This is a guide for anyone who wants to familiarize with the wide world of Lolita fashion. (the picture is very big but full view please!)

{ What is Lolita? }
"Lolita" has nothing in common with the erotic meaning of lolita/young girl, but it is a fashion subculture very popular in Japan.
Lolita fashion uses Rococo and Victorian era features: bows, lace and elegance are the main ingredients of this style, and it can come in many other styles: Classic, Sweet, Gothic, Country, Punk, Hime (princess), Sailor, Wa (influenced by Japanese kimono), Qi (influenced by Chinese qi pao), Erotic, Kuro (all black), Shiro (all white), Pinku, Mizuiro (all blue), Casual (very simple), Steampunk (very recent style), Guro (grotesque), Pirate, Cosplay (a wrong conception of Lolita style), and Military (very recent).
We can say that Kuro, Shiro, Pinku and Mizuiro styles are the monochromatic subcategory of Sweet (or Classic) Lolita. Sometimes the Pirate style is considered (and underestimated) Cosplay Lolita, but I think that it could be a good style if you've learned the rules of Lolita fashion well.
A Lolita dress always has a knee-length skirt, if it doesn't is NOT Lolita. It can be longer but not shorter, only Erotic loli skirts can be a little, little shorter to reveal bloomers or garters.
Lolita pumps don't have too high heels and usually they have high platforms.
Don't use too much colorful wigs or clothes made of low quality fabric, or too shiny/synthetic fabric.
Think of a victorian era porcelain doll, it should look like her: the same delicacy, the same elegance, the same innocence and grace. Delicacy, elegance and grace have nothing to do with your appearance, so it doesn't matter if you're not extremely thin or Miss America. You don't have to be european or asiatic, you can be of another ethnicity. The most important thing is how you wear your outfit and style.
Lolita is not only a fashion subculture, it can be a lifestyle as well.


Elegant Gothic Aristocrat and Elegant Gothic Lolita (in my opinion) should not considered official lolita styles, they are only a Mana's collection, so I haven't put it into the guide (though many people consider them true Loli styles)
Kodona should not considered Lolita because yes, it uses the same criterions and tenets, but it is the male counterpart of Lolita fashion so Lolita is the female style, and Kodona is the male one! This doesn't mean that a girl can't wear a Kodona outfit.


So, what's your favourite one? :3
I really hope you liked this guide and I hope it can be helpful for you. I worked really hard for this! So please, do not steal, copy, use or reproduce this work without my permission.
-----

Camouflage pattern (in Military Lolita) by Peter Plastic [link]§ion=&q=camouflage+pattern#/d29leb2
You can watch the full version of Classic, Sweet and Gothic Lolita if you want to:

[link]
[link]
[link]

or:

Steampunk Loli outfit [link]
Wa Loli outfit [link]

-----
Thank you for the faves! I always read every comment so don't be shy ^-^