The article found in the Journal of Popular Culture, “Wearing out Racial Discourse: Tokyo Street Fashion and Race as Style” talks about how fashion perceptions of the Japanese have changed. Japanese fashions were viewed as being very westernized. Their fashion lacked any identity of their own. Now street fashions are making a statement about the Japanese and their views on race.
The Japanese were often accused of copying western fashions. They lacked creativity. Now many Japanese are taking some traditional Japanese clothing items and pairing them with other items to create their own style. One of the latest styles is known as “kogyaru”. Kogyaru is an exaggeration of styles. The style favors dark tanned skin. This is opposite of what was the tradition of pale skin being prized. The shift in the color of the acceptability of different colored skin has helped with being more accepting of different skin colors. The kogyaru style calls for a dark face, white or pale lipstick and white or pale eye shadow. The white or pale lipstick is said to make the face appear darker and the white or pale eye shadow is said to make the eyes appear wider. This style is said to resemble the western style of blackface. The style also calls for platform boots and miniskirts, which is an attempt to make the legs appear longer. And the most striking feature is the bleach blonde hair with blue or hazel colored contacts.
The kogyaru style is a contrast to the prized features of Japanease women from the past. Many Japanese women have been known to bleach their skin. Pale skin was thought to make the women appear more delicate and aristocratic. The lighter skin put the women in a higher social standing because it meant that they did not work outdoors. The desire for lighter skin is thought to be derived from western culture where lighter skin is favored.
The amount of bleaching cosmetics is now in competition with the tanning salons. The popularity of tanning is thought to emulate some of the western style of tanned skin that is found in California. There is racial division among the Japanese who place African descendents into a lower regard. In the past, the lighter the skin, the higher up in you rose in the social hierarchy.
The racial history of Japan began when the U.S. ship of Commodore William Perry entered Urago Bay. The Japanese were forced to sign the trade agreement with the U.S. Japans reaction to the impending foreign influences was to learn as much as they could about the western culture. They were deteremined to turn itself into a modern colonial power. However, they were not able to fully emulate the western powers because they were of Asian descent, not the favored Caucasians. When the Japanese visited the U.S. as part of a study group, they saw firsthand how blacks and Native Americans were treated. This made an impact on the way they viewed darker colored skin.
At one point in history, the Japanese were considered to be “honorary whites”. This served the purpose of Nazi Germany to have the Japanese’s strong military forces join their forces and the South Africans who viewed Japan as a strong trading power. By assigning the Japanese the white status, it helped to dispute the fact that the Asian culture was inferior because of Japans rising modernization and military power.
The desire for Japanese to become westernized led to the first medical procedure to add an upper fold to the Asian eye in 1896. These surgeries are still continued today. The desire to also bleach the hair and wear colored contacts has led us to believe that the Japanese are trying to look more Caucasian.
Foreign models are used in much of the advertising. Caucasians are thought to be more glamorous and they evoke freedom. The foreign models are used because they represent the standards of attractiveness. Foreign models are also used because the Japanese frown upon inappropriate behavior such as kissing and nudity.
This article surprised me. I never thought that the Japanese were desperate to look like Caucasians. It is sad that because of their past it has led the Japanese to not embrace their culture and identity. If everyone looked the same, it would be a very plain world. The popularity of the western culture has degraded the Japanese culture. Hopefully they will eventually embrace their culture on day.
References
Black, D. 2009. “Wearing out Racial Discourse: Tokyo Street Fashion and Race as Style.” The Journal of Popular Culture. Volume 42, Number 2. Pg. 239-256.
The Japanese were often accused of copying western fashions. They lacked creativity. Now many Japanese are taking some traditional Japanese clothing items and pairing them with other items to create their own style. One of the latest styles is known as “kogyaru”. Kogyaru is an exaggeration of styles. The style favors dark tanned skin. This is opposite of what was the tradition of pale skin being prized. The shift in the color of the acceptability of different colored skin has helped with being more accepting of different skin colors. The kogyaru style calls for a dark face, white or pale lipstick and white or pale eye shadow. The white or pale lipstick is said to make the face appear darker and the white or pale eye shadow is said to make the eyes appear wider. This style is said to resemble the western style of blackface. The style also calls for platform boots and miniskirts, which is an attempt to make the legs appear longer. And the most striking feature is the bleach blonde hair with blue or hazel colored contacts.
The kogyaru style is a contrast to the prized features of Japanease women from the past. Many Japanese women have been known to bleach their skin. Pale skin was thought to make the women appear more delicate and aristocratic. The lighter skin put the women in a higher social standing because it meant that they did not work outdoors. The desire for lighter skin is thought to be derived from western culture where lighter skin is favored.
The amount of bleaching cosmetics is now in competition with the tanning salons. The popularity of tanning is thought to emulate some of the western style of tanned skin that is found in California. There is racial division among the Japanese who place African descendents into a lower regard. In the past, the lighter the skin, the higher up in you rose in the social hierarchy.
The racial history of Japan began when the U.S. ship of Commodore William Perry entered Urago Bay. The Japanese were forced to sign the trade agreement with the U.S. Japans reaction to the impending foreign influences was to learn as much as they could about the western culture. They were deteremined to turn itself into a modern colonial power. However, they were not able to fully emulate the western powers because they were of Asian descent, not the favored Caucasians. When the Japanese visited the U.S. as part of a study group, they saw firsthand how blacks and Native Americans were treated. This made an impact on the way they viewed darker colored skin.
At one point in history, the Japanese were considered to be “honorary whites”. This served the purpose of Nazi Germany to have the Japanese’s strong military forces join their forces and the South Africans who viewed Japan as a strong trading power. By assigning the Japanese the white status, it helped to dispute the fact that the Asian culture was inferior because of Japans rising modernization and military power.
The desire for Japanese to become westernized led to the first medical procedure to add an upper fold to the Asian eye in 1896. These surgeries are still continued today. The desire to also bleach the hair and wear colored contacts has led us to believe that the Japanese are trying to look more Caucasian.
Foreign models are used in much of the advertising. Caucasians are thought to be more glamorous and they evoke freedom. The foreign models are used because they represent the standards of attractiveness. Foreign models are also used because the Japanese frown upon inappropriate behavior such as kissing and nudity.
This article surprised me. I never thought that the Japanese were desperate to look like Caucasians. It is sad that because of their past it has led the Japanese to not embrace their culture and identity. If everyone looked the same, it would be a very plain world. The popularity of the western culture has degraded the Japanese culture. Hopefully they will eventually embrace their culture on day.
References
Black, D. 2009. “Wearing out Racial Discourse: Tokyo Street Fashion and Race as Style.” The Journal of Popular Culture. Volume 42, Number 2. Pg. 239-256.
Dear Jennifer,
ReplyDeleteI found the article to be surprising that the Japanese were trying to look like Caucasian Westerner's. We live in a world that seems to be trying to embrace globalism in more ways than through economics and trade. American industry has been since it's beginning founded, largely by immigrants who arrived to settle in New York in the 1800's. Check out this blog about immigration to New York http://rs6.loc.gov/learn/features/timeline/riseind/immgnts/immgrnts.html
I see that our melting pot and Western influences that were once formed in America, due to outside immigration; is traveling back to their origins which help make America a great melting pot in the first place. Now the world is going to be one big melting pot. I hope we can all keep it civil.
Doug Huff
Jennifer I find this rather odd myself and had no idea that the japanese tried to copy caucasian fashion. It seems like everyone tries to immitate another person instead of being themselves theses days. It's good that they are finding there own style and different ways to individualize themselves.Good choice in your article and very good analysis.
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