Was visiting a family we know recently and saw this guy, 15, all decked out in pink. The pastel sweatshirt wasn't too unusual, but the matching sweatpants, bathing him head to toe in a fuzzy pink glow surprised me. And I really couldn't figure out the huge girly barette in his hair either. To top it all off, he had a matching pink cell phone. Apparently, this is not a statement about sexual preference, but the latest fashion craze among young Japanese men.
According to an article in the Washington Post from September 2005, gender roles in Japan are changing as more women enter the workforce and men are embracing their feminine side. There's even a chain of spas for men, called, aptly enough, "Dandy House" where men can get facials, undergo weight-loss programs and get their eyebrows plucked.
The article quoted Marco Shimomura, VP of Dandy House:"Japan has never really stressed the concept of being macho in a Western sense, but what we find now is that men are actively seeking the soft and smooth look that is considered so attractive now. They aren't scared of getting their hairs plucked. And believe me, it hurts."
Seems to me a guy must be pretty confident in his masculine side to do something so traditionally feminine, especially in a society where gender roles are usually so differentiated. I have to say, I find the attitude refreshingly attractive.If you want to know more, you can read the whole article here:
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2005/09/21/AR2005092102434.html
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