Final project research - Yami kawaii culture & Kawaii culture in the west

Introduction to Yami-Kawaii Culture

Yami-Kawaii translates to Dark-Cute or Sick-Cute.

Yami kawaii is a fashion that's emerged within Harajuku's vast style subcultures. Yami Kawaii's motif's are based on themes of mental health, illness and the grotesque. This is then partnered alongside pastel colours and feminine cuts, to create a look that at first glance is joyful but on closer inspection is more morbid in tone. 

The fashion is closely related to its counterpart 'Yume-Kawaii' which is the far more recognised hyper-feminine, cute aesthetic.  

I myself love wearing and learning about harajuku fashion, but I also have a deep interest in the macabre and physical mutilation in media. As such this particular fashion really stood out to me, as it combines clothes that I would wear day to day, with themes that are typically considered taboo. 

The picture above is of Menhera Chan, a mascot of the Yami-Kawaii fashion. 

This particular fashion in Japan has stemmed from the uniformity and restrictive nature of the culture, talking about mental illness and sickness is seen as taboo, despite this Japan has one of the highest suicide rates. This fashion is a way to express the far more common emotions many people feel, whilst making it their own, making it digestible. It's like sugar coating a razorblade. 

In the documentary the creator of Menhera Chan, explains that there is a demand for things people are avoiding talking about, this is something seen in many media outlets throughout history, using humour and bold statements to show the hidden unease of the time. 

The west is far more aware that self-harm and suicide is an epidemic among teenagers and young adults, whether it's a cry for attention or to give relief to those who are suffering, we see it as treatable. However, there are still many negative associations with mental health, assuming its done for attention and should be ignored in the same way as a tantrum.  

Comment found in YT comment section of Refinery29's video on Yami-Kawaii

Cute being taboo in the west

Something I actually feel is more taboo is dressing in a very hyper cute and feminine way, western society see's this form of fashion as childish and sets an age cap as to how long we should be dressing this way. I myself love super bright and bold kawaii fashion, I also buy very cute plush toys and decor for myself, this is seen as something I 'should grow out of' and will put off potential partners. My parents are very supportive and have helped with buying some more expensive brand pieces, they do think that I will 'grow out of' buying cute things. 

I don't quite understand how something cute and creative as a lifestyle has to be grown out of. But this is a very common mindset, you will regularly get both very positive and negative feedback if you're wearing kawaii fashion outside the home, some people will want pictures and others will shout slurs across the street.