Thursday, November 29, 2007

The Tokyo Look Book

Reviewed by Alyse Wax

Tokyo has always been a source of phenomenal fashion. From haute couture to goth, from trendy to Anime, just about any outfit you can imagine can be seen on the streets of Tokyo -- and a whole lot more. Combine that with the current popularity of street style (where photographers snap pictures of great outfits they find on random pedestrians), and you have a fun and fascinating read: The Tokyo Look Book: Stylish To Spectacular, Goth To Gyaru, Sidewalk To Catwalk.

The Tokyo Look Book is a wonderful collection of these looks. With photos taken on the streets, at clubs, at the mall, and on the subway, every conceivable look is captured. The book is divided into five broad chapters: trendy teens, subversive, youth street fashion, high fashion women, and working men. I find the subversive section the most fascinating, as it covers goths, punks, lolitas, cosplayers, cyber, and more -- all those wild, wacky outfits that most people associate with Halloween.

But this isn’t just a photo book. Each chapter has an introduction, explaining some of the cultural, economical, and historical meanings behind different looks. Each photo is not just captioned, but includes detailed information on the outfit captured, the wearer of said outfit, and more. On top of that, there are separate articles on popular Japanese designers and Tokyo-area stores. A glossary rounds out the book, with definitions of more obscure, specifically Japanese terms. Planning a trip to Tokyo? A shop list is also included.

The book is comprised of heavy, matte pages, but is soft bound and a reasonable size. This brings together the quality of an art book, with the affordability of a trade book. A great reference for research purposes, but also fun and entertaining for casual aficionados.

Posted by nbennett at 05:44 PM

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