Japan Fashion: Spooky Trends to Try This Season!

It’s no secret that Halloween is the greatest holiday in the whole year. Candy? Spooky movies? Cool spooky clothes? Yes, please. As if celebrating creepy and crawly wasn’t cool enough, Japan takes it further with some super awesome fashion styles custom-made for the holiday.

From refined gothic attire to ghoulishly incredible makeup, Japanese Halloween fashion is a highlight of the year, both for those who live in Japan and for those visiting. Here are a few of the most fabulous Halloween fashions to keep an eye out for this year!

Shironuri

Japanese fashion and visual kei are inseparable, and the style of Shironuri is no exception. A subset of visual kei, Shironuri is the style of painting one’s face entirely snow white. It sounds pretty simple, but that’s just the foundation of the style, as each person can dress in any way they see fit to complement it.

Some people dress in gothic Lolita outfits and adorn their faces with feathers, rhinestones, and other accessories. Some people even paint their necks and hands white and dress all white, reminiscent of the Japanese yurei. Whether minimalistic or steeped in trendy goth style, Shironuri is a sure sight during Halloween.

Yami-kawaii

Translating to “sickly cute,” yami-kawaii is a style that blends morbid aesthetics with a bubbly, cute exterior. Specifically, it focuses on imagery and accessories, such as band-aids and syringes, with a dash of nihilism.

To counterbalance all this, those spooky images are usually added to cute kawaii outfits and stylized in bright pastels. It’s tricky to walk, but those who pull off yami-kawaii blend morose goth aesthetics with Sanrio-style cuteness. And really, it looks incredibly cool to see all the hottest Harajuku trends and styles wrapped up in medical gear and pastels.

Guro-kawaii

Similar to yami-Kawaii but with a little difference, Guro-Kawaii is an explosion of super cute style just…covered in blood. And eyeballs. Guro-Kawaii takes the idea of making everything cute and runs away by incorporating typically gross and body horror-style elements.

Pastels and lace are mixed with monsters, blood, and the occasional body part. It can be strange, but even characters like Gloomy Bear deserve some love. It’s important not to overdo the horror elements of a guro-kawaii outfit, though. The idea is to still look cute, not just like a walking horror movie character!

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Gothic Lolita

One of the major pillars of alternative Japanese style and fashion, Gothic Lolita, is the gothic take on classic Lolita fashion (hence the name.) Traditional Lolita attire such as dresses, JSK’s, and bell skirts are worn, but with plenty of black and red. Goth makeup is also necessary for Gothic Lolita outfits; heavy eyeliner, thick pale foundation, and stylish lipstick are critical elements to a stunning Gothic Lolita outfit.

A proper Gothic Lolita outfit is eye-catching when tied with high-laced boots, lace, and a stunning corset. Gothic Lolita fashion is a staple in the visual kei scene and can often be found in many different visual kei groups. From music and movies to street and high fashion, high-end Gothic Lolita is a sight.

Karasu-zoku

Translating to “crow gang”, Karasu-zoku is a Japanese style that began in high fashion and took a rather dark turn. Originally, karasu-zoku fashion simply consisted of dressing entirely in black designer clothing. This trend took off in and out of the fashion world, and by the 1990s, the style had exploded in popularity throughout Japan.

The problem that arose was how Japanese crime gangs started to enter into the fashion scene, as well, which made the style become associated with the violent gang members. The style itself is relatively straightforward: pure black v-neck shirts, pants, scarves, wide-brimmed hats, and wrinkled fabric are all components of the karasu-zoku style.

Why is this fashion from Japan so cool?

Japanese fashion is awesome because it takes familiar elements throughout goth culture and dials them up to 11. Sure, anyone can put on a black shirt and black pants and apply some eyeliner, but the extent to which Shironuri takes makeup application is amazing. Spooky Japanese fashion is living art, plain and simple. Those who dress themselves in these styles look like anime and manga characters come to life.

Spooky Japanese fashion is so popular that people dress up in their favorite styles worldwide. From casual yami-kawaii outfits to the most over-the-top shironuri styles, fans of these fashion styles can be found at anime conventions, video game conventions, concerts, and even just out on the street.

What’s important to remember about this kind of fashion is that it’s meant to be fun. People can look creepy and even slightly alarming (especially in anime), but it’s all good-natured. Makeup is makeup which allows people to express themselves artistically. And ultimately, that’s what it’s all about!

What’s your favorite style of spooky Japanese fashion? Have you ever dressed in any of these styles before? If so, which one? Please let us know in the comments below! We would love to hear why you think Japanese fashion is so cool!