Heisei retro fashion is making a comeback in the Reiwa era! The appeal of Y2K style
Clothing is like a mirror that reflects the spirit and atmosphere of its time.
When you look back at the fashions that were popular in the Heisei era, doesn’t a mix of nostalgia and excitement come rushing back? From gyaru style to Mori Girl to aomoji-kei fashion, Heisei retro looks are packed with a charm that still feels fresh today.
For those who lived through it, the trends feel nostalgic; for younger generations, they look new and exciting.
Shall we set off together into the world of Heisei style—a world that somehow feels warm and welcoming?
Heisei retro fashion is making a comeback in the Reiwa era! The allure of Y2K style (1–10)
Chibi T-shirt outfit
https://www.tiktok.com/@nekurayarou/video/7532480150793899272When it comes to recent fashion, oversized silhouettes are mainstream, but back in the Heisei era, girls—especially those who loved gyaru style—deliberately wore tight, cropped “chibi T” shirts.
It became a huge trend after fashion icons of the time like Namie Amuro and Ayumi Hamasaki wore them.
In fact, these chibi T-shirts are popular again in the Reiwa era’s Y2K fashion revival, and many women are even opting to wear kids’ size T-shirts on purpose.
Gyaru fashion
https://www.tiktok.com/@nishikaiganrb.fukparco/video/7522872640701304072Heisei-era gyaru fashion, often described as a mix of cool and cute with a unique flair.
Signature items include denim skirts, platform sandals and mules, and tail keychains.
Now that Heisei gyaru style is having a revival in the Reiwa era! In addition to the items mentioned above, off-the-shoulder tops and cropped T-shirts are making a comeback—pieces that will make anyone who spent their youth in the Heisei period think, “So nostalgic!” Back then, many people took style cues from Namie Amuro and Ayumi Hamasaki and enjoyed gyaru fashion, didn’t they?
grunge fashion
https://www.tiktok.com/@travas_tokyo_shibuya/video/7453446994766335252Grunge fashion is characterized by items like plaid flannel shirts, distressed denim, and rock T-shirts.
Kurt Cobain’s style is known as the representative example.
“Grungy” means “dirty,” and grunge fashion refers to a rough, casual style like everyday wear.
In the Reiwa era, a fusion of this grunge fashion with fairycore—called “fairy grunge”—seems to be gaining popularity.
Goth punk fashion
https://www.tiktok.com/@no.2___/video/7377022996055117057Goth-punk fashion is a style that adds Gothic elements to punk fashion.
When you think of punk, you picture distressed denim, shirts with torn-looking designs, and accents like safety pins and chains.
Incorporating dark yet cute items centered around black, along with accessories such as crosses, brings you closer to what’s commonly called goth-punk.
The iconic punk brand Vivienne Westwood became so popular that the term “Vivi-ko” was coined, and it was also well-known because the protagonist of the manga NANA wore it.
Decora fashion
https://www.tiktok.com/@akuyaku_666_adams/video/7248202976496504066Blue-accent fashion is the complete opposite of red-accent fashion, which aims to appeal to men.
Among blue-accent styles, Decora fashion of the time may have been the one that most emphasized individuality, letting people freely coordinate items that expressed their true selves.
Magazines like CUTiE and KERA are known as blue-accent fashion magazines, and Kyary Pamyu Pamyu is perhaps the quintessential icon of Decora fashion.
It’s a style that remains cute while being highly individual, especially popular among women.
Leopard-print outfit
https://www.tiktok.com/@aoo____ao/video/7437431948026449170When you think of Heisei-era gyaru, leopard print was practically synonymous—everyone wore it.
I remember not just clothes, but also bags, pouches, and even dolls’ outfits being leopard print.
In Reiwa, with Y2K fashion trending, some people admire those gyaru-inspired styles from back then.
For anyone like that, I highly recommend incorporating leopard print.
Just adding leopard print lets you channel that vibrant, cool look from the time.
loose socks coord
https://www.tiktok.com/@ng_xoxo.s2.jp/video/7074528712397475073When you think of must-have items for middle and high schoolers in the Heisei era, loose socks come to mind! Many people picture gyaru-style girls wearing them.
It seems those loose socks are making a comeback in the Reiwa era.
Back in Heisei, the main style was pairing white loose socks with school uniforms, but in Reiwa, a variety of colors have appeared, and people are wearing them with everyday outfits like shorts.
There are lots of stylish options now, like small embroidered accents and two-tone designs.