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.

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 cursory scan of my blog will undoubtedly reveal a deluge of 90s-era gyaru. Tan-skinned girls on towering platform boots with white-painted eyes. In summary: I'm an old-school ganguro who loves old-school ganguros.

As an old-school devotee and lifelong student of gyaru fashion, I am constantly hunting for primary sources. Recently, I came across the book Shibuya 1999, a collection of photographs of Shibuya residents from the late 90s. The majority of these residents are gals.

In the same spirit as my How To Be A Ganguro Girl post, I want to dive into Mike Nogami and Masami Takahashi's (collaboratively known as Clown) photography book to see what fashion insights we can extract. There are too many striking coordinates in the book, so I'll divide this into parts. This is part one. 

It is possible that at the end, I'll compile a compendium of everything we learned. A true 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. Glittery, 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 plumeria. 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 flower accessory (I'm not certain what it is) 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 

HOW TO BE A GANGURO GIRL

"The elevators [of Shibuya 109] are thronged with colorfully dressed Gals, their hair shades of orange or blonde, or covered in floppy hats and hair pieces, their white-painted eyes peering out of brown skin. Strange walking dolls."   Kate Klippensteen, page 132 

WHAT IS A GANGURO?

Dark tans, flashy makeup, and bleached hair. The word ganguro (ガングロ) describes an early substyle of gyaru that existed from the mid-90s to about 2008 (as estimated by Kubo Yuka in her book The Last Moments of the Ganguro Tribe: A Study of Gyaru Culture). They were inspired by American fashion, notably California surf culture, but by the 1990s, they evolved into something uniquely Japanese.

These ganguro were largely middle-class teens and twenty-somethings with disposable income. They hung out in Shibuya, shopped at Shibuya 109 (Marukyu), frequented Para Para dance clubs and Karaoke booths, ate fast food, and gabbed with like-minded friends. They had fun. 

In 2000, Tokyo-based writer Kate Klippensteen and photographer Everett Kennedy Brown collaborated on a book called Ganguro Girls. The book includes images of real-life Ganguro, a small questionnaire filled out by each of the girls, and brief but astute blurbs about the subculture by Klippensteen. It's an intimate snapshot of this short-lived (and my personal favorite) period of gyaru. 

A lot can be learned from these primary sources. Let's dig in and see what we can find...

My copy of Ganguro Girls

THE LOOK

"Ganguro Gals reminded me of drag queens, anime heroines, messed up Barbie dolls..."  Kate Klippensteen, page 5 

• Bleached hair in blonde, tea-brown (a trendy color among Amura), silver and orange

• Floppy hats

• Hair pieces and wigs (a lifesaver if you don't want to bleach your hair)
• Long side bangs clipped with bobby pins and barrettes 

• Straightened bangs paired with textured/teased out/wavy hair

• Black or blue (and sometimes silver or dark purple) eyeshadow on the lid

• White shadow or a soft, workable liner that highlights the brow bone and aegyo sal 

• Thinner eyebrows with a defined arch 
• False upper eyelashes (at the time, lower falsies weren't particularly popular, and natural lower lashes were defined with black mascara)
• White or frosted lips 

A tan is essential to ganguro. 

It can be achieved at a tanning salon or by layering self-tan lotions. This is where the distinction between the terms ganguro and gonguro originated. Ganguro was used for a gal who tanned naturally (via sun beds or beach trips), and gonguro were those who used lotions. 

These days, the term gonguro isn't really used, and if it is, it's interchangeable with ganguro.

• Ten to twelve-inch platform boots in white, pink, black, or brown. 

• Or equally tall wooden platform sandals.

* Sandals and boots can be worn as is or paired with long socks (typically black, although it wasn't uncommon to match the color to another element of your coordinate)

• Chunky sneakers paired with scrunch socks or leg warmers (typically white)

• Tennis, baby doll, and shift dresses in bright colors and soft materials 

• Denim jackets

• Straight mini skirts or knee-length skirts with tropical, silk-printed motifs (often from brands like Alba Rosa and MeJane)

• Polo shirts, tank tops, and t-shirts with logos from coveted Marukyu labels. 

• Shorts 
• Denim
• Bright, solid colors
• Floral (tropical)
• Outwear like hoodies, parkas, and trench coats in vibrant, primary colors 
• Long black leather and denim coats were also popular

Of course, this doesn't cover everything, but these were some of the items I noticed repeated in the book. One thing's for sure: ganguro is colorful.  

"We are bright, not just on the surface but also deep inside." - Hitomi, featured on pages 56 and 57

• Colorful nails
• In the mid to late 90s (and the very early 2000s), nails weren't nearly as long or decorated as what became standard for many kuro gyaru in the following years. 
• You'll notice that many of the girls wear their nails naturally or with simple polish. This is most likely because many were high school students and had to follow a dress code. 
• Wooden bauble necklaces and bracelets 

• Bangles in silver (gold and colors are also seen)

• Small oval (very 90s) sunglasses or rounded, white 60s-esque sunnies 

• Hawaiian-inspired jewelry and accessories (think pieces featuring kukui, hibiscus, shells, plumeria, etc.)

THE LIFESTYLE

"I truly grew to admire their carefree and open approach to living, in a country where rules abound and can be quite oppressive."   Kate Klippensteen, page 7 

How do you live the life of a ganguro? The most honest and straightforward answer is to have fun and be yourself. 

That being said, ganguro was as much a culture as a fashion style, and like many other subcultures born of a particular time and place, it was associated with distinct activities and hangout spots. Klippensteen lists some of these favored hangouts as Para Para dance clubs, Karaoke bars, Burger Kings and other fast food joints, a crepe stand, or an amusement center. 

Para Para was a standout activity, which is unsurprising given that it's still widely associated with gyaru today. Back in the ganguro's heyday, they didn't have YouTube tutorials, so many would pay 3,800 yen for step-by-step instructional videos. They'd take these learned moves to the clubs, but it wasn't unusual for the girls to ad-lib. 

Shopping was also big...unsurprisingly. Marukyu was the holy mecca of ganguro. As of 2000, when this book was created, some of the shops frequented by the gals were Alba Rosa, Egoist, Cecil McBee, Pinky Girls, Love Boat, Love Pets, and Sneep Dip. 

Remnants of these stores can be found on e-thrifting sites like Mercari JP, or, in the case of Egoist, a physical store remains in Marukyu today. However, the merchandise is alien to what would've been sold in 2000.

Alba Rosa has undergone a renaissance as of late, due to a renewed interest in gyaru and the resurgence of Y2K and Heisei-era aesthetics. Their iconic blanket coat (seen above) has become one of gyaru's most recognizable symbols, so much so that it has become visual shorthand for '90s to early 2000s gyaru as a whole. 

Alba Rosa may have started as resort casual attire for adults, but it is now inextricable from gyaru. 

Several photographs of the girls carrying vinyl shopping bags from then Marukyu housed labels like Idol (stylized with a heart for the 'O') and Alba Rosa are featured.

HOW TO BE A GANGURO GIRL

"[Ganguro] have chosen living for the moment, over being isolated, bullied or depressed at school...They would rather put on a flamboyant outfit and hang out with their many friends than worry about tolling away at boring studies or jobs."   Kate Klippensteen, page 6 

Now that the gyaru revival is upon us, I'd like to compile a list of what is needed to create that peak ganguro look, based on the knowledge we garnered from Kate Klippensteen's book. The style will undoubtedly vary in the modern age, given that many classic brands are now defunct and sell secondhand for exorbitant prices on e-commerce sites. 

But this is a good place to start as you decide what ganguro means to you. 

A Tan

A tan complexion is a non-negotiable for ganguro. When tanning, remember to consider your natural skin tone. While the term ganguro is derived from Chinese characters that literally translates to "blackface," that's not what we're trying to achieve here.  

White Eyeshadow 

Whereas nowadays, the iconic "droop" (tarume) has become the key point of most gyaru makeup, for the ganguro, the white-painted eye defined the look. 

Blue or black shadow was patted on the lid and then outlined with white in an almost reverse raccoon eye. In my opinion, the white on the aegyo sal is the most important part. 

Tropical-inspired Accessories and Motifs

Thanks to labels like Alba Rosa, Roco Nails, and MeJane, tropical patterns are a popular addition to any ganguro coordinate. Hibiscus and plumeria hair clips, Kukui bracelets and necklaces, palm tree patterns on skirts and dresses... Once you start looking for it, you'll see it everywhere.

American surf lifestyle brands like Roxy were also popular. 

 

A-Line Silhouettes 

By about 2005ish, when Y2K was in full swing, tiered mini skirts were commonly worn by gyaru. However, during the heyday of the ganguro, it was all about the straight skirt and dress. 

Platforms

Whether it's boots, sandals, or sneakers, a shoe with (often towering) height is the way to go. In Kate Klippensteen's book, none of the girls featured wore flat shoes. Not one. 

Have Fun

I know this sounds like something a mom tells their kindergartener before they head off to school, but it's true. The crux of the ganguro attitude is being yourself. Unapologetically. 

"In their somewhat hippie-like world, there is no hierarchy, no ill will. And these gals, like everyone else, want to have FUN. The difference is they do." - Kate Klippensteen, Tokyo, Summer 2000