simpleek

What you wear and how you wear it is a very personal choice. You can find inspiration for your personal style just about anywhere from the people you see on the street to fashion magazines. Looking for style inspiration in your favorite anime, like I’ve talked about in a past post, is another source to draw upon.

Thanks to a BuzzFeed article I read about the ’90s Sailor Moon anime having a wealth of fashionably dressed Sailor Scouts, when they’re not in school or fighting monsters, it reminded me of one of the biggest draws for watching the anime when I was younger. No, it’s not Tuxedo Mask, but he is one of them. I’m talking about the looks many of the characters in the anime wore, and I often imagined myself being able to wear these looks in real life. These ladies have got the look! Take a trip down memory lane with me, or enjoy this list of sensible fashion choices from an anime, as I list my favorite outfits from Sailor Moon.

1. Sleeveless turtleneck and mini-skirt combo (Worn by Usagi). I like simple and classic choices, and you can’t beat wearing an outfit that works well for spring, summer, and maybe even fall. Just throw on a light jacket and you’re good for the whole day. It’s quite easy to copy this look and I’ve managed to wear something similar in real life. I’ve channeled my inner Usagi using what I was able to find. All you need is a top and skirt of your choice and you’re all set.

2. Halter summer dress belted at the waist (Worn by Ami). One of summer’s essentials, at least for me, is having a really great summer dress. It keeps you cool during those hot and humid days of summer, while feeling and looking pretty in the process. There’s a shade and style to cater to your own personal tastes. Ami (pictured looking seated and with a book) keeps herself looking cute while making sure her brain remains sharp outside of the classroom. I also like the shade of blue Ami wears because it reminds me of a clear sky.

3. Strapless dress (Worn by Berthier). The four Black Moon sisters always made sure to keep up with the latest fashion trends while doing the evil bidding of Rubeus. While not all their fashion choices are practical (unless you’re a performance artist in the vein of Katy Perry or Beyonce), they did have some regular outfits they wore when they disguised themselves as regular civilians. Take this dress worn by Berthier. It’s hard to tell from this image, but if you’ve watched the episode where Ami and Berthier have a chess match showdown, Berthier wears a strapless dress that has a red and black checkered pattern––similar to a chess board. Along with a choker necklace, gold earrings, and a hat Berthier is one sexy looking lady. She looks ready for a date than plotting something evil behind the scenes. Strapless dresses are another classic fashion staple to have in your closet for any special occasion.

4. Gold belted black dress paired with a jacket (Worn by Esmeraude). Villains in Sailor Moon seem to be super fashion conscious and will never dare commit a crime of fashion. Most of them anyway. When Esmeraude scouts Tokyo’s streets for the next negative point, she’s seen wearing this little number. Fashion experts always say an essential item a girl must have in her closet is a classic black dress. What’s great about a basic black dress is it’ll never go out of style. It’s also easy to accessorize these dresses to make it into something fresh and fun to fit in with the current style trends. A belt and a jacket of a different color to add contrast to the dress itself is enough for Esmeraude to make heads turn.

5. Long-sleeved shirt paired with a vest and skirt combo (Worn by Makoto). Adding a vest over a plain top can give a look that extra pizzazz to make an outfit feel complete. I’d like to think Makoto’s look is office ready in a business casual environment and evening ready for a happy hour with friends or co-workers after hours. Versatility is also something you want to look for in an outfit when you don’t have time to run home and change. An outfit to suit all your needs.

An anime as old as Sailor Moon shows the characters’ styles are as timeless and relevant for the ’00s as it was in the ’90s. You also have to appreciate an anime that cares so much about details that the animators have drawn the Sailor Scouts and their villains in different and runway worthy outfits without taking the lazy route of drawing them in the same set of clothes or keep them in their uniforms. It’s what makes Sailor Moon such a fun show to watch in between the moon dusting and test taking these girls deal with in each episode.