To inform everyone what exactly is a “gyaru”, let me first start off with its etymology. Gyaru is the Japanese transliteration of the word “gal”. This type of fashion emerged in the mid-1990s and is still widely present today. Although the style has evolved through the years, many young girls are continuing to display their love of the gyaru fashion. If you think that this craze is only applicable to girls, do know that there are also gyaru-o, its counterpart. The “o” in gyaru-o is short for “otoko” which means “guy”. Some of the sub-gyaru styles are the following: ganguro (excessively tanned gyaru), ganjiro (fair-skinned gyaru), hime gyaru (princess gyaru), kigurumin (wears a pajama suit of cartoon characters). Since discussion about the complete history of gyaru will be quite lengthy, I will be discussing its general and modern style.
Gyaru began with the belief that the Japanese were actually surfers and beach bunnies. Thus, young ladies, mostly high school girls, started going to tanning salons and to beauty salons to bleach their hair. During that time, a different style of make-up was also invented. In the late 1990s, gyaru went extreme with ultra-dark skin and hideous make-up. Nowadays, tanning of the skin is not that popular any longer. Because they were educated that over-tanning is cancerous, dark make-up is being used instead. The gyaru follows many clothing trends. We can identify if a person is a gyaru, not by observing her outfit, but by her hair, nails, and make-up,
The most visible type of gyaru people can spot in the streets of Shibuya and Harajuku are the “Ganjiro” or the “Shiroigyaru” (white gyaru). These are girls who follow gyaru fashion trends, yet they pride themselves on their milky white skin. While some have a light tan, others take paleness so seriously that not only do they abstain from tanning, but they also take measures to protect and even whiten their skin. Ganjiro skin color ranges from very pale to lightly tanned, with the latter being more popular. Because white skin represents royalty and wealth in Asia, the Ganjiro choose to keep their skin white. Another major reason for gyaru in Japan to maintain a pale complexion is to keep in line with Japanese beauty standards. This will prevent the girls from becoming outcasts and will give them more opportunities in society.
Due to the early exposure to Japan and its culture, I have been into gyaru fashion since third year high school. In truth, gyaru fashion was not my taste, because I thought that these people look flirty after seeing them during my trip to Japan in 2008. Coming across the gyaru magazine Popteen changed my perspective. As long as you don’t overdo it, then gyaru is A-ok! However, because the style is still unacceptable here in the Philippines, my interest in it cannot be fully applied in my lifestyle. But my passion for gyaru will not stop there. At this time, I am managing a self-created website about promoting the fashion here in the Philippines. Moreover, frequent research and trips to the mall will help me gauge the fashion level in the country. This will aid me to formulate a look that will not only make me gyaru but also as a fashionable Filipina.
Camille Valerie S. Torre
C31
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