New to the world of Lolita!

[Cossette_Sena15]

I just really got into lolita and although I have made a cosplay dress for a gothic lolita styled anime, I am looking to get into the style. I bought the 22 volume of gothic lolita bible and it gave me some great ideas. I was wondering what ideas on begining my submersion into lolita other people had and what advice they could give. One of my big questions is: Where do I start?

[chrissymash]

Think...

Elegant!

Not just for EGL, thats how most lolita styles are.

Dignified

I think people should'nt just think of this as a 'style'
Its how people act, move, etc...
I don't know if you know what I mean...

Sorry if I was no help

luve hugs
XXX

[penny_dreadful]

Would that anime be, by any chance, Le Portrait de Petite Cosette? Just a guess...

...And if it is, DARK!

There are so many types of lolita. It depends on what your personal style runs to-- gothy, punky, sweet, elegant, weird; do you like looking like an explosion in a cupcake and lace factory or do you prefer to keep your lines cleaner? You've got the G&LB and you've seen the designs in there; I would pick a few that catch your eye and try to design an outfit that combines the best of each in an eye-pleasing fashion.

If you want to get into the community, try finding lolita meet-ups, tea parties, that sort of thing in your area, and of course find out what the loli presence is at any cons you'll be attending.

--PD

[Cossette_Sena15]

Think...

Elegant!

Not just for EGL, thats how most lolita styles are.

Dignified

I think people should'nt just think of this as a 'style'
Its how people act, move, etc...
I don't know if you know what I mean...

Sorry if I was no help

luve hugs
XXX
my definition of style includes all those things, I probably should have explained that. and yes you helped, the thought of think elegant helps.

[aoisakura]

<- points to the Lolita Rules + Etiquette thread

There some ideas maybe on ways to act, though a whole lot of people belive lolita is "just a fashion" with no subculture involved >_>

[Cossette_Sena15]

Would that anime be, by any chance, Le Portrait de Petite Cosette? Just a guess...

...And if it is, DARK!

There are so many types of lolita. It depends on what your personal style runs to-- gothy, punky, sweet, elegant, weird; do you like looking like an explosion in a cupcake and lace factory or do you prefer to keep your lines cleaner? You've got the G&LB and you've seen the designs in there; I would pick a few that catch your eye and try to design an outfit that combines the best of each in an eye-pleasing fashion.

If you want to get into the community, try finding lolita meet-ups, tea parties, that sort of thing in your area, and of course find out what the loli presence is at any cons you'll be attending.

--PD yes it is le portrait de petite cossette. and my style is definitely gothic. thank you very much for your input, it helped me come up with a really neat design that I'm going to make as soon as I can.

[Cossette_Sena15]

Oh I also would like to know what your parents think of lolita, if they understand it, do they think it's weird and such. I would like to know because if I were to wear a lolita dress while not at a con which I plan to do, my mother would probably think I had fallen off my rocker. BTW: I am in high school that why this really maters to me.

[Fiona LeFae]

Oh, dear. The ever-burning acceptance of family.
Once I wore something vaguely loli around my stepdad, more resembling Emilie Autumn (http://www.emilieautumn.com) than loli, and he said I looked like a porn star and I had to change. But that's the worst of it, really.
My mother is very accepting of my eccentric style, whilst my older brothers and real father roll their eyes whenever I'm around.
but yeah, you'll have to get used to everyone (not just your family) looking at you funny and making comments. It's a fact of life if you're not decked out head-to-toe in Abercrombie&Fitch.

Love,
A very cynical Fifi LeFae

[aoisakura]

My mum (when I lived with my rents) used to think I was a bit strange but she used to dress me in Shirly Temple (The little girl version of Emily Temple) and stuff so she was used to it she even used to curl my hair for me (as I'm rubbish at it XD)

[Cossette_Sena15]

Oh, dear. The ever-burning acceptance of family.
Once I wore something vaguely loli around my stepdad, more resembling Emilie Autumn (http://www.emilieautumn.com) than loli, and he said I looked like a porn star and I had to change. But that's the worst of it, really.
My mother is very accepting of my eccentric style, whilst my older brothers and real father roll their eyes whenever I'm around.
but yeah, you'll have to get used to everyone (not just your family) looking at you funny and making comments. It's a fact of life if you're not decked out head-to-toe in Abercrombie&Fitch.

Love,
A very cynical Fifi LeFae I already get looked at werid for my unique punk/goth style.

[Fiona LeFae]

I already get looked at werid for my unique punk/goth style.
Go you.
Love,
Fifi

[feytaline]

Wow, I'm really impressed you asked. You're already getting lots of different opinions, and I think that's giving a fair representation of what the gothic & lolita community is really like.

To some people it's merely a fashion they engage in, not their entire life. One thing to always remember about gothic & lolita fashion is that many people have many different opinions on what it is, how it should be worn, and how one should act while wearing it.

Personally I think if you're going to wear something that nice and cute, you should do your best to make it look good as you wear it, as well. You know, not crossing your legs at the knee, not smoking, being polite... but I also know that some people rather enjoy the paradox of being really cute and gothic & lolita, but acting like their typical selves. Really, its your own decision to make.

Also, keep in mind that gothic & lolita are not seperate terms. It is not a gothic fashion with promiscuous little girl elements, as many people assume its literal meaning is. The simpliest way I've seen to describe it (though it still fails to capture the enormity of this fashion) is that gothic & lolita is about looking pretty and cute, not sexy. Really, it's very difficult to define what exactly is gothic & lolita.

There are lots of fans, followers, etc. on-line for gothic & lolita. Please be careful. If you're sensitive, be doubly-careful. Not all gothic & lolita girls act as sweet as they look. Many are snobby, spiteful, and there are some that adore drama. And many more are kind, helpful, and encouraging. You will probably learn the difference between someone trashing your outfit and someone offering you constructive criticism quickly!

Beware that not everyone agrees on 'what is loli' or not. You might spend hours on an outfit you think is perfectly gosu-rori, and get flamed til you're a crisp for posting it in a lolita community! Really, the Bibles and brand-name websites are great resources most of the time for finding what is and isn't gothic lolita.

It also helps to learn the terms, and know how different people use them. For example, a lot of websites and conventions use the term "EGL" to describe all gothic & lolita fashion (because they don't want the negative connotation the word 'lolita' has.) However, many of Mana's fans flip out over this simple term, because he supposedly coined it to describe his clothing line and his clothing line only. (I say supposedly because I haven't firsthand seen this account, and it could be misinformation. Or it could be true. I think it sounds genuine.)

Be careful who you share your pictures with, ESPECIALLY when just starting out. There are a lot of 'lolisnobs' out there who create entire websites and communities for making fun of those who are 'not loli.' They may link to your photos, which is legal, or just outright steal them and load them onto thier own server, which is not. Try not to let it get to you.

One of the most helpful and friendly communities I have found is the Livejournal community EGL http://egl.livejournal.com . There is a huge variety of members, and many of them are very helpful. Plus, there is always something cute for sale...

The best advice I can give you to remember is "Wear what looks good on you." Even if it looks great on someone in the Bibles, it doesn't mean it will fit you correctly (unlikely, since most brands are one-size only and Japanese proportions can be a little different) or look as good on you. Dress neatly, don't be overly revealing, and wear what you like, and you'll be fine.

Hope this all helps!

[Cossette_Sena15]

Wow, I'm really impressed you asked. You're already getting lots of different opinions, and I think that's giving a fair representation of what the gothic & lolita community is really like.

To some people it's merely a fashion they engage in, not their entire life. One thing to always remember about gothic & lolita fashion is that many people have many different opinions on what it is, how it should be worn, and how one should act while wearing it.

Personally I think if you're going to wear something that nice and cute, you should do your best to make it look good as you wear it, as well. You know, not crossing your legs at the knee, not smoking, being polite... but I also know that some people rather enjoy the paradox of being really cute and gothic & lolita, but acting like their typical selves. Really, its your own decision to make.

Also, keep in mind that gothic & lolita are not seperate terms. It is not a gothic fashion with promiscuous little girl elements, as many people assume its literal meaning is. The simpliest way I've seen to describe it (though it still fails to capture the enormity of this fashion) is that gothic & lolita is about looking pretty and cute, not sexy. Really, it's very difficult to define what exactly is gothic & lolita.

There are lots of fans, followers, etc. on-line for gothic & lolita. Please be careful. If you're sensitive, be doubly-careful. Not all gothic & lolita girls act as sweet as they look. Many are snobby, spiteful, and there are some that adore drama. And many more are kind, helpful, and encouraging. You will probably learn the difference between someone trashing your outfit and someone offering you constructive criticism quickly!

Beware that not everyone agrees on 'what is loli' or not. You might spend hours on an outfit you think is perfectly gosu-rori, and get flamed til you're a crisp for posting it in a lolita community! Really, the Bibles and brand-name websites are great resources most of the time for finding what is and isn't gothic lolita.

It also helps to learn the terms, and know how different people use them. For example, a lot of websites and conventions use the term "EGL" to describe all gothic & lolita fashion (because they don't want the negative connotation the word 'lolita' has.) However, many of Mana's fans flip out over this simple term, because he supposedly coined it to describe his clothing line and his clothing line only. (I say supposedly because I haven't firsthand seen this account, and it could be misinformation. Or it could be true. I think it sounds genuine.)

Be careful who you share your pictures with, ESPECIALLY when just starting out. There are a lot of 'lolisnobs' out there who create entire websites and communities for making fun of those who are 'not loli.' They may link to your photos, which is legal, or just outright steal them and load them onto thier own server, which is not. Try not to let it get to you.

One of the most helpful and friendly communities I have found is the Livejournal community EGL http://egl.livejournal.com . There is a huge variety of members, and many of them are very helpful. Plus, there is always something cute for sale...

The best advice I can give you to remember is "Wear what looks good on you." Even if it looks great on someone in the Bibles, it doesn't mean it will fit you correctly (unlikely, since most brands are one-size only and Japanese proportions can be a little different) or look as good on you. Dress neatly, don't be overly revealing, and wear what you like, and you'll be fine.

Hope this all helps!
Thank you very much, that was helpful although I already heard most of it in the Gothic Lolita panel at Otakon 2006.

[feytaline]

:;scatches head nervously:; Well... that might have been cause I was one of the panelists. ::laughs:: I need new material!

[Cossette_Sena15]

:;scatches head nervously:; Well... that might have been cause I was one of the panelists. ::laughs:: I need new material! I thought so but I wasn't sure, I was the girl dressed as cossette from le portrait de petite cossette.