The Most Wonderful Time Of the Year

As the Staples' commercial in America touts, it's the most wonderful time of the year - back to school time! Or at least, it certainly is here in America, where lolitas start heading back to middle school, high school, and college. Last week was my first week back at the usual grind of the fall semester - already full of books, classes, and dreaded school lunches. So, even though Indian summer will be upon us for a little while longer, it's time to pack in the tootsie-showing sandals, the sunny hats, and the strawberry baskets for the autumn to begin. What are you going to need to start back to school fresh?

A comfortably cute pair of shoes: I always seem to learn this the hard way - buy a pair of shoes that work for your lifestyle! If you spend much of your day sitting in the same room, then you can wear something that simply looks cute - if you spend all of your time trekking across campus, then you'll need something that doesn't bruise or blister your feet. Experts recommend a low heel for most women, but not a flat, as it causes stress on the tops and arches of the feet. I've only heard this advertised, but it's worth a try - slip some cushioning gel pads in your shoes for softness, as it seems lolita shoes don't have anything but the hard soles. Speaking of soles, try to find something with a tread if you're worried about sliding sand, leaves, or grass. You're more likely to find a good treaded shoe in mainstream shoe stores, however. I'm liking this Innocent World pair quite a bit - cute, but no crazy platforms, runaway straps, or tangling ballerina ribbons.

Cardigan: Layers are important in the fall, when you might be struck with Indian summer or just a sudden chill. Then of course, there is the lecture hall that is always kept suitable for penguins, or the tiny English room where they still haven't heard of air conditioning. Something you can slip on and off easily will work best. My favorite is my bunny hoodie from Baby the Stars Shine Bright - easy to button on and off, with the added bonus of, hello?! bunny ears!

Small fan: Heat can come on quickly in the first few weeks of school, and in all of those pretty new school clothes, you could be suddenly overheated. Make sure your fan, a constant summer companion, is with you until at least two months in. I'll probably quit carrying mine when the first frost comes.

Sturdy bag or purse: I've never been a fan of the traditional backpack, myself, and even less so now that I prefer to wear lolita or at least highly romantic clothes to school. You'll need to make sure you have a bag capable of carrying your things without breaking, so try one of the brand bags made for school-sized notebooks, or a Sanrio product. Even if super cute isn't usually your thing, you'll find an actual messenger bag in this category, which will be easier to use. I have one with Charmmy Kitty, as seen above - and Miss Lumpy has a Mother Garden strawberry laptop bag! If you only have a few light books or notebooks to carry around, totes and brand tote bags are a great alternative.

Pencil case: Also invest in a pencil case. If you'll be using a good purse to carry your school things, the last thing you want is to have the fabric lining irrevocably stained with pen ink, graphite, or lipgloss. Pack it away in a pencil case to keep the shaving and mess where it belongs. I discovered this the hard way with my first Mother Garden strawberry purse, unfortunately!

Change purse: This tiny bag piggybacks inside your large schoolbag with the essentially: change, cash, student ID, cellphone, and driver's license and credit card. If you need to leave your bag for a minute, it should have all of your valuables inside - also handy if you just want to run to the bathroom or the dining hall. Plus, when the weekend comes and you want to carry an adorable bag instead of your heavy pack, it lifts right into the other and you haven't forgotten a thing.

Collapsible Parasol: I find that regular parasols are large and a pain to store when you're in class, so I've switched to carrying a tiny collapsible. Good for sudden showers, they'll fold up small enough to fit in your bag, or at least loop over your wrist, without taking up all of the available floor space. Mine is always in my car in case of emergency.

I hope this list helps! I found out most of these things the hard way through Mother Experience, so please benefit from my... trial and error! ;)

If you're interested in wearing lolita to school full-time, consider reading this article for dressing down for daily wear.

Miss Lumpy and I took a bunch of photos around the oldest parts of campus, which I'll be posting to my Flickr shortly! I've always loved the romanticism of old buildings, so I had a ball!

Labels: fashion, guide

posted by Victoria Suzanne @ 10:20 PM