So, as many Lolitas know, there has been an argument raging on the internet over whether Lolita is still Lolita without a petticoat. Obviously there are many different perspectives on this as the Lolita style can be defined many different ways. Here are my personal opinions on what defines Lolita and whether a petticoat is necessary or not.
I've done fairly extensive research on what the Lolita style is as my Senior project was based around the style and also due to personal curiosity. From my research I've seen that the Lolita style is based on Rococo and Victorian styles and that is also a fairly loose fashion. There are many different substyles that break the "rules" of what is thought of as traditional Lolita. While many people insist that having a petticoat to achieve the cupcake shaped skirt is what makes Lolita Lolita, I instead state that it is optional. This is because of what Lolita is: a style based on Victorian and Rococo styles. I admit, poofy skirts were popular in those styles. However, Lolita is very marginally based on these styles. Many of the original Lolita ensembles were petticoat-less. And there are several substyles, including Casual and Punk Lolita, that rarely use or avoid petticoats. Some Lolitas might say these aren't true Lolita styles because they lack the proper shape. I say they are perfectly legitimate Lolita as they have elements of Rococo and Victorian fashion. Very watered down in the case of Punk Lolita, but still there. I've found that many of the "rules" of Lolita are really just suggestions that have been misinterpreted as being rules. It is for this reason that many Lolitas have a very strict image of what Lolita is. Lolita is just like any other style: It changes over time. Does the Punk style (Tthe one Punk Lolita draws from) still look the same today as it did a decade ago? Not entirely. There are still elements, but accessories have changed, the style has become more mainstream, and not everybody really knows what Punk is. Anyways, back to Lolita. I admit that many dresses and jumpers look much cuter with petticoats. However, some dresses look better with no petticoat at all. Not to mention if one wears petticoats all the time it can get quite cumbersome.
Ultimately, I feel the decision on whether or not to wear a petticoat is up to the wearer. If you insist Lolita has to be worn with a petticoat, fine. Just please don't attack the Lolitas that prefer not to wear petticoats all the time. We all love the same style and should be spreading our love of the style, not tearing potential wearers down with all the "rules" of Lolita. So everyone, let's all take a deep breath, relax, and wear Lolita as we choose. がんばってください！Go for it!
Check me out on Twitter: @animlolicouture
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