My selfie challenge
Photos property of Author Akemi Sagawa
Looking back through my photos in my early years, I noticed that they have become great archives documenting how people used to be dressed in Japan half a century ago!
I must have been 3 years old. Circa 1965. On New Year’s Day, I was dressed in a girl’s kimono, holding a hagoita, a decorative racket-like toy. Quite traditional. But the Western culture was already influencing our lives. Commercialism to celebrate Christmas with a fake tree was already there.
A field trip with my kindergarten class, circa 1966. My mother accompanies us. I wonder how long it took her to set her hairstyle.
Photo Property of Author Akemi Sagawa
The first day of my elementary school, on April 1st, 1968. The tallest one with a red hat is me. The mothers of my classmates were all in kimono and haori, a jacket, on top of it, the most common formal wear among married women.
In 1970. My mother, my grandmother, and I, standing in front of my father’s car. As far as I can remember, my grandmother was always wearing kimono.
I was the tallest in the class until the 6th grade. Local clothing stores didn’t have children’s dresses large enough to fit me. So my mother’s good friend and also a mother of my classmate sewed almost all my clothes. My mother also made me like simple skirts. There was no Uniqlo back then. Making clothes at home was not uncommon.
I’m wearing the summer uniform of my middle school. In 1975. We had school on Saturday morning. Ironing the uniform every morning was my chore. I really liked that blue color.
My high school uniform, in 1977. I hated this uniform, and missed my middle school one. No matter how cold it was, girls were to wear skirts. Pants were only for boys.
On the morning of my college graduation day, in 1985. My mother wore her kimono and haori, still considered the most formal wear. I wore hakama, a pair of pants, on my kimono. It was quite trendy to be dressed in hakama for graduation in those days.
After the graduation ceremony, I took off the hakama to attend the more casual graduation reception.
…
I don’t know how many middle and high school students in Japan still wear uniforms today. I have no idea how people dress up for their or their children’s graduations these days.
Right now I’m wearing blue jeans, the world’s defacto uniform! So comfortable, so convenient. But I can’t help but feel nostalgic remembering my old clothes…