| What
is "kawaii?" Many westerners translate it as simply,
"cute." But it is much, much more. Kawaii is more then a
fashion statement - Kawaii is a lifestyle, and an attitude.
(Related article: Cute
is cool in Japan) When
you walk down the streets of Japan, especially in large cities as Tokyo
and Osaka, you see girls dressed in things westerners would never wear. Flamboyant colors and shoes so high you wonder how they can stand!
But to many of these girls it is the little things that make the biggest
difference.
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The
most kawaii things that a hip, self-respecting Harajuku or Shibuya
girl can get her hands on are the accessories.
Little cell phones (particularly with a
cell phone charm -
How
men and women shop differently for cell phones) fly off
the shelves - the littler the better. Even more kawaii
points if the accessories bear the face of Hello Kitty Purple Fairy - The symbol of all
things Japanese-cute. And although Japanese school girls are forced
to wear their uniforms to school, they have, of course, found ways to make
them cute. They accessorize with precise little bows at the collar, and
awesome loose socks that have to be glued into place. Combine this
with the cute little sailor uniforms and maybe a headband and pigtails,
and it's no wonder men in Japan often have desire for schoolgirls. |
 What
other accessories are popular in Japan?
Anything
Hello Kitty of course - From hair ties to cell phone straps to
key chains to lunchboxes.
Almost anything can be somehow transformed into a super-cute accessory,
even a handkerchief tied around the neck like a necklace. And
the latest cute product is a
laptop computer.
Bags
are of course popular in Japan - A 'gal' is got to have the right bag.
Preferably designer, duh. And really, anything else that can transformed
or considered into the realms of kawaii. In a culture where if you
blink you could miss a trend, it's important to stay on your toes.
And the trend is now popular not just among schoolgirls. Young
housewives have taken the kawai and combined it with erotic to come
up with the erokawa look -
cute, but sexy.
In
the past, "kogal" style was very popular. Dark faces, panda
makeup, and high platforms were all the rage. Even though many girls
still dress and look like that, a new style trend is emerging. This trend
is more adult, more refined. Hair is now light brown, not blond. It's all
about lower-heeled shoes and faded jeans. But "gal"
fashions are still selling strong, mostly because country-Japan girls are
just coming into Tokyo to buy up these past crazes.
So
what is kawaii? Do you know yet? It's not just how we dress, it's
how we are.
Recommended links:
Adventures of a
French girl in Japan Japanese
lingerie
Disney
lingerie
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