Sailor Moon: Who Said Girls Can't be Strong While Remaining Fashionable?
Whoever thought that women and girls could not become featured heroes while being fashionable was certainly proved wrong by Naoko Takeuchi, the writer and illustrator for the very popular manga and anime series “Sailor Moon”, published by Kodansha Comics and adapted by Toei Animation.
The series follows the life of 14-year-old Usagi Tsukino, a clumsy middle school girl whose life is forever changed after befriending a black cat named Luna who transforms her into heroine Sailor Moon in order to fight against all evil forces and save Earth. Despite her clumsiness, Usagi accepts the role and learns about the meaning of endurance, strength, confidence, friendship, as well as the power and beauty that comes with being a girl.
This series has been very popular among audiences, ever since its first manga release in 1991 up until now. Though it is considered part of the retro anime category, Sailor moon’s popularity is still very relevant and increasing as the years go by. But what exactly is so popular about it? And how has it influenced the fashion world over the decades?
characters tend to have a range in their clothing design that is very appealing to audiences.
For starters, the plot and every episode have their very own special feel to them; they are filled with drama, enthusiasm, emotional as well as comical moments. The plot is very strong and it has helped as inspiration for many young girls and women to value the strength and inner beauty that comes with being a girl and to know that women and girls are just as capable as men when it comes to becoming heroes and heroines.
Sailor Moon has given credit and empowerment to women because it was one of the first animes that introduced women and girls as popular heroines. The series indeed has caused a strong impact on women’s empowerment but it has also impacted the world of fashion very heavily.
Sailor Moon has a very distinct style and its own aesthetic. In fact, many of the objects used in the series have come to form part of the fashion world by creating accessories and designs based on the very beautiful retro and pastel-colored aesthetic seen in Sailor Moon. Not only that, but the characters tend to have a range in their clothing design that is very appealing to audiences.
A lot of popular garments used by the characters in the series have been recreated by designers and cosplayers which has allowed everyday people to be dressed in similar or exact styles as the characters. Aside from clothing and accessories, the “Sailor Moon” franchise has also been quite active in the makeup industry by creating many different and beautiful colored eyeshadow palettes as well as adorably designed brushes to go match.
In 2020, ColourPop and Sailor moon collaborated to create a very stunning collection of products including eyeshadow palettes, blush compactors, glitter, lipsticks and lipglosses. This collaboration is not the only one, many pop culture stores have also gathered a wide range of products certified by the Sailor Moon franchise.
Another great fashion contribution provided by Sailor moon was the uniforms used by Sailor Moon and her heroine friends. The uniform is very unique and also incredibly fashionable; The attire consists of a thigh-high blue pleated skirt with a white upper garment, beautifully decorated with a vibrant red bow. The upper garment part is nicely decorated with a blue-collar with thin white stripes, pulling the look together.
Many golds are also incorporated which gives the design a very unique design. The next part of the whole uniform is the upper knee-high boots, in our protagonist’s case, Sailor Senshi or Usagi, her heeled boots are a bright and lively red which matches along with the red parts of the rest of the uniform. The uniforms however are unique in color to all of the characters which I think was very important because being unique and different is very important as well.
This also shows how each character is unique in their own way, their powers are different and so are their fashion styles seen in their uniform as well as in their regular clothing. The Sailor Moon uniform seen in the series from all the heroines is very popular and has also been designed by fans from all over the world to wear in real life.
With all this mentioned, it is certain that Sailor Moon’s influence in the world of fashion has been very dominant, from creative everyday clothing designs to unique uniform designs and even everyday clothing design, all of these have been adapted in real life and loved by many. Not only that but Sailor Moon has also taught girls and women that they can make a strong difference in the world while remaining fashionable, creative, and unique.
