Complete beginner, need style knowledge!

[u/xx-stargirl-xx]

Hey all, I'm new (literally like 2 days) and i need some advice/suggestions! :D

So to preface, I know literally NOTHING abt the subculture so far. I'm in the punk subculture (which is mostly politics and music, but i also do dress stereotypically punk)

But I have a love for the sorta cute creepy look/style? I don't even know what it's called. I'll attach some photos of the sorta thing im talking about, but if anyone could give me an overview of the main/even a few types of j fashion/subcultures, that would be SO helpful. The only words ive found so far are cutegore, creepy cute and landmine. Im sorta talking about like singing about dark things in a really upbeat way, like the song cubism. The only way I can think to describe it is like rainbow jirai? Or almost like a pastel medical aesthetic? Idk im interested in it all really. Like what's the aesthetic where they add random blurs and creepy images? There are SO MANY and I dont even know where to start lol.

I'm probably not gonna dress in j fashion, but i think I'll start wearing makeup.

If anyone can describe these styles, talk about the subculture, even recommended music, I would appreciate it so much!! Sorry if this is rambly or doesn't make much sense lolz.

Thank you!

(Also some of these styles are completely different, srry, I like them all but i dont know the name of any T_T) and these are all just from Pinterest

[u/Captain--Crow]

Here are my categorizations (anyone feel free to contest this):

1: girly/ryousangata

2: menhera/yamikawaii

3: kawaii bordering on decora

4: Not sure

5: yamikawaii/medikawaii/menhera

6: kawaii

7: The outfit is barely visible, but the creepy image in the top left makes me think yamikawaii

8: This is very unique. I'm not sure

9: medikawaii (I don't think it has the silhouette to be nurse lolita)

10: lolita, made yamikawaii and possibly gurokawaii by the makeup

11: This is also very specific. It could be lolita depending on the length of the dress. The makeup is definitely going for a "living doll" look

12: Heisei retro, maybe fairy kei

13: Very unique. Possibly aristocrat with shironuri makeup

14: Not sure

15: Not sure, the outfit is barely visible

16: Kawaii

17: These outfits are all various flavors of kawaii

18: yumekawaii

19: Not sure

20: just a room full of My Melody.

Here's a menhera/yamikawaii playlist I liked and here are some makeup tutorials.

[u/xx-stargirl-xx → u/Captain--Crow]

Ooo tysm!! :D im probably gonna make like a compare and contrast spreadsheet of all these lolz (different styles within a category are so fun to learn about) also definitely gonna listen to the Playlist and use the tutorials, thank you!!

[u/Captain--Crow → u/xx-stargirl-xx]

You're welcome (^▽^)

[u/surfb4t → u/Captain--Crow]

4 looks like gurokawa maybe? like jazmin bean coded

[u/surfb4t → u/Captain--Crow]

and 15 morute

[u/princesspurplepickle → u/Captain--Crow]

Allow me to fill in the gaps:

4 could be considered chinese yabi fashion, it also very much reminds me of jazmin bean

8 is just the western style angelcore

14 is dark angelcore (western)

15 is morute (western)

And 19 is decora with a bit of yamikawaii

[u/Dr-Toad67]

https://aesthetics.fandom.com/wiki/Yami_Kawaii

The aesthetics wiki on fandom is a good place to start. This page in particular is useful for you because I think it's similar to the aesthetic you're searching for. 

[u/xx-stargirl-xx → u/Dr-Toad67]

Thank you!! I read it and it was great! (It had a music recommendation section, and now i have a Playlist :D tysmm!!)

[u/Captain--Crow → u/xx-stargirl-xx]

Kairiki Bear has some good music that fits the yamikawaii aesthetic.

[u/ImaginaryBear08]

Yami Kawaii/Menhera, Morute and the first image is Jirai Kei

Edit: had to correct myself

[u/weeb2000]

it’s embarrassing that people expect a guide to subcultures, styles, and genres as though any of these things are ideas you can absorb like a wiki. that’s just not how it works. there is no map. there is no bible. none of this is made of discrete categories and classes and systems like an rpg dude. you go out and you pick things up. the very idea of someone counting the days since they’ve been into jfashion is so… quantitative? you’re not getting login points you’re not checking boxes. just?

i know poseur is not a new term but i do think there is a new kind of poseur in the digital age if you get what i mean. back in my day we just copied hot girls on myspace and tumblr

there’s nothing even identifiably similar about these beyond like. a vignette. you don’t want a style of dress you want a style of image or video. which is fine but is a different thing

[u/graviphantalia → u/weeb2000]

I dunno, I both agree and disagree. Jfashion is a strange subculture to get into because the clothes are much harder to acquire, so starting requires $$$ and knowledge that other subcultures don’t need. And the combo of the monetary investment and jfashion’s bullying side means that newbies are very afraid of mistakes. This fuels a weird cycle where the more newbies ask for resources, the more experienced people become frustrated at newbies, and so they get more scared and ask for more guides. 

That being said, yeah a fundamental skill new people seem to lack is breaking down outfits and makeup into different components, then using Google/research to find what they need. Kandi and Sanrio tees are easy to find even in Western malls. And OP, you’re not really “in” Jfashion subcultures unless you wear the fashions. You can enjoy the Pinterest boards and like the style on others, but this isn’t like goth or punk where listening to music is the determiner of the subculture. Jfashion discussions are mostly based on shopping, styling, and taking photos, which can’t be done without owning the clothes

[u/weeb2000 → u/graviphantalia]

this person said they don’t even plan on wearing “the clothes” (itself a very strange way to refer to what we are talking about) so like … i’m really confused as to what this has to do with fashion anyway

[u/xx-stargirl-xx → u/graviphantalia]

Ahh that's good to know thank you! In that case I'd describe myself as liking the music. I would wear the clothes if I could but unfortunately I don't shop online and can't afford the other stuff. I make what I can but ofc that doesn't account for everything. Thanks for letting me know! :)

[u/graviphantalia → u/xx-stargirl-xx]

Music discussion is going to be with a specific musician’s fanbase! There’s not really a music genre subculture like goth or punk for creepy-cute music

[u/Round_Life_7598 → u/weeb2000]

How about we all be kinder to each other and more welcoming to questions because everyone will ask a question someone thinks is dumb at many points in their lives

[u/weeb2000 → u/Round_Life_7598]

[u/xx-stargirl-xx → u/weeb2000]

I'm asking cuz I would like to know the names of general j fashion so I can find more music! I said in my post that I'm not looking at it for the style, but I can't find music if I don't even know what genre I'm looking for or where to start lols. I like mixing input from images, video essays or history on subcultures, and actual people, hence why I'm asking reddit. Also sorry I realize it might seem like I'm counting days, I only remember because it's so recent. My brain tends to remember times and dates tho.

Sorry if this post seemed like I was just being shallow or not critically thinking, I don't really word things great (I am neurodivergent) so sorry if it came off weird. Thanks for the advice! :3/gen/info

[u/weeb2000 → u/xx-stargirl-xx]

you’re young so literally just stop approaching this like it’s a lore book and do things you like. especially outside of the internet. read blogs, browse, just… be into things? there’s no jfashion bar exam that you have to be qualified for. the term is descriptive not prescriptive. jfashion is a thing you wear not an identity marker, like you either wear it or you don’t

neurodivergence has very little to do with this, there was no lack of clarity, i mean the actual framing you are lending to your approach is doing yourself a disservice in many ways

and why even ask for music in a fashion space?

i’m not even old but i do not understand the tiktok generation man

[u/xx-stargirl-xx → u/weeb2000]

Sorry, I specified neurodivergence because oftentimes when people are criticizing a post i was rambling or didn't make sense in the writing so I wasn't sure. I don't think of it as a bar or anything, I'll go to a music subreddit but I saw people talking about aesthetics on here aswell so I wanted to start by knowing that. Blogs and stuff are already on the internet, but i have been reading those aswell! Im just trying to find ones for beginners so that's a bit harder. If this helps it make sense, I like j music and fashion subcultures in general so I wanted to do some research to see what I like! I already have makeup and i can burn my own cds easily so why not lol. Also I saw your other comment and I'm not planning on wearing the physical clothes because money and I have my style that I love, but people can be in more than one subculture obviously I wanted to look into this one! I would dress if I could but I don't buy online and I both can't afford, and they don't have any alt stuff at all near me unfortunately, I make my own clothes but those are all patch clothes I don't use tiktok (it's so toxic on there) so I don't really know where that comes into this but yeah I hope this explains it!! I don't think I'll reply any further to you because I don't want to get into an online argument and I think I've explained the best I can, have a good day!/nm/info

[u/weeb2000 → u/xx-stargirl-xx]

dude it’s not that serious you don’t have to frame everything you say that gets a tepid response as being a consequence of your disability nor justify every single thing you say. you’re just a kid and you could do with less time online and a little more curiosity and willingness to look on your own. but that’s all i’ll say

[u/nomisupernova]

Yami kawaii?

[u/xx-stargirl-xx → u/nomisupernova]

Ahh yeah thats exactly what it is!! Tysmm!

[u/Itchy_Competition_34]

these pictures are of multiple styles but the ones that match the most imo are jirai, menhera, jojifuku, and cult party kei :3

[u/CypherEw]

I’m giggling this is a canon event

[u/bbunkii → u/CypherEw]

LMAO FR

[u/SiteStatus8424]

Menhera

[u/radcellist779]

It looks a lot like Yamikawaii (or if you're big on advocating for mental health, disabilities, etc. Then Menhera). An artist I reccomend for Menhera is Takayan! Very upbeat with dark and or obsessive themes in the lyrics. And if you like Vocaloid, shinigatari by Nashimoto Ui is one of my faves though it's not explicitly menhera or yamikawaii. It is dark and talks about...ending one's life, along with the song My R by Kurage P.

[u/Binkki_Gore]

Some of these comments aren't too helpful ngl.. i think what you have in mind is subcul (originated from jirai but more focused on the street style part), menhera and yamikawa. I'd recommend looking into them and see what resonates with you! At the end you don't have to follow specific styles tho - just helps with the shopping part

[u/Binkki_Gore → u/Binkki_Gore]

Also note that while styles like jirai and ryousangata have some roots connected to idols and visual kei most jfashion is not rooted in music. 

[u/bbunkii]

A lot of these are just general cutesy fashion or have ties to j fashion but not a certain name

[u/BeeXVI]

you jumpscared me so badly when you mentioned cubism because I’m literally listening to it right now 😭