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.

It looks like Uniqlo gathered a couple hundred women, and asked around 15 questions, which they answered on video (click on one of them to see your response). On the bottom left, there are a few options that let you narrow things down. Things like age, body type, bra size, and height are all options.

In the bottom right, there is the option to change things to “English.” It doesn’t change what the people are saying, but it does provide subtitles for you, as well as changes some other things to English as well.

Perhaps the most interesting part is the ability to click on people as they fly by, to see their response to a particular question. Although questions seem to change randomly, you can usually get a few clicks in before it changes to something else. There aren’t a ton of questions, so it’s pretty easy to loop around, and the feature that lets you narrow people down makes it more manageable (you’ll see what I mean when you visit the site).

Want to check out this page of pure graphical data? Click here (and yes, it is completely safe for work…suspiciously safe.)

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

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

Vests

Let’s face it, vests aren’t really functional on their own; they’re more of an accessory than an actual piece of clothing. Still, I love vests because they really finish an outfit, adding a bit of interest to an otherwise basic tank-top-and-jean outfit or giving a chiffon dress (see next section) a more grounded, edgy feel. There really aren’t too many rules when looking for vests, other than to keep proportions (i.e. the relative lengths of everything you’re wearing) in mind.

Vests at a store near you: JCPenney, Forever21, Target

Chiffon

Girly and romantic, chiffon is all over Japanese fashion magazines right now. It’s no wonder, either, since the fabric is pretty light-weight and perfect for the warmer months. The trend of dark chiffon with small floral prints has carried over from winter, though colorful pieces are also very popular. Because chiffon shirts and dresses are generally quite voluminous, make sure to balance them out with something more form-fitting, such as a tighter t-shirt, skinny jeans, a vest, etc.

Chiffon at a store near you: Forever21, Macy’s, Charlotte Russe

Black & Navy Blazers

Although the weather may not call for gloves and wool coats, some summer days can be unexpectedly cool, which is why everyone should have at least one great-fitting blazer waiting in their closet this season. They’re super versatile and look great with everything. When shopping, look for blazers with elbow-length sleeves and hems that hit at the hip or slightly above (go shorter if you’re petite, longer if you’re tall), to avoid looking too business-like.

Blazers at a store near you: Topshop, Target, Old Navy

Neon Windbreakers

Speaking of outerwear, another good transitional piece for the coming months is a brightly colored light jacket. Wear them with shorts or skirts, for a not-so-conventional sporty look. If you’re not up for wearing electric yellow or lime green, try a jewel tone (e.g. ruby or sapphire), instead.

Neon windbreakers in a store near you: American Apparel, Forever21, Macy’s (1,2)

Fringe Boots

I’ll be honest with you–I don’t understand this trend at all. I guess I just can’t wrap my head around the “Prairie Chic” look. These boots are very popular with Japanese girls, though, as well as with a few Hollywood starlets. Even my roommate, Etsuko, has a pair. Anyway, I’ve mostly seen these boots worn with dresses and skirts, with tights/long socks or without. Try them if you dare.

Fringe boots at a store near you: Delias, Urban Outfitters, Zappos

That’s all for now, folks. I hope this article gave you some good ideas!

Picture Sources: Jille, Non-no, Spring, Soup, Ar, PS, Zipper, Mina

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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?

The trick is to not choose jackets that are too quilted or puffy, or you won’t achieve that perfect edgy-dainty balance. Long dresses (below the knee or the hem of your jacket, whichever comes first) are also a no-no, as they’ll make you look a little too convincingly crazy/homeless.

If you want to be warmer side, you can add layers under the dress (which should be loose and floaty anyway), a scarf, thick tights, socks, and knee-high boots. If you’re lucky enough to live somewhere where the temperatures don’t drop quite as low, you can just pair the dress and coat with flats and head off to school, the mall, the park, etc. See? Both fun and functional.

Picture Sources: Seventeen, Vivi, Soup, Minna, and Pinky magazines

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. **

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:

Street Style Websites:

Fashion Snap 1000 (Japanese; men and women)
Japanese Street Fashion (Japanese; men and women)
Tokyo Neo Style (Japanese; men and women)
Trends in Japan | Fashion (Japanese, men and women)
Street Peeper (International, men and women)

Online Shops:

YesStyle (Korean/Japanese/European brands; men’s and women’s clothing)
Sibuya (Korean and Japanese brands; many unisex t-shirts)
Asia Jam (Asian-style clothing; women’s clothing only)
VintageHwan (Korean brand; men’s clothing only)

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.

Starting this month, police officers guilty of minor offenses (such as littering, being late to work, or parking in an off-limits area) will be forced to wear Hello Kitty armbands for a day. Sadly, while wearing the armbands they will not be made to go out in public, instead they will be confined to their division office for time-out.

The goal of all this, of course, is to ensure the officers feel suitably ashamed of their actions to not repeat them again. “[Hello] Kitty is a cute icon for young girls,” says the policy’s mastermind, Pongpat Chayaphan, “it’s not something macho police officers want covering their biceps.” Well done, sir, well done.

Apparently, they tried this trick earlier, but instead of the armbands being pink, they were in a sort of manly plaid. They didn’t work, though, as the police officers they were issued to took them home as keepsakes (which boggles my mind). Only one of the original ten given out was returned afterward. That’s when the Crime Suppression Division decided to bring out the big guns, I suppose. Maybe they figured, If it worked for Darth Vader, it can work for us. Sound logic, if you ask me.

Source (and photo): CNN and The New York Times

* Not really. Pretty much just since this month.

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.

These jeans aren’t held up with buttons or belts, but with two little strings and maybe some double-sided tape. The “bikini” portion stops just short of your woman (or man, if you’re extra-daring) parts, exposing a good third of your ass. What this means is that no real underwear can be worn with these pants… but if you’re the kind who would buy these, chances are good that you don’t wear underwear in the first place. Also, notice the zipper. It’s not in the front, as that would make too much sense, but on the side, allowing for an extra couple inches of visible skin.

Sadly, there are no pockets in these jeans, but no worries! Stuff a wad of cash in your bra and stick your car keys down next to your crotch–you’ll be good to go because you’re just that classy.

Is my absolute hatred of these jeans apparent yet?

Hopefully my sarcasm is as overtly blunt as I think it is, because honestly, Ultra Low-Rise Denim Bikini Pants are an affront to all woman-kind. If I saw a woman walking around in these I would punch her in the ovaries (which would be, conveniently, visible).

Picture Source: Sanna’s Brazil Fashion

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).

See how sad Before Man is? See how weak and pale he looks? But slap on a little くちヒゲ, くち下ヒゲ, and あごヒゲ, and BOOM! After Man is born, tan, complex, and utterly hot. (Never mind that Before Man has stubble that exactly mirrors After Man’s メイクアップ ヘアコンタクト.)

Now, I know that some of you will not see the need for this product, but please understand this: most asian men are not capable of growing nice mustaches, beards, or little triangle-shaped patches of under-lip hair. I don’t know why this is, but trust me, asian facial hair is a generally uncontrollable, scraggly creature. Pai Mei’s silky white locks are the only exception to this that comes to mind.

Maybe not-so-surprisingly, メイクアップ ヘアコンタクト is manufactured by Propia, the same company that makes regular ヘアコンタクト, which are longer pieces of sticky hair sold in small bunches to bald men. They look fairly realistic, too, as you can see from this blogger’s horrifying illustration: