Last year I talked about some general tips for packing lolita clothes on a trip. Summer is in full swing now and many of us make plans to travel. Even though not every trip will be fully dedicated to lolita fashion, often we want to pack at least one coordinate – or two. Below are 3 items that will help you pack more efficiently and take away some of the stress of it.
In the last few months many independent brands have blessed us with cute stationary. This includes coordinate planning cards, which are great for all kinds of travel. Fill out the card in advance, noting all the pieces required for the outfit, then refer back to it when packing. They help you remember every single piece (including accessories and petticoat!), so that you don’t accidentally leave anything behind. If you’re the advance planning type, you could even take these to plan some coords during your trip. At the moment you can get sheets like this from Bellini Bunny, a USA-based indie brand, or Fluffy Tori, a Swiss indie brand. They are both reasonably priced and could make your travel packing more streamlined. So consider getting one for yourself – and/or a friend, as these would make a cute present! Though, of course, you can always make your own checklist.
Most types of accommodation will have some sort of ironing facilities, but a steamer does more than just that. Of course, you can use it to remove wrinkles and it’s fantastic on tiered and heavily ruffled designs. However, a steamer has the added benefit of being able to refresh your clothes when you travel. Not every lolita will trust the hotel’s laundry facilities with their precious brand and a steamer is gentle enough to keep it safe. As long as your clothing is not stained, but simply in need of refreshing, a steamer will help you do that in minutes. Pro tip: pack a travel-size spray bottle of vodka. Combined with hot steam it kills bacteria, which is what causes bodily odours. Now you don’t have to worry whether it’ll be hot and sweaty at your destination! That’s what theatre costumers do to keep the costumes fresh between shows.
I used to think that packing cubes were just an unnecessary thing to help those not very good at packing. Up until I got my own, that is. These travel bags will help keep your suitcase organised and protect delicate lace and fabrics of your lolita clothes. You can pick these up inexpensively everywhere, from Amazon to AliExpress and Daiso, in every colour imaginable. Combine this with packing fabrics that don’t wrinkle and you could have one cube full of tightly rolled up main pieces, saving your suitcase space. Alternatively, protect your clothes from dirt by packing your shoes into some of the smaller cubes. However you want to use them, they will be useful on your trip. And in between travelling, nothing stops you from using these as extra bit of storage!
Are you ready to travel yet? Wherever you go, we hope that you have fun and enjoy wearing lolita during the trip!
She/her.
29-year-old Capricorn, Polish-born, UK-based and in love with Japanese fashion (predominantly Lolita). I enjoy a good bargain, OTT coords, cats and baking, and when in Japan I’m a self-confessed purikura addict. When I don’t blog, I work in the education sector, overseeing international exchange programs, and sometimes I get to do some exciting freelance translations on the side.