It’s hard to believe that it was less than thirty years ago that the word “Gyaru” was barely even known outside of Japan.
It’s no secret that the ’80s were a time of change. With the emergence of new music, fashion, and trends, it was hard to keep up with what was happening—but one thing was clear: young women had become more stylish than ever before. That’s when the term “gal” came into play.
The word “gal” has been used to describe young women in Japan since at least the ’50s, but it wasn’t until the 1980s that it became popularized as a way to describe a certain type of woman who embodied certain characteristics: she was fashionable, outgoing, and confident—and she didn’t care what other people thought!
Gal was an icon for women everywhere who were sick of being told what they should look like or act like. They wanted to express themselves however they pleased without worrying about what other people thought about their choices. At the end of the 80’s, Gyaru from Shibuya took the world by storm as models and actresses began embracing this style with gusto!
Gyaru from Tokyo’s Shibuya district took over the world. They were known for their colorful hair, bold makeup, and casual clothes. But by the mid-2000s, it seemed like their popularity had run its course—there were barely any Gyaru magazines being published, a majority of Gyaru brands had closed up shop, and most people had stopped dressing like them.
Then something happened: Reiwa started up and brought with it a renewed interest in Japanese culture. Soon after, many specialized magazines focused on Gyaru culture started publishing again (i.e. EGG, ageha, nuts making their comeback).
More importantly, if you’re a gal and you don’t have the gal mind, are you still a gal? The answer is yes. But if I’m being honest, there’s something to be said for having that positive attitude about life—that “Gal” mindset—which can help us cope with any challenge and find joy in even the smallest things.
So what does it mean to have a gal mind?
→ It means always thinking positively and never worrying about details.
→ It means not caring what other people say about you.
→ They are refreshing: Basically, they don’t worry about human relationships and they say things with their chest.
→ They always have a positive outlook on life, no matter what happens.
→ You don’t see them complaining about anything. If they see something wrong with someone or something else, they just ignore it or move on—they don’t dwell on negativity!
→ They always have positive commentary with the spirit of “something good will happen”
→ If you don’t worry about the details and have a positive spirit, even if you don’t look like a Gyaru as you get older, you can tell, ‘You’re a Super Gyaru, aren’t you?’
So here’s the thing, right? We’re seeing issues on Gyaru on both ends of the spectrum with Japan and overseas: Japanese “Gyaru” like Aochanp call others out for capitalizing on “their culture” (Hello pot? Kettle is calling! 🙄) and overseas we get the drama of how vets are gatekeeping Gal to the new generations. Literally NONE of the drama is part of being a Gal.
If you’re still learning about Gyaru, my best advice for you right now is check your personality. Are you supportive of others or do you jump at shooting first and asking questions later? Bookmark this, save this somewhere so you have it handy and keep in mind what Gals like newEGG’s editor coincide with in various interviews circling Reiwa and Gyaru as hot topics.