"Little Miss Right"
Size: 11.43cm x 7.35cm Medium: blanket cloth Date: 09/17 |
Exhibition TextThis piece was inspired by the Lolita culture. I was specifically inspired by the shiro rori, or "white" Lolita because of the feminine quality as well as white being closely associated with a sense of purity. This piece demonstrates a bundle of my insecurities and take on how I feel I as a woman am imposed to carry myself. Looking a certain way and acting a certain way is beneficial, and sometimes you can get lost in trying to please others in order to please yourself with these benefits.
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Critical Investigation
Cultural Inspiration:
The Japanese Casual Shiro rori (Also known as casual white Lolita) The Lolita is street fashion and subculture in Japan that is known for its intricate Victorian designs and doll-like appearance on women. It isn't known when exactly it emerged or how. Lolita fashion and cosplays has expanded to national and international fame, and is not limited to just women, men can dress up as lolitas too. White Lolita is a Lolita style where the girl outfits usually only use white and off white colors. It is considered to be a “sister style” to the black Lolita where outfits are made up entirely of only black. White Lolita can be simple or complex outfits. Simplistic outfits is what makes a casual lolita. There is some tension in the lolita fashion because some consider Lolita of encouraging things such as pedophilia and sexualizing young girls. Real Lolitas do not wish to be perceived as ‘sexy’ and do not wish to emulate little girls. Rather, the real reason is that Lolitas want people to look at them as cute, cool, elegant, or even a combination of all three. However, styles like Ero are controversial both in and out of the Lolita community. Generally,“Sexy” is not a desired look among Lolitas. For the casual shiro rori, the outfit must be completely white. This includes shoes and accessories. Hair does not need to be white. Blouses and dresses of long sleeves are common among the lolita community. while skirts tend to be knee-length. They are well complemented by knee or overknee socks, accessories, shoes, bloomers, and bags of a matching color. Soft make-up is according to you color of choice, and is necessary. It usually consists of making the face look like smooth porcelain and accentuates the eyes to make it look better. Hair can wear any kind of hairdo, as long as it adheres to the general terms of lolita fashion |
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Planning and Journaling
Process and Experimentation:
Process and Experimentation
Reflecting
The process of creating the outfit was, in all sincerity difficult. This was because I had never worked with sewing by hand or by sewing machine. I feel that it was, overall, a very beneficial experience. I had experimented with a few different hand sewing techniques as well as on a sewing machine as well as what to look for in fabrics, which will be beneficial towards experience in my future career. Every part of the dress was created to have a specific meaning. The shiro rori was chosen because it is meant to show femininity, as well as being completely white as a requirement, the automatic association to the color white is purity and kindness. Usually when people wear white, they are thought to be angelic and have a caring personality, which plays a big part in my piece. My intentions were to have the bow signify innocence and sweetness I feel I need to be in order to be considered attractive. Exposed shoulders, puffy bust, and shows how media can sometimes make girls like myself feel like they have to expose skin in order to be sexually appealing. The tight collar around the neck serves to show how we I feel I am being restrained into acting and behaving a certain way in order to be considered as proper or attractive. The girdle around the waist is exposed in order to show how I sometimes feel constrained and am insecure about my body. One thing I would change would be working with a different material, as it is very thin and it shrivels apart after it being cut. I also would add a few more details in order to make it look more complete. I feel that the cultural inspiration is visible, but it would be difficult to see if there is no prior knowledge of what a casual shiro rori lolita is.
Critique
The visual components of color are exactly alike, because there is only white. The basic form of it is a dress with a puffed skirt. They also have similarities with the lines used, There are linear lines. The texture of the piece is meant to be soft and ruffled in certain areas, which is a quality of all loli. Balance is found in the amount of detail found throughout. There isn't heavily detailed material in one spot, it is spread throughout. Emphasis is displayed in the dress itself. Movement is found in the slight details that guide your eye into looking in certain areas. Rhythm can be found in the stitch marks that piece everything together, providing a sense of unity.
The lines are different un the fact that there are less ruffled lines within my piece. Because of this, the shape of the dress is more simplistic because there are less details in all the space of the dress. There is only one sort of texture because I only used one material. Usually lolitas put emphasis on the accessories to enhance the dress, but there isn't very many, which makes the casual shiro rori dress I made even more casual. Movement is also less because of this. It is mostly relied on the skirt being flowy, and the stitch marks through rhythm.
The lines are different un the fact that there are less ruffled lines within my piece. Because of this, the shape of the dress is more simplistic because there are less details in all the space of the dress. There is only one sort of texture because I only used one material. Usually lolitas put emphasis on the accessories to enhance the dress, but there isn't very many, which makes the casual shiro rori dress I made even more casual. Movement is also less because of this. It is mostly relied on the skirt being flowy, and the stitch marks through rhythm.
Connecting to ACT
Clearly explain how you are able to identify the cause and effect relationships between your inspiration and its effect upon your artwork.
The shiro rori was a perfect way to express the way I view myself, my insecurities, as well as how I believe I am being conditioned to be a certain way, in both negative and positive aspects. I used the I used aspects of the shiro rori to represent meaning within my shiro rori dress.
What was the overall approach (point of view) the author (form your research) has regarding the topics of your inspiration?
The shiro rori is meant to have a doll like appearance, demonstrating coolness, elegance, and cuteness. It is not meant to be sexualized.
What kinds of generalizations and conclusions have you discovered about people, ideas, cultures, etc. while you researched your inspiration?
I have discovered that the lolita had engrained itself into the japanese culture and is slowly making its way around the world.
What was the central idea or theme around your inspirational research?
The central idea was to represent beauty, elegance, femininity, and innocence to represent expectation and insecurities.
What kind of inferences (conclusions reached on the basis of evidence and reasoning) did you make while reading your research?
As much as we try to move passed it as a society, there are certain things, whether they be standards or not, that create the insecurities when it comes to the physical appearance of a woman that makes her attractive.
The shiro rori was a perfect way to express the way I view myself, my insecurities, as well as how I believe I am being conditioned to be a certain way, in both negative and positive aspects. I used the I used aspects of the shiro rori to represent meaning within my shiro rori dress.
What was the overall approach (point of view) the author (form your research) has regarding the topics of your inspiration?
The shiro rori is meant to have a doll like appearance, demonstrating coolness, elegance, and cuteness. It is not meant to be sexualized.
What kinds of generalizations and conclusions have you discovered about people, ideas, cultures, etc. while you researched your inspiration?
I have discovered that the lolita had engrained itself into the japanese culture and is slowly making its way around the world.
What was the central idea or theme around your inspirational research?
The central idea was to represent beauty, elegance, femininity, and innocence to represent expectation and insecurities.
What kind of inferences (conclusions reached on the basis of evidence and reasoning) did you make while reading your research?
As much as we try to move passed it as a society, there are certain things, whether they be standards or not, that create the insecurities when it comes to the physical appearance of a woman that makes her attractive.