Cute Lil Girl Outfits

photo src: www.outfittrends.com

Lolita (???????????, ror?ta fasshon) is a fashion subculture from Japan, that is highly influenced by Victorian and Edwardian children's clothing and clothes from the Rococo period. Furthermore a very distinctive property of the Lolita fashion, is the aesthetics of cuteness. The clothing style can be categorized in three substyles: 'gothic', 'classic', and 'sweet' In addition there exist many more substyles such as 'Sailor', 'Country', 'Hime' (princess), 'Ero', 'Guro', 'Oriental', 'Punk', 'Shiro (white)', Kuro (black) and Steampunk Lolita. This fashion has evolved herself to a widely followed subculture in Japan and the rest of the world.

photo src: www.pinterest.co.uk

Maps, Directions, and Place Reviews

Description

The main feature of the Lolita fashion is the volume of the skirt. This can be created by wearing a petticoat or crinoline. De skirt can be clock shaped or being A shaped. De components of the Lolita fashion exist mainly out a blouse (long or short sleeves) with a skirt or a dress, which usually comes up to the knees. Loltia's are wearing frequently fashion wigs in combination with other headwear such as hair bow or a bonnet (comparable with a Poke bonnet). Also lolita's are wearing sometimes Victorian underpants under their petticoat. Further they are wearing knee socks, ankle socks or tights and shoes with a high heel or flat shoes with a bow. Other typical Lolita garments that are used in Lolita are jumperskirt (JSK) and one-piece (OP).

Cute Lil Girl Outfits Video

Lolita Styles

According to Livejournal Lolita Community (2007)

A classification created by the Lolita Livejournal internet community, a synthesis based on fashion magazines such as Kera (2004), Gothic Lolita Bible, Fruits, Alice Doll and own experience.

• Gothic Lolita : Dark colours and themes such as crosses and veils.
• Kuro Lolita : Black colour outfit.
• Shiro Lolita : White colour outfit.
• Sweet Lolita : Is colourful and contains lots of light colours such as pink and blue and lots of fluff and folds.
• Hime Lolita : More influenced by the Rococo style than the Victorian style, a style that represents the clothing of a Princes.
• Country Lolita : A sub-style of the sweet style, with small straw hats and dresses in gingham, flowers, and fruit patterns.
• Sailor Lolita : Lolitical sailor outfit.
• Classic Lolita : Less cute and less folds. A more mature Lolita style that focuses more on elegance and prints.
• Punk Lolita : Lolitical punk outfit
• Wa Lolita ':' 'Inspired by Japanese traditional clothing such as a kimono and less formal yukata.
• Qi Lolita : Inspired by Chinese traditional clothing such as qipaos.
• Guro Lolita : Grotesque Lolita or wounded Lolita. Displays a 'broken pop' appearance.
• Ero Lolita : Is slightly more revealing and contains fetish elements.
• Cosplay Lolita : Contains features of a costume, such as cheaper fabric, cat ears, wings and French Maiden-like outfits.
• Aristocrat : (uncertain whether this can be counted as Lolita), a more mature style, that is associated with old elegance. The skirts are longer and there are no rounded skirts.
• Boystyle/Kodana : A more extensive Dandy or Aristocrat style.

According to Kathryn A. Hardy Bernal (2011)

Another, smaller format is given by Kathryn A. Hardy Bernal.

• Classic Lolita: a high neckline, a hemline no shorter than just below knee-length, layers and layers of petticoats, long sleeves and very long socks or full tights. Although long sleeves may be detachable from short puffed sleeves, shorter sleeves and shorter socks are seen as deviation. In addition the dress is usually tied at the waistline witha bow sash, rather than a skirt and blouse. The bodice should finish at the natural waist or just above it, exaggerating the impression of the Child's physique, and the skirt of the dress will be full-circled or bell-shaped. A headress is expected and may be in the form of a Victorian-style band, bonnet, or headband.
• Gothic Lolita (Gotloli): Each part of the outfit is black, sometimes covered with ribbons, roses, and or black lace. A dress is usually worn, but it can also be a blouse with a skirt. The Gothic lolita can choose from short puffed sleeves or shorter black socks. She can also choose from: a small black top hat, a black bonnet, a black satin or velvet Aliceband, or a big black bow with a hair band attached to it. Sometimes a shorter black mourning veil is worn from a net of lace or soft tulle. Her parasol, which should then be black with folds or edges. If the Gothic lolita wants to emphasize the creepiness, a teddy bear with hair-raising characteristics can be worn, other than perhaps a necklace or a creepy doll.
• Sweet Lolita: Characteristic is the explosion of bows and fringes and the concentration on cuteness. In general, the outfit consists of a pastel, often with very pink or baby blue, or a combination of pastel colours, such as light pink, salmon colour, light blue, lime green, butter yellow or soft green, sometimes mixed with white or cream, it is even possible to mix it with navy blue, raspberry or black. Often a blouse is worn with short sleeves or a dress and short trimmed socks. A common accessory is a full or half apron. In addition, the skirt is at least knee height long. A bonnet or a small top hat could be worn on the head, but usually a large bow with a hair band is attached. Sometimes the dress can also be covered with patterns such as flowers, roses, fruit, cake, ice cream, but also with Alice / fairytale figures. A fruit chain can be worn as accessories, or a brooch or hanger. Also a parasol, a cute little handbag or a nice basket, or a soft toy rabbit, sweet teddy bear or pretty doll can be part of it.
• Country (sweet) Lolita : The lolita's who wear clothes with prints are usually categorized as Country Lolita or Country Sweet Lolita.

According to T. Younker (2011)

Another addition can be found at T. Younker.

• Sweet Lolita: Sweet Lolita is the saccharine, pink imaginary childhood Lolita brand embod-ied by such brands as Angelic Pretty.
• Classic Lolita: . Classic Lolita is the elegant, 19th-century damsel-inspired aesthetic embodied by such brands as Victorian Maiden.
• Gothic Lolita: Gothic Lolita features longer skirts, corsets, dark colours and Gothic symbols, as seen in brands such as Moi-même-Moitié.
• Pirate Lolita: features leather boots, peasant blouses, gaudy hats and Spanish jewellery, a style represented by such brands as Alice and the Pirates.
• Grotesque Lolita (Guro Lolita): features injured girls in hospital gowns and bandages and is embodied by such brands as Blah Blah Hospital.

According to Y. Kawamura (2012)

Below is the list according to the (taxonomy) of Y. Kawamura.

• Ama-Loli (Sweet Lolita): the typical Lolita style with lots of lace, ruffles, and frills; mostly white and pastel colours such as blue and pink.
• Classical/Elegant Lolita: similar to Ama-Loli but with fewer ruffles and frills.
• Ero-Loli (Erotic Lolita): a controversial style because, in principle, Lolita has no erotic elements, and too much skin should not be exposed.
• Futago-Loli (Twin Lolita): two girls dress in the same Lolita outfit.
• Gosu-Loli (Gothic and Lolita): the combination of Gothic and Lolita elements; monochromatic palette, often black and white.
• Guro-Loli (Gore Lolita): using bandages or blood splatters or anything that looks gory.
• Hime-Loli (Princess Lolita): similar to Classical Lolita, with pastel colours; princess-looking, often with a tiara.
• Kuro-Loli (Black Lolita): black from head to toe.
• Ouji (Prince for Lolita): the male version who would accompany a Lolita, or a Lolita girl who does not want to wear a skirt.
• Pinku-Loli (Pink Lolita): pink from head to toe.
• Punk Loli (Punk Lolita): a combination of Lolita and Punk elements, such as leather, zippers, safety pins, and chains.
• Qi-Loli (Chinese Lolita): Lolita combined with traditional Chinese elements.
• Sailor-Loli (Sailor Lolita): nautical style inspired by Japanese school uniforms.
• Wa-Loli (Japanese Lolita): Lolita combined with traditional Japanese elements, such as kimono and obi.

According to A. Haijima (2013)

An other scholar A. Haijima gives the following commentary for the style norms: "The "rules" of Lolita fashion don't exist, but there exist qualifiers of what makes an outfit Lolita."

A typical Lolita outfit has the following basic elements: headwear, bell-shaped skirt, bloomers, blouse, socks (overknee), shoes (Mary Jane type).

She said that the following variations of Lolita styles are common seen:

• Sweet (Ama/Kote) Lolita: the most childlike of the Lolita styles, using many bows, ruffles and light pastel colours: pink, white, powder blue. Common motifs are toys, strawberries, cherries, cakes, candies, hearts, polka dots and flowers. Prints inspired by fairy tales are quite common. Light, natural make-up, teased out pig tails and bouncy curls are commonly worn.
• Gothic Lolita: was influenced by Victorian and Goth styles. It is characterized by bell-shaped skirt, puff sleeves, black or rich dark colours such as burgundy, purple or navy, or contrasting colours such as black and white.
• Sailor Lolita: was inspired by Japanese sailor styled uniforms. Typical for the style are sailor collars, dark blues and whites, and such symbols as ship anchors and wheels.
• Guro Lolita (Gore Lolita): has gory looks. Typical motifs are bandages, a sling, some blood splatters. It tries to portray a "broken bandages, a sling, some blood splatters. It tries to portray a "broken.
• Country Lolita: is featured by dress in natural colours, [[straw] baskets, hats, fruit, Gingham patterns.
• Mori Lolita: is a style that combines Lolita and Mori elements. (refers to Mori girl, forest girl). The emphasis is on soft, natural and calm colours, which can be found in the forest, including nature colours such as antique white, beige, brown, ivory, mustard yellow, burgundy, dark green. The clothing is loose, layered. In addition, the natural materials of cotton, wool, leather and fur are used.
• Ero of Erotic Lolita: contains more fetish elements such as leather, collars, corsets.
• Kodona (boysyle) for both men and women, men style often referred as Ouji(Prince) or Dandy. In this style there are common short capri style pants cut off at a knee (prince pants), suspenders, ties, bowler caps, long socks. Some of the more extravagant styles can involve spats, canes, top hats, capes. Hair is often held in a boyish style, those with a longer hair tend to put it in a less girly way such as hiding a bun under a cap.
• Hime (Princess) Lolita: is an elegant style reflecting royalty and class that involves miniature crowns, tiaras, an extravagant or large hair and dresses. pearls, roses and bows suit this style well.
• Wa Lolita: is recognized by kimono-esque look of outfits.
• Black Lolita: has clothes all in black colour.
• White Lolita: all dressed in white.

The most common styles in Latvia are: Gothic Lolita, Black and White Lolita, Sweet Lolita and Punk Lolita.

According to K. Robinson (2014)

Another addition that indicates which styles occur in the United States is given by K. Robinsion.

• Sweet Lolita (Ama Lolita): features are pastel colours such as pink, lavender (light purple), mint (greenish blue) and yellow. Often the motifs of the dresses are also printed with motifs of candy and hugs.
• Sweet Lolita OTT (over the top): typical of OTT Sweet is more embellishments such as a larger wig in different pastel colours, multiple hair accessories, false [[eyelash|eyelashes], and a theme-coordinated outfit.
• Classic Lolita: a more mature, conservative and romantic style, again in contrast to the sweet lolita style. White pastel colours may be used; dusty pink, brown, black, navy blue, and white are often used. The emphasis is on elegance and simplicity. Motives are for example (European) kingship, antique books, roses and gardens and classical musical instruments such as violins and cellos.
• Gothic Lolita: evoking dark romance. Bats, crosses, vampires, coffins and other "Gothic" themes are used as motifs for the dresses. While black is used as the most popular colour, jewellery hues or other rich dark colours are also used, such as wine red and royal blue.
• Other subsyles are: Punk Lolita, Sailor Lolita, Pirate Lolita, Hime (Princess) Lolita, Ero (erotic) Lolita en Guro Lolita (such as blood and broken dolls).
• In addition, there are also male variants such as Boystyle and Ouji (prins) and men who wear lolita fashion are called brolita or boy lolita.
• The A shaped silhoutte is also common in the Classic Lolita and Gothic Lolita.

According to A. Peirson-Smith (2015)

Another addition that indicates which styles are common in Hong Kong is given by A. Peirson-Smith.

• Sweet Lolita (Ama-Rori): Roses and pastel colours and coloured clothing. Often associated with cute pink and white outfits. They usually bring along a cute toy and a doll, and often wear cute hairstyles such as ponytail, pony and round braiding.
• Gothic Lolita: emphasizes death and darkness with black dresses and trimmed lace and dark accessories and make-up.
• Classic Lolita : A more mature style, classic Victorian.
• Punk Lolita (Rori-Pan) : Features such as leather, zippers and safety pins.

According to Z. Young Kang en T. Diane Cassidy (2015)

The Classification according to Z. Young Kang en T. Diane Cassidy is as follows (a synthesis of the classification according to Winge, Monden, Kawamura and own sources.

Arranged on gender expression:

• õji style and general Lolita styles. Õji (prins) stijl, also known as Kadona, is characterized by his cute boyish appearance. Common features are knee height length capri style trousers, tie, bowler hat and long socks, because the Lolita code is intrinsically feminine, there are no specific terms for female styles and is classified as "Lolita".

Arranged on predominant colour:

• Kuro (black) Lolita or Kurololi. Shiro (white) Lolita or Shirololi, that is also where cream colour is included. They are considered to be opposite of each other.
• Ama (sweet) Lolita characterized by its pastel colours, soft tones, optimal cuteness, the emphasis on sweetness and sweet state of mind. But also colours such as red and black with cute features are counted among Ama Lolita.

Arranged on origin: this means that it is categorized on older cultures that have influenced the current culture.

• Gothic Lolita This style is characterized by the use of the same symbols as in the original culture 'Goth', with emphasis on bats, coffins, crosses and blackness.
• Punk Lolita inspired from the punk style. This style is characterized by leather, zippers, chains and nails. Red and black outfits are common colours within this style, compared to other Lolita styles this style evokes a big rebellious feeling.
• Wa Lolita is a style that has characteristics of traditional Japanese fashion. The typical characteristics that are common: short length of the Kimono shaped tops, bulky skirts, obi style belts. Often Kimono fabric is also used for this.
• Qi Lolita the style that uses characteristics of traditional Chinese dresses, qipao, which consists of upright collars, kot stylized buttons and brocade motifs. In contrast to qipao, the silhouette of Qi Lolita is smart and has a slightly larger skirt with a petticoat. Sometimes puffed sleeves are used.
• Hime Lolita a style that resembles the Rococo style. The Lolita style contains many themes that can also be found in Ama Lolita style, but with Rococo elements and small crowns or tiaras, which are often worn on grandiose hair. The Rococo is then seen as the original culture, with characteristics of 'a la fracaise dresses' and 'fontage' her styles.
• Classic Lolita is a more feminine and elegant style, nevertheless this style preserves the childlike silhouette, usually in the form of an A shape. Unlike Ama Lolita, this style contains less cuteness with fewer fringes and ribbons and the material is softer in colour and contains floral patterns. Ama Lolita can also be counted among this group, because super cuteness is the main theme.
• Country Lolita A more rural version of style that is almost indistinguishable with Ama Lolita, but common features of this style is the material straw, such as baskets and hats.
• Further there are other themes that exist such as Guro (grotesque or blood) Lolita , Daily Lolita and a controversial style, Ero (erotic) Lolita .

Additional comments from van M. Monden (2008)

An additional comment for Gothic Lolita can be found by M. Monden.

• Gothic Lolita: the undertone of dark, dark aesthetics can be seen in Gothic Lolita, because much of this fashion displays symbols of bats, skulls, crosses and blackness, but because the word also contains lolita there is also an emphasis on sweetness, femininity and elaborateness.

Additional comments from L. Atkinson (2015)

Another addition to the styles can be found by L. Atkinson.

• Sweet Lolita (amarori): Characteristics such as the colours pink, white and blue, as well as the use of cute patterns, such as teddy bear, desserts and fruit.
• Gothic Lolita (gosurori): Characteristics such as the use of many black, Christian motifs such as crosses and direct influences of Victorian mourning clothes.

photo src: www.pinterest.com

History

Although the origin of the Lolita fashion is unclear, it is likely that the movement has started at the end of the sixties with the fashion style and subculture Natural Kei, in which they were romanticizing the Victorian Period. This resulted at the end of seventies to a new movement called Otome-kei, which influenced the Lolita fashion a little bit, because Otome means maiden and maiden style looks like a lesser elaborated Lolita style. Before Otomo-kei emerged, there was already a rise of the cuteness culture in the earlier seventies, during these years there was a high emphasis on a cute and childish handwriting on Japanese schools. As a result of that the company Sanrio began experimenting with cute designs. The cuteness style, which was also called kawaii style, that popular became in the eighties. After Otom-kei, the Do-It-Yourself behaviour became popular, because of this a new style emerged named 'doll-kei' the predecessor of the Lolita fashion.

During the years 77-98 was a large part of the Harajuka shopping district closed for car traffic on sundays. This would have resulted that many pedestrians could meet eachother in Harajuka. When brands like Pink House (1973), Milk (1970) and Angelic Pretty (1979) began to sell cute clothing, resulted this in a new style that would be later be known as 'Lolita'.The term Lolita appeared therefore as first in the fashion magazine Ryukou Tsushin in the September 1987 issue. Shortly after that Baby, The Stars Shine Bright (1988), Metamorphose temps de fille (1993) en other brands emerged. In the nineties Lolita became more accepted, with bands like Malice Mizer and other visualkeibands, that rose in popularity. These band members wore elaborate clothes, that fans began to adopt in their own clothing. During these years Japan ended up in an economical regression, that caused a raise in more alternative fashion cultures and youth cultures such as gyaru, otaku, visual-kei en Lolita, but also in viusal kei like clothing and other youth culture such as Mori, Fairy Kei, Decora The Lolita style spread quickly from the Kansai region and finally reached Tokio. Partly due the economiscal difficulties their was a big growth in the cuteness culture and youth cultures, that originated from the seventies. In the late nineties the Jingu bridge -also called the Harajuka bridge- became known as meeting place for youth who wore Lolita and other alternative fashion. Lolita become more popular, causing a growth in warehouses that were also selling Lolita Fashion. An important magazine that contributed to the spread of the fashion style was Gothic&Lolita Bible (2001), a spin-off of the popular Japanese fashion magazine KERA (1998), also the fashion modetijdschrift FRUiTS (1997) contrbiuted to the spread of the Lolita fashion. The magazine Gothic&Lolita Bible was also been translated a while to English and spread outside of Japan trough the publisher Tokyopop, in addition FRUits published in 2001 an English picture book of the Japanese Street Fashion. After the fashion spread itself further trough the internet, more shops opened abroad, such as The Stars Shine Bright in Paris (2007) and in New York (2014).

It looks like the youth that gathered themselves in Harajuka or at Harajuka bridge disappeared. Some Explanations are given. One of the explanation is that fast fashion (cheap fashion) in Japan, caused a reduction of the consumption of street fashion, such as the appearance of the retails H&M and Forever21

photo src: www.kidnkids.com

Sources of Inspiration

The Western culture has influenced the Lolita fashion, the book Alice in Wonderland (1865), written by Lewis Caroll, is an example of this. Alice in Wonderland has inspired many different brands and top magazines. Alice Deco is an example of a magazine that is named to her. The reason that the character Alice was an inspiration source for the Lolita, was because she was an ideal icon for the Sh?jo (shoujo)-image., by which it means an image of eternal innocence and beauty. The first complete translation of the book was published by Maruyama Eikon in 1910 translated as Ai-chan No Yume Monogatari (Fantastic stories of Ai). An other figure that did function as inspiration source was Marie Antoinette who lived in the Rocco period, from her is even a manga created The Rose of Versailles (1979), also known as Lady Oscar in Europe.

photo src: www.outfittrends.com

Popularization

People who have popularised the Lolita fashion were Mana and Novala Takemoto. Novala is a writer who has written the light novel Kamikaze Girls (2002).. This book is about the relation between Momoko, a Lolita girl and Inchigo a Yanki. The light novel is edited into a movie (2004) and a manga (2004). Novela himself claims that "There are no leaders within the Lolita world". Mana is a guitarist and is known for the popularizing of the Gothic Lolita fashion. He played in the band Malice Mizer (1999-2001) and founded an own band Moi Dix Mois (2002). These bands are categorized under the Visual Kei genre, that is known for their eccentric expressions and elaborated costumes. Further he founded in 1999 a own fashion label, known as Moi-même-Moitié, which specialised itself in Gothc Lolita. The similarity between these person is that they are both very interested in the Rocco period.

Japan himself has also tried to popularize the Lolita fashion. The Minister of Foreign Affairs of Japan, has therefore on February 2009., assigned models to spread the Japanese pop culture. The assigned persons obtain the titles Kawaa Taishi (ambassadors of cuteness). The first three ambassadors of cuteness are as follow the famous model Misaki Aoki, who represent the Lolita style of frills-and-lacee, Yu Kimura who represent the Harajuka style and Shizuka Fujioka who represent the school-uniform-styled fashion. An other way that Japan tries to popularize the Japaneee street fashion and Lolita is by organizing the international Harajuka walk in Japan, this should caused that other foreign countries would organize a similar walik.

Possible explanations that could be given that the Lolita fashion can be found outside of Japan is as following: A big growth in the interest of Japanese culture, the internet as a place to share information, worldwide being able to shop, chances and enthusiastic foreign lolita's who are engaged in the Lolita fashion. The origin of the Japanese influences can be found in the late nineties, in which cultural goods such as Hello Kitty, Pokemon (1999) and translated manga's appeared in the west. Another source mention that anime was already imported to the west in the early ninities. Moreover scholars mention also that, anime, manga caused the raise in popularity of Japanese culture.. This is supported by the idea that cultural streams have been going from Japan to the west, and from the west to Japan.

photo src: www.youtube.com

Motives

Lolita is seen as a reaction against the stifling Japanese Society, in which youth is pressured to strict adhere to the gender roles and the expectation and responsibilities that are part of these roles. Wearing the fashion inspired by childhood clothes formed a counter reaction against this. This counterreaction can be explained from two perspectives. The first perspective is that the reaction is a way to escape the adulthood and to go back to the eternal beauty of childhood. The second perspective is that it is an escape to a fantasy world, in which the ideal identity can be created that would not be acceptable in daily life.

However there are loltia's that are saying that the subculture is just purely a style for fun and it not doing to protest against the traditional and formal ways of society. Other motives for lolita's to wear it could be that it give them a sense of confidence or ensure them that they can express their own (alternative) identity.

Confusions

Before the Lolita fashion got her name, there already existed a book called Lolita (1955), which was written by Vladimir Nabokov. This book is about a romantic relationship between a twelve-year-old girl named Doleres Haze, with her nickname Lolita. The first translation of the novel appears in Japan in 1959. Because the west have a novel with a controversial subject, this word has gotten a negative connotation, which resulted that the word became sexualised trough time by the media. and is being associated with sex.

The sexualisation of the word can be attributed to a number of influences such as the movie Lolita from 1962, which was sexualized and did not show the disinterest that Lolita had in sexuality, other movies such as Lolita (2000), The Amy fisher Story (1993) reinforced the sexual association , the Lolita Nylon advertisements (1964) and other media that used Lolita in sexual contexts. An other factor is that wearing cute clothing as adult is considered in the western as childish, whereby people connect lolita earlier with paedophile fantasies then with fashion. Japan in contrast, accept more that cute is part of the fashion.

Earlier their is written about Lolita in sexual context, but that was called the Lolita complex, -also known as Lolicon-. This term was used for the first time by Russel Trainer in his roman The Lolita complex (1966) This term the Lolita complex therefore became popular within the otaku culture. Moreover the term refers to paedophile desires. This expression of the Lolita complex can therefore be found back in the nineties in which school uniforms became a central object of desire Young girls were pictured therefore sexual in manga.

Within the Japanese culture the name refers rather to cuteness and elegant then to sexual attractiviness.

An other confusion that often occurs is between the Lolita fastion style and cosplay. However both are spread from Japan, These things are different and have to be perceived independently from eachother., One is a fashion style while the other is a role-play, whereby clothing and accessory is being used to play a character. This does not exclude, of course, that there may be some overlap between members of both groups. This can bee seen for example at anime conventions such as the convention in Götenborg, in which cosplay and Japanese fashion is mixed. Therefore for some lolita's it is insult if people are labelling their outfit as costume.

Source of the article : Wikipedia