EGL stands for Elegant Goth Lolita. This is a look that has been around for a few years that is finally making its way into street culture over in North America.
EGL or Gothic Lolita for short is a Japanese teen or young adult who dresses in amazingly elaborate Gothic looking baby doll costumes. In Japan this style as been around since 1999.
One of the most common looks can only be described as The French Maid meets Alice in Wonderland. The look spurred from what is called Visual Kei . This is a form of Japanese pop rock music where the musicans dress in elaborate costumes. Anything from twinge of glam to full blown female impersonation can be called Visual Rock.
The look is very influenced by the American Heavy Metal Glam bands like Motley Crue. Gothic Lolitas want to emulate the Visual bands that dress the most feminine.
Dir en Grey and Malice Mizer are the most popular and authentic of the bands the Gothic Lolitas follow. Malice Mizer’s (pronounced Marisu Miseru) guitar player, Mana, is commonly given credit for starting the Gothic Lolita look. Sometimes he wears a kind of modern Victorian mourning style with large elaborate dresses, big hair, and dark make-up. The amount of time, energy, and money all these people put into their appearance is truly amazing in Japan.
If you want to look like a Goth Lolita you should first think of dressing a little bit Victorian. Then take everything that is prim and proper out of the outfit. Shorten the skirt and raise the heels. Then take your hair and fluff it out and make it as big as possible. Think – heavy metal styles from the seventies.
The shoes can look Victorian or you can take suggestions from Punk Rock in the eighties. Look for shoes with court heels or high heels. Lace up Victorian boots also suit this style as well.
It is very important that you wear stockings and gloves when wearing this look. Make sure the look is quite textured. Think about trying to look like one of Fagin’s boys in Oliver Twist, only much more feminine.
Make up is key to this look. You need to powder yourself up so that you look as pale as possible and then fine the darkest, most crimson lipstick that you can find. Your eyes should also be heavily made up.