AKA a handy little lolita dictionary.
A-line:A skirt shape that starts at the waist and flares progressively with the largest point at the bottom and makes an A shape. Seen more often in Classic lolita than other styles.
A&P/AATP: Abbreviations for Alice & The Pirates
AP: Abbreviation for Angelic Pretty
Alice Bow: A bow worn on the head.
Alice Deco: A Japanese magazine which includes lolita photos
BABY/BTSSB: Abbreviations for BABY, The Stars Shine Bright.
BPN: Abbreviation for Black Piece Now
Bloomers: Loose shorts gathered at the bottom and worn under a skirt to protect modesty.
Boystyle: A relative to Lolita fashion which includes pants instead of skirts. Also known as Ouji and sometimes called Kodona. For more info, see here.
Brolita: A male who wears lolita. Not to be confused with Ouji, a Brolita wears dresses and skirts like any other lolita.
Bustle Skirt: A skirt that is pulled up in the back to reveal an underskirt.
Coord: Short for“coordinate.” Just another term for an outfit.
Cutsew: Clothing often made in t-shirt material (jersey); commonly includes t-shirts, cardigans, and hoodies, but also in some cases, dresses and skirts. Often has simple lace details and a lolita-themed print. Goes well with lasual lolita. Other forms: cutsaw (incorrect.).
EGL: Elegant gothic lolita. A term coined by Mana of Moi-même-Moitié to specifically define the style of the clothing brand. The term is sometimes used to refer to lolita fashion in general and was the name of the most popular lolita community on Livejournal.
GLB/G&LB: Abbreviation for Gothic & Lolita Bible. A magazine featuring primarily lolita and other Japanese alternative fashions with the latest news, articles, photos and sometimes sewing patterns. The GLB is no longer in circulation but scans can be found online and the magazine can commonly be found secondhand.
IW: Abbreviation for Innocent World
Ita: An insult for lolitas who look bad, be it poor coordination, poor quality, etc. Derived from the Japanese word “itai” meaning “ouch”, an ita is a lolita “who looks so bad it’s painful to look at.”
JSK: See “Jumper Skirt”
JetJ: Abbreviation for Juliette et Justine
Jumper Skirt: A sleeveless lolita dress usually worn with a blouse or bolero to cover the shoulders.
Kera: A Japanese magazine with articles and photos about Japanese fashion including (but not limited to) lolita
Kodona: See Boystyle
Lace monster: A western term used to describe pieces that use way too much lace, especially poor quality lace.
Lucky Pack: A package of clothes sold by brands at various times throughout the year. With a true lucky pack the brand will give you a general idea of what’s in it (a jsk, blouse, and socks or a OP, headdress, and necklace, etc.) but won’t tell you exactly what the items look like. Lucky packs are good options for lolitas on a budget because they are often cheaper than buying items separately, sometimes you can get a few items for around the price of or even less than a dress would normally cost.
MM: Abbreviation for Mary Magdalene
Mana: A Japanese musician and fashion designer known for helping lolita gain popularity. Mana is credited with coining the terms EGL and EGA.
Meta: Abbreviation for Metamorphose temps de Fille
MmM: Abbreviation for Moi-Même-Moitié
OOTD: “Outfit of the day.” Not specifically a lolita term, but used often enough to be included.
OP: See “One Piece”
One Piece: A lolita dress with some sort of sleeves.
OTT: Over the top. Usually refers to OTT Sweet lolita which uses a lot of super sweet prints, accessories, elaborate hairstyles, etc. Other styles can be OTT as well, but OTT Sweet is most common.
Ouji: See Boystyle
Pannier: See “Petticoat”
Petticoat: A type of undergarment, usually made of organza, chiffon, or tulle (organza and chiffon petticoats are much better) which is worn under lolita clothing to give proper volume and shape. Much more information on petticoats can be found in my FAQ.
RHS: Abbreviation for Rocking Horse Shoes
Shirring: Stretchable gathering which is used to give a broader range of sizes to clothing.
Shopping Service: A website or individual that one would use to purchase items from shops that do not ship overseas, or for various auction sites. Most people who run an ordering service usually charge a commission on-top of the price of the item.
Tea Party Shoes: A popular style of shoes (especially for sweet lolita) created by Angelic Pretty
