Happy New Year! My first post of 2026 will be filled with vitriol and disdain.
Time and time again, I’ve never shied away from revealing my true thoughts, qualms, and extreme opinions on the state of gyaru fashion in the hands of my fellow gaijin. I can’t stop, and I won’t stop complaining. If you know me, then you certainly know about the image I like to maintain: classy, soft, elegant, and sexy–all of these things are things commonly seen in my beloved and preferred substyle: agejo. Most people associate agejo with the flashy looks of Ma*rs shop staff, horrid shein sets, gaijin brand monstrosities, and the type that I like to call “burando whores”, but agejo is more than the general narrow perception that the general public seems to associate with it. If you’re vying for my honest opinion, I think most of these agejo don’t look good. They mix sexiness and elegance with bolder, harsher substyles like manba and yamanba when they coordinate (well, it's not really coordinated because nothing matches) their hair and makeup! It gives the impression that they’re trying to be clownish instead of elegant. Ma*rs shop staff have really gone to these people’s heads, but even they know how to maintain a dramatic yet cohesive look with their coords.
I wanted to drive my point home further to showcase the versatility of agejo with the aforementioned shop staff. See how you can still maintain a dramatic princess-like look or a simple and casual look while still looking put together? It's not that hard; you don't even need brand pieces to achieve this type of style. When you stare at these two women, you can see the cohesion of their outfits; each piece of clothing works in tandem with the others, not against their makeup or hair. One distinct thing I'd like to note here is that there's no substyle mixing either! You might be asking, "Oh well, Rina, why mention substyle mixing?" because it's a genuine problem I've seen amongst people who wear agejo nowadays, even in Japan. Even more popular gals I've seen are incredibly guilty of this. Pattern mixing is also a problem amongst the GP. Just know this: if you mix zebra print with polka dots, I think you should be shot.
I feel like agejo is a substyle where your makeup is essential, but not as important as your clothes. You can have a simple makeup look as long as your clothing matches your overall appearance. There's a focus on makeup, but it's not as eye-catching as Hime's, or as simple as the looks from the mid-2000s or post-2013. See Exhibit A:
Her makeup looks nice, but you're more focused on her outfit than anything else in this image, even though the store's lighting is contributing to this.
I want to talk about something that really irks me: Fraudgejo are too focused on being trashy looking, rather than elegant and alluring, to quote the now archived DaTuRa website's description of their brand: "DaTuRa" is the name of a flower. It attracts people with its gorgeous flowers and sweet fragrance. However... Both the leaves and flowers are highly poisonous and are used as an anaesthetic. Like this flower, it attracts the eye with its glamour and sweetness, seduces and attracts people. It then drops you into a love affair that paralyses your senses, and you are charmingly captivated as if the poison were going around your whole body. I want to become such an alluring woman." You don't often see the vibe of a glamorous, sweet, and charming woman when you see Agejo nowadays.
All I see when I look at these people is laziness. They chase the thrill of cheap sex appeal and call it agejo, ignoring the actual philosophy of the substyle, and turning into a caricature of itself.
I don't know. I'm passionate about this substyle, I hate seeing it be squandered by people who won't put effort into their appearances.
I agree with you I really think the social media brain rot has made everyone lose the plot. It's not limited to agejo either, for some reason gyaru as a whole just isn't about looking good or putting together a solid outfit anymore it really seems like it's a competition to see who can look the most gaudy, mix the most patterns, and go viral for it.
ReplyDeleteSuch a good blog!! I agree so much with this!! I definitely started agejo with a very limited view of what the substyle is, and I think a lot of gals rely heavily on limited ageha scans on Pinterest or even just pictures of Himena. I’ve even noticed on the “Agejo isn’t just ma*rs it’s also…” and the just post like… old dearmylove and kyaba dresses, but not many gals are talking about like DaTuRa, Delyle Noir, EmiriaWiz, or even older brands like Lip Service or Rady’s non tracksuit pieces. I think more gals should definitely read more Ageha mags throughout the years and understand the trends throughout the years and realize ma*rs is just a small part of the magazine.
ReplyDeleteI also think gyaru fashion in general is in a trend of over accessorizing without trying to tie it all together. In a way I think it’s gals putting on so much to prove to others they are gal vs just being a gal. If that makes sense
It's actually irritating when I see a completely tacky outfit be considered #agejo just because its black and pink. I love MA*RS and MA*RS style, but lord people don't understand the fashion design philosophy behind MA*RS. And SUUUUUUUURE I guess it's not my business... but why bother with the label agejo, if you don't pick up the magazine...? Like actually. The thing that irritates me the most is that people can't even pick up the source material, any and every question had about agejo can be answered within it.
ReplyDeleteEx. Want a recreate-able, non-branded outfit? Look in ageha's outfit section, and not wear 3 different shades of pink lingerie in one outfit. (Also this just reminded me of the SHEIN "agejo set" where the bottom was hot pink plaid, and the top had a baby pink bow... really did not match. 😭)