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fashion (Page 59)

Traditional Japanese fundoshi loincloths are both functional and fashionable, providing modesty for the modern man while still allowing a healthy influx of air around one’s nether regions. In fact, fundoshi are currently enjoying a revival of popularity in Japan, perhaps as a result of some men rebelling against constricting tighty whities and boring boxer shorts.

Our Japanese writers love them, and now some of the players from J-League division 2 football team V-Varen Nagasaki have lent their talents to advertise a range of crotch drapery designed to make fundoshi fun for football fans.

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“Welcome argument?” Mr Sato really, really wants to know where Lily-Rose Depp got her kanji shirt

Clothing with incorrect and funny English (so-called Engrish) is everywhere in Japan, and has given many foreign visitors a chuckle over the years.  So it’s always nice to see the tables turned, and Japan having the opportunity to marvel at clothing with odd Japanese writing on it.

That’s what happened this week when our reporter Mr. Sato got wind that actress and model Lily-Rose Depp had been spotted in New York wearing a particularly nonsensical T-shirt with Japanese kanji characters on it. He had only one question: “Where did she get it?”

…only one question, Mr. Sato? We’ve got a few more questions than that! So let’s take a look at the shirt in question, and crack the code behind its oddball message.

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Foxy kitsune socks will have you looking Shinto-chic

Much like “humdinger” and “roughneck,” “foxy” is one of those words that’s far past its golden age. But really, why shouldn’t it be used to describe an attractively fashionable woman, especially is she’s sporting a pair of these cute knee-high socks decorated with Shinto-style kitsune fox spirits and other culturally quirky touches?

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Sailor Moon x Peach John lingerie re-released, available now with 17 outfits to choose from!

We’ve written a lot about the Peach John and Bandai collaboration, and the amazing Sailor Moon lingerie and sleepwear sets they’ve been producing.

While we’ve mostly been filling you in on pre-order sale notices and upcoming releases, the popular line of outfits has been so sought after that they’ve been almost impossible to purchase. But today, dear readers, we have for you the best news of all. Due to the huge response from fans, the entire Sailor Moon collection is available online right now!

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Kyoto store makes embroidered badges, tests our knowledge of traditional Japanese sweets

How well do you know your wagashi (Japanese sweets)? If you’re struggling to put a name to any of the traditional delectables pictured above, there’s a store in Kyoto that can help.

By creating decorative embroidered versions of some of Japan’s most popular confections, Kyoto-based Kyototo is giving us an education in the names and background of the hand-crafted treats that are often seasonal but always delicious. Come with us as we take a look at twelve of the most beautiful wagashi you can find in Japan.

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Emoji is the new black: Could emoji fashion be the next “kawaii” trend?

Recently, with elements of the Japanese language and its culture starting to be adopted by people in countries the world over, we hear the word “emoji” being used incredibly often overseas. In fact, both the word “emoji” and the digital images themselves have become pretty much universal.

And now, those emoji that I knew from my cell phone screen here in Japan have even been turned into fashion icons!

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Teen fashion brand Cecil McBee releases range of educational books, makes studying kawaii

In the west, there’s a wide range of stores selling affordable and cute fashion marketed towards teens, such as H&M, TopShop, Zara and Forever 21. But in Japan, one of the most popular places for picking up cute clothes is the interestingly named chain store Cecil McBee. With a name seemingly pilfered for some bizarre reason from Tulsa-born jazz musician Cecil McBee (he even tried to sue, but was unsuccessful), the chain has stores across Japan, with a main store located inside the trendy 109 shopping centre in Shibuya.

Now, however, the chain is branching out from fashion to release a range of educational books aimed at junior high school girls with adorably kawaii covers and illustrations. After all, you still want to look cute while you’re studying, don’t you?

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When Totoro met Baymax, and other cool anime crossover T-shirts you can buy

If you’re a passionate fan of a particular of anime, movie, or video game, we’re guessing you’ve got at least one T-shirt in your wardrobe celebrating the franchise. But fandom isn’t a monotheistic religion, so if you don’t want your ability to wear your enthusiasm for the many series you love on your chest to be limited by your single torso, why not slip on one of these double-duty shirts that simultaneously broadcast your affection for Sailor Moon, Totoro, Baymax, and other heroes of animation?

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A hoodie that transforms into a travel neck pillow just made our Christmas wish-list

Traveling can be brutal, whether it’s by plane, train or car. It’s so hard to find a comfy way to snooze when you’re surrounded by strangers and your neck is left unsupported, wobbling to and fro. I for one, always thought those neck pillows were silly, until I tried one, at which point I swore never to leave home without one, that is, until I realized how cumbersome they are to carry around and how ineffective the space-saving, inflatable ones are.

But never fear, fellow travelers! A Japanese clothing start-up, Monogatari Project, has come up with the perfect solution: A hoodie that can be rolled up into the perfect neck pillow.

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As we’ve looked at before, it’s hard being a working mom, juggling the important yet difficult goals of providing both the financial and emotional support children need. But while having to look for a new job because of incompatible work and family demands is never pleasant, it’s still a more viable option than finding new kids, as clothing retailer Uniqlo knows all too well.

The company has been having trouble retaining female employees with children, with many citing the need for more flexibility in their work schedule as their reason for leaving the company. In response, Uniqlo has announced that this autumn it will be offering full-time employees the option of a four-day work week.

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Japanese discount clothing chain selling swastika necklaces (also ugly tank tops)

In Japan, accessories are a big part of fashion for both women and men. Some stores even try to take the guesswork out of choosing what to pair with what by offering a shirt and necklace as a set.

But while that’s handy for guys who don’t have an eye for putting together an entire outfit from scratch, this pre-set bundle that’s got people in Japan talking seems to have gotten so wrapped up in trying to look cool that it forgot about simple things like world history or cultural sensitivity, as one Japaese clothing chain is selling a combo of a tank top and a necklace with a Nazi swastika on it.

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How to tie a women’s summer kimono sash 【Video】

It might seem a little odd to hear that yukata, the lightweight kimono worn at summertime festivals, fireworks shows, and bon dances, are in the middle of a revival in popularity in Japan right now, but it’s absolutely true. After several years in which young Japanese found yukata to be too expensive and troublesome to bother with, they’re back in fashion with teens and young adults in a huge way.

Part of this is no doubt due to more and more manufacturers offering reasonably priced yukata, as you can now often find sets that include the robe and sash for around 6,000 yen (US$48). And as for not knowing how to put everything on and tie it properly? That’s also a problem of the past, thanks to online explanations like this pair of videos from fashion and yukata retailer Uniqlo.

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As in most countries, magazines aimed at young adults in Japan spend a lot of time talking about the opposite sex. Just as publications aimed at men often wax poetic about their image of the ideal woman, so too do women’s magazines write up collections of traits of desirable guys.

But one recent list has Japanese Internet users scratching their heads over its oddly specific list that includes such minutiae as foot size and social media preference.

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Evangelion lingerie is sure to help your otaku partner get into Beast Mode

No anime in history has generated the amount of discussion that Evangelion has, as audiences have now been debating the finer points of the franchise’s content and production for two decades. Was the TV series’ unorthodox ending strictly a case of budgetary constraints, or is it the purest version of Eva’s true message? In the closing scenes of End of Evangelion, has protagonist Shinji accepted or rejected the rest of human existence? Is creator Hideaki Anno ever going to actually make that fourth, and supposedly final, Rebuild of Evangelion theatrical feature?

For today, though, let’s brush aside those nebulous issues, and instead look at a question that has a definite answer: What would official Evangelion lingerie look like?

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Don’t like the new Digimon character designs? Look like one of the old ones with Taichi’s goggles

With Digimon returning to the world of anime after a 15-year break, you’d think fans of the original series, which aired in 1999 and 2000, would be uniformly ecstatic. Nostalgia is a funny thing, though, and while some are glad to have the cast of kids and digital monsters back in any form, others are unhappy that the human characters look different from how they did in the original TV show.

Unless you’re a producer for the upcoming Digimon Adventure tri. movie series, though, there’s not much you can do about the onscreen visuals, except maybe sign a petition denouncing the new artwork. On the other hand, you can choose to make yourself look more like the classic Digimon cast with a pair of these goggles, modeled after lead character Taichi’s.

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Disney selling ultra-premium backpacks for Japanese schoolkids exclusively inside its Tokyo parks

A while back, we talked about adult fashionistas, including actress Zooey Deschanel, who’d become smitten with the boxy Japanese backpacks called randoseru. In Japan, though, randoseru are strictly for the prepubescent set, as they’re exclusively used by elementary school students.

That’s not to say that kids don’t appreciate a nice-looking bag, though, which is why Disney is getting in on the randoseru game, with a line of backpacks that can only be purchased inside its Tokyo theme parks, and cost the equivalent of several hundred dollars.

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Japanese Twitter celebrates new “Muslim Lolita fashion” trend 【Pics】

Japanese culture has spread throughout the world with food, anime, video games, and more. But one region that hasn’t taken in as much of what Japan has to offer as the rest of the world is the Middle East and other Muslim countries.

Until now. Pictures of young Muslim women incorporating Japanese Lolita fashion with their traditional hijab head scarves have been exploding in popularity online. Could this start a new trend toward Muslim idol groups and cosplay conventions?

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Japanese government recognizes equal salon rights, men now “permitted” to get haircuts in them

A huge victory in the metrosexual rights movement was made last week when the Japanese Ministry of Health, Labor, and Welfare decided to abolish a guideline which stated that “men should not be able to get haircuts at beauty salons.”

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To beard, or not to beard, that is the question. Here are Japanese women’s answers

Live overseas for long enough, and you’ll start to experience reverse culture shock on your visits home. On my last trip back to L.A., I was surprised to see how popular beards have gotten in the States, and judging from the foreign travelers I see here in Japan, they’re just as trendy throughout western Europe.

As someone whose Arabic ancestry means every day is a battle against a phalanx of facial hair, I have to say I can see an upside to this new golden era for beards. But, as with any decision a man makes, it’s important to first ask yourself that critical question, “Will this make women think I look cool?” To help answer that question, today we’re looking at the results of a survey asking Japanese women whether or not they like a guy with a beard.

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