Ultimate Guide for Beginners 

As far as I've been keeping track for, Bodyline hasn't restocked for almost an entire year. Do you think there's any chance of Bodyline ever restocking, or does the future look grim? The shop's practically empty.

 I wouldn’t necessarily say the future looks grim, but it’s not an easy call to make. Bodyline has never particularly been smart or straightforward about anything so there are a lot of ways their actions could be taken. The way I see it though, they probably aren’t going under or anything like that, they might just be trying to get back in shape. The fact that they closed the Osaka and Nagoya stores but not the Harajuku store tells me that they haven’t given up on anything, if that was the case why not just shut down all the stores at once? There’s always the chance that they said “Okay, these two stores aren’t doing very well but online is doing so well we’re almost sold out of everything, so let’s switch gears and refocus our energy.” It’s possible that the product from the closed stores will be added to the online inventory. It’s possible that the site is down so they can revamp and add new product. Or it’s possible that Mr. Yan is just a weird dude and terrible business owner and doesn’t know what’s happening with his own brand anymore. 

It’s not outside the realm of possibility that Bodyline isn’t doing well. Their business practices have always been a bit shady but they’re popular because they’re cheap. Nowadays though Bodyline isn’t the only place to get cheap Lolita. It seems that new TaoBao shops are popping up everyday offering beautiful designs for reasonable prices from designers who don’t put themselves on body pillows and hold model contests to search for a waifu. In all honesty, Bodyline going under wouldn’t be the worst thing in the world. When I first started getting into Lolita nobody really bought Bodyline! Back then they didn’t have anything worth buying so those of us who couldn’t afford brand (or the shopping services required to buy brand at that time for that matter) would find other means. It may not have been as easy as it is when Bodyline forgets about a sale and keeps it around for a year, but I promise it is possible to survive as a broke Lolita in a world without Bodyline. Take my word for it, even if they are going under it’s not the end of the world or the end of Lolita.

That being said, I don’t think they are going under and I don’t think there is sufficient evidence as of now to imply that they are. If and when such evidence does arise however I will admit that I was wrong and share the news.

What happened to the Bodyline site? Has Mr Yan decided to leave us and betray the broke lolitas?

I popped into my messages just to see if I got a question about this and wanted to make sure I post something before people start to panic. There is a rumor going around that Bodyline is closing due to what appears to poor translations. Their Osaka and Nagoya shops are closing but everything else is fine. They just happen to be having technical issues with their website (which happens somewhat frequently) at the same time which is unfortunate timing. If it’s anything like usual it’ll be back within a few days. If it turns out there are some further issues I’ll post an update but for now there doesn’t appear to be reason for alarm. If you’re interested in browsing their Rakuten is still up.

A lot of people have asked me in the past about where they can find big Lolita purses that hold a lot of stuff and a lot of the time it’s hard to find ones that suit Sweet Lolita very well so I’m really excited to share this one from Cotton Candy Feet! It’s super adorable, comes in a lot of different colors, can be worn three ways, and holds a ton of stuff! Lovely Lor just did a video on it showing how much she can fit in hers (and also mentions a coupon code at the end) so check it out if you’re in the market for a big Lolita bag!

#i'm just really excited about how great this bag is

Based on a previous ask by another anon: why would there be hate towards lolita? I'm not part of the community, (I can't pull off that kind of fashion) but I still appreciate it! I don't see why it would deserve hate?

It’s not really hate toward Lolita from the outside world that they were talking about, it’s hate within the Lolita community. Just Lolitas being mean to other Lolitas.

That being said, there are people who I guess give Lolita hate just because they’re mean people and think that anything they consider different is weird and wrong. There are plenty of people who don’t understand it and think it’s fetishy in one way or another and they’re generally just closed-minded people who don’t care to learn about things they don’t get.

I know that you aren't an Ouji expert, but there's no ouji tips blog, alas, so I have a question. Would it be possible to make a JSK into some kind of Ouji pants/shorts? And how hard would it be? (I still want to keep the "jumper" I guess part of the jsk so it looks a bit like overalls??) Thanks in advance! (Btw I was planning on using a bodyline jsk since it's the cheapest option)

I have actually seen a few people do similar things. matticus-nightshade is an example of someone who has done it a few times with amazing results! Unfortunately I haven’t come across any tutorials for it but I don’t imagine it’s terribly difficult If you have some sewing experience. Sorry I can’t offer much more help other than inspiration.

I really can't find where and how to give feedback on Lacemarket, I've looked through the Q&A on LM and still didn't have a clue. I don't want to be the person not leaving feedback, just because I don't know how to :(

It is in their FAQ, point 3 under “Payments and After Sale.”

For shoulder measurements in OPs and blouses,do you measure from where the "elbow bone" meets your body trunk to the same place in the opposite side,or from the outermost part of your shoulders?

The best way is to wear a well-fitted shirt with sleeves and having someone measure from shoulder seam to shoulder seam across the top of your back. Like this:

There seems to be a lot of hate going around in the lolita community (for example on reddit or behind the bows). Is that something I should worry about as a beginner or have I just looked in the wrong places?

If you don’t want to see hate, don’t go to places that are known for it. Reddit, btb, 4chan, etc. are places you should avoid if that’s not the kind of thing you want to come across. Anywhere that allows everyone the opportunity to speak with complete anonymity is going to bring out the worst in people and it can be hard to look at if you’re not used to it because it seems like there’s a TON of hate out there. It’s good to keep in mind though that what you’re seeing in those places isn’t the majority of the community. Remember that since you’re seeing people post anonymously you could actually be seeing the same person posting a lot and never know. For all you know half the posts on btb could be coming from the same person. Some people are just mean and like to surround themselves with drama but don’t come into the fashion thinking everyone is like that.

IYO what type of petticoat is best, organza or hard tulle?

I personally like organza because it’s more comfortable to wear. It does tend to take more organza to make a full petti though because it doesn’t hold shape as well and has to be pretty tightly gathered. What I’ve seen some people do with handmade pettis is use organza for the innermost and outermost layers and then tulle in between so you get the best of both worlds.

Hello! I'm putting together a guro coord and I was wondering if I can get a little help? I found a necklace that I really like, but it might be a little controversial? It's a choker and it looks like your neck was cut, so there's blood dripping down. Do you think this might be a little too morbid for a coord?

It’s probably not the right piece for an everyday coord but if you’re going to an event where Guro is expected (a themed meet for example) I say go for it. Guro Lolita is meant to be a little bit morbid anyway.

Welcome to Lolita tips! I offer tips and advice for any Lolitas in need and anon is always on if you want it. So if you need any help, feel free to drop by my ask box or submissions! (Please read the FAQ before asking questions.) Disclaimer: This blog is simply a way to help those who are in need of it. While Lolita has no set-in-stone rules and is open to a lot of creativity there are certain things that need to be in place in order to keep with the Lolita aesthetic. There are things that make Lolita the fashion that it is, much like with any other fashion subculture but there are always elements that you can play around with. I am simply here to help guide anyone who seeks advice and help them make the most out of their coordinates. (Header art by cat-saavy)