Jirai Kei Guide + Commonly Asked Questions Megathread

WHAT IS JIRAI KEI?

From the Aesthetics Wiki:

Jirai Kei is derived from Jirai Onna (地雷女, lit. "landmine woman"): a derogatory term that is used to label and stereotype a woman as what would be considered a "ticking time bomb" in English, especially towards mentally ill women with BPD, bipolar disorder, and other mood swing-causing illnesses. It is commonly used to dismiss women, often ex-girlfriends, as crazy and/or dangerous over arbitrary traits, such as a fondness for Kawaii.

Jirai kei is a stereotypical image born from the mental health based subculture under the same name, and although it is often compared to the Menhera subculture, it is not inherently focused on mental health education or support. Jirai kei communities try to be honest and open about the reality of living with mental illness without the pressure of recovery and kicking bad habits, embracing the stigma of mental illness in a culture heavily descriminatory of neurodiversity and mental health awareness. The subculture gained popularity around early 2020 due to the popularization of Dark Girly fashion from the subculture, the Girly kei stereotype becoming a trend on Japanese social media (ex: the "Psycho Girlfriend" dress-up trend on Japanese tiktok in 2020), and mainstream interest in Toyoko kids, many of whom are known to be a part of online and offline Jirai Kei communities.

Jirai Kei, similar to western styles like E-Girl, is not a fashion style by itself, but rather an informal fashion trend evolved from the popularization of its online community. Jirai Kei has also adopted negative stereotypes seen in Toyoko Kid and Menhera communities as it expanded through its popularization as a fashion category online.

While the main look of Jirai Kei evolved from Girly fashion, the stereotypes and culture surrounding Jirai evolved from Girly Kei, the stereotype associated with girls that dress in Girly fashion. The term "kei" is used to distinguish a stereotype or an archetype. The Girly kei image is a precedesor to Jirai Kei, and it denotes a stereotype of women that dress cutely and innocently but have a horrible personality and destructive behaviors not unlike their successor, Jirai Kei girls.

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IS RYOUSANGATA PART OF JIRAI KEI?

The stereotype of Ryousangata kei, a parallel trend associated with Girly Kei, evolved from the copy paste looks and behaviors of young women and teenage girls at idol concerts and in wota spaces, many of whom expressed obsessive traits over their favorite idols. Similarly to Jirai Kei, its popularity online exploded as did the fashion of women that fit the stereotype.

The term Ryousangata means "mass produced", and it is used to refer to styles that become so popular that its wearers all look identical. The nature of the term means that its image always shifts. Ryousangata used to refer to girls in the Gyaru subculture in the 2010s, but in the early 2020s it has now become a term to describe girls who wear the Sweet Girly style with pastel color palletes. The style is also associated with Jirai girls, as most Ryousangata coords can become Jirai coords with a switch of a color pallete and because many Jirai girls wear both styles.

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WHAT DOES JIRAI KEI LOOK LIKE?

Jirai kei girls were defined by their makeup style well before they developed a fashion distinct to their group, and it is considered the most important aspect of a jirai coordination. A pale complexion with reddish eyeshadow, blush, and lipstick is meant to give off a sickly appearance, or to look like one had just finished crying. This makeup style is called "Byojaku", nicknamed "Pien" makeup after the pleading "Pien" emoji (🥺). The typical eye makeup is an exaggerated version of "Namida Bukuro" makeup previously seen in the Gyaru and Girly communities in combination with sickly Byojaku styling.

Jirai Kei as a fashion consists of multiple styles worn by those considered to be Jirai Kei, including but not limited to:

  • "Classic" Jirai Kei (Evolved from Dark Girly and Yami Kawaii "Menhera" styles)
  • Ryousangata Kei (Evolved from Sweet Girly)
  • Girly fashion
  • Subcul
  • Mizuiro
  • Y2K

The typical look of Jirai Kei fashion is most comparable to its predecessor style Dark Girly, however, the newer styles in the umbrella are moving away from the classic peter pan collar blouse + pinafore skirt approach and more towards its streetwear subcul variant.

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Please refer to the Aesthetics Wiki for guidance on the Classic Jirai Kei style (clothing, hair, makeup, accessories, etc).

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WHERE TO BUY JIRAI KEI CLOTHING?

Clothing Brand List ( 🇯🇵 / 🇨🇳 / 🇺🇸 )

Brand New

  • Taobao ☆
  • Aliexpress (Be wary of low quality dupes!)

Secondhand Sites

  • Mercari JP ☆
  • Mercari US ☆
  • Depop
  • KeiMarket

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HOW TO BUY DIRECTLY FROM JIRAI BRANDS?

Some stores offer international shipping directly on their webpage, while others partner with proxies!

Proxy Sites

  • Buyee ☆
  • Zozotown (Through Buyee)
  • Fasbee
  • Worldshopping (Can get expensive)

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HOW TO BUY FROM MERCARI JP?

Proxy Sites

(It is possible to buy from Mercari JP directly from the US, however it is highly recommended to use a proxy.)

  • Buyee ☆
  • FromJapan ☆
  • ZenMarket ☆ 🇪🇺
  • NyoTokyo
  • Tenso
  • Japonica Market

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HOW TO BUY FROM TAOBAO / ACCESS CHINESE TAOBAO BRANDS?

Resale Sites

  • HoneyWardrobe ☆
  • 42Lolita (Sells Lolita and Chinese Jirai Brands)

Proxy Sites

(It is possible to buy from Taobao directly from the US, however it is highly recommended to use a proxy.)

  • Spreenow ☆
  • SuperBuy ☆
  • Bhiner
  • ParcelUp
  • 42agent
  • CSSBuy
  • PandaBuy
  • Yoybuy
  • CNFans