Tag: ganguro

Ganguro ("Black Face Girls") is a fashion trend among Japanese women, characterised by blonde or orange hair, tanned skin, black ink used as eye-liner, and white concealer used as lipstick and eyeshadow. False eyelashes, plastic facial gems, and pearl powder are often included. It peaked in popularity around the year 2000. The Shibuya and Ikebukuro districts of Tokyo were the centres of Ganguro fashion.

Ganguro appeared as a new fashion style in Japan in the early 1990s and to date is prevalent mostly among young women. In Ganguro fashion, a deep tan is combined with hair dyed in shades of orange to blonde, or a silver grey known as "high bleached". Black ink is used as eye-liner and white concealer is used as lipstick and eyeshadow. False eyelashes, plastic facial gems, and pearl powder are often added to this. Platform shoes and brightly-coloured outfits complete the ganguro look. Also typical of Ganguro fashion are tie-dyed sarongs, miniskirts, stickers on the face, and many bracelets, rings, and necklaces.

Ganguro falls into the larger subculture of Gyaru (from English "gal"), a slang term used for various groups of young women, usually referring to overly childish or rebellious girls. Researchers in the field of Japanese studies believe that Ganguro is a form of revenge against traditional Japanese society due to resentment of neglect, isolation, and constraint of Japanese society. This is their attempt at individuality, self-expression, and freedom, in open defiance of school standards and regulations. Fashion magazines like Egg and Ageha have had a direct influence on the Ganguro. Other popular Ganguro magazines include Popteen and Ego System. The Ganguro culture is often linked with para para, a Japanese dance style. However, most para para dancers are not Ganguro, and most Ganguro are not para para dancers, though there are many who are Ganguro or Gal and dance para para.

One of the most famous early Ganguro girls was known as Buriteri, nicknamed after the black soy sauce used to flavor yellowtail fish in teriyaki cooking. Egg made her a star by frequently featuring her in its pages during the height of the Ganguro craze. After modelling and advertising for the Shibuya tanning salon "Blacky", social pressure and negative press convinced Buriteri to retire from the Ganguro lifestyle.