Frilly lace, poofy skirts, knee-high socks, giant hair accessories, blouses, and bows all make up the doll-like look of a Lolita.

A Lolita is what you call a person who wears a notorious style that is heavily influenced by the Victorian and Rococo eras. However, Lolitas are often misunderstood by the public and often wrongly labeled as sexualized, baby-doll prostitutes by both the English and Americans. This judgement is because people assume that the book Lolita by Vladimir Nabokov, a book about a middle-aged man who is sexually infatuated with a 12-year-old girl, has some sort of connection to the fashion.

The truth is, Lolita fashion didn’t derive its name from the book. In fact, it is widely believed that the creators of the style chose the name because of how cute the word “Lolita” sounded and – since the fashion is centered on cuteness – the creators believed that the name suited it well. The origin story still remains somewhat of a mystery – even to those who have been following the fashion since the beginning – but they all seem to agree that the fashion is one of modesty.
Within the Lolita community, a number of sub-fashions exist, such as Gothic, Classic, and Sweet. Gothic Lolita, well-known for dark colors and gothic “icons” such as bats, crosses, spiders, and skulls, are portrayed as maleficent and wicked – very “Halloweenie”. Classic Lolita dresses are more closely tied to the Victorian Era and focus less on appealing to cuteness and more on appealing to elegance. On the other end of the spectrum, Sweet Lolita is characterized as childlike, playful, and innocent. Their fabrics usually feature baby animals, fairy tale themes, or delicious treats.

However, a set of guidelines encompass Lolita fashion as a whole. The fashion is one of modesty and cuteness; therefore, OP’s – dresses with sleeves – and JSK’s- jumper skirts – must be bell-shaped and knee-length. To add an extra bit of poof, which is always mandatory, petticoats and fluffy tutus are worn underneath the dress or jumper skirt.

Giant hair accessories such as hats, ribbons, bows, or clips are worn in their hair. Blouses, also known as Cutsew, are always worn beneath a jumper skirt, so that their shoulders aren’t exposed. Their blouses tend to be frilly with lace on the sleeves. Knee-high socks are more common to wear with this fashion, but that doesn’t mean that it can be worn with frilly ankle socks instead. Dolly shoes are a must. Lolita must never be worn with tennis shoes or flip flops. Finally to complete the coordinated look, they apply makeup. The makeup doesn’t have to be complex, but it is necessary within this fashion.
These are just the basics. However, many newbies to the fashion tend to mess them up. They’re known as the “Itas”. The word “ita” comes from the Japanese word “itai”, which means “ouch” or “painful.” Itas’ outfits are usually more costume-looking and tend to fall short of the strict guidelines that Lolitas uphold.

Caro Dee, a blogger from “F Yeah Lolita,” claims that “the common Ita mistakes are usually made by beginners who simply don’t know better and often fall for buying a barely costume quality dress.”
Additionally, she notes that their colors won’t match, they’ll wear cat ears instead of bows, blouses won’t be worn underneath their jumper skirts, and petticoats will be completely forgotten.
It’s not to say that they can’t wear these things; Dee boldly expresses that “if you love stuff that would normally be considered Ita, go for it. Rock the hell out of it if you want!” However, ita is not Lolita, so they really shouldn’t go around saying that it is.
Lastly, you have what is known as the “Lolita lifestylers”. These are the Lolitas who take being a Lolita to the next level. They not only wear the fashion; they also live the lifestyle of the fashion.
According to the dictionary, a lifestyle is generally defined as “the habits, attitudes, tastes, moral standards, economic level, etc., that together constitute the mode of living of an individual or group.”
These lifestylists are defined by Princessly Living, an online Lolita community blog, as “caring to everyone,” “always having a pleasant attitude,” “never forgetting their manners,” and “being lady-like in everything they do.”

However, some lifestylists tend to lose their true identities under all the ruffles that they turn into fictionalized characters.

Christine Marie de la Rosa, a lifestyle Lolita blogger on Sugar Bomb, is against the idea of becoming “these painful, probably-fake personas…where they need to be prim, perfect little princesses.”
To de la Rosa, “the lifestyle is all about surrounding yourself with beauty, nostalgia, cuteness and (at least a sense of) luxury.”