So as stated in my previous post, I’ve stepped down from the HFWSG organising committee because they have shown that they approve of sexual predators attending the walks where majority of the attendees are young women, mostly teens.
So here’s an interest check for a separate harajuku event for the fashion folk in Singapore. Please reblog this post and help to ask around if any of the Singapore based harajuku fashion people would like to attend this event. If you’d like to attend, feel free to message me on here or on my instagram @verdant.stylus since this event will be invite only.
I’ll plan this event if I get enough interest and i hope that with a new set of rules and regulations, it’ll be safer to attend than the actual HFWSG
“How/Why Am I Not ‘Harajuku’ Enough?”- Notes On Harajuku Fashion
I swear people gon @ me for this... But anyways. Long post ahead regarding harajuku fashion.
This post contains what may be controversial to some of you. Or maybe what is considered “elitist” thinking to some.
Some harajuku walk veterans do believe that the style standards here are not as good as the ones in Japan. And I have to agree. The overall standard of harajuku fashion here in SG has been dropping and this post is going to attempt to explain why.
Here are the facts:
People, especially newcomers, aren’t dressing harajuku enough
The people who are aren’t coming as often anymore
Fact 1: people aren’t dressing harajuku enough.
Harajuku fashion can be very avant garde, it can be very outrageous and bright and honestly makes you stick out A Lot. But while it is bright and OTT, harajuku fashion has its fair share of simpler, more minimal styles.
Now, there is no issue when people pick the more minimal styles and come to the walk, it is a part of the fashion and should be embraced as much as the OTT styles. However the issue here is that many SG walkers don’t understand or don’t care about doing research into what Japanese fashion is like.
Japanese fashion has a few elements to it which makes it distinct from western styles. This can be seen quite clearly in the OTT styles, but when it comes to the more minimal styles, it gets hard to really see. Which is why walkers have shown up in fashion that is more costume than harajuku and many don’t realise it or think is appropriate.
Here’s the part where people May feel called out.
For example, people have shown up to fashion walks in:
cat ears and tails and all black
Black anime shirt/Japanese print shirt and pleated skirt/shorts with high socks.
Casual cosplay
Normal clothes with One sometimes stereotypical Japanese element (usually a seifuku collar)
All of these are paired with either cosplay makeup or completely normal daily makeup
So going down the list:
all black and cat ears, even if it’s the expensive cat ear headphones, is not harajuku enough. Why? Because you could wear the exact same outfit to a Halloween party and still get away with it. Wearing fast fashion black t-shirts and skirts is not harajuku, it’s not even particularly Japanese. I’m fact it’s a rather reductive way of thinking of Japanese fashion and (I’m really saying this) it’s lazy. I’ll explain more later.
Wearing something with a Japanese print on it does not make you automatically harajuku. It’s still a black t shirt with a pleated skirt or shorts. Again, it’s a very reductive way of thinking about Japanese fashion and not enough research was done into it.
We’ve stated it so many times. Casual cosplay is still cosplay. Because at its heart you are Being A Character. Not Wearing A Fashion. The point of the harajuku walks is self expression through Japanese and harajuku street styles. It’s not another excuse to wear cosplay in a public space. And No not everything Japanese is “basically the same thing” it’s like saying a crab and a dolphin are “basically the same” because the both live underwater.
Similar to the Japanese printed t-shirts, a Single Japanese element does not necessarily mean you are in harajuku fashion. And of all things, picking a seifuku can come off as cliche when not done right.
Okay Long Explanation Time.
Some may call this gatekeeping or elitism but as someone who genuinely cares so much about fashion and particularly harajuku fashion, it pains me to see it reduced to a single thought of “if I wear one thing Japanese means I am in Japanese fashion”. No, wearing one thing Japanese just means you are wearing one thing that’s Japanese. And it does not matter how much effort you put into buying this one Japanese thing, not wearing it in a harajuku enough manner basically cancels all your effort because to people who Do know the fashion, it’s seen as lazy.
I really hope people see that! It really comes off as lazy or badly executed if you’re not dressed harajuku enough.
I find the seifukus especially bad because it's honestly just screaming "this is what i think japanese girls are like!" and that's honestly degrading (and kind of racist?)
“But when I see the Tokyo Fashion Instagram, I see people in normal clothes”
Well. Not really.
Japanese fashion can have a lot of nuance to it, and to a newcomer or someone who does not really look closely at every element of the outfit, the details can be lost or mistranslated.
Fact 2: the people who dress best aren’t coming anymore
And this is linked to Fact 1. As a person who has been coming to walks for years, and as someone who knows others who have left, it’s not entirely because of scheduling issues.
It’s because it’s disheartening to come to a walk wearing a style that you love and cherish and to see other walkers dressed in something akin to costumes or in basic normal clothing.
It’s disheartening to see more and more people appear in non-harajuku fashion and be too ignorant or too proud of their looks to realise that it’s really missing the mark.
So we stop coming. We stop having hope in the walks. We stop thinking that it’s a place for the people who Love Japanese street fashion can come and meet.
And it’s greatly saddening to see.
Another related issue is that most of the Photographers don’t seem to get what harajuku fashion is either and start taking pics of Anyone who happens to be standing around nearby, whether appropriately dressed or not. And that’s encouraging more people to show up underdressed more for the sake of being photographed than for the sake of loving the style.
And some of these Photographers genuinely think they are entitled to do what they want because they show up with a camera. And this can get especially irritating when Photographers stop every 5 minutes and take a bunch of walkers for photos when we are trying to keep to schedule and Not Lose Anyone along the way.
The walk will survive without the extra Photographers. If it were just the committee taking photos, we’d be fine. The walk will not, however, survive without the walkers who are dressed truly harajuku.
So how do we solve this?
As a guideline, these are elements to look at when viewing Japanese fashion, and when you look at your own outfits, you can see how it can be improved.
Japanese street fashion often contains one or more of these elements, mixed and matched to form unique styles.
remake or upcycled vintage fashion
unconventional garment pairing, including layering clothes and accessories.
Unconventional colour pairing
colour blocking using single or dual colours
Overloading colours
Unique small details like special trims or embellishments for clothing, or unique accessories
Unconventional methods of wearing garments
Oddly sized or proportioned garments and accessories
Elements of Deconstruction (in which garments seem or are cut apart and put back together in new ways)
Harajuku fashion is about self expression, yes, but it’s also a distinctly Japanese fashion style, born on the streets of Tokyo. With the introduction of fast fashion, the styles that were once common in Harajuku are slowly disappearing. But it’s not gone, it’s evolving into something new and perhaps still unnamed.
But it is still very distinctly Japanese. Styling your outfits according to the guidelines presented above will get you closer to Japanese street style than just doing what Looks Sort Of Right and not doing further research.
I genuinely hope the people who read this understand that and actually dress more in Japanese street styles for the HFW. And I really do hope to see more people in truly, distinctly Japanese styles.
tldr: pls pay attention to what is harajuku or Japanese street fashion and don’t go and grab the first vaguely stereotypically Japanese thing you see.
Ps. this fashion blog is open to asks and submits. Literally ask me and I can answer. Don’t be scared or too proud to ask. Because if you are you might end up as one of the people I talked about up there.
This set of ideas is based around a specific garment. In this case: A yukata. This is meant for those who have a yukata at home already or want one but don’t know how else to wear it.
A yukata is a casual summer kimono worn during the warmer months, and its often worn during the summer festival. They’re typically made of cotton, but more modern yukata are made of synthetic materials too.
Each of these coords has a yukata incorporated into it, and maybe also the obi. These are pretty simply done with just the yukata worn over, but there are more styles which I will plan for a future post. The few here are done according to different colour schemes that you can draw inspiration from or dress more to a preferred substyle.
(Note that yukata have to be worn with the left side over the right. Wearing it right over left makes you look like a corpse.)
♔ Black + Purple
This coord was styled largely with a punk style in mind. It consists of a simple black tank top and an asymmetrical skirt with high socks and pink shoes to match the flowers. There’s also a holographic belt and some chain detail. It’s matched with a skull purse, a black and purple neck corset and a key necklace. If you don’t have a neck corset, you could replace it with a scarf or with a pile of necklaces.
To top off the whole look, I added some black lace gloves and some colourful rings.
For hair and makeup, I suggest a more edgy look, so dark or gothic style makeup and hair. You could do a bun or an updo for a more traditional look or go with your natural hair with some clip on extensions.
For an alternative, here’s a look I did with the same yukata a while back. This one has a black lace top and shorts with graphic stockings and the same gloves. And instead of a traditional obi, I used a faux leather corset belt with a skull printed scarf below for contrast.
♔ White + Blue
The main feature of this yukata set is the yellow accents and obi, so when styling this look, I tried to bring those out in a few small areas, so it’s not too overwhelming. The base is a floral blue romper with the yukata worn over, and the obi tied around the waist. It’s paired with white sneakers and a simple fan, as well as a yellow clutch and gudetama socks.
An alternative is this other look which features the same accessories, but instead of a romper, it’s a lacy white top and yellow pants.
For makeup and hair, I suggest something very natural and feminine. So wavy curls and orange-pink or yellow and blue eye makeup. If you want to go more ott, I’d recommend bright yellow hair to really tie the whole look together.
♔ Red + Black
This yukata set has an interesting obi, one side is matte red and the other is metallic gold. And I wanted to show elements of that gold without it being too bright.
This look consists of a black sweater dress and the yukata worn over and tied off with the obi and a leather belt. The obi isn’t tied in ay particular style, it was just done in a way that left one end long and that shows off hints of the metallic gold underside.
I also matched it with red and black bracelets, black shoes and a red handbag. An alternative is to have all gold accessories, so gold jewellery and even gold shoes or a gold bag.
For makeup and hair, I suggest something that’s more glamorous or edgy. And this look would go nicely with a wide brimmed hat.
♔ Pink + Stripe
This is a pic taken a few walks ago, and as you can see, it’s a yukata coord. For this look, I wanted to combine elements of traditional japanese fashion with modern decora elements.
So for this look, I went with bright, youthful colours and lots of pins and clips to keep to a decora style, with a pink and pinstriped yukata as a base.
The main things to keep in mind when putting an outfit together is:
♞ Pick a colour or two to focus on
Many modern yukata have bright or colourful prints, and it can be very overwhelming to try and match every colour. (Unless that’s what you’re going for then, just be careful to not overdo it.) So just pick an accent colour, like the yellow in the second coord, and match accessories or clothes to that colour.
Think about ratios when matching the colours. For example, when the coord has hints of yellow, but lots of blue, you can pick a ratio like 3:7 for yellow:blue. And keep checking your coord to see if you’ve matched your chosen ratio.
The ratio helps a lot for me, because it prevents me from picking too many things that are of the same colour, and making the main colour shift to an accent colour.
♞ Pick a key point/focus point
If you want a certain element of your coord to stand out, try and match your accessories or build your outfit to suit that element. Like in the red and black coord, the key point was the gold accent, so I tried to keep the other elements roughly the same colours so that the gold would stand out.
Here’s a pile of things I think are important for people who want to dress more Harajuku but don’t really know how. This also goes out to newcomers to the Harajuku Fashion Walks or to people who want to improve their looks.
Update: The key features of Japanese street style
Japanese street fashion often contains one or more of these elements, mixed and matched to form unique styles.
remake or upcycled vintage fashion
unconventional garment pairing, including layering clothes and accessories.
Unconventional colour pairing
colour blocking using single or dual colours
Overloading colours
Unique small details like special trims or embellishments for clothing, or unique accessories
Unconventional methods of wearing garments
Oddly sized or proportioned garments and accessories
Elements of Deconstruction (in which garments seem or are cut apart and put back together in new or unconventional ways)
Important things to note for how to dress in Harajuku style
♔ Accessories are key!
Accessories can really boost an outfit from basic casual wear (something you can wear daily), to something more special and finished. Sometimes just an extra necklace or two or a few hair clips can really improve a look. If it’s meant to be minimalistic, simple accessories like a set of plain snap clips or bobby pins can finish off a look and make it more complete.
Even something as simple as a brooch or a pin, or a statement necklace can help. Detail is key, and paying attention to detail helps to bring an outfit together.
♔ Try layering or adding prints
Sometimes printed clothes can help to finish off an outfit. If you’re in all black, for example, you can add in a print in monochrome to add more dimension to your look. You could even go for a mix of prints if you want to be more maximalist, but that takes a little more practice and trial & error to really match everything.
Alternatively, go for more plain fabrics but add more texture. Contrast smooth and rough, pleated and ruffled. Sometimes that contrast can be the final touch you need to make your outfit stand out.
I think this is especially important for people who want to wear decora.
♔ Wear makeup!
It may not seem like a big deal to some, but wearing makeup is actually really important to finish off a look. A fully put together outfit can look unfinished if the makeup isn’t done. As much as makeup can be troublesome to wear for some, the end result paired with a put together outfit can greatly improve a look.
♔ Don’t forget to do something to your hair
Just like makeup, hairstyles and hair accessories can bring an outfit together and really give it a finished look. If you are able to, wear a wig that matches your outfit, in terms of both colour and style. If you can’t wear a wig, then some hair accessories and styling your hair would help. Unless the style absolutely calls for it, the hair should not be left unstyled. Unstyled hair can make the whole look appear unfinished.
♔ Do your research!
Perhaps the most important thing is to do your research on what you’re trying to go for. If you’re wearing Lolita fashion, make sure you’re wearing the right petticoat/pannier, covering your shoulders and cleavage, etc. If you’re wearing Decora, find out where to get the accessories and clothes you need and look at references for how to use or layer the things you got. Since Harajuku fashion doesn’t follow the distinct substyles as closely as they used to, it’s perfectly fine to combine styles and experiment. Just be aware of what you’re going for. (imo it’s better to overdress than to underdress)
Remember that if you want to dress in Japanese street style, your final look needs to have that ‘feel’ to it. It has to at the very least look like it’s Harajuku/Japanese street style and not Korean or French or just casual. So the best thing if you’re new or unsure is to ask for advice or look for inspiration. I find mine on instagram from tokyofashion and harajukufashionwalk
I’ll be doing a little series of styling posts based off anime! So keep an eye out for those in the coming weeks! There will be 3 parts to this series, but if it’s something you like, I can try and do more
So here’s a kind of vague schedule for the posts I have planned so if anyone needed a heads up or was curious about my tutorial plans here they are! No dates settled yet, since my schedule is pretty packed but the next posts are coming out in this order
Hijab styling post
Upcycling Tutorial 1 - How to Harajuku-ify your old clothes
Denim jacket styling post
Upcycling Tutorial 2 - How to make kawaii accessories
All black outfit styling post - what to do if all your clothes are black
Upcycling Tutorial 3 - How to harajuku-ify a bag
The posts probably won’t be out so soon or even at regular intervals but I’ll try my best
Be sure to look through the verdant styles tag for previous tutorial and styling ideas in the meantime!
Hello again and here’s the post about gyaru style! Except… it’s going to be largely explaining why gyaru is practically dead as a style, as well as why it may not be a good option to wear to a harajuku walk.
Let’s start with a quick history of gyaru. Gyaru is simply Japanese for ‘Gal’ and the key point of the style was to emulate the LA ‘paradise’ look; which means teased bleached blonde hair, tanned skin, as well as very provocative clothing. Gyaru is a style that is meant to go against traditional Japanese beauty standards and expectations, they were mostly delinquents and rebelled against Japan’s strict society.
There’s a much more detailed history and breakdown of gyaru substyles that I won’t cover but can be found here.
♔ What happened to gyaru?
As the years passed, mass media started representing gyaru more and more; and as it became more accessible for young girls to obtain the clothes and accessories, as well as maintain the makeup, nails and hair, it got more mainstream.
It became common and trendy to be a gyaru, and as more and more people started wearing this style, the overall ideals of the style and what it meant to be gyaru shifted with the people. Gyaru has lost its meaning as a rebellion against oppression or strict standards, and it’s become almost purely a fashionable thing to wear.
Even the gyaru lifestyle, which was once hard to maintain, has become easier to do and maybe even unnecessary now. The gyaru of the past needed to maintain their outrageous hair and nails, keep going tanning for the ‘California girl’ look, and keep buying clothes that were sometimes very expensive and sometimes specially imported.
Nowadays, the style has shifted to also include some elements of Korean street fashion, and some gyaru don’t even need to have tanned skin, nor do they really need the teased blonde hair or the dramatic makeup.
The style simply has been spread so wide and thin that it’s no longer a distinct substyle of Harajuku anymore.
Old school gyaru still exist, girls who still tan and have bleached hair and do the dramatic makeup, but these girls are few and far between as compared to how widespread it was in the 90s and 2000s, and their style has been updated too.
♔ But what if I still want to wear gyaru for the fashion walks?
It’s still possible, just be aware that it’s a lot of work.
I would suggest looking at Egg magazine for inspiration and ideas, and I suggest going as old school as possible, more of the kogal style or hime gyaru. For makeup inspiration, I’d suggest watching Harutam and Marin Matsuzaki’s gyaru makeup videos.
A Japanese schoolgirl uniform might be too costume-y, so try and go for more hime gyaru type clothing, frilly and feminine but also shorter hems on skirts and shorts. Another common accessory of old school gyaru would be oversized socks, but worn a little scrunched up.
A gyaru look is incomplete without the big blonde or ash coloured hair, and make sure you do gyaru makeup with dramatic falsies and coloured contacts as well to complete the look. As stated in lots of my previous posts; accessorise and do your hair and makeup. Because that could really bring the whole look together.
Gyaru is a tough style to start out with, so I actually would not suggest this for newcomers unless you are very confident with your hairstyling and makeup abilities. This is because most of the essence of what makes a look gyaru is the hair and makeup, followed closely by how well you style the clothes. Gyaru is not as dramatic a style as something like lolita fashion or decora, and because it is comparatively simpler, you need to make every part of the look work or the whole thing could fall apart.
❀❀❀
This post isn’t meant to scare anyone, but it is meant to explain that if you want to do gyaru, it’s a very narrow category that you have to fall into, and it’s becoming smaller since the style is dying out.
As always though, if you’re up for trying it, just go and do it. Just make sure you experiment and keep at it until you get it right. Have fun and I wish you the best of luck!
When you see the world trough so many different lenses, it’s not that they eventually vanish or become the Lens (the greatest lens, or the “big picture”), creating some sort of objective perspective; instead, it’s that they all become intermingled beyond recognition to where, at any given point, they obstruct one’s vision, losing their essence as tools through which to view different situations. When one looks through so many different lenses at once, one’s view loses all perspective, all of its nuance. As such, the theoretical lenses through which one looks upon the world must either be cohesive in practice, or one must choose to deny the views of others in order to comprehend one’s own. Regardless, any lens has been designed to narrow one’s field of vision, and yet, why would anyone ever choose myopia over their own wide-ranged vision, created according to nature? The answer to this is simple: having glimpsed the scope of one’s possibilities in existence, one chooses delimitation because the unimaginable immensity of one within one’s own “big picture” (e.g. the encapsulation of one’s entire life) is incomprehensible at any given moment, and any understanding of the bigger picture requires work. Thus, we create these artificial lenses for ourselves so we may escape into what we do understand, that being the immensity of the “bigger picture” into which everyone falls. For example, it’s easier to look upon the weather through the lens of global climate change and how it will affect progenitor than to look upon the weather through the lens of yourself.
