Harajuku Style is Crazy Cool
Armed with Flat Laura, we set out to find the utmost in Japanese fashion. This was a daunting prospect due to two key barriers:
Language, obviously. Trying to ask a hip local shop attendant how best to wear high-waisted ultra-wide leg pants is near impossible if you don’t know the lingo to really connect the way one would with a Shoperone.
My untrained cultural eye. I found it difficult in general to discern the conventions for the work vs play Vs. individuality dress-code in general. What I may have perceived as a trend (i.e. the long flowy skirt with sneakers) could have in fact been a version of business-casual akin to the loathsome chino capri so popular in the U.S.
I was hoping to find a stylish blend of old and young to bring back home. The edgy kind of look that, when adapted for my purpose and age, would say, “she’s been somewhere, and I’m not talking boring old Europe!”
Credit: Tokyo Fashion.com totally has the line on Harajuku style. Props!
What definitely didn't work.
I had been seeing plenty of the ‘stodgy grownup Lady’ getups with the Hermès scarf, silk blouse and sensibly-creased slacks, but it seemed a bit more conservative (read: geriatric) for my taste. To disclaim; I am totally a fan of the Hermès scarf in other, hipper applications. But as I mentioned earlier, with me the pendulum sometimes swings in the opposite direction, so I needed to be careful making solo decisions. While I might have been drawn to the plaid schoolgirl miniskirt with crop-top and platform combat boots, I could see no practical application of such an outfit in my day-to-day (though it would almost be worth it to garner some lively gossip at my son’s school pick-up).
Ultimately, I resolved to a look-and-learn approach to Tokyo street fashion, which was still confusing, though a couple of clear trends emerged. Some will become amazing new additions to my fashion arsenal, others are best left to the 20-year-old girls with pink pigtails and 18-inch waists. Again, without my Shoperone, this distinction did not appear immediately obvious to me. It’s hard not to get caught up in the moment with what seems like a good look at the time, until you get home. But after careful research, there are some Japanese fashion trends we definitely endorse for those of us 35+ and interested in experimenting.
Learn about the top three trends we found share-worthy.
