/cgl/ - Cosplay & EGL

Otome rules:

The point of the fashion is to look cute and feminine. Often the prints have a "European" feel, specifically French or British. If the idea of Mori is to look like a girl from the Scandinavian woods, the point of Otome is to look like an jaunty/eccentric European young maiden. It doesn't have a strict silhouette like Lolita, so you can get full skirts, minis, salopettes, even shorts/pants sometimes. It's common for legs to be covered (socks, tights, etc. - maybe more out of "another place to put color/pattern" more than for modesty issues) and shoes are usually flats or low heels. There's usually prints inspired by vintage textiles, lots of colors (otome coordinates in Japan usually have a mixture of colors and patterns, though western otome coords are often made by Lolitas so they go for more matchiness). Japanese otome brands include Emily Temple Cute, Jane Marple, and Milk. ETC and Milk tend towards happy cuteness; Jane Marple is a little darker in color and theme and is mostly based on vintage British aesthetic. It is possible to do offbrand in coords and vintage stuff works well. Otome is generally more "showy" than western cute/twee fashion.