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Although the rampant infantile characteristic of this style is evident with their little ruffled lace headdresses and gloves, these girls do share a common link to the novel. They are rather sexual in their coy looks and mid thigh length skirts. Usually with peeping bloomers and petticoats.
This life style and fashion originating in Japan was officially adopted by Mana when he first came out with his little dresses and curls. The surreal, cross dressing beauty's new look was an immediate hit with his female fans. Mana, also the leader of Malice Mizer a rather unique Japanese Goth/Classical/Industrial/Rock band also opened up a new store, moi-meme-moite, to help the new fashion along in Japan's extremely fickle teenage fashion scene. Despite the fact that many gothic lolitas of present day have gotten their ideas from him, Mana is NOT the creator of the life style or even fashion.
With their long, flowing hair, usually done up in sausage curls on either side of their heads or left to cascade over their white frilly blouses and their little, bow bedecked dresses bringing up images of Victorian sensibilities, Gothic Lolita is a style that gives people many ways to express their individuality while still being able to identify with one. The main idea behind many Japanese teenage youth's avant garde fashion, it seems. Conformality while still knowing that they are individuals are very hard to pull off. Gothic Lolita hit a chord with them and thus it became popular.
Children in Japan are just the same as children in America. We all want to belong to a group, yet retain our sense of uniqueness. So it is of no surprise that Gothic Lolita and it's companion the Classical (Country) Lolita is catching on in the Americas and around the world.
There is the main style of Classical (Country) Lolita that Gothic Lolita is an off shoot of. Girls are usually seen in thigh high socks, mary jane shoes and baby doll dresses with enough ribbons, lace, ruffles and petticoat layers that could smother them to death if they even dare to sit. Classical Lolita however is the pastel meadow and wild flowers compared to the sharp, dark thorns and bloody red roses of the Gothic Lolita.
The Gothic Lolita look SEEMS to have been born from a series of desires to be a princess, be a not-so-innocent Alice (in Alice in Wonder Land), be a part of the Visual Rock tradition of dressing up (J-rock sensation Malice Mizer's Mana, Dir en Grey's Shinya) and an extreme counter reaction to the gongals or ganguro. (another distinctly Japanese girl's trend) These gals with their parody of Western Beauty Ideals has played up the much sought after deep fried tans and white or pale eye shadow and lips and short microskirts and chunky platform heels.
The below is just a few is just the titles of the catagories that fall under the Lolita fashion.
Gothic Lolita, often JUST Lolita and AKA Elegant Gothic Lolita (EGL) AKA Elegant Gothic Aristocrat (EGA)
The Gothic Lolita are the girls who are usually seen in completely white or completely black dresses (or a combination of both. ie. black dress, white shirt and socks/headgear.) with matching colored accessories. Their hair is usually black or bleached an unnatural blond or some other color that Mother Nature most definitly did not intend for the human hair.
Done up in the famous Mana sausage curls or left to gently curl down their backs. They are very likely fans of Malice Mizer's Mana and sometimes even cosplay (costume playing, yet another trend taken to new heights within Japan) as him.
Those trully serious in the Gothic Lolita style are usually very ornate in their clothes and jewelry. They usually go around day in and day out dressed like this. Those who are just picking up on the fashion trend are dressed much more simpler or they are just dipping into the darker side of the Lolita look when their usual style is the Classical Lolita. Usually, when spotting one of these Gothic Lolita it is evident from the get go if they are Gothic Lolitas or if they are just weekend Loli's.
These Lolita usually wear make up. Not as extreme as Mana's make up, but their lips and eyes are usually tinged with red or black. Those in blue are almost always influenced by Mana. Frankly, to many of these girls Mana is God.
Classical (Country) Lolita
The Classical Lolita is the more widespread of the look. Girls would walk around in frilly dresses with muted rose prints on the skirts and lace choked shirts of usually white or a matching top. The girls are almost always fresh faced. Not many of these girls wear makeup, except for a nice lip gloss.
Their hair is almost always straight and a nice brown or brownish red. Their accessories don't necessarily match, but are appropriate. It seems that the Classical Lolitas are the ones who half the time dress as any other teenager, jeans and a T-shirt. But the other half they go skipping around in their pretty dresses.
These Lolitas are usually the ones who do the "traditional" cosplaying. As in anime or manga cosplaying. Many of their cosplay clothes are cute, cuddly and incredibly adorable. From DiGi Chara's own Digiko to Card Captor Sakura's mind boggling array of costumes. The clothes are usually on the pastel side. Blush pink, sky blue or pale, pale yellow are favorites. These clothes can be substituted for their everyday Lolita look.
Remember cosplaying is not an exclusive little thing that most people seem to think is confined to anime conventions or even sci fi cons. This is Japan. Lose the Western Mentality. When something is done. It is usually done en masse. Meaning these girls/guys/people go around in gaggles almost everyday determined to support their idoru by dressing (varying the clothes item from day to day) as their favorite j-rocker, j-pop idoru (idol).
Interesting note about supporting their idoru. Factions are very competitive. ^_^ *laughs* You've got to go to Tokyo or any large city with a thriving alternative/rock/punk/goth scene to believe. MM (malice mizer followers) will go up against DEG (Dir en Grey followers) in heated glares and noses in the air. It's beyond hilarious, it's a stomach grabbing riot for those who are not in ANY faction or completely befuddled tourists who just smile uncertainly if asked.
Anyway, back to GL. ^_^ As in any fashion. These two catagories can and do mix. There are many Classical Lolitas migrating quite steadily towards the Gothic style. Then again, those who like the pastel look on the Gothic side, usually buy one or two dresses from Victorian Maiden or Metamorphose.
Kana another alternative Japanese artist likes to do just that. She's what I just dub a t'weener. Liking to go between the black dresses of the Gothics to the pastel and vibrant colors of the Classical. But her insane stares are distinctly her. From all of her photo spreads, she's got some issues to work out with that crazy little stuffed panda she carries around. She even puts her hair in nettings and two round odangos or puff balls of hair are shaped into panda ears. Then she sticks on a pretty little white bow somewhere.
Many sub catagories are coming out as well. Such as the distinctly English version of the Gothic Lolita style. Not distinctive due to the differences in height and skin color, but because of the material and even style. Where many Japanese will use ribbon flowers and ribbon ruffles, layers of petticoats and laces galore, and natural fibers such as cotton, silk or even silk velvet. The English version is very much industrialized, preferring stiff netting, boots and boned, laced up corsets with a touch of vinyl and steel.
The main style that I myself am truly interested in is the Gothic Industrial Loli, a term which I just created, because I couldn't find one that actually SAYS it out right. My designs have many pleats, buckles and platform, lace up boots. All in delicate lace and muslin with good, sturdy cotton and say a few leather belts to secure the arm or a zipper to put it all together.
*Mana DID NOT CREATE THE GOTHIC LOLITA LOOK. Thank you. He did, however, coin the EGL and EGA phrase.
~Apsara