Give brown a chance.

So you are interested in lolita and you are starting out. Or maybe you are a seasoned lolita looking to extend your wardrobe. Lolita items are expensive so you want to get items that would be easy to match up with other items. The most obvious choices are probably black or white. These colours can become a really strong staple in your wardrobe and if you are unsure about an outfit, black or white are easy colours are a safe option to finish off your look.

But just recently, I have really been craving brown items. Sometimes it feels great to refresh your wardrobe by choosing something a bit different. I believe that brown is a lot easier to wear than people think. Pink, mint, blue, red and many other colours can go well with brown. Plus brown looks a little softer than harsh black tones. With Autumn's arrival we are seeing more Autumnal colours coming through and brown suits these perfectly. Brown is usually considered a dull colour but I disagree.

If you are unsure about brown pieces you could start with something small. Like an accessory. This Innocent World bag is very classical and you could easily use it whilst you are not in lolita because it has a grown up fashionable look.

Some shades of brown almost look black so making the leap to brown is not that huge a step. However, other shades of brown can be easy to wear too. I adore these Innocent World boots. I was going to use a picture from Rose Chocolat but they disabled the right click function. The Rose Chocolat boots are called the Classic Heart Boots and the only reason I have not purchased a pair is because they cost $180. Ouch! I would happily get these in every colour if I could. http://www.rosechocolat.com/shop/step1.php?number=355

Classic lolita brands like Innocent World love brown. It can be used very effectively. However, it is not just classic lolita that makes good use of the colour.

Melty Chocolate by Angelic Pretty was a very popular print and it recently got another release with different colour options. Those of you who looked at my Hyper Japan photos will know I bought some brown Melty Chocolate rings. The good thing about this print is that the brown is not too dominant. If you didn't want to wear a dress where brown is the main colour but the brown was still present, prints like these would be perfect.

Sweet lolita pieces that use brown do not necessarily need to feature sweet items like chocolate. One of Bodyline's most popular designs was this Love Nadia dress with the forest scene. And you have the option to go for a full brown version or a more sweet colour. If you were still nervous about trying brown then a dress like this is a good example of how to introduce the colour slowly. It would not be too hard to find shoes and accessories to match Love Nadia.

Yes, black and white are still easier to wear but don't automatically dismiss brown next time you go shopping :)