Girly ( ガーリー ), also known as Girly Kei in order to avoid confusion with the "Girly" adjective, is a Japanese aesthetic and fashion which emphasizes cute, frilly looks. As opposed to the definition in English, Girly does not refer to everything feminine; Girly Kei focuses on a particular fashion style which includes things like lace, ribbons, ruffles, and patterns such as flowers and hearts. There are many substyles and the popular image can vary depending on the current trends.

Girly Kei fashion began becoming popularized in the 80s and 90s with magazines like Olive and CUTiE. The first brand solely dedicated to it opened its doors in 1999 in the form of Liz Lisa. Around 2010, Girly Kei highly spread in popularity among Gyaru , influenced by singer Kana Nishino and former Popteen model Kumicky (Kumiko Funayama) who wore the style, and as a result, many stores in Shibuya109 started catering to the boom. While Gyaru slowly faded into irrelevance over the years, many of the brands who opened during the boom still produce Girly Kei fashion up to this day.

LARME is a magazine originally focused on Japanese Nymphet fashion that eventually branched out to incorporate Girly Kei substyles. Its sheer popularity in the west during the 2010s has made the aesthetic almost synonymous with Girly Kei fashion.

Additionally to Larme Kei, the term " Ryousangata " (lit. "mass-produced", meaning mainstream) was sometimes used interchangeably with Girly Kei during the late 2010s to the early 2020s . It's a common slang term that refers to those who follow popular trends and therefore look indistinguishable from each other as if they were mass-produced in a factory.  The reason for the association of the fashion with said slang are female wota (idol otaku) who wear in seemingly similar over-the-top Girly Kei outfits to live events. As popular trends are constantly changing, so is the general public image of "Ryousangata" as well as the styles and looks associated with it, and the association with Girly Kei has diluted over the years in favor of fast fashion.

In general, Girly Kei fashion incorporates feminine imagery that gains specificity depending on the substyle. Most aesthetic imagery features lace, ribbons, and bow decorations, Kawaii imagery (often including Sanrio characters like My Melody or Kuromi ), cosmetics and perfume, and other things deemed girlish. Most color palettes are in pastels (mainly pink) with white and black, though this is not a solid rule. On social media, Girly Kei scenery is often connected with cutesy cafes, with many of photos pairing the clothes with elaborately-decorated tray displays of tea, sweets and pastries.

Japanese Girly Kei fashion takes some cues from general Kawaii and Lolita fashion, with some preferring it as a somewhat more casual or minimal alternative to more extreme lolita outfits. The goal is to appear cutesy and feminine, but in a preppy manner. Many of the current trends within the style are derived from Ryousangata girly trends that originated on social media (such as TikTok), and Japanese Idol culture has pushed Girly Kei's evolution into a more hyper-feminine and innocent direction.

Blouses are the most common top in Girly Kei fashion. Usually these tops are high-neck, Peter Pan-collared embellished with ruffles, lace, and ribbon embellishments. Sometimes pom-pom capes are added. In the wintertime, sweaters can be adorned with decorative stitching, ribbons and typical girlish embellishments. Bottoms are most commonly skirts, usually high waisted with decorated hems. Sometimes petticoats are added underneath to increase volume. Rarely, frilly shorts and skorts are worn. Bottoms can be swapped with dresses or coat-dresses of any length. Girly Kei mostly incorporates multi-strap Mary-Janes or sometimes loafers, both platformed. These are paired with lace or frilled socks or stockings.

Girly Kei makeup follows more mainstream J-fashion trends emphasizing a "natural" youthful look with soft blush, low contour and lipstick with faded edges. However, it is not uncommon for the eyes to be largened and exaggerated to give a more doe-like, teary-eyed appearance. This follows the "pien" makeup trend on Japanese TikTok, and occasionally even the more sickly red-eyed "byojaku" trend. Hairstyles are also variable, and it's seen as trendy to to curl the ends. Naturally, Girly Kei fashion makes use of jewelry, but may restrain them to traditional necklaces, bracelets and earrings with hair accessories.

Larme Kei is the Western name for Girly trends from c. 2014 to 2019. During this time, Girly brands such as Katie and MILK combined pin-up /lingerie elements such as garter belts and corset lacing with girly lace and puffed sleeves. The style was named after Larme magazine, which is a girly magazine that featured multiple aesthetics, including black and pink "Larme Kei."

The fashion that is predominantly associated with the Jirai subculture is also known as "Dark Girly", hence why it is mentioned in this page. Jirai is a subculture that describes mentally ill young women who are "landmines" (Jirai in Japanese). The term was choosen over how those girls might "go off" easily if approached carelessly. The connection with the style appeared over the sheer amount of mentally unwell girls who gravitate towards Kawaii culture on social media. Dark Girly fashion incorporates black, silver hardware, and bondage -like straps (ex. harnesses), while Sweet Girly has more princessy details. Many people who like the fashion but do not want to be associated with a subculture centered around mental illness use the term Dark Girly rather than Jirai.

French Girly combines Girly Kei with more subdued, traditionally French chic aspects, such as the use of tweed Chanel-inspired jackets, Breton stripes, and berets. It departs from other aesthetics by looking less over-the-top and Kawaii with more practical garments. There is also a greater visual element, with accounts often posting photos of French and 19th century Western architecture, desserts, and home/bedroom images.

Himekaji is a term created by the Western community to describe the style of subdued Hime Gyaru which was common from around 2007-2012. In Japan, the term instead refers to any casual princess-y fashion including Girly Kei . However, Himegyaru brands (mostly Liz Lisa) later departed from that style and shifted into one that would be recognized as Girly Kei in Japan. This style incorporates many floral prints, lace trim, and other details that are described on the page. As a note, Liz Lisa has shifted from its old, more casual aesthetic to producing more over-the-top girlish clothing.