Hello Babydoll: How is Gyaru?
How Is Gyaru?
Before we get into the nitty and gritty of how Gyaru looks like and is doing today, we need to cover the base premise: What is Gyaru?
Lizzie Bee, who has created a blog similar to mine, as she details her Gyaru life in the UK says, "‘Gyaru’ can just be literally translated as ‘girl’ but… it’s so much more than that. Gyaru is not just a fashion style, but a subculture* which originated in Shibuya (a district in Tokyo) in the ’90s as a rebellion against the stereotypical beauty standard of having pale skin and dark hair. These Gyaru – or gals – were flashy, outgoing, and were quite frankly shocking to Japanese society. Their tans were very dark and their makeup extremely exaggerated, and although it has developed a lot since then but the main aesthetic of gyaru is still in place; we live for the famous tagline “get wild and be sexy!”
At the time, the Gyaru were seen as extremely rebellious. Considering the standards of the time (pale skin, dark hair), the Gyaru were looked down upon as "streetwalkers", being kicked out of their houses and resorting to sex work to simply get by everyday. I feel like the dark side of Gyaru isn't talked about as much as the good side: on the outside is gorgeous clothing and fun, deep down many Gyaru had to grow up knowing that they would never be accepted if they kept up this lifestyle.
As a lifestyle, Gyaru is unfortunately dying out as we know it. Many Gyaru stores globally have shut down and have been repurposed to cater to the newer Japanese styles. Stores like Liz Lisa (heavily popular with Himekaji Gyaru/Princess-Casual Gals) have evolved overtime to cater to styles like Ryousangata and Jirai-Kei. The two styles have struck Japan as the newest and most popular style since the Gyaru have emerged, due to the many similarities they share.
In conclusion, the Gyaru are a dying population. With apps and social medias like TikTok, I, as a Gyaru, can only hope that the general public will enjoy Gyaru as much as I do.
Before we get into the nitty and gritty of how Gyaru looks like and is doing today, we need to cover the base premise: What is Gyaru?
Lizzie Bee, who has created a blog similar to mine, as she details her Gyaru life in the UK says, "‘Gyaru’ can just be literally translated as ‘girl’ but… it’s so much more than that. Gyaru is not just a fashion style, but a subculture* which originated in Shibuya (a district in Tokyo) in the ’90s as a rebellion against the stereotypical beauty standard of having pale skin and dark hair. These Gyaru – or gals – were flashy, outgoing, and were quite frankly shocking to Japanese society. Their tans were very dark and their makeup extremely exaggerated, and although it has developed a lot since then but the main aesthetic of gyaru is still in place; we live for the famous tagline “get wild and be sexy!”
As a lifestyle, Gyaru is unfortunately dying out as we know it. Many Gyaru stores globally have shut down and have been repurposed to cater to the newer Japanese styles. Stores like Liz Lisa (heavily popular with Himekaji Gyaru/Princess-Casual Gals) have evolved overtime to cater to styles like Ryousangata and Jirai-Kei. The two styles have struck Japan as the newest and most popular style since the Gyaru have emerged, due to the many similarities they share.
In conclusion, the Gyaru are a dying population. With apps and social medias like TikTok, I, as a Gyaru, can only hope that the general public will enjoy Gyaru as much as I do.
- Goodbye, Babydoll ♡
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