History of Hime-Kei Fashion

What is Hime-kei fashion? 

Hime-kei fashion, also called hime fashion, is a fashion style based around the image of a fairytale princess . Hime-kei fashion started during the “princess boom” in the late 90s in Japan. It’s main aspects are floral patterns, lace, ribbons, roses, sparkling rhinestones and the like. Jesus Diamante is considered the first hime-kei fashion brand, which became popular with gyaru. Other brands popular brands were La Pafait, Pinky and Diane, Merry Bijou among others, most of which are no longer exist. Hime-kei fashion is also closely associated with hime-deco, a deco fad in which one decorated items with princessy style materials like lace, bows and roses! Hime deco was popular among wearers of hime-kei fashion and lolita fashion alike!

Is hime-kei fashion just hime gyaru? Do I need to be gyaru to wear it?

You don’t need to be gyaru to wear hime-kei fashion, but gyaru of course can wear it as hime gyaru! The difference between hime-kei fashion and hime gyaru is the makeup and hairstyle that hime gyaru usually wear. Big hair, that iconic hime gyaru makeup, nails and styling transform hime-kei fashion in to hime gyaru! Below is an example of the differences between hime gyaru and hime-kei fashion. You can pick the one right for you!

Himena pictured left is wearing hime gyaru and the woman pictured right is wearing hime-kei fashion without gyaru makeup or hair. Both are adorable! (source La Pafait ameblo)

Is hime-kei fashion the same as lolita fashion?

Many people think hime-kei fashion and 2000s era lolita are the same style or are copying each other, but both of them were created as a result princess boom in the 90s. While hime-kei mostly refers to hime-kei fashion, it can also include any princess themed fashion or aesthetic such as hime lolita, roma-hime, hime deco and others that started during the princess boom.

What is the princess boom?

The “princess boom” is a term that was first used in the 1970s to refer to a phenomenon of growing admiration for princess-like figures, especially among women. It grew in part due to the influence of female oriented manga, anime, and the Takarazuka Revue as well as the growing number of female pop stars. It involved a focus on female centered pop culture, fashion and media. The princess boom reemerged in the 1990s, which was when hime-kei fashion was born. Other princess fashions such as hime lolita and hime kaji started during the 1990s princess boom!