My local Lolita community was recently reminiscing over embarrassing photos from when we first started out in the fashion, so I thought I would go ahead and post my first attempt at a Lolita-inspired outfit. I had been admiring and following Lolita fashion for a while (browsing Gothic & Lolita Bible and the Baby, the Stars Shine Bright website) and had friends who made their own Lolita outfits. I threw this outfit together to wear at Anime Expo 2007. The blouse was actually one that my mom had made back in the 90’s or so, and it just happened to work for Lolita fashion. The skirt was a quick cotton skirt I made that was way too short. I did not intend to wear that belt with it, but when I put everything on, the gathered waistband didn’t look good, so I grabbed a belt from one of my costumes and threw it on. I also made velvet hair bows, which matched the velvet ribbon I had pinned to my blouse. After this it was a couple more years before I really got into wearing actual Lolita fashion.