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Takeshita Street - Takeshita Street in Tokyo's Harajuku district is a pedestrian-only shopping strip popular among Japan's fashion-conscious youngsters.

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Takeshita Street - Lined with fashion boutiques, cafes, and restaurants, the street is a thriving urban hub, often responsible for influencing or creating trends. It's along this street and other Harajuku hangouts that the country's street fashion culture evolved.

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Decora fashion style -

While its popularity peaked in the mid-2000s, Decora, a Japanese street fashion that means "Decorate" or "Decorated," is still appreciated by those who love to pair predominantly pink tutu-like skirts with layered stockings, leg warmers, arm warmers, and knee socks.

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Decora fashion style -

Numerous cute girly accessories—beads, bracelets, rings, and bow ties—in all the colors of the rainbow are worn to complete the novel decora picture.

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Kogal style fashion -

Kogal is a Japanese street fashion culture that involves schoolgirls wearing an outfit based on the Japanese school uniform, but with very short skirts. Kogal is frowned upon by many critics, who see the style as fetishizing the school uniform and promoting conspicuous consumption. The kogal phenomenon has never represented a majority of teenage girls, and the trend peaked in the late 1990s.

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Ganguro fashion style -

Those Japanese women distinguished by a dark tan, black eyeliner, white concealer used as lipstick and eye shadow, and with hair dyed in shades of orange to blonde, or a silver grey, are enthusiastic advocates of the Ganguro street fashion trend.

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Ganguro fashion style -

The trend was initiated by rebellious youth who turned their backs on the traditional Japanese concept of beauty; pale skin, dark hair, and neutral makeup tones. Somewhat ironically, Ganguro eventually fizzled out when many young women chose to follow a bihaku ("beautifully white") craze that took off in the early 2000s.

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Japan's Lo-lita fashion trend - Japanese street fashion trends come and go, but there's one style of dress that's endured, and indeed has gained a worldwide following—Lo-lita!

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The Lo-lita look -

This look has evolved into an entire fashion subculture. It's heavily influenced by Victorian and Edwardian children's clothing and, less so, styles from the mid-18th century Rococo period.

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The aesthetic of cuteness - Lo-lita fashion's signature look is cuteness or Kawaii. It's important to stress that within Japanese culture Lo-lita refers to cuteness and elegance, rather than to sexual attractiveness. Its meaning also extends to any nonhuman or item that is charming, vulnerable, shy, and childlike.

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Lo-lita substyles -

As a clothing subculture, Lo-lita fashion can be categorized into three main substyles: 'Sweet' (pictured), 'Classic,' and 'Gothic.'

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Classic Lo-lita -

The standout feature of Lo-lita fashion is the volume of the skirt. This is accentuated by a petticoat or crinoline. Components of the Classic look incorporate stand collars, high-waist ruffles, and long- or short-sleeved blouses.

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Classic Lo-lita -

Long-sleeved ruffles add Victorian elegance to the classic outfit. Cotton, chiffon, and rayon yarn are favored materials.

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Sweet Lo-lita - Here's where Western culture has influenced Lo-lita fashion. These eccentric outfits draw on those worn by the fictional Alice in 'Alice in Wonderland'—lots of lace, cotton, and playful patterned motifs.

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Sweet Lo-lita - The design of this suspender skirt has clearly drawn on playing cards and the Queen of Hearts from Lewis Carroll's 1865 novel. And the tea party strap bow shoes certainly fit the theme.

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The influence of Marie Antoinette -

Marie Antoinette, the queen who lost her head after the French Revolution, has also inspired Lo-lita fashion. Layered muslin dresses and tulle ruffle petticoats frequently hold court over Classic designs.

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Headwear options - Lo-lita's often wear fashion wigs in combination with other headwear such as bows and bonnets.

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What's the attraction? - Why follow Lo-lita fashion? It's said that embracing this look acts as a protest against traditional Japanese society. Perhaps it boosts self-confidence, or expresses an alternative identify. Or maybe it's simply a way of having fun?

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Gothic Lo-lita -

Gothic Lo-lita is altogether darker, the style influenced by the Victorian cult of mourning, where the bereaved would don black clothing for weeks on end. Ink blue, deep maroon, and charcoal grey are favored hues.

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Gothic Lo-lita - Pale complexions with colored black hair, dark eyeliner, and predominantly black clothes clearly identify the Gothic Lo-lita. Oh, and the odd chin brace or bandage does wonders to accentuate the image!

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Gothic Lo-lita - Gothic icons, items that include crosses, skull rings, black cat motifs, and the blood rose are the accessories of choice, add-ons that enhance the Lo-lita silhouette. Venice lace chokers or a rosary are also worn.

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Lo-lita brands - Lo-lita fashion brands include Baby The Stars Shine Bright, with stores in Shinjuku, Yokohama and other cities; and Angelic Pretty in Tokyo and Osaka, among other Japanese destinations.

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Kadona fashion style -

The "Boystyle" shares many aesthetics with Lo-lita and is seen as the male counterpart of the style. Accessories err towards the masculine: ties, jabots, pocket watches etc... Hair tends to be shorter to accentuate the boyish look.

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Kimono fashion style -

Despite the bizarre blend of attire being showcased on the street, Japanese fashion is still influenced by historic culture. The wearing of the traditional kimono is widely practiced, though many youngsters will add their own unique signature by mixing the kimono with contemporary accessories such as designer bags and footwear.

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21st-century Japanese street fashion - While independent fashion labels once ruled the street, the trend today is to mix national and international fashion brands in a display of cosmopolitan chic. Pictured are two models wearing Miu Miu, an Italian high fashion women's clothing and accessory brand, and a fully owned subsidiary of Prada.

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Harajuku district -

Street fashion is still a prominent visual feature of Tokyo. But the labels tend to be international signatures rather than those of local fashion houses

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Independent v. mainstream -

That said, Harajuku's surviving independent fashion boutiques share an uneasy alliance with the better-known chain stores and branded luxury goods merchandisers.

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Omotesandō Avenue -

Tokyo's Omotesandō Avenue is Harajuku's gilded thoroughfare, a tree-lined retail destination featuring dozens of fashion flagship stores including Gucci, Louis Vuitton, and Alexander McQueen. If it's big in Japan, it's right here, right now. 

See also: Fascinating photos of life in 1920s Japan

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