Monday Playlist: Shibuya 1999

Happy Monday! Long time no playlist...

Today, I'm bringing you a playlist inspired by the photo collection Shibuya 1999 by Mike Nogami and Masami Takahashi. You may be familiar with this collection through my previous fashion study posts or perhaps from the scans I've posted on Tumblr.  

It's an incredibly intimate photobook that captures a fleeting and fascinating moment of fashion and aestheticism in Japan. It also includes a forward from Yusuke Arai, a social anthropologist, who sheds some light on the formation of gyaru culture. 

90s-era gyaru has quickly become my favorite decade of gal, and in celebration of this period, I wanted to create an accompanying playlist. 

The songs featured are all popular Japanese tracks from the 90s. As I use Spotify to host my playlists, there, unfortunately, will be no Namie Amuro or KinKi Kids, despite both acts being extremely famous during this period. Neither of their discographies are on Spotify. Regarding Namie, I read somewhere that it's due to an issue with her label. It's an immense loss. 

Sigh. If only I could burn a physical mix tape and hand deliver it to you all... But alas. 

shibuya 1999: a fashion study - part 2

Gal fashion certainly didn't reflect the traditional image of a Japanese woman: moralistic, faithful and a good wife and wise mother. At the same time, their style was far from what most men would expect of their romantic or sexual partner. - Yusuke Arai, social anthropologist 

As you'll know from my previous fashion study post, we're making our way through Mike Nogami and Masami Takahashi's photography book Shibuya 1999 and breaking down the coordinates inside. This is part two.

Well, let's not waste any time. Class is in session! 

CLOTHING AND ACCESSORIES

Magenta tank top. Black a-line skirt. White belt with circle buckle. Three navy, sparkly jelly-looking bangles, two beaded bracelets, and a silver watch. Suede camel platform (stacked) boots. Yellow bag. Butterfly hair clips. 

MAKE

Black eyeliner. Dark shadow on lid. White highlighting brow bone and namidabukuro. Nude lip. 

HAIR

Bleach blonde hair. Long side bangs. Shoulder length. 

CLOTHING AND ACCESSORIES

Tan belted dress. Wicker bag. Two silver necklaces. Silver and black bracelets. Tall black (looks like hosiery) socks. Black strappy sandals. 

MAKE

White shadow up to brow bone and highlighting namidabukuro. Dark shadow on lid. Nude lip. 

HAIR

Brown hair with blonde highlights. Side part. Layered. 

CLOTHING AND ACCESSORIES

Black, v-neck t-shirt. Green skort. Layered necklaces (silver cross, wooden beads in two sizes). Black cowboy hat accessorized with a multicolored lei. Black sunglasses tucked into the t-shirt. Red and white wicker bag. Black belt with bedazzled buckle hung lowly on hips (over top of the shirt). Dark brown stacked boots with a raised line design on the platform. 

MAKE

Bright white (looks like a cream product instead of a shadow) on namidabukuro. Silverish shadow on brow bone. Silver gem near edge of left eye. White lip. 

HAIR

Baby blonde hair with layered, fluffy curls.

CLOTHING AND ACCESSORIES

On the left: Camel cowboy hat. Yellow bottle-neck knit top with (what looks like) a plumeria (across bust) and leaf (near bottom hem) design. Knee-length a-line black skirt. Dark denim jacket tied around waist. Louis Vuitton backpack. Black suede stacked platform boots.

On the right: Alba Rosa yellow bottle-neck knit top. Dark brown (or black, it's a bit hard to tell) corduroy shorts. Camel stacked platform boots with fur lining. Barrette. 

MAKE

Both girls seem to be donning the classic ganguro make style of the time: white on brow bone and namidabukuro, dark lid, mascara, nude lip. 

HAIR

On the left: Bleach blonde hair with flipped-up ends.

On the right: Bleach blonde hair tied back in a low ponytail. Long side bangs. 

CLOTHING AND ACCESSORIES

Yellow tank top with white straps and hemming. Camel corduroy skirt. Thigh high black socks. Black platform sneakers. Yellow and green jelly-like bangles. Yellow and green beaded bracelets. Two layered necklaces with feather pendants. Butterfly clip in hair. 

MAKE

Shadow (I'm assuming) on lid. Subtle white on namidabukuro. 

HAIR

Black layered hair. Middle part.

CLOTHING AND ACCESSORIES

Crochet striped white and yellow tank top. Green a-line skirt. Layered kukui necklaces. Backpack. Camel stacked lace-up platform boots with black socks peeking out over the top. 

MAKE

Black eyeliner with a very subtle wing. White (I think it's leaning towards silver) on namidabukuro and brow bone. White lip. Silver gem at the edge of one eye. 

HAIR

Bleached silvery blonde hair with fringe. Layered. 

CLOTHING AND ACCESSORIES

Red and white striped Egoist bottle-neck knit top. Off white a-line mini skirt. Silver and blue bangles. Silver rhinestoned cross necklace. Black platform boots. Louis Vuitton purse. 

MAKE

Silverish-white shadow up to the brow. Mauve brown lip. 

HAIR

Brown highlighted hair. Side part. Light curls. 

CLOTHING AND ACCESSORIES

On the left: Black bustier-style tank top. Black button-up a-line skirt. Leopard print cowboy hat. Louis Vuitton purse. Silver bangles. Black platform boots with socks poking out (the socks look like they might be fishnet with a lacy top hem). Silver cross necklace. Silver rings. 

On the right: Camel cowboy hat. Flouncy off-white tank top. Denim mini a-line skirt. Dark brown platform lace-up boots. Yellow purse. 

MAKE

Both girls are wearing very similar make: Silver eyeshadow up to the brow, mascara, nude and shimmery lip. They are both wearing blue contacts. 

HAIR

Both girls are sporting similar hair colors: brown with blonde highlights. The girl on the right has hers in two low twin tails. 

CLOTHING AND ACCESSORIES

High-neck zebra tank top. Red a-line mini skirt. Layered necklaces (one looks like simple silver and the other has a red feather charm). Stack of silver bangles. Blue beaded bracelets. Watch. Silver earrings. Black platform boots. Square-shaped nails with silver french type and sparkly ombre. Silver rings. 

MAKE

Cole eyeliner. Dark blue shadow on the lid. Silverish white shadow up to the brow bone and on the namidabukuro. 

HAIR

Long bleach blonde hair with side bangs. Curled ends. 

We're obviously going to see many repeat stylings in this series. You can find a more comprehensive list at the end of part 1. However, I don't want to repeat myself here, so this review will focus more on the composition of these outfits. 

A very common outfit formula (and particularly for this set of lovely gals) is this: tank top or bottle-neck knit top + a-line mini skirt + platforms

The most varied part tends to be in accessories, where each gal has their own collection, which I love. It really adds a personal touch to each coordinate. Silver does tend to be a favored metal, and those jelly-colored bangles are also a go-to.

journal tour: 2024

For the past few months, I've kept a collage journal. As an ardent collector, I wanted to have a place to store all of the stickers and clippings I came across during my day-to-day. Each thing pasted represents an assortment of memories and even more love.

Feel free to click on each image to take a closer look. ♡ 

shibuya 1999: a fashion study - part 1

 

At first glance, gal fashion may seem like an imitation of its Western counterparts, but at the core of this movement was the motivation to dress like people who were far less distant: Shibuya 109's charismatic shop staff, magazine models, and domestic musicians. Yusuke Arai, social anthropologist, pg 8

A quick scan of my blog will undoubtedly reveal a deluge of 90s-era gyaru: tan-skinned girls on towering platforms with white-painted eyes. I'm an old-school ganguro who loves old-school ganguros. 

As an old-school gal and lifelong student of gyaru fashion, I am constantly on the hunt for primary sources. I recently came across the book Shibuya 1999, a collection of photographs of Shibuya residents from the late 90s. Most of these residents are gals. 

Similar to what I did in my How To Be A Ganguro Girl post, I want to dive into Mike Nogami and Masami Takahashi's (collaboratively known as Clown) fantastic photography book to see what we can learn. There are too many beautiful coordinates in the book, and I want to give them all justice, so I'll divide this into parts. This is part one. 

It's possible that at the end, I'll compile a compendium of everything we learned. A fashion study review! 

But for now, let's tackle today's coordinates... Class is in session. 

CLOTHING AND ACCESSORIES

Bright green shorts. Orange zip-up, short-sleeved hoodie (seems to be a soft, knitted fabric) with a green floral bikini top underneath. Straw cowboy hat with fake hibiscus flowers. Sandals with a cork or wood-like platform. Oval sunglasses hung from a puka shell necklace. A lanyard with her cell phone attached. Glitter square-shaped nails. Rings in silver and wood.

MAKE

White eyeshadow all the way up to the brow bone and on the namidabukuro. Dark shadow. Mascara. Teardrop-shaped crystal stickers near the eyes. Nude lip. Brown brows. 

HAIR

Bleached hair in a sandy blonde. Short and layered. Parted to the side. 

CLOTHING AND ACCESSORIES

Resort casual floral maxi dress. Layered necklaces with tropical themes, including shells and plumerias. Chunky purple bangle (with green and yellow accents.) Silver rings. Cellphone on lanyard. White shoulder bag. Platform wood sandals with a woven strap. 

MAKE

Deep tan foundation. White/silver highlighting brown bone and namidabukuro. Mascara. Eyeliner. White lip. Dark brows with an arch. It also looks like she's got some pronounced highlighter on her upper cheek, right near her eyes. 

HAIR

Bleached hair in white-blonde. Styled in braided twin tails with pink hair bands. Side part. 

CLOTHING AND ACCESSORIES

Red casual dress. Woven bag styled with a red lei. Camel suede lace-up boots (I'm guessing they're from Question Mark or Idol). Sunglasses hung on the dress front. Layered necklaces in various materials (silver, wood, leather, etc). Silver bangles. Silver hoop earrings. 

MAKE

Matte foundation. Blue contacts. Light pink (frosted) lips. Silverish-white eyeshadow up to brow bone and namidabukuro. It's unseen, but I'm sure she's wearing a dark eyeshadow and liner on the lid. Mascara. Dark, arched brows. 

HAIR

Tea-brown hair. Layered, side part, worn straight. 

CLOTHING AND ACCESSORIES

Alba Rosa tank top. Terry cloth (that's my best guess) mini skirt in pink. Armbands in pink and white. Bangles. Hibiscus dangle earrings in the first hole and Native-inspired earrings in the second. Denim platform sandals with pink hibiscus designs. Layered necklaces. Straw cowboy hat decorated with fake flowers. Long, square-shaped nails. Some kind of (I'm not certain what it is) flower accessory attached to the front of her tank top. It also looks like she has her wallet or cell phone tucked in her bra. 

MAKE

Tan, matte foundation. White shadow up to brow bone. Dark shadow on lid. Mascara. Fake lashes (top and bottom). Gem stickers near eyes. Light lips. Dark brows. 

HAIR

Bleached blonde hair. Cut to the shoulders. Worn straight. 

CLOTHING AND ACCESSORIES

Yellow tank top. White shorts. Sandals with a tall wood platform. Silver dog tag necklaces. Wooden bangles. Yellow and pink beaded bracelets. Thick white hoops. 

MAKE

Subtle (extremely subtle by usual ganguro standards) white on brow bone and namidabukuro. Silver star stickers near one of her eyes. Brown brows. 

HAIR

Bleached blonde hair in a yellowish shade. Shoulder length. Middle part. Front pieces of hair pulled back with pink clips.

CLOTHING AND ACCESSORIES

Blue floral casual dress. Large shell (looks like white coral) necklace. Silver layered necklace with a variety of charms including a white scallop. Silver accessories including rings, bracelet, and watch. Mules with a wooden platform. 

MAKE

Subtle white highlight on brow bone and namidabukuro. Arched brown brows. Light pink (so light it's almost undetectable) frosted lips. 

HAIR

Bleached blonde hair. Side part. Layers. 

CLOTHING AND ACCESSORIES

Low-waisted, dark denim jeans with a slight flare at the bottom. Black tank top with yellow straps. Dangle earrings. Black cowboy hat. Cowrie shell armband. Red Alba Rosa knapsack with clear hibiscus clip. Dark wood platform sandals. Blue square-shaped nails. 

MAKE

Deep tan foundation. White shadow on brow bone and namidabukuro. Arched, brown brows. 

HAIR

Tea-brown hair pulled back into a low ponytail. Middle part. Long, face-framing bangs. 

CLOTHING AND ACCESSORIES

Low-waisted, dark denim flare jeans. Off-white belt. Light orange polo tank top. Sandals with a dark wood platform. Long-layered necklaces, one being kukui and the other being transparent beads. Wicker bag with tropical flower accents. Beaded bracelets

MAKE

Subtle white shadow on brow bone and namidabukuro. Tan, matte complexion.

HAIR

Honey blonde hair. Layered. Middle part. Worn straight. 

When doing these studies, I constantly look for recurrent fashion elements. This makes it easier to determine what is most "gyaru" about these coordinates. 

KEY NOTES

• Tan complexion 
• Foundation is typically dark and matte
• Bleached, layered hair (in various shades ranging from very white blonde to light tea brown) 
• Side parts were favored by many ganguro at the time
• Clothing in a bright color palette, including oranges, greens, reds, blues, etc. 
• Tropical themes in both garments and accessories
• Cowboy hats 
• Often styled with tropical fake flowers like hibiscuses and plumerias 
• White highlighting of the brow bone and namidabukuro 
• Brows with a notable arch 
• Wooden platforms 
• Wicker or woven bags 
• Silver Jewelry 
• Stickers and gems used near the eyes (as part of the makeup look)
• Lanyards holding their cellphones and styled with various keychains and fake flowers 
• Square-shaped nails 

dear diary: 10/23/24

Today's task was to visit the Immigration Office. I dreaded it. 

For starters, it takes over an hour to get there. Second, it's a bureaucratic bore. I prepared for the trip by choosing a new book to read and having a pre-journey cup of yuzu tea.

In the time it took to get to the office (and wait to be seen), I was able to get halfway through the book. 

I was surprised by how painless the entire procedure was. The young man who dealt with my documents called me "sister," which was sweet. The whole process took less than thirty minutes. In fact, getting to the office took longer than having my documents reviewed. 

On the way back, it began to rain. I watched it fall from the bus window and wished I'd brought an umbrella. 

Once I made it to Shibuya, I had a delicious curry and pho lunch.

My lotus tea came with that (capital G) Good ice. You know what I'm talking about. 

Crunchy (╥ ω ╥)

As luck would have it, it started to pour on the walk from the station to my apartment. I was soaked to the bone. I was glad I didn't have any plans so I could get cozy and play video games for the remainder of the day. Today, I played Persona 5 at the behest of one of my friends. It's ridiculous, and I love it. 

Ugh. Something so stupid happened. After drying off and slipping into an oversized hoodie, I wanted hot tea. 

I placed the freshly brewed cup on the windowsill near my bed, and it somehow tipped over and spilled all over my stomach. It stung so terribly that I literally thought I was going to throw up. It even burned through my fake tan! I'm fine now. It still hurts a little, but I'll survive. I hope it doesn't blister...

That incident totally took the wind out of my sails. It also seemed to zap all the thoughts out of my head. I'm struggling to write. My brain hurts. Ouch.