How Do You Define Fashion?

Kunika Toya

 Before I start to explore what is certain fashion or style in certain area, I would like to introduce definitions of what is fashion. Since people do not have all the same views, there are many ideas what fashions is.

“Fashion is something we deal with everyday.”[i]

 There are people who like to choose and think about what to wear and dress up; however, there are of course people who think opposite way: do not like to think or care about what they wear. Every morning people choose what to wear, and we ask questions to ourselves. Which tops goes with the pants? Which accessories should I put on? Which shoes and bags match with the clothing today? Even though people who do not care about what they are wearing, they think and ask questions about what to wear. Is it sunny or rainy? How cold or warm is it? And we all say about their liking of styles. Fashion is related to everyone even though they do not care about it. Everyone has different taste and liking, and even people who do not care about it would criticize if they met people whose style is not their taste.

“Fashion is what is in at the moment. It is temporary and has a limited time span.” [ii]

 Fashion is a trend and changes a lot. People get fashion ideas from movies, books, music or televisions.[iii] We look at magazines and get ideas of fashion from celebrities, and we look at music video and get ideas as well. For example, because of K-POP boom in Japan, a lot of Japanese magazines tend to pick up Korean style of make-ups; also, people including me tend to want to wear or follow that their favorite artists are wearing or their hairstyles. If you watch drama from decades ago, we probably see the style of clothing that people in drama is not fashionable at all, and you might see it as old-fashioned, but when you watch drama broadcasted in recent years, you do not really see the clothing as old-fashioned. Not only movie stars or musicians influenced what we wear, but also politicians and the Royal Family influence what we wear. [iv]The death of Princess Dianna affected to the world of fashion because her clothes were always on magazines. Also, in 17^th century The French King Louis XIV spread his style of clothing such as velvets and extravagant laces to the people.[v] But is fashion only a trend?

“Clothes create a wordless means of communication that we all understand.”[vi]

 Fashion is like a language that expresses one’s feeling, culture or religious view. We dress up when we are happy and feel like dressing up. Sometimes people just do not care about clothing because they are upset and not felling like dressing up. Islamic people cover all the body except eyes[vii], and Korean people wear their traditional clothes on special events such as weddings.[viii]

“Fashion is self-satisfaction”[ix]

 What is your priority when you buy clothes or decide your next hairstyles? Is it that what your friends recommends you? We buy clothes because we like them, and we may think about what others say and recommends but the one who decide at last are ourselves, each of us. [x]People pick up their clothes by their own decision even though for people who do not think about it, they consider about what they going to do and how the weather is going to be and pick up their clothes. Also, do not care about what they wear means they are satisfied with how they look no matter how they look and what the trend is. In terms of this idea: “Fashion is self-satisfaction,”[xi] fashion should be based on what you like and what you think and feel in your heart.[xii]

 So what does the word fashion mean to you in personal? In my next blog entry, I am seeing fashion from deferent aspect, as a business.

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[i] “What is Fashion” http://www.pbs.org/newshour/infocus/fashion/whatisfashion.html

[ii] Difference Between Fashion and Style http://www.differencebetween.com/differencea-between-style-and-vs-fashion/

[iii] “Fashion Toha” http://home.kanto-gakuin.ac.jp/~kg065002/r-what.html

[iv] Ibid

[v] Ibid

[vi] Katherine Hamnett “What is Fashion” http://www.pbs.org/newshour/infocus/fashion/whatisfashion.html

[vii] “Fashion Toha” http://home.kanto-gakuin.ac.jp/~kg065002/r-what.html

[viii] “Discovering the Real Korea” http://www.koreabrand.go.kr/jp/know/know_view.do?CATE_CD=0009&SEQ=504

[ix] “Fashion Toha” http://blog.livedoor.jp/mometo1011/archives/51205443.html

[x]Ibid

[xi]Ibid

[xii] “What Does Fashion Mean To You?” http://fashion.lovelyish.com/731523147/what-does-fashion-mean-to-you/

Fashion in Hong Kong Part 2

Fashion in Hong Kong (Part 2): What is MK style?

As I mentioned last blog, since there are many styles of fashion in Hong Kong, I just want to pick one style called MK style. MK stands for Mong Kok (旺角) which is an area in Hong Kong, and known as the most density populated place in the world. Moreover, it is one of the areas that Hong Kong usually people hangout, and there are so many people such as young couples or families in weekends. It is like Harajuku (原宿) in Tokyo, Japan. Recently, Mong kok have been changing from just a busy downtown to trendsetting place[1]. In addition, since there are many shops for CDs, DVDs, comics books, anime and idol goods, computers and other electronic products in Mong Kok, mostly on Nathan Rord (彌敦道), it also known as the area of subculture like Akihabara(秋葉原) in Tokyo, Japan[2]. MK fashion has mystery that even though Hong Kong people do not know exactly what it is. So now I want to introduce some theories about what is MK style thorough out the research.

First is that MK style the typical style for Hong Kong people, can be found in many areas in Hong Kong, and it means that the style of people who try to follow Japanese trends like what is shown in Japanese magazine blindly but not quite making it there, dress like Japanese. They dye their hair as blonde or brownish to just follow the Japanese trend by looking at magazines[3]. Also, marketers use the word MK style to show authenticity and to give a product “street-cred”.

Secondly, in contrast with what I just mentioned above, there are people say that MK style is not a trend or subculture. And it is the style that teens want to dress in the ways that they think it is cool such as pretend to be like gangster or punk styled fashion. MK style is a big melting pot although with bad taste of putting accessories on. Or not only accessories, they buy what they see and like, then combine them all together excessively[4]. For example, for girls, they wear long fake eyelashes, colour contacts, bad hairstyles, and they draw eye browns. Also, for guys, they often dye their hair, wear hip-hop accessories with non-hip-hop clothes such as skinny jeans and just fit sized T-shirt. In this theory, MK style is for young teens that want to be like COOL person or want to act like gangster[5].

Thirdly, as the another theory tells that because of there are lots of computer shops, or shops that sells electronic products or anime goods as I mentioned before[6], the MK styled fashion is also said as Gothic Lolita fashion or Otaku fashion which is style of people who love anime (Otaku)[7].

MK style has negative meaning such as insulting people who dress like what I mentioned as second and third theory as well[8]. Also, negative connotation relate to prevalence of fake items[9]. It is still mystery, what exactly is the MK style, and even Hong Kong people don’t know what it is. If you have chance to go to Hong Kong, just remember this and it would be good to see with your own eyes and find out by yourself what is your definition of MK style, and I would love to do that.

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[1] Hong Kong Navi http://www.hongkongnavi.com/special/5004623

[2] Ibid

[3] Discussion With Candy

[4] Hong Kong Hustle http://www.hongkonghustle.com/

[5] Ibid

[6] City Guide, Hong Kong  http://www.shift.jp.org/guide/hong-kong/fashion/

[7] “香港オタク事情” http://blog.goo.ne.jp/keumaya/e/cefba140d36c38f105547eec955e5c47

[8] Hong Kong Hustle http://www.hongkonghustle.com/

[9] “マニアック 香港” http://blog.goo.ne.jp/keumaya/e/cefba140d36c38f105547eec955e5c47

Fashion in Hong Kong Part 1

Fashion in Hong Kong (Part 1): Introduction

-Japanese style in Hong Kong???-

I heard from my Japanese friend who went to Hong Kong that Hong Kong has lots of cheap but very kawaii clothes, shoes and accessories. This is why I am interested in Hong Kong fashion. At that time I didn’t have any friends in Hong Kong or chance to go to Hong Kong and see what it is like in there. However, now I have a Hongkonese friend and a Japanese friend who lived in Hong Kong for years. So I thought it is good time to explore my interests little bit, about Fashion in Hong Kong.

As well as Tokyo, Hong Kong is said to be centre of fashion in Asia. Also, Hong Kong has produced famous brands or select shop such as Shanghai Tang and GIORDANO or famous designer and creator such as Alan Chan (陳幼堅) and Johanna Ho[1]. There are also many local designers and brands, and it has huge market to trade with main land China and other countries in Asia. Because of that Hong Kong holds fairs and trade shows related to fashion such as Hong Kong Fashion Week and Hong Kong Fur Fashion Fair (香港国際毛皮時装展覧会). Since there are international trends, huge shopping malls and many fashion related fairs, Hong Kong is said as “Shopping Paradise.”[2] Also, because Hong Kong is known as global centre of trade, easy to trade with other countries, and Hong Kong is a mixed or multicultural place, there are many types of fashion in Hong Kong.

I had small discussion with my Cantonese friend, Candy, and my Japanese friend who lived in Hong Kong, Yukako. By hearing from them, Japanese style is popular in Hong Kong, and some 90’s Cantonese try to follow Japanese style of fashion[3]. So…why it is famous, and why do they follow Japanese style? Recently, Japanese Pop culture has been widespread in Hong Kong. Many Japanese stores such as JUSCO, SOGO and MUJI (無印良品) and many shops of Japanese brands such as Moussy, MURUA, BEAMS and UNIQLO opened[4]. Moreover, there are select shops that sell Japanese brand clothes such as i.t and The One. In addition, there are many Japanese magazines such as girls’ magazine, NON-NO, Cancam, ViVi and Spring, and boys’ magazine such as MEN’S NON-NO have been sold in Hong Kong, and prices are HK$75~95, in Japanese yen, these are about 765~969 yen[5].

In addition, as well as Japanese magazine, Japanese TV drama and movies are famous in Hong Kong. And, they are attracted by the style of clothes that actors and actress in Japanese drama or movie wear. For example, because of a drama in 2006, “Nodame Cantabile” (のだめカンタービレ), the actor in the drama called Eita (瑛太) became centre of attention of Hong Kong people[6]. And then, the Japanese jeans bland EDWIN decided to use Eita as a model for EDWIN. Since he became the model of EDWIN, the sales of EDWIN tremendously increased. Also, this made the brand EDWIN to advance into China, and now EDWIN has 35 shops in China. Moreover, trusts for the goods, which were made in Japan, could be another reason why some Hong Kong people like and follow Japanese style. This is not only because of the quality of clothes but also, design and comforts to wear. Hong Kong people tend to think that if you wear Japanese styled clothes, they think that they are wearing trendy clothes[7].

As an introduction of fashion in Hong Kong, there are many styles in Hong Kong because it is multicultural, and it is centere of trade. Also, Japanese style of clothing are popular in Hong Kong because influence of Japanese magazine, TV-dramas, movies, design and quality. Next blog I am talking about the one style in Hong Kong, MK style.

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[1] “香港” http://ja.wikipedia.org/wiki/%E9%A6%99%E6%B8%AF

[2] City Guide, Hong Kong  http://www.shift.jp.org/guide/hong-kong/fashion/

[3] Discussion with Yukako and Candy

[4] “美食の街・香港”　www.jetro.go.jp/jfile/report/07000596/hongkong_shoku.pdf

[5] Ibid

[6] Ibid

[7] Ibid; “EDWIN” http://www.edwin.co.jp/

Fashion in Japan by Kunika

Fashion, it is the popular and the latest style of clothing, hairs, make-ups or decoration. This style differs in every countries, ages or people. There are lots of fashion magazines that have been published for different generations, sexes in each countries or style of clothing. In the following blogs, I would like to introduce the styles of clothing or make-ups in each country and how people in each nations dress. For this first blog, I would like to introduce fashion in Japan from my point of view.

Sherbet Colour  that are the example on this picture below; light blue, light pink, light yellow, light orange, light purple is trend in this year spring and summer in Japan. These are lighter than Pastel Colour, and this colour seems like warmer and it is suitable for spring and summer. Moreover, because we had huge earthquake, tsunami and nuclear disaster in Tohoku Japan on March 11^th, in order to encourage Japan and wish for its happiness, the Sherbet Colour was introduced. After its introduced, many brands sold Sherbet Coloured products such as clothes, accessories, shoes, bags or even stationaries. Also, people get nails done with Sherbet Colour as you can see from the picture below. In addition, The light colours that are close to white is psychologically considered to help people to be active and happy. Therefore Sherbet Colour became this year spring and summer trend in Japan.

 

                                        

I think fashion in Japan always get some impacts by other countries. For example, there are a lot of brands in foreign countries such as H&M, Forever 21, Abercrombie and Fitch, Hollister or ZARA came and opened shops in Japan. Because of that, Japanese people tend to like to wear simple clothes that people in western countries wear. There are many men from different ages (from teenage boys to 40 or 50 years old men) who are wearing Abercrombie and Fitch’s T-shirts or Polo shirts in Kyoto. Also, for women, H&M, ZARA and Forever 21 became popular in Japan. The shops of H&M and ZARA in Osaka or Kyoto are always crowded.

Giving another example, there are magazines that feature some celebrities from foreign countries in these days. One magazine picked up the fashion model from Australia, Miranda Kerr who is on the commercial of a beverage, Lipton. The Magazine introduced her style of clothing, and according to the magazine, Her style of clothing is very simple but fashionable. In the picture on the left side, she is just wearing black skinny pants and white shirt, really simple but somehow she looks stylish. According to the magazine, by doing buttons of the white shirt all the way up, and tacking the white shirt into the black pants, it look more formal like an adult woman. Also, by adding accessories like bags and sunglasses in left side picture, it will be more fashionable but not just simple. Furthermore, in my point of view, she is wearing the pants which lengths are both at the length of ankle, and it makes legs seem like longer. Also, in the picture, she wears clothes with only black and white colour, and matches with sunglasses and bag, which makes look more formal such as an adult woman.

This is some of the trends and styled introduced in magazines and fashion shows in Japan. I like these sherbet colours and style like Miranda Kerr. How about you? Do you like these? Do you boys like girls wearing these sherbet colours or the style of Miranda kerr? Do you girls like this colours and style?

References

http://trendy.nikkeibp.co.jp/article/column/20120229/1039858/?ST=life&P=2

http://matome.naver.jp/odai/2133162349439595301/2133168964042260303

http://oxforddictionaries.com/definition/trend?q=trend

“BRENDA”