Essay On Lolita Fashion

The word “Kawaii” is a popular term being used by Japanese girls often, translating to mean “cute”. Kawaii is described as being “adorable, innocent, and helpless.” Followers of kawaii culture are majority female. According to Keiko Nakamura a curator at the Yayoi-Yumeji Museum, “Kawaii is seen as being soft, bright, and small, contains no aggression and offered a piece of mind or security” (Okazaki, pg 10).

Analyzing from a statistical perspective, according to Monthly Reports the population of Japan is “126 million people, demographically by gender the female population of 15- 24 year olds is 5 million people” (Monthly Reports, Statistics Bureau). A survey was done in 2010 by Hiroshi Nittono a student from Hiroshima University who surveyed 363

One of the groups that represents kawaii culture is Lolita fashion. Lolita fashion is defined as “a doll like innocent image, incorporating pastel colors, embroidered cotton prints, and lace with a European influence” (Neko, Lolita and Japanese Society”). This style first appeared in Harajuku streets where youth gathered in the 1980’s. Lolita fashion has subdivided into another category known as Gothic Lolita (the darker side of Lolita fashion). Analyzing this from a Western perspective many mistake Lolita fashion as sexually tailored towards men. This is due to its childlike and innocent look. In fact it the exact opposite, many young followers of this fashion state that, “lolita subculture is cute in a nonsexual way, it is a reversion to demure clothing allowing women to dress for themselves rather than men’s attention” (Neko, Lolita and Japanese Society). On the other hand, McVeigh states that “Kawaii is said to symbolize, reinforce, and communicate social norms which privileges males over females. The ideal sentiment for strengthening lines of authority” (McVeigh, pg