that cut from 4:12 with the girl talking about how weird colorful prints were to the guy wearing the oversized longsleeve showcasing a ton of colorful pens was amazing, kudos to your editor
I'm guessing that because the shirt background is predominantly black, it's treated as more of a "black printed / patterned shirt" rather than "rainbow colors". Like if you were wearing colorblocked red shirt / yellow leggings / blue skirt. Granted, in the States that would be seen as a bit Punky Brewster rather than the norm
I watched this video about a week ago and have been thinking about it ever since. I work at a Japanese university, so I see hundreds of kids on campus every day. And if it makes a difference, it's one of the top schools in Japan. So here's the thing, girls DO show their arms or shoulders. They DO wear shorts. But to be more specific, the shorts are just regular, modest shorts--same as what's currently popular in the US. They wear tank tops, but showing cleavage or much of the chest is taboo. I even saw an older woman working in the office wearing a sleeveless top. If a dress or top has spaghetti straps, they wear something over it or under it. A sheer blouse over it, or a baby T under it (or both, lol). I saw a video about a year ago where someone was claiming Japanese people didn't wear sandals or flip flops. That's ridiculous. Almost every girl in my class wears chunky sandals or dad sandals. I've seen a few people here and there wearing flip-flops. On the other hand, at the campus in the US where I used to work, I'd see girls wearing athletic wear...I felt like that was all ANYONE wore--leggings or yoga pants. I haven't seen a single Japanese person dressed like that. No leggings or bike shorts.
Ooh this sounds similar to how I dress, I believe in moderation. I wear thick strap sleeveless tops, but thin straps to me are inner wear. I'm bringing in shorts to my wardrobe after years of jeans but nothing higher than mid thigh. Clothes always ride up, so I take account for that. I do not like clothes I need to adjust or think about in public.
I have worked at an American University and currently work at a Japanese Uni and I concur with this assessment. That being said, University in Japan is seen as the "experimental" phase for young people. For the first three years, they can dye their hair and try out new fashion. Towards the end of their 3rd year of Uni, and all of 4th year, they (usually) dye their hair black and conform to a more conservative fashion in hopes of becoming employed, where non-standard fashion is (usually) not acceptable. I have noticed that they wear uniforms for their 12 years of education, then they get a 3 year break in Uni, then they go back to wearing their Aoyama (work-wear store) uniforms until they retire. Of course, there are always exceptions, but this seems to be the norm.
You could be stopped by police if you are wearing something very revealing or that others might find offensive, like swimsuit or bikini bottom in public outside of beach/swimming areas, and forced to cover up, so there's definitely a limit to not get into legal trouble. But I agree otherwise it's definitely OK to wear what you like even if it's a bit flashy, if you don't mind getting looked at. For some people (like me being into EGL, fairy-kei, and cat ears) that happiness that comes with personalized fashion is more important than how others think or react.
Looks like all the interviewees were wearing quite conservative clothes, you should interview some eccentric people too to see what they say about what "not to wear" in Japan, I'm 100% sure you will get different answers.
they're all pretty eccentric. everyone is wearing a harajuku style outfit and seem like young, scene kids instead of like.. the average housewives and salarymen. even in the most eccentric fashionistas, they don't wanna show skin
@@felix-xd4mx Not really though. Harajuku is its own pocket of eccentric. Sports fashion is a thing in Japan and what they are talking about, like leggings, people do wear that kind of stuff. My friends are all beach goers in Japan and they basically wear everything they said they didn't. I think what this person meant was to get different kinds of people.
It's sad that already skinny girl thinks she needs to lose weight. Any foreign psychologist would say that Japanese society does have a lot of orthorexic views on eating. I noticed that when my Japanese friend food shames me. And I eat super healthy but I do have cheat days and science evidence based studies prove that eating bad one day a week does not cause you to gain weight.
And at a contrast, the USA has a 41% obesity rate. 😅 That's far from healthy but still almost half of the population eat more and heavier than they should.
@@SkiraReed well doing the opposite by being anoxeric is not any healthier than obesity. Anoxeria can lead to risk for disease as much as obesity. I know. I am going back to school to be a dietitian. Because what Japanese consider skinny is actually anoxeric, because they follow Korean pop idols who are well documented to Only eat 800 calories per day. That calorie intake is by definition anoxeric. Regularly eating less than 1200 calories per day actually leads to slowing your metabolism so following Outdated diets from the 1950s, severe calorie restrictions, are proven by scientists to be counter productive.
@rachelk2457 For sure but having 2 kg less than the ideal bmi range is less dangerous than 40kg more. And the Koreans as well as Japanese are definitely obsessed with being skinny, but at my work I see obese people every day. Some of them can barely walk and may be just around 30 years old while they try to squeeze through the metal detector and ask if there's gonna be 'a lot of walking'. I applaud you for becoming a dietitian, I hope you can bring some change to some people who are willing to change their life.
As a western woman in Japan, Japanese styles often don't suit my body type because they are often loose and drapey which just makes me look wide and sloppy but looks totally cute on their petite, slender frames. So for me, I basically stopped caring about what Japanese women find appropriate and just go with what i feel confident in, what suits my body. In the summer that includes v cut tops and shirts that show my shoulders. I'd rather look good and stand out than look bad and blend in.
@miyako1909 🙄 no one acts rude to me so I have no need to complain. I have my own culture, too and feel no need to modify every single behavior to pretend I'm Japanese as if I don't have my own culture. I don't eat only Japanese food or listen to only Japanese music either. Neither do most Japanese. So you'll just have to pardon me if I don't believe that choosing to wear clothing I'm actually comfortable in is some kind of high cultural offense rather than born of the fact that their body types happen to look better in the styles that are acceptable to them. I'm more than capable of determining which cultural values are actually important to observe and which are not that serious, unlike inexperienced puritanical wannabes
@VanessaSouza-rz8uo yea, the usual standards of dress are not expected for pop stars generally, tho. I actually think Japanese women tend to have a really good grasp of fashion and what looks good on them. I don't even know if it's necessarily that they're super skinny (tho some are) - I think the body shape is often just very different. More like a rectangle and less like a pear or hourglass. Many just don't have very pronounced hips or chests, I mean. So of course what looks good on them is not going to look right on someone with a larger bust size and more pronounced hips, even if their waist size is the same as an average Japanese woman's.
I’m Japanese, and young Japanese people around me in Tokyo regularly wear tube tops, spaghetti straps, crop tops, and short shorts all the time. It’s only the super J people who are insecure about their bodies that don’t.
Yeah, I guess they just gave public opinions instead of their own. "Never show too much skin!", "No flashy colors", "Short shorts look good on foreigners but we cannot wear them". Basically everyone said the same thing while also breaking some of the rules themseves.
I am a haafu living in Japan for 5.5 years, absolutely agreed that the mindset is exactly this for many Japanese people. Appreciate the extremely well-done interviews. Having said that, I think people should wear whatever they want and whatever they feel comfortable with (except at shrines, funerals, etc.)!
Now I suddenly understand gyaru even more. I hate “rules” on things that have nothing to do with anyone else but myself, such as clothes, makeup, and so on…
@@mari-zg9nq When ever I travel I've noticed they way people dress tells alot about them. Italians, French and Japanese are known for dressing well that why many people appriciate and admire their fashion alot. "I can dress however I want" sure, but you as a person represent your people and people will form an image of that. The world doesn't revolve around you. In my opinion western girls dress very revealingly and it makes them look cheap. Japan has modesty and style.
@@AKL89 im literally a muslim woman, i am not a hijabi but i cover most of my body. for better or for worse i do not represent all muslim women, if people base their opinion of muslim women based solely on me it is not a problem with me but rather a problem with how they view muslim women
In summary, women can wear outfits that mimic school uniforms. Short skirts are ok, but showing shoulders or neckline is not ok. Generally big and floppy clothing is ok and tight fitting not ok.
ok but school uniforms dont have short skirts theyre usually below the knee, unless its some dumb school that allows it and probably allows pierced ears, dyed hair and makeup
I just came back from Japan. It could be sweltering hot outside, but I still saw girls wearing sweaters. I brought tank tops that I just couldn't wear because it made me feel awkward and almost disrespectful because I didn't see ONE person wearing a thin strap shirt/dress the entire trip (in Tokyo, Osaka, Kyoto, Hokkaido...). It's funny because the girls wouldn't show their shoulders but would wear the SHORTEST skirts ever. I saw only 1 girl wearing a crop top and short skirt but she looked young.
Hey! I went to Japan too and visited those places you mentioned and you're right I saw women wear very long elegant dresses but very rarely did I see tank tops. I think sleeveless shirts were always covered with a blazer, cardigan, or long throw-on wrap. I also felt under-dressed even though I brought only dresses. I felt like mine were not as elegant and fashionable as them. I even noticed their nails were always painted or had gel on but never long. I got mine done but it was very expensive because they do not offer acrylic powder nails, only gel sets.
true, they’re more likely to wear incredibly short skirts and not find it scandalous, but most western countries are probably more likely to show cleavage and not find it scandalous. some people seem to be a bit judgy and self righteous about the latter without realising that its basically the same thing but flipped lol.
@@dreamylovee7993I dig the long dress in a woman. Especially because those still do show a lot of unintentional curves. I know the stereotype is that Japanese women are toothpicks, in body size, but that is not true to my limited dating experiences with Asians.
@@dia21534 but uniform skirts are under the knees usually, unless its some dumb school. usually schools in japan wont let you dye your hair and pierce your ears and wear makeup too
This is so interesting to me. I'm scandinavian and have gotten more and more sensitive to heat the older I've gotten, and will switch over to sleeveless dresses, shorts, tank tops and crop tops once we hit 20 degrees or above. I won't switch back to long jeans unless it's below 17 degrees or really cold winds. Also as someone from a culture that I perceive as more open-minded about body shapes and who has personally worked hard to love my physical body, it does sadden me that most of them seem so incredibly self conscious and insecure about their own bodies and the space they occupy.
I also feel like I'm much more sensitive to heat now than ever. I think starting from when I turned 30 I started to get super hot super easily, and sweat very very easily now too. When I was younger, I rarely sweat... I miss those days lol. I can't stand the feeling of sweat and how sticky it gets and ruining clothes, so I have been getting very light and more revealing clothing like camisoles and shorts/skirts. Even though I live in a mild/cool climate (San Francisco USA) I still get so hot and sweaty and need to dress like I'm going to Hawaii lol.
Late to the party but same! Been living in Oslo for 5,5 years now and the moment summer hits, especially with the heat getting worse here too, I practically live in shirts, shirts and dresses. And in the gym everyone of girls practically wears leggings. I can’t tolerate heat as much anymore as I did as a kid either.
This comment is also interesting to me - I wished I lived somewhere "20 or above" was considered hot. Here it's consistently 30°C+ throughout the entire year and I still attempt layering.
Incidentally, this is Harajuku (Takeshita-dori), the place in Japan where people prefer the most individualistic fashion. If we interviewed them in other places, we would get even more conservative answers.
@louis_X Not in Osaka or Kyoto though. Those I've noticed are starting to change amongst the Gen Z and Millenials. They are becoming more accepting of doing what you want but also not sticking out too much because then it's too much of a difference. Then people don't know why they bomb an interview for a job when they get asked questions about what makes them individually strong.
Not really. I live pretty far from Tokyo. It is true that it is rare to see Harajuku fashion where I am, but that’s just because people don’t feel the need to wear those things. I don’t think anyone would actively oppose that sort of fashion. They would just think “that is someone who works in Harajuku and is just traveling here for the day”.
I think it’s also worth mentioning that showing skin is more standard in the western world. Like, if you want to be mainstream fashionable, it doesn’t matter if your body is “fit for showing off,” you wear short shorts anyways. It seems nice to have more options for less revealing stuff that’s still fashionable
I think it's because, particularly in the USA, a lot of fashion styles are influenced by warmer climates, like California, where movies and music videos are often filmed.
It's because of climate. If you walk down a beach in Florida, for example, you won't see many people conservatively dressed. If you go to the beach in Rio de Janeiro you'd see so much skin!!
I went to Japan a few years ago. Didn't even think to look up an unsaid dress code. I brought tons of yoga pants since we would be very active. After I got stared at quite a lot, I eventually got that it wasn't appropriate lol
I watched a few of your vids before coming to Japan and was so scared of the clothing situation, because I thought I needed to cover myself up completely and be careful to not show too much skin. And although some Japanese girls like to wear long skirts and shirts (sometimes even hand stockings) [probably also because they want to prevent tanning] in the bigger more touristy cities.. no. One. Cares. Sure you might get one judgy look from an elderly and sure it's probably also the foreigners effect but even if locals are wearing something more tight and revealing _no one cares_ so guys obviously have some kind of decency but don't be getting all nervous like I was :)
Remember folks, if you're fashion style isn't breaking the law, fuck anyone who says you can't wear what you love. EDIT: Cyber Bunny who is interviewed here is well known for giving horrible, unrealistic and sometimes harmful views of how she perceives Japanese culture and how one should interact with it. Go check her videos and look for the comments from actual Japanese people.
If your edit wasn't there I wouldn't be an a**hole but like this I just have to. Before spreading hate learn the difference between your and you're! :)
they said that they are used to it since school uniforms, they had to wear shor skirts and showing arms and chest was not allowed. so they just consider showing too much skin differently
There were times where, at least partly to the "dress code" of the era, the female neck was considered the most erotic piece of skin. It's cultural, it's how you (and all the others) have been raised. Does not have to make sense in any way.
It seems to me that in Japan and Korea (and probably other places in Asia) the top of women is thought more sensitively than in the west, but the bottom is thought less sensitively than in the west. There was maybe ten years ago a Korean music video that had been quickly taken down when it seemed that there might have been 1-2 pixel row's worth underboob shown in some 10 or so frames of some beach setting. The frames were edited to make the top extend a little further down, and the video was re-released. I saw the original, and found it confusing because (at least in western standards) even in the original the top was already well-covering, especially for beach setting. Instead, even after editing there was a scene with twerking in really short shorts, and if something was to be edited for modesty, I would have assumed that would have been a more likely target.
It's just cultural. In East Asia and South East Asia showing legs is much more common than showing your shoulders or bust. Meanwhile girls in Western Europe are much more at ease wearing décolletés than wearing mini skirts. Can't speak for Americans coz I haven't lived there in a while.
@@martinamarshmallow8124Short skirts aren’t a part of their uniforms, schoolgirls role the waistbands of their skirts up to make it shorter. This is like a universal thing for any country with skirts in their school uniforms
You make awkward interviews seem effortless. Justine Shapiro (look her up) is an award-winning travel writer and filmmaker applauded for her ability to get the people she meets to trust her and open up to her. You have similar talent. Keep going.
in most parts of Asia, upper half of the body is considered more revealing than legs. A short tank top would be considered more revealing than a short skirt, even though it shows less skin. Is it the other way around in the west?
Thanks to Japanese viewing fashion in different perspective than western societies..and because of that, Japanese embraced Lolita/multilayer dress or clothes/kawaii fashion and promoting it to the world. Often Japanese fashion comes with self expression with different criteria: T(time), P(place), O(occasion/objective)
I think the reasoning for wearing short skirts in winter is that, winter clothes are usually big and bulky, making us lose form and shape. Wearing something short that shows legs shows a bit more of a figure and appealing silhouette. Fashion wise it makes sense. It's either skin fitting on top, bulky and loose below, or bulky on top and skin fitting below. Practicality wise it doesn't make sense though, especially when it's freezing!
The first time I was sightseeing in Shibuya in 2018, I just wore a tank top. And I still remember, that I never felt so "naked". It wasn't like people were staring, but I just felt like I was the only one wearing just a tank top with nothing on top of it and it made me feel really uncomfortable. Of course, everyone should wear, what they want and what gives them a good feeling. But sometimes, the people around you also add to a good or bad feeling.
@@jonirojonironin5353feelings no, but impressions yes. That's why offices, cafes, restaurants have dress codes. Welp in countries not from US, even in public you have to read the atmosphere on what ppl wear and stuff.
@@comfortcool8361 No, you also do not control the impressions other people make. You control only your own impressions. Dress codes are rules created by society that multiple people have agreed upon. It is expected of you to follow them.
@@jonirojonironin5353 it does affect. Wether you like it or not, job hunting on a well ironed suit, vs job hunting on house-wear. It's pretty clear the one wearing the suit would yield a higher chance based on the first impression alone. Does this not tell that you have somewhat of a control on other people's impressions on you.
I literally was told to cover up in a hospital . They cared more about how I looked then TREATING me. They kept saying other people would be embarrassed looking at me. I’m like “that’s a you” problem
I'm an anthropologist, and I find it so interesting and neat that all around the world (and throughout history) the idea of where the "taboo" part of the body is changes. Where I'm from (in the southern states of the US) we are fine wearing spaghetti tops during the summer- but I think people would be shocked if they saw me (at home) in skirts high as I have seen people wear them in Japan. I just think it's just so neat cultures all around the world have different "taboo" place, so have different standards for what is too much. I recently learned in an online art history class, that back in France in the 1700s, women would expose their nipples in dresses and in paintings to demonstrates their pureness. YUP. it was thought that a women who has breastfed would have different nipples, and so to prove one's purity (virginity) you could get very low cut dresses to show your nipples. (Ankles on the other hand were out of the question and if you showed that people would call you a whore). Then around 160 years later (during Victoria's reign) the collective voices decided that nipples weren't okay to show! And so a of old family painting were touched up to cover them. So, it really just goes to show that what is deemed inappropriate will always change- that it is all fashion and that there is no true right or wrong answer.
I'm a student in a japanese university and most of the japanese girls i know wear revealing clothes a lot especially what mentioned in this video. May be depend on the department😅
The explanation of the "long skirt in summer, short skirt in winter" is being such an aha moment for me 😭 I love ko-gal style, but I feel exposed in summer, sitting down with short skirts and such... (And if i wear safety pants I'm wearing an extra layer, nothing desirable here in Spain! 😅) Love how they get that conclusion, so smart and simple but counterintuitive!
Moonie Cathy Cat you totally look like absolutely Royalty!when i visited japan there was so many different styles I could easily see the freedom style in japan every where!
When i went to Tokyo i was almost amazed by how non-conservative they were, especially the girls, purely based on how they were dressed. They’re definitely more conservatively dressed than most countries in the west but i wouldn’t really restrict what i wanna wear, unless its like lingerie or super suuuper revealing. They’re actually way more chill than i thought they’d be :)
As a half Japanese citizen of Japan. When I lived their I honestly broke the yoga pants and the tank top rule because in the summer, I can’t survive if I layer up in that deathly heat 🤣😭
i dont understand, light loose clothes give air and protect from sun heat, its more confortable than any yoga or tanktop...the secret is may be in the matter, cotton is too dense, may be sport textile.. but there is a thing with japan air humidity high, and temperature above 38°c in summer, a deadly combo. even sweat doesnt refresh you.
@@eriklerougeuh5772I agree, wanted to say the same, I would NEVER survive in something that is so tight as yoga pants in this humidity, damn I would be boiling the next minute I go outside. Thin cotton or linen fabric is literally a saviour. Give me something wavy and thin and I'd be the happiest.
@@eriklerougeuh5772 even if they wear loose light clothing, they wear layers underneath which is also very hot. I’m not full Japanese so I don’t have the genes where I don’t sweat as much. I swear a lot and any sort of layers makes me sweat profusely. Promise I tried it and I didn’t say I don’t wear lose clothing. I’m just saying I broke the yoga pants rule because it’s comfortable and I broke the tank top rule because it’s honestly cool to wear in the summer.
@@aaronlock5091 well it’s just a personal thing. I wore yoga pants all year round and I was fine. Jeans even make you sweat and I see people wearing that all the time in the summer so what’s the difference of wearing yoga pants. It’s summer in japan, imma sweat regardless so it don’t matter what I wear I just wear it for comfortability
Damn it's crazy how insecure they are about they're weight, i'm double their size and have no concerns at all. I just care if i'm healthy and i am. I like having more visible muscles in my legs too so i prefer having thicker thighs as a result. To hear that they'd be scared to show off their thighs if they aren't stick skinny... i expected it but it's still strange to hear. I hope Japan speeds forwards in accepting different body types. Modest clothing is fair enough and not an issue, but if you're wearing clothes to cover up insecurities? That's a whole other thing. I like modest clothing and showing a bit of stomach sometimes since, like one of the girls said, it suits my figure the most. However, i cover up because i just personally don't like that revealing style on me, on others it looks great but i prefer more modest clothes on myself. I think that's how it should be for everyone.
@@Mithguar it's called expression. only people who view their own insecurities on others bodies have a problem with the way others dress. I mean, grown up. people talking like old hags from 1835 out here. "DON'T SHOW YOUR ANKLES!!!!!"
Yes, I noticed this, we were there for about two weeks and the contrast between tokyo and the rest of the country is very noticeable. I remember walking among thousands of maids/lolis/same color palettes in Tokyo, but when we went to the country side, totally different. More reserved.
Here in Osaka I’ve seen a lot of girls wear crop tops (full on belly buttons). Yes, Japanese! Hopefully this is a sign of a more accepting trend with this deadly heat! Also, short shorts are ok. Haha.
@@abicrystalwing1543 I first learned of this through the manga/anime Gantz. They went out of their way to depict Osaka as extremely wild compared to Tokyo, where the main protagonists are from.
i find it so fascinating that everyone had their own ideas on what was "acceptably conservative" and "acceptably revealing". plenty of them said brightly coloured or form-fitting clothing weren't acceptable, but we saw a person walk by in a specifically coordinated, colourful outfit featuring matching t-shirt and bike shorts. some said that shorts/miniskirts weren't acceptable, but the people wearing them said their level of leg-reveal was still "pretty okay", directly contradicting the others. there just seems to be a general sense of being oddly comfortable with saying their own reservations while their friends around, because they assume that others think the same. i'm actually genuinely fascinated by this as a phenomenon, since we saw this with most of those interviewed.
I noticed that all the girls interviewed have bangs and no glasses (except one pair of sunglasses). My friend told me that was also a thing and I didn't believe her before. Everything looks free-spirit and unique at first glance, but even this free-spirit is bonded by these invisible rules.
The refocusing to the orange marmalade cat in the background while Cathy was summarizing what not to wear and recommendations and then back to focusing on Cathy made me laugh. Anyways, this might explain why I got some looks then (besides not looking Japanese lol). I wore leggings during layover in Japan. I really didn't expect it to be that big a deal, but then I forgot it was kind of the same when I visited by home country as well.
the video is "do not wear this in Japan if you are Japanese", it seems as a foreigner i can wear whatever. coincidentally, i also do not like showing off my skin, and during summers it can be quite hot, but wearing long skirt vs shorts - both are quite breezy, as long as it doesn't "hug" your legs.
People forget that the most important aspect of fashion is the adjustment of clothing to temperature, and since there is more fat in the lower body than in the upper body, it makes sense to adjust it with a jacket. You should graduate at puberty to breaking the rules and feeling special. Freedom is not the same as breaking the rules. I agree that individuals should be free to enjoy themselves, It's a fallacy to be concerned with fashion for the sake of ideology.
Only ever see these in places like Tokyo and Osaka, which of course makes sense why. Even in a lot of other Japanese cities, what people wear in the big metropolises get a lot of questionable looks, even if you're say just a few dozen kilometers from Tokyo
i was pretty surprised when some of the girls said they can't wear tank tops or any tops that reveal shoulders. when i watch old japanese game shows especially from the 2000s, i see a lot of girls wearing shoulder revealing tops/dresses, so i guess it was seen as more ''normal'' back then.
@@catchingfeelings2691 no i mean they had casual clothes though. plus it's not just game shows that i've seen girls wearing stuff like that, but many other shows and even documantaries as well.
there is a land on this planet where people think : how can i give people the MOST eýe cancer 🤔 ýes, pressing mý cheeseburger ass in a pink leggins ist the onlý waý.. 😂
You can find lots of real footage from the late 80's of younger men in Tokyo wearing just tanks/shorts as summer casual wear. It was unremarkably common for a while. The girls from those scenes all had covered tops, but you do see more revealing items in media occasionally, so I think for women it may be mostly a costuming/role-based thing rather than a consideration for streetwear.
Kind of a misleading translation at 10:38. She wasn't saying that Japanese aren't sexy enough to wear revealing clothing. She was saying that it's not that hot in Japan (it's actually VERY hot, but that's a separate issue).
I was in Japan not too long ago and was actually worried about this question before arriving there. However, I think you that some people in this video are exaggerating a little bit. For instance, while I was in Tokyo and Shizuoka, many people were wearing sleeveless tops and V necks because of the hot weather. It’s not that scandalous to show some shoulder during summer😭! Though I must say, the fashion over there is quite homogeneous. I noticed that most people were wearing fashion in the style of minimalism, or similar to uniqlo. Basically, very little patterns or textures. But it also really depends on where in Japan. Harajuku for example, is the exact opposite of this, so many people are wearing unique clothes with layers, textures, colors and different aesthetics. Anyway, if you ever plan on going to Japan, don’t worry much about the clothes!
I went to Japan recently, and thank goodness it wasn’t too hot yet so I wore pants everyday (so I fit in) but for some reason it never occurred to me to not wear v-neck shirts, and that’s all I had. I think because most of the time I had a sweater on it flew under the radar, but that’s good to keep in mind for the summer season!
I wear exclusively Japanese clothes, lolita and himekaji style. The skirts and dresses are short! I am only 5’2 and I have purchased skirts that only covered half of my butt. Partly it’s my body type, because I have bigger legs and bottom but still they’re like 13 inches long when I measure. I have also noticed when shopping sleeveless tops are not common, instead of tank top it will be short sleeve with transparent sleeves. Or if it is sleeveless it is meant to be paired with a top underneath. I do love and admire Japanese fashion in general for being feminine, tasteful, fairly modest but not too traditional. It also motivates me to stay more slim because if I outgrow a Japanese L my wardrobe is going to be useless 😂
I found wearing non-camisole/tank tops to be really difficult while in Japan. It’s 90% of my closet because I have broad shoulders and it’s difficult to find sleeved shirts that are comfortable. So I usually wear sleeveless tops. It was even harder when I was visiting Japan for the summer.
Straight cut (in torso) shirts or tops, sized up to fit your shoulders, dolman sleeves and drop shoulders, oversized fits that drape and a given structure by your shoulders, tops that don't have fitted sleeves like ballon/bell. I would wear a tank top and drop shoulder cardigan if I had too... But also I already dress like that lol
Thank you for the video! It was interesting to watch japanese people opinions about this topic in Japan. As a chubby person myself, I feel somehow relatable, though some girls (not only from this video) are really strict to themselves
I am Japanese. I avoid wearing light clothing because it increases the risk of being touched or photographed. Even if you suffer damage, you are told that it is your responsibility. Sorry for the Google translation!
I personally think if a bunch of western born Asian women came together and started wearing these thing at the same time without caring what others think of them and do that consistently, it will start creating the consciousness that it starts becoming ok thing to do.
@@understone86 yes that's true but that's why it can be true when you drip feed them in. That's how trends started. I'm Japanese. If there was no place for individuality, Gyaru culture and subculture wouldn't have existed. When it started off small and stayed small.
@@JSharpie in a collectivist society different trends and individuality takes place only if the society is young. I mean the majority. If the youth is in the minority they tend to behave exclusively and not really tolerate different styles. They keep the eye on each other and copying.
I don't think it's a bad thing as long as it doesn't lead to harassment. I like the uniqueness of Japan's fashion and the thought they put into their outfits, unlike just slapping on yoga pants anywhere and calling it a day.
Thanks for the video!! I'm hoping to go to Japan later this year, so this was very informative! I have darker skin and big curly hair, so I already know I'm going to draw a lot of attention lol. Considering that, I don't think attention from wearing a crop top or shorts will be too much for me personally.
I wish I had seen this before going to Japan a couple of weeks ago 😬 All I wore was workout pants and tank tops because we were walking a lot (travelled from Tokyo to Fukuoka in 9 days) and it was the most comfortable thing I thought to pack. This video is spot on - you will absolutely get looks if you wear those things!
wow! this was really informative! I must be mistaken that it’s Korean women who consider nice slender square shoulders attractive? very surprised about sleeves. I’m from the Lululemon capital and am so used to wearing form fitting yoga pants, crop tops, sheer tops or going braless, I’m really confident and happy with my body but oh I may need to reconsider my wardrobe for Japan travel 😅
I live in Seattle this is about the norm for how people dress. It's so interesting how they all seem to have such conservative views about body and clothing but I know most of small town USA would find their styles and clothes to be more out there and revealing. A lot of their views about "appropriate" clothing also seem to be connected to personal self confidence. They all look stunning and so lovely though!
i don't under stand not showing shoulders. when i was in japan around like 2010 it was the mini skirt capitol of the world. every escalator ride was a show. but shoulders are to much lol.
Sensitive skin of the back of the neck and shoulders and the way traditional clothes sit on person. If they are kept carelessly on, in 'ready to fall off' fashion, neck and shoulders are first thing they reveal. It is a Thing, like garters are a Thing, even if one rarely meets person actually using them in the wild anymore. Still, I've witnessed guys to literally stop speaking when they see a seam of a stocking. XD
I’m surprised so many people are saying no crop tops and sleeveless tops. As someone who interacts with the younger generation often (middle school to college age) and likes fashion I can say the kids who care about fashion very openly show their shoulders and midriffs. Compared to the west, clothing leans more “conservative” but in cities (even my relatively rural city) I don’t find it uncommon at all to see some skin and thinking it’s taboo is becoming old fashioned. It’s not nearly as big of a deal as this video makes it sound. If you’re getting stared at in Japan it’s most likely because you’re a foreigner that already stands out rather than your crop top Edit: showing cleavage and tight pants/yoga pants still aren’t common though
I remember visiting Tokyo Disneyland during the late winter season and there were numerous Japanese people wearing flashy clothing. I'm talking modified school uniforms with super short skirts, lolita, goth, pastels etc. It really just depends on where you are at.
I'm an asian and I'm surprised how thorough this interview was. lol it digs so deep she kinda made some of the people anxious. I'm glad they still answered the questions but I think she made them feel a tiny bit self conscious lol I think when they wear skirts its actually them making a statement. It's because so many girls have been wearing mini skirts over the years from school and as youngsters that they've forced an opening for themselves . I'm sure if you asked the older generation they'd still go like omg jeez is she literally walking around in a mini skirt??
6:50 😂 I think a little bit, they might pay too much attention on what tourists wear. When I was in Japan, I also saw alot of younger locals wearing tops with free shoulders. Not in Tokyo, but in Osaka. And not speaking about loud colors! So many japanese wear colorful things! Ofc not the ones going to work or coming from it. But in their free time, I saw alot of colors! California hot pants indeed are pretty heavy with showing, I agree. However I saw alot in summer wearing denim Shorts 😊
Japanese character/temper is differ by the region they lived... Although they are homogenous, but they are very diverse in many sense on daily life/perspectives
the suits the male interviewee mentioned looked good with certain body types. the common japanese male body type, the very slim non-toned body, when wearing a suit just looks like a typical salary man which is why probably they said it doesn't look good on them.
It’s eye opening, but it makes me sad how they keep saying they don’t have the confidence and need to lose weight. They’re already small as it is :( and I’m sure they’d look great wearing what they’d like!
@@bobbi7277 I understand that, I have had body dysmorphia since I was young. But that’s not the point I was getting across, not sure why you’d say that
I guess “ Revealing” depends on individual perspective. I m glad interviewer pointed out their mini skirts. I come from tradition where shirts above ankle are defined as revealing and above knee length are super-revealing. However, sleeveless top are well accepted. To be fair , it’s hard to wear full length while 38’C year round .
Basically, you can find more people wearing sleeveless tops or sandals than those with costumes or super J outfits in Tokyo! So many Western brands, such as Banana Republic, are being sold in Tokyo. The high street Japanese brands, such as Nolly’s, United Arrows, Tomorrowland etc., also sell the sleeveless vests and dresses currently in trend. Wearing costumes is not common outside Harajuku. Not sure whether Harajuku can represent the whole of Japan or Tokyo.
This is so strange, I visited Japan way back in 2004 and I have photos with our Japanese guides and they were wearing tank tops with spaghetti straps... I have photos with elderly ladies wearing sleeveless blouses, and guys wearing tank tops. When I did my homestay in a very small town on Shikoku, my host sisters both wore tank tops. Did the country get more conservative or what happened?
Im going to Japan in october and watching your videos really helped me selecting pieces to wear, i have many tight fitting long dresses that have a deep cut, but lately i have been buying oversized things or things that fit their culture so i dont stand out to much, glad to see that skirts above the knee are accepted since in not a big pants wearer 🤣
the clothes are adapted to weather, humidity is high up to 50% all the year, so you will get really quick to the outside temperature, too hot in summer or too cold in autumn winter, and you can sweat easily. additional layer add air between clothes and skin help to moderate the difference and dont sweat to much, thats why skinny clothes arent fit for japan, i think this kind of clothes is better for dry hair climates. in october it can bes 5-25°c so 16°c in average and 25% risk of rain. so light removable layer are good idea.
Hello CathyCat, Im a lifelong Californian going on my 29th vacation to Japan next month. A Japanese model I photographed wore a camisole in the studio. In Japan I see other guys wearing black suits all the time, but I never do; I wear pink and cute characters. I’m not worried if people stare and think I’m strange. I’d worry about breaking some law or rule or strict custom. I have no tattoos and I like when I photograph models in Japan I’ll know they won’t have tattoos.. I don’t wear revealing outfits in public in Japan. Nice to see your great video!
My Japanese fiance dresses really stylishly, I still am amazed whenever I see her, but at home here in Japan, she likes to be casual. Although the type of casual style Japanese girls tend to style themselves in is different than western casual clothing in that Japanese girls generally still look really cute wearing something like a plain t shirt and short shorts. Plus, the natural look makeup they do is on point too.
Das Video war echt interessant! Cool Mal zusehen wie die Menschen dort über Kleidung denken und auch ein toller Tipp für Leute die dort hin reisen wollen, um sich etwas besser einzufügen und nicht disrespektvoll rüber zu kommen 😊👍
The bullying in a japanese society is so bad... These people are fit and skinny and they're self conscious? Like it really saddens me when they're all beautiful and should be free to express themselves. I'd wear a tank top to japan if its too hot cause im not about to wear a cardigan over it and suffer. Let them look all they want as long as they dont touch me.
It isn't bullying. It is just how their culture is. If you can't respect it, you shouldn't come to Japan. As an Asian, I found Westerners' mindset is just so self-centered. At least, us Asians aren't obese like half of Americans, then had to spread propaganda that being obese is fine and shame the people saying that they are fat.
@@miyako1909 in my cuban culture its very similar but newer generations are slowly removing themselves from the stigma and hateful ways just like how i see younger japanese do nowadays
@@miyako1909 Everyone is just different, in Japan specifically and all around the world. One of my best friends is from Japan and she has tattoos and is considered tall and “big” in Japan, and wears crop tops, off the shoulder tops, etc. She kept her style when going back to Japan, and her friends and family accept her because they care about her as a person, not by what she looks like. Her appearance doesn’t change her credibility both professionally and as a generally nice, kind person. One of my other Japanese friends DOES dress more modestly, and feels more comfortable like that even after moving to the US. and that’s okay too!! No one would tell her to show more skin, because no one cares lol. I also prefer modest clothes - but not always. I just wear what’s comfortable, what I like, and what I think suits both my body, the weather, and my personality. When I find myself judging other people’s clothing or appearance, I question if that’s what I truly think or what those around me have told me to think..
you are so good! this is so much fun. I keep hoping I'll run into CathyCat in Harajuku. One of these days 🤞. But I have to move back to Tokyo first. Anyhoo. This is my first video on this channel, so I'm not sure what else you've covered, but I'd love to see some kind of more conversation about what Japanese people *do* wear that people overseas don't. The lolita looks, yes, but also just a whole range of other cute, pretty, simple, straightforward dress & skirt sort of looks, as well as chunky heels and platforms... I dunno what to say, I just love Japanese young women's fashion, and I wish it were more accepted, more normative, to dress that way back home too.
I don’t understand why tank tops are considered revealing. It’s SO damn hot in Japan in the summertime, and STICKY on top of that! 🥵 Does everyone just have ugly t-shirt tans? To me, limbs are neutral, and exposing them is just a matter of ventilation. I’m glad I didn’t grow up in Japan, since my body runs warm-I’d probably be sweaty all the time, and die of a heat stroke! 😂
people, if you go to Japan just wear whatever you like 😂 I've been there studying during summer and wore shorts (not butt showing) , tank tops, short tops with spaghetti straps, short dresses... and NO ONE said a thing the family that hosted me just told me to be careful when takig a metro/train just in case , but they all loved my outfits ☺️🫶🏼
Honestly, I am amazed by the complete lack of hesitation in that bunny girl's voice, when she _immediately_ points at a girl walking down the street and goes "Like this. I would be so ashamed of myself if I went outside dressed like this". Normally, you'd try to hold back, even if you'd see someone dressed exactly like the example you have in mind, you'd try to lower your voice, make sure they don't hear you, preferably just describe it... This woman? Nah. Just point at the other chick and go "Like her. I don't know how she can show herself like this in public, I'd be so embarrassed if I ever went outside like she did." Also, the guy who says he doesn't like suits - the problem isn't that he's Japanese, nor that there's anything wrong with suits. The problem is that he probably never took the time to look _into_ true men's fashion. When it comes to suits, a lot depends on the type of material, on proper colour coordination, whether to wear a vest or not, but also on how you carry yourself etc. If you are a sporty type, you wouldn't wear a three-piece suit casually. Similarly, if you want to come off as professional, you don't want to wear shorts and a polo. But you need to look into all that, and you need to look into that from the European/Western perspective - for the same reason why, if I was to get a Japanese Kimono/Wafuku, I'd look into _Japanese_ sources on colour coordination, and not European ones. You want that to be authentic, and with these cultural differences, the adaptation of one culture's to another will always cause some translation errors which will end up looking either off or completely boring.
in japan it's very normal for people to be brazen like that such as patting your belly in amazement if you're overweight or even if you're thin. polite but not necessarily kind. i think of it as being similar to southern hospitality but instead of saying things behind your back they'll say it to your face. with the suits, he was probably referring to the specific business suit that all Japanese businessmen wear. lightweight and solid black because it's a uniform and can't be too different than the rest. their suits are made more for comfort than style and choosing to stand out in the workplace by choosing a more 'european-styled' suit may not be in their favor
@@Mecks089 Yes, thank you for telling me that. Spending over 15 years learning Japanese language, including 5+ years as a Japanese major, living for a year in Japan and showing my Japanese friends around my hometown clearly weren't enough to teach me that they have different social norms. Thank you for showing me the way master, what would I _possibly_ do without your guidance.
I've always wondered why all the children seem to dress like adults in japan, whereas in America it's like a contest to show the most skin lol. I'm still kind of confused, but I think I'm starting to understand. Thank you!
As a California girl, I am also shocked when people have their butts popping out of their shorts 😂
@@MyraJeffcoat-wg8edI don’t think it’s disturbing, people can wear what they want idc
True! I'm a very bold one, but I would never show my btt like that! Not even on the beach, honestly. I'm not a fan of Brasilian-styled swimsuits.
@@rain3517yes people can wear whatever they want but that doesnt remove the fact that its still disturbing and scandalous
@@henlo749 I really don't think it's that big of a deal it's just a body and we all have one
Got a bit shocked to see that trend a few years back, too. It seems like such a private area to show.
that cut from 4:12 with the girl talking about how weird colorful prints were to the guy wearing the oversized longsleeve showcasing a ton of colorful pens was amazing, kudos to your editor
I'm guessing that because the shirt background is predominantly black, it's treated as more of a "black printed / patterned shirt" rather than "rainbow colors". Like if you were wearing colorblocked red shirt / yellow leggings / blue skirt. Granted, in the States that would be seen as a bit Punky Brewster rather than the norm
Also the girls saying it's embarrassing to wear short crop tops tops then the japanese girls wearing them. I think they look quite stylish and cute!
I watched this video about a week ago and have been thinking about it ever since. I work at a Japanese university, so I see hundreds of kids on campus every day. And if it makes a difference, it's one of the top schools in Japan. So here's the thing, girls DO show their arms or shoulders. They DO wear shorts. But to be more specific, the shorts are just regular, modest shorts--same as what's currently popular in the US. They wear tank tops, but showing cleavage or much of the chest is taboo. I even saw an older woman working in the office wearing a sleeveless top.
If a dress or top has spaghetti straps, they wear something over it or under it. A sheer blouse over it, or a baby T under it (or both, lol).
I saw a video about a year ago where someone was claiming Japanese people didn't wear sandals or flip flops. That's ridiculous. Almost every girl in my class wears chunky sandals or dad sandals. I've seen a few people here and there wearing flip-flops.
On the other hand, at the campus in the US where I used to work, I'd see girls wearing athletic wear...I felt like that was all ANYONE wore--leggings or yoga pants. I haven't seen a single Japanese person dressed like that. No leggings or bike shorts.
so it's more about presentation (being put together) than like wearing workout clothes or clothes meant for home wear or the gym?
Ooh this sounds similar to how I dress, I believe in moderation. I wear thick strap sleeveless tops, but thin straps to me are inner wear. I'm bringing in shorts to my wardrobe after years of jeans but nothing higher than mid thigh. Clothes always ride up, so I take account for that. I do not like clothes I need to adjust or think about in public.
I am Finnish university student and here too we mostly don't wear work out clothes to class. At the moment lot of people just wear y2k fashion.
I have worked at an American University and currently work at a Japanese Uni and I concur with this assessment. That being said, University in Japan is seen as the "experimental" phase for young people. For the first three years, they can dye their hair and try out new fashion. Towards the end of their 3rd year of Uni, and all of 4th year, they (usually) dye their hair black and conform to a more conservative fashion in hopes of becoming employed, where non-standard fashion is (usually) not acceptable. I have noticed that they wear uniforms for their 12 years of education, then they get a 3 year break in Uni, then they go back to wearing their Aoyama (work-wear store) uniforms until they retire. Of course, there are always exceptions, but this seems to be the norm.
🙄Never take Fashion Advice from people who dress like a CLOWN, such as Kathy Kat and the juvenile people that dress like her. 🤔
Remember: you can wear any clothes you want, just be ready to draw a lot of attention your way; none of the outfits are illegal
You could be stopped by police if you are wearing something very revealing or that others might find offensive, like swimsuit or bikini bottom in public outside of beach/swimming areas, and forced to cover up, so there's definitely a limit to not get into legal trouble. But I agree otherwise it's definitely OK to wear what you like even if it's a bit flashy, if you don't mind getting looked at. For some people (like me being into EGL, fairy-kei, and cat ears) that happiness that comes with personalized fashion is more important than how others think or react.
@@necococo who would wear a bikini in public? do some people do that?
@@necococoyou live in Japan?
Thanks Bro! I always wanted to wear my SS Uniform on the streets.
@@Alpha-vb3to xdddddd
Looks like all the interviewees were wearing quite conservative clothes, you should interview some eccentric people too to see what they say about what "not to wear" in Japan, I'm 100% sure you will get different answers.
The people you're seeing are actually more eccentric than average. They agreed to an interview, after all.
they're all pretty eccentric. everyone is wearing a harajuku style outfit and seem like young, scene kids instead of like.. the average housewives and salarymen. even in the most eccentric fashionistas, they don't wanna show skin
@@thyran It's weirdly common to end up interviewed on streets in Japan, their actual TV have a lot of it and now there's youtube too
@@felix-xd4mx Not really though. Harajuku is its own pocket of eccentric. Sports fashion is a thing in Japan and what they are talking about, like leggings, people do wear that kind of stuff. My friends are all beach goers in Japan and they basically wear everything they said they didn't. I think what this person meant was to get different kinds of people.
That girl was wearing foking bunny ears and a wig 💀 where on earth is that conservative
It's sad that already skinny girl thinks she needs to lose weight. Any foreign psychologist would say that Japanese society does have a lot of orthorexic views on eating. I noticed that when my Japanese friend food shames me. And I eat super healthy but I do have cheat days and science evidence based studies prove that eating bad one day a week does not cause you to gain weight.
レギンスだけの外人オバハン、日本の美しい景色を殺す。
And at a contrast, the USA has a 41% obesity rate. 😅 That's far from healthy but still almost half of the population eat more and heavier than they should.
@@SkiraReed well doing the opposite by being anoxeric is not any healthier than obesity. Anoxeria can lead to risk for disease as much as obesity. I know. I am going back to school to be a dietitian. Because what Japanese consider skinny is actually anoxeric, because they follow Korean pop idols who are well documented to Only eat 800 calories per day. That calorie intake is by definition anoxeric. Regularly eating less than 1200 calories per day actually leads to slowing your metabolism so following Outdated diets from the 1950s, severe calorie restrictions, are proven by scientists to be counter productive.
@rachelk2457 For sure but having 2 kg less than the ideal bmi range is less dangerous than 40kg more. And the Koreans as well as Japanese are definitely obsessed with being skinny, but at my work I see obese people every day. Some of them can barely walk and may be just around 30 years old while they try to squeeze through the metal detector and ask if there's gonna be 'a lot of walking'. I applaud you for becoming a dietitian, I hope you can bring some change to some people who are willing to change their life.
I think Japan is very concerned about the incidence of diabetes.
As a western woman in Japan, Japanese styles often don't suit my body type because they are often loose and drapey which just makes me look wide and sloppy but looks totally cute on their petite, slender frames. So for me, I basically stopped caring about what Japanese women find appropriate and just go with what i feel confident in, what suits my body. In the summer that includes v cut tops and shirts that show my shoulders. I'd rather look good and stand out than look bad and blend in.
Then don't complain when people act rude to you. You don't respect their culture.
@miyako1909 🙄 no one acts rude to me so I have no need to complain. I have my own culture, too and feel no need to modify every single behavior to pretend I'm Japanese as if I don't have my own culture. I don't eat only Japanese food or listen to only Japanese music either. Neither do most Japanese. So you'll just have to pardon me if I don't believe that choosing to wear clothing I'm actually comfortable in is some kind of high cultural offense rather than born of the fact that their body types happen to look better in the styles that are acceptable to them. I'm more than capable of determining which cultural values are actually important to observe and which are not that serious, unlike inexperienced puritanical wannabes
Koda Kumi is the only Japanese woman I know that don't dress with those potato baggy clothes,lol. I can mention Hamasaki Ayumi too.
@@AliceinJapanalandIt doesn't look good in Japanese girls either because they're too tiny and skinny.
@VanessaSouza-rz8uo yea, the usual standards of dress are not expected for pop stars generally, tho.
I actually think Japanese women tend to have a really good grasp of fashion and what looks good on them. I don't even know if it's necessarily that they're super skinny (tho some are) - I think the body shape is often just very different. More like a rectangle and less like a pear or hourglass. Many just don't have very pronounced hips or chests, I mean. So of course what looks good on them is not going to look right on someone with a larger bust size and more pronounced hips, even if their waist size is the same as an average Japanese woman's.
I’m Japanese, and young Japanese people around me in Tokyo regularly wear tube tops, spaghetti straps, crop tops, and short shorts all the time. It’s only the super J people who are insecure about their bodies that don’t.
Pretty much the youth everywhere will wear trendy attire. Even where I live, young people wear those things too lol.
Super J?
I think they mean the most culturally traditional/societal conforming type of Japanese. (Super J)
Super J? Would you say they are SSJ? Lol
Yeah, I guess they just gave public opinions instead of their own. "Never show too much skin!", "No flashy colors", "Short shorts look good on foreigners but we cannot wear them". Basically everyone said the same thing while also breaking some of the rules themseves.
I am a haafu living in Japan for 5.5 years, absolutely agreed that the mindset is exactly this for many Japanese people. Appreciate the extremely well-done interviews. Having said that, I think people should wear whatever they want and whatever they feel comfortable with (except at shrines, funerals, etc.)!
Now I suddenly understand gyaru even more. I hate “rules” on things that have nothing to do with anyone else but myself, such as clothes, makeup, and so on…
The way you look does affect the people around you.
@@Sean-me4fv how? unless im parading around naked why should i change what i wear based on what other people think of me?
@@Sean-me4fv Not really, their just gonna look and forget it in about 10 minutes or less.
@@mari-zg9nq When ever I travel I've noticed they way people dress tells alot about them. Italians, French and Japanese are known for dressing well that why many people appriciate and admire their fashion alot. "I can dress however I want" sure, but you as a person represent your people and people will form an image of that. The world doesn't revolve around you. In my opinion western girls dress very revealingly and it makes them look cheap. Japan has modesty and style.
@@AKL89 im literally a muslim woman, i am not a hijabi but i cover most of my body. for better or for worse i do not represent all muslim women, if people base their opinion of muslim women based solely on me it is not a problem with me but rather a problem with how they view muslim women
In summary, women can wear outfits that mimic school uniforms. Short skirts are ok, but showing shoulders or neckline is not ok. Generally big and floppy clothing is ok and tight fitting not ok.
When you put it that way I dunno but it feels kind of creepy that women are expected to mimic school children...
More like the dressing culture is just conservative.
@@rainydaysatz I would agree except for the fact of how common it is for the women to wear extremely short mini-skirts so that doesn't really track.
@@rosenikonoh yeah true, I think mini skirt happens to be an exception. Most of the modest dressing is reserved for top half of the body. 🤔
ok but school uniforms dont have short skirts theyre usually below the knee, unless its some dumb school that allows it and probably allows pierced ears, dyed hair and makeup
I just came back from Japan. It could be sweltering hot outside, but I still saw girls wearing sweaters. I brought tank tops that I just couldn't wear because it made me feel awkward and almost disrespectful because I didn't see ONE person wearing a thin strap shirt/dress the entire trip (in Tokyo, Osaka, Kyoto, Hokkaido...). It's funny because the girls wouldn't show their shoulders but would wear the SHORTEST skirts ever. I saw only 1 girl wearing a crop top and short skirt but she looked young.
Hey! I went to Japan too and visited those places you mentioned and you're right I saw women wear very long elegant dresses but very rarely did I see tank tops. I think sleeveless shirts were always covered with a blazer, cardigan, or long throw-on wrap. I also felt under-dressed even though I brought only dresses. I felt like mine were not as elegant and fashionable as them.
I even noticed their nails were always painted or had gel on but never long. I got mine done but it was very expensive because they do not offer acrylic powder nails, only gel sets.
true, they’re more likely to wear incredibly short skirts and not find it scandalous, but most western countries are probably more likely to show cleavage and not find it scandalous. some people seem to be a bit judgy and self righteous about the latter without realising that its basically the same thing but flipped lol.
@@clearsky4003 im not sure what you mean
@@dreamylovee7993I dig the long dress in a woman. Especially because those still do show a lot of unintentional curves. I know the stereotype is that Japanese women are toothpicks, in body size, but that is not true to my limited dating experiences with Asians.
@@zaynes5094 who asked
“Too flashy colors” “ppl who wear all yellow” … her friend right next to her wear yellow long sleeves *💔*
6:26 too
Lol the way she said it seemed almost like it was targeted at her friend, she even looked at her 😂🎉
But like they're holding onto each other's forearms at the same time. It makes me feel like it was an intended joke? IDK.
Japanese girls: we don't show much skin.
Procedes to wear the shortest miniskirts
Yeah...I don't get that lmao
they explained several times that it's mostly about the top part of the body. they are used to showing their legs through their school uniforms
@@dia21534 Nah ini contoh netizen yang beneran menyimak isi video..
@@dia21534so it’s got nothing to do with modesty, just habit.
@@dia21534 but uniform skirts are under the knees usually, unless its some dumb school. usually schools in japan wont let you dye your hair and pierce your ears and wear makeup too
This is so interesting to me. I'm scandinavian and have gotten more and more sensitive to heat the older I've gotten, and will switch over to sleeveless dresses, shorts, tank tops and crop tops once we hit 20 degrees or above. I won't switch back to long jeans unless it's below 17 degrees or really cold winds. Also as someone from a culture that I perceive as more open-minded about body shapes and who has personally worked hard to love my physical body, it does sadden me that most of them seem so incredibly self conscious and insecure about their own bodies and the space they occupy.
I also feel like I'm much more sensitive to heat now than ever. I think starting from when I turned 30 I started to get super hot super easily, and sweat very very easily now too. When I was younger, I rarely sweat... I miss those days lol. I can't stand the feeling of sweat and how sticky it gets and ruining clothes, so I have been getting very light and more revealing clothing like camisoles and shorts/skirts. Even though I live in a mild/cool climate (San Francisco USA) I still get so hot and sweaty and need to dress like I'm going to Hawaii lol.
OMG SAME
it's the culture.
Late to the party but same! Been living in Oslo for 5,5 years now and the moment summer hits, especially with the heat getting worse here too, I practically live in shirts, shirts and dresses. And in the gym everyone of girls practically wears leggings. I can’t tolerate heat as much anymore as I did as a kid either.
This comment is also interesting to me - I wished I lived somewhere "20 or above" was considered hot. Here it's consistently 30°C+ throughout the entire year and I still attempt layering.
Incidentally, this is Harajuku (Takeshita-dori), the place in Japan where people prefer the most individualistic fashion. If we interviewed them in other places, we would get even more conservative answers.
@louis_X Not in Osaka or Kyoto though. Those I've noticed are starting to change amongst the Gen Z and Millenials. They are becoming more accepting of doing what you want but also not sticking out too much because then it's too much of a difference. Then people don't know why they bomb an interview for a job when they get asked questions about what makes them individually strong.
Not really.
I live pretty far from Tokyo. It is true that it is rare to see Harajuku fashion where I am, but that’s just because people don’t feel the need to wear those things. I don’t think anyone would actively oppose that sort of fashion. They would just think “that is someone who works in Harajuku and is just traveling here for the day”.
Yes ❤ agree bc it’s somewhere teenagers usually go so
@@zaynes5094 ohhhh
I think it’s also worth mentioning that showing skin is more standard in the western world. Like, if you want to be mainstream fashionable, it doesn’t matter if your body is “fit for showing off,” you wear short shorts anyways. It seems nice to have more options for less revealing stuff that’s still fashionable
I think it's because, particularly in the USA, a lot of fashion styles are influenced by warmer climates, like California, where movies and music videos are often filmed.
Try Thailand and the Philippines. The women there no matter their age or physical looks wear tiny clothes. Good on them.
It's because of climate. If you walk down a beach in Florida, for example, you won't see many people conservatively dressed. If you go to the beach in Rio de Janeiro you'd see so much skin!!
The fact that anime just described every outfit they said they couldn’t/wouldn’t wear😭💀
that's why anime is not real life like some weeb seemed to believe.
I WAS NOT EXPECTING TO SEE CATHYCAT WEARING THE JSK I DESIGNED
I love how this video shows how our brain changes our vocal tones/ inflections to match our fashion style/ persona❤
I went to Japan a few years ago. Didn't even think to look up an unsaid dress code. I brought tons of yoga pants since we would be very active. After I got stared at quite a lot, I eventually got that it wasn't appropriate lol
Yoga pants are going to get you stared at even in Europe tbh
Well, wearing yoga pants for a walk is very american thing. Nobody wears that in west Europe, only for running or other sport activities.
I went to 9 countries (Asia&Europe) last year. I had never seen anyone wear yoga pants/crocks until I was in Chicago airport 😂.
Camel toe is always the problem
You are basically walking around naked in those types of clothes.
I watched a few of your vids before coming to Japan and was so scared of the clothing situation, because I thought I needed to cover myself up completely and be careful to not show too much skin. And although some Japanese girls like to wear long skirts and shirts (sometimes even hand stockings) [probably also because they want to prevent tanning] in the bigger more touristy cities.. no. One. Cares. Sure you might get one judgy look from an elderly and sure it's probably also the foreigners effect but even if locals are wearing something more tight and revealing _no one cares_ so guys obviously have some kind of decency but don't be getting all nervous like I was :)
Remember folks, if you're fashion style isn't breaking the law, fuck anyone who says you can't wear what you love.
EDIT: Cyber Bunny who is interviewed here is well known for giving horrible, unrealistic and sometimes harmful views of how she perceives Japanese culture and how one should interact with it. Go check her videos and look for the comments from actual Japanese people.
Its awful japanese girls wear micro mini skirts but they would never wear leggings like what the hell...
@@STRYKER1467 camel toes, it's too crude. But overseas even in some asian countries ppl just wear leggings like pants anyway lol.
@@Sephira08 with the right panty you can even avoid camel toes.
@@STRYKER1467 the point is, japanese viewed leggings as underwear.
If your edit wasn't there I wouldn't be an a**hole but like this I just have to.
Before spreading hate learn the difference between your and you're! :)
So wearing a short skirt is ok but a tank top is not? It makes no sense
they said that they are used to it since school uniforms, they had to wear shor skirts and showing arms and chest was not allowed. so they just consider showing too much skin differently
There were times where, at least partly to the "dress code" of the era, the female neck was considered the most erotic piece of skin. It's cultural, it's how you (and all the others) have been raised. Does not have to make sense in any way.
It seems to me that in Japan and Korea (and probably other places in Asia) the top of women is thought more sensitively than in the west, but the bottom is thought less sensitively than in the west. There was maybe ten years ago a Korean music video that had been quickly taken down when it seemed that there might have been 1-2 pixel row's worth underboob shown in some 10 or so frames of some beach setting. The frames were edited to make the top extend a little further down, and the video was re-released. I saw the original, and found it confusing because (at least in western standards) even in the original the top was already well-covering, especially for beach setting. Instead, even after editing there was a scene with twerking in really short shorts, and if something was to be edited for modesty, I would have assumed that would have been a more likely target.
It's just cultural. In East Asia and South East Asia showing legs is much more common than showing your shoulders or bust. Meanwhile girls in Western Europe are much more at ease wearing décolletés than wearing mini skirts. Can't speak for Americans coz I haven't lived there in a while.
@@martinamarshmallow8124Short skirts aren’t a part of their uniforms, schoolgirls role the waistbands of their skirts up to make it shorter. This is like a universal thing for any country with skirts in their school uniforms
You make awkward interviews seem effortless. Justine Shapiro (look her up) is an award-winning travel writer and filmmaker applauded for her ability to get the people she meets to trust her and open up to her. You have similar talent. Keep going.
I remember her from her Discovery Travel and Living days. Great host and great travel personality.
It is so strange that wearing miniskirt is not considered showing a lot of skin in Japan🤔
It's not that strange I think. It doesn't show someone's ass shape so it could be considered showing less skin compared to shorts
@@dutyfree5192nah its showing a lot of skin japan just has normalized it for some reason
@@sweetsoul3169I agree, showing legs is more revealing than showing shoulders.
They're used to mini skirts like they said in the video. Everything else is "embarrassing"
in most parts of Asia, upper half of the body is considered more revealing than legs. A short tank top would be considered more revealing than a short skirt, even though it shows less skin. Is it the other way around in the west?
Thanks to Japanese viewing fashion in different perspective than western societies..and because of that, Japanese embraced Lolita/multilayer dress or clothes/kawaii fashion and promoting it to the world.
Often Japanese fashion comes with self expression with different criteria: T(time), P(place), O(occasion/objective)
I think the reasoning for wearing short skirts in winter is that, winter clothes are usually big and bulky, making us lose form and shape. Wearing something short that shows legs shows a bit more of a figure and appealing silhouette. Fashion wise it makes sense. It's either skin fitting on top, bulky and loose below, or bulky on top and skin fitting below.
Practicality wise it doesn't make sense though, especially when it's freezing!
The first time I was sightseeing in Shibuya in 2018, I just wore a tank top. And I still remember, that I never felt so "naked". It wasn't like people were staring, but I just felt like I was the only one wearing just a tank top with nothing on top of it and it made me feel really uncomfortable.
Of course, everyone should wear, what they want and what gives them a good feeling. But sometimes, the people around you also add to a good or bad feeling.
Remember, you also affect people's feelings with what you wear.
@@Evikeuklavier Why should you care about things you do not control? You do not control other people's feelings.
@@jonirojonironin5353feelings no, but impressions yes. That's why offices, cafes, restaurants have dress codes. Welp in countries not from US, even in public you have to read the atmosphere on what ppl wear and stuff.
@@comfortcool8361 No, you also do not control the impressions other people make. You control only your own impressions. Dress codes are rules created by society that multiple people have agreed upon. It is expected of you to follow them.
@@jonirojonironin5353 it does affect. Wether you like it or not, job hunting on a well ironed suit, vs job hunting on house-wear. It's pretty clear the one wearing the suit would yield a higher chance based on the first impression alone. Does this not tell that you have somewhat of a control on other people's impressions on you.
As long as you are not embarrassed, no one can make it feel embarrassed
this!
外国の価値観を押し付けるな
西欧中心主義は20世紀で既に終わってるんだよ
facts
I literally was told to cover up in a hospital . They cared more about how I looked then TREATING me. They kept saying other people would be embarrassed looking at me. I’m like “that’s a you” problem
I'm an anthropologist, and I find it so interesting and neat that all around the world (and throughout history) the idea of where the "taboo" part of the body is changes. Where I'm from (in the southern states of the US) we are fine wearing spaghetti tops during the summer- but I think people would be shocked if they saw me (at home) in skirts high as I have seen people wear them in Japan. I just think it's just so neat cultures all around the world have different "taboo" place, so have different standards for what is too much. I recently learned in an online art history class, that back in France in the 1700s, women would expose their nipples in dresses and in paintings to demonstrates their pureness. YUP. it was thought that a women who has breastfed would have different nipples, and so to prove one's purity (virginity) you could get very low cut dresses to show your nipples. (Ankles on the other hand were out of the question and if you showed that people would call you a whore). Then around 160 years later (during Victoria's reign) the collective voices decided that nipples weren't okay to show! And so a of old family painting were touched up to cover them. So, it really just goes to show that what is deemed inappropriate will always change- that it is all fashion and that there is no true right or wrong answer.
You are not anthropologist
@@jebachnadjebachima yeah bc you can tell it by one single comment?
fascinating!
I'm a student in a japanese university and most of the japanese girls i know wear revealing clothes a lot especially what mentioned in this video. May be depend on the department😅
as a student in a japanese art university i can tell you that here you can see people with pretty much every fashion style imaginable
It's probably because of your location
Definitely yeah
A lot of what the interviewees are saying is what they think people should say, not what they actually practice or believe.
@@gabugbugb in no country does the art department reflect reality
We will always support this channel. they're one of the best.
The explanation of the "long skirt in summer, short skirt in winter" is being such an aha moment for me 😭 I love ko-gal style, but I feel exposed in summer, sitting down with short skirts and such... (And if i wear safety pants I'm wearing an extra layer, nothing desirable here in Spain! 😅) Love how they get that conclusion, so smart and simple but counterintuitive!
Moonie Cathy Cat you totally look like absolutely Royalty!when i visited japan there was so many different styles I could easily see the freedom style in japan every where!
When i went to Tokyo i was almost amazed by how non-conservative they were, especially the girls, purely based on how they were dressed. They’re definitely more conservatively dressed than most countries in the west but i wouldn’t really restrict what i wanna wear, unless its like lingerie or super suuuper revealing. They’re actually way more chill than i thought they’d be :)
As a half Japanese citizen of Japan. When I lived their I honestly broke the yoga pants and the tank top rule because in the summer, I can’t survive if I layer up in that deathly heat 🤣😭
i dont understand, light loose clothes give air and protect from sun heat, its more confortable than any yoga or tanktop...the secret is may be in the matter, cotton is too dense, may be sport textile..
but there is a thing with japan air humidity high, and temperature above 38°c in summer, a deadly combo. even sweat doesnt refresh you.
@@eriklerougeuh5772I agree, wanted to say the same, I would NEVER survive in something that is so tight as yoga pants in this humidity, damn I would be boiling the next minute I go outside. Thin cotton or linen fabric is literally a saviour. Give me something wavy and thin and I'd be the happiest.
@@eriklerougeuh5772 even if they wear loose light clothing, they wear layers underneath which is also very hot. I’m not full Japanese so I don’t have the genes where I don’t sweat as much. I swear a lot and any sort of layers makes me sweat profusely. Promise I tried it and I didn’t say I don’t wear lose clothing. I’m just saying I broke the yoga pants rule because it’s comfortable and I broke the tank top rule because it’s honestly cool to wear in the summer.
@@aaronlock5091 well it’s just a personal thing. I wore yoga pants all year round and I was fine. Jeans even make you sweat and I see people wearing that all the time in the summer so what’s the difference of wearing yoga pants. It’s summer in japan, imma sweat regardless so it don’t matter what I wear I just wear it for comfortability
im japanese and i feel like i would look good in a tank top
sadly im a male
i love the hairstyles and colours of everyone! Now I'm contemplating colouring and bleaching my hair again.
Damn it's crazy how insecure they are about they're weight, i'm double their size and have no concerns at all. I just care if i'm healthy and i am. I like having more visible muscles in my legs too so i prefer having thicker thighs as a result. To hear that they'd be scared to show off their thighs if they aren't stick skinny... i expected it but it's still strange to hear. I hope Japan speeds forwards in accepting different body types. Modest clothing is fair enough and not an issue, but if you're wearing clothes to cover up insecurities? That's a whole other thing. I like modest clothing and showing a bit of stomach sometimes since, like one of the girls said, it suits my figure the most. However, i cover up because i just personally don't like that revealing style on me, on others it looks great but i prefer more modest clothes on myself. I think that's how it should be for everyone.
If I were a fashion designer, I would make an outfit that covers everything loosely but openly exposes the shoulders.
😮😊😊😊❤ that's so cool that you got Cyber Bunny on the video! she is Awesome 👍🏻
This is a great video, I didn't realize how shy people were in Japan
Are people in Japan Shy or people in the west have no shame or common sense? I lean towards the 2nd option.
@@Mithguar Yep. The west has been americanized to the point of degeneracy.
@@Mithguar it's called expression. only people who view their own insecurities on others bodies have a problem with the way others dress. I mean, grown up. people talking like old hags from 1835 out here. "DON'T SHOW YOUR ANKLES!!!!!"
Nah she routinely victim blames and bully’s people
Yes, I noticed this, we were there for about two weeks and the contrast between tokyo and the rest of the country is very noticeable. I remember walking among thousands of maids/lolis/same color palettes in Tokyo, but when we went to the country side, totally different. More reserved.
Here in Osaka I’ve seen a lot of girls wear crop tops (full on belly buttons). Yes, Japanese! Hopefully this is a sign of a more accepting trend with this deadly heat!
Also, short shorts are ok. Haha.
I heard Osaka people are a lot more open-minded and carefree, so it might be just that.
@@abicrystalwing1543 they are haha. That’s why since it’s my first time in Japan I chose to go here or else I might cry in Tokyo. 😆
@@abicrystalwing1543 I first learned of this through the manga/anime Gantz. They went out of their way to depict Osaka as extremely wild compared to Tokyo, where the main protagonists are from.
A lot of what the interviewees are saying is what they think people should say, not what they actually practice or believe.
even Japanese girls used to wear crop tops in 90-00s it is just about a trend not cultural things
i find it so fascinating that everyone had their own ideas on what was "acceptably conservative" and "acceptably revealing". plenty of them said brightly coloured or form-fitting clothing weren't acceptable, but we saw a person walk by in a specifically coordinated, colourful outfit featuring matching t-shirt and bike shorts. some said that shorts/miniskirts weren't acceptable, but the people wearing them said their level of leg-reveal was still "pretty okay", directly contradicting the others. there just seems to be a general sense of being oddly comfortable with saying their own reservations while their friends around, because they assume that others think the same. i'm actually genuinely fascinated by this as a phenomenon, since we saw this with most of those interviewed.
I noticed that all the girls interviewed have bangs and no glasses (except one pair of sunglasses). My friend told me that was also a thing and I didn't believe her before.
Everything looks free-spirit and unique at first glance, but even this free-spirit is bonded by these invisible rules.
The refocusing to the orange marmalade cat in the background while Cathy was summarizing what not to wear and recommendations and then back to focusing on Cathy made me laugh. Anyways, this might explain why I got some looks then (besides not looking Japanese lol). I wore leggings during layover in Japan. I really didn't expect it to be that big a deal, but then I forgot it was kind of the same when I visited by home country as well.
the video is "do not wear this in Japan if you are Japanese", it seems as a foreigner i can wear whatever. coincidentally, i also do not like showing off my skin, and during summers it can be quite hot, but wearing long skirt vs shorts - both are quite breezy, as long as it doesn't "hug" your legs.
Fashion is about breaking the rules! Courage! Confidence! Let's goooooo :O
Trueee!!
People forget that the most important aspect of fashion is the adjustment of clothing to temperature,
and since there is more fat in the lower body than in the upper body, it makes sense to adjust it with a jacket.
You should graduate at puberty to breaking the rules and feeling special.
Freedom is not the same as breaking the rules.
I agree that individuals should be free to enjoy themselves,
It's a fallacy to be concerned with fashion for the sake of ideology.
Only ever see these in places like Tokyo and Osaka, which of course makes sense why. Even in a lot of other Japanese cities, what people wear in the big metropolises get a lot of questionable looks, even if you're say just a few dozen kilometers from Tokyo
i was pretty surprised when some of the girls said they can't wear tank tops or any tops that reveal shoulders. when i watch old japanese game shows especially from the 2000s, i see a lot of girls wearing shoulder revealing tops/dresses, so i guess it was seen as more ''normal'' back then.
@@catchingfeelings2691 no i mean they had casual clothes though. plus it's not just game shows that i've seen girls wearing stuff like that, but many other shows and even documantaries as well.
there is a land on this planet where people think : how can i give people the MOST eýe cancer 🤔 ýes, pressing mý cheeseburger ass in a pink leggins ist the onlý waý.. 😂
You can find lots of real footage from the late 80's of younger men in Tokyo wearing just tanks/shorts as summer casual wear. It was unremarkably common for a while. The girls from those scenes all had covered tops, but you do see more revealing items in media occasionally, so I think for women it may be mostly a costuming/role-based thing rather than a consideration for streetwear.
@@JH-pe3ro that's interesting to hear, thanks for the info
Styles change. The US styles aren't the same as they were in the early 2000s either.
Kind of a misleading translation at 10:38. She wasn't saying that Japanese aren't sexy enough to wear revealing clothing. She was saying that it's not that hot in Japan (it's actually VERY hot, but that's a separate issue).
So glad I can wear whatever I want where I live, dang. How stressful that all seems!
Same! Where I live is casual even for the USA, I could wear anything and nobody would care. I don't care what others wear, either.
Can you tell me which country is that?
I was in Japan not too long ago and was actually worried about this question before arriving there. However, I think you that some people in this video are exaggerating a little bit. For instance, while I was in Tokyo and Shizuoka, many people were wearing sleeveless tops and V necks because of the hot weather. It’s not that scandalous to show some shoulder during summer😭! Though I must say, the fashion over there is quite homogeneous. I noticed that most people were wearing fashion in the style of minimalism, or similar to uniqlo. Basically, very little patterns or textures. But it also really depends on where in Japan. Harajuku for example, is the exact opposite of this, so many people are wearing unique clothes with layers, textures, colors and different aesthetics. Anyway, if you ever plan on going to Japan, don’t worry much about the clothes!
I went to Japan recently, and thank goodness it wasn’t too hot yet so I wore pants everyday (so I fit in) but for some reason it never occurred to me to not wear v-neck shirts, and that’s all I had. I think because most of the time I had a sweater on it flew under the radar, but that’s good to keep in mind for the summer season!
I wear exclusively Japanese clothes, lolita and himekaji style. The skirts and dresses are short! I am only 5’2 and I have purchased skirts that only covered half of my butt. Partly it’s my body type, because I have bigger legs and bottom but still they’re like 13 inches long when I measure.
I have also noticed when shopping sleeveless tops are not common, instead of tank top it will be short sleeve with transparent sleeves. Or if it is sleeveless it is meant to be paired with a top underneath.
I do love and admire Japanese fashion in general for being feminine, tasteful, fairly modest but not too traditional. It also motivates me to stay more slim because if I outgrow a Japanese L my wardrobe is going to be useless 😂
I found wearing non-camisole/tank tops to be really difficult while in Japan.
It’s 90% of my closet because I have broad shoulders and it’s difficult to find sleeved shirts that are comfortable. So I usually wear sleeveless tops.
It was even harder when I was visiting Japan for the summer.
Straight cut (in torso) shirts or tops, sized up to fit your shoulders, dolman sleeves and drop shoulders, oversized fits that drape and a given structure by your shoulders, tops that don't have fitted sleeves like ballon/bell.
I would wear a tank top and drop shoulder cardigan if I had too... But also I already dress like that lol
Thank you for the video! It was interesting to watch japanese people opinions about this topic in Japan.
As a chubby person myself, I feel somehow relatable, though some girls (not only from this video) are really strict to themselves
4:04 My friend's clothes on the right are yellow😂
Hearing a lot of people in this video say they aren't confident with themselves, in whatever way, really confused me. Everyone is so pretty!!
If not on the streets then what’s it like at home or out in the club at night. How reviling are those clothes?
I am Japanese. I avoid wearing light clothing because it increases the risk of being touched or photographed. Even if you suffer damage, you are told that it is your responsibility. Sorry for the Google translation!
I personally think if a bunch of western born Asian women came together and started wearing these thing at the same time without caring what others think of them and do that consistently, it will start creating the consciousness that it starts becoming ok thing to do.
No. Majority rules. Japan is a collectivist society and every person adjust their behaviour to the majority's. No place for individuality.
@@understone86 yes that's true but that's why it can be true when you drip feed them in. That's how trends started. I'm Japanese. If there was no place for individuality, Gyaru culture and subculture wouldn't have existed. When it started off small and stayed small.
@@JSharpie in a collectivist society different trends and individuality takes place only if the society is young. I mean the majority. If the youth is in the minority they tend to behave exclusively and not really tolerate different styles. They keep the eye on each other and copying.
I don't think it's a bad thing as long as it doesn't lead to harassment. I like the uniqueness of Japan's fashion and the thought they put into their outfits, unlike just slapping on yoga pants anywhere and calling it a day.
@@understone86I would wear what I want and I wouldn't care.
Thanks for the video!! I'm hoping to go to Japan later this year, so this was very informative! I have darker skin and big curly hair, so I already know I'm going to draw a lot of attention lol. Considering that, I don't think attention from wearing a crop top or shorts will be too much for me personally.
Was in Harajuku the other day. Most people were wearing loose clothing because it was sooo friggin' hot.
I wish I had seen this before going to Japan a couple of weeks ago 😬 All I wore was workout pants and tank tops because we were walking a lot (travelled from Tokyo to Fukuoka in 9 days) and it was the most comfortable thing I thought to pack. This video is spot on - you will absolutely get looks if you wear those things!
wow! this was really informative! I must be mistaken that it’s Korean women who consider nice slender square shoulders attractive? very surprised about sleeves. I’m from the Lululemon capital and am so used to wearing form fitting yoga pants, crop tops, sheer tops or going braless, I’m really confident and happy with my body but oh I may need to reconsider my wardrobe for Japan travel 😅
Yup! You’ll definitely see more cleavage & bare shoulders in Korea, whereas I never see it in Japan.
I live in Seattle this is about the norm for how people dress. It's so interesting how they all seem to have such conservative views about body and clothing but I know most of small town USA would find their styles and clothes to be more out there and revealing. A lot of their views about "appropriate" clothing also seem to be connected to personal self confidence. They all look stunning and so lovely though!
i don't under stand not showing shoulders. when i was in japan around like 2010 it was the mini skirt capitol of the world. every escalator ride was a show. but shoulders are to much lol.
tell me more..
@@giovanniamore7532 its was great. lol. But I'm sure the free show disappeared after the Koreans invented the safety short.
@@distortedinfoDid you look up their skirts on purpose when on escalators or was it just in your face and had nowhere else to look but down?
@@Sahara333 in your face and I'm not averting my eyes.
Sensitive skin of the back of the neck and shoulders and the way traditional clothes sit on person. If they are kept carelessly on, in 'ready to fall off' fashion, neck and shoulders are first thing they reveal. It is a Thing, like garters are a Thing, even if one rarely meets person actually using them in the wild anymore. Still, I've witnessed guys to literally stop speaking when they see a seam of a stocking. XD
So interesting that they say people abroad wear more colours….everyone in my city wears black and grey 😅
I’m surprised so many people are saying no crop tops and sleeveless tops. As someone who interacts with the younger generation often (middle school to college age) and likes fashion I can say the kids who care about fashion very openly show their shoulders and midriffs. Compared to the west, clothing leans more “conservative” but in cities (even my relatively rural city) I don’t find it uncommon at all to see some skin and thinking it’s taboo is becoming old fashioned. It’s not nearly as big of a deal as this video makes it sound. If you’re getting stared at in Japan it’s most likely because you’re a foreigner that already stands out rather than your crop top
Edit: showing cleavage and tight pants/yoga pants still aren’t common though
I remember visiting Tokyo Disneyland during the late winter season and there were numerous Japanese people wearing flashy clothing. I'm talking modified school uniforms with super short skirts, lolita, goth, pastels etc. It really just depends on where you are at.
My daughters refused to go to the shopping center with me unless I changed out my cargo shorts, does that count?
Thanks for the insight. I will have to look for more CathyCat videos.
I'm an asian and I'm surprised how thorough this interview was. lol it digs so deep she kinda made some of the people anxious. I'm glad they still answered the questions but I think she made them feel a tiny bit self conscious lol
I think when they wear skirts its actually them making a statement. It's because so many girls have been wearing mini skirts over the years from school and as youngsters that they've forced an opening for themselves . I'm sure if you asked the older generation they'd still go like omg jeez is she literally walking around in a mini skirt??
5:01 HOLY CRAP THE KAISER HAIR STYLE 😍
6:50 😂 I think a little bit, they might pay too much attention on what tourists wear.
When I was in Japan, I also saw alot of younger locals wearing tops with free shoulders. Not in Tokyo, but in Osaka.
And not speaking about loud colors! So many japanese wear colorful things! Ofc not the ones going to work or coming from it. But in their free time, I saw alot of colors!
California hot pants indeed are pretty heavy with showing, I agree. However I saw alot in summer wearing denim Shorts 😊
Japanese character/temper is differ by the region they lived...
Although they are homogenous, but they are very diverse in many sense on daily life/perspectives
And always wear good socks. You will never guess when you have to take off your shoes, don't get caught barefoot in an awkward situation!
CYBER BUNNY!!!!!!🐰🐇 💗💗
The girl literally having Michael Kaiser haircut and she rocks it! I would never thought it would actually looks good irl
the suits the male interviewee mentioned looked good with certain body types. the common japanese male body type, the very slim non-toned body, when wearing a suit just looks like a typical salary man which is why probably they said it doesn't look good on them.
THE KAISER COSPLAY!!!!! I LOVE HIM SO MUCH AAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH
It’s eye opening, but it makes me sad how they keep saying they don’t have the confidence and need to lose weight. They’re already small as it is :( and I’m sure they’d look great wearing what they’d like!
Being small doesn’t mean they automatically feel confident I am skinny and small and I feel out of my comfort zone wearing a bikini!
@@bobbi7277 I understand that, I have had body dysmorphia since I was young. But that’s not the point I was getting across, not sure why you’d say that
Yeah that hit me. They would probably think I’m like Mrs. Pac-Man IRL as a size US 4 if they think they need to lose weight 😂
I was just looking for this type of video. Thank you so much ❤
I think the reason is that Japanese people are shy and have a strong sense of shame compared to foreigners. But that is a Japanese individuality.
I guess “ Revealing” depends on individual perspective. I m glad interviewer pointed out their mini skirts.
I come from tradition where shirts above ankle are defined as revealing and above knee length are super-revealing. However, sleeveless top are well accepted. To be fair , it’s hard to wear full length while 38’C year round .
Basically, you can find more people wearing sleeveless tops or sandals than those with costumes or super J outfits in Tokyo! So many Western brands, such as Banana Republic, are being sold in Tokyo. The high street Japanese brands, such as Nolly’s, United Arrows, Tomorrowland etc., also sell the sleeveless vests and dresses currently in trend. Wearing costumes is not common outside Harajuku. Not sure whether Harajuku can represent the whole of Japan or Tokyo.
This is so strange, I visited Japan way back in 2004 and I have photos with our Japanese guides and they were wearing tank tops with spaghetti straps... I have photos with elderly ladies wearing sleeveless blouses, and guys wearing tank tops. When I did my homestay in a very small town on Shikoku, my host sisters both wore tank tops. Did the country get more conservative or what happened?
Im going to Japan in october and watching your videos really helped me selecting pieces to wear, i have many tight fitting long dresses that have a deep cut, but lately i have been buying oversized things or things that fit their culture so i dont stand out to much, glad to see that skirts above the knee are accepted since in not a big pants wearer 🤣
the clothes are adapted to weather, humidity is high up to 50% all the year, so you will get really quick to the outside temperature, too hot in summer or too cold in autumn winter, and you can sweat easily. additional layer add air between clothes and skin help to moderate the difference and dont sweat to much, thats why skinny clothes arent fit for japan, i think this kind of clothes is better for dry hair climates.
in october it can bes 5-25°c so 16°c in average and 25% risk of rain. so light removable layer are good idea.
Hello CathyCat, Im a lifelong Californian going on my 29th vacation to Japan next month. A Japanese model I photographed wore a camisole in the studio. In Japan I see other guys wearing black suits all the time, but I never do; I wear pink and cute characters. I’m not worried if people stare and think I’m strange. I’d worry about breaking some law or rule or strict custom. I have no tattoos and I like when I photograph models in Japan I’ll know they won’t have tattoos.. I don’t wear revealing outfits in public in Japan. Nice to see your great video!
My Japanese fiance dresses really stylishly, I still am amazed whenever I see her, but at home here in Japan, she likes to be casual. Although the type of casual style Japanese girls tend to style themselves in is different than western casual clothing in that Japanese girls generally still look really cute wearing something like a plain t shirt and short shorts. Plus, the natural look makeup they do is on point too.
Das Video war echt interessant! Cool Mal zusehen wie die Menschen dort über Kleidung denken und auch ein toller Tipp für Leute die dort hin reisen wollen, um sich etwas besser einzufügen und nicht disrespektvoll rüber zu kommen 😊👍
The bullying in a japanese society is so bad... These people are fit and skinny and they're self conscious? Like it really saddens me when they're all beautiful and should be free to express themselves. I'd wear a tank top to japan if its too hot cause im not about to wear a cardigan over it and suffer. Let them look all they want as long as they dont touch me.
It isn't bullying. It is just how their culture is. If you can't respect it, you shouldn't come to Japan. As an Asian, I found Westerners' mindset is just so self-centered. At least, us Asians aren't obese like half of Americans, then had to spread propaganda that being obese is fine and shame the people saying that they are fat.
@@miyako1909 bullying is not a culture lmao
@@miyako1909 in my cuban culture its very similar but newer generations are slowly removing themselves from the stigma and hateful ways just like how i see younger japanese do nowadays
@@miyako1909 Everyone is just different, in Japan specifically and all around the world.
One of my best friends is from Japan and she has tattoos and is considered tall and “big” in Japan, and wears crop tops, off the shoulder tops, etc. She kept her style when going back to Japan, and her friends and family accept her because they care about her as a person, not by what she looks like. Her appearance doesn’t change her credibility both professionally and as a generally nice, kind person.
One of my other Japanese friends DOES dress more modestly, and feels more comfortable like that even after moving to the US. and that’s okay too!! No one would tell her to show more skin, because no one cares lol.
I also prefer modest clothes - but not always. I just wear what’s comfortable, what I like, and what I think suits both my body, the weather, and my personality.
When I find myself judging other people’s clothing or appearance, I question if that’s what I truly think or what those around me have told me to think..
Your English accent is amazing! Well done!
Well, i think she's german 😂
80s,90sは日本でも派手で露出ファッション流行っていて、キャミソールにミニスカートは当たり前でした。
けど、今はビッグシルエットが流行りなの。露出も流行ってない。
だから、露出ファッションしてると時代遅れと思われるからしない人々が殆ど。
それが1番の理由です。
日本人は体型を凄く気にしてるから、少しでも太ってると人の目を気にするから絶対露出したがらない。
you are so good! this is so much fun. I keep hoping I'll run into CathyCat in Harajuku. One of these days 🤞. But I have to move back to Tokyo first.
Anyhoo. This is my first video on this channel, so I'm not sure what else you've covered, but I'd love to see some kind of more conversation about what Japanese people *do* wear that people overseas don't. The lolita looks, yes, but also just a whole range of other cute, pretty, simple, straightforward dress & skirt sort of looks, as well as chunky heels and platforms... I dunno what to say, I just love Japanese young women's fashion, and I wish it were more accepted, more normative, to dress that way back home too.
I don’t understand why tank tops are considered revealing. It’s SO damn hot in Japan in the summertime, and STICKY on top of that! 🥵 Does everyone just have ugly t-shirt tans?
To me, limbs are neutral, and exposing them is just a matter of ventilation. I’m glad I didn’t grow up in Japan, since my body runs warm-I’d probably be sweaty all the time, and die of a heat stroke! 😂
What an insensitive and disrespectful comment. Don't diss other cultures.
@@miyako1909 there was literally not a single insult in the comment you're replying to
people, if you go to Japan just wear whatever you like 😂 I've been there studying during summer and wore shorts (not butt showing) , tank tops, short tops with spaghetti straps, short dresses... and NO ONE said a thing the family that hosted me just told me to be careful when takig a metro/train just in case , but they all loved my outfits ☺️🫶🏼
Honestly, I am amazed by the complete lack of hesitation in that bunny girl's voice, when she _immediately_ points at a girl walking down the street and goes
"Like this. I would be so ashamed of myself if I went outside dressed like this".
Normally, you'd try to hold back, even if you'd see someone dressed exactly like the example you have in mind, you'd try to lower your voice, make sure they don't hear you, preferably just describe it...
This woman? Nah. Just point at the other chick and go "Like her. I don't know how she can show herself like this in public, I'd be so embarrassed if I ever went outside like she did."
Also, the guy who says he doesn't like suits - the problem isn't that he's Japanese, nor that there's anything wrong with suits.
The problem is that he probably never took the time to look _into_ true men's fashion.
When it comes to suits, a lot depends on the type of material, on proper colour coordination, whether to wear a vest or not, but also on how you carry yourself etc.
If you are a sporty type, you wouldn't wear a three-piece suit casually. Similarly, if you want to come off as professional, you don't want to wear shorts and a polo.
But you need to look into all that, and you need to look into that from the European/Western perspective - for the same reason why, if I was to get a Japanese Kimono/Wafuku, I'd look into _Japanese_ sources on colour coordination, and not European ones. You want that to be authentic, and with these cultural differences, the adaptation of one culture's to another will always cause some translation errors which will end up looking either off or completely boring.
It's called being rude
in japan it's very normal for people to be brazen like that such as patting your belly in amazement if you're overweight or even if you're thin. polite but not necessarily kind. i think of it as being similar to southern hospitality but instead of saying things behind your back they'll say it to your face.
with the suits, he was probably referring to the specific business suit that all Japanese businessmen wear. lightweight and solid black because it's a uniform and can't be too different than the rest. their suits are made more for comfort than style and choosing to stand out in the workplace by choosing a more 'european-styled' suit may not be in their favor
Western manners are not applied throughout the world.
Stop thinking it revolves around your way of thinking.
@@Mecks089 Yes, thank you for telling me that. Spending over 15 years learning Japanese language, including 5+ years as a Japanese major, living for a year in Japan and showing my Japanese friends around my hometown clearly weren't enough to teach me that they have different social norms.
Thank you for showing me the way master, what would I _possibly_ do without your guidance.
The bunny girl is also born and raised in Hawaii. She is Japanese American so I would say she is more open and extroverted when talking
I've always wondered why all the children seem to dress like adults in japan, whereas in America it's like a contest to show the most skin lol. I'm still kind of confused, but I think I'm starting to understand. Thank you!
You should however join a meetup in Osaka. This is a rare opportunity to meet and speak with locals in English.