Description

While considered by many as daring,outlandishand provocative, Japanese fashion has come a long wayfrom beingjust about kimonos and school uniforms. Their eye-poppingandflamboyant outfits have largely been influenced by Japan'shugeunderground club scene. Tokya and Osaka is where JapaneseStreetFashion is at its best. By adopting a mixture of currentandtraditional trends along with foreign and local labels,Japaneseyouth have created their own unique blend of fashion.

Japanese street fashion has a variety of trends and styles.Youthwere more elaborate in their dressing patterns and make-up.Brightcolours, eccentric patterns, hand-made garments, heavyjewellery,mixing and matching jeans and tank tops with traditionalwear likekimonos, is their way of making statements about theirculturalinfluences and way of life. Lolita, Kogal, Cosplay, Ganguroaresome of the most sought after styles that Japanese youth displayonthe streets.

Lolita is a style with many subcultures, such as Punk Lolita,wherechains, beads, lace and wristbands are popular accessoriesalongwith pink and peach colour prints. Gothic Lolita focuses onstylesemerging from the Victorian age such as dark colours,blackmake-up, heavy brooches, and ribbons.

The Ganguro art of dressing is similar to North Americanyouthtrying to replicate tanned and blonde celebrities and models.Thelook consists of light or dark tanned bodies, bleached ordyedhair, summer dresses and platforms. Their exaggerated looksandoutfits, is their attempt at westernizingthemselvesdramatically.

The Kogal style is where young Japanese women display theirwealththrough various tastes in music and fashion. Wealthy parentsoftensupport young girls who are into this style. They keepthemselvesup-to-date with Japan's ever-growing mobile technology.They adornthemselves with big boots, skirts pinned very high,dramaticmake-up and the latest in American fashion brands. Many seethegrowth of Gothic Lolita to be a reaction to the materialismdesirethat emerges with the Kogal trend.

Costume Play, shortened to Cosplay is a trend where dressingofcharacters from manga, anime, fantasy movies and videogamesisencouraged.

Japan’s street fashion scene is famous around the globe foritsever-changing face - from over-the-top cute and colorful toextremedarkness, from haute couture to hardcore sneaker heads, fromstylesinspired by ancient fairy tales to looks from thecyberfuture.

While there are other places in Japan where street fashionalsothrives, Harajuku is the undisputed heart and soul of theJapanesestreet fashion scene. To understand the state of Japanesestreetfashion in 2016, we need to take a look at the current stateofHarajuku.

The general feeling on the streets of Harajuku over the last yearisthat big changes are coming to the neighborhood. Many peopleareoptimistic, some are not. Time will tell what the future holds,butfor now here are 10 things that you need to know about the stateofJapanese street fashion in 2016.