Ganguro fashion appeared somewhere around the early 90s in Japan and peaked around the year 2000. Ganguro fashion is and was primarily adopted by young woman in their 20s. The style consists of a deep tan combined with dyed hair that can be either bleached gray, silver or various shades of orange. Ganguro girls also wear white lipstick and eye shadow. White concealer is often used for both. Black ink is often used as an eyeliner along with false eyelashes and facial gems (plastic) and pearl powder.

Clothing wise Ganguro girls wear brightly coloured clothes including miniskirts, tie-dyed sarongs, lots or rings, necklaces and bracelets.

Kogal girls are know for prominently "showing off" their disposable income through the fashions they wear, their taste in music and their social activity in general. Kogal fashion is similar to that of the sun tanned California Valley Girl.

Kogal fashion is also similar to Ganguro although the two should not be confused. Kogal girls sport designer accessories such as louis vuitton handbags and are often the first consumers of japanese mobile phones. Kogal girls may partake in "compensated dating", which some consider to be quasi-legal prostitution. Internet usage of the word has led some Westerners to believe that "kogal" means "prostitute".