Archive for 'Fashion'
What Japanese Women Think About Their Bras (and other things too)
Posted on 27. Oct, 2008 by koichi.
Poll-related things should be left to our friends over at WhatJapanThinks, but I couldn’t help myself on this one. Uniqlo, a super-cheap clothing store chain, came out with this website, which is probably 80% about bras, but also throw in a few other questions as well. At the top-left of the screen there’s a question (also translated into English right underneath), and everywhere else is a cacophony Japanese women answering questions. You can even click on them to find out more, or see what someone has to say about the question being asked. (more…)
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Mini Post: Odd Personal Grooming Choices
Posted on 12. Jun, 2008 by Erin.
Japan is the home of quite a few Guinness World Records (the world’s longest concert being the most recent one I can remember), but now it’s got another under it’s belt: world’s longest eyebrow. Toshie Kawakami, the 57 year old president of a Tokyo food company, has an eyebrow hair which measured 17.2cm as of June 9th. She says that she normally keeps the hair tucked behind her ear, but let’s it down for special occasions*. She discovered the hair when it was a mere 7cm long (the world record at that time was 11.5cm) and decided to grow it out. Aside from an accident involving an overzealous hairdresser (who set her back 3cm), her path to the top was pretty clear, as the hair grew nearly a centimeter each month until she got Guinness authorization in January. Apparently, she’s trying for 20cm, next.
Source: Asahi
* I’m joking, of course
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Clothing Trends for Spring & Summer ‘08
Posted on 23. May, 2008 by Erin.
Now that we’re safely out of winter, it’s time to lighten up! Put away your fuzzy scarves and down-filled jackets and opt instead for floaty fabrics and bright colors. Below are a list of some of the more popular styles being featured in Japanese fashion magazines this season. Unfortunately, I don’t usually read men’s fashion magazines, so this article will be just for the girls. For any guys interested, though, definitely check out Tokyo Street Style, Street Peeper, and Trends in Japan for some real life, street fashion inspiration. With the introduction out of the way, let’s get started!
Colorful Denim
I know that the thought of buying hot pink jeans may be a little daunting at first, but trust me, colorful denim can work. The key is to make your jeans the focal point. This can be achieved by choosing a looser top (a tight top will make it look like you’re trying to hard) in a neutral hue (e.g. beige, white, black, or pastel). When shopping, keep in mind that you may have to try on jeans of many different colors/shades before you find the perfect pair.
Colored denim in a store near you: Wet Seal, Forever21 (1,2), and Levis
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Bag Lady Chic
Posted on 26. Nov, 2007 by Erin.
Lately, flipping through Japanese fashion magazines, I’ve noticed trend. It’s a kind of Allison Reynolds (from The Breakfast Club) look; the combination of a simple, feminine dress and a more practical, sporty thigh-length anorak. Often, there are tights and boots involved, too. Pick up any Japanese magazine that deals with clothes, and I guarantee you’ll see this outfit.
I quite enjoy this look. I feel like a lot of fashion is impractical for every day life, especially during the fall/winter months when pretty shoes can’t stand up to the rain or snow, and even the cutest outfits must be covered up by bulky hoodies or jackets anyway. So, I figure, if you’re going to dress like that, you might as well be more pulled together and deliberate about it, right? (more…)
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Nothing Scarier Than a Gaijin
Posted on 31. Oct, 2007 by Erin.
I know this is coming kind of late, but I sort of forgot to post this earlier D:
Apparently, somewhere in Nagoya, 外人さん (Mr. Foreigner) “costumes” consisting only of a nose and a pair of eyes are being sold. Not the most politically incorrect costume I’ve ever seen, but I thought it might be good for a chuckle (hopefully). Which makes me wonder, what do you perceive as the attitude Japanese people have toward foreigners? Here’s a little blurb from Wikipedia (the source of nearly all hastily gotten knowledge):
By global standards, Japan is highly homogenous ethnically. Thus, there are some issues which many non-Japanese find insensitive. The debate over these issues parallel the debate over political correctness in the West.
Anyway, you guys, have a good night, whatever you may be doing. We (the Tofugu team) probably won’t be doing much in the way of tricking or treating, so maybe we’ll finish up those other articles we’ve got waiting in the wings.
Source: merefflorescence
** 11/2 Edit: It’s not that Japanese don’t like foreigners. In my opinion, I would say that (generally speaking, of course) they merely find non-Japanese people to be intrinsically different from them. Not that foreigners aren’t human or anything, they’re just different. I think, perhaps, that it has something to do with the idea of uchi (内 or “inside”) and soto (外 or “outside”), too. Maybe we’ll explain this concept further in a different article, if anyone’s interested. Also, I feel that Japanese have a better sense of racial humor in general. They’re not too sensitive about that kind of thing. **
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Super Short Style Guidance Post
Posted on 30. Aug, 2007 by Erin.
Ever feel sad about the state of your closet? Like everything you try on is unoriginal and boring? That’s me right now. I’m in a rut (welcome to my pity party, haha).
To remedy that, I’ve started browsing fashion/shopping websites for shopping and dressing inspiration; below is the list of those websites. Though many of the stores don’t ship internationally, most of them have really good “Coordination/Cordi” tips in their item descriptions.
I hope this will be of use to some of you! I’ve neglected to do a fashion post recently, so this is my attempt to make up for that. Oh—this list has both men and women’s fashion sites, in case you were wondering . More boys have asked me about fashion on this site than girls, actually D: (more…)
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Hello Kitty: Emasculating Thai Police Since 1974*
Posted on 08. Aug, 2007 by Erin.
It seems the question was posed in the Crime Suppression Division in Bangkok recently: What better way to teach our law enforcement officials a lesson than through public humiliation? And, truly, what greater shame could be inflicted on a staunch, over-bearing asian man than to having to wear a hot-pink accessory depicting Hello Kitty, Ambassador of All Things Cute and Girly? It seems that when the Thai want to teach you a lesson, they really get you where it hurts. (more…)
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ウルトラローライズデニムビキニパンツ (Ho Pants)
Posted on 01. Jul, 2007 by Erin.
Hey ladies! Running out of ways to tell men “I’m available and easy”? Got a festering wound on your lower hip that needs to be aired out? Can’t think of a birthday gift for your great aunt Melba? Well, allow me to introduce you to the product of the unholy union of Brazil and Japan: Ultra Low-Rise Denim Bikini Pants (9,240 円, about $75)! Intrigued? Horrified? Bear with me. (more…)
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メイクアップ ヘアコンタクト (Make-up Hair Contacts)
Posted on 16. Jun, 2007 by Erin.
Seeing as this is my first “fashion” post, I figured I’d do something small and slightly amusing, just to get myself started.Thus, I bring you, メイクアップ ヘアコンタクト! Geeks and pretty-boys (I’m talking to you, Gackt) rejoice, for rugged now comes in a box.Basically, メイクアップ ヘアコンタクト are pieces of fake hair that you stick onto your face for instant cool. They come in little packages, perfectly groomed and sexy (see illustration).
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