Lolita Closet - Bodyline Nostalgia Waloli Set (L051)

One of the more interesting sets I have in my closet is from Bodyline. It was the first Japanese lolita-esque item I ever bought on my first trip to Japan with my family back in 2008. I remember going to Harajuku and seeing Bodyline and thought some of the sets and prints were very cute and affordable. At that point in time, I wanted the set more to wear at a convention and never thought I would start collecting and wearing lolita. This is the Nostalgia Waloli set (L051) that retails for 4999 yen.

Waloli set from Bodyline

I remember going into Bodyline and trying to try on the top in store. After some miscommunication and sign language, I realized that they don't allow customers to try on their clothes in the store. I also realized it was one size, but I remember the shop girl giving me a thumbs up saying it would fit me...haha! 

There's three components to this outfit set. The top, the skirt and the waist piece. I chose this waloli set because I liked the blossom pattern on the fabric and thought it was a nice budget piece. The top is a one size fit and quite loose on me. There are some ties around the waist area on the front panels to secure it in place and to get that 'Y' on the front of the top. The way that the ties are built in, it's impossible to not put it on correctly. The front panels are lined with some black cotton lace and is on the collar as well.

Back photo

The sleeves have fully finished seams, so you can hide some items in them without anything falling out. I think I put some random things in my sleeves, like coins or some tissue, when I wore this outfit to a convention. 

The skirt has an elastic waist and does not give too much. You could probably replace the elastic if it is too tight, but it was alright for me. It consists of a black ruffled under layer and has two asymmetrical cut pieces of the blossom fabric which is all sewn together at the waist band.

I could never figure out if I should tuck in the top into the skirt and then place the waist belt on top, but I remember thinking it didn't look quite right, and even on the promotional pictures on Bodyline's site, it had the bottom portion of the top sitting on top of the skirt. I had habit of tucking in the bottom corners of the front panels into the front of my skirt, just to help give some volume to the skirt and visual interest. I don't think it matters that much, considering the fabric really blends in on itself. How you wear it and whether you tuck it in or not is all up to your own preference.

Butterfly bow

The waist bow is pre-constructed and looks more like a butterfly than a traditional obi bow. It is made of the same black cotton fabric with interfacing to help reinforce it to keep it's shape. The whole back panel of the waist belt is shirred, and the way you put it on is with a zipper fixture on the side. There are two decorative ties that go all the way around the belt, and are adjustable.

I was lucky on my trip since I managed to find some cute zori shoes in a shop called Geta-ya in Asakusa. They were out in the front of the store on display for sale and I remember thinking, they might match this outfit! I had to make my own black tabi socks to go with this outfit when I did wear it since I couldn't find any black ones in Japan.

I hope you thought this blog post was interesting and you liked this feature. It's not a common choice for someone to have a set like this in their lolita closet and it leans more towards a costume piece rather than a fashion piece. However, I still consider it something unique and combines that fusion between tradition and unconventional fashion from Japan.

Until next time!
Stay fancy!

<3  

Lolita Closet - Bodyline Carousel JSK in Black

It's been awhile since I've done a closet post! I really think I should wear lolita more often, but I haven't had the chance to plan many outings to wear my dresses to. This time around, let's look at my Bodyline Carousel Dress! Also known as the L144 dress on their site, it is unofficially called the Carousel print and is a popular and iconic print from Bodyline. It comes in black, yellow, pink, lavender and saxon blue!

Bodyline Carousel Print (L144)

I acquired this print while I was shopping at the Harajuku Bodyline location in Japan. At first I had saw the skirt version and I really liked it, until I walked over to the OP and JSK rack and immediately my eyes went to the JSK. I also purchased the matching knee high socks and the head bow to go with the outfit.

Bodice

The complete set was very affordable and the print was extremely cute. That's the nice thing about Bodyline, is that it is a good starting point for a lolita. Even if there are negative connotations with the company and because of it's prior history (of being a adult costume shop), nowadays, you can find some fun and charming prints in their lolita section.

The straps on the JSK have elastic built into them, although I found no need for it to stretch. The dress features a side zipper and the bow in the front is removable. There is black lace trim along the front and integrated into the design on the dress. It actually blends into the fabric design, but it adds some visual texture if you're looking closely.

Back of the dress

There is a shirring panel on the back of the dress and it is hidden by the ribbon corseting. Since this was the last dress they had in the store, it was size LL. It was actually a bit loose on me, but I was really surprised that I would have to buy an LL sized dress. However, since Japanese sizing is graded very small, it makes sense that I would have to get an L or a LL. 

The waist ties are permanently attached to the side seams of the dress. I've seen and read about fellow lolitas who removed the waist ties from Bodyline dresses because they didn't like them! To each their own (^__~*)!

The knee highs were very cute! Initially I didn't get them when I bought the dress, but on a return visit, I decided to get them because they were not expensive (500 yen) and it would help complete the set. The socks feature one of the carousel horses and the colored stars that appear throughout the print.

The lace used to line the hem of the dress isn't of particular high quality, and can be a bit scratchy, but if you have a petticoat on, it is not a problem.

Carousel Print

The print itself is very adorable, featuring horses and stars, it has a very whimsical feel to it. They used this part of the print to make the matching tote bags out of. This past summer, I decided to get the bag since it was in stock on the site. At the moment, I don't have a picture of it though! /(>_<;)\

Headbow, pink version

The Harajuku store and online site did not have the black version of this head bow in stock. To be honest, I've never seen it! So I opted to get the 'pink' version of the head bow which has white lace instead. Because there is white occurring in the overall design of the print, it matches quite well and helps it stand out against my black hair! (*o*@!)

Although I have the complete set to this outfit, I've never worn it all together. I think it would be too over the top, but I like having all the pieces to this set. It's probably the only set that I own that is so complete!

As I write this post today, the dress is not in stock on the Bodyline site, however the skirt should still be in stock. But because this print is quite popular it does come back ever so often! This dress I got during it's second release. So, if you're looking to get it, just keep your eyes open for it!

Until next time!
♥

Lolita Closet - Metamorphose Room Print

Ever since we wore lolita in Japan on our last trip, my sister has voiced that she would probably never own a brand print because sizing by brand companies is non-existent. It's hard for more fuller shaped ladies to wear lolita since most brands have one-size only items. Although most designs feature shirring panels, it's still difficult to find a dress that accommodate you if you're busty or have a fuller shape.

My sister wasn't deterred and still dressed up in the spirit of lolita when we were out and about in Japan. Right now the only brand pieces she owns are from Bodyline since they offer larger size ranges for some of their dresses. I've been keeping my eyes open to find a brand dress that my sister would like and would also fit in. After a few months of searching, I was successful.

Here is Metamorphose's Room Print JSK (Fully shirred)

Metamorphose Room Print Shirred JSK

The nice thing about this dress is that the bodice is fully shirred and can stretch up to 48", perhaps even 50". Even when I tried it on for fun it looked fine on me and I have a 34" bust. I think the border print design of this dress is adorable. It's based on a princess or fairytale room which is a theme that's consistent with Metamorphose.

Detail on the front bodice

Since the bodice is fully shirred, there isn't a zipper. Although you could probably just slip the dress on, one of the nice design details Meta did was to add a functional placket on the front. It's hard to see, but the bows can untie and you can unbutton the buttons to help you slip the dress on easier. The white lace and ruffles frame where the placket opening is. 

Detail on the inner part of the placket

Another nice detail Meta thought about was to add a snap at the top of the placket. Since the button at the top is about 1" away from the edge, they added a snap to help reinforce the shape and reduce stress on the top button. They really thought it out well!

Removable bows

The dress comes with two removable bows that are placed on the straps. I suppose if you didn't have the matching head band you could have turned these into hair clips. They're a nice cute shape and subtle within the design of the dress.

Metamorphose Room Print detail

Here's a picture of the border print! True to Metamorphose's designs, they have added many of their trademark swans into the print. They are in the motif on the door frame and the handles on the window frame. Until I looked closer I noticed they also added a pair of swans on top of the mirror frame and as the decoration handle for the drawer on the vanity. The picture frame has an image of two swans looking at each other. It's very whimsical and are classical Metamorphose details!

The print also features a cat and a poodle. It's very hard to spot the poodle since it blends into the background. The colorway is faulty for this because the poodle is more prevalent in the white/pink colorway. In the picture frame on the dresser, there's a photo of the poodle and cat next to each other like best friends!

You can also see that Meta used a simple lace along the hem of the dress.

Back of Room Print

This dress has the thinnest waist ties when compared to the dresses that I own. It doesn't take away from the overall design but it intrigued me to see that they were thin. The shoulder straps are adjustable if you remove the buttons and reposition them to fit yourself. There are two buttons per strap.

The dress features a black lining and has a built in layer of tulle to add some volume which is a trademark of most of Metamorphose's dresses.

Matching headband

This is the matching headband for the dress. It has wire built into the bow so you can adjust and shape the bow to your liking. It's similar to my Swan Lake headbow. There are some pearl accents on the bow and the previous owner added a pink Swarovski crystal in the center for some sparkle. 

There is a bit of a nightmare story attached to this dress and I wasn't expecting to have to restore it. The previous owner decided to hot glue gun some rhinestone bows onto the print, and while I knew that it was there I didn't think they were so prevalent. I was not fond of them and neither my sister. (I believe her reaction was shock.) So I took a few days to remove the bows and get rid of the glue from the print. After lots of spot cleaning with water, solvent, tweezers and endless patience, I've removed 95% of the glue but there's still a bit on it that I cannot get out without damaging the print and fabric. Overall the restoration worked out well and you can hardly tell that there was any fault to the print. 

The only things I left on the dress were the pink Swarovski crystals that were places on the pink stars/sparkles. It was subtle and didn't take away from the print so I left them.

The dress is ready to be presented to my sister, so I hope she's happy with her first Metamorphose dress!

♥

Lolita Fashions - Pt. 2 (featuring Bodyline)

In my previous post about Lolita fashion, I talked about how lolita brands are quite important within the community. I mentioned how being lolita can get quite elitist because wearing certain brands and prints have the added connotation with it; that it's expensive or 'cheap'. It's the same with every type of hobby, fashion item or collectors item out there...there's always something that's worth more and seen more as a high end product. However, do not fret, Bodyline has it's positive aspects too!

In terms of lolita, Bodyline is the 'cheap' and low end company to go to for affordable lolita. They offer a various amount of clothing on their online website, from punk to cosplay. I like Bodyline because they offer up to many sizes in their clothes, while compared to major brand companies, most are only One Size. The prices are quite affordable and if you're just starting out in the lolita fashion, it provides a good foundation for you to build on to build a lolita wardrobe. Not everyone can afford the very expensive brand dresses from Baby the Stars Shine Bright or Angelic Pretty, which can range anywhere from $250 - $400 for one dress.

Bodyline JSK Carousel Dress

A small problem with Bodyline is that their prints can be a bit over powering and have a bit of a cheap quality to it. It's makes lolita more like cosplay than a fashion sub-culture. Some of the prints released by Bodyline are exclusive to the company, so some hardcore lolitas can recognize the print and size you up just based on what you're wearing! That shouldn't bother you in my opinion, since it didn't bother me before. It only did recently when I found the same dress I was wearing from Bodyline (on the left) at one of the biggest discount chain stores in Japan. That...was bad. But despite me being a bit miffed at finding it in a discount store, I still adore that dress. I really love the print and colors. Sometimes you just gravitate towards something, and that's what happened with this dress. 

Bodyline offers some great staple items to build your lolita wardrobe from in my opinion. Their shirts are a good base to work from and the quality is not bad at all. Most of their shirts are made of polyester so you might get warm in them in hot weather since the material doesn't "breathe" but as long as you plan your outfit correctly you should be fine. The sizing listed on the size is quite accurate, but I find I can range anywhere from M size to T2L (Tall double large). The one good thing about Bodyline is that they offer sizes up to 4L (US size 14/16), and many items have lace up backs or shirring to help with the sizing. A couple of my dresses are 2L because that was all they have left, they are loose, but the ribbons that lace up in the back usually help with making it fit better. Some items only come in M size, but that just means it's one-size only.

Their shoes come in various sizes ranging from 22.5 - 27cm. I'm a size 6.5/7 shoe, which fits into 23-24 in Bodyline lolita shoes.

Bodyline items in their packaging.

Sorry for the wrinkles, but this is a better picture of the print of this dress I just got recently.

Close up of this shirt.

The details of this shirt.

  The white shirt cost more than anything else, but the details are great and it beats me trying to sew it together right now anyways. A brand label shirt can cost up to $250, so finding some classic staple shirts to layer under dresses is a good way to build up a lolita wardrobe.

I find that wearing Bodyline shouldn't mean that you can't afford brand Lolita dresses. Everyone has to start somewhere, and as long as you are embracing the ideal of lolita; such as being modest, polite and ladylike, those are great qualities to have. That doesn't come from wearing non-brand or brand items. I think the most important thing is to have fun and enjoy the hobby. If it makes you feel better at the end of the day with your friends, it should be worth it. I know I had a great time in lolita while we were in Tokyo, and I look forward to our next lolita day the next time we're there!

It's a common joke between my friends and I that Bodyline is my home away from home since I have quite a few dresses from the company. But, what can I say? I was a student in university and it was just fun dressing up in cute dresses. Now that I can afford brand dresses, I can further explore this hobby. ♥

Since I've got my sister into this hobby now, she told me that this month, shipping from Bodyline is $1 to anywhere. It's a promotion to celebrate their company/store anniversary. Let's just say that I got some more random items \(^__^")/

Lolita Fashions - Pt. 1

Recently on my trip to Japan...I've really taken a liking to Lolita fashion. I've done Waloli and some casual lolita here at home at Anime North, but after this trip sparked something within me.

We had Lolita day where we all dressed up and had some fun walking around in Akihabara going into the various shops and puri-kura machines. It was really fun, but I noticed throughout the trip, I don't see to many lolitas out and about anymore. Granted, some of the areas we were going didn't have a high percentage of a chance to see them anyways LOL

Part of the reason we were dressing up was because we were going to the @Home Maid Cafe. I'll blog about that soon! It was very cute and interesting to go to a real maid cafe.. :)

Keiko and I waiting to be seated. @Home Maid Cafe, Japan.

Now, I'm an amateur when it comes to lolita fashion, but if I'm going to do it, gotta do it right! So we brought the stockings, extra dress shirts and our petticoat. Keiko and I did buy the dresses we're wearing above in Japan, but I did bring an extra one just in case I didn't find one for myself.

It's very interesting when I read and check out sites and forums about the fashion itself, how it's quite elitist. Different brands and prints all contribute to whether you're a 'legitimate' lolita or just a cheap 'cosplaying' one.

I've always loved Metamorphoses dresses and designs. They just have the most unique prints that capture my mind. Some are a bit strange, but I appreciate that the brand tries to think outside the box. I did get a Metamorphose dress towards the end of this trip. Probably one of their most beautiful prints in my opinion, the Swan Lake OP (one piece) dress.

Sleeves and bows are removable. Mine didn't come with the collar piece. I also bought the matching headband.

 

Detail of the print

I've got a soft spot for fantasy prints...it's horrible! I could probably spend a whole blog post talking about Metamorphose, but I won't! The only reason I went out on a limb to get this dress was because at the maid cafe, our maid commented us all on our dresses and asked where we got them from. To make it short, I was quite embarrassed when it was my turn and it was revealed my dress was a Bodyline dress. LOL God, I love Bodyline, but it's seen as the lowest of the low when it comes to Lolita shops. Even the maid laughed at me and did a really cute "Shhhh I won't tell" to us.

Aughhhhhhh, the embarrassment. *gets shot*

To make matters worse, when we were in Donki, they had a Bodyline section, and they had the exact same dress I was wearing. I was standing there, holding the same dress next to mine having a minor heart attack. That drove the nail into the coffin. It's bad when a maid laughs and jokes with you about your dress, but when you see it at one of the biggest thrift stores in Japan. That really hurts. :(

So, my unfinished business in Harajuku was to find a lolita dress (and to find some stuffed animals at Kiddyland). I was dead set on finding and buying one that day, even if it melted my credit card.

So, I have one brand dress in my closet and it's beautiful. Now I just need an occasion to wear it. That's the shame about living here in Toronto...the fashion is so...conservative. Need to have a lolita day with my friends so that we have group impact. If I do it myself...I'll just get weird stares. Which I'm used to anyways, because of cosplay. -__-'

Next Lolita Fashions post will be about Bodyline.