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Now, Kei fashion in general is a much, much broader spectrum than singularly Decora. I will most likely explain at least a few of the other types, and perhaps delve into the concept of “Kei”s in a later blog post, but this is unfortunately not that post. So let’s get some background, shall we?
Decora-kei is a style of self expression that originated in the Harajuku area of Japan, a place known for its explorative street fashion. Photographers wait on the streets there, to find a unique look to photograph and add to their various portfolios and projects. Decora models are, obviously, very easy to spot, considering they’re all decked from head to toe in bright colors and fun little details.
The general impression of Decora is that it’s childish, or some kind of costume to be worn on occasion. Looking closer at the details that put together such a complicated sense of style should, hopefully, inform any observer of the hours of painstaking effort ad momentous amount of creativity required to live an entire life like this. Every detail is planned out meticulously, to reflect the interests, personality, and personal style of every individual.
Decora-Kei, unlike the subcultures we’ve looked at before, doesn’t really have branching sub-styles or anything quite like that, but what it does have is an absolutely endless variety of color combinations and personal styles of wildly complex self expression.
Also unlike the other subcultures we’ve discussed, I have not, in any way, experimented with Decora-Kei fashion. Nor have I experimented with anything similar to it- mostly because I do not personally have the time or money to accomplish something on that scale. I hope that that could be a testament to the serious nature of this style and the effort that goes into it.
The Globe Wardrobe 