The final edition of my style muses will come to a close with a medium that stretches the imagination and can bend reality with no bounds. Animation is a multi-faceted experience that is no exclusive to children but definitely shaped the interests we have developed and brought with us to adulthood, including those pertaining to how we dress ourselves. I think the first time I was influenced in any way by media to make a style-conscious decision was while watching Sailor Moon as a toddler and deciding I would not rest until my hair was bubblegum pink like Chibiusa's.
Surely these will be familiar names and faces, so if anything I hope to spark a warm sense of nostalgia in all of your hearts with this post today. Please share your own fashion inspiration in animation with me in the comments or via social media as well. x
Nana
The story of how a punk rock songstress and hopeless romantic with the same first name come to meet and live together in Tokyo after a chance meeting on the train amassed a cult following since it's initial publishing as a manga in the early '00s on the pages of Japan's Cookie Magazine. Creator Ai Yazawa referenced Vivienne Westwood as the idol of main character Osaki Nana, and included a myriad of illustrations featuring both apparel and accessory designs existing in real life. This fell hand-in-hand with Osaki and her guitarist boyfriend Ren's obsession with British punk icons The Sex Pistols, devising a prettier version of the relationship between frontman Sid Vicious and his lover Nancy Spungen. During its run as a manga and anime before Yazawa's indefinite hiatus, the rocker Victorian-chic style took off. Vintage Westwood pieces like the Saturn logo lighter necklace and layered pearl chokers have become rare and highly coveted items by fans around the globe even today.
Paradise Kiss
Only a year prior to the start of Nana, Yazawa initiated a more directly fashion-driven manga (and eventual anime) involving a group of fashion design students and how they come to adopt an outsider into their clan. Some of the wardrobe choices are similar to those in Nana, but there is a clearer distinction between each member of Paradise Kiss's identity through their visual presentations here. Also, cool to note that George (who's loosely based off Brian Slade from Velvet Goldmine) is bisexual and Isabella is a trans woman. We love positive representation.
Sailor Moon
It is well-known that Naoko Takeuchi was very into '90s runway fashion when illustrating certain portions of Sailor Moon. Dior, Chanel, Christian Lacroix, and Thierry Mugler are among some of the big names identified amongst the pages of her life-altering manga and anime series. That famously stunning gown Princess Serenity dons? Christian Dior Couture Spring 1992! Even the casual style choices for each of the scouts are basically what I aim to make my closet look like: oversized blazers, pastel skirt suits, puff-sleeved blouses, wide-leg trousers with cinched waists, and plenty of cozy sweaters.
Anastasia
The reigning supreme of non-Disney princesses sports both womenswear and menswear of the 1920s as per what was accurate for Moscow and a quick trip to Paris at the time. She showed us how versatile personal style can be (from newsboy hottie to grand duchess realness) and that a fluffy bob haircut might be the key to effortless class. Lest we forget the neon Chanel sign during the Parisian music break.
Totally Spies
Their spy catsuits alone are commendable, but can we talk about their unwavering ability to kill the game off-duty? Jerry must've kept them on the allowance of a lifetime because they kept the other high school kids on their toes! Crop tops, springtime shaded stockings year-round plus an unlimited supply of the cutest hair accessories = sign me up for spy privileges.
Bratz
The age-old battle of Barbie versus Bratz can be settled right now. Without a doubt, the Bratz girls were ahead of the times when it came to long-standing trends and this screencap alone proves it. These girls would break off their own feet for fashion. And don't even get me started on the precision of their eyeshadow and lip liner.
Winx Club
The Italian series even had aid from Prada and Dolce & Gabbana designers to curate the eclectic, modern outfits of the fairies, witches, and other mythical creatures that promoted female empowerment and positive relationships to young viewers everywhere. Looking to early '00s Milanese fashion shows, you can get a clearer picture of how high fashion came to translate its way into the Japanese-Western hybrid animation of the beloved Winx Club.
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