The Japanese Lolita Look
By now we all know who Lolita is – she is the young seductress in the movie of the same name; the product of the imagination of the writer Nabokov who invented her as the original love nymph.
The Lolita look is very much in vogue right now and it originates in Japanese fashion where the look of the seductive young girl has been popular for well over a decade. Movies like Kill Bill and the anime cartoons like Sailor Moon have contributed greatly to the eroticism of the look.
There are two types of Lolita looks in Japan. The first look known as Classic Lolita has young women or attractive older women wearing dresses that are very much like ones that you would see girls from six to ten years old wear. This usually means some kind of above the knee frilly a line frock coupled with knee socks and shoes with buckles. Pink is a favourite color of the classic Lolita as is the fabric motif of bright, ripe red cherries.
The second style is called Goth Lolita or GothLoli and features the young nympho in darker colors such as black, greyand violet. The dresses are still short and school girlish but the flat little girl shoes might be replaced with high heels. With this type of look it is not uncommon to see hair pieces or pig tails added to the look. Velvet and satins are also common so the little nympho looks like she is about to attend a funeral.
There is almost always combination of black and white, often black with white lace and typically decorated with ribbons and lace trims. Skirts can have a crinoline or petticoat to add volume. As in mainstream Japanese fashion, over-knee socks or stockings are extremely popular. Black fishnet stockings and white or black tights are also common.
This look can also have a bit of a Victorian look including lace gloves, parasols, and lace head pieces. Bonnets are even worn to complete this look. The idea to be to look like a porcelain doll.
Hair color must be extreme as well being either black, white or a bloody crimson red.
Of course complimenting all of this is the very standard Japanese School girl look. Women of all ages have been adopting this look ever since Britney Spears wore it in one of her videos.
The style started as a youth subculture sometime around 1997-98 and became a well-established genre available in various boutiques and some major department stores by around 2001.
Although these looks may seem childish much older woman also in Japan also seem to be wearing them. It is also being adopted by woman of all ages in the West as well.