In America, everyone wants the same handbags, the same designer styles; but not so in Japan, everyone here wants to wear something totally unique. One big thing in Japan are skirts, the shorter the better. Even in the dead of winter, every girl under the age of 30 is wearing a skirt so short, that you can barely see it poking out from the bottom of her parka.
Another big thing is over-the-knee socks or stockings that come up to the upper thigh and leaving an inch or two gap of bare flesh between the socks and the hem of her skirt (giving you an idea of how short these skirts are). Showing an inch or so of bare upper thigh is so popular in Japan that it even has a name: zettai ryouiki which translates into absolute territory.
Men typically dress the same in Japan as they do in America; the big difference is that most men carry a bag of some kind. Not a pocket book, exactly, they could be backpacks or messenger bags. The most popular bag for men are these small backpacks that look like fanny packs in America but instead go over the shoulder and across the back. You can find these bags in black and brown leather and they can run pretty expensive.
Another strange thing about men in Japan is that most of them carry their wallets in their backpacks rather than their pockets. On average, the Japanese wallet it bigger than its American counterpart and since the Japanese always need to carry cash, they tend to be bulkier, too. Now I understand that, but being from the New York City area, I just don't trust keeping my wallet where I can't feel it, especially when going to the busy and crowded train stations, it feels like asking for trouble. The big problem with that is that since Japanese men typically don't carry their wallets on their person, pockets in things like dress pants aren't made to hold things as big as wallets; the result - this hugh bulge in your pants.
"No, that's not a wallet in my pocket, I'm just checking out your zettai ryouiki."
SLAP!
I get wanting to be in contact with your wallet at all times, it's your lifeline for everything, but... When you have a backpack (which I always do) you never let it out of arms reach. I would trust my backpack just as much. Those half backpacks are used a little here in America too, but very rarely. I want one, but it just doesn't have enough room for everything I gotta carry. I wish it was more like Japan here in America, I would fit right in... A tophat, trenchcoat, black knuckle gloves, yellow shirt, checkered black and white pants, and black and yellow shoes. That's what I wore yesterday.
ReplyDeleteYeah, you would fit in perfectly in Japan and being a young gaijin wouldn't hurt either! The ladies would be all over you. Fashion is very tame in America in comparison.
Delete>w< Eep! Nihon! Nihon! Land of the rising sun! *-* have you tried the ramen yet? Karaoke? Maid cafe?! :3 I wish to read more please!
ReplyDeleteI have tried the ramen and it is awesome here! Really fresh and they throw all kinds of veggies and meat in there with the noodles. I haven't been to karaoke or maid cafe's yet. My wife wants to take me to a cafe, but I saw the little outfits the girls wear and knew I was going to get in trouble. It would be like taking your wife to a go-go bar.
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