ギャル系?

I've made it no secret that I've been a fan of Gyaru for years. Even in the height of my goth club days, I secretly envied the bright colors and fun styles and outrageous looks these Gals displayed. I always thought, however, that I'm not skinny, I'm not Japanese, I just can't pull it off. That being the point, I didn't try. My make up was always boring. I wore the same sorts of clothes. I didn't accessorize. I just wore what was comfortable and didn't really care so much about fashion unless it was dark.




It dawned on me suddenly that I was missing the point. While following the styles is very Gal and definitely being super skinny helps, the essence of Gal is the fun and artistry behind it. There's something to be said for taking a couple hours on my make up and hair. It definitely touches my inner artist to try on a new color and find that it looks good and coordinates well. I've got ample hips and boobs, but I can find things that look good on me that are still fun and airy. So I put the effort into my make up, into my hair. I got a little bit of confidence and started trying on new colors (I'm a fan of purple now).

Then I saw this post by Mitsu on Universal Doll: Breaking Down Gal Myths. Hah! I was right! I don't have to be twenty to enjoy Gal Style? Well, duh, especially with more otona-centric brands. (Otona = grown up, for the Japanese impaired.) Well, no, I'm not going to walk around in short shorts with my thighs jiggling out everywhere, but I can incorporate some Mode into my own style when I feel dressy, or Rock when I want to let loose a little, or even Ameri-Kaji when I want to be a little brighter and fun.

I like looking outside of America's box and seeing what people in other parts of the world are doing. So far, it really seems like Japan is turning into the fashion center of the world, and European fashion is quickly becoming passé. I still adore Chanel and Hermes, but comparing it to Gilfy's offerings or the easy stylings of Cecil McBee, both of which are infinitely more affordable, I really find that I'm leaning towards the latter two. I don't care if I can wear it or not; I love the style so much more.

So do I import my clothes from the 109? No. Do I try to stuff myself into cute things that don't fit? Not really. I'm not exposing skin and walking around in unrealistic high heels. I do wear much more make up than I used to (LOVES IT), and I'm wearing things that I wouldn't have a year ago. I'm sculpting my own style, branding myself in a way I wouldn't have considered before. I wouldn't say I'm officially going Gal, but I'm very much inspired by it.

J