Lolita fashion (ロリータ・ファッション, rorīta fasshon) is a subculture from Japan that is highly influenced by Victorian clothing and styles from the Rococo period. A very distinctive property of Lolita fashion is the aesthetic of cuteness, which can be seen in the abundance of accessories, laces, frills, and patterns.

This clothing subculture can be categorized into many sub-genre. I draw some as follows. Each sub-genre can express the personality of the wearer.

 

Today I’m gonna show you how to piece together a Lolita dress that not only looks good but also suits your character.

1. The blouse

Here are some examples for reference. As you can see, examples number (1), (3), (5) give off a more “formal” vibe than the other. This might be due to the length of the collar (some pieces have a choker instead). Pieces like number (4) mix itself with sailor-style for more youthful feelings. Piece number (5) is definitely bolder than the rest, the shoulder straps are optional. The piece number (2) is rather simple but elegant. I’m gonna choose this one in the illustration today.

2. The sleeves

The sleeves have a lot of variations so I decided to have a different approach: The length of the sleeves. The long sleeves are the most common in gothic fashion because they are the easiest to customize. The medium sleeves are a curious case since it might feel bland if left the hands untouched but themselves are a bit too long for gloves. I think it’s best to have the medium sleeves softly spread at the end for an “easy-going” vibe. Short sleeves or have no sleeves at all are the most casual. Artists usually use them to draw attention to the long, delicate arm-long gloves. Be cautious that the gloves can have ornaments and patterns but not rings (Rings outside of gloves feel super weird)

3. The dress

The mood of the dress is mostly expressed through its shape and its complexity. “Sweet” style gothic lolita dress is fluffy, filled with frills and bowties. Some prefer a simpler option of number (2). However, number (3) is my favorite. The asymmetric shape gives the most personality in my opinion.

4. Shoes

Here I present the 3 most notable examples of shoes. The first one is clearly more sporty and punky. The second one, which is the most common in cosplay, falls in the cute category. The third one is quite a balance between 2 aspects.

4. Small assessories

Just a few examples for references. Think about your character background before adding in accessories. Synergy within pieces is very important. Feel free to try them on your piece you gathered throughout the tutorial. It’s best if your costume has a theme. It’s gothic lolita, after all, you can’t totally overdo it. (actually, you can but I can't imagine what it would look like)

5. Picking colors

Colors in gothic lolita costumes fall into 2 categories. The first one is dark and saturated colors. The second one is light and pale. While dark colors are commonly seen, light colors are made for the Sweet genre of gothic lolita fashion (or Disney dresses). I made a small guide on picking the right colors for the mood you're giving off. Don't hesitate to go wild and subvert expectations with the colors.

6. Background ideas

Here I represent some common theme in gothic lolita illustration along with their unique quirks.

-Cathedral Arc: Quite difficult to pull off cus the details required in the architectural works. But once done correctly, the artwork would feel majestic.

-Throne: Work perfectly to show the character's power or high status. A bit undynamic in pose so you better make up with the focus on facial expression and camera work.

-Moon: Basically a waist-up portrait. Very character focus. (a lot of the illustration I see have the moon behind the character, that's why I call it Moon)

-Wallpaper: The simplest to create. Fill the background with patterns and voila. Remember to keep the pattern not too dense!

-Window: My personal favorite. It's a mixture of architectural works and a creative set of lighting. A lot to manage but definitely worth it.

-Pendant: This one is face-focus and simple. The design of the pendant is very crucial. I feel like this one can intrigue a feeling there is a story beyond the picture. Very cool.

7. A piece of yourself

This fashion style is extremely creative. In order to make your artwork pop out, you should add a special equipment like cape, mask, weapon or an animal mascot. In my illustration today, I’m gonna add a small cape thingy with little lanterns at the end. Here is the full costume I’m gonna use.

8. Get to work!

When doing complex clothes, using a 3D model can help a lot. Imagine the fold of the clothes when it meets the skin and how the details look like from different angles.

For the background, I’m going to try a brick wall and tainted window for an old church feeling. I expect the window with a pink glow to show the contrast with the primary blue clothing. The space on the right is gonna be filled with stars. I much prefer some fantasy elements in my artwork. Finally, I'll give some parts of the dress a slight glow as a final touch.

Here’s the final product! I’m quite satisfied with it. Whadaya think?

Anyway, that’s the end of my tutorial. Hope you find it helpful or something. If you like my art, consider following my Instagram here!