The crazy and wacky Ganguro style that hit Japan in the 90′s was of so much interest to photographer Lloyd K. Barnes, stylist Joanna Keller, and I that we were itching to do a photoshoot together with this style to shove into our ports. It also helped when our model Kristy had been so in touch with her “Nihonjine” side, studying Japanese and the “manga” scene… and as some people may know, I am also half-Japanese.

When our Japanese loving group got together, we put in everything we could to make this Ganguro photoshoot as realistic and successful as possible. When I went back to Japan a couple years ago, I was amazed when I ran into real live Ganguro Girls in Shibuya, Tokyo and had to take some pictures of my own. I thought right then and there that I would have to recreate this wicked look in a form of a creative photoshoot!

What better photographer to share this with than Lloyd K. Barnes? Our favourite stylist Joanna Keller got down to business and started picking outfits for our Ganguro shoot who got her ideas from google searches online. Her picks were spot on and ended up looking amazing on Kristy in the final pics.

The makeup was pretty simple. Ganguro Girls like to be “Jersey Shore” tanned, with dark eye makeup, major nose contouring (just a white line down the centre of the nose) with white lips… they tend to have super bleach blonde and coloured hair with flowers in their hair and cutesy stickers on their face. They usually wear indoor slippers outdoors and pjama style pants… Anything goes really, as long as it is wacky, tacky and anything but stylish. Love it or Hate it, here is our version of Ganguro makeup and fashion!

Ganguro fashions on model Kristy in Vancouver

Ganguro photoshoot with Lloyd K. Barnes in Vancouver

Model: Kristy, MUA Mika Does Makeup, Styling Joanna Keller