One of my first blog posts, way back in the day, was lolified versions of mainstream trends. At the time, I was getting much more interested in mainstream fashion due to my customer-facing job, and since I enjoyed writing it so much and have found myself in a similar place sartorially, I've decided to bring it back for Spring 2014! As I don't exist in a lolita-specific bubble, nor do the rest of us, it's become one of my pastimes to keep up with this season's trends for my work and general non-lolita wardrobe. I've never been a trend-chaser, but looking at mainstream fashion recently has actually proved to be quite inspirational for my lolita coordinates as well. While we obviously do have our own trends that crop up, I feel like they aren't as diverse or rapidly-changing as the mainstream world is, so even they can get boring at times.

For example, some huge trends right now is layered chiffon, longer hemlines, and more mature color schemes, but many of the American lolitas I know have been doing that for years already. I remember planning my spring/summer wardrobe for 2010 and waxing poetic about those exact same looks, and I have friends of five years whom I've never seen in a regular cotton blouse or with exposed knees. Trends in lolita take years to build up, whereas in main stream fashion they're gone and forgotten within months. While that's slightly intimidating, and certainly would be costly to keep up with religiously, I think that turning to mainstream fashion for lolita inspiration can not only keep the subculture interesting, but since we can expect our malls and department stores to carry these items, it can be a great way to expand a lolita wardrobe as well. 

Three Mainstream Fashion Trends for Lolitas, Spring 2014

Spring 2014 Trends, Lolita Versions - orchid, bold lips, fancy shades, flower crowns

The top 3 mainstream trends for lolita, in my mind, are bold lips (particularly in orchid), embellished sunglasses, and flower crowns. A bold lip can be a great way to tie a secondary color more profoundly into your coordinate, as with the shades of purple in the outfit above. Particularly fab for the spring and summer sun, embellished sunglasses are an unexpected accessory for lolitas - bonus points if they're star- or heart-shaped; here, the little 3-D roses mimic the flowers in the Lady Sloth skirt's print, while bringing some pastel life to the otherwise muted piece. And finally, flower crowns/headbands feel to me like something that mainstream fashion actually borrowed from lolita, instead of the other way around; they've been growing in popularity for the past few springs, but this is certain the heyday for lolita flower accessories.

Those are my top three mainstream trends for lolitas this spring/summer, but there are so many good ones, I couldn't only pick one coordinate's worth!

Bonus Extra Set!

Lolita coordinate with sheer accents

For this outfit, the only spring trend I went with was the previously-mentioned chiffon. While in lolita it's common for us to wear full pieces of chiffon, such as a blouse or ruffled underskirt, I've noticed that mainstream fashion is being drawn more to pieces with bits of chiffon mixed in with other fabrics, such as cottons, synthetics, and satin. When I saw this Angelic Pretty dress, I knew it was perfect for this trend, and I just couldn't pass up the opportunity to design a coordinate around it!

So, readers, I'm curious: do you follow mainstream fashion trends?

And if so, which are your current favorites to mix with lolita?

Recently, Victoria Suzanne (a crazy-ass lifestyler - her words, not mine!) and I were invited to a wedding. I was chatting with her about it, and she said, "So what should we wear?" I said what seemed only natural to me: "Well, it's a wedding, so even though she loves lolita, her friends and family might be uncomfortable. I'm going for more business casual and you probably should too." Silence on the other end. We were texting, actually, so that silence was more of a five-hour gap in conversation where, I assume, she tried frantically to understand this concept and breathed deeply into a paper bag.

I know the lifestyle stereotype is that we wear lolita all day, every day, and even sleep in our bloomers. Well, on that last part I've been known to be guilty as charged, but it's really quite a misconception that lifestyle lolitas wear nothing but poof. Even Victoria has plenty of other clothing in styles like gyaru, mori-girl, and fairy-kei. However, one thing that I've realized is that even the most perfectly-coordinated lolita will often go from doe-eyed to deer-in-the-headlights at the thought of going on a job interview, out for dinner with her S.O.'s parents, or any situation where "presentable" means more than a nice sundress but still not Angelic Pretty.

So yes, that means that this article is not about lolita. Does that mean it's not still something lolitas should know about? Of course not! Therefore, I find it not only relevant but necessary to talk about the lolita outside of lolita.

No matter what fairytale we build for ourselves, real life always finds a way to creep into it. There's nothing wrong with that, but it is a fact of life for us daydreamers. Plenty of lolitas have full-time office jobs or are business majors or are dating someone with conservative parents, and they know exactly what I'm talking about. Sometimes it's important to put the fantasy aside and play "normal" for a little while.That's a fun little dichotomy; if your real life exists in a fantasy world of your on creation, then the daydream you indulge in occasionally can be the reality of everyone else. I put on my nice slacks and smart knit tops for work and giggle at my reflection; it's kind of like playing dress-up for me, a dress-up that I do every day but still feels like impersonating someone else's life.

Contrary to popular belief, the world of fashion is not cut-and-dry: it's not like you're either lolita or you're in a black pantsuit. It's not only possible but actually very easy to combine a feminine aesthetic with corporate casual attire; my good friend Crystal of Pretty Wonderland is iconic in my mind for wearing sweet, princessy yet entirely appropriate outfits to her office job, and I know plenty of other girls in the same situation. It's easy to throw on black slacks and a white button-down, and there's nothing wrong with that; but for those of us who are used to more of a fairytale existence, there are other options.

Untitled by herlumpiness featuring Juicy Couture tops

First up is my entirely office-appropriate classic-inspired look. Gray is one of my favorite colors, and usually when one puts it into business casual, it translates dully, but here I've combined it with silver, cream, and feminine motifs like roses to really femme it up. A ruffled sweater and rose headband and lace tights could be ultra-loli, but the simple silver flats and understated gray skirt keep it mature and casual. You can really add personality with your jewelry; a fleur-de-lis ring, "love" bracelet, and quirky-quaint mirror necklace are classy and elegant but still cutesy.

Untitled by herlumpiness featuring Yves Saint Laurent bags

Now a more sweet look. Instead of bubblegum or pastel pink, salmon is more understated and mature, and will go farther in a business casual look when paired with brown and cream than stark neutrals like black or white. Even though this outfit uses nice brown slacks, all of the other details are very feminine. The use of bows and pearls, both very popular in mainstream fashion these days as well as lolita, is a sweet way to tie the two fashions together. The bow-shaped watch and letter-inspired purse keep the look whimsical and fresh. This would be a perfect look not only for a day at the office, but even for a wedding or your S.O.'s family picnic or reunion.

Untitled by herlumpiness featuring Forever21

Our gothic girls are not left out, either! As I've often said, I'm no gothic aficionado, but here I tried to use a darker palette and gothic motifs to show a darker but still classy and casual outfit. The main color of the dress is gray, not black, to lighten the look a bit and make it less stark while still being high-impact. The bow, motifs of chandeliers and roses, and a few understated brand items bring it back to lolita, while the simple-yet-interesting dress keeps it office-appropriate. The necklace is a very sweet detail; it features an Emily Dickinson quote saying that "Hope is the thing with feathers that perches in the soul." The heel might be a bit high for some work environments; if so, flats like those in the tights picture would be nice too. This would be a great outfit for a first date, too, if you don't think your guy will approve of lolita (if so, why are you dating him?)

But what about building your own wardrobe? Say you're just about to start your first office job. What should you buy? Here are my suggestions for a good weekday wardrobe:

• Two skirts: I suggest one pencil skirt and one A-line, one black and one in a nice color understated or dark color that suits your wardrobe, like peach or royal blue.
• Two pairs of slacks: Again, one black and one colored. What style depends on your body type, but I think a nice wide leg is great on everyone. Don't scrimp on quality here - a nice pair of slacks can last you years. I have two pairs of slacks from Express, one black and one light gray with dark gray pinstripes - if you go with Express, thier Editor trouser is amazing and looks great on everybody, I swear.
• A few tops: Here is where you can be more whimsical. If you're really bare-bones-ing it, you really only need, oh... three or four, but since this is one of the areas where you can really get creative, I'd say go crazy, haha. Any color scheme or style is fine, but stay away from synthetic materials or anything too tight or revealing - I figure lolitas shouldn't have a problem with that, though!
• One nice dress: A nice dress that can either be paired with flats and a cardigan for day, or heels and a clutch for night. This is important for joining your coworkers for drinks or going out for a nice dinner with the higher-ups.
  
• An array of outer wear: Cardigans, shawls, boleros, or blazers are all great ways to diversify. The same skirt and blouse can get pretty boring pretty fast, but if you throw on a pretty shawl with a great brooch, you instantly femme it up and add interest.
• Others: Shoes! Go crazy here - flats, heels, wedges, boots, whatever you want. A good rule of thumb is to keep them relatively understated in color, style, and material - this is not the time to bust out your cake shoes, but you might be able to pull off black tea parties with black pants and a colored top. Shoes are a great way to bring personality into an outfit, as well as jewelry. It's amazing how much a great pair of earrings and interesting necklace or a few bangles can change an outfit.

I've been looking forward to writing this article for years, probably ever since I started blogging about lolita. I feel like, by making our own little fantasy worlds, no matter how much it is NOT our intentions to hide from the world, it can happen if we're not careful. It was crazy, being hired for an office job and realizing I had no idea how to dress myself for the task, and I know plenty of other people in alternative fashions who have the same realization. I love lolita, and I probably always will; however, this is perfect proof that boxing yourself in to any fashion is not good and could have less-than-awesome consequences. And, sure maybe nobody wants to hear this, and maybe nobody has actually read this far. But either way, it's important to say and to hear, because you can never be sure when, like me, reality will storm the princess's castle and force her into a smart pantsuit - know that this is not the end of the world! It happens to everyone at some point; at least now you know how to handle it if or when it does.

Few of you know this, but lately, in addition to lolita I've been really interested in modern mainstream &high fashion. I've been watching the shows, reading the magazines, observing the trends every chance possible, &let me tell you I am loving it! This season is going to be amazing &I am adoring it. Part of my observing has been trying to see what current trends I can combine with lolita, &let me tell you, I'm brimming with ideas. Sure, the stiletto peep-toe booties I've been seeing around don't exactly fit the bill, but let me show you some that do:

Another trend I've noticed, more this fall than so far this winter, is bright, fearless red lips. I personally love the timeless look of red lipstick, but I think it's far too overpowering for me or, in my opinion, most forms of lolita (I have seen it done well, though, especially in gothic). Then I started thinking, what about if it's a Clara Bow? The Clara Bow was popular in the 20's, when tube lipstick was a new-fangled invention that allowed the girls more freedom with its application. It is applied by paling out the lips with primer and/or foundation and redrawing them in smaller &fuller- a good tutorial is here for anyone interested. The reason I think this works well with lolita is that the smaller lip is less overbearing, but is still full &cutely pouty &suits the doll-like look of classic or maybe even sweet... but don't get crazy. The Clara Bow can also be overpowering if it's accentuated too much, so keep it simple!

The last trend I want to address, &one of my personal favorites, plays with color palettes. Use a neutral like black, white, or gray, and pair it with a few pops of a bright color. I used black with pink for this example, but some others are brown with powder blue, grey with lavender, and white with sage green. Note that my examples are muted pastels, but you could potentially do something like red or hot pink if you have the right stuff. Caution - too bright colors can look kind of 80's revival. ~Fashion~ (who?) says that in order for a color to be incorporated into an outfit, you should have three+ pieces of that color as well as your base, so a "pop" would be only one or two small pieces or accessories- a hairbow, socks, or purse, for example. This is, as I said, my favorite current fashion trend &totally defines my non-lolita style - I am SUCH a sucker for neutrals this season! Last year I avoided them whenever possible, but this year I am relishing them - right now I'm wearing solely black &grey as we (type?) speak &it is delicious!

You know I will never tell you to dress like the rest of the world, readers. I adore your individuality &support sartorial experimentation in all its forms, but I also think it's important to look unexpected places for fashion inspiration, and you never know - that place could just be the latest issue of Vogue or Allure!

What are your favorite mainstream fashion trends right now? Do you incorporate them into lolita?

(also, apologies that I've been so sparse lately - I've had a lot of stuff on my plate, not least of which being my first legit University finals. Semester's almost over, though, so soon I will be out of excuses &will go back to updating twice a week or so!)