Tokyo Musings
Wednesday September 29, 2010
OK, I wrote this the week I got back from Tokyo but wanted to finally get it posted!
I try to stay away from having preconceived notions & expectations. These tend to lead to disappointments. However, I often fail at keeping to that practice. Lol
Not having been in Tokyo for 2 years I can only really get a feel for what MUST be happening in Japanese fashion through magazines and bloggers. And perhaps I’ve forgotten that, with or without purpose, these outlets will always reflect said magazine’s or person’s own narrative. Unbiased is a rare find no matter what. It can’t be helped and that’s perfectly fine.
But some things people have personally told me I wouldn’t see, I did. Which just reminded me that the only opinion you should truly care about is your own. Of course that makes this entry moot right?! Lol noooo~ I don’t think you should live your life by my opinion either. I’m just static amongst an already overtly broadcasted world
So this is my reporting of realizations I felt personally.
Doesn’t make them true or others false.
These are just thoughts that came to MY MIND during my trip. As I walked through the streets of trendy Tokyo eyeing people’s personal style choices.
First and foremost it became gloryfyingly obvious that fashion styles directly relate to magazine sales. As in, Vivi is the #1 selling magazine and the most common styles I saw on the streets of Tokyo (I’m going to focus mostly on Shibuya, Shinjuku, and Harajuku here) were those from Vivi. The casual girly retro and more casual mode styles. I add “casual” because really the core magazine looks ARE there but they’re played down a bit. I even had a passing thought for a moment that most of the girls looked more “boring” than I had expected. And that thought was oddly comforting. Though, don’t get me wrong, they ALL (oh god, yes, it’s a sweeping generalization!) dress better than Americans as a whole. They wear more accessories, hats, scarves, and layers with more purpose than you’ll see on the streets of NY. (Sorry NY, I still love you. Something familiar will always be taken for granted anyway haahaa!)
Mode IS popular. I saw soooo many khaki pants, black tank, short white tee top outfits I lost count! And the Murua scarf dress was a hit in Shibuya. Saw it tons of times.
Ok. I think the best way to do this is with a list.
I fear this rambling entry will be long but I really want to get this down for myself at least!
Misses?
Things that magazines push nonstop that I just rarely saw…
- Usamimi – only saw about 5 being worn and the girls were all Jr. High aged.
- Scarf Bows – I honestly couldn’t recall a single sighting. BUT I did see scarves worn mode style (the wrap, twist, then tied under style AND even more popular tied to a belt loop on pants!
- Ugly Caps – lol this I think I conjured up with all the blogging coverage & magazine spreads. I didn’t see ANY but Mike said he saw 3. I didn’t see any mesh caps at all really.
- Circle lenses – granted I didn’t make a lot of eye contact with girls on the street. But even many of the 109 shop staff weren’t wearing them which makes me think they probably don’t wear them daily.
- Glasses frames – except for shop staff I didn’t see any except on a few shibuhara dressed girls all in Harajuku
- Military style tops – I really didn’t see anyone wearing that style with the buttons and embroidery anywhere though it’s sold everywhere. I mostly saw military style down played much like F21’s current “military” looks
- Curls – maybe it’s the heat’s fault but most girls had straight long hair or curled under bobs. Throughout every city I rarely saw super massive extension curled hair EXCEPT on 109 staffers like at the M*ARS store & such
Real hits!
Things that truly are BIG from what I could tell!
- Lashes – on EVERYone. Not just gals but on mote girls, street style girls, casual girls, everywhere. Since lashes ARE in every mag from Vivi to Non-no I wasn’t too surprised.
- Fur tails – saw them a lot a lot! So much so that I joyfully purchased one as planned! The medium and big sized ones were mostly seen. Though I bought a medium sized since I live in the US and don’t need THAT much attention. You could find them at nearly every store too.
- Strappy sandal heels – yup, especially Shibuya~~
- Dr Marten-like boots – especially the short style ones were extremely popular in Shinjuku & Harajuku mixed in with various styles. Various shades of black & brown.
- Border – holy shit on bricks border/striped anything was in! It’s like Lowry Farms exploded on everyone, looool (but I love border so it’s coooool)
- Bright blush – though I saw more full cheek sweeping than dolly-style ovals on the face.
- Sleeping socks – lol you couldn’t NOT find them! So many knock off styles from QTTO’s original
- Dolly Wink Cosmetics- everywhere in every drug/cosme store & many conbini too
- Black tights in summer – no seriously, how were they not suffering from heat stroke lol. Lucky climatized ladies XD
- Straw hats – cancan or fedora though less worn by gal-looking girls and more worn with girly layered, used mix, or retro styles instead.
- Maxi dresses – it’s hot as balls, no surprise. With and without short cropped tees worn over
- Floral patterned rompers – long & short floral rompers are huge, huge and everywhere
- Union Jack stuff – Saw it quite often :)
- Top hair buns – again, probably something to do with the heat. Top volume buns are still huge ;)
- Mode – in general is actually QUITE popular. More casual but some classic high-end mode too. It’s really popular in the Shibuya area mostly but saw it just about in every district
- Distressed skinny jeans – everywhere with various styles~
- Cross forehead headbands – Both the braided hair and boho looking type headbands across forehead or forehand + bangs
- Fringe moc-style boots – probably the biggest trend I saw!
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Shibuya definitely had the most gals. There were some in full on Liz Lisa outfits but most were either mode style or just casual shorts, tops, heels. Lashes to the nines, cheeks lovely & bright, and most had long dyed straight hair. Had a few amekaji spotting’s but that’s it. Did see a woman in her late 40’s dressed very gyaru. Sorta past the Mama Gal stage though. I don’t usually like to think “dress your age” but upon seeing her I got the same feeling I get when I see a 40 year old shopping in Forever 21. I’m just sorta taken back and think “oh? Really? OK… hum, will this be me?” I think they have a right to dress however but it does often make me reflect on where I see my personal style at that age, lol
Shinjuku, as always, had the cabaret workers out ‘n about. Saw a few agejo here but only here. Most of Shinjuku was pretty casual & mixed. Used Mixed styles with girly, mote, or vintage twists and layers layers. Not really a lot of label’able looks. Just personal styles floatin about.
Harajuku definitely had the CUTiE style girls. I personally enjoyed the harajuku girls best. :headheart: Shibuhara and used mixed styles were mostly here. I’m an avid lover of both those styles so of course I was happy to see it :p. I was actually surprised by how often I saw it though. I suppose it does explain why Jelly & Zipper both had Used magazine specials now. Though there are lots of Used shops I did see some brand stores use the term to describe the “look” but without actually using “Used” clothing. Used clothing there isn’t like the US. It’s sometimes just as expensive as new brand items. At Avail even, everything was too $$$ for my taste lol. Though the store & clothes were quite awesome XD!!
As for outside those 3 main districts, styles got fairly basic. Girly soft layers were most popular. However the only lolitas and full on street styles I saw worn by people just shopping/walking around were mostly in the outlying areas. Interesting. I didn’t even cross a loli in Harajuku or Akihabara. Not that I know all there is to know about where to find them or much about their style!! I’m just stating what I saw during my travels~
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So basically. Now that I’m back I’m not sure how much stock I can really put into magazine & blog reporting. When I got over there I was just struck with this overwhelming feeling of “wow, they’re really all wrong… Really?…” Especially the magazines. It seemed like it used to be girls would follow a magazine to a T and if something was out IT WAS OUT. But I had read a few years ago that the 20-somethings were now “breaking the rules” a bit and sticking to a trend they liked even if magazines had banished them from every page. I saw that more this trip than I did 2 years ago. Though 2 years ago I was bigger into Vivi, Pinky, Non-no & Ageha. Mmmm there were more agejos & himegyarus on the street 2 years ago though *cries* (lol) Less gals though. I did see MORE gals than ever this trip. But not as many as I expected & even less outside of the center Shibuya.
Anywhoooo~~~ This was a fun adventure~~ I immediately started looking for more japanese blogs to follow. Of girls who seem on trend and a wider mix of fashion tastes too. I KNOW only really getting gal mags for the past year has shifted my thinking of what’s popular. Since gal mags don’t sell very well compared to other fashion magazines. I really should have kept up with Vivi maybe? But really, I still just miss PINKY geezus. Pinky really did represent a wider spectrum of the actual trends women were following. Sigh.
Being there really made me fall in love with Used Mix more than ever and made MODE look real and fashionable and less just like an 80’s spin off.
I made this private, I dunno, I only felt like telling my real friends this, haahaa~~ maybe I’ll make it public but doubt it ;)
Tags: japan trip, travel
22 Responses to “Tokyo Musings”
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Hmm. I think I see what you mean. When I visited Japan it was everything I thought it would be but I still felt disappointed in something but I didn’t know what. Even if we don’t have concrete expectations, it seems like small things we were hoping for can still fall through sometimes, too. =/ If that makes any sense!
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LOL
lowry’s farm explosion! -
This was a really enlightening post Jenny & I think you should consider making it public (although I can understand why you wouldn’t, since the online gal community seems to be obsessed with this weirdo power struggle over who’s ‘an authority’ & whatnot XD) Still, it is interesting that what you observed on the streets of Tokyo was so different from what they push in the magazines! It makes me want to visit Japan even more, since I feel exactly as you said~ what’s on the net is SO LIMITED.
I also wanted to thank you though for linking たえニャン’s blog because I think she’s a perfect example of someone who doesn’t fit into that ‘magazine style’ box ♥ -
Hmmm interesting!
It seems like in Japan, you see something in a mag and you’re like “Yes, I want to get THAT ONE or THAT BRAND” and in the US/Euro we see an “IT bag” or “Capes are in for fall” so we run out and buy any brand that mimics these things. (ie I just bought a Mulberry Alexa knock off LOL)
And it is hard for me to understand different styles because the English is lost in translation – like I didn’t know “used” was like those trendy vintage thrift stores in Brooklyn that charge you an arm and a leg for out of season stuff LOL. But I guess there are so many Japanese English borrowed terms that don’t mean the same thing like “copy = photocopy not duplicate”?? Sorry if I’m typing delirious sickie-things LOL
I don’t know why people say “ok you can’t wear that or you cross over into another style” ??
I am super happy that I’m packing my fringe mocs, black sheer tights and floral shorts – LOL they are super comfy and now I’ll feel chic
I’m so excited to check out Kinji, Hanjiro and Chicago – weeee
Hope you are feeling better soon, ladycakes
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ohh?? i didnt notice much of the tokyo fashion since i wasnt there long enough but i guess the weather also made it harder for girls to start wearing autumn trends when its still around 30C outside
sendai fashion is different though but i did find a lot of gyarus with curly hair and contacts etc! maybe they are just behind XD
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oh and i didnt see any usamimi either! i brought mine with me but since noones wearing it i got too self conscious to wear it XD
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I still don’t really understand MODE!? It really does just remind me of American celebrity style :\ not to dog on the style or anything because I do enjoy it … but maybe if it was more thoroughly explained (but how thorough can you get with a style? it’s a style! everyone’s going to have their take on it!) I don’t even knowwww I like all the lacy 80’s stuff hahaha.
After reading this post I feel really educated! And a bit excited that they all dress like what I see on tumblr!!!! hahahaha oh~ tumblr~
Anyway, I hope you get better reallll soon! :)