Lolibrary Tag Guide
As Lolibrary currently has just under 375 active tags at the moment, this guide will not go over each individual tag, and will instead skip over most self-explanatory print motif tags (Dresses with strawberries on them go in the strawberries tag, etc). Certain categories of tags, as well as individual others of note, however, will be listed and defined in more depth in the guide below for ease of searching and item creation.
For item features or attributes, please refer to their respective guide pages: Feature Guide | Attribute Guide
Administrative
Partial (Incomplete Information)
If an item is missing a key piece of information. This includes the release year, a clear photo, the official item name in the original language (names taken from secondhand shops / sales listings do not count), what or how many colourways it came in, and/or the item type.
Incomplete Colorways
If an item listing is missing photos of one or more colourway, tag this. Feel free to let us know if you notice that this is no longer applicable to an entry!
Sensitive Content
A filter tag established in order to opt-out/exclude sensitive content from item searches. Please use your own discretion or ask in the Discord if you aren't sure whether something should be tagged.
Details
Applique
Items featuring applique look like shapes/patches of another fabric have been applied on top of the base fabric, often with embroidered details.
Bows
Since bows are an ever-present fixture in lolita designs, this tag is not applied to all items featuring bows. Rather, this is intended for those items with a large amount, or whose design is based primarily around this feature; use your discretion. Not to be confused with Motif:Ribbons/Bows which is intended for shapes and images of bows in prints, bags, etc.
Embroidery
Any item with embroidered details or patches.
Flocking
Flocking is a type of raised decoration technique applied to parts of the surface of a fabric. These raised details typically are rather fuzzy or velvet-like to the touch. Holy Lantern's print is mainly made using flocking, as a common example.
Glitter
Does it twinkle and glimmer in the light but not from visible gemstones? Most likely goes here!
Knitted
Should not be applied broadly to knit fabrics, but rather should be used primarily for chunky-knit items or knitted/crocheted details.
Rhinestones
Does it twinkle and glimmer in the light from glass or crystal gemstones? Most likely goes here!
Rick-rack
That good ol wavy zig-zag trim that seems to end up on everything (see photo).
Swallow-Tail
While the term describes a particular type of tail, this tag includes any items (most commonly skirts, vests and jackets) which are deliberately longer in the back than the front, giving a coattail look.
Fabric Types
| Fabric Name/Tag | Common JP term | About |
|---|---|---|
| Broadcloth | ブロード | Commonly used for blouses; a smooth, plain-weave fabric (typically cotton). While typically used plain, it can be also used for simple prints. |
| Burberry | バーバリー | A type of woven cotton fabric. AP's dress fabric of choice for a number of prints. |
| Butcher | ブッチャー | A sturdy fabric traditionally used for workers' aprons (hence the name) |
| Canvas | キャンバス | Like you might paint on. Typically only used for bags or shoes. |
| Chiffon | シフォン | Lightweight, sheer, plain-weave polyester fabric. Very drapey. Used for a lot of blouses and solid items, but recently many chiffon prints are popping up too. |
| Corduroy | コーデュロイ | A soft, thick fabric with a ridged, cord-like texture. |
| Crêpe de Chine | デシン | A fine, lightweight silk, cotton, or worsted, with a plain weave and crêpe-twist filling[1] |
| Denim | デニム - | Like you'd see in jeans. Puts the J in JSK if you aren't a coward. |
| Faux Fur | フェイクファー | Fluffy fur-like synthetic material; fleecey textured materials can also be tagged as this at the lolibrarian's discretion. Do not tag real fur items with this tag. |
| Fur | ファー | Real fur from a real animal. If unsure as to whether real or fake, please do not tag as either, and ask us to help research. Note: The term "Sheep fur" can be tricky, as it can be used to describe either shorn wool, which belongs in the wool tag, or sheepskin which would be equally leather & fur. |
| Jacquard | ジャガード | Has patterns woven directly into the fabric (often shiny and raised slightly above the rest of the fabric; damask a common pattern) |
| Lace | 総レース | Tag used for items that use a lot of lace as a fabric, as opposed to exclusively as trim. If you could consider the item to be made or partially made OF lace fabric, this tag should apply. Not to be confused with the "lace print" or "lacy" tags. |
| Leather | 本皮 | For use only when the item says it’s made using genuine leather or cow hide. Note that listings will usually be very explicit about having genuine leather or cow hide or a similar term if it’s a Japanese item; if it isn't obvious about it, assume that it is synthetic. |
| Organdy/Organza | オーガンジー | Sheer lightweight woven fabric, can be stiff. Often used in petticoats and bridalwear. |
| Satin | サテン | Shiny and smooth, often used in linings or silky-look blouses. |
| Shantung | シャンタン | A silk-based fabric with slight irregular ridges throughout [2] and commonly used for drapey formalwear. Has a slight shine. Think of the top overskirt layer of Gathered Chiffon, for example. |
| Synthetic Leather | 合皮 | Tag for PU/Polyurethane, pleather, vegan leather, leatherette, faux leather, vinyl or another non-leather substitute. |
| Tulle | チュール | Stiff, fine netting, often used in petticoats or at the bottom of skirts to give structure. |
| Twill | ツイル | The term ‘twill’ refers to the weave, and not the composition, meaning twill can be made from any fibre. Twill features a distinctive pattern of diagonal parallel ribs. [3] |
| Velveteen | 別珍 | Tag used for anything described as velvet, velveteen or velour; having a thick, soft pile to it and fuzzy to the touch. |
| Wool | ウール | Thick and warm natural fiber fabric, more likely to be used for coats and outerwear. |
Indie Brand Tagging
There are over 80 indie brand tagging options at the moment! For those brands which not yet have their own indie tag, please include the brand name in the English item name for searchability, as well as the appropriate catchall indie tag/category as appropriate (Chinese Indie, Japanese Indie, Korean Indie, Russian Indie, Western Indie). These catchall tags do not need to be used when a specific indie brand name tag is available.
Item Types (Specific)
Apron - Do not use; has been replaced by the Apron item category. For aprons that fasten onto a dress or skirt, please use "detachable apron".
Arm Warmers - Including everything from the lacy glove-like ones occasionally released by major brands to the old-school punk knit stripey ones you'd find at Hot Topic.
Bonnet - Includes both hard and soft bonnets, as well as sleep caps named by the brand as bonnets (tag these last ones as hats as well for better searchability).
Bracelet - The type of jewelry to be worn around your neck. Distinct from wrist cuffs.
Brooch - Brooches, enamel pins, rosettes; any stand-alone item that would attach with a brooch pin. Not to be used for detachable bows, etc. 2-way clips should typically be tagged as both this and hairclip.
Canotier - Sometimes you've gotta tie a lacy circle to your head and call it a day. Also includes the specific straw 'canotier' hat type, or anything the brand has adamantly called a canotier.
Choker - Necklaces meant to be worn tight against the neck, typically raised well above the collarbone. Includes both cloth-based and metal-based chokers.
Comb - A type of hair accessory that typically comes in pairs, featuring many tightly attached parallel pins to fasten to the hair. Can also be applied to other item types (alongside their primary item type/tag) such as bonnets or canotiers that make use of comb hardware to steady/attach themselves to the head.
Earrings - Applies to both clip-on and pierced-style earrings.
Gilet - Not often used, typically just for certain vest-like garments that call themselves this specifically.
Gloves - Includes both gloves and mittens for winter warmth, as well as those intended specifically as a fashion accessory.
Hairclip - Any form of clip or barrette meant to be worn in one's hair. 2-way clips should typically be tagged as both this and brooch. Does not include pins or combs. Can also be applied to other item types (alongside their primary item type/tag) such as mini-hats, crowns or headdresses that make use of barrette/clip hardware to steady/attach themselves to the head.
Hat - Includes mini-hats, toques, berets, anything you would reasonably call a hat; if the mini hat is mounted on a headband or clip, please tag them as headband or hairclip accordingly as well as hat. Not to be confused with "Motif: Hats" which is used for printed or other visual depictions of hats.
Headband - Includes all hair accessories specifically mounted on/including a rigid headband, including any headbows, headdresses, bonnets, or crowns as applicable.
Lucky Pack - Sets featuring some sort of randomized contents/component, or otherwise specifically sold as a lucky pack/happy bag by the brand.
Necklace - The type of jewelry to be worn around your neck.
Ring - The type of jewelry to be worn on your fingers.
Scrunchie / Hair Tie - Includes large fabric-based hair ties (sometimes called chou-chous), as well as thinner elastic hair ties.
Shoe-Clips - Any type of bows or other items sold separately to be attached to shoes. For removable parts that come attached to a specific pair of shoes, use the appropriate detachable item tagging instead.
Veil - This includes both headband-mounted and standalone hair veils. Be sure to cross-tag as headband or hairclip as applicable.
Wrist Cuffs - The accessory type worn on your wrists. Tag with buttoned or elasticized cuff as applicable as well.
Patterns
Animal Print
Animal fur patterns like tiger stripes, or leopard print. Also includes deer fur spots, fish / other animal skin / scales. Not to be used for prints simply including depictions of animals.
Argyle
Pattern with overlapping diamond patterns, like you might see on a sweater-vest.
Camo
Any variation of a camouflage-style blobby pattern.
Damask
Pattern often found on jacquard fabric, featuring repeating abstract semi-floral motifs (see right).
Gingham
The two colour (usually one colour on a white or black background) plaid-like check pattern you might find on a picnic blanket. Features equal-width, equally spaced bands crossing at right angles, typically darker where they intersect.
Gradient
Features a gradual blending from one colour to another, typically only in fabrics with elaborate printed images.
Houndstooth
....y'know, houndstooth...
Lace Print
Used for any printed depictions of lace or lace-like patterns in a design. Not to be confused with the Fabric: Lace tag which is used for items actually made of lace fabric.
Pinstripes
Very thin stripes (like the thickness of a pin or below), spaced out and parallel. Can be very faint, may not be easily visible in the main item image.
Plaids, Tartan
Catchall tag for any (non-gingham) checked, plaid or tartan patterned item. Typically features different coloured bands of varied width and spacing crossing at right angles. Alternately, a chessboard style two-toned pattern of boxes with no overlap or evidence of bands.
Polka Dots
Tag for repeating dot patterns of any size. This tag includes both printed as well as flocky or textured representations of this pattern.
Regimental Stripes
Stripe patterns featuring clusters of closely spaced stripes, followed by wider gaps. Most uneven stripe patterns fall into this category. Sometimes reminiscent of Ernie from Sesame Street.
Solid
Any non-print, non-patterned main pieces go into this tag. Please note this should be used exclusively for main pieces: OPs, JSKs, Skirts and Salopettes.
Stripes
Evenly spaced, even width repeating stripes. (Note: You may still find some older entries better suited for the pinstripe or regimental stripe tags in this tag; we are in the process of cleaning up and back-tagging them. If you notice something that should be updated though, please do submit a correction!)
Toile
Toile, short for Toile de Jouy, is a style of monochrome print pattern usually depicting pastoral vignettes with people and landscapes. Most common in classic lolita prints.
Shoe-Specific Tags
See the Shoes page for more information.
Styles
Feel free to use your best judgement when applying these, based on official descriptions and design elements.
Maid
While detachable apron items often end up in here, that's not all there is to this style/theming! Button-down working uniform theming is common here, occasionally crossing paths/indistinguishable from waitress theming. French-maid style standing lace headdresses are also a telltale sign of this theming.
Military
Typically themed around/inspired by military uniforms. Deep colours such as green, navy, brown, khaki and wine are often paired with prominent buttons, epaulettes and even medal-styles pins. Ties and hats are often used/included to accentuate this theming.
Nurse
Inspired by hospital and nurse imagery; mini hats, red crosses, syringes and other medical/vintage nurse uniform theming are all common motifs.
Sailor
Themed around navy and sailor uniforms (including Japanese sailor-inspired school uniforms). Tends to include lots of navy, blue and sax blue, though other colours are common as well. Sailor collars, striped trim and pinstripes are all common features, and brands will often include Sailor or "Marine" in the item name or description itself as well. Not to be confused with the Marine tag which is itself to be used for marine life in print motifs (fish, whales, coral, etc).
Other Important Tags
Abstract Decorative
Swooshes, abstract curly patterns, modern art, abstract Japanese art. (It’s not specifically floral, but maybe it could be wallpaper)
Beads
For representations of beads in prints, not for beaded details or beads on jewelry pieces.
Bouquets
Groupings of flowers, including floral prints where there are cluster of flowers.
Collaboration
Collaboration pieces between more than one brand, or a brand with a guest designer or external property (ex. Angelic Pretty x Sanrio).
East Asian
Catch-all tag for traditional elements from any East-Asian cultures, both design features and print motifs. Helpful for identifying wa-lolita and similar style items.
Figures
People, silhouettes, portraits or other ways of representing human beings on a print/item.
Fruits
Fruit motifs that do not already have their own tag. Strawberry-only fruit prints would not go in this tag (as Strawberries is its own tag), but a print with pears, or pears and strawberries would.
Heraldry
Crests, coats-of-arms and similar symbols of nobility.
Jewelry
For jewelry motifs/printed representations, not actual jewelry pieces.
Lacy
Joke tag for lace-monsters and questionable design choices. Browse through if you need a laugh. Not to be confused with Fabric: Lace.
Motif: Hats
For hat shapes and/or images of hats in prints, bags, etc. Witch hats should be cross-tagged with Witches/Magic as well. Not to be confused with Item: Hat which is intended for the item type specifically.
Motif: Ribbons/Bows
For bow shapes and/or images of bows or ribbons in prints, bags, etc. Not to be confused with Detail: Bows which is intended to designate items featuring many actual bows, or whose design is based primarily around the inclusion of actual bows.
Writing
Any text featured in the design of an item, including prominent brand name logo usage.
