hey everyone! i recently joined the cutest (and to my knowledge, only)
Fairy-Kei Forum. i recommend checking it out if you're into fairy-kei!
it got me thinking about writing a post about starting a fairy kei wardrobe, and i think a good place to get some items from is
Bodyline.
if you're a lolita, you probably already know about bodyline. but if you don't know, it is a japanese company that sells really affordable, generally good quality lolita pieces. but they also sell punk and cosplay items like seifuku and full cosplays as well as random other sundry accessories and jewelry. i can't vouch for the quality of anything but their lolita section personally, but if you can't tell by looking if it is good quality, you could look up reviews or trust your shoppers' instincts. asking for a second opinion from someone with a good sense for that is always a good idea!
many people buy from bodyline for lolita, but i think it is an underutilized resource in terms of fairy-kei. there are some really good staple items there and not to mention, lolita and fairy-kei often have a big overlap in terms of what items can be used.
first of all, buying from bodyline is pretty easy. you just pick your items and add them to your cart like you would anywhere else, pay for it with paypal or credit or debit, and get it shipped to you. they do ship outside of japan, but i'm not sure of every place they ship. i think they have a fairly wide coverage of where they will ship to, so most likely, you do not need a shopping service. just always keep in mind that you have measurements and conversions correct!
so, let's take a look at what bodyline has to offer for fairy-kei!
let's start with the lolita section. there's a huge aesthetic similarity between fairy kei and sweet lolita-- pastels, fluffiness, and a huge interest in anything super cute.
but, some lolita items don't really look right in fairy-kei. FK doesn't have strict rules, but i tend to find coords intended as fairy-kei that use a lolita JSK or skirt more like sweet lolita. which is very cute, and i think a healthy amount of rulebreaking is necessary sometimes!!
but it looks more like lolita to me. sometimes skirts can be successful with fairy kei i suppose, but these choices from their skirt section i think are better geared for fairy-kei than lolita.
i think
this skirt looks more fairy-kei than lolita, and would work well in a FK coord. why? well, the sheerness of the fabric suggests the dreamy aesthetic of fairy-kei to me. it looks like the model is not
wearing a petti, and while that is a big no-no in lolita, it would look adorable just like this with a pastel t-shirt and cardigan with cute accessories, wouldn't it? i even think it'd be cute in fairy-kei with the shoes and socks combo used here. the skirt also comes in black, white, and cream, and i think those are more lolita, but i think it'd be way too short for lolita with a petti.
i think
this skirt is just perfect for fairy-kei. there are some variations of it on the site, and i like this one the best. it doesnt really seem lolita with the faux-acid-wash and near-miniskirt length. but i think the precedent of denim and dip-dyed jeans in fairy kei would make this a perfect addition to a FK wardrobe. i've heard acid wash jeans are bad for the environment and for workers who make them, but this item is just printed. i can imagine it with some pastel tights, high tops with legwarmers, and a cute hoodie!
bodylines' "cardigan" section has not just cardigans, but also boleros and cutesy sweatshirts (commonly called "parkas" by lolita brands). a lot of these are perfect for fairy-kei!
these cardigans are all cute for fairy-kei. i especially love the second one.
check out the section for yourself! i think that "parkas" (sweatshirts) tend to look most fairy-kei oriented, over boleros which to me seem very lolita. cardigans sweaters really can go with any style and are a good versatile buy.
LET ME TELL YOU BOUT BODYLINE'S PANNIER SECTION.
in my opinion, a staple and necessary part of the fairy-kei wardrobe is pretty, fluffy tutus!! and if you look up reviews of bodyline's panniers, they SUCK as petticoats. but when poof for holding up a skirt isn't your objective, they have the prettiest tutus in tons of colors. plus: they're adult sized! a hard thing is finding tutus in sizes for adults, so this is a perfect opportunity.
a lot of these are sold out, but it just shows you how cute and perfect these are. check back for restocks. there are some i really want that are sold out!!
their drawers section has bloomers, which are commonly used in fairy-kei and look very cute!
i think these are perfect just as shorts in some warm weather fairy-kei. they would also look cute with a tutu over them.
the headdress section is mostly awkward looking alice bows. i have no idea how well these look on an actual head, but mostly they look stiff like they're placed on the headband wrong. this one is cute, but we'll get to more bows in the sundry section.
the socks section has a lot of cute socks in pastel colors, as well as some printed socks and legwarmers.
the bag section doesn't have much pastel, and for whatever reason has a lot of new year's looking cat bags? but there are a few bags matching prints bodyline has sold.
as for shoes, there is pretty much a usual range for lolita shoes, made the same way as brand shoes, but a tenth of the price. there are pastel mary janes, tea party shoes, and the like. i don't think lolita shoes are at all necessary for fairy-kei, but they can definitely be used and look very cute.
just make sure that when you buy shoes from bodyline, you
measure your foot in centimeters before buying. their shoe sizes are in centimeters, and i've found that using a size converter will get you way different results.
other than that, not much for fairy-kei, but that's obvious. the tights section has some cool printed tattoo tights, but i don't know about the quality.
i have heard good things about bodyline's wigs, which are in the cosplay section. while i dont think wigs are at all required for fairy-kei, if you feel like you need a pastel wig to match your outfit, their wigs are reportedly good quality and pretty cheap. i would look for reviews of any potential purchases. i think natural hair looks really good with FK, but sometimes you just want to have pink hair for a day.
as i mentioned before, i dont really know much about the sundries section's quality as i've never bought much from there. i did get one headband and i really think it is cute and nice quality, but i think the quality depends on the item. they have a lot of bows, clips, and other such useful and cute accessories in this section. i haven't extensively looked at the other things, but the categories are mostly self-explanatory and you can check them out for yourself if you're looking for that kind of item.
well, i hope my post about using bodyline as a fairy-kei resource was helpful! while they are more expensive than they used to be a couple years ago due to the exchange rate, they still offer a lot of good stuff for fairy-kei. i mostly buy from them with the intention of building up my lolita wardrobe, but i have used some of their items in fairy-kei coords before and maybe now you will too!!
