4/14/2005: Japanese women throw wigs

[Undertoad]

An interesting mix of textures here; xoB via WaPo gives us 300 Japanese women, and they are throwing their blonde wigs in the air "following a Tokyo promotional event about stereotypes of western beauty". This suggests to me that they are rejecting the stereotypes, not embracing them in some sort of graduation ceremony.

Do Japanese women want to be western? Most western men would want them to stay Japanese...

[Bitman]

I think I'm turning Japanese.
I really think so.
Wait, no I don't.

[Happy Monkey]

It looks like a screenshot from "Godzilla vs the Flying Tribbles".

[capnhowdy]

These women are pissed because their country only produces one hair color, while we have so many.
The women must be really bored over there..........
When I read the caption, the first thought I had was: I wonder if they throw them SIDEWAYS?
Gotta hand it to the Photographer, though. The shot is very good.

[xoxoxoBruce]

Only their haidresser knows for sure.....and he's not interested in sideways or any ways.

[Izanagi]

Originally Posted by Undertoad

throwing their blonde wigs in the air "following a Tokyo promotional event about stereotypes of western beauty". This suggests to me that they are rejecting the stereotypes, not embracing them in some sort of graduation ceremony.

The meaning to this "promotion" is not nearly as deep as the western media has made out.

This was for a new type of hair dye, usually when Japanese (or any black haired Asian) dyes their hair it never really looks quite right, often streaky or blotchy and if you want red it's never quite red enough. The one colour that does seem to work is blond, bimbo blond, bleach blond etc.

This new dye promises that the Japanese will no longer be stuck with just blond, but will in fact have a whole new line of (good) colours to choose from.

I think the dye is from Europe because there has been a commercial running on Japanese television for the last couple of month in which dark haired European women do the same thing.

If there was any mention of rejecting western stereotypes of beauty, the promotional company certainly weren't pushing the idea of going back to their natural black colour.

Originally Posted by Undertoad

Do Japanese women want to be western? Most western men would want them to stay Japanese...

It is a strange duality here, where many Japanese want to be western but at the same time often hate the west, it is hard to explain but if you come here it is something you notice pretty quickly.

However I too would really like them to stay Japanese, black hair can extremely beautiful, but when you realize how Japanese are controlled when they are young (especially the women), you can kind of see why so many of them colour their hair soon after getting out of high school, I think it is one of the small ways they rebel in a very repressive/conformist society.

This girl was forced to change her NATURALLY reddish hair (yes some Asians don't have pure black hair).
(Same story different article)

So you can imagine that being forced to conform so closely to everyone around them that once they get a chance to express themselves even in a small way they often jump at it.

Sorry this post is soooo long, it is just that I have seen that picture in the western media several times this week, always stating that it was promoting Asian beauty when in fact it was just promoting a "better" brand of hair colour. This was the first chance I had to respond so you guys got both barrels, so to speak.

[xoxoxoBruce]

This was the first chance I had to respond so you guys got both barrels, so to speak.

No problem there, we're always looking for the real story.

It is a strange duality here, where many Japanese want to be western but at the same time often hate the west, it is hard to explain but if you come here it is something you notice pretty quickly.

Like they are attracted to the opportunities the west affords but would handle them differently?

Aside- I noticed at your first link, this story.

"Article 3 of the Nationality Law stipulating that Japanese nationality cannot be granted to a child born to a foreign woman and a Japanese man who are a common-law couple is unconstitutional," Presiding Judge Toshihiko Tsuruoka said as he handed down the ruling.

Sounds like some changes are in the wind.

[Pearcie (AUS)]

Thanks for the info Izanagi, before I read your post I was somewhat confused. You cleared up quite a few things for me.

[BigV]

Izanagi:

Thanks for your enlightening post. Also, thanks for the link to the story and the other news items in the sidebar.

[Trilby]

I just wish they were rejecting Western notions of beauty. I wish the West would reject them, too.

[Catwoman]

The Vapors did a song called Turning Japanese. Actually I've seen a few Japanses women with dyed blond hair, and they look quite good. Always very stylish. There will always be impossible notions of beauty, western or otherwise. How else would Proctor and Gamble keep shifting all that stock?

[axlrosen]

Originally Posted by Happy Monkey

It looks like a screenshot from "Godzilla vs the Flying Tribbles".

I'm getting a slightly different mental picture: an Ed Wood film, with the wigs flapping around on visible wires...

[Saknussem]

I just saw a commercial last night for Ivory soap in which about 300-500 women of all different ethnicities were wearing blonde wigs and in a fit of brunetteness, threw them into the air. Something about changing the concepts of conventional beauty. /shrug I always thought beauty was beauty regardless of convention.

[chrisinhouston]

Over the years I've worked with a lot of fashion models for print ads and it is really quite amazing how many of them go to Japan for projects on a regular basis. I've been told by many that western models are in high demand for ads in Japanese media. They also told me that they virtually work around the clock, photo shoots at 2am are not uncommon. Perhaps it is the Japanese work ethic or perhaps getting studio time is as hard as a tee time at the golf course.

[warch]

I was reminded of some old song line:
"baby let your hair down... if you cant let it down, take the damn thing off."