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Two girls in frilly, somewhat extreme "Lolita" dress that was popular around 2002 in Takeshita Street, Tokyo

Gothic Lolita or "GothLoli" (ゴスロリ, gosurori^?, sometimes alternatively (though incorrectly) "Loli-Goth") has two definitions. 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. Image File history File links Emblem-important. ... Download high resolution version (825x1342, 329 KB) Wikipedia does not have an article with this exact name. ... Download high resolution version (825x1342, 329 KB) Wikipedia does not have an article with this exact name. ... Takeshita street in Harajuku Takeshita Street (竹下通り Takeshita-dori) is a pedestrian-only street lined with fashion boutiques, cafes and restaurants in Harajuku in Tokyo, Japan. ... For other uses, see Tokyo (disambiguation). ... A typical lolita in Harajuku, Tokyo. ...

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. Eventually, it was determined that phrase only refers to Mana's specific brand. The term Gothic Lolita or Gothloli was then used to describe this same fashion style. However, the term Gothloli is used in Japan to describe the entire subculture, and includes non-lolita style fashion. Two gothic lolitas in Takeshita Street, Tokyo Gothic Lolita or GothLoli (ゴスロリ, gosurori) is a fashion somewhat rare, but very highly visible, among Japanese teenagers and young women. ... A typical lolita in Harajuku, Tokyo. ...

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 porcelain dolls. Gothic Lolita applies the aesthetics of Gothic fashion to the childlike, pretty Lolita fashion. The word Gothloli comes, quite naturally, from a combination of Lolita and Gothic fashion.^[1] A typical lolita in Harajuku, Tokyo. ... North side of the Catherine Palace in Tsarskoye Selo - carriage courtyard: all the stucco details sparkled with gold until 1773, when Catherine II had gilding replaced with olive drab paint. ... Windsor Castle in Modern Times by Landseer depicts the Queen and the Prince Consort at home in the 1840s. ... The Edwardian period or Edwardian era in the United Kingdom is the period 1901 to 1910, the reign of King Edward VII. It is sometimes extended to include the period to the start of World War I in 1914 or even the end of the war in 1918. ... Look up doll in Wiktionary, the free dictionary. ... Gothic woman, traditional style, with big hair, spikes and piercings Gothic fashion is a dark, sometimes morbid, eroticized fashion and style of dress. ... A typical lolita in Harajuku, Tokyo. ... A typical lolita in Harajuku, Tokyo. ... Gothic woman, traditional style, with big hair, spikes and piercings Gothic fashion is a dark, sometimes morbid, eroticized fashion and style of dress. ...

Gothic Lolita is the best-known of the various "Lolita" looks. 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. A typical lolita in Harajuku, Tokyo. ... Classic Lolita (or Classical Lolita) is a subcategory of Lolita fashion that is inspired by Victorian girls fashion, Baroque and Rococo. ... Sweet Lolita or amaloli - (あまロリ) is a subcategory of Lolita fashion that takes its main inspiration from Victorian girls fashion, but is also influenced by Rococo and Shōjo manga. ...

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. As in mainstream Japanese fashion, over-knee socks or stockings are popular. White or black tights are also common. Child-like shoes or boots such as Mary Janes complete the look. 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. ^[2] Lace appliqué and bow at the bust-line of a nightgown. ... A skirt is a traditionally feminine tube- or cone-shaped garment which is worn from the waist and covers the legs. ... crinoline patented Cutaway view of a crinoline, Punch magazine, August 1856 Sequence of posed joke photographs of five stages of putting on a crinoline, ca. ... Madame de Pompadour in an elaborately embroidered gown with matching petticoat, 1760s A petticoat or underskirt is an article of clothing for women; specifically an undergarment to be worn under a skirt, dress or sari. ... Mary Jane is an originally American term for a kind of strap shoes that typically have low heels, rounded closed toes, and a buckled strap across the instep. ... Windsor Castle in Modern Times by Landseer depicts the Queen and the Prince Consort at home in the 1840s. ... A blouse A blouse most commonly refers to a womans shirt, although the term is also used for some mens military uniform shirts. ... This article needs additional references or sources for verification. ...

Some additions may include mini top hats, parasols, and lace headdresses, which resemble wide, elegantly decorated headbands. Other popular Lolita headgear are ribbons, lace or bows, an alice band with a bow or sometimes even a bonnet. 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. Duke Ellington wearing a top hat. ... Umbrella An umbrella is a device used for temporary shade or shelter from precipitation. ... Iraqi wearing a keffiyeh. ... Alice band An Alice band is either a flexible horse-shoe shaped garment or a loop of elasticated material which is designed to fit over the head and hold long hair away from the face, but let it hang freely at the back. ... A bonnet is a kind of headgear which is usually brimless. ...

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. 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. This article or section does not adequately cite its references or sources. ... “Chiroptera” redirects here. ... For people named Coffin, see Coffin (surname). ... The Crucifix, a cross with corpus, a symbol used in Catholicism in contrast with some other Christian communions, which use only a cross. ... Polyvinyl chloride Polyvinyl chloride, (IUPAC Polychloroethene) commonly abbreviated PVC, is a widely used thermoplastic polymer. ... Super Dollfie is a ball-jointed doll (BJD) first manufactured by Volks, a Japanese doll company. ...

History

The Lolita style is widely considered to have originated sometime around 1989 from the brand Milk (other popular brands, such as Metamorphose, appeared in 1993) and became more widely available in various boutiques and some major department stores by 2001. Some observers consider it a reaction to the "Kogal" subculture of Shibuya, though this assertion is considered by many to be false. The popularity of Lolita peaked around 2004 and 2005 in Tokyo, but is still widely recognized as one of many "alternative" youth fashions present in that area. The subculture's popularity outside Tokyo is still slowly rising or at its peak in many areas, especially overseas. A department store organizes its goods by departments, such as womens clothes, home furnishings, electronics, and the like. ... Kogal (コギャル kogyaru in romaji (romanised Japanese), lit. ... Categories: Wards of Tokyo | Japan geography stubs ...

Mana, the former leader and guitarist of the visual kei themed band Malice Mizer, is widely credited for having helped popularize Gothic Lolita, though he is not a founder of the style. 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. 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. 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. ... Malice Mizer, an example of visual kei during the 1990s. ... This article does not cite any references or sources. ... Two gothic lolitas in Takeshita Street, Tokyo Gothic Lolita or GothLoli (ゴスロリ, gosurori) is a fashion somewhat rare, but very highly visible, among Japanese teenagers and young women. ... Elegant Gothic Aristocrat (EGA) is a fashion style created by Japanese visual kei idol Mana, former guitarist of Malice Mizer and current producer and leader of cult band Moi Dix Mois. ... Moi-même-Moitié is a Gothic Lolita fashion label by Mana (the former leader and guitarist of the Visual Kei band Malice Mizer and now has a solo project called Moi dix Mois) which features the specific styles of Elegant Gothic Lolita (EGL) and Elegant Gothic Aristocrat (EGA). ... The album cover to Doubutsu-teki Ningen, 2000 KANA (香奈) is a popular Japanese singer of the JRock/JPop genre. ... Mitsukazu Mihara (三原ミツカズ Mihara Mitsukazu) (born October 17, 1970) is an influencial 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 her aclaimed Doll series). ...

"Lolita"

Although "Lolita" is a reference to Vladimir Nabokov's famous novel, and Lolita is often worn by teens, followers of the style do not consider it overtly sexual. In fact, in Japan, many Lolitas were unaware of the connection to the book until it was introduced to them in the Gothic & Lolita Bible as a suggested read. Instead, adherents present themselves as children or traditional porcelain dolls and consider it necessary to look "cute," "beautiful," or "elegant" rather than "sexy." Some people object to the style, finding the child-like look on a teen or adult immature or even offensive, but Lolitas defend their choice of clothing as modest and elegant, and therefore far less offensive than some clothes that their peers choose to wear on a daily basis.^{[citation needed]} Lolita (1955) is a novel by Vladimir Nabokov. ... Vladimir Vladimirovich Nabokov (Russian: Влади́мир Влади́мирович Набо́ков, pronounced ) (April 22 [O.S. April 10] 1899, Saint Petersburg – July 2, 1977, Montreux) was a Russian-American, Academy Award nominated author. ... For other uses, see Child (disambiguation). ... Look up doll in Wiktionary, the free dictionary. ...

Japanese culture places a higher value upon extremely youthful appearance and behavior, and some adult women buy large amounts of products, such as Hello Kitty goods, that are typically marketed only to children abroad. Lolita is possibly a more visible extension of this phenomenon. Hello Kitty by Sanrio. ...

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. 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. 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 less 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. For the most part, however, most Lolitas live a day-to-day life very similar to any average person. Mass-marketing is the process of widely marketing a product to the masses, using the mass media. ... For other uses, see Tokyo (disambiguation). ... Osaka )   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 HonshÅ«. The city is the capital of Osaka Prefecture. ... This article is about the comics published in East Asian countries. ... Serialized in Zipper Original run April, 2000 – March, 2004 No. ... “Computer and video games” redirects here. ... Popular Japanese fashion magazine throughout the 1990s; the photography of which has recently been reissued in two collections from Phaidon press. ... North side of the Catherine Palace in Tsarskoye Selo - carriage courtyard: all the stucco details sparkled with gold until 1773, when Catherine II had gilding replaced with olive drab paint. ... Victorian can refer to: people from or attributes of places called Victoria (disambiguation page), including Victoria, Australia, people who lived during the British Victorian era of the 19th century, and aspects of the Victorian era, for example: Victorian architecture Victorian fashion Victorian morality Victorian literature This is a disambiguation page... Needlework is another term for the handicraft of decorative sewing and textile arts. ... This article is about Opera, the art form. ... For other uses, see Baroque (disambiguation). ... Tea (a meal, as opposed to the beverage), has different meanings according to country. ...

Lolita outside of Japan

Outside of Japan, the Lolita fashion is still a 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 the UK, Australia, France, Holland (Daphne) 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. The style has not yet been mass marketed outside of Japan, though small, web-run stores based outside of Japan are starting to emerge. Major brands, such as Metamorphose temps de fille, Baby, The Stars Shine Bright and Funhouse, have recognized the international recognition of lolita fashion, and have begun to ship goods to the international market. 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. Cosplayers Cosplay ), a portmanteau of the English words costume and roleplay, is a Japanese subculture centered on dressing as characters from manga, anime, tokusatsu, and video games, and, less commonly, Japanese live action television shows, fantasy movies, or Japanese pop music bands. ... “Animé” redirects here. ... Baby, The Stars Shine Bright (Shortened to Baby or BTSSB) is the name of a Japanese clothing boutique chain created in 1988 by Akinori Isobe and his wife, Fumiyo. ... “Animé” redirects here. ... This article is about the comics published in East Asian countries. ...

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. 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. Categories: Wards of Tokyo | Japan geography stubs ... For other uses of Harajuku, see the disambiguation page Harajuku Station at night Three teens outside Harajuku Station Rockabilly dancers in Yoyogi Park Harajuku (原宿)   is the common name for the area around Harajuku Station on the Yamanote Line in the Shibuya ward of Tokyo, Japan. ... Categories: Wards of Tokyo | Japan geography stubs ...

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 including regular pop and rock. Bold text For popular forms of music in general, see Popular music. ... For other uses, see Rock music (disambiguation). ...

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 signifiers and perhaps partly because Christianity is not integral parts of society.^{[citation needed]} In Japan, people who have heard the term "Goth" usually assume that it is simply a contraction of "Gothic Lolita",^{[citation needed]} 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.^{[citation needed]} This article is about the late 20th / early 21st century subculture. ... Topics in Christianity Movements · Denominations · Other religions Ecumenism · Preaching · Prayer Music · Liturgy · Calendar Symbols · Art · Criticism Important figures Apostle Paul · Church Fathers Constantine · Athanasius · Augustine Anselm · Aquinas · Palamas · Luther Calvin · Wesley Arius · Marcion of Sinope Archbishop of Canterbury · Catholic Pope Coptic Pope · Ecumenical Patriarch Christianity Portal This box:      Christianity is...

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.^{[citation needed]} 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 exaple of this.

More often than not, "Lolita" in anime and manga is generally cosplay and thus, not actual Lolita fashions. Image File history File links Size of this preview: 514 × 600 pixel Image in higher resolution (1800 × 2100 pixel, file size: 823 KB, MIME type: image/png) Wikipe-tans illustration, drawn by ja:利用者:Kasuga. ... Image File history File links Size of this preview: 514 × 600 pixel Image in higher resolution (1800 × 2100 pixel, file size: 823 KB, MIME type: image/png) Wikipe-tans illustration, drawn by ja:利用者:Kasuga. ...

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, Tsukuyomi - Moon Phase, Othello, xxxHolic, Trinity Blood, Pitaten, Vampire Knight, many of the works of Kaori Yuki, and all of the works of Mitsukazu Mihara. This article is about the comics published in East Asian countries. ... “Animé” redirects here. ... Serialized in Zipper Original run April, 2000 – March, 2004 No. ... Coyote Ragtime Show ) is an anime series directed by Takuya Nonaka and produced by ufotable, which first aired in Japan on July 3, 2006. ... Le Portrait de Petit Cossette (コゼットの肖像) is a manga and anime series created by Asuka Katsura (梶浦由記). The original 2 volume manga was published in 2004. ... Chevalier: Le Chevalier DEon ) (French meaning: The Knight of Eon) is a 24-episode anime TV series based on Tow Ubukatas historical fantasy novel of the same title, produced by Production I.G. The novel has been previously adapted as manga, released in the United States by Del... Serialized in Monthly Comic Birz Original run September 2002 – June 2007 No. ... This article is about a Japanese anime manga series. ... Hazuki from Tsukuyomi-Moon Phase Tsukuyomi - Moon Phase (月詠 -MOON PHASE-) is a manga by Keitarō Arima and a 25 episode anime series which aired on TV in Japan from September 2004 through March 2005 on the TV Tokyo and TV Osaka networks. ... To meet Wikipedias quality standards, this article or section may require cleanup. ... Serialized in Weekly Young Magazine Original run February 24, 2003 – No. ... Serialized in Asuka Original run March 17, 2004 – No. ... Pita-Ten is an anime and manga series that was originally written by Koge-Donbo, but adapted into an anime by Akemi Menda and Yasuko Kobayashi that was aired by TV Tokyo on April 7, 2002. ... Vampire Knight ) is a shōjo manga by Matsuri Hino. ... Kaori Yuki (由貴 香織里 Yuki Kaori) is a manga artist (or mangaka) from Tokyo. ... Mitsukazu Mihara (三原ミツカズ Mihara Mitsukazu) (born October 17, 1970) is an influencial 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 her aclaimed Doll series). ...

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). They are depicted purely as the subject of much comedy and they always leave the scene chanting "Goth! Goth! Loli! Loli!" Serialized in Bessatsu Friend Original run 2000 – No. ...

In some manga, such as Othello, lolita fashion is portrayed as a method of individualizing and becoming less shy. 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. They often buy doujinshi based upon their favorite bands, dolls and movie characters; and some are interested in other kinds of dressing, including cosplay. However, the Gothic Lolita style should not be considered a cosplay, it is an alternative fashion. To meet Wikipedias quality standards, this article or section may require cleanup. ... This article does not cite any references or sources. ... Dōjinshi (; also romanized as doujinshi) are self-published Japanese works, including but not limited to comic books (manga), novels, fan guides, art collections, and games. ... Cosplayers Cosplay ), a portmanteau of the English words costume and roleplay, is a Japanese subculture centered on dressing as characters from manga, anime, tokusatsu, and video games, and, less commonly, Japanese live action television shows, fantasy movies, or Japanese pop music bands. ...

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 that only know of this fashion through anime and manga. Otaku ) is a derisive Japanese term used to refer to people with obsessive interests in manga, anime or hentai. ...

The Marvel Comics miniseries Livewires features a Life Model Decoy that calls herself "Gothic Lolita." "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." This article is about the comic book company. ... Livewires is a six issue comic book limited series published by Marvel Comics in 2005. ... A Life Model Decoy (LMD) is an android designed to function as an exact body double for VIPs. ... Livewires is a six issue comic book limited series published by Marvel Comics in 2005. ... thing, see Thing (disambiguation). ...

References

External links

• A detailed list of Lolita Fashion styles with photos.