Nippon no fasshon: Matawa IN OUT

Listen, I'm not THAT fashionable, so all these posts about fashion I probably got helped by a friend. What's in, what's out? we've moved into winter but I myself like dressing for the other seasons in winter. Japanese fashion is really kawaii!!! Sometimes... But mixing and matching is cool too, stripes with polka dots, argyle with plaid (maybe not...), and other funky combinations. Here's a take of some Asian fashion.



Stripes blue tunic by Maymaylu Dreams


Purple Buttoned Fashion Jacket (that I now own!) by Maymaylu Dreams

Knit Sweater Dress by Maymaylu Dreams

Kawaii Smile tee with Bunny by Maymaylu Dreams from eBay seller 2sf-asia

Simply Love Tee with pink polka dotted jacket by Maymaylu Dreams

Save Up For The Future pink tunic by Maymaylu Dreams

Save Up For The Future navy tunic by Maymaylu Dreams

Kawaii Koneko Tunic by Maymaylu Dreams

Grey Giraffe Hoodie Tunic from eBay seller yellowshampoo

-Aya

Fasshon shashin to harou~īn

Recently I have been into fashion with my friend Firefly. It just so happens that I'm getting these items for my birthday on Nov 1st. And look at that, it's the 29th, so only 2 more days until my birthday.

This is the giraffe tunic sweatshirt, and it can be worn as a mini dress also! I'm wondering why Japanese so kawaii... oh yeah, it's Japanese! Haha, but you agree that it has a really cute giraffe print, right? It also has a really fuzzy and warm fur-lined hood. :)

This is the second part of my fashion spree on eBay, a purple Asian jacket for fall. Purlpe is one of my favorite colors, and I admire her cowgirl boots, guess I'll have to get some. I think the model here is pretty, but I'm guessing American models are prettier, and a lot of them are actually famous, I'd never want to be famous, that would be a last on my list, in fact it probably wouldn't even be on my list, you get hawked too much. I guess it would be fun to be a model though, you'd get to try on all these clothes from around the world+Japan!

Oh my gosh, a friend has recently told me that it's going to be Harou~īn in Amerika! I'm in Amerika for Harou~īn this year, so I guess I get to celebrate it with some of my friends, Firefly and Hotaru, I guess Chou too. i'm being the all-in-one famous Japanese character Rilakkuma! he's very kawaii, and my Otōsan keeps teeling me to finish it up, because I'm making it, but I keep telling him, I'll get there when I get there, and if I don't get finished, it will be my loss, not yours. Beatrice and Ivy tell me to say "hi" to everyone on here for them! (they're the vocal ones)

さようなら (Sayōnara)

-Aya

Dekora kyōki!

Kawaii!!!!!

Kawaii!!!!!

Yeah, that's right, I've been very much into Decora.

Kawaii means "cute" or "pretty". It has become a major aspect of Japanese culture, entertainment, food, clothing, toys, personal appearance and behavior. Kawaii fashion generally relates to someone wearing clothing that appears to be made for young children or clothes that accentuates the cuteness of the individual wearing the clothing. Ruffles and pastel or bright colors may be worn, and accessories often include oversize toys or bags featuring anime characters.
Decora also known as "Decoration" is a japanese style adopted mainly by young japanese girls. Decora consists of bright colors and hair clips with bows. Lots of layering and colorful accessories are used in Decora. The accessories include plastic and furry toys and jewelry, which stick together and make noise as the wearer moves.The style is sometimes mistakenly called "Fruits style" by people that are not from Japan.

Another Opinion:

The japanese style cult of decora is so sharply childlike and cute it's like biting into bubblegum and razor-flavoured ice cream that's been kept on the icy moon of Europa for a month. If you're not afraid to wear 16 bows in your hair and three pairs of socks at once, decora may be the style for you.
Tokyo. An over-crowded city, but full of lights and wonder: a clashing, vibrant mix of old and new. In its midst lies the infamous Harajuku shopping district, a Mecca for all things Japanese and a shopaholic's utopia. And in this tempestuous sea sail the Harajuku girls on ships of pure style chaos.
Gwen Stefani sang about their 'wicked style' there lies a certain air about these girls. Why do they choose to gather there? While most might reply with a simple "all my friends are here" or a typical "it's fun", Harajuku seems to be an informal catwalk for teens to showcase their style in their free time. Out of all the different styles Harajuku has to offer, from Gothic Lolita to Punk, Cosplay to Kawaii there is one style that could do with a heads-up: Decora.
The word 'decora' is simply a shortened version of 'decoration' and is mostly worn by young Japanese teens. It can often be mistaken as FRUiTS-Fashion to those outside Japan, but it's more about creating an aura of childlike playfulness or cuteness with layers, bright colors and kilos of jewelry. Popular items in Decora include Hello Kitty and Pokemon merchandise, bright plastic jewelry, coloured hair clips and bobbles and fuzzy boots. It's not about just throwing things together: A close look at some of the girls shows the huge degree of thought that's been put into their loud attire.

How to go Japanese Decora:

1. Layer. Layering is one of the most important elements in decora. Layering is everything. Don't be afraid to layer socks over tights or 3-4 different shirts together.
2. Don't look like a walking brand name. Decora is a childlike fashion and yes, Hello Kitty and Pokemon are adored, but try to add your own personal 'thing' to the clothes. Better yet, make your own.
3. Don't just suddenly decide you want to start wearing nothing but decora. Ease into it gradually.
4. Don't go out wearing decora if you don't have enough accessories or layers to suit your taste or else it'll look messy and incomplete.
5. Hair plays a huge role in decora. The most popular hairstyle is simple, cute pigtails. Accessorize with a few headbands and a truckload of hair clips. Bows are very popular in the decora world.
6. Don't hesitate to decorate yourself with plastic toys. This adds dimension to your decora outfit.
7. Cute body jewels and glitter are also good. Stick a few stars or a smiley face sticker under your eyes.
8. Don't wear a lot of makeup. This style is all about childlike playfulness and you can hardly expect to get that look with a tonne of makeup on.
9. Socks make up a huge part of the outfit. Feel free to embellish the tops with frills, ribbons, chains, charms... basically, whatever tickles your fancy.
10. Decora isn't all about wearing sky-scraping stilettos. Far from it! In every decora girl's wardrobe lie a few pairs of bright and cute sneakers and/or flats.
11. Pink is everything. It makes up most of a decora girl's chosen colour for the outfit. That doesn't mean you can't wear black, but if you do, then wear a lot of pink to compensate.
12. Virtual Pets are golden. Any respecting decora girl isn't complete without a virtual pet (think of a Nintendog or if you're on a tight budget, a Tamagotchi.)
13. And finally, be confident. Most people outside of Japan are unaware of your cool fashion sense and may mock you or want to take pictures! So smile and chiizu (say 'cheese')!

(and yes, get ready for some mean comments.)

Or just Harajuku Style:

Harajuku style originated among teens on the streets near Harajuku Station in Shibuya, Japan. It may have been brought to many people's attention by American singer Gwen Stefani, but the evolution of the style certainly didn't begin with her and it certainly won't end with her. Like many "street fashions" it is difficult to characterize, both because it is constantly changing and because it has many manifestations. There is no cookie-cutter approach to the style, but if you want to dress in Harajuku style, here are some guidelines to get you started.

Steps

1 Shopping in an eclectic Harajuku boutiqueMix and (mis)match different fashions. What is now known as Harajuku (like Halloween in Japan every Sunday) style started as teens in the district began to integrate traditional Japanese attire, especially kimonos and geta sandals, into their dress. Before, they wore primarily clothes that were influenced by the West, but by mixing the traditional with the modern, they created a new style. Other examples of mixing and matching including the punk look with the schoolgirl uniform or a goth look with designer clothes. In Harajuku, mixing different styles and mismatching colors and patterns is encouraged--you can do anything you want, as long as your outfit is a thoughtful expression of your individuality (see Tips).

2 Become familiar with variations of fashion in the Harajuku district. It's impossible to pinpoint one "Harajuku style." Many styles have originated or developed on the streets of Harajuku, and many Harajuku girls (and boys) integrate one or more of these somewhat more defined styles into their outfits.

Gothic Lolita involves wearing gothic, feminine and elegant clothes, to the extent that you look like a living Victorian doll.
Sweet Lolita is heavily influenced by the Rococo era more so than any of the other subcultures of Lolita. It focuses much more too on the child like aspects and uses light colours and child like fantasy themes. Alice in Wonderland, fruits, sweets and classic fairytales such as Little Red Riding Hood are recurrant themes in Sweet Lolita.

Japanese punks, inspired by the punk movement that began in London in the 70s, magnify rebelliousness with over-the-top clothes, accessories, makeup, and piercings.

Cosplay entails dressing up like your favorite cartoon/anime or computer game character.

Decora style favors bright colors, flamboyance and accessories from head to toe. You decorate yourself with plastic toys and jewelry, and it's not uncommon to have so many that you can hear them click together when the person moves.

Kawaii (literally translating from Japanese to "cute") places an emphasis on childlike playfulness--anime characters, ruffles, pastel colors, toys, and so on.
Wamono refers to mixing traditional Japanese attire with Western fashion.
3 Dress in layers. One of the hallmarks of Harajuku is layering. Sweaters, vests, or jackets over blouses over t-shirts, dresses worn with leggings, and so on. Layering clothes (or giving the appearance of layering by wearing ruffled dresses, for example) allows you to mix and match a wider variety of different styles, and adds more dimension to your outfit.
4 Customize your clothes. Secondhand clothing and do-it-yourself styles are popular ingredients in a Harajuku outfit. Like that flowered skirt but think it would look cuter with a ribbon pinned on it or with a more uneven, angular hemline? Get out the scissors and glue and make your store-bought clothes uniquely yours. Or, go even further and make your own skirt. Cutting the fabric to create bold angles and lines can make even a plain black dress appear remarkable and fun.
5 Accessorize. Add any wild accessories you have, such as belts, earrings, hair clips, jewelry, and handbags. Remember, accessories can be colorful and loud, and they don't have to match your clothes. Speaking of loud, in decora, a particular Harajuku style, accessories embellish an outfit from head to toe, and objects such as bells are sometimes used to add an aural dimension to the wardrobe.
6 Go wild with your hair and makeup. The Harajuku style doesn't have to stop with your clothes. Pigtails and other "cute" hairstyles are particularly popular, as is dying your hair. Creative, even theatrical makeup can be a fun addition.
7Wear whatever looks good to you. It's been said that the Harajuku style is not really a protest against mainstream fashion and commercialism (as punk was), but rather a way of dressing in whatever looks good to you. If you think mismatched rainbow and polka-dot leggings look good with a plaid dress, go for it!
8 Smile and say chiizu! If you dress Harajuku style outside of Harajuku, you'll likely draw attention from people unfamiliar with your international fashion sense. If the attention isn't positive, just smile graciously and keep going about your business. But if people ask questions or want to take pictures, strike a pose! The people in Harajuku are proud of their style, so you should be, too.
Tips
Many people mistakenly think that dressing Harajuku style is about just "throwing anything together." While the assembly of different styles and patterns might seem haphazard, it's important to put a lot of thought into your style. If you study how people dress in the Harajuku shopping district, you'll see that the intricate outfits are carefully chosen to convey a certain image that a random and thoughtless combination never could.

Harajuku style changes very quickly. Keep up with the evolution of the style by reading publications like FRUiTS and Style-Arena.These publications and others like them offer a wealth of pictures of Harajuku outfits and are updated weekly or monthly. If you want to dress in Harajuku style, looking at pictures is a good way to get inspired.
"Harajuku style" is also known as "FRUiTS fashion" to those who follow the magazine, but neither of these terms are commonly used by the Japanese who epitomize style when describing themselves.
Contrary to popular belief, Harajuku style is not just for the girls. While some variations of the style lend themselves more to females than to males (e.g. Gothic Lolita), many of the hallmarks of the style are gender-neutral. After all, it's about dressing in what looks good to you--why should girls have all the fun?

Warnings
Don't get carried away with brand loyalty. While it's OK to favor certain designer labels (especially since brand loyalty is big in Japan), Harajuku is about creating your own look, so if you appear just like the mannequins in the mall or the pictures in the catalog, you may be stylish, but you're not unique. Don't be afraid to mix that Calvin Klein dress with a used, torn and tattered pair of jeans and some combat boots.
Also, In many places Harujuku style is very uncommon, you can't just dress the part, you have to be the part. When walking down the street people will look at you. Hold your head high, be proud of what you are wearing or else you look like a poser.
Don't be worried what other people think of you. People might think your weird, Asian people might call you gaijin, but if you're happy, don't change for other people.

-Aya