New monotone coordinates from one spo. How many trends can you spot? There’s quite a few!
Various pieces can be purchased here.
More you might like
Adorable monotone and red coordinates from one spo. Individual pieces are up for purchase here, though not surprisingly many are currently sold out.
Denim madness from one spo and the May issue of SCawaii. The looks on the right page are my favorites, what about you?
Adorable new coordinates, shoes, and accessories from one spo. Various pieces can be purchased here.
New looks from one spo, a collection aptly named “Toy Soldier.” Various pieces can be purchased here, though several are now sold out.
Vivi x 109 Book Volume 3
Fans of Vivi and gyaru fashion rejoice! The third volume of Shibuya 109 and Vivi's collaboration fashion mook will be released April 18th. You can pre-order it online here. Be sure to check out the accompanying online feature, which I’ve posted below, that showcases brands like Cecil McBee, one spo, LIZ LISA, and more!
I’m probably really late in discovering this gal-related Tumblr—shame on me—but for anyone looking for gyaru coordinate inspiration, look no further. There’s a good variety of picture content, too, including street snaps, shop staff, magazine models, and even some Western gals.
April is the start of the Japanese school year, but that doesn’t mean it has to be boring! Take a look at this interesting feature from Patrick Macias about how some brands are jumping on the aspect of stylish lifestyle goods for gals and gyaru-o.
Where there are gals, gyaru-o are sure to follow. Found via Flickr.
New commercial for a gyaru-inspired range of cellphones from Fujitsu, featuring Kumiko Funayama. For more info on these phones, check out this article here by Mitsu of Universal Doll.
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HA·RA·BYE·BYE
Harajuju.net, our online Japanese fashion community, closed its doors today. We will also officially stop updating this Tumblr.
Rather than write a long drawn-out goodbye, I’ll leave you with this note from longtime contributor and friend @vampirefiction, which was posted on the site a day before it went dark.
A Eulogy for Harajuju
I joined Harajuju in 2011, at what was probably the nadir of my fashion existence. I had reached my zenith a few years earlier when I was in Japan living the life, with long chemically straightened hair and ballin’ outfits from h.NAOTO and Black Peace Now. When I got back though, none of that worked in tropical, laid-back Brazil – so I cut my hair, sold most of my wardrobe and was sorta muddling through in dumb polos and clubmasters.
Then I “met” Brad through some comment about cool headphones that looked like they were designed by Gackt. And Brad was insanely cool. Like, I wouldn’t wear any of the crazy patterned Tornado Mart gear he wore, but the way he wore it was inspiring. He was unapologetically feminine and over the top, like I was in Japan, except he did that in ~The West~ and didn’t give a shit. And there was real intelligence and care behind his clothes, which I assume helped him get away with wearing a snakeskin suit in Canada.
So I lurked his forum for a while and thought it was a collection of really charming weirdos, and of course I wanted to join in. Posts were funny and irreverent and people could make fun of themselves and each other without putting anyone down. That intelligence and care in fashion came through in other users too, such as Galism’s constant constructive advice and Retromantique’s passion for Anna Sui and strong encouragement of others. Retro was a show unto herself, an explosion of color and beauty and just brimming with love in everything she did and said. Most of all, though, there was a warmth in Hara that I have yet to find in any other internet community. When I started posting, I got a reception that I don’t think will be beat any time soon.
And that surprised me, in a way, because most of the fashion circles I had seen outside Japan (and participated in) almost always involved a certain meanness. Harajuju was the opposite. It was constantly uplifting and everyone was a pleasure to read.
Very soon the fashion became just one aspect of Harajuju. I looked forward to reading book reviews, movie reviews, updates on life stuff or just banter. In fact mostly banter. From very early on, I think, it felt more like a group of friends hanging out together than an internet space for fashion. In fact the fashion side was always pretty complicated. Turns out it’s hard to give concrete advice – no matter how constructive and clear – than can really help someone across the world figure out what they want to wear and how to wear it. But the contact with cool people that were thinking about and sharing ideas about style in general did help me enormously. I discovered my love of Rick Owens and managed to find a direction I was happy with. I bought skirtshorts from Synthese and they arrived labeled “shorts for my friend”, which I still think was pretty nice.
And I read more, laughed more, thought more – about clothes, about anime and about everything – and met people I would never have met. From ettezuslust with her guns, Sai with her art, Cows with his perfect, toned body, Cielux with his perfect, toned body, G and her infinite advice, Chau and Synth with their writing (which somehow, I think, even helped me write better), Who and his THINKING, not to mention bladequeen Azile, dark empress Rosenrot and Shah, the hierophant. And the couple of times I managed to meet any of you in real life you were even cooler and nicer than on the forums (way nicer in Cows’ case).
So not to let this ramble out of control, I just wanted to leave in writing, on Hara, how cool this has been and how cool everyone here has been and how strange and awesome it is that we all came together, even if only for a while. And that was Brad’s doing. Through his benevolent dictatorship he kept the forum warm yet provocative and I think really set the tone for what we did. His humor was precise, he called out bullshit when it needed to be called out, argued everything with real insight and could spot a good idea or a bad idea faster than anyone else. He proved that you can look cool and not be an asshole, which I genuinely think is an important lesson. Because of him, Harajuju was as varied and exciting as it was, with lolita, mori, menswear, casual, goth etc. all sharing one space. His ability to relate to most styles and most people and to keep it interesting for everyone is probably unique, so we better not forget it. And it didn’t come for free. He put serious time and money into thinking up new designs, new improvements, new ideas that would make this a better experience for us. It may not have exploded into an internet sensation, but I think all of us who were here can agree that he did make it a wonderful experience.
So thanks everyone and, especially, thanks Brad.
Thanks to you too.