Construction workers in Japan (called gatenki) wear the most fashionable work clothes. Often paired with two- toed shoes, they wear these huge balloon pants. My friend J-son thinks they are very Yoji Yamamoto. Many also have colored and fried hair, few eyebrows, and what seems to be copious tattoos. I like how they interact with each other and the city: aloof from outsiders, intimate with one another. I wonder how many are gay.
Spotting gatenki taking a break or walking through the city always cheers me up!
two-toed or two-toned?
Two-toed! They’re like mittens but for feet!
Haha, Mads. Two-toed. Like mittens, but for feet. Somehow this is popular among construction workers and also traditional fashion, including kimonos and omatsuri fashion.
I live in Shikoku. I see them everywhere, every day.
I’ll bet they are just as hot in Shikoku. What do you think?
Oh yea! I definitely have a thing for rugged country folks… seriously!! A lot of them are HOT!
I find it interesting that most Japanese ignore the insanely good fashion of construction workers. It’s a close cousin of yankii and all the hotter since it’s connected with building.