Harajuku style has its origin in the early 1980s and is named after Harajuku station in Tokyo. In the beginning, local youngsters would occupy the streets dressed in colourful and unique outfits, sending the message that they didn’t care about the mainstream fashion and would dress as they wish; it was a movement against the strict societal rules and the pressure to fit the norm. Key elements of Harajuku fashion are creativity, theatrics, mixing and matching, and – most important of all – confidence! Any colour goes and unlike other fashion trends, Harajuku style barely has any guidelines as it is all about self-expression and wearing what makes you feel happy and confident in yourself, no matter what the current trend is.
Grunge fashion has its origin in mid-1980s Seattle and was influenced by the surge and decline of punk, but unlike its influence, grunge was not intended to make any sort of statement. The fashion is characterized by durable thrift-store clothing worn in a loose, androgynous manner to hide the silhouette. Many believe that Kurt Cobain – the lead singer of the band Nirvana – was the core and the biggest shaper of this trend, as his style was a combination from both male and female fashion and perfectly encompassed all that the grunge fashion is about. Doc Martens, ripped jeans, shabby band tees, plaid, and oversized flannels are all must-have items to make the perfect grunge look, and if your hair looks like no effort has been made on it, you’re all good to go.
Fantasy Couture, a subdivision of haute couture, is a trend in fashion and design that draws elements from the fantasy genre of literature and film. It favours fantastical appearance over practicality and functionality, and is often presented in an extreme style of detail, complexity and precision. This trend is characterized by individuals such as Iris van Herpen, Eiko Ishioka, Guo Pei, Tex Saverio, Stephen Jones, Mary Sibande, and Bobby Love. Two of the most known fantasy couture looks are Rihanna’s yellow gown which she wore at the 2015 Met Gala, and the metal-and-chiffon wedding dress Jennifer Lawrence (as Katniss Everdeen) wore in The Hunger Games: Catching Fire. An example of this style is performed annually at the Labyrinth of Jareth Masquerade Ball held in Los Angeles, California.
Fairycore is centred around themes of nature, soft pastels, magic, soft animals and the general vibe of springtime. This aesthetic can also be referred to as fairywave or faecore, but fairycore – which was coined in the 2020s by an unknown Tumblr user – is the most commonly used term. Key motifs of this trend include wings, sparkles, fairy dust, cute/small animals, and flowers, and the key values are tranquillity, innocence, and appreciation of old fairytales and folklore. When it comes to fashion, common items are wire-rimmed glasses, dresses with lace and sheer fabrics, and bows or ribbons. To look the part, all you need is glittery or shimmery makeup, some small messy braids, and moonstone rings and bracelets. All of the previously mentioned items should be in pastel colours, as pastels are the key colours of this trend.