Bodyline- A Choice, not a Mistake

One of the skirts I recently bought. Is it kitchy? Yes. Do I recognize that, and like it all the same? Yes.

In a recent thread on a Facebook group I belong to, people were asked what advice they would give to their "new Lolita" selves. A lot of the answers (and accompanying pictures) were funny chronicles of the awkward mistakes we all make when getting into a new fashion. Of course, as the conversation evolved, it got down to some comments about "bad" places to buy Lolita, and I held my breath, waiting for the inevitable mention of  Bodyline.

 Bodyline.

The mere name sends chills down the spines of many Lolitas. Is it because Bodyline unabashedly sells a line of cosplay items side-by-side their Lolita offerings? Is it the inconsistency of their quality? Is it because of their creepy CEO and founder, "Mr. Yan"?

Yes, yes, and YES to all of the above.

Bodyline has some problems. I won't pretend otherwise. I particularly find the last issue- Mr. Yan, to be troubling. But like anything else, I think you have to submit Bodyline to careful cost-benefit analysis, and I believe the benefits of Bodyline DO outweigh the costs.

First- what Bodyline is not.

It is not brand. Period. Bodyline has an entirely different business model than places like Angelic Pretty, Baby, or Meta. It certainly doesn't operate like Mary Magdalene or Atelier Boz. I wouldn't even put it in the same category as Putumayo or some of the higher-end Chinese makers or the Korean brand Haenuli. You are not going to get carefully constructed designer originals from Bodyline. No limited editions. No exclusive prints. Not going to happen. As a matter of fact, you will get dresses using fabric that is used by several of the smaller Taobao shops- and even some of the bigger ones:

Top- Bodyline "1560" JSK, Bottom- Infanta "Fruit Pies" JSK

That being said, I think Bodyline NOT being brand is one of its charms. Brand is problematic on some levels, too. Brand is very expensive. Brand is hard to buy- both in terms of limited quantities, and less-than-robust online shops for international buyers. They often won't ship directly. And of course, sizing is a problem for many Western buyers. Western Lolitas tend to be larger than Eastern Lolitas- we all know that. I'm not huge by Western standards, and I struggle with some brand - especially tops. 

So what IS Bodyline? Bodyline is a quantity seller- think of it like a big-box discount department store...for Lolita. Because they deal in quantity, they make their stuff readily available. They don't have any need to build a lot of cachet around their product. So they offer lots of sizes, and long production runs at modest prices. Their website is easy to navigate and use- even easier after the recent upgrade- and they ship directly (for free) to the US. All of this benefits the buyer who is looking to buy pieces quickly, cheaply and efficiently. When I just need a basic piece of clothing quickly, or a cheap necklace to go with an outfit, I go to Target. When I want a shopping experience, or I'm looking for something high-quality, or unique, I go to the Plaza. Same concept applies to Lolita. 

I also have to point out that Bodyline, by-and-large, is decent quality. The old saying is true- you get what you pay for, and you definitely get a lot of product when you buy brand. The best made piece of clothing in my closest, Lolita or otherwise, is my Innocent World skirt. The seams are neat and straight, the fabric is smooth, the print is sharp. However, I bought it used, and still payed more for it than a new Bodyline skirt. And it is small. So small, I moved the hook closure over a couple of centimeters to give myself room to breathe. 

I have a dress, two skirts, a cutsew, and a cardigan from Bodyline. They're all decent quality- again, think Target. I would put one of the skirts ( I125- the one with ball fringe) up against my Angelic Pretty or Meta skirts in terms of quality. They all fit nicely without modification, and the OP is downright roomy. The sizing IS a little wonky- the skirts are mediums, the dress is a large, and the shirts are extra large, and they all fit. I chalk this up mostly to me being less than perfectly proportionate, but I do think you have to read their measurements carefully before you buy.

The Squirrel Party print is not as sharp as the print on my Innocent World skirt, but it is still cute and distinct. The little deer decal on my cardigan looks very 70's-doll-clothes kitschy, but that is part of the appeal of it to me. I honestly like many of their prints for that very reason- they look like modern interpretations of old prints you would find on children's clothes or pajamas, or even children's sheet sets! (I swear I slept on something that looked like the carousel print when I was eight...) Part of why I do sweet Lolita is that it has a certain nostalgic appeal for me as a child of the 80's. Bodyline delivers that nostalgia.  As far as the clothes I have purchased, the quality seems well in line with the price I've paid. For what it's worth, I did use the "Yen trick" when I bought all but my first order, and I've never had to pay shipping. If I was paying full US dollar prices for my clothes, or paying shipping, I might be less enthusiastic about Bodyline's value. 

Yes, Yan appears to be a creepy douchecanoe. I don't like supporting a person who manipulates, fetishizes, or exploits young women. But the truth is- and this may be totally unintentional- he also runs a business that is much more friendly than brand to many Lolitas. How much money you have, or the size of your body should not preclude you from enjoying any certain fashion. I strongly believe that all people have the right to enjoy their own bodies, and adorn them in any way they see fit. So, I have to weigh the general creepiness of stunts like the "Mr.Yan Body Pillow" and stories about him setting up manipulative contracts with his models (like VenusAngelic) against the very real service his store provides to the community. Of course, if I hear substantiated reports that he is raping/assaulting people, I'm done with buying new Bodyline, as I would be done with any person/ entity that perpetuates violent crime.

So, that's why I like Bodyline. I see it as a democratizing force in the Lolita community, filling a niche unaddressed by traditional brands. In my personal experience, the quality has been in line with the price paid, and is reasonable- even good-  by the standards I apply to my regular clothes. The simplistic, cartoonish prints actually appeal to my sense of 80's childhood nostalgia, and I find buying from them to be easy and convenient.

So while Bodyline might not be for everyone, I think it is wrong for people to reflexively look askance at it, or make Lolitas who wear it feel "less than" their brand-wearing peers. I particularly would like to see an end to snipey comments in online forums about the noob "mistake" of wearing Bodyline. Wearing Bodyline is not a mistake- it's a choice. Frankly, it's a choice that makes a lot of sense if you are just getting into the fashion, have a limited budget, are larger than comfortably fits brand sizing, or if you like their particular brand of kitschy cute. I feel there is room enough in Lolita for all Lolitas to coexist peacefully, and room for people like me to cross the boundaries and wear both brand and Bodyline without feeling like I am dressing down when I wear my Bodyline pieces.