Yap - How to save some sanity in ur gal identity (and also in general)
Yeah I'm yapping about the events on the reddit/twt, I won't go into detail because I think that threads done enough, and instead of doing a personal attack I just wanna note some things I thought.
There are going to be times some gals do something that just doesn't fit the substyle and its going to look off. I think there's a difference between someone who just actively is like "I don't like doing (insert part of being gyaru here) because I don't like it/it's not for me)" and like if it's a ah yeah my feet hurt for a bit/I put on my driving shoes and forgot to change before the photo. I have no idea what photo was being referenced so like. I have no context on that part.
I think for the sanity part, sometimes I'll see something and be like "hm, that looks a bit off to me" and mention it to a close friend but then it's like... ok yep that's all. Sometimes I just keep it to myself as a lot of times I'll see a gal style themselves and be like "I wouldn't do that but alas not all gyaru look the same and if they like it why am I going to get up in arms."
I think I take the mindset of being rude and gatekeepy is exhausting from my personal lore of 2023/2024 and also 2016-2019. I'm 26, I only have so much time in the day, why am I going to spend it being so rude or frustrated at how others are styling themselves?
I mean also at the same time I think many gals agree it's frustrating when folks who use the gal fashion to get clout but don't really understand the subculture. There's also the valid point of giving concrit when someone asks for it. But if a gal is living their life not to one's standards of gal-ness but they aren't harming anyone, I think it's better to just keep scrolling and move on.
I can't read minds on why all gals get frustrated, but I know some gals are always worried about sullying the gyaru subculture and other gals will make it so they don't get recognized as a gyaru. I really think this is a non-issue. If you're basing yourself worth and your gyaruness if other random people don't call you a gyaru I think you should look at yourself and see why. It's just who you are. Most people outside of Japan don't even know what gyaru is anyways. So... why get up in arms?
TLDR: We all just gotta stop giving a fuck about what other gals are doing and we should be focusing on ourselves and developing as gals.
I don't really have anything 'good' to add to this convo, but I do want to share my opinion.. I understand exactly why Néné made the comments on twt that she did, and it's because she's incredibly serious about the fashion & is a perfectionist who hates to see things butchered (& as far as her 'tone', you've gotta remember that she's French and it's literally just how they talk, it's gonna sound like they're arguing with you when they're not). now if I gotta be real, I completely agree with her. In my eyes, she's not hating, but genuinely criticizing. I think it's becoming more and more common for people in certain corners of the online community to butcher parts of the style (like wearing Birkenstocks with hime...) and not in an innovative or interesting way like how the Chinese girls are doing it with hime, but also mixing unfashionable aspects into more casual styles as well. the way I see it, at that point, I think these people shouldn't get involved in fashion, solely because they're not making an effort to BE fashionable. All that being said, I'm never really gonna go out of my way to hate on any of these people publicly, because like you said, there's other shit going on; I might make a blog post or post to my 8 friends on twitter or something, but it's never really that serious. At the same time tho, if the people on Reddit are seeing these criticisms and getting offended by it... hit dogs are gonna holler LOL!! my closing statement is one I've said many times about pa-gals, they need to go to the mall and look at real fashion magazines instead of scrounging for things to be hurt by online.
ReplyDeleteI appreciate your opinion a lot! I definitely did take initially read it as a more “rude” approach since my experience w/ twitter but reading your comment helped me realize that’s Nene’s comments were just more of a criticism, I think there’s so many people who just come in a hostile manner everyone thinks everyone is being rude by default. There is also the great point in Gyaru and Fashion in general that coordination is super important, even I am like super picky on how to coordinate my outfits because I want it to look right.
DeleteI think in this specific scenario I probably wouldn’t have even noticed the initial tweets if it hadn’t been brought to the reddit, since I stopped using the platform! I think definitely gals who want to develop more as a gal can take the comments they see (even if not directed) and take it in a neutral way to learn vs the instant urge to fight back. Also I agree let’s read more of the mags!!!