Lolita is a fashion trend that originated from Japan and is meant to mimic the styles of the Victorian and Edwardian eras of fashion and trends. With puffy skirts, frills and lace, and stockings, Lolita fashion is cute and girly while still being very detailed.

There are three primary branches of Lolita fashion: gothic, classic, and sweet. All three of these subcategories share similar characteristics such as the dress silhouette and the accessories, but they all have their own little quirks and details that distinguish them

One of the most popular subcategories of Lolita fashion is the gothic style. Gothic Lolita style consists of dark colors, such as blacks, burgundies, or greys, as well as dark accessories. The gothic Lolita fashion follows a lot of the same trends as normal gothic fashion does, just with the added elements that make an outfit Lolita.

One good example of a gothic Lolita is Rozen Maiden, the first doll in Japanese Anime. She can be seen rocking the gothic style with her dark colors and awesome accessories.

Sweet Lolita, on the other hand, is very bright and girly colors, hence the word ‘sweet’. The patterns are very happy and girly, while the gothic patterns are darker. Classic Lolita style has a very ‘old-timey’ feel with the classic Victorian patterns, the lace, and more.

Must-Haves in Gothic Lolita Fashion

In this article, we are focusing on how to be the perfect gothic Lolita. To be a gothic Lolita, you must have a few things: dark colors, dark but charming accessories, platform/chunky shoes, or black lace. Here are some of the key clothing items you need to fit the role of a gothic Lolita:

Classic Black Long-Sleeve Dress

When you are first entering the world of gothic Lolita fashion, it is important to have a staple piece that can be paired with anything. This classic, flowing long-sleeve black dress is perfect for that. With its minimal details and colors, it can be paired with a tremendous number of accessories and other details that will make it a great gothic outfit. The added moon charm makes it cute and gives it charm while still being in the gothic theme. It is also the perfect gothic color: black. You can find this dress here: https://www.lolitain.com/late-summer-concerto-pure-color-classic-lolita-sling-dress-p-6857.html

The Castle Under The Moonlight Pure Black Gothic Lolita Long Sleeve Dress

2. Cross Strap Platform Shoes

Another must-have for gothic Lolita is chunky platform shoes. These cross shoes can be red, black, or any dark color, but the taller and chunkier they are, the better. The ones represented here are 3.1” tall and feature a charming cross-strap that adds a lot of character and charm to the outfit. These can be paired with any gothic dress and would look great with stockings. You can find these shoes here: https://www.lolitain.com/black-31-heel-high-gorgeous-synthetic-leather-round-toe-cross-straps-platform-lady-lolita-shoes-p-1042.html

Black 3.1" Heel High Gorgeous Synthetic Leather Round Toe Cross Straps Platform Lady Lolita Shoes

3. Chandelier Lace Dress

While the gothic fashion normally sticks to darker colors, this dress also has the option to come in white. It is also offered in black, blue, and red. It can still be classified as gothic, however, because of the little details of chandeliers all over it and with the proper accessories, it can be categorized as gothic. You can find this dress here: https://www.lolitain.com/alice-girl-lolita-chandelier-handle-lace-ruffled-open-jsk-sling-dress-p-7765.html

Alice Girl Lolita Chandelier Handle Lace Ruffled Open Jsk Sling Dress

4. Velvet Chinese Lotus Qi Lolita Dress

This dress features a dark green base with darker lotus flowers all over it. It also features a high neck with a black frill detail. While it doesn’t fit the ‘black’ gothic style, it still fits the style of someone such as Rozen Maiden which is charming but still gothic. The charm aspects come in with the flowers and high neck while the gothic comes in with the darker colors and black accessories. You can find this dress here: https://www.lolitain.com/cotton-vintage-chinese-lotus-flounced-little-standing-collar-qi-lolita-sleeveless-dress-p-6464.html

Cotton Vintage Chinese lotus Flounced Little Standing Collar Qi Lolita Sleeveless Dress

Gothic Style VS Gothic Lolita

Gothic fashion and Gothic Lolita fashion have a lot of similarities while also being distinguishable from one-another. Both gothic and gothic Lolita feature a lot of darker colors and black lace with a lot of accessories. These accessories can include chunky shoes, supernatural-themed necklaces, hair accessories, and more.

While both are very similar in theme, they both portray themselves differently in terms of dress style. While gothic style uses a lot of dresses, the Lolita dress are much puffier and more ‘girly’ because they puff up the skirt. Lolita is much more Victorian than gothic is.

Here are two examples to show the similarities and differences between the two styles:

Lolita Flocking Kimono Dress

The Lolita flocking kimono dress features large bat wings as well as black lace detailing. Another characteristic worth mentioning is the thick leather belt and the high-low skirt. The only distinguishing feature that this is a Lolita dress is the circular skirt. You can find this dress here: https://www.lolitain.com/black-flocking-printing-gothic-lolita-kimono-dress-p-7761.html

Black Flocking Printing Gothic Lolita Kimono Dress

2. Gothic Lace Corset Dress

This gothic is very similar to the Lolita dress in that it is also black lace with a thick leather belt acting as a corset. It is also a high-low dress as the Lolita dress is. The difference between this dress and the Lolita one is the skirt on the gothic one drapes rather than flares out. You can find this dress here: https://www.magicwardrobes.com/gothic-black-slim-lace-hem-dress-corset-dress-p-567.html

Overall

Overall, Lolita gothic fashion isn’t all that different from traditional gothic style. With the exception of a few details, they are pretty similar.
To dress in true gothic Lolita fashion, make sure to wear darker colors, accessorize properly, and be confident. One important thing to never forget in Lolita fashion is a good petticoat. A petticoat is used in all three branches of Lolita fashion as it gives the skirt the circular or puffy look that Lolita is known for.