Kogals (コギャル): A Japanese Valley Girl

The etymology is ambiguous but probably comes from a combination of two words: high school (kōkō; 高校) and girl.

Known for perpetually wearing short miniskirts, fake tans and traveling in packs, this subculture of young Japanese women are often found around trendy shopping centers—their natural habitat. As soon as kogals began popping up in large urban areas in the late 90s (identifiable by their uniform love of Burberry scarves and Louis Vuitton handbags) cultural critics quickly decried their materialism. The media followed suit, interpreting their dyed hair and constant cell phone chattering as signs of drug use and sex work. But kogals kept hiking up their skirts, gluing their long socks in place and throwing back their heads—and screaming kawaii the whole time.