・Hibiscus-patterned skirts ×Simple tops×platform sandals
・Hibiscus-patterned cami dresses×platform sandals
Many gal incorporated Hibiscus-patterned items into their outfits, like the combinations shown in the illustrations!
Ganguro and gonguro were all the rage during the heyday of gal from around 1998 to the early 2000s.
Popular brands among the Ganguro generation included ALBA ROSA, me Jane, Roco NAILS, etc.
It was a time when Aloha-themed brands were extremely popular.
Here are some examples of the "Loco girl-style fashion" that became popular among the girls during that time.
What were some popular coordinates among Ganguro?
Loco girl-style fashion
Loco girl-style fashion is derived from surfer fashion, and incorporates Aloha-patterned clothes featuring Hibiscus, Plumeria, and palm trees.
Among the Aloha patterns, ALBA ROSA (commonly known as "Alba") Hibiscus-patterned clothes were particularly popular!!
Many people might have the image that old-school gal wore Alba, and indeed, coats, tops, skirts, and dresses with Hibiscus patterns were selling like hotcakes.
Loco girl fashion using pareos
During the summer, you could often see gal wearing pareos around town.
There were mainly two types of coordination using pareos.
- Wearing a pareo as a top or a dress
- Wearing a pareo as a skirt (with bandeau-type bikinis, camisoles, or tube tops as tops)
Using a pareo instead of a skirt or dress is quite innovative!
It might make you want to say, "Is this Shonan!? I thought I was in Shibuya..." but having just one pareo allows for at least two different coordinate patterns!
The versatile pareo, which could be arranged and worn in one's own style, was the perfect item for gal who wanted to express their individuality!
While it's hard to imagine this fashion nowadays, it was the norm back then!
Not only in Shibuya and Ikebukuro, but also in other parts of the country, there were many gal who went out wearing this kind of fashion for fun.
Trendy items that Loco girl-style gal owned!
Platform sandals
During the peak of gal fashion, platform shoes were all the rage!
Platform shoes were an essential fashion item regardless of the clothing genre.
Manufacturers like "Esperanza" and "IDOL" were very popular, and the following items were particularly trendy.
.Wedge soles: Platform shoes where the soles are connected from the toes to the heels (not cut out at the arch, like stiletto heels). They were very popular among gal for their stability and ease of walking compared to stiletto heels.
Hibiscus-patterned clothing
Aloha patterns include plumeria, palm tree, and hibiscus patterns, but the hibiscus pattern was by far the most popular.
ALBA ROSA, in particular, was the dream brand of many gal, and owning ALBA clothing was a status.
As soon as their part-time pay came in, gal would head straight to ALBA!
Some even aimed to increase their ALBA collection by one piece every month while working hard at their part-time jobs.
Hibiscus straps
Hibiscus wasn't just popular in clothing, but also in fashion accessories!
It's said that a shop in Shibuya 109 that sold hibiscus straps once sold 20,000 straps in just 10 days!
During this era, it was all about hibiscus fever!
During the ganguro era, it was popular to make things flashy with colorful fashion using items in vivid colors.
