Harajuku Style Japanese Street Fashion

Harajuku (原宿) in Japan refers to an area around Harajuku train station. Harajuku style is a japanese fashion adopted by the teenagers and young adults in the area and its side streets which have many boutiques, trendy stores and used clothes shops. Japanese Harajuku Girls and Harajuku Style has been used to describe teens dressed in many fashion styles ranging from Gothic Lolita (also gothic loli) Visual Kei, Ganguro, Gyaru, Kogal, to "cute" Kawaii style clothing.
Young adults in Harajuku may also be dressed as anime or manga characters (known as cosplay). Below we list the best online harajuku fashion stores and show you where to buy the very best in Japanese street fashion. The shops listed sell Japanese Harajuku fashion direct from Japan as well as from europe and USA.

Harajuku Style varies considerably and there are many different looks ranging from elegant gothic lolita to punky modern looking Visual Kei - which is inspired by japanese rock group (jrock). Too see the japanese teen culture at its most intense, go to Harajuku on a Sunday, when many teens congregate around Harajuku Station and take part in costume play (cosplay), dressed up in outlandish costumes to appear like anime characters, punk rock musicians, and various harajuku gothic styles.

Tokyo is a huge fashion epicentere around the world. Youths in Japan dress in vibrant clothing. They mix and match different clothing styles and create their own style, sometimes with big coloured hair and cute accsessories. While many people from all around the world are influenced by Harajuku, the real Harajuku style fashion stays where it originated from - in the area itself.

Visual Kei refers to a movement among Japanese rock (jrock) musicians and is characterized by the use of elaborate costumes, eccentric, looks and hairstyles. The Visual Kei look usually involves striking make-up, The "kei" in Visual Kei is japanese for style of type, meaning "visual style music" The music ranges from eighties goth rock, to heavy metal to punk and usually some combo of the three. Most bands are indie but a not many make it to major labels such as Malice Mizer, Raphael, & Dir En Grey. Visual Kei has influenced Harajuku style fashion, especially those who gather on Jingu Bashi - a pedestrian bridge connecting the bustling Harajuku district with Meiji Shrine.

On the bridge you could find Visual Kei cosplayers (those dressed as their favorite musicians) and those in the subculture known as Gothic Lolita based on Lolita fashion. Often fans of such bands also will dress up for concerts, meet ups, and other events where they will see other people who enjoy Visual Kei.

Gothic Lolita or GothLoli is a youth fashion among Japanese teenagers and young women. Elegant Gothic Lolita (EGL) refers to the fashion of frilly, ruffled knee-length dresses and head-bands etc. Elegant Gothic Aristocrat (EGA) refers to a more subtle and refined dressing consisting of longer dresses and coats. Gothic Lolita clothes have a sometimes very dark look or sometimes very kawaii (cute) look - demonstrated by Baby The Stars Shine Bright. There are different kinds of lolitas in Japan, however EGA is rare and the style is usually up to the individual.

The most popular Gothic Lolita magazine is a Japanese publication called The Gothic and Lolita Bible. Gothic lolitas flock to Yoyogi park in Harajuku on the weekends to show off their fashon.

Kawaii means "cute" or "pretty. has become a major aspect of Japanese culture, entertainment, food, clothing, toys, personal appearance and behavior. Kawaii fashion generally relates to someone wearing clothing that appears to be made for young children or clothes that accentuates the cuteness of the individual wearing the clothing. Ruffles and pastel or bright colors may be worn, and accessories often include oversize toys or bags featuring anime characters.
Decora also known as "Decoration" is a japanese style adopted mainly by young japanese girls. Decora consists of bright colors and hair clips with bows. Lots of layering and colorful accessories are used in Decora. The accessories include plastic and furry toys and jewelry, which stick together and make noise as the wearer moves. The style is sometimes mistakenly called "Fruits style" by people that are not from Japan.

Ganguro fashion appeared somewhere around the early 90s in Japan and peaked around the year 2000. Ganguro fashion is and was primarily adopted by young woman in their 20s. The style consists of a deep tan combined with dyed hair that can be either bleached gray, silver or various shades of orange. Ganguro girls also wear white lipstick and eye shadow. White concealer is often used for both. Black ink is often used as an eyeliner along with false eyelashes and facial gems (plastic) and pearl powder. Clothing wise Ganguro girls wear brightly coloured clothes including miniskirts, tie-dyed sarongs, lots or rings, necklaces and bracelets.
Ganguro is believed to have started as a kind of revenge against the traditional norm in Japanese society as to what feminine beauty should be. Many Japanese researchers believe that the rebellion against japanese society is due to resentment of neglect. Probably the most famous Ganguro girl was known as Buriteri - named after a black soy sauce. Egg magazine made her famous after constantly showing her picture at the height of the Ganguro craze. Ganguro culture even evolved its own style of dances, know as Para para. Dancers to para para dance to predetermined moves in sync to J-pop music. Ganguro girls would either go to clubs or gather together to learn new dances.
Cosplay is an abbreviation of Costume Play. It is a Japanese subculture based on dressing like characters from manga, anime,and video games. The term cosplay pronounced "kosupure" in Japanese. In Japan, "cosplay" as a hobby is usually an end unto itself. Cosplay can be seen at public events and shows as well as at dedicated cosplay parties. In places such as in the Harajuku district of Tokyo it is not unusual for Japanese teenagers to gather with friends in places like to engage in cosplay. Tokyo's Akihabara district contains a large number of cosplay cafes, catering to devoted anime and cosplay fans. The waitresses at such places usually dress as a maid (or meido). Probably the largest cosplaying event in Japan is in the semiannual doujinshi market, Comiket. This event, held in summer and winter and attracts thousands of manga otaku cosplayers. Harajuku clothing style involves mixing and (mis) matching different fashions and styles. Harajuku fashion changes and evolves constantly, sometimes mixing traditional Japanese clothing such as kimonos and geta sandals with other styles. Everything from punk, goth to designer clothes can be mixed and mismatched with colorful accessories to create a unique and individual style. Although more recently brand loyalty has become more prominent, second hand clothing and do it yourself are the basis of harajuku fashion. Maybe a flowered skirt with a pinned ribbon attached with a more angular hemline? If you have some talent then grab your scissors and sewing kit and make your store clothes individually yours..

Resource : http://www.harajukustyle.net/