Japanese Street Fashion… Patterned Tights
Check out Japanese fashion photos, tips & ideas for patterned tights perfect for all Japanese fashion tribes, from Gyaru Girls and LoliGoths to Visual Kei.
Japanese Street Fashion is divided up into a myriad of style tribes, from Japanese Gyaru Girls to Visual Kei, Decora and many more.
Many of these styles share key fashion elements – patterned tights, or long or baggy socks, or high platform soles – but these fashion elements are treated in different ways for each japanese street style.
We look at some of the awesome patterned tights out there on the streets of Japan and how they are being worn. A whole Lolita Goth outfit might be expensive, but you can still enhance your normal outfit cheaply with beautifully patterned tights…
Japanese Street Fashion – Patterned Brights
Yuko wears a crazed cheerleader clash of bright colours in the Decora style, and her entire outfit including the pretty, swirly, flowery, psychedelic tights comes from Japanese fashion brand 6%DOKIDOKI.
Sustainable Punk Aesthetic
Photo: Rainytone. Model: Julia.
OKAY, WOW. We don’t know how to classify it and don’t really wish to, but this beautiful style makes us dream of punk and post-apocalypse and Pru from Bladerunner and Debbie Harry all rolled into one. Lovely Lady Person combines neutral tones with strong primary accents (black collar, red tattoo) and the patterned tights have a sophisticated colour palette that adds edge without screaming for attention. There’s true artistry in the attention paid to colour and shape. If we saw Lady Person in the street we would buy her tulips then run away.
Tribal Tattoo Tights – Perfect for Visual Kei Fashion
From intensive scientific research (okay, a few lovely hours browsing through photos), it seems tribal tattoo tights are big in Japan. Think bold blocks of monochrome that work well with Visual Kei, Punk or – well, whatever outfit you want, but think STRONG. You can get expensive (and beautiful) similar tribal tights from Patternity. For cheaper options, it’s worth checking out Tribal tights on eBay and Tattoo tights on Etsy.
Striped Tights – Perfect for LoliGoth Fashion
This Harajuku fashion street snap was taken by KERA Magazine, 2011.
Striped tights have long been a staple of alternative fashion. They are so versatile, and oddly empowering. Whoever thought tights could be empowering? If striped tights were banned we would (a) cry and (b) form a revolution and overthrow the haters immediately.
As the photo shows, striped tights have incredible versatility – the vertical ones on the left have a Victorian touch to match Lolita Goth or Vintage styles. The more punk horizantal stripes on the right work with almost anything you’ve got in your wardrobe. You know, there used to be a huge fight as to whether these tights should be called ‘striped’ or ‘hooped’. ‘Striped’ won, but really, with tights as lovely as these, we all did!
Layered Patterns and Colours
Model: 28 year old designer Yamada.
Patterned tights can be worn to jazz up an outfit of block colours or monochrome clothes. They can also be used to layer a vast array of colours, textures and patterns that look great even if the style rules say they shouldn’t match. We suggest that the style rules should, ahem, drown themselves in a large water barrel. Wear what you want!
Bright Fishnets – Perfect for Decora Fashion
Model Vani wears bright fishnets in the kawaii Decora style, with clothes from 6%DOKIDOKI.
6%DOKIDOKI is a wonderful brand for Decora clothing, but if you can’t afford it, just think pastels and brights and lots of them. Vani opts for bright turquoise fishnet tights, and fishnets are fantastic because they can be worn over sheer tights in another colour, or layered up with ankle socks or long socks or legwarmers… so versatile, and let there be no slut shaming for anyone who wears them.
Graffiti Tights – Perfect for Gyaru Girls
Gyaru Girls play around with western ideals. This B-Gyaru Girl is strongly feeling the hip-hop vibe, and in her graffiti tights, we are equally strongly feeling her look. If you are too, you could try these Graffiti Tights from Attitude Clothing.
Jester Tights / Two Tone Tights- Perfect for Decora / Visual Kei
Two-toned jester tights are a bold look, not for the faint-hearted. You can get cheap two tone tights on eBay (about $6 / £4) and some really gorgeous black and pink Pamela Mann ones for only £3.99
Japanese street fashion shows us that patterned tights can be part of a wildly artistic outfit… but their true beauty is that they are a simple and cheap way of changing your existing wardrobe into something new. The secret to patterned tights is… start small. Think big. Let your legs come alive.
