FRUiTS is a Japanese fashion magazine covering the fashions of the Harajuku district of Tokyo, established in 1997 by photographer Shoichi Aoki. Certain photographs from the magazine were compiled to create the Phaidon Press books FRUiTS (2001) and FRESH FRUiTS (2005).
The photographs document and rejoice in the optimistic and individualistic styles young people wear around the Harajuku district of Tokyo.

Below is a list of the many different styles that are common, however the most important part of dressing up is individuality and expressing yourself! So you don't have to try to be exsactly like anyone else! Think of what Tohru's mom would say! Bwahaha! Anyway! Here we go! Enjoy learning all about Japanese Fashions!

"Yes! Fashion!"



Some of the fashions seen include:
Punk
Gothic
Decora
Ganguro
Yamanba
Center Guy
Wamono
Lolita
Gothic Lolita
Classic Lolita
Sweet Lolita or Amiloli
Cyber Fashion
Cyber Goth
Cosplay
Visual Kei
Bōsōzoku
Kogal
Urban
New Funk
Wire Accessory
Cyber Punk
Multi-Ethnic
Second Hand Fashion
School Girl Uniform




So what the heck are these fashions?

Punk Fashion

In general, modern punks wear leather, denim, spikes, chains, and combat boots. They often wear elements of early punk and hardcore fashion, such as kutten vests, bondage pants (often plaid) and torn clothing. There is a large influence by DIY (Do it yourself)-created and modified clothing, such as ripped pants or shirts. Hair is typically dyed in bright colors such as red, blue, green, pink or orange and arranged into a mohawk or liberty spikes. Hair can also be cut very short or shaved. Belts with metal studs, and bullet belts, are popular. Leather or denim jackets and vests often have patches or are painted with logos that express musical tastes or political views. Metal spikes or studs are often added to jackets and vests. Safety pins and piercing, especially of the nose are popular. Many punks acquire their clothing second hand or make their own clothes because they want to support capitalism as little as possible.

Punk fashion has been extremely commercialized. Punk clothing, which was initially handmade, became mass produced and sold in record stores and some smaller specialty clothing stores by the 1980s. By the late 1990s, the American chain store Hot Topic established a niche in selling what they advertised as "punk style clothing" at shopping malls. However, real punks don't shop at Hot Topics.



Gothic Fashion

Is a dark, sometimes morbid style of dress with a Vampire look in many cases. Typical gothic fashion for women includes gowns, corsets, veils, teased hair, eyeliner, black fingernails, fishnets, and styles borrowed from the Elizabethans and Victorians.

Also popular are tight-fitting trousers, pointy boots, flouncy shirts in the manner of Lord Byron, and anything with buckles on it.

Various piercings and/or tattoos are not uncommon (though this is primarily a 1990s addition to gothic fashion), and both males and females often wear elaborate makeup. Hair is often dyed blue-black, and sometimes backcombed to give it a large, ratty appearance. There are similarities between goth fashion and the more masculine black metal fashion, which can make it difficult to discern the subculture of the individual. Like the punk subculture it grew out of, early goth fashion had a strong emphasis on the DIY (Do it Yourself) ethic.

Borrowing from punk fashion, sometimes goths will tear or cut their clothes apart (usually with scissors), then repair their clothes with safety pins or similar concepts to fit a particular goth style associated with punk, industrial or similar music cultures. This creates a particular 'splitting at the seams' look, that can also be seen in clothing decorated by multiple buckles.

The core of gothic fashion is individual taste because the gothic culture opposes conventions of how one must look.





Decora

Comes from the word "Decoration" and is a colorful style, usually with layered bright clothing and a emphasis on "cute" and brightly colored accessories.

They are most often located in Harajuku, Tokyo, Japan. Decora is a fashion category from the magazine, FRUiTS, but Decora does not necessarily have its own brand shops. This style is sometimes mistakenly called "FRUiTS-style" by people outside of Japan. They are not too strict about their fashion code, and they are noted and eyecatching for their originality in mixed fashion.

Decora styles are similar to the gothic lolita style of fashion save for the goth. Males mimic anime characters, for they attempt to look like cartoon characters. Males wear small shirts with Engrish logos, sailor shirts, pajama bottoms, large pants, Mary Jane shoes, and have their hair more colorful than females but less styled, as their hair is usually combed to the side or minimally spiked. Popular items that decoras use to decorate themselves with include: Hello Kitty merchandise, Pokemon merchandise, Powerpuff Girl merchandise, pacifiers, excessive jewelry such as necklaces and bracelets, big plastic rings, an abundance of keychains, stuffed animals of various sorts, and obscure toyss. Popular items with female decoras are dolls and flowers. Popular items with male decoras are inflatable guitars and neon plastic waterguns. Decoras seldom wear makeup, although mascara is not uncommon. Instead, they use cute stickers or use face paints to paint flowers and smiley faces on their cheeks, oftentimes adorned with glitter. The origins of this style is unknown and ranges in popularity in Japan greatly.




(Me with the famous Pink Clown, he's in Pink Decora!)
Ganguro

an alternative fashion trend among young Japanese women which peaked in popularity around the year 2000, but remains in evidence today. The Shibuya and Ikebukuro districts of Tokyo are the center of ganguro fashion. The basic look consists of dyed hair (often of several colors) and a deep tan. Black and white eyeliner, false eyelashes, platform shoes, and brightly-colored outfits complete the ganguro look. Also typical of ganguro fashion are tie-dyed sarongs, miniskirts, and lots of bracelets, rings and necklaces.

It has been proposed that the ganguro look is meant to resemble a certain African anime character who had brown skin and multicolored hair; African-American models have also been suggested as influences. An increase in the popularity of hip-hop music is also thought to have been one of the indirect origins the ganguro subculture. The deep ganguro tan is in direct conflict with traditional Japanese ideas of feminine beauty. Due to this, as well as their use of slang, unconventional fashion sense, and perceived lack of hygiene, ganguro gals are almost always portrayed negatively by the Japanese media. Ganguro girls are treated as outcasts by mainstream Japanese society.



Yamanba

is a newer term often used to describe extreme practicioners of ganguro fashion. Yamanba feature darker tans and add white lipstick, pastel eye makeup, tiny metallic or glittery adhesives below the eyes, brightly-colored contact lenses, plastic dayglo-colored clothing, and incongruous accessories to the ganguro look. Some yamanba wear stuffed animals as decorations.

Center Guy

The male equivalent of a Yamanba is called a "center guy", a pun on the name of a pedestrian shopping street near Shibuya Station in Tokyo where yamanba and center guys are often seen.


(Above: Yuki dressed in Wamono Style!)
Wamono

is a style that mixes traditional Japanese clothing with western clothing styles.
The Kimono worn by men, women, and children, obi belts and geta sandals are examples of traditional Japanese dress.

Lolita

fashion emphasizes Victorian-style and Edwardian fashion girl's clothing and often aims to imitate the look of Victorian porcelain dolls.

Gothic Lolita

The Rococo period has been defined as an influence of Gothic Lolita. Gothic Lolita applies the aesthetics of Gothic fashion to the childlike, pretty Lolita fashion (Rococo:A style of art, especially architecture and decorative art, that originated in France in the early 18th century and is marked by elaborate ornamentation, as with a profusion of scrolls, foliage, and animal forms/ A very ornate style of speech or writing.)



Classic Lolita

is often more mature-looking and contains more muted colors and floral prints The colors used are off white, antique white, pink, burgundy, blue, brown and black. The garments worn are one pieces (dresses), jumper skirts, blouses and skirts. Accessories usually worn are hair bands, hair corsages, headdresses, miniature top hats and purses.


(Above: Mine and Tohru dressed in Amiloli style!)
Sweet Lolita or Amaloli

which is identified by childish pastel colours and cute prints. takes its main inspiration from Victorian girl's fashion, but is also influenced by Rococo and ~*~Shōjo manga~*~.
It focuses on the child-like aspect of the fashion and features pastels, gingham, lace and ribbons emphasizing cuteness. Colours are light pastels, black paired with white, also colourful prints with cute themes are widely used. The garments worn are one pieces (dresses), jumper skirts, cutsews, blouses and skirts. The shoes worn usually have lower heels than shoes worn with the other styles of Lolita. Common accessories are hairbows or headdresses, berets or miniature top hats and purses. Sometimes a doll or plush toy is carried.

Also in the Lolita category we have Country Lolita, Alice in Wonderland, French Maid, and Punk Lolita.

More about Gothic Lolita:

Gothic Lolita style is usually a combination of black and white, often black with white lace and typically decorated with ribbons and lace trims. Skirts are knee length and may have a crinoline or petticoat to add volume. As in mainstream Japanese fashion, over-knee socks or stockings are popular. White or black tights are also common. Child-like shoes or boots such as Mary Janes, complete the look. Frilly, ruffled or lace-trimmed Victorian blouses are also popular with Gothic Lolitas and designs are usually modest, sometimes with long lace-capped sleeves and/or high-necked blouses.

Some additions may include mini top hats, parasols, and lace headdresses. Mostly black or white, headgear might consist of a headband with ruffles, ribbons, lace or bows, an alice band with a bow or sometimes even a Bonnet (headgear). Hair is often curled or a curled wig is worn to complete the porcelain doll look. Blond or black are the most popular hair colours.

Gothic Lolita outfits may be accessorized with other props like handbags and other bags, sometimes in the shape of bats, coffins, and crucifixes, as well as conspicuous pocketbooks and hatboxes. Teddy bears and other stuffed animals are also common, and some brands make special "gothic" teddy bears out of black leather or PVC. Also, many Gothic Lolita own Super Dollfies (Japanese made dolls) and carry them around.



Cyber Fashion

Some common themes include a contrast of black or white combined with luminous neon or UV-reactive colours and materials, brightly coloured and often stylised hair (e.g., with hair extensions or braids using artificial materials, often with an undercut shave), large shoes or boots various forms of body modification, the presence of superfluous goggles (especially aviator-style), and the influence of cyberpunk or anime themes.

Cyber Goth

is the opposite of Tradition Gothic because it has a futuristic look mixed in and includes the accessories and bright neon colors of Cyber fashion.

In the anime Yu-Gi-Oh!, the character Seto Kaiba is thought to be a cybergoth (one of the reasons being that he is often seen wearing a long Matrix-style jacket and has a huge knowledge of computers), though most fans argue that he is more of an emo.

The style of cyber is heavily used in The Matrix trilogy.




(Pam as Tinker Belle, Me as an Anime Pirate, Scary Bear, and Rhi as Tifa from Final Fantasy VII @ Comicon, San Diego)


Cosplay

a contraction of the English words "costume" and "play", is a Japanese subculture centered on dressing as characters from manga, anime, tokusatsu, and video games, and, less commonly, Japanese live action television shows, fantasy movies, or Japanese pop music bands. However, in some circles, "cosplay" has been expanded to mean simply wearing a costume. In Japan, "cosplay" as a hobby is usually an end unto itself. Likeminded people gather to see others' costumes, show off their own elaborate handmade creations, take lots of pictures, and possibly participate in best costume contests.

To see more visit Cosplay.com




(Above: Malice Mizer, Hide, and Ayabie)
Visual Kei

(literally "visual style") refers to a movement in Japanese rock which started in the 1980s and became widely popular in the Japanese indie scene by the 1990s.

Visual kei is characterized by bands using dramatic costumes and visual imagery to enhance the band's performance. Within Japan, the fan-base almost solely consists of girls and young women and is marketed strongly to that audience with items such as tradeable stickers, glossy photo-books, picture-postcards of band members and so on.

Members of visual kei bands often wear striking makeup, style their hair in dramatic shapes (reminiscent of "glam metal" bands from the '80s) and wear elaborate costumes. Although the vast majority of the musicians are male, band members will often wear makeup and clothing which would be considered 'feminine' or 'androgynous'. Recently, some bands are returning to the more colourful and "fantastic" image popular 5 or 6 years ago, taking inspiration from computer roleplaying games and anime. The appeal of the costumes to fans is so great that large numbers of girls will cosplay as members of their favourite bands, particularly in Harajuku, at live concerts in Japan, or in England, Poland, North America, Chile, Israel, Spain and Australia at anime conventions.

Because the visual kei genre remains at the edges of Japanese mainstream sensibility, as bands rise in popularity and sign to major labels, they may tone down their wild, colorful image, as well as extreme musical flourishes like screaming or audience-chanted lyrics that often characterize visual kei. For example, Kagrra,'s early years were characterized by eye-catching kimono-style costumes, but in their 2006 PV "Sakebi" the band appeared in suits. The loss of fashion and musical style may alienate fans who have followed bands from their inception. However, not all artists lose their visual kei image as they go major. Malice Mizer and Psycho le Cemu are examples of bands whose stage costumes became only more fantastic during their major label eras.

Visual kei remains a diverse, ever expanding genre. Many of the bands are beginning to play outside of Japan. Bands such as Dir en grey, MUCC, D'espairs Ray, Ayabie, Gazette, and others have toured Europe and North America. List of Visual Kei Bands



(Psycho le Cemu)


Bōsōzoku

(Violent Running Tribe) The stereotypical bōsōzoku look is often portrayed, and even caricatured, in many forms of Japanese media such as anime, manga and films. The typical bōsōzoku member is often depicted in a uniform consisting of a jumpsuit like those worn by manual laborers or a tokko-fuku, a type of military issued over-coat with kanji slogans usually worn open with no shirt underneath showing off their bandaged torsos and baggy matching pants tucked inside tall boots. Leather jackets, often embroidered with club/gang logos, and even full leather suits are also seen as common elements of the bōsōzoku look. Among other items in the bōsōzoku attire are usually round or wrap-around sunglasses, long headbands also with battle slogans and a pompadour hairstyle most likely akin to the "greaser"/"rocker" look or perhaps because of the hairstyle's association with yakuza thugs. The punch perm is considered a common bōsōzoku hairstyle as well. Surgical masks are also stereotypically worn by bōsōzokus.


(Kyoko "The Red Butterfly"!)

In Fruits Basket Kyoko Honda Tohru's mother was once the leader of a Bōsōzoku gang and was known as "The Red Butterfly," while Arisa Uotani belonged to a different gang called "The Ladies."


More about Bōsōzoku culture: Bōsōzoku is a Japanese subculture very similar to car clubs: gangs of young men who share a common interest in designing (often illegal) modifications for cars and motorcycles. These modifications often include removing the silencing features so that more noise is produced. They also engage in dangerous driving, such as weaving from side to side on the road, not wearing crash helmets, and ignoring red traffic lights.

Among their activities is shinai bōsō, which consists of driving down city streets at illegally high speeds. It is not properly a race; it is typically done for the thrill. With many cars (or bikes) involved, the leading one is driven by the sentōsha, the leader, who is responsible for the event. Nobody is allowed to overtake him. Others keep a lookout for side and rear cars/bikes. Although they do race, some groups prefer to just bōsō, or violently run. They modify their exhaust systems to be extra loud and drive through suburbs at speeds of 5-10 miles an hour, waving imperial Japanese flags and shouting obscenities, occasionally throwing Molotov cocktails and carrying swords/spears, daring bystanders to challenge them. Bōsōzoku members tend to be perceived as criminals and misfits, and they are commonly said to be recruiting grounds for the yakuza. Very few bōsōzoku members are older than 20 as they are then considered adults under Japanese law and can earn a criminal record. Bōsōzoku members older than 20 are considered immature and childish.

Bōsōzoku were first seen in the 1950s as Japanese youth began to see more products of industry, such as cars and bikes. The first bōsozōku were known as kaminari-zoku or "Lightning Tribes".

There are bōsōzoku clubs throughout Japan, including female bike gangs, identified by their stylish fashion and customised motorcycles. Members take part in mass rallies and have had gang wars amongst themselves. As a fashion and youth subculture, bōsōzoku are subject to increasing state and police pressure.


Kogal

(High School Student) is a subculture of girls and young women in urban Japan. They are characterized by conspicuously displaying their disposable income through distinctive tastes in fashion, music, and social activity. In general, the kogal "look" roughly approximates a United Kingdom Chav or sun-tanned California Valley girl, and indeed, the similarities between the two extend to the linguistic, for both subcultures have derived entire sets of slang terms. Kogals are not to be confused with the ganguro subculture, although they are similar.

Kogals are known for wearing platform boots, a miniskirt, copious amounts of makeup, hair coloring (usually yellow or brown), artificial suntans, and designer accessories. If in school uniform, the look typically includes skirts pinned very high and loose socks (large baggy socks that go up to the knee).

Kogals spend much of their free time (and their parents' income) shopping, and their culture centers on the Shibuya district of Tokyo, in particular the 109 building, although any major Japanese city is sure to have at least a small population. During the summer, kogals may sometimes be seen at the beach. They are generally not seen in high-end department stores. Critics of the Kogal subculture decry its materialism as reflecting a larger psychological or spiritual emptiness in modern Japanese life

The Gothic Lolita aesthetic has been described as a reaction to the kogal look, in that it attempts to reclaim childhood innocence, though skeptics of this theory would point out that most Lolita merely model after J-rock cosplay and spend just as much, if not even more money on their appearance when compared to kogals.





~*~What is Shōjo Manga?~*~

Shōjo or shoujo is a term used in English to refer to manga and anime aimed at a young, female audience. The term is a transcription of the Japanese, literally girl. The genre is stereotyped as melodramatic stories of romance usually with a female protagonist, and drawn in a flowing style where beautiful characters with huge, intricately drawn eyes become spontaneously surrounded by flowers, stars, and/or bubbles. Shōjo works, however, cover a huge range of subjects, from historical drama to science fiction and by no means do all adhere to the same artistic sensibilities or conventions. It is, in the end, not a style or a genre (as the closest American equivalent, the "chick flick," would be), but a demographic. To read more go HERE











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