/hb/ - Health & Beauty

10/10 meme

I wear lolita, so it is definitely my favorite. I would like to get into mori kei. It looks so comfy and I love all the layering.

I also like gyaru and menhara, but I don't think I would look good wearing it. Gyaru just seems like such a confident fashion, and I am not quite sure why I like menhara, since I don't like needles or blood or many of the themes.

Gyaru for sure <3

Lolita is definitely my favorite. I also wear mori when I can or am in the mood to be cozy. I like natural kei too but it's way less popular than mori and basically dead(as far as the west goes, I don't know about it over in Japan).

I know it isn't shown in OPs pic but I really like dolly kei too.

i like uchuu, menhera, decora and sometimes mori kei but it depends on how it's executed. this actually goes for all of them because tumblr has somehow ruined it.

I like mori, gyaru, and some lolita fashion most.

I'm in my late 20's so find a more subtle mori works well for me (pic related).

Anyone else feel like jfashion is dying(with the exception of lolita)? Subcultures, like mori girl, are dead or toning down, like fairy kei/yumekawaii and gyaru substyles. And nothing new seems to be replacing them. Even larme seems to have toned down and lost its distinctiveness

>>5853
We have this argument every fucking time, it's so tiring
Mori was never a subculture, it wasn't even a fleshed out style per se, it lasted one year at most. Cult party kei and creepycute wwere the same (though they lasted a little longer here because they appealed to westerners more). Dolly kei lasted even less.

It was mostly lolita and gyaru that had their own subculture, and compared to most other street style trends they have lasted a long, LONG ass time. They aren't as popular now as they used to, but they're still alive.

Now we have menhera and, to an extent, larme. The kawaii/outlandish aesthetic is slowly disappearing though, yeah, if you check recent street snaps you'll see everyone is looking normie as fuck and buying more regular designer/high fashion stuff.

I if I had to guess I'd say it's the economy coupled with fewer young people

>>5853
I know this is an argument that pops up all the time and I guess I can somewhat get it but j-fashion isn't dying at all. It's just changing. Mori and dolly kei, while cute af imo, were basically just fads. Natural kei basically died out as soon as it came. I see a lot of people say larme and menhera are just the current ones and will eventually die out but who knows, maybe they'll last as long as lolita has.

I pretty much agree with >>5854 on this one. The pastel kawaii stuff is gonna die out at some point and be replaced with something else. I think what has kept lolita going for so long is that it has so many styles and variations so for those who like it, it has a little bit of something for everyone.

This takes me back to when it was announced GLB was going out of print and everyone freaked out that lolita was dying. Print media is just disappearing because it's easier to access via internet and the end of one magazine isn't the be all end all. Yeah it was a super important one but there are others out there . People were afraid that jfashion as a whole was dying but it's just going through changes like anything else. Lolita just happens to be changing along with it and entering different eras.

>>5853
>>5855
Over the past 20 years, subculture fashion in Japan has been fading into obscurity.

Here is the first result I got in Google for "jfashion dying": https://qz.com/909573/japans-wild-creative-harajuku-street-style-is-dead-long-live-uniqlo/

There are a lot of articles on how the subcultures are pretty niche now. I think Tokyo has the most, and even then 99.5% of people dress "normal".

I think all over Asia right now this "Western" style is growing in popularity: (See the pic in this post)

I know Uniqlo and Tokyo Girls is Japanese, but the style is much more western.

>>5856
Jfashion was always niche though.

>>5854
I guess subculture was the wrong term, maybe style makes more sense, but regardless jfashion seems to be turning into Western trends/styles. The uniqueness that drew people into jfashion is dying.

Sorry that you're sick of this convo, but there's not many other places to talk about it. Also I'm just sick of seeing the same mainstream trends and styles EVERYWHERE, especially from a country where groups created styles to defy the mainstream.

>>5855
I get that it's changing and that fashion evolves, but like I said above, it seems to be changing into something more Western oriented, which is disappointing to me.

>>5858
I get what you mean by that it's disappointing lol. But as has already been said, it's probably a lot to do with the economy and fewer young people. Things aren't exactly the best right now for millions and millions of people economic wise so it's probably easier to afford fast fashions and cheaper designer clothing. Lolita is basically a luxury fashion so a lot of people just don't have the money for it. I'm not heavily into other jfashions but I imagine it's the same for them.

Jfashion probably just needs a break from being crazy and unique for a bit. It might pick back up into being creative and silly after awhile but for many it's just easier and economical to look normie af. They say fashion changes with its economy. Also, you may look like a nut but keep wearing jfash. It will only die out if those who wear it allow it to happen. I want it to continue as well so you aren't alone anon. I've gotten people into lolita and helped them along by doing it so just do you and wear what you want tbh.

>>5857
That's true. What I meant to say is that the individual niches are getting smaller while "normie"/"western" fashion is growing more trendy.

>>5860
Oh! Now I get it. I think normie is in rn because the economy is so shit for a lot of people. I imagine a lot of people still love the wacky colors we just don't see them as often cause the internet makes it easier to go out less. Ngl I kind of like some of the normie-ish but even by western standards(where I live, can't speak for everywhere in the west) they still look a little odd so it isn't all bad.

I wear gyaru, hime/agejo. I think VK is kind of cool though. I like looking like a princessy animu doll bitch, but I also like the crazy punky look. Most VK for girls is just crossdressing or vaguely lolita-shaped goth dresses though, so I wouldn't wear it.

>>5855
I definitely don't agree here, I think the economy in Japan has forced a lot of this. Things had a lot of cost/upkeep involved, stopped being as popular because they were too much work.

This has even happened with lolita, which seems to be becoming more toned down, but really there are just less accessories, less money to spend. If you look at many of AP's new releases they are a 3-5 piece set (op, headdress, tights/socks) at best compared to when Japan's economy was better they sold 5-7 pieces (op, headdress, tights/socks, jewelry, purse/other accessories). The overall style, motif and look of lolita however, hasn't changed much in like 10 years.

Most of the fashions that required a lot of money or a lot of upkeep slowed first, while others toned down. We still see pockets of kuro-gyaru, agejo hostesses, mori girls, etc. and while yes, their time in pop faded, many expensive styles and even just expensive aspects of them faded as well.

Fast fashion shops like dreamv are still around but they changed from hime/agejo, to onee/larme to cater to the style since the big brands they were emulating stopped being profitable. Gyaru brands like MA＊RS, DIA and jesus diamante still make the same things they did 5 years ago, just less, so someone is wearing them, just fewer people.

So the fashions couldn't have evolved since they still exist and are pretty much the same. All of these fashions still exist along side one another. Larme didn't replace gyaru, nor did neo-gyaru. Fairykei, decora and uchuukei all exist seperately, and the only thing that's really doing much evolving is normie fashion.


I think a lot of issue comes from foreigners thinking that if it's not easy to get online or not featured somewhere, it's dead, and also the opposite, (especially in the case of say dreamv) that since a new fashion is there, it replaced the other one, that it's an evolution. But jfash is niche, and most of the info foreigners can have access to is pop-culture related, so we don't get a full spectrum and assume it's just disappeared, when in reality, it was strange that it was so popular to begin with.


Sage because this is a freakin book.

>>5863
>I definitely don't agree here, I think the economy in Japan has forced a lot of this. Things had a lot of cost/upkeep involved, stopped being as popular because they were too much work.

Not that anon, but this is a really good point. I totally forgot that the health of the economy plaus a big role in things

>I think a lot of issue comes from foreigners thinking that if it's not easy to get online or not featured somewhere, it's dead, and also the opposite, (especially in the case of say dreamv) that since a new fashion is there, it replaced the other one, that it's an evolution. But jfash is niche, and most of the info foreigners can have access to is pop-culture related, so we don't get a full spectrum and assume it's just disappeared, when in reality, it was strange that it was so popular to begin with.

Also a great point, I really wish I knew the Japanese side of things. I've tried searching for stuff about jfashion styles in Japanese using google translate, but I havent been able to find much since it's not accurate enough and I don't know any of the language

>>5864
>I've tried searching for stuff about jfashion styles in Japanese using google translate, but I havent been able to find much since it's not accurate enough and I don't know any of the language

this makes me wish when people used to upload scans of stuff and translate them so westerners could read them. I haven't seen one of those in years.

>>5863
samefag(I'm >>5855 and >>5865) but please don't sage anon. I actually want to hear more tbh. I find this intriguing and you've actually got me hooked.

It's also sad how blogging and forums died off. Current social media isn't really good for any type of longer discussions, just for sharing pictures and short posts. I know on facebook you can have longer discussions but it's not as convenient as other platforms and too public.

>>5864
>>5865
>>5866
Thanks guys! I'd love to talk more about it. I can share some things later on this week, kind of swamped currently from work! Glad to hear my ranting was of some interest!

I'm still in love with decora

I watched this video and I think it sums up the whole "J-fashion" is dying thing. The gyaru girl said that unlike gyaru foreigners, the japanese gyaru don't go around saying that they're gyaru, others just call them that.

I feel like the western j-fashion community has to have "categories"for example a name and rules for every fashion. When we don't get these names and rules we consider something dead and that j fashion is dying.

Meanwhile in Japan theres tons of interesting fashion movements that exist but never make it to the western community because it's not as easily recognizable or noticeable without a name and rules.

To sum it up, j-fashion isn't dying, it's forever evolving amongst the youths of japan and we won't notice it since we don't live there.

>>5870
Something regarding server isn't letting me open the video…

>>5870
This is a really good point. There is so much the Western world misses out on because of our limited access to Japan.

I also just read this article from Universal Doll's blog that talks about how fashion blogs and magazines are "lying" to us when talking about Japanese fashion, that they are biased and don't report on everything. Here's the link if anons want to check it out:
http://universal-doll.com/2017/10/japanese-fashion-blogs-lie-fake-news-japanese-fashion/

>>5871
It worked for me by right clicking and opening a link in a new tab.

Sage for samefag

>>5870
i mean gyaru isn't any specific style anyways, it's mostly about makeup, especially now that only few gyarusa exist. a lot of gilrs in japan still follow the makeup style without being like black diamond kurogyaru or hostesses or something. i personally wear hime-kei and super cutesy gyaru style fashion. i guess i call myself gyaru, but only really to people who ask if i'm lolita. i buy stuff i like and wear makeup and lashes and think looking like a cute barbie doll is fun, but i don't feel any sense of community, especially with the west. i just like what i like. i liked ayumi hamasaki and learned there was a style she went for and so i got into it that way. but i think compartmentalizing fashions and trying to make so many rules is what 'kills' a fashion, it was never really alive to begin with.

Rokugyaru and himegyaru.

>>5847
I've always loved gyaru and the sexiness of it, but I loathe the intense drama, especially long after "gyaru" has kind of died out.

I feel like I became a lolita just because it's softer and fits my personality more, but I loathe how backwards it is with sexuality, towards kinks or showing of any skin at all. I appreciate Menhera for being more open-minded about it even though that's not my style.

>>5876
western gal comm is a fucking joke. just stay out of it and wear what you want. drama is fabricated as fuck. tho not to be mean, but even westerners in loli comm hate gal cause it's 'sexy' hell even gals in gal comm feel that way…(that's why i left)

>>5877
I hate how gyaru is pretty much dead, I watched a vid where a guy interviews 3 girls who are still in the gal scene, they say some people say mean things to them such as the style is outdated, ugly and how they should change.

This is what considered gyaru nowadays and it looks like sweet lolita

It's ashame that Japan is now following Korea's retarded beauty standards (ulzzang)

>>5878
>Japan is now following Korea's retarded beauty standards (ulzzang)

I'm so bothered by this tbh. Everything is Korean now, it's gotten annoying

>>5878
This looks like an ordinary girl. Really sad that Japan is becoming more conformist than ever…

>>5880
Japan use to have their own style and makeup, now they are copying korea's hair, clothing, makeup and even plastic surgery trends (namidabukuro, jaw shaving, skin whitening). I really hope the old style (tan, arched eyebrows, "heavy" dolly makeup, cute clothes) can make a comeback, that's what made Japan's style unique. If they can't then RIP Japan's fashion culture

TBH the "Korean style" that Japan and westerners tend to replicate are 2000-2007 Korean looks. It's more natural now with no eye bags. I have no idea why people started doing it now. It'd be like a country being like YES AMERICAN STYLE and dressing full myspace scene kid. I crey.

>>5878
it's not really dead. it just got a huge surge of popularity, so not many people wear it (which is like the beginning of gal tbh). i still wear it and just bask in my $5/item burando. i know that happens, and people will always do that, but they're probably not gal to be popular.


I hate ulzzang too tbh. and i fucking hate nabidabukuro.

>>5882
that's not really true. the japanese are only 1-2 years behind because they follow kpop. ulzzang/namidabukuro was still popular up till last year. same with that concealer blush lip shit.

>>5883
*namidabukuro

>>5884
I hate it too, I think it looks bad. Every Akb member and subunit has those injections with straight brows.

Popteen recently posted this on their youtube channel. It's so sad to see this is what constitutes as gyaru nowadays. Now you don't even need to be dark or tanned to be a gal and the makeup and style is so tame now, it use to be about standing out and looking outrageous(not in a bad way) with the long ass nails, arch thin brows, thick cute makeup, tan and the cute clothing. I just hate how Korean style and makeup killed off gyaru. A lot of makeup brands that sold gyaru makeup are now discontinuing, god it's just depressing to me..

Gyaru from 1990-2013 would be rolling and disappointed af if they saw the future of gyaru

>>5886
>>5887

Wtf. Like, I really like korean fashion, ngl, but that's not what gyaru is about?? I understand more "toned down" gyaru, in the likes of Ayumi Hamasaki and such, but this is literally just ulzzang stuff. I mean, if gyaru was to borrow from k-fashion, why not the bolder k-fashion? Something like CL would wear or wathever? Those are even tame for korean themselves. For shame indeed.

>>5887
>>5888
I wouldn’t even call this ulzaang tbh, because ulzaang is all about being pretty (so boring clothes draws attention to that).

These girls aren’t even fashionable…

This is so sad, what the hell happened.

More from popteen's yt page, she's literally a ulzzang and most of the "gals" are all wearing Korean brands or Korean inspired clothing

Before you know it they are gonna start calling regular high school girls gyaru– oh wait they already do

egg got revived but they hired the most blandest looking gals

old egg

They should had hired Rina Sakurai and her friends. Even though they aren't tanned anymore it seems like they are the only old school models left who do the gal style

I'm having a hard time accepting the death of gyaru too. It's too sad. sigh

I was never really into gyaru, but seeing these pics here… they're all so cute looking and i also really like the 'friendship' aspect of it, as in female friends just doing fun stuff together. (at least that's what it looks like)
Are there still any sites or youtubers there i can find more info about this? Not that i want to go full on tanning, just a more moderate version of it…?

For a moment i was so happy to have found this video (even with english subtitles!), but then i saw that it was already recorded in 2012 and if you look at that girl's instagram, nowadays she looks completely 'korean'…

>>5898
In comparison

>>5899
A lot of gyaru seemed to have square jaws/chins or more "western" features like bigger noses and longer faces.

Japanese in general usually have different features (like taller faces) and a different body type than a lot of Koreans.

I don't think the korean "style" suits them at all.

I use to buy a lot of popteen magazines during their hay days. I stopped when the new gen of popteen gals (michopa, Nicole) started doing tamer looks and calling it Gyaru. From there it snow balled to what it is now, I'm pretty much done with popteen.

Out of all the new gen gyaru I've seen, I think Michopa is the only one who is tanned, even Yukipoyo and her friend isn't as tan as her. Though Michopa's style seems more American inspired than Gyaru

>>5901
popteen called this stuff gyaru, not the models. traditional gyaru still exists it's just only a few people doing it.

The older gen gyarus look like each other

Reading through this thread made me so nostalgic. I remember when I used tumblr a lot and I followed all these fashion blogs and I was talking about j-fashion with so many different people. I used to reblog so many pages and scans from various magazines. I remember the height of mori kei and cult parti kei and gyaru. Everything was so cozy, inspiring and different. I never experienced any cattines, personally. It was a lot different compared to today, I feel like people are way more competitive and into j-fashion for the popularity rather than any real passion for it. Everything is so boring and uninspired now in the western online community. I've noticed most people from the community has just turned to korean fashion and boring hypebeast stuff.

Sorry fort the long ramble. I just miss what once was…

Tsubasa looks pretty ridiculous now. I'm pretty tired of seeing the same tumblr pastel 1970s look. It's so boring and basic now that everyone strives to look like this

>>5906
Holy shit, that's tsubasa? I couldn't even recognize her anymore. She looks younger with this style. She's obviously been influenced by the godawful kpop trend that's been happening over the last decade.