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“Did you see anyone else on the
street?” I had to ask. “Like someone in a white shirt?”
“Just you. And I’m pretty sure
yours is pink.”
“It’s orange.” I flipped out my
cell phone and made to dial the cops. “Just relax, mister. I’ll
call for help.”
He
tilted my face up toward his. I could smell the smoke on his breath,
and the blood from his brow. “You don’t smell like alcohol. And
your pupils are normal, so no drugs. You could do with a little less
glitter and eyeliner.”
If
there’s anything Genesis Sage, main character of Evolution, likes
more than music, it’s color. From pink hair to bright purple shoes
with rainbows drawn on them, he doesn’t let anyone get in the way
of his personal sense of style, which is a play of the Harajuku style
Visual Kei.
Harajuku
is a train station in Japan decorated with many clothing shops and
the like. Every Sunday a group of style independent teens gather to
parade through the streets. Each teen creates their own look based on
a type of dress, some even mix and match. What teens seem to like
best about dressing Harajuku style, is that no brand names are
required, you can do it with a few accessories, or buy a whole
outfit. Here are a few of the popular styles:
Lolita
Fashion - includes Gothic, classic, sweet, and sub-styles. You’ll
notice this one by the lacy dresses that make young women look like
little girls. Often you’ll find corsets and petticoats, bows and
laces.
Decora
- includes style like dark decora. This particular style means adding
decoration. The more colorful the better, rings, hair bows, tutus,
knee socks, and bright shoes. The more eye-bleeding bright the
outfits are, the more popular they seem to be.
Visual-kei
--rock star style, Gene's style. You’ll find a lot of popular
Japanese musicians use this style. Bands like Dir en Grey, or Gackt
wear this mix of leather and color. Wikipedia says it best with:
characterized by the use of make-up, elaborate hair styles and
flamboyant costumes, often, but not always, coupled with androgynous
aesthetics. This of the old 80s glam rock, but swirl in a lot of
color and you have this style.
Gyaru-
California girl style. This particular look has a lot of parts to it,
including skin dying to make a wearing look deeply tan. Heavy white
eye and lip make-up and blond hair. The idea behind this style is to
look like a California beach girl and is currently one of the most
popular looks in Japan.
There
are more, of course, these are just a few of the most popular. Gene
dresses the way he does because he doesn’t have a lot of money,
feels like he’s going to stand out anyway so why not, loves color,
and is a big fan of Japanese music. If you want to have a little fun
count how many times he talks about dying his hair in Evolution, and
take a peek at this recent video from Japan:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O55JB8-xLr8
Visit the author's website at: http://samkadence.com
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