Japan Series #1: Japanese vs. American Fashion !

By Kelly Dekitani, GVJCI Social Media and Community Outreach Intern 

Konichiwa! Welcome to the Japan Series! 🎌
I’ll be going through travel tips, must-see and eat places as well as various other tips for those of you who have never been to Japan before! 🏯🍣
Our first series will be on (my personal favorite topic) FASHION! (My knowledge about Japanese fashion comes from the things I’ve observed studying abroad in Japan as well as through the numerous Japanese magazines that I’ve bought!)
Keep reading for some fashion trends and mistakes that you don’t want to make!

🔑Key Differences🔑

1. Japanese people dress stylishly ! You will rarely see people with sweatpants or casual lounge wear in the streets of Japan!   
2. Wide legged pants and skirts are a must! Although skinny jeans are an universal trend, you will see many people sporting a wide legged pants and skirt look rather than the tight jeans you see in America! (see photos below)
3. Unique looks! Many people associate Japanese fashion with the colorful and cute-sy Harajuku fashion, but that is only one small genre that exists in Japan. In fact, there are many different types of style/genres that people wear such as grunge, monotone, marine, and etc. The streets of Japan are bustling with many different types of styles!

🚨Fashion mistakes you don’t want to make in Japan🚨(especially during the summer☀️)

1. Don’t wear anything too revealing! It gets hot and humid during the summer so it’s tempting to want to wear as little clothing as possible, but please try not to!! Short shorts, crop tops, and other revealing clothing are inappropriate for Japan and you won’t see too many wearing them!  
2. No leggings! In America it is common to see girls wearing leggings and a t-shirt, but in Japan that is seen as “underwear” so it’s best not to wear it without covering it up!

Current Fashion Trends in Japan

1. Long skirts and wide legged pants! As mentioned earlier, you’ll see people wearing this look everywhere! It’s available in most stores and is really comfortable to wear!
2. Mixing trends! Girly x sporty, Formal x casual, etc. Putting together a casual t-shirt with a long formal skirt or adding a sporty shoulder bag to a girly look are easy ways to spice up your outfit and are very popular in Japan!
3. MEN’S FASHION is big in Japan too! Loose fitting clothes as well as urban, street wear is a popular look in Japan!

These are just some of the differences that I noticed! The best tip that I can give is to be yourself, but also be respectful of Japan’s culture and societal norms! People might think their fashion is weird because it’s different, but I think that’s what makes it great❤️️