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[Otakumina]

I've been doing lolita fashions for a couple years now, and personally, I enjoy spicing things up a bit sometimes. I do things such as cyberpunk-loli, hardgoth-loli, neko-loli, I even did a raver-loli once. Maybe I'm just a rebel, but I find it fun to "stretch the rules" a little, if there are ANY rules about fashion at all, this isnt high society wear in my opinion, so why should I act like it? Fashion involves design and creativity, if you don't have fun wearing something, why wear it at all? As long as you feel good, that's what really matters. and its always fun to turn a few heads too. ^_~

[penny_dreadful]

I have never adhered to the idea that fashion has "rules" (although there definitely is such a thing as a fashion faux-pas), and I can't stand fashion elitism, but I think if you're going to get involved in a style you should at least know where it's coming from. It's more fun to break the rules if you actually know what they are in the first place. Besides, if someone calls you on a misstep you should always be able to say, "I know... I just don't care."

--Penny

[tsuoi_kaze]

This helps alot. I've been wanting to try my hand at EGL for a whie and this is very helpful! I really like the way it looks, and now I'll kno some of the rules for when I try it so that it won'e be as messed up.

[Ororo Howlett]

LOL If it's "fashion", then why does it have rules? I get the feeling that the same Loli's who strictly adhere to these rules, are also the one's who act very elitist (not to mention very unloli-like) and make fun of others who don't follow their rules on what this fashion should look like. It's kinda like "Follow our dogma, or be subject to ridicule!". Kinda like Joan and Melissa Rivers. I wanna know what makes these people think they're such experts.

Some of the nicest looking "Lolis" I have seen don't follow the rules, unnatural makeup and all. I love themed Lolis and Catgirl Lolis. And yes, EGL is just a costume for some people... including me *shock & awe*.

If people decide they want to dress like this everyday, then more power to 'em. Just don't expect everyone else to have the same ideals as you

[Hikaruhime]

Since so many of you thought it was okay, I went ahead and bought a lavender petticoat on eBay. I was shocked that I found one, in the right color and length for $25.00. o.O; I got it in today and it actually looks cute underneath. Thanks for everyone's opinions. ^^

[chocochewiness]

Lolita is more of a subculture than a fashion. Even though alot of the rules are stupid and pointless, but try to follow the reasonable ones and the fashion rules at least. Every single fashion has certain rules of what makes it that certain style. Oh, and never i mean, ever piss off a hardcore lolitist. (learned it the hard way T_T)

Personally, I prefer to stick to my white petticoats since no one will ever see them. If you want it to match your outfit, I suggest lining the petticoat with ribbons. But for once, I'd like to try a hot pink or neon green petticoat, just for fun. ^_^

[Meiki]

I personally think it's fine to take certain liberties. But if you take really drastic ones it's just not going to look like the fashion anymore.

I don't consider myself an elitest in the least, I'm not about to make fun of people just because their skirt is the right length. Adhering to the rules does not an elitist make, that's a silly idea.

The purpose of this was merely to give people who are new to the fashion an idea of what it traditionally entails, and a bit of a warning that there are sites out there that will rip you to shreds.

[TsukikoAiko]

Thank you for writing this it's helped me a lot! Thanks to you I know I can run around in my white tights while in my Sweet Loli dress. I may have a nice figure but I am a very modest person and I don't like showing skin. I guess the lolita fashion works well for me^-^

[jessio]

I don't think the person who wrote this meant it to say "Follow these rules or I'll laugh at you and you'll be ugly!" I think she's writing it to help you dress to fit a certain aesthetic feel, if you want to.
I know what she means when she said she was sort of afraid to write this. I really hate it when people jump on other people for explaining the fashion. You can take what you want from it. I personally don't care if you do it strange or in a different creative way, but it can't be still classified as lolita if you change it too much.
But good guide ^_^

[TsukikoAiko]

Originally Posted by jessio

I don't think the person who wrote this meant it to say "Follow these rules or I'll laugh at you and you'll be ugly!" I think she's writing it to help you dress to fit a certain aesthetic feel, if you want to.
I know what she means when she said she was sort of afraid to write this. I really hate it when people jump on other people for explaining the fashion. You can take what you want from it. I personally don't care if you do it strange or in a different creative way, but it can't be still classified as lolita if you change it too much.
But good guide ^_^

*nods* Your absolutely right. I guess my thing is if I'm doing something that's going to get picked apart I want to do it as accuratly as possible.

[Ororo Howlett]

But shouldn't fashion be worn for the fun of it? Yes, some fashions do have very specific guidelines and examples, but every individual has their own style. What one finds gorgeous another may consider hideous and vice-versa. The thing is, someone can pick apart your attire no matter what, even if you're dressed "accurately". Hell, someone can call you out for wearing a color they deem ugly... not that it's "inappropriate", they just don't like it. You can't please everyone.

I'm not trying to start some petty argument. I don't think anyone is jumping on Meiki, I know I didn't mean to. If she thinks I did, I apologize. I just think it's a more than a little misleading that if you follow the rules, no one will pick on you. If they want to, they will, and they'll use their own tastes instead of the obvious.

Example*: A loli in all white. Bonnet, skirt, socks, all of it. No cheap lace, or fishnets, no obvious don'ts are present.

Person 1: White boots are sooo ugly and she looks like a drag queen with all that make up.

Person 2: But the boots match her outfit, it would have looked odd if they were a different color. She would have looked half dead if she didn't wear makeup. It was a photoshoot afterall.

Person 1: Well she shouldn't have worn white anyway, she's fat enough as is and it's making her look even bigger. White boots = fail! I bet she looks fugly without all that muck on her face. She's disgusting either way, LOL!

*= actual convo I was involved in.

Nobody should care if they're bashed by a group that has a large, rigid object firmly lodged into it's collective posterior. They have their own anal retentive issues to deal with

[jessio]

But shouldn't fashion be worn for the fun of it? Yes, some fashions do have very specific guidelines and examples, but every individual has their own style. What one finds gorgeous another may consider hideous and vice-versa. The thing is, someone can pick apart your attire no matter what, even if you're dressed "accurately". Hell, someone can call you out for wearing a color they deem ugly... not that it's "inappropriate", they just don't like it. You can't please everyone.

I'm not trying to start some petty argument. I don't think anyone is jumping on Meiki, I know I didn't mean to. If she thinks I did, I apologize. I just think it's a more than a little misleading that if you follow the rules, no one will pick on you. If they want to, they will, and they'll use their own tastes instead of the obvious.

People should definitely wear whatever they think is gorgeous. If you think glol-neko-maids are adorable and have the best style, go for it! I also like some regular preppy style clothes, so I wear them too.
But people will make fun of you/think you look dumb/talk behind your back for wearing any kind of loli anyways. Wearing bloomers and a petticoat is really weird in modern times. It's just something you have to accept if you want to wear it outside of a convention or Halloween.

[Ororo Howlett]

Originally Posted by jessio

But people will make fun of you/think you look dumb/talk behind your back for wearing any kind of loli anyways. Wearing bloomers and a petticoat is really weird in modern times. It's just something you have to accept if you want to wear it outside of a convention or Halloween.

I agree. And not just loli clothing, some people will ridicule somebody else for no other reason than their own enjoyment... but that's neither here nor there

[Meiki]

Well obviously people are going to make fun of you at one point or another. That's something that automatically comes with dressing differently than the norm, as well as cosplaying, and life for that matter. But if you walk around in shiny stripper boots, cat ears, fishnets, a petticoat, and white face, calling it lolita, there's a good 99% chance that you will end up somewhere on the internet being ridiculed.

I follow the rules for the most part, because I don't see the fashion as a costume. I wear it on a fairly day to day basis. And I realize that most people don't, I've never even seen so much as another loli in public. But the people who take too many liberties with the fashion are frankly setting a bad example for new people invovled in the fashion. There's a certain point where it stops looking anything like the original, and people assume that's what the fashion is supposed to look like because it's labeled as such. The main reason that I made this thread in the first place was just to give a good example of what exactly is widely considered the norm for lolita fashion.

I realize that noones trying to attack me or anything, but I do feel a little alone in my side of the argument around here.

[jessio]

Don't worry, I'm on your side ^__^