1) Throw away any pre/misconceptions you may have! Gothic Lolita is not necessarily related to what you think of as "Goth". The fashion and the lifestyle do not contain sexual connotations. Followers of the fashion do not consider it to be a sexual style. Instead, adherents present themselves as young Victorian girls and consider it necessary to look "cute," "beautiful," or "elegant" rather than "sexy."
2) You may want to purchase one of the Gothic & Lolita Bibles from a Japanese bookstore, comic book store or online. These magazines are a great resource for anyone interested in the style. If you don't have the funds to spend 15 to 20 dollars on one of the Bibles, visit one or more of the listed External Links for more information on what exactly "Gothic Lolita" is. It's good to have a strong foundation regarding what the style consists of before you attempt to dress in that way.
3) Invest in a few essential items. These include (but are not limited to) a white blouse and/or a black blouse (depending on what your wardrobe is leaning towards), one or two full skirts,a good petticoat, bloomers, and knee-high or overknee socks. Make sure that the blouses are collared (peterpan collar), and have a cap sleeve or a bloused sleeve. The skirts must be around knee length and full enough to fit a petticoat underneath. Also, make sure that the skirt fits on your waist or a little below it, but NOT at your hips. In order to get the right silhouette, the skirt must sit at the natural waist. After you have these, expand into other colors than black and white. Red, pink, light and dark blue, brown and floral patterns are common. A good petticoat is NOTHING like a square dancing petticoat. A-Line or Bell shaped, please.
- Get a good pair of shoes and/or boots. Appropriate shoes include espadrilles that cover your whole foot, ballet flat-type shoes, the classic mary janes and mary janes inspired shoes. If you're a beginner, you should invest in a good pair of mary-janes, as they will always be acceptable (assuming they're real maryjane type shoes, not fetish maryjane 'inspired'). The heels should be as wide as the natural heel itself. Stiletto heels are not acceptable at all, and are not comfortable to walk on. Wedge heels might be acceptable as long as the shape of the shoe is appropriate. If possible, you may go for these kind of shoes on platforms, as long as they are not meant to be fetish shoes.
- Headdresses are a key part of your outfit. It helps put the outfit together and add a touch from an elegant, distant past. Headdresses can be simple headbands (Alice bands), or more elaborate pieces decorated with ribbons, lace or flowers. The most common are the Alice Bow (one large on on top of your head, or two smaller ones off to the side), the basic headdress (an oval or rectangle of fabric embellished with ribbon or lace), and mini-hats/crowns/flowers worn at an angle. Whatever you choose to go with, you must make sure that the headpiece goes well with your outfit. Attention to detail is very important. The fabric and lace or other ornaments on the headpiece must match those of your outfit, yet must not compete with everything else.
- A purse is usually a functional accessory to have. Bag options are endless as long as they match your outfit. Chokers, parasols, plushies, bags, jewelry, nails and makeup can make the outfit more spectacular and interesting. If you are going to get a parasol though, make sure you invest in a good sized parasol that will compliment you and will also protect you from the sun. Please avoid those tiny toy parasols available at your local toy store. They look ridiculous. The reason why this style looks the way it does is because the outfits are meant to be clothes, NOT costumes.
- Hair is important. Use references to see what hairstyle works for you - and wigs are always an option! Bangs (a fringe), ringlets, long hair and pigtails are common. Wild, unnatural color is optional.
5) Try to look as natural as possible. Pale skin is ideal, as it was the Victorian model of beauty (if you're pale, it meant you didn't have to work outside), but if you have darker skin then you can still look lovely! If you have dark skin, do not wear white powder; it looks awful.
6) Be confident! Don't take anything from anyone; don't let people make fun of you. If someone makes a rude comment, reply with a smile or ignore the person. Getting angry is a bad response. If you are having trouble being confident to go out this way, don't wear lolita. It's a fashion that is probably going to attract attention
TIPS:
- The Gothic & Lolita Bibles as well as the Gosu Rori magazine have excellent sewing patterns for seamstresses of any skill level, so if you can sew, you should pick a few of them up.
- the GLB will be redone by Tokyopop in English and will be available in the U.S. in Feburary 2008. You can preorder on Amazon for $14.99 rather than $19.99 on Tokyopop's site. The lolita community is split on what to say about it, half think it will bring on a bunch of itas because the editors aren't actually knowledgable about lolita fashion, half have high hopes because there is ONE woman on staff who bothered researching and listening to experienced lolitas. I suggest waiting until it is released before judging it
- Knowing a little bit of Japanese is useful in understanding parts of the magazines, websites and patterns you may encounter.
- It is always a good idea, if you are devoted, to have a Lolita lifestyle. Decorate your room/house in that way, bake/cook, have tea parties and cherish everything that is beautiful.
- Brolitas (male lolitas) should take steps to fit the feminine style; shaved/waxed legs, (tasteful) makeup, lipstick, and mascara will promote a more girlish appearance.
- See the movie "Kamikaze Girls," an entertaining comedy from writer-director Tetsuya Nakashima based on Novala's book that serves as a veritable documentary on the (Sweet) Lolita look.
- To get the best results of Gothic & Lolita clothes, go straight to the te�en streets of japan, and look for shops that are usally on the second floor in the street.
WARNINGS:
- Just because it has lace on it DOES NOT make it lolita! This is a very common mistake for newbies to make
- On a similar note, make sure everything you wear has high quality lace. 100% cotton is best. Even if you have a lovely outfit, cheap lace will automatically get you labeled as an "italoli" (meaning "ouch" lolita, as in you're painful to look at)
- Do not confuse any other forms of Japanese street fashion with GL. Punk, Decora, Goth and Ganguro are not Lolita! You will be seen as a fool if you make this mistake! Decora is the only fashion that remotely resembles lolita fashion, but is much more 'messy' and "cute overload" than "cute coordinated"
- Unless you are going for the "ero-loli" (erotic Lolita), make sure that you do not show too much skin or wear corsets on the outside, and that your skirt is not too short (as a rule of thumb, try to keep skirts knee length or longer). Remember that even ero-loli is modest, and cleavage is absolutely not part of any genre of lolita at all.
- Brolitas may be subjected to ridicule by those who are not a bit open minded.
- Don't wear ratty old sneakers with your beautiful outfit - they will ruin it.
- Remember - fashion is about being creative and unique. You can (and should) always maintain your individuality, even when following any style.
- Be careful when setting up your outfit. Hair, shoes, accessories and makeup are all important parts of your look and should be thought out carefully
- This wikiHow is actually leaning more towards lolita fashion in general, not just Gothic lolita
- Sewing skills (optional)
- Petticoats
- Hair decorations (headpiece, ribbons, bows, bands, etc.)
- Tights, knee-high socks, something that covers your legs
- A pair of elegant shoes the same color as your outfit
- Well-maintained hair
- Good taste in makeup and clothing (remember Lolitas are always identified for having a refined taste in clothing and being elegant)
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