Tomboy swaps manly jeans and T-shirts in favour of frills and petticoats to dress like a LIVING DOLL

Tomboy swaps manly jeans and T-shirts in favour of frills and petticoats to dress like a LIVING DOLL (and has spent £2,000 funding the habit)

A teenager who was devoted to jeans and T-shirts has swapped her tomboy style in favour of dressing like a real-life doll.

Sofia Pettersen-Janes, from Harrow, West London used to opt for a more masculine style but her outfits have seen a complete turnaround as she has added petticoats, bonnets and multicoloured wigs to her everyday wardrobe.

The 19-year-old’s ensembles are not saved purely for fancy dress, wearing her brightly coloured outfits everywhere from bus stops to the supermarket – with some costing as much as £300.

The textiles student at Nottingham Trent University first found her interest in the unusual doll like style – known as Lolita fashion – two years ago after visiting an Anime Convention in London.

At the age of only 17, Sofia became instantly hooked, and started to save every penny she could to fund her new found hobby.

Within just two years, Sofia has spent over a staggering £2,000 on perfecting her unique appearance, but she says the expense has been worth it and she finally feels complete.

‘I love wearing my outfits, I wouldn’t be me if I didn’t wear them.

‘I adore every single dress and all the accessories, I wouldn’t be seen in anything else. I appreciate that it’s different but it really is special to me, I feel happy when I wear them.’

Sofia admits that her new style is a dramatic change from her previous choice in clothes but she much prefers her feminine outfits

‘When I was younger I liked Thomas The Tank Engine and stuff guys liked. I used to just wear jeans and a T-shirt – but I always felt like something was missing.’

Sofia added that at first not everyone was as fond of her new dress sense but they have since accepted her new style.

‘It was a bold and unusual kind of fashion to be wearing but I loved it.’

‘My parents were a bit confused at first as it was such a drastic change, my dad would insist I was just playing dress up.

Photo: cheap evening dresses uk

‘But it wasn’t long until they both came around to my new style of clothes.’

At the time, school girl Sofia lived in her school uniform, and her doll clothes were only worn on special occasions.

But a year and a half later, Sofia bagged herself a job as a cleaner in a hotel and saved her wages until she was able to afford the wardrobe of her dreams.

‘I’ve now ditched the jeans and choose to opt for corsets almost every day of the week.

‘My favourite outfit to date is a mint green dress, it has a row of printed toys along the bottom of the skirt, it’s really cute.’

This particular outfit set Sofia back by a whopping £300.

After recently dying her hair pink to compliment her wardrobe Sofia has seen onlookers take an interest in her and has even had tourists approach her for pictures.

‘Lots of people ask for a picture with me, but I’m not a tourist attraction!’

‘Having pink hair gets you lots of attention, especially when the rest of your outfit matches your hair.

Lolita fashion is hard to find in the UK, so Sofia has to look elsewhere for her fill of frills. Her favourite store, Angelic Pretty, is based in Japan and is the biggest and most popular for Lolita fanatics.

Sofia says that her obscure taste in fashion has led her to discover a whole community of women who share her enthusiasm.

‘I’m not alone, there’s a small community of Lolita fashionistas based in London. We all often meet up at local coffee shops and museums.

‘We cause quite a stir in the capital but it’s nice to meet up and have something in common – my friends don’t understand the latest Lolita fashion.’

Despite some negativity, Sofia has many supportive comments from those around her, with many wishing they had her confidence.

Being branded as ‘Little Bo Peep’ and ‘Alice in Wonderland’ in the streets may cause upset for some, but Sofia remains unfazed and confident in her appearance.

‘A few people will shout across the street – but I just ignore them.

‘I can dress how I like, it makes me feel happy – so let me wear it!’