mayes c. rubeo

mayan costumes for apacolypto designed by mayes c. rubeo.

Japanese Ganguro Girls

GANGURO GIRLS

Ganguro falls into the larger subculture of gyaru (from English "gal"), a slang term used for various groups of young women, usually referring to overly childish or rebellious girls. Researchers in the field of Japanese studies believe that ganguro is a form of revenge against traditional Japanese society due to resentment of neglect, isolation, and constraint of Japanese society. This is their attempt at individuality, self-expression, and freedom, in open defiance of school standards and regulations.^[1] The deep ganguro tan is in direct conflict with traditional Japanese ideas of feminine beauty. Due to this, as well as their use of slang, unconventional fashion sense, and perceived lack of hygiene, ganguro gals are almost always portrayed negatively by the Japanese media.[citation needed]

Cosplayers

Cosplay (コスプレ, kosupure), short for "costume play",^[1] is a type of performance art whose participants outfit themselves, with often-elaborate costumes and accessories, as a specific character.
Cosplay participants ("cosplayers") form a subculture centered around wearing their costumes and reenacting scenes or inventing likely behavior inspired by their chosen sources. In some circles, the term cosplay has been broadened to include simply wearing a costume, without special consideration given to enacting characters in a performance context.
Conventions in America often include both cosplay and costume contests.^[10] The cosplay, or "masque", (masquerade) is a skit contest done in cosplay costume. The costume contest is often a test of skill, design, and audience reaction. The contestants are judged either beforehand or on stage and then walk across said stage while the audience cheers (or not, depending on the etiquette of the venue). The increased popularity of convention costuming has led to the addition of several relatively new cosplay-based events, adding to the traditional masquerade and hall costume contests. Such events include the Anime Dating Game and Cosplay Human Chess, where participating cosplayers act out their characters' role in the game accordingly.

Dear Material viewers,
I'm starting a Cosplay subculture. Who wants in?!


American Cosplayers imitating Japanese cartoon characters.



















-Erik Recendez

Moriko Mori

Photographs by Japanese artists Moriko Mori.

Dear Material viewers,
My sandals are about to give way. My precious five dollar spartan godsends are soon to be no more. Since I have to replace them before i am left bare footed I thought i had to find something interesting to house my feet.

how about a pair of....

Jika-Tabi (地下足袋: "tabi that contact the ground") are a type of heavy-duty footwear worn in Japan. Also known outside Japan as tabi boots, they are modelled on tabi, traditional split-toe Japanese footwear.

scarlett stephenson-connolly

Anthropmorphic images by scarlett stephenson-connolly.
I enjoy images that transcend everyday boundaries such as culture, sexuality, and species.

Geoffrey Cottenceau

I found some more Photographs by Geoffrey Cottenceau. Enjoy!

Hopi Maiden's with squash blossom whorls

The inspiration for Leia's infamous buns and the cover of Bjork's extraterrestrial Homogenic album cover. If I had hair this is the only way i would wear it.





Hopi maiden with squash blossom whorls.






More Hopi Indian women



princess leia





Cover of Bjork's album Homogenic

Ann Hamilton

Ann Hamilton shell, 2007 (AH07-2218) felt coat 52 x 44 x 6"

geoffrey cottenceau + romain rousset

geoffrey cottenceau+ romain rousset

Charles Freger

Photographer Charles Freger knows how exciting diversity can be.