Ask Xelyna: Lolita and Sports

Hooray, I'm so excited, it's time for my first "Ask Xelyna" column!

My lovely ready reader writes:

I really like to run to keep myself in shape but I'm trying to become a 24/7 lolita but have no idea how to loli-fy my running outfits? It would be great if you had some suggestions.

Great question! Personally I wear track pants and a Dir en Grey T-shirt if I go jogging (well, fast-walking, I'm not very sporty LOL), but Jogging Lolita is certainly possible!


Outfit:
Skirt: Putumayo
Tank: Putumayo
Socks: Miho Matsuda
Sneakers: Baby, the Stars Shine Bright

How to do sport in lolita:

1. Look for Wearable and Washable clothes.

- Face it, sport makes you sweat. Sweat is death to most lolita clothes. This is why you need to choose a) dark colours and B) washable fabrics. Therefore cotton, especially stretch cotton is your friend. Think cut-sews and simple one-layer skirts.

- You need to move for sport, and not over-heat, so you can't be in full sleeves. Plenty of lolita brands make tank-tops and short skirts, so these are perfect!

2. Socks and Shoes don't have to be brand.

- You're probably going to get mud on your socks at some point, so go for cheap ones you can buy at your local shopping center.

- You don't want to be uncomfortable or hurt your feet/ankles while running, so the best idea is to wear real running shoes. If they are plain black, they'll blend into your outfit anyway. Baby, the Stars Shine Bright brought out sneakers recently, but I don't know how good they are for running in. If they are comfortable, they would be totally cute, though!

3. Keep hair simple.

- Put your hair up in twin pony tails to keep it out of your face.

Recommended brands:
* Putumayo (cheap and washable)
* Black Peace Now (cheap and breathable, also make pants and shorts)
* Baby, the Stars Shine Bright (their cut-sew material skirts and tops are sports-ready)
* Alice and the Pirates (also have lots of cut-sews and pants)


So thank-you again for sending in your question, and to everyone else reading, my inbox is always open! Click the image below to send me a question:



Until then, it's back to your regular programming (^_~)

100 Followers!

I just noticed today that my little blog now has 100 followers! Thank-you guys so much!

In honor of this, I decided to start a question column in my blog:

Click on the image to email me with any questions about Lolita Fashion and I'll do my best to answer them in my blog. Remember, I lived in Japan for 4 years and have been a moderator of EGL since 2004, so no question is too hard!

In other news, it's getting a little bit cold in Australia. In a way it's good because it's not as cold as it was in Japan, but it's still cold enough to wear long-sleeved dresses. When I lived in Japan I had to pretty much give up lolita for the coldest months of the year, because no matter how many layers I wore, my legs would always be too cold. I don't know how Japanese lolitas bear it! Of course, if I had fit into lolita boots or could have afforded a lolita coat, I might have tried it more often, haha. In the end, I made a cape to keep me warm, which cost MUCH less than the $400+ a brand coat costsX_x;;


LOL, bathroom mirror shot^^;; It was the mirror at a Lolita Craft Fair though!