Goth Loli Girls in Sacramento

It's been a few years since my last trip to Japan, but a few days ago I was having some Tokyo flashbacks right here in Sacramento. My husband and I were driving in Midtown when we passed a group of young women all in Goth Loli garb. We pulled over, and I jumped out for an impromptu photo shoot. The young ladies were game, and they struck some great poses there on the street.

Every detail, down to the smile, is considered.

What is Goth Loli? Well, it's a Japanese street fashion -- part street theater and part costume party. "Loli" is short for "Lolita," and Goth or Gothic has the same implications that it does in US fashions. There are a wide range of young women in Japan who identify themselves as Lolitas or "gosururi" in Japanese.

The basic Lolita garb is part-Victorian china doll and part Gothic theater. Most Goth Lolis wear short, full-skirted dresses, thick tights, clunky shoes, and exaggerated hats. But there are many variations on the Lolita style including Sweet Lolita, Wa Lolita (using traditional Japanese clothing), and Oji-sama, a "boy style" worn by both genders.

A Sweet Lolita

My Sacramento Goth Lolis were out on a gorgeous Saturday shopping and having coffee together, and for just the briefest of moments I was transported to Harajuku and the fashion feast of Tokyo's streets.