Hello there! Welcome to the Beginner Lolita's Subforum! Please read the contents of this post to learn how to use this subforum in the manner which best suits you.
Firstly, please note that this is an ongoing effort. I will be continuously adding things, so please be patient. ^-^
Since there are so many subsets and ways of interpreting Lolita, I will attempt to satisfy as many as I can without bias. However, at the moment, we seem to have many Lolitas who are affiliated with the music/visual look aspect of the fashion. I therefore warn you that this approach is not universally accepted by many of the "hardcore" Lolitas. We are a very young guild at the moment, and yet we have already been placed under their scrutiny. I will not disagree with those "hardcore" Lolitas or those Lolitas who have discovered the fashion through J-rock and Visual Kei. Either way, I don't personally care how you came to know Lolita as long as you are willing to learn and to listen. The only people I hold disdain for are those who are closed-minded. Thus, we come to our first lesson in the following Table of Contents.
1. The Ideal Lady*
2. The Regime
3. Dressing Up
4. Undressing and Clothing Care
5. Personal Grooming
6. Care of Oneself
7. Frequently Asked Questions
*Please note that Section One, "The Ideal Lady" addresses the Lolita lifetyle. If you are in some way opposed to lifestyle, please disregard it. Thank you!
And now, an Introduction for you.
Lolita is the femininity which dwells somewhere at the root of girls. (And some boys.) It is the ruffles and lace, the tea parties and dolls, the wish for bright days and parasols, horse-drawn carriages, and gardens filled with fragrant gardenias, their thick, dark leaves glistening. It is the idyllic vision which you hear about in romantic poetry but never even considered attempting to live. Even our darker Lolita counterparts, our lovely Elegant Gothic Lolitas live this idyllic life through roses, cathedrals, and romantic vampires dressed as beautiful young gentlemen. While the worlds of all the different Lolitas do not always converge, they are categorized as Lolitas nonetheless. The main subsets of Lolita are as follows:
-- Elegant Gothic Lolita
-- Elegant Gothic Aristocrat
-- Sweet Lolita
-- Classic Lolita
-- Punk Lolita
-- Ero Lolita
-- Wa Lolita
-- Qi Lolita
Also, there are boystyles which appear occasionally:
-- Elegant Gothic Aristocrat
-- Dandy
You may have heard of "Kodona" or "Oujisama" (prince). While these are not official subsets of boystyle, the terms are used often enough to where people know what you are talking about if you do use them. In reality, they are simply very nearly the same as Dandy.
The history of Lolita fashion itself begins with a fashion house in the 1970's called Pink House. Pink House designed clothing which featured the long skirts and designs of women's frontierwear of 1800's pioneer America. A brand you may have heard of which also took part in this unusual style is Milk. Later, the first established "Lolita" fashion house was born in 1979 (Angelic Pretty), while Baby, The Stars Bright came about later in the 1980's. Elegant Gothic Lolita and its trademark brand, Moi-meme-Moitie were both born in 1999.
Before the subsets of Lolita came about, Lolita came in one flavor only: Lolita. The original Lolita style closely mimicked the dresses and girlishness of Victorian porcelain dolls. As time wore on, the original Lolita gradually faded away into the subsets of Lolita we know today. Sweet Lolita is likely the descendant which most closely resembles the original Lolita ancestor.
Sweet Lolita is best known for its heavy use of pastel colors, ruffles, lace, and cute motifs. Angelic Pretty is an exclusively Sweet Lolita brand and produces the most accurate example of this style. Skirts are very full and cupcake-shaped. The entire ensemble includes not only the customary undergarments and elaborately decorated dresses, but also lavishly adorned headdresses and accessories. Sweet Lolita is certainly not the style you are looking for if you dislike details and prefer simplicity in your clothing. If you prefer a simpler look, Classic or Elegant Gothic Lolita are for you.
Classic Lolita is the matured counterpart of Sweet Lolita. Instead of bright pastel, Classic Lolita focuses mainly on muted and jewel tones. Lace is more sparse, and true white is rarely found on Classic pieces. Instead, if there is white, it is usually antiqued or off-white. Headwear is generally more modest, such as small bows, flower corsages, and elegant, simpler bonnets. Skirts are also generally just a little longer, reaching to right below the knees. They have a more A-line shape with the majority of the volume focused at the hem than at the top of the skirt. Mary Magdalene designs the most accurate examples of this style.
Elegant Gothic Lolita is a subset of Lolita which was created with the fashion house, Moi-meme-Moitie in 1999. As most of you likely already know, Mana stands at the head of Elegant Gothic fashion, having founded Moi-meme-Moitie and initiated its subsequent popularity. The designs themselves are often very close to Classic designs, but they are always realized in black or a combination of black, navy blue, or white. Unlike Classic Lolita, however, skirts can be either A-line or cupcake-shaped and can also be slightly shorter than knee-length. For this reason, over-knee socks are also often seen. Elegant Gothic Lolita is a combination of girlish style and gothic romance.
Elegant Gothic Aristocrat is often interpreted as a style for men, but it is not. For women, Elegant Gothic Aristocrat closely resembles the outfit of a Victorian woman in mourning. Long, full skirts are worn with Victorian styled blouses. A hat is often worn with a dark veil. A large, black parasol is a must. Clothing is mostly black, but may have grey or other dark hues. Moi-meme Moitie, while Mana did create the Elegant Gothic Aristocrat style, does not carry a great deal of this particular style for women. While everything comes in a lady's size, they do not often have all the essentials for a proper lady's Elegant Gothic Aristocrat outfit.
Ero Lolita is short for "erotic Lolita", yes. However, this is not to be mistaken with those skimpy babydoll sheer things or anything Hot Topic is selling that has more resemblance to a wide hairband than the "Goth Schoolgirl Skirt" they are trying to pass it off as. Because it is not commonly worn by Lolitas, many tend to toss what they cannot properly categorize into the Ero section. It has become something of Lolita's junk drawer. However, this is terrible for such an interesting style. Ero Lolita is not considered, by the majority of normal young men of today, particularly erotic at all. The skirt might be a little shorter; you're going to see petticoats and bloomers peeking out. Hoop skirts, or maybe pieces of them. An elegant lace camisole on top, or a silk chemise. Shoulders. Collarbones. If you take pride in the ivory smoothness of your decollete, Ero will give you your showcase. While she certainly has her own style, Kana often dresses in Ero Lolita elements. (sans cleavage)
Punk Lolita adds hard-edge, punky themes to the basic Lolita silhouette. In addition to motifs such as skulls, a deconstructed look is also often added with tattered, fraying fabrics. Chains, safety pins, and other such hardware are often seen. However, the full skirt and overall girlish feel is maintained. Punk Lolita is for the rebellious Lolita who would rather walk the city streets listening to old rock music than go to tea parties and on walks with a parasol. A good example of a Punk Lolita brand is Putumayo, which is often advertised in the Gothic and Lolita Bible.
Wa Lolita is the traditional Japanese kimono look on the Lolita silhouette. Kimonos are knee length and appropriately voluminous via petticoats. Often, they are embellished with Lolita motifs, lace, and ruffles. Instead of a simple butterfly bow to finish the back of the obi, designs are often much more elaborate and large, sometimes incorporating different fabrics in addition to the obi fabric to add detail. The hairstyle may be traditional as well, decorated with lavish kanzashi ornaments, but also often with a Lolita headdress of some sort. An interesting aspect of Wa Lolita is that it may be interpreted as any of the Lolita subsets within the kimono look. You could have a Gothic Wa Lolita and a Sweet Wa Lolita. If you love traditional Japanese wear and still wish to maintain your Lolita spirit, Wa Lolita is for you. There are relatively few brands which actually regularly carry Wa Lolita, but, surprisingly, Bodyline supposedly carries a variety of rather nice Wa Lolita ensembles.
Qi Lolita is basically Wa Lolita, except instead of adding elements of traditional Japanese garb, traditional Chinese elements are used. This look is so rare that it is often overlooked completely. However, this is not to say that it does not exist. Qutie Frash carries some extremely beautiful Qi Lolita style garments.
Of course, there are other Lolita substyles, and even substyles of substyles! Kuro Lolita is Lolita which is comprised of exclusively black garments, while Shiro Lolita is Lolita which is comprised completely of white garments. Country Lolita is Sweet Lolita out for a day of picnicking, and Guro Lolita is an injured Lolita accessorized by bandages and blood. Truly, as long as the silhouette is present and a few primary themes are upheld, Lolita can be so many things. These themes will be elaborated on in greatest detail in "Dressing Up".
If you have any questions regarding Lolita, please PM them to me, and I will be more than happy to reply to you with an answer and feature them in the FAQ chapter.
Firstly, please note that this is an ongoing effort. I will be continuously adding things, so please be patient. ^-^
Since there are so many subsets and ways of interpreting Lolita, I will attempt to satisfy as many as I can without bias. However, at the moment, we seem to have many Lolitas who are affiliated with the music/visual look aspect of the fashion. I therefore warn you that this approach is not universally accepted by many of the "hardcore" Lolitas. We are a very young guild at the moment, and yet we have already been placed under their scrutiny. I will not disagree with those "hardcore" Lolitas or those Lolitas who have discovered the fashion through J-rock and Visual Kei. Either way, I don't personally care how you came to know Lolita as long as you are willing to learn and to listen. The only people I hold disdain for are those who are closed-minded. Thus, we come to our first lesson in the following Table of Contents.
1. The Ideal Lady*
2. The Regime
3. Dressing Up
4. Undressing and Clothing Care
5. Personal Grooming
6. Care of Oneself
7. Frequently Asked Questions
*Please note that Section One, "The Ideal Lady" addresses the Lolita lifetyle. If you are in some way opposed to lifestyle, please disregard it. Thank you!
And now, an Introduction for you.
Lolita is the femininity which dwells somewhere at the root of girls. (And some boys.) It is the ruffles and lace, the tea parties and dolls, the wish for bright days and parasols, horse-drawn carriages, and gardens filled with fragrant gardenias, their thick, dark leaves glistening. It is the idyllic vision which you hear about in romantic poetry but never even considered attempting to live. Even our darker Lolita counterparts, our lovely Elegant Gothic Lolitas live this idyllic life through roses, cathedrals, and romantic vampires dressed as beautiful young gentlemen. While the worlds of all the different Lolitas do not always converge, they are categorized as Lolitas nonetheless. The main subsets of Lolita are as follows:
-- Elegant Gothic Lolita
-- Elegant Gothic Aristocrat
-- Sweet Lolita
-- Classic Lolita
-- Punk Lolita
-- Ero Lolita
-- Wa Lolita
-- Qi Lolita
Also, there are boystyles which appear occasionally:
-- Elegant Gothic Aristocrat
-- Dandy
You may have heard of "Kodona" or "Oujisama" (prince). While these are not official subsets of boystyle, the terms are used often enough to where people know what you are talking about if you do use them. In reality, they are simply very nearly the same as Dandy.
The history of Lolita fashion itself begins with a fashion house in the 1970's called Pink House. Pink House designed clothing which featured the long skirts and designs of women's frontierwear of 1800's pioneer America. A brand you may have heard of which also took part in this unusual style is Milk. Later, the first established "Lolita" fashion house was born in 1979 (Angelic Pretty), while Baby, The Stars Bright came about later in the 1980's. Elegant Gothic Lolita and its trademark brand, Moi-meme-Moitie were both born in 1999.
Before the subsets of Lolita came about, Lolita came in one flavor only: Lolita. The original Lolita style closely mimicked the dresses and girlishness of Victorian porcelain dolls. As time wore on, the original Lolita gradually faded away into the subsets of Lolita we know today. Sweet Lolita is likely the descendant which most closely resembles the original Lolita ancestor.
Sweet Lolita is best known for its heavy use of pastel colors, ruffles, lace, and cute motifs. Angelic Pretty is an exclusively Sweet Lolita brand and produces the most accurate example of this style. Skirts are very full and cupcake-shaped. The entire ensemble includes not only the customary undergarments and elaborately decorated dresses, but also lavishly adorned headdresses and accessories. Sweet Lolita is certainly not the style you are looking for if you dislike details and prefer simplicity in your clothing. If you prefer a simpler look, Classic or Elegant Gothic Lolita are for you.
Classic Lolita is the matured counterpart of Sweet Lolita. Instead of bright pastel, Classic Lolita focuses mainly on muted and jewel tones. Lace is more sparse, and true white is rarely found on Classic pieces. Instead, if there is white, it is usually antiqued or off-white. Headwear is generally more modest, such as small bows, flower corsages, and elegant, simpler bonnets. Skirts are also generally just a little longer, reaching to right below the knees. They have a more A-line shape with the majority of the volume focused at the hem than at the top of the skirt. Mary Magdalene designs the most accurate examples of this style.
Elegant Gothic Lolita is a subset of Lolita which was created with the fashion house, Moi-meme-Moitie in 1999. As most of you likely already know, Mana stands at the head of Elegant Gothic fashion, having founded Moi-meme-Moitie and initiated its subsequent popularity. The designs themselves are often very close to Classic designs, but they are always realized in black or a combination of black, navy blue, or white. Unlike Classic Lolita, however, skirts can be either A-line or cupcake-shaped and can also be slightly shorter than knee-length. For this reason, over-knee socks are also often seen. Elegant Gothic Lolita is a combination of girlish style and gothic romance.
Elegant Gothic Aristocrat is often interpreted as a style for men, but it is not. For women, Elegant Gothic Aristocrat closely resembles the outfit of a Victorian woman in mourning. Long, full skirts are worn with Victorian styled blouses. A hat is often worn with a dark veil. A large, black parasol is a must. Clothing is mostly black, but may have grey or other dark hues. Moi-meme Moitie, while Mana did create the Elegant Gothic Aristocrat style, does not carry a great deal of this particular style for women. While everything comes in a lady's size, they do not often have all the essentials for a proper lady's Elegant Gothic Aristocrat outfit.
Ero Lolita is short for "erotic Lolita", yes. However, this is not to be mistaken with those skimpy babydoll sheer things or anything Hot Topic is selling that has more resemblance to a wide hairband than the "Goth Schoolgirl Skirt" they are trying to pass it off as. Because it is not commonly worn by Lolitas, many tend to toss what they cannot properly categorize into the Ero section. It has become something of Lolita's junk drawer. However, this is terrible for such an interesting style. Ero Lolita is not considered, by the majority of normal young men of today, particularly erotic at all. The skirt might be a little shorter; you're going to see petticoats and bloomers peeking out. Hoop skirts, or maybe pieces of them. An elegant lace camisole on top, or a silk chemise. Shoulders. Collarbones. If you take pride in the ivory smoothness of your decollete, Ero will give you your showcase. While she certainly has her own style, Kana often dresses in Ero Lolita elements. (sans cleavage)
Punk Lolita adds hard-edge, punky themes to the basic Lolita silhouette. In addition to motifs such as skulls, a deconstructed look is also often added with tattered, fraying fabrics. Chains, safety pins, and other such hardware are often seen. However, the full skirt and overall girlish feel is maintained. Punk Lolita is for the rebellious Lolita who would rather walk the city streets listening to old rock music than go to tea parties and on walks with a parasol. A good example of a Punk Lolita brand is Putumayo, which is often advertised in the Gothic and Lolita Bible.
Wa Lolita is the traditional Japanese kimono look on the Lolita silhouette. Kimonos are knee length and appropriately voluminous via petticoats. Often, they are embellished with Lolita motifs, lace, and ruffles. Instead of a simple butterfly bow to finish the back of the obi, designs are often much more elaborate and large, sometimes incorporating different fabrics in addition to the obi fabric to add detail. The hairstyle may be traditional as well, decorated with lavish kanzashi ornaments, but also often with a Lolita headdress of some sort. An interesting aspect of Wa Lolita is that it may be interpreted as any of the Lolita subsets within the kimono look. You could have a Gothic Wa Lolita and a Sweet Wa Lolita. If you love traditional Japanese wear and still wish to maintain your Lolita spirit, Wa Lolita is for you. There are relatively few brands which actually regularly carry Wa Lolita, but, surprisingly, Bodyline supposedly carries a variety of rather nice Wa Lolita ensembles.
Qi Lolita is basically Wa Lolita, except instead of adding elements of traditional Japanese garb, traditional Chinese elements are used. This look is so rare that it is often overlooked completely. However, this is not to say that it does not exist. Qutie Frash carries some extremely beautiful Qi Lolita style garments.
Of course, there are other Lolita substyles, and even substyles of substyles! Kuro Lolita is Lolita which is comprised of exclusively black garments, while Shiro Lolita is Lolita which is comprised completely of white garments. Country Lolita is Sweet Lolita out for a day of picnicking, and Guro Lolita is an injured Lolita accessorized by bandages and blood. Truly, as long as the silhouette is present and a few primary themes are upheld, Lolita can be so many things. These themes will be elaborated on in greatest detail in "Dressing Up".
If you have any questions regarding Lolita, please PM them to me, and I will be more than happy to reply to you with an answer and feature them in the FAQ chapter.
