Why are so many of gaia's lolita items so... "ita" looking?

[hiss fit]

hornworts

probably because, like with most things on Gaia, contemporary fashion fads get exaggerated and beaten to death in the form of items

hell we're still getting pastel goth/soft grunge fashions-- s**t that everyone stopped making fun of in 2012. it's no wonder Gaia would misunderstand lolita fashion as well and make it look torrid

this is the t

i keep typing up a longer post and deleting it bc it's mean so i'm gonna keep my mouth shut instead. but uh.. i think having high expectations for contemporary fashion on gaia is kinda missing the point. half the fun is mix & matching kinda shoddy things to make something nicer & that appeals to you.

[Obsequious Minion]

Imperious Condescension

Obsequious Minion

Admittedly, as someone who is absolutely unfamiliar with Lolita style, I have no idea what "good" lolita would even look like... It would be sort of helpful for us outsiders to see a side-by-side comparison. I always assumed that the kind of stuff gaia does is the standard, only chibified. lol

www.lolita-tips.tumblr.com

Just going by the examples I saw on the first 10-15 pages of that blog, I'd say maybe the artists aren't translating it to the avi's proportions in a way that appeals to you/the lolita community? A lot of the fabrics seem to have a TON of tiny intricate detail, and that just seems extremely difficult to translate down to pixel clothing. If they don't make it big and bulky and exaggerated, it probably would end up looking busy and terrible.

That and, yes, I think that they are really favoring the kind of clothing they see on anime characters.That's what gaia is built on.

[Madam Ace]

growlithe lv12

hornworts

probably because, like with most things on Gaia, contemporary fashion fads get exaggerated and beaten to death in the form of items

hell we're still getting pastel goth/soft grunge fashions-- s**t that everyone stopped making fun of in 2012. it's no wonder Gaia would misunderstand lolita fashion as well and make it look torrid

this is the t

i keep typing up a longer post and deleting it bc it's mean so i'm gonna keep my mouth shut instead. but uh.. i think having high expectations for contemporary fashion on gaia is kinda missing the point. half the fun is mix & matching kinda shoddy things to make something nicer & that appeals to you.

I think this is more of a lolita problem than a fashion problem because no other sub-style group harps on or criticizes newbies or people "violating the rules" as much as I have seen from lolita fashion communities.

You wanna look punk? Just look rad af and you're good to go.
But heaven forbid one of your accessories don't match, you're wearing cheaper white lace with black, your skirt isn't poofy enough to make a bell silhouette, or you're wearing Bodyline to a fancy designer show... you will be absolutely shredded. (Not everybody is like that, I know...but there have been horror stories...)

Which is kind of sad, because yeah fashion has rules...but taste is acquired and a lot of the stuff I seen on how to do lolita is "oh you can't do this but it can be done right if you git gud" vagueness. You gotta let people learn at the own pace.

That...and this is a pixel doll website. Just let folks have their fun.

[hiss fit]

Madam Ace

growlithe lv12

hornworts

probably because, like with most things on Gaia, contemporary fashion fads get exaggerated and beaten to death in the form of items

hell we're still getting pastel goth/soft grunge fashions-- s**t that everyone stopped making fun of in 2012. it's no wonder Gaia would misunderstand lolita fashion as well and make it look torrid

this is the t

i keep typing up a longer post and deleting it bc it's mean so i'm gonna keep my mouth shut instead. but uh.. i think having high expectations for contemporary fashion on gaia is kinda missing the point. half the fun is mix & matching kinda shoddy things to make something nicer & that appeals to you.

I think this is more of a lolita problem than a fashion problem because no other sub-style group harps on or criticizes newbies or people "violating the rules" as much as I have seen from lolita fashion communities.

You wanna look punk? Just look rad af and you're good to go.
But heaven forbid one of accessories don't match, you're wearing cheaper white lace with black, your skirt isn't poofy enough to make a bell silhouette, or you're wearing Bodyline to a fancy designer show... you will be absolutely shredded. (Not everybody is like that, I know...but there have been horror stories...)

Which is kind of sad, because yeah fashion has rules...but taste is acquired and a lot of the stuff I seen on how to do lolita is "oh you can't do this but it can be done right if you git gud" vagueness. You gotta let people learn at the own pace.

That...and this is a pixel doll website. Just let folks have their fun.

oh i'm with you. i'm not that familiar w/ lotita fashion but i've seen plenty of community weirdness in passing. It seems like being well dressed is synonymous with these very specific brand names. it's unfortunate but also SO strange, bc in almost every other young fashion conscious community, all label everything is more of a faux pas.

anyways. it's weird. and perpetuated mostly by a bunch of white girls trying sooo hard to be japanese. at the end of the day, you're all at the same anime convention.

[Steeple]

Imperious Condescension

Welcome to the fashion world. It's vicious. Believe it or not, the more you're into a fashion the more you become aware that there are rules to what you're doing, no matter what sub culture or style you're into.
It is called "a style" for a reason. It's one thing to just kind of be vaguely interested and not really into it and just doing it on the side. But expect people who are into it to kind of critique what you're doing.
But when you're into a fashion you should be aware there's ideals of what you're doing. That's how the fashion world works. There's unfashionable things and there's fashionable things. There's things that are in style and things that are out of style.
Things trend. That's why they're trendy.

ok but how about "my aesthetics dont agree with the Ideals", and subjective tastes? i mean i get that styles usually have classic approaches and rules but it seems really snobbish to think that you can't experiment or deviate from the rules without automatically becoming "unfashionable".

there's also a difference between offering suggestions or offering to critique a coord, and presuming that one must critique. even serious, dedicated people dont always want unsolicited opinions. i mean hell maybe they made a conscious decision to deviate for whatever reason.

i mean some lolitas think you always have to have bloomers or petticoats. different silhouettes aside, some of us arent made of money, or have different needs, or dont have the time. not to mention many brand shops carry a narrow range of sizes so many enthusiasts are locked out from classic looks that way.

just because "the fashion world" is vicious doesn't mean it has to be. i dont excuse that behavior just because it comes from an enthusiast.

[Steeple]

Madam Ace

I think this is more of a lolita problem than a fashion problem because no other sub-style group harps on or criticizes newbies or people "violating the rules" as much as I have seen from lolita fashion communities.

You wanna look punk? Just look rad af and you're good to go.
But heaven forbid one of your accessories don't match, you're wearing cheaper white lace with black, your skirt isn't poofy enough to make a bell silhouette, or you're wearing Bodyline to a fancy designer show... you will be absolutely shredded. (Not everybody is like that, I know...but there have been horror stories...)

Which is kind of sad, because yeah fashion has rules...but taste is acquired and a lot of the stuff I seen on how to do lolita is "oh you can't do this but it can be done right if you git gud" vagueness. You gotta let people learn at the own pace.

That...and this is a pixel doll website. Just let folks have their fun.

i was trying to be diplomatic but yeah p much that lol.

i made comparisons to the cosplay community because that's also an expensive, time consuming interest that is Super Judgey No Fun Allowed, which i suspect is borne from ingroup/outgroup dynamics based on how inaccessible it can be. i mean its easy to look good if you have a lot of money and time but anything less and people tear you apart. like ive seen cosplay folks go "you shouldn't cosplay if you can't get a wig" even if someone's hair is the exact same as the character's. maybe its people trying to get in or stay in the ingroup or replicating what's been done to them, or even misplaced pride in their craft but come on. fashion is an art and art is dead without experimentation and learning. at the very least dont judge someone to their face or where they can find out about it. it takes a huge effort to get dressed and go out, and such criticism can be devastating and make people quit.

if anything its more ridiculous to try and replicate that dynamic on a doll site, if only because fashion is so much more accessable here. i mean i never have to worry about fit or makeup pigmentation or washing or storage*.


*okay actually my inventory has gotten so huge it times out on the first load attempt. sweatdrop

[Nenanah]

I'd like some simpler Lolita items it would make them more versatile.
A lot of them are so bulky and weird they are just hard to use... sweatdrop

[Evelin333]

I think my main problem is that they're too SHORT to qualify even for ero-lolita and yet they're still tagged lolita gah

[Jayce Reinhardt]

Steeple

Jayce Reinhardt

The main complaint I have with it? (besides the spamming us with so much of it?)


MY AVI'S WAIST IS NOT RIGHT UNDERNEATH HER BEWBS!!!!!!!!!

empire waist? thats a popular cut for the more babydoll style dresses. pro doesn't help that the natural waist isn't that far from the bust either, so often bodymods to amp up the bosom can squeeze out the waist for space


i think it'd be nice to have more realistic lolita items alongside the stylized, with more bold colors that aren't necessarily bright (im thinking red here).

on the other hand, when ppl go "ugh thats not how the style is/you have yo be restrained" my spite wakes up and i wanna be the most pastel piercing froofy lace monster i can possibly be. doesn't help that i like more outrageous/stylized looks to begin with, since my irl clothes are so plain. especially in lolita or cosplay circles i dislike criticism (is there a more neutral word..?) since those fashions/hobbies are extremely inaccessible.

I don't think it has anything to do with the Avi waist because the stuff I am wearing has the waist close to the actual hips. Additionaly, the new Sailor moon dress that just came out is elegant, form fitting and shows where the hips are perfectly.

This is also lolita


And this



But the way Gaia does it is like this

[aj OwO]

growlithe lv12

Madam Ace

growlithe lv12

hornworts

probably because, like with most things on Gaia, contemporary fashion fads get exaggerated and beaten to death in the form of items

hell we're still getting pastel goth/soft grunge fashions-- s**t that everyone stopped making fun of in 2012. it's no wonder Gaia would misunderstand lolita fashion as well and make it look torrid

this is the t

i keep typing up a longer post and deleting it bc it's mean so i'm gonna keep my mouth shut instead. but uh.. i think having high expectations for contemporary fashion on gaia is kinda missing the point. half the fun is mix & matching kinda shoddy things to make something nicer & that appeals to you.

I think this is more of a lolita problem than a fashion problem because no other sub-style group harps on or criticizes newbies or people "violating the rules" as much as I have seen from lolita fashion communities.

You wanna look punk? Just look rad af and you're good to go.
But heaven forbid one of accessories don't match, you're wearing cheaper white lace with black, your skirt isn't poofy enough to make a bell silhouette, or you're wearing Bodyline to a fancy designer show... you will be absolutely shredded. (Not everybody is like that, I know...but there have been horror stories...)

Which is kind of sad, because yeah fashion has rules...but taste is acquired and a lot of the stuff I seen on how to do lolita is "oh you can't do this but it can be done right if you git gud" vagueness. You gotta let people learn at the own pace.

That...and this is a pixel doll website. Just let folks have their fun.

oh i'm with you. i'm not that familiar w/ lotita fashion but i've seen plenty of community weirdness in passing. It seems like being well dressed is synonymous with these very specific brand names. it's unfortunate but also SO strange, bc in almost every other young fashion conscious community, all label everything is more of a faux pas.

anyways. it's weird. and perpetuated mostly by a bunch of white girls trying sooo hard to be japanese. at the end of the day, you're all at the same anime convention.

you are not entirely correct.
or i have met the "rare" kind lolitas?

i wear bodyline shoes(brand shoes will never fit me) and blouses and off brand blouses, nobody has ever criticized my shoes or blouse. i wore shoes i bought from target to my first meet up because i couldn't afford much less fit into a brand shoe, and there wasn't enough time for anything to ship out. i didn't get called an "ita" or criticized for it either.
there are many lolitas i know that rock bodyline pieces or clothing from smaller brands.
yes, there are those that consider AP, baby, IW, and etc. to be Brand dresses, but i doubt even they would say you HAVE to have one of those brands to be lolita.
common advice i have heard is pad your wardrobe out with bodyline and cheaper brand and even off brand items, get an expensive piece for special occasions.
also you can get good deals on dresses if you know where to shop.

have you ever been to a lolita meet up? not an anime convention.
i have been to a few, and my co-ords still are far from where i would like them to be, but i have gotten nothing but positive responses from my fellow lolitas.
i'm sure there are negative lolitas out there that will overly critique someone who is new to the fashion, but you find those kind of people everywhere you go, not just in lolita.

at an anime convention, a lolita is more likely to be asked what anime they are cosplaying and being told that their costume is nice. while not surprising might contribute to some crankiness. lol

P.S. if you don't like or want to follow the rules of the fashion, wear it anyway, just don't call it lolita. nobody will give any shits at all.


as for gaia lolita, i would love to see more!
there are a few nice things now, but it is a niche fashion, so i don't expect the artists here to want to devote too much time to it.

[Rhosynne]

Well, first off it's a doll website. Secondly, it's a fantastical doll website with rather small looking dolls, so the laws of what looks good on a human body cannot follow. Lace can't be made to look like lace unless you really, really play it up and make it large. Patterns are difficult to pixel.

And generic designs allow functionality and a greater chance for a broader population to like them. Like, yeah, I'd like for there to be more fitted and patterned lolita dresses. Particularly something like this:



But it takes a long time to pixel that rose pattern appropriately. That's a s**t ton of work on a staff that's already incredibly busy.

Aesthetics also come into play. The artist themselves may prefer the look of a certain item. While a few of our artists are experts in creating beautiful lolita items (PRISM, the person who made Diamonds and Ice), you have to realize they do also play to their preferences somewhat when asked to make certain things.

Because PRlSM pretty much deviated from Keiko's Cake to her more recent lolita item in Shortcake Surprise. Many of her items are now featuring that sort of triangle shape. Crystal Millennium is another one. She just likes those kinds of dresses and has become rather fond of the minimal look. I wish she'd go back to Keiko's Cake pattern era though myself. Some of her things were cute and fantastic for fairy kei.

ANYWAY.

FASHION.

[Jayce Reinhardt]

taphies

yeah, I'd like for there to be more fitted and patterned lolita dresses.

Elegant lolita is a thing and I haven't seen that on gaia yet.

taphies

But it takes a long time to pixel that rose pattern appropriately. That's a s**t ton of work on a staff that's already incredibly busy.

Not all the time, sometimes I recognize the pattern brushes because I have the same ones in my photoshop.

[Rhosynne]

Jayce Reinhardt

taphies

yeah, I'd like for there to be more fitted and patterned lolita dresses.

Elegant lolita is a thing and I haven't seen that on gaia yet.

taphies

But it takes a long time to pixel that rose pattern appropriately. That's a s**t ton of work on a staff that's already incredibly busy.

Not all the time, sometimes I recognize the pattern brushes because I have the same ones in my photoshop.

The pattern brush honestly can't work that way with a rose pattern though.

It takes a long time to make the item look fitted and shaded appropriately and give that particular look if you rely on the pattern brush. It's easier to paint each design individually because you can think through how the rose will curve on a 3D shape.

[Jayce Reinhardt]

taphies

Jayce Reinhardt

taphies

yeah, I'd like for there to be more fitted and patterned lolita dresses.

Elegant lolita is a thing and I haven't seen that on gaia yet.

taphies

But it takes a long time to pixel that rose pattern appropriately. That's a s**t ton of work on a staff that's already incredibly busy.

Not all the time, sometimes I recognize the pattern brushes because I have the same ones in my photoshop.

The pattern brush honestly can't work that way with a rose pattern though.

It takes a long time to make the item look fitted and shaded appropriately and give that particular look if you rely on the pattern brush. It's easier to paint each design individually because you can think through how the rose will curve on a 3D shape.

What I am saying is that I have seen brushes used in item previously so that could be a viable option for them as a time saver and it looks good anyway.

If they wanted to do that with a rose pattern, I would have no complaints.

[Rhosynne]

Jayce Reinhardt

taphies

Jayce Reinhardt

taphies

yeah, I'd like for there to be more fitted and patterned lolita dresses.

Elegant lolita is a thing and I haven't seen that on gaia yet.

taphies

But it takes a long time to pixel that rose pattern appropriately. That's a s**t ton of work on a staff that's already incredibly busy.

Not all the time, sometimes I recognize the pattern brushes because I have the same ones in my photoshop.

The pattern brush honestly can't work that way with a rose pattern though.

It takes a long time to make the item look fitted and shaded appropriately and give that particular look if you rely on the pattern brush. It's easier to paint each design individually because you can think through how the rose will curve on a 3D shape.

What I am saying is that I have seen brushes used in item previously so that could be a viable option for them as a time saver and it looks good anyway.

If they wanted to do that with a rose pattern, I would have no complaints.

We'll have to agree to disagree with that one. I can't speak for the artists, but I can speak as myself as an artist who does pixelling in my free time, and that sort of work just simply does not meet my criteria of things I'd like published.

I also don't find any of the items that do use the pattern brush to look all that great.



Like I don't find this appealing at all.