So far, the Gyaru blogs I've been posting have been educational, and that doesn't leave a lot of room for my own personal opinions... And as someone with a ton of opinions, I can only hold off on sharing them for so long! So, that's what this blog is going to be about!
Since this is an unpopular opinions blog, this has the potential to ruffle some feathers... But I dont mind! Gyaru is about being yourself, so who cares if I don't have the same opinions as everyone else? So long as the opinion is antithetical to Gyaru as a whole, I think its fair game!
Teeny tiny disclaimer: I use a lot of targeted language (you, y'all, etc), (that's just the way I talk), but in general, dont take it too seriously. This isn't directed towards anyone in particular. I use words like you and y'all as sort of general, neutral terms, if that makes sense? I just foresee some people getting worked up over it, haha...
Anyway, onto the blog!
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*Opinions are in no particular order!*
1. Gyaru has rules that cannot be ignored
This might be considered a milquetoast opinion to some of y'all, but I feel like the TikTok-ification of Gyaru has made this a pretty popular mindset. Yes, there are no rules when it comes to your self-expression as a Gyaru. You don't wanna limit yourself to one style? Go ahead! You dont wanna wear contacts? Fair enough! Do insanely long nails not work for you? Understandable! Do you not wanna be in Gyaru 24/7? I GET IT! Basically, the sky is the limit! but that doesn't mean there are no rules at all. Not all styles require heavy tans or insane make, but you shouldn't call yourself Yamanba, for instance, if you don't do either of those. There are gals that can dress Gyaru 24/7, but for a lot of people, that is very understandably not realistic (especially for those just starting out). However, if you dont wanna dress Gyaru 24/7, you shouldnt expect to be recognized as Gyaru if you're out of it. When I go out in no make, I dont have the right to get angry that people dont clock me as a gal. To quote my beloved idol Harutamu...
Makeup is a non-negotiable for Gyaru. You either wear makeup, or you aren't Gyaru. I see a lot of people on TikTok specifically saying that Gyaru doesn't require makeup, people asking if they're still Gyaru if they don't wear makeup, asking "what if my parents dont let me wear makeup?" or "what if I get made fun of?" I also see a lot of people bringing up that "Gal is MIND," so as long as they have the attitude and mindset, why should anything else matter? A lot of the people saying these things are baby gals that probably aren't super comfortable with their identity as gals yet, so I won't be too harsh about it, but to put it simply: Gyaru requires a certain amount of dedication, and that dedication includes adhering to some rules. Of course, the mindset is important... But that's only half the battle. I'll put it like this: It doesn't matter how much I think I can run a marathon; it doesn't matter if I have the perfect attitude and mindset to do it. If I don't actually run the marathon or even train to run the marathon, I can never say that I did. That's how I feel about gyaru. I think a lot of this boils down to people liking the look of a certain aesthetic, but it just doesn't work for them. If you generally don't wear makeup or aren't allowed to, Gyaru might not be for you. I understand being worried about what people think at first, but if you care that much about what others think, Gyaru isn't for you. Plus, why would you wanna be Gyaru without makeup? That's the best part!
I don't mean to harp on about makeup so much, but that's one of the biggest things I see people calling optional. So, all this to say, expect to have to follow some guidelines.
2. There is no one way to be Gyaru
I'm preparing to be called a hypocrite after the tangent I just went on, but hear me out! For a lot of alternative styles that are focused on being non-conforming, I feel like we veer so far into that, that we circle right back into policing people if they dont conform to the "right way" of participating. This is something that will always shock me about this community, but so many people bully others for their make or coords. Can you believe that? Gals bullying other gals because they don't like the way they look? Like do they even realize how stupid it is to tell someone "you aren't non-comforming in the way you should!!!!!" To those who do that: Theres no one way to be Gyaru, get over yourself.
3. IDGAF about a white droop
This opinion might get me crucified, but I dont care. This is a relatively new "rule," in fact, I think people literally made it up. People will say only advanced gals with advanced makeup skills can do it, but that literally makes zero sense. Personally, I dont like the look of a white droop on myself, but I think other gals look great with it! I dont care if people think its ugly, or "too dolly," or whatever. A white droop will never be the end of the world to me, lol.
4. Owning Gyaru brands doesn't make you a better gal, it just means that theres a 99.9% chance you paid a stupid amount of money for a poor-quality item
There's a lot of elitism in the Gyaru space about owning brand-name clothes/accessories/shoes, and I think its stupid. Gyaru is fast-fashion, hyper-consumerism personified, so a lot of these vintage holy grail pieces are mass-produced and Shein quality. Gyaru was mainstream at one point, so tons of brands jumped on the bandwagon, meaning a lot of the products are just shit. That doesnt mean they dont look cool! After all, you're paying for the brand, and it's the brand's job to be eye-catching and cool. However, scalpers grab pieces for cheap off of places like Mercari JP and resell them at insanely price-gouged margins. i dont think you're bad for buying/owning brand, but I think you're an idiot if you think it makes you in any way superior.
5. Gyaru is not the feminist subculture a lot of y'all think it is
Just walk with me. I see this idea being spread on places like TikTok that styles like Yamanba were created by Japanese women to get men to stop raping them, and that's only half the truth. Yes, Gyaru was created to go against the Japanese beauty standard and their standards for how one should behave. It is a form of rebellion created by women, but it is nowhere near the paragon of female empowerment its been made out to be. Japan is a patriarchal society. Gyaru became hugely fetishized and objectified, made to be palatable for the male-dominated media. Many gals engaged in compensated dating as a result of the consumerist mindset that permeated the space. Many of these gals were teenagers, high school/middle school girls, feeling pressured to keep up with trends. Many gals struggled deeply with mental illness, neurodivergence, alcohol and substance abuse, domestic violence, and other things in a society that actively discourages speaking up and getting help. Many of them were runaways. Gyaru is not sunshine and rainbows, a utopia of girlbossery and female empowerment. A lot of these girls were victims of society and the patriarchy. Gyaru is rife with struggle and pain, and we need to be realistic about that.
If you want a real, honest depiction of what it was like to be Gyaru, I recommend checking out Tomonya's Ameblo.
6. A lot of people are pagyaru and need to accept it
This is the one I think will get some people REALLY in a tizzy, but a hit dog will holler, as they say. A lot of people only want the social points being Gyaru will give them (god knows why, we get made fun of all the time). They only like the look, and dont care about the fact that Gyaru needs to be a lifestyle. Gal is MIND, and a lot of people just dont have the mindset. A lot of y'all are mean, insecure, and scared of true authenticity. You might have the look, but to me, it means nothing if you're a hateful person.
7. Gyaru is largely inspired by black culture. DEAL WITH IT.
The amount of anti-blackness in this community is astounding, considering the fact that black culture and fashion are literally the blueprint. A lot of styles take inspiration from American aesthetics, and you know who created those aesthetics? BLACK AMERICANS. You know who popularized fake nails? BLACK AMERICANS. LOOK AT THE WAY SOME GALS TAN! There is literally a substyle with the goal of appropriating black culture, and some of y'all still wanna insist that black culture has nothing to do with Gyaru. Namie Amuro, the certified mother of Gyaru, has gone on record that Janet Jackson and TLC were some of her biggest inspirations. Some of the most important, influential Gyaru creators online are black gals. And yet they're the same gals I see get the most hate and receive the most vitriol. They're literally integral to Gyaru, responsible for getting Gyaru back on the map, and yet people still don't give them the credit they deserve. The anti-blackness is TIRED.
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Aaaand I think I've officially made enough people hate me now, so I'll leave this here! I didn't intend for this to be quite so negative, but I'm very passionate and have a lot of thoughts and opinions. If you don't hate me, please look forward to my next blog! I promise it'll be much more positive! Feel free to share your own opinions, disagree with mine, or say whatever you like in the comments!
Remember, Antama loves you~!
Kiss kiss~ ☆⌒ヽ(*'､^*)chu
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