How did I get interested in Lolita fashion?

Well, I remember when I first discovered Lolita fashion, five or six years ago. I was browsing through the manga section of a bookstore, Borders (does anyone remember store? It is out of business now…), and then I found a shelf that had larger print books. Most of the books on this shelf were manga artbooks and books about Japanese popular culture. But then… one book in particular caught my eye: the Gothic & Lolita Bible. This was an issue of the English version, published by TokyoPop (does anyone remember this publishing company?).

I sat down on the floor by the bookshelf and began reading this jumbo magazine. I was amazed by all of the pretty photos… There was even a section displaying releases from Baby the Stars Shine Bright and Atelier Boz! In any case, this was my first time learning about these Lolita brands and what Lolita fashion was all about. By the time I read half-way through the Gothic & Lolita Bible, I had a vague sense of the Lolita fashion aesthetic. I was not sure about the different substyles yet, but I already found this fashion really appealing. After a brief debate with myself, I decided to use my Borders gift card on this magazine/book.

After that, I read and re-read the Gothic & Lolita Bible many times. I also researched the fashion online a bit, but not too much. I forgot about Lolita fashion for a while until I stumbled across the HelloLace website and EGL on Livejournal. When I found these websites, I did deeper research in Lolita fashion and then I realized I really wanted to try wearing this fashion style too.

Needless to say, since then, I have been trying to build up my wardrobe. I always thought I would stop once I got a good petticoat, a blouse or two, and a JSK and a few skirts… but of course, Lolita fashion is addicting and I find myself always wanting more item to add to my wardrobe. I want to mix and match items, play with coordinating, try out different Lolita substyles, and have the freedom of choices when dressing in Lolita. I don’t know if I will leave Lolita fashion in the future, but as of now, I don’t see myself giving Lolita up. Wearing Lolita makes me really happy, even if my coordinates don’t look good or if I wear simple/casual coords.

What about you? How did you get interested in Lolita fashion? And here is a question I always love to ask: How often do you wear Lolita? Every day? A few days a week? Once a month? Only for meet-ups or conventions?

~Be sure to read other blog posts on this topic for the Lolita Blog Carnival! 

Gothic Strawberry, The Cute Lifestyle, Her Lumpiness, Sidhe Banshee, Northern Star, Oh Velveteena, Sweet Indeed