As always, Japanese girls are a decade ahead in trends – and a century ahead in attitude.

Gyaru Girls, an umbrella term used to describe girls who wear exaggerated versions of today’s trends, are hot – not because of their wild fashion sense (which is equal parts pretty and polarizing), but for not taking the fickle world of fashion too seriously.

Some Gyaru girls emulate the trashiest side of Paris Hilton while wearing tribal makeup similar to blackface (but without the racist overtone, mind you); others sport a look like Jem attending a Halloween party under the influence of PCP. They are far more dolled-up than most high-fashion mavens, yet seem to be more of a parody on the latest trends (and themselves), which is rad.

By the time young socialites don anything resembling these looks Gyaru girls will have moved on to a new stylistic approach. And isn’t that the point of fashion, to create new looks and think forward instead of backwards? Tell that to the 70s/80s/90s revivalists who consider rehashing fashion.

Gyaru Girl gallery after the jump. (more…)