An example of the (lighty) gothic lolita - Harajuku area in Shibuya, Tokyo

Gothic Lolita or "GothLoli" (ゴスロリ, gosurori^?, sometimes "Loli-Goth") has two definitions. Harajuku (原宿 "meadow lodging" is the common name for the area around Harajuku Station on the Yamanote Line in the Shibuya ward is one of the 23 special wards of Tokyo, Japan. As of 2008 it had an estimated Population of 208371 and a density of 13540 persons officially, is one of the 47 prefectures of Japan and located on the eastern side of the main island Honshū. The term "Gothic and Lolita" is used by the Japanese to describe a sub-culture of teenagers who wear a wide range of fashions. It is used by English language sources mainly to describe a specific subset of Lolita fashion. Lolita is a Fashion Subculture in Japan that is primarily influenced by Victorian children’s clothing as well as costumes from the Rococo

History of terminology used by English language fandom

Among English language fandom, the term Elegant Gothic Lolita was originally used to describe a sub-set of Lolita fashion that was either all black, or mostly black with white accents. Elegant Gothic Lolita (EGL is an off-shoot of Lolita fashion –style clothing popularized by Japanese musician and fashion designer Mana. Lolita is a Fashion Subculture in Japan that is primarily influenced by Victorian children’s clothing as well as costumes from the Rococo However, there are many subsets within 'Gothic Lolita,' including, but not limited shirorori (white lolita), kurorori (black lolita), gurorori (Gory or grotesque lolita), and punk lolita. Black (kuro) and white (shiro) lolitas wear all black and white respectively, guro lolitas are often defined by bandages and an "injured" appearance, and punk lolita adds a punk touch to lolita fashion. There are fashions similar in feeling to gothic lolita but they are not regarded by the gothic lolita community as authentic, rather "lolita-styled".

Elegant Gothic Lolita (EGL) is a term coined by Mana (Guitarist and leader of Moi dix Mois and Malice Mizer, creator of clothing line Moi-même-Moitié). Mana is a Japanese musician and fashion designer famed for his role as a leader and guitarist of the influential Visual kei band Malice Mizer. Moi dix Mois is a Japanese musical project founded by Malice Mizer 's front Mana. Malice Mizer (マリス・ミゼル Marisu Mizeru) is a Japanese rock band and part of the country's Visual kei movement Moi-même-Moitié is the Gothic Lolita fashion label of Mana, the former co-founder and guitarist of the Visual It can be considered a more mature version of gothic lolita, often worn by older teens and young women. The male 'counter-part' to EGL is EGA (Elegant Gothic Aristocrat); it is very tailored and stream-lined, both being mostly black and white. However, the term Gothloli (gosurori) is used by some foreigners to describe anyone in gothic or lolita.

Gothic lolita fashion is regarded by some of its adherents as more than simple dress, and can be an etiquette and mindset as well. In magazines/written works devoted to lolita fashion, this is also emphasized by advice given on how to behave and modest use of makeup. Some lolita just like the clothing/scene though; they are likely to have read this material, but may not actually follow any of it.

The style

Lolita fashion draws much of its inspiration from Rococo, Victorian-style and Edwardian fashion and often aims to imitate the look of Victorian children or porcelain dolls. Lolita is a Fashion Subculture in Japan that is primarily influenced by Victorian children’s clothing as well as costumes from the Rococo Rococo is a style of 18th century French art and Interior design. The term " Victorian Fashion " refers to Fashion in Clothing in the Victorian era, or the reign of Queen Victoria (1837&ndash1901 Class and society Socially the Edwardian era was a period during which the British Class system was very rigid A doll is an object that represents a baby or other human being but includes likenesses of animals and imaginary creatures Gothic Lolita applies the aesthetics of Gothic fashion to the childlike, pretty Lolita fashion. Gothic fashion is a clothing style worn by members of the Goth subculture. Lolita is a Fashion Subculture in Japan that is primarily influenced by Victorian children’s clothing as well as costumes from the Rococo The word Gothloli comes, quite naturally, from a combination of Lolita and Gothic fashion. Lolita is a Fashion Subculture in Japan that is primarily influenced by Victorian children’s clothing as well as costumes from the Rococo Gothic fashion is a clothing style worn by members of the Goth subculture. ^[1]

Gothic Lolita is the best-known of the various "Lolita" looks. Lolita is a Fashion Subculture in Japan that is primarily influenced by Victorian children’s clothing as well as costumes from the Rococo Other categories include "Classic Lolita", which is often more mature-looking and contains more muted colors and floral prints and "Sweet Lolita" which is identified by childish pastel colors and cute prints. Lolita is a Fashion Subculture in Japan that is primarily influenced by Victorian children’s clothing as well as costumes from the Rococo Lolita is a Fashion Subculture in Japan that is primarily influenced by Victorian children’s clothing as well as costumes from the Rococo

Gothic Lolita style is usually a combination of black and white, often black with white lace and typically decorated with ribbons and lace trims. Skirts are knee length and may have a crinoline or petticoat to add volume. A skirt is a tube- or cone-shaped Garment that hangs from the Waist and covers all or part of the Legs In European culture, skirts are usually Crinoline was originally a stiff fabric with a Weft of Horse-hair and a warp of Cotton or Linen thread. A petticoat or underskirt is an article of Clothing for Women; specifically an Undergarment to be worn under a Skirt, dress or As in mainstream Japanese fashion, over-knee socks or stockings are popular. White or black tights are also common. Boots, rockinghorse shoes, or child-like shoes such as Mary Janes complete the look. Mary Jane is an American term (formerly trademarked for a kind of strap Shoe or sandal that typically has low heels broad and rounded closed toes Frilly, ruffled or lace-trimmed Victorian blouses are also popular with Gothic Lolitas and designs are usually modest, sometimes with long lace-capped sleeves and/or high-necked blouses. The term " Victorian Fashion " refers to Fashion in Clothing in the Victorian era, or the reign of Queen Victoria (1837&ndash1901 The word blouse most commonly refers to a woman's Shirt, although the term is also used for some men's military uniform jackets Standards of modesty (also called demureness or reticence) are aspects of the Culture of a Country or people at a given point in time

Some additions may include mini top hats, parasols, and lace headdresses, which resemble wide, elegantly decorated headbands. For the item of clothing see Top hat. For the fictional TUGS character see Top Hat (TUGS. "Parasol" redirects here For other uses see Umbrella (disambiguation, Umbrella (song or Parasol (disambiguation Other popular Lolita headgear are ribbons, lace or bows, an alice band with a bow or sometimes even a bonnet. Headgear, headwear or headdress is the name given to any element of Clothing which is worn on one's head. A headband is a clothing accessory worn in the Hair or around the Forehead, usually to hold hair away from the Face or Eyes A bonnet is a kind of Headgear which is usually brimless Only a few kinds of bonnets are still worn today most commonly by babies Hair is sometimes curled, or a curled wig is worn to complete the porcelain doll look. Blonde and black are the most popular hair colors, though as the fashion continues to develop, other colors (such as brown and red) are increasing in popularity.

Lolita outfits may be accessorized with other props like handbags, small backpacks and purses, sometimes in the shape of bats, coffins, and crucifixes, as well as conspicuous pocket books, pocket watches, and hat boxes. A theatrical property, commonly referred to as a prop, is any object held or used on stage by an Actor for use in furthering the plot or story line of a Theatrical A coffin (also known as a casket in North American English) is a funerary Box used in the display and containment of deceased remains – either for A crucifix (from Latin cruci fixus meaning "(one fixed to a cross" is a cross with a representation of Jesus ' body or corpus Teddy bears and other stuffed animals are also common, and some brands make special "gothic" teddy bears out of black leather or PVC. Some Lolitas own Super Dollfies or other ball-jointed dolls and carry them when wearing the style, often going so far as to dress them to match. often abbreviated SD, is a brand of Ball-jointed doll, or BJD, made by the Japanese company Volks.

History

The lolita style began in the 1970's with brands such as Milk and Pink House making outfits that resembled Canada's Anne of Green Gables (which is widely loved in Japan) and, to a lesser extent, Little House on the Prairie. Anne of Green Gables is a book by Canadian author Lucy Maud Montgomery published in 1908 Angelic Pretty opened in 1979, Baby The Stars Shine Bright opened in the 80's, and Moi-meme-Moitie opened in 1999.

Mana, ex-Malice Mizer (co-founded with Kozi, also guitar), is widely credited for having helped popularize Gothic Lolita, though he is not a founder of the style. Mana is a Japanese musician and fashion designer famed for his role as a leader and guitarist of the influential Visual kei band Malice Mizer. He coined the terms "Elegant Gothic Lolita" (EGL) and "Elegant Gothic Aristocrat" (EGA) to describe the style of his own fashion label Moi-même-Moitié, which was founded in 1999. Elegant Gothic Lolita (EGL is an off-shoot of Lolita fashion –style clothing popularized by Japanese musician and fashion designer Mana. Elegant Gothic Aristocrat (EGA or Elegant Gothic Lolita (EGL is a subset of Gothic Lolita fashion popular in Japan Moi-même-Moitié is the Gothic Lolita fashion label of Mana, the former co-founder and guitarist of the Visual Other influential figures in the scene include the singer Kana, who often modeled for Lolita related fashion magazines, and Mitsukazu Mihara, who drew the first eight covers of the Gothic & Lolita Bible. is a Japanese pop and rock singer She is also a toy designer illustrator and a fashion designer is an influential Japanese illustrator credited with helping shape the GothLoli look through her work in the "Gothic & Lolita Bible" as well as in other subsequent manga (notably

Gothic Lolita culture

In Japan it is mass-marketed, though not widely worn, but has visibility particularly in the streets of Tokyo and Osaka, on television, in manga (see Paradise Kiss) and computer games. Mass Marketing is a market coverage strategy in which a firm decides to ignore market segment differences and go after the whole market with one offer officially, is one of the 47 prefectures of Japan and located on the eastern side of the main island Honshū. is a city in Japan, located at the mouth of the Yodo River on Osaka Bay, in the Kansai region of the main island of Honshū ˈmɑŋgə is the Japanese word for Comics (sometimes called komikku コミック and print Cartoons In their modern form manga date from shortly abbreviated to "ParaKiss" by fans is a 5 volume Manga series originally published in Shodensha's Zipper magazine which has been adapted into a 12 episode A video game is a Game that involves interaction with a User interface to generate visual feedback on a video device. The fashion is being picked up worldwide, thanks to the foreign publication of Japanese magazine anthology FRUiTS, where the outstanding style actually blends in with the other quirky teen trends in Japan. Fruits (written "FRUiTS" is a Japanese Fashion magazine covering the fashions of the Harajuku district of Tokyo, established More "faithful" adherents to the style take many influences from the Rococo and |Victorian periods of European history, believing it to be in the nature of a Lolita to be respectful, polite, and demure at all times; even more extreme adherents are often known to attempt to cultivate interest in hobbies or activities considered appropriate to high-society ladies during these periods, such as needlework, opera, classical and baroque styles of music, painting, sewing, and the traditional observance of high tea. Rococo is a style of 18th century French art and Interior design. Culture The Victorian fascination with novelty resulted in a deep interest in the relationship between modernity and cultural continuities Opera is an art form in which Singers and Musicians perform a Dramatic work (called an opera which combines a text (called a Libretto Classical music is a broad term that usually refers to mainstream music produced in or rooted in the traditions of Western liturgical and Secular music Baroque art redirects here Please disambiguate such links to Baroque painting, Baroque sculpture, etc Depending on a country's customs tea can refer to any of several different meals or mealtimes For the most part, however, most Lolitas live a day-to-day life very similar to any average person.

Lolita outside of Japan

Outside of Japan, the Lolita fashion is still widely unknown; however, it has slowly begun to spread to other countries. Lolita, along with cosplay and other Japanese cultural phenomena, can sometimes be seen at concerts and anime conventions throughout Canada (see Anime North),the UK, Australia, New Zealand, Brazil, France, the Netherlands and the United States, although certain individuals truly committed to the fashion will confirm that Gothic Lolita is not a fancy dress costume, rather, a way of life. short for "costume play" is a type of performance art whose participants outfit themselves with often-elaborate Costumes and Accessories, as a specific (anime in Japanese, Anime North is a Non-profit, fan-run Anime convention, held every year in Toronto, Ontario. The style has not yet been mass marketed outside of Japan, though small, stores based outside of Japan are starting to emerge and a store selling the style, itself called "Gothic Lolita" opened in early 2007 on a prominent stretch of Elizabeth Street in central Melbourne.

Major brands, such as Metamorphose temps de fille, Angelic Pretty, h. Naoto and Baby, The Stars Shine Bright have recognized the international recognition of lolita fashion, and have begun to ship goods to the international market. Angelic Pretty is a name of a Japanese fashion company specializing in Lolita fashion, created in 1979 Naoto Hirooka, better known as H Naoto (born 1978 is a Japanese Avant-garde Fashion designer. (Shortened to Baby or BTSSB) is the name of a Japanese clothing boutique chain created in 1988 by Akinori Isobe and his wife Fumiyo This is still not very widespread, as many of the clothes produced by non-Japanese designers are not accepted by the Lolita community for being inaccurately portraying the style as related to the British 'goth' or French maid look, and not as high quality as the expensive Japanese brand clothes. Lolita magazines are widely available for purchase on the internet and at Japanese bookstores, which also deal in anime and manga. (anime in Japanese, ˈmɑŋgə is the Japanese word for Comics (sometimes called komikku コミック and print Cartoons In their modern form manga date from shortly

Shopping

Currently the commercial center of the Gothic Lolita subculture is the Marui Young department store in Shinjuku, after its predecessor Marui One closed at the end of August 2004. is one of the 23 Special wards of Tokyo, Japan. It is a major commercial and administrative center housing the busiest train station in the world ( Shinjuku Station This large youth-fashion oriented department store has 4 floors entirely devoted to Gothloli and related fashions. Some Gothloli boutiques may be found in the area between Harajuku and Shibuya. Harajuku (原宿 "meadow lodging" is the common name for the area around Harajuku Station on the Yamanote Line in the Shibuya ward is one of the 23 special wards of Tokyo, Japan. As of 2008 it had an estimated Population of 208371 and a density of 13540 persons

Goth and Lolita

Lolita as a fashion is not as strongly associated with a particular style of music or outside interests as Goth, and individual followers of Lolita fashion may listen to a wide variety of music, from Classic music to pop and rock. Pop music as a genre features a noticeable rhythmic element catchy melodies and hooks, a mainstream style and conventional structure Rock music is a genre of Popular music often though not necessarily employing Electric guitar, Bass guitar, and Drums.

In Japan, Goth is a minor subculture with few followers, partly because the emphasis upon visual identity in Japanese youth culture makes other factors such as music and literature less important signifies and perhaps partly because Christianity is a minor religion here. The goth subculture is a contemporary Subculture found in many countries Christianity ( Greek Χριστιανισμός from the word Xριστός ( Christ)is a monotheistic Religion centered on the life and teachings In Japan, people who have heard the term "Goth" usually assume that it is simply a contraction of "Gothic Lolita", except for the Goths themselves, who strongly emphasize the differences. Likewise, some non-Japanese observers assume that "Gothic Lolita" is the Japanese version of "Goth", purely on the similarities in fashion.

Previously in Tokyo, the largest "goth" club events, such as "Tokyo Dark Castle", would also attract a noticeable proportion of Gothic Lolita customers. However, since 2005 their numbers have dwindled and such events now primarily attract more typical goth, industrial and metal music fans. Concerts of visual kei themed bands are often attended by many Lolitas, but conversely, few goths.

Anime and Manga

Gothic Lolita costumes appear frequently in anime art. Wikipe-tan appears here as an example of this.

More often than not, "Lolita" in anime and manga is generally considered cosplay and not genuine lolita. short for "costume play" is a type of performance art whose participants outfit themselves with often-elaborate Costumes and Accessories, as a specific

Some prominent manga and anime featuring Gothic Lolita fashion are Paradise Kiss, Coyote Ragtime Show, Le Portrait de Petit Cossette, Le Chevalier d'Eon, Rozen Maiden, Godchild, Death Note, D. Gray Man, Othello, xxxHolic, Gothic Sports, Trinity Blood, Pitaten, Vampire Knight, Venus Versus Virus, many of the works of Kaori Yuki, and all of the works of Mitsukazu Mihara. ˈmɑŋgə is the Japanese word for Comics (sometimes called komikku コミック and print Cartoons In their modern form manga date from shortly (anime in Japanese, abbreviated to "ParaKiss" by fans is a 5 volume Manga series originally published in Shodensha's Zipper magazine which has been adapted into a 12 episode is an Anime series directed by Takuya Nonaka and produced by Ufotable, which first aired in Japan on July 3 2006. is a Manga and Anime series created by Asuka Katsura. The original 2 volume manga was published in 2004 (French meaning D'Eon the Knight is a Manga by the group Peach-Pit, with an Anime series of the same name known in the English editions as Godchild, is a gothic Shōjo manga by Kaori Yuki. is a Manga series created by writer Tsugumi Ohba and illustrator Takeshi Obata. is an ongoing Japanese Manga series written and illustrated by Katsura Hoshino. is a Shōjo Manga series by Satomi Ikezawa. It was originally serialized in by Kodansha Bessatsu Friend and collected in pronounced "holic" is a Seinen Manga series planned and presented by Clamp. Gothic Sports is a German Manga created by. It focuses on a young girl named Anya who is adjusting to her new school is a series of Japanese Light novels written by Sunao Yoshida with illustrations by Thores Shibamoto and originally serialized in The Sneaker is a Japanese Manga created by Koge-Donbo which was serialized in MediaWorks' Shōnen manga magazine Dengeki Comic is a Shōjo Manga and Anime series written by Matsuri Hino. The series premiered in the January 2005 issue of LaLa magazine is a Japanese Manga series created by Atsushi Suzumi which was first serialized on June 27 2005 in MediaWorks ' Shōnen is a Manga artist (or Mangaka) The name "Kaori Yuki" is but a pen name consisting of Saitou "Yuki" is an influential Japanese illustrator credited with helping shape the GothLoli look through her work in the "Gothic & Lolita Bible" as well as in other subsequent manga (notably

The 2006 anime, Yamato Nadeshiko Shichi Henge, also known as The Wallflower, features four sisters who attend the high school of the main characters, who are called the Goth Loli sisters (Lassine, Madeline, Roxanne, and Yvone). is a Manga series written by Tomoko Hayakawa. The individual chapters have been serialized in Bessatsu Friend since its premiere in 2000 and in 21 They are depicted purely as the subject of much comedy and they always leave the scene chanting "Goth! Goth! Loli! Loli!"

In some manga, such as Othello, lolita fashion is portrayed as a method of individualizing and becoming less shy. is a Shōjo Manga series by Satomi Ikezawa. It was originally serialized in by Kodansha Bessatsu Friend and collected in Most of these titles appeal primarily to male fans rather than the lolitas themselves; however, large numbers of lolita girls are visible at manga events such as Comiket. otherwise known as the or CM, is the world's largest comic convention held twice a year in Tokyo, Japan. They often buy doujinshi based upon their favorite bands, dolls and movie characters; and some are interested in other kinds of dressing, including cosplay. are self-published Japanese works usually manga or novels They are often the work of amateurs though some professional artists participate as a way to publish material outside the regular short for "costume play" is a type of performance art whose participants outfit themselves with often-elaborate Costumes and Accessories, as a specific However, the Gothic Lolita style should not be considered a cosplay; it is an alternative fashion.

Most lolitas, especially those who wear the style on a daily basis, state that "we say we're not cosplay, but they don't listen. Of course we're not happy, but there's nothing we can do about it. " (translated from the 2ch lolita fashion messageboard introduction) The comments of this style being cosplay is usually from the otaku who only know of this fashion through anime and manga. is a Japanese term used to refer to people with obsessive interests particularly Anime, Manga, and Video games.

The Marvel Comics miniseries Livewires features a Life Model Decoy that calls herself "Gothic Lolita. Marvel Comics is an American comic book company owned by Marvel Publishing Inc In publications from Marvel Comics, a Life Model Decoy (frequently known by the abbreviation LMD) is fictional Android designed to function as an exact " "Lol" picked up the fashion while on a mission in Japan. She is described by one of her teammates as liking the idea of being the team's "Ben Grimm in black baby doll lace," Lol minimalistically describes her role as "smashing and bashing duty. The Thing ( Benjamin "Ben" Jacob Grimm) is a Fictional character, a founding member of the Superhero team known as the Fantastic Four "

See Also

Lolita Fashion

References

External links

• Lolita Page From Atlernative-Fashion.com
• Lolita Fashion.org informative website and community forums
• Lolita Handbook - Guide to Lolita fashion on Livejournal