Fashion and Hair Style Category

When one thinks of Asian style fashion, one thinks of Geisha Girls and kimonos. But it is much more than that!  When I did some research into this subject, I noticed that there was a very eclectic and diverse variety. Most of the photos I have seen included from Japan and Korea.

When I googled images of ‘Asian style fashion’, I came up with a plethora of different styles. The most notable is the bobbed ‘pixie’ style haircut.  Unnatural dye jobs for hair are also quite prevalent in Asian fashion. The colors can range from pink, to purple, to green and combinations of these.  These beautiful ladies much resemble characters from Japanese animated programming. The use of hair spray and sculpturing is also quite noticeable. Not to be outdone by the hairstyles, the dress itself has quite a western appeal. Many of the young ladies pictured have on form fitting t-shirts, with either pedal pusher type jeans, short Capri-style French cut jeans, or shirt flouncy skirts with leggings underneath. These will usually have stripes or plaid.  A variation is the thigh-high sock, usually white, with chunky platform shoes to give height.

Nail art is also a characteristic of Asian style fashion.  Many of the models pictured in my Google search had manicures that varied from anything to decals to fancy paint jobs.

I think many of the Asian models like to emulate Lady GaGa with her unique looks. I am seeing images galore of bathing suits (bikini tops and bottoms mostly) being used as street wear, topped with thigh socks, high heels, and a shrug-type jacket, a neck tie, scarf, and of course the wild hair. Asian women also like to incorporate menswear into their wardrobes, since you will often see what looks like a private school uniform with a man’s button down shirt and a tie.

My favorite of all the Asian style fashion trends is the prevalence of bold prints and Paisleys.  These look the best, in my opinion, on maxi dresses. They are a toned down version of the classic kimono, and often have flouncy princess skirts. Short dresses have too much deserved attention, since many of these are strapless numbers with oversized bows on them. These come in classic colors and are usually made of silk, satin or similar shiny material.  Floral prints, paisley prints and plaids seem to be very popular.

Of course Asian fashion should not be limited to The Pacific Rim and countries like Korea, Laos, and Japan.  India should be included in the mix too. Indian women wear the traditional sari in both short and long styles.  The hair is much different than the Japanese/Korean counterparts.  The hairstyle most frequently seen is a knee length braid.  These are either natural or extensions.

Since tattoos are popular, henna tattoos that usually last about two weeks are also pretty apparent and prevalent.  Henna tattoos look like the real deal, and cost just as much sometimes, but they have the added benefit of being semi-permanent. If the wearer decides at a later date not to sport a tattoo, or wants a change in design, they can easily make the switch to a different one or go without one entirely.

As far as makeup, the current trend is to make the eyes look as large as possible. This is achieved either by contact lenses that give that effect, or techniques with mascara, shadow, and a combination of eyebrow shaping and eyeliner to complete the effect.

The only thing about Asian style fashion that one must consider is that it will not work for everyone.  It will work best on a woman with a small, angular frame, and who weighs less than one hundred and fifty pounds.  Since this fashion trend is varied, one can always experiment with the looks depending upon body type, and colors that flatter the skin tone.

Finding your own fashion style is as much an exercise in self-discovery as it is in choosing patterns and prints. Our clothes speak so much about us, and whether we like it or not, there is quite a bit of truth to the old saying that ‘the clothes make the man (or woman)’. In a sense, what we wear conveys something about us to the world around us; it becomes a ‘visible bio’ for onlookers, and can give people clues about our personalities, preferences, and inhibitions (or lack thereof) as it relates to self-expression.

When you first set out to discover your own fashion style, you may find it a bit frustrating in the beginning, because you may experience a certain amount of worry about what other people’s opinions of your clothes may be, and it can cause you to make preemptive adjustments to your clothing choices – you may not pick this sweater because your friend once remarked that she doesn’t like that particular color, or you may not pick that pair of jeans because your co-worker once said that he thought those kinds of jeans were tacky. As trivial as these things may seem, they can actually cause you to lose a little bit of your own individuality, because you’re operating more from a reactionary mode (based on other people’s opinions) versus really digging deep and finding out what you actually like. In a certain sense, it takes ‘guts’ to find your own fashion style, and you have to be willing to put yourself out there and allow yourself the freedom of expression through choosing clothes that truly reflect your preferences.

So how do you actually go about developing your own sense of fashion? Research will be a very important part of the process. Fashion magazines, television shows, and even visiting local clothing stores can provide you with all kinds of ideas. Many people look to celebrities to get a feel for the latest fashion trends, and it wouldn’t hurt to check out what the latest and greatest Hollywood A-listers are sporting just to get some ideas. There is a caveat to this, however: If all you do is simply copy what someone else is wearing, you’re not really tapping into your own sense of style; you’re instead taking all of your cues from someone else without really consulting your own preferences to see if it’s something that you actually like. It is definitely useful to look to others to gain inspiration, but the way that you interpret that inspiration makes all the difference.

Research has shown that most people tend to dress in a manner that’s comfortable to them, sometimes at the expense of staying ‘current’ or staying ‘with the times’. Examples abound of people who seem to be stuck in a past decade with their clothing choices. Interestingly enough, many people actually dress in a manner that reflects the most exciting time of their lives, even if that time was three decades ago. Dressing in those outdated clothes is a way for them to keep that part of their past ‘alive’, and their clothes actually provide a level of comfort for them, and can conjure up positive feelings of nostalgia. This is a great example of how clothing choices can be a form of self-expression, even if that expression reflects only a certain period of a person’s life.

Your own fashion style is, in many ways, linked to your self-image and your overall perception of who you are as a person. If you consider yourself to be a conservative person, then you will more than likely choose an overall fashion style that will not be too revealing or too provocative. On the other hand, if you’re an outgoing and fun-loving person who doesn’t mind ‘flaunting it if you’ve got it’, you may be a little more liberal with what you choose to wear. Even the types of materials that you choose can make a statement about your personality. Everyone knows that black leather makes a bold and somewhat jolting statement all by itself. Fabrics like wool or cashmere can convey a warm, comforting, and inviting personality. Loose and flowing materials like silk can express more of a free-spirited attitude, while outfits that are mainly made of denim can convey a more no-nonsense and tougher aspect of one’s personality.

Color is a very important factor in finding your own fashion style as well. Bold and bright colors usually denote a more open and lively personality, while someone who always wears muted and nondescript colors (such as gray) can seem to come off as cool and unaffected. Red has always been seen as a ‘power’ color, blue as a ‘cool’ color, and yellow as a ‘happy’ color. These are just some examples of how colors can communicate visual messages without us having to say one word. So when you’re developing your own style, it would be a good idea to do some research on which colors communicate which message, so that you don’t accidentally make the wrong statement, or wear something that does not reflect your true personality.

Once again, it’s all about how you choose to describe yourself to the world around you. What would you like to say by way of the clothes that you wear? What type of statement do you want to make? The old adage ‘Know thyself’ actually becomes very important in this process. It’s very difficult for you to select clothes and fashion accessories that reflect or express your personality if you’re not even certain what that personality is. A good suggestion would be to take some time and write down some of your favorite attributes about yourself. What do you like about you? What do you really think makes you unique? What type of personality best describes you? Then go out to your local department stores or check out some of your favorite online retailers and select the clothes that truly seem to ‘click’ with what you’ve written down. Whatever it is, it does you no good to be ashamed of who you really are. Who knows, you may just find true freedom of expression through fashion!

“I dress for the image. Not for myself, not for the public, not for fashion, not for men.” These are the words of Marlene Dietrich. Who knows better than her on how to become an icon of style? Fashion and style. These two words are always together, like an inseparable couple. To me, they are like sun and moon, black and white, fire and water. They cannot be together and they cannot be without each other either.

The simplest definition of fashion is ‘a popular trend’ and style, ‘a manner of doing something’. I always went with these specific definitions of these two words. In my personal opinion, to be popular and wear what is popular would not give me a sense of satisfaction. I always wanted to be affiliated with a style that is specific to me and up to date. It does not always mean to wear exactly what is fashionable during that time.

I started my journey as a child by watching. I watched everything and everyone. I was curious how specific outfits fit different types of figure. Sometimes it was good, sometimes – a disaster. It made me very interested in fabric. I was thinking that depending on a fabric used, some disasters could have been prevented. What a smart child I was… I especially liked watching what my mom was wearing. I loved going through her clothes and picking what would suit me the most. I would always finish the ensemble with the appropriate hair, make-up and shoes. Just like my mom did. And still does.

Soon after that, as my body was changing, my understanding of what I wanted to wear and how I wanted to look changed too. Maybe, it was not a change itself. It was more likely a transformation. I started understanding what made me look better and what looks were not mine at all. I started developing that feeling or sense, which made me happy or not at all by the way I looked. And later on- the way I lived. Very quickly, I understood that to dress nicely and act poorly was not my style at all. I did not like inappropriate behavior and it was clear to me that it has to be part of that satisfaction that I received from my appearance. It doesn’t mean that I didn’t have fun. I did. I just did it with my own understanding of how it should be done. I guess that’s when I started working on my own style. That part of my journey brought me to the 18th century, understanding of tea parties in England, research of my mother’s relatives who were Russian nobility. And again, I was amazed by my mother. I started believing that whatever she knows was in her blood.  Nobody had to teach her how to be stylish and always look fabulous. It also gave me hope that I might have inherited at least some of that wisdom.

I continued experimenting, and it brought me to different TV shows and fashion books. I was amazed by how many resources are out there. And the more my knowledge grew, the more I was thinking that not many either had access to these resources or thought they needed any guidance.  I could not afford spending thousands of dollars on something I would wear once or twice. And I didn’t expect it from others.  But I knew that there were affordable great options and I could not understand why not everybody would want to take advantage of those. There were only a few I would look at and appreciate their style sense. It made me think of Albert Einstein’s famous quote all the time : ‘A question that sometimes drives me hazy: am I or are the others crazy?’.

Finally, I was smart enough and had this conversation with my mom. I was afraid at first that she would not be able to understand my concerns. But as always, she made me feel so comfortable and content. I asked her many questions, and I remember all her answers so well. The most important was the advice she gave me: Not to run after fashion, but adopt fashion to my own needs and style. At first, I was confused. I could not understand the difference in those terms. And even more – how they applied to me. That is when it hit me. I finally understood that whatever ‘sense’ I developed was my own, personal style. I knew how to be fashionable and I did it in my own way. I didn’t have to like what I saw and now I knew what I didn’t like. I didn’t like that everyone was wearing the same things, the same way. And it didn’t matter if it was not complementing their complexion, skin or hair. It was a very inspiring realization. I understood that I could make a difference by encouraging them to personalize their style and their lives. And all I had to do is be myself and keep developing my own style.

Understanding of your own style comes with a lot of work and experience. This challenge is everlasting. But that is the beauty of it. It is a personal achievement that can be shared with others. Style is something that can be shared and passed on. But at the same time, it is something very personal and individualized. It includes all the human characteristics. You might not like someone personally, but you might respect them for their sense of style. In case of doubt, search for inspiration. Do your research. Ask questions. Educate yourself. And the most important, do not be afraid to experiment. Fashion style will always be part of our lives and as the amazing Yves Saint Laurent once said: ‘Fashion fades, style is eternal