Lolita Camping: Packing

Someone asked that I do a post about how I pack for camping trips with lolita, I do have a horrendously small bag limit that also has to fit camping gear. It's a good question. This can be taken as a general example/guide for lolita travelling in general though.

Step 1: Do your research

Find out about the weather and what you'll be doing. Stilettos are not great for either rock climbing nor blizzards. Get an idea of what you'll be wearing your lolita in. For my trip it is warm during the days (80s) and really cold at night (30s). It also mists in the morning but otherwise dries out. I'll also have to be putting up a tent.

Step 2: Figure out what you Must take

*MotoGP JSK is currently at the cleaners and having it's spot held by my Corvette Print JSK.

If you're doing the backpack only method like I do then space is a big issue so I have to prioritize. Everything else has to work around these items. So I've got a tent, a motorcycle jacket, jeans, leather gloves and other assorted not clothes things. There's also a jsk themed after my favorite rider which I include in Must because this is the one MotoGP thing I do a year. It has to go. And also a black cocktail dress. The happening hang outs are all pretty ritzy so I need to be dressed right.

Step 3: Pack all the Musts up and see how much space you have

My motorcycle jacket will be worn on the plane so it isn't in there. But once you have all the Musts in you get a sense for how much space you have left. That freaking tent takes up sooo much space.

Step 4: Lay out your Musts to get an idea of a binding theme

That theme for me is going to be black, grey and white.

Step 5: Look at how many outfits you're going to need and make a schedule/outfit list

I do this on a calendar with my itinerary on it so I can plan for activities. I also try to reuse as many items as possible. My schedule is:

Wed: Fly in, overnight at hotel
Thurs: Head to track and set up camp
Fri: Practices
Sat: Assorted activities
Sun: Main Event
Mon: Fly home

So I need 6 day outfits and then I'll be reusing my evening outfit for Fri and Sat nights.

Here's my prospective list for next year:

Wed: White lace OP with belt and OTKs
Thurs: Jeans and Blouse
Fri: User skirt over white lace OP (using it as a blouse)
Sat: User skirt with Blouse
Sun: Spies jsk over white lace OP or Blouse
Mon: Same as Wed or Thurs (it's a flying day :P)
Evening: Black cocktail dress and Motorcycle Jacket (I sewed a pocket into the lining to store my jeans in when not on the bike).

That seems like a good reuse of things without it being too obvious. I didn't list accessories yet because that comes later.

Step 6: Lay out everything

Here's everything clothing related (all the not clothes stuff is chilling in the backpack):

1) Sam Flynn Moto Jacket
2) Grey/Black bootlets
3) Black ruffle front blouse
4) Corvette bloomers
5) Blue organza petticoat
6) User skirt
7) Black cocktail dress
8) Moto themed JSK (represented by my Corvette JSK)
9) Jeans
10) White lace OP
-A pile of accessories I think will work and will be testing out.

Wed Outfit:

My first try:

This OP looks amazing with that belt but can you spot the problem? It wouldn't go with most anything else really.

So here is the outfit I decided on:

Much better. I can pair that belt with literally every other major piece which helps change things up, like if this were a two week trip and not a 5 day thing. Or I could wear it without a belt but I like it with a belt slightly more (even if that may slightly lower the traditional lolita-ness). This uses:

1) Sam Flynn Moto Jacket (I'll be wearing it on the plane and at nights)
2) Grey/Black bootlets
4) Corvette bloomers
5) Blue organza petticoat
10) White lace OP

There's also a couple accessories:
A silver bow headband
Yellow star bracelet
A string of pearls
Clock socks

Thurs:

I'm setting up a tent. I'm wearing jeans. But I'm wearing a frilly lolita blouse and some very feminine accessories so I'll still feel pretty. This includes:

2) Grey/Black bootlets
3) Black ruffle front blouse
9) Jeans

Accessories:
Same pearls from day before
Silver watch
earrings
(and some no show Batman socks for the bootlets)

Fri:

This is a favorite "cheat" of mine, I'll use an OP under a skirt/JSK for a blouse. The bloomers and petti aren't pictured but would be worn.

2) Grey/Black bootlets
4) Corvette bloomers
5) Blue organza petticoat
6) User skirt
10) White lace OP

Accessories:
Black leggings
White/silver bracelet
Same pearls as before
Same silver head bow as Wed
Earrings (same as before in pic but could be any, I always pack a handful)
Another pair of socks.

Sat:

Friday was almost sweet in style but this goes closer to gothic. All by changing a blouse.

Everything is the same except 10) White lace OP is switched for 3) Ruffle front black blouse. Also a fresh pair of socks.

Sun:

I could go either way blousewise. For the photo I chose the white OP as a blouse again but I might be feeling the black ruffle front blouse more than day. Whatev. I chose the Navy OTK socks instead of black because I don't like reusing socks and I also have the black leggings. Packing too many unique things is just as bad as packing unnecessary duplicates.

4) Corvette bloomers
5) Blue organza petticoat
8) Moto themed JSK (represented by my Corvette JSK)
10) White lace OP

Accessories:
Black fascinator which packs very thin
Giant ring
Navy OTK socks
Same silver watch as before
Same yellow star bracelet as before
Same pearls as before

Mon:

Same as Wed but mix up the accessories.

Evening:

Only really including this because its got to go in the backpack and uses elements from other outfits. Not lolita but sometimes it can't be all lolita. And that is fine. It is better to get into the fancy restaurant with your friends and be stuck in a cocktail dress than in lolita and told you're not up to snuff. Also there's a ton of bikes all around and I'd hate to melt my organza petti on a still hot tailpipe. I list the jeans since I'll have to slide them under my dress for the ride to/from the track campground to dinner but there's a pocket in my jacket to store them. :D

1) Sam Flynn Moto Jacket
2) Grey/Black bootlets
7) Black cocktail dress
9) Jeans

Accessories:
Same fascinator from Sunday
Same pearls as before
Same silver watch as before
Same ring as Sunday
Same leggings as Fri/Sat
Scarf (which I might wear on Mon)

Step 7: Test packing run

All this...

Fits in here. Off to the side I have my outfit for the plane. If you have extra space in your own adventures in lolita travelling DON'T ADD MORE STUFF. Sure you might wear it but what if you find something cute there? Try and leave at least a smidge of space for souvenirs and stuff. Though I did toss in a handful of not pictured accessories: another scarf, some more earrings, another necklace... But I have a dedicated accessory pocket that wasn't even half full. That's a time when adding in a few more things works nicely. Especially on longer trips.

Alrighty, there we have it. That's a visual example/guide of packing for a lolita trip. Have fun on your own trips and if you have any questions let me know! :D