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A big part of lolita fashion is essentially collecting. We call it “wardrobe building” but essentially it’s like building a collection. You’ve got things on your wishlist, stuff you’ve hunted down, maybe you’ve done trades for something you want more than what you have, etc. It’s very similar to building a collection of other things. Something I’ve been seeing lately that reminds me especially of being a collector is digitally tracking your wardrobe. This can be really helpful for a lot of reasons. It helps when it comes time to sell something, because you have a stock image on hand. It helps to see each piece more objectively and makes it easier to put outfits together. It can also help the “lost in the back of the closet” problem where you forget you own something until it turns up months later. There are a lot of ways to go about this process, and I’m only going to talk about a few of the less-complicated, picture-based versions.

Keep a folder on your computer.

This has been the most helpful for me, that’s my folder up there actually haha. So basically I keep folders labeled with each of my bigger pieces (dresses and skirts mostly) and I put all the stock pictures I can find in it, plus pictures of it worn by other people. I guess that might seem a little weird, but it’s very helpful to me to have a backlog of coordinate inspiration connected to a particular dress. It helps me to visualize different colors and types of garments with a piece. This especially helps me when I feel like I’m in a coordinate rut with a certain piece!

Social Media

I’ve got quite a few friends who do this. They keep a folder of stock photos or personal photos of clothes on Facebook or Flickr. I’ve seen a few people maintain a tumblr in the same way as well. It basically serves the same purpose as a folder, but there is the little added security that it’s accessible from any computer so you don’t have to worry about your computer crashing and losing your files. It’s also a nice way to connect with friends who have the same pieces if you’re into twinning!

Poupee Girl

Aw yeah, the ultimate in girly online activities. Poupee Girl, for those not already addicted, is an online dressup game/ closet organizer/thing. Basically you post photos of your real life wardrobe and get “ribbons” which work as online currency for little pixel clothes for your little avatar lady. It sounds pretty strange, but boy is it fun. It’s a great way to organize your wardrobe, there’s even sorting options for what types of items you post. The only downside is that you have to take all of the pictures yourself. So no ease of stock photo posting, but it does have the added bonus of adorable tiny dresses for your avatar!

I hope this was helpful! I definitely don’t think this sort of process is necessary for all lolitas, but I’ve personally found these sorts of ideas really helpful in gathering inspiration for future outfits and remembering everything I have hidden away at the back of my closet!