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Ganguro, literally "face-black," is a fashion trend among Japanese girls,
an outgrowth of chapatsu hair dyeing. The basic look is bleached-blond hair
and a deep tan, produced by tanning beds or makeup. The intent is to produce
the tanned, blond California beach girl look or a black woman. Accessories
include high platform shoes or boots, purikura photo stickers, and cellular
phones.
The Shibuya and Ikebukuro districts of Tokyo are the center of ganguro
fashion. It goes against the grain of the usual Japanese standard of female
beauty, which calls for skin as white as possible. The roots of the trend
are said to be in the mid-1990s, starting with a popular tanned Okinawan
singer named Amuro Namie and black British fashion model Naomi Campbell.
Some sources say that the "gan" syllable in ganguro is actually from the
term "gan-gan", a vulgar emphasis word somewhat like the British use of
"bloody."
Ganguro taken to the next level is called yamanba. The Gothic lolita
style can be seen as a counter-reaction to ganguro style.
Editor's Note: Ganguro has actually been out of style since around 2001
or so.
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