Sunday, September 14, 2014

A Look at Lolita

Salutations everyone, the past few weeks we have discussed and gone over some of the more historical points of victoriana, such as pornography, house structure, and servantry structures. Historical aspects are only one part of victorian culture for the modern age, there are many more aspects nowadays to explore and enjoy.

One of these offshoots is Lolita. A very dear friend and my chuckaboo (victorian slang for close friend) introduced me to this fashion culture, I will be interviewing her later on in this article.

Now for myself personally I tend to avoid anything asian related, simply for the fact that I have never found an interest in any of it, though I have many friends that are obsessed with the asian cultures. So I was rather skeptical at first about Lolita, as it was and is a Japanese street fashion trend. Then I began to really look deeper into the culture surrounding it and I must say I fell in love with it! The entire trend is about modesty, elegance, and class, they showcase these traits thru thier clothing which is styled very much after the victorian and edwardian styles of dress.
To begin this look into Lolita, I will share with you the different styles of lolita that I have been able to come across and the pictures that go along with them. I would like to state for the record here as I give these definitions that Cosplay/Maid is NOT part of the lolita fashion!


(note: all definitions are from wiki so if you have a better one please share! None of these pictures are mine, I found them on google Images... Please just write me if they belong to you and I will mark them appropriately or remove them if you wish thank you)


Sweet Lolita
Sweet Lolita basically lives up to its name. The style includes light, pastel colours such as baby pink, sky blue and cream. Accessories such as parasols, bows and frills are used to give a 'young sweet girl' image.

 


Classical Lolita
Classical Lolita is a more mature version of Sweet Lolita. It usually includes more toned-down textures and darker colours, like Royal Blue and Maroon. It is usually worn by older people who no longer find it appropriate to dress in styles like Gothic and Sweet.

 


Ero or Erotic Lolita
Erotic Lolita seems to reflect more on the Western gothic styles. These Lolitas are Gothic but tend to wear more revealing clothing like corsets, shorter skirts and straps rather than the traditional Victorian-style fashion. However, Lolita is still a fashion based upon elegance, cuteness, and modesty, and should never be worn in a "sexy" way.
(note: in my research I have found a good deal of dislike and negative connotation regarding this particular subset)




Hime Lolita
Hime Lolita is based more on Marie Antoinette fashion, Hime literally means 'Princess'. Followers of the fashion usually wear pastel colours, patterns reminiscent of the French Rococo fabrics, or Sweet Lolita dresses with a heavier Rococo influence. Their hair can be curled or cut into the Hime style hair cut; it can also be quite high and reminiscent of the Marie Antoinette coiffures and dressed with small tiaras o cute alice bows and pearls. Their make-up is done soft and beautifully, much like a real princess. This style of Lolita Fashion is the most feminine and frilly of them all.


 


Punk Lolita
Punk Lolita is very popular when seeing J-rock lives. Taken from some elements of British punk, Punk Lolita includes black, red and tartan in their attire, along with various accessories such as studs, chains, pins. This style also describes some of Nana Kitade's heavier outfits.

 
 


Wa Lolita
Wa Lolita is a mixture between Lolita and traditional Japanese clothing. Altered kimonos are often worn over petticoats and hair can be styles in a traditional bun, along with traditional make-up and sandals. The original look of Lolita is modified with the older styles.

 
 


Qi Lolita
Qi Lolita is a similar style to Wa, except instead of being mixed with traditional Japanese clothes, Chinese clothes are mixed in with the Lolita, such as a Qipao or Cheongsam dress over the top of the Lolita petticoat. Red is a colour that is popularly used in this style.

 
 


Kodona or Oji Lolita
Kodona or Oji Lolita is the male counterpart of Lolita, though girls are often seen wearing it as well. The outfit usually consists of a London-style tophat and ruffles. A waistcoat is usually added over the top of a white shirt along with black trousers with thick black platform shoes. If wearing shorts, tights or leggings are popular. Even accessories like walking sticks and canes are used. Sometimes pale, dark make-up is used to enhance the mysterious look.


 
 


Guro Lolita
Guro Lolita. This is also known as 'Grotesque' or 'Injured Lolita'. The look that is aimed for is that of a broken Victorian doll. Fake blood, eyepatches and bandages give them the injured appearance. Some wearers add an arm sling or fake bruises to enhance the look. Colours are usually kept pale and most commonly, white. The blood and other injuries are the main focus. Hair is often worn in any style from straight to backcombed bunches.

(note: again not the most popular of subsets amongst the lolita communities that I have yet seen in my research)

 
 


Sailor Lolita
Sailor Lolita adapts the look of both Sailor and Lolita. The most popular colours are white and blue and accessories usually include collars, ties, sailor hats and stripes. Blue skirts and white blouses are very common in this style. Hair is normally tied back or is accessorized with a ribbon.

 
 


Gothic Lolita
Gothic Lolita is by far the most popular style amongst Westerners. Whilst sticking to the darkness of Goth, heavy red lipstick and make-up are not used. Instead, natural looks are preferred. Neither are revealing corsets or skirts. The style reflects on a dark version of a Victorian child and may includes accessories with symbols like black cross necklaces, bats, and coffins, though the style aims more for elegance of the Gothic and Victorian eras rather than Western interpretation of Goth (Death, all black, vampires, Halloween, etc.)


 


Shiro Lolita
Shiro Lolita, or 'White Lolita' is a Lolita style consisting entirely of white and cream shades, giving them a pure, clean look. Whether they be Sweet, Gothic, or any other type of Lolita, if the outfit is entirely white, it is classed as Shiro.

 
 


Kuro Lolita
Kuro Lolita is the exact opposite of Shiro, the outfit consists of entirely black and Kuro Lolita wearers often pair themselves with Shiro wearers to make a bold contrast. Sometimes you can see Kuro and Shiro Lolitas paired up, with mirror image outfits in their respective colours

 
 


Country Lolita
Country Lolita, is a sub-style of Sweet Lolita. It consists of pale pinks and yellows, and patterns such as strawberries and ginghams, but remains with a picnic-style country look. Accessories include anything floral, straw-hats, and tote bags. They give off a summery vibe.


 
Now that we have had a look at some of the different styles and what they look like, I would like to introduce to you my very dearest Chuckaboo Harvest Hellion! She is the amazing woman that introduced me to the world of lolita and has helped me so much with my research on this modern trend. Im much better at the historical stuffs shhhh. I have asked her to answer a few questions here for all of us including myself! So here goes!

 

Me: How would you define Lolita?

HH: I define it as a way of life, a sweeter life. One that is more detailed and ornate. There are many types of Lolita, so it varies by each person. It's not a perverted thing. It's about wanting the finer things in life and enjoying the luxury. It can be hard work, too after all. Think of all that time spent putting on makeup and doing nails. Hee hee.

 

Me: How did you get interested in Lolita fashion?

HH: I got interested in Lolita at a young age. I was interested in this comic by Ai Yazawa called "Paradise Kiss." There was this girl named Miwako and she was a lolita. I kind of started researching from there. It was fun, and it's stayed that way. The style changes ever-so-slightly every year. I learned about Mana from Malice Mizer in that time I was in high school as well. Mana was so beautiful and I wanted to be beautiful as well.

 

Me: What is your favorite subgenre/style of Lolita?

HH: That's a difficult decision. I'm somewhere between Sweet and Gothic lolita. I like classic, too. But sweet is where my heart really stays most of the time. I just love the different styles and the lace. It makes me wish I knew how to make my own lace. Hee hee hee.

 

Me: Is Lolita something that you would want to wear on a daily basis?

HH: Oh yes. I would love to wear it every day. I have seen some who have wore it every day. I want to be like that. Confident in my outfits and my body that I could dress that way and look good in it. I'm sure it wouldn't be too hard. I'm just a little heavier so I have issues finding stuff that fits that is proper.

 

Me: Would you like to make Lolita a lifestyle for yourself someday?
HH: Yes, I think it would be nice. I've already got plans for my future home. I want the library to be a gothic lolita kind of style. Wherever you can add a little lolita is nice.

 

Me: Do you feel that Lolita is a good way to showcase a more modest, elegant, classy lifestyle as a whole?

HH: I do. I think it's a more elegant way of life. There are manners and the like expected of you. A sort of intelligence that you pick up as you go along, etiquette-wise.

 

Me: In my research I have seen that wigs, circle lense contacts, and false eyelashes are highly popular for use with coordinates (outfits) to bring the look together. Given that the options were available to you financially would you use any or all of these items in your own Lolita looks?

HH: Oh, of course. There are many places that make those options relatively viable. They can add up, but if you know what you're doing you can get a good deal. Just have to be careful with the circle lenses, since they go in your eyes. Wigs allow for different hairstyles. I've worn a couple before. They're not so bad. False eyelashes are tricky, I have the worst time with them! Hee hee hee! It's a skill I'm still working on.

 

Me: Brand seems to be rather a hot topic amongst Lolitas, would you prefer to buy all Brand gear, sew the majority yourself, or somewhere in between the two?

HH: If I could buy it all brand name I would, but i know that's not possible. I do like to sew, so that's always a good option for me as well. I love a good challenge. And the Gothic Lolita Bibles come with, or used to come with, patterns for you to try out. Just have to adjust them to your size. I've done it before. It's not so difficult if you know what you are doing. I would give my right eye for some Metamophose Temps De Fille stuff though.

 

Me: And Lastly, thank you again for doing this interview, Do you have any words of wisdom for someone just starting out?

HH: Take your time. Always. Don't get too hasty in your endeavors. And always go for quality over quantity. You want to make sure what you're wearing doesn't fall apart or look costumey.

I would like to again thank Harvest Hellion for her fantastic interview and all the great information/tips she offered to those of us just learning about this amazing trend. If you have any questions for either of us please do not hesitate to write me at Spiritrealm83@yahoo.com or head on over to check out Harvest's blog at any of her amazing places!
  • http://harvesthellion.tumblr.com
  • http://harvestkitten.blogspot.com
  • http://twitter.com/HarvestHellion

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