Is This The End Of Gyaru??!!
Pfffft, Doll Please!!!!
Soooo, let's just jump right into this shall we? Okay here we go.As many of you know( although many of you don't want to believe it) the gyaru magazine world is dying and I mean dying as in hanging by a thread (a very thin thread at that). The mags that brought us hardcore fashion and makeup are no more. If you haven't heard Koakuma Ageha, Ane Ageha, Happie Nuts, and Egg magazine have all kicked the bucket. That's right, they have ceased publication. However, word is that Happie Nuts is still in search of a new publisher so they may not be over just yet( thank the stars).
For many dolls this news comes as a shock, however, myself and others have been preparing for this day ever since Men's Egg and Soul Sister ceased their publications. When Ranzuki announced it would no longer feature extreme gyaru styles and makeup I knew it was only the beginning. Personally, I've been preparing for this the minute gyaru went mainstream to be honest. And I don't mean mainstream as in the large amount of new gaijin gals, no I mean mainstream as in when YouTube beauty gurus who had never heard of gyaru stared doing their so called, "Kawaii" or "Sweet Gyaru" tutorials. I mean mainstream as in when Maybelline cosmetics and other brands started making 'Big Eyes" mascara or "Kawaii" collections. I mean mainstream as in when new collections by gyaru brands were all too similar to Ulzzang styles. YUP, I SAID IT NOW WHAT??
Onee gyaru models
STYLENANDA models
Popular gyaru brand GYDA and STYLENANDA
Today's Gyaru
So what are the gyaru like today??In order to please the masses, gyaru magazines started pushing a new " seiso na onna no ko" or "neat and clean gyaru" ( or simply "polished gyaru") trend that many argue isn't even gal. Some people think magazines started to tone down the styles because they want to get rid of gyaru altogether. But let's look at this from a different prospective shall we. On one hand, we have girls who want to be gyaru but don't have that type of freedom. Its not as easy in Japan to just be wild and sexy as it is here in the states. A true gal is gal all day but certain makeup style aren't allowed in high schools( if the school allows makeup at all), and hair color rules are just as strict. Also with Kpop constantly growing and urban street style becoming more popular, more and more Japanese women from their teens to their twenties( and maybe even a little older) are following Korean fashion trends. Giving the readers what they want is a big part of running a magazine and as the demand for natural style grew the mags delivered. Those that couldn't or wouldn't....well you know what happened.
Some believe that many of the newer gals only want fame without putting in any real effort, and so have watered down the style and decreased the flow of creativity and passion that is gyaru.
Without this drive the magazines could not thrive( teehees, see what I did there.)
After Men's EGG and Ranzuki, people started to notice the change in gyaru.
Kawaii International Gyaru Special
Today's Gyaru
So what are the gyaru like today?? Alright here we go.... I LOVE TODAY'S GYARU!!!! Like a lot of Japanese girls( I'm not Japanese but the issue is similar), my mom would kill me if I went out in kuro gyaru style.
Actually, my mom is so over protective( which I love) some onee gyaru looks are off limits for me. So for many girls the change in gyaru is a really awesome thing. I love that the styles are sweet and fresh and they fit my personality and lifestyle more. In some gyaru styles furry leg warmer, animal print, super short shorts were mandatory pieces.
But with new gyaru fashion, I can be as colorful as I want and mix and match more pieces than before. I always did this but soo many gaijin gals with give you a armful of crap for not following the style rules.
The makeup is more practical and I don't have to worry about if my boss, teacher or mom will grab a sponge and scrub it all off. If your uncomfortable wearing false lashes you can still pull off today's gal makeup without them. Same thing with hair color, it doesn't have to be bright neon colors of blonde. The styles are more natural which makes it easier to incorporate my locs to the style. Plus the new makeup trends are way quicker to do.
Popteen and Ranzuki have always been favorites of mine so as long as their still going my gyaru mag world is still in alive and well.
So What happens To Gyaru Now??
Just as quickly as they came, gaijin gals are dropping the gal lifestyle like a used tissue. It breaks my heart that so many gals believe that because the magazines are gone that means the style is ending or already dead. Please re-read the first line of my first paragraph."The gyaru magazine world is ending".
What does this mean?? It means that although you may not have a new Ageha coming anytime soon that doesn't mean gyaru is gone forever. gyaru is alive and well in Japan, only some of your favorite mags are gone. Also not ALL gal mags are gone. Although I'm sure they were ever as popular as Happie Nuts and Ageha, Blenda and Jelly are still going as if this never happened. Yes they made a few changes with their concept but the changes I've seen were nothing major at all.
A lot of gaijin gals are still staying strong and true to there style of choice. There are even efforts to show their appreciation to gal mags in Japan. This devotion to ones favorite style is what truly started the magazines and it makes me happy to be a gaijin gal.
A friend of mine( is into more extreme gyaru) asked me where I stood in the matter. I like the new styles since they suit me better. I may do a heavier eye makeup every other day, but I've always been a Ranzuki + Popteen girl since these looks are what I like to call the perfect combination of ulzzang and gyaru. Gyaru may be dying for some of you, but for me nothing has really changed, in fact they've gotten better. I haven't forgotten the past though. Every foundation needs a strong base. I make gyaru my own and welcome the future while still maintain a strong base.
So many gaijin gals wanted gyaru to be more mainstream and now that it is, well I wonder if their happy....
Its alright if you don't agree with me or like my fashion style. Our differences give us more interesting things to talk about.
So let me know your thoughts in the comment section or keep in touch with me on any of my SNS
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Gyaru- Be fun Be free Be you!! This is gyaru to me in a sentence.
I'll see you guys next time!!
사랑해요
The change in gyaru isn't really an influence from Korea. It might look like it but it's more likely that the change of gyaru is due to "Globalisation". Every country's fashion is becoming homogenised because of the influx of cheap international brands like forever 21, H&M, Monki etc.
ReplyDeleteI don't know if you saw Ashley's comment on the gyaru fb but she said that the magazines used to follow gals who had amazing unique style and that's how gal mags would run, and nowadays everyone is so bent on copying what they see in the magazines that everyone just looks the same.