What's Appealing About the "Old" Gyaru Style and Era? The personal opinionated feelings of Aoi~

It's been quite an eventful and heartbreaking past couple of weeks for anyone who's been into gyaru. Not only did Ageha cease it's publication along with a couple of their magazines under that branch but it was announced a while back that EGG magazine, which was considered the gyaru bible for years and years now, has also discontinued as well. Quite disappointing considering I thought that was the only hope left for a gyaru magazine at this point.

A bit question people keep asking again and again the new style gyaru? The opinion I have is harsh; but no. I feel like Neo-Gyaru is not gyaru at all. It's too refined and too conformist. Nothing stands out or wows me like the older eras of gyaru fashion did-even when they changed-there was always something incredibly unique. I wish we could just say 'Gyaru has died' and call this new fashion by a new name. There is nothing gyaru about it. 

So what makes the older era popular and appealing-especially towards the communities outside of Japan you ask? It's the uniqueness and effort put into the fashion. A thing that I think people will mistake this for is Westerners being behind on the trend when that in't the case- the truth is is that we have a thing for detailed clothing. If we're spending a couple hundred on brand clothing by no doubt it has to be a piece or a brand that really sets the standard high in uniqueness. Nothing thrills me more when not only someone compliments my outfit or style but also asks where I buy my clothing or make-up because they've seen nothing like it. Then I always have to reply that I buy online or that it's imported-which shows I have to put in a lot of effort and money to achieve that look. 

We have pretty plain clothes in the United States at least. Forever21 and h&m are huge staples in everyone's wardrobe. You'll see girls wearing the same exact outfit or carrying the same exact bag-in droves even. Not that you probably won't find it in gyaru or lolita fashion-we twin out or a lot of people will have the same item but it's a lot harder to get a repeat versus stuff that's within easier access. Even so we place our own unique flare into the outfit.

 A lot of fashion here is jeans and t-shirt; a lot of people hide behind hoodies and loose jeans. When people dress up it's to look sexy borderline hoochie with cleavage and ass everywhere..colors won't match or the outfit is incredibly simple.  I'm not saying everyone is like this but a good majority I see are like this. If I see a very well dressed person with a full face of make-up with nice clothes I definitely have my attention in on them-it's happened rarely and props to them. Things like Cocolulu gave casual wear a twist I felt. You still looked like Barbie doll even when frumpy. So it showed that even that can be done even with causalish clothes.

I spend a good two hours on hair and make-up if I'm not short cutting everything and throwing on a wig. I don't always do lolita and gyaru. Only for when I hit the Bay Area or there is an event now a day because where nobody actually knows me where I live and over the years I've been forced to conform a bit to stay safe and to please workplaces/parentals if we go out as a family, ect. But that doesn't stop me from being gyaru whenever I can be. 

As a Westerner I feel like the new style leaves me no challenge at all. It's effortless. I can throw on a forever21 dress with cut outs, not wear circle lenses because I already have light colored eyes, wear a neutral eye shadow, and not even put on fake eyelashes because I already have thick lashes naturally. I always jokingly say when I have a lazy day to just go out real quick with hardly any face on, "Am I gyaru still today?" because without the glam? I look like a plain white girl who just dresses well.

I can see the challenge for the Japanese girls of course, they still have to use lenses and lashes. However personally for me there's no difference between what I already have to have added halo-less lenses and thin lashes. The appeal of gyaru was the effort I had to put into it to be that. You could easily distinguish a gyaru girl from a girl on the street just by her make-up alone. 

Personally when I first did gyaru, I couldn't afford brand clothing at all. I was stuck with Forever21 but I really worked hard on my hair and make-up and tried to coordinate and accessorize  my outfits differently just so I could stand out and still be considered a gyaru. But as soon as I bought high end lashes and make-up and could afford brand I REALLY started looking like a real one just because even my clothes down to my shoes would stand out. That floral print? That's Liz Lisa and they do the prettiest floral prints. Those heart heels? Yumetenbo. That baby doll I wore with the perfume print? Only ma*rs does that and it's a representation of their brand. That shiny belt with fur and dangles and bling? DIA. Those thin to thick graiented cross cut lashes? Diamond lash. Each thing had it's trademark that made it detailed and beautiful.Sure Forever21 has floral print but it wasn't as beautiful as Liz Lisa's nor did the pleats continue the pattern perfectly even folded like that brand did. 

That was the thrilling part. I think that was the bit of it that really appealed the audience outside of Japan-gyaru was super girly and unique. For me honestly, it brought out my inner Spice Girl because it was so girl oriented. I felt crazy glamorous with my glitter eyes, teased hair, and heart heeled shoes. Fuck yeah I was sexy princess and I felt that way. Gyaru had given so many girls confidence. Like I said before EGG's slogan was "Get Wild and Be Sexy". Whether you were a cute hime gyaru, kurogyaru, rock gal, or even an agejyo-you all had that incommon. You went against all the social rules to be wild and you were so confident with your girl power that you were sexy. That was what gyaru was. It was a life style. It was an attitude. It was something that stood out but represented femininity. 

The new style? You have to look as plain and grown up as possible with your printless dresses/do street style with beanies and cut outs or as pure as you can be with your gingham print and pigtails. Wait. What? Yeah. I said the same thing when I saw Popteen try to play off this "Clean neat gyaru" thing back in September. 

It saddened me because gyaru was starting to look like everyone else did here and not what it was way back when. I love ruffles, I love chains, lace was plus, and if it clung tight, or came with sparkley threads-thigh high boots, and cute accessories I was all for it. Even Liz Lisa was once upon a time considered a Hime Gyaru brand. Seeing the old clothing always makes me go 'wow' because even something so well liked like Liz Lisa, had an era where it was rebellious in a cute girly elegant type of way. Even then, back then, it was just a little bit sexy with it's short hem lines and such. 

What do do now for the gyarus who want to be like I am and do the old style?

Find unique clothes. If it catches your eye? Invest. Nothing says you can't even still be on trend-I try to follow the trends a little but I always try to have a full face of make-up on with big circle lenses and lashes and pretty hair just so it looks girly and a little bit unique. Everytime I go out even in plainer clothes with good hair and make-up; I always get tons of compliments. I just went to a mac store the other day ago and the sales associates were enthralled with wow PURPLE my eyes were. I also as I went out the parking lot got complimented on my Black Peace Now bat jacket with wings on the back. See? Little details count. So don't get discouraged if you like the older style. Try to be unique still. Try to combat it!

Yes I will miss seeing newer clothing with crazy stuff on them. I'll miss seeing beautiful models in magazines and wanting to LOOK like them and question how the hell did that do this or that make-up technique. That was the fun of it. But that's okay. Look at it this way; we are going back to our roots. Gyaru started when people were plain. They didn't have brands. Hell the used fucking white out for white eye shadow. They didn't have circle lenses or even crazy good eye lashes. 

In a way, we got spoiled. We ARE spoiled. We have wonderful cosmetics brands to use, the internet at our disposal, blogger girls to follow who still want to be agejyo or hime gyaru or whatever.. We have the clothing that existed-ect. Now we are given the challenge to be unique with no guidance. No models. No magazine. No upcoming trends for said substyle. WE will be the trendsetters. We will be the ones that maybe in a couple of years that will bring all of this back full force to a younger generation of gyaru. 

And I look forward to it. Just because gyaru died as a big commercialized trend doesn't mean I have to stop or we have to stop being that. Yes it's a bit harder and discouraging a little admittedly, but I look forward to the challenges ahead. I can't wait until I find lots of people who perhaps still continue the style like I do-even years down from now. I can't wait to see the new era revive. I am optimistic!

Let's Get Personal! Huge backlogged personal entry~!

I haven't done a personal blog entry in quite a while so I thought I'd do a bit of a backlogged one for you all to let you all know what I've been up to.

First off, ever since I've been funemployed, I've been in a lot more of a productive mood and I've been a lot happier. Obviously despite cash rolling in, that job wasn't for me. Yes I was hauling a lot of shit in and was doing a lot outside of work but the stress that came with that job after trying to make the money to support myself necessity wise and hobby wise just wasn't feeling fulfilling. I was being really bitchy too I noticed and that obviously isn't acceptable even for me who is usually seen as "sweet" or...so I'VE been told. So yeah, if anything leaving where I worked was one of the best things I've did. I've spent a lot of time exercising, eating healthy when I can (I've lost loads of weight), organizing my room properly, and just really...generally trying to build my self-confidence back up. Losing a job is hard but losing friends and losing my identity would have been a lot harder. So it's a lesson learned you guys-do what makes you happy. Really. It's so important. 

I was making a decent paycheck but rolling into work-I totally forgot about the cash I was bringing in and always was in a foul mood usually due to stress. In the end the money wasn't as appealing as my happiness, health, and well-being. During that time I've been really focused on the blog and how to really be active and all. I've being living in my bedroom and I've been trying to figure out how to decorate it since I spend a lot of time in here now.

Here's my wall currently. I had absolutely no space or storage for all my hand bags so I started hanging all the nicer brandless ones and the brand ones on the walls. I think this is a neat little trick. The other ones are on top of the dresser that I cleared out.Eventually I want to bling out my full body mirror. I turned my computer space into a vanity where all my cosmetics sit now! I've also organized my closet with all the brand pieces organized by brand and piece and then the other size with brand pieces have been set to dresses>skirts>tops>long sleeved tops>jeans>jackets. It's all seasonally coordinated too! Eventually I chucked in a shoe rack too which was pretty amazing in which it made me realize I have too many BLACK shoes. I have too much black in general! When I get a nice job again, I'm going to add color into my life. I really want to go on a Yumetenbo spree on Rakuten in the future for all my nice shoes and casual clothes! 

As for the places I've been these past couple months-I've been pretty productive. I attended my first real Comic Book convention (Wizard World) with my boyfriend Ying way back at the beginning of March! It was quite the experience in a way! We didn't get badges because it was expensive so we just trolled around but it for sure made me want to upgrade that experience and one day hit San Diego Comic Con perhaps since during that weekend, the boyfriend got me heavily into the Avengers and Thor. Before hand I only liked Ironman. Now, I really like Loki now because he's such a fucking smartass. I really love Batman too..Catwoman in particular. I really have a thing for characters that aren't exactly bad guys but they're not good guys either! 

Anyway, Ying and I looked out of place with our visual kei and lolita coordinates out and ready. I took advantage of the fact that I could wear Alice and the Pirates "Snow Queen and the magic whiteness" one last time before it would no longer be seasonally appropriate. It might be bitchy and opinionated of me to say but I feel like snow/winter themed dresses outside of the winter season looks inappropriate or out of place. That's just an opinion though! I really love 'Snow Queen' but I don't think I'd wear until November just because nothing says tacky like snow flakes in July.

 I REALLY love Ying's coordinates by the way.He's such a Sixh king with his drapes and sparkles. It really shows. Sad that Ibi is stopping the line but a lot of things have stopped fashion wise recently so it's unavoidable. Ying also changed up his hair, I think it makes him a lot more manly (wahhh my princess ;A; LOL) but I think for a second he was going for a tougher look and was inspired by one of the Miyavi eras. I really like Miyavi as well! A bit back Ying and I watched 'Ore-sama' together and I had never watched it before! It was a fun little movie, if you like visual kei or Miyavi I highly recommend it! It made me for sure miss an era of visual kei musically and fashion wise that no longer exists. If I wasn't so damn gyaru, I've love to re-create it. Funnest part of watching that movie with Ying was listing/recognizing all the brands Miyavi was wearing. We were like "Oh gawd that brand looked SO GREAT back in the day! What the hell happened?" Hell younger Miyavi looked great back then too. Great style for the those days. 

Other than the one con I've been doing productive stuff like photoshoots and life shit with Dennis. I FINALLY wore my Juliette et Justine dress out and did a shoot with it. I don't have the pictures for it yet but this was how I wore it and did the make-up! "Star Money" was such a bitchy dress to actually coordinate. It was the galaxy print hands down that made it difficult to coordinate and all a ton of other colors in there and of course it took months of flipping god damn tables wondering how the fuck I was going to pull this one off. In the end I went incredibly simplistic with the excuse of 'The focus is on the dress'. Eventually if I EVER run into the perfect accessories for this dress though I am for sure grabbing at them.  Around that time too I did a classicy (not classic lolita but old school lolita) shoot as well. I really wanted to wear the Frill blouse I had ever since recently, I've had a very big appreciation for h.Naoto stuff. It was raining when we shot on a school campus and I was freezing but the results were great. I wore a variety of brands and the hardest part of that shoot was not wearing circle lenses! I am admittedly horribly reliant on circle lenses. They give me a doll-like look and being a gyaru too-I just fee like they balance out the heavy make-up I wear while also making me look a lot more youthful. I combated the lack of contact lenses by wearing the lightest false eyelashes I had in the collection of brand lashes I have and wore a dark red lipstick to attract attention to my lips rather than my eyes. 

Why I didn't wear circle lenses you ask? I had an eye appointment. I've been blind (no really, legally blind) since high school and I figured out through a drivers test a year or two ago that my vision had worsened. So with a lot of help (thank you lots Dennis, you seriously get me through some of the hardest obstacles whether they are hobby related or life related) I finally went for an eye appointment! I can finally see clearly! It's quite a bizarre feeling. I still can't walk down the stairs in these without the fear of falling due to the heightened depth perception. These are the glasses I picked. I chose black because black USUALLY goes with everything. There are times it doesn't but oh wells. They were the only ones that looked great. 

So a couple weekends later I hit San Francisco's Cherry Blossom Festival. For once I went the weekend before the last weekend when the parade day was. The parade day was on Easter Sunday and there was absolutely no way I was going to get out of family obligations so I went the weekend before. It suited just as well because I think a lot of people actually went the weekend before like I did because there happened to be two bigger conventions going on that weekend and Easter Sunday so I don't think the Sunday parade day turn out was too huge this year. 

You guys have gotten a look at the look I rocked that weekend but there is a selca and a full outfit picture. I LOVE this Liz Lisa dress so much. It's got rufflely spaghetti straps, gold and brown jeweled buttons down the front, a cute front waist tie, and a warm brown color that goes beautiful with this brand's trade mark floral print. I was just waiting for the weather to warm up so I could FINALLY wear this dress! The other Liz Lisa dress I have is suited for both seasons but it is winter/fall friendly since it's for that collection so this one really is seasonally a spring/summer dress. The make-up I did was very Tsubasa Masuwaka inspired. I wore A LOT of Dollywink products that weekend just to see if I could really conquer her look if not that at *least* try to achieve a Popteen girl look. I think I did well. Kind of sad that you really can't see the Dollywink lashes I had on in comparison to when I first put them on/other pictures. I really achieved hime hair I think. This IS my real hair. I almost regret not wearing heavier lashes with this considering my hair was so on point. 

I really enjoyed the festival without the fact that cosplayers weren't taking over the area. No offense to cosplayers, I love you all, but it was just nice to be at a festival without it being overrun with them. I spent the day with Rachel, Micheal, Tetsuro, Dennis, and Rui who are always fun and chill to hang out with. I ate a lot of yummy food! One of my favorite things during the summer is having traditional Japanese sweets. We went to TanTan to have tea and Amitsu~ Amitsu is one of my favorites because I love red bean, jellies, and especially fruits! Speaking of obsessions with food I think everyone's really gotten hooked with 85c Bakery. We just had two shops open up in the Bay Area and originally these are only down in Southern California, so this is a huge deal. This is the cake/dessert haul Dennis and I got because we couldn't make up our minds on what the hell we wanted. Definately a huge sugar rush after all of that. 

I also bought a Kera at Kinokuniya because Akira was the cover model for this month! I regret not buying EGG and Ageha while they were in the store but I didn't know they were both discontinuing so I bought Kera instead because it obviously looked better line-up wise and plus AKIRA! LOL It's saddening to know that Gothic Lolita Bible and Kera are the only fashion magazines I'll personally be interested in considering Ageha and EGG are done for now. Perhaps if Sakurai Rina and Tsubasa are cover girls in a magazine just because they're so beautiful and my biggest inspiration model wise. 

Speaking of Tsubasa, here is my cosmetics haul from a couple of trips. I WILL eventually do a review on the Dollywink Point Lame eye shadow pen and how to use it. I just need to be motivated on smothering my face in foundation or whatever to do a proper video review. 

The other haul is the big Fanime haul one. AHHH It's in two weekends can you believe it?! Surprisingly this won't be the biggest event I attend this year but it's one of the bigger ones for sure. The only thing not in this haul is the mac fix+ spray I got that I accidentally left with Dennis. I've been interested in face masks recently. Personally I've never really tried them before and with cons coming up and all I feel like my skin really needs a good boost in looking it's best. I can't wait to try these out. I got ones with ruby and diamond extract because I've seen that used in a lot of the high end BB creams even. Strawberry ones are because I like strawberries.

I was so thrilled that I found 7.00 dollar Dollywinks. These are super thin so I'm not sure how nice these will be on me but I will for sure do a review on them. They're the older versions with the older packaging of the Dollywinks too so that's why they were such a good price. I feel like I own old gyaru history having these babies. Other than that I got tons of primers so my face doesn't melt off at events. 

Lately I've been experimenting with my style. I keep switching between girly cute and a dark and mature. Lolita wise I have to been on pause with limited funds but gyaru of course is still possible since it's focused on hair and make-up. The latest look I had was so very dark and surprisingly well received. It's a bit shocking because I used to wear a lot of heavy make-up and everyone was like "You look better with less" so I started to wear less and less and it wasn't as big of a deal like it is when I really go all out with heavier stuff. LOL what's that about guys? I really like purple and black. It's a trademark color even with the lolita coordinated I have that have print-they're all purple and black except for one BPN skirt I have. That one is Alice in Wonderland themed and has glitter which is still very much so me! Current look was like of EGG inspired. You can't see but I wore a purple and black leopard print dress (thank you Cross <3 <3) and really tried to contour-which yet again you can't see in the picture. I wore bright lenses and really tried too look maturer. It's like a newer EGG look-nothing tan or with Cocolulu but still as close to EGG style as I get ne?

So with that said I've been prepping up for Fanime. I have a huge secret (not so secret) cosplay in the works and I'm crazy excited about it. It's a bit of a child hood dream and I can't wait to do the make-up for it! <3 Other than that another huge event will be the Gyaru meet on Friday night of the con. I plan on going all out for this. I've rarely went to things like this and it will be great seeing another fellow gyaru or just people who like gyaru fashion. So I'll probably do an entry up after the convention is over! If you guys are going, have lots of fun! I'm hoping to!  

EDIT: Here's is my fashion and cosplay line up for Fanime next weekend. 

FRIDAY: 
Sheryl Nome 30th Anniversary Dress- I really want to get a lot of use out of this cosplay. It's so pretty an I can't wait to wear it again after such a long time!

ma*rs Agejyo Gyaru - For all you gyaru lovelies there will be a Gyaru meet FRIDAY NIGHT AT 8:00 in the Marriott lobby! I'll be there with a couple lovelies and I'll be wearing ma*rs. I decided to wear the baby doll because it's raunchy and it's hard wearing such a short dress anywhere else! -taking advantage- 

SATURDAY: 

Alice and the Pirates Ghost Town merrymaking Coordinate - So this is the coordinate that everyone's really loved on me online. Very few people have seen the full decked out coordinate with hair AND newly improved make-up in person, so I thought I'd bring it out! <3 It's literally one of my most favorite lolita pieces I own because of the stars, sparkles, crosses, and haunted houses. PLUS THE COLORWAY!!

SUNDAY: 

AHHHH CHILDHOOD! I'll be doing Sailor Neptune on Saturday! <3 SUPER excited to be a sailor senshi and one that's very elegant. I will be the StarS version~! I can't wait to do a make-up look for Neptune! I have lots of aqua, golds, and corals planned~!

BETWEEN AND LAST DAY:

Reira Serizawa: A friend of mine possibly might be bringing her Nana Osaki cosplay so I thought about bringing it! You guys were all so sweet on FB ect. on saying how such a makeshift bs'd cosplay turned out nice. ;A; wahhh thank you guys!

Liz Lisa Gyaru going to leave comfortable so I thought Liz Lisa was the best way to do so!

J-Fashionable Manga Series

So with Fanime right around the corner for me in a couple of weekends; I've been in a pretty anime/manga-y mood lately so I decided to list a couple of J-Fashion manga recs out there for you fashion savy people who want a good series to get into! These are all highly loved by not just me but a variety of other people. Each series caters towards various fashions and audiences. Some series are more well known or popular than others so I'd thought I'd show love to a variety of series that I think are great! Hopefully you will find one that suits you in this list!

1. Paradise Kiss

Honestly, I think ANYTHING by Ai Yazawa is super fashionable. She has this type of artwork that really reminds me of a fashion mannequin that designers draw out when they're first blue printing out clothing. However, with this being fashion themed-what type of person would I be not to be listing Paradise Kiss as a fashion savy series. The story follows an uptight highschool girl named Yukari who's always been in the shadow of her younger brother and honestly just wanted to please her mother by getting into a ellite college like she did when she was in high school. She at first is the type of person who feels like people who linger around with art and fashion probably are dawdling or wasting their time but soon finds a group of fashion students who really help her find herself and show her that fashion is just as serious as any other profession. So eventually Yukari falls in love in the series with a guy named George while finding herself and befriends Isabella, Arashi, and  Miwako who are creating a clothing label under the title 'Paradise Kiss' Yukari totally turns into a rebellious teenager who possibly could have found her true love in life; not just George but modeling!

I absolutely love all of Ai Yazawa's works so of course like any of her series-this has tons of beautiful artwork and lots of twists and turns. A lot of her own designs are featured in Paradise Kiss and it almost makes you wish they were real. There's a lot of essentric clothes that don't fit under any J-Fashion stuff but there is Zipper style/Lolita/Punk ect. So you have a great variety. This is a crazy popular series that ended up getting an anime series as well as a theatrical live action movie. I honestly think this is a series for fashion lovers in general even if you're not into J-Fashion. That or if you want a good romance.

2. Othello

Othello is so great! It's a little bit of an older series but really shows a couple of different fashion genres. It's a story about a girl named Yaya who is just trying to get through high school by being well liked. She's a huge pushover and super bullied by her two friends who passive agressively put her into horribly situations. Secretly though Yaya is a gothic lolita going by the alias 'Nana' on the weekends and adores the visual kei band Juliet that she has in common with many of her visual kei/lolita friends. Around new year she receives a magical girl henshin compact from her seven year old self via time capsule. And some how through that she receives her alternate bold out going personality 'Nana' who is the exact opposite of her. Nana ends up getting Yaya out of various bad situations and helps her stand up for herself. So the big question is will Yaya ever truly find herself as a person and be bold and bright as Nana or will Yaya always rely on her alternate personality?

Not only in the series is gothic lolita and visual kei fashion featured but there are big hints of Nana possibly being a gyaru in some chapters. I can't exactly prove that's what she is doing but think of Nana wearly wild and sexy clothing and ripping up Yaya's lolita while Yaya dresses very modest and lady like unless she's cosplaying the visual-kei band Juliet. She's kind of secretly a goth in a way?

I really adore this series not only because of the fashion but also because it shows a beautiful era of those fashions that no longer exists today. It's a shame that there isn't a live action adaptation of Othello because I would totally look forward to seeing it!

3. LIFE 

LIFE is more of a school related manga admittedly but really shows a realistic side of a girl's life while still being scary and over the top. Fashion wise is really has only a couple of aspects but I feel like the villain Manami Anzai could possibly be considered a 'kogal' which is a school girl that wants to be gyaru. She kind of has that villainous princess complex while being fashionable with her accessories and such.

LIFE is a very controversial manga series I feel because it deals with taboo subjects such as bullying, child abuse, rape, self harm/suicide, ect. I included it in my rec list because while it is fashionable I feel like in a lot of ways it's very relatable to all audiences-especially those who are in high school still because it IS so controversial and it does deal with everyday stuff.

Ayumu is the main character of the story who gets accepted into a prestigious high school due to her best friend helping her out to get in so they could go together. Ayumu's best friend doesn't get into the high school due to neglecting her studies to help her unfortunately. The best friend ends up cutting off her friendship with her and fails an attempt at commiting suicide.

In the end Ayumu ends up blaming herself for her best friend's failure and near death experience and oathes herself to be a better person as she starts up at the new high school. She ends up befriending Minami Anzai who is a rich girl with an extreme princess complex who doesn't like when things don't exactly go her way. Through this everyone in the class does get a lashing from Minami's queen bee like personality and a lot of aggressive bullying goes on right under the teachers/adult figures noses. Through that Ayumu learns the definition of what a true friend really is and who her true friends are.

Despite the darkness that looms over this manga series, I honestly think it's great. This series did get a great J-drama adaptation-so even if you don't read it and like live action series-think Hana Yori Dango but without the love interests/ikemen and it being wayyyy darker.

4. Ageha 100% 

It's a shame this series isn't as well known as it could be because honestly? It's so cute and great. Think a realistic magical girl series meet gyaru. It's got the cutesy DNAngel/Shugo Chara like feel going on while really showing beautiful hints of girls wanting to be beautiful through gyaru.

It's never exactly hinted that Rin/Ageha is a gyaru but judging from the implication of circle lenses/hair/make-up I can only assume so! The story focuses on a girl named Rin who is pretty homely looking and attends a high school that bans girls from wearing make-up. Because of this a lot of girls lack confidence for one reason or another and desire to be beautiful. After school there is a legend of a girl named Ageha who gives make-overs to girls who request her through placing a card with their name and class on the bulletin board. Nobody knows that shy little Rin is actually the glamorous Ageha! Through the series "Ageha" doesn't just liven her classmates through the art of cosmetics but also shows them that there's true beauty within them and that the products only are to enhance such things! She does this all while trying to hide her little secret from not only her classmates but her grandparents, the school council and staff-who are all against girls her age wearing cosmetics!

In all? It's a really fun lighthearted series to read! I highly recommend it!

5. Sailor Moon 

This is of course everyone's favorite childhood series but here's the catch-READ THE  MANGA. Naoko Takeuchi has beautiful artwork-beautiful silhouettes for her characters-and BEAUTIFUL CLOTHES. When I say clothes I mean designer clothes that exist in real life AND original designs. This manga is just beautiful on all levels. Not to discredit the anime series but the manga just really has beautiful clothes and I am hoping the relaunch of the anime series that will be based on the manga will feature some of those designs and show a variety of outfits and styles for the girls!

For those of you who don't already know what Sailor  Moon is-it's a very popular magical girl series about a typical girl named Tsukino Usagi eventually learns that she is a super hero that has to save the world from the evils of the universe. Each era has a different evil and through each era of course comes with different Sailor Senshi who befriend her or even happen to quite possibly be enemies. The series is a huge staple in anime culture-the anime is over 200 episodes long, there's going to RE-LAUNCH of the anime this July entitled Sailor Moon Crystal, a live action J-Drama series, various soundtracks, tons of musicals with different casts... SailorMoon has practically engraved it's name in history. It's appealed different audience but it's main audience is girls-and with girls come love, friendships, self-battles, and of course fashion. The great thing about the manga is that it really has a feminist vibe to it. Think Spice Girls with the whole 'girl power' vibe going and that's what Sailor Moon is in it's sparkly magical girl glory!

6. GALS

Also known as Super Gals, a lot of gyaru have gotten into Gyaru culture through this series. The series revolved around Kogal Ran and her friends who hang in Shibuya and do what was typical teenaged gyaru things like shop, bleach their hair, and go to Shibuya where they're either constantly being misjudged and misunderstood OR they're dealing with the bad things happening there. Basically it's a series that shows a couple of kogyaru's love of Shibuya and their good deeds to try to show that kogals are strong willed women who want to do the right thing. Of course they involve very gyaru elements like following the latest styles, going to mcdonalds, getting a tan, and having a great time with friends.

The series was created around the era that clothing brand Cocolulu was very popular So think of the gyaru who tanned and wore bright fun clothes and that's the era that GALS really shows. So think about the early 2000s and how great that era of gyaru fashion was!

Here's all the recs I have for you all! I hope you guys enjoy them! They're all really great reads with beautiful artwork to match! As for a personal update; with con season right around the corner I've been a little busy but hopefully I can bust out a couple more blog posts for you lovelies! Thank you guys for being so supportive and patient with me!