My problems and dilemmas with lolita fashion in the early 00's

• Trying to search for lolita fashion brands online - nothing lolita fashion related in the search results.
• Making a mental image of "true lolita style" from flipping through FRUiTS.
• Learning how to sew to be able to wear lolita fashion.
• Sewing skills not high enough to make even a decent skirt.
• But at least the skirt had one row of frill at the bottom.
• And at least the skirt was knee length.
• Headdresses were easy to sew though. 
• Wear my headdresses all the time to everything because I made it myself.  
• "I'll just sew lace on top of my knee high socks, how hard can it be?" 

• "Why buy from the Japanese brands when it is so much cheaper to make it yourself?" - all board members on Black Lolita mailing list ever.
• The high currency value of the yen.
• Super jealous of the lolitas living in Japan who just bought the whole nurse set from Metamorphose and showed outfit posts on EGL at LiveJournal.
• Super dizzy from thinking of the costs of the whole nurse set from Metamorphose. 
• Thinking of how hard it would be to sew a nurse set for myself.
• Not sewing a nurse set because PVC fabric broke my sewing machine.  

• Overjoyed with the first volume of Gothic & Lolita Bible (GLB).
• Reading GLB = looking at pictures in GLB.
• Looking at pictures in GLB: "Is this true lolita style?"
• Home decor tips in GLB: "Is this true lolita decor?"
• Finished reading GLB - "Now I am well-versed in true lolita fashion!"
• Why does this crappy thing that is supposed to be a dress that I made from the patterns in GLB not look like the dress pictured in GLB?

 

• Discovering lolita fashion brands homepages in GLB.
• Visiting lolita fashion brands homepages only to discover that there are no possibilites to order online.
• Emailing in English to Japanese lolita brands, hoping for an answer on how to order from overseas.
• Indie designer Kazuko Ogawa accepted orders from overseas and even offered to make items after measurements.
• Metamorphose would look into accepting orders from overseas and was happy to keep communicating in English.
• Baby the Stars Shine Bright would not accept orders from overseas.
• All other brands emailed to did not reply.