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This post is written in the perspective of a v-kei kid and targeted to those interested in other people's spending habits or scene babies who are looking to dip their toes into the look.
- Feel free to instant-message me for help to find you brands for a style you like. Most of this is based on my experiences
lowballinghunting for Elegant Gothic Aristocrat clothes (which is a difficult market). If anyone knows anything about budgeting, ask your local Lolita j-girl and she'll show you ropes.
Why I personally avoid buying from Hot Topic, and the exceptions.
Eh, I just think I could do better than Hot Topic. That's it. There's also some ethical issues regarding Hot Topic as a company when it comes to designing clothes, so that can also be a turn-off when I browse the clothes there.
The only stuff I ever buy from Hot Topic are band t-shirts, belts, or cuffs. At least the merch is licensed and the studded belts are too generic to out speak my main pieces. Anything else you could probably find something better from real designers or better companies that are worth returning for.
Here's a list of brands you can replace Hot Topic with (disclaimer, list doesn't account for price range).
Bondage pants.
- Tripp NYC (Everyone knows about this one.)
- Village Shop
- Peel&Lift (NSFW)
- ACDC Rag. This one might be your cheapest option.
Graphic tees.
- Ghost Killer Entertainment. I have one of the rawring 20's shirts.
- vampirefreaks.com. Forum turned another alternative retailer, but they do have some great branded graphic t-tshirts that remind me of the 2010's.
- Big Dogs. Corny, just how I like them.
If
you just want to fill out some gaps in your outfit like socks, gloves,
or any sort of accessory, there's no shame in buying them from cheaper
retailers (though I think it's ALWAYS tacky
buying jewelry from Aliexpress or Amazon.)
If you're deadset on buying Hot Topic brand, you could just look up the exact same item online on Depop for cheaper than half the retail price.
Stop buying trash every day/week. Minimize your shopping cart.
The whole idea is to adopt slow fashion ideals.
I put quality first before low prices. This means even if it's $5, I
won't buy it if it's got poor construction and made of a cheap
polyester. It's better to spend around 200 USD a month on a couple
clothes that'll last you a long time than 200 USD worth of trash in a
week that feels and looks like trash.
Before I buy the haul, I look at each piece of clothing and ask
- "Do I have anything else that looks like this?"
- "How many outfits can I make from this?"
- "Will I wear it?"
These are good habits to have. Honestly as long as its made of natural material (cotton, wool, or leather) go for it.
It's time to SHOP SECOND-HAND ONLY!
Unless thrifting grosses you out, then you should stop reading.
Limiting my choices to second-hand clothing has helped me save money by incentivizing me to look for the lowest bids. Besides, there's too many clothes without homes, why should we buy new just to fill the pockets of some CEO that will keep producing trash?
There's a couple problems with shopping second-hand though: people taking all the good stuff or dealing with scalpers. Here's how I approach them.
- Thrift stores are loaded with outdated graphic t-shirts, which is perfect for any scene kid. I got this Invader Zim shirt for $5. I like to cut up old t-shirts and patch them onto my other stuff, like pants or tote bags. DIY that shit.
- If you think a seller is dropshipping or scalping you, look for the label/tag on the clothing and look for other sources, the brand, or if any other resellers are selling it for cheaper. BTW I'd avoid dropshipped anything, denoted by if there are more than 4 listings of the same thing on Aliexpress or Amazon.
I got this motorcycle bomber jacket today for $18USD. I don't have any jackets like it, and I can imagine myself rewearing it for multiple outfits because of its neutral color despite its distinct construction. There's also a quilted pattern at the waist to fill the negative space between the chest and the legs, which I really like. Unique construction, reusability, and there's a bunch of buckles which makes it the perfect match to my bondage pants. I knew it was coming home with me.
Here are some of my favorite casual thrifted outfits.
Platforms I use!
closetchild. My favorite japanese secondhand store. They carry lolita, gothic, and punk fashion.
cdjapan. Japanese proxy service.
yahoo auctions. Use Buyee or Zenmarket if you live overseas.
https://egl.circlly.com. The most active EGL/EGA secondhand market. I use Lace Market the most, but there's also separate tabs for general j-fashion that might benefit the scene kids out there.
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weirdhouseplant
This is a great guide!