Lolita in Winter

 Hello again!

The winter season is over, but for some people, it’s still quite cold out there. I know where I am, it often fluctuates between cold and warm. 

Lolita for the cold can often be easy to do since it’s already a fashion with a lot of layers. Layering is going to be the key to keeping warm, as well as the type of fabric you’re wearing. What you wear will also be based on your cold tolerance. For some people, they just need more or less layers than someone else.

Under Layers

Thermals

When it’s particularly cold out, one option to wear under your clothes, lolita or not, is thermals!

Thermal shirts or leggings are great for keeping you warm under a blouse, bloomers, etc. 

Heattech by UNIQLO

Thermals aren’t really seen, but you can always match the color to your coords. Maybe if your blouse is a little more sheer, you can find a thermal that matches it so it’s not as obvious.

Fleece Bloomers

One time, I had to wait in line in the cold for a whole four hours while wearing lolita. It was really bad, but I wasn’t as cold as I could have been. One of the reasons I ended up staying so comfortable was from wearing bloomers made of fleece! Fleece is an excellent fabric for keeping warm.

I really like these ones since they have such cute bunnies. And pockets!! They’re also very soft, and this kind of bloomer, in particular, was much longer and went down to my knees.

Legwear

Your legwear can certainly protect you from the cold. I have found that knit OTKs were fine alone to wear and keep my legs warm in 40 degrees Fahrenheit weather. However, if that isn’t enough, knit tights are the ones to go. I wouldn’t recommend using thinner socks made of polyester, at least not alone.

These fleece lined tights aren’t exactly the cutest or have a design, but they will keep you warm. Sometimes, it’s more important to have comfort! You could even layer cuter OTKs over this for both warmth, and cuteness.

Long Sleeves

Long sleeves are often the best choice for winter, for obvious reasons. They can keep you warm, no matter what dress you’re wearing! For OPs with short sleeves, you can wear boleros or cardigans on top to add that extra warmth/

This is even warmer when paired with thermals underneath. Not only that, but cardigans are a great accessory for a coord!

Coats/Jackets

Coats and jackets are pretty much a given for the winter! There are a lot of options for coats, and you’ll start to see them pop up around the summer, or fall. Wool would be an ideal fabric since it can keep you the warmest.

The majority of lolita coats are designed to work with the silhouette of your dress, so you still have your poof. Some are also short coats that stop right at where the poof of your dress begins.

There are also hoodies like this (also known as Parkas) for when the weather is just chilly! I’ve found these can be just as warm if I’m already wearing something long-sleeved underneath.

Ponchos and Capes

Ponchos and capes can also work in winter, but probably best when you’ve got a good amount of layers underneath. Some ponchos/capes work by trapping heat in a sort of bubble inside, but it doesn’t always have the same security as something like a coat or jacket.

Warm Accessories

Just like with regular outfits, these accessories can be paired with your coord. They’re both practical, and decorative!

You can add things like:

Gloves

Scarves or Muffler

Earmuffs

Hats

Shoes

Shoes are a little tougher to find for winter.

In general, if it is not snowing, regular lolita shoes are perfectly fine to wear. Personally, I don’t find my feet get cold at all since I’m already wearing something warm for legwear.

However, if there is snow, it is more suitable to wear boots, both to protect your feet from getting wet and cold and for easier walking through snow.

Style-wise, it’s easy to find cute, wintery boots that work perfectly for lolita!

But these kinds of shoes are not always the best for snow. I’m sure they would be fine for light snow, however. They’re just unlikely to keep your feet as warm, especially if they get wet.

Some non-lolita shoes would work out really well for lolita, and still be suitable for winter. For classic or gothic, it may be a bit easier to find things suitable for lolita since neutral colors are more common. Just be careful about wearing real leather boots in snow, as snow or salt may damage them.

Sweet may have a harder time, but I find that white can be a good neutral if one is wearing pastels. Otherwise, sweet coords with brown, black, or jewel tones can still benefit.

Staying warm is key

Sometimes, it’s just too cold. It’s not always possible to wear something perfectly matching with your coord, while also keeping you warm. Not everyone is able to get a lolita specific coat either. Personally, I didn’t get a lolita specific coat until quite recently. I’ve always managed with just a regular coat since I would take it off once I got indoors again anyway!

If you have a cute coord, but don’t have the perfectly matching jacket, or snow boots, that is totally okay. Some things are just purely utilitarian and don’t have to be part of your coord.

Also, if you’re going to a meet or somewhere where you still want your coord to look good, you could always simply take off your coat (assuming you’re indoors) or bring nicer shoes to change into.

I hope this article helped you during the colder seasons!

Lady Grey