Austentatious Continued....So What??? Sew Buttons!

For real, a ruffled shirt is how much??? Well I never! .......... Lolol. (Straight Face) So seriously, how can I incorporate this Lolita business into my closet?

For example:























15,540.00 JPY = 202.018 USD

Umm....No. That is just a plain cotton shirt with some ruffles on it. Wait just a minute. So....how about I take a plain cotton shirt and sew some ruffles on it? Bingo!



There are sewing books for Goth Lolita versions but I really like English frills and roses and browns (even though I admittedly wear a lot of black. It goes with everything.) But there are tons and tons of resources for free sewing tutorials. Yay! FYI - I am all for altering store bought items. I don't know if I would have the patience to sew something from scratch. I really like the idea of trying something on, making sure it fits, and then adding on to it.

Here are some links I am pursuing.


Lolita Handbook: Scroll down to see how to make that same white cotton lace ruffle shirt!






















Ruffled Shirt Tutorial (Her website is Da Bomb)

Historic pattern collections also abound.



























The Ladies' Treasury of Costume and Fashion

If you are sewing from patterns, here is the motherload of pattern collections: The Costumer's Manifesto.














However, there is always the random item that is perfect but just can't be replicated at home. :)













On a serious note. There are many more reasons to sew your own Lolita outfit rather than buy one. Ironically, those $$$$$ outfits you can purchase are mostly made in China. And we all know where those come from. Remember that quote I referenced last post?

Hirooka said the escapism of Lolita is also a reaction against conformism and the expectations on young Japanese women to quietly assume their adult roles as wives or workers in this country's male-dominated society.




























Wouldn't it be EXTREMELY ironic and philosophically F'ed up to purchase one of THESE outfits from a woman enslaved in an Asian clothing factory???

Country Hourly Wage
United States $8.25-14.00
United Kingdom $7.58-9.11
Venezeula $2.73
Costa Rica $2.19
Guatemala $1.21
Colombia $1.20
Honduras $1.02
Philippines $0.94-1.00
China $0.93
Peru $0.92
El Salvador $0.92
Jordan $0.74
Malaysia $0.73
Nicaragua $0.65
Bahrain $0.57
Thailand $0.56
India $0.55-0.68
Mauritius $0.55-0.65
Vietnam $0.52
Egypt $0.50-0.87
Mexico $0.50-0.53
Sri Lanka $0.46
Pakistan $0.37
Indonesia $0.35
Cambodia $0.24
Bangladesh $0.21