Summer Lolita Style

Hello everyone! The rainy season is coming to an end, and we're entering the scorching hot summer months in Japan. For Lolitas whose entire style of fashion is based on layering garments over other garments, this can be a trying time indeed. Wearing light and airy clothes is great, but showing too much skin must be avoided. To prepare you for the hot weather heading our way, I'd like to talk about some ideas for a refreshing summer Lolita look.

Mind your Arms, Legs, and Shoulders

In summer, revealing items such as camisoles, tube tops and mini skirts make their entrance on to the fashion scene. Even in Lolita fashion, sleeveless dresses and sundresses can be found. However, what is important to remember here is the amount of skin on display. If you can pull it off elegantly, there is no problem. However, depending on how you balance your look out, you could end up lessening the "Lolita factor" by looking too casual or too sexy. In addition to this, bare limbs protruding from a heavily decorated dress may bring further attention to your exposed legs and arms, and make it look as though something is missing from your outfit. The key to summer Lolita style is deciding how to display or cover your arms, legs and shoulders.

Making the Most of Accessories

If you decide to wear items that expose your shoulders, such as sundresses or bustiers, why not team them with a pair of gloves, which I touched on a little in lesson 4. It will make your whole outfit look all the more Lolita-like than if you just wear the dress on its own. If you want to go for an elegant or classical style, choose a pair of gloves that reach your elbows. For a cute and casual look, wear ones that are short and sweet. Gloves that end at your wrists also go great with a short-sleeved dress or blouse. For a contemporary look, why not coordinate your outfit with some "sleeve cuffs" or an eye-catching bracelet?
Fashioning a pair of gloves will give your overall look a formal feel, however if you want to go for a more casual style, throw on something to cover your shoulders. For a sweet look, try a short-sleeved bolero or cardigan. Keeping a cardigan handy is convenient in air-conditioned areas, and by coordinating it with your summer dress you can wear the outfit all the way through to autumn without getting chilly. They are also ideal for people who may be a little worried about exposing their shoulders or arms too. For a more causal style, I recommend wearing a parka. To avoid looking plain, choose one with a colorful pattern or a sweet design to match your Lolita outfit.

As for footwear, basically it is more Lolita-like to wear tights or socks whatever the weather may be. Even if you are wearing gloves or a cardigan to cover your shoulders, you really should avoid bare feet. For summer, in addition to the usual high socks and knee high socks, white lacey tights and ankle-high crew socks are popular. But this all depends on the overall balance of your outfit. For long-length sundresses, or if you want to go for a "resort holiday" look, leaving your feet bare in a pair of sandals may look more enchanting. Keep in mind the Lolita fashion style and use your own sense to work out the balance of your summer outfit.

For a Full Lolita Outfit, Choose a Sleeved Dress

For those who still want to achieve a complete Lolita look even in summer, I recommend a sleeved dress. If you have one that is sufficiently decorative even when worn on its own, you can compliment it with an equally eye-catching headdress or bonnet. And make sure you are wearing those all important socks or tights to complete the look!
A head-to-toe Lolita look is gorgeous, but it may lack that seasonal feel, causing it to look out of place in warm weather. What you can do to counteract this is to pay attention to the type of material or patterns you choose. Bright and light colors, Gingham checks or fruit patterns that remind one of summer, or semi-transparent light materials should do the trick. And although this may sound contradictory, black in summer is a classy choice too. (Another point, not related to your actual outfit, is that a "cool and composed demeanor" can go a long way in looking cool and breezy even in the heat.) If you chose a bright colored focal feature for your outfit, choosing subdued accessories will make you look refreshing and not stifled.

Combine Light Tops & Skirts

For those you usually prefer the blouse + jumper skirt combination, layering like this may be difficult to pull off when it is hot. So why not try simply combining a light top and skirt? If you match the colors, you can even achieve the appearance of wearing a dress.
For a causal look, wear a t-shirt or short sleeved top. You can wear it with ease and it is simple to wash, so they're great items to have during this hot season, especially because you may sweat a little more than usual. To avoid looking too casual, choose designs with a sweet Lolita theme. But this simple light look may make you look "normal" or "boring" so I recommend experimenting with your accessories or hair. Putting effort into the details will make up for the simplicity of your clothes.
For those who prefer a more "proper" look, a blouse is an excellent choice. Summer blouses include the short puff sleeve blouse as well as the French sleeve or a collarless open neck blouse. Short length blouses will look well balanced even with the hem falling over your skirt. With T-shirts or causal tops, a simple skirt will be easier to coordinate with, but with blouses, a decorative skirt would look lovely. Add a corsage to outfit and viola! Your dainty summer Lolita style is complete. Enjoy a change from your usual style with the blouse and skirt combination for a slightly more refined look.

So here ends my lesson on how to keep a Lolita cool during the summer months. However, I am aware that there are many of you who think "no matter what the weather, I will always wear what I like best!" Personally, that I think that is a wonderful attitude to have (I feel the grace and strength of youthful sensibilities in such attitudes). However do not overdo it and get ill in the heat. Also, as you may perspire more during this season, make sure you look after your skin properly. I recommended wearing a sleeved undergarment to help absorb the perspiration and to avoid transference on to your clothes. Take good care of your beautiful Lolita garments so that you can enjoy them for as long as possible.
Farewell until next time!