We also hit up Forever21 to see what they might possibly have for fashion items. Mark me shocked. I have not liked fast fashion items in a long while but in the last couple of years, throwback fashion has been hitting the market hard. I'm old and a sucker for some late 90s/early 00s nostalgia. There were a couple of pieces that crazily stood out to me as very gyaru if not things that you could make to be very fun and gyaru.
I'm aware that not everyone is able to afford Japanese brand or import it-so right now is an ideal time for you because there are some extremely cute pieces that are very on-trend. With that being said, before I dive into some of my finds, I'd like to talk about the direction gyaru fashion is going in.
Last I recall, Forever21 pulled out of Japan back in October (?), so this really leaves a wide gap in the fast fashion market over there. There is of course-H&M, Zara, ect. However, they don't cater to a young demographic like Forever21 did. This is going to take youth fashion (I predict) in two directions.
We are finally getting out of an entertainment dry spell and that is what is inspiring people to make new things or bring the old things back again. With that being said, magazines are making a pretty decent comeback. I don't think it's ever going to make waves like it did before but it definitely is a start in the right direction. With Egg and Happie Nuts being back on shelves, there's going to be a bit of the model worship that also gals lacked in the mid-10s. The fast-fashion market was also saturating things and there wasn't much originality coming from anywhere. With Forever 21 out of the picture, for youth fashion and Zara/H&M catering to an older crowd-I'm hoping that this will give gal fashion a really neat edge. We might be getting some boutique brands or maybe even some brand revivals since affordable competition is out of the picture.
It's funny that I'm about to feature clothing from Forever21 when I say this. However, we lack a boutique market like Japan does, so I think it's rather justified.
When I was shopping with my friend, I was asked if I had to feature a couple of items from Forever21-what would I pick that would be cute for a J-Fashion or gal outfit. I whizzed across the place finding interesting pieces. I even bought two pieces of my own that I am really invested in making fun things out of.
Here are some of my top picks for the season:
Floral Animal Print Self-Tie Top
Nothing quite screams gyaru like this top does. It's a tie top that you could totally wear with a cute camisole or a really flashy bra. The leopard print and rainbow flower print is such a perfect gyaru statement that you could throw on with a pair of flared hip huggers, a chain belt, and chunky platforms.
Tiger & Floral Print Cami Dress
This dress is stupidly popular. It keeps selling out. The straps on it are slightly pathetic but the print is everything. There are tigers and cherry blossoms in the print that make it unique and very early 00s. I have a pair of old 2004 jeans with red tie laces and a woman in a furisode (in glitter and rhinestones may I add) that I refuse to get rid of because it's from that iconic era where kimono print was on everything. I feel like this dress is a nod to that. I don't have anything like that (save for the jeans) so I am thrilled to do fun things with this look. I'm planning to either wear this dress with flat black platform slides or some chunky sandals.
Smocked Leaf Print Mini Dress
I feel like this is such a cute dress that could be a nod towards the infamous MeJane with their iconic green leaf print that everyone associates them with (due to their shopping bags). It's off the shoulder and a perfect cut for spring. Definitely bust out your white platform sandals for this one!
Leaf Print High-Rise Crepe Shorts
Here is another MeJane looking print in the form of shorts. This comes in two colorways-white and black.
Tropical Cropped Cami & Shorts Set
Here is another set that could kind of pass off as a MeJane piece? It's a little pricey for what it is though.
Tropical Print Skirt
Here is another interesting piece that I found. It's a tropical leaf print but in a burnt orange colorway paired with a white background for a perfect contrast. This actually comes in a set and looks amazing together. I feel like this is more of a late 90s look than an early 00s.
Tropical Lemon Print Mock Wrap Skirt
There is a pretty memorable video that features BabyShoop and Cecil McBee back in the late 90s/00s. A huge trend back then for the season was clothing prints that featured fruits. I ran across a fuck ton of fruit prints on the F21 website-including this lemon print that features flowers and palm leaves!
Citrus Print Cutout Dress
If you want a solely dedicated fruit print, Forever21 has this really cute cut out dress. I love how the black is perfectly contrasted with the fruit.
Fruit Print Twill Shirt
Here's a top that also features fruit but one that isn't just citrus!
Cherry Floral Print High-Low Skirt
This skirt is a literal cherry blossom skirt. I adore this. I want it for myself and have yet to get it. -sobs- But this is definitely more of a gaudy office-y onee-gal vibe to me. I adore the the color way that has THREE print details. Polkadots (hi these are quite trendy this season), cherries, and blushing blossoms. The skirt also features an asymmetrical ruffle that I absolutely vibe with. I really really want this but my wallet is telling me to wait.
Tropical Floral Halter Jumpsuit
This tropical jumpsuit is so pretty. I love the usage of teal. I don't see the color often and I think is looks great with the flowers and leaves.
Tropical Floral Halter Jumpsuit
Here is another really stylish jumpsuit in white. It's very colorful.
Tropical Print Cami Midi Dress
This dress gives me MeJane vibes out again incorporating nude-colored flowers with the palm leaves. There's a really sexy slit up the side that gives it a really mature vibe.
Daisy Skater Skirt
Daisy print is such an iconic 90s staple but I think from what I can vaguely recall, we also appreciated it in the 00s in a unique way. I feel like 00s had chunkier/bigger daisies (flower power vibes) while the 90s was more of that grunge boho thing that was popular. Regardless, this is really cute and would pair well with a baby doll t-shirt and white platforms. I think this is a middle-ground of both eras personally...
Floral Cami Wrap Dress
Taking a step in a different direction, this floaty number is a really romantic take on gal fashion. This more-so gives me a mature take on Liz Lisa (something we've direly missed for forever).
Gingham Cami Babydoll Dress
Speaking of Liz Lisa, this gingham printed dress reminds me of very old Liz Lisa or their sister-brand Tralala. It might also could pass for Rose Fan Fan as well! It's a really cute cut with small ruffle detailing.
Floral Print Mini Dress
This is a very interesting dress. The cut and print screams onee-gyaru. I blame the nude colorway.
Floral Cami Mini Dress
Lime green paired with daisy print is such an old-school mood. It's so strange seeing this come back into trend because I can vividly remember this one. It's very cute and I don't where exactly it would fall into gyaru fashion but I can see it very much so working for a cute vibe that isn't quite hardcore gyaru but it isn't princess-y like Liz Lisa either...?
Stretch-Knit Pencil Skirt
Call this basic but you need a base for what I am about to pair with this skirt...
Belted Satin Faux Wrap Top
This top would pair so nicely with that pencil skirt. It's very elegant and looks kind of like stuff an OL onee-gal would wear if she worked a job that would allow her leeway in a dresscode. Which I actually recall seeing in a video at one point. I don't know if that video exists but the gal worked in an office or at a law firm and looked banging. This getup kind of reminded me of that.
Belted Ribbed Bodycon Dress
Tada. Another iconic onee-gal piece. This isn't a sleeveless turtle neck but I feel like I've seen a dress like this before in old 90s/00s magazines paired with a cardigan tied around the shoulders.
Baby Phat Print Mini Skirt
I'm only featuring ONE BabyPhat item because honestly? I'd be featuring the whole ass line because it's perfect for B-Gal or even possibly Tsuyome-y stuff. This stood out due to the print but jfcc... This brand revived a year or so ago and it's so retro and iconic.
Satin Nautical Print Cami Dress
This print is so cute and I feel like it's not Ma*rs but it ain't D.i.a... I don't know what it is other than beachy and it most certainly could work for a gyaru coordinate.
Here are my top gyaru fashion picks from Forever21 this season! What did you guys think? Did any of these pieces stand out to you? Are any of these future purchases in your shopping cart? Feel free to link me to any of your gal coordinates if you end up buying any of these. I'm very curious to see how someone would gal these up!
