My thoughts on gyaru style, beauty and fashion in general.

I came across gyaru style by accident. I had started listening to Koda Kumi and Utada Hikaru and I gradually fell in love with Japanese culture. So, with the whole world before me behind a screen, I started to know more about Japan.

I had always been interested in fashion but with a perspective that I think most people don't have: I believe fashion is a way of expressing yourself ; like when you wear a band t-shirt, you're trying to make a statement about how much you like that band. At that level. Reflecting a piece of the inside, into the outside. But everyone I know sees fashion as: either some trend you must follow or be lame, or some trend you must not follow, because that shows banality and lack of personality.

Now THIS is some original thing no one's ever worn before!
{Don't get me wrong, I like the Ramones, and I like punk-rock. This is just an example of what those very-original not-trend-follower people wear}

Anyways, I don't know when or how, I saw gyaru (from the English word "gal") for the first time. And I loved it. Not (only) because I like aesthetics, in general – I will explain myself better later, maybe in another post- but because of the concept of Japanese fashion itself. Maybe it's only my interpretation, but I think most Japanese styles started as a way of rebelliousness, showing individuality and an alternative to boring trends, in search of creating something different.

Examples of Japanese fashion, some of which were the dawn of gyaru style as it is today:

A fictional example of a member of a "Speed Tribe", women bikers.
[This picture is from the movie Shimotsuma Monogatari, the actress is Anna Tsuchiya. This is the best picture my limited Japanese and google skills allowed me to find. Sorry.]

Kogal (from Japanese kodomo: child)

Buriteri in Gonguro style. Yes, I know, crazy as f*ck! But started for the sake of originality.

[I know this pictures and the origins of gyaru style in general deserve a better explanation and further development. But I just wanted to give a general idea so that I don't drift away from the topic.]

Gyaru nowadays:

For those of you who don't know the staple elements of gyaru style are: contact lens (or circle lens), dyed hair, false eyelashes, tons of make-up, hair extensions (and wigs if necessary), and brand clothes.

One of the most popular gyaru models, Tsubasa Masuwaka. Here you can get a general idea of the whole gyaru look.

 Leaving brand clothes aside, the style gives a certain taste of... false. I mean, those girls add way to many false things to their bodies, right? The resulting look is dolly-like, innocent-looking, and false. And those are the main criticisms on gyaru style (or at least the ones I've read about)

Well, let me reply to some of these points:

*The way they "sexualize" innocence: This is a complicated issue, because it feels like a misuse of semantics. Most girls who work as gyaru models are way into their twenties. Yes, they do appear younger, way too cute-faced and innocent. But is that really sexualizing innocence? I think sexualizing innocence is the exact opposite: letting twelve-year-old girls wear make-up and revealing clothes, making them look older and letting them act like grown-ups (and don't even get me started on the suggestive pictures they upload to Facebook). How is that not perverted? It happens all the time in western society. I'm not saying whatever is happening in Japan is completely excusable. I'm just asking if we are in the position to cast the first stone.

Tsubasa (again). Though cute and innocent-looking was born in 1985 and is a married mom. Or maybe she's already divorced, Google won't tell me... anyway, you get the point: she's not a "sexualized little girl".

*They look so fake! That is so wrong!: Why? In my opinion there is nothing more fair ever created in the name of self-esteem than make-up: it gives a chance to any woman to feel attractive, even if it washes away with water and cleansing creams. Why should women be denied that right?

Besides, it's not like they're ashamed of being seen without make-up.  Many gyaru models appear wearing no make-up in magazines tutorials and even upload "selfies" to their blogs.

 "But, it's giving a false image, like tricking people into believing you're something you're really not" I know exactly who and what I am, and the people around me should only care about that; aren't we supposed to care about inner beauty? Isn't that what we want to teach our kids? And if a guy fell for me just because of that, then he's an a**hole and I don't want him in my life anyway. I'm eventually going to get fat and wrinkled, is he supposed to discard me then?

I don't "practice" gyaru style per se, but I do like to wear contact lens, false lashes and make-up; let's say I borrow some elements from it and tone them down a bit. 

Sayoko Ozaki. My personal favorite, in onee gyaru, a more grown-up and less flamboyant version of gyaru

Still, I read many blogs of girls who do follow the style, who are not from Japan (they're called "gaijin gyaru": foreign gyaru), and they have to put up with the things I have previously mentioned. That is the reason why I decided to make this post, mostly to give those girls an argument when confronted with the load of crap people give them.

And that's the abrupt end of this post (I suck at closures).

If you are interested in Japanese fashion I suggest the book "Japanese Schoolgirl Inferno" by Patrick Macias and Izumi Evers. It goes through the recent history of fashion in Japan and the authors are way more skilled than me at describing Japanese trends.

Also, my personal favorite movies on the subject (which I really liked, and obviously suggest watching): 

* Shimotsuma Monogatari (a.k.a.: Kamikaze Girls. Careful with that title, though, it will probably lead to... porn)
* Nana
* Bounce Ko Gals

Thanks for reading!