Why Don't I Wear Lolita More Often? (Lolita 52 Challenge)

Wearing Lolita is one of those things that, in theory, is easy. In practice, however, it can be difficult. There are tons of reasons why wearing Lolita every day might not be for you. Maybe your job has a uniform, or you work in an environment with a strict dress code. Maybe you don't want to risk damaging your expensive items at work. Maybe the weather isn't cooperating with your plans to wear Lolita.

That being said, I don't think that it's how often you wear Lolita that really counts. You may only get a chance to wear Lolita once every couple days, maybe once or twice a month, or a couple times a year. You're still a Lolita, and you can still participate in the subculture. There's nothing wrong with enjoying something you love, even if you can't participate in it as often as you like!

Personally, I only wear Lolita a couple times a month at this point (and usually for date nights out). I don't have the time to wear it otherwise. My current position (working as a desk assistant at a hotel) requires a uniform. And though the job I'll be starting next week (at the editorial department of a local newspaper) may be a little more lenient with dress code (and I'm crossing my fingers for a Lolita-friendly position), dressing "professionally" is going to have to take precedent over dressing how I want.

But that's no reason to despair! I still manage to wear some of my Lolita items in non-Lolita ways; I'll wear a skirt without a petticoat (the chiffon ones, in particular, actually look quite pretty without them, but it goes on a case-by-case basis). I might choose to wear a Lolita blouse with a long skirt. Or maybe I'll wear one of my hair clips that I bought for Lolita as a statement/conversation piece (I always receive a lot of compliments on my skeleton hand barrettes, for example!).

So, if I had to narrow it down, my reasons for not wearing Lolita are as follows:

• Work dress code. As stupid as it is, jobs have dress codes. Sometimes, such as in kitchens or construction work, it's for safety. Other times, like in office settings, it's about the social construct of "professionalism" and our belief that "alternative" people can't be productive. Thankfully this is dying down, but it's still a reality, and something you occasionally just have to accept.
• Lack of time. There are only so many hours in the date, and so many days in the week. If I'm busy, I might just not have the time!
• Lack of a reason to dress up. While I'm all for "dressing up just because" (and I often wear Lolita just to sit around and sew for an afternoon), I usually prefer to have some kind of reason to dress cute. Even if that reason is as simple as a friend coming over to bake with me or something! If I need a pick-me-up, I might dress up for no reason; but otherwise, it seems like a lot of effort for me.
• Pure laziness. Lolita takes a LOT of work! Sometimes I'd rather just curl up in PJs and play video games instead of spend forty-five minutes doing my hair and makeup, and another half-hour getting dressed and making sure my butt bow is perfect!

What about you? Do you dress up in Lolita often enough for your tastes? What keeps you from wearing your frills? I'd love to hear your stories in the comments below. 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.