1. Thick eyebrow -Strong Women-
Sawako Tanaka
I decided to research about this micro trend because first, in Japan, some people really get into
this trend. Also since I came to US, I saw some people who have thick eyebrow. It is interesting
because about 5 years ago, I made my eyebrow very short and small because it was a trending
in Tokyo. But now I do not see the people like that; everyone have natural eyebrow or thicker.
Depends on eyebrow, suitable fashion will be changed. Also fashion will change the eyebrow
shape. There is strong connection between eyebrow and fashion.
Since 2012, some women have had thick, masculine and bushy eyebrow. Today we can
seemasculine eyebrow in the runway like Chanel and Stella McCartney. There are some
celebrities who have big eyebrow as well, like Lily Collins, Cara Delevingne and Miley Cyrus. Also
we can see the people like that on the street.
The most of women who have thick eyebrow are 22-29 years old. They have jobs and not
married. They works busy and earn money as same as men, and supposed to have more than
entry-level jobs. They are thought as relatively middle-
class. They love to express their personalities through
fashion. They live in urban cities all over the world like
New York, Los Angeles, Tokyo, Seoul and London.
Not only their jobs, but also they like just having fun like
bar and club. Their life is busy but they are enjoying them
a lot.
As sociological influence, there is the increasing equality of
the sex. Now women can keep working at their jobs even
they have children. Also this trend can be thought as a
reaction against the industry which worth women’s
“femininity”.The historical women who had strong eyebrows were tending to be feminist; for
example, Frida Kahlo (Figure 1), the Mexican artist is known as a feminist. She painted herself
as a quietly suffering woman. Audrey Hepburn was a feminist as well. She said that “I don’t
Figure 1

2. need a bedroom to prove my womanliness. I can convey
just as much sex appeal, picking apples off a tree or
standing in the rain.”As psychological influence, the
relation of eyebrow and the emotion is strong; this shape
of eyebrow has impression of confident, tough,
independent and sexy. So they want to be women like
that.Many makeup artists says that strong eyebrow make
face a younger, fresher feel. Also as other example,
Korean people started to make thick eyebrow because of
their desire. (Figure 2)Korean and other some Asians want
to be looked their eyes bigger. If you make the eyebrow
thicker, your eyes are stressed. That is why thick eyebrow
was developed in Korea. Olivia Munn, the actress and
model says that her makeup must-have is the Dior Brow
Styler that twists up; she says that “Being half Asian, the
eyebrow is very important for whatever reason”.
As technological influence, the numbers of the cosmetics to
make up eyebrows are increasing. In addition to the pencil
and the powder, these days there is the mascara for the
eyebrow to make bushy brow. Now there are many types
of eyebrow; powder, liquid, mascara and even there is a
cream to make eyebrow grow up.
As a comparing of thick eyebrow and thin eyebrow, thick eyebrow is masculine, strong and
boyish, and also do not need to take care. It could be said a
revival of 80s eyebrow. (Figure 3) On the other hand, thin
eyebrow is feminine, gentle, cute, need to maintenance. It
could be revival of 40s eyebrow. (Figure 4)
The key items of this group are high-waisted pants,
leather jacket, brand bag, tight skirt, mini skirt, sheer item,
Figure 2
Figure 3
Figure 4

3. high heel like booties and red lipsticks. Brand bag is the icon of confidence and wealth.
The retailer shop for this group are TOPSHOP, ZARA and American Apparel. For E-
Commerance, there are ASOS and MISSGUIDED.The first
reason is because I see many clerks who have strong
eyebrow. These are photos from TOPSHOP (Figure 5) and
American Apparel (Figure 6) ’s clerks from their blog and
Twitter.
The secondreason why I choose these retailers for these
specific group are; The target segmentation of TOPSHOP
is 15-30 years old females and who like pubbing and
clubbing. It means they are living in urban area. Zara
makes their target market the people aged 15-40 years
old and also educated. I suppose that it connects with the
people who love their jobs. The target segmentation of
American Apparel is young adults of 20-35. Since
American Apparel decided young urbanties as their
target market, they produce the fashionable and basic
items at the same time. The reason is the customers love
to mix them and express their uniqueness. It relates with
Thick eyebrow’s people’ s style is simple but edge,
mentioned in aesthetic characteristics later.For E-
commerance, I see the key items which I mention before
often in the shops.
As aesthetic characteristics, their theme is strong women.
Their fashion style is sexy and body conscious. It is simple but edge. The main colors which used
in fashionare black, gold and burgundy (dark red). Black is the color of elegance, confidence and
strong will. Gold means wealth, success and status. Red (burgundy) means sexuality and
passion.
Figure 5
Figure 6

4. This group prefer leather, silk, sheer and velvet textile. Leather reminds rock and punk musician,
it is the icon of strength. Silk and velvet make look luxury. Sheer textile shows skin and make
sexy.
This thick eyebrow is thought as Trickle Down theory. In 2012, it was started by runway. Chanel
made up the model’s eyebrow thick, parallel, and shiny by using lot of bijous. (Figure 7) Since
then, many celebrities changed their eyebrow’s shapes
gradually. Cosmetic company promoted “Thick eyebrow will
be trend” and started selling more cosmetics for eyebrows.
Now, thick eyebrow is very popular among women and has
introduced in their make-up.
In summary, the thick eyebrow’s micro trend broke in about
2012 in runway, and gradually it was expanded to the
general public by celebrities and cosmetic companies and
fashion magazines. It is supported by the women who want
to have confidence and independent. Actually these women
love their job and enjoying their busy life in urban cities.
Strong eyebrow makes impression tough and sexy also inspires their passion. In addition it
implies the equality of sex and against the industry which value women’s “femininity”.
Personally I like this micro trend because masculine eyebrow like men indicates women’s
succeed in the society. Also women do not have to be girly every time. As a make-up, thick
eyebrow help the face confident, independent and strong. At the same time, it makes my
feeling like that.
Reference
• http://theorris.com/2012/03/13/big-brows/
• http://www.dnaindia.com/lifestyle/report-the-brow-code-bushy-eyebrows-are-back-
1845642
• http://www.swide.com/beauty/beauty-trends/beauty-trend-summer-2013-eye-brow-
shape/2013/04/12
Figure 7

5. • http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/09/17/low-eyebrows-trends-masculine-
study_n_1924155.html
• http://web.mit.edu/bcs/sinha/papers/sinha_eyebrows.pdf
• http://www.pinterest.com/
• http://philandfem.blogspot.com/2010/04/frida-kahlo-feminist-artist.html
• http://www.theguardian.com/film/2004/mar/07/highereducation.gender
• http://www.style.com/beauty/beautycounter/tag/rms-beauty/
• http://www.empower-yourself-with-color-psychology.com/
• http://www.easybrows.com/2011/06/05/brows-through-the-decades/
• http://staybasic.blogspot.com/2011/05/ch8-segmenting-and-targeting-markets.html
• http://www.elegman.com/en/view_files.php?fileid=667&language=en
• http://collegeessays.blogspot.com/2007/04/zara-unique-business-model.html
• http://smudgeandstipple.blogspot.com/2012/05/my-take-on-korean-eyebrows.html
• https://twitter.com/americanapparel
• http://wear.jp/topshop03/
•