Child’s Play? Exploring the Significance of Kawaii for Decora and Fairy-Kei Fashion Practitioners in Harajuku through a Case-Focused Analysis
Literature that explores alternative kawaii (‘cute’; ‘adorable’) fashion associated with Harajuku, Japan, argues that it is an infantile practice in which practitioners seek to reject adult thoughts, feelings and responsibility through childish mannerisms and dress. These understandings of kawaii fa...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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The Japan Foundation, Sydney
2020-08-01
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| Series: | New Voices in Japanese Studies |
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| Online Access: | https://newvoices.org.au/volume-12/childs-play-exploring-the-significance-of-kawaii-for-decora-and-fairy-kei-fashion-practitioners-in-harajuku-through-a-case-focused-analysis/ |
| _version_ | 1818508576863289344 |
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| author | Megan Catherine Rose |
| author_facet | Megan Catherine Rose |
| author_sort | Megan Catherine Rose |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Literature that explores alternative kawaii (‘cute’; ‘adorable’) fashion associated with Harajuku, Japan, argues that it is an infantile practice in which practitioners seek to reject adult thoughts, feelings and responsibility through childish mannerisms and dress. These understandings of kawaii fashion, however, are formed without input from practitioners themselves. Drawing upon a case-focused analysis of alternative kawaii fashion practitioners in Harajuku derived from semi-structured interviews, this article seeks to contribute to this discussion from a sociological perspective. The article focusses on decora and fairy kei, two alternative kawaii fashion styles in Harajuku that typically incorporate toys and clothing intended for children, and in doing so blur the boundaries between acceptable attire for children and adults. The article provides an overview of literature on the relationship between kawaii fashion and ‘the little girl’ (shōjo) and identifies new possibilities for expanding on current understandings of kawaii. It also seeks to complicate views that equate alternative kawaii fashion practice with childishness by placing the voices of two practitioners in dialogue with scholarly research in this area to date. In doing so, the article advocates for the voices of practitioners to be considered in future scholarship on alternative kawaii fashion with ties to Harajuku. |
| first_indexed | 2024-12-10T22:33:55Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-034499c2f0c646f7a1749621ae59698a |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2205-3166 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-12-10T22:33:55Z |
| publishDate | 2020-08-01 |
| publisher | The Japan Foundation, Sydney |
| record_format | Article |
| series | New Voices in Japanese Studies |
| spelling | doaj.art-034499c2f0c646f7a1749621ae59698a2022-12-22T01:30:59ZengThe Japan Foundation, SydneyNew Voices in Japanese Studies2205-31662020-08-01128010210.21159/nvjs.12.05Child’s Play? Exploring the Significance of Kawaii for Decora and Fairy-Kei Fashion Practitioners in Harajuku through a Case-Focused AnalysisMegan Catherine Rose0https://orcid.org/0000-0002-7741-854XUNSW Sydney and The University of TokyoLiterature that explores alternative kawaii (‘cute’; ‘adorable’) fashion associated with Harajuku, Japan, argues that it is an infantile practice in which practitioners seek to reject adult thoughts, feelings and responsibility through childish mannerisms and dress. These understandings of kawaii fashion, however, are formed without input from practitioners themselves. Drawing upon a case-focused analysis of alternative kawaii fashion practitioners in Harajuku derived from semi-structured interviews, this article seeks to contribute to this discussion from a sociological perspective. The article focusses on decora and fairy kei, two alternative kawaii fashion styles in Harajuku that typically incorporate toys and clothing intended for children, and in doing so blur the boundaries between acceptable attire for children and adults. The article provides an overview of literature on the relationship between kawaii fashion and ‘the little girl’ (shōjo) and identifies new possibilities for expanding on current understandings of kawaii. It also seeks to complicate views that equate alternative kawaii fashion practice with childishness by placing the voices of two practitioners in dialogue with scholarly research in this area to date. In doing so, the article advocates for the voices of practitioners to be considered in future scholarship on alternative kawaii fashion with ties to Harajuku.https://newvoices.org.au/volume-12/childs-play-exploring-the-significance-of-kawaii-for-decora-and-fairy-kei-fashion-practitioners-in-harajuku-through-a-case-focused-analysis/affectalternative communitiescontemporaryfashiongendergirl culturegirlsharajukukawaiijapantokyoshōjosubculturewomenyouthyouth culture |
| spellingShingle | Megan Catherine Rose Child’s Play? Exploring the Significance of Kawaii for Decora and Fairy-Kei Fashion Practitioners in Harajuku through a Case-Focused Analysis New Voices in Japanese Studies affect alternative communities contemporary fashion gender girl culture girls harajuku kawaii japan tokyo shōjo subculture women youth youth culture |
| title | Child’s Play? Exploring the Significance of Kawaii for Decora and Fairy-Kei Fashion Practitioners in Harajuku through a Case-Focused Analysis |
| title_full | Child’s Play? Exploring the Significance of Kawaii for Decora and Fairy-Kei Fashion Practitioners in Harajuku through a Case-Focused Analysis |
| title_fullStr | Child’s Play? Exploring the Significance of Kawaii for Decora and Fairy-Kei Fashion Practitioners in Harajuku through a Case-Focused Analysis |
| title_full_unstemmed | Child’s Play? Exploring the Significance of Kawaii for Decora and Fairy-Kei Fashion Practitioners in Harajuku through a Case-Focused Analysis |
| title_short | Child’s Play? Exploring the Significance of Kawaii for Decora and Fairy-Kei Fashion Practitioners in Harajuku through a Case-Focused Analysis |
| title_sort | child s play exploring the significance of kawaii for decora and fairy kei fashion practitioners in harajuku through a case focused analysis |
| topic | affect alternative communities contemporary fashion gender girl culture girls harajuku kawaii japan tokyo shōjo subculture women youth youth culture |
| url | https://newvoices.org.au/volume-12/childs-play-exploring-the-significance-of-kawaii-for-decora-and-fairy-kei-fashion-practitioners-in-harajuku-through-a-case-focused-analysis/ |
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