Dress Code in Japan

Hello,

I'm a 20 yr old college student who will be studying abroad in Japan for 4 months starting in April.

I'm curious about the ''dress code'' for foreigners going to Japan

I know certain fashion trends are international, but the level of what is appropriate differs from country to country.

I want to know as a young women in japan, what is too short? what is culturally inappropriate?

fyi...I'm talking about day to day casual dress. I understand a formal or business situation is completely different

By the way. This is a random question in addition to the main one...but I have a really cute pair of shorts that are my fav, but they have a bleached American flag like print in them like this:

http://todayimwearing.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/06/american-flag-sho...


would that be okay to wear?

Thank you and sorry for my long rambling question haha

Tangie

I wouldn't wear that...Some people might be offended, if it didn't have the American flag on it, I would say go for it but maybe with leggings. "Above the thigh is too high" lol

Try a nice skirt instead or trousers, maybe to start off with. The older people in Japan may look at you and gain a silly impression that's how you identify Americans; always wearing their flag on their ass lol

Kind of like you can identify a tourist in New York when they wear a 'Big Apple' or "I *heart* New York t-shirt or something! It's amusing, but maybe not appropriate for a student. There's a limit to how much thigh a student can have showing, plus you may get horrible sunburn during the hot months you'll be there for.

I know even here in Scotland, you'd be look down upon for wearing something like that, even when we do tend to wander around in t-shirts during winter months. It's always nice to leave a good impression, right?

Japanese women tend to layer their clothes more (for example, when wearing a short skirt, always wearing tights underneath). I was told by someone I go to know here who went to study in Japan that she was stared at when she wore a tank top and short shorts during the summer.

With the majority of the population being Japanese though, if you're non-Japanese (and look like it), you're probably going to get looks anyway so you might as well wear what you want =)

I don't see any inconvenient, specially if you go to Shibuya on Sunday. LOL!!!

You can wear what you want in my experience of Japanese fashion- but are you prepared to be stared at? You are already going to attract attention to yourself if you don't look Japanese.

I can't say I've ever seen shorts that short in Japan without tights on underneath.

Even in an Australian summer they would be pretty short shorts but maybe I'm just getting old?

Enjoy your exchange trip.

Thanks for all of your answers

I am a Caribbean-American female with thick curly hair so I'm pretty sure I'm gonna get stares either way

I understand the shorts in that picture are too short (I think that's too much as well) those were just an example :)

I was just curious because I see many Japanese girls wearing really short skirts and shorts


would somebody tell me about the cleavage rule by the way? I hear it's really important and different than American standards but I don't really know much about that

Thank you

I'm not sure what you mean by "cleavage rules". Actually you can dress as you like unless you are having a job interview but do bring something conservative as well.
Also, you'd be using escalators often when you will be in the cities so don't embarrass us poor guys like some local high school girls do (what? you are accusing me of trying to peek inside your ridiculously shortened skirts on a escalator? situation).

Sorry, saying "cleavage rules" sounds really dumb lol

In America and other parts of the world, with a certain amount of decency, a lot of women show a small amount of cleavage or decolletage. v neck and scoop neck shirts are popular.

I heard however that in Japan showing decolletage and any cleavage at all is seen as REALLY inappropriate not just in a business setting but in casual wear as well

so I wanted to know more about that...