Photo Features

Beyond the fashion trend:
Lolita changes lives

Photos and text by Alan Liu, Kit Lou and Kim Hyun-hee

With its concept derived from the fashion style of European courtmembers, princesses and dolls, the Lolita look has been manifested by Japanese youth before hitting Hong Kong . The new fashion changes not only the way the fans dress, but also their lives.

“It's odd that people keep staring at me, but I get used to it now,” said Miva, a 17-year-old student who has started wearing Lolita clothes since last year.

The fans often find themselves look totally different after putting on the doll-like costumes. “I look more feminine after putting Lolita clothing on,” said Miva, who declined to give her full name.

In fact, there are three basic types of Lolita style, namely: Sweet Love, Gothic and Classic, which are distinguished by the use of colours and feelings represented.

Sweet Love Lolita creates the wearing style of story characters, using pink as the main colour to give a cute impression. Gothic Lolita refers to the style of using mainly black and simple cutting to give a sense of death but with elegance, while Classic Lolita presents a noble and mature feeling by its delicate cutting and simple colour.

However, laces, ribbons and bows are a must for all three categories.

Suzoe, 13, finds herself look like a doll in her Lolita outfit. “It is so cute and beautiful,” she said.

In his article about Lolita clothes being localised in Hong Kong , Ng Wai-ming, an associate professor of Japanese studies at the Chinese University of Hong Kong , said real Lolita was a style as a whole, but Hong Kong fans tended to wear only half of the look.

Miva, for example, usually wears a mixing style of Lolita and Punk, another fashion trend.

However, not everyone likes the Lolita style. “ I cannot accept girls dressing up like cuties. They just want others' attention,” said Leung Man-ting, a student at the Hong Kong Institute of Education.

Lin Siu-fung, a psychology instructor at the Chinese University , described the trend as “egocentric”. She said teenagers were building up their confidence from their own perspectives.

“It is a developmental stage of egocentrism that people tend to have a kind of onstage feeling. They think everything is nice with them so they act accordingly,” she said.

Suzoe enjoys others paying attention to her: “I bet they envy my prettiness.

“I just do what I like. It's none of others' business,” she said.

Miva's mother, Anna Ho Yuk-fung, sees the Lolita fashion as merely a wearing style. “There were similar fashions at the time when I was young,” Ms Ho said.

She began running a boutique selling Lolita clothing and accessories last year. The motivation came from Miva, her eldest daughter, who showed her the beauty and attractiveness of the Lolita look.

“I accept the style of Lolita clothing that my daughter wears,” Ms Ho said. “As I worked in the textile industry before, I can give my comments and advice on her dressing style.”

The costumes sold in her boutique are mostly hand-made by Ms Ho, and Miva helps in designing. The mother's support has not only encouraged Miva,but also improved the family relationship.

They said they used to pay little attention to each other until they found their common interest in Lolita fashion.

Being the tailor and the designer respectively, Ms Ho and Miva now have more chances to work together. They spend much time with each other on selecting materials and exchanging ideas, and that further strengthens their relationship.

“If parents can share the same appreciation on things with their children, it will help narrowing the generation gap between them,” Ms Ho said.