Lolita fashion is a subculture from Japan that is highly influenced by Victorian clothing and styles from the Rococo period. It is characterized by a distinctive aesthetic of cuteness, and the main feature of Lolita fashion is the volume of the skirt, created by wearing a petticoat or crinoline. The skirt can be either bell-shaped or A-line shaped, and components of the Lolita wardrobe consist mainly of a blouse (long or short sleeves) with a skirt or a dress, which usually comes to the knees. Lolitas frequently wear wigs in combination with other headwear such as hair bows or bonnets (similar to poke bonnets). Lolitas can also wear Victorian style drawers under their petticoats.
Lolita fashion emerged in Japan during the 1990s as a radical form of street style born out of the Japanese taste for Hello Kitty cuteness. Although the term Lolita has sexual connotations in Western culture due to the book of the same name by Vladimir Nabokov, in Japanese culture it refers to cuteness, elegance, and modesty. The rise of Lolita fashion has been closely linked to the popularity of Visual Kei, a Japanese music genre derived from glam-rock, metal, and punk. Androgynous male musicians perform in elaborate costumes that draw on multiple historical references, most notably Rococo and Victoriana, while fans make outfits in imitation of their favorite musicians to wear at concerts. Wearing Lolita is not a form of cosplay.
Lolita is seen as a reaction against stifling Japanese society, in which young people are pressured to strictly adhere to gender roles and the expectations and responsibilities that are part of these roles. Wearing fashion inspired by childhood clothing is a reaction against this. The style has gained immense popularity among young women and girls around the world, who have embraced the look and made it their own.
