5 Types of Quarantine Lolitas

By now we’ve accepted the fact that quarantine, lockdown and social distancing are here to stay for the foreseeable future. Some places are still under strict rules, some see those restrictions lift, but nowhere is truly safe yet. As the world adapts to new circumstances, keen lolita observers may have spotted some new developments in our environment. Forget birdwatching, it’s time to look out for these new types of quarantine lolitas!

The Creators

These lolitas are utilising time they previously dedicated to going out and social gatherings to focus on making things. And there are so many things that quarantine creator lolitas make! You have the practical crafts, like sewing masks or kitchen experiments. Some are trying to tackle the stashes of hoarded materials by making accessories or full garments. For many this is a chance to explore a new hobby or return to a past one. Long-held desires of starting a YouTube channel or a blog are finally being realised. From practicing makeup skills to making tangible things, quarantine creator lolitas are blossoming in indoor spaces!

About 10 minutes with a hot glue gun and my stash of jewellery bits produced these three great rings.

The Lifestylers

Sometimes known as The Daily Wearers, these lolitas are living in their frilly form a lot more than they have pre-pandemic. The lack of meetups to wear lolita to is not a barrier to them as much as other factors were before. With work/study moving to home and being encouraged to not leave the house unless necessary, lolitas are morphing into Momokos at a much faster pace than before. Whether these quarantine lifestylers will continue once the world is safe again remains to be seen. For now they are flourishing – and gradually forgetting what it feels like to not wear a petticoat.

Whilst I don’t wear lolita every day in lockdown, I wear it a lot more than I did before. These outfits are from a week I challenged myself to wear lolita every day for.

The Zoomers

Although lolitas are using a multitude of platforms to host and attend virtual meetups, Zoom is undoubtedly one of the most popular ones worldwide. Quarantine Zoomer lolitas come in two varieties: hosts and attendees. One person can switch between these two depending on circumstances, but most display preferences for one or the other. Zoomer hosts are creating events, being pillars for their community and making friends internationally. Without them attendee Zoomers would not have so many meetups to attend. By taking advantage of different time zones a Zoomer lolita could make even three separate meetups in one day! That sure is one way to compensate for no in-person meetups – and it’s great to no longer be forced to decide when there is a clash.

The reality of lolita meetups nowadays is very much like this. OTT coords aren’t always practical, even for Zoom meetups.

The Shoppers

Oof, this is not supposed to come across as a callout to anyone! But let’s face it: without meetups and events to spend money on, it can feel like our disposable income suddenly grew. The extra time someone else had to clear out their wardrobe is another’s gain. Although postage is still slower, a quarantine shopper lolita is willing to wait if it means they get that next cute thing. And let’s not forget that the Shoppers can also keep the Creators afloat by supporting local and/or independent businesses! The ecosystem of lolita fashion relies on maintaining balances like this, so if you are a shopper – just remember to budget for your essentials first.

Resisting online shopping is hard in quarantine. And extra hard when Wunderwelt is having a summer sale!

The Hibernators

Just like bears will hibernate through autumn and winter, many lolitas are essentially hibernating through quarantine. Some have to for practical reasons as they are key workers keeping this weird world going. Some could simply find themselves without motivation as the social aspect of lolita was really what they love the most. If you encounter quarantine lolita hibernators, be kind to them. They may be feeling low without lolita meetups or things may be tough for them in general. Always make sure that they are invited to the meetups, even if they choose not to attend each one, keep them included. And maybe offer a socially distanced bubble tea in frills once it is safe to do so.

If you see a lolita hibernating, check that they’re ok and keep them included. But don’t force them out of hibernation – they know what is best for them in quarantine.

Which type of quarantine lolita are you? Have you hopped from one type to another, as your mood took you? Maybe you mixed two or more of these? Or created an entirely new species that is not so commonly seen in the wild yet? Whichever kind you are, I hope that you stay safe and stay responsible during this pandemic.

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.