I was scrolling endlessly through Ragtag's online store and spotted a jacket perfect for the autumn. Being a conservative shopper, I hesitated, looking at other clothes to buy more time. When I clicked checkout five minutes later, the jacket's photo had faded to gray - sold out. Nooo. I texted my husband, "I'm a little depressed bc this jacket sold out right before I was able to check out online. It's not easy to find clothes I like this much here." The story ends happily: an hour later, I went to look at the jacket's photo one last time. Lo and behold, it was back in stock. I bought it immediately. Such is the emotional rollercoaster of online shopping. I don't do it often.
I am a mismatch for Japanese fashion. Still, I can find nice basics at Uniqlo. When I want something a little different, something special, I go to Ragtag. Ragtag is a large consignment store. It has a more eclectic collection of clothes, shoes, and accessories than any one retail store. Since everything is used, prices are a fraction of the original. Clothing sales here are neither as ubiquitous nor as steep as they are in America. Moreover, used goods are usually in great, and sometimes impeccable, condition. People really respect and care for their belongings here (Marie Kondo kind of encapsulates this spirit). If you visit Japan, thrift stores and consignment shops are great places to find unique gifts and souvenirs.
The Everyday Look
This section is about mainstream styles I see on the streets everyday. Barring nuances, I would generally describe it as loose, boxy, and layered. Even in the summer, you will see a tunic shirt layered over loose pants, or a loose vest layered over a long-sleeved shirt. Here are some common looks.
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| Uniqlo |
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| Gu |
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| Uniqlo |
I suppose it is a variation on the international trend of loose clothes, such as straight legged and barrel legged jeans.
Ultra-feminine clothing is very popular, especially among young women, though I would say that women's clothing of all ages are distinctly feminine. You can see lots of pleats, pastels, bows, puffs, and lace (not black lace, more like powdery blue or white lace). This is the kawaii aesthetic: cute, feminine, and even child-like. Reina Triendl is a popular TV personality who epitomizes the kawaii aesthetic. When I first saw her, I thought she could pass for a high school student. In reality, she is 30 years old.
You will also notice that female newscasters tend to wear more flowing dresses and fewer power pants.
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| Not the greatest example, but you get the gist. |
Makeup
The natural no-makeup look is totally not a thing in Japan. This is interesting, because traditional Japanese aesthetics pivots on the notion of appreciating imperfection. This is called wabi-sabi. It is rooted in Buddhism, which honors the transience and imperfection of nature. Think of traditional Japanese pottery or a zen garden.
I don't think wabi-sabi extends to facial beauty. Japanese women wear makeup almost universally, and the makeup is meant to conceal all perceived imperfections. Most Japanese makeup tutorials have you shadowing your face to make your nose look longer, narrower, and higher. Some show you how to use eyeliner to create the illusion of an extra fold in your eyelid.
Ultimately, I think, makeup is less a means of individual expression or creativity and more about looking put together and beautiful (by standards determined by the collective society). Both the skincare and beauty industries in Japan are mega.
Hair
Similarly, the natural tousled hair won't garner much appreciation. Everyone is perfectly coiffed. Some hairstyles are meant to look perfect while others are a bit more creative. No matter the hairstyle, you can tell that it was intentional. It is the apparent intentionality that is appreciated. This is very interesting to me, because I am more familiar with cultures that celebrate effortless beauty. On the contrary, in Japan, the time and effort you spend to make yourself presentable is a marker of respect for the people around you. So it's not a bad thing to look like you have tried hard to look good.
On that note, it must not come as a surprise that athleisure is not popular in Japan. I am totally ok with this, because I only wear exercise clothes when I am exercising. However, my hair and makeup are giveaways that I am probably not Japanese.
These are just the most common styles I see. I wish I had the nerve to take photos of people wearing interesting things on the street to show you! If you are still curious, you can visit these Youtube channels to get a better idea:
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