Asian-American Fashion Infulence
 

Does anyone remember when Asian styles [tattoos, influenced shirts, etc] started to become popular in the United States?

I'm doing a project on this for class.

It seems like the sudden boom started in 2008 suddenly everyone was wearing kimono styled tops and wearing shirts with characters all over them, but I'm so out of the 'fashion' circle I could've been oblivious to all of this until then.

So I guess you are not going as far back as the early 1900s for this project? It started well before WWII.

It was very popular in the 1950s, and there was another boom in the 1970s and 1980s....I am not sure what happened in 2008.

I think Asian-influenced things have always been rather popular. I think in the last 2-3 or so years anime culture has really come mainstream here, though.

I've noticed Target especially has really gone 'kawaii' with their merchandise. I walk into any Target and see Hello Kitty, Domo-kun, Tokidoki, Skeleanimals.... the Japanese influence is all over the place. I see it elsewhere, too.. more than I would have 5 years ago.