Sunday, May 6, 2012

Are Japanese Women Better At Being Feminine?

What is it about Japanese women that makes them seem so feminine? I'm not talking about local girls who are part Japanese, part something else. I'm talking about those FOB Japanese tourist girls. The ones with the cute hairstyle and the super cute outfits. Sometimes when I see them I wonder about my own femininity and how I come across to them. I wonder about the hows and why of their "looks". How to they manage to look so girly but not girlish? Is it simply that they're thin and petite? Maybe it's their clothes? They do tend to wear soft colors, gauzy floating layers, and skirts or dresses. Maybe it's their hair + makeup? They're always made-up but in a way that doesn't call attention to the fact that they're wearing makeup. You won't see these girls wearing a bold red lipstick or blending their 4 different colored MAC eye-shadows. They also tend to have that brassy, orange-y colored hair and wear it either piled up in a messy bun on top of their head or down and pin straight.

But I don't think it's any of these things at least not separately. Even put together on an American Asian woman I think there would be some key element missing. What is that element? There's a part of me that wants to be snide and say "oh well obviously it's the stereotypical submissive trait" and it might be. It could also be as simple as the fact that their culture has very set behavioral standards for femininity. Their idea of femininity varies from ours.

American women tend to be more aggressive and outspoken. We can be bold, brash, and ballsy and still be feminine. Our femininity seem to be tied more closely with sexuality than with girlish innocence. Bikinis, skin tight "body-con" dresses, and mile high stilettos are the symbols of  mainstream American femininity. I think that Japanese femininity tends to be quieter and softer. It might sound judgmental of me to say this but their femininity seems like it's more about being delicate, fragile, and dainty. Honestly I think I could learn a lot from them.

Obviously I haven't really figured out a point to this musing yet. I had hoped that by trying to verbalize(?) my thoughts, some grand epiphany or at least some organization would occur but alas I must struggle on and continue to ponder.