Cos-Play is a national passtime for many young women in Japan. Strangely enough, they're fairly reluctant to strutt for the camera. Once a girl told me in class that it's a form of rebellion. Many feel that the cutlure treats them like useless pretty girls, rather than smart women. So, they dress accordingly to make a point. Which of course is lost on the recipients of the statement.
Addended 10/25/05
Ms Bees Knees said...Cos-Play? What does that mean? I thought they were Harajuku girls like in that Gwen Stephani song. Or is that something different?
Nope BK, you have the general idea though. I figure (cuz I've only been to Harajuku once) that there's two flavors of ladies there. One is the Harajuku Girls of Stephani fame. Those are the ones who are putting on Tokyo Modern Fashion/Post School Girl Style. The other is Cosplay (pron: kosupudray). Costume Play is similar to what you see here. They dress themselves very Holly Hobby, or similar to their favorite Manga (J.Comics) Characters. For boys and girls, by the way... There's a similar area in Osaka called Ame-Mura (America Town) that has a lot of Cos-Play types. So it's not restricted to Tokyo (or Osaka for that matter) Hmmm...TMI I think at this point.
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Cos-Play? What does that mean? I thought they were Harajuku girls like in that Gwen Stephani song. Or is that something different?
Nope BK, you have the general idea. I figure (cuz I've only been to Harajuku once) that there's two flavors of ladies there. One is the Harajuku Girls of Stephani fame. Those are the ones who are putting on Tokyo Modern Fashion/Post School Girl Style. The other is Cosplay (pron: kosupudray) Costume Play is similar to what you see here. They dress themselves very Holly Hobby, or similar to their favorite Manga (J.Comics) Characters. For boys and girls, by the way...
What a fascinating socioological and cultural phenomenon. I suppose it really isn't all that different from North American Goths, punks, skaters, alternative crowds. Or is it?
In a way, yes, it's different. The intentions are the same as punks etc. But the reasoning is individual to the sub-culture of course. Also, I don't think western girls could pull it off. It'd look more like a spoiled wealthy girl. Western girls would have to dress "outside" their culture to have the same effect (like wear a kimono or something similar).
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