An Nguyen

Jane Mai

In a series of essays and comics that are at once academic and intimate, cartoonists Jane Mai and An Nguyen delve into Lolita subculture and their relationship with it. Empowering and beautiful, but also inescapably linked to consumerism, the Rococo-inspired fashion is indulgent and sublime, pretty and rotten. An Nguyen is a cartoonist and illustrator based in Ottawa, ON best known for her romantic comic series Open Spaces and Closed Places. Jane Mai is a freelance illustrator and comic artist from Brooklyn, NY. Novala Takemoto is a Japanese author, fashion designer and prominent promoter of the Lolita lifestyle.

Comics and Essays on Lolita Fashion and Cute Culture

So Pretty / Very Rotten

Maggie Gordon

I didn't expect So Pretty/Very Rotten to be so profoundly affecting given that I don't dress in lolita. But it's commentary on fashion, femininity, and politics was quite astute and provided me with a lot of thoughtful ideas to reflect upon. 

The book is a combination of essays and comics that seek to explore what lolita is and why people join this subculture. However, unlike so much of what I see on this style of fashion, the focus is much deeper and darker than on just how cute the clothing is. The title refers to the humanity of those into lolita, that despite their perfect clothing, the style can be a poignant rejection of social norms and gender expectations. Lolita is about personal fulfillment. It is about showing your weaknesses and your strength to the world at the same time. It is a declaration that you will live for your own pleasure in a world that wants you to live for the pleasure of others. 

So Pretty / Very Rotten also digs into the imperfections of the people who wear this clothing. What drives them, sometimes too far into capitalistic and competitive frenzies? What problems are people hiding under their pretty lace and ribbons? But also what power does the fashion give them? Mai and Nguyen play with the contradictions felt by those who wear lolita, and the complexities of this intricate subculture. 

It is wonderful to see such a deep exploration of a world of femininity in such a careful, nuanced approach. Instead of dismissing lolita as a fade or a phase, Mai and Nguyen argue that it represents an important mode of resistance that should be taken seriously. Definitely not what I was expecting, but a compelling and well-researched read.

So Pretty / Very Rotten Comics and Essays on Lolita Fashion and Cute Culture

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