Japanese Fashion: Beyond Kimonos

To most people Japanese fashion means little more to them than kimonos and samurai costumes, and that’s if they can even distinguish Japan from other Asian countries. After visiting Japan, I’ve come to understand that what the Japanese wear is a far cry from what I’d see in my home state, Florida, but definitely not what you see in manga books, it’s something completely different.

While planning my trip I had read about them being more conservative in showing skin, and doubted that it would consistently like that. Considering it is a country know for their mini skirt clad characters with plunging necklines, I thought I might even see more looks drawing on this inspiration. While there are many Japanese schoolgirls in their uniforms, it seems that the anime type vision of them stays strictly in the fantasy world for the average Japanese person. It is by far the most modestly dressed country I have visited, with skirts and dresses plentiful but below the knee, silhouettes loose and layered without looking bulky, and natural beauty preferred over bold makeup. Think Uniqlo as the general consensus on dressing in elevated basics, with lots of culottes, trench jackets, and blouses. It was eye opening to see how homogeneous and well-dressed a culture can be in contrast to the steamy loud melting pot of Miami that I’m used to. If you happen to be around during rush hour you are in for even more of a shock as a never-ending sea of black suits and white shirts pour in and out of the trains. It is an impressive show of the type of dress that while once was the standard worldwide, is now limited to corporate culture.

One fun trend I picked up was socks. Socks of all kinds with every shoe was seen on literally everyone. I bought some more unique ones in harajuku with sheer portions and florals that keep them firmly in the fashion realm. The comfort can’t be denied either, in fact the only person I vividly remember without socks had bandaids for the blisters her kitten heels gave her. Easily resolved if she had her socks on! There was even no shame in the ‘no-show’ socks showing. Practically speaking, there are also many places where you are required to take off your shoes before entering, and there may not be provided slippers, so take a pair of socks anyway or you’ll end up like me walking around a castle barefoot.

So when you see someone in a kimono it’s more likely they’re tourists rather than geishas. Generally, people are more dressed up, which is nice to see. So have fun with proportions, layers, and just a touch of quirk!

For those visiting Japan or just looking for inspiration, check out my next article on what I wore.