The cover of the Gothic & Lolita Bible Vol. 6, one of my favorite issues. Those were the days...
It contained everything related to cute gothic fashion and lifestyle, fantastic editorials, and pages full of the clothing items and accessories of my dreams, which sadly were completely out of my reach, being sold in Japanese stores only or at eBay, either way at incredibly high prices. However, each volume always included a number of free patterns that one could use to replicate certain items; I couldn't buy the clothes, but my mother had a sewing machine, my grandma and aunt had a fair knowledge of sewing, and I had access to fabric stores full of nice quality, inexpensive fabrics. And that's how I got into designing and making my own clothes, proving that when there's a will, there's a way.
Adorable and edgy, with interesting prints.
Girly dark-punk undertones.
Let's not forget about make up and accessories, of course!
That magazine was a goldmine for all kinds of ideas regarding its particular mix of dark and sweet style: clothing and accessories, make-up and hair tutorials, interior decoration, music, movies, tea parties and even “Gothic & Lolita”-style destinations for traveling.
Gothic Lolita cake tea party.
One of my favorite looks from the Gothic and Lolita Bible: I love the combination of lace and frilly dresses and tulle with spikes, leather and monster shoes.
Here's the music to go with your outfit...
Ever wondered what a Sweet Lolita's room looked like?
What I liked the most about it is that it seemed so radically different from everything else, and made the 'edgy' fashion trends from mainstream clothing lines look tame, predictable and uninspired. The Gothic & Lolita Bible offered a world of its own, an explosion of extreme self-expression without restrictions. 
I vividly remember trying to emulate this outfit. I even got the almost exact same belt!
Gothic Lolita's cuteness would not be complete without cute rabbits and animal ears.
I love everything about this outfit; I made a modified version of the skirt, and also the black sleeves with white lace.
Frankenstein shoes with lace legwarmers and black tulle: why not?
My favorite sub styles within the Gothic & Lolita fashion were those that were more rock, punk and neo-gothic oriented. Brands like h.Naoto, Putumayo and Black Peace Now had the best clothes for my taste. I made a couple of h.Naoto knock-offs that I felt quite proud of, numerous simple items of clothing inspired by different Japanese brand’s designs (mostly skirts, since they were easy to design and fast to assemble together) and a multitude of accessories. One of my favorite things that I made back then was this two-piece outfit, that came into existence as an hybrid between a one-piece dress that I saw in Kera and a ruffly Algonquins skirt:
The inspiration. I wanted to replicate that ruffly cascade at the back of the skirt.
I like how sometimes in the beginning I had a very specific idea of how I wanted something to look, but then I would start making modifications along the way that I thought were more suitable or looked nicer, and as a result the final product would be unique and have a personal tweak!
Also, I always get compliments whenever I wear this black top, and then I can smugly say "Thanks, I made it myself!" Haha... below is the inspiration from an h.Naoto top, although I made the sleeves different to the original (a bit more puffy); however, I have been contemplating making a white version with the super-pleated sleeves just like the original.
My DIY versión of the h.Naoto top.
A touch of Japanese fashion inspiration. Colorful tie-dye tights by We Love Colors (can somebody buy me that store, please?).
The inspiration: original h.Naoto Elegant Neo-Gothic Lolita top with 'lung' sleeves.
Why talking about this now, given that the Gothic & Lolita movement and fashion was in full bloom more than ten years ago? It is because it was part of a re-discovery of my past passions and interests, triggered by finding my old archives full of scans. Many of them still have lots of ideas that I would like to implement, and some others just bring some fond memories of those times where my idea of a perfect afternoon was to sit and draw patterns, while drinking a cup of aromatic tea and having my little pet rabbit hopping around the room wearing a little velvet cape. It fills me up with nostalgia, but also makes me want to review some ideas and get myself busy with some serious DIY projects! I really feel the inkling to get back into designing and sewing my ideal wardrobe.
Photographic evidence of the superhero bunny rabbit, my loyal companion during my DIY sessions, circa 2007.
In case you feel inspired to do your own Gothic & Lolita quest for inspiration, I have great news for you! In Jmagazinescans.com you can find the entire collection of The Gothic & Lolita Bible (Volumes 1 to 42, plus two Extra issues) available for download. WARNING: Hours of your productive time can easily be spent in this enterprise. Beware of eye-candy/inspiration overload – it can quickly become addictive! Don't say that I didn't warn you... ***
What do you think about Gothic & Lolita fashion?
Were you influenced by it, or did it go completely off your radar? Do you find it inspiring, weird, creepy, imaginative or too extreme? If your style was influenced by Gothic & Lolita fashion, did you go through the DIY pathway as well, or did you manage to get some original pieces? What were your favorite brands and models?
So much to talk about! I would love to know about your personal experience in the comments section.
