Glamorous & Sexy Room Wear for Tokyo Princesses

Last week, right here at Tokyo Fashion, I delivered a hard-hitting report on summer bikinis for the big-haired and bejeweled style tribe known in Japan as “hime gyaru” (princess girls). But the question remains, what do these fair maidens wear when simply relaxing at home?

The answer is…Princess Room Wear!

The webstore Yume Tenbo (“Dream View”) – which also deals in those princess bikinis – offers a wide array of fluffy and cute outfits that only a hime gyaru living in a hime room (like the ones seen here) would consider “casual wear”. Take for example…

Awash in ruffles and ribbons, this outfit looks for all the world like the one-piece tops that form the cornerstones of elaborate and decorative hime gyaru fashion. But it has been especially designed from soft and silky materials as “lovely room wear”…you know, something to throw on while laying around the apartment! This 3-piece set from Dearly – including top, short pants, and ribbon headband – is called the “Cute Relax Colorful Pile Room Wear Set” and it won’t cost the kingdom much, going for a mere 1,980 yen ($25.00).

Hime gyaru clothing often intersects with another curious variety of Japanese fashion known as “koakuma” (“little devil”) style. For princesses who are inclined to be naughty by nature, here’s a “Koakuma Lace x Heart Pocket Bust Lace” room wear set that sells for 2,980 yen (US$38.70). The item copy asks the question, “Is she angel…or devil?” Bonus points for eagle-eyed readers will have already noticed the Hello Kitty mark on the front pocket and the logo on the short pants. More cuteness awaits you below!

The kawaii factor slams into overdrive with this “Fluffy Cute Rabbit Ears One Piece” set that apparently has sold over 50,000 to date. It is made of soft fabrics that Yume Tenbo claims “will make you melt with comfort”. Other highlights included with the 2,980 yen (US$38.70) price tag are pom-pom pull strings, a detachable ribbon, heart-shaped zipper, and, yes, even a rabbit tail!

My personal favorite of the collection has got to be this “Fluffy Border Cute Warm Room Wear” getup, if only because it looks like something a princess would wear after escaping from a cute and fluffy prison. On sale now for a mere 500 yen ($6.40), the price itself makes for a steal.

Forget the glass slippers – what aspiring royalty really needs is fuzzy room slippers! Yume Tebo’s selection of 8 colors promises “supreme comfort and warmth”. For 780 yen (US$10.00), it may be the closet thing to actually wearing that teddy bear (lower right) on your feet!

Believe me, this parade of lace, ribbons, ruffles, and fluffy materials barely scratches the surface of the Princess shop’s stock of room wear. At last count, there are nearly 100 different items in all! Feel free to browse them at Yume Tenbo via this handy link here. And yes, many are also available for overseas purchase at Rakuten’s English shop. Included bonus gallery below of the very best of them.

Check out these bonus hime gyaru room wear pictures to give you an even better idea of how cute & cuddly the outfits really are:

Article by Patrick Macias, photos courtesy of Yume Tenbo.

About the author:
Patrick Macias runs the “Japanese Fashion Inferno” blog. He is also the author of “Japanese Schoolgirl Inferno: Tokyo Teen Fashion Subculture Handbook” (Chronicle Books). He has written for a variety of publications in the US and Japan including Wired, Studio Voice, and Weekly ASCII.