Streetwear: The Streets of Japan

When it comes to avant-garde and unique streetwear nothing beats the individuality of fashion in Japan. Japan is known to be a fashion hub and hotspot for everything unique, fashion-forward and cute. Streetwear has continually evolved ever since its introduction and has since then made a mark in the fashionsphere as the fashion capital of the East. Almost everyone you see and encounter will have a different take on trends trying to defy the meaning of fashion and incorporate their own version of trends. If you are fashion savvy and want a taste of how it is to live an individual style, Japan is definitely a must visit place for you.

Streetwear has its origins from the West actually only that the Japanese made a different spin on it. Japan tried to emulate Western type of clothing and reserve their yukata’s and kimonos on special occasions and festivals. But by the beginning of the 21st century, people have slowly incorporated their own personal flair on their clothes creating and redefining what we now know as street fashion. Street fashion has become a sub-culture allowing for individuals to get creative and customize current trends with how they would personally wear it. And because people are making efforts to create a niche for their own personal style, modern Japanese streetwear then had different categories to try to classify and identify the emerging street fashion of the country.

Lolita is the largest category in all of modern Japanes street fashion which has slowly been gaining recognition even in Western countries. It mixes the old era with touches and hints of the modern era. Gothic Lolita is probably the most famous Lolita style in Japan incorporating old Victorian Goth style with some hint of cuteness. This style is iconic due to recognizable elements such as crosses, dark colors, bats, spiders and other Gothic icons. Most dresses are worn with tights and stockings paired with boots, hats, brooches and petticoats. The style is like living in the Victorian era only with shorter dresses, darker colors, bolder accessories and boots instead of the Victorian shoes. Sweet Lolita is yet another subcategory of Lolita that focuses more on being cute and girly. Elements such as large head bows, pastel colors and cute stuffed animals as accessories are prominent in this style.

Gyaru is also a hugely successful category of street style in Japan. It is uproar of girly-glam focusing on man-made items to create beauty. Wigs, fake eyelashes, fake long nails with nail art, clusters of accessories, bleached hair and a deep tan is what distinguishes this style among other. Contrary to what most people perceive to be as Gyaru, wearing provocative clothing items, it is a style that embodies the woman form. Ganguro and Kogal are to subcategories of Gyaru each with distinct features. Ganguro is classified to having fake tans, bleached hair, long fake lashes, brightly colored outfits and tie-dyed sarongs. Whereas Kogal is based on a typical high school uniform but with shorter skirts, knee-high socks and a scarf often with dyed hair too.