Also, obviously I'm deciding to post this because here it is. At first I debated with myself on it because it might receive some backlash... However, I feel like this is a healthy topic for discussion among people in the J-Fashion community (especially the gyaru one) and is also something that I feel like someone finally needs to be talked about.
So going onto that "gyaru life"-which I've referenced in a video I've made before. Heck, I've used is in captions for photos. The whole "gyaru life" deal varies in definition between gals. Some see it as a lifestyle while others see it as an aesthetic. However, what happens when those lines blur and we push what we do for the sake of aesthetic too far?
How I personally define a gyaru lifestyle isn't always based on looking the part but maybe sneaking some 'gyaru' things into even my regular everyday wear or life. My stationary for class might be super cute, my nails might be done, there might be bling on things, I might carry a brand bag, and at most I might have lenses in with a subtle eye shape that could refer back to the things I love. Can you call it gyaru? No. It definitely doesn't look the part. However, it does express my love for it even when I don't have the opportunity to do what I want-when I want. That gyaru life is me blogging about topics like this even when I'm a potato at home. That life is discussing struggles of getting ready fast enough or sharing cute clothing finds with other gals on the internet.
So why is it that we take our aesthetic too far? Let's face it, sometimes we do STUPID things for the sake of fashion... I'm not just talking about wearing painful shoes out because they match an outfit or underdressing and being cold. I do all of these things a lot. Those are minor things. It's when we risk our safety. It's walking alone at night in a get up with no sense security and there being horrible people out in the world. It's us having the idea that we're invincible in real life or above certain things for the sake of our style.. We are still human. Life happens.
Personally, I truly used to be this girl as well. I used to not want to be anything other than gyaru-at work, at school, at home...everywhere. Because I made a fashion my life and it took over my life... I'd wear circle lenses all the time and be an excessive bitch. Thankfully, I was given room to do it without repercussion...especially in terms of work. I cared about numbers on instagram. I cared about how many events I went to. I cared about appearance. I was a vain piece of work in my late teens and early twenties. I feel like that's the only way I got away with what I did; because I was stupid kid who needed to get a clue and everyone knew this.
What I'm trying to say is-there is a time and place for everything. There comes a point in time (probably after 23-25) when you realize that you're an adult and that you don't always get to do what you want. Sometimes, you have to tone down. Sometimes you gotta pay for necessities over frivolous shit. Your priorities change. You start caring less and you begin to grow up more. The number of followers and likes no longer matter. The fear of missing out or being excluded is no longer relevant. You just learn to exist and stay in your lane.
Of course I'm going to get the question, "So if I'm having to "adult up"-do I have to stop doing gyaru?"
My answer is: No. You can do gyaru until you're a granny if you'd like! However, you must know that there is a time and place for everything. Perhaps you can't be a total babe at work but you can live a double life on your days off and make up for lost time. You can still carry your decked out ma*rs bag to work and maybe have nice nails if your job allows it. You can have hints at what makes you happy until you are on your own time to really go all out.
This is honestly why my own instagram page looks like it is. I stopped caring whether it looked 'fashionable' or 'aesthetic'. It became a photo diary of my life instead. Not every make up look is J-Fashion related but I'll sure as hell wear some of my more 'normie' looking pieces of brand to class. I'm very lucky that I am still a student and have that luxury. I know it will be a different ballgame as a high school teacher but I also know that is what the weekends and summer vacations are for. I can't always live my best life. That's unrealistic. Looking for a job that allows me to live that best life all the time is also unrealistic. Unless you work in make up or the fashion industry-which is just not a often occurring thing. Especially if you live in the west. You're going to be expected to do what is trending in your country and it's not going to look gyaru. If you're thinking about going into fashion or cosmetics over getting that freedom, please consider this.
This actually does bring me to another topic based on employment and gyaru. I'm almost afraid to even say this in fear of backlash but here it goes: We over glamorize hostesses and shop staff.
Forreal, we are so guilty of this. Let me start with shop staff because this is a simpler topic to start with than getting into kyaba territory. Mainly because I've worked basic retail in the States but have also experienced Japanese quality BOUTIQUE customer service...and good god it is truly something else.
Yes, shop staff look gorgeous in their coordinate photos. However, I think people forget that it is a RETAIL JOB. If any of you have worked retail, you know how grueling and demanding that is. Now add having to look flawless all the time, stand all day in heels, and also note how Japanese customer service is usually impeccable. That is true work and a lot of pressure. Can you just imagine fukubukuro season? Shibuya 109 looks mad. Or at least it used to from the pictures I've seen. I feel bad for the people who have to yell hella loud for hours at a time. I bet their throat is raw by the end of the day.
Brands also have 'trademark' or 'signature' things they do to make them standout.. I think a lot of gals think that they could dress or do as they want. I remember a lot of people really idolizing Ma*rs and Liz Lisa shop staff way back when...when the brands looks very gyaru and super glam. However, I've heard that a lot of the staff have to do their make up a certain way and coordinate their outfits accordingly. I think a certain brand even had a staff meeting with a make up artist to be instructed on how the brand wanted their staff to wear their make up. Meaning, if doesn't look gyaru anymore you would still have to wear it. You have to wear clothes from that season's collection in order to promote the brand and can't wear any other rival brand I assume. Imagine hating a brand's collection that season and being forced to wear it on top of all the other things I mentioned in terms of the job description.
It's not as glamorous as we think it is.
Which brings me into that whole host/hostess territory. This is going to be insanely controversial but I think this really needs to be talked about in light of some stuff. I'll throw in a disclaimer that while I've done research on this stuff, I'm am not the law and I do not know everything. Matter of fact, I haven't even had the privilege of going to a kyba and nor am I interested. I'm merely stating what I've heard and know and this is for the sake of discussion. If you guys have anything to add or educate me and others about-by all means do so. I'm merely stating what I know and what people are guilty of based on my own experiences and research.
I can not tell you how many times I've heard gyaru, J-Fashion people, and the like over glorify kyaba as an occupation or feel like they could do it. They think about the fast money, the constant partying (drinking), and just getting to dress glamorous... I swear my eyes literally stay rolled into the back of my head when I hear these things.
FIRST, as a gaijin it's 'water money' or 'mizushobai'...which is illegal. So you really can't do it in the first place. And if you do-congrats you're making all the foreigners that are into J-Fashion and dress eccentric look terrible. Not only that but you've probably fucked over your opportunity to be able to enter the country again at that point. Aesthetic is not worth this. Living that glam gal life is not worth the amount of crap someone would go through in repercussion to that.
That is my first point, my second point is-we are guilty of idolizing previous hostesses that are in Koakuma Ageha. We like to think everyone is a success story like MomoEri or Emiri Aizawa. We see documentaries on hosts that are number one and think they're big celebrities. We see Emiri with a massive collection of Hermes bags and Chanel...traveling the world and think, "This bitch has made it." We see women like her and MomoEri create a fashion empire/a brand catered towards that glam gal life to make even more money off of; and we get this misconception that all hostesses live like this.
The reality is: Not every hostess owns a Hermes and not every host rides up to work in a taxi or limo. This is shit is work. It requires what I assume is alcohol tolerance and a massive tolerance for people. Not every patron (if at all even) is some good looking guy to flirt with. You conversate with multiple types of people and have to learn how to adapt....which possibly might be difficult if you're super drunk (I would not know because I do not drink). You might be sexually harassed. Some places have 'dohan' I think which are like..obligated dates with patrons in order to bring them back to the club. There's also trying to to get people INTO your club from the street which might not be an easy task. It's probably a lot of work and success isn't always guaranteed.
The thing about Ageha too is we forget why and how we are viewing this magazine the way we are. We see it as one of two things if not both: we see it as gyaru magazine or a magazine catered towards hostesses. Personally, I think we should see it more so as the first (because this applies to us) but also dully note that it was geared towards a hostess demographic. While the models look beautiful and pretty-we have to realize that it's more than just a look and that these are models and a business. It's entertaining to read bits that I can understand-the top picks for a model's make up, bag collections, make up and hair tutorials.
It's honestly a shame that I can't fully read and translate the magazine (and I really wish someone who can read Japanese could make a project out of translating all of the previous and recent Ageha's to put this reality into perspective for people and also to entertain us) because there is a 'yami' section. A lot of these models that were previous hostesses have a story to tell. Sometimes they might be and amusing and funny. However, I can assume that most of the time these stories are rather sad and dark... Some might be the circumstances that lead to a girl becoming a hostess, to alcohol problems, oops babies, and sham love... There is a reason the magazine is called 'Koakuma Ageha'.... Little Devil Butterfly could have multiple meaning but for me the title translates to this gorgeous girl that has a dark past. She's pretty but devilish because she's experienced life (she's been through some shit) and is not so innocent. The Ageha bit meaning that that girl transformed her life from being a struggling caterpillar to a stable and beautiful butterfly. They have marketed this as a success story... However, the reality is not everyone is a miracle story and not everyone gets those opportunities.
This is what we forget the magazine and even about that "gyaru life".
What we do for the sake of aesthetic and numbers can be crazy. Sometimes we need to be brought back to reality and truly question why we are doing the things we do. Is it worth it? Yes, it can make us happy but could lead us down a much more difficult path. Do we truly know where our priorities are?
Yes, be cute and have fun; but be safe and know that there is literally and place for everything. Do not give up your dreams and ambitions for the sake of vanity or instagram followers. Do not make a fashion solely your life. It's okay to love it. It's okay to buy and participate in the things you love-but paying your bills, showing up to work, getting your expenses in order, studying hard, showing up to class, taking care of your loved ones; that all should come first. Wear gyaru fashion but don't let it wear you. It's perfectly fine to look up to girls who are success stories or fawn over models/other gyaru who you think are beautiful. However, do remember that not every gal is a success story and that some shit comes as a risk. There's a time and place for everything and you shouldn't beat yourself or others up for not always looking on point or always living that glam life. Life happens. Everyone has to live through life...and it's not always easy. We might just be seeing the best part of someone's life and not all the difficult obstacles they are going through. Not everyone has it as good as it seems and we are all very guilty of making assumptions. Hell, I might be guilty of making assumptions myself but I hope they're seen as well intended. LOL I do think we need to question how far is going too far for the sake of vanity...
I feel like this is why I needed to write a blog like this and maybe get a discussion going... This topic has probably been long overdue for quite some time now and I even feared posting in in dread of getting dragged. Our community isn't always the nicest but I really hope this puts some perspective into things and can get a healthy conversation going.
Anyway, I hope this was an okay read. I tried to quickly type this up because I might try to do a tutorial or two before my semester starts in a bit! Until next time guys~
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