Japanese Fashion Dos and Don'ts
 

I'm considering moving to Japan in a hopefully not too distant future.

I would appreciate some information on Japanese fashion hits and misses in different environments/occasions, such as office-wear and what to wear for a night out with friends.

Are there any obvious DOs and DON'Ts that I should know of?

~annelie

That is such an immense question to ask. Different fashion applies to different parts of Japan and so on...

Work related attire is very much like that worn by 'white collar' workers, so suits etc. When out with friends it depends on where you are going, who is going to be there, but of course as it is in Western countries you are not expected to be so formal.

The Japanese people will understand that you are new to their culture and the majority of people are kind enough to realise that as a 'foreigner' you will not know everything. So the best advice I can give you is to ask people, they will appreciate that you respect them enough to ask ^_^

dont wear a fully white suit. white is only properly worn at funerals.

umm otherwise, japans still fairly conservative with eveyday fasion; you need to consider crowded public transport; no nothing too revealing/ low cut etc; juust take a look at what others are wearing and take it from there ;)

good luck and enjoy ;) :ywave:

thx alot, Gwen! thats just what i wanted to know~! :D

See, this is exactly the type of reassurance I need. Thank you! :)

Gwen_Goth's advice about not wearing white suits unless attending a funeral is great too, as I tend to wear white clothes on a regular basis.

Thanks guys!

~annelie

Do - Bathing Ape

Just dress as if you care about how you look. Japan doesn`t have some sort of exotic dress code.

The white suit thing is right, but white *clothes* aren`t that weird. And really, I think anyone wearing a pure white formal *suit* around is going to be stared at just about anywhere in the world they are. I`ve seen people wearing white shorts with white shirts in the summer because it`s cool. Nothing strange about it.

The only thing I would pay attention to would be sleeve length. People usually don`t wear short sleeves before or after certain dates. If you don`t see anyone around wearing short sleeves, they`re probably not in season.

my suggestion.

just be yourself. try not to go with the fashion too much.

whatever you wear, if you want to wear a bucket in your head. fine by me. :D

i find that cool!

If you're talking about dressing appropriately for the weather then I understand what you're saying. What worries me is that there might some holiday or something when Japanese people don't wear certain clothes or outfits, and that I will not be aware of these customs when I arrive in Japan and consequently make a fool of myself.

~annelie

Lol, great idea! I'm gonna try wearing a bucket on my head every time it's raining from now on. Who knows, maybe I'll start a trend...

~annelie

the long/short work-sleve thing isnt so much to do with the weather; its about conformity and standards; even if its cold people will still wear the short sleve shirts if it isnt time to change to the long sleves yet. for ladies in smart-casual wear the sleve lenght are understandibly different but its cometimes best to conform till you know the norms :)

Honestly, when I move there, I'm still going to wear what I want. I'll probably still wear my american clothes. And, if I find something I like in japan, I'll wear that too. Down with society, telling me what to wear or not wear. What isn't fashion to you, doesn't mean it's not fashion to me :(

(further inspects what I'm wearing)
It's a fusion of hip hop/punk. Odd, I know >_>

As for making yourself stand out, yet still not be an outcast, I'd have to say,
"It's all in the accessories"
Necklaces, wristbands, earings, whatever.

Come as you are :)

No offense but God I hope that doesnt catch on. The bucket thing that is.

Aldine: I think I will. ^^ :)

Pandayanyan: Lol, I wouldn't worry, I think the Japanese have better fashion judgement than that. ;) Welcome to JF! :ywave:

~annelie

Annelie82 I'd like to be your Onnechan aswell (if thats ok with you- having a mad gothic sister).
Anyway I think what you should do is try to wear some Harajuku or Shibuya stuff seen as its quite popular. If I was you I'd be running through every shop for Harajuku stuff but I'm not you.

i think if your aware of the biggest holidays when you arrive there then you should be fine. not everyone celebrates all the holidays. but i guess it all depends on what part of japan you go to ^_^

act nice!
be yourself!
to me, that's important

Bape stores here are kinda lame.

Over priced, over hyped, and the quality isnt that great compared to other major brands.

The colors are just too much for my taste, but when i looked into buying clothing there. the quality of some of the shirts/hats/shoes were just crap.

and look forward to paying 300-1000 dollars for pants or shoes

and 100-500 for a hat

and 100-200 for a shirt with a monkey thats been ironed on =P

There are 2 Bape stores in Tokyo, and they are the REAL Bathing Ape stores, not knock offs.

How about a bucket hat? Seriously that's the other name for the canvas "boonie" hat that is/was military issue and seems popular with fishermen.

I much prefer wearing some kind of brimmed hat instead of carrying an umbrella. I hate those things other people try to poke you with because they are certain that they are only person on the sidewalk.

Kimono's are worn casually >.>"
Kimono w/ haori on top is for people of higher status [generally]
Kimono w/ hakama and haori is usually for special and formal occasions
Yukata should be worn after July or so...
Geta are the way to go! xDD

Some random tidbits of advice from my boss xDD

*unless your suiting up to be the victim of a drive by.... *

Kimonos are worn casually? There is no more formal attire in Japanse fashion than a kimono. Are you sure you don't mean a yukata?

kimono as in the thing under the haori and hakama x.x''
i dun wanna call it a yukata..
because yukata are like thin and meant for bathing, around an inn, and summer time >.>""

Yukata are made of cotton, where kimomo are usually silk.

There are different kind of yukata...from the simple robe worn at the hotsprings to more fancy ones worn to summer festivals.

And yes, haori and hakama are worn over the kimono, but with or without haori and hakama, a kimono is still a very formal piece of wear that most women only wear a few days in their lives (Coming of age day, wedding, funeral, etc.) It can't be worn on your own, you need a dresser to help you put it on. So "worn casually" is probably not quite accurate.

oh yeah..the original poster is a girl isn't she? ._.'''
i was talking about the men's kimono xDD
haha....
buuut yeaaah...
women don't generally wear haori and hakama ._.'
unless on special occasions...like...a ritual at a temple or something >.>'

I do not know if a man can dress himself in a kimono, but yes, at least hakama and haori are traditionally for men, though there are versions for women, as well.

x.x'''
the undergarment...for the hakama and haori...is called a kimono >.>""
you don't just wear a hakama and haori over nothing xD...
not yukata either btw, lolz.....
>.<'''

traditionally, kimono referred to any sort of clothing >.>'
not just the elaborate robes that the women wore....
and i don't think they are "versions" for women...
women and men wear pretty much the same ...
except for super formal occassions...then
men wear hakama and haori, while women wear their kimono >.>"'

Kimono is not simply an "undergarment" but is the main thing. hakama and haori compliment the kimono. It's nit-picking, but true. Why would you think that I said you would wear a hakama or haori over nothing?

Technically "kimono" means "clothes" but ask any Japanese person, and what is "kimono" and 99% will describe the formal traditional wear.

I think you need to do a little more research. Mens and womens kimono are VERY different. The sleeves and colors differ depending on a woman's age and marital status, and women's kimono tend to have more patterns and feminine colors, where mens tend to be more plain, in blacks and grays.

As a man would you wear this?

oooiii xDDD
yes...mens' and women kimono ARE different x.x''''
the women's are generally more elaborate...whilst mens are naturally more subdued...though both can be quite decorative..depending on the occassion >.>""
also..the sleeves...at the back right under the armpit..the men's are closed, whilst the women's are open...

but the point i was pointing out...is taht the men's kimono, when worn alone, is, or can be considered, casual >.>"''
only w/ the hakama and haori is it formal >.>'
and w/ just the haori....well that's usually reserved for people of higher class =OO

and i wasn't calling the kimono and undergarment... x.x''
it "is" the main garment...but the fact that it goes "under" the hakama and haori..wouldn't it be natural to assume it as an "undergarment"???
x.x'''

I think you need to be clear, because now I feel like you are contradicting yourself.

Although men's kimono may be considered more "casual", I can't think of a casual occasion in modern times when it is worn.

well damn modern times >.>"
that's this one's philosophy anyway ;3
haha ^^''

??? (((*(o_o)*)))
 

i thought that they love it when people dress unique and different !
yeah,i think you should be yourself !
you could even say you are trying to be different !
the worse thing that could happen,is that you will be look at
as a crazy new person !
and thats not so bad !:D

x]
funniest thing is that japanese (well most asians in general >.<''') tend to be uber uber conservative x]
they rarely open up to outside things~~ (buut then again x] aren't most countries/societies/civilizations like that?)


buuut meh :3
this one rather enjoys the outcast status ^_^

Gentlemen, if my sources are correct, a kimono for a man or woman may be formal or informal.

Women's kimono formality is generally recognized by material (polyester less formal than silk), color and amount of decoration, the obi material and style of tying, and sleeve length (not just determined by marital status).

The formal kimono for a wedding includes a furisode .... most often recognized by westerners by the extremely long sleeves. One version of the undergarment is a juban.

A woman does not require assistance to dress in a kimono, but she would be crazy to decline it.;)

If anyone wants extensive detail on this, check out the web site for Immortal Geisha and the numerous topics regarding kimono.

be original and dont be a slave to fashion, in my opinion, you shouldnt be a walking brand name
:)

good luck in japan!