Lolita Substyles

While the overall lolita look has some things that typically stay the same no matter what, it can be further broken down into substyles based on motifs and styling. Not every lolita outfit (which is called a coordinate, or coord for short) fits exactly in a single substyle, and more experienced lolita often mix elements from different substyles. As a beginner, it is usually easiest to stick with a single, well defined substyle and then expand from there.

The main three substyles are Classic, Gothic and Sweet. Some lolita believe that all other substyles are simply themes under these three main umbrellas. Other lolita believe that each substyle is a unique substyle in and of itself.

Main Three Lolita Substyles

• Classic Lolita
• Gothic Lolita
• Sweet Lolita

Other Lolita Substyles

• Country Lolita
• Sailor Lolita
• Hime Lolita
• Pirate Lolita
• Wa Lolita
• Qi Lolita
• Kuro Lolita / Shiro Lolita
• Ero Lolita
• Guro Lolita

Crossover Lolita Substyles

• Decora x Lolita (Decololita / Decololi)
• Fairy Kei x Lolita (Fairy Lolita)
• Larme Kei x Lolita
• Hime Gyaru x Lolita (Hime Lolita)
• Cosplay x Lolita
• Creepy Cute x Lolita
• Punk x Lolita (Punk Lolita) 

There are also some fashions which are not specifically lolita, but are related to lolita and are manufactured by the same companies and featured in some of the same magazines and are often included in with lolita fashion.

• • Aristocrat
  • Ouji
  • Otome

If you google lolita substyles, you will find a large number of guides and illustrations that include other styles not outlined here. Below is a list of substyles which are not generally considered to be established styles.

• Ao / Blue / Mizuiro / Sax / Saxon Lolita (wearing all blue. See Shiro/Kuro)
• Bittersweet Lolita (wearing a black colored sweet print)
• Christmas Lolita (wearing a Christmas theme print)
• Circus Lolita (wearing a circus theme print)
• Easter Lolita (wearing an Easter theme print)
• Halloween Lolita (wearing a Halloween theme print)
• Pinku Lolita / Pink Lolita (wearing all pink. See Shiro/Kuro)
• Military Lolita (wearing a military theme coordinate)
• Library Lolita (?)
• School Lolita  (wearing a school uniform theme coordinate)