Two girls in "just kidding" school uniforms. (C) arCONOMi

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Students wearing "just kidding" school uniforms. (C) arCONOMi

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Stylish fashions with the look and feel of school uniforms, called nanchatte seifuku ("just kidding" uniforms), are the latest hit among teenage girls. Students at schools with no official uniforms are choosing clothes that look like uniforms to go to school in, and even students at schools where uniforms are obligatory are dressing in stylish uniform-like clothes after school and on weekends. Recently the trend has started to take off outside Japan too.

Early Uniform "Makeovers"The use of the school uniform as a fashion statement is not entirely new. As long ago as the 1970s and 1980s, kids in the "cool" crowd at school were customizing their uniforms and wearing them in unorthodox ways. The fashions varied from region to region, and from one school to another, but the general trend was for shorter-than-regulation jackets and wide-legged pants for boys, and ankle-length pleated skirts for girls.

In the 1990s many schools introduced new uniforms in an attempt to put an end to these modified styles. Blazers were a common choice. Instead of reversing the trend, however, the new uniforms set the stage for even more variations, and legions of high-school girls around the country were soon sporting blazers with miniskirts and loose socks that came up to their knees, as their male classmates strutted their stuff in hip-hugging pants.

Suzumiya Haruhi no Yuutsu. (The Melancholy of Haruhi Suzumiya) (C)Nagaru TANIGAWA・Noizi ITO/(C)KADOKAWA SHOTEN

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A magazine specializing in faux school uniforms School Mix. (C)DIA COLLECTION

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Manga Inspiration"Designer" uniforms that looked like a more stylish version of the real thing first appeared around the beginning of the new millennium. Whereas previous trends had seen students bending the rules by customizing the outfits they were required to wear, this time it was the uniforms themselves that became the must-have style. Once again, manga and novels set on idealized school campuses were an influence. Among the most popular models were Sailor Moon, a classic manga about a group of high-school girls who battle evil dressed in miniskirt versions of the "sailor suits" worn by Japanese schoolgirls, K-On!, in which a high-school girl joins the school's light music club just before it folds, and the light novel and manga The Melancholy of Haruhi Suzumiya, with its eccentric high-school heroine. The uniforms in these stories come in a range of colors and styles: Often each character has his or her individual style. The designs later became popular motifs for cosplay (costume play) wear and faux uniforms.

The Trend Spreads OverseasThe popularity of these fake uniforms has seen dedicated boutiques opening to satisfy demand. The trailblazer was CONOMi, a specialist store in Tokyo's trendy Harajuku area, which opened in February 2008. CONOMi specializes in blazers, skirts, shirts, ribbons, and everything else the discerning schoolgirl needs to kit herself out as the coolest kid in school—in and out of the classroom. As well as groups of teenagers, it's not uncommon to see mothers shopping here with their daughters.

Faux uniforms are carried by many online shops and are a popular subject for fashion magazines. Specialist magazines such as School Mix help stylish schoolgirls to keep up to date with all the latest trends.

Recently the trend has taken off overseas. Uniform-themed events have been held in Thailand, for example, where local girls can sometimes be seen in Japanese-style uniforms after school and on weekends. School uniform fashion shows have been held in South Korea. Back in Japan, meanwhile, popular groups such as AKB48 have taken to performing in stage costumes inspired by school uniforms. It looks as though the "just kidding" uniforms are here to stay.

Once considered drab and regimented, today the right kind of school uniform is the key to looking cute. Expect the trend to spread further beyond Japan's borders in the months and years to come. (July 2010)