OTT Gothic Lolita #7

OTT Gothic Lolita #7

This post is going to be a little bit different, because I'll be recommending things for over-the-top gothic lolita that I haven't see but would like to see.

* Experimentation with color: Obviously, black is the color everyone associates with gothic lolita, and indeed, with goth in general. There is nothing wrong with this - black is a wonderful color! But there are other options to play with. Rich jewel tones are deep and decadent, perfect for a "wicked aristocrat" look. Icy and silvery pastels (as opposed to the sugary pastels popular in sweet lolita) are eerie and otherworldly, great for a "ghost girl" style.

Jewel tones:

With blouse.

Icy and silvery pastels:

From the back

Without overskirt.

From the back.

Up close.

Even white can be gothic! For example:

As they are, these dresses are classic lolita. But add a shroudlike white shawl around the shoulders, white lace gloves, "witchy" little pointed white boots, and white artificial roses in the hair, and it's as gothic as you could want.

* Floaty blouses: Floaty blouses tend not to be very common in lolita, but they would be perfect for OTT gothic lolita. Floaty blouses make you look (and feel) like a runaway princess, or a haunted poet, or a mysterious fay, or any number of gothic and romantic things.

* Severe blouses: Given that lolita fashion puts a premium on girlishness, the clothing tends to be very soft. However, wearing a severe and sharp blouse makes an outfit look serious, which is good if you're trying to project a gloomy or dour aura. Severe blouses are also good for an aristocratic style.

* Dramatic skirt shapes: Dramatic skirt shapes make an outfit striking, which is good if you want to be over-the-top. Flared skirts, skirts with overskirts, unusual or elaborate hems, and bat-wing shapes are all dramatic and over-the-top.

* Full corset in place of blouse: I freely admit that this is far more inspired by western goth than by traditional lolita, which puts a heavy emphasis on cuteness and girlishness. However, I think that wearing a full-chest corset in place of a blouse (as is often done in the wonderful sub-style of goth known as romanti-goth) is an elegant and dramatic alternative to more typical choices. It makes you look like a vampire princess. If you feel too exposed, wear a jacket or a coat on top.

Crowns: Tiaras are quite popular in OTT sweet lolita, but those are too cutesy for OTT gothic lolita. But there are plenty of other options. Crowns like an evil queen would wear, romantic flower crowns, angelic "halos", and diadems are all good and gothic options.

"Evil queen" crowns:

Romantic flower crowns:

With the wings alongside the black roses,
this is a headpiece fit for a Valkyrie.

Angelic "halos":

Diadems:

I was only able to find one example of a diadem, but there is an easy way to make a diadem. Drape a necklace (preferably a really pretty one) over your forehead and then fasten it by pinning it into place. This was most famously done by Princess Diana.

Enough said.

* Veils: Veils are mysterious, dramatic, romantic, a bit otherworldly, and associated with mourning. In other words, they're perfect for OTT gothic lolita. The other nice thing about veils is that they can be combined with other headpieces to make an outfit even more elaborate, such as wearing the veil alongside a hair corsage or under a hat.