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Where to Buy

Lolita Fashion and Accessories

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Japanese Brands

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Japanese Brands - Big Names

  • Angelic Pretty
  • Baby the Stars Shine Bright/Alice and the Pirates
  • Innocent World
  • Moi-Meme-Moitie
  • Atelier Pierrot
  • Metamorphose Temps de Fille
  • Bodyline

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Site: https://innocent-w.jp/onlineshop/en/###

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Site: https://moi-meme-moitie.com/

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Site: https://www.metamorphose.gr.jp/online-shop

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Site: https://www.bodylinetokyo.co.jp/?lang=en

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Japanese Brands - Other Names

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Japanese Brands - Other Names

Bonus: Kira Imai - Angelic Pretty featured artist - https://www.instagram.com/kiraimai/

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Official Japanese Resellers

  • Harajuku Hearts: https://www.harajukuhearts.com/
    • Physical store: San Francisco, CA
  • Wunderwelt Fleur: https://www.wunderwelt.jp/en/fleur/brands/wunderwelt
    • Several Japanese, Chinese, and Indie brands are available on this site
  • Lolita Collective: https://store.lolitacollective.com/
    • Frequents conventions
    • Also resells many indie brands
  • Kuroshiro Kawaii: https://kskawaii.com/pages/about
    • Physical store: Houston, TX
  • Flores Astorum: https://floresastorum.storenvy.com/
    • Stocks a few Japanese & indie brands
  • Lolitabutiken: https://lolitabutiken.se/
    • Located in Sweden
    • Carries many indie brands as well

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Chinese Brands

Taobao

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What is Taobao?

  • A Chinese shopping site owned by Alibaba
  • Provides platform for small businesses and entrepreneurs to sell items
    • Like Etsy
  • Many Chinese indie lolita brands are listed on Taobao
    • Hence, Chinese indie brand = “Taobao” brand
  • Somewhat difficult to buy from (interface/Google translate issues)
  • Many Taobao shops will not ship outside of China
  • Generally cheaper than Japanese brands (with exceptions)
  • Sizing note: most brands do offer at least 3 basic sizes, unlike Japanese brands
    • Sizes are “Asian sizes”, so usually size up if you’re not Asian
  • Article about Taobao misconceptions: http://www.rainedragon.com/how-the-western-lolita-community-is-failing-chinese-brands/

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Direct Buy Brands

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Chinese Resellers

  • Order stock from taobao shops that you can buy in stock
  • Easier to buy from, but items are usually marked up
  • Occasionally does pre-orders
  • Be careful! Scams abound - check for with other lolitas for reviews
  • Shortlist:

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Chinese Brands (need a shopping service)

  • There are too many to list here (probably at least a couple hundred total)
  • Some lists with links are in the references
  • Some of my favorites:
    • Belle Langue - famous for “code dress”
    • Boguta - starry underskirts and extendable petticoats
    • Classical Puppets - OTT dresses, famous basic petticoat
    • Ista Mori - “Nameless Poem”
    • Krad Lanrete - unique prints and styles
    • Le Flacon - newer, mori girl, lacey
    • Little Dipper - sweet, classic
    • Moonlight Forest - Fantasy Castle
    • Red Maria - printed, comfortable tights
    • Shimotsuki Sakuya - starry print

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Shopping/Forwarding Services

SS

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What is a Shopping Service?

  • A person or company who will buy an item for you and ship it to you for a small fee
  • For stores that don’t ship overseas and/or don’t take payment from overseas
  • Shopping Service guide: http://www.rainedragon.com/raines-guide-to-shopping-services/
  • Often you will pay shipping separately, after the SS has received the item and can weigh it

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Japanese Shopping Services

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Chinese Shopping Services

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General Advice For Shopping on Taobao

  1. Try to buy directly from the brand first, if possible
  2. If not, try a shopping service (usually cheaper than a reseller)
    1. Good for when you find out about the dress when it’s in “pre-order” stage
    2. Confirm the full cost with the SS (including fees) before committing to the purchase
  3. If you’re looking at a dress after it’s come out, check the stock on resellers
  4. Price shop different resellers to see which has the dress the cheapest

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International/Indie Brands

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Indie Brands?

  • Brands that are usually run by one or two people (small scale)
  • Clothing is often handmade or specially designed
  • Frequently clothes are Made-to-Order
    • Pay for an item during the “pre-order” period
    • Items are made and shipped to you 1-6 months after pre-order
      • A lot of Chinese Indie brands only do pre-orders
  • Sizing is often custom or has more variety
  • Usually mid-range in price
    • Somewhere between a Chinese and a Japanese brand (with exceptions)

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Other Asian Indie Brands

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US Indie Brands

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European Indie Brands

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Other Indie Brands

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Secondhand

Buying previously-owned items

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Japanese (direct)

  • Closetchild: https://www.closetchildonlineshop.com/
    • Physical stores in Japan
    • Can ship international (usually)
  • Wunderwelt: https://www.wunderwelt.jp/en
    • Ships worldwide
    • Convenient shopping by brand or style (user-friendly)

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Japanese (need SS)

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Lacemarket

  • https://egl.circlly.com/
  • Site just for lolita sales
  • Payment through PayPal
    • Set up an account before buying/selling
  • Feedback on account
  • Other J-fashion listed on sub-sites
    • https://kei.circlly.com/

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Facebook Groups

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Petticoats!

  • Brand petticoats (AP, Baby, etc)
    • A little overpriced
  • Classical Puppets - https://classicalpuppets.world.taobao.com/
    • Famous basic petticoat everyone has
  • MeLikesTea - https://melikestea.com/
    • Brazilian - Worldwide shipping
    • Wide variety of shapes, length, fabrics, and poofiness
  • Others:
    • Bogota (Taobao)
    • Aurora and Ariel (Taobao)
    • Bunny House - https://www.facebook.com/bunnyhouse.vn/

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Accessories!

Jewelry, hair pieces, tights, etc.

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Accessories - Big Names

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Sweet Accessories - Jewelry

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Sweet Accessories - Other

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Gothic Accessories

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Classic Accessories

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Shoes

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Tights/Socks

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Wigs

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OTT Accessories - Headpieces

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OTT Accessories - Other

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How to Find New Brands/Items

  • Check brand websites
  • Lolita Updates: https://www.facebook.com/groups/lolitaupdates/
  • Look for recommendations online!
    • Facebook - Closet of Frills: https://www.facebook.com/groups/DailyLolita/
      • Usually where the items are from are listed out
    • Instagram - search “lolita_fashion” and related hashtags: https://www.instagram.com/explore/tags/lolita_fashion/
      • See something you like on Instagram? Check the “tags” or ask the poster
  • Go to meets, ask other lolitas
  • Etsy - great for accessories

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Conventions/Special Events

  • Great place to find new brands
  • Some brands make exclusive items just for events
  • Some brands make items exclusively for events (no online shop)
  • See a brand you like? Get their social media so you know where they’ll be next
  • Special Events Types:
    • Lolita events (butler cafe, pop-up shop, OTT parties)
    • Festivals
    • Street fairs
    • Dickens/Christmas Fairs

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References

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Questions?