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

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?