All About Ouji Fashion: Key Elements, Styling Tips, & Where to Buy It

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Plus, learn the history behind this Japanese style
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Ouji, also known as “boystyle” or "prince style," is a Japanese fashion style inspired by aristocratic menswear from the Victorian and Edwardian eras. The aesthetic seeks to create an elegant, royal look featuring historical garments, tailored clothing, quality fabrics, and a neutral color palette. In this article, we explain the key elements of Ouji fashion, how to style specific pieces, and more.

Ouji Fashion: Brief Overview

Ouji fashion, also known as “boystyle” or "prince style," is a Japanese fashion aesthetic that focuses on dressing like a young prince or other male aristocrat from the Victorian era. Key characteristics of the style include tailored clothing, quality fabrics, androgynous elements, and slender silhouettes.

Section 1 of 6:

What is ouji fashion?

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  1. Ouji fashion is based on creating an aristocratic Victorian aesthetic. Also known as “boystyle,” “prince style,” or “dandy,” Ouji is a Japanese fashion style that emulates the elegant look of a young European prince or aristocrat, drawing inspiration from Victorian and Edwardian menswear styles. The aesthetic includes clothing like knee-length pants, knickerbockers, waistcoats, and other historical fashion pieces. [1]
    • Some consider Ouji to be a substyle of the Lolita style, as they both draw inspiration from the Victorian period.
    • Although it’s a "princely" style, Ouji isn’t limited to any one gender. Anyone can rock the elegant, Victorian-inspired look!
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Section 2 of 6:

Key Elements of Ouji Fashion

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  1. 1
    Well-fitting, tailored pieces Princes and other royalty always had their clothing properly tailored to fit them perfectly, and this concept is the foundation of Ouji fashion. Essential pieces, like jackets, tops, and pants, should fit like a glove.
    • When putting together an outfit, personal stylist Ashley Kahn, “You want to make sure you start with your basic foundation pieces and then go from there.” [2] You can then build your wardrobe around those.
  2. 2
    High-quality fabrics Clothing, especially essential pieces, need to be made with high-quality fabrics, like silk and linen. High-quality fabrics create a polished, expensive look that evokes wealth and even royalty. Historically, British aristocrats wore fabrics like silk, satin, wool, velvet, linen, and damask. [3]
    • When you’re getting ready to shop for Ouji pieces, consider the fabrics and how their quality plays into the look of the outfit. For example, a silk blouse will look a lot better than a polyester blouse, and hold its quality for longer.
  3. 3
    A mix of masculine and feminine elements Ouji is characterized by its "prince" look, and the aesthetic features historically masculine pieces paired with more feminine accessories like ruffles and lace. The overall result is a royal, androgynous look.
    • Historically masculine garments:
      • Overcoats
      • Cossack trousers
      • Pumpkin pants
      • Vests
      • Mid or long-cut blouses
      • Waistcoats
    • Feminine elements:
      • Ruffles
      • Lace
      • Ribbons
      • Corsets (although these have also been worn by men)
      • Silk and lace blouses
  4. 4
    Neutral color palette Clothing in this style is usually made up of whites, blacks, and greys. Depending on the substyle of Ouji you want to go for, this color palette may change, but Ouji is typically defined by the white, black, and grey garments it utilizes. Gold buttons provide a pop of color, while tops and bottoms are often made up of the same solid color (whether it’s black, white, or grey depends on your preference).
    • If you prefer Sweet Ouji, your color palette will consist of more pinks, blues, and lighter, cuter colors associated with young royalty.
  5. 5
    Slender silhouettes with defined proportions The upper half of the silhouette tends to be slender and boxy (especially around the shoulders). When paired with knee-length pants (another Ouji staple), this creates a slender look up top with wider, more defined proportions around the leg. Silhouettes often enhanced with flourishes like ruffles and ribbons.
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Section 3 of 6:

How to Style Ouji Fashion

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  1. 1
    Tops Ouji fashion is characterized by blouses, buttoned-tops, and vests. It comes in all different colors and styles, with the only requirement being that they emulate the look of a Victorian or Edwardian-era prince. Tailored coats tend to be a great addition to the Ouji look, helping bring the aristocratic, elegant look to life.
    • How to Style: Pair blouses, buttoned tops, and vests together, or with tailored coats. Look for vests and coats with buttons and broad shoulders.
    • When it comes to dressing with style, professional stylist Christina Santelli says, “It’s about what really makes you comfortable. It doesn’t have to be the latest trend on the runway.” [4]
  2. 2
    Bottoms Knee-length pants, like knickerbockers, are common, though longer pants and pumpkin pants (shorter, puffier pants) can also be worn. Drawing inspiration from the Victorian era, the length of the pants often varies depending on the age you’re trying to emulate. Bottoms are almost always high or mid-waisted, never low. [5]
    • How to Style: Wear high or mid-waisted, knee-length knickerbocker pants, pumpkin pants, or longer pants, depending on the look you’re going for. Aim for a silhouette with thick, flowy bottoms.
    • For example, if you’re going for the look of an older prince, go for longer pants. If you prefer a younger look, rock shorter, knee-length pants.
    • Keep your shorts straight-cut and avoid denim to stay true to the elegant, royal look of Ouji. Ultimately, opt for a silhouette that’s thicker on the bottom than it is on top.
  3. 3
    Accessories Accessorizing is crucial for Ouji, particularly accessories historically associated with masculine fashion, like pocket watches, top hats, ties, and jabots. Aside from those, Ouji can be accessorized with bows, crowns, brooches, and flower headpieces. How you accessorize depends on your personal preference since there are a lot of options here. [6]
    • How to Style: Pocket watches, top hats, bows, ties, crowns, and jabots.
  4. 4
    Shoes & Socks Socks tend to be knee-high and exaggerated to give the outfit a dramatic look, while shoes tend to be knee-high or mid-calf length boots. Platforms and bulky shoes tend to be staples in Ouji, usually coming in black or white. However, depending on the substyle, the color can vary.
    • How to Style: Wear knee-high or mid-length platform boots with exaggerated, knee-high socks.
  5. 5
    Hair Ouji fashion is characterized by a boyish look, so short hair tends to be common among those who regularly wear the style. To fully commit to the Ouji look, opt for shorter hairstyles, like a bob or pixie cut . Pigtails and other longer hairstyles can also be worn, but they aren’t as common. Alternatively, opt for wigs for a shorter look that doesn’t require a chop. [7]
    • How to Style: Cut your hair short or opt for a short wig.
  6. 6
    Makeup When it comes to makeup, Ouji is up in the air. There isn’t a particular style of makeup associated with the Ouji style, but many opt for a natural look with nude makeup. Anything goes when it comes to Ouji makeup, though. From a standard red lip and sleek eyeliner to the bold white and pink color palette of shironuri, you can opt for whatever look you prefer.
    • How to Style: Wear whatever makeup look you want, as long as you feel good in it and feel like it matches your style.
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Section 4 of 6:

Ouji Fashion Substyles

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  1. 1
    Classic Ouji Classic Ouji emphasizes elegance and a refined taste. Reminiscent of its inspiring Victorian and Edwardian eras, Classic Ouji has a mature, prince-esque look that is characterized by knee-length pants (or longer), jabots, hats (like cavalier hats, tricorns, and bicorns), and waist-length jackets and vests. [8]
  2. 2
    Gothic Ouji Gothic Ouji takes the elegant, royal look of Ouji and fuses it with the dark undertones of the goth style . The result is a look that ranges from dark luxury to frill-filled and vampire-inspired. The Gothic Ouji substyle tends to be made up of black and red color schemes, along with crosses, bats, bones, and other gothic imagery. It also often features flowy capes and overskirts. [9]
  3. 3
    Sweet Ouji Sweet ouji, as its name suggests, draws on the sweet, boyish aesthetic of a young prince. It is characterized by the use of shorts, berets, boater hats, and other childlike accessories. Sweet Ouji also tends to feature bows and other flowy objects, accentuating the cute, boyish look of the sub style. [10]
  4. 4
    Old-school Ouji Old-school Ouji calls on the original days of Ouji fashion, going back to the style’s roots and strictly drawing from the same Victorian inspirations as its vintage counterpart. It is characterized by a blockier look and feel than modern-day Ouji, and heavily black color schemes. [11]
    • Many Old-school Ouji outfits were all black, staying faithful to the style’s Victorian inspirations.
  5. 5
    Regal Ouji Regal Ouji is all about aiming for that prince look. Whereas standard Ouji has more flexibility, Regal Ouji requires a royal look, utilizing crowns, capes, and elegant patterns to pull it off. To pull it off and really emulate the Regal look, wear gold in your cords and accentuate your Ouji outfits with crowns & capes. Shoot for the stereotypical prince look!
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Section 5 of 6:

Brands & Where to Buy Ouji Fashion

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  1. Order Ouji clothing online through brands like 42 Lolita and Metamorphose. There are plenty of brands online that sell the pieces used in Ouji styling. As long as they sell blouses , knee-length pants or trousers, and/or platform boots , you’re in luck. Brands like Metamorphose and 42 Lolita specialize in Ouji and Lolita outfits, making them great options if you’re looking to dive deep into the style. Other options include: [12]
Section 6 of 6:

Origin of Ouji Fashion

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  1. Ouji originated in Japan around the 1990s and 2000s. Although the particular origins behind the Ouji style are unclear, it’s thought to have emerged around the 90s and 2000s, with the rise of other Japanese visual kei substyles. Historically, the Victorian style has been popular since the 19th century, with Ouji modernizing the look by incorporating modern elements, like lace and shorts. [13]
    • The Ouji style has seen a resurgence in recent years thanks to the acceptance of alternative styles and the ease of access through the internet.
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      References

      1. ↑ https://lolitafashion.fandom.com/wiki/Boystyle
      2. ↑ Ashley Kahn. Wardrobe Stylist. Expert Interview
      3. ↑ http://www-personal.umd.umich.edu/~cfinlay/sumptuary.html
      4. ↑ Christina Santelli. Professional Stylist. Expert Interview
      5. ↑ https://lolitafashion.fandom.com/wiki/Boystyle
      6. ↑ https://www.fashionabc.org/what-is-ouji-fashion/
      7. ↑ https://lolitafashion.fandom.com/wiki/Boystyle
      8. ↑ https://youtu.be/uPahCychgMc?si=kntsHEVyeCeFCqOV&t=537
      9. ↑ https://youtu.be/uPahCychgMc?si=8sgCnZUCdd14AKij&t=480
      1. ↑ https://youtu.be/uPahCychgMc?si=UjkknXguCZcZx7dI&t=431
      2. ↑ https://youtu.be/uPahCychgMc?si=aRrRTZM4CpoZO4PY&t=717
      3. ↑ https://lolitafashion.fandom.com/wiki/Boystyle
      4. ↑ https://www.fashionabc.org/what-is-ouji-fashion/

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