One of the most well-known styles of J-fashion is lolita, which has many substyles such as gothic lolita, sweet lolita, classic lolita, and even punk lolita. Lolita is characterized by a voluminous silhouette achieved with the help of a petticoat, with the skirt or dress usually being knee length. The style is known for emphasizing modesty and elegance, and it is meant to be a strong feminist statement: it originated in rebellion against societal norms and patriarchy. Lolita is often mistakenly associated with Vladimir Nabokov’s novel “Lolita”. However, apart from the name, the style has nothing in common with the novel. Due to the novel and the shared name, lolitas often do face a lot of prejudice and misconceptions.
Lolita and prejudices
Lolita fashion forms a strong community and lifestyle where enthusiasts gather for meetings, tea parties, and other social events to showcase outfits and share their passion for the style. Lolita fashion has its roots in two clothing brands founded in the 1970s: Milk and Pink House. A characteristic feature of lolita fashion is the silhouette created with a petticoat. Usually, the hem of the dress or skirt reaches the knees. Despite its cuteness, lolita fashion carries a strong feminist statement. It emerged as a rebellion against Japan’s subdued mainstream aesthetics, societal norms, and patriarchy.
Lolita fashion is often mistakenly associated with Vladimir Nabokov’s Lolita novel, although apart from the name, the style has nothing in common with the work. Due to the novel and the shared name, those who dress in lolita style often encounter many prejudices.
Brand vs. Handmade Lolita Outfits
In Finland, lolita brands’ (such as Angelic Pretty, Baby, The Stars Shine Bright, Metamorphose, or Innocent World) dresses were initially only seen on those who had visited Japan, received souvenirs from there, or bought dresses through international online communities. There was a passionate attitude towards brand products, and they dictated trends. On one hand, those who spend a lot of money on branded products were sometimes labeled as elitist. On the other hand, there was a stigma attached to homemade costumes being seen as inferior. Finding dresses is much easier nowadays. Fashion has moved closer to fast fashion, and at the same time, the quality of materials has deteriorated.
Because it was difficult to acquire lolita dresses and accessories for a long time, many started making dresses and accessories themselves. Uniqueness, price, ethical practices, and expressing one’s uniqueness are a few things that motivate hobbyists to design and sew for themselves.
Also read: Craft teacher and lolita enthusiast Hanna Kousa’s blog post Dress Therapy. (in Finnish)
Video: Making a Gyaru-style skirt in 2024 by Sanna Hautamäki
The Enfant Terrible forum
Enfant Terrible, established in the early 2000s, was the largest Finnish discussion forum focusing on J-fashion and especially lolita. The forum initially operated as a subforum of the anime and manga community Kupoli, but moved to its own server in 2008. Enfant Terrible, affectionately known as “pölö” among its user base, had features such as a photo gallery for posting outfits, a “tea room” for general discussion, sewing tutorials, and a marketplace. The forum organized meetups and posted meetup photos. At its peak, Enfant Terrible had about 1400 members.
The rules of lolita fashion were perceived as very strict in the early 2000s. The lengths of skirts, height of heels, and other measurements were scrutinized. If a dress happened to have plastic lace, it was frowned upon. Gradually, the entire forum came to be seen as a rigid and inflexible community. With the rise of social media and the decline in forum activity, Enfant Terrible was discontinued in 2016 due to the increasing popularity of social media and the decline of forum activity.
Hellocon Event
Hellocon is a Finnish lolita event that has been organized since 2013, mainly in Helsinki. The event is organized by Hellocon ry, whose goal is to maintain and grow lolita fashion culture in Finland. The event’s programming includes fashion shows, panel discussions, workshops, lectures, tea parties, and evening parties. Each Hellocon has a theme. Many participants prepare a dress according to the theme of the event, interpreting it in their own way.
Video: Fashion show at Hellocon 2023 by Hanna “thejunnnu” Kousa
