gothic lolita bo peep.

o m g!

this inspiration began with the shoes [jeffrey campbell lydia platforms: $135, nasty gal]. one of the things that i was most excited about prior to moving to japan five years ago was the mythical lolita style that was supposedly prevalent throughout harajuku and beyond. sure enough, on my first weekend venture into harajuku, lolitas lined the sidewalks in clusters. but unfortunately, i wound up perusing a few boutiques catering to this style where i discovered that the outfits were quite pre-packaged.

still, i liked the idea behind the fashion - victorian-inspired outfits of petticoats and full skirts, stockings and bows. i felt as if lolita fashion represented a disregard for the increasing utilitarianism of modern fashion and a love for layers, frills and old-fashioned elegance, which were made contemporary with additions such as platform shoes, cutesy or gothic motifs, lots of black lace and exaggerated accessories, all in celebration of how much reality you can evade through clothing.



for a while, i've felt the desire to incorporate lolita fashion into my own outfits, but this can be difficult as it's quite costume-ish, and the goal is not to don a pre-packaged costume. however, wearing a lace hairbow is probably as far as i've gone thus far...

so, back to the shoes: when i came across those shoes, i immediately thought "lolita". except that they're not totally outrageous, and actually quite on-trend [i see a bit of a miu miu silhouette in those platforms]. and if you think about it, a lot of lolita touches are also totally on-trend right now - bows, lace, petticoats and stockings included. so maybe there is no better time than now to mimic lolita stylings.



i'd wear the shoes with what i imagine as a mixture of "classic" lolita met with "gothic" lolita - feminine blouses in delicate fabrics and soft colors paired with edgy, bold skirts with full cuts and frilly embellishments.

lolita bo peep.

pushbutton oversized white caped shirt: $160, asos; pink ruffle silk shirt: $183, pixie market; cooperative peter pan blouse: $54, urban outfitters; aristocracy top: $38, modcloth.

kera chiffon pants: $95, opening ceremony; tulle academy skirt: $45, nasty gal; tsumori chisato moon dot skirt: $274, la garconne; vintage red chiffon and black lace petticoat skirt: $60, shrinkle on etsy; see by chloe bow flared skirt: $295, net-a-porter; sretsis gold/black skirt: $138, farfetch.