From state uniform to fashion: Japanese adoption of western clothing since the late nineteenth century

Abstract

Since the late nineteenth century, yōfuku (a vague Japanese concept referring to all clothing originating from western countries) has spread predominantly from the upper to the lower class and from urban to rural space in Japan. In this process, the symbolic meaning attached to it has been transformed. Once a symbol of male elites, yōfuku has become ‘Japanese fashion’ and is now an expression of current Japanese (pop) culture. This article investigates the adoption process of yōfuku – especially the school uniform, which has reflected the contrasts between elite and non-elite, modernity and tradition, masculinity and femininity, and public duty and private life. Drawing on the case study of Japan, this article also sheds light on the complexity and variety that exist in modernization processes.