Japan Harajaku Fashion

The interpretation of streetwear is very different in Japan. The Japanese blend different colors together with popular anime characters as well as various abstract designs to create their interpretation of streetwear. Japan is also famous for its Harajaku fashion which is believed to have evolved towards the end of the Second World War. Young people who were looking for different ways to express themselves found refuge in wearing clothes that were unusual looking, resulting in the creation of a style that has stayed unique to this day. Harajaku itself comprises of a few distinct styles, and even today it is aimed at teenagers and the youth who want to stand apart from the rest.

 To an onlooker, the clothes may appear to be wildly colorful, cute, funky or even downright outrageous. In the West, the term itself and the various styles associated with it came to the forefront when artists like Gwen Stefani and Nicki Menaj made references to Harajaku in their music.

The term ‘Harajaku Girls’ is quite commonly used to describe girls who dress up in the Harajaku style but it is quite popular with the guys too. Even today on Sundays, teens usually meet outside the Harajaku station and dress up in costumes to look like anime characters and punk rock musicians. Visual Kei, is a popular movement promoted by various Japanese rock musicians and features the use of elaborate costumes, makeup and hairstyles. The music that is referred to here consists of goth rock, heavy metal and punk. The Gothic Lolita style is popular among young ladies who enjoy wearing frills, lace and knee length dresses. The clothes can sometimes be dark in nature or may be cute and innocent in nature. Another style called Kawaii means to look cute or pretty and features in many other aspects of Japanese entertainment and culture. This kind of fashion is usually for small children as it is believed that the ruffles, pastel and bright colors make them look cuter. The style called Decora, is usually followed by older girls and involves wearing bright colors with plenty of hair and body accessories.

 The Ganguro style is also very popular with young women who love a tan and involves dyeing the hair in different colors as well as wearing white lipstick. This style of dressing is believed to have evolved more as an alternative to the traditional Japanese norms of beauty.

To complete the Harajaku look, it’s important to get the hair and makeup right as well. People who dress up in this style often don colorful wigs and other eye- catching hairdos in hard to miss colors like blue or flaming red. The makeup one chooses to wear varies from person to person, and varies from a light touchup to porcelain white faces, darkened eyes and plucked eyebrows. Although there are so many variations to this popular dressing up style, it is slowly making a mark all over the world as well. Probably no other style encourages the wearer to have fun dressing up the way Harajaku fashion does.