The Fashion Patriarchy of Lolita
“men have practically conditioned women to believe that they are only worthy if they are young and beautiful.”
- Jessica Giraldo
Hebephilia is the “strong, persistent sexual interest in adults of pubescent children who are in early adolescence, typical ages 11-14.” Hebephiles take some of the most embarrassing and confusing years of one’s life and fetishize them. Think of Lolita, for example. To its core, Lolita is a story about Hebephilia, yet the term it is named after (not the Japanese subculture) has become highly romanticized in our growing society. It has become lost in translation, becoming known as a style and term for “seductress”, when in reality, the aesthetic is in ill taste. The style typically calls for braids and some kind of matching outfit, iconically known for heart-shaped glasses, red lips, and lollipops.
When the style was at its peak, it was mainly found on Tumblr blogs with Lana Del Rey as its mascot. But, soon enough, many criticized Lolita's fashion and culture for engaging in the sexualization of children. Del Rey has been harshly criticized for her songs “Lolita”, “Off To The Races” and “Put Me In A Movie” which reference the novel. You are not a bad person for listening to Lana Del Rey (even I do it!), but you need to be socially aware enough to understand that there is little room to deny that Del Rey was a major part of the romanticization of this aesthetic. She was known as being the “blueprint” of the Lolita aesthetic with her “New Americana” style. She is a cultural icon, and unfortunately, people will flock to follow her every move. Her engagement with the controversial style rubs off on her audience – intentionally or not.
Fashion is a highly societal concept. It is much more than just clothes. It is trend cycles growing and dying, just to be reborn again. If they are well received or not is determined by popular taste, and some members of society are louder than others about their preferences. Certain groups of men are very vocal about what standards they believe women should follow to be seen as pretty or worthy. One of the longest standing common mindsets is that once you hit a certain age, you are no longer pretty. Essentially, the younger, the better.
This, in conjunction with American ideals of how a woman should act and look, draws many women towards the Lolita style. Dolores is seen as an All-American who also happens to be young and beautiful, the perfect fashion icon to replicate and to satisfy societal standards. Women see a Tiktok edit of Dolores, and they want to be her. They watched the film, or read the novel, and saw this older man giving a younger woman attention. They wanted that, and in order to be seen as sexy, they needed to adapt. I am not pointing this out to berate women – I actually feel quite the opposite. It is to draw attention to how men have practically conditioned women to believe that they are only worthy if they are young and beautiful.
Lolita was written as a cautionary tale of men who take advantage of young women. Yet, when the film adaptation in 1997 came out, in conjunction with Del Rey’s music, the trend erupted. They loved Dominque Swan as Dolores, and they especially loved her clothing. Dolores was often seen in coordinated sets and dresses, and her color palette often used red, white, and blue, leaning into the Americana style. Dressing her in this color scheme associates her with the “All-American Girl” aesthetic. She is known for her submissiveness and the support she offers her partner, while also being sexualized for her obviously young appearance. Her outfits are cute, yet sexy at the same time, and the popularity of these looks in the film play a role in the romanticization of young girls we see in society today.
Men have taken over almost every single domain in society they can, and women’s fashion is just another one to add to their checklist. They have determined what women’s fashion styles are acceptable and what are not for decades. There was a time when women's ankles being shown made them known as “whores”. Style is supposed to be personable, yet women are constantly told to fit into a certain ideal standard to be seen as respectable. Women are still being constantly oppressed, even in their own closets, and it is exhausting.
Strike Out,
Jessica Giraldo
Saint Augustine
Editors: Maya Kayyal & Emmy Brutnell
Jessica Giraldo is the Assistant to Editor-in-Chief, Blog Director, Writer and Makeup Artist for Strike Magazine, Saint Augustine. Jess is addicted to her Revlon blowout brush and sweet little treats (especially mint Oreos). Check her out on Instagram: @jessica.giraldo and reach her via email: jessicagiraldobusiness@gmail.com
