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BRIEF Intro to Gyaru:

Usually when people think Japan street fashion, many in the west immediately recognize the ever popular Harajuku styles such as Lolita and its sub catagories (sweet, goth, aristocratic, elegant, victorian, punk, etc), Decora, Visual Kei, Fairy Kei, and cosplay. (plus the other Harajuku fashions not listed here). However, what a lot of people sometimes forget, is the fashionable, sexy styles of Shibuya: Gyaru.

Gyaru has over 17 sub-catagories that die and are reborn every couple years. From the classy Onee-gyaru to sexy Gyaru-kei, and from the expensive Hime-gyaru to the wild and crazy Manba. Not to say that a trend stays dead for long.

Yamanba made its super hit in 1999 after the Ganguro trend began to fade. Yamanba died shortly after, but came back into the Shibuya fashion scene crazier than before in 2001, minus the Hawaiian inspiration, excessive use of face stickers, and bleached hair. Now, bright or pastel colors with big, mullet cut hair and panda-like white and black makeup (no stickers) and even darker tans were the in-style.

Ganguro


Yamanba


Manba



However, once a style is dead, it stays dead and gyaru society will no longer recognize an older style, and will sometimes even shun those who still follow it. A lot of new western gyaru tend to get slammed by other gyaru for following older styles (like yamanba and ganguro). Though usually more experienced gyaru will offer other in-style options to younger and newer gyaru so that they may follow the current fashion trends.

Other gyaru styles include (but certainly not limited to): Hime gyaru and casual hime gyaru, Kogal, onee-gyaru, onii-gyaru, onii kei, gyaru-kei, b-gyaru, sentaa gai (men's manba/yambanba), and onii-gai.

There are many other gyaru styles out there, but these are just the more commonly known genres that westerners can more easily recognize. ^__^ Sometimes it is easy to mix a style or confuse a style with another, for example yamanba and manba, and onii-gyaru and onii-kei.



Let's use this thread to talk about the many styles of gyaru, famous gyaru, and gyaru hobbies and activities! Post pics of you, styles, and talk about the current trends!!! Do you parapara? Do you have any questions??? Ask here and hopefully get answers!!