Around 2006, Burberry lookalike check scarves could be purchased for about 1,000 yen, so the author recalls that many girls in her circle had both beige and gray versions.
In this article, we will introduce in detail the school uniform style of “Kogal”, who can be representative of Heisei-era Gals.
How Kogal wore their school uniforms in the 1990s
POINTS
- The skirt length should be as short as possible!
- Popular cardigan colors arebeige, white, and navy (Ralph Lauren is popular)
- Loose socks from the American brand "E.G. Smith" with a length of 100cm or more are GOOD!
- Use sock glue "sock touch" to prevent loose socks from slipping down
- Attach hibiscus accessories and hair clips to your high school school bag
- Carry a Tamagotchi with you
- The secondary bag is a "me Jane" shopping bag
- Attach a strap with charms to your PHS (Personal Handy-phone System)
- Wear scarves from brands like "Burberry" or "Fendi"
Trendy items that Kogals owned!
Loose socks
When talking about Kogals, one cannot forget "loose socks"!
Loose socks are such a staple item that they are indispensable when discussing Kogals.
In the 1990s, loose socks from the American brand "E.G. Smith" were popular, and the standard length was over 100cm! The longer the better! It was said.
As a result, some girls would prepare two pairs of loose socks, cut the lower part of one pair (like leg warmers), and wear them combined!
Also, there were "loose socks without elastic" that had their elastic removed, which were popular and commonly worn in some areas.
(Left) Normal loose socks, (Right) Loose socks without elastic
Sock touch
“Sock touch” is an sock glue used to prevent loose socks from slipping down.
Using it is easy!
Put on your socks, fold the top part outward once → apply sock glue “sock touch” around your leg → put back socks (placing it over the applied glue).
Only this!
Since the sock glue “sock touch” allowed Kogals to secure their loose socks at their preferred height, it was a favorite among many of them.
Ralph Lauren cardigans
This is also a staple item for Kogals!
Ralph Lauren cardigans in colors like beige, white, and navy were very popular.
The logo on the chest is one point and cute!
Kogal would purposely buy oversized cardigans and wear them loosely.
Although cardigans are typically worn in colder weather, Kogal would still wear them or tie them around their waists even in warmer weather.
In the summer, vest types of cardigans were popular, and many Kogals wore navy Ralph Lauren vests.
High-end brand scarves
High-end brand items were popular for scarves, which are a must-have item in winter.
Burberry scarves with their cute check pattern and Fendi scarves with their "F" whole pattern design were worn by many Kogals.
“Burberry” and “Fendi” scarves were also popular when the author was a student (around 2006), and many high school girls wore them every winter.
Mini-skirts
Shortening the school uniform skirt is a classic move!
Everyone used various methods such as folding, cutting, or sewing to make their skirts shorter.
Folding the skirt
Many girls who couldn't cut their skirts due to strict school rules would fold them to make them shorter.
Some would adjust the number of folds depending on the location, such as one fold at school and three folds outside.
This method made it easy to shorten the skirt length, but there was one downside: folding too much could distort the pleats.
Especially when folding outward, increasing the number of folds could cause the pleats to look strange and change the length of the front and back of the skirt.
As a result, many girls limited themselves to three folds.
Raising the skirt with a belt
Another popular method was using a dedicated skirt-raising belt sold in stores like East Boy and 100-yen shops to shorten the skirt length.
Once accustomed to it, you could raise the skirt neatly and quickly return it to its original length!
As this method allows you to shorten the skirt without wrinkling the pleats, it was handy to have one of these belts.
Cutting the hem
For girls attending high schools with lenient rules, cutting and hemming the skirt was the most popular method!
Once cut, there is no need to fold or raise the skirt with a belt, and you can easily wear a mini-skirt.
However, if a girl attending a school with strict rules used this method, she would have to buy a new skirt...
Sewing and hemming without cutting
Sewing and hemming without cutting was a popular method because it posed fewer risks than cutting, as it was possible to undo the hemming if needed.
Tamagotchi
Tamagotchi is a keychain-style electronic game device with the concept of a "digital carrying pet," released on November 23, 1996.
The name "Tamagotchi" is acoined word of the Japanese word for egg, "tamago," and the English word "watch."
It is a nurturing game in which players raise a character by taking care of it every day, and it became a massive hit and a social phenomenon in 1997.
At the time, having a Tamagotchi was considered a kind of status, and some Kogal even carried (and raised) multiple Tamagotchis at the same time!
In recent years, Tamagotchis are still popular among children, with numerous collaboration products featuring Sanrio, popular anime "Demon Slayer(Kimetsu no Yaiba)," and 9-member global girl group "NiziU."
Shopping bags
Shopping bags are bags given to customers when they purchase items at apparel brands.
It was called "shopper" or "shop bag".
Among the many shopping bags available, the one popular among 1990s Kogals was from the 109 brand "me Jane."
The me Jane shopping bag, with its palm tree, was a staple item for stylish Kogals.
As a standard part of the uniform style, it was used as a sub-bag or main bag.
In the late 1990s(Kogal era), was a time when high school students, known as "Super High School Students," were in the spotlight.
It wouldn't be an exaggeration to say that these super high school students created the trends of the time.
The "Kogal uniform styling" they adopted was passed down beyond the 2000s and is still a reference for uniform styles in the Reiwa era.
