III.+Modern+Fashion

MIKE'S SECTION!!!!!!!!

The modern beauty in Japan varies from the very plain kimono to the harajuku style, and is mostly influenced by high school girls. The kimono is the most traditional clothing in Japan, that both women and men wear. It is wrapped around the body, left over right, and tied with a sash. Women's kimonos can be very simple design, usually worn by the older women, to a very unique, silk design, usually worn during ceremonies. Men don't usually wear kimonos, but when they do it is usually for a special tradition. The most popular types of kimonos are made of cotton and are worn, mostly, at home, resorts, and ceremonies. Another Modern fashion is the Harajuku fashion, which is very "avant-garde"(Japanesefashion.net). The harajuku fashion started in the city of Harajuku around 1990, and has formed in other parts of Japan to, by most school girls. There is no one Harajuku style though, harajuku is a term used for the oddly dressed girls around the city of Harajuku. One type is Kawaii. Kawaii means cute or pretty and rebels against the older type of clothes, because the older women do not find it as cute or pretty. Other types of harajuku fashion are cyber-punk, gothic-loli, and cosplay. Modern trends and street fashion in Japan are extremely different from one another and some are very "avant-garde"(Japanesefashion.net)."According to experts from the global fashion world, the term 'street fashion' denotes the fashion wherein the wearer personally customizes the outfits in such a way as to adopt a blend of the current and traditional trends"(www.japanesefashion.net). Which means most street fashion and trends in Japan are costimized or personally made by the person. Another trend and street fashion is the traditional Japanese kimono. "In fact, one can trace the continuously changing Japanese street trends in the various issues of one of the leading fashion magazines in Japan - FRUiTS. This magazine is largely popular as it is considered as one of the prominent promoters of street fashion in Japan. Shoichi Aoki has made contributions to this publication since 1997"(www.japanesefashion.net). This magazine has also talks about the Western fashion in Japan now. Western fshion has become very popular in Japan ever since the 1960's and became street fashion in the 1990's. One western style of clothes is a black suite with a tie. "Most of the middle aged men work in companies, in which many require for them to wear a suit and tie. Also, Japanese ladies that work in offices, also known as OLs (Office Lady), wear suit-like outfits with the trousers replaced with a skirt, and often no tie"(www.asij.ac.jp). Another western style of clothing is a simple jeans, t-shirt, and sneakers, like what we wear in the United States, and in parts of Europe. Therefore not only do high school girls and the FRUiTS magazine influence the modern fashion in Japan, but Americans do too.