Fashion in Japan

Fashion in Japan...where to even start.  For a country who classically puts a huge negative emphasis on failing and potentially would not try doing something if there is a high potential to fail - they really take chances and have fun with their style and wardrobes.  They wear it like they just don't care! :)  Which I admire.  It feels like the only way to be trendy here is to already be moved past the current trend and starting a new one.  However, I do take into account that I am viewing their fashion trends from an outsider's perspective and while the clothing styles seem "out there" to us, they are probably viewed from a Japan perspective as more expected or less shocking.   But regardless, the trends seen here are worth noting because it is so different than what I am used to - therefore I find it blog worthy.  :)  Plus, I just spent some time in the Harajuku and Shibuya areas of Tokyo, which is where you go if you want to observe Tokyo fashion at its finest. 

There are extreme differences in the clothing I have witnessed, being that I live in a small town but frequently visit Tokyo.  The clothing I see on a every day basis is quite drab actually - not a lot of color or print.  This is very classic Japan and most older and middle age Japanese still adhere to this rule.  Colors and prints are meant for beach or vacation wear, and not for use on an everyday basis.  Work attire is similar - all very much the same.  Men wear dark pants and a light colored button down shirt with a solid color tie.  Kenny's loud Brooks Brothers mix and match pattern shirts and ties stand out here. :)  They do rock the super skinny dress pants though, and I mean rock it.  I wish I looked as good in skinny pants as the young Japanese men do.  :)  Women usually wear a dark colored skirt and light colored blouse or neat sweater with or without a suit jacket.  Tights/pantyhose are a most and shoes are neutral and plain.  
But, when the younger Japanese in my town come out to play on the weekends, they do bring on the trends.  

Before we can talk too much more about fashion, it is important to know one word - Kawaii.  This encompasses's all things in women's fashion and literally (or maybe not so literally) means all things cute.  This word emerged in the 1970's with the boom of Hello Kitty and has exploded to all aspects of Japanese culture and fashion since then.  Think bows, ruffles, cutsy socks, girly patterns, etc.  

Anyway, back to the styles I usually see on a regular basis.  I think Hipster is the closest trend word I can use to describe it.  Hipster with a healthy dose of Kawaii.  Below are some pics pulled from Google that best show what I would consider typical 20's-30's age dress in Japan.

Some common themes are:
- Very short shorts with black tights underneath
- Clunky, platform shoes
- Oversized sweaters over tights
- Floral prints
- Slouchy beanie hats
- Pinafore collar sweaters/shirts
- High waisted pants/shorts 
- Plaid
- Lots of coverage up top, less coverage on legs/etc.
- Frilly, girly socks worn with dress shoes/platforms and a skirt/shorts (see below)

This also shows some the types of shoes that are on trend here, although they get much clunkier.  :)

On to some more "extreme" fashion trends.   The "Lolita" look is one of the most popular looks/styles in Japan.  Although not started here in Japan, the Japanese have taken very strongly to this movement, and is even not so much of a style or trend, but rather an entire culture/lifestyle. 
Lolita started in Japan back in the 1980's in Harajuku, an area in Tokyo.  Each weekend, the streets were closed down and the area became a hang-out for young adults.  People began wearing unconventional (in Japanese standards) outfits which gradually developed into recognizable styles, Lolita being one of them.  The style brings influence from many periods of time, but most noticeable is the Victorian era influence - specifically the way a child would dress in this era - with knee length instead of full length skirt, and without the constricting bodice an adult would wear in Victorian days.   The Lolita style has then evolved into many sub-genres, including goth, country, sailor, punk, etc.  
 To get started, it is best to see a picture of Lolita style so you can get a feel for the look. 

Yes, it's odd.  Yes, it looks like she is dressed like a little girl.  Yes, lots of people think this is playing to odd fetishes and sexual desires of men to prefer women who are little girl like.  However, after doing my research - the last statement is actually not tied at all to the Lolita subculture but is truly the most common myth associated with this style.  Despite the name, this also does not in any way refer to the book/movie 'Lolita', whose main character is an older aged man who has an obsessive "fetish-like" passion for a school aged girl and with whom he displays sexual power over.   

Instead, this Lolita subculture has other explanations for they way they choose to live/dress.

1. The LACK of sexualization in the fashion.  This culture is seen to members as a reversion to the old days of more modest clothing, and rejects the idea of modern "sexy" beauty as seen in tight miniskirts/dresses, cosmetic surgery (esp. breast implants), etc.  So, in fact, instead of dressing to appeal to a mans desire, this way of dress is actually for themselves and not for the attention of men. 

2. Escaping the mundane world.  Essentially, they are taking on the "princess" culture and staying young at heart, despite the societal pressures of employment and/or homemaking. 

So, in essence, this sub-culture is trying to reject the homogeneous societal norms and male created beauty standards by promoting a more individualized sense of fashion and living. Right? Only partly. Despite the break from mainstream fashion and the perceived individual take on the dress, there are actually very strict rules about what can and can't be worn and with what and with what accessories, etc.  It seems, in fact, like this culture is quite "clicky" and people who only do Lolita for cosplay (or for dress-up), or those who don't use the more expensive fabrics are looked down upon and possibly ostracized from the group.  So they have, actually, created a homogenized group within a homogenized culture they are trying to break free from.  Interesting. 

Wondering how to be a Lolita?  Here are the fashion guidelines and then some pictures of some of the sub-genres so you get more a feel for the style.  And yes, if you walk around Tokyo on any given day, you will see plenty of Lolitas.  

1. Headwear:  You must have a cute bow, clip, headband, barrette or flower incorporated into your hair. 

2. Blouse:  Usually a peter pan or pinafore type collar. Must be elegant and not expose too much skin.

3.  Skirt: Bell shaped. Can be longer than knee length and up to 2 inches higher than the knee. 

4. Undergarments:  Petticoat and bloomers.  The petticoat gives the skirt it's bell shape.

5. Socks: Full stockings or over the knee.  Not sheer and no ankle length.  

6. Shoes:  Classic style is the Mary Jane.  Should be closed toe, rounded toe with chunky, thick platforms.   Flats and/or boots are acceptable. 

The hair and make-up are a whole other issue.  Think big, long hair, lots of volume and curls, lots of pigtails.  Make-up depends on which sub-genre you are going for, but usually natural faced, with/without a smoky eye.  I THINK a lot of these girls use whiteners on their faces to achieve some of the look.  Facial whitening products are quite common here, which is why I usually don't buy any facial creams or soaps on the local market. 

Below are just a couple of examples of the many sub-genres of Lolita.

Goth Lolita

   

Sweet Lolita - the most childlike, over the top frills and bows

A few other of the more extreme Tokyo fashion styles are below:

 Ganguro - literally means "char-broiled face".  This trend peaked in 2000 and I haven't seen this style myself around Tokyo.  Basically it includes excessive skin bronzer, bleached blonde hair and lots of neon and plastic.  I believe it is emulating a California type style.

Kogal - no these girls aren't in school, although the skirt length is strikingly similar to the actual uniform high school girls wear.  This style became popular due to my least favorite person - Britney Spears - and is therefore self-explanatory.

Visual Kei - Usually worn by musicians, characterized by Bowie-esque androgeny, over the top costumes and crazy hair/make-up.  I have seen quite a bit of this type of style around Tokyo, although typical a bit more understated.  

So, whether you rock the Kawaii Hipster look, subscribe to Lolita culture or feel like wearing or dressing in whatever the heck you want, Japan is the place for fashion and starting new trends.  Although, I have a sneaking suspicion that despite the seemingly free-spirited style, there are more fashion rules and regulations taking place behind the scenes that I am not aware of.  :)

I will end with a few of my own pictures taken from around the Shibuya area. 

If you are curious for more - a great website is:

www.tokyofaces.com

A website made by a journalist and a photographer who walk the streets of Tokyo looking for fashion inspiration.  Great overview of the variety of trends seen on the streets.  Enjoy!

A Look Into the Traditional Japanese Home

As I promised to continue regular blogging, I thought I would do a few posts regarding traditional customs, typical housing, etiquette, etc.  This post will be about how the Japanese typically live at home.  I will focus on most of the traditional aspects, which are still used frequently, although the Western amenities that we are used to are definitely becoming more abundant.

As I know I have mentioned previously, houses are very close together due to the densely concentrated population and very few homes have large yards - or any yards at all.  In larger cities, apartment style living is very common - as they say, the only way to increase housing in Japan is to build upwards, as all the livable land is already used.  A classic Japanese apartment is called a "mansion" and is basically equivalent to what we would call a "studio" or "economy" style apartment - a one room space with small kitchen area, that is then partitioned off into bedroom/living area, etc.  So, if you move to Japan, don't express interest in a mansion, you won't get your dream home.  ;)

The typical Japanese home is built with wood.  This is cost effective and safer due to all the earthquakes. Roofs used to be made of thatch, and you will still see this from time to time, but now days the roofs are instead made of tiling.  Windows are sliding with shutters, and inner doors are covered in paper.  Below are some pictures of the typical Japanese home.

Thatched Roof

Paper lined window shutters/partitions 

The architecture of most Japanese homes is clean, simple lines with sloped roofs - inspired by the structure of Buddhist temples and of buildings in the Edo period (1600's). 

Upon entering a typical Japanese home, you will find the "genkan", or entryway.  The genkan is at the same level as the outdoors, with a step up that enters into the house. The rest of the house will be at this raised level.  At any Japanese home, you are expected/required to remove your shoes in the genkan itself, and then as you step up, you slip into slippers or remain in your socks, if desired.  Slippers are provided to you as a guest of the home.  It is rude to go barefoot, so it is socks or slippers only. :)

The strictness of no shoes in the home is two-fold.  Mainly, it is formed from the Shinto religions philosophy of cleanliness, but also due to the practical fact that Japanese flooring is extremely fragile.  The wood is soft and indents from shoes are easily left, and the straw tatami mats that cover most of the rest of the house are fragile and expensive to repair.  It is written into our lease that we are not to wear shoes in our house.   
As a lot of restaurants and other places also adopt this philosophy, it makes shoe choices interesting.  Anyone who loves shoes knows that some are easier to get off/on than others, so occasionally (okay, most of the time), I look like a classic awkward American falling down in the restaurant genkan trying to get out of my shoes. 

The layout of a Japanese home is truly the definition of open-concept.  They were on trend before their own time.  ;)   There are the wooden and paper covered doors that you see in the above pictures that can be used to separate rooms if needed and/or to make "bedrooms", which aren't strictly defined in a traditional Japanese home.  As homes are usually on the small size, not having distinct purposes for each room helps maximize space as needed. 

Japanese rooms are typically "sized" by how many tatami mats are required to cover the floor.  Tatami flooring is what covers most of the living space in the house, while wood flooring covers hallways and maybe the kitchen.  Tiling or other flooring is found in the kitchen and bathrooms.  Tatami is a straw mat material that is incredibly intricate and fragile.  Each mat is usually 180cm x90cm, so if you have a 4 tatami room - 4 of this size mats are needed to cover the floor.  

For sleeping in a traditional Japanese home, futons are placed on the floor and then stored in closets (oshiire) during the daytime.  

Folding the Futon

Quite a few Japanese hotels will give you the option of a Western style room with what we are used to as a bed, or have the traditional futon option as well.   A hotel that only has the traditional rooms is called a Ryokan.  In my experience, there probably isn't much difference between the two bedding choices, the "Western" style beds are usually hard as a rock.  I'm a wuss, I like my pillow-top mattress. ;)

The traditional Japanese kitchen usually consists of a gas stove, rice cooker, microwave oven/toaster, and a refrigerator.  They do not classically have large ovens like we are used to, if they do have a oven attached to the stove, it is a fish oven (see picture below).  Large kitchens are not common, they are usually quite small. 

Stove with Fish Oven

The majority of houses in Japan, traditional or not, do not have central heating.  They use either wall units or kerosene stoves or a combination of the two to heat their homes.  Units are turned off when no one is in the room and/or at night.  Combine this with wood flooring and you better own some good slippers! :)

A cool furniture item that stems from having generally difficult to heat homes, is the kotatsu. This is a table that was traditionally placed over a deep recess in the flooring of a home.  It is deep enough to put your legs under/in and then a charcoal heater was used to heat the recess, keeping your legs nice and warm.  In more modern times, you don't need the recess in the flooring and the charcoal is replaced with an electric heater built into the bottom of the table.

The Japanese bathroom probably takes the most getting used to, and causes the most anxiety with how to do things correctly, if staying in a traditional Japanese home.   Separate areas exist for the toilet, the sink and the bath.  The toilet is always a separate room from both the sink and the bath.   The Ofuro (bath) has a small room just outside of it for changing, and also has a sink/mirror.  In a waterproof room is the shower and bath.  The bathtub is small and compact, but very deep.   To the Japanese, the bath is a place of relaxation, therefore no cleansing is done in the actual tub.  You shower/rinse off just adjacent to the tub, and then only when clean do you enter the bathtub.   The tubs are quite remarkable, they can be controlled on remote settings, often from ones cell phone, or programmed to fill at a certain time every day.  They are circulating tubs, meaning that the temperature will stay where you set it for as long as you have it on.  Classically, the entire Japanese family will use only bathtub full of water since it stays warm and you are already "clean" when you get in.  The tub comes with a cover that you keep on between bathers as well as when you showering so soap and dirt don't enter the clean space. 

You shower NEXT to the tub.  Lots of room :)

Changing area/sink

 And then there is the Japanese toilet.  A modern marvel really.  I can see why many Westerners who live here for a bit buy toilets to send back home to their own house.   First of all - heated seats, need I say more.  And you can program to the degree how warm you want the seat.   Then, there are the cleaning options - which I am sure you can all imagine how those work.  For those, you can program water temperature used and strength of the water jets.   Because the toilet is not in the same room as the sink, the toilet usually has a water spout on the back that runs clean water when you flush to wash your hands with.  This water is then used to fill up the toilet tank for the next flush.  

Toilet Controls

A VERY important note!  When at a ryokan, a Japanese home, or anywhere you are using the bathroom that has made you remove your shoes - make sure you do not wear your house slippers into the bathroom!  There are slippers marked "WC" which are used exclusively while in the toilet room and it is a huge faux pas if you don't change in or out of them when using the toilet.  

Lastly, the "Squatty Potty".   That's what I call it.  I believe you find these more in SE Asia, but they nonetheless still quite common here, especially in train station bathrooms or other public bathroom facilities.  

Raised squatty potty

Regular squatty potty

Yes, these are for girls.  To use, you face the front of the toilet - which is where the water well is at the top of the pictures and then squat as close as you can to the toilet itself.  If it is a raised potty, you stand on the raised section.  Intimidating at first, but then I just tried to remember back to undergrad tailgates, parties, etc., where you had to find a nice tree to squat next to and then it was much easier! ;)   Also an excuse to keep up with squat exercises to help keep you balanced, lol! 

Also, it is important to keep some toilet paper/tissues, hand sanitizer, and a hand towel with you when you go out.  It is common that public bathrooms don't have toilet paper, it is rare that they have soap, and it is unheard of that they have paper towel or dryers.  Unless you go to the fancy shopping area ones. :)

On that note, until next time!  :)  I swear this will be the last time I talk about toilets.