#beginner lolitas

The term “lifestyle lolita” describes someone who not only wears Lolita fashion, but also fills their life with elements of the fashion’s aesthetic. Often times the concept relates to ideals of Victorian, Rococo, and other historical periods which lolita draws inspiration from and can be associated with any and all aspects of the lolita’s life including home décor, preferred literature, self care regimens, etiquette, even the foods they eat. A lifestyle lolita loves the fashion so much that they want it to be a part of everything they do and strive to incorporate its beauty and elegance into every part of their lives.

One of the most common things that a lifestyle lolita might choose to do is to make over their living space, be it their bedroom or their entire home if they’re able to. This space will often become a reflection of the lolita’s favorite style or, for those of us who can’t choose just one, a mix of various styles. As mentioned before, many lifestyle lolitas draw inspiration from historical periods, much like the fashion itself, and therefore may choose to incorporate antiques and reproductions of historical furnishings into their space. Furniture styles and colors for walls are often chosen much like one would choose when putting together a coordinate and other décor is chosen like accessories. Someone who is most interested in classic lolita or more Victorian elements might choose muted colors, floral bedding, lace pillows, porcelain dolls, etc. A gothic lolita may choose to decorate with dark colors, rich fabrics, candles, and furniture reminiscent of Gothic architecture. A sweet lolita may choose to decorate in pastel colors with cute characters from Sanrio and princess-like furnishings.

Aside from the visual aspects of their lives, lifestyle lolitas might also take on hobbies and interests that relate to lolita aesthetics. It is no secret that tea parties are a common lolita pastime and lifestyle lolitas take them especially seriously. They may also take on hobbies such as reading classic literature, listening to classical music, attending ballets and operas, or even learning elegant sports like croquet. For those who are very serious about keeping with the lifestyle they may even choose to work this into their personalities. They may study Victorian etiquette, practice good posture and walking gracefully, and choose to present themselves in this elegant manner. In 2005, Live Journal user skyewishes posted to the EGL community a list of 101 Lolita Lifestyle Ideas which can give more insight into things a lifestyle lolita may be interested in. Many points about the lolita lifestyle were also discussed in the Lolita Handbook on Live Journal which was one of the most commonly used references for Western lolitas several years ago when Live Journal was the biggest gathering place for lolitas online.

Another element that is commonly associated with lifestyle lolitas is wearing lolita fashion every day, or, at the very least incorporating elements of it into one’s everyday wardrobe. Whether out on the town or lounging around the house on a lazy Saturday, a lifestyle lolita is likely sporting frills. For activities where lolita just isn’t appropriate, such as exercising or working a job or attending school where a uniform is required? They have found a way to incorporate elements of lolita into their mundane garb through colors, patterns, and whatever accessories they can. There has been some debate over what truly makes a lifestyle lolita, be it wearing the fashion every day or incorporating it into every other aspect of one’s life, but it is widely believed that the term is appropriate for both. In fact, it is often the case that the two go hand-in-hand.

The image of Momoko, the beloved character from Kamikaze Girls, may come to mind. Momoko is a lifestyle lolita in every sense. She wears the fashion daily, she listens to classical music, excels in the craft of embroidery, romanticizes the Rococo era, and even insists on eating only cute foods. Momoko is often seen as a lolita idol of sorts, and for many lolitas, her lifestyle seems ideal. Many new lolitas find themselves asking whether it is necessary for them to be interested in the lifestyle in order to be taken seriously as a lolita. This is just one of the many aspects of lolita that can make getting into the fashion seem like a daunting task. What if I don’t like tea? What if I can’t afford to wear lolita every day? What if classical music bores me to death and porcelain dolls creep me out?

There is an overwhelming amount of information about lolita available online, and to add the idea of having to be involved in a very specific lifestyle just to wear the fashion is absolutely intimidating. But the good news is, the lolita lifestyle is not, by any means, a necessity.  Lolitas are individuals like any others and while you may have the fashion in common that does not mean that all of your interests must be the same. Maybe you find that you want to incorporate the fashion into your life in small ways like hanging postcards of Lolita models and brand prints on your wall, but swapping your furniture out for antiques seems like a bit much. Maybe you want to start experimenting with drinking more tea, but the idea of indulging in afternoon tea everyday strikes you as excessive. Or maybe you don’t want to do any of these things! All of these are fine. There is no rule that dictates that the fashion must encompass your entire life and there is no rule that dictates that you must wear the fashion every day. You can wear lolita fashion and listen to whatever music you like, watch whatever movies you like, and read whatever books you like. If you would rather drink coffee than tea, that’s okay, you can still be a lolita. If you would rather watch a football game than a symphony, that’s okay, you can still be a lolita. If you want to wear sweet lolita one day and jeans and a t-shirt another day, that’s okay, you can still be a lolita. Whether or not you are a lolita is not dependant on your personality or your other interests, it is solely dependent on wearing and loving the fashion.