°˖✧✝ 2015: The Year of Old School Lolita... Kinda ✝✧˖°

2014 was the year of the bonnet and the year of Classic Lolita, but, hear me now, I claim 2015 to belong to Old School Lolita!

Do I expect Lolitas to burn their chiffon, use their floor-length underskirts as curtains, or trade in their Triple Fortune bonnets for rectangle headdress? Do I expect us to party like it's 2001? No, of course not! Though, a Lolita can dream~ 

What I do anticipate, however, is an influx of Old School elements either being recycled or re-imagined this year. I've noticed a slight interest in the style from the major brands for awhile, but it's quite evident that more curiosity for the style is growing, with the name Old School Lolita now being used as a trendy term by those of us in the West. Don't believe me about the brands' involvement? There are some of us who are still confused by those flat "bonnets" BABY started producing at the start of the Classic trend. 

BABY's Labyrinth in the Reminiscent Mirror Bonnet Headdress

Source: Lolibray 

Is it a bonnet? Is it a rectangle headdress? The world may never know.

What I've noticed is that this new trend is a bit minimal, meaning that it focuses on a slight incorporation. So, instead of a full blown Old School outfit, they pick certain essential Old School elements and add them to current outfits. A lot of times, they go unnoticed because of how minor they are.   

So don't worry about your precious chiffon. This revival isn't about eliminating, but more about incorporating. There's no way the fashion will completely diverge back to how it once was. I just don't see that happening. Instead, this year, look for certain accessories or the way an outfit is styled to appreciate this Old School resurgence.

◊Old School Elements being RECYCLED 

Take this very recent photo shoot with Midori. At first glance, the styling of her outfit seems pretty modern for our fashion. But I swear this outfit has Old School elements to it. I can go on and on about how her Alice bow, natural hair in soft ringlet twin tails, and lacy bell/princess sleeves highlights an Old School aura, but I'm looking at a specific item she is wearing that screams Old School. 

    

Do you see it yet? Not really? Well, what if I put up another photo- a street snap of a Gothic Lolita more than half a decade ago?

The rabbit! It's the rabbit! Eerie, right? The two photos look like they're from two different worlds. But one thing links them together is that cute rabbit! I nearly screamed when I saw Midori modeling with this bag, because I just  KNEW I've seen it before.    

And that's the one thing that's great about this comeback, the constant deja vu that I'm having. Every week or so, I'm saying, "Hey, I've seen that somewhere before," more often.

◊Old School Elements being RE-IMAGINED 

Okay, so here is the REALLY fun part about this comeback. We get to see tradition styles being worked over to produce something fashionable for today's Lolita. Look at this picture for example. This is a shot of a lucky Lolita at one of Angelic Pretty's latest tea party. She won a great prize, but look at what she's wearing! It's Angelic Pretty's 2014 Princess in Love JSK. This picture has been reblogged by countless Lolita, but none have mention how Old School it looks. When I first saw the picture, I stopped and thought, is that a printless, multiple tiered dress layered with clashing white lace?! Is that a rectangle head dress?! You bet your petticoat it is.        

The prize is in the way, so I know it'd be hard for people to see, but could they really not notice the Old School vibe? Just in cased you don't know how detailed this JSK is, fest your eyes on its stock picture. 

Source: Lolibrary
I invite everyone to click the link to marvel, either from disgust
or delight, at the detail shots. Either way, you'll be shocked. 

While Old School is usually described as being "tacky," "too costumey" and just plain "ugly," I haven't heard or seen any comments that label this outfit the same way. And this JSK is a pure lace monster. Where are the naysayers now? I like to believe that most of them are liking and reblogging this picture not knowing what exactly lies underneath that prize. But even so, there hasn't been any flack about the areas that can be seen. And that headdress gets me every time I look at it. I remember a time when a Lolita couldn't wear a rectangle headdress without being mocked or ridiculed. Does anyone remember them being called "maxi pads," a term of endearment now, but, in the past, a term to humiliate? Though, now you can see a Lolita sporting one more frequently than prior years.       

It's still early in the year, but I have faith in my prediction. The only thing I can be certain about now is that I'll have fun seeing how this trend plays out. I can't wait to see what outfits today's fashionable Lolitas will create with Old School elements, whether they realize it or not. 

°˖✧ 'Till next time