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Ok - so I have been getting quite frustrated over the past few months, talking with some American Lolita. So many seem to have this wierd idea of lolita in Japan, and I just want to clear some of these Idea's Up..

First, I seen this in the "What is EGL" part of another forum - how many of you have read it before? I love this poem, esspecially the end. i really want you all to read it carefully and think as you read what I have to say.







Some of you may or may not understand why people started dressing lolita in the first place here in Japan. People wanted to be able to express themselves.

Japan in the past, and even now is quite pushy. Almost all schools have uniforms and you as a teen are expected to be the best at everything. This means dressing "proper" and acting in a very reserved way.

This is where most Japanese fashion started - and why many figures like Mana began to dress like this. Every time is see a "Histoy of Lolita" it says nothing about the need to be different. It almost always starts with something about Mana creating the fashion... but really it was around before then. When Mana started - it caught on fast because people began to realize that they too could express themselves.

Oh course this is not just for lolita - MANY fashions, including cosplay though it is not really a fashion - caught on because of this. That is why you wont acctually see that many girls where lolita everyday - its more of a weekend thing or just when you go to harajuku. Some girls will have their everyday clothes inspired by lolita - but some girls dress completely different!

Back to the poem - there is no rules for lolita in Japan - unlike what I have been seeing on many American Lolita forums. "That skirt is too colorful" "That shirt dosnt match" "To many acessories!!"

ITS CRAZY!

I'm not asking you all to change your styles - as long as that is really how you want to express yourselves. I see girls asking on here - do have hae to stop smoking? Can I swear? YES YOU CAN! It's your life - your expression YOUR FASHION! Do what you want with it - dont do it just because someone said you cant be lolita unless you do. As long as you think its lolita, then fine then. Don't worry about others "putting a bad name to lolita" because it dosn't matter what other people think.

In japan, Lolita's are often the center of many jokes, ect. But no one here really cares now do we? We are on midday shows that mothers watch and we are portrayed as being silly or crazy girls. Just like Ganguro girls are seen as not caring about their future and beeing sex crazy - which some may be - but not all right?



Anyway - if you guys have questions you can try to contact me on gaia but I dont come on often anymore.
My e-mail is Nekokan@hotmail.com - which I answer alot more but not everyday. Im happy to answer questions but don't e-mail me to diss me - I'm just telling it how it is. I know some people here understand and agree with me - but I still see some of the girls I want to target with this message.

thanks
Yuki Nekomiya

I agree with both Yuki Neko and Malice Mizer. I'm actually really happy somebody brought this up so bluntly! 3nodding I don't look at this guild forum much anymore because sometimes I feel like people might critize my idea of "lolita" since it's rather open and it's no fun when people lecture you on your beliefs. Buuuut it really is something like "you do your thing and I'll just keep doing mine", you know? So anyway that's all I wanted to say! heart whee

Love the poem by the way!! heart heart heart

: You shouldn't stereotype all non-Japanese lolitas like that. I agree with what you're saying except that you make it sound as if, if you don't live in Japan you have all these rules to go along with lolita. If Novala wrote that and he's Japanese, that means that there's some Japanese lolitas who do it to be cool or obsess over following all the "rules" of being lolita.

Plus,I'm pretty sure you stole those pictures of "yourself". You're not really from Japan either, are you?. <<;;

That seemed rather suspicious as well. It sucks that people are still stealing photos and claiming to be themselves. Geez!

Yes I agree that lolita is a form of self expression, and yes, you can tweek it to make it more "original" and more yourself, but there is a point where it's no longer lolita, and that's why there are certain standards you must maintain. I don't consider them THE RULES, just standards. I mean if it doesn't look lolita, I won't call it lolita. It sounds blunt, but wearing a mini or just a cute bow top and jeans is not lolita, but it's someone's way of expressing themselves in another form.

I've seen lolitas not wear a petti and still look rather lolita. Really it's all about coordination. I've also seen lolitas wear open toed shoes, wear converse, even wear leggings and incorporated with lolita.

Western lolita's are no different than Japanese lolitas. In fact, isn't this entire style inspired by Western ideas?
Have you seen Alice Deco and GLB, I'm sure you can find lot's of western inspiration not only from vintage western fashions, but also general street fashions from things that were popular at some point in our lives.

I too have had my share of seeing such beautiful original Western Lolitas. Don't believe me, browse around EGL posts on huge event meets or convention snaps of actual lolitas. Many of them do such creative things, it's just sad there were no magazines to snap that.