How to be a Gothic Lolita

As you may already know, lolita fashion is one of the main street fashion trends in Japanese culture. It became so popular in fact that it was taken in many different directions in Japan, creating subsets of the lolita community. Although lolita is definitely popular in Japan, it is also gaining a lot of popularity in the Western world.

Lolita fashion is meant to make the wearer look innocent and youthful, but when combined with the dark edge of gothic culture, you are left with a much darker subculture of lolita - gothic lolita . But, if you want to be a Gothic Lolita, whether for life or through cosplay, here is the ultimate guide on how to be a Gothic Lolita.

A - Colors:

Gothic lolitas, just like traditional goths, will favor dark colors like black, deep reds, purples and blues. However, they can also use white and cream as accents. Rarely will you find gothic lolitas wearing bright or pastel colors?

B- The dressing

You're going to want to start with your first layer and work your way out from there. Most Lolita dresses will be bell shaped; Gothic lolitas are no exception as they are heavily inspired by clothing from the Victorian and Edwardian eras. You will usually want to wear a petticoat or basket used to fill out the skirt of your lolita dress or skirt.

For the sake of modesty, just like your Victorian era ladies, Gothic Lolitas will typically wear bloomers with their typical underwear to ensure their modesty if their petticoat blows away during a windy day.

Gothic corsets can also be used to achieve a different shape if desired, as with them you can achieve a smaller waistline and accentuate the shape of your dress. However, a bustier or corset will only occasionally be worn over it for gothic lolita fashion. This is often an undergarment that isn't seen once you've gathered your top layers.

1- Choose the right top:

You will want to wear a well-tailored blouse. Generally, these dark colored blouses will be strongly fitted with darts, embellished cuffs and necklines, and embroidered details. In general, you will want the blouse to fit your body well. Avoid baggy blouses to achieve a flawless gothic lolita look.

2- Choose the perfect skirt:

You'll probably want to choose an embellished gothic skirt or one-piece dress. These will usually feature bustiers or even ruffles. The skirt should sit at your natural waist, not your hips, and should hit just above or below the knee. If you are going to use a pantsuit rather than a one-piece dress, you will find that the high-waisted nature of the skirt will cover part of your blouse. In this case, make sure the overall patterns of the two pieces are consistent enough to achieve a polished look.

3- Choose the right tights/stockings:

Gothic Lolita fashion is modest in nature. You'll want to choose a pair of cute tights or stockings that sit above the knee. If you're wearing stockings rather than tights, you'll want to add a garter under your bloomers to hold your stockings up. Most gothic lolitas will wear black or other dark colored opaque stockings instead of sheer nylon tights.

4- Shoes:

Gothic lolita shoes should be black, or at least dark in color. Boots, Mary Janes, and strappy shoes are the usual choices. There are plenty of options that have embellishments like flourishes, plaid accents or chains, so you can coordinate your shoes with the rest of your outfit.

5- Accessories:

Accessories such as silver jewelry with gemstones in the shape of a cross or coffin are common in gothic lolitas. However, the most predominant accessories are hair accessories. Small hats, headbands, combs, clips or even a large Alice bow would suit gothic lolita fashion. Gothic Lolitas also commonly carry parasols to protect themselves from the sun.

6- Makeup:

Gothic lolita makeup generally borrows from a natural look. However, he is often seen with sharper smoky eyes to add drama to the look. It all depends on your personal style, though, and it's certainly not uncommon to see more extreme examples of gothic makeup, from mild to wild.