Alternative fashion is the way to go if you want to dress and express your personality. And if you’ve been digging around, Lolita fashion must have popped up in a conversation or two.
Lolita fashion is one of the many alternative fashion styles that have not only a deep history but also a deep culture and community. Thus, you can learn and experiment almost every day.
This is such important freedom, given summer is here and everyone wants to look their dapper selves.
So, if you’re interested in what Lolita fashion is and what are some of the options you have over summer, then read on. This piece will answer all those questions.
What is Lolita Fashion?
Lolita fashion is an alternative fashion style that has its roots in the 70s Japan. It emerged from a then growing rock music population, with labels such as Milk being among the pioneers of this fashion style.
Despite gaining popularity through the rock music scene, Lolita fashion borrowed a lot from the Victorian clothing, and styles that were prevalent in the Rococo period.
Unlike the Western connotation of the name, which was inspired by Vladimir Nabokov’s novel, the Japanese meaning of Lolita is elegance, cuteness, and modesty. Thus, in general, this fashion is synonymous with cuteness.
These form the core pillars of the Lolita fashion.
What Can You Try This Summer?
Lolita fashion cuts across all seasons. However, a few alterations are warranted to deal with the different conditions each season presents. For instance, a summer Lolita look needs fewer pieces of clothing to deal with the hot temperatures synonymous with the summer sun.
And as far as summer goes, there’re several Lolita fashion dresses you can choose from. While every other vendor will have a touch of their own, those outfits will revolve around these popular styles.
Casual Lolita
If you prefer casual wear over the summer, then this is the kind of Lolita outfit you should go for. Casual Lolita is a toned-down Lolita outfit, perfect for casual wear.
Casual Lolita uses cutsews over blouses, and petticoats with a very minimal poof. The styling and accessories are also kept at a minimum with this style.
To fully bring out the casual look, you may wear t-shirts, albeit with Lolita-appropriate, cute prints. These can be worn with Lolita skirts to create a casual Lolita outfit.
Classic Lolita
The classic Lolita is a more mature style, with deeper historical inspirations. For this outfit, in particular, the focus is more on elegance than cuteness. The dresses are also more toned-down compared to other Lolita styles, with some even passing for a fancy event dress.
Unlike other Lolita styles, the dresses in classic Lolita have an A-line instead of a bell-shape. Muted colors are also more preferred. These include dusty pastels and jewel tones.
In most cases, the classic Lolita is paired with headwear such as head bows, elegant hats, thin rectangle headdresses, and hair flowers/corsages.
Kodona Lolita
Kodona Lolita is not purely a Lolita style. However, it suits the tomboy lass who isn’t shy of expressing this personality over the summer.
Originally, the Kodona Lolita was created as a Japanese street fashion so that men could also dress in Lolita. Thus, it borrows a lot of style and aesthetics from the original Lolita.
However, you can still maintain your feminine side by adding a bit of accessory, makeup, and flowers.
Sweet Lolita
Sweet Lolita puts a heavy focus on the cuteness bit of Lolita fashion. It’s child-like and is one of the most popular Lolita fashion outfits.
To bring out the cuteness and girly looks, sweet Lolita uses bows, pastel colors, ruffles, and cute prints.
Given its popularity, Sweet Lolita is one of the fastest evolving Lolita fashion styles. These outfits can thus be very simple, or highly complex featuring an intricate set of prints and colors.
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