OOAK Gothic Art Doll – Dolores
A Gothic Lolita Inspired Rag Doll by Jo Hards
For rather a long time, I’ve been fascinated by Gothic Lolita fashion. I’ve never been drawn to dress like a delicate porcelain doll myself, but I always thought the girls who wear the style well look amazing. My research for my latest doll lead me to some fascinating facts about the Lolita style. Lolita began in Harajuku, Tokyo in the 1980s. I knew the style originated in Japan, but never knew there were so many different subtypes. lolitafashion.org lists sixteen different styles that fall under the Lolita umbrella (if you pardon the pun!). What they all have in common is the classic, knee length, bell shaped skirt, ‘Mary Jane’ shoes, and a Victorianesque love of ribbons, bows and doll-like cuteness. The name is drawn from the child-like innocence and sweetness of the style, rather than any sexual connotations associated with the name ‘Lolita‘ in the West.
Now, I don’t profess to be an expert in Lolita fashion by any means, but I was eager to create a doll that captures some of the key elements of Gothic Lolita with a Strange Little Girls twist. The result of my experiment is Dolores.
This one of a kind cloth art doll stands approximately 15 inches tall. She has deep blue button eyes and decorative hand embroidered detail to her face. Dolores wears the classic Lolita shaped dress, with bell shaped skirt and puffed sleeves, trimmed with ribbon and lace. The front of her bodice is decorated with a large lace bow, which is hand stitched in place. The outfit is completed by frilled ribbon wrist cuffs, Mary Jane shoes with skull and cross bone print, and matching hair ribbons. Around her neck, she wears a ribbon choker with a silver plated skull and cross bones pendant. Although Dolores is partly machine sewn, a lot of hand stitching went into her outfit, making her rather time consuming, but I think she’s worth it. I love her and hope you will too.
Dolores is now available to buy from the Strange Little Girls online store priced at £75. UK delivery is included in the price.
