What is casual lolita?

Casual lolita is a term that can spark debate online, because it is hard to draw the line between casual and just simple. For a fashion with such structured rules, there isn’t really an agreed upon definition of what a casual lolita outfit really is. Some things are obvious; a casual outfit can span any substyle, and by very definition it is a simpler kind of lolita. But other than that casual lolita is no longer a clear cut case of “it’s a skit and cutsew”.

Let’s look at the fashion as existing on a sliding scale from casual to over the top (OTT), where smack bang in the middle is a “traditional” lolita outfit. Traditional in this sense is something that fits the rules: a structured dress or skirt supported by a petticoat, with a blouse or bolero/cardigan covering the shoulders and upper arms at least, legwear, headwear, shoes, bag and generally one or two matching accessories or jewellery items. On one side of the scale, OTT is exactly what it says it is – exaggerated and excessive. There is more, and more uncommon, details and items going on in this kind of look – generally it is pretty easy to tell when a lolita coordinate is OTT!

However, the reasons for this post is that casual is a lot harder to necessarily spot and to wear. A dictionary definition of casual in the fashion sense is “clothes or shoes suitable for everyday wear rather than formal occasions” and sure, that is what casual is but it doesn’t really help pinpoint what, in lolita terms, makes something casual and not just a simple or basic coordinate. I don’t believe that a simple coord is the same as a casual one – to me, causal lolita is a distinct an aesthetic as OTT in its way.

So to help with defining, as much for my own benefit as for anyone who may read this, what aspects of an outfit contribute to make a coordinate casual lolita rather than just simply lolita I’ve broken an outfit down into individual components below. However, to once again refer to things as a bit of a sliding scale, not every aspect of an outfits needs to be casual in the sense I outline below but if enough of them are, the outfit overall could be counted as casual lolita. And it goes without saying that this is just my opinion based on my own observation and feelings regarding what makes casual lolita casual and not just simple. I’d be interested to know if you agree or not, so feel free to start a discussion in the comments!

Cut and print of main piece
The biggest piece of a lolita outfit is the dress or skirt so let’s go over this first. Generally, detailed and elegant prints don’t tend to read as casual (the exception being some sweet prints because the subject of the prints is so cutesy), nor do cuts which feature details such a lots of ruffles, bustles, overlays, princess sleeves and the like. Solid colours, simple prints and patterns, and straightforward cuts generally lend a more casual air to an outfit.

As a note, sometimes brands (mostly looking at you, Angelic Pretty!) do release miniskirts and salopettes as well. To my mind, even though they don’t conform to the typical lolita silhouette, if the rest of the outfit is distinctly lolita these can count for casual outfits. Otherwise, they just make super adorable casual (but not casual lolita) pieces.

Style and cut of top
What makes a top more casual? If it’s a blouse, a simple cut without a lot of lace, ruffles or other details like fancy sleeves is on the more casual side. If it’s a cutsew, it’s generally more casual immediately by virtue of being made of a knit material but still, there are fancy cutsews with delicate decoration and interesting details, and there are cutsews that are basically lolita t-shirts. Boleros, like cutsews, can range from OTT to casual and the things that make one more causal is limited lace and other decorations as well as the use of more relaxed fabrics like textured knits. Cardigans by default are quite casual, and things like jackets and coats have range much like boleros.

Overall, some cuts read as more casual than others – looser blouses, longer cardigans, plain sleeves, peter pan or low-cut collars, and sailor tops being some examples I can think of offhand. As I mentioned, there are even cutsews that are basically cute lolita t-shirts which are quite the epitome of a casual lolita top!

Volume of petticoat
This is a simple thing because as a general rule less petticoat = more casual. However, some petticoat is still needed in a vast majority of cases to keep an outfit in lolita territory, though the occasional outfit can pull off a completely deflated skirt and still capture the overall lolita aesthetic.

Style and amount of accessories
Like with a petticoat, the simple rule of thumb is less accessories (headwear and jewellery) = more casual. However, style also plays a role – accessories that are smaller or less detailed tend to fit better into a casual lolita aesthetic. I don’t think you can make a veil casual, but a beret or  flower clip or pair of little hair bows are certainly in casual territory. Likewise, no jewellery or simple jewellery is in keeping with the dictionary definition of casual being more for everyday looks. With lolita, you can’t really skip the headwear without looking a bit unfinished, but everything else as far as accessories go in a casual coordinate is fairly optional.

However, in an odd way, things like decora (is this style dead now? It feels pretty dead…) and by extension decora lolita come across as casual to me, despite being quite excessive. There’s just something so fun and free about the accessory overload of decora that is not put together in the same way a lolita outfit typically is. I think this may even be symptomatic of the fact that, to me at least, sweet lolita lends itself better to casual looks than classic or gothic. The overall cute vibe of sweet lends itself better to being toned down to the extent that an outfit is casual, not just simple.

Simplicity of shoes and legwear
Another outfit item you can’t really skip in lolita is legwear but fortunately legwear is a thing that isn’t ever too distinctly one style or another. Of course, solid coloured socks (or tights) and ankle socks are two distinctly casual options, but there is no reason that many printed or patterned tights or socks can’t be part of a casual outfit. Yes, there are some things that are a bit too elegant or fancy or detailed to really look casual but most regular patterned OTKS can be worn in casual, regular or OTT lolita coordinates without much trouble. Shoes are a bit more firmly stuck as to what level of dressed up they are, but generally for casual lolita flat shoes and chunky heeled shoes are suitable, while anything with a distinct heel is less so.

Hairstyle and makeup
In keep with the idea of casual being the “everyday” version, hairstyling and makeup are generally minimal for casual lolita. Makeup in particular and what counts as “everyday” varies depending on the person (for me it’s none at all!) but regarding hairstyles it generally means no to wigs and minimal styling of the natural hair. Some simple hairstyles are buns, braids and just wearing your hair loose.

More relaxed coordination
Now, this point is a little more conceptual than being an observation about clothing items, but to me a casual outfit also does not need to be quite so well matched as a typical lolita outfit is. For example, you can add a pop of unexpected colour or contrasting patterns in a casual look that makes it seem more everyday and less put together. Now, I’m not saying a casual outfit shouldn’t still be cohesive, but I feel like you have more leeway to focus less on proper coordination and can get away with things that are a bit unusual without having to visually justify them.

Incorporating atypical items
This point is basically a follow on from the previous comments about coordination, but casual lolita outfits are the perfect time to pull in non-lolita clothing items. To me, the most common choices here are shoes, jackets and shirts; bringing in sneakers or weird shoes, wearing a leather jacket or quirky coat, and though I haven’t seen it much how about a regular t-shirt? As long as most items fall fairly within lolita territory I feel casual coordinates can work in more unusual pieces with sacrificing the lolita look.

Potential rule breaking
And yet again a follow on in the same vein – casual lolita sometimes breaks the rules. Not too much, or it stops being lolita, but some examples here are not wearing a top with a JSK or skipping legwear or not wearing a petticoat at all. I feel like rule breaking is hard to do right in a lot of cases, because lolita does have a very distinct structure, but it can be done and done well in casual outfits.

So that’s my thoughts on the elements that draw the line between casual lolita and regular lolita, and it’s really not all that simple. There are a number of factors that go into making such a structured fashion look casual but still distinct and in a sense it all boils down to the vibe of an outfit…does it feel lolita as well as casual? Sister fashions to lolita such as otome kei also complicate the issue of casual lolita; generally the difference here is in overall aesthetic because lolita (even gothic) still tends to have a level of cuteness and softness to it, whereas I find otome has more grown-up quirkiness to it. I suppose lolita has an origin more from the seventies natural vibe, whereas otome to me draws more from sixties mod styling.

If you’ve read all the way through this giant post – what are your thoughts? Do you agree with my definitions of how different aspects can contribute to a casual lolita coordinate, or do you have a different perspective? Let me know!