“Gyaru” used to be a popular trend among young Japanese females. The girls following this trend usually can be seen around the Shibuya area, since this is the fashion center of Tokyo. Want to know what a gyaru is? Read this article and find out 7 things to know about Shibuya gyaru!
1. What does it mean
The term “gyaru” comes from the English word “girl” and started being used for this kind of fashion after a jeans company named this way made a great impact on teenagers.
2. Categories
There are many gyaru categories, depending on how they dress like. The main ones are:
Bibinba – the dressing style includes a lot of jewelry and gold
Banba – the adepts of this style wear less makeup and more glitter, colored contacts lenses and extreme false eyelashes
Hime – a very popular style but also very expensive; the girls try to look as princesses
Ganguro – the representative style; girls bleach their hair and artificially tan their skin
3. How they dress
The dressing manner differs of course with each category, but all have a few common traits. The girls usually wear long wigs with flashy and colorful clothes. They often wear colors that are opposite to create an impact. Shoes are also flashy and sometimes chunky.
4. What makeup they use
Gyaru girls wear dramatic makeup, a combination of false eyelashes, contact lenses and eyeliner. Eyeshadow is not usually very important, but sometimes used. Girls also contour their faces for a slim effect.
5. How they act
Gyaru girls act confident and usually go outside in groups or with at least one friend. They like taking pictures together or being photographed by passing people. They are rebels and like to use slang words. They refuse to fit into the society and to conform to the rules. They also have a special way of texting each others, with symbols and combinations of letters only they know about.
6. Way of life
For some girls that like this style, being a gyaru is not just a hobby, but a way of life. They spend a lot of time looking for new clothes or accessories and sometimes make their own items to wear. There are many girls who still follow the gyaru fashion even after settling down and giving birth.
7. Their number has decreased in the latest years
The number of girls in love with this fashion seemed to reach the peak in the 2000s. They have gradually decreased since then and the remaining gyaru changed their style somewhat. The “extreme” look was tamed and a more casual look took over. Gyaru nowadays try to be less shocking and more feminine.
Have a good trip and travel!
