Goth Magazine: Gothic & Lolita Bible
Goth Magazine Mook Debut to North America February 2008
Gothic & Lolita Bible is called a "mook," a hybrid of both a goth magazine and book due to its collectible qualities. It is a quarterly magazine with a circulation of more than 100,000. Gothic & Lolita Bible has played an instrumental role in promoting and standardizing the gothic and lolita styles in Japan. The over one hundred page magazine includes fashion tips, photos, sewing patterns, catalog descriptions and decorating ideas.
TokyoPop, Japan’s major manga publisher introduced English version of Gothic & Lolita Bible debuted to North America in February 2008 as the source for information on gothic and lolita fashion. This goth magazine not only tracks the trends, but also influences them with its coverage.
Music artists such as Mana of the band Malice Mizer was the first suggested the idea of creating the G&LB and singer-songwriter Kana further supported Gothic & Lolita Bible and Lolita style itself. They often would wear Lolita or Gothic clothing in their performances, which helped spread the awareness of the fashion. Also Takemoto Novala is an author who wrote many essays on the proper behavior and attitudes of “young maidens,” inspiring many people to become interested in gothic and lolita lifestyle, in addition to the fashion.
The gothic and lolita clothing are very conservative; perhaps as a reaction to the modern image of sexy and powerful women, it showcases an innocent and modest look. Well, there are two types of fashion featured in Gothic & Lolita Bible – gothic and lolita. They’re related because both are street fashion from Japan, and both have a Victorian base. The Lolita fashion is reminiscent of Victorian porcelain dolls, while Gothic fashion does not refer to the equivalent of American street Goth, but rather it’s a Gothic aesthetic one might find in Victorian gothic horror novels.
Classic Lolita is one of the most refined and adult styles of Lolita dress, and it lacks some of the frills and ruffles that many of the other styles have. There is Country Lolita that entails a lot of patterned fabric, Pink Lolita that is a style formed around the color pink, a Blue Lolita style, and even a White Lolita style. Sweet Lolita (AmaLoli) is the most doll–like style of Lolita. It incorporates items such as stuffed animals, bows, and ribbons to create a fantasy of childhood. Punk Lolita is a style of dress with additions in the punk style. Many adherents use safety pins, skull motifs, bondage straps, and chains to enhance the Lolita look.
The term Elegant Gothic Lolita, originally coined by Mana of Moi–même–Moitié , was originally used to describe a sub-set of Lolita fashion that was either all black, or mostly black with white accents. Elegant Gothic Lolita (EGL) and Elegant Gothic Aristocrat (EGA) are two styles that harmonize with Gothic Lolita. Both variations lean towards a more mature version of Lolita dress, and they can accompany a Lolita as she ages.
EGL and EGA clothing are styled by the Moi–même–Moitié clothing label. EGA can incorporate long floor–length skirts or even wide–legged pants and an androgynous appearance, while EGL almost always follows a traditional GothLoli bell-shaped silhouette, all in black with the occasional hint of white.
Gothic & Lolita Bible EGL and EGA designer, Mana
To find out more aboutgoth, read “Step-by-Step Essential Guide to that Elusive Gothic Look & Style”.
