Japan’s Bizarre Street Fashion Trends

Published August 23, 2012
Updated February 28, 2018

From technicolor tutus to dark styles more gothic than Notre Dame, a look at the current trends in Japan street fashion.

Japan Street Fashion: Ganguro

Hitting its peak in 2000, ganguro was a huge trend in the Shibuya and Ikebukuro districts of Tokyo. The trend–marked by excessive amounts of skin bronzer, bleached hair and the layered ornamentation of neon and plastic accessories–translates literally as “charbroiled face”. Which makes sense, given that it is speculated that the men and women who sport this look are trying to emulate what they think is a sun kissed California style.

Japan Street Fashion Trends

Source: Deviantart

Japanese Street Fashion Ganguro

Source: WordPress, http://lekesan.files.wordpress.com/2006/11/dsc01988.JPG

Kigurumi

Kigurumi Fashion

Source: Fuzz and Fur

While Kigurumi’s roots are in the performance realm, certain Japanese people have taken the garb–characterized by its creative depiction of cartoon or animal characters–from its traditional commercial use and have implemented it in everyday fashion ensembles.

Kigurumi Japanese Street Fashion

Source: Tumblr, http://24.media.tumblr.com/tumblr_lwcm6kQUE51qfvrzvo1_1280.jpg

Kigurumi Street Fashion

Source: Photobucket

author
All That's Interesting
author
A New York-based publisher established in 2010, All That's Interesting brings together subject-level experts in history, true crime, and science to share stories that illuminate our world.
editor
Savannah Cox
editor
Savannah Cox holds a Master's in International Affairs from The New School as well as a PhD from the University of California, Berkeley, and now serves as an Assistant Professor at the University of Sheffield. Her work as a writer has also appeared on DNAinfo.