Some Things that I Made (52 Lolita Challenge)

I've always been a strong believer in the do-it-yourself Lolita. In the Old School days, buying brand Lolita was far more difficult than it is now. Overseas shipping was next to unheard of, and shopping services were few and far between (and finding reviews for them could be quite difficult, as well). So handmade Lolita clothing was far more common then than it is now. Which, if you ask me, is a downright shame--because handmaking your own Lolita clothes is simply so much fun.

Not that the territory doesn't come with some frustrations, as well. If I had a dollar for every time I'd made a mistake on a Lolita item while making it, I would probably have a closet full of brand dresses. But making Lolita clothing is a very rewarding experience, as well. At the end of all of it, you have a little bit of a bragging right going on--the ability to look back at your hard work and say, I made this. And though your first few projects will probably not be the greatest--unless you have extensive sewing experience already--they'll have a special meaning to you, as well. When you put that much time and effort into creating something, it's a little hard not to become attached.

I started out most of my sewing adventures with accessories and the like, such as this velvet headdress I made a year or two back from some scrap fabric from other projects. My first couple headdresses were... well, questionable, to say the least, haha. And I definitely made some horrible mini-hats and the like until I figured out balance and how to properly secure things for Lolita wear. But once I was comfortable with accessories, I decided I should move onto bigger things....

Or, at least, more complicated accessories. I started making other items that would help complete coordinates, as well as provide some utilitarian use. I made a Victorian-style muff with a detachable cable (left), and a matching detachable fur collar to go over my Lolita coat for winter (right). Both were made from a super-soft faux fur, and I absolutely adore them!

From here, I moved onto skirts and other "main" pieces. The second Lolita-specific skirt I've made (and the first one I made for myself) was this simple, three-tiered chiffon skirt that actually had a surprising amount of work put into it! There's a lot of gathering and lace in this skirt, and I'm really proud on how it turned out; I just wish that all black pieces photographed more cleanly.

The last thing I wanted to share with you guys was the first Lolita-specific item I ever made--a jumperskirt using this fabric from Spoonflower. For a first piece of Lolita, this was very ambitious--and, looking back on it, there are a ton of things I could have done to improve it. The straps are my biggest issue with the piece; but, overall, the design isn't that bad, and it turned out rather cute. It's been rehomed into my girlfriend's growing Lolita closet, because she adored the print and the dress and I knew she'd give it a better home--but for a first project... I have to say I'm pretty proud of myself.

If you'd like to see my other sewing shenanigans, check out my Handmade Lolita tag on the blog here! I'm going to try and upload every sewing project I do once I finish it here, along with progress pictures when I can.

So what items have you made for your Lolita closet? Do you have any plans for items to make in the future, or any projects you're currently working on? I'd love to hear about them down in the comments section! Until next week!

The post above was a response to the Lolita 52 Week Challenge made by the ever so delightful Caro over at FYeahLolita.