Twinning and Its Different Kinds

Twinning is one of those activities that lolitas love to engage in. Whereas in mainstream fashion dressing in the same outfit as someone else is a faux pas, the lolita community wants to celebrate and share the love we have for certain pieces. It’s a way of saying “Hey, I love this dress too, let’s love it together”, instead of fighting who wore it best. But did you know that there are different kinds of twinning? Prepare for a lot of double trouble!

Twinning Just the Dress

Some may argue that just wearing the same dress and nothing else even similar is not twinning. I say that this is a sad way to look at lolita fashion. If two people own the same piece and make plans to wear it together, then that, my dears, is twinning. And that’s regardless of how well you know the person you twin with or how long has either of you been in the fashion. Sometimes you and your twin may wear opposite styles and have only this one dress in common. Other times a person may still be growing their collection of builder pieces and can’t twin beyond that yet. We say: wear it and enjoy it!

Despite different builder pieces, colour schemes and even dress cuts, these two twins tied their look incredibly well with accessories. So much so that @shasha_mango and @ennekappao won the Best Twin prize in Peacockalorum’s limited edition print designed for Love from the North event.

When your Pullip doll has to match. Twinning with ball-jointed dolls has been common within the lolita fashion community and @likeateacup does it well in Ista Mori’s Nameless Poem.

Twinning the Look

This is probably what most of us would call typical twinning. On top of wearing the same main piece, your outfit will follow the same colour scheme and maybe also a theme, even if the pieces themselves are slightly different. Once your collection is a little larger, it’s easy to agree on wearing similar bits. After all, many of us own, for example, a white short sleeve blouse and white socks. Although your individual blouses, socks, headbows etc. may be different, paired with the same dress they create that twinning look.

Sticking to similar colours and styles can be harder than it looks. However, @BearryPrincess and @weronika.olga.antonina do it well in Lady Sloth’s My Coffee Time! Photo by @marionetkamaria.

When your twinning is so good that you almost mistake it for a clone look. And @lolahbell and @gixegina’s game in Angelic Pretty’s Milky Berry is strong!

Twinning the Look with Opposite Theme

A fun twist on the copy-look of twinning is to take the theme of the piece and wear it as opposites. Some dresses are already designed with that in mind, while some you could add a spin like this to your outfit through accessories. Think of pairs of opposites and of appropriate dresses that both you and your twin own. Common examples include girl/boy, night/day, angel/devil, fire/ice, good witch/bad witch and more. You are limited only by your imagination – and pieces available for twinning, of course!

In case of a lack of twin – clone yourself! There are plenty of girl/boy twin looks to check out on @gravelvet’s Instagram.

Like night and day, we are two sides of the same. Here I am twinning Lady Sloth’s Look at My Dreamy Sky with @beccy_myles.

Complete Clone

Twinning as complete clones was a popular look around 2010-2012, although you can still do it today. Plenty of people buy the whole set upon release, which are perfect for twinning. There are also certain pieces available locally that both twins may get and crafting is also an option. Just remember that any new pieces you’re getting match the rest of your wardrobe! You can take it up a notch by going for 100% copycat by wearing the same colourway and even get the exact same jewellery and accessories. Which, of course, gets harder the more you’re going for that 2012 OTT Sweet look which relied on a gazillion smaller pieces. If that’s your kind of twinning – best of luck, we’re here for it!

The clone look can be done without going full decora-style OTT. Here, @iinkosakura and @xxmissingsisterxx do it well in Angelic Pretty’s Whip Magic

The more you look at it, the more impressive this clone look is. Props to @beanantea and @househaunter in Juliette et Justine’s La Premier Cri de Prophete.

Have you ever had a chance to twin? Which kind did you go for? Don’t forget to share your pictures via Alice Holic for all of us to admire!

Paulina Pejka

She/her.
29-year-old Capricorn, Polish-born, UK-based and in love with Japanese fashion (predominantly Lolita). I enjoy a good bargain, OTT coords, cats and baking, and when in Japan I’m a self-confessed purikura addict. When I don’t blog, I work in the education sector, overseeing international exchange programs, and sometimes I get to do some exciting freelance translations on the side.