Kawaii & Fashion: Interviews with Lolitas (Emily)

What does lolita fashion mean to those who dress in this kawaii, feminine, and nostalgic style? How has lolita fashion traveled beyond Japan to be embraced by people around the world? This series of interviews from the Kawaii in Japan & Beyond: Theory & Praxis project documents the diverse perspectives of lolita fashion practitioners from the Atlanta Lolita Community in the United States.

In this interview, we hear from Emily, a lolita who enjoys crafting. Topics Emily discusses include how her visit to Japan prompted her to reflect on the differences between Japanese and American understandings of kawaii.

Emily says, "[Kawaii is] literally just 'cute' in Japanese, but stuff that's cute in America is not necessarily the same as stuff that's cute in Japan."