Articles
Some words about "Lolita" style
(Translation by Igor Kovalenko) "Lolita" is not so much a teen-girl, Nabokov's character of the same name, as an image that has become a part of the pop culture and that is followed by the people of different age. It takes only to turn your eyes on the Land of the Rising Sun - Japan, and on everything as regards urban street fashion and such subcultures as, for example, "visual key", which actively operates with a so-called "Gothic Lolita" or Japanese "manga" comics, where Lolitas of various types: sweet Lolita, Lolita-bride, Lolita-pirate, etc. play not the least roles.
It is worth mentioning here "Lolita's Bible" - a literary magazine that contains not only comics but patterns of every sort and kind, different stores' addresses selling clothes for Lolitas, photos of musicians who are working in this style and so on.
Of course, Japanese Lolitas have nothing to do with their literary prototype, because in fact there is a great difference between being a teenager and behaving like a teen! They are more alike porcelain dolls, arrayed in elegant dresses and lacy socks with rushes than perverse nymphets. Their goal is to be liked and admired, not to be coveted. They skillfully imitate children's way of behaving naturally and directly, they prefer make-ups of pastel shades, perfectly smooth skin's tone and a little lip gloss.
Perhaps "Lolita's" popularization was provoked on the one hand by reluctance of the modern young people to grow up and by their attempt to conceal themselves from the adult life with its eternal problems under the mask of infantilism, and on the other hand, it is a challenge to established social rules and stereotypes, it's a way out of the daily routine, it's another way of expression, as well as a desire for eternal youth and beauty.
All this leads to a growing audience of pseudo-children's style in clothing, advertising, and music industry. Even such famous brands as Victoria Couture are simply forced to have such well sold series as "Hellow Kitty" with the image of the most popular Japanese cartoon cat. Everything that is childish, sweet, and lovely (kawaii, as they say in Japan) gains more and more audience. By the way, in the Land of the Rising Sun, where designers from all over the world are searching for inspiration, almost all public places are decorated with anime-characters, and comics are read not only by adults and children, but also by the old!
In the famous district of Harajuku, where shops of informal youth fashion are located and where Japanese fricks get together, professional photographers in the desire of capturing the latest fashion trends for glossy magazines can be met. Without a doubt, the fashion is born there, and then with a constant delay of a few seasons it emigrates to Asia, United States, Europe, Russia and other countries!
"Lolita" name has already become a common noun, and has turned into a brand proper. This is a brand of perfume (e.g., "Lolita Lempica"), and all kinds of clothing brands, and an independent fashion and music style.
In the year of 2000, a song "Moi...Lolita" by a young Frenchwoman Alizee resounded throughout the whole world. The top position in the world charts has been occupied by this song for several months! Isn't that a success?
The image of a young teen-girl itself has become so popular that now it is used by many producers, groups and individual performers. The success of a popular group "t.A.T.u." has been largely achieved by an image of two fell in love schoolgirls-Lolitas, dressed in classic English school uniforms.
Perhaps, this may be also due to the fact that there has always been an aura of scandal and provocation around the image of Lolita. Girl's attraction to an adult man (in psychology it is called "lolikon", i.e. "Lolita complex"), or an adult man's attraction to a girl (in society it is known as "pedophilia") has always been equated with something forbidden and immoral.
It is well known that a forbidden fruit is sweet, that's why an interest in Lolitas will never wane. At least until the society learn to see the difference between crime and aesthetic adoration, between violence and mutual love.