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The kawaii culture is a growing trend in the Japanese region. On the other hand, the goth culture is making global presence. These two started around the 1970s and 1980s, and with the right amount of exposure, found their way into creating another subculture; the kawaii goth. However, what does it mean to be kawaii goth?
To understand what Kawaii goth is all about, you need to have a knowledge on one of its roots; the kawaii culture. Being kawaii is all about being adorable. It is the culture of cuteness in Japan. In that aspect, it isn’t that difficult to be part of the kawaii trend. It just involves a lot of cute items, from bright-colored clothing to accessories ranging from pink sling bags to bright colored ruffle dresses.
Being part of the goth culture is the opposite of kawaii. It is about hatred, violence, and the macabre. In this aspect, it revolves around the color black. People into the trend extensively wear black since it is the universal color for death and rebellion. It includes black clothes to black makeup. However, the inspiration of the goth culture comes from the Victorian mourning cult, so they are also clad in black ruffle dresses, headdresses, fishnets, and high cut boots.
At this point, you might be wondering how two completely opposite cultures can come together and create one subculture. However, it is not all that rare. It capitalizes on the idea that every person has a side to want to look cute but also wants to share a side of mysteriousness. Believe it or not, there is a huge following for it, much bigger than its parental counterparts in the Japanese region.
Combining the two cultures has resulted in a mix of fashion styles. Depending on the interpretation and how extreme a wearer wants to go, there are different variations on what can be considered kawaii goth. However, there is a baseline criterion so you can immediately fall within the category. You surely don’t want to be walking around wanting to look mysterious only to be recognized as too kawaii.
In terms of color selections, kawaii goth leans more towards the gothic culture. It has strong preference over the color black, from dresses to the makeup itself. However, this may not be all that strict. You can mix this shade with other colors as well, such as red, white, and purple. The rule of thumb is that black should be the one that stands out the most. Other colors serve to give a different twist to the outfit, allowing it to have a side of kawaii.
The kawaii goth culture veers more towards women, especially in the Japanese region. It is rare to find men practicing the culture. As a result, most of the garments and design elements to kawaii clothing are mostly for women. Again, it has a strong preference towards the gothic fashion style. It is mostly Victorian ruffled dresses but with lesser to no presence of leather.
However, not all black dresses will do. There is an abundance of see-through cloth, long sleeves, and stockings. In most cases, it gives the impression of going to the funeral. In other instances, it provides a sight of cuteness but all colored in black. Some kawaii goth outfits might look that of a maid’s or schoolgirl, but with enough ruffles and black to make it look mysterious.
Accessories play a significant role in displaying your kawaii goth culture. For one, jewelry makes a strong impact. The most common are stainless steel symbols, ranging from crosses to pentagrams. Headdresses are also a common sight. It can be intended to keep the hair in place or just for style. You might be able to find huge black ribbons or ruffled head covers that gives the impression of cuteness as well as an impending funeral.
While goth has a strong preference to leather, kawaii goth stirs away from that. You are not going to find any leather here. This is where the kawaii culture mostly dominates. It is all about soft ruffled cloth to give off the impression of cuteness while covered in black.
There is no one way to characterize how all kawaii goth people look like, but if you don’t want to be miscategorized, then there is a general criterion you can follow. Stick with the black ruffled dresses and cute accessories, you are then good to go. A kawaii goth who exhibits a cute and adorable aura with a hint of hatred and mystery.
