2008 Woodie Awards
Fashion on the Far Side
Efrat Okrent
Issue date: 5/13/08 Section: Fashion and Style
After spending ten-fast paced days in Tokyo, Japan, I realized my trip would not be complete without a visit to the famous Harajuku Street. The surprisingly tiny thoroughfare in the center of the fashion district of Tokyo is rapidly becoming the next major Fashion Capital of the world.
Harajuku is renowned worldwide for its young, urban style and eccentric fashion. Harajuku originated when a group of aberrant youth gathered in the street which had been closed off by authorities. It was there that they created their own outlandish style, and the phenomenon took off.
In the cluttered, yet quaint alleyways of Harajuku Street, the women and men (but mainly women) reveal the latest fashion extremes as they dress up as characters from an anime, or movie. At times, as I walked down the street, it felt as if I was in the midst of a film set, and the outfits worn by the platinum blond youth seemed to be conceived by professional costume designers. A few women even sported the Little Bo Peep look, replete with knee highs, bonnets, cane and all. Many groups such as Gothic Lolita, Gyaru and Kogal, comprise the sub-culture who loiter there.
Another element incorporated by the Harajuku devotees was intentional mismatching of bold electric colors. For instance, if someone is wearing a bright pink t-shirt, they may choose to sport neon green and yellow striped knee highs and plastic jewelry to complete the look. Yet every outfit seemed to have a common denominator among the chaos to bring it all together.
A third style that was popular among the fashion-forward Harajuku crowd was layering. One individual might be caught wearing at least four tops! These daring Japanese women were dressed in shirts, hoodies, vests, and jackets (in that order) in a concerted effort to express their individual style.
The final touches adorning the ensembles were the perfect array of accessories. Vests, belts, hats, and scarves were worn, rain or shine. After viewing the astounding amalgam of styles created by each passerby, it became evident to me that the Japanese aesthetic truly takes into account the concept of balance. Balancing is extremely important to master in order to achieve a complex look without appearing awkward or just plain messy. For example, those that copiously layered their tops, made sure to keep it simple on the bottom, usually wearing short shorts, or fitted jeans.
Since Harajuku Street is the up-and-coming fashion capital of the world, look to these women to inspire some sartorial spice! However, you may want to tone it down a bit and replicate the trends with more muted, wearable versions. So the next time you're enjoying your sushi and planning what to wear the next day, think of your friends in Japan, and you are sure to be a hit!
Harajuku is renowned worldwide for its young, urban style and eccentric fashion. Harajuku originated when a group of aberrant youth gathered in the street which had been closed off by authorities. It was there that they created their own outlandish style, and the phenomenon took off.
In the cluttered, yet quaint alleyways of Harajuku Street, the women and men (but mainly women) reveal the latest fashion extremes as they dress up as characters from an anime, or movie. At times, as I walked down the street, it felt as if I was in the midst of a film set, and the outfits worn by the platinum blond youth seemed to be conceived by professional costume designers. A few women even sported the Little Bo Peep look, replete with knee highs, bonnets, cane and all. Many groups such as Gothic Lolita, Gyaru and Kogal, comprise the sub-culture who loiter there.
Another element incorporated by the Harajuku devotees was intentional mismatching of bold electric colors. For instance, if someone is wearing a bright pink t-shirt, they may choose to sport neon green and yellow striped knee highs and plastic jewelry to complete the look. Yet every outfit seemed to have a common denominator among the chaos to bring it all together.
A third style that was popular among the fashion-forward Harajuku crowd was layering. One individual might be caught wearing at least four tops! These daring Japanese women were dressed in shirts, hoodies, vests, and jackets (in that order) in a concerted effort to express their individual style.
The final touches adorning the ensembles were the perfect array of accessories. Vests, belts, hats, and scarves were worn, rain or shine. After viewing the astounding amalgam of styles created by each passerby, it became evident to me that the Japanese aesthetic truly takes into account the concept of balance. Balancing is extremely important to master in order to achieve a complex look without appearing awkward or just plain messy. For example, those that copiously layered their tops, made sure to keep it simple on the bottom, usually wearing short shorts, or fitted jeans.
Since Harajuku Street is the up-and-coming fashion capital of the world, look to these women to inspire some sartorial spice! However, you may want to tone it down a bit and replicate the trends with more muted, wearable versions. So the next time you're enjoying your sushi and planning what to wear the next day, think of your friends in Japan, and you are sure to be a hit!
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