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File:Classic-gyaru-ikebukuro2009.jpg

Gyaru get their photo taken in Ikebukuro.

Gyaru (ギャル?) is a Japanese transliteration of the English word gal. The name originated from a 1970s brand of jeans called "gals", with the advertising slogan: "I can't live without men", and was applied to fashion- and peer-conscious girls in their teens and early twenties. Its usage peaked in the 1980s and has gradually declined. The term gradually drifted to apply to a younger group, whose seeming lack of interest in work or marriage gained the word a "childish" image. It is now used almost interchangeably with kogyaru and younger generations may consider it clichéd or even archaic.

Varieties of gyaru[]

There are various subcategories of "gals" depending on the choice of fashion, and also gender.

  • Ganguro gyaru (ガングロギャル): a gal with an artificial deep tan and bleached hair. This style was popular in the late 1990's and early 2000, and while that is no longer the case, there are still a quite a few people who wear this fashion.
  • Kogyaru: generally a high school student (高校生 kōkōsei).
  • Mago gyaruo a middle school gal. (中学校 chūgakkō).
  • Oyajigyaru (オヤジギャル): from oyaji and gyaru. A gyaru who behaves in a masculine way, who drinks beer and uses rough language.
  • Oneegyaru (お姉ギャル): a gyaru who has graduated from high school, and thus become a more mature onee-san (literally "elder sister" but, here, "young lady"). The style is more sophisticated.
  • Ogyaru (汚ギャル): a dirty or disheveled gyaru who may forsake daily baths or takes little care in her behaviour and dress, even by gyaru standards.
  • Gyaruo (ギャル男): the gyaru's male counterpart. See Gyaruo.
  • Manba (マンバ): deep tan and contrasting white make-up. Their hair is usually pastel-coloured or blonde, and very long and back-combed. Their clothes are neon and layered.
  • Kigurumin*: wear kigurumi, a type of pajama-suit that resembles an animal and sometimes cartoon characters.
  • Bibinba (ビビンバ): this look usually includes a lot of gold and jewellery. Similar to b-gal.
  • Banba (バンバ): Can also be seen as a lighter, brighter form of manba, though they are distinct styles. Banba wear less of the white makeup than manba and wear brighter clothes. Club wear is popular. They also use more glitter, and have a neon touch to their hair. They use more extreme-looking types of false eyelashes and coloured contact lenses. The most respected Gal-cir is Angeleek; there are 22 members in their Tokyo group, and they have many other groups throughout the country.
  • Kyoba bo-i: the male banba. The make-up is similar to Sentaa-gai's, but the eyes can be made up to look bigger. They accessorize excessively and commonly don bangs.
  • Himegyaru (姫ギャル): girls who dress as princesses. Hair colours vary from blonde to black and is usually very big and teased. They wear expensive clothing from brands such as Liz Lisa and Jesus Diamante.
  • Gyaru-kei (ギャル系): Is the modern general gyaru style. It has many substyles such as Amekaji(American Casual), Saike(Psyche), Bohemian, Rokku(Rock), and Haady, which a creation of Egg magazine that includes bright, wild prints tied in with a punk style fashion.

See also[]

  • Gyaru-moji, a type of lettering used in mobile phone messages by gals
  • Moe
  • Subculture
  • Gyaruru

External links[]

ko:갸루

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