite accessory right now?
now and forever, the amo x ap collab jewelry. also really into anything with pink crocheted strawberries these days.
46 Please tell us your favorite / recommended cosmetics.
i just wear whatever looks nice to me at the drugstore or donki, although i did splash out on shiseido foundation. most of my current makeup is pretty basic bitch stuff like etude house and majolica majorca. i have a few flower knows palettes that i like as well.
47 Bright eyes are the hallmark of being a doll! So do you use false eyelashes? If you have any tips on how to use them, please let me know.
i don't, my natural eyelashes are so long that they already smudge mascara on my glases as it is.
48 What is your particular eye makeup style?
'learned how to do cateye liner in 2011 and proceeded to master no additional makeup skills whatsoever'
49 Is your lipstick red? Blue? black? pink?
i hate the way most lip color looks on me, so just clear or very lightly tinted plumping gloss.
50 What color do you often use for nail polish?
i have a cool toned pink from ILNP that i really like against my skintone
51 Have you ever changed your clothes in the toilet at the train station?
no but i have changed in convention center bathrooms, and in a car out back of the steinmart at wonderland of the americas (sup satx comm, miss u guys and minimini con)
52 Have you ever had twin loli or triplet loli? impression?
only once, at a friend's birthday party. several of us wore different shades of AP's misty sky, and it was a lot of fun!
someone in my old comm had a multi year hate vendetta against me, including doxxing me, because i wouldn't lend her any of my print multiples (which wouldn't have fit her anyway) when the local comm had a twin themed meet though lmao
53 What are you doing to keep in shape? Recommendations?
i walk a lot, and eat plenty of fresh fruit and veg.
54 Do you feel calm when alone in lolita?
sure why not
55 How much do you spend on lolita each month?
[redacted]
56 Did you have any time lag between learning about Lolita fashion and actually doing it or resistance to starting?
yeah, i learned about lolita in 2002 or so, but didn't have the money (and likely would not have been allowed to wear it) until getting away from my family when i left for college.
57 What is the most expensive thing you have ever bought? (In relation to Lolita)
tie between my AP gradient frill jsk and my AP mermaid symphony jsk.
58 Lolita really costs money, doesn’t it? How do you pay for Lolita?
for most of my lolita journey, i paid for it from working hourly jobs and/or reselling thrifted items. currently i pay for my hobbies off of some life insurance money from when my mother passed away a couple years ago, and secondhand sales here and there. my most recent job before that was working as a florist.
59 Just here. How much is the total cost you have spent so far?
i don't even know tbh. i've paid everything from around 9 bucks to $1,000 on each of my current brand main pieces, with most of them in the $75-150 range. i also pretty ruthlessly sell anything i don't love, so who knows what that works out to after doing this for nearly 2 decades.
60 Is there a store you would like to see nearby?
i live smack between the yokohama and shibuya btssb and AP branches, so i'm good. i would love for either of them, or closet child, to open a store in kawasaki though.
61 Just between us, is there a store that makes you say: ‘that’s a rip-off!’?
not really, i think designers should absolutely charge what they want to or need to. i guess meta's releases feel out of my budget compared to their peer brands these days, but it doesn't really matter since most of their modern work isn't my style.
62 Have you ever used an online shop? If you have, please give us some advice on the good points and bad points. If you haven’t, tell us why not.
yeah, i've used them a lot. right now living in japan without a japanese credit card, it can be a pain in the ass. but a lot of them do cash on delivery or combini payment, so i can make it work.
i'd say it's a bit annoying when i really love the color of something online, only for it to be severely different in person.
63 Just between us, even if you want to keep it your own secret, what’s an indie brand that makes you go "this is exactly my style."
i really like the realistic fruit works by EARL'S FAVOURITE, as well as several independent accessory makers who sell on sites like creema and booth.
64 Absolutely out of reach! But I want it! Do you have any brands or products like that for you?
not in lolita, but there's a few couture pieces i'd commit heinous acts for. (versace spring/summer 01, roberto cavalli spring/summer 01, dior fall/winter 03. i do have a versace ss01 palm skirt and some versace tops from the same period though <3)
65 What do you do with your tired old clothes?
sell! i have very little sentimentality, and prefer to ditch anything that's just taking up space. i also dyed a few blouses and cutsews when i got bored of the original color.
66 What was the most recent lolita and non lolita item of clothing you bought?
lolita: 2004 AP headdress
non-lolita: secondhand prada tessuto tote in dark green
67 What is something you missed out on that you’ll never see again, but you can’t forget?
i wish i had been more into sweet when i went to japan in 2008, there were a lot of nice solid AP and baby releases back then that are nearly impossible to track down now because they aren't the highly sought after prints. they're all probably languishing in normie resale shops and people's attics...
68 What do you think of dressing as a Lolita only during live performances?
i guess having spent most of my time in western comms, the equivalent to this would be those who only wear lolita to anime conventions. i gotta be honest, i think it's corny.
in my experience, it seems like lolita is not fashion or designer art to people like this, it's just a 'princess/magical girl experience' or cosplay minus a character. obviously people can wear whatever they want in the circumstances of their choice, but in my experience, i don't really vibe with people like this.
69 What do you think of No-Makeup-Lolita?
i prefer not to wear lolita without makeup myself, because i feel it looks 'incomplete' to have a blank face and such an elaborate outfit. but i can seee why others would want to skip makeup, and i don't judge either way.
70 You suddenly meet another person totally wearing Lolita! What do you do?
probably nothing if not approached first. but i would at least say hi back to someone who greeted me, and compliment their outfit as long as i actually like it.
71 How old is a Lolita allowed to be?
idk wear it until you're dead and decomposed, who cares. stylish elderly people are cool.
72 Under what conditions do you think Lolita should graduate? (You can answer ‘continue forever’)
i guess when it reaches the point that you feel obligated to wear lolita just for social media photos to stay 'relevant' instead of wearing it when and how you feel.
73 Stop this! Are there any things no one should do in Lolita fashion?
don't go without washing your clothes! seeing people talk about never washing their lolita clothes, or leaving them for days/weeks without washing, that's fuckin foul
74 Do you have a specific sense of what a perfect Lolita should be?
nah, i can only say what my ideal lolita aesthetic is for myself. and i wouldn't call that perfect, just perfect for me.
75 Other than what you said 73, what is something you wish people wouldn’t do?
honestly i think 'gimmick' poses like jojo posing and whatnot is too like,, wacky quirky weeb for me. i wouldn't say people *shouldn't* do it, just not something i would do myself, and i tend to ignore people's coord photos if they're meme or gimmick posing. i feel the same way about a lot of meme or fandom themed coords too.
76 What do you think about Lolita fashion for men?
hell yeah go for it
77 Have you changed in any way since you started Lolita?
not really. i've always been very interested in fashion and styling since my childhood in the 90s, lolita is just another iteration of that. i guess i did begin learning to read japanese initially from browsing brand sites pre-google-translate.
78 What do the people around you say about you wearing Lolita? Do you accept it?
nobody in my new area has said anything in particular. i got the stinkeye and some smiles from the old ladies around. obviously prefer the smiles, but the glares don't bother me either.
79 What kind of lolita fashion do you do in the hot summer months?
i used to live somewhere that got hot enough to be legit unsafe in lolita, but i imagine i'll probably spend my summers here in kanagawa in a lot of karami and light cutsews.
80 Do you go to school or work in Lolita?
i don't go to school or work at all. i have worn lolita to both of those situations in the past, though.
81 What is your usual outfit style?
fairly simple sweet, usually with a moderate amount of accessories-- at least a headbow + 2 smaller bows, at least a necklace and bracelet or wrist cuffs. rarely less but sometimes more. my style is probably what more modern lolitas would call 'casual,' but it's really just non-OTT.
82 Do you have any objections to second-hand goods?
absolutely not, i prefer them since most of what i like is 15+ years old anyway. i also like the sustainability of circular fashion.
83 Do you have a boyfriend (or husband)? Does he understand?
yes, my husband is my biggest hype man in lolita. his smile when he first sees me come downstairs from getting dressed always makes me feel a bit more confident.
84 Please tell us your ideal male image.
middle aged damaged goods
think venom snake from mgs, cliff deathstranding, raymond reddington, nanu/kuchinashi and larry/aoki from pokemon.
when me and my husband first started dating, my family kept asking me if i'm sure he's not a divorcé . that's my type lmao
85 What kind of person is the Lolita who left the biggest impression on you?
designers. maki and asuka of course, fumiko kawamura, and kuniko kato.
86 Have you ever made your own clothes? What kind of clothes is it?
i made a two piece rave set, but not lolita pieces. the thing i most love about lolita is the designers, so i like buying their work.
87 Have you ever made an accessory yourself? What did you make?
i've made a lot of polymer clay necklaces, and some rosettes with ap sample fabric squares
88 This thing I made was a great success! Is there anything you feel that way about?
these are probably my two favorite accessories i've made.
89 Tell us if you have an ideal Lolita outfit or coordination.
not really, i just wear whatever i feel like at the time
90 Is there anyone you admire? What kind of person are they?
not sure, i don't think i really relate to people in an admiration kind of way.
91 You can date any person for just one day. The other person will also dress however you want. Who is it and what kind of date?
pass
i have never planned a date or been the first to ask someone out in my life, not something i consider much
92 What kind of store would you like to have if you were to open one in the future?
i always wanted to run a curated 'junk' game shop where i fix up retro consoles and sell them along with retro games of my choosing.
93 When looking at lolita, your eyes will go straight to this motif. What is it?
the lace and structural elements (pintucks, princess seams, scallops, stuff like that)
94 Do you want your child to be a Lolita too?
i have zero interest in having children
95 How much can I spend on one loli outfit?
whatever's in your budget, idk
96 This is quintessentially Lolita! Is there a certain gesture that makes you think this.
either the 'arms at the sides, hands at 90° angle,' or the 'holding up two items.' the first one reminds me a lot of jenny dolls, i think it's really cute haha.
97 I want to wear that once in my life! Do you ever think that about any style other than lolita?
there's a lot of alt styles that i think look incredibly cool on others, but not on me as a 154cm, very feminine built person. if i wasn't a shortstack, i'd probably wear industrial goth or men's streetwear...
98 Looking at your Lolita collection or style, what one word would you use to sum it up?
heisei!
99 What is your ideal Lolita image?
i like the kinda surreal and esoteric style from GLB brand ads back in the day-- both the coords themselves and how they're presented visually. i'm a big fan of mariko mori's early self portrait photo composite work, and these kind of ads evoked that for me when i first saw them. (images below glb ads: 'pure land' and section from 'empty dream' by mariko mori)
100 Thank you very much! Please give us your impression of answering 100!
it was easy to write a fair amount, at least on the questions about clothing and styling, because i have so many thoughts and opinions there. the questions about dreams and fantasies were difficult to answer because i don't daydream or fantasize much. some of the questions got a bit more raw than i expected too, mainly the "true self" one haha.
soapbubbleseal, january 27 19[redacted], armenian-american
2 What is your height, weight, clothing size, and shoe size?
154cm, [redacted], US medium/JP large, [redacted]
3 What made you start doing Lolita fashion?
i first saw BtSSB while searching for images of vivienne westwood clothes. it made an impression at the time, but i didn't necessarily want to wear it myself. then about a year later, in 2003 or so, i came across the volks x btssb kira collab while getting into super dollfie. for whatever reason, that made me want to wear lolita for sure. i couldn't say for sure why this is what made lolita click for me. that particular OP and coord aren't actually my style at all.
4 What is your favorite Lolita genre?
on me, old school sweet.
i also really love the aesthetics of 2010s OTT sweet as well as punk and gothic coords with tartans-- on people who are not me.
5 Do you have any particular commitment to that genre, or your own definition of it?
yes, i have a lot of thoughts on old school and its current interpretation and place within lolita fashion. i came into lolita in the 2000s. since then, i have watched what we used to wear back in the day go way out of style, and then get revived by newcomers who learned about it from social media.
i think because a lot of newer lolitas are seeing old school through the lens of published magazine advertisements, and snaps from bloggers who had the reach and polish for a lot of their photos to have been archived and shared around, the look of neo-oldschool is kind of an over-refined version of what was once a more eclectic scene.
a lot of the coords i see being called 'old school' these days feel too instagram-worthy, almost *too* cohesive, they lack the grit and frumpiness of real old school. also the people who think that 'old school' and 'solid black and white' is the same thing, that's so dumb and annoying lol. i beg you to look at one (1) old magazine scan.
my commitment to my favorite substyle is buying the scrungliest old dresses i can lol
6 Do you have your ears pierced? How many piercings?
i have three holes in each ear on the lower half, i used to have an industrial on my left ear as well, but it suddenly rejected after 7 years when i got covid in 2020.
7 What is your favorite brand?
i'd say a tie between angelic pretty and btssb. ap more for main pieces, btssb for blouses and outerwear.
8 What is your favorite outfit?
probably when i wore twinkle mermaid with a blue bolero, blue shoes, and all white everything else.
9 How many lolita friends do you have?
uhh.. i have a lot of lolita acquaintances, and then a handful of specific people i'd consider friends. i don't have many interests in common (other than lolita) with the majority of lolitas i've met over the years, to be honest.
10 What is the best thing about wearing Lolita?
i get so much joy from styling outfits in any fashion genre, but especially lolita. i also love digging up info on old brand items that i come across.
11 On the contrary, what is the most unpleasant thing?
trying to make friends when most lolita gatherings (in western communities anyway) seem to center around eating and social media... i'm a high tea hater and i don't care about instagrammable cafes, rip
12 What is your favorite magazine?
alice deco a la mode
13 Team Headdress? Team Bonnet? Team Headbow?
any of the three, depending on my coord. although i'm not sure bonnets suit me haha.
14 Do you have bloomers?
yeap
15 Do you tie your headdress in front? or are you on the team that ties it behind your head?
behind my head, and pinned with bobby pins! tying in the front makes me feel like i'm being choked by a very weak person..
16 Do you have a favorite music genre or band?
too many to list
17 What is your mobile phone ringtone?
silent.
18 Do you go to lives in Lolita?
idk i think i've been to maybe 6 concerts in my entire life
19 For those who go to lives, do you headbang?
i did at sisters of mercy a couple years back haha
20 What color do you like?
sax, mint, and ivory.
21 What are your hobbies?
too many. video games, crafting, going for walks, and archival, to start.
22 Please tell me if you have a favorite perfume.
i have a pretty extensive perfume collection, i love scents! my current favorite is 'sweet muskmelon' by strangers parfumerie from thailand. it's a spicy-fruity summer type of scent.
also currently on heavy rotation-- sol de janeiro cheirosa 48, versace bright crystal, and dossier's 'citrus green apple' (dolce & gabbana 'light blue' dupe)
23 Is there anything you say “I’m careful about this” when it comes to lolita?
i always fold my skirts in my lap so as not to take up a ton of space on the train, or stand in the standing/luggage area in the driver car. i try to be mindful of others' personal space as well as my own.
24 Where are the places you visit / hang out at frequently?
in lolita, i like going to the areas around the larger train stations in my area. when i lived in the US, there was an antique mall i liked to go to in lolita, but they went out of business a few months before i moved away.
25 How many times a week do you wear Lolita?
trying to wear it every weekend, these days.
26 Please tell us the most embarrassing episode you had when you were a beginner in Lolita fashion.
i wore an ap main piece to a btssb tea party........ yabai lol (my blouse was baby at least)
27 What is your hairstyle and color now?
i have my hair chemically straightened (it's naturally around 3A/loose spiral curls), and currently just my natural black haircolor. my haircut is pretty simple, halfway down my back with blunt ends and longish bangs.
28 How long have you been in Lolita?
been wearing it since 2006 or so
29 Do you have a dedicated lolita storage space?
not really
30 Have you ever thought about leaving Lolita? If so, why?
yeah, i actually left lolita for a few years in the late 2010s. AP and baby's swassic releases at the time bored me to tears. i extremely did not vibe with my local comm at the time, as their lives seemed to revolve around anime and pastries, two things i don't give a shit about lol. at the same time, i was going through a period of feeling like i don't have the right personality for lolita. people kept expecting me to be upbeat and bubbly based on my aesthetic, then getting pissed off at me when they discover i'm quiet but blunt, and lowkey dead inside.
i'm glad i came back to lolita though.
31 What is your motto?
'i have to be the most esoteric bitch in (any given location)'
32 What are your dreams for the future?
idk i just want to have fun
33 “This person would definitely look good on Lolita!” Are there any celebrities you think that about?
i don't think about celebrities much
34 Please tell us the item with the most memories and those memories.
my btssb milk crown ring, it was a gift from my husband on our first christmas together.
35 What was the first item you got?
an 'in the starlight' alice in wonderland themed skirt, in pink, august 2006. my first name brand item was innocent world's flocky floral JSK, christmas 2007.
36 Do you have a signature pose for taking a picture?
no, i never have the slightest clue what to with my body or face without a mirror, monitor, or someone directing me. i did commercial modeling for about a year in my late teens, and can only pose if someone is yelling poses at me lol
37 What is the “Bible” of your heart? (Like what Books, magazines, CDs, etc. represent your inner self)
uhhh i would say the stuff i watch, read, and listen to chill is pretty different from what i actually relate to.
as far as CDs that represent my real self: smog - knock knock, the mountain goats - heretic pride, and neko case - the worse things get, the harder i fight, the harder i fight, the more i love you
movies: nightcrawler, leon: the professional, i tonya, blade runner
38 How many centimeters tall is the highest heel you have?
i used to wear pleasers, i guess 12cm or so back then. these days, i prefer lower heels around 6cm or less because they're easier to walk and take public transit in. i do have a pair of 15.5cm versace medusa aevitas pumps that i'm dying to wear with lolita at some point.
39 Have you ever worn a tiara?
i think once? in like.... 2007? 2008? it's not for me, i think.
40 Do you want to be a prince once in a while? What kind of prince? Dark and gothic? Ghostly in white?
nah. i don't care for the more dandy and historical style clothes, and even if i did, masc clothing doesn't suit my body type.
41 What kind of lace do you like?
cotton torchon, and in particular i have a soft spot for colored lace.
42 Do you own a (ball jointed) doll? Those who have them are usually so enthusiastic about them!
yes, quite a few. much like my clothes, i like buying the old scrungly secondhand ones.
43 What’s inside your lolita bag right now?
i leave my lolita bags empty until i'm carrying them with a coord. i used to keep my [redacted substance] in my kumya ruck back when i lived in the US though haha.
44 What is your favorite flower?
hibiscus and plumeria. i love flowers in general though.
45 What is your favorite accessory right now?
now and forever, the amo x ap collab jewelry. also really into anything with pink crocheted strawberries these days.
46 Please tell us your favorite / recommended cosmetics.
i just wear whatever looks nice to me at the drugstore or donki, although i did splash out on shiseido foundation. most of my current makeup is pretty basic bitch stuff like etude house and majolica majorca. i have a few flower knows palettes that i like as well.
47 Bright eyes are the hallmark of being a doll! So do you use false eyelashes? If you have any tips on how to use them, please let me know.
i don't, my natural eyelashes are so long that they already smudge mascara on my glases as it is.
48 What is your particular eye makeup style?
'learned how to do cateye liner in 2011 and proceeded to master no additional makeup skills whatsoever'
49 Is your lipstick red? Blue? black? pink?
i hate the way most lip color looks on me, so just clear or very lightly tinted plumping gloss.
50 What color do you often use for nail polish?
i have a cool toned pink from ILNP that i really like against my skintone
51 Have you ever changed your clothes in the toilet at the train station?
no but i have changed in convention center bathrooms, and in a car out back of the steinmart at wonderland of the americas (sup satx comm, miss u guys and minimini con)
52 Have you ever had twin loli or triplet loli? impression?
only once, at a friend's birthday party. several of us wore different shades of AP's misty sky, and it was a lot of fun!
someone in my old comm had a multi year hate vendetta against me, including doxxing me, because i wouldn't lend her any of my print multiples (which wouldn't have fit her anyway) when the local comm had a twin themed meet though lmao
53 What are you doing to keep in shape? Recommendations?
i walk a lot, and eat plenty of fresh fruit and veg.
54 Do you feel calm when alone in lolita?
sure why not
55 How much do you spend on lolita each month?
[redacted]
56 Did you have any time lag between learning about Lolita fashion and actually doing it or resistance to starting?
yeah, i learned about lolita in 2002 or so, but didn't have the money (and likely would not have been allowed to wear it) until getting away from my family when i left for college.
57 What is the most expensive thing you have ever bought? (In relation to Lolita)
tie between my AP gradient frill jsk and my AP mermaid symphony jsk.
58 Lolita really costs money, doesn’t it? How do you pay for Lolita?
for most of my lolita journey, i paid for it from working hourly jobs and/or reselling thrifted items. currently i pay for my hobbies off of some life insurance money from when my mother passed away a couple years ago, and secondhand sales here and there. my most recent job before that was working as a florist.
59 Just here. How much is the total cost you have spent so far?
i don't even know tbh. i've paid everything from around 9 bucks to $1,000 on each of my current brand main pieces, with most of them in the $75-150 range. i also pretty ruthlessly sell anything i don't love, so who knows what that works out to after doing this for nearly 2 decades.
60 Is there a store you would like to see nearby?
i live smack between the yokohama and shibuya btssb and AP branches, so i'm good. i would love for either of them, or closet child, to open a store in kawasaki though.
61 Just between us, is there a store that makes you say: ‘that’s a rip-off!’?
not really, i think designers should absolutely charge what they want to or need to. i guess meta's releases feel out of my budget compared to their peer brands these days, but it doesn't really matter since most of their modern work isn't my style.
62 Have you ever used an online shop? If you have, please give us some advice on the good points and bad points. If you haven’t, tell us why not.
yeah, i've used them a lot. right now living in japan without a japanese credit card, it can be a pain in the ass. but a lot of them do cash on delivery or combini payment, so i can make it work.
i'd say it's a bit annoying when i really love the color of something online, only for it to be severely different in person.
63 Just between us, even if you want to keep it your own secret, what’s an indie brand that makes you go "this is exactly my style."
i really like the realistic fruit works by EARL'S FAVOURITE, as well as several independent accessory makers who sell on sites like creema and booth.
64 Absolutely out of reach! But I want it! Do you have any brands or products like that for you?
not in lolita, but there's a few couture pieces i'd commit heinous acts for. (versace spring/summer 01, roberto cavalli spring/summer 01, dior fall/winter 03. i do have a versace ss01 palm skirt and some versace tops from the same period though <3)
65 What do you do with your tired old clothes?
sell! i have very little sentimentality, and prefer to ditch anything that's just taking up space. i also dyed a few blouses and cutsews when i got bored of the original color.
66 What was the most recent lolita and non lolita item of clothing you bought?
lolita: 2004 AP headdress
non-lolita: secondhand prada tessuto tote in dark green
67 What is something you missed out on that you’ll never see again, but you can’t forget?
i wish i had been more into sweet when i went to japan in 2008, there were a lot of nice solid AP and baby releases back then that are nearly impossible to track down now because they aren't the highly sought after prints. they're all probably languishing in normie resale shops and people's attics...
68 What do you think of dressing as a Lolita only during live performances?
i guess having spent most of my time in western comms, the equivalent to this would be those who only wear lolita to anime conventions. i gotta be honest, i think it's corny.
in my experience, it seems like lolita is not fashion or designer art to people like this, it's just a 'princess/magical girl experience' or cosplay minus a character. obviously people can wear whatever they want in the circumstances of their choice, but in my experience, i don't really vibe with people like this.
69 What do you think of No-Makeup-Lolita?
i prefer not to wear lolita without makeup myself, because i feel it looks 'incomplete' to have a blank face and such an elaborate outfit. but i can seee why others would want to skip makeup, and i don't judge either way.
70 You suddenly meet another person totally wearing Lolita! What do you do?
probably nothing if not approached first. but i would at least say hi back to someone who greeted me, and compliment their outfit as long as i actually like it.
71 How old is a Lolita allowed to be?
idk wear it until you're dead and decomposed, who cares. stylish elderly people are cool.
72 Under what conditions do you think Lolita should graduate? (You can answer ‘continue forever’)
i guess when it reaches the point that you feel obligated to wear lolita just for social media photos to stay 'relevant' instead of wearing it when and how you feel.
73 Stop this! Are there any things no one should do in Lolita fashion?
don't go without washing your clothes! seeing people talk about never washing their lolita clothes, or leaving them for days/weeks without washing, that's fuckin foul
74 Do you have a specific sense of what a perfect Lolita should be?
nah, i can only say what my ideal lolita aesthetic is for myself. and i wouldn't call that perfect, just perfect for me.
75 Other than what you said 73, what is something you wish people wouldn’t do?
honestly i think 'gimmick' poses like jojo posing and whatnot is too like,, wacky quirky weeb for me. i wouldn't say people *shouldn't* do it, just not something i would do myself, and i tend to ignore people's coord photos if they're meme or gimmick posing. i feel the same way about a lot of meme or fandom themed coords too.
76 What do you think about Lolita fashion for men?
hell yeah go for it
77 Have you changed in any way since you started Lolita?
not really. i've always been very interested in fashion and styling since my childhood in the 90s, lolita is just another iteration of that. i guess i did begin learning to read japanese initially from browsing brand sites pre-google-translate.
78 What do the people around you say about you wearing Lolita? Do you accept it?
nobody in my new area has said anything in particular. i got the stinkeye and some smiles from the old ladies around. obviously prefer the smiles, but the glares don't bother me either.
79 What kind of lolita fashion do you do in the hot summer months?
i used to live somewhere that got hot enough to be legit unsafe in lolita, but i imagine i'll probably spend my summers here in kanagawa in a lot of karami and light cutsews.
80 Do you go to school or work in Lolita?
i don't go to school or work at all. i have worn lolita to both of those situations in the past, though.
81 What is your usual outfit style?
fairly simple sweet, usually with a moderate amount of accessories-- at least a headbow + 2 smaller bows, at least a necklace and bracelet or wrist cuffs. rarely less but sometimes more. my style is probably what more modern lolitas would call 'casual,' but it's really just non-OTT.
82 Do you have any objections to second-hand goods?
absolutely not, i prefer them since most of what i like is 15+ years old anyway. i also like the sustainability of circular fashion.
83 Do you have a boyfriend (or husband)? Does he understand?
yes, my husband is my biggest hype man in lolita. his smile when he first sees me come downstairs from getting dressed always makes me feel a bit more confident.
84 Please tell us your ideal male image.
middle aged damaged goods
think venom snake from mgs, cliff deathstranding, raymond reddington, nanu/kuchinashi and larry/aoki from pokemon. when me and my husband first started dating, my family kept asking me if i'm sure he's not a divorcé . that's my type lmao
85 What kind of person is the Lolita who left the biggest impression on you?
designers. maki and asuka of course, fumiko kawamura, and kuniko kato.
86 Have you ever made your own clothes? What kind of clothes is it?
i made a two piece rave set, but not lolita pieces. the thing i most love about lolita is the designers, so i like buying their work.
87 Have you ever made an accessory yourself? What did you make?
i've made a lot of polymer clay necklaces, and some rosettes with ap sample fabric squares
88 This thing I made was a great success! Is there anything you feel that way about?
these are probably my two favorite accessories i've made.
89 Tell us if you have an ideal Lolita outfit or coordination.
not really, i just wear whatever i feel like at the time
90 Is there anyone you admire? What kind of person are they?
not sure, i don't think i really relate to people in an admiration kind of way.
91 You can date any person for just one day. The other person will also dress however you want. Who is it and what kind of date?
pass
i have never planned a date or been the first to ask someone out in my life, not something i consider much92 What kind of store would you like to have if you were to open one in the future?
i always wanted to run a curated 'junk' game shop where i fix up retro consoles and sell them along with retro games of my choosing.
93 When looking at lolita, your eyes will go straight to this motif. What is it?
the lace and structural elements (pintucks, princess seams, scallops, stuff like that)
94 Do you want your child to be a Lolita too?
i have zero interest in having children
95 How much can I spend on one loli outfit?
whatever's in your budget, idk
96 This is quintessentially Lolita! Is there a certain gesture that makes you think this.
either the 'arms at the sides, hands at 90° angle,' or the 'holding up two items.' the first one reminds me a lot of jenny dolls, i think it's really cute haha.
97 I want to wear that once in my life! Do you ever think that about any style other than lolita?
there's a lot of alt styles that i think look incredibly cool on others, but not on me as a 154cm, very feminine built person. if i wasn't a shortstack, i'd probably wear industrial goth or men's streetwear...
98 Looking at your Lolita collection or style, what one word would you use to sum it up?
heisei!
99 What is your ideal Lolita image?
i like the kinda surreal and esoteric style from GLB brand ads back in the day-- both the coords themselves and how they're presented visually. i'm a big fan of mariko mori's early self portrait photo composite work, and these kind of ads evoked that for me when i first saw them. (images below glb ads: 'pure land' and section from 'empty dream' by mariko mori)
100 Thank you very much! Please give us your impression of answering 100!
it was easy to write a fair amount, at least on the questions about clothing and styling, because i have so many thoughts and opinions there. the questions about dreams and fantasies were difficult to answer because i don't daydream or fantasize much. some of the questions got a bit more raw than i expected too, mainly the "true self" one haha.