ARTICLE Still the Blacksheep Admittedly, much of the discussion has been about the changes in Lolita fashion, as represented by the Sweet substyle. This is because the brands that cater to this style have been the ones constantly updating their designs. One simply needs to revisit old GLB volumes to see how huge the change is. For one, solid colors such as black, white, blue, and red have given way to softer pastels. And then there is the issue with OTT prints. However, the change is not limited to the dresses just as the Lolita hybrids demonstrate. Bigger hair and eyes and an entire stash of accessories have come to complete the Lolita look. While Sweet Lolita is the fashion’s icon of change, Punk Lolita maintains its reputation as being the hardest to pull-off among all the other substyles. Why is this so? One reason is the belief that Punk Lolita, per se, does not exist. To some, the style belongs more to the side of visual kei, rather than Lolita. To the purists, it just is not Lolita as it deviates from the supposedly demure and dainty character of the fashion and is sometimes reduced to club wear. Another more obvious and somewhat silly reason is that this is what the style has come to be defined - difficult to do and do right. With such a stigma attached to the style, it is not surprising that only few should want to try it. Moreover, even if there are willing ones, they are more likely to be labeled as Lol-Itas, a pun on the original name which is synonymous to epic fail. This Lolita, however, believes that the problem of the style lies in its perceived difficulty. It is hard to do because the style is made to conform to the fashion’s rules when its other half, punk, is all about breaking rules. Indeed, for this substyle, it is best to be open-minded, not to mention, creative. Whether Punk Lolita is Lolita or visual kei or just punk, we could all agree to disagree. What makes this substyle worth mentioning in our discussion of trends is that, out of all the substyles, Punk Lolita remains loyal to what was once esteemed as one of the Lolita shoes (that is, aside from the rocking horse) – the huge and chunky platform Mary Janes. These were the Lolita shoes of long ago, especially of the Gothic ones, which have been recently argued as the shoes of Cosplay Lolita. Unlike the rest of the Lolita ensemble that has gotten bigger, the new breed prefers their shoes in low heels and, as expected, in rainbow pastel colors. Why this happened, this Lolita could only infer. It could be likened to the growing distaste for lacey Lolita. If lavish lace was once a statement of elegance, any Lolita caught wearing the style now risks being branded as a lace monster, or even worse, an Ita. Certainly, much has changed in Lolita fashion. Its marriage with other styles has not only made the look more creative but has also kept it updated. It is interesting and intriguing because it evolves. Needless to say, Lolita boasts of two things: its diversity as represented by its various substyles and its flexibility as a hybrid fashion. What Lolita needs now is an open-minded community that celebrates creativity over conformity to rules. Disclaimer: What is written here is based on the author’s personal observation of Lolita culture on the Internet. While a comparative and historical analysis of Gothic and Lolita Bible and KERA magazines has been made, this should not be treated as an academic discussion of the said fashion. Sources: community.livejournal.com/egl/ www.fyeahlolita.com
68