Lolita 52 - My best deal

Seeing as this is Black Friday here in the United States, I thought this would be a relevant topic. In case any of my overseas readers are unaware - Black Friday is what Americans consider the "official" beginning of the holiday shopping season - and it's always the Friday after Thanksgiving. Lots of retailers open ridiculously early - some as early as 3 am - and offer ridiculously good deals on merchandise. Online retailers have also jumped on the bandwagon with their own special sales day - "Cyber Monday" and it serves the same purpose as Black Friday. I'm personally not a big fan of either of these days because there is more to the holiday season than gifts, but it is what is is.



Now, as we all know, lolita fashion can get pretty pricey really quickly. I have without a doubt likely spent more on my lolita wardrobe in the last two years than I have in the past ten for my regular wardrobe (I probably need to change this). Typically I'm the kind of girl that shops the clearance rack and thrift stores for new additions to her wardrobe, and I love a good deal. This isn't really possibly when it comes to lolita, a world where certain dresses can go for up to three times their original retail value in the aftermarket. However, there are deals to be had - you just have to be able to jump on them when you get the chance. Most of your deals are going to come from the secondhand market, but you can occasionally find deals even directly from brand - the best deals I've found coming from Baby the Stars Shine Bright. Their Japanese outlet page is really outstanding - I've seen dresses retailing there for less than a third of what they're going for on the American sites. Yet, as good as these deals are, I wouldn't consider them my best deal.

My best deal - Bodyline's L379

When it comes to a good deal, sometimes you have to consider the true value of the piece, and a lot of the time there's more to that than how expensive it was or how much it will sell for later on. Taking all this into consideration, my best deal would without a doubt be Bodyline's L379 - a dress I picked up from a girl on a message board for $30 shipped from the U.K. While the difference between the original price of the dress and what I paid for it is no where near the amount of savings I've gotten from shopping Baby's outlet page, this dress has proven to be the most versatile dress in my wardrobe. The solid color coords with everything in my closet, and it is both sweet and a little bit classic. It's easy to care for too, and there's a lot to be said for lolita pieces that are machine washable! The detailing on the dress is also absolutely beautiful - something that's not clear from Bodyline's stock photos. Overall, I can't praise this dress enough, and it's not just because I snagged it for a great price!