So you wanna be like Visual Kei?



The GazettE, a popular Jrock Band


Have you ever wanted to look a little bit... Different? Wanted to completely and utterly stand out from the crowd? If Visual Kei is your thing, then here's some cheap and easy suggestions on how to achieve your own unique Visual Kei look. Remember, the biggest thing about this style is that it should be completely unique to you. It's no good simply cosplaying a band member you like and wearing it as your own style. Be brave, be wild, and just go for it! That is how Visual Kei was born, and that it is how it should live.

The Eyes

Visual Kei loves eyes! They are an open palette to paint as crazy or as simple design as you want. They are the key to your uniqueness, and your own design. This is the section where there really are no rules. Contacts or no contains, mega heavy eyeliner or nothing at all - everything goes.



Cheap and easy to use!



Top tip! ---  I find jewel stickers a great and cool addition to add below along the cheek below the eye - they are cheap, don't require any glue, and they can come off easily when you want to remove them!



Miyavi shaved his eyebrows.

 What is common though is for Visual Kei artists to shave their eyebrows.
Now I personally don't recommend this, because when you're older you might regret having to draw in your eyebrows all the time or having to trim them to stop it going really bushy.

The Hair

Arguably the most important aspect of Visual Kei! There are some rules you have to consider if you want Visual Kei hair.

Rule N#1 --- Must have some kind of extreme-ness.
Rule N#2 --- No Visual Kei hair obeys the laws of gravity.
Rule N#3 --- If you don't use any kind of hair spray, you're doing it wrong.


Bou, ex-member of An Cafe. He generally has more
of an Oshare Kei style, a sub genre of Visual Kei.

 Despite these rules you can be pretty flexible with this. Visual Kei hair is open to any colour, (as well as any ethnicity, as all good things should be!) so you don't have to dye your hair if you don't want to. Then again, if wild streaks are your kind of thing, GO FOR IT! It'll scream Visual Kei. Wigs and hair extensions are completely fine! Darker colours such as blacks, reds, browns, and purples tend to be a common in Visual Kei. But blond is also big, just take Bou for example (right), or Reita from The GazettE. Generally the use of lighter colours in hair as well as clothing, nails, and everything else is called Oshare Kei instead of Visual Kei.

If you'd like a little inspiration with hair, check out my earlier blog post, Visual Kei Hairstyles, which could inspire you.

Also remember that Visual Kei hair is for boys and girls, so don't feel that you have to make compromises because of your gender!


The Gear

Sometimes in the fashion world of Visual Kei, clothing and accessories get so mixed together they truly become One. I'm not going to break that bond, but instead list a few things Visual Kei'ers have done in the past. I hope it inspires you. Some of this will be pretty obvious.





What can be certain is that the Versailles love their gear!



• Chains - Any kind of chain, as as many as you want!
• Hats - This can be anything, to paper hats, to top hats, to mini Gothic Lolita hats
• Spikes
• Ties - These can be ordinary ties to very Visual Kei ones like this!
• Buttons of all sorts
• Goggles and glasses
• Eye contacts
• Hair clips, head bands, bows, etc
• Bandages
• Hand bands
• Feathers
• Collar shirts
• Coats. Lots and lots of coats.
• Studded jackets
• Long black boots
• Trainers & multi coloured laces
• Wristbands
• Tattoos / fake and otherwise.
• Ripped material jackets, shirts, skirts, trousers
• Chokers, necklaces, earrings, pendants, rings
• Tights, leggings
• Gloves, arm-warmers
• Zips, usually far more than needed!
• Pockets
• Masks
• Piercings
• Victorian/Edwardian style clothing and accessories
• Futuristic style clothing & accessories
• Wigs, hair extensions
• Pocket watches
• Ruffles
• Belts

Of course, in the real world of Visual Kei this list would be far more bigger! Hope you enjoyed the post, thank you for reading!