Japan is a place of origins: technology, culture, tradition, fashion, etc. Living in Tokyo, I have had the unique opportunity to experience these elements firsthand.
The fabulously-crazy pics above are different variations of what is known as the Yamamba style. This trend-infused look, most often comprised of darkened skin, colorful bleached or blond hair, white panda-esque makeup, brightly-colored contacts, neon clothing, Hawaiian/beachy accessories and jewelry, rhinestone bedecked nails, and a general sense of whimsical mayhem, peaked in the late 90s early 00s.
At the heart of this incredibly imaginative fashion trend was Tokyo, and its surrounding areas, where young Japanese women (and sometimes men) strutted their look, rebelling against the traditional idealized concept of beauty in Japan.
A Yamamba sighting is much less common these days, because as we all know, once something is in, it's just as soon that it'll be out. But like the unanticipated joy of glimpsing a rainbow amongst darkened clouds, spotting a Yamamba amongst Tokyo's concrete jungle is sure to brighten up your day or at least make you scramble for your camera!
XOXO
