a’me-a’pa
January 23rd, 2009
“My name is Megumi. I’m nineteen years old. I’m from Osaka.
What’s your favorite fashion point today?
(今日の服装で一番のポイントは？)
“It’s my belt.”
“Why’s that?”
“What is it … It’s my favorite color. Purple.”
“Did you make it by hand?”
“No, everything is American Apparel.”
“Whoa! Cool. So, what’s your outfit about today? What’s your inspiration?”
(First I said 服装の感情 which means feeling of dress, but then my buddies said I should use ポリシー, meaning one’s personal policy.）
“My policy is … how can I make wearing American Apparel as good-looking as possible? (アメリカンアパレルをどれだけかわいく着れるかみたい.)
“Do you work for them?”
“No, I’m a just a fan is all. And it’s something to distinguish yourself, it’s easy to dance in, since I love going to clubs. Club clothes, that’s the feeling. That’s all.
“So what’s your current obsession?”
(一番はまっていることは？)
“Music from the England. Foals, for example. I’m also into going to clubs, but I only started going recently, so I don’t really know many. But I think Stomp is good. In Shinsaibashi.”
“What are some of the best and worst things about Osaka and Kansai Gaidai fashion?”
“Whoa, difficult! Umm … Even though Osaka is really ha-de (showy, loud, colorful), I like it. It’s good. As for Kansai Gaidai, I think there’s a lot of gyaru and gyaru-o.”
(Gyaru and gyaru-o are more or less Japan’s version of ridiculous hipsters.)
“What do you think about Osaka compared to Tokyo?”
“Compared to Tokyo, Tokyo is by far more fashionable. By far. The level is different.”
（だんぜん東京の方がおしゃれ）
“But what about Osaka?”
“Oh, I love Osaka. But Tokyo has more fashionable stores and more people, and there are more fashion schools… Everyone is concentrated. There’s a total convergence.”
I’m not exactly trying to build a case that Philly is to New York as Osaka is to Tokyo, but I can’t help constantly feeling that vibe. Megumi said she loves Osaka, but Tokyo is by far more fashionable, just on account of all the resources there. Sounds like New York to me! My one Osaka homeboy waxed poetic about how Tokyo is a fun place to visit, but just too crazy and impersonal for him. Hmmm! Thoughts, dear readers?
