✞♡109 BLOGGING CHALLENGE♡✞

 

Hello Everyone! 

Today I will participate in the Blog Challenge as part of Reila's 109 Month Festivities! Be sure to visit her page to see all the fun things happening this month as well.

✞ Name and Country?

My name is Ray, it's the name I go by in real life and the name my family calls me too. I thought about having a Gal name for a long time, but couldn't think of anything I liked, and I thought Ray was fine enough. 

Unfortunately I'm a US citizen ww.

✞ Since when are you gyaru?

I'm gal since 2017, but I joined the comm in 2018, and honestly I wasn't any good until I began receiving the community input. I also was "gyaru" when I was around 12, because I wanted something less extreme than lolita that I could wear to school. 

✞ How did you discover the style?

I'm really unsure of precisely when, but I know I was definitely aware of gyaru since I was quite young. I watched a lot of youtube videos as a kid so I ended up learning about a lot of things that way, and I assume I learned about it accidentally while looking for lolita content. I definitely specifically remember knowing about Lizzie and SuiPrincess way before I ever even cared about gal. 

✞ What's your current substyle? Why do you like it?

I talked about it before that I don't really put much stock into sub style, I only wear what I like and try to style it well. But, I guess if I had to pick right now I'd say I'm floating somewhere between Rokku, VisualK, and Yami type style? I have my foot half in gyaru half out ww.

I like this for me currently cause it's much closer to what I would be wearing outside of gal, which removes my temptation to not dress up as often. It also just feels more comfortable and genuine. I always want to avoid treating gal like a cosplay.

✞ What are your current booms? 

V系! And generally adding dark elements back to my look otherwise. I don't care as much about looking "stereotypically gyaru" right now like I usually might do. I'm focusing more on making my style as naturally extreme as I can, that meaning like even the second I wakeup in the morning I want to be so modified from my natural appearance that I'm unmistakably cool. "Can't Wash It Off" ww. 

Specifically, though, I'm interested in lots of piercings, big silver metal everywhere, interesting silhouettes with oversized and distressed black clothes, and designer makeup also. I'm too broke to buy new things for my boom which kills... at least it was already my style so I own a lot.

✞ Share 3 of your fav codes. Why do you like them so much?

It's hard to pick just 3, I don't have many photos of my codes and to be honest I almost ALWAYS hate them, so I think if I ever feel like they even kind of looked okay, they'll be my favorite lol.

I'm going to cheat, because the title for my favorite is currently tied between these two codes. 

The first was worn in February 2019, it consists of a d.i.a. top and belt that I accidentally stole from my x circle sister (sorry ><), off brand shorts and knee high boots with excessive rings and an ornate black metal necklace. Sujimori aqua hair with yellow money pieces (I guess I was way ahead of the trend ww) which is by FAR my favorite hair and I'm currently going back to it. I also had bright blue eyemake to match, and color coordinated STITCH AND SCRUMP NAILS which I handpainted and took me many hours. I truly felt like I reached my maximum potential that day and for literally no reason other than I just wanted to feel what it's like.

The second was worn in December 2018, and I didn't actually love this code until recently when I was told that this photo has been inspiring to other people. I was shocked!! It made me so happy. it consists of a cropped jacket-like d.i.a. top, d.i.a. sakupan, the chain taken from a d.i.a. bra, the same knee high boots, a white fox fur tail, and a leopard print Juicy Couture bag. My hair and makeup that day is really sad, though, even though I fully styled my hair, the Texas humidity got to it so it all curled back up and looked like crap in photos.

Even though this code totally isn't anything like you'd expect from me, I am pretty proud of it. Maybe that's exactly why? I think it looked really cute (aside from the damn belt that was too big for me) and I was pretty proud of pulling it off last minute (like, getting the dress that day and changing in the car kind of last minute). it consists of a fuzzy CECIL MCBEE dress, LIZLISA boots, a d.i.a. belt, and heavily rhinestoned, French tip nails. It was really fun doing a totally alien style to me for a day.

Lastly, this one is really just a representation of the general era in which I was wearing gal every single day, and I was wearing really fun colorful outfits that simultaneously pushed my comfort and made me really happy. I also really loved my hair at this time. Code consisted of COLU top and jeans,  off brand belt an fun socks, and Heelys with stickers on them (yes with the wheels in). Cute little chunky accessories to top it off.

✞Share 3 things you learned during your Gyaru journey.

My entire perception of 1) what gyaru is, what it means to BE A GAL and not just wear the clothes sometimes, 2) what a subculture/lifestyle actually looks like on an individual level and how one interacts with it 3) how to form personal style, have all been changed during my time in this community. 

✞ Share 3 gaijin gals and 3 Japanese gals you look up to.

It will be hard to pick only 6 ww. (I will try hard not to just pick my friends, so pls don't be upset if I don't say you cause I'm purposely not picking people I know for this basically.)

1) Ranzuka

Emiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiii

Gal or post-gal Emi is all someone I look up to. I know I said I'd not put anyone I know but whatever.

Delilah

Waccho

Asu

Kuua

I'm cheating since she's not gyaru but Kuua is one of my longest standing style idols.

 

✞ What's your favorite Gyaru memory?

My favorite memories are the times I've spent with my friends, going to meets and calling online, my friends are my favorite thing!

✞ What advice do you have for people who want to start in the style but doesn't have the courage yet? 

I know it sounds hollow and simple to say "just do it", but that's genuinely the only thing holding anyone back from gal, it's that they don't do it. There are so many new gals who are stalled in the very beginner phase for MONTHS, but the second they actually get off their butt and try a look even once, they improve. I think, if you're so scared about it that you can't even try it once, maybe it isn't the right thing for you? But if you really want to try it, you just don't want to have to go through the beginner phase, theres genuinely nothing that's going to get you past that phase other than JUST DOING IT AND GETTING IT OVER WITH!! The biggest trap you can get into is treating gal like a costume you dress up in only sometimes, and getting into the thought process of only wanting to wear gal on "dress up days". BE gyaru, don't DO gyaru. 

Also, the best way to do it, in my opinion, is getting in a small community space with a group of experienced gals and talking to them often and absorbing their wisdom, the voice/video calls we do in the 109Gal Discord every day are a great example of this, many new gals have improved at light speed by our encouragement and by being forced to be gal on a daily basis.

Woohoo! I did it! I'm glad I got to participate in a community challenge for the first time, go check out the events and festivities for 109 Month over on Reila's Blog if you also want to participate!

Bye for Now!