~Elegant Gothic Lolita

Of course. :3 Don’t be afraid to wear off-brand. Especially when you’re starting out. I love off-brand, I think some of the most unique and beautiful co-ords are off-brand.

If you have pictures of your first outfit, please submit! I would love to have it on my blog. And if you’re still a bit worried about it being off-brand, just simply state that it’s you’re first co-ord, although I’m sure it would be lovely. :3

I actually submitted my first outfit to EGL Comm Livejournal and everything was off-brand. X3 But I got absolutely no criticism there, just super helpful Lolita’s who tried to give me some pointers and it helped a lot! <3

To be honest, I haven’t purchased enough petticoats from different brands to answer exactly where you can get the best quality petticoat. But as long as the petticoat can hold the weight of the dress well and bring it out enough so that the dress doesn’t lay flat, you’re fine. You don’t necessarily have to have the fluffiest skirt in the world to make your outfit look good. :3

You can definitely use any petticoat you purchase anywhere, but I find that if it’s not purchased at a place that makes Gothic Lolita clothing; I find that they aren’t made to hold well or really give that extra oomf to your skirt or dress. But you can always try it! I’m sure it could look great! And if you can only get that costume store petticoat, try layering two or three of them if needed. :3

Hello, Anon. :3

I think the best way to get started is to follow blogs like mine or fellow Lolita’s. Really get into the community, join EGL on LiveJournal. Don’t be afraid to ask questions, I’ve never met a Lolita who isn’t willing to help a newbie. :3
The EGL Community on LiveJournal is where I started. I looked through the memories, read up on everything I could; I examined other more experienced Lolita’s, focused on their own co-ord’s. Another great site for all this information is:

http://www.lolitafashion.org/

This site has everything you need to know about everything Lolita. It also has links to some great websites who sell this fashion. FanPlusFriend is also a really great beginners site, it’s also great for Lolita’s on a budget, I recommend it to everyone.

http://www.fanplusfriend.com/

Good Luck! And I hope this helps. If you need anything else, just let me know. :3 <3