>>10831784
>Anyone who got into this fashion after 2015 (especially during the pandemic) is invalid in my eyes
I'm an invali-ta. I joined after 2015, even though I vaguely knew about the fashion since 2010. Although, I agree that I hardly recognize people who joined in 2020 and beyond as lolitas. I tend to avoid people who tell me they just joined, or start asking me tons of newbie questions.
>unless they truly make the effort to understand the fashion
I'm curious, can you elaborate on this? Would that be watching videos, reading forums, knowing the ins-and-outs of the secondhand market, owning tons of burando and making tons of coords?
I personally don't know what makes someone a "real" lolita to me. I guess it would be an in-depth understanding of at least one prominent Japanese brand, having context/experience of buying both new releases and secondhand, and someone who can put together cohesive coords without relying on others' help.