Shopping Guide
Picking out clothes for daily coordinating or shopping is a fun time that cuts through the stressful moments. But sometimes, I run out of ideas which makes my style become repetitive. Fashion magazines are always a good reference that give me many ideas from the latest trends, but sometimes, I like to look into my favorite manga that have style in their artwork. Many manga don’t just have a great storyline to immerse you in the world, but also a great sense of style that has came out from the author’s background. Here are some of my suggestions that could give you some ideas according to different styles.
1. Works by Ai Yazawa (NANA, Paradise Kiss, Gokinjo Monogatari)
When I think of the link between fashion and manga, Ai Yazawa is first manga author that comes to mind, and I believe it’s the same for many people. What makes Yazawa’s work full of fashion? She studied fashion before being a manga author, and herself is a fan of many of the fashion brands like Vivienne Westwood, which is depicted in the series, NANA. She also mentioned that if she hadn’t become a manga author, she would have been a stylist. Also, her pen name, “Yazawa,” comes from the living legend rock artist, Eikichi Yazawa, who she is a huge fan of. Taking into account these facts, many of Yazawa’s works have referenced to fashion and rock music. My favorite series from her works is Gokinjo Monogatari (Neighborhood Story). It’s the story of a teenage girl, Mikako, who dreams of becoming a successful fashion designer and attends an art school where she meets some unique friends who seek to be artists, and I read it while myself a teenager. All of the characters in Gokinjo Monogatari have different, unique styles that reflect each individual. This really gave me basic ideas about different fashion styles.
2. Works by Chica Umino (Honey and Clover, March Comes in Like a Lion)
If you like more casual and girly style, then Chica Umino’s works are the best to refer to. Honey and Clover, her most well-known series, which has become an anime and TV drama series and also a film starring Sho Sakurai from Arashi and Yu Aoi. Honey and Clover is a romantic comedy set at an art university. Because of its setting, it has been said that there are many fashionable or oshare university students there. And with that image, Honey and Clover is depicted with cute, soft style for girls. The male characters are also depicted with casual, normcore style which can be referred to by many male audiences as well. Currently still in serialization, March Comes in Like a Lion also has a similar soft, girly fashion taste as well with its female characters. Umino’s girl characters really reminds me of Zooey Deschanel’s style from the series New Girl. Naturally girly, cute, and charmingly funny all in one.
3. Works by Moyoko Anno (Sakuran, Hataraki-man, Sugar Sugar Rune)
Full article continued at Tokyo Girls' Update
Source article written by Satsuki