My experiences as a Lolita in Japan

A foreigners perspective

Hi all, I'm back with another post. I hope that you enjoyed reading my last post. So, here I am back with another Lolita fashion story. This time, I will be writing about my experience as a foreign Lolita living in Japan, and the lolita fashion community.

I come to Japan in the summer of 2016 (Northern hemisphere), to work as an Assistant Language Teacher (ALT). This meant I was moving to Japan to full fill my dream of living and working in Japan. It also meant up- rooting my life in Australia, leaving my friends and family behind, to start a new life in a foreign land. But one of the things I was going to miss the most was my small Lolita community. When I was in Australia, I would look forward to getting all dressed up to meet my community, and to participate in the activities we were doing. However, in Japan, there are no such communities, especially where I live in Japan.

I live in a city in the Tohoku region, called Sendai city. It's in Miyagi prefecture, and sandwiched between Fukushima and Iwate prefectures. Sendai is one of the biggest cities in the north of Japan. Moving countries also meant leaving my community. It meant finding how to fit into the Japanese lolita community.However, this was not meant to be. In Sendai, there is NO lolita community. Apparently I heard from one of my Japanese friends who is also a lolita, that there was a falling out of the community, therefore, one does not exist. I was so shocked to hear this. Back home, I made new friends through my community and had a support network. In Japan, I had no such thing. I had much to learn how to adapt as a foreign Lolita in Japan. This meant going alone.Going alone also meant I was very self conscious of how I looked in public dressed up in lolita.

In Japan, brands such as Baby, the Stars Shine Bright and Angelic Pretty hold there own events and Tea Parties. To participate in these events usually requires you to purchase a product up to the value of $35.00, this then enables you to buy a ticket, which is $15.00. So, it is a bit expensive to attend these events, however, this was the only way I could meet other lolitas. But, the Japanese lolitas at the events were very friendly and wanted to talk with me, and take photos with me. I was happy. Because I have now been to quite a few events and go to the Lolita fashion shops often, the shop staff now greet me by name when I now enter the store.As a foreigner lolita, I'm happy to receive this sort of respect and friendliness from the shop staff. So far, at these events, in particular, Baby, the Stars Shine Bright, I had the privilege of meeting the Baby's designers and even got their autograph. Baby is also my number one favourite brand.

Baby, the Stars Shine Bright designers.

Some of the Sendai lolitas I met at a Baby's event.

Also, when one does not attend the brand events, Japanese lolitas usually just hang around with each other in small groups of friends, or by themselves for a spot of shopping and just enjoying wearing the fashion. The Japanese lolitas don't tend to care what other people think. It's like wearing a Kimono for the joy and the aesthetic of the fashion.

A few of friends

This is my favourite coord!! The print is 10 O'clock Cinderella

In Sendai, the fashion is a long way from Harajuku in Tokyo, so the people in Northern Japan who don't know about the fashion do ask questions. We are happy to answer their questions and photo if they ask. Other than that, they go on their merry way and continue with their everyday business.

So over the last two years, I've learnt not to be so self conscious and just enjoy wearing the fashion and expressing myself how I want, when I want and where I want. And also enjoy meeting Japanese lolitas and making friends with them.

So, that's it for this post. This is my experience thus far as a foreign Lolita in Japan. Stay tuned for the next post!!