The Lolita Complex: - Scholarly Commons Home

In that it does not strive for a womanly look, the Lolita image also
rejects dominating media stereotypes of largely unachievable, sexy body
types, obliterates silhouettes that accentuate breasts and a toned physique,
and thus defies beauty standards that are based on sexually mature bodies.
As 20-year-old “d0ll” claims:
[It is] mainstream fashion [that] is setting back the feminist movement more than
anything. Everything is sexualized and women are generally viewed almost as “sex
objects” and treat themselves that way too. They act promiscuous and hope for
acceptance. By dressing in a modest and feminine fashion, such as Lolita, girls and
women can prove that you don’t have to show off your body to be beautiful and
that you can do what you want in life. *
This aspect is particularly pertinent in Japan. As leading G&L designer
Naoto Hirooka (of the label h.Naoto) has noted, “many Japanese women
feel intimidated by high fashion in the West and feel that they can never live
up to the refined beauty that they feel Western women strive for…. So
instead they shoot for a cute look, one that doesn’t require tall, curvaceous
bodies and instead emphasizes girlishness”. 193 He also believes that “one of
the salient points about Lolita is that it is really a fashion that is not intended
to attract men”. 194
* Personal communication between “Angelic Lolita” and “d0ll” (Omaha, Nebraska) on MySpace,
www.myspace.com/botticelliangel_nz, 16 January, 2010.
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