Style for women: American vs. Japanese

If you notice the fashion styles for young women in different parts of the world, you will notice such stark differences. So it is not uncommon to find that you look totally unfashionable when you go to other countries. For example, the French, Italians (and in general, many Europeans), and and Japanese women tend to dress more formally, while we Americans still give more importance to comfort and prefer a style that takes that into account.

Nina, a New York City woman from a family that has roots in Asia (specifically Japan and Hong Kong), recently had visitors from Tokyo. Her cousins were definitely dressed very differently. While she liked some of the things that she saw, she was not sure what to adopt and what not to bother with. She asks, "I am totally confused. I found that the Japanese women can be a bit bold when it comes to fashion and create their own style which I have found difficult to do because of the peer pressure in New York city to be like all my friends.

"What I see is that the style that the young Japanese women make with their clothes are actually in fact kind of "been there done that" to most of us here in America! For example, the short skirts; that's not anything new over here. It's just that the Japanese women tend to take the "short skirts" to a whole different level, which at most times aren't really cute (if you know what I mean)! Also now recently I've been reading that the Japanese adolescent youth as far as the girls go, are starting to have a sort of a fashion crave for the "sporty look" and is also letting go of the "innocent school girl look" for the more casual, sophisticated look, which in fact, is another "been there done that" style for us also!

For instance most girls here in America have been doing the sporty look since elementary/junior high school and that look is kind of old, but don't get me wrong, there still are those who still sport the look but are only those still clinging on! And also the "adult" look as what the Japanese women call it, is also a kind of "going on so yesterday" style too. We still dress casual and sophisticated but are kinda going on to bigger ideas with our style than our Japanese "sisters". But I'm not trying to be harsh though, because yes I do admit that there are some trends in Japan that, yes, only a Japanese girl can pull off, and there are some American girls who tend to yearn for that look! But as far as the whole American teenage population is concerned, that some isn't as big as you may think! And also I must say that the new fashion look that we the American girls are leaning towards is actually the "oldies" look, like "retro 50's."

Actually, we're kinda moving backwards with our fashion and bringing back our country's old styles like the "short tennis skirts", "multi-colored shapes in symmetrical patterns", and other old things that were like big hits in the 50's, 70's, and 80's. Actually, when I think about it, it's kinda like were going in reverse for the Japanese look when the Japanese used to wear the "platform shoes and etc." and the Japanese are going forward with our old looks! So see, it's sort of a pattern; well what do you know? I'm not trying to diss the Japanese adolescent styles, because again you all DO have your own sort of "fashion sense" that of course only YOU can pull off!"

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