(no subject)

[seeinglife.livejournal.com]

Hi. I'm broker than broke this week. If you're into sweet lolita and related varieties (and wear a size small), it would make me very happy if you would bid on a pink floral puffy sleeve blouse/peasant top that I have up on eBay right now.

And a few questions, or a discussion topic, brought on by the posting of the Hot Topic/Lip Service dress.
Are you an EGL purist or do you shamelessly reinterpret it? Do you take the classic/standard elements and change one thing? Do you tend to wear Japanese-style, "real" EGL stuff or more of the Americanized/Westernized versions of it? Are there elements of traditional EGL that you just don't like? (I'll answer my own questions in a comment so I don't get to be on my soapbox more than anyone else. ^_~) I'm not looking for a debate over what's EGL and what isn't, just a sort of factual poll : this is how I do EGL.

Comments

[seeinglife.livejournal.com]

I adore "true" Japanese-style gothic lolita, but I myself play with it. Most notably, since I fell in love with it going into the hot summer months, I'll mix in a usually semi-modest (therefore innocent but sexy) corset style sleeveless top with the traditional full knee length skirt, fluffy petticoat, black tights, and platform maryjanes. When it's really hot but I still feel like a lolita, I'll grudgingly leave the petticoat in the closet; when it's slightly cooler I add arm warmers that are puffy at the top and fitted from elbow to wrist.
And I know I'm going to play with it more. When the cooler fall and winter months arrive, you'll be treated to *wink* pictures of me in the traditional long sleeve blouse etc with a corset over, because I LOVE juxtaposition, and the overt sensuality of the corset with the dark innocence of the rest of the outfit is enough to get me excited thinking about it.

[seeinglife.livejournal.com]

Oh, and two things that seem to be a loli tradition that I hate : lace tights and cross necklaces. I just hate the way lace tights look for some reason. And I balk at religious symbols as a fashion accessory. I'll be sticking with my pentacle.

[avant-gauche.livejournal.com]

I think for me anyway the difference between the westernised style of loli and the japanese style is attitude. the J-syle loli is more about being innocent and demure where as the western style seems to be more sexy.

I sometimes wear shortish (well for loli anyway) loli skirts but they are allways worn is a modest and demure style which is more true to the japanese style loli.

the only thing i dont like about japanese egl is the headresses I cant get on with them they just dont work for me.

[sobloodycute]

me, myself, I really like the style, but I don't really dress up all that much. I do sometimes have elements of the style in things I wear, like a have a few of the lacey headbands, some egl-esque shoes, ect. I personally just mix in fashion elements that I like into things I wear, I don't just do one thing over and over again. ^_^

...I hope that makes sense x_x;;

my humble opinion

[lithia-black.livejournal.com]

When I wear Lolita fashion I try to stay true of the japanse loli attitude. I go for sweet and innocent (but with a dark twist).
That means that I stay away from to low necklines and to short skirts.
I have'nt done any tihng superpoofy and frilly yet but it will come.

I don't wear crosses either, because I'm not christian and wearing a christian symbol feels a bit ...disrespectful.

/L

[zero-angel-eva.livejournal.com]

well I can't say there is not anything I don't like in a traditional lolita since I am one. I like lace tights, crosses, you name it I would wear it. I just don't like the bonnets.. They look funny to me. I really don't like the westernized lolita look very much.. I just can't see how a square dance dress can pass off as lolita.. it's beyond me... I really don't like the short skirts and low neck lines. Some of the skirts I seen also ride on the hips..they are ment to ride on the waist...For me as I see it westernized lolita is a littlr bit to slutty and sexy when the lolita style was ment to be innocent and pure..and dependeing on which type of lolita style your talking about it can have a hint of darkness

[http://users.livejournal.com/_lylith_/]

I play! I shamelessly mix Gothic Lolita (not country or anything else, only the very dark Gothic Lolita style) with punk, cyberpunk and western gothic. While I try to stay away from too sexy and adult, because to me gothic loli is all about little girl chic, I will still flirt a little with semi sheer tops or shorter skirts. I don't do swuare dance dresses, they may have puffed sleeves and full skirts, thats as lolita as they seem to me. I don't mind crosses, I've even worn a rosary as a necklace before, with no qualms. Also incorporated are spikes, dread-falls, rexlace and faux wiring along with fake flowers and ribbons.
The only thing I don't like about the Lolita look is country loli. Shame on me, but I can't stand the flowered dresses, things that are all pastels and lace, or simple looking makeup. My pinks and blues are bright, sometimes even neon-ish and paired with black.

[http://users.livejournal.com/_lylith_/]

Hmm. I feel the need to clarify. When I say "western gothic" I mean western as in american and european, not some sort of cowgirl goth look. Just the thought of that makes me cringe.

[madteaparty.livejournal.com]

heh.. cowgirl goth..

[sakurafairy.livejournal.com]

I like playing with alot of lolli styles, If (or more appropietly when) I extend my lolli closet to more pretty lolita style, blue proubly being a key color. I go sorta traditional "baby the stars shine bright" summer style, with sleeveless dresses and cute short sleeved or no sleeved tops and floral skirts and pettie coats and pettie pants.

Hmm Lolita styles I don't like? I'm not to crazy about the belted dress syle that Metamorphasis has on their website right now, it looks to 40's house wife. Hmm I'm not to crazy about the round hair peices, crosses, or the shoulder cape thingys. Bonnets do look very silly

[seeinglife.livejournal.com]

Oh my stars, bonnets! How could I forget? That's taking the innocence thing a little too far. Ergh. >_

[raino.livejournal.com]

I don't dress up in full egl, I only add some touches to my wardrobe (when I found this style, I was certain I could never wear it and keep my dignity, but it has crept on me). I wear full knee-lenght skirt with petticoat or a slimmer skirt with peeking lacy slip, frilly socks with maryjanes or a eyelet lace decorated headdress. Very rarely all of this together.

I love country lolita sweetness and innocence but unfortunately the frills are unpractical, so Metamorphoses new line of fifties housewife chic dresses appeal to me in their simple sweetness.

[aitreni.livejournal.com]

I feel a bit silly responding, as the truth is that I don't wear EGL at all. ^^;;; I'm 28 and a little too thin, so I'd look like a horror-movie extra in a Loli dress. ^^; If I was 10 years younger I'd certainly wear Lolita clothes, but in reality if I tried it now I'd just wind up scaring small children. ^^; I'd probably scare myself! o_o; Eek!

I wear EGA style instead, as it's much better suited to an older face and thin body. Almost all my clothes in the style are Japanese (Marble, Black Peace Now, Miho Matsuda, and Baby Doll jewelry), since I'm currently living in Japan and it's MUCH easier for me to fit into Japanese clothes than American. I like blouses with very high necks or cravats, long skirts, and parasols. Recently I got a simple black suit which by itself is not EGA, but when worn with platform heels, lace cuffs, and dramatic long curled hair has a surprisingly gothic and androgynous effect. I'm hoping to be able to go shopping at Moi-meme-Moitie sometime soon (there's one particular blouse with the most wonderful lace collar!) but don't know if I'll really be able to.

[kurara.livejournal.com]

Awww! you should wear loli dresses even if you're 28! ^_^ I'll dress that way even when I'll be.. 40. Besides, 28 is still young.. And you're never too young to dress a certain way or do something!
::Hugs:: ^-^

[aitreni.livejournal.com]

Thanks, but it really wouldn't be a good idea in Japan. I'd like to wear a Lolita outfit in the US because so few people have preconceived ideas about the style and who should wear it. But in Japan there's the problem of comparison. I don't look old for my age and in the more mature EGA clothes I constantly receive "kirei" (on feminine days) and "kakko-ii" (on masculine days) compliments from Lolitas. But if I wore the same young dresses as these fresh-faced 16 year olds, all anybody would notice is that I didn't have a sweetly blooming innocent face like them.

I don't want to say that people HAVE to dress a certain way because of their age or whatever because everyone's different. But I think if you bluntly face your personal strengths and weaknesses, and dress to accentuate the positive and minimize the negative, you're sure to always look your best.

Re:

[kurara.livejournal.com]

Well, actually, I've heard of a lot of women in their 30's and late 20's dressing in lolita style in Japan. And it worked fine. I know I'm always going to dress the same style as I do now.. I know it might not look good on me at times, but it doesn't really matter to me. You know?

[aitreni.livejournal.com]

Really? They all look very young to me, although I'm sure there are a few who are not actually as young as they appear. But whatever their real age, none of them look as old as I do. ^^;;;;;;;;;;;;

Re:

[kurara.livejournal.com]

Aw..
I'm sure you don't look old.
Actually, once I saw a woman who was about 40 years old.. And she was dressed a bit EGL-ish. Her hair was curled and she had a dress with puffed sleeves. I didn't think she looked scary; I thought she looked pretty actually.

[aitreni.livejournal.com]

Oh, if it's a little bit I think that's great. I definitely see a LOT of older women who dress with a touch of EGL style, like with the trim on their clothes or even wearing a headdress. But they don't go all-out with it like they're trying to compete with the young girls, they do just enough to add a little pizazz and it looks really good.

Re:

[kurara.livejournal.com]

^^ Oh no, her dress was really lolita ish. It was a pink dress actually, and there was a lot of frills. It was just not really EGL style.

I really don't see it as trying to compete with young girls. I mean, they can dress the way you want, no?

[aitreni.livejournal.com]

Wait, was this a picture you saw? If it was, was it this woman?
http://www.sushicam.com/Journal%20entries/021006/PA062737.jpg

Because, if it was her, she's special... ^^ She definitely has her own style going on. ^^

Re:

[kurara.livejournal.com]

No ^^ It wasn't that picture. That's really cute, though.

It was a woman I saw in the street downtown.

[serpentbearer.livejournal.com]

I'm 29, and also tend to favour EGA over EGL, though for the opposite reason to you as I am not a little too thin, I'm a little too fat! I have a young face and do sometimes dress EGL but I feel a little self concious. Certainly I get get more compliments when I dress EGA.

[inkchou.livejournal.com]

YAY! Someone else likes EGA! Really, I'm a pretty young person(17), and I love EGA. Most of the time I'm in EGA and my friends are in EGL (I feel like a mommy ^^; ), but I do wear Lolita along with a bunch of other fashions, I refuse to restrict myself to anyone type of clothing. I dress according to my mood and that's that! *sticks her tongue out*

However when it comes to EGL, I'm a definite purist! I can't stand the Westernized look, it's watering down the genre if you ask me. I love it all, the platform Mary Janes, lace stockings, frills, petticoats, layers, crinolen, bloomers, all of it! I feel perfectly fine with wearing a cross because I am Christian. I agree with the people who said it feels disrespectful to wear a religious symbol just for fashion. I'm not Wiccan or anything like that, so I feel I have no business wearing a pentacle (even though I think they're soooooo pretty!).

[batwinged.livejournal.com]

I'm completley shameless about my interperetation. If I could afford to do the traditional japanese lolita thing, you bet your buttons I would, but I'm far to frugal.
Instead I do a kind of gothiclolitakinderwhorestorybookmilitaryschoolgirlfruitcake thing. Not all at once mind you.....

[memeloli.livejournal.com]

I cant exactly say im a complete purist although i absolutely love it. I say this because im usually quite prone to the whole cut saw look of egl with the regular tops with ruffles and the poofy skirts and striped socks, or bloomers with pretty tops. I do wear straight egl occasionally and truthfully the only reason i dont wear it all the time is the lack of money to buy and the lack of paitence on my part to sit and so all the extra frilliness all the time (its quite a bit of work). I also occasionly delve into the ega look because i found you get less hastle about it at work if you wear it right.

The only dislikes that come to mind are the americanized version of egl i think it just looks wrong. It takes away from the true beauty.

[lady-vader.livejournal.com]

I have to say that I'm quite a purist.. *LOL* I don't like to seeing egl style mixed with other clothes or non-egl clothes being called egl. But that's me. ^^;;

I'm not that thin, in fact I've got quite a tummy but I'm pear-shaped on the top. I've discovered that if I design my dresses with a slightly higher waistline (like 1-2" higher up depending on the style) and make my dresses superfrilly they hide my tummy and ass. *LOL* In EGA style I'd look a little bigger than normal sized but in EGL style I look OK sized... *lol* It is not good having stick-thin figure and wearing full-on frilly EGL-dress. You have to having a body to wear it... But there's EGL-styles that thin people can wear succefully like Victorian Maiden and Moi-Même-Moitié.

Ahh, enough blabbering. Back to topic. ^^;;
Anything I don't like with EGL-style. It is hard but I think that bonnets don't look good on westerner. It makes us to look like we're adult baby fetishists.. Young Japanese EGL-girls can wear them but not we westerner. Then I don't like some too simple designs of some brands... The mentoined 50's housewife dresses may look very cute on Japanese girls but they would look like.. housewifish on us... *lol*

[lady-vader.livejournal.com]

Ok I have to add this:

I have to say that I like 50s dresses (yes I really like them) but I wouldn't call them EGL.

ur pic

[rasp.livejournal.com]

Hey did u get that icon pic from: http://www.cc.rim.or.jp/%7Eurara/cg/org/org13.html and is this the original? ??? ¿¿¿

Re: ur pic

[seeinglife.livejournal.com]

Yes, it is.