Modern Japanese Clothing Styles

Tokyo, as the largest city in the world, serves as home to countless fashion trends, from casual to trendy. Many such trends are timeless, and are seen for years after their inception, both in Japan and beyond.

Gyaru (“gal” in Japanese) are casual trends typically for women in their early 20s. These styles consist of brightly colored clothing, which often contrast with dark skin from fake tanning products, and bleached hair. Occasionally, gothic-style dresses are part of Gyaru trends, as is heavy makeup and hair extensions.

Onee Kei is a female version of a male style, Onii Kei. These customs incorporate both American and Italian casual styles. Onee Kei--a highly accessorized style that began in the 1990s and originates in the Gyaru style--incorporates more adult-looking dresses. This style also often projects an overall military-style appearance.

Lolita style incorporates 19th century Victorian and Edwardian dress, which is closely related to the look of porcelain dolls, including bonnets, ribbons and lace.

Decora, short for “decoration," is a fashion for street wear that calls for a maximum amount of brightly colored clothing. This is also a highly accessorized style, including feather boas, plastic jewelry and multiple layers of socks.

Japanese Streetwear is a general term, but such clothing articles are often taken from Japanese hip-hop culture designs. This style includes military-fashion jackets, high-end branded sneakers and printed t-shirts.

In Tokyo, bustling Japanese neighborhoods have each offered distinct creative flavors for fashion, which often serve as a gauge for trends to be adopted in other parts of the world. It might be said that global fashion, in many cases, takes its inspiration from modern Japanese clothing styles.