#fashioning japanese subcultures

[nuzzle]

i updated and rearranged my lolita physical media collection as i was recently able to complete two sets: my english "gothic & lolita bibles" at the top (still a long way to go for the japanese volumes you see sandwiched in between) and my "gothic lolita & punk brand books" at the bottom! for brand catalogs that are a bit too flimsy without a solid spine, loose pages, flyers, prints, postcards and such; i added in a file folder to give them a little extra protection.

it looks a little strange stacked vertically, but this temporary setup until i move was the solution i found after some trial and error. the classic horizontal "bookcase" presentation of the magazines was far too much weight and pressure for my unstable shelves and caused an extremely loud and heavy avalanche. thankfully i survived with just a bruise, but more importantly.. none of my books were too hurt! reorganizing them all over again from the beginning after the fact was a bit tedious, though.

i'm especially looking forward to reading the three acquisitions pictured above given that finding english lolita media has proven quite difficult.

[eimimay]

Tenshi Maid Nurse Miku!~🩵🪽

[spookygall]

☆ gyaru inspo ☆

[tokyo-fashion]

"Dragon Skin" Heeled Boots by Malicious X Japan

New boot created by Malicious X, a Japanese subculture fashion brand founded by a female Japanese movie special effects artist turned designer. We first met the designer when we spotted her carrying one of her early handmade eyeball bags on the street in Harajuku. The evolution of her brand has been amazing. Malicious X on Instagram

[gyaru-fashi0n]

[mintjeru]

jersey maids 🎀💕

open for better quality | no reposts

[frillycatlady]

My love for frilly dresses shall triumph even the most brutal European summer heat! ☀️ Of course, we were only outside for maybe 5 minutes for some snaps, before retreating into the cool haven of Bentley’s for afternoon tea.

Shoutout to my friend for loaning me the gorgeous BTSSB Vellsarie Folding Umbrella – which I used to own but sold it when I was on the brink of leaving the hobby. I rarely regret my declutters, but this is one of my greatest regrets 😭 My dress is Rose Bouquet Stripe Chiffon OP by Victorian Maiden, one of my oldest EGL pieces that I bought from Black Alice before overseas online shopping was a thing! I’m glad it survived my various “feel like leaving this hobby” purges.

Inside Bentley’s, we indulged in a feast of savory sandwiches, delicate pastries, and perfectly fluffy scones with clotted cream. The smoked salmon sandwich was divine, and the crab was incredibly fresh and generous. The lemon curd and raspberry mousse were a perfect balance of tart and sweet, and the brandy surprise in the chocolate mousse was chef’s kiss.

[lolita-fashi0n]

Red lolita dresses 🍒

[mearii9]

[pienhime]

yall i just saw this reel of a chinese menhera girl who wears a lot of the fashion elements yeah

it got to the wrong side of instagram

and now its all "i like yamikawaii but this feels like appropriating sick peoples struggles" "uhm guys she doesnt speak for us, this gives menheras a bad look we dont think its okay to pretend to have something you dont!!!" "u can wear yamikawaii but why do u wanna act sick so bad and steal resources"

reader, what do u think it was that set her apart from westerners perceptions of menhera that warrants accusations of trying to fake illnesses and stealing things and giving menhera a bad name?? was she drawing on fake sh scars and passing them off as real? was she spreading misinfo ab real illnesses? was she obviously faking a seizure or tic or smth?

no. reader. she was wearing one of those DIY menhera accessories that look like medical gas masks. with ribbons and studs and shit. wasnt even trying to pass it off as real, not even remotely. and its been one of the most popular accessories/DIY decor trends for like 15 years in menhera.

and the western "menheras" think thats problematic. that its problematic to have accessories and clothes that resemble medical equipment... in menhera. yknow. the subculture that pioneered a fashion meant to challenge/parody the "but... you dont LOOK sick" bullshit and to vent/express urself as an ill person via medical iconography and vent art.

westerners discovering japanese art movements was a mistake i cant wait for teens to grow out of their weeb phases and leave actual members of the subcultures alone stop tiktokifying ur brains

[pinkinsect]

they should let me cite my tumblr mutuals on academic papers

[rainydayzxd]

「ABT ME」

Name: Rainy/tako

I LOVE MAKING FRIENDS LIKE SO SO MUCH GUYS DM ME I BEG YOU just please inform if you wanna be my friend and send an ask first ! :3

except for wierd pedos or smth ILL KNOW

age : 13!!!!! MINOR

pronouns: she/her

Gender: abrosexual, genderfluid and bisexual

 Mental stability: silly/lunatic/childhood dystopia/mentally unstable/suicidal/intense feeling of being abandoned /mind dysphoria/ likely have autism but too lazy to be tested + still have symptoms

Music:TV girl💙🩷 indie stuff, jack stauber,KoRn, slipknot, eyedress, Alex g, the strokes, WEEZER

Interests:MOUTHWASHING!!!!!! mlp , invader zim, Roblox, Fnaf, horror games, backrooms, comics, arcane, anime, gumball, inside job, Rick and Morty, dr stone, saiki k, umbrella academy, regular show

Styles: alt, grunge, punk, goblincore, wierdcore, dreamcore, 2000s, y2k, scene,emo, cutecore, cutegore, lolita, sweet lolita, goth lolita, goth, harajuku, decora, lamp girl, casual, gyaru,etc…

The rest is if ya wanna be my friend !

I am pretty creative and chaotic !

I tend to give nicknames like babe or honey to my close friends :3

I tend to apologise after a fun discussion :/

I love making friends and some of my friends here are closer to me than my irl friends !

hope you have fun on my blog !

[mediqalward]

dark menhera is so <333

[madscientistsite]

Portrait of Reiji (OC)

I finally remembered my boy today and I'm getting back into drawing him o7

[gyaru-fashi0n]

Aina Tanaka💕

[jessi-fressita]

---*.°⁠⊰⁠⊹.Gyaru: origins and basics*.°⁠⊰⁠⊹ฺ----

By:Jessi_fressita

hai :3 this little post is to learn about the origins of gyaru and what the basics used to be. I'll soon make the posts about the styles, detailing what each one consists of. enjoy! ↓

Gyaru emerged in the 1980s as bold young women who defied Japan’s traditional beauty standards. Inspired by Western fashion, they began dyeing their hair and wearing striking makeup, challenging conventional aesthetic ideals. Over time, Gyaru transformed from a simple urban trend into a solid subculture with its own unique identity, encompassing both aesthetics and lifestyle.

Although it faced a decline, its recent revival, fueled by social media and the rise of alternative fashion and subcultures during the pandemic due to excess free time, has reignited interest, attracting both new followers and veteran members who have embraced the movement once again. Gyaru is the most commonly used term but "Gyal" and "Gal" are also valid, all of them meaning: girl/girls.

There used to be different ways to classify gyaru: Age, skin tone and way of dressing. ‧̍̊·̊‧̥°̩̥˚̩̩̥͙°̩̥‧̥·̊‧̍̊ ♡ °̩̥˚̩̩̥͙°̩̥ ·͙*̩̩͙˚̩̥̩̥*̩̩̥͙·̩̩̥͙*̩̩̥͙˚̩̥̩̥*̩̩͙‧͙ °̩̥˚̩̩̥͙°̩̥ ♡ ‧̍̊·̊‧̥°̩̥˚̩̩̥͙°̩̥‧̥·̊‧̍̊

Age

Ko-Gyaru (School Girl Gyaru): Originally, this term referred to girls still attending school who embraced the gyaru style. Over time, as kogyaru became known for their unique twist on school uniforms, the term expanded to include any gyaru dressed in this fashion.

SutoGyaru (Forever Gyaru): This described adult women or school graduates who continued following the gyaru style. Over time, the term "Suto-Gyaru" fell out of use.

Skin tone

Ganjiro or Shirogyaru: The term "Ganjiro" translates to "white face" or "bare face" and was used to describe girls who either could not or chose not to tan their skin in solariums, maintaining their natural tone. Their style was simple, with less exaggerated clothing and makeup. Today, the term "Shirogyaru" (where "Shiro" 白 means "white") is more common. It refers to gyaru who wear simpler makeup and clothing. Notably, this term was also used in the past, but "Ganjiro" was more popular at the time.

Ganguro: This term derives from "gan" (顔), meaning "face," and "kuro" (黒), meaning "black." It described girls who frequently visited tanning salons, achieving a deep tan but not to an extreme level. Ganguro style is marked by intense tans, blonde or bleached hair, white makeup on the eyes and lips, and bold, sensual outfits that were unconventional at the time. Kuro Gyaru: The word "kuro" (黒) translates to "black" in Japanese. Previously, this term referred to a gyaru fashion style characterized by a darker, bolder appearance compared to other gyaru styles.

Manba/Yamanba: Today, it contrasts with "Shirogyaru," describing girls who aim for deeply tanned skin, vibrant clothing, striking hairstyles, and dramatic makeup. These gyaru often enhance their look with white eye makeup, darker foundation, stickers, white lips, and brightly colored hair adorned with floral accessories.

‧̍̊·̊‧̥°̩̥˚̩̩̥͙°̩̥‧̥·̊‧̍̊ ♡ °̩̥˚̩̩̥͙°̩̥ ·͙*̩̩͙˚̩̥̩̥*̩̩̥͙·̩̩̥͙*̩̩̥͙˚̩̥̩̥*̩̩͙‧͙ °̩̥˚̩̩̥͙°̩̥ ♡ ‧̍̊·̊‧̥°̩̥˚̩̩̥͙°̩̥‧̥·̊‧̍̊

The next post will be about gyaru styles and what each one consists of.