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Elegant Gothic Lolita, or EGL, is a fashion trend particularly popular among Japanese teens and young women. A subset of gothic lolita, EGL emphasizes Victorian-style girl's dress and often aims to imitate the look of Victorian porcelain dolls. The male analog to elegant Gothic Lolita is "EGA" or Elegant Gothic Aristocrat which shares EGL's emphasis on the Victorian era though not on children's clothing. Elegant Gothic Lolita is heavily influenced by the imagery of more feminine visual kei (or "visual rock") bands. Visual kei is a sort of heavy metal music with elaborate costumes, which is popular in Japan.

The Style

Voluminous and frilly knee-length skirts characterize elegant Gothic Lolita. These babydoll dresses are typically some combination of black and white, often black with white lace. Skirts often have a concealing crinoline. Earlier EGL dresses were often adorned by an "Alice in Wonderland"-style apron, but this is no longer common. Skirts are usually worn with long stockings that often go up to the knee or higher. Such stockings are popular in Japan in their own right. Black fishnets (often with intentional holes), white, brown, or black tights, bows, and ruffles are common for the stockings. Clunky shoes are usually worn, and they're often Mary Janes.

Frilly, ruffled, and elegant Victorian blouses accompany the bottoms. Typically black or white, other colors like red and pastels are occasionally accents. Tops are modest, sometimes with long lace-capped sleeves. A flat chest is preferred. Cleavage and breasts are de-emphasized to preserve a child-like look. Sometimes blouses have "Peter Pan" collars and sleeves.

Headpieces usually compliment the outfit. Mostly black or white, heargear might be a headband with ruffles, ribbons, lace, or bows. Sometimes even bonnets, or askew top hats (also seen in EGA) are worn. Hair is sometimes curled to complete the porcelain doll look. Hair color is often lightened by normally dark-hair Japanese girls, but rarely to blonde.

Makeup is used sparingly by EGL adherents, although it is seen more often than with other Gothic Lolita styles. Black eyeliner is typical. A pale complexion is preferred, so white foundation might be used. Red or black lipstick is seen, but less makeup is the rule.

Elegant Gothic Lolita outfits may be accessorized with other props like conspicuous pocketbooks, hatboxes, handbags, and other bags, sometimes featuring the shapes of bats, coffins, and crucifixes. Parasols are also common as are lace gloves.

Longer dresses and dark makeup are more akin to visual kei styles than what purists consider Elegant Gothic Lolita. Plaid also reflects popular musical sources, and is more commonly seen in other Gothic Lolita sub-types.

Typically, EGL is not everyday clothing for adherents. Worn primarily in public for concerts and on weekends, the style is for show and not a practical fashion.

"Lolita"

Although "Lolita" is apparently a reference to Vladimir Nabokov's famous novel, and EGL is often worn by teens, the style doesn't seem overtly sexual to most westerners. Adherents present themselves as Victorian children or baby dolls.

However, Japanese girls are considered sexually attractive to many males in Japan. It's been said that Japanese men have a "Lolita complex." Therefore, the term "Lolita" implies that sexual allure is involved with dressing like a child. It's been suggested that dressing this way makes some young women feel sexually powerful while simultaneously allowing them to escape growing up.

Influences

Elegant Gothic Lolita can be understood as a type of Japanese costume-play, or "cosplay". Among other things, Japanese youth cosplay anime characters, but EGL has different influences.

EGL originally inherited pre-established trends in gothic fashion and drew upon Alice in Wonderland and French maid cosplay. The style has branched out however, and several other forms of the "Gothic Lolita" style exist.

Visual Rock

Japanese visual kei or visual rock encompass a wide variety of bands. Most of these groups are heavy metal rock and roll, but visual rock groups in Japan are also known for their tendency to dress up, often elaborately. This can be thought of as an extension of the more familiar "glam rock" in English music. Few visual rock groups are particularly Gothic Lolita, but those that are have greatly informed the style. Many young women in Japan try to emulate groups like Dir en Grey, Kana, and the band Malice Mizer (transliterated "Marisu Miseru").

In particular Malice Mizer's crossdressing guitar player, Mana, is credited for starting Gothic Lolita. Mana, a male, often wears large Victorian-looking mourning-style dresses with dark makeup and big hair. EGL sprouted from this darker and more ghoulish form of Gothic Lolita.

Gothic & Lolita Bible

Although many elegant Gothic Lolita costumes are homemade, the look has also been significantly mass-marketed. Magazines devoted to EGL attest to this sub-culture's marketing. One magazine in particular, the irregularly published Gothic & Lolita Bible has played an instrumental role in standardizing the style. The 100+ page magazines include fashion tips, photos, catalog descriptions, decorating ideas, and even recipes. The Gothic & Lolita Bible is now on it's 12th issue.

External Links

• Morbid Outlook description of EGL
• Elegant Gothic Lolita Livejournal
• Page with Gothic & Lolita Bible scans, info, and links

• Japanese culture
• Gothic fashion