Aimee Weinstein, Tokyo Writer

I was walking with my friend Ann recently and we came upon this dress in the window of a bridal shop, of all things.  Ann pointed out that this one

dress was emblematic of Tokyo fashion.

“If one bow is good, then five must be better,” she said, pointing at the excess of fabric.  I wholeheartedly agreed.  If one lace overlay is nice, then three would be better.  Three rosettes, two strings of beads, three poufy tiers.  All that’s missing is the partridge in the pear tree.

Fashion, mostly for women,  is so demanding in Tokyo – and yes, that’s the best word to use: demanding – that often people notice the outfit well before they notice the actual person wearing it.  I’ve seen some of the Bo-Peep getups and other interesting clothing choices around Harajuku on a Sunday.  But frankly, anywhere you look in this city, there’s a fashion plate demanding attention for her couture du jour.  And especially in the case of this particular dress, it dwarfs the wearer.

Come visit Tokyo.  I swear, the people watching here is some of the best in the world, especially for the, uh…interesting clothing choices.