OTT Gothic Lolita: #2

OTT Gothic Lolita: #2

If we're going to talk about over-the-top gothic lolita, we have to talk about what makes gothic lolita gothic in the first place. Now, some people would say that gothic lolita is just lolita fashion in black. Maybe this is because I'm coming from a background influenced far more heavily by Western goth than Japanese street fashion, but I would disagree with this definition. Gothic lolita doesn't have to be black, and not all lolita outfits in black are gothic. What makes a lolita outfit gothic lolita? I would argue that it's the mood of the outfit.

In my opinion, the three main categories of lolita fashion - sweet, classic, and gothic - can be defined by mood. This is always going to be a bit subjective, but I think the three styles can be divided by the adjectives used to describe them.

Sweet lolita: Cute, sugary, childish, princess-y.

Classic lolita: Simple, refined, charming, historically accurate.

And, most important for our purposes, gothic lolita: Gloomy, elegant, macabre, dramatic, Romantic*.

(* Why the capital R? It's to clarify I'm not talking about lovey-dovey-ness, but the ideals of Romanticism.)

So, how do we incorporate these mood elements - gloomy, elegant, macabre, dramatic, and romantic - into the OTT lolita aesthetic? One way is through the choice of print motifs. A key part of the over-the-top lolita aesthetic is elaborate prints on the clothing. In over-the-top sweet lolita, the motifs in the prints are things like (for example) sugary desserts and cutesy animals. So, what would be some good motifs for OTT gothic lolita?

* Religious Motifs: Religious motifs - specifically, motifs associated with traditional Christianity - are very common in gothic lolita. This should be suprising to no one, seeing as these motifs are also very (maybe even more) common in Western goth. Why? Maybe it's the connection to the supernatural, maybe it's the way traditional Christianity is often referenced in gothic literature, maybe it's the gothic architecture, maybe it's just that there's a lot of overlap between traditional Christian aesthetics and graveyard aesthetics. Whatever the reason; crosses, crucifixes, angels, gothic architecture, and stained glass windows all add to that gothic mood.
Gothic architecture:

Close-up of print.

The gothic architecture combined with the
prominent moon reminds me of Irithyll.

Angels:

Close-up of print.

Stained glass:

This print is extra cool because
it depicts Saint George.

Saints:

Close up of print.

Crucifixes:

Close up of print.

Crosses:

I even found a very cool pipe-organ-themed print:

* Aristocratic motifs: Aristocratic motifs; such as jewelry, floral patterns, fancy possessions, and dark fairy tales; are also good for creating a gothic mood.
Floral patterns:

Fancy possessions:

Jewelry:

Dark fairy tales:

Close up of print.

* Vampire motifs: Vampire motifs are featured in a few notable prints in gothic lolita. This isn't surprising, as vampires are often seen as the most elegant, aristocratic, and romantic of monsters. Prints depicting vampires, especially depicting vampires being elegant and aristocratic, are about as gothic as you can get.

Close up of print.

This print has the extremely compelling name "Blood Moonlight Waltz".

Close up of print.

And my personal favorite, the wonderfully named "Vampire Nocturne", which might just be the most darkly romantic and romantically dark print I've ever encountered in lolita fashion.

Close up of print.

Taphophilic motifs: What's taphophilia? This odd and fascinating word refers to a love of the aesthetics associated with funerals, cemeteries, and mourning. Think of Victorian mourning clothing or elaborate grave monuments, to give two examples. Taphophilia has been an enormous influence of the gothic aesthetic (especially in Western goth), so taphophilic motifs are perfect for creating a gothic mood.

Funeral processions:

Close up of print.

Angels of death:

Close up of print.

Close up of details.

With blouse under dress.

Close up of print.

Cemeteries:

Without blouse under dress.

Finally, here are some other gothic-lolita-friendly motifs: Chandeliers, bats, ravens, roses, hearts (especially bleeding or anatomically correct hearts), supernatural beings, gothic-literature-inspired art, the night sky, nightingales, etcetera, etcetera. Basically, if it's dark and romantic, it works.