Japanese clothing style. Japanese traditional clothing in modern fashion

Mysterious Japan has made its contribution to world fashion

Designers in every fashion season never ignore folk motifs, creating truly bright and original images. The East occupies a special place in this niche, as it has always attracted Europeans with its special philosophy. Simplicity, sophistication, bold contrasts and mystery are closely intertwined in it. Japan is one of the brightest and most original representatives of the mysterious East. The Japanese, like no one else, honor their centuries-old traditions and culture. Each fashion designer, creating his collections, interprets the Japanese style and its philosophy in his own way, but every wardrobe item, whether it is a Japanese-style coat, dress or skirt, invariably becomes a hit of the fashion season.

Features of Japanese style

Images that emphasize the bright and sunny Japanese style are gaining more and more relevance. But in order to convey the mood of the style as realistically as possible, you need to know a few rules:

• Croy. As a rule, Japanese clothing has a special cut and interesting features, such as a one-piece sleeve, a stand-up collar, a row of small bead buttons as a clasp, and a straight and clear silhouette.
• Fabrics. Traditionally, Japanese style gravitates towards expensive natural fabrics with a smooth and shiny texture. Especially popular materials are satin, silk, chiffon.
  
• Layering. It is believed that it is the country of the Rising Sun that world fashion owes to the creation of interesting multi-layer ensembles of clothing.
  "Layered" Japanese style suit
• Bold color scheme. The palette prevails juicy, one might say, optimistic. The Japanese especially love red, pink and blue.
  Bright kimonos look especially impressive.
• Decor. Japanese-style clothing is decorated with hand-embroidered floral prints, and images of fantasy animals such as the Japanese dragon are popular. Tassels and gold trim are often used.
  
• Floral prints. The Japanese garden is extraordinarily beautiful. Undoubtedly, sakura is the most symbolic plant, but there are many other flowers that are sincerely loved by the Japanese and whose images are also used as fashion prints. By the way, the national idea is such that each flower carries its own message. For example, a peony symbolizes love, a lotus symbolizes pristine purity and purity, an iris symbolizes new life.
  Variety of floral prints

Despite the layering, the bold combination of the incongruous, the riot of colors and the abundance of decor, the Japanese style is always original and harmonious. Each element of the wardrobe has its own characteristics, which you need to know about in order to learn how to combine things correctly and create unique and vivid images.

Dresses

Dresses are the most elegant item in the Japanese wardrobe. Traditionally, dresses have a look. This is a unique outfit with a thousand-year history, but not losing its relevance in the modern world.

This dress has the main feature - versatility. Depending on the fabric, decor, colors, the outfit has a seductive and chiseled silhouette, suitable both as an everyday outfit and as an elegant evening dress. All dresses embodying the Japanese style are not only invariably elegant, mysterious, but also always comfortable. The most relevant fabrics are silk, chiffon, satin, colors - juicy shades of red, turquoise, soft pastel colors, contrasting combinations of black and white.

Original kimono dress

Creating a dress in Japanese style, designers use a combination of juiciness, conciseness, elegance and tenderness. Today it is fashionable to arrange themed celebrations, especially weddings. Japanese wedding dress perfectly combines originality, modesty and elegance. Delicate embroidery in the form of sakura will add subtle tenderness to the outfit.

shirts

The national clothes of any people on planet Earth have never been complete without a shirt. Japan is no exception, rather the opposite. Classic Japanese-style shirts are a wardrobe staple that is still popular today. It's all about the unusual cut, abundance of decor and bold contrasting colors. Usually shirts have a blind stand-up collar and are fastened with a frequent row of small buttons. Moreover, female and male models are somewhat similar in cut.

The next distinguishing feature of the shirt is a bright decor. Traditionally, national clothes in Japan were embroidered by hand, this technique is still popular today. Women's shirts, as usual, are decorated with embroidery in the form of sakura - a symbol of youth, beauty and spring. The chrysanthemum is the national symbol of Japan and is actively used in decorating clothes.

Japanese style shoes and accessories

Traditionally, Japanese style is complemented by the right shoes. As you know, the national shoes of elegant Japanese women are geta or. Today, in the land of the Rising Sun, few women wear it, except perhaps on holidays.

It takes some skill to wear a geta.

To complete the modern look, you can use ballet flats, sandals and even sneakers. The main accessory in Japan, both for men and women, is a wide fabric belt, generously embroidered by hand.

It has long been believed that a belted person personifies composure and concentration, it was allowed to walk without a belt only during rest. Today, the belt is an exquisite accessory in the Japanese image, emphasizing a slender waist, tenderness and sophistication. All sorts of flowers made of satin fabric are used as head decorations, which are still popular today. They can decorate your hair or use as a brooch.

Thanks to fashionable images created with love by designers, Japanese style today is not only origami, sakura or fearless samurai, it is also bright and original clothes in an absolutely unique and unusual style for Europeans.

The use of various details of national costumes has long been a successful tradition of creating new clothing collections. Ethnic motifs provide unlimited scope for creative thought for fashion designers. The Japanese style of clothing is considered the most unusual and mysterious phenomenon in the modern fashion industry. The Land of the Rising Sun has brought many new and unusual colors to world fashion. Let's take a closer look at the characteristic features of style and the possibilities of design interpretations.

A brief excursion into the history of the costume

The deep penetration of Western culture affected all spheres of Japanese life. Fashion has not remained unaffected either. In Japanese, the word "kimono" used to mean any kind of clothing. In the minds of a European person, this concept is associated with national clothes. Therefore, in modern Japanese, a double interpretation of the word is adopted.

In ancient times, the rocky islands were inhabited by barbarians. Their way of life and cultural norms were formed under the influence of Chinese traditions. The Hanfu national dress was like a long robe with a deep wrap. She became the progenitor of the kimono.

Under the influence of time, various changes and evolutionary transformations took place in clothing. The length of the kimono, the width of the sleeves, the texture of the fabric, the plot of the picture changed. By the beginning of the 20th century, the traditional outfit acquired its final form, which has survived to this day. At the same time, more and more European ideas began to penetrate into Japanese fashion. From now on, every woman had the right to wear clothes that she liked, and were not dictated by folk traditions or public opinion.

Kimono XXI century

Over time, the length of the outfits decreased, the sleeves narrowed. In general, the clothing of the Japanese was simplified and became more comfortable. The modern interpretation of the national attire is a spacious blouse with a V-shaped neckline and a wide black ribbon tied under the chest. Traditionally, red fabrics with a floral pattern are chosen, although fashion designers create many other color combinations.

In addition to the characteristic dressing gown, the Japanese style of clothing for girls provides for a number of attributes:

• blouses - a spacious cut and wide sleeves;
• hakami - skirt-pants with wide legs;
• obi belt - a satin ribbon that women tie under their breasts in the form of a lush bow, and men with a simple knot;
• zori - sandals with a jumper between the fingers, made of leather, textile or straw;
• geta - shoes on a high wooden platform;
• tabi - socks with a thumb knitted separately.

The color palette consists mainly of contrasting tones of black, white, red. Small accessories are also important: a printed fan, trim with golden braid, tassels, hairpins or hair hoops, large bracelets, earrings.

In addition to using folk motifs in your wardrobe, you should follow some important rules that are a feature of the Japanese style:

• natural origin of fabrics for summer clothes - linen, cotton, silk;
• clean socks - open shoes contribute to rapid pollution;
• it is unacceptable to decorate the body with tattoos, painting, piercing;
• modesty and dignity are the conceptual features of image formation.

How to create a trendy look with elements of Japanese style?

To do this, it is not at all necessary to dress in a floral kimono with snow-white socks and mince in wooden slippers. The real reflection of the Japanese style is the presence of some details of the costume:

• Layering. A short sleeveless dress worn with skinny jeans and a sheer chiffon tunic is a great option for a casual ensemble. It remains not to forget to add bright jewelry to it - earrings and bracelets.

• Unusual combinations. A set of a thin silk sundress and a rough leather jacket, or a bright flared skirt with heavy boots are typical examples of a stylish look. New clothes, complemented by vintage items, look fresh and relevant.

• Natural prints. Bright ornaments with flowers, butterflies, birds look spectacular on dresses and blouses made from printed fabrics.

• animation elements. Images of cartoon characters on T-shirts, T-shirts, dresses are very popular. This dress is suitable for people of all ages.

• Shoes. The Japanese look is successfully complemented by graceful ballet flats or dress shoes with high speed. Extravagant shoes are perfect for brave people: loafers on a high platform, boots with futuristic heels, multi-colored wedge sneakers.

The created image in the Japanese style is boldly decorated with bright attractive accessories. Scarves, headbands, headbands, stockings, knitted leg warmers and mittens are perfect for this purpose. It is allowed to carry several bags at the same time. Cute trinkets on mobile phones look appropriate and attractive.

Modern Japanese clothing style (photo)

Asian flavor, a riot of colors and a combination of contradictory things successfully dilute the measured and concise European style. Japanese style has not left fashion catwalks for many years, continuing to amaze and delight fans of ancient traditions.

In the fashion collections of eminent designers, there is a standard set of things in which national motifs and individual elements of a specific cut are clearly visible.

• Outerwear is characterized by straight forms, loosely fitting the silhouette and hiding the features of the female figure.
• Blouses made of thin translucent fabrics have wide sleeves and are decorated with voluminous bows.
• In dresses and skirts to imitate kimonos, puffy assemblies and deep folds are used.
• Festive wear features pointy details, flowing curves, shiny fabrics and decorative tassels.

It is not easy for a European woman to master the Japanese style. Authoritative experts in the field of fashion are sure that for this you need not only to be born, but also to live for a long time in this unique country.

The Japanese clothing style for men is more conservative than for women. The stronger sex prefers the European version of the suit with a shirt, tie and classic shoes. Kimono is used for sports activities or special occasions.

The versatility of Japanese style

Vivid manifestations in the youth fashion of the Land of the Rising Sun did not leave ethnic motifs forgotten. The concept of Japanese style combines several trends that reflect the trends of street fashion.

• Harajuku. The name of the popular style comes from the shopping district of the same name in Tokyo. Young people living in the area prefer a bold combination of a wide variety of wardrobe items, dyed in rich fruity colors. Extravagant style serves as a successful tool of self-expression. The interpreted kimono is complemented by denim trousers, shorts, striped leggings, sports jackets. The Harayuki style is characterized by bright grotesque makeup, acid hair colors and large decorative hairpins.

• Gothic Lolita- an original mix of gloomy gothic and naive nymphet. Girls who prefer outfits in the spirit of Nabokov's Lolita look more like porcelain dolls. They have bleached faces, corseted dresses, vintage hats and lace gloves. A stylish outfit costs a lot of money, so not every girl can afford the passion for such fashion.

• cosplay- a kind of role-playing costume. Supporters of this trend imitate their favorite characters of animation and computer toys. Among the admirers of the style are not only teenagers, but also many passionate adults.

• decora- decoration of the exterior with numerous decorative elements. Hats, scarves, fur products are very popular. Style lovers wear multiple metal jewelry - chains, pendants, bracelets. Sound elements - bells, bells - are distinguished by a great effect.

• Kawaii- touching children's style. Supporters of the fashion trend dress up in costumes of cartoon animals or toys. In clothes, choose pastel shades of colors characteristic of children's things: blue, pink, white, beige. The image is decorated with plastic accessories or soft toys.

• Visual Kei- literally translates as "visual style". The name is taken from a youth subculture based on a musical genre that combines Japanese punk and glam rock. Adherents of style wear things of incongruous colors, shoes on a high platform, dye their hair with bright colors. They use grotesque defiant make-up, original rock paraphernalia, and the body is decorated with piercings.

• ganguro- glamorous style. When creating a fashionable image, more attention is paid not to clothes, but to appearance. Hair dyed white contrasts well with heavily tanned skin. Makeup is dominated by light colors. Ganguro prefers brightly colored saturated clothes. Dark skin color is well set off by pink, yellow, orange clothes.

Nature, the environment and the universe as a whole have had a huge impact on humanity at all times. But before the active development of technological progress, this was especially obvious. Japanese culture is one of the brightest representatives of this influence. It is a many-sided, amazing and unusual world of images and objects. Each thing lives its own life in a harmonious combination with the surrounding space. It has evolved over the centuries and is an excellent example of the preservation of an unchanged form, combined with a cycle of patterns and color shades.

For the Japanese, nature has always been a guide and the highest model of beauty, in accordance with which they created their ideas of elegance and grace. In ancient Japan, nature was treated as a living being, spiritualized and sentient. Stones, trees, streams - everything was the embodiment of the spirit and deity - kami. That is why every natural material was of special concern to the artist who worked on it, whether it was trees, clay or. In each master tried to discover his own beauty.

Japan is a small country surrounded by water, with complex terrain and earthquakes. The limitedness of the territory left its mark on the organization of space and representations in the development of Japanese art, a characteristic feature of which was miniaturization: to see the big in the small.

The national Japanese costume has been developing for one and a half thousand years. It is characterized by a complex, multifaceted connection of pattern, form and material, as well as ornamentation of fabrics. The creation of their own unique compositions took place through borrowing foreign (Korean and Chinese) samples.

The very first clothing of the Japanese resembled a poncho intercepted by a belt. In the cold season, they were worn in several pieces, putting on each other. In the future, this will serve as the basis for the creation of a Japanese layered suit, which could consist of 12 layers of clothing.

In ancient Japan, men and women wore belt clothes: men - hakamu, and the women mo. Hakama was a skirt of two separate pieces of fabric (front half and back) sewn to long belts. It was quite long, reaching to the ankles. When tying belts on the sides, she created cuts. In the center of the back half, as a rule, an opposite warehouse was made, and on the front panel, three one-sided folds were laid symmetrically on the sides, expanding downwards.

The Japanese costume never emphasized the shape of the body, but served as a kind of decoration. The traditional clothing of the people was a swing jacket haori, the floors of which freely fell down. Everyday, as a rule, dark colors or stripes, and festive - ceremonial - made of black silk with white coats of arms.

The traditional kimono was preceded kosode clothing worn by both men and women. It was a wide robe, straight cut with a small collar and long sleeves. At first it was used as underwear, and since the 16th century as outerwear.

The national dress of the Japanese is "kimono". This word became widespread in the 17th - 19th centuries and comes from the expression "kiru mono"- "wear item". It applied to all types of clothing: everyday and festive. And by the end of the 19th century, it became associated with outer shoulder clothing. The kimono is simple in cut and has minor differences in the female and male versions. But in principle, there were only two sizes of kimono - adult and children. In Eastern philosophy, great importance is attached to the left and right sides. In Japan, the left is associated with life, and the right with death, so the living wrap their clothes on the right side, and for the dead, the right half is placed over the left.

Despite the fact that all kimonos were almost the same in shape and design, they had a huge variety in ornamentation. The drawings spoke about the rank of a person, his age, the season of the year, and even the mood of the owner. Natural motifs have become one of the favorites in the Japanese tradition: cherry blossoms, bamboo shoots, pine branches ... Although men's kimonos are more monochromatic and strict than women's. Since the kimono model was a straight panel, the field for embroidery and painting was sufficient. In ancient times, there were 200 laws (!), in accordance with which costumes were created. And over time, a dark-colored kimono with five coats of arms became the usual clothing of the creative intelligentsia.

Remember Japanese hairstyles. I have always been amazed by their quirkiness and intricacy. But it turns out that until the 15th century, Japanese women wore loose hair, and only then they began to style it in hairstyles. The tradition of complex hairstyles using chignons, oil and wax was laid axobime- the first legislators of women's fashion. They were musicians, dancers, storytellers who were invited to the holidays in cheerful companies. Until that time, only men could use oil and wax for hair.

Of course, they also approached the decorations of their structures on their heads creatively. Decorative scallops, bamboo sticks, hairpins made of wood, metal, coral and tortoise shell, traditional flowers were used. It took a lot of time to create such hairstyles, so they were not done every day, and for safety they slept on special rollers. Hats were worn extremely rarely, they were replaced by umbrellas for hot or rainy weather. During work or walks, Japanese women could wear flat, wide-brimmed straw hats, and in the cool season, capes such as a hood. A Japanese woman in a national costume looks like a mysterious picture that can be looked at with interest for a long time.

With accessories in the form of bags, the Japanese are also not so simple. Purses and handbags appeared in ancient times precisely because there were no pockets in clothes. And where do you put what you need to always have with you? In European clothes, pockets appeared a long time ago, but in Japanese kimonos they still do not exist. For a long time, all the necessary items, such as a pipe, a pouch or boxes, were attached to the belt using a small key chain - we all know as netsuke. The prototype of netsuke were sticks and, and in the 17th century they turned into small sculptures.

What did the Japanese wear on their feet? They did not have stockings, and instead they wore short silk or cotton socks with thick woolen soles. They went everywhere in them: at home, on the street, to temples, to theaters.

Probably only they could think of such shoes that the Japanese wore. Wooden benches - geta, which became national Japanese shoes, looked, in my opinion, not at all elegant and rude, and it was probably inconvenient to move around in them. True, there were zori- shoes with soft soles, fastened to the foot with leather straps. So there was still a choice.

And of course, fans are an integral accessory of the Japanese, each of which is a wonderful work of art that captivates the eye. A kind of pantomime of the fan is associated with them - "the language of the fan, pronounced by the movement of the hands." Japan is the birthplace of folding fans. They were made from hinoki - Japanese cypress. Every tourist visiting Japan considers it obligatory to purchase a fan in memory of the country. And in the ancient eastern teachings of Feng Shui, the fan is given great importance. Japanese dancers often used fans while dancing.

A great influence on the transformation of the costume was played by Japanese actors, who were not within the strict limits of the laws, but could afford what was considered indecent among other citizens. The brilliance and splendor of their outfits fascinated the public and the most daring began to order the same outfits, richly decorated with paintings, painted with colors and poems. At first, it became the prerogative of wealthy Japanese, and later ordinary city dwellers joined them. Theater actors kabuki were role models for both men and women.

Over time, the Japanese costume has undergone minor changes associated with the length of the sleeves and, accordingly, with the length of the dress. The belt lengthened to 3.6 meters in length and about 26.8 in width, turning into a belt "obi".

In 1720, the law "on the limitation of luxury" was adopted, which served as the reason for the emergence of a new criterion of taste and formed the basis of the concept "iki"- "sense of style". The essence of iki was the lack of straightforwardness, that is, the ability to combine the strict framework of the ban with a share of the challenge. This art was perfectly mastered by city rake, frequenters of theaters and cheerful quarters and geishas. For example, it was considered the highest chic to order a painting of the lining for a simple haori from the most famous artist of Edo (modern Tokyo).

All this refers to the traditional Japanese style. But the changes in the political arena over the past 120 years have had a profound effect on it. The first fashion magazine appeared in Japan in 1890, and at the beginning of the last century, Japanese fashionistas and women of fashion allowed themselves to dress in the latest fashion associated with the jazz boom. At the turn of the 19th and 20th centuries, when Japan opened its borders, the local population got acquainted with European costumes and men were the first to use them in their wardrobes. But most people adopted new traditions with caution and sometimes combined traditional Japanese elements with European ones in a very funny way.

Japanese designers have always amazed the public with their innovation and creativity, although the concept of "Japanese fashion" did not exist for a long time. Everything changed in the second half of the 20th century. Designers such as Hanae Mori, Kenzo Takada, Yohji Yamamoto, Issei Miyake, Rei Kawakubo— became masters of world fashion. For Japanese fashion designers, the enthusiasm for European fashion, which has become a "good form", served as an excuse to create a new, creative fashion that denies everything old.

In Paris and New York, Kenzo and Miyake, and in the 80s - Yamamoto and Kawakubo, presented the audience with clothes that destroyed all ideas about French and world fashion. With their strange straight, geometric silhouettes or completely shapeless, they shocked the public. And at the end of the decade, Japanese designers were already considered the most advanced not only in the field of technology, but also in fashion.

Takada created collections in the style of Kabuki theater with bright saturated colors. French critics called Kawakubo's first collection "Hiroshima - chic", saying that her models are completely unsuitable for life. They are really so strange that it is quite difficult to imagine a person on the street or in a public place in such an outfit. But unexpectedly, this trend found its fans and significantly influenced the fashion of the 80s.

Yamamoto, like Hanae Mori, took the European costume as a basis, filling it with oriental elements. An ascetic palette of colors, consisting of two main ones - black and white, asymmetrical cut, made Yamamoto the glory of a philosopher and romantic. The Japanese were not the first to bring black into fashion (remember MChP Coco Chanel or tuxedo Yves Saint Laurent), but it was they who elevated him to a cult. Therefore, along with incredible creativity, Japanese fashion can be quite ascetic.

The fundamental difference between Japanese and European designers is that they perceive clothes in dynamics, so they were the first to come up with models - transformers. And the attention that was paid in Japan to fabrics, their color, pattern, texture and comfort, is the starting point for Japanese craftsmen to this day. Japanese clothing has its own philosophy and understanding of spiritual, inner beauty. In Japanese style refers to the folk direction.

Nowadays, it is quite difficult to meet a Japanese or a Japanese woman in a national costume. Japanese fashion has made a huge leap from traditional costume to modern clothing. Japan is a very technologically advanced country and this affects the development of the fashion industry. The testing of modern materials, the creation of unusual clothes - this is largely the merit of the Japanese. And the combination of kimono and modern technology looks very original.

Street fashion has a great influence on modern Japanese designers. The trends that appeared in Europe back in the 60s reached Japan. These days, street fashion is making its way onto the catwalks of the world, and designers are sometimes forced to make changes to their collections under the influence of the street. Tokyo has become the most famous city where a large number of fashionable youth trends are concentrated, and its Harajuku district is a place of pilgrimage for tourists in anticipation of seeing unusually dressed people. Though unusual is an understatement. If you are not familiar with, which consists of many directions, I advise you to get acquainted. You will be surprised and perhaps shocked. European fashionistas are very far from Japanese ones.

In 2007 John Galliano presented to the public a collection on the Japanese theme in the style of origami. This is a traditional Japanese folk art of folding paper in a certain way. For a better study of which Galliano, together with his team, went to Japan. Their labors were not in vain and the collection turned out just fantastic!

Japan has the largest number of boutiques with unusual clothes by European, American and Japanese designers. Therefore, it is very difficult to say what modern Japanese style is. Rather, it is a combination of traditional clothing with modern trends. European designers also often turn to the Japanese style.

In the collections of designers it is fashionable to use traditional elements of national costumes. This is not surprising, because ethnic elements are diverse and give free rein to the designers' fantasies. was no exception and is actively demonstrated on the catwalks of European fashion designers. About what features are characteristic of him and how they are interpreted by fashion designers, we will tell in this article.

Japanese culture is unique, you can find interesting features in it that do not have a place in other cultures.

• Kimono. This is traditional Japanese clothing. Blouses and dresses of European fashion designers largely repeat the silhouettes and proportions of kimonos.
• Blouses with wide sleeves.
• Geta - bench sandals on a wooden platform, which are fixed in the same way as flip flops.
• Zori - cloth, straw, leather sandals, similar to ordinary slates.
• Tabi are socks with a separated thumb.
• Khakami is a skirt made from wide trousers.
• Color spectrum. Contrasting colors are considered traditional - white, red and black, which are actively used in Japanese costume.
• Layered outfits.
• Fan.
• Gold finish, tassels.
• Presence of jewelry. There are hairpins and hoops in the hair, wide bracelets adorn the wrists, and voluminous earrings in the ears.
• Floral prints. The Japanese garden is diverse and extraordinarily beautiful, because it is filled not only with sakura, but also with various flowers that emit pleasant aromas and symbolize a certain idea, carrying a life message and good luck to a person.

1. 1. peony. It is the personification of romanticism and love.
   2. lotus. It is a symbol of perfection, pristine purity and the eternal sun. The Japanese consider it a sacred flower, which is worthy of reverence and admiration.
   3. carnation. White carnation is considered the key to love.
   4. chrysanthemum. This is the national emblem of this wonderful country, which speaks of great happiness and long life.
   5. iris. This is another flower revered and respected by the Japanese. Yellow iris symbolizes new beginnings and new life, and is also the flower of passion.
   6. hydrangea. It is the personification of the desire for freedom.
   7. sakura. He also speaks of the fragility of the created world and the revival of pristine beauty.
   8. cactus. He talks about how fleeting time is. The cactus has no leaves, but is full of thorns, which makes you think about the topic of life and being in the spring.
   9. camellia. This is an attribute of a modest life and restrained views.
   10. dahlia. A symbol of impermanence.

Such a variety of bright colors and a flower simply could not go past the eyes of fashion designers!

Japanese dress code

To look like a Japanese woman, it is not enough just to wear beautiful outfits. In addition to Japanese-style blouses and dresses, simple rules should be collected, which are also a feature of this fashion trend.

• Summer clothes should be made of light natural fabrics (cotton, linen, silk)
• Socks should always be kept clean
• Tattoos and piercings are not allowed
• You can not wear revealing, sexy and vulgar outfits.

Kimono is a national dress worn not only by men, but also by women. A Japanese geisha is a smart, educated woman who is a companion of a man, and not at all a lady of easy virtue, as many people think. According to tradition, a geisha wears a kimono made of expensive fabric and decorated with various elements.

The modern interpretation of the kimono is an Asian-inspired blouse with a black band under the bust line and a V-neck at the neck. This blouse goes well with jeans or trousers. The traditional color of such a garment is a red and black combination with bright floral prints. Designers present blouses and kimono dresses in other colors, for example, pink-brown, black-and-white, pink-white, brown-white, blue-white, etc., which brings a touch of Japanese style to the modern outfit, but not makes a European completely similar to a Japanese woman.

Elements of the Japanese image in clothes

Along with flowers and bright colors, the Japanese image may also contain:

• Anime elements. Cartoon images on T-shirts, t-shirts, dresses and tunics look great on today's youth and older generations.
• layered outfits. We have already talked about them, now we note that to create a layered look, you can wear a sleeveless dress just above the knees, as well as bright indigo jeans, a transparent chiffon tunic and jewelry in the form of bracelets and earrings.
• Shoes. The image may contain ballet flats or high-heeled shoes. The traditional shoes of Japanese women are geta (shoes with wooden soles) and clogs, but they are worn only for celebrations.
• Wide obi belt. Its width is 20-30 centimeters. Obi is a symbol of a person's responsibility, a high degree of concentration of his attention and a sign of balance.
• Weaving from satin when making dresses.
• The presence of plant elements - butterflies, birds in a bright ornament. And this is not surprising, because not only birds grow in the Japanese garden, but also amazing animals live.

Fashion designers pamper connoisseurs of Japanese clothing with their collections. What can we see in them?

• Jackets, raincoats, trousers and dresses with straight and loose silhouettes that hide all the advantages and disadvantages of the female figure
• Men's vests, which at the bottom practically turn into a fluffy women's skirt
• Light white blouses made of transparent material with wide sleeves, voluminous bows
• Skirts and dresses in a business style, imitating a kimono with frills and gathers
• Dresses with sharp and flowing shapes made of shiny fabrics and decorative elements in the form of tassels.

If you happen to visit Japan, you will surely be surprised at the outfits that young people choose for themselves. Surely you think that you will see black-haired young ladies in modest outfits, but this is not at all the case.

• Harajuku. This is one of the areas in Japan where young people are used to dressing in that style. Gradually, Harajuku spread throughout Japan and even went beyond the country. The style involves the use of juicy fruit colors in outfits, wearing shoes with wooden soles and kimonos. Clothing can be complemented with jeans, shorts or breeches, striped leggings, a sports jacket and unusually bright makeup and acid hair color that adorn various decorative hairpins. The style is characterized by the dominance of pink and black colors, which are also known in the Emo style. However, these are completely different fashion trends that have nothing in common except for the chosen colors.
• Gothic Lolita. The style is a mix of gothic and nymphet naivete. To be worthy to wear clothes in this style, you need to own a good amount of money, because costumes cost a little less than accessories. The girls look like porcelain dolls who are dressed in doll dresses with dark-colored corsets, vintage hats and belts, antique lace gloves, noticeable shoes on a high platform.
• cosplay. This is the direction of anime, which came from Japanese cartoons and computer games. Creating an image in this style is very simple, just choose your favorite hero and copy his appearance. Often, when creating outfits, you have to resort to the help of atelier workers and needlework.
• Decora. It consists in the design of their appearance and outfits with various accessories. It can be jewelry, hats, scarves, furs, etc.
• Kawaii. Child protagonist anime style.
• Visual Key. Style fans of punk and glam rock. Supporters of the style are characterized by wearing bright hairstyles from multi-colored strands of hair, incompatible colors, bright makeup, high platform shoes and piercings.

When weaving items and attributes of the Japanese style of clothing into your wardrobe, keep in mind that the price for them is quite high. So, for example, an obi belt alone can cost from $1,000. Therefore, carefully approach the preparation of the wardrobe and the selection of Japanese things.

An interesting, but sometimes strange country, right? Although probably the rest of the world seems strange to the Japanese :-) Let's take a closer look:

Japan began to imitate Western fashion from the middle of the 19th century. By the beginning of the 21st century, such a phenomenon as Japanese street fashion had formed. The term Japanese street fashion or its English equivalent - Japanese Street Fashion is often used in recent times as an abbreviation JSF.

Often foreign and European brands are used to create their own style. Some of these styles are "chic" and "glamorous", similar to the haute couture found in Europe. The history and status of these trends have been reviewed by Shoichi Aoki since 1997 in the fashion magazine Fruits, which is one of the most popular among fashion fans in Japan.
Later, Japanese hip-hop, which has always been present in Tokyo's underground scene and has grown in popularity along with its Western influences, also influenced Japanese fashion.

Popular music trends from other genres also influence fashion in Japan, as many teenagers want to look like their favorite stars.

Also, in the most fashionable trends of Japanese fashion, there is a great desire of Japanese youth to resemble Europeans and even Africans, which is caused by the centuries-old closeness of Japan from other countries. So, for example, gothic fashion trends gravitate towards European (in particular French and German) culture of the 17th-18th centuries, and fans of lighter and more joyful tendencies tend to look like tanned Californians or even black hip-hop performers, which is reflected in the Japanese kogyaru subculture. .

Modern Japanese street fashion

Although styles have changed frequently over the years, the mainstream has remained popular in Japan. Usually fashion trends are set by the culture of such districts and quarters of Tokyo as Shinjuku, Shibuya, Harajuku, Ganza and Odaiba.

Lolita

One of the most famous trends in the West from Japanese street fashion, cultivating infantilism and gothic style in clothes among Japanese girls. The spread of this trend is truly enormous. Lolita subspecies include both gothic and "sweet" glamorous styles, both elements of the punk and gothic subculture, and elements of traditional Japanese clothing. Also, men can stick to this image, especially Visual kei musicians, in particular, artists such as Mana, the solo project of the famous Japanese guitarist Hizaki, and many other groups, especially the Kote direction. In addition, this fashion trend is common in another visual trend - Osyare kei, in which most musicians often use the lolita style or its elements in order to impress and attract fans, for example, in An Cafe, Lolita23q and Aicle.

There is also a more masculine variant such as "elegant gothic aristocrat" - a style that embodied the Japanese idea of ​​European aristocratic fashion.

Ganguro

Ganguro fashion became popular among Japanese girls at the beginning of the 21st century. A typical ganguro girl wears colorful accessories, miniskirts and sarongs dyed with knotted batik. The ganguro style is characterized by bleached hair, dark tan, false eyelashes, black and white eyeliner, bracelets, earrings, rings, necklaces, and platform boots.

gyaru

The gyaru subculture is so similar to the ganguro subculture that it is possible to mistake one style for the other. However, the gyaru style is distinguished from ganguro by the same features, but increased several times, as the ideal is the attractive girls of American warm cities and states, as well as popular black performers of hip-hop, pop and other mainstream areas of modern music. Girls spend considerable time in tanning salons to give their skin a deep tan and be like these performers. In Japanese slang, kogyaru refers to schoolgirls who wear miniskirts, wear pink in their clothes, dye their hair blonde, and have a "fake" tan.

Fruits (Harajuku style)

At the moment, the second after the "lolita" of the most popular Japanese youth styles. It originated mainly in Tokyo's Harajuku quarter of Shibuya, as a result of which it is officially called the Harajuku style. The name originated in 1997, when the famous photographer Souichi Aoki founded the eponymous magazine dedicated to strange fashion, and began photographing outrageous passers-by right on the streets. Now Fruits magazine can be found in every corner of the planet. The style has become popular both in Europe and in America. The main principle of the style is a collection of various fashionable elements, brands and garments to the taste of the wearer, according to the “vinaigrette” principle.

So, a person dressing in this style can immediately put on glasses, a medical bandage on his face, a hat, shorts, a shirt or T-shirt, a jacket, and the main feature of this style is a lot of accessories. In Japanese music, this culture is reflected in the direction of "Oshare kei", where musicians often become a model for copying. In the West, the style is often confused with the emo subculture, but this is erroneous, because in general, the style preaches an optimistic outlook on life, infantilism and has no connection with emo.

Visual Kei

A person dressing in this style uses a lot of makeup and makes unusual hairstyles in all colors of the rainbow. Androgyny is a popular aspect of the style, but is used more to attract girls, or, together with false homosexuality, to outrageous and create a provocative image than to indicate the wearer's sexual interests. This direction originated in the mid-80s in the wake of the popularity of such groups as X Japan, COLOR and the like. Since the root of the style lies in the environment of rock music, Visual Kei is also a kind of world rock, metal, gothic and punk subcultures. But due to the conflict between Visual Kei fans and fans of Western metal music, it is customary to separate these movements.

Bo:so:zoku

While the style of bo:so:zoku (Japanese for "aggressive gang riding motorcycles") was popular in the 90s and is now almost extinct, it is still used in all sorts of works for comic effect, stereotypical the kind of bo:so:zoku is often portrayed and even ridiculed in many forms of Japanese media, anime, manga, and films. The typical bo:so:zoku is often depicted wearing a uniform consisting of parachutist gear, like those worn by laborers or the so-called "tokko-fuku" (特攻服), (coats with military slogans written on the back), they are usually worn without a shirt (on a naked torso) along with rolled up baggy pants and high boots.

The image of rockers of the rock and roll era is also popular, in particular, the style of Elvis Presley. The bosozoku movement intersects with the biker subculture, with bosozoku often painting their motorcycles. Often this image is used in anime to create a comical image of hooligans or "sixes" of the yakuza. One such example is the character Ryu Umemiya in the manga and anime Shaman King and Onizuka's teacher during his youth from the GTO anime.

cosplay

Cosplay, (short for the English "costume play" - "costume game"), is more of a cultural phenomenon than a fashion style. Cosplay fans often dress up as self-made or store-bought costumes of video game, anime, movie, or manga characters, as well as members of popular bands or j-pop idols. Very closely associated with the visual kei and lolita styles.

Fashion industry and popular brands

Although street fashion in Japan is free and there is no fashion manufacturer that can claim a monopoly in this area, it is said that a number of designers such as Issei Miyake, Yamamoto Yoji, and Rei Kawakubo Comme des Garçons are the three recognized trendsetters of Japanese fashion. They became famous back in the 80s and still remain popular brands.

Purposefully promoted the style of street fashion company "Onitsuka Tiger" (now known as ASICS). Japan is also known for its substantial consumption of foreign branded luxury goods. According to JETRO data for 2006, Japan consumed 41% of the world's luxury goods.

Influence on Western culture

In the early 90s. of the last century, Japanese street fashion moved to America, from where it spread throughout Europe. In many ways, this was facilitated by such subcultures as hip-hop, rave, as well as BMXing, skateboarding, surfing, etc. From that moment on, it received official status and began to be called streetstyle.

Social aspect

Since the main features of Japanese youth fashion are: the desire to be like Europeans or Americans, shocking and strong non-conformism with a desire to stand out, the reasons for the emergence of such trends should be sought in the history and culture of Japan, when for centuries the country was closed from other countries and lands, and in the country acted harsh moral laws and foundations. As a result, young people, with their characteristic maximalism, accepted Western culture and the freedom received after the Restoration in Japanese society. Subsequently, similar trends among Japanese youth have further changed the views of Japanese society.

Japanese street fashion in pop culture

The famous American singer and composer Marilyn Manson, was a close friend of the guitarist hide (the father of Visual kei) and used elements of the second wave of this direction in his image, which was then picked up by many industrial metal bands such as Deathstars.

Pop singer Gwen Stefani is a well-known fan of the harajuku style and has featured it in some of her songs and videos. Tokio Hotel's vocalist mimics Visual Kei.