The word Gyaru is an English literal translation for "gal" and it dates back to the 1970's from a jeans brand called "gurls". Popularity increased by the 2000's and still going in actuality. This Japanese Fashion trend and lifestyle has kept on changing over the years and dividing into different sub-cultures and variations.
Makeup consists of:
- heavy makeup
- fake tan
- white concealer in their eyes and lips
Hair/Hairstyles:
- light colored hair dyes like brown or blonde
- mostly straightened and with bangs
Outfits:
- Gyaru style their uniforms differently as a form of rebellion
- short skirts
- European luxury bags
- loose socks
For Gyaru, their school uniform wasn't just something mandatory, they considered it part of their outfit so it would be worn even after school hours. Skirt would be adjusted from their mandatory knee-length into mini skirts, loose socks added, fake tan, and dying their hair as a rebel way to go against extreme school rules, contrary to what a "normal"student should look like.
Even though Gyaru refers mostly to girls, there is also a male counter-part called Gyaruo or Gyaru-oh. These are boys that want to hang out with Gyaru girls so their style is basically the same and they love to party!
The Gyaru and Gyaruo and other related sub-cultures consisted of (mostly) wealthy youngsters and students, during Japan's financial crisis after inflation (the
Japanese Bubble Period), that could afford expensive clothes. This was but a reflection of social class and fashion and their way to show their wealth after an economical crisis. [Note that by that time, many of the kids following this fashion trend were students attending private schools and had a higher economical status than normal students.]
Now, the Gyaru and it's sub-cultures don't consist only of high class groups. The majority of Gyaru and Kogyaru allows higher class and middle class people. But as the popularity and widespread of this fashion trend grows, anyone from any class can be a Gyaru. There are stores in Japan (and other countries of course) that have started selling more affordable clothing and accessories for everyone who wants to enjoy Gyaru's fashion.
The young boys in Gyaruo follow the same basics of fashion and style of the Gyaru, as I mentioned before but in a more gritty and rough way. Always in a party attitude, their music ranges between trance, eurobeat and para para dancing. As for their hair, they choose to have light brown, silver-ish or pink hair color.
Because of their style and not following the Traditional Japanese fashion, Gyaru and Gyaruo are considered rebellious, mostly by the older generations.
References:
http://haenfler.sites.grinnell.edu/subcultures-and-scenes/gyaru/
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Japanese_asset_price_bubble
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gyaru
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gyaruo
Sources for the images are below each of them.
Other sub-cultures related to Gyaru and Gyaruo are Kogyaru, Yamanba, Manba, Ganguro, Ganjiro. Check the tags for more information that I will soon share about those.
