Generations within lolita fashion?

>>9590313
I forgot to mention in the second question that if you were introduced to the fashion before you started buying and wearing it, feel free to add when and how old were you when you found out about it. (And how too!)

>What year were you born in, and how old are you currently?
Isn't this... basically the same question? Born 1997, 20 years old.

>What year did you start lolita, and how old were you back then?
Got into it in 2010, didn't start buying until 2013.

>Were you older or younger than lolitas around that time period, or around the same age? Did you start the fashion when most lolitas your age did?
How would I know?

>How would you describe the scene of the fashion when you started? Trends, how communities and other lolitas acted, how the online lolita comm was, how newbies acted, etc.
Everything pretty much the same as current. Probably because I haven't been in lolita for an extremely long time.

>How would you describe the scene now?
A lot more mature prints?

>Is it highly different from when you started?
Would you set yourself in a completely separate group from lolitas that started the fashion in a different period of time, and would you think your newbie days were different from how newbies act now?
No.

>What do you think this new generation of lolitas will bring to the fashion? You can predict trends, end of eras or start of new eras, etc.
-

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>What year were you born in, and how old are you currently?
1995, and I am 22

>What year did you start lolita, and how old were you back then?
2008, and I was 12/13

>Were you older or younger than lolitas around that time period, or around the same age? Did you start the fashion when most lolitas your age did?
They were all older, either in college or out of college. I would say the average age was 20, which isn't old but to me it seemed ancient. They all were so put together and adult to me.

>How would you describe the scene of the fashion when you started? Trends, how communities and other lolitas acted, how the online lolita comm was, how newbies acted, etc.
It was the Livejournal years, and there was a certain post format everyone followed. Newbies were usually all really young weeaboos who got into lolita from anime and used a lot of emoticons. Most discussions were mature, but this was pre-social justice, so a lot of girls bragged about how they wore lolita because it wasn't slutty like most western fashion. People actually discussed the fashion back then, people talked about brands, about sewing techniques, about the history of the fashion, the ethics of replicas. Drama back then was an open secret, since getoffegl was just one click away from the main egl community, and people openly posted there under their own usernames. You weren't shamed for openly indulging in drama communities, though there were a few people who thought all lolitas had to be lovelies, it wasn't the main opinion.
(part 1 of 2)

>>9590313
Good thread idea, shit questions.

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>>9590330
(part 2 of 2)


>How would you describe the scene now?
I think the scene now has changed. For one, I think the age is younger, I feel like there are way more teenaged lolitas. I think people get into lolita for different reasons. Back then, people got into lolita via Kamikaze Girls, Visual Kei, or Japanese Fashion magazines. I didn't see a western lolita until I joined the egl community. Now, people get into lolita through other western lolitas, through Instagram, through Tumblr, or even Youtube. I think because social justice is more of a thing, the conversations and discussions are different. People say they get into lolita because of feminism, or justify it with feminism. There is also more of a discussion on representation of non-asian people of color in the fashion. There are also more brands to discuss, because of Taobao and indie brands being more popular than ever.

>Is it highly different from when you started? Would you set yourself in a completely separate group from lolitas that started the fashion in a different period of time, and would you think your newbie days were different from how newbies act now?
I don't really think about it too much because it doesn't bother me. I am not as involved in community discussions as I once was, and I am not a huge fan of most current trends right now, but I really still love the fashion, and I don't need it to be popular to still love the trends I love. I can still talk too newbie lolitas about the style, it isn't like there is some unapproachable generation gap between us, we just have different tastes and a different way we got into a fashion. No big deal.

>What do you think this new generation of lolitas will bring to the fashion? You can predict trends, end of eras or start of new eras, etc.
I think the fashion will continue to change, and that the Chinese lolitas are the current trendsetters, so whatever they want is what the fashion will evolve into.

>>9590332
then make other questions and add something to the thread

>>9590400
nayrp but why? aside from the idiot questions that ask pretty much the same question twice, it's not really a thread worth contributing to, besides the prediction of trends.

>What year were you born in, and how old are you currently?
1998, 19

>What year did you start lolita, and how old were you back then?
i found out about lolita in 2010-2011 (12-13 yr old), but i didn't start wearing it until 2014-2015 (16 yrs old)

>Were you older or younger than lolitas around that time period, or around the same age? Did you start the fashion when most lolitas your age did?
not really, i think i started lolita about the same time other lolitas my age did (pixielocks has my age and she started around the same time, maybe a little bit before). most lolitas when i started were older though.

>How would you describe the scene of the fashion when you started? Trends, how communities and other lolitas acted, how the online lolita comm was, how newbies acted, etc.
it was the peak of ott sweet, and when well known lolita youtubers started emerging, like lovelylor for example.

>How would you describe the scene now?
it hasn't changed drastically other than trends, it's mainly dominated by chinese lolitas, and taobao is more popular than it was when i started.

>Is it highly different from when you started? Would you set yourself in a completely separate group from lolitas that started the fashion in a different period of time, and would you think your newbie days were different from how newbies act now?
i do think newbies nowadays are different from what they were a couple of years ago. when i started, newbies would typically direct themselves to bodyline for their first pieces, now i see a lot of newbies heading towards taobao, but most of all, jumping immediately into getting brand pieces. i also see a better sense of coordination in some of them. it also has a lot less to do with what's in in japan, and more with what's in in china
(part 1)

>What do you think this new generation of lolitas will bring to the fashion? You can predict trends, end of eras or start of new eras, etc.
i honestly think that new gens might kill bodyline, and rise up taobao brands instead. i also feel like online sales will keep boosting but physical shops will close down, which already is happening so that really isn't a prediction. i'm hoping newer lolitas will bring back gothic lolita, but i think the classic trend will linger around for a while
(part 2)

>>9590313
I fell in love with Lolita as a like a late middle school/early high schooler weeb. My best friend had introduced me to Malice Mizer and visual kei, and then through manga and anime (Othello notably made a big impact on me)... That would have been around 2000-2002ish? I watched from afar, bought the GLBs when I had a little extra pocket money, and longingly browsed egl_comm_sales. I stopped following it for a few years, and then checked back in around 2010. Which of course was the peak of like OTT Sweet/pastel vomit and decora lolita. I remember being really disappointed and stopped paying any attention whatsoever until a few months ago.

I remember LJ being REAL weeby. Emoticons and shit everywhere. Everyone typed like they were about 14. It's really funny looking at the comments on older posts, actually.

I feel like people sewed more in the early 10's. Maybe not necessarily well, but more people tried to. I think it's sort of sad in some ways that Lolita clothing is so accessible, and with Taobao and LM secondhand sales it's pretty cheap. Most people won't bother these days trying to sew their own, or craft their own, and I really liked that part about the community. I'm a crafter and always have been, so I think that being such a big part of the online community was really romantic to me, and part of why I was so drawn to the fashion.

I'd love to see more girls taking an active interest in sewing stuff! I don't really think it'll happen, but a girl can dream. I'd also really love for gothic to be more common at meets. Our comm is pretty large and there's like, 2 girls that dress in gothic. It's usually like 70% sweet, 20% classic and 10% gothic.

I can't really remember, and maybe it's because I wasn't as tuned into that stuff then but-- was the online lolita comm always so social activst-y?

>What year were you born in, and how old are you currently?
1993, 23 years old

>What year did you start lolita, and how old were you back then?
2010, I was 16, last year of high school.

>Were you older or younger than lolitas around that time period, or around the same age? Did you start the fashion when most lolitas your age did?
I was pretty alone, and started my local comm from zero. So it's hard for me to answer these questions...

>How would you describe the scene of the fashion when you started? Trends, how communities and other lolitas acted, how the online lolita comm was, how newbies acted, etc.
Before Facebook we used Orkut and everyone was a piece of shit. We moved to a forum and it got a bit better. Newbies in general used a lot of very bland clothing and never did their hair and makeup.

>How would you describe the scene now?
Flourishing. Local brands have been popping up and being highly successful. We're having bigger and bigger meets.

>Is it highly different from when you started? Would you set yourself in a completely separate group from lolitas that started the fashion in a different period of time, and would you think your newbie days were different from how newbies act now?
It is, thankfully. I was different because I was from a small town and such. Not better, just different. Nowadays newbies have a lot more options to buy brand second hand and they can actually buy a full coord from local indie brands. I could never imagine this happening, it makes me so happy!

>What do you think this new generation of lolitas will bring to the fashion? You can predict trends, end of eras or start of new eras, etc.
I see a lot of people getting into lolita through Tumblr and people like Melanie Martinez, Larme and stuff like that. I don't understand it very well, but I found it exciting.

>>9590313
1/3

>What year were you born in, and how old are you currently?
1996, 20

>What year did you start lolita, and how old were you back then?
Got into it somewhere between 2012, started buying and wearing in 2014. I was 17.

>Were you older or younger than lolitas around that time period, or around the same age? Did you start the fashion when most lolitas your age did?
I didn't join a comm until a year later and was still one of the youngest there, most of the girls seemed to be students to mid-20s. However, I did feel like there were a lot of younger lolitas who'd just got started around and active online...I don't feel like there's as much new blood these days but maybe it's just the circles I move in. A lot of the newbies who joined when I did seemed to get bored quickly and only one of the young comm members I met back then still wears lolita.

>How would you describe the scene of the fashion when you started? Trends, how communities and other lolitas acted, how the online lolita comm was, how newbies acted, etc.
Barely any difference in comm meetups. In terms of trends OTT sweet was the biggest but OTT classic was big online, although I rarely saw it in my comm. Blogs were still quite relevant and newbies were often pointed to them but a lot of the resources were outdated and stuck in the trends of five years before. Newbies still sometimes got advised to read the G&LBs even though people weren't really scanning the new volumes and older volumes were barely relevant to current trends. YouTube was a big deal, or at least it seemed like it was to me, with popularity of people like Lor, Peachie and then Deerstalker a bit later. Circle lenses and falsies were optional but wigs seemed essential to me at the time and cgl was still nitpicking coords by saying a wig would have looked better.

>>9590500
2/3

I totally agree with >>9590412 about Bodyline being more popular, which I think was partly because of the "coords under $100" blog carnival and partly because the Western second-hand market was a lot more expensive than it is now - Lacemarket had just started and Taobao wasn't yet releasing many/any prints. Oldschool wasn't trendy back then and I remember that when I heard a couple of older lolitas advising buying second-hand my reaction was to laugh and assume they were just trying to boost their own sales - "Why would anyone want to pay $80 for an old non-print dress nobody wants when they can get a print for $30?" At the time it seemed to me like there was an endless stream of newbies who would buy cheap dresses if you got bored of them, whereas buying second-hand brand was risky because the pool of people willing to pay $80+ for a piece was much smaller and there was a chance you wouldn't be able to sell. Totally the opposite of what I'd advise anyone to do nowadays but I think it was a smart choice at the time - I easily sold all of my Bodyline for cost or higher when I got bored of it while girls in my comm were struggling not to make a loss on IW and BtSSB.

>How would you describe the scene now?
Brand is so cheap now, I think you can really feel that lolita is less popular in Japan and less new people are getting into the fashion in the West by both Japanese and Western market over-saturation. Oldschool's too expensive though. I think people are more accepting of different styles now and no longer warn newbies away from bxw because it's associated with eBay itas. Lots of the popular YouTube channels are far less active, Instagram is more popular than tumblr and print media isn't even relevant. Taobao's become huge but I kind of preferred how it was a couple of years ago with 20-30 brands it was easy to find reviews on rather than hundreds of new brands making one-offs every week and no guarantees of quality.

>>9590503
3/3

>Is it highly different from when you started? Would you set yourself in a completely separate group from lolitas that started the fashion in a different period of time, and would you think your newbie days were different from how newbies act now?
Not overmuch. When I got into lolita I didn't really relate to the other newbies in my comm any more than I relate to the newbies now, since most of them seemed to be weebs and a lot of them weren't really interested in the fashion. I honestly can't say that much about what new lolitas are like now since we get so few new members and I rarely interact with them. A lot are still weeby teens I think, but a lot of the older ones sort of spring fully-formed into lolita because resources and clothes are so easily accessible once you know where to look, and that's expected rather than impressive. I don't distance myself from other lolitas based on when they got into the fashion, I feel more of a distance based on common life situations and preferred substyles. I'm mostly an oldschool girl and even though I wear and follow modern lolita and some new releases still make my heart go dokidoki most recent trends honestly just bore me and I find scrolling through CoF a chore because so little of what's posted fits my taste. Most girls in my comm like either recent releases or OTT sweet.

>What do you think this new generation of lolitas will bring to the fashion? You can predict trends, end of eras or start of new eras, etc.
I don't know. I hope >>9590333's prediction of Chinese lolitas setting the pace won't come true. There are Chinese coords I love but a lot of what I'm exposed to online seems cosplay-ish and like a trend that will die in a few years. I hope lolita won't totally die out in Japan, and I wish lolita's popularity could grow a bit in the West too. I don't think we'll ever get back the subculture feel in any country but I hope we don't merge to become indistinguishable from larme and other girly fashions.

>What year were you born in, and how old are you currently?
1997, 19
>What year did you start lolita, and how old were you back then?
I started when I was 14, so 2012
>Were you older or younger than lolitas around that time period, or around the same age? Did you start the fashion when most lolitas your age did?
I was younger, but I think most people started in their early teens.
>How would you describe the scene of the fashion when you started? Trends, how communities and other lolitas acted, how the online lolita comm was, how newbies acted, etc.
I was way to shy to join any comms so I have no idea...
>How would you describe the scene now?
for trends, I don't like much of the new "OTT classic" style... I think it's fugly, and I'm sick of sweet by now, and it's always the most drama filled style. I only recently joined a comm so I still don't have anything concrete to say about the community. The online community is mostly bad, but there still are several people I follow that I really like and they are all very nice. Newbies have stayed the same mostly, either weeby and rude or kind and curious.
>Is it highly different from when you started? Would you set yourself in a completely separate group from lolitas that started the fashion in a different period of time, and would you think your newbie days were different from how newbies act now?
Sweet has definitely changed, and even though classic was popular then it's even more popular now. I really haven't changed my style since, and the fact that I never joined a comm or interacted with any other lolitas back then I think sets me aside a little, but not for any special snowflake reasons. my newbie self was very contentious and tried to make my first coord not an ita mess because I had read online a lot before I actually got any stuff.
>What do you think this new generation of lolitas will bring to the fashion? You can predict trends, end of eras or start of new eras, etc.
I hope OTT classic dies

>>9590313
1 out of 2

>What year were you born in, and how old are you currently?
1995, 21 turning 22

>What year did you start lolita, and how old were you back then?
I got into/discovered the real fashion maybe in 2011 or so. I was 15 or 16. I think I kinda knew about lolita when I was a child weeb in 2006 or so but I don't think I was ever exposed to very many good examples and didn't truly understand what the fashion looked like for a while. I didn't start actively participating and wearing the clothes until 2015 when I was 19.

>Were you older or younger than lolitas around that time period, or around the same age? Did you start the fashion when most lolitas your age did?
In my comm I think I was somewhat young but not much as most of us are in our 20's.

>How would you describe the scene of the fashion when you started? Trends, how communities and other lolitas acted, how the online lolita comm was, how newbies acted, etc.
When I first became interested in lolita seriously (2011), OTT sweet decora-y pastel vomit seemed to still be the popular trend - I remember seeing that type of lolita is what drew me in to wanting to try it out. 2015 however wasn't that long ago, I think most of the trends from that year are still around - OTT classic, darker or more gothic sweet themes, as well as a small rise in the popularity of gothic. So basically, kinda more mature styles and themes. In 2011 I didn't participate too much in very many online communities but from what I remember, when it came to Tumblr and Facebook people seemed pretty friendly. CGL in 2011 was def a bit different from right now in 2017.

>>9590575
just kidding, 2 out of 3

>How would you describe the scene now?
Again, since it wasn't that long ago, relatively the same? But I definitely notice some differences. I think on CGL there's a lot more know-it-all n00bs who are putting on a front, and less people who have been around for longer. As for FB, maybe I was just immune to it but I feel like theres a lot more idiots posting in the groups these days. Tumblr is similar - it seems like overall, across many communities people have been using tumblr less anyways but I feel like in 2011 there was a solid number of lolitas regularly using tumblr, whereas right now I feel like the tag has been crowded by autistic cosplayers who don't understand lolita and fetishists and hipsters incorrectly tagging their DDLG fashion shit.

>Is it highly different from when you started? Would you set yourself in a completely separate group from lolitas that started the fashion in a different period of time, and would you think your newbie days were different from how newbies act now?
Yes and no. Comparing 2011 to 2017, I think there's certainly differences that I think will be further exacerbated once we hit the new decade and can compare something like 2010 to 2020. I wouldn't put myself in a completely different group but even within my own comm, I can almost tell who started the fashion when based on the little quirks on how they like to dress (like one girl does more simple, regular, traditional type coords that I think got into the fashion in the mid 00's, and another girl does a lot of cool decora-inspired OTT sweet stuff who got into the fashion in the late 00's, 2010)

>>9590579
3 out of 3


>What do you think this new generation of lolitas will bring to the fashion? You can predict trends, end of eras or start of new eras, etc.
The world in general is going through some big changes culturally, politically, and technologically, all of which affect fashion and will affect lolita. People are saying that China is going to become the next world superpower and I think they're not too far off. I agree with a previous anon in that Chinese lolitas will be huge in deciding trends and I believe it will be like that maybe for the next 5-10 years.
Japanese street fashion is also really changing - I'm not too sure how exactly this will affect lolita but I just hope it's nothing too negative!
As for lolitas outside of Asia, I think we are going to see indie brands really thrive and grow. Burando will always be where it's at I think but there's a lot more tools and resources these days for girls to start their own little lolita brand. In terms of just style and sizing I think there will be a much bigger demand for indie in the West, but indie brands are going to have to make sure they can keep up high quality, worthwhile releases. Looking at brands like voodooodolly, lily of the valley, elegy, or even haenuli (which could arguably be considered just korean burando), or even japanese indie like antique beast, if indie brand owners can consistently keep up with demand and successfully release high-quality items, the indie market can go far.

1/3 So sorry for the tldr


>What year were you born in, and how old are you currently?
1991/26 - I feel like a need a walker and a pair of dentures compared to some of y'all.
>What year did you start lolita, and how old were you back then?
Early 2012, so 20
>Were you older or younger than lolitas around that time period, or around the same age? Did you start the fashion when most lolitas your age did?
I feel like I might have been a little older, but I was a lonelita for a long time just because I went to school in the middle of bumfuck nowhere. I've never felt old, and although I don't think I look particularly new people are often surprised to find out that I'm not a college freshman/sophomore when I meet them.
>How would you describe the scene of the fashion when you started? Trends, how communities and other lolitas acted, how the online lolita comm was, how newbies acted, etc.
There was more drama on cgl which kind of made things more fun. OTT sweet was kind of on its way out/being replaced by OTT Classic. Kate was still an ita with awful glasses. Olf school was largely considered ita no matter what. There was way less emphasis on taking care of trans/muslim/minority/whatever the hell else feelings. While I'm glad that the community has become more accepting, I think that the willingness of SJWs to give certain people asspats merely for existing is counterproductive to the image of the fashion, since it encourages people to never learn or grow.

2/3

>How would you describe the scene now?
The ageplay witchhunt had grown substantially, which is kind of funny as someone who still wears 2010-2012 sweet and just doesn't give a fuck. Yellow-fever has gotten even worse with the invention of BeautyCam etc., and it's crazy to think that some people actually believe that humans with freakish anime eyes and knife chins actually exist. Newbies have better resources than Bodyline, but still don't realize that second-hand brand is probably more accessible and better quality than Taobao or off-brand. Sizing for AP has gotten really large.
>Is it highly different from when you started?
The death of Livejournal and EGL Comm Sales was definitely the end of an era. I feel like people used to produce more community-centric content for lolita rather than just posting photo shoots to promote their own popularity and e-famooseness. Networking has become way more important in the fashion if you want to be a person of influence. It's not enough to dress well anymore if you want to be treated well even within local comms. Now you have to have a giant social media following, all of the newest releases, be polite to a fault, and have absolutely no visible flaws for people to dig up and drag on the internet.
Would you set yourself in a completely separate group from lolitas that started the fashion in a different period of time, and would you think your newbie days were different from how newbies act now?
I feel like I'm more down to earth in some ways. There still exists a myth (probably perpetuated by itas on Tumblr) that brand is "Zomg so expensive and small!", but I feel like people that have been around for awhile know this isn't true. I'm way more frugal than some new lolitas I've met as well, I know how to wait for a deal rather than spending all my cash on a flavor of the month mainpiece (Which I feel like people often do just because they want to be more popular....)

3/3

>What do you think this new generation of lolitas will bring to the fashion? You can predict trends, end of eras or start of new eras, etc.
Early 2008-2010 not quite OTT sweet will make a comeback, as will Old School Gothic. People will start making more creative blog and e-zine content to fill in the gap left by GLB. Larme will continue to influence lolita brands until they lose enough money to go back to more traditional styles. Older lolitas are passing a threshold where they no longer give fucks about what other people think, so things are about to get mismatched and big and loud and gaudy and in your face REAL quick.

>What year were you born in, and how old are you currently?
I’m 26.
>What year did you start lolita, and how old were you back then?
I started when I was 22, but I knew about lolita since I was about 12 and discovered Malice Mizer and other VK bands.
>Were you older or younger than lolitas around that time period, or around the same age? Did you start the fashion when most lolitas your age did?
I didn’t feel old then, but now I do. New girls are usually in high school when they join the local comm, or barely beginning college.
>How would you describe the scene of the fashion when you started? Trends, how communities and other lolitas acted, how the online lolita comm was, how newbies acted, etc.
It was before the OTT classic explosion and Taobao was still a little sketchy. The market was a little better back then because people hadn’t quite figured out all the secondhand shops/sites yet.
>How would you describe the scene now?
It’s in flux.
>Is it highly different from when you started? Would you set yourself in a completely separate group from lolitas that started the fashion in a different period of time, and would you think your newbie days were different from how newbies act now?
Sort of? Nowadays newbies discover lolita through photos on Tumblr or Instagram, whereas those of us that have a background in visual kei, or owned copies of the Gothic & Lolita Bible (original or Tokyopop's) have more of a cultural point-of-view.
>What do you think this new generation of lolitas will bring to the fashion? You can predict trends, end of eras or start of new eras, etc.
I’m worried that lolita will lose its culture. Will new lolitas care about Kamikaze Girls, or try to get a copy of G&LB? Do they even know about Mana? Or is lolita just for photos and likes/reblogs? I’m also concerned about how the brands are catering to Chinese customers, and if/when the bubble will burst.

>>9590313

1/2 (A.N.)

>What year were you born in, and how old are you currently?
1994/23

>What year did you start lolita, and how old were you back then?
Learned about it in 2007, got my first buurando in '08 or 09. Big pause '12-16. Feels like waking up from a coma.

>Were you older or younger than lolitas around that time period, or around the same age? Did you start the fashion when most lolitas your age did?
I felt like I was much younger. For one thing, it kind of seemed like everyone had a good job/income, and I was just barely in high school with nothin'. There was ONE other lolita at my high school, she was asian, older than me, and i had a crush on her. Too shy to really talk to her at all, tho'.

>How would you describe the scene of the fashion when you started? Trends, how communities and other lolitas acted, how the online lolita comm was, how newbies acted, etc.
I have never been part of a comm, so my answer for this is based off LJ lurking. It was...way weebier. Still intimidating, but the language and 'rules' were all different. Calling the fashion 'loli' was fine, utks were still cool, etc. Everything seemed really new and vibrant, though. Things were really happening, and it was exciting to watch!

>How would you describe the scene now?
Grumpy and filled with children, fake personalities and tryhard sjws. Just my opinion from the outside, but it really does feel like the magic's gone. Sorry to be cynical.
...

>>9596300

2/2 (A.N)
...
>Is it highly different from when you started? Would you set yourself in a completely separate group from lolitas that started the fashion in a different period of time, and would you think your newbie days were different from how newbies act now?
Noobs are noobs, but at least they have better options now. I guess? It used to be you either pay out the nose on cgl_comm_sales or order from a japanese website and get murdered by shipping prices. Maybe that's just the poorfag in me talking.
It feels like it's so much easier to be Lolita now. I just bought a whole outfit for under 200usd, and it's mostly AP. I'd have died for that in high school.
Also, in terms of trends changing, prints have fully taken over and I do not like it.

>What do you think this new generation of lolitas will bring to the fashion? You can predict trends, end of eras or start of new eras, etc.
I honestly have no idea. I feel like the direction it's going in now is cheapening it--taobao and the like being so common. I think what it NEEDS is some creativity. Something still lolita, but just really bizarre. I'd like the whole "coordinate point" thing to come back.

Here's my question related to the OP's picture: how would you draw today's lolita fashion? OTT classic is now dead so what is the hit thing right now?

>>9590313
Yes, but moreso in Japan. The popularity of lolita is like waves that's why it feels kind of dead now. And everytime the fashion changes. I guess first generation would be the nagomu gals though they were not really lolita yet. After that Idk but another wave of popularity came with Malice Mizer and Takemoto. A lot of people that started wearing it because it was popular have quit now.

>>9590409
You can't make good prediction threads on cgl, gulls can't take change

>>9590588
Chinese lolitas may influence brands but the way Western lolitas put together a coord and what they buy is not going to depend on Chinese lolitas at all. We are pretty good at ignoring everything that's not in English or doesn't abide by our rules.

Well i thought i was the youngest but it seems like most people are my age. Glad to know that.

>>9596307
I feel like there is no big trend at the moment. Sweet ius getting more mature with larme touches and classic less OTT, but that's about it.

1/2

>What year were you born in, and how old are you currently?
1990 so 27
>What year did you start lolita, and how old were you back then?
Started wearing it in 2007, when I was 17
>Were you older or younger than lolitas around that time period, or around the same age?
I was a bit younger I guess, so the average seemed to be like university freshman/early 20s at most.
>Did you start the fashion when most lolitas your age did?
Most Lolitas I know started when they were around 19/20.
>How would you describe the scene of the fashion when you started? Trends, how communities and other lolitas acted, how the online lolita comm was, how newbies acted, etc.
It was mostly centered around lj and its sub-cummuties, the community seemed more tightly knitted. There were many noobs asking the same questions and asking for coord concrit everyday. The standards were much lower and everyone was praised (though there was also a lot of back-stabbing and shit talking behind ones back). But in general the anticipation and excitement about about anything new was incredible. Gothic was very popular in my country at this time and the Moitie Lolitas began to rise. Everyone else wore either Meta or Btssb/AP. Classic brands weren't popular at all.
Since there were few experienced western Lolitas out there, online discussions were very important and brought the community closer together.

>>9596627
2/2

>How would you describe the scene now?
It is much more scattered. The online community is almost entierely dead, the Japanese sources are almost dead, cgl is the last refugee for serious discission. Everyone is more focused about themselves and their popularity, the joy and excitement about discovering something new is gone. My local comm is dead, everyone I know is either a lone Lolita or prefers to hang out with their closest friends in private.
>Is it highly different from when you started? Would you set yourself in a completely separate group from lolitas that started the fashion in a different period of time, and would you think your newbie days were different from how newbies act now?
Yes it is, Lolitas today are much more experienced and have easier access to the fashion. The standards for what is considered a good coord became higher, trends and expectations changed. Local comms in my areas lost its popularity in favour of more expensive OTT events. Newbies today have much better resources and better access to the fashion, so their Ita phase last shorter compared to back then.
>What do you think this new generation of lolitas will bring to the fashion? You can predict trends, end of eras or start of new eras, etc.
Possibly nostaglia. Oldschool is already on its rise again. Otome-kei was very popular for a while. I'm really bad with predicting, and trends change too fast these days, but I hope that gothic makes its come back some time.

>>9590434
>orkut
where are you from?

>What year were you born in, and how old are you currently?
1994, 23 now
>What year did you start lolita, and how old were you back then?
2009, 15
>Were you older or younger than lolitas around that time period, or around the same age? Did you start the fashion when most lolitas your age did?
I felt younger, but that was a lot because I was broke and couldn't afford brand for a long while. From what I see now with new lolitas in our local comm, a lot of them start arund 15-17
>How would you describe the scene of the fashion when you started? Trends, how communities and other lolitas acted, how the online lolita comm was, how newbies acted, etc.
Moitié-brand gothic was still a big deal. My local comm was completely gothic/classic. OTT was just sweeping in properly in the west, and cadney, herajika, and pixie_late were the OGs of daily_lolita.
>How would you describe the scene now?
I like it. I'm thankful for how it's progressing. Our local comm is the most active it's ever been. There are large events every year to bring together people from different countries to celebrate the fashion. LJ is dead (thank fuck, never liked the format much.). Instagram makes it easier than ever to make EGL friends and share coords and meet photos. I've made friends on there that I'll be meeting in person for the first time soon. The fashion is so much more accessible to newcomers, and it's at a point where quite a lot of substyles are considered in fashion, depending on where you are (and how much effort you put in).

(1/2)

>>9590657
>26, started in 2012 at 20
Oh thank christ, I was starting to somehow feel both ancient and a late bloomer (I started in 2012 at 19)

>>9596666
(praise mana, the quads)
(2/2)
>Is it highly different from when you started? Would you set yourself in a completely separate group from lolitas that started the fashion in a different period of time, and would you think your newbie days were different from how newbies act now?
I'm really not sure. I feel like there's a lot less edginess in local comms ("teehee smoking/drinking/existing in burando! So uncouth!11" shit seems less common, at least in my bubble). I didn't know any other newbies when I was starting out so idk honestly.
>What do you think this new generation of lolitas will bring to the fashion? You can predict trends, end of eras or start of new eras, etc.
I want people to get over the formula. I really do. I'm sick of people shitting themselves because someone wore two different shades of pink together, or people couldn't agree on what exact substyle a coord fits into. I know I'm asking for a shitstorm by saying this, but fashion should be free to evolve and be experimented with. A few people getting it completely wrong and looking bad shouldn't be enough to scare people away from trying something new. Remember when polka dots were ita? Remember when tights were ita? We can keep going.

>>9596307
I think there are three big trends going in opposite directions:

>Chinese lolita style that's more meant for photoshoots and meets than actual daily wearing
With GLB, Kera and Fruits dead magazines like Girlism will get big (and there will probably be more popping up). Western lolitas, especially newbies will pick up on these trends due to taobao being the it gateway source. A few Chinese brands will get really big to the point of burando status and brands will open more stores in China.

>Many (older) western lolitas are hopping off the meet/photoshoot focused mentality
This is likely be a reaction to the OTT years, and partially like >>9590673 said, regarding not giving a fuck anymore. There is more attention being payed to "wearable" coordinates (not the same as "mature" where everyone tried to make OTT adult by putting it in a classic container). Rules are getting broken a bit more, colors are less and less Pantone matched and I've seen more people wear casual than I have in a while.

>Burando thinks it's Larme
Really, none of their customer base seem to actually like this and it will die out as soon as the brands catch on to why their losing money (hopefully)

No shade but I was never a Lolita but I loved posts from back in 2008 or so.

There was the chocolat someone person and the girl everyone hated who dressed amazing but had a big chin. I forgot their names completely (it's been almost 10 years) please help

And just for shits and giggles the crazy girl that was on the bigger side that was insane or something and kept eating mochi. I think it started with a K

And I guess that girl that made shit charms shaped like shit even though i think yall harped on her a bit too hard

>>9596685
I like it when brands try to be Larme. Tho this really made me realize the next phase really is "neo lolita" and I can agree that's not actually lolita at least in it's meaning it has now.

>>9596712
It's pretty evident you are in the minority of lolitas though (not meant to be offensive, just honest). Brands have more and more stuff going on clearance and they aren't the bloodbath they used to be. The issue is if people want Larme, they typically just wear Larme.

It's also a bad case of selling to the audience they want and not the one they have. Sure, Larme is popular in Japan but if you look at what Chinese, Korean and Western brands and lolitas are doing it's not there. And with an aging population, and kids with less and less extra cash street fashion in Japan is a dwindling market.

>>9596685
>With GLB, Kera and Fruits dead magazines like Girlism will get big
Kera isn't dead, and we actually got 3 new japanese harajuku/lolita magazines

>>9596712
I think neo lolita is seen as a harajuku style rather than a lolita style and it's just influenced by lolita since it's also has a lot of childish elements

>>9596720
This, Melt is pretty great, the styling is somewhat non-traditional.

>>9596685
I'm guessing you've never been to China. Chinese lolitas actually do treat lolita as daily wear, you can even spot them so casual they aren't wearing a petti with their lolita skirt and tanktop, they just dont post that online.

>>9590313

>What year were you born in, and how old are you currently?
1988, I'm 28. I have a late birthday.

>What year did you start lolita, and how old were you back then? 2008.
I was 19/20. I admired it before that but couldn't make my own online purchases until then.

>Were you older or younger than lolitas around that time period, or around the same age? Did you start the fashion when most lolitas your age did?
I think I was around the same age as the girls I admired on livejournal.

>How would you describe the scene of the fashion when you started? Trends, how communities and other lolitas acted, how the online lolita comm was, how newbies acted, etc.
I started in the prime of the lj days, but mainly lurked/was low-key myself. There was no comm in my city. I remember the high volume of posts to egl each day and everyone was so casual with their posts/comments... like one-line comments, 'anime' emoticons, etc. Personal posts in the main comm asking for opinions on a coord were acceptable. My favorite were the meet-up posts with photos and captions under each one. Faunkegin's posts were my favorite - I admired her so much back then.

I got in right before OTT sweet took off and the fashion as a whole felt more free-spirited. Not everything had to match perfectly then and it felt like a real street fashion. Brand felt more special because it was harder to get. There were fewer newbies at the time because of the barrier to entry.

The community was still catty, I remember lurking getoffegl and following the drama. It was focused more on the worst-of-the-worst though. There wasn't a ton of nitpicking like today.

I'm incredibly nostalgic for those days haha.

>>9596877
>How would you describe the scene now?
Without lj the online comm fees much more fragmented, but lolita has grown in popularity exponentially. Everything is tied to your real identity now because of facebook.

There is definitely more of a focus on OTT, which I'm not a fan of but I know some like it. There is more focus on creativity in coords, and desu I'm not really a fan because most of them fall flat and look costumey. I don't feel the same rush when I look at today's coords vs. the old days for that reason.

There are more newbies but that isn't necessarily a bad thing. Taobao definitely makes it easier to get into the fashion due to the low price point, but I'm not a fan of the dresses churned out most of the time... but I don't have to buy them.

>Is it highly different from when you started? Would you set yourself in a completely separate group from lolitas that started the fashion in a different period of time, and would you think your newbie days were different from how newbies act now?
I don't think I acted much different as the newbies do now. I do see some separation of the older lolitas/vs newbies in my own comm, but we are accepting overall. I didn't have a comm when I was a newbie so I don't know how they were treated back then.

>What do you think this new generation of lolitas will bring to the fashion? You can predict trends, end of eras or start of new eras, etc.
I'm not great at predicting. I agree with the anon above that thinks taobao is cheapening it. I think most of the Japanese brands will fade into obscurity eventually or turn into other styles. AP will always remain on top as a status symbol and maybe Baby. I hope otherwise though.

1/2

>What year were you born in, and how old are you currently?
1994, I'm 22.

>What year did you start lolita, and how old were you back then?
2012, I was 17 and just entering college.

>Were you older or younger than lolitas around that time period, or around the same age? Did you start the fashion when most lolitas your age did?
I was wayyyy younger than most of the comm, but apparently I was one of the better dressed newbies.

>How would you describe the scene of the fashion when you started? Trends, how communities and other lolitas acted, how the online lolita comm was, how newbies acted, etc.
I joined LJ just as its decline began. Facebook was just becoming the major platform for communities and sales. getoffegl was dying and behind-the-bows was taking its place, but I still loved both of them. OTT Sweet had just stopped being the big trend and it was a similar situation that the fashion is currently in: in-between trends and girls were much more liberal with their coords. While I was in college, I shared a comm with someone who became a massive lolcow after I'd left. She was quiet and polite, maybe a bit flaky, but I still wonder what happened.

>>9596696
>who dressed amazing but had a big chin
That was faukegin or something like that. I loved her

2/2
>How would you describe the scene now?
I believe people are more critical with coords, at least online and not in person. However, I think this is justified, with the saturation of brands: Japanese, Chinese, Korean, and western, as well as the general decrease of price in the secondhand market (I forgot to say that scalping was fucking rampant when I had just started). There are so many acceptable options that there's no excuse to be ita.

>Is it highly different from when you started? Would you set yourself in a completely separate group from lolitas that started the fashion in a different period of time, and would you think your newbie days were different from how newbies act now?
I don't think newbie behavior is very different, but while I was a raging weeaboo I kept that shit to myself, and I understood that not everyone got into the fashion through anime like I did. My current community is very integrated between newbies and experienced members, and the online community is still just as bitchy as it was five years ago.

>What do you think this new generation of lolitas will bring to the fashion? You can predict trends, end of eras or start of new eras, etc.
I think the fashion will become more racially diverse, and before the anti-SJWs maul me I mean this with utmost sincerity. (Representation matters, etc.) I agree that the Chinese lolitas will dominate the fashion, and we'll probably have to deal with some costumey Taobao bullshit trends. I believe we'll lose some of the smaller established Japanese brands, sadly, but maybe that'll pave the way for more indie Japanese brands. Lolita in Japan will melt into the more popular styles, but it will stay strong overseas.

Do you think the EGL comm could have tried harder to destroy ageplay? Do you think EGL not completely destroying ageplay led to the explosion of daddykink?

>>9597130
What the fuck are you on about? The explosion's come from outside the scene, not within it. There isn't anything lolitas could have done to stop it because we're such a tiny minority in society.

>>9597130
Oh boy, I remember when one of the mods was exposed for modeling in an ageplay photoshoot.

There is overlap between the two interests but I don't think they have much influence over one another. Some lolitas incidentally happen to be into ageplay (or vice versa).

>>9597132
>>9597138

My post came off more aggressive than I thought. It was just in my mind lately

>>9596877
>Not everything had to match perfectly then and it felt like a real street fashion.
This is what I miss the most. Someone wears a coord like an street actual fashion, and suddenly they're ita because they're too basic. And if they say they did XYZ for comfort, then you get anons telling them that they shouldn't bother posting, then. It's like we've moved from the "working with what you have" aspect of an organically grown street fashion, to "you'd better buy every individual piece of a coord before you even think about wearing it."

>>9597181
And yet why do we never have threads to appreciate street snaps or more colourful coords or something?

>>9597321
We sometimes do but they devolve into shitposting because taste is subjective and tose threads attract trolls, or they die off entirely because there aren't many modern sources of street snaps that aren't staged anyway.

>>9597344
Street snaps were almost always staged

>>9597321
There is a street snap thread right now but no1curr

>>9596738
I really liked the styling of Melt and Eternita

>>9597368
They weren't always as staged as now, where people are told to queue at a specific location.

>>9597181
I agree. I just avoid posting online for that reason, I wear lolita daily a lot but only post more polished coordinates to instagram, most I'll only post on Twitter.