The Way of the Lolita Panel at Anime Central

I admit I’m a bit of a closet lolita. Last year’s panel on the subject had me hooked, so there was no way I was missing either, The Way of the Lolita or the Gothic Lolita Fashion Show.

I arrived at the The Way of the Lolita 30 minutes beforehand and met the moderator, Kurololi Roku. She’s been an Aristocrat for four years and she loves the long dresses and elegant lines that style showcases. She first became interested in the lolita fashion four years ago after finding this unique Japanese style online. Her passion for speaking about lolitas is what spurred her to co-moderate the panel this year.

Kurololi Roku, Roku for short, likes the overall lolita fashion since it has elements of American Goth but, also, because it’s an elegant and beautiful style; something which American Goth can lack at times Her favorite sub-genres within lolita are the mature and sophisticated Aristocrat, and the male style, Ojisama.

Roku started the panel by saying, “It’s called Gothic and Lolita, not Gothic Lolita.” Then she went into the three primary styles of Gothic and Lolita, aka the Gothic and Lolita color wheel. These would be: Lolita, Gothic, and Punk and all the sub-genres within it. Just like an actual color wheel, one could mix gothic with lolita and get Gothic Lolita, mix Gothic and punk to get Punk Gothic and so on and so on (would Sweet Punk work?)

She also debunked the theory that EGL and EGA are actually loli styles; they’re not. Mana, a popular Visual Kei singer developed a loli brand and called it “Elegant Gothic Lolita” and “Elegant Gothic Aristocrat”. It’s a no-no to refer to a style by these terms. It’d be like calling an American urban street style, Nike.

Lolita fashion first started round 1979. There was a fashion brand called Pink House that created pretty clothes for housewives to wear. It’s a rumor that Pink House was the first house to manufacture this fashion. Pink House no longer makes loli-esque clothing.

Gothic and Lolita are NOT cosplay. However, there are cosplay lolitas. Meaning, that most lolitas dress up loli because they would normally dress that way. There are people, on the other hand, who dress loli as a cosplay. Make sense?

While this panel stressed that people interested in lolita should make it unique to themselves, there still seem to be many gals/guys who adhere to a set of rules. Some American lolis have a strict code for being lolita. Any deviation from these guidelines results in the equivalent of an online and/or verbal drive-by. Novala, a Japanese author accredited to helping to create lolita fashion, had this to say in the latest Gothic & Lolita Bible in a article called, “Rules of the Lolita”, about the matter :

“So you say you want to become a Lolita.
It’s okay if you just become one, but you’re asking me.
What do I do to become a Lolita?
I don’t have a set response.
Well, I’ll need a headdress, and a pannier.
Does my outfit coordination look funny?
Am I making mistakes in Lolita?
Hey, why do you want to be a Lolita anyway?
Well, it’s popular, and my friends are doing it…
But, there aren’t any requirements to becoming a Lolita.
If you just imitate it, you’ll eventually achieve the appearance.
But I want to think about it.
Who are you living for?
If you think about your situation, you’re just afraid of being lonely.
You’re shouting out for freedom, but you’re only comfortable within rules.
I admire you for not offering up your full submission.
You Vivienne Westwood girls who don’t know who the Sex Pistols are.
Even when wearing a sweater, a princess is still a princess.
My rules for Lolita are my rules alone,
and only you can come to realize your own Lolita rules.
My gods and your gods are different.
There are angels wrapped in elegant love, striking tambourines, and if you keep them inside, they’ll be there to do their job when you take out your sword and fight.
Sometimes it’s hard for me to hear them.
I have a hint for you, though.
I’m not the only one who has realized this.
The answer to your thoughts about wanting to be proper.
Embroider frills to the bottom of your heart!
Place a tiara atop your soul!
And most of all, have pride.”

Translated by Curiosity

Two other guidelines set up by Novala are:

• Skirts must go below the knee
• Bangs must hit the eyebrows

Curiosity, the lolita co-moderator, showed up in time to add her translation of the article to the conversation. She’s a full time loli, choosing to wear name brand lolita fashions 24-7. When asked how much of a budget a loli would need to be that dedicated, she said “Astronomical”. Still haven’t found an exact number for that…

The panel wrapped up and we took our leave, but not without having a quick word with Curiosity. I’m afraid I gushed a bit when I said that her panel last year was what got me interested in lolita fashion. I then invited her to write for the site. I hope she does; she’s one enlightened and enlightening lolita!

UPDATED: Watch a video excerpt of the panel: