Japanese Men Don't Read Fashion Books!?

NakanoIt's a pleasure to meet you. You're older than my father, so I'm a little nervous, but thank you for having me.

Today, I'd like to discuss Japanese masculine dandyism, as well as contemporary society and other broad topics.

HozumiLikewise. But when you mention dandyism, I'm at a loss because I don't feel I possess that quality. I'm just an old man (laughs).

NakanoNot at all. But it's true that you don't see any hint of "I am dandy" from stylish people.

HozumiThe reason I wrote it was that I had passed sixty, and I wanted to summarize my work as a kind of thesis.

NakanoTwenty years ago, how was men's fashion discussed?

HozumiIt was an era of active gender studies, with figures like Chizuko Ueno gaining attention, and the books that emerged always touched upon clothing.

Nakano"The Theater Beneath the Skirt."

HozumiStories about men who were respectable company presidents by day but cross-dressed at night.

NakanoCross-dressing. Speaking of which, there was also a book called "The Sexuality of Cross-Dressing" by Tatsuro Ishii.

HozumiI devoured various books on gender and clothing. So, at a time when what was called cross-dressing was becoming more prevalent, I wrote about what men should wear... but...

Nakano...but?

HozumiIt didn't sell. I learned that Japanese men don't read books about style.

NakanoThank you for that valuable advice before I even write my book (laughs).

What Does "Wearing a Hat Askew" Mean?

NakanoTwenty years later, how do you see it? Has Japanese men's awareness of style improved?

HozumiFrom the perspective of the style theories I've worked with, I have complaints like, "Why do they dress like that?"

But that's just an old man complaining; it also shows that times have changed and I'm gradually falling behind.

NakanoWhat kind of outfits do you find unacceptable?

HozumiThe way hats are worn. You have fedoras and soft hats, right? They lift the entire brim and wear them askew.

NakanoWearing them askew???

HozumiAskew, like the halo of Amida Buddha, with the entire brim lifted.

Nakano...I've never heard of that before!

HozumiWhen you wear a hat like that, it looks like you're a kindergarten student, doesn't it? In my experience, you don't wear it like that normally. Is wearing the brim pulled down low in front no longer in fashion?

NakanoIsn't just wearing a hat an adventure these days?

HozumiI don't see many people in their 50s wearing hats. Truly stylish people do, of course. But rather, it's young people in their 20s wearing cheap hats from anywhere.

Nakano...Without knowing how to wear them.

NakanoA "tonbi" is an Inverness coat, isn't it? Like Sherlock Holmes wore...

HozumiSherlock Holmes wore a tweed one. It fits perfectly over Japanese clothing because it has no sleeves. A double-layered coat is warm and nice. But it's heavy and stiff.

NakanoChanging your hat to match your Japanese-style coat. Your sense of style is truly seasoned.

The "Sagging Jeans" and "Shorts Even in Midwinter" Version of Dandyism for Elementary Schoolers

HozumiAnother thing that strikes me as odd is sagging jeans.

NakanoSagging!?

HozumiSlid down low. Is there a reason for that? I don't understand.

NakanoAh, wearing them low on the hips... That seems to originate from hip-hop.

HozumiIt looks like children wearing adult clothes because they can't get clothes that fit them. Baggy shorts don't suit Japanese people either. The only Japanese person who can pull off shorts is Ichiro.

NakanoIchiro!?

HozumiWhen I was in elementary school, I wore tight, short shorts. Even in winter, we wore them short, with our thighs exposed. That was the style for Tokyo elementary schoolers.

NakanoUltra-mini.

HozumiWe thought knee-length shorts were for country bumpkins. That was the mindset even in elementary school.



NakanoShorts in the dead of winter... Nowadays, elementary schoolers avoid looking childish, so they all wear longer lengths.

HozumiThe Hitler Youth came. Their short pants were cool.
(Nakano's note: The Hitler Youth was a youth organization in Nazi Germany. When they visited Japan in 1938 as part of a youth exchange program, they were welcomed nationwide.)

NakanoI think I remember seeing them in movies...

HozumiThe coolness of those short pants was European; it wasn't American.

NakanoNow that you mention it. But don't Americans have a stronger image of short pants these days?

HozumiAmerican children wear jeans.

NakanoPerhaps America's admiration for Europe is reflected in today's Thom Browne shorts, or something like that? Or maybe not (laughs).