Subcultures are the vogue of our generation. For years we dissected the youth of the world into categories that seemed, to the psychologists among us, juvenile and two-dimensional: skater, jock, prep, and other high-school worthy labels. But eventually society began to realize that what may have seemed to be nothing more than local hoodlums or 'those weird kids' were actually something more. These groups began to develop their own customs and traditions, their own socialization patterns, their own 'tribe markers' and symbolism, and in some cases, even their own religions. They began to break away from the mass culture of their country and instead divide into smaller sects within it. This was what we call subculture. Some examples of subculture that most people are familiar with: the hippies, the beatniks, the goths, the punks... And now the newer, ever-evolving subcultures of the new millenium like internet culture, fandoms, steampunk, and even... lolita.

For the longest time, both in Japan and overseas, the debate has ensued: what is lolita to its practioners? Is it a fashion style alone? Is it a concept? Is it a state of mind? Is it a lifestyle? Or is it, like those other mold-breakingly attired peoples to come before it, a subculture?

To answer this question, there is the obvious: what makes up a subculture? What seperates subculture from a trend, from a fashion statement?

On the surface, lolita appears to be merely a fashion. It is heavily invested in clothes and outward appearance. Most girls do not spend 100% of their time in lolita fashion, or spend 100% of their time only with others interested in lolita fashion. Does this make it a weekend warrior-style hobby? Is lolita fashion no different than dressing in this season's florals?

When it comes down to lolita, it is not the clothes that seperate us most distinctly from the mainstream. Yes, those layers and layers of lace and petticoats may seem to be what all the fuss is about, but lolita fashion - the adverse choices in clothing we make - is not what lolita is purely about. Lolita fashion does not exist in a bubble, on a page, or in a theatrical production. Not only do we interact with the world as a whole, we are also interacting with each other.

Lolita fashion is the jumping-off point for our subculture. Whether it is the fashion that attracts like people together or like people are attracted to the fashion, it is hard to say. However, it is obvious that one of the most definable traits of someone in lolita subculture is their appearance. This isn't just about fashion (an entire other article could be written on fashion and how this relates to lolita social hierarchy, but I'll spare you this round), but also permanent changes to one's appearance. Just like industrial goth is usually accompanied by piercings, lolita has its own physical markings. Some of the most typical are blunt cut bangs or, more iconically, the hime cut; sweet lolitas may also lean towards unnaturally colored hair and lolitas of any style seem to favor bleach blonde. I'm currently sporting the 'split' - half blonde, half pink - which is in style at the moment. When I am asked about my unusual hair style, I usually want to respond - 'Well, it's in style right now with my culture.' To respond simply with 'in style' would be confusing if you're not familiar with the current lolita scene. In style does not mean in style with the mainstream. The mainstream is following completely different trends based on different nuances of pop cultural media and celebrities. The subculture follows its own trends and has its own perceptions of beauty, some of which may even be counterculture to that of the mainstream.

One of the most prominent parts of a subculture is its shared knowledge, morals, or even history. Lolitas possess at the very least a shared knowledge. This is fueled by the rituals and traditions necessary to execute the fashion style (such as, petticoats go below skirts), but also pop culture and its timeline, and a glossary of words specific to the fashion and the culture's traditions. While working through cultural issues with the crew of American Lolita, it became apparent that half of what I was saying to them was gibberish. "Wait, what is Moi-Meme-Moitie and how is that like Moi Dix Mois?" French accents notwithstanding, we soon realized that what the entire crew needed was a compiled short dictionary translating 'lolita' to English. Think of all the words and simple turns of phrase we inside the culture take for granted - JSK, OP, NWT, cutsew, shirorori, Kikikirara Shoten. To anyone outside of the lolita scene - the subculture - these words are entirely without meaning. But I could say these to any lolita and be understood. And this is only the tip of the jargon iceberg - because lolita subculture is heavily participated in over the internet, acronyms and shorthand are just as necessary. Some of the above terms are nothing more than letters, which stand for different terms - JSK for jumperskirt - which can then be translated into spoken terms when used in real life conversation.

Our shared history is from pop culture - the first Gothic and Lolita Bible, collection of popular models, and fashion trends of the past. Older lolitas recall the days of rectangular headdresses, Angelic Pretty's older prints, or the earlier works of Imai Kira. Kamikaze Girls is also a great example of how a shared fascination with pop cultural media has shaped our subculture. Many girls consider the film an initiation rite into the fashion and culture; many say that the lessons it teaches are the beginnings of lolita concepts and moral themes.

The fact that much of lolita culture is shared and participated in online also contributes to the notion of lolita subculture's shared history. High impact events mostly play out online, and many in the community participate - such as great scandals and scammer alerts. This shared history bonds us together. Those not present for earlier events usually learn of them secondhand - it's often that a lolita will say, 'Oh, it was before my time, but I heard about...' Lolita culture is mostly relayed by word of mouth or secondhand, in what could almost be considered an oral tradition.

Concepts are also part of the culture. Most brands or even magazines provide a basic concept or mission statement to solidify the look and emotion they are trying to portray. Another example is the basic concept of gothic culture - the darker emotions and shadowy style that overlays the entire genre. If I had to choose a concept to overlay the general lolita culture, I would say it is personal fufillment to the point of excess. In a word, opulence. The princess motif, the sweets-to-cavities style, the rise of decololi, all point at opulence - our Rococo inheritance - as our key theme. Other smaller themes are peppered throughout the culture - beauty for beauty's sake, a sense of personal independence bordering on solitude, a sense of entitlement, and a multitude of others. These themes unite our knowledge and media consumption into a mass interpretation. They form the basis for what our culture stands upon.

Dissecting a subculture piece by piece is an exhaustive process, moreso to argue the point. In honor of International Lolita Day, our bi-annual celebration of lolita fashion, community, and culture, I would like to declare that we as a group stand up and be counted as a subculture. This is Part 1 of the series. I will continue to discuss the argument supporting lolita as not just a fashion, but as a subculture throught the following articles. Stay tuned!