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For many years, shojo anime has been closely linked with fashion. Even before the rise of “anime-inspired” streetwear among enthusiasts, shojo manga played a pivotal role in shaping perceptions of femininity, glamour, and luxury fashion. This was evident in the detailed attire of characters gracing the covers of renowned shojo magazines like Shojo Beat, Ribon, and Zipper.
As anime gained international popularity, the influence of the shojo demographic on fashion became more pronounced. Young women around the world found new ways to express themselves by drawing inspiration from beloved characters. While some shojo fashion trends have seamlessly transitioned into the modern era, especially with the resurgence of Y2K aesthetics on social media, others serve as nostalgic reminders of past styles.
In the series Skip Beat!, Kyoko Mogami starts as an ordinary teenager relocating to Tokyo. However, her style undergoes a dramatic transformation when she enters the entertainment world with a mission to avenge her childhood friend, Shotaro. Sporting a striking red pixie cut, Kyoko’s 2000s-inspired wardrobe, featuring leggings under skirts, low-rise jeans, and tracksuits, evokes the chic flair of the Teen Choice Awards red carpet.
Skip Beat! Shows What Y2K Style Really Looked Like
Kyoko Mogami may have been an average teenager when she moved to Tokyo, but when she decides to join the entertainment industry to get back at her childhood friend, Shotaro, her style completely changes. Kyoko’s red pixie cut and 2000s style feels straight off the Teen Choice Awards red carpet, as her style throughout Skip Beat! includes leggings under skirts, low-rise jeans, and tracksuits.
Even the male leads in Skip Beat! wear appropriately metrosexual outfits for the ’00s, with their v-neck shirts that show off way too much chest. Skip Beat! is often an inspiration for fans recreating shojo fashion, although as with much of the Y2K trend, only the most flattering 2000s styles have come back. It’s not a surprise that Kyoko’s bright pink jumpsuit hasn’t become the hottest must-have item.
Haruhi Isn’t Always Dressed as a Boy in Ouran High School Host Club
Ouran High School Host Club has influenced shojo trends in many ways, predominantly through popularizing the reverse harem trope. Although protagonist Haruhi Fujioka spends most of her time in a boy’s school uniform posing as a host, her everyday looks have caught the eye of fans. Surprisingly, Haruhi is revealed to have a much more feminine style when she’s not at school, discounting her cropped haircut that aids her disguise.
Haruhi’s fashion sense in Ouran High School Host Club consists of frills, the color pink, and girly accessories, with one particular outfit standing out to fans in particular. In one episode, she wears a pink dress over a white T-shirt and jeans, an outfit that exploded in popularity when fans began recreating the outfit on TikTok. The cute, feminine ensemble perfectly encapsulates nostalgic 2000s fashion trends.
Sailor Moon Took Inspiration From Real Designer Fashion
To appeal to the shojo demographic of teenage and young adult women, Naoko Takeuchi took direct inspiration from luxury fashion houses when creating the Sailor Moon manga. This was translated into Sailor Moon‘s long-running anime adaptation through the runway-ready looks taken from Dior and Chanel and seen on Usagi and the other sailor soldiers.
Despite their cutting-edge trendiness at the time, Sailor Moon‘s outfit designs appear very dated now. For some, the ’80s and ’90s fashion is nostalgic and still cute, but they haven’t been on-trend in a good few years. However, Usagi’s recognizable sailor uniform will forever be iconic and synonymous with the anime. It popularized Japanese sailor uniforms worldwide, and they’ve been used as fashion inspiration ever since.
The Gyaru Subculture Went Mainstream in Super Gals!
The gyaru subculture was most popular during the ’90s, although the gal character archetype still shows up in anime as recently as 2026. The most well-known instance of gals in anime is Super Gals!, a fun coming-of-age story following three gals as they hang out in Shibuya, go shopping, and flirt with bad boys. The bright, blingy style associated with gals is not watered down at all, much to the delight of fans who’ve given the subculture a second wind in recent years.
What’s most admirable about Super Gals! is that it doesn’t reduce the gyaru subculture to just its look. Many fashion trends these days make use of visual elements of subcultures, but do not adopt the lifestyle. Gals are characterized by being loud, outgoing, and gathering in Shibuya, Tokyo. Super Gals! reminds its fans that there’s more to the subculture than just a flashy outfit.
Fans Created The ‘Sawako Core’ Aesthetic From Kimi ni Todoke
In Kimi ni Todoke, Sawako Kuronuma’s personality is characterized by her sense of fashion. At the beginning of the anime, Sawako is mostly seen in her school uniform or in feminine yet understated outfits, but by the end of the series, she comes out of her shell and allows herself to experiment with makeup and accessories. Sawako’s newfound confidence has been inspirational to fans on a personal level, but also on a style level.
When the “shojo girl” aesthetic gained popularity on TikTok around 2023, Sawako’s style in Kimi ni Todoke was one of the main references. A new trend of wearing pink and cream colors, frilly skirts, and milkmaid tops emerged online, complete with Sawako’s signature pink blush and lip gloss. The individual elements of the “shojo girl” style are still popular today, which shows just how timeless the look truly is.
Nana Introduced Punk Rock to Shojo Style
Ever since it was first published in 2000, Nana has been the most fashionable shojo manga in existence. Ai Yazawa’s artwork, and the subsequent 2006 anime adaptation, has inspired countless fans with the punk rock fashion seen on Nana Osaki and her Black Stones band members. Even 20 years later, the anime still has a cult following that hopes the story will come out of hiatus and finally reach its conclusion.
Of the many iconic elements of Nana‘s fashion, it’s the heavy inspiration from Vivienne Westwood designs that are most synonymous with the anime. Nana Osaki wears clothing and jewelry straight off the runway, and Shin’s recognizable Orb Lighter is still a coveted item among fans. This culminated in a 25th anniversary collaboration with the Vivienne Westwood brand that finally brought the two Nanas’ styles to life.
Kawaii Fashion Still Replicates Cardcaptor Sakura’s Intricate Costumes
Sakura Kinomoto’s highly intricate dresses could only be the work of the manga artist group CLAMP, who are now famous for their recognizable character and costume designs. Cardcaptor Sakura shaped CLAMP’s career and shojo anime trends as a whole, as the anime undeniably popularized characters having new, elaborate costumes in every episode of a series, instead of one repeated look.
Sakura’s large bows, poofy skirts, lace gloves, and berets have not only become commonplace in kawaii fashion, but in the magical girl genre ever since. The lolita substyle, which has been around in Japan since the ’90s, is full of the same cute pastel colors and Victorian petticoats. However, Cardcaptor Sakura‘s sugary sweetness only really works for those bold enough to try out alternative fashion.
The Rose of Versailles is Remembered For Oscar’s Androgynous Style
One of the oldest shojo manga, dating back to 1972, The Rose of Versailles spearheaded so many trends it’s hard to name them all. The Rose of Versailles and its subsequent anime adaptations have single-handedly redefined the genre from being just about romance and drama to including political and historical themes too. Not only that, but it also popularized explorations of sexuality and gender in shojo anime.
The Rose of Versailles‘ protagonist, Oscar Francois de Jarjayes, is a fictional commander of the French Royal Guard during Marie Antoinette’s reign. She was raised as a boy from birth, adopting an androgynous style incorporating both a military uniform and the long, wavy hair and sparkly eyes associated with ’60s manga. The anime’s progressive approach to gender expression mixed with Rococo style lives on as a masterpiece for many fans.
Neighborhood Story Made Handmade Clothing Cool
Neighborhood Story is another work by Ai Yazawa, but is way more underrated than Nana and Paradise Kiss. In the ’90s anime, Mikako Koda, her neighbor Tsutomu Yamaguchi, and their friends are students at an arts university, which means they’re appropriately decked out in fashionable clothing. Mikako is an aspiring fashion designer who sells her handmade clothing under the brand name Happy Berry.
Although Mikako’s university tutors scold her for her untidy needlework, her clothes are undeniably cool. Her designs are cute and girly, making her another figurehead of the “shojo girl” aesthetic. For fans who prefer a different style, there’s Tsutomu’s art boy vibe, Risa’s punk inspiration, and Mariko’s sexy, luxurious looks.
Young Fans Loved Tokyo Mew Mew’s Maid Outfits
When Tokyo Mew Mew originally aired in 2002, it introduced a whole generation of girls to the world of anime through bright colors, cute clothes, and even cuter animals. Nowadays, cat girls and maid costumes might be viewed in a lewd way, but back then, Tokyo Mew Mew was nothing but wholesome as five girls with the DNA of endangered animals transformed to save the world from aliens.
On their off days, the Tokyo Mew Mew girls worked at a maid café, each wearing frilly, feminine outfits in their signature colors long before pastel and soft girl aesthetics exploded online. Maid outfits have since been a staple of cosplayers and fans of Japanese pop culture, although modern fans might find the cuteness overload of early ’00s shojo to be too commercialized now.