Ganguro: Influenced most by “black culture” and hip-hop culture from the mid-90’s and early 2000s. Always needs dark makeup and bleached hair. Kogyaru/Kogal: The “ko” in it’s name comes from the Japanese word for “child”, meaning this form of gyaru is all about looking cute and young. It involves wearing forms of school uniforms with alterations (eg. loose socks, short skirts). Yamanba: Uses thick, bright and colourful eye makeup for an almost “panda” effect and symbols from pop culture (especially Disney characters) Manba: Uses beach-wear eg. strappy bright sundresses and sandals, and equally colourful hair highlights and tanned skin. Banba: Similar to manba, but takes inspiration from Barbie. Has naturally coloured hair and slightly lighter skin, and uses a lot of pink. Ganjiro: A more common form of gyaru that follows the culture and trends but doesn’t use the same dark skin. Tsuyome: A more subtle version of Manba/Banba that uses less heavy makeup. Onee-gyaru: A classier form of gyaru for older women and girls who wanted to retain their style but also look more professional. Subdued but still takes from American culture. B-Gyaru: A style that is all about looking like an African-American R&B artist by wearing cornrows and painting their skin brown. Not recommended, since this classifies as blackface and is offensive. Hime-gyaru: A style of gyaru that’s all about looking like a “hime” (princess). A lot of pearls, expensive products and frills are involved.
