Tales of Christmas: Lolita Outfits Inspired by Classic Holiday Stories

Christmastime!

I love Christmas. I love giving gifts and spending time with family. I love that it is a great excuse for making foodstuffs for friends and family, whether they celebrate the holiday or not. And, in many cases, I love the stories that go along with it.

So I decided to do a few outfits based on my favorite Christmas stories.

Toy Soldier

This outfit takes inspiration from two of the many things I have loved in my life: nutcrackers and marching band. The shako (the bucket-shaped hat often seen in a marching band setting) is a strange choice with lolita, but it works with the military styling of the outfit as a whole. I chose a shako with a gold eagle both because it reflects the tone of the gold buttons on the vest and because I like a good black and gold shako.

Any plaid skirt would work for this outfit, but I chose to use this Bodyline JSK both because of its inexpensive nature and because of the layering in the skirt. The three tiers break up the line of the skirt and mimic the peplum of the coat often seen on traditional nutcrackers.

I would also say curled hair (or a curly wig if that's your thing) are a must with this outfit to offset the vertical nature of the shako. Give it a bit of volume to balance out the skirt.

A Christmas Carol: Ebenezer Scrooge

Scrooge!

I read A Christmas Carol every year and have done since I was ten years old and received a copy of the book from a teacher of mine. So, of course, I needed to do something inspired by the classic Dickens story. Or, as you'll see, several somethings.

Scrooge is one of those characters who is defined by his stinginess, so I felt a bit off about using brand for him. However, the high-collared OP is simple and no-fuss. As lolita goes, there is very little extra frippery save for the ruffle on the bottom of the dress. I chose a blue dress because of the theme of redemption: there is color beneath all the black.

But there is a lot of black. A top hat, a business-like blazer, black tights, and black Victorian boots make the look fairly severe and dark.

The Ghost of Christmas Present

The Ghost of Christmas Present is a wonderful spirit, a vibrant and short-lived being who cares quite a lot for those who are less-fortunate. I wanted to show the richness of the character with rich accents: gold, deep red, fur, and lace.

However, there is a more dangerous side to the Ghost of Christmas Present. Beneath all that opulence is hidden a pair of starving children, the personifications of ignorance and want. I tried to keep everything looking a bit antique and shabby-looking to show their influence. The spikes on the headband also reflect that influence.

The Ghost of Christmas Yet To Come

My favorite ghost!

Yes, I'm one of those ooky spooky kids who adores the Ghost of Christmas Yet to Come (don't even get me started on the retellings that call it "the Ghost of Christmas Future"). I can't help it.

I tried to keep some of the symbolism from the original book with this outfit. Most of the fabric is shroud-like and slightly sheer. The hat has a veil on it. It lends a funereal and slightly uncertain tone to the clothing; most of the clothing would shift and change appearance as the light hit it. It also obscures the person beneath, but not so much that they are completely hidden.

And, finally...

The Snow Queen

A set inspired by Hans Christian Andersen's "The Snow Queen." It's not technically a Christmas story, but I read this story every year as soon as the first snowflakes fall. I wanted to keep the images familiar to the titular character: a mirror for the shard of mirror in Kai's eye, fur for winter, pearls for the shining and seductive lady, spikes for the icicles in her kiss.

The mirror necklace here really inspired this coord. Thematically, that IS "The Snow Queen," and I'm lucky to have found the necklace.