Bodyline's Like Brand Looks

The last time I really wrote about Bodyline was quite a while ago and they have definitely changed since then, and luckily that change has been for the better! For those you you who aren't too familiar with Bodyline, they are a very cheap and easy source for Lolita (dresses costing between $30 and $65) that started off as a costume shop knocking out cheaply made and overpriced Lolita-inspired lace monsters but they soon discovered that there was quite a huge market in selling "real" Lolita clothes for a fraction of the price of brands. True, Bodyline Lolita pieces are also a fraction of the same quality as brand Lolita but they usually look nice and hold up well to wear, and for the price, who's going to complain?

Over the years Lolitas have had many different feelings towards Bodyline. The relationship between Lolitas and our favorite discount dress store is sometimes complicated. They started out the butt of everyone's joke, then they shocked and divided the Lolita community when they released nice quality print replica's of highly sought after brand dresses for $50, then very slowly they started releasing better and better pieces with better and better original prints. I think some of their recent additions are seriously on par with brand, at least as far as design and print goes, and are often even a bit inspired by various brand prints. I have been considering these new Bodyline pieces something like the "Runway looks for less!" features you can often find in mainstream fashion magazines, the ones that show off a runway look and then feature similarly styled look-a-like pieces from department stores for much, much less.

Stripe Balloon Bears is a cute print featuring cute bears all lined up around the hem of the skirt. The print design is a bit reminiscent of Metamorphose's Honey Picnic or one of the many other bear prints that Metamorphose and even Innocent World has put out. Design wise, I think this is a very solid dress, it's a pretty standard OP style with a few extra bows and lace thrown in for good measure, and I'm such a fan of square necklines with the criss-crossing ribbon!

This perfume print is reminiscent of Angelic Pretty's famous Rose Toilette, only instead of a series of pastel colors, it comes in a variety of deeper jewel tones, perfect for the Classic Lolita who flirts with Sweet Lolita (or, if you will, the Sweet-Classic hybrid), which is something I think that the Rose Toilette print could have definitely used. I would actually love to see this in a JSK, because I am not too much of a fan of the OP styling,  it's cute, but it doesn't seem very versatile. Bodyline often releases several different versions of their prints on the English webshop at different times, and this dress just hit the English webshop from the Japanse one, so, who knows, a JSK version could easily be on the horizon. I hope so, because I do really enjoy this print.

This macaron and dessert themed print is undoubtedly cute! The styling of the print is very Angelic Pretty, and even features the desserts AP helped make famous in the Lolita community with  Dreaming Macaron, in fact, the print is a bit reminiscent of it, only featuring a polkadotted background and coming in much bolder colors than the AP print.

Sweet Cream is another adorable and relatively new Bodyline original print. This one, I do not believe, was not meant to pay homage to any particular brand print, but I think it definitely has a Baby the Stars Shine Bright feel to it, especially with the ice cream's neatly lined up along the bottom with the little ribbon swags. Ice cream and ribbon swag border prints are something that always reminds me of BtSSB. This is another piece from Bodyline that I think gets the Lolita JSK design down perfectly, it's simple, but it's elegant and can work well however you want to wear it.

This Bodyline Strawberry print instantly reminded me of the new direction Angelic Pretty has been going in, and even features strawberry slices along the border like in the recent Triple Tart print. I actually like Bodyline's version of the style much better! The print has much more details and gone are the questionable giant gingham blocks.

This Jewelry themed print practically screams Baby the Stars Shine Bright to me! Especially the pink and black colorway! I was instantly reminded of the black and pink colorway of Salon Music, a bit of the styling from Dripping Lace, and even a little bit of Metamorphose's Perfume Bottle print. Needless to say, this is one of the new Bodyline prints that I want to get my hands on most of all, even if it does seem a bit lacking in the poof department.

This waffle and fruit themed print is another print that reminds me of some of Angelic Pretty's more recent prints, the ones where they go a bit Emily Temple Cute. There's no directly similar piece to this dress that I can think of, but it certainly does remind me of something along the lines of AP's French Cafe or even Honey Cake, if simply because of the use of a more breakfasty looking print in a styling that is a bit simpler than most AP prints.

I'm not actually sure if these are supposed to be balloons or lolly pops, but this print reminds me a bit of Candy Treat, only with stripes, because of the use of such bold colors. Angelic Pretty is known more for their soft pastel, sort-of-blend-together-into-a-big-pastel-blob styled prints and Candy Treat was one of the first of their recent prints to start featuring bold pastel colors in a way that Metamorphose is more known for.

Could this print be any more Angelic Pretty in the height of their pastel-explosion-o-rama? From far away it could be anything from Toy Parade to Dreamy Dollhouse or any number of their other cute animal and/or dessert themed prints. It even comes in a lavender colorway, which is a lovely, but infrequently seen color for Sweet Lolita prints.

These are actually just a few of the new prints that Bodyline has come out with in the past few months! There are a bunch more on their webshop and hopefully there are more prints like this on the horizon for them. Now that Angelic Pretty seems to be going in a bolder and almost Otome inspired direction (at least as far as prints go!), Bodyline is a nice alternative for those not yet ready to let go of their love of pastel rainbows. I think any of these dresses would be an excellent way of building a print-based Sweet Lolita wardrobe on a budget or even for those of us who enjoy Sweet Lolita, but not really enough to fight girls for the newest Angelic Pretty release, who are looking to add a few creative Sweet Lolita prints to our wardrobe.

Personally, I hope to pick up a few of these! I have a very limited number of Sweet Lolita main pieces in pastel colors (I think I have exactly 2 pink skirts and 1 pink JSK I'm in the process of selling!) and at between $37 and $62 dollars a piece, these Bodyline pieces are the perfect way to add a little more color to my wardrobe for cheap!

Autumnal Prints

One of the best things about Lolita is the fact that there are so many different themes that there is something appropriate for every season and occasion. One of my favorite, and the most practical, thing to match my Lolita coordinates to is the season. There are a few things that, to me, are just perfect to wear in the Fall season. You don't have to go out and buy a whole new wardrobe for Fall, and you're not forbidden to wear anything not on this short list, but here are some suggestions and ideas if you are looking to add a special piece or two to match this season.

Autumnal prints

• Tartan. I think the one print that matches the season most of all is Tartan or Plaid, especially in muted and earth tone colors. Maybe it's Tartan's association with back to school, or the fact that it's often made of a thicker and warmer fabric, but Tartans are always perfect for fall.
• Heraldry and royalty. While this is a rare to see coats of arms in prints, it is much more common to see crowns used. This is probably just a personal preference, but for some reason these things, especially combined with subdued classic colors and printed in dull golds or warm browns, always reminds me of autumn. It might be the color combos that are so often used with these prints, or maybe it's the link to history and so these prints sort of have a back-to-school feel, just like Tartan.
  
• Forest scenes. Even if the forests aren't gold and red and in full autumn bloom I still find forest scenes to be very Autumnal when it comes to Lolita prints.
• Deer. This can sometimes go hand in hand with a forest scene print, but a print featuring deer, so long as it's not Angelic Pretty's pink chubby cartoon deers, always screams Autumn to me.
  
• Apples. An infrequent theme that is just perfect for the Fall season, for obvious reasons.
  
• Floral prints in muted colors. While pastel flowers might be very Summery, flowers in muted browns, dusty pinks, and dark salmony pinks are very reminiscent of Fall and sometimes even goes so far as to look like bunches of red and gold leaves to me.
  

Here are some specific prints that always feel very Autumnal to me, especially in these colors.

What are some of your favorite pieces to wear in the Fall? Or pieces, prints or non-prints, that you've always wanted to get a hold of to wear in this season? Do you match your wardrobe, even just some of it, to the seasons? Or does your wardrobe know no seasons besides adding some layers in the winter?

Ask Miss Caro-chan: Adding More Color To Your Wardrobe

Today I'll be answering the first Ask Miss Caro-chan in a while! I had gotten reeeaaallly behind on the questions (as well as the interviews) in the month of May, so I'm going to try to get back on track with them this month! This question is from Manda, who asks:

How should one go about adding more color to their lolita wardrobe. I presently have a very gothic/classic wardrobe, but I am getting a little bored of the colors. Any tips?

Adding more color to a wardrobe is a pretty simple thing if you are starting with Gothic wardrobe, since pretty much any color is going to match with black. There are a few things to keep in mind when you are looking to color your Gothic wardrobe a little bit, and having several colorful coordinates, without having to buy a ton of stuff.

• Pick a color. Just one color for the time being, try not to go crazy and just buy whatever is colorful and cheap, because you're just going to have to spend a bunch later trying to accessorize each different color. When I first started adding more color to my wardrobe I made the mistake of getting tons of different colored stuff that I never wear because I didn't bother to buy a bunch of matching accessories. Once I learned my lesson I settled on pink as my extra color, because nothing matches black better than pink! Once you have a workable wardrobe in your chosen color, then by all means, go crazy and start buying more colors. The smart way to owning Lolita is to really be able to make the most out of what you have, because that simply means you get to wear it more!
• Look for prints in a black colorway that feature details of the color you chose. This might be tricky if you want an unusual (for Lolita!) color scheme like black and green. But if you are determined you're bound to find something. A print, either as a skirt or a JSK, in a black colorway will let you wear the color of your choice without having to go out and buy any extra accessories since it will most likely match with black shoes, socks, blouse, and head piece. One thing to keep in mind when you are picking out a printed piece is whether or not you are planning to add things of a completely different style. If you plan on sticking with Gothic, try to avoid prints with super cute motifs.
• Pick out some all white pieces in your current wardrobe. Most Gothic wardrobes will have at least 1 white blouse. A white blouse will make a coordinate look a little more colorful, even if it is a black colorway with only a little bit of color.
• Don't be afraid to pair a colorful JSK or skirt with a black blouse. If you really want to add a color to your wardrobe, and add a lot of it, get a skirt or JSK in your chosen color, it can be print or solid, and wear it with a black blouse and black accessories. This might not always work with a JSK, it will usually depend upon the cut and color of the JSK, but a colorful skirt in pretty much any color usually looks good in an all black coordinate, and is something a little different and unique.
• Find a jacket or bolero in your color of choice. It's another quick way to add your color to an all black outfit.
• Accessorize! Finally, add some accessories in your chosen color to your wardrobe. Start with little accessories, like necklaces, rings, or brooches, or things you can easily get for cheap at mainstream stores. Then go on a hunt for shoes, purses, and headbows or other Lolita head pieces in a matching color. If you really want a frugal way to add color to a Gothic wardrobe, skip all the other steps except for this one. Just a few colorful accessories will really stand out in an all black coordinate.

If you have a more Classic wardrobe that may already have a lot of color in it, just in either classical prints or more muted colors, you're probably going to have a trickier time and you're really going to have to know which colors will match, but the basic steps are still the same, just add a little color at a time.

Here are the pieces I will be making a few coordinates with, up top are a few pieces from a Gothic wardrobe, and below are the colorful (I chose red!) pieces that can easily be introduced into a Gothic wardrobe, I have 2 pieces in a black colorway with red details (The bodyline JSK and the BtSSB skirt) a solid red skirt (Mary Magdalene), a solid red jacket (Forever 21), a red headbow (BtSSB), some shoes (Bodyline), and a purse and some random accessories. Now, of course, you should probably have your reds, or whatever color you picked, match, but I'm using Polyvore for this so it's a little hard to find exactly matching colors that have been uploaded.

 Here's an example of one of the easiest ways to add color to a wardrobe, a printed piece in a colorway that matches your current wardrobe, but has details of the color you wish was in your wardrobe. As you can see, besides a few matching pieces of jewelry, the rest of the wardrobe is basic black pieces. One printed piece like this can really go a long way, especially if you are on a budget or are simply unsure if you will like the color combo you have picked.

Here's an example of another, a bit bolder, way to add more color to a wardrobe, and that is solid colored pieces. A purse or a couple pieces of jewelry in your chosen color can help balance the coordinate a bit.

I haven't even used all the pieces in the sample wardrobe! There are still some shoes and accessories that can be played with to either make an outfit with maximum red, or a few more accessories that can spice up an all black coordinate a bit more.

Hopefully this has helped a bit! It's really not that hard, technically, to add more color to a wardrobe, I think the hardest part is just choosing a color and stepping outside your comfort zone.

A Few Of My Newest Pieces

As I rambled about briefly in the post before this, I have been doing a little bit of closet cleaning, okay, so it's a bit more like closet turnover. I've been selling off stuff I never wore, or wore only a few times, mainly super sweet stuff, and replacing it with new pieces that fit with the style I've been leaning towards lately. I have recently begun to get into a more Classic Lolita style, but most of my wardrobe is Gothic or Sweet Lolita in black and pink, not exactly a Classic friendly wardrobe. Not all of the pieces I have bought in the past couple months are strictly Classic Lolita, but I think they have a Classic feel to them.

My haul, 2 JSKs, and 4 skirts. These include a 2004 Sleeping Princess JSK, Baby's Alice Portrait JSK, 2 Bodyline skirts, an In The Starlight skirt, and an epically old Metamorphose gobelin print skirt. Now, let's take a closer look at a few of these!

The print and details on Baby's Alice Portrait JSK is just amazing! Click it for a larger view to see the card suit lace and just how cute the portraits are. I am not that much of an Alice fan, so I am really happy to see that they kept the Aliceness to a minimum on this print.

I found this while digging around the sales community, it's an Angelic Pretty print from 2004, Sleeping Princess, well before their days of all over, over the top pastel prints. I am honestly not quite sure what I am going to do with this dress! As red and white is pretty damned sweet and I've been trying to stay away from that slippery slope, but the red is a rather dark red, so I am hoping to make a more Classic Lolita coordinate out of it. I'm planning on hunting down one of those red Meta boleros that came in lucky packs a few years ago to pair with this along with some red heels. it's probably going to be a pain to match up all those reds though!

Here is a couple detail shots. I'm just loving the print, as well as the eyelet lace along the hem! I'm also big on the faux bows on the front. Sometimes, especially on older Lolita pieces, instead of bows on the bodice they had these strips of fabric going across that are tied in the middle. It looks just like a bow, but without the hassle of it sticking up in awkward positions I guess.

Quite possibly my favorite piece from the haul is this Metamorphose gobelin print skirt. Aah, the grandma couch dress, it's a classic! After I got it I realized that it looked sort of familiar, and that's because I recognized it from this picture from 2000 of Sachi. Which just makes me love this skirt all the more. I don't know if my skirt is over 10 years old, as Meta has been releasing gobelin pieces since the dawn of time, and the lace on my skirt's hem looks a bit longer than the one on Sachi, but still, I love the fact that this skirt design is one from Lolita's early days.

Yes, the Meta skirt is covered in Raschel lace, but it's soft and delicate looking, so it gets away with it. Plus, check out the lace along the hem, it's covered in fleur-de-lis and winged crosses!

Have you noticed my growing obsession with older Lolita pieces? While I've always likes a fair share of older Lolita designs, probably because I've been interested in the fashion for so long that some of these were new when I first found out about Lolita, so some are kind of my original dream dresses XD But after doing some research for this post, about Lolita's history, I became really enamored with older pieces, the older the better! And to get my hands on a couple of these pieces has really been a dream. I think even the most up-to-date Lolita, even one who has only been in the fashion for a very short amount of time, should have at least one older piece of brand, even if it's just an old fashioned rectangle headdress. I don't know what it is about older pieces, but to me they feel sort of magical, as silly as it sounds, especially the thought that it has exchanged hands and been well loved by several different Lolitas, even if it was sold because it just isn't their style any more.

Bodyline, The Lolita's Walmart Part, 4: Brand Knock-offs, Reproductions, and Rip-offs

Part 4 of my Bodyline series focuses on the touchy subject of knock-offs, reproductions, and rip-offs. There is pretty much no way I can word this to make everyone happy. I can say "Why spend hundreds of dollars on a brand piece when you can get an acceptable knock-off from Bodyline?" and people will shout "But you don't understand how ~special~ brand makes me feel! Besides a clothing company making the same thing as another is theft!", but I don't care. Everyone is aware that these skirts are rip offs, no one is trying to pass them off as originals, Bodyline isn't claiming Mr. Yan lovingly hand painted them, and as far as I am aware the original brands who made these prints stopped selling them years ago, thus aren't loosing any money because no one is even able to buy them directly from the brand any more. Besides, have the Lolita's who are crying "Theft!" ever looked in a mainstream non-high end fashion magazine? Pick up something like Teen People, there are whole sections devoted to how awesome it is when places like H&M are selling things directly "inspired" from high end runways. Many mainstream fashion trends developed by trying to find knock-offs of what rich and famous people are buying, Lolita is really not that much different in that respect. Knock-offs are certainly not unique to Lolita, so please, stop acting like you never even heard of fake Gucci bags and those "Smells Like..." perfumes you can buy at Walmart until Bodyline released a Fruits Parlor print with "Angelic Pretty" edited off and it opened up your eyes to the world of evil design thefts. Just because other fashions do this, doesn't make it perfectly OK, but it doesn't make it an abhorrent evil that knows no rival just because it's done to something you really like.

Enough with that rant XD If you're still with me, and haven't closed your browser in anger and rushed off to weep on a Gothic & Lolita Bible over the crimes committed against Asuka and Maki, today were going to be talking about the different knock-offs that Bodyline sells. The good, the bad, and the ugly ones.

The Good Knock-offs

These Bodyline replicas are actually very cute. They seem to be made of good quality materials and either look just like the originals, or are changed a bit but still look pretty damned good.

Originally an Angelic Pretty coat, Bodyline makes a pretty faithful replica. The hearts are moved up a bit, I think in order to be pockets.

Aah shoe replicas. Unless a pair of shoes are made out of leather, I won't spend 100+ on them. No injection molded pleater shoe is ever going to be worth much to me. Brand or not, they are cheaply made, and they should be cheap. Bodyline's knock-off of these famous Baby, the Stars Shine Bright shoes are nearly identical.

Don't confuse this Innocent World knock-off with a "bad" knock-off just because it uses the same fabric. Not all brand dresses custom print their own fabric, but instead buy it from a fabric shop. The fabric used in this Bodyline knock-off is almost gaurenteed to be the exact same fabric as the brand version. Metamorphose, and I think a couple indies brands, have also used this same fabric.

Originally an Atelier Boz JSK, Bodyline makes a pretty good copy. As is typical of Bodyline knock-offs, it doesn't look like it has much poof. Maybe they just don't use a very poofy petticoat, or maybe, as a cheaper version, skimp on the skirt yardage a bit.

An oldie but a goody! This was a skirt Bodyline used to sell years ago, and it's a knock-off of an old Angelic Pretty skirt. The lace is a bit cheaper the the original, and the bow looks a little deflated, but other than that, it looks cute to me.

The "Bad" Knock-offs

These are the knock-offs that make people the most upset, print knock-offs. While Bodyline has never made a knock-off with the original brand's logo on the print, they are still not fooling anyone.

No one ever bothers to mention this print when they talk about Bodyline knock-offs. Originally an Angelic Pretty print, Bodyline edits out the "Angelic Pretty" and turns it into a simple JSK.

Another, bit more recent, print originally from Innocent World that is often forgotten about when people talk about the evils of Bodyline. It was released along side the Fruits Parlor skirt, but hardly gets any attention. Once again, "Innocent World" is edited out of knock-off and replaced by a little bow.

Probably the most infamous Bodyline Knock-off, and the one that caused some uproar on EGL, Angelic Pretty's Fruits Parlor. The Angelic Pretty version, when it bothered to pop up for sale, would often go for hundreds of dollars more than it's original price on the second hand market. Owning this fruit covered stripe and polkadot extravaganza from Angelic Pretty was a status symbol, no doubt about it. Then Bodyline released a version for $50, the skirt was sold as low as $11. And soon everyone had the skirt (which I promise you is not as fugly as the dress) in every colorway Bodyline Sold it in.

The Ugly Knock-offs

These dresses are either a total failure, or the original design was so WTF it's a wonder why anyone would want to make knock-offs of it in the first place!

While the Bodyline dress is not really ugly at all (depending on your opinions on the fabric, which tends to be love it or hate it), but it looks nothing like the Angelic Pretty original. I actually laughed out loud when I saw this dress next to the dress it wishes and hopes that it will one day grow up to be.

Eh, points for trying I guess? This Bodyline knock-off is an ambitious replica of a very elaborate Baby, The Stars Shine Bright dress. Poor fabric choices and a general lack-of-effort makes the Bodyline knock-off look very blah.

I am saving the worst for last with this Moi-même-Moitié replica. The original, while, in my opinion is not that great, it at least doesn't look like a misshapen bunch of satin rags attached to a pencil skirt.

Knock-offs, unless they are commissioned by a very fine seamstress, are pretty much never going to be as nice as the originals. Do you really expect to be able to buy a $300+ dollar dress for $50? Of course not. If you have been into Lolita for any amount of time, and own even a small amount of brand dresses, you know that they prices they charge aren't too ridiculous for what you are getting, soft, thick cotton and yards upon yards of high-quality lace. But knock-offs are a way of getting a similar style of dress for much cheaper. If you can find, afford, and fit into the original dress, then by all means, go for it, it will most likely be a thousand times lovelier than any knock-off. But sometimes one of those 3 things will set you back, you might just not have the hundreds of dollars, the right waist size, or the dress might be from so long ago in the Lolita time line you have very little chance of ever finding it. Or maybe you just want a piece or two in a style that you are still flirting with and don't yet feel comfortable dropping a large chunk of change on it ("I love it for $30, but not for $300!"). If this is the case, there's really no shame in a replica or a knock-off. If you love and want a dress, buy it, even if, for some reason, you have no choice but to buy a knock-off.

If you are interested in checking out many more of Bodyline's replicas, mostly for a good lulz, check out this site. It's a very comprehensive listing of most of the knock-offs Bodyline has put out over the years. I never even knew some of these pieces were knock-offs! Some pieces that I always though of as "Classic Bodyline Fug" are apparently pretty accurate replicas of real brands. I guess that just goes to show you that just because it's brand, doesn't mean it's tasteful.

Bodyline, The Lolita's Walmart Part, 3: Padding Your Wardrobe With Bodyline

Welcome to part 3 of my Bodyline: The Lolita's Walmart series. This post will be for the seasoned Lolita, who already has quite a few Lolita pieces, most of them brand or unique custom pieces, but is looking to pad her wardrobe with a few basic pieces to make her more expensive pieces more versatile.

Sometimes you want the focus of our coordinate, or your whole Lolita wardrobe even, to be on a brand or unique handmade pieces. If you don't feel the need to make every piece of your coordinate brand, then Bodyline is a great choice to fill all the nooks and crannies of your wardrobe with, and think of it this way, you could be spending the money you're saving by buying Bodyline on more brand or really nice custom made pieces.

The #1 thing to remember when padding your wardrobe with Bodyline is to not go crazy, only buy a few very versatile pieces, and only a couple "main" coordinate pieces such as skirts or dresses. After all, if you end up with a mostly Bodyline wardrobe, then you are instead sprinkling your Bodyline wardrobe with a few brand pieces, not padding your brand wardrobe with Bodyline.

Wardrobe basics

These are just that, very basic pieces, things every Lolita wardrobe needs but might be so plain that you are hesitant to spend big money on them. Not only am I talking about things like petticoats and bloomers, but blouses that might be hidden mostly under a JSK.

• Blouses- Look for something relatively plain, with a little bit of nice lace on it. Just a high neck or a rounded collar and some sleeves with a little bit of poof to them is all you're going to need.
• Petticoats- Personally, I think a fluffy chiffon type petticoat is the way to go. They are usually extra fluffy, so you only need to wear one, and I have never ever had a problem with them deflating. But, a good one under 50 bucks can be hard to find, luckily Bodyline sells them for about $20. Sometimes they have different ones for sale, so you are going to want to check the length to make sure it is in the Lolita range, that is 17-20 inches (remember, a couple inches shorter than your skirt is best, so it doesn't peek out!), not in the wear-over-your-skinny-jeans range of 15 inches or less.
• Bloomers- Every good Lolita needs a couple pairs of bloomers! Bodyline sells a wide variety of fancy looking bloomers for a rather good price.

Complementary pieces

You are hesitant to spend large amounts of money on these because they really might only go with one or two coordinates, but they would really make that coordinate something special.

• Cardigans and boleros- An easy way to make a coordinate something a little different is to wear a cardigan or a bolero in an accent color.
• Cutsews and hoodies- Cutsews or even Lolita hoodies are a great addition to a wardrobe, they can be paired up with a skirt for when you want something both a little more colorful than a plain blouse and a bit more casual. The problem is, brand ones can$70 or more, which always seems a bit much for something that is made out of stretch jersey fabric (yeah, t-shirt material). Bodyline's cutsews and hoodies run about $25.
• Jackets- A short jacket paired up with a dress or a skirt is a cute way to make a coordinate look a bit more mature. But brands usually only sell them for a month or so in the fall, and cost around $200. Again, Bodyline sells them for $25.

"Luxury" items

These are pieces that are needed for a Lolita wardrobe, but don't need to be made specifically for Lolita, or sometimes can be skipped altogether. The could easily be offbrand, but you would prefer if they were, if not a real brand, at least Bodyline.

• Winter coat- Many Lolitas skip over the winter coat altogether, because lets face it, you probably already have a winter coat, and you really don't want to spend $400 on a brand coat if you don't wear Lolita too often in the winter. Coats are the most expensive thing Bodyline sells, ranging from $100-$125 for a full length winter coat, but that's only a fraction of the price a brand coat would cost.
• Shoes- While an adorable pair of shoes is needed to complete any Lolita coordinate, you can find cute shoes just about anywhere, they don't have to be made specifically for Lolita. Besides, brand shoes typically run $150-$300. Hell, no, I'm going to PayLess. Luckily, Bodyline sells a variety of Lolita shoes, many of them are, in fact, direct knock offs of brand shoes. They are even often of comparable quality, because lets face it, brand shoes are, when you get right down to it, nothing special. They're almost always just pleather shoes, not hand crafted leather like the price tag might imply. Well, so are Bodylines shoes, except the tag on the inside says "Bodyline" and the shoes are really only going to run you $13-$60.
• Purses- Brand purses, much like brand shoes, are often very pricey, I would even go so far as to call them over priced. But Bodyline sells an ever changing variety of purses, many of them, again, like their shoes, are direct knock-offs of brand bags. Only instead of $200, they're going to cost you about $15.

An example of a Bodyline padded wardrobe

Here's an example of a brand wardrobe padded with Bodyline. The pieces in the top row are brand, many of them very expensive pieces (JSKs from left to right: AP, IW, AP, BtSSB, AP, BtSSB. Headbows both from BtSSB), and everything else is from Bodyline. They are added with the intention of complementing the brand pieces, not nessicarily as stand-alone pieces. The top row of brand pieces can easily run you a couple thousand dollars, even if you are buying second hand, while all of the Bodyline items combined will only run you about $400. True, you could get away with buying a single plain white blouse, and a pair of shoes, but that would hardly count as a full wardrobe. This way you can mix and match interesting coordinates to your hearts content and wear Lolita on a regular basis without feeling like you're just wearing the same ol' thing. Here are some coordinates, using only these items, with each of the 6 brand pieces as a focus point, and an extra coordinate for the coat!

This JSK, as well as the circus print one, both have a bit of blue in the print, so I'm using a few blue items to make the coordinate interesting.

There's only a tiny bit of blue in this print, and only a little bit of blue on the socks will be showing over the top of the boots. The boots might be wintery, but pom-poms are a very Angelic Pretty kind of detail, so the boots make a cute addition to the coordinate.

The print in this Baby JSK has quite a bit of creamy white in it, so I've paired it up with the off-white blouse and the pink bolero, which covers up the top part of the JSK, making the coordinate look more pink and pale than red and bright.

Using a pink cutsew I've made a coordinate that compliments the skirt, rather than making a coordinate in which the only thing of interest is the skirt, as using all white can so often do.

This dress is a bit more classic than the other pieces, so the off-white blouse is perfect with it.

The only pink dress in the wardrobe! Knock up the pink a few more notches with the pink cutsew and the pink purse. The green on the purse even matches a few sprinklings of green on the dress!

The best part about winter coats is you can wear any dress you want under it! I just thought this one looked so cute with those shoes. Like the cutest and Loliest Santa ever!

Of course, these aren't all the different coordinates you can make with each of these dresses, you can continue to mix and match a handful of interesting outfits for each of these dresses, before you even have to bother with the old match-it-with-white standby.