So, we have a basic idea of what Lolita fashion is about. Time to narrow it down a little, starting with my personal favourite of the lot, Gothic Lolita. This style is originally from Harajuku, specifically the late 1990s, though you should look more like you're from the 1890s.
Do you remember those Victorian-style dolls you might have seen when you were younger? Maybe your parents or grandparents had them, maybe a sister had one. Maybe even you had one. Well, with Gothic Lolita, it draws a lot of inspiration from those kind of dolls.
Gothic Lolita itself is a fusion of Goth and Lolita culture (obviously). It draws a lot of inspiration from both sides of its parent styles, especially from Victorian Gothic. It also shows some elements of French maid and Alice in Wonderland styles. There a strong emphasis on dark colours (though not exclusively), elegant aristocratic-style dresses (or the more maid-style route) and some of the more traditional Goth elements (crucifixes, religious symbols, coffins, bats, dark make-up but pale faces etc.).
If you've picked out correctly, you should look and feel like an adorable Victorian girl of the upper classes, a servant of said upper classes, or perhaps a vampire turned at a young age (if you're into that sort of thing). Of course, not every Gothic Lolita has to be dressed quite so grand. Some Gothic Lolita dresses are fairly simple and are still as cute, perhaps more likely to be chosen for the day-to-day Goth Loli.
Two sub-styles of this which I think are too close to give their own sections are Elegant Gothic Lolita and Elegant Gothic Aristrocrat. These two lean more towards the elegant and upper class-style of the Victorian side of the style, where other Gothic Lolitas may choose a more reserved style. These two sub-styles were created by visual kei (an associated Victorian Gothic-style fashion) icon Mana, for his fashion label Moi-même-Moitié.
Other notable labels in Gothic Lolita are Atelier-Pierrot, Atelier Boz, Black Peace Now and h. NAOTO Blood. You can occasionally find ideal dresses and accessories by chance while browsing, but it's best to go to either Japanese or US providers who specialize in Lolita fashion, or sometimes you can pick up some good ones in shops specializing in Gothic fashion, such as Blue Banana, Osiris and Soho's.
In short, it's important to balance the youthful cuteness with the dark and Victorian nature of the Gothic Lolita. I actually began as purely Goth before I began straying into Lolita territory. Whatever reason you decide to indulge in the darkness, be careful not to forget your youthful charms along the way.
Related Lolita styles: Kuro, Guro, Bittersweet
Notable media with Gothic Lolita: Pokemon (Gothita, Gothorita and Gothitelle), Panty and Stocking (Stocking), Rozen Maiden (Suigintou), Persona 3 (Chidori), Alice:Madness Returns (Alice's London outfit, Classic outfit, Royal Suit outfit, possibly Late but Lucky outfit)
Recommended pieces for Gothic Lolita: Lace gloves, maid-style dress or victorian-style dress, gothic necklaces or chokers, black parasol, knee-high socks (black and white stripes work really well for these), boots or cute shoes
Edit: Pictures will be added later
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