If I say the word “Gyaru,” you may not know what on earth I am talking about. But suppose you’re a fan of anime, and you’re familiar with characters like Junko Enoshima, Naruko Anjo, or Marin Kitagawa. In that case, you may have a better idea of Gyaru than you think.
All of these characters are cute and girly and live according to their own wishes. Junko Enoshima, in particular, is the perfect example of a Gyaru. She has massive blonde hair, speaks in a strange, informal tone, and is fully dedicated to living on her own terms — even if that means embracing despair and watching her classmates kill one another.
Gyaru is a Japanese subculture that dates back to the 1990s, when girls, called gals, would dress in eccentric fashion, get deep tans, bleach their hair, and adorn themselves in shiny accessories.
But Gyaru is more than a fashion statement. It is a lifestyle about looking beautiful, embracing femininity and sexuality, and still looking beautiful.
So how did this subculture develop?
The History of Gyaru Fashion
1990s
The Gyaru subculture was created in the late 1970s and 1980s in the Shibuya district of Japan. Shibuya is best known for its girl biker gangs and street culture inspired by American gang culture. Wealthy private school girls, called chiimas, would sneak into clubs and spend lavishly at parties. The party attitude and relationships with bikers led to the formation of the sexy, bold Gyaru culture.
The subculture was popularized during the 1990s in a time of economic strife. In response to the time of struggle, girls attending private schools would adorn themselves with luxury European bags, tanned skin, and lightened hair. A continuation of the party girls from the 80s, these gals were called kogyaru. The accessories and trends were a way to express wealth, but also express themselves. They were teenagers who wanted to rebel against their parents’ expectations and the strict Japanese beauty standards of the time.
2000s
As we move into the 2000s, more and more Gyaru magazines begin popping up. It is important to note that not all of the gals were wealthy. Gals from poorer backgrounds were able to buy some pieces for themselves after getting inspired by magazines. EGG, the most famous early Gyaru magazine, shared trends and hired gals to act as regular models.
Gyaru had a bit of a boom, with magazines and fashion brands releasing brand-specific interpretations of the style. Despite this, tanning, long lashes, and dramatic nails were standards for all gals.
Enjo Kosai
Unfortunately, the 2000s faced a large problem of sexualization. Gals were accused of enjo kosai, receiving payment for spending time with adult men. There is a massive debate about the relationship between enjo kosai and Gyaru. Magazines spread propaganda that gals were prostituting themselves and that they were inevitably going to be bad wives and mothers who would abandon their families for material goods.
This was an exaggeration. Enjo kosai did not always involve sexual favors. Often, it was a group of girls getting paid to karaoke by an older man. While enjo kosai did happen in Gyaru circles, it was not always the heinous evil that the media presented it to be.
But the enjo kosai allegations made gals appear sexually deviant, even though many were teenagers. There was also a rise in Gyaru hentai, or animated pornography about gals, with the characters often portrayed as brain-dead and completely sex-oriented.
In response to the sexualization, the looks grew even bolder, with tans becoming darker, hair even more colorful, and high-contrast makeup inspired by witches.
2010s and beyond
If the 2000s were a boom, the 2010s marked the peak and fallout. Brands multiplied, and people from around the world began expressing an interest in the subculture. Additionally, subcategories of Gyaru emerged, such as darker and more princessy aesthetics.
The peak couldn’t last forever, and Japan entered another economic crisis. With the gals now a bit older, they weren’t as willing to spend money so recklessly. This caused many Gyaru fashion brands to go out of business. As a result, magazines had to adjust their target audience to a more toned-down interpretation.
Nowadays, Gyaru has somewhat died out. You can still find girls in Japan with tan skin, bleached hair, and micro mini skirts, but the essence is different. These gals are fashionistas who are less focused on breaking standards. That is not to say that Gyaru is completely gone, but it is not the same as it once was.
Themes of the subculture – why did girls want to become gals?
You may find that some gals look off-putting. You may find that some gals speak informally and inappropriately in various settings. But there are reasons that the Gyaru subculture attracted so many women in Japan and around the world.
Defying Strict Beauty Standards
In Japan, pale skin and timid personalities were considered the ideal for a young woman. Gyarus wanted no part of that. They sought to have fun with their appearance without being judged by men.
Pale skin in particular was a hated standard due to its difficulty to achieve. Some women simply weren’t born with pale skin. Those who were had to go to sometimes extreme lengths to maintain their pale complexion. This is why tan skin is so important in Gyaru culture. It is a direct response to a beauty standard that prevents women and girls from being able to live their lives fully.
Men. Ew.
As an extension of rejecting beauty standards, Gyaru was also an act of rejecting or decentering men. Remember the beauty ideal of women being timid and submissive? Gals would speak loudly and in an intentionally informal and cutesy tone.
Some feminist scholars argue that gals engaging in enjo kosai was a feminist act — rejecting the ideal of modesty or saving oneself for marriage. According to this interpretation, enjo kosai for gals was an assertion of bodily and financial control from men.
While there is a lot of debate about enjoy kosai, it, unfortunately, led to the sexualization of the Gyaru culture. Men tried to insert themselves in Gyaru circles and proposition unwilling gals for sex. Did the gals stop dressing eccentrically? No! Instead, they dressed even more boldly. It was entitled men who led to ganguro, manba, and yamanba — bolder and more extreme versions of Gyaru. The gals in these subsections of Gyaru got even darker tans, put on even more extreme makeup, and spoke with more vulgarities. It was an attempt at man-repellent.
Class
In the mid 1990s, with the development of ganguro Gyaru, there was a class revolution. Not one Marx would be proud of, but a Gyaru class revolution. With the moral panic about enjo kosai spreading through the media, working-class women took an interest in the style.
The Shibuya prefecture, often affiliated with gangs, became a hub for working class and upper class gals alike. Gyaru clothes became more common, and thus more affordable, so everyone could participate.
Sisterhood
And once everyone could participate in the Gyaru fashion and subculture, the culture became about connecting with other women. Gals could join together to talk fashion, parties, and resisting beauty standards.
There are multiple SubReddits dedicated to the culture where gals across the world develop relationships with one another. As the subculture evolves over time, older Gyarus help baby gals with their outfits, makeup, and lifestyle tips.
Honesty
The Gyaru lifestyle is about living authentically and free from other people’s expectations. The Gyaru mindset was based on being fun and laidback but truthful to one’s internal desires and observations about the world.
Some Japanese companies, with the goal of interactive, flexible meetings, hire Gyaru consultants to embrace the earnest and upbeat ideologies of Gyaru. These consultants teach stuffy corporate workers to speak more informally, wear clothes they like, and speak whenever they had the urge. There is a power in Gyaru: It allows you to stop holding back your personality and embrace being bold.
“By dressing up as a Gyaru, people can put themselves in high spirits and enter a mindset of being unaffected by others.”
– Mai Osada, director of a Gyaru consulting company
So, what’s the point of all this?
Gyaru may seem materialistic due to its obsession with clothes, and it is. Gyaru may seem reductive and sexy, and to some extent, it is. It may seem like a waste of time. But it’s not.
Being a gal is truly about living for yourself. It is about making connections with other beautiful women. It is a rejection of beauty standards and it is a rejection of being too serious.
Sure, Gyaru is about being sexy and having fun, but it is also about being honest in how you want to live. And I can’t think of much that’s more important than staying true to yourself and having fun in the process.
So, in the words of a Gyaru, parippi ssu! Get lit and have some fun!
