‘My mom apparently wore them' – Triumphant return of ‘loose socks'
For fashion, 'loose socks' are making a comeback in a big way with Reiwa school girls — and with some modern touches to boot, reports TBS News (July 30).
Recently, the network asked 50 girls of the Reiwa generation, 'What's popular right now?' The most common answer was loose socks, the long, white legging sported by nearly every self-respecting gyaru (slang for gal) in the late 1990s.
'A little over 2 meters long,' a third-year high school girl says. 'The longer they are, the better [loose socks] are!'
'As a gyaru, I can't live without loose socks, so I wear them,' a second-year high school girl says. 'They're hot, though!! Loose socks are my life!' Loose socks are making a comeback (X) Takeshita Street
At the Harajuku Takeshita Street branch of Kutsushitaya in Shibuya Ward, over 10 varieties of loose socks are available, ranging from classic white to colorful shades like pink and light blue.
'This product has become extremely popular,' says manager Yuiko Nagai. 'Its popularity has been gradually increasing since around 2023, and it will likely continue to perform well in 2025.'
Sales are already 1.5 times higher than usual. This popularity seems to have as much to do with nostalgia as fashion.
'I wear them because I think they make my legs thinner, reduce weight and they're cute,' a second-year high school girl says.
A third-year girl comments, 'I thought it was cute to see the Heisei-era gals wearing loose socks.'
'My mom apparently wore them quite a bit, and she recommended them,' says a first-year high school girl.
First-year high school girl says: 'My mom apparently wore them quite a bit' Varieties
As mentioned before, loose socks in the Heiwa Era were strictly white. Reiwa girls, however, have a choice as various colors are now available.
'I matched my purple T-shirt with my purple loose socks,' an elementary school girl says.
'I wear them because I feel like my feet look empty when wearing a miniskirt,' a first-year high school girl says.
Sock Touch (X) 'That product'
And then there's 'that product.' Sock Touch is an adhesive that keeps the socks firmly in place above the shoe and below the knees.
'When my socks keep falling off, I put on Sock Touch and they stay in place,' a third-year middle school student says.
Available in blue and pink, Sock Touch allows girls to keep their socks in place wherever they like.
Short t-shirts, also popular in the 1990s, are also trending, as is the covering of school bags with large lettering and illustrations.
'Y2K fashion, from the late '90s to early 2000s, was all the rage, and everyone admired and imitated the energetic gyaru girls of the time,' says Mai Nagata, who is in charge of marketing to the Reiwa generation at SHIBUYA109 lab., located near JR Shibuya Station. 'It's fun to take inspiration from old fashion and add your own original touch to it.'
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