In my own view, one should spend years studying and researching something, before actually jumping into that field. Just like Lolita Fashion beginners who encountered some obstacles they didn't consider before.

So we aspire to share some practical experience with Lolita Fashion Beginners because this blog aims to share with you six simple things you wish you would have known before getting into Lolita Fashion.

No.1 One Good Petticoat is Important

As a newbie in Lolita Fashion, you might've thought that whatever the brand was, or what the petticoat looked like didn't matter, because it's just going to be hidden under your dress. And you might've also thought that it will be all right as long as it makes the dress look puffy, or provided that it gives the dress some volume.

Moreover, a newbie would simply tuck an underlayer of an A-lined petticoat over the outer layer, or wear two or more petticoats under their dress to get a great puff. There is also another situation that newbies experience: they find petticoats that can actually achieve that really nice cupcake shape, but then it is itchy. This is because it has no lining which keeps the organza away from rubbing against the legs. So as a result, they will never wear it again because it is not comfy.

And then, some Lolitas then move on to a cheap hoop skirt, which is really good for hot weather. But the downside of it is, it may possibly do the job, yet it may not give you the perfect cupcake shape you are aiming for. So in the end, you will have a collection of unreliable petticoats, which is a total waste of time and money.

In the long run, you will always feel awful when you find deflated parts of your dress when you go out, and have someone take a picture of you. This is why one good petticoat, not two or more, is important to have.

So here are some good recommendations for a Lolita Fashion Newbie, from the least to the most expensive petticoat from our store.

* Processing time is the wait time for the items to get to the warehouse. The processing in our store is normally long, but we will give you an estimated time. If you contact us we will also update you.

Read How To Pick Up the Most Suitable Petticoat to learn about Lolita petticoats.

No.2 Wardrobe Planning

As curious newbies, it's difficult for us to tell the difference between what we want, and what we need. We always want everything all at once. For example, you can be obsessed with just one dress, but it doesn't mean you'll feel comfortable wearing it alone.

You will end up spending extra money if you buy whatever you want, without planning it ahead. For an instance, you should ask yourself these questions: "Will I be able to wear this outside?", "Will I feel confident and comfortable in my own skin if I wear this", or "Will this make me feel like I'm wearing a costume?" You should always think twice before buying anything, in view of the fact that some items from your wish list may not be realistic; they might not actually be what you are looking for, as daily wear. 

Therefore, you should do a paper wardrobe planning from the beginning by asking yourself, "What can I wear this with from my closet?", rather than telling yourself, "I have to have this, because it's so adorable!", without considering whether you can wear it again by tomorrow or not.  

On top of that, the amount of space that Lolita garments would take up on your wardrobe is pretty vital. You won't want to have an overstuffed wardrobe, or worse, wake up in a room with Lolita garments all over the place! Besides, you should always have extra space for your normie clothes.

In sum, Lolitas need to do wardrobe planning based on money, realistic needs, and wardrobe space.

*Tips on how to build up your wardrobe:

1). You can limit yourself to one color family in the beginning. 
It doesn't mean you only have to buy dresses in one color. You can buy stuff within one, or two color schemes. It can help you build plenty of interchangeable coords, with just a few pieces, while you're still starting out. 
In addition to that, you can save a lot of money, and it can also help you coordinate things much better. On the other hand, once you are already confident enough, you can then try complicated color combinations.

2). OPs are easier to coordinate with.
One-piece dresses are awesome, because half of your outfits are already completed, and all you have to do is add the right accessories. You can also wear capes, or boleros to style them in different ways.

3) Don't be afraid of getting a solid color Lolita dress. 
As far as I'm concerned, most beginners are into Sweet Lolita, and they want to buy sweet dresses. As for me, I would suggest buying a simple pink, sax, lavender, or ivory bodyline dress. It's probably a good introduction for beginners because even if it's just a simple coord, it will still look cute and dainty. It will also be more beneficial instead of going crazy with prints.

4) Keep your Lolita outfits together with your normie clothes.
It's an intuitive way to find out how much space you still have for another gorgeous Lolita dress because it can definitely stop you from shopping impulsively.

No.3 Customs Duties

If you have never shopped online from abroad before, you should be aware of customs duties in your country. You will potentially get customs duties if you ordered a package that is marked $800 or above. 

Devil Inspired can't guarantee that your packages will always be duty-free. And we always ship your package as a "Gift" and claim a much lower price to avoid high customs duties. But please kindly understand that our customers are responsible for the customs duties, which might be requested by your country.

No.4 How to Properly care for Lolita Clothes

Facing those beautiful Lolita garments, Lolita Newies often have no clue how to take good care of them. Here are some tips for Lolita Fashion Beginners:

1) For Garments That Just Came Out Of The Packaging

The garments that just came out of the packaging may have a weird smell. The smell could be from the packaging but a simple wash can fix it.

You should keep in mind that cleaning it safely first, does not only de-wrinkle the garment but can also extend its lifespan.

The first wash should be hand-washed separately in low-temperature water. Please note that you should not soak garments for a long time, and also, dark fabrics will have floating colors, which is normal for the first wash.

Lastly, you should immediately hang the garments to dry after the simple cleaning. The garments can only be ironed at low temperatures, especially when wrinkles appear.

2) How to Hang 

Never forget to flatten the fabric before you hang it to dry. You should be extra careful in hanging Lolita garments with elastic straps. It will be better to use a hanger with clips to avoid losing elasticity because the weight of the dress will weigh it down.

Moreover, keep your Lolita garments away from direct sunlight, if you wish for your dress to maintain its bright color. Prints also have a tendency to fade more quickly when exposed to direct sunlight.

3) How to Store

To store your Lolita garments, you can either fold or hang them; you can keep them in your closet, or cover them with a curtain to avoid exposure to the sun. You can also get a dust cover if you want to preserve them. But you should always be careful in storing them.

4) How to Iron

When wrinkles appear, the garments should only be ironed at low temperatures.

5) How to Wash 

Hand wash and Machine wash are both fine, while Dry Cleaning is optional. Also, you should always check the tags before washing.

• Wash Tips:
• ① Don't wash with dark clothes at the same time
• It is best to wash separately or wash with a small number of clothes of the same color. Multi-clothing mixed washing may lead to color mixing and stain the white lace fabric.
• ② Remove the detachable items before washing
• Such as knot-bows, detachable sleeves, or false collars, those items can be hand-washed separately later.
• ③ Machine wash with a laundry bag
• Use a laundry bag to prevent the fabric from tearing or stretching. Lolita dresses usually have a lot of little details like lace, and other things. By using a laundry bag, you can avoid breaking it while washing it in the washing machine.
• ④ Spin-dry and tumble-dry are both okay
• Do not over-tumble-dry any Lolita garments. You should take it out when it is still damp. After a spin-dry or a tumble dry, gently tug the straps and cotton lace in the front of the chest to flatten, and then hang it to dry.
• ⑤ No Bleach
• Do not use bleach or laundry detergents that contain bleaching ingredients.
• ⑥ Dilute the Detergent
• You should dilute the detergent with water before adding it, also, do not add it directly to the laundry.

For Lolita Garments Care Tips, you can click to learn more details.

No.5 Don't Feel Pressured With Coords At The Beginning

Every Lolita should know that we aren't being considered as a Lolita by certain amounts of coords. It's fine to just have a few coords in the beginning.

Once, we, Lolitas, start buying stuff, we always want to buy everything all at once, which will be really stressful at the beginning. Every Lolita beginner should know that a perfect Lolita wardrobe requires patience and time. Therefore, you don't need to feel pressured to have all the Lolita stuffs at the beginning.

It may take a few years to build up an actual full cohesive wardrobe. You might only have one, two, or three types of dresses, which is totally normal for a Lolita Fashion Beginner.

So, please take your time! As the saying goes, "Well begun is half done". There is no need to rush into the Lace Market if you still don't know what suits you best.

No.6 Style Your Hairstyle to Fit Lolita Outfit

A good hairstyle is one of the most important things in order to do a good Lolita Coordinate.

We all know that a natural hairstyle will be awesome to fit your particular Lolita outfit with, so long as it is styled right. However, it will take time and patience to learn, and figure out how to style it right. We, Lolitas, require long-term effort for that.

In the meantime, wigs are more dependable for newbies. So, here are some recommendations from our store:

For Lolita Wigs, you can click here to find more on our websites.

There will always be a variety of things we never think about. But eventually, we will all grow out of our missteps. Besides these things above, what else is it that you wish you would have known in advance? Please comment to leave your experience!