At this point, I dare you to try and invent a new kind of “girl” aesthetic that no one else has thought of. Click on that hyperlink that you’ll find a non-exhaustive list of all the different kinds of “girls” that have walked out of the revolving door of TikTok’s digital wonderland into the mainstream. But, there is one girl that hasn’t been mentioned in this list and that’s the Anime Girl–undeniably, the original “girl” aesthetic who has quietly ruled the hyper-feminine fashion scene since the ‘90s. From the kawaii aesthetic to the outfits worn in Sailor Moon, anime girls have frequently been made by and for the girls.
Of course, at the heart of all of this is a growing embrace of femininity after years of being told that to be “girly” meant to be vapid, unserious, or–God forbid–like the other girls. Ebony-Renee Baker explains that “the hyper-feminine aesthetic isn’t about specific styles or colors, nor is it catered to a particular gender. This trend is about embracing the concept of girlishness in your everyday [life].” To be hyper-feminine is about giving in to all the the “girly” things that we loved when we were younger and to break out of the expectation that once we hit a certain age, we have to trade out shades of pink for beige. Lauren O'Neil adds that the rise in popularity of hyper-feminine fashion can also be viewed as a “backlash against a tendency towards highly practical trends in millennial fashion.” There is a desire to dress for joy and self-expression rather than to solely look “presentable”.
Enter anime girls. O’Neil explains the influence that anime had on hyper-feminine aesthetics writing “Tumblr-as well as anime and manga cartoons and comics before it- was also part of the cross-cultural dissemination of kawaii aesthetics (kawaii translated as cute in Japanase, and encompasses things like Hello Kitty and sailor cosplay).” Female anime characters–and their creators– embraced fashionable, feminine clothing, drawing inspiration from real-life designs. In an article from Vogue Singapore, Azrin Tan describes how Sailor Moon creator, Naoko Takeuchi, would reference the creations of prominent designers in the ‘90s such as Thierry Mugler and Christian Dior. She also incorporated popular clothing trends of the time such as “crop tops, high-chromatic ensembles and preppy sweaters of waistcoats.” Takeuchi balanced the high-fashion looks with stylish, casual ensembles that any teenage girl at the time could wear herself.
Along with Takeuchi, Ai Yazawa would take inspiration from Vivienne Westwood when dressing her iconic goth-girl, Nana Osaki in the anime of the same name. Tan explains that Yazawa would dress Nana in pieces such as “corset bustiers, ripped stockings underneath pleated tartan blazers and Westwood’s signature ‘Rocking Horse’ platforms.” The beauty of these characters’ styles stemmed from the artistry behind the outfits. Not all of the clothes they wore may have been the most practical, but practicality was not the point. O’Neil elaborates on this point, writing that the rise of hyper-femininity “could also be seen as a backlash against a tendency towards highly practical trends…the delicate look of a satin shoe or a soft pair of grey socks feels like an embrace of clothes for their own sake, and of style for fun and joy.” Fashion was being used as an art form for these characters to express their personalities in a unique way rather and encouraged those watching to do the same.
Outside of individuals’ style, anime fashion has managed to break into the real world by way of design collaborations. Ekta Sinha explained that “the influence of anime on high-end brands is undeniable; every year, we notice a luxury brand introducing a fashion line inspired by a particular anime series.” Sinha cites the examples of Jimmy Choo launching a shoe line inspired by Sailor Moon characters and Dior’s photo series depicting models, Tatsuya Endo and Cocumi Kimura, wearing clothing inspired by characters from the anime, Spy x Family.
A lot of this is also owed to the fact that celebrities are embracing their love of anime, moving the genre away from niche corners of the internet and into the mainstream. In a TeenVogue article aptly titled “Is Anime 'Cool' Now?,” Sarah Delgado lists celebrities such as Megan Thee Stallion, Hunter Schafer and Ariana Grande who “proudly [show off] their anime-inspired cosplays, tattoos, and manicures online.” Simply put, yes, Anime is “cool” which has allowed its fashions–despite already being around for years–to be showcased and appreciated by the general public that once shunned it away. Sailor Moon aired in 1992 and Nana’s first episode was released in 2006, their creators have been looking to runways for artistic inspiration for years, but it’s not until mainstream, fashionable celebrities embrace their love of anime that cosplaying can move out of the convention hall and onto a Dior photoshoot.
In anime, the girls could wear the clothes of their dreams and the girls who watched admired their astounding styles. Tan describes anime as a place “where monsters can speak, bubblegum pink hair is a genre mainstay and your clothes can be as fantastical as you’d like them to be.” Outside of the fantasy elements, part of the appeal was escaping to a world where a teenage girl casually had access to Vivienne Westwood corsets and Chanel dresses that remained impeccable even as she ran around saving the world.
Written by J.D. Valdepenas
Photography by Roberto Meadows
Director: Jazzi Almestia
Production: Mickayla Davis
PA, Styling: KateLynn Herrera
Talent: Lily Forsyth, Finn Lyman, Gabrielle Clemons, Precious