Thursday 31 January 2013

Flog It Blog It, We Have A Passion For Fashion!


Molly The Wally Does Japan!

Molly The Wally Brings You Her Top Ten Fashion Trends From Japan!

Japanese fashion usually brings to mind a kimono but how wrong can you be?  Their crazy and weird subcultures take rebellion to new truly terrifying places that you never thought existed.


This was a huge trend in the Shibuya and Ikebukuro districts of Tokyo. Layer excessive amounts of skin bronzer, bleach your hair and chuck on more neon plastic accessories than your average Christmas tree and you are part way to achieving the look. Ganguro literally translates as ‘charbroiled face’. This is Japans’ version of the sun kissed ‘California’ look.


Ever wanted to feel like a big kid and wear your pajamas out in public? Thought not! Now to achieve the Kigurumi style you just need to dress up as a cartoon animal character. Kigurumi translates as ‘wear a toy’.  Along with a Pikachu, Hamtaro, or a Winnie the Pooh costume, Kigurumin would carry animal purses, cute accessories, and wear manba (translates as ugly witch) makeup. Wonder if they do squirrel ones? Yikes imagine that, it would be enough to give you nightmares.


The Decora style is identified by the use of toy-like accessories and the donning on of extremely colourful garments. Women seek to look as young and doll-like as possible. Lots pigtails, teeny, weeny blouses and skirts and lots of accessories. Think Hello Kitty and you are there.


Sukeban is Japans answer to gang culture. Suke means female, and Ban means boss. Sukeban were known for forming gangs who would commit acts of violence and go shoplifting. The street style comprises of sailors uniforms. Why you ask? Lord knows it is Japan and they do crazy like Brits do tea! They wear pleated skirts that go down to their feet, which is pretty rare in Japan where skirts normally are so short they are mistaken for belts. We can’t see these being a hit in our hood but you never know?


Takenokozoku, try saying that after a few beers! The Takenokozoku style consists of neon colored accessories such as beads, whistles, bows, and nametags. Outfits are loose and baggy, and usually are in hot pink or bright blue or purple. Large groups of Takenokozoku would choreograph dances in the streets of Harajuku. They like their neon in Japan!


The Lolita style is one of the biggest in Japan. You can be a plain Lolita or a Guro, Hime, Goth and lots of other types of Lolita.  Lots of lace and girly accessories finish off the look. A striking feature of the Lolita fashion is the extent to which it is influenced by British culture such as Alice in Wonderland, Glam Rock and the New Romantics. Accessories that are popular with wanna be Lolitas include bonnets, headdresses, rocking horse shoes, parasols, petticoats, and frilly knee socks.


Kogal became popular around the same time that Britney Spears’ released ‘Hit Me Baby One More Time’. The style is defined predominantly by the sporting of short uniform skirts, baggy socks, dyed locks and a Brit touch the Burberry scarf. Ko Gals try to look as young as possible, by wearing the cutest accessories they can find. Some girls would use sock glue to keep their loose socks from slipping. Yep it is Japan and yes they do have sock glue.


Visual Kei style is part of the music scene in Japan, and is renown for its inherent, Bowie-esque androgyny, flamboyant costumes and ornate hair and makeup. Think Punk meets New Romantics. 


Yanki and Bosozoku Motorcycle gangs became known as Speed Tribes (Bosozoku). Girl biker gangs often wear sarashi (white cloth wrapped around the chest), an embroidered tokko fukku robe, and a gauze mask. The Bosozoku have their own customized scooters. Pizza anyone?


And saving the best till last the most disturbing  one yet is the ‘Donut head’ or ‘Bagel head’. This is the latest craze to sweep Japan and the youth of today have embraced it whole heartedly. The ‘look’ is created by injecting salt solutions under the skin and molding it into a donut shape. The salt injections create bumps which are then kneaded into place using a persons’ thumbs. The process takes about two hours. Luckily the look is not permanent and it lasts up to 24 hours. Since the Twilight movie many Japanese also have their teeth filed down or made crooked to resemble those of vampires. Yikes Fangtastic NOT!

So we have snacks, beauty gadgets, toys and fashion. Where do you buy these things we hear you ask? Well on our last day in the land of the rising sun we look at their national obsession with vending machines.



30 days of 30 dog nose portraits by Sheila at Sheila Wedegis. Hey and guess who it is today? Snoopy! Even better if we submit our noses Sheila will continue to paint nose portraits into February. How cool is that? It is free and you all you need to do is send your photo to sophieATpalm-spiritDOTcom and just just check the web site for when it is done. You may post your own portraits on your blogs and Sheilas' link is above. Who nose what yours will look like??? Come one you nose it makes sense?

37 comments:

  1. Sounds like having too much leisure time to us. We usually try not to judge other cultures but That donut head is just nuts!

    XXXOOO Daisy, Bella & Roxy

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  2. Hello dear Molly and thank you for introducing these crazy things to us, we are now up-to-date and feel much better! The last thing with the donut I think is not too bad and I know a few people who would have at least something in their head, even if it is only salt solution! So you can see that they have a hole in it from far away and you are warned in time! :)
    Nice regards
    Arno (I hope you can understand my English!)

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  3. Well I am going to the groomers on friday, so maybe I will try one of those hairstyles! BOL!
    Lovies, Miss Mindy

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  4. Ooooooo the VENDING MACHINES...I know. I was in Japan 32 years ago, and WE, the tourists, could not live without them...I look forward to see what you, THE MAVEN OF MADNESS, the MAIDEN OF THE RISING SUN has to offer for a chuckle! love ya molly!

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  5. OMDs Molly
    Mom says she has a hard enough time getting one shade of lipstick on straight she cannot imagine using 2.

    As for the donut head we hope the don't pickle their brains with all that salt.
    MOL
    Hugs madi your BFFF

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  6. Oooooooh we seen dat donut whole thingy on da tv. Dat just has to do sumptin' to their brains.
    Nows dat mum is gettin' older I fear her takin to da Decora style...or any really....hehehe.

    Puddles
    PS: Is it too late furs me to ask fur a fortunre tellin'?

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  7. hahahaha a Bagel head ... they are crazy;o) The first look I have here too if my mom misuses the self tanning thingy :o) Have a fangtastic Thursday, MOlly ;o)

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  8. HA! I am not real sure about that donut head!

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  9. How do you find all these things! STRANGE! But I enjoy seeing them....thanks for sharing the strange things people come up with....I will be sure NOT to do them!

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  10. i've seen that donut head on msn.com. scary stuff!!!

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  11. OMD....Guess I won't buy anything Make In Japan either.... :(

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  12. Oh, Molly! I love this post! I am a fashion enthusiast myself though I gotta admit some of these japanese go a little bit too wacky for my taste, haha!

    Cheers, mate!
    Sankissjuice

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  13. Hi MOlly.... we're back... Now that HH has finishsed the 30 in 30 we have our computer time back. Oh she'll keep painting kitties forever, but not 24/7 like in January. We just wanted to thank you for all the encouragement you gave her during the month and for your help with Sheila's nose project.

    You're super....

    hugs, Max, Bugsy, and Knuckles

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  14. MANY MANY years ago... our dad was stationed in Japan... we have been showing him this series of yours... and he says..... THIS is NOT the Japan that HE remembers... AT ALL. EXCEPT fur their obsession fur Vending Machines.... he says they were like THAT back in the Dark Ages, too. BaaaaaWaaaah...

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  15. Wow, we think we've seen everything now! No donut heads for us!

    Your Snowy pals,

    Murphy & Stanley

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  16. That donut head is very disturbing indeed. Yikes

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  17. EWWWWW, donut shaped?!?! Yes, that wins the weirdest fashion award, we think, too! Humans are soooooo ODD!

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  18. In a word......."EEEEEEEEKK!!!!"......the donut thing is nothing short of wacko, and some of those fashion trends - well - can I use the same word to describe them???? OK...I will...they're wacko too (they also look uncomfortable!) Well, maybe I'm just not "with it" enough. But at least I'm comfortable and don't have donuts on my head!

    Pam (and Sam)

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  19. Those kigurumi costumes are kind of cute, awww!
    Dip Bridge and Elliot x

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  20. Hey Molly,

    What a surprise to see my nose on here! Like looking in the mirror, only bigger - Sheila is super talented!! I loves my nose! :)

    Big wags,

    Your pal Snoopy :)

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  21. WOWZA! I think it's safe to say that the Japanese are the weirdos of the world!!! My mummys brother wants to move to Japan.... i really do wonder why.....
    Love Milo :)

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  22. If I have a doughnut in my head, does that mean I can eat it later?

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  23. I hope the donut head faze doesn't come to the US. Not attractive at all. Thanks for the lastest fashion in Japan. I would like to travel there one day.

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  24. Most of them seem to be meant to make Japanese women look like American pre-teens...very strange indeed..that bagel forehead is just plain creepy...Your week in Japan has been most informative Molly...I sure have learned that the Japanese are a very strange people...At least Snoopy's nose looks great so you've ended on a positive note...

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  25. Our Lady loved watching the Harajuku girls when she was in Japan. They area they hung out was near one of her favourite parts of Tokyo.

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  26. I think that Japan is like an entire country's version of Disneyland! You have funky food, weird toys, color color color, every one is constantly in costume...what a wonderful and magical place it must be!! :-D (except that donut head thing, I'm sorry but that's just wrong, hehehe)

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  27. It seems like a lot of these fashion crazes are aimed at making them look as young as possible. But the donut in the forehead, that is just plain odd.

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  28. Nossa! que looks bizarros!
    Não usaria nenhum!!! kkkkkkkk
    Mas bem que o pijama é fofo! (pra ser usado em casa, lógico! hahaha)

    Beijos e doce sexta-feira *-*

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  29. I guess I am getting too old, Molly. I want to shout, "Go back upstairs and put something decent on!!!" GROWL!!!

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  30. OK the donut head thing is just weird. This probably sounds weird, but I love wigs. Anyways, there are a few Lolita Goth wigs that I've had on my wishlist for awhile now. I only have one pink wig right now. I'd be lucky if I ever got to wear them though lol. Didn't really know that style was popular in Japan.

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  31. Hi Molly,

    Weird.weird,weird, I hope my mum doesn't think its cute, becasue she if she think I'm going out in neon pink ears and a neon lead she's got another thing coming, as for the donut head .....I think AE!

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  32. I have to say, that donut head thing creeped me out. BIG TIME!
    Luv,
    Dave

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  33. Not even sure what to say about the donut head thing, some people obviously have too much time on their hands!

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  34. Yikes on that last look. The neon trend must have found its way here because I went shopping today and everything is neon. My rule of thumb is, if I already wore it once then I am not going back! Such is the case with neon! lol

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  35. Who in the world thought up that donut head thing... I mean really?!?! Why would ANYONE want that.. the fangs, I kinda get... but a donut head? Puhleeeze!!

    Shelle, Milo, Dixie and Newby,
    http://simpaticodreams.blogspot.com/

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