Time and time again, a question pops up on EGL and "Lolita Fashion Mentoring" on Facebook. Usually it's "Am I too young for Lolita?" but sometimes, we even get questions about if a person can be too old!
The first is a lot less surprising than the last, but then again, of course anybody can be insecure, and Lolita is a big leap for many people! No matter how old you are, standing out will probably be intimidating to most people, and if you stand out amongst your new "clique" as well, you might end up feeling all alone in the world, with no hope of support from anyone.
Of course, it is obvious that anyone can wear Lolita fashion. Lolita is about the clothes, not the person wearing them, so as long as you fit into the clothes (,which you always can, It just takes different measures if you do not fit into brand,) you can be Lolita.
But is there anything you have to be aware of, if you are younger or older than most people wearing the fashion? Well, not really! I'd say that the reactions you'll face will be pretty much the same. Even if an older person wearing the fashion will turn more heads in the streets that a teenager, since teenagers wearing alternative fashions is more common, teenagers can be a lot more, and will more often be, vicious to each other than adults, from my experience. The adult has the advantage of being able to purchase the clothes without needing the acceptance of parents, but an adult has the added challenge of having to balance their Lolita purchases with paying bills and other important necessities.
But is there anything you have to be aware of, if you are younger or older than most people wearing the fashion? Well, not really! I'd say that the reactions you'll face will be pretty much the same. Even if an older person wearing the fashion will turn more heads in the streets that a teenager, since teenagers wearing alternative fashions is more common, teenagers can be a lot more, and will more often be, vicious to each other than adults, from my experience. The adult has the advantage of being able to purchase the clothes without needing the acceptance of parents, but an adult has the added challenge of having to balance their Lolita purchases with paying bills and other important necessities.
Apart from the above, Lolita is, as I've stated in other posts, a diverse bunch of people. There are very young and very old wearers of the fashion. Some Lolitas I've seen has been as young as about 2-3 years old! (I'm thinking of beautiful Lolita mothers who dress up their children in tiny Lolita dresses. Like the pair in this video!!)
An inspirational Lolita that is a bit older than most other Lolitas I've had the pleasure of meeting, is Arsenic and Old Lace on Livejournal. She's been a great inspiration to me when I started out in Lolita, as she is a clear example of how amazing Lolita can look on anyone above the age of 22. She really knows how to dress to the nines!
In my opinion, you can be a great Lolita, no matter what age you are!
Lolita is a skill to perfect.
It's not about what age you are, or even your personality.
You can wear it for as long as you like, as long as you feel comfortable.
An inspirational Lolita that is a bit older than most other Lolitas I've had the pleasure of meeting, is Arsenic and Old Lace on Livejournal. She's been a great inspiration to me when I started out in Lolita, as she is a clear example of how amazing Lolita can look on anyone above the age of 22. She really knows how to dress to the nines!
In my opinion, you can be a great Lolita, no matter what age you are!
Lolita is a skill to perfect.
It's not about what age you are, or even your personality.
You can wear it for as long as you like, as long as you feel comfortable.
I don't think that's Haenuli's daughter? It's another lady's daughter and she visits Haenuli's studio for advice. https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?v=274569459327647 is the facebook link to the video (as the youtube link doesn't work!)
SvarSletI would say if you start young, make sure to get shirred items as you grow and weight may change from middle school to high school to college. However, starting young has an advantage of making sure you keep your ideal weight/measurements for when you get older!
The shirred items is a great tip! :) Thank you! And thank you for the link, too!
SletI was completely sure that she was Haenuli's daughter, that she made clothes for herself! But maybe I misunderstood that part :)