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ギャル culture
NHK's current 朝ドラ (morning serialized drama) called おむすび stars 橋本環奈 (Here is our page about her) and follows the story of a young woman, 結 (Yui), who becomes involved in the 1990s ギャル culture. The series explores her experiences with friendship, self-expression, and navigating the challenges of fitting in with the ギャル lifestyle while maintaining her individuality.
What is ギャル Culture?
Ah, the ギャル culture—where do we even start? Picture the boldness of oversized hair, platform shoes that could double as step stools, and makeup that says, “I woke up like this—but with a lot of effort.”
ギャル culture was more than a fashion statement; it was a movement, a declaration of freedom that started shaking up Japan in the late 1980s and the remnants of it continue to this day. It's as if someone took the polished, traditional image of the Japanese お嬢さん (young lady) and flipped it on its head, doused it in glitter, and added a dash of unapologetic swagger.
Before we dig into it further, allow me to give you my perspective.
When I (Clay) arrived in Japan in 1998, ギャル culture was at its peak, but I was... clueless. Living in rural Fukui, I never saw anyone in full-blown ガングロ style (see below). Sure, I noticed girls decorating their ケータイ flip phones with shiny, kawaii stickers and wearing ルーズソックス (loose socks) held up with globs of glue, but that was the extent of my exposure.
In fact, during the three years I lived in Fukui, I may have gone to Tokyo... once. And I definitely didn’t stop in 原宿.
So, watching おむすび made me wonder what I missed.
A lot, apparently.
A ギャル Definition
A ギャル is a young Japanese woman known for her flashy fashion, bold makeup, and rebellious spirit. The term originally represented freedom and extravagance for young women, evolving through different subcultures over the years.
But why ギャル, and what’s behind it all? After digging through Japanese pop culture history (fueled by plenty of coffee), here's what I found out.
The Origin of ギャル Culture
The roots of ギャル culture go back to the 1980s. During Japan's bubble economy, the "ボディコン" (short for "body conscious") style, which emphasized body lines, became highly popular. Influences from American surfer styles and looks also played a major role in shaping early ギャル fashion, adding a carefree and rebellious edge. It was in this setting that the term "ギャル" (from the English word "gal") first appeared, symbolizing freedom, flashy fashion, and the confident style of women during that era.
Timeline of Styles
Late 1980s to Early 1990s: パラギャル
From the late 1980s to the early 1990s, a style known as "パラギャル" (short for "パラダイスギャル") became popular. This fashion was inspired by American beaches and surfers, characterized by mini dresses and white sneakers.
1990s: コギャル and アムラー
In the 1990s, ギャル culture spread further with the emergence of "コギャル" (the 'コ' comes from 高校生, meaning high schooler). These high school girls frequented clubs and embraced flashy fashion—dyed brown hair, mini skirts, and all. Around this time, a new trend called "アムラー," inspired by singer 安室奈美恵 (Amuro Namie) (see link: https://makotoplus.com/%e5%ae%89%e5%ae%a4%e5%a5%88%e7%be%8e%e6%81%b5/), also rose in popularity. アムラー fashion featured Burberry mini skirts and platform boots, defining a major sub-trend of the 90s.
Late 1990s to Early 2000s: ヤマンバ and マンバ
The late 1990s to early 2000s marked the peak of ギャル culture, featuring styles like "ヤマンバギャル" and "マンバギャル," which were characterized by extreme tanning and vivid, colorful makeup. The "ガングロ" style also became popular, recognized for even darker tanned skin and bleached blonde hair.
2000s: 白ギャル, お姉ギャル, and アゲ嬢
In the 2000s, "白ギャル," influenced by Hamasaki Ayumi, became trendy, featuring bleached blonde hair and fair skin. Variations of ギャル fashion like "お姉ギャル" and "アゲ嬢" also emerged, highlighting a growing diversity in ギャル styles. お姉ギャル offered a more mature take on ギャル fashion, while アゲ嬢 was influenced by hostess fashion, adding a glamorous flair to the movement.
ヤマンバ
姫ギャル
Definitions of the Major Styles
- パラギャル: Late 1980s to early 1990s style inspired by American beach culture, featuring mini dresses and white sneakers.
- コギャル: High school girls in the 1990s known for their flashy fashion, dyed brown hair, and mini skirts.
- アムラー: A style from the 1990s inspired by Namie Amuro, featuring Burberry mini skirts and platform boots.
- ヤマンバギャル / マンバギャル: Late 1990s to early 2000s styles with extreme tanning and colorful makeup.
- ガングロ: A late 1990s style with deeply tanned skin and bleached blonde hair.
- 白ギャル: A 2000s style influenced by Ayumi Hamasaki, featuring bleached blonde hair and fair skin.
- お姉ギャル: A sophisticated and mature version of ギャル fashion, emerging in the 2000s.
- アゲ嬢: A glamorous style inspired by hostess fashion, also appearing in the 2000s, and inspired by the magazine 小悪魔ageha.
The Three Rules of the ギャル According to おむすび
In the sixth episode of the 朝ドラ "おむすび," the ギャル leader outlined three rules for the ギャル mindset. While these rules are from a fictional series, they capture the essence of what ギャル culture was all about:
仲間が呼んだら、すぐに駆けつける
"If a fellow ギャル calls a meeting, everyone must join at once.”
Vocabulary
他人の目は気にせず、自分の好きなことを貫く
"Don't care about others' opinions—stay true to what you love.”
Vocabulary
ダサいことはしない
"Never do anything uncool.”
Vocabulary
For more on these rules and the ギャル culture depicted in おむすび, check out Real Sound: https://realsound.jp/movie/2024/10/post-1801933.html.
Current State of ギャル Fashion
In the 2010s, ギャル culture started to tone down, shifting towards simpler and more sophisticated styles. However, in the 令和 era, ギャル culture has seen a revival. Younger generations have rediscovered and reevaluated the unique values and free-spirited nature of ギャル culture, embracing the rebellious and liberated spirit it originally stood for.
Conclusion
In essence, ギャル culture was a vibrant street fashion embraced by young women—typically in their teens to early twenties—who had their own unique style of language (ギャル語). They might have seemed frivolous on the surface, but there was a cheerful and rebellious spirit beneath it all. ギャル often frequented tanning salons to achieve their iconic dark skin tone, and they wore flashy, eye-catching clothing that broke away from traditional norms.
Rebellion wrapped in glitter—unapologetic fun and flair.
Sources and More Information:
- https://ja.wikipedia.org/wiki/%E3%82%AE%E3%83%A3%E3%83%AB
- https://nendai-ryuukou.com/history/012.html
- https://kld-c.jp/blog/what-is-gal
- https://realsound.jp/movie/2024/10/post-1801933.html
- https://the-comm.online/ja/blog/the-history-of-gyaru/
- https://www.buzzfeed.com/jp/saoriibuki/shibuya-ganguro-togisen
- https://ir.lib.hiroshima-u.ac.jp/42505/files/30177
- https://5pmjournal.0101.co.jp/column/other/a0620/
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