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Fashion 2008-2009
Functional but Chic
(March 2009)
In the coldest months of the year, warm outerwear is a must. This year, lightweight, heat-retaining synthetic and down jackets are a popular choice. Capes, ponchos, and other items that provide warmth while adding style to the wearer's neck and shoulders are also in fashion.
Minis for the Cold?!
(March 2009)
Around Shibuya and Harajuku in Tokyo, a growing number of young women in their teens and twenties are wearing mini skirts and shorts. Though normally about half of all women wear pants in freezing winter, this year it seems that around 50% of women in these areas are wearing skirts.
"Wa" Is with the Latest Fashion?
(March 2009)
Fashion items that use Japanese motifs and traditional techniques are enjoying newfound attention. Wa (Japanese)taste items are modern products that appeal to a contemporary sensibility while incorporating traditional elements, such as Japanese materials, decorations, or fabrication techniques.
Berry-Tinted Winter
(February 2009)
The streets of Japan's major cities this winter are filled with colors that conjure up images of blueberries, raspberries, cranberries, and other purple- and red-hued fruits. In addition to brighter tones like violet and magenta, people are also showing a preference for burgundy and other deeper shades.
Wild about Animal Prints
(December 2008)
As the cold weather sets in, clothes and accessories with animal prints, such as leopard stoles and bags, Dalmatian dresses, zebra boots, and other spotted and striped items, are enjoying huge popularity. Accessories that look and feel warm, such as hats and stoles with fur trim or lining, are also selling well.
Cute and Punk
(November 2008)
A new punk look is gaining ground among teenage girls in Harajuku and Shibuya. The style, however, is not a full-fledged, head-to-toe hardcore punk look but an eclectic mix of cute and punk, with pretty miniskirts and dresses coordinated with riders jackets, engineer boots, skull-motif accessories, stud belts, and other hardcore punk items.
Vest Is Best
(October 2008)
Vests (waistcoats) are enjoying growing popularity among fashionistas of both genders. The garments first appeared in street fashions a few years ago, when trendsetters found them in vintage clothes shops and began using them to create their own distinctive looks. Since then, they have become a standard item in the wardrobes of younger generation.
A Winning Combinaison
(October 2008)
An item of clothing called a combinaison has recently become popular among young women in Japan. This word, which comes from the French for "combination," refers to a single garment combining a top with pants.
"Salon Boys" Set The Trend
(September 2008)
Japanese men's fashion encompasses many distinct styles. But currently the undisputed trendsetters are the "salon boys"—professional or apprentice hair stylists in their late teens and twenties.
Leg Wear In The Spotlight
(August 2008)
The lineup of leg wear has grown markedly, with toe covers for pumps, which are perfect for Japan's humid summers, and lace instep and ankle bands joining the leggings, color tights, and knee highs that were a hit last year.
Seventies Folk Fashions Revisited
(July, 2008)
“Folklore-style” A-line dresses embellished with embroidery or Tyrolean ribbons are a hit among young women in their teens and twenties. Tunic blouses are also increasingly prominent as women take to wearing tunics with colorfully embroidered bodices and crochet-lace trim over leggings or skinny jeans.
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