Lolita Charm: Roomwear: A Lolita's Day Off

Sunday, January 30, 2011

Roomwear: A Lolita's Day Off

The endless lolita debate, weighing and sacrificing: cute, or comfortable. In the morning you get up, get completely dressed - starched petticoats, tights, bloomers, blouse and jumperskirt. In the evening, after you've been through a long day, those once fresh-and-pressed clothes feel like prison. You want to climb out of them and into something soft and snuggly, to get down on the sofa or in bed with your laptop and kitty and a cup of tea. One problem: the only option, after a day of looking like an adorable princess or fairy, is to downgrade back into gray sweats. It's pretty disheartening.

Frump no more, my darlings - join the growing 'roomwear' trend! 'Roomwear' is the Japanese term for loungewear, or items you wear just when you're at home in the evening or on the weekend. These items can range for cute-and-comfy or simple outfits, into something more like pajamas.

If you want a pajama feel...

The best way to get a pajama feel for roomwear is to go down to the basics, but cute: hoodies, soft roomy sweaters, fleece, etc. Many lolita brands have made cute 'hoodie'-like jackets that you can usually find under the 'parka' category. I love to wear these with bloomers or a simple skirt for a slow day at home. I finally replaced my ancient Baby hoodie with a new Angelic Pretty crown logo one! They're also great for wearing with a more casual or pop-kei lolita style.

above: Angelic Pretty's Teddy Bear Parka; Baby's Knit Pull-over; Angelic Pretty's Dreamy Dollhouse Parka

My favorite in this set is the crochet-edged turtleneck from Baby - just the thing to wear with a simple dress or even just a pair of bloomers for a day off.

If you want even comfier and more casual sweaters and fleece that won't set your wallet back 10,000 yen, try DreamV's roomwear collection! These styles below a sample of just some of the cute styles you'll find there. I haven't taken off my ruffled stripe set since I got it practically, and not only is it amazingly soft, it only cost me under 2,000 yen!

I call the white colorway my marshmallow pajamas!

If you want a casual dress feel...

If your day off includes more puttering in the garden or kitchen than staying inside on the sofa, you might do better to have a 'room dress'. Yuko Ueda says in her Lessons in Lolita:

For your "room dress", chose a simple one that you can wear on its own. Light cotton or soft blended fabrics are recommended. Pretty designs with hems that flare out or round puffy sleeves are ideal for the Lolita style. A decorative under-dress when worn at home can also become a beautiful room dress. Coordinate it with a gentle cardigan or shawl for a lady-like home style.

My idea of a room dress is a dress with a more sundress or natural feeling, that you can wear without a blouse or petticoat if necessary. Perfect for running to the mailbox or tending your garden or even spring cleaning!

Baby's Karami Triple Tiered JSK; Innocent World's Alphabet Rose JSK; Angelic Pretty's Sweet Story JSK

I chose Innocent World's Alphabet Rose JSK for its longer length; longer lengths on lolita dresses always feel more casual and innocent to me than knee-length styles, and it reminds me of Jane Austen. The other two dresses were chosen for their simple, clean style and soft textured fabric. Doing your hair in a pair of braids or uncurled pigtails with a simple bow or two will complete a clean, cute but comfortable look for staying home. Skip the petticoat, or if you must wear something underneath, a long vintage slip would add a touch of lace and extra layer.

Do you have a favorite dress or comfy outfit you can't wait to slip into when you get home? I still wear my Goodnight Miss Princess nightgown when I want to feel cute & comfy at home - it makes me feel like a sleepy princess!