As anybody viewing this website could easily tell, gyaru means a lot to me. Like, a lot-a lot. Like, it means so much to me that I’ve begun to dedicate myself to it fully-a lot. My reasons for becoming so enthralled with the gyaru subculture and fashion boils down to two key points; my upbringing and core beliefs.
Right now, I’m sure you’re probably thinking How on Earth could this white woman’s childhood relate even remotely to a Japanese subculture?! The answer is pretty simple. For the most part, the aspects have nothing to do with me as an individual. Rather, they relate heavily to my mother.
While she was around, my mother was your stereotypical “y2k baddie”. She wore the big, glitzy belts, animal print, pounds of makeup, had the bleached blonde hair, all of it. Not only that, but she was constantly hitting up the tanning booths (some of my earliest memories actually entailed being bored to death in the lobbies while I sat and waited for her lolol). Any of this sound familiar? If you’re familiar with the basics of gyaru, it would likely sound very familiar. Even if this might be a stretch, I really view my mom as the Western equivalent of a Japanese gal. While I didn’t agree with every aspect of her lifestyle or actions, naturally I miss her. Through fully immersing myself into gyaru, I feel like I am closer to her. Even though she isn’t here anymore, I feel closer to her because, in a sense, I’m replicating the lifestyle she had. Well, okay; probably not all of the partying and drinking… but her chipper and fun personality, her fashion style, and her love for a deep, dark tan.
Though heavily apparent, it wasn’t only my mom that inspired me to become a gal, but also a core memory we made together. While I was very young–and in the 2000s–she and her then-boyfriend took my sister and I to Hawaii! I don’t exactly remember everything because I was so young, but the memory is one I will cherish forever. Seeing the manba substyle always brings a smile to my face–not only because I myself am a manba gal, but also because it reminds me of visiting Hawaii with her. The long, colorful floral leis, hibiscus prints and motifs, as well as the strong influence of the 2000s always take me back. While my mother and my memories with her are key to my identity as a gal, I also wanted to shine light on how the core beliefs of the gyaru subculture resonate so deeply with my own.
First and foremost, I love to express myself and I love to stand out. I know, I know; pretty cliche thing for a gal to say. I know you’ve probably heard or read this from a million other people, but it’s true. Since my earliest years, I’d always been kind of outcasted and labeled the “weird kid”. Like many other impressionable young children, I hated this about myself. However, over time, it’s something I’ve kind of come to embrace. Rather than trying to mold myself to fit into societal standards of who I should or shouldn’t be, I’ve learned to embrace myself for me. I’ve learned to dress for myself and nobody else. I firmly believe that my upbringing as the “weird kid” had a strong influence on the confidence I feel in the type of clothes that I wear. That confidence is quite literally the gal mindset–the confidence to be yourself and express yourself no matter what society tries to tell you.
Another reason that the subculture resonates so deeply with me is because I have strong feminist beliefs. I love that this subculture embraces women’s empowerment, the breaking of beauty standards, and allows for so many forms of self expression. There is no one way to be a gal just as there is no one way to be a woman. When you’re a gal, you can wear anything from Liz Lisa to the “trashy” Y2K leopard print top you thrifted for ten dollars. Hell, you can even combine these styles! Go crazy with it!! That’s what it’s all about.
I’m hoping that you enjoyed reading about why gyaru means so much to me as a subculture! It is my entire world.