I feel like the life cycle of most lolita goes: basic beginner, staunch rule follower, hyper fixated gatekeeper, tentative experimental, and finally full-blown 'I bought this so I will wear it as I want' having fun with it.
This is accurate. I sometimes see people in the "hyper fixated gatekeeper" phase getting enraged when someone online misrepresents lolita and it brings me back to the LJ times when my friends and I were in that phase. I respect that phase though (some aspects of the fashion/community need more gatekeeping imo), so if I post something experimental to my IG that borders on the edges of what can be considered lolita I just don't call it lolita.
It just sounds like the life cycle of a teenager going thru puberty 😂 I'm the last one and I just started lolita. But tbf I have been into jfashion for many many years
This also follows the dunning -Krueger effect in a way; beginners will want to show off their knowledge more than someone who is more "experienced" (I'm aware dunning Krueger effect is considered pseudoscience dont come for me 😂)
My mom's an artist and when she would teach my siblings and I, she would say you need to learn the rules so you know how to break them properly, and I think that applies to lolita fashion. Great video ❤
The rules of the fashion being a recipe is perfect. I usually go to recipes myself and do it by the book several times and then deviate from it. So it does feel like a good analogy
Rules are definitely helpful, but I think the creativity is my favourite thing about lolita. There's a lot of good coord inspiration from people who can break the rules but still make a perfect lolita fashion coordinate.
I hadn't even considered shorter skirts on purpose but I think it can work so well. The people in the examples you showed had the FLOOF which really shows the power of a petticoat! Combined with all the other parts, it still gives an intentional Lolita look and silhouette to me and i love jigsaw kuma🤩🥰
I was literally just mentioning today how I have PTSD about mixing off-white and white in my normal fashion after being told for YEARS that lolitas should never ever (under pain of death) mix off-white and white.
At some point in any "lolita career" you're just going to have to accept that matching colors is really not possible a lot of the time. Brands don't even always do it for their full sets. I have a headbow and socks from the same set and the sax in the socks is noticeably lighter than the sax in the HB. I used to avoid wearing ivory with offwhite, it looks fine to me now. If you're into AP then a lot of your pinks will be subtly different. Btssb doesn't have a stable concept of sax. I have a btssb piece that was labeled offwhite that is actually ivory, and a btssb piece that was labeled ivory that is actually more offwhite.
People bullied me big time about socks and shoes they didn’t like that I put with Lolita coordinates on LJ. They also hated that I wrote a song inspired by it. The whole community back in the day really turned me off to the fashion. I’m glad you are talking about how toxic the community was. Fashion should be fun and a way to be creative.
Hey Lor! I just wanted to comment on the NY Fashion week part. I was there at the show, and it was great! Baby did their best, though NYFW pretty much dropped the ball. Not only was it not organized that well from the guest point of view, but they underestimated the absolute cult that is the EGL community here in NY and pretty much... everywhere. I don't think they expected many people to show up to the event, so some of the reserved seats in the front were for either influencers or models or someone from the fashion industry. That's why in some shots, there seems to be some random people in a sea of lolitas. Even for the VIP no shows, they gave them to their own NYFW VIPS that were there, or at least that's what happened in my section. From what I heard, they scouted models that were pretty much under their circle, and they styling was mostly under them, with some reps from Baby back stage. I'm not saying that the models themselves were bad, they ROCKED it, but it's mainly why the dresses looked rather short. The models were on the taller end which is normal for runway models, but for the fashion itself, it made the dresses look too short on some of them. MAYBE if they get a shot to come back next time, NYFW would give Baby a bigger space, more say and control back stage, and take them more seriously. I do want to stress that this is just my account on the event, so please don't take this as the complete truth. I hope others who was at the event can share their experience of the show! :)
I never liked the term "ita" because I saw a post on a forum about how not to be a ita. Some of the rules were valid, but the whole post seemed derogatory, and the comments on it were much worse. It was giving how older goths treat baby bats, thank you for posting this I need this Guidance 🙏🏾
all fashion allows for experimentation based on personal taste and style but I really agree with the core rules you laid out for lolita: follow the silhouette and create an intentional head to toe look. it is definitely possible to leave off elements or use non lolita pieces in a coord as long as the intention is clear. there is a reason lolita outfits are called coordinates! if you clearly threw some random stuff together with no theme or all you're wearing is a main piece with no other items then it is not a lolita look. personally i like that the super strict and overly specific rules of the past are being loosened. as long as your shoes go with your coord, they dont necessarily have to be tea party shoes (or other similar typical lolita footwear). the inclusion of the btssb runway show was really perfect like. showing this is the platonic ideal of lolita fashion, but its not what most lolitas are wearing on a daily basis. i also like how you explained the modesty "rule" ! so many people insist that lolita is a "modest" fashion and use it to police coords in the vein of "you cant ever show your shoulders" or "you cant show your knees at all" etc when in reality its more like what you said. the intention of the fashion is to show off the outfit, not the body. but that doesnt mean all skin has to be covered all the time. as a plus size lolita one thing i stressed about when i first got into lolita was whether people would call me out for having some cleavage visible, so i like seeing you proudly wearing sheer blouses with your coords! i live in the southern us and often in the hottest months the best coords to wear have sheer elements or you can just leave a blouse off all together if youre going to be outdoors and want to avoid heat stroke.
Definitely love the "modesty rule" explanation bc so many lolita are not what many would even consider "modest." In fact, a lot of Japanese people will dress lolita and it not be very "modest" or "conservative" in the slightest! I'm always inspired by the looks coming out of harajuku to see how lolitas will always dress differently & uniquely!!
Rather than thinking about it as rules you have to follow, I think it's more helpful to think i terms of "a lolita coordinate is one that has xyz elements." So if you don't follow xyz elements it's not that you're "breaking a rule" or somehow doing something "wrong", it's just that your outfit is a different style than lolita
i've been wanting to try wearing lolita, but i have really bad sensory issues with loose fabric touching my knees and lower legs. the parts in this video about skirt length not being as important as it's made out to be made me feel a lot better about trying to work around that! thank you
I look at the rules as 1) silhouette 2) modest 3)frilly And you can break any of the rules (except the general skirt shape). but maybe go heavier on one of the others then so that it doesn’t veer off so far that it’s no longer recognizable. Its fashion so it’s always gonna be vibes based analysis anyways 🤷♀️
@@GraveyardMaiden There's a recurring debate over whether "modest" is even the right term to use (among other terms) to describe lolita fashion. For some people modesty only refers to the amount of bare skin on show, or showing body outlines, so for them it's modest as long as a lot of the body is covered and the clothes aren't skin tight. For other people modesty includes not standing out, not being flashy, etc, so lolita wouldn't be considered modest for them.
@@GraveyardMaiden Some older dresses/skirts are almost halfway up the upper legs (so could be considered short by most people's standards), but are always combined with other items that cover a larger part of the legs such as over-the-knee socks or tights, and are often worn with bloomers. I think we're used to seeing an amount of skin on show and deviation from that (towards more skin on show) tends to make us feel like it's too bare or unbalanced. Like crew length or ankle socks with a skirt length that is almost halfway up the upper legs and no bloomers would look to us as too bare. But add long bloomers or make the skirt knee length and it looks more balanced. I'm not saying that skirts that short have ever been the norm, but they were nearly always balanced out with OTKs/tights and often bloomers. There are no real rules regarding this that I've ever seen in any guide, they're more like norms we're used to seeing.
thank you so much for this video! i always feel so insecure about my disability making me unable to wear shoes that are not orthopedic and this video made me realize, its not that important ❤❤
I'm no lolita, just a person who likes whimsical clothes. And from watching larp costuming videos, I know that mobility aids, glasses, and heck even normal non medical shoes are always accepted when needed, even if they don't fit the setting. Because if your shoes that fit the time period cayse you to get injured because they don't have traction, that's not worth it because then you aren't having fun playing pretend anymore. So any good group of people would be happy to have you living your best life over suffering for beauty.
12:49 skirts/dresses that were meant to be that short (almost halfway up the upper leg) have appeared in lolita in the past. That's not the problem imo. I think what you were picking up on was the fact that these specific dresses in the show were not designed to sit at that height on most of these models and neither were the bodices. None of is sitting where it's supposed to. The models are not too tall for lolita, they're just much taller than the height range that these specific dresses were made for. Don't label yourself as "brainwashed by toxic standards" for what comes down to a fit issue. A dress that was made for your height will look right even if it has a shorter skirt. Edit; shorter skirts are also typically paired with socks that reach over the knee, or some sort of tights (solid opaque, patterned or semi sheer lace motifs), and sometimes with bloomers, all to balance out the amount of bare skin on display. Because these fashion show models were so tall most of their socks weren't reaching over the knee, leaving a larger than usual bare gap which tends to look unbalanced.
I think that the issue is that some people can't find "a dress that was made for your height". I have a really tall friend and what's tea length on me is knee length on her; standard lolita skirt length is well above the knee. Meanwhile, I'm plus size, and even if you are wearing standard lolita brand clothing that fits you well, an increase in the width of the body in a dress will also increase the length that a dress has to cover. I have the AP Cosmos sailor JSK, and it barely covers my ass. A lot of times I just wear it casually with leggings because I love it; I also have a dark blue Angelic Pretty petti/underskirt combo that I can wear if I want to do "proper Lolita" with it. Underskirts are GREAT. They're a little longer than standard length because they're designed to be seen. I have a whole selection of underskirts, partly because I like tea-length and under-knee length outfits better than above-knee outfits, and partly because some dresses are just too short. If the entire dress length is something like 80 cm (as it was with Cosmos) it's barely going to cover my butt and on my taller friend it's basically a shirt. But underskirts do wonders for shorter dresses and skirts. The other problem for both taller and plus size lolitas is that the blouses don't fit. AP has L size blouses, and they do not fit me. I have a 112 cm bust which is 38DDD, and that's not a rare bust size at all. There are a lot of JSKs with full or partial shirring that easily stretch to 120-130 cm and can go over a bust up to 110-120 cm. The blouses, not so much. If you wear a US14 or bigger you probably need to find offbrand blouses for those coordinates that the giant Atelier-Pierrot shirred blouses aren't meant for. In the EGL on LJ days I got shouted down for trying to do a guide to buying blouses at "regular" stores for Lolita, because i focused so much on collars and necklines, but the one thing that really doesn't ever work for Lolita are modern button up blouses that cannot be buttoned all the way up to the neck because the neckline has been cut in a V and there is no fabric there. Also, pointed collars are really for punk and gothic looks. So many of my blouses are from places like Express, Target, the Gap, Free People, and Old Navy and they look just fine, but that's because I look for Victorian stand collars, round open necklines, and peter pan collars. Even places like Target and Walmart are occasionally using decent lace nowadays, but you have to know what to look for.
@@YaelTiferetI'm not saying no-one is allowed to complain about the hurdles they face obtaining items. I'm in the same boat, I know it sucks not being able to just buy a standard size dress and knowing it will fit without looking at the measurements. I think it's a "when there's a will there's a way" kind of thing. I myself struggle with things like skirt/dress length, sock length, bloomer length, bodice length, sleeve length, etc, with the standard jpn sizing. I'm just going to list a few tips I know of; -buy from brands that offer plus sizing -buy from brands that offer custom sizing -buy plus sized socks and attach your own lace. A few years ago I found a japanese plus sized legwear brand that had solid OTKs in several colors. -I lengthen the straps on standard size brand dresses -I make my own custom size bloomers -I have made my own blouses -antaina for big feet. -underskirts which you already mentioned. (as long as the end result looks balanced). We have, and had, quite a few tallitas in my local comm. There's one who is 182cm and has japanese brand dresses that actually hits her where it should. There used to be one who was 194cm who had a full wardrobe, most of their items came from brands that offered custom sizing. It all fit them properly. There is a multitude of plus sized options now, both from Japanese and non Japanese brands, biggest garment bust I saw was in the 150s. So there's simply no such a thing as "too tall or too big for lolita" or "can't find a dress for my height".
@@itsalwayshalloweenexceptwh5118 IDK, I'm not the tall girl :) I have plenty of nice things that fit although I absolutely did buy Cat's Tea Party in order to alter it because I love it. But I have the skills to do that. Anyhow, I don't think there is such a thing as too tall or too big for lolita, either. But some people desperately want to wear AP even if they're nearly 6 feet tall, and underskirts are great, but. The problems are always the dream dresses, and the cost. I just...think it's okay if your skirt is short, as long as we can't see your ass. The other thing that drives me nuts, but this is a skill issue: A lot of tallitas don't seem to understand that the shape of your body matters. I've seen a lot of people whose dresses would hit them where they're supposed to if they lengthened the straps.
This is a great overline of the lolita fashion "rules"! I am so happy the community moved away from being restrictive. Here's to hoping this video inspires someone to try lolita fahion!
the thing abt the dichotomy of what we define as Modesty and Showing skin is that Modesty is more of a concept of being demure and in general not boast about your appearance (which seems like an oxymoron to use in a fashion thats so much abt Showcasing Your Clothing) than just "not show much skin" , we still define modesty by what Women are supposed to do to be "respected" as in , not take a lot of space and not illicit sexual desire in others , but it doesnt really take in mind that the mere act of showing skin or using low cuts and tight clothing isnt an invitation for desirability or consumption for the other, some people show skin not even because they wanna "feel hot", we have to still remember that sometimes sexualizing other ppl becaue you assume their intent is still Sexualizing Them without their consent to do so . I know that the lolita fashion community suffers a great deal from people sexualizing their spaces against their will, but they should also be self aware to not assume sexual intent in the rest of fashion groups and subtypes, for most of these are just the symptoms of systemic misogyny and r*pe culture in general being so pervasive in society at large
I don't think you need to be "demure" necessarily, especially not if you're wearing something over the top. Own it. The point of "modesty" is that lolita is something you wear for yourself, not for other people who might want to sex you up. It's not a "mote" (attracting) fashion. Lolita is a little bit inherently selfish, and that's okay.
@@YaelTiferet i think you missed the point a bit here, its more about how people use the term modesty without fully understanding the grander context, when someone characterizes themselves as more modest because they "cover" themselves more than someone who is wearing a v-neck or leg slit dress you inherently characterize the other as Not Modest to your standard , most people Arent looking to even attract anyone in a day to day basis , one must look towards deconstructing biases of what it even means to wear for yourself, a lot of lolitas Do Wear Things for others, an audience that they want to inspire, just because its not Sexual Attention it doesnt still mean its not Attention from others, and it doesnt mean sexual attention is Wanted in everything that ISNT lolita or other Perceived as not Modest clothing .
I never did figure out the recipe. I've just been throwing ingredients together for the past 8 years and hoping it turns out okay each time 😅 Fashion is fun and experimental!
Thank you for this video, Lor! Im still a babylita despite having knowledge of it for years now, and my coords still need building and organizing. I feel a lot better about my decisions now despite my minor disabilities (chronic back pain)
I wouldn't suggest that people look toward the new york fashion show images for "how lolita is supposed to look" . I think the coord examples that btssb posts on their own website (for example when they rerelease their lace frill jsk, they will have a picture of a model wearing it in a full coord under the title "coordination example" on the product page) are the best examples of how the company wants to create an outfit with a certain main piece. Fashion shows often have issues and limitations due to (lack of proper) shoe availability, wrong petticoat shapes/volume, dress lengths not suiting the model, wigs, etc. This is especially true for overseas shows.
Being a plus sized person its been so hard to become comfortable with Lolita, but I love the pieces I own and I enjoy doing it "my way" while staying inside of the the guideline.
I don’t know. My view is that a thin person doing Lolita is cute, a heavy set person doing it is seen as being inappropriate because we have big busts, etc. It’s a bit annoying.
The first time I wore Lolita I bought and customized a pair of orthopedic shoes to match because I can’t wear regular shoes. I also wore a lightweight, sheer top under my jsk (it was super modest and I considered it church worthy lol). Someone actually laughed at me and called me ita for it. I don’t miss the LiveJournel days at all 😭
Im always under the impression that rules can also be broken for comfort sake. Like if theres a certain rule that youre "supposed" to wear but physically are unable to follow it because youre in pain or uncomfy then by all means dont follow it. Like how some people have sensory issues surrounding blouses being too tight or scratchy, they should not be forced to wear a blouse. I also feel like this goes for certain cercumstances in which you may not be able to wear it for a long time and still be comfortable like if its a really hot day out. For example im in highschool and wear it to school and we have really crowded and small hallways so i dont wear a petticoat because i dont want to take up too much space. I still follow every other rule i just cant wear a petticoat because i feel uncomfy with people touching my clothes and taking up space. Its ok to not want to follow a rule because it makes you uncomfortable or may even cause you pain, you will not be crucified for that lol.
As someone has already mentioned, breaking the rules requires that the person breaking them knows the rules first. Breaking rules is a deliberate act. You can't break rules that you don't know about, it would just be doing stuff without awareness. Breaking the rules takes time and experience due to the length of time it takes to study and figure out the rules and then some more time to, by and for oneself, decide on what parts of the rules one may not entirely agree with so that they can then strategically manoeuvre away from them.
I definitely feel like it's sorta you can deviate so much from the standard expectations of a coord before it's something entirely different. Silhouette is probably the most defining aspect of lolita because there are so many other J fashions that are the same colors, prints and details but with a different cut of clothing. Like gyaru and fairy kei aren't too far off. So defining your style as lolita is more about being closer to what is lolita than other defined fashions.
I love the recipe analogy! fashion is just like any art form, you gotta learn the rules before you start breaking them, but that doesn't mean the rules are set in stone or that you're not allowed to break them!
as someone who has been into alt fashion for years (including lolita) i personally think that for lolita, as long as you have the lolita sillouette and intent behind your outfit decisions that you're dressing in, that you are then dressing in a lolita style (brought to someone who refuses to anything other boots unless i must and chronic fashion style smashup enjoyer)
One piece of advice I see echoed that I don’t really agree with is that you have to own lolita pieced before sewing your own. I hear this advice time and time again from lolitas who don’t so or are not proficient in sewing. If you are an intermediate sewist and have sewn your own clothes ever you can make lolita clothing without buying any first I promise you. If you have never made clothes before, then I would say don't start with lolita.
AGREED. Lolita roots from the 90s are not Brand focused as it is now.. Like, it was highly DIY and and embellishing pieces from normie clothes with lace and other items, right?
This is why when I posted my first coord in 2021, I prefaced it with “please be nice.” I studied “the rules” and had tons of reference photos and everything. I was so nervous that I did something or would do something wrong. I’m over it now. You miss out on the joy/fun when you’re too focused on the negative or “is this right?” aspects. You broke this down beautifully. Thank you for your insight 😊
And this is why I don’t follow the rules or define myself by different fashion styles. I take inspiration from Lolita, kidcore, decora kei, and cottage core, and I wear whatever I want whenever I decide to. Sometimes it’s a mishmash of styles but come on! The world is a cool place with so many things and too little time to enjoy it all. Stop limiting yourself by rules and enjoy yourself. The best food I’ve had is fusion cuisine, the best songs I know are genera bending, the best artwork I’ve seen pulls from many inspirations, and the coolest people I know dress however makes them happy!
I've been wearing lolita fashion since 2008; I will gladly list the basic rules if anyone asks for them. :) The fashion's changed a lot since then; we see a lot more dresses and skirts that are longer than knee-length these days, and Angelic Pretty sometimes makes weird stuff, like blouses with open shoulders or clip-on wolf ears (that look really costume-y to me).
Omg Lor, I just have to share this☺️ I was listening to this at work and decided to poke around lace market for a second and I managed to find one of my dream pieces in my size! I’m plus size, so it can be tricky, and I love the colorway💜 it’s the Apple Bunny Peplum JSK by Metamorphose in navy(honestly love all the colorways for this piece) I’m completely over the moon for this design😍
The Livejournal community is why I stopped being interested in lolita. I'm really glad to hear you emphasize that those days are not something to idolize and that the community has to find other paths forward.
Am I going to wear Lolita fashion? Probably not. But I loved this video! It was obvious that you have a lot of knowledge and passion about the subject, and you’re very positive and encouraging. I’m glad the algorithm sent me your way.
I’ve been interested in lolita fashion for years and only just recently started to try and build up a closet and this is really helpful for me!! I often try and follow rules as closely as possible and i was really worried I wouldn’t be able to be considered lolita if i didnt have everything immediately so this is super reassuring ❤️
Im always inspifed by lolita × other jfashion crossovers bc it really shows how the style can be utilized. Tokyostreetfashion is my favorite bc everyone has a personal style! It tends to bw controversial in some western circles but im all for lolitas adopting their own style as opposed to copying straight "fron the book" as it allows for creativity ❤
I live in a state where there’s no Lolita stores and just couldn’t afford Lolita so I gave up on it and went for uk goth fashion instead which is cheaper
Love this video. I did a test makeup for a mime cord and posted it on reddit. Everyone said it reminded them of u and i said its not perfectly like u & thank u but i tagged u and the creator that i was inspired by in a comment and i felt so proud to even have you her and me even being compared together. As a fellow canadian I hope to finally meet u and thank you for making these videos and helping people like me join the fashion. Great video
20:08 Okay but like I would’ve appreciated if you went into this a li’l more lol. Because as someone who’s interested in getting into Lolita but who doesn’t like being confined to having one particular color palette or style within a style this is what stood out to me about Lolita. It’s all about prints and coordination but then they limit specific details, pieces, and styles unless it’s another form or version of Lolita?? Don’t get me wrong I love pastels and delicate designs but literally a third of my style is bold 80s-esque neons, kindergarten like colors, scene kid accessories, and eccentric patterns that could make a bad case a stripes seem like just a runny nose. I dunno, I guess I just wish Lolita fashion wasn’t as restrictive and was free to style like Kitsuke or wearing Hanfu because I can get behind 95% of the rules (cuz they actually make sense, Stealing art is wrong and clothing should last as long as you do) but the smaller ones just seem a wee bit nit-picky tbh.
i dont get why people complicate it so much anyways..........wear dress. wear blouse. wear petticoat. there u go. you dont need a recipe. people just like to act like they are the only ones who know what they are doing
Lol, I've made this argument many a time. The fact of the matter is that the West has come up with its own rules that don't actually align with those in Japan... where the fashion originated and, out of respect for the origin of the fashion and its history, we SHOULDN'T be coming up with nonsensical and gatekeep-y rules that remove the essence of the expression of femininity and creativity that EGL is SUPPOSED to be. I often experiment. I push the boundaries but keep to the silhouette. Strangely, somehow, the West, that's normally more free- and open-minded on the expectations of female-presenting people, is so restricted in their J-fashion rules whereas it's not in Japan who deals with the exact opposite issue. It's bizarre. This may be a bit of a hot take, but It sometimes feels like many people gatekeep these things because they were gatekept in high school from certain groups. It's an attempt to make up for what they didn't experience, which, to me, is truly sad. Not in a snarky way, but truly feeling bad for these people and not feeling accepted so early on in life (I went through this myself, but refuse to gatekeep unless someone is trying to act like they're an expert when they have had very few varied coordinates. Even then, I admire their spunk). Don't become the very people who made you feel like you weren't welcome, otherwise, you are no better than they were. The "mean girl" and/or true, hateful, Karen (sorry actual Karens) "brandwhore" (not the "I'll go down with this ship, but you keep looking cute, sis! I'll cheer you on in your Bodyline!!! You look badass!!!" brandwhore- we love you!! NEVER change you glorious, Lyrical Bunny-/Usakumya-wearing delight of a human!!!) aesthetic just emphasises one's insecurities. I often just feel pity for these people. Also, I will wear my bombastic and bold pieces, goddamned it! XDD Radioactive Cupcake with an emphasis on the radioactive until I die, fam!
im leaning more towards decora, but this video was still very useful, cause the "rules" problem can basically apply to all j-fashion styles lol thank you!
Eeeek!!! I love lolita, and I'm going to get my last piece that would finish my cord for my sailor lolita fit, I'm also very glad about that since I always loved the niche style for lolita. The only problem I have is that I just don't have a bag for my cord and my AP Traditional Marine Cutsew OP isn't a bell shape, and more like an A line. This inspires me to try it out anyways even if it might not be 100% up to standard code, thank you so much lor and btw the lolita fit you had on 21:56 is so fancy it's giving a beautiful court jester vibe (I'm not sure if that's compliment to you but please take it as such.) Thanks for reading however decides to read this!!
I started dressing in lolita a year ago and the amount of unsolicited concrits i have gotten is insane. I like the eay i style my lolita dresses and i dont break the major rules, let people express themselves
My strategic styling decision on why im missing a piece is because i havent found one in the right color and my hands already hurt from panic sewing other pieces XD
I like the recipe metaphor, with the rules just being a framework for that can help newbies find square one. I think video games make another good metaphor. I find I prefer more linear games that guide me through at least the first few levels. Whenever I try one of those open world games that just drop me in and say “go and do whatever” I always end up running around with no clue what I’m doing and getting killed over and over until I get frustrated and quit.
I know you don't mean it like this, but policing how short someone's hemline is a major reminder of religious trauma for me so I just dgaf, I'd never comment on it. Everyone has different heights too and people shouldn't be made to feel like they're not lolita anymore because one dress is "correct" on someone else but not their body. If you have a short skirt it would probably look best with tall socks/stockings aesthetically tho.
The three most common reasons for the guidelines are: - for the silhouette - for the history and consistency - for simplicity’s sake. (Once you know them well, it’s easier to have fun later) That doesnt mean comfort, aesthetics and disability aids arent allowed, by all means implement those things. Bloomers tho, are for protection. (Iykyk)
I just got my first op? One piece. It’s coming in tomorrow and I’m so excited to create an outfit/ cord buttt I literally don’t have any name brand blouses so yea idk what imma do there. Anyways hopeful I can follow the basics!! I may make a video on it :)
edit: i have very clearly jumped the gun and started commenting before finishing the video, but i suppose reinforcing some of lor’s points can’t hurt lol 😅 the rules helped me a lot when i first started, but, as a lot of folks in the comments have already said, the rules are there more to help beginners figure out how to make a balanced coordinate, rather than truly defining what is and is not lolita (or "ita," for that matter). at first, i needed those rules to help me make coords i liked, but now i know how to do that for myself & don't need this shorthand. and at least a few of the rules ARE just shorthand - like the "don't wear ivory with white" rule is a shorthand for "make sure your colors match, or, if they don't, make sure you know how to balance them before wearing them together." you CAN wear ivory with white, you just can't act like they're the same color, and that won't make sense to someone with no experience making coords, so it's easier to just say "don't wear ivory with white." there are very few rules that need to be followed no matter what. even "wear a blouse" isn't gospel. i started my lolita journey in hot, humid boston (it gets SO sweaty in the summer), and i wouldn't be caught dead in a blouse when it hit 90F !! and, recently, in honor of ita day, i wore a lolita skirt paired with a tube top and one of those sweaters that's pretty much only sleeves and a collar, and i think it looked great! now that i know the rules and WHY they're there, i know how to break them so that the spirit of the rules is still followed. even if you try to do a rules-bendy coord and end up failing, who cares? it's cool that you tried, and tbh so much of what's considered "ita" is fluid and changing (makeup has been considered either a requirement or totally ita depending on the decade), so why bother?
also the short skirt has become an easy thing to roast people for. but there are so many reasons for it... not to mention we seem to base our opinion japanese women who are around 5ft average i am way taller than that lol also younger woman are usually shorter so the skirt looks longer. we should stop picking on people for shorter skirts. just sayin....
My style is cery lolita inspired and even if my clothes follows all or most the rules and looks lolita i am scared to call it lolita When experimenting with fashion I only buy clothes second hand I realy like this because its the most Eco friendly way of enjoying fashion and the only not boring way because you newer know what you are going to find this week. Im probably never going to buy anything originaly made for lolita but so far i have a lot of prezenty blouses in pastel colours, one dress that has great skirt shape and i even made pettycoat aut of tiul long skirt i bought there years ago that my cat had great idea to climb on I even found great quality shoes that i later learned were form company that makes shoes only for children (lolita fashion is probably the only fashion where being smaller can be beneficial😂)
Okay , This is Complex , The nature of Alternative Fashion is challenging conformity , So it isn’t realistic to make it stay forever in stagnant path forever , Just like another case of when somebody make a fashion design that utilize an easternly aesthetic , and suddenly somebody viewed the design in Americacentric or Eurocentric view , which doesn’t sounded appreciating the authenticity of the design or the creative aspect And also in Thousand year of Fashion , world of fashion will be really an inert world , if there is no figures that don't utilize the sense of challenging conformity or giving something pushing the boundary This is might a bit off territory , As I grow older , I more prioritize a serious art discussions somewhere cause I find my sense of personal freedom , something that training my brain to be analytical toward world of art that I don’t get in Lolita Community (( I think this is my best decision that I take to leave Lolita online group at my 30 birthday at February , cause I want to protect my sanity and mental welfare , but such decision is leaving me a double edged sword factor )) I might still like the fashion but I decided to more serious about my priority
To me, the only rule I follow is the proper silhouette. Lolita pieces are obviously second, but the Lolita look is dictated (imo) by these big cupcake silhouettes. Aside from that go wild you know what I mean?
lolita started out as a random put together street fashion that brands then took and started to make up random rules. If people look up the origins of the fashion they will see people in so many things that they will call "ita" but with out them this fashion wouldn't have even come to be. Just let people where clothes how they want, as long as they aren't s*xualizing people or the fashion. and I don't mean by showing skin I mean but being inappropriate with actions, that needs to GTFO. It's clothes, just let people wear clothes and if that bothers someone so much they can just go off and be a lonelita.
I think my honesty bit aggresive for some people I honestly bit iffy when certain Lolita'ｓshould gone on maddening reeee fest mode on someone that comes non-Lolita alternative fashion style don't take a style in full super proper coord on certain Lolita Fashion makeover challenge video then somebody going to bats_t crazy territory by sending a d-th threats or something to that person Come On ! Fashion style isn't a cult
