Hello dear frilly dreamers! 🌸💕
Today, I want to share something very special with you : my journey into Lolita fashion! This is not just a story about clothes, but a journey of self-discovery, transformation, and finding a world where I truly belong. Lolita fashion is not just something I wear, it’s a part of who I am. It’s my happiness, my identity, and the thing that makes my heart sparkle the most ✨
But my journey to frills and bows wasn’t a straight path… in fact, if you had told younger Mélodie that one day she would be obsessed with pink, hearts and ruffles, she never would have believed it!
A Dark Beginning… 🖤
Believe it or not, I wasn’t always a frilly, pastel-loving princess! When I was younger, my biggest dream was to dress in a dark, gothic style. All black, rebel and mysterious. But I wasn’t allowed to. Even something as simple as a black T-shirt with black jeans was completely forbidden by my parents. No matter how many times I asked, the answer was always no. Black was off-limits.
Then, as I stepped into my early teenage years, I discovered metal music, and it instantly clicked. It wasn’t like what I knew before, it was powerful, intense, freeing and emotional. It wasn’t just something to listen to. It was something I felt deeply inside and helped me to go through hard times during teenagehood. So, of course, I wanted to dress like that too!
I dreamed of wearing metal band T-shirts, ripped black jeans, spiked chokers, spiked bracelets, jean chains, big boots… basically, everything that screamed “metalhead” (at least according to the stereotype!) But of course, that was also a no. My parents still didn’t want me to wear black and look too alternative. The only time I got close was when my uncles (who didn’t even like metal, they were just being nice) gifted me some metal band T-shirts. That was huge for me! Even though I had to wear them with “normal” colourful clothes, just having them made me feel a little closer to my dream 🌟
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An example of my teenage dream outfit. |
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Another example :D |
At that time, I was a complete tomboy. I thought girly things weren’t for me. I refused to wear skirts or dresses, I never wore makeup, I was against pink, and I truly believed I would always hate anything “cute” Funny, isn’t it? 😅
Exploring Different Styles 🎭
As I grew older, I slowly became more feminine in my fashion. I started experimenting with Nu-Goth fashion : short black skirts, laced-up tops, chokers, fishnet tights, chains, platform shoes… basically, a more modern and edgy gothic style. Then, quite suddenly, I had a Pastel Goth phase! (Yes, a phase 😂) I wanted pastel-coloured outfits with cute and gothic elements, and I even dreamed of dyeing my hair pastel! (Spoiler : That phase didn’t last long! 😆)
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A Nu-Goth outfit that younger me would have loved! |
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Another Nu-Goth outfit example! |
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The Pastel Goth style I wanted to wear! |
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Another Pastel Goth example ^^ |
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Another good one! |
But before long, I drifted back to my love for elegant, dark aesthetics. That’s when I fell in love with Romantic/Victorian Goth 🖤 This style truly felt special to me. Long flowing dresses, lace details, corsets… It was like stepping into another era and made me feel like a gothic princess. I even started wearing makeup for the first time, with dark eyeshadow, black lipstick, and heavy doll-like blush. I felt so elegant, and for a while, I thought this would be my forever style.
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An elegant Romantic Goth look. |
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Another perfect example of what I liked at that time. |
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A great Victorian Goth example. |
Discovering Lolita Fashion 🎀✨
Then, one day, online, I stumbled upon Gothic Lolita fashion. The first time I saw it, I was completely fascinated. It had the elegance I loved from Romantic Goth, but with even more structure, details, and charm. It was like stepping into a different world! I was so curious! I had to learn everything about it.
I dove deep into research : I read every blog post I could find, watched hours of Lolita YouTube videos, learnt about the history, culture, “rules”, and brands behind the fashion.
Every single day, I was falling more and more in love 💕
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One of the first Lolita dress I saw. You can see the resemblance with Romantic Goth, but, I found something in this Lolita outfit that I didn’t found in Romantic Goth. |
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A dress that made it clear to me that Lolita fashion was really my style. |
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Another coord that really inspired me. |
At first, I wasn’t sure if I could actually wear it, so I started by adding Lolita accessories to my Romantic Goth outfits. Headdresses, wrist cuffs, bows, Lolita socks… But eventually, I knew it was time, I had to jump in for real!
So, I bought my first Lolita dress, it was a black Magic Tea Party JSK. I was SO excited when it arrived! 🎀 But I was also scared of making mistakes (and being called an ita!), so I spent even more time researching before carefully buying a petticoat, accessories, and shoes to create my first Lolita coord. When I put it on for the first time, something magical happened : It felt like me.
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My very first Lolita dress! |
Becoming a Lolita 🌟
After that, I started saving up for my first brand dress, and I finally got my hands on Mellow Melody OP by Vallée Lys (Atelier Pierrot’s sister brand). That dress felt like a dream come true. I built a coord around it and I continued creating my Gothic Lolita wardrobe. Then I started experimenting with more and more colours and prints, something I had never done before in my fashion journey.
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My first brand dress :) |
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My first dress with prints and more colours. |
And then… something unexpected happened.
Slowly, I started embracing pink. The color I used to hate! And now? It’s my absolute favorite! If you had told little Mélodie that she would one day be wearing head-to-toe pastel pink dresses with bows and frills, she really never would have believed it! 💕
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…And then I became a Sweet Lolita! |
How Lolita Changed My Life 🍩🧸
Lolita fashion has done more for me than just changing my wardrobe. It changed me.
It gave me confidence. Before, I always felt unsure about my style, always dreaming of dressing the way I wanted but feeling held back. Now, every time I put on a coord, I feel strong, elegant, and completely myself.
It taught me patience and dedication. Lolita isn’t something you can rush into. It takes time, effort, and love to build a wardrobe and create beautiful coords. Every piece I own has a meaning to me, and every coord I put together is special.
It helped me to understand fashion on a deeper level. In Lolita, every detail matters : colors, fabrics, balance, coordination, theme. I’ve become so much better at styling because of it, and it has influenced how I see fashion in general.
Most importantly, Lolita brought me happiness 💖✨ Every morning, I wake up excited to learn something new about the fashion, plan new coords, express myself through the fashion and be part of this wonderful community! Lolita isn’t just something I wear. It became a part of who I am.
And this is just the beginning of my journey! 💕🌸 I can’t wait to continue growing, collecting more dresses, and contributing to Lolita fashion!
To all my fellow frill lovers, whether you’re just starting out or have been in the fashion for years, never be afraid to follow your heart! Lolita is about embracing your dreams, expressing your creativity, and wearing what makes you truly happy! 🌟
I hope my story can inspire you to follow your dreams and never give them up!
Thank you so much for reading me! I’d love to hear about your Lolita journey too! How did you discover this fashion? What was your first dress? Feel free to share in the comments! 🍪🥞
Stay frilly, stay cute, and keep embracing what makes you you! 🌸🎀
With love,
Mélodie 🧸✨
Photo credits - Pic 1 : @mel.vp (Instagram), Pic 2 : Pinterest, Pic 3 : Pinterest, Pic 4 : Pinterest, Pic 5 : @canniny (Instagram), Pic 6 : Unknown, Pic 7 : @canniny (Instagram), Pic 8 : @vocallyshook (Instagram), Pic 9 : @losttcreature (Instagram), Pic 10 : Unknown, Pic 11 : Atelier Pierrot, Pic 12 : Atelier Pierrot, Pic 13 : Atelier Pierrot, Pic 14 : Magic Tea Party, Pic 15 : Atelier Pierrot, Pic 16 : Undead Magpie, Pic 17 : MeLikesTea.