"Why is lolita so expensive?!" 

So basically, lolita is like buying designer items in a way.

The second I touched a BtSSB dress I understood why lolita is priced the way it is. You can't compare the quality, craftsmanship, and detail to fast fashion.

This seriously feels like one of THE most helpful lolita fashion videos ever made!! Especially now more than ever we have younger lolitas wanting to join the style that have only grown up surrounded with fast fashion and like you mentioned, social media such as Instagram. Lolita Fashion is anything but an instant or cheap fashion, which you've explained wonderfully with facts, but it's also great how you've helped people learn to respect WHY THAT IS and to help newbies understand why it's okay to TAKE THINGS SLOWLY. I'm so proud of you for making this sobsob I already feel a wave of relief from my inboxes haha.

THANK YOU FOR TALKING ABOUT FAST FASHION. I really hate fast fashion. It produces so much waste and is actually a huge problem. I wish more companies would go back to making clothes with quality construction and materials. Most of my dresses are around 10 years old, bought secondhand, and still look amazing. Honestly this is why I buy brand only. I feel like many Taobao shops also follow fast fashion to try to lure more attention to themselves.

I found an angelic pretty original skirt for 6 dollars at salvation army lol Edit: For anyone wondering I got them at redondo beach’s Salvation Army! 😭

Lolita items ... to be honest their price is justified. I've come to understand it once I started sewing my own clothes. (And yes I'm really talking about high quality fabric and such!! On top of the design). It's still expensive, too expensive for me but this doesn't mean I should support scammers, ya know?

I really wasn't expecting to learn a lesson in economics from a video about lolita fashion, haha. As someone who is interested in business, this was a great video. Thanks, Lor!

Something I've learned from building a lolita wardrobe is having to accept that sometimes the money for it just isn't there. I've been building my wardrobe since 2014, I've gotten six of my eight dream dresses, as well as all the other wardrobe components. This year, however, I was working with a much tighter budget, and just haven't been able to afford any additional pieces. And that's ok! Sometimes that's just life. I've actually learned to classify needs over wants while involved with this fashion, and how to manage my finances in a more mature way.

"ARE YOU LISTENING TO ME???" Omg I am so here for Salty Lor. Bless.

To me, buying Lolita is the same as buying Gucci purses that never get worn or diamond rings still in the box. I'm not going to wear this outfit every day! It's a luxury~

It's interesting seeing the "cost of fashion" issue from another subculture. I'm an old 90s goth, though, so our version goes in a bit of a different direction. Lots of people new to our subculture also bemoan the costly clothing because they see the social media influencers who always have hauls from Punk Rave or Killstar (which, unlike lolita brands, are not always worth their price points). So we go over it again and again: the only requirement to be goth is that you listen to goth music. You *can* buy from alternative brands, or you can sew your own clothes, thrift and diy everything, buy black basics and dress them up with gothy accessories, wear band shirts and black pants every day--there's no end to the possibilities. Goth is a descendant of punk, with a lot of emphasis on individualism and DIY. Why buy the same black dress thirty girls on instagram have when you could frankenstein together two skirts from the thrift shop and layer it with that funky hand-me-down top from the 80s that your aunt gave you and top it with a special coat you saved for? Anyway, all the old goths know the real thing we spend our money on is shoes, lol. If you'll pardon me, I'm going to go cry over the beautiful New Rock boots I'm saving for.

The thing that is sad is that I think lolita fashion appeals to teenagers/young adults a lot, but they're the least likely to have $$$. They're not like adults who tend to have more disposable income. It would be better if sewing/DIY was more normalized so they could learn a skill and try to put things together on their own, learning the style principles, rather than pining after something that's simply out of their reach.

In two years now I have more than 16 dresses when two years ago I don't have nothing hahaha oh, also shoes, wigs, accessories.

Hi Lor! I'm a full-time university student and working a minimum wage job. I've felt discouraged from having to wait before making purchases or losing out on pieces when I didn't have the money for them and they were auctioned off. Despite this, I have still managed to get 2 ops and 3 jsks along with other accessories from taobao stores or Lace Market and I only started my collection last September 😊 Second hand buying and setting aside lolita-savings has definitely been the biggest help, like you mentioned. I haven't been able to get anything lately but I'm saving up my vacation pay for a BtSSB dress on Lace Market that I hope to wear at my city's Pride Parade this summer! TL;DR- The wait can be discouraging and there will be weeks/months where you can't afford to buy even small pieces, but once you can and do receive them, it feels super rewarding! Stay strong everybody, you're closer to that Brand/Dream dress then you think!

hey lor, i'm a boy who's just now getting into lolita fashion. i really love the "girly" aspect of lolita, but when i search and look for boys fashion, it always ends up not being as fem as i had hoped for. do you know any alternative ways boys could dress like that, or any stores that sells that. if not, i totally understand. like i said, i'm super new to this, and i have no idea what i'm doing. thanks💕 btw i find your videos so helpful and entertaining!💕💕💕💕

Well I'm a seamstress and I learned a few things, it matters how complicated it is, to sew garments like that. There are many details to do, wich means more time = more it costs, also where the garment was made, is a reason why this is so expensive. Second hand is pretty much a good thing! I'm happy that your talking about that.

I always redirect people to Zoe Hong’s ‘why are clothes so expensive?’ when I explain why Lolita is so expensive. She’s a fashion designer teacher with a channel here on RU-vid and that video is eye opening to someone outside of the fashion industry. And the reality is that Lolita is an extravagance, it is way out of a regular budget and sometimes we do have to compromise some things in order to get where we want. Even when I was living in Japan and had all the second hand clothes a train ride away, it was a game of budgeting, saving, waiting for sales, etc. Even after years my wardrobe isn’t as big as I’d like to but I love it because it has been carefully curated and I can’t imagine getting rid of any of my dresses.

1) I love the lighting that you used for this video. I've been noticing that a lot of youtubers who use light colors in their clothing and backgrounds have their exposure turned WAY up and then leave their Brightness up as well, which to me looks really harsh and distracting. So I really appreciate whatever you did with your lighting here. A video that's easy to watch and easy to understand, 5 Stars out of Would Suggest To Other Lolitas Who Complain About Lolita A Lot. 2) I ADORE your lip color?! What lip product/s are you wearing? It's amazing~

Lolita fashion was once casual. But not so anymore. Now it is mostly worn at Lolita events and meetups. I understand why. It takes lot of time and energy to co-ord. Then there are idiots who will harass you if you wear it in public. As a niche fashion that is rather OTT than mainstream fashion, it is not suitable for all places for example the corporate environment. It is also sometimes very uncomfortable in extreme weather conditions and people don't want to risk spoiling their expensive outfits by wearing them on a regular basis. If it was possible I would be a casual Lolita too, if not a lifestyler. That is my goal.

BLOODY FINALLY! The "why is Lolita so expensive" thing has been bothering me more recently, so thank you for putting your time to making this video. It will be a very useful resource to link to others next time this inevitable question pops up.

Just want to add to the price of custom Lolita dresses (couture basically) preproduction costs: trend research, textile design print or lace, pattern making, trim and button sourcing, archiving (administrative work and just note taking), sample making, working with marketing and production team for feedback/edits, model sourcing, photoshoot, graphic design for marketing. THEN actually producing the garment itself for the customer. RTW spreads all of these costs over more units, so less cost to make. Honestly doing all of this and paying people a livable wage is tricky and an expensive endeavor. I honestly think custom pieces are really for PR and for the customers, not really for profit.

One of my favorite brands is actually Lady Sloth, I love their spooky designs and the quality is phenomenal especially since it’s a small business. The wait time is long but I really don’t mind at all. I also have soufflé song and I’m getting a skirt from surface spell. Gloomth is also a cute gothic brand I have a dress from! I wouldn’t say I’m a super strict Lolita, I just do what makes me happy and I think that’s important! I love this video, it’s something I should show my loved ones when they are so shocked at the prices of my attire, thank you for making such a well thought out commentary on this subject 💕

I know that Lolita is way out of my budget, to be honest. But I deeply appreciate the style and effort that people put into their coordinates. It is such a beautiful fashion. Thank you for the tips though! This makes me think maybe I can do some more casual Lolita coords, for special occasions. :)

I think most alt fashions are more expensive, because theyre either hand made by small groups or arent in as much demand as popular fashion is

Fast Fashion is a problem among Chinese Lolita market tho. “Alternative” fashion is getting more mainstream in Asian community (especially in China), thus more demand for these “special” clothings. Some Taobao lolita brands only focuses on designs instead of quality, so some pieces are not durable nor looks good on hand. It’s probably the first RU-vid video that touches this issue. Thanks for raising awareness on this topic, Lor!!

When u are 13 and can only get a dress every Christmas

maan I used to wear lolita when I was a teen. For someone coming from a broken family I found it hard to build my wardrobe. I remember selling my guitar to afford AP milky chan dress...my mom paid for most things now I feel so bad about her spending so much... Lolita fashion itself is affordable when you hussle for offers or go for bodyline (if that still is a thing)..but regardless what some say,I think brands are still expensive for majority of people.

As someone who did go to school for fashion design and merchandizing, I can say that I agree with you to an extent on most of what you are saying. Honestly, it all comes down to what something is worth to you personally. I would never want to tear down anyone’s lifestyle or fashion sense (or both in the case of Lolita) because it’s so personal. Although I have never worn Lolita, I will say that I have always greatly respected the fashion and LOVED learning about. Prices may seem steep but if you truly love something, you aren’t going to care (as much) about the price.

Definitely an informative video for beginners! I'm a student in high school and soon about to graduate and I have a pretty decently sized wardrobe. I worked during the last two summers in paid internships to pay for my dresses along with selling old things and gifts. It's not that hard to get into, but it does take lots of commitment!

I want a lolita wedding dress. That is a once in a lifetime event afterall. 💕💕

Always wait and be patient, kiddos. When I jump on buying a dress I really want (paying for more than what it's worth) I always regret it. There's always a better deal in the next day or two. :/

As someone who does have degrees in fashion (okay design, not merchandising, but we overlap a bit) and economics (-adjacent, political economy)... This was very good and informative. My two quibbles would be that I don't think you can compare Lolita, even made-to-order Lolita, to couture brands. I'd also argue that $200-500 on average for an off-the-rack dress isn't as cheap as fast fashion, but it's also not that much more expensive than say... J. Crew, Scotch & Soda, or Anthropology, all of which are fairly middle of the road ready-to-wear brands. To say nothing of actual ready-to-wear designer lines like Vivienne Westwood Anglomania, Jil Sander, or even smaller quirky brands like Orla Kiely. I think the misconception in Lolita comes from a general lack of awareness for fashion pricing outside of typical mall/high street shops. And there's like, nothing wrong with that really, I guess. But it does kind of set up this misconception that Lolita is terribly expensive for fashion, and it's... Really not. After the general price point of a line is set, manufacturing costs are factored in by how many seams and embellishments the factory has to do. Lolita is heavily embellished, so that naturally raises the price a bit. Custom-printed fabrics will also raise the production costs. If you consider all of that, the cost of your average brand dress makes a lot of sense. My second quibble is that most brands talk about a "dream girl" or a "fantasy" that they're trying to create. I don't think AP's brand statement repeatedly mentioning "dreams" makes it any less of a daily wear brand. That said, I'm something of a lifestyler and have resigned myself to the discomfort of petticoats and frills 4-5 days a week.

I'm so glad Diamond Honey is more affordable and a decent quality.

I worry most about paying duty on dresses from outside the country. Theres no real way to tell when you'll have to pay and how much, since the calculators are so inaccurate. For now I'm mostly just stuck buying secondhand because that's all that's really available in Canada, but not a lot of people are selling here :/

The waiting for dresses thing is so true!! I looked for sweetie violet in lavender for almost 2 years, caved and bought it second hand in navy, and then it was rereleased the next week...

Thank you for this video! As the owner of a brand that works mainly with lolita fashion I know the costs of producing a piece and the time they take to make; believe me when I say I spend up to 6 hours to make one underskirt because I really do haha I know bigger brands as AP or Baby have a way better production line but still it is a lot of work that is put into make everything no matter how simple a piece may look. 💝

Man please never stop making videos. I love who you are as a person and I love hearing you talk about something I love💕

I feel like Lollita fashion is a way better example for buying quality items for there prices especially if they’re made to order and customized to your measurements. As a fashion designer that has been sewing for over 12 years I know that some dresses are not made to reflect the price. Be careful, do your research. Loved your video Lor ❤️

When is a good time to wear Lolita?Is it more of an “I’m out with friends,sure!”.Is it a “My friends and I have been planning to all dress Lolita for today/week,I guess it’s time!”.Maybe it’s a “It’s CHRISTMAS!I will only wear it on BIG holidays!”I have no idea,please help.

for me it always made sense that lolita items are so expensive and I don't even wear lolita, they are so detailed and fancy especially the special pieces

I understand the difference between fast fashion and specialty fashion. I understand the cost of production of lolita brands. I am not trying to dejustify your point of view but this is also my point of view. The cost of production and affordability are two separate things. iPhone is expensive, but some how, million of people manage to buy it, even for those in third-world countries. It's all about the affordability. And again, it doesn't have to be entirely related to cost. Japanese lolita brands, unlike, Chinese brands, are ignorance to this fact and provide very limited options for their buyers. I'm not saying that AP and BBTSB should trade off their quality for price, but it's all about the design. I am noticing that we are living in a time which lolita fashion is one of the most ridiculously opulence fashion in the world. Should it ever be this limited and hard to wear? Lolita in 90s used to buy blouse and bonnet and skirt separately. JSK were considered "special". There are "casual" daily looks that allowed lolita to were shorter skirts with t-shirt. The colour were more subtle (black/white/red), thus allows them to mixed and matched and grow their wardrob economically. Plus, lolita is their daily clothes, so they don't have to pay extra money to buy more normal clothes. 300 USD should buy me a lifestyle, not another OP that I can only wear once or twice at a yearly tea party. If Japanese lolita brands actually want to support lolita subculture, why are they making it so hard for us?? Especially for customers in other countries. Why are we being pushed from freedom of expression to materialism?? You think 200-300 USD is a lot in your country. In my country 300 USD can feed a whole family for a month. Won't you feel discriminated if you see another rich lolita wearing your dream dress while you cannot even afford your normal clothes. And when you go for affordable choice like Bodyline and Taobao (which are still expensive(but affordable) for some), you are looked down by the local community. Yes, I choose flimsy fabric and shitty lolita dress because that's all I can afford. How can I buy a 200 USD JSK while my brother and sister can not even afford a low-cost flight to Japan (which is about 300-500 USD per flight) or a decent school uniform? What's the legitimacy in pain stakingly collecting money to buy an expensive JSK just to live a funny life in a community that judge us by our exterior? Can I still wear a polyester skirt and become a lolita, that's my primary question? When will lolita industry realize how destructive they are to people whom they sell a dream to but deny to fulfill it? Is it that hard to just open a little gap for younger lolita? I don't believe that brands, that're paying rent at Ginza, can't invest in a more affordable product line. I have been working in advertising industry and I also spent 2 full years in business school. From a professional point of view, "Japanese lolita fashion" is a pure profit pumping business that survive on "print marketing". Why choosing expensive fabric printing when you can use better quality plain fabric or linen? They increase their extravagance and price for no other reason that the intention to up-selling/cross-selling and force us to buy more and more expensive products. I'm not thinking that these brands are contributing to our subculture. And if they choose to be ignorance about supporting lolita subcultures, why are we still consider them as the pinacle of Lolita fashion???

DIY!!! For everyday/low-key outfits basics with added (quality) trimmings and petticoats can really help! Also quality accessories can completely transform a simple dress from Forever 21. As a goth I do this ALL the time.

I regret nothing 😟😟😟😂💕

I've always known about the budgeting and cutting back on frivolous purchases but NEVER considered, until you said it, putting the money I WOULD HAVE spent away and letting it accumulate. I'm going for a "dark decora" aristocrat collection (dark colors, long coats, spoopy fancy adornments and accessories) and, after purchasing the first coord, know I need to budget smarter. Funny how it takes hearing words spoken to make an idea or concept ring a bell.

Fast fashion is such a waste. Not only does it encourage you to stop using your clothes sooner, but the quality is lower because of the price. I have kept clothes I bought on the cheap from fast fashion retailers for as long as I can, but they get wear and tear very fast. One pair of sweat pants I bought from Walmart was so worn thin within a few months that you could very clearly see my underwear through them

This video was really great! I think you did a great job differentiating designer fashion to fast/ready-made fashion. I think its also good to mention that Lolita isn't just a fashion - its a hobby. Hobbies are often incredibly expensive i.e. cooking hobbyists who invest in knives or certain pans or anime hobbyists who buy hundreds of dollars of merch of their favorite characters.

My dresses are second handed, bodyline and like two new dresses. My collection is very small but I’ve been working on it for about 5 years. I’m still in the hunt for my dream dresses and for a way to afford them cause those are expensive. Still building my wardrobe, specially accessories and learning to put coords together. Lolita had taught me the importance of details and how accesories make one dress into many possibilities. Also, I became an expert on discounts and sales and hunting for great deals in everyday life.

My first dress was from an Angelic Pretty Lucky Pack. Gotta love those lucky packs. Comes with the dress, blouse, head bow and socks.

I consider myself as a (sweet n' somewhat goth/pastel emo??) Lolita, BUT Im a minor in a family that is cheap and doesn't really understand lolita or alt fashion. So yeah-- watching ur favorite dress become sold out is heartbreaking- I've just started to be "extra" in my casual style today actually :D

I make most of my stuff my self, it's fun and i can make my own design. :) Most stuff i re make are from things i found on sales (like outdated Cristmas decorations that i can make something else from) or fleamarkets (tablets, cheap clothes and other stuff sometime contain fine and expensive fabric or a good base i can use to re design by adding stuff and sew a new model, re fit fringes, stiching on new fabric and stuff.).

Maybe we could all afford not living off fast fashion products if we weren't stuck in a system that profits off poverty and abusive labor lol

As a person who doesn't make much money, I can say that it's possible to make cheap things have the same aesthetic as Lolita. One way is thrift stores and Good Will, also wearing frilly gothic attire, with some colorful tights and a pair of cute flats will suffice. You could even customize certain items, like super gluing butterfly earrings (with the earring part removed) into the flats to give them a magical girl vibe, adding bows to your shirt or just adding lacey, gothic gloves with an outfit can help. A lot of things are cheap, but when put together can look very nice. Even some normal items can look doll like when worn a certain way.

This is SO USEFUL and I'm thrilled I found this @ the beginning of my Lolita journey! I'm a chronic illness mother who is excited about building my coords as something I do for myself 💖 excited !!

For a hand made one off piece made in Japan i think 1500$ are pretty sheap actually seen to the cost of the material and the amouth of work it actually takes to make them.

I've been involved in Lolita fashion for almost 8 years now. I do not have a full wardrobe because I have made my own Lolita pieces, most of which I am now scrapping and upcycling into better pieces, and I have had to sell my complete Lolita pieces for important reasons. Whether you buy or make Lolita, Lolita is a fashion that takes time, work, commitment, and patience. Like LovelyLor, I did not question the price of Lolita because it became so important to me, I was happily willing to do whatever it took to afford it, which for me meant finding out what I wanted to go to school for so I could get a good job and start saving, and making Lolita pieces out of what I could find at the thrift store. (Although I admit, I am still working on budgeting and other life skills, trying to expand my tailoring business, and I'm finishing school and looking for a job before I truly commit myself to something that is although important to me, not necessary right now!) So of course, it has irritated me as someone who has committed to the fashion and is still working at it, when younger newcomers would talk to me about wanting to wear Lolita expecting to be able to acquire a full lolita wardrobe overnight as if it's as simple as taking a trip to Forever21 for new school clothes, and then complaining when Lolita is more expensive than fast fashion. Thanks to this video, now those newcomers will know why. Thank you for making this video, it helps to explain to many people why Lolita is a fashion that takes time and commitment!

I would not ever wear Lolita fashion - it would look absurd on me, I go for 1940s vintage, myself - but I enjoy looking at people enjoying themselves. It takes me about 20 hrs to sew a nice silk dress; I am a good amateur seamstress. I can easily see that all the extra detailing would reasonably increase the price.

I've always dreamt about being into lolita fashion,but I never had the chance to due to limits in sizing and costs! Over 10 years ago the only thing I could afford because of the price and the size,were 2 pairs of Bodyline shoes that I still have and cherish a lot... But this year my best friend (she's into lolita fashion since 2011) tried to convince me follow a local community in our city and I am trying to be active and partecipate in every lolita meet they organize! I only have 3 dresses for now (from indie brands that I had to alter) and they are all different. I still don't know what style to follow and what would suit me best (I am plus size and I struggle so much finding things that fit). I am now trying to get all the info I can about this world, doing a lot of research,trying to understand how to coordinate,what do I like etc. Sometimes I feel really frustrated and discouraged because of the size limits and the costs,cause I would like to build my wardrobe faster and find my dream dressess soon (I love Violet Fane but the old collections,for example,and I know it's gonna be really hard to get) or maybe I feel bad because I find something that I like but it's not available for me ,or I can't buy It immediately and so on...but I know that it's something normal! I know it takes time and patience,I still don't really know how to approach the second hand market and how to find good deals ,because I like way many things and I don't know where to start from. Thank you so much for this video,it gave me a bit of strenght to keep trying and finding a way to be lolita ,also reading the experiences from other people made me feel better 😭

Send this to Kelly Eden lmao and she still will not understand

it took me 5 years to get misty sky, (it was finally rereleased in a time period i had money) and 6 years to get silent moon. (after missing it in auctions 3 times) i like your points a lot. I have definitely worked pretty hard to get my wardrobe where it is nowadays.

Look at Lor go answering the questions I'm too tired of answering. Bless you, you beautiful bear babe.

I remember when I first found out about lolita when I was about 14 and oh god, it was absolutely impossible for me to get any of these items. My family was in a bad financial situation and I had no way of earning money myself for years. And the community in my country was barely existing back then so there was no chance of me getting any second-hand clothing in reasonable prices. I managed to get one hand-made skirt for around 17$ and I remember it was a huge deal for me, it was so expensive! At university I started making my own clothes and currently I own two dresses from Infanta, as well as some clothes I made myself. I am currently saving up for the trip to Japan I plan on going and I will definitely go to some second-hands there to get at least one brand dress. So yeah, it may take literal years but I have never really given up and I know one day I will have my dream wardrobe full of lolita clothes!

While I understand the price of the dresses when they are in good condition, I cannot justify selling a stained up white AP Sugar Hearts JSK for $1300.00.

those contacts look so nice on you ;w;

this honestly made me feel so much better about it taking me 10 months to finish my first coord

Right. Well made, complex, small-market fashion -- how could it not be pricey?

Lolita brands are expensive because they CAN be. That's it. Materials and time/effort taken to produce it aren't that high but how any business makes money is by pricing it at the equilibrium price (which is where quantity demanded and price offered meet). From a legitimate economic standpoint, fashion and makeup are the business with the highest mark-up prices and the point of any business is to maximize profit. I'm not bashing any lolita brands but their profit margins are massive and there isn't any legitimate reason (besides maximizing profits) why these brands are so expensive.

As someone who is trying his hardest to get into Lolita fashion I would absolutely LOVE it if you covered Lolita fashion and gender. It would serve as an immensely interesting topic to speak about.

I need to do French subtitles for this video and show this to EVERYONE asking about my dresses.

I’ve been into lolita for while, and i’ve been asking my mother for a jsk lolita dress for a few weeks now, and I’ve loved lolita for a year now, and I’m pretty sure that sweet lolita is the kind that I really love, I bought a gothic lolita dress that I liked once, but i feel like its too dark for my personality now, I really find an escape when I see cute things, so I want to be a sweet lolita! My mother doesn’t let me have an allowance really, but I hope she does give me one soon!

Confirming that I do indeed love the hunt. I like browsing secondhand sales just to see what's for sale, even if I don't buy anything myself, and I've helped several of my friends get their dream dresses this way. It's a part of the fun.

I never really considered the points in this video when looking at Lolita prices. When it comes to Lolita I just thought it was about the amount of fabrics, and design. A Lolita blouse, isn't the same as a regular blouse. Comparing a Victorian blouse I have to a regular button up I own. The Victorian blouse has ruffles, lace, a high collar, bell sleeves, a corset back, and is made of a chiffon fabric a much harder fabric to work with than cotton. The button up is just that a button up with a fold over collar and simple buttons. No lace, no frills, and no corset up ribbon back. I always just assumed this was the cause of the high prices of Lolita.

I’M IN LOVE WITH THAT PINK AND BLUE MATERIAL IN YOUR BACKGROUND!!!

0:43 I think some of the reasons I always accepted the price as well was it’s kind of a niche, a lot of pieces are imports, and pieces that are not imports are custom made or made by indie artists (indie brands can be so affordable compared to big brands, but materials, designing, etc takes a lot of time, effort, skill, and money). It’s the same with other alternative fashions: it has the potential so to get real expensive real quick if you don’t make or thrift everything

i know this video was made with good intentions but it's the equivalent of "millenials can't afford houses because they're buying avocados". some people have no/almost no disposable income so "not buying coffee" or "don't get your nails done at a salon" is dumb advice, because a lot of people aren't buying things like that anyway. people do need to realize that lolita is a luxury and nice clothes are expensive but saying "anyone can afford lolita if they work hard enough" is ignorant. there are people who work 10x as hard as me or you who can barely afford rent, let alone a $200 dress. the majority of the comments you had at the beginning of the video weren't asking why lolita is expensive, just saying they can't afford it. the people who say they're too poor to buy lolita aren't stupid, the know why it's expensive and they know what kinds of (if any) luxuries they can afford. i'm glad you make "affordable" lolita resource videos but this one is just rubbing salt in the wound and coming across as saying "just stop being poor". no hate i just think you're not looking at these comments objectively, and you're using your personal experiences/financial situation as a baseline.

I mostly wear Infanta the brand since I can buy it easily in London and on a english website

There really is a lot of great finds for taobao brands, my most favorite dress is from Lyre-Ivy which is taobao :)

Shout out 🙌🏿 to people who still love loli and watch these videos even though we don’t dress it anymore/have never lol such a beautiful lifestyle 😻 Been into this lifestyle since 2008 lol

Depop is another great place to find secondhand lolita items!! i've bought about 4 lolita items from sellers on there and have not had a problem!!!

Seems to me that another important aspect of getting into Lolita is accepting that you have to sacrifice quantity to get the things you really want. It also means commitment; you're not gonna spend $250+ on a dress unless you absolutely love it.

I really don’t understand how people don’t get why lolita is expensive! I feel like it’s safe to treat lolita brands like how people treat other normal luxury brands out there. Also you have to take into consideration the print, layers, accessories, craftsmanship, and the ethics that go into making lolita is what decides the price tag...

which is cheaper, sewing your own outfits(if you know how to sew) or just buying dresses and head/lacy accessories?

I was literally JUST researching the costs of lolita yesterday. Perfect timing! The pricing is really understandable, all things considered, and you added even more perspective. I especially like how you included the brand concepts~

I know this is a fairly old video but for anyone watching this in 2020, I VERY MUCH do not recommend letting any amount of money sit in a Paypal account for an extended period of time. Paypal is notorious for taking people's money hostage for no reason, I've heard horror stories of artists who've had thousands of dollars of commission money taken from them with no way to get it back and Paypal customer service is a nightmare to work with. Better safe than sorry! There's tons of options for online banking/savings accounts that will be more secure than a Paypal account.

Awwww thank you for featuring me

Another option you didn't cover and won't necessarily be and option for everyone is making your own pieces. A simple pattern can be expanded on and modified in so many ways

I love magic tea party dresses

YAS FINALLY a video I can send to people who keep asking me "how do you afford brand?" "Wish it was cheap". I really am fed up with the excuses. I'm 19 and work a full time job and pay rent as well as for my car and college. Yet I started my lolita collection this February and I already own 9 Angelic pretty dresses, and two other indie brand dresses (as well as a huge collection of AP jewelry) because I save up!! I budget!! I HUNT THE INTERNET FOR GOOD DEALS. You can easily find brand dresses under $150 even under $100. You just need to be dedicated to the fashion and keep an eye out for deals (although i did buy half my dresses directly from the store)

The idea of someone wearing lolita 24/7 is VERY impractical! Especially if you take public transportation, walk around everywhere, eat hardy messy foods, if you have to go out during a storm. That dress will get dirty, ripped, or stepped on.

I mean, even if it's justified and understandable, the reasoning doesn't change the fact that it's difficult for many people to afford a single outfit much less build a wardrobe. Like I get it, I collect anime figures which are also ahahahahaha ^_^;....But yeah, just gotta be patient and thrifty if you want it enough!

THE HUNT IS MY FAVORITE

Thanks so much for this, years later and you are still inspiring and informing with your level headed advice 💕 I feel much more motivated as a beginner Lolita now!

I love Lolita fashion and also when it comes to making the dress of course it's going to be a lot of money it's the material put into it and the work the person puts as well as location of the buyer for delivery.... Do you know any Lolita's who hand make there dresses that you can recommend?

related to the price of lolita fashion, is there a section of the culture that its like "lolita-lite" like a style that still comes from the same foundation, but its more angled towards less showy everyday wear? im new to the entire concept of fashion as a whole 😅 so i don't really know what the nomenclature for anything is

You put alot of things I feel about lolita fashion into words in this video! Thanks so much! Helping me out, bc a job I was going to start just fell through : (

You made lots of good points. And I have to say I ADORE your makeup in this vid!

me 'buys lolita on ebay' everyone else 'OMGGG FAKE LOLI' me: 'SHUT UP IM POOR OKAY :('

That one red thread just started bothering me way more than it should have

I love this so much! Many lolita videos explaining production in a very condescending way and never actually get to the point...but this was very understanding and informative!

I’m new to Lolita but I’ve been interested since I was really little and my mother wants to put up hundreds of toys from when I was little in facebook marketplace, I keep telling her I want to sell them but she keeps insisting because she wants to get rid of them

Your videos are so informative! I don’t wear lolita but enjoy keeping up on very diverse areas of fashion haha! Can you or anyone else help me remember the name of the lolita subgroup that is focused on coziness, woodland creatures, books & tea? Does that make sense?? Kind of more muted tones, baggy sweaters, etc. I know you featured someone with that style a few years ago on Instagram & I haven’t been able to look into it since because i forgot the name of the style!