Tuesday, 27 March 2012

Japan Street Fashion

  This post goes to all those who are wondering what should they wear to this year’s dinner. I understand that it might seem a bit tricky and I apologise, but with this, I hope that you will be able to find ideas and also, a new world which is not only interesting to know, but will quirk up the creative part in you! It’s fun! And once, again, I apologise if this post seems a bit long, but you can skip the writings and look at the pics before deciding which part of this long-winded article you will want to read.  

Happy reading! (=

For a lot of people, whenever Japanese clothing is mentioned, the first thing that comes to mind is kimono. And they would be hitting the nail on the head. However, what they might not know is a whole new Japanese culture which very much like the Japanese themselves, always changing yet still keeping the essence of it all very much intact. And this particular culture is the street fashion in Japan which is gaining more popularity now than ever before. Those who are wondering why is that so, they will, I hope, understand why after reading this post.  And I will try my best in explaining what it is in the simplest way possible. But first, I would like the readers to know the most important rule in the Japanese street fashion; make what you wear your own. And this simply means, be creative, be unique and wear what you want to wear how you want to wear it. THIS is the essence of the street fashion in Japan. 


Lolita
This fashion movement started in Japan in the 1980’s and has evolved greatly since. Nowadays Lolita Fashion has grown to be relatively popular all over the world. Relatively popular for an obscure Japanese street fashion, that is. Lolita Fashion is emphatically not about looking sexy and is instead about looking cute or elegant.

To know more about the anatomy of Lolita, click on this link. 
 http://www.lolitafashion.org/anatomy.html

Containing many different themes within its boundaries but the more well-known styles within Lolita fashion are as follows:
 
§         Gothic Lolita - is Lolita with a heavy influence from the Eastern and Victorian Goth style. Often characterized by dark colours. Skirts are usually worn knee length with petticoats beneath for volume. Blouses or shirts are lace-trimmed or ruffled in the Victorian style. Knee length socks with boots, bonnets, brooches, and a parasol finish out this style of Lolita. In short, it “combines aspects of a Victorian girl’s attire with a dark gothic mood.”




     

  § Sweet Lolita - is the most childlike style, mostly characterized by fairy tale themes and innocent, childlike attire. It is inspired by baby dolls and Hello Kitty, and is popular among the SweetLolis.Pastel colours are used, as well as other muted colours like black and dark reds and blues.Large head bows, cute purses, elegant parasols and stuffed animals are popular accessories for Sweet Lolita.
 

§ Oji Lolita (Boystyle) - is a Japanese fashion that is considered the male version of Lolita fashion. It does not follow the typical lolita silhouette but instead takes its influence from the Victorian era of young boys. Though it is considered a "boy style", it may be worn by both genders. It includes blouses and shirts, knickerbockers and other styles of short trousers, knee high socks, top hats, and newsboy caps. The colours usually used are black, white, blue and burgundy, though there are feminine versions of the fashion with a broader palette.


§ Aristocrat - is a Japanese street fashion that is inspired by what is thought to have been worn by Middle Class and higher social status Europeans in the Middle Ages, as well as the upper class in the 19th century. The fashion includes long sleeve blouses and shirts, long skirts, corsetry, and pants and dresses that are styled similarly for men and women, since it is centred on androgyny and elegance. Makeup, when worn with the fashion, is on the darker side, may be heavy, and can be worn by both genders.


§    Madam - the feminine version if Aristocrat, is more influenced by 19th century fashion. The fashion includes, in addition to the above, dresses with feminine but not usually frilly styling in a variety of colours. Makeup, when worn, is usually mature and on the slightly heavier side, though not excessive.

Now, if you are interested in knowing more about Lolita, these are two links which may be helpful to you : http://www.lolitafashion.org/what_is_lolita.html


Gyaru

First of all, this is a fashion section specifically aimed at girls. So guys, you can skip this and read on about the next fashion on the list!

GYARU , (Japanese transliteration from the word ‘girl’) is sometimes known as ganguro, but is a subcategory of gyaru. It is a type of Japanese street fashion that originated in the 1970s. The original ganguro look is no longer popular in Japan. Gyaru is a huge uproar of girly-glam style, breaking all the rules of "what is pretty", and dwelling on man-made beauty (wigs, fake lashes, fake nails etc.). Gyaru is also heavily inspired by Western fashion. Contrary to stereotype, not all gyarus dress in a sexually provocative manner. The gyaru look is varied and is not limited to blonde hair and tanned skin. 

§  Ganguro falls into the larger subculture of gyaru. Ganguro typically includes brightly coloured outfits, mini-skirts, and tie-dyed sarongs. The ganguro style consists of bleached hair, a deep tan, fake eyelashes, black and white eyeliner, bracelets, earrings, rings, necklaces and platform shoes.
§  Kogal (kogyaru) look is based on a high school uniform, but with a shorter skirt, loose socks, and often dyed hair and a scarf as well. The girls sometimes call themselves gyaru(gals). This style was prominent in the 1990s, but has since declined.
 
       These two are just the main subcategories of gyaru when in fact, there are more of them. But the ones which I anticipate will be the more popular version of gyaru will probably be himegyaru, Hime literally means ‘princess’. If you’re already thinking of Disney princesses, then I’m sorry but you’re walking down the wrong path! 

   §  Himegyaru is about having the perfect complexion, big smokey eyes (eyelashes, black contacts etc), long, curly hair with a cute or better yet a sparkling accessory on it, a natural coloured lips, with clothing bordering on Lolita

 



For more info on the other subcategories of gyaru, please click on this link:
http://www.japanlinked.com/Japanese-Culture/gyaru-gal-styles.html

       Now that we know the categories, the next big question is how to be one? Since gyaru is a fashion culture which depends a lot on heavily-applied makeup, without proper makeup wearing, no matter what you wear, you’ll still look plain. So, this here is a link with tutorials on how to be a gyaru!  
        http://everyday-gyaru.livejournal.com/tag/makeup%20tutorial


       A kindly REMINDER to all; although gyaru is the excessive part of the fashion culture, the clothing tends to look a bit simple since it is very much still a street fashion, so remember, if you’re thinking of dressing up as a gyaru, make sure you’re not wearing something that you would wear while going out shopping, but instead something that you would WANT to wear going out shopping but it’s TOO fancy for the likes of our society.


 Bosozoku


       While bōsōzoku fashion has not been popular since the 1990s, the stereotypical bōsōzoku look is often portrayed, and even caricatured, in many forms of Japanese media such as anime, manga and films. The typical bōsōzoku member is often depicted in a uniform consisting of a jumpsuit like those worn by manual laborers or a tokko-fuku (特攻服), a type of military issued over-coat with kanji slogans. These are usually worn open, with no shirt underneath, showing off bandaged torsos and matching baggy pants tucked inside tall boots.

Among other items in the bōsōzoku attire are usually round or wrap-around sunglasses, long hachimaki headbands also with battle slogans and a pompadour hairstyle most likely akin to the greaser/rocker look or perhaps because of the hairstyle's association with yakuza thugs. The punch perm is considered a common bōsōzoku hairstyle as well. Surgical masks are also stereotypically worn by bōsōzokus perhaps to conceal their identities although these types of masks are also worn by allergy sufferers in Japan, especially during autumn.Females are also shown dressed in a similar style but dress in a more feminine manner with long and  often dyed hair, high-heeled boots and excessive make-up.
 

Visual Kei

 
Visual kei is a style created in the mid-1980s by Japanese musicians consisting of striking makeup, unusual  hair styles and flamboyant costumes, similar to Western glam rock and glam metal.  Now, this is a good time for me to give you a suggestion, especially those who are working on a budget. Remember last year RockStar Dinner 2011? Well, with visual kei, since it’s similar to rock music and clothing, you could recycle your clothes from last year. HOWEVER, you will have to add a few items to make it more visual kei rather than just rock-ish.Some of the items are chain brooches, black flowers, metal rings and tapes. Yes, tapes. Take a look at these pictures, perhaps then you’ll understand what I mean.



  


Dolly Kei
 
Dolly kei is a newly-emerging style based on Japan's view of the Middle Ages and European fairy tales, especially the Brothers Grimm. It includes a lot of vintage skirts, dresses, etc.Dolly kei, also known as "dolly style" or "antique doll" fashion. Wearers of the fashion choose vintage clothes and layer them to achieve this striking look. Accessories are all vintage or reconstructed vintage pieces; some whimsical, some a little mystical. Dolly kei can be worn short or long. Short looks are worn with solid-colour or pattern tights. Wearers of dolly kei often use interesting vintage bags with embroidery, tapestry, and quilting on them. A few common elements of dolly kei are: paisley, tapestry, embroidery, tights, boots, and platform sandals, layering, mixing patterns and colours, ethnic-looking pieces, vintage clothing, fur accessories, tassels and shawls with fringe, floral, morbidity and mysticism and defined waist. We specially include this fashion culture because it can be adopted to be worn by the majority of tudung wearing Muslim girls. The long-sleeved clothing with layering will definitely go well with your tudung! Also, for those who have a liking for fairytale elements, this is exactly the kind of fashion you can work with!
 

 Mori Girl
Mori girl is a Japanese street fashion that looks woodsy and natural. A mori girl dresses in earthy colours and loose dresses and layers. She enjoys wearing vintage and handmade pieces that make her look like she lives in a forest, hence the name "mori" means "forest" in Japanese. Mori girl style is, above all else, comfortable. Loose, dreamy layers made from natural fabrics like cotton and wool, along with crochet, knit, and fur pieces are all part of the look. Mori girls wear soft tights, socks, or leggings, sometimes with a pattern of stripes or floral. For shoes, comfortable clogs, boots, or flats are popular. There seem to be a lot of round-toed styles in mori girl footwear. Some typical characteristics of mori girl fashion are: loose clothes, vintage or handmade items, natural and earthy colours, everything soft and comfortable, layering, looking like part of the forest and lots of knit-wear, crochet, and fur. Mori girls tend to wear their hair in romantic styles like braids, waves, or even frizzy curls. Short bangs are popular. Vintage leather satchels and pochettes are often used with mori girl fashion, but basket bags are also very popular. The straw bags are often intricately decorated with lace, flowers, and scarves.Mori Girl is easily mistaken for Dolly Kei and though there are other dissimilarities, but the most striking difference between the two is the colour palette. Unlike Mori Girl’s staple creams and faded browns, Dolly Kei uses a lot of sumptuous jewel tones like ruby red, brilliant gold, deep violet and malachite green. 



  Natural Kei

Natural kei is a fashion that sprung up in Japan in the 1970s. It has a period, pastoral look-- like something from another time. Above all else, this style promotes being natural and feminine. The ideal, romantic lifestyle and period fashions from Western literary classics such as Anne of Green Gables, The Secret Garden, Rebecca of Sunnybrook Farm, and Little House on the Prairie were most likely one influence on the creation of natural kei because those series were very popular with young Japanese girls around that time. To illustrate the point, here’s a side-by-side comparison of Anne of Green Gables and an outfit from the natural kei brand, Garland.  
   
Additionally, in the 1970s and early 1980s, the "prairie-revival" look was popular around the world thanks to brands like Laura Ashley, Gunne Sax, and Young Edwardian. Designers borrowed ideas from the kind of dress worn by hippies and flower children in the 1960s and thus made long period-inspired dresses the popular style.
Some characteristics of natural kei :
  •          Lavish but understated embellishments. A natural kei dress may appear plain from a distance, but a closer look yields extravagant details such as quilting, pin tucks, self-ruffles, embroidery, tiny lace edges, covered buttons, etc. Many times, these trims have either been created out of the same fabric as the dress or specifically dyed to match the dress fabric.
  •          Lots of layers. For example, in a proper natural kei ensemble, you could wear a first layer-- an underdress or underskirt and blouse-- followed by the second layer-- a dress-- and then an overskirt or apron, and finally a cardigan, vest or jacket on top of all that. Each of these layers is yards and yards of fabric, made even heavier by all of the pin tucks, ruffles, and other embellishments. Unlike lolita fashion, any volume seen below the waist is created with layers of clothing rather than petticoats. Thus, there's no false volume and it leaves an impression of depth and softness.
  •          Lack of body consciousness. Clothes are worn loose, often but not always with a relatively undefined waist. Most natural kei outfits are long and have a modest neckline as well.
  •          Solids, motifs, and prints. Solid colours are used a lot, but there are also many stripes, floral, and plaids present in natural kei. Some common motifs for prints are wreaths, vines, hats, food, berries, flowers, and bows, but I've also seen rather over the top prints that include teddy bears, bunnies, goldfish, and even kewpie dolls. 
  •          Natural-looking accessories. Shoes are usually clunky sandals, clogs, oxfords, mary janes, or boots that look comfortable and ladylike. Natural kei girls don't generally wear high heels or overly delicate shoes. Bags are basket bags, plain totes, leather satchels, or purses made of printed fabric that matches the dress. Brooches made of dried, silk, or paper flowers can be used to pin a scarf or handkerchief along the shoulders or just be pinned on one side of a blouse like a corsage. 
  •          Romantic hair and makeup. Natural kei hair styling looks pastoral and natural, usually with braids, loose curls, or waves that frame the face. Sometimes girls wear straw hats, kerchiefs, or floral corsages and wreaths in their hair to embody the stylized prairie look. Makeup is kept natural as well, with rosy cheeks and lips and simple eyes.

Fairy Kei

       A more sweet lolita, decora blend, with a hint of 80's. It uses mostly bright pastel colours (like lavender, baby blue, light pink, mint green, pale yellow, etc.), and elements and accessories from Western toy lines of the 1980s, such as My Little Pony, Strawberry Shortcake, Rainbow Brite, Popples and Care Bears.
Some of the characteristics are:
  •                A basic Fairy Kei outfit uses a variety of pastel colours. However neon & darker colours can be incorporated in the outfit.
  •               Tutus & Petticoats are the popular choice but you don't have to wear only those options! Ruffled skirts, plain cut-off denim skirts, patterned or plain miniskirts, colourful shorts, gauzy skirts, lacy skirts, overalls, etc.   
  •               Add some 80’s twist; whether it be converse shoes, scrunchies, famous 80's characters like Care Bears or My Little Pony, fanny packs or even leggings. Always remember about adding an 80's twist
  •        Add cute accessories, but not too many decorative levels. Cute hair bow, cute hairclips in fun colours, thick headbands, skinny headbands, cool eighties caps, etc. 
  •              Style the hair. Hair can really be any style, but cutesy, childish hair is best. Maybe with a bow.
  •              Use leggings, socks or tights: Opt for some bright coloured legging, sock cute ankle socks or some simple coloured tights. Maybe add small neutral colour like black or white. Remember legwarmers? Those are an option too!
  •          Add shoes. Converse are very popular in this style but there are many other option. Bright coloured high top sneakers, dr maarteen, pop coloured heels and even UGGs can work with this style!



COMING SOON

a post on 

Japanese Traditional Clothing
 &

 Cosplay!

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