17.12.12

Is lolita fashion dying?

I'm sure a lot of other J-fashion blogs are going to blog about their thoughts on this topic that seems to be especially rehashed this past week on a lot of major websites. I know what brought it to my attention was a good friend of mine, go_slow_ly, getting into a Facebook conversation about how lolita as a fashion seems to be evolving and moving towards toned-down brands.

This question is asked literally every year, someone randomly posts on their blog "I heard (insert brand here) is going bankrupt soon, is lolita dying???" The answer is, of course, the very vague yes and no.



Remember this?

Those of you who remember how the EGL community was a few years back probably recall the whole uproar over Angelic Pretty making a cake hat, but after the release of Sugary Carnival, the increase of OTT sweet has sky-rocketed. Angelic Pretty has faced a level of popularity quite unparalleled by other lolita brands, (let's not think about the first release Chess Chocolate and Gloria fiascos), and there has been a real evolution into the cuter styles like Fairy-kei and over-the-top Sweet Lolita.

Oh, how you've changed.

One of my favourite posts to really demonstrate the evolution of Angelic Pretty as a brand is this super handy print chronology on EGL. The light colours that really made sweet lolita different from the muted colours commonly used in classic, or the dark colours in gothic, are the only thing that really sets older Angelic Pretty pieces aside from classical pieces. As the years progressed however, the addition of sweeter motifs (literally motifs made of SWEETS), extra frills, baby-doll cuts, and shorter skirt lengths have led sweet lolita into an entirely new aesthetic. It was gradual if you experienced the change, but you can really see it just scrolling through the print chronology.


Even the more popular classic brands (like Juliette et Justine) have started to create more complex cuts and styles for their work. There are putti (mistakenly called cherubs) and crosses galore across a lot of brands recently, and those motifs have become so popular that some people think that influenced Angelic Pretty to make their newest in-demand print, Gloria.

Mary Magdalene is looking a little short in comparison!

Classic brands that haven't really budged much since their inception (the first one that comes to mind is Mary Magdalene), have started to use motifs that would have arguably made their dresses look sugary sweet five years ago. Mary Magdalene has been in a worrisome spot financially since they have not been taking too many reserves or creating new ideas to tantalise their audience, but have been hopping onto the print bandwagon to try and keep their popularity going, but with the release of their first original print (I'll be talking about the print trend a bit later) can turn that around.

Some things never change (these were released 5 years apart).
Doesn't stop me wanting them though.

Another unsettling fact of the matter is that Moi-même-Moitié, a brand that has really been an icon for gothic lolita fashion, is not doing too well economically, but hopefully nothing major comes out of that (Metamorphose has been close to bankruptcy quite a few times and they came out relatively unscathed). But if you observe Moi-même-Moitié's dresses, much hasn't really changed over the last few years aside from the crosses progressively becoming larger. The fashion is changing, and those companies who are sticking to what they've been doing for years are starting to suffer because of it.


Brands like Innocent World, Baby the Stars Shine Bright, and Angelic Pretty have been keeping a strong international presence, and maybe due to that, regularly release cuts and styles for their newest dresses that arguably have a feel that is easier to wear than the large cupcake silhouette. In fact, it's gotten to the point where Angelic Pretty has released more mini skirts for a lot of their prints than regular lolita-styled skirts.

What does this say about the people purchasing lolita clothing? The aesthetic may be hard to manage for some, or even those who are involved in the fashion have been growing up and out of the harder-to-wear lolita silhouette. Lolita as a fashion has also been mingling with other styles more, and you see more people trying to cross the fashion with other aesthetics, and the brands may have realised the potential in marketing some of their pieces to audiences other than the typical lolita one.

The short answer is, the fashion and the people who are involved in the fashion are changing. As one group of people grows up and has to re-arrange their priorities, they leave and a new set of people, bringing in a new set of ideals, comes in. The fashion itself is becoming largely diluted (I'm using your word here Aviva because it is a good word) because of the rise of replicas, cheaper lolita alternatives (DreamV, Axes Femme, and a few other stores sell gorgeous lolita-esque clothing without the pull on your wallet), and quite simply, the number of people graduating from the fashion. The only truly unique and irreplaceable thing brands can offer are over-the-top prints, and it has led to major brands releasing so many more prints per year than used to be normal.

Oh, my high school fashion inspiration.

Who knows, lolita may die much like decora or manba did, but there are still traces of both of those styles in what is popular nowadays, such as fairy-kei and kurogyaru. They may adopt new names, new trends, and new token brands, but the influence will always be there.

My personal opinion is that lolita won't completely die out within the next decade, but just go in a new direction. I can't imagine big-sellers like Angelic Pretty and Baby the Stars Shine Bright, who have their own stores in the US where the economy is suffering so badly, having to close their doors anytime soon. The number of foreign lolitas has absolutely exploded as well--I live in one of the hottest places in the US and that doesn't stop a group of ten-or-so of us getting together in all our frills.


I myself do feel like I'm growing out of the lolita silhouette  It's just not as fun as it used to be to go out wearing three petticoats at once, the novelty has begun to wear off. In fact, I borrowed my friend's Magic Whip the other day, and even though the print was so cute, I felt so strange going out with a plush keychain stuck to my head and more than one bow in my hair. Not to mention wearing two petticoats just wasn't as fun as I remember it being. I'll go back to looking like I'm in PJ's in Misty Sky any day, the silhouette and comfort of that dress just made it so much more worth it to me than a more traditionally sweet lolita piece that isn't easy to wear.

Do you like where it's going? Hate it? Let me know what you think!

18 comments:

  1. I think you delivered the best explanation of a trend with a great argument. Cant find anyone else to give this great of an explanation than you did :)

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Oh wow, I'm super flattered!! Thanks Oli~ <3 I really tried hard to sound coherent and to-the-point, but my writing gets a bit flowery in places... It seems I'll be constantly editing this article...

      Delete
  2. I enjoyed reading this, the changes and evolutions make sense with what I see, and with the little bit of oldschool revival I have also seen (tumblr tag for it even, and some fun reblogs), I'm thinking you are right about the general influence still being there no matter how it goes.
    I am wondering how you knew that brands like Moitié and Meta have had financial trouble. I don't read near as much as I should on the subject but that made me curious. I'm glad you took on the topic and the pics you used really illustrate some of the points well. Nothing like a cake hat,then or now.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. It's weird, I didn't really like older lolita pieces, like the ones from pre-2005, but now I love them so much. My taste has been changing and going back to those simple solid-coloured pieces brands like Meta used to make. Not to mention the nurse/medical series that were released then! *A*

      I found out Moitié was having some financial trouble through a friend who is currently living in Japan. I guess its easier to hear about those things when you live there. =) I actually heard about Metamorphose through the same friend about three or four years back (and at that point the news was pretty old too). Basically they kind of stretch themselves a bit far on some series and then they end up not doing well and they have to really fight to stay afloat. According to some other people I know from Japan, Metamorphose has declared bankruptcy once already and has nearly gone under a couple of times. Moitié is facing its first real crisis now, at least from my understanding.

      Delete
    2. TY for the info, that makes sense that it would be talked about in Japan, I am sorry to hear of recent trouble and hope they can turn it. Last note that made me smile, I just came home to read the new Baby release...and <>! It's on trend when it's new but when it's been brought back, now it gets to be timeless,right? haha!

      Delete
    3. Yes, that's true! I love the Memorial series, I'm so glad they're re-releasing some older prints. *A*

      Delete
  3. I love Moitie's stuff but it's just so expensive!!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I agree!! I want all of their things, there's just this air of timeless beauty to their stuff. I think my recent love of older pieces has made me gravitate to brands like Moitié and Metamorphose, who really haven't changed too much or are always re-releasing older designs.

      Delete
  4. I agree many of the brands are struggling financially because they are stuck in their old ways, but not only for failing to follow the trends only, but because they don't open their target market. I love Mary Magdalene, its the brand that made me fall in love with Lolita fashion, but even if I could afford their clothes, I wouldn't be able to fit in their clothes. Their sizes are small and don't have elastic, or other tricks to make them fit larger people. They also haven't really considered international customers, BTSSB, AP, and IW and other Lolita brands are reaching out to their international customers MMM and MM have remain largely elusive to overseas clientele. For business to keep going you need 80% old customers and 20% new. If they ever decide to extend their net to catch new customers I'll definitely be interested in throwing some money at them.

    I also agree that Lolita is transforming and that it won't be dying out soon. New brands and new Lolitas are just guiding it to new directions that weren't in the horizon before.
    Thank you for the great explanation. You did an awesome job!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. The closest thing Mary Magdalene has done is hire someone who can speak English to handle international orders and reserves. I've done reserves with them before and they've always been really kind and polite, but you are right, they really haven't done anything beyond that.

      I remember Mary Magdalene used to offer "mini" sizes, which were even smaller!! They stopped doing that now, but at least offering different sizes (especially since the reserves are made to order anyways), would be a good option for them. *A*

      Thank you so much for reading Yajaira! I'll try and do more entries like this in the future! Like I discussed in the end, I don't wear lolita as much as I'd like to anymore, so my blog is also not so focused on lolita as well. Maybe that will change. =O

      Delete
  5. I think this has been on everyone's minds lately, especially with the uptick of seeing so many "leave" lolita. Thank you for writing this article, it was really an enjoyable read. I think you are right about it's following evolving, growing up in and out of its circle as time passes and the heyday of youth gives way to responsibilities and a maturing lifestyle. I truly hope it will never give way like other fashions, and will always maintain a following with younger generations filling the shoes of those that have left.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. It's strange, because I feel like I've been seeing the same number of "leaving" lolita posts as I always do. Maybe there has been a bit of an influx, but I've been blaming that more on the economic state of most people vs. actual interest declining. I know I need to scale down my wardrobe sooner or later to save money. ;A;

      I definitely hope so too! Thank you for your comment~

      Delete
  6. Great post! I first got into lolita about 4 years ago (but I still havent bought my first piece yet ~3~) and even my tastes have changed! I get kinda, sad?, whenever I hear a conversation about "lolita dying" cause I feel like I wont have a chance to truly enjoy it. But then I think, even if there are no more "true lolitas", Im still wearing what makes me happy, and thats all that really matters!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. That's a really good mentality that you have! It's all about you in the end, who cares if the fashion is still current or not. And honestly, I don't think lolita will be dying any time soon, it's stuck around for a really long time in comparison to most fashions, it's just been a bit static recently which is why so many people are leaving it.

      Delete
  7. I am 25 and just really sad to know that I will be too old before I can taste the glory of Lolita, I wasn't part of it and I am about to get started but everyone else is moving on.
    thank you for your insight, by the way how old do you think os too old to wear sweet Lolita

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. What, 25 is so young!! I'm 22, so I'm not far off from you and still really enjoy the fashion.

      I think I made it pretty clear that lolita fashion isn't going to be going away anytime soon. Sure, some people are leaving the fashion, but there are a lot more newcomers than there are people who are leaving the fashion, so there is really nothing to worry about!

      Honestly, I don't think there's an age that can be "too old" to wear sweet lolita. It's all up to your personal preferences, taste, and other factors going on in your life. For example, I'm hoping to pursue a professional doctorate degree, and I have no idea how much longer I can continue wearing sweet lolita just because of how busy I am--it really has nothing to do with my age personally. Just wear what you love! If it makes you feel uncomfortable, maybe rethink what you're wearing, or just ease yourself into it slowly. =)

      Delete
  8. When I was younger, I used to prefer sweet lolita and the punk lolita styles. Now I am much older (older than 25...) but I still look very young. I can still get away with a lolita look. However, now that I am older, I find myself favoring classic lolita. Sometimes I'll add steam punk elements. But mostly, I keep it very low key.

    I either wear very conservative prints, dark colors or solid colors. Also, I find myself wearing a lot of casual lolita, that is, a lolita shape with more main steam clothing. My accessories tend to be minimal, and I don't do wigs or hats.

    My point is, lolita has a very classic shape, and it is flattering on almost anyone. The basic lolita look has been around since victorian times (which is where lolita gets its shape). The lolita types and accessories may change and evolve, but I don't think the basic shapes will. As long as there are people who enjoy classic, feminine, and modest fashion, there will be lolitias.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I can definitely agree with everything you said here! The silhouette is very flattering on all body types, so it will always attract new people. Rather than dying, I think the fashion is just always evolving in a new direction.

      Delete

Feel free to leave a question or a comment! =) I try to answer them as quickly as possible, so please check back!