Gal

Gal (ギャル), also known as Gyaru, is a woman who dresses in a specific street fashion style with flashy accessories, heavy makeup, decorated nails and has tanned skin and dyed hair. It's a term for both the style described above and the whole subculture of gals.

Origin
The gal subculture became popular around the 1990s and early 2000s. It became a street fashion style and a subculture that rebels against society in Japan and its traditional culture.

It's something completely different than strict customs or the kawaii culture, so it's seen either as disrespectful or freeing, depending on who is judging it.

Contemporary Usage
Gals can be more cute, with frills, laces and ribbons, but they are still different and more rebellious than kawaii girls. Curls done up into a bouffant hairstyle are popular.

Some gals are mimicking American or hip-hop fashion. Tattoos and piercings are trademarks of the mature and edgy ones.

There are locations known as meeting places for groups of gals, for example Ikebukuro in Tokyo.

There are also men in the subculture, but they are a minority. They are called gyaruo.

Notable Examples

 * Aiura Mikoto from The Disastrous Life of Saiki K.
 * Kimiko from Gintama

Related Items

 * Kawaii