“Ero”? In MY lolita? It’s More Likely Than You Think!

The cover of GLB 02, featuring art by illustrator Mitsukazu Miharu

Of all of the different themes and substyles in lolita fashion, ero lolita is probably one of the most uncommon and misunderstood. This, in my opinion, is tied to two misconceptions about lolita and women’s fashion in general. The first is that lolita is an inherently modest or conservative fashion, which is an easy enough mistake to make, since that is often how lolita has been described in Western media, even by lolitas themselves. The second, more complicated misconception, is the idea that female sexuality and eroticism in fashion is always connected to attracting men and the male gaze -- two elements of modern society that the fashion has always shunned and avoided.

In this post, we’re going to deconstruct these notions by exploring the world of ero lolita and its relationship to lolita fashion more generally. We’ll be covering the nature of “ero” within the history and philosophy of lolita fashion, some common themes and inspirations behind ero lolita, as well as the basic dos and don’ts of a good ero coordinate. Let’s put on our garters and cage-skirts and get started!

What is “Ero Lolita”?

The “ero” in ero lolita is short for “erotic”. Thus, “ero lolita” is a style of lolita that is more mature and risque than other iterations of the fashion, which often incorporates elements of burlesque costumes, historical undergarments, and even fetish wear. In this sense, ero lolita draws strongly from the goth and punk roots of lolita fashion. Its focus is on showcasing female sexuality and in a way that is elegant and feminine, but can also be dark and sometimes even shocking.

Moon Kana in a photoshoot for Baby, the Stars Shine Bright in GLB 03

At first glance, this might seem antithetical to the nature of lolita, since the fashion is often described as using modest clothing to reject the impositions of sexuality and the male gaze. This description, however, is not entirely correct. For while lolita certainly does reject the patriarchal idea that women should be sexualised and pressured to dress for male approval, it isn’t exactly a modest fashion. The average lolita might show less skin than someone dressed in more mainstream women’s fashion, but voluminous skirts covered in ruffles, lace, and colourful prints are still a rebellious fashion statement. In fact, far from being demure or conservative, the whole point of lolita fashion is unabashed and unapologetic femininity. And while in some cases this means completely shunning motifs or design elements that might be seen as sexy or provocative; in the case of ero lolita, it means celebrating a kind of feminine eroticism that makes the wearer feel confident and beautiful.

This does not, of course, mean that ero lolita revolves around sex or being attractive to men. Like all of lolita fashion, ero lolita follows a philosophy of prioritising the wearer’s enjoyment and aesthetic sensibilities above all else. The most important aspect of ero lolita is not appealing to the male gaze, but highlighting the wearer’s sexuality in a manner that is ornate, beautiful, and, above all, enjoyable and empowering to the wearer themselves. 

"Milk" from Sakizo's Girl meets Sweets  (リュエルコミックス) artbook, released 2017.

I like to compare the styles and aesthetics of ero lolita to the work of prominent Japanese artist Sakizo, whose art has been a source of inspiration for lolitas of all styles and subgenres. Many of Sakizo’s works feature women in provocative costumes, often including items such as garters, stockings, short skirts, and high heeled shoes. The outfits in their art can easily be considered “erotic” or “sexy”.  However, attractiveness and sex appeal is clearly not the main point of these illustrations -- instead, it is Sakizo’s ornate designs and incredible attention details that draws the viewer’s eyes, as well as the artwork’s decadent, over-the-top sense of femininity. Ero lolita is similar in that it incorporates elements of eroticism or provocativeness not to be sexually inviting, but to express the wearer’s sense of aesthetics and taste. 

The Do’s and Don’ts of Ero Lolita

As a part of lolita fashion, a successful ero lolita outfit should follow the same basic tenets of any other kind of lolita coordinate. Materials should be of high quality, there should be a good balance of colours and motifs, a sense of femininity should be maintained, and, perhaps most importantly, the distinctive lolita silhouette must be visible. If you’re a complete beginner looking for a place to start, keep these simple “Do's and “Don’t”s in mind. They are far from definitive, but will provide a useful guideline for anyone interested in putting together an ero coord.

DO:

• Pick an aesthetic, colour palette, or substyle

An ero lolita photoshoot by Japanese brand Triple Fortune featured in GLB 37. Historically inspired, the model has been styled with ringlets, a corset, and an elaborate cage skirt, similar to the undergarments of the 18th and 19th centuries.

As with any other coordinate, it is important to have an idea of what kind of mood or image you want to portray when you start making an ero coordinate. Are you going for a dark and mysterious look, something bright and angelic, or a more historically inspired outfit? This can help you decide what kind of accessories, motifs, and materials you want to incorporate in your coord. For example, gothic ero coordinates tend to include darker colours and mature details, especially lace, roses, and fishnet stockings; while more youthful looks inspired by the Rococo period are more likely to include pastel colours, candy motifs, and bows. 

If you need ideas, there are a wide variety of sources that you can take inspiration from. Historical undergarments, ballet, burlesque performances, punk rock, and gothic romance have all influenced elements of ero in the past. Once you’ve settled on a look that you like, you can use it as the foundation for your coordinate. 

• Maintain the lolita silhouette

A lolita named Ameko photographed by Tokyo Fashion in 2014. Her corset and cage skirt help to create a defined silhouette, even though the underskirt is shorter than a lot of lolita skirts usually are. 

A voluminous silhouette with a wide skirt is one of the core elements of what makes a coordinate lolita, and ero lolita is no different. While the length of the skirt may be shorter and the hemlines more dramatic, it is important that the characteristic “poof” of the lolita silhouette still dominates the lower half of your outfit. This may be achieved with the traditional combination of a petticoat and an outer garment, or, for a more daring look, through the use of a crinoline or cage skirt. 

Cage skirts and crinolines harken back to 18th- and 19th-century women’s undergarments, and can be a great way to give your outfit a sense of historical flair. They maintain the shape and silhouette of a lolita coordinate, without providing as much of the usual coverage. Of course, this might make the bottom half of your outfit look quite plain, so many lolitas will add interest by layering over their cage skirts with corsets, belts, or overdresses, and might even decorate them with ribbons, lace, and flowers. 

• Be a little provocative

An ero coordinate from the instagram account of Japanese brand Atelier Pierrot. Note how the lace gloves have been used to add a layer of interest and elegance that really ties the whole outfit together.

It is ero lolita, after all. A lot of elements which might usually be considered too scandalous or inappropriate for lolita can work in an ero outfit, provided that they coordinated correctly. These include things like lower necklines, shorter skirts, corsets, garters, and stockings. And don’t underestimate the power that subtle changes and well-placed accessories can have in making your coordinate look a little more daring. Statement necklaces, for example, can help draw attention to the neck and decolletage; if you’re going for a sleeveless look, long gloves can help add interest to bare arms; while higher heels give a more mature and elegant edge to almost every outfit. As with any other lolita coordinate, no matter what you add, the most important thing is just to make sure that the different elements come together in a cohesive and well-balanced manner. 

DON'T:

• Show your actual underwear

The “Magician of the Stars” set by Souffle Song is sold as “ero lolita”, but even though the silhouette matches that of lolita fashion, the types of materials and incredibly revealing nature of the garment does not. You should not be able to mistake ero lolita for lingerie.

Even if ero lolita is more daring and provocative, it still meant to be worn in public. While you may incorporate historical or lolita-style undergarments in your coordinate, like corsets, bloomers, and crinolines; modern, mainstream underwear like thongs, panties, and bodysuits should stay under your outfit and not feature as a main part of it. At the end of the day, it’s meant to be a lolita coordinate, not lingerie. 

Also, don’t expose any parts of your body that might get you arrested for public indecency. Just… don’t. 

• Let it get too costume-y

No.

Ensuring that your clothes look like clothes and not simply a costume is a big part of lolita fashion, and that is especially important when it comes to ero lolita. While taking a bit of inspiration from things like uniforms or theatrical costuming is alright, be mindful that your coordinate is merely being inspired by these outfits, and not turning into a “sexy halloween costume”. This goes double for anyone who might be attempting to incorporate elements of cultural clothing into your ero coordinate -- the last thing you want to do is cause offense to people by turning important cultural touchstones into hypersexual costumes. 

For this reason, I would seriously advise that beginner lolitas (and even experienced lolitas who are not familiar with the ins and outs of ero) think twice before trying to make an ero lolita coordinate that is strongly based on either particular uniforms, characters, or cultural clothing. It’s always best to learn to walk before you run. 

• Force yourself to wear anything that you aren’t comfortable in

An outfit featuring a corset from the brand Abilletage. Corsets can be beautiful and elegant additions to a lolita coord, but it is important to wear them safely and responsibly.

Both physically and emotionally, you should be comfortable with your outfit. This means that you should never wear anything that you personally find too revealing, provocative, or sexual, and you should definitely not wear anything that physically restricts you or impedes your movement too much just for the “aesthetic”. If you’re planning on wearing things like corsets, waist-cinchers, or very high heels, do your research so that you know how to wear them safely. It’s also a good idea to bring a back-up outfit in case you need to change, especially if you know you’re going to be out of the house for a long period of time. 

Always remember: in lolita, the most important thing is that you feel happy and confident with yourself. You can’t achieve that if you’re wearing clothes that you either don’t like, or might seriously endanger your health. 

I hope this post has helped clear up some misconceptions and provided useful tips to anyone interested in ero lolita as a theme or substyle of lolita fashion. For more inspiration, I highly recommend going through artwork from artists such as Yoh (of Yoh’s Monochrome World), Lulu Hashimoto, and Minori in addition to Sakizo -- although not all of their artwork is lolita related, each of these artists portray the decadent and sumptuous style that ero lolita tries to capture in beautiful and unique ways. If you want more direct inspiration, you could also look up brands such as Marble, Atelier Pierrot, H. Naoto and Triple Fortune, who regularly produce clothing suitable for ero lolita; as well more obvious sources such as Kera Magazine and the Gothic & Lolita Bible.

The world of ero lolita is open before you, so go forth and explore!

~Bubble Tea~