Lolita Lore: No, it doesn’t have anything to do with the book. An anatomy of one seriously frilly and fun fashion subculture

Maybe it’s happened to you. You’re at High Park to see the cherry blossoms blooming, and you’re intrigued as a gaggle of people in poofy dresses walk past. Despite its intricate appearance and myriad substyles, Lolita Fashion is easy to understand because it always follows the same basic silhouette. We break down a Lolita outfit, or coordinate, into its basic parts to demystify the style.

The Foundation

Lolita’s trademark is its voluminous skirt, achieved by wearing a petticoat of stiff tulle, organza, or organdy underneath the skirt. Silhouettes can vary from A-lines to fuller rectangle skirts, but the principle is the same: skirts in Lolita fashion are very full.

Some Lolitas also wear bloomers under their petticoats. These optional garments look like short Victorian drawers and provide modesty and extra puff.

The Main Event

 A skirt with a bodice or blouse forms the basis of Lolita Fashion. Options include a one piece dress or a jumperskirt or skirt with a blouse. A one piece (OP) is a dress with sleeves, while a jumperskirt (JSK) is a sleeveless dress. Lolita fashion is modest in terms of necklines, skirt lengths and shoulder coverage, so jumperskirts are almost always worn on top of a blouse or under a cardigan. Skirts are another versatile option, as are salopettes, which are skirts with an apron-like bodice but not a full back. Lolita dresses and skirts will have intricate prints or cute detailing, and are generally knee-length or slightly longer.

The Upper Crust

Blouses are another vital part of Lolita Fashion. Lolita blouses are very fanciful compared to their mainstream fashion counterparts, with ruffles, lace trim, puffed sleeves, and big collars. They go underneath jumperskirts or skirts. Lolitas occasionally wear cardigans over a jumperskirt for more casual looks, but they also layer them for warmth over other pieces. Coats and jackets work just like they do in mainstream fashion, but Lolita coats will have a wide skirt to accommodate the petticoat underneath. Lolitas will also wear capes that resemble those from the Victorian era.

Fancy Footwear 

Lolita socks aren’t the standard ones you get in a pack of five at Costco—they range from full tights to over-the knee to ankle socks, and might be printed to match a dress or trimmed with lace. Shoes and boots are often round-toed and might feature straps or bows. They may be flat, moderately heeled, or platformed. Vivienne Westwood’s Rocking Horse Shoe, with its curved wooden platform, serves as the inspiration for many Lolita shoe designs.

Last but not Least

A Lolita coordinate isn’t complete without some sort of hair accessory. These accessories range from the relatively simple head bow to bonnets trimmed with fake flowers and feathers. Often, Lolita Fashion brands will produce matching hair accessories, blouses, socks, skirts and dresses as a series so that they can be worn together.

Extra! Extra!

What Lolita bags might lack in carrying capacity, they make up for in whimsy. Bags often resemble objects like teddy bears, hearts, or books.

Costume jewelry in fun shapes also spices up coordinates, as do wristcuffs, which are elasticated ruffles worn on the wrist.

Parasols keep Lolitas cool on sunny days and dry on rainy ones, which is incredibly important because most Lolita dresses are dry-clean only. Lolita parasols are usually ruffled and have interesting handles.

A cutsew is a garment made of knitted fabric sewn together, like a t-shirt. Lolitas wear cutsew shirts or cardigans in more casual coordinates instead of blouses.