Fancy Footwear for Big Feet

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You'll probably remember my list of tips for finding hats that fit larger heads. Well, this is the same basic deal, but with the opposite end of the body.

I have fairly large feet for a woman: size ten and a half wide, to be precise. As a result, it can occasionally be hard to find shoes that go well with my alternative fashion leanings. I don't really trust shoes that I can't try on, so Taobao and Bodyline are flat out. My only option, then, is to look for alternatives.

Where to Shop

Pleaser: I have two pairs of boots from Pleaser, and I cannot say enough about them. They are both Victorian style boots and fit beautifully. They are also incredibly comfortable.

Vintage: This is touch and go. However, I always check vintage shoes. You never know what you will find. I have a beautiful pair of ivory vintage granny boots that are labeled as a size eight but perfectly fit my size eleven feet.

Dance Shoes: Ever heard of character shoes? I was in show choir during my teenage years, and character shoes were a staple on that sparkly stage. Now, they're my go-to shoes when I can't find a new pair of Mary Janes that I like. While they usually only come in a few colors (tan and black, with more available if you're lucky), character shoes are an option that goes beautifully with Lolita and will never go out of style. Mary Janes are going to be the cheaper option, but the T-strap shoes are also gorgeous.

Regular Shoe Stores: If you are looking for certain styles (Mary Jane shoes, oxfords), you can actually find shoes that are perfectly appropriate for lolita when you're in a regular old shoe store. They are more available in the winter for some reason, so spring clearance sales are going to be your friends.

What to Look For

Style: As I mentioned before, Mary Janes and oxfords are much easier to find. Flats and wedges are also styles that you'll be able to find a number of options for.

Color: Choose colors that will go with as much as possible in your wardrobe. If you wear a lot of sweet, then your favorite color will probably be the way to go. I wear a lot of classic and a touch of gothic, so black, brown and ivory are the best colors for my collection.

Simplicity: The simpler the shoes, the easier they are to modify or add other things to. So, if you're stuck and unable to find something fancy right away, go with something simple and modify! Simplicity also keep shoes from going out of style as quickly, meaning once you've found a pair that fits you can keep wearing them for a good long time.

Alternatives to Fancy Footwear

So you can't find frilly shoes that fit your feet. Take a deep breath. It's okay.

Alter the shoes yourself: There are a number of tutorials floating around online on how to customize shoes. Over on her blog, kayzeekay has a tutorial on turning plain ballet flats into mock tea parties (though I'd recommend getting flats in the color you want if at all possible). Ceci Kierk has a tutorial for turning plain Mary Janes into T-straps with bows.

Shoe clips: Oh, shoe clips. I love shoe clips. I've written before about shoe clips. They are the greatest vintage thing that I have ever discovered, and certainly the most useful for lolita. You actually have plenty of options here. You can buy vintage shoe clips online, you can use flatter clip on earrings to add glitz, or you can make your own shoe clips for a totally custom look.

Do you have any shoe shopping tips for Lolitas or other frilly folk?

Fashion Videos: Lolita Documentaries

One thing I love about the growing Lolita community in the English-speaking world is that it's getting easier by the day to find videos of Lolitas. Of course, there will always be unfortunate moments when people outside the fashion don't understand or are intentionally misleading (My Strange Addiction and an episode of What Not To Wear have certainly done their part on that front). However, there are also a variety of short videos that actually get to the heart of what the fashion is all about.

These are certainly not all the information about lolita that is out there, but they are certainly a good primer for explaining the fashion to friends and family who are having a hard time understanding the fashion. That's my favorite thing about these videos: they are bite-sized information that is easy to introduce to those who aren't well versed in the world of Lolita.

In light of that, here are a couple of my favorite Lolita videos.

Crazy Item Wishlist: Antler or Ram's Horn Hair Clips

I really, really like ram's horn and deer antler-shaped hair clips.

I... have no excuse.

This irrational consumer lust is the combination of several different influences. First, costuming; I've always loved costuming and these little accessories are a small costumey item that is easy to add to a non-costume outfit. Two, fairies; I've been a fangirl for folklore and mythology since I was tiny, and any reference to fauns, satyrs, the Wild Hunt, or the Horned One is fine by me. Finally, that whole deer trend that happened a while back in lolita; After seeing so many adorable girls with antlers on their heads, I wanted one, too.

There is no reason for me to love these, but I do. From the awesome antler headbands that stick up from hair clips or elastic headbands and look like real antlers sprouted from my head to simpler hair clips that will lay flat against my head and confuse onlookers, I want them.

Little Fawn

Here's a cutesy tribute to the fawn trend in Lolita. I tried to keep the actual deer elements sparse, with a fawn fur cape, the antlers, and a few deer on the skirt. Everything else is much simpler, because this isn't cosplay; it's lolita.

Jack of All Trades, Master of None

Me looking through a window.

This is one of those personal posts that is less about a topic and more about my life. I grew up in a town that was largely sceneless, meaning that those of us with subcultural leanings came together to form a sort of stew of social abnormality. This had a lot of effects, but one of the biggest ones is that I do not and probably cannot align with a single subculture.

That isn’t to say I don’t dabble. Back at the beginning of this exercise, I told you all that I dabble in a wide variety of different subcultural fashions and that I do try to understand the subcultures involved as best I can, but that doesn’t mean I’ll ever fit neatly into one of them.

There are, of course, scenes that are flat out. I will never be gyaru or hime gyaru; ladies, you're fabulous, but that's not something I'm interesting in doing myself. As cute as it is, sweet Lolita will never be a major force in my life. I never mastered punk, either in attitude or in style, and probably never will.

But for every subculture that I don’t really fit into is another that has touched me but hasn’t colored me completely. I’ve talked before about how this is good, how it blessed me with the ability to assimilate a wide variety of different styles and create something of my own without fear of having to fit it into a box.

However, it also means that I don’t really feel like I belong in any of the boxes I’ve borrowed from. I can wear all black, add high contrast makeup and do up my hair, but I still won’t feel like I’m a goth though such clothing does feel perfectly suited to me. I can pile on the frills and flowers, but I won’t feel like I can claim Lolita fashion as my own. I can pile on all the steampunk-inspired sepia tones that I please with bustles and bloomers and goggles on hats, but that doesn’t make me feel like I am a steampunk myself. I flit between groups and fit in just fine both in terms of style and in terms of personality or interest, but none of them are my group. None of them fit exactly.

I’m sure there are a lot of people out there like me. I’m sure that there are plenty of folks who find themselves caught between subcultures, unable to properly choose between them. But in a place with limited access to subculture, it does get rather lonely.

Lolita in Winter: Why Aren't Flannel Petticoats and Underskirts a Thing?

Petticoats (Flannel)—These are not only useful, but indispensable articles of dress. Fine flannel is the best, as it is most durable, and keeps its color best in washing. The length of the petticoat is regulated by the height of the person for whom it is intended; and the width ranges from three breadths to one and a-half. The bottom is hemmed with a broad hem; and the top is gathered, and set on to a strong band of calico, or jean, leaving the front nearly plain. Sometimes a button hole is made, about two nails from the ends of the band, to which strings of tape are attached; these are passed through the opposite holes, and the parts thus brought over each other form a kind of bustle, which makes the garment sit more neatly to the figure. A slit of about four nails is left on the back which is hemmed round, or bound with a strong binding.

—Lady's Work Table Book, 1846

Living in Minnesota, and not even "Up Nort," it gets cold in winter. As such, much of my lolita gets put away when the snow blows through and the temperature drops below freezing because it's simply too cold. However, as I was trying to figure out which fabrics should come home with me now that winter fabrics are finally going on sale, I stumbled upon a question:

Why aren't flannel petticoats a thing?

I know that, every year, people sell polar fleece bloomers to keep the legs cozy. That makes perfect sense to me because it gets cold. I do, however, wonder why we haven't taken the extra step of making flannel underskirts for even more coziness when we're donning our frills.

As you can see from the quote above, this isn't exactly a new idea, but it's one I've not often heard in lolita circles. We hear about layering skirts under a skirt if we don't have a petticoat yet or wearing underskirts to add length, but I feel like we don't talk about the most practical aspect of all that fluff: we can add warmth very easily if we need to.

I know some people will argue that flannel isn't as elegant as the chiffon and lace froth that props up our skirts in the summer, and they might be right. But, really, I cannot help but wonder why this isn't something more lolitas in northern climes pursue.

If it was "indispensable" in 1846, I can't help but think we should look into the idea.

What Do I Wear on Non-Frilly Days?

I know I talk a lot about lolita fashion, but sometimes wearing Lolita just isn’t practical. And, other times, I don’t feel like it; it’s a lot of work to get myself all dolled up and petticoated. Some days I don’t feel like being frilly (or as frilly), and on those days I turn to my other styles.

This is a set of outfits to give you a feel for how I dress when I'm not stem to stern frilly.

A Valentine to My Favorite Plus-Size Fashion Bloggers

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I'm a plus sized girl. I am also a girl who enjoys fashion. It's been years since I felt like my size was holding me back from developing a style that I love.

However, I also have friends who are around my size or larger who still feel like they can't dress beautifully simply because they have larger bodies. I can't tell you how many times I've heard something like...
"If I were smaller, I'd dress cuter."
"I just don't think anything looks good on me."
"I can't be fashionable; I'm fat."
"They just don't make cute clothes in my size."

Well, I am here to tell you that that is a big pile of crap. Ladies of any size can be fashionable. There are cute clothes out there. And it's your confidence that makes the outfit really look good. In celebration of that, this year's Valentines are going out to a few of my favorite plus size fashionistas and style bloggers.

If you're bigger and need a boost to get your style moving, these ladies' blogs are a great place to start. If you're not plus sized but still want to get a bit of inspiration, I hope you can find it in their blogs because I certainly do.