Japanese “Street Fashion”
Soo…Where can I really start when it comes to Japanese “street fashion”. Japanese “street fashion” is by far different from some of its neighboring Asian counterparts. The young generation of urban Japan is no longer “rocking” the traditional garbs on a daily basis. Their styles are influenced by a variety of cultures and one can even say that the Japanese “street fashion” scene is even more multicultural than the “Salad Bowl” or “Melting Pot” also as known as America. Their styles are mixtures of patterns, decades and lots of layers that have a sense of playfulness. With their dyed hair and lean frames this region can be a great market to explore because of its diversity.
There are several major fashion subcultures in Japan which includes Lolita, Ganguro, Kogal, Bōsōzoku, Cosplay and Visual Kei
Lolita- dress is influenced by the Victorian period and porcelain dolls. Lolita is sometimes said to have originated from a rebellion of inciting clothing and the return to modesty with a sense of innocence and cuteness
Ganguro- became popular in the 2000’s and consists of dark tans, bleached hair, heavy eye make-up and tons of accessories and America thought Nicki Minaj was the originator of the life-size Barbie
Kogal- style motivated by the Japanese school uniform made popular in the 1990’s and has been currently declining in Japan…A typical outfit would include short skirt, loose socks, a scarf and platform shoes. Kogal can also be seen as negative connotation because it is associated with promiscuity and greed.
Bōsōzoku- Influence by the Japanese motorcyclists where the attire comprise of baggy jumpsuits, militant over coats, and baggy pants tucked in boots
Cosplay a.k.a Costume roleplay where individuals will dress up in costumes inspired by manga, anima, and video games characters
Visual Kei- unique makeup, hairstyles and flamboyant garments with main focus on displaying androgyny (not fitting clearly into a masculine or feminine role)
Japanese “Street Fashion” is not limited to these subcultures but are very much influence by them and countless other subcultures
Here are some fashion photos from my new favorite website japanesestreets.com and some of these pictures are clearly influenced by Hip-Hop
