High Fashion

Like any proper girl, one of my main concerns when I found out I was moving to Japan was "What do I wear?" As it turns out, that should have been the least of my worries...

The Japanese like to call themselves "fashionable"; however, I would call it "diverse". There is a ton of variety and very little judgment based on clothes. I catch myself every morning thinking "Really?! Seriously?! Did you even look in the mirror today?!" to strangers I come across on the street.

Sadly, I have only a few pictures of fashion because, as it turns out, it's simply not polite to openly take pictures of random outfits. I have turned off all chimes on my camera and most of the time the flash is off, too. This helps me be a little sneaky :)

The first pic features a woman with a popular plaid, pleated skirt and a brightly colored, big bag. She is also wearing a mask. As I mentioned, it is very common. I'm probably going to come back to the USA, go to a store, and wonder why people are coughing and sneezing and spreading their germs on me!!

A man at the airport. The layered look is popular for both men & women, as well as "skinny" jeans. Actually, I haven't seen anything but skinny jeans. This guy pairs his outfit with some boots and a stocking cap, even in 70 degree weather!

A high fashion man. As I mentioned, it was 70 that day. I hope he is going some where cold that will justify his gloves and scarf. Sunglasses are rare*; his are just for looks.

*I read that the Japanese rarely wear sunglasses, and it is certainly true. I better guard mine with my life because if they break, I'm screwed! One of my co-workers wears sunglasses, so I asked him about it. He said that all Japanese have dark-colored eyes, and they are not sensitive to sunlight. He had LASIK surgery less than a year ago, so now he is really sensitive to the sun. It sounds like an acceptable theory to me because I really need my shades after LASIK as well!

Another airport guy. He is clutching his man-purse, which is also a must for any guy. I was in a store today that had an entire wall of the Men's Dept dedicated to bags and man-purses in a rainbow of pretty colors!

Ladies walking on a Saturday afternoon. The woman on the left has over-the-knee socks on paired with high-heeled boots and a short skirt. I see many belted coats that, likes hers, is not utilizing the belt and tied in the back.

Two ladies on the subway. Age is indistinguishable. Maybe early 20's. (I'm terrible at guessing Asian ages, and they love to test me about it at work!!) Colored tights are seen every where, and even better if they are patterned with argyle, plaid, stripes, or flowers! Boots, of all types (cowboy, heeled, rain, furry), are supremely common as well.

Hi, welcome to the Men's Dept of the local UNIQLO store :) No joke, you can get any color you like! On the bright side (pun intended) if I ever need clothes in the Japan, I will be shopping in the Men's Dept, so I should be happy with these cool choices!!

They don't carry my size in Japan... seriously... EVER! I found Nagoya's only American clothing store today: Gap, and their sizes are exactly the same as America!! BUT, pants only come in 0, 2, 4, or 6. Shirts are available in XXS, XS, S, and M. Shoes only go up to size 24, which is a 7 in the USA. I better be losing a lot of weight if I ever intend to fit into authentic Japanese clothing!!

A casual weekend stroll... in a short skirt and HIGH heels!! Some ladies have such short skirts that they must cover their bums with their purses when they go up stairs!! (That would be me, if I try to fit my butt into a size 6 stretchy skirt!!)

Finally, I don't have any pictures, but turtlenecks are wildly popular (Mom would love it!) with both men and women! As I mentioned, I don't think anyone judges me for my clothes, but I have been asked a few times if I was cold wearing my "half-sleeves" or why I was still wearing my "summer clothes". Umm, maybe because the thermostat is set at 82, and I'm a girl from Michigan who is notoriously warm blooded!!

I don't need to feel self-conscious about my limited, living-out-of-a-suitcase wardrobe because I see repeat outfits every week. I also have the sneaky suspicion that the ladies will be wearing the same jumpers and dresses in the summer, just without the turtlenecks underneath!!