What is the EGL fashion/subculture?

Ciao lovelies! Today I thought I’d talk about something very close to my heart since I was about fourteen and something that influenced my style for years (and still does because now I’m dressing in it!)……This “mystery thing” is the EGL fashion/subculture!

What is EGL?

EGL stands for “Elegant Gothic Lolita”- and before you freak out, no NO it has nothing to do with the book. HERE is a link to why this fashion has this name. 

EGL is a fashion started in Japan. It’s focus is on feminine clothing with a distinctive silhouette. Though sometimes Victorian inspired, not all EGL substyles are based on Victorian fashion.

There are four main substyles of EGL fashion- Old School, Classic, Gothic, and Sweet.

Of course, there are other substyles too, like Punk, Country, Witch, Military, Sailor etc. But the main four are Old School, Classic, Gothic, and Sweet.

Old School focuses on looking like the beginnings of the fashion. With simple dresses sans prints, sometimes rectangle headdresses or mini hats, rocking horse shoes, sometimes even showing bare knees! 

Classic focuses on a muted, mature color pallet, with Rococo influences and more regal aspects. Floral prints are highly common in this fashion, as well as underskirts and gold colors.

Gothic focuses on mixing Goth style with EGL, still maintaining the silhouette of EGL but including darker elements.

Sweet, the most famous substyle, focuses on pastels, prints, kawaii themes, and overall just projects the sense of “Kawaii”

EGL as a Subculture

So while there is some debate regarding EGL fashion vs EGL subculture- for our intents and purposes the EGL subculture means the “Lifestyle Lolitas.” The lifestyle Lolitas try to live life as elegantly and almost royally as possible.

The idea of a lifestyle Lolita is what inspired me to write the Royals Lessons and what inspires me daily. I love the idea of living in such a way.

The EGL community can be considered a subculture because it has its own resources, marketplaces, communities, events, rules, and websites.

My Involvement with EGL  

I have been involved with this subculture/fashion for a long time, since I was about 14. My first coords (short for coordinate, meaning outfit) were quite ita (meaning bad, hard to look at.). I got out of the fashion for a while before coming back to it this year. I just couldn’t stay away.

Here are some of my recent coords:

I hope you all enjoyed learning about EGL today.

Thanks for reading! Here are more resources on EGL fashion:

F Yeah Lolita is a site with so many articles helping new lolitas and even explaining subculture aspects.

The Lolita Handbook is also great for people curious about the fashion/subculture

I will see you in my next post!

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Thanks again for reading, I love you all, and I’ll see you in our next post!