Tuesday, January 8, 2008

Style Deficit Disorder: Harajuku Street Fashion

I got a $30 Borders book voucher for Christmas and I thought what am I going to find there other than some magazines? Borders isn't exactly the best place for quirky fashion or art books...or so I thought.

I was wondering around thinking maybe I could get the new Fruits book, the "Fresh Fruits" book just because I have the 1st one, why not have both? Well they only had the 1st one. (Its kinda funny, I have had that books for years and years and now I know a few of the people in it) Anyway I decided to get the new copy of RUSSH magazine. (The best Australian Fashion magazine if you ask me!)



As I was walking out I stumbled across a book with and interesting tittle: "Style Deficit Disorder", but a gross front cover.


EDIT: Just to clarify I LOVE THIS BOOK, just not the front cover!!!



Well I turned over to the back cover and who do I see? My friends from Tokyo! And the photos are all taken by Gallermic (aka The fashion ramone), my old housemate and best friend in Tokyo!

Top to bottom, left to right: Bizarre and Emiko who dj'd at my wedding, Petty, Petty and Yohay, Crea from Tripple Nipple and girl whose name I can never remember.

I was so surprised, but also sad. I was just starting to love Australia when I saw this. Now I miss everyone again. I am also really happy for them and their success. I just wish I was there to help them celebrate!

These 2 girls came to our wedding and come up to us and said "happy wedding" and gave us a box of savoy dry biscuits. They are soooo cute and soooo short. One of their names is Yappy. Bizzare and Emiko, they have a shop called Candy and their dj name is Sex.

I know most of these people. Girl in the animal print jacket is Emiko. Then we have Maya and Yuki from Spank. Opposite page with white mask is Gallermic himself, and 3 photos away is Tabuchi with green hair. She is the owner of Spank. Beside her with the whit pom pom outfit is this crazy performer guy at the Teenage Kicks party. Too many people in this page to mention!

Petty, who is a stylist for Zipper magazine and the band GollBetty (look them up on youtube) and then its Maya and Yuki at the Spank Pank Ponk Party which was the best party ever!


There is also a page about SPANK! which shows photos of their shop and where I used to sit "teaching" English every Monday (it was more like gossiping and eating cakes!). I miss Tabuchi, Maya, Yuki and Saki the most out of everyone in Japan. They are just such sweet people. I had the most fun sleeping over at their houses and going shopping with them. I hope they do visit me like they promised, but I understand if they don't...They are really busy with the 3 shops and never have time off.

The Spank page with photos of their shops and a little blurb about them making fashion for people born in the 80's.


The book is all about the History of Harajuku and different famous designers, stylists and magazines that have come out of the area. It is very interesting to read and it gave me a greater understanding of why things happen there. The last chapter is about the future of Harajuku, and that is my obvious favourite because that's the one that shows all my friends. The annoying thing is, I was at nearly every party the photos show, but I'm not in the photos...lol...how vain!

The good news is I am moving back to Tokyo in 3 years to be an ALT at a high school. I just need to go to uni for 3 years in Australia so I can qualify for the full visa. YAY. 3 years at uni should be fun anyway as I'm studying creative arts. YAY YAY!

If you want to see more about Japan, go to my old blog Fashion Hayley Hits Japan


Love Hayley xxxxxxxx

2 comments:

  1. yaa I heard and seen about this book! I seriously gotta buy it... I find it pretty funny lookin at all those pics gallermic takes.. I actually don't know them in person, but I know their names and what they do in their lives it's really weird... just like lil tokyo stars... except most ppl around here dunno who i would be talking about! nice entry!

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  2. Hey! I stumbled upon your blogs somehow, because I just got back from Tokyo for the first time this last week, and wanted to say I really enjoyed them!

    I thought the spank girls were the most interesting! I had heard of a style in Harajuku called "fake spank" before. So is there actually a store? I wish I would have seen it..but we had SOO much to discover in 5 days, it was wayyy too hard! Fortunately, I'm going back this summer for about 5 weeks. Please contact me, I would love to chat with you! I love Harajuku and the crazy original styles there as well, hahaha.

    My myspace is www.myspace.com/roontburger2006

    I would really appreciate hearing from you somehow! I also love art and design, and my dream is to work for a company that is based in Tokyo and the US and possibly do character design, because you know how everything over there seems to have a mascot!

    Anyway..my email is also roontburger2006@aim.com . Sorry I couldn't find any other way to contact you, I REALLY hope to hear from you! I would love to visit the spank store when I go back, but have no way of finding it. Thanks and have an awesome week!

    -Brandon in Oklahoma

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