Japanese Schoolgirl Inferno: Tokyo Teen Fashion Subculture Handbook - Patrick Macias & Izumi Evers. First, a technical complaint: the cover fell off when I was about 75% of the way through.
I felt it tried a little too hard to fit the Preppie Handbook model. The most interesting chapters were on older subcultures that I'm unfamiliar with like the Takenokozoku. (If it wasn't 80s Japan, I would find it hard to believe this tribe really existed). Be warned that while the photos are interesting, it relies heavily on illustrations. Fun to read, but feels a bit unfocused and incomplete by its nature. The focus is more on subculture than fashion itself.

Japanese schoolgirl fashions and subcultures have sprung up, burned out, mutated, and evolved into a pop culture phenomenon gone global from Gwen Stefani's "Harajuku Girls" to Gothic Lolita-fueled manga and the deadly schoolgirl in Kill Bill, it's no wonder that international fashion designers look to the streets of Tokyo for fresh inspiration. This playful and thoroughly researched handbook examines the key styles and subcultures past and present: sailor-suited gangsters, Pippi Longstockings risen from the dead, girls in blackface, teens sporting giant hamster costumes, and more. Each fashion profile is packed with photos and illustrations, history, ideal boyfriends, and must-have items. Also included are a gatefold evolutionary fashion chart, resources, and makeup tips. At last, an in-depth guide to what the girls are wearing and why on earth they're wearing it.

About the Author
Patrick Macias and Izumi Evers have written and produced several books on Japanese pop culture. They split their time between San Francisco and Tokyo. Kazumi Nonaka is an artist and rock 'n' roll guitarist whose illustrations have been featured in Japanese magazines and TV shows. She lives in Tokyo. ( )

Very informative introduction to the main female delinquent subcultures in Japan since the 1970s. ( )