Gothic Lolita EGL meetup in Vienna, Austria. St Stephen’s Cathedral, Go With Oh rental apartment.
V-signs! One of my favorite Eurail-Vision trip memories was meeting up with the ladies of Lolita Fashion Austria.
Read on for the story of the European EGL (elegant gothloli) gathering.
Some female travelers don’t bother to do their makeup when they’re on the road… but I’m not one of them! It’s simple enough to save space by packing travel-size cosmetics, such as these professional brushes by Sigma Beauty. They have colorful vegan brushes and compact eyeshadows too. (More of my travel must-haves are outlined here.)
It was one of the hottest days of the year, so I wore sheer fabrics. The Goth corset top and skirt are by Spider, Hong Kong. My sheer black blouse is similar to this one available online.
Go With Oh put my film team and me in this gorgeous Vienna apartment. Remember when Rock n Roll Bride and I stayed in one of their Prague apartments?
If you’re traveling with a few friends, my number one tip is to stay in an apartment rental. It saves money and feels more like home, but is far more private and luxurious than a hostel. Our Vienna flat, for example, had a kitchen and four beds, and would cost under US $200 a night (or $50 per person!)
After booking the apartment, we emailed with the owner and coordinated a check-in time. She gave us a tour; the place had all the necessities, including towels and WiFi. To check out, we simply left the keys on the table and closed the door behind us.
I hope you’ll give my friends Go With Oh a spin; they have thousands of apartments to rent all over Europe, including hundreds in Vienna.
All dressed up — now, where to go? We rode the subway to St. Stephen’s Cathedral in District 1. What a sight: dozens of Lolitas in lace and bows, gathered in front of the gates.
On the far right is my friend Nana of the band Lolita KompleX (you may recognize her from the previous Vienna post).
Posing with Pato. Everyone we met was lovely; the Lolitas here are very inclusive and kind.
I loved seeing the variety of outfits, inspired by Japanese subculture style. These included Kodona or Ouji, an aristocratic meets Gothic “boy style” often seen in Jrock.
There were lots of pastels, ruffles, and Victorian doll elements.
The Lolitas took turns standing in front of the metal church gates, which created the ideal backdrop. Everyone got a chance to pose for pictures individually and together.
As you are probably aware, Lolita fashion originated in Japan, but takes inspiration from the historical clothing of Europe (like Victorian, Rococo). How neat to see this Japanese street-style cross the ocean and blossom in Austria, the home of Marie Antoinette!
You can compare the Western Lolitas’ coordinate with those of Tokyo Gothlolis.
Some attendees travel long distances for these Austrian EGL meetups, which occur several times a year. (One girl came all the way from France.) After taking photos, the ladies visited a museum together, and ended the afternoon at a sushi restaurant.
One of the best aspects of blogging is that it connects you to people around the world. I’ve known the lady in teal, Dani, online for years (she was profiled my old Gothloli of the Week feature). Now, thanks to my travels, we were able to finally meet in person.
There was a positive energy at the meetup; it’s always wonderful when people with shared interests or lifestyles can celebrate together. (My filmmakers, Melissa Rundle and Eric Bergemann, took all these photos.)
One of these things is not like the other… Can you spot the sore thumb?
On Lolita Fashion Austria’s Facebook page, you can learn about upcoming Loli events and meetups. Don’t be afraid to join their next one; the leaders keep the group drama-free.
Afterwards, we cooled off by getting ice cream and vegan sorbet at the much-loved Eis Greissler (Rotenturmstraße 14). Be prepared for a long line up, and try pouring pumpkinseed oil on your scoop as the locals do.
We ended up at Hofburg Palace, the former residence of Austrian rulers including the imperial Hapsburgs. Nearby is the “Mumok” Museum of Modern Art, which turns into a lively outdoor space in the summer, with drinks and live DJs.
So much great footage coming up in our travel video. I hope you’re enjoying the mix of my “old school” coverage (Lolita fashion) with the current emphasis on alternative city culture.
Have you ever been to a Lolita meetup? What do you think of the dresses and styling in this post?
Speaking of monarchy… there are plenty of new photos of my royal cat, Basil Farrow, on his Scottish Fold blog. For daily images, add our social networks (@lacarmina on Twitter, Instagram, etc) from the top-right links in the sidebar.
Have a cute weekend!
SHARE & COMMENT
LA CARMINA
45 Comments
pretty outfits all around :3
just fabulous <3
waaah! Its been too long. Take me away to Europe again!
xox yesss
＼（＠￣∇￣＠）／
Thanks for coming. It was a pleasure.
Thanks for having me!
I wish I could’ve been there *___*’;
^__^
So awesome! The black and white picture is one of my fav of you!
Thanks to your photography ;)
i like Lolita style >_< ! but i never wear it…
This is great I like to see these clothes on your site!
xo
Beautiful girls! Next time you come to AZ I will have to bring you to a lolita meet here! ;)
Thanks lovely! I really want to come back soon
This makes me happy
I love the fashion
It appears to be fun travels yes??
yesss
Fun travels yea?
I love it! La Carmina, you are my favorite travel writer girl!
<3 <3 Thank YOU! It means a lot :)
Loved these pictures! All beautiful!!
try a liquid eyeliner as a must pack
Oh, that’s so cool!!!
hi! I have a fashion blog and want ppl 2 know!
those pics are totally AMAZING! I giggled at the photobomb tho. XD you look so pretty!
xox
When do you come to Thailand?
^-^ Waiting…..
soooonnnn
Basiiiiiiillll!!! He looks fascinating in this pic!!!
ehhe
^^
I like it. I like it.
Yay
sounds like fun hope you enjoy it sweetie
It was!
the style is great =)
It was a lovely day! <3
yesss!
dat dress!!!
It’s so good to hear you liked Vienna and enjoyed the meet up! :)
I didn’t have the chance to tell you back then but I really wanted to say how much I love your hair style and color(s) ! You looked really great!
Thanks for coming and hanging out with us ^__^
Thank you so much! Loved your coordinate too :) I had a great time! Please feel free to share this with your friends since I don’t have everyone’s contact info, and thought they might want to see the photos. Take care, and video is coming up!
Oh what a nice blog. Thanks for sharing. Really love it! Specially that party wear and your hair style. I have neon wig for rave party. I took it online.
I am also impressed with your black and white photos. It’s really very nice. I like the face and charm on your face. Gothic style really suits you there