Keeping up with Japanese street style
The Japanese are unbelievably fashionable people, to say the least. I mean, it is the simple things that make a difference in the way they look. You’ll see crisp ironed button-downs at 12 in the night when people are hitting a pub, presumably after a day of work. Footwear is always thought through and perfectly complements the outfits. Hair is always in place with bands, ribbons and bows. It is not uncommon to see women fixing their makeup on trains and in the middle of the streets.
If I understand correctly, it is a part of their culture to appear well-put together at all times. There is no room for sloppiness in Japan’s wardrobe (would they know about track pants or PJs? just wondering).
Needless to say, this gives birth to a meticulous and refreshing street style. Well I am not talking about the anime- or Lolita-inspired mind-boggling display of costumes that Japan is well-known for (that’s way out of my league, you see). I am referring to how the women dress for a day at work, what girls wear to college on a seemingly uneventful day or what does a night out with girlfriends look like on Instagram pics. Are there common elements in this regular day-to-day styling? I think there are.
Two-weeks of unabashed staring at people on trains, restaurants, streets, shopping malls and amusements parks have resulted in this street trend report from Japan!
#Midi-lengths:
Although shorts and denim cut-offs are common, especially among teens, women mostly wear shin-length outfits. Skirts, dresses and culottes in midi-length are very popular.
No-sleeveless: In my two-week stay, I have only seen women wearing sleeveless outfits (tops or dress) about a total of two or three times. I am not sure if this is because they dress practically to accommodate the erratic weather, but it seemed sleeves are rather important to most!
Berets are massively popular almost the Japanese’s women. Some even wear fancy headbands with big bows, a more modest cousin of the British fascinators. Interestingly, hats are popular across age groups as well.
Long shrugs, light trench coats and overcoats are big in Japan. The women are complete pros in their layering game with trench coat belts neatly tied behind in pretty bows to give their frame a defining shape even with a coat on. I saw very little use of scarves though as a layer.
They almost always wear stockings, or at least socks. Most women wear stockings that merge seamlessly with their skin tone, leaving a buttery effect on the legs. Socks, mostly ankle-length, are often delicate with burn-out patterns and ribbons for decoration.
#Heels and ankle straps:
With the entire country being so high-heel friendly (talking smooth footpaths and trains doors seamlessly meeting the edge of the platforms), women leave no stones unturned to take advantage of the situation. High heels are almost a rule although the younger crowd is often seem in chunky sneakers. There’s something about ankle straps as well, which seemed a rather popular choice for finishing off the dainty looks on women.
Now, I wasn’t really ready for so much style on streets but here are some of my looks from Japan. I tried incorporating their style elements, within the limited wardrobe I was carrying. Let me know, if it worked.
