First, I’d like to wish all of the American readers a Happy Thanksgiving!
I hope that you all go to bed with full bellies and fond memories tonight. :)
In the United States, the day after Thanksgiving is known as Black Friday. On this day, retailers across our nation slash prices in the hopes of clearing stock before the end of the Christmas season. Unfortunately for lolitas, on Black Friday our hobby will remain just as expensive as ever… Unless you know where to look.
While getting new clothing can be really nice, it is also wise to hunt through used clothing sales if you want to save some cash!
So today, I’m going to give you a few links to well priced second hand stores, so that you can celebrate discounts as well.
Auction Sites
While Ebay occasionally reveals some second hand lolita gems, if you really want page after page of results, it is best to check out Mbok and Yahoo Japan Auctions. I have purchased used dresses from these sites for as little as 2500yen, and when they arrived, they were as good as new! While browsing these sites, you’ll need to get a little bit creative with your search terms. For Yahoo Japan Auctions, typing in “Baby The Stars” or “Baby The” will yield far more results than the full brand name. And if you are looking for a specific piece, try looking up the name for it in Japanese. While you might find the dress you’re looking for by typing in “sugary carnival” you’re much more likely to find it if you type in シュガーリィカーニバル.
Unfortunately, most of the people who use these websites won’t ship overseas, so you’ll need to use a shopping service like Celga or Crescent Shop. I personally like to use Japamart for my yahoo japan auctions, because they allow you to bid in real time.
Resale Shops
In addition to auctions (which is honestly where you will find the absolute best deals) it is a good idea to occasionally pop into resale shops.
Closet Child – This is my absolute favorite in terms of second hand shops. Closet Child updates with new items twice a week, and they are constantly having sales. Their site automatically marks an item as sold out, so you don’t need to worry about ordering something that was already purchased months ago. In addition to this, and their great prices, Closet Child will also allow returning customers to reserve items for up to 30 days, which is great if you need a little extra time to save up for that special item.
Tokyo Alice - I have only ordered from Tokyo Alice once, but the experience was good. They shipped the item as soon as I paid, and it arrived very quickly, exactly as described on their site. They don’t update as often as closet child, and their selection isn’t as varied (they carry more punk or gothic items) but their prices can be great!
Alice+fururun – Of all the second hand shops, this one probably has the best prices I’ve seen. Unfortunately, their website is very difficult to navigate unless you have some knowledge of Japanese. I would also examine their photographs carefully, as the pricing seems to go hand in hand with the condition of the item.
Fairy Angel – I have to admit, sometimes I think that the prices for items on Fairy Angel are absurd. This store carries mostly sweet styles, and while the new layout is very nice, they don’t update their stock very frequently, and their prices can be extremely high. If you aren’t looking for Angelic Pretty, you might have some luck – their other brand items seem to be more fairly priced. Unfortunately, their system is not an automated one, so if you want to buy something that is listed in a later page, chances are, it has already been purchased.
Community Sales
The largest source for second hand goods in the west is undoubtedly the EGL_Comm_Sales on Livejournal. Unfortunately, there have been a lot of scams reported here lately, so if you find an item that you want, make sure you research the seller first. Don’t be afraid to ask questions – how a person replies can tell you a lot about their business practice. Occasionally you will find good deals here as well, and many girls are open to trades, or will allow you to make payments over time. However prices tend to be higher than those of the used shops in Japan, so if you’re really looking for a good deal, check those first.
This is not a complete list of all the second hand shops out there, only the ones that I have had personal experience with. If you would like to add your own experience, please let me know!
Happy Shopping,





Where The Wild Things Are (2009)
y goal was to start sewing more often. I’ve always wanted to make a baby doll jumper skirt (they are my favorite) and here is the result. (It fits me much better than my tiny mannequin)