Fashion Police: Anime School Uniforms

Uta no Prince-sama

There are a ton of anime based on video games and not many of them are actually worth a damn. Uta no Prince-sama might be a bit of a garbage series, but the school uniforms in it are far from forgettable. The series takes place at an eccentric high school of the arts, so a lot of the characters have their own twist on the liberal dress code there. There’s a lot of stripes and plaids going on, a combination I wouldn’t dare attempt, but it’s one that these characters manage to pull off (even if it borders of gaudy half the time). Since it’s a romance anime, most of the attention falls on the male characters who have to meet heartthrob cliches while still meeting the school dress code. That means you get a whole lot of untucked shirts, mismatched ties, and all sorts of little things to help these dreamboats stand apart.

Highschool DxD

I know that harem anime is far from PC and all that jazz, but I can’t help really loving the lore and intense storytelling that High School DxD has along with its bouncy buxom beauties. The guys’ outfits are pretty much the bare minimum design needed for people to go “oh, that’s a school uniform.” However, the girls are actually pretty interesting. For one thing, they have a sort of tailed corset that goes on over their blouse and falls just below their skits, giving them a look reminiscent of lingerie, without being too crude. Some of the female protagonists also wear a small cloak over their shoulders (to protect their modesty, I’m sure). While it might not be an extreme take on the kinds of school uniforms we see in anime, it’s definitely one that makes the characters stand out. Of course, in typical harem anime style, they don’t wear those uniforms for long…

Honorable Mention: My Hero Academia

The actual school uniforms in My Hero Academia are pretty trash. However, the gym uniforms are some of the most memorable I’ve ever seen in anime. It’s hard not to get excited when you see the students jog out in those outfits, because you know there’s about to be a big-time battle.

As I said, I don’t know high fashion from a boot in the ground, but it’s hard not forget any of the school uniforms from the anime listed above. If any of my fashion savvy readers have any better-dressed anime they want to suggest, please leave a comment below. In the meantime, if you want to stand out at your next anime convention any of these uniforms would do the trick.