Dress codes in Japan

If you are traveling to Japan, you may be wondering how to dress appropriately and how the dress code in Japan compares with other countries you have visited. Hence, the Conde Nash Dress Code Guide (which is available on the Conde Nash website and is also downloadable in pdf format) offers a very handy and useful reference guide for how to dress appropriately in a number of countries around the world.

According to the guide, the Japanese word for a dress shirt is “wai shatsu” which literally comes from the English word “white shirt.” This in and of itself should give you an idea of the range of colors worn in the Japanese workplace. And although the Japanese government has launched a Cool Biz initiative that is intended to lower the cost of air condition, the initiative has largely been met with resistance.

On the other hand and on the street, nothing is considered “over-the-top” while the casual (aka sloppy) American look is generally not acceptable. Hence, men should be clean shaven and spend time on their hair while women should be seen wearing makeup, heels and plenty of frills.

And should you be attending a party, remember that the Japanese love labels like Agnès B. and Louis Vuitton while stylish designs by local designers like Yohji Yamamoto are also popular.

And remember: Japanese sizes tend to be significantly smaller than their counterparts in the USA. In other words, someone who needs a medium in the USA might need to wear an extra large in Japan.