So first of all, what is Liz Lisa? Liz Lisa (LL for short) is a Japanese fashion brand focusing on "Retro Girlish" fashion stating (as translated by Google Translate) "We propose a fashionable style that fuses the retro style with the trend and retains the [']cute['] style of a woman. A woman who is sensitive to trends but who can enjoy her own style." LL's pieces have generally been considered Hime Kaji fashion in the past and generally consist of soft florals, lace, ruffles, flared skirts, and elegant detailing leading to a soft, feminine, yet still cute, look. Unfortunately, like many Japanese brands, most of their pieces outside of shoes are one size targeted towards smaller Japanese frames. This means their items generally fit a US XS or S. However, I decided to take a chance and buy a LL dress with a half shirred back both because it was cute and for super scientific research purposes.
So first things first, let's talk about my measurements and general size since my main reason for making this post is for the sake of others like myself who want to wear Japanese fashions, but are worried they might be too big. Measurements are approximate since I haven't measured myself in a little while, so they may be an inch or two off. I converted all measurements to their approximate cm equivalent as well.
Height: 5'4"/163cm
Bust: 35"/89cm
Waist: 30"/76cm
Hips: 45"/114cm
As you might have noticed, my hip measurement is significantly larger than my other two, meaning that I am pear shaped. Also worth noting is that in addition to a large butt I also have thicc thighs, a shortish torso, and somewhat broad shoulders. I'm also a bit chubby, but any weight fluctiatuons I have mostly affects my waist measurement as long as it's not caused by muscle gain. So with all of that in mind, let's talk about the dress and how it fits me.
English Rose frill OP in pink (162-6006-1)
Bust: 85cm (34in)
Shoulder (presumably flat): 32cm (13in)
Sleeve length: 60cm (24in)
Overall Length: 72cm (28in)
- Half back shirring
- Side zipper
- Fully lined bodice and skirt
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| Potato quality try-on |
So, first things first, when I innitially tried the dress on, I was wearing my regular pushup bra and it was rather tight, so I switched to a less padded bralette, which made the fit much less constricting. Both times pulling the zipper up the last half of the way was a bit challenging. I definitely couldn't have put this dress on as easily without the side zip.
Secondly, the waist of the dress hit a bit high on me due in part to my very much not flat-chested-ness. When worn it sits more on the bottom of my ribs than my natural waist.
Thirdly, and most importantly for me, the skirt lining juuuuuuust barely fits over my hips and the skirt itself comes maybe 3 inches below my bum. This means that I DEFINITELY need to wear some sort of shorts underneath to avoid accidentally flashing people and when wearing it out I need to be careful sitting and bending over in it.
Also worth mentioning, the shoulders of the dress are a little bit tight on me, but that's normal for me even with fitted, non-stretch blouses in my size from the US. The sleeves were also just a teeny bit short on me, but not really significant enough to be outright noticeable or harm the intended appearance of the dress when worn.
What We Learn?
I knew I was taking a bit of a risk buying this piece, but I figured the shirring would make it more likely to fit me. Luckily, my risk paid off and I have a dress I can wear, albeit a tad uncomfortably, as well as a reference point for future Liz Lisa purchases. Overall, I'll probably lean towards dresses with fully shirred backs and straps for more comfortable wearing in the future. Unfortunately since the bodice is relatively tight on me, this means that any fitted blouses from LL are a straight up nope for me. Luckily they also have tops, often paired with matching skirts, that have straps and shirring, so I could definitely wear those. For skirts, I should also be good to wear them as long as the back is fully shirred or the waist band is fully elasticated. I'm unsure if skirts with built-in modesty shorts (aka sukapan) would fit me, but I'm willing to give them a try if I find one I like and I can always alter the shorts if needed. I may want to lean towards longer skirts where I can in the future, but that won't stop me from buying shorter skirts since I'd be able to wear them at my natural waist too. Overall, I'd say this dress is a great first LL dress for me and a great way to give myself more buying confidence in the future when buying Liz Lisa pieces.
Was this article helpful for you? Are you considered "plus size" in Japanese fashion? Let me know in the comments!
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