Hello, my moonie concubines, today we are going to dive into some of the greatest moments of Sailor Moon history when I speak upon the fashion. To remind everyone Sailor Moon aired in 1992, the best time for Naoka to look for inspiration from all around her, from high school/junior high uniforms to high fashion icons. What makes Sailor Moon so important around this time was that she also influenced fashion statements we mimic and still use today or dream of the ones we still haven't used.
Let us say maybe you are a 90s baby like myself(glass shattering moment time); you may have begun to notice the budding "new" trend. The jelly sandals you can now find in adult sizes or even the apparel you couldn't find before now seems to be everywhere. Well, this can be caused by one of the many theories about fashion. A few of those are; the 20(roughly 30) year rule where after some time those outfits can resurface with new life. The best examples are when TV series like Stranger Things and That's 70s Show became popular then suspenders and brown plaid became a new thing. James Laver, a fashion theorist, and historian introduced the 50-year rule. Backed by Stanley Marcus, the former president of Neiman Marcus; says he used it to stock his stores in the late 1960s And then there is the economy or Hemline theory; if you're too broke to shave off all or some of your body hair, do you think you would show it off? Maybe now were fewer women shave but, back then, the hemline would be high to show off whatever stocks they were wearing. When war broke out, the nylon was needed, the hemline went much lower. I would think one of the great appeals about the 90s look is you can make it at home by yourself with minimal materials, and still have a high fashion look. If not that, it explains why the GoodWill has become so prevalent along with antique stores.
When you never grow out of the 90s, it is an excellent bonus going to stores and finding things that would have been harder to find before, getting Sailor Moon gear is overflowing at some places. These, of course, are only theories and only a few of them, the ones I felt were more reliant. However, it may end I will enjoy it till the end.
15. Recyclable outfit
With the 90s feel overflowing throughout the series, these magical soldiers continue to influence the pop culture to this day; in shops like Forever 21, Torrid, and Hot Topic, to name a few. Just like the 80s or in this case the 90s there will always be a dud outfit, especially when you are trying to animate inanimate objects, now don't get me wrong they are still fascinating though. In the episode "Jupiter, the Powerful Girl in Love," there are daemons sent to earth to steal people's pure heart crystals. These daemons come from any kind of energy produced., even an elephant looking vacuum. With long legs, big ears, and her cleaning hose placed in questionable places, this outfit is something worth a Halloween contest.
Even if this is an exciting outfit, there are better, like a daemon named Hurdle, who is a whole shoe. You still have to admit this uniqueness and creativity put into this character; I would cosplay as her.
Obviously, this isn't something you would generally leave the house in, so it will forever remain a risky, sexy, Halloween costume.
What is very neat about these villains is that they use their "item" as their weapon. One of the daimons is a cello, and she can execute a sonic blast when she plays, another daemon turns into a tennis ball and turns our Sailor Soldiers into bouncing tennis balls.
14. Revenge of the Overalls
No need to remind you that we are walking in the 90s when overalls are all you see, you can catch almost all the Sailor Soldiers sporting a pair of denim, loose to close-fitting short or long overalls. Rei's moment of wearing overall is probably the most memorable because she is wearing pink. Usually, a more Usagi look, this goes in a different direction than Rei's more adult look; black mini skirt, long purple sleeve shirt, and red stocks with short pumps. Rei stepped out of the box here and went with what I feel is a more childish look for her, still works though.
All I can remember as a child was having at least two pairs of overalls, I still do now even. But I feel when you watch these episodes and see these outfits, it is a time warp.
I love the overalls on everyone honest, but it does take everyone down in age I feel when you wear them.
13. Miniskirts and dresses all around
The pop culture took off with the many variations of dresses and mini skirts, the Sailor Soldiers dove right into the mess. You could catch all the Inner Sailor Soldiers in a long or short skirt, and sometimes they even switched it around. Ami being the bookworm she was, you could still see her sport something above the knee, with a fashionable top that gave off an adult feel almost or retro. Usagi's staple was the mini or short skirt sometimes seen in short dresses paired with a solid color top; I know I sported that outfit in my youth, and I am pretty sure so did Gwen Stefani when she still was part of No Doubt. These girls stayed with the trends or started them and made even the simple garments look excellent.
Even though Rei or Makoto may not have been the girliest of the groups, they could also be seen in something above the knee, and make it their own. It was like baby steps to being girly.
Even if we are used to seeing someone in one thing, we still got to see them step out of the box, which I felt brings life to the character—showing if they are either picking up on their friends' style or trying something new themselves.
12. Big Puffy Sweaters
Sometimes this outfit could also be seen paired with a mini skirt and knee-high socks. This fall/winter outfit has been picked up by many of all ages, socks are being made exclusively for these kinds of fashion statements. This cowl that everyone became so fascinated with on big chunky sweaters, chunky sweater dresses, and even mid-drift sweaters.
The fascination of the long-necked cowls on sweaters and shirts I thnk is still floating around.
It adds such playfulness of a sweater or shirt. Especially a sweater, it's like a built-in scarf
Such a simple outfit paired with some fabulous jewelry, shoes, and it's the perfect outfit without much effort.
11. Layer it up
I loved doing layers as a kid, mainly because there were so many rules to your clothing in school. No matter what look you were trying to pull off the ripped layered look would give you more grunge feel or "badass" feel. There would be moments when Usagi would wear a strappy dress and layer it with shirts or hoodies making it a completely different outfit. The 90s fashion almost had no limits; you could think outside of the box and put colors together you may never wear, yet seemed to fit themselves together.
Layers today are still significant, whether professional or not; they look good on everyone too.
Even if layered dresses were more a Brittany Spears kind of thing, it was always so cute and versatile for anyone.
Most of the time, when we see layers, characters are showing off either some knee-high socks or semi-pumped shoes to give it a more adult look.
10. Bright colors/Pastels
If bright colors and pastels never made such an impact during the 90s, who knows what color these characters would be wearing. These looks were definitely on my top 5 and something I even incorporated into my wardrobe. Highlight-yellow and purples, hot pinks and light blues, yellows with green, and Usagi's favorite "watermelon" look with pastel pinks and green. We never left the bright colors behind in the 80s they were just a slow emerge, I love the bold color contrasts. They even worked well for dark to black shades too.
These looks have a very retro feel to them, and could even be dressed down for casual wear and dressed up to give it a more professional look.
Bright mismatched palettes like bomber jackets, patchwork, and layers were a big thing.
9. Schoolgirl outfits
For the longest time, I could not understand why Sailor uniforms were so important. For a while, I did not get to indulge in my anime side, so when seeing that all school girl outfits were, some version of an official uniform got me wondering why? So far, what I found out was they were easy to make, having uniform requirements for boys and girls probably cuts down on costs and any social abnormalities. Even though everyone may not all be about the uniforms, they can be a thing to love, personalize, and still look very timeless.
The uniforms began the kimono was too constricting for a traditional class setting; at the time, they took on western culture slowly, and the sailor uniforms became an easy target.
Namie Amuro was a pop icon in 1995. She made the mini skirt and chunky boots very popular, kogal style, which was soon adapted to the school uniforms to seek out a more stylish look.
8. Dark Ami
I usually like to stick to one storyline or one timeline, so there is no mix of information, but I am breaking the rules again to introduce Dark Ami. If not for Instagram, I would not have tripped into the rabbit hole of Sailor Moon Live action, which is excellent. In Act 20 to Act 28, Ami becomes brainwashed and an enemy of the Sailor Senshi, which only takes place in live-action, so you never can see it unless otherwise.
I had to add this to the list because first off, she is Sailor Mercury; this would be a fantastic cosplay outfit to replicated, something completely original.
Ami is seen as the timid, shy, bookworm all the time none would have ever seen this coming, and she does it so well. Just like when Small lady went terrible. It looks good to be wrong.
A few simple extra accents added was all it took. I did love how the tiara had such extra love and detail.
7. Shrine priestess
Supposedly Rei attends a Roman Catholic school, which is why her school uniform is so different. It seems kind of odd considering she is said to be a shrine priestess. She is the only Inner Sailor Senshi with strong psychic abilities, which is weird because she never tapped into her past life. In the manga, she leaves to stay with her grandfather, who owns the Hikawa shrine were she practices to be a priestess.
I wanted to add this to the list because like Naoka saying she enjoys drawing them in culturally acceptable clothing, I love seeing it. And who can say they know a shrine priestess.
Naoka has said she also practiced to be a shrine priestess.
A priestess is said to have archery abilities, and that shows in a few of her attacks.
6. Koan of the Ayakashi Sisters
Catsi or Koan is the oldest sister of the Negamoon or Ayakashi Sisters. In the manga, she poses as a student setting up a fortune teller booth where she begins predicting her client's death. She is confronted by Rei, who is captured by Koan before Sailor Moon can destroy her. Considering she is the oldest sister but is wearing a huge black tutu makes me wonder, why can't I do that too. It may not be ethical for today's women or everyday attire but a catwalk or a different event now we are talking.
Mugler was the designer of this semi-gothic high fashion look that inspired our writer.
5. "Moon Prism Power Make-up," "...Power, Make-up"
It's all about the transformations. When we first meet the Sailor Soldiers, they are still in junior high and crazy about boys, at least some of them. What I like about the first form of their transformation was, of course, "wow," being a Five-year-old little girl, how could you not want to dance to them styling up. Also kept their outfits traditional and straightforward with the mix of schoolgirl feel and a unified uniform that matched everyone. When she first planned them out, they all had different uniforms and colors; she ended up just sticking with the different colors and some small changes to their shoes; Rei has short red pumps instead of knee-high boots.
I loved how they stuck with the subtle shoe changes instead of different outfit changes altogether.
Between the manga and the anime, there can be different forms of their transformation.
When they power up, there are very subtle differences known, like in their tiaras or a few extra ruffles on their skirts.
4. "Silver Moon Crystal Power, Make-up," "...Planet Power, Make-up"
If you are referencing the anime, there will be some difference between the manga; for instance, when it comes to specific phrases, looks, and even attacks, they could be tweaked in some form. When we get to see the Sailor Soldiers for their last transformation, it comes from Sailor Moon using the upgraded Holy Grail to the Holy Moon Chalice during the Dream arc or Season 4 of the anime. Eternal Sailor Moon is born, complete with wings that work.
In the manga, there are not as many "level ups" or "evolved" forms as you see in the anime, so there can be confusion when you are trying to follow along.
All the girls get a significant upgrade on their outfits that I think makes them look more like a suit of armor. Their skirts have extra frills and bows, their shoulder pads, and even their shoes all have taken on a new look, and their moons are even stars to complete the Star arc.
Even though we also get to see them wield some new powers, I still think a few changes to their transformation sequence would have been beautiful.
Even though we do not see it, the Outer Sailor Senshi were also able to upgrade to their Eternal forms without any extra help or gadgets.
3. Hotaru high fashion Mugler
As much as I'd love to see Hotaru in her high fashion Dior outfit, it never graced our big screen only in her artwork. Naoka has an affinity for Haute fashion; french for "high fashion," so many of her grander outfits or even pieces that she reserved for only art workpieces, a lot of those outfits and design had probably walked down the runway at one point in time.
Mugler also designed the long black dress with short sleeves and a "large-mesh look" that Hotaru wears.
2. Setsuna high fashion
Even if we never get to see these characters wear these outfits in action, we still get to see them recreated through Naoka. She used these designs not only for main characters but even for villains. Because all she did was pick the right outfit for them, and they all work so perfectly. Setsuna's Chanel black dress with gold chains draped around her shoulders, her arms, and her bodice gives her an older look we all can sense from Setsuna. Gives her a subtle regal touch for being a princess.
Chanel designed the dress that was possibly modeled by Naomi Campbell.
1. Neo-Queen Serenity
This spot goes to the future queen of the 30th century, mostly because this is a very iconic piece besides their sailor soldier outfits. Everyone knows what Queen Serenity's dress looks like from the many times we see it in the timeline. I would say this is probably one of those few very consistent things in the series. Designed by Gianfranco Ferré for Dior's 1992 collection, there was a display in the Dallas Museum of Art where a fan had spotted it, not knowing that it was more than a coincidence but that that dress was her inspiration.
A lot of the characters like this dress are Greek-inspired styles.
I adore that since she uses high fashion outfits, it shows that no matter how good a woman can look, she can still kick ass.
Palladium Dress from Dior from the 1992 collection
Also be sure to read:
- [Top 10] Sailor Moon Best Episodes
- [Top 10] Sailor Moon Best Moments
- [Top 10] Sailor Moon Best Characters
- [Top 15] Sailor Moon Best Outfits
- [Top 15] Best Sailor Moon Art
[Top 10] Best Horror Anime with Female Leads
