Harajuku?!

[KeywiiKate]

Hi everyone

Im facinated with Harajuku style, I'm even doing a college paper on it! I'd love to get as much info on it as i can but only from people who are well informed on it ! What I really what is to get a very brief interview with people who do the whole Harajuku thing?!

Thanks I would really appreciate help
KeywiiKate

[MissMisa]

Harajuku is a place in Japan where teens go and hang out. They are usually the outcasts of society [the equivilent of Goth and Punk in the UK and America] that gather together in groups, to socialise, and some also pose for tourist photos. There isn't really a generic Harajuku style - there are many different styles in Harajuku, such as Decora, Ganguro, Lolita and Visual Kei to name a few. Look in books called 'Fruits' and 'Fresh Fruits' which have a lot of images of styles in Harajuku.

That's how I'd put it, anyway ^-^ I picked freedom of expression because Harajuku isn't really a style.

If you want to interview me, I dress Gothic Lolita quite often, and I know quite a bit about it. That would be fine by me ^_^ I am not from Japan though, I am from the UK.

[KeywiiKate]

Hi everyone!

Im from Ireland and facinated with Harajuku style, I'm even doing a college paper on it! I'd love to get as much info on it as i can but only from people who are well informed on it ! What I really what is to get a very brief interview with people who do the whole Harajuku thing?!

Thanks I would really appreciate help
KeywiiKate

[MissMisa]

Please only post in one place! This one will get deleted now >.<

[Suki]

Fashion. No more, no less. To me, anyway.

[MissMisa]

Originally Posted by Suki

Fashion. No more, no less. To me, anyway.

Some Harajuku styles run deeper than just the clothes they wear. For example, Gothic Lolita highlights modesty, etiquette and being polite to one another.

Some types of fashion are just fashion, such as what's in this season etc. But some types of fashion have been around for years and have a history and attitude that runs deeper than just what's on the outside. Normally fashion is physical representation of your beliefs and interests, too.

[Suki]

Originally Posted by MissMisa

Some Harajuku styles run deeper than just the clothes they wear. For example, Gothic Lolita highlights modesty, etiquette and being polite to one another.

Some types of fashion are just fashion, such as what's in this season etc. But some types of fashion have been around for years and have a history and attitude that runs deeper than just what's on the outside. Normally fashion is physical representation of your beliefs and interests, too.

Sure some of them have actual beliefs, but those ain't the ones you see in the street overly dressed with way too much makeup on. In my opinion, these kids just seek a little attention, they enjoy the whole "Oh-look-at-me-I-am-such-a-transgressive-teenager-Feel-my-wrath!- thing. I hardly ever see them having much of an attitude; they are far more concerned about how hardcore they look. I do have beliefs and interests too, but I do not need to show the world what these are, I don't wanna be defined by a piece of cloth; if they do that's just fine by me, just don't ask me to see it as something other than a fashion, a passing one.

[MissMisa]

Originally Posted by Suki

Sure some of them have actual beliefs, but those ain't the ones you see in the street overly dressed with way too much makeup on. In my opinion, these kids just seek a little attention, they enjoy the whole "Oh-look-at-me-I-am-such-a-transgressive-teenager-Feel-my-wrath!- thing. I hardly ever see them having much of an attitude; they are far more concerned about how hardcore they look. I do have beliefs and interests too, but I do not need to show the world what these are, I don't wanna be defined by a piece of cloth but if they do that's just fine by me, just don't ask me to see it as something other than a fashion, a passing one.

Nobody wants to be defined by a piece of clothing, but unfortuneatly that's how society is. I dress differently from other people, not for attention, but just because I simply like something else. Sure, some people dye their hair neon pink for attention, but others may just like it, and if they're anything like me, don't give a damn whether people look at them or not. And trust me if I could avoid all the NEGATIVE attention which I get, I would, however I won't supress how I dress for others. Just today I had people shouting at me, saying 'get a fashion sense.' I'd rather avoid attention and just be accepted for being me. Most people I know don't dress differently to be 'Oh-look-at-me-I-am-such-a-transgressive-teenager-Feel-my-wrath!' as you put it. They just like different things to other people. You could describe common fashion as, 'OMG-I-need-to-look-like-everyone-else-or-I'll get-beaten-up' thing. The point in having opinions is to express them, be it through words, or even clothing sometimes.

How do you justify the way you look? Do you pick clothes because you like them? That's an expression of what you like. Do you pick clothes just to look like everyone else? That's an expression of conformity. Do you pick clothes because you want to stand out? That's an expression that your opinion wants to be heard. Whether you like it or not, you are judged by what you wear, and personally, I'd rather make it a reflection of myself.

[Suki]

I dress the way I do because I like how it looks on me, not because I want people to judge me on the clothes I wear. What I look like is not a reflection of my thoughts, my words and my actions are. This is who I am and what I stand for. Behavior, not looks.

I'm not saying that everyone who dresses differently from the "straight crowd" do so in order to catch everyone's eye; but most of them have no interest other than being original, guess it makes them feel special; but I bet if you actually walk up to these people and ask them why they dress that way, they won't have any genuine reasons to. How many people who wear an Anarchy symbol on their shirt know what Anarchy actually is?

You know, maybe I just don't need to express my opinions everytime I decide to go for a walk. If wearing clothes that let people know what I'm like means they'll just take me for granted, then I don't want to give them the satisfaction of thinking they have gotten to know me by taking a look at my style.

Now hey, that's just my view on it; take no offence ^^' It differs from yours but I think that's something I can manage to live with xD! So let's be cool about it.

[MissMisa]

Originally Posted by Suki

I dress the way I do because I like how it looks on me, not because I want people to judge me on the clothes I wear. What I look like is not a reflection of my thoughts, my words and my actions are. This is who I am and what I stand for. Behavior, not looks.

I'm not saying that everyone who dresses differently from the "straight crowd" do so in order to catch everyone's eye; but most of them have no interest other than being original, guess it makes them feel special; but I bet if you actually walk up to these people and ask them why they dress that way, they won't have any genuine reasons to. How many people who wear an Anarchy symbol on their shirt know what Anarchy actually is?

You know, maybe I just don't need to express my opinions everytime I decide to go for a walk. If wearing clothes that let people know what I'm like means they'll just take me for granted, then I don't want to give them the satisfaction of thinking they have gotten to know me by taking a look at my style.

Now hey, that's just my view on it; take no offence ^^' It differs from yours but I think that's something I can manage to live with xD! So let's be cool about it.

Yeah I agree with that, there are a lot of people at my school who just basically go around in a big gang copying each other xD I should probably ask them why they dress that way, and like you said they wouldn't be able to tell me! The annoy me though, gah -_-=

Anyways, before I start ranting about them Primarily I want my words and actions to represent who I am, and they do. I don't care what randomers on the street think of me, or need them to know what I think. I just wear clothes that look good, suit me, and yeah I dress regarding things I like so I suppose it is a reflection of myself. You said you pick clothes because you bascially like them, so your clothes are your personal taste, and you can't escape that. Dressing a certain way doesn't mean they instantly know everything about you, it's never like that >.< But no matter what you do, people WILL and DO judge you on your looks. Personally, I don't conform to that, and obviously you don't either, but some people do. I wasn't talking about me personally too much, just trying to figure out reasons why a person might dress in that way in Harajuku, because I can't imagine it's all just for attention.