Japanese Kawaii Girl Fashion - Kogal

Hummm the cutest of the cutest? nothing like using a school uniform (in our heads it means young girls and skimpy dresses heheheh)

Kogal
Kogal (kogyaru) is a subculture of girls and young women in urban Japan, one of several types of so-called gyaru. They are characterized by conspicuously displaying their disposable income through distinctive tastes in fashion, music, and social activity. In general, the kogal “look” roughly approximates a sun-tanned California Valley Girl, and indeed, there are even some linguistic similarities between these Western groups and Kogal. Both subcultures have derived entire sets of slang terms (such as “Kogalese” (kogyaru-go). Kogals are not to be confused with the ganguro subculture, although they are similar.

Kogals are known for wearing platform boots, a miniskirt, copious amounts of makeup, hair coloring (usually blonde or brown), artificial suntans, and designer accessories. If in school uniform, the look typically includes skirts pinned very high and loose socks (large baggy socks that go up to the knee). Kogals’ busy social lives and desire for new material goods lead them to be among the first consumers of Japanese mobile phone technology, and their taste in clothes tends toward Burberry scarves and Louis Vuitton handbags. Kogals spend much of their free time (and their parents’ income) shopping, and their culture centers on the Shibuya district of Tokyo, in particular the 109 building, although major Japanese cities are sure to have a small population. During the summer, kogals may sometimes be seen at the beach. They are generally not seen in high-end department stores.

Critics of the Kogal subculture decry its materialism as reflecting a larger psychological or spiritual emptiness in modern Japanese life. Some kogals support their lifestyle with allowances from wealthy parents, living a “freeter” or “parasite single” existence that grates against traditional principles of duty and industry. More may engage in the practice of “compensated dating”, or enjo ksai, which may at times border on quasi-legal prostitution. Internet-based usage of this term has led some Western observers to the mistake of believing that “kogal” means “prostitute”.

The kogal phenomenon emerged in the mid-1990s and its effects can still be seen today in its numerous off-shoots of sub-categories, although conservative tastes in dress and hair color seem to be on the upswing. The Gothic Lolita aesthetic has been described as a reaction to the kogal look, since it attempts to reclaim childhood innocence, though skeptics point out that most Lolita merely model after J-rock cosplay and spend just as much, if not more money on their appearance when compared to kogals.

The term’s etymology is disputed. The most common theory is that it was derived from the Japanese word for “high school”, or k?k for short, although others claim that it comes from ko, the Japanese word for “girl” or “child”. The “gal” originates from English.

Basic Japanese Greetings

Ohayoo - Good morning (casual).
You can use this in the morning before noon. For polite form, you can use "Oha yo gozaimasu". If you find pronounce difficult, first you can say, "Ohio" instead. Then, try "Oha yo". Yeah. I hope this should help you.

Ohayoo Gozaimasu - Good morning (polite).

Konnichiwa - Good afternoon, Hello.
You can use around noon, Please do NOT say "Koni-chiwa". When you speak Japanese, please try NOT to connect two words. "Kon nichiwa" means "Hello", but this is NOT "Hello" in the telephone conversation.

Konbanwa - Good evening.

Sayoonara - Good-bye.
For casual form(especially used among young people), you can use "Ja-ne". [This is not "Jane"(laugh)] Or "Bai bai"(Bye bye).

Oyasuminasai - Good night.

Arigatoo - Thank you.

Arigatoo Gozaimasu -Thank you (polite).
For the polite form, you can use "Doumo-ari-gatou" or "Dou-mo-ari-gatou-gozaimasu" (more polite even).

Sumimasen - Excuse me, I'm sorry.

Iie - No.; Not at all.

Itterasshai - Please go and come back.
This is very Japanese. In fact, I cannot give you a translation for this greeting. You can say this to someone in your family when he or she leaves the house. Japanese people say this to express their hope that family members will come back to the house safely.

Ittekimasu - I'll go and come back.
This is the reply to the previous greeting, "Itte rasshai". When someone in your family says "Itte rasshai" to you, you respond, "Itte kimasu".

Tadaima - I'm home.

Okaerinasai (Oka-eri) - Welcome home.
-This is the reply to the previous greeting, "Tadaima". For the polite form, you can use "Oka-eri-nasai".

Itadakimasu - Thank you for the meal. (Before eating).
Japanese people say "Ita-daki-masu" before they start to eat, its a form of appreciation for the people that made that made the food (mother, cook), the farmers or gods responsible for the food.

Gochisoosama - Thank you for the meal. (After eating).
Japanese people say "Gochisou-sama-deshita" after they finish eating. 

Hajimemashite - How do you do?
(This has many meanings, but should be said only when you first meet someone).

Doozo Yoroshiku - Nice to meet you.
(Said on first meeting also).

There you go ^-^

Japanese Kawaii Girl Fashion - Ganguro

Hummm nothing like black japanese girls... kinda panda like AHHHHH! who doesnt love pandas ^_^'

Ganguro
In ganguro fashion, a deep tan is combined with hair dyed in shades of orange to blonde, or a silver gray known as “high bleached”. Black ink is used as eyeliner and white concealer is used as lipstick and eyeshadow. False eyelashes, plastic facial gems, and pearl powder are often added to this. Platform shoes and brightly-colored outfits complete the ganguro look. Also typical of ganguro fashion are tie-dyed sarongs, miniskirts, and lots of bracelets, rings, and necklaces.

Yamanba

Yamanba, is a newer term often used to describe extreme practitioners of ganguro fashion. Yamanba feature darker tans and add white lipstick, pastel eye makeup, tiny metallic or glittery adhesives below the eyes, brightly-colored contact lenses, plastic dayglo-colored clothing, and incongruous accessories to the ganguro look. Some yamanba wear stuffed animals as decorations. The male equivalent is called a “center guy” Sentaagai, Center Street), a pun on the name of a pedestrian shopping street near Shibuya Station in Tokyo where yamanba and center guys are often seen. Yamanba is often referred to as the outdated version of Mamba, Mamba girls have white makeup above the eye and below and look like pandas. The Yamamba only have white makeup above their eyes. They all love Disney characters and anything to do with Hawaii.

Japanese Kawaii Girl Fashion - Gothic Lolita

Among English language fandom, the term Elegant Gothic Lolita was originally used to describe a sub-set of Lolita fashion that was either all black, or mostly black with white accents.

This Gothic fashion has been adopted into the Lolita fashion through the use of darker make up, clothing, and themes in the design. Unlike other Lolita Styles, in Gothic Lolita darker colors are used for makeup. Red lipstick and smoky or neatly defined eyes, created using black eyeliner, are typical styles. The Gothic Lolita makeup is not as heavy or dramatic as the Western Gothic counterparts. Newer makeup styles emphasize lighter colors but still retain the heavy eye makeup.

However, there are many subsets within ‘Gothic Lolita,’ including, but not limited shirorori (white lolita), kurorori (black lolita), gurorori (Gory or grotesque lolita), and punk lolita. Black (kuro) and white (shiro) lolitas wear all black and white respectively, guro lolitas are often defined by bandages and an “injured” appearance, and punk lolita adds a punk touch to lolita fashion.

Japanese Kawaii Girl Fashion - Maids

Hummm more kawaiiness, well maybe a bit more darker hehehe ^_^

Lolita

Lolita (roriita fasshon) is a fashion subculture in Japan that is primarily influenced by Victorian children’s clothing as well as costumes from the Rococo period. Lolita has made this into a unique fashion by adding gothic and original design elements to the look.

From this, Lolita fashion has evolved into several different sub styles and has created a devoted subculture in Japan. The Lolita look consists primarily of a knee length skirt or dress, headdress, blouse, petticoat, knee length socks or stockings and rocking horse or high heel/platform shoes. Often to emphasize the childlike look, teddy bears and dolls such as Super Dollfies may be carried.

Japanese Kawaii Girl Fashion - Maids

Hummm well its kawaii sometimes, well unless they are naturally... ahhh yeah yeah back to point ^_^' here are some popular styles with japanese girls... nowadays teeeheeeheeee

Maids

Meido (Japanese phonetic of maid) is also a jargon term amongst some otaku to refer to a type of stock female character in manga and anime. The characterization can have a cute or ecchi connotation depending on the writer. Most address their employers as goshujinsama or ojousama (especially the former. The latter is generally used for the employers’ daughter).

The character differs from the traditional image of a typical housekeeper in being young, highly attractive, and usually wearing a maid outfit vaguely similar to a classic English or French design . In shnen and seinen the outfit is almost universally fetishized: low-cut to show off the legs and chest, excessively colorful and/or frilly, and usually with white apron of variable length.

Meido are often written in a comedic light, having employers with variably subtle embarrassing personality quirks which they put up with, having completely different personalities when “off the clock”, or reprimanding their masters like children.

Many bishojo shows which contain scenes of characters in large households or doing spring cleaning inevitably produce art with the characters in these sorts of outfits. The maids are often dressed in a combination of french maid-styled uniforms in attempt to look “moe”. They also behave in a “cute” and “moe” manner. Sometimes, the maid outfit is augmented with cat or bunny ears. At maid cafes, most service staff members are female, and male jobs are typically limited to bar-backing and janitorial duties.