Now you can complete your sailor suit schoolgirl outfit with a school bag from a variety of historical Japanese eras.
Japanese novelty clothing manufacturer Bibi Lab has been catering to the shy cosplayer market for several years now, with a number of schoolgirl “roomwear” outfits designed to be worn around the home and away from the public eye.
We’ve seen everything from “rich girl” school uniforms to sailor suit outfits for men, but for all the weird and wonderful cosy costumes they’ve produced, the company has just realised there was one thing missing from their range: some true-to-life schoolgirl accessories.
Here to amend the situation is Bibi Lab’s new School Bag Cushion range, which consists of three soft cushions, accurately styled on Japanese school bags from different eras to match their existing Sera Kore (“Sailor Collection”) line of sailor suit school uniforms.
First up in the range is the black-coloured satchel, which was commonly used during the Showa period (1926-1989). Seen here with Bibi Lab’s Kogyaru Style school uniform, which was popular in the ’90s, the bag harks back to a more retro era of schoolgirl fashion.
After the decline in popularity of the black leather satchel in the ’90s, the brown leather bag came into fashion. With increased durability, this type of bag was said to be a better match for blue or grey school uniforms.
Rounding out the collection is the navy blue Boston-style school bag. Usually made from nylon and polyester, this is the school bag most commonly used by students today. Bibi Lab’s cushion version makes a perfect partner for their JK (joshi kosei/female high school student) style of school uniform roomwear.
Made from a cotton and polyester blend, all the bags in the range retail for 4,200 yen (US$37.22) each and come with cute handles and a school emblem to create a realistic look. Instead of stationery and textbooks, these bags are filled with a soft piece of foam, with the attached zip allowing for easy removal so the covers can be washed.
According to a survey conducted by Bibi Lab, almost 20 percent of respondents said they didn’t feel like they could wear a schoolgirl outfit in public, but they would be happy to wear one at home if they were able to.
With this in mind, the company is continuing to appeal to these shy cosplayers with even more items to make dressing up at home more enjoyable, including a range of schoolgirl “indoor shoe room socks“. These are designed to look just like the “indoor shoes” students wear in Japan while in the corridors and classrooms of a school building.
The socks retail for 3,000 yen per pair, or alternatively they can be purchased as part of a set, which contains a Sera Kore school uniform, bag and socks, for 15,600 yen. To make a purchase, head on over to the official Bibi Lab site, or check out their online stores on Amazon, Marauchi and Village Vanguard.
Featured image: Bibi Lab
Insert images: Bibi Lab (1, 2)