Do you have items that have eluded your wardrobe? Dresses that you long for but have not been able to find? Things that your wardrobe seems almost incomplete without? I certainly do! This blog post will be all about the items that are on my wish list. Some I have been dreaming of for years and some are recent additions to my wish list that I just cannot get out of my head right now. Come with me as we explore the clothes that haunt my dreams, some of them quite literally!
Holy Grail (Dream Items)
These are the items that are at the top of my priority list, the items that I dream about. These are the items that I am constantly searching the secondhand market for. These are the items that I open my closet and feel a pang of sadness when I remember that they are not in my wardrobe yet. These are the dresses that I coord plan for even though I do not own them yet. Do you know what I mean?
Left (2005 Emily Temple Cute Polka Dot Duck): I actually own this dress in the red colorway already, but the navy colorway is one of my absolute holy grail dresses. I love how the navy border makes it look like the ducks are splashing in a puddle! This is one of my favorite dresses because it is incredibly comfortable to wear, polka dots are one of my favorite motifs, and the art for the ducks is just so precious. I sometimes see the pink colorway pop up for sale, but I never see the blue. Someday my dreams will come true.
Right (2009 Emily Temple Cute Biscuit Print Sleeveless OP): This print never really did much for me until I saw it in this colorway. The biscuits really pop against the teal background, and I just love the contrasting colors. This is one of those dresses that I sometimes dream about, literally! I do not see people coordinate this dress very often, especially in this colorway, which is honestly such a shame. It is so cute!
Left (2010 Bodyline Magnolia A-Line OP): I already own this dress in the red and pink colorways. It is one of my absolute favorite dresses of all time and I would love to complete the set. One of my shopping services recently tracked down the sax colorway for me and purchased it so hopefully everything goes well, and it arrives safely! This may be one that I get to cross off my wish list very soon.
Right (2009 Metamorphose March of Duck JSK): I would settle for this in almost any cut at this point, but this cut is preferred. This colorway is the only colorway I am interested in. I love how the red pops against the white background and the yellow ducks look so cute with the red accents. I love duck prints, and this is definitely one of my holy grail dresses. I have been looking for years. I always seem to miss out on auctions in my sleep and I see them the next morning T_T
Left (2008 Emily Temple Cute Marche Print Back Ribbon Sleeveless Ribbon OP): This is another dress that I already own in another colorway. I own this in the sax colorway, but I desperately want to find it in the yellow! I love how the plants look against the bright yellow background. It looks like an ugly retro wallpaper, and I mean that in the best way possible. I rarely see this dress for sale and have never seen the yellow version pop up, but I keep looking. Someday I will find it! I love the fabric of this dress. It is really thick and durable. It is also really comfortable to wear and fits me really nicely.
Right (Dark Star Island Polka Dot Long Sleeve Blouse): I own this blouse in the red colorway, and it is my absolute favorite blouse, but I desperately want to find the yellow version. I would wear it with absolutely everything. It would be a workhorse in my wardrobe. My shopping service for Xianyu has been checking for this blouse for me every day for over a year and it still hasn't turned up T_T
Right (2011 Emily Temple Cute Biscuit Print Sleeveless OP): This is another one that pops up in my actual dreams. I long for this dress. It causes me emotional pain whenever I think about how this dress is not in my closet. Does that sound dramatic? Yes, yes it does. I do not care. I love this dress so much. The color is such a beautiful periwinkle, it has polka dots, there is cutlery, the tricolor ribbons are such beautiful pops of color, and the biscuits are perfection. I love everything about this dress. I sometimes see other colorways pop up for sale or I will see this colorway but in the other JSK cut that doesn't have shirring, but I never see this cut in this colorway, and it has to be this exact dress. I am not willing to settle. I NEED IT!!!
Main Pieces
These are dresses that I love but they are not high priority pieces. They are the dresses that given the opportunity, at a reasonable price, I would happily add to my wardrobe, but they are not the items that haunt my dreams. Some of these are dresses that used to be dream dresses of mine that over time I fell out of love with, some are dresses that I only recently became interested in, and others are dresses that I have been considering for a while but haven't fully committed to.
Left (2010 Angelic Pretty Little Bears Cafe JSK): This is another print that I already own! I own this colorway in the OP but I would really like to find it in the JSK instead. I feel like I would like the versatility of the JSK and I really like bodice on it as well. The cut on the OP doesn't really suit my frame and I don't feel my best in it. I love this print though and the mint colorway is so eye-catching. The fabric of this dress is also really unique. It is a thick woven material that is absolutely lovely.
Right (2023 Emily Temple Cute My Kitchen JSK): It is probably pretty evident by now that Emily Temple Cute is my favorite brand. This print reminds me a lot of Angelic Pretty French Cafe, which I already own. That is why I initially didn't jump on this release. I regret it now though. The prints are similar, but I am still really drawn to this dress and would love to own it. I think it would suit my wardrobe quite nicely and I would have a lot of fun styling it in somewhat retro coordinates.
Left (2014 Leur Getter Biscuit Print Polka Dot Ribbon JSK): Can you tell that I like biscuit prints on vaguely teal colorways? There is just something about the tan biscuits against the teal background that I find endearing. I love how it looks! I also really like the repeating pattern of this one. It reminds me a lot of Emily Temple Cute's 2009 Biscuit Print except that they are circular biscuits as opposed to rectangular biscuits. I still want both of them, even though they are incredibly similar. I just want my wardrobe to look like a pantry!
Right (2022 Emily Temple Cute PASTA!! Camisole JSK): I absolutely adore food prints, especially savory food prints. There are not enough of them in this fashion! This dress is so much fun and I love the combination of the red with the dark green. I sometimes see the green or the ivory colorways pop up for sale secondhand, but I do not see the red colorway pop up very often. It is a newer release by ETC though so I am sure that over time I will eventually find it. I have a lot of ideas for fun coordinates with this dress. I want to make a tomato headdress, but I also know Beholder Fashions has a pasta headdress that would be perfect for this. I also already own a lot of dark green cardigans and accessories so coordinating this dress would be really easy.
Left (2011 Angelic Pretty Honey Cake Round JSK): I would honestly take either JSK cut of the yellow 2011 cotton release of Honey Cake, but the round JSK is slightly preferred. At this point I may even consider the polyester rerelease because I just love this print so much. I used to own the 2011 cotton OP in mint, and I absolutely loved the print and the fabric quality. I did not like how the OP fit, and I was not a fan of how the mint looked with my complexion. The yellow is my favorite colorway because the colors in the print really pop against it, and it gives it a retro advertisement vibe that I really enjoy. This has been on my wish list for years!
Right (2005 Jane Marple Fish Motif JSK): This is a recent addition to my wish list but from the moment I saw this dress I knew I had to have it. It reminds me so much of the Emily Temple Cute Polka Dot Duck dress. I love the polka dots, the fish, and the wavy little stripes at the bottom. This will likely be a really difficult dress to track down, but I am so enamored by it. I imagine that come this time next year it will have earned a spot on my dream dress list. My preferred colorway of this is navy, and that is also the only colorway I have been able to find photos of, but I imagine that the red colorway is also beautiful. I would probably accept the black colorway but only as a last resort.
Left (2004 Emily Temple Cute Packaging Print Skirt): I currently own this skirt in the pink colorway, but I never wear it for two reasons, one because it is a bit small on me and two because I would really prefer it in the ivory colorway. The only reason I own the pink colorway is because I saw it pop up for sale and was worried that I would never find the ivory, so I bought it on impulse. I love this print and I love the feel of the fabric. The pink just doesn't work for my wardrobe, and I find myself wishing it was the ivory constantly.
Right (2004 Metamorphose Circular Polka Dot JSK): I own a few red polka dot dresses already but something about the simplicity of this one always calls out to me. I love the straight neckline, the A-line skirt, and how big the polka dots are. I feel like out of all the red polka dotted dresses I have desired throughout my time in the fashion, this one would be the most versatile in my wardrobe.
Left (2006 Angelic Pretty Pastel A La Mode JSK): This is a dress that has been on my wishlist for a long time. There was once a time in my life where it was even a dream dress. Over the years it has fallen down the ranking because I am worried that it would not fit me very well. I still love it on other people so much though and given the opportunity, for a decent price, I would still love to own this dress. The print is absolutely adorable, I love the scallop hem, red and white polka dot dresses are my favorite, and there is just something so endearing about this dress.
Right (2007 Metamorphose Telephone Print Skirt): The only reason this is not a holy grail item is because I worry about how I would coordinate the bodice. I do not wear a lot of skirts or salopettes styles, but I just adore this print and the retro denim vibes. I would absolutely jump at the chance to add this to my wardrobe. I do not see it pop up for sale very often and the rare occasion that I do, it is usually outside of my price range. I do love it so much though.
Left (2022 Emily Temple Cute Cereal Sleeveless OP): I tried to find this one secondhand for two years but could never find the navy JSK at a reasonable price. Emily Temple Cute recently did a rerelease and I went ahead and ordered it! I am still waiting for everything to process so I am leaving it on my wish list just in case something goes wrong with it. I love this print so much. The print is so silly and fun. I also really love how the fruit and cereal boxes pop against the navy background. I think I am going to have so much fun styling this!
Right (2022 Emily Temple Cute Pop'N CANDY JSK): This is not a dress that I would have considered had it have not been for another lolita. They posted one particular coordinate, using the yellow Dark Star Island polka dot blouse that is also on my wish list, and it is probably my favorite coordinate of all time. It was so whimsical and fun. It looked like a candy shop in a coordinate, and I want to channel that energy. I have never been able to forget that coordinate and I have been looking for this dress, and that blouse, ever since. This dress is super cute and the colors in it would make it incredibly versatile in both my lolita wardrobe and my daily wardrobe. I sometimes see the OP for sale or the other colorways of the JSK, but I rarely see this particular JSK. There is one listing that haunts me on the Japanese secondhand market because I have tried to buy it three separate times only for my shopping service to tell me it is not actually for sale each time. I do not know why it is still listed but I keep accidentally buying it and then being absolutely crushed when I get refunded.
Left (2006 Metamorphose Sweetheart Polka Dot JSK): This is another dress that I currently own in another colorway. I own the black polka dot version and would love to trade it for the red colorway. I adore the black colorway, but I rarely wear it because black is not a color that I wear very often. Red is one of the main colors in my wardrobe and I think that I would wear this version a lot more!
Right (2008 Angelic Pretty Fruits Parlor JSK): I currently own the OP of this colorway, but I would really like to swap it for the JSK. I feel like I would appreciate the versatility of the JSK more and I really love the heart shaped bodice. I am not a fan of how the OP fits me. I have always really loved this print, especially the red colorway. It was one of the first prints I fell in love within this fashion. It was a dream dress of mine for many years. I still love it but my style has changed and evolved over time.
Left (2009 Angelic Pretty Sweet Cake Pocket JSK): I used to own the OP of this dress and I really regret getting rid of it. I sold it when I thought that sweet didn't suit me. I have gone through many phases in this fashion of wearing different substyles and even though I always tell myself that sweet doesn't suit me, I always gravitate back to it. I loved this dress. The applique cake pockets are so cute, and the gingham fabric really is beautiful. I would happily add the OP or the JSK back into my wardrobe although I would prefer the JSK for the sake of versatility in coordinating. I do remember this dress being a bit short though which is why it is not higher up on the list.
Right (2009 Angelic Pretty Sweet Jam JSK): This was a dream dress of mine for many years but the longer I spent looking for it the more my style changed and the farther it fell down my list. I still love it and would happily add it to my wardrobe, I just wouldn't consider it a dream dress anymore. It is one of the prints that I first fell in love within this fashion. The red colorway is the only colorway that I like of this print. It is so beautiful to me. I do know that this dress is shorter than I would like, and I would have to get it altered to fit though.
Left (2010 Angelic Pretty Miracle Candy Going Out Set): This is another dress that was once a dream dress of mine. Over time I fell out of love with it, but I do still really like it and would happily add it to my wardrobe given the opportunity. The 2010 special set release, as opposed to the 2009 release, is my preferred cut as I am not a fan of the tulle used on the neckline of the 2009 release. I used to own the sax colorway of the 2009 release, and it was beautiful, but it just reminded me of how much I truly wanted the red 2010 special set release. I really love the vibrancy of the red and how the pastel print looks against the red background.
Right (2011 Metamorphose Vintage Record JSK): This is such a beautiful and fun print. I love everything about this release. The only reason this one is not higher up is I am worried about how it would fit me and how I would style the neckline. I love the polka dots, the records, and the belt. The red colorway is the only colorway I would consider. It has such a kitschy retro vibe that I am absolutely in love with. This would really suit the vibe of my wardrobe. I do not see this pop up for sale very often.
Left (2013 Angelic Pretty French Dot JSK): I own this dress in the red colorway, and I absolutely adore it. I would love to add the navy to my wardrobe too because I think that both of them would be incredibly versatile pieces in my closet and serve different purposes. My wardrobe, as you can probably tell from my wishlist, is primarily red and navy. I wear a lot of retro, casual otome, kitschy, and circus inspired coordinates. I love pattern mixing and both stripes and polka dots are my favorite patterns. This dress combines so many elements of my wardrobe, it really is the perfect dress for me!
Right (205 Emily Temple Cute Cupcake Logo Maxi Sleeveless OP): I really enjoy this print and would probably add either JSK version to my wardrobe but there is something about the maxi length that I am really drawn to. Honestly, I want it for my daily non-lolita wardrobe. It looks like a really cute casual sundress, and I think I would wear it a lot.
Left (2016 Metamorphose Happy Balloon Sailor Collar JSK): I currently own this print in the dark navy OP but I would love to swap it out for this lighter navy sailor collar JSK. I love that the sailor collar is detachable, I love dresses with detachable pieces, and the lighter navy matches my wardrobe better. I think the print really pops against this brighter color. I think I would have an easier time styling this dress in this colorway and having a JSK as opposed to an OP would open up further styling options with blouses. This is such a cute print and I would really like to wear it more often.
Right (2019 Emily Temple Cute Mondrian Sleeveless OP): I absolutely adore this dress and the only reason it is not a dream dress is because it wouldn't technically fit me. I would have to get it altered and I am not sure I am willing to do that...yet. I really do love everything about this dress though. The colors are perfect, the design is so unique in lolita, the asymmetrical bow is so much fun, the yellow tulle at the bottom is really fun, and I love the simple bodice. I think I would have a lot of fun styling this dress and it would really match the rest of my wardrobe. I wish it was a bit more size accommodating. I also have yet to see this pop up for sale on the secondhand market so that may be part of the reason as to why I do not own it. I haven't been given the opportunity to truly decide yet.
Left (2010 Angelic Pretty Pop Love JSK): This was a dream dress of mine for years until I finally caved and bought it in another colorway. I bought the black colorway hoping that it would fill the void in my closet that the red colorway was leaving. Unfortunately, it didn't work. It just reminded me of how much I wanted the red colorway and it showed me that this dress does not fit me very well. It is very short and would require me to alter it for it to fit me properly. Though I still adore the red colorway this did bump it down my list because I am not sure how I would go about making it wearable for me if I ever did manage to track down my preferred colorway at a reasonable price.
Right (2003 Metamorphose Biscuit Print Sleeveless OP): The chances of me finding this dress are incredibly slim and the chances of me fitting it are impossible, however, I absolutely adore it. This cut, in particular, is so chaotically whimsical and fun. I love it so much. It is like a kindergarten teacher was participating in western day during spirit week and that makes me smile.
Cardigans and Blouses
Left (2013 Angelic Pretty Candy Border Knitted Cardigan): There is just something about the diagonal stripes of this cardigan that I find really charming. It reminds me of a barbershop in the best way possible. I also really love the buttons, the ribbon detail on the wrist, and the candy applique on the chest. I think that these cardigans would be really functional staple pieces in my wardrobe. I wear cardigans with probably 75% of my coordinates and stripes are a major motif of my wardrobe.
Right (2011 Angelic Pretty Short Sleeve Ribbon Border Cardigan): I own this cardigan in the red and white colorway, and it is one of my favorites. It is a really thin material and perfect for warmer summer weather. It is really comfortable to wear and goes with so much of my wardrobe. The red, white, and navy colorway would be absolutely perfect for my wardrobe. This is the main color palette of my wardrobe and I just know that I would get a lot of use out of this cardigan.
Left (2013 Angelic Pretty Candy Border Knitted Cardigan): It should not come as a surprise that I would also love to own this cardigan in the red colorway. Honestly, I would take this cardigan in any of the colorways, but the navy and red are definitely my favorites and would be the two colorways that would match my wardrobe the best.
Right (2019 Emily Temple Cute Napolean Cardigan): This particular shade of navy is really beautiful and would match my wardrobe perfectly. I also love the bodice detailing and think that it would work really well with my wardrobe. I have quite a few dresses that I think I could style in a fun way utilizing this cardigan.
Left (2019 Emily Temple Cute Napolean Cardigan): There is not enough mustard yellow in lolita fashion. Mustard yellow and a true sunshine yellow are my favorite yellows, and they are both difficult to find within this fashion. I do not like pastel yellow and I feel like that is what I always find. This cardigan is a beautiful yellow and I would love to own it. It would work perfectly in my wardrobe.
Right (Violet Fane Happy Tartan Blouse): I really regret the fact that I didn't purchase this blouse when I had the chance, especially now that Violet Fane has announced that they will be closing. I think I would get a lot of use out of this red tartan blouse and after seeing it in person a few times it seems really well made. I hear it is very comfortable to wear too. I love the vibrancy of the red, it is truly stunning.
Left (2913 Angelic Pretty Dream Dot Embroidery Knit Cardigan): I have a few polka dot cardigans, but they are all thicker knit cardigans, and I would really like a thinner tighter fitting cardigan. I really like the simple design of this cardigan and the tricolor ribbon used for the lining. This would easily be a staple piece in my wardrobe, and I think that I would get a lot of use out of it. The red is also the perfect shade.
Accessories
Left (2012 Angelic Pretty Triple A La Carte Mini Ribbon Head Bow): This head bow is almost perfect. It is red. It has polka dots. It has stripes. My only worry is that the last time I got one of these multi bow head bows the wire was all bent out of shape on the bows, and I never could figure out how to repair it so the bows always looked really weird. I do not want to repeat that experience.
Right (2020 Metamorphose Marine Bear Headband): This is absolutely adorable, but it would only match one of my dresses. Does that make me want it any less? Not really. I mean, look at it. It is adorable.
Left (2019 Emily Temple Cute Emily's Potato Necklace): I honestly do not have a lot that this would go with but I think it is such a silly and fun necklace that I would really love to own it, even if just for daily wear outside of the fashion. It would be fun to pair with my pizza dress for a general fast food coordinate though!
Right (2019 Emily Temple Cute Popcorn Necklace): I own both of the JSK cuts of the Air Pop release from Emily Temple Cute in Navy and I would absolutely love to own the matching necklace to pair with them. I own a lot of popcorn dresses actually, it is one of the biggest motifs in my wardrobe, so this necklace would be a very functional accessory for me! It is also just so cute. I have seen the pink one pop up for sale a couple of times, but I have not seen the navy one yet.
Left (2019 Emily Temple Cute Mondrian Beret): Honestly, I just want this beret to pair with the matching dress. I am not sure I would wear it with anything else. If the ribbon was yellow, instead of black, I would probably wear it more often but as is...I would just wear them together.
Right (2019 Emily Temple Cute Double Decker Necklace): This necklace is just adorable, and I would wear it in and out of lolita fashion. I have a fondness for double decker busses and get really excited whenever I see them. This necklace just makes me happy.
Conclusion(?)
This is not an exhaustive list, and I am sure that I missed some items along the way, but I hope that you enjoyed a glimpse at the hopes and dreams of one lolita's wardrobe. My wish list is always changing, evolving, and growing just like my style within this fashion. It is never stagnant but instead fluid and moving with the years. Who knows what my wish list will look like in six months, one year, or even five years' time! I feel like you can tell a lot about someone's personality based on their wardrobe and their wardrobe goals or dreams. What did you learn from my wish list?
