Let me guess, you’ve sent your friend at least one post saying how you are both travelling to Japan if you split the cost. You’re contributing $50 and they’re contributing a small $4450, very fair deal if you ask me. But, why does everyone want to go to Japan? The answer is to shop, more specifically shop for clothes.
In Japan, you could see a person who looks like they’re straight out of an anime, a person who is covered head-to-toe in colorful clothes and cute plush keychains, a person who dresses like an elegant vintage cake with ruffles and a hoop skirt, all passing by each other in the heart of Harajuku. Many aspire to reach this level of stylishness, but before doing so, why not learn more about its rich history?
A Connection to the Past
New kinds of Japanese fashion appear everyday; however, just because they are new does not mean that they don’t have some sort of historic element to them. Minori, a 26-year-old woman who lives in Tokyo, is a prime example of this. She started out wearing clothing of the style called “Elegant Gothic Lolita Fashion”, but had always felt that the style did not compliment her physical complexion very well. She then had the idea to paint her face white, giving her the freedom to live two separate lives. Minori’s makeup is similar to that of a 1700’s geisha, a Japanese female entertainer with white makeup, small red lips, and red eyeshadow. This inspired many individuals interested in fashion by giving them an option to express themselves while still having their own private lives.
Thrifting is another thing that has become super popular amongst Gen Z and also connects us to past fashion eras, but Tomoko Ohkata takes it a step further. Tomoko Ohkata is a designer who renews and recycles kimonos, traditional garments with delicate folds worn by both men and women passed down through generations. While some believe that creating something new out of a kimono is disrespectful towards ancestors, Ohkata says, “I feel the answer was right there, being handed down from our ancestors.” A majority of styles of fashion seen in Japan incorporate the past, whether it be through pale white makeup or a recycled kimono.
Many tourists immerse themselves in the unique experience of putting on and wearing kimonos, as well as wearing clothing from other popular styles like lolita, gyarua, v-kei, and decora. In the article “Living Colorfully”, Kaylin Dunnet goes into depth about an influencer whose name is known by many in the fashion realm as Cybr.Grl. She is a woman who dresses in the style of decora, a child-like, colorful, fun, fashion. Her outfits are the definition of maximalism, wearing pounds of cute hair clips and jewelry, with layering of frilled tutus over striped rainbow leggings and leg warmers.
A Comparison between Japan and U.S. Fashion
In the U.S, trends and conformity lead to people following the crowd; in contrast, those in Japan choose their crowd or in some cases-create their own. V-kei stands for visual kei, a distinct style that consists of a combination of heavy makeup, big hair with bouncy curls, soft frills, and maximum amounts of accessories. The popularity of v-kei comes partially from the fact that band members’ looks are similar to anime characters, which represents anime’s significance in Japanese culture. A quote from the article titled Scene and heard is; “Western European fans have had their fill with Japanese visual kei, while Eastern European fans only dream about it.”
Exposure to these extravagant bands are more commonly seen in Japan, making it difficult for Americans to truly immerse themselves. In other words, in the perspective of Americans interested in joining the v-kei fashion community, it seems so distant and unattainable.
In the 80s to 90s, society in Japan was much stricter, having disagreements on what is and isn’t modest clothing. This did not change until Harajuku fashion began and changed Japanese society for the better. Soon enough, Japanese fashion was all about experimenting and eventually having a style that goes well with oneself physically and mentally. In the U.S, it seems that we as a society still have not broken free of the strict fashion restrictions. We must build up our courage and start creating our own fashion communities to make others feel more comfortable expressing themselves.
Conclusion
In the end, Japanese fashion is all about expressing individuality, whether it be hundreds of colorful hair clips or a graceful kimono. America’s societal views on fashion appear to be a bit more strict compared to Japan; many may desire to dress a certain way, but don’t have the courage if it isn’t a trend. These subcultures of styles in Japan contain a rich past, utilizing the ability to blend tradition with modernity which is the key to the success and popularity of Japanese fashion. So…stop spending your money on blind boxes and food, and start saving up for Japan!!!
