Japanese Fashion Styles

    Japan is known for its unique and large range of fashion. There are numerous seemingly outrageous styles that are accepted and embraced in the country. 

Many of these styles are a way to strongly express the personality and feelings of these people. 

Styles such as Sukeban, Yanki and Bosozuko are rebellious and represent gangs. The word sukeban comes from suke meaning woman and ban meaning leader. 

Sukeban girls are known as delinquents and dress with a long skirt, thin bag and usually have permed hair. 

The Yanki and Bosozuko are styles influenced by bike gangs. 

Bosozuko, or speed tribes, are motorcycle gangs that usually ride on custom scooters. You can spot people with this style by their sarashi (a white cloth wrapped around their chest), embroidered robe and gauze mask.

The Ganguro and Manba styles are very extreme with tanning. 

Ganguro girls tan every week to have very dark skin and even wear foundation meant for African American women. This look also includes platform shoes, short dresses and bleached hair. For makeup, the ganguro girls wear black ink for eyeliner, white concealer for lipstick and blue contacts. 

Manba girls are very similar to the Ganguro, except they use dark foundation instead of tanning. Manba girls wear bright clothing, colorful decals and rainbow hair extensions. 

The decora style is more custom in that its clothing people created themselves. This style is recognized by the neon skirts, cute animal characters and crazy amount of accessories. 

One of the most popular and well known styles of Japan is Lolita. This style is inspired by the Rococo period and ranges from goth, sweet and punk. 

Lotita girls wear frilly dresses with accesories such as parasols, head dresses and frilled knee socks.

These styles are very different from what we are used to, but there may come a day when we start to see the styles as a new trend in America.        

Are there any styles you are interested in trying? Which style do you find most intriguing?