A few years ago, I wrote an article on Otaku Fashion. That article had some problems with it that I didn’t really like in the end. So here, is a more subjective look at Otaku Fashion, and how to pride yourself.
I think it’s absolutely important to express yourself as an individual, especially when you’re interested in doing so. That’s the whole idea of fashion – to express yourself uniquely, and to impress. That’s a keyword there.
The Psychology of Judging a Manga By its Cover
We live in a society that is predominantly based on judging by first impressions. No matter how much you try to deny it, this is a fact. You go to a party, or meet someone for the first time, and they subconsciously judge you based on how you look.
The thing is though, a lot of times, people are fairly accurate judge of character (or stereotype) due to experience and gut feeling. But of course, it still doesn’t give the full story.
Try it yourself – look at the people on the streets (I people-watch sometimes. It’s very interesting). A guy in a suit – he’s a businessman. Some cute girl walks down the street wearing Sephora and carrying a Coach bag, you can tell she’s into looking good, a party girl, and various degrees of looking good depending on who you’re looking at.
What you may not know is maybe that 38-year old business man still lives with his parents and is actually off to a job interview, and that cute girl is actually 35, married with children, and loves to read a good book, and was a party girl in the past and still misses partying.
And what do people see when they look at you? Hopefully, not this guy:
Now, not to offend anyone, but a lot of people in society judge people like the guy above in very poor light. Give a read for what this ignorant dude wrote. But don’t take it seriously, or read too much. It will hurt your brain. If you don’t want to click on the link, he basically rants about how Otaku have terrible personalities, no money, social issues, and poor judgment. Obviously, most of us would think it ridiculous to give any credibility to what he’s saying.
However, you can’t deny that there are people who think like him, and to varying degrees of hate too. Otaku is still primarily a negative image. OEG has stressed that point pretty harshly (in an elitist sort of way). People will look at you and judge a manga by its cover. This is true even within yourself.
Try it – go to a manga store, pick up a manga you’ve never heard of. What got you to pick it up? The attractive art? What got you to put it down? The lame cover? Never heard of the artist? It’s the same with going to a music store where people are inundated with an endless selection of music. They stick to the familiar ones because they know it. They don’t feel comfortable with getting music they’ve never heard of. So, when meeting people, one is also quick to judge a person by their appearance to associate people into a comfortable category within their own minds.
So what does this mean for you? Unfortunately, if you dress like the guy above, people will judge you, and most likely negatively. But why should you care? Impressions. No matter what you do in life, you will always be making impressions on people.
For the most part, those people aren’t important. But there are people that you do need to impress, such as your employer, your date, or your family (some of them, anyway). There will always be key people in your life that can change the course of your path, sometimes without you even knowing! Those people are less likely to help you if they have a negative impression on you. Those are the people you need to care about.
In that regard, you aren’t trying to impress people for the sake of others. You’re trying to impress people for the sake of yourself.
Practice To Be Natural
Just like learning to draw well, one needs to practice. Learning to dress well, one needs to practice. Practicing makes one aware of themselves more, of their surroundings. It’s one of the main principles that the samurai Miyamoto Musashi stresses on. Practice on something so much so that you forget how to do it. In essence, it becomes so natural to you that you don’t even have to think about it.
Let me put it this way – Let’s assume that Otaku guy dresses like that most of the time. Or at most, a normal T-shirt and jeans. He’s never looked through any fashion magazines, and wears what he thinks is most comfortable. As long as people aren’t running away screaming, it’s generally acceptable to him. How likely do you think he’ll know how to dress for a job interview at Deloitte? How likely do you think he’ll know how to dress for a dance club? How likely are you to know how to dress for the occasion? And if you think you do, how likely are others in agreement with that statement?
This is not a question you need to answer to me. This is a question for your own awareness.
Being Aware
Sometimes, awareness is like a frog at the bottom of a well. All he can see is the sky above through the well opening. That’s his world. He doesn’t know that there’s an entire vast world out there. Someone has to tell him. You may very much be in that situation and not know it.
First thing’s first. You need to pay attention to what your current wardrobe looks like. You don’t need to toss anything or change anything. Instead, categorize your clothes. Judge each piece as if someone else important to you was judging you. What would that person think of you if they met you wearing this? Some clothes will probably go into an “otaku” pile, while others may go into “normal wear” pile, and some “dressy”, etc. etc. Feel free to continue wearing your otaku-wear with your otaku-friends.
So here’s where you get others to help you be aware. Take your dressy and normal wear clothes, and ask a friend whom is outside of your normal circle of friends to help. I say outside your normal circle because these are the people that see you from a different perspective. They’re outside your well. After all, the friends sharing the same well with you will only see things in similar light as you.
I recommend asking someone whom you think seems to know how to dress for success. Ask them for their take on your dressy and normal-wear clothes. Then, take their advice. Seriously. You may feel shy in asking someone you don’t really know all that well to help you out, but trust me. They will feel very flattered that you think they dress well and want their fashion advice.
I recommend asking more than one person for their opinion (not at the same time, of course). Also, watch some fashion how-to type shows like What Not To Wear, and flip through some general fashion magazines. Don’t worry if you can’t pull off what’s in the magazines. That’s not important, and will only hurt your self esteem. You’re merely observing at this point and sort of building your eye for fashion. Take all the data and observations you got, and from your friends’ opinions, and find a commonality in it. What you’re trying to do here is find clothes that society accepts as a base to work with, and then build your own personality into it.
Building Your Personality
Looking through the commonality data, you should be able to pick out things that you really like. This may require some shopping, or flipping through more magazines. But what you’re trying to do now, is figure out what looks good to you, without going all-out-nerd-otaku, and without going completely plain. This is a delicate balance, but can bring a very unique and awesome look to you, and not only make you more presentable, but make you much more confident in your appearance, and abilities.
Maybe you find black dress coats with a long white dress shirt, small button-up frills and uncuffed sleeves look cool and “anime-goth”, while still looking presentable. Maybe you like the more sporty hoodies hanging off your back and could attach some small cat ears to them. Maybe you like chains and everything and makes you look somewhat “cosplay”.
Just like my “how to design a character” post, what you want to do is make yourself look plain for the base, and bring your personality out through small accessories or features.
Merging Otaku and Life – The Ultimate Otaku Pride Expression
The idea behind otaku fashion, just like any fashion, is expression. Expressing your fandom to a particular anime series or video game, or just expressing your fandom of anime or video games in general. The problem is, as you have read from my previous article, many otaku fashion feature prominent, brightly colored anime characters on it. While in principle, this shouldn’t be an issue, it becomes one in a society where anime is still generally niche. This is something you can’t deny.
I’ve come to take back the whole idea of the cute anime keychain thing that I vehemently protested against in my previous post. The key word that needs to be kept in mind is taste. Just like how one can wear terribly gaudy clothes, you can ruin your look if you have a clash of too much anime with your regular style. Keychains to me would be considered “high” on the “otaku meter”. If you wear nothing but attractive looking non-otaku clothes, pulling out a keychain with an anime character on it is hardly considered a fashion boo-boo. It’s more of a quirk, and adds to your personality. However, if that keychain is attached to a messenger bag with a huge bright anime character emblazoned on it, then it’s a bit of a problem. Remember that it’s all about balance.
To keep that balance working, you will need to err on the side of conservative. The majority of your wear will have to be a non-otaku in nature kinds of expression, with hints of your otaku pride.
The Rewards of Merging Otaku Fashion in Society
You want to express your fandom because you love anime. The thing is, who out there in society really cares? Only other fellow otaku, of course. Who cares if you like the LA Kings? Other hockey fans. So your expression is a tool for bonding with other otaku. So once you’re able to merge your otaku fashion sense together with what society deems acceptable, you’re suddenly in this confident, comfortable zone where you can mingle and interact with both groups.
Let me paint this pretty picture for you. You’ve taken your lessons in fashion well, you’re all dressed up, looking sexy, and ready for a night out with your friends at this club you’ve heard about. When you’re there, you mingle with people, and they’re liking you and all that. None of them really know about that necklace you’re wearing, but they like it because it’s different and interesting. You’re talking with one particular person, and they suddenly notice the necklace.
“Hey, is that Tidus’ necklace from Final Fantasy X?”
You happened to stumble upon a closet otaku. They had been trying SO hard to hide their otaku lifestyle that they look like a normal person. And yet here you are, brought together by a single trinket.
“Why yes it is! I’m a pretty big fan of Final Fantasy. How did you know? Do you play as well?”
Of course, that’s an ideal situation, but it does happen. Shazzsteel and myself have experienced things like that before, and I’m sure Ninjovee would also react that way if she saw someone with some anime/game trinket.
My Fashion
Alright Radiant. You’re the expert, you know where it’s at right? You talk the talk, but do you walk the walk?
This is my fashion sense:
I actually wear all 4 of these styles. For parties and social times, I wear a dress shirt, like on the left. Or if it’s a little more formal, I top it with a jacket like the one on the right. Daytime wear, I usually go with Raine’s style in the middle, or I do casually go just T-shirt like the guy with the hat (except without the hat). I wear mostly denim jeans, and sometimes dress pants. I keep nice leather shoes, and some laced leather boots too. My favorite brand is definitely Kenneth Cole.
The types of jackets I wear are similar in style to Raine’s, including a white cloth jacket, and a white pleather jacket that is somewhat in the style of Kyo from King of Fighters 2000. [rss]If you’re looking for the secret code, it’s asusrt16, just so you know.[/rss]I also have a more casual jacket than the guy on the right, as well as a more formal one.
Keep in mind that I also have a wife. She helps me with my fashion sense (remember the person who’s outside your circle?).
But you’re saying “That looks like normal wear! Where’s the otaku pride?!”
You’ll notice that Raine is wearing a T-shirt inside. This is where my expression comes in. The exposed area of that T-shirt constitutes about 20% of the overall visibility. That 20% is all you need. The shirts I wear are as follows:
Right away, anime fans, especially One Piece fans will know where this is from. Non-anime fans can suck it, but that doesn’t matter. To them, it’s just an interesting “nautical” shirt. This is from Uniqlo.
I’ve only worn this shirt once – when it was Pac Man’s 30th (or whatever) anniversary. This shirt is still fairly acceptable to wear, because it’s a retro classic game that even non-gamers can identify with. Also from Uniqlo.
Even though I bought this shirt because I thought it was cool, I’ve never worn it. Haven’t found an opportunity to. It’s too bright and attention grabbing. I really do like Pikachu, and the pixel art is quite cool. I would wear it around other otaku friends, or while working in a games studio. Also from Uniqlo.
This was a free shirt given to me when I attended a Nintendo party. The inverse Samus is a neat idea, and is still subtle enough that it appears to be a graphic design. However, I have never worn this shirt, because style-wise, the whole shirt-sleeve shirt coupled with a long sleeve shirt is a bit … nerdy. Maybe one day, I’ll take it to the tailor’s and have them remove the white long sleeve portion.
I used to wear this, but stopped. It’s still one that’s worth wearing, but I don’t want to wreck the print any further. Yes, it’s got a huge anime-style character on it, but if you think about it, the anime face takes up only about 10% of the image. The rest of it is purely a “biker style” design. This sort of subtle expression will still catch the attention of an otaku, while still look cool to everybody else. Was purchased from a car-mod store.
One of my favorites, but barely wore it. For the non-gamer, this is just a shirt with a pin-up girl. You’ve seen those before at Guess or something, right? To the gamer, it’s the awesome arcade shooter “1942”, and that girl is Cammy from Street Fighter. That Kamikaze pinwheel is worth 1000 points.
Damn, Cammy! You’re sexy!
I haven’t worn this shirt much because green actually looks terrible on me. There’s a powder blue version, which I should have bought instead. Bought online from Meatbun.
Now here’s a strange one I do not yet know what to do with. It’s Battle Star Galactica, and non-BSG fans would be none the wiser. It’s a graphic tee for sure, but the colors seem a bit much. Overall though, it’s still not as “nerdy” as a shirt with a Cylon on it.
This shirt sort of falls in the same category of the BSG shirt, in that it’s loud. Ghost in the Shell fans would recognize that Section 9 is the division that the Major works in. Bought from Uniqlo.
The back of the shirt has a stylized Masamune-esque “9”.
Eva fans should recognize this shirt right away. What makes this still acceptable (though fairly borderline at this point) is the types of color used. This keeps it a graphic tee, and not as loud as a real deal anime shirt.
Most people, even gamers, will not really know what this is, and see it as a regular graphic tee. It’s subtle in design too.
But you flip to the back, and you see this gaudy logo. It’s now obvious that it’s a promo shirt. Fortunately, the style and design makes it look a bit like those bomb-squad shirts you used to see around. I’d wear this shirt with a jacket over at all times, I think.
Now this is an interesting shirt I got from Uniqlo. From a distance, it looks like some sort of military pattern. Fairly normal looking shirt. But up close you can sort of make out a couple of unique shapes.
Of course, it’s Mickey Mouse’s glove, and signature head and ears. Remember my article on characters with unique and memorable characteristics? This is where it works effectively.
This shirt is fairly common. And for good reason. The style is decidedly retro with the font, and the colors, and of course, it’s a classic NES controller. Nothing says Nintendo Fan while still remaining stylish quite like this shirt.
In a similar vein, nothing quite says Street Fighter Fan while still looking stylish, like this shirt. A graphic tee to most, a matter of “You Win… Perfect!” to others. HADOKEN! I wear this shirt when gaming with friends, or going to the mall.
Forgive them, it’s engrish. Bought from Uniqlo.
And here is how I pair them up with my jackets.
Here are more shots of nerdy shirts looking fashionable. If you’re a DJ Max fan and want to express your fandom, this works:
I actually own this Syriana shirt. But I can’t wear it because I bought an Asian Size M, which is essentially XS in North America. 🙁
In conclusion, an expression of otakuism is not wrong. But just like any fashion, when you overdo it, you will give people the wrong impression, and in a world where judgment is based on that first impression, you most certainly want to have as much advantage as you can.
And the unfortunate thing is you can’t simply pick it up and expect to look good. At best, you’ll look like a person trying to be someone you’re not, and failing at it, so you need to “practice” regularly and develop an eye for fashion.
A final thing to take away from this also – you, no matter what shape or size you are, can look good, as long as you pick the right clothes. Clothes that fit you. I highly recommend you check out this book called [amazon_link id=”0307236714″ target=”_blank” ]Dress Your Best[/amazon_link]. It’s a guide that covers practically every body shape there is for both men and women. That’s also to say it can only cover so much, so maybe about 4 pages would be 100% relevant to you. However, it’s the start and basis you need to get your proper foundation set. The rest of the book covers practical general advice that everyone can follow. Read this book, and watch the show and you’re pretty much guaranteed to look good if you follow their advice.
[amazon_image id=”0307236714″ target=”_blank” size=”Medium” link=”true” ]Dress Your Best: The Complete Guide to Finding the Style That’s Right for Your Body[/amazon_image]
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Excellent read.
I’ve found my self questioning if I’m coming off too strong when I add some Otaku accessories or wear an anime shirt.
Luckily my Dad has been helping me with fashion sense (he’s surprisingly keen with his looks), so I don’t embarrass my self too much, hah.
Glad you enjoyed the article. Took a LONG time to write it! ^^
How “strong” you come off with your otakuness is ultimately up to you to decide. Most importantly is what makes you feel confident about yourself and what other (important) people think of you.
It’s good that your dad is helping you with your fashion sense. Not very many dads are able to (because they’re too stuck in their old-generation fashions).
Thanks for the insight. There are some people in my school who dresses up in lolita cosplay and people always stare at her since she looks very different among others. I have some otaku t-shirts, but not much.
Ah, I wanted to buy that Syriana t-shirt too when portable 2 came out but play-asia only had large sizes left =(
Thanks for sharing!
Just remember, Asian sizes are not Caucasian sizes. I got an M and it’s almost like an extra small. O_O
When people dress like your schoolmate, they feel comfortable, and don’t feel a need to be accepted in the world, I think. Unfortunately, that does them more harm than good due to the way society views them. There are some cases where deep down inside, they want to change, but feel that it’s too hard to do so.
Some people will grow out of it, and figure that they need to dress like everyone else in order to function in society, others just stay that way forever. 😐
“Some people will grow out of it” those people need to be those who are conventional enough to take their prejudice seriously!
That’s the thing, we all have prejudice, but we need to be taught they are an approximation not to be taken seriously when it comes to judging people. And it’s acritical comformism which is killing this world, religion, rigid identities defined against what’s outside it’s realm, etc.
Wow thats a nice read to start the day =)
all i can say to people is to be yourself and who cares what others think, why should you change because of them? thats what i learnt.
if dude wants to wear anime clothes, well so be it. its his/her choice in the end of the day.
for me, i dont collect anime related clothes..reason? well i simply am not fond of them ^^” or i should say i was brought up by parents who cares about how you present yourself.
meh anyway i really enjoyed this article and btw yes i would think the guy in the picture is a nerd but maybe personality wise is a good guy ^^
Oh that’s right! It’s daytime on the other side of the world right now! 😀
Fabrice, I do address the exact reason why one should care what others think – actually specifically why one should care what people important to them think. It’s to advance in life. You’re not dressing to impress for the sake of impressing others. You’re dressing to impress for the sake of furthering your own goals.
Yeah, maybe that guy is a good guy, and competent too! But simply by looking at him and judging him, you’d probably think the opposite. Am I right?
I know you said it, exactly you pin-pointed mostly everything, it was kinda hard for me to actually find something to say ^^
Yes at first sight i would…meh dress code in our days sure is becoming important if you know what i mean.
Yes, in today’s fast-paced ADHD world where everyone expects immediate results, it’s becoming exceedingly difficult to get in front of people without being judged by that very first impression. For the most part, there’s no reason to care, but if you’re not always keeping up, you fall behind really quickly. And when it’s time to shine, you’re far behind.
ughh read this again is going to kill my brain again, I remember reading the last one just yesterday and now comes an update rofl xD
often I don’t have any okatu outfits with me since I live in australia it’s hard to find one, but I use to have key chains out of my pocket they were a big hit back then I’m not sure about now… I do own one cosplay though,, brough that in Singapore though… :L
but these days, I just where asain headphones with a simple shirt and jeans, sadly I don’t think I’m expressing my otaku enough since it doesn’t give out any hints not even 5%… =__=’
haha it is a long read that’s for sure. xD
Well, expressing your otakuism is completely up to you and with what you feel comfortable with. Sometimes, it is simply difficult to obtain otaku wear, so you have to make due with what you’ve got. The important thing is to not overdo it, is all. 🙂
Thanks for commenting, and reading!
wow u have lots of uniqlo tees! but dun worry, I still have more than u… =P they’re so comfy and nice to wear!
tho the only shirt we have in common is the Mari one!
I love Uniqlo tees! When I was in Singapore, I was in heaven. I wish there was a Uniqlo here, but I kinda doubt there is a market for anime tees. 🙁
I’d like to see some of the other tees you have from Uniqlo. There must be a reason why we don’t have many tees in common.
Great read!
I generally try to wear what makes me most comfortable. Which makes my wardrobe mostly hoodies and jeans. I do have a couple of nice pieces of clothing but I only wear them on special occasions which makes them all the more special. I still have to get the hang of wearing actual dress shirts.
I do try to dress nicer nowadays and for a while I’ve actually spent some money on clothing rather than on my hobbies, which is probably a good thing.
I’ve always wanted to find out where to get some nice video game tees or graphic tees in general. Like the stuff you have, but dunno where to look except for the obnoxious jokey ones which I really hate.
Thanks Pyauki. It’s definitely an improvement over the previous article.
Definitely get into the habit of dressing better, and outside of your comfort zone. I know it’s easy to just simply put on some hoodie and jeans, but just by dressing slightly better than your co-workers will have a HUGE impact on your life (guaranteed!).
My wardrobe is still functional. lol. But you’ve got something going there. I need to stop spending so much on the hobby, and more on better clothes too. 🙂
Haha I totally know what you mean. I hate those kinds of tees too. They’re useless. 😛 It’s unfortunate we can’t get any of those nice tees here in Canada. 🙁 Maybe I’ll get Yukito to help me import them. ^^
atm, I have to resign myself to the fact that, despite knowing what to wear and what not to (I’m the family critic D;), I’m still unable to apply what I know. I need a job for-most, but I know my stuff. :3
So yeah, pretty awesome approach to the subject at hand. It’s pretty much dependent on how otaku actually want to balance their lives out, and this should be considered one of those pushes. We need to spread this word. oUo
Lastly, I FREAKIN LOVE YOUR SHIRT COLLECTION. oUo I have a shirt with the assorted Super Mario mushrooms, as well as a Pedobear one (lol). Hard to look for not-too-flashy shirts like you found tho. Where do you usually find them? :3
Hey! Good to hear that you know your stuff, Marx! That’s super important! But you’re right, you gotta have the cheddar to buy the clothes. 😐 Good luck with that man. 😀
Yes! Spread the word! RT this post! I want to truly bring the “cool” to “otacool” if you know what I mean. oUo
Thanks. 🙂 The shirts are all from Uniqlo. They have a great thing going on there integrating pop-anime culture with modern fashion and graphic tees.
This article reminds me….I need a few more fitted dress shirts. Plus a bunch of Graphic Tees.
Where can I get some graphic tees like the ones I have now? You need to tell me now. now.
A nice read! I really enjoyed your shirt collection. My daily appearance doesn’t give me off as an otaku at all. I do own several otaku-ish accessories but I hardly wear them because I don’t want to expose them to chemicals while working in the lab. >_<
You work at a lab? Darn that sounds so cool! Yeah, probably don’t want to expose PVC and whatnot to whatever it is you’re doing.
Glad you enjoyed the read. Do keep it in mind if you ever decide to bring out some otaku pride. 🙂
Ops! Sorry, accidentally submitted my comment before I finished writing.
Anyway, I find it really amusing when I see people wearing shirts printed with designs that are well known within certain communities but look like regular shirts to others. XD
I agree. It’s just so much more fun when you see something you recognize, yet others don’t, but still think it’s cool. It’s almost like camo, for the otaku! XD
Great read,
I never express my otaku-ism outside
Although with the wardrobe i have, i guess i show to the world i’m a nerd, because of the shirt-sleeve shirt coupled with a long sleeve shirts i have.
haha nerd. Sorry. It’s just my own opinion. Others may think it’s cool to wear the short-sleeve+long-sleeve. And as Udsahn said, it is based on individual experiences. Fashion is a subjective thing, for sure. So do explore.
I’m happy to see someone thinks like me when it comes to this kind of thing. I always found that less is better when it comes to showing otaku pride and what not. Kind of like a bit of extra spice.
Although I don’t really own any anime or game shirts or other trinkets, if anything I would say I dress pretty plainly.
“extra spice” I like that!
So why don’t you have any anime or game shirts? Does that sort of thing interest you at all?
I admit that most of the time, I dress a bit plainly too. I don’t have enough anime goods to make a statement on a regular basis, so only on occasions. 😐
It’s not that it doesn’t interest me just that I’m stingy with clothes.
Whenever I see say a Cospa shirt that I like or what not or find a cool gaming shirt online I can’t help but think how I could spend that money elsewhere given their relative high price compared to regular shirts and so forth.
Stingy?! That won’t do, Miette-chan! In this society, appearance is everything! You have to invest some money in good clothes! Or am I misunderstanding you that you do spend money on good clothes, but you’re just very picky and only want the best value for your money?
You’re right, they can be expensive. I normally don’t buy graphic tees either. It just so happens that Uniqlo was having a big 50% off sale on their anime graphic tees when I went to shop there. You can’t go wrong with a $12 anime tee shirt! ^^
Great write up! I liked the old article as well and it’s funny that you use OLP as a marker for your style because they’re my favorite band.
I also really like that white jacket of yours (the first post). Would you mind sharing any information on it? Thanks ahead of time!
haha I love OLP. Their fashion sense is cool, and their music is good.
The jacket is from Le Chateau. I bought it a couple years ago. It’s pleather (plastic leather – feels a lot like leather, but it’s really some sort of synthetic leather made from plastic). You have good taste, my friend! 😀
Thanks for reading!
Thanks for the reply! Unfortunately, Le Chateau doesn’t seem to have that style of jacket anymore in any color, so I might have to wait for the next cycle. In honesty, I really like all of the jackets you wear, and I’ve been meaning to get at least 1 without a hood attached 🙂
Also, thanks for the heads up about Uniqlo. I had no idea about this store existing either.
Although I’m really not too guilty about the gaudy clothing, there was this one time I bought a Starcraft 1 shirt with a Zealot’s Grill graphic on the front. In retrospect, there’s really no way I could possibly match this with my other clothing. I guess you could say it’s like that Pikachu shirt you got; it’s cool to have but I can only think of a handful of situations where I could wear it and it would look great.
Again, thanks for the info and write-up!
Yeah, that jacket was from a few years back. Though Le Chateau always has different styles. I believe this jacket was a spring season jacket, so wait until then.
The stores I’ve found to have good fashionable clothes also include Armani Exchange, Banana Republic, Mexx, Club Monaco, and (sometimes) Guess. Zara is also good because they tend to rip off the designs of other popular brands, and sell it for cheaper.
Glad you enjoyed the article! Hope to see you again soon! 😀
Awesome new post! A great improvement compared to your previous one! =D
I especially loved the last part because that was essentially lacking in your previous post as well ^^ I didn’t know that UNIQLO has awesome geeky shirts like that! I didn’t see any when I was visiting a branch when I was in Hong Kong! =(
Funnily enough, although I didn’t have anime shirts like what I’ve told you in one of my older comments, I used to be a jeans + shirt + sneakers girl XD when I got to college I found a friend who was into fashion and generally helped me get a wardrobe makeover. LOL. Although I’m still kind of a hit and miss with fashion, I rarely wear t-shirts now. I only do so when I’m feeling lazy. I definitely agree with your tips in this post. That’s how I got my closet to be pretty girly and colorful. XD
As for shirts, you may want to look at some shirts in JList. I won this awesome Kugimiya Rie tribute shirt from a contest and it’s actually nice. Even non-otaku told me they like it =D
Oh, and I would definitely ask about that FFX Necklace. Tidus is ?
haha the update was way overdue. 🙂
Every Uniqlo seems to stock these geeky shirts. It’s a bit difficult to find in some of the branches, it seems. But it’s there. And there are TONNES. Every season, they have new designs. I missed out on the super awesome Metal Gear Peace Walker shirts, and probably many more. I just love how graphically designed they are – hints of the anime/game origin used as elements for a graphic tee. 😀
For your type of job, you don’t get much room to be creative, so tees are generally out for you, but there are definitely other ways to show your otaku pride. 🙂
And I like your closet! The colors and textiles look very good! XD
Hmmm… will look into JList. The Rei tribute shirt looks pretty darn cool! (but a tad bit high on the otaku-meter for my personal comfort level).
You like Tidus, eh? Yeah, he was a pretty nice guy compared to some of the other FF male leads (Cloud and Squall were jerks).
Well, it’s better late than never, as people always say! XD
IDK, I wasn’t able to go through everything since there was a sale and I was kind of pressed for time. I probably missed them then T_T; It’s kind of annoying since there’s no Uniqlo stores here D:
We actually have casual Fridays XD but I rarely get to wear shirts now. Thanks! I love how colorful my closet is now ^^
Yes, I love Tidus. FFX is actually one of the few FF games I actually got to finish. I know what you mean about Cloud and Squall. Their emo-ness is magnified by Dissidia, while Tidus’ cutscenes made me love him more X3 /rambling.
hahaha well it wasn’t until recently that I had decided to write about it, mainly due to the sudden increase in activity to that previous post. 🙂
Yeah, there’s a possibility that you missed it during your looting. 😛
There are no Uniqlo stores here either, so I’ll have to wait until I go to Singapore again before I can loot. 🙁
And I can’t just go buying them online either, since their shirts sizes, styles, and cutting are so inconsistent. I remember picking up about 15 different anime graphic tees to try, and only came out with 4 because of cutting. 🙁
I have to admit, FFX wasn’t my favorite. In fact, it’s near the bottom, along with FF8. I liked the start, the graphics, and the initial premise, but the focus switched from Tidus to Yuna and her boring pilgrimage. I did like the characters though. Quite a bit. It’s too bad the plot was so boring. 🙁 FFX-2 was way more interesting for some reason.
I also hated FFXII at first, but really started digging it later on (I guess my post on that shows my love for it. ^^)
Still haven’t opened FFXIII. I’m sure I’m missing a lot in terms of graphics though, so I will eventually have to play it for the eye-candy. 🙂
Some nice duds you got there. Honestly, though, there’s way too much “what other people think” going on in most people’s minds and not enough “what do I like”. If you’re not on the job or at a social function that requires tame attire (family shindig, wedding, etc) the world can bloody well suck it.
I really mean that. The world can suck it. ESPECIALLY if you’re self-employed (yay me!).
That’s not to say the slovenly neckbeard look is cool, but rather that buying into trends and fashions on account of what other people think is pathetic (again, aforementioned caveats aside). On one end of the spectrum you could derive a large percentage of your self-worth from opinions that other people have about your clothes (sad). On the other end, you might not give half a rat’s what people think of your clothing and merely use style as a way to manipulate people (gain access to people/events/cliques/etc). I suppose the Machiavellian conniving side of the spectrum is less pathetic and more outright dishonest, but let’s just say neither behavior is particularly laudable.
I mean, really. Spend an hour learning the basics of color theory and you’re 90% of the way to being able to make passable stylistic choices for virtually any place that isn’t a couture runway. The other 10% is mostly cultural, i.e. related to the industry/area you find yourself in.
You might well have an outfit that is both heavily-laden with anime references/symbols AND aesthetically appealing. It seems unlikely to me, because symbol-overload usually just becomes loud and annoying visually, but it’s not necessarily an impossibility. I think your point about “the 20% of the front being all you need” is apt – it’s probably best to have a relatively plain/tame outfit that is highlighted at specifically-chosen points with the anime/whatever images/refs of your choosing… I mean, take tie-dye for instance. Unless it’s a combo of like and/or all low -chroma/saturation colors, it’s REALLY loud and distracting, almost obnoxious, like one of those Hawaiian tees. However, a tie-dye scarf (or other small article like that) with an otherwise tame set of clothes can make it all come together beautifully and might accent a hairstyle or headgear/jewelry/etc.
And all of this sort of looks by the fact that what people are wearing is really irrelevant to their inner character. This is anecdotal, but some of the most interesting people I know couldn’t care less about style. They are at the minimum possible level of caring about it, and they’re still incredibly fun to be around.
Welcome to the blog, Jambe!
Yes, under normal circumstances, you shouldn’t have to care what others think. But as I had mentioned, practice makes perfect. A lot of people miss that point, and then later realize how HARD it is to try and look good on short notice. I’ve seen it happen many times. I’ve seen shoppers literally cry because it’s so frustratingly difficult and overwhelming simply because they’re not used to doing it on a regular basis.
With practice, you do build an “eye for fashion”, so you’d be fully prepared when the time comes for that important social function that could change your life.
You bring up good points with the Machiavellian behavioral characteristics. And as you say, there is never black and white, and there are always two sides to every coin. But do you think that the motives behind “dress to impress” is truly either to manipulate, or to fit in? There’s also the building of self-confidence too, right?
You think color theory is 90% of the equation? I’d say that’s a bit absolute. I think it’s more like 60 or 70%. I think culture/social opinion plays a much larger role than you think. Even you think that it’s highly unlikely to have a heavily-ladened anime outfit that looks appealing. Both on an aesthetic level, and a social-norm level.
You bring a good example with the Tie-Dye thing. I like that parallel, and it brings it closer to non-otaku readers to identify.
You’re mostly right – what people wear CAN be used as a mask that in no way reflects their inner character. In a way, that is Machiavellian, especially when most of society does judge a book by its cover. I’m not against this methodology or to put it strongly, deception, simply because of how society behaves. If the world wasn’t so quick to judge, then I wouldn’t lean towards the manipulative engines of fashion.
You bring good points to the discussion, Jambe. I really hope to see you here more often. Cheers!
Thanks! I’ve read you for a long time but mostly just lurk. I believe I was linked here several years ago by Danny Choo…
And yeah, 90% was just an arbitrary number I threw out, but I do think simple understanding of how color and texture work together is over half the equation. Really, you can fit into most social and virtually all work events with very plain, clean-cut attire. It’s not very complicated.
I only brought up the Machiavellian behavior to illustrate the other extreme of the sort of “personality spectrum” that people fit into wrt their appearance — very few people derive ALL their self worth from what people think of their appearance, and very few use their looks entirely in a manipulative manner. Most folks are somewhere in between, and being close to the middle is probably healthiest. Derive some confidence from being complimented, and know how to use your appearance to your advantage when you need to, but don’t take it too seriously.
Heya Jambe,
Well, that’s good to know that you’ve been a long time reader. Any reason why you didn’t comment until now?
I guess you’re right – just knowing the basics and you at least won’t look like a clown at a function. The worst case at that point is you’ll blend in, and people won’t notice you’re even there. And there’s that fine balance too eh? You want to get attention, but not the wrong kind of attention.
Ah, I see where you’re getting at with the degree of Machiavellian behavior. Sorry if I misinterpreted it as being the extreme (that wasn’t the intention – ah, internet conversations…) Definitely everything in moderation, and balance. 😀
whoa….
After read this article my head almost burst. ><
Still, I do care much about someone impression on me since I'm Leo. But I think that most of the friends are not really object with my outlook, so I think I still in safe zone ^^
argh….Again eat away my words!!!!!
Hmmm… I checked the spam filter, and there isn’t anything in it from you. You seem to be the only one experiencing this problem too.
So why not try this – write your response in a text editor like notepad, that way you have it there in case anything screws up. Then just copy and paste it to reply. Hope that helps.
whoa…
So glad to be the only one = =
haha mindblown! >< I didn't think that the article would get so long! But it was a joy to write. Well, I can't say for sure what your fashion sense is, since I have no idea what you look like or anything, so do check with people you trust, as well as observe peoples' reactions to you as an indicator. 🙂
If this post is some sorts of topic starter, then I…..
*sigh*
haha well, it doesn’t have to be so wordy, of course. I think I over-did it and left little to nothing to discuss. But then again, the previous post was stark in contrast, and did bring out discussions that helped formulate this post. See how that works? 🙂
Not much really….><
wow, now that was a long read!
lol, before i get into any thoughtful post and responses, there’s an immediate question that’s been popping into my head.
the models that keep on reoccurring in these photos, are they you and ur girlfriend?
it’s probably the longest post I’ve ever written. O_o;
I can’t even remember how long it took me to WRITE the darn thing! lol!
yes, that’s me, and my girlfriend…
no, it’s not. ^^
Most excellent post :). I think probably the key word in this one is ‘balance’. It’s all about balance. Too much of one thing automatically puts you into some category with or without even knowing it. I’d guess a second word to consider other than balance is ‘scale’.
I once asked two friends to identify me based on what I wore and what they thought of me based on stereotypes. One of my friends smacked it right on the nose while the other was far off. I’m guessing that it was mostly because of different opinions based on their own experiences.
For reference, one said I looked like a surfer (I haven’t surfed in my life :)). The other friend said I looked like a guitarist (Of which I do play a great deal of). The interesting thing was that she herself was also a guitarist. She said I had the appearance of one and the way I stood gave off such a feeling.
Anyways, to end this semi-long comment, I also think that both scale and balance are key in establishing a form of external persona. Thanks for being so informative buddy! 😀
Take care!
-Jason
Balance and scale! You summed that up pretty good there. 🙂
That’s an interesting anecdote, actually, and brings to light a subject I never touched upon in the article – other peoples’ perceptions based on their own experiences. This is a variable that nobody can really prepare for, but is very real. I myself am guilty of that too – I go out and see groups of similar people hanging out with the same “game developer” style, and I recognize them as game developers because it’s the field that I’m in as well. All others would just see them as a group of individuals not like themselves, and mislabel them.
I have no idea what a “guitarist” would look like relative to any other person, so surfer, snowboarder, or something along those lines does come to mind, yes. However, without putting occupational judgment on you, based on your physical appearance, you seem like a very laid-back kind of guy that knows how to enjoy life the simple way.
To clarify, I believe that the day I was labeled a guitarist I had on a light-tan T-shirt with a jacket (I forget what kind of jacket though) cargo pants that matched the shirt’s color and wore sunglasses (shades if you prefer ;)).
For me, that type of wear is much more casual and purely for comfort usually worn around the house or during informal stuff. I used to wear blue jeans all the time, but they irritated my skin after enough time. Especially if I did anything that would cause me to sweat ;). I think it was due to the fabric more than anything though.
She could have also taken a guess when we shook hands because my grip can be pretty intense. Who knows :).
I typically wear similar stuff to what I do on my Youtube videos though for reference :).
Take care! 😀
-Jason
Hmmm… that does sound kinda surferdude-ish… hahaha! 😀
Been quite some time since Ive been at your Site but this Post was definately worth checking my Feed Reader.
I do disagree on some points and thats normal about fashion but oh boy do I hate the oh so typical Nerd/Otaku look. I cant see how for example Cospa is getting their shirts to the masses.
I mean your Cammy Shirt for example is basically the same premise girl on a shirt but looks very stylized and sexy ( its Cammy after all <3 )
I wouldnt say people would have to generally stop wearing for example hoodies if they like to wear them or their fav brand of jeans but they should always keep a certain balance in mind to keep their look nice.The T-Shirt Strategy is usually the one I follow aswell but I must say I dont own any Anime Shirts besides one that was a freebie with a Dengeki.
Generally id say Subtle or Stylized Anime Shirts are not only the way to go to look fashionable to normal people but I also as an "otaku" dislike those shirts where a girl is simply plastered on the Shirt.They could atleast add some spice via interesting pose or design.
Despite all the fashion advice here I think someone should never try to bend themselves to appeal to other people.If you feel uncomfortable in your clothes itll give off an even worse impression than that of a Otaku.
I think a even bigger factor to consider is that most people probably have a totally wrong self-impression of themselves.Sure there will be some that just dont care but if someone honestly told people that they look like shit I bet some would try to work on themselves
Yo Blowfish! Indeed it has been a really long time! In fact, it’s been a really long time since you’ve updated your blog too! 😐
Glad that I’m on your feedreader. 🙂
I’d like to know what points you disagree on, actually. Fashion is subjective after all. And who doesn’t love Cammy? hahaha
Cammy: “Target acquired… beginning mission.” <3
I typically use the T-shirt strategy simply because there's no real other form of anime expression in terms of clothing. Hoodies and sweaters are a bit rare to have anime on it. I'm not really sure why... it could either be that there's just no way in hell that sort of fashion would work (who am I kidding? These are IP mills we're talking about), or the costs vs profit ratio is just too low compared to T-shirts. I think it's the latter.
I mean, who wouldn't love to wear a jacket that's got Yoko's flame patterns on it? Well, that might be a bit much, irregardless of anime or not. ^^;
It's too bad there isn't a huge market for anime T-shirts here. If you check out Uniqlo USA, they're like... Club Monaco wannabes. I'm disappointed, considering their company name pretty much screams "Unique". Seems that outside of Asian countries, Uniqlo UK is the only site that advertises anime shirts. 🙁
Yes, balance is definitely key, and spice is what makes it interesting. Well put. For me, a girl plastered on a shirt, no matter WHAT pose, doesn't work for me. It's gotta be done in a very graphic tee sort of way - at the very least, like the Evangelion 2.0 shirt I've shown.
Do you ever watch the show "What Not To Wear"? A lot of the times, the victims (er, subjects) are aware of their bad fashion, but just simply don't do anything about it because it's overwhelming. They don't know where to begin, and they don't want to step out of their comfort zones. And of course, that builds on self-esteem problems too. I can attest that it is not easy at all to change your fashion without guidance.
You’re right, bending yourself to appeal to others is not the way to go, especially if it’s something you’re not used to doing. That’s where the “practice” part comes in, so that you can be comfortable when it’s called for it. You can become versatile that way, and have the best of all worlds – comfort, pride, and good looks.
I guess looking sexy like those models in the last few photos can’t hurt ;p
Well… I think a lot of it has to do with how you project yourself more than whether or not you are physically attractive… well okay, some percentage does play a part, but it’s not the whole equation. I mean, those models look like your typical asian boy and girl, really.
theres no escaping the judgement no matter what your into, but its always beneficial to be aware 😀
btw you have some cool jackets! and being able to relate and connect to someone from an item they have on is a really great way to start a conversation with someone new.
my style most of the time is basically jeans and a long sleeve shirt under a short sleeve shirt ^^ since my skateboarding days in high school this is the style i still stick with. i only have 1 anime shirt which is from FLCL, i wouldnt mind having more and i do tend to choose the subtle ones too.
great write up radiant, i approve of looking cool & nerdy 😀
That’s a good point, rockleelotus. There really is no escaping judgment. Hence why I do believe the point I was making with Jamble does stand a bit – you have to dress to impress with a bit of a manipulative motive – to further your own goals.
Thanks for the complement! I try my best. ^^ I basically found a “style” that I like to project and just grab stuff that projects that kind of style.
Now that I think about it, yeah! The long sleeve tee with short sleeve tee is skateboarder style! I don’t know why I never made that connection. Thanks for bringing that up!
Question: Do you want to come across as a skateboarder? If not, change your style.
Cheers! 😀
I don’t know of any stores around here that sell anime clothes so I’ve never considered wearing one.
My style usually consists of an oversized t-shirt and big jeans, but not by choice. The North American “small” shirt and size 30 jeans are too big for me, but that’s the smallest that I can find. I’ve recently started buying clothes online from Hong Kong, and I’ll be doing that from now on because they actually fit. The only thing that other otaku can identify me by is probably my Nadeko (Bakemonogatari) phone strap.
If you ever want to wear an anime shirt, chances are you will have to import them. Even where I’m at, there’s very little in terms of selection, which is rather unfortunate. The ones that are available are garrish, with anime characters plastered all over them. They basically scream I AM AN OTAKU!! 🙁
You must be pretty small then! Are you Ruri-sized? 😀 I know a friend who’s got the exact same problem, but on the other side of the spectrum. He lives in Japan, and he’s a 6ft white guy! So I can understand the frustration…
Cool that you’ve got it subtle with just a phone strap. But don’t be afraid to bring out a bit more if you feel inclined. Best of luck! 😀
Haha, I wouldn’t say Ruri-sized, but I am the shortest of my friends. On the upside of things, it seems people perceive me to be around 5’7″ or 5’8″ (before they actually stand next to me) which makes me happy 🙂
hmmm… I see. The perception is pretty cool then. Because 5’7″ or 5’8″ is a pretty good height. Myself, I’m sorta above average, but because I slouch, it makes me look 3 inches shorter. lol!
Sorry its taken me a few days to reply, couldn’t think of what I wanted to say.
My fashion is fairly simple. A t-shirt and jeans. It helps that it’s the best thing wear to work(a salmon hatchery) and plus it’s casual. I throw on a polo shirt and either a semi- formal pant or a pair of jeans that are unfaded and not frayed if necessary. I also wear a fleece coat, though it’s better suited for spring/autumn, it also works for not as cold Canadian winter days too.
Almost all of the shirts I own have no graphics on them, except for the shirts people bring you from their vacation(I wear those for work only). After reading this blog, it reminded me I need to update my wardrobe. Some of my favorite shirts are getting holes in them and I need to replace them.
No worries. I’m guilty to that myself. 😉
For you, your clothes are practical wear. And for the most part, there is nothing wrong with that, especially in the work environments that you frequent. For you then, I would concentrate on the going out wear, like going to the malls and hanging out with friends. Don’t bring your occupation with you if you know what I mean.
Luckily for me, both work and going out wear can be interchangeable for me, depending on what I need or want to wear. Plus, thanks for the suggestion. I’ll have to consider that the next time I need to purchase some new clothes
A couple of smart looking jackets / open sweaters / hoodie (don’t skimp on this! srsly) and you’re set to go with some of your favourite graphic tees. Well almost all of them: http://thumbs2.ebaystatic.com/m/mfB92Y3-ltDM0Sq3EZSDTsA/140.jpg (I lounge around with this one at home – got it free from PAX10)
Nice shirt. 🙂
You’ve pretty much got it with that combo. There’s no other way to wear a graphic tee really. 😐
What’s important is the graphic inside has to be fashionable as well.
Ah, Fashion. One of my biggest pet peeve living in Singapore. Most people here just don’t know how to dress. I understand that it’s too bloody hot to layer clothes, but it’s no excuse to dress sloppily.
Sure, berms, hot pants and flip flops are comfy, but wearing them everywhere, even in theaters? Also, when you start seeing lots of guys wearing innerwear as outerwear, you know it’s a big problem.
Back to the problem at hand, local otakus. Somewhat unkempt unfitting hairstyle (spiky/armani or center parting for bonus points), anime Tee (frayed collar for bonus points), jeans (cargo pants for bonus points), running shoes (National Service issue for bonus points).
Personally, I barely wear graphic tees or normal tees anymore. Finding one with a good cut is troublesome for a lanky fella. Plus, tees don’t fare well with a long neck. I’m usually in flat cap (hate styling my hair) + solid/stripe polo-T (button up to cover my collarbones) + black chinos + flat sole shoes (skate/slip-on/canvas). I’d probably add a jacket/windbreaker when it’s the rainy season.
That said, colour coordination is much more important. Try to keep within the 3 colour range with one base colour (black or white) And don’t forget to match your shoes with your socks and belt.
Welcome to RadiantDreamer, MrMayat!
I think that yes, the heat has something to do with it. It’s very uncomfortable wearing anything more than shorts, sandals, and a t-shirt. O_O;; Fortunately, there are good looking styles for that too – such as Natural Project. But ultimately, yeah, wearing these everywhere doesn’t really look good. The problem is, Singapore is so connected from one place to the next that it’s hard to dress specifically for one area and not be strange looking in another area. 😐
Seems like you’re pretty on your game with fashion. 🙂 I use the spiky/armani hair style.
I agree, it’s difficult finding a well cut tee. Which was why when I bought those anime tees at Uniqlo, I tried on a lot, came out with few. 🙁
And you’re right, tees don’t look good with a long neck. I fortunately don’t have a long neck, so it can be supported well. For your case, you’ll definitely be spending the majority on polos and dress shirts.
Good tips, my man! 🙂
This is a great fashion article, really. It’s simple and straight-forward.
I like things simple so I tend not to wear clothes that are too loud and attention-grabbing. I don’t own any anime/game fashion items so basically when I’m walking down the street no one will know that I actually watch tons of anime, have figurines all over my desk and played some games. Haha.
You’re right though – first impressions really counts. It’s important for us to dress well for our own good. =)
hey, welcome to the blog, Hoshiko! 🙂
You’re the kind of guy that Shazzsteel was talking about from the previous article. ^^
It might be difficult to obtain anime fashion items depending on where you are at, but definitely don’t be ashamed to show some of that otaku pride. You’re well aware of the social “fashion rules” already, so you’re a very small step from customizing your look!
Fashion in many ways is a very subjective thing. Besides, we really do live in a society where a lot of judgements, or rather, prejudices are everywhere. In Asian societies the situation can be more prominent as we tend to be under greater pressure and have less time to interact with people for a long period.
I personally have no anime related clothings in my poessession. This is definitely got to do with me wanting to stay neutral and ‘ordinary’ in the crowd rather than seeking to gain attention. Even then without any of such clothings people can still label you as one of those ‘loser nerds’ depending on how one wears their normal clothes (oversized, shrunk worn clothes aside, rucksacks and checkered shirts are frowned upon sometimes), the society can be rather harsh sometimes. One would just have to find his/her way to blend in I suppose. I chose the closet way, but since the availability of anime-related stuff in Hong Kong is fairly concentrated one can already make judgements based on where they go already, or the fact that we play our NDS or PSP anywhere on the go (handheld consoles are much more popular in Asia compared to the West).
Some Uniqlo t-shirts do make a good job on the look I admit. My cousin bought a t-shirt in Tokyo while we were in Tokyo last summer that has hills over a plain and I almost wouldn’t realise it’s actually from Dragon Ball Z. If they are rather subtle about where the art are from, or the colours not overly flamboyant, then they can be used as indications on what you like, hence what you said about accessories and showing your traits etc.
Sometimes I feel that this applies to how we present ourselves in blogging too. Ah you are hurting my brain again, Radiant.
You’re right about asian societies being more judgmental. I’ve seen this very often when I was in Singapore, Hong Kong, and even Japan. What’s interesting is that it’s entirely acceptable within their culture – frequently, in drama shows and comedies, you see them doing exactly that, in an exaggerated way too “Hey, check out that guy! Doesn’t he look weird?!” where in North American culture, you don’t see that at all. (not that it doesn’t exist, it’s just less visible)
You’re also right about people judging based solely on your way of dress even without the anime related clothing. Adding anime styling to it would be adding fuel to the fire. It’s a good thing my tips envelop the whole spectrum. 🙂
What I also find interesting, especially in Asian cultures like Japan and Hong Kong – the more people try to be different the more they stay the same (think about that for a moment to see if you catch my meaning).
Q, I love hearing your deep thoughts. It intrigues me a lot. You drawing ties between fashion and blogging has perked my interest. What do you mean?
Sudden train of thoughts are not necessarily deep, but I sort of find connections between how we dress ourselves (the body) to how we ‘dress’ our blogs. E.g. layout, colour scheme, blogging services etc.
I think I sort of get what “the more people try to be different the more they stay the same” is about (if I have intepreted it the way you want). No matter how much we change ourselves on the outside, we are still the same inside. Unless we change our inner self there will be a true difference (in a deeper way).
… That’s all I can say for now.
Hmmm… that’s an interesting thought… when I visit blogs, I do judge the “competency” of it based on the looks, but I believe that’s only about 10% of the equation, as I spend the rest of the time actually reading the articles before deciding whether or not it’s a blog I would like to follow. In the real world though, I’m guilty of being too quick to judge based on appearances and behaviors.
That’s one way of interpreting it, I guess. Which does make sense! The way I was seeing it was more of a fashion perspective – Take Japan for example. Trends change so fast, because they don’t like conformity. They don’t like being just like everyone else. They want to be different, and therefore try new things. But the thing is, everyone there has that same mentality. One person tries something different, to be different, and then everyone starts doing it. Next thing you know, everyone’s the same again. Then groups form because “being different on your own makes you a loser” but “being different with a group of people” makes it cool. It’s a very complicated psychology! ^^
Very interesting article~
I so agree with what you said here “We live in a society that is predominantly based on judging by first impressions”
I think the media is partially to blame for these stereotypes, especially when it comes to otakus. But I guess, that’s just how the media works, showing what the public wants. They always tend to show some otaku that is not very “well presented”. Like the picture of the otaku you posted. What I find funny is that,I’m sure there’s many otakus out there, who are very well presented or at least presentable and have a good job. Of course there are those, who are the opposite.
Anyways, I probably forgot some of the stuff you wrote as I was typing this comment, as I tend to have bad memory^^” So, I apologise in advance^^”
Thanks Tabetaiii!
I don’t know if it’s really the media that is to blame for this sort of judging behaviors. The media, while can be biased, tends to not be judgmental because that can ruin credibility, especially when it comes to the press. Any sort of judgment can be seen as slander. And in movies, any sort of judgment or stereotyping would offend people. Activists would chew them out, and then the media would attack them.
No, I think judgment is within us. It’s a primal behavior almost. After all, our ancestors accessed whether a situation was dangerous or not by looking, not by asking “hey, are you dangerous?”
It’s just like with sex. It’s part of nature, but it’s taboo to be open about it. So we live in a society where people silently expect others to behave or be a certain way, and become disappointed when they don’t. Those expectations come from judgment. So when a person expects you to behave a certain way because of the way you dress, they will do whatever they can to make sure that you fall into those expectations for their own comfort. The initial thing they do, is label you.
I’m not saying this out of speculation or attacking anyone specifically. I’m saying this in general. Everyone. You, me, the other guy reading this, President Obama, Justin Beiber, everyone.
Interesting read. ^^
My job doesn’t require me to wear business clothes and stuff so I’ve always dressed differently from my friends. I normally wear jeans, casual tops and flats (sometimes sneakers). I’m not sure if I have stuff that fits exactly in the otaku fashion category ^^; but I’d like to have some, perhaps the subtle ones like the graphic tees that you have.
I should have visited Uniqlo when I was in Singapore. I bought some clothing online before and yeah, the sizing can be quite tricky. Those shirts are really nice. I like the white jacket too. ^^
I think my topic covers a lot more than just “Otaku Fashion”. I think it covers the behavioral patterns of people and their judgments. It’s very important to “fit in” with those that are important to you, not only for the purpose of looking “better”, but also to further your own goals. The Otaku part is a simple way to add spice to your wear.
Thanks, the white jacket is from Le Chateau (the other cloth white jacket is from Armani Exchange).
The clothing sizes from Uniqlo can be tricky, yes. I don’t recommend buying Uniqlo clothing online. There’s no guarantee it will fit – even with the tees. 🙁
Just wanted to say, this is an fantastic post! love the idea of judging + the fashion tips. I only read half so far since it was so long (but really good!). I’ll read the other half later when I get more time XD
Hey Ruby! Thanks! 😀 Hope the tips ended up being helpful! 🙂
I had no idea Stacey and Clinton had a book?! To be honest there isn’t much in my wardrobe that suggests I like anime besides my anime shirts I wear around the house. But I do like finding tops that are kimono inspired when I get a chance. My work attire is very basic, but I usually try and spice things up with a well chosen necklace. By the way, I LOVE that One Piece shirt, absolutely adore it.
PS – Actually I’ve never owned anything Kenneth Cole before but just last week I bought a purse that’s KC that I like. Half off on Piperlime 🙂
Yah, a book! 😀
It seems that anime-shirts are hard to find outside of Japan, especially those that aren’t brightly colored “HEY HEY! I LOVE ANIME!” kinds of shirts.
I have a lot of nerdy clothes, it’s just the sort of wardrobe I have. The only time I wear professional clothing is when I’m putting in job applications or going to interviews – that sort of thing. Outside of that, I can’t really converse much without it being about anime and games to begin with… so I don’t have ‘normal’ friends. But at my age, the norm is going out to bars all the time and getting drunk anyways, and I want no part in that.
Of course, that being said, I have a lot of cute clothes too. But my style varies from day to day depending on how I feel, so I’ll either dress (as my coworker says ) ‘preppy’, or I dress ‘punk’ or what-have-you. I’m an all-around sort of person, I suppose. Just don’t expect me to know celebrity gossip or what sorts of things are airing on television this season, that’s all.
I think it’s important to wear appropriate clothing for the appropriate occasion, but to also add in a bit of individuality to the style, as I had illustrated above. It’s one thing to conform to the norms, and the opposite to go against it. So that happy medium of conforming, but using small elements to express individuality is the goal of this topic.
What a load of crap Oo
Worst posting I’ve ever read of you. 🙁
Honestly, stuff like this is why the world is so fcuked up /rotten.
As long as its nothing that offends people (like waring military uniform everywhere, or being close to naked) everyone should be able to look how he wants.
As for jobinterviews: they are just so damn pretending. Come on, as if someone would always wear a suit or sth. at work, so why would anyone care how you look at the interview, as long as your clothes are acceptable (e.g. “normal” clothes that look acceptable in your everyday job. If you’re at an interview for being banker you should obv. wear a suit or sth. but when applying for being like let’s say at walmart, why would you wear a suit for that? Pretendous kids all over the world its sickening).
Oh, obviously I don’t have work, as I really am sick of the world and you might say it’s sad, but the sense in my life is watching anime / series and reading books (I tend to read about 200 pages a day, like 360 days a year) to flee of what became of humanity 🙂
I’d never ever work under the cicumstances in this so called earth. As long as there are politicians, nothing but LYING faggots that try to make loads of money, I won’t lift a finger for this system.
Oh and if anyone starts whining I got no future: If there arises some problem which would lead to me not being to live, so be it. I don’t care, as I don’t see a possibility of death being worse than life ^^
Don’t get me wrong, I cherish being alive – but only because there’s this fantasy of a better life in stories 🙂
And there’s btw. no need to reply to this, as I’m probably not gonna read it anyway^.^
I’m sorry you feel that way. My reply to you isn’t necessarily for you in particular, but for the community of readers here, so that they can understand what’s going on.
You may have misunderstood. It’s not me that is disagreeing with the way you dress. It is the world and their habits. I’m merely pointing that fact out.
Your arguments are somewhat generalized, and pointing towards a much bigger problem (which I have addressed in the topic already).
I don’t want to judge you, but from what you’ve said about yourself, it seems you’re trying to shut the world out from you. I wouldn’t call it sad, but I do think that it’s important, and healthy to not judge the world, accept it for what it is, and learn why it works the way it does. By doing so, you’ll be able to move about it freely without feeling sick of it.
… you sound a bit like a hikkikomori.
Don’t judge the world, let it judge you though. The homophobia, the nationalism, the racism, the identity policies, the wealth concentration, the artificial scarcity and competition among poor people, the inadequate mending hole welfare? The blind terrorism of some B movie like ridicolous villains (west “crusaders”???) made somehow real? Judging the world is fundamental to change it or contributing to. Gandhi did, M L King does, Gino Strada of Emergency also ;).
Wow I know it’s older but nice article. Something different but relevant for anime fans. I tend to try to go “complete otaku” style when I’m at an anime convention or just in the mood to when I’m simply hanging out with other friends who are also anime nerds. Since age 22 I finally gained an interest in clothes more and cute tops etc.
One of your comments struck a chord. I actually met my fiance right now when I happened to be at a party with my best friend… and she noticed his skull necklace was from Bleach. 😉 It was almost exactly the situation you described.
Hi Sarah! I checked out your deviantart, and I like your art style! 🙂
Yes, dressing appropriately for the occasion is a good idea. It’s always good to let loose once in a while, and not care what others thing. 🙂
OMG that’s so cool! That’s what I’m talking about! 😉
A whole post to say : I buy my shirts at Uniqlo.
Meganekun, meeh
I really love the visual kei glam look! Problem is, that although I’m skinny enought I have little hair on top and curly, which I keep cropped very short, having a regularly proportioned head helps. I saw some bald people which can pull off using makeup and eyeliner or, if interest, dark painted nails. Defined eyebrows and a polished, not too rugged skin care helps (even with a short beard). An attitude is maybe needed, a natural (not forced or comformistic) one, like a non typical masculinity and some grace, as it doesn’t typically work with the traditional ones, thuggish, rugged, latino or one piece businessman.
I get your piece is not actually about how to conform, which I adverse but how to fit while being yourself sending the right signals of confidence or seriousness when needed.
That’s cool I really like your collection and your interest in anime.