The purpose of this study is to elucidate a role of the street fashion as a habitual communication tool for the youth through the comparative study on the habitual behavior of the Japanese and Thai youths. The questionnaires concerning the fashion behavior were submitted to a total of 363 female college students in Japan and Thailand in 2011. The results revealed the significant differences in fashion behavior between the two countries, which were affected by the climate, personal income, and traditional lifestyle. The Japanese youths care much about their personal surroundings and adapt fashion as a communication tool for social networking to be accepted in a group. The Thai youths care less about fashion and seek for other tools for social networking. By the time of the survey, the Japanese street fashion has been already matured as a communication tool with a variety of expression ways and is transfiguring spontaneously by repeated diversification and integration of several fashion elements. On the other hand, Thai street fashion is in the early stage and has not yet fully developed to affect a way of personal communication. However, the Thai youths have been increasing interest in fashion as confirmed by the increasing popularity of domestic fashion magazines, and provide a potential for Thai street fashion to develop.
KeywordsStreet FashionThai YouthJapanese YouthHabitual BehaviorYouth Communication
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