Stylish Japanese Heroines You Can Watch On Netflix

Nao Yoshikawa from Good Morning Call 1 & 2

Good Morning Call has your typical shoujo (genre addressed to female teens) plot. There are two leads — Nao Yoshikawa (Haruka Fukuhara) and Hisashi Uehara (Shunya Shiraishi) — who are forced to share an apartment, which will eventually lead to them falling in love. Aside from the light-hearted romance that’ll surely keep you engrossed (enough to binge through Season 1 and 2 on Netflix), Nao’s very soft and feminine fashion in this J-drama will also keep your eyes glued to the screen.

(Left) Zimmerman Wild Botanica Silk Crepon Mini Dress, USD1,418.47 (Photo from: net-a-porter.com); (Right) Forcast Esmeralda Floral A-Line Skirt, PHP3,212/USD66.15 (Photo from: zalora.com)

How to get her signature style: Nao’s looks have a feminine silhouette, with her tops often tucked at the waist to give her petite figure a flattering shape. She goes for pastel colourways often, which are complemented with ruffles or lace details. She balances these combinations by steering clear of loud accessories.

Tsugumi Kawana from Perfect World

If cheesy high school romances are not your cup of tea, Perfect World (the series version) is a better choice. It follows the story of Tsugumi Kawana (Mizuki Yamamoto), who reunites with her unrequited first love from high school, Itsuki Ayukawa (Tori Matsuzaka). She was surprised to learn that Itsuki is now paralysed from the waist down due to an accident after high school, but it didn’t stop her from falling in love with him all over again.

Aside from the heart-tugging plot, Tsugumi’s style in every episode is also worth the attention. Her choice of neutral colours styled in a sleek manner prove that no colour palette is boring as long as you know how to make it work.

Fun fact: The actress who played Tsugumi and the actor who played the second lead, Koji Seto, tied the knot in real life last year!

(Left) Mango Cotton Turtleneck, PHP795/USD16.37 (Photo from: zalora.com); (Right) Mango Strap Denim Dress, PHP1,595/USD32.85 (Photo from: zalora.com)

How to get her signature style: Similar to the light academia aesthetic, Tsugumi’s style uses a lot of neutral colours. She then pairs the main element of her outfit — be it a neutral top or a colour-coordinated suit-and-trouser combo — with another piece that either has a complementing pop of colour or a different type of fabric to add some texture to the look. She completes the sleek vibe of the number with minimalist accessories.

Mayuko Tokita from Atelier

One of Netflix’s hidden gems is this 2015 Japanese drama focused on women working in the luxury lingerie industry. It shares a similar vibe to The Devil Wears Prada, where rookie Mayuko Tokita (Mirei Kiritani) struggles to find her place under the mentorship of Anna Wintour-like Mayumi Nanjo (Mao Daichi). Mayuko’s style started off very dull and stiff with boring plain suits and worn-out flats. But as the series progresses, we see her learn how to power dress.

(Left) Acne Studios Cotton Blend Tweed Blazer, USD727.47 (Photo from: net-a-porter.com); (Right) Jimmy Choo Rene 65 Suede And Patent-Leather Pumps, USD644.33 (Photo from: net-a-porter.com)

How to get her signature style: Mayuko’s typical combo is a patterned coat, an A-line skirt and kitten heels. When she’s not in this usual ensemble, she dons sheath-style dresses in neutral colours that are decorated with small details like ribbons or well-placed cuts. These choices are perfect for a crisp and well-put together outfit that still allows for comfortable mobility, especially if, just like her, you’re also out and about doing errands for work.

These looks are easy to recreate even with your current wardrobe. It’s only a matter of pinpointing which of these heroines’ styles fits yours the most. Which of them are you excited to get your next outfit inspiration from?

(Cover photo from: Max Ohkrimenko via Unsplash)