Old School for Newbies: Supplemental Reading 3: Size Inclusivity in Old School

Congratulations, students! This is my last post before Bay Area Kei's J-Fashion University, and my panel there on old school. In this reading, I present lists of brands alongside a little bit of explanation about size inclusivity, then and now. For inclusion in these lists, a brand has to regularly produce items with a bust above 98 cm and/or waist above 80 cm. I also included closed brands that might have plus-size options secondhand. This isn't to say that other brands don't carry plus sizes, just that these are a few of the more reliable choices edited from the other posts, with a couple addenda. All lists are numbered and alphabetized for convenience.

Closed brands to look out for

1. Atelier Boz: their men's size might be helpful.
2. BPN/ Peace Now: Gothic and punk, with some lolita. Some shirred pieces and men's size.
3. Excentrique: Gothic/classic/historically inspired/corset brand. Some larger pieces.
4. Heart E: Sweet brand with casual touches. Had a fair amount of fully shirred pieces.
5. Putumayo: The quintessential punk lolita brand.Fully shirred, short skirts
   

Open Japanese brands

1. Angelic Pretty http://www.angelicpretty.com/ The quintessential sweet lolita brand. Occasionally releases or re-releases basics that work for old school. Sizes depend on release; the more shirring, the more likely to be plus-friendly.
2. Atelier Pierrot https://atelier-pierrot.stores.jp/ Gothic and classic staples, great for international shipping, pretty decent size range, and they stock several other brands. Has started producing plus size items with max busts in the 130 cm range!
3. Baby the Stars Shine Bright (and Alice and the Pirates) https://www.babyssb.co.jp/ Frequently rereleases old designs under their "Classical Series" label. Famously featured in Kamikaze Girls. Certain styles like Shirring Princess go up to 110 cm bust. Full shirring items.
4. Bodyline https://www.bodylinetokyo.co.jp/ Not great. Variable stock of variable quality, but they still stock some old blouses, shoes, and dresses. Some items come in plus (2L up to 100 cm bust or 4L around 108), but it’s really not a good selection and plus sized lolitas deserve more options.
5. Chocochip Cookie https://chocochip-cookie.ocnk.net/ Mostly JSKs, OPs, and doll clothes. Lots of cute florals in commercially available fabrics. Nice shirred items but other sizing is unforgiving.
6. Emily Temple Cutehttp://emilytemplecute-shop.com/Often considered otome-kei, but has old-school lolita suitable items. Some “oversized” items around 104 cm bust.
7. Innocent World https://innocent-w.jp/ The exact crossover point between sweet and classic lolita. Socks are plus friendly, garments often have L size, with unshirred items around 100 cm bust and shirred items up to 130. Long lengths are also common.
8. Jane Marple http://janemarple.shop-pro.jp/ A brand that is typically classified as otome but has some old-school suitable items. Dress and blouse bust often up to 100 cm.
9. MAXICIMAM https://www.maxicimam.com/ One of my favorites. Has two main lines: MA, which is punk, and MAM, which is lolita, as well as MAM Lovely, their plus-size range for MAM designs. Also sells sewing materials. Bust max is usually 110 cm to 130 cm.
10. Metamorphose Temps de Fille https://metamorphose.gr.jp/ Sweet and classic lolita. Their basics series is often usable for old school. Has always run larger than other brands, but now offers plus and plus plus size with bust up to 155 cm and waist up to 125 cm!
11. MIHO MATSUDA https://mihomatsuda.ocnk.net/ Gothic brand with small sizing. Has a lot of streamlined, tailored-looking options. Sometimes offers L size up to 100 cm bust.
12. Milky Ange http://www.milky-ange.com/ An interesting mixture of old school sweet lolita and maid costumes. Great size range, with some waists up to 120 cm.
13. Moi-même-Moitié https://moi-meme-moitie.com/ Mana-sama's personal gothic brand, now owned by Wunderwelt. Post-Wunderwelt, fully shirred, and men’s size items can be plus friendly.
14. Physical Drop https://tawaraya-kato.ocnk.net/ Personal project of former Meta designer Kato-san. Typically has loose, slightly long silhouettes in cotton fabrics. Fully shirred items up to 140 cm bust and waist.
15. Pink House https://pinkhouse-webshop.jp/ Specializes in their unique style of prairie revival designs, often made of cotton. Not really lolita, but some stuff may work. Knits, loose fit, and long length make this brand okay for plus size.
16. Rosa Biancahttps://rosabianca.jp/ Streamlined classic lolita designs. Offers multiple sizes with max bust typically around 100 cm.
17. Seraphim https://seraphim.shop-pro.jp/ Classic and historical-feeling pieces in longer lengths. Max bust typically 100 cm.
18. Sincerely http://sincerely.babyblue.jp/ Very historically-inspired designs in long lengths. Some multiple size items up to 102 cm bust.

1. Chinese brands
   

2. https://shop107946550.world.taobao.com/ Aurora & Ariel: Known for their petticoats, lots of wacky gingham pieces as well. Standard size blouses up to 98 cm bust, petticoats up to 90 cm waist. Custom size available.
3. https://akane-alois.taobao.com/ Akane & Alois: Mostly main pieces, classic, clean lines. Standard sizes up to 110 cm bust, custom sometimes available.
4. https://aggzs.taobao.com/ Alice Girl: All sorts of wacky main pieces and some other stuff. Standard sizes up to 100 cm bust, occasionally up to 110 cm.
5. https://amastacia.taobao.com/ Amastacia: Gothic main pieces, blouses, and accessories. Solids are pretty old school. Custom size available
6. https://a-sylvia.taobao.com/ A Sylvia: Blouses, a few accessories, and main pieces. Standard sizes go up to 100 cm bust, 90 cm bloomers waist.
7. https://baciobouquet.taobao.com/ Bacio Bouquet: Shoes, tees, blouses, bags, and main pieces. Pretty wacky and the main pieces are mostly too short. Some “oversized” items up to 130 cm bust, most up to 97 cm bust.
8. https://boguta.taobao.com/ Boguta: Main pieces, blouses, pettis, outerwear, other stuff. Some things may work. Waists up to 100 cm on petticoats
9. https://zjy-lolita.taobao.com/ Brocade Garden: Mostly main pieces. Bust generally maxes out at 104 cm.
10. https://catteaparty.taobao.com/ Cat Tea Party: Jewelry, bloomers, cardigans. Maximum hip 110 cm.
11. https://shop516621521.taobao.com/ Dark Star Island: Lots of cotton: main pieces, aprons, and blouses, mostly. Bust up to 100 cm.
12. https://shop129160686.taobao.com/ Dolls Party: Main pieces, blouses, accessories, detachable sleeves?Some max bust up to 115 cm.
13. https://kkestudio.taobao.com/ Dream's Workshop: Tons of main pieces, shoes, and blouses, a very few of which are old-school suitable. Max busts around 105 cm.
14. https://fee-cafe.taobao.com/ Fee Cafe: Classic main pieces, some fun florals. Long lengths for tall lolitas. Max bust between 100 cm and 108 cm.
15. https://hmhmtt.taobao.com/ HMHM: Classic and gothic main pieces and outerwear, good quality. Custom available; default sizes small (up to 92 cm bust, 78 cm waist).
16. https://shop35513190.taobao.com/ Ichigo 15: Gothic and ouji main pieces, some really nice simple blouses. All custom MTO, but standard sizes are on the small size.
17. https://infantadress.taobao.com/ Infanta: Main pieces, blouses, accessories, some outerwear. A little bit of everything. Beware of chiffon. No custom; typical max bust around 100 cm.
18. https://knight-night.taobao.com/ Knight Night: Main pieces and some old school-suitable accessories. Mostly gothic. Bust typically up to 100 cm.
19. https://shop114653784.taobao.com/ La Pomme: Gothic, mostly ouji and aristo, some nice blouses. Busts up to 100 cm; custom size available.
20. https://little-dipper.taobao.com/ Little Dipper: Main pieces, blouses, bloomers, a couple accessories. Some items are chiffon, so read the description! Variable sizing; has a cardigan up to 134 cm bust.
21. https://shop108061718.taobao.com/ Miracles: Intricate main pieces, one might work. Max bust usually 102 cm - 105 cm.
22. https://shop567980223.taobao.com/ Miss Mary: Lots of blouses. Looks pretty good quality, but I haven't bought anything. Max bust varies by piece, usually 98 cm to 104 cm.
23. https://nyanyalolita.taobao.com/ Nya Nya Lolita: Mostly main pieces and blouses. Often cotton, but some weird colorways. Max bust around 100 cm, usually; some items max waist 96 cm.
24. https://shop105903426.taobao.com/ Sakurada Fawn: Main pieces, blouses, and the cutest old-school-able heart pocket bloomers that my gay little eyes have seen. Great size range; max bloomer waist 125 cm, max blouse bust in largest size is 130 cm.
25. https://heisei.taobao.com/ Sibyl Heisei: Main pieces and others. Infamous for their denim JSK. Good quality. Max bust up to 108 cm.
26. https://neverlandlolita.taobao.com/ Souffle Song: Main pieces and blouses, mostly. Beware of chiffon. Variable sizing: maximum bust between 100 cm and 112 cm usually.
27. https://cmloli.taobao.com/ Strawberry Miko/ Strawberry Witch: Main pieces, blouses, outerwear, accessories. The blouses are mostly cotton. Custom available. Max standard bust around 105 cm, 100 cm for blouses.
28. https://shop104791693.taobao.com/ Sucking Cat Lolita: I hope the translation is wrong on this. Main pieces and some good blouses. 98 cm max bust.
29. https://sugar-teatime.taobao.com/ Sugar Teatime x Cute Q: All sorts of things, but the bloomers are the most old school. Max bloomer waist up to 88 cm.
30. https://shop35467425.taobao.com Surface Spell: Established gothic brand. Main pieces, blouses, and accessories. Great materials with good texture and nice embroidery. Custom size available; standard size waist usually under 78 cm.
31. https://loliquanquan.taobao.com/ Sweet Candy Studio: Mostly bloomers and main pieces. Max bloomer waist 104 cm, max bloomer hip 112 cm. Has long bloomers.
32. https://sweetdreamerlolita.taobao.com/ Sweet Dreamer: Main pieces, accessories, bags; very nice fake flowers and wicker bags. Busts range from 104 cm to 120 cm.
33. https://shop118499683.taobao.com/ Tibetan Fox and Shiba Inu: Main pieces and furry ears. Max busts range from 90 cm to 98 cm.
34. https://shop483399709.taobao.com Time Freezes Lolita: Mostly main pieces. Short length. Variable sizing; 100 cm max bust.
35. https://tiny-garden.taobao.com/ Tiny Garden: Main pieces and blouses. Affordable, but beware of chiffon. Max busts around 98 cm to 104 cm.
36. https://shop64664734.taobao.com/ To Alice: Pretty much everything, variable quality. Has children's clothes. Max bust typically 98 cm. Some elastic skirts go up to 90 cm + waist.
37. https://shop60113340.taobao.com/ Wang Yan and Summer Fashion Studio: Bloomers and petticoats, a really nice underskirt. Waist up to 105 cm, hips to 120 cm.
38. https://vancyfanxi.taobao.com Vancy: Gothic main pieces. Max bust around 100 cm.
39. https://shop117088503.taobao.com/ Yilia: Mostly blouses and main pieces. XXXL max size goes up to 106 cm bust.
40. https://yolandadress.taobao.com/ Yolanda: Main pieces, blouses, some accessories. "Fleurs et echo" accessories are really nice. Max bust around 104 cm.

1. Brands from other countries
   

2. A Gato Designs https://agatodesigns.com/ Maryland, US. Changes style with basically every series; some items might be old school suitable, depending on how the designer feels that month. Might do commissions. Plus-size friendly.
3. Anna House http://www.annahousefashion.com/ Hong Kong. An excellent source for off-the-rack, custom designs, and custom-sized old school sweet. Some standard size bust up to 110 cm.
4. Baroque https://baroquelolita.net/ Korea. A lot of longer lengths and elegant cuts for sweet and classic. Typical max bust around 108 cm for the largest size.
5. Belladonna https://belladonna.storenvy.com/ Maryland, US. Primarily sweet, but also has done classic. Good size range. Great source for lolita face masks. Their size 3 goes up to 152 cm.
6. The Black Ribbon https://theblackribbon.bigcartel.com/ California, US. More-or-less classic, usually using commercially available fabric. Their old school socks are great! Max bust often around 120 cm, max waist around 106 cm.
7. Chrysanthemum's Concerto https://ccshop98497.wixsite.com/home/ UK. A newer brand with a lovely gingham JSK with a max bust of 100 cm and max waist of 90 cm.
8. Cloudberry Lady https://www.instagram.com/cloudberry_lady/ Finland. Mostly custom, all substyles. Does amazing hats.
9. Clock Monster https://www.etsy.com/shop/clockmonster Tennessee, US. Does lovely full-shirred OPs and custom sizes.
10. Coruscate Unique https://www.etsy.com/shop/CoruscateUnique Indonesia. Mostly sweet and vintage-inspired; lots of solids and many size options up to 100 cm waist and 124 cm bust.
11. Cruel Arcadia https://cruelarcadia.com/ Korea. Gothic lolita. XL size up to 104 bust.
12. Dejmo https://dejmo.com/ Sweden. Mostly old school sweet and classic, with custom sizing Standard size XXL bust up to 133 cm, waist up to 120 cm.
13. Eat Me Ink Me https://www.eatmeink.me/shop Lithuania. Sold by Lolita Collective. Mostly classic and gothic, with some old school-able items. Custom orders are available. Standard bust up to 120 cm, waist up to 115 cm.
14. Fluffy Tori https://www.fluffytori.com/en/Switzerland. Super-sweet with some old school-workable coats for the cold months. Typical max bust around 108; also does custom.
15. Glitter Tale https://www.etsy.com/shop/Glittertalelolita Vietnam. Sweet; known for their exclusively custom sizing. Very popular with newer lolitas.
16. Ivy Frozen Designs http://www.ivyfrozen.com/ US. A good variety of designs; currently doing custom only.
17. Kaneko Shop https://kanekoshop.com/ Russia. Linen and cotton in subdued colors. Some very nice, simple aprons. Typical bust up to 106 cm but they are very responsive to questions.
18. KuroShiro Kawaii https://kskawaii.com/ Texas, US. Retailer; sells Metamorphose, among other brands.
19. Kyoko's Closet https://www.etsy.com/shop/ichigoblack Massachusetts, US. Specializes in bloomers with amazing size inclusivity. Max waist up to 160 cm.
20. Le Carrousel http://lecarrousel.iluria.com/ Brazil. Sweet and classic, a lot of which works for old school. Multiple sizes with some busts up to 115 cm. Highly dependent on individual piece.
21. Lief http://www.lief.co.kr/ Korea. Sweet and classic lolita in a variety of colors, including unconventional ones like bright orange. Standard size range is up to 130 cm bust for some XL styles.
22. Lily of the Valley Designs https://www.etsy.com/shop/SakuraFairy Delaware, US. Mainly classic or sweet-leaning classic; known for excellent custom hair accessories and jewelry. Inclusive sizing but rare releases.
23. Lolita Collective https://store.lolitacollective.com/ Illinois, US. Mostly a retailer for other brands.
24. Megan Maude https://meganmaude.storenvy.com/ Georgia, US. Sweet. Limited stock right now, but has a blouse that could work. Many sizes up to 114 cm bust.
25. Me Likes Tea https://melikestea.com/ Brazil. Petticoats, bloomers, and underskirts in a wide variety of styles and options. Custom size available; standard up to 130 cm waist.
26. Nemeth Wild https://www.etsy.com/shop/NemethWild Iowa, US. Solid basics in black and white. Wide variety of standard sizes up to 144 cm bust and 160 cm waist.
27. Noble Ghost Fashion https://www.etsy.com/shop/NobleGhostFashion Maryland, US. Gothic with a decent standard size range, but custom is recommended for plus.
28. Rose Red Memorandum https://r-r-memorandum.co.uk/ UK. Very overtly and uniquely focused on old school. Sells print on demand with chest up to 120 cm; variable sizes on handmade items.
29. Shiroi Tsubasa/White Wings https://www.etsy.com/shop/ShiroiTsubasa Russia. Mostly old school gothic; takes custom orders. Max bust around 100 cm.
30. Strawberry Paper Doll https://strawberrypaperdoll.wordpress.com/ US. Custom sweet lolita and alterations. Streams on Twitch.
31. Summer Tales Boutique https://summertalesboutique.com/Netherlands. Their Nostalgia line is amazing for old school. Some items available in custom sizes.
32. Sweet Mildred https://www.etsy.com/shop/sweetmildred Pennsylvania, US. Sweet, classic, and gothic, with amazing lace-topped socks. Mostly does custom orders and sells at conventions.
33. Violet Fane https://www.violetfaneshop.com/ Spain. Recently released a line called "Sumire", which focuses on old school cotton basics. Max bust around 120 cm to 140 cm. 

 Size inclusivity: Then and now

Now that the exciting part is over, it's time to talk about body positivity, plus size inclusion, and what it means in lolita. The old school period of lolita (late 90s to 2005ish) coincided with a time in mainstream fashion rife with body shaming and restrictive styles like ultra-low waisted jeans. Style was heavily sexualized as well, so the comparatively long skirts and loose silhouettes of lolita were a real relief. Despite this, most brands still created clothes in a single size for a uniformly young, thin, short audience: some brands created multiple sizes and "men's" sizes as well, but these were rarer. The average size in Japan is also smaller than the average size in the U.S. and other countries with lots of lolitas, so the small sizing felt even more extreme. Taller lolitas were urged to hide their shameful knees at all costs, as well.

Online anonymity created a toxic environment in which plus size lolitas were bullied for daring to exist in public spaces. With the rarity of brand-name lolita at the time, modifying items to fit one's own body was seen as a way of stealing the item out of collective lolita circulation. Fitting in brand was not just seen as an expectation, but as a virtue, the same way good color matching and accessorizing might be looked at. 

Body positivity has gradually created a healthier environment, where lolitas can celebrate their bodies rather than feeling they have to change themselves or be ashamed. Still, body shaming does exist, and size ranges can be quite limited. Indie brands have emerged to make lolita accessible as well; custom sizes, comfort adaptations, and long lengths can all help lolitas feel comfortable in the fashion. Plus size lolitas are a valuable part of the community!

Fit tips

The most important thing in lolita, or buying clothes online in general, is to know your measurements. Inaccurate measurements can turn a dream dress into a devastating disappointment. Measure regularly, in cm, and keep the tape close but not tight to the body. Pulling in the tape for a smaller number will only hurt oneself, in the end.

Some brands, especially gothic brands, may have men's size items. These are typically larger, with a less severe difference between bust and waist. Although most labels just say "Men", Alice and the Pirates men's size items have a spider on them. Their sister brand, Baby the Stars Shine Bright, briefly did items in larger sizes; these will have two or three hearts on a label by the brand label. Most other, logical brands just have a size number or letter.

Full shirring, that is, elastic threaded all the way around a garment, is often recommended to new plus size lolitas. Going too close to the maximum measurement, however, is a good way to stretch out the poof of a dress and feel like a wheel of soft cheese meeting a piano wire; I know because I've tried.

No matter what the numbers might say, or whether a piece physically fits on the body, the most important part of fit is being able to live in a garment. Lolita isn't practical, but pieces should be loose enough to breathe deeply in, without leaving imprints in the body. This fashion isn't for anyone else but the wearer, and as the person in charge, they deserve to look and feel as good as possible!