The Origins of Lolita Fashion: Part 3 - The Feminist Impact

Hello everyone, and welcome to the third and FINAL part of The Origins of Lolita Fashion!

In the last part, I wrote about how the fashion came to be what it is, and where the fashion took inspiration from. (Read Part 1 here, and Part 2 here.)

Today we will discuss the feminist impact the fashion has despite its conservative aesthetic.

We answer the final question: "Is Lolita fashion feminist?"

Last time I wrote about a feminist impact that Lolita fashion has, I mentioned that in Japan, Lolita fashion was worn by girls who refused to live up to the common expectation of finding a husband and becoming domestic obedient wives, and instead dressed for themselves, and for their own happiness.

Well in the West, it was a bit different.

While many girls in the Western Goth and Punk movement preferred fishnet stockings, short skirts, lace-up combat boots, and corset tops as their choice of weapons to fight the suppressing, man-made "Good Girl" image that demonized any girl who preferred to behave otherwise, I believe the conservative side of Lolita Fashion fought a different form of suppression: an American archetype I like to call, The Malibu Barbie.

Throughout most of the early 2000s in America, most girls in the magazines and on TV were often clad in questionably tacky and revealing clothing, mostly in bright colors. Most girls featured in TV shows, pop music, and movies targeted towards young girls were also perky, white, rich, and blonde.

That made very little room for any other kind of representation that broke away from that model.

Paris Hilton during that time was a prime example of The Malibu Barbie.

Paris Hilton during the 2000s.

In commercials, if super models weren't in tight-fitted tops and short skirts eating food in a questionably suggestive way, they were in lingerie or swimsuits. They had skinny waists, perfect cleavages, and shaped butts in small panties. (Remember those controversial Carl's Jr. ads that got taken down?)

It was an unhealthy boost of hypersexualization and promotion of the super model build of women in the media, and it became a problem that still goes on today!
It was the perfect way to make girls and women feel insecure.
It was the perfect way to entice young girls into believing that if they spend money on products listed in their favorite magazines that tell them how to lose weight and look hot, they will get a boyfriend, become popular, and be satisfied.

I believe Lolita Fashion, especially Gothic Lolita, fights that.

It runs far away from the male fantasy,
it denies men the view of the naked female body,
it strengthens the idea that a girl should dress for herself instead of catering to a desire for popularity and the male gaze,
it strikes fear into people who refused to understand alternative fashion, music and culture.
and it refuses to let the wearer become sucked into the media that profits off of insecurities and low self-esteems.

Gothic Lolita Psycho 2010

To me, Lolita fashion really takes from the liberal spirit of Punk rock. The same spirit that called for people to break away from the oppressive Government and the mainstream media's idea of how everyone should be. The same spirit that called for people to be who they are and embrace it. The same spirit that tells women that no matter what they wear, they are NOT made to be objects of sexual interest, they are people who have the right to what they wear, and what they do!

Now, I am not saying that grown women can't dress however they wish to, because they certainly can!
I am saying that grown women ALSO have the right to keep their bloomers on, and their shoulders covered should they wish to, and women deserve to be seen for who they are as a person rather than by the sexualized parts on their body.

Lolita fashion, unintentionally enforces a girl's right to protect her own body from those who have little to no respect for her privacy, and her right to pursue her own personal happiness over catering to a man's wishes.

I say, that's pretty damn feminist!

So now we come back to the questions at hand.

When did Lolita fashion first begin?

Answer: During Japan's Goth and Punk movement in the late 1980s-early 1990s, and the fashion took a lot from the earlier days of that movement in its style and attitude.

How did Lolita fashion become what it is?

Answer: Lolita fashion is said to have taken a big majority of inspiration from the Victorian and Rococo eras, and that inspiration was combined with Gothic and Punk fashion to create a new style. A couple of the biggest contributors to the fashion are the magazine Gothic Lolita Bible, and prominent designer brands Moi-Même-Moitié, and Vivienne Westwood.

Is Lolita fashion feminist?

Answer: Personally, I believe Lolita fashion IS feminist. It certainly fights against the male fantasy, as well as certain forms of female suppression, even if it's unintentional.

Thank you so much for reading, I hope those wanting to get into Lolita fashion or are already into the fashion feel proud to wear it, and really feel the spirit of it!

-Blandis

The Origins of Lolita Fashion: Part 2 - The Gothic Lolita Aesthetic

Hello everyone and welcome to Part 2 of The Origins of Lolita Fashion!

Last time I wrote about what the fashion is and a little about the history of the early Goth and Punk movement that inspired the fashion to come onto the streets. (Read Part 1 here.)

Today we talk about the fashion itself: The inspiration behind it, and the biggest contributors to the fashion's foundation.

We now answer the question: "How did Lolita fashion become what it is?" 

Now while Goth and Punk began around the late 1970s, Japan's Gothic and Punk movement began in the late 1980s to the early 1990s.
At that time, Japanese youth were inspired by all the different sub genres of Rock music, including Goth and Punk, to stand out and break away from a corporate, traditionalist, and conformist culture through fashion and music. At that time, different types of J-Rock such as Visual Kei emerged from that era. Rock bands formed and quickly gained popularity underground, most notably Malice Mizer.

Malice Mizer: 1992-2001
One of the most famous Visual Kei bands.
Guitarists Mana and Közi originally formed the band.
They have had three lead singers over time: Tetsu, Gackt, and Klaha.
(Klaha Era of the early 2000s shown above.)

Lolita fashion was born within this movement.

It rose from the idea that girls should break away from the the norm, which at the time for women and girls in Japan was the "domestic and obedient wife" model, and instead pursue their own ideas, their own aspirations, and their own ways of living out life instead of centering themselves and everything they do around taking care of a husband, and doing whatever he tells her to do.

"Lolitas do not recognize any authority. They follow only the values they have chosen for themselves, regardless of what anybody might say." 

-Novala Takemoto

That kind of attitude was inspired by the heart of Punk.

Most of those girls were of course told by conformist women that they will never be able to get a husband if they dressed in Lolita, to which the response was always, "Good."

If that doesn't define what Punk is all about, what does?

As for the Gothic Part, most people in Lolita fashion argue that Mana, former lead guitarist of Malice Mizer and designer of Gothic Lolita brand Moi-Même-Moitié, pretty much set the standard for the Gothic Lolita look.

Mana took a lot of inspiration from the Romantic period, and also from the traditional Catholic aesthetic. It shows in Malice Mizer's aesthetic, and in some of the religious motifs found in the dresses Mana designed for Moi-Même-Moitié.

Album Cover for Malice Mizer's "Bara no Seidou"

Lace Cross JSK

Stained Glass Print JSK

Divine Cross JSK

Another contributor to the fashion is one of the most iconic Punk fashion designers that I believe EVERY Lolita should know of, considering that she was referenced to in Novala Takemoto's Lolita fashion manifesto Kamikaze Girls a few times:

The one and only Vivienne Westwood!

Vivienne Westwood in the late 1970s

One of the original Punk designers during the UK Punk movement, she became very popular among Japanese youth, especially when she introduced the Rocking Horse shoe on the runway in 1985.
Later on the shoes became a staple in Lolita fashion!

The Iconic Rocking Horse Ballerina Shoe

The high-fashion brand of the same name made its way into Japan during their Gothic and Punk movement. Other notable pieces are the heart bag, orb jewelry, and three strap shoes. Other brands soon followed these trends that Westwood set.

Heart Bag

Orb Earrings

Three-Strap Mary Jane Heels

Westwood pieces have been featured in a lot of manga and anime that feature Japanese Street fashion, and have been also featured in the fashion magazine for Lolita fashion, Gothic Lolita Bible. (The magazine discontinued in 2017.) Here are a few scans from my own GLB volumes.

Novala Takemoto (Right) shown wearing a Vivienne Westwood Orb brooch.
Gothic Lolita Bible Vol. 5 

Vivienne Westwood Orb Pearl Choker Necklace and Plaid Blazer
Gothic Lolita Bible Vol. 20

Vivienne Westwood Jewelry featured in an ad for Japanese brand retailer I-LOVE BRAND.
Gothic Lolita Bible Vol. 20

Vivienne Westwood Accessories picked by the woman above.
Gothic Lolita Bible Vol. 20

Closet Child ad along with an Old Baily ad featuring Vivienne Westwood.
Gothic Lolita Bible Vol. 20

Vivienne Westwood Accessories.
Gothic Lolita Bible Vol. 7

Orb earrings, an armor ring, and red three-strap shoes that resembled Westwood's were featured in the Murder Mystery visual novel DanganRonpa on the character Celestia Ludenberg, a Gothic Lolita Gambler.

Celestia Ludenberg Character Design
DanganRonpa Official Artbook

Vivienne Westwood was also referenced to in the manga/anime NANA many times! Nana Ozaki, a front woman of a Punk rock band, is often seen in Vivienne Westwood. (For any Lolitas looking for an anime to watch or a manga to read, NANA is a really good one, and I highly recommend it!)

(And while we are on the subject of NANA, back at the Alternative Press Music Awards in 2017, I spotted Andy Black, front man of Black Veil Brides, sporting a very familiar look! He was wearing the popular chain necklace from Japanese Punk fashion brand Sex Pot ReVeNGe.)

Left: Ren Honjo from NANA
Right: Andy Black, Front man of Black Veil Brides, at the 2017 APMAS

No one really knows exactly who in particular started Lolita fashion in the first place, it pretty much just came out on its own. 

Why it's called "Lolita," no one really knows that either, but most argue that the name just sounded cute, and it suited the look very well.

(Just to clarify for some of you, Lolita fashion has NOTHING to do with the novel, "Lolita." They just happen to have the same name!)

But where did the frills come from? Now most say that Japanese girls took inspiration from Victorian and Rococo styles and modernized them to fit the lifestyles of most Japanese youth involved in the Goth and Punk movement. (Vivienne Westwood also happened to be heavily influenced by Victorian and Rococo.)

Marie Antoinette: 2006
A Biopic based on the life of French Queen Marie Antoinette and her reign before the French Revolution.

Victoria: 2016-Present
A British TV show based on the life of Queen Victoria.

While today Lolita fashion is mostly worn at organized tea parties and meetups, most Lolitas back then would go shopping, and/or attend underground rock shows or concerts. This meant that practicality was needed much more than aesthetic, hence why the fashion was simpler when it first began.

AKIRA in the live-action movie adaptation of the manga Ai Ore!
Ai wo Utau yori Ore ni Oborero! (Ai Ore! Love Me!)

But now comes more questions!

Why the long skirts? Why the long socks and high collars? Why have the shoulders covered? How could such a conservative fashion style come out of a movement that well, wanted to get away from that?

Wait until the next part, where we bring Western sexism in!

Thank you for reading, and I will see you next post!

-Blandis

The Origins of Lolita Fashion: Part 1 - The Gothic and Punk Movement

Hello everyone, and welcome to what may be this blog's best entry!

This 3 part entry is about answering the most common questions every Lolita, beginner or veteran, asks themselves at one point.

"When did Lolita fashion begin?"

"How did Lolita fashion become what it is?" 

"Is Lolita Fashion feminist?"

Now those questions have already been answered multiple times by other Lolitas with very different points of view, which I believe are all valid. 

My favorite takes in particular are from Tyler, aka ScarfingScarves, a Sweet Lolita known for the hilarious Last Week Lolita News which comes out on YouTube every week, and Megu, an Australian Lolita who made the very informative short video series Kawaii Fashion School with Deerstalker Pictures a while back.

ScarfingScarves: Is Lolita Fashion Feminist?  Part 1, Part2, and Part 3

Deerstalker Pictures: The History of Lolita - Kawaii Fashion School

DISCLAIMER: This entry is written based on my own personal research, my own personal perspective on what the fashion means to me, and my own personal experience with the fashion. If any information here is not completely accurate, please feel free to politely inform me!

This first part answers the question: "When did Lolita fashion begin?"

Now before we begin, a quick Story Time! (This has been repeated many times, so for some of you, consider this a refresher.)

When I was about 14, (That would be 8 years ago this year!) I stumbled upon the fashion by accidentally winding up in a BABY THE STARS SHINE BRIGHT store when I wandered off while on a school club trip to San Francisco. 

BABY THE STARS SHINE BRIGHT/ALICE AND THE PIRATES
San Francisco

I distinctly remember the very first Lolita dress I tried on! It was the gingham check op in black and white. It had a beautiful rose embroidery on the front of the dress, corset lacing, a cute check print, and lots of lace! I fell in love instantly!

BABY THE STARS SHINE BRIGHT
Gingham Check Creeping Rose OP
2010 Re-Release

A few years later, I decided to try to look for it on secondhand. Once I got the information from Lolibrary, it took me a bit to realize that it was a re-release. (This was back in around 2013-2014.) So then I delved into the history of the dress, one thing led to another, and before I knew it, I found myself asking myself a few questions. 

"How long has this fashion really been around?"

and

"When did the fashion come onto the streets?"

Now for those who are unfamiliar with Lolita, the first question is, "What is Lolita fashion?"

Lolita fashion is the combination of the traditional femininity of Rococo, the Romantic Gothic image, and the spirit of Punk rock in one fashion style. 

The fashion typically consists of an overly frilly dress that goes down to the knees,  a petticoat and bloomers underneath, long socks or tights with Mary Jane shoes, and a headdress or Alice-style head bow on top, along with some accessories such as wrist cuffs and cute purses. 

So now the real questions as to when Lolita fashion began: When did Punk rock begin, and where did the Gothic part of "Gothic Lolita" come from?

To answer that, a little background is needed.

Most people in the Punk and Goth scenes argue that Gothic and Punk began in Great Britain.
Punk is said to have began during the late 1960s, Goth in the late 1970s, both pop culture phenomenons which spread to America during the British Invasion throughout the 1970s, and so on.
Early Punk rock bands such as The Sex Pistols, The Clash, and American Punk rock band The Ramones, as well as Goth bands like The Cure and Bauhaus became popular during that time.

As much as I hate to sound like an elitist Gothic and Punk "gatekeeper," but historically speaking, before the fashion, there was the music.

The Punk Movement emerged from the liberal ideas of going against oppressive authority, breaking societal norms, destroying negative stigmas and stereotypes, fighting for our right to be who we are, and standing by those who are oppressed because of their race, religion, gender, or sexual orientation and are in need of support.

Punk rock culture is the absolute prime of Chaotic Good. It is the attitude that was needed during a time when people went to drastic and hurtful lengths to maintain conformist ways that kept other people in the dark, locked in the closet, deprived from the freedom to be who they really are.

Goth however was born from the idea of embracing and celebrating the strange, dark, gloomy and eerie things that are often feared or attacked, and allowing yourself to take a deep breath and experience sadness rather than suppressing negative emotions or simply distracting yourself from them.

Goth culture is a beautifully artistic way of giving yourself emotional, mental, and creative freedom in a society that expects you to be exclusively happy, sane, and colorful all of the time.

Those ideas were expressed through music, which is pretty much the best way to get any message through to many people!

The Sex Pistols: 1975-2008
An English Punk rock band.
They are said to have been responsible for
igniting the Punk Rock movement in the UK.
Most Notable Song: God Save the Queen

Bauhaus: 1978-2008

An English Post-Punk band popular in the 1980s. 
Known for their dark and gloomy image, which became popular within the Goth scene.

Most Notable Song: Bela Lugosi is Dead

The Ramones: 1974-1996

An American Punk Rock Band. Popular in the US and the UK.
They are said to have defined the Punk rock sound in the US.

Most Notable song: Blitzkreig Bop

The Cure: 1976-Present
An English Gothic rock band.
Front man Robert Smith is the only consistent member of the band.
Most Notable Song: Friday I'm in Love

The Clash: 1976-1986
An English Punk rock band.
One of the pioneers of the Punk movement in the UK.
Most Notable Song: Should I stay or Should I go

As Goth and Punk music gained a following, so did the fashion styles that were inspired by it.

Crazy hairstyles, ripped and washed out denim, leather jackets with studs, tattoos and piercings, band logos, and the iconic safety pin, became the most common motifs of Punk fashion.

All black clothes, black lipstick, strong eyeliner, multiple accessories usually found in Punk too, and black hair made up the Goth fashion style that most people today are familiar with.

This movement continued on into the 2000s and made way for many punk and pop punk bands, most notably Green Day, to come into the mainstream and spread throughout America and the rest of the world.
Hot Topic also became popular during that time when they sold lots of clothes and accessories typically found in Goth and Punk fashion. (Nowadays they sell mostly geek pop culture merchandise.)

An Early 2000s Hot Topic store.

Pretty soon, Goth and Punk became known throughout the world.

But when did Lolita fashion come into the scene?

Most argue that Lolita started in the late 1980s to the early 1990s in Japan when they had their Goth and Punk movement a little later.

But how did the fashion come to be what it is? Where did the lace and frills come from? Who set the standards for Lolita fashion?

That will all be answered next post, so keep in mind the attitudes and ideals of the Gothic and Punk movement!

Thank you for reading, and I will see you next time!

-Blandis

Lolita Blog Carnival: Tailoring Your Wardrobe: Making It Work & Suit You

Hello everyone and welcome to this week's Lolita Blog Carnival entry!

This topic in particular was PERFECT for me, because I myself am looking to be a professional tailor, stylist, and fashion designer!

I love to fix, alter, and create clothes that work for many different kinds of people, especially those who are into Lolita, and I also love to style outfits and make things work in so many different ways, so I am very excited to share some tips today!

When it comes to tailoring your Lolita wardrobe and making it cohesive, there are a few things that are very important to know.

1. What cuts and styles suit you best, and what is more comfortable for you.

2. How often you wear Lolita, and where do you wear it.

3. What substyle of Lolita, as well as your style out of Lolita, you wear most of the time.

Let's begin!


Cuts and Styles of Lolita Garments

The most common cuts and other garment structures in Lolita dresses are:

A-Line

Just-Waist

Babydoll

Some common collar styles in blouses are:

High Collar

Peter Pan

Low-Neckline

There are many different structures to Lolita dresses, blouses, and skirts, so the most important thing is to find the different cuts and structures you believe not only look great on you and are tailored to your height and body, but are also more comfortable for you. So here are some great tips if you want to get the most out of Lolita.

If you know how to sew and you're pretty confident in it, here are some things I personally believe you should know how to do when it comes to Lolita.

1. How to hem and sew on lace.
2. How to replace a zipper.
3. How to sew buttonholes, and how to sew on buttons.
4. How to make a shirring panel.
5. How to embroider!

BABY THE STARS SHINE BRIGHT Rose Embroidery JSK
Kamikaze Girls (2004)

If you don't know how to sew, or if your skills are not on a professional level, here are a few very little things you can learn to do that can make a big difference in a dress.

1. How to replace a button.
2. How to tie a back ribbon with a waist tie.
3. How to make a little bow to attach anywhere on a dress.
4. How to add details to any accessory such as a hat, headband, etc.
5. How to make accessories!

(You can easily look for many tutorials on Pinterest! I will post some tutorials of my own at a later time!)

Or if you are willing and able to invest and get the best out of Lolita, get to know a good tailor!

I'm not just saying that because I'm looking to be one, I'm saying this so that you can get to know someone who could make your dream dress fit YOU comfortably, whatever body type you have!

It comes to show, you don't have to fit yourself to the dress when it is much easier to make the dress fit you!


When to wear Lolita

Depending on the person, Lolita can be worn anytime one wishes to wear it.
However, it is known for being an impractical fashion style.

So another important thing to consider when making up your wardrobe is how often you wear Lolita and where will you wear it to! Consider these questions the next time you think about splurging on something you may not even wear as often as you would like to.

What do you do for work and/or school?

What do you do for fun?

How often do you go to Lolita meetups/events?

For example:

I plan to work in an office once I finish school, so let's say I get an office job.
Of course, professional attire is required.

Misako Aoki

With college this semester, I have early morning classes, which means I wouldn't have much time to get ready unless I woke up at 5:30 every morning.
So I most likely may not wear Lolita as much as I would like to during the day, or I have to keep it simple. Also, I have to carry a lot such as my books, and my bento box, since I'm at school for a big majority of the day.

ALICE AND THE PIRATES
DIDOLuLaLa Regimental OP

BABY THE STARS SHINE BRIGHT
School Bag

What I like to do for fun is shopping, going out for tea and macarons, sewing or blogging at home, going to small rock band shows, and a little bit of traveling every now and then!
So I like to be on the go most of the time, but I also like to be comfortable at home.

From the movie adaptation of
Musashino-Sen no Shimai

As for meetups/events, there are not a lot of meetups around my area, and the nearest ones are usually very far, so I don't attend meetups or events as much as I want to. When I do, I prefer to dress and pack light.

After knowing all of that, I can prioritize what types of Lolita dresses, skirts,  bags, and blouses work best with my wardrobe, how many of each I should have, what to invest more in, etc.

It becomes a lot easier to make your wardrobe work together very well, and it saves you quite a bit of money, and maybe some room in your closet!


Substyles of Lolita

The top three most common Lolita substyles are:

Gothic

Twilight of the Rose ~Bride of the Death~ OP

ALICE AND THE PIRATES

Sweet

Kira☆Kira Parfait OP
BABY THE STARS SHINE BRIGHT

Classic

Lady Victorian Rose Jewelry ~A Wish on the Rose Petals~ OP
BABY THE STARS SHINE BRIGHT

When buying Lolita dresses, I believe it is very efficient to have a cohesive wardrobe for both your "normal" clothes, and for Lolita. It makes the wardrobe look more put together, and it makes it a lot easier to choose what to wear for the week!

For example, I like to incorporate my own Lolita accessories into my normal clothes, and vice versa, so I buy normal clothes that have frills, lace, etc. and fit into my general color scheme in Lolita fashion, which for me, the main color is black, and I sometimes wear white and/or pastels such as light pink, lavender, and sax, and the occasional gobelin print!

Sonnet for Juliet Gobelins JSK
BABY THE STARS SHINE BRIGHT

(If you're not one for incorporating Lolita into your every day wear, then that's okay! What's important is what works best for you!)

I believe it is very efficient and less stressful when your entire wardrobe just works together and looks great, so get creative with it!

So those are my tips on how to tailor your Lolita wardrobe and make it work well for you!

Thank you for reading this Lolita Blog Carnival entry!

Please have a look at these other blogs below!

The Bloody Tea Party

Cupcakes and Unicorns
In Love with a Dream

-Blandis