When it comes to fashion, Paris has nothing on Japan

Someone asked me to write more about Japanese fashion based on a comment I made in an earlier post, and I take requests.

In general, there’s a strong visual orientation in Japan. The food in the grocery store—especially the fruits and vegetables—looks almost too pretty to eat. (I keep imagining orange farmers in California going ‘This orange is perfect. I’ll send it to Japan. This orange…a little brown…they’ll never accept it in Tokyo. To the East Coast it goes!”) I’ve heard some Japanese importers are gaining interest in production in India because Chinese manufacturers are more interested in targeting quality for price than refining small details.

Given this visual orientation, it’s unsurprising Japan is a very chic country. Both men and women dress creatively and elegantly. I don’t know much about high fashion, but I’m really impressed with everyday style here. The basic ‘uniform’ among women consists of a neutral colored top, usually black, a colorful skirt, rounded out with a pair of carefully coordinated knee high boots or pumps with black knee-highs. (A daily dilemma: do I try to blend in by wearing heels because almost all Japanese women seem to, and look ridiculously out of place and tall, or do I wear less chic shoes?) In general, tops are modest and shins are covered, so the focal point of most outfits is the leg, from the knee to the mid/upper thigh, which is almost invariably bare. Now it’s getting colder, the ensemble is topped off by blazers or trench coats. Women wear jeans, but much less frequently than in the States or Europe.

Variations on the schoolgirl outfit are also popular—pleated skirts, white blouses with navy sweaters, knee socks. At first I was confused and thought maybe college women wore uniforms in Japan, and then I realized that women far older than myself were dressed this way. (I’m trying so hard not to have an opinion yet on what this means. See my above post.) School kids usually wear uniforms—the younger boys wear navy shorts and knee socks. They have two different colors of cap, one which they wear when walking to school, and one which they wear coming back. Apparently, this is so members of the community know which way the child is supposed to be going, and can look out for them (or maybe prevent them from skipping class?).

Among men, the two dominant styles I’ve seen are punk rock or business wear. Suit jackets have three buttons rather than two, and Japanese men typically wear all buttons closed. I’ve heard that this style of suit jacket’s become popular among the Late Night Shots crowd in the states, but I imagine Japanese men pull off the slim cut a little bit better. The punk rock style involves skinny jeans, graphic tees, often white belts, and a mane of orange hair.

I’ve attempted to go clothing shopping twice in Japan, and both times made me feel like I was going through puberty all over again. (It’s sort of like a special Franksteinian abnormal puberty though, with out the accompanying booklets about growing up.) The largest size of jeans is a 28—which’ll fit but then be way too short. Tops are just an out-and-out disaster. If I wore them out, I’d definitely be an embarrassment to myself. It’s too undignifying to go into, but I’ll leave it at I’m glad I don’t need to go bra shopping. I’m a pretty easy fit in the states, so it’s an odd feeling to be in a place where I’m built so differently from the average person that all clothing looks so wrong. I think it was one of the times I’ve been the most conscious of being a minority here. All in all, I’m glad I shop for the sake of recreation and not necessity.