I really like lolita fashion and I'm trying to build up my wardrobe before going to a meetup. Unfortunately, I don't have a ton of money & fit into secondhand brand and bought some items from Bodyline to start out. I've been stalking
lolita-tips for a while and it pointed me towards Classical Puppets for petticoats! I used
Taobaonow as a shopping service since I heard Clobbaonline/Qutieland is pricier.
- For other Taobao shopping services, see this spreadsheet!
- For the Lolita Taobao Guide by YetanotherJfashionblog, click here!
- For Hello Lace Taobao Guide, click here!
- Also, here's a Taobao shop list for lolita clothing.
My Taobao Order
I got an A-line petticoat, bell petticoat (both Classical Puppets in custom size since I'm plus size), Chic Doll brown oxford shoes size 40, and cookie mirrors. Sad right? I know lolita depends on brand items but I heard petticoats is the first thing to invest in. Plus I finally figured out my real measurements!
Total Price and Review
TaobaoNow charges 10% service fees and the general Paypal fees too. They can take pics of your items if you ask them!!! (I didn't know about this and have no preview pic, but it's more important for a large order). The best part is the webcart option, where you just copy&paste the URL of the items that you want to get and the details (size, color, etc). I used Paypal to pay, but you have to ask for that option. My package weighed 2.222kg total, cost $114.02 (items) +$55.77 (EMS shipping) = $169.79 TOTAL! They have a 40% discount on EMS shipping so in this case, it was $5 cheaper than Hong Kong airmail and faster too.
- Clobba: $75.90 +$(custom size fee) +$(shipping) +$39(shoes, mirrors) =$114 w/o all shipping or custom size fee
- Qutieland: $102.57 +$46.71(shipping) +$39(shoes, mirrors) =$188 w/o added shipping cost
- The shoes add a lot to the shipping cost by weight :'(
Length of order to delivery: Put in order on Nov. 23, initial paypal invoice on Nov. 24, next paypal invoice on Dec. 10, shipped from their office on Dec.10, arrived at my apartment on Jan. 4. Please note I ordered a custom size petticoat AND during holiday/Christmas/New Year time so it was much slower than on average. TOTAL: 42 days.
Communication: average, since they have decent English but not fluent. The messaging system works well as I was informed that the shoes run a size smaller than usual and I got a size 40 instead.
Pics!!!
 |
| It was actually a tiny box! Like 2 shoeboxes stacked on top of each other... |
 |
| Wrapped in super sticky plastic wrap |
 |
| It was really a small order! |
 |
| They actually fit pretty well! I have wide feet so I will only wear tights with these. |
Plans for future order?
I will probably use
TaobaoRing (8% fees) or
Bhiner (5% fees). I didn't know Classical Puppets had custom size blouses so I might order again from them. I've even started using Pinterest to make a lolita wishlist because planning an coord takes time and effort!
TL;DR petticoats are awesome, shoes weigh a lot & add a lot to shipping cost, and I'll be back with actual decoden next time! I totally just did a super glittery fairy kei style box! And the mirrors that I decoed are super cute!
